Sophia Holmes and the Sign of Three (Sherlock's Daughter Fanfic) *Completed*

Chapter Eighteen - The Sign of Three Part X

"Any luck finding me a dancing partner for this evening?" I ask dad a few hours later, coming into the foyer of the venue to find him setting up a music player.

Janine waits for him anxiously to one side and I look her over cautiously. For a moment I wonder what Moriarty's sister is doing alone with dad, but then I realise in the time I've known her, I've never viewed her as being dangerous. I think I can give her the benefit of the doubt for now.

"No one who could learn to dance a waltz in five minutes," he answers, looking back. "Might have to make do with me, I'm afraid."

I smile, the oddness of what he said to me earlier after I solved Major Sholto and Private Bainbridge's stabbings still playing on my mind. 

"I hope you're not planning on casting me aside, Mr Holmes," Janine says in mock affront. 

"Not at all, Janine," dad smiles, stepping back from the music player as 'On The Beautiful Blue Danube' by Strauss begins to play. He moves towards Janine, fixing her hands into position as the rhythm starts to pick up, then starting to lead her around in a waltz around the foyer. "One, two, three," he counts, "der, der, der ... Ahh, pretty good."

"Ooh!" Janine exclaims, as they stop. 

Dad releases her. "Just ... hold your nerve on your turning."

"Why do we have to rehearse?" she asks, pulling the top of her dress up again.

Dad leans in and speaks quietly. "Because we are about to dance together in public, and your skills are appalling!" He smiles, and Janine laughs in disbelief.

"Well, you're a good teacher."

"Mmm."

"And you're a brilliant dancer."

"I'll let you in on something, Janine."

"Go on, then," Janine whispers back.

"I love dancing. I've always loved it."

She quirks an eyebrow. "Seriously?"

"Watch out."

I smirk as dad checks around him to make sure nobody else is looking, before swinging into a full-circle pirouette.

"Ooh! Woah!" Janine says in awe.

Dad clears his throat. "Never really comes up in crime work but, um, you know, I live in hope of the right case."

"We've been lucky a few times," I point out.

Dad rolls his eyes. "I was meaning more ballet, not a strip club."

Janine and I snort, then she sighs wistfully, looking at dad. "I wish you weren't ..." Dad turns to look at her, "... whatever it is you are."

"I know," he says back softly. Well hopefully that's that little affair over and done with. 

"Well, glad to see you've pulled, Sherlock, what with murderers running riot at my wedding," John says appearing from behind and clapping his hand on dad's back.

"One murder..." dad corrects, " – one nearly murderer." He turns to Janine. "Loves to exaggerate. You should try living with him."

The entrance door opens and Lestrade appears. "Sherlock?" He points back out through the door. "Got him for you."

Dad claps his hands together as the wedding photographer walks in and I let out a sigh in realisation. Of course! The one guest none of us knew. He must have stabbed Sholto as he was arranging his position for the photographs.