Mrs. Hudson placed the child in Sherlock's bedroom and covered the baby up. She gave a little whimper. She hoped that they would get back soon with the medicine. The over the counter ear drops weren't working that well.
Winter was going to come in like a lion. It was going to be a cold one. A chilly wind slipped in under the half open window. She slid it shut. She hoped the snow wouldn't come for a while yet.
She couldn't but worry as she went into the kitchen.
She loved Sherlock and John they were like her own sons. Yet, she wasn't sure they were ready for the life long commitment that came with the child.
Sherlock was doing surprisingly well. Yet, it still worried her. She knew how Sherlock was. He got bored easy and she was worried he would get bored with the baby. She needed something to do to take her mind off of it.
Dishes needed to be done, the living room needed to be clean, and Mrs. Hudson couldn't resist doing it.
The mess drove her crazy. She wished Sherlock was cleaner. She knew John would try to clean and Sherlock would go behind him making it was worse mess. They were going to have to keep the place clean once the baby started crawling.
She had the dishes washed, dried, and put away when she heard footsteps on the stairs.
She walked out the kitchen thinking it was Sherlock and John. She was shocked to see a woman standing in the living room.
At first Mrs. Hudson didn't recognize her. After a minute of staring at her she realized who he was looking at.
"Aaliyah!" She said pulling the woman in for a hug.
"Oh Mrs. Hudson," she said returning to hug. "It's been too long. How are you?"
"Fine," she said sitting down on the couch. "Sit."
Aaliyah sat down next to her and sat there in silence.
"I guess you heard about Isabell huh?" Mrs. Hudson asked.
"Mycroft sent me a picture on my phone," she said looking at her hands. "I wanted to see her. I wanted to see her while Sherlock was out."
"They're out shopping," Mrs. Hudson said getting up. "Come on. Shes sleeping in his room."
Aaliyah followed her. She smiled when she saw the baby curled up in the blankets. She actually looked a bit like Sherlock. Her hair was starting to come in dark brown. Her eyes were still blue and she hoped they wouldn't change. She clutching a stuffed cow in her arms.
"She is amazing," she said sitting down on the bed. "So pretty."
She ran a hand down her cheek. Mrs. Hudson smiled sitting down next to her.
"Is he doing good?" she asked the older woman.
"He's the perfect father," Mrs. Hudson explained. "He takes care of her while John is at work."
Aaliyah took out her phone and took a few pictures of the baby. She got to her feet.
"Don't go," Mrs. Hudson said putting a hand out. "Stay. Sherlock wants to see you. I know he does."
Aaliyah sighed leaning against the wall. She closed her eyes and for a moment she didn't say anything.
"Come on," Mrs. Hudson said walking to her. "He can put the past behind him. He doesn't hate you. Let's go and watch telly. You aren't going anymore."
Aaliyah didn't say anything. She simply took Mrs. Hudson's hand and allowed her to take her to the living room.
John was dead on his feet by the time Sherlock and him got home. They had done some serious shopping and had to stand in line to get Isabell's medicine. He never thought in his life that he would spend eight hundred pounds on a crib. It was very nice though and would last a long time.
The store was going to deliver what they had bought in a few hours. He was too tired to think of putting the crib together when he got there. All the clothes would need to be washed. The dresser needed to be put together. Maybe he could talk Sherlock into doing that.
Sherlock paused when they got to the door of the sitting room. John stood still next to him.
He could hear two voices. One was Mrs. Hudson's voice and the other was one John didn't know.
His friend took a deep breath and pushed the door open. From the look on his face John guessed he knew whose voice it was.
"Hi Sherlock," the strange woman said from her seat on the couch.
"Hello," Sherlock said in a dry voice. "I take it Mycroft told you about Isabell."
"Yes," she said simply.
"Who is this?" John asked in a confessed voice. "I can't handle anymore surprises."
"My name is Aaliyah Holmes," she said getting to her feet. "You must be John."
"Yes," he said shaking her hand. "Are you his mother?"
"Yes," She said smiling at him. "I'm his mother. I had to see the baby and meet you. I never thought he'd settle down."
"Give me her medicine," Sherlock said holding out his hand. "I'll give it to her."
John fished the medicine out of his pocket and gave it to Sherlock. Sherlock disappeared into his bedroom.
"I told you," Aaliyah said turning to Mrs. Hudson. "I have to go."
"Come down stairs and I'll give you a cup of tea," Mrs. Hudson said standing up. "Just give him a moment."
"I'm so happy to meet you," she said smiling at John. "I wish it could have been on better terms."
John didn't know what to do or say as they headed out of the room. He walked to Sherlock's bedroom.
He leaned against the door frame and looked at Sherlock. The man had the medicine dropper in his hands and was giving it to the baby.
"What's the deal?" John asked. "She comes to see you and our baby and you give her the cold shoulder."
"You don't understand," Sherlock whispered putting the medicine away.
"Then tell me," John said sitting down on the bed. "You can tell me anything. At least I believe you can tell me anything."
"You have to promise you can't tell anymore," he said in a deep tone.
"Of course I won't tell anymore," the good doctor said placing a hand on his friend's shoulder.
"Mycroft and I are only half brothers," Sherlock confessed. "My father wasn't my father if you know what I mean. I found out when I was teenager. "
"She had an affair?" John said it as a question but didn't expect Sherlock to answer.
"Messed up my life," Sherlock said.
John didn't know what to say. That was something that would be hard to talk about with anyone.
"I don't blame for you being mad Sherlock," John said getting up. "But sometimes its best to forgive."
Sherlock didn't say anything. He looked at the child in his arms.
"I'm going to go move things around in the kitchen and living room," John said. "I want to make sure we can get the babies things in here."
John sighed looking back at Sherlock. He knew the great detective was in a lot of pain and he needed to be left alone. He had some work do it and in a way he needed to be distracted from the information he had just gotten. It explained so much about Sherlock.