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Hamish shut his locker as Matt finished asking him the question of the morning. “What do you think Hamish, which is worse the Dalek’s or the Weeping Angels?”
Hamish pushed his glasses up and he thought about what his tall friend had asked them. They were walking the hall of the school as they made their way to class after they got done with art. “Angels,” Hamish finally decided on. “You can run from a Dalek but you can’t run from an Angel you can’t even bli-” Hamish was cut off as the books he was carrying in his hands hit to the floor and there stood a tall 11 year old looking at him.
“Hey freak,” he chuckled his brown hair hanging down in his face. “How is the little freak and his tall freaky friend?” he asked as Hamish just rolled his eyes the insult.
“Go away Lucas,” Hamish said annoyed as he bent down to pick up his books. Lucas’s foot stood on Hamish’s new book he was reading that his grandmother got him. He looked up as Lucas smiled down at him.
“No, freaks aren’t meant to be left alone,” he said as a few of his buddies chuckled from behind him. All three of them were as stupid as Lucas. Lucas removed his foot as he left his lackey’s following behind him. Hamish picked up the book trying to make the covers smooth again. Putting the book into his rucksack he and Matt headed to class. They were safe for a while. Hamish let out a sigh as he sat down in his desk. “Sorry they called you a tall freak,” he told Matt. He felt bad that he was drawn into being called ridiculous and petty names.
Matt shrugged his boney shoulders. “Doesn’t bother me all that much. They are just stupid.” He paused and looked at Hamish. “Why don’t you stop them, you could tell someone.”
Hamish shook his head, “It’s better me than someone else.” Hamish said, trying to convince himself that what he was saying was indeed true. As Hamish and Matt sat in there class Hamish thought of all the ways he could get Lucas back. From complex ones that would involve the British government, to putting something in his food. He would just need to look in the kitchen through his Papa’s stuff or to just punching him. Simple and effective (according to his Dad). Shaking his head he went to focus back on his class.
He hadn’t told his parents about Lucas Anderson because it wasn’t a big deal. He had been called a lot worse by a lot smarter and punching Lucas would just give him a reason to punch back. Hamish didn’t care about taking the bullet, he had learned from his Dad that he was a warrior and he could do anything. Matt gave him a pat on his back as they headed out of the class and to Chemistry. Hamish with some reluctance.
The day went fine as they stayed clear of Lucas. Matt had football after school so Hamish head home. Matt was going to come over so they could work on schoolwork later that evening. It was Wednesday so his Dad only worked till 1.
When he got home, he walked in the front door and headed down to his Dad’s office. As he drew closer to the door he heard that his Papa was also down there. “I’m home,” Hamish said walking into the office.
John was sitting down at his desk that was in the corner of the room. “How was school?” he asked looking up from the computer screen.
“Fine,” Hamish said with a shrug. “I’m going to take Gladstone for a walk.” He told them as he headed on out of the office and up to the flat to get his dog.
Sherlock looked up from the couch and over at John. “There is something bothering him.” Though he was bad with human emotion he was good at reading his son, and for the fact he had noticed a change in his behavior a few weeks ago.
“He is ten,” John pointed out to him as he shut his laptop. “He always acts like that.” John stood up, but he two did notice a change in Hamish. “Scotland Yard?” he asked looking over at Sherlock as he leapt up from the couch.
“Yes, Lestrade keeps bothering me. We better go before Anderson messes something up.” Sherlock told him as he kissed John on his soft lips and they headed up the steps. They told Ms. Hudson they were headed out as Hamish came back he said that Matt was coming over later.
“Ms. Hudson has money for you two to get a takeaway for dinner,” John told him as he kissed his son on the head.
“Be good, don’t touch the stuff in the kitchen,” Sherlock said kissing his son as they headed on out. Hamish smiled as he watched his dads head out to their other job. Hamish trudged up the steps with a tired Gladstone.
The next day John and Sherlock were already gone when Hamish left for school. When John had come home last night he had made his lunch for Hamish and had it siting in the fridge for him. This was nothing new for Hamish. He was used to his parent’s being in ‘case mode’. He packed up his things and headed to school.
Hamish thought he might have a day free of Lucas and his stupidity. He was a few hours into school, when Hamish was at his locker getting is books for English class when he suddenly hit the wall. Feeling his glasses crack as he pushed himself off the wall. “You are an idiot with limited IQ I hope you know that,” Hamish told Anderson as he adjusted is school jumper.
“Freak!” Lucas yelled as his friends laughed. Hamish rolled his eyes as he didn’t turn around to give them the satisfaction of seeing him this upset. He held his broken glasses in his hand, and the feeling came over him on how was he going to explain to his dad’s how they broke. He sat down in his English class and said nothing mainly since he couldn’t see the board.
After English Hamish headed to the nurse. He lied and said that he wasn’t feeling the best and his joints were hurting. Mentioning that he had an allergy the nurse nodded her head before handing Hamish the phone to call home. “Aunt Sarah,” he said as the nurse went to take care of another sick child.
“Hal what is wrong?” she asked him. He could tell that she was in the middle of something by the noise on the other end of the phone. He then realized that she was probably at work as well.
“I don’t feel too well. My dads’ are on a case and I just wanted to know if you could sign me out.” Hamish hated lying to his Aunt but he just didn’t want to be in school anymore. Sarah agreed and told him that she would be there in a half hour to get him.
When she came to get Hamish he was sitting outside the nurses’ office. He had told Matt, who came to get ice for sprained ankle, that he was going home and showed him the glasses. Matt told him he would stop over after with his homework from the classes he would be missing.
Sarah saw Hamish sitting there; he smiled as she walked with him out of the school. They got into a taxi and headed back to 221b. “Where are your glasses?” she asked him.
“They broke,” Hamish said being a vague as possible. Sarah looked at him; she had the same look his Dad had. He was convinced it was a doctor thing, the look where you just had to tell them the truth. “I got pushed up against a wall by this bully in school. Lucas.” He confessed to her. “Don’t say anything please,” he added as he looked up at his Aunt. “And I’m sorry I lied about why I wanted you to come home.”
Sarah looked at him worried. She paid the cabbie and got out with Hamish. “I just don’t want you to think that you can’t tell anyone Hamish. That you feel you can’t stop him from being mean to you.”
“I know,” Hamish sighed, “but I don’t care. It’s just him being an idiot and well… it’s not that bad,” he admitted to her as he unlocked the front door and they walked on in. Sarah took a deep breath as she followed her nephew up the steps to the flat. She called John to tell him she had gotten Hamish from school and that his allergies were acting up and not to worry.
Hamish came down from his room in his normal attire jeans and Doctor Who shirt. “You don’t need to stay if you are busy Aunt Sarah,” he told her as he walked over to let Gladstone out of his cage.
“But I am staying,” Sarah said to him as she began to make him lunch. Hamish headed back up to his room with Gladstone. Sarah didn’t mind as she was able to feed him actual food and not all the takeaway John and Sherlock fed him.
Sitting in his room Hamish had to figure out a story to tell his dads about how his glasses got broken. He knew that it had to be a good one for his Papa would know in an instant if he was lying, or if it was just a really bad lie. Grabbing his spare glasses, he headed back down to the kitchen as his Aunt called him when lunch was ready.
Gladstone ran down and sat under the table waiting for food to drop. Hamish took a seat as she set a bowl of soup in front of him. “You know you can’t keep this from them,” she said as she took a seat next to Hamish.
“I know,” Hamish shrugged. “I figure Lucas will get bored eventually.”
As if on cue John and Sherlock came bursting in the door. “You are the biggest idiot I know!” John yelled as him as he hung up his black wool pea coat on the back of the door.
“Well we got him didn’t we?” Sherlock said back to him as he shrugged off his long coat and hung it up. John looked at him and the blood that was still on his face.
“Yes and you got punched in the nose, be happy he didn’t break it. And my head had a nice date with a brick wall,” John stopped as they walked into the kitchen. “We will finish this talk later. Shower,” he told Sherlock as he stood in the living room and pointed toward the bathroom.
Sherlock kissed John on the small bump that was on his head as he walked past Hamish who was sitting in the kitchen. “Where are you glasses?” he asked him.
“On,” Hamish said as he put a spoonful of soup into his mouth. His father narrowed his gaze and looked at him.
“No, those are your backup ones. Where are the ones you always wear?”
“Oh,” Hamish said trying to play it cool. “Matt and I were kicking a football around and I set my glasses down and I missed it and the ball broke them.” This was plausible for Matt was a walking klutz. He had his own plastic cup at the flat that he was only allowed to drink from since he had broken a few to many glass ones. Sherlock accepted that as he kissed his sons head and headed toward the shower.
Sarah looked up at Hamish as she stood up to take a look at John’s head. He sat down at the table and looked at Hamish who said nothing but ate his soup. “You need to learn to be more careful,” Sarah told John as she looked at the bump as it seemed to be growing.
“Tell that to the mad man,” John pointed out to her as he twitched as she touched his head.
“I am,” Sarah pointed out to him.
Hamish finished up his soup as he put the bowl in the sink he headed back up to his room. He needed to do some school work before Matt came over to bring him the stuff he missed in his classes. But Hamish knew that he wasn’t in the clear with his Papa. He could tell that he knew he was lying.
As Hamish headed up stairs John headed over to the couch. Sherlock emerged from the shower in his blue cotton pajama bottoms and gray vest. His hair wet but his face had no more blood, but a bit of a swollen nose and eyes. He sat down next to John; he held an ice pack onto his head.
“Something is wrong,” Sherlock deduced as he took the ice pack from John and held it on his head as he leaned onto Sherlock.
“About Hamish? Obviously.” John said to him. Sherlock looked down at him in surprise. John chuckled. “No, I didn’t notice anything about his shoelaces or his glasses… but it’s still obvious.” He sighed to him.
Sherlock kissed the top of John’s head. “Should we say something?” he asked, not really knowing about the protocol for this situation.
“I don’t know, he gets closed off when it comes to things like this,” John said as he looked up at Sherlock. He looked down at him and said nothing. “I can go up and talk to him… or you can talk to him.” John suggested to Sherlock.
“Maybe we can talk at dinner… that’s what normal families do isn’t it?” Sherlock asked John. He felt him laugh against his chest.
“Okay we can try and do that.” John said as he sat up and looked at Sherlock. “Maybe he said something to Sarah,” John said as he got up. Sarah was just cleaning up the lunch she made when John walked in. “Sarah, thank you so much for all that you did today for Hal. But um, I do have a question for you. Did he say anything to you when you picked him up?”
Sarah stopped drying the pot and nodded. She didn’t want to betray the trust in her nephew but she couldn’t let the horrid things going on at the school keep going on. “He said.” Sarah paused as she turned to John. “He told me not to say, but he said something about being bullied.”
John felt his heart stop. His son was being bullied and he couldn’t tell neither himself nor Sherlock. John thanked Sarah and she put her hand on his shoulder. “It will be okay, he is ten and he wants to be strong like his Dad and Father.” John nodded his head as he headed back out to where Sherlock was sitting down.
John sat down, Sherlock looked at him, and his face was white and worried. “Hamish…” John stopped as he turned and looked at Sherlock. “Hamish is being bullied.”
Sherlock looked at John, his face whiter than normal as he looked at John. He had been picked on while he was a child, when he was a teenager and he when he was an adult. He wasn’t going to have any of that for his own son.
They decided to not wait till dinner. They thanked Sarah again, and as she headed back home both John and Sherlock headed up to Hamish’s room. Sherlock knocked on their son’s door. Pushing it up Hamish was sitting on his bed reading Tale of Two Cities. “Hamish,” John started as he sat down next to his son on the edge of his bed. “Is there something you want to talk about?”
Hamish didn’t lift his eyes from the book. “No.”
“That isn’t an answer,” Sherlock groused as he took a seat in the chair next to his bookcase.
John shot him a look and then looked back at Hamish. “Anything going on at school?” Any reason why your glasses really got broken?” John pried. “Cause frankly I can’t see you playing football with Matt.” John said to him. “Let alone playing football with your glasses off.”
Hamish lifted his eyes from the pages of the book. “Somebody pushed me into the wall. The glasses took the brunt of the hit.” He told his dad’s.
“Do they push you a lot?” John asked him setting a hand on his son’s knee.
“Not often. Just when I don’t give them my attention,” he told his Dad.
“Who is it?” Sherlock asked.
Hamish looked up at him, “Papa its nothing. If they don’t get me they’ll just go after someone else.”
“You know Hal,” John said as he took a deep breath. He didn’t know why he was telling his son this, but it seemed right and proper to do so. “Sometimes it’s okay to fight back. Especially if they are hurting others.” Sherlock looked at John and smiled out of the side of his mouth. “Try just pushing back a little.”
“Really?” he asked as he set his book down. “You wouldn’t get mad if I fought back?”
“Not if you had just cause and if the other person started it,” John told him.
“Why was the idiot picking on you?” Sherlock asked as he got up from the chair and walked over to his son.
Hamish shrugged, “he is stupid and has nothing better to do in his life. I’m really okay,” he promised them with a smile. “Matt said he was coming over to bring me my work, umm is that okay?”
John nodded his head. “I don’t want you to be upset with Aunt Sarah either.”
“I knew she would tell you. It shows that she cares,” Hamish said as he looked at his Papa and then his Dad. He knew that they cared to. “I didn’t want to lie to you. I just… I didn’t want to seem weak that someone was picking on me and I couldn’t handle it.”
Sherlock looked at his son and smiled to him. “We would never think that,” he stated as he leaned in close to whispered into Hamish’s ear. “Remember you are a Watson Warrior.” Hamish gave a giggle as he wrapped his arms around his Papa’s neck and gave him a hug. The then hugged his Dad. As they left for John needed to shower and Sherlock was going to start dinner, or call Angelo’s, they both said. “Love you Hamish.”
“Love you to,” he said smiling as he went back to his book.
The next day Hamish walked into school with his head held high. Matt was waiting for him as they walked to his locker. But sadly he didn’t even make it to his locker before Lucas showed up with his monkeys behind him. The insults soon followed, “Look he is taking after his two dads by having a boyfriend,” Lucas said his tone full of hate.
Hamish looked at Matt apologetically as he turned to face Lucas. “I’m not gay, and who gives a rats if I was?” he asked him as he tried to walk forward Lucas’s friends blocked his way. The halls were beginning to clear out for classes were about to begin.
“Because,” Lucas said as he stuck his hand out to stop Hamish from walking. The bell rang, Hamish gave Matt a look and he headed to class worried to leave Hamish alone, but he stayed and hid behind a locker. He didn’t want to see Hamish die.
“I need to get to the library,” Hamish said as Lucas stopped him yet again. “Also ‘because’ isn’t a reason if you listened in grammar class you would know it was a preposition.”
Lucas chuckled, “You would, and you are such a freak. Just like you’re two dads.”
“Shut up!” Hamish yelled as his temper began to rise. He didn’t care if they took jabs at him but make fun of his family and he would make sure they were sorry.
“What?” Lucas asked him. “You thought it was normal for a person to have two dads in the same house?” Lucas asked as he tried to shove Hamish but Hamish got to him first and shoved him against the lockers.
He kept him pinned there and he looked at him, “I rather have two brilliant Dads’ than one who lowers the IQ of the entirety of London!” Hamish hissed at him. Lucas growled as he pushed Hamish off of him. As he did he swung his right fist at Hamish. His fist met its mark on Hamish’s lower lips splitting it open. Hamish was surprised at how little it hurt, he had seen his dads come home after getting beaten up and complain about how much it hurt. He didn’t know why.
Without blinking Hamish was ready to retaliate. Hamish took his aim, remembering what his Dad told him. “Punch up on the nose for your more likely to break it.” Hamish did exactly that. As his right fist shot up he heard the cries of Lucas the and cracking of bones. Hamish saw the blood from Lucas’s nose as well as his own fist. Punching hurt more than getting punched, he made a mental note of that. Looking up from his fist he saw the rage in Lucas’s face and he was about to come after him when a teacher came out of her classroom and saw what was going on.
Hamish could already tell as they were being escorted to the nurse and then the principles that Lucas was going to have two black eyes from the blow he gave him. The nurse gave Hamish some ice for his lip for it had stopped bleeding mid walk. Lucas was informed that the nose was indeed broken and would have to go to the doctors; Hamish couldn’t help put turn his head to the wall and smile a little.
A few miles away in Central London, Anderson’s mobile went off. Picking it up he chatted for a few moments before he told Lestrade there was an emergency and left.
“See he leaves in the middle of his work. He is an idiot,” Sherlock told John.
“You make me do that,” John pointed out.
“That’s different,” Sherlock added as John’s mobile went off.
“Hello,” he said into the mobile.
“Hello Doctor Watson. This is Headmaster Stewart at your son’s school. Your son Hamish was just in a fight. He’ll be suspended for the rest of the day.” He told him. “Are you and Mr. Holmes able to pick him up? As well as we would like to speak to both of you regarding the incident leading up to the fight.”
“Of course,” John said trying to not be in shock. “We will be there with in a half hour.”
“Thank you.”
John hung up his mobile and touched Sherlock’s hand. “Come on. Hamish was in a fight. They want to talk to both of us.” Sherlock looked at him a bit worried and nodded his head. They didn’t think that it would have escalated this bad with the bully.
Sherlock turned to Lestrade as they were walking away. John had his hand up to get a taxi. “It was the brother. Obvious.”
When they got to the school John and Sherlock saw Hamish sitting outside the Headmasters office. The door was shut, meaning the bully must be in there with his parents. “I’m sorry,” Hamish said in a faint voice as John walked up to him and looked at his lip to make sure he didn’t need to get stitches.
“We will talk when we get home,” he said to him as they were told to go into the office. As they walked in John and Sherlock looked confused as they saw a man standing in there.
“Anderson what are you doing here?!” Sherlock hissed as he looked down at his sons, his face was swollen and Sherlock could see the black eyes forming.
“My son was hurt,” Anderson said nastily to Sherlock as he looked at him. Sherlock then glanced between his son’s right first and Lucas’s nose and grinned broadly. John looked at him nervously.
“Sherlock we are supposed to be mad.” John whispered to him.
“But its Anderson,” Sherlock said turning his head and looked at John.
“Then pretend to be mad,” John told him. Sherlock tried bit it was obvious to all that he was failing.
“I’ve talked to Mr. Anderson about the actions of his son. Hamish why did you hit Lucas?” Headmaster Stewart asked him.
“He is stupid,” Hamish told him as he looked down at the ground.
“Hal,” John reprimanded his son.
“Sorry,” he said. Hamish looked up at the Headmaster. “He was being mean and I don’t like what he was saying.”
Lucas looked at Hamish, his domineer had changed and he was going to play the victim in this all. “He started it daddy,” he whined to him.
“I see that, I now that boys’ parents Headmaster Stewart, I’m sure there son would start a fight with my son.” Anderson said as he snarled at Sherlock. John grabbed his wrist to stop him from lunging and killing Anderson. The headmaster dismissed Anderson and Lucas in order to talk to Hamish and his dad’s alone.
The headmaster turned to Hamish. “We have an eye witness who says Lucas threw the first punch. Is this true?”
Hamish nodded his head keeping his gaze on the ground.
“But you said something bad about his father,” he asked him.
“He called mine fags. Then he proceeded to call my friend the same,” Hamish told him. “I don’t care what he calls me but he can’t go after my friends and family.”
“Quite right,” the headmaster agreed. Hamish looked up shocked to hear those words. John and Sherlock exchanged looks as the headmaster continued to talk. “We’ve been ignoring Lucas Anderson’s bullying under the schools misguided policy ‘boys will be boys as long as they don’t break school property’ but that policy is out of date,” he explained to them. He glanced down at the ten year old. “Hamish you wouldn’t have hit Lucas unless you were defending yourself or others?”
“Correct sir,” he said to him as he shifted his weight.
“Then you’ll be suspended for the rest of the week for throwing the punch but Lucas will be suspended for the rest of the month. Considering today is Thursday that seems fair right?” he asked him.
Hamish nodded as he kept his gaze from his parents. John and Sherlock thanked the headmaster for understanding and they headed out of school. Hamish walked with them to his locker to pick up his books and then they headed on out. It was a silent cab ride back to 221b. It was a silent walk up the steps. Hamish dropped his rucksack by the door as he plopped down in the middle of the couch as John and Sherlock shrugged off their coats and then stood to talk to their son. Sherlock was the first one to open his mouth.
“Hamish,” he said. His voice seemed upset.
“I don’t care that I have two dads. I care that people are stupid and care.” Hamish told him as he kicked his shoes off. “I rather have two dads that love each other than not. Isn’t that better?” John nodded to him as he took a seat next to him.
“But we have to address the punching. Hitting someone is wrong- but before you roll your eyes,” John told him with a stern but not angry voice. “Hitting someone for just cause we can’t find fault with. We just wish you told us how bad it was Hal.” John told him. Sherlock sat on the other side of his son.
“So am I grounded?” he asked them looking from his Dad to his Papa. He didn’t care at this point as long as they didn’t yell at him.
“Yes, but we can discuss that after I get your hand cleaned up and bandaged properly,” John told him as he stood up to grab his medical bag.
After his hand was cleaned and repaired Hamish was sent up to his room to do homework and wasn’t allowed any electronic devices over the weekend except for his phone for emergencies. Considering all of his favorite books were in his room, and Matt was going to a competition this weekend where they didn’t have good cell service it wasn’t much of a punishment. But he took it as a warning that it could have been a lot worse.
John handed Sherlock a cup of tea as he took a seat next to him. “I want to be mad but I’m not,” John admitted to Sherlock.
“Anderson’s son had it coming to him.” Sherlock said as he took a sip of his tea. John turned and looked at him. “He is an ass, just like his father.”
“I just, I feel that it’s somehow our fault.” Sherlock gave him a puzzled look as John leaned into him. “I know it’s not but I, I still feel horrible that all that had to happen to him.
“He is strong and he knows that people are stupid and he loves us. That won’t change,” Sherlock assured him as he kissed the back of John’s neck. “He is like you. Protecting the ones he loves even if he would get in trouble.”
John smiled. “And you to,” he reminded him. “Did you see how good he got Lucas?” John didn’t want to brag but he was proud of Hamish. He had a good punch on him, and it would come in handy. He knows that his punching hand has in many ways.
“Yes, you taught him how to punch like a pro,” Sherlock joked as he kissed John on the lips. “I’m sure Anderson is more than pissed that his son got beaten up by ours.”
“Work will be interesting.” John chuckled.
Hamish sat at the top of the landing as he listened to his Dad’s talk. He smiled as he was happy they weren’t all that upset with him. Still with the smile on his face Hamish stood up, knowing his dads would be kissing by now, heading to his room to read. But he was happy for he was like his Dad and Papa. A Watson Warrior