Sherlock Season 5: No More Secrets

#6. Family

Three hours later Charlotte was still lying in a hospital bed sound asleep, though in stable condition, with Sherlock and Mycroft by her side. John was sitting on the far couch in the room trying to keep his eyes open. Mycroft broke the longstanding silence: "She's stable now. There's no reason why you both need to stay. I can monitor everything...". "NO!!", Sherlock violently interrupted. "You're the last person she should be left with! Why don't you leave?". "Oh, come now, Sherlock, you don't really believe I would have let any of this happen if I'd known, do you?", Mycroft crossly replied. "No, you just lied to everyone, so no one knew she even existed in the first place!", Sherlock barked back. "Shhh", said John reminding them of where they were, "maybe we should take this into the hall". "Forget it John, there's nothing more to say", said Mycroft sounding defeated. "I need to make a quick phone call if you don't mind", he continued, and then swiftly left the room.

John looked to Sherlock who was still noticeably fuming. "You know I don't usually side with your brother, but this time I must say that you're being too hard on him." Sherlock gave John a look of surprise, yet said nothing. John continued, "He shouldn't have continued to lie once he found out about Charlotte, but the truth of your father wasn't exactly his to tell, now was it? Your mother didn't want you to know in order to protect you. If he had known Charlotte was alive any earlier do you really believe he wouldn't have done everything in his power to protect her? If there's one thing I've learned about your brother over the years it's that although he may do things in cold and calculating ways he always does so with the best of intentions for those he loves...for his family." Sherlock sat staring off in contemplation of what John had said when the door started to open. Lestrade handed Mycroft some paperwork, which he tucked under his arm as they both entered the room. Sherlock looked up at their entrance and then looked down at his hand as he felt a slight movement from the little hand in his.

Charlotte's eyes began to open. "John!", Sherlock exclaimed softly. John walked over to Charlotte. "Do you know where you are?", John asked her. She looked around and shook her head no slowly. "How about we do this?", John continued, "If I ask a question, and it's a yes, just squeeze my hand alright?". She weakly squeezed, 'Yes'. "Are you in pain at all?" She made no movement. "Ok, that's good." "Feeling dizzy and weak?" She squeezed his hand as a 'yes'. "That's to be expected. You're doing great. Now I know you don't know most of us so I'm going to introduce everyone, and you just squeeze my hand at any time if it gets to be too much. l'm John....John Watson and I'm a doctor. Over to your right is your brother, Sherlock Holmes." Charlotte's stunned eyes met with Sherlock's. "And beside me is your eldest brother, Mycroft Holmes; and last is Inspector Lestrade whom I'm told you already know." Inspector Lestrade moved closer to Charlotte and touched her forehead as she was breathing more rapidly while glancing at Mycroft. "It's okay Charlotte, just breathe", Lestrade reassured her. "I know it's a lot to take in, but you're safe now". John left and returned in just a few moments with something to help calm her down. Tears ran down her cheeks as she drifted off into a deep and restful sleep.

The night came and went, and by morning everyone had grown accustomed to each other. Charlotte was ravenously scarfing her breakfast down like she hadn't eaten in a month, and Sherlock looked up from his newspaper to smile at her and chuckle to himself. She noticed and choked down the food in her mouth to shyly smile back at him. After she finished eating, Mycroft and John finally returned from getting tea with someone new to the room; but obviously not new to Sherlock. Sherlock lowered the newspaper in front of him and gave Mycroft a look of exasperation: "What is she doing here?", he whined. Janine Hawkins walked into the room with a big smile on her face and introduced herself to Charlotte. "What happened to that perfect little house you bought?", snorted Sherlock. "Sold it, for an incredible profit let me tell you, and with this new job I'm set for a lovely retirement", Janine chirped. Sherlock turned back to Mycroft, "And who said Charlotte's staying at your place?". Mycroft rolled his eyes, "What? Is she supposed to live in that small flat with you and join in on your cases...solving crimes and doing drugs!?". Everyone immediately turned and yelled out "Mycroft!" in chiding unison. Then all eyes looked toward Charlotte who was listening intently to their conversation. Sherlock got up and walked toward the door. "You're right, she's safer at your place", he muttered, and left the room.

Janine looked to Charlotte, and then to John and Mycroft: "Ok then, time to leave so Charlotte can get dressed", she chimed. John and Mycroft joined Sherlock at the end of the hallway where he was smoking a cigarette and hiding it behind his back between drags. "Smoking again, brother?", Mycroft smirked. "Shut up Mycroft!", John replied in Sherlock's defense, "He could be doing something much worse so just leave it be". "My apologies", Mycroft begrudgingly stated, and took out his own pack of cigarettes to join him. In a few minutes Janine and Charlotte emerged from the room and walked toward them, and they quickly disposed of their cigarettes. Charlotte's light blond hair was brushed out and dressed with a navy bow, and she wore a matching navy skirt and cape with a teddy bear print. She tightly held Mycroft, her bunny, in her left arm and held Janine's hand in the other. The men stood, staring silently at Charlotte, and no one knowing what to say until Janine spoke. "Isn't she just the cutest?", she said, looking at Charlotte and then glaring at the unresponsive and oblivious men with annoyance. "Oh yes, very cute", said John, Sherlock, and Mycroft in nodding agreement.

"Alright let's go, shall we?", said Janine. "Yes, let's", Mycroft agreed. "Oh, you know what? I left my purse in the room", Janine recalled. "Go ahead. I'll meet you at the car." Janine took Charlotte's hand and placed it in Mycroft's. He felt unexpectedly nervous for a moment staring down at this little girl he was now responsible for, but then she smiled up at him, melting all his apprehension away. They walked to the car, Janine soon joined them, and they rode off to Mycroft's manor.