AN: Thank you to anyone has favourited or alerted this story, and a special (giant) thanks to those who have reviewed.
Now taking prompts/ suggestions. (please?)
Hamish was dressed in camouflage, reminiscent of his dad's fatigues, with a wide brimmed khaki hat. He bore a very striking resemblance to John as a child (Sue had sent an album), apart from the grey-blue eyes and curl to his light blonde hair.
We were taking him to a park, with a children's event on. They were to find 'animals' (people in suits) in the woods and there would be food after. There was also a bouncy castle and the characters form the woods would come out and sing.
That last part would be horrendous, but as he was able to walk further and better on his own, Hamish loved exploring things. This wasn't just for him; I wanted to see if he would be better at noticing things than other children his age. I had always had that talent, Mycroft says I used to point out the most abnormal things as a child so I wanted to see if Hamish could have it, despite his age.
It didn't have to be a biological thing, of course though Mycroft and I had got the ability from our mother, but it was a learned habit. And we learned very quickly.
John loved the idea too. He loved being outdoors and in the woods and hoped Hamish would be the same so they could spend time together there. I think Hamish will like those things, if they have a clear goal but he'll be more orientated around study and science as I am.
Hamish came over to the sofa where I was laid down and attempted to climb up "I thought you were with your upstairs." I said pulling him up and sitting him on my chest.
"Dull."
John had been cleaning up Hamish's room. Hamish liked to have all his toys out at once and John wanted it to be neat Hamish had been 'helping'.
"Oh yes, I find cleaning boring too." I said lifting him high.
"Don't I know it." Came John's voice from the doorway. He had brought Hamish down and had been fixing the gate again. "Sherlock, what did you do with the screwdriver?"
"I melted it in an experiment. Sorry love."
John sighed and added it to the shopping list on the desk. "We have to leave in 10 minutes anyway. I wouldn't have time to fix it."
Hamish giggled from his place in the air as I stood up, him still above my head and moved him through the room to give the illusion that he was flying "Wheeeeee." He squealed and tried to catch the lampshade. I laughed too, enjoying his happiness.
I set Hamish down again and he staggered dizzily.
"Hamish the Explorer." John said grapping his shoulder and passing Hamish a bottle with a strap so he could carry it on his shoulder.
"Dora." Hamish said, referencing his favourite programme- behind Noddy, that is. I went into the kitchen to put the tub of maggots from the table back into the fridge. They would need to rest before I inspected their work on the next sheep's liver.
"Yes, Hai we can be like Dora." John said beaming.
"Fa?" Hamish called out, sounding worried. He had become very clingy recently, which was probably why he came down rather than the boredom.
"I'm only in here, Hamish." I said waking back into the room. "And we're leaving now. Let me get your coat.
Hamish came over, took my hands and went back to John. He raised his free arm and said "Up."
"In a minute, Hai, when we're ready." John said and took Hamish's other hand.
"I need to go get the coats so we can go, Hamish." I said gently letting go of his small fingers.
He followed me instead, taking John with him. "It's fine Hai, he won't leave." John had a sad look in his eyes then, remembering the time I had left him before. Though he could convince Hamish, he didn't seem completely sure himself.
"No, I won't leave either of you." I reassured, squeezing John's arm. He still, after all this time didn't know whether I would have to go again.
We had been out on a case a few weeks ago and it had ended up that we had stayed away for almost two days. Hamish was with Mrs Hudson and she said he had been extremely stressed in our absence and that he was upset when we had said goodnight via Skype that we were 'TV', rather than real.
John and I had both hated that time away, but due to the lack of trains because of the strike and there not being any cabs in the village we were in he hadn't been able to get back while I worked on.
I think that Hamish is afraid one of us, or both, will just disappear again.
I put my coat on the way in, turned the collar up, then passed John his and got Hamish into his. "Are we taking the pram?" I asked, John was more likely to push it so it was his decision.
"Well…he'll probably get tired, but it wouldn't be good in that forest. So we'll leave it."
I picked Hamish up and we went down to get a cab.
It came quickly, and Hamish sat on my lap, looking out of the window. I told him about the buildings in a whisper while John listened to a broadcast on a football game on the radio.
The park had banners up marking the event, and we went inside, Hamish on my shoulders. "Fa, fa. Bird." He pointed to a pigeon on the ground.
"Yes, Hamish. You're finding animals already." We had only explained the concept to him once but he was very good at these things.
"He's so smart." John said proudly looking up at Hamish who was tangling his hands in my hair "So much smarter than any other kid I've seen his age."
"Did you expect anything less from our son?"
'Our' our son. I can't believe it, every time I say it. It's been over a year, but it's still strange to think that I of all people have a child.
A few years ago, I wouldn't have referred to anything as 'ours' I wouldn't have anyone to share anything with; I would have just said mine. Even if someone else was the real owner of something, or we had paid equally for it, I would always refer to something as 'mine', those people were mostly forgettable and John completely outshined all of the rest of the 'normal' people, and I always thought of him and Hamish before myself now. John beamed and took my hand, kissing the back of my palm.
"I love you." He mumbled, turning to me.
I reached up and brought Hamish down into my arms. "I love you too." I kissed him whilst Hamish attempted to put his arm around John as he did so.
John didn't used to like kissing in public, but I couldn't help it and he soon became accustomed.
We had been still for a second too long apparently, as Hamish tapped me and said "Go."
"Yes, Hamish." I said tearing my eyes form my husband's.
"Yeah." said John, looking dazed "We're late anyway." He looked at his watch "They start in 2 minutes."
We ran up the slope and got there just as the rest set off. We collected the data sheet; we would take photos then show each person we'd spotted.
I put Hamish down and we took a hand each. "Dora." Hamish said, reiterating about the fact that he was going exploring.
"Yes, it's an adventure." John said as we swung Hamish off the ground between us. He giggled then demanded we do it again.
"Dog!" Hamish said, indicating the first animal. The man came towards us when he heard and gave Hamish a thumps up.
"You're the littlest on I've seen. And the first one to see me." He said in a mock growl and gave Hamish a lollipop while posing for a picture.
Hamish grinned and we went back into the woods, Hamish muttering about his "ex-por."
He began to get excited and ran off "Stay close Hamish." John warned and Hamish slowed up.
"Me fast ex-por." He said and John began humming the Indiana Jones theme (he had made me watch it a while back, and though I had deleted most of the movie, that theme had stuck in my head).
Spotting the rest of the animals came easily, and I felt my chest swell.
We ticked everything off and headed back to the start. "Wow." Said the official as we showed her the results.
"And you didn't help at all?" She said, raising her eyebrows.
"No. Hamish did alone. We wouldn't cheat." I said looking over to a couple, who were both cheaters- in every sense of the word.
"He was the third, and the other two are 5 and 6 years older than him."
"Well, he's highly intelligent." I said, getting irritated. This woman obviously had some deep-rooted Pharaoh complex, maybe due to her mother being hit when she was a child, so she had become the soul defender in her family.
"This deservers an extra special prize." She said, bending down to Hamish, who was looking towards the bouncy-castle longingly.
She gave Hamish a football and a set of colouring pens, which he immediately gave to John and bent to inspect an insect on the ground. "What?" He asked, wanting the name.
"Woodlouse." I replied and turned over a nearby rock to uncover more.
"Mine?" Hamish tried to catch one
"No." said John, pulling him up. "Dirty."
When the rest of the children came back, the show started and it was as irritating and loathsome as I had imagines, but Hamish loved it.
Hamish was the best of the children by far. He was good at noticing things. He was like me. But he would never have my personality; I would make sure he had impeccable social skills.
My son, a genius.
He was so brilliant. I picked him up from where he was sat looking for more woodlice, John let him knowing he couldn't have one. I hugged him to me and kissed his soft curls.
John noticed my expression "What is it, love?"
"Hamish. I don't want him to be like me."
"Well I do. I want him to be beautiful, intelligent and a great husband and father." John said cupping my face in his hand.
I put my face in Hamish's hair and said against him "Thank you. But he might be exactly like me. Insult everyone without knowing, and never have friends."
"You're getting better with that, and you know it. And you can make friends when you want."
"It took me 20 years."
"Yes, but Hamish has both of us." He hugged me "We'll teach him properly. I know what your parents were like, and they couldn't have been good to grow up with."
"John, you're fantastic, brave, honest, loyal, kind, warm and loving. I hope he's more like you.
