Ask The Detective on Baker Street

Sherlock chuckled and wrapped his arms around Joan before looking to the television. “So she really just wanted to come out a join us so she could feed,” he said. “We should really start thinking about getting her birthday party planned out. Can’t believe she’s going to be one already.”

“Jesus…” Joan whispered. “This time last year we were still fretting about the room not being done. Not we’re fretting about getting her birthday done.” She gave a soft laugh. “I think she’d be content with ice cream and a trip to the zoo. She’s a woman of very low standards.” 

Sherlock chuckled and nodded, rubbing their daughter’s soft back. He lifted Joan’s shirt up and kissed Emily’s little head. “I think the zoo and ice cream sounds nice,” he said with a smile. “She would like the animals. And it would be a nice family outing,” he said with a smile to his wife.

Sherlock chuckled and kissed Joan’s head as he wrapped his arm around her. “We’re getting old,” he joked. “Used to be able to party till three in the morning and still have energy for sex afterwards, now we’ve come to drinking and watching game shows,” he chuckled before finishing his forth beer. He cuddled her close and mumbled some answer to the show’s question.

Joan giggled and pressed a kiss to Sherlock’s neck before glancing back to the TV screen. “A lot has changed since we had Vic.” She said softly, eyes trailing over the contestants that the camera were focused on. “I gave up my title of best drinker in England to give you a daughter.” She teased. 

Sherlock chuckled and nodded before putting his empty glass down and moving to lay slightly atop of Joan, stretching out over the sofa. “That you did, Mrs Holmes, and for giving up your title I think I should make it up to you,” he giggled softly, kissing along her slender neck. God, he got so flirty when he was drinking.

“Becoming a mother has made me a lightwegiht.” Joan mumbled sleepily against Sherlock’s neck. “I could drink for England, now I can’t handle three glasses of wine.” She sighed relaxed into his arms.

Sherlock chuckled and kissed Joan’s head as he wrapped his arm around her. “We’re getting old,” he joked. “Used to be able to party till three in the morning and still have energy for sex afterwards, now we’ve come to drinking and watching game shows,” he chuckled before finishing his forth beer. He cuddled her close and mumbled some answer to the show’s question.

“Is she?” Sherlock smiled as he sat up, patting the seat next to him. “You barely slept, little princess,” he said as he kissed their daughter’s soft head. “You just wanted to come out here and be with us, didn’t you?” he smiled as he tickled her little foot.

“Her ‘Mummy and Daddy are relaxing’ senses were tingling, so she had to come and stop it.” Joan laughed softly and stoked the toddler’s back. When she felt their daughter grab hold or her shirt, she let a small smirk grow on her face before she moved the toddler so she was under the shirt. 

Sherlock chuckled and wrapped his arms around Joan before looking to the television. “So she really just wanted to come out a join us so she could feed,” he said. “We should really start thinking about getting her birthday party planned out. Can’t believe she’s going to be one already.”

“Absolutely,” Sherlock smiled big. “She’s going to be so cute all dressed up. And she can help us decorate the flat and carve pumpkins.” He held Joan close and kissed her deeply before soft crying could be heard coming from the baby monitor on the side table.

Joan pulled back from the kiss and looked over to the monitor. “The young mistress requires me.” She chuckled softly, pecking Sherlock’s nose before going to see to their daughter. 

After changing the toddler’s nappy, she returned to the sitting room, holding Emily to her chest. “She’s wide awake now.”

“Is she?” Sherlock smiled as he sat up, patting the seat next to him. “You barely slept, little princess,” he said as he kissed their daughter’s soft head. “You just wanted to come out here and be with us, didn’t you?” he smiled as he tickled her little foot.

Sherlock was able to let out a small chuckle as Joan helped with the coat. “I’ve seen you punch men while they’re injured– hasn’t stopped you before.” He gave her a small smile, happy she was going to accompany him. It still hurt to walk a little and the heavy material was an irritant on his skin, but he didn’t care anymore. “Thanks for coming with me.”

“If you want me to punch you in the face, I can.” Joan pulled open the door and helped him outside. She pulled out her phone and checked where Mycroft had got him a room. 

“You don’t need to thank me.” She said softly as she walked to her car and put him in the passenger side. She got in behind the wheel then put his belt on. “I want to make sure you’re alright.” She gave him a small smile.

Sherlock adjusted to the seat belt pressing against his injured ribs and winced a little before looking at Joan and returning the small smile. “You’re a really good friend,” he said softly. “I know I should have said that more often, but... I hope you know that I really appreciate you Joan.” 

God he was getting sentimental. What the hell? Since when? ‘Since always... I just could never say anything out loud.’ 

Sherlock fell back on the sofa and held Joan on top of him, kissing her sweetly with a smile. “Can’t wait till she’s older and discovers the pictures of us from previous Halloween parties,” he chuckled as he kissed down Joan’s neck.

“It’ll be our first year not going to an adult Halloween party…” Joan informed quietly, pulling the blanket over them. “I doubt it’ll be as good as seeing our daughter all dressed up and crawling around the place.”

“Absolutely,” Sherlock smiled big. “She’s going to be so cute all dressed up. And she can help us decorate the flat and carve pumpkins.” He held Joan close and kissed her deeply before soft crying could be heard coming from the baby monitor on the side table.

“Dress her up as a little Magenta one year,” he smiled. “Or Columbia.” Sherlock smiled at Joan and turned her face gently to capture her lips against his. He smiled in their kiss and held her close.

“Dress her up at everything we can until she refuses.” Joan whispered, wrapping her arms tightly around Sherlock’s neck. She closed her eyes as she relaxed into the kiss then gave a content sigh. 

Sherlock fell back on the sofa and held Joan on top of him, kissing her sweetly with a smile. “Can’t wait till she’s older and discovers the pictures of us from previous Halloween parties,” he chuckled as he kissed down Joan’s neck.

“Yeah, hopefully,” Sherlock mumbled with a small smile. “Molly was a big help– I should really go see her. And Lestrade…” He smiled inwardly at the thought of what cases he was able to solve on his own. “Anderson? The man who initially fought so hard to have me arrested for a crime I didn’t commit?” He shrugged, not really caring anymore anyway.

“Well, I think I’ve taken up enough of your time,” he said as he slowly stood up– while biting his lip to stop himself from whimpering in pain. “Thank you, again, for not punching me,” he smiled somewhat to Joan. “Honestly I didn’t know what to expect when we were to see each other again. I didn’t know if you would be willing to accept me back, or just flat out hate me… Maybe some of both,” he mumbled.

‘I wasn’t expecting you to be taken… to have truly moved on without me… That wasn’t in the plan…’

“Anderson has lost his mind and has a started a fanclub. They get together every Thursday and talk about how you survived and what you’d be doing to pass time. I think you’ll find them amusing.” Joan hummed. 

She stood up with him and gently rested a hand on his lower back. “I’ll come with you.” She whispered. “Just to make sure you actually get there.”  She walked with him to the front door and slowly helped him put his coat on. “If you weren’t already injured, I might have punched you in the face.”

Sherlock was able to let out a small chuckle as Joan helped with the coat. “I’ve seen you punch men while they’re injured-- hasn’t stopped you before.” He gave her a small smile, happy she was going to accompany him. It still hurt to walk a little and the heavy material was an irritant on his skin, but he didn’t care anymore. “Thanks for coming with me.”

Sherlock laughed and nodded. “We should have! Maybe we can do that for an anniversary party one year. Or one of Emily’s birthday parties,” he joked. “Can you imagine a kid’s party inspired by a raunchy film? It would be great!”

“Maybe we can do it for her eighteenth.” Joan joked as she giggled quietly. “She’ll probably hate the film.” She pouted briefly then gave a soft hum. “We can have so much more fun at Halloween now.” 

“Dress her up as a little Magenta one year,” he smiled. “Or Columbia.” Sherlock smiled at Joan and turned her face gently to capture her lips against his. He smiled in their kiss and held her close.

“If people will take me back,” he mumbled. “After a stunt like that everyone probably hates me.” He looked back into Joan’s eyes for a few moments and saw all the times he had ever looked in her eyes flash before him. So many memories of them laughing together after a chase or the brilliant happiness after finishing up a case… The times when they would get into an argument over something stupid or the times when they would look at each other and speak without actually saying anything…

That moment up on the roof… the pain and sorrow he saw in her eyes when they were on the phone… and now she was gone. No longer his to share these memories with. She was taken. He was too late.

“Might still stay in a hotel for a while like you suggested. Heal up a bit more, you know.”

“Anderson doesn’t. I don’t think Greg does either.” Joan argued. “And I know for a fact that Molly will take you back without even having to ask.” She gave a soft laugh before she looked over the detective’s features. 

“I think that’ll be the best thing for you to do. I doubt you’ll be any good when you’re in agony. You’ll be an easy target when you’re running around London. You’ll also need to prepare to see Mrs Hudson. God knows what she’ll do when she sees you again. Hopefully she won’t throw something at you.” 

“Yeah, hopefully,” Sherlock mumbled with a small smile. “Molly was a big help-- I should really go see her. And Lestrade...” He smiled inwardly at the thought of what cases he was able to solve on his own. “Anderson? The man who initially fought so hard to have me arrested for a crime I didn’t commit?” He shrugged, not really caring anymore anyway.

“Well, I think I’ve taken up enough of your time,” he said as he slowly stood up-- while biting his lip to stop himself from whimpering in pain. “Thank you, again, for not punching me,” he smiled somewhat to Joan. “Honestly I didn’t know what to expect when we were to see each other again. I didn’t know if you would be willing to accept me back, or just flat out hate me... Maybe some of both,” he mumbled.

‘I wasn’t expecting you to be taken... to have truly moved on without me... That wasn’t in the plan...’

“Seeing your face when I proposed was priceless,” he smiled big. “And when you found out you were pregnant.” He whispered ‘I love you’ in Joan’s ear the same time they said it at the end of Dammit Janet.

“I thought you were going to leave me.” Joan admitted, shaking her head before leaning up to kiss Sherlock’s cheek. “We should’ve had a fancy dress wedding. Or Rocky Horror inspired.” She joked.

Sherlock laughed and nodded. “We should have! Maybe we can do that for an anniversary party one year. Or one of Emily’s birthday parties,” he joked. “Can you imagine a kid’s party inspired by a raunchy film? It would be great!”

“Who hates you?” Sherlock asked, eyes filled with concern all of a sudden. “Everyone loves you Joan. You’re everyone’s friend.” He reached out and gently cupped her face, stroking her cheek with his thumb. He had never done that before, but it felt… natural. But then he realized that might be “not good” and he took it away, putting his hand back in his own lap.

“I should have come,” he murmured. “So many things I should have done before…” His eyes couldn’t help but glance to the picture of her and her boyf– fiance on the mantle.

“Everyone according to you. You said it in that message.” Joan leaning into the detective’s touch for a few seconds before she reached for her phone and sent a text off to his older brother. 

“You didn’t want to come, and that’s fine. There was people. You don’t do people.” She set her phone down then looked over him. “So what now?” She asked quietly, folding her arms over her chest. “You clean yourself up and go back to being Sherlock Holmes?” 

“If people will take me back,” he mumbled. “After a stunt like that everyone probably hates me.” He looked back into Joan’s eyes for a few moments and saw all the times he had ever looked in her eyes flash before him. So many memories of them laughing together after a chase or the brilliant happiness after finishing up a case... The times when they would get into an argument over something stupid or the times when they would look at each other and speak without actually saying anything...

That moment up on the roof... the pain and sorrow he saw in her eyes when they were on the phone... and now she was gone. No longer his to share these memories with. She was taken. He was too late.

“Might still stay in a hotel for a while like you suggested. Heal up a bit more, you know.”

Sherlock chuckled as he watched the film and rested his head on top of Joan’s. “Cause you know I don’t like my singing voice,” he murmured with a smile. “And I didn’t want everyone in Rome staring at me as I proposed… Well, people still did watch us, didn’t they?” he chuckled.

“I think you’re an excellent singer. Our daughter would back me up if she could talk. You’ll just have to wait until we both disagree with you.” Joan laughed, pressing a kiss to the detective’s cheek before she nodded. “We had a small gathering watching us…” She informed.

“Seeing your face when I proposed was priceless,” he smiled big. “And when you found out you were pregnant.” He whispered ‘I love you’ in Joan’s ear the same time they said it at the end of Dammit Janet.

“Greg bought a box of your things over a few weeks ago.” Joan replied quietly, eyes moving to the empty disc case on the TV cabinet. “I liked the video you made. Very… humbling.” She gave a soft chuckle. 

“If you didn’t want to come to dinner, you could’ve just said so. I wouldn’t have forced you to. It would’ve just been nice to have you there for it. But I had fun with the friends that all hate me none-the-less…” She trailed off then sighed, gazed dropping to her lap. 

“Who hates you?” Sherlock asked, eyes filled with concern all of a sudden. “Everyone loves you Joan. You’re everyone’s friend.” He reached out and gently cupped her face, stroking her cheek with his thumb. He had never done that before, but it felt... natural. But then he realized that might be “not good” and he took it away, putting his hand back in his own lap.

“I should have come,” he murmured. “So many things I should have done before...” His eyes couldn’t help but glance to the picture of her and her boyf-- fiance on the mantle.