Mycroft Age: 23

Sherlock is in trouble, again. There is something wrong with that boy. I comb the warehouse's darkened room with my eyes, squinting in the half light. He has to be here somewhere, poor bloke. He really shouldn't mess with the gang bangers, they show no mercy, not ever. I tentatively cry out,

"Sherlock?" No answer. There is a shuffle of someone moving in the corner of the room, my eyes are instantly drawn to the spot. Someone is lying on the floor. I curse silently, hoping that it isn't my younger brother, but knowing that it is going to be him. I run over quietly, trying not to make much noise, "Sherlock I got your message, please tell me you didn't get beat up to bad." No such luck. Sherlock's pale face is streaked with his own blood, his right eye is already swelling, his nose is gushing blood and his lip is split. He has a long cut on the side of his arm which looks angry and red and his shirt's buttons are gone, leaving it open to show off the bruises of several cracked ribs and a huge bruise on his side. "Shit Sherlock, not good. What have I told you about the gangsters? To stay away. Now look at what you've done. You can't go home tonight, mother will have fit, you'll have to stay at my place."

"Bugger off." The first words my brother has spoken to me in a few weeks. They were spat out with effort and ended up cracked and sort of flat. I look at my bloodied younger brother sadly,

"Sorry Sherlock, you can't even stand, no, I'm going to have to take care of this. You really need to get a grip of yourself. You're tearing your life to shreds. How many universities have you been kicked out of? To many, and now this? Come on," I bend down and drape his good arm over my shoulders to help him stand. He resists, which isn't a surprise to me.

"Push off Mycroft, I mean it."

"Sherlock, did you or did you not text me this morning?" Sherlock is quiet for a moment,

"I did."

"Yes you did. You asked for help, and help has come. Whether you want it to or not actually so you man up and let me help you, or I can leave you hear to take another beating in the morning, one which you probably won't live through. What do you say? I'm trying to help you here Sherlock." He looks at me a moment, with a look that is only describable as wonder.

"You really do care don't you?" I only nod, and help him up again, this time he doesn't fight me.

"Easy does it, you'll be better soon."

"Quit acting like you saved me Mycroft, I don't need it. Not tonight. Better text mum that I'm with you, she'll worry." I look at him a moment as we enter the cold night air, he doesn't even shiver,

"You say you don't feel, you don't care, but you do. You care about mum, you care about certain people, even if you don't care about me. I don' t mind that you don't care about me." I pause for a moment and take my coat off to drape it over Sherlock's bruised and bare shoulders. He shudders,

"Thank you Mycroft. For coming to find me. I can always count on you. You are possibly one of the only people in the world that are actually trust worthy. Thanks for that." I look at him again as we trek down the street,

"Sherlock, we're tied together as family. You're my brother, I feel responsible for you because of that fact, and yes, I will be here for you. Always. All you have to do is ask." He smiles weakly before we reach my flat door. I put him in my bed with a glass of water and an aspirin, telling him to get some sleep and we'll see what I can do about those battle wounds in the morning. He chuckles a little bit and before to long is fast asleep. I sit next to him and study his face as he sleeps. When Sherlock sleeps he gets a sort of peaceful look on his face, untroubled and care free. Maybe sleep is a better place for him, he can't get himself into trouble or over think anything, he sleeps and dreams and that is all, that is perfect for him. I sigh and go about my business for the night, filing papers and collecting my thoughts. Sherlock needs me right now, the only time I ever get any form of affection from him is when I am helping him out of a scrape, but I don't mind, it isn't so bad. We're family, and that is what matters right now. Keeping the family tied together.