John was preparing the meal in the kitchen, he was hoping, little Carys liked semolina pudding. On the other hand, semolina, which kid didn´t like that. He wasn´t sure ´bout Sherlock, John chuckled. He would probably wrinkle his nose and eat the cereal with a contempt of death.

John got curious and glanced into the living room. Sherlock was still sitting on the couch, his arms wrapped tightly around Carys and he was...sleeping...? It actually looked like that. John shook his head, was Sherlock smiling? Sure just a hallucination caused by mulled wine fumes. He went back to the semolina.

oOo

Sherlock actually was fallen asleep. He was dreaming. Not that this was a new experience for him, of course, Sherlock was dreaming a lot. Of unsolved cases, unusual causes of death or some nice murder. And sometimes he was dreaming of Jo... Sherlock woke up. No, of course he did not dream of John. For God´s sake. This child was like an infection with feelings, that spread through his body like measles. Once you got it, it was itching everywhere.

"Mama?" Carys asked quietly, looking at Sherlock with her huge eyes.
"Mommy will be back soon, child. Didn´t you say, you´re hungry? Let's see what John has cooked. ... It smells uh ..."
"I think 'delicious' is the word you are looking for, Sherlock." John stood in the passage to the kitchen, grinning broadly.
Holmes curled his upper lip. No, 'delicious' was definitely not the word, he had in mind.

"Carys need´s to pee", Carys suddenly announced, causing an average problem for the two gentlemen.

"Pee? " John repeated uncertainly, "right now, Carys?"

She nodded, " Carys pee," she confirmed.

Sherlock automatically put some distance between Carys and himself.

Despite his slight panic, John started to laugh. Sherlock was standing in the living room, holding Carys in his outstretched arms, away from his body.

"I suppose, you´re not hiding any potty-chair here, are you, Sherlock? "

" A WHAT? "

John shook his head and took Carys from Sherlock, " then we 'll see if it works the ordinary way." He disappeared with her towards the toilet.

oOo

"And therefore Childcare should take care of her and not two men, who have no bloody idea of ... Sherlock? " John stated, when he was back in the living room again.
"Where Sherlock Papa is, John? "
" You did notice my name, Carys? " John was beaming, oh, to hell with Childcare. Carys knew his name, how great was that? He heard loud rumbling downstairs, apparently Sherlock had thought of something. Course he had.

"He'll be right back, honey. You like semolina pudding?"
Carys nodded enthusiastically, "tastes good. "

"Good, then we put you ... Well ... new problem. We have no high chair for you, little mouse. "

"We can put some books on a regular chair, John. You need to think flexible." Sherlock stood in the doorway, slightly dusted, with an antique chamber pot in his hand. "Mrs. Hudson wanted to plant flowers in it, but I think it will be useful for our purposes."
" A chamber pot, Sherlock? And you want to put her on a stack of books? Oh, wait. Perhaps we also fix her with your scarf to the back of the chair, what do you think? "

Sherlock wanted to congratulate John to his idea, when he realized, he might not have been serious at all.

"I ... um ... the child can of course sit on my lap. Presumably this is a common variant."
" In any case, the safest." John shook his head almost imperceptibly . "If you could make yourself presentable, quickly? The food is getting cold. "
"Presentable? "
"Dust, Sherlock? "
" Oh, of course. " Two minutes later, Sherlock appeared spick and span. "Well done?"

"Nothing to complain about. Sherlock Papa looks pretty, again. Don´t you think, Carys?"

John noticed to his own surprise, Sherlock looked good, indeed. The slightly tangled hair and the shirt, like all the shirts Sherlock had, was a little too tight and ... just stop, John thought. Not good. He handed Sherlock the girl. "She missed you, Sherlock. "

Holmes smiled briefly, "really? How surprising, usually the opposite is true. Let us eat, John. I suppose this dish is only rudimentary eatable, when it´s hot."

"Tastes good, Sherlock Papa. Carys hungry. " She looked at him invitingly. Sherlock nodded, "oh well. Then we'll see if you're right . "

oOo

John was fascinated by the view, that was offered to him at the moment. Carys knew exactly, how to handle her spoon, but she insisted on Sherlock Papa ( John had to chuckle again) to blow at the spoon, every time before she ate a spoonful of semolina. And Sherlock did it, to John´s suprise. The little girl had a ripping good time over Sherlock 's face whenever he ate a spoonful of semolina. Without blowing, but with a disgusting expression.
"Maybe some sugar or cinnamon, Sherlock." John offered, smiling.

Sherlock snorted.

John was still smiling, "what about some cherries? "

The doorbell saved John a response.

"DELIVERY FOR HOLMES! " Someone yelled at the door.

" You don´t order your body parts at Amazon now, do you?" John got up, went downstairs and opened the door.
" Holmes? Sign here. Have a good evening." The parcel carrier touched his cap.
"Um, wait a minute... what is that all about? " John stared at several large packages, a colleague of the delivery guy had put out of the truck. The man shrugged. "My wife is a shopping addict, too. Kicked her out. Maybe this works for you, too. "

"I 'm seriously thinking about it," John said, half aloud.

"Sherlock! Move your butt down here, I´m certainly not dragging this stuff all by myself! "
To John's great surprise, Sherlock actually appeared. "Seem to be a lot of body parts, though.", he said with a smug grin. "Where's the note? "
"What note? "
" The piece of paper with the message, John. I didn´t order anything and according to your facial expression, you neither. So there must be a message. I am always amazed how backward you can be, sometimes. " Sherlock shook his head in wonder. Finally, they were working together for quite a while. Sherlock was expecting John, to get at least something.

"There is no message, Sherlock. And where you have left Carys? Alone in the kitchen?"
"Of course I have fixed her with the scarf, as you suggested earlier, John." Sherlock rolled his eyes. What kind of opinion did John have about him?

"Jesus! Have you lost your mind? You cannot tie the poor child to a chair? Bloody Hell, Sherlock!" John ran upstairs to free Carys from her supposed plight.

oOo

Sherlock noticed the familiar clacking sound of an umbrella on pavement. Course. Whoever else?

"I don´t suppose, you really have tied the poor kid tied to a chair, brother dear?"

"She is sitting in the bathtub, Mycroft. The perfect place, she is still too small to climb out of it. Your work?" He pointed to the packages.

Mycroft nodded. " A basic set for my... niece? My contact told me, the resemblance would be striking. Mummy is actually delighted. Awaite her visit, brother. "

"Of course, you had to inform her immediately?"

Mycroft showed his innocent face. "Grandchildren, Sherlock. That's all, she´s talking about, lately. Excuse me, I had to tell her, had I? "

"Sure," Sherlock growled and wondered briefly about pushing his brother in front of a taxi. Stupid idea, Sherlock thought. Bright day light and too many witnesses.

"Do you want to come up for a semolina pudding? We've got plenty. " He said instead.
"God forbid, Sherlock," Mycroft sounded horrified, " I've already eaten at the club. Nevertheless, I would like to welcome our new family member. Charles, meanwhile, can take care of the packages." Mycroft gave his secretary a look.

" Do I know the mother, Sherlock? I wonder who 's crazy enough to share your bed. Oh, probably an experiment. Did you have to pay her? "
Hemlock, Sherlock thought. Not very common these days, but it would serve its purpose on Mycroft.

A/N Mycroft assumes Carys to be Sherlock´s daughter and Sherlock doesn´t correct him. For a reason, maybe?