Chapter 22 A Social Worker calls
Sherlock and John had headed straight for their room when they had returned home. John had decided that Jocelyn was safe enough with Mrs Hudson for a couple of hours and they both needed some time alone. John needed this, needed Sherlock, needed to reconnect with him. Sherlock was almost insane with gratitude that John was no longer absent emotionally or intellectually. That he was not leaving. That he was not taking their Joss and leaving.
They did not hear Mycroft and Jocelyn's return or their hasty second departure.
So when they finally remerged and had eaten breakfast, John had actually managed to persuade Sherlock to eat something, and Sherlock had complied because he simply did not want to be at odds with John this morning, John had decided it was time to fetch Jocelyn, and wandered downstairs, relaxed and happy.
Sherlock was relaxed and oddly happy too, lying on the sofa in the living room, when he heard John stomp upstairs, John had returned from Mrs Hudson in a towering temper. "Your bloody brother Sherlock" he ranted.
Sherlock raised an eyebrow in surprise at the change in the man who had happily gone downstairs to fetch their, his daughter, er Joss.
"What's the fat fool done this time?" he asked amused and then seeing John was alone, he peered around with curiosity "Where's Jocelyn?"
John's glare became more pronounced
"He came at some ungodly hour this morning, made her get dressed, hustled her out of the door and hasn't brought her back yet. You know how difficult its been for.."
But before he could finish his sentence his mobile phone beeped, and Sherlock's vibrated in his dressing gown pocket.
Was it make up or break up sex? Jocelyn is hoping it's the former. MH
John's eyes widened in horror, a flush creeping up his cheeks as he looked at Sherlock, "Yours from Mycroft too?" he asked faintly. Sherlock smirked at John's embarrassed expression "I take it they came back at one point"
There was a second beep on the mobile phones.
Retail therapy for trauma. She will need more wardrobe space. MH
Sherlock chuckled wickedly as he saw John's face darken.
"Mycroft is ever the consummate tactician John, make you feel guilty first which ensures that you can't complain about the amount of money he has spent on her."
"Oh can't I?" John contradicted grimly "We'll just see about that when he gets here"
Will be back in 20 minutes. She's fine, just tired. She enjoyed her day John, don't spoil it for her. MH.
John's good mood from the morning had totally evaporated, bloody Mycroft Holmes who the hell did he think he was? Joss was his daughter and if she wanted to go shopping, he'd be the one to take her. Sherlock watched every thought cross John's face and his smile grew wider.
"You are jealous of Mycroft", he crowed with delight.
John turned his glare on Sherlock, "What?" he spluttered.
"Come on John, would you really enjoy taking Jocelyn shopping?" Sherlock mocked.
"Going round all the shops she wants to see and waiting for her to pick up pretty baubles, and try clothes on until she decides she likes it or she doesn't?"He mimicked a high female voice "Does my bum look big in this Daddy".
"Sherlock" John reprimanded and then slowly grinned, as he looked at him thoughtfully.
"You can pay him for it if it will make you feel better, but Mycroft will have enjoyed spoiling the kid".
Sherlock continued to grin at John as he could see the weight of his words strike home.
"Well as she is still out, and we have approximately 17 minutes and 20 seconds before they arrive, come here"
And Sherlock pulled the startled soldier down on top of him, and started nibbling at the grumpy lips above him until they curved against his own and John became rather more enthusiastic.
Sherlock was enjoying John's attentions when he heard the visitor arrive, her voice a pleasant murmur as she spoke to Mrs Hudson.
He decided to ignore it, she entered at her own peril and this time with John was too precious to waste for some idiotic case. He had truly believed that he was losing his John and the girl, his Joss. God that had hurt, he hadn't known what to do about it, he Sherlock Holmes the great Consulting detective had not been able to find a solution to the problem which hadn't involved begging John on his knees to stay and he would gladly have done that, but John himself had come to his rescue.
John always came to his rescue, how could he live without him ever again?
John had talked himself into staying whilst having a heart to heart with Jocelyn, the night before. He was going to find some way to thank that kid. Only it would have to be done in a way that John wouldn't object to and get all territorial about. Although John's feelings of jealousy had been roused by Mycroft, he thought John would not have a problem if he, Sherlock, were to make more of an effort as John had been trying to get them to behave more like a family. So perhaps he could treat her more like a daugh.. a member of his family, well not like he ever treated any of his own family or they treated him. No he wasn't going to treat her like family, their relationship would be better than that.
It was a bloody miracle. He hadn't yet found out what had changed his John's mind but he would and then he would file it away in his hard drive for future reference as his secret weapon if John ever wanted to leave him again.
John was resting against Sherlock with his face buried in his neck, blissfully kissing his way up Sherlock's jaw when he finally heard the visitor. His head popped up and he mock scowled at Sherlock. "You heard that right?" his low voice rumbled through Sherlock's chest, and Sherlock closed his eyes in pleasure. "Mmmm" was his only answer. John fondly nipped his lips as he grumbled "Sod" and then Sherlock groaned as John left the sofa and him. He frowned with annoyance as he saw John re-arrange his clothing to something approaching respectability, then just lay there smirking up at him as John looked at him with raised eyebrows. His John could be so circumspect sometimes. John leant down and whispered softly
"Tidy yourself up you gorgeous git before she gets upstairs or I might have to change my mind about tonight's night shift at the clinic. You know the one that I already declined because we have…..plans"
Sherlock pouted and narrowed his eyes at John, who stood there with an unrelenting expression, but he did as he was asked, begrudgingly but he did it. He even put his suit jacket back on, and as he turned to the mirror to make sure he looked as good as always, he caught the lovingly amused expression on John's face. He decided to get rid of their visitor immediately, he didn't care how interesting the case was, at this precise moment in time he was much more interested in John.
The young woman dressed in light blue jeans, tan boots and a colourful woollen poncho with a baby carrier on one arm stood in the living room doorway, looking around her with bright eyed interest. The room was lit by the mid morning winter sun from the two large windows and the fire which burned brightly, it was warm and cosy.
As both men regarded her from opposite ends of the room, the only thing visible about the baby swaddled in a soft yellow blanket was its brightly patterned soft woolly hat; it was the same gaily patterned hat that the mother took off her own black short straight hair.
The woman had been shown upstairs by a cooing Mrs Hudson.
On the other shoulder she was carrying a rather large navy holdall sporting cheerful bright yellow ducks.
Sherlock had huffed with annoyance and before John could say anything he had dismissed the young woman with a wave of his hand and said curtly as he turned rudely away to face the mirror again.
"Sorry, wasted journey not taking any cases at the moment, even if they are interesting which yours obviously isn't."
John stared at his partner appalled; he hissed "Sherlock" through gritted teeth and then looked at the young woman apologetically. She stood there with a slightly surprised expression, and then before John could say anything, the young woman laughed gently with genuine amusement
"That's not a problem Mr Holmes; it is Mr Holmes isn't it? You see I am here to actually take on your case".
She stood there with a pleasant but determined smile on her face.
Surprised, they both looked back at the confident young woman, who had put her large hold all down and had settled the baby carrier on the sofa, smiling down at the child and saying softly
"Haven't you been so good sweetie". Then she returned her gaze to the two men staring at her.
Sherlock raised one eyebrow, his earlier irritation at being interrupted with John, had changed into a deeper anger, something was wrong with this picture and he was not amused. After a few seconds study, he uttered coldly and precisely
"Social worker, back from Maternity leave, driven from Cardiff this morning", then he gave her a fake wide smile which didn't warm the ice in his eyes
"Here to see us regarding Jocelyn Jayne"
She matched that smile and upped it as the penny dropped with John and his pleasant relaxed demeanour stiffened into military formality as he uttered coolly
"I should have thought it would be common courtesy to let us know you were coming Miss?" the insult subtle but definitely there.
Sherlock grinned, it wasn't often his John was uncivil but he was obviously not impressed by this impromptu visit.
He almost had it in his heart to feel sorry for the young woman, John had not been happy with Mycroft this morning; she was now going to be on the receiving end of the aftermath and his annoyance with her arrival.
Then again, he didn't feel sorry at all, but he was going to enjoy the show. He wasn't worried about repercussions because Mycroft could sort out anything.
Her non-smile smile widened, and now the amusement in her eyes grew, as she responded still with that pleasant amused gentle tone of voice
"Oh it is Mrs Carlton, Dr Watson" and she wriggled her left hand at him deliberately, then continued as he did not react. "But please call me Stephanie"
Then her smile became as formal and as dangerous as John's when she continued and went straight on the offensive.
"Hmm courtesy, interesting word that, but not sure how applicable it is in this case. Jocelyn Jayne Morstan, fourteen, only child of Mary Morstan deceased. Let's see I think I have these events in the right order but do feel free to correct me if I haven't, let me list the events which have occurred in the last four and a half months without the involvement or knowledge of the social worker assigned to her
1. Removed from school and everything familiar in a most brutal and frightening fashion by what has been described to me as a snatch worthy of a Guy Ritchie film
2. Given" to a father she had never met and who, incidentally to date had absolutely no previous contact or perceived interest in her",
Her eyes flicked mockingly over the two disbelieving stunned men then continued tapping on her fingers and ticking off her list
"3. Bullied at school for an extended period of time, and did not tell her new,,,. carers until she suffered an assault
4. Abducted for a second time, and suffers both mental and physical assault.
5. Hospitalisation because of said assault,
6. Now off school due to those traumas."
Do you have anything else to add to the list Doctor Watson, Mr Holmes?"
Then the smile dropped from her face as she glared sternly at John and Sherlock
"Now where in all that have you earned a courtesy call?" she challenged with mock concern, and then lightly scolded him.
"Its called Safeguarding looked after children for a reason you know Dr Watson."And she put the same mocking emphasis on John's title as he had put on the "Miss"
John's anger was palpable, and Sherlock was glaring at her, his eyes ice cold with rage. Stephanie stopped, waiting politely for them to speak whilst observing their reactions. However the next word uttered in the living room came out as a delighted and amazed "Stephie", when Jocelyn walked in, Mycroft close behind her wearing his bland non threatening expression. The one that normally meant he was at his most dangerous.
Her father looked at her with surprise as she practically ran over to the young woman, it was the most animated that they had seen her since she had come home from the hospital, and Joss obviously intended to hug her. But she stopped dead when she saw the baby on the sofa, and she dropped to her knees in fascination in front of the baby. "Bump" she let out a delighted girly squeal, a sound that her father and Sherlock had never heard her make before "You brought Bump".
Stephanie Carlton smiled down at the teenager with fond pleasure and said
"Jocelyn Jayne Morstan meet Tweli Taliesin Carlton"
Before Joss could stop herself she looked at the smiling woman with appalled shock, "Stephie you didn't call him that" then she clapped her hand over her mouth in horror, apologising with her eyes.
Stephanie laughed out loud, her dark eyes sparkling and her chuckles deep and rich,
"You are still so easy to wind up lovely girl, of course we didn't, we couldn't saddle Bump with that he'd never forgive us, although of course I would have blamed his father. No he's named Sion Timothy Carlton after his granddads."
"Sion means John doesn't it" Joss asked pleased, and she swung round to smile at her father, her smile faltering in confusion as she saw the unhappy, unwelcoming and downright angry expressions on the faces of the two men, she looked back at Stephanie and comprehension hit when she saw the gleam in her social worker's eyes, she sighed and groaned pleadingly "Steph what have you done now?"
Another deep chuckle made its way out of Stephanie's throat.
"Lovely girl, there was a beautiful lady downstairs who let us in and became smitten with Bump. I am sure she would love to spend some time with my gorgeous boy, how about you take him downstairs to introduce him properly, and you can argue about who's going to cuddle him first?"
John, Sherlock and Mycroft watched the interaction between the two of them with bemused fascination.
Joss got up from her knees and stared sternly at her, her shoulders back "You know you are supposed to include me in any discussion Stephanie, its part of the rules"
Sherlock and Mycroft looked at her in surprise and then both had the same thought, she sounded exactly like her father when he was in no nonsense officer mode. John continued to look bemused.
"Jocelyn, this is a little informal chat so I can get to know your new family better, of course you will be involved in the proper stuff" she reassured charmingly
Joss stood there uncertainly as she looked with worry from her father and Sherlock back to the smiling Stephanie. Joss was uneasy, she knew that smile, Steph might look like a pushover and even talk like one but she was more worried about what she would do to her Dad and Sherlock. She'd be willing to bet that they hadn't met anyone quite like Stephanie Carlton before.
She shrugged apologetically at the two of them, and as she picked up the baby carrier carefully from the sofa, she told her in a low but determined voice
"Be nice Steph, don't you break them, I happen to like them very much"Stephanie smiled sympathetically at her but made no comment, and that in itself caused Jocelyn to look protectively back at her Dad and Sherlock, ready to change her mind and stay, when her father smiled at her and chided gently
"Just be careful on the stairs with the baby Joss, we'll give you a shout when we are done"
Joss walked carefully out of the living room, feeling like she was being given safe passage through a war zone, she just hoped that there weren't too many casualties before the peace talks broke out.
AN: Sorry for the delay. But this chapter has proved a little difficult, wanted to add more but that's now going into the next long awaited social worker finally turns up, and upsets the apple cart after John and Sherlock were making up. Boo. More of Stephanie, Bump and Jocelyn in the next one...
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