•September 14th, 2026•

The sound of the door downstairs opening and closing followed by footsteps coming up the stairs alerted Sherlock that Cassandra had arrived.

The 11 year old pulled off her coat and bookbag and sat across from her godfather in the chair that was once known as her father's chair. Sherlock couldn't help but smirk to himself. Like father, like daughter.

"How's the case coming along?" Cassandra asked.

"Didn't your mother and father say they want you home after school," Sherlock replied.

"I'd like to think of that as more of a suggestion. Besides, it's not like I'm out getting high or drunk or anything like that."

"I certainly hope not, you're eleven."

Cassandra smiled. She leaned forward, "Now, about this case - "

Sherlock jumped from his chair, excited to finally have someone to talk to. "Yes, very peculiar case, this one. The sister claims her brother just...fell out a three story high window, and the police seem to believe her tall tales - "

"You mean Anderson does," pointed out Cassandra. Sherlock smiled proudly at the little girl. "Well, what do you think then?"

"I think the contusions to his head and body show that he was beaten. Any damage from his fall was post-mortem according to your Aunt Molly, which means he was pushed from the window, most likely by the sister as she was the only witness to the whole thing." Cassandra was sat on the edge of her seat as she listened to her godfather speak. "The only question is why?"

"Maybe she had some sort of vendetta," Cassandra replied. "Is there a recently deceased parent? Maybe their mum or dad died and left a will giving the brother everything and the sister very little. If mummy and daddy had another child and did that to me, I'd probably push someone out a window, too."

Sherlock chuckled and ruffled the little girl's hair. "Clever little one, you are. Unfortunately, I've already checked into that. Both parents are very much alive. According to them, both siblings got on phenomenally growing up; he'd stand up for her when she was being bullied, she'd scare away any stalkerish females that were after him, he'd scare away the odd ex-boyfriend that wouldn't leave her alone. They say if she really did kill her brother, they couldn't think of a single reason she would."

Cassandra sat back in her seat and crossed her arms. She racked her brain for any reason the sister would kill her brother if they were as close as the parents said.

Cassandra got joy from helping Sherlock on his cases. She'd never tell her parents this, but she was often bullied in school for being "stupid". She got low marks on some of her tests because the answer wasn't what the teacher said it should be, even though Cassandra knew it was correct. Some of the children even bullied her because her father was the famous John Watson, sidekick to the infamous Sherlock Holmes.

"Why aren't you as smart as him?" one bully had taunted her on that particular day. "You must be such a disappointment to England's smartest man."

Cassandra had to look away from Sherlock in order to hold back tears after bringing up that memory. Some days, she wished she could skip school all together and stay with Sherlock. But she knew she'd get in big trouble if she ever did that, with her parents and with Sherlock.

There was complete silence as the two tried to think of any possible reason there was for the woman to murder her husband. Neither of them were on the verge of anything when the door downstairs opened and closed again, followed by the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs.

"I believe that would be your father," Sherlock told Cassandra."

"Cassy!" came John's voice. He entered the flat and glared at his daughter. "How many times have we told you - "

"Come right home after school, I know dad," Cassandra sighed. "But Sherlock needs help with this case and you're always too busy with mum to help him!"

"I'm busy with mum because I'm raising an 11 year old girl who doesn't listen to her parents," John retorted, crossing his arms. "Come on, young lady, we're going home."

"But dad!"

"Go with your father, Cassandra," Sherlock said. "I'll figure this out and call you to tell you the details."

Cassandra's face brightened as she jumped from her seat to hug Sherlock. Still slightly awkward with any sort of affection, Sherlock awkwardly patted Cassandra's back.

She pulled away grabbed her things before bidding goodbye to Sherlock and racing out the door and down the stairs. John was about to leave when Sherlock spoke.

"Do you realize your daughter is being bullied?"

John frozen and spun to look at Sherlock. "Excuse me?"

"Well, she constantly comes over here every day after school, against your and Mary's requests, tries her hardest to figure out even my toughest cases that I can barley figure out, and just before you came she tried to hide the fact that she was crying. Using my deduction skills, the only viable conclusion is that she's being bullied," Sherlock explained. "Speaking as a former victim of bullying in school, I know she probably wouldn't tell her parents. I was just wondering if you've noticed all the signs as well."

John stood in stunned silence. Everything Sherlock was saying made sense. No wonder Cassandra continuously raced over to Sherlock's house after school; it was her escape from the bullies, and from her parents.

John groaned and facepalmed. No wonder she spent so much time either at Sherlock's or in her room. He and Mary were known for getting mad at her for the smallest things. They weren't used to being parents yet, they didn't want to mess up their first child. Little did they know, they were doing much worst.

John turned to leave when suddenly Cassandra ran up the stairs at full force once again, barging back into Sherlock's flat. Both men stood staring at the little girl in confusion. She was giggling.

"Uncle Sherlock!" she giggled. "I thought of something funny about the case."

"What would that be, little detective?" Sherlock asked, kneeling in front of the young girl.

"What-what if they were in love?" Cassandra threw her head back and laughed. "You've done domestic cases like this before, right? Well, wouldn't it be funny if they were in love? And the reason she killed her brother is because he said he didn't love her anymore or something like that."

Cassandra laughed harder, clutching her stomach and almost doubling over as she did so. John gave Sherlock a confused look while Sherlock's face changed to realization. He jumped up and grabbed his coat and scarf and raced out of the flat. Cassandra's laughter died down as she looked up at her father.

"Where'd he go?" she asked.

"Probably got a lead or something," John said, hurrying to change the subject before Cassandra asked any more questions. "Come on, Cassy, let's go home, okay?"

"Okay dad!"