A/N A warm welcome to new readers and followers. And a hug goes out to AngryHobbit. Enjoy.
From inside there was no answer, so Mycroft simply opened the door.
Sherlock sat on his bed, his back against the headboard, his legs drawn up, he was crumpling a pillow.
"I cannot remember saying come in."
"I´d like to be elsewhere too, Sherlock. But John insists, we talk to each other. Like siblings. For Carys ... And he's right, I'm afraid. She is such a loveable little thing, brother. I want to see her regularly, if you agree with that. "
Sherlock smiled briefly, she really was. His little girl, the father feeling overwhelmed Sherlock still, it was so unexpected and so ... fulfilling.
"John seems to be very much concerned about you, brother. May I assume that you ...?" Mycroft gave the very rumpled bed a knowing glance.
"And if it were so? What would change?" Sherlock openly looked at his brother.
Mycroft shrugged, "what it would change? Nothing, you are my brother and I love you."
Sherlock had to laugh, "that's something completely new. Since when is that?"
"Since always," Mycroft frowned, "You´re not aware of it?"
"No," Sherlock said quietly.
"I'm sorry, I blew up Homer. I really am."
"You think it's all about Homer?" Sherlock glared angrily at Mycroft. "As long as I can remember, you have tried to keep me small, Mycroft. You've always been the poster child and I was the stupid little brother. It did not matter what I did, for mother, I was non-existent."
"That's not true."
"Oh, no? You always corrected me and put my deductions in question."
"Because I wanted you to grow in your tasks, dear brother. Only reason. And I felt uncomfortable to get Mummy´s only attention. I tried so often, to focus her interest on you, but you know how she is. Sherlock, I´m interested in a good relationship between us, even if you do not believe this. And my offer to take care of my niece was serious. It would make me happy. "
Sherlock thought for a while. "Only if it is fine for Cary's too. Oh, and spare her that visit at Mummy´s."
Mycroft had the decency to blush. "Of course, brother dear."
Sherlock pelted him with the pillow.
oOo
John, meanwhile, had taken the time to wash Carys, to brush her teeth and to put her some clothing on.
"Sherlock Papa angry with My?" She wanted to know.
John stroked her cheek, "just a little bit, Carys. Actually, Sherlock Papa and My love each other."
Carys nodded in satisfaction and snuggled up to John. "Carys likes John a lot." John smiled, "I love you, too, Carys." He hugged the little girl lovingly when Sherlock and Mycroft came out of the bedroom.
John looked at his watch, "You did´t need much time, did you?"
"We are Holmes. We don´t use many words," Sherlock said and stretched out his arms to hold his child.
"Carys? Papa and John now have to work a bit, you can stay at My´s, if you like?"
"Mama work, Gramma Essie watches Carys." Carys was suddenly sad, "Gramma Essie gone." Carys sniveled.
"Grandma Essie has died ... I mean, Grandma Essie is with the angels?" Sherlock asked cautiously. Carys nodded, "Mama cries. Carys too." Sherlock kissed his daughter gently. "It's okay sweetheart. I'm sure Grandma Essie's fine where she is now. So, what do you mean, do you want to go with My?"
Little Miss Holmes nodded, "Sherlock Papa come and get Carys?" She looked at her father searchingly and Sherlock smiled. "Of course I'll pick you up, again. I won´t leave you, darling."
He turned around to Mycroft, "if you harm one single hair of her, I'll tar and feather you and feed your guts to Mummy´s peacocks."
Mycroft swallowed. "I think this won´t be necessary, dear brother. I will pay full attention to her."
oOo
"Was that so bad?" John asked Sherlock, when Mycroft, after many hugs between Sherlock and Carys, finally managed to leave.
Sherlock muttered something unintelligible. "Let's go to Mason & Mason. The sooner I have my child back, the better."
"I´m guessing, you just stared at each other," John poked in the cab. Sherlock gave him a surprised look, "and ignoring advice from you?"
John grinned, "would not be surprised, Sherlock."
Holmes nodded, "we had a little talk, John. Mycroft loves me."
John gasped, "He said that? Bloody Hell."
"He explained his behavior as a big brother was to make me grow in character."
"That´s great. You are a strange tribe, Sherlock."
Sherlock laughed, "that's probably true."
The cab stopped in front of Mason & Mason. The firm was located in an old Victorian house, to which the interior of the firm conformed perfectly. The receptionist was an elderly looking lady, who was remembering Sherlock fatal at 'Mummy'.
"Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson. We would like to talk to Mr. Mason."
"You´ve got an appointment, Sir´s?"
Sherlock folded his hands behind his back and looked carefully around in the hall. "I don´t think we need one, Miss ... Um ... Featherston. Unless you want me to reveal your little secret."
Miss Featherston paled. She knew the names Holmes hearsay and she was sure the man was not joking.
"Mr. Robert Mason is here, Sir´s. The younger partner." She got up and knocked on a door. "Mr. Robert? Mr. Sherlock Holmes for you."
Robert Mason was visibly surprised and asked John and Sherlock into his office. "Good morning, gentlemen. What do I owe the honor of your visit? Take a seat, please."
"Miss Emma Hicks, your former employee, Mr. Mason." Sherlock informed the attorney.
"Miss Hicks? Yes, she was working for me until September, this year. There have been irregularities, I had to lay her off."
"Irregularities?" Sherlock repeated, "What kind?"
"Why do you want to know? Something happened to Miss Hicks?"
"Just Answer the question, Mr. Mason," John suggested, Sherlock was drumming with his fingers on the desk.
"No criminal irregularities, if that's what you want to know. Miss Hicks is an efficient paralegal when she's there. Her daughter became a problem, if you understand."
Sherlock's eyes turned icy, his daughter wasn´t a problem.
"Her daughter?" He asked sharply.
"Yes. Miss Hicks was working for me a whole year, without any problems. She had her neighbor, Mrs. Esmé Wilcox, to take care of the child. Mrs. Wilcox deceased in August and Miss Hicks had no accommodation option for the girl. She started to come too late, sometimes she didn´t show up at all, when the child was sick. As a culmination she had taken the child to the office and that wasn´t working. I had no choice, I had to lay her off. I do need reliable employees. This is a reputable law firm."
"Very serious indeed. Kicking employees out in an emergency situation? I'm sure your clients appreciate that. You know anything about the whereabouts of Miss Hicks? Acquaintances or relatives, she has mentioned? " Sherlock still sounded like a glass with ice cubes.
"I'm sorry, Sir. Miss Hicks was very quiet and didn´t talk much. She was born in Cardiff and her parents have died, that's all what I know about her. Would you like to tell me now why you are looking for Miss Hicks?"
Sherlock stood up, "No, Mr. Mason, I don´t." Sherlock rushed outside, in his typical fashion. Mason looked after the flying coat-tails in confusion.
John grinned, "it's nothing personal, he´s always like that."
Sherlock stopped at Miss Featherston. "You know Emma Hicks?" Gertrude Featherston nodded. "Of course, the poor thing. I am very sorry that Mr. Robert has kicked her out. Yet she was all alone with little Carys. Such a lovely little..." Gertrude glanced at Sherlock intently.
"Oh my God," she whispered after a little while. "You have to be Cary's father. Where have you been merely, the girl was so desperate. But she didn´t accept help from anyone, not even me. And I offered my help, God knows. Where is she now?"
"I'm trying to find out, Miss Featherston. Carys is doing well, she is in my care. I want to find Emma, you have any idea where she might be?"
Gertrude hesitated briefly, "Emma calls me every now and again, Mr. Holmes. The last time we talked over a week ago."
Sherlock nodded, "that's good. I want you to tell her something, when she calls again. The problem with her landlord is solved, she must no longer worry, we will fix anything, she just has to contact me. And Carys in good hands, you tell her that? "
"Of course, Mr. Holmes. Take good to Carys, she is such a dear child and Emma loves her so much."
Sherlock smiled briefly, "I know. ... And um ... maybe you reconsider your hairstyle and your dress style a bit. I'm sure that would be noticed by Mr. William."
Gertrude blushed and grabbed at her hair knot. "You really think so?"
"I'm sure Miss Featherston."
oOo
Mycroft, meanwhile finished his conversation with the Prime Minister and turned back to Carys, who was sitting under his desk on the floor, drawing a picture.
"So my little one, we wanna have some sandwiches, what do you think? Carys? Sweetie?" Mycroft looked under his desk when there was no answer.
No niece.
His collar got close, he systematically searched his private room at the club. Carys was not there. This could not be yet, the call had lasted only a few minutes. Mycroft groaned, "I'm so dead," he said aloud, and let himself drop into his chair. Then his eyes fell on the hidden side door, it was slightly open and his face brightened again. Carys couldn´t get far with her short little legs...