Picture by Zebraanimator on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!

Joseph - 15

Nina - 5

Emily - 12

Mason - 7

Riley - 9

Clara - 4

Natty - 8

Halie - 13

Marie - 7

Dan - 11

Ricky - 12

Lisa - 6

Carlo - 10

Mikey - 8

Cedric - 2


John was frozen on the spot, gun aimed at the thug but unable to fire. Sherlock was at his side in the same predicament, however, weapon-less. The thug held a knife, ordinarily this would pose no threat for an ex-army man with a handgun, however, that knife was poised over Marie's throat.

"Put her down, now" John ordered calmly, "Or I will kill you"

"She's a little snitch," The man growled pushing the blade lightly against the small girls neck, leaving a tiny trail of blood. John felt Sherlock twitch; wanting nothing more than to jump forward and throttle the man.

"Daddy…" Marie pleaded

"Shh Marie" Sherlock hushed, "Don't worry"

"Now, you gimmie five minutes and I'll give you the girl" The thug demanded.

"John, Marie" Sherlock sent them both a look, they gave a slight nod.

"Vatican Cameos!"

The effect was instant. Marie elbowed the man in the crotch and ducked to the side. The blade of the knife missing her neck by inches. As the man doubled over she ducked, quickly off to the side, John fired. The bullet hit the man's shoulder sending him sprawling to the ground groaning with pain. Sherlock swooped down and picked up Marie, inspecting her neck carefully.

Lestrade arrived, the man was taken away and soon Sherlock was dropping Marie off at home, with a small bandage on the cut.

"She seems very calm" John noted with a chuckle, "Guess they are used to all this now"

"This can't keep happening" Sherlock replied darkly, looking out the window.

"What can't?" John asked

Sherlock didn't answer.

It was two days later and John had almost forgotten the comment Sherlock had made in the cab, almost. It was a normal day however there seemed to be a black cloud hovering over Sherlock. The man had been writing sad music all morning, John prepared himself for another one of Sherlock's 'black weeks'. That's when Joe, Marie and Emily came running through the door. The two younger children were in tears and Joe looked frightfully pale.

"Dad a whole bunch of social workers showed up at the hotel!" Emily cried

"They loaded the rest of us into cards!" Marie added, "They're trying to take us away!"

"They told us we were going into the foster system!" Joe exclaimed

"I know" Sherlock replied coolly without turning to face them. He looked out the windows, violin still resting on his chin.

"What?" Emily yelled angrily, "Then why aren't you stopping them!"

"Because I called them" He replied unemotionally, John's jaw dropped.

"You told social workers to take them away?" The doctor gaped, the trio looked like Sherlock had just slapped them.

"Yes" He shrugged, turning, John almost shivered under his steely gaze. His grey eyes revealed nothing.

"You…you're sending us away?" Marie croaked, Sherlock nodded.

"Why?" Emily yelled through her tears.

"I can't keep having you all interfering" He said simply, "Last night we almost lost the criminal because of Marie"

The girl flinched.

"Sherlock!" John scolded, "You can't just get rid of them!"

"I just did" Sherlock pointed out cruelly before turning back to his violin, "I believe the car outside is for you three"

Even joe was blinking back tears now, John felt his blood boil at Sherlock's cruelness.

"Come on" Joe said softly to the girls, "We have to get going…"

"What about mummy?" Marie sniffled

"She can't afford to pay the bill on the hotel by herself and we can't all live with her" Emily grumbled, "Isn't that right Sherlock"

The detective nodded.

"I'm sure she will visit" He added airily.

The children left without another word. Silence fell upon the room, Sherlock had apparently grown tired of his violin, yet he didn't put it away.

"What the hell was that!" John yelled in fury, "What the hell did you do?"

"It needed to be done" Sherlock said finally, "I can't have my work suffer"

"Can't have your work- Sherlock those were you kids!" He yelled, "Your family!"

"Don't be stupid John, they were not my children" Sherlock hissed

"They were as good as" John whispered, but he was sure Sherlock heard.

John saw Mira a few weeks later, she looked heartbroken. Apparently Sherlock had not even told her, Mycroft had.

"They are being terrors" She sighed, "They don't want any foster parents to take them"

"They want tot be together?" John guessed, she nodded.

"Dan, Clara and Joe are taking it the worst" She sighed, "Dan has completely closed himself off, the others tell me he hasn't even spoken since it happened"

"He was always afraid Sherlock would get rid of him…" John remembered, "I promised him he never would…"

"They're all heart broken, Natty tore her bionic ear out"

"Gods…"

For the first month barely anybody spoke to Sherlock. John only did when he had to and Lestrade had simply stopped giving cases to the man. They were running on private ones alone, well Sherlock was. John rarely went with him. Mira informed that none of the Irregulars had managed to find a home, they had a few offers but immediately made themselves despised. They were constantly trying to escape, however Mycroft had apparently put them under surveillance and it was only a matter of hours before one of his men bought them back to the home.

After that first month, John began to stop being angry and started to notice. Sherlock barely spoke, even less than usual. He never showed off, he didn't make fun of John's ignorance. He barely slept or ate and it was beginning to show. His powers of observation were even affected, more than once John caught the man flicking through the photo album. The doctor could watch for up to a minute before Sherlock even noticed. When he did, he would stuff the book away and try to look like he was busy being a sociopath.

"You miss them," John said finally

"I do not," Sherlock rebuffed

"You do" John argued, "Don't lie to me Sherlock"

He glared at him, the grey eyes piercing into John's.

"Why did you send them away? You obviously want them around" John continued, Sherlock looked away and mumbled something.

"What?"

"It was for the best"

"How? How Sherlock?" John felt himself getting angry again, "How is this for the best? You're miserable, they're miserable, Mira is too! You made them hate you Sherlock!"

"I'd rather they were sad and bitter toward me than dead" Sherlock snapped.

Click.

"You sent them away cause you thought they were going to end up dead" John deduced, "Not because your work was suffering"

"Sam did" Sherlock pointed out, still not betraying his emotional mask, "If they hate me they will not miss me, ergo, they will find new families and live normal, safe lives. Just give them time"

"Sherlock did you ever think that maybe they liked this life?" John asked, "Like us, they enjoy danger and you do everything you can to protect them, they know that"

"Well, it's not enough" Sherlock replied, John chose to ignore the fact that his voice cracked slightly.

"Sherlock stop being stupid" John sighed, "Those kids loved you, deep down they still do and don't lie because I know you love them too"

Sherlock didn't look at him, opting to fiddle with the stitching on his armchair.

"Give them the choice, let them come home" John implored, "Mira tells me how dejected they are, Dan hasn't spoken in over a month! Natty ripped her aid out!"

"Really?" Sherlock breathed obviously shocked. John nodded.

"At least they are safe!" Sherlock argued, his voice was heated as he flopped down onto the chair dramatically clawing at his dark curls, "I wont have them in danger again!"

"Sherlock-"

"No, Jon!" Sherlock yelled, "I will not loose them, even if it means I never see them again, as long as they are safe I don't care!"

Oh dear…