(Hey guys! Welcome to the fourth day of the countdown to Irene and Godfrey's big day! I will post the events of the seventh day on Christmas as my gift to all of you! Advance happy holidays y'all!)

"Ever since Irene left yesterday, he wouldn't let anyone in. Threw a tray on the nurse last night... Tsk... Tsk... I already explained-erm-Sherlock. She understood." Molly said, her eyebrows scrunched together as she talked to John.

"Why can't they just be like any other couple? Jeez!" John complained, laughing as soon as he realised what he said and Molly joined him.

"Maybe he's fine now. If he would let in someone, it's you. You have to talk to him, John." Molly chimed, giving out a deep breath.

John sighed, his hand on the door. Molly gave him an encouraging nod and John started knocking. "Sherlock, it's me. Can I come in?"

Silence.

John rolled his eyes and knocked again. "I would kick this door down, you know I would."

Still nothing.

"Let's just let him..." Molly started but the door opened slightly. Sherlock stood by the door, his face still pale and his eyes red. He turned away immediately, a gesture that shows he was letting John inside against his will.

The doctor raised his eyebrows at Molly before following in, his eyes trained on Sherlock's exhausted stance. Sherlock sat back on the bed, ruffling his hair and John sat across him in a chair, clearing his throat before speaking.

"Care to tell me what happened?" John asked, studying Sherlock. He noticed that the detective had the same look he had back in Baskerville-shaken and unnerved to the point of impossibility.

Sherlock merely looked at his friend, his hands on his face. "John... Can I ask you something?"

John leaned in, eager to answer. "What is it?"

"When you found out what-or who Mary was, and as you recall she was pregnant at the time, you seemed confused and mad." Sherlock pointed out.

Realising it was the end of the statement, John raised his eyebrows. "I don't hear a question, Sherlock."

Sherlock sighed, hands trembling. "What were your exact thoughts at that moment? Of course, it can't be that accurate-the human mind can only take you far back as 10 to 15 seconds into accuracy and then everything else will be fabricated by brain activity but..."

"Wha-Wait. Is Irene..." John started, noticing the shift in Sherlock's demeanour when he asked. "Wow. I-erm-that's what this is about, isn't it?"

"You sound amused." Sherlock said simply.

John smiled, still the look of surprise on his face. "Is this why you're going loopy? It's..." Whatever it is that John was gonna say, it was drowned by his laughter. Sherlock looked at him, confused.

"Something funny, John?" Sherlock muttered.

John looked at him, wondering if Sherlock didn't really catch why he was amused. Of course, he didn't. He was Sherlock, for crying out loud!

"You and Irene as parents. Huh. So that's what's stressing you out! It all makes sense now." John mused and Sherlock remained confused. John continued. "We were all worried because we thought this case was draining you four times as hard as Moriarty or Magnussen. It's just not like you at all."

Sherlock remained silent, his eyes fixed on the wall. John wasn't making any sense. It was a simple question which requires a simple answer and yet, somehow he found it funny. How absurd.

"If you can't answer it then what's the use of you here, John?" Sherlock replied, exasperated. John merely rolled his eyes.

"Are you scared?" John asked, wiping the smile off his face.

Sherlock looked at him, his stare glassy. It took his a while to answer back. "Yes."

"For Irene and the baby or for yourself?" John asked again, studying Sherlock. The detective cussed, his face carrying "the look" as John calls it. Sherlock ran his hands through his hair, his teeth gritting as he looked for his response.

"Both of them will be better off without me." Sherlock whispered.

John scoffed as he frowned, shaking his head. "If you could be someone's bestfriend, Sherlock, then why can't you be a parent?"

"You're comparison lacks better logi-"

"Oh shut up. Stop being smart for once. Just... Do you want to be with Irene? Do you want the child? It's as easy as yes or no. Throw away logic for once and... and listen to your heart." John said, eyeing Sherlock at the sight of a starting remark. "And I mean listen to your heart in a figurative sense. Don't go all 'but the heart is just a muscle and it's really the brain' blah blah blah on me."

At that, Sherlock smiled but not quite reaching his eyes. "Thank you."

John stood up and clapped Sherlock's back. "I'm always here, mate... Erm... But I have to leave for now. Mary's gone off somewhere and I'll get Lizzie."

Sherlock nodded as John bid goodbye. With thoughts lingering to an epiphany, Sherlock's eyes lit up as he eyed the window.

/

Irene heard a knock on her door and Mary Watson greeted her. As they slid into the sitting room, Irene gave her visitor a worried look.

"Are you sure it's okay for you to be here? The house is being watched." she said.

"I can handle myself, dear." Mary replied with a smile, showing a gun hidden on her waistband.

Irene raised her eyebrows, impressed by John's wife. "I'm sorry for running off like that yesterday without greeting everyone properly. It's just... You know..."

Mary nodded. "He's not letting anyone inside his room since yesterday."

"He is stubborn." Irene mused, smiling sadly.

Mary reached out, her hand on Irene's. "We'll help you. This case is draining Sherlock out and clearly we need to get you out of this situation..."

"I don't think that's what's stressing Sherlock out..." Irene breathed.

Mary stared at her in confusion, her head slightly tilting to the side. Irene sighed as she replied. "I'm... Sherlock and I are... I'm pregnant."

Mary gasped, her eyes lighting up. "Oh... Oh my goodness... Irene this is wonderful news..."

Irene's face fell and Mary realised that this was not something to celebrate about. They were in the middle of a crisis and Mary saw Irene's eyes starting to well up.

"I thought that being emotional when your pregnant was a myth... Ha ha..." Irene said, giving a fake laugh as she wiped her eyes.

"I know that we haven't even spent time when we met before, but John told me about you and Sherlock-how you met, how he was like when you faked your death... I was there, however, when you left. Four years Irene... Sherlock can be difficult but he loves you... And you know that."

Irene nodded, softly smiling. "He's such a prick sometimes, though, isn't he?"

"That he is." Mary replied, chuckling. "We'll help out, Irene. Even if you and Sherlock protest, we will help. And unlike the last time, we don't want both of you to think of us and our safety. For once, we just want you two to do what makes you happy."

"Oh how I love you, Mary Watson!" Irene said, her eyes shining in gratitude.

RING! RING!

"It's John." Mary said as she answered the call. "Hello?"

Irene raised her eyebrows as Mary gave her a surprise look, shaking her head at John's words.

"Sherlock escaped from the hospital?!"