Warning: This chapter contains mentions of bullying and homophobia so beware.
Chapter 9. The Alternative Emergency Contact
She was waiting in the school office with the pastoral head of year. A formidable looking woman who was the school equivalent of Lestrade but with more of a nasty streak!
"Ah Doctor Watson, thank you for coming so promptly." the teacher began with her hand outstretched, and a politely insincere smile on her face.
"My name is Mycroft Holmes, Mrs O'Brien, unfortunately both Dr Watson and his partner my brother, are unavailable and as the matter seemed to be urgent, I have come in their place."
The woman drew back with an instant frown and started to object,
"I'm sorry but I need to speak to a parent or guardian about this Mr Holmes, not some sort of family connection…"
"Mrs O'Brien, if you review Jocelyn's initial registration details, you will see that as her step father's brother, I am listed as an alternative emergency contact. "
He contradicted smoothly, the epitome of calm caring concern, standing there, elegance personified in his expensive grey three piece suit, his weight balanced upon the grey umbrella held in his left hand.
Mrs O'Brien's discomfort made her miss Jocelyn's startled wide eyed glance up at Mycroft. The swift look he gave Jocelyn made her gulp and dip her head again.
But he had already taken in the state of her uniform, the graze on the knuckles of her right hand and the fading redness of her left cheek. He noticed the way she had paled when he had come into the room, the redness of her eyes where she had been crying and how she clenched her fists.
However the teacher wasn't giving up the fight just yet and she asked sharply
"Jocelyn, is this correct?"
Jocelyn could feel the intense stare coming from Sherlock's brother but she didn't dare risk another look at his face, she raised her head and addressed the teacher without looking at Mycroft again.
"Uncle Mycroft has picked me up before Miss, and even been there when I was being sick". She responded with the absolute truth. He had picked her up from Cardiff and she had thrown up on his shoes.
Her reply amused him. Mycroft admired the adept nature of her answer, telling the truth without telling the truth, and managing to get a dig at him simultaneously. Uncle Mycroft indeed!
"Very well Mr Holmes," Mrs O'Brien began snippily, "I asked for a parent to attend today because…"
Mycroft had been studying Jocelyn as the woman began to speak and he saw the way her body braced itself almost for a blow, and she wasn't even aware of the pleading but despairing look she sent towards him, as if he was going to blame her for the situation.
He did blame her for the situation but not in the way she thought.
He looked back at Mrs O'Brien and interrupted her yet again
"You are of course aware that there is a court injunction against the journalist Miss Kitty Reilly approaching, contacting, or harassing my brother and his partner in any way Madame?"
"P..pardon?" the confused teacher asked in alarm.
"How do you think the court will view the actions of this school by allowing the said Miss Kitty Reilly anywhere near the stepdaughter of the man she tried to destroy with her lies and fabrications three years ago",
The dangerously interested expression on his face and the condescending amusement in his voice was beginning to raise wary goose bumps on the woman's arms. Although his gaze was focused on the woman standing in front of him, he was well aware of the effect his words had on John's daughter. She stiffened with surprise and then relaxed as if something had clicked in her brain.
"Jocelyn is Sherlock Holmes's step daughter?" asked the teacher incredulously
He heard Jocelyn shift in her seat as if to interrupt then she subsided quietly again.
"Ignorance is no defence in the law Mrs ...O'Brien" he smiled with the smoothness of a hunting shark.
The woman stared at him with obvious shock but he continued dangerously and with the beginnings of real anger,
"And at what point was the child actually going to receive medical attention as she has obviously been assaulted by a group of at least five, her shirt is torn, her trousers have holes where she has been thrown to the ground, she has been slapped in the face and her hand is damaged whilst trying to defend herself from this outrageous attack."
Jocelyn slowly raised her head and her dark blue eyes stared at him with appalled fascination.
"Two of them." she whispered despairingly.
The teacher didn't hear her, she was too focused on replying but Mycroft's lips twitched infinitesimally.
"Really Mr Holmes, Jocelyn was restrained from her unprovoked attack upon Miss Reilly, by a group of other pupils. In this type of situation, we normally involve the police but Miss Reilly persuaded us not to out of the kindness of her heart. She came here to talk to the class about a professional career as a working woman journalist and she was subjected to this disgraceful behaviour." She frowned disapprovingly at the bent head of the seated girl
"Unfortunately Jocelyn has had problems fitting in since she arrived at the school and today is the culmination of her antisocial behaviour…."
The woman tried to take control of the conversation again but the look on Mycroft's face dried the words in her mouth.
"Professional, Kindness of her heart" He scoffed dangerously
"Really, Mrs O'Brien", he mocked, using her words back at her " I think the school needs to consider it's position very carefully, subjecting my niece to that woman, and allowing the obvious and prolonged bullying by a group of her classmates… I believe that Jocelyn requires rest and recuperation from her ordeal for the next few days and then the adult members of her family, including myself will be attending a meeting to discuss both Jocelyn's future and the future of the school."
The menace in his voice made Jocelyn shiver and it wasn't directed at her. She almost felt sorry for the teacher, but the heavy and prolonged scolding she had received from her dried up that inclination very quickly.
"Come Jocelyn" Mycroft said softly, without taking his eyes from the stunned woman in front of him "it's time to go home". Mycroft waited for her to grab her school bag from the floor in front of her and then headed out of the office.
Jocelyn trotted obediently behind him, not daring to look back at the seething and frightened woman in front of the desk.
Outside the school gates, Mycroft came to a stop at the ubiquitous black car; the suited driver got out and opened the back door.
Mycroft looked down at Jocelyn who had come to an abrupt halt and made no attempt to get in.
"Really?" she asked with a pained expression,
Mycroft's left eyebrow climbed and he tilted his head at her
"Don't try my patience Jocelyn." he said calmly.
She swallowed nervously, peeped at him warily from under her eyelashes, and took one step forward but then stopped again and looked down at his shoes, his beautiful black leather shoes which were so shiny she could almost see her face in them.
"It's just that I feel sick and I don't want to..." She trailed off, "Please Mr Holmes." she whispered.
He stood there considering her bent head and the faint tremor he could see in her hands, then took her school bag from her and handed it over to the driver, and nodded.
"Very well Jocelyn we will walk for a while, until we come to somewhere we can have a decent cup of tea and a little chat."
The MacDonald's restaurant was quiet, which suited his purposes, however the gratuitous use of the word 'restaurant' for this fast food processing plant was literally a criminal offence as far as Mycroft Holmes was concerned and he made a mental note to see what he could do about it, as he looked around at the garish primary colours decorating the walls and the puerile advertising.
Tea in a cardboard tube, how inventive and utterly, utterly repellent. A cynical corruption of civilised behaviour which would be eradicated mercilessly, when he had the time to do it.
However, the place seemed to be having a calming effect on the girl, and he needed to find out what had been going on, which was the only reason he was sitting in this nightmarish environment, sipping washing up liquid blatantly contravening the Trade Descriptions Act by being falsely labelled as tea. It had absolutely nothing to do with the wistful look on the girl's face as they were walking past the building, absolutely nothing.
Then, his phone beeped, twice
Is Jocelyn ok? Where are you?
JW
Legwork Mycroft?
SH
He ignored them to look at Jocelyn again, and she was munching her way through some cardboard sticks, they laughingly called French fries. The French would be mortified at the libellous and slanderous slur to their cooking skills.
She looked up at him and gave a sudden grin
"Would you like one?" She offered kindly.
His shudder was noticeable and he stared at her repressively
"You are a repulsive child." he stated with disgust.
Her grin grew wider; she nudged the cardboard box of fries towards the pale elegant hand that was resting on the table. They locked eyes; hers were twinkling with mischief and his scowling ferociously.
He looked down and plucked one with the tips of two fingers and gingerly put it into his mouth. His eyes widened as the flavour hid his taste buds. He took another one.
"If you ever mention this to Sherlock or your father, I will have you locked up in that car until you are thirty." He menaced.
The threat did not seem to have the desired effect because she actually giggled, but quickly suppressed it.
His face looked faintly amused for a couple of moments, and then he demanded implacably,
"Tell me what happened with the Reilly woman."
The smile drained from her face.
"Who is she?" She asked warily
"I believe you heard what I said to Mrs O'Brien Jocelyn, now please answer my question"
"I heard what you said, but I didn't understand it" she challenged him stubbornly, but wisely refused to look at him
She heard him take in an irritated breath, and said quickly before he could speak
"Please"
He was angry with her now, and it showed
"You must be well aware of what happened nearly four years ago, when Moriarty forced my brother to jump from the roof of the hospital as the only way to protect your father, and the others, the media frenzy which crucified Sherlock as a fraud, especially when Sherlock "miraculously" came back to life seven months ago and it was all raked up again so I would advise you for your own sake not to try my patience any further young lady"
She had paled, and her eyes filled with tears but she spoke with a quiet dignity that made Mycroft feel something uncomfortably close to shame.
"Mum was diagnosed with cancer nearly four years ago, when she lost her job, we had to sell pretty much everything to pay the rent including our TV and the old laptop we used for the internet. The only newspapers I saw were wrapped around the odd bag of chips we had for tea. The only telly I watched were cartoons at my friend's house. Six months ago,.. six months ago Mum was dying. I was with her every evening until the day she… left me.. Aliens could have landed and I wouldn't have known or cared less"
But Mycroft couldn't leave it there
"You have had access to the internet since you have been at Baker Street, are you telling me that you haven't researched either of them?" He sneered deliberately, in order to gauge her reaction.
Her anger made her reckless and say things Mycroft knew she would never have told him voluntarily.
"I asked Mum about my father once and she looked so scared and sad I never asked her again." She drew a deep breath. "She changed the subject on me, Mum never did that. Even when the Doctors told her there was no more hope, she told me, and we faced it together. Why would talking about my father be worse than telling me that she was going to die?" Now she had started, she couldn't stop and Mycroft listened intently.
"When I was brought here, I was too afraid to ask questions. I don't know why Mum was scared of him. I was selfish, and a coward. I didn't want to find out anything bad about him because I wanted a family again and I need to get to know him first before I ask him about Mum. I don't expect you to understand but the answer is no I haven't looked up either of them, because I wanted Dad to tell me if it was important. I didn't want to see someone else's version of anything" She rubbed unconsciously at her sore cheek and then took a hasty sip of her drink as if to wash away any more words.
Mycroft considered her in silence, and then spoke not unkindly
"I'm afraid Jocelyn that I can't afford to indulge that sentiment any longer as your lack of knowledge has now made you the weak link in the chain."
"Weak link?" She queried in puzzlement
"Easy prey for Kitty Reilly weren't you?" he asked coolly
She flushed, feeling unaccountably as if she had somehow failed him, but quickly paled with consternation and then pain as Mycroft succinctly and calmly told her of the events leading to Sherlock's "death", his undercover mission to destroy Moriarty's web and his return. Her eyes filled with unshed tears
"Oh poor Dad" she whispered as Mycroft sat impassively through her predictable reaction.
"Poor, poor Sherlock", Interesting, slightly less predictable but a credit to her intelligence and compassion.
Then her hand reached out and clasped his tightly as she said sadly
"It must have been awful for you too, knowing he was alive and watching people grieve".
He looked at her hand in amazement, the feeling of her small soft hand offering comfort, and the genuine pity on her face as she studied him. That was….. unexpected.
John Watson had still not completely forgiven him for his actions before the fall, although unusually Sherlock whilst normally finding immense enjoyment in holding grudges seemed to have forgiven that particular transgression with Moriarty, but Mycroft couldn't remember the last time in his adult life that he was offered the kind of unconditional comfort that appeared to be coming from the girl.
Jocelyn saw the look on his face and misunderstood; she flushed and withdrew her hand, "I'm sorry"
"Tell me about Kitty Reilly Jocelyn" Mycroft repeated the earlier question implacably.
Her shoulder slumped in submission
"We were in PD" she began, Mycroft raised an eyebrow "Personal Development" she explained.
"I wasn't really paying attention" she admitted wryly " I was trying to catch up on some work I had missed in History, PD's boring at the best of times, but for the last couple of weeks we have had professional people come in to speak to us about career choices and they have been so dull" She complained. "Its not their jobs but they just talk at us like, well they talk at us not to us, its embarrassing" She caught the expression on Mycroft's face, rolled her eyes a little (the insubordination of which surprisingly amused him although he didn't let it show!) and got herself back on track
The PD teacher had left the room to the speaker as per usual, and Jocelyn hadn't even heard the name of the redheaded woman now standing smiling in front of the class. She was too busy trying to copy up the history lesson on the Wall Street Crash.
Suddenly she realised that the room was silent, and there was someone standing next to her desk. She looked up into the smiling face of the speaker, but shivered because her green eyes were as cold as ice.
"I would be so grateful if you would put away your work about "the fall" of Wall street, Miss?" she asked sweetly, before Jocelyn could answer, that bitch Jenny Clay piped up in her high-pitched nasal twang "Jocelyn Jayne Watson, Aunty Kitty, oh sorry Joss I forgot, your parents weren't married were they, your surname is Morstan isn't it?"
Jenny smiled so sweetly at Jocelyn she wanted to get up and punch her especially since she and her little group of moronic friends seemed to find it so funny. Jocelyn shot the cow her patented death glare, then turned back to the adult still standing by her desk who was smiling at her as if Jocelyn had made her day.
"Well I am here to talk about being a professional journalist "smiled the woman, and "now, if Miss Morstan will kindly pay attention I am happy to tell you all about my most famous work"
There were sniggers again from the lump of Clay and her gang of morons in the back and Joss began to feel uncomfortable as if she was missing something they all knew.
The redhead started talking about someone called Richard Brooks and how she had single handed made the discovery that the poor man had been a pawn in the great game.
But before she could continue, one of the girls, who at best previously, had not been unfriendly to Joss stood up and said coldly "I'm not sure this is appropriate Miss Reilly, I thought you were to talk to us about career opportunities". Joss thought her name was Maisie Ross and they had smiled at each other a few times.
The redhead looked taken aback for a few moments and then her face darkened, but before she could speak, one of the lads, Will Hunter heckled cheekily
"Don't you want to tell us about the court case you lost Miss".
There was a smattering of sniggers from his mates which caused Jenny Clay and her crowd to react angrily, the jeers started and the uproar in the class drew the irritated PD teacher back in. Joss felt like she was in the middle of a battle she had caused but without a clue why.
By this time, the furious and discomforted Kitty Reilly was glaring at the rest of the class not just Joss and then the bell rang for break.
Somehow she found herself flanked by Will's and Maisie's friends, Will looked at her once and muttered "You're OK Morstan" before he and his mates headed off towards the cafeteria, Maisie gave her a straight stare and said "Stay out of Jenny's way for a while, she won't be happy" Then she grinned at her before heading off to the library with her friends.
Jocelyn knew she needed some air to clear her head, she really didn't understand what had just happened, and she decided to stay away from all of them and slipped out the entrance to talk a walk in the school grounds. It was too cold for most of the rest of the school to be out, and that was just fine with her. She was so engrossed in her thoughts that when she turned the corner of the science block she didn't initially see Clay and her cronies talking to the redheaded woman.
"You know the rest of it" Jocelyn said quietly to Mycroft.
"How long has Jenny Clay and her friends been bullying you?" Mycroft asked smoothly. Joss looked at him in disbelief, "How.." then she stopped short and groaned. "You're a Holmes, that's how" she muttered defiantly.
"Are there any more of you" she asked angrily, but subsided when she saw his expression "Sorry" she offered quickly
"I didn't say I was being bullied before today" she tried again, but he dismissed that easily
"Of course you did, just not in words, so what happened to you today that you retaliated and brought the wrath of the charming Mrs O'Brien down upon us all?"
She really and truly considered lying, but when she looked at his face, she knew he knew that. She just sighed.
"Same old stuff really they took the piss out of my accent, my clothes, my accent. my hair, my accent, my lack of friends , my accent. Not very original" she said with a contemptuous smile "Oh and did I mention they really have a problem with my accent" she continued.
"I imagine that distraction technique is moderately successful with other people or you wouldn't have tried it with me Jocelyn!" was the mild comment, and Jocelyn could feel the hairs rise on the back of her neck with atavistic fear.
"You are not a stupid young woman, I will not repeat this again. What did they do to you today Jocelyn, that would make you retaliate?"
He could see the stubborn jut of her chin, so very like her father he sighed internally.
Mycroft continued to stare at her, letting the silence do its work.
She bit her lip as she pleaded with him, getting close to tears.
"Please, isn't that enough, does it really matter what else they said?.
The waiting silence became oppressive and she fidgeted in her seat in the booth as she tried not to drop her eyes from his. Her eyes began to glint from unshed tears until she finally had to look down.
"We are not moving from here Jocelyn until you tell me everything."
She shook her head and muttered
"They were nasty, Mr Holmes they wanted to hurt".
"I think that we can dispense with the formalities Jocelyn, Uncle Mycroft has a nice ring to it don't you think?" he asked sardonically.
"You were the one who started that" she snapped right back, "It suited you to be my stepfather's brother."
She shot up from the booth in a hasty instinctive attempt to escape from him and the whole situation but he took her hand in his and wouldn't let go. She stood beside him and strangely she made no attempt to pull away, instead she hesitantly turned her hand so that her fingers could grip his tightly. Ah comfort, she needed comfort.
He pulled her closer until they were both sitting on the same side of the booth, and unexpectedly she leant against his arm hiding her face, as she spoke the vile words aloud.
"They told me my mother died from aids because my father was gay. They told me that Sherlock was a fraud and Richard Brookes was right. I didn't even know who Richard Brookes was until you told me what happened." She drew in a deep shuddering breath
"They were laughing like hyenas, and that horrible woman stood there smirking and watching it all like she was taking notes. They were lying, Uncle Mycroft, I didn't attack that woman but I bloody smacked Jenny Clay, before the rest of them took me to the floor." She finished with fierce satisfaction.
He gave her a few moments for her to regain her composure.
"Why haven't you told your father or Sherlock about this before now?" he asked sternly
"Because I thought it would stop, just new kid stuff and they would get bored, I could wait it out, wasn't worth making a fuss because they were idiots, and I really didn't care but then for some reason it started to get worse about three weeks ago, especially Jenny Clay and when it got nasty I didn't want to tell them what they were saying, suppose I am going to have to tell them now" she muttered miserably.
She was still resting against his arm as if she had used up all her energy and had nothing left in reserve.
Mycroft silently noted that three weeks ago, Kitty Reilly was finally dismissed from her job after the newspaper was forced to pay for her failed court case and the compensation awarded by the court.
Mycroft looked up at the CCTV camera in the corner of the room and raised one eyebrow sardonically. The camera bobbed once.
"No time like the present Jocelyn" he said almost kindly as John walks up to the table and slides into the seat opposite them.
By the time they were dropped off at Baker Street by Mycroft's driver, Jocelyn was exhausted. Her father got out of the car first, but before she followed him, she turned to look at Mycroft and gave him a tired but genuinely warm smile
"I hope I didn't try your patience too much",
He gave an unexpectedly deep chuckle and patted her hand gently.
"It will be dealt with Jocelyn, you are not to worry"
Her father sent her to lie down for a couple of hours before their evening meal.
On her bed, there was a bright pink laptop, adorned with beautiful purple ribbons and an enormous bow, attached to which was a note which read:
"Don't ever forget that knowledge is power Jocelyn. I noticed your phone was a frankly alarming shade of pink and thought this would accessorise nicely with it. Also the colour may ward off Sherlock's attempts to monopolise it, however that cannot be guaranteed. You could try passwords based on the solar system and you may want to customise it with scenes from "Pinky and the Brain" as an added deterrent.
Your Uncle Mycroft."
AN: Thank you all for reading and alerting /favouriting. Please let me know what you think. Reviews and comments really help. Did you think Mycroft was in character? Have a couple of other stories to update next (A Good Man and Show No Mercy) so may be a little while before the next chapter. Poor Social Worker has been bumped again, but she will have her five mins of fame at some point honest.
Please review x
Disclaimers: As per the rest.. not mine, just having so much fun.