Christmas:
Madelyn was off of school for break, and attending her grandparent's house for the annual Christmas do with her father and Uncle. Once they'd arrived Gran fawned over Madelyn who lapped up the attention like a starved puppy. Madelyn loved her grandparents and the rare times she got to be with them she felt almost like one of those adorable ordinary people that were around.
Of course her father whined and her uncle absently read the newspaper as per usual, John, Mary and little Abigail were also joining the fray. And thankfully this year that creepy Bill Wiggins stayed in London. Uncle Sherl's homeless network needed to just stay away from family gatherings especially that Wiggins guy.
So things had started to get underway no arguments thus far, at least not until Madelyn asked if they could spend a few days with gran and granddad…the battle was on. Mycroft said no he was too busy, then Madelyn tried to argue the fact that the government doesn't work on holidays But Mycroft stood his ground and informed her that when he and Sherlock headed back to London she would go back to that big empty school and spend the remainder of the holidays there.
Once he had told her that Madelyn seething glared daggers at her father and screamed "I HATE YOU! I WISH UNCLE SHERL WAS MY FATHER HE WOULD NEVER TREAT ME LIKE YOU DO!" Mycroft looked at her his face unreadable as he responded "Well then Madelyn, I suppose it's a good thing that Sherlock Is your father then isn't it!?" Sherlock's blue eyes widened he hadn't wanted Madelyn to find out this way, The girl stared between the whole family before running out the door and not stopping.
Sherlock glared at his brother "Very mature Mycroft. I knew you were cold, but I never once thought you would hurt her that way." Not giving his brother a chance to answer Sherlock raced out the door behind Madelyn. He finally caught up to her as she was nearing the old 'pirate lair' that he had built when he still had Redbeard, it also helped when trying to keep away from Mycroft at times as well. He grabbed her hand before she go too far ahead, As she turned to look at him he saw something that he'd always hated to see in her eyes, tears and pain. He sighed and pulled her close hugging her "Madelyn, talk to me." She looked up at him "is what he said true? Are you my father?"
The detective nodded sadly holding on tight to her when she tried to run off again "stop and listen Madelyn. Please." Madelyn looked up at him "You h-hated me so much that you had to give me to him? You could have just given me up for adoption someone might have actually loved me then." He smiled softly lifting her chin to look at him "Little girl, you are loved. Mycroft is a damned fool for doing this to you alright. Yes, he told you the truth. I am your father. But sweet girl don't you ever think for a second that I gave you to him because I hated you. It's not the case. I couldn't care for you Madelyn. And I honestly thought that he would do better by you. I had drug problems and I was so self-absorbed that when your mum showed up with you, I didn't know what to do. Apparently even my mind palace didn't have any common knowledge of kids. So instead of stepping up and learning to be your dad, I settled for being your uncle. That's partly why you got away with so much because it was his job to be the bad guy."
Madelyn looked at him "Who was my mum?" Sherlock sighed sadly "Your mum was a drug addict like myself. I didn't even know she had been pregnant until after you were born. Mycroft had sent me to rehab and I got clean…staying that way would prove to be a challenge." Madelyn bit her lip "Is she still around?" he shook his head "No Madelyn, She passed away when you were barely a month old. She brought you to me when you were a few days old." The girl nodded "and then you took me to Mycroft"
He nodded "yeah. In hindsight though I probably should have stepped up or brought you here. Your grandparents would have loved to raise you. In fact they offered, Mycroft said no. claimed they were getting too old to chase children around the house." She nodded "sounds like him. I have this memory, I don't know if it was you or Mycroft. But it was Christmas so we were probably here, but I remember someone picking me up out of bed and taking me out early in the morning to watch it snow." Sherlock smiled "That was me. And later on you helped gran with the cooking and then you and your grandfather put that silly train together around the bottom of the Christmas tree"
Madelyn looked down "I remember that. Mycroft complained the whole time that my sitting on the floor was sure to somehow make me sick." Another chuckle from the detective "yeah. Mycroft is a bit of a git at times. How about you come back up to the house with me hmmm?" the girl shook her head "No. I um I think I'm just going to sit out here for a while. But thanks for the talk." Sherlock was worried but nodded "Alright. I'll leave you to it then." He was certain that she would take off he just wasn't sure when it was going to happen.
Sherlock didn't walk back into the house, he stormed in and punched Mycroft square in the jaw "You are a stupid Prat brother-mine. Merry Christmas I'm not your father. Wonderful delivery Mycroft." The older Holmes looked away "I she upset me. I did not realise what I had said until she'd run out of here."
Later:
Sherlock was spending the night in his old room and so Madelyn was staying in Mycroft's room, Mycroft had slunk back to London with his tail between his legs after the blow up before dinner. Madelyn waited until everyone was asleep before grabbing her backpack and stealing out of the house, she had quietly slid a letter under Sherlock's bedroom door. It had shocked her that he was actually sleeping but he was, she sighed as she walked out of the little house and whispered "Goodbye." As she walked away from the house.
The next morning when Sherlock awoke he wasn't all that surprised to find a note on his floor though he had hoped not to find one. He had hoped that she had stayed but even the great Sherlock Holmes could be wrong once in a while, tears filled his eyes and dread filled his heart as he read the paper.
Sherlock;
If you are in fact reading this then you know that I have gone. It is not your fault nor is it Mycroft's really. It was bound to happen eventually I just figured I would save everyone the hassle of trying to figure out when it would happen.
I don't know where I'm going, or what I will do when I get there but I will be sure to text you, not Mycroft when I do figure things out. I don't know if or when I will be back. It is just something that's better off that I get done than stay and we all end up hurting each other. I know you didn't ask for a kid any more than my mum did or even Mycroft, so now no one has to worry about one. You can go back to your life and not worry about me anymore. Give my love to everyone…except Mycroft.
I Love you very much,
Madelyn Violet Holmes (I really hope you at least named me!)
Sherlock raced downstairs to see his parents up, he didn't say a word he just rushed out the door in his pyjamas, running around barefoot as he searched for the girl, looking around the property turned up nothing, he walked slowly back into the house to come face to face with John.
"Morning Sherlock. Everything alright?" Clearly it wasn't but John was John and never really pushed things a lot, Sherlock shook his head and replied "Madelyn's run away." The voice that came out of his mouth didn't even sound like his own, his throat was dry and he just wanted to find that girl. John frowned giving him a look but didn't say anything as the now wrinkled letter that Sherlock had been clutching was unceremoniously shoved in his face, the doctor read it over and looked to his friend "Get dressed we're going to find her."
Sherlock looked to him "How?" John rolled his eyes "The way we do everything Sherlock. Come now, get dressed The Game is on!" Sherlock nodded and ran upstairs to get dressed as did John after informing Mary of what was going down, she had offered to stay and help clean up the breakfast dishes and whatnot.
Sherlock and John were out for several hours before they made their way back to the house, defeated because they didn't find her, the walked in, in time for tea but Sherlock wasn't hungry, he couldn't eat his daughter was out there somewhere and for once he had nothing to go on, he didn't know what to do and then a text came in.
Stop looking for me.
Will see you soonish.
MVH
A new feeling bubbled up inside of Sherlock, it was hope. Hope that Madelyn would come home soon.