They were hitting him again, cold fists slamming into him again and again, and his friends weren't doing anything about it, John and Mary Watson standing there, holdings hands, Lestrade watching on with his arms crossed, and Mrs. Hudson smiling happily in the corner. He groaned in pain, and his torturer laughed, cold, not really a laugh, more a forced noise coming from his throat. Please, he was begging, stop this, do something. His brother appeared next to him, smiling that smile of his, saying, "They won't do anything. Because they have realised that caring is not an advantage". He woke to screaming, and gentle voice consoling him, and an unfamiliar room surrounding him. It took him a moment to realise that the screaming was coming from him, and the dream came flooding back, along with the identity of the gentle voice consoling him. There was tears running down his face and sobs racking his body when she asked what happened, before realising it probably wasn't the best subject, and deciding to just hold him instead. "It's okay" was all she said, " You're safe". _
He was focusing on Molly when his mother called them down, listening to her gentle words of comfort, his senses honing in on how her hand felt as it skimmed his back, how she smelt like pomegranates because of her shampoo, how she looked, her eyes still tired, but her mind and her heart awake as ever. She followed him down, still holding his hand, but letting go just before the last stair- stopping any ridicule from my brother, he thought, smiling slightly at her. She smiled right back.
"Your sister is still asleep on the couch" his mother told him, "So we must be quiet" .
"Of course she is" he said, to Molly rather than his mother, "She's actually slept through a car crash before now. And she was the one driving" . Molly laughed, and again it was the best thing he'd seen in a very long time. He could see Mycroft watching them, while pretending to read the newspaper, and dropped his smile.
"I'm gonna go help your mum with breakfast" Molly said, and walked off.
"Alright asshat" he said when she'd gone, "What is it?"
"It's just you and your Dr. Hooper seem to be getting along very well, that's all"
"Well we are friends. That's how people are with their friends. Not that you'd know" His elder brother smiled , before putting down his newspaper.
"Even I know people don't act like that with there friends, Sherlock. Just be careful" he said, " Mummy dearest will notice before long, and then where will you be?" .
"Hullo, big brothers" their sister said, stumbling into the kitchen, "'s mum making breakfast?"
"Yes. Go help her, we're having a conversation"
"Ooooo, a conversation, is it?" She asked, sarcasm dripping for her tongue as easily as if she'd been commenting on the weather, "Talking about girls?" . He scowled again, and walked off to find his best friend. "