The Son of Sherlock Holmes

The Empty Hearse Part Two

Zyair walks into the living room of 221B and raises his eyebrows when he sees his grandparents "Zyair!" Violet exclaims, getting up and hugging him. "Nana? What are you and Papa doing here?" he asks, looking over to his dad who is stood on the sofa looking at a map. "We're in town for a few days." Siger tells his grandson. John walks in making Sherlock look round in surprise "John!" he exclaims. "Sorry, you're busy." John apologises. Sherlock steps off the sofa and starts motioning for his parents to leave "Er, no-no-no, they were just leaving." he tells John. Zyair smirks slightly "Oh, were we?" Violet asks. "Yes." Sherlock tells her. "No, no, if you've got a case-" John starts. "He deoesn't." Zyair cuts him off. "No, not a case, no-no-no. Go. Bye." Sherlock tells his parents. "Yeah, well, we're here 'til Saturday, remember." Violet tells them. "Yes, great, wonderful. Just get out." Sherlock responds, ushering his parents to the door. "Well, give us a ring. You too Zyair." Violet tells them. "Very nice, yes, good. Get out." Sherlock says, pushing them out onto the landing. Violet stops Sherlock from shutting the door "I can't tell you how glad we are, Sherlock. All that time people thinking the worst of you. We're just so pleased it's all over." she tells him.

Sherlock looks round to see Zyair and John with their backs to the door, Zyair's shoulders tense "Ring up more often, won't you?" Siger tells him. "Mm-hm." Sherlock responds. "She worries." Siger says. "Promise?" Violet asks. "Promise." Sherlock responds. Smiling, Violet reaches up to stroke his cheek "Oh, for God..." Sherlock complains, shoving the door shut "Sorry about that." he tells John. "No, it's fine. Clients?" John asks. "...Just my parents." Sherlock responds. "Your parents?" John asks in surprise. "In town for a few days." Sherlock tells him. "Your parents?" John repeats. "Mycroft promised to take them to a matinee of Les Mis. Tried to talk me into doing it." Sherlcok explains, Zyair smirking slightly at the thought of his Uncle having to go to the theatre. "Those were your parents?" John asks, looking out the window. "Yes." Sherlock responds. "Your grandparents?" John asks Zyair. "Does tend to mean that, yes." Zyair responds. "Well... That is not what I..." John trails off with a chuckle. "What?" Sherlock asks. "I-I mean they're just... so... ordinary." John responds. Sherlock tuts disparagingly "It's a cross I have to bear." he responds. John chuckles, slowly taking a few steps across the room before turning back "Did they know, too?" he asks, Zyair looking at his dad. "Hmm?" Sherlock hums. "That you spent the last two years playing hide and seek." John responds.

Sherlock picks an imaginary piece of fluff off the keyboard of his laptop "Maybe." he tells them. "Ah! So that's why they weren't at the funeral." John says. "So I was the only one? The only Holmes not to know?" Zyair asks. "Sorry. Sorry again. Sorry." Sherlock responds. John takes a breath before breathing out slowly as he looks down "See you've shaved it off, then." Sherlock remarks. "Yeah. Wasn't working for me." John responds. "Mm, I'm glad." Sherlock tells him. "What, you didn't like it?" John asks. "No. I prefer my doctors clean-shaven." Sherlock smiles. "That's not a sentence you hear every day!" John says, sitting down in his chair with a groan. "How are you feeling?" Sherlock asks. "Yeah, not bad. Bit... smoked." John responds. "Right." Sherlock nods, watching as Zyair goes over to the sofa and looks at the papers pinned to the wall. "Last night, who did that? And why did they target me?" John asks. "I don't know." Sherlock responds. "Is it someone trying to get to you through me? Is it something to do with this terrorist thing you talked about?" John asks. "I don't know. I can't see the pattern. It's too nebulous. Why would an agent give his life to tell us something incredibly insignificant? That's what's strange." Sherlock tells him, going over to look at the papers. "'Give his life'?" John asks.