A/N: Whoops, I accidentally did a sequel to my MASH AU (Lazy Sundays) in my Flufftober collection, lol! Rated T. Sensitive topics discussed toward the end. Enjoy!
"Fine, I give up." Sherlock threw his hands up in the air. "You win, are you happy?"
Molly glared at him. "No, I'm not happy!" she snapped. "How could I be happy when you're just saying that because you don't want to argue with me?"
He grabbed her face between his hands, forcing her to look up at him through the angry tears shining in her eyes. "Of course I don't want to argue with you! I hate arguing with you, especially over something as trivial as our ranks! You know my lack of respect for authority was always going to get me in trouble! There was no chance I would keep that third captain's pip! Hell, if I wasn't such an excellent pilot I'd probably have been knocked down even further than lieutenant! Why can't you get it through your head that it doesn't bother me to be of lower rank than you? I'm so damned proud of you, Major Holmes, and I wish you could understand that I really mean what I say when it comes to that!"
The tears turned to ones of self-recrimination and flowed from Molly's eyes as she threw her arms around her husband's neck and held him so tight he let out a choked gasp that she barely noticed, too caught up in her own emotions. "I'm sorry!" she wailed. "I know you're proud of me, and I know you don't give a fig about our different ranks, I don't know why I'm so damned emotional right now!"
He hugged her back, surreptitiously loosening her stranglehold on him as he did so. "It's all right," he said soothingly. "I expect it's just the pregnancy hormones. You really ought to tell your CO, and have yourself transferred behind the front lines. I admire your courage, but in this case I do think caution is called f-"
Molly's shocked expression cut him off as effectively as if she'd slapped a hand over his mouth. "Um, let me guess - you, ah, hadn't yet deduced your 'interesting condition'."
Molly shook her head mutely. The tears had stopped, but her eyes were wide with shock and consternation. Sherlock led her to her bunk and sat her gently on the edge, perching next to her with his arm around her shoulders and one hand tenderly resting on her midsection. "I noticed the signs after our last leave together," he explained. "I just assumed you were waiting for 'the right time' to tell me, at least that's what John said when I asked him about it."
Molly looked down at her abdomen. Tentatively she placed her hands over his. "A baby?" she whispered. "Oh, wow! I thought we were careful, but of course no birth control method is 100% effective."
Sherlock's expression turned concerned. "This, ah, is good news, right? I mean, I completely understand if it isn't; it certainly will derail your career, at least temporarily. I know neither one of use intends to remain in the military past our initial enlistment terms - and I doubt very much that this damned 'police action' will last more than another year or two, but if you'd rather not, erm, continue the pregnancy, there are methods available…"
She kissed him. Held him close. "I love you so much," she whispered against his ear, tears once again leaking from her eyes. "I love that you love me enough to make this my choice, but as long as you want this baby - you do, right?" she interrupted herself to ask, pulling back in order to meet his gaze.
"Very much so," he said, casting his eyes down as he added softly, "Selfishly so. But not so selfishly that I'd force you into something you're not ready for or don't want."
Molly laughed, rather damply, and kissed him. "Mm, no, love, I think we both want the same thing this time. Not like when I announced my interest in enlisting because of the nursing shortage, and you immediately went out and had John teach you how to fly a helicopter so you could enlist as well!" she added with a giggle.
Her expression turned serious as she once again gazed down at her abdomen. "This changes so much, Sherlock; just promise me one thing?" He nodded, waiting for her to speak instead of impulsively blurting out 'anything' as he so clearly wanted to do. "Promise you'll stay safe while you're still in the army," she said. "And that you'll keep John safe as well. I mean, this is war, I know you can't actually promise me any such thing, but…"
It was his turn to offer a silencing kiss. "I promise," he said firmly. "I'll turn into the most cautious, rule-abiding officer in the entire damned army if it betters my chances of coming home to you - to both of you," he added, flexing his fingers against her abdomen. And then, of course, being Sherlock, he couldn't resist tickling her until tears of laughter fell from her eyes and she begged for mercy.
The laugh was on him, however; once she'd recovered, she pounced, pinning him to the cot with her knees and tickling HIM until HE begged for mercy.
Twice.