Queen of the Mind Palace // Sherlolly ✔️

Chapter 6

Sherlock made his way to the kitchen, staring at whatever laid on the counter. He hadn't a single clue how to make breakfast. Behind Sherlock, Sawyer had promptly plopped down on John's chair, resting her cheek on her hand and fingering through the old To Kill A Mockingbird Sherlock had snagged from Sawyer's station in the Homeless Tunnels. Sherlock looked at the back of the chair, leaning on the counter. Would Sawyer be staying? It was her choice, really. She could easily take Gael and her baseball bat and leave. Yet here she was, sitting in John's chair reading a book as if she hadn't just stormed in on him and Molly as they slept.

Molly.

Admittedly, Sherlock hadn't remembered stumbling into his bedroom. He remembered waking up, the nightmare, the scream. But what he certainly hadn't expected was waking up in his own bed. With his arm wrapped around Molly. Whoops. Sherlock sighed in irritation at the kitchen counter before turning around, leaning on it.

"How would you like to order Chinese?" The sound of flipping pages paused, followed by Sawyer turning around and peering at Sherlock behind the chair.

"For breakfast?"

"Yup." Sawyer blinked before disappearing back behind the chair, only to resurface a moment later, folding her hands on the top of it and resting her cheeks in on her palms.

"Where would you find a place open this early?"

"I know a guy." Sawyer grinned.

"You don't know how to cook do you?"

"Not in the slightest." Sawyer's smile widened. She thumped back down on the chair and returned to her book.

"I want shrimp lo-mein and an egg roll." Sherlock grinned and picked up his phone when the sound of a loud yawn made him pause. Sherlock peeked around the corner to see Gael rubbing his eyes, clutching his small teddy bear tightly in his fist.

"Good morning sir? What would you like for breakfast?" Sherlock asked. Gael hardly looked at Sherlock, instead turning his gaze round the flat and walking through the edifice with eyes full of wonder. Sherlock could tell when the sound of the rustling of pages had stopped that Sawyer was watching her little brother too. Gael wandered into the living room, looking around wildly. He ran one hand across the curtain, then letting his fingertips graze over the couch surface. The young boy shuffled his feet on the carpet, then proceeding to pull out one of the chairs from the clustered table and sit down, his eyes still floating around the flat and his mouth slightly hanging open. Sawyer looked back to watch her younger brother, what seemed like sadness written across her face.

The two were so intent on not breaking the boy's blatant perplexity they hardly noticed Molly leaning on the wall, joining the watch of Gael's amazed facial features. Sherlock waited for the boy to say something, and eventually Gael's itinerant gaze landed on Sherlock. His face suddenly broke into a huge grin and Gael shot from the chair, bolting over to Sherlock and wrapping his short arms around Sherlock.

"Home!" Gael cried ardently, a fervorous grin reddening his cheeks. Sherlock's eyes widened and he crouched down, his eyes pouring into the young boy's. Then, surprising even himself, Sherlock tenderly wrapped his arms around Gael, pulling him into a tight hug. Sherlock could practically feel the surprise that contorted the faces of Sawyer and Molly, though he ignored it.

Something new coursed through his veins, pulsing and throbbing down to the very marrow in Sherlock's bones. He breathed into Gael's neck, squeezing the boy tighter.

Sherlock was the only one that heard Gael whisper over and over again into Sherlock's ear, "home. Home. Home."

That's right, Sherlock thought, his facial features suddenly hardening in determination, home.

~~~

Sherlock Holmes was hugging a child. Last thing Molly had expected to see, well, ever. But there he was. Sherlock Holmes. The famous consulting detective. Hugging? It was almost too unbelievable to be true, though Molly could tell Sawyer felt the same way she did; completely and utterly shocked.

Sherlock broke the passionate embrace, his hands gripping Gael's arms tightly. His eyes were clouded with so much emotion Molly wasn't even sure if that was Sherlock. He and Gael were silent for a moment, staring at each other, having a silent conversation too deep for anyone else to decode. Sherlock leaned in towards Gael's ear, quietly whispering words inaudible for Molly to hear. She spared a glance towards Sawyer, who was visibly straining to hear the words. Gael's head suddenly whipped around to Molly, his smile spreading.

Molly blinked as Gael took off, running to Molly and embracing her legs in a tight hug. Molly's eyes widened in surprise, though her face soon dissolved into a soft smile when the young looked up at her, his smile stretching from ear-to-ear. She looked up at Sawyer, though her smile faded when she saw the girl's face creased in a grimace, her eyes reddening. She whipped back in her chair, slumping so she was out of view. Molly glanced at Sherlock, who was staring at the back of the chair, his eyes emotionless.

"So. Molly," Sherlock began, still staring at the chair, "what would you like from the Chinese place?"

"What?"

"Chinese. For breakfast," he said. Molly blinked at him, Gael released his grip on Molly and watched Sawyer inquisitively.

"Oh, um," Molly sputtered, at a loss for words. Gael broke from her, rushing over to the chair Sawyer sat in. Molly and Sherlock watched as he climbed in the chair, Sherlock's eyebrow raised and Molly's face forlorn. Everything was quiet for a moment, the world still, until Sawyer moved.

She picked up Gael and set him on the ground, his face creased in confusion. She stuffed her hands in her pockets and walked to the door, flinging it open and walking out. As Molly watched her go she realized snow had begun to fall outside, coming down scarcely yet in fat white chunks. The wind fluttered the curtains when she slammed the door shut. Molly, Sherlock, and Gael stood in confusion, staring at the door in surprised shock.

Gael broke the silence first, "where's Sawyer goin'?" He asked, eyebrows knitted together in worry.

Molly and Sherlock met eyes and he shrugged, "Molly order Chinese for us please. The number's on the refrigerator," he set the phone down and walked outside, leaving Gael and Molly standing in confusion.

Molly and Gael looked at each other and, in that moment, Molly felt like the most helpless person in the world.

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Yeah lol sorry it wasn't longer. Next one...? Eh, we'll see. You get what you get and you don't get upset!