Chapter 13

That morning Molly woke up quite nervous with excitement. Today was her second scan. The appointment had been made in a private clinic by Mycroft's assistant, with nothing less than the country's best obstetrician and a state-of-the-art 4D ultrasound scanner. She was eager to know if everything was fine with the baby. And she would also find out about the sex.

John kept his promise, and came to pick her up in a taxi. They were now in the doctor's waiting room.

"So what do you think?" he asked. "Boy or girl?"

"I don't know… I honestly don't have a preference."

"Oh come on, I'm sure you have some idea."

"I think… it's a girl."

"Well, I think it's a boy. Want to take bets?"

"What?"

"The one who's right buys lunch. Is that OK?"

"OK", she giggled.

They were interrupted by the nurse who entered the room. "Good morning, Miss Hooper, could you follow me please?"

"'Course", she said.

"Do you want me to wait here?" asked John

"No. I'd like you to come with me. I mean, if you want to".

"Fine, let's go then".

They settled in the consultation room. John sat at the place normally reserved for the father-to-be. He felt slightly embarrassed being there in such an intimate moment. The doctor ran the usual tests and gave reassuring news. The baby's development was perfectly normal. Then came the expected question:

"Would you like to know the sex of the baby?"

"Yes", she said, exchanging a look with a John.

"It's a girl". He turned the screen so that she could see it. The pictures were astonishingly detailed; so much better than the usual grainy snowstorm of the NHS scanners.

Molly looked at the image and felt overwhelmed by emotion. "Oh my god… she's beautiful."

^/^

She couldn't stop staring at the pictures the doctor had printed off for her, and she felt fully justified in allowing the side of her that plastered her website with kittens to come to the fore. "She's so cute, can you see, she's sucking her thumb! This is adorable!" John gave her a broad smile. It felt great having something to celebrate after the past difficult months.

"I owe you a lunch… and I think I know just the perfect place."

^/^

John pushed the door of the little Italian restaurant. It was one of the several places he had been avoiding lately because they carried too many memories. But now he felt strong enough to come back. It was also a way to exorcise the past.

They were immediately greeted by the exuberant owner:

"Dr Watson! What a surprise! You should have called me. Oh, come here my friend." He pulled John into a hug, almost strangling him.

"Hello Angelo, it's good to see you."

"I was at the funeral you know, beautiful speech you did. But I see you've come with your lady. Oh and there is a baby on the way, this is wonderful!"

"No it's not…" John glanced at Molly who gave him a nod. "It's not my baby. It's Sherlock's."

Angelo's jaw dropped with surprise. He looked at Molly in disbelief and exclaimed: "Mamma Mia! This is incredible, I have to tell my wife." He shouted in direction of the kitchen: "Antonella, c'è il Dottore Watson! Con la ragazza di Sherlock - che aspetta un bambino!"

He looked at John and Molly, appraisingly: "Come with me, I have to show you something".

As they were following Angelo to the back of the restaurant, Molly murmured in John's ear: "Is he always like that?"

"Oh yes!"

They arrived at the counter, where Angelo proudly showed them a shelf which had been installed on the wall. Beside a portrait of John Paul II, was a sort of shrine dedicated to the memory of the detective. There was a picture of Sherlock at the restaurant, and different newspapers articles relating the circumstances of his death.

"We think of him all the time. So young… what a tragedy". He placed his fingers on the picture, almost in a gesture of superstition.

John was speechless; he didn't know if he should cry or burst out laughing. He forced back the latter response, not wanting to cause mortal offence. "This is… this is beautiful, very moving."

"Thank you, but you must be hungry! Especially the young lady! Please have a seat, I bring you the menu. Everything for free."

They settled at Angelo's "best table" and ordered some pizzas. John looked a bit embarrassed.

"I'm sorry. I'm not such sure it was such a good idea to come here."

"No, it's fine. He's… quite a character!" answered Molly with a grin.

"For sure! And you know, this place has a history. Actually, this is where Sherlock and I had dinner the first time, just after we met. Angelo was convinced that I was Sherlock's date. He even put a candle on the table!"

"No way! Oh god, that's priceless!"

"And Sherlock though that I was asking him out! Really, the whole evening was hideously embarrassing…"

"Well… there were a lot of rumors, about you two."

"I know. I must say I still had some doubts about him. I never saw him showing an interest in any woman. That's why I was so surprised when I learned about… you."

There was an awkward silence. Molly and Sherlock's relationship was a subject they had always avoided so far.

"From what I can tell… I was certainly far from the first one", answered Molly, blushing slightly.

John sighed, "The more the time passes, the more I realise… how many things there were about him that I didn't know."

Molly was gazing absently out of the window, John's words echoing in her mind. She started thinking about Sherlock again. About the times they had been to a restaurant together, when he was charming and funny. And then, the other Sherlock, who had been cold and cruel. Had she ever known him at all? Before she knew it, she realised her pregnancy enhanced emotions had taken a violent swing for the worse.

John saw that a tear was rolling down her cheek. He covered her hand with his and murmured: "Hey, no tears - it's a happy day, remember?"

"I know, It's just…our last meeting was… a disaster. He said some very harsh words… and so did I. It was horrible. But I can't help wondering what would have happened, if he'd come back. If I'd been able to tell him. And… it breaks my heart that he never knew…. and that my daughter will never know her father."

She was sobbing loudly now. John, uncomfortable, didn't know what to say. How would his friend have reacted to the announcement of Molly's pregnancy? "Sherlock" and "baby" were two concepts he found very difficult to put together.

However, he tried to comfort her. "Molly, I don't know what he said to you, but he wasn't really himself by the end."

She nodded in agreement and tried to wipe her tears.

John continued. "I know how you feel. There is not one day I don't think about what happened. I keep wondering over and over, is there something I could have done to save him? At first I was angry at myself, but sometimes I can't help feeling angry at him. Because what he did… his bloody sacrifice… it was almost suicide. And he left us all behind…" His eyes were wet. "Oh, no. Now I'm crying too. If he could see us now, he'd think we're a pair of idiots. At least you've got the excuse of hormones!"

Her phone beeped; she looked at the screen and managed a weak chuckle.

"What is it?" asked John

"It's from Mycroft" she replied, handing him the phone. The text message simply read "Congratulations, MH".

"Well, for once I agree with Mycroft. Congratulations to the future mum. It is all that counts today."