Chapter 9

When John returned to the flat, her stopped and smiled at the sight before him. Molly was curled up on the couch, smiling up at him. She nodded in the direction of the other side of the room.

Sherlock was sitting on his chair looking for all the world to be lost in very deep thought. His fingers, as usual, steepled under his chin. His eyes shifting seeing something inside his own mind. Across from him, Laura sat in John's chair, legs tucked underneath her, but mirroring her father. But instead of seeing something in her mind, John could tell she was simply "observing" her father. When Sherlock's eyebrow went up, she lifted one of her own. A small smirk, no one else but John would have had time to notice, appeared on his friends face. Sherlock took the tip of his steeple, and tapped his chin, six times. In a sequence, like a code. Laura tapped her chin... in the exact same pattern. Sherlock then very slightly jutted his lower lip out in a small pout. Laura did the same. Finally, Sherlock's eyes came over and landed straight on the child's face and he did something VERY out of the ordinary. He screwed up his face and stuck his tongue out.

And so did Laura. Of course, Laura, not to be out done, sticking her thumbs in her ears and wagging her fingers.

A deep chuckle sounded from deep in Sherlock's chest as he joined the laughter now coming from John and Molly. Laura didn't laugh, Sherlock noted. But she did grace him with a face brightening smile.

Oh how he wished to hear her laugh.

Did she even know how? Children were supposed to laugh when happy, right?

Not wanting to ruin the mood, Sherlock pushed the thought away for the time being. He stood up, swooped his daughter up to sit her on his hip and looked down at her with narrowed eyes.

"I suppose finding your mind palace shall have to wait for another day, don't you think? "

At her nod, he started towards his wife and best friend who were smiling brightly. Laura dropped her head onto his shoulder, and before he knew it, he turned his head to place a kiss on the top of her head.

"Are you hungry, little bit? " John asked smiling at Laura. She shrugged in answer. Her eyelids wavering.

"You aren't tired are you? " Molly asked, concern barely concealed. Sherlock made a note of it.

Laura shrugged again.

"Well no early bed tonight. We have a movie night! " Molly said, helping John with the bags and pizza boxes he had yet to put down.

The four sat down at the table after plates had been put out.

Laura sat down and saw Sherlock look at her with eyebrows in his hairline. His gaze went from her eyes to her hands.

Message received. Laura went to wash her hands.

" Did you get the books as well, John? "

"Yes of course. But, I was thinking there at the bookshop, Sherlock. Moriarty was playing a game. He wouldn't just go Disney. So, I picked up the Grimm versions of those two tales. "

"Brilliant. I'm rubbing off on you. "

"Ugh" Molly sounded " those versions are too morbid for me.

Both men turned to look at her.

"Your job is to be elbow deep in the dead. " John pointed out. " And your husband is constantly putting himself in the path of murders. But these bother you? "

"They are children's stories, so yes. "

John shrugged. She had a point.

Sherlock looked at the doorway quickly.

"Molly, Laura feels very badly that you had your row. "

"Its quite alright. She's been through enough. "

"But don't you think, it would make sense to make sure she doesn't use that? Let her know she can be entitled to her feelings but not walk all over others? "

"Something she must have gotten from you. " John chuckled. Sherlock was not smiling.

Laura came back in, and they ate in silence.

When it was time for the movie, John moved it chair by the couch to make room for his best friend and his family. Laura was on his right, tucked up against him. Molly sat slightly away from the pair on Sherlock's left. He felt the 'not rightness' in that. He gave Molly a soft smile and pulled her up along his other side. He bent his head to place a soft kiss on her lips, then gave her a wink.

"So, which movie is first? " He asked as lightheartedly as possible.

"Wait! I forgot the popcorn. You all pick the movie, and I will get it made. "

"Popcorn? Really, John. " Sherlock sneered.

"What? Popcorn is traditional movie food. "

"What moron came up with that? Put people in sound carrying little room where they are meant to pay attention to the dialoge, then feed them the noisiest food on earth in even noiser little paper bags! No sense to it! "

Part way through the movie, John had to comment.

"There you go Sherlock. Use some of that famous charm of yours and behoove woodland creatures to come in and get your phone, or clean the flat. Or collect groceries... "

Sherlock raised a brow with a smirk.

"I have a wife now, John. I don't need rats to collect my things. "

That earned him a well deserved smack in the back of his head from Molly.

By the time they got to the end of Sleeping Beauty, Laura was once again buried inside Sherlocks coat, asleep. John had been diligently taking notes, but nothing he was sure was relatvent went it came to Laura's situation.

Sherlock moved to get his daughter to take her to bed.

"Laura, come now. You will wake up sore. "

Laura sat up, but didn't open her eyes.

"I'm fine. Perfectly fine. " Then flopped back down with a thud over Sherlock's lap.

Sherlock scooped her up more easily from the new position and headed towards her room.

He tucked the blankets around Laura and sat beside her on the bed. Tonight was the first time in a long time Sherlock felt great just doing something ordinary. Laura's eyes suddenly came open, and she turned to look up at her father.

"Why do you do that? " She asked, her tiny brows low.

"Do what? "

"Watch me sleep? "

"If you are asleep, how would you know where I am? "

She didn't answer, just kept watching him. Sherlock sighed.

"I am getting used to you. This is all very new to me. "

"Me too. "

"Yes, it is, isn't it?" Sherlock smirked, but then his face grew serious a second later. " Laura, why do you never laugh? "

Laura looked sat up and looked down at her hands.

"Dunno. Seemed silly to me. "

"I laugh. Do I seem to be the kind to give over to silliness often? "

"No. "

"Well, then, there you are. And you do silly things. "

"I guess. It really is silly to watch me sleep.

"Perhaps. But it feels good to see. Like you feel safe. "

"I do feel safe with you. I'm not used to it. I try not to feel anything. "

"Why? "

"When you feel, you can get hurt. "

"True. But ..." Sherlock swallowed a lump in his throat.

"I'm afraid I have to tell you Im sorry. "

"What for? " Laura asked one brow raised.

"My blood. Most of my life I have felt as you do. Uncle Mycroft too. It must be genetic. But I will promise you... " Sherlock said, tucking his finger under her chin, lifting her eyes to his.

"Both your uncle and I, as well as Uncle John, Mrs. Hudson and even your...Molly...would die before we allowed any more harm to come to you. "

"I know. I think. I know you care about me. And I care about you. "

Sherlock tucked Laura in the crook of his arm, while she still looked up at him.

"For the last few years, I have learned that there is benefit to some emotion. Maybe even a little sentiment. Especially where you are concerned. Maybe ...just maybe... if we put our minds to it, we can learn...show each other how to...love each other. "

Laura lowered her head to his chest and listened to the sound of his steady heartbeat until she finally fell asleep. Sherlock gently set her down and kissed her forehead. He was just at the door when he turned around and stared at her once again.

"I let you down. " Sherlock whispered. " You have no reason to trust me, but you do. You have less reason to love me. Odd...that I find that something I want more than anything in the world. "

Sherlock had texted Mycroft right after leaving Laura's room.

Need everything no matter how seemingly insignificant you can acquire from Laura's former home. Have start of an idea.

SH

John and Molly were sitting in front of the coffee table when Sherlock came back in. One look at his expression and John cleared his throat. He knew that look.

"Ok. So...what have we got? "