It had been almost a year since Vanessa had been born. Sherlock had taken time off to be at home with Alex and his daughter, but he was starting to get bored out of his mind. He spent most of his time playing with Rusty now. Alex was sending him on whatever errends she had, sensing he needed to do something so he didn't burn the house down or perform experiments on the dog. They were sitting at home one day, trying to get Vanessa to say her first word. Alex wanted it to be 'mama' and Sherlock wanted it to be 'dada.'

"Say Mama, sweetie!" Alex encouraged. "Ma-ma!"

"No, say Dada! Da-da." Sherlock said. Vanessa just gave them confused looks.

"Come on, say it! Ma-ma!" Alex said.

"Try it! Da-da!" Sherlock said.

"Ma-da...ma-da." Vanessa said.

"No, darling, it's Ma-ma!" Alex said.

"It's Da-da, actually." Sherlock said.

"Ma-da...mur-der...MURDER!" Vanessa shouted.

"What the..." Alex said.

"MURDER, MURDER, MURDER!" Vanessa yelled.

"...SHERLOCK!" Alex yelled. Sherlock was laughing so hard.

"It worked!" He said. "I've been trying to get her to say that all week!"

"I can't belive you!" Alex said. "She's going to ask what her first word was in a few years and I'm going to have to say, murder!"

"That's gonna be a funny story when she's an adult." Sherlock said.

"I guess." Alex sighed. Sherlock's phone rang. He picked it up.

"Hello? Oh, hello, Gwendeline." Sherlock said.

"Okay, now it's just getting offending." Lestrade sighed over the phone. "I called to tell you I've got a case for you. Triple homicide murder. We're pretty sure Moriarty is connected to this."

"Excellent!" Sherlock said. "I'll be right there!"

Sherlock hung up. He grabbed his coat. Alex looked up at him. Sherlock was grinning. He was very bored right now, but he was glad he was going to be getting some fresh air. Just him and Alex against the rest of the world again.

"Alex, I've been offered a case by Lestrade. Triple homicide murder. He thinks Moriarty is connected to it." Sherlock said.

"Great." Alex said, turning to her daughter again.

"Get your coat." Sherlock commanded.

"I can't." Alex said.

"Of course you can, you're not broken." Sherlock said.

"No, Sherlock, I mean I've got to stay with Vanessa. I'm a mother now." Alex said. "I can't go chasing bad guys with you anymore."

"But...I thought..." Sherlock's voice trailed off. "Don't you love me?"

"Of course I love you." Alex said. "But I need to stay with Vanessa. She's a baby, Sherlock."

"Fine." Sherlock said, anger gripping him.

"You're angry with me." Alex said.

"Brilliant deduction!" Sherlock said sarcastically.

"Sherlock, it isn't my fault!" Alex said, gaping at her husband.

"So, what, are you trying to blame me?!" Sherlock asked. "I'm the one who supports this family! I'm the one who makes money!"

"I make money too!" Alex yelled.

"By doing what, writing songs?" Sherlock asked.

"Um, yeah!" Alex said.

"Yeah, because those are doing so well!" Sherlock said sarcastically. "Unlike the things you do, what I do is actually important and actually helps society!"

Alex blinked as if she had been slapped in the face. Sherlock closed his eyes, realising what he had said. When he opened them, Alex had tears pouring out of her eyes. She looked furious and it actually frightened Sherlock.

"Listen up, you git. I may not be capturing criminals or bringing down drug cartels, but people actually enjoy my work. Half of my time now is spent helping you do those things." Alex said, her voice rising. "I'm done with you. I've put up with everything you've ever done and every lie you've ever told and I've forgiven you for every one of them. This time, though, I'm done. When you realise what you've done, you can come apologize."

"Alex-" Sherlock started.

"Shut up. Just shut up." Alex said, storming out of the flat.

Sherlock sighed. He looked to his daughter. She had her head tilted to the side, as if she was confused. Sherlock smiled affectionatly at her. He picked her up. He was going to have to take her on the case now. He got the item that you used to hold a baby to your chest and put it on. He slipped Vanessa in it. He went to Scotland Yard. Lestrade faught back a laugh.

"Where's Alex?" He asked.

"We had a row." Sherlock sighed.

"That's rough." Lestrade said.

Meanwhile, Alex had went to Molly. She was sobbing. Molly listened to her. She had been through these kind of things herself.

"Wait a minute. Oh, crap! I forgot Vanessa." Alex said. "Well, he wanted a kid so badly. He can look after her. I'll get her later from him."

"Where are you going to go?" Molly asked.

"Probably back to the flat and wait for him." Alex sighed.

"If I were you, I'd find somewhere else to stay." Molly said.

"You just want me to break up with him so you can have him." Alex said, grinning.

"No. He said some really mean things, Alex." Molly said. "If anyone treated me like that, I would break it off."

"That's easy for you to say. You aren't married. I'd have to go through court and custody papers." Alex said. "Sherlock would probably be the one who Vanessa stayed with since he's got an actual job. He was right. I don't really have a job."

"Stop it." Molly said. "Your work is amazing. If you need somewhere to stay, you can stay with me."

"Thank you. I think I'll just stay for a couple hours." Alex said.

"Stay as long as you need." Molly said. She checked her watch. "I've got to get back to work."

"See ya later." Alex said.

"See ya." Molly said.

Meanwhile, Sherlock was investigating the crime scene. Sally came in to annoy him, but she instantly softened when she saw Vanessa.

"She's so cute!" She said. Sherlock rolled his eyes slightly. "Is she yours?"

"Yeah. Her name is Vanessa." Sherlock said.

"MURDER!" Vanessa shouted.

"Yep, your kid." Lestrade said.

Yeah, I bet you can guess who taught her that. Alex's voice said in Sherlock's head.

"Be quiet, Alex." Sherlock muttered as he examined the bodies.

"Huh?" Lestrade said.

"Nothing." Sherlock shook his head.

"What have you got?" Lestrade asked.

"The victims are in their thirties, the youngest of them smoked a lot. They've been shot in the head. This isn't connected to Moriarty." Sherlock said. "Most likely the work of a serial killer or someone who wanted revenge on them. They're all related. Vanessa, please tell me what this is."

"MURDER!" Vanessa yelled. Everyone laughed.

I really wished you hadn't taught her that word. I don't like it. Alex's voice said. Sherlock's smile faded.

"I know. I'm sorry." Sherlock sighed.

"What was that?" Lestrade asked.

"Never mind." Sherlock said. "I have to go."

"Wait, why?" Lestrade asked.

"I need to apologize to my wife." Sherlock said.

Sherlock left and went to John and Mary's flat first. That would be an obvious place for Alex to go. He knocked on the door. He paced for a moment, nervous. John opened the door. He tilted his head when he saw Vanessa strapped to his best friend's chest.

"What the-" He started. Sherlock held up his hand.

"Don't. Is Alex here?" Sherlock asked.

"No. Why would she be?" John asked.

"We had a row and she walked out on me." Sherlock said. "Can you watch Vanessa while I go apologize to her?"

"Fine." John rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Thank you, you are a life saver." Sherlock said.

He ran to find a cab. He hailed one and decided to go back to 221B. Maybe Alex was waiting for him back at the flat. When he got to the flat, he ran in. Alex wasn't there. He tried to think of where else she might be. Molly's flat was a viable choice. He caught another cab and quickly went to the store to get something for Alex. Flowers and chocolates were predictable. So was a card. Sherlock needed something original. Maybe Alex's favorite movie or a movie that she wanted. Sherlock knew she had been dying to see Guardians of the Galaxy again. He had taken her to see it in the theatre, but she wanted it on DVD badly. Sherlock had a brilliant idea. Maybe he could sing for Alex. She would love that. He just needed to find the perfect song. I Want You Back would be a good choice. Yes, that's what he would do. He would sing for Alex and hopefully, if all went well, she would take him back.

"Alex, can't we please watch it?" Molly asked.

"Do we have to?" Alex groaned. "Fine. I am staying in your flat, after all."

"Yay! You're a good friend." Molly said.

"I know." Alex smirked as Molly put the DVD in. It was Twilight, the first one. About thirty minutes into the movie, it was beginning to grow on Alex. "Okay, this isn't so bad."

"Told you so." Molly said. The doorbell rang. "Oh, that must be the pizza man."

She got up and grabbed the money that was sitting on the coffee table. Both she and Alex had split the pay. Molly opened the door and saw Sherlock standing there. He smiled charmingly at her.

"Molly! Is Alex here?" He asked. Molly slammed the door in his face. "I'm going to take that as a yes."

"Where's the pizza?" Alex asked as Molly came back into the room.

"It wasn't the pizza man. It was Sherlock." Molly said.

"Sherlock? I'll deal with this." Alex said. "I bet he just has a boquete of flowers or something."

"No, he didn't." Molly said. Alex gaped.

"Unbelievable!" Alex said as she opened the door. "What do you want?"

Sherlock took a deep breath and hit the play button on his phone. He proceeded to sing I Want You Back. Alex couldn't believe what she was seeing slash hearing. Sherlock had never really done anything like this for her before. When he was finished singing, he was out of breath. Alex was gaping at him. He gave her an ashamed look.

"Alex, I'm sorry. I know what I said was wrong. You're the love of my life and my best friend. I really am sorry. Your work is amazing and I love it. I should have never implied anything different." Sherlock said. "It slipped out. I can't express how sorry I am. I love you, Alex. Please take me back, dear."

"Sherlock..." Alex said. "I...don't know what to say."

"Say you'll take me back." Sherlock said.

"I was never really going to divorce you in the first place." Alex said. "I don't want to go through court and custody papers."

"Do you still love me?" Sherlock asked.

"Yeah." Alex said. She did still love Sherlock. "But, I'm gonna stay here until the movie is over and we get our pizza."

"What movie?" Sherlock asked.

"Twilight." Alex said.

"I'm very sure I can sit through it." Sherlock said, coming into the flat. Alex grabbed him and pushed him out.

"No, no, go home. I'll be back when it's over." Alex said. "Where's Vanessa?"

"With John." Sherlock said.

"Good. Go take her home and I'll be back in an hour or two." Alex said.

"Okay. I love you." Sherlock said.

"I love you too." Alex said then shut the door. She turned to Molly. "Okay, play the movie again."

Molly and Alex watched the rest of the movie and ate pizza and ice cream. (This is totally something me and my best friend would do) When Alex left, she rushed back to the flat, the only reason being to make sure Sherlock wasn't performing experiments on Vanessa or Rusty. When she came in, Sherlock was waiting for her.

"Where's Vanessa?" She asked.

"John agreed to keep her for a little while longer." Sherlock said. "I know you haven't really forgiven me."

"No, I haven't." Alex said. "What you said was extremely hurtful."

"I know. I'm sorry." Sherlock sighed.

"Whatever." Alex said, sitting down on the couch.

"Alex, come on. I said I was sorry." Sherlock said, sitting down next to her. Alex wouldn't even look at him. He took her hand. "I. Am. Sorry."

"I believe you." Alex said.

"Please forgive me." Sherlock said. Alex still wouldn't look at him. Sherlock nudged her shoulder. When she still didn't pay attention to her, Sherlock put his head in her lap. He rolled around so he could look up at her. Alex, who had been looking down, stared off into the distance. Sherlock started poking her forehead and cheek. "Alex, Alex, Alex, Alex, come on, come on, love me, love me, love me, Alex, Alex, Alex, pay attention to me."

"If you do that one more time..." Alex warned, trying her very hardest not to crack a smile.

"Love me." Sherlock said, poking her forehead.

"For the love of God!" Alex said. She kissed Sherlock on the lips. "You are lucky I love you so much."

"Yes, yes I am." Sherlock said. "I love you."

"I love you too." Alex sighed. "I forgive you, but that doesn't mean it didn't hurt."

"I know." Sherlock said, wrapping his arms around her and lifting her so she could rest on his lap. "I feel terrible."

"I know you do." Alex said. "It was also my fault. I shouldn't have walked out on you."

"You had every right to be angry." Sherlock said.

Alex snuggled up next to him. He ran his fingers through her hair and talked to her about the case Lestrade had given him. Alex was starting to get drowsy. She kept trying to stay awake, but it wasn't working. When she fell asleep, Sherlock put her in their bed. He then went to go pick up Vanessa. She fell asleep on the cab ride home. Sherlock put her in her crib and then went back to Alex. She was half-awake as he climbed in.

"Sherlock?" She mumbled.

"Yes." Sherlock said, wrapping his arms around her.

"You're warm." Alex said, nuzzling him. Sherlock chuckled.

"Go to sleep, dear." He said, kissing her on the head.

"Very tired." Alex said.

"I know." Sherlock said. "Sleep."

"Okay." Alex said. "Night."

"Goodnight." Sherlock said. "I love you."

"Love you too." Alex said, drifting off.

Sherlock held Alex in his arms. He was glad she had forgiven him. He didn't think he could live without the beautiful woman who he was lucky enough to call his wife. This had been a very stressful and tiring day for him. He was glad to get some sleep beside the woman he loved.