"Is this the dog?" Sherlock asked, holding out his hand. Emma jumped; she'd been humming along to the radio and hadn't noticed them come in.

"Oh, yes. That's Millie. Poor girl," she muttered as she cut up vegetables. "I think her epilepsy is kicking in again."

The spaniel whimpered and wagged her tail sadly, as though she was feeling very under the weather. Sherlock stroked the dog for a while, pensively, and then sat down on one of the chairs. Emma was watching him out of the corner of her eye, blushing slightly, and John almost rolled his eyes.

Typical. Women always fawned over Sherlock bloody Holmes. The man who was the definition of asexual.

They were chatting idly about the children, Jack's feelings towards his mother, the supposed beatings… Emma didn't know when they could have happened, of course, she was with him most of the time and when she wasn't Adriana didn't tend to be around.

"Where's Luis now?" John asked, suddenly, glancing around the kitchen.

"Oh, he's with Jack up in his room. They were going to play Lego or something."

A flicker of something akin to concern passed across Sherlock's face and John's heart almost leapt out of his chest upon seeing it; but as quickly as it appeared it was gone and he was calm once more.

That was until the dog started growling and barking and under this noise came the wails of a baby. Emma dropped the knife to the floor and John and Sherlock were out of the seats quicker than they generally moved because even two, unrelated men had to respond to the screaming of a small, vulnerable child.

"Jack?" Emma screamed as she hurtled up the stairs with Sherlock and John on her heels. "JACK!"

Luis continued to scream and, somewhere underneath, Jack was sobbing. A woman was shouting. Emma almost fell over, crying herself, as she pushed the open door and hurtled into the room. Jack was sobbing in the corner muttering, "don't hit me," over and over and over again. Adriana was standing at the window with a screaming Luis, his neck and her mouth covered in blood. She spat it out onto the floor. Emma tried to compose herself.

"Adriana, please. Just give me Luis."
"No."
"Adriana, don't. Just give me him."
"No. I want my baby."

John and Sherlock flanked Emma, walking in slowly behind her, arms raised.

"Adriana. I'm Sherlock Holmes."

Adriana frowned.

"I'm not going to do anything to you. John, check Jack."

John nodded and knelt next to the boy who flinched away from him with a howl. Adriana almost growled at him.

"It's alright. I'm a doctor. Where did you get hit?"

Sherlock's focus was on the woman as he continued to edge forwards. She was precariously close to the window ledge.

"I need my baby," she muttered, in a heavily accentuated voice. Emma continued her sobbing behind them and Sherlock wished that she would just leave.

"Adriana, tell me what happened here." Sherlock was calm as ever, and Adriana's eyes flickered to Luis, and then Jack and then Emma, and John and back to him. She shook her head.

"You would not understand."
"Try me."

She paused again, "I cannot. I cannot explain."

Sherlock tried his hardest not to sigh loudly. He was so very close. With her help, he could crack it.

"Just tell me."

He was standing almost nose to nose with her. He leant his head forwards and he whispered something into her ear. She pulled back, eyes wide.

"No."
"Give me Luis, Adriana. I promise I'll take care of him."

Adriana shook her head. Emma muttered something to John about the police. Adriana sighed, and gave the baby to Sherlock before jumping out of the window.

"What did you say to her?" Emma asked, suspiciously. Sherlock shook his head.

"Soon."

He handed the baby to John for him to take a look at, and then went into the bedroom and shut the door behind him.