Chapter 12

John made bacon and eggs for breakfast and enjoyed the enthusiasm with which Sherlock ate more than his share. Of course that had something to do with more than two days without food, but John liked to think that sex gave the detective an appetite and that it had to happen more often. Every time he thought of that morning, he couldn't help but smile, and Sherlock looked as if he was in the same state of bliss. Still, John didn't have his hopes up that this would happen again very soon. The world was still full of cases to solve, and if Sherlock was already distracted by just his presence these days, their activities probably hadn't helped. Sherlock hadn't said much about the case yet, even though John had asked while he was cooking. For now, Sherlock seemed to think John's neck and hands even more interesting than a complicated kidnapping, and John didn't feel like changing that any sooner than necessary.

Sherlock couldn't eat another bite. He just sat at the table feeling unusually full and incredibly relaxed. John was sitting next to him, and Sherlock let his eyes and fingers explore his skin lazily, only half aware of the contended grin spread across his face. This morning was so perfect, and even though he knew, he had a job that needed to be done, that was in fact quite pressing, he just couldn't bring himself to care right now. Soon they would have to go out there, in the busy world, that was London, but for now, just a little longer, they could stay here and just be together.

He let out a groan of frustration as his phone buzzed. Well, it had been great while it lasted. John gave the phone a dirty look as if it had personally offended him and let go of Sherlock's hand so the other could pick it up.

Sighing Sherlock answered the phone and after a brief exchange turned to John.

"Lestrade seems to think I should get myself down to the Yard and fill him in on the case..."

John nodded and leaned in for a kiss. "It had to happen at some point," he said.

Sherlock kissed John back and then asked: "Do you want to come along?"

"Of course!" John answered, surprised that Sherlock even had to ask.

"Great," Sherlock smiled. "Can you get us a cab? I need to make a phonecall first."

John complied and went downstairs.

Sherlock joined him a few minutes later, taking his hand and giving it a gentle squeeze.
John grinned up at him

Lestrade came to greet them as soon as they arrived, hurrying them to his office where the team working on the kidnapping was gathered.

"So?" he asked.

Anderson and Donovan was standing together, whispering and glancing at them. Sherlock took a long look at them, and considered commenting on the faint trace of lipstick on Anderson's collar, which did not match Donovan's.

John just glared at them, starting to feel annoyed again. He hadn't forgotten Donovan's rudeness of earlier that week. He also had the feeling that Lestrade looked a bit embarrassed.

Sherlock took a deep breath and then launched into his account of the case.

"I examined the fragments John collected for me, and found them to contain a quite unique soil type only found in … certain areas." He beamed at John as he spoke his name. Donovan giggled as Anderson nudged her ribs with his elbow. And to top it all off, Lestrade went bright red.

Annoyed at the interruption, Sherlock tried to continue. "The flat itself was another clue. It was not the home of a happy family. You noticed too, didn't you John?" At this Anderson let out a guffaw which made Donovan snort.

"Oh for heaven's sake," Sherlock exclaimed. He stared at them all in turn, then he strode across the office, grabbed John by the shoulders, pulled him close and planted a very passionate kiss on his lips.

When he let go John stared at him, half in awe. Alright, Anderson and Donovan had been incredibly annoying and childish, but this was the last thing he had expected and he didn't completely agree with doing this in public. On the other hand, it made things clear and he was proud that Sherlock wasn't ashamed to show this. He sent a smug look at the three others, who were staring open-mouthed until Lestrade cleared his throat. "Go on, Sherlock."

Sherlock glared at the others. "Have we all got it out of our systems now?" he snapped.

Anderson and Donovan was looking anywhere but at Sherlock and Lestrade cleared his throat again, clearly trying to compose himself. "Yes. Please, Sherlock: The victims. Do you know anything about the victims?"

Sherlock shrugged. "Oh yeah. They're fine."

"What?" Lestrade looked at him, incredulously. "You've actually seen them?"

"Oh yes," Sherlock was starting to realise hat he'd went about this all backwards. Cursing himself, he began to explain:

"They were never really kidnapped. The mother and her boyfriend went underground with the children. He was a crime show fan, so he tried to make the flat look like something violent had happened. The forced door, the overturned table. It was all false clues. They even made the kids hide under the bed, pretending it was a game as they dragged them out. Only the boy did not trust the man, so he wouldn't let himself be dragged."

"But why?" Lestrade asked.

Sherlock smiled. "It was actually not a bad idea." He enjoyed holding his audience captivated as he unravelled the mystery. "The mother recently lost her job, and the ex-husband was suing for full custody of the children, on the grounds that she could no longer support the family. But the man has a history of violence towards women, including his ex-wife, and she was afraid that he might turn on the children, were they to be given to him. So she turned to her boyfriend for help, and they thought this up. They hadn't really expected any ransom to be paid, they just didn't want to be found, before they had figured out a way to keep the children safe. It would have worked too, had I not been brought in on this." He shrugged. Having met the distraught couple, he had almost wished that he hadn't found them. But then he had made them a promise.

"Okay," Lestrade said. "So, you know where they are. Let's bring them in."

"No," Sherlock answered.

Everyone stared at him.

"No?" Donovan asked exasperatedly.

"No," Sherlock repeated. "I've taken on their case."

"What case?"

"I'm going to help them prove that the ex-husband would be an unfit father. Shouldn't be hard considering his history. The only problem is, none of the women ever pressed charges, so I'm gonna either have to track down one who'll be willing to give a statement or make him either confess or reveal himself in some way. Until then, the family stays hidden." He shot John a meaningful glance, silently asking him not to give out any information.

John smiled at him and gave a small nod. Laws were laws and that was all very well, but he was proud of Sherlock for having made the decision he had made. Whoever thought that the detective wasn't human at all was a fool.

Lestrade frowned. "I'm not sure I can let you do that Sherlock. That's more than bordering on obstruction of justice. If there's a custody case on the way, hiding the children from the father is criminal."
Sherlock smiled. "Yes, the mother and her boyfriend knows they'll be facing some kind of consequence, but the children's safety is more important to them."

"But it's not just that," Lestrade ran a hand through his hair. "If you know where they are and not telling us, it's criminal too."

To everyone's surprise Sherlock chuckled at this. "Then it's a good thing I don't know where they are."

John intently watched Lestrade. He was almost certain that the DI wouldn't take anything against Sherlock, but the two others present in the room were something else. "Sherlock has a point here, Greg," he defended. "It's more important to keep the children safe if that man really is a danger to them."

"Why don't you two have a child then, if they're so important?" Donovan asked, rolling her eyes. Anderson pulled an exaggerated grimace at the thought.

Sherlock looked calmly at her. "Why? Are you offering to surrogate?" Ignoring her appalled look, he turned back to Lestrade.

"I spoke to the mother before coming here today. John can confirm when I made the call and I recorded the whole conversation. She informed me that they were moving the children, but not where."

Lestrade shrugged indecisively. "But what do we tell our superiors? We can't say that we close the case because we think we know better than the law."
Sherlock shrugged.

"Tell them that the case is solved. The kidnapping was a hoax. Tracking the fugitive family down does not fall under this department surely. Just pass it on." He turned to John and reached out a hand towards him. "I think we're done here."

John let his eyes quickly slide over the mocking glances of Donovan and Anderson before he took Sherlock's hand and looked up at him. "See you, Greg," he said to Lestrade before they walked off, hand in hand.

Once outside, Sherlock stopped. He turned to John, looking a bit embarrassed. "Sorry about that," he said. "I just got fed up with them."

"It's okay," John smiled. "Just don't make a habit of it, I'd like to keep at least some things private between us."

"Don't worry," Sherlock grinned slyly. "There are plenty of things I don't plan on sharing with anyone else."

John cleared his throat. "So, ehm. Case closed? What are we going to do?"

Sherlock smiled. "Home?"

John smiled back. "And then?" he asked softer, while he hailed a cab.

"Oh, I'm sure we can think of something."