Hot Diggity Dog Sherlock Fanfic

Safety from the East Wind

Sherlock groaned and rolled over next to John as the Mom slapped his thigh. “Get up you two or we are going to be late for church.”

Sherlock yawned and sat up, “I not sure if I believe in God or not.”

The Mom rounded on Sherlock like a terrier with a rag toy, “Sheryl, get out of bed at once and no sass, NOW.”

Sherlock sighed and nudged John, “Come on, it’s church time.”

An hour later Mycroft, Sherlock and John were all ready for church in their fluffy skirts, slips, pony tails neatly pulled back, everything was in place. As their car rolled into the parking lot, Sherlock thought of how different things were in this time. On Sunday all the stores were closed in Corona and if you wanted to buy anything you had to go to a neighboring city called La Sierra, where all the Seventh Day Adventists lived, for they went to church on Saturdays. Sherlock brought his mind around to the present as people sedately got out of their cars and greeted each other fondly, but with reserve. Once they were all inside the music began and Sherlock had to admit that there was something comforting about singing, “A Mighty Fortress is Our God.” John’s strong voice was clear and pure, the Mom’s voice was full of reverence, and Mycroft’s voice was a little off key, but sweet all the same. Sherlock nudged John as another hymn ensued. “Isn’t that Brenda sitting in front of us? You know the one that teased Mycroft yesterday at lunch?”

John leaned forward and whispered back at Sherlock, “Yes, that’s her.”

Sherlock giggled as he moved Brenda’s puffy straw bag quietly in a position where she would sit on it once the hymns were over.

“Sherlock, what are you doing?” John hissed.

“Getting even,” Sherlock hissed back.

“For Christ’s sake Sherlock, we’re in church.” John whispered.

Sherlock was about to reply that John’s outburst was not an appropriate one, when the Mom nudged him in the ribs. “Stop it,” she scolded in a voice loud enough for Sherlock to hear but not the rest of the congregation.

“I must ask her how she does that,” Sherlock thought as another hymn rolled by.

Sure enough after the last hymn was sang the choir director motioned for the congregation to sit down and sure enough there was a crackle, crackle sound as Brenda sat on her purse. Sherlock started giggling first, then John, and finally Mycroft, the more they tried to stop the more they laughed until the tears ran down their faces and just when the group got themselves under control someone would start shaking with laughter again, and like a fast moving virus mirth overtook the little group once more. It seemed like hours later when they all got themselves under control and the sermon began. It was not what Sherlock would call a boring sermon, however as the warmth from the feeling of security that one only feels when loved ones are near, sleep overtook Sherlock and he nodded off.

Unbeknownst to Sherlock the sermon was on Acts 20:9, and as the pastor reached the point in the story where a young man had fallen asleep while listening to Paul preaching, it was at this point that Sherlock leaned heavily over on John and started to plummet to the ground. John reached out to steady Sherlock, the pastor stopped for a moment momentarily flustered and then he took a short breath and resumed his sermon.

“For God’s sake Sherlock, haven’t you taken enough falls?” John whispered to a blurry eyed Sherlock.

Sherlock shrugged, “Oops, sorry.”

John and Sherlock looked at each other and then oh no the torturous feeling  of  trying to hold laughter at bay began to overtake them again and this time their shaking sent a tremor through the pew, rocking the inhabitants in a gentle sway.  Sherlock scrolled down the church bulletin and asked John a little too loudly, “So, where are we now?”