A/N
There's a scene in this chapter that I wrote as an homage to Una Stubbs. I was really sad to learn of her passing. Good night, Mrs Hudson, thank you for everything!
Also, thank you Elbafo for letting me 'borrow' your Sherlock comment on 'high sperm count'!
* S *
The moment Kyrie felt solid ground beneath her feet, she hardly got time to adjust her eyes from the brief flash of blinding light. Her ears were instantly accosted by a cacophony of sounds. There was cheering, there was laughter, there was crying and there was whooping and before she knew it, Kyrie was enveloped in a tight embrace. The fragrance said all and she burst to tears when she found herself hugging her best friend. "Oh, Mary!" she managed to choke out, "You have no idea how much I've missed you!"
"You just had to do it again! You evil woman! You really put us through the wringer again. And Sherlock, oh he was just useless without you!"
They both chuckled through their tears. When they stepped back, they were still holding each other's arms and when they searched each other's face, they both found their joy and happiness mirrored back. "He did manage to find me though. Certainly that should give him some credit?"
"Pff!" Mary huffed. "Just barely! I'm telling you, Kirry, he was like a man possessed! All the time you were gone he only had one thing on his mind… Getting you back!" Mary then heaved a big sigh. "I'm so happy you are back, Kirry, not just for his sake but… for all of us!"
Kyrie could already feel the pressure behind her eyes build up again. "Thanks, Mare! I'm afraid I missed… so much!" Her eyes dropped to Mary's slightly heftier figure.
"As did I, I see!" Mary said, her eyes twinkling.
At that moment Sherlock proudly stepped closer, carrying a sleeping Evelina in his arms. John walked up to them as well. A sheepish smile on his face as he too cradled a tiny little human in his arms.
"Another daughter," he stated, a grin spreading on his cheeks. "We named her Olivia."
Kyrie started to laugh. "That is so wonderful! Oh John, if you weren't carrying her I'd hug you silly! It's… I can't tell you how happy I am to see you!"
"I think I have an idea." He gave her a wobbly smile.
"And this," Sherlock said, a definite air of fatherly pride lacing his voice, "this Evelina Melodia."
"Oh wow!" John said, "You're gonna keep it a tradition then? With the funky second names?"
Kyrie and Sherlock started to reply at the same time… While Kyrie said, "Melodia is not a funky name!", Sherlock said, "Stick around for the third and perhaps you'll find out!"
Which had John and Mary squealing with laughter, though that could also be because of the look on her face. The shock of surprise she was feeling was likely doing some comical things with her facial expression. Thank goodness a delicate cough nearby caught their attention. Jonathan and Molly.
"Oh, Molly!" Kyrie pulled the other woman in for a hug. "Sweet, dear, Molly!" It was all she could say. It took a few moments before Molly returned the hug, probably a bit caught of guard, but when she did it was with equal warmth of their deepening friendship.
"We… we missed you," Molly stated simply when she pulled back. Kyrie pressed her hand a last time. "I missed you two as well. It was really lonely over there."
"Welcome back, Kyrie," Jonathan lisped softly as he too gave her a brief, little bit awkward hug. "Thank you," she smiled at him, "It's good to be back!"
As if on queue, her four friends retreated down the ramp, giving her a chance to acclimatise to her surroundings. Now that she wasn't instantly pulled into another hug, she noticed that she was back in the Bradbury Centre. It looked quite different from when she was last here. The large room had been pretty bare before. Now there was so much to see! If John, Mary, Molly and Jonathan had not greeted her the way they'd done, she might have feared to have emerged in yet another reality!
The area where she was standing was slightly elevated and two ramps were now leading down on either side of the big… Kyrie turned around to have a first real glimpse of the apparatus she had vanished through. She gulped seeing the large metal arms, eerily reaching out to one another, frozen in place, never to quite reach.
A large office overhead with huge windows allowed vision over the entire room. She pressed her fingers to her lips when she noticed the burly men and women standing by, clad in black gear and carrying heavy guns as if they were expecting to go to battle.
Her eyes drifted to her left where she noticed the large console standing off the side of the big… metal arms thing… and near it she saw…
A comforting hand landed on her shoulder. When she looked up she found Sherlock standing right behind her. He was not carrying Evelina but a quick glance around put her at ease when she saw Mary getting acquainted with the new edition to the Holmes family.
"Sherlock, isn't that…?" Kyrie stopped talking when she realised she didn't even know the name of the lanky, middle-aged, glasses wearing man who was standing near the console. He gave her a hesitant smile and his hand shot up in awkward greeting.
"Raymond Cassidy. Jason Hawthorne's assistant, and his murderer…"
"What?"
"Long story. Mycroft pulled a lot of strings so Cassidy was allowed to operate the Matter Bridge. Though he was the reason you disappeared, without his help I never would have been able to get you back."
"But… he killed someone…" It was difficult to wrap her head around all of this.
"As did I, remember?"
Those words made her shiver a bit. She didn't like to be reminded of those horrible days.
"At any rate, his continued assistance is invaluable to the project Mycroft is planning to launch. I think you'll hear all about it soon enough, whether you like it or not." He gave a tired smile. Oh… he looked really done in!
"Don't worry about me," he said quickly, taking in her expression. "I can't pull you away from this. Not yet. That would be… it would be wrong. You were…" he paused for a moment before he turned his face away to look at the group of people gathered in the area below them. "You were severely missed. I don't like it – too many overwrought emotions in one place – but I can't deny you, or them, the chance to, ehm, re-connect."
He nodded in the direction of the large office. "When you're ready… I'll be in there. It's Mycroft's new office. Though his moist eyes and the gentle quiver in his voice betrayed him, Kyrie knew this was not the right moment to try and offer him comfort. He'd feel too exposed.
Torn between going with him and joining the people who were waiting for her, Kyrie watched him walk away and slowly ascend the stairs to the large office. Later. There would be time for them alone, just… later.
Kyrie put a smile on her face as she walked down the ramp.
More tears flowed when Mummy and Daddy Holmes walked up to her, both with equal anxious looks on their faces. Kyrie didn't know what had instilled this kind of love and warmth in her Mable and George, but she was very grateful for it. The Madge and George she'd briefly met had been so much colder and much more distant, even to their own children. Kyrie wondered if those Mycroft and Sherlock had been raised by nannies instead of their parents. She really couldn't imagine Madge performing any kind of motherly duty, except showing off her offspring as trophies.
"We have been so worried about you! Mycroft and Sherlock wouldn't say a word on what was going on!" Mable started rambling as she held Kyrie in a death grip. George smiled a bit as he awkwardly stood aside. When his wife finally did release her, he briefly gave her a warm hug.
"It's good to have you back, my dear. I'm afraid he was quite lost without you. Again." He gave her a tender peck on her cheek.
"It's good to be back, Daddy. I have missed you all very much!" Kyrie briefly leaned into him and pecked him on the cheek as well.
Before long, Mummy and Daddy were both admiring Evelina and Kyrie decided to find herself a place to sit. St John quickly clambered onto her lap and soon she was surrounded by her friends who were all dying to hear her story. At some point St John lowered himself to the ground and managed to get Mycroft to take him to his father.
Kyrie smiled to herself when Mycroft's office seemed to become their safe haven for the next few hours. He only came down again to gather his umbrella and overcoat. He strode towards the large doors leading to the exit area and motioned for her to come over. With a smile, Kyrie excused herself with Mary, John, Molly, Jonathan and Lestrade.
"I think it goes without saying that I too, am glad that you are returned. Please try not to disappear again, or get shot, or get frozen like a bag of peas… basically anything that might pull you away from us for any prolonged amount of time." Though the smile he gave her was sardonic at best, the warmth in his eyes told her much more than his words ever could.
"I'll do my very best, I promise," she said with a smile.
"No, really, dear sister… He is quite impossible without you around to keep him in check. It's not good for his mental health and therefore not good for mine. See that you… stay put."
Oh dash his sensibilities! Kyrie grinned and wrapped her arms tightly around him. He froze under the unexpected weight of her arms.
"I love you too, My. Very much. Never doubt that, dear brother. Never, ever!"
He relaxed, very briefly, and even returned the gesture. "Thank you." He gave her a tight little smile when he pulled back. "I'll ehm, I'll take my leave now, if you don't mind. I have scheduled a debrief with my brother at 10.00 in the morning. I would appreciate it if you were to… sit in."
"Of course, I'll be there." Before he could stop her, Kyrie pecked him on the cheek.
"Good night, My. See you tomorrow!"
A blush crept on his cheeks and he gave her a curt nod before he quickly marched away.
It was getting late and, even though Kyrie had enjoyed every moment of being reunited with her family and friends, she now longed to go home, to just be with her family. Therefore she was grateful when one by one, her friends started to say their goodbyes and took their leave. Finally it was only Mrs Hudson who lingered behind. She was cradling Evelina and there was such an expression of joy on their landlady's face, Kyrie didn't want to disturb her. Until she looked up and bemusedly blinked her eyes.
"Oh goodness! I seem to be the only one left! I'm afraid time quite got away from me. But, oh Kyrie, she's such a little angel!"
Though Kyrie only smiled at the woman, she wholeheartedly agreed with the sentiment.
"I'm so glad you are back, dear. He's…" Mrs Hudson glanced up at the office overhead. "He's really not the same when you are gone."
It seemed Mrs Hudson wanted to say more on the subject, but she left it at that. Leaving whatever was on her mind implied, but not declared. There was a wan smile on her face when she carefully handed Kyrie the baby. "Take care of him? He's… I think he was in a really dark place when you were missing."
Kyrie smiled at her landlady. "Oh, he'll be fine. By now he will have neatly filed everything away, along with every emotion that was attached to each event."
"But he spent most of the evening in there! All alone! Are you sure…?" Mrs Hudson did not sound convinced.
"Too many emotions in one room. You know he doesn't like that. Trust me, he's… he will be all right."
The confidence of that statement made Mrs Hudson sigh in relief. "Of course, dear. You know what he's about. I am really happy for him you know. I may not be his mother, but I have always worried about him just the same. But now… when the Almighty sees fit to call me home, I can go in peace, knowing there's no more need for worry."
"Oh, none of that Mrs Hudson!" Kyrie objected vehemently.
"I'm not a young sprig any more you know. And I have a very bad hip!"
"Well, bad hip or not, you have at least ten more years left in you. So no more of that nonsense!"
"Still, I would not wait too long with little Martha and little Louise… or Louis. I know about the deal you made with Sherlock and I'd like to meet them all before I go!"
Kyrie started to splutter, "Mrs Hudson! It was not exactly a deal! I thought I was dying!"
"And you almost did! You should be glad that Sherlock is quite partial to four now and not adamant to reach the goal he first suggested…"
"We'll have ten, okay?" A promise made in desperation.
"I'd have settled for four…"
Kyrie shuddered at the memory. The noise of a door opening and closing made them both look up. It was Sherlock who was now slowly descending to their level.
"That, I believe, is my queue to skedaddle." Mrs Hudson leaned forward and gave Kyrie a peck on her cheek. "Welcome back, dear, it really is good to have you back. Good night."
Mrs Hudson doffed her long navy blue coat and fluffed her colourful shawl in place. Despite her 'bad hip', she left with a jaunty step, pausing briefly to look back over her shoulder and give Kyrie a knowing little smile.
Kyrie chuckled at the mischievous glint she detected in the woman's eyes and she shook her head. "Sleep well, Mrs Hudson," she said with a laugh. "And thank you. For everything."
"What's that?" a deep baritone voice asked from right behind her. When she turned her head, she saw that St John's head was resting on his father's shoulder. He was sound asleep.
"Nothing, just Mrs Hudson reminding me to get on with it."
"Get on with… Oh!" Sherlock gave her a sly grin. "Well, there's a perfectly good reason to think you're already carrying our third progeny. The quality and vitality of my semen are, of course, far superior than of the average male. I, naturally, have a high sperm count, and with you gone missing for several months that must have gone through the roof! Even when taking into consideration that the genetic health of sperm suffers with longer abstinence. In other words, I'm pretty potent."
The thing with Sherlock… you never quite knew when he was being serious or just talking out of his arse. "You make it sound so romantic," Kyrie muttered.
"Just being realistic here."
Kyrie thought it better to stay quiet on the subject. Whatever he might think, Sherlock Holmes did not have super sperm. There was no way she was already pregnant again!
"Just… let's go home."
"Yes. We have plans to make for number three… a room to clear out, more stuff to buy. You should consider shopping for maternity clothes tomorrow."
Several emotions started a war inside of her. Humour, exasperation, frustration, love… Kyrie quietly smiled to herself. It was so good to be home!
It was a beautiful day and everything was quite all right in the world of Sherlock Holmes. He was seated on a wooden bench in the field behind the Bradbury Centre, keeping an eye on St John who, as usual, was keen to look at the birds frequenting that very spot.
A lot had changed in the two months after he'd brought back his wife from an alternate universe, or, otherverse. A slow smile spread on his face when he spotted Kyrie not too far from him, clad in simple black jogging leggings and a cornflower blue running vest. Not too far behind her, his brother Mycroft, clad in his lycra running gear, was making a valiant attempt at keeping up with her, though failing at it. He could almost hear her laughter and see the teasing glint in her eyes, when she waited for her brother-in-law to catch up with her.
Running… a little something she'd started to do in the otherverse to lose the baby weight after giving birth to Evelina. Though Sherlock suspected that getting back into shape had not been the only reason Kyrie had taken up running. But, now they were home, they were together and Kyrie had continued her daily run and even managed to persuade Mycroft to join her, instead of slugging away on his treadmill all by himself.
That was not the only change… Mycroft was still commuting between his office under the Diogenes Club, the one in the Cabinet Office and now the one in the Bradbury Centre as well. His brother was on fire! Actually, there'd been conversations between Mycroft, Sherlock and Cassidy. Now that they had a better understanding of the otherverses, their differences and their similarities, both Mycroft and Sherock had come to the conclusion it would be amoral to allow Cassidy free reign in one of them. They also felt that, now that they knew about the otherverses, in a way they were responsible for them as well.
His encounter with Rose and Grace had brought forth this fountain of wisdom. A fond smile appeared on his lips when he thought back to the cherubic little girl that was the result of the love between a different Sherlock and Rose, a love – he was certain – that was as deep and complicated and wonderful as the love he knew existed between himself and Kyrie. The thing was… he knew there were possible dangers in store for… Rose-and-Grace-verse… things that would not necessarily happen… but things that certainly could happen. Bad things. So, after meeting Rose and Grace, and before he brought back Kyrie, Sherlock had a heated heart-to-heart with his brother.
It was then agreed that Sherlock, at some point, would travel back to the Rose-Grace-verse with a file containing all the information that could just give them the time they needed to prepare for certain events. And then the point had arisen that it wouldn't be fair to only give one otherverse fair warning for possible cataclysmic events. And then the idea was born… to retain a close relation with the otherverses, to gather and share valuable information to make sure that not only life in their own universe or reality was safe, but everywhere. Plans were to be made and well… that led to change number three…
Mycroft was pretty much useless in looking after himself. He needed an assistant for basically everything! Thing was, Anthea was already occupied to full capacity looking after his other two offices, leaving Mycroft in want of another PA. Luckily, his sister-in-law was magnificent in that regard, so now Kyrie was working as Mycroft's PA overseeing all of his needs in his Bradbury Centre Office. This did require some creativity in looking after St John and Evelina. Sherlock was pretty sure the need would soon arise to hire a professional nanny. Though Molly, his mother and even Mrs Hudson were chomping at the bit to help out, Sherlock preferred that his children were looked after by just one person, besides them of course, instead of an entire village.
"Daddy, I can see Mummy and uncle My!" St John pointed a finger at the far end of the path skirting the edge of the field they were in.
"I can see them too, St John. I reckon they will skip the last lap though… Just look at your uncle's face. He looks like he's about to explode!"
This made St John chuckle softly. "Mummy is faster."
"She certainly is…" A thought struck him and he smiled. She was faster than Mycroft for sure, but, he'd kept track of her progress… and she was slowing down overall…
"Why do they run?"
"Well, your uncle is afraid he'll grow fat and, I guess Mummy wants to get her old figure back."
"She can't."
Sherlock smiled. St John preferred to use the easier words and shorter sentences to get his meaning across. Though he understood more complicated sentences perfectly well, his facial muscles were not trained and developed enough to use them himself. And sometimes, when St John used the much simpler sentences instead of the more flowery ones, he could really come across as blunt as a dull knife.
"Let's not tell Mummy that, all right?" Sherlock told his son amiably as he cast an appreciative glance in the direction of his wife. Kyrie was, thank God, quite realistic in her approach to her postpartum body. She was training to stay slim and healthy but she was not delusional in thinking that the changes in her pelvic bone could be undone. Which was a good thing because… "Her body will be changing soon again, but let's keep that between us as well for now. Let Mummy find out for herself for once."
When St John lifted a brow, that promised to one day look exactly like his own, Sherlock bit back a smile. Though St John was very advanced for his age – he already had an impressive wealth of information stored on his little hard drive – he was not exactly clued in on the finer details of pregnancy. He knew that the body change was closely related to the arrival of a sibling; he even knew the stages of fetal development, it was everything else he was blissfully ignorant about, much to his mother's relief.
"One day, St John," Sherlock promised his son. "One day. And I think it's time to return. Looks like Mummy and uncle Mycroft will soon be back and, Daddy has to go somewhere. Perhaps Mummy will read you a book!"
The pouty look on his son's face did no go unnoticed. "What's wrong, St John? I thought you liked Mummy reading to you?"
"It's not the reading… it's the books," St John said, a slight scowl on his face.
"Oh, well, I do believe Mummy has a surprise for you."
St John pondered this reveal for a moment, then he looked up at his father, his bright stormy eyes inquisitive. "Is Mummy very dis- dis… upset?"
The question made Sherlock blink a couple of times. Now where did that come from? "Upset? Why would Mummy be upset?"
"Because I don't like little books. I like the big ones now."
Ah… He wasn't of course referring to the actual size, but little as in books for little children and big ones as in non-fictional. "How do you know she knows about that?"
St John shot him a look that was so familiar, Sherlock couldn't help but laugh out loud. It was like looking in a bloody mirror! Though his ability of making deductions was there, his grasp of language prevented him from walking everyone through the steps, as his father loved to do. The very fact that Sherlock told his son his mother had a surprise for him, right after his son showed signs of being disappointed at the prospect of being read from a children's book… that was enough for St John to deduce that his mother had bought him a 'big' book… In conclusion… she knew about his current preference and now he was worried that, somehow, this was disappointing for his mother.
There was only thing Sherlock could do. He lowered himself to be able to look his son square in the eyes.
"St John," he began, "your mummy might be… a goldfish… but she's not stupid. One of the very, very few people who isn't. As you'll notice as you grow older… most of the people you'll meet are idiots. Mummy however, notices when all of your books gather dust and remain untouched. Also, your pouty face every time she picks one of those books might be a dead give away."
"I don't pout!" St John said, sticking out his lower lip in a glorious not-pout.
"Of course you don't," Sherlock said with a smile. "And St John? You could never be a disappointment to your mother if you tried. Now, what do you say, shall we go and see what surprise she has in store for you, little man?"
His son gave him such a beaming smile, Sherlock simply scooped him up in his arms and carried him back under loud protest of his son, "I can walk Daddy! Put me down! Put me do-ownooooh! Look Daddy! A Willow tit!"
Back in the Bradbury Centre, he found Kyrie in the Bridge Room, lavishing herself on a huge bottle of water. The door to Mycroft's office opened and when Sherlock looked up, he found his brother walking down the stairs, looking impeccable as ever. Only the slight sheen of sweat, his flushed cheeks and his bright eyes were any indication of his earlier work out.
"I take it you'll be delivering your little message to… what was her name again…?"
Sherlock rolled his eyes at his brother. "Rose."
"Of course… You'll be delivering the letter to her then?"
"Yes, I won't be long so keep the Bridge running.
Mycroft gave him a nod and handed him a file. The File.
"Here it is… Everything is in here. For you to hand over once a meeting is scheduled."
Sherlock took it from him before he walked over to his wife, who he found seated on a comfy spread on the floor, her legs spread and St John sitting between them. They were both folded over a book. St John had a huge smile on his face when Kyrie was reading to him. "The Spoon-billed Sandpiper is a real gem. About the size of a Little Stint or a 'peep' Sandpiper… Sorry St John, I'm not even going to try and pronounce the Latin name –"
"Enjoying your new book, St John?" Sherlock asked, looking down at two of the people he loved most in the world, any world, with a warm smile forming on his lips.
"I got him the Atlas of Rare Birds. He seems to like it so far..."
"Read Mummy, please!"
St John looked happy as a clam. Nothing like Eurus then… St John's solemn and serious disposition had caused alarm in him and Kyrie when Mycroft remarked his nephew reminded him of Eurus. Though physically a startling image of his father, Sherlock used to be much more outgoing and adventurous as a child. Traits his son did not seem to share. Mycroft, thankfully, was also quick to point out that, even though St John's serious character was more like Eurus, he did not show any of the more disturbing pathological signs...
Kyrie chuckled at St John's insistent request. First she looked up at Sherlock, her eyes soft, vibrant and beautifully violet, and she said, "Good luck out there. Don't be long!" She then raised her face to receive a brief kiss on her lips, before Sherlock dropped a kiss on the top of St John's head.
"I'll be back before you know it."
The time had arrived. Cassidy was standing ready at the controls.
Even though he'd been angry at first when he was given the news that, unlike what Sherlock had promised, he would not be allowed to continue his life in an alternate reality, his anger had quickly turned to surprise and grateful eagerness… Mycroft had offered him a continued position of the main supervisor of all Matter Bridge activity… even if he was never left unsupervised.
"Sherlock." Cassidy nodded at him to acknowledge his presence. Sherlock nodded back.
"Ready when you are, Cassidy."
The tell-tale static noise, the bright flash… one awkward step forward and he was back in Rose-Grace-verse. Now all he had to do was deliver a letter…
Rose,
I finally found her!
Meet me tomorrow at the small nature reserve
you'll know as Gallows Gate. At 16:00.
There's something I have to give you…
Things you need to know.
S.