Chapter Four
After having successfully changed his first nappy (with much help from John), Sherlock meandered out of the kitchen, a bottle in one hand, Carmen resting peacefully in the crook of his arm.
"Thank you, John," he said, rather embarrassedly, turning back to give the doctor a small smile.
"You'll get the hang of it," he chuckled. "Oh! Hey, I've got to go! I'm going to be late… Umm… Do you think you'll be okay?"
"Please, John. You think I can't take care of a baby? Yes. We'll be fine."
"Okay," the doctor said skeptically, giving his flat mate a sly smile. "Good luck then. If you need anything, just ring me and I'll be right over. Even if it's late… Bye, Carmen," he said happily, reaching forward to wrap his hands around the girl's tiny ones. He shook them gently, making funny babbling noises, which caused Carmen to giggle and grin.
Smiling at the little girl, John pulled away, releasing Carmen's hands. He gave Sherlock a warm smile. "Right, then," he said quietly. "I'll see you later. Remember, you can call me at any time."
"Thank you, John. I will, but I'm sure we'll be fine. Have a good—you know—time with Mary… On your date," he said awkwardly, eyes downcast. "I'll be sure to call if I need anything."
John smiled at his friend. "Thanks, Sherlock. I'll see you two later." With one last reassuring smile, the doctor turned around and hurried out of the flat.
With the closing of the front door, the flat was suddenly silent except for the quietly babbling of Carmen as she began to chew on her fingers.
Sherlock drew his attention away from the empty stairwell and back to the little girl in his arms. He smiled, chuckling to himself as Carmen continued to gnaw away at her hand.
"Hope they taste good," he chuckled, sitting down in his chair. He grabbed the remote and turned on the television, switching it to a children's show.
"There we go," he said quietly, moving Carmen so she was sitting upright in his lap, leaning back against his stomach.
"Hey, Carmen… See?" Smiling at the little girl, Sherlock pointed to the screen, hoping to draw her attention to the show.
Eventually, upon hearing the noise coming from the television, Carmen gazed up at the cartoons playing on the screen, fingers now forgotten.
"Muuu," she hummed quietly, staring wide-eyed at the screen. Her small head fell back, gently bumping against Sherlock's stomach.
The detective smiled fondly, and wrapped his hand around Carmen's tiny middle, subconsciously playing with her chubby fingers with the other hand.
Suddenly and with a slight gasp, Carmen squealed happily, laughing at the cartoons on the screen. Her head wobbled slightly, brushing against Sherlock's shirt. Chuckling, the detective released Carmen's fingers to help steady her shaky body.
"There you go," he murmured as the little girl regained her balance, still totally entranced by the telly.
She began to laugh again, happily flailing her arms about. Grinning widely, she reached down, wrapping her hand around one of the fingers Sherlock had around her middle.
"Buu!" she cooed happily, leaning her head back to gaze up at the detective with a large smile on her face.
"Hey there," he said happily, giving the little girl a warm smile.
"Baaa," she replied, her grip tightening around Sherlock's finger. She smiled up at Sherlock, and, wobbling greatly, tried to reach for the detective's face with her free hand.
His deep rumble of a laugh filling the flat, Sherlock gently grabbed Carmen's tiny hand in his own. "Got them!" Grinning, he bent down, and pressed a tender kiss to the little girl's fingers.
Deep blue eyes bright with happiness, Carmen's smile slowly faded to be replaced by a peaceful, yet concentrated expression. Her hand subconsciously clenched and unclenched around Sherlock's finger.
"Hello," the detective murmured, gazing down at Carmen with a small smile on his lips. "I wonder what you think about," he mused out loud, eyes scanning the small girl's cute face.
"Mmm," Carmen sighed in response, lips turning up as she continued to stare at the detective. Feeling an unusual warmth in his chest, Sherlock bent forward and pressed a gentle kiss to Carmen's forehead. The little girl's eyes slid shut as she felt the detective's lips press against her skin.
"Hmm..."
Smiling, Sherlock pulled away, and quickly brushed his fingertips over Carmen's cheek.
Suddenly, upon hearing the loud sounds of the television, Carmen turned her head away from Sherlock, now completely engrossed in the telly once again. Her chubby fingers remained wrapped around the detective's finger.
Several hours later, after having changed many more nappies, made several more bottles and watched far too many ridiculous children's shows to count, Sherlock was lying on the couch, Carmen sitting contently on his chest as she played with the collar of his shirt.
"My, you're tiring," he sighed dramatically, running his fingertips over the small girl's head.
"Mmm," she hummed in response, completely engrossed in playing with the detective's shirt.
Sherlock chuckled light-heartedly, lips twitching upward in a small smile as he studied Carmen. The detective's thoughts were interrupted, though, by the sound of his phone going off. Careful not to move the little girl on his chest too much, Sherlock wrapped his hand around Carmen's middle and reached for his phone with his other hand. He quickly checked the phone. Text from John.
He hurriedly opened the message, worried about why his flatmate might be messaging him.
By the way, I was just going to suggest that if you run out of things to do, maybe giving her a bath or talk to her until she falls asleep... Just a suggestion. JW
Sherlock could practically see the doctor smiling smugly, a smirk on his face. He chuckled and quickly texted back a reply with one hand.
Duly noted. Thanks. SH
He smiled, quickly tossing the phone away and turned his attention back to Carmen, who was yawning widely, her small face crumpling together.
"What do you say, Carmen?" he chuckled lightly, running his knuckles up and down the little girl's back. "Shall we try a bath?"
The tiny girl stared at him with heavy eyes, grabbing a fistful of the detective's shirt in her small hand as she yawned again.
"I agree. Let's try it." Moving slowly, Sherlock gently transferred Carmen to his arms as he stood up off the couch. He grabbed his phone again, as it occurred to him that he had no idea how to give her a bath. He quickly skimmed the instructions on several websites, coming to a conclusion about how he should go about bathing Carmen.
Snuggling Carmen close, the detective walked into the kitchen and grabbed a small cloth from one of the drawers. Smiling as the little girl yawned again, he quickly started the water running, turning it to warm. As he waited for the sink water to warm up, Sherlock quickly pulled off the babygrow John had convinced him to dress Carmen in, and then took of the little girl's nappy, throwing it away in the bin.
He turned back and tested the water. Concluding it was warm enough, but not too warm to harm Carmen, Sherlock tenderly moved the little girl's small body until her head was in the palm of his hand, her tiny body resting on his forearm.
"Ready?" he murmured quietly, the corner of his lips turning up as Carmen yawned again, the small sound escaping her lips making his chest flood with warmth.
Smiling to himself, Sherlock quickly wet the cloth down and moved it back towards Carmen's body. He hesitated slightly upon seeing the tiny girl staring up at him with heavy eyelids. She started to fuss slightly, squirming in the detective's arms.
"Shhh," Sherlock soothed, pressing the wet washcloth to Carmen's skin. He began to gently move it back and forth across her stomach, glad that it seemed to be calming her down quite a bit.
He slowly turned, placing the wet cloth in the sink and dumped a small amount of baby soap into his hand, careful to keep Carmen safely balanced against his arm. "Here we go," he whispered, slowly moving his hand across Carmen's stomach, rubbing the soap against her skin.
"Mmm," she sighed, soothed by the gentle feel of Sherlock's hand against her skin. She fought to keep her eyelids open as the detective started to rinse her off, rubbing the wet washcloth over her tiny body.
With the sound of the water running in her ears, the feel of the warm cloth against her skin and the sound of Sherlock's deep baritone voice filling the room, Carmen's eyes slowly slid shut as she fell asleep, her head rolling to the side in the detective's hand.
Sherlock smiled as he felt Carmen's body go limp in his arms, her small features pulled together in a peaceful, almost happy, expression.
Trying to make as little noise as possible, the detective slowly rinsed of his hand, and dropped the wet washcloth in the sink.
He grabbed another cloth and began to gently dry off Carmen's wet body. "Hmm," he murmured happily, moving out of the kitchen. Careful not to jostle the little girl too much, Sherlock quickly put a nappy on Carmen before heading to his room. He glanced at the crib, which was still resting, completed, by the window.
Deciding he would rather have Carmen with him, Sherlock moved into his room and laid down the bed, moving the little girl's sleeping form upward on his chest. Figuring she might be cold, he quickly pulled the covers over both of their bodies, and placed his hands on her bare back.
Content to be wrapped in the warmth of Sherlock's arms, Carmen sighed happily, pressing her small form against the detective's chest. She began to murmur in her sleep, lips moving ever so slightly against Sherlock's shirt. The detective smiled at the sensation, and gazed down at the sleeping girl on his chest. He felt that familiar warmth spread through his chest and flutter his stomach.
Smiling lovingly at Carmen, Sherlock took one of the little girl's hands in his own much-larger one and closed his eyes, listening to her steady breathing. He began to absentmindedly rub his thumb across Carmen's small fingers, finding the gentle rise and fall of her chest against his skin oddly soothing.
"Goodnight, Carmen," he murmured contently, smiling as he felt her small form snuggling against him. "Ready for day two..."
With that, the consulting detective slipped away into sleep, Carmen snuggled tightly against his chest, her incredibly tiny hand wrapped safely in his own as their first day together came to a peaceful end.