Family Reunion

by Mnemosyne's Elegy

Sequel/companion to "Patchwork Family". A year and a half after van Zieks builds a family with the children left behind in the wreckage of the Professor and Reaper cases, Susato and Ryunosuke return to England for a long-awaited visit and family reunion. They are understandably puzzled by the new dynamics. The letters haven't done it justice.

1. Susato (1)

.

Susato (1)

---

Barok looked up as the door to his office swung open and narrowed his eyes when he noted the beaming grin on his apprentice's face. Such a wide smile could mean Asogi was happy about something. More likely, it meant that he was excited to deliver some mocking remark to his long-suffering mentor. Barok braced himself.

"Good morning!" Asogi said cheerfully.

Last week it had been 'Good morning! For a moment, I had thought London was having an unusually bright and sunny day, but I see I was mistaken. It's all storm clouds and gloom in here.' The week before that it had been 'Good morning! Oh dear, why are you making that face? Didn't your mother ever tell you that if you keep making faces like that, eventually it will get stuck that way? Oh, wait. I guess it's already too late.'

Barok could forgive these weak, insipid jabs because Asogi's brain was never functioning at full capacity so early in the morning. His apprentice's commentary generally became more creative throughout the day.

But this morning, no delightful witticism was forthcoming. Asogi crossed the room with the slightest bounce in his step and dropped to the floor in front of his low desk. Barok frowned suspiciously at his back.

"Where's the rest of it?"

Asogi twisted around. "The rest of what?"

"The rest of your insightful morning commentary. No 'It's a good thing I ate breakfast already because your grim expression always sours my appetite' this morning?"

Asogi barked a quick laugh. "No, not today. Today you look perfectly adequate."

Barok's frown deepened. This somehow seemed more insulting than any of the others.

"I'm pleased to meet your exacting standards for once," he said dryly. "Why are you so chipper this morning?"

"Aren't I always chipper in the morning?"

"Only when you've dreamed up a new way to insult me. I'm guessing this is something else, unless you're saving your perspicacious observations for later. Although this would defy the usual limits of your patience."

Asogi snorted loudly. "Not everything is about you. Can't I just be in a good mood?"

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," Barok muttered, looking back down at the report on his desk and returning to his perusal. "I was only asking."

"Oh, don't sulk. I'll tell you if you want to know. It's not a secret."

"I don't sulk," Barok said, affronted. "That's rich coming from the man who didn't speak to me for three days after I didn't let him lead the case he wanted."

"I was perfectly qualified to lead that case, and you know it! You were just–" Asogi broke off and shook his head. "Well, never mind. Let's not resurrect that old argument again. Anyway, if you must know, I'm in a good mood because I received letters from Ryunosuke and Susato yesterday."

"Oh?" Barok said politely. "And are they faring well?"

"Yes, they're doing very well." The corners of Asogi's mouth tipped up in something of a smirk, the indignation of only a moment ago already forgotten. His eyes seemed to sparkle, laughing at Barok for some unknown joke. "Although if you're curious, you could always ask them yourself."

"…That won't be necessary. I am satisfied with knowing that much, and you are perfectly able to ascertain that on your own."

"No, you really should ask them. They sent word that they're visiting London. They should be here two months from now."

Startled, Barok searched his apprentice's face, but Asogi looked too genuinely cheerful for this to be one of his jokes. He wasn't quite sure what to make of this. The thought of seeing Naruhodo and Mikotoba's daughter, Susato, again produced a strange, uncomfortable, somewhat queasy feeling.

Barok couldn't quite put his finger on what unsettled him about the prospect. Maybe it was just that he wasn't proud of how he had treated them the last time they were in London, and while he was a different person now than he had been then, he wasn't sure how he should approach them given their history. Or maybe it was that they had saved him and he owed them a life-debt, and that put him in an uncomfortably vulnerable position. Maybe it was just that he feared Naruhodo would be as annoying as he'd always been, and it would no longer be appropriate to say so.

Whatever the case, Barok had the feeling that the visit would be its own kind of stressful.

"Oh, really?" he said. "That's nice. You're excited to see them?"

"Of course!"

"And you're…ready to talk to them?"

"What do you…? Oh."

There had only been a short window between the return of Asogi's memories and his friends' departure from England, and letters could only do so much. Well-versed in his apprentice's avoidant tendencies during periods of emotional turmoil, Barok guessed there was a lot Asogi had never said.

"If there's anything still left open, they might want to discuss it," Barok said neutrally. "They haven't seen you in person in a long time."

Asogi sighed and scrubbed a hand across his face. "I know. The truth is… I wasn't in a good place the last time they were here, and… I kind of avoided them until they left England. I mean, I met with them a couple of times before they left, but I was avoiding having any deep conversation about the things I'd been doing or feeling. I wasn't exactly proud, after all. But it's been, what, a year and a half since then? I'm doing much better now, and I've had time to process a lot more. We've had some good conversations through our letters, and for the rest… I think I'm in a better place to be open and honest with them. I'm sure there's a lot we have to talk about."

A faint smile ghosted across Barok's face before vanishing as quickly as it had appeared. "Yes," he said. "You've come a long way. You'll do fine, as long as you give it a chance."

Asogi wasn't the same furious, seething, grieving boy who had asked Barok to continue mentoring him through gritted teeth. He had learned to ground himself, slowly moving past the self-imposed chains holding him back to reach out to people again. More than Asogi's sharp wits and soaring prosecutorial skills, Barok was proud of him for this.

Asogi wrinkled his nose, his gaze sliding away. "Yeah, yeah. Anyway, it should be lots of fun. Just make sure you behave yourself while they're here."

Barok supposed this jab was somewhat justified. "I will be on my very best behavior."

Asogi was largely useless for the rest of the day. No matter what task he was given, he would eventually lose focus and start daydreaming again. After the third or fourth time, Barok gave up correcting him and let him be.

This might have been easy enough to ignore, except that Baker Street was in a state of high excitement too when they arrived for dinner that night. It seemed Iris had received a letter of her own, and Barok resigned himself to the fact that Naruhodo and Susato's impending arrival was to be the topic of the night and possibly the next two months.

"It will be so nice to see them again!" Iris gushed. "It's been such a long time! We're going to have lots of fun!"

"Oh, yes," Lestrade said cheerfully as she helped Iris set the table for dinner. "Sooze is the best. And 'Oddo is the perfect mark. Wouldn't notice ya dippin' in 'is pocket if you announced it to 'is face first. I bet I'll lift all sorts of interestin' bits an' bobs."

"I thought you were on the straight and narrow now," Barok said, biting back a smile.

"I'll make an exception for 'im. It's practically criminal to pass up such an easy target."

"I think it's more criminal to rob someone blind."

"Eh, only if yer real uptight about all them rules."

"…Which would be an admirable quality for an upstanding Scotland Yard detective."

"Good thing she's not a full-fledged detective yet," Asogi said. "She's still got some time to play fast and loose with the rules before she graduates."

"Yeah, you 'eard 'im," Lestrade said. "I ain't no stuffy, uptight dee just yet. I got principles, sure, but 'Oddo 'ardly counts. 'E won't mind."

Sholmes nodded sagely. "I'm sure Mr. Nauhodo will be pleased to see that you are keeping your pickpocketing skills sharp. After all, I believe you told him that you were leaving the diving life behind you to be a proper, rule-abiding detective. I'm sure he'll be relieved to know that you didn't change so much after all."

Lestrade frowned, her brows drawing together. "Er… Rats! I bloody well did say that. Guess I wouldn't want 'im to think I've gone back to me old ways after everyfin' 'e did to 'elp me out. But 'e'd realize it's just a bit o' fun, wouldn't 'e?"

Barok shook his head in amusement. For all his absurd antics and ridiculous non sequiturs, Sholmes had a way of obliquely getting his point across. With any luck, Naruhodo's valuables would be safe from his light-fingered friend.

"Is being robbed fun?" Gorey asked with an air of deep consideration.

"Er…" Lestrade scratched her head and exchanged a look with Asogi. "Maybe not in the most literal sense, no."

"Then why would he think it's fun?"

"Uh…"

"It's like when Gina swipes things from the manor and Lord van Zieks pretends to be annoyed but is actually glad to be rid of the stuff," Asogi explained. "It's like a game."

"I wasn't aware Miss Lestrade was stealing things from the manor," Barok lied. "That would be inappropriate for a detective-in-the-making. She's on the straight and narrow now, remember? That is a rude and baseless accusation to level at your friend. The kind that deserves an apology."

"Yeah!" Lestrade said. "You 'eard 'im, 'Soggy. Rude and baseless! I'm real offended and all. This 'ad better be a real good apology."

Asogi rolled his eyes. "Oh, come off it. Like we don't all know about your silly game."

"I don't play games, Mr. Asogi," Barok said gravely. "That would be unprofessional."

"Except for chess!" Iris broke in. "You're very good at chess."

"Chess is not a game. It is a cunning display of strategy and–"

"It is the most delightful of games!" Sholmes said loudly, his entire face lighting up. "What a lovely checkered field to play on, and the pieces are quite charming. I especially like the little horses."

"They are knights, Mr. Sholmes."

Barok could feel his blood pressure spiking and was very sorry that Iris had ever brought up the subject. She had asked him to teach her how to play on a whim after stumbling across a very old, very expensive, very beautifully carved chess set during her explorations of the manor. Barok's father had taught him how to play with that board, and it was one of the clearest memories he had left of the man. While he had not minded showing Iris how to play, he had not been pleased when Sholmes joined the lessons and ignored every rule, moving the pieces however he liked and cheating with abandon. This had culminated in a bishop being tossed gaily across the room in a demonstration of how the board was an unnecessary encumbrance to gameplay, and the resulting chip gouged into the piece had put Barok in a very bad mood.

"They look like horses to me," Sholmes said. "Perhaps if you would resume playing with me, I might learn such fine nuances."

"Maybe once you provide your own chess board so that you don't deem it necessary to damage mine."

They made it through the rest of dinner in this manner, bantering lightheartedly and discussing their days. But afterwards, when they had helped Iris clean up the kitchen and settled down by the fire in the sitting room, the conversation came back around full circle. Iris, Sholmes, Asogi, and Lestrade discussed increasingly improbable things they would have to do with their Japanese friends when they arrived. Barok privately thought it sounded like Naruhodo and his assistant would scarcely have time to breathe if Iris and her cohort insisted on even half these plans, but he had nothing to contribute to the conversation and kept his thoughts to himself. Gorey evidently felt much the same. She perched on the chair next to his, observing the rest of the gathering expressionlessly.

"There's just so much to do," Asogi said with a sigh. "We really need to convince them to stay twice as long."

"Why don't you take some time away from the office while they're here?" Barok suggested, finally sensing something he might be able to assist with. "I can surely keep up with the work on my own for a few weeks."

"And let you run yourself into the ground again?" Asogi scoffed. "Not likely."

"You should take advantage of the limited time you have. I'll have plenty of time to handle casework."

"No, you won't," Iris said. "Haven't you been listening? We have lots of plans."

Barok felt a slight chill of foreboding. "Yes… Plans with Mr. Naruhodo and Miss Mikotoba. And while you're off entertaining them, I would be happy to pick up the slack."

"Don't be silly, Uncle Barry! You're joining us too!"

Barok grimaced. "I really don't think–"

"They're gonna think yer avoidin' 'em," Lestrade said. "And you were already mean enough last time they were 'ere, I reckon."

"They aren't coming to visit me. I think it would be more inconsiderate to infringe on their stay. I will, of course, welcome them back to London with you, but then I will be happy to leave them in your care."

Asogi laughed. "You're not getting off that easily. You'll have to participate sometimes, at least."

"That's right," Iris said firmly. "They're staying upstairs, you know. Just like last time. So whenever you come to tea or dinner, they'll be here too. And I know you wouldn't avoid us for weeks just because you're uncomfortable around Susie and Runo."

Barok felt the walls closing in around him like a cage, cutting off his escape routes. While he had anticipated that he would run across Naruhodo and Susato on occasion during their stay because of the shared company they kept, he hadn't quite yet come around to the conclusion that they would be there every time he wanted to spend time with his niece and companions. Their little London family gathered frequently, and there would be no way for Barok to beg off joining them for weeks even if he wanted to.

"Ah," he said, noncommittal. "No, I don't suppose so."

Iris nodded, satisfied, and went back to brainstorming activities with the rest of the group.

Barok was content to fade back to the background with his uneasy thoughts. When Wagahai poked her head around the corner, he wiggled his fingers and summoned the cat to him like magic. She hopped into his lap and curled into a ball, and he stroked her absently as he observed everyone's fevered excitement from the sidelines.

"You don't want them to visit?" Gorey asked as she reached over to pet Wagahai behind the ears.

He glanced at her sidelong. "It's not that. I'm glad everyone will be able to see their friends again after all this time."

She considered this. "But you aren't glad to see them again."

"It's…not that, exactly. It's only that I'm not actually friends with them. In fact, most of our interactions were…not positive, and I was not kind to them. So it is a little awkward to be expected to act as if we are long-lost friends too."

"I'm not friends with them either," Gorey volunteered. "I only talked to them a few times, really. I wanted to cut Naruhodo up, but Mama said I couldn't. I suppose that wasn't very kind either. I might have made them uncomfortable."

Barok smiled a little despite himself. Gorey had made great progress over the last year or so, slowly learning how to communicate and connect with others and, even more slowly, learning how to interpret their thoughts and feelings.

"We'll figure it out," he said. "It's a bit like… Like if you had extended family come to visit. Some cousin you've never actually met but who everyone else knows. It might be a bit awkward, but you have to make an effort because they are important to the people you care about and therefore important to you as well, even if not on a personal level. It could be very uncomfortable, or maybe you'll have a good time if you give it a chance. Truly, I think they would be happy to befriend you if you let them."

"Cousins, huh?" Gorey mused.

"Metaphorically speaking."

Barok thought Gorey might benefit from this visit as well. He was sure Naruhodo and Susato would welcome her into the fold, the same way they had befriended Iris and Sholmes and Lestrade.

Barok sighed, his gaze sliding back to the group laughing around the fire. They were happy, and he was pleased for them, but he felt out of place in a way he hadn't in quite a while. This was something he couldn't really share with them. It was a part of their lives he had not been present for and could not relate to. Once Naruhodo arrived, he would be especially out of his depth. Barok had made a place for himself here, but he certainly did not belong once Naruhodo and Susato joined the mix. It wouldn't be fair to them to insert himself and make them uncomfortable after his previous poor conduct, and the thought of facing them in a personal setting rather than across the courtroom was no less uncomfortable for him.

But it was only for a few weeks. He might see them across the table for a few dinners or teas, but beyond that, they could have a nice visit with their friends. And he could get some work done and pick up Asogi's slack.

He could admit to some curiosity about what Naruhodo and Mikotoba's daughter had been up to back in their home country, and he thought it was the least he could do to give them a proper welcome and perhaps a proper apology as well. They had saved his life after all, and he was grateful to them for it. He was not displeased at the thought of seeing them again, merely uncomfortable. And he hoped their stay in London was pleasant.

But selfishly, he was already looking forward to when things would go back to normal.

---

Susato crowded at the railing with Naruhodo when England came into view on the horizon.

"There it is," she said, smiling at the gray outline in the distance.

"Finally," Naruhodo said, leaning out alarmingly far over the railing. "It's about time. You'd think the trip wouldn't seem as long if you weren't squished into a closet, but it's still long."

Having now made this trip three times, Susato could agree, although she had no personal experience with living in a wardrobe. She had spent several months of her life on a ship at this point, and she was eager to set foot on dry land again.

"It will be nice to get off this ship and see everyone again," she agreed. "Just think, Naruhodo-san! In a few hours, we'll be snugly ensconced in Baker Street once more with some wonderfully unique tea and warm company. I'm sure that will make the journey worth it."

"Yes, of course it– Ah!"

Naruhodo broke off as a spray of water splashed over the deck and slapped him across the face. It would be impolite to laugh, but Susato covered her smile with her hand as he wiped frantically at his face. His normally rather spiky hair drooped pathetically, dripping seawater.

"Are you alright, Naruhodo-san?" Susato asked solicitously. "It's unfortunate that everything is already packed so that you can't freshen yourself up, but perhaps you'll dry off by the time we make landfall."

"I doubt it," Naruhodo said glumly, plucking at his damp jacket. "I guess I'll just arrive in London looking like a drowned rat."

"You don't look like a drowned rat. Just a little bedraggled, that's all. Here, I have a cloth in here somewhere… Maybe you can dry off a little."

Sadly, the damp air combined with another mist of sea spray ensured that Naruhodo still looked half-drowned when the docks came into sight, but this was quickly forgotten as they searched for their friends on shore. A number of bustling, colorful shapes began slowly coming into focus, and Naruhodo leaned over the rail to squint at them while Susato hung back and observed from a safer distance.

"I see them!" Naruhodo nearly shouted, gesturing wildly in the direction of the docks. "Do you see? Iris is that little one there. You can see her pink hair all the way from here. So that must be Sholmes there, and I think that green one is Gina. Oh, and Kazuma, of course. Still wearing white, I see. It makes him stand out, at least."

Susato considered the indistinct blurs of color before nodding. "Yes, I think you're right. How exciting! It's starting to feel real."

It had been over a year and a half since she'd last seen her friends in London, and although she had been looking forward to it for months, perhaps it had all still felt rather theoretical until this moment when they were nearly close enough to touch. A wild surge of excitement spiked through her as reality began to sink in, although she was careful to keep it folded away behind a demure smile.

As the ship drew closer to shore, the small figures waiting for them came into clearer focus. Iris bounced up and down on her heels, beaming and waving gaily, while Sholmes threw back his head and laughed uproariously at something someone—or, perhaps more likely, something he himself—had said, although it was a soundless gesture from this distance. A black dog wriggled in Gina's arms while she and Kazuma watched the ship pulling in, their mouths moving silently as they talked.

Two more unexpected figures stood a little off to the side, observing more than participating.

"Is…? Is that Doctor Gorey?" Susato asked. "And…Lord van Zieks?"

It was a rhetorical question, of course. It would be impossible to mistake such distinct people. Gorey still wore her blindingly white lab coat, and van Zieks was still a tall, imposing shadow of a man.

"Wow, sure looks like it," Naruhodo said with a nervous chuckle. "I wasn't sure we'd be seeing them quite so soon."

It wasn't that their presence should be a complete surprise. Susato had read all of Kazuma's letters a dozen times, the pages worn soft from handling, and she had received reams of letters from Iris as well, along with a smattering from Gina and Sholmes. She wasn't entirely unaware of everything that had transpired in her absence, and she had known that van Zieks and Gorey had become intimately entwined with Kazuma and the others. But it still felt strange to see them there waiting.

"That will take some getting used to," she murmured.

She had a hard time wrapping her head around what van Zieks might be like when he was trying to be friendly. They had parted on better terms than they'd met on, but she had a difficult time envisioning the cold, bitter, cunning man as anything like a friend, no matter how Kazuma's letters might suggest it between the lines.

"Maybe it won't be so bad," Naruhodo suggested hopefully. "You don't think he'd come all the way to greet us just to start insulting us the moment we set foot on English soil, do you?"

"Perhaps not," Susato conceded. "But I'd say it's more likely he's here because of Kazuma-sama or Iris than because of us."

"…Ah. That would make sense. I…suppose we'll be seeing more of him outside the courtroom during our visit… It sounds like he spends a lot of personal time with everyone now. So… I guess we should hope for the best and make the most of it."

Susato privately felt that Naruhodo was still a touch too charitable and forgiving, but he wasn't wrong either. She had not forgotten all the slights and callous contempt from last time, but it would make things very awkward if she were to dwell on them now. In any case, even if she didn't entirely trust van Zieks to be civil and didn't particularly like him on a personal level, she did respect him and felt a sense of connection from that last terrible case when they had been allies. She wished him all the best. It was only that she preferred to wish him well from afar.

But she wasn't going to let this shadow cast a pall over their arrival. She focused on her friends instead, waving excitedly as they drew closer.

When the ship finally docked, she snatched up her bag from the deck beside her and hurried to disembark, following closely on Naruhodo's heels.

"Runo!" Iris squealed, darting forward. "Susie!"

She hurtled into Naruhodo with what looked like the force of a freight train, enough to make him drop his bag and stumble back as she threw her arms around him. Susato wisely took the opportunity to set her own bag down and was more prepared when Iris whirled on her next.

"Hello, Iris," she said, hugging the girl back. "It's nice to see you again."

"Finally!" Sholmes said. "It has been too long since I've heard your infamous 'just one thing'! I'm afraid none of these fellows are such good sports in the great dance of deduction. It has been dreadfully dull without you. What took you so long?"

"Er, sorry?" Naruhodo said. "It's a long trip, you know, and we–"

"I see you are as full of excuses as ever!" Sholmes barked a loud laugh, warm in its familiarity. "And as always, perpetually running behind schedule."

"What? But–"

"Oh, very clever, Mr. Sholmes," Susato said. "Yes, we are half a day behind schedule, but I'm afraid it wasn't Mr. Naruhodo's fault. We were delayed by a storm last week."

Sholmes opened his mouth, but Iris whacked him on the arm.

"That's enough, Hurley," she said severely. "They've only been here for a minute and you're already bothering them! At least let them get settled in first."

"Very well," Sholmes sighed. "Since Mr. Naruhodo is always late anyway, what is one more half-day? Fear not, we shall continue this debate at supper!"

Naruhodo heaved a sigh rather than looking pleased at the reprieve, which Susato thought Sholmes had been very generous to offer given his usual impatience.

"Don't worry," Iris whispered, leaning in closer. "I'm sure Hurley will forget all about it by dinner time."

"Oi, get outta the way already!" Gina barked, shouldering roughly past Sholmes. "You ain't the only one who's gotta say 'ello, you know!"

Iris obligingly stepped aside before receiving a shove of her own, and Gina thrust the dog in her arms towards Susato and Naruhodo. Toby barked louder than his mistress, yapping and wagging his tail as he strained to reach them with his tongue.

"Gina!" Susato said. "It's so good to see you! And Toby as well."

"That's Chief Inspector Toby to you!" Gina shot back promptly with the rote force of habit, as if she spent a good deal of time taking people to task for ignoring her dog's title. "It's real good to see ya! Been waitin' two bleedin' months now, 'aven't I? Real shame the trip takes so long. You should've come back sooner. Oi! 'Oddo! You ain't still scared of Toby, are ya? 'E wouldn't 'urt a fly, ya know. Last time was bad luck, it was. Just don't topple over."

Naruhodo chuckled nervously from where he'd leaned away from Toby's questing tongue. "Ah… He's gotten a bit bigger, hasn't he? He already bowled me over when he was half this size."

"Gave you a good knock on the 'ead, 'e did!" Gina said proudly, scratching the dog behind the ears. "But it ain't 'is fault you fell. Reckon a stiff breeze could blow you over."

Susato started to laugh but paused when Kazuma moved just behind her friend. Sensing the shifting of attention, Gina glanced back over her shoulder and then stepped aside.

Susato's fingers curled against her palms, nails biting into her skin, and when she tried to swallow, it felt as if her heart had lodged in her throat. Kazuma stared back at her, a myriad of expressions flashing across his face in quick succession, and she found that she couldn't read the lines of his face as well as she had when they were just children, before so much had come between them. Or maybe she had begun losing the ability earlier, when he had begun plotting his English misadventures. Who was this stranger wearing her brother's face, she wondered.

Then he smiled, something a little softer than usual but with a hint of that old boisterous cheer, and the tightening in Susato's chest eased. No matter the distance between them, no matter what else had changed, he was still the boy she had grown up with, the one who had been like a brother to her, and if he wasn't exactly the same as he had used to be, then maybe she wasn't either.

He reached for her, pausing to give her the chance to decline the gesture, and she stepped forward to meet him. His arms wrapped around her snugly, and she tucked her head under his chin, closed her eyes, and hugged him back. They did not often broach the polite, appropriate distance between them, but the warm, solid weight of him was a comfort. He didn't melt away like an illusion beneath her fingers, and she squeezed tighter just to prove he was real.

"It's very good to see you again," Kazuma murmured.

"I missed you," Susato said, alarmed to feel hot tears pricking at the corners of her eyes.

It had been hard to think Kazuma was dead for a year, and harder still to leave him behind right after finding him again and seeing how he was struggling. Some nights, she still sat up in bed, wide-eyed and sleepless, simmering with guilt and wondering if it had been selfish of her to return to Japan with Naruhodo. She didn't regret the choices she'd made, precisely. She was happy with the direction her life was taking. It was just that sometimes she wished there had been a choice without such an obvious downside.

"I missed you too," Kazuma said. "I can't wait to hear about everything you've been up to." He released Susato and threw an arm around Naruhodo's shoulders, giving him a rather impish grin. "And it's nice to see you too, partner. Maybe we'll find another opportunity to pit our skills against each other. I hope you've been keeping sharp."

Naruhodo grinned back. "I hope you aren't underestimating me."

"Of course not. You've more than proven yourself already."

"It's really good to see you. You look…much better."

Kazuma offered a lopsided grin. "I am."

"I brought you–" Naruhodo's hand reached for the hilt of the sword sheathed at his hip, but Kazuma shook his head.

"Not yet," he said softly. "I want you to see first. If it's time."

If I'm worthy of it again went unsaid. Susato's heart twisted, but she didn't protest. They would have to wait to return Karuma when Kazuma was ready.

"Come on, Mary!" Iris said brightly. "Come say hello!"

Gorey blinked at Iris and then looked up at van Zieks standing beside her. Only after he nodded did she slink forward a few paces to peer at Susato and Naruhodo.

"Hello," she said, and then paused expectantly.

Susato exchanged a look with Naruhodo, who looked very bewildered as to what he might talk about with the rather morbid coroner.

"Hello, Doctor Gorey," Susato said graciously. "I'm pleased we'll have more of a chance to get to know each other while we're in London this time. We've heard a lot of good things about you."

Gorey tilted her head in a rather birdlike manner, expression utterly blank and eyes flat. Despite her best efforts, Susato shifted uncomfortably under the scrutiny.

"…Perhaps a few more words than just 'hello'," van Zieks prompted in a low voice.

Gorey looked over her shoulder at him and then nodded. "Yes, it will be interesting to see you more. You have a very nice bone structure, very defined–"

"What did we talk about?" van Zieks asked.

Gorey puffed out her cheeks, giving her expressionless features a suddenly childlike cast. "Don't talk about bones or organs, and don't ask to cut anyone open. At least not on the first day. But I wasn't only talking about her bones, just that they make her face nicely symmetrical. I thought complimenting people's faces was supposed to be good."

"I'm sure she is very flattered, but perhaps we could keep our compliments above the skin for the time being."

Gorey fixed her flat gray eyes on Susato again. "You have very nice skin too."

Van Zieks sighed and brought a hand to his face to hide a look of abject exasperation only previously rivaled by his reactions to Naruhodo's courtroom ploys. Gina guffawed loudly, and Susato managed an uncertain smile even though she found the coroner's interest in her skin nearly as unsettling as her interest in anything below it.

"Um, thank you," she said.

"You'll get used to it," Kazuma said, grinning. "She means well."

"You too, Uncle Barry!" Iris said. "Don't be shy. Come say hello."

Naruhodo breathed out a quick huff of air like aborted laughter and mumbled, "Could you imagine the great Reaper of the Bailey being shy?"

Susato had enough experience with his under-the-breath mutterings to know the question wasn't directed at her, and at least he had been quiet enough this time that she hoped van Zieks hadn't overheard. Kazuma snorted, though, and one of van Zieks's eyebrows ticked upwards, which didn't seem promising.

Van Zieks regarded Susato and Naruhodo with a guarded, calculating expression that felt familiar in its cold impassiveness aside from a lack of overt contempt. No one said anything for a long moment. It seemed that none of them really knew what they should say to each other.

Finally, van Zieks cut a low bow that seemed more courtly than mocking. "Welcome back to London, Mr. Naruhodo, Miss Mikotoba. I hope your stay will be a pleasant one."

Kazuma scoffed. "Always so dramatic."

"…It wouldn't kill you to learn some manners, Mr. Asogi."

"Perhaps I'd learn faster if you demonstrated them consistently instead of only when it suited you."

Van Zieks glared at him.

"Thank you," Susato said hurriedly, hoping to forestall whatever argument might be brewing. "That's very kind."

"Fancy seeing you here!" Naruhodo blurted out and then winced.

Susato bit back a sigh. For a moment, she felt an unexpected spark of kinship with van Zieks. It seemed like both of them were failing to stop their companions from blurting out awkward things.

"Pray forgive the discourtesy of intruding on your homecoming," van Zieks said without any discernible change in his expression. "I'm afraid my presence was insisted upon quite emphatically."

Naruhodo flushed. "That's not– Uh, I didn't mean–"

He was saved from his floundering by a sudden flurry of barking and Gina's surprised yelp as Toby wriggled free of her grasp and launched himself down the dock at a cluster of gulls, which scattered at his approach.

"Toby!" Gina called after him. "Toby, stop! Come! Come!"

"Didn't I tell you to put your dog on a lead, Miss Lestrade?" van Zieks asked irritably.

"I'm tellin' ya, 'e don't like bein' on a leash! And 'e's trained an' all. 'E usually listens these days. I don't get why 'e always listens to you and ignores me whenever 'e feels like it!"

"You have to be firmer with him. I told you, you have to keep up with maintenance training. Cover your ears."

Gina slammed her hands over her ears without question, followed in quick succession by everyone besides Susato and Naruhodo, who were caught off guard.

"You'd better do it!" Kazuma said a little too loudly, his hands pressed to his ears.

Susato covered her ears just in time. Van Zieks put two fingers to his mouth and let out a long, two-toned whistle that was piercing even muffled behind fingers.

Toby had already made it a good distance away and was wrapped up in a loud frenzy of barking and squawking, but his ears pricked up at the sound of the whistle and his head snapped around. Yipping loudly, he came charging back towards them, pawsteps thundering against the wooden planks, and jumped up at van Zieks to paw at his legs. Van Zieks leaned down, producing a leash as if by magic and clipping it to the dog's collar.

"Here," he said, snapping his fingers at Toby until he dropped back to all fours and then handing the leash to Gina.

Gina took it automatically, looking too puzzled to protest. "Since when d'you carry a leash around?"

"…If you would carry one, I wouldn't have to. He's your dog."

"Well, 'e seems to like you better." She cast a disgruntled look at Toby, who strained at the leash in an attempt to sniff at van Zieks's boots. "Maybe you'd better 'old on to 'im."

"No dogs in public," van Zieks said, crossing his arms over his chest. "You know the rules."

Gina rolled her eyes. "Oh, get over yerself."

Kazuma snorted. "Like that will ever happen." Shaking his head, he looked back at Susato and Naruhodo. "I brought you a little welcoming gift, but…"

Susato couldn't help but smile. "You forgot it?"

Kazuma sighed. "I'm getting as bad as Ryunosuke."

"Hey…" Naruhodo mumbled.

"Here," van Zieks said, producing a small package wrapped in paper from his pocket and handing it to Kazuma.

Kazuma gave a little start as he took the box. "What…?"

"You left it on your desk. It would have been a shame to forget it after you wasted no less than an hour and a half trying to wrap it when you were supposed to be working."

Kazuma huffed out a laugh. "Nothing gets past you, does it? Well, since Lord van Zieks has kindly rescued your gift, I guess you can have it now."

Naruhodo had barely taken possession of the box when Sholmes burst back onto the scene.

"But what could be in the mysterious box?" he asked. "What extraordinary gift might lie within? Fear not, my good man, for I will tell all! Mr. Naruhodo, if you would kindly join me in my logic and reasoning–"

"Absolutely not," van Zieks cut in with finality. "No one wants to do one of your ridiculous dances within ten minutes of disembarking after a long sea voyage."

"Actually…" Susato murmured, having missed Sholmes's keen deductions. Then she caught sight of Naruhodo's pained expression and decided to give him a break. They would be staying with Sholmes for weeks, and she was sure they'd have plenty of chances to be dazzled by his intellect and mystery solving.

"Don't hype it up," Kazuma said, wincing. "It's not exactly an extraordinary gift. Just something small."

"Even the smallest of boxes can contain the greatest of treasures!" Sholmes said. "For example–"

"There is a very quick and easy way to solve the mystery," van Zieks said. "Why don't you just let Mr. Naruhodo unwrap it?"

"Where's the fun in that?" Sholmes asked, shaking his head. "My dear fellow, you do suck the enjoyment out of everything."

"Yes, that's what I'm best known for. I'm sure you will have plenty of other opportunities to showcase your dazzling buffoonery when I am not around to spoil your fun."

Susato bit down on her lip and looked between the two men while Naruhodo shifted uncomfortably beside her. Everyone seemed to banter and bicker so much that she couldn't tell when they were joking around and when they were really getting under each other's skin, and she had a hard time imagining van Zieks joking around. She hoped he and Sholmes weren't about to pick a fight right here on the docks.

"Behave, Hurley!" Iris said, materializing beside Sholmes and hooking her arm through his firmly. "It's bad manners to ruin the surprise of someone's gift! Let Runo and Susie open it."

Naruhodo tore into the wrapping to reveal a selection of the prettiest confections Susato had ever seen.

"How lovely!" she said, marveling at the brightly colored sweets. "We weren't able to try anything so fine last time. Not that we would need to, of course, with Iris always cooking for us."

"It's not much," Kazuma demurred. "But I thought you'd like something a little nicer after all that bland ship food, and this is something consumable that won't take up more space when Ryunosuke starts buying a hundred trinkets to lug back to Japan."

"Hey…" Naruhodo mumbled.

Susato laughed. "Your reasoning is as impeccable as ever. We will certainly enjoy these. Perhaps we could share them at tea?"

Kazuma shrugged. "They're yours to do with what you'd like."

"Not to rush you or anyfin'," Gina said, "but I reckon we're in the way 'ere. 'Ow about we 'ead back to Baker Street for that tea now?"

Susato noticed quite suddenly the hustle and bustle as people rushed back and forth to disembark or unload the ship and was embarrassed to have been forcing everyone to part around them.

"If you'll allow me, I'll take your bags," van Zieks offered.

"That's really not necess…ary…" Naruhodo trailed off as van Zieks picked up the bags at their feet, one in each hand, and started back down the dock.

The weight didn't seem to bother the prosecutor, even though Susato had tried lifting Naruhodo's bag once and nearly wrenched her arm out of its socket. It was undoubtedly full of very unnecessary things.

"I assume your trunks will be delivered to Mr. Sholmes's residence separately?"

"Yes," Susato said, following after him. "A porter will be bringing them by later this afternoon. Thank you."

"Mr. Asogi, would you hail us carriages? We'll need two."

"Sure," Kazuma said. "I'll ride with Ryunosuke and Susato."

"Me too!" Iris said quickly.

"Wait just a second!" Gina said, scowling. "Why can't I ride wiv 'em? I 'aven't seen 'em in ages either."

"Oh, yes," Gorey said, fixing Susato with another unsettling stare. "I haven't brought any knives this time."

"What a splendid idea!" Sholmes exclaimed, clapping his hands together. "We can all cram into one carriage and have great fun! Iris, my dear, if you sit on your uncle's lap and we squeeze all of the youngsters onto the other bench, we should all fit."

Naruhodo shot a panicked look at Susato, who guessed it was her job to nip this in the bud.

"I'm not sure–" she started delicately.

"Absolutely not," van Zieks said. "You are not going to squeeze eight people, one dog, and two suitcases into a single carriage. May I suggest that Mr. Asogi, Miss Lestrade, and the Chief Inspector ride with Mr. Naruhodo and Miss Mikotoba?"

"Aw, but I want to ride with them too," Iris said, pouting.

"They will be staying with you and Mr. Sholmes, so you will see them more often than any of the rest of us during their stay. I think it would be generous of you to allow their other closest friends in London to ride with them this time."

Iris still looked displeased. "I suppose that's true, but…"

"I see." Van Zieks glanced off to the side, his voice softening. "If you would rather not ride with me, I understand."

"Oh, it's not that!" Iris said, reaching to hug him while his hands were occupied with luggage and he couldn't defend himself. "Of course I'll ride with you."

Susato and Naruhodo goggled at the display, while Kazuma and Gina snickered.

"Did 'e just use the puppy-dog eyes on Iris?" Gina hissed.

"Must be payback for all the times she twists him around her finger," Kazuma whispered back.

"Ha! They've got the same blood for sure."

"But I didn't even bring any knives," Gorey wheedled.

"Pretty sure she just wants a crack at you while van Zieks isn't there to stop her from asking nosy questions," Kazuma added to Susato and Naruhodo in a low voice, eyes sparkling. "I'm sure she has plenty of questions about Japanese bodies since I won't let her cut into mine."

Susato shuddered at the thought. The idea of relying on van Zieks to keep someone behaving civilly towards them felt very strange.

"I cut my hand this morning," van Zieks said. "Maybe you'd like to take a look at it in the carriage?"

"Wot d'you do that for?" Gina asked.

He scowled at her. "It was an accident."

Gorey perked up, her otherwise flat eyes suddenly shining as she focused in on van Zieks's hands fisted around the handles of the travel bags, staring intently as if she might peel back his gloves with her eyes. "Is it very deep? Did it bleed a lot? Can you see the bones?"

"No, yes, and not unless you stick a knife in it."

"Can I see?" she asked, reaching for him.

"In the carriage," van Zieks said firmly. "And where do you think you're going, Mr. Sholmes? You're with me."

Susato started in surprise as she noticed that Sholmes had been using the cover of chaos to tiptoe behind her and Naruhodo, shrinking down as if to hide behind them.

Now he burst from his cover, waving a finger in van Zieks's direction. "I shan't be trapped in the boring carriage!"

Van Zieks closed his eyes. "Iris and Doctor Gorey are not boring, Mr. Sholmes. You may have your fun with them and ignore me."

"Even still! I think–"

"I'd think you'd be eager to trap me in a moving box where I can't get away from your ridiculous deductions about what happened to my hand this morning."

Sholmes froze in a somewhat comical fashion and then grinned. "You'll listen to my great deduction?"

Van Zieks heaved an incredibly world-weary sigh. "At least there's no room for your prancing about."

"Marvelous!" Sholmes crowed, darting back towards van Zieks. "We must away at once before he changes his mind!"

Kazuma chuckled as he shouldered past van Zieks to run ahead and hail the carriages. "Really taking one for the team, huh?"

Van Zieks cut a dour look his way. "You owe me."

Susato caught Naruhodo shooting a puzzled glance her way and shrugged. She found the partly controlled chaos equally baffling, or at least van Zieks's role in it.

"We'll see everyone shortly back at Baker Street," she reassured Iris and the others. "Thank you for solving the carriage puzzle, Lord van Zieks."

He waved her off and started after Kazuma. "It's like herding cats," he muttered under his breath.

Susato smothered a laugh behind her hand. It seemed an apt description. Van Zieks suddenly put her in mind of a harried, rather grumpy cat corralling a litter of willful, rambunctious kittens trying to run off in every direction. Beneath the chaos and sniping, there was something oddly domestic about the entire affair, in the way he knew exactly what to say to convince the others to cooperate and predicted their behavior. It was entirely at odds with the grim, solitary, mistrustful adversary they had met last time.

Everyone seemed so comfortable with each other, their bickering falling into well-worn patterns and their laughter easy. The way Kazuma and Gina exchanged knowing looks and whispered commentary… The way Iris flitted between everyone with a wide smile, as comfortable pressing against van Zieks's side or tugging at Gorey's hand as she was with skipping along beside Sholmes… These were things that had been hinted at in letters, but it was different to see them in person. It was nice, Susato thought, to see them happy. She had been terribly worried about leaving Kazuma behind, and everyone else had been in an unsettled state as well, reeling from their own losses and tragedies and uncomfortable discoveries. She was glad they had been able to band together and recover.

Two carriages were hailed and loaded with a great deal of fuss and loud debate, and then Susato finally had the chance to catch her breath as she settled beside Naruhodo, across from Kazuma and Gina. Toby wriggled excitedly on the seat next to Gina, stretching out his neck to sniff in Naruhodo's direction.

"Down, Toby," Gina said. "Lie down."

Toby subsided with a little huff, flopping over halfway in her lap.

"So he does listen sometimes," Naruhodo observed.

"'E's usually good. Them birds just got 'im all worked up. The boss trained 'im up real good, so 'e knows loads of tricks and things now. I'll show you all of 'em when we get back to the flat."

Susato frowned and exchanged a look with Naruhodo, who mouthed 'The boss?' but thankfully didn't mumble it aloud this time. Susato was equally puzzled. She was certain that was what Gina had called Gregson, and she doubted the late inspector had been training Toby recently.

Kazuma only laughed. "I guarantee the second Ryunosuke and Susato leave, he's going to start making you do training sessions with him and Toby again. You've been slacking off recently."

Gina wrinkled her nose. "Oh yeah? Well, I bet I can get out of 'em."

"Oh, you're on. He's not going to let you off so easily."

"Er…" Naruhodo ventured uncertainly. "Lord van Zieks?"

Kazuma and Gina blinked at him in surprise.

"Obviously," Gina said. "Who else is there?"

"I know it must seem a little odd," Kazuma conceded. "But trust me, he's a big softie if you can get past the other stuff, and he loves animals. I'm pretty sure he likes Toby and Wagahai better than us."

"Better than you, maybe," Gina huffed.

Kazuma coughed a laugh. "Oh, you think he likes you better than me, do you?"

"Obviously. Why wouldn't 'e?"

"Er…" Naruhodo started. "If he likes animals so much, what did he mean about 'no dogs in public'?"

Kazuma and Gina sobered, exchanging a glance.

"You could probably guess if you thought about it," Kazuma said, his mouth slanting into a severe line.

Susato had found the comment odd in passing too, but there had been enough other noise and chaos to quickly draw her mind away. Now she took a moment to consider it, and it finally hit her.

"Is it…?"

"'E don't like bein' seen playin' wiv Toby in public cos of the whole thing wiv, you know… The Professor an' all that."

"He's very conscious of public appearances," Kazuma added. "Sometimes to a rather paranoid degree, but I guess I can't blame him. It's been less than two years since he was finally cleared of the Reaper stigma, and even less than that since he finally started letting go of it himself." He managed a smile and lightened his tone as he said, "But he fawns over Toby and Wagahai behind closed doors. It's hilarious. He might be too embarrassed to do it in front of you yet, but you might catch him if you pay attention."

Gina snorted loudly. "Just be careful, cos 'e'll be watchin' you right back, and 'e don't miss much."

"That's a fair warning. He notices everything, even if he doesn't say anything right away. Believe you me, it will come back around to bite you once he decides it's time to bring it up. Between him and Sholmes, it's impossible to get away with anything."

"Those two are the worst," Gina muttered. "Read you like a book. Dunno which is worse… Sholmes makin' a game of it or van Zieks pretendin' 'e don't see until 'e springs it on you."

"Them learning how to get along is possibly the worst thing to ever happen," Kazuma said with a sigh. "It's all well and good when they're bickering, but they're scary when they team up."

Susato had a hard time imagining Sholmes and van Zieks teaming up for anything with their bold, clashing personalities. In particular, van Zieks had never seemed willing to tolerate Sholmes's shenanigans, and Sholmes certainly could not bring himself to do much of anything without some shenanigans thrown in.

"They both seem very perceptive," she conceded. If they did work together, she could see why they would make a formidable pair.

"Reckon they're both still alive over there?" Gina asked cheerfully, peering out the window in an attempt to catch a glimpse of the other carriage. "I bet the boss 'as already 'alf-strangled Sholmes."

"Not in front of Iris," Kazuma said. "But I'm sure he's at the end of his rope already." He grinned at Susato. "Trust me, we're in the good carriage. At least you don't have to listen to them snipe at each other the whole way. You'll get used to it. We've planned out tons of things to do while you're here."

"But we can't tell you yet," Gina said. "Or Iris will be annoyed that we didn't wait for everyone else. And wotever you tell us, yer gonna 'ave to repeat to them too."

"But we'll be there in a few minutes. Enjoy the relative quiet while you can."

Susato took that to mean they were saving anything important to talk about until later, so she contented herself with polite chitchat for the time being.

When they arrived at Baker Street, she stepped out of the carriage and looked up at the building, her mouth twitching into a smile. It all felt very familiar and homey, and she had missed this flat and city and the people in it.

This sense of peace did not last long, as the other carriage pulled up beside them. Van Zieks stepped out the second the wheels rolled to a stop, his face thunderous. Sholmes seemed as buoyant and incorrigible as ever, but Iris was tugging at his arm and whispering to him sternly as they disembarked. Of course, nothing showed on Gorey's face to give any indication of what had transpired.

"Uh-oh," Kazuma said, smirking. "I take it the deduction didn't go well?"

"There was dancing," van Zieks said through gritted teeth as he retrieved the luggage. "And all manner of prancing about. And worse, constant toppling over onto the rest of us every time the carriage lurched. Not even Iris could convince him to sit down."

"Come now, my dear fellow," Sholmes said cheerily. "I already apologized for stepping on your toes. And knocking your head into the wall. And falling in your lap."

Van Zieks closed his eyes and let out an impressively angry-sounding breath through his nose. Gina cackled with abandon.

"You almost squished Mary too!" Iris said severely, bracing her hands on her hips. "And I'm pretty sure you elbowed Uncle Barry in the face. You're lucky we didn't kick you out and make you walk home!"

"Oh dear," Susato murmured. "That sounds quite stressful."

"Are you alright?" Naruhodo asked, his keen gaze fixing on van Zieks's hands strangling themselves tightly around the bags. "I think you're bleeding through your glove."

Susato had to look more closely to spot the small red blotch spreading along the side of the prosecutor's glove. Naruhodo was as observant as ever.

"I'll live," van Zieks said crossly. "No thanks to that lot."

"What happened?"

"Aha!" Sholmes said loudly. "I can tell you that! Our good friend lost a fight this morning with–"

"With a letter opener," van Zieks said through gritted teeth. "Stop making up ridiculous stories."

"Poor thing," Kazuma said. "Who hurt your hand enough to start it bleeding again? Did Maria pry it back open, or did Mr. Sholmes's clumsiness do the trick?"

"…Both."

"I didn't bring any knives," Gorey said, looking displeased. "So I couldn't see very deep. But I pulled the skin a little wider to see better, and then Sholmes came careening into us and…"

Susato shuddered at the thought.

"I'll clean your hand back up and bandage it again, Uncle Barry," Iris said kindly. "Let's go inside."

"We can take our bags," Naruhodo said quickly, reaching for the suitcases.

"It's fine," van Zieks said, following Iris inside and taking the bags with him. "I'll put them upstairs while Iris sets up tea."

He started up the stairs, and Susato and Naruhodo followed after him, assuring their friends they would be back down after showing van Zieks where to put their things.

"I'll be in the room on the end," Susato said, pointing at the door separating her old room from the rest of the attic. "If, ah…"

"I know," van Zieks said, depositing Naruhodo's bag on the ground. "Iris has been very diligently preparing everything for your arrival. Would you like me to put your bag inside or leave it at the door? I understand you are a bit…private about your personal space."

"Oh," she said, flushing. Somehow, it hadn't occurred to her that everyone might have been telling van Zieks things about her and Naruhodo as much as they relayed things about him. "You can put it inside. Thank you."

Van Zieks did so and then returned, shutting the door behind him. He stopped short as if just noticing that his companions were standing between him and the stairs back down.

"Thank you for your help," Naruhodo said earnestly. "I hope…that we'll have the chance to have some good times together while we're here."

Van Zieks's expression didn't change discernibly, but Susato got the sudden feeling that the apparent coldness was masking a pinch of discomfort.

"I have promised to be on my best behavior," he said. He paused and added, "I…should apologize again for my previous poor conduct. It was inexcusable and will not be repeated. I understand if there are hard feelings or you would prefer I keep some distance. I won't be around for your entire visit, as I have work of my own to do, but I expect I will be conscripted into participating in certain dinners and activities. I apologize for the discomfort this might cause."

Susato felt her eyebrows rise in surprise and hurriedly beat them back down. "No, that's alright. I'm sure we'll have a lovely time. We've heard a lot about you over the past months."

Something flickered briefly in van Zieks's face. "I feel I must inform you that everyone downstairs is prone to exaggeration and flights of fancy. Aside from Doctor Gorey, who, you may have already realized, is exceedingly literal."

"Only good things," Naruhodo hurried to reassure him. "Or, er, mostly good things."

"Even still." Van Zieks pressed his lips together in a thin line before adding, "You may find that I am not the same person you remember, but neither am I entirely different. A lot has changed since you were here. I hope we may meet each other on more equal footing this time, although I cannot guarantee you will find it entirely pleasant even so. But I trust Iris and the others will make up for it."

Susato wasn't sure how to respond to that. It was more earnest and conciliatory than she would have expected from him.

"Not to worry!" Naruhodo blurted out. "You seem entirely different to me! I mean, er… Not in a bad way, just…"

Van Zieks passed a hand over his face. "You, on the other hand, seem exactly the same."

Susato sighed and shook her head.

"Sorry," Naruhodo said with an awkward laugh. "My mouth runs away with me when I'm nervous."

"Then pray forgive the discourtesy of intimidating you."

Naruhodo winced. "That's not–"

But van Zieks was turning away, his gaze trained on the floorboards across the room. Susato had no idea what he was looking at until he walked over and crouched down in front of a chair. The very tip of a tail peeked out.

"There you are," he said, reaching out a hand low to the ground and wiggling his fingers. "Come here, Miss Wagahai."

Wagahai popped her head out from beneath the chair, and van Zieks scooped her up and regained his feet.

"Wagahai!" Susato said, delighted.

Without thinking, she went to pet the cat. Van Zieks pulled his hand away to give her access, and she scratched beneath Wagahai's chin until the cat closed her eyes and began to purr. Only then did Susato glance up to find herself staring straight up at van Zieks's frozen expression and realize exactly how close she had gotten.

She stepped back, flushing at her own rudeness in crowding his personal space. He was somehow even larger and more imposing up close than from across the courtroom.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I–"

"Wow, has she gotten bigger?" Naruhodo asked, pouncing forward to pet Wagahai with enough enthusiasm to make her tail flick with building annoyance. "No, maybe not. I think maybe she's exactly the same."

Van Zieks seemed to lean ever so slightly backwards, but there was little he could do while clutching Wagahai to his chest, short of stepping away from the onslaught. Susato grabbed Naruhodo's arm and tugged him back.

"Don't crowd him!" she hissed in his ear. "That's rude."

He blinked at her in bewilderment. "But you–"

"It's fine," van Zieks said, clearing his throat. "You may take her if you'd like. I expect she was hiding because we made so much noise coming in, but she's fine now. You'd think she'd be used to all the noise and chaos by now, living with Mr. Sholmes as she does, but cats are skittish creatures."

He caressed Wagahai around the ears once more and then held her out in what Susato perceived to be a rather reluctant fashion, which made her feel even worse.

"No," she said, "you can–"

Naruhodo swooped in to scoop Wagahai up, grinning widely. "I think she remembers us!" he said, holding her up in front of him to get a better look. She pinned her ears back and sniffed at his face, nose and whiskers twitching. "Yes! She can probably tell from smell, don't you think?"

Susato sighed. Van Zieks cringed noticeably.

"Not like that," he said. He wrapped one hand around Naruhodo's wrist and supported Wagahai's dangling hind legs with the other, maneuvering until the cat was more securely tucked against Naruhodo's chest instead of hanging suspended in midair. Satisfied, he retreated several paces and folded his arms across his chest, his hands tucked away as if to show that he wouldn't go grabbing Naruhodo again. "My apologies for manhandling you. It's only… It can hurt her to hold her beneath the arms like that without supporting the rest of her weight. Also, if you annoy her enough, she may scratch you, so… You might consider being a little more gentle."

Naruhodo gaped openly. "Oh! Sorry, I didn't realize."

Susato hid a smile. She was starting to see what Kazuma had meant about van Zieks being soft on the animals.

"We should head back down before someone sends a search party up," van Zieks said. "They'll think I've scared you out the window."

Susato gave a surprised laugh and cast a searching look his way before nodding and turning to retreat down the stairs.

The sitting room was a scene of cheerful chaos as everyone milled about and talked loudly. Iris was serving tea and whacking Sholmes's hand when it darted out to sneak yet more scones. Toby had been set loose to careen about the floor looking for attention and crumbs, the leash trailing behind him. Kazuma and Gina followed after him, making grabs for the trailing leash, but he evidently considered this a game, yipping playfully and keeping just out of their reach. Gorey had retreated to the farthest chair to observe the hullabaloo from a safe distance.

Van Zieks sighed, stepping past Susato at the bottom of the stairs and going to take control of the chaos. When he told Toby to sit, Toby sat. The leash was easily retrieved and tucked back into a pocket, and van Zieks bent to give the dog a good rub before snapping at Sholmes to quit taking fourth servings and suggesting that everyone sit down already.

This was easier said than done, as the room seemed far more cramped than Susato remembered now that so many people were crammed into it. She squeezed onto the sofa beside Naruhodo and Kazuma, while Iris perched on the arm of Sholmes's chair. Gina volunteered to sit on the floor with Toby, and van Zieks was given his own chair next to Gorey.

Finally, once everyone had finished jostling for position, they passed around the tea and snacks, marveling politely over Iris's creations. Then Iris remembered van Zieks's hand, and the two of them disappeared for a short time to rewrap it. Gina used the opportunity to show off all the tricks Toby had learned, everything from sit to shake to speak, roll over to beg to fetch. Fetch was a particularly memorable demonstration, after she borrowed Sholmes's pipe and lobbed it across the room with abandon, shattering a vase in the process.

"'E knows a few more too," she said as she hurriedly swept the broken porcelain into a dustpan. "The boss taught 'im to spin in circles and 'eel and bow and all that. And obviously all the basics like stay and wait and come, although 'e sometimes ignores you if 'e don't feel like listenin'."

"That's very impressive," Susato said. "Are you sure you don't need some help cleaning that up?"

"Nah, I've got it."

"I can't believe you broke the vase Lady Atherbury gave me after I solved the case of her missing poodle," Sholmes lamented. "Or was it the case of the stolen diamond brooch?"

"Neither," Iris said, appearing in the doorway and observing the scene with a weary shake of her head. "I bought it in a nice china shop to display pretty flowers, and it took me ages to save up enough money."

"I'm sure we could find you another," van Zieks murmured, filling the doorway behind her, and she offered him a smile.

"I'm sorry," Gina said contritely, shame-faced. "I didn't mean to break yer vase." She paused, considering. "But it was Sholmes's pipe that broke it, so in a way, it's really 'is fault."

"I beg your pardon?" Sholmes asked, affronted. "I let you borrow that in good faith, entirely unaware of what devilry you'd use it for! And now it has teeth marks in it as well!"

Iris laughed. "That's what you get for always using your absurd excuses to shift blame, Hurley. Now Ginny's picked it up too."

"It's not the same when she does it!" Sholmes said, and there was a chorus of laughter as everyone took their places again.

"Actually, it's entirely the same, isn't it?" Gorey wondered aloud, her brows drawn together in thought. "Didn't you just break a vase at the manor last month and blame Lord van Zieks for having purchased such a breakable item?"

"There has been an unfortunate campaign against vases lately," van Zieks said gravely, and something about the complete seriousness of his expression in contrast to his words made Susato stifle a laugh.

Gina and Kazuma bickered with Sholmes for a few minutes longer while van Zieks and Gorey faded quietly to the background, watching more than participating besides occasionally leaning in to say something to each other. Then Iris interrupted the squabbling to ask Susato and Naruhodo how their trip had been and detail all the hundred things she wanted to do while they were in London, and the others pivoted to this new topic of conversation.

Susato watched the group with fascination as they talked. Iris and Sholmes seemed nearly the same as ever, if perhaps a touch more excitable with more friends around to interact with, but everyone else was noticeably different. Kazuma was more like the boy she remembered from her childhood, more cheerful and wickedly witty than the seething, aching shell they'd left behind in England. Gina was comfortable with everyone, more openly trusting and happy than she'd been back when she mistrusted most people, adults especially, and viewed the world through the hard-edged, suspicious lens her life in the streets had taught her. Gorey's flat manner was the same as ever, but she could talk about things other than bones and bodies and the joys of autopsy. Van Zieks was different too, although it was harder to get a read on him. His serious, unamused manner hadn't changed, but the old anger and hatred were tucked away beneath the blank veneer now, and there was something just a little bit softer about him, visible in flashes when he stroked Wagahai with careful gentleness or met Iris's gaze across the room.

London and Baker Street still felt familiar, like a home away from home, but time had changed the people here, subtly redirecting them to grow in different directions, and Susato couldn't help but think that this visit would be somewhat different from the last. In a good way, maybe, or at least not a bad one. She was looking forward to getting to know these new versions of her friends and acquaintances.

---

Susato and Naruhodo slept late the next day, recovering from weeks of poor sleep on the ship. They still woke well before Sholmes, who didn't make an appearance until the crack of noon. This gave them plenty of time to eat a leisurely breakfast with Iris and unpack their trunks, which had been delivered the previous evening.

Iris sat on the corner of Susato's bed, swinging her legs and chatting gaily.

"I thought we could stay in today," she said, raising her voice loudly enough for Naruhodo to hear through the door. Now that Susato was making the room her own and setting out her things, it was off limits to men again. "I'm sure you want to rest after your journey. Or we can walk around town if you want to stretch your legs. I'm sure being stuck on a boat must have been dreadfully dull after a few days."

"That sounds nice," Susato said as she hung her clothing in the wardrobe. "It would be good to settle in a bit."

"Sounds good to me," Naruhodo said, his voice muffled through the door. "If we start going stir-crazy, maybe we can browse a few shops."

"Are you looking for souvenirs already?" Susato asked disapprovingly. "We've not even been here a full day yet! At that rate, you'll never be able to fit everything in your trunk when it's time to go."

"Oh, don't talk about leaving already!" Iris said. "You only just got here."

"I'm sorry. You're quite right."

Iris brightened again. "It will be fun! I'm sure Hurley will enjoy showing you all the projects he's been working on. Just don't drink anything he offers you, and if he starts waving around any sort of aerosolized compound, keep your distance and don't let him near your eyebrows. Some of them have been a bit more flammable than he anticipated."

"I'm not sure I like the sound of that," Naruhodo muttered. "I suspect I'd look very strange without eyebrows."

Susato laughed. "Don't worry, Mr. Naruhodo. I'll draw them back on for you. Iris, do you think Kazuma-sama will be by today, or is it only us?"

"Oh, I expect he'll be here soon. Ginny too. I asked them to wait until the afternoon in case you wanted to sleep in. Uncle Barry and Mary are working. They're very busy. Uncle Barry told Kazu he could take a leave of absence while you're here and he'd handle all their cases by himself. Ginny has a few days off work too, but she can be called in whenever she's needed. But even if they start going back to the office, we'll still see them in the evenings. And we'll have lots of time to ourselves during the days! I have lots of things I want to show you!"

Susato had to smile at the younger girl's enthusiasm, and she was cheered by the thought of seeing the rest of her friends soon.

Then Sholmes woke up, shattering the relative peace of the morning, and they were treated to a rousing violin concerto and two full deductions before Kazuma and Gina arrived with Toby in tow. They gathered for lunch and chatted about what everyone had been up to recently.

The flat felt considerably less crowded without van Zieks and Gorey huddling in the corner to pet Wagahai and exchange commentary in low voices, but when the rooms did start feeling small again, the group made an excursion to explore a few new shops that had opened in the past year and a half. Susato was in such a good mood to see all the familiar buildings along with the new ones that she didn't even comment when Naruhodo un-stealthily purchased souvenirs when he thought she wasn't looking.

"Maybe we should start thinking about dinner soon," Naruhodo said finally. "I'm starving."

"You're always starving," Kazuma said, and Naruhodo's stomach growled loudly as if to punctuate the point.

"I know!" Iris said. "We can have dinner at the manor. There's way more space there, and it won't be as cramped as Baker Street."

"The… The manor?" Naruhodo asked. "As in…Lord van Zieks's manor?"

"Who else d'you know who's got a fancy manor?" Gina asked. "Introduce me, will ya? It pays to 'ave rich friends."

Susato felt a shiver of trepidation herself. Van Zieks had been polite yesterday and everyone else seemed to like him well enough these days, but she couldn't help still being a little leery. It was one thing to meet him at Baker Street or on neutral ground, but the thought of going into his private domain was intimidating.

"Have you…actually asked him if he's alright with that?" she asked. She didn't recall anyone touching the topic last night, and the last thing she wanted to do was show up at van Zieks's home uninvited.

"I'll send a message to the office," Iris said cheerfully. "He won't mind."

"Er… Are you sure we shouldn't at least ask first?" Naruhodo asked apprehensively.

"Don't worry so much, 'Oddo." Gina punched him in the arm with so much affection that he gave a little yelp and rubbed at the point of impact. "The boss is used to us comin' by all the time now. We've got a standin' invitation. We go whenever we like, an' 'e sighs a bit sometimes, but it don't really bother 'im any."

"We make sure to take advantage of his generosity as much as possible!" Sholmes said, baring his teeth in a grin. "We save lots of money now by eating his food!"

Kazuma barked a loud laugh. "Mr. Sholmes grows a second stomach whenever someone else is paying for the food. Much like Ryunosuke."

"Hey…" Naruhodo mumbled.

"The more you eat at your rich friend's house, the less of your own food you have to eat at home," Sholmes said wisely.

"You still eat just as much at home," Iris said.

"Ah, but you don't! So we are still saving money!"

Iris shook her head at him and suggested they get going. Despite their reservations, Susato and Naruhodo had little choice but to follow.

They took a carriage to a large, imposing manor house. Susato thought it looked very pretty from the outside, with lovely architectural flourishes and well-manicured landscaping, but she couldn't imagine what someone would do with so much space.

The second they set foot back on solid ground, Toby took off running across the lawn, barking up a storm.

"Toby!" Gina called after him. "Toby, come!" When Toby was too busy barking at a bird to pay her any mind, she sighed. "I wish the boss would teach me 'ow to do that bleedin' loud whistle. That always gets Toby's attention. Once 'e starts barkin', it's like 'e don't even 'ear you anymore."

She put her fingers to her lips and blew out a few sharp, experimental breaths, but only managed to produce a series of wheezing, slightly squeaking sounds.

"Why won't he teach you?" Susato asked. "I thought he was teaching you how to train Chief Inspector Toby."

"'E says I'd be a right menace if I learned 'ow to do the loud whistle," Gina said crossly. "An' that I'm already enough of a pain wivout it."

Kazuma laughed. "He's right, too. You would be driving us all crazy, whistling all the time just to annoy us."

Gina tried to tamp down the corners of her mouth to hide her smile. "Why, that's rude and baseless conjecture, that is."

"He won't teach me either," Sholmes sighed. "He seems to think I would use it to startle him."

"Maybe if you didn't like sneaking up on people so much…" Iris said.

"But I don't sneak up on him anymore! Or not very often. Not all the time, at least. He doesn't like it, and I, being the supportive friend I am, mostly listen to what he says some of the time."

Susato found it difficult to untangle exactly what this might mean, but it was giving her the impression that Sholmes was not as wholly innocent as his original statement might have suggested.

"You would be a worse menace than Gina," Kazuma said.

Gina drew in a deep breath and roared, "Toby!"

Toby stopped barking at the bird and looked over his shoulder, head tilting and ears pricking.

Kazuma winced. "Not that you need a whistle to be super loud…"

"Toby, come!" Gina called before grinning and adding, "I've been told I 'ave a powerful set of lungs. The boss knows I'd be unstoppable if I could do that fancy whistle too."

Toby bounded back over, tongue lolling as he panted and pawed at Gina's leg. When she told him to sit, he sat, and she looked well pleased by it. He even deigned to trot politely at her side when she told him to heel and headed for the front door. Naruhodo hesitated and then followed, and Susato trailed a step or two behind the rest of the group.

A short woman with graying hair greeted them in the entry, casting a curious glance at Susato and Naruhodo.

"This is Mrs. Cooke," Kazuma said. "She's Lord van Zieks's housekeeper, and you had better be nice to her because she feeds us. Also because van Zieks will bite your head off if you're rude to her."

"And this is Susie and Runo," Iris added to the housekeeper. "They're going to stay for dinner."

The housekeeper offered an affable smile and a curtsy. "Pleased to finally meet you, Mr. Naruhodo and Miss Mikotoba. Everyone has been eagerly anticipating your arrival, and Lord van Zieks speaks highly of you."

Susato felt her eyebrows jump up in an unladylike fashion. "Does he?"

"Yes, of course. You did defend him against the Reaper accusations and save his life, didn't you? We're very grateful."

"Oh," Naruhodo said, taken aback.

"I told you," Kazuma said. "I think you'll find it easier to get along with him these days now that he's not purposely trying to scare everyone off."

"Would you send a note to the office to let Uncle Barry know we're here?" Iris asked the housekeeper. "Otherwise he might come home late and miss dinner."

"Yes, of course, Miss Iris," Mrs. Cooke said. "And I'll bring refreshments for you while you wait."

"Thank you! Come on, Susie, Runo! I want to show you around."

Everything felt so grand and opulent that Susato was even afraid to step on the rugs in case she managed to destroy an expensive artifact with a stray muddy footprint, but Iris and the others seemed entirely at home as they filed into an elegant sitting room. Even Naruhodo looked around uneasily instead of immediately giving in to his curiosity to poke around, although this could have been due more to his apprehension of van Zieks than an acute awareness of the wealth permeating their surroundings.

"This is the drawing room," Kazuma said. "Not to be confused with the sitting room or the parlor."

"Er… What's the difference?" Naruhodo asked.

Gina shrugged. "Buggered if I know. If you've got enough rooms, you've gotta come up wiv names for 'em all, I guess. Posh people problems."

"There is an excessive number of rooms," Sholmes said. "One might wonder how anyone could afford such wasteful opulence when the rest of us struggle with the greatest problem known to man each month, but–"

"Be polite, Hurley," Iris cut in. "Uncle Barry has been very generous with us. Didn't he pay the rent last month?"

"Only because he lost a very expensive bet."

"…I think you know he already figured out what happened to the missing food before you went through your deduction and miraculously 'found' it. It's not very sporting to contrive situations in your favor to make bets on, even if he humors you."

Sholmes laughed loudly. "My dear, who am I to comment on someone's unwise financial decisions? He is welcome to spend his coin however he pleases, as long as some of it goes towards keeping us fed."

Iris rolled her eyes.

"Never make a bet wiv Sholmes," Gina advised. "'E don't play fair. 'E's a dirty cheat, 'e is."

"Why, Miss Lestrade!" Sholmes said, affronted. "That's not a kind thing to say about someone!"

"Somehow, I didn't expect Lord van Zieks to be a betting man," Naruhodo mused aloud.

"He's not," Iris said. "But he feels like he should contribute to our household expenses since Hurley has been bearing the costs of raising me, and instead of working out a proper agreement like adults, they've come up with this game where Hurley makes up ridiculous bets every month or two, and Uncle Barry sighs and goes along with it and loses on purpose to justify giving us money without acknowledging what it's for."

Everyone stared at her, and she raised her eyebrows. "What? You truly haven't noticed? It's very obvious. Really, Hurley, did you think I wouldn't pick up on it? Why don't you just let him give you a stipend? I'm sure it would annoy him less."

"Hm," Sholmes said, frowning at her. "Well, you see, my dear, these are adult matters. It might not be appropriate to accept charity."

"I know you aren't too proud to accept charity."

He laughed suddenly, flashing his teeth in a grin. "You got me. It goes back to the adult urge to annoy your uncle as much as humanly possible. It's just more fun this way."

Iris sighed and shook her head, but Mrs. Cooke appeared a moment later with tea and snacks, which kept Sholmes occupied while the rest of them looked around.

"I did the decorating," Iris said proudly. "I made those curtains myself and redid the wallpaper and everything."

"Good thing, too," Kazuma said. "The place was a disaster before he let you have at it. Seriously, I've never seen a place so gloomy and grim."

"That's not very nice."

"But it's true."

Susato did find this room more inviting than the grand entrance hall. The windows let in bright sunshine, and the colors were softer and warmer.

"We mostly 'ang around in 'ere," Gina said, narrowing her eyes at Toby as he went sniffing around one of the sofas. "We've got the run of the place while 'e's out, but this is a good spot to sit an' chat. And the piano is 'ere, so we take our lessons 'ere too."

"That's right," Susato said, thinking back over the letters she'd received over the past months. "Lord van Zieks teaches you and Iris piano, is that right?"

"Yes!" Iris said, lighting up. "Ooh, we should play something for you! We've gotten really good. What do you think, Ginny? Should we play something?"

"Drat," Sholmes muttered as the girls trotted across the room to sit at the piano. "I should have brought my violin."

"A missed opportunity," Kazuma said with a straight face.

Iris and Gina played a few jaunty, cheerful tunes, and everyone applauded and agreed that it was very fine music. When they played duets side by side, Susato couldn't help but smile at the sight of them sitting straight-backed beside each other on the bench, fingers flying across the keys.

"That was lovely," she said when they got up and took a bow. "It's hard to believe you've only been playing for a few months!"

"Thank you!" Iris said brightly. "We'll ask Uncle Barry to play after dinner too. He's much better than us."

"It's them freakishly long fingers of 'is," Gina muttered. "Easier for 'im to 'it the notes."

Iris only laughed. "Whatever the case, he's very good. What are you looking at, Runo?"

Susato looked over to see Naruhodo squinting across the room. He gave a guilty start and laughed awkwardly.

"Oh, I was looking at the mantel. Are those…stuffed animals?"

Sure enough, half a dozen patchwork animals were arranged along the fireplace mantel, interspersed with several picture frames. Something about the animals' mismatched fabric and button eyes felt vaguely familiar.

"Oh, yes!" Iris said, grabbing Naruhodo's hand and pulling him across the room to take a closer look. "Mary makes them! We all have a couple by now, but she especially likes gifting them to Uncle Barry. They're quite close, you know. He puts them out here because he says we spend the most time in this room anyway, so it seems like the best place to display them. Isn't that sweet?"

Susato looked over the collection with interest. There was a dog, a rabbit, a bat that seemed like it wouldn't be out of place in van Zieks's office, a cat, and another cat that looked suspiciously like Wagahai with calico patches. It seemed out of character for van Zieks to keep a collection of stuffed animals, much less out in the open.

"She makes 'em for Chief Inspector Toby too," Gina said. "'E likes tearin' the stuffin' out, and she just makes 'im a new one every time. I'd be tweaked to 'ave me 'ard work ripped to shreds in front of me eyes, but she makes those things constantly for practice and doesn't mind."

"Practice?" Susato asked.

"She reckons it's good practice for sewin' up corpses."

"Oh."

"She did tell me that last time," Naruhodo said. "Maybe I blocked it out."

"But they're very nice gifts," Iris said firmly. "It's kind of her to put so much work into presents for us."

"Oi, I didn't say it wasn't!" Gina protested. "She made me a right cute copy of Toby. Spittin' image."

"That sounds nice," Susato said absently, but she was paying more attention to the picture frames now.

Each one was fitted with a photo of some combination of the group. There was a picture of Iris holding Wagahai while Gorey patted the cat on the head, one of Kazuma and Gina grinning victoriously outside the Old Bailey with Toby wagging his tail at their side, one of Iris and Gina sitting side by side at the piano, one of Kazuma laughing silently in the background while Sholmes gestured wildly, one of Iris and Sholmes leaning over some experiment while Gorey looked on with a hint of curiosity burning away her usual disinterest.

"You like the pictures?" Kazuma asked dryly. "Every so often, Iris or Mr. Sholmes starts lugging the camera around and bombarding us with photos."

"I helped Uncle Barry pick out some of the best ones while we were redecorating this room," Iris said proudly. "I think they turned out nice."

"Wow," Naruhodo marveled. "That's so… So, uh…"

"I told you," Kazuma said while Naruhodo searched for a word. "He's a big softie. We mostly spent time in this room when we first started coming over, so when he and Iris decided to redecorate, they really…made it our space, I guess."

"It's very sweet," Susato said, drifting a few steps farther to examine the rest of the pictures lined up between the plush animals. "It doesn't look like Lord van Zieks is in any of them, though."

"Hm…" Iris rose onto her tiptoes to get a closer look. "I guess not. He doesn't always like…being on display, I guess. But he's in plenty of pictures in the album. I mentioned the photo album in our letters, right? Every so often, we take more pictures and add them. I'll show it to you later. I think you'll like it."

"It is a very nice album," Kazuma said.

"We'll make an afternoon of it," Iris said. "Hm… I wonder when Uncle Barry will get here."

"Very shortly, I'd think," van Zieks said from the doorway, nearly making everyone jump out of their skins.

"Aha!" Sholmes said. "My dear, I posit that your uncle will walk into the room at any moment now!"

Van Zieks looked down at the floor, where the toes of his boots rested right on the threshold of the doorway. "For once, you are correct, Mr. Sholmes, although I question the usefulness of this particular deduction."

"Uncle Barry!" Iris said, her face lighting up. "I'm glad you made it in time for dinner."

"Although it's rude to sneak up on us," Kazuma muttered. "You'd bite our heads off if we did that."

Van Zieks looked down his nose at his apprentice. "I'm not sneaking anywhere, Mr. Asogi. I merely walked into my own home. It's not as if I popped out from behind a chair. I'm not Mr. Sholmes. I have standards."

Sholmes only shrugged. "Life is more interesting without them."

Van Zieks ignored him. "Well, I see everyone is here already. Mostly everyone."

Susato flushed and opened her mouth to apologize for intruding, but she was interrupted by Iris's sudden shriek.

"Mary!" Iris gasped, horrified. "I forgot to send her a message! We have to get her at once! We can call a carriage and keep dinner warm in the meantime. Oh, I feel terrible."

"I'm right here," Gorey said, and van Zieks stepped into the room so that she could pop through the doorway after him. "Lord van Zieks stopped by the lab to pick me up on the way."

Iris puffed out her cheeks and wagged a finger at van Zieks. "That wasn't very nice! You really gave me a fright!"

"I apologize," he said solemnly, and added to Gorey, "See? I told you it was a mistake. I'm sure they've had a busy day and it just slipped their minds."

Iris's hands flew to her mouth. "You didn't think we didn't invite you on purpose, Mary? Of course we want you here! It was my fault. I just plain forgot to send a message to you too. I'm sorry."

Gorey's gaze flicked to Susato and Naruhodo and lingered, like she was considering whether they had asked Iris not to invite her along. "Alright," she said in a flat voice. She took in Iris's big eyes and wobbling lips and added, "I understand. It's okay."

"I'll just go get an update on dinner," van Zieks said. "I'll be back in a moment. And Miss Lestrade? The Chief Inspector is eating a very expensive chair. Kindly dissuade him."

"Eh?" Gina spun around and groaned as she spotted Toby chewing on the leg of a chair across the room. "Argh! Toby, get over 'ere! Can't take me eyes off you for a bleedin' minute! Toby, come! Sit."

Toby trotted over and sat down beside her, looking up with his jaws cracked in a smile, the picture of obedience.

Gina shook her head at him. "Yer lucky the boss likes you so much," she muttered. "Or you'd 'ave been kicked to the curb ages ago."

Van Zieks appeared in the doorway again. "Dinner is ready, if you'd like to come to the dining room."

Iris tugged at his sleeve and stood on her tiptoes, and he leaned down to hear whatever she whispered in his ear. After a moment, he nodded.

"Yes, that's– Miss Lestrade, what do you think you're doing?"

Susato followed his gaze to see Gina quickly stuff something in her pocket.

"Wot?" she asked. "I ain't doin' nuffin'."

A look of immense irritation crossed van Zieks's face. "Put it back."

"Put wot back?" she asked innocently.

"Whatever you're pilfering."

"I ain't swipin' nuffin'!"

Van Zieks crossed his arms and fixed her with a hard look.

Gina scowled right back. "You ain't got no proof! Just pickin' on me again. It's all baseless accusations if you can't prove it."

"You could just turn out your pockets," Kazuma said slyly.

Gina raised her voice and talked over him as if she could drown the suggestion out. "Wot are you even accusin' me of filchin'? If you don't even know wot yer accusin' me of, then you can just sod off."

Susato darted anxious looks between Gina and van Zieks, the rising tension putting her on edge. Although she didn't want to point fingers, it had certainly looked like Gina was hiding something in her pocket. She feared what van Zieks's reaction to being robbed might be.

"He's going to make sure we all get locked up for a hundred years," Naruhodo moaned under his breath. "I bet he'll prosecute us as accomplices. I didn't even do anything! Poor Gina is a goner."

"Number twenty-seven," van Zieks said in a monotone. "Small, round box made of teak with porcelain inlay in green and blue."

Gina squinted at him and then dug a square of paper out of her pocket. She unfolded it and skimmed over the page.

"Rats! Word for bloody word. Fine, you got me this time."

Muttering to herself, she retrieved the pilfered box from her pocket and slapped it back down on a side table.

"Oh, Gina," Susato sighed. "You didn't."

"You're losing your touch, Miss Lestrade," van Zieks said dryly. "Now, if you'd like to come to dinner…"

He turned on his heel and walked out of the room, and Iris threw Gina a smile over her shoulder before following. Sholmes went tearing after them, undoubtedly intent on getting first crack at the food.

"No, I ain't!" Gina shouted after van Zieks, outraged. "My skills are sharp as knives, they are! Not that I'm practicin' anymore, mind, bein' on the straight and narrow and all."

"Better luck next time," Gorey said before following van Zieks and the others out.

"What were you thinking?" Susato asked, letting out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding now that it seemed like van Zieks wasn't about to fly into a towering rage.

"I thought he was going to throw you in jail for the rest of your life," Naruhodo said, mopping at his forehead. The nervous sweating was something that never changed.

Gina scoffed. "Wot are you gettin' so worked up for? 'E busted me, sure, but I'll get 'im next time."

"Next time?" Susato asked, alarmed.

"Yeah, 'e won't see me comin'."

"It's alright," Kazuma said hastily as he took in the expressions on Susato's and Naruhodo's faces. "It's a game they play. This is something of an ancestral home, and there's a lot of stuff here that van Zieks didn't choose and doesn't want. He won't actually throw any of it out, but he tells Gina what he doesn't want to keep, and she tries to swipe it when he isn't looking. Whenever Iris moves on to redecorating another room, van Zieks goes through everything and updates the list."

"See?" Gina thrust her paper in Susato's face. A column of numbers marched down the page, each one accompanied by a brief description of an object in small, neat lettering. Several items were crossed off with careless slashes of ink. "Look, there's the box. Number twenty-seven. If it's on the list, it's fair game. If 'e catches me takin' it, I 'ave to put it back. If 'e don't catch me, I get to keep it. 'E didn't actually say this, but I only swipe stuff while 'e's in the room. Makes it more fair, see. Otherwise, I could just come one day while 'e's at the office and clean the place out, and where's the fun in that? There's gotta be a bit of a challenge in it."

Susato tried to wrap her head around that, but it felt bizarre. She was nearly certain a man as straight-laced and rigid as van Zieks wouldn't stand for games of thievery.

"What do you do with everything you steal?" Naruhodo asked, scratching his head.

"I do wotever I want wiv it," Gina said. "I keep wot I like and sell or pawn the rest. Don't look at me like that. Once it's mine, it's mine. I can do wot I like. Oh, and sometimes I 'ide it somewhere else in the manor. The boss moves things into 'ere sometimes since this is the room we're usually in, and then I swipe 'em and sometimes set 'em up again in a different room. It's funny to see 'ow cheesed off 'e is when 'e thinks 'e's got rid of somefin' and then it shows back up again."

"Trust me, he's not angry at her for trying to steal the box," Kazuma said, shaking his head. "He's more annoyed that he caught her at it so it's still lying around here."

"This is making my head hurt," Naruhodo said with a sigh.

Just then, the housekeeper popped her head into the room. "Begging your pardon, but dinner is served."

"Sorry," Kazuma said with an easy smile. "We're coming."

"Bet Sholmes 'as already eaten everyfin'," Gina muttered, starting for the door. "Come, Toby. You'd best stay where I can see you."

"This is all so bizarre," Naruhodo hissed in Susato's ear as they filed out of the room. "The letters didn't do it justice."

"It's a very interesting dynamic," Susato said serenely, even though she agreed. "I think it's lovely that they get along so well."

"But still strange beyond words," Naruhodo muttered.

They traipsed into the dining room and seated themselves around a long table heaping with food. Sholmes was already merrily shoveling food onto his plate and into his mouth, but the others had waited.

"Thank you for dinner, Lord van Zieks!" Naruhodo said enthusiastically as he filled his plate. "This all looks delicious!"

"I didn't have anything to do with it," van Zieks said, sipping slowly at his drink and watching them over the rim of his glass. "Mrs. Cooke is, among other things, an excellent cook. I will pass on your compliments."

"Sorry to intrude uninvited," Susato said, shifting uncomfortably. "We appreciate your hospitality."

Van Zieks considered her coolly. "Iris has carte blanche to do whatever she likes here, whenever she likes, with whomever she likes. If she invited you, you are not uninvited. At least you will be more civil than the company who normally invites themselves. Mr. Sholmes, could you not chew with your mouth closed?"

"It slows the speed of food consumption," Sholmes said through a mouthful of food. "To maximize the amount of food I can ingest before beginning to feel full, I cannot stop every few seconds to close my mouth!"

Van Zieks regarded him with distaste. "At least don't talk with your mouth full."

"I told you he wouldn't mind," Iris said. "But Hurley, that really is disgusting. Stop that."

"There's far more space here than at Baker Street. It's very practical." Van Zieks gestured vaguely towards the group circled around the table before picking up his fork and delicately rearranging the food on his plate, gaze cast downwards. "It seems they're here more often than I am some weeks. You are welcome to join them if you wish."

"Oh." It didn't entirely set Susato's nerves at ease, but at least they had secured permission from the host to be here. Being an uninvited guest in someone's home, especially a scary someone's home, was uncomfortable. "Thank you."

"Why don't you tell Lord van Zieks and Maria about all the fun souvenirs you bought today?" Kazuma asked Naruhodo slyly.

Naruhodo flushed and shot a look at Susato. "Er, it would be silly to start buying things my second day back! I'd fill up my luggage much too quickly."

Kazuma snorted. Susato hid a smile and let it go.

"I'm glad you were able to make it tonight, Doctor Gorey," she said instead. If the coroner suspected that Susato and Naruhodo had requested her exclusion, it would be good to set the record straight. "We were looking at the dolls you made in the drawing room. They're very pretty."

Gorey had been dissecting her meal with enough focus and careful precision that it might as well have been an autopsy, but now she looked up, her eyes sharp and shining. "I make lots for…" She paused, glancing at van Zieks. He raised an eyebrow. "For gifts," she said instead of what she had originally intended to say, which Susato assumed had to do with practicing for autopsies. "Iris sews too. She makes clothes and curtains and little charms. Sometimes she gives me leftover scraps from her projects, and I use those to make dolls too."

She looked at van Zieks again, as if searching for approval, and he nodded ever so slightly before returning his attention to his plate.

"Mary sews very fast!" Iris said. "Sometimes she helps me with my projects too. Ooh, maybe we should make you something while you're here, Susie."

The chatter loosened much of the remaining tension, and the topics stayed light and carried them through dinner. Afterwards, they returned to the drawing room, where Iris wheedled and cajoled until van Zieks sighed and agreed to provide entertainment in the form of playing a song or two on the piano. She had not been exaggerating when she said he was very good. The melody made Susato's skin prickle and her hair stand on end.

"He makes up his own music," Iris said proudly. "He doesn't usually write it down, but he's started writing out some of the simpler melodies so that Ginny and I can learn them. He's very good, isn't he?"

Susato agreed, smiling at Iris's enthusiasm. It was sweet how obviously fond the girl was of her uncle and how much pride she took in his accomplishments, even when he seemed to brush them off himself.

Iris hared off across the room to ask van Zieks about joining in on his next piece, and as the song ended and they spoke in hushed voices, the spell finally broke and Susato became aware of Gina standing a little distance away, stealthily reaching for some decorative porcelain figurine on a shelf.

"Gina!" Susato hissed. Thankfully, the piano started up again, courtesy of both van Zieks and Iris this time, and drowned out her voice. "You aren't trying to steal more things, are you?"

"Shush!" Gina hissed right back. "I told you, I'm allowed! Now's the perfect time while 'e's distracted."

"I really don't think–"

"Oh, don't be such a stick in the mud." Gina grinned suddenly. "Why don't you take a stab at it? I taught you a bit o' divin', didn't I? And you weren't too shabby. You stole Iris's cat door thingy, didn't ya? And no one even noticed."

Susato winced at the reminder of how she'd used stolen technology to tamper with a crime scene during the Windibank case. It had weighed heavily on her conscience, even making her consider leaving law behind for a time. Naruhodo had been very gracious about her involvement, and she had more or less come to terms with it now, but it still sat uneasily in the pit of her stomach.

"That's not really–"

"Come on, Sooze! It'll be fun! Why don't ya try swipin' that box? I won't try stealin' the same thing twice in a day if I get busted, so it's fair game."

"I'm not going to steal from Lord van Zieks! That's asking for trouble."

"I told ya, it's a game. 'E don't care. If anyfin', 'e'll be grateful yer 'elpin'."

"He won't care," Kazuma agreed, shrugging. "And as long as he doesn't see you doing it, he'll just assume it's Gina. He won't even suspect you."

"It'll be fun!" Gina wheedled.

Susato shot a glance across the room. Van Zieks and Iris were well and truly distracted with the piano. They were unlikely to look around until their song was finished, and the melody was likely to cover any noise Susato might make. It would be the perfect time… She had enjoyed Gina's last pickpocketing lesson, and she'd been good at it. Not that it should be a point of pride to be a good thief, but it was satisfying to get away with something and play a little trick. As something to tease Naruhodo with, it was fun. Trying it on van Zieks, though…

"Why didn't you invite me too?" Naruhodo asked. "I like games!"

"No way, 'Oddo!" Gina hissed. "And keep yer voice down. You're too clumsy. You'll give us away for sure!"

Naruhodo pouted at being excluded, and his huffiness emboldened Susato to be a little reckless.

"Alright," she said. "I'll do it."

"Attagirl, Sooze!" Gina said, brightening. "Go for it."

Susato strolled towards the table. She cast another look at van Zieks before casually reaching out to wrap her fingers around the small box and slip it into her sleeve without breaking stride. She kept walking to where Toby had flopped across the rug. Crouching down, she gave him a good scratch behind the ears, her heart thundering as she cast another sly look up from beneath her lashes. But it seemed van Zieks hadn't noticed a thing.

She walked back to the others, trying to bite back an exultant grin and heady with relief.

"Very good!" Gina said. "Real smart to act like you were goin' to see Toby to disguise why you were really on the move. 'E's a good accomplice."

Toby had picked himself up to trot after Susato, and Gina leaned down to pet him too.

"Of course, it's easier to do while van Zieks is distracted elsewhere rather than doing it right under his nose," Kazuma said. "But it's a good first try."

"Why can't I have a turn?" Naruhodo grumbled. "Give me something else on the list. I bet I can do it too."

"Maybe next time, Mr. Naruhodo," Susato said, hiding a smile at his petulance. "It would be hard to miss if more things all went missing at once. What should I do with the box now, Gina?"

"Wotever you'd like. You can keep it as a souvenir. It's pretty enough, I guess. Or you could pawn it for a pretty penny."

That was starting to sound too much like real stealing rather than a game. Gina seemed comfortable enough keeping her spoils, but Susato wasn't sure she liked it.

"I think maybe I'd better put it back," she said. "It was just a bit of fun. I don't actually want to keep it."

"You can't just put it back!" Gina said, aghast. "Then wot's the point of swipin' it? Anyway, I told you, it's all stuff 'e's tryin' to get rid of."

"Well, I think–"

But then the last notes were warbling and dying in the air, and the group cut off their conversation abruptly as van Zieks and Iris stood and started back across the room.

"What did you think?" Iris asked. "Pretty cool, huh? I really like that song. One day, I'll be able to play it by myself."

"It was– It was very nice," Susato stuttered, her heart beginning to pound once more.

She hadn't actually been paying much attention, distracted as she was by conversation and blatant thievery. And now that van Zieks was watching everything with sharp eyes again… Susato might have missed her chance to put the box back where she'd found it without having to answer some very awkward questions. What had started off as a game was starting to feel a good deal more dire.

Van Zieks fixed her with a piercing look, like he was peeling back her layers with his gaze and reading her like a book. Something in her guilty expression had caught his attention, maybe. His gaze flicked around the room, pausing briefly on the empty space left by the figurine Gina had stolen and then coming to rest on the table where the box had been. Susato's heart sank like a stone. Definitely too late to put the box back unnoticed.

Van Zieks turned his gaze back on Gina and then Susato, and she felt the blood rising to her face. Too late, she remembered what Gina had said about never trying to steal the same item twice in a day. If van Zieks knew Gina hadn't taken it…

"Well," he said tonelessly, "I feel that I've done my duty for the night. If you wish for further entertainment, I'm sure Iris or Miss Lestrade would be able to indulge you. Or perhaps Mr. Sholmes could regale you with tales of his misadventures. Why, just last week he infiltrated an exotic animal smuggling ring by gluing feathers to his skin and pretending to be a parrot."

"And I almost got away with it, too!" Sholmes burst out, jumping to his feet in his eagerness to recount the tale. "If only they hadn't had those blasted guard dogs! Dogs can always tell if you're a man and not a parrot."

"Oh, yes," van Zieks said, drifting over to where Gorey had curled up in an oversized armchair and choosing a chair beside her. "Truly a shame about the dogs. It was such an elegant plan otherwise."

"It was brilliant! See, the utter genius of the plan is that parrots can talk! Truly, they are the best of both worlds. You can hide in plain sight in the guise of an animal yet still make your thoughts known through speech!"

As Sholmes waxed poetic about the marvels of human speech and began a rambling story of the escapade in question, Susato turned back to the others in a panic.

"He knows I took it!" she whispered frantically. "What do I do?"

"Er, nuffin'?" Gina said. "'E didn't say anyfin', did 'e? I told you 'e wouldn't. You got away wiv it."

"But he knows!"

"Maybe," Kazuma said, shrugging. "If he doesn't catch you actually taking it, he'll let you get away with it. It's all in good fun. He's not going to drag you to court or something."

"But he could!"

"If he does, I'll defend you," Naruhodo said loyally.

This didn't make Susato feel any better.

"I have to give it back to him," she decided.

Gina shook her head rapidly. "Don't do that. Then 'e'll be all cranky that the bloody box is still 'ere, and it'll make things weird. We don't really talk about it. It's kind of unspoken, see."

"But–"

"Are you even listening?" Sholmes asked, pouting, and they all gave a start.

"Not everyone is as enamored of the beauty of human speech as you," van Zieks said dryly. "Perhaps a shorter rendition would keep their attention."

Susato felt she had no choice but to let the matter go and rejoin the rest of the group, but a sick feeling had settled in the pit of her stomach.

"Would you like some water, Miss Mikotoba?" van Zieks asked politely. "You're looking rather flushed."

"I– I'm fine," she stammered.

She tried to smile, but under his piercing gaze, it felt stretched out in all the wrong places.

"It's alright," Kazuma whispered in her ear.

But she was well and truly afraid it wasn't.