A/N oh my...I´m late. Sorry for the delay, real life was asking for my full attention. A very warm 'thank you' for Guest, sorry I kept you waiting. And again, thanks to every one reading, following and leaving some comment.

"Maybe you should get dressed, Sherlock. Just a thought, you know?"
Sherlock was sitting, as usual, at breakfast table in his pajamas and dressing gown. At least he was having a seat, John thought. Mostly, Sherlock was walking or running, while eating. Always having an eye on his experiments or anything else, what, in his opinion, was important. In John´s opinion, Sherlock ate far too little. Nothing at all, if he had a case and sparse, if not. However, he could not imagine his roommate with prosperity midsection. John smiled. No, Sherlock was fine how he was.
Pretty fine.

John's gaze was wandering over his roommate, like it often did in the last couple of days. Did he really notice, Sherlock looked good, yesterday? John couldn´t and didn´t revise this impression. It was the way, how Sherlock was moving. And how he put up that damn collar of his coat, what was extremely ... John tried to find a suitable expression for it ... sexy? And right now, here at the breakfast table, John´s heart just melted.

Sherlock was putting butter and honey on one half of a roll for Carys and he was explaining in detail, how honey production was working. Not overly didactic, as he often did with the 'normal idiots, no. He did it so loving and child-friendly, John never heard him talking like this before. And Cary formally depended on his lips, she looked at him attentively with her huge, sherlock-ish eyes. John swallowed, he wondered just how much he knew ´bout Sherlock. Not even enough, John thought. I know him way too little.

"Um, John? Your tea´s dripping into your saucer, maybe you should think about changing position? "
"What?"
" Your tea, John. "
" Oh, bloody hell ... "
" Bloody hell? " Carys repeated and Sherlock started laughing. "I 'm sure this is not the correct vocabulary for a little girl, Carys. You shouldn´t listen to John the whole time."

Sherlock ruffled her hair and Carys giggled happily. " Sherlock Papa´s funny. John too."

"Did you hear her, John? Carys think´s we´re funny. Has been said a lot about me, but funny wasn´t mentioned with my name. What do you say, John? Am I funny?"

A very energetic ringing at the front door relieved John a reply.

"Mummy?" he asked softly.
Sherlock nodded, "undoubtedly, John." He stood up to let her in.

"Hello mother," Sherlock said with thin lips, after he had opened the door.
"Good morning, son. Why do I have to hear from Mycroft that I happen to be a grandmother and why you open the front door in pajamas and dressing gown? Sherlock! This is not appropriate, didn´t I teach you some manners?! Oh, how education was wasted on you!"

Violet Holmes wasn´t beating about the bush, John noticed. And she was talking loud enough, to be well understood upstairs, John thought. He took Carys in his arms.

"This is going to be bad, little mouse."
"Bloody hell?" Carys suggested in childlike innocence.
John started laughing, "Yes, sweetie. Bloody hell."

oOo

"Why don´t you come in first, mother? " Sherlock offered grudgingly.
" What about my income, Sherlock? I 'm not talking about money in public."
" I said, will you come in, mother? " Sherlock now shouted.

"Don´t you shout at me, I'm not hard of hearing, Sherlock. Andrew? Wait here. "
"Yes, ma'am. " The chauffeur confirmed.
" Where to, Sherlock? I have to go upstairs? "
" Yes, mother." Sherlock sighed.
" I heard you, son." Violet was tapping with her her cane on the floor and Sherlock realized to his surprise, she was climbing like a mountain goat. So the cane still was decoration, only.

John took a strange look at the woman in the doorway. She was tall and slim and had more facial resemblance to Mycroft, than to Sherlock. Her gray hair had a purple glow, she wore it summarized to a bun. John guessed her to be in her late sixties and she was awe-inspiring.

"Um... . Hello Mrs. Holmes. I 'm John Watson. I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Sherlock is talking a lot about you. "
He glanced at Sherlock, who was rolling his eyes and moving his thumb across his throat.

Ok, John thought. Bloody wrong. Shit. He should have known it. Sherlock did not talk about his family. Never.

"Um...This is Carys, by the way. Say hello to ... uh ... Granny? " John tried to keep a straight face. Sherlock, who was still standing behind his mother, was theatrically pretending to have a heart attack.

"But you might want to sit down, Mrs. Holmes?" John pointed at his arm-chair.
"You think I'm so frail, Mr. Watson?"
John looked confused, "it´s Dr. Watson, actually." He corrected her. "I thought... because of your heart condition? "
"My heart is in perfect order, which cannot always be said about the mind of my son." She was knocking again with her cane. " Stop that nonsense behind my back, Sherlock and pour your mother a cup of tea. "

She came up to John and Carys. "You´re are a pretty, little monkey, child. She´s exactely looking like you, that age, son. I couldn´t believe it at first, Sherlock. Mycroft had to tell me twice. I always expected my grandchildren to come from Mycroft. He is much more conventional than you, son."

"I know. You always bring that to my attention, mother," Holmes murmured and poured her some tea.
"I do not want to go, Sherlock. I did ask you for some tea. "
"Sure, mother. And I´m pouring you some. Why the hell aren´t you wearing a hearing aid? " Sherlock asked, annoyed. The cane might be decorative, but his mother's hearing was apparently a little chipped.
"You´re screaming at me again, son. You have to speak clearly, that's all."

Violet sat down on John's favorite chair. "You can hand me the little thing over, I won´t eat her. So what? "

John looked uncertainly at Sherlock, who just nodded and put the cup on the small side table.

oOo

"Here you are, sweetie. Do you know how long Grandma is waiting for a grandchild, Carys ? Decades." She put Cary on her lap.
She gave Sherlock a reproachful glance. "Your father prefers to live with his boyfriend, that´s not easy to explain to my friends. You could be more restrained, Sherlock. Just to please me. Where is her mother, Sherlock? Is she at least befitting our social status?"

"You mean, more befitting than me?" Sherlock said bitterly. "Why can´t you behave like a loving mother, just once? Just to please me, one time, mother?"
John put his hand on Sherlock's shoulder. "Don´t Sherlock. Not now, ok ? " He said softly and reassuringly.

"You know what my mother used to say, Mrs. Holmes? If there´s nothing positive to say, say nothing at all. Your son is a good person, Mrs. Holmes. I'm glad and proud to have a friend like him. And he´s the best and most loving father, Carys can have. He did´t learn that from you, I suppose." John glared angrily at Violet.

Carys began to cry, she didn´t like, what was going on. Earlier, it was funny and now John and Sherlock Papa were angry?
Carys deduction was simple, "Grandma isn´t nice," she sobbed and slid away from Violet.

"Sherlock Papa!" She held out her arms and Sherlock immediately took her.

" It's all right, sweetheart. Sh , sh, sh. It's all good, Carys. Grandmother is going to leave, right now."
Mrs. Holmes looked at her son in surprise. Was he really throwing her out? "You got to be kidding, Sherlock. "

" No, I´m not, mother. I want you to go. You´re about to scare Carys and I cannot let that happen. " Sherlock disappeared with the little one in his bedroom and closed the door with a loud noise.
" Sherlock! "
"I don´t think, he´ll leave his room, as long as you 're here," John said. " I'm sorry , ma'am. But this is your own fault. I´m gonna talk to him, but now I want you to leave. And start thinking about your behavior, it wasn´t quite appropriate. Want me to help you with the stairs?"

Violet didn´t say a single word. How could this man dare to lecture her? And her own son was asking her to leave? Violet Holmes was not amused when she left.

oOo

A little while later, John knocked at Sherlock's door and took a look inside. " She's gone, you can come out. "
"Did she punch you with her cane, John? "
Watson chuckled, " I think, she was on the verge. Definitely it´s clear to me now, why Mycroft has this Tic with the umbrella. Is she always like this? "
"I 'm afraid so, John. However, neither Mycroft nor I spent a lot of time with her, the nanny were in charge of us."
" Nanny? Plural ? I bet your consumption was quite high. "
"I wonder why you say that , John." Sherlock grinned. "What about a little walk in the park, what do you think John? A little fresh air would be good for Carys and for me as well. Need some fresh air, mother always makes me choke."

John nodded. " Maybe a little trip to Islington would be nice, too? I know, I´m giving you some hell here, but we have to look after her mother. I´m concerned about you, my friend. I know, I told you, to let people into your heart, but don´t get too close with the little girl. You´ll have to return her to her mother, she isn´t yours."

Sadly, she isn´t, John thought. He saw it in Sherlock´s eyes, giving Carys back to her mother would break his heart. John sighed, and mine.

Sherlock held Carys close. "Tomorrow, John. Tomorrow."