Author's Note:
I really like this chapter. Mrs. Holmes is introduced and for the most part it is just a funny, feel good scene! As usual, my thanks for those who have been reviewing! I'm glad you all are liking it so far! =)
Mycroft entered the flat hesitantly, his eyes scanning the area in disbelief. This was Sherlock's flat and it was... clean. Organized. And right in the middle of it was Sherlock, fast asleep in his chair. Something was definitely wrong but he didn't have time to worry about that. Keeping their Mum happy was his number one priority right now. "Sherlock?" His voice was low as he moved toward his younger brother, studying him intently. "Sherlock, it's time to go. Wedding to plan." He sat gracefully in John's chair.
The words spoken caused him to stir but the pain in his chest was what woke Sherlock up. He groaned at the aching, eyes slowly fluttering up. Had he fallen asleep in the chair? Sleeping upright must have agitated the bruise on his chest. Finally, his eyes focused on his older brother. "Mycroft?" He muttered but then he remembered tea time with Mum. God, how late had slept? Ignoring the pain he stood up from the chair, disrupting the sleeping cat on his lap that he hadn't realized was there. Hamish mewed his protest loudly.
"Obviously," Mycroft replied with a bored tone. "I've come half an hour early. Go shower and dress up," he stated with a smirk on his lips. He let his eyes wander the flat, taking it all in. This was new, different and it was obvious that Sherlock was making an effort. A giant effort. "Captain Watson is waiting nervously at Camp Bastion to meet his future mother-in-law via Skype." His eyes finally landed on Sherlock and he motioned his head toward the bathroom.
A thin smirk etched Sherlock's lips. "I took one last night, but I'll change clothes." He hadn't meant to sleep so long. He would just have to do the other things later, he supposed. He walked to his bedroom and got ready. With a bit of a fight, he managed to lock Hamish in the bedroom. Mum didn't like cats. Better Hamish tear up the one room in the flat not cleaned up yet. He would probably end up having to get rid of the cat, if it didn't mature. Sherlock tried to ignore the pain from every breath as best he could. "Ready whenever you are." It wasn't really a necessary statement, but he didn't feel like talking about anything else at the moment.
Mycroft stood slowly and buttoned his jacket. "Do try to hide your pain a bit from Mummy. She is worried about you enough." He took one last glance around the flat, nodding his head in approval, before starting down the stairs. "I hope you will be on your best behavior, Sherlock. She is extremely excited about all of this. I advise you to share that enthusiasm with her." As he slid into the car he pulled his phone out, making a quick call. "About fifteen minutes John. No need to be nervous," a pause, "She will love you. Don't worry. See you soon." The call ended and Mycroft occupied himself with emails on his phone.
"I'm fine," Sherlock muttered as he followed his older brother down the stairs. He got into the car without answering to anything else said to him. He sat staring out the window as Mycroft spoke on the phone with John. Wedding planning really wasn't his idea of a fun filled day, so maybe he would just agree with everything to make it go by faster. It really wouldn't do to argue with his mother anyway. Everyone thought he was impossible sometimes but his mum could be incorrigible when her mind was set.
Mycroft flashed a knowing smirk in Sherlock's direction as the car stopped. "Happy, dear brother. This is a momentous occasion. You, marriage. Mum never thought it would happen." He got out of the car with an excited jump and opened Sherlock's car door as he walked by. "And you get to see John. That will put a smile on your face."
"I know how to handle our mother." Sherlock replied before getting out of the car, but not with the same exuberance as his older brother. Mycroft was right about one thing, seeing John would improve his mood. He glanced up at the mansion and not for the first time wondered why his mum would want to live in such a big place by herself, since dad was away on military tours more than he was ever in London. It was amazing they had time to raise a family. As soon as they got up to the large double doors on the cobble porch, they opened. He gave his mother a pleasant smile. It wasn't really a surprise his mum answered the door personally and not one of the servants. How long had it been since he had been here? Since Christmas? So, almost ten months?
"There are my lovely boys! Come here and let me look at you!" The Holmes' brothers mother hugged Sherlock tightly.
With restraint Sherlock managed not to cringe in pain from the pressure being applied to his chest. He returned the hug and gave his mum a quick kiss on the cheek.
Mrs. Holmes hugged Mycroft next. "You've been watching over him, haven't you? It's your job as the older brother, you know. Come on in, tea is about done." She turned away and led them inside to the expansive foyer.
Sherlock turned to Mycroft and smirked. He had lost count how many times their mother had told that Mycroft and then followed her inside.
Mycroft managed to shoot a glare in Sherlock's direction as they entered the house. It instantly disappeared the moment he thought Mum might be able to see it. "Yes, of course. He has been just fine. Bit worse for wear but what can we expect with dear Sherlock?" He flashed a smirk of his own in Sherlock's direction before taking a seat around the round table that had been set up for tea. He wasted no time in logging into the laptop that had been provided for the meeting. "Let us call up Captain Watson, shall we?" The sound of ringing echoed through the room as Mycroft turned the computer to face all three of them.
After a small shuffle John appeared on the screen, looking around nervously. His hair was wet, his face almost completely clean. It was obvious he'd just showered for the occasion. His eyes landed on Sherlock and he relaxed instantly, smiling a bit and locking his gaze on the ring around Sherlock's neck. His husband. "Hey," he said in a light voice, tensing right away and clearing his throat. "I-I mean, h-hello, Mrs. Holmes. Pleasure to meet you. Captain John Watson. Um... I'm... marrying your son?" His voice squeaked at the end of his sentence and a blush spread across his cheeks. Wonderful. He had already mucked up.
When their mother had her back to them, Sherlock shot his brother a glare. It turned into a quick smile when his mum turned around and he took a seat on the chair next to her. When John appeared on the computer screen, his smile brightened. He was about to say something but he was interrupted by his mother's laughter.
"Oh Sherlock! He is adorable!" She smiled brightly, her hands clapping together in delight. "And, John, please call me Nancy."
That was about the right, Sherlock mused with a smirk. A smirk that clearly told John 'I told you so about my mum liking you.'
"Now tell me, why do want to marry my baby boy?"
Sherlock groaned inwardly, suddenly feeling like a small child again. "Mum, I'm not…"
"Oh hush, you will always be my baby boy. Now be quiet so I can talk to your fiancé."
With a pout, Sherlock bit his bottom lip to prevent himself from talking further.
The blush on John's cheeks spread to the tips of his ear. He looked at Sherlock desperately for a moment. Adorable? He was older than Sherlock! He took a shaky breath and nodded his head fractionally, licking his lips. "Right. Yes. I love him, for starters. I can't imagine what my life would be like without him." there was a pause and he tore his gaze away from Sherlock's mother to look at him. "I want to wake up every morning and have Sherlock be the first thing I see. I want him to be the last thing I see at night." he closed his eyes for a long moment and lowered his head. "I hope that is alright with you, Mrs. Holmes."
Mycroft had to duck away from the computer, looking at Sherlock with a hand over his mouth to hide his laughter. "Yes, 'baby boy,' is that alright with you, as well?" He asked with a smirk across his lips.
"It will only be all right with me, if you stop calling me 'Mrs. Holmes' young man." She gave a large smile, her eyes twinkling with clear amusement.
Since their mother was preoccupied talking to John, Sherlock gave Mycroft the middle finger behind her back. A gesture he almost never used, but it was better than yelling in front of their mum.
"You two boys will behave while in this house. Mycroft, stop instigating. You know how sensitive Sherlock is." She gave them each a stern motherly look before looking back to John on the screen.
Sherlock would have smirked at his older brother but he had just been called 'sensitive.' God, he could really use a cigarette right now.
John finally managed a grin at Sherlock's actions, his heartbeat increasing at how he was acting. How normal it all was despite their situation. "Right. Of course. Sorry Mrs. Hol- uh... Nancy?" There was a long moment where John finally had a chance to study Sherlock's mother. His mouth quirked to the right as he realized that it was obvious where Sherlock got his high cheekbones and amazing eyes. "Sherlock's told me that you've been putting some things together for the wedding?" He asked hesitantly, his eyes glancing to Sherlock with a bit of a smile. Christ, it was inappropriate, but looking at Sherlock had him biting his bottom lip and shifting slightly in his chair. With his Mum right there. He took a deep breath before mouthing 'I love you' to Sherlock.
"Oh, honestly Mummy." Mycroft leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowing in Sherlock's direction. "I got those rings for them. Sherlock, technically, is in debt to me. A little teasing isn't much." He pulled his phone out of his pocket and read through an e-mail with a bored expression.
She glanced to the older Holmes brother before answering him. "Mycroft, I said not in this house. Don't argue you with me with company present. It is rude, not to mention disrespectful." Nancy returned her attention to John, smiling pleasantly despite chastising her offspring."Yes, I am so very excited. I never expected either of my boys to get married. You two will look so handsome in the tuxedos I picked out. For the reception, what song would you two like to dance to? Do you have a song?"
Sherlock was glaring daggers at his brother, even though Mycroft's attention was on the phone. He then looked from his mum to John bewildered. Song? Dance? There would be dancing? First he had to wear a tie and now he was expected dance? Maybe they really should just run away to Vegas and elope. "Mum-"
"I already told you to hush once Sherlock, I won't tell you again. I'm talking to John right now. You'll have your turn soon enough."
"Do we have a so- No. We don't." John shook his head, his eyebrows knitting together. They had never really listened to music. "I like the music plays on his violin." His hand lifted to run nervously at the back of his neck. He couldn't dance to save his life and the idea of having to do it in front of people was mortifying. "Tuxedos?" the words tumbled from his mouth and he giggled softly, focusing entirely on Sherlock now. This was going to be quite the wedding. "What do you think, Sherlock? Any idea what song we should dance to?" The smirk on his lips was smug, his eyes bright and playful.
"Don't ask me, I'm not allowed to talk apparently." Sherlock replied, clearly pouting.
"Sherlock! Don't be rude. He asked you a question, now answer it politely." His mother said, without turning to look at her youngest son.
This was going to kill him, he just knew it. "Well, honestly I've never thought about. I prefer classical music on the rare occasions I actually listen to it."
"We can figure that out later I suppose, when you two have time to discuss it. There will be dancing Sherlock, we can finally put to use those ball room dancing classes you had when you were younger." She finally looked over to Sherlock and smiled.
Yep, it was definitely going to kill him. He certainly and desperately needed a cigarette. He managed a small smile back and when he looked back to John, he couldn't help the hopelessness that showed in his face.
John's eyebrows shot up instantly, a wide smile on his lips. "Ballroom dancing classes?" He ducked his head out of view for a moment before popping up again. "Sherlock, you never told me about those!"
"Yes, dear brother, tell us about your ballroom dancing classes," Mycroft stated with a chuckle.
John tensed defensively, looking at Mycroft the best he could. "Sod off! Only I can tease him like that!" His gaze flashed back to Sherlock's mum nervously. "S-Sorry." His eyes traveled to Sherlock and he took a moment to study his fiancé.
Sherlock shrugged at John and then turned to glare at his older brother once more.
"Oh! You are so protective of my baby boy. I love it. You really are adorable dear." Nancy said to John. "And Mycroft, second warning on teasing your brother. I won't tell you a third time. You know what happens after the third time." She warned her eldest son.
Even though they were grown adults, she would put them in an empty quiet room for time out when she told them not to do something for a third time. Sherlock couldn't help but smirk, despite being on a second warning as well.
John flushed and kept his eyes trained on Sherlock as his mother chastised her two children. At some point he figured he might be on the receiving end of that once he was officially in the family.
"Mum, we are adults. You can't possibly be serious." Mycroft didn't bother to lift his head as he spoke, instead keeping his eyes focused on his phone.
"Sherlock," John spoke up slightly. "How're you?"
"If you are going to act like a child then I will treat you like one," she told Mycroft.
Sherlock continued to smirk at his older brother and then turned his attention to the computer screen. "I am well John. How are you holding up my dear doctor?"
Nancy stayed respectfully quiet; to let her son and his fiancé have a conversation.
"I'm good," John nodded slightly and bit his bottom lip. He hadn't slept much the night before and had instead been taking care of a soldier who ended up dying from his wounds. He wasn't going to tell Sherlock but he figured his fiancé could deduce it anyway. "Just miss you. Ready to be back in London solving cases." He managed a half smile and it grew as Mycroft spoke up.
"Sherlock started it. Clearly. I'm am the mature one between the two of us." Mycroft put his phone away and lifted his gaze to study his mother. "I can't help it that Sherlock gets a bit flustered whenever he thinks about John."
"Mrs. Holmes," John turned his attention to his future mother-in-law with a warm smile. "Did you have any idea where you might want to have the ceremony?"
Sherlock studied John closely but merely nodded. "I miss you too." He glanced to his older brother and once more glared but it turned into a smirk as he heard his mother speak.
"Of course you are the mature one, you are the older brother. Now start acting like it and stop instigating." The Holmes mother said to Mycroft and then looked back to the computer screen. "I have a few ideas. I am going to talk with some girls in my book club and we will find the perfect place for you boys. However, if you call me 'Mrs. Holmes' one more time we are going to have problems young man."
"S-Sorry," John dropped his head. As much as she wanted him to regard her by her first name he was trained to be respectful. It was engrained in him. "That sounds like a great idea. I haven't really discussed things with Sherlock but I think we can eliminate any churches from that list." He scratched the back of his neck with a small yawn. "I wish I could be more of a help. I feel like I'm not doing much over a computer screen."
Mycroft sunk lower into his chair with a resigned sigh. Arguing with his mother while she was captivated with Sherlock and John obviously wasn't going to end well.
Nancy smiled as she watched John. "If you aren't comfortable using my first name then just call me 'Mum.' You are, after all, going to be family." Despite what Siger had said, she found the army doctor to be adorable and endearing. Pish posh on what her husband thought of him. "You are fine dear. I'll take care of everything. Mothers are supposed to spoil their baby boy, you know."
Sherlock managed not to groan at being called a 'baby boy' this time and matched his brother's slouch as he sank into the chair.
John's eyes shot up as the woman spoke. Deducing people apparently ran in the family. "Yes. Of course, Mum." He smiled weakly. He watched Sherlock with a growing smile. It was amazing to watch Sherlock's family, wonderful to take in something he had been missing for years. He was going to have a Mum again. "I hope that I haven't upset your husband too much," he commented. "It certainly wasn't intentional. And I do understand if he wishes not to be present at the wedding."
Mycroft stood from his chair with a sigh, leaving the room as his cell phone started ringing. "Yes, father," he droned as he entered another room.
The smile on Nancy's face tightened at the mention of her husband. "Oh he will be there. He is Sherlock's father. I'll make him go if I have to."
Sherlock was about to argue that he didn't want the Colonel there anyway. However, Mycroft answering his phone caught his attention and he sat up immediately with narrowed eyes. He was about to get up and follow his older brother but his Mum stopped him.
"Sherlock, no. You are just as bad as you brother and father with spying on people. Honestly, you act as if I never taught you manners." His mother gave him a stern, warning glance.
Great, he hated when his mother compared him to the other men in the household. He didn't want to be like either, though even he had to admit the similarities that did exist. With an unnecessarily loud sigh, Sherlock slouched back down into the chair.
"Quit pouting dear, it is unbecoming of one of your intellect." Nancy chided lightly and then finally returned her attention back to John. "I'm sorry dear, I don't mean to be rude and ignore you. Apparently my boys still don't know how to behave when company is present."
John couldn't help but have his interest piqued the moment he heard Mycroft on his phone. Sherlock had heard it too, certainly, because the moment he realized what was happening he heard Sherlock's mum chastising him yet again.
"Hmm?" His eyes widened slightly and his lips tightened before he realized what Mrs. Holmes was really saying. "Oh, no, it's quite alright. I understand his curiosity. It's a lot of my job out here." He smiled and trained his eyes on Sherlock as he heard Mycroft reentering the room.
"Sorry," Mycroft stated simply as he fell back into his chair. "My father wishes to know how Captain Watson and Sherlock are doing with the child arrangements."
John paled almost instantly, rage bubbling in his stomach. Even if Sherlock's mum wanted him there, John was now extremely sure he didn't want Colonel Holmes at the wedding. His eyes shot to Sherlock and he bit his bottom lip.
Not 'our father' but 'my father.' Sherlock hadn't missed his older brother's phrasing. His eyes narrowed at Mycroft as he spat out, "It isn't any of your father's business." He was sitting upright once more; half tempted to punch his brother again.
"Sherlock!" Nancy screeched at her youngest son. She turned back to the computer, "I'm sorry John, I must cut this short. I'm sure we'll speak again soon." She terminated the call and she turned back to glare at both of her sons. "Stop it, this instant. Both of you!"
Sherlock looked from his mother and then to his brother. He couldn't take it anymore and he stalked out of the room and outside. Unfortunately, he didn't have any cigarettes on him despite his desperate craving for nicotine right now. He ignored his older brother's waiting black car by walking by it down the long drive way and out onto the street.
"Wai-" John's shout was cut short and he slumped his shoulders when the screen went black. Wonderful. Bloody fantastic. Now Sherlock's mother hated him too.
Mycroft stood with an agitated sigh, stalking his way after his brother. "Sherlock! Get back in the house now." He jogged lightly to Sherlock's side. "For Mum, she's planning your wedding for Christ's sake!"
"Piss off. I'm not in the mood now, Mycroft. We can do it later. Now get lost, or you can find yourself off the guest list as well." Sherlock stopped just long enough to glare at his older brother and then resumed walking, at a brisker pace than before. He didn't care if he was being child. Everything was happening so quickly and it was all catching up to him now. The wedding. The baby. The flat being forever altered. John away for an additional three months. Everything. Eventually he had to slow his gait because it was too much stress on his already pained chest.
Mycroft nearly argued. It was going to be his head the moment Mum saw he returned without his younger brother in tow. He slowed down and dropped his head.
John shifted and quickly pulled his cell phone from his pocket.
I love you. –JW
In his agitated state, when his cell phone went off, Sherlock yanked it from his pocket roughly. He lost his grip on it and bounced out onto the road. Just as he was about to retrieve it, a car zoomed by and ran over it. He swore loudly at the driver. The phone was in several pieces, broken beyond repair. Naturally. What else could possibly go wrong right now? Without looking, he leaned over to pick up the broken phone parts. A car swerved to miss him, the horn blaring frantically. Sherlock stumbled back and he hit his head on the lamp post next to him. The car drove off, as he slumped against the metal pole while his head began to bleed. "Well, that's what I get for asking…" he muttered to himself since there wasn't anyone else around at the moment.