Last chapter!

This has been really tricky!

Hope you enjoy

My brother is an idiot; my brother is a self centered, shallow self-diagnosed sociopath. I have seen him throw away the greatest chances any young man has ever been given, again and again. He's thrown wealth, fame and power back in the face of those who've offered them. However even with all my surveillance and 30 years of experience what I saw when my brother was reunited with his family made me doubt all my previous data.

Despite Sherlock's vocal disagreement I accompanied him to Widecombe to collect his family, a car was arranged to take him and collect John, Lucy and the boys. I had arranged for Anthea to be collected and them to have some time at the cottage as a family. However Sherlock had wanted to return to Baker Street as soon as possible, and in the end I had agreed that 2 cars could be sent, one for myself and Anthea and one for the family. Sherlock didn't need to know that Anthea and I would stay on at the cottage for a few days instead.

When we pulled onto the country road from Bovey to Widecombe, Sherlock started shifting uneasily in his seat, rearranging his unkempt curls to make him look disheveled, and pulling and his collar and cuffs. For a moment I felt I was channeling Mummy, and slapped his hand, but I realized this had no affect, he was oblivious of me, he was worried about seeing John. It was a lovely sunny day and as we pulled up the lane towards the cottage I could hear my nephews screaming and laughing in the garden at the back of the house. Sherlock was out of the car and through the garden gate before I was properly out of the car. I came around the garden path a few moments later, and the scene was beautiful.

A football net lay at one end of the garden with my darling Anthea standing in front of it, a look of concentration on her face, as John weaved the ball towards her, Simon was attempting to tackle him, while Junior an Lucy cheered. Sherlock had stopped, just watching the scene; the look that passed is face was rapt and delightful. John had escaped from Simon's tackle lined up the shot, and despite a rather energetic leap from Anthea, scored cleanly. As he turned in victory his eyes caught Sherlock's, and mid cheer the garden suddenly went deathly quiet.

Sherlock cocked his head, and then the two men rushed together and their lips met. After what seemed like an hour, they broke apart. I was embracing my Anthea, I wouldn't normally have done anything so intimate in anything but the strictest of privacy, but the family in front of me were too caught up to tell, and Mummy knows anyway. Sherlock looked away from nuzzling John, and I watched as his eyes searched out Lucy, she was sitting on the grass with the boys watching as her husband French kissed another man. He reached his hand to her and she cocked her head, the same look I've seen Sherlock give on numerous occasions. She walked towards the two men slowly and I watched as she wondered where she fitted in their lives.

John suddenly reached out and pulled Lucy between him and Sherlock. I was fascinated as he nuzzled her neck, and wrapped his arms around her and Sherlock. Their tiny frames making it possible for John to bear hug both, Sherlock kissed her, and they stood cuddling for a few moments until Junior and Simon, left out of the family hug came and embraced their fathers legs. Like a prodigal cub, my brother was reintroduced to his pack. I had spent a lot of time, working out how best to split this family up, avoiding scandal, avoiding rumor. Standing in that sun lit garden embracing my lover I realized I was wrong.

Everything Sherlock and Lucy had done in the last few days had been to protect this family group. I decided there and then I would do whatever I could to make this little family safe and normal. It wasn't the physical affection that changed my mind, or the happy chattering between the 5 as they got in the car as they drove away. It was the genuine smile I saw on my brother face, as he waved at me and got into his car.

Well that was a little mammoth!

Hope you like it!

Love to all

Jas xx