Once Upon a Time Will Tell

Genre: Family; Friendship

Pairings: Molly and Greg, John and Alex, Sherlock and Sally, background only

Main characters: Greg, John, Sherlock

"My God, you look knackered, Mate," Greg declared, as Sherlock joined him at the kitchen table in 221C.

"You don't look so spry yourself, Gavin," Sherlock retorted, through a yawn. Meeting the sardonic gaze of his Yarder friend, he shrugged and grinned warmly. "Tell me Gregory, whose idea exactly was it to start this whole bedtime fairy tale ritual with our children?"

"I believe it was John's, actually, if we're honest. Why, Sherlock? Has something gone pear shaped with your tales?"

"Well," the younger man admitted, as he yawned again and poured himself a cup of tea. "Not with my tales, exactly. Sally has taken to listening in. Last night she cornered me after Michael and Grace fell asleep and wouldn't let me use the loo until I agreed to tell her what was to happen next. Bloody woman knew damned well I'd had a cup of tea beforehand and a large glass of water as I told the night's tale to our twins. It was nothing short of mean spiritedness on her part."

Greg snorted at this, before clearing his throat. "So, how did you manage that, then? Tell her what happened next and only hope you might maintain continuity for tonight?"

"I bargained for certain… favours… she thinks I was putty in her hands after that. And all I did was make her promise more clearance to access case files at the Yard."

Greg rolled his eyes. "Sherlock, you DO realize she's not authorized to do that, yeah? Mate, you were swindled."

John strolled through the door just as a low chuckle emanated from Sherlock's chest. "Oh, probably… I've never felt it quite necessary to reveal to her just how much I really CAN be putty in her hands... though I have to admit, telling her more of the story as she lay in my arms under our blankets was rather… inspiring. And she's to join us this evening, to help me to tell the next chapter. For the sake of continuity, of course… OH, John, good morning… my God man, you look as though you've been rode hard and put away wet…"

"Alex," John began, as he put forth a huge yawn. Greg and Sherlock shared a look.

"Alex listened in last night on your latest chapter," Greg began, with an amused, knowing look to Sherlock.

"She coerced you into telling her what was to happen next…" Sherlock continued, winking at the DI.

John rolled his eyes as he poured himself a cup of tea and helped himself to one of the scones Molly had left on the counter for them. "How the hell did the two of you know that?"

"I may have caved too easily to Molly… but I have to admit, I was a bit curious myself what was to happen next…" Greg admitted with a shrug, as he rose from his spot at his table to grab the plate of scones. Sherlock placed a hand on his shoulder, giving it a quick squeeze, as he rose himself, to retrieve jam and marmalade from the refrigerator for them. "Molly had some brilliant ideas. I'm going to enjoy tonight's chapter. I know our children will, with their Mum joining in."

"Having Sally's ideas and feedback was rather helpful, I admit," Sherlock said, as he reached into the cutlery drawer. "She suggested plot twists that had never occurred to me either. I suppose I'm more comfortable dealing in facts rather than fiction… I lack imagination in many ways in that regard… so I do believe Michael and Grace are in for a treat tonight when their mother joins us."

"And you as well, I reckon," John simply said. "I might as well admit the same for myself. Alex is inspired… but she seems to like the idea of branching off into Rosie and Julian's fairy tale now and then too, a sub-plot of sorts… I suppose, they do really have one, of sorts. A childhood one, at least."

Greg nodded at this. "Let me guess… Julian is a brave, handsome knight in shining armor, and Rosamund is a true Lady… but she's no bloody damsel in distress, I reckon! Sounds like the Rosie and Julian we know and love."

"So, where are you at with yours?" Sherlock asked, turning to Greg. Greg cleared his throat and grinned sheepishly.

"Lady Eurus is about to outsmart The Dragon. Also known as Dragon Adler. She keeps insisting that she wants to have Prince Sherlock for dinner, so Princess Sally has called in the big guns."

"Ah…" John said. "So, I assume you don't mean OVER for dinner?"

"Well, she IS a dragon, John," Sherlock said, matter of factly. "Meddle ye not in the affairs of dragons, for thou art crunchy and taste good with mustard," he paraphrased with a silly grin. "So what about yours, then?"

John grinned at this. "King Sherlock is about to solve The Case of the Crying Court Jester. Prince Gregory will next be investigating The Adventure of The Mute Town Crier."

"He must be a rather bored monarch, if he's time to solve cases?" Greg asked, curiously.

"That's why he's got his advisor… everyone knows the advisors are the ones who REALLY call the shots. This one refers to himself as The British Monarchy. Anyway the last time the King got bored, he began to fire the cannons through the fortress walls surrounding the castle. Set the Queen and her adoptive mother-in-law into a right tizzy, that did… so they're rather accommodating now," John explained, in between bites of scone.

Sherlock snorted into his tea cup with this. "Well, Sally's got digressions in mind, very intriguing ones too, but at the moment the groundwork is still being laid… I'm sure King Gregory will soon have something for his brothers to do though. He seems to make it a priority to avoid allowing the cleverer one of them becoming bored, for some reason. The other seems to make it a priority to keep him reined in WHEN he becomes bored. Ah… those two… Prince Sherlock is rather lucky they've the patience of a Saint with him… but last night, I began the telling of a mysterious presence in the woods just past the castle gates. Even the dragons wish to steer clear of it…"

"Sounds like a fascinating story, though I do hope whatever that mysterious presence is isn't nearly as traumatic in its telling as that hallucinogenic hound from hell was by Dartmoor years ago," Greg quipped, with a smirk.

"I'm sure Sally will ensure it's strictly a G rating, Greg. But, any road, I need to get myself ready to leave for the surgery. Alex promised me it was to be an interesting day, to say the least," John said, rising from his chair. "Same time, same place tomorrow morning, Gentlemen," he said with a smile and a nod, as he departed the flat.

"Yes, I suppose I should go make myself decent as well," Sherlock mused, as he rose from his chair as well. Greg nodded, standing up and taking plates to the sink.

"Sally tells me you're to meet us later this afternoon on the Tupper case?" Greg asked, as Sherlock handed him empty mugs.

"Yes, I've a few things to look into first, and a visit to Molly at St. Bart's to conduct some testing, but I should be there around mid-afternoon," Sherlock replied, smiling as he headed towards the door.

"Right then, see you in a few hours, hey?" Greg said, with a small wave, wondering, whimsically, what sort of inspirations the day would bring towards their bedtime stories. He supposed, time – or rather, ONCE UPON a time – would soon enough tell their tales.