Chapter One: Reunion

Someone rushed over and grabbed the little boy as he stood in a daze in the park. The mother who had spotted him reacted instantly and started looking him over, screaming for someone to call the police.

She didn't understand what she was seeing. This little boy was fine but barely responsive, as if in a trance. He just stared down at the ground as she searched for a mark of any kind. She couldn't see how this was possible.

He didn't even have a scratch and yet he was covered in blood.

The tall man walked into the coffee shop and straight up to the counter, locking eyes with the barista. He had seen her before. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail as she turned around and jumped, not expecting someone to be at the counter. Or at the very least, leaning over it so far just staring at her.

"Can I help you…?" she asked nervously, caught a bit off guard by his sudden appearance.

"Where is Zoey?" He asked, almost demanding.

"Sherlock!" John walked in after him, panting from having to run to catch up. The larger man had a sudden urge to see his old resource and decided to stop by since they were in the area. "I told you, she doesn't work here anymore."

"You never told me that." He said indignantly as he turned around to face his companion.

"Yes, I did, Sherlock. Months ago. Remember?" He sighed and rubbed his neck. He usually remembered everything but given that he had a patch of boredom around that time, he probably ignored him as usual. "I also don't think she would appreciate you suddenly popping up at her job after not seeing or talking to her in almost a year."

He spun to face the barista again, who jumped in surprise a second time. "Do you know where I can find her?"

"Um, no… She still comes by every once in a while but I haven't seen her for about a week." Amelia shrugged, looking over at Jess for some help. "Right?"

"Yeah. Sounds about right." Jess nodded and wiped her hands on her apron. "I can give you her number if you want to call her…"

"I prefer to text." Sherlock grumbled as he headed for the door and threw it open. "Congratulations by the way."

As the door closed behind him, John was met with a look of surprise from Jess and confusion from Amelia. "Congratulations on what?" The blonde asked.

"There's no way he could know that…" Jess shook her head, wide eyed in awe. "He couldn't have. I haven't told anyone."

"About what?" John asked, rather puzzled himself.

"I'm pregnant…" She said, still in a daze. "But how could he have…"

John sighed and smiled. "Don't ask how he knows. It's just something he does." His phone buzzed and he took it out, reading a text from Sherlock. Putting it back in his pocket he jogged out the door. "Congratulations."

Sherlock and John walked over to the blue taped barrier and Sergeant Donovan rolled her eyes. "They actually called you here for this one?" she huffed.

"Well apparently your level of intellect isn't needed and further. Now, is it?" Sherlock snipped back as he lifted the tape and John followed, ducking under the tape and giving Donovan a halfhearted smile of apology.

"Ah, Sherlock, about time you showed up." Mycroft stood next to Lestrade, spinning his umbrella. Sherlock rolled his eyes.

"What is this all about, Mycroft? Most police business isn't in your area of interest."

"It seems that there was a murder but we can't confirm that yet." Lestrade said as he crossed his arms. "The only thing we know is that a crime of violent nature was committed and there's only one known witness."

"That still doesn't explain why Mycroft found this case of interest unless it's political or of national security." Sherlock looked away, appearing bored, already losing interest.

"The witness was found covered in blood. None of it was his." Lestrade said. "They sent the blood for testing but seeing as how a politician and his family went missing a week ago…"

"My god…" John breathed. "Covered in..?"

"So Mycroft is here cause of the politician's involvement." Sherlock looked the other way and sighed. "Just talk to the witness to find out where he got covered in blood. Case solved. Why am I here? Are you even sure that this 'witness' didn't do it and is trying to cover what he did?"

"Because the witness is a little boy!" Mycroft huffed as he turned to look at the one ambulance inside the barricade. "And for some reason, he's not talking."

"Again, other than no clues, why should I take interest in this case?"

"Because I'm putting the boy under your supervision." Mycroft sneered. "If he has a trace of anything on him, you'll find it and I'm sure you'll come up with a way to make him talk."

"Children aren't my strong suit. And this is all because of the government. Why should I be interested?" Sherlock put his hands in his pockets and pulled out his phone, texting. "If you need someone to make the child cooperate…"

"I already have one of my best people on it." Lestrade replied as he pointed to a woman sitting in the ambulance next to the child.

The boy was no more than four years old, with dark hair that fell in loose curls. He wore a pair of pajamas that were a size too big that the police had given him seeing as how Anderson was bagging his clothes for evidence. His eyes were vacant as he looked down at his feet, refusing to make eye contact.

Something had seriously traumatized this boy somehow. Sherlock's interest piqued slightly.

The woman sitting beside him tucked her blonde hair behind her ear as it escaped her ponytail. She had taken off her jacket and wrapped it around the boy's shoulders as she talked to him in a quiet voice. After a moment she picked up her phone and looked at it before putting it back down. She noticed Lestrade point out of the corner of her eye and sat up more. She rubbed the boy's back as she kept her eye on the small group as they walked over.

Sherlock's eyes widened in surprise for an instant as he recognized the woman's familiar heart shaped face and curious blue eyes. She had changed her bangs, growing them out some and pulling them to the side; her hair was longer than he remembered and looked as if she had flipped the ends before pulling it up. She had ditched her glasses and he presumed was wearing contacts presently as well as adding some make-up. Her normal uniform of jeans and a t-shirt were now discarded for a blouse and skirt and her sneakers swapped for heels.

For a moment, he questioned whether she was in fact the same woman he had encountered a year ago in the coffee shop. Her whole appearance had changed and he was intrigued as to the reason why. He wondered why she had decided to grow up.

She locked eyes with Sherlock after briefly scanning Mycroft and Lestrade's faces and acknowledging John. Her mouth smiled but her eyes remained unreadable as she greeted him.

"Well, if it isn't the great Sherlock Holmes. It's been a while." Her voice was still soft like he had remembered but the sweetness seemed to have been pushed aside for this occasion.

"Yes, it has been a while. It's nice to see you again, Zoey."