I had a few questions about the song I used in the last chapter. For those of you unfamiliar with it, its called "Permanent" by David Cook. I had always loved the song, but happened to come across it again in a Sherlock and Mycroft video. I thought it fit Sherlock with his relationships with everyone from Mycroft to Molly to John. Those who always stood by him. Anyway, here is the video, so you can kinda see where my mind was. If I had the talent to make videos, I would have done one for Sherlolly. But in this instant, I thought it also fit father to daughter.

watch?v=YvbFc1t9hew

Chapter 28

It had been three days since Laura's release from the hospital, and things settled into normal. Well, relatively normal. For the Holmes family, at least.

It was full house. Molly had decided that the family didn't WAS a good idea, and pulled John on her side against the brothers. Then, she pulled the ace out of her sleeve. Oh, she was trickey.

"Do it...for Laura. She deserves it. "

Both brothers groaned, but agreed. Begrudgingly.

"And... " Molly started, pacing the room, " Since we are far from a traditional family, that should be a FULL family dinner. "

"Meaning? " Sherlock and Mycroft said simultaneously.

"Meaning John, Mary Mrs. Hudson and Greg should be there. And Sally. "

Both brothers sighed with relief.

"Oh please! " Molly huffed, putting her fists on her hips. " You didn't think I meant THEM? "

mmmmmmmmmm

The first dinner at the Holmes...home... was rather like a housewarming. Everyone brought gifts for Sherlock and Molly, as well as Laura. Laura was busying herself with the small microscope Mycroft gave her. She went about the house finding things to examine. Molly and Mary were in the kitchen making dinner while the men sat and talked.

"No knew leads, then? " Greg asked.

"Not yet. This Moran... he's hiding his tracks well. " Mycroft spoke.

"Look who he learned from. " Sherlock said with a shrug.

"As to that... " John started, casting a look at Sally. " Sally and I have been talking. Anyone willing to take part in the harming of a child... a person with that kind of psychosis had to have been ... kind of born...bad. "

" No one is BORN bad, they become that way. " Sherlock started, eyes rolling.

"Yes, but there has to be something that makes it happen. And something this big... it had to be led up to. " Sally offered.

"Basically, how did he get on Moriarty's radar? " John looked from Sherlock to Mycroft.

"We already tried that. " Mycroft stated. " He leaves no trace. No fingerprints, not DNA...nothing to identify him. So if he had a previous record, we still couldn't peg him. "

"No. But someone who may have seen him, would. " John stated, sitting back.

"Thought of that...too. " Sherlock stated mildly offended John would think he hadn't covered his bases.

"Miss Adler has been requesting my attention for days. Any information she gives will not be complete and not given out of the goodness of her heart. She wants something. I could see that from the look in her eyes when she met with Molly. She is quite obvious about what she wants in return for her...favor." Mycroft shrugged.

"What? " Sherlock was all attention now. " Molly did what? "

"Oh no worries. That lovely little wife of yours has quite a backbone on her. And a tongue sharper than any sword."

"I can't believe you allowed this! " Sherlock hollered

" You think you can stop Molly from doing something for you? " Mycroft raised his eyebrows. Sherlock settled back in his chair.

"What do you believe she wants in return for the information? "

" You. "

"Well, she can't HAVE me. Surely she knows that by now. "

"No. But we may be able to use her desires against her. We will have to think on that a while. She is all about her own preservation. Molly already said she would have you expose her to the network as our leak. "

"And that didn't stop her? "

"For a while. But I have seen the surveillance in her room. She's planning alright. The upper hand is that we know it. We just have to keep her put until we take down the network. Just...not tell her its down. "

"Good. That may work. "

John watched the conversation, his resting in his palm.

"That takes care of Adler, but what about Moran? "

"We have to make sure Laura has the maximum security possible. Wait for him to try to make a move. "

John looked from one brother to the other, then back at Sally, who was shaking her head in amazement. John sighed.

"Did either of you think that possibly, just POSSIBLY, in the years of Laura's captivity, or when she was brought in...she MIGHT have seen Moran herself? "

" She didn't see the face of the man who took her. "

"No, but she said he smelled. Perhaps if we could identify the smell... it would at least help. Devil's in the details, right? " Sally chimed in.

Greg had been silent, just taking the information in. Now he chose to speak.

"Right. We will bring Laura down to Scotland Yard. Let her give descriptions of every person she can remember. "

"But the smells? " John asked

Lestrade started to answer, but adjusted his words when Laura walked back in the room.

"I don't know, we don't keep samplings of things like that. " He said, darting his eyes between Sherlock and his daughter to make sure he didn't say anything inappropriate. Sherlock rolled his eyes.

"Lestrade, she is MY child. Don't treat her like a moron. Laura, darling? Do you think you could remember the smell off that man who took you's coat? "

"Sure, daddy. It was awful. "

"Excellent. We are going to the station soon. Maybe you can find something similar there. It will narrow the smells down. Gabriel can help. "

"But where would we find smells like that? If its cigarettes, that doesn't really narrow it down much. Alcohol? Gun powder? "

The adults were quiet, making mental lists when Laura stood in the middle of them.

"Excuse me. "

"Yes, darling. We are trying to think, so we can help you deduce. " Sherlock said with a nod.

"But daddy. "

"Laura, please. "

"Daddy... listen. "

"Oh what is it, Laura? " Sherlock said, harsher than he intended.

"Think maybe if this is a bad guy, there might be smells like that in, like, an evidence room? "

Sherlock smiled at his daughter.

Lestrade looked on her in wonder.

"Now, how do you know about evidence rooms, little miss? I wouldn't have thought of that. "

"Well, YOU have the misfortune of NOT having Sherlock Holmes as a dad! " She said, chest puffed up.

Now, they had a plan.

mmmmmmmmmm

Molly held on to the side of the counter, watching the kitchen timer.

"Dinner looks and smells delicious. Don't worry. Everyone here loves you. Even if it was terrible... "

"I know it will be alright. "

"Ah. Nausea. Haven't told Sherlock yet, have you? "

"No. Too much on his mind. He doesn't need the distraction. "

"You know how angry he will be when he finds out? You can't hide it long. Its Sherlock. He will deduce it soon. "

"I know. "

mmmmmmmmmm

Dinner went very well. Mycroft threatened to move in, just for dinner time. Sherlock beamed with pride at his wife. They began to discuss their plans to take Laura to the station. A feeling of hope that this could all soon be over landed on the group.

mmmmmmmmmm

After everyone had left, and Laura was set to bed, Sherlock looked over at his wife. She looked very content. Something, he feared, would be too seldom in life with him. He didn't realize he had voiced his concern out loud.

"Sherlock... " Molly said, holding out her hand to him. "Know that I have no regrets. I know exactly what I signed on for. "

"Still... "

"Still nothing. Now come and sit. I have to go over the mail that has piled up while Laura was in the hospital. I need help. "

"Tedious. "

"Our lives could use a little hum drum now and again, don't you think? "

When she smiled at him like that, he could refuse her nothing.

Sherlock grabbed a handful of envelopes and glanced at them each briefly before tossing them over is shoulder one at a time.

"Boring. Boring. Give to Mycroft. Boring. Give to Mycroft. Boring boring boring boring. "

Molly chuckled watching him until she saw him get to one. He stilled, his expression frozen.

"What? What is it? " Molly said alarmed at her husbands expression.

Sherlock crushed the envelope in his hand, a hand that was suddenly shaking.

"Sherlock, what is it? "

Sherlock's whole body started shaking. Molly grabbed her phone and punched well known numbers, while she tried unsuccessfully to pry the offending envelope from Sherlock's hand.

"Molly? " Mycroft answered on the third ring.

"Mycroft, get over here quick, please. "

"Is it Laura? "

"No...she's fine. There is something wrong with Sherlock. Please come now! "

"I'm not far out. I will be there soon. "

Mycroft arrived less than ten minutes later. The sight of Sherlock made him take a step back. He was paler than usual, sweating and looked to be having a mild sezieure.

He knelt beside his brother.

"What happened? " He asked, not taking his eyes off his brother.

"We...we were just going through...mail. He stopped at one and this happened. "

"Where is the envelope? We can have Gabriel sniff it for chemicals. "

"In his hand. He won't let go of it. "

It took some doing, but Mycroft finally got the envelope from Sherlock's hand.

Sherlock then crumpled to the ground, in the fetal position.

" SHERLOCK! Baby, talk to me. What is it? MYCROFT! "

Mycroft was staring at the envelope.

"This is one example where caring is not an advantage. Save humanity for those who deserve it. "

"What the bloody hell are you on about? " She asked, still trying to sooth her husband. " What is about that envelope? "

"It isn't the envelope. "

"What is it then? "

"Its who sent it. "

"WHO?! Mycroft stop beating round the bush. "

Mycroft slowly looked at her, then down at his brother with sadness.

"Its from...mother. "