Mrs. Hudson
Sherlock's flat was a mess. He had fallen into one of those pesky moods in which he cleaned up nothing. I lugged the cleaning bucket up the steps, determined. I was going to give Baker Street a thorough cleaning and there was nothing Sherlock could do to stop me.
It was quiet as I entered the kitchen. I peered into the sitting room. Sherlock was at the table with his computer. I tiptoed up behind him. He was intently staring at the screen and did not appear to notice me.
"'Valentine's Day traditions?'" The words slipped out of my mouth before I could stop it. Sherlock slammed his laptop shut and bounded out of his chair. He faced me, hair awry and murderous look upon his face.
"What are you doing here?" he asked sharply.
"Cleaning your flat. Someone's got to do it," I returned briskly.
"It's not time."
"What?"
"It's not time to clean the flat. I was going for a week. I'm investigating the progression of smells."
"Well, you'll have to investigate that in some place other than where I live. I will not reside in a pig's sty!"
"Don't you already..." Sherlock muttered. I brought the straw part of my broom down on his head.
"I still have the power to drive you from this house, young man!" I reminded him angrily. Sherlock didn't respond, instead sitting down sullenly in the kitchen.
"How do YOU celebrate Valentine's Day?" he asked a few minutes later. I straightened up from scrubbing, thinking hard.
"Franko and I didn't ever do much. He thought it was a silly day," I smiled.
"It is. Pointless."
"Then why are you celebrating it?"
"Because Sarah asked me to be her Valentine and I can't disappoint her," Sherlock explained simply. My smile widened. I always enjoyed it when Sherlock revealed his human side.
"Well, I'd get her a present. She'll like that." Indiscreetly, Sherlock wrote "present" on a notepad in his hand.
"Anything else?"
"Flowers."
"They'll die."
"Oh Sherlock, yes, but still, they'll make her happy while they last. Trust me." Sherlock rolled his eyes and wrote that down as well.
"So, a present and flowers?" he asked, reviewing his list.
"Yes. And a card of course." Sherlock leaned back in his chair.
"I wonder what Greg does for Molly..." he trailed. He got up impulsively, throwing his dressing gown off as he walked. I laughed and continued with my cleaning. Sometimes Sherlock Holmes could be impossible.
Greg Lestrade
"Why do you want to know?"
"Just tell me."
"But why?"
"Because I asked!"
"You don't have another girlfriend, do you?"
"Graham-"
"It's Greg!"
"Greg, just tell me." I looked at my friend incredulously. Sherlock Holmes coming to me and asking for advice about Valentine's Day. What had the world come to...
I was in the break room at the lab waiting on Molly to get off of work. I looked at my watch.
"Molly better hurry, her mother's going to get cranky watching the kids so long-"
"Are you going to tell me or not? I don't have all day," Sherlock said irritably. I sighed, exasperated.
"I usually take her out to do something."
"What?"
"I don't know...eat dinner, see a movie - those sort of things."
"And she likes that?"
"Well...yeah...I think so." Sherlock rolled his eyes. Molly appeared at that moment.
"Oh, hello Sherlock!" she said, her tired face brightening.
"Hello, Molly," Sherlock smiled. "Do you enjoy the places Gavin takes you on Valentine's Day?"
"It's Gre-"
"Shut up, Greg." Molly looked between the two of us, taken aback.
"Well...yes, of course I do. I love it!"
"What's your favorite place?"
"I don't have a favorite place. I like all the places Greg takes me." I grinned at her, and she grinned in turn. Sherlock wrote something down on a notepad.
"Thank you, Lestrades," he said graciously. He exited the room without another word.
"What was that all about?" Molly asked, pointing after him.
"He's asking me what we do on Valentine's Day?" I explained, helping my wife into her coat.
"Why?"
"He wouldn't say." She looked up at me, confused.
"You don't think he has another girlfriend, do you? Because you know what happened last time he used someone like that-"
"Yeah, I know. I don't think we've got anything to worry about, though," I assured her. She smiled, kissing me.
"Then come on then, Detective Inspector. Home we go." She pulled me close, and we walked home together, completely happy and unaware of what Sherlock's true intentions were.