A/N Thanks again to Raeya and to everyone, who´s reading, following and reviewing. Means a lot to me.
"You´re gonna tell me, straight away? But that is generous of you, Sherlock."
Holmes nodded. "Of course I 'm not going to pull you into my bed, out of the blue, John. That might be a little ... well, unorthodox. "
" Unorthodox? Yeah, that would indeed be something completely new, Sherlock. I do not know how many times I have to say it, maybe I should have it tattooed on my butt. I 'm not gay, Sherlock. "
Sherlock grinned cheekily, " Well, your butt doesn´t seem necessarily the right place to put it, John. "
"Can we please stop talking about my butt, Sherlock? "
Sherlock shrugged, " I did not start this issue, John. But you wanted to know why I was not looking for Cary's mother. It is not necessary. Her name is Emma Hicks and she lives in Islington. 524 Borrow Street. "
John was speechless. " Where from? ... I mean ? How?"
Sherlock nodded, "Not very demanding, John. The stroller was partly covered with a light layer of dust and odor analysis showed a slight hint of alcohol. Gin, to be exact. Gordon's is running its distillery in Islington, et voila. The rest was internet research. Another mug of mulled wine, John? "
" Um ... No. My ... Uh ... my butt and I will go to bed, now. Alone! " John trudged upstairs to his room.
oOo
"Good night, John," Sherlock muttered, barely audible and put his mug on the table.
"Then we will put you to sleep properly," he said softly and took Carys very gently from the couch. He put her in the new travel bed, Mycroft had donated and covered her carefully. There was no risk, she could fall down, such as on the couch. He quickly went to the bathroom and got ready for bed, grabbed the teddy and placed it in Carys arms.
On Sleep was, however, not to think. Sherlock was irritated, there was someone else in his room. It was just strange. Of course he knew it from boarding school, which was long ago and he had always hated it. Having no privacy, was one of the most terrible things ever. His thoughts wandered to John. Strangely, it did not bother him, to have John in his vicinity. He was still trying to interpret John's glances. Curiosity? Interest? Definitely interest. With this thought in his mind, Sherlock finally fell asleep.
oOo
John turned from one side to the other. What the hell was going on, here? Why was a fatherly Sherlock putting his feelings so in an uproar? They were living together for months, without that ... Oh Lord, John thought. Could he call it a sexual tension? He shook his head. A momentary confusion, that was all. Nothing to think about. He was punching his pillow twice, then he closed his eyes resolutely and started counting sheep.
oOo
Carys awoke early the next morning at 4 a.m. and she was missing her mom. Sherlock noticed her soft weeping immediately and was wide awake. He turned on the bedside lamp.
"Child? What 's the matter? " Carys sobbed and held out her arms to Sherlock.
"You´re missing your mama, I guess? I'm sorry, she isn´t here. Don´t you cry, Carys. Please. Shh, shh, shh. It´s all right. "
Sherlock was walking around in the living room, carrying the little one on his arms. "Come on, child. Stop crying. Sherlock Papa is here, yet. " He was nursing her gently and kissed her on the forehead. "You see? It´s not that bad. "
John came downstairs, rubbing his head. "Everything all right, Sherlock? "
Holmes nodded. "Did we wake you? Carys has woken up and she wouldn´t stop crying. "
"I didn´t sleep, Sherlock. I was just about to count sheep number 5478."
Sherlock chuckled, "you don´t appear like a sheep-counter to me, John. You´re counting often?"
Mainly, if you´re haunting me in my thoughts, John thought.
"I think she's asleep again, Sherlock. I never expected to say this, but you 're doing fine. I don´t agree with putting her in the bathtub, there is still tremendous room for improvement. But apart from that, you take care lovingly for the child. Deduct it, Sherlock. Isn´t it a quite fulfilling feeling?"
John pushed Sherlock in front of the mirror. Sherlock looked at his reflection. He was holding Carys close to his chest, his hand was stroking her back soothingly.
"This is real life, Sherlock. If you are not careful, you´ll end up as an old, lonely man who is finally eaten by cats. You have to let people into your heart, Sherlock. Nobody is an island, my friend. " John patted Sherlock´s back and went back to bed. Sheep number 5479 was waiting. Maybe it would help to imagine, how they were shorn, in addition?
"No man is an island," Sherlock repeated softly. John Donne. 'Entire of itself, every man is a part of the continent, a part of the main'
That´s what I´m, supposed to be? A part of the continent? So far, it was enough for me to be Gibraltar, Sherlock thought. And now ? I´m standing here in the dead of night, with this little girl in my arms ... and don´t know, how to handle it, when her mother is wanting her back, again. John was right, he thought. I have to let people into my heart. I already did. He kissed Carys temple.
Sherlock put her carefully back into bed and sat down on the floor. His bed suddenly seemed too huge and ... lonely.
oOo
Exactly 2188 barely naked sheep later, John came back downstairs. It was 7 a.m. and the world was in order. At least at the moment. Sherlock's door was ajar, John ventured a glance. Sherlock was sitting on the floor, arms wrapped around his knee and slept. John shook his head, he would get a cold, why in the world wasn´t Sherlock sleeping in his bed, like any normal person? John grabbed the blanket from the foot of the bed and wrapped it around his roommate.
"Thank you, John," Sherlock growled softly.
" It's all right. Everything is in balance? ... I mean you? On the Floor? In the cold?"
"I had to sort some things out, John."
Watson sat down on the floor, close to Sherlock.
"And? You´ve been successful? Or do I really have to be your psychiatrist? Let me warn you, my rates are high, you´re one hell of a patient." John chuckled.
" You think, that´s funny? "
"Just because you are the most sorted person, I know. Mycroft said, your mother is coming today? "
Sherlock nodded.
" What's she like?"
"Socially very active, John. Has always been. "
"And what else?"
"What do you mean by what else, John?"
"Oh, come on. Kind? Beastly? Lovable?"
Sherlock started laughing, "she´s the wicked fairy godmother of the north, John."