Childhood Memories

Chapter 36

Soon Lily, Sherlock, and John were all in the back of a car. John had quickly run down after her and Sherlock left while grumbling under his breath.

"You've heard of Charles Augusts Magnussen, of course," Sherlock said.

"Yeah. Owns some newspapers - ones I don't read." John responded.

Lily looked between the two men, "I don't know who Charles Agustus Magnussen is."

Sherlock looked at her, "I wouldn't expect you to."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Lily asked, "Are you assuming I'm uneducated."

She watched as Sherlock rolled his eyes, "Well, you kind of are."

Llily grumbled curses in Sherlock's direction but he only wrapped an arm around her with a roll of his eyes. She quickly stopped her muttering.

John watched them with a soft smile.

When they pulled up to 221B Baker Street, Lily caught on to Mycroft Holmes' car and felt a pit settle in her stomach. There was always a threat of her going back to Sherrinford and she hadn't seen Mycroft in so long.

"What is my brother doing here?" Sherlock asked.

Once the car came to a stop Sherlock and Lily immediately jumped out. John commented on paying and Sherlock pointed out the knocker being straightened but Lily didn't care as she pushed open the door to 221B and ran up the stairs.

"Mycroft." Lily said, "I'm not-"

"No. And good day to you as well." Mycroft nodded.

She felt a small breath release out of her before Sherlock came up the stairs and stopped behind her. Mycroft's eyes looked over at him, "Well, then, Sherlock. Back on the sauce?"

Sherlock just stared at his brother, "What are you doing here?"

"I phoned him," John answered.

Mycroft just looked at his brother, "The siren call of old habits. How very like Uncle Rudy - though, in many ways, cross-dressing would have been a wiser path for you."

His comment was not heard though as Sherlock turned to look at John with an annoyed look, "You phoned him?"

John nodded, "'Course I bloody phoned him!"

Lily shook her head as her heels clicked through the living room into the kitchen, "Of course, he called Mycroft, Sherlock, I would have done the same thing." 

"Lily!" Sherlock yelled.

"What?"

Sherlock followed her, "You wouldn't do that to me."

Lily turned and looked around at him with a glare, "Leave me for a month and there's no telling what I would do."

"'Course he bloody did," Mycroft called, "Now, save me a little time. Where should we be looking?"

"We?" Sherlock and Lily asked at the same time.

And then Lily heard the insufferable voice of Anderson and glared at Mycroft. When he met her eyes he gave no remorse. She huffed and let herself collapse onto the sofa. Lily no longer wanted to be in the room.

Mycroft gave her a disappointing stare but turned her gaze back to Sherlock, "You're a celebrity these days, Sherlock. You can't afford a drug habit."

"I do not have a drug habit," Sherlock argued.

Lily laughed bitterly and then looked over at the detective, "Oh you don't?" She asked, "Where were you for a month?"

"Hey, what happened to my chair?" John asked.

"Sorry about that John," Lily said, "I moved it to access the kitchen easier."

John turned to Mycroft, "It's good to be missed."

"Hey! You were gone. Sherlock was off running his drug alter ego, there was an opportunity and I took it."

"I don't have a drug alter ego!" Sherlock yelled.

"You do!" Lily rebutted.

Mycroft silenced them with the banging of his cane. Lily was reminded of their childhood when they would argue and then be silenced with the slamming of Mycroft's hand on the wall. Some things never changed.

"Sherlock, your bedroom door is closed," Mycroft said.

Lily shot up, "Don't go in there."

Mycroft, John, and Sherlock all looked at her. Mycroft got up from his position and began to walk down the hallway, his eyes trained on Lily.

If I get sent back to Sherrinford I swear-

"Lily you've been home alone for a month. On top of that, you have your room where the door is always open. So, why would a woman who doesn't sleep in that room, and never closes her door bother to care about the secrecy of a room?"

Lily watched him with pleading eyes, "Mycroft, please. There is nothing in Sherlock's room. I've been home alone for a month as we've established. And it gets unsettling to see a door continuously open with no inhibitor."

Mycroft doesn't listen though and twists the door knob.

"Mycroft..." Lily muttered.

 But he turned it farther and Lily gave up her dignity, "Sherlock make him stop, now!"

Sherlock would have let anyone else suffer, especially because he was extremely curious as to what Lily was hiding in his room. But, he couldn't say no to Lily for some reason. His mind short-circuited and the next thing he knew, "The drugs aren't what you think. It's for a case."

That got Mycroft's attention, and his focus shifted, "What case could possibly justify that?"

Sherlock huffed, "Magnussen. Charles Agustus Magnussen"

Mycroft stalked away from the door quickly. He had the same face on when he moved LIly and Eurus to Sherrinford. Who was Magnussen? Lily was curious now.

Mycroft turned to Anderson who was still in the room, "That name of you think you may have just heard - you were mistaken. If you ever mention hearing that name in this room, in this context, I guarantee you - on behalf of the British security services - materials will be found on your computer drives resulting in your immediate incarceration. Don't reply, just look frightened and scuttle."

That did the job for them to quickly leave. But Lily could hear Mycroft's threat to her as well. She would return to Sherrinford if that name got out. If she tried to do something regarding that name, she would go back to the white room.

 Mycroft's eyes turned to the trio, his eyes lingering on Lily, "Magnussen is not your business."

"Oh, you mean he's yours," Sherlock said.

Mycroft gave his brother a pointed look, "You may consider him under my protection."

Sherlock huffed, "I consider you under his thumb."

"If you go against Magnussen, you will find yourself going against me."

"Okay. I'll let you know if I notice," Sherlock walked over to the front door holding it open, "Er, what was I going to say? Oh yeah. Bye-bye!"

Mycroft shook his head and began to walk towards the door, "Unwise brother of mine."

In that instant, Sherlock had Mycroft's left arm twisted around his back and shoved up against the wall in what Lily would assume to be immense pain.

 She rushed over immediately, "Don't speak, Mycroft. Just leave. You've done enough here and he's high."