It Started With Stealing | Sherlock Holmes

84 - Babysitting

"Do you want kids?" He asked.

"Hm?" Elizabeth looked up at the doctor with a pensive frown and shook her head, "I don't think I'd be a good mother. Ex-criminal and all. And besides...Sherlock doesn't seem that keen."

"You've spoken about it then?"

"What? God no. We only just got back together. Doesn't stop me wondering about it myself though." She tilted her head as she looked back down at Ava, "Kids are cute but yeah, I just don't think I'd be a good mum. Didn't have the best childhood myself either."

"Well, you can't do worse than Sherlock."

The two chuckled and then fell quiet again.

"I think you'd be a good mother because of your upbringing."

"What makes you say that?"

"Well, you'd know exactly what not to do. I think you would treat your child the way you wished you had been treated."

Elizabeth frowned thoughtfully, "Thank you...I think you'd make a good dad."

"One day, eh? We can call this one a practise run."

"Ha, yeah."

*  *  *  *  *  *

Late afternoon slipped into early evening and Mrs Hudson had returned to her flat. Sherlock was still out of it, snoozing uncomfortably in his chair as John made a bottle for Ava in the kitchen.

The detective shifted, his muscles now cramped so much so that it woke him. He opened his eyes to see John in the kitchen, looked to his left to see Mrs Hudson gone and then at John's chair to see the baby was gone - again. He shot up hurriedly.

"John? John, where's Ava?" Sherlock asked urgently, "She - she was on the chair and now she's - "

"Upstairs with Elizabeth."

The tension in his body visibly left him as he relaxed in front of John who smirked at his behaviour. Then he questioned the statement with a puzzled look. Had she already left him for his best friend that was clearly a better potential father?

"Why is she upstairs?"

"We didn't want to disturb your sleep."

"Oh...thank you."

"You need to start solving the case."

"Yes. About the case. Missing women and children."

"Yes. Ava's mother is missing...and? Have you found her yet?"

"She left her child here to keep her safe. She's running from someone - if it's a controlling family member or partner, then they would have filed them as missing at the drop of a hat. So we check the list, we find the most recent report and we find a name."

"And then? How will a name help us find out where Ava's mother is."

"We find a name, we find the family and/or partner and we question said people and then we can start working out where she could have gone."

*  *  *  *  *  *

Elizabeth, wearing Sherlock's navy blue gown, rocked the baby to sleep, cradling the child in her arms, gazing down at little Ava lovingly. Elizabeth found she could sympathise with her with regards to a missing mother.

"You have what I didn't have back then." She whispered, "You have a brilliant detective on your case. He'll find your mother, I know he will."

She pressed a chaste kiss to the forehead of the child, for a moment forgetting that Ava wasn't hers. Thoughts of what John had said to her crossed her mind - would she really make a good mother? Elizabeth appeared to be doing well at the moment. But would Sherlock be willing enough to be a father? She loved her detective and she didn't want to lose him again. But what if her want of a child grew over time and what if Sherlock didn't want one? What would happen then?

Sherlock lingered in the doorway to John's room watching his partner soothingly sway as she peered out of the window. Her brunette hair was down and her silhouette looked beautiful, especially in his gown.

"Elizabeth?" Sherlock called to her softly.

The thief turned, a smile on her lips. God, how he loved that smile, so much so he felt the hint of one on his own lips. Again, he took in her form. Motherhood oddly...suited her. But did she ever want to be a parent herself? Did he ever see himself being a parent? Knowing what he was like when he was younger, Sherlock dreaded the thought of little Holmes' running around. Holmes'? Why did his mind default to a plural?

"You're awake." She spoke in a hushed tone, "Ava really did a number on you, eh?"

A light chuckle erupted from his chest, "Are you...coming downstairs?"

"Mm hm." She nodded, approaching him by the door, "John still downstairs?"

He nodded and she nodded again in understanding too, making her way down the staircase with Ava carefully.

Again, Sherlock watched after her, watched the gentle sway of her hips. He thought back to them baking in the kitchen, back to that blissful moment before they were interrupted. If there had been no interruption, he wondered where his actions might have taken him. And then he dismissed the thought. It wasn't polite of him to think so crudely of his partner...and yet that odd pull remained.

He shook his head quickly, trying to snap himself out of it as he followed after her.

Sherlock found Elizabeth and John in the kitchen, now exchanging the baby between them.

"You going to be okay looking after her tonight?"

John nodded, "We'll be alright. I have Tuesdays off remember."

"Oh, of course. Well," Elizabeth tilted her head to look at Ava again, and smiled, "Sleep tight then."

"Goodnight Elizabeth, night Sherlock." John said as he passed them both by, bottle and baby in hand as he went back up to his room.

"Night, John."

"Night!" Elizabeth quietly called after the doctor and then let her sweet gaze fall back upon Sherlock, "Right, so...case solving while tidying the kitchen."

"Yes..."

Sherlock found that was not what he wanted her to say though. Elizabeth turned away, rolling up her - well, Sherlock's gown - sleeves and turning the kitchen tap on so she could wash the dishes. There was something about her stood there, facing away from him like when they had been baking, that attracted him to her.

Elizabeth felt a presence behind her and, as she turned her head to look over her left shoulder, Sherlock's hands rested on her waist and he kissed the right side of her neck. She chuckled, moving away from his lips so she could turn her head to look at him.

"What are you doing?" She smiled at him curiously.

"I...I don't know." He whispered, "But what I do know is that you are...captivating."

A little bit of red rose in her cheeks as she felt his hand reach up to move her hair away from her neck. He pressed his lips to her skin again and she swallowed, shutting her eyes, revelling in the feeling. This spot, between her neck and shoulder, did nothing, but the spot just on the side of her neck made her shudder.

He pulled his lips away, a mischievous, curious smile gracing his own lips.

"Washing up can wait until tomorrow, can't it?" He whispered to her.

Elizabeth inhaled, turning to face him with a knowing look upon her face. She didn't bother to dry her hands before reaching up to adjust his collar as he held her in his arms. The thief's hands lay on his shoulders as she looked up at her partner and he down at her, both with an equally lustful look.

"What do you want, Sherlock?" Elizabeth asked softly.

He simply bowed his head down, capturing her lips in a slow, passionate kiss. Gradually his lips trailed off down her cheek.

"What do..." She breathed blissfully, "You...want?"

She felt his warm breath on her ear.

"I want you."

"Then take me..."

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A/N - Only took them 40 something chapters 🤣🤣🤣