A/N No copyright infringement intended, still not living in Spain... Enjoy!
After they were settled in the room, Mycroft asked if they wanted to call their parents and give them a first look at their grand-daughter. Sherlock and John immediately agreed - there was no reason to postpone - it just looked like any hospital room, nondescript decorating, the usual equipment in the room. John, who was holding Sheri, insisted that Sherlock take her for the call - "They'll want to see you holding her first, love."
Sherlock gladly took her back into his arms and Mycroft placed the call. When his parents answered, Sherlock was smiling, saying, "Look, Sheri - it's your Nan and Grand-dad! Let's wave and say hello," and he dutifully picked up the baby's hand and waved it at them. They were thrilled with getting to see her so soon after her birth, and wanted all the vital statistics. John talked with them for a minute or two, and said that since the hospital was not in London, they'd be staying a few days and then returning to Baker Street, where they'd arrange a visit very soon. Violet was unabashedly crying tears of joy, and Siger was suspiciously misty-eyed as well. Mycroft spoke to the new grandparents for a few minutes, too, and then rang off for the time being.
"Mummy says she looks so much like you, Sherlock – and she does. I remember distinctly when you were born. Thin and long - and she looks like she will take after you in that respect. The hair is quite like yours, as well, although much lighter, like John's colouring. Perhaps we will be fortunate, in that she may have your looks, but John's temperament," said Mycroft in a teasing tone. Both Sherlock and John grinned at that.
Sherlock, now that the excitement was over for the moment, felt extremely fatigued. He gave Sheri to Mycroft, who hadn't held her yet, and lay down on the bed for a bit so he could relax. He stretched out and yawned loudly, then mumbled, "Sorry," and turned on his side away from Mycroft and John. His breathing evened out and he was fast asleep in less than five minutes.
John shook his head and said to Mycroft,after tossing a blanket over his husband. "That's for the best. He was awake most of the night, last night. He has to be exhausted. He's been so excited and looking so forward to this day. I really can't thank you enough, Mycroft. You've made your little brother happier than I have ever seen him. And I can echo that for myself- we are beyond thrilled."
"Oh, I wouldn't say that, John – he has been happier since the day you two met, and his happiness has only increased with the changes in your relationship - this is just the latest step. I am very grateful that you ran into Mike Stamford that day," Mycroft said sincerely, looking fondly over at his brother sleeping. He handed Sheri back to her Daddy.
"Thanks, Mycroft – that means a lot to me. I know I spent a ridiculous amount of time denying my feelings at first, but he really has been the best thing to come along in my life, too," John replied. "He may still be an idiot at times, but he is my idiot. He really has come a long way from how he was when we met. Most people would probably take him for human now, I think, not a calculating, crime-solving, machine. He will make a great father with a little help, and I'm so happy we decided to go with this. She is just lovely, isn't she?"
Mycroft looked back at his niece and smiled. "Indeed, she is, John. I think I will leave you alone for a while and get some tea - do you want me to send you anything now?"
John answered, "No, thanks, I'll just wait until Sherlock has had his nap, and then maybe we will have a little something – it'll be easier to get him to eat if I do, too."
After Mycroft left, John placed Sheri on her back in the cot, foot to foot, and then lay down on the bed beside Sherlock, soon dozing off as well. His dreams were filled with babies smiling and cooing.
When the nurse looked in, she smiled to see the entire family getting some rest. She checked on the baby and then left as quietly as she had come.
When John woke up an hour and a half later, Sherlock was still sleeping soundly. John frowned slightly, hoping he wasn't coming down with a headache or something. He looked peaceful enough, and John supposed it was just the lack of sleep for the last week that had finally felled his sweetheart. He went to the loo and then checked on Sheri, who was starting to snuffle a bit. Before she could work up to a full-on crying jag, John scooped her up and changed her nappy, which was soaked. Well, her waterworks were fine, he thought with a smile. He rang for a nurse and told her he needed a bottle for her, and one was soon brought in to him.
He had settled in the armchair with her and was just starting to rock her and talk to her about her other parent.
"My little angel, I have to tell you about your Papa. He is the most brilliant man, and one of the most exasperating at times, but never doubt for a second that he loves you with his whole heart. He is quirky, and can tell you 57 ways to open a lock without a key - or about 243 types of cigarette ash.
"He knows the periodic table by heart, and often recites it when he needs to calm down or to wait for a while. He actually knows the song about all the elements, and will probably sing it to you until you know it, too. He can be impatient, but can be remarkably soft and understanding. He's an actual genius, but can be remarkably naïve about some things. He's a brilliant violinist, and will no doubt teach you to play as soon as you can hold the smallest violin they make - I believe it's a tenth size-?
"You can be totally confident that he loves you and would defend you with his life, if need be. We have both wanted you for such a long time and thought we'd never have a child of our own – but here you are, and we are both chuffed to bits. I love you, Sheri."
When Sherlock woke, he and sat up, looking startled for a second until he realised where he was. He ran his hands through his hair and said, "God, how long was I asleep? I feel like someone hit me with a brick."
"About two hours, and you needed it, so don't fuss. Our daughter just woke a few minutes ago, and I changed her and now I am giving her a bottle, as you can see. Are you all right, though? No headache?" John asked, slightly concerned about his husband.
"No, no, I'm fine, I just was worn out, I suppose. Better get used to that, eh?" Sherlock said, arching an eyebrow at their daughter, but smiling as he did so.
"Well, yes, I'd think so - we'd both better get used to it, this will be quite an undertaking. She's well worth it, though, don't you think?" asked John.
"No question that she is, John. I may just need to – ahem - amend my recent habits and actually sleep more at night. I was doing better, don't know why I've been so restless the last couple of weeks," Sherlock commented, shaking his head.
"No idea, love - can it be that you were just a teensy bit anxious for Sheri to get here?" teased John, smiling, as he lifted Sheri onto his shoulder and patted her back, rewarded when she let out a satisfying belch.
"Possibly, John, possibly. May I hold her and give her the rest of her feed?" asked Sherlock, his eyes locked on the baby.
Nodding, John handed her over, and just as Sherlock took her, Sheri let out another kind of noise - and John laughed. "I can see I dodged a bullet there, love. She's all yours!"
Sherlock shook his head laughed as he lay her down to change her – he was used to changing Emily, so a dirty nappy was not a major undertaking. He efficiently cleaned her and placed the soiled nappy in the waste container, and placed a new one on her.
He fed her the remainder of the formula, put her on his shoulder and continued sitting in the rocking chair, humming softly. Sheri listened, as if recognising the sound she had heard many times before. She was very content to be snuggled with her Papa, and soon drifted back to sleep. When John indicated he would take her and lay her down, Sherlock shook his head, and continued rocking. He had never imagined this - the fact that he and John had found each other still amazed him, and this – well, this was almost more than he could contain inside - he was bursting at the seams with love and contentment. He carried on rocking until Sheri woke up again, marvelling at her tiny features, hands, and feet; and her curls, so like John's - and his own.
Thanks to all who have read or reviewed this story- I hope you are enjoying it as much as I have loved writing it.
~joan