Hey guys! Just so you know I made up Lord Brixton for the purposes of this story. Thanks for being so awesome and patient! This will be wrapping up soonish. As always reviews get Good Karma and Kitten Kisses!
Sherlock held the door opened while John helpe Lyssa walk up the stairs, Rosie had already run up ahead to get the couch ready. Lyssa was shaking by the time they made it all the way up the stairs and into the sitting room, John eased her down on the couch and smiled encouragingly at her. "Not bad for a woman who just woke from a two week long coma yesterday."
"It was only ten days." Sherlock corrected striding into the kitchen and turning on the kettle.
"Close enough." John retorted helping Lyssa get comfortable.
"Precision John, precision is the key to success." Sherlock chided watching Rosie bustle back and forth taking her roll as de facto nurse very seriously.
Lyssa smiled and leaned back on the couch, her fingers wrapped around John's as she let the familiar surroundings relax her, John rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand and a few moments later Sherlock joined them setting a tray of tea on the coffee table. Lyssa was snugged between John and Sherlock and after a moment Rosie climbed up onto Lyssa's lap and they all cuddled on the couch just soaking in the moment before Sherlock stood. "We have company." He announced and flung himself into his favorite chair.
John got up and motioned to Rosie. "Rosie my girl I think we need to go to the Tesco's. We're low on everything but tinned stuff and Mommy doesn't like eating everything out of cans yeah?"
Rosie looked over her shoulder at Lyssa who gave her an encouraging smile. "I'll be alright Rosie, but I could really use a Mars Bar or three."
Rosie grinned. "They have a new flavour out Mom. It has salted caramel in it!"
Lyssa smiled. "Ooh in that case I want three of those."
There was a knock that seemed more official than the usual and Sherlock steepled his fingers in front of his lips regarding the door calmly, John had his coat on and was holding Rosies hand when he opened the door, a pair of very official looking men in black suits stood at the door and John had to smile. "Hello gents, mind if we just pop by you?"
They shifted a little and parted to let John and Rosie walk down the stairs before they entered followed by Mycroft and a man in a very impressive suit. The bodyguards closed the door and presumably took up positions to either side facing down the stairs. Sherlock raised an eyebrow at Mycroft who looked around the sitting room his eyes landing on Lyssa. "It's good to see you awake and aware my dear but I do believe this meeting must be confidential."
Lyssa gave him a sweet smile and started to get up when Sherlock cleared his throat. "She stays or you can all leave now."
Mycroft gave a long suffering sigh and looked at Sherlock. "Sherlock really, this meeting is of the utmost importance, the details to be discussed are of National Security."
Sherlock looked up at his brother letting his hands fall to rest on the arms of his chair. "Then I suggest you come to the point quickly. Lyssa has been in a coma and I'd rather keep her under my eye while she regains her strength."
"Sherlock…" Lyssa said as she slowly managed to get to her feet but she was shaking and started to sway forward when one of the men in his impeccable suit caught her and settled her back on the couch.
"Now now Ms Jones, I have no doubt that you'll keep your silence concerning anything discussed today won't you?" His voice was mild and he gave her a kind smile.
"Of course." She smiled back as he helped her lay the lap blanket back across her legs.
He straightened and waved a hand dismissively at Mycroft, Lyssa felt a little stunned when he backed up and gave the two men the floor, it was odd considering that Sherlock had long maintained that Mycroft was the British Government. "Mr Holmes your brother has assured us frequently, that you are the best at what you do."
"On that he is correct." Sherlock replied and motioned the man who had been helping Lyssa to Johns chair. "Lord Brixton."
Lord Brixton sat gracefully and smiled slightly. "Then I shouldn't be surprised that you are aware of who I am and the position I hold."
"Of course." Sherlock replied. "Where Mycroft is the British Government you are England,inasmuch as the Queen herself is though it's a damned sight easier for you to get around."
Lord Brixton inclined his head. "Quite. This string of attacks has necessitated some rather unconventional measures. I'm sure you are aware of the troubles the airports are having."
Sherlock nodded. "It was all over the news."
Lord Brixton nodded once and continued. "Similar attacks are happening all over Europe, thus far none have happened in the United States but we have no doubt something will happen. To that end we are convening a European Summit, the Governments of every nation will be sending a representative to discuss the matter and what we can each contribute to put a stop to it all, we have to present a united front and cooperate with one another or this could spell disaster."
"You require a Deductive Specialist at the summit to suss out who may be prevaricating and help keep everyone honest." Sherlock said flatly.
Mycroft opened his mouth to reprimand his brother but closed it when Lord Brixton held up a reassuring hand, Lyssa watched in fascination, there were very few people who could cow Mycroft and she was kind of enjoying watching him be treated the way he usually treated people. "Indeed." Lord Brixton said. "We need you to use your rather unique skill to observe the participants and help point out to myself and the other delegates from England who isn't being as helpful as they could be. You and Mycroft would be working together on this as I fear we will need more than one brilliant Holmes mind on this task, there are supposed to be over thirty delegates, I only wish there were a few more of you."
Sherlock had his hands steepled in front of his face again his eyes distant and Lyssa spoke up softly. "When is the summit?"
"One week from tomorrow." Lord Brixton replied.
She nodded thoughtfully. "John is pretty observant, not as much as Sherlock of course but he's been working with Sherlock for over ten years and even Mycroft has admitted he's been useful from time to time which is an amazing compliment."
Mycroft frowned at her but she ignored him. "I assume you'll need them interacting with the delegates?"
"Naturally." Lord Brixton replied turning to look at Lyssa.
"Then Sherlock is going to need a handle who is better at polite social things than he is." She smiled over at Sherlock who gave her a fondly irritated look. "You know you still aren't very patient with… well anyone less intelligent than you love."
"I am patient where it counts." He replied.
"That's because you love us." She retorted with another smile then looked back at Lord Brixton. "John's good at the social stuff and he's got military training, I'd bet if you put him back in his dress uniform no one would even question him being there."
Lord Brixton regarded her consideringly mentally reviewing her background, she was American, in her mid 30's with very little formal education, she'd been employed as the Nanny to John Watson's daughter for several years until she'd entered into a romantic relationship with both men simultaneously. At first he'd thought to dismiss her as irrelevant but she was obviously intelligent and seemed to have a quick grasp of the given situation, more over she was someone with whom Sherlock was familiar and patient and whom even Mycroft treated with respect, no mean feat to get that mans respect. She was a little unorthodox looking with dark green hair and tattoos on her arms but it all seemed to be camouflage for a keen mind. He turned in the chair to face her more squarely. "How would you feel about being his handler?"
She blinked a little surprised. "I'm sorry?"
He suppressed a smile and had to fight it when Mycroft gave a little splutter of surprise, it wasn't often anyone surprised that man. "You are in a committed relationship with both Sherlock Holmes and John Watson, you understand Sherlock's methods even if you cannot necessarily duplicate them, and it's obvious that he respects and listens to you, you have a grasp of the social niceties. You would be an excellent choice."
Sherlock gave a little huff of laughter and Lyssa looked over at him curiously. "She Observes more than most give her credit for, she's simply more modest than I."
Lyssa flushed a little as Lord Brixton looked back at her. "Could you demonstrate please?"
She cleared her throat and her fingers ran over the hem of the lap blanket as she looked at him, it wasn't, he realized, the same as being Looked at by one of the Holmes men, it was a softer kind of Look, as if she were simply seeing him, not cataloging him for future dissection. "You're married but your wife is rarely home, instead you rely on your butler or other male help to get you ready for the day, you have an old long haired cat and you're worried for his health. Your kids haven't been to see you in a long time, that's probably where your wife goes all the time but you've been out of country recently, somewhere very sunny and you had a BLT for lunch but you didn't like it very much."
He blinked in surprise. "And how do you know all this?"
She smiled a little. "You have cat hair on the lap of your pants and spots of urine but you didn't have time to change pants so the cat is old and incontinent which means his health is failing. Your hands and wrists are more tan than your ankles but the tan hasn't started to fade much so a recent trip. Your kids are all grown and live in the sunny climate because you are a very important man and can't take extended trips for just any reason and the only reason I could think for you to take a long trip out of country is to visit family but they'd have to be close family, hense kids who don't visit much or the trip would have been shorter." She paused and looked at Sherlock who was smiling and nodded for her to continue.
"Your wife visits them a lot." She hesitated and Lord Brixton leaned forward a little.
"What makes you say that?"
She smiled a little and motioned to his suit, tie and shirt. "No woman with any fashion sense would have let you walk out with a pale blue shirt, gray suit coat and black tie, only men think those colors look good together, given your station you must have a butler or other male aide who sets your clothes out for you."
He smiled a little smoothing a hand down his tie. "And my unsatisfactory BLT?"
She flushed and pointed at his tie. "There's burnt bacon and a little mayo on your tie. Burnt bacon is awful."
He looked down at his tie and then started to laugh, Lyssa smiled and Sherlock gave her an approving look. "You will do just fine my dear girl." He finally said. "If your doctors are willing and you wouldn't mind helping your adopted country would you join the Summit as our guest to help Sherlock and Mycroft do their duty by God and Country?"
Lyssa ran a hand through her green locks and he shook his head. "No need to change your haircolor, a wig will suffice."
She looked over at Sherlock who stood and joined her on the couch taking her hand. "I can do the job darling, with Mycroft to help and John as well it can be done."
"But can you do your absolute best without alienating everyone there?" She asked looking up into his face and he smirked.
"No." It was a simple answer, he'd long since admitted to himself that he was rubbish at social functions and simply avoided them altogether.
"Then I'm going with you." She said and he nodded.
"You'll need to be diligent in your physical therapy over the next few days then."
Lord Brixton looked a little concerned. "Physical therapy? I was given to understand that she'd been in a coma for a while but as she is now awake…"
"The coma left me with some muscle atrophy. The Therapy is to help me regain muscle usage." Lyssa replied. "I'm already showing improvement though. I should be fine before the summit."
He nodded a little relieved. "I will be sending someone to take you shopping for appropriate attire and a wig in five days, they will call ahead."
He stood and Mycroft moved up to stand a little behind him as Sherlock stood up in his usual bonelessly graceful way, Lord Brixton shook his hand, gave Lyssa a short half bow and swept out of the flat taking his bodyguards with him. Sherlock flopped back down beside her and wrapped an arm around her snugging her in close. "You were brilliant love."
She smiled at him. "I was really nervous, I've never done that with an audience before."
He tilted her face up so he could kiss her, he never got tired of kissing her. She'd missed a few details that were very obvious to him but within her limitations she was good and getting better and he was proud of her. He leaned back a little and carded a hand through her hair as she looked up at him. "One of these days I am going to find the words to tell you how much I love you." She said softly.
He put his arms under her legs and shifted her so she was laying on the couch with his body laid out over hers, his elbows keeping his weight off her chest and she looked up at him a little surprised. "Sometimes you don't need words love." He murmured and leaned down to kiss her with slow languor letting himself ignore all the minutiae of the world that constantly clamored at him for attention.
He ignored all the extraneous details and soaked in the heady taste of her mouth under his, the way her mouth tasted of the tea she'd sipped during their little audience. He reveled in the soft sounds she made as her arms wrapped around his waist while he explored her mouth with his tongue, he'd done this dozens of times and yet he never tired of it. Never tired of the feel of her softer body under him and the feel of her hair under his fingers. He wanted her right then but knew she wasn't recovered enough yet for the rigors of sex and he would die before he would hurt her with his needs.
Her low moan was a heady sound though and he carefully pressed their hips together loving the faint sound of her gasp against his lips. He felt her move under him rolling her hips up against his for a moment before he shifted to the side off of her and it was a guilty pleasure to hear her soft sound of disappointment. "Rosie and John are coming up the stairs love." He murmured.
She closed her eyes and pressed her face to his shoulder hiding her disappointment which made him smile. She loved Rosie and John but it was nice to know she regretted not being able to enjoy a sexual interlude with him due to their coming home. He sat up and pulled her up with him getting her settled just in time for the door to open and Rosie trotted in holding a bag with several prized Mars Bars.
Sherlock watched her talk to Rosie, exclaiming over the candy and gave a small secret smile. Soon enough they'd be able to make good on the sexual promise of a few minutes ago but for now there was tea and candy and the company of the people he loved most in the world.