Chapter 36. Resolve

Sherrinford ignored his uncle's henchmen when they asked him to follow them into the house. "Where's David." He demanded.

"Sir, Mr. Holmes will explain-"

"Piss off. Where is my Omega!" Ford growled stepping towards the lackey in the black suit and dark glasses. The Agent remained devoid of emotion and to his credit the man didn't even tense.

Brandon sighed, this was not going to end well. "Sir, Mr. Holmes wishes a word. I've been instructed to bring you to the library straight away. Now are you prepared to follow me or shall I lead you." The Alpha agent with sandy brown hair asked with a icy tone, not used to being questioned.

Brandon put a hand on the younger Alpha's shoulder before he surged forward, he flashed his warrant card.

"Hello. Listen, why don't we all just settle down. Yeah? No reason to get physical. You understand this young man's mate is pregnant. You have any pups?"

The Agent didn't respond but Brandon smiled that was proof enough. "You remember how crazy you got when your Omega was about to pop? Cut the kid some slack here, he just knows his Omega was brought here without any explanation. It's his first pup."

The Agent stood still for a moment and then replied. "He's with Alexander and Agent Mallory I believe they are-" the agent paused.

"Yeah? They are-" Brandon gestured for the man to continue a teasing grin playing on his lips.

" are watching home movies in the den."

"Home movies? Nesting? Poor Mallory. I have to see this." Brandon tried to hold back a laugh.

"I believe Agent A found some interesting recordings of young Mr. Sherrinford and family."

"Oh god. Not my second birthday. Please tell me-" Ford groaned.

"I believe they are now well past the toddler years and are enjoying the preteens." Brandon threw his head back and laughed. He could see the Alpha agent was feeling sorry for the younger Sherrinford.

"I'm going to want to see the second birthday incident. "

"God, nevermind. Where's my damn uncle!?" Sherrinford put a hand to his face. "I hate this family sometimes."

"Lead on Agent. Lead on." Brandon snorted pushing Sherrinford forward.

"Oh fine." Ford grumbled slipping off his cardigan and handing it to the servant standing there hoping to take coats, cases, or umbrellas.

~0~

"Sherlock! Absolutely not. You are not leaving again! If you're going I'm going with you." John tried to stand up only to have his Alpha place a firm hand on his shoulder.

"John that's not a good idea. We both know it."

Mycroft and Lestrade stood off to the side giving the couple a semblance of privacy.

"What's going on?" Sherrinford stepped into the room. He focused on his Omega father's distress, taking note of his Alpha father's hand resting on his dad's stomach.

The air was thick with anxiety and crossed the room to be near his dad, wanting to keep him safe.

"I'm alright Ford." John weakly smiled in greeting, his son glared at Sherlock.

"You look unwell dad. Has father been bullying you?"

"I'm fine. I'm just a little pregnant." John shrugged smiling weakly.

Ford made a face. "What? Who's is it?"

That caused his father to snarl and his dad to giggle. "You are in a mood today you little bastard. Don't antagonize your father or I'll be forced to give you a smack."

Ford kissed his dad's cheek, before straightening up to continue to glare at his Alpha father.

"What's this about you leaving? What? Is this the usual thing you do when my dad is pregnant? You decide to leave him alone again? Is that it? Is it some wonderfully fascinating case? What is it that will drag the great Sherlock Holmes away from the ones he supposedly loves?"

"Sherrinford don't." John reached for his son's arm, surprised when the younger man pulled away.

"No! You always protect him, even when he died. Even when he had supposedly jumped from a building. You said it wasn't his fault. Well, come on now Mr. Sherlock bloody genius Holmes. What would drag you away. After you fed us all these lies about you never leaving. About you loving us and wanting to protect the pack."

Sherlock looked over at Brandon Hart who leaned against the wall near the closed door.

"Go on. Brandon is privy to most of my humiliating secrets. He's my sponsor and he's trustworthy. Just spit it out. Don't stall. "

"Maybe I should go." Brandon cleared his throat, standing up straighter not liking the sudden attention. If he wanted to be under scrutiny he would visit with his father.

"It's alright. Stay. It's always nice to have an extra set of hands if this get's ugly." Lestrade shrugged tossing the constable a strained look, and Brandon nodded in understanding. He might have to tackle Ford the kid was a hot head sometimes.

"Sherrinford, I'm not abandoning the family. There is something I have to do." Sherlock ignored his brother in law.

"What? Keep us safe? From what villain now? Moriarty is finally dead. What else is there? What other dragons must you diminish?"

"Sherrinford calm down." Uncle Mycroft finally spoke up.

"Oh, fuck off with you. It figures you probably helped him with this great idea. Isn't that how it works? The two genius Holmes brothers get together and decide what's best for everyone. It doesn't matter how much it hurts the family bond, you break a bond enough and it's not repairable!"

"What would you have me do?" Sherlock hissed taking a step towards his son, cutting off any reprimand from his brother. "What would you do for David? For your child? If there was a real threat? "

Ford rolled his eyes. "Whatever the threat is I would keep them safe. But how are you keeping us safe by leaving? By going off to possibly die on your own? Alone doesn't protect you-"

"It's David." Greg decided it was time to cut this off before it started to snowball. John wasn't in any shape to step between two battling Alphas and Mycroft still only ever saw a child when he looked on Sherrinford.

The boy was going to be a father soon, he was eighteen and making a life for his family. They needed to start looking at the kid as a man and not as a kid.

"What is?" Sherrinford demanded, hearing both his parent's hiss in unison.

"Mycroft has worked tirelessly to have each and everyone of David's tormentors shown the sharp edge of justice. However, there is one in particular, the one who fathered the child that David carries." Lestrade cut off his nephew's protest. "I know you are the child's real father. No one will challenge that but biologically-"

"What about him?" Ford snarled.

"Mycroft has found him." Greg scratched his head. "He's sent his men to find the bastard."

"But-" Sherinnford watched his own Alpha father's expressionless face, trying to read what he wasn't telling.

"He's slippery and he knows that David is pregnant. He's coming for David." Greg confessed without any hesitation.

Sherrinford paled he looked between his Uncles and then his father and dad.

"Son-" John took his son's hand, this time Ford didn't pull away. "no one is going to hurt David."

"Who is he?" Ford swallowed, fighting the urge to leave this conversation and find his mate, scent him and hide him away. He needed to keep Davy safe, keep him away from danger and anyone who would dare hurt him. Davy-MINE. .

"An international arms dealer. He goes by Abner Mataxas, he was good friends with Welborn."

"What would you do?" Sherlock asked his son. "This isn't lost jewelry or stolen art. This is life. He means to take David and the child back to his villa in Greece. He's already attempted contact."

Ford's posture tensed as if he was about to run from the room to go to his Omega.

"He didn't. Mallory intercepted that package. David has no idea. And we all want to agree on this remaining the case." Lestrade cut off his nephews escape with this speech but it was Sherlock to catch his son by the arm. Holding the boy back.

"I won't let him have him! I'll...I'll challenge him. He can't have David!" The dark haired Alpha tried to pull his arm free. And the older men in the room once more could see the child that Sherrinford once was. But this wasn't an experiment gone wrong or rude words. It was real and dangerous, making Sherlock want to hold his son close and calm the anger and tension in him. To take the fear and sooth it away, he wanted to fix this.

Ford's voice faltered, hating himself for sounding more like a child demanding his toys returned. He wasn't a child, he was not a child! He needed to be next to David, needed to scent him, to hide him away. He could do this. He would! His resolve slowly turned his anxiety to anger and it roared forward with a possessive force that his own Omega father winced away from the scent of his son's flooding pheromones.

"Do you see now? Do you see why I would leave the pack?" Sherlock put a hand on his son's shoulder squeezing. Ignoring the deep growl. "Do you feel that desperation to save one's family...to keep one's pups safe and secure? It's there in your belly, reaching across your bond, it's feral and still very desperate."

Ford nodded unable to form words. "I'll go with you. To find him." He managed finally.

"No." Three other voices in the room objected.

John being the louder of the three. "Absolutely not, dammit! This pack stays together. If we've learned anything it's a pack is stronger together. Now listen and carefully because I might throw up if i have to repeat myself. We'll send the boys, as well as Sherrinford and David to stay with my sister. We will use the pretense of remodeling 221B as an excuse. David wont have to know he's in danger until later when the mess is at a close. My sister's home is secure. It's safe and we'll add more of Mycroft's wonderful protection to the lineup of security she has around the Omega safe house. It'll be good for the boys to be out in the country. "

No one objected, instead John stood slowly pushing away the helping hands of his son and husband. "Now if you'll excuse me I heard there was popcorn and home movies somewhere. I'll leave you Alphas to hash out the details. If I hear anything about anyone playing lone wolf I won't hesitate to get the tranquilizer darts out. Sherlock, you know what I'm talking about. And you all know I'm a crack shot." John held his head high and left the room and the suffocating Alpha pheromones, grumbling about bloody big cats, and Alpha knottheads.

Brandon held the door open for him and smiled, following the Omega out. He figured it was best to leave the family discussion for family.

~0~

John found his son in law and nephew sitting and laughing with Agent Mallory. A nest of blankets and pillows around them on the big comfortable gray couch in a dimly lit room.

The large theater like projection screen was lit up with a smiling familiar face. "Hello little brother loan your big brother some cash. I know you have it on you. Your dads are rich after all." The dark haired Alpha looked so much like Alex it almost hurt. It felt like yesterday when Erick was still alive, he had such a beautiful grin and kind eyes. A good man, a decent constable and another casualty of war.

"Get off." A skinny Alexander shrieked from the screen, his choking laughter filling the room. "Put me down I don't have any money."

"It's no use he doesn't carry cash." The tone was bored and the young face was a miniature version of Sherlock. John felt his eyes tear up seeing a tiny six year old Sherrinford, his baby face barely rounded sitting reading a book under a tree. The child was ignoring the wrestling match going on in front of him. John sighed, his son had always been so thin, and his hair so out of control. Not like now, now they were carefully trimmed and combed.

"Oh, how about you squirt? you gotta have some cash then?" Erick quickly scooped up the unsuspecting six year old.

"Vagrant UNHAND ME!"Ford had tried to run. "Perhaps you should have considered finances before you associated yourself with a disinherited mate!"

"Oi! I was going to help you little shit but not now." John heard Joshua's quick intake of breath. That was Josh's older brother now on the screen, smiling and kissing Alex's brother. Erick was holding a squirming Ford upside down and laughing.

"Aaagh! I'll vomit if you continue to fondle each other in my presence! This is abuse!"

John watched the two, with a growing sadness. "That's them?" Davy had an arm around Alex, his head rested on the Omega's shoulder.

Alex nodded, wiping at his eyes, "Yeah. That's him." John stood back not wishing to interrupt the scene, the carefree squeals and taunts from the screen a very welcomed distraction.

Mycroft had very excellent quality surround sound. And now a young six year old Lawrence was giggling as he dodge the dark haired Alphas grasping hands.

"Avenge me Lawrence!"Ford was calling for help.

"I can't! It's no use! Every man for himself!" Lori wore a red jumper, scooped up by Joshua's older brother.

"Oh come on cowards! We are family. A pack sticks together !"

Ford was turning red upside down and Alex with young Lawrence charged at the older Alphas. They knocked the young constable back and the blond Omega in the dark suit laughed."Save yourself love!"

Charlie shook his blond head trying to help his downed mate. "I'll save you Erick! I wont leave you. If you go so will I." The words were haunting and John closed his eyes against the sounds of happiness and breathless murmurs of love. That torture video that Moriarty had sent Mycroft almost four years ago still fresh in his mind. Agent Charlie Marsters (Mallory) had said the same to his dying mate those late minutes of their lives.

"That's Ford. I can't believe how much like the twins he looks. So adorable look at Lawrence's chubby little cheeks!" Davy was trying to lighten the mood, allowing Alex to discreetly dab at his eyes. "We should be showing Tommy this. "

Mallory continued to watch, unable to move his own eyes from his lost brother. " They looked so happy and in love." The agent whispered to no one in particular.

John vowed then that this family would not know further heartache. How long until it was Thomas, Brandon or Joshua, what if this threat zeroed in on these young men. What of his own children, his sons and dear daughter and this new pup, they all deserved security. John placed a hand to his flat stomach.

Men like Mataxas, like Moriarty needed to be stopped. Sherrinford was right the stress on their pack on the family bond, it couldn't go on.

No. Enough was enough. He had a browning that needed dusting off, and John knew his aim would never fail.