A Family Divided

Prologue

March 1979

A man paces down a short length of a hospital corridor. He pauses looking into one of the windows. He sighs and resumes his pacing. A muffled scream sounds from the room the man had paused by. He flinches but doesn't stop his pacing. He glances at the window of the now quiet room. 'Come on.' He mutters. He keeps pacing as the seconds turn into minutes and the minutes turn into an hour. Nurses, midwives and other nervous husbands walk past at various intervals. One of these men stops and watches him.

'First time father?' the first man stops his pacing and looks at the newcomer. He nods. 'The first child is always the most nerve wracking.'

'You expecting too?'

'My third.'

'Do you want a boy or girl?'

'Got two girls. I hope to even out the numbers. You?'

'I don't know. My wife would love a daughter, I wouldn't mind a son.' The newcomer laughs.

'Only one of you will get the choice you desire.' The two men laugh. A midwife exits the room where the scream originated.

'Mr Siger Holmes?' the two men look over at her.

'Yes?' The first replies hesitantly.

'You may go in now. Your wife needs you.' Siger Holmes and the other man look at each other.

'Go on. She needs you.'

'You now have the advantage over me.'

'Tennant. Christopher Tennant.'

'Thanks for the distraction.' Siger Holmes turns and walks towards the midwife.

'Good talking to you Mr Holmes.'

'And to you Mr Tennant.' Siger replies over his shoulder. He follows the woman into his wife's room.

He walks over to the bed and looks down at his wife holding his first-born child. He smiles at the sight of the two of them. His wife looks up at Siger. 'Do you want to hold him?' Siger nods speechless. He carefully takes the bundle of baby and blankets in his arms and he gently rocks the baby. Cradling the child in the crook of one arm he uses the other two gently stroke the baby's cheek.

'Violet what are we going to call him?'

'I thought Mycroft Siger Holmes would be perfect for him.' Siger's smile grows broader.

'Welcome to the family Mycroft Siger Holmes.' the baby stirs and his little fists work free of the blanket. One of them grabs hold of Siger's finger and holds on. Siger looks up at Violet. 'He is perfect.'

August 1983

Four year-old Mycroft and his father wait in the same corridor that Siger waited in nearly four years previously. Mycroft sits on a chair watching his father pace in the corridor. Siger looks up from his pacing and spots his son watching him. 'You okay Myc?' Mycroft nods and looks down the length of the corridor. Siger resumes his pacing.

'Daddy?' Siger stops and takes a seat next to his son. Mycroft looks at his feet before continuing 'Were you like this when I was born?' Siger smiles at his son.

'You really have the family traits don't you.' Siger ruffles his son's hair. 'And yes I was, probably even more so.' Mycroft tidies his hair after his father has removed his hand. Siger stands and starts pacing again. Mycroft shoves his hands under his legs and swings his feet.

'Daddy?'

'Yes Mycroft?'

'What will you name the babies?' Siger squats in front of his son.

'Mummy and I thought you might like to chose the names.' Mycroft smiles a smile that could light up the entire hospital. 'Let me know when you've thought of one.'

'Four.' Siger raises his eyebrows. 'Two boy names and two girl names.' Siger smiles and stands. He steps back and leans against the wall to watch his son think. Siger watches as the expressions change on Mycroft's face as he considers all the names he can think of. As Mycroft's expression settles Siger leans forward.

'Well?'

'If they're boys, James Anthony and Victor Rupert. If they're girls Irene Violet and Julia May.'

'What if you have a new brother and sister?'

'James Anthony and Irene Violet.' Further down the corridor a door opens. Mycroft and Siger and a midwife gestures for them to enter the room. Mycroft hops off his chair and takes the hand offered by his father. Together they enter the room and approach the end of the bed where the incubator is situated. Siger lifts Mycroft to look in at his new brother and sister.

'Well Mycroft, what are we calling your new siblings.' Violet's voice floats down the bed towards the four year-old. 'You have a brother and a sister.'

'James Anthony, Irene Violet.'

'Would you like to hold one of them?' Mycroft nods and his fathers carries him to the side of Violet's bed and seats him of the edge. Siger moves back to the incubator and picks up one of the bundles of blanket and baby.

'Mycroft Siger Holmes, meet you new sister Irene Violet Holmes.' Siger places the bundle into Mycroft's arms. Mycroft smiles and baby Irene opens her eyes. The brother and sister look at each other and Irene smiles and gurgles making Mycroft giggle. A crying sound emits from the incubator. Siger picks up baby James and rocks him to soothe the baby. Mycroft giggles again watching his father and brother.

'What is it Croft?'

'James is jealous.'

January 1986

Three children sit in the same corridor as three years previously and intently watch a door. The girl in the middle whispers to her brothers 'How long will it be now?'

'I don't know Rene.' Her older brother replies.

'But Myc, you know everything.' The younger boy whines.

'No I don't Jim. I have a lot to learn. Mummy and Daddy know much more than me.'

'Will it be a boy or girl Myc?' Irene asks.

'We'll find out soon enough.'

'What do you want it to be Myc?'

'I don't know Jim. I wouldn't mind another brother or sister.'

'I want a sister.' Irene states categorically. 'I have two brothers so I want a sister.' Jim smiles manically.

'I want a brother.'

'I just want another healthy sibling.' Mycroft sighs as the twins both slip off their seats and start squabbling in the middle the corridor. He watches them for a very short while before slipping off his seat and stepping between his two siblings. A scream sounds from nearby making the twins freeze and grab their older brother.

'What was that?' stutters Irene. Mycroft removes her hands from his leg and lifts her back on her seat.

'Nothing to worry about.' Mycroft disentangles himself from his little brother as well and also lifts him back on to his seat. 'It won't harm us.' Mycroft climbs back on to his seat between them. He puts his arms around the two of them and cuddles them close to him. The three of them hear footsteps approach them down the corridor. They look up and

'Daddy!' Irene squeals. She slips off her seat again and runs to him. He scoops her into his arms and spins her around. Jim watches for a couple of minutes before also running to his father. He too is scooped up and the two of them are sat on their father's hips holding hands around his neck. Siger Holmes carries them back down the corridor towards Mycroft.

'How have they been Myc?'

'Not as bad as normal.' Siger sets the twins back on the floor and removes their arms from his neck. He gathers up his eldest into a hug.

'Sorry it took me so long to get here.'

'It's okay Daddy. You're here now.'

'Which room?' Mycroft points to the door they had been watching. Siger stands and strides over to the door. He glances back at his three children. 'Wait there.' He pushed door open and walks into the room. Minutes later he returns to the corridor and beckons to the children. They walk down the corridor Jim and Irene slip their hands into Mycroft's and they follow their father into the room. Siger puts his finger to his lips before kneeling down and whispering. 'You have to be really quiet. Mummy's asleep and the baby isn't very well. I will lift each of you up so you can see your baby brother.' Mycroft, Jim and Irene nod. Siger lifts each one up and they look into the incubator. After Siger had set Irene back on the floor. He leads them back out into the corridor.

'What's his name?' Mycroft asks.

'Sherlock. Sherlock Joseph Holmes.' Mycroft frowns at the expression on his father's face.

'What's wrong with him Daddy?'

'He was born too early Rene.'

'Will he die?'

'No Jimmy, he should be strong enough to pull through.' Mycroft ignores the rest of the questions asked by the twins. He walks down the corridor to the chairs. He climbs up and sits there thinking.