I'm really sorry I took so long to update this story, but the muse sort of left me for a while. I still plan on writing the Casebook, but it might not be right away. I hope you enjoy the last chapter in this story

It was a sunny afternoon during the month of August, and Holmes was sitting comfortably on the porch of his retirement home in Sussex. It had been many years since his last case as a consulting detective, and he had been thoroughly enjoying his time studying bees. Watson had returned to his practice, and Kaelyn had taken over as the "Holmes of London", but she wasn't working alone.

He remembered the day, almost a year after his return that Derek Lestrade had come to see him with a very serious question in mind.

"Mr. Holmes, I came here today for several very important reasons. First, I would like to thank you for all the help that you and Kaelyn have given me. I owe you both all the success that I've enjoyed so far."

"You've earned it," Holmes said with a small smile. "I, too, must thank you for helping Kaelyn while I was away."

"Well, sir, I must admit, it did take some work before she let me help her; she's as stubborn as you are."

Holmes smiled secretively. "And the other reason for your visit is?"

"Well, sir, this one is a lot more personal. I…" he swallowed hard and took a deep breath. "I know how much Kaelyn means to you, and I know how much you mean to her. The last thing I want to do is damage the connection that only recently was repaired, but I was wondering if I could maybe make my own connection with her." Holmes was silent and focused on his interlocked fingers. "What I'm really asking, Mr. Holmes, is permission to marry your daughter."

Holmes was silent for a moment, and Derek's face began to show his worry at the silence. "Has Kaelyn given you any indication that she is remotely interested in the idea?" Holmes finally asked.

"I have been courting her since several months after your disappearance, and she seemed to be quite happy with me. I only waited because I wanted to secure my position at the Yard so I could support her in case people wouldn't come to her because she was a woman and to try and give her time to mourn properly. When you returned, I delayed further because I knew she would want to spend more time with you. Please sir: I love Kaelyn very much, and I want to marry her."

After standing up and pacing several times in front of Derek, Holmes finally faced him with an unreadable expression. "This decision is one that I admit I did not foresee. I have never really expressed this before to anyone, but you must know how much Kaelyn means to me."

"I understand that, sir. You must believe me when I say that I have no desire to take her away from you, and, to be perfectly frank with you, I don't think I could even if I wanted to. Kaelyn would kill me herself if I tried."

"Quite true," Holmes laughed quietly. "Well Mr. Lestrade, I do hope you know what you are letting yourself in for because I grant you permission to marry my daughter."

"Oh thank you so much Mr. Holmes!"

The wedding had been beautiful but simple at Kaelyn's request. To everyone's great surprise, Kaelyn had invited Irene Adler, and the greater surprise was that she came. Very few members of the general public knew of the union because both kept their original last names to prevent either one being used against the other at any point. Kaelyn had continued to work alongside her father, and Derek had continued his work at the Yard for many years. You can imagine Holmes' surprise and joy when, one day, Kaelyn had come home beaming.

"Father," she had begun slowly, "I have some important news to tell you."

"What is it Kaelyn?"

"I've just come from the doctor's, and he said that I'm pregnant. You're going to be a grandfather in less than a year."

Nine months later, Kaelyn had given birth, to both hers and Derek's great surprise, two beautiful, healthy, baby girls. She had named them Mary and Irene after Watson's wife and the woman who had become almost a mother to her. Holmes loved both of the girls dearly as did Watson. As they grew up, it was clear that they had inherited their mother's brains and their father's charm: a deadly combination.

When Holmes had finally decided to retire, he had had a long talk with both Kaelyn and Derek. It had finally been decided that the couple would move into 221B, and Kaelyn would take over. Kaelyn had been most upset to lose her father's company and advice on every case to walk through the door, and it had taken some time for people to come to her like they had for her father. Nevertheless, she had persevered, and Holmes had taken great delight in reading about her success in the papers. She would, occasionally, get a rather difficult case and send him telegrams asking for advice which he would readily give, but the job was safely in her hands.

Every Christmas she brought her whole family plus Watson out to Sussex for the holiday with him, and it was what he looked forward to more than anything else all year. Sometimes, if they weren't busy, she would come and visit at other times as well, and this day was one of those times. She was bringing Mary and Irene, now seven and spitting images of their mother, Derek, and Watson out for a few days of rest. She had just come off a rather tough case that had taken her away from London for several weeks, and she was most anxious for the relaxation Holmes' house brought her.

Holmes' whole person straightened when he heard the unmistakable sound of a cab rolling along the road that led to his house and slowly made his way to the end of the driveway. As soon as the cab stopped moving, the door was flung open to reveal his twin granddaughters leaping out and running straight for him. Kneeling down and bracing himself, he managed to contain both of them in his arms without falling over.

"We've missed you, Grandpa!" they chorused in his ears.

"I've missed you too, my dears. You look more and more like your mother every time I see you. How are your lessons coming?"

"Very well," Mary said beaming.

"Father just started teaching us chemistry," Irene said proudly. "It's my new favorite!"

"Yes it'll be a miracle if the house is still intact when they're done," Derek laughed as he emerged from the carriage. "It's good to see you again, Father," he said shaking Holmes' hand. "Why don't you two take your bags up to the house and go see Uncle John?"

The twins were off like shots from a pistol, and Derek followed them slowly with the other luggage. "They may look like me, but they definitely have your enthusiasm, Father," Kaelyn said as she climbed out of the carriage. She ran straight into her father's arms as though she were a child again. "I've missed you so much lately. I think it was because I was away, and it reminded me of all the times we traveled together. How are the bees doing?"

"They're doing beautifully," Holmes replied, walking up to the house with Kaelyn. "How is everything in London?"

"Same as always," Kaelyn said with a smile. "I always find it looks so much more beautiful after you've been away. I certainly haven't had a problem with business."

"I knew you wouldn't," Holmes said with a small laugh. By this time, they had all reached the house and could see the twins still attached to Watson.

"Alright girls, go get unpacked and let Uncle John catch his breath," Kaelyn said gently, and both girls let go and ran for their room. "Sorry about that, Uncle John. They've been really high spirited lately. I think they've been spending too much time alone with their father."

"I like that!" Derek called from a room down the hall. "You're the one who gets like that every time we get a new case. They learned from you, Kae."

Watson was merely laughing as he hugged her. "It doesn't matter to me who they learned it from; I love them both. But if you really want my opinion, I think they learned it from both of you."

The afternoon passed very enjoyably for all of them. Derek was playing with the girls in the spacious yard, Watson had fallen asleep in his chair on the porch, and Kaelyn was enjoying a long-awaited game of chess with her father. "I am very proud of you, my dear," Holmes said suddenly as he watched the twins chasing their father around the yard. "You have done very well for yourself."

"Thank you, Father. I'm very happy with my life, although, I still miss you being in London."

"There are days when I miss it as well, but those are usually the days you decide to send me a telegram with a case, and I have a puzzle to solve again."

Kaelyn laughed. "I know you'll go insane without them. Retirement was never really an option for you, Father. Not entirely at any rate."

"You are quite right, my dear, but I have come to enjoy the quiet more than I originally thought."

"Perhaps I should stop bringing my family here then. We're louder than the whole of London when we want to be," she teased.

"You know exactly how much I enjoy your visits and how sad I would be without them," Holmes replied sternly.

"Yes Father…I know," she whispered gently.

Following dinner that evening, the whole group was gathered in Holmes' large sitting room just enjoying each other's company, when Irene suddenly sat up and looked at her uncle John. "Uncle John, could you read us one of your stories?"

Watson looked at Holmes then at Kaelyn and only when both of them had nodded their consent did he reach beside him and pull out a yellowing edition of The Strand and begin the story of The Empty House. This was one of the girls' favorites because it was the first that featured their whole family. By the end of the story, both girls were asleep on their father's lap. Kaelyn stood up and picked up Mary while Derek carried Irene to their room and tucked them in. Several hours later, the adults went to bed as well.

Around three in the morning judging by the level of darkness, Kaelyn awoke to hear one of her girls, Irene most likely, crying in her room. She got up silently and crossed the hall, but before she could get to her daughters' room, she heard the unmistakable sound of her father's violin. Sticking her head into the room, she saw her father in an armchair with Irene on his lap as he played soothingly. Within a few moments, Irene had calmed out of her fear, and Holmes set down his violin and carried her back to bed. "Nightmares are like criminals," she heard her father say. "You must be smarter than the criminal and never let him win."

"Just like you and Mother," Irene said with determination.

"That's right, Irene. Now, you go back to sleep and catch that scoundrel."

Irene curled up and was asleep within seconds. Holmes quietly exited the room and smiled at Kaelyn. "Thank you for helping her," Kaelyn said in a whisper.

"I used to do that with you when you were young," he replied with a faraway look. "You used to have nightmares all the time when you first arrived."

"I remember," she said. "It all seems so long ago."

"Not to me," Holmes said with a sad smile. "To me, it seems like only yesterday you would sit up and wait until I was home before you would go to bed. You made my career more enjoyable, Kaelyn. I love you very much, my daughter."

"I love you too, Father," she replied hugging him as she had as a child all those years ago.

Of all they mysteries that were ever placed in front of the great Sherlock Holmes, the one he could never solve was the one that brought him the most joy and contentment. His world was turned upside down the day a small girl walked through his door at Baker Street, and nothing was the same ever again. He watched that girl grow into a beautiful and intelligent woman, marry, and raise a family of her own. Until the day he died, he knew he would always love her and be proud to call her Kaelyn Holmes: his brilliant daughter.