Sherlock's First Time Babysitting

Flasks sat on the kitchen counter of 221B Baker Street. Sherlock Holmes poured two solutions into a beaker with a small square of fabric at the bottom. John Watson quickly came through the door with a large diaper bag over his shoulder and a baby seat carrier in the other hand. He put them down on his old chair near the fireplace. John went into the kitchen and watched Sherlock drain the liquid from the beaker to discover the piece of fabric had disintegrated. Though it seemed John had entered without notice, he knew the detective would ignore him until he finished his work.

"Sherlock, I need to go. I've got the car waiting outside."

Sherlock looked up from the reaction. He noticed that John was wearing a suit. John and Mary were going to dinner and had asked Sherlock to watch their daughter for the first time. The pair moved into the living room where John got his wallet from the baby bag. Sherlock saw that he had more cash than usual with him.

"We have a dinner reservation at 6:45, so I'll pick her up at, I don't know, err-"

"10:00," Sherlock interrupted quickly. He had deduced this because of the early reservation and how John was dressed up; they were going to a high class restaurant that would take about two hours to eat. The sum of money in John's wallet led him to the conclusion that they would be having a glass or two of wine at the bar after their meal.

"Um, yes, well. I've got to go." John muttered collecting his things. He was use to Sherlock knowing what was going on without him having to say anything. Though the detective didn't show off like this as much since his return, he often did with John, because he know his friend understood his need to keep his mind busy and working at all times. John bent down and kissed Emma on the forehead.

"See you soon, love," he whispered.

Sherlock watched him with his sad blue eyes, but still smiling at the precious baby John called his own.

"Thank you, so much," he said turning to Sherlock.

John hurried along out the door talking as Sherlock followed him down the stairs.

"You are going to need to feed her. All her stuff is there. If you need anything just call me."

"We'll be fine. Now go," Sherlock answered opening the door that led to the street for John. He saw Mary waiting in the car, smiled and waved to her. Mary blew a little kiss to him and laughed at Sherlock's puzzled look when he scrunched up his nose.

John got into the car, but not without calling, "Now don't do anything crazy with her!"

Back inside the flat, Sherlock moved the little 6 month old Emma near the black chair where he sat.

"What does he think I'm going to do with you? Thinks I'm going to take you on a high speed helicopter chase around London. Probably because he was scared last time we did that," he said to himself smiling at the memory of one of his recent adventures with the man.

Sherlock began to go through the bag John had left. He opened up a blue lunch bag filled with a bottle, formula, and baby foods. The one he happened to take out was squash. He twisted the jar open and sniffed its contents. Sherlock took with his index finger some of the brown mush from the bottom of the cap and carefully tasted the food. His entire face shriveled up as he stuck out his tongue.

"You actually eat this?" he gagged, trying to get the horrible taste out of his mouth. Sherlock cleaned off his hand and whipped his lips on napkin. "Well, open up."

Taking the tiny spoon, he began to feed Emma, but she was refusing to eat. She began whining and tossing her head back and forth. Thankfully Sherlock had put a bib on Emma, so when she spat out the food it did not dirty her shirt. Sherlock opened another jar of food thinking that the protest was from the disgusting taste. After several tries Sherlock grew frustrated.

"Yes, I know mummy and daddy aren't here, but you must eat!"

Emma began to cry. Throwing clothes, blankets, and toys on the floor, Sherlock dug out the baby pacifier from the bag. But like the food, Emma was reluctant to keep it in her mouth. Sherlock didn't know what to do.

He was about to yell for Mrs. Hudson, but remembered she was not currently home. He certainly didn't want to call John and disturb their first real date after having the baby. And them thinking he was not capable of watching her. He was most likely worried about him with his daughter already. The only other person Sherlock knew would help him was Molly Hopper. Molly would surely know what to do. Sherlock texted her, saying that he had an emergency, and that she needed to come to the flat right away.

Twenty minutes later, Molly walked in to Sherlock holding a crying Emma, 3 jars of open baby food, blankets and toys all over the floor.

"This is your emergency?" she said with a confused and concerned look.

"She won't stop. I don't see why, I did everything the books said," Sherlock moaned gesturing to the stack on parenting and child care books that he had gotten before Emma was born on the table

Molly quickly scooped up Emma from Sherlock and bounced her up and down in her arms.

"Shh, shh, shh. It's okay. Shh," she murmured, pacing slowly.

Sherlock watched her as Emma began to grow quiet. She nuzzled her head into Molly's scarf while she rubbed her little head of blonde hair. Molly grabbed a teething ring from the mess and gave it to Emma, who started to chew on it.

"How did you…" Sherlock questioned pointing at Molly.

"It just comes natural, I guess. Um. Any ways, I think she needs her diaper changed."

Molly went into the kitchen to changed Emma's diaper, while Sherlock cleaned up the mess he had made. Going through Molly had done to calm Emma down. He took note and tried to figure out what he had done differently.

"Don't let Mrs. Hudson know I had a baby's naked bum on her kitchen table," Molly said walking back into the sitting area.

"I'm sure it's fine. I once had a man's severed head there. You should have seen her face," Sherlock joked.

Molly put Emma back into the baby carrier and propped it up. Sherlock gave her a stuffed animal otter. They laughed as Emma took the doll in her hands and squeezed it against her face. He felt much calmer now that Molly was with him. Sherlock began to feed her again. This time Emma's mouth opened right away.

"See, she was just fussy before! Stubborn like you," Molly said, playfully elbowing Sherlock in the arm. "Watch, don't let any spill on her."

Sherlock took the spoon and swooped up the food from Emma's chin.

"No, she gets that attitude from John," he replied looking at Molly's little smile toward him.

When Emma was all finished eating, Sherlock made Molly a cup of tea.

Throughout the rest of the evening, the two continued to keep Emma occupied. They played peek-a-boo with her, which Sherlock found very stupid, until Molly convinced him to try. When he did, Emma started laughing and shaking her arms uncontrollably. Emma sat on Molly's lap as Sherlock read to them a children's book about a family of hedgehogs. They played with the toys packed in the diaper bag and even sat on the floor trying to get Emma to crawl.

Whenever, the baby started to get whiny Molly would carry her around the room and Emma would start smiling again. Sherlock watched impressed by her ability to do this every time.

"You know John was worried to have me watch her tonight. I guess he was right about his assumption," Sherlock announced to Molly from his desk.

"I don't think so. You just needed someone here with you. You always do," she replied looking up at him from the floor with Emma.

"What is that suppose to mean?"

"You miss him, Sherlock. John's not here at much only when you are working on cases. That's why you come visit me at work. And that's why you invited me here."

"I needed help. I'm not suited to be her god-father," Sherlock said.

Molly got on her feet and picked Emma up from the floor.

"Maybe you needed a little help, but you are the only one right to be her god-father. You promised to protect her even before John."

Molly gave Emma to Sherlock. He looked at her little body in his arms thinking about the struggle John and Mary went through before she was born. He was so thankful that his friend was able to work everything out and regain his happiness. John had moved back with Mary from Baker Street soon after Christmas at Sherlock's parent's house. Sherlock held Emma close to him on his lap facing him while his finger drew small circles on her arm and hand. He looked back up at Molly who had moved next to him to watch the baby's face light up as she looked at Sherlock.

"When I was with Tom, he would say some stuff about you not really caring about anyone but yourself. But I told him he was very wrong. You have become one of the most caring persons, Sherlock. That's why John made you her god-father. Not because you are his best friend, but because he knew you would always be there. Not just for her, but for him."

Sherlock had made the vow to protect his best friend and his family. He thought about the people that could bring harm to Emma everyone he loved. The sociopath had and would again sacrifice himself for these people.

"Yes, I will always be there for our John Watson. But you, Molly, you will always be there for me," he said turning to her with a smile and big youthful eyes.

While Sherlock was turned to Molly, Emma reached up and grabbed onto his curly black hair.

"Ouch! Ouch! Emma!" he exclaimed in a confused voice. "Ah, stop it!"

"Oh, Gosh! Let go, sweetie," Molly told Emma, while giggling at how silly Sherlock looked with his head bent over trying to keep Emma from pulling his hair even more. She took Emma's fingers and began to pry them off Sherlock.

Emma released her grip on Sherlock's hair and shocks her hands in excitement. Molly picked her up again and let her keep hold onto her own fingers. Sherlock stood up and ruffled his hair. His hands shook quickly as his fingers ran through his curly locks.

"Now why would you do a thing like that?" Sherlock asked Emma teasing as he then rubbed her head.

"I guess, she just couldn't resist it's so fluffy and tempting."

"Err, yes," he replied slightly embarrassed. "Well don't do it again. Anyway, they'll be back soon enough."

After he changed Emma into the pair of pajamas Mary had packed, Sherlock joined Molly on the sofa. He laid Emma in the baby carrier Molly had set up on the coffee table. They rocked her in it slowly as she started to yawn. It was peaceful for Sherlock to have to company of Molly next to him. He didn't think about how John would have to pick up Emma soon and, that he would be alone again in his empty flat. He only thought about how much he cared for precious Emma and how appreciative he was to have Molly with him. Emma's little eyes looked up at the two smiling faces sitting next to each other. They slowly began to close. She gave one last yawn and shake, before she fell asleep. Molly giggled and Sherlock smiled at the adorable sight.

Silence fell on the flat, when they both turned to look at each other. Their knees almost touching, Sherlock looked Molly in the eyes.

"Thank you, Molly Hopper."

"Um, it's no problem," she nervously replied blushing. She quickly got up before Sherlock could kiss her on the cheek like he had done twice. She wished to stay and sit with him forever, but couldn't bring herself to. "I best be off, you know. It's getting late."

Sherlock continued to sit motionless, watching his guest as she scrambled around the room to grab her coat from the desk.

"Okay, thank you! Um, good night. Hmm. Um. Good bye, Sherlock" she rambled on making her way awkwardly out.

Molly shut the door behind her and took a deep breath in and out. She tried to shake the goosebumps from the intimate moment with Sherlock, but knew her feels wouldn't go away. They never did. Then she started her descent down the steps from the detectives flat.

Sherlock got up after he heard the door close downstairs and silently went to the window. Pulling the curtain away, he watched sadly as Molly got onto the street and into a cab. He turned around and looked at the empty room. He stared at John's old chair, then back out the window to the empty street wishing Molly would have stayed with him. Sherlock took a deep breath in and out.

Sherlock picked up sleeping Emma from the carrier and walking around the room rubbing her back the same way he had observed Molly doing. He thought about all that Molly had said to him. Then he laid her in the middle of his bed and tucked her in with one of her blankets and the stuffed otter. Sherlock bent down and kissed Emma on the forehead.

"Good night, love," he whispered.