Title: Stille Nacht
Summary: While a sick Watson waits for Holmes to return from a case on Christmas Eve, a group of carolers come along....
Warnings: None
Disclaimer(s): Alfie belongs to KCS.
Author's Notes: Silent Night Web (link can be found in my profile under the resources section) has a lot of interesting information (including Chinese, Swahili, Cheyenne, and Russian translations) related to the Christmas carol, 'Silent Night'.

Watson
I sat in my armchair before the sitting room fireplace, feeling the absence of my friend, Sherlock Holmes, keenly on this night of all nights--and not only because it was Christmas Eve--, when a child's voice rang out in the chilly winter air outside 221b Baker Street, interrupting my morose thoughts.
Stille Nacht! Heil'ge Nacht!
Alles schläft; einsam wacht
Nur das traute hoch heilige Paar.
Holder Knab' im lockigen Haar,
Schlafe in himmlischer Ruh!
Schlafe in himmlischer Ruh!
Before I could even begin to wonder why a caroler would be singing in German, two other children began to sing a duet.
Oidhche shàmhach, oidhche naomh,
Cadal ciùin tha air an t-saogh'l,
Màiri is Ioseph 'san stàbull fhuar,
A' freasdal a' phàisd tha àlainn 'na shnuadh,
An sìth o nèamh 'na shuain,
An sìth o nèamh 'na shuain.
First German, now Scottish-Gaelic--what language would be sung next, I idly wondered as a third voice, one that sounded vaguely familiar to me, began to sing.
Nozvezh sioul, nozvezh kaer.
Trouz ebet dre an aer.
Aze 'barzh ul lochennig paour,
Ur bugelig kousket-flour,
Ur bugelig gwan,
Ur bugelig gwan.
I didn't even recognize the language being sung this time--but this strange band of carolers was not finished yet, as a strong baritone took up the carol.
Nuit bénit, nuit de silence!
Tout est calme en brilliance
Autour de la vièrge et son fil,
Nouveau-né, tendre est il.
Dors en paix de cieux;
Dors en paix de cieux.
If I didn't know better, I would have said that I had just heard Holmes caroling in French.

Holmes
"It would be doing the doctor a great disservice, Mister Holmes, if you make me sing a single verse of 'Silent Night'," Gregson warned.
"Nonsense, Inspector," I replied. "I've heard you sing before, and you have a lovely singing voice."
"I was also drunk at the time," Gregson promptly pointed out. "And as I recall, you were drunk at the time too."
"Come on, Gregson," Lestrade called from where he stood in the relative shelter of 219 Baker Street's stoop. "Surely you can do better than me."
Gregson growled, but he could not decline the ferret-faced inspector's challenge, not while he was in my presence.
"Fine, but I'm not paying for any windows that break as a result of my singing," he grumbled.

Watson
Just as I thought the carolers had moved on, one of their number began to sing--and to my shock, I recognized the voice as belonging to one of Scotland Yard's finest, Tobias Gregson!
Silent night, Holy night;
All is calm, all is bright;
'Round yon virgin Mother and Child.
Holy infant so tender and mild:
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.
As the inspector sang, I raced down the stairs and threw open the front door, letting in a rush of freezing air that triggered an exceptionally violent fit of coughing. I was vaguely aware of Holmes' wiry arms supporting me as black spots appeared in my vision.
"Easy, Watson," my friend commanded through the grey mists that held my mind captive.
"Holmes?" I called, not opening my eyes.
A soft rustle of papers, soft footsteps, then Holmes' voice.
"Watson," he said hesitantly.
I opened my eyes to find that I was lying on the sofa beneath a thick afghan, with Holmes hovering over me. I blushed as I realised that I must have fainted.
"Most folks with a fever of 102 stay in bed," he informed me.
"Most folks don't get Scotland Yard Inspectors to sing 'Silent Night' in Breton, either, Mister Holmes," Lestrade called from somewhere behind Holmes.
"Excuse me, but you were the only one singing in Breton," Gregson corrected.
"An' Mister 'Olmes 'ad me singing in German," Alfie pointed out.
"An' me an' Evin in Gaelic," added Campbell.
"Scottish-Gaelic," Evin immediately corrected him.
"Same thing," Campbell replied dissmissively.
"No, it's not!" insisted Evin.
"Is!"
"Not!"
"Is!"
"Not!"
"Oi'll tell Mrs. 'Udson who really killed 'er dear plant," Alfie said warningly, effectively ending the disagreement. "Now, Mister 'Olmes, yew mentioned something 'bout presents?"