This is pretty short, but I'll try and make it up next chapter… I update every Saturday now, because I'm usually busy on Fridays. Enjoy!
7: Baby names and Molly Hooper's affections
"Well since you're all here, me and Sherlock have some news," John said, striding into the living room. Mrs Hudson sat up expectantly- although she suspected, they hadn't confirmed it with her- while Lestrade stopped staring at Molly and actually gave John his full attention. Sherlock was slouched in his chair, ignoring everyone but his son, who was curled up on his lap and chattering about his day at playgroup. John and Mrs Hudson had convinced Sherlock to let Molly and Lestrade come round for Mrs Hudson's last Christmas at Baker Street- they'd made him invite Mycroft, even though he rarely graced them with his presence.
"Sherlock and I, John. How on earth you became a doctor I'll never understand," Sherlock muttered. John rolled his eyes, and collapsed into his chair, clutching a glass of wine.
"Go on, then John, the anticipation is killing us," Lestrade said somewhat dryly. John sent him a glare before proceeding.
"We're…er… having another baby," John announced. This would be so much bloody easier if they weren't gay detectives. Molly and Mrs Hudson, of course, were unsurprised, but Lestrade looked pleasantly shocked.
"I'd never have thought that you two would have more than one," he confessed, shaking his head. Sherlock smirked, while pointing at a picture of a dissection for Hamish.
"When's it due?" Mrs Hudson gushed, beaming.
"21st February," John grinned. He truly had missed looking after a baby, although he hadn't considered himself the parenting type until Hamish.
"Boy or girl? God help any daughter of yours," Lestrade said bluntly. Molly was still very quiet, her eyes fixed on Sherlock.
"We're keeping it a surprise. We're thinking William for a boy, after Sherlock," Sherlock snorted at this. They'd been arguing about names since their most recent scan.
"John, I see no reason whatsoever to endure watching the foetus again," complained Sherlock as they slouched in the waiting room. Sherlock was leaning on John shoulder, mulling over a low key case that he'd grudgingly accepted.
"We can find out the sex this time, Sherlock," John reminded the taller man.
"Who cares? What matters is that it's a baby," Sherlock's logical reasoning made John roll his eyes. John spent a lot of time rolling his eyes in his husband's presence.
"Mr Holmes and Mr Watson?" a nurse poked her head round the door. John stood up abruptly, pulling Sherlock by his gloved hand, and followed the woman into the room. Natalie gave them a small smile from the bed, but didn't bother trying to make conversation. She'd obviously learnt from previous experiences. Sherlock didn't sit, so John didn't either, and they both hovered awkwardly beside Natalie.
"Hello, Dr and Mr Watson-"the doctor began, before Sherlock interrupted.
"Mr Holmes," he almost spat, folding his arms. He truly was in a foul mood. The poor doctor blinked, and John shot her an apologetic look, motioning for her to continue.
"Sorry, I just assumed…"
Sherlock raised an eyebrow, unimpressed.
"Sorry about him. Nice to meet you," John said, jabbing his husband in the ribs with his elbow.
"I'm Doctor Morgan," the doctor stated, somewhat coolly, before starting to get her equipment out.
"This will be a bit cold, so be ready for it," Dr Morgan addressed Natalie, wiping the ultrasound gel on Natalie's rounded belly. Sherlock huffed, making a fuss because he'd heard these words multiple times now.
"This isn't about you," John hissed, keeping his eyes fixed on the grainy screen beside the bed.
"I was under the impression that this is our child, so it does involve me," Sherlock retorted, but thankfully shut up. Dr Morgan moved the transducer over Natalie's abdomen for about a minute, before finally finding the baby.
"Here we go," smiled Dr Morgan, gesturing to the fuzzy image of the foetus. John grinned leaning closer. Admittedly pregnancy wasn't his expertise, but he knew enough to clarify that the baby was healthy. Sherlock looked unusually awestruck when his eyes fell upon the screen- his grey eyes widened, and his lips parted for a few seconds, before he composed himself.
"Would you like to know its gender?" Dr Morgan asked. They'd discussed whether they wanted to know, and concluded that Sherlock didn't care as long it was able bodied and functioning. That left John to make the decision, and although he wanted to know, part of him wanted to keep it a surprise. He could wait a few months, right?
"We'll wait until it's born," John clarified. Dr Morgan nodded, and proceeded to ask Natalie various questions about her diet and life style.
"Well that concludes the appointment. The baby is healthy, and is on track for a due date of the 21st of February. I'll print out any details, and you can collect them from reception on the way out," she said a few minutes later. Sherlock simply swept from the room, leaving John to exchange pleasantries with the remaining occupants.
"I don't envy you, dealing with that one," Dr Morgan pulled a somewhat sympathetic face.
"He keeps me on my toes," John said briskly, before waving at Natalie and following Sherlock's example by quickly escaping. Sherlock was leaning against the wall, texting. John caught a glimpse of the text detailing the baby's condition, and smiled. Sherlock may act like he doesn't care, but the machine façade was crumbling. And god knows what that means, John thought, as they linked fingers and made their way to reception.
"Couldn't you be slightly more polite, William?" John teased, knowing Sherlock hated being called by his first name. Sherlock glared at him, regretting the day when he had been forced to reveal his full name- their wedding day, incidentally.
"Although I was burdened with a mediocre name as my birth name, I wish to be called by what you've known me by in our time together," Sherlock said impossibly quickly. John chuckled, stroking Sherlock's thumb with his finger.
"William wouldn't be a bad name for a boy,"
"Absolutely not,"
"We're not considering William. And for a girl, we'll go for Amelia," Sherlock said, interpreting John's memory. There were various appreciative sounds from Mrs Hudson and Molly, and Lestrade looked positively delighted.
"So when are you moving into the cottage?" Molly asked Mrs Hudson, directing the conversation away from the baby rather hurriedly. John couldn't help but feel slightly annoyed- Lestrade clearly adored her, and still she pined over Sherlock, who couldn't be less interested.
"You look angry, daddy," Hamish observed. Sherlock smirked at John, clearly enjoying the melodrama that he caused. John sent him a glare, and then the bastard looked across the room, and winked at Molly Hooper. She looked flustered, and went bright red. John felt his jaw drop, and looked at his husband in a way that implied We're going to have angry sex later.
"Oh I can't wait John," Sherlock said loudly, the smug prick.
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John stared at the elaborate diagrams that Sherlock had produced in disbelief.
"You enjoy architecture?" he cried, looking at the floor plans Sherlock had been slaving over for the last few hours. Hamish giggled from where was bouncing on Sherlock and John's bed.
"Oh for God's sake John, keep up. I don't enjoy it, but we need to redesign lots of Baker Street in order to make it a house, not three flats. Use your common sense," Sherlock said haughtily, appearing over John's shoulder. He pointed to the first drawing.
"We'll convert 221A into a playroom, and additional bathroom, as well as a bedroom for one of the children. We'll keep this floor as it is, and then the top floor can be another bedroom and bathroom. And 221C can be a lab and study," Sherlock explained, gesturing to the untidy yet elegant drawings accordingly. John was astounded.
"And you can actually do this before the baby is born?" he questioned. It looked reasonably expensive and time consuming.
"You forget the contacts we have," Sherlock sniffled, collapsing onto the bed. John was tempted to follow, but Hamish was refusing to go to sleep. Most likely because Sherlock had got him excited about an experiment earlier on, and he still hadn't calmed down.
"Later, John," Sherlock said, closing his eyes and adopting his signature prayer position. John grinned at the sight, before turning to Hamish. This wasn't going to be an easy evening- dealing with a hyper miniature Sherlock never was.
I'm planning some action next chapter. And the baby will be born within a few chapters! I've already picked which sex, but feel free to guess!