The present.

I do not own Sherlock, the BBC does. Any mistakes are my own set after series 3 so may contain some spoilers. No, flash just a little one shot of fluff.

"John?"

"John!"

"JOHN!"

I turned round from making the tea and looked at Sherlock. He had his hack facing me, but I could see that he was tense, disgusted maybe. There was nothing new there. That was Sherlock all over tense and most of the time disgusted with something or other.

"John."

I waited again, just to see what his reaction was. He turned round; his eyebrows rose so far that they could have receded into his hairline. His lips were puckered, his hands outstretched. If I am honest, it just looks normal to me now. Sherlock had been even more erratic since the birth of Sophie. Not that it has changed anything in my opinion. I still come round; help solve cases when I can. Mary and I come round more together. Sherlock is warming to the, well now she is a toddler; she is nearly four years old. I cannot keep calling her a baby. Even though she will always be that. And I am very much looking forward to embarrassing her when she is in her teens.

Yes, a lot has changed in four years. We are all going a little bit grey, you can see Sherlock's, and it is around his temples and near his ears. Mary and I have been a little luckier. I do not think we are showing our age as much as Mr Holmes is.

"John."

Sherlock is ow stood in front of me now. The great, famous detective refuses to let his age slow him down. He is still as sharp as ever and I for one do not think he will ever die. He cannot. He is Sherlock Holmes with the deerstalker hat.

"John, for god sake is you even listening to me?"

I nod. Most of the time I do not, unless it is important. Sherlock tends to go about things in a whishy woshy way now. Not really getting to the point unless he is told to.

"What is that?"

"What is what" I resume making the teas and hold the cup out for Sherlock to take. He does and walks back towards the sitting room.

"That. In the cage."

I clear my throat and walk towards him. I smile as I look into the room. "That Sherlock is a rabbit." I place my tea down on the desk and crouch next to Sherlock's chair.

"Why is it here?"

I looked up at him; he was still stood in the kitchen, eyeing the rabbit nervously.

"You aren't scared of rabbits…are you Sherlock?"

"John."

"What?"

Sherlock cleared his throat and took a drink of tea. "Of course I am not afraid of rabbits…I have allergies."

"No you don't." I said, opening the cage and gently easing the rabbit out.

"No but Mrs Hudson-"

"-is in a nursing homes Sherlock." I said, cutting him off and standing up with the white fluffy rabbit.

Sherlock frowned and looked back up at me. "So she is."

I placed the cage down on the floor and settled myself down in my own chair. Sherlock would have had a sit if I sat in his. Maybe this is what it was all about. "Sherlock there is nothing on your chair now come and sits down. You are making me nervous."

"It's not that John."

"Then what is it?" I turn round to look at him, the rabbit safely curled up on my lap.

"Who is it for?"

"It's for you Sherlock." I say. There was a sudden blush of colour in those normally white checks and Sherlock was stammering over his words. I could not help but laugh. "It's for Sophie you idiot."

"You're the idiot."

Bingo. Sherlock had left his place in the doorways and stepped into the room.

"Just pretend it is not here. I am only waiting to pick Sophie up from nursery then I will go and take this hideous creature with me." I say, picking up the rabbit and making it look at Sherlock.

He looked at me, then the rabbit, then back at me. His lips twitched slightly, but he walked over to the window and leant against the wall, looking out over the street.

"You are not funny."

"I am."

"No john."

"Go on uncle Sherlock crack a smile." I stood up, walked over to him, and edged the rabbit closer to his face.

"Just hold her."

"Her?"

"Yes Sherlock it is a she." I cradled the rabbit back in my arms. It was still calm and did not seem that bothered.

"No I don't want to."

"Come on. You can hold Sophie now."

"That's different."

"No, no not really."

"One is a human being john; the other is…a rabbit."

"Go on."

Sherlock looked down at the rabbit and gently stroked one of his ears.

"I hope you did not do that to Sophie when you first saw her."

"Shut up john, of course I didn't."

"Glad to hear it, Mary would go up the wall if you did."

Sherlock moved past me and sat down in his chair. He placed him cup alongside mine and grabbed his laptop. He opened it and immediately started typing. Why did Sherlock type that fast. And why could I not do that. It would make filling out forms so much easier.

I sighed and walked over to the detective. I placed the rabbit on the laptop and rubbed my hands together. I walked away quickly, towards the bathroom.

"John!"

"Sorry Sherlock, nature calls." I say and opened the door closing it behind me. I smiled to myself. Mary wanted Sherlock to take baby steps. That really would not work. What would is throwing Sherlock in at the deep end and seeing how he copes.

I made sure I took a while in the bathroom and came out to find Sherlock, half-lying, half sitting with the rabbit on his chest. He had obviously been talking to it and shut up when he heard me close the door to the bathroom. The laptop was on the floor and Sherlock smiled at me. Christ how long was I gone for. It was very rarely I say Sherlock smile.

"So?"

"So?"

"Do you like her?" I sit back down in my chair and reach for my cup.

"She's alright."

"I gave to go and pick Sophie up soon." I say, taking a sip. Sherlock was stroking the rabbit gently. "That means taking the rabbit with me Sherlock."

His eyes lost their sparkle. "Can't you leave her here whilst you go and pick her up? You can bring her back here then."

"Sorry, what?" I leant forward, the tea being stuck in my throat and going down the wrong pipe. I coughed and regained my composure.

"You heard me."

I sat back; look at the detective who never cracks under pressure, who never shows any emotion. But that was changing. Sherlock was becoming more human. And it was all down to Sophie's birth and that rabbit.

"I'll fetch her and bring her back here." Sherlock grinned at me, and then turned his attention back to the rabbit. "She has been pestering me to let her come round here and see you."

"Two birds, one stone then. I cannot wait to see her face when she sees this. You will make her very happy john"

I made a noise of agreement and pulled my phone out. I had to text Mary immediately. She would want to see this. Maybe it was all down to Mary. She pulled and coaxed Sherlock out of his shell. It has taken about five years, but it was defiantly worth it.

"Can I come round and see you all from time to time?" Sherlock asked.

I looked him in the eye and saw a changed man staring back at me. "You are welcome round anytime Sherlock. You know that mate. You know the girls love to see you as well Sherlock."

He nodded and smiled down at the rabbit. "I have a date tomorrow night. I could do with some tips, if that is alright john." He said.

I felt my mouth drop open and discreetly shut it. Sherlock did not see anyway, he was concentrating on the rabbit. "Of course I will give you a hand. You could come round for dinner tonight?" I suggested. I know I wanted to throw Sherlock into the deep end, but these changes were really starting to scare me.

Sherlock nodded once more and made little twitching noises back at the rabbit.

"Who is the lucky lady?"

Sherlock did not respond straight away. He looked up, looking like a teenage boy. "Molly."

"Molly-wait molly Hooper?"

"Do you know any other Molly's that we are both friends with?"

There were no noises coming out of my mouth. I wanted to say something, but I was too stunned.

"I finally asked her out. I know that she has been waiting a long time." He said, smiling, with a blush up his neck and spreading across his checks once more.

I sent another text to Mary, who text me back in capitals OH MY GOD.

Yes, Mary Watson was going to have a field day tonight.

Reviews are always welcome.