Of Hearts and Boredom

Genre: Family, Friendship

Pairings: None mentioned and all background

Main characters: Greer, Scott, and Johnnie Lestrade; Grace and Michael Holmes; Rosie and Daniel Watson; Julian and Gareth Bailey; Ciana Anderson

"BORED. Bored bored bored!"

"Oh Gracie, not AGAIN," Michael lamented. He glanced over towards Greer and her brothers for support, finding only poor attempts to conceal smiles and childish giggles.

"Well, for what it's worth," Daniel said, "she's a perfect right to be bored. There's NOTHING to do. School isn't to start again for another two weeks and she's all of her sewing projects for Christmas finished already."

"Oh, PLEASE," Rosie said, as she looked up from braiding Ciana's long hair. "Grace can't do ANYTHING wrong in your books Danny!"

"That's NOT TRUE," Daniel protested, his dark blue eyes taking on a defensive expression. "Grace can do PLENTY wrong," he trailed off. He clamped his mouth shut and blushed furiously as he noticed the glare Grace Holmes was giving him.

"What Danny MEANT to say was that Grace isn't perfect in his eyes, just as nobody else is perfect either. Our flaws are part of our charms," Scott said, as he occupied his time with a game of chess with Johnnie.

"That's right," Johnnie confirmed. "We've all got our flaws. And our perfections. Let's start with Gracie then, since she's SOOOOOO bored, maybe we can… I don't know… UNbore her."

"That isn't even a WORD, Johnnie," Greer sniffed. "It's a GOOD one, but still isn't one. Oh BOLLOCKS, that doesn't even make sense, does it."

Scott shook his head over his sister's vocabulary. It was harmless enough, but it was clear as day that even their dad's attempts to rein in his own verbal habits in Greer's presence had been something of a day late and a quid short.

"Grace is bored too easily," Johnnie said, stretching out his long legs and leaning back against the wall, mutually abandoning the chess board with Scott. "But that's not a surprise. Uncle Sherlock is bored easily too. She comes by it perfectly honestly," he said.

"Fair enough," Michael said. "I bore easily too but not like Daddy and Gracie do. But when she's on a mission nothing can stop her. She once stared down one of our classmates when they teased me because I like science and wrestling BOTH."

At this, Grace blushed, smiling at her brother warmly. "Well, you're stubborn. Like Mummy. When you get a notion in your head nothing stops you and that can be SO frustrating. But you're also stubborn in a GOOD way. I guess that's why you're so GOOD at wrestling, you never give up. And why you're so good at science. You don't stop until you know the answer."

"Mummy says that Daniel is going to make GREAT discoveries someday, that he's going to make breakthroughs. Whatever THOSE are," Greer said, as she sat back, wrapping her arms around Ciana as the younger girl settled back against her.

"I think that means… he's very very clever. And very stubborn, and he's going to do VERY good things," Rosie said, smiling as Julian arrived.

"Sorry I'm so late," Julian apologized, as he settled easily on the floor next to Rosie. "Gareth was sick in the car. So what's up?"

"I WAS NOT," Gareth protested softly. "I just didn't feel well that's all," he said sadly. Julian sighed as he sat down next to Rosie, opening his arms for his baby brother to settle into.

"No worries Little G," Julian whispered. "I used to not feel well in the car too." Gareth smiled at this, tired from feeling so ill. He closed his eyes, nodding off without a single word as his big brother held him closely.

"We were just talking about our best and worst," Rosie said, smiling adoringly at him. Julian was so accustomed to this now that he didn't even blush anymore, noticing that Rosie didn't blush anymore either, though the look in her eyes and her smile had never changed much.

"Ah, best and worst. Well, then," Julian said, as he thought a moment. "Rosa. Your worst is that you are never wrong, ever. Your best is that you are never wrong, ever," Julian giggled. "And you are caring. But you don't stand any nonsense. Mummy says she thinks you're going to be a REALLY good nurse someday, like your mummy Mary and mummy Alex."

Rosie hadn't even noticed that she'd worked her way closer to him, gently taking Gareth from him and cradling the youngest Bailey in her arms.

Rosie, careful to not disturb Gareth, swatted Jules gently on the arm. "Silly goose," she said to him, rolling her eyes. "YOUR worst is that you get on a notion and won't let go. Your best is that you get on a notion and won't let go. But you don't do it without a good reason. Daddy says you're going to be a capital copper someday like your daddy, and Uncle Greg, and Auntie Sally. I think he's right, and since I'm never wrong, I guess you will be," she giggled.

"You guys are embarrassing," Greer rolled her eyes. "I agree with all of it so far. So, I suppose my brothers are next. Worst and best. You're both the same all the time, it's like you're the same person in… two people. All the time. I don't think you have a worst though," Greer admitted.

"Oh, come ON, Greer," Johnnie protested. "We all have worsts. And if anyone can pick them out it's YOU."

"Sorry, but you don't. Not yet anyway. Unless it's that you're always the same. Your best is how you're always there when we get into scrapes, though. Mummy and Daddy never worry as long as you're both around. They know we're all looked after."

"Well," Scott said, "fair is fair and it's only right that it be Greer's turn. I'd say what her worst is but she knows where I sleep and she actually scares me a little bit," he teased with a giggle.

"Excuse me, Gregory Scott Lestrade," Greer said defensively. She glared at her big brother, who simply returned the look with an impish grin. She gasped with a scowl at her other brother as he snickered in agreement with Scott. "JOHN WILLIAM! You take that back!"

"I didn't say anything..." Johnnie protested.

"YOU WERE THINKING IT," Greer stated, her deep brown eyes firm in her accusations.

John finally chose to ignore his sister's protests. "Would you believe Greer's worst is her temper, but her best is how she loves everyone and would do anything to protect us. Even when we don't need her to, she wants to." Johnnie smiled warmly at her, while Scott winked at her as if to say, "what HE said."

"I suppose you could say Greer does everything with her whole heart. I think that means she's going to be a good copper too someday. Just don't make her mad," Scott said.

They smiled at her as her expression of offence morphed into one they were more accustomed to seeing - her look of admiration for her big brothers.

"What about YOU Ciana?" Greer said, changing the subject. He hated when her brothers got mushy about her. She appreciated it deep down, but it always embarrassed her a little bit on the outside and preferred them not to do it in front of others.

"MY daddy says that my worst is that I'm too sensitive," Ciana said quietly. "But he says he never minds because he knows that means I haven't outgrown being his little girl." Greer tightened her arms around her best friend. "But daddy also says that my best is that my heart is so big, and he knows that means that whatever I do when I grow up, I'll do it well. Like he does his job, and mummy hers. And Uncle Greg and Uncle Sherlock and Uncle John, and…" Ciana yawned. "I'm too little to understand yet. I think I like just being his little girl. And Uncle Greg's too."

"I think you'll always be daddy's little niece, and Uncle Phillip's too. I mean, YOUR daddy's," Scott said softly. Without even a glance to Johnnie, his twin brother rose quietly to retrieve a blanket to hand to Greer to drape around the young girl. "Greer will always be Uncle Phillip's special little niece too.

"So what do we all have in common then," Grace finally said, as she considered the conversation they'd all just had. "Make it good because right now I'm not bored."

"Our hearts," Daniel said, simply.

"Well," Grace said, rolling her eyes. "THAT'S boring."

"Well it may be boring, but it's also TRUE," Michael said, with a small huff.

"I didn't SAY it wasn't TRUE, I only said it was BORING," Grace protested.

"When does school start again?" Greer asked with a heavy sigh, to nobody in particular.

"Two weeks," Grace sighed. "Two BOOOOORRRRING weeks."