Chapter 14

May 2009

Irene sits in a small independent coffee shop enjoying a large cup of very expensive coffee and a plate of various small pastries. She looks around the small establishment and takes in all of the clientele deciding whether or not each person could be a potential client. A gentleman enters walking tall. She runs her eyes over him and deciding that although this one is wealthy he would not be susceptible to her charms. She mentally shrugs, his loss she thinks. She looks him over again, government employee, not a limelight boy; unmarried – married to work; close to mother; constantly worries about sibling; incredibly neat – obsessively so; only slightly older than me… I know him… who is he…Mycroft? She jumps as the gentleman interrupts her thought processes. 'Rene?' The voice interrupts as she recognises him. She smiles warmly at him.

'Mykey. Have a seat.' Mycroft sinks into the seat opposite her.

'Should you be eating them in your line of work?'

'I'm aloud to splurge every now and again, big brother.' Mycroft nicks a pastry from her plate and slips it into his mouth. She playfully slaps his hand. 'Cheeky.'

'How have you been little sister?'

'Since when?' Mycroft spreads his hands aimlessly.

'Since you came back into the country, since we were separated, since you were adopted, since Father died, take your pick.'

'Father?' Mycroft's expression hardens he hesitates before replying. When he does his tone is icy, Irene shudders.

'When he left Mummy, he had had a series of successive mistresses. Haven't you ever wondered why Father was so late getting to the hospital when Sherlock was born?'

'Mykey, I was a toddler.' She leans forward frowning. 'Although now you mention it something was off. I think I just ignored it not fully understanding it.'

'I had noticed it. When he smiled it didn't reach his eye like it did when we held you and Jimmy.' Mycroft chuckles at the memory.

'What?'

'When you and Jim were born, I was sat on Mummy's hospital bed given you to hold. As soon as you were laid in my arms Jimmy started squalling.'

'Protective from birth.' Irene giggles. 'That's Jimmy all over. He still is.' Mycroft smiles.

'On the day Sherlock was born, when you and Jimmy were pestering Father for information about Sherlock I went and sat and thought about everything.'

'You expected the break up didn't you?' Mycroft nods. 'I remember you asking Mummy whether or not Daddy was leaving.'

'I knew something was wrong with their marriage. Daddy had been spending more and more time away from Mummy and us.' Mycroft sighs and swiftly changes the subject. 'Did Jimmy ever tell you that he and I met up in Oxford?'

'For your twentieth?' Mycroft smiles broadly.

'He told you then.'

'Yeah, he said that you wished that both me and Lockie to be with the two of you'

'Did he tell you anything else?'

'Does Sherlock really remember us?' Mycroft grins at her conspiratorially.

'He wouldn't admit it but yes. He has described your four year old selves a number of times.' He sighs sadly. 'Mummy told me to tell him that it was his imagination, not any family members.'

'That's a shame.' Mycroft's phone goes off signalling an incoming text message. He looks at the screen but ignores it. She raises her eyebrow at him. 'Shouldn't you answer that?'

'Probably but it's not important.'

'Really?' she narrows her eyes at him, 'Sherlock.'

'Why would you think that?' Mycroft's phone rings.

'Answer it. I want to hear his voice.' Mycroft clicks the button to stop the ringing. He rises and extends his hand to his younger sister. She looks at her brother confused.

'The privacy of my car, we won't be disturbing everyone else.' She smiles and follows him out of the coffee shop. As soon as they are settled in the car Mycroft's phone rings again. He switches it to speakerphone. 'Hello brother.'

'Who's your girlfriend?'

'Excuse me?'

'Don't play dumb Mycroft. It doesn't suit you. Who is she?'

'I don't know what you're on about Lockie.' Irene stifles a giggle and Mycroft's eyes sparkle with glee.

'Don't call me Lockie.' Sherlock voice growls out of the speaker. 'Who is she?' Mycroft opens his mouth to reply. 'Don't try to fob me off. I've been watching you talk with her for over half an hour and now you're sitting with her in your car.'

'How do you know that she doesn't work in my office?'

'Wearing Alexander McQueen? Pull the other one Mycroft.' Mycroft aborts the call and looks at his sister.

'Where do you want to be dropped?'

'Shaftesbury Theatre, please.' Mycroft taps on the screen dividing them from the driver.

Sherlock watches the car pull away from the coffee shop. He grins, knowing that he had won that round of their feud. He turns and walks in the opposite direction to the car. He put his phone in his pocket and strolls along the pavement his hand tucked behind his back. Out of the corner of his eye he spots the drug dealer who had taken him in when he was fifteen and introduced him to the drug scene. The dealer watches him. Sherlock strolls past and effectively ignoring both the dealer and the temptation to head across to him and shoot his veins full of seven percent solution. As he contemplates the temptation his phone rings. He pulls it out and glances at the screen. Lestrade. He grins. 'Hello? Yes of course. Perfect timing… what course not… I was getting bored.' Without sparing the drug dealer another glance Sherlock hails a taxi rubbing his hands with glee and smiling broadly. Yes he had found something better than cocaine and thank you Lestrade for the opportunities not saying that he would actually admit it to anyone.

Jim pushes himself from the computer and rubs his eyes. He had been staring at CCTV footage from the coffee shop where Mycroft and Irene had met and talked. He smiled at the thought that maybe just maybe he and all three of his siblings could get back together and become a family group. Don't get him wrong he loves creating all these puzzles and making people dance to his tune. But sometimes he gets a little yearning for the life he could have had. He sighs. 'Boss?' Sebastian walks into the room. Jim taps a few keys and the window showing the CCTV footage disappears and looks up at his second in command.

'What do you want?'

'Wondered whether you would be turning in any time soon?'

'Why would I?' He glances at his very expensive Rolex watch. 'It's two in the afternoon.'

'You've been awake for…' Sebastian also looks at his watch. 'Sixty six hours straight with no rest.'

'I'll sleep for twenty four hours in six hours time.' Sebastian sighs but leaves the room. Jim grins and reopens the window. He follows Sherlock as he strolls along the pavement and takes a call before hailing a taxi. 'I'm coming to get you little brother. You're meddling in my affairs. See you soon.'