John woke up later than usual the next morning. Mary was seated at the kitchen table looking overly concerned about the morning's paper. John sat up on the sofa and stretched.
"Morning." He said.
"Read this." She said jamming the reader in his face. John blinked a few times.
"Mm. General elections. Fun." John said with a sigh, zooming in on the fine print.
"Look at the candidates." She said redirecting his attention. "They're appointing a new Prime Minister as well." Mary started biting her thumb-nail.
John let out a long sigh. "What does it matter?"
"John, look at this Alpha bloke running in our borough. Look at his campaign! It's entirely pro-Omega." She pointed to a photo of a man named Sebastian Moran. "He's an ex-sentinel. Some sniper and he's a beta hater."
"Now, now, Mary." John said scanning over the man's details and thumbing through his credentials.
"It's true, ask anyone. I just know he'll be appointed to the cabinet; then we'll be in real trouble."
"We don't even know who the Prime Minister is going to be. Calm down." John said trying to read over the tiny newsprint, zooming in even closer than usual.
"He's all for Omega rights, equal pay, equal opportunity in the work force-"
"What's so wrong with that?" John asked innocently.
"At what expense, John? How do they pay for extra Omega wages? By cutting our wages."
"Mary, we own our own business it's hardly of our concern." John said handing the paper back to her.
"Don't you care?"
"Mary, we don't get a say in how our government is run. Remember?"
"1/5 of a vote is still more than nothing. If we all pool together-"
"If we all pool together we still can't out vote the Omega activists out there." John rubbed his forehead. "It's a lost cause."
"How can you say that?"
"I'm just being realistic here."
"I don't need this." She stormed out the front door. John rolled his eyes. She returned promptly. "I forgot my keys." She said haughtily, grabbing her keys off the table. John snorted a laugh. "You shut up, John Watson." She sneered as she left once more.
John decided it was as good of day as any to take the day off, catch lunch with Mike, and set about cleaning the flat. John gave Mike a call and he agreed to meet at Speedy's cafe on Baker Street.
When John saw Mike walking up to the cafe with a stack of tree-papers in his arm, he panicked. He'd completely forgotten about the test results and it had been almost two months since he'd had the blood work done.
"John Watson!" Mike shouted and shook John's hand. He patted the files under his arm. "Bout time we got together. I have some exciting news for you."
"Exciting?"
"Come inside." He beckoned. He had a grin plastered on his face. He took a seat and handed John the file. John started going through the paperwork, looking at it quizzically. Mike sat on the edge of his seat. "Sorry bout the tree-papers, I know you wanted it to be completely confidential, can't carry anything on those readers nowadays without the Government knowing."
"Says everything's in the normal range... vitamins, cell counts, blood type's AB positive. What's so exciting?"
"This." Mike pulled out a folded piece of paper from his pocket. He grinned smugly. "Reason you've been having those funny symptoms. Nausea, frequent urination, looks like you've put on some weight as well."
"Been eating more sweets than usual is all." John said defensively pulling down the bottom of his shirt.
"That's not all. Have a look." Mike passed the paper over. John held the piece of paper in his hand and scanned over it.
"I don't understand." John said looking at the test results.
"Just let it mull over." Mike laughed.
Later that night, John waited for Mary at the kitchen table with the paper flattened out in front of him. He kept pressing his fingers together and bringing them to his lips, silently praying. Several tears had spilled down his cheeks, just anticipating Mary's reaction.
Mary burst through the door. They said "We need to talk." In unison.
Mary sat down across from him. "Mind explaining what you've been doing at the Holmes residence?" John's heart dropped. "Molly Hooper informed me that you've been spending quite a lot of time at the house. She's seen our van parked at their house for hours at a time. While you were supposedly making deliveries." Mary was starting to seethe with rage. "For God's sake, John! He's an Alpha! A male Alpha." She threw her hands into the air. "I mean, what does he have that I don't?" John went to open his mouth. "Don't... don't answer that." She said with a sigh. "I knew something strange was going on when I called the police and that man came over."
"Wait... what? When did you call the police?"
"After you raped me, John." She stood up and crossed her arms. "He came over here and started sweet talking you like you were some... Omega whore."
"Wait... who?"
"The detective inspector!" She shouted.
"Wha-what?" John felt his heart drop.
"Now you two are meeting up for secret rendezvous', while I'm working my fingers to the bone."
"I-I haven't been-"
"Don't lie to me, John." She warned.
"Mary, I'm pregnant."
Mary fell into her chair and her jaw went slack. "What?" She asked in a tone of utter disbelief.
John started to tear up. "I don't know how this happened." He cried. "I'm a beta for God's sake."
Mary looked down at his belly. "How long have you known?"
"Mike just told me this afternoon."
Mary closed her eyes. "I'm so sorry, John. I didn't mean to yell at you."
"What am I supposed to do?" He sniffled.
"Well..." She looked down at her hands. "We've always wanted children..."
"Yeah... suppose." John said wiping his nose with his sleeve.
"We could milk the man for all he's worth. Get some serious supplemental income." She said with a shrug. John nodded in agreement. "Susan once told me all you need is a paternity test and they can force em to start paying even before the pup's born."
"Is it safe? The paternity test?"
"They'd have to be. The Government wouldn't allow it if it wasn't." Mary stood up and grabbed her coat. "How far along are you?"
"Three months." John said wringing his hands with worry. "Where are you going?"
"We're going to go have that test done."
"Mary." John said nervously. "Don't we need the alleged father present to take the test?"
"You are going to march right over to that house and get that man to hand over his DNA."
"What if he's working?"
"Is he?"
"No." John admitted sheepishly. "Should be his day off." John prayed that Lestrade had been called in.
Mary hailed a cab and before John could protest about the unnecessary expense, he was unceremoniously shoved into the car. John twiddled his thumbs nervously. Mary reached out to still his hands. She gave him a reassuring smile and he mirrored it.
They reached the terraced house and John climbed the treacherous steps to the front door. He knocked lightly and Lestrade was there to greet them right away.
"John!" He said excitedly. He drew John into a hug and John tried to defend himself. "Who's this?" Lestrade asked tilting his head to one side, still holding on to John tightly.
"My wife." John's voice was muffled by Lestrade's chest but the message got through none-the-less.
"Oh... Shit." Lestrade said letting John go.
"We've met before. I'm Mary." She said reaching out a hand. Lestrade regarded Mary for a moment, mouth agape.
John's hand trembled as he passed the lab results to Lestrade. Lestrade opened it up and glanced over the results. He smiled at the paper and John felt his heart lift slightly.
"John's going in for his first pre-natal check up-"
"I'll grab my coat." Lestrade said rushing to grab his jacket off the hook. He practically skipped down the stairs with excitement. They entered the idling car and Lestrade started shaking with excitement. Mary glared at him but Lestrade couldn't stop smiling.