The Irregulars

by Ulura

Sherlock Holmes did not do relationships. However it wasn't his fault that some young members of his homeless network, the Irregulars, had taken to calling him 'Dad'. Nor was it his fault that the police got the entirely wrong idea when they showed up.

7. Chapter 7: Lullaby

Picture by Zebraanimator on DeviantART if you want to know what they look like :) Thank you for doing that!

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

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"This cannot be happening," Donovan groaned, looking at the fourteen pairs of eyes staring back at her through the dark of the station.

"It's hardly our fault," Riley piped up. "How were we to know the station goes into overnight lockdown if you accidentally open the biohazard centre?"

"It's a little bit obvious," Anderson replied dryly.

"Oh, give them a break, they're just kids," Mira sighed.

Mira had brought all the children over when she had found them pick pocketing at the train station. It was late and only Anderson, Donovan, Lestrade, Sherlock, and John were inside the police station. Unfortunately, Halie had opened the biohazard container and gotten them all stuck in overnight lockdown. Sherlock had done tests on all of them and, luckily, nobody was infected with anything. However, that didn't mean they were going anywhere soon.

"Why can't we turn the light on?" Emily asked. "It's too dark."

"I can't find the switch," John groaned.

"No matter," Mira sighed. "It's late, you should all be asleep by now anyway."

"I'm a night owl," Ricky replied. "Like dad!"

"None of you are getting his sleeping habits, I forbid it," Mira growled. "You see what you do to them?"

"Don't blame me," Sherlock shrugged. "I'm hardly encouraging it."

"Ms. Anderson, what's this?" Carlo asked, holding up a packet of tampons he'd found in her drawers.

"None of your business!" she hissed, snatching away the package. "And it's Donovan, he's Anderson!"

"I know, but you guys are totally sleeping together," Carlo replied smugly, much to John's amusement.

"How old is this kid?" Anderson asked.

"Nine," John smirked.

"Smarter than you already," Sherlock drawled. "That can't be good for your ego."

"I am seriously gonna punch him!" Anderson yelled, only to be tackled by several protective children. John, Lestrade, and Mira burst into laughter.

"I'd like to see you try," Lestrade said through giggles.

"Come on, all of you, sleeping," Mira ordered.

Lestrade had found some blankets hauled away in a cupboard and handed them out earlier. Actually getting the kids to sleep was another thing.

"Go on," Sherlock ordered. "At least sit still."

Moaning, the kids settled under their blankets, all wide-eyed and completely awake. The silence didn't last long.

"This is boring," Emily whined.

"Yeah," Several of the kids replied.

"Sleepless sailor!" Marie sat up, eyes gleaming.

"Sleepless what?" Donovan and Anderson asked at the same time. The kids ignored them.

"Sleepless Sailor, pleeeeease?" the children begged, much to the confusion of all save Mira and Sherlock.

"Alright, alright, but only if you promise to go to sleep after," Mira laughed, tucking Marie in as well as she could. "Dad doesn't have his violin, so you will just have to manage, okay?"

"Okay," they all chimed, then to the surprise of all the adults but Sherlock, Mira began to sing.

I once was a sailor, a young man and brave
Da da dum, da da dum dee
My nights were once sleepless,
My peace I would crave
Carry me home to the sea
Da da dum day, da da dum dee
Drift away sailor boys on the deep sea
Worry no more for you're safe now with me
Rest in my arms and my sweet melody

Sherlock watched as the kids slowly closed their eyes, relaxing as they listened to Mira start the next verse. The detective himself closed his eyes, leaning back against the table he was currently sitting beside. Everybody was enjoying the song, but all adults in the room nearly fell over with shock when Sherlock joined in the third verse with Mira.

Da da dum day, da da dum dee
Drift away sailor boys on the deep sea
Worry no more for you're safe now with me
Rest in my arms and my sweet melody
Oh rock me so gently now ocean so deep
Da da dum, da da dum dee
I wish I was back, cause I think I can't sleep
Carry me home to the sea
Da da dum day, da da dum dee
Drift away sailor boys on the deep sea
Worry no more for you're safe now with me
Rest in my arms and my sweet melody

By the end of the song, all the kids were asleep, much to the adults' relief. Sherlock and Mira seemed proud.

"I'm glad that worked without the violin," she whispered quietly. Sherlock nodded in agreement.

The rest of them just gaped. Sherlock rolled his eyes.

"Oh shut up," he hissed. "If any of you filmed that, I will frame you for murder, I swear!"

This was sent to me as a prompt but in all honestly I have had this one planed for a while, I never published it cause I thought people might see it as too OOC.

The song is Sleepless Sailor by Kate Rusby. I picked it because its initially sung by a woman but a man joins her after the second verse I think it is. The voice sounds like it could be Sherlock so thats why I picked it.

If you wanna know what the lullaby sounded like then Mira and Sherlock sung it just search Sleepless Sailor - Kate Rusby, into youtube