Chapter Six. Family ties

After a brief walk around Paris we returned to our hotel to find Alice sound asleep, Holmes smiled down at her, and stroked her face. I marvelled at him, the Holmes I had known before the war would never had acted like this, even to his own niece. Still, the war had mellowed us all somewhat. We retired to the adjoining room, the one that Alice had previously occupied. Her clothes were strewn on the floor, and her hair things cast aside on the dressing table. I smiled at Holmes, who was sitting on the windowsill, smoking, the smoke swirling out into the cold night air.

"She takes after you for her habits." I sat on the chair opposite him, Holmes glanced at me through the smoke.

"Yes, none of us Holmes' are very tidy creatures. What am I to do Watson?" I sat, breathless, stunned by the question. Holmes had always known what to do, I relied on him to know what to do. His voice did not sound helpless or desperate, just curious.

"Do about what Holmes? Alice?"

"Yes, she's a problem, she is, as you have observed, not what she was. I cannot risk anything happening to her, not now after so long."

"No, I understand that. What is she doing in Paris? How on earth did you find her?"

"I have been tracking her for a while."

"Mycroft told me you had lost all trace of her after the war began."

"Mycroft thought we had, I honestly believe he would rather we had." Holmes' voice remained calm and his eyes were fixed on the street below, as if watching for someone, I could see nothing. He sighed and continued,

"I knew the family that had adopted her had relocated to Paris, it was mere coincidence that the Prime Minister asked me to look into some issues for the foreign office in Paris, it suited my plans very well for I had always intended to follow the Kendalls. I arrived here not long after the family and I followed them to Paris. They were a shocking family Watson, I found her in a brothel in the worst part of the city. The family was not best pleased with my taking her but the right amount soon persuaded them otherwise." I almost thought I saw Holmes shudder, he flicked his cigarette out into the dark and shut the window, moving to the couch by the fire, I turned to face him.

"I'm sorry Holmes." I did not know what else to say, his eyes were blazing with some emotion I could not recognise but I knew for certain it was a look I would not like to be on the receiving end of. Holmes ignored my sympathies and stared into the fire.

"You have nothing to be sorry for old chap. It is me that must answer for my sins." His voice descended almost to a whisper and he ran a hand over his tired face. Before he could say anything else, the door opened and a dishevelled looking Alice appeared, bleary eyed and blinking at the sudden light. Holmes immediately stood and went over to her, he took her hands.

"What are you doing out of bed?" His voice was calm and soothing, Alice's face relaxed into a smile, I doubt she even knew I was there. Slowly she released herself from Holmes' grasp and walked over to the fire, she knelt down and stared intensely into it. Holmes and I watched her, Holmes with concern on his face, myself, curiosity. Slowly she extended her hand into the fire, Holmes ran to her and pulled it back.

"Alice no! You mustn't do that, don't you understand?!" Alice looked fearfully at him, shrinking beneath his harsh words. I ran over to them and took Alice from Holmes, who remained kneeling on the floor.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, thank you doctor. I don't know what came over me."

I took a step back, I was expecting no words, but the sound came out controlled and intelligent. The raving girl I had first met had disappeared. I smiled,

"Good, are you hungry at all?"

"Yes, a little." She looked at her hand, it was a little red from the heat but she was unharmed.

"I shall call for some supper for you, go back into my room and eat it in there," I guided her to the door, she glanced back at Holmes before she retired, then she glanced at me, "Don't worry I will talk to him for you."

She nodded nervously and disappeared behind the door. I ordered supper from the maid and returned to Holmes who was again sitting at the windowsill, looking down in to the street. He spoke before he turned around,

"Is she alright Watson?"

"Yes, she's fine, she's eating. I'm amazed she spoke I have not heard her speak since that first night she came to my door, hysterical."

Holmes smiled enigmatically at me. I said nothing.

"I am grateful to you Watson, the truth is I am unaccustomed to this sort of thing, I don't deal with women as a general rule and I have no other female relatives that I know of. It is all a bit disconcerting."

Holmes was not the only one disconcerted, I was unused to the emotional Holmes I had seen this past day, the cold analytical Holmes I had left behind was fading as fast as the world I had known; Holmes was my world. My head began to ache.

"She worships you Holmes you must see that."

"Yes, I know. Only because I am the first male in her life who hasn't attempted to…" Holmes paused, he did not need to go on, I knew what he meant. I held my head in my hands.

"Life has changed hasn't it doctor? Since we first met."

I did not raise my head.

"Yes, I don't remember it being quite so…dark."

"No, nor do I."

I looked up at Holmes, humour was dancing around his eyes.

"What, may I ask is so funny?"

"Life, Watson. Glorious, tragic, impossible life!" He threw open the window and shouted into the night.

"You wont get them do you hear! Not while I live!"

A flurry of birds greeted this outburst and flew in agitated circles up into the night. Holmes was not disturbed, his eyes were gleaming and his face had assumed a wicked, almost boyish look. I gazed at him, astounded.

"Holmes! What on earth are you doing?" I pulled him away from the window, and closed it, "Are you trying to get yourself arrested?"

He laughed, a loud laugh that threw his head back.

"I know what needs to be done Watson. Ha!"

"What are you talking about?"

"All in good time, leave me be and all will be revealed, I must go."

He picked up his coat and hat and headed to the door.

"Holmes you can't leave, again! We have only just got you back."

Holmes' smile disappeared as he became aware of Alice's presence at the door. She looked quite seriously at him, then smiled.

"Is this what he was like, my father? Was he like you?"

"No, Alice, he was not like me. He was the best of us, the only one capable of love, of raising a family. He was better, he made a person want to be better, I saw the man I wanted to be reflected in Sherringford's eyes. I see him in you more than you can know. I will protect you, I promised him I would, and I have never broken a promise." Holmes walked over to her and kissed her hand gallantly, I felt my heart swell with pride as the Holmes I knew returned. He turned to me.

"Watson protect her," He pointed a finger at me, "Protect her with your life!"

" I will, Holmes. I assure you."

He took my hand and squeezed it briefly, not looking into my eyes, the emotion he had displayed hidden again beneath his well-constructed mask.

"Good man, I shall not be long, all being well!" We heard his footsteps retreat down the corridor and I became vaguely aware it was two in the morning.

"Perhaps we should get some sleep."

Alice nodded,

"May I stay here with you?" She asked, I could feel my face redden.

"I'm not sure that would be proper…" I started but she cut me off.

"Please Doctor Watson." She had taken hold of my arm and her eyes were so filled with fear I could not refuse her.

"Very well, you take the bed and I will sleep on the couch."

She let out a sigh of relief and got into the bed, I undid my collar and lay on the couch, Alice passed me a blanket from the bed and smiled, I smiled back. I could see Holmes in her eyes, they were his eyes. I still could not believe this child was his niece. Sherringford had obviously meant a great deal to him and I could hear the pain in his voice whenever he spoke of him. Holmes seldom spoke of his family, now I could begin to understand why. Within minutes Alice was asleep, I found it somewhat harder; with Holmes gone and our time in Paris only just beginning, I felt anticipation and excitement overcoming me, making sleep impossible. I listened to Alice's slow breathing and marvelled at how lucky I was. Holmes had trusted me with one of the most important people in his life and I was honoured, my life had become important again and Holmes was the reason. I thanked God for him, and soon fell into a deep sleep with the smile of a grateful man who has found a little peace in a time of war written on my face.