Sherlock: The Next Generation

Chapter 80

Chapter 80

Martin paced the living room, clenching and unclenching his fists. His face was screwed up, constantly checking his phone and frowning.

"Calm down, Martin," Max watched him, green eyes both soft and worried at the same time.

"How can I calm down? The baby is due any day now. What if we're not ready when they come? We have the cot, right? Highchair? Baby food? Everything."

"Yes, yes, yes, and yes," Max replied in a tolerant tone. Martin had got gradually more and more uptight as the due date for their baby had approached, starting around his twenty fourth birthday. Max knew that Martin was worried and he tried to help as much as possible. They visited Catriona almost every day, so much so that Ellen had forced them out of their flat because Catriona needed some space and Ellen hadn't seen her all day.

"Good."

"Martin, please come and sit down. Just for a minute."

Martin shook his head. "I think I will go and play my violin." He disappeared into their bedroom and moments later music sounded, changing between fast and frantic to long and drawn out constantly. Max sighed softly, trying to go back to reading his book. He was pretty stressed out as well although not quite to the extent that Martin was.

A rather cheery ring tone interrupted his attempted reading, a goofy picture of Ellen showing as the caller ID. Max picked it up, eyebrows furrowed.

"Catriona has gone in to labour."

"She has?" Max was up in an instant, grabbing his coat along with Martin's and running towards their bedroom. "When?"

"Not too long ago. I'm already in the hospital, but she won't let me in the room. Doesn't want me there while it's all happening. I'm in the waiting room, though."

"Great, we'll be down right away." Max hung up, before opening the door to the bedroom. "Martin, the baby is coming." Martin practically dropped his violin into the case, albeit carefully, and grabbed his coat from Max. The two of them headed out of their flat and flagged down a taxi. They didn't really want to risk the variable bus times. It took a while to get to the hospital, with every light they stopped at and every car they got stuck behind only making Martin feel more tense. Max knew the next day or so wouldn't be so fun. After all labour could often take a while. Martin wouldn't be in a good mood until their child was born.

Ellen greeted both with a hug when they entered the hospital waiting room. "I just went to get coffee. I also talked to a nurse, he said that it was all going well and would probably be quick and smooth." She smiled. "Then you'll have your baby, and I'll have my girlfriend back," she teased lightly, handing both of them coffee in a take away cup as they all sat down.

"I'm glad," Max replied, relaxing and put his arm around Martin. He hoped his husband would calm down a bit. Everything was going to be fine.

Max and Ellen spent the rest of the time chatting, with a few points were one went to buy food. Martin refused to eat like the idiot he was and eventually just fell asleep, head rested against Max. He hadn't been sleeping at all well the past few days.

Martin had just woken up when the nurse came through to get them. The room they entered was small, Catriona looking quite exhausted on the bed in the centre. In her arms was a small bundle, little hands bunched up and eyes shut tight. "Hello," Catriona murmured, smiling at Max, Martin and Ellen. "I'm assuming that you will want to see your son, then?"

"Yes please..." Martin murmured carefully taking the little boy from her. Max stood next to him, smiling down at him. Their son. They had a son.

"Look, he has a little dark curl... Just like your hair," Max commented, pointing to the dark curl on the baby's crown. Martin nodded, smiling. Ellen had moved to stand beside Catriona, holding her hand with a wide grin.