Parent!lock AU; A Study In Teens

We're Just Fine Being Alone

Mazie sprawled out on her chair, in between Hamish's and Will's chair, trying to kick her little brother.

"Mazie, leave Will alone." John ordered. Mazie obeyed, not wanting to upset her parents even more than they already were. They had called in all their friends. Molly, Miss. Hudson, Mycroft and Greg were all huddled in the tiny flat, the blinds closed and the doors locked.

"Hey, Maze." Hamish whispered, leaning closer to his sister. She say up and the three Holmes children moved in close together. "What if we do get kidnapped?"

"Then dad will rip apart London, what do you think?" Will glares his nostril.

"I think he's bluffing." Mazie confided in her two little brothers, "He's not going to kidnap. He's scared of papa. And I promise you, nothing is going to happen to you two prats."

"What are you three doing over here?" Molly walked over, a cheery look on her face. The Holmes Children could tell it was fake, and she was obviously terrified that they would get hurt. They played alone, anyways, wanting to keep up the illusion they were oblivious to the danger.

"I was telling them about which college I want to go to." Mazie lies, "I'm not sure yet, but I've wrote the application I'm going to send the colleges and then have Uncle write the recommendation letter." Hamish and Will were baffled at how easily Mazie could lie.

"What colleges are you thinking of going to?" Molly asks, sitting on the arm of Sherlocks chair.

"Columbia is definitely one that would truly boost my education." Mazie sighs, "But I don't want to settle on any yet. I still don't know what I want to be. I'm thinking of become an M-16 agent or following my papas footsteps and become a consulting detective. But I also wouldn't mind directing and producing movies. Do you see my problem? I want to do so many things and I have so little time." Molly laughed and Sherlock called her back into the kitchen.

"Molly, really, the children are spending time with each other. Leave them alone." Sherlock sighs, "Besides, we have very important matters to discuss."

"Oh, right. Yes. Of course. I hope you figure out what you want to do." Molly winked, rushing back to the adults.

"How did you do that?" Hamish asks immediately.

"Well, I only lied a little. If you didn't notice I veered away from the topic she asked us about and went on to one much more interesting." Mazie sighs, looking proud, "Impressed?"

"Don't be getting a big head, Mae." Will sighed, "You're not papa."

"Don't be an arse." Mazie rolls her pretty green-blue eyes.

"Mazie Hudson Holmes, language!" John scolds.

"Dad, I'm eighteen!" Mazie laughed, "I'm an adult down."

"If you're an adult, you're going to have to pay rent." John smirks.

"I love you, daddy!" Mazie smiles, fluttering her eyelashes.

"That's what I thought." John returned to his conversation.

"I'm hungry." Hamish complained.

"Me too." Will agreed.

"Dad, papa, I'm going to take the boys down to Speedy's." Mazie stood up, gesturing for her either to follow.

"Someone should go with you." Molly suggested.

"Really, Molly." Mazie took her sweater off the back of her chair, pulling it on, "We're right downstairs. I have my phone, my wallet, and thanks to ring locked in twenty-two-one-C for three hours while only papa was home and was in his mind palace, I know how to scream like I'm being murdered."

"Wait, what?" John looked over to his husband.

"Nothing!" Mazie and Sherlock said in unison.

"Okay, but be back in an hour." John agrees, "And text when you get your food."

"Yes, dad." The three drone, running outside. The air was warm, but Mazie was too attached to her jumper to care about the weather, and the sidewalk was bare. If you looked up, you'd be hit in the face with a dozen rain droplets. The children rushed inside the small restaurant and we're greeted by the rude waitress.

"Oh, it's you three." She sighed, "Last time you we're hear, you made our cook cry."

"She started yelling at me and calling me a thief, so I pointed out she had gained break-up weight!" Hamish defends himself.

"Hammy, you had a biscuit in your pocket." Mazie sighed.

"A biscuit you paid for!" Hamish clutched the sides of his hair in frustration. Mazie's older sister instincts kick in and she threw an arm over his shoulder and pulling him in tight, knowing that if this conversation went any further, a parent would have to get involved.

"Just give us a damn seat." She snaps. Will clenches his fists when the waitress gives the three a disapproving look.

"Fine, follow me." The waitress huffs, taking the children to a seat in the back, away from people.

"Okay, Hammy, are you good?" Will turns to his brother, checking to make sure he wasn't going to explode.

"They're so stupid. All so stupid." Hamish rests his head on the table.

"Mae, do something." Will whispers.

"For gods sake, Will, I'm not magic." Mazie sighs, "Let me sit next to him." The two switch spot and Mazie picks Hamish's head up. "Look, Hamish, you're sixteen years old, dear. People are going to get you angry, they're going to not trust you, and you're going to have to ignore them."

"They call us freaks." Hamish seethed, "They call us lunatics. They make fun of us and think we're outcasts."

"Remember what papa always says?" Sherlock walked in on his daughter saying his line that always made the children feel better, "They don't know that we're just fine alone." Hamish cracked a smile, noticing his father walking up to them, grinning.

"Mazie, you didn't text. Your father sent me down." Sherlock tries to look angry.

"Father, we haven't been served yet." Mazie sighs, "We haven't even gotten out order taken. They don't like us here."

"Don't worry, they're idiots." Sherlock sits next to Will, "Excuse me!" He calls over the waitress, "They want breakfast."

"I know. It's being made." The waitress purses her lips, "They've been here often enough I know what they want." She goes about her business, muttering about rude customers.

"You're father wants you to go back up." Sherlock sighs, "I'll stay here and take the food up when it's served."

"What are you talking about up there?" Mazie asks, "I'm an adult now, I should be apart of it."

"You've been an adult for a month, Mae." Sherlock whispers, "You're not ready."

"Of course, papa." Maxie nods, "Come on, boys, let's go see what they want." The three walk out of the shop and turns around to go straight into the apartment, trying to avoid getting rained on. Mazie bumps into someone with their hood up. "Excuse you." She snaps, rolls her eyes as she reaches for the handle to open the door.

"Yes, sorry dear. Pardon me." A sickly sweet voice pours into Mazies ears as her hand freezes on the handle.