"I'm still waiting."

Sherlock Holmes lay prostrate on the sofa, his forefingers lightly touching his lips, his eyes closed, concentrating, while John regarded him with vague exasperation from his armchair.

"Very well."

"Waiting for an explanation from you."

"About what? I already explained to you how I could tell the woman in the restaurant was a lesbian, despite her precious husband apparently not having a clue!"

John huffed impatiently.

"Oh stop acting dense, Sherlock! I meant Jackie!"

Sherlock turned to him, a perplexed frown creasing his brows.

"What's there to explain about Jackie?"

John's eyebrows shot up.

"Really? There's nothing to explain? Well let me just hop in and give you a clue! How is it that you have a daughter I have never even heard you mention, Sherlock? I mean, nothing! Not even a photograph! You've never even mentioned her name! And today, out of the blue, you drag me to the station and boom! You're a dad! Tell me I have no cause to be even the slightest bit suspicious?"

Sherlock's frown only deepened as he lifted himself upon his elbow to stare at his friend.

"What's there to be suspicious about? I have a daughter. Plenty of folks have daughters. Someday you might even have one."

John clenched his fist to keep himself calm.

"Yes, yes I realise that," he said through his teeth.

"My question is, how?"

Sherlock's eyebrows jumped.

"Hold on there. You... you do know where babies come from, don't you, John? Because I'm afraid if you have to ask me-"

"Yes! I know where babies come from! For God's sake, Sherlock! I swear you're simply avoiding the topic!"

Sherlock flopped back into his languid position on the settee and covered his eyes with his arm.

John waited patiently through the ever lengthening silence.

"I had her when I was twenty, John. Her mother was at the only party I ever went to in college. Visiting with a friend who happened to be a batchmate's girlfriend. It was the only time I ever got drunk, too, and mind you, I was tricked into it! Then two years pass by without me receiving even a word and then I bump into them at Victoria, one bloody day. Her mother barely recognised me, I tell you! I barely even glanced at the child. We exchanged pleasantries and somehow, in conversation, she mentioned that she was taking the kid out for her birthday. Took me about ten seconds to do the math. What do you say when you meet your daughter for the first time, John? We just stared at each other. Have you seen she's got my eyes? I hadn't known, John. Her father hadn't let her have an abortion and she hadn't figured I'd be interested. She's well enough off, though. Comes from money. Hasn't married yet, but I hear she gets around. Her dad used to be fond of Jackie. They were close. Closer to him than her mother. She was awfully upset when he died. He forbade me from ever having her over until she was atleast five years old. He had a thing for setting down rules. Seemed to enjoy it. I would visit, when I could, spend an evening with the child. Don't think she even fully understood who I was until she was older. Now I have her over for a week in the summer. We meet, have dinner when we can, when she's down for the hols. I used to have her spend every alternate weekend with me... before she left for boarding school..."

Sherlock let his voice trail away and John saw him bite his lip as his eyes studied the ceiling.

"What about her mother?"

"What about her?"

"Haven't you- and she- I mean, it would have been the honourable thing to do..."

"Good God, man! Are we still living in the nineteenth century?! This is the age of the modern dysfunctional family. A role we fulfill perfectly. Jackie's mother and I have nothing between us. Except her, of course. We're civil, but little more. She has her procession of lovers about whom, as a matter of course, I care little than less. Jackie's used to it, so it rarely bothers her."

John listened to it all with his head in a whirl. He marvelled at how a sane, bright young girl like Jackie could have possibly come out of this mess!

"It was the one mistake I ever made, John."

John was shaken from his reverie by Sherlock's oddly thoughtful voice.

"You call your daughter a mistake, Sherlock?"

"The biggest and most terrifying I have had to face yet..."