Who watched the Grammys? I just loved Robert Downey Jr. "the most self-important actor of his generation" LOL!!!
And now… This chapter goes to… (drum roll)
YAY! TAYLOR SWIFT!!!!!! FEARLESS IS THE ALBUM OF THE YEAR!!!!!!! I knew it! She's the best!!! (sorry, I'm her biggest fan, no flames please)
I'm basically ordering you to enjoy this, I struggled A LOT with it.
Irene is not dumb or anything, back in those days girls weren't informed about this stuff, only doctors and midwifes, plus I believe that she's been on her own most of her life and by the kind of life she led I don't really see who could have possibly told her anything about pregnancies. PLUS menstruation (I really hate that word) was extremely embarrassing.
The first thing he noticed were her clavicles.
Then her cheekbones, then her jaw line, and when her back was to him, her waist.
Bringing a chair to sit beside her bed, he asked "Miss Adler, when was the last time you ate?" as casually as his dry throat would allow him.
"This morning" she said nonchalantly.
He was about to call out for Mrs. Hudson to bring up some food for her, before Holmes' voice came from the hallway "Already on the way".
Watson gave a humorless chuckle, but upon seeing Irene's blazing glare at the door, a true smile formed in his lips.
"He's just worried about you" he told her.
"I was merely walking by!" was the immediate response.
"Whatever you say Holmes!" he shouted back at him, before mouthing "He is worried" at Irene. She sighed and looked back at Watson, patiently waiting for him to talk. "Well, I'll start with a few routine questions" she nodded "When was your last menstruation?" her eyes were bugging out and a faint blush took over her cheeks. Watson creased his brows questioningly and she nodded towards the door. "We both know he won't be going away any time soon" he whispered.
"What does that even have to do?" she whisper-shouted. His smile widened just a little, he gets that question a lot.
"Well, it will help me estimate when you'll be giving birth" he answered calmly; he's always understood that it's an uncomfortable topic.
She looked unconvinced. "I don't really remember" she said, pursing her lips.
"Please try to remember" John Watson had the invaluable virtue of patience.
Her face scrunched in concentration. "Probably… five or six months ago" she was fiddling with her fingers in her stomach.
Watson's face fell a little. "Miss Adler, when did you realize you were pregnant?" he asked cautiously.
"When it became nearly impossible to tie a corset around me" she meant it like a joke, but his expression was stunned.
"Miss, when did you stop wearing corsets?"
"About two months ago" Watson flinched visibly.
"Have you felt the baby move inside of the womb?" his voice was tight with concern and his forehead had a little sheen of sweat.
Her eyes were narrowed as she eyed him suspiciously. "Not really" she murmured. He closed his eyes and grabbed his head between his hands. She was slowly starting to panic. "Is there a problem?"
He raised his head to look at her, biting his lips together as he pondered on the right words. "Well… Miss, you're almost six months into your pregnancy and-"
"Six?" she interrupted "but Holmes said four and a half…"
Watson sighed sadly "You don't know how I wish he was right this time"
"What?" she whispered tearfully.
"Miss Adler, You've lost an incredible amount of weight, your baby is not as big as it should be, and thus you look less pregnant. But for the trained eye… I can tell by the way you walk how much your hips have already expanded for childbirth…" her brow furrowed just a little but she nodded for him to carry on. "The constant use of corsetry during early pregnancy, though, may have caused the baby to adopt a different position inside of the womb or…" he trailed of, not sure if he should voice his concerns.
Her breathing was gradually becoming erratic and she seemed to be trying to stop trembling. "Or…"she prompted anyways.
"Miss Adler, I'm going to be very honest with you" she didn't like his tone. "The corset…" he swallowed hard and took a deep breath. "The corset could have killed the baby a long time ago" that pretty much sent her into hysterics.
"No, no…" she would mumble as the sobs violently wrecked her body. He tried to calm her down saying it was only a possibility but she didn't seem to know he was even there. Holmes was pounding away on the unfortunate door, yelling at Watson to let him in. He started panicking when she wound her arms tightly around her belly, he gently attempted to pry her hands away but she only seemed to tighten her grip, dangerously squeezing. Then she started screaming and Holmes threatened to throw down the door –obviously too desperate to think about picking the lock.
With Irene's shrieks and Holmes' shouts, Watson's brain was just about to shut down; his last sane thought came in one word. Blackmail. Irene would do anything if regarded the baby's well being.
So he firmly grabbed her shoulders and said "this is the worst you could be doing to that baby!" raising his voice over the commotion.
She froze, her face a mask of pure terror. Always the gentleman, he couldn't help feeling terrible for being so harsh, but at least she wasn't crushing her baby anymore.
"Breathe" he ordered. Careful as to not moving more than needed, she did so. He proceeded to remove her arms from her stomach, she numbly let go. "Now, lay in your back. I need you to uncover your abdomen" somehow, she managed to open the kimono in a way that only revealed her belly.
Gently, he started pressing the tips of his finger along the left side of her waist, not much later he said "Put your hand here" leaving his fingers on the spot until her hand came up to touch it. "That's its head". Her hand rubbed the spot, not really daring to press it.
From there, his pressing fingers traveled uphill, stopping about two inches away from her bellybutton. He asked her to put her other hand in that spot. When she did he turned to open his case, taking out of it something that looked like a listening trumpet.
"What's that?" she asked almost timidly.
"It's a Foetal Stethoscope" he said it like that described everything about it. "I need you to be very still" he put the bell end on the other spot he had asked her to touch, holding it there with his hand he pressed his ear to the other end, then he took his hand off so only his ear was keeping it in place. He listened expectantly for a few minutes, until he could make out the throbbing sound.
He closed his eyes and smiled "We have a heartbeat". He listened for a little longer than necessary, enjoying the sound that told him he didn't have an innocent life in his conscience.
She was blinking back tears, she decided she had already cried enough for one day.
"Miss Adler, your baby is very small. So no more skipping meals" she nodded. "And no leaving this bed if it's not absolutely necessary" she moaned a little before reluctantly agreeing. "Tranquility is also very important. So no more crying allowed" and nodded again.
"Will he move?" she was still rubbing the place were its head was.
"He or She" he emphasized amusedly "Will move when he or she has enough strength to do so. If you follow my instructions, he or she shall be moving in no time" she kept nodding. "You should also talk to it".
"It can hear me?" she asked in awe.
"Loud and clear" his smile couldn't have been softer.
"Uhm…" she frowned at her belly as she rummaged her brain for something to say.
"You don't have to do it right now"
She sighed in relief.
He chuckled and crouched down so he was at her eye level. "One last thing, Smile." She frowned instead. "Irene, Your happiness is to your baby what the sun is to a plant" and granted, a smile broke through her face.
She said "Thank you" in a heartfelt whisper.
I'm not shipping them. I just wanted Watson to be a very caring and sweet doctor. That's all. NO Watson/Irene. Not AT ALL.
Was all of that dramatic and unnecessary? Was it boring? Did you miss Holmes too much? Did I ruin your day? Do you hate me now? did i sound grumpy on my rambles? Boy or girl? Any suggestions for boy/girl names? Did I make you want to ship Watson/Irene? if I did, will you please lie? Did I ramble too much today? If I did, will you please lie again? did you miss my paranoid questions? if you didn't, will you lie for a third time?