Notes: Hello everyone and Happy New Year! Sorry for the no update since October. But I've written over 8000 words which will be spilt over this chapter and two more. On the 2nd of January this year this story turned one and I can't believe where that year went and how far the story is gone. Anyway here is the new chapter. Enjoy!
After eight days in the hospital, Sam was finally allowed to go home. Molly could see her daughter was slowly getting back to normal despite the pain she was still in. The operation had gone well as far as the doctors were concerned. For the next eleven weeks, Sam would have to be in plaster casts allowing everything to heal and fused together.
Deep down, Molly knew it was going to be a very difficult summer. "Glad to be home, Sam?" Molly asked her daughter.
Sam nodded her head tiredly. "Yes but transferring from the wheelchair to the sofa took it out of me."
"It's just something you are going to have to get used to, building up your muscles."
"I don't think I will ever get used to the banana board," Sam admitted, referring to the similarly shaped object that was now on the floor.
"In time," Molly reassured.
"Talking of time, where is Sherlock? I thought he was going to get food."
"He is, just had to finish out a case for Greg. He Said John might join us. Don't mind do you?"
Sam shrugged her shoulders, "Not my house; I don't pay the bills. Have over whoever you like, as long as they are not a psychopath. Who wants to kidnap me in the middle of the night and strap a bomb to my chest, I'm fine."
Molly gave Sam a not good look, "Sam," her tone warned. "If I had known who Jim really was do you think I would have introduced you? Be it I only did that over Skype, I would never have spoken to him if I had known -"
"I know Mum, I just fear we haven't heard the last from him. What was it he said, 'I'll be in touch.' He's going to come back and hurt us."
"Sam, he won't. Mycroft won't let him, Sherlock won't, and I won't."
"He could hurt any of us. What if I'm just the warning shot?"
Molly didn't get a chance to answer as Sherlock and John walked through the door. Sending a pleading look to her daughter, Sam knew this was something her mum did not want to be discussed in front of Sherlock.
"Hi, come in," Molly welcomed them as she got off the sofa, to greet the detective and his blogger, "Hope you've got enough food for everyone."
Sherlock stared at Molly blankly. "Why wouldn't I have brought enough food for everyone?"
"It's just something people say to each other Sherlock, " John explained as if he was talking to a child. "It's a lovely place you have here, Molly."
Molly blushed. "Thank you. I mean it's small, but it is London, to be expected right, but we make it work, don't we Sam?"
"It's got food and Wi-Fi, I can't complain. It's home."
"How are you, Sam?" John asked.
"Not great, glad to be out of hospital, pain still bad. Got any good drugs you can prescribe me, Doctor Watson?"
"Err em," John was stunned by the shock.
"Don't worry, I'll just ask Sherlock. I'm sure he knows where to get some good drugs."
Everyone looked as if Sam had thrown a grenade into the middle of the room.
"Sam!" came a surprisingly stern voice from Sherlock.
"How about we sort all this food out. John would you mind helping me?" Molly politely requested.
Jumping at the chance to get away from the awkward tension, he agreed. "Yes, of course, I'll follow you and just tell me where you need my help."
Once John and Molly left the room, Sherlock sat down next to Sam.
"I was joking about the drugs," Sam said, not looking at him.
Sherlock nodded. "I don't think your mother found it funny."
"No, she didn't," Sam spoke in a quiet voice.
"Be many different things Sam, but don't be like me. Don't go near that path. It's a hard one to get away from, and one you never truly leave."
"Okay." Sam nodded, taking in what Sherlock said.
"Who wants food?" questioned Molly as she and John carried in the plates.
"Me!" Sam said as her plate was passed to her.
"Hope you don't mind eating on the Sofa," Molly spoke to John and Sherlock, "It's just it's a bit easier."
"It's fine Molly," John said speaking for himself and the detective.
Sam tucked happily into her chips, "This food is lovely. Great to have something other than hospital food."
Molly sat down with her food. "You always say that."
"I say it because it's true."
"So, Molly, are you going to be looking after Sam for the whole of the summer?"
"No," Sherlock and Molly said at the same time before glancing at each other awkwardly. "I ..um am going back to work."
"Yeah because Sherlock would go crazy, I mean crazier than normal if she wasn't in the lab," Sam began. "From what Uncle Mike tells me he drives all the pathologists except Mum to breaking point."
John chuckled, "When you say Uncle Mike, do you mean Mike Stamford or Mycroft?"
Sam shrugged, "Either, take your pick I get information from both."
John felt a chill run through his body. A part of him would regularly forget that Sherlock had a daughter, and on the handful of occasions he was in her company, he found that she would remind him of Sherlock. Now was one of those times.
Molly shook her head at her daughter, "Mycroft has hired a couple of live-in nurses to help in the next few weeks and her bodyguards will be here."
"Bodyguards?" Sherlock questioned. "As in more than one?"
Sam looked at him as if he was stupid, "You think your brother would have just one person protecting me?"
Sherlock's face started buffering. This once again caused John to laugh. "I never thought I would see Sherlock on the other side of that look."
"What look?" the detective inquired.
"It's a look you give someone if they've said something stupid. I'm mostly on the receiving end of it."
"He did say something stupid," Sam declared.
Sherlock ignored Sam. "You constantly say stupid things."
Not hearing the door open, Sam didn't hear a friend of Molly's walk in. "Well, I see some things never change."
Sam's head whipped around fast, "Meena? You're here but you were travelling. I thought you were in Australia."
"I was, but I had to come back to see my favourite goddaughter didn't I?" Meena told her, aking a seat and giving Sam a hug.
"I'm so glad you are here. A lot's happened since you been away."
"I can see that." Meena's eyes glanced on Sherlock briefly before returning to Sam.
"Hello again, Meena," Sherlock said coldly.
"Sherlock," she greeted with the same tone.
Sam saw a confused look cross her father's flatmate's face. "Mum please explain everything before John asks."
"John this is Meena, she's my best friend. We met at university. Sherlock and Meena were … friends."
"I wouldn't call us friends, Molly. We were mutual acquaintances because of our connection to you," Meena said.
"I see you don't change," Sherlock shifted uncomfortably.
"I would say the same about you but you're not high as a kite," Meena replied.
"Please, both of you, try to be civil." Molly spoke, knowing she was in the middle, "Attempt to be friends, not just for me but for Sam too."
Meena looked at Molly, "Is he stepping up, Molls?"
Molly nodded. "Yes," she whispered.
Meena looked once more at Sam, asking the same question but without words. Quickly Sam nodded her head, a smile appearing on her face.
"Good." Meena turned on Sherlock and reached out her hand. "A fresh start between us Sherlock but if you hurt them you'll have me to answer to."
He shook her hand. "I don't plan to."
Sam's recovery went by slowly. Spending the first six weeks not being allowed to use her legs at all, she slowly watched her legs waste away as the strength built in her upper body. Molly often heard Sam complain at how she wished she could take off the casts and scratch the itchy skin underneath. She lost count of the amount of time she had to confiscate items off her, when she caught her trying to put them down her cast to help relieve the discomfort she was in.
"Sam, stop," Molly said, taking two knitting needles out of her hand. "It could lead to an infection."
Sam leant forward trying to grab the items out of her mum's hand. "Don't care, at least the itch would be gone."
"A few more weeks." Molly walked away, hoping to find a better hiding place for the knitting needles.
Sam soon moved on to a new set of casts that now allowed her to slowly weight bear. It was something that slowly allowed her to have a little bit of control over her body and the situation she was in, though she still felt frustrated. It was getting to the point where she was fed up with asking for help for every little thing. When Molly helped wash her one evening, she ended up having to console her daughter. She held Sam as she cried. "I feel like I have no dignity. I should be able to do all of this for myself."
Molly didn't know what to say, she let her daughter sob, allowing her emotions out. She sometimes wished she had all the answers.
By October Sam was back in school, casts were thankfully gone she was finally able to have independence back. She slowly learned to walk again with crutches, but she didn't want to risk using them in the busy corridors. So she used her wheelchair to get to her classes.
Jen had kept her promise and texted her friend every day, but she was glad to have her back at school. "I know I've said it before, but I have missed having you in class," she whispered in her ear after Sam got an answer right, "and I'm not just saying it because you're really smart."
"I know. I missed you too. Not the classes so much, but definitely you."
The teacher's voice interrupted the conversation and they turned their focus back on the lesson. "So can someone explain to me why Shakespeare –"
A knock at the door interrupted the teacher mid-question. Mrs Green, one of the deputy headteacher walked into the classroom, "Sorry to disrupt your lesson, Mr Jordan, but is it possible for me to borrow Sam and Jen for a moment? It's important."
"Of course." Mr Jordon gestured for the two to follow the deputy.
Packing up their bags, Sam wheeled herself from under the table following Mrs Green out of the room.
"There is someone who wants to see you, Sam, she says it's important."
"Did she give you a name?"
Mrs Green shook her head. "No, but I thought considering who your family are, it would be best that I allowed her to see you."
"So it's just a random woman you are allowing Sam to see," Jen added in.
Mrs Green pursed her lips at the comment but didn't speak for the rest of the way. Taking them to an office near the main reception. When they got there, Sam came face to face with Irene sat behind a table that had two chairs in front of her.
"Sam, this is the woman who wanted to see you. She has requested that she speaks to you in private. Normally we wouldn't allow this but considering your circumstances we will make an exception. Is that okay? Is it safe for you to talk to her alone?"
Sam looked at the woman and then back to Mrs Green.
"Yes."
Mrs Green stepped out of the room and slowly shut the door. "I will be just out here when you are finished."
Sam slowly got out of her wheelchair, transferring to one of the chairs in front of her.
"Hello, Samantha." Irene crossed her legs trying to get more comfortable as the little meeting began. Sam could tell this was Irene's way of trying to be in control.
"Gritting her teeth a response came. "It's Sam."
"Ah! A weak point I see, it's silly to get wound up like that over a name. Anyone would think you're a child."
"I am a child."
Irene smiled, making her red lipstick more noticeable. Sam found it to be unpleasant, "You could have fooled me."
"I know you. You're the one who turned up when I was in the hospital. When my Dad, I mean Sherlock, was with me."
"Ah, so you were awake, and you did see me. Did you notice how Daddy dearest nearly came after me?"
"But he didn't." Sam's anger was slowly building within her.
"Why are you here?" Jen asked. "Matter of fact, why am I here?"
"Her dad always has one idiot by his side, I thought it would be fair and allow his daughter to have the same treatment."
"She is not an idiot. Sherlock didn't go after you and now you're mad. Upset much."
Irene ignored her tone. "You don't call him Dad, funny that, considering he is."
"Just because I'm not calling you a bitch right now doesn't mean you aren't one," Sam retorted.
"Ah, the Holmes way of speaking lives within you, though I hear your mother too. Very odd that woman. I wonder what Sherlock sees in her?"
"Everything he doesn't see in you," Jen added.
Sam smiled happily, grateful her friend, though she had never met her mother, was defending her.
"I see him in you." Irene stretched out her hand to gently touch Sam's cheek. Just before it touched, Sam moved her head out of the way. "There he is. That lost look in your eyes. That's Sherlock when he's confused or doesn't understand something, it's right there. It's you right now."
Sam started to get up out of her seat. "I am not going to be a part of this. I'm not getting involved in one of Sherlock's games."
"This isn't one of Sherlock's games we are playing in. It's someone higher, more experienced, more qualified."
"Not interested." Sam turned to reach for her chair.
Irene ignored her action. "Moriarty."
Sam's blood ran cold. Shocked, she sat back down forgetting her wheelchair. "What!" her voice came out in a gasp.
"Even Daddy dearest doesn't know that."
Sam still felt stunned.
"I take it this Moriarty person isn't good." Jen's quiet voice came.
"Depends on what side you are on. Now I seem to have your attention, I need you to do something for me."
"Why would I do anything for you?"
"If you don't, well, we wouldn't want any harm to come to your family now, would we?"
Sam sat there for a moment. "What do you want me to do?"
"I text him, never hear anything. Texted him about being on Crimewatch the other day, he ignored it. Try and have him reply to me. You can't outright ask him, but see if you can to do so."
"What- if he doesn't you hurt us all?" Sam half mocked.
"Well, nothing will happen at first, I just want to see if you can."
"Meeting over? Good!" Sam got up and sat back in her wheelchair.
"One more thing, he can't know we had this meeting. As far as he's aware we know nothing about each other."
"Thought you say as much," Sam said, managing to open the door and push herself out.
"Bye," Jen said, leaving the room and following her friend.
"Everything okay?" Mrs Green asked them when they were on their way back to class. "Someone you knew?"
"Yes, it was fine, just some long lost family relative. Well, I say relative, they got the wrong Hooper. I was able to send them in the right direction," Sam said, not knowing if she would be able to complete her new challenge.
Notes: So was this chapter worth the wait? Want the next one?
Comments and Feedback are much appreciated
As always thank you goodshipsherlollipop for beta reading this for me. I am so grateful