Son of Holmes

Questions and Answers

Previously:

"I guess I'll get the paperwork then."

"But before I leave, Sherlock, Mr Potter can't stay with you until I deem your flat child safe and he gets proper sleeping arrangements. The boy may stay at my house until then. Do you agree?" Mycroft said this more like a proclamation than a question, but waited for his brother to reply nonetheless.

Sherlock bit back a sigh, but instead of answering Mycroft, he turned to Harry.

"How does that sound to you, Harry?"

Harry looked slightly surprised at being asked his opinion (still not something he was used to) but recovered quickly, "Um, yes? I mean, yes."

"Mycroft turned towards Sherlock, "Harry shall be staying in the hospital for around two more days before he will be allowed leave, and assuming that you keep him company the whole time, you won't start cleaning up until then either. So I'll have the paperwork ready by the time he's out of the hospital, and once your flat is safe, you can take him home. How does that sound to you, Brother Mine?"

Sherlock looked slightly self-conscious when he replied, "Fair enough."

"And do you want to pay the hospital bills, or shall I?"

"Well, I wouldn't want to spoil your chance to help little orphan boys, now would I?" Sherlock, feeling slightly insulted by what Mycroft had implied, snapped.

Seemingly satisfied, Mycroft nodded and then walked out of the room. Sherlock gave a breath of releif at his absence, and leaned forward in his seat, slouching.

Harry broke the silence, "So 'm I gonna live with you now?"

Looking up, with his head resting on his hands, elbows on his knees, Sherlock's face softened, "Yes. Would that be alright with you?"

Harry smiled, then frowned, "But what 'bout Uncle Vernon 'nd Aunt P' tuna?"

Sherlock took Harry's hand and rubbed it softly, knowing that it would calm him, "Don't worry, you will never have to see them again. Nor your cousin."

"Really? Wow!" Harry beamed up at Sherlock, then looked rather contemplative, "Does that mean that you're gonna be m' new dad?"

Sherlock's eyes went a little wide at that, but soon broke into a grin, "I suppose I am."

Harry's mouth made a comical 'o' shape for a moment, which caused Sherlock to let out a breath of laughter, "So d' I call you 'Dad' or 'Father'? 'm I gonna get m' own room? Does that make your brother m' new uncle? 'm I gonna get a mom too, or is it just you? Can I get a toy?!"

Harry's expectant stare afterwards told Sherlock that he expected all his questions answered, which truly befuddled him, "Er, you may call me 'Father,' you sleep in the same room as I do, yes, he is your uncle, no, it's just me, and you may get toys if you're good."

Sherlock let down a finger on his hand for each question he answered, making sure he didn't miss any.

Seeing that all the questions he asked were answered, Harry bit his lip before asking one that had been on his mind, "Who was Lily?"

Sherlock looked surprised at the question, but it was soon replaced with pity and affection, "Lily was your mother. I supose that your relatives didn't tell you that, did they?"

"No. Did you know her?"

A wistful expression graced his features, "Yes, I knew her. She was a very good friend of mine when I was at school. She and my friend Severus helped me through a very dificult time of my life. She was pure, innocent. A true lily."

Harry looked at Sherlock in awe, loving that he was hearing more about his mum. Just at that moment, however, the nurse came in and noticed that Harry was awake, "Good, you're up! Let's make sure that everything is going well for you. You'll be back on your feet in no time at all!"