For devinleighbee on tumblr for the johnlockchallenges. The prompt is: "Before John went into war, John's girlfriend became pregnant with a baby girl. While in Afghanistan the mother dies leaving John as the sole parent of their child. Things then proceed into ASiP but this time there's one little addition. Author's decision on when the baby was born and the relationship between John and the mother, which will determine how old she is when ASiP begins. From there it can have whatever plot points the author wants."
So, this story kinda got away from me. I mean, 20,000 words? Really? Anyway, I tried very hard to get the spirit of the prompt. I hope you like it!
The very lovely anangrylittlehobbit was my much needed beta. I am highly indebted to her.
Chapter One
June, 2002
John Watson first met Mary Morstan not long after getting his medical degree. He had stopped for a moment, trying to remove his tie, when he looked up and spotted her. Even visibly upset and distressed, she was absolutely beautiful. Words like ethereal and unreal had entered his mind, and the moment would become a memory that John cherished for the rest of his life. Mary had looked up then, and gave John a heartbreaking smile when she noticed him watching her.
"What's wrong? What can I do for you?" John had asked before he could stop himself. He approached her slowly, hoping not to startle her.
"Oh, it's nothing," Mary said, her breath catching a little. Mary would tell John later that she had talked to him because of his overwhelming sense of goodness and kindness that seemed to radiate from him. John noticed that she was fiddling with a letter in her hands, trying not to smudge the writing . "I just recieved this letter and...well, it's just so silly and I'm not sure why I'm telling you this. But this letter was from my father...and..." Mary said before bursting into tears again.
"Hey, hey, it's okay," John moved to put a comforting hand on Mary's shoulder, brushing her blond hair with his hand, trying not to marvel at the softness, but when she she threw herself into his arms, he was naturally surprised. Letting his kind nature override everything else, John hugged Mary tightly and made soothing sounds to calm her.
"Oh, I'm so sorry," Mary said after she let John maneuver her to a bench. "I'm never this emotional. You see, my father has been dead for ten years. To suddenly have this letter show up out of the blue is just jarring," she said trying to pull herself together.
"Hey, it's okay," John smiled. "I know what it's like to have only one parent. My father died when I was younger too and my mother had to raise my sister and I by herself. Trust me, if you've ever met my sister, that's a job in and of itself" he said trying to inject a little humor into the situation.
Mary gave him a watery smile, eyes still shining, nose red, and cheeks pink from embarrassment. John blinked, dazzled again by her and knew instantly that he had fallen in love. "Oh, damn," John thought wildly. "What have you done now, Watson?"John blinked again, realizing that Mary was now staring at him, causing him to blush.
"So, what about this letter, you mentioned?" he said trying not to look anywhere but her. Mary sniffled again before launching into an explanation of her long-dead father and a mysterious letter. John listened patiently as Mary explained the issue, but found that he couldn't help her at all. He still left his number with her, just in case she ever wanted to grab a coffee and just talk. it was a long shot, but John wasn't nicknamed "Three-Continents-Watson" for nothing.
John smiled crookedly as Mary slept peacefully in his arms three months later. "Sometimes," he remembered, "things just happen for a reason." Mary murmured in her sleep as John pulled her closer and kissed her forehead. She had decided that the mysterious letter was the Universe's way of placing John Watson in her path, and while she would never solve the mystery, Mary was happy of the ending.
February, 2005
"You'll write to me everyday," Mary said again while fiddling with his uniform. She was fighting to keep the tears from spilling from her eyes.
"Yes, Love, I'll write everyday that I can," John said gently, covering her shaking hands with his own. "Hey, I've never let you down, have I?" He tilted her face up to his looking into her eyes.
Mary shook her head and bit her lip. "But what if something happens to you like my father?"
"I won't be in direct combat, Love, you know that," John said and hugged her tightly. His hands rubbed circles in the small of her back, trying to soothe her. "What I need from you though, is take care of yourself. You've been ill lately and I want to you see a doctor."
"I have been seeing a doctor but he insists on leaving for Afghanistan and won't give me a proper check-up," Mary said, her head still tucked into John's shoulder.
"If I remember correctly, I believe I gaveyou a proper check-up last night," he replied, his voice dropping. "And twice more this morning," he added placing a kiss on her neck.
Mary giggled and pulled back from John. "I swear to god, John Watson, if you come back as anything less than whole I will murder you myself," she said, leveling John with her best angry stare.
"Oh, well. That's tempting then," John quipped. "Ow!" he yelped as Mary swatted his backside before giving it a firm squeeze.
"Promise me, John," Mary said turning serious. "Promise me that you'll come back."
"I promise, Love. I promise," he said and crushed her against him kissing her soundly.
August, 2005
John received the letter shortly after he arrived in Afghanistan, and after three months of training and then three more getting situated in the base, it was almost enough to drive him crazy. Slowly, he found a routine that suited him but he missed Mary terribly.
He wrote to her everyday of life in the army, what his buddies were doing and even the gossip around the camp - anything to make it familiar. John would have loved to talk to Mary everyday but the reception was too spotty and so he had to rely on the post to communicate regularly. But even with the post, sometimes weeks would pass before John received a bundle of letters from Mary.
"Here you go, Watson," a soldier said passing him a stack. "She likes writing to you, huh?"
"It keeps me going," he grinned back. John retreated into his tent with his packet, pulled the first one from the top and began reading. Soon, he sighed, wiping his face with his left hand, while clutching the letter in his right. Well, you've done it now, haven't you Watson?John straightened his shoulders and walked to his bunk to write a reply back to Mary. If asked what he wanted in the situation, John would have replied that he would support Mary in whatever decision she made. Secretly, John was thrilled. He had dreamed of a calm little life after the army with a wife, children and a practice just outside of London. While things were a bit out of order, John did not think that Mary minded much either. It was the damn distance that was probably bothering to the both of them.
I wonder why she told me now...
John shook his head and stopped writing his letter. Instead, he got up to see if he could wheel and deal for time on the phone with Mary.
"Mary?" John asked breathlessly.
"John?" It was hard to hear her clearly through the static of the telephone.
"Sweetheart, I just got your latest letter," John said trying not to alarm her. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?" He could practically hear Mary biting her lip in worry.
"I-I didn't know if you wanted children. Or what are plans were for the future," Mary finally said after some tense minutes.
"Mary, Love, I'll do whatever it is you want to do. If...if you don't want to keep it, I'll support you. If you want to keep it, I'll support you. I'll do whatever you want," John felt himself begin to babble but kept a strong rein on his words.
"I..I want to keep her," Mary finally said.
"Her?" John couldn't help but smile at her words.
"Yeah, her," Mary said. He heard the relief in her voice and the whoosh of her breathe as she let it out.
"You're brilliant, you know that right?" John felt tears start to well up.
"I love you too," Mary said and started crying.
"Marry me," John blurted out. He could have smacked himself.
"What?"
John tried not to sigh loudly - this was not how he wanted to propose to Mary - and said, "will you please marry me, Mary Elisabeth Morstan, love of my life, mother of my daughterand holder of my heart?" John was suddenly aware that it had gone very quiet around him as the other soldiers tried very hard not to eavesdrop on his conversation.
"Yes!" Mary squealed loudly into the phone, causing John to pull the receiver away from his ears. Around him cheers spontaneously erupted and he was violently slapped on the back and hugged awkwardly, but John could only hear the voice of his beloved as they sobbed together.
November, 2005
John had somehow managed to gain almost a month's leave and in that month, John Watson became a husband and father almost simultaneously. His mother, Harry, and Clara fussed over him almost non-stop while he was home - bubbling and bursting into tears almost every ten minutes. Their happiness was only outshone by John and Mary's happiness.
Since that day in August, Mary had flooded John with pictures, sonograms and almost minute-by-minute updates of their baby daughter.
"I like these names: Ainsley, Caroline, Evanna, Fiona, Iona, Isla, Moira, Avelina, Gillian, Ina and Aideen," John said listing the names off in his head.
"Ainsley? Are you kidding me? Ainsley Morstan-Watson? Seriously? No, just cross that off your list right this instant," Mary shot back. "Aideen and Ina are no names for a baby girl. Moira is a bit of a mouthful and I don't like Iona or Isla. So, that leaves us with Caroline, Evanna, Fiona, Avelina and Gillian. You got that?"
"Yes, ma'am," John deadpanned, biting his cheeks to keep from smiling.
"And don't you dare smile at me John Hamish Watson. You should be sending flowers and chocolates to your mother, Harry and Clara since they have to be the surrogate you during this whole pregnancy!"
John's smile instantly dropped off. "I'm so sorry, Love," John said quietly. "I'd be there if I could."
Mary sighed heavily, "Oh, John. I didn't mean it that way."
"I know, but I feel so guilty and things are just so...out of order," John said drifting off.
"Out of order?"
"Oh, um...yeah," John said realizing that he had just fallen into a trap of his own making.
"You were planning on asking me to marry you?"
"Um...err..yes," John finally said a little defeated. He had dreamed of asking her during a picnic under the moon and stars. John even had the engagement ring, thanks to months of careful planning on his part, but he settled for the slipshod proposal and hoped for the best.
"Prat," Mary said affectionately, almost knowing exactly the type of proposal he had in mind.
John laughed.
How time flies, John thought nervously. Despite being thousands of miles away, John never felt closer to Mary than he did those few months between August and November. He never wanted to be one of those husbands who left their significant other to do everything while he did nothing, it made him feel useless being so far away from her.
Before he knew it, John was standing in a small chapel filled with their family and friends - admittedly not too many family members since Mary was an orphan and John did not have much family outside of his mother and sister. What they lacked in family members they made up for in friends. Despite this lack everyone within John and Mary's family and friends couldn't have been any happier for them. Everyone was beaming and giggly over the wedding and the absolute joy in the air could not be denied.
John eyed his reflection in the mirror and grinned broadly as Clara brushed off non-existent lint from his shoulders and winked at him. "You look dashing, Captain Watson," she said and planted a small kiss on his cheek.
"Oi! You'll get lipstick on his collar! Then what will Mary think!" Harry said as she rubbed the lipstick off his face.
John continued to grin, not letting the smell of Harry's whiskey-tinged breath affect him.
After the ceremony, all John could remember was the brilliant smiles that seemed to light the entire chapel, filling it with such a brilliant and warm glow that it was all that John could do to not burst from the happiness that he felt. He was pretty sure that Mary felt the same way, if he could judge anything from the ear to ear grin that she sported.
"I love you," John whispered. Their foreheads touched as his fingers brushed over the wedding ring on Mary's hand.
"I love you, too. My parents would have loved you," Mary whispered back. Suddenly, Mary gasped and clutched his hand.
"Mary? What is it?" John said, panic filling his eyes.
"Oh, my god. I think my water just broke."
From there pandemonium broke loose. Clara, the calmest of John's family, was at the wheel of the car while John and Mary were in the backseat panicking. "John, Mary, I need you to stay calm for me, will you? We'll be there soon, I promise." It didn't take a psychic to figure out that the almost new parents were barely hanging on. Clara was able to safely get them to the hospital, where they settled in to await the arrival of the newest Watson. Later, when Clara related the story to John, he looked at her blankly. "Don't worry, Dad. Forgetfulness is part of being a parent."
After almost 23 straight hours of labor, almost crushed hands, and the frantic pacing of family and friends outside, John and Mary welcome into the world their baby daughter, Fiona Katherine Morstan-Watson. From that day on, John plastered his personal belongings with pictures of Mary and Fiona. He sent letters, pictures and bits of interesting things to his wife and daughter while also recording his thoughts in journals that he sent to Mary. He poured over every little tidbit that Mary sent him and cooed over the baby when they were lucky enough to get a Skype connection.
"Da-da!" Fiona said nearly six months later while reaching her arms out to John. The video was grainy at best but to John Watson this was the best thing he had ever seen.
"I love you, my darling little Fee," he said, tears streaming down his eyes.
"Da-da!" Fiona said bubbling with happiness. Mary beamed at the both of them, feeling lucky to have such a man at her side, even if he was currently many miles away.
August, 2009
"John," a voice to his left said.
John looked up and squinted in the bright sunlight. "What is it, Murray? I have to get him stabilized before I can talk to you."
"Let David take over. I need to talk to you," Murray said. John frowned at his friend but did as he was asked, letting the other medic in. He walked after Murray and noticed that he was out of earshot from the rest of the camp.
"What is it Murray?" John said, feeling the icy knot of fear clenched in his stomach. Is it Harry? Did her drinking finally get her? Is it Mum? Clara? Oh, god. Not Mary. Not Fiona. Oh, my god. Please not Mary or Fiona.
"There was an accident, John. Mary was walking with Fiona and your Mum to the park when a car lost control and hit Mary. Fiona's fine, shaken but fine. I'm so, so sorry, John but it was instantaneous." Murray said not able to meet John's eyes anymore. "Mary's gone."
Mary's gone. Mary's gone. Mary's gone. Mary's gone. Mary's gone. Mary's gone. Mary's gone. Oh, my god. What am I going to do? Fiona! Oh, my lovely little Fiona. What are we going to do?
John took several moments to compose himself before meeting Murray's eyes and requesting some time and a computer to Skype to London and his little Fiona.
"Daddy," Fiona said sleepily as his mother held his precious baby in her arms. John gave her a cursory glance before focusing his attention on Fiona.
"Hi, Lovely Little Fee," John said gently. "How are you?"
"I want Mama," Fiona said grumpily and rubbed her eyes.
"I know, Baby, I know. I want Mama too. But...but Mama's not coming back," John said, wishing he could be there to hold her. He could hear the sobs filling her chest, making his heart break ever more. John held his tears in check, trying to be strong for his daughter.
"Mama was taken away by that bad man in the car," she said, her eyes beginning to fill with tears.
"Yes, she was." John was feeling even more guilty about the whole situation. I should have never come to Afghanistan.
"I want you here, Daddy," Fiona said, sniffling.
"I want to be there too, Fee. I'll be there as soon as I can, okay?"
"Okay," she said.
"You're my brave, brave girl. And I love you very, very much," John said, feeling his heart break.
"I love you too, Daddy," Fiona said.
"Watson! We need you over here! Murray's been injured!" The consistent sounds of gunfire, explosions, and men screaming made hearing difficult, causing John to flinch at almost everything going on around him. He shook his head roughly trying to focus on tending to a wounded soldier when more gunfire broke out just a few blocks away. That sounded closer, John thought. I need to move faster.
"I need someone to take this man back to the unit!" John screamed as a corporal ran towards him to help the wounded man back to a safer position. John was sweating underneath his layers of uniform and what wasn't covered in cloth was covered in layers of sweat, grit, and sand. He pushed his goggles up to wipe the sweat from his eyebrows.
"Watson! Get the fuck over here!" The gunfire was getting closer, he needed to move before something happened to him. John put his goggles back on and started running towards the sound of the voice. Behind him, bullets whizzed past him kicking up more dirt and grime into the air. Where the fuck is everyone? This isn't normal. There are usually civilians in a town of this size. This is wrong! Something is wrong!
Finding the source of the voice, another medic was tending to Murray as John arrived. The sound of the fighting was getting closer but between the two of them, they were able to patch-up Murray well enough to transport him to a better facility. As they watched Murray's ambulance rush away, the sudden silence that descended around them raised John's hackles. The loud explosion to their right burst through the wall and knocked them backwards.
"Get out of here! Get the fuck out of here!" John shouted before turning to make sure the other medic was okay. That was when the sniper took aim for John, who fell to his knees hard as the bullet pierced his shoulder. John felt time slow down as the rest of his body his the ground, barely feeling it, as another bullet whizzed past his ear and into the wall behind him. He blinked slowly, feeling the blood gush from his wound and pool around him. John's breathing was shallow as he stared sideways at what was happening around him. Sound was muffled to a dull roar, words were stretched and distorted, causing John to flinch again. He felt heavy, heavier than he ever thought possible. The sand was everywhere on him, irritating the skin and rubbing him raw. He felt hands on him as the person tried to assess how much damage had been done to him. A black curtain slowly fell in front of his eyes and the last thing John thought before blacking out was of Fiona and Mary. I'm so sorry, my love. I failed you. I should have never have come here.
Thank you for reading. Reviews are always welcome.