Sherlock: The Next Generation

Chapter 52

Chapter 52

"Do you have everything you need?"

"Yes."

"Clothes? Laptop? Toiletries? Mobile?"

"Yes, yes, yes and yes."

"Good." John sighed, a light smile on his face though there was a certain sadness in his deep blue eyes. He moved forward and pulled his taller, sixteen year old son into a tight hug. "Work hard. Don't go to too many parties." That one earned a chuckle. "Make some friends. And don't forget about us."

"Don't worry, papa, I won't," Hamish smiled, hugging John. Sherlock moved in next, putting one hand on his son's shoulder.

"If you do not call every week I will come down myself to talk to you." Sherlock's normally serious face softened into a proud smile.

"I'll call every week, dad." Hamish bit his lip, feeling tears well up in his eyes. He would not cry. He was sixteen. He would not cry. "And come back home every holiday."

"Good."

Hamish suddenly shot forward, pulling both of his dads into a hug. "I'll miss you both." After a while he pulled back, giving a shaky smile. He went over to Molly and lifted her into a hug, which caused a light scowl to cross the thirteen year old's lips. "I'll miss you too, Molly." The little girl smiled slightly, though her eyes were wide. She didn't want her big brother to go. It was bad enough with Martin being at boarding school. Hamish put her down, ruffling her blonde hair. "Well, I'd better get going. I'll call when I get there."

"Make sure you do," John smiled. Hamish waved to his dads and younger sister were they stood at the door of 221b while he hailed a taxi to get to the station. His dads had offered to drive him down but he had refused. He was going to university, might as well begin being independent. Anyway, he was getting the train with Ollie.

Hamish tried not to think too much on the drive to the station. It was fine. It wasn't like Cambridge was that far away from London. He could visit often. And it wasn't like he was going alone: he had Ollie. A good friend. It must have been worse for Martin when he first went up to Scotland. Even if it had been a boarding school rather than University. Martin had headed back to school a few days earlier, Hamish saying his goodbyes to his twin brother then. However it wasn't exactly very different from normal. Maybe even better because Hamish would probably be able to go down and visit some weekends or something.

"You ready for the beginning of the journey into adulthood?" Ollie greeted him with a grin as Hamish sat down next to his friend in the seats they had booked. They hadn't bothered getting seats with tables; they would only be on the train for an hour or so.

"I guess..." Hamish shrugged, pulling his phone out of his pocket. "University will be easy, course-wise. It's just the responsibilities."

"I feel you, man," Ollie patted him lightly on the shoulder. "Most people don't go until they're eighteen or nineteen. I'm seventeen and it's tough enough leaving home, can't imagine what it's like being sixteen."

"Hard. And I've not even started," Hamish sighed softly, creating a new text to Martin.

Thus adulthood begins -H

Hamish sat back in his seat, head resting against the back as he waited for a reply. Ollie had gotten out a book and began reading.

You're no more of an adult than I am -M

Hamish smiled before replying.

I'm the one going to University -H

Because you're smart, not because you're mature -M

Yeah... Truthfully, I'm scared -H

Really? I thought you had got beyond that emotion :P -M

Shut up -H

Not possible, you texted me in the first place. Good thing I had a free period so I can text you, eh? And why are you scared? You'll be fine -M

Course-wise, sure. But what am I going to do without papa always forcing me to eat, making sure I shower, pushing me out the door every day. Or without dad taking me on cases. I'll go insane with boredom without cases. -H

You'll do what I do; find a friend who does it for you. And do what dad did when he was in Uni, take cases from students. And try not to make enemies -M

I guess you're right. Trust you to talk sense -H

I'm the sane one of the two of us. Good luck, Mish. I've got to go to class now. Ttyl -M

Bye, Marti -H

Hamish smiled slightly, locking his phone and putting it back into his pocket. He spent the rest of the train journey just thinking, chatting with Ollie a little bit. Upon getting off at the station Hamish instantly took the lead in finding their college. They got there eventually, even if Hamish may have gotten them lost (finally admitting that he hadn't memorised the map like he'd claimed to and didn't know the place as well as London). But they did get there.

"Our rooms are next to each other," Ollie commented as they headed up the stairs of their student accommodation, on the way to their rooms to dump their stuff before taking a look around the campus.

"Which is good, I can come and annoy you in the middle of the night," Hamish joked as he stopped in front of his room. Ollie moved to his, which was indeed next to Hamish's. Both nodded to each other before unlocking individual rooms and entering. Hamish glanced around his sceptically. It was furnished in a reasonably nice manner. It would do. Hamish pushed his two suitcases into a corner and left his room. He moved along the corridor, popping his head in Ollie's door.

"What do you think?"

"It's pretty good," Ollie replied from where he was lying on his bed, obviously testing it out. "Not bad at all. The bed is quite comfortable."

Hamish let a light laugh slip from his lips, rolling his eyes. "Ready to go look around?" Ollie nodded, hopping up.

"Mind if I join you?" Hamish froze. He knew that voice. Slowly he turned, gaze meeting that of someone he had expected to never see again.