Sherlock crosses his arms as he looks at the man pointedly. "Care to explain how the hell this is possible?"
The man stands there with the results in both hands, staring at the bombshell that had just changed his life. "I-I...you're saying I have a daughter?", he questions, tears threatening to fall.
Molly goes over and pats his arm. "Yes, you do. And she's so lovely. Sherlock and I can introduce you to her, but we need to know...how is this true?"
A sigh escapes his lips as he takes his glasses off and dries his eyes. "It's not a story I like to rehash, as it's not a happy ending for me. But learning that I have a daughter is...fantastic. I've always wanted children, but I never found my special woman, so I had just accepted my singular life."
"Yes, yes, now tell us, I'm intrigued", Sherlock presses on.
"Right", he sniffs. "Well, Jennifer...Jennifer and I knew each other at University. We were good friends, which turned into something more. I wanted to marry her after we graduated, but she decided that we should take a break, which unfortunately turned permanent. She found this rich, posh guy that she married. She contacted me years and years later telling me that he had been emotionally abusive and that she needed someone to lean on. That as bad as he had been, she had as well, by having multiple affairs with men just to feel loved or connected to someone, even for the night. We met up again about a year before she was killed. Her job took her into London for some big story for her news station. We had dinner and drinks and it was lovely, we spoke about our frankly dull lives and our problems." He swallows thickly. "She never once mentioned that we had a daughter...not once."
Sherlock takes a long breath. "Well, she believed your daughter was deceased. She was told that the child had died moments after birth. But it turns out that there was another child with similar issues and the same first name. A mix-up occurred and they were switched at birth. I know it seems very anticlimactic and unbelievable, but it does look like that's what happened. Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever's left, however improbable must be true. You and Jennifer's daughter is alive. Her parental DNA tests showed that she was not the child of the parents who raised her, and the hospital admitted having "possibly" made that mistake all those twenty years ago, therefore it must be true, however improbable it sounds."
Molly nods. "I'm so sorry that she died without ever knowing that Rachel was alive, and that she never told you about your daughter, whether she had died or not...she should have told you so you could have grieved. Though I'm glad you can surpass grief and finally get to know your daughter now."
He begins to cry again and nods.
"I suppose we now know why you went to her funeral."
"Yes. Jennifer meant so much to me. Regardless of all her mistakes, under her suffering and everything, she had a big heart. I want to choose to believe that she didn't tell me in order to spare me grief. She knew that if I found out that we had a child and she died...I'd be beside myself for a while. I think she was just trying to be kind by not divulging that", he sniffles and dabs his eyes, his cheeks red. "I loved her; I'll always love her. Now I can spend that love by getting to know my daughter. For the both of us."
Molly is misty-eyed as she hugs him. "I'm so sorry you lost her. But I'm so glad that you get to meet Rachel. She's an amazing young woman, you'll be very proud."
He smiles brightly. "Oh, I'm sure I will be."
"Guess where she lives at the moment?", Sherlock asks, smirking a bit at the jolly man.
"Where?"
"221C Baker Street. She's going to be taking over for dear Mrs. Hudson as the manager of Speedy's. She's very business savvy, that daughter of yours."
"Really? That's good she has you and Molly to look out for her. She probably doesn't need it, but it comforts me to know that regardless."
Molly smiles and nods. "Sherlock and I are going to go and see her and show her the results. To try and explain all of this. We just wanted to speak with you first because well...obviously we were a bit confused about your connection. To her, to Jennifer..."
He nods and smiles sadly. "I know. I should have told you, or at least I should have told Sherlock after Jennifer was killed. I-I just know how those investigations go. If the police had known about my past with Jen or even if you had that information, Sherlock", he motions to Sherlock. "...I didn't want to be accused because I loved her so much. I never would have been the one to hurt her, but I knew they couldn't have just taken my word for it. I hope you both understand."
Molly nods softly and strokes his shoulder soothingly. "We do. Right, Sherlock?"
Sherlock nods. "Yes, I can see why you wouldn't want that information in the wrong hands."
Nudging Sherlock's arm, she grins at him. "Well, we had better go and talk to Rachel. Hopefully she'll want to meet her father and it'll be a happy ending for all, this time."
The man grins brightly, his face pink with glee. "Great. Thank you. Both of you. Really. I'll wait to hear from you."
Molly giggles and nods, grabbing Sherlock's arm. "Let's go. I can't wait to tell Rachel that she has a great Dad."
Sherlock groans a bit. "Do I have to go? It's so...sappy", crinkles his nose.
She lets out a laugh and rolls her eyes. "Yes. I supported you telling him, now you have to support me telling her."
"Do I get a prize later tonight?", he smirks, raising an eyebrow.
"Mmm, maybe I'll save a spot for you in my bed if you're good."
"Oh, then I'll be the best there ever was, Doctor Hooper", he replies cheekily, leaning down to kiss her cheek as they head to Speedy's.
YOU ARE READING
Full Circle
FanficA mysterious woman shows up in London to speak with Sherlock Holmes about her case. She is determined to find her birth parents after finding out her life had been determined by a very specific fateful day up to this point. As she gets to know Sherl...
