Friiidaayy!

I won't get into the details of why I'm a bit late (shared a cold with the family, they shared it back! XD ) but here we are!

I wanted to sneak a little fluff in here considering all the dark themes going on so far-and what better way than with a little surprise reference and a flashback?

Sha bang.

Big thanks to Aviatress, Moos (guest), Arty Diane, theAwesomeReader, Guest, and Alexandria Keating, for reviewing-you all inspire me so much, thank you!

Also thank you to all who have favorited and followed-y'all rock!

"Hey Rainbow, can you help me with this math problem?"

"Oh sure! I love math!"

"Rainbow, math is horrible! How can you love it?!"

"Well how else will you calculate when you have enough funding to buy Sherlock?"

I seriously love math though...

I'm done talking, enjoy!

Sherlock (Christmas Specialllllll) Holiday Celebrations

Holiday-Spirit: 13 letters + 1 punctuation mark = 14 characters = 1,400 words

"God, Lily-aren't you tired?" John chuckled, yawning.

"Pleeease Uncle John? Just one?" she begged, gnawing at her lower lip in anticipation.

John took a look around the living space. The warm glow of the fire made the flat seem just a bit cozier than usual as the sky darkened outside and snowflakes slowly made their way to the London streets. "I actually don't know if we've got anything you'll really like…" he trailed off, mystified by the drifting ice crystals.

"Of course we do, John," Sherlock responded, coming out from his room with a large stack of books in hand. "This is not some ordinary child we're talking about." He reminded, plopping the stack on the doctor's lap to choose from.

"Right, but…Sherlock- "The Periodic Table of Elements"? Really?" John raised an eyebrow as Sherlock stat himself on the other side of the couch. Lily felt giddy inside at being in the middle-she felt like part of the bizarre family there.

"Both educational and entertaining-is there an issue?" he smirked in reply.

"All I know is when I was seven; I didn't pick up any books like this…" John shrugged, inspecting the inside of the heavy textbook.

"Oh-" Lily intervened, finally seeing the cover of the book. She recognized the author almost immediately. "That's a good one!"

John paused. "Wait-you've-?"

Sherlock couldn't have worn a smugger smile. "Yes-it is a good one, haven't you read it, John?"

The doctor merely rolled his eyes in response and sifted through the rest of Sherlock's book selection. "Scientific Method…Human Anatomy…Medical Practicing-wait, Sherlock, I am not re-reading my medical textbooks again," he snickered, placing the pile back on the floor.

"The Human Anatomy one is my favorite." Lily stated, toying with the large blanket that spilled across her lap and onto the floor. "-of the doctor ones, I mean." She clarified. "I can't choose between the science ones…"

John blinked in surprise. "You've read these too?"

"Yeah-but I usually need some help from Ms. Slagle. She's my teacher, but I think she's a friend too." She explained, thinking back fondly. "She stays with me after school and reads along with me. I get a new one every month from the library. It's so much fun with her-better than a stupid daycare like Mommy was thinking."

"She sounds delightful." Sherlock commented, smirking as John shook his head in surprise.

"She is." Lily smiled proudly. "And she loves reading with me."

"How either of you enjoy such dry things baffles me." John admitted, gazing into the fire.

"I won't mind reading one again." Lily stated quickly, hopeful to get a book read to her this evening.

John's eyes seemed to light up with an epiphany as he tore his gaze from the fire and stood. "I think I've got a better idea," he said, gesturing to wait as he shuffled into his room.

"Hmm…this looks to be promising." Sherlock muttered, hearing hurried shuffling sounds from the doctor's general area. "Are you chilled?" he asked Lily.

She looked to him with a smile. "Nope! I'm cozy!"

"Good, because I'm cold-" he chuckled, scooping her into his arms and settling her in his lap, draping the blanket over them comfortably. They left just enough room for John on the other end. "That's better!"

"Sure is!" Lily giggled, feeling warm inside without the blanket or fire. She hadn't felt this contented in a long while…things back at home weren't at the best of sorts at the time. However, she always had Baker Street to run to…and the people inside were those who meant most to her. "I love you so much Uncle Sherlock…" she murmured, resting her head on his chest.

The detective closed his frosty eyes and lightly kissed the top of her head. "As I do you…" he replied lovingly, reflecting on just how much this little one had unlocked inside him. It was incredibly odd, the effect Lily had…she was merely seven, after all-and related to Greg Lestrade, for goodness sakes…

Whatever it was, Sherlock was glad it was there…he took a quiet moment to ponder her future. Lily was such a vibrant spirit and intelligent individual at such a young age-she could reach unimaginable heights in her life if she tried… Blinking in realization at just how small her hand was in his, he concluded she was growing to be something quite special.

"Found it!" John announced as he strolled back into the room. He took a look at the two before smirking. "Blanket hoggers…" he teased, his words earning a laugh from Lily.

"What is that?" Sherlock asked curiously at the book in John's hand. It was unlike any other in his collection-specialty green binding in a matching case-like holder. He obviously had it tucked away somewhere special in his room…

"It's my favorite book," John replied, carefully sliding the book out of its box and dusting it off lovingly.

"Is it?" Sherlock muttered, more to himself than John. He hadn't heard him mention he even had a favorite book before-he was constantly reading novels when he had the time, so this was a big statement. He deduced the novel was well-loved and used, judging by the foxing around the edges of each page and the slight discoloring on its cover.

"By far." John added, setting the box aside and settling himself on the other side of the couch. "I think you'll both like it."

"Yay!" Lily squeaked, relaxing into a 'story-listening' position and looking to John with excited eyes. The snow outside and the fire inside made this the best time for reading.

The doctor opened the book and snickered at the faded "Starry Night" bookmark left behind on the inside cover. "So that's where I put it…"

"Get on with it already!" Sherlock edged on in a very childish way-looking even more enthusiastic than Lily-and that was saying something. "Start reading."

It took all in John's power not to laugh out loud at his flatmate's facial expression of eagerness-it matched Lily's almost perfectly. "Alright alright-" he shushed, removing the bookmark. "Ready?" he asked jokingly.

"Yes!" they both hissed.

"Thought so." John chuckled, turning his attention back to the book. He flipped to the first chapter; the familiar words making him smile as he began reading with a voice Sherlock swore was made for story-telling.

"In a hole in the ground, there lived a hobbit…"

Xxxxx

"We never finished…"

Sherlock looked to John with a confused facial expression. He hadn't really spoken since they called for the cab-so this seemed a bit peculiar. "Finished what?"

The doctor sighed as he continued to gaze out the taxi window. The snow appeared to fall the same way it did a few weeks ago when that memory had taken place. It was a haunting feeling. "…The Hobbit…" he muttered, obviously lost in his thoughts.

Sherlock didn't reply. The fact unsettled him. John was almost talking as if that was the last time they would see her…but the detective knew better-John was more hopeful than Lestrade and Carol combined…but somehow, he still found the statement a bit nerve-wracking…even for him.

Subconsciously running his thumb over Lily's violet scarf, Sherlock closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, letting countless deductions and solutions whir throughout his mind. Something-anything-to get them closer to finding her.

"Did you hear me?"

"What?"

"Your phone. It vibrated." John simply stated, the fist over his mouth slightly muffling his words as he leaned an elbow on the car door.

"So it did…" he muttered in reply, now seeing the lighted screen shining through his coat pocket.

"It's not him, is it?"

"…I'm afraid so." Sherlock's gaze met with John's, and they both simply looked each other in the eye for a moment-knowing whatever the message said, they would face it together one way or another.

They both skimmed over the phone's text with eager eyes, but it left John more confused than before.

Almost there, isn't this exciting?

We have a game planned for you-but don't try to guess, it's a surprise!

JM

"What the hell is that supposed to imply?" John muttered, massaging his forehead stressfully.

"Obviously we're moving in the right direction…" Sherlock mumbled in reply, reading the words over and over again. "…he wants us to find him." He concluded.

John curtly nodded in response before turning his gaze outside- watching the holiday decorations blur past.

He felt everything but the holiday-spirit.

I know it ended a bit abrupt and...sad...ish.

But trust me, things are about to get pretty epic-to say the LEAST.

Any word ideas? Preferably something lengthy and inspirational? *for a rescue-hint hint HINTTTTT

Reviews=Love...Any love?