40.

Home. Elspeth smiled to herself as she nestled into the sofa, adjusting her arms around Abby Watson – she let out a squawk of protest when Elspeth jostled her, but quietened down quickly – and contemplating the word. Home. 221B Baker Street would always be Elspeth's home. Sherlock and Mycroft, John and Mary and Abby, Lestrade and Mrs Hudson, even Molly – they were all her family, and always would be. It was a comforting thought, knowing that there were a lot of people who loved and cared for her. So much so that they managed to pull together and organise a welcome home party for Elspeth when she arrived back from the hospital, and she'd been so moved that she'd had to excuse herself for a minute. The ordeal of Moriarty had been exhausting and Elspeth was still a bit emotional, but grateful. Incredibly grateful.

John and Mary introduced Abby to Elspeth, and for some reason, Abby took an instant liking to her. After a bit of convincing from Mary, Elspeth took Abby in her arms and held her there, a bit awkward to begin with but quickly realising that she quite enjoyed it. Abby was inquisitive, tugging at Elspeth's hair with uncoordinated hands and making adorable noises, and Elspeth decided that perhaps babies weren't as awful as she thought they were.

She changed her mind when Abby drooled all over her shoulder. That wasn't an entirely pleasant experience.

"So," John said quietly, standing with Sherlock in the kitchen. "You ever going to tell her the truth?" Lestrade was out of earshot, sitting in the living room with Molly and Mrs Hudson. Sherlock didn't have to ask who John was referring to.

"No," Sherlock said. His eyes rested on Elspeth and he smiled at his daughter when she glanced his way, grinning widely at him. John stared up at him in silence. "What? Is that . . . not good?"

"I think it's great," John said. "Honestly, I think . . . I think it's the best thing to do." He looked closely at Sherlock. "I understand, you know. Now that Abby's here, I get what being a dad's all about, so you don't have to worry about me blabbing." John gazed at Sherlock for a few seconds more before adding, "You're a good man, Sherlock, and an even better father."

Patting Sherlock on the shoulder, John left the kitchen and took Abby from Elspeth, who looked as if she needed a break from babysitting. She fell in love with Abby the second she saw her, but there was only so long Elspeth could hold her for before her arms started to ache.

Elspeth excused herself quietly and wandered through to the kitchen, leaning against the counter next to Sherlock. She playfully bumped her shoulder against his arm.

"You didn't have to do this, you know," she said to him, grinning. "Not that I'm not grateful, obviously."

"I knew you would appreciate the sentiment," Sherlock replied with a smile, relieved to see his daughter well and happy again. It was like having the old Elspeth back – his Elspeth. "If it's too overwhelming I can send them home. I'm sure I can make an excuse that won't upset or offend them too much."

Elspeth laughed. "Nah, it's fine. I like having everyone here, it's nice. Oh yeah, that reminds me – Bill's coming over in a bit, you don't mind, do you?" Sherlock begrudgingly shook his head. "Thank you," Elspeth said sweetly. "I think we should introduce him to Mycroft. He could be like Anthea's replacement!"

Sherlock frowned. "I hardly think –"

"No, no, think about it," Elspeth interrupted. "Mycroft needs an assistant, Bill needs a job and he's, like, crazy smart. Then Bill can get off the streets, earn himself some money, Mycroft won't have to do those tedious interviews – it's a win win situation." Sherlock stared at his daughter, amazed at how much thought she had put into it, and Elspeth shrugged. "I'm a genius, I know, but I can credit it to having a lot of spare time in the hospital. Daytime telly is so boring."

Grinning, Sherlock bent down and kissed his daughter's forehead. "Don't ever change," he told her.

"Hey, you're the one who organised this," Lestrade called to Sherlock, grinning. "Don't think you can brood in the kitchen and get away with it."

"Duty calls," Sherlock muttered. Elspeth laughed.

"This isn't duty, this is family," she said as the bell rung. "That's probably Nan and Granddad. I'll get it."

Elspeth bounded downstairs and Sherlock walked through to the living room, forcing himself to smile when Mrs Hudson fussed over him, telling everyone how wonderful it was to see him back in his chair and back to his usual self.

"Mycroft and Sherlock Holmes, how many times have I told you to keep yourselves out of trouble?" Wanda Holmes demanded, striding into the living room with her husband following close behind, Elspeth standing in the doorway and grinning from ear to ear. Mycroft and Sherlock stood up, looking sheepish. "How dare you get yourselves into trouble again? And you should be ashamed of yourselves, putting my only granddaughter in hospital again! How many times have I told you to stop getting her involved in your daft business?"

"We didn't –" Sherlock began, his cheeks burning. Lestrade didn't even bother hiding his laughter and even Molly was struggling not to smile, biting down on her lip. John and Mary, who had met Sherlock's parents before, exchanged a look.

"Don't," Wanda interrupted, pointing her finger at him. "Don't even think about it, young man."

Mycroft pressed his lips together and looked down at his feet while Sherlock tried not to look too ashamed under his mother's scrutinising gaze.

"Mikey, are you going to introduce us to everyone?" Wanda asked her oldest son, who gritted his teeth at his nickname.

"Of course." Mycroft introduced Lestrade and Molly to Wanda, and Mrs Hudson went through to the kitchen to put on more tea for everyone. Timothy went with her, humming as he helped and relieved to get a moment of peace; his wife had been talking his ear off for the entire journey to 221B. Not that he minded, of course. He loved her with all his heart.

"Oh, it's so nice to see you all where you belong," Mrs Hudson said. Sherlock smiled, sitting in his chair, and John went to sit opposite him in his own armchair with Abby on his lap. Mary perched on the arm of his chair, kissing him quickly. "Ellie, dear, you sit down."

Lestrade and Molly moved to the table in the living room so Elspeth and her grandparents could sit on the sofa together; Elspeth smiled when she found herself nestled between Timothy and Wanda, curling her knees up to her chest and sipping her tea. It was good to be home. It was great to be home, and even better to know that it was over. Moriarty was gone, Sebastian Moran was going to trial, she had her friends and family surrounding her – in Elspeth's opinion, it couldn't have been much better.

That was when Sherlock handed her a heavy, official looking envelope with a small smile on his face that implied he knew something she didn't. Elspeth frowned.

"What's this?" she asked him, taking the envelope. There was a logo in the corner she recognised.

"Open it," Sherlock told her, still smiling. John grinned because he knew what it was – Sherlock had discussed the idea with him – and jiggled Abby on his knee when she started to get restless, letting out a loud noise of protest when she thought she wasn't getting enough attention. Elspeth looked at John, then at Sherlock, and her eyes finally rested on Mycroft, who was smirking with a knowing look in his eyes.

"Do you have something to do with this?" Elspeth held up the envelope and Mycroft simply shook his head, refusing to tell her anything. "You lot are up to something," she muttered, tearing open the envelope. Inside was a thick booklet – a prospectus, Elspeth realised – and several letters of information. "Is this . . . is this University information?"

"Mycroft had a word with them," Sherlock explained. "They were impressed with your A Level results. There's a website address in one of the letters where you can apply for a place beginning next September."

It was a prestigious University, one that specialised in the arts, and it was somewhere Elspeth had considered applying to before she took a turn for the worst after Sherlock's apparent death. It was one of the hardest Universities to get into, though, as they only took students with top grades or students they saw had great artistic talent, and Elspeth never thought in a million years that they would accept her. And they had – sort of. If they were as impressed as Sherlock made them out to be, then perhaps applying for a place wasn't such a bad idea.

"Ellie, say something," John prompted when all Elspeth did was stare at the letter in front of her. She'd gone very still. He wasn't even sure if she was breathing.

"I think you broke your daughter, Sherlock," Molly said with a giggle, Lestrade grinning at her. Elspeth felt tears in her eyes and wiped them away stubbornly, shaking her head. She couldn't belief it.

"No, no, I'm alright," she insisted. "I mean, this – wow. This is so incredible, I can't . . . wow. Thank you." Elspeth knew her place wasn't guaranteed and she still had to apply, and there were probably loads of other students that she would have to compete with, but she also knew that they didn't offer tours around the campus and open day invitations to just anyone. Like Sherlock said, they were really impressed. "Thank you," Elspeth repeated.

Smiling, Timothy turned and pressed a kiss to the side of his granddaughter's head. "You'll get in no trouble, Ellie. You're a bright girl."

Elspeth smiled back, jumping up when the doorbell rang. "Bill's here," she said. "'Scuse me." She was relieved to get out for a few seconds, grinning to herself and wiping her eyes again as she bounded downstairs. "I'm coming!" Elspeth called when Bill rang the doorbell a second time, laughing as she opened the door.

The first thing Elspeth saw was a bunch of flowers being pushed into her face, followed by Bill's sheepish grin as he pulled them back a little.

"Sorry, didn't mean to 'it you like that," he said. "These are for you, Els." Bill held out the flowers and Elspeth took them, smiling.

"Aw, thanks Bill! They're so pretty!" Elspeth hugged him. "Come on, everyone's upstairs."

"'Ow are you feeling now, Els? I was gonna come visit you in the 'ospital but I was proper scared of what your dad and Doctor Watson might do to me," Bill admitted. The last time he'd seen Sherlock and John, they weren't happy with him; Sherlock had felt that Bill was partially responsible for Elspeth's disappearance. After having some time to think, Sherlock knew it was unfair to blame Bill – not that he would ever tell the younger man, of course.

Elspeth laughed. "You're scared of my Dad and John?" she teased. "Don't worry, they can't do anything while I'm here. I'll protect you."

"Thanks, Els, you're a good friend."

She gave Bill a bright smile, leading him upstairs, and Bill smiled to himself. Elspeth had scared him for a while when she was silent and didn't move or talk or eat, but now she was back to usual self and Bill couldn't be happier. He was glad to have his friend back.

"Bill's here," Elspeth announced, walking into the living room. She pointed an accusing finger at Sherlock and John. "No being mean to him, alright?"

"'Ello, Mr Holmes, Doctor Watson, Mrs Watson," Bill said politely. "Congratulations on your baby."

Mary smiled. "Thank you, Bill."

"Oh, you're still hanging around with my granddaughter then?" Wanda commented, much to Sherlock's amusement. He was a nice boy, polite and intelligent, but no one would ever be good enough for her only grandchild.

"I'm 'fraid so, Mrs 'Olmes. I keep trying to get rid of 'er but she finds me anyway."

"Hey," Elspeth protested in the kitchen, where she was putting Bill's flowers in a vase. "I click my fingers and you come running every time, Wiggins."

"God help Ellie's future boyfriends," Lestrade muttered. Molly laughed.

Bill grinned sheepishly and Sherlock smirked to himself; Elspeth was definitely back to her usual self.

Laughing, Elspeth pressed a friendly kiss to Bill's cheek – Sherlock stopped smirking and Mary gave him a sympathetic smile, trying not to laugh – and handed him a cup of tea before sitting back down on the sofa, looking around herself. Things were good.

The celebrations went on until evening, but Molly had to get home to her cat and Lestrade had dinner plans with his wife and Mycroft could only spend so long with his little brother, despite their decision to stop the petty feud between them. He took his parents home with him and Bill went with them, grinning from ear to ear at the prospect of finally having a job – Mycroft was sceptical, but Elspeth assured him that it was a good idea, and if Bill failed at his job, she would personally take the blame. Mrs Hudson, tired after a long day, said goodnight to everyone and returned to her flat.

"So," John said, holding Abby against his chest. She was fast asleep. "Takeaway?"

"Sounds great to me," Elspeth said with a tired grin, curled up on the sofa. "That was the best welcome home party ever – I should be put in hospital more often!"

"Don't even think about it," Sherlock warned. He could see the top of the dressing on her shoulder peeking out from her shirt, a painful reminder of what she'd been through in Moriarty's clutches. The scar was bigger and uglier, but Elspeth didn't mind. Not really. As long as she went to physiotherapy and took her prescription of painkillers when she was meant to, the doctors were certain that her shoulder would heal in no time. Plus all her friends thought she was pretty badass looking with a gunshot wound.

Elspeth smiled, stretched her legs out in front of her and sighed. "We should totally get a dog," she said.

"Why?" Sherlock asked, frowning.

"John and Mary have a baby so we should get a dog," Elspeth explained, as if it was totally obvious.

Sherlock stared at her for a few seconds, uncertain whether she was being serious or joking, and finally said, "No."

"But –"

"No," Sherlock repeated firmly. Elspeth gazed back at him with sad expression, her eyes wide and her bottom lip sticking out, and Sherlock's brow furrowed. ". . . I'll consider it," he said reluctantly.

"You'll be like that in a couple of years," Mary said to John.

"If that means Abby loves me the most, I'm prepared to take the risk," John told her. Mary let out a quiet protest, gently slapping John on the shoulder, and he grinned, kissing her. Elspeth made a loud noise that was a cross between throwing up and choking, and Sherlock rolled his eyes at them all, but he couldn't stop smiling.

The game was not over – in their life, the game would never be over; there would only ever be new players, new strategies – but in those few hours, when they were all at peace and safe, it was easy to pretend that it was. With Moriarty and Magnussen dead, and Seb Moran gone, they could start a new game. It wasn't the end of anything, Elspeth realised, it was the beginning of something.

"I don't know, Els . . ."

"Please, Bill, I'm begging you. Ten – five minutes is all I need, maybe even less! I just need to pop in and drop something off," Elspeth begged, her cheeks tinged pink from the cool wind outside. A year had gone by. John and Mary were still married, and Abby was growing bigger by the day. Sherlock continued working on cases, annoyed the whole of Scotland Yard by turning up uninvited, and Elspeth attended University a few days a week. She loved it.

Bill, who had been working for Mycroft Holmes since the pair met, frowned doubtfully at the box in Elspeth's arms and looked over his shoulder at the empty office she was begging to be let in to. He knew Mycroft wouldn't be happy.

"Please," Elspeth repeated, batting her long eyelashes. She'd tied her hair back in two long braids but they were slowly unravelling, and her jeans were stained with various colours of paint. Bill smiled at her despite himself. "I've been lugging this about all morning and I don't want to take it back on the tube – do you know how crowded those things are? I mean, seriously, I got pushed and shoved and stepped on –"

"Els."

Elspeth smirked, reaching out and gently pinching Bill's clean shaven cheek. "You look pretty damn smart in that suit, Bill," she told him. "Really handsome." She batted her eyelashes, biting down on her bottom lip as she gazed at him. "Please, Bill, you know that I'll love you forever!"

Bill stared back at her, pressed his lips together, and raised his hands in defeat.

Beaming, Elspeth stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek before striding through to Mycroft's office, kicking the door shut behind her. Elspeth checked the clock and crossed the room, carefully opening the box she'd brought with her and placing the contents in the middle of Mycroft's desk. She pulled a sticky note off the pile, scribbled a note, and attached it to his present. She giggled. He was going to love it.

"Thanks, Bill," Elspeth said to her friend, wrapping her arms around him from behind and squeezing. "You're the bestest friend in the whole wide world!" Bill laughed, accepting Elspeth's embrace and minimising the document he'd been typing. She reached round, opening it again. "What's that?"

"Nothing you should be reading," Bill scolded, closing it again. Elspeth pouted. "It's private business, Els, you ain't supposed to be reading it. You ain't supposed to even be in 'ere."

"You're such a worry wart," Elspeth teased. "Mycroft is my Uncle, he won't mind me being here."

"You can tell 'im that, e's on 'is way up."

Letting out a squeak, Elspeth ducked under Bill's desk as Mycroft strode past, not noticing his niece hiding. He acknowledged Bill with a nod, walking through to his office, and Elspeth scrambled up from under the desk, grinning at her friend and darting out. A few seconds later, Mycroft opened his office door again.

"Has anyone been in my office?" he asked Bill, who looked like a deer caught in the headlights.

"Els came in earlier and dropped something off. I didn't think you'd mind."

Mycroft regarded Bill with a stern expression, then made a soft noise under his breath and shut the door behind him as he returned to his office, strolling across to his desk. Obviously it was Elspeth's idea of a joke.

Noticing the sticky note, Mycroft tore it off the bowl and held it up, recognising Elspeth's neat handwriting.

Dear Uncle Mycroft – the note said.

I noticed it's been ANOTHER year and you still haven't found yourself a you-know-what so I got you one to save you the trouble. I know, I'm a fabulous niece. No need to thank me.

Love you! Ellie xxx

P.S I kinda sorta flirted with Bill to get into your office so please don't be mad at him.

P.P.S You're buying me lunch on Wednesday.

He put the note down, sat down at his desk, and stared at the present in front of him. It was definitely Elspeth's idea – Mycroft knew his niece's wicked sense of humour, and despite himself, he smiled. A year had passed and Bill proved to be a surprisingly good replacement for Anthea, who had sent Mycroft a postcard not too long ago to let him know that she and Irene were doing very well in America.

The truce between Mycroft and Sherlock remained. He kept an eye on his brother and niece, and on John and Mary per Sherlock's request. After Moriarty, they could never be too careful.

Mycroft considered the present, and after a brief consideration, he smiled. His smile grew, and he surprised himself by starting to laugh. Mycroft laughed even harder when he looked at the present a second time, leaning back in his seat and laughing so much that he felt tears in his eyes and his sides start to ache. Mycroft had never laughed so hard in his life and it was all because of a silly joke Elspeth had made.

When he finally calmed down, Mycroft called Elspeth and left a message – "to let you know how much I appreciate your present," he told her.

On the desk was a bowl of water, and in that bowl was a single goldfish because Mycroft never did find himself one, no matter how many times his mother pestered him or Sherlock teased him about it.

It was not the end of the game, but the beginning of a new one.

Thank you WerewolfHybrid31, That-Crazy-Psycho, nakari ash, xoxoChairGossipxoxo, Deductions-of-Sherlolly, Adrillian1497, Guest, ElizabethCullen08, bellechat, ScissorLuv143, tardislover1 and Aimee for reviewing the last chapter!

Thank you to anyone who has read and reviewed and followed and favourited this fic, I honestly couldn't have done this without you. I absolutely adored writing this and Ellie's character.

It's not over though! Check out the prequel, Paper Moons and Silly String, and my upcoming Ellie/Moriarty fic, Darkness I Became for more Ellie goodness!