Chapter 51

Family Business

Mycroft and Sally stand on the step of the door waiting for someone to admit them. Sally starts to shiver and Mycroft drapes his coat over her shoulders seconds before Sherlock opens the door to admit them. He raises his eyebrows but uncharacteristically keeps silent. Mycroft glowers at his little brother as he steps back to let them over the threshold. The message in his eyes is daring the younger Holmes to say something. Sherlock waits for Sally and Mycroft to proceed before he smirks. Mary's matching making skills are working absolutely fine. They don't even know it. Sally opens the door to the living room. 'Sally.' Mary greets her. 'Mycroft. I'm about to make some tea, I assume you two would like some.'

'Yes please.' Mycroft replies stepping into the room.

'Please.' Sally says looking around for John. 'Where's John?'

'Upstairs.' Sherlock supplies, smirking. 'Asleep.'

'Sherlock, go and see if he's woken up.' Greg walks into the living room. 'If he's still asleep don't wake him.' Mycroft subtly sniffs the air as Sherlock slinks out of the room. 'Old family recipe of a Cassoulet. Turns out both Sherlock and John love this sort of stuff.' Mycroft raises his eyebrows.

'I don't believe that.'

'I can only judge by the amount of time he's been in the kitchen trying to nick stuff out of the pot.' Greg disappears back into the kitchen. Mycroft and Sally can hear Greg murmuring to Mary but neither of them can quite distinguish the words. Mycroft turns at the sounds of John clumping sleepily down the stairs. Jim scurries out of the kitchen where he had disappeared into when Mycroft had arrived.

'Johnny.'

'Jim let him sit down.' Greg sticks his head out of the kitchen as scoops the boy up and settles him on his hip. 'Sherlock you weren't supposed to wake him.'

'Have you tried sleeping under his gaze?' John asks.

'Well, no.'

'Virtually impossible. Hi Mycroft, Sally.'

'Hi John, how are you?'

'I'm fine.' John sets the toddler on the floor and sits in his armchair curling his feet underneath him. Jim immediately climbs onto his lap and snuggles close. John wraps his arms around the toddler and cuddles him. Mycroft raises his eyebrows at the sight and John smiles wryly back.

'It seems that two certain people have more in common than they think.'

'We do not.' Sherlock protests.

'How do you know I meant you?' Greg counters. 'I could have meant John and Jim.'

'Oh.' Sherlock relaxes before narrowing his eyes. 'Did you?' Greg chooses to smirk rather than answer. 'Dad? Please tell me.' Sally is slightly surprised how the name sound coming from Sherlock's mouth.

'Sherlock, just leave it.' John yawns wriggling further into his chair and clutching Jim closer to him.

'John, do you know an ex-soldier named Heivan?'

'Davey Heivan, Yeah I do.' John is suddenly wide-awake. 'What happened to him?'

'Security officer to the building where he's situated.' John chuckles as Sally inclines her head to indicate Mycroft. 'He asked us to give you this.' Sally takes out the envelope out of her pocket and hands it across to John. The blonde teenager doesn't even try to reach across and take it from her but instead he nudges Jim and the toddler scoots off his lap and snatches from Sally's grip. Jim then climbs back on and presses the paper casing into John's chest. John taps the toddling consulting criminal on the nose.

'Don't snatch.' He warns. Jim pouts.

'Someone was going to open it before it was going to be given to you.'

'I wonder who that someone could be.' Sherlock remarks finally going to sit down in his chair and staring at Mycroft.

'Why would I do that?'

'Be nice you two.' Mary warns carrying steaming cups of tea into the room.

'Maybe because you can't resist prying into everything to satisfy your inherent notions that you have to know about everything and anything.'

'Sherlock.' John speaks quietly and forcefully. 'Stop it.' Sherlock does as he is told.

'Aren't you going to read it?' Greg asks.

'Nope.' John replies simply nudging Jim onto the arm of the chair so he can slip the letter into his pocket.

'Why?' Sally asks.

'I already know what it says.' John abruptly stands. 'Need to make a call. Privately.' He adds glaring at Sherlock. Greg tosses him his phone and he disappears upstairs.

Ten minutes later he reappears and reseats his himself in his armchair smirking slightly. Sherlock tries to deduce his slightly older brother. He scowls when he can't work out what John is thinking. John looks back at him raising his eyebrow slightly, his smirk growing. 'Go on, I give up.' Sherlock growls.

'You give up? On what?' John gives the perfect illusion of innocence and humility.

'How do you know Heivan?'

'Afghanistan, same regiment.'

'I know that.' Sherlock snaps. 'But how?' John's eye glints.

'Can't you work it out?' He grins. 'It is obvious after all.'

'It's not obvious at all.'

'John don't tease him.' Greg says from the sliding door.

'I'm not. Maybe he will learn to leave some things alone.' John senses rather sees Greg smirking at his comment. Mary lifts Jim of John. The toddler wriggles in her arms trying to get back to John.

'Dinner time for you little one.'

'Not hungry.' Jim whines.

'Don't care.' Mary hugs him close. 'You will eat.' Mary carries him into the kitchen. John twists in his chair.

'Dad.' He says carefully. Greg raises his eyebrows. 'You won't mind if I spend the day with Davey Heivan tomorrow, will you?'

'How trustworthy is Heivan?' Greg asks Mycroft.

'Very. I would say incorruptible but everyone has their price. We just haven't found his yet.' John scowls.

'Good job I know it then.' He murmurs quietly. 'May I go?' He asks hopefully. Greg hesitates.

'Let him.' Mary says quietly. 'We can't mollycoddle him until he's adult again.'

'Please?'

'He picks you up here. He doesn't let you out of his sight.' John cringes knowing that the rule would have to be broken. 'But yes you can go.' John breathes a quiet sigh of relief.

'Thank you. He'll be here about half eight.' John twists back to sit in his chair properly. Greg steps forward

'You assumed I would let you.'

'He assumed, I hoped.' John counters.

'Who is he?' John freezes.

'I'd rather not say. Not yet. Please.' John whispers. 'I will say, when I'm ready.'