A TINY GREEN MONSTER

The title probably gives this away a bit, but I think it's a fun one too. Hopefully you guys like seeing the character I introduced to Ezra in this one, I know it's something that I'm happy to have thought to write about. This was one is actually a bit longer than the other ones so far – that's a good thing haha Let me know what you think, please.

much love,

day

Molly had learned so much about her little boy over the years in between Sherlock being dead and the years that Sherlock himself began to observe him and become acquainted with his little quirks that bordered on some of his own. However, it still amused her to see when the two of her boys were on two completely different sides of the spectrum.

It started when another little boy started to come around Baker Street when Molly had been working late and Sherlock wanted to do some experiments. They had come to an agreement a year ago when Sherlock had fully invested his time to be a dad along with his detective business – it all made sense for him, that if he was to do some experiments that he had to either be at Bart's or at Baker Street where it was more or less safe.

Ezra liked to be with his Lock when Molly wasn't available. This wasn't to say he was friendless because he had several friends but he had that certain spark for experimenting that only came from a scientist's kid. Or in this case a kid who had been around an actual scientist and a mad man who had knack for the strange and dangerous objectives.

Sherlock was careful when he was around though, having given him his own set of lab protective gear that was monogrammed with his name on his lab coat – Ezra H. Holmes, along with his own pair of safety goggles and gloves. Sherlock actually had a photograph on his desk of Molly and Ezra donning their protective gear in the lab taken by Greg who thought it was worth sharing while Sherlock was no there.

Today, Ezra was not entirely in the mood to do experiments. He had just got over a stomachache and just wanted to sit on the couch with his bear and peruse the small collection of books that he had stashed over there. Sherlock had come and sat with him for a little while before getting started wanting be sure he was alright before his was attention was split between his projects. He wasn't fretting exactly but it was as close to it that he allowed especially when Molly wanted to come home instead of being a few towns over aiding an investigation that he hadn't been called in to help with.

She had been keeping him updated and he had been doing the same as much as he thought of it.

The doorbell ringing soon brought the detective out of his reverie as he scribbled down a few notations. Mrs. Hudson would get it but he wasn't sure who to be expecting. A client? Perhaps, but it was still fairly late at night and he wasn't entirely sure how he could balance that along with everything else going on. He could try but Ezra more than likely would want to go somewhere quieter. He had a habit of wanting peace when he wasn't in the greatest of mood. He was already too silent for Sherlock's taste but he couldn't say he minded as much anymore.

The sound of footsteps soon caught Sherlock's attention and he swiveled around on his stool to see who was coming in the door. He smiled when he saw the small little head of curls with a jar of something entirely too gruesome in his arms. "Mister Holmes!" He rushed over to Sherlock and gestured to what he was holding.

The jar encased a set of eyes. While he was fascinated by it he did wondered where he had gotten that. "Where did you find that?"

"A friend of mum's. He has a lot of weird stuff like this. He said I could take it. He has more eyes to work with." Archie laughed. "I can't stay long." He sighed, "Mum only said for an hour, she's down with your landlady."

"Well, let's see what we can do in an hour shall we?" Sherlock grinned at him.

Before he guided Archie into the other room where it was less cluttered he looked over at the couch. Ezra was still in the same position that was in the last time he saw him. He called over to him, "I'm just going to be in the next room if you need something, alright? Ezra?" He called his name.

He saw the small nod, he sighed before moving to the other little boy in the room. He hoped Ezra mood cleared soon or he would have to think something to cheer him up. He wasn't spectular at doing the cheer up thing unless it involved specimens, flowers or compliments – none he noted which would help in this case.

Ezra on the other hand wasn't exactly better now that he had spied another child gaining the attention of his favorite detective. It made him feel bad because he wasn't in the best spirits to have a fun evening with Lock. There was this kid who obviously knew how to have fun with Lock, and Lock liked him. It made his stomach hurt a little more.

Now that he was alone, Ezra closed his book and gave his bear a little squeeze before climbing down from the couch and moving over to the table where Sherlock had started working on one of his special projects. His phone was still on it, thankfully so Ezra stood on his toes to reach between the empty beaker and the microscope to grab it.

He pulled the call log up with ease. Moll and Lock had shown him how to contact the other using phones and he had memorized both of their numbers. It wasn't necessary to input in his mother's digits in when he knew his father had already talked to her today briefly. He touched her name and waited for the call to connect before moving back over to the couch and sitting as he waited for her to pick up.

Molly was in the middle of a small break and didn't sound so distracted when she picked up for him. "Ezra?" She had known it was going to be him. Sherlock didn't call unless it was an emergency and last time he called was a few hours ago and he seemed fine.

"Moll, do you know any other little boy who Lock likes to be with?"

Molly didn't say anything for a full second, trying to think of the right way to answer that. She knew there was only one other boy but she didn't know why he needed to know that. Was Archie there at Baker Street?

"Well, he likes to be around you the most. Is something wrong, Ezra?"

"No." He trailed off for a minute.

"Are you sure?" She always like to reassert the idea that if there was that he could tell her. Sherlock didn't necessarily need to hear of anything that he shared with her. Though there were also shared secrets between the boys too.

"Well." He paused, "There's a boy here."

"His name is Archie." Molly thought it was better to just tell him about the older boy. "Sherlock met him during Uncle John and Aunt Mary's wedding. He was helpful to him and sometimes Archie likes to see him though his mother doesn't always agree. However, it keeps him out of trouble and I think that's all the reason a mother would let their child be around death and the like. Anyways, he's not going to hurt him."

"Okay." Molly heard some of the others coming back so she was quiet about the call. She really had to go but she didn't want to end the call if Ezra wasn't alright. She already could tell he was troubled by something but she couldn't fully gauge as to what it was until she was standing in front of him. That wouldn't be for another day.

"You should introduce yourself to him before he leaves. He's nice, I promise." She waited until he told her that he would try to do that for her to get off the phone with a quick 'I love you' between the two of them.

Ezra was putting the phone back with Archie had come back through.

"Oh! Hello, you must be Ezra." Archie gave him a smile.

"Yes…" He told him unsure how he was supposed to do anything else.

"Name's Archie." He extended his arm to Ezra and as Sherlock was coming through he saw him tentatively take it and shake it tightly before looking at him with this expression that Sherlock was confused about. "Nice to meet you. I got to go. Maybe we can hang out later!" Archie called as he rushed out the door.

Sherlock stayed where he was standing for another full minute before approaching Ezra. "Did you talk to Molly?"

Ezra nodded before handing Sherlock back his phone which he just slid into his pocket. "She was worried about you." Another nod. "Do you want to eat something?"

"Yes." He seemed to come out of whatever he was focused on as he lead the way into the kitchen and waited by the fridge.

There was a time when he tried to open the fridge only to get a little frighten by a head. It wasn't like he hadn't seen one before, it had surprised him and he had went into a full on scream before Sherlock managed to calm him down with his voice and a soothing touch that he had learned from watching Molly do it a handful of times.

Sherlock heated up a little of the casserole that Mary had prepared for them the last time they were all over – two days ago and they sat in front of the telly to eat much like when they were at Molly's. Sherlock watched him for most of the sit down. Ezra never said much when they were eating unless he wanted to. However, he did expect him to say something.

Sherlock felt he needed to talk though so he asked him some more questions. "How's your stomach?"

"Better. Stopped hurting little while ago."

Sherlock showed him a few photographs that he had after they finished eating despite his irritation with the way he was acting. He had seemed less curt earlier. Curt was not a word he would have ever used with him but his mood had gotten increasingly worse and he hadn't a single clue as to why. He would ask later seeing as Ezra had called Molly. She would know more than he would.

"This is your grandparents. My parents. They're pretty excited to see you in a few weeks. Your Uncle Mycroft has been trying to make it happen for a little while now."

"Why?" It wasn't that Ezra didn't understand the mechanics of family because he did but he knew that Sherlock didn't exactly like his brother. Not in the way that some other people got along with their siblings. Some of his friends had over uncles before and they seemed to get along fine but Lock had spoken about him in a tone that always told him that he didn't exactly like him.

"Sorry?"

"Why is he trying?"

"He wants you to meet them."

"Do you want me to meet them?"

Sherlock sighed. He had thought about it. It wouldn't do any harm to him exactly, but he knew how his parents were. They would expect more visits to follow and he could only tolerate his parents for so long. Ezra would like them. "Yes." He decided to go with the answer that he knew was both honest and gave little to his displeasure of having to admit that.

"Okay."

They hailed a cab after Sherlock made sure everything was in the order that it was when they arrived and head on back home.

Once Ezra had gotten a bath and was sleeping in bed Sherlock took to making another phone call to Molly. She sounded tired but he could tell that she had expected him to call. He immediately asked the question before she could get a full 'hello' in. "What's wrong with Ezra?"

"Um, you're going to have to be clearer, Sherlock."

"He's been in a mood all day and then it got a little worse during dinner after Archie left."

"Replay what you just said and it'll be rather obvious. You know how he is Sherlock. It isn't hard to figure out." He bit his tongue in order to not say anything harsh but he hated when she did that when she could tell him. She liked to give him a hard time when it came to Ezra. Especially when it was something that involved him.

"Fine." He took a moment. "No, still not getting it. Just explain it to me. Nothing has changed since you left. He was sick, yes but he was feeling better by dinner."

"Sherlock, you forgot about the newest introduction into his life. Archie. He's never met him before. More than likely he's upset because your attention was elsewhere."

"I did try to get him to work with me today but he wasn't well. He didn't say anything when Archie was around."

"He wouldn't. He's different than you that way. You tell exactly how you feel but he doesn't. Sometimes it's what he doesn't tell you that makes the most sense of how he's truly feeling. How was he acting afterwards?"

He could tell that she was trying to weigh all their options before giving her verdict on the situation. "He was very cut and dry when I asked him questions. The only time he seemed to be normal was when I was showing the pictures of my parents and explaining Mycroft's plans for them to meet him."

"In the morning you should talk to him about how important he is to you even when there is Archie who doesn't exactly see you often. I think he's bothered by the fact that another boy made you happy."

"I don't understand this at all."

Molly laughed, "I know. You get jealous too, Sherlock."

"Name one time."

Molly scoffed, rolling her eyes. "There's a list. Ask John."

"I'll talk to Ezra at breakfast. How are you?"

She bit back a yawn as she looked over at the clock on nightstand of the room she had gotten. "Ready to come home. We'll be done in the morning I think. I'll be back by the afternoon at the latest."

"Good. Could use your help."

"You're doing fine, Sherlock."

"I'm missing obvious things."

"It's not obvious to you, dear. You'll fix it…you better." She yawned. "Text me after breakfast. My eyes are closing."

"Goodnight, Molly."

"Goodnight."

They ended the call and Sherlock let out a sigh before looking towards the room where he knew his son was already sleeping.

Morning came earlier than Sherlock had hoped but he was eager to get everything squared away before Molly came home. He knew she would do some double checking just to be sure. Just because she was cautious about Ezra – even more sure than he was. She had gotten to be around him longer.

"Lock…" Ezra said, as he wiped his eyes and climbed up to sit by his dad.

"Sleep well?"

Ezra nodded, smiling at him slightly.

"I want to talk to you about something." Ezra looked over at him. "Let's have breakfast first." Sherlock said as he scooped him up and they headed to the table near the kitchen and Ezra ate cereal while Sherlock drunk his coffee and had a slice of toast. He wasn't too hungry this morning.

When they were done Ezra stayed sitting wanting to talk there.

"I got a call this morning from the boy you met yesterday. He wants to hang out with you."

Sherlock watched as Ezra's eyes crinkled in confusion. "Why?"

"He thinks you need a friend. Plus, you're my son so that might have something to do with it."

This did not help clear things up for Ezra even a little.

"He likes me for some reason. Which is why he was over at Baker Street yesterday. I show him photos for fun because he likes them. He's a good kid and I think you would get along just fine."

Ezra opened his mouth, then closed it as he seemed to be struggling with what he wanted to say. "I'm sorry, Lock."

Sherlock was surprised. He didn't understand why he was apologizing. If anything it should have been him apologizing for not explaining things earlier on when Archie first appeared. "You don't need to apologize, Ezra. It was my fault you were upset. Even when I'm spending an hour with someone else whether that be Archie, I'll always want to be home with you."

"And Moll?"

Sherlock chuckled, reaching over to ruffle the curls that look lackluster at best in the mornings. "Yes, and Moll." Ezra smiled at him.

"What are we going to do today, Lock?"

"Hm." Sherlock thought about it. "Archie wanted to come over today for you….is that okay?"

Ezra with much more understanding nodded. "Okay."

This was where Molly found the three of them. Ezra had brought out his trains to show them to Archie and they were taking turns switching the different tracks. Sherlock was on the couch watching the two of them interact closely.

He looked up at her and they just smiled at each other.