Chapter 8- Deducing Friendship:

Amelia:

I looked at my phone confused. Uncle Mycroft didn't answer me. I didn't dare to call Father or Watson- not when Father told me to keep the communication line clear. It was a bit troubling. I wondered if something had happened. I hoped that nothing happened. Father usually contacted me by now- somehow even if it wasn't from his phone. Mycroft usually answers, and if he doesn't he calls back less than a minute after the missed call every time. I knew that because I have timed him.

Despite my gut feeling that something was wrong, I managed to wave it off by convincing myself that everyone was safe. They had to be. Father was, well, Father, he did get into trouble, but he would always end up being okay in the end.

Though, when I went to bed, my mind was overdrive. I hated that feeling when I slept- on the occasions that I did sleep. My overreacting mind at night usually ended up with me having those nightmares.

I cried and whimpered as Alexander hit me. His face in a scowl.

"Psychopath! Freak!"

I woke up in a cold sweat, gasping for air. Alexander was…Alexander was a monster. He used to work for the police force, back when I was six years old. It was when I solved my first case. Father was so proud. Alexander was the officer on the case and he wasn't happy that he was out-done by a kid. He was gone- hopefully dead. He wasn't able to hurt me anymore.

Father burst through the doors with a gun in his hand. He wasn't happy. It was the angriest that I had ever seen him. He was ready to kill Alexander if not for the fact that I had started to whimper. Father still shot at Alexander, hitting him in the lower region.

I wasn't scared, just shocked and shamed. Father took off his scarf and wrapped it around my small shoulders. He looked at me lovingly before looking back at Alexander- he was gone. Lestrade showed up with a gun in his hand. He gave Father a nod and went after Alexander.

Father turned to me. He picked me up and cradled me, his scarf covering me like a very small blanket on my petite, child frame. I was beaten pretty badly- it felt like I had a bruised rib. Alexander had kidnapped me when I had gone outside without Father. He took me away to a room in a hotel and he beat me. He hit me over and over again. He cursed me, spat at me. He did even more horrible things that I had... forgotten.

"It's alright, my duckling. Father is here for you."

He cradled me as he carried me out. Lestrade came running back to us,

"Sh-Sherlock, he's gone! We checked everywhere!"

"Obviously not," Father shouted, "I will find him myself and he will pay for what he did and more."

Father stroked my hair,

"He will pay, my duckling."

Father said that the event gave me a small case of PTSD- hence why I couldn't remember the rest of what Alexander did. Alexander never was found and it has bothered me ever since. It was like an unsolved case- a puzzle.


I had to admit that I was a bit thankful when Monday passed around. I was getting so bored during the weekend after I had spent some time with the Host Club. The boredom resulted in me shooting the wall, talking to Eve, and playing the violin. It also resulted in me getting stressed out and using a nicotine patch. At least the long sleeves hid the nicotine patch.

However, the think that kept me most entertained was Kyoya and Hunny. Kyoya managed to get my cell number from the records and Hunny had just asked for it yesterday. I spoke to Kyoya about multiple things, mostly about crimes and cold cases that I had figured out. I spoke to Hunny about fighting and training and a few other things like the different sweets in London like Yorkshire pudding. Though I did tell Kyoya to make sure that if my uncle came to the school to let me know. I knew that he did have many connections so that if anyone found out then he would. Though I would know as well.

I had been speaking with them through the weekend to cure boredom. Even going as far to ask Kyoya if there were any recent murders that I could consult on- that he declined since there had been no murders. Japan is so quiet, peaceful… it's terrible really. Why is there no crime? Dull.

I shot at the walls again in boredom, a habit that I had picked up from my father.

"Miss Holmes," Alfred scolded, "need I remind you that you shouldn't shoot at the walls when you get bored? We keep thinking you're under attack."

"Very well," I sighed, "I have to get to school anyway, I suppose."

I fixed my hair into a ponytail, tied with a black hair tie. I walked downstairs with my cell phone out, texting my uncle.

You didn't answer last night's call and neither did Father. If you do not answer in exactly three days, I'm coming back to London myself.

AH

He didn't reply back, but I expected that he would reply back later tonight. I figured that three days would be enough for whatever cases Father or Uncle was working on to clear up.

Though a part of me wished that he wouldn't reply back. I desperately wanted to get back to London, back to the flat in 221B. I wanted to see Father, even Watson. I wanted to hear Hudson's voice scolding me about going down the wrong path and into to get more involved with school. I wanted Lestrade to give me that look of disbelief when I added my two cents on a case. Well I'm buggered. I even miss Anderson. I must have been very home sick indeed.

When I arrived at the school, I went straight to the garden again where I met Hunny and Takashi.

"Hiya Amelia-chan," Hunny greeted happily as he tackled me in a hug yet again.

"Good morning, though I do suggest for you to please let me go."

Takashi looked sternly at Hunny and Hunny pouted as he let me go.

"Thank you," I said, "Why are you out in the garden?"

"We could ask you the same thing, Amelia-chan."

"I find the flowers comforting now please answer."

"The flowers are just so pretty," Hunny gushed.

I was a bit surprised as Hunny picked a bright violet orchid flower. He motioned for me to kneel down and so I did, which allowed him to tuck the flower behind my ear.

"…Might I ask, what is the point of having a flower in my hair?"

"It brings out your beauty, silly! And we're friends, aren't we?"

"Friends," I repeated a bit slow, "You consider us friends?"

"Of course and so does Takashi," Hunny said.

"Hmm," Takashi added.

"…I don't understand. Hunny, I appreciate the gesture, but it is dangerous to be a so-called friend of mine," I said bluntly, "And it's not a very favorable position."

"We don't care," Hunny said seriously, "And if you are in trouble, you tell us. But we are still your friends no matter what."

"I'm afraid I still don't understand, why would you want to be my friends, my first ones at that, when there's no motive for you to be?"

"You silly," Hunny giggled, "You can't deduce friendship."

For the first time in a long time, my father wasn't the reason that I smiled.