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John looked at Greg as they stood in 221b. They had just finished a case and they wanted to relieve Sarah of her sitting duties. So Lestrade had come with them to take their statements. Hamish had been upstairs in his room paying when they came home. He came down to see his Dad and Papa, kiss his Aunt Sarah goodbye only to run back up. “I’m in the middle of something important,” he told them.
“I’m great with kids,” Lestrade told them as he put his notebook back into his pocket. “My two girls love me.”
Sherlock just stared at Lestrade. He and John had to travel to Dublin tomorrow. They had asked Sarah if she could watch Hamish but she had work. And neither John nor Sherlock wanted to burden Ms. Hudson with watching a rambunctious five year old all day long.
“I’m not going to kill him,” Lestrade pointed out to John and Sherlock.
“No, that would have been Sherlock,” John said with a pause. “He isn’t like most five year olds you have been around.” He warned him.
Lestrade laughed. “Sherlock’s not like most thirty-four year olds but I’ve managed him.” He pointed out. He had been managing him now for almost 15 years. Sherlock rolled his eyes at his comment and walked into their kitchen to put the kettle on for John. He had no choice but to agree to have Lestrade watch Hamish. There only other option was Mycroft.
Hamish came down the steps and rubbed his eyes. No doubt he fell asleep playing a game in his room. “Daddy I’m bored.” John glared at Sherlock as he walked out of the kitchen and smiled smugly.
Greg laughed. “I’ll bring him something so he won’t be bored tomorrow,” he told them. He bid them a good evening and headed on out.
Sherlock called for their late dinner as John told Hamish his Uncle Lestrade would be watching him tomorrow for they had an early train to catch for they had to go to Dublin for the day for work. Hamish seemed a bit worried for he had never been watched by his Uncle Lestrade before. But he didn’t let it bother him much of deviate from their nightly routine he had with his Dad and Papa.
~~~
That morning John and Sherlock went up to say their goodbyes to Hamish; they had to be at Paddington station at 6 for the train. Hamish opened his eyes as John sat on the edge of his bed and kissed Hamish on his head. “Be good for your Uncle Lestrade today okay, Papa and I might be home after you are asleep but we will come and wake you up when we get home,” John promised him. Hamish nodded as Sherlock took a seat on the other side of his son.
“And don’t burn the flat down,” Sherlock told him as he kissed his son. John looked up at him and shook his head giving him a confused and puzzled look. “What? That’s what my parents would tell me when they would leave me with our nannies.” He explained to John.
Hamish giggled as he gave his Dad and Papa both a hug and kiss before they tucked him back into bed and left. They kept his door open as they made their way down the steps. John checked to make sure that Lestrade had all the numbers he would need in case something would happen. John even put down Mycroft’s mobile. He also put down some of Hamish’s favorite foods as well as what he couldn’t eat. Sherlock had added his own note at the bottom telling Greg to stay away from his biscuits and not to touch anything on the second shelf of the fridge.
Sherlock went to get the door for Greg as John checked the fridge, there was enough food, and he left some money for them to get lunch and dinner for the both of them. “Thank you again for this,” John told him as he slipped on his coat. “He is still sleeping but he will be up by seven. Um, there is bread for you if he wants to go to feed the ducks at Regency Park and here is an extra key.” John stopped and thought about what else he needed to tell Greg. “No too much sugar, and write down what he eats. We are going to the doctor next week and we need to keep track of everything he eats for he has been getting ready bad headaches,” John told him as he showed him Hamish’s food log.
“If he cries, or wants us have him sit in John’s chair and he can use my dressing gown as a blanket,” Sherlock told Lestrade as he slipped his scarf around his neck. “And I he wants you to read to him, then you read to him.”
Lestrade cut John off before he could speak again. “I’ve been at this for a long time now boys. He will be safe with me. Don’t miss your train.”
John wanted to say something else but Sherlock took his by the hand and lead him out of the flat. Lestrade set his bag down next to the couch, it was 5:40, and Hamish would sleep for a while longer. He lay down on the couch, closed his eyes and was able to catch up on some more sleep. He was happy for a Saturday off, but then again he didn’t know how relaxing it was going to be watching Hamish Watson-Holmes.
Just like clockwork Lestrade woke up to his alarm he had set for 7, as he sat up he heard two little feet heading down the steps. Hamish walked in, his brown hair a mess on the top of his head. He was still in his pajamas as he looked at Lestrade and smiled. “What do you want to do this morning Hamish?” he asked.
“Ducky’s.” He told Lestrade grinning.
“You want to feed the ducky’s at the park?” he asked him as he stood up from the couch and stretched. He needed coffee.
“Duh,” Hamish said looking at him with the face Sherlock gave when he felt people around him were being stupid.
Lestrade was beginning to realize that Sherlock was leaving a strong impression on his five year old son. Hamish headed back up the steps while his Uncle informed him that they would be having breakfast before the ducks. Hamish was a tad reluctant but he wanted to feed the ducks so he slipped out of his pajamas and into a pair of jeans and a blue jumper. He grabbed his coat and shoes as he walked back down the steps. Setting them down by the door he walked into the kitchen and looked at his Uncle.
“Aunt Sarah doesn’t make her eggs like that,” he pointed out as he took a seat at the kitchen table.
“How does she make hers?” Lestrade asked as he cracked another egg into the bowl before he began to whisk them up.
“She puts red peppers and cheese in them.” Lestrade looked at Hamish; he never knew a five year old who ate red peppers. Hamish slid off his seat and walked over to the fridge. He pulled out the bag of cheese and a red pepper. Walking over to Lestrade he handed them to him. “Daddy says I’m too young to use knives.”
“And what does your Papa say?” Lestrade asked as he rinsed off the pepper and then dried it with a paper towel.
“To listen to Daddy. But he lets me if he helps.”
Lestrade saw no harm so he helped Hamish cut up the peppers and put them into the hot pan. Once they had finished cooking the eggs he added the cheese to the top of the eggs and then put some on a plate for Hamish. “Do you feed the ducks a lot?” he asked Hamish as he nodded his head and continued to eat.
Once they finished Hamish told his Uncle to set the dishes in the sink. Hamish put his shoes and coat on. Ran back into the kitchen and grabbed the bread. Just as Lestrade slipped the key into his pocket Hamish grabbed hold of his coat sleeve and dragged him down the fading white steps, out of 221b and toward the park.
“Why is it so important to feed the ducks Hamish?” Lestrade asked him as they walked toward the Regency Park. Hamish still holding onto his coat sleeve.
Looking up at his Uncle he explained. “Experiment.”
He was defiantly Sherlock’s kid. When they reached the park Hamish headed over to the pound where the ducks were all swimming. Lestrade took this advantage to sit and relaxed on a bench by the pound keeping his eyes on Hamish at all times.
Hamish tore off pieces of the bread and tossed them into the water for the ducks. Lestrade shook his head for he had a very serious face as he made sure each piece was the same size as the last one. Suddenly Hamish let out a shriek. “Bad ducky! Bad ducky!” Lestrade bolted over. Hamish wasn’t in trouble he was more upset over the fact that the bigger ducks weren’t letting the baby ducks near the bread. Lestrade looked down at Hamish as he furrowed his brow. Lestrade had to take a double take for Hamish had John’s face mastered. He had seen John give this face to Sherlock numerous times at crime scenes. “Make the big ducky’s stop Uncle Lestrade,” Hamish insisted as he looked up at him as he held the bread above his head. “You are a Detective Inspector. Arrest them!” Hamish took his small finger and pointed at the big duck.
Lestrade chuckled as he knelt down next to Hamish. “Sadly ducks are not my division.”
Hamish pushed his lips together and then just tossed the rest of the bread into the water. Lestrade said nothing about his experiment. Hamish looked up at him. “Can we get a muffin?”
Lestrade glanced down as Hamish took his hand and began to lead him out of the park. “We just had breakfast.”
“But when we go and feed the ducky’s Daddy and Papa get coffee from Starbucks and I get a muffin,” Hamish told him as Lestrade stopped walking and the five year old stopped with him. Lestrade was feeling he was getting the wool pulled over his eyes. But he looked at Hamish; he didn’t seem to be lying to him. “I’m not lying. Daddy told me it’s not good to lie.”
“And your Papa is the king of lies,” Lestrade pointed out to him. “But I don’t see how one muffin is going to hurt you.” He said, plus he was dying for a coffee.
It was a short walk to the nearest Starbucks. Hamish pushed open the glass door and went running up to the glass case where all the pastries were. He took his hand and pointed to the chocolate muffin. “Welcome to Starbucks, what can I get you?” the barista asked looking from Hamish up to Lestrade.
“I will have a Venti French Roast black please,” he told her. “And then the chocolate muffin-”
“And a tall hot chocolate no whip cream.” Hamish added as he peered over the counter. He turned and looked at his Uncle, “That’s what Daddy and Papa let me get.” Lestrade paid for the drinks knowing Hamish was milking the trip to Starbucks but John and Sherlock would have to deal with a hyper child in the evening. Not him.
Hamish smiled as the barista handed him his muffin. He then headed over to the two leather chairs in the window. Opening up the paper bag he pulled out the muffin and began to eat the top off. Lestrade watched as Hamish ate, almost as if there was a correct way to eat a muffin, and then he realized it was the same way that John ate his. Shaking his head he grabbed the drinks once they were done, Lestrade strode across the store to sit down next to Hamish. Setting the drinks down on the small side table Lestrade took the lid off the hot chocolate to let it cool before Hamish drank it. As it cooled, Lestrade his enjoyed his black coffee.
“Daddy said you were bringing something for us to do today,” Hamish said as the muffin got on his face. “What did you bring?”
Lestrade grabbed a napkin and handed it to Hamish who wiped off his mouth. “It’s back at your flat,” he said. “After we finish here we can go back there and I’ll show you.”
“Is it a game?” he asked as Lestrade put the lid back onto his hot chocolate and Hamish took a sip.
“No, but you will enjoy it I know.”
They finished drinking their coffee and hot chocolate and muffin and then they made their way back to 221b. Hamish was eager to see what the surprise was. Lestrade walked up the stairs as Hamish bolted up them. He pushed open the door as he plopped down on John’s chair his back pressed against his Union Jack pillow. He wanted to know what the surprise was now.
Lestrade reached into his bag and pulled out some DVDs. “I brought one of my favourite television shows, Doctor Who.” Lestrade told him as he walked over to the telly.
Hamish’s eyes lit up. “Is he a doctor like my Daddy?” he asked him.
“No,” Lestrade explained as he placed the DVD in the player. “But he saves the world like your Dad and Papa do.” Lestrade told him. That was enough for Hamish to want to watch it. Beginning with the Tennant Years. He pressed play as The Christmas Invasion, began to play Hamish curled up and watched it.
Heading to the couch Lestrade pulled out a few case files. Opening them up on the messy coffee table he read as Hamish watched TV. He felt he needed to get some work done.
As soon as the episode came to an end, Lestrade’s mobile went off. Hamish got up and saw that it was his dad. Lestrade nodded as Hamish answered the call. “Daddy!” Hamish cried. “What blood type am I?!” Hamish asked him.
“Umm, B positive I think,” John told his son.
“Okay good. The aliens can’t brainwash me!” he told him as he handed the phone to his Uncle and pressed play and New Earth episode began.
“Greg, what is he watching?” John asked him a bit concerned.
“Just Doctor Who.” He told him. “How is Dublin?”
“Oh great, the train and ferry ride in itself was a joy. How is Hal doing?” John asked him. Lestrade cold heard Sherlock in the background but he couldn’t make out what he was complaining about.
“Fine,” Lestrade said shaking his head. “Do you call Sarah this much when she watched Hamish?”
“Yes,” John chuckled. “Oi!” John’s voice grew faint as Lestrade listened to him yell at Sherlock for something.
“Did you touch my limbs?” Sherlock’s voice rang out on the phone. Lestrade rolled his eyes.
“God why would I do that?”
Hamish turned around and looked at his Uncle. “Uncle Lestrade shhh,” he said putting a finger up to his mouth as he shushed him. Lestrade got up from the couch and walked out into the hallway so not to get shushed by Hamish again.
“Tell John your son is good and I promise he will be alive when you get home and your experiments will go untouched by the both of us.” Lestrade said to him.
Sherlock grunted in the affirmative as he passed the phone back over to John. John told Lestrade that they should be home before dinner when he heard on the other end of the phone. “John, the suspect is moving!”
“Gotta go,” John said as he hung up.
Putting the mobile into his pocket Lestrade walked back into the flat to see Hamish’s eyes glued on the telly. He took a seat and went back to his case files. The time seemed to slip past both Lestrade and Hamish for around 2 Lestrade felt a hand tapping him on the shoulder. “Can we get a takeaway for lunch?” Hamish asked. “And the telly isn’t going to eat my face is it?”
Looking up Lestrade chuckled. “No, remember he trapped the alien and then taped over it.” Lestrade got up and headed into the kitchen. “Now where should we get lunch from?”
“The Chinese place. The menu is in the top drawer,” Hamish said walking back over to John’s chair and pulling his Papa’s dressing gown around him. “What we normally get is highlighted,” Hamish informed him.
Lestrade did as he was instructed. Once he was off the phone and back on the couch Hamish paused the DVD and turned to look at him. “Uncle Lestrade? Is the glasses Doctor the only one?”
“No, there have been twelve. You are watching the tenth doctor.”
“What does the eleventh doctor look like?” Hamish asked him.
“Sorta funny. He’s tall like your Papa but has floppy hair,” Lestrade explained to him as Hamish tried to picture what he looked like.
“Is he ginger?”
Chuckling Lestrade shook his head, “no he has brown hair and wears bow ties.”
Hamish giggled and then turned back and un-paused the DVD. Soon the food was delivered. Lestrade paid for the food. He was going to try and make them eat the kitchen table but Hamish grabbed his bowl and walked over to his dad’s chair, he then pressed play to continue with the episode he was watching.
Lestrade walked and sat on the couch. “Hal we can’t watch this all day long,” he informed him as he looked back down at the case file.
“Yes we can,” he said with rice in his mouth. He stopped as he sat his bowl down. Jumping up he ran over to his Uncle. “Can we build a TARDIS out of sheets?”
Lestrade set his plate on the case file and looked at him. “I don’t think we have the right color…”
“I have blue ones up stairs!” Pausing the screen and ran up the steps. Lestrade reluctantly following. He was now beginning to think it was a bad idea to show Hamish Doctor Who. (He was like Sherlock, he found something he liked he latched onto it.) Hamish managed to open the linen closet up was too short to reach what were indeed TARDIS blue sheets.
“Aunt Sarah got them for me when I got my big bed, but we can use them.” He explained as he took off running down the steps. “I’m going to be just like Doctor!” he called out as he ran back into the living room. As Lestrade entered Hamish was ready to begin building. “Let’s make it by the window,” instructed Hamish as he pointed that way.
A few movements of chairs and a slightly unethical (to Sherlock at least) use of Sherlock’s violin case as a prop Hal had his TARDIS fort. “Now for the bow tie doctor!” he called out as he grabbed his dad’s pillow and Papa’s dressing gown and sat inside with the perfect view of the telly.
Lestrade did as he was asked. As The Eleventh Hour began Lestrade handed Hamish his now cold food. But he didn’t care he took it, never taking his eyes off the telly. As Hamish watched Lestrade went to warm up his food as he looked down at his phone not wanting to answer it. He told the Yard he needed the day off. He came back and took a seat next to Hamish in the TARDIS fort. He would take this over work.
“Bad, bad beans,” Hamish said as he repeated what the eleventh doctor said and then he giggled. Lestrade was just hoping Hamish didn’t start to think the idea of fish fingers and custard was a good idea to eat. Lestrade left the fort to clean up the dishes as Hamish kept watching. He got very excited as he got to The Time of Angels.
Hamish looked up at the angel stature that was sitting on the shelf. Ms. Hudson had gotten it for them when they got Hamish. “Uncle Lestrade….” Hamish said as he walked out of the TARDIS, keeping his eyes on the statue as he walked over to it. “We need to get rid of this.” He grabbed it with his hand and then walked it over to his Uncle in the kitchen.
“Hal….” Lestrade told him.
Hamish looked at him. Lestrade took the angle and stood there by the sink not knowing what to do with the small statue. “The oven!” Hamish cried. “But remember don’t blink!” Just as Hamish said that he heard the front door open as John and Sherlock walked in. Hamish went running to great his Daddy and Papa as Lestrade tossed the angel into the oven and shut the door.
Hamish leapt up and into John’s arms as he picked him up. “Daddy, can we have fish fingers and custard for dinner?” he asked as John looked at him.
“What?” he asked as Sherlock kissed the top of Hamish’s head happy to see their son.
“It’s what the Doctor eats! Look Uncle Lestrade made me a TARDIS!”
Now it was Sherlock’s turn to look at his son confused. “A what?” he asked him as Lestrade walked out of the kitchen to greet Sherlock and John.
“It travels through time and space and is blue! And it makes a cool whoosh sound,” explained Hamish as he looked at his Daddy and then his Papa. Sherlock was examining Lestrade’s craftsman ship and walked closer to the fort thing.
“So you like Doctor Who then,” John said as Hamish nodded his head.
Sherlock scowled. “Ridiculous, the laws of physics wouldn’t allow it.”
Hamish rolled his eyes and looked at his Papa. “He’s the Doctor Papa; he’s allowed to be ridiculous.” His son explained as he crossed his arms over his chest.
“I honestly didn’t think he would take the show the way that he did,” Lestrade told them. “Home sooner than you thought?”
“The guy was an idiot and... is that my violin case?” Sherlock asked as he walked over.
“No!” Hamish yelled as he practically leaped from John’s arms to the floor and ran over to stop his Papa from ruining the TARDIS. “Please don’t ruin her?”
Sherlock looked down at Hamish as he looked back up at his Papa with his big blue eyes and a sad face. He wasn’t pouting for he knew that would get him nowhere with his Papa or Daddy.
“He has the puppy look down,” Lestrade told John as he slipped off his coat.
“Watch this,” John told him as Hamish led Sherlock into the TARDIS.
“Now over there is the closet and then this is the main area. We call her sexy,” Hamish told him from inside the sheets. “You need to use your imagination Papa!” Hamish pleaded with him as Sherlock began to play along with his son.
Lestrade couldn’t help but chuckle as he got his coat on and put the case files back into his bag. “He can barrow the DVDs.” He told John. “He should be tuckered out we had a late lunch but it’s close to nine I’m sure he is hungry by now.”
John nodded his head as Hamish stuck his head out of the TARDIS. “Papa said I could sleep in my TARDIS tonight!”
John shook his head. “Only if Papa sleeps in there with you,” John told him.
He saw Sherlock lean over and whisper into their sons’ ear. “Papa says you have to as well.” John nodded his head. He wouldn’t be able to say no.
“Very well then. We will get our pajamas on and finish the disk. Now come say goodbye to Uncle Lestrade and thank him.” John told him.
Hamish came out of the TARDIS and hugged Lestrade by his legs. He thanked him and then made his way up to his room to get his pajamas on. John thanked Greg as he headed into the kitchen to heat the oven to heat up the leftover from Angelo’s they had still from the other evening. He opened up the oven and pulled out the angel. “Why is the angel statue in the oven?” he asked.
“See you guys on Monday. We have a case we need you two to look at,” Lestrade told them as he left. Sherlock walked back into the kitchen and looked at John as he pulled him into a hug. “Do we really need to sleep in that thing?” he asked him.
“It’s called the TARDIS and yes,” John said kissing him on the mouth. “Now let’s get our pajamas on before we have a five year old yelling at us to hurry up.
~~~
Lestrade smiled as Mrs. Hudson let him in the following day. “I haven’t heard any noise coming from them. I would tread with caution.” She explained. Greg took that as a warning and made his way up. Making sure to step loudly on the steps and make his presence known.
As he reached the landing he stopped, he didn't need to worry about much. The flat looked like it did when he left it. Just with a different season of Doctor Who sitting out on the coffee table. Walking over he saw the TARDIS was still up. But there was two feet sticking out from it. Pulling out his mobile he walked gingerly over to look into the opening.
There lie Sherlock. Greg had never seen the man sleep in his life before this. He was on this stomach. His black curls in his face that was buried in the pillow. His long arm lay contorted next to him. Greg then turned his head, to see where the faint snoring was coming from. John. He laid on his right side, his legs pulled up to his chest. But the best one of all was Hamish. He had all the blankets around him, as well as he was stretched out, his head laid next to Johns as they shared a pillow, while his feet were pressed up against Sherlock.
“This is going in the monthly email.” Greg chuckled to himself as he put the case file under his arm and took a few photographs. Putting his mobile back into his pocket he left the flat. Taking the case file with him, re-thinking that he knew Sherlock would find it boring.