Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Hamish was planning on asking another question to his dad, even though he could see that he was tired.
But before he could even open his mouth, his dad interrupted his thoughts and his actions.
“I am sorry Ham, but I'm really tired.”
With that said his dad stood up and he left the room, probably heading for the bedroom.
The bedroom he once shared with father...

Hamish was looking around in the livingroom when it suddenly hit him, there was just one picture of father in the room, he couldn't remember that there used to be more, but then again he didn't pay attention to such details before his father passed away.
He remembered the exact moment when that picture was taken, it was his sixth birthday.
And father was chasing dad and his dad was chasing Hamish, the boy was smiling widely.
"God, I had no idea of what was going to happen..." Hamish said out loud, there were tears in his eyes.
Hamish was tired of the sphere in the house, it was just so depressing.
He decided that he could go out now, his dad would be fast asleep in a few moments; thanks to his sleeping pills and he wouldn't wake up until 9 in the morning, so Hamish had all the time of the world to do whatever he wanted.
He left the livingroom and on his way outside he put on his coat and grabbed his car keys.
It was quite chilly outside, he walked to his car and got in as fast as he could.
The sky was getting darker very quick, it was almost six o'clock and the end of the fall was near.
There were leaves in all sorts of colours all over the driveway and the road.
His father had faked his dead before, Hamish suddenly had trouble believing that he was really dead now...
He drove to DI Lestrade's house, he wanted to know wether or not he knew anything his dad wasn't capable of telling.
About ten minutes later he stopped in front of the building were Lestrade lived, he was quite nervous before he rang the bell.
“Greg Lestrade...”
“It is Hamish...”
Lestrade didn't answer but he opened the door and Hamish continued his way, he climbed all of the four stairs and then finally reached the floor where Lestrade's appartment was on.
When he knocked the door Lestrade opened it immediately, he must've been waiting for Hamish' arrival.
“What is it? Is your dad okay?” Lestrade asked, Hamish simply nodded.
“He is okay, I just came by to ask you a few questions.”
“Important ones?” Lestrade asked, whilst taking of Hamish' coat and putting it on the coat stand.
“Questions I'd like to get an answer on.”
“Can't your dad help?” Lestrade asked.
He did want to help Hamish out, he just didn't want to piss off John by answering questions Hamish wasn't allowed to know the answer on.
“He went to bed.”
“This early? Is he sick?” Lestrade asked, with a worry some look on his face.
Hamish kept quiet, waiting for Lestrade to realise his mistake.
“Oh right. Today is the day.” he said and to Hamish it was a sign he understood.
"Is uncle Mycroft home?"
"No he is not, he's at a congress, will be home by tomorrow morning."
Lestrade proceeded his way to the livingroom and Hamish followed him.
"Sit down if you like, want to drink something?"
Hamish shook his head and went to sit down in the couch, Lestrade grabbed a chair and placed it opposite of Hamish and sat down.
“He is really dead now, isn't he?” Hamish asked, Lestrade was surprised by the question.
“I see where this is going...” Lestrade said.
“Well?” Hamish said, and he went to sit in a couch, without asking.
“Yes Hamish, I am afraid he is.”
“How can you be so sure, it appears that he faked his dead six years before I was born.”
Lestrade felt sorry for Hamish, he noticed how desperately the boy wanted his father to be alive.
“Well, me and your dad were right next to him when he died. There is no possibility he faked his death. Not this time, I am sorry Hamish.”
There were tears in both of the men's eyes, Lestrade stood up and sat down next to Hamish, placing his arm around the boys shoulders, who was sobbing now.
“Do you think he was a good father to me?” Hamish' voice trembled and he wiped the tears from his face.
“He was an amazing father, in his own way that is. But he tried to take care of you and protect you all he could.” Lestrade said.
“He could get angry with me sometimes, couldn't he?”
For some reason Hamish felt the urge to smile when he thought about all the times father got angry with him because he ruined or delayed another one of his experiments, Hamish remembers that he used to put bricks in bowls of eyes, thumbs or whatever.
Because of the plastic usually the whole experiment failed, Hamish always thought that was funny, until the moment father found out and got angry with him.
But then there always was dad, trying to comfort him and calming father down.
“He got angry with all of us, you weren't an exception I'm afraid.”
“What happened after he returned?”

Hamish now wanted an answer on every question he could think of and he just hoped that Lestrade would be able to answer them.
He wasn't going to ask Lestrade about his childhood, the ex-dedective-inspector wouldn't know a thing about that, Hamish needed his Uncle Mycroft for that or even his dad when he felt better.
“Well, it was really weird you know. Donovan and Anderson decided to call him 'Dead man walking' after his return, instead of 'Freak' .
Your dad didn't want to talk to him for about a month, Mrs. Hudson nearly got a heartattack when he came back and your Uncle was in shock and that was the first and -it has to be said- last time I ever saw tears in your uncle's eyes. I was stuptified, but then again I always was when your father made his entrance in an unexpected or unusual way. The only exception was Molly, she wasn't surprised at all.
She looked like she had expected it all along, when they met again
Molly was the only one your father could be himself around in the beginning, when he made his return.”
Hamish thought about that for a bit and then Lestrade continued his explanation.
“We all thought Molly and your father would get together, since your dad refused to talk to your father.
But when they reunited we all -including Anderson- could tell that no one could change what was going on between them.
Even though Molly was deeply in love with your father, that was quite obvious back in the day."
“My father ditched her for my dad?”
“No he didn't really ditch her, since he wasn't quite aware of the fact that Molly was in love with him.
Or maybe; he probably was, since he noticed everything but he was head over heels for your dad ofcourse.
She never actually told him, but we all knew. It was way too obvious.” Lestrade said, there appeared a smile on his face, just because he remembered my father.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, whenever your father asked something to Molly and she wasn't capable of doing it, he paid her a compliment, saying that he liked her hair or her lipstick better than before and she was head over heels for him so she all bought it and then eventually did what she was asked in the first place.” Lestrade admits, he realizes that it wasn't my father's best side, taking advantage of a young woman like that.
“Maybe you could talk to Molly about your father, I am sure she knows who you are.
And she sure will remember Sherlock, she sure will...”
“Where is Molly now?” I ask, the last time I saw her was on my father's funeral.
“West-London I presume, she moved there, a year after you were born; if I remember well.” Lestrade says, I can hear the hesitation in his voice, like he just realized something.
“What?” I ask, because I've got the feeling than he knows more than he is telling me.
“Oh it is nothing, forget it.” Lestrade voice trembles and the hesitation gets more obvious, the more he says.
“Are you sure?” Hamish asks and he nods.
The young man looks at his watch and he is surprised by the time that has gone by, it feels like he has been chatting with Lestrade for an hour or so, but it is already ten o'clock.
“I'll leave you be then, thanks for all the answers, it really was helpful.” Hamish says, he's really grateful.
“Anytime Hamish, say 'Hi' to your dad from me, will'ya?”
“Yes I will.” Hamish promises.
He walks into the hallway again, after Lestrade who hands him his coat.
“Drive carefully.” Lestrade says, Hamish nods and he walks down the stairs.
When he gets outside it is raining and there's a strong wind, he runs to his car and gets in as quick as possible.
But he's not ready to go home, not yet.
He drives his car out of the parking lot and he proceeds his way to the graveyard, when he arrives there it has stopped raining.
Hamish gets out of his car and he walks to the graveyard, he ignores the sign that says that you can only visit between sunrise and sunset and he opens the gate.
The gate is rusty and old and therefore it opens easily and it doesn't keep unwanted visitors out, Hamish is surprised by the fact that there were lamp-posts next to the small paths inbetween the grave-stones.
The gravel made a -in a way- comforting sound under Hamish' shoes, he wason his way to his father's grave when suddenly something stopped him.
He looked back and he saw an unfamialiar headstone...