A/N: Hello! This was originally supposed to be a one-shot but I thought Archie and Sherlock were too cute to not write about again. Also I use Ava's name here but this does not take place in the same universe as the How to Apologize series. Warning: major fluff ahead. I hope you like it!-thefaultoflegend
Sherlock strolled down Baker Street with his coat collar pulled up around his neck and his hands behind his back, his head held high in the air. Beside him, walked a small boy in a similar fashion, eyeing the consulting detective every once in a while to make sure he was copying his every move. The air that day was light and surprisingly no rain threatened to pour down on the city. Sherlock surveyed passersby as he walked, deducing cheating husbands, recent deaths in families, and occupations of various people. The only thing out of the ordinary was the baby girl strapped to the consulting detective's chest and a messenger bag full of various baby items over his shoulder.
"Mr. Holmes!" he heard from behind him and turned to see that the little boy was straggling behind him. He stopped and waiting for the child to catch up.
"I told you, Archie. You can call me Sherlock," stated the detective before starting off down the sidewalk once again.
"Okay. Mr. Sherlock, where are we going?" asked Archie as he once more tried to keep up.
"It's a surprise. And it's just Sherlock."
"Okay, Just Sherlock." Sherlock threw the boy an irritated look but cracked a smile once he saw that Archie was giggling madly, his little hand covering his mouth.
Mary had contacted Sherlock that morning in a frenzy saying that her friend was in need of a babysitter and that both John and Mary had to work. Sherlock was already set to watch Ava, the Watson's daughter, but when he found out that Archie was the one who also needed babysat, he happily obliged. It took about one hour with the rambunctious child in 221B before Sherlock decided to get out and work off some of the boy's energy.
They now reached the end of the street when Sherlock felt a small hand in his. "What are you doing?" asked the consulting detective, startled as he stared down at Archie. Before them, cars zipped the road and taxis honked madly, fighting their way through the London traffic.
"Mum says I have to hold hands when I cross the street. Besides, you're walking too fast." Sherlock simply nodded and didn't let go of the boy's hand even after they got across the street. He also slowed his pace considerably.
He hoped that he wouldn't run into Lestrade or Mycroft on this little journey. He knew that they would never let him live it down, holding Archie's hand and having Ava strapped to him, his other hand wrapped protectively around her stomach.
They walked some more and just as Archie was beginning to grow tired of walking, they reached their destination.
"The hospital?" said the little boy in disgust. "Why would you…" But then his face lit up in excitement, his little feet bouncing up and down taking Sherlock's hand with him. "You're letting me see the bodies!" he exclaimed joyfully and started racing toward the door, the roles reversing as this time Sherlock was dragged along with a happy smile on his face.
He followed Archie inside and went down to the morgue, stopping before they entered. "Now you must understand, there are some rules," started Sherlock as he bent down carefully to look at the boy. "One, don't tell your mother or Mr. and Mrs. Watson I brought you here. They would kill me. Two, don't tell your mother or Mr. and Mrs. Watson I brought Ava here. They would kill me twice. Three, don't touch anything. Four, listen to Molly. Five, no shouting…"
"Maybe I should use rules three, four, and five on you, Sherlock," came a voice from behind them and Sherlock turned around to see Molly Hooper standing in her lab coat, a smug smile on her face.
"I'm not a child, Molly," he replied but couldn't help but smile anyway.
"Molly? So this is the girl you like!" shouted Archie suddenly before Sherlock clapped a hand over the boy's mouth and grinned at the pathologist.
"Kids," he said to her and then looked down at Archie who had his head turned up toward Sherlock. "May I remind you of rule five?"
"No shouting," said Archie through the detective's hand and Molly starting giggling, letting them into the morgue.
"So you must be Archie," she said once they were inside and Sherlock had Ava cradled in his arms, a bottle in her mouth. "Don't you think that's a bit unsanitary, Sherlock? We're in a morgue," she said as an aside.
"No we're in your morgue which is the cleanest place I know," he replied cheekily.
She rolled her eyes and turned back to the little boy, putting her hands on her knees to get onto his level. "I'll let you see a body and watch me do my report but you have to promise not to touch anything, okay?" she said to Archie who nodded heavily, making Molly smile. She put on a pair of gloves and pulled a corpse out.
Sherlock paused from his feeding to bring a stool over so Archie could see easily. Molly smiled at the consulting detective and felt a blush reach her cheeks as Archie half-whispered, "It's okay, Sherlock. Molly likes you, too." He simply ruffled the boy's hair, avoiding eye contact with Molly before sitting back down and turning his attention back to Ava.
He was in a surprisingly good mood that day, considering he hadn't had a case in a few days, but child care was sometimes more fun for him anyway and he seemed to have a knack for it. He could quiet Ava faster than either Mary or John and was extremely successful at diaper changing after only watching a few YouTube videos. His gaze now held his goddaughter's as she reached to wrap a hand around one of his fingers, her little fist holding on tight and her eyes beginning to droop. He sighed happily and turned his head back up to look at the other child currently under his care.
Archie's face was lit up, his mouth open in amazement, and a stray curl bouncing up and down on his forehead. He listened to and watched Molly carefully as she explained the different parts of the body, what she has to do when she performs an autopsy, helping the little boy figure out how the dead man was killed. Her voice was soft and caring, making Archie latch onto her every word and his excitement grew as hers did. Sherlock smiled at the two of them.
He never imagined himself having children, but he wouldn't mind having ones like Ava or Archie. Two kids with bright eyes and sharp minds, their interests strange to others but important to themselves, always eager to learn, but also able to be caring and kind like… well like Molly. He looked at her and Archie again, a smile on his face so big that it almost hurt. Molly finished up, sliding the body back in and snapping her gloves off before carefully helping Archie down off of the stool, and accepting his hug when he lunged at her legs, thanking her for the small lesson.
"Thank you for that demonstration, Molly," said Sherlock softly, trying not to wake Ava as he strapped her back into the carrier on his chest.
"You and Archie are very welcome," she replied.
"Would you like to join the three of us for lunch?" he asked her now. "I was going to go to a fish and chips place and then take Archie to the park."
"The park! Really?" asked the boy and Sherlock nodded with a smile.
"I would love to," replied Molly as she laughed at the little boy's excitement. "Just let me grab my things." She walked out and Archie approached Sherlock.
"Is this a date?" he asked.
"No. Do people usually take children on dates?" asked the consulting detective.
"I suppose not," replied the little boy thoughtfully and before Sherlock could respond, Molly was back. They four left the hospital, picked up their food, and made their way over to the park, eating on a spot in the shade before Sherlock allowed Archie to run off and play.
"You know you're surprisingly really good with them," commented Molly as Sherlock blew a raspberry on Ava's stomach.
He shrugged. "They're easier to get along with than adults," he stated.
"Thanks," Molly said through mock anger.
"Aside from you, of course," he relented with a small grin and a blush.
"You're not so bad yourself," she smiled back and kissed him on the cheek.
"Ooooo," snickered Archie as he approached them and Sherlock turned even redder causing Molly to laugh lightly.
They spent the rest of the afternoon together, switching from working on Archie's deduction skills and cooing over little Ava. Sherlock thought about Archie's comment as he watched Molly interact with the two kids. Is this a date? No, but maybe someday it could be, he decided before scooting closer to his little clan, completely content to be right there with them.
