Chapter 4

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"Isn't it great?"

As Sherlock is chewing on his breakfast, not looking away from the morning paper, he mumbles, "What?"

Mrs. Hudson shakes her head at him. "Hayley being back, you get to know Melody. Is like things are going down the right road."

"There are no right roads, Mrs. Hudson. Some are just bumpier and have more cracks than others. Sharp turns and all that."

"Oh, don't be such a spoilsport," she comments and carries the tea tray over to the table.

Sherlock has woken up early. Partly because he couldn't sleep, and he sees no point staying awake in bed. As for the two girls, they haven't got up yet, but since the clock is close to seven, he figures they will soon. Little children aren't exactly known to sleep til noon.

"You have a daughter now, Sherlock. Perhaps you shouldn't take on the most violent cases," she tells him and goes down to herself. Sherlock lowers his arms and drops the paper on the table.

"It's not always inevitable," he speaks low, knowing she won't hear him.

From the angle Sherlock is sitting in, he can see out of the window to the building just across the street. While Sherlock is being inside his own thoughts, there's something that moves outside, just for half a second, that makes him flinch. But when his eyes are focused, there's nothing out of the ordinary. Pondering on it shortly, Sherlock pushes it away, concludes that it was a bird or just something he imagined.

"Daddy."

Turning his upper body, Sherlock sees his daughter standing behind him with, surprise surprise, the dog safely in her hand. She still has her nightdress on and her hair is a bit of a mess. But he has to admit, she's still adorable.

"Why, all of a sudden, are you calling me that?" Sherlock whispers, making Melody tilts her head. "Where's your mother? Is she still asleep?"

"Yes," she replies and then presses her finger against her lips. "Shush."

"Don't you worry, I'm not gonna wake her," he reassures her. Then, a brilliant idea pops into his head.

* * *

"Bor."

"Come on, you can do it. Bor-ed."

"Bore."

"Bored"

"Bore...d.."

"Brilliant!" Sherlock says proudly.

"Bored. Pang," Melody smiles big.

"Exactly, when you're bored, shoo-"

When his eyes wander over to Hayley who's standing in the doorframe with crossed arms, he stops dead in his words.

"Did she start that one too?" she asks, lucky for him, not too angry in her tone which is a good sign. Unless she is waiting until Melody isn't in the room.

"Mama!" Melody climbs down the red chair and runs into her arms.

"Good morning. Have you eaten breakfast?"

"Cookie."

Hayley raises her brow and glances at Sherlock who looks away. "Cookie huh?"

Melody nods happily.

"Want some more food? Your stomach won't settle with just cookies for breakfast."

The two young girls go to the kitchen to make some proper food suited for a breakfast. Chuckling, Sherlock watches until his phone is buzzing on the nearest table. Looking at the screen, he slides the green button across the screen.

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