Wow, hi guys. I haven't been on here for a while. I also haven't written the thing I promised to write. Sorry about that.

Meanwhile, I have this thing. Basically, I needed closure after episode 3, so I decided to write my own.

The first chapter is straight outta episode 3, so you you you probably watch that for context first.

Please enjoy.

She should have been used to the unexpected, after all this time. Her life was strange and unusual and never boring, and now it was extra stressful with a child to babysit.

Molly Hooper was rarely surprised by anything anymore, but the day Sherlock called her raised the tier of 'weird' for him.

She almost didn't pick up. Rosie had only just gone to sleep, and Molly was so tired...

It didn't help that she'd been crying. She couldn't help it- the baby was demanding, she was still mourning John's wife, and Sherlock... well... She was sure he'd be able to tell that she'd been crying. She didn't want to have to explain herself to that ridiculous, insufferable... amazing man.

She began slicing a lemon for tea, needing something to relax her, but the phone kept ringing. Usually he gave up and tried someone else, but not this time. He wanted her, specifically.

She glared at the ringing phone, then slowly wiped her hands and reached for it. For a split second, she imagined herself slapping him the way she had a few times before, telling him off for disturbing her few moments of peace and quiet. But then it was gone, and she answered wearily.

"Hello, Sherlock. Is this urgent, 'cause I'm not having a good day."

On the other end, Sherlock spoke quickly, obviously in a hurry. "Molly, I just want you to do something very easy for me, and not ask why."

Molly sighed in exasperation. "Oh, God. Is this one of your stupid games?"

"No, it's not a game. I ... need you to help me."

"Look, I'm not at the lab." Neither was she going to run off to the hospital just for him.

"It's not about that."

She fiddled around on the counter, nervous as she always was when talking to him. "Well, quickly, then."

There was silence on the other end.

Her annoyance grew. "Sherlock? What is it? What do you want?"

He took a breath. "Molly, please, without asking why, just say these words."

She smiled in spite of herself, a little intruiged. "What words?"

A paused, then: "I love you"

Her smile dropped, and the phone almost dropped with it. Sniffing, she looked down at the screen and moved her thumb towards it, ready to terminate the call. "Leave me alone."

Sherlock voice grew louder, as thought he knew the phone was no longer near her ear. She wouldn't have been surprised. "Molly, no, please, no, don't hang up! Do not hang up!"

Molly raised the phone to her ear again, wondering if he could hear how hard her heart was beating. Tears pushed at the corner of her vision. "Why are you doing this to me? Why are you making fun of me?"

His voice was slightly softer now- God, how loved and hated that voice. "Please, I swear, you just have to listen to me." There was a paused, and she heard voices in the background. Was that a woman's voice? When he came back, he had his 'calming voice' on. "Molly, this is for a case. It's ... it's a sort of experiment."

A pang of anger shot through her. "I'm not an experiment, Sherlock."

"No, I know you're not an experiment. You're my friend. We're friends." Oh, how that word hurt, even after all this time. "But ... please. Just ... say those words for me."

There was a pain in her heart, but whether it was physical or mental, she couldn't tell. Why was this happening? What kind of sick joke was he playing on her? "Please don't do this. Just ... just ... don't do it."

"It's very important." She could hear the fake smile he had plastered over his stupid pretty face, and was suddenly reminded of Jim. "I can't say why, but I promise you it is."

She couldn't breathe, all of a sudden. "I can't say that. I can't ... I can't say that to you."

"Of course you can. Why can't you?"

"You know why." He wasn't that oblivious.

"No, I don't know why." Was that genuine confusion, or another manipulation trick?

Molly sighed heavily, sniffed and wiped a hand across her nose. "Of course you do."

"Please, just say it."

"I can't," she breathed, "Not to you."

"Why?"

"Because..." Her voice broke, and she looked down at the bench, screwing her eyes shut. "Because it's true."

There was silence on his end.

"Because... it's..." She took a breath and started to cry. "...true, Sherlock. It's always been true."

His next words were free of emotion, as if he had carefully prepared them. "Well, if it's true, just say it anyway."

She laughed in disbelief and heaved a heavy sigh. Always so logical. "You bastard."

"Say it anyway," he repeated firmly.

She set her jaw, refusing to cry again. "You say it. Go on. You say it first." She doubted he would. This would end the stupid joke for sure.

"What?"

"Say it." Without meaning to, she softened her voice like he had with her. "Say it like you mean it."

Slowly, hesitantly... "I-I..."

Molly closed her eyes against the tears and pressed the phone closer to her ear, close to him. Was he actually going to do it? Did she really want him to?

Then, without warning: "I love you."

The words jolted her heart, making her feel a little giddy. Molly sighed softly and smiled a little, pressing her thumb against her mouth.

He said it again, softer this time. "I love you."

She closed her eyes again for a moment and brought the phone round to look at its screen.

"Molly?" he called cautiously.

Her finger hovered over the screen, tempted to hang up on him, to cancel her part of the bargain and leave him with the words he couldn't possibly have meant.

"Molly, please."

Gazing into the distance and holding the phone in both hands, she took a breath, heart hammering. With her mouth almost touching the phone, she spoke softly. "I love you."

There was a sharp intake of breath, and then...

There was a long beep, and the call ended.

She stood there for a moment, trying to wrap her head around what had just happened. With shaking hands, she placed the phone back on the bench and stared at her teacup. The tears that had been threatening to come out finally spilled over, and she wept.

What have I done?

Closure comes next chapter. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go cry in a corner.

Feedback is much appreciated.