~ Coming Home ~

For the 'Light' prompt

He remembered the darkness - the deadly struggle to find himself, so often set back by the demands of a brain that wouldn't stop, by drugs, by a black cynicism that tainted his every experience of the world. He remembered, but it almost didn't seem real any more.

This was real.

Coming in from the rain. Climbing the familiar staircase. Standing at his doorway and watching for a moment, before they saw him there.

His boys. Will, so like him in many ways, yet with a stability in his nature that Sherlock Holmes barely possessed even now. And Jon, nearly his brother's equal in intelligence, but radiating optimism and good cheer, the kind of person that one immediately knew made the world a better a better place.

And Daisy, the darling of his heart. Her mother's daughter.

"Sherlock!" exclaimed Molly: lover, wife, mother. The ground under his feet. She stood up from behind the table, joy in her eyes at the sight of him.

He had never doubted her love. Ever.

She was due in another month - a little sister just for me! in Daisy's opinion - but now she was possessed of the glow of late pregnancy, a strange yet proven phenomenon that made him immediately ache to touch her, take her in his arms. Take her to bed and happily give himself over to her once more. Always just once more.

But that was for later.

Dad! Daddy!

And he couldn't help grinning like a fool as all his children leapt up, scrambling for him. He crouched, catching all three in his embrace, hugging them all at once. They were still small enough. And they were still young enough to have no inhibitions about it.

"It's good to be home," he told them, when there was a viable gap in their elation.

His voice was rough with emotion, but he no longer cared much about hiding.

Daisy grabbed at his coat sleeve. "Come have dinner! Mummy's made Shepherd's Pie!"

He stood up.

"Yes," Molly said, laughter edging her voice. "We just started five minutes ago. Your timing was impeccable!"

"I am Sherlock Holmes," he said, with a semblance of his old arrogance.

"You certainly are," Molly agreed. Her beautiful eyes were shining. "Come sit down."

He took off his coat and scarf (with just a little "help"), closed the door against the darkness, turned, and walked thankfully into the light.

~.~