Chapter 47: Mansions and Marigolds.

"Why with an M?" said Alice.

"Why not?" said the March Hare.

-Lewis Caroll, Alice in Wonderland.

There was a knock on the door.

"Don't worry, I'll get it," John said sarcastically, knowing that he was the only person in the room who would bother getting up to answer it. He made his way down the hallway to open the door.

"Leo! I haven't seen you in months!" The dark-haired man spared a rare smile as he shook John's hand. He had become Brewer's head doctor after John had retired, and very seldom got away. "And Zach, nice to see you." The man who used to be called Socks simply gave John a nod. He was working for the British government as a scientist, but still reported back to M's councils. "Come on in, Jim and Jim are waiting in the living room."

"Thank you, doctor," said Zach.

"Just John, now," John corrected. "These hands are too old to pull a needle."

"You aren't that old," Leo protested.

"I'm old enough," John said, and took their coats. They were both so grown up now. He could still remember the first time he had met them both, seven year olds with big eyes and round cheeks. They had all changed since then. "Follow me."

He led them back down the hallway, and into the living room. There were two groups of people in the room, separated by age. Sitting around the couch on the floor were around 15 kids, ranging from 5 to 11 years of age. Behind them, in a circle made of kitchen chairs, were three young adults, two girls and a blond. As John led the new guests into the room, the blond man stood and walked over to pull Zach into a theatrical hug.

"Socksies!" he exclaimed joyfully. Zach stood very stiffly inside the embrace, waiting. Finally, the blond released him.

"It is good to see you too, Jim." Little-Jim had grown up into a striking young man, who was quite a bit taller than the original Jim. He was a member of the main council, and both Leo and Zach reported back to him in their separate areas. He led them back to their age group, finding chairs for them. They all fit into the conversation easily, as old friends do.

The other adult in the room was Jim, sitting on the couch, which was where John turned his steps now. He sat down beside him, and the ex-criminal mastermind swung an arm around his shoulders. John sighed, but leaned into him anyways.

"Aww," Leo said sarcastically from their circle of chairs. "You're so cute." As John and Jim already knew, he had recently split up with his girlfriend of two years, and was understandably bitter.

"Hear that, Johnny boy? We're cute," Jim said with a grin.

"Me? Maybe. You? I don't think so."

"Oh, come on, I can be cute." Jim widened his eyes and puffed out his lips.

"No, I'm still not seeing it. Emma, do you think that Jim is cute?" he asked a little blonde girl sitting in front of them. She looked from one of them to the other, then shook her head, the smile on her face that of a child doing something they know is naughty. Jim glared at her, then at John.

"You've brainwashed them."

"You know it," John replied. Then, seeing that Jim was going to be sulking all evening unless he got his way, he relented. "Okay, fine, you're very cute. Adorable, in fact."

"You swear?" Jim asked, eyes wide.

"Pinky swear," John said with a nostalgic smile, and the two of them linked pinkies. There was another knock on the outer door, and John went to get up, but Jim tightened his hold on John's shoulder, and the ex-doctor decided not to fight him. "Kathy, could you get the door, please?" The dark-haired woman looked over and nodded. John sent her a grateful smile as she went towards the hallway. "You're ridiculous," he said to Jim.

"Incorrigible," the other man agreed happily.

"That too," John agreed, leaning his head back against his shoulder. "And silly, and idiotic, and possessive, and insane, and unbelievable-"

"And adorable," one of the kids piped up from the floor, and both men laughed.

"Yeah," John said. "I did say that, didn't I?"

And then there were feet running from the hallway, and a familiar figure burst into view. John stood up, and this time, Jim let him. The figure flew at John, and caught him in a tight hug, arms around his neck, pulling him into her.

"I missed you."

"Me too," John responded, and then she let go.

"Well, stand back so that we can see you," Jim instructed. "All dressed up for the party?"

Sammy laughed and backed up, then did a little twirl. She was almost 30 now, with long honey-blonde hair, and a slim build. She was wearing a green dress, decorated with small marigolds, and had taken off her winter boots at the door, leaving her in bare feet. She was working on M's councils as general spy, and John hadn't seen her for at least three months.

"You look great," he said. "Green is good on you."

"Thank you, daddy," she said, grinning widely.

"So, with you looking absolutely gorgeous, are there any boys for me to scare off this time?" Jim asked.

Sammy hesitated for several seconds, telling her fathers all they needed to know, and then visibly committed.

"Actually, I do have a boyfriend. But… please don't strap him to a bomb or anything."

"Really? How long have you been dating? When did this happen?" John asked.

"Almost a year," Sammy admitted, shifting uncomfortably.

"Uh-oh," Jim sing-songed. "It's someone we aren't going to like, isn't it?"

"Um…"

John sat down again, and folded his hands. "Well, tell us how you met, that's a good place to start."

"On a case," Sammy muttered.

"He wasn't a target, right?"

"No…"

"Alright, then go ahead. Jim promises he won't kill him, maim him, or harm him in any way."

"What?" Jim asked, turning an affronted face to John.

"Come on, it's better to know," John said.

"Fine. I promise not to hurt him. Unless he hurts you. In which case, he's a dead man."

"And his family?" Sammy asked.

"His family stays safe," Jim sighed, sinking into the cushions of the couch unhappily.

"Okay, well, his name is Jack-"

"No," Jim said immediately.

"What?" John asked, turning to him.

"Don't you remember Jack? Sherlock used to talk about him all the time, about twenty years ago. Jack. Jack Holmes-Lestrade?"

"Sammy?"

A few of the younger kids were giggling at the drama unfolding in the middle of the room.

"…Yeah," Sammy allowed. "That's him."

"You're going out with the spawn of Helmet-Head and Iceman? Are you serious?"

"Well, he was adopted, so he's not really their 'spawn,' but, uh, yes. Yes, I am." Sammy sat down on the floor, facing both her fathers. "Look, he's certainly not going to talk to his dads. If he was going to give me up, he'd have done it already. And I'm not going AWOL on you, I'm still working for the councils, I'd never betray you, and you know it. We're fine, okay? Don't worry."

"Don't you-" Jim started in a dangerous voice, but John put a hand on his arm.

"You've been going out for almost a year?"

"Yes."

"And are you sure that you can trust him?"

"I would know if he was tricking me. I'm still a Misfit, after all."

"Well, I don't know about you," John said to Jim, "but I trust Sammy's judgment. And we've never actually met Greg and Mycroft's son, so we're not in any position to formulate our own opinions, are we?"

"They're a regular Romeo and Juliet," Jim muttered. "Please tell me you remember how that story ends."

"Oh, please." John turned to Sammy. "No committing suicide for your boyfriend, alright?"

"I can manage that," Sammy said, with a tentative grin.

"You know that you'll have to bring him for dinner now?" Jim asked, leaning forwards.

"Okay," Sammy said. "Just don't poison his food, and that'll be fine."

"Well, then," John said. "You have my blessing." He elbowed Jim's side.

"Ow!" Moriarty yelped, turning a shocked face upon John. The grey-eyed man just waited. "Yeah, fine, I already promised I wouldn't hurt him, didn't I? Just… be careful and stuff. No accidental kids." And everyone knew that Jim hadn't really been talking about safe sex, but Sammy laughed.

"No problem, dad. I've heard that lecture enough times, thank you." Both of her fathers grinned.

"Alright," John said, looking around. "Now that the drama is finished and everyone is here, shall we begin our movie?"

"What, no Sherlock?" Jim asked.

"He's busy, but he'll be around next week for dinner."

"Can I-"

"There will be no LSD, laxatives, or sedatives in his food or drink," John said wearily. "Sammy, could you get it set up for us?"

She went up to the front and pulled down the projector screen, then grabbed the remote for the DVD player. The living room had a mini-theatre setup, which could be used or ignored. Everyone settled into their places more comfortably, and Sammy switched off the lights.

The music came first, dancing around the room, and then the title appeared on the screen.

"T'was a long time ago, longer now than it seems, in a place that perhaps you've seen in your dreams. For the story you are about to be told took place in the holiday worlds of old. Now, you've probably wondered where holidays come from.

The kids all repeated the next line with the narrator, grinning. They watched it every Christmas, and the older Misfits knew most of it by heart. "If you haven't, I'd say it's time you begun!"

John settled closer against his ex-criminal mastermind for the movie, and saw Jim smile in the light of the screen. It was nice to have everyone home for a holiday.

A/N: That movie was The Nightmare Before Christmas, in case anyone doesn't know those opening lines. I still watch it every Christmas, so there's some background for you.

Not much to say, really. I'll do most of my wrapping-up next chapter… One last update left. What is there to say? I'm gonna miss this story once it's done, I'm gonna miss you guys, I don't know what I'm going to do with my free time on weekends? Well, it's all true. I love you all, your reviews make me happy, and I hope you have an awesome week.