Chapter 20

Molly continued to work until her 7th month of pregnancy. Then Jeremy insisted that she would stay at home because he could see that she was too tired. The weight she had gained was largely concentrated on her belly which looked really impressive compared to her petite frame. Sherlock had developed some sort of fascination for that part of her body and would never miss an opportunity to touch it, especially when the baby would give a kick. He could also give some really good massages and she didn't mind being pampered a little bit.

Everything was ready to welcome little Thomas. They had arranged his room next to their own and Molly had a great time buying baby clothes (she was secretly hoping she could later find him a replica of his father's iconic coat and scarf). She couldn't wait to be holding her little angel in her arms.

The birth was planned on October 18th in London, with the obstetrician who had been following Molly from the start. The good thing with those private clinics was that they didn't ask too much questions. She explained that her husband was working abroad and wouldn't be able to attend. For more safety, she had decided to leave Sussex on the 16th, which turned out to be a good idea since her water broke in the car taking her to London. There was a moment of panic and they did the last part of the road at full speed, but they made it in time in London and she settled in her luxurious hospital room.

Thanks to a generous additional donation from Mycroft, Sherlock had been authorized to follow the whole process via a webcam. He had slightly changed his look in case a nurse might have recognized him: his hair was combed backwards to hide his curls and he was wearing a pair of glasses which made Molly laugh. However, the following morning Molly was still waiting and wasn't laughing anymore. It seemed that baby Thomas had decided to take his time and she was absolutely exhausted. Molly needed a break from Sherlock's constant talking, so she sent him to do a few house chores. When he came back, he found her in the middle of a particularly difficult contraction.

"Did you feed the cats?", she asked.

"I fed the cats, I took out the bins, I didn't set the house on fire. Everything on the list."

She tried to smile at the thought of how docile her husband had become, but the pain was too strong.

"More contractions?", he asked.

"Yes"

"Aren't they giving you anything for the pain?"

"Not yet."

Sherlock looked irritated. Patience had never been one of his virtues and the whole situation was driving his crazy.

"I want to talk to your doctor."

"Sherlock, he knows what he's doing. He had warned it could take some time because it's my first baby."

"Yes the second stage of labor can be longer for nulliparous women. But do you still feel the baby moving?"

"Yes I feel him, I feel him very much! Don't scare me!"

"Put the computer between your legs."

"WHAT?", she exclaimed.

"I want to check your cervical dilation."

"No way ! I have a nurse who does it every hour and it's already embarrassing enough. I don't need you to look at my vagina on a webcam."

"I'm your husband, it's nothing I haven't seen before! You saw far worse when I was at the hospital…"

"SHERLOCK STOP! Stop it now. I have been waiting here for the past 18 hours, there is human being about to come out of my body and you have no idea of the pain I'm in right now. You're really not helping me SO I'M GOING TO SHUT DOWN THIS COMPUTER!". She extended her hand towards the laptop to execute her threat.

"No !", yelled Sherlock. "Molly don't. Please!"

Molly hesitated to press the button. She was truly exasperated but Sherlock looked pretty distressed.

"You're right, I have no idea of what you're experiencing now. And you know how much I hate being ignorant about something. The truth is I feel completely useless here. I wish there was something I could do, anything…" He took his head in his hands and sighed.

She put her hand on the screen and caressed his face.

"Hey look at me. It's fine, I just want you to be there for me".

"Alright", he nodded.

Another wave of pain hit Molly, making her wince.

"Close your eyes", commanded Sherlock.

"Why ?"

"Close your eyes and just listened to my voice."

She didn't have the strength to start another conversation so she did as told.

"Now take a deep breath."

She inhaled and exhaled slowly, trying to expulse all the air in her lungs.

"Good, one more time", he encouraged.

His deep baritone voice was soothing. Molly continued the exercise and started to feel more relaxed.

"That's good, don't stop. Now I want you to pick up a place where you would want to be right now. Can you think of one?"

"Humm… The garden, I'd like to be in the garden."

"Can you picture it?"

"Yes."

"Describe it to me."

"It's… it's sunny. There's the cherry tree. And… and the lilies I planted."

"Can you smell the flowers?"

"Yes, I smell them. And I can hear the birds too. I'm lying on the grass, like we did at the picnic."

"I'm here too, and I'm holding your hand."

"Ok, I'm holding it."

"Now I want you to look inside your mind and think of it as a house with different rooms."

"Like your mind palace?"

"Yes, but you can call it as you want. Can you do that?"

"I don't know. I'm trying…"

"Now pick up the most remote room, like the attic. In this attic, there is a wardrobe and in the wardrobe there is a safe. Can you see it?"

"Yes, yes I see it."

"I want you to open the wardrobe, and the safe, and put your pain into it. The actual concept of pain. You will put it in the safe, close it and lock it. Then you will take the key, and throw it by the window, the further you can."

She took another deep breath, and muttered to herself "Lock it… Throw the key…"

"Did you do it ?"

"Yes, I think threw it far away."

"Excellent, your pain is gone. Now you can open your eyes."

Molly did as told. She felt like waking up after a pleasant dream. She was relaxed and her pain was temporarily gone.

"Maybe you could start a new career as a hypnotizer. You have the right voice for it."

"It's a technique I used several time on myself. Are you feeling better?"

"Yes, thank you", she said with a smile. "Do you realise this is one of the last moment when it's just the two of us? I mean… Everything will change afterwards, we are going to worry for this little guy for at least the next 20 years."

"You mean for the rest of our lives? This is a Holmes you're talking about!"

"Yes… and he seems to be as stubborn as his daddy. I wish he could listen to his Hooper side and hurry up now!"

^/^

It took another 8 hours before Molly's wish was granted, but suddenly she wished it hadn't. No childbirth class or mind palace could have prepared her for that moment.

"You're doing a fantastic job, continue like that", said the doctor.

"I can't, I can't anymore…." Molly was panting and her forehead was covered in sweat. She looked at Sherlock on the computer, he was livid but encouraged her with a nod.

She clenched her first and gave another excruciating push.

"That's good, one more, the baby is almost here I can see his head, one more!"

She could you hear the doctor talking to her but his voice seemed so far away. One last effort and it would be over but her strengths were giving out after all those hours. All she wanted now what to see her son… She gathered the last energies she had in her and screamed as she gave the ultimate push. The pain was terrible but she forgot it instantly when the room was filled with a cry. The beautiful cry of a healthy baby boy. Her head was spinning and the following seconds were a bit of blur. She could hear distant words about the nurse cutting the umbilical cord and soon the newborn was placed on her chest. He felt warm and sticky but Molly was overwhelmed by a flood of intense emotions : pride, fear and most of all unconditional love. She caressed his cheek with a shaking hand and she started to giggle with joy. She was a mother. Suddenly she realised she had almost forgotten about Sherlock. She looked in his direction and smiled at him. His face was covered with tears.

"Can you, show you him to my husband please?", she asked the nurse.

"Sure."

She carefully took the baby from Molly's arms and placed herself in front of the computer's screen.

"Here is your son sir, a healthy little boy."

A huge grin spread across Sherlock's face. He quickly examined the tiny creature: 20.4 inches and 8.5 lb, ten fingers and toes and, from the volume of his screams, perfectly functioning limbs.

"Is it normal that he's crying this loud?", he asked with a hint of worry.

"Oh absolutely", replied the nurse. "He's angry because he was nice and cosy in his mummy's belly. And we need to clean him up. We will bring him back to you really quick."

"Alright…" he said, waving goodbye as the nurse was taking him away. The smile still hadn't faded from his face.

If Sherlock had observed his own behaviour from an external position, he would have found it revoltingly soppy. But right now, his brain was anesthetized by a high dose of the most powerful drug he had experienced so far: his love for his son. The flesh of his flesh. A human being he and Molly had created.

"Mrs Vernet, Mrs Vernet can you hear me?"

Sherlock's was roused from his reverie by the doctor's voice. He was hunched over Molly, who looked unconscious. Another nurse rushed into the room.

"What is going with her ?", inquired Sherlock.

"Put on under oxygen"

"Yes Doctor"

"ANSWER ME! WHAT IS GOING ON?"

"Don't worry sir we're looking after your wife. I'm sorry I'm going to have to stop the camera now."

"NO! No no no, do not turn it down!"

"This is a medical procedure sir, I'm sorry."

"MOLLY !", he yelled.

The screen went black.

^/^

Sherlock spent the most stressful twenty minutes of his life as he was waiting for news from the clinic. His brain was working at full speed, creating a multitude of terrifying scenarios in which Molly and his child would die or where he would be left a widower with an orphan to raise. All those ideas were absolutely unbearable. Hopefully, his ordeal ended when he received a call from Anthea, informing him that both the mother and the child were doing well. However, Molly needed some rest and wouldn't be able to talk to him for the moment.

Later that night he received a text from Mycroft. It said "Thomas, 20.4 inches and 8.6 lb. Congratulations. MH".

8.6 lb… he had been almost right. He felt a twinge of jealousy that his brother could be there and not him. He went to bed but couldn't find sleep that night. The house suddenly felt terribly empty and kept looking at the picture of his son over and over again. He was a father.

^/^

The following day, Sherlock was authorized to contact his wife once again. Molly was comfortably settled in bed and was holding her sleeping baby in her arms. She had placed the laptop on a nearby table so that Sherlock could have a good view. She greeted him with a warm smile.

"Hi love!"

"Hello. I should blame you. You scared the hell out of me!"

"I fainted that's all. I'm fine now."

"The doctor said you had stitches."

She nodded. He could tell she was still weak but was doing her best to hide it.

"You know you were… absolutely amazing?"

"I did my best… and he was worth it. Look at him!" Her hand gently brushed the top of Thomas' head.

"Is he doing well?"

"Yes, perfectly. All he does is eat and sleep."

"It won't change us too much from the cats then."

Molly giggled. "I can't wait for you to see him."

"When are you coming back?"

"I hope the doctor will let me go tomorrow."

"I want you back as soon as possible but take your time ok?"

"OK. Hey! Look who's waking up!"

The newborn was slowing opening his eyes and made a little cooing noise.

"Owww ! Hello Tommy, there is a surprise for you. Your daddy is here on the screen, isn't it magic?", she said pointing at Sherlock on the computer.

"Say hi to him!"

Sherlock looked a bit taken aback. The baby didn't master language yet, so how was he supposed to talk to him? He noticed that Molly's intonation was different when she addressed Thomas, one octave higher than usual. He would have to do research about that, but for now he decided to be himself.

"Hello Thomas. Hum, I am… your father."

Molly burst out laughing. "Hahahaha. This is too funny!"

"What? What did I say?"

"Nothing, nothing it's just cute."

"Can we take a minute to talk about what is going on with his hair? Is my son a punk?"

"I know, isn't it adorable? It's like a little mohawk! Baby hair is often a bit weird, but it won't last. They're not curly though. Have you seen his eyes? I don't know if they will stay blue, but the shape is totally yours!"

"Yes the lips as well. The rest is yours. I have studied many baby pictures on the internet, but I can affirm is he the most perfect specimen I have seen so far."

"Of course he's perfect, he's ours!"