<3>

245 4 1
                                    

John's Pov
~~~~----~~~~
After a rather long explanation for how the poor bloke lying face down on the river bank was connected to this newly discovered lost Vermeer painting being a fake.  Sherlock and I had gotten into a cab and driven off back to baker street. Stopping on the way so Sherlock could speak with a homeless girl.
As I walk into the apartment I hear voices from upstairs.
"Sherlock I think miss Hudson is talking to someone in our living room?" I say voicing my opinion. He looks to me but stays quite as if thinking about something. I walk up the stairs shrugging my coat off. Opening the door I am greeted by miss Hudson and a young teenage girl drinking tea. The girl has three suitcases with her and is grinning at me.
"Ooh is this him is this doctor John Watson," she says with a giggle. I furrow my brows and open my mouth.
"Ooh, he looks like a hedgehog oh my gosh that's brilliant," the girl says.
"Who the hell are you?" I ask "and what do you mean I look like a hedgehog?!" I say.
"Oh I stand corrected not a hedgehog, no he's more like a hobbit," she says sipping her tea. Miss Hudson laughing beside her.
"You Must get on great with Sherlock, whereabouts is my father anyway?" She says. My mouth hangs open.
"Oh you didn't say he was your father that does explain a lot," miss Hudson says. I just stand in the doorway mouth open like a goldfish.
"Father? As in like dad? Sherlock?" I say. Just as I start to wrap my head around the concept Sherlock walks in behind me.
"Maria you're early you aren't supposed to be here for another two weeks," he says immediately
"Oh yes and hello to you to father how pleasant it is to see you again, I missed you too. How's the drug habit going, hobbit John helping distract you?" She smirks. I look at her confused.
"What's going on?" I ask.
"Oh do catch up John this is Maria my daughter she lives with us till the end of the year and she is two weeks early, why are you early what happened you are never early which means something happened. So what happened is Isabella ok, Maria is your mother alright?" Sherlock asks and a million miles a minute. His tone one of genuine worry for a split second when the girl's mother is mentioned. This both surprises me and slightly gets on my nerves.
"Yes mother is ok, there was a man, Moriarty I think, he visited her asking questions and claiming he knew you. so she gave me the choice to come here stay with her or go to... go to uh his house, I chose to come here because I didn't want to risk her being in danger and I know you can protect me" the girl says. I raise an eyebrow at the pause when she mentioned this other fellow whoever it was.
"Whos house Michaels? What's wrong with Michaels house you would have been fine there until you could come here?" Sherlock asks.
"Ha yeah, I don't like it at Michaels house because I'm getting older now, father and he finds me attractive as a young woman," she says crossing her arms over her chest.
Sherlock immediately frowns.
"I never liked him anyway," he says.
"Ok so sorry can I jump in quickly, your Sherlocks daughter and your two weeks early, early for what? Why all the luggage?" I ask.
"Oh yes, I should probably tell you. She will be living with us each leap year, though I suppose this will be the last year won't it, your sixteen now aren't you" Sherlock says as he asks Maria for clarification on her age. She gives a small nod.
"doesn't mean I can't visit though," she says.
"Where on earth is the girl going to sleep Sherlock, this apartment only has two rooms." I sigh thinking about it logically.
"She can have my room I don't use it all that much anyway," Sherlock says.
"Ok, and where will you sleep when you have to? You can't just, not sleep" I add.
"Oh for God sakes John we have a perfectly good couch hear we will sort that out later," he says turning to Maria.
"Moriarty, you said Moriarty," he says demanding more information.
"Yeah some Irish man he came with no warning only enough time for me to get a small emergency bag and hide under my bed. Kept asking mummy all these odd questions about me. I think he is onto the fact that I am your daughter." She says with a small shrug.
"Right, we will deal with that when it comes to it.  for now, let's get you settled in" Sherlock says picking up one of the suitcases and taking it through to his room. Miss Hudson gives Maria a small hug and huge grin.
"Lovely meeting you dear do enjoy yourself and if these two give you any trouble just come find me ill deal with them," she says with a small wink before she takes her to leave.
I sit down in my chair and go over everything in my head.
"Daughter, Christ" I mutter still slightly in disbelief.
"Yes, doctor Watson daughter do catch up," Maria says from directly behind me.
"D'ya have any food? Don't mean to be rude but it's been about a day since I ate last was rather rushed getting hear. Would kill for a spicy tuna roll or something." She says opening and closing cupboards pulling out pots, pans and other things.
"I don't think we have tuna," I say "do you want to order some?" I ask.
"Oh heavens no I shall cook my own tuna thanks. No offence to anyone but I don't trust takeout shops. Unless I can see exactly how the food is made." She says a slight tone to her voice telling me that she must have had a rather significant experience to have decided this. I hear the padding of her feet and turn to see her opening the fridge.
"Wait there is a..." I try to warn her about the body parts that Sherlock had left in there. She stares at it her back to me so I can't see her expression.
"WILLIAM SHERLOCK SCOTT HOLMES GET YOUR GOD DAMN ARSE OUT HER NOW!!" She screams.
With a confused and slight annoyed look, Sherlock comes out from his room. Or well Maria's room.
"Yes Maria, what might I have done to have it necessary you call my full name?" He asks. I run a hand over my face and turn back round in my seat. William Sherlock Scott Holmes. So that's his full name. It's nice I'll have to remember that.
"Care to explain why you have left a bag of fucking human thumbs in the fridge! We discussed this last time I was with you either do your experiments at the lab or get a separate fridge! I don't want no gross human meat in my spicy tuna rolls!" She says sternly with a firm voice.
"Oh yes, those. I'll sort it..." he starts only to cut off with a yelp.
I turn back round to see Maria holding her father's ear so he is at her eye level.
"You will not sort it later get all human remains out of this refrigerator right now or it will call uncle Mycroft!" She snarls with an animalistic and practised voice. I bite my lip to stop from laughing at Sherlock's look of utter horror.
"Ok yes I will sort it now," he says almost sounding like a three-year-old sulking about being told to put his toys away.
"Good now I'm going to the shops do you need anything John?" She asks. I look at her and smile.
"Yeah, just milk. Always milk" I say muttering the last part more to myself.
"Ok cheers don't let him leave the kitchen till that fridge is spotless." She says walking up to one of the suitcases pulling out a purple coat similar to Sherlocks but shorter and more feminine. And a cell phone, or at least that's what it looked like. My thoughts on this are confirmed when she flips the grey case open to reveal a phone and cards slotted in place.
She walks out the door with a wave and a smile leaving me sitting in my chair still not too sure what's really going on and sherlock sulking in the kitchen like an overgrown three-year-old in time out.

Consulting Father. [SLOW UPDATES]Where stories live. Discover now