From mrspencil: cobblestones, violin, missing chorister, a hair ribbon


==Day 7: The Unstolen Child==

Watson settled into his chair with his book and pipe and looked over at Holmes, who was polishing his Stradivarius. "And where were you all day, Holmes? Running Christmas errands?"

"Hardly," Holmes snorted. His eyes narrowed at Watson's grin. "I was on a sort of case."

"Not a proper case?"

"Not in the sense that I was paid for it, no. Returning a favor, for a friend."

"A friend?"

"An acquaintance. Mrs. Annie Lestrade."

"Mrs. Lestrade!" Leaving aside, for the moment, the question of what sort of favor Annie Lestrade had done Holmes in the past, Watson pressed forward. "Why did she need your help?"


"I'm sorry, Mr. Holmes, but I didn't think Geoffrey would be able to help, and it seems like exactly the kind of problem you could solve."

"Think nothing of it, Mrs. Lestrade. What is the trouble?"

Annie had sent her nephew, one of Holmes's own Irregulars, to Baker Street with a request to meet her at her church—once he'd arrived, it was clear that she had made the request because she couldn't spare the time to get away. He had to follow her around the building as she explained: "Every December, we have a performance from a 'Christmas choir.' It's comprised of many of the children who come regularly to Sunday School. But one of our girls hasn't been by for two weeks now. No one knows where she lives, so we can't even make certain she's all right."

"I see your dilemma, yes."

"And she lost this." Annie held up a green-and-pink striped hair ribbon. "I found it on the cobblestones outside—and before you ask, there were no signs of a struggle. I did think to look for that. But it seems that it simply fell, and I'm sure she must miss it—it was her favorite."

"Ah. And the details of this missing chorister?"

"Her name is Holly Hayes. She's… I'd say ten or eleven years old. Four-foot-nine, couldn't possibly weigh more than ninety pounds. Pale, thin, mousy brown hair, green eyes…"

"In other words, she could be any little girl in London."

"Exactly."

"Well, never fear, Mrs. Lestrade. The Irregulars and I shall find her."

"Thank you very much, Mr. Holmes. We'll understand if she doesn't return to us, but we hope she's healthy and uninjured."

"And very much alive," she didn't have to add. Holmes tipped his hat to her. "Of course. Good luck with your preparations for the holidays."


"And did you find this Holly Hayes?"

"I did, indeed—or rather, the boys found her, not far from Spitalfields. I arrived at her house to discover that Mrs. Hayes had recently given birth, and little Holly was needed at home."

Watson's frown cleared in relief. "And Mrs. Lestrade?"

"Promised to visit with whatever aid the family would allow her to give them."

"A decently happy ending then."

"Quite so. And now, dear Doctor—" Holmes brandished his bow at Watson—"what should you like to hear?"

"'God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen'?"

"Very good."

As Holmes stood to play, Watson smiled. Holmes would not have admitted it, but he was relieved to have found the little girl well. Children, the doctor had long since noted, were the quickest at stripping away his friend's barriers and revealing an easy laugh, a merry smile, and a kind heart. Any child would have been lucky to have had Holmes as a father… and the Irregulars were very lucky, indeed, to have adopted him as theirs.

Watson leaned back and puffed his pipe, content to simply sit and enjoy the violin's first carol of the season.


A/N: It took me forever to come up with an idea for this one, hence the lateness! Half the trouble was putting all the prompts together! And it's not nearly as fleshed-out as I would have liked it to be, but… idk, this is just what came to me when I was writing.

Oh, and thanks so much to everyone for the well-wishes! I don't know how long this cold is going to last, but the good news is that I haven't gotten a fever. Head colds make me miserable, but I can live with them—it's fevers that are horrible. *shudder*

And I might not be able to catch up before Christmas, but I at least have the next… three out of four days planned out!