Author's Note – So this is chapter 4… I'm proud of myself for keeping my promise and uploading on the 9th! I don't have anything else to say, oddly enough, so enjoy! Reviews are always appreciated.
Disclaimer – I don't own Sherlock or OUAT.
Emma rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and immediately groaned upon remembering she had two not-so-wanted guests in her new apartment. Sitting up and straightening her blonde curls with her fingers, she glanced at the clock. 7:27 am. Pulling a loose shirt over her shoulders, she gazed at herself in the mirror. Her old, gray shorts fell just short of the middle of her thighs, only a few inches of the fabric showed underneath her oversized T-shirt. Walking barefoot into the living room, she was met with two sleeping bags stretching almost as long as the room itself with two sleeping forms inside.
Rustling from inside the room to the left told her that Henry had just awoken. "Hey, Mom, I was wondering if today we could –" Emma stopped her son by putting a finger to her lips. She gestured to the sleeping forms on the floor before them. Realization shown across Henry's face and he nodded before mirroring his mother by putting his finger to his lips. All the same, one of the sleeping forms began to shift around on the floor. A head with shoulder-length dark hair sat up, messy hair falling in front of her face. Emma bit back a burst of laughter as she took in the normally-regal woman's appearance.
The librarian sat up next, taking in the full living room around her with bright blue eyes. Regina rushed to the bathroom, muttering something about 'putting her face on' as she went. Belle stood up awkwardly, not sure what to say.
"Why don't you go get dressed, kid?" Emma started, trying to decrease the tension. "I'll have breakfast ready when you come back." Adolescent feet shuffled away into the room next door.
And then there were two.
...
The British Government sat up in his chair, rubbing his face in exhaustion. His tired eyes scanned the screen before him for the thousandth time. He printed out the page he had been reading – a newspaper from Storybrooke, Maine. On the front page there was a mug shot of a teenage girl with blonde hair. Grouping all of the papers together, Mycroft put them in a folder titled "For My Baby Brother" and walked out of the office, relieved to get some fresh air.
Walking towards his car, umbrella in one hand, he checked his watch. 7:54 am. Upon arriving at 221b Baker Street, he was instantly on edge as four people stepped out of the front door. Two of which were the people he had been tasked with researching. His dear brother came rushing passed them and strode directly over to Mycroft.
Taking the files from his brother's hand, Sherlock inconspicuously gestured towards the group a few paces away from them. Nodding, the older of the two wordlessly stepped back into the car. He had bigger problems to deal with, unfortunately.
...
"Oh, no, you didn't!" John exclaimed as his flat mate stepped through the door. "Sherlock, please drop this silly thing! It's not even a real case!" Sherlock threw a glare his way before opening the folder and skimming its contents. His lips pressed together as his eyes scanned the pages at a faster rate.
"Interesting…" The consulting detective murmured before closing the folder and dropping it on the coffee table. "Very interesting…" A glance out the window showed that the four people were still out fronts. They were just talking. "Come along, John," Sherlock tossed over his shoulder as he fixed his coat collar and hurried out the door.
"…goodbye is all you get, you know." The blonde spat as she gazed uneasily at her former guests. "It's the morning," gesturing at the sky, "so it's your time to leave."
"Oh, on the contrary!" Sherlock called as he stepped casually over the group. He turned to Regina and Belle. "Why hello! My dear friend John and I were just talking about how we needed to meet new people around here! How about we all head out and have some lunch, huh? There's a nice little place just up there." He pointed to a small restaurant on the corner before plastering on another fake smile. "Oh, come on!" He elbowed John in the ribs, who sucked in a breath as the corners of his mouth lifted into a fake grin that rivaled Sherlock's.
"Yes, I think that'd be a great idea!" John said through gritted teeth.
Henry looked excited and nodded to his mother, who, along with the other two, looked very confused. Regina lifted a perfect eyebrow and scowled at the men, Belle's face went from taken aback to delighted to unsure. "Uh, I guess…" Emma trailed off, not knowing if she should thank them. "But I don't have any money with me at the moment." She glanced down at her ripped jeans and worn sweater.
"That's quite alright! I'm very well acquainted with the owner; all my meals are always on the house." Another fake grin. Without saying anything, the group moseyed over to the small restaurant. It was small; large windows allowed the morning sun to light up the room without the need for additional lights. Sitting down at a table near the window, Sherlock called the owner to the table.
"Ah, Sherlock!" The man exclaimed, happy to see his friend again. His eyes raked across the other members of his party. "This man got me off a murder charge!" He said excitedly. "Everything is on the house, like always. Oh, and I see you brought back that date you had the last time you were here! Did you like the candle I put out? It was more romantic, no?" The man turned and left without an answer, the table coated in awkward silence.
The door opened, and John audibly gasped upon realizing who had entered. All heads turned to the front of the restaurant.
"Hello, Sherlock!" A twisted voice said. "You see, I'm in a bit of a binds. I was supposed to meet with one of your brother's associates, but he happened to be –" He sliced his thumb across his neck to demonstrate murder. "So, I have turned to you upon not being a patient person!"
"Ah, so that's what Mycroft was up to so late last night!" Sherlock put on a look of mock surprise as Moriarty gazed at the other people in the restaurant. His eyes stopped on Emma, staying there for a few moments.
Author's Note – So, there ya go, thanks for those of you who have stuck with this story. I'm debating which ships I should include. I know I said I would include Sherlolly, but I'm not so sure anymore. Ideas? Thanks brotato chips, and I'll see y'all next month! (I feel like Elaine from Seinfeld in that episode where she uses too many exclamation points…)
