Sherlock didn't enjoy going to his brother for help. The man was arrogant and pompous and Sherlock didn't need the berating, but he really needed his help. So he, in a rare instance, swallowed his pride and called Mycroft. After some convincing the elder Holmes brother finally agreed to help Sherlock corner her, but that was the extent of his help. He was serious when he said this was all on Sherlock.
He had become more determined with each picture that surfaced on his computer. Pictures of her and Amber laughing at a nail salon. Amber, Moriarty, and Sibley at dinner clearly enjoying themselves. Then there was the one of her and Moriarty in a mall, his arms wrapped around her as if he actually cared. At first he had though her stupid, but then he realized had he not been so stupid himself, Sibley wouldn't have had to seek comfort in a psychopath.
He walked into the coffee shop, mind solely focused on his daughter who was laughing across from Amber, warm cup cradled in her hands. He smiled some. He hadn't seen her in a month and a half, but she looked happy. As he got closer, though, he noticed the bruises. On her jaw, her bare shoulder, and her collar bone. She didn't seem to mind them though, seemingly still the bright young girl despite Moriarty and whatever he had done. Surely she wasn't okay with it.
She looked up and her eyes fell on him. Her expression turned stormy but she didn't get up. Didn't look away. Didn't shake in fear. She just raised an eyebrow, an unsaid question between them. Why was he here? Couldn't he just leave her alone? He walked forward and Amber turned, glaring him down.
"What?" Sibley asked, tone ice cold and unrelenting.
"I need to talk to you... Alone." he said. The girls shared a look and Sibley nodded. Amber sighed and stood up, making her way to the counter to chat with a barista she knew. Sherlock took the now empty seat across from his child.
"Why are you here?" she asked him.
"Come home." he said. She scoffed and rolled her eyes, leaning back in her chair.
"Why should I? Why do you even care? It's not like you wanted me there anyways. You should be happy." she snapped. He sighed and she tried to cover up her shock as his exhaustion became clear on his face.
"I messed up, Sibley. I'm sorry. I just... I don't do emotions or sentiment so you scare me. You scare me, Sibley, because I care for you. Because I know that if anything happened to you, I would be destroyed. Because of that, I pushed you away and I'm sorry. Just please come home." he begged. She blinked, eyes beginning to water.
"I have a home now. People who actually care about me. Who aren't afraid of being a bit emotional. I don't need you." she did a good job at hiding her sorrow, but Sherlock still caught it. Before he could reply, Amber rushed over.
"Come on Sibley, my dad wants us back," she said. Sibley nodded and just looked at Sherlock before grabbing her bag and following her friend out the door.
~~~
It was late, insanely late, but Sibley's sleeping patterns had been becoming worse by the day. Nights were plagued with nightmares and doubts and she found that sleep was hard to find in those situations. She finished making herself a mug of tea and moved to carry it into her room so she could cocoon herself in blankets and read until the early hours of the morning, but voices stopped her. No one was ever up at this time, her nightly habits had become routine and this was new. She hovered by the door to Moriarty's office.
"How much longer are you going to let her live?" Sebastian's voice carried through the door.
"Not long now, the game is coming to an end," Moriarty replied.
"Hm... You got lucky, who knew Sherlock would have such a vulnerable daughter," Sebastian laughed. Moriarty chuckled along with him.
"Daddy issues... Makes everything easier. Her infatuation with Amber helped too," Moriarty explained.
"Yes. She's becoming quite the criminal. Just like her father, luring in those close to the target," Sebastian said.
"Yes, I was afraid at first, but she did well. She is quite the actress, isn't she?"
Sibley's brain processed the information she was hearing and, once it caught up to her, she dropped her mug, the glass shattered on the hardwood floor and instantly, Moriarty's office doors flew open. He spotted her and snarled angrily. She stumbled back and began to run. She could hear the two men's heavy footsteps follow her but she didn't turn around. Luckily, she was smaller than them and that meant quicker. Her bare feet hit the gravel outside, the cold London air bit into her skin. The rough surface under her feet slowed her down and Sebastian caught up to her, grabbing her from behind. She screeched and tried to do one of the moves he taught her, but he knew what she was planning before she even began. She bit him in the arm, causing him to cry out in pain and loosen his grip on her.
She took her chance and ran into the wood, scrambling up a tree. She looked down right as Moriarty and Sebastian arrived.
"Come on out, Sibley, there's nowhere to go!" Moriarty shouted, opening his arms, "We can work this out!" he shouted. She held her breath as they were standing right below her.
God, please don't let them look up. If I get out of this, I swear on the Harry Potter series i'll be a better person.
She silently prayed. Sadly, it must not have been enough as right then, Sebastian looked straight at her. The smile that appeared on her face sent shivers down her spine. It was chilling. She had the sensation of a predator spotting it's meal. Moriarty saw where he was looking and turned to see her too. He frowned.
"Oh, Sibley, I was having so much fun. Now you've gone and RUINED EVERYTHING!" he shouted. She was shaking from fear, hot tears running down her cheeks that were probably already red from the cold. She watched in terror as a Moriarty aimed his gun at her. He shot right next to her and she screamed as she fell out of the trees, scraping her skin on the sticks and rocks below her. She ignored the burning where her body hit the ground and got up to run again. Moriarty didn't shoot again. She had a feeling he missed on purpose he first time. He needed her alive.
She almost tripped over a rock. When she looked down the noticed it was about the size of two tennis balls. She didn't even think as she picked it up and threw it with all her might at Sebastian's face. It hit his head and immediately started bleeding as he stumbled back into Moriarty, knocking him over. She then darted through the trees as fast as she could, putting as much distance as possible between her and the two evil men behind her.
She arrived onto a street where cars zoomed by. She waved down a cab, thankful she acquired her father's skill for hailing cabs and climbed in the back.
"Scotland Yard, step on it!" she shouted as she slammed the door. The man didn't bother asking as he sped to their destination.
~~~
She sat on an armchair in Lestrade's office, wrapped in a warm blanket, hot chocolate in her hands. She was still shaking and crying. Moriarty wanted to kill her or capture her or whatever. Amber never felt anything for her. In truth it was the main reason she had stayed. It was all a lie and she really should have known. She shouldn't have trusted Amber so easily, especially after learning of her lineage, but Sibley had never judged people from where the came from. Stupid. So incredibly stupid.
Honestly, getting so close to Jim Moriarty was her biggest mistake. It's not like it even got her any important information, he was too secretive for that. No, she had trusted him so quickly. She found comfort in him, enjoyed his presence. The idea that she might have some kind of caring parental figure in her life had been so exciting she forgot who it was that she was leaning on. The same man that killed and maimed people like it was nothing.
The weight of her choice finally hit her. God, what was wrong with her? She moved in with a killer all because she was mad at her dad and wanted to snog the man's daughter. How idiotic and dramatic was she? Plus, Moriarty probably wanted to kill Sherlock also and it didn't matter what Sherlock had said or done, she didn't want him to die. After everything, she still longed for his love and approval. She had royally screwed this one up.
Sherlock rushed into the room to find his daughter covered in cuts and scrapes and looking downright miserable. She didn't notice him at first, clearly stuck in her mind. He watched her for a moment, John standing silently next to him.
"Sibley." he said. She flinched and looked up at him, her eyes widening. She began to cry even harder.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. It was stupid. I was stupid. I'm sorry. I don't know what's wrong with me." she sobbed. He walked over and awkwardly placed a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to be comforting. He knelt down to her eye level.
"No. Moriarty is manipulative as is his daughter. We both made stupid decisions, but that doesn't matter now." he said. She looked at him.
"B-b-but I went to your enemy. I went to a killer! Because I was angry! It was horrible! I should be l-locked up or something! I'm a dumb, dramatic, fool!" she cried, getting worked up. Sherlock grabbed the sides of her arms.
"Listen to me, Sibley. No one is getting locked up. Your father is a sociopath, no one is blaming you, okay. You made a stupid impulsive decision, it doesn't make you stupid or bad." he said. She sniffed before quickly putting her hot chocolate on the table beside her and throwing herself into her father's arms. He was surprised with himself when he instinctively wrapped his arms around her and held her. She sobbed into him and he kissed the crown of her head, whispering soothing words into her ear.
Slowly but surely Sibley calmed down in his arms. They sat on the floor, Sherlock sitting Indian style, Sibley in his lap as if she were a small child again, the room silent besides her occasional sniffle. John had left to give them some space and Lestrade just didn't come in, which he only sort of annoyed him because it was his office, but he let it go this time. Sibley breathed in the familiar scent of ink, nicotine, and cologne.
"This isn't over, is it?" she asked quietly. He held her tighter.
"No," he sighed, "no it isn't." they were silent for a few more moments before she spoke again.
"Dad, I'm afraid." she muttered. Sherlock froze for a moment, a flurry of emotion and confusion swirling through his mind.
"I'm not going to let him hurt you." he said.
"You can't guarantee that," she replied.
"No, but I can try." he answered. She nodded again him.
"I trust you."