OK, to answer the question... Im not sure exactly what I am going to do with Irene. Yet. Got a few different avenues I can go down. Haven't settled on one.

Now, I wanted to say don't throw metaphoric rocks at me for what's about to happen. ( Dont fret... trust me ) It all goes along with the story. And It will all turn right in the end, as I really don't like unhappy endings. I know, I am hopelessly a sappy American, but it's my story and I can end it as I damned well please! LOL

So again, just ride this out with me, ok? :D This is my version of Sherlock, not Doyle's, Not Moffitt and Gatiss'. And personally, I find Sherlock's perfection found in his imperfections ;)

And I did warn, this was going to be a longer road than I initially intended. I tend to breed plot bunnies at the rate bunnies actually breed, and some of them...have very sharp teeth. LMAO

Chapter 37

Captain Montague looked at his unplanned guest across his old wooden table, passed down from his grandfather.

"We really should give you a name. " He said, looking the man over. " Its been past long enough. "

"I have a name. "

"Yes. And what was it again? "

This just earned him a glare.

"Precisely. I can't have my men going around continuing to call you sir. "

"I don't mind. " He said with a shrug.

"I do. Now lets see. You speak french well, but not native. You were found off Ireland's coast. But none of my contacts have heard anything of a missing Irishman fitting your description. Of course, that is strange in itself. Dark haired blue eyed men in Ireland are the order of the day. "

"If you says so. "

"You are a hard one to read, my friend. "

The Captain sat back and stared at the young man again. When they'd found him he was floating on a large piece of wood, that looked like fencing of some sort. Not from a boat, obviously, but something that fell apart. He was in pretty rough shape. His head was bashed up a bit. One arm was broken, and he had several cracked ribs. From the look of it, he had gotten off lucky. When he finally woke, they asked him what happened, the only thing he could remember was falling. No idea why. Well, he was a lucky one, this man. Either something broke his fall, and bits of him before he hit the water, or the man knew how to take a fall. Perhaps both. But that's all he could remember. The only clue they had was an indention on his finger were it looked like he used to wear a ring. Divorced, perhaps? Widowed?

But this man was very keen. That was obvious. He loved the sea, and seemed to take in everything and everyone around him.

"So... a name. You were found near Ireland, so perhaps something Irish. Liam! How's that? It means strong willed. That certainly fits you. My sister has eight little ones. I got pretty good at learning about names."

"Fine. I do believe I will need a surname. Irish too? "

The man gave it some thought. Suddenly his eyes lit up.

"I come from a long line of men who worked in the sea. The first, Claude, always loved his first vesell. It was very old, but ...anyway... The ship's name was Delmar. It means of the sea. "

"So... Liam Delmar? A little odd. "

"An odd name seems to suit you. Perhaps your real one is just as odd. "

"Perhaps. "

"Well... now that that is settled...Liam... you need to get some rest, and food in your belly. We land in Georgia tomorrow. You will need all your strength. "

"Who is the client? "

"Oh, she's a shrewd woman, that one. Miss Sarah Barrington. Her family owned textile mills, quite brilliant ones, back before their civil war. She is the one that started them up again. She likes the french materials. Always trying to find ways to make something new. Someday she will. I've no doubt of that. "

"You admire her. "

"I do. She's no wilting flower that one. "

mmmmmmmmmm

The coast of georgia was breathtaking. It was not at all what he was expecting. After the ship landed, and cargo was unloaded and packed up, the captain motioned him over.

"Liam, come here for a bit. "

He came up towards the captain to see him standing beside a woman. She looked to be in her early thirties. Her long blonde hair was pulled up through the back of a ball cap. She worse a pair of jeans, loose fitting tshirt and boots.

"You must be Mr. Delmar. Frank here told me all about you. " She spoke in perfect french.

He merely nodded, then looked her over. She was on her third...no fourth coffee, currently ina styrofoam cup in her hand. She had traces of dirt under her fingers, telling she wasn't a paper pusher. She actually worked. She was also ... how the hell did he know any of this? " He thought to himself. His eyes finally made it back to her face. She was raising an eyebrow at him.

"Quite finished, Mr Delmar? " She asked.

He looked away.

"He could buy me a drink, first. " She said mockingly under her breath not intending anyone to hear her. She said the remark in English.

And he understood her.

He hadn't given much thought to his language. The only one he'd heard was french since he awoke. Since he understood it, he simply deduced he was french.

"My...apologies... Miss Barrington. I tend to... do that. "

The captain and Sarah looked at him. When he spoke the words in english, there was a decided accent.

" Soooo... " Sarah started, eying him " Frank, you didn't tell me, Liam was English. "

"Didn't know. Long story. But... a good one. "

"Obviously. Since it is clear from the expression on his face, he had no idea either. Tell you what, why don't you two drive out to the house for dinner. Say 7 ish? Barrington Hall. "

With a smile, she walked away, and both men couldn't help watching her go. It was quite a sight. Frank looked at his friend and chuckled.

" I see you do have blood in those veins after all, my boy. " He said, smacking him on the back before walking away.

mmmmmmmmmm

Molly returned to work. She had to keep her mind occupied. And, she was ashamed to admit... she needed space from Laura. She had become a holy terror. One never knew what to expect out of the child. Daniel told her it was all part of how a child grieved. Children acted out once they passed the denial stage.

"But she hasn't passed that, yet! " Molly said, crying into her hands. " She still believes Sherlock is alive and lost somewhere. But Sherlock never gets lost. She thinks I am betraying him by believing he is dead. "

"I know. I can't seem to get her to understand. Its hard, when a child has no evidence. Like cases like these. Not that one would normally show the child a corpse. "

Daniel immediately regretted his words.

"I'm sorry, Molly. But with the way Laura thinks, I think that would have been the only thing that works. "

"But it shouldn't! She should know if her father were alive, nothing and no one could keep him from contacting us. She acts like he is just working a case. But it has been over four months. She'd do this a little before. If a case was taking too long. She'd start acting out, knowing I would tell Sherlock when he got home and he'd deal with it. "

"She didn't feel she was getting enough attention at the time, probably. Negative attention is better in their minds than no attention. She may understand why Sherlock is the way he is when working a case...on some level. But she is still a child. "

"I know. I just don't know how to handle her outbursts. "

"Just love her through them. How is she acting with Addison? "

"She is fine with him. She will read to him, or tell him stories. Its me she has a problem with. "

"Do you have help? "

"Plenty. John and Mary, Mycroft and Violet. Even Greg and Sally have all tried but they can only do so much."

mmmmmmmmmm

Molly finished the dinner dishes and went to check on the children. Addison had fallen asleep on his toys. That was going to leave a mark, Molly thought to herself smiling.

"Laura? " She called out, but heard nothing.

She wasn't in her room. Molly walked about the house trying to find her, panic rising. Finally she heard a soft sound coming from above her.

She climbed up and entered the attic. There was Laura. She was almost hidden among the boxes strewn here and there.

"What are you doing, darling? Aren't these Lucy's things? "

"Yes. I wanted to hear some music. Like from before. "

"What kind? "

Laura simply shrugged.

"Well, maybe you can find some CD's you really like and we can download them onto a player. Then you can listen to them anytime you like. "

Laura looked up at her and nodded.

"Its late, sweetie. Grab some CD's and get ready for your bath. I will load them while you are in the bath. "

Later, Molly presented Laura with the MP3 player she'd been given for Christmas by Mycroft.

"I see you hadn't even taken it out of the box yet. Uncle Mycroft said that music ... "

"Soothed my dad. I know. "

"Laura, I'm sorry. What can I do to help you? "

"Nothing. "

"But there must... "

"You can try by leaving me alone! " She shouted in a frustrated voice. Molly teared up.

Guilt washed over Laura. Molly had been very kind to her.

"Im sorry, Molly. I just... " She broke off when she noticed something around Molly's neck.

"What's that? " She said, pointing.

Molly's hand came up protectively to her chest.

"Laura... "

"What is it? "

Molly sighed heavily. She carefully pulled at the chain around her neck, pulling it from beneath her shirt. She'd hoped to spare the child this.

On the end of the chain, was Sherlock's wedding ring.

"Where did you get this? "

"When they went searching, they found this snagged on a rock on a small cleft in the cliff. "

"Dad wouldn't have left this. "

Molly tread carefully.

"No. I don't believe he would. "

Laura's eyes filled. At that moment, she looked so small and shattered.

"He's...really gone. " Her little shoulders starting to shake violently. Molly wrapped her up in the strongest embrace she could.

"Yes, baby. He's gone. "

mmmmmmmmmm