Chapter Text
Darby was nearly bouncing off the walls Thursday night. John was due home tomorrow at one o'clock and both Darby, Sherlock and John could barely hold down their joy. "Papa its the last time we have to skype!" Darby squealed as John had to say goodbye.
"Its the last time we have to say goodbye as well." John told heart feeling light.
"Yeah! After tomorrow it will be 'see ya in the morning' and 'see ya after school'!" Darby stated bouncing in her seat next to Sherlock.
"Well we actually don’t have to say goodbye to night, baby doll. See you tomorrow John." Sherlock smiled taking the girl into his lap. "I love you."
"I love you too, see ya' tomorrow gorgeous." John grinned. "See ya' tomorrow baby doll, I love you."
"See ya' tomorrow papa, love you." Darby giggled curling into Sherlock's chest as she kissed her hand and waved.
"This is the last time we have to do this too." John chuckled kissing his hand and waving before signing off.
"Im so excited for papa to come home!" Darby yelled jumping off Sherlock lap and running around doing a little dance. Sherlock chuckled as he watched her skip and spin around the flat with excitement. Slowly he pulled out his phone and recorded as the girl danced and ranted about John. "Im excited for him to meet Eli, and see my class, and tuck me in, and hold me, and sing me songs, and play legos with me, and build forts, and kiss my head, and tickle me-"
"You promised him a tickle war when he first left, remember?" Sherlock pointed out as the girl spun slowly in the middle of the sitting room.
"Yep I did! And I’m excited for him to call me baby doll, and keep the flashbacks away, and take me to the park, and help me with my homework, and to jump on him to make him wake up, and for you both to hold me, and for him to cook-"
"You don’t like my cooking?" Sherlock asked slightly offended.
"Its okay but not as good as papas and granny’s." Darby giggled flopping on the floor spreading her limbs wide. "And I’m excited for him to help me get through my oxygen test, and to play fish with me, and color with me, and make me giggle, and... and... and just for him to be home and love me again." Sherlock turned off the recording and went to lay beside the child. He put his head next to hers but body facing the other way towards the fireplace, hers facing the coffee table.
"He’s loved you the whole time. He and I will always love you." Sherlock whispered spreading his limbs out as she had.
"I know. I just mean like... like hold me and hug me and that kind of love me." Darby sighed.
"Im excited for that too." Sherlock agreed with a smile. Slowly the child scooted up until she could rest her head on his shoulder and he could rest his on hers. She ran her fingers through his curls as he played with her long blonde hair.
"I love you daddy, thanks for taking such good care of me while papas been gone. Even when he’s here you take really good care of me." Darby whispered turning her head to kiss his cheek.
"I love you too, Darby. Thank you for being such a good girl." Sherlock whispered back kissing her cheek. They stayed in silence for a moment, just feeling the love that they shared. Sherlock thought back on his time with Darby. It had all been fun and he loved every minute of it, even when she was in the hospital and broke her arm. He thought back on Darby when she was a baby; his smile grew and he started to chuckle. "Do you want to hear a funny story from when you were a baby?"
"Yeah."
"You were probably five or six months old. When babies are little, after feeding them you can’t move them around really hard or they spit up." Darby nodded in understanding. "Well I had just gotten done feeding you when Mycroft and Lestrade come over. Lestrade immediately took you kissing you and bouncing you more then he should have with you just getting done eating, he didn’t know you had just eaten. Well he got done kissing you and shaking you up and passed you to Mycroft. You begin to whimper because your tummy hurt so Mycroft lifted you so you were face to face with him. He couldn’t see anything wrong so he went to kiss your lips and you spit up right as he was pulling away; his mouth was slightly open. He immediately recoiled and you spit up again on his nicest three piece suit."
"I throw up in his mouth?!" Darby asked giggling wildly.
"Yes." Sherlock chuckled. "He practically threw you to John and ran for the sink where he vomited himself. I was laughing so much I was almost in tears. John wasn’t laughing but he was suppressing it as he cleaned you and Gavin felt bad for shaking you up."
"Is that why uncle Myc is always so careful when he kisses me?" Darby asked still squealing with laughter.
"Yes, that would be why." Sherlock chuckled reaching up and tickling the girls sides. Darby screamed with laughter pulling her legs and arms in trying to get Sherlock to stop.
"Daddy!" She squealed. "Stop daddy! I’m sorry." Chuckling Sherlock pulled his hands away and rolled over so he could see Darby easier.
"Fun?" He asked kissing her head.
"No!" She giggled looking up at him. "Will you play with some toys with me, please?"
"Yes." Sherlock nodded smiling down at the child.
-
"Darby hold still and go to sleep." Sherlock sighed as he lay with Darby that night in his and John’s bed.
"I cant daddy! I’m too excited to see papa tomorrow!" She wiggled out of his arms sitting up to look at her father. "Can you tell me a story?"
"I've told you two already." He stated with an arched eyebrow. "Its almost midnight you should be having a hard time keeping your eyes open."
"I’m to excited to sleep!" Dramatically the child flopped onto her back putting a hand on her forehead. "The sky's awake so I’m wake, so we have to play." She giggled wildly looking at him expectantly.
"Well if you say the sky's awake when it is dark and you are awake when it is awake, that would mean you never sleep. And you like sleep to much to never sleep." Sherlock stated matter of factly.
"Thats from Frozen daddy." Darby said with a roll of her eyes. "The one with the snowman Olaf that you thinks funny."
"Oh thats right." Sherlock agreed with a sharp nod. "Darby you really must go to sleep."
"Fine." She rolled back into his arms and nuzzled close.
"This will be the last time you sleep with me." Sherlock sighed kissing her head as she pressed her still cold toes to his belly.
"I dont think it will be the 'last' time. I'll come in here and sleep with you and papa again." She giggled looking up at him.
"Yes I’m sure you will." He chuckled. "But I mean with it just being me. Next time you'll sleep with both of us."
"I like sleep with both of you better. Than I can have someone to keep my tummy warm and my back warm." The child stated seriously as she grinned at Sherlock.
"Oh is that the only reason you like sleeping with papa and I?"
"No of course not silly. I like the cuddles and being close to you, especially after a bad night." Darby whispered cuddling closer to her father and pulling up the blanket, settling down for the night.
"I love having you and papa both to hug, baby doll." Sherlock whispered as the child yawned. He wrapped his arms around the girl pulling her impossibly closer. "Time to sleep."
"Fine." The girl tried to huff but was cut off by a yawn. "Night daddy."
~~~
"DADDY! Wake up we gotta get everything ready." Darby threw herself at Sherlock waking him with a start.
"Alright." Sherlock chuckled before tickling her. "Six more hours then papa’s home." Sherlock grinned like a cat as he rolled off the bed. Both Sherlock and Darby couldn't find anything to pass the time. They both quickly got ready and ate, only taking an hour.
"This is gonna take forever!" Darby yelled dramatically letting her head fall to the table. "Ouch!" She giggled rubbing her head where it had hit.
"Its already been an hour baby girl. We leave here in three, get your haircut, then we get papa." Sherlock stated feeling like he was about to jump off his chair with excitement.
"Well what should we do in those three hours?" Darby sighed still dramatic. "We gotta have something or I'm gonna go mad!"
"I was planning on going in my mind palace." Sherlock said already moving to the sofa. "You could go bake with granny, that would take some time."
"Yeah!" The child squealed running to the detective to peck his lips. "See ya' daddy, be back in a little bit." The girl hopped down the stairs and into Mrs. Hudson's flat. "Granny can we make something for papa?"
"Oh hello, dear. What would you like to make?" The old woman smiled hugging the child.
"I don't know something yummy! Oh and while it cooks we should make cards! Can we?" Darby asked jumping up and down with her hands tucked under her chin.
"Yes, we may." Mrs. Hudson laughed walking into the kitchen. "Should we make a cake or cookies?"
"Uhh... a cookie cake!"
"How do we make a cookie cake?" The old woman loved the child's excitement.
"We make cookies then put them on top of each other! We can use frosting to hold it together!" Darby giggled standing on the step stool next to the old woman.
"I dont think that will work, love." The landlady laughed. "How about we make cup cakes? Then you can decorate them."
"Yeah, let's do that!" Darby nodded. Soon there was flour everywhere. Mrs. Hudson had playfully tapped Darby’s cheeks with flour and Darby had done the same but accidentally got some in the woman’s hair. The landlady had laughed and flicked more a the girl. Then one thing lead to another and now both where covered from head to toe in flour and on the floor giggling, flour surrounding them.
"We're a mess bug!" Mrs. Hudson laughed shaking her head and laughing more when white powder came falling out.
"Lets do it again!" Darby squealed licking her lips. "Yucky! Flour doesn’t taste good by itself. Yuck!" Darby stuck out her tongue spitting some, to get the taste away.
"No, it doesn't." Mrs. Hudson chuckled scooping some flour off the floor to toss at the girl.
"Granny!" Darby squealed holding her tummy she was laughing so much. "We didn’t even get close to start on the cupcakes!"
"No we didn't."
"Darby, its almost time to go we need to get you dressed." Sherlock called coming into the the kitchen to see flour everywhere and the two still laughing on the floor. "Looks like you had fun.'' He smirked pulling out his phone and snapping a picture as the two girls fell into a new fit of giggles.
"Granny started it!" Darby squealed shaking out her hair and watched as flour fell into her lap. "Its like snow!"
"Yes and now we need to give you another bath and leave." Sherlock chuckled grabbing the girls hands lifting her to her feet. "Come on we need to hurry."
"Okay, bye granny thanks for playing with me." Darby called still laughing. Sherlock got the child up to the flat without getting flour on himself. Once she was clean again, and dressed the two set out. "Daddy I still have flour in my ear!" Darby squealed with laughter, as they sat in the cab.
"Its still in your hair as well. We will have to have them wash your hair again." Sherlock sighed. He wanted Darby to look her best for John, that was why he was taking her to get her hair cut and styled right before they saw the doctor.
"Okay." Darby agreed with a nod. Darby loved the beauty shop because it reminded her of spending time with aunt Madi and grandma. She also loved having someone play with her hair and making it look nice for papa to come home.
"So what are you getting all pretty up for? Gotta date?" The hairdresser asked teasingly as she curled the girls hair.
"Sorta. My papa’s coming home, he’s been helping the military." Darby grinned proudly and the woman smiled back. "Me, papa, and daddy are going on a date tonight to celebrate papa coming home."
"Oh so we need to make you look extra pretty today then." The hairdresser stated sweetly. "Should we put a bow in your hair too?"
"Yeah!" Darby agreed quickly smiling over at Sherlock who was watching her fondly.
"When are you going to pick papa up?" The woman asked as she thought about what she could do with the child's hair.
"Once were done here! Papas plane lands at one." Soon Darby had her bangs braided back and pinned in place with a flower clip to match her outfit. "All done daddy. My hair looks really pretty. Thank you!" She grinned up at her father then the hairdresser.
"Your welcome, have fun with your papa." The woman laughed as Sherlock paid.
"Come on we need to get to the airport." Sherlock said excitedly taking the girl into his arms. Darby bounced in the cab as they went.
"Daddy I’m so excited!" She squealed jumping into his lap. "We get to see papa! And he gets to come home!"
"Yes, he does." Sherlock agreed with a chuckled pulling the child close. "Are you ready for it to not be just us anymore?"
"Yes! I've been ready for him to come home since the day papa left!" Darby said firmly. "We're here! We're here we're here we're here we're here!" Darby squealed and Sherlock had to hold onto her as he paid to make sure she didn’t run into the build by herself. "Come on daddy!"
"Alright, calm down." Sherlock chuckled lifting her into his arms. Lloyds wife, Sue, and his children were already at the gate looking just as exciting as Sherlock and Darby felt.
"Hi Jake!" Darby called to Lloyds oldest who was nine.
"Hello." The boy looked back at them quickly then turned his attention back to the gate again, wanting to be the first to see his father.
"Daddy how much longer?" Darby asked wiggling in his arms with excitement.
"Fifteen minutes or so." Sherlock sighed. He felt much like Darby, like the wait was going to take too long. Sherlock noticed other people were gathering around them waiting for their loved ones.
"Daddy this is taking forever!" Darby sighed after five minutes of waiting. She was chewing at the skin on her lip again and Sherlock quickly put a finger over it to make her stop.
"You need to stop that, baby doll. Its a bad habit." He sighed, they had had this conversation before.
"Sorry." She whispered not wanting to be in too much trouble. She was just so excited and waiting was taking forever, so chewing at her lip was something to do. "Daddy, I cant wait anymore! I need papa here now!"
"Well you're going to have to wait because we can’t make him appear here." Sherlock chuckled kissing the girls head.
"Fine." The girl sighed grumpily and rested her head on the fathers shoulder. Sherlock smiled down at her and kissed her head again. He loved having the child to himself these past few months and loved how they had grown together, but he was ready to grow close to John again.
"His plane just landed, a few more minutes then papas out." Sherlock whispered to the child as she hum the song she and Eli would play on Monday. When she heard Sherlock’s words she gasped and sat up to watch the gate. Soon people were slowly coming through the gate and hugging loved ones who had been waiting for them.
"Where’s papa?" Darby whispered looking around for John. "How come he hasn't come out yet?" Both father and daughter looked around people trying to spot the soldier. A huge wave of people come flooding out of the gate, behind all of them came John and Lloyd. "Papa!" Darby yelled squirming out of Sherlock's arms and running for her father. People moved out if the way for the girl as she ran as fast as her little legs could take her. "Papa! Papa! Papa!" She squealed.
"Darby!" John shouted back as he squatted down to catch the girl. Darby jumped into his open arms making fall back from the force of her impact. "Hey baby girl!"
"Papa!" Darby cried as tears of joy left her eyes. "Papa your home!" She hide her face in his neck as she clutched at his uniform with both hands.
"Im home baby doll. I missed you so much!" John giggled tears coming to his eyes as well. Sherlock was already standing beside them and quickly took John’s hand helping him stand before pulling him into his arms. "Hey love!" John whispered kissing Sherlock's throat where he could reach.
"Hello John." Sherlock smirked leaning down and kissing his husband properly for the first time in months. "I love you." Was all Sherlock could say after they had broken apart.
"I love you too." John said back cupping the tall mans face. Before the fathers could kiss again Darby sat up and pressed a kiss to John’s lips. "Thank you baby doll."
"Yep." Darby giggled hugging him again. The family stays where they were for a few more moments, hugging and enjoying the feeling of being close again. "Lets go home."
"Yes please." John sighed happily taking Sherlock's hand as the detective picked up his pack. "I missed you both so much."
"I missed you too papa." Darby sighed happily as they left the airport. Sherlock just kissed John’s head, words couldnt describe how he had missed his husband. Once they were in a cab, John pressed hard into Sherlock's side with Darby in his lap, the whole family let out a sigh of relief.
"I missed you both so much." John whispered again as he basked in the feeling of having the two he loved most close.
"As have we, John." Sherlock whispered back kissing the soldiers temple and tightening his arm that was around his shoulders. "But your back and will not be leaving us again if I can help it."
"No I will not be leaving again willingly." John chuckled turning his head to press his nose below Sherlock's jaw.
"I say you never ever leave us, not even for work or school." Darby stated pressing herself impossibly closer to the shorter man.
"I think I might agree." John laughed as he ran a hand through her hair. "I dont ever wanna stop holding you and daddy."
"Okay!" Darby agreed quickly, smiling up at her father's making both men laugh.
"Alright well thats settled." John joked leaning down to kiss her head. "Im so happy to be home."
"Im happy your home too papa."