John was silent, but only for a moment.

His loud chuckles resounded past the thin walls of the bedroom and out to where Harriet was currently trying to calm down Harold's temper. John was grinning like a mad man, "That was surprisingly cheesy don't you think?"

Sherlock shrugged, "I'm still a human, contrary to popular belief." he flipped down onto his back, parallel with John as he shut his eyes, "I was serious though." he muttered.

John's laughter seemed to die down a little after that, and he let himself fall beside Sherlock, still grinning, but with less of a mocking intention. He snuggled himself into Sherlock's side, "I love you."

Sherlock smiled contently, wrapping an arm around John as he tried to pull the man a little closer still, "I'd hope so."

"Shut up you cock."

Sherlock tilted his head to press a gentle, assuring kiss to John's forehead, using his hand to rub soothingly over John's arm, "I'm still waiting for an answer."

The arm curled up over Sherlock's chest tightened it's grip, "..You'll have to let me think about it a little longer."

"That's fine." Came the low reply, "However, please consider yourself in your decision. I know you're a very caring person, but you've got to understand that there's nothing left for you to do here. There's no way to reset the past."

John let out a heavy sigh, curling in a little on himself, "I know that, but I still have to try don't I?"

"Why must you make matters worse for yourself?" Sherlock muttered, half of him finding the entire subject amusing, the other seriously concerned with the way John was considering risking his own well being for the sake of others. It wasn't a healthy habit, especially for the son of a mob boss.

"It's just the way I am I suppose..." John replied, letting his eyes open wearily, "I guess it's something that really runs in my family..."

The front doorstep of the Watson estate was cruel and unwelcoming, setting Mike on edge as he neared it. Something about houses, they seemed to reflect the attitude of their occupants often, which was quite a scary thing truthfully. Coming to visit the Watsons was always something Mike liked doing. Today however, he was dreading it more then ever. With exhausted resistance, he let his fist collide with the door, knocking with strength.

He only had to wait a short time before it was propped open.

Mrs. Hudson smiled to him as she greeted the boy, "Mike! It's been a while since I last saw you around here. Where've you been? How's Madeline? She doesn't come around here either, not since her pregnancy in fact, poor dear. I miss her terribly. You know, she used to spend her time here-"

"Mother's fine Mrs. Hudson, but if you don't mind I have some rather urgent business to discuss with James and Andrea.."

"Oh, oh yes of course." She muttered, pulling the door open the full length and stepping aside, "They should be in the kitchen, I just made a fresh pot of tea."

Mike had just about ignored the rest of her sentence as he quickly made his way into the kitchen, alarming the two that sat at the table, almost causing Andrea to spill her tea, "Mike! Hello, I didn't know you'd be stopping b-"

"I'm sorry Andrea, but I came here with an important purpose." He interrupted, stopping just short of the wooden table, hands stiff at his sides.

"And that would be?" James questioned, raising the cup to his lips casually.

"...I want to fight front line tomorrow."

This time it was James' turn to spill tea down his shirt, growling furiously as the hot liquid stung at his skin, "What are you talking about?!" he exclaimed, grabbing a napkin off the table to try and clean his shirt.

"Harold is missing, and Luke's doesn't have any experience, not to mention in light of recent events I don't think he'll be fighting at all honestly." Mike stayed still, examining the two that stared up at him from the table, "I want to be on the front lines leading my men against those bastards."

"Why the sudden intrigue?" Andrea questioned.

Mike scowled, "I don't approve of what they did to John, or Mary for that matter. The entire affair has effected her terribly, and I can't just sit idly around while she cries her eyes out." the blonde drew in a deep breath. "Those bastards should take responsibility for their bastard son."

"No." James frowned, standing up nonchalantly to get water from the kitchen sink in attempt to clean the tea stains off his shirt.

"N-no?"

"James?" Andrea busied, fingers wrapped tightly around her teacup.

James ran the water for a couple of seconds over his napkin before pulling it back to his shirt, "You're too young."

"I am not! I'm as old as my father when he started fighting!" Mike protested.

James let out a low, half hearted chuckle, "Yes, and we all thought he was going to die in that row too. It's not like the training courses boy."

"I know that." he snapped, taking a few steps closer in earnest, "I want to fight!"

"No!"

Mike clenched his fists tightly. He'd only come over to get James' approval. He was a good Capo, and led his soldiers well, this was uncalled for, "Why shouldn't I be allowed to fight beside my family? I want to be a part of this, but you deny me that?"

"You're not ready."

"I am! I'm one of the top Watson Capos! Without me there won't be enough force to take on the Holmes! You should know better then me that if those proud bastards haven't already figured out that we plan to attack they'll have preparations for defense by the time we get there tomorrow! You need me!"

"Then you'll fight behind the main rows!" James barked, slamming angry fists down on either sides of the kitchen sink, making Andrea jump from her seat.

Mike was headstrong, and determined to be allowed to fight, "Why won't you let me fight!?"

"Because I don't want you getting hurt!" He bellowed, turning around suddenly with an infuriated expression.

"You're not my father, you can't tell me what to do!"

"If you weren't so childish, you'd see the danger you're unnecessarily putting yourself in!"

Andrea, in petty attempts to calm the two down, rose from her seat, standing between the two of them with arms out, "Calm down, both of you." she ordered sternly, using her motherly tone to get the two under wraps, "Fighting amongst ourselves isn't going to solve anything."

"He's just a boy. He needs to learn his place."

"What, like John and Harriet?" Mike bellowed, "You going to throw me out of your house too? Or call me a disgrace? Force me to marry someone I don't want?"

"That's enough out of you Mike!" James demanded, pushing Andrea out of the way roughly before grapping up the boy's collar, "Cory may be my brother, but I don't think he's disciplined the lot of you well enough. John might still be here if it wasn't for you and those three disobedient, ungrateful children!"

"Don't insult my siblings!" Mike retorted, struggling to free himself from James' iron grip.

"Those damn brats aren't your siblings! You're better then that!"

Mike's struggling stopped, and he stared up at James with an angry, confused, even.. hesitant expression, "Wh-what did you say?"

James pushed the boy away, not with brute force, but enough to get the message across. He ran his hands down the front of his face ashamedly, trying to block out the way Andrea was staring at him like he was an alien, "Those kids... they're not your siblings." he repeated, voice just barely above a whisper.

"What.. what are you talking about?" Mike stuttered, breathing heavy breaths in attempt to regain his stature after their fight, "Of course they are. I mean.. Wha-What are you playing at old man!? Are you trying to piss me off?!"

"No..." James muttered, regaining breath himself, "It's the truth."

"James?" Andrea questioned, backing away a little as he examined her husband up and down, as if he were something she'd never seen before.

"I'm sorry Andrea, but it happened quite a while ago."

"What.. what happened a while ago James?"

Both her and Mike were now staring at James, eyes demanding he continue his story. With a heavy intake of air, he did. He told them all about how they'd assumed Cory would die in that fight, and how Andrea went off to wish him well. How James had his suspicions of Andrea being in love with his brother their entire courtship. "Madeline had her doubts too, but she loved Cory all the same. Just as I love you Andrea..."

Andrea had drawn her arms up over herself, and had crossed the short distance to stand beside Mike, almost trying to hide herself behind him as James went on, "She was a wreck, all the workers had been grieving for her already, and it only made her worse." he raked a hand through his hair before sending another distressed look at his wife, "It wasn't planned, and we didn't have many feelings for each other. It just... happened really."

"Oh god..." Andrea muttered, her eyes becoming absent as she stared at his eyes with utter betrayal, "You slept with her?"

"I didn't know she was pregnant until after our marriage, and it was just lucky that Cory made it out alive really... It would have been hard to pass the baby off as anyone else's, but- it was what had to be done. We swore never to tell but, the pressure of recent events just..."

"You... you thought that I loved Cory?"

James lifted his head, and tried to reach out to her, "I'm so sorry Andrea-"

"No!" She screeched, shrinking away from his touch, "Don't touch me!" she could barely contain the tears in her eyes as she ran from the room, her husband shouting distressed, pleading words from the kitchen. She didn't want to see him at that moment. She felt betrayed. Mike was the child of Madeline and her husband. Madeline was one of her closest friends, and the thought of her... with James... it was just too much to handle.

"I see..." Mycroft replied, breathing heavy sighs into the phone as he let the information sink in, "And you're certain about this?"

Sherlock grunted in response, "I wasn't going to go off their word alone, but our mole in the Morstan house confirms it. There's going to be an attack on you from both them and the Watson family. Apparently they think we've invented some sort of conspiracy and seduced John Watson out of his arranged marriage."

"That's preposterous! None of us have even come into contact with him!"

Sherlock figured his silence would be enough fro his brother to deduce the situation at hand, and figure things out for himself. There was an unsatisfied groan from the other end of the line as Mycroft let out a heavy sigh, "You? You met with the Watson boy?"

"We're lovers."

"You fool! You realize what you've done?!"

"I didn't know who he was when we met. He didn't either." he chuckled lightly, "We didn't make the connection ourselves until the marriage meeting the week before last. It was quite a shock as I'm sure you can imagine."

"I'm not interested in your shags Sherlock." Mycroft growled in warning, "Apologize to the families and agree to never see him again. That should satisfy them."

"I can't do that Mycroft."

There was an irritated noise on the other side, what it was exactly Sherlock couldn't make out, "And why is that, brother of mine?"

"..I love him."

The silence on the other end helped Sherlock imagine the shocked expression his brother was no doubt wearing at that point, "You.. you what?"

"I love him." he repeated, "I can't leave him."

"Sherlock... what's going on with you lately? You've never even shown interest in people. Let alone... fallen in love? and you're quite sure?"

"Do you honestly believe I'd say that if I wasn't sure? Let alone twice?"

Mycroft let out a soft hum from the other end of the line before letting curiosity get the better of himself, "And where is the Watson boy now? Are you with him?"

"Him, his cousin, and brother. John's sleeping at the moment, and I forced the other two out for groceries."

"Quite the family reunion."

Sherlock smirked, "They're as rowdy as he is, in fact, I'd say worse."

"I'm sure you know that you'll be a direct target if you're caught."

"I realize. It's not only me though." Sherlock cradled the phone between his shoulder before cracked open the door to peek on his lover, making sure everything was still alright, probably just to give himself peace of mind as they continued, "John's a target too. Apparently the Morstan Don had a temper to be reckoned with, and he blames John for the affair."

"Thomas. I'm aware of him and his... rather dysfunctional nature." Mycroft rubbed the cartilage of his nose with a groan, "What's your plan of action?"

"America."

"America!?"

Sherlock let the door close quietly as he reentered the hall, "John's brother lived there for a long period of time, and offered us a place to stay. It'll be safest for John since he's in a crucial state at the moment. There's no way to protect himself should the need arise."

"Yes... I suppose it is the most logical course of action. What does he have to say about this?"

"He's indecisive." Sherlock mumbled, "He has a good heart, and what's to try and fix the situation."

"We'll there's no possible course of action that can stop this now. If there is an attack tomorrow then we only have about eight or so hours."

"He's stubborn."

Mycroft lingered for a moment, deciding finally on what he wanted to say, "Be careful Sherlock."

"I always am."

"Sherlock. This is serious. You've been living the life of free-range shags and an endless pocket full of money. If you're going to keep down this road, it's time to leave that behind you and become responsible. Not only for yourself, but for this man."

"Not a boy anymore then?"

"If you've laid hands on him, I think it's hardly fair to be calling him a boy. Wouldn't you agree?"

"Either way, it's all just a matter of getting him on that flight tomorrow. This whole matter comes to an end in the morning. We might not even get to talk to each other again." the chuckle Sherlock tried to give came out a little more heartfelt and strangled then he'd really wanted it to. It was true that he and his brother didn't get along on the best of days, but they were still brothers. He frowned before continuing, "Take care of yourself."

"Same to you, brother of mine."'

"Brother of mine." Sherlock repeated before sighing heavily and clicking the end button on his mobile.

Guess what? This story is coming to an end. Now, I've been trying to keep this secret for as long as possible, but since the next chapter brings an end, I suppose it's time to spill. This story is actually going to have two endings. What differs the outcome in both of these, I'm sure you can guess -but if not, then you'll have to wait until the next chapters are updated. I hope you've been enjoying this story and I must say I'm fairly sad to see it end. Two more chapters. Two final endings to come. How surprising was it to find out Mike was James' and Madeline's son? So he's like.. the half brother of John and Harriet, and I guess technically Harold, Luke and Emily are his half siblings too. So complicated. Did you see it coming? Let me know! :)