Chapter three

Defending Emmet

John and Sherlock were having dinner at a fancy restaurant near their hotel when the Detective's cell buzzed. John looked up in questioned, as Sherlock pressed the 'ok' button. He froze as he read the text.

I'm sure raising a daughter for the past sixteen years, there's never a DULL moment.

There wasn't a signature, but Sherlock immediately knew exactly who the text belonged too. He showed the text to his husband and John paled. He knew who it was too.

Don't you dare go near her. Leave her out of this. ~SH

I've been dreadfully bored without you, my dear and so well-behaved. I believe it's time to get the Game back on.

Fine. But please leave my daughter out of this. That's all I ask. ~SH

Well since you ask so nicely. I won't harm her or her little friends. Although I may have to roughen her a bit. I hear she's got your personality.

If you so much as hurt her physically or emotionally, I will not hesitate to kill you. ~SH

Thank you for the warning, my dear. We'll see each other really soon.

Sherlock let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding in. "What the hell are we going to do?" John asked. "It's not like we can go back to London on short notice."

"I agree. And plus, I'm not leaving Raye and her friends here in the US on their own, even if Donovan -."

Donovan, I've just been contacted by JM. If you hear or see anything unusual in the next 24 hours, let me know ASAP. I'm counting on you and Anderson to keep Raye and her friends safe. And let Ms. Browne know; have her tighten the guards around the CT guys, just to be on the safe side. ~SH.

PS ~ Do not say his name out loud or even describe him, even as an explanation. Just refer to him as JM. ~SH

I got your text. I won't, I know what can happen. Either Mike or I will update you every three hours. If you don't hear from either of us for more than four in between the updates, alert Greg at once. ~SD

Thank you, Donovan. I apologize to disrupt your fun even on the first day of the cruise. I hate to say this, but if we all get out of this alive and unharmed, then I owe you big time. ~SH

I appreciate it, Holmes. Should anything happen, I will contact you immediately and tell you the exact location of the cruise. ~SD

John, despite the tension in the air, couldn't resist a smirk. He knew that it took Sherlock a lot to actually say that he'd owed someone, god forbid it was Donovan or Anderson. Sherlock had read the texts out loud, so John knew what was happening.

"What now?"

"We're going to alert Mycroft and Greg," Sherlock said, as he began texting, explaining the whole situation. "I'm not going to wait until something happens. I won't. I may be an overprotective father right now; but this is Moriarty we're talking about. He's a consulting criminal, he's not going to wait either," the detective explained. John tenses as he knows the danger.

"Sherlock, stop; text Mycroft and Greg if you have too, but just stop. This is exactly what He wants."

"But Raven -."

"She'll be fine. I promise. She's a Holmes, remember? She can take care of herself."

Comet

While the lads were getting ready for their first concert, Sally briefly talked to Sharon about the seriousness of the situation. Sharon nodded understandingly. She also told Sally that they should share an afternoon tea the next day, so Sally could explain the history between Raye's parents and this JM person. Sally agreed. She also told her that she would be keeping Sherlock informed every three hours.

Sharon had to cut their meeting short, because she needed to prepare the lads for their first concert on the seas. They were going to be performing in The Caribbean Lounge, reserved exclusively for the guys and their fans. The show started exactly at six, so the girls had 30 minutes to spare. So they went to their rooms to change out of their dinner outfits and put on something more comfortable (and of course they each wore their favorite CT t-shirt), after all, they were going to sit through both of their shows. Raye's parents had paid for the trip, and they were going to make the most of it.

By the time they were done with their concerts, it was already eleven-thirty. The lads got a 20 minute break in between the shows to recuperate and rest their voices before the second show started. At the end, they did a meet-and-greet and all six of them showed up, posing for pictures and signing for autographs. The girls knew they could wait and get their own pictures later; they let the other fans spend a little time with their boys.

By midnight, Raven, Emmet, and Colm were exhausted, but Jen and Allison wanted to stay with the guys and celebrate with them. Raven waved them off, saying to them to have a good time and to stay away from the alcohol (really, as a joke, but with a little seriousness). The lads have already changed out of their outfits and put on some more comfortable, going out clothes.

Emmet and Colm had offered to accompany Raven back to the room, but Raye respectfully declined. It took them several points to make her agree. There were hardly any people throughout the two hallways; they were most likely be at the clubs and bars.

They weren't expecting a boy in the age between Raye and Emmet to approach them. The boy had short bleach, blonde hair and sharp green eyes. He was your average rich kid, tall, stuck-up, and thinks he's all high and mighty. He was wearing all black. And by the way Raye reacted when she saw him; they knew that she knew this boy.

"Fancy meeting you here, Freak," the boy sneered. Colm and Emmet glared at the blonde. Even if this kid knew her, he had no reason to call her that.

Of course he thought could intimidate her by calling her a Freak, but if you put Sherlock and Freak in the same sentence, she will snap.

"Give it up, McAdams," said Raven, not even bothered by the name-calling. She was a Holmes, and her father had to deal with it longer than she did. "Isn't it time you noticed that you're not going to rile me up? I'm tougher than most girls. I am a Holmes, after all," she said snootily.

"Oh I'll get to you, Freak. It just takes a little bit of time."

Unfortunately, Colm couldn't take it anymore. He and Emmet had spent the entire afternoon and dinner with the Holmes girl, and she was not a Freak. She might be a little scary when she sometimes acted like her father, without thinking, but she didn't deserve that title.

"Shut up, you have no right to call her that," Colm snapped angrily. Both Raye and Emmet blinked.

"Oh I know who you two are," the boy sneered with realization. "You're from Celtic Thunder, right? Did you know that the Freak just adores you? She has pictures all over her locker with the two of you. Oh and I bet she didn't tell you this either; she also writes stories about you guys too," the boy taunted.

The boy smiled triumphantly as Raye paled, and ducked her head, her face showing extreme guilt. Emmet grew angry. No one was allowed to insult a CT fan like that, especially a fan that became a friend in less than twelve hours and got away with it.

Emmet stepped forward and without warning punched the boy in the face, almost hard enough to break the boy's nose. "What she does in her spare time is no business of yours...or ours -," he replied angrily.

Brett McAdams was pissed. He didn't care if these boys were famous. So without hesitation, he grabbed the Irish boy's wrist and flipped the brunette over onto his back. Emmet grunted in pain. Brett kneeled down, and he pressed one of his arms tightly against Emmet's neck; his other hand grabbed a handful of his hair. The young Celtic Thunder singer struggled a bit, when Brett forced Emmet to look at him. Emmet glared at him. He put more pressure to the brunette's neck and Emmet began to struggle for air.

"Em!" Raye cried out, but Colm grabbed her arm and held her to his side.

"You sure about that, Cahill? Because this is what she writes about; about you being underneath another boy, playing the little submissive slut you are. She's nothing but a 'highly-functioning' sociopath and a Freak! Just like her father, Sherlock-the-freak-Holmes."

And without warning, Brett pressed his lips against Emmet's in a brutal kiss. Emmet's eyes widened in shock.

With an incredible boost of energy and a fury she didn't know she had, she jerked away from Colm's grip and charged at Brett, grabbed him at the waist, knocked him off of Emmet and pinned him hard against the floor. Emmet coughed a bit, while trying to suck in a breath of oxygen. Brett gasped a little at this girl's incredible strength. Colm helped his friend into a standing position. Colm could feel Emmet trembling slightly, in his protective embrace. They clearly could see Sherlock Holmes within this usually quiet and nice girl.

"You fucking bastard. You can insult me all you want, I don't care. But you will not insult my Father ever again, or so much as touch any member of the Celtic Thunder team or my friends; or so help me I will ask Mycroft Holmes to throw your ass in jail. Are we clear on that?" she demanded, her face full of hate and determination.

Brett glared, not in the least intimated by her threat. He glances at the locket that Raye was wearing. He smirked a little. It looks like he just found her second weakness.

"Fine, but this isn't over, Holmes. We'll just see how brave you are when He begins his game."