Thanks for all the reviews! Pretty much all of you said to make a separate 'new' story, which I will. I'm working on wrapping it up now. This will go on through the pregnancy, and then the sequel will take place as the birth happens. This chapter has them discussing and getting ready to face Moran in person. I made it up as I went, so I hope I kind of got descriptions and legal words and stuff kinda close.

CHAPTER 21 - Cute Baby Giraffe

Mycroft smiled stiffly as he murmured a goodbye to his latest appointment, and shut the door behind them with a hefty sigh. He pressed his lips together, a bit irritated at the stupidity he had to face every day, and turned back to his desk. He walked around, touching papers and such on his desk, and sat down in his chair. He leaned forward.

The papers on his desk fluttered, and a noise vibrated throughout the room. Mycroft looked around curiously, although he knew what it was. The Doctor was coming to see him – something must have happened. He checked his phone as the TARDIS materialized in the corner of his office far from him. No texts from Sherlock, John, Tabitha, or any other person he had watching them. He sat it softly on the desk as the box's door opened.

"Hello, Doctor, you have news?" He started to look over paperwork nonchalantly. The Doctor took a seat in the chair across from him, and leaned forward so his elbows were on the desk.

"Sherlock and Tabitha have decided to face Moran and the Weeping Angels."

Mycroft froze, the papers in his hand suddenly blurry. He took a slow, deep breath, placed the papers on the desk, and put his full attention on the man in front of him. The Doctor, in his usual clothing, raised his eyebrows at the hard stare.

"They are going to do what?" Mycroft felt a slight panic in his chest, but pushed it far down into his subconscious. Even if he was worried, there was no stopping Sherlock, or even Tabitha, when they put their minds together to do something.

"You know, as well as I do, they are going to do it whether they have help or not," the Doctor said, pointing out the same thoughts.

"Obviously," Mycroft murmured. He brought his hands up in a similar fashion to Sherlock's thinking pose, and stared at nothing in particular as he thought. "I suppose we should draw up some kind of strategy to get what we want."

"Greg should be here soon," the Doctor said with a deadly and serious expression on his face. Mycroft nodded at his words. Time for the game to start.

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Sherlock couldn't believe that Tabitha had convinced him to add a splash of Christmas decorations to the flat. Come to think of it, all the women who would be in attendance of the Christmas party had come bursting into the door with three big boxes of lights, tensile, mistletoe, and decorations to decorate the big tree that John had somehow snuck in.

He sat in his seat, plucking the string of his violin, as his friends chatted to each other. Friends. It was odd to think he had friends. He watched as Molly and her date, Victor, chatted with John and Mary. Victor was a nice guy – a teacher. Mrs. Hudson, the Doctor, and Tabitha were talking about future baby plans. He had ignored them on purpose – it was too soon to think about those kind of things. Lestrade and Mycroft were discussing their plan of action in the far corner, away from the group.

The voices stopped when they heard a knock on the door. They all looked at one another, confusion written on their faces. Lestrade put a hand to his gun, and the men stepped in front of the women, making sure they were protected. The door opened, and everyone gaped in surprise. Except Tabitha, of course.

Irene Adler raised in eyebrow, and daintily gave a little shrug and a smirk.

"You look like you've seen a ghost," she commented as she locked eyes with each person in the room. The people who didn't know exactly who she was, namely Victor and Mary, watched everyone else with confusion. Irene smiled, taking off the black shawl around her tight red dress. It reached her thighs, had a high neck, and she wore matching red stilettos. Tabitha rolled her eyes and pushed her way through the crowd of people.

"I'm glad you could make it," she smiled at the woman in the doorway, taking her coat and hanging it on a bare hook next to the door. Irene held a small boxed present in her hand. She handed it to Tabitha.

"Wouldn't miss this for the world," Irene stated with a chuckle. "This is for you and your fiancé." She glanced over at Sherlock, who ignored her with a bored look on his face.

"You're supposed to be dead!" John exclaimed, saying what everyone that knew the story was thinking. All eyes turned to Sherlock, who had that annoying smirk on his face. "You knew. You knew she was alive?"

"He saved her," the Doctor replied with a grin. Everyone turned their eyes to the Doctor.

"Okay! We get it, she's alive, blah blah blah, I invited her, she's my friend," Tabitha exclaimed to the surprised people in the room. "Shut up and drink your alcohol. And non-alcoholic beverages for those people," Tabitha added, looping her arm through Irene's and sending her a wink. Irene grinned, enjoying they disturbance she was causing.

Lestrade, Mycroft, and John all glared at Irene, obviously not trusting her. Mrs. Hudson cleared her throat and started going around the room, offering to refill glasses. Molly helped her, and Victor followed them. Mary stayed next to John, holding onto his arm, confusion on her face. She knew what John had told her, and she didn't seem to trust the woman, either.

The Doctor and Tabitha were the only people who seemed at ease with Irene. The others went about themselves, eating, drinking, chatting, and the Doctor came over to join Tabitha and Irene. She looked him up and down.

"Aren't you a cute baby giraffe?" she teased good-naturedly. The Doctor stuttered and blushed with a grin. She winked at him and turned back to Tabitha. "Any morning sickness?" The two women sat down on the empty couch, and the Doctor went off to talk to another guest.

"Nope, so far so good. Doctor Williams says that I'm healthy as a horse. He was telling me how is wife Amy didn't feel a thing when she was pregnant with their daughter, Melody."

There was a crash as the Doctor tripped and knocked over plastic cups that were on the table next to the punch. Everyone looked over at him, and he cleared his throat and he picked up the mess. Molly, Mary and Victor helped him.

"Pay me no mind!" he said as people chuckled around him.

The rest of the night was better than Tabitha thought it would be after Irene showed up. Sherlock spent a few moments chatting civilly with the woman, holding Tabitha to his side possessively. At one point, Irene made a comment about how it would have never worked between them. Another moment, Sherlock had picked up his violin and played a Christmas tune with a rare smile on his face.

Molly and Victor left after she had given small presents to everyone, except Irene, of course. Mycroft, Lestrade, and the Doctor left after them, but told John, Sherlock, Tabitha, and even Mary to meet them at the TARDIS in the park early tomorrow morning. Mrs. Hudson fluttered around, picking up messes and taking dishes to the kitchen.

When it was just the six of them, Mary and Tabitha helped her clean up the rest of the mess.

"You know, you aren't our housekeeper," Tabitha chuckled as she wiped down the table. Mrs. Hudson waved the comment away with a scoff.

"It's Christmas – I'm doing it because I want to this time!"

Irene picked up her small present and walked into the kitchen with her shawl in hand.

"I have to take my leave, but I want to see you open your gift. Sherlock, this is for you, as well!" she called out, glancing back at Sherlock typing on his laptop at his desk. He ignored them. John rolled his eyes as he took down the lights that were strewn around the room.

"It doesn't really matter if he opens it with me," Tabitha chuckled. Molly, Mary, and Mrs. Hudson continued to work on the dishes and kitchen cleaning, keeping an eye on Irene. Everyone had kept their distance from her, but they hadn't done anything to make her leave.

"I want to see his face when you pull it out," she grinned. Tabitha raised in eyebrow, and fully expected something sexual to appear under the box top. She opened it, and covered her smile with her hand.

"Sherlock."

"Is it really that important?"

Tabitha picked up the object and threw it at him. He turned just in time to catch it in his hand. It was a key. He frowned, and looked at the tag attached to it. John and the rest of them watched curiously.

Two weeks of sand, sex, and style.

"What does this mean?"

"You need somewhere amazing to take your new bride. I most likely won't be around to use it, so I'm offering my very private beach home."

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Sherlock was more relieved than he'd ever felt before when everyone left. John had joined Mary at her place. Sherlock had deduced that they were taking the next step in their relationship. John moving out was the logical step, but that meant that he'd be left with only Tabitha in their flat. It wasn't so much as that thought that made his chest tighten in rare panic, I was the fact that things were changing at an alarming rate.

He glanced at the gifts that had been exchanged from his spot laying on the couch. John had gotten an abundance of jumpers, and a new wallet. Mary had given John a key to her home, although no one saw it. Sherlock had deduced it as soon as they came out of the man's bedroom. Tabitha had gotten gifts related to the baby from everyone – clothing, designer diaper bag of a light yellow color, and other little necessities. They were sitting on a pile next to the decorated tree – the only remnant of Christmas in the flat, thankfully.

"It wasn't so bad, was it now?"

His gaze turned to the mother of his child, smiling and stretching tiredly. She'd changed a few moments ago into flannel pajama pants and a black tank top, which seemed to be a bit smaller on her because of her baby bump and fuller breasts. Sherlock found himself staring at her breasts, bare under the shirt according to the hardened nipples standing out against it.

"Where are we going to put all this stuff?"

"John will be moving into Mary's place, soon," Sherlock stated, jerking to a sitting position and running his hands through his curls. Tabitha looked at him, surprised. "No, neither of them told me, it's just the logical step in their relationship at the moment." He pushed himself up and headed back to his room to change into something more comfortable than his usual suit. He stopped at the door, his hand on the door knob, and turned back to Tabitha. "That can be the baby's room."

Tabitha watched from her place next to the couch as he closed the door quietly behind him after his statement. She let out a breath she hadn't known she had been holding. Sherlock went from ignoring what he didn't want to deal with to dealing with it as simply as possible. She yawned and went around the room, finishing picking up what trash was left. It was back to its organized chaos before the holidays.

She passed by Sherlock's desk and saw two envelopes with her name on them. Tabitha frowned and picked them up, seeing they were from Nancy and T.J.'s parents. Why hadn't Sherlock, or even the Doctor, mentioned this to her? A bit of annoyance and anger boiled in her mind, but she pushed it off – it was an eventful evening, with their guests and Irene Adler coming to the party. Deciding to look at them before going to bed, she ripped the one from Nancy and pulled out a short letter.

Tabitha,

I'm glad to hear you are doing well – we miss you at the store! Your friend, who calls himself the Doctor, says that you are doing well, and even found a nice man! Good for you. Please do keep in touch, even visit sooner or later!

Love, Nancy

Tabitha felt tears prickle her eyes as she remembered the older woman. She was like a mother to her, in all honesty. Swallowing her sad tears, she tore open the next letter.

T.J. would be proud of what you've done with yourself. Keep following your dreams, and we promise to keep T.J. updated on your exploits. Good luck and good life!

Short and sweet, just how she expected a reply letter from her late in-laws. Tabitha couldn't think of a reason why the Doctor or Sherlock would keep these letters from her, so she concluded they had just forgotten all about them. She threw them into the trash, and glanced out the window as she passed it – it was snowing. She went to the bedroom and crawled into bed next to Sherlock. He was asleep, but he still curled himself around her back and wrapped his arm around her waist. She snuggled back against him and fell asleep.

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The next morning, John, Mary, Tabitha, and Sherlock were in Mycroft's home office, along with the Doctor and Lestrade. All but Sherlock looked like they wanted to murder Mycroft for suggesting meeting at such an early hour after the party, but Mycroft ignored their grumbles.

"We have all decided to go forward with exposing ourselves?"

"Yes, but for one thing," Sherlock said, standing slightly in front of Tabitha. Mycroft raised his eyebrow at his brother. "Tabitha will not be participating."

"What?" she exclaimed, stepping around to look up at his face. The other five people in the room watched silently, curious as to how this alteration would go. Sherlock furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

"I'm protecting you. There is no reason to put yourself in danger. Isn't that what you somewhat told me before?"

"How else are they going to come out of hiding? They want me."

"No, they want me, so that's what they are going to think they are getting."

"It's not going to happen, so you might as well shut up," Tabitha growled, hands on her hips. John coughed, hiding a giggle.

"Tabitha, don't be stupid –"

"Do not call me stupid, you asshole!" she said, cutting him off with a poke in his chest with her finger.

"Sherlock, don't mess with a pregnant, hormonal woman. She is going to be a part of this, whether you like it or not," Mary commented with a glare, standing up for her friend. Sherlock looked around at the other people, raising an eyebrow to see who would stand up for his thoughts on the matter. They shrugged at him, or in Mycroft's case, grinned at him.

"Isn't this what a partner is supposed to do? Be protective?" Sherlock felt irritation coming over him. "I will not let my fiancée be in danger!" He stomped angrily over to the window and looked down into the street.

"She won't be in danger. Mary and I will be with her," John reassured his friend, coming up beside him.

"Yes, and the rest of us will be close, watching," Lestrade replied, as well. "The plan is simple."

"Throwing her to the wolves is not simple."

"Boys, I am right here!" Tabitha stomped her foot angrily.

"There is no other way, dear brother," Mycroft said with a frown. "Contrary to what you might think, I am reluctant to put my future sister-in-law in danger, along with her child, as well. This needs to stop, though, now, before Moran can get the upper hand."

"See? I knew you weren't as stiff and cold as everyone thinks you are," Tabitha quipped with a smile, walking up to Mycroft and smiling at him, thankful he was on her side, even though reluctantly. "Doctor, you haven't said anything."

"I was just thinking. The Angels should not see me with any of you – they may catch on that we have a plan."

"Have you found out anything about what Moran is holding to get what he wants from them?" Sherlock turned from the window. Everyone faced the Doctor, who was leaning against the desk in the middle of the circle. He slowly looked at everyone, except Mycroft because he was behind him.

"They have their mother, in way. No, not the literal way, more like their leader. You may know her as the Statue of Liberty across the pond. Haven't you seen the news lately?" He glanced back at Mycroft, who picked up some papers. He walked around, giving each person a copy of some report. Tabitha looked down, and quickly worked through it.

"So that is why there are so many heavy guards surrounding it. They have been saying it was the government protecting it," Mary commented, frowning at the paper in her hand

"Moran has his hands in a lot of things, I see," John murmured with a sign. "How are we going to get past the guns?"

"You, Mary, and Tabitha are going to visit. I've gotten you a pass to get through the guns, as you said. They will let you get through, no matter what, I am sure."

"How do you know?" Tabitha asked, moving to stand by Sherlock. She let their elbows touch, feeling comforted just by being close.

"Like you said, they want you. It'll be easier to get to you on their turf, whether you have protection or not." Sherlock wrapped an arm around her waist and brought her against his side. He moved his head just enough to brush his lips against her forehead and turned his hard stare at the Doctor. "You are the only one who can truly keep them safe."

"Don't worry, I always outsmart the Angels."

"Might as well just kill them," Sherlock stated.

"You can't kill an Angel, Sherlock."

"What about your magic screwdriver?"

"Sonic screwdriver!" the Doctor corrected with a sigh. "I can distract them and slow down their movements, but I can't kill them."

"That's unfortunate," Lestrade noted.

"Tabitha, Mary, and John shall fly to New York in two days. Sherlock and Lestrade will be taking a trip to Florida for a case. The Doctor will meet them in Florida and take them up to New York in time to be in place as the three make their way to Liberty Island." Mycroft laid out the plan simply.

"What do we do once we're on the island?" John asked. The women were thinking the same thing.

"Don't blink," the Doctor answered.

PLEASE REVIEW - in the next chapter they will face Moran. :D I hope it's as awesome as it was in my head LOL.