Today was the day that I was getting checked out of the hospital.
Ben has had me walking up and down the hall with the help of either Sherlock or Harry for three days now, and it's been going very smoothly. My legs were weak and frail from being bed ridden for so long (almost eight weeks to be exact) so he wanted Sherlock and Harry together used to helping me walk around.
We were packed up and ready to leave. Sherlock took the bag with my clothes in it, and Harry took baby Will in her arms. I looped my arm around Sherlocks neck and walked with him.
" We're finally going home!" Sherlock said, smiling at me and kissing my forehead," About time, too." I replied, ignoring the weird stares that people in the hallway gave us.
When we got into the elevator and stepped inside, pressing the button for the ground floor, someone tapped Sherlocks shoulder. " Hey, buddy, do ya mind not getting all touchy feely with your little friend there, this is a tight area we got here, and we don't need ya to be contaminatin it." " Well maybe you should go over and stand in the corner there, 'buddy', because this man is trying to help his husband walk!" Harry said, getting up in the mans face.
He looked at her with a deadly glare, and then down at Will," You're lucky you got a kid there, lady." he grumbled, stepping away from Harry. She looked over at us and winked, grinning a little.
When we reached the ground floor, the door opened to reveal a young teen with a broken arm, a man who I guessed was his father, and a heavily pregnant red haired woman with freckles all over her face. As we were walking out of the elevator, we bumped into the pregnant woman," Oh my goodness! I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed, squatting down to help pick up some of the clothing that had spilled out of it. I felt Sherlock tense up next to me. I looked at him and his eyes were wide, and his mouth was open in a look of pure shock.
" Sherlock, what is it?" I asked. The woman's head whipped up," Oh my god..." she said, covering her mouth. " Sherlock? Sherlock, answer me! Are you okay?!" I urged. " Cat... Catlin." he said quietly.

Shit.
Sherlock grabbed onto the railing in the hospital elevator to keep himself and me standing. " Hey buddy! In or out!" the guy from before said. I grabbed a handful of Sherlocks coat and bent down, using Sherlocks shoulder for support, hoisting the hospital bag up onto my shoulder," Catlin, we need to talk." I said," Sherlock, let's go to the waiting area, okay?" I said calmly, patting his back gently. Sherlock walked forward slowly, Catlin following him from behind.
Sherlock looped my arm over his head and helped me sit on the couch. Harry set Will in my arms and sat in the chair next to me, a hand on my knee, something she had done ever since we left dad's when I was 15.
" Sherlock, I can explain..." she said," Why?" he said," You didn't write, you didn't call, you just killed our daughter and left me here." he hissed at her. She shifted in her chair," I panicked, Sherlock!" she yelled. " It was all becoming too much! I was offered a job in California as a dance instructor, and I had to take it. It was the only thing that would get me out of my foster home. I couldn't stay there anymore." " You were living with me!" he roared," Every day, you told me that you were happy! That you wouldn't change a thing! You would always talk about how beautiful our daughter would be! I WENT TO THE HOSPITAL THREE TIMES FROM SELF HARM! I WAS ON SUICIDE WATCH FOR SIX YEARS BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU DID TO ME!" he yelled, his voice cracking on the last word," And now this!" he said, pointing to her bump," You are pregnant and married," he pointed to the diamond ring on her finger," and you... You already have a child." he said.
" Yes." she said, a tear making its way down her cheek," Yes, Sherlock. I have a two year old son." she said," And what is this one going to be?" he asked," It's a girl." she replied, looking away from Sherlocks face as she spoke.
Sherlock sat down next to me and I took his hand, letting him know that it was okay. That I was there for him. He looked over at me and I could see just how broken he was.
It was like Catlins abortion had just happened all over again.
Sherlock turned back to her," Why would you just leave me? You knew that I was still having trouble with drugs, you knew that I was just coming off the brink of suicide... And you still left."
Catlin took a large breath, taking Sherlocks other hand in her own," Do you remember when I came over when I found out I was pregnant? That cut that I had on my face?" she said, pointing to a thin scar on her cheek," Too well." Sherlock said," And do you remember that it was my brother that had put it there?" Sherlock nodded, his grip tightening on Catlins' tiny hand," He was the one who scared me into abortion. He was the reason I was so afraid.
I had been getting letters from him. Stuff like 'your child won't live to see its first full day'. I couldn't do that to her. And I thought even if the abortion was taking her away forever, I couldn't live every day of my life wondering if today is the day that my brother is going to kill my daughter!"
She took a deep breath and sighed.
" And leaving her alone with you without her mother... I couldn't do that to her. The weight was just too much." she said. " You could've talked to me about this. You should have told me..." he breathed," No. What happened, happened." he said, letting go of Catlins hand and standing up," I've moved on. I've moved on, and Im getting married to my beautiful husband. But what happened to our daughter will never stop hurting." he said.
Catlin stood," I hope that life serves you well, Sherlock Holmes." Catlin said, placing her hands over her belly. Sherlock stepped forward and kissed her forehead," Goodbye, Catlin."
She nodded curtly and turned back to the elevator. I could see her hands reach up to her face, wiping her eyes. Sherlock turned to me. I could see again how broken he was as he watched the elevator doors shut. He looked at me, tears welling up in his eyes. I handed Will to Harry and stood up using the arm rest on my chair. I hooked my arm around Sherlocks neck and embraced him. I felt him wrap an arm tightly around my waist, and another hand he put on my chest," It's okay." I whispered, pulling him closer to me. He buried his face in my shoulder and cried silent tears. I felt the wetness in my shoulder spread as his tears continued to flow. His body shook against mine as he forced himself to remain silent.
After a few minutes, he released my back and pulled me close to him, slinging the hospital bag over his shoulder, and then, he said:
" Let's go home."

Just to make this clear, Catlins name is pronounced like 'Kate-Lyn', not like a kitty cat'. My friend was reading my work, and she pronounced it wrong, so I just wanted to clear that up for any of you who may have wondered on how to pronounce her name.
Anyways, I really wanted Sherlock to get some closure with the whole Catlin thing, and I thought this was a good way to do it.
I'm not sure if I will include her again in future chapters, or if this is all we will see of her...
Thoughts?

-PerfectMoments