I'm not a Goldfish, Mycroft Holmes

Keep It A Surprise

This chapter was much longer but I cut it in half, I just feel like the part I cut will work better separately.
Also, if you haven't seen my last update I set up a sort of poll where you could vote for the sex of the baby Holmes, so far everyone is commenting for a boy but I'd like to see if that'll change or not before I fully make a decision.

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Sherlock froze, when they told him that they were getting married. John and Mrs Hudson congratulated them, Mary already knew, but Sherlock just seemed to shut down. When he did come back to reality he quietly wished them congratulations. His tone of voice was cold and indifferent but Alice could see in his eyes that he was happy for his brother.
Mrs Hudson asked what kind of wedding they would have, Alice stated that they hadn't really discussed it. After all anything they plan might change when they have to tell Mycroft's parents. After the engagement announcement, they told John and Mrs Hudson that they were also expecting. Another round of congratulations were in order and to Sherlock's surprise, Mycroft seemed happy about having children, he never expressed interest in the idea before, in fact Sherlock had it in his head that his brother would never get married. But then he met Alice, and Mycroft changed, not completely no, but it was a noticeable difference, caring was certainly an advantage to him now.

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Mycroft insisted on driving, they didn't have to take Alice's car, the option to use Mycroft's chauffeur was on the table but Alice said that she had some last minute shopping to do and she felt wrong about making the poor man sit and wait in the parking lot.
Mycroft's mother had invited them up for Christmas and Mycroft wasn't one to refuse his mummy. Mrs Holmes had called about two weeks ago with the invitation, but she called Alice's phone instead, and what had intended to be a short call, turned into a two hour conversation.
The two had met before, Mycroft invited his parents out to dinner while they were in town shortly after they got back from Paris. Alice was nervous about meeting the parents then, but she slowly relaxed and became comfortable. Mycroft was the one who made the announcement about their engagement and the baby. After he told them, there was a brief moment where Alice had thought Mrs Holmes would faint, but she kept it together and expressed her excitement, very clearly. Mr Holmes however was and remained calm and congratulated them both, he managed after a while to get his wife to settle and call it a night.
Alice was sure to call Mrs Holmes after the first ultrasound and keep her updated, before she met his parents, she thought they would be just like him and Sherlock but they were surprisingly normal.

St Bart's was busy like it always was, the waiting room was strangely cold, but the heat was on, Alice just couldn't explain it, she took her coat off the back of her chair and put it back on. But quickly grew overheated and took it off again,
Mycroft was sitting beside her a moment ago but had to step out to take a phone call. Alice took out her own phone to distract herself. Staring at the mindless bright matching game she almost didn't see Molly Hooper walk up and wave her hand over her eyes. Blinking the blonde woman looked up and smiled, "hey, sorry, stupid game." Turning her phone off she slipped it back in her purse and gave Molly her attention. Alice and Molly weren't quite friends, but they did chat when she used to accompany Sherlock in the lab before John came along.
"How are you?" Molly asked, taking the seat across from her.
"I'm good, I'm fine, yourself?"
Molly shrugged, giving Alice a half-hearted smile, "I'm as okay as I'll ever be." Rubbing her hands down the front of her pants she looked at Alice's bump, "congratulations."
"Hm?"
Molly gestured vaguely at the bump, Alice pressed her lips together and nodded, running a hand over it. "Thank you."
"How far along are you?"
"About twenty weeks."
"Twenty? Really?"
"Yeah, I can barely believe it either, it still feels like I found out yesterday...Mycroft can't wait for it to be over," Alice chortled, "he's growing more and more impatient by the day."
Alice looked up at the sound of footsteps and grinned, "speak of the devil," she quipped, Mycroft stood there, phone in hand. He looked at Molly with sort of a quizzical judgement on his face and turns to face Alice, "how are you feeling, dear? Can I get you anything?"
Alice shook her head, "no, I'm okay."
A nurse in scrubs walks over to them with a clipboard in her hand, "Alice Jones?"
Giving the woman a nod, Alice stood and gathered her things, she said goodbye to Molly and followed the nurse.

The sonographer was waiting inside the room, she was a middle aged woman with short brown hair. Alice put her stuff down and they talked while she prepped her on the table, Mycroft sat beside her in the chair, like he did the last time.
"Good to see you again Alice, how are you?"
"I'm fine, we're fine."
The sonographer smiled, "good, glad to hear, lift up your shirt for me please."
Alice followed her instructions and rolled the jumper up to the top of her ribcage, the cool air touching her skin.
The sonographer picked up the tube of gel, "this might be a little cold," Alice nodded slightly and cringed at the feeling of the blue gel touching her skin.
The sonographer used the transducer to spread the gel around, after a few seconds the baby was visible on the display screen. "There's the head...and the hand..."
Alice stared at the screen in wonderment, she was barely paying any attention to what the sonographer was saying, she was to transfixed on the screen.
Eventually she did snap back to reality.
"Everything seems to be developing normally,
The sonographer asked, "would you like to know the sex?"
Alice shook her head, "no, we want to keep it a surprise."
They were then told that her due date was mid May.
Alice said thank you and finished wiping the gel off and pulling her shirt back down. Mycroft helped her off the table.

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Mycroft's childhood home wasn't what Alice was expecting. It was a simple, red two-story duplex. Mycroft led her inside, carrying a stack of gifts she had wrapped the night before. The house was warm and inviting, Mrs Holmes peered out from the kitchen, "is that you Mykie?" She asked. Alice could feel Mycroft roll his eyes, he set the gifts down and took off his coat. "Yes mummy," he responded with a sigh and helped Alice with her things. Mrs Holmes walked out of the kitchen and towards them, but she went straight for Alice, giving the blonde woman a hug.
"How are you dearie?"
"I'm alright," Alice said, she felt Mycroft's hand on her back and leaned into it subconsciously.
"How's the baby?"
Running her hand over the small bump pultruding from her burgundy dress she said, "the baby is fine, he or she is perfectly healthy and developing normally."
Mrs Holmes looked at the woman quizzically. "You haven't figured out the gender yet?"
"Oh no, we wanted to keep it as a surprise."
"Oh, well I suppose I can understand that."

Shortly after their arrival Sherlock arrived with John and Mary, which was a surprise, Sherlock didn't give any indication that he would actually show up much less bring his friends. It was late in the afternoon, Mary and Alice were in the living room, just talking with cups of tea in their hands, Sherlock, Mycroft and John were in the kitchen, Mrs Holmes was adamant on making her two boys help her with dinner, John was just in for company. Both Mary and Alice had offered to help but Mrs Holmes was having none of it, they were both guests and not to mention pregnant.
Alice looked over at Mr Holmes who was tending to the fireplace. She felt slight discomfort in her lower back and shifted, trying to find more cushion. A hand on her shoulder startled her and she looked up at Mycroft who held a throw pillow in his hand, "here," Alice bent forward and he placed the pillow behind her, she hummed her thank you and he came around to sit beside her.

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When dinner was over, Alice pulled Mary aside into the living room.
Alice could hardly keep a straight face and Mary had an idea of what was coming.
"So as you know I'm getting married."
"Yes, we all know." Mary chuckled.
"And I can't get married without a bridal party," she paused for effect.
Mary rolled her eyes and smiled, "oh would you just get on with it!"
"Okay, okay! Mary would you do me the honour of being my head bridesmaid?"
"Oh of course, absolutely yes."
The two women hugged and during Alice said, "Mycroft's going to ask Sherlock."
"Oh that's going to go well."

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"I like that one," Alice said, showing Mary a wedding dress in one of the many magazines laying around their house. John and Sherlock were over too, sitting with Mycroft–who wasn't overly thrilled–in the parlour.
Mary took the magazine and looked at the garment in question. It was a-line dress, long sleeved, off the shoulder neckline with a sheer back with button detail and sweep train.
"Oh that's really pretty." Mary handed it back, "so have you set a date?"
"Not yet but Autumn for sure, I was thinking early November."
"Outside or inside?"
"Oh inside obviously, we wouldn't want Mycroft to throw a fit," she teased, flipping through the pages.
"Speaking of Mycroft, I wonder what the men are up too?"
"Mycroft has a case for Sherlock, something tells me he's still trying to convince him to take it."
"Of national importance, I assume?"
Alice hummed to confirm, "he hasn't told me about it yet, but I suppose he will later tonight."