"Erm- I hope we aren't coming at a bad time..."

It was the Watsons who had decided to drop in on them. Rosie had, upon being told the kid-safe version of what Adelaide had endured, begged her parents to take her to get sweeties to give her Aunt to help her get better, along with one of her own crayon drawings. Of course, once she saw Mirabella she focused more on investigating her than with Adelaide.

To their credit, John and Mary did their best to keep the untimely though well-meaning visit short and sweet. But once they left, the day only became busier and busier for the Holmeses.

Both of their families wanted to stop by to check on the new mother and baby. Iona and Violet insisted on collecting all the laundry and cleaning up the flat. Not long after, Tara dropped off lunch and she was followed by a string of their other friends wanting to share their well-wishes. And as tiring as the drop-ins were, they were at least brief and the visitors were mindful enough not to ask about the hospital stay and procedure. So Sherlock endured it, taking more than a little pride every time someone commented on Mirabella's resemblance to him.

Needless to say, it was a very long day. After Iona had dropped off their laundry and dinner, the worn out Holmeses drew the window curtains shut and gave Missus Hudson strict instructions not to let anyone else into the building in the hopes that they could have a relaxing evening together.

After dinner, Adelaide retreated to her silver chair to feed Mirabella while Sherlock cleaned the kitchen. Teddy ran back and forth between them, wanting to keep a close eye on everything while waiting for his evening walkies. The Doberman was so eager he couldn't stop prancing and wiggling his butt, since simply wagging his stub of a tail couldn't properly convey his elation.

When Teddy knew Sherlock was headed for the door, he zoomed over to where they kept his walking harness and leash and sat beside them expectantly. Sherlock smiled in amusement as he walked over to Adelaide, who was trying not to giggle too loudly and stir Mirabella. She looked up and he leaned down to plant a kiss on her lips.

"We won't be long, Love. Just around the block and back to give Teddy a good stretch."

"Alright, Darling. We'll be here." She replied and they shared another quick kiss before he leashed up Teddy and set off. As they had earlier arranged, Missus Hudson went up to the flat to sit with Adelaide and make sure she didn't try to do too much too early while he was out so he could have some peace of mind while he and Teddy were gone.

It took until they were halfway around the block before Sherlock let his shoulders relax and let himself inhale the inviting notes of coming autumn in the cool September air. It had been weeks since he'd had the chance to do so and he savored it.

While caught up in his musings, he almost didn't sense the posse of media who had been camped out, ravenous for a scoop on the Consulting Detective's private life- particularly his new baby. Unfortunately, he caught on too late to evade them.

And so the ambush was successful. Mostly.

Adelaide had just put Mirabella in her cot when she realized her husband had been out longer than expected. So she texted him, hoping for a simple explanation like giving Teddy some extra time to "smell the roses" as it were. Instead, news alerts started popping into her notification bar. 

SHERLOCK HOLMES, WORLD FAMOUS CONSULTING DETECTIVE, NOW FATHERING THE NEXT GENERATION OF GENIUS INVESTIGATORS?

LONDON'S "HAT DETECTIVE" SECRETLY MARRIED WITH A NEW KID!

SORRY, GIRLS, SHERLOCK HOLMES HAS TIED THE KNOT!

She watched as the alerts kept coming.  The media is having a field day! This is a firestorm!  The biologist gulped and clicked on one of the articles. Immediately an image of Sherlock and Teddy, whitewashed from a blaze of camera flashes and looking simultaneously stunned and agitated, loaded. Below it was a zoomed in photo of his wedding band.

"U-Um, Missus H-?" She began as she returned to the living room, only to see Missus Hudson had turned on the news and lookes petrified as Adelaide at the breaking news segment on Sherlock and their possibly scandalous  marriage. It was being broadcast on every news channel, and Adelaide was mortified.

Missus Hudson managed to peel her gaze away in time to see Adelaide go sheet white, start to sway, and then begin to topple. The petite landlady gasped and then sprang into action; steadying the blonde, guiding her to the futon, and then rushing to get her cold water and shut off the telly, "This is definitely not how this evening was supposed to go! Oh, I must call John and Mary!"

By the time a now thoroughly rattled and stressed out Sherlock was able to give the media the slip and scurry home, the Watsons, Mycroft, Greg, Iona and Violet had assembled and found Adelaide laid out on the futon with everyone hovering over her and the telly.

Mycroft saw him first and walked over, leading him back to the stairwell. Before the younger Holmes could speak, the Umbrella-wielder remarked coolly; "It seems you've gotten yourself and your family into a bit of a media mess, brother mine."

Precisely one minute later, Mary was doctoring Mycroft's bloody, broken nose and teeth while John and Greg had Sherlock, mad as a hornet, restrained in Missus Hudson's kitchen.

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!! 😘❤ Thank you so much for reading!!

Love and Hugs!!!

~Uilosris