...I already forgot my 100/1000 format. XD

So, here is the re-posted Chapter 110...thanks for being patient with me!

People Watching

After dinner was fruit and dessert wine that left John's mouth feeling warm. Sherlock pointed out family members.

"My grandmother, Helen," he said, pointing to an elegant woman with white hair. "The triplets- Alexander, Geoffrey, and Liza- are visiting from Geneva. The one in the pajamas is my cousin Eva and the one next to her is her sister Rachel, and the one whose hair looks like an unplowed field is Nigel, Rachel's fiancee."

John was taking mental notes. "Alexander, Geoffrey, Liza, Eva, Rachel, Nigel," he repeated, smiling when he saw Nigel drawing patterns on Rachel's forearm with his fingers.

Sherlock, at John's request, went through every other family member seated at the table (barely taking a breath between names and descriptions, John noted with amusement) and pointed out in particular his favorite cousins: a lanky, smartly-dressed young man no older than thirty and his teenaged sister.

"Marco and his sister, Marian," said Sherlock, pointing to the pair sitting next to each other. Something that was common with the Holmes family, John was beginning to realize, was the stark difference often found between siblings. Marco was dark-haired and dark-eyed and obviously cared very much about his appearance, as every detail about him seemed clean cut. He wore a very precise midnight blue suit and had his dark hair swept black from his face. He was talking quietly to his little sister.

Marian was a strawberry blond slip of a girl wearing a jumper-dress and a hoodie. While Marco was a bit more swarthy-skinned, she had the same natural pallor as Sherlock. She couldn't have been more than nineteen years old.

"What makes them your favorites?" John asked Sherlock, observing the two. They acted no differently from the rest of the family as far as he could tell; they ate their food and talked, and once Marian checked her mobile and tied her hair back into a ponytail. She had one piece of hair that kept falling out of her hair tie and it clearly annoyed her.

Sherlock shrugged. "They never fail to interest me."

xXxXxXxXx

After the meal the family went to the spacious living room. John was rather transfixed by all the portraits of the family and the enormous crystal chandelier but Sherlock quickly pulled him about, saying hello to his family and introducing John as his flatemate, assistant, and friend.

John had never felt so shy under the gazes of Sherlock's family. Anita would check up on the two of them, always treating John as if he were a part of their clan or as if he'd been coming with Sherlock to family gatherings for years.

John was able to see a resemblance; most of the Holmeses had dark or red hair, and blue eyes seemed to be a common trait. Most were fairly tall, and almost all of them- married or biological family- had high, sharp cheekbones.

Like is attracted to like, I suppose, thought John, disregarding laws of magnetism and admiring the noble features of Sherlock's clan.

After he'd been introduced to everyone present (he'd taken a special liking to Aunt Violet, who'd pinched his cheek and called him a "handsome bloke"), Mycroft sauntered up to them.

"Where's your umbrella?" asked John, which earned him a scathing glance from the elder Holmes brother.

"Yes, quite amusing," sneered Mycroft. "Have you become acquainted with the family, then?"

John glanced around. "More or less."

Sherlock said, "I'm going to get some water; Mummy always keeps it too warm." He tossed a look at his brother over his shoulder and said, "Don't bother him too much, Mycroft."

John chuckled and Mycroft stayed quiet, preening himself and removing a loose thread from his suit.

"There is one person I haven't met that I can think of, though," John said after a moment's thought, looking back to Mycroft.

"And who might that be?"

"Your father."

Mycroft smiled. "Ah, yes. David Holmes."

"David?"

"What makes you sound so surprised, John?"

"…With children named 'Mycroft' and 'Sherlock' I assumed at least one parent would have a bizarre name."

Mycroft actually did smile at that and told John, "My brother and I were named after many-times great uncles. Quite old-fashioned names, yes, but not for the nineteenth century."

"I'd never appreciated a boring name like John, but meeting you and Sherlock has made me appreciate it a little more."

Mycroft's eyes were scanning the room over his nose. "Father should be coming in any minute now. He got home a few moments ago; Mummy made her exit so she could go talk to him while he got changed."

John glanced around; sure enough, Anita had disappeared. "Sherlock says your father looks more like you."

Mycroft smirked. "That is true. Sherlock inherited our mother's…beauty. I rather take after our father's looks."

Sherlock returned, sidling up to the two of them through the crowds of talking family members, Marian in tow. "Father's home," he said to Mycroft.

"You're a little late; I already told John about it," said Mycroft smugly.

Sherlock sneered and pulled Marian towards John. "John, Marian wanted to ask you about medical school."

"By all means," said John, brightening up. "Looking to go to Bart's, maybe?"

Marian nodded. "I was hoping to. Uncle David told me I have the mind for it and it seems interesting enough."

"It can't just be 'interesting enough', you've gotta love it," said John with a wink. "What's it like being a cousin to him, Marian?" he asked, jerking his head at Sherlock.

"Call me Mary, everyone but Sherlock does. I got lucky because my father married into the family so my last name's different, so I don't get extra attention at school for being a Holmes."

"Oh, what's your last name?"

"Morstan."

"Ah, there's father. John, come meet my father," said Sherlock. "Marian, talk to him later."

"Nice talking to you, Mary," said John as Sherlock practically dragged him towards his parents.

"Father," said Sherlock as he approached his parents. "I want you to meet my flatmate, assistant, and...best friend, John."

Prompt was from Javien Deluke, and it was: unplowed. (Javien gave me a HUGE list of prompts- thank you!)

Yeah...that's a twist on Mary I'd never heard before so I figured I'd try it. Kind of want to see what the reaction is cos I really like Mary, actually, even though Sherlock/John is OTP for me.