As soon as Sherlock left Izzy began to cry hard. She wasn't used to being left alone with him.
"Aw dear," he said picking her up. "Daddy will back later. Let's get a book. We bought a bunch for you."
John carried her into the bedroom to fetch a book. He sat down on the bed with her. He held her close in his arms and opened the hard plastic book. It had pictures of farm animals and buttons to press next to each animal.
"This is a cow," John explained pointing to the cow. "He looks just like yours."
He pushed the button and it made a loud mooing noise. Izzy let out the smallest giggle and gave a hint off a smile.
"And this a pig," he said pushing the next button. "Oink Oink says the pig."
"This is a dog," John explained and pushed the next button. "Bow wow? What dog says bow wow?"
Izzy didn't seem to mind that the book was wrong. She smiled at the noise. John gave his daughter a hard look. He loved that little girl. He knew Sherlock did as well. He couldn't help but think of Sherlock. He knew his friend was in a lot of pain over his mother. Of course he couldn't blame him.
Yet, part of him wondered why she had suddenly come into the picture. She must have heard about Isabell and wanted to see her. Strange that she didn't come to her own son's funeral but she would come to see his baby. Something about it wasn't adding up. He wouldn't bring it up to Sherlock.
Isabell was looking at the book as if waiting for the magic book to make noise. John chuckled as he pressed the button for the rooster.
He decided not to think about it. It wouldn't do him any good. He decided to focus on Isabell for the time being.
Sherlock jumped into the first cab he met with a racing heart. He knew he was being stupid. He knew it couldn't be happening. Well, it hoped it wasn't happening.
All he could think about was getting home to John and Isabell. He thought about calling them but when he looked at his phone he saw the battery was dying.
Silly. Stupid. ridiculous. absurd
He tried to think about something else. If he thought about it he would do insane.
His mother. Perhaps thinking about his mother would get his mind off his troubles.
Why did she have to show up? Why did she show up thinking everything was going to be ok? His mother was always the type of person who thought if you ignored a problem it would just go away.
He knew she hadn't been to his funeral. Was she feeling guilty about not attending the funeral? Was she finally trying to repent for the pain she had put him through. Perhaps she just wanted to see Isabell. That might have been the reason she came while he was out and slipped out when he arrived. It seemed to him she had been more excited about seeing Isabell than him.
The wheels in his head were turning but he couldn't get to the root of it. He couldn't figure it out.
Perhaps John was right. Maybe it was time to forgive. After all it had been many years. Perhaps he would give it a shoot, if his mother was willing, for the sake of the family. He did want his daughter to have a relationship with his grandmother. He knew that was the normal thing to do.
He would have to think on it.
"Here you go," the cabby said stopping the car.
Sherlock didn't even realize they were there. Damn. He was too lost in his thoughts. He paid the driver and climbed out of the cab.
Quickly he remembered the reason he was in such a hurry in the first place. He rushed up to the sitting room and looked around. Neither John nor Isabell were in side. He rushed to his bedroom and stopped just outside the door.
"Alright," John said and there was some shuffling sounds. "Here we go. This is a cat. Cats go meow."
Sherlock smirked leaning against the wall. They were alright. Perhaps he was being flat out silly. Maybe he was so scared of losing his new family that he was panicking over nothing.
"I know you're out there," John said after a moment. "Come on in."
Sherlock shook his head. Perhaps he was teaching John a bit too well. He walked into the room. Isabell and John were sitting on the bed. There was a small pile of books next to them. He sat down next to them.
"I'm surprised to see you back so quick," John said turning the page in the book. "Izzy got fussy after you left so we started looking at books. Some of these have the animal noises all messed up."
"What do you expect John?" Sherlock asked picking up one of the books. "Bad writers I guess."
"So whatever Molly had must not have been that interesting huh?" John asked as Isabell began to cry.
"I'll take her," Sherlock said taking the little one. "She must been hungry. I'm going to try giving her the oatmeal. I don't think that formula is feeling her up."
John noticed Sherlock was avoiding his question. Sherlock walked out of the bedroom and placed Isabell in her new highchair. He got the box down from the cabinet and began to read the instructions. John followed him.
"Sherlock," John said softly. "If something is wrong I want to know about. How many times must I tell you. I want to share your troubles."
"A woman was brought in," Sherlock explained as he prepared a small amount of oatmeal. "She had something in her pocket and I think I overreacted to it."
"What was it?" John asked sitting down.
"A bottle," Sherlock explained pulling a chair up to the high chair. "I thought it looked like the bottle the cabby used."
"The cabby?" John asked shaking his head. "The killer cabby. You think we have another killer cabbie on our hands and I have to pull it out of you."
Sherlock didn't say anything as he gave Isabell a small spoonful of oatmeal. She ate it very quickly.
John got up from his seat and walked over to Sherlock. He put his arms around neck.
"Sherlock," he said kissing the top of his head. "Don't worry. No matter what Isabell and me are going to be fine."
"I know," Sherlock said simply.
"I'm going to start something to eat," John said pulling away from him. "And you are going to eat?"
John barley had the chicken on when there was knock at the half open sitting room door.
"Come in!" Sherlock said still feeding the little one.
"It's me," Lestrade said walking into the room. "I got a call from Molly. She said that you were pretty upset."
"I over reacted," the great detective said as it seemed Isabell was finally full.
He pulled her out of the high chair and put her in her swing. He set her to swinging before heading to made up a bottle.
"You had right to react the way you did," Lestrade explained. "It was the same poison."
"Are you sure?" Sherlock asked giving the bottle to Isabell.
He used her ever present cow to hold it up. He would be glad when she could hold her own bottle. He turned to Lestrade with an unbelieving face.
"Yes," Lestrade said nodding. "I would say we have a copy cat on our hands but we never released the name of the poison. This is someone with inside knowledge."
"Is it possible that..." John started his sentence but he didn't dare finish it.
He knew better to say that man's name in front of Sherlock.
"Moriarty," Sherlock growled. "How can that man be alive?"
"He'll come after you," John said turning off the stove. "You know he will."
"Not just you Sherlock," Greg said. "And you know. He'll come for John and Isabell. I can put you three in a secure location."
"There is no such thing if he is on the case," Sherlock said sitting down. "I'm just as safe here as anywhere else."
"Think of someone besides yourself for a change," Lestrade snapped. "You're got a boyfriend and kid to think about."
"Maybe we should go," John said. "I mean. I should have some say in this. He could come in here anytime."
"Perhaps you should take Isabell and go stay as Mycroft's place," Sherlock stated. "He has a nice place and is almost never there."
"I'm not going anywhere without you," John said.
"Can I see your phone?" Sherlock asked holding out his hand. "Mine is dead."
John didn't say anything but handed him the phone anyway. Sherlock typed out a text to Mycroft.
I know you know why I'm sending this. Any chance I can use your apartment a few days
SH
There was a loud pause where no one said anything. Then there was a beep from his phone.
Of course. I'm know you have a key. I'll have them give you one in case you've lost it. I'll send a car in a hour. Tell John I approve of him making you come as well.
MH
"We're all going," Sherlock said handing back the phone to John. "Now is everyone happy?"
"Couldn't be better," Greg said headed for the door. "I'll call you if they're any leads. I don't want you chasing this one on your own."
"Thank you," John said as soon as Greg was gone. "I wouldn't have felt right leaving you here alone. I'm going to go pack."
Sherlock sighed looking at his little girl. There was no way he was going to let anything happen to her or John even if it killed him.