She knew they would all be gathered at John's place, Sherlock joining John and Mary for dinner, if he chose to eat that is. She took a deep breath and pressed the buzzer.
There was no going back now.
"Molly! What a pleasant surprise. Come on in." Mary was as welcoming as always.
Sherlock just raised his brow, looking her over, deducing her as always, she thought.
"I don't want to intrude. I'll be leaving soon." She apologized to the close knit group. "I just wanted to talk to Sherlock for a minute."
"Oh, sit down first. And be in no hurry. You are having dinner with us. Actually we should have invited you too…it just slipped my mind. Sorry about that." John looked a bit sheepish.
"Oh no. I don't want to intrude. Besides I have plans. I just wanted to speak with Sherlock and I will be out in a sec."
Without waiting any more, Molly turned to the Consulting Detective, who had been watching her silently all this while.
"I have been given an offer at the Royal College in Edinburgh. The profile is great, the people I will work with are amazing. And I always loved Scotland. I just wanted to ask you if there is any reason I should refuse this job."
There was a pin drop silence in the house now. Mary and John looked surprised at this announcement; they didn't know Molly was looking for an alternate to Barts. But if Sherlock was surprised, he hid it well. He had a frown on his face, his eyes wandering around the room.
Raising an eyebrow, he said, "Maybe for the pay?"
Mary gasped and John looked as if he didn't believe what Sherlock just said. It was clear as day to the Watsons that this was a last ditch attempt by the pathologist to make any progress with the Consulting Detective, who at the moment was looking at her innocently, with a quizzical expression on his face.
"Pay? I should base my decision to leave London on money, that's what you are saying." Molly had a calm expression on her face, like this was the exact answer she expected.
"Well, Mycroft would be in a better position to check if any of your co-workers have a criminal background. But even if they did, I doubt we would have a déjà vu from 'Jim from IT'. Still, I can ask him to check it out for you."
"So, that's it. Those are the only reasons I should consider; nothing else. Are you sure?"
Mary looked at the petite woman standing in her living room, her face was calm but her body language was one of passive confrontation. She knew that Molly had more spine than she let on, that she could take Sherlock head on in an argument and win, but to see it first hand was a sight to behold.
Sherlock looked at Molly with narrowed eyes, a bit taken aback by her tone. He knew her too well; he knew she was prepared for battle here.
And he was not sure he was ready for it.
"Molly, talking in circles doesn't suit you an-"
"I agree" she cut in. "And that's why I decided to cut the crap and get to the point."
Taking a deep breath, she raised her chin and asked him. "Sherlock, will you have dinner with me?"
The detective looked both taken aback and confused at her invite. "That's your point? How many times have we had dinner Molly? Here, at Baker Street, at your flat?"
"Let me rephrase that. Will you take me out to dinner? At a pre-decided time and place?"
"You are asking me to take you on a date?…I don't date, surely you know that by now." he sneered.
"No, you say you don't. But you don't hesitate to spend the day with me, at Barts or at my flat. You tag along even when I go grocery shopping, interrupt my social outings, insist I help you with your experiments or else trouble poor Mrs Hudson so much that she calls and pleads for me to come to Baker Street."
Her voice had started small but determined and ended up quite loud and emphatic.
"Basically you are around me ALL THE TIME, a constant reminder, a tease, of what I want but cannot have."
"And here I thought you enjoyed my company." He tried to scoff, but it came out a bit weak.
"I adore you Sherlock, it's the worst kept secret in the western hemisphere, for God's sake. But this is cruel…and I will not tolerate cruelty. So here is my question again, will you date me?"
"I don't date-" Sherlock sneered, but was cut short again by Molly.
"Oh for God's sakes-"
"-because I don't know how!"
There was a stunned silence as all three looked at Sherlock. He looked nervous, unsure, a rare sight if any.
"People meet, spend time casually, they eat… Put me in any of the above situation and I will definitely end up either insulting you or making you so angry that you will refuse to see me again."
Molly just stared back, stunned. John mirrored her. Only Mary seemed to have some presence of mind, she was shaking her head slowly.
"This, working with you, is the only way I know to keep you near and safe and not harm whatever relation we have."
"Oh God Sherlock, you are-" Mary spoke up.
"Fibbing!" Today was her day and Molly was not going to bother if she was being rude and interrupting people. "Lying through your teeth again."
"There is stupid and there is stupid and I have just discovered another different level of stupid just for you, Sherlock." Mary continued to admonish him.
Sherlock looked just a little sheepish at being caught. But he gained his mask again.
Molly just shook her head at him in disappointment.
"I am not kidding Sherlock. I have trusted and admired and believed in you when everyone around was calling me a fool for doing so. I have hidden your secret for two years. I have taken your shit and have always tried to see the actual meaning behind it. It takes a lot to do that."
She had moved slowly towards him while talking. He had stood up from the sofa as she approached, but found himself in no position to move without pushing Molly.
"But I will put all that effort in blocking you out of my life and I will succeed, if that's the last thing I do." Molly poked his chest as she spoke with emotion, the tone of her voice conveying her seriousness.
Moving back a step, she nodded at the Watsons and stomped to the door, ignoring the consulting detective, who seemed to have a problem finding words.
As she was about to close the door behind her, Sherlock blurted out, "I shall join you at Angelo's in twenty odd minutes."
When Molly turned around, with a questioning look on her face, Sherlock carried on. "If you don't mind having Italian. He does make the best ravioli…I know how much you enjoy that."
There was a nervous pause as Molly waited quietly.
"So, will you have dinner with me? Tonight?"
He sounded almost irritated, but Molly knew that it meant a genuine invitation in 'Sherlock' speech, with him finally letting down the walls.
He approached her, asking quietly and sincerely. "Will you go on a date with me?"
"Took you long enough to ask!"
Later that night Mary got a text.
It was awkward initially but ended well. Atleast he didn't sulk once the main course was served.
Mary smiled in relief and replied.
I am glad. He is all yours now. I can't handle a husband and two babies anyways ;).
Molly laughed at Mary's text.
It had been an awkward, stuttering start. But a start nevertheless. And after waiting for more than five years, Molly was ready to claim what she believed was hers and make Sherlock sweat a bit.