A/N: Right. *shaky breath* I'd be lying if I said I wasn't scared to post this. It deals with an extremely delicate topic, and in the Victorian Era so double the challenge to handle it. In that era, it was believed by the "experts" that intimacy between man and wife for any reason besides procreation was evil. Um, well I really doubt everyone bought into that. So this is set during Watson and Marys' life together, and Watson is not sure what to believe. Holmes gives him some reasurrence. What can I say? I'm making this note as long as I can to postpone actually posting this...but you know, I think I handled this as tastefully as I could, while still doing my best to keep everything canon and historically accurate. And I think it actually came out well! But, I'll let you be the judge. ^_^

"Watson, you seem quite agitated about something."

"It's nothing."

"Oh really." He knocked the ashes from his pipe.

"I just can't, Holmes."

"Then I suppose I'll deduce the matter for myself."

"You're right; I may as well tell you." The doctor gripped the edge of the tabletop. "I just don't know what to believe. Is it so very wrong—"

"No."

"No?"

"No, it's not wrong at all," Holmes stated calmly.

"And what would you know of the matter?"

"I know it better than anyone; having nothing to do with love, I see everything it pertains to with perfectly clear eyes. If you will only think it through, Watson, you'll realize the ideas of the day, which I see you are struggling to face, are poppycock, nothing more." He gave a snort of laughter. "There is more to life than populating the world, Watson, I truly think there is."

"I know it, but everyone seems to think…it's the only thing."

"The more fools, them."

"They say it's evil, terrible, some heinous sin…"

"And what do they base their claim on?" Holmes rolled his eyes. "I'd like to know…well, probably not, actually."

The doctor looked timidly round. "Do you think I'm…some perverted fellow for disagreeing with them?"

"Good lord, Watson, what do you think? Of course not!" Holmes got to his feet and began pacing. "The lot who goes round proclaiming the rubbish they do, making honest men like you think ill of themselves, well I hope I never meet that bunch, that's all I'll say on the matter." He set his pipe firmly on the table and crossed his arms.

Watson glanced to his friend before looking down. "I appreciate it, Holmes."

"You married a good woman, Watson; I'm no expert but I know you find her very pretty. Don't let her doubt it, eh?" He chuckled softly before talking up his pipe again and retiring to the armchair.