I never imagined this would be so popular! I decided I would just pick names and ages for the 14 Irregulars and out them at the start so I dont need to describe them. These are completely random names I just thought up :P I dunno if I will use them all yet but I said there were 14 so here we go

Joseph - 14

Nina - 4

Emily - 11

Mason - 6

Riley - 8

Sam - 9

Natty - 7

Halie - 12

Marie - 6

Dan - 10

Ricky - 11

Lisa - 5

Carlo - 9

Mikey - 7


John sighed, beginning the struggle up the staircase with arms full of shopping. He and Sherlock had spent the last week on a particularly busy case and, as usual, the detective had barely eaten. Since John had no chance to shop, all their food was gone. Naturally, Sherlock opted to sit around, bored at home, while John lugged the heavy bags up to the kitchen.

"Hey Uncle John, ya alright with that?"

Sam. He had become acquainted with Sam a few weeks ago when Sherlock dressed the boy in a school uniform and slipped him into a private school to spy on one of the teachers. The kid had loved it, and the food that came as a reward. He was a good kid really, just a little mischievous. It was how John imagined Sherlock would have been as a child.

"Lemme help!" he demanded, taking a few of the bags and running back up the stairs.

"Hi, Uncle John!" came another two cries as he entered the room. Halie and Marie were seated on the floor, handing pictures to Sherlock, who was studying them with interest.

"The Irregulars have spotted a series of mysterious disappearances among the homeless network," Sherlock explained as John put down the shopping, snatching the chocolate Sam was trying to sneak into his dirty coat and replacing it with an apple. Sam scowled. The doctor immediately regretted the switch as Halie and Marie came and grabbed one apple each. At first, he didn't understand why Sherlock didn't give them money regularly, or better still, find a place for them to stay. Now he did. The kids had little to no manners. What one of them had, the rest wanted. They all lived somewhere, but John was not yet informed where that somewhere was.

"Where did you three get a camera to take these photos?" John asked.

Sherlock looked up. John knew the man well enough that he had been so wrapped up in the pictures he hadn't thought of it. The detective narrowed his eyes at the three.

"We were only borrowing," Halie grumbled. "We gave it back."

This seemed good enough for Sherlock, who turned back to the mysterious disappearances. John gave the kids a scolding stare, and they shrunk back.

"You shouldn't be stealing," he growled. "Even if you do give it back."

"Sorry Uncle John," they chimed. He didn't know why they all called him that now, but guessed it was because Sherlock was their 'Dad'. He hadn't seen much of Mira lately, but the Irregulars assured him they went and saw her often. John was broken from his thoughts when he noticed Marie climbing up the bookcase, looking for some request of Sherlock's that just happened to be on the highest shelf. He had been about to grab her down and rest her safely on the floor when he heard the door downstairs open. Several people came in, and Sam poked his head out the door.

"Oh great, it's the fuzz!" he yelled, running back inside and jumping on the floor beside Halie, next to Sherlock's armchair. John smiled as Lestrade, Anderson, and Donovan entered the room, each with equally surprised looks on their faces when they spotted Sherlock surrounded by two children, Marie still on the bookcase.

"Marie!" John chided, grabbing her off the top shelf just as she threw the book to Sherlock. "You shouldn't be climbing the furniture!"

"Uncle Joooohn," she drawled, squirming out of his grasp. She jumped onto the back of Sherlock's chair and started pointing out the pictures she had taken.

"You were actually serious?" Anderson gaped. "Kids, he's got kids."

"Fourteen," Donovan sighed.

John stifled a laugh. God, he hoped they could keep this up for a long time.

"Anyways," Lestrade coughed, "We have a case you might be interested in."

"Dad's working on our case now," Halie grumbled.

"Halie," Sherlock warned before turning to Lestrade. "What's the case?"

"Hands, we've found several hands all strung together in a dumpster, but no bodies," Lestrade answered. "Anderson is at a loss to explain it."

"Not surprising," Sherlock smirked. Anderson gave him a withering look.

"I'll take it. I can work both these cases," Sherlock insisted. "I've already half solved this one."

"Really?" Marie smiled. Sherlock nodded before turning to Sam.

"Go and see Mycroft, tell him the homeless are not his test subjects," Sherlock told him.

The dirty faced boy ran out the door, poking his tongue out at Anderson as he left.

"Bye, Uncle John!" he yelled, taking the stairs two at a time.

"Uncle John?" Lestrade raised an eyebrow. John just shrugged.

"Alright, Lestrade let's go." Sherlock threw on his coat and turned to Halie and Marie. "You two should stay away from the town centre today, alright?"
The two nodded. Then, to the surprise of the entire room, Sherlock unwrapped his scarf, knelt down, and tied it around Marie's neck instead. The scarf was almost as big as her, but she grinned in appreciation.

"Off you go then." Sherlock waved them over to the door and they passed the police, who were eyeing them. Marie stopped and looked up at the gaping Anderson for a second, narrowing her small eyes.

"Don't you know it's rude to stare?" she said, before turning and following Halie out the door and down the stairs. Sherlock followed them out.

"I'll meet you at the station. Come on John, we need a cab," he yelled. John followed him out the room, trying his best to suppress a grin. He stopped for a second and turned back to the small team from Scotland Yard.

"Like father, like daughter, eh?"

OK WOW! I never thought this story would be so popular!

I've got two other stories planned out which are much better than this chapter but I was halfway through writing it so I figured what they hey, I'll write them after this one.