Chapter 5: On my terms

"What are you waiting for?" Sherlock demanded angrily.

"Waiting from what?" John asked crossly.

"Let us talk, whatever Mycroft told you. We don't have all day."

"But Sherlock!"

"We are wasting time," he sang.

John sighed angrily and went to sit on his chair. Sherlock followed him with his eyes and Bell, next to Mrs. Hudson, observed both men. "So, do you have information about Bell's case?" Mrs. Hudson asked curiously. "We are about to find out," Sherlock replied, while putting his hands under his chin. As he looked at him, he took his position, John sighed bitterly and began to rub his hands, with certain eagerness, on his trousers.

"Well..." John spoke seriously "But first, Mrs Hudson," he turned to look at her, "could you take Bell to the kitchen?" he suggested with some nervousness.

"Why?" she questioned strangely. "Is it something...?"

Upon hearing that unfinished question Bell turned to look at her strangely and she, feeling the look of the child, guided her sight to discover that those brown eyes were asking what was going on? It was not necessary to hear words from that little mouth, those eyes said everything. A worried Mrs. Hudson turned to John and Sherlock.

"Guys, what's going on?" she insisted worried.

"Mrs Hudson... please," John earnestly begged. With a distressing sigh she took the little girl's shoulders and looked at her with her best smile. "Bell, honey, how about we go to the kitchen and make some food?"

"More?" she asked almost surprised.

Hearing that tone in her, John and Mrs. Hudson opened their eyes wildly, but John quickly looked back at Sherlock's serious and Mrs. Hudson took Bell by the hand, they both left the living room and the girl observed once again the two adults with some strangeness. Once alone, John saw Sherlock as seriously as he could and was showing how upset he was.

"Good!" John exclaimed. "First of all, all these files you have won't get you anywhere."

"I assumed it," he replied seriously.

"Second of all, your brother is who handles this case."

"Interesting," he continued, as he smirked.

"Sherlock, this is very serious. Bell's mother was involved in the Rupert Casey incident."

"Rupert Casey?" he wondered curious.

"That terrorist who attacked The London Underground ten years ago. It was a very notorious case."

"Yes, yes, I remember. I told Mycroft that he could not have planned such an attack, he was a simple man. But he ignored me."

"Well, apparently Bell's mother lived with that guy and was accused of complicity in the attack." Sherlock put his hands to his lips and arched an eyebrow. "What was her name?"

"Samara Jones."

"Samara Jones..." he repeated quietly. "And something else," John continued. Sherlock moved his eyes, "Bell's mother, a year, and a half ago, worked for four months as Magnussen's secretary. That's why Bell recognized him."

Sherlock made no expression at all and quickly got up off the couch. When John noticed, he followed him, Sherlock approached all the files he had gotten from Lestrade and began to look at them one by one. Doctor Watson looked at his friend with some concern. He had understood.

"Sherlock," John whispered, but he did not answer him. "Sherlock, I understand you."

"Understand what, John?" he asked with false seriousness, while taking a slight leap. John sighed in despair.

"All this. I know this Moriarty thing has taken you with a certain... surprise. And now Bell arrives, and this Magnussen situation..."

"Oh, John!" he interrupted. "So many years together and you don't seem to know me," he said, walking in circles through the floor files.

"Of course, I know you, Sherlock!" he exclaimed angrily. "I know you perfectly well and I know you're scared," the detective stopped his walk and looked at him. " Seriously Sherlock, I understand you," he now said in a protective tone. "I know this isn't easy to carry, this pressure you're generating, I know it consumes you. The fact that Magnussen's ghost haunts you and now Moriarty's is not easy to carry..."

"John..." was severely interrupted.

"The point I'm going to is that I'm your best friend, I'm here to help and support you, even if you deny me the things," Sherlock kept looking at him. "And remember, you're Sherlock Holmes, the greatest consulting detective there is and..."

"The only one," he interrupted serenely and without denying that he liked that motivation.

"Exactly, you are the only one capable of solving any case, that includes this one. So, let us not waste any more time and solve the case of little Bell."

Sherlock showed a half-smile, turned around to turn his back on John, and for a few moments he became thoughtful. He, scared? Stressed? Tortured? It was true that the fact that Bell understood the science of deduction had scared him a little. He also felt some pressure about Moriarty's unexpected return and, indirectly, Magnussen, and it made him feel terrible guilt. Maybe there was truth in what John had just told him. At heart he did not understand the reason for his speech; his sorrows were his and no one else's, but had motivated him, he had liked to know that there was John with him right now.

"Well?" questioned Watson, who suddenly appeared in front of him. At what point had he stood in front of him?

"The game is on, John," he replied with a huge smile.

"That's the way I like it," he smiled.

"Well, first. Mycroft, did he show you the Samara Jones files?" he said as he rubbed his hands and started walking.

"That is correct."

"And we know we can't get these files because they're maximum security. Now, we need all that to get more information from Samara's past."

"Yes, that's true. I could see a few papers, Mycroft take care at them with a great zeal, that case is very interesting to him."

"Of course, he's interested! She was a suspect in a terrorist attack that he could not lock up. I wouldn't be surprised if he were intrigued by the fact of her murder, he's investigating it, too."

"But how would we get them? We're not going to steal them."

"Oh John, that will be very easy," he chorused as he looked at him with that smile.

"Really?" he asked strangely.

"Sure," and Sherlock winked.

It had been a while since that pep talk. John was sitting in his chair and set out to read some of the newspapers scattered about the apartment while Sherlock analysed the wall with Magnussen's photograph when, the concentration of both was interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Hello, boys!"

"Mary?!" John said perplexed.

"I am sorry for the delay, there was traffic coming here," she continued with a smile.

"Sherlock?!" John asked exasperated as he turned to look at him.

"Mary will help us get the files," he replied with his typical half-smile.

"Sorry?" he doubted. "My wife will do what?"

"Sherlock sent me a message, so I'll help you with your case," she continued as she kissed him on his cheek.

"But... but..."

"Easy, John," Mary smiled as she put her hand under her husband's chin.

"Mary was very quick to pull Emelia Ricoletti's information from the MI5 database. She can pull Samara Jones' as fast as that."

"But...!"

"Easy, honey, it's okay."

"What do you mean with it's okay?!" John exclaimed almost furiously. "What if Mycroft finds out about this?"

"He'll find out, that is obvious. But he will not do anything to us," Mary said with her smile still.

"That's right," Sherlock continued, "Mycroft must know that he has to play on my terms. He knew I would be interested in this case, no matter how hard he tried to get me away, he cannot deny it. So, he does not have to hide his files from us. It is very selfish of him," the detective said as he frowned.

Mary smiled once more at John and approached the table to take a seat and start working on Sherlock's laptop. "This will take me a couple of minutes," she said as she started typing. "So, Sherlock, get ready for your brother's call."

Obeying her, Sherlock pulled his cell phone out of his coat and approached Mary to observe her hack the British government's database. John rose from his couch to approach his wife and look surprised at what she was doing. As Mary passed through the firewalls, she moved her eyes away from the monitor and, at the entrance to the living room, noticed at a little girl who was looking at her with curiosity. Surprised at the presence of that innocent girl, Mary smiled at her.

"Hello!" she exclaimed with her own joy. John and Sherlock looked up. "Who is this beautiful little girl?"

"Mary, this is Bell," John replied, "she is our client."

"Oh!" she exclaimed surprised. "The files you need are...?"

"From Bell's mother," Sherlock continued very seriously.

"What happened?" she asked strangely.

"Boom!" Bell responded quickly, pointing her fingers at her temple.

Mary had understood and at the same time could hear something break inside her chest. The pregnancy had made her more sensitive and her maternal sense had already surfaced. She felt the need to hug her, but a sound came from the laptop, she looked down and noticed.

"Great!" she exclaimed victorious. "I have accessed the database."

"Excellent! The file is Samara Jones," Sherlock spoke quickly and Bell, hearing her mother's name, looked at them with great hope. And at that moment, Sherlock's cell phone rang, and he answered it quickly.

"How's diet going, brother?"

"Sherlock, what are you doing in the government database?" he chided.

"Oh Mycroft, please!" he exclaimed sarcastically. "You know perfectly well what I'm doing in there. The truth was very rude of you to try to take me away from this case and use John to lie to me. I'm surprised you don't know me well enough, my dear brother."

"All right, Sherlock, you're going to make me use force on you. I forbid you, strictly, to get involved in this or any case, until England is free of James Moriarty."

"Is that your strength? How dare you take all the fun out of me?" he continued with his sarcasm by having John, Mary and Bell see him, "Who will solve this case? Because you, being smarter than me, haven't been able to."

"Stop playing, Sherlock, and listen to me..."

"No Mycroft!" he replied very angrily. "You listen to me. Stop meddling in my business, I will know how to deal with that, and in the meantime, I will solve this case. And I don't want to hear from you anymore."

"Sherlock, you better not provoke me. Remember, if it weren't for me, you'd be dead."

The detective tensed terribly, felt the muscles in his back writhe because of that sensation; a frustration surrounded him and quickly hung up the call. He breathed a restless breath and glanced at all three, showing annoying eyes.

"Do you have it?" he reluctantly asked.

"Just for a moment..." Mary said with anxiety and she was thrown out of the database.

The screen of the laptop was completely black. Mary and John looked amazed and after a few moments the desk appeared.

"Did you get it?" Sherlock asked exasperated.

"Wait, he got me out, ahead of time."

Mary began digging into the laptop files as Sherlock began to walk around in despair. John turned to tell him to control himself, as he too was in a bad mood.

"Yes!" Joyfully exclaimed Mary. "I managed to get it."

Sherlock stopped his walk and approached the blonde to kiss her on the forehead while John smiled at his wife's feat, he was proud of her, although he resented the way she did it. Bell approached the three adults and stopped in front of the table where they were celebrating. She looked at them seriously and the three stopped the small party to observe her serenely.

"Bell..." Mary spoke, slowly fading her smile.

"Liar."

All three were shocked.

"Sorry?" she asked strangely.

"Mary," John quickly stepped in, "there's something about Bell you should know. She's like Sherlock, in the deduction aspect."

Still surprised, Mary turned to see John and then to Sherlock, who seemed to have strained now.

"Wow," she gasped. "Bell you are a very privileged child," she exulted with an honest smile.

Knowing the warm smile that Mary Watson gave her, she saw that those words as lying; dangerous and more negative that danced around her, vanished so that only one appeared. Loving. Mary stretched out her arms to embrace her, Bell smiled at her and walked up to her to surround her with all her strength. Having the little girl in her arms, Mary gave her something that Bell had missed so much in these weeks, a little love.

Bell and Mary were sitting on the couch. With her very active curiosity, the girl had her ear on Mary's belly. It was so surprising to hear the heartbeat of the baby on the way, making it fascinating. Mary stroked her head and smiled at her with too much tenderness, and in those moments, Bell felt the baby kick. She got scared and removed her head from her womb.

"I think she liked you," Mary said with a smile. Bell looked surprised. "Look, touch here," she continued as she held her hand and put it in her womb. "When she kicks a lot, it's because she's glad of the people around her; she does it when Sherlock is around or hears him talk," and smiled at him.

Upon hearing that revelation the detective turned his eyes as he keeps looked at his laptop.

John arrived in the living room loaded with two cups of coffee and a bag full of bread, all bought at Speedy, due to the whim his wife had generated.

"Here's a cappuccino with cream and caramel, the Lemonade Scones you wanted and, for Bell, chocolate doughnuts."

"Thank you, Doctor Watson," his wife said with a big smile. "Will you know if Mrs. Hudson made biscuits?"

"Won't you complete with that?" he questioned in amazement.

"Hey! I'm almost eight months pregnant and the baby also wants some biscuits made by Mrs. Hudson." John looked with an arched eyebrow and about to answer, surprising all three, Bell spoke. "She prepared some," she said with a slight smile as she looked at Mary.

John and Sherlock saw her, the latter trying to disguise his surprise. Bell had spoken without being blocked by her shock.

"Really?" Mary asked with a smile. "Bell, honey, could you go to Mrs. Hudson and ask her to give me some biscuits?"

Bell saw Mary with a smile and nodded. She rose from the sofa and left the living room for Mrs. Hudson's kitchen. They all observed her leave and as she was no longer around, John looked at Sherlock and his wife.

"Did she...? Did she speak without suffering the shock?"

"That seems so," Sherlock responded indifferently and looked back at the laptop.

"The shock?" Mary questioned curious.

"Yes. Bell arrived this morning in a state of shock. She saw her mother die and was wandering all over London for almost four weeks, but we couldn't get her to communicate with us, only saying one or three words without coherence."

"If they were consistent, you just never noticed," Sherlock interrupted. John looked at him seriously.

"The point is," he continued with discomfort, "that she was in shock. But being with you she managed to calm down."

"Well John, Bell misses her mother, she needs maternal affection."

"True... poor Bell. Oh!" he exclaimed suddenly, "Mycroft told me he would send child services to take the child."

Sherlock flicked his eyes at his laptop and give a look to John.

"For what?" he asked curiously.

"She's an orphan and they need to take her so they can give her a temporary home and..."

"But she is here," Sherlock interrupted, causing Mr and Mrs Watson to look at him in confusion.

"Yes, Sherlock, but the thing about child services is that..."

"In the first place, she is a witness to the murder, and we must get her to talk. They cannot take her when she is the main witness," he continued seriously. "And secondly, we need to know how much Magnussen influenced Samara Jones and she's the only one who knows."

Mary and John looked at each other with a question mark on their faces. The only action she could do was to lift her shoulders to her husband and get him to arch an eyebrow.

"And what do you suggest then, Sherlock?" Curious John asked. "That she stays and live here while you solve the case?" Sherlock rose from his chair and took several papers he had printed on Samara Jones' file. He approached the wall, causing Mary to rise from the couch, so the couple would see him glue all the papers to that wall. "Sherlock?" John insisted not to hear an answer.

"You did not tell me that Samara had a sister," he replied when he finished pasting some papers.

"Yes, I completely forgot..."

"How efficient," he grumbled. "Where is she?"

"The sister?" And Sherlock turned to see him terribly. "I don't know, not even Mycroft knows."

"Fine. Bell is not a total orphan, there's her mother's sister. We can find out where she is. So, I don't see why those services should take her."

"So, are you really suggesting that Bell stay here?" Mary insisted strangely and they both looked at her.

"No," he replied seriously, "my point is clear, there is no need to take her away," and he quickly moved his head to avoid those curious looks from the Watson.

"Oh, Sherlock!" John exclaimed frustrated. "It may not make sense to you, but for child services it does."

"Well, she could live with us," Mary continued, making those looks land on her. "As long as this case lasts or, as Sherlock says, as long as the aunt shows up."

"Are you sure, Mary?"

"Totally. How about you?"

"Well, I have no problem, as long as she doesn't deduce the neighbours' lives, as Sherlock did, that is fine. She can live with us," he concluded with a smile.

"Say no more!" Mary exclaimed very cheerfully, as she held John's hand, "it is only to speak with her."

At that time Bell came in with a plate of biscuits and the three observe her without lose sight of her. And seeing the sea of looks from those three adults, she felt a little worried.

"Bell, lovely," Mary spoke with that warm smile, "can we talk to you?"

That worry that had invaded her unexpectedly increased and she felt her heart begin to beat in an incredible way. And when she felt her muscular organ that way, it was because something unpleasant was about to happen.

A/N:

Thanks so much for reading. I will be deeply grateful with any comments, constructive criticism, opinions and / or suggestions :3