12

The team were there within minutes, slamming in like the keystone cops, even managing to have Owen falling through the door as Gwen screamed like a banshee.

"I thought we agreed, no alien tech was to leave the bloody hub" Jack growled as the canon-gun swung from Tosh's hip.

God, she looked like something from a sci-fi comic book and Jack grinned with pride as she calmly adjusted it on her hip and eyeballed the two men clustered to one side.

"Stand down" Ford said softly as he walked into the room, "It's just my baby brother and his minion, sorry … doctor."

"Really?" Owen strutted forward in full bantam rooster mode, "Of what!"

"Medicine" John spluttered with surprise as he was forced back against Sherlock.

"I know you" Owen wagged a finger in his face, "Watson, right? John Watson. You were an Army Medic or some shit. I remember you in the hospital when you had to get your shots."

"Dr Harper?" John spluttered as he looked closer at the face leering at him.

"Shit" Owen stepped back, "John. How are ya me old china!"

"Bloody hell!" John gaped, "You fell off the face of the earth after your fiancé died, it was like … oh."

Ford was glowering as he watched the flicker of pain cross Owen's face and gave a sharp huff that stopped the conversation.

"Enough" he said loudly, allowing Owen the grace of a retreat while everyone else looked at him in the doorway.

"You've grown since last I saw you" Sherlock said and Jack opened his mouth to say it was just the other night then realized that was not what he meant.

"So, this is your pseudo pack?" Sherlock motioned at the team and Ford bristled.

"This is my family" Ford finally answered and his brother flinched, even though there seemed to be no anger in the words. He not just claimed the same with Watson?

"I told him that I was looking for a tailor." Sherlock paced as he looked at pictures of Ianto and Lisa, Ianto and Jack, Ford and …

Sherlock leaned in and raised an eyebrow as he looked at himself as a child on his brother's lap.

"Where did you get this?" he whispered with awe.

"Why are you here!" Ford demanded, "Really, why now, at this time of night."

"I was testing your defenses and ... well, no. I was bored. we were on a case and followed the lead to a nightclub, turned out to be a false alarm, the husband was not cheating on her at all, and the panties she found were his, but I really want to say …"

Sherlock leaned in close, "Where did you get that picture?"

Ford looked at Jack and then shrugged, looking back to his brother.

"Do you really think there were no pictures of us in existence?" he said softly, "Do you really think they didn't keep tabs on us little brother?"

"What?" Sherlock bristled, "Are you telling me that was from a Unit file?"

"No" Jack answered, "A Torchwood one."

"When T1 fell, Toshiko here managed to get in past the failing firewalls and retrieve a lot of the archives that had been digitally backed up." Ford explained, "That was in my file. Once I forgave her for peeking, she gifted it to me."

Sherlock turned and looked at the Asian woman still eyeballing him, even with the gun facing the floor.

"But, I still don't understand" Sherlock frowned, "You are answering my question with a partial. Come on Ford, you taught me better than that. I know when you are skirting something."

"Leave it" Ford warned.

"No!" Sherlock was getting angry, "How did they get the bloody thing!"

"It was given to them. Of course" Ford slumped as he gave away the hurt, watching it take hold in his brother's eyes instead.

"Mycroft" Sherlock whispered, then closed his eyes as he looked away.

"No"

Ford walked to the window and looked out over the city as his brother's reflection stared at him.

Was it easier to tell a mirror image in a sheet of glass?

No.

Nice try though, right?

Ford turned looking hard at his brother and Sherlock finally grasped what was not being said.

"If not him, then it must be her" he muttered to himself then looked at Ford for denial.

"No" Sherlock wailed as he looked at his brother and saw the sad truth.

"It was to stop me ever escaping" Ford explained as he watched his brother grieve silently, "It was the only way I would stop fighting them. That photo. The proof that they knew of you. Mycroft agreeing to a truce in return for me, you were the threat. If I did not agree, it would be you instead."

Sherlock was shaking and John rushed to him, only to be pushed away as Sherlock snarled.

"All this time, I have hated him so"

"Yes. You had to. That was part of his penance. You see? You understand?"

"I understand!" Sherlock huffed, "Oh yeah. Deceit in our family flows like bloody wine."

"Mycroft did not betray me, he merely agreed to the betrayal" Ford said sadly as he remembered the shameful disowning.

"It was her."

"Yes Locky. It was Mother."