Mrs. Holmes [Book III]

Night Stirrings {Susanna}

In my subconsious, I register William's cries. Without hesitation my body jolts awake and I open my eyes in a flash, moving into a sitting position and scooting to the bassinet, "Oh, Honey, shhh, shh... Mommy's here." I reach in and pick him up, cradling him close. I nearly shout when I feel something on my back and hips, then realize it's Sherlock.

"Approximately three hours of sleep," He deduces and runs his fingers over William's head and hair, "What's wrong, Little One?" I check him over.

"He needs a change and he's ready for a feeding," Without another word Sherlock is out of bed and retrieving the needed materials. We change the diaper first- as quickly and cleanly as possible- and then I bring him back up to my chest, lifting the dedicated panel in the pajama shirt, "Here we go, honey." Luckily he latches without trouble and hungrily sucks away.

Sherlock watches tentatively, "It is a good thing that he feeds well."

"Yeah. I hope he'll keep up his healthy appetite." My husband pulls a face.

"That was a phase."

"No it wasn't, Sherlock." He puffs.

"Luckily he inherited half of his genes from you. I doubt he'll experience the same phase."

"It wasn't a phase, Sherlock, it was-" He gives me a tired, pleading look and I sigh, "Fine. A phase."

After William is full I put the panel back down and Sherlock sets a cloth over my shoulder. I lift William into an upright position and press him against me, proceeding to make firm but gentle raps against his back. Sherlock continues to watch. After fifteen minutes of burping him, I put William back down to sleep and this time he doesn't fuss. Sherlock puts everything away and I lay back down,  on edge in case William starts crying again. But once Sherlock is with me again I quickly blink out.

Two Hours Later...

Something wakes me up and I open my eyes and ears. William's not crying. I look in his bassinet and he isn't there either. Panicked, I hurry out of bed and race out of the bedroom to find Sherlock walking around with William propped against his chest, "Sherlock, what-?"

"Shh!" Sherlock hushes me and I silence, "He started getting restless a few minutes ago. So I changed him and brought him out here. You need to rest, Love."

"But-"

"Back to bed, Love. I've got him."

I exhale, "Let me feed him first." He relents and afterwards, prods me back to bed. I get in and close my eyes, but can't fall asleep.

Half an hour later Sherlock walks back in with William. I peek out from my eyelids, pretending to be asleep. Sherlock doesn't lay him down in the bassinet right away. He dusts a kiss on William's head and then does so before returning to my side, "I saw that, Darling."

"I know you did." He presses close and I hum.

"Now I can sleep..." I nuzzle back against him and he chuckles against my neck.

William continues to wake up every two to three hours for the rest of the night. It helps that the bassinet is just beside the bed, so I'm not having to climb the stairs to tend him. A couple times it takes extra effort to get him back to sleep, namely in the form of lullabies or a walk around the house, but other than that he calms back down and dozes off fairly swiftly.

But of course Sherlock commemorates everything, and at three forty AM he wakes me up, "What, Sherlock?"

"He's twenty four hours old."

I smile tiredly into my pillow, "Yes. Just wait until he's twelve months old. Then you can wake me up at three forty in the morning to celebrate."

"... Sorry, Love."

"It's fine, Darling, I just need-"

"To rest as well as you can. Of course, Love." I curl up a bit more and he spoons me, creating a comfy cocoon around me.

Thank you for reading!!