Day 1 - Monday 10th July
Beginnings - It's time to start something new and trust the magic of beginnings.
"Very well. I believe I am ready. This is and will be, the hardest thing I will ever do in my life. Success is not guaranteed. Failure would be devastating. Lives rest on my shoulders and I will not disappoint. My mind rebels at stagnation. So I will take this problem, this intricate analysis, and I will be in my element. This is the start of something new, and the mental exaltation is everything I've been craving. Accidental and unexpected as it is. To a great mind, nothing is little, which...I suppose, is good news for you."
Sherlock Holmes had that look in his eye. The one of solving a new puzzle. The one of intense focus and intellectual prowess. A man with superhuman abilities. The consulting detective that could bring murderers to justice and take them away himself, if needed. A master in his element.
Give or take.
For he sat in his chair, his Baker Street chair, with a baby in his lap. No ordinary baby it was, this baby was his.
William Sterling Romanov-Holmes lay on his back with his head near Sherlock's knees and his butt closer to Sherlock's body. His little legs were up in the air. He'd just learned he could grab his feet and found that all quite entertaining.
It was so new. Sherlock had hardly any experience caring for a baby one-on-one. Even with Zariah, either Naomi or Mycroft or Natasha or Molly had always been with him. Right now he was alone. With Sterling. Natasha would be back soon, she'd come in from the cold any moment now and snap a picture or five and they'd laugh about it. He could always text her if he needed her too. Not a problem. But he was Sherlock Holmes, he was not going to let a baby defeat him.
Peering up at him, Sterling's tiny brows pinched in a concentrated frown. His bright green eyes were all-seeing, constantly seeking new and exciting things out. Naturally. As a growing baby, there was so much to take in. Right on schedule. He wiggled again, bouncing in place, all while learning to control his growing body.
Sherlock studied him. Because that's what this was. A new puzzle, a new mystery to solve, a singular experiment. A beginning of something good, and hopefully someone who would not grow to hate him like so many people did.
He cleared his throat. "Sterling," he started, very professionally helping Sterling to grasp his tiny socked feet. "You're getting it, just hold your toes like so. You'll be running around in circles before we know it." Sterling made a blubbery noise from his little lips. "And talking more articulately than gurgles. I do hope so, having an intelligent conversation with you is one of my long-term goals. Balance of probability suggests you'll be able to keep up."
Sterling's brow's settled into that concentrated frown again. This time Sherlock frowned too, matching the expression on the baby's face. Unintentionally.
At that, and after a moment's hesitation as he figured it out, Sterling giggled. It was a rare sound. Beautiful and new. Sherlock couldn't help but smile like a boy on Christmas morning. "You'll have to forgive me, child, this is new. Quite new for me. I don't want to disappoint you, or mess you up, or let you fall into chaos as I did. But I am going to try my best for you. That means no drugs. A new beginning for me too. Because I don't need to get high, I have the real thing." He jiggled Sterling's foot, prompting another giggle. Apparently that stimuli created this reaction. Humorous. Sherlock tickled his foot a bit longer until the wiggling almost pushed him out of Sherlock's lap and both of them were laughing.
Sherlock scooped the boy up to cradle him in his arms. And in the solitude of their home, he pressed a gentle kiss to the pink cheek of the infant. "You're an incredible mystery. I'm keeping you. Mine."