The Question of Faith in Baskerville

Chapter 1: Typical Early Morning

John jogged through the early March air. If someone had told him just last year that he would be a Christian, being mentored in his Christian walk, and up until recently be exchanging text conversations with The Woman. Quite frankly he would have swore them out for being mad. But that was how things had turned out.

Come early June, he would be celebrating his first Christian birthday. He and Sherlock were contemplating calling Mickey and Riku up, just to see how they were doing. But John still wasn't sure. It sounded as though they were in a battle of their own. There was no knowing how it was going. But John prayed that the war they were fighting was already long over, especially if any of the fighters were Riku's age or younger.

Then, of course after that world altering revelation of multiple worlds and sealing away the World's Heart, Irene Adler had flounced back into their lives. John was now thankful that he had followed God's leading that day. Surprisingly, she had texted Sherlock one last time to get John's number and then for seven months she had texted him about what she was reading. She asked questions, about the Gospels, about the numerous letters that made up the majority of the little Volume. John was surprised to discover that as she asked questions, he was compelled to find the answers both for her and himself.

Until one evening in January, nearly seven months since they'd last seen each other, John had been about to share his remarkable finds on the Faith Chapter in Hebrews. But she had texted first: "I'm going Home soon, Brother. Pray for me during my last hours on Earth. By morning, I'll be gone."

John had gotten one lone text out before tears blurred his vision. "Goodbye, Sister. I will pray. Say hi to Williams for me." He had cried and prayed throughout that long night. A night that he spent in an empty flat since Mrs. Hudson had gone to see family and Sherlock had run off who-knew-where for a case. He had managed to contact Molly and his girlfriend, Kayla, and both Christian women had helped as best they could over phone, joining him in prayer for their younger Christian sister.

A frigid gust brought John back to the present, dawn air. Spring was finally making an appearance, but Winter still was holding on in the early mornings before the sun fully rose. John blew out a breath, slowing his run as he spied his destination up ahead. He stretched his arms and legs, forced his breathing to remain even as he came to a stop.

"How can you keep moving like this day after day?"

John chuckled, turning to his mentor, George Gilbert, an older brother in his church. "I can assure you, boot camp was much more rigorous," he said, trotting up the three steps. "I have to make sure I can keep with Sherlock. At least when he allows me to tag along."

"Ah, he's already out again," George said, waving him inside.

"From what I could pick up," John said, opening his coat, "some poor wretch of a sea captain got murdered. Any number of suspects since not even his family was fond of him."

"Oh, poor man," George said.

"Precisely," John said, allowing George to hang his coat up. "Of course, Sherlock has a theory or two that he needs to check out. I'm actually not sure if he even came back to the flat last night."

George raised an eyebrow. "Potentially finishing a case and little to no sleep on top of that? I just might alert the prayer chain as you head home."

John quietly groaned. "As much as I would love to tell you it's not necessary, it would probably be for the best. I honestly think he's been getting worse between cases, as if he's trying to shove me towards the breaking point."

"All of us have our testings," George said as they settled in the living room for a cuppa. "Yours just so happens to be the world's only consulting detective."