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A Bit Better	By : VulpineBeesKnees Category: S through Z > Sherlock (BBC) > Sherlock (BBC) Views: 3330 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
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Chapter List
- 19
- 20
“I can’t believe you convinced my parents to come to the estate for Christmas.” John laughed, leaning against Sherlock in the back of the car they were taking out to the Holmes Estate.
It was the first time they hadn’t had their Christmas Eve party at Baker Street, but when Madame Holmes had made the offer John gladly accepted. He really did not want to have both families crammed into their flat. “Molly and Derek are still coming right?”
“Molly told me she wouldn’t miss it for the world. Apparently she has an announcement to make tonight.” The detective’s eyes glinted with a knowing light. It was obvious he’d deduced from their earlier phone conversation everything he needed to discover prematurely the nature of her announcement.
Sherlock squeezed John’s hand and smiled brightly. It was odd, having both families together for Christmas, something he’d never known he’d wanted until his mother had suggested it. Her reasoning was that he and John had been together for some time, and it was about time she got to meet his family as well.
“Oh come on. I know you’ve got it all worked out, what’s her big announcement?” John teased, nudging Sherlock’s shoulder with his own.
“Oh come now, I can’t ruin her surprise, that’s just cold.” he smirked knowing full well on any other occasion he would have divulged the information to John almost immediately, “Let her have her moment. You’ll see. It’s better if you hear from her.”
Just then the car rounded the bend, and the tall sweeping mass of Holmes Manor came into view. The home no longer held trepidation, as every time Mycroft had requested he come visit their mother, he had agreed, bringing John, and it had seemed to alleviate the foreboding aura he’d attached to the place long ago.
“Fine.” John grumbled, smiling as he looked up the drive to the Estate. “Looks like we’re the last one’s here. Again.” There was already a small collection of car’s on the drive. John’s parents had drove with Harry. Mycroft, Lestrade, and the kids had come up the night before, wanting to get the children settled in before the party.
It wasn’t the first time they’d been the last to arrive, between Sherlock getting distracted by experiments and John fretting over packing for the both of them they were generally always the last to arrive. It amazed Sherlock that John still managed to become anxious before these family events, but by the time they were pulling up to the front of the manor John had relaxed.
“It wasn’t my fault this time. You were the one that forgot to pack Hamish.” Sherlock said flippantly. Over time, the stuffed hedgehog had become an ever present part of their relationship. John had called him childish about it at first, but when he explained that the stuffed animal was a constant reminder of how much John cared about him. Most days it sat on a shelf, holding the same place in the flat as the skull did. Other times when Sherlock was particularly insecure, John would come home from the surgery to find him curled up with the fluffy toy in his arms.
They’d barely made it out of the car before a butler was retrieving their bags. A high pitched squeal cut across the courtyard and a little girl with sandy ringlets burst out of the house, sprinting across the drive and launching herself into Sherlock’s arms.
“Uncle Sherly! Uncle John!” her giggles were regarded with a raised eyebrow from Sherlock, but his arms wrapped around the child warmly.
“Kylie.” he said simply. If the little girl was deterred by her uncle’s lack of emotion she didn’t show it.
“Uncle Sherlock, Auntie John.” Came the snarky voice of Victoria, Lestrade’s oldest from where she lounged against the doorway. Her brunette hair and sharp features reminded Sherlock of her mother.
“Stop making fun of me about that!” came Kylie’s aggravated response from Sherlock’s arms, “I was little, and they told me in school that Uncles and Aunts go together! And Uncle Sherlock and Uncle John do go together...” she pouted obviously frustrated at her sister’s teasings. Sherlock leaned forward, whispered something in her ear that made her smile. Then she squealed as his long fingers tickled her before setting her down.
“Run along and go let Papa ‘Croft know we’re here.” he said with a small smile.
John shot Victoria a look that said ‘Behave yourself’ as they made their way inside. They had spent an astounding amount of time with Lestrade’s children, there was no doubt that they were family. Once they were out of the teenagers ear shot John asked, “What’d you say to Kylie?”
It had been a bit of a surprise when John realized Sherlock was actually very good with kids. It was amazing really, he didn’t try and treat them differently or go out of his way to entertain them, he just treated them like people that ‘haven't quite grown into their minds yet’. That explanation had made John laugh, but it worked.
“I told her not to mind her sister, she was just upset that her last boyfriend dumped her and she was starting to get an embarrassing pimple on the end of her nose.” He chuckled and wrapped an arm around John’s waist, pulling him into his side.
Just then Greg and Mycroft rounded the corner, and the Detective Inspector’s eyes lit up. He hadn’t seen them in a while at the precinct due to a lack of interesting murders, and he would never admit it, but he’d missed them.
“John! Sherlock! You finally made it!” He shook both their hands with a warm smile, “Kylie came to fetch us, said you gave her ‘ammunition against further attempts from her sister to smear her good name.’ I swear Sherlock, you’re rubbing off on her more than I’m sure I like. She’s starting to get your smart mouth too.”
John rolled his eyes, watching the youngest girl sneak away behind Greg’s back. “Wouldn’t have missed this for the world,” he assured them happily. “As for Kylie... Well with the way she’s taking after Sherlock, Mycroft won’t have to worry about threatening any boys off.” He gave Mycroft a look that obviously referred to how well he’d taken meeting Victoria’s first boyfriend. “At this rate she’ll be deducing their intentions all on her own.”
Mycroft shot John a bored look before responding. “We were called to her school last week because she asked her teacher if her cat had died or ran away. The woman had never told the class that she even had a cat. The idiot of a counselor tried to say they are worried for her emotional state.” The last word was said with so much disdain John was actually surprised by Mycroft’s calm demeanour. “These public schools are absolutely infuriating.” He let out a heavy sigh shaking his head.
“She’s a smart girl,” John offered, with a small smile. “She’ll be fine.”
“Of course she’ll be fine. She’s my daughter,” Greg replied smiling, “Besides, she has two uncles and a stepfather who can and will kill anyone who tries to hurt her. I’m not worried.” He smiled up and placed a kiss on Mycroft’s cheek.
“However, John, you’re family has been a bit antsy. They haven’t met Mummy yet, and I suspect your mother is about to have a meltdown if you don’t go to her soon.” The DI’s tone was a bit wary. Sherlock didn’t blame him, Mrs. Watson could be quite overwhelming to say the least.
“Best not keep her waiting. She likes me little enough already.” He said with a smirk before leading the doctor towards the sitting room he knew they’d all be in.
When they entered the sitting room they found John’s parent’s, Harry, Molly and Derek all sitting in the large room. Harry and Molly were chattering easily enough, it was the first time either of them had been to the Holmes Manor, but they were comfortable enough with the family that they weren’t rigid in their seats like the rest of the guests.
Molly, who was facing the entrance to the sitting room, was the first to see them. “John! Sherlock!” Her face lit up as she jumped from her seat to give them a quick hug, Derek nodding his hello from his seat.
John allowed themselves to be lead over to the sofa, taking a seat opposite his parents.
“Hello Molls. How’s married life treating you?” He teased her playfully, loving the blush that crept onto her cheeks as she smiled widely.
“Oh, swimmingly.” she reached a hand back and Derek easily wrapped it in his own.
“Oh my god John!” His mother’s voice cut in as she swept him up from the couch in a hug, “You look like you’ve been keeping well. It seems you’ve kept Sherlock fed as well. He doesn’t look near as deathly ill as he did at Easter.” Her smile was tight but it was obvious she was trying to be polite.
John chuckled giving her a light peck on the cheek. “He always looks better around the holidays,” and then whispering as though he was saying something he didn’t want Sherlock to over hear he continued, “He’s a sucker for your Banoffee pie.”
He released his mother, giving his father a short very masculine embrace before sitting back down. “Did everyone get settled in their rooms? Have you had a chance to explore at all?” John remembered his first visit to the estate vividly, the large manor and sprawling grounds had been a bit overwhelming at the time.
“Oh yes, we have a lovely little room overlooking a beautiful lake! There’s a lovely tree down there that looks like a beautiful spot for a picnic.”
Sherlock shared a knowing look with John and wrapped his arm around the smaller man’s shoulders, leaning to drop a kiss just above his ear. It was then that Madame Holmes decided to join them. The tall elegant woman was wearing an emerald green cocktail dress with a wide red belt, and she looked every bit the Matriarch of the Holmes family.
With a smile she strode into their midst and directly up to the two Watsons. “You must be Virgina and Charles Watson.” She held out her hand to each of them in turn, “It’s so nice to finally meet you, I’m Lucretia Holmes.” Her smile was wide on her thin, beautiful face.
John watched the exchange warily, his mother had eventually accepted Sherlock, but this was the first time either of his parents had met any of the other Holmes. It was his father that finally broke the silence. Standing he took her hand firmly.
“It’s wonderful to finally meet you ma’am.” John could almost hear a swell of emotion in his father’s words and he smiled, clutching Sherlock’s hand in his own. “I’m glad we were all able to be here.”
At that moment Timothy came barreling into the sitting room, “Papa says everyone needs to come to dinner.” He had an excited smile plastered to his face, no doubt because he knew after dinner gifts would be given out. At some point over the last year the middle child had dropped the Croft part of the name they’d so adoringly given Mycroft. As soon as the words had left his lips he had turned around and shot back to the dining room, eager for the meal to start, with or without everyone else.
“God he looks more like Greg everyday doesn’t he?” John noted softly as they all started for the dining room. He could see his mother chatting warmly with Lucretia out of the corner of his eye and he couldn’t help but smile.
“He does.” he smiled and pulled out John’s chair for him as they sat down for dinner. The meal was grand, the food warm and delicious, and the company even better. Sherlock couldn’t remember the last time this many people had been at his mother’s estate, probably that first birthday party where he'd brought John to meet her. He found that having John by his side made him much less socially inept, and he attributed it to the fact that the man could calm his mind with a single touch. By the end of the dinner, the two youngest of Greg’s children were practically vibrating with excitement.
“I think if we wait any longer the children might combust.” Came Lucretia’s high pitched voice.
“Oh Nonnie please can we open presents now?” Kylie was practically wriggling in her seat.
“Oh I think we must. You and Timothy go start pulling the presents from under the tree, Your fathers and I will get everyone rounded up into the sitting room.” The children lept from their seats and sped into the sitting room. Sherlock held out his hand for the doctor, and helped him up from the table. Everyone made their way into the sitting room and the detective pulled the smaller man down on the couch beside him as the children began passing out gifts.
The children went first, the youngest tearing through the paper as if her life depended upon it, much to the amusement of everyone else. After the three children had opened their gifts and given their thanks to everyone Sherlock pulled out a small box, passing it along to Molly with a mischievous look in his eyes.
“Since we’re going by age here.” He smiled and gestured for her to open it.
Molly regarded him curiously before opening the carefully wrapped package. John had wrapped all of the gifts, and he hadn’t seen this one. He silently asked Sherlock what it was with a pair of raised eyebrows but the detective simply shook his head and smiled.
Opening the top of the small box Molly paused staring in at it’s contents utterly bemused. Derek popped over her shoulder to take a look, and the same confused look passed over his features.
“Uhm. Thank you Sherlock. Really...” She seemed to be containing a small giggle as she pulled out the gift. “But what is it?”
She had pulled out a circular device that, as far as John could tell, looked like some sort of painful puzzle. It was black, white and green, and the circular structure was made up of crisscrossing plastic bars of varying thickness. Everyone in the room seemed to hold the same confused expression, eyes jumping from the gift to Sherlock and back again. Everyone that is except for Mycroft.
A dawning expression crossed Mycroft’s features before a small, almost unseen, smile pulled at his lips. “Very good brother, although I’m fairly certain you’re supposed to wait to give such gifts.”
“It’s a toy to improve the developmental function of infants.” He said simply, ignoring Mycroft. He looked into her eyes and gave her a wide knowing smile. “I believe you had an announcement to make today didn’t you?”
Molly froze, a little surprised but Derek laughed and took the toy from her, turning it over in his own hands.
“Yeah.. I-I did.” She finally stammered. She turned her attention back to everyone else in the room, smiling widely as Derek set down the toy to take her hand in his, lacing their fingers together. Her lips pressed together nervously for a moment before she blurted it out.
“I’m pregnant!” She giggled nervously as everyone’s attention was on her and Derek, the room quickly filling with excitement. When all the congratulations had died down she looked back to Sherlock shaking her head. “Is there anything you don’t know?”
“Well I don’t know if it’s a boy or girl yet, give me a few months.” His smile was genuine as he stood and kissed her on the cheeks. “I’m happy for you Molly.” He reflected quickly on how horrid he had been to her in those early years, and not for the first time, he was ashamed of the way he’d treated her. He could only hope to make it up to her somehow in the future.
He sat back next to John and nuzzled John’s ear before settling back into the couch to watch the rest of his rather large family open their presents. The exchange began very organized, each person taking a turn opening their gifts, but as the evening went on, and champagne was passed around the group became much more exuberant. Laughing and chattering over each other as the floor became a mess of paper and boxes. When all of the gifts that had been stacked around the tree were gone Molly and John exchanged a silent look.
“There’s no more presents.” Kylie stated obviously. “Is it time for dessert?” She was looking around the room with narrowed eyes as if she knew they were waiting for something.
“Actually.” John piped up, pulling a small box from his pocket, wrapped in red and green striped metallic paper paper. “I have one more gift.”
He turned in his seat to hand Sherlock the package. It fit squarely in the palm of his hand.
Sherlock’s eyes widened for a moment before he took in the dimensions of the box. He and John had made a deal not to get each other presents this year. Slowly, and neatly, he unwrapped the present and found a small velvet box beneath the festive wrapping. It was square, large enough one might put jewelry in it. His throat closed up for a moment as he lifted the lid. Nestled inside was a shiney key. Sherlock recognized it as the key to John’s room.
“John?” he asked, his brows were knit together in confusion.
“I know we said no gifts, but honestly Sherlock this is for both of our sanities. That’s the key to my old room. Molly and Mycroft helped me while you were in France on that case... Now you have you’re own lab.” He smiled sheepishly. “Molly made sure everything you would need was there. It’s really for both of us, because in theory this should make the kitchen, you know, for eating again.”
Sherlock lifted the key from the box and turned it over in his hand. On more than one occasion since they had started their relationship, John had made it a point that he needed his own space, even if he rarely spent any time there. The fact that John had taken that space and made into something for Sherlock made the taller man's throat catch.
"I can't decide whether I want to say thank you or laugh because you just wanted the kitchen back," he chuckled lightly and pulled John against him. Pressing a soft kiss to his lips he murmured a thank you before catching Greg's eye over his shoulder. When the excitement died out , the DI cleared his throat.
"John, Kylie's wriggling for that desert as I'm kind of trapped here." He gestured to the three children surrounding him, "Would you mind?"
“No problem, I’ve got it. Kitchen yeah?” He was already heading out of the room as he asked the question, but the detective stopped him in the doorway, having jumped up to follow him.
“I’ve got it Sherlock.” John started, moving to pull away, but Sherlock pulled him to a stop. When the doctor looked at him quizzically, he pointed upwards to where a sprig of real mistletoe was hanging.
“Bring back any memories?” he asked softly.
John smiled, stepping closer to Sherlock, vaguely aware that quite a few eyes were on them. “I promise not to run off this time.”
"I hope not..." His voice was deep and wavered slightly as he reached into his pocket with his left hand, his right catching John's, "It's been three years since we started this, since I came home. Three years you have been dealing with my tantrums and cleaning up my messes. Three years you've loved me, even though I couldn't love you back….” His voice wavered for a moment, but he continued on. “I asked you once, to wait for three years, and you've done so and stuck by me blindly. I think you've waited long enough."
Slowly the tall lanky man sunk to one knee so he was kneeling in front of John. All eyes were on them as he pulled the small velvet box out of his pocket, and a breath was taken and held collectively as he spoke.
"John Hamish Watson." He said, opening the box to reveal a silver ring, masculine but engraved with intertwining vines, "Will you marry me?"
John’s free hand came up to cover his mouth, his breath caught somewhere in his chest. His heart had been pounding the moment Sherlock started his speech, and now John couldn’t seem to find his voice. His eyes flitted back and forth from the ring to Sherlock’s nervous and adoring expression. Chest heaving with shallow breath John squeezed the hand gripping his own, too surprised to actually formulate a coherent response.
After a moment of John's stunned silence, Sherlock's brows knit together worriedly, "John, I need you to answer, this is one thing I can't deduce." He smiled lightly hoping it hid his uncertainty.
Breath crashed back into his chest suddenly and John gasped. Nodding eagerly he pulled Sherlock to his feet, “Yes. God yes Sherlock.” He leaned forward as Sherlock clambered to his feet, kissing him deeply as he murmured against his lips. “Yes. Always yes.”
There was a cry of excitement from behind them and after several meaningful kisses Sherlock pulled him close, left hand between them so he could slip the ring on as his lips ghosted across the smaller man's ear in a whisper, "I love you John Watson."
He produced a letter and tucked it into John' hand. No one saw the doctor slip the envelope with Sherlock's spidery writing into his pocket, but that was alright, because this was for the two of them.
“I know.” John said softly, still close enough that only Sherlock heard. John had known that Sherlock had loved him in every way he could for a long time, but hearing those words for the first time after three years was almost more than John could handle. His breath caught in his chest again as he wrapped his arms around Sherlock’s waist. “I love you too Sherlock.”
Over Sherlock’s shoulder John could see their family all smiling back at them. Both mothers wiping away tears, and as the couple pulled apart John chuckled softly. He smiled back at Sherlock, pushing a stray curl back from his forehead, “That’s how you convinced my mother to stay here for christmas.”
Sherlock responded with a small shrug before kissing him again. “So this... this is good?”
John chuckled at the detective’s words, thinking back to the way they established everything in their relationship. “I’d say this is a bit better than good Sherlock.” He twined his fingers with the brunette’s as he reassured him, “So much better than just good.”
- 19
- 20
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A Bit Better