"Where might I find the restroom?" John asked, politely as he could. He hated asking that question. John didn't know why, but it just bothered him.
"Up the hall, take the third right, then the second left, and it will be on your right." Mrs. Holmes said. "Augustus can show you."
"And ask what is taking so long while you're near the kitchen would you, Augustus?" Mrs. Holmes said, when they were nearly out the door. "Thirty minutes is unacceptable for just tea."
"Yes ma'm." Augustus said, nodding quickly.
"Good boy." Mrs. Holmes smiled overly sweetly.
John followed Augustus through the massive mansion.
"Right there." Augustus pointed. "Uh- Mr.- Dr. Watson- sir?"
Augustus seemed to be at a loss at how he was supposed to address John.
"Just call me John." John smiled. "I'm not quite as formal as they are, relax."
"Thank goodness." Augustus said. "I've finally found a human."
John chuckled. "Yeah, you have."
"That was quite well timed, I should think. Don't you agree Byron?" Mrs. Holmes said. "We'd like to speak to you in private anyway."
"I wasn't aware that Mycroft was included in 'private'?" Sherlock said, showing a little resentment now that Augustus was gone.
"Shut up and listen to your mother." Mr. Holmes ordered. "This concerns the both of you.
Sherlock didn't continue on that subject, but he did speak once again. "What is this about then?" Sherlock asked.
"Your father and I are planning a holiday to Greece... We want you to care for Augustus while we were gone." Mrs. Holmes said.
Mycroft and Sherlock both blinked.
"I'd be happy to take him, Mother." Mycroft supplied.
"Ah ah ah!" Mrs. Holmes said, "I asked William, not you. You already know Augustus well. I want Augustus to know his other brother as well."
Mrs. Holmes turned to Sherlock.
"Mycroft has told us that Dr. Watson has been a good influence on you, and it has been 12 years, William."
Sherlock was unsure of where she was going with this line of conversation.
"We're willing to give you one more chance to prove that you've changed. That you've grown up, and aren't the irresponsible freak you were before." Mrs. Holmes said. "It's your last chance William Sherlock Scott. Don't mess it up. Prove to me you're not a freak." She put emphasis on the word 'freak' in both sentences.
Sherlock didn't say anything for a moment, then cleared his throat.
"I'll have to confirm with Dr. Watson that it would even be a possibility." Sherlock said quietly, after finding his words.
"Then you'd best find your doctor, shouldn't you?" Mr. Holmes said. His voice was low and threatening.
Sherlock recognized that tone, and flinched involuntarily as the breath caught in his throat. It was a split second before he answered.
"Yes, uh- yes Sir-" Sherlock stumbled over his word, his mind reeling at the tone his father had used. Only when he bumped into the wall did he realize that he had been backing up slowly.
He looked up momentarily at his parents, then walked quickly to the door.
Sherlock walked down the hallway and rounded a corner before bumping into John. Literally.
"Sherlock?" John said, as he looked up to see who had bumped into him.
Sherlock nodded distractedly as he gazed past John. John watched him a moment before scratching behind his ear.
"You alright?" John asked. "You eh- you seem a bit shaken up."
"Fine, just-" Sherlock said. "Forget it. Nothing, it's nothing."
"So should we walk back then?" John asked, motioning towards the sitting room.
"No- uh- I came out to speak to you." Sherlock said.
"Alright then." John looked at Sherlock expectantly.
After a moment, Sherlock seemed to notice this.
"What?" He asked, confused as to the look on John's face.
"Are you sure you're alright?" John asked. "You said you needed to speak to me?"
Sherlock sighed and rubbed his temples, glancing away momentarily before returning his gaze to John.
"I'm fine, just distracted." Sherlock answered.
"Obviously." John said. "Now what were you going to tell me?"
"Mum and Dad are going on holiday to Greece." Sherlock said. "They want August to stay with us while they're gone."
"August?" John asked, "I thought it was Augustus?"
"Only people like my parents would be crazy enough to call a child Augustus, and chances are his name is actually August. Even that's if they aren't calling him by his middle name, or haven't renamed him entirely."
"He's 14 years old," John said, "Why would they rename him?"
"Because they can, John!" Sherlock said. "It would make the boy feel like they have more authority over him."
"Did they change your name?" John asked.
"My last name, yes, of course, I can't remember if they changed the others or not though." Sherlock said. "Now back to the original subject."
"What was it again?" John asked.
"Keeping watch of Augustus while Mum and Dad are on vacation." Sherlock sighed, with slight exasperation.
"Right, right." John said. "Well, I think it's a good idea. If that's what you were wanting, my opinion."
"John, I'll mess him up even worse than they are." Sherlock said.
"No, you won't Sherlock." John said. "Plus, I'll be there to help you, and Molly. Yeah, this will be good. You can get to know him, assess the problem, and get something figured out for the long run. Yeah, this'll turn out alright." John nodded thoughtfully.
"I don't want him getting sucked into my work, John." Sherlock said. "A lot of people are after revenge, I don't want him becoming a target."
"Don't worry, we'll protect him." John said. "Plus, it's not like he'd be any safer at Mycroft's. There are people trying to assassinate him every other day."
"That's true," Sherlock muttered, "But still..."
A/N: Oh golly, how is this going to turn out? Augustus going to stay with Sherlock and John during the holiday? They don't even know each other hardly yet? And what are the details? How soon is this vacation, and how long will Mr. and Mrs. Holmes be gone for? What's Mycroft going to think of this? My, my this is a mess!
Review please.