John made sure he grabbed both of the kids' hands before entering the hotel with a small laugh. "We are on the tenth floor it looks like," he said with a small smile down at Thomas. "And we are staying in a suite. Look at you, you smart boy." As they made their way to the lift, finally in it and then to their floor, all he could do was look around and take it all in, looking much like their children. This was the most amazing place he had ever been in. As they got to their door he waited for Sherlock to open it. "Right, we'll all go in and change and go to the water park together."
"Water park!" Amy jumped a few times, her face bright at just the thought. "I wants the water park. Hurry, Papa a'cause we has to get in our swimming suits!" It was clear that the vacation could end right now because the water park would be so fantastic.
Sherlock smiled at his family. He was glad everyone was having a good time already, especially little Sandi. She seemed hell bent on going to the water park immediately and he had a hell of a time telling her no. Now was no exception and he used the key card and unlocked the door. The suite was bigger than he expected. There was a small kitchen, a living room, and large bedroom with two king size beds.
Thomas shrugged with a shy smile, his cheeks pinking a bit from the praise from his Dad. His bashfulness was quickly forgotten when he walked into the hotel room, his mouth dropping open in surprise. It was bigger than he could ever imagine and the bed! Wow! They got to sleep in that?
John smiled as Amy darted past him, right away jumping on the bed nearest to the window and claiming it as her own. All he could do was laugh as he grabbed their suitcase and put it on the free bed, instantly pulling out their swimming shorts and setting Sherlock's down. Next was the kids' suitcase and he opened it with ease, pulling out Amy's little one piece and Thomas' shorts. "Go and chance in the bathroom, Amy," he instructed as he handed her the suit and she scampered off. He changed quickly, keeping his back to Thomas and Sherlock as he did so.
Right away Amy shut the door and started undressing, pulling on her swimming suit and jumping up on the toilet to inspect herself in the mirror. Her blonde hair was in a right mess but she hardly found time to care so she jumped off the toilet and knocked on the door from the inside. "Can I comes out?"
Sherlock couldn't help but eye John while his husband changed, even though the back was to him it was still a nice view. He smirked at himself and changed into the stupid black swimming shorts, his back also to Thomas. Not out of modesty but to avoid any awkward conversations he wasn't ready to have yet.
Thomas was far to mortified to change in front of his parents, so he left the bedroom and changed in the living room in a corner away from the windows. "It should be safe now Sis!"
John chuckled a bit as Thomas walked away, moving forward to gently meet his husband's lips. "They still look fantastic on you," he whispered with a smile, a hand running down Sherlock's chest. "I am surprised that men and women alike don't simply stare at you when you walk down the street, I am damn lucky to call you my husband."
Amy darted from the bathroom, moving to jump on their bed again before letting out a loud, "Ew!" Seeing her parents kiss made her quickly move off the bed and back to Thomas, looking up at him a bit breathlessly.
Sherlock returned the kiss with a smirk. He laughed as he watched little Sandi flee the bedroom. "Come on, I think we are going to drive Baby Girl crazy if we don't go down to the water park right now." He smirked again, took John's hand and led his husband to out the children.
Thomas laughed too and gave Amy a hug. "Look. They are ready, let's go Sis!"
John just smiled as he followed after his husband, looking at their little family proudly. Never in his life did he think he would end up with a loving husband and two children, especially on a vacation going across the United States. It made his heart swell with happiness as they left the hotel room and made their way back into the elevator. By the time they got out their daughter was jumping up and down, following after her parents and tugging Thomas by his arm toward the smell of chlorine "Righto, in you go," he said as he opened the door.
Without hesitation Amy let go of Thomas' hand and darted in, running into the shallow end and laughing as she fell over when the water got too deep for her to run. "'Mas, comes on!" The little water park was empty save for them and it was clear she was amazingly happy about that fact.
Sherlock watched little Sandi get into the pool with a smile, but quickly became an over protective father. "Baby Girl, be careful! Stay where you can touch!" The thought of their daughter possibly drowning suddenly made him rather anxious. Maybe they should just go back to their room where it was safe.
Thomas didn't share Amy's exuberance about the water but he did get in. It was a little cold at first and it made him shiver. He gave his Daddy a reassuring smile. "I'll take care of her Daddy!" He was determined to never let anything happen to his little sister, ever.
John squeezed his husband's hand, smiling a bit as Thomas darted after her. "She'll be fine," he whispered as he took a step forward and gently tugged Sherlock with him. "Why don't we go in with her just so we know that she'll be all right?" For the most part the water wasn't too deep but Amy was still small and the worry was natural. "C'mon," he said was he slowly started making his way into the water. There were two slides, a few fountains popping up here and there, but of course their daughter was going right toward a dolphin that could be climbed on.
Amy grinned and climbed up on top of the dolphin, wiggling to settle on top of it before sliding down the slide with a laugh. "Dat's awesome!" She laughed and splashed in the water, running toward her parents and splashing the cooler water against Sherlock's stomach.
Sherlock was having a hard time not freaking out as he watched little Sandi climb up on the dolphin unassisted. He was standing next to John in the pool, feeling a bit ridiculous considering how shallow the water was. However, when Amy splashed him he couldn't help but grin. "Coming after your Old Man, huh? I'll get you back! Here comes the water monster. Rawr!" He put his hands up like a T-rex and began to chase their daughter.
"I'll save the Princess from the bad monster! Dad help too!" Thomas giggled and made sure to put himself between Daddy and Amy.
It was easy to see how absolutely tense his husband was but John could see him starting to relax just a bit when the kids started up a game. Best of all, he mused to himself, was that Thomas had even invited him in to play. "Get the monster!" Right away he was moving to splash at Sherlock's legs, smiling as Amy right away took after him and happily started splashing her Papa from behind Thomas.
"Gets him, 'Mas! Gets the monster!" Amy's face lit up as the game continued, happily taking on the role of princess for the sake of the splashing and laughter. A few little screams escaped her and she eagerly hid behind the safety that her older brother provided.
When was the last time he had played with their children like this? The manor. On the couch. Back when his mother was still alive. Damn it. Don't think about that. It had almost been six months, shouldn't he be over this shit by now? Sherlock forced himself to focus on his family. No one probably even noticed, maybe except John. He laughed as he got splashed and growled again, and took a step toward Thomas.
Thomas didn't back away when his Daddy, instead he kept splashing with everyone else. "No! Stay away from the Princess! It is my duty to protect her!" He puffed out his chest and tried to stand taller.
Being able to simply relax and play with the kids was doing a lot for Sherlock. John could tell right away that he was happy. It had been a while since he had heard his husband laugh like that. After a long pause he took a step forward, continuing the splashing. "Hurry, Knight Thomas! Take Princess Amy to the dolphin while I fight off the monster!" He moved forward just a little more and grinned.
Amy squealed as Sherlock took a step closer, doing that herself and watching her older brother as he puffed his chest out. Thomas was so brave! With a deep breath she moved and courageously stood at his side to splash a bit at her Papa before darting back behind Thomas for safety.
Sherlock continued to laugh and it felt surprisingly good. It had been awhile. "I'm going to get you all!" Good thing no one else was in the water park because he was certain they would have certainly had drawn quite the crowd with their antics.
Thomas took Amy's hand gently. "Come on! To the dolphin! It is magical and will protect you Princess!" He led her to it, turning around to splash at his Daddy every now and then.
John lagged behind their children, knowing he couldn't fit in that bloody dolphin slide even if he tried. So he made sure to keep turning around and playfully splashing at his husband, a large smile on his face as he did so. "You won't get the Knight or the Princess!" He laughed a bit before falling down into the water, sitting in it as he continued to laugh.
Amy squealed when John fell down, quickly climbing up the dolphin and staying in the small cove that separated the stairs from the slide. "You can't gets me!" She held her arms up with a grin and then sat down, leaning forward to grab both of her feet. With a smile she rocked back and forth as she watched everything unfold in front of her.
Sherlock smirked a bit as he watched John fall in the shallow pool, his eyebrows raising a bit. He then looked over to their children "I have beaten your protector Sir Thomas and Princess Amy! I am coming for you both now!" He moved over towards the dolphin slide.
"No!" Thomas yelled out boldly and went down the slide, holding a pretend sword above his head. "You will never get to the Princess while I still stand!"
And the game went on as John slowly stood up, stumbling a bit before managing to sneak behind Sherlock and wrap his arms around the man's waist. "Run, Sir Thomas!" He fake tenses his arms, making it all look like more of a struggle to the kids. "This is the strongest monster I have ever experienced!"
Amy squeaked and went down the slide, looking at her Dada with wide eyes. "'Mas, don't hurts youself!" She was moving to hide behind him, her little hands resting against his back. "Papa looks like a strong monster!"
Well, he hadn't expected John to do that. Sherlock supposed if he really wanted to, he could get out of hold but better for the children to keep the charade going. "I'll get you all!" He mocked struggled to get out his husband's grasp.
"You've been captured Water Monster! Leave now and I will spare you! Otherwise I will slay where you stand while my Squire holds you at bay! What says ye, Monster?" Thomas had been reading a lot of old stories lately and trying to pick up on the Olde English with it. It was hard to understand sometimes.
Squire? John's eyes went wide as he peeked at Thomas by leaning a bit to the side to look at the young boy. A soft chuckle shook his chest before his arms dramatically moved away from Sherlock and he let out a small shout. "Oh no! The Water Monster has gotten away from my hold! Sir Thomas, run! Run!"
Amy squealed and right away started attempting to run toward the dolphin. In the shallower water she didn't have too much trouble but one foot didn't completely get out of the water and she fell down, scraping her chin against the bottom of the pool. Right away she sat up, her bottom lip quivering before she let out a loud cry.
Sherlock was about to chase after Thomas when he saw little Sandi fall. God damn it, he should have known something like this would happen. He was on her way to Amy's side, even though their son had already made it there quicker than he thought possible.
"Sis!" Thomas had moved the moment he had seen her trip but he couldn't get there in time to catch her before she got hurt. This was all his fault. They shouldn't have been so rough in the pool. "I'm here Sissy Poo." He wrapped his arms around Amy in a protective hug.
John winced and easily moved past Sherlock, dropping down beside their son to inspect her chin. It was nothing bad, just a little scrape, but chins tended to bleed a bit more than other parts of the body. "Good job, Thomas," he said softly as he turned a placed a quick kiss on the boy's temple before easily picking their little girl up. "Shhh, Amy." He pressed his nose against their daughter's temple as he looked over at Sherlock. "First-Aid kit, over on the wall," he said softly.
Amy reached out for Thomas the moment she was picked up, hiccuping and calming down the moment she realized she was in her Dada's arms. Her eyes were wide as she looked around before settling on Thomas. That calmed her down instantly and she smiled shakily at him as some more blood dripped down on to her leg and John's arm.
Bloody useless like usual. Sherlock sighed at his thoughts and moved over to the first-aid kit John had mentioned. He brought it back over to his family, opening it for his husband as he knelt down in the water.
"See, Dada is right here to fix everything Sis." Thomas was feeling bad for Amy getting hurting. He had made a promise to himself to never let her get hurt and she still had. He was a terrible big brother.
It wasn't hard to see how Sherlock felt at the moment so John gently grabbed the first-aid kit, got out a few cotton swabs, and hand them to Sherlock with the bottle of hydrogen peroxide. "Here," he said with a gentle smile. They could all help Amy right now and it would definitely help his husband if he got to clean Amy up.
Amy sniffed as she was set down, clean hand reaching out to grab Thomas' hand right away. "Yeah," she sniffed and winced a bit as the scrape started to sting just a bit. The pool was definitely still fun and she let out a soft smile to demonstrate that fact. "Can we keeps playing when this is cleaned up?"
Sherlock raised his eyebrows at John, a slight smirk tugging at his lips. He knew what his husband was doing and appreciated it actually. "This is going to sting a bit Baby Girl, but it is to make sure your scrape doesn't get infected." He took the cotton swabs and dabbed them as gently as he could on little Sandi's chin. Keep playing? What if something worse happened? He glanced to John, to see what his husband thought.
Thomas frowned, not realizing he was worried about continuing the game just like his Daddy. Maybe they should just go back to the room and get some dinner. He glanced up to his parents to see what they thought but then back down to Amy to give her some moral support. He smiled at his sister. "You are doing great Sis. Look how brave you are."
Now they were being requested to keep playing. John bit his bottom lip and studied Sherlock before shrugging. They could definitely make a compromise here. "How about you and Thomas have your fun in the water park? I think Papa is tired of being a monster," he said softly. It was the best way he could imagine extending the fun for their kids but in a less dangerous and, frankly, violent manner. "Papa and I will go sit over here in the shallow water and make sure you guys play safe." With that he grabbed his husband's hand and gently tugged him to the area where the water shallowed out much like beat, sitting down in the water that only went up his waist.
Amy nodded at the suggestion and shot up, giving Thomas a massive hug. "Thanks for helping me and being the bestest older brother ever, 'Mas," she said happily before easily moving toward the giant yellow slide that was the feature of the indoor water park. With the caution that only a three year old with a recent injury could have, she climbed the stairs and then went down, splashing into the water with a loud laugh. "You goes, 'Mas!"
Well, that had seemed to work. Sherlock followed after John, but opted to sit on the ledge and let his feet hang over into the shallow pool. He shivered a bit but didn't bother getting a towel. He smirked a bit as he eyed his husband mischievously before he began kicking water up and splashing John.
Thomas laughed and followed after Amy. "Okay Sis, here I come!" He slid down after, once he was sure he wouldn't run into his sister at the bottom of the slide.
For a while John simply relaxed in the water until Sherlock started splashing him. He started laugh, shielding himself from the spray and trying to keep himself as dry as possible. "Oi! I'm not a monster!" More laughter as he turned and started splashing his husband back, shifting to balance on his knees as he slowly moved over to situate himself between the man's legs. "We only splash monsters," he said softly before meeting Sherlock's lips.
Amy watched her brother before turning around just in time to see their parents start kissing. "Ew," she said with a giggle and a blush, moving forward and splashing Thomas with a grin. "I likes that slide, let's go again buts together!" She grabbed his hand and tugged it gently as she started moving back toward the slide.
"Splashing Squires is okay too." Sherlock smirked as he returned the kiss. He rested his chin on top of John's head and watched the children. They seemed to be having fun. He wrapped his arms around his husband and tried to just stay the hell out his head for five seconds.
Thomas just ignored his parents, he was basically used to all there...activities by now. He followed after Amy. "Okay Sis. Sit at the top of the slide and I will sit behind you and hold onto you." It was the safest way he could think of for them both to to go down at the same time.
It wasn't hard to feel how tense his husband was so John easily wrapped his arms around Sherlock and pressed several soft kiss against the man's chest. "Look how much fun they're having," he whispered with a smile. "Let them distract you or think about what we'll get to so this evening." That would have to help in some way. "I love you."
Amy sat down when they got to the top of the slide, waiting for her brother to sit behind her. Once he did she moved forward and down they went. She laughed the entire way and when they hit the water she shot up with a squeal. "'Mas, yous is the bestest!" She hugged him right away.
How could he have forgotten about their plans tonight? Hopefully he would feel up to it by then because he certainly wasn't right now. Focus on his husband and the kisses. The children having fun. "I miss her John," Sherlock admitted with a low murmur. "I don't know how to deal with it." He was surprised to hear himself say that, since he hadn't really done a whole lot of talking about his mother's passing. He had tried working himself to near death but not even that had really distracted him. He couldn't stop thinking about his mother. He had never dealt with the death of someone he cared about before and he wasn't entirely sure how to go about getting over it. Would he ever? So much for staying out of his head. He sighed, his grip around John tightening without really realizing it.
Thomas laughed too and returned the hug. He looked over to their parents and he could tell Daddy was thinking, because of the look in his eyes. He decided it would be best to keep Amy distracted for a bit. "Come on Sis, let's go again!"
Right away John canceled their future plans in his head, letting his husband hold him as tight as he needed. Sherlock needed more than some quick shag or blow job in the shower because they had time alone, he needed comforting. "How about tonight I just hold you," he whispered. "When the kids are asleep you can just talk to me about her. Maybe that's what you need? I don't think you have really given yourself time to think about her and what a big impact she had on your life. I think talking about her might help." He lifted his head up the best he could managed to gaze up at his husband, smiling the best he could at the subject being discussed. "It's going to be tough, I won't lie to you about that, but we will definitely figure it out and keep moving forward. I am here for you every step of the way."
Amy hesitated, not even noticing her parents, and then shook her head. "I is done with the slide, 'Mas, a'cause it's boring now. Can we maybes go play over by the fountain?" She took a small step toward it, the another, as a grin spread across her face. "Can we does that?"
Had he already ruined the vacation for John? Wasn't the whole point to just forget about London for awhile? "Are you sure?" Sherlock loosened his grip on his husband, but still held John close. "I'm sorry," he muttered. It had been six months, why was he still worrying about stupid things out of his control? Damn emotions. He was still trying to understand them, despite the progress he had made since meeting John.
Thomas smiled a bit and nodded. "Of course Sis." Amy was a lot like Daddy. He supposed he was more like Dad, despite his best efforts to be like Daddy. Amy and Daddy were perfect and he was just...him. He sighed at his thoughts and followed after his sister.
All John could do was smile up at his husband. "Of course I'm sure," he whispered as he lifted a hand up to run his hand through the man's hair. "I'll do anything for you, Sherlock. You've worked yourself to the point of exhaustion and now that we are slowing down a bit you are remembering it. Everything that you're feeling is perfectly normal, love." They were definitely going to have to talk in bed that night, whisper to each other to not wake up their kids. "I will be here for you whenever you need it, all right? I can't imagine a better vacation than sitting and talking to you."
Amy stopped walked right away, hands on her hips as she gaze up at Thomas. "No sighing. Just a'cause Papa and Dada is doing somethings that is adult doesn't mean we has to be all upset, too." She reached out and grabbed his hand. 'Mas Fitzgeralds Watson-Holmes, you is the bestest older brother I has ever had so you just smile." She nodded and moved to embrace him in a tight hug.
Sherlock nodded. "That would be good, I think. Thank you Love." He wasn't sure what he was going to talk about yet. What did a person talk about when someone was dead? "How did you cope when your parents died?" Maybe John would have some insight he was lacking. He continued to hold his husband.
Thomas couldn't help but smile at his full name being used. "My apologies Miss Amy Sandoval." He mimicked Daddy's smirk as he returned the hug. "Come on, lets go play in the fountain Sis."
That question made John bite his bottom lip softly. His mum's death had happened while he had been deployed and, really, he'd just avoided the subject all together. When his dad had passed, though, he'd been sixteen. "Mum and I ate ice cream and watched movies that would purposely make us cry," he said softly, chuckling at the thought. "We slept on the couch with each other for three days because we didn't want to move." And that was the truth but the subject was twisting his gut because his mum had done so much but he'd completely missed everything to stay in Iraq on his first tour.
Amy giggled at the use of her full name, biting her bottom lip and moving toward the fountain. She wasn't running, clearly she had learned her lesson earlier, but she moved as quickly as her little legs would take her in the water before splashing in his happily and giggling. "C'mon, 'Mas! 'S fun!"
Shit. He had said the wrong thing. He was just trying to understand and he had ended up upsetting John. "Sorry," Sherlock murmured. He hugged his husband close to him again. He was ruining this whole damn trip already and they hadn't even been in America for a day yet. He would never be a good family man, would he? It felt like a constant struggle for him. He was amazing at everything else, why not for the people who mattered the most to him? Damn it. He still couldn't stay out of his head. It had been harder for him to do since his mother died.
Thomas followed Amy into the fountain. He splashed her lightly and laughed. "I'm going to get you Sissy Poo!"
"Sorry? Sherlock, calm down," John said as he returned the hug but pulled back a bit to gaze up at his husband. "Things happen and in life you have to understand that sometimes things won't make you happy. I have gone through losing both of my parents and I can help the best that I can but it's different for everybody." With a small shrug he turned and watched the kids playing in the fountain, chuckling a bit. "But you'll get through it. It's only been six months so we'll figure it out."
Amy giggled and splashed back before sitting in the water and grinning. "You can'ts get me if I is sitting down a'cause that means it's time out and I'm aren't fair." She crossed her arms over her chest with a nod.
Sherlock sighed and finally released John. Talking wasn't helping at all. Shouldn't he already be over it after six months? He just wanted to go sit alone in the hotel room because he was feeling rather frustrated now. Maybe watching the children play would help improve his mood. He managed a small smile, as he watched little Sandi plop down into the water.
Thomas laughed and sat down next to Amy, copying her by crossing his arms across his chest as well. "Well then you can't get me either Sis!"
That hadn't helped in the slightest. John bit his bottom lip and turned, pressing his back against Sherlock's chest and easily leaning against his husband. "I want you to know that I love you," he said softly, running his hand down Sherlock's thigh to rest on his knee. "And that tonight if you don't want to talk and you just want to be held then I'll do that, too." He dropped his head back and placed a soft kiss on the underside of his husband's jaw.
Amy studied her older brother before giggling furiously and splashing water at him but not moving from her sitting position. "I loves you 'Mas a'cause you know how to plays games really good," she declared with a nod.
Sherlock closed his eyes, enjoying the kiss. "I don't know. I'll try, but I'm not sure what to talk about. How to make these stupid thoughts and feelings go away. It's been months, shouldn't I be over it by now?" He sighed in frustration, arms wrapping around John once more.
Thomas laughed and splashed back.' "If you get to do that, then so I do Sis!" He laughed some more and continued to splash water at Amy gently.
John closed his eyes for a long moment, taking a deep breath before speaking again. "My Dad died when I was sixteen and I'm still not over it, Sherlock." By no means was it what Sherlock wanted to hear but his husband definitely needed a bit of guidance when it came to emotions. "The death of a loved one doesn't care about time, love. Six months is not a lot." Apparently they were sort of talking about it now but he didn't mind in the slightest. The surroundings were a lot more calm and a lot more less intimidating.
The splashing just made Amy laugh, her cheeks a bright red as she scooted closer to her brother before hugging him. "No more splashings a'cause now we is hugging," she declared as she craned her neck to give him a quick kiss to the cheek.
Sherlock frowned at the thought and gave a small sigh. He didn't like the thought of dwelling on his mother's death for years to come. It seemed well...pointless but he had discovered that sometimes emotions didn't make a damn bit of sense. He just wanted to be over it already. He didn't want his troubled thoughts to ruin the family vacation. At least the children seemed to be having fun. "I just don't want my mood to mess everything up for you and the children and even though I try, I can't stop thinking."
Thomas was laughing too and he stopped splashing to return Amy's hug. "What do you want to do now Sis?"
"Well you aren't ruining my vacation because I'm your husband and I am supposed to be here for you no matter what," John said softly, one hand reaching up to run through Sherlock's hair. "So you talk to me whenever you need about your emotions, no matter how stupid you think they are, and I'll listen because you are supposed to be relaxing just like the rest of us and you can't do that if you're miss Mum."
Amy took a deep breath as the hug ended, looking back at their parents and biting her bottom lip. "I thinks we should go and be with Papa and Dada and thens we can go showers and take a nap," she said with a small nod. Everything had been fun but now she was exhausted and could definitely go for a nap.
Sherlock smiled and rested against John, closing his eyes and just trying to relax and enjoy the moment with his husband. "I am trying not to, but it's harder than I thought it would be." He opened his eyes and looked over at their children. "I think they are ready to go back to the room Love. Baby Girl looks tired. Thomas didn't eat on the plane, so we should get him fed before bedtime." He leaned up off John and offered his husband his hand.
Thomas nodded and stood up in the water. "All right Sis. Let's go." He took Amy's hand and walked them over to their parents. Hopefully eating would be involved before they went to bed tonight.