I own nothing, enjoy.

"Can you make a nice deduction?" Molly asked as she sat next to Sherlock's hospital bed. He was facing the window pretending to sleep. She knew better, and he knew that, but the game seemed to be working for the moment... so why was she changing it now?

"I thought you were reading," he mumbled.

"I was and you were pretending to sleep."

"You weren't speaking to me, what else was I to do?" he said, still not looking at her.

"And now I'm asking you a question."

"A deduction is neither nice or not nice Molly it's an observation based empirical data," Sherlock said.

"I can tell you from experience that a deduction can be very much not nice, Sherlock."

"Oh, I'm trapped in this bed so it's a good time to rehash all the unkind things I've said to you. Fun!"

"I'll just go back to ignoring you now," she said as she turned back to her book.

The truth was that being here with Molly was killing him. Knowing how much he had let her down, it's the real reason he couldn't look Molly Hooper in the eyes. But every time he closed his eyes he saw her disappointment as his positive drug test came back.

He couldn't deal with this right now, not when he had John and Mary try and fix... and this case. But Molly... she mattered and it was eating away at him. Sitting there reading, being so lovely and loyal even though he was the worst bastard of all time. He was terrified he would say something awful if she didn't leave soon.

"Who comes in next?"

"Greg, at 1am."

FUCK! Four more hours of this living hell! I'll snap, I will and I can't be held responsible, they all know who I am... it's what I do.

He reached to turn the Morphine up and Molly blocked it with her hand.

"I'm in pain Molly," Sherlock said indignantly.

"Sure, or were you hoping you'd drift to sleep and avoid having to talk to me."

Molly Hooper making deductions... just when I think she couldn't get any more attractive.

"They're pulling this out tomorrow, putting you on nonnarcotic meds. Might as well get use to it," she said pointing to the box. "We don't have to talk, I'm quite use to sitting alone and reading. Just pop into that mind castle of yours and I'll get back to The Hickhickers Guide. I'm not asking anything from you Sherlock." Then she leaned back and opened up her book.

Sherlock stared in awe. "Did you really just call it a mind castle Molly Hooper?"

"I'm well aware that you're not fond of my jokes Sherlock, but I find myself quite amusing. Now, go reorganize your files on the decomposition of flesh or something, whatever relaxes you."

He tried but his mind kept wondering to John and Mary and love. They truly loved each other, Sherlock believed that, whatever love is, he thought. You know what love is you tit... it's sitting over there reading a science fiction novel, he suddenly heard in a voice sounding suspiciously like John Watson. He brushed it off because love was destroying the Watsons, they were miserable right now. He had to find a way to fix this, for his friends and their child.

Speaking of being destroyed by love... look at Molly Hooper. Spending her Friday night sitting by my bedside making sure I don't make a run for it, all because of love. Foolish and inefficient emotion. John's voice may be right but didn't mean anything... what good did it do her? He had brought her nothing but pain.

But her love had saved his life... saved John and Mrs. Hudson and Lestrade. Love... Damn. Molly in his mind palace had told him how to fall and had saved him once again. She saved him even when she didn't know it. Damn it.

He knew he wasn't good enough for her, even on his best day he was still a selfish bastard and she was kind and loyal. He was dark and brooding and she was sweet and cheerful. He was egotistical and she was humble.

He was completely in love with her.

FUCK, not this again...

She should have married Meat Dagger, he was a boring idiot, but he was safe and reliable. She should have married him. No, he wasn't good enough for her either. Damn.

As the clock ticked away, so did Sherlock's resolve.

"I can make a deduction about myself," he finally said after about a half hour of silence.

"Oh really, what's that Sherlock?" she said as she put her book on her lap and her elbows on her knees.

"I'm not good enough for you Molly."

She didn't say anything, but looked at Sherlock as if he had grown a second head.

"I'm not. It's why I ignored your advances... it was easier to ignore you, when I actually wanted to say, 'I'd love to except your invitation for coffee but I can't because you're too good for me Molly Hooper so I'm sorry, I'll have to decline.'" He took a breath and then continued. "But then again I haven't met anyone else that's good enough for you yet, so you'll just have to keep looking and when you bring round the right one I'll be sure and let you know."

Molly was barely breathing at this point. "Are you saying what I think you are saying?"

"Yes, Molly but I can't do that to you. You are too important to me, I'd destroy you and that would destroy me. You may just be the last truly good thing left in my world, if I lost that... " His sentience died.

Silent tears started falling down Molly's face, she nodded her head. "So, that's what all this..." She shuddered. "has been. Not just me then?" Sherlock nodded his head. "Okay, so you're making that decision for me? I don't get a say in it?"

"I know myself very well Molly, you'll have to trust me on this one."

"TRUST YOU? I've loved you for six years and you could have relieved me of this pain at anytime but no you're afraid, so you just kept it inside and pretended to protect me!"

"I am protecting you!" he protested.

"If you were really protecting me you wouldn't have told me at all. Clearly you wanted me to talk you into something Sherlock."

And there it is... that mind. Why did I ever think I could match emotional wits with you Molly Hooper? You brilliant, beautiful woman, Sherlock thought as he stared into her eyes.

"So here it goes, because I never let you down do I Sherlock? You may not think you're good enough for me, but clearly I always have and I've been here through everything, remember? I've seen you at your worst and I'm still sitting right here. So stop treating me like a porcelain doll, I don't break that easily."

"Molly I can't..." he started, but she cut him off.

"NO! Just get better, that hole in your stomach is the most important thing right now. But we are not done here. I know there's something going on with John and Mary too, even if I don't know what that is, and I know you will be in the thick of things. But I've been kept waiting for years and you should know I'm growing a bit tired of it. So get better, fix the Watsons and get your arse into my bed! Now stop interrupting me, I was just getting to the good part," she said as she picked her book up and seemed to be reading again, although Sherlock had his doubts.

After a few more minutes of quite Sherlock said, "Molly, I deduce that that fire of yours makes you an exceptional lover..."

"There's only one way to verify that deduction Mr. Holmes, but I do suggest that you take your physio therapy very seriously," she said with a smile.

Thanks for reading. Lil