Hot Diggity Dog Sherlock Fanfic

New Years

Sherlock looked at himself in the mirror, it was New Year's Eve and he, Mycroft, John, Cuddles and Toots, had all been invited to a New Year's Eve party. John looked over at Sherlock as he looked at himself in the mirror, he was wearing a long pink formal with a matching pink mask, John was wearing a gold formal with a matching gold mask, and Mycroft was wearing a blue dress with a matching blue mask. "I have to say we all look marvelous," Sherlock said as he twirled around in his formal. John laughed as the big, puffy part of the dress flared out like a beach umbrella. The three of them were going to meet Cuddles and Toots at the party and Mycroft was going to drive them in the Mom's car to the party.

As they walked into the house where the party was being held, Sherlock had to admit that the room was decorated with a type of style that was seldom taken with New Year's parties in present day London. Gold and silver streamers hung from the ceiling, music played softly on a record player in the corner of the living room and most of the furniture had been moved to allow couples to dance if they wanted to. Happy kids ate popcorn, candy and drank punch, anxiously waiting for the clock to strike midnight. Sherlock was bored at first and then he began to relax, as he watched the revelers from the sidelines. It seemed strange to attend a New Year's party where everyone was so optimistic and unafraid of the future.

John, Cuddles, and Toots beckoned for Sherlock to join them in a hula hoop contest. Sherlock smiled shyly and remained where he was. Mycroft leaned over to speak to Sherlock, "Sherlock, why don't you join them?"

Sherlock smiled and shook his head and then looked trustingly over at Mycroft, "Mycroft, do you think we will ever get home?"

Mycroft hadn't heard Sherlock ask such a simplistic question since he was a child and he found it unnerved him. "Sherlock, brother dear, none us can predict the future. For once in your life you are going to have to wing it."

Sherlock frowned, "Mycroft we had a stable home as children do you agree?"

Mycroft wasn't sure where Sherlock was going with the conversation, "Yes, why do you ask?"

"The one thing that has played on mind since we have been here is that I feel less defensive and it concerns me. It makes me feel as if I'm losing my edge, my mental acuity."

Mycroft smirked, "Never brother dear, the world could come to an end and you would still be the greatest detective I or anyone else has ever known. Let's go outside and have a cigarette, my nerves are on edge."

Sherlock looked at Mycroft sharply, "You feel it too, a kind of dark storm?"

Mycroft nodded and said, "Coming, Sherlock?                                                                                

Sherlock and Mycroft stood outside in the cold and lit their cigarettes. Mycroft looked up at the sky and watched the stars as they seemed to shimmer. "Do you remember the times when mother took us outside to look at the stars on New Year's Eve?"

Sherlock nodded as he took another drag on his cigarette, "Yes, and I remember the time I corrected her about why stars shimmered, not magic, just atmospheric disturbance."

Mycroft didn't smile back he just drew another long drag on his cigarette, "Sherlock, go on join the hula hoop contest.  This is your time to just be you, so go on brother mine."

Sherlock finished his cigarette and then went into the house. As soon as Cuddles and Toots spotted him they squealed with laughter, "Come on Sheryl, try the hula hoop out."

John was laughing too, "Come on Sherloayl let's see some hip action."

Sherlock raised an eyebrow and sighed as he held out his hand for the hula hoop. For a few moments he eyed it speculatively and then stepped into it. The hula hoop wobbled around his waist for a few seconds and then clattered to the floor. Not to be undone by a child's toy from the 1950's, Sherlock picked up the hula hoop again, took a deep breath relaxed, moved his hips in slow motion and then just like magic Sherlock found his center of gravity. Like the rings around Saturn, the hula hoop orbited around Sherlock's waist like it was a natural part of him. Ignoring the cheers of the crowd that had gathered around him, Sherlock reveled in the physical challenge of keeping the hula hoop in motion.

"Come on, everyone it's time for the New Year's Eve countdown," someone from the crowd shouted.  "10, 9, 8..." everyone screamed in unison.  Sherlock looked over at John as he counted off as enthusiastically as the rest of the group and then John's expression changed as his dark, blue eyes resumed the never ending haunted look they reflected in modern day London.

"7,6..." Sherlock ignored the count down as the hula hoop lost its momentum, and swirled around his waist, then his upper thighs, then his knees and until it finally lay in an unmoving heap at his feet. Sherlock mouthed the words, "What's wrong?"

Before John could answer the host of the party screamed, "Masks on and lights off, 4,3,2,1." The lights went out and Sherlock felt cold lips kissing his ear, "Happy New Year, Sherlock, did you miss me?"

As the lights came on Sherlock slid his mask up as the person who stood before him did the same and there like a mirrored reflection he and Moriarty faced each other.