The following night was the first night so far that John and Sherlock had been unable to get Isabell to sleep.
Around midnight she woke up crying and wouldn't go back to sleep. Sherlock slept through her crying at first.
John woke up and took her into his arms. He changed her. She didn't stop crying. He fed her. She stopped crying while she ate and then started again. He burped her. She wouldn't stop crying.
Sherlock stumbled out of his room and into the living room.
"What's wrong with her?" he asked with a yawn.
"I don't know," John said rocking her. "I've tried everything."
"Let me see her," he said taking the child. "You go and try to get some sleep. You have to go to work in the morning."
"I can't leave you with her like this," he said sitting down on the couch. "It wouldn't be fair."
Her crying got softer but she didn't stop.
"I talked to the adoption agency," John said. "I told them everything was alright with Isabell. Mycroft texted right away. He said something about a store were we could buy things for the baby on his card."
"Sounds good," Sherlock said rocking his daughter. "We can go after you get out of work tomorrow."
Sherlock frowned looking at the little one. Usually she went right to sleep in his arms.
"Something is really bothering her," he said lifting her close to his face. "John can you look in her ears. Maybe she has an ear infection or something. I believe that is common in small infants."
He knew he was right. A lot of little kids came into the office with ear infections. John retrieved a small flash light from his room and peeked in her ears. She screamed when he tried to touch them.
"Oh yes," he said. "They are starting to get red."
"Hold her for a minute," Sherlock said handing the baby off. "I need to get dressed."
"Are we taking her to the emergency room?" John asked already getting her jacket on her.
"Well," Sherlock said banging around in his room. "You don't need to come. I mean you have to go to work."
"Nonsense," John said. "I'm coming."
A few minutes later there were outside and hailing a cab. John suggested they call emergency but Sherlock shook his head saying it would be just as good to take a cab.
The cab driver could tell something was wrong and didn't muck about getting them to St. Bard's.
Sherlock and John got out and walked into the emergency room. It didn't look too busy. Sherlock went up to the front desk while John took a seat.
"Hello," Sherlock said. "My daughter needs to be seen."
"Alright," the girl said handing him a clipboard. "Just fill this...Sherlock!"
Sherlock knew the girl. Her name was Kelly. He had run into her a few times during his trips to St. Bard's. Damn. Why did people always remember him?
"I didn't know you had kids," she said looking at the baby. "Aw! She is adorable. Who is her Mummy?"
"Shes adopted. I think she has an ear infection," Sherlock said.
"Well," she said waving to the baby. "It should be a quick wait."
"John," Sherlock said simply nodding to the baby and diaper bag.
John got up and took the still whining baby and bag.
"Oh here," Kelly said pulling out a small stuffed cow from behind the counter. "She can have this."
"Thank you," John said sitting back down.
He set the baby bag down on the floor. Isabell cuddled up against him. He used the cow as a make shift pillow.
Sherlock sat down and began filling out the forms. He was trying his best not to look at Kelly. She was looking at him with side ways smile. She picked up the phone and began to talk.
"Sherlock," John said softly.
"What is it?" Sherlock said filling out the form.
"Never mind," the doctor said looking at the child.
"Is something wrong?" Sherlock asked giving him his full attention.
"I love this child," John said. "I actually love her. I look at her and think that I would do anything for her."
"Isn't that normal?" he asked. "Isn't that the way parents are supposed to feel?"
"For some reason I get the idea I get the idea you didn't have a happy child hood," John said with a little snort.
"Where in the world did you get that idea?" Sherlock asked in a surprised voice.
John sighed shaking his head.
The two of them sat there in silence unsure of what to say to each other.
"John," Sherlock finally said. "I know you've always been curious about my child hood. I'm sure it didn't escape your sight that my mother didn't attend my funeral."
"Yes that did confuse me a bit," John admitted. "I assumed she was dead."
For a second John thought Sherlock was actually going to open up to him. Sadly it was cut short when a doctor appeared to take them back to a room.
Surprisingly Isabell had barley made a sound. The doctor took the clipboard from Sherlock and looked it over.
Sherlock sat down in one of the chairs and John sat down in the other. Isabel was starting to fuss again.
"So the little ones ears are bothering her huh?" the doctor said picking up a tool.
She learned over and peeked in the girl's ear.
"Pretty red," she said. "I don't see any wax. It says she was adopted. Do you have her paper work?"
Sherlock dug out a wad of paper from his pocket and handed it to the doctor. She looked over it.
"Well," she said. "This is strange. It says here there are no medical concerns but it says she failed her both UNHS test the doctors did."
"What's that?" Sherlock asked in a confused voice.
"Universal Newborn Hearing Screening," the doctor explained. "She failed completely. That is odd for them not to mention it."
"Are you trying to tell us she is deaf?" John asked in a shocked voice.
"No," she said shaking her head. "These test aren't one hundred percent. When they test her she could have had an ear infection or wax."
"Alright," she said sighing. "I'll write a prescription for the antibiotics and some ear drops. You'll want to buy some infant Tylenol for her fever if she gets one. I'll call you after I've set a follow up appointment to have her hearing tested again. The test could have been messed up. It happens."
She took out a prescription pad and began writing in a long scrawl. She handed Sherlock the paper.
Isabell began to wail loudly.
"Aw Izzy," John said rocking her. "She's bound to be hungry by now."
John thanked the doctor as he and Sherlock left the room. Sherlock had a strong look on his face. John handed Sherlock the baby and went off to make a bottle of formula.
Sherlock sat down in one of the chairs in the waiting area and rocked Isabell until she calmed down a bit.
"You can hear me," he whispered close to his face. "I know you can Isabell. You can hear Daddy can't you? Daddy. Huh. To tell you the truth Isabell I never thought anyone would call me that."
John filled the bottle quickly and raced back.
"You know Isabell," he stopped walking when he heard Sherlock talking softly to the child. "I may not have asked for you but I'm really starting to like you. You're going to be a smart one. I can tell. Just promise me one thing little one. Just promise you won't run off with the first cute boy that turns your head."
The baby gave small giggle. John couldn't stop himself from giggling himself. Sherlock looked up at where John stood.
"I knew you were there the whole time John," Sherlock said getting to his feet. "Ten for style minus two for stealth."
"Sherlock!" came a too familiar voice.
"Oh no," John said when he say Molly coming around a corner.
"Oh my goodness," she said as she got closer. "Kelly called me. I was hoping I wouldn't miss you."
"Hello Molly," Sherlock said giving her the smallest smile his face could form.
He might owe her a lot for helping him disappear but that didn't mean he had to be nice.
"She is so adorable," Molly said. "When you get photos made up I want one."
"Of course Molly," John said trying to be polite. "I'd love to stay and chat but Isabell has an ear infection and I need to go to work in the morning."
"Sorry," she said quickly. "I know you two want to get home. I really just wanted to tell Sherlock I have something very interesting in to morgue. It came in yesterday."
"What is interesting about it?" Sherlock asked raising an eyebrow.
"Well," she said. "It's odd. I'll send you some pictures on your mobile."
"Sounds good," Sherlock said and turned to go.
"Thank you," John said quickly before they turned and left.
"Ah!" came Isabell's loud cry.
John had fallen asleep on the sofa as soon as they got home. Sherlock had taken Isabell to his bed and fell asleep quickly.
John got to his feet, made a bottle, grabbed her ear drops, and stumbled into Sherlock's room. They wouldn't be able to fill her prescription until the morning but they had picked up some over the counter drops.
He had no idea what time it was as he changed her, gave her the drops, and put her bottle to her mouth.
He didn't even have the energy to get back to the couch to fed her. He got into Sherlock's bed. He didn't think the detective would mind. He laid down and propped the bottle up with a pillow.
Isabell looked so peaceful sucking on the bottle. She clung to that stuffed cow. She didn't have a care in the world. John wasn't exactly sure when he feel asleep.