"What's that?"
"That's his hand. Well..what's left of it."
"And this?"
"Maggots."
"Ewww!"

Sherlock chuckled and looked through pictures of a crime scene with Amalia.
He loved how curious she was and the way she absorbed every little piece of information. She wasn't a big help, of course, she was only a toddler, but she seemed to be fascinated by his world so when John wasn't around he sometimes showed her evidence and and told her about the cases he solved.
She always listened as if it was one of her favourite fairytales and it amused him every time.
"Can I come to the cwime scene?" she asked and looked up at him beggingy but Sherlocks shook his head.
"Not yet, little bee but when you are older I'm going to take you with me."
"Promise?"
"Promise. Let's do something else now, alright?" he closed the case file and smiled at the little girl.
Amalia beamed happily and suddenly stood up, looking through her overnight bag. "I brought Cinderella and Snow White. And Little Mermaid." she said and hugged her favourite DVDs to her tiny chest.
"Can we watch Cinderella? Pleeease, Sher!" she jumped up and down and Sherlock sighed.
"Yes. We can watch Cinderella, if you like." he said and stood up to take the DVD and put it into the player.
They curled up on the sofa again and watched the film that was better than Sherlock had expected.

Halfway to the end, when Cinderella and Prince Charming got married, Amalia turned to face Sherlock.
"Are you married?"
Sherlock raised an eyebrow in confusion
"You know that I don't have a wife, Amalia." he said. "But I consider myself married to my work, you know.."
Amalia frowned at his words, not quite knowing what he meant.
"I don't understand. You can't hug or kiss your work or say that you love them to the moon and back. "
"I know...it's a metaphor. A metaphor is-"
"I know what a metaphor is, you explained it to me, silly." she smiled.
He tried to remember when he had explained it to her but shrugged it off.
"However, it's a metaphor..because I'm better off alone. I wouldn't be a good husband...or a father." the detective sighed and ruffled her soft blonde hair.
"You would be a great daddy, Sher. And everyone who doesn't want to marry you is an idiot." Amalia said and bopped his nose playfully. Sherlock felt his heart clench a little but smiled anyway, looking back at the TV.
"You look sad." the little girl said suddenly and gave him a worried look. "You always look sad when you think no one is looking."
"Most adults are sad, love." he smiled down at her and stroked over her cheek absently. "When you grow up you will learn to see the world with different eyes. You will experience immense happiness but also pain that takes your breath away. And I don't mean when you fall off the swing. Pain like losing someone you love and...that's the worst that can happen to you." he said and quickly wiped at his eyes, not really knowing why he had just told her that.
He didn't want her to be scared of growing up but there was no one else who would have listened to him.
It was a bit sad that the only person he could talk to was a toddler but if he told John or Mary...he didn't want to think about what would happen.
Amalia hated to see Sherlock sad like that and climbed onto his lap, hugging him.
"But you have me...and daddy and mummy and your silly brother. And Mrs Hudson. We will all make it better when you are sad. Promise." she smiled and kissed his cheek and the detective hugged her tightly.
"Thank you." he whispered.

[Author's note: Sorry for being so slow with the story and that this chapter is so short but I'll really, REALLY try to continue it quicker :) ]