I unlocked the door to my parents' house, thinking a million times about what I was going to ask them.

I saw my mum working in the kitchen, and made my way over to her.

'Hey, Kodi,' she greeted as she saw me. 'Get done what you needed to?'

I shrugged, leaning against the doorframe. 'Well, about that… I need to talk to you. And Dad.'

My mum frowned. 'Everything okay?'

'Well yeah, it's just… Let's just wait until Dad comes. I have a feeling this will take a while.'

'Kodi, will you please just tell me what's going on?' Mum replied, putting down the cheese grater and facing me fully.

I sighed, closing my eyes. 'It's… it's Sherlock.'

'What about Sherlock?'

I jumped, seeing my father standing behind me.

'Dad!' I complained, steeling myself.

'Sorry. What's going on with Sherlock?'

'He… he wants me— he wants me to move in with him,' I muttered.

I braced myself, waiting for their reactions.

'What? And you're thinking about complying with his request?' Dad asked incredulously.

'Well, yeah,' I confirmed.

'Kodi Watson, are you insane?!' he thundered, stepping forward as if he were threatening me. 'That son of a bitch fricking tossed your emotions around like they. Were. Nothing!' His index finger came down angrily with each of the last three words.

Oh boy. I knew my parents wouldn't be accommodating to the idea at first but this. This is not what I was expecting.

'I know,' I replied, trying to calm him down. 'I know, Dad. But I think this will do us both good.' I took a deep breath. Dad had never gotten this angry with me. Ever.

'How? How the fuck is you moving in with him going to do you any good?!'

I swallowed, stepping back. 'I can start trusting again. I can finally properly move on.'

Dad shook his head. 'Looks aren't everything, Kodi. He may look like a bloody angel but I can assure you at heart he is anything but.' His voice shuddered, and I knew the anger was still fresh.

'Don't you think I know that?!' I yelled back, finally boiling over. 'Do you think I'm choosing to move in with him because looks good?!'

'He's a fricking sociopath!' Dad countered.

'He only acts that way because people misinterpret him! I studied psychology for three years, I should know!'

'Right, yes. Go all I've got a degree so I know best on me. That's how you're going to win me over.' While he wasn't shouting anymore, he was well and truly sarcastic.

'Enough!' My mother shouted. 'This is absolute and utter madness. Everyone, take a breather. Calm down.'

We did as she asked. I eyed my father sceptically, but he hung his head.

'Right,' Mum continued. 'I'm going to talk, and you two are going to listen. No interruptions.'

I crossed my arms, closing my eyes.

'Josh, you are really, really over reacting. She's twenty seven, she can handle herself. Kodi, your father has a point. You must be absolutely sure you want to do this—'

'I am.'

'No interruptions, Kodi. I, for one, think this is a good idea.' You're not the only one, Mum. 'Yes, she'll still be my baby girl but she's going to have to spread her wings and fly one day. And I think that day has come. Kodi, I think this is a brilliant idea.'

'That makes one of us,' Dad muttered. 'I'm going upstairs.'

'Dad—'

He didn't reply.

When he had disappeared, I turned to Mum. 'That is not how I planned this going,' I admitted sheepishly.

Mum smiled sympathetically. 'It's okay, honey. I'll talk to him. You know I'm on your side.'

I hugged her. 'It's just… I can finally get out from under your wing. I can finally start being a little more independent: if I move out, pressure's gonna be on to get me a job.'

'I know,' Mum replied, hugging me back. 'This'll be good for you.'

I smiled. 'Why is Dad against Sherlock so much?'

'He's your father. He's gonna be against pretty much any guy you bring home – or in this case, whose flat you move into.' She finished with a grin.

'I suppose so.' I couldn't stop the smile.

'Hey. It'll be okay. Hope is the strongest medicine, after all.'

I smiled but fought the urge to roll my eyes; Mum really loved that quote.

'I'm gonna get ahead on dinner. Wanna help?'

I smiled. 'Yeah, hold on.'

I whipped out my phone, unlocking it and pulling up my texts.

Does it count as me winning the bet if only one of my parents is easily persuaded? - KW

I believed Sherlock needed to know about this new development.

'Let me just call John a second. I'll help in a bit.'

I rung John's number and waited.

'Now is not a good time, sis,' John said (I had a feeling through gritted teeth).

'Why, what's going on?' I asked, worried.

'Nothing drastic, Molly's brother's just been round and… let's just say we don't get along.'

'What happened?' I asked.

I settled myself in the living room on the sofa. 'Ross is just… skeevish. Picture Hans from Frozen but fifty times more disgusting.'

'Disgusting how?'

'He… he told me that if I ever hurt Molly, he'd kill my family.'

I winced. 'Yeah, that's… messed up.'

'He's otherwise clean, and he protects Molly a lot, he's actually been in jail twice for beating up random catcallers and attempted rapists.'

'Molly was nearly raped?!' I exclaimed.

'Nearly. It was before I knew her, when she was a teenager. The bag of shit was drunk and around thirty. Thankfully Ross was passing by the alleyway with his mates.' John sighed of relief.

'Isn't that a good thing?' I continued, confused as to why John found this dude skeevish.

'Yeah, but Molly's told him time and time and time again that I won't hurt her but… I don't know. I really don't. I just don't like him.'

I sighed. This was rather crazy. 'You don't need to,' I finally told him. 'You and Ross may not need to cross paths and if you do, just stay the hell away from each other.'

'I guess that makes sense. What was it you called for in the first place?'

'Oh. That. Yeah. You may need to be sitting down, John.'

'What's going on, Kodi?' I could hear the scepticism in his voice.

I told him exactly what I had told Mum and Dad. And his reaction was far more face-palm-worthy than anything.

'I knew it!' he exclaimed. 'I knew you would change your mind!'

I shook my head knowingly. 'This is the first time I've thought about this, you know,' I lied easily. Oh, how untrue that was.

'The week before Molly's birthday,' John began. 'When you, Tara and I went out to get her a present. Remember? I said after Telling there would be Sherlock. You denied it almost instantly.'

My jaw dropped; I was horrified. 'John! I don't mean it like that! Like, yeah, he's gorgeous and rather sweet now that I think about it, but I don't think I'd want to go that far with him.'

John chuckled, and I snapped my eyes shut in frustration. 'Yeah, okay, whatever Kodes. Tell me that again after two months of living with him. Fifty bucks.'

I groaned. 'Not you too.'

'What? Who else has a bet going on with you?'

'Sherlock bet me fifty that Mum and Dad wouldn't let me move in with him.'

'And are you winning this bet?'

'Fifty/fifty. Mum loves the idea, said it'll be good for me to finally fly on my own wings.' I kind of liked this bird analogy that we had going. 'Dad, however, is gonna need some more… forceful persuading.'

'Right. I could talk to him if you want?'

'Yeah, please. Mum said she'd do it but I think he'd need to hear it from someone who's had first-hand experience with Sherlock before he lets me anywhere the guy.' I rolled my eyes. 'Why can't he just let me go?'

'You're the first daughter he's got to do this for. I mean, let's be real, Harry didn't exactly consult Mum and Dad before she practically moved out to Clara's, did she? Tell me, how long has it been since you last saw her?'

'John, that's not the point and you know it,' I scolded him.

He sighed. 'I know, I know. But believe me, Dad will take every chance to have some fun. Don't take it personally.'

'Alrighty, bro. Now I gotta go help Mum with dinner. Catch you later, John.'

'Bye, sis,' was what I heard before the line went dead.

A text arrived at that minute.

No. I'll give you until the end of this week. After that, if both Mr and Mrs Watson don't agree, then I get the fifty pounds. Fair? - SH

I smiled before texting back.

Fair. – KW

I lay on my bed, reading. It was getting close to eleven PM and I really should have been thinking about calling it a day.

Just as I put my book face down on my bedside table, someone knocked on the door.

'Come in!' I called. I sat up, leaning my back against the wall.

The door opened and Dad poked his head in. 'Hey, Kodi. Is it alright if we have a quick chat?' His voice contained a hint of regret and I knew our 'quick chat' was about what happened earlier this afternoon.

'Yeah, sure,' I replied, moving over to the far end of the bed to give him space to sit. 'Sit down.'

'Kodi,' Dad sighed, not meeting my eyes. 'I'm so sorry. I acted like a sick, possessed freak earlier and I just… I'm sorry, sweetheart.'

'Hey. I get it, Dad. It's okay.'

'But… you were so excited to be moving in with him and I just… I crushed your hopes with a single sentence.' Dad shook his head.

'You could tell? That I was excited?'

Dad grinned, looking down at the floor. 'You're my daughter, Kodi. I can tell that and so much more.'

I stopped in surprise. 'Hell, I didn't even know that I was excited.'

'Now that you've been confronted about it, do you think you are?' he asked.

I thought about it for a second. 'Yeah,' I answered. 'Yeah, I think I am.'

Dad laughed. 'Well then. Go for it. It's time for you to fly, darling.'

I threw my arms around him in a hug. 'You know I only want what's best for you, Kodi,' he whispered as he hugged me back. 'After that first experience with him, I wasn't quite sure about him, but if he isn't Liam Telling, then he's a good guy. You're a big girl now, Kodes. I'm proud of you.'

'You've come quite a ways away from calling him a scumbag,' I laughed.

'Yeah, well. You like him. It's time I started liking him too. He's still not my version of the ideal guy for you, but he'll do.'

'Dad! I'm not going to date him! Why does everyone think that?!'

My father chuckled and I rolled my eyes. 'You say that now, give it about two months. I guarantee you'll change your mind.'

'Ugh, John said exactly the same thing, time frame and all. He bet me fifty pounds that a couple of months later, I'll be smitten with him.'

Dad grinned. 'I raised a smart son.'

I shook my head. 'And Sherlock bet me fifty that both you and Mum wouldn't let me move in with you. I guess I'm going to be fifty pounds richer.'

'Hey, say if your mother and I weren't so accommodating to the idea and flat out refused to let you move away, what would you have done?'

'I… I don't know. I guess I was hoping against hope that you would agree that I didn't give my brain the chance to figure out what I'd do if things didn't go to plan… But after this afternoon, I probably think I'd have waited a couple of months and brought it up again. Who knows? Now we'll never have to find out, will we?'

'No. I love you, sweetheart.' He squeezed my hand.

I smiled. 'I love you too, Dad.'

Dad was right.

I was so damn excited.

Oh-my-fricking-god-that-was-a-hard-update! Phew. Finally, I have this hell of a chapter perfected. Most of this was written at two AM last night, so… yeah. I'll let you guys be the judges of how good this is. Personally, I'm somewhat satisfied. But yeah. Tell me what you thought?