Running ( An Adlock Sherlock-Adler Fanfic)

Chapter 3 - Arianna

That first night that I had her home I couldn't stop my self from checking up on her every hour. She was so precious, I loved her with a passion and a rage I could not control. This love I felt was unchecked, unbiased, and pure. Never once had she hurt me, never once had I had to protect myself from her or hide. And I never would let anyone come near her that would lead her down the wrong path. And she was half me and half Sherlock. Her facial structure had my square jaw and Sherlock's high cheek bones. Her eyes were the beautiful shade of her father's, her dark hair curled around her face.

I enjoyed coddling her, I was a bit afraid of bringing her out into the open, into the world. I had Kari as my baby sitter when I had need to go into town. But I was very worried whenever I left her.

"She needs social interaction at such a young age it is very important." Kari told me. "She could end up very antisocial if you keep her in all the time."

"It's just, I don't want anything to happen to her Kari. She is the one single most important thing in my life." I replied.

"I understand that you worry, but trust me, I know kids. Its my job, and my family was quite large." Kari continued to reason with me.

And so, I brought her to a "play date" when she was 9 moths old. Compared to the other children, she toddled more and babbled less.She would reach up to grab onto something, and try her hardest to pull herself up, only to fail, and the frown upon her face was quite comical.

Her first word was a quest when she was 11 months old "Why?"She said wrinkling her nose and looking up at me.

I had just told her that it was time for bed. I grinned down at her and explained, "Because I am your mommy, and you have to listen to me. Because I know that you need rest."

She pondered this for a while and sighed, and with my help stood up. and I carried her to prepare for bed.

Whenever we were out somewhere, she was always looking about, at people, taking it all in. Her eyes were so alert, and she seemed to have an understanding of life. She noticed so much, and would explain it all to me when we got home.

I almost began to trust Kari, I still had not told her much of my past life and she never asked. I began to feel more at ease in France.

When we had been there more than a year, I heard of Moriarty's trial and Sherlock's involvement. It worried me again and I kept a wary eye in the street. I had been in Paris for 21 months, and I had been preparing to move soon. We had been here for far too long. And it worried me.

It was a normal day in Paris, I was walking with Arianna. She was 16 months old, and although she oft became tired of walking, I decided she was old enough to be cultured. We had been to museums and galleries, walking by the river, and even out to eat. She walked along side me and her stroller.

"Mommy, that man is sad." She said with a furrowed brow. Looking over in the direction of an old man wearing a worn jacket, and examining something in his hand.

"Really?" I said. "And why is he sad?"

"His wife just died. And they were married for a very long time. So long." And then she just stopped. She looked over at him again, but didn't say anything.

"Miss Adler?" I heard a deep voice say behind me. My heart stopped.

"Arianna, why don't you get into your seat?" I whispered as I bent down close to her face. She saw the worry in my face and did as she was asked. I turned around to see a man in his late 30's approaching me. I began to walk towards him. He was the sort of man I had enjoyed taking advantage of; rich, influential, and very much eager to show off. I could tell my hands were shaking, as well as the rest of me. Stupid, stupid, I should have never stayed one place so long. If course someone would eventually find me. "Mr. Oliver." I greeted him with a nod, I tried my hardest to seem aloft and in control.