Title: A Study in Family

Genre: Romance/Family

Rating: T

Pairing: Sherlock/John

Warning: slash, violence, swearing, implied but non-graphic child abuse and sexual content.

Summary(extended):Sherlock and John have an established relationship and are ready for the next step:children. What they didn't know however was that they each already had a child. Sherlock has an eleven year old daughter, Samantha, and John and eight year old son, Jackson. Sammy and Jack meet in a foster home where they become friends and then run away because living in that foster home was unbearable. When Jack gets sick however Sammy does everything in her power to make sure he's taken care of, even hacking into some powerful businesses and blackmailing them. Causing Mycroft to send Sherlock and John after the culprit. Won't they find that surprise appealing?

Chapter 1: In the Genes

All it really took for Sherlock and John to be in a relationship was for both of them to admit it, because either way, they were a couple. After both of them having their epiphany and their decisions to no longer let there be an existing risk of either of them leaving, they decided to act on it.

Sherlock no longer has to fear that John will find some mundane normal woman who would give him the ideal dream of being a family man with a good job, have a stay at home wife, who would produce him that little girl and little boy he's always wanted to raise. Not that he doesn't want John to be happy, but he just wants for John to be happy with him.

For John, he now doesn't have to fear Sherlock finding someone more interesting and not boring who will be a match for him intelligently. Be them male or female.

It wasn't anything extravagant, just a small ceremony. Mrs. Hudson, Molly, Mycroft, Greg, Not Anthea, and Harry were there as supporting family and friends and as witnesses of their marriage.

After the initial honeymoon phase that started a steady and health sexual relationship, that was all that basically changed between them really.

Sherlock still played his violin at ungodly hours of the night. John still continued his blog. Sherlock still had experiments and kept human body parts in the fridge. John still made tea and did the shopping for the milk and other things.

They still ran around London at random times of the day and night chasing after criminals and going to Angelos afterward if it was open.

Really the only thing that changed was that they now shared a room and had sex. Which they both loved.

One morning, like any other, John woke up to find his now husband plucking at his violin. After his morning ritual he began to make them tea, like every morning. It was routine, basically the only routine in their spontaneous lives.

John thought after living with Sherlock for so many years that he'd become impervious to being surprised by either of the Holmes brothers. But Sherlock wasn't normal by any means, and John loved him for that, but out of all the crazy things Sherlock has said over the years, John was never ready for what his husband said next, "We should start a family."

John had already been sitting in his arm chair, his tea cup raised to his lips, but he froze an inch from them as he did a double take and registered what Sherlock had said. Even then, John's reply was, "Pardon?"

"A family. You know...children," Sherlock said without looking up from his violin. John wasn't just some random bystander who would think Sherlock just said something as serious as that and didn't think much of it. John was John. And he's learned over the years to hear certain tones in his husbands voice. And right there he heard a mixture of hope and doubt.

"But Sherlock...wouldn't children hinder our way of living?" before he would have asked Sherlock if he hated children, but that was before their relationship. It would hurt Sherlock, John knew without a doubt, if Sherlock thought he didn't want to have children him.

"Well...we've had a lot of adventures like that. After a while it becomes a 'you've seen one crime, you've seen them all'. I'm sure there's not going to be another Moriarty and even if there is one day, that'll be a game I won't play. Considering our ages and everything else we've accomplished in life I think having children would be the next step, especially in a marriage," Sherlock answered.

"If this is because of me in any way...you don't have to do it. I love my life with you. I love spending every minute with you and that brilliant mind of yours that lets me see the world in a different way," John walks over to him and kneels in front of Sherlock who was sitting in his chair, "Sherlock look at me," and he did, "I'm happy. I like my life...nothing needs to change."

Sherlock gave a brief smile and then sighed, "I know you're happy. But when we go somewhere and you see a child and a family you get this...smile. It's so very tender and nothing I've ever seen. At first I admit I was a bit jealous because I never received one of those smiles, but then I let my mind wonder and I image you smiling like that to a child of our own. And I feel myself smiling too. I'd find the idea of a child between us... intriguing. They'll be intelligent beyond comparison, but they'll also be warm and charismatic and courageous.

"Having a child would mean going through so many emotions: love, happiness, pride, but also worry and fear and doubt. Before...I would turn around and run in the complete opposite direction. The idea of having to go through any of those, let alone all of them, is a nightmare. But then I met you...and I learned that experiencing those emotions isn't such a bad thing...that being human isn't a bad thing...as long as you have a John Watson though. Otherwise it's not worth it."

John's eyes were a bit watery as he shook his head in disbelief. He raised himself some and planted a passionate kiss on Sherlock.

"It still surprises me so much when you prove you're human, you know that?" Sherlock merely shrugged and went back to fiddling with his violin.

John took the violin away and forced Sherlock to look at him again, "Do you really want to have a kid?"

"With you? Yes," Sherlock replied, no doubt in his voice that time.

"Alright then...how are we going to go about it?" John asked as he went back to his chair. He picked up his tea and sipped it this time.

"Well like I said, I want it to be ours," Sherlock commented.

"Please tell me you know how pregnancy works," John rubbed his faced tiredly, "Men can't get pregnant Sherlock."

"I know that much John. We merely need some DNA from each of us. Simple," Sherlock said with a shrug.

"Okay yes, there are some women who do take sperm and have other people's babies, but not both Sherlock. We'll have to decide who's it's going to be," John said.

Sherlock shook his head, "No. It'll be unacceptable to have a child that isn't both a Holmes and a Watson."

John rolled his eyes, "What? There's some top secret government experiment that can give us our baby?"

"Hmm I hadn't thought about that but since it isn't public knowledge it means it's still in the experimental stage, if it exist at all, and I wouldn't risk our child to it. No, that simply won't do," Sherlock said shaking his head again.

"Then what?"

"Well all we need is a male sperm from a Holmes or a Watson and a female womb who is a Holmes or a Watson. Since both Holmes siblings are male it'll be Holmes sperm. But the Watson siblings are one of each so..." Sherlock began.

John was in shock again that this time his cup fell. Luckily none of it on him, "You mean...Harry?"

Sherlock nodded, "She'll make sure that the Watson genes get inherited. Though she wasn't in control of her vices before, she is now. She also has the courage I want our child to have, though hers is masked by stubbornness."

"Alight...so my sister fits the qualifications, that doesn't mean she'll agree," John replied.

"She already has. Both her and Mycroft have just been waiting on you to be on board," Sherlock said.

"Mycroft? Wait...Harry agreed? Wait? When did you talk to my sister about this?" John asked feeling completely out of his mind.

"While you were in Surgery a few weeks ago. She'd finally completed her six months of being sober and she obviously wanted to restore the relationship you two had before everything got complicated with your departure and her drinking. But ever the older sibling complex she came down to see me to make sure I wasn't making you miserable. I told her I wouldn't think of it and even confessed my wishes of having a baby and that's when I asked her if she'd consider being the surrogate mother." Sherlock replied.

"And she just said yes? Just like that?" John asked in disbelief.

"No. She seemed rather lost. She confessed that she felt unworthy to carry anyone's child, especially ours. But I told her my want of the child being a Watson and a Holmes and after some negotiations and some encouragement she agreed.

"I realized the minute I set this plan in action that eventually Mycroft would get involved so I beat him to it and asked him to get everything ready. The doctors, Harry's flat to be stocked with everything she needed, get her all the care and supplies she'll need. The extra protection and security were an obvious notion to add. And really, we're all ready. We just needed you to be on board too. I can text Mycroft now to go pick up Harry so she can go to St. Barts and get the procedure started," Sherlock said taking out his phone and sending said text.

"You're serious...just like that...we're going to be parents?" John asked.

"Yes...unless you've changed your mind?" Sherlock looked up at John and he looked absolutely vulnerable at that moment.

John smiled softly at Sherlock and said, "Well come on then...we should at least be there for Harry for moral support."

They stood up and grabbed their coats. Before they left the door John grabbed Sherlock's hand and held him back.

He had an odd smile on him, one Sherlock's never seen before. It was unnameable.

"Sherlock..." John said.

"Yes John?" Sherlock asked.

John wrapped his arms around Sherlock's neck and kissed him. John's smile became a bit crazed but it was also contagious, "We're going to be parents."

It was an obvious statement. But Sherlock for once didn't find it tedious or find the need to be bothered by it like he would normally.

"We're going to be parents..." Sherlock's smile matched John's as they held hands and walked out of 221B Baker Street and hailed a cab and headed towards St. Barts.

.:~*~:.

A black government car stopped in front of a of a two story blue house. The lawn was a yellow green, the were no bushes or flowers, the grass seemed dry, and there were bald patches of dirt every so often. There were some children toys littered outside but they were old, worn, and broken. A deflated soccer ball. A ruined barbie doll without clothes, chopped hair, and marker all over her. A push toy car without a wheel and missing a door.

The house itself had vines growing all over. It was a pale blue color that was chipping off, which only made it look more dreadful.

A man and a woman, both dressed in a formal black suits, stepped out of the front of the car. The man went to the boot and pulled out a small duffel. The woman opened one of the back doors and out stepped out a small boy with blonde shaggy hair that almost covered his blue eyes.

The boy looked up at the house silently and didn't look like he was making a move to get closer.

"I know it may not look like the best, but it's home now," the woman said, giving him a forced smile.

She'd heard rumors of this house, but until now they couldn't get any hard evidence. There was speculation that the children here were being abused. By physical assault, verbal assault, and starvation. But there was no hard evidence and therefore they couldn't do anything.

The children of this house seemed to be doing good progress, which was why this couple was allowed to keep getting kids.

"I don't feel right about this," the man whispered to the woman.

"I know, but right now they're the only ones able to take him," the woman whispered back.

"The wife of this guy looks like the definition of the wife of an abuser. I can't even imagine what must happen to the kids!" The man hissed back.

"Sh! Don't let him hear you. He's already been through so much. We'll keep looking at this place and try to get these kids out of here. Until then...we have no choice," the woman said in a defeated tone to the man. Then turned to the boy and held out her hand. "Come on then."

The boy still didn't say anything but walked with the lady and man towards the porch. The little boy decided not to pay too much attention as the adults talked. He just grabbed hold of his duffel, the last of everything he had before he lost everything. He wasn't paying much attention but then he was ushered away.

In the background he heard the car that brought him here start and leave. When he looked up he realized they they had brought him to a room filled with cots and sleeping bags.

Three boys were in there with him.

"Hello. I'm Michael. I'm twelve. This is my little brother Gabriel. He's nine. That's Stan. He's nine too," Michael introduced them all. Michael and Gabriel being brothers had similar features and looked alike. They both had dark brown hair and green eyes. Stan was ginger with blue eyes. They smiled and waved at him.

"I'm Jackson. I'm eight," the blonde replied.

There were footsteps and Michael pulled Jackson towards and then behind him. Gabriel and Stan at his sides, but all three behind Michael.

"Where's the new boy?" a man in his late forties asked. His words were a bit slurred, his shirt was untucked, and it's been a while since he last shaved.

"We'll get him settled in. He'll know all the rules and everything. He's quiet...leave him alone," Michael said with as much conviction as he could but Jackson could hear his voice wavering a bit.

The old man glared at the group of boys but he seemed disoriented and just grunted and left.

The three boys sighed in relief and Jackson just stared at them in confusion.

"That's old man Miller. He's...he only does this because he's lazy and wants the government to hand him money so he doesn't have to work," Stan replied.

"Yeah...he spends it all on cigarettes and beer while we all starve!" Gabriel cried.

"Well...not exactly. Come on, we'll introduce you to the others. They should be in the attic. You can leave your stuff here if you want," Michael said.

Jackson grabbed on tighter to his duffel. Michael saw it and raised his hands in a surrender position and offered a smile, "It was just a suggestion. You can take it with you if you want."

Jackson nodded and muttered a 'thanks' and followed them upstairs.

"How many kids are here?" Jackson asked.

"With you? Eight," Michael replied as he jumped up and pulled down the staircase that led up to the attic.

As they climbed up Jackson saw a group of of kids sitting in a circle tying knots.

"Remind me again why tying knots are important?" a girl with long red hair and green eyes asked.

"Because Anna, it could come in handy," a girl next to her answered. The girl had brown hair and brown eyes.

"I don't see how..." Anna replied.

"Looks like we've got company...and a new face. What's your name stranger?" a boy asked

"This is Jackson. He's eight!" Gabriel announced happily.

"Jackson can answer himself Gabe," Michael said.

"It's okay," Jackson muttered back.

"Right...well this is everyone else," Michael motion his arm towards the group.

"The boy there is Jason. He's ten and he and Stan are best friends. Usually never apart, but Jay's in charge of today's class and Stan was just too curious about your arrival." Michael said and Jackson received a nod and a smile from Jason who had blonde hair and blue eyes like him, but Jason's hair was cut short and was combed to the side.

"Those two right there are Anna and Lisa. They've known each other for five years. Longest time for a foster kid to know someone and be sent to the same house as them," Michael pointed to the ginger with green eyes who was Anna, and the brunette with brown eyes must have been Lisa.

"Sam's not back yet?" Michael asked.

Jason shook his head, "No. She left like about two hours ago. Should be long now."

"I hope nothing happened to her," Lisa said with a worried expression.

"Who's Sam?" Jackson asked.

"Oh, she's a genius! Super smart! Smartest person I've ever met!" Gabriel explained.

"And you've met how many people exactly?" Anna asked.

"Anna...be nice," Lisa chided, "Sam and Michael are the oldest. They take care of us. The couple here are only after the money the government gives them because of us. If it wasn't for either of them then we'd probably starve."

"Sam's only been here about three months though. She's had a reputation of being in about twenty other houses! Can you imagine how bad ass you have to be to have gone through that many houses!" Stan cried.

"Which is impossible, but then you meet her and you just don't really know. She's got a problem with authority that's for sure," Jason said with a shrug.

"Well she's American. What did you expect?" Anna asked.

"American? What is she doing in the UK?" Jackson asked.

"Well we've learned that it was her mum that died. Her father must have been English and they sailed her over," Gabriel said with a shrug.

"Anyway...Samantha, or Sam, never Sammy, knows a lot about surviving. She doesn't want to leave us like this and knows that eventually we'll all leave here. And she wanted us to be prepared for everything. So since she's arrived we meet up here and we learn. The couple don't come up and check on us. The old man is usually passed out drunk and the wife...she's just there.

"Sam's taught us how to start a fire for warmth. How to clean and patch up wounds of all sorts. She's taught us the constellations. How to navigate and use a compass. She give us lessons in aiming and how to use every day things as weapons. Every once in a while she takes each one of us on a separate night and teaches us how to hunt some small animals in the woods near by, how to clean them, and prepare them and stuff. What plants are okay to eat...um...what else?" Stan asked.

"She knows the odds and wants us to be ready for everything. And we live in a pretty modern world. And though it's not really moral she's taught us how to pick locks, pickpocket, thieving techniques, how to read people and see who's a safe target. But she has rules and we've all sworn that we'll live by our own Robin Hoods code. Steal from the rich and give to the poor...which is us. Basically we only take what we need and from those who wouldn't even noticed something is gone." Michael said.

Jackson frowned, "That doesn't seem right..."

"It might not be but look at us kid. With the people we're placed with, the conditions we have to live in...these survival skills she teaching us are not a matter of if we'll need them, it's when we'll need them," Anna said with a frown.

There was some noise coming from the window. Jason opened it and a backpack flew through it. Followed by the bag was a girl in a black coat. She had pale skin, black curls that reached an inch or so below her shoulders. She had light golden brown eyes that landed instantly on Jackson.

"Hm..well, it's a good thing I brought that extra one anyway it seems," she said as she opened the bag and started taking out burgers and fries.

"Yum!" Gabriel cheered and grabbed for the food.

"Everyone get one! We share the fries. Mike, go get the sodas," the girl which Jackson realized must be Sam said.

Michael nodded and opened a different widow and stepped onto the roof and momentarily disappeared. When he came back he came back with a case of soda pop.

They sat crossed legged in a circle. They each had a burger in front of them and Michael passed a soda can to everyone. The fries were left in the middle. Anna opened her's and raised it in the air.

"To Jackson...Welcome to the League of Robin Hood!" Anna cheered.

The rest opened their soda and raised their cans in salute. Jackson smiled faintly and raised his too. "Thank you."

They ate in silence after that. It was when they were nearly done that Gabriel asked, "So...why are you in foster care?"

"Gabriel," Sam's voice was stern, "We don't ask that."

"Sorry boss." Gabriel murmured.

"It's a happy day, Gabe. Let's keep it like that," Michael said and wrapped his arm around his brother.

An hour passed and both Michael and Sam ordered the rest to bed. They all settled into their beds and Michael showed Jackson a spare sleeping bag.

"Sorry mate, but these folks don't care much about us and even if we do sneak off to get things like food and clothes, if we bring stuff like beds, they'll get suspicious. And we'll get in trouble."

"It's alright, I don't mind," Jackson said and got settled and used his duffel as a pillow.

It was in the middle of the night when Jackson woke up from a restless sleep when he heard the sound of music. Everyone else was still sleeping away but he noticed that Sam was missing. He followed the music and saw that the attic ladder was down. He climbed it but didn't see anyone there. Jackson noticed the same window that Michael has used was open. He poked his head out and saw that Sam was near the edge of the roof, one leg stretched out in front of her the other drawn up to her, while playing the harmonica.

Jackson climbed onto the roof as well and went to go sit next to her. Sam wasn't wearing her jacket anymore but a simple Victorian style black dress with long sleeves and some black knee high hunting boots. She kept playing her harmonica with her eyes clothes.

When she was done with her piece she pocketed her instrument but didn't look up at Jackson. Instead she leaned back and folder her arms behind her head and watched the sky.

"Can't sleep?" she asked.

"No," Jackson replied, mimicking her actions.

"How long has it been since your mother died?...if you don't mind me asking," Sam whispered.

"How did you know it was my mum?" Jackson asked.

"You're well dressed and your clothes match and well kept but there aren't any logos or figures on them. It could have been your dad but moms are more likely to dress a child and dress them to look their best and as professional as possible. You also don't carry anything to symbolize your father, be it an old jacket of his or a watch that belonged to him, yet around your neck is a locket in an oval shape that's feminine that holds a picture of your and your mother. That's just a guess but it seems like a good deduction since it was just the two of you. It belonged to her but when she died you kept it. When Gabriel asked you what you were doing in foster care your hand immediately reached up towards the locket. Like someone would try to take it away from you...take away the last piece that you have of your mother..." Sam said.

"That...that was wow! How did you do that?" Jackson asked in awe.

Sam shrugged, "It's a habit of mine."

"You have a lot of odd habits," Jackson said as he went back to staring at the sky. There were a lot of stars out tonight.

"I picked them up in America," Sam said absentmindedly.

"Not something one learns every day though," Jackson said.

"Hmm..true. I learned it from a friend of mine from the States," Sam replied.

"Yeah?" Jackson coaxed.

"Mhmm. He and his brother got taken away from their father. He was placed in the same home I was and he was injured, so he couldn't do much. He and I made a connection because we kind of refused to be like the others and accept the horrible treatments that those people were giving us. Plus me and his brother had the same name. I was his Sammy after just two days. He protected me and showed me everything he knew on survival. After three weeks he had to leave and find his family but told me to keep learning and to never let anyone get the better of because I was smarter than all of them...he said he was sorry but him and his family were looking for his mothers killer and he couldn't bring me along, but he had to leave to find his brother and father. He encouraged me to find my own father...so here I am in London..." Sam said. Silence engulfed then for a little bit as they just stared into the sky.

"...I didn't know my dad either. My mom had an okay job as a nurse in the hospital but sometimes she had to take extra shift to cover bills and stuff. On her way home one night...she was hit by a drunk driver," Jackson whispered and then feel into another silence.

"...Someone came to our house in the middle of the day. My mom said a common phrase that was code. She knew something like that would happen to her and was teaching me how to survive. Dean, the boy I met at that home, taught me to perfect those skills but it was my mom who taught them to me. So I went and hid. I was instructed that no matter what I heard I had to keep quiet and hide until the cops arrived. When the cops finally found me, my mother had been dead for about twenty minutes...they wouldn't let me see her. They said, 'Remember her how she was'. Which is code in itself that means she was very badly hurt before being killed..." Sam said.

More silence.

"Have you ever told anyone that?" Jackson asked, having a feeling that she didn't.

"No," Sam replied.

"Then why tell me?" Jackson asked curiously.

"I don't know," Sam made a thinking face then shrugged, "You have this loyal vibe..."

"Hmm...the other kids seem to be very loyal to you," Jackson said.

"Yeah well they're just kids. They need someone to hold responsibility. The adults here aren't going to care for them," Sam said.

"And you're teaching them how to care for themselves," Jackson said.

"...I'm not going to be here forever. Just until I can be sure they'll be okay," Sam replied.

"You planning on leaving?" Jackson asked, saddened by the thought.

"I can survive just fine on my own, and it's better than living here. I don't have anyone like the rest do," Sam answered.

"What do you mean?"

"Michael and Gabriel are brothers. Even though their parents are dead they have one another. Lisa and Anna have stuck together for more than five years. Jason and Stan are best friends and Jason has a sister. She's in good hands with a caring family. We're working on the paper work to get both Jason and Stan with that caring family...before I leave I plan on ruining this place..." Sam swore.

"Then what?" Jackson asked.

"I'm...not sure," she replied.

"Think I'll learn everything I need before you leave?" Jackson whispered.

Sam didn't reply straight away and Jackson thought that she refused to answer him because it meant 'no'.

"I'm more curious than cautious. My mind also gets bored very easily and I tend to do a lot of rash things...my life after this place is bound to be dangerous...

"I plan to see the country. Hopping on cargo trains to get free rides. Mingling with the poor and homeless and using immoral means to get me foods and clothes. I'm going to live the life of Robin Hood...and since you don't have anyone..." Sam sat up and so did Jackson and stared intently at her. She reached out towards him with an open hand, "You could come with me..."

A smile lit up Jackson's face and he can't remember ever being so happy since all this has happened to him. He grabbed Sam's outstretched hand and nodded enthusiastically.

"I'd love to!"

"Let me introduce myself properly than. I'm Samantha Hunter. You...you may call me Sammy," Sam offered a smile.

"Jackson...Jackson Wolfe. Call me Jack," Jackson returned the smile.

Idea that popped into my head.

What do you guys think?