Literally just a one-shot of *that* specific scene in The Princess Bride. I'm very fond of the idea of a Princess Bride AU type thing. Also: if you don't know Princess Bride, none of this will make sense. I sort of take for granted growing up watching it and knowing the movie by heart so...uh...sorry for those that pm'd me totally confused!
The man in black released her, somewhat harshly against a flat rock. She coughed, hand over her aching belly from the arduous pace he had forced her to keep.
"Catch your breath," he snapped, glancing at the horizon.
"If you release me, whatever you ask for ransom you'll get it, I promise you!" Molly at last spoke.
The man in black laughed heartily, shaking his head. "And what is that worth, the promise of a woman?"
She glared at him. "I was giving you a chance. There is no greater hunter than the Prince. He can track a falcon on a cloudy day, he can find you."
The man in black swiveled to face her. "You think your dearest love will save you?"
All of a sudden there was fire in her eyes. "I never said he was my dearest love!" she stuck her chin out. "And yes, he will save me, that I know."
The man in black went on pacing. "You admit to me you do not love your fiancé. How very telling."
She did not like being circled by him, as if she were prey. "He knows I don't love him,"
"Are not capable," he answered, as if correcting her. There was venom in his eyes, and Molly felt anger rise up inside her. Who was this man to tell her what she felt?!
"I have loved more deeply than a killer like yourself could ever dream!"
His hand moved as if to strike her, and she ducked her head. The blow never came, and she dared to look up. "That, was a warning, Highness. The next time my hand flies on its own. Where I come from, there are penalties when a woman lies." With that, he grabbed her hand, pulling her after him.
The tall grass gave way to rocky terrain, the grass trampled short by stubby wild ponies that had since moved on as winter was fast approaching. Molly tried to keep an eye behind them, but the man in black had a fast grip on her, and she could not see whether the Prince and his men were close behind or not.
After a long while, again, she was thrown down to the ground.
"Rest, Highness," he ordered, and stood atop another low rock, keeping a lookout.
"I know who you are," she pushed herself upright. "Your cruelty reveals everything. You're the Dread Pirate Hudson, admit it!"
Much to her frustration, he bowed with a sardonic smile, seemingly taking great pleasure in admitting so. "With pride. What can I do for you?"
She glared at him. "You can die slowly, cut into a thousand pieces."
He shook his head, clicking his tongue "Hardly complimentary, your Highness. Why loose your venom on me?"
She met his gaze, ice in her large eyes, "You killed my love."
He regarded her then, as if gathering his thoughts. "It's possible. I kill a lot of people," he shrugged. "Who was this love of yours? Another prince like this one, ugly, rich and scabby?"
"No," she turned her head, again glaring at him, but after a moment, her gaze softened. "He was a farm boy. Poor. Poor and perfect. With eyes like the sea after a storm," she was lost then, gone to a far off memory of being held by her dearest love the day he left, that awful, wretched day. She blinked quickly, turning to him."On the high seas, your ship attacked. And the Dread Pirate Hudson never takes prisoners."
He shrugged helplessly. "Well I can't afford to make exceptions. I mean once word leaks out that I've gone soft, people begin to disobey you and then it's nothing but work, work, work all the time.
She stood up quickly then. "You mock my pain!"
He glared right back. "Life is pain, sweet." After a moment, he stood. "I remember this farm boy of yours, I think. This would be, what, five years ago? Does it bother you to hear?"
Again, she stuck her chin out. "Nothing you can say will upset me."
Hudson merely waved a hand. "Well he died well at any rate. No bribe attempts or blubbering. I expect that makes you happy. He simply said, 'Please... please, I need to live.' It was the "please" that caught my memory. I asked him what was so important for him here. "True Love", he replied. And then he spoke of a girl of surpassing brilliance and faithfulness. I can only assume he meant you. You should bless me for destroying him before he found out what you really are.
She whirled about, the wind catching her mousy brown hair, tugging it free from the loose braid. "And what am I?"
"Faithfulness Madame, he spoke more of your enduring faithfulness than anything else. Now tell me truly, when you found out he was gone, did you get engaged to your scoundrel prince at the same hour, or did you wait a whole week out of respect for the dead?"
She stepped up to him, nearly chest-to-chest.
"You mocked me once. Never do it again! I died that day!"
At that very moment, there was the sound of a hunting horn, followed by distant hoofbeats. He whirled about, realizing that she had been keeping him here on purpose, and now the prince was closing in on them.
Molly, seizing her opportunity, placed her hands flat on his back and pushed with all her might, "And you can die too for all I care!"
He went tumbling down the steep hill, his mask went flying off. As he went head-over-heels, he bellowed:
As... you... wish!
With horror, Molly realized her mistake
"Oh merciful heavens, what have I done?" dropping to her knees she went rolling down after him, preferring instead to die with him than live alone with the knowledge of pushing him to his death.
They both came to a sudden stop at the bottom of the narrow gully. To her alarm, she was alive, but as she mentally tallied what injuries she might have had, she felt strong arms encircle her, and she was suddenly gazing up into the beautiful eyes of her dearest love.
"Can you move at all?" he asked, breathless, but the timber of his voice had not changed. His shaggy curls hung over his eyes, framing his face. This was no pirate! This was her beloved!
"Move?" she murmured, smiling up at him. "If you want I could fly at this moment." With that he bent and embraced her. Five long years without Molly in his arms, Sherlock Holmes had a good deal of lost time to make up for.
After a long moment, they parted, and his gaze softened. "Why didn't you wait for me, Molly?"
She frowned. "You were dead…"
"Death cannot stop true love," he answered. "The worst it can do is delay it for a little while."
Flat on her back, she gazed up at him, cheeks rosy from the wind and from his tender embraces. "I will never doubt again."
His smile was gentle. "There will never be a need," he answered quietly, and with that he drew her close again, quite happy to prove if necessary his affection for her.
BONUS!
"Aw…no…please."
Lestrade looked up. "What? What's wrong?"
"They're kissing again," Nicholas Holmes pulled a face. "Do you have to read about the kissing?"
Lestrade chuckled. "Someday you might not mind so much."
"Well, can't you skip to the Fire Swamp? That bit sounded good."
"Okay, okay," Lestrade waved his hand in defeat. "You're ill, I'll humor you," he turned the page, finding his place. "Right: 'Westley and Buttercup raced along the ravine floor-'"
As he read, Lestrade shook his head. He hoped it would be the last time he need to babysit Molly and Sherlock's kid while they went off on a murder case at a bleeding renaissance fair.