DO NOT OWN! "Mad-World-27 gave me a good idea for the direction of this chapter. So without further ado, Sherlock's shenanigans at the yard.
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John and Mary had been frantic. Mrs Hudson had been called away for some family business and it had taken a lot of convincing for her to go. John had just started back at work and really didn't want to push it with taking more time off. They couldn't spare Mary because it was getting into cold season and nurses were far and few in between as it was.
This was how Lestrade found the three of them, John frantically looking through his address book calling out names, most of which Mary denied immediately. They were both overprotective of the boy from the beginning but after the Moriarty situation it had turned into an obsession. Sherlock, meanwhile, was sitting smiling a bit as if watching a tennis match. He was the first to catch sight of Lestrade. While he'd always liked the man after the initial meeting, he'd warmed up to him after his adventure with Ron and then completely accepted him after his time with Moriarty. The boy jumped up excitedly.
"Uncle dethecthive!" He ran around and hugged Lestrade around the knees smiling up at him delightedly. Lestrade secretly adored that the boy called him uncle detective, when Donovan had first heard it and tried to poke fun he'd shot her down immediately.
"Hello mate." He lifted the boy and placed him on his hip. "What's going on here?"
"Their thrying tho find someone tho wathch me thomorrow because grandmum isn'th here." They weren't sure how long the woman would be gone, she hadn't thought more than a day so they were taking it one day at a time. Finally John, getting to the last of his address book looked up at Lestrade and it was like the lightbulb went on.
"Well how about Lestrade?" He said turning to Mary. "There isn't anyone safer than an officer." Mary looked like she could argue that point but simply nodded instead.
"Alright if he agree's I do."
"I geth tho spend the day ath Scothland Yard!" Sherlock perked up and hugged Lestrade around the neck. "Please Please PLEASE! Uncle Dethecthive!"
Lestrade knew he was beaten before the fight even started. He'd had a hard enough time attempting to say no to adult Sherlock, who in the end always got what he wanted. It was downright impossible with those wide pleading eyes.
"Yes alright. I will come and collect you at seven." Sherlock nodded pleased before squirming to be released. Lestrade obliged and watched as the boy scampered to his corner, settling down and beginning to read to Hamish who was even more a part of him after the kidnapping. Until now none of the adults thought that was possible.
"Thanks Greg." John said relieved clapping the man on the back as Mary gave him a quick hug and mentioned something about getting tea.
"So what can we do for you?" He said offering Sherlock's chair to the man as he sat in his own. Lestrade stared blankly at him before realizing he was the one that had stopped by.
"Ah I just came to check and see how things were." He nodded his head in Sherlock's direction.
"Everything is going well. He still has moments if the memories try to overwhelm him but his Mind Palace seems to be just as good as his adult one." John looked lovingly over at the child who seemed to notice and looked up smiling and showing the gap in his teeth, before turning back to teaching chemistry to his bee.
The adults sat down to have tea chatting about this and that, while their attention was always on the small curly haired boy.
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The next morning Lestrade was not surprised to see that Sherlock was standing, in one of his suits he'd insisted on getting, Hamish in hand on the stoop. John stood with him, looking just a little bit more tired than the bouncing child next to him.
Lestrade got out to greet John as Sherlock came barreling at him hugging him about the knees. Patting the boys head he shook hands with John, and assured him everything would be fine before helping Sherlock into the back seat and weaving his way through morning traffic to work.
Arriving he parked and led Sherlock around the corner to the station. He watched as the boys face widened in excitement as he glimpsed the building for the first time since being turned.
"I can'th waith. I can help you solve cases and sthare the criminals down when you questhion them." Lestrade made a mental note to find a mild cold case for the boy to try and solve. Leading him in, they got several curious stares but one look from Lestrade had everyone scurrying back to work. He reached his office and turned to wave to Donovan who was seated at her desk.
She nodded to him and then smiled brightly as she saw the child next to him.
"Hello darling." She said grabbing the boys attention who smiled back and went to stand at her knees. His adult memories warred with his child ones of Donovan so he wasn't as open with her, but he liked her.
"Hello Miss Donovan." He said quietly. "How are you?"
"I'm quite well, thank you." Suddenly her face brightened even more. "You go ahead with Lestrade, I have to get something."
He eyed her suspiciously before nodding and following Lestrade into his office. Immediately the man got him settled on a couch he had in the room and handed him a criminal textbook to read.
"I need to grab a couple of files, you stay here and I'll be right back." Sherlock nodded already reading aloud to Hamish who had been in his suit pocket and now placed in his lap. Wandering down the hall he greeted people as he passed, making it clear he was not up for idle conversation. Letting himself into the file room, he grabbed the one needed for himself before turning to the cold cases. He found one where someone was attacked, it wasn't particularily gruesome, the person had been fine but a priceless antique was stolen.
Letting himself in the office he was mildly surprised to see Donovan with Sherlock in her lap, the two of them giggling together. Sherlock looked up and held up a leather case in his hand.
"Look! Miss Donovan goth me my very own badge!" Lestrade went over and took a look seeing one of the badges they had for children who were forced to the pricinct because of things going along with their family.
"Very nice." He complimented handing it back. "I got you a case to look at if you like." Sherlock perked up even more and giving Sally a half hug he slid off her lap and took the file immediately opening it and beginning to read. Smiling Sally nodded at her boss and slipped out of the room. Most of the morning went on like this, Sherlock solved the case rather quickly to Lestrade's amazement and went back to his criminal book as Lestrade looked through his own file. He was just considering going and getting another case for the boy to look at when Donovan raced through his office.
"Crime scene downtown. It's one of the Royal advisors."
"Bollocks." Lestrade said looking at Sherlock. It was no use, he'd have to bring him along. "Alright Sherlock we need to go." The boy looked up excitedly, placing the book aside and tucking Hamish back in his pocket. He grabbed Lestrades hand and ran with him and Donovan down the hall and out to the car.
It took less than ten minutes for Lestrade to screech sirens blaring into the park where the body was found. Glancing out and noticing all the other beat cops milling about he turned to Sherlock.
"Ok we'll be back in a bit, if you need anything ask one of them." He gestured to the cops before jumping out of the car with his sergeant already in police mode.
Sherlock sat back a little miffed that he was being left behind. He shifted and looked in the front of the seat. He noticed Lestrade's badge laying there and grinned in delight. He had a reason to go out and look at the scene himself. Technically Lestrade never said he couldn't. Grabbing the ID he slid out of the car. Glancing around, he snuck down the side of the car. He waited for the officer who blocked his way under the tape to turn and march down the line. Sure he was far enough away, Sherlock sprinted ducking under the tape and took off down the hill towards the few people hanging about. He stopped next to a tree several feet from the crime scene and looked at it. There were strange marks. He studied it intently, they almost looked like. His eyes widened when he realized that they were exactly what he thought they were. Looking at the base of the tree he saw scraps of bark.
"Lesthrade!" He yelled! He turned deciding he should probably run to meet the detective who was turned and coming towards him concerned. The man began to run and yell at the boy who heard a thump behind him. He turned getting a glimpse of the man who was hiding in the tree before the man lifted him holding him tight about the stomach. Sherlock coughed and wiggled having a hard time breathing. Miraculously the man loosened a bit and he gulped in deep breathes. He felt something metal against his head. A gun. His eyes widened and he tried to calm himself and focus on a way to get out of this mess, as Lestrade and Donovan came running towards them.
"Stay right there!" The man yelled when they were a few feet away. They took a couple more steps until the man cocked the gun to the boys head.
"Look man, you don't want to do this. He's just a kid, you don't want to make it worse on yourself."
"I think -I'm the one making the demands here." The man said, although he shifted his grip so that Sherlock was more settled on his hip. He was shaking a bit and he squeezed the boys arm a bit. Sherlock looked him up and down confused before smiling.
"You didn'th kill thath man. You saw the man thath did. You went tho thry and save him, I can see by the sthains on your panths, you thried to revive him. You picked up the gun so the children around here wouldn'th grab ith while you wenth tho call for help. But you saw the police already here and panicked so you climbed the three. YOu have a child of your own you were on the way tho see. That's how you know how to hold me without hurthing me and why you have the theddy bear in your pocketh ." He nodded to the inside of the mans jacket were he saw that Lestrade and Donovan finally saw the small stuffed figure poking out.
"Jesus." Lestrade breathed in relief shaking his head in amazement at the boy who patted the man on the head and slid down from his grasp. The man looked blankly at the seven year old that had read him so easily before placing the gun on the ground. Out of the corner of his eye Sherlock saw Lestrade come towards them grabbing the cuffs at his belt. He stood in front of the man with his arms spread.
"Don'th! He didn'th hurth me and he was scared. YOu would be thoo if you found your lover dead in the park." Lestrade froze looking from the boy to the man who had flushed red even as he looked on more amazed.
"Alright you win." Lestrade said grinning a bit and shaking his head at the extraordinary boy in front of him. Nothing seemed to bring him down, and he was just as fluent in the work now as he was when he was older. Beckoning the man and boy he walked up the hill towards his car. As he passed them, he watched Sherlock shift a little with indecision before grasping the man's hand and leading him after the Inspector Detective.
WHen they got back Lestrade brought the man and boy into his office and between the two of them, a picture was formed of the crime. THe man in the park had collapsed, later the report would show he had been shot from behind. The man, Joe hadn't seen who had shot him having just arrived at the park and finding him laying on the ground. Sherlock was sure it was a hired hit, probably from the man's ex lover based on the gun and the fact it had a silencer on it. Lestrade sent Donovan out to collect the ex boyfriend. The man cracked without a lot of pressure when a picture of the dead man was shown to him. It had been a crime of passion but one he regretted after realizing it meant he'd never get his lover back again.
Joe shook Lestrade's hand and then knelt down to Sherlock's level.
"Thanks mate." He said sincerely ruffling the boys hair.
"S'ok.' Sherlock said shyly. "Go see your daughther." He added pushing the man a bit. Laughing Joe stood ruffling his hair once more before disappearing out into the precinct.
Glancing at the clock Lestrade realized it was well after the time he should have returned Sherlock home. Reaching down he picked the boy up and brought him through the building and out to his car.
Traffic was murder, and as they were sitting waiting for a light Lestrade finally decided to speak.
"You're a hero you know that kiddo?" He said.
A sleepy voice came from the back. "There's only one hero n thath's John." Lestrade beamed at the worship coming from the boy.
Forty five minutes later and Lestrade was handing over the sleeping Sherlock to a much relieved John. He waited in the living room as John settled the boy in his room for a clearly much needed nap coming back out to join the detective and his wife.
"I suspect he was excited and didn't get much sleep last night." John confessed settling down. "What were you boys up to today?"
"Oh you know the usual, solving crimes, playing hero." He settled in and told them about Sherlock's day. There was much gasping and gulping but to their credit they didn't snap at Lestrade for bringing the boy to the crime scene, knowing that if Sherlock wanted to go he'd have found a way anyway.
Then he told John, the boys statement on the way home and watched as John stared lovingly down the hall to where his boy lay sound asleep.
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Next one is going to be Sherlock playing pirates. R&R!