Born in Black and White

Chapter 9

Kairi sat motionless in 221B, her legs folded up and a blanket wrapped around her like a child afraid of the dark. The leathery chair seemed to fold in around her, which was comforting in a way.

She couldn't help but wonder why? Why did her life turn out the way it did? Why she lost everything she loved? Well, almost. Appa would be okay. She exhaled and checked her phone. It was an odd hour to phone her sister, to see if she was all right, to check to see if her home was infested with spiders, see if her children were attacked in the night. She prayed that they were safe. For the first time in a long while she prayed so very hard that this, whatever it was, had not touched her sister and her family.

John watched from the kitchen as Kairi sat, petrified, wrapped in a comfy blanket from Ms. Hudson, wearing an odd pair of Molly's pajamas. She looked like the side of a condemned building, stripped, mismatched, discolored and so very weather worn. Tear marks, like rain drops, had eroded the sides of her face and her breathing was shallow, minimal, as if she'd fill up her lungs and they would burst from the stress. She hadn't touched her tea, but it sat cradled in one hand, the other gripping the crocheted blanket around her shoulders while he and Molly sat in the kitchen.

Sherlock had left them to help with the investigation a few hours ago. Kairi had showered, for what seemed like hours and Molly had been the one to retrieve her. She had heard Kairi crying and went in to find her shivering against the piping hot water as it beat down on her, tears mixing in with the spray. Molly had called John in to help get Kairi out of the claw foot tub. He had noticed she wasn't very heavy as he lifted her towel clad body out of the porcelain bin, feeling more like a soaked to the bone and abused kitten than a fully grown woman. Molly had shooed him out after he had gotten her to Sherlock's empty room and Molly had helped her dry off and dress.

Then Kairi had gone to the chair and sat in it, snuggled up and turned off completely. She seemed to break down again, the slim moment of bravado in the car crumpled away and the weakness bloomed.

"I'll stay tonight." Molly muttered to John across the kitchen table, the chemistry set haphazardly scooted to the side. "It might be good for her to have someone close by that she trusts." Molly looked up and saw John's look of confusion, "Not that she doesn't trust you or Sherlock, but she doesn't know you as well." She began to speak quickly, as Molly tended to do when she got nervous, "I mean, she trusts you, but its hard to comfort a woman you hardly know. Not that you don't know how to comfort a woman, I'd assume you'd be very good at it with all of the ladies I've seen you with-" Molly looked up at John, a look of amused shock on his face and a look of horrified embarrassment on hers, "Shit, I'm not saying you're a tart or anything, I've just noticed you've had a lot of women."

John half chuckled, half scoffed.

Molly's eyes just about popped from her skull, "Damn it all. You know what I mean!"

John only smiled and let out a small chuckle.

"Oh, shut up." She scowled at him momentarily, but couldn't help but smile as she sipped her tea.

John cleared his throat, his voice caught in it momentarily as his eyes flickered to Kairi. Her eyes seemed a little less glassy and were fixed on her tea with a frown. "I was only wondering on the sleeping arrangements." He muttered, glancing back to Molly. Both of them blushed. "You can sleep in my bed."

Molly's eyes went wide again, "Erm-,"

"I meant that you can sleep in my room. I can take the couch." He muttered, shakily.

Molly blushed and tried to hide her smile, "Of course. Thank you."

"Welcome." John spat quickly and cleared his throat again.