Chapter Text
Chapter 1
After three years of silence, the world's greatest detective appeared,alive,at the secret base of MI6, the Queen's most confidential intelligence division.
The new M was not impressed.While the rest of the room stood frozen in shock, Director Mycroft Holmes stared in disbelief at his younger brother,alive and in one piece. But the tension in the room was far heavier than the surprise itself.M's cold gaze settled on him.
"Where is my brother?"
•••
Heavy footsteps echoed through the empty hallway, slow and deliberate, until they stopped before a large wooden door. It creaked open.
A pair of green eyes met his.
"You... you're alive..."
•••
The detective exhaled softly, breaking the suffocating silence.
"Your brother is fine. Alive, healthy. He'll return to London within a few hours."He paused, glancing briefly at the others.
"But I'm here on a mission,requested by him. Help MI6. It seems you've made no progress in capturing Sebastian Moran."
His gaze sharpened as it landed on the new M.
Louis James Moriarty.
"He escaped our trap," Louis admitted, his voice calm but edged with frustration. "This case requires assistance."
The detective smirked.
"If my brother requested you, then I assume he has a plan."
"Of course he does."
"Then let's hear it."
•••
"How... how are you still alive...?"
The man with green eyes stood frozen, unable to accept what he was seeing.
"We... somehow survived... brother..."
"But this life will only bring you pain!" His voice cracked. "It will remind you of everything we've done,our crimes... It will punish you. I can't... I can't let that happen to you, William..."
William sighed softly, adjusting the small bundle in his arms.
"I have a reason to live now... Brother Albert."
He gently pulled back the cloth.
A small face appeared.
Tiny lashes fluttered open, revealing ruby-red eyes that sparkled as they met Albert's green ones.
"Who... is this?" Albert asked hesitantly, stepping closer.
"My daughter... No,our daughter."
Albert froze.
"You... you have a child...?"
William smiled faintly and nodded.
"She's four months old. Quite the surprise."
The baby stirred, making soft noises as she nestled deeper into his warmth.
"She's so small..." Albert whispered, stepping closer, his hand trembling slightly as he reached out.
"I know. It worried us too. But the doctors said it's normal... considering I was the one who gave birth."
Albert blinked, still processing everything, as William gently turned the baby toward him.
Those ruby eyes locked onto his and she smiled.Tiny hands reached out toward him.
"It seems she already likes you," William said softly.
Albert's defenses crumbled. He gently caressed her cheek, and the baby leaned into his touch.
"She has your eyes, Will."William scoffed lightly.
"She's a carbon copy of Sherlock."
Albert chuckled, his finger now wrapped in her tiny hand.
"So... Sherlock is here too?"
"No. I sent him to MI6,to catch Moran. We came to bring you back."
Albert nodded slowly.
"Alright."
•••
"Well, that wraps things up."Sherlock dusted off his hands as if the entire ordeal had been nothing more than a minor inconvenience,Moran had been captured.
With confirmation that William was alive, Sherlock stepped back."I'll leave the rest to you," he said, turning to Mycroft.
Mycroft gave a small nod. "We'll handle it from here. You're free to go."
Sherlock started to leave,then suddenly turned back, jogging toward Louis and handing him a folded piece of paper.
"What's this?" Louis asked.
"A list of things you need to prepare before Liam arrives."
"A list? Why?" Sherlock grinned.
"It's a surprise."
And just like that, he was gone.
•••
"Why does my brother need a crib?" Louis muttered, reading the list for what felt like the tenth time.
"Maybe he's bringing a pet?" Bond suggested.
Moran groaned. "Then shouldn't we prepare a cage instead?"
"What if it's a secret baby?"Louis stared at Bond for a long moment... then sighed.
"Fred. I'm leaving this to you."
"Of course."
•••
"Com-"John stopped mid-sentence, staring.
"Hey."
"Really? After three years, all you say is 'hey'? Oh, for God's sake!"
"What do you want me to do? Drop to my knees and cry about how much I missed you?"
"You could've tried!" Sherlock eyed him critically.
"And what is that moustache?"
"I had an interview as Conan Doyle!"
"It's hideous."
Silence fell...Then...
"Sherlock."His expression softened instantly.
"Miss Hudson! Lovely to see you again."
She placed her hands firmly on her hips."Aren't you forgetting something?"
"Oh! Right! Souvenir!"
He dug into his pocket and placed a small piece of ceramic in her hand.
"For you."
She nearly threw it away,but stopped herself.
"I suppose you've rented out my flat by now?"
Sherlock walked upstairs and opened the door to 221B Baker Street...and froze.
Nothing had changed.
"I couldn't rent it out," Miss Hudson said from behind him. "The owner is still alive."
A small smile formed on Sherlock's face.
"Thank you... For everything."
•••
The front door opened quietly.A figure stepped inside, holding it open for another.Four pairs of eyes met.
"Big brother Albert."
"...Louis."
Albert bit his lip before lowering his head.
"I'm sorry... for leaving you like that. I didn't know how to atone for my sins."
Louis stepped forward quickly, stopping him."You're here. That's all I need."
His gaze shifted to the figure behind Albert.
"You look different."
William smiled gently.
"Louis... I'm sorry. I was selfish. I forgot that you had no one else but me-"
He was cut off as Louis pulled him into a tight embrace, burying his face into William's chest.
"You came back... That's all I ever wanted..."
William's eyes filled with tears.Then...
A soft coo.
They pulled apart.
Louis turned and saw her.
The small bundle shifted, the cloth falling away, revealing those striking ruby-red eyes.
"And who might this be?" Louis asked softly, offering his finger.
The baby grabbed it instantly.
"Our surprise?"
William smiled.
"Yes. A small surprise."
•••
The room, once filled with tension and unspoken regrets, had fallen into a quiet stillness.For the first time in years, no one spoke of crimes, plans, or sacrifices.
Only the soft, uneven breathing of the child filled the space.
Louis watched her carefully, his crimson eyes reflecting something unfamiliar,something gentler. The tiny hand still clung to his finger, as if afraid he might disappear too.
"She trusts quite easily," he murmured.
"Or she's just already decided you're harmless," Bond added lightly from the side, leaning against the wall with a grin. "Which, honestly, is impressive."
Louis shot him a flat look.
Fred stepping a little closer, his expression unusually soft."She's... remarkably calm," he observed quietly. "Most infants would be crying in a room full of strangers."
"She's got good instincts," Jack said with a low chuckle, arms crossed. "Didn't even flinch. Strong kid."
Moran scoffed from the corner, though his eyes lingered on the child longer than expected.
"Hmph. Either fearless... or completely unaware of the kind of people she's surrounded by."
"Children tend to see things more clearly than adults," Moneypenny said gently, stepping forward. Her gaze softened as she looked at the baby. "Perhaps she sees something worth trusting."
Herder let out a small hum, adjusting his stance.
"Strong lungs, steady breathing... good vitality," he noted, almost clinically. Then, after a pause, "A fine child."
Albert, who had remained closest, finally spoke,his voice quieter than all the others.
"She reached for me... without hesitation." His fingers brushed lightly against hers again. "As if none of it mattered."
William stepped closer, his voice softer than it had ever been.
"Or perhaps... she simply believes the world is worth trusting."
Albert let out a quiet breath, his gaze lingering on the child.
"A world we nearly destroyed..."
Silence followed.
Not heavy this time,but thoughtful.
Louis looked down at the child once more, then back at his brothers.
"What is her name? Brother.."
William hesitated for a brief moment,just enough to make it meaningful.
Then, he smiled.
"Lily."
Albert's lips softened into the faintest smile. "It suits her."
Bond straightened slightly. "Lily, huh? That's unexpectedly gentle for a family like ours."
Jack smirked. "Better than naming her after one of us."
Moran huffed quietly. "...At least it's not something ridiculous."
Fred allowed himself the faintest smile. "It suits her."
Moneypenny smiled warmly. "It's beautiful."
Herder simply hummed in agreement.
Louis's gaze never left the child."Lily..." he repeated softly.
The name was soft,almost fragile,but it carried a quiet strength within it.He glanced down at the child, his expression gentling even further.
"Her full name is... Lilien Elizabeth Moriarty Holmes."
The words settled into the room like a vow.
A name that carried both past and future.
Moriarty... and Holmes.Destruction... and salvation.
Albert's eyes widened slightly, then softened. "You've given her everything..."
Bond let out a quiet whistle. "That's... quite a name."
Jack raised a brow. "You're really giving her both sides."
Fred nodded thoughtfully. "A name that carries history... and a future."
Moneypenny nodded. "A future no one else could have."
Louis's grip tightened ever so slightly around her tiny hand.
"Our future."
The child cooed softly, as if accepting the weight of it without fear.
Lily.
A symbol of innocence.Of rebirth.Of something pure growing from even the darkest soil.
And for the first time in a long while,no one questioned it.
•••
Hello! It's me Jaehee! I hope you will enjoy the 1st chapter of my book 'Hope'. I really am pumped to know your reactions and comments about this! I have been thinking to get back to writing but I couldn't so it will be my comeback and I hope this book will touch your hearts. Make sure leave comments for me! Add suggestions as well!
Thank you for reading ^^