This story will make a lot more sense if you read, or at least have an idea of the plot of my other story: Fly in the Ointment.
So, apparently I like clichéd plots and story ideas. Oh well, sue me. This story is immensely fun to write and I find it very easy to write a child's voice. I work with 5-year-olds so I have a lot of experience with kids. If you enjoy this, please feel free to leave a review. If you don't enjoy it...best keep that to yourself, thanks. ;)
Chapter 1
John really had no idea how they ended up in this situation. One moment Addie was a normal, fully grown 24-year-old girl, and the next…well…
Sherlock stared down at her as if she were one of his experiments that he couldn't wait to take apart and analyze. It was actually rather creepy.
"Hello, my name is Adelaide Holmes. What's your name?" John was instantly aware of a small hand tugging at his wrist.
"Umm…John...John Watson," he answered.
Addie stuck out her hand as a greeting. "Pleased to meet you, Mr. John."
John returned her hand shake. "You don't seem very afraid of strangers," he commented.
"You're not a stranger. You're Sherlock's friend," she said matter-of-factly.
"Sherlock? Where are we?" she asked, addressing Sherlock for the first time since this weird turn of events.
Sherlock kept his calculating gaze on her and answered her. "We're in my flat, Addie."
"Your flat? But you're not old enough to have a flat…where's mummy?"
"Mummy isn't here, Adelaide. I live on my own…well, with John too," Sherlock answered.
"Ooooh, mummy's gonna be mad at you for leaving home! You're gonna be in big trouble!"
Once again Sherlock was back to studying Addie as if she were under a microscope.
John broke the awkward silence. "Addie, how old are you?"
"Four and a half!" she proclaimed proudly, puffing out her chest.
"So you're four then. De-aged 20 years…interesting," Sherlock said.
"Four and a half!" Addie corrected him.
"You are four. No longer three, and not yet five. So four," Sherlock said rolling his eyes.
"Four and a half!" Addie yelled stomping her feet and crossing her arms, looking every bit as old as she said.
"Oh for god sakes," Sherlock sat down on the couch wearily. John joined him.
Addie chose to sit on the floor at their feet. "Sherlock?" she asked.
"Hmmm…"
"Where's Mycof?"
"It's Mycroft and he's not here."
"Is he still at university?" she asked curiously. "He's always at university," she sighed.
"He's not at university. He's working."
"Working?"
"Yes, at his job."
"Job? He has a job?"
"Yes, here in London."
"He's here in London?" she asked excitedly.
"Are you going to keep repeating everything I say and turning it into a question?" Sherlock asked, annoyed.
"No."
"Good. Are we done with the questions now?" he asked.
"Yes."
Silence.
"Sherlock?"
"WHAT?!" he snapped.
"Can we go see Mycof?"
"No."
"But I miss him! Can we tell him that I miss him?" Addie asked innocently. She gave her brother her saddest puppy eyes.
"We aren't going to see him Addie," Sherlock said. Then he paused and a wicked smile came over his face. "But we can call him…"
"Call him?" Addie asked.
"Yes, on his phone."
"Mycof has a phone?"
"Yes," he said. "John? Can you get my phone off the table?"
John retrieved Sherlock's phone and held it out to him. Sherlock gave him a raised eyebrow and a hand gesture that said 'well, go on then' and he gestured towards Addie.
John found Mycroft's name in the contacts and handed it to Addie. Addie stared at the phone for a few seconds before looking back at John confusedly and handing it back to him. John took it and pushed the 'call' button.
"Now hold it up to your ear and talk," he instructed.
Addie gave him a patented Holmes scowl. "I'm four. Not stupid."
Sherlock smirked.
The phone rang three times before it was picked up.
"Hello?" Mycroft's voice came across the line.
No answer.
"Hello...?"
Silence.
"Sherlock, I'm really not in the mood for silly games today, so if you could just tell me why you called…"
"Mycof…is that you?"
"Who is this? Sherlock?"
"No silly! It's me. Addie!"
"Adelaide? Why are you using Sherlock's phone?"
"I dunno. It's really cool though."
"Addie…are you ok?"
"Uh huh…Mycof, Sherlock left home. He's not living wif mummy no more. He lives wif Mr. John now," she said, as if revealing a deep dark secret. "Oh, and he says you have a job! Did you quit university? Mummy and daddy won't be pleased."
"Addie…are you alright? Did you drink too much wine again?"
"No silly! I'm only four!" she chuckled.
There was a heavy silence on Mycroft's end. Addie grew impatient.
"Mycof…"
"Addie, could you please put Sherlock on the phone?"
"Ok!" she said brightly, handing the phone over to Sherlock.
Sherlock took the phone and walked out of the room to resume the conversation with Mycroft.
John was awkwardly left with Addie. Luckily he heard a "Yoo-hoo!" from outside the door and was saved by Mrs. Hudson coming to check on them.
"Oh hello John, dear. Came to see if you two are alright. I heard a bit of cursing and yelling just now," she said.
John figured it had to do with Sherlock and Mycroft's phone conversation.
"We're fine Mrs. Hudson, thanks for asking," John told her.
Mrs. Hudson looked down when she felt a tugging at her dress.
"What's your name?" Addie asked her.
"Well, who is this? Hello dear! My name is Mrs. Hudson," she said to Addie.
"Hello Mrs. Hudson, my name is Adelaide Holmes," she smiled brightly at her.
Mrs. Hudson nodded sweetly before things started to click in to place in her head. "Adelaide? You mean…but, how?"
John steered her away from Addie and whispered to her, "We're not sure, but we're looking into it. I'm sorry, we didn't exactly plan for this. She'll be no trouble at all. Promise!" John said, not really confident that he could keep that promise given the fact that Addie was a Holmes after all.
Mrs. Hudson patted his arm, "It's alright dear. No troubles. I'll just go make us some tea shall I?"
"Two sugars for me!" she heard coming from Sherlock's room.
"I'm not your housekeeper!" she shouted back before going into the kitchen.
Twenty minutes later found John, Sherlock, Mrs. Hudson, and a four-year-old Addie sitting around the table sipping their drinks.
"I want tea," Addie pouted.
"No tea," John responded.
"But I want tea!"
"The tea is too strong and there's too much caffeine. No tea." Sherlock answered, not looking up from his microscope.
"He's right sweetheart. Now be a good girl and drink your milk," Mrs. Hudson said, patting her arm.
Addie pouted again. "But milk is so boring!" she exclaimed dramatically.
John smirked at how like Sherlock she sounded when she said that.
"Addie, do shut-up and finish your milk before I put you in the corner," Sherlock said, never breaking concentration.
Addie made a face but finished her milk all the same. Mrs. Hudson began clearing the dishes and John took up reading the paper.
Suddenly Addie appeared next to Sherlock and peered over his shoulder. "What'cha doin'?" she asked.
He shot her an annoyed glance and went back to his analyzing. "Nothing. Go away."
"Ooooh are you doing a 'spearment?"
Sherlock didn't answer, nor did he bother to correct her mispronunciation.
"Can I help wif your 'spearment?"
"No."
"But you always let me help when you're 'spearmenting."
"Well not this time. It's not for children."
"Aww, but I wanna help!"
"No! Now go away."
Addie went silent, but she didn't move from Sherlock's side. "What is it?"
Sherlock gave a long-suffering sigh and turned to address her.
"It's a frog's leg and I'm waiting for it to ferment properly."
John was watching the scene from over his paper trying not to look so amused. He cringed when he heard Sherlock tell Addie what he was observing, fully expecting her to scream.
Instead Addie yelled out, "Cool!" and moved in closer.
She stuck her little finger out and made to poke the leg. "Can I touch it?"
Sherlock snapped out of his daze and slapped her hand.
"Adelaide! Do not EVER touch one of my experiments EVER again! Do you understand me?!"
Addie's eyes went wide and she jerked back from Sherlock with a frightened look, rubbing her hand.
"I…I'm sorry…I just wanted to help you wif your 'spearment…" she said, chin wobbling and tears starting to well up.
John kicked Sherlock from under the table, making him jump and look at him. John jerked his head towards Addie and gave him a look. Sherlock put down the sample and turned from the microscope.
Addie had tears on her face and was still rubbing her hand. Sherlock took it gently in his own and examined it. There was some redness around the knuckles and he immediately felt guilty.
"Look Addie, I'm sorry I slapped you, and I'm sorry I yelled. But I need to make sure you understand that you can't be playing with this stuff. It's for your own safety. Alright?"
Addie silently nodded and sniffled before throwing her arms around Sherlock's middle and squeezing him tight. Her voice was muffled a bit in Sherlock's blazer but he heard her just fine.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please don't hate me Lockie, please!"
He patted her back gently. "Addie, I don't hate you. I'll never hate you."
"I'll never touch your 'spearments again! I'll be a good girl! Promise!"
"I know you won't, Addie. And you are a good girl. Don't worry."
He allowed her a bit to compose herself before setting her on the table top next to him. "Is your hand alright?"
Addie was still rubbing it but she nodded. Sherlock looked to John and motioned to the freezer. John got up to get some ice, being sure to block Addie's view lest there be another severed head in there to greet him.
He walked over and set the bag of ice on Addie's hand. "Thank you, Mr. John," she said shyly.
He smiled at her. "You're very welcome, Miss Addie."
Addie giggled and settled on the chair next to Sherlock to watch him work.
"Sherlock?" she asked.
"Yes?" he answered.
"Can I have some more milk?"
John chuckled and he moved to the fridge to pour her a glass.