A/N: My most heartfelt thanks for your amazing support. I hope you continue enjoying!
Sherlock arrived at Whitehall right on time, and was confused and worried when two security guards intercepted him and asked him to accompany them. His slight feelings of unease grew into outright apprehension when he realized where they were leading him. It was the holding room, ironically where Mycroft had once interrogated Lady Smallwood.
He found the stern Lady seated next to Mycroft, with a chair prepared for him on the other side. Anthea was standing, leaning against the wall and adjusting her earphones. The PA gestured for him to sit down.
"Why exactly are we here?" Sherlock questinned, with a touch of diffidence.
It was Anthea who answered. "This is standard procedure for questioning suspected offenders, which is what you are right now, Mr. Holmes."
Sherlock stared at his brother incredulously. "Mycroft!" he hissed in indignation. His brother didn't even glance his way.
"You need to sit down before this session can begin," Anthea continued in the same indifferent tone.
Something about her response rang a bell, but Sherlock was in too much distress to delve into it. He reluctantly sat down and watched Lady Smallwood prepare a pen, a notepad, and a recorder.
"Would you like some gingernuts?" Anthea inquired, and Sherlock was confused by her change in attitude.
"Please," he replied politely.
"What a pity we're out," she said, and flounced out of the room.
Sherlock had an Eureka moment right then. The housebreaking, the interrogation, the frosty attitude was all part of one goal; payback. And what better way to accomplish that than Sherlock's own methods?
"Mr. Holmes, we need you to state your name for the records, and then you may tell us all about your adventures at Sherrinford. You will leave nothing out," Lady Smallwood said in her most official tones. It was only now that Sherlock realized how differently she usually spoke to him. There was always an undercurrent of compassion, and sometimes amusement, that softened her voice somewhat. She had been well briefed, and was angry on Mycroft's behalf.
Despite his realization, the younger man still felt helpless and humiliated. "I suppose that asking you to consider this a family matter would be the next part I play," Sherlock said sarcastically.
His brother was now looking directly at him, smiling without humour. "Ah, family," he drawled condescendingly. "Some would say family is those whom we chose to consider as such, isn't that right?" He smiled, and then added in a very soft, intense voice, "Brother mine?"
A wave of anger washed over the younger man. "Well, the family I chose doesn't have me kidnapped and threatened. Is this little lesson over? Because I would like to find myself in better company as soon as possible."
"Not quite, Sherlock. You have not only broken the law, but gravely endangered the security of an institution which we have spent a lot of resources to protect.
"You very well know this isn't the first time you have put security at risk, and in highly sensitive matters too. You have gotten away with a lot, which perhaps has encourage you to continue. This stops now."
"Great. May I make a phone call before I'm led away to my prison cell?" Sherlock sniped sardonically.
"Don't be ridiculous. We all know there's no point to that. You will, for the next three months, be working with our top experts in security and technology, and give them your assistance. You will show them all your ltitle tricks, and help them improve our defenses against attacks.
"It does not matter how dull or boring you might find this. If you give us less than your full cooperation, we will have to consider alternative consequences."
Sherlock stood up in a huff, and turned to leave without a word. He heard Mycroft calling after him, "Regards to the family, brother mine."
Mycroft rubbed at his eyes. He turned to the Lady seated besides him. "I'm afraid I was too harsh." He sounded tired, as if the fight had leaked out of him.
"He does need to learn his lesson, Mycroft. We agreed on that," the Lady's voice was firm.
"Indeed. But why does it have to be me, again?" He chuckled humourlessly. "I would have thought that I would enjoy a bit of payback, after everything. It was actually torture. He was scared, and hurt. My little brother. I can't do this anymore." He sighed in anguish.
"Mycroft, I understand. Perhaps we shouldn't have pushed you to do this." She looked up as Anthea came in.
For once, Anthea was looking her boss straight into the eye. "We all know, Sir," she said evenly, "that your brother hasn't felt even a pang of regret for playing the same game on you. After everything you ever did for him, he's still blaming and punishing you for everything that ever went wrong in his life. It's up to you whether you chose to do anything about that.
"But when it comes to the safety of our citizens, he needs to be taught to stop and think. He looks at you as a get-out-of-jail-free card, literally. If he indeed wants to be considered a grownup, he should learn to pay his dues. And by the way, he got off pretty lightly now."
The British Government regarded the two women with a tiny smile. "You two are very, very scary, you know. I hope never to get on your bad side." They looked back at him grimly, their stances and expressions screaming of determination and protective essential.
Mycroft thought back to the day Lady Smallwood found him after his parents' visit. He had been so shaken and lost, that he responded to her prodding by outlining the whole situation in flat, unemotional tones. He had started with the home invasion, continued with Sherrinford, and ended with the meeting.
Never had he seen Lady Smallwood look so angry. The sight of her was fearsome. She called in Anthea, and had Mycroft relate all the details again. Then she asked Mycroft, " What happens now?"
"Well, I suppose Sherlock will come up with a grand plan to get Eurus to communicate. Then he will give our parents their daughter back, or something. I guess I'll be called on to make the visiting arrangements or something. If my parents are feeling generous, I might even be invited to see Sherlock work his magic, and we'll all be a big happy family once again." This time, he couldn't keep the bitterness from his voice.
"Your parents, they didn't let you explain at all? They didn't even listen to your side?" Alicia Smallwood asked.
"I can't blame them. They were very upset."
"Well, I hope they call you when they calm down, and you can all make amends."
"I doubt it. You know what my Dad said about Eurus, right after he heard about everything she'd done. He said no matter who she is or what she has done, she's still his daughter. I didn't merit the same defense, for some reason."
"I'll tell you what. We'll wait and see. If they give you a chance, we'll let things be. However, if they continue treating you with that same attitude, we'll change track. If Sherlock deserves chances, and even Eurus does, than you, who has done more for every single member of the family than anyone else ever has, and have always put their needs above anything else, definitely deserve more. You will stand up for yourself, and we will be behind you."
"We?" Mycroft questioned, dazed.
"Yes, we," Alicia said stoutly, and Anthea smiled and nodded.