Cousin

"Ah," the new teacher said with a nod as she did the register and paused over John's name. She looked up at him with a smile. "I believe I taught your sister earlier."

John, who had been reading a crime novel that Sherlock had found amusing, frowned and looked up at Mrs Barret. "Uh..." he turned and looked around curiously. "I hope not," he said after a moment. "I don't have a sister."

Mrs Barret looked slightly taken aback. "Ah," she said, looking a little flustered. "I…there's a Year 7 girl who has your last name and looks a lot like you."

John shrugged. "Huh," he murmured, not entirely sure what to make of the exchange. The teacher shook her head at him with a smile and he gave her a nod, then went back to reading.

Behind him, Tyler sniggered. "John looks like a girl," he muttered to someone.

Great.

Gritting his teeth, John deliberated it. They were three days into the start of term and teachers always came down harder in September.

But it was a new class and fuck if he could be bothered putting up with it. Turning, he glared at Tyler. "What was that?"

"Turn around," was the rather calm response from the teacher.

John turned back.

"Reckon your mum's a whore as well as a murderer?"

John looked at the whiteboard for a second, weighing it up. Next to him, Amanda, who he'd been sat next to, shifted in worry.

"Tyler, that's deten-"

The teacher didn't manage to finish the sentence before John turned and launched himself.

He ended up with a bloody nose and a ripped shirt. It had been a lucky swing, John thought mutinously as he sat on the chair while the registered first aider inspected his nose.

"Not broken," Mr White said cheerfully. "Tyler must have just caught it right."

Just, John agreed. Tyler certainly hadn't aimed to do it. The panicked look as John swung the first punch had been enough for him to know it wasn't going to be a proper scrap.

They'd been separated across the school; Tyler off with one deputy head and John off with the other. Ms Llewley sat in the chair opposite him, tapping her foot in what was clearly some annoyance.

"He insulted my mum," John said for the fourteenth time.

"Then I hope the resulting punishment is worth it," Ms Llewly replied, shaking her head. "This is the first week of school, John. You are in year nine. Your GCSE's begin next year and this is how you start the year off? With a fight? In class?"

It seemed pointless to mention that Tyler had insulted his mum again. Clearly the woman wasn't getting it.

Her radio buzzed and cackled suddenly. "The Holmes family have arrived and are on their way-"

Family?

Christ, that meant more than one of them was-

Sherlock strode in first, his coat flapping behind him as he walked straight over to John and stopped, eyes narrowing at the bloody nose. Behind him, John's grandparents appeared in the door way, looking slightly more wary.

"In the middle of class?" Sherlock asked, folding his arms. "You couldn't have goaded him in the corridors and got him expelled?"

"Sherlock," Grandpa started to scold. "He is in enough trouble without you giving him tips."

"He insulted mum," John said, glaring at Ms Llewly when she stifled an annoyed sigh.

"Your mother would prefer that you didn't get into fights-" Grandma started to protest.

Sherlock cut across her. "And he said what exactly?"

"That mum was a whore as well as a murderer."

Grandpa and Grandma winced and looked at each other. Sherlock rolled his eyes. "The latter has been proven and the former is a ridiculous slander. I fail to see why either made it necessary for you to get out of your seat and risk facing expulsion."

Expulsion?

Panicked, John turned to Ms Llewly who nodded. "I see that message has finally registered," she said shaking her head. "You started a fight in the middle of class. Not unprovoked," she agreed as John opened his mouth. "But your reaction was wholly out of proportion. If we do not feel as if we can trust you in a classroom then we will not have you in this school."

Expelled?

John looked at Sherlock, pleadingly.

The man stared at him fiercely for a minute and then deflated. "You're not being expelled," he said, shifting uncomfortably. "They're saying it to scare you."

"Mr Holmes-"

"I however am thoroughly disappointed that you resorted to such a pointless method of resolution to your problem. You allowed yourself to be manipulated by a boy who wasn't even aware that was what he was doing. Next time, you are to manipulate the system, follow the rules and get him into trouble. It's hardly difficult."

"Mr Holmes," Ms Llewly snapped. "Your attitude is not helping."

"Ms Llewly," Grandpa cut in with a glare at Sherlock. "We understand that John was wrong to react as he did and of course he must be punished. But John is without guile, he will own up to his mistakes and take responsibility, he is honest and most teachers claim he is a pleasure to have in their class. John's greatest issue is his temper and that is something we are willing to work on. You are aware that he still meets his therapist; perhaps some arrangement could be made for him to see a person within the school?"

Horrified, John stared at Grandpa. "They don't need to know all that-"

"We are aware of 'all that'," Ms Llewly said with a nod. "Just as we are aware that John is remarkably well adjusted for all the trials he has faced in his young life. We have offered it before to you – John having a mentor, having permission to leave a class if he feels that he is in danger of losing his temper."

Grandpa nodded. "Perhaps it would be wise to go down that path now."

"I'm not four," John protested. "I don't need to leave a classroom because people are being mean to me."

"Clearly you do," Grandpa said without looking at him.

"It isn't a punishment," Grandma added, coming close to him. "But you cannot get into fights, John. And this isn't the first time this has happened."

"And it is no way to resolve an issue-" Grandpa started to say.

Fuck them all.

Shutting down, John glared at the window, refusing to look at them or say anything.

"…you will be suspended and you will write a letter of apology, both to Ms Barret and to Tyler, who will also be writing one to you and Ms Barret. You will be split up from Tyler…"

John narrowed his gaze at the panes of glass.

"…is that understood?"

He kept silent.

"John?" Ms Llewly prompted. "I can't hear you."

That was because he hadn't said anything. Clenching his jaw tighter, just to ensure nothing accidently slipped out, John remained still.

"Give us a moment," Sherlock said quietly.

Eventually, the others filed out and left John alone with Sherlock.

They sat in silence.

It was a relief. After being talked at by so many people in the past hour, it was calming to simply sit in silence and let his mind work out what had happened.

"He insulted Mum."

An arm wrapped around his shoulders and pulled him to Sherlock's as the man sat next to him. Sherlock was silent for a moment and then sighed. "If you allow them to see that she is your weakness, they will do it just to prompt this reaction."

John let out an annoyed noise. "I just wanted him to shut up about it. All of them to shut up about it."

A hand stroked his hair. "It happens often?"

"How many kids do you think has a mum locked up for murder and a Dad who catches criminals? They think it's funny," John muttered. "They forget after a while but…" He shook his head. "I hate September. Everyone learns it all over again in September."

Sherlock pulled him a little closer. "Then…accept that perhaps you might need to take five minutes to calm down or to rant at someone."

John pulled back. "You think Grandpa's idea is a good one?"

Sherlock looked pained. "It has its merits. Allowing you to call me would be preferable."

"What about if you have a case?"

Sherlock studied him. "Even then," he said. "Though if your problem is minor and I'm in the middle of a nine, I reserve the right to hand you over to Lestrade."

John grinned. "A nine?" he asked, impressed.

"If your problem is minor," Sherlock reiterated.

John sighed and shook his head. "You just don't want to be the only one not expelled."

Sherlock inclined his head. "There is that too," he admitted.

It was only later that night, after he had gone to sleep and his mind ticked over the whole day that John made the connection.

A girl who looked like him, with the Watson surname…

Oh.

A week later, when allowed back on a reduced in-class timetable, John was sat in Ms Llewly's office as he did his work. She was right next to the stairs that led to the dining hall and her office was glass so he had a good view of the year 7's when they came down to lunch.

It didn't take him long to spot her.

Mrs Barret was right; they did look alike. They both had the same Watson colouring, the same nose.

And, apparently, the same temper.

The difference was, John thought as he watched his cousin shove someone for pushing into her, that it usually took John a while to lose his temper. His cousin seemed to flash red hot instantly; or so it seemed as she waited impatiently in the queue.

"John, focus on your work."

"That's my cousin," John said, half to let her know why he was staring and half…to make it feel real.

"Harriet Watson?" Ms Llwely sounded surprised. "I hadn't realised…I thought it was simply a well-used surname. There was no mention of you in-"

"Our grandparents never forgave my mum for not getting rid of me. Or me for you know…being," John said, still watching Harriet.

"Ah," Ms Llewly said, sounding a bit annoyed. Surprised at the tone, John looked back down at his work and tried to get on with it.

"Have you ever met her before?" Ms Llewly asked.

John shook his head.

Ms Llewly checked her watch. "Perhaps it's best you have lunch early," she said. "Back in here by one o clock please."

Suspicious, he looked at her, then smiled at the expression on her face.

"Thanks, miss."

"Mind if I sit?" John asked as Harriet sat on a table alone. Apparently her thumping people back had separated her from her classmates.

She shrugged, trying not to look miserable.

"John Watson," John said with a nod as he sat and picked up a chip from his plate.

Her eyes widened at him.

"Want me to go away?"

Harriet shook her head. "You're my cousin," she said sounding curious. "Daddy told me about you last time I saw him. Said you were cool."

John smiled tightly, trying not to think about George. "He said the same about you," he said, paraphrasing some of what George had mentioned in passing.

"Why are you in here?" she asked. "We're the only ones that get to go to lunch early."

John looked down at the table. "I uh...I'm in isolation," he admitted. "Got done for fighting."

"They keep threatening me with that," Harriet said mutinously. "Well…" she flushed a little. "Miss Roberts said that was where I would end up if I kept being logged."

"It's boring," John assured her.

"But you get early lunch," Harriet pointed out. "And you don't have to sit with idiots."

Harriet and Sherlock would probably get on well, John thought with a smile. "Have to sit with teachers though. Sometimes one on one."

Harriet's face screwed up at the idea, even as another kid walked behind her and pushed at her on purpose.

Harriet whirled around in her seat, standing up and striding after the kid who looked both delighted and flustered.

Seriously? Just for that Harriet was going to get-

There was a small moment of epiphany that John would examine later. Standing, he followed Harriet over and the kid's eyes widened at the sight of him.

"Guess what," John said with a smile. "I'm down here because I got suspended for having a full blown fight in the middle of class. Got blood on the teacher's top and everything. I'd suggest you leave my little cousin alone. Got it?"

The kid's eyes were like saucer as he nodded frantically and sat.

Harriet beamed at him.

When he returned to the office, Ms Llewly was still tapping away at her computer.

"Are you not having lunch, Miss?"

"Later," she said shaking her head. "How did you get on?"

"I'm sorry I disrupted Mrs Barret's lesson," John said swallowing. The tone of his voice must have surprised her because Ms Llewly turned to him.

"And I'm sorry I caused a scene. I'm not sorry I hit Tyler; I think he was asking for it, but…it ended up hurting me more than it did him so it was stupid."

It might have been his imagination but he could have sworn he saw her lips twitch in amusement.

"There are rules," she told him sincerely. "And you must follow them. You are well liked John and not just within your class. If you have a problem you must learn to talk to us."

John nodded. "Yeah, I get that."

"Good," she said with a smile at him.