It Started With Stealing | Sherlock Holmes

84 - Babysitting

"Would you rather her cry all day? Hm?"

"...No..." Sherlock sighed, "Look, Elizabeth, we're fine here. Here, you want the skull? Don't throw it - ow! Ava!"

And she heard the baby crying more.

"Good luck." She sighed, "You obviously need it."

"Luck isn't real and is always against the person who depends on it."

"Goodbye, Sherlock."

"Have a - ow - nice day."

And then she hung up the phone, shaking her head and running her fingers through her hair. She was fighting against every guy feeling in her body not to go back to the flat now.

*  *  *  *  *  *

At the GP clinic, the second John was on his break, he was on call to Sherlock too.

"Hi mate, how's everything going with Ava?"

"Ava? Who's Ava?"

John couldn't tell if he was joking or not, "The...baby?"

"Oh right, yes...the baby..."

"How is everything?"

"Uh...great. We're doing really well."

"Okaaay." John's eyes narrowed as he listened, "Are you sure?"

"John. Can I ask you something?"

"Yes?"

"Theoretically...if I were to lose a baby - "

"Oh God. Sherlock, where the hell is Ava?"

"No. No. She's fine, she's here. I'm capable of looking after a small child. This is only theoretically - so theoretically, if I were to lose a baby, where would you look in the flat?"

John pinched the bridge of his nose, despairing, "Where's Mrs Hudson?"

"She went out to get more supplies. Something about the wrong milk."

"Okay, I'm coming back to the flat."

"What? No! Stay at work. I can do this. I just - where would you look John?"

"Under tables, chairs? Jesus, Sherlock, she's a small child? Are the flat doors closed?"

"Yes." Sherlock gave a nervous chuckle, "Yes, of course!"

John heard the sound of a closing door and felt the panic rise in him. This was such a big mistake. What had they done? You couldn't have one child look after another. Then he heard a gasp.

"There you are!"

John sighed with relief.

"Devil child." Sherlock muttered, "Get here. There we go. Say hi to John, proof of life and all."

There was the sound of a hiccough and Sherlock's disgusted sigh.

"Oh...okay then. Spew over the person that just saved you from instant death by electricity."

John didn't know whether to laugh or cry - Ava certainly knew which and her answer was the latter.

"I think - no - I have got things handled here John. No need for you to come back early."

"Okay..." John just nodded slowly.

"Have a - ow! Ava, not my hair - "

The phone hung up and John gently put his mobile on the desk in front of him. Dear God, what had they done to deserve this? Arguably, one would say they were simply good people seeing as someone trusted them enough with their own child but this? This was a mistake. He shook his head, rubbing his hands over his eyes. The quicker he could finish, then the quicker he could get back to the flat.