Monsters

By Alexandra Lestrade-Holmes

I'm not your daughter, you're not my father. We're just two people saying goodbye. No need to forgive, no need to forget, I know your mistakes and you know mine. And while you're sleeping, I'll try to make you proud. So daddy, won't you just close your eyes? Don't be afraid, it's my turn to chase the monsters away.

Being the daughter of a police officer can be challenging.

You know it's going to be dangerous.

You know there is the possibility that he might not come home.

But at the same time, you are supporting him and encouraging him, and you are infinitely proud of him.

I haven't known a time when my Pop wasn't in the police force. When I was born, he was still a police officer and I vaguely remember him becoming a Detective Inspector when I was about six. Pop was better suited to being an Inspector. I remember endless teasing him (I still do, to be fair), whenever I was at his office before and after school and he would be sat in his office with a coffee and doughnut not doing any work. I always used to say it's such a hard job being a DI, all you have to do is make a coffee and decide which doughnut to have! To which I just received a look, giggled and carried on with whatever I was doing.

But there was one time when I was faced with the very real possibility that my Dad wouldn't be coming home. He very nearly didn't see myself and my brother graduate. Nearly didn't see us get married.

It was the beginnings of Autumn. In London, it still felt like summer with the heat blazing, not being helped by the amount of glass buildings to be found in the city. Bertie had gone off to Cambridge to begin his first year studying Law. He had finished his A-Levels in a year- my brother is very smart! I was beginning my second year at King's College London and Rosie was here too, studying Pharmacology. Pop was still at Scotland Yard and Dad was still in the British Government… and the British Secret Service… and the CIA on a freelance basis!

It was a sunny, warm day in late September, the day it happened. I had a busy day with four lectures beginning at 9am. Rosie had dragged me to the dance studio at 7 am and after a quick shower, a coffee and a bagel, I was ready to begin my first lecture which was 'Leadership in Religion and Politics'. 2 hours later and a change of buildings and I was in my second lecture of the day, 'The Bible in Modern Imagination'. 2 and a half hours later and I was finally on a lunch break. I called Rosie and we arranged to meet up in the Starbucks in Knightsbridge. I was walking towards the Campus exit when suddenly security swarmed from nowhere and blocked the exit. I stopped confused and Noah, my current boyfriend (Jeremy and I had split up when we started Uni) stopped next to me.

"Lexie, what's going on?" he asked.

I shrugged, unsure as what to what was going on. One of the security personnel came up to us

"Campus is on lockdown." He spoke in a rough voice. "You need to go back inside."

"Why? What's happened?" I asked, folding my arms and standing my ground.

"Please, miss, go back inside. I'm sure everything will be explained to you."

I was just about to open my mouth and argue back when I heard my name being called.

"Alex! Alex!" I turned and saw Hallie Nightingale running toward me.

I ran toward her, Noah following.

"What?" I asked as we did as we were told and headed back indoors. (There was a common room that only we knew about so we headed there).

"Haven't you heard?"

"No."

"There's been an incident in Southbank. 10 people have been killed, 15 people have been injured, 5 gravely."

"What?" I asked hardly daring to believe it. We hadn't had an incident like this since Westminster in 2017. I remember being scared then and I was beginning to feel scared now.

"Yeah and the Home Office has already come out and said that it's terror related."

"Geez." I replied, sinking into a chair and placing my head in my hands. Then I felt my phone buzz. It was Bertie.

Hi. Its just come through on the news.

Can't get hold of Dad or Pop but I guess they are busy!

Are you okay? X

I sent a quick reply to Bertie explaining I was ok and that I was safe on Campus. Then Rosie sent a text saying that she was stuck on her Campus on lockdown to which I replied that we were in the same position. During this time, Noah had made us all a cup of tea.

Over the next half an hour, I received messages from Uncle John and Uncle Sherlock along with Granny and Grandad Holmes, Grandma and Grandpops Lestrade and Nana Parks all making sure I was ok, to which I sent reassurances but I was beginning to worry as I hadn't heard from Dad or Pop and nor had Bertie. I was sure that they were fine and that they were just busy, but it wouldn't have hurt them to send a message to let us know they were ok.

Another hour passed and we were still stuck on Campus. I was curled into Noah on the sofa and Hallie was pacing up and down. The staff on Campus were being amazing, making sure that we had food and water and it was all free. I guess they were stuck here too. I had tried ringing Dad and Pop but it was just going to voicemail, so I had given up.

And then the door to the common room opened. In walked Dr Khovacs, my personal tutor followed by…

"Daniel?" I asked, sitting up, surprised to see my half-brother there. He should have been at work. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at Thames House?"

Daniel was ashen faced and pale and before he could open his mouth to speak, Dr Khovacs interrupted him, "Alexandra, I think we had better go to my office." She used her stern voice and I knew instantly something was wrong. Noah was by my side in an instance. He held onto my hand and I squeezed it. I looked at Hallie and she smiled sadly and nodded. I grabbed my bag and followed Daniel and Dr Khovacs out. Luckily, her office wasn't too far. I could feel myself shaking with every step we took closer to her office. Noah still had hold of my hand and I felt his arm round my shoulder.

Once in her office, she instructed me to sit down. I shook my head and remained stood up.

"Very well." She said, "Your brother here has some news for you." She looked at Daniel and he swallowed and gathered himself before speaking.

"Lexie, I don't know how to tell you this but… Greg's been shot."