"Johnny, I know that you have decided to go along with Darwinia's plan. She already your surrogate mother, and you would never deny her. You love her. It will work for you."

"Sherlock, I decided I would, but not for the reason you think. I love her because she saved you when you were so hurt. She gave you back to me." He caressed Sherlock's cheek.

"Johnny." He leaned his cheek into John's palm. "My sweet Johnny..." He turned his mouth into John's hand and pressed his lips to John's palm. Pressing John's hand to his cheek again, he leaned in and placed a soft kiss on John's lips. "I wish we had time to make our love right now. I never thought I'd admit this, but what I've discovered is more important than just us."

"I've been trying to find a reason that I could make love to her, and I think I found it. I find myself loving her, because she loves us so much. Who could not love her back?" He leaned back and searched John's face. "Sweetheart, you need to know these things. She's a virgin."

"My God. How do you make love to a virgin?"

"I thought of that. We'll talk about that later. There's more you need to know. She genuinely is capable of giving us the children we want, right down to how they look...BUT...she will lose some of her immortality. You know she's close to 150 years old." John's brows shot to his hairline. "If she uses her magic to help us, she'll start aging...very slowly, but she won't be young and beautiful forever. She's giving that up for us"

"Damn."

"Yes, 'damn.' But to me, those are not the worst."

"There's worse?"

"Johnny, if she gives us these babies, she can never have children of her own."

Johnny sobbed a desolate "No..." Locke's lips tightened into a straight line. "Isn't that what all women want...kids of their own?"

"I thought so, too. But look at us. All people want children. We need to talk to her again, before we let her do this. I know how much you want your own babies, but this is so much more than I can ask someone to do for me. I love you so much, my darlin' Johnny, but how cruel can I be?" Johnny was breathing in ragged gasps with big teardrops running down his face. "Sweetheart, I didn't want to upset you this much. C'mon. Let's go to bed. I need to hold you for a while.

Although they were not really listening, the gist of this conversation filtered through to the guardians disciplined minds. They both were nearly brought to tears themselves. They glanced at each other and commiserated with their unhappy charges.

As they crawled under the covers in their big bed, Locke wrapped his muscular body in a warm spoon around Prince John. The prince was so upset that he was shaking. "Sherlock, I can't seem to stop shivering. It's too much to think about, too much to ask of her."

"I know, sweeting. I keep running it over in my mind, and it just goes round and round and round." This was a new experience for Sherlock, not deducing what to do or say. He was always so in control that it was frustrating for him, and frightening for the young prince. His Sherlock always knew which way to jump. "Johnny, let's try to sleep. Maybe we'll feel better in the morning, after we've talked to Darwinia again." 

John nodded quickly and wrapped his arms over the arms with which Locke held him. He needed comfort as much as reassurance. "Sherlock?"

"Mm hmm?"

A/N: For those that would rather not read sweet smut, the next THREE (3) paragraphs are a love scene. You may wish to skip this scene. Pick up at "They lay wrapped in each other........" 

"I love you, Sherlock," he whispered, "so much..." He turned his head as far as he could back to face Locke. Locke raised his head and brushed his lips over the prince's trembling mouth. He squeezed him even closer in a powerful hug that pulled his whole body tight against Locke. John sighed deeply and relaxed into Locke's embrace. "Sherlock, I...I need you..."

Smiling softly, Locke nibbled at John's neck and kissed his shoulder gently. Sliding his hands from John's arms down to his waist, Locke caressed John's hips, feeling John's anxiety leaving his body. Locke pressed his firm manhood to John's pretty bottom, gently slipping just inside John's eager body. A soft gasp escaped the prince's lips. Locke moved slowly into John and more slowly out, caressing his waist, loving him with his body and all his heart. Warm beauty touched the edges of John's consciousness. He moaned softly as the aching ecstasy nipped at his abdomen. He closed his eyes and saw Locke's much-loved face in a swirling vision, and the hot pleasure/pain coursed through his veins and filled his being with joy.

Feeling the prince's sweet spasm, Locke felt a rush of memory. On their honeymoon, there was a delicious marathon of learning ways to love each other. Even with the vast knowledge of Locke's one additional year of age, there was so much to learn. The first time Locke loved John this way, he was scared to death that it would hurt John...And it did hurt him, but John loved Locke so devoutly that he never wavered in his faith, even during his pain. They have since learned how wonderful this can be when there's love. Love...Locke was bursting with love. A sweet aching pleasure began washing over him as he felt John's body jolt with pleasure. Knowing what his Johnny was feeling, pushed him over the edge and he tumbled into his own ecstasy, making him helpless in joy for a few endless seconds.

They lay wrapped in each other a long while, both thinking about "making love" and how they could "make love" to the beautiful witch, and have Darwinia feel what they just felt, beautiful joy and truly loved. Finally, they slept.

In the morning, their Personal Guardians let them sleep an extra half hour before waking them and forcing a light breakfast on them. Once they were semi-conscious, the guardians retreated out of line of sight to allow their charges a little privacy for their morning ablutions. Locke dragged John off to the shower and spent extra time on their coiffures. He signaled his guardian to come to him for a brief consultation. His guardian listened carefully, nodded his understanding, and took himself off to inform his cohort and comply with Locke's instructions.

The two protectors dug around in closets and the chiffonier to find the special articles of clothing that Locke had requested. Locke wanted his prince dressed as if he were going to his coronation, blue and gold coat of arms, gold medallions, blue knee-high boots, and as the capper, his long cape. Locke himself, wanted his dress uniform adorned with all the braids and scrambled eggs (...Musing to himself about being so soldierly, using military slang for the fluffy fringe on an epaulette...) and gold medallions that could be piled on without being too gauche. He topped this with his folded half-cape. He himself polished his thigh-high riding boots. He had the guardians find their white gloves as well.

When time to dress approached, Locke actually allowed the two guardians to dress them, only making a couple of minor adjustments when they were through. Locke himself did their hair with his special blend of oils and shellac. When the three finished with him, the prince was absolutely beautiful. Locke never thought about it, but the prince knew, and the other two became a little unsure of their masculinity, noticing how gorgeous Locke looked.

Thanking the guardians for their efforts and allowing them a few moments for their own toilette, Locke spent a couple minutes reassuring his prince that all would go well. The prince didn't know that Locke had crawled out of bed and made a couple arrangements in the wee hours of the morning. His devoted consort would be completing his plans on their way to meet the Green Witch in the courtyard gardens.

The convoy swept out of the prince's quarters, as if on public parade, two magnificent "royals" and their loyal Personal Guardians, filling the palace halls with splendor and pomp. Several Ladies in Waiting and a few maid servants were faint and swooning as that gorgeous male contingent passed them on the landings.

The first stop on Locke's agenda was at the Royal Conservatory. He had pre-ordered a special bouquet designed for a certain Green Witch. He asked his guardian to carry it for them, so as to keep them fresh and un-mussed. Next they stopped at the Female Residential Hall for a wrapped package he had admired on another young lady and had cajoled the owner into revealing the secret of it's origin. Some poor sap had to drag a shop owner out of bed and acquire the item in the middle of last night. Since it was for Prince John, they begrudgingly complied. A guardian became the keeper-of-the-gift.

And, lastly, they stopped at the Prince's mother's rooms. She opened the door for them herself and escorted them to where she had a group of black velvet boxes opened on her vanity for the boys' perusal. "My Queen", Locke gushed, "...these are perfect."

The Prince with a slightly confused aire, perused the display and agreed that they were indeed "perfect." He glanced at Locke for an explanation. Locke was picking through the display and selecting certain items and handing them to Queen Alicia's Lady-in-Waiting for a final touch of a green silk ribbon around each box he selected.

Absently, Locke advised the prince, "Darwinia's magic comes from closeness to natural green things. Emerald's have special significance and are especially powerful talismans. I mean to give her as much of a boost as we possibly can." He turned to his prince. "She deserves all the additional magic that we offer." The prince started to hug Locke, but stopped himself, so he wouldn't muss his or Locke's magnificence. He grinned a sheepish grin. Locke grinned back at him.

The queen stood with her hands clasped in front of her, her eyes moistening. Locke had given her a short version of what the Green Witch had proposed. She was a little misty realizing what her boys were doing for each other, and what Darwinia was giving up to give her boys their fondest wish. She realized that it was kind of her fault for telling the witch about the boys sadness. Perhaps she should have left well enough alone.

Locke is too perceptive. He glanced at his "mother-in-law." "Mama?," he whispered." Stepping close, he bent down to look her in the eyes, seeing the profound guilt. His deductive mind added all the clues from the last few days and came to the painful conclusion that she was heaping guilt onto herself. He lifted his arms slightly, and she threw herself against him. "Sherlock," she sobbed. "What have I done?"

He held her gently and cocked his head to John, calling him over to his mother. John is no slow top. He knew something was very wrong, and nearly jumped to stand next to Locke. Locke opened his arms and kind of handed Alicia off to John. He crouched slightly and wound his arms around his crying mother. She looked up to see her son with a sweet concern on his face and sobbed all the harder. "Mother, what is it?"

"It's all my fault...all my fault!" Locke was standing to the side shaking his head slightly but vehemently. 

"Shh..No, No, Maman."The French pronunciation bringing nostalgic memories of his toddler-hood. He hugged her close and kissed her cheek. It had been a long time since he'd had this kind of contact with his mother. It was kind of nice. "Mother, you've done nothing wrong, my love." Locke nodded his head firmly. "The culprit here is me." Locke's brows rose and his forehead wrinkled in confusion. Locke started shaking his head again.

Prince John leaned back from his mother, holding her by her shoulders at arm's length. "Your little boy was being a child and guilted his love into a mess." John was trying to take a blame that didn't exist. Locke was ready to speak up and intervene. "I need an heir." She sniffled and nodded slowly. "Darwinia can do that for me. She can make a baby. She wants to make a baby for me...and for Sherlock." He turned his most-adoring smile on Sherlock. The queen glanced at Sherlock who stood in stunned silence. Queen Alicia murmured, "This seems to be news to Sherlock..."

Sherlock gazed at his prince with a combination of adoration and confusion. Locke had always babied his love and indulged his little whims. He never thought that this King-to-Be was manipulating him, playing young and dumb. He smiled a knowing smile and a rush of pride for his prince's perspicuity astonished him. He pursed his lips and air-kissed John.

Everyone in the room had been witness to a more than rare occurrence, a loving family being human beings, not royals on their best public behavior. There were no dry eyes anywhere. After a few moments of silence, during which no one moved, several people snapped back into their roles. Alicia became a regal and aloof queen, John once more became the immature prince, Locke tried to fall back into his role of lover and protector, but was still a little mystified by his wonderful Johnny.

The guardians and ladies and hangers-on did what they would normally be doing. Locke recovered himself and gathered the black jewel cases. The Guardians retained possession of their precious gift packages. Locke, John, and the guardians all bowed deeply to Queen Alicia and made their exit.

John asked,"What all did you do last night, Sherlock?"

"Midnight shopping, love. We can't "propose" without gifts and most importantly, rings..." He whipped out the two smallest boxes and opening them, displayed them for John.

"Wow." John took one of the boxes and examined it closely.

"I thought that would be the one you'd like. That is an emerald band wedding ring, three carats. Remember three is a magic number. You remember how I suggested we propose?" John nodded. "When we do, you slide that onto her left ring finger, and I'll do the same with this one onto her right hand." He allowed the nosy guardians a look at the two rings, the emerald band and a three-carat, three-stone emerald engagement ring. The guardians were suitably impressed and pursing their lips knowingly, nodded their approval...four guys all being guys.