Welcome one, welcome all to Sherlock Holiday Celebrations!
Those of you who have read The Sherlock Alphabet, welcome back! It is so nice to see you again!
For those of you new, a pleasure to meet you! I hope you enjoy!
Instead of a theme word (as in my other fanfic), these are Holidays! Each Letter represents 100 words, adding to a word limit to write the fanfic oneshot in!
Today's holiday was suggested by Moos (guest), thank you!
Also big thank you to ME a guest, SeaStarr, iccle fairy, and the lovely Magpie of Silver, you make me so happy!
I am sorry for the late update, school is eating my life...whhaa! Buuutttt I spoil you anyway, so I will try to update at the latest every other day, because I looovveee you! (THAT doesn't sound creepish...)
Let's get this straight out the first time: I don't own Sherlock. Pwease don't sue me!
Without further ado, Sherlock Holiday Celebrations!
Sherlock Holidays: Happy Easter Sunday
Happy Easter Sunday = 17 total Letters = 1,700 words
"Lily, your basket's in the car…" John chuckled as the seven year old sighed dramatically.
"I know…" she mumbled simply, keeping her blue gaze on the ground. She wore small jeans and a grey T-shirt with Lestrade's department logo print. Her purple scarf highlighted her shining straight blonde hair that cascaded down to her back. Sherlock furrowed his eyebrows in thought at her answer.
"Don't you want to go get it?" John asked, stopping the trio in their tracks.
"No, thank you…" she smiled politely at the doctor, then bit her lower lip anxiously, a habit similar to her Lestrades'.
Easter weekend had rolled around again…Lestrade's sister-Carol-had come with her three children to visit her brother for the weekend while she attended business meetings. Lily was the youngest of the three, being seven, the other two being Anthony and Jarrod, who were nine and ten.
Unfortunately, just because it was a holiday, it didn't mean Lestrade could just shut down the police station for the weekend, or Carol could just skip her meetings. The boys were old enough to 'hang around' Lestrade's work for a while, but Lily was a bit young … Carol made him promise he would find the most responsible babysitters in London to take care of her youngest child…so, what better protection than London's best detectives?
"Only for the weekend?" John asked for the third time, looking from Lestrade to little Lily outside 221B's door.
"Yes. I've had your back for three years…all I'm asking for is this." Lestrade pleaded desperately. "I'll give you two anything you want, as long as Sherlock doesn't brutally murder her …"
"He's going to kill me for this…" John sighed, opening the door. "Fine…but if she picks up his nasty habits, I'm not responsible…"
"Absolutely…" Lestrade chuckled, patting Johns shoulder, "Thanks." He bent to his niece and ruffled her hair lovingly. "Be back soon, squirt…have fun with Uncle John." He laughed, nodding to the doctor and sprinting to his car.
John led Lily inside and shut the door with a sigh. A little child in the flat with Sherlock Holmes seemed like a bad idea. He smiled down to curious girl, who drank in her surroundings. "Ready to meet Sherlock, Lily?"
"Is he really going to kill me?" she asked seriously, already ascending the steps with no apparent fear.
"Oh God…" John mumbled, running his fingers stressfully through his hair…
In all honesty, John was quite surprised at how positive Sherlock was towards Lily. Then again, Lily was not a normal seven year old. She was quite straightforward and blunt, similar to the grown detective…not to mention she was showing signs ofhigh intelligence and a clever personality. She enjoyed music and reading, but she found herself in numerous mischievous situations now and again, such as exploring experimental instruments on the table or artifacts in the cupboard. Now that he thought about it, John realized she was almost like a miniature female Sherlock…
The little Lestrade sighed again in distress. "Is something wrong, Lily?" John motioned towards the school playground, where they were supposed to meet the family again for one last event before their departure. Last time he had checked, Lily loved finding hidden things, so why not Easter eggs? "I thought you were looking forward to this?"
"Not me…Mommy was…for my brothers." she explained, watching in slight alarm as the flood of small children ran to a nearby school field, baskets in hand. "See?" she pointed to Carol, who waved in a beckoning manner in the distance. The detective's felt a pang of sympathy for the ignored girl…
Xxxxx
Sherlock sat uncomfortably next to an equally grumpy Lily on a picnic blanket, with John standing and rubbing his face stressfully as the numerous children shuffled to get ready for the annual Easter egg hunt. Lestrade couldn't make it, and the trio was jealous. Carol was off helping set-up; and seemed simply ecstatic for her sons to be participating…she hadn't paid much attention to Lily since they arrived. Lily didn't seem surprised.
"I hate people…" she whispered loudly to Sherlock.
"Don't we all…" he snorted back, understanding the overwhelming feeling.
John rolled his eyes. "You two are hopeless…"
"This game is hopeless…" Lily grunted crossing her arms and pursing her lips angrily. John chuckled at her snappy words, "I wanna study ba-back…bacteria!" she snapped her head to Sherlock. "Let's do that again! Pleeeaasseee Uncle Sherlock? This is stupid, I wanna do something smart…" she informed him, evicting a laugh from both detectives.
Sherlock still wasn't used to the term 'uncle'. It wasn't that he disliked it, he just felt as though he weren't the type to really look up to, as Lily did. "I'm afraid that's up to your mother." He told her, wishing they were just home again. This was pointless, both he and John knew it.
Lily seemed to know so as well. "Uuuhhhhh…." she grunted miserably.
"Why do you want to leave so much?" John asked, smirking as she copied "Uncle" Sherlock's sitting position.
"I hate other kids…" she stated again, studying Sherlock's scarf and tying her own to match it perfectly.
"Why?" John inquired, giving up and sitting down as well.
"They don't like me, so I don't like them…"
"See John? I'm not the only one…its logic." Sherlock grinned at the doctor, who rolled his eyes.
"They hate me 'cause I'm like you." Lily poked Sherlock's leg.
"…Like me?" he asked, confused.
"Mmmhmmm…" Lily mumbled sadly, "I'm not normal…I-I'm just….I'm a freak." She croaked, toying with the edge of the blanket.
John felt his stomach churn. He would kill to be back at Baker Street. "Lily, you're not a freak-"
"Yeah, Uncle John…I am…and I like being one. No one else does. Not even Mommy." She responded, "But you guys like it…right?" she looked back and forth between the two, hope glossing over her sapphire eyes.
"We like it very much." Sherlock smiled.
They had never seen a grin wider than Lily's.
Xxxxx
"Ready….Seeeettt….GO!"
The detectives grimaced as the stampede of children pushed and shoved past petite Lily. Even her brothers had jostled her without a passing glance. Soon the entire field besides the trio was empty, with Lily picking herself up and dusting herself off heatedly. Sherlock and John found they hated this game too.
"This is so stupid!" she cried out to no one in particular.
"Lily-" John began.
"NO, they are all…im…imbeciles!" she shouted angrily, stomping to the detectives. John glared at Sherlock for teaching her such a word. "And Mommy doesn't care! All she wants is for us to be winners! I-I don't w-wanna win her games…" she gave up and hugged Sherlock's leg in defeat. "Take me home, Uncle Sherlock…"
The detective raised an eyebrow. "You'll be going home after-"
"No, home -home…your home…" she pleaded, her voice muffled through his pant. "I wanna be smart Lily again… not weak Lily who doesn't know…" she squeezed his leg. "…anything…"
"Lilly-you're smart…" John kneeled down next to her, inwardly cursing Carol, and even Lestrade, for not noticing just how special this little girl was. "…and you're very strong." He added, not exactly sure what to do to comfort such a complex problem.
"They don't know that. I'm not 'cool' enough to find Easter eggs…can we go home?" she asked again. Sherlock felt moist tears seep through his pants. "P-please? I hate this…"
Sherlock felt sickened-it was an odd feeling, but one he recognized. Father never paid attention to anyone in the family…especially the child who was different…at least Mummy had supported him. But here was Lily, similar to him, who was ignored by her only parent and perhaps even her genetic uncle. Her brothers only made things worse. She was seven-and already alone in life.
Not today…
John opened his mouth to say something else, but caught Sherlock's glare that expressed, "No, my turn..." and stood back.
The tall detective gently pried Lily's death grip from his leg and knelt down in front of her so she looked down to him. "Lily." He said firmly, forcing her aqua blue eyes to meet his frosty ones.
"I don't wanna stay anymore…" she whispered, squeezing her scarf in worry. "This game…hurts…"
"But we can make this into a smart game…" he told her enthusiastically. John had no idea where this was going, but just stood and watched in amazement as the two seemed to build a certain connection.
"H-how?"
"Remember that word I taught you last night?"
"Deh…de-duct..tions…deductions!" she nodded proudly, "Those are fun."
"Well, deductions are everywhere, yes?"
"Yes…everywhere…" Lily echoed, "Right Uncle John?" she looked for confirmation.
"Right." He smiled knowingly.
"So if deductions are everywhere…" Sherlock hinted, lightly gesturing to the distant searching children.
"Then they're here too!" she squealed in excitement, bouncing up and down in eagerness. "Where-where are they Uncle Sherlock?!"
"You have to find them," the detective chuckled.
"Oh-oh-oh LOOK!" she cried to them, pointing to a straight looking bush. "The branches on the side are ruffled up!"
"So they are…perhaps you should investigate…" Sherlock smiled as Lily nodded and scampered off to the bush. "What's so funny?" he asked the chuckling doctor next to him.
"You're such an arse to Lestrade, but you've got the biggest soft spot for his niece…" he grinned as Sherlock smirked. "What did you find, Lily?" he asked as she ran back with two eggs in hand.
"They're for you!" she squeaked happily. "Aren't they neat?!"
"They sure are," John smiled, "Thank you!"
"Uncle Sherlock?" Lily asked in a hesitant tone.
"Yes?"
"Can I make deductions with you guys now? Finding eggs is boring…" she crinkled her nose and giggled, "I like yours better…"
"I certainly don't see why not." Sherlock answered, scooping Lily into his arms as she squealed with pleasure. She held onto his scarf and eagerly searched her surroundings from a new height. "Alright, what do we see? Would you like to go first, John?" Sherlock chuckled as Lily clapped her hands excitedly.
"Wait-wait-wait, I forgot to say something Uncle John!" she peeped.
"What did you forget?" John laughed warmly as Sherlock grinned.
Lily giggled with delight as she hugged the tall detective tightly, "Happy Easter Sunday!"
Yes, I was feeling fluffy this week, how did you guess?!
I hope you enjoyed this, just wanted to put some smiles on your beautiful faces! Any specific parts ya liked? (This helps me improve my writing!)
And hey, Lestrade needs some family background, yeah?
And Sherlock and John with a kid is hilarious and adorable. So you're welcome. (hee hee I'm kidding, I just thought you would like it!)
Now the big question:
Which holiday next?
(I promise we will get to them ALL!) We do not need to go in order, and they can be well -known or unique! Please do share!
Reviews =LOVE!