A/N I'm back with a new chapter. I know it's been a while but I've been on hiatus because I just finished writing my own entirely original book to get published. This is the first chapter of the first storyline in a while and I've had time to plan out how to make this book. Oooh, by the way, the image above is Eris's outfit in this chapter as I imagine it, I will be doing more edits in the future as well as my own drawings to go with the story. Anyway, enjoy!

3rd Person POV

Sherlock caught John by the arm as they walked out of the store and whispered into his ear "We're being watched."

John tensed but continued to act as everything was normal, pulling Eris a little closer to his side. He trusted Sherlock enough to follow his lead so he didn't protest when they took the tube instead of a cab.

When they reached the tube Sherlock kept glancing around observantly before his posture relaxed slightly. In a low voice, he told John "There are no spies here, they didn't follow us underground."

John let out a breath but stayed on guard. One of the many things he learned from the army was to never trust a false alarm.

Just then he spotted their destination and looked at Sherlock, confused "Scotland Yard?"

"We never got to the case Lestrade wanted to talk about yesterday." He responded.

John sighed "Sherlock...Eris needs to wash up first. She's been in those clothes since yesterday."

"She can wash up at the yard. Hopefully, Molly's still there and can help her."

"Ah, so that's what this is about. We could've asked Mrs.Hudson you know." John said with a grin on his face.

"Mm." Was all Sherlock said in response, signaling his disinterest.

When they arrived Lestrade greeted them at the entrance. Eris spotted him first and smiled widely, running up to the man "Dective!" She chirped happily.

"Hello Eris, you alright?" Lestrade asked the girl when she approached him. They had only met briefly the night before but Eris seemed to remember him fondly and Lestrade, like everyone else who had ever met her, already felt protective of Eris.

"I have clothes!" The child proclaimed proudly, holding up one of the many bags.

Lestrade smiled and patted her head "Nice."

Donovan came through the doors of the Yard and saw the mystery-solving duo "Hey f-" she spotted Eris and changed course "Fffff-Holmes. Uh, we have details to the case from yesterday inside."

John ducked his head to hide a smirk and looked over to see Sherlock's mouth twitch. "We'll have a look at those if you will."

"But Eris needs to wash up first." John reminded.

"I'll do it." Donovan sighed when Lestrade opened his mouth to give the order.

Sherlock brushed by her "Oh how disappointing. Now, who will pester us with pessimistic comments?"

"You'll do a decent job of that on your own." Donovan shot back then lead Eris in another direction, fuming.

~~~~~~~~~~~

When they reached Lestrade's office Sherlock went immediately towards the window, pulling the curtains closed after a quick assessment of what was outside. He turned back with his mouth pulled into a straight line.

"The people who were watching us followed. They clearly have direct orders."

John frowned and looked anxiously at the door "Eris-"

"-Is with Donovan, I trust her to keep Eris safe, she was the one who found her after all." Lestrade cut in. He gave Sherlock a measured look "I suppose the criminal world has heard that you have a daughter if there's already people watching."

" Yes, Eris will no doubt be in a lot of danger with all the enemies we have," Sherlock said, his eyebrows scrunching together in concern. "She needs protection at all times, we have enemies who are willing to kill children..." he whipped his head around to look at Lestrade "Do you think you could set something up, maybe put some officers in charge of taking care of Eris from a distance. We have to take precautions."

Lestrade nodded "Definitely."

"They have to be able to look after her at school too since she's going to start soon." John added

At this Sherlock frowned "School? Why does she need school, she has us."

John sighed and shared a look with Lestrade that they had nicknamed the "Goddamit, Sherlock really does know nothing about humans" look.

"We'll finish this conversation later." John said as an answer.

And with that, the three men set to work.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Three hours later Donovan walked into Lestrade's office with Eris by her side, holding onto her hand. The girl was clean, her curly hair tamed into two pigtails, held up by glittery bands. She wore pink leggings, a dress covered in sunflowers and bright yellow sneakers that matched the flowers on her dress.

In the office, the two were met with the strange sight indeed. John, Sherlock, and Lestrade stood in front of seven or so policemen and women, apparently giving orders. "What's your mission?" Lestrade barked.

"Protect Miss. Holmes!"

"Where should Miss. Holmes be at all times?"

"In sight!"

"What do you do if anyone bothers her?"

"Fight, arrest, and contact superiors!"

"And what do you do in general?" Sherlock asked calmly.

"Don't ask questions!"

"What the bloody hell is this?" Donovan questioned, making all the heads in the room turn towards her and Eris. The policewoman glared at her boss with the ferocity of a wolf.

One of the officers in the room opened their mouth to answer but then shut it when they saw her face. Lestrade smiled secretively and walked up to Donovan "We created a team called the P.M.H to protect Eris from a distance since these two," He gestured to Sherlock and John, who waved sarcastically "Have more enemies than England herself."

Donovan began to say something but Lestrade interrupted her "Do not speak out of turn Detective, I wasn't done yet." He took his hands out from behind his back and handed her the same gray uniform the other officers wore with the letters P.M.H printed in big white letters on the front, except this one had gold stripes down the side. "I want you to lead this group as Chief of the P.M.H."

Donovan looked, awestruck, down at her new uniform. She clutched the folded fabric in determination and grinned, not up at Lestrade, but at Eris who smiled happily back, her eyes bright. "It would be an honor."

At that moment Sherlock appeared next to them looking bored "Yes, this is all very touching but with the forming of the P.M.H we never got to look at the case from-" A loud grumbling sound cut him off and everyone looked at the small girl who frowned at her stomach, as if angry it had interrupted her Papa.

She looked up at Sherlock, her face screwed up in frustration "Hungry."

The consulting detective blinked "What?"

"Hungry."

"She's hungry, Sherlock. You know, that thing humans feel when they need food," John explained to the baffled detective, "Figures that's one of the only words she can say correctly." The doctor knelt, hoisting Eris onto his shoulders and starting towards the door.

The child giggled, playing with John's already messy blond hair. She took two strands of hair, one in each hand, and pulled them in a rhythm "Do-da! Do-da! Do-da!.."

John didn't even flinch. Instead he turned around to face Lestrade, Donovan and Sherlock "Do you think we could just take the file and leave? Children can be bloody terrifying when they want food."

Lestrade nodded in agreement "My son almost shot me once when he was eight. From then on I've never taken my gun home again." He dug around in his desk for a bit before emerging with a thin file in hand.

He handed it to Sherlock who opened it and read the report which contained little to no information at all "An entire family that disappeared, even in the records. Only one neighbor realized they were gone, Ms. Pillsbury of age 79, and she can't even seem to remember the family's name."

John frowned, looking very serious for a person with a child on their shoulders "A whole family disappearing without a trace? That's got to be at least a four, Sherlock."

There was silence and everyone looked to see Sherlock with his eyes closed, head occasionally jerking to one side, like he was searching for something in the back of his eyelids.

Lestrade raised his eyebrows and looked questioningly at John "Mind Palace?"

"Mind Palace." John agreed.

When Sherlock opened his eyes again he immediately said "I'll take the case."

John smirked "I?"

"We'll take the case." Sherlock corrected seamlessly.

Donovan snatched the file from his hands and looked it over "What do you think of it so far? This isn't a lot to work with, even for you f-Sherlock."

"I think-" there was another loud growl and the look of concentration left Sherlock's face. He sighed in frustration and grabbed John by the arm, dragging him and Eris out of the room "I think we need to find my daughter some food before I completely loose my mind."

A/N That's the end of this chapter, but I will be back with another one in a few days!

DON'T DIE!

~Prongs❤