Thank you all for being so incredibly beautiful to me. I hope you enjoy :)
~0~0~0~
"... And Mrs Hudson has another monitor, so if you need her..." John was saying as he checked himself yet again in the mirror above the mantelpiece.
"I can call her." Faye finished, "Yes, I know, John. I'm not a child." He turned to look at her. He was really nervous about leaving her, but he also was looking forward to his first night out since before Bella was born. Faye had been getting better with her daughter; she may not have been cooing over her or even sleeping with her in the same room, but she wasn't bolting when she cried and she had begun to feed her occasionally. It was huge progress, and John had only agreed to go out with Greg because he knew she'd be okay.
"And she will want feeding." He warned her as there was a knock on the front door to their flat and it opened, revealing Lestrade.
"Please get him out of here." Faye begged the DI good-naturedly, "He's getting on my tits."
"Always knew he was aiming to get there." Lestrade replied and John rolled his eyes at the pair taking the piss out of him, although he was secretly quite pleased at how relaxed Faye seemed.
"Yes, yes." He muttered, heading quickly out of the door, "I'll be back about midnight." He called over his shoulder. Lestrade smiled at Faye.
"Eager munchkin, isn't he?" He asked and she shrugged.
"What can I say?" She replied with a smirk, "I'm just a joy to come home to." Lestrade laughed, leaving her as he followed John out the door. She quickly darted to the window, looking out onto the street to watch the pair head off towards the pub. A quick check on the content Bella in her Moses basket, blinking with her father's eyes as she batted vaguely in the direction of her space-themed mobile, and Faye was pulling out her mobile.
"All right, he's gone." She told the person on the other side, "You can come over now. Don't forget the food." And she hung up.
~0~0~0~
Lestrade placed the pint in front of his friend, who thanked him gratefully before taking a sip. John had really missed going out, it seemed. He hadn't expected to have been looking forward to leaving the flat this much, but having some time to not be on edge constantly was a blessing.
"So, glad to not be playing daddy?" Lestrade asked, jokingly but bluntly.
"I don't mind it." John replied, "She's such a gorgeous little thing."
"Has her father's eyes." Lestrade interjected before taking a drink of his own. John nodded, that was what everyone said when they first saw her. It wasn't even just the colour, even at only a couple of months old they were just as expressive as Sherlock's.
"And Faye is getting better." He defended, "But, I can't say I was expecting to be a full-time parent to her."
"You're a good man, John." Lestrade told him, "Not many people would take on what you have."
"I know." John said, "But, I promised to look after her." He took a sip of his drink, nodding decisively, "I want to look after them both. They're my family now. But, tonight, I'm going to enjoy myself." Lestrade grinned joyfully.
"Good man." He retorted, patting him on the back and John laughed. He hadn't realised that maybe Lestrade had needed a night out as well.
~0~0~0~
Faye motioned the blonde-haired girl inside of the flat, checking the stairwell one more time before closing the door behind them.
"Take a seat." She offered with a smile and the woman nodded, heading over the small group and sitting on the end of the sofa. Anderson was in the middle, a young man next to him and an older woman on the desk chair next to him, "Would you like a drink?"
"No, thanks." The girl replied meekly, looking around the flat in awe. Faye nodded before standing in front of them.
"Thank you all for coming." She started, "I can't exactly leave the flat right now, but as soon as I can we'll meet at Anderson's house." She still couldn't break the habit of calling him by his last name. She might have joined forces with him, but she didn't actually like him, "So, welcome to the first meeting of The Empty Hearse." She headed into the kitchen, pulling her map of the world out and placed it upright on a chair from the dining table so it was displayed to the small group, "These are all the places I have reason to believe Sherlock has visited since he supposedly died. With some additions from Anderson, of course." He nodded, looking faintly proud to be of help, "Anyone else have anywhere to add to the web?"
"I do." The older woman, Heather who was roughly 50 from what Faye could gather, declared after a moment, "There was a small breakup of a Mafia family in Italy about a month ago." She reached into her reusable Marks and Spenser's bag and pulled out a pad, from which she presented a newspaper article, "It was in the back of the paper, but there isn't much detail." Faye took it off her and quickly scanned the article.
"Very good, Heather." She praised before placing a small cross onto the general area of Italy, "Must have still been in hospital." The woman smiled brightly, happy to be of help, "Okay, now, based on this spread of visits, what can we determine about his next destination?" They all turned to start at the map.
"I've got nothing." The blonde-haired woman, Jemma, replied and the others nodded in agreement.
"That's because there is no pattern." Faye retorted, "Sherlock doesn't work to anyone else's logic. Everything he is doing will seem like there is no connection, but there is. We just have to work out what."
~0~0~0~
She'd been staring at him for the past half an hour, on and off. She had short blonde hair and a loud laugh, and didn't seem like the sort of woman John would normally attract, but she really seemed to be attracted to him. John wasn't sure whether or not to approach her, but Lestrade had been goading him so he finished his drink and headed to the bar, standing next to her as he ordered his next pint. She was with a couple of female friends, but turned to face him as soon as he stood still.
"I'll have a white wine." She ordered from the barman and he poured her one, handing it over and ready to take her money. However, John waved it away and paid for both drinks, "Well, aren't you a gentleman?" She said with a thanks and he shrugged.
"Just being nice." He retorted. She laughed and he knew he stood a shot, because it wasn't a joke and she offered him a huge smile.
"Mary." She told him.
"John." He replied, "Nice to meet you."
~0~0~0~
Mycroft rolled his eyes as his mother continued to rant at him over the phone about his failings in his duties as 'older brother', and losing Sherlock somewhere along his 'trip' across Europe.
"He could be anywhere!" She exclaimed and he sighed.
"Yes, he could be." He answered, "That is what happens when one loses track on someone."
"Mycroft Holmes!" She scolded, "He is a father now, you have to keep a better watch on him. Lord only knows what trouble he maybe in. I hope you're looking for him."
"No, I shall just leave him to rot, should I?" He snapped before taking a sneaky drag of his cigarrette. He always needed a nicotine fix when dealing with his mother.
"Don't take that tone of voice with me, Mycroft!" She scolded, "And you better not be smoking." He, rather childishly, pulled his tongue out at the phone.
"Of course not, Mother." He drawled, "I wouldn't dare."
"I should hope not." She replied, "It's a disgusting habit. How is Faye doing?"
"She's fine." He replied, "Getting better every day. She's actually looking after the child on her own tonight for the first time."His mother tutted and he rolled his eyes again.
"That 'child' is your niece, Mycroft." As if he hadn't noticed, "Please use her name. Bella is such a pretty one, after all. Sherlock needs to know what he's missing, pretending to be dead."
"I'm sure he's devastated."
~0~0~0~
Well, that had been a waste of her time, Faye decided as she let Anderson out. She sighed, frustrated, as Bella began to fuss behind her. Probably needed changing. She walked over, using the handles of the Moses basket to pick her up, swaying it gently from side to side to try and soothe her.
"Oh, be quiet." She snapped gently, not really meaning it as she headed to the bedroom. She had placed the baby monitor in there so Mrs Hudson couldn't hear the little meeting that had just taken place. She switched the light on, placing the basket on the bed as she let the baby cry for a few moments, so Mrs Hudson didn't think it was too suspicious that she immediately responded, "It's okay, Mrs Hudson, she just needs changing!" She said into the monitor before switching it off so the woman wouldn't have to listen to the baby crying.
"Actually, I would say she is hungry." A smug voice drawled from behind her and she gasped in fright, spinning around, ready to protect her daughter from the intruder. Instead, she dropped the monitor, all her breath leaving her lungs at the sight of the curly-haired man stood in the corner, scarf around his neck and hands in his pockets.
