You'd think since I haven't updated my fic 'It all Started with a Facial' since November (GASP!)

That I would be trying my hardest to focus on getting the next chapter written ... but ahhh ... no ...

SORRY!

It's coming soon ... ish ... I promise!

Anyway, on to this fic ... it's going to be a three-parter and it will be smmmuuutttyyyy ... heh heh ...

When I am handed a stressful situation I tend to turn to Sherlolly and input that stressful situation into a Sherlolly fic

Not always, but sometimes ... as is this case with this fic! OH! A case! ... hush Sherlock ... errr

Yeah so ... enjoy ;)

I'm not going to post it all in one go, but will probably have it all posted within the week, because I'm nice like that!

Circumstantial Evidence - Part One

"Oh shit! Oh fuck! Oh noooooo. No. No. No. No. No!"

Sherlock leaned back from his microscope to peer at Molly, who was continuing to spew expletive after expletive as she looked down at her phone in horror. He didn't like seeing her so distressed, it gave him an odd sort of twinge in his heart.

"Molly?" He questioned softly as he stood. He moved towards her, but she appeared to be entirely oblivious to his approach. "Molly!" he repeated her name, this time more firmly, while he covered her phone with the palm of his hand.

She jumped slightly and glanced up at him, her eyes filled with fear like she was some sort of cornered animal. He felt another twinge in his heart, and wanted nothing more than to take her into his arms and protect her. They were still walking a bit on eggshells since the whole Eurus/phone call debacle; they had talked, cleared the air somewhat, but not enough. Not enough for him to take her into his arms without frightening, and possibly upsetting her further.

"Molly … what's wrong? What's happened?" he asked gently. He dropped his hand away from her phone, letting it fall to his side. His fingers twitched nervously as he waited for her answer, stopping himself from deducing her.

She swallowed thickly, sending a brief glance towards her phone, before she replied, "I'm an idiot. That's what."

His brow furrowed. "You're not an idiot. Not in the slightest!"

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, but with some things I truly am an idiot." She tucked her phone into the pocket of her lab coat, a deep frown on her face.

"Is there anything I can do? Some way I can …" Sherlock hesitated briefly before speaking the next word, "...help?"

She looked at him again, the fear fading from her eyes, the tiniest hint of a smile at the corners of her mouth. "Thanks Sherlock, but no, I don't think so. Not unless you have a TARDIS and can take me back to a few minutes ago, and stop me from sending a text where I agreed to a family dinner." At the end of her sentence her frown returned.

"Family dinner? But you don't have any-" he cut himself off just as he heard John scream in his head 'NOT GOOD!" It was his turn to swallow thickly, but when he chanced a glance at her it appeared that she hadn't heard him. He swallowed again. "Family dinner?" he questioned.

She sighed. "Yeah, it's not my family … obviously … it's my best mates, Anna. Well, I don't know if I should really call her that … we haven't seen each other much recently and don't really talk anymore, but we were inseparable when we were younger." Molly knew she was babbling, but once she started she couldn't seem to make herself stop. "She's in the Navy now and she's going to be stationed in Bahrain, but she's coming home before she leaves … and she asked me to come to her big family dinner this weekend. Her big family dinner which her brother and his new wife will also be at." Molly's shoulders slumped at the end of her sentence.

Sherlock felt a wave of realization wash over him. "Oh." He instantly felt foolish for saying such a silly and insignificant thing.

She covered her face with her hands. "Oh God I feel so stupid! I'm so embarrassed to admit this to you, but I need to so that you'll understand." She dropped her hands, her face bright red. She took in a deep steadying breath, staring straight ahead. "I used to have the biggest crush on Anna's brother, Christian. I had myself convinced that I was madly in love with him, even though deep down I knew that nothing would ever come of it. I was so pathetic, I just held onto this faint, faint hope that somehow he would wake up and realize that I was there right in front of him all along." She shook her head. "So stupid. And now he's gone and gotten married … and I just agreed to see him and his new bloody wife!"

Molly turned away from Sherlock, wiping furiously at the tear that had managed to fall down her cheek. She felt even more embarrassed now when she realized how much what she had just told him mirrored their own strange situation.

"I can come with you."

She spun about and faced him. "What?"

"I'll come with you, to the dinner."

A crinkle formed between her brow as she stared at him. "What on earth for?"

"Moral support. You shouldn't have to go through that alone."

She continued to stare at him.

"Might even manage to make the fool a little jealous," he added. "Make him see you, see what he missed out on."

"You can see me."

He allowed himself a tiny smile, knowing that she was reiterating a long ago conversation, before he took a step closer to her. "Yes, I can. I've always seen you. Just never allowed myself to fully appreciate what I've seen."

She glanced away from his intense gaze. "You don't have to do this."

He gently took her chin in his hand, raising her head so that their eyes met. "I want to. Allow me to, please?"

After a brief moment she nodded, dropping her gaze again.

"Thank you." He pressed his lips to her cheek, ever so close to the corner of her mouth.

"I should be the one thanking you," she murmured.

He smiled against her skin, having not yet pulled away. "You can, later tonight at your flat!"

"Sherlock!" She gave his chest a slight push, as she giggled.

He leaned back, his expression a serious one. "We need to talk, Molly. You know we do. And there's something-there's something I need to tell you."

She nodded again, understanding in her eyes. "All right."

"I'll get chips," he offered.

"From Marylebone road?" she asked, with a twinkle in her eye.

"Yes, as a matter of fact," he answered, grinning widely.

She nodded in agreement. "Ok."

"Good." He pressed another kiss to her cheek before returning to his microscope. After gathering up the slides he had been viewing, he pulled on his coat and scarf. "See you tonight!" He doffed an invisible hat as he made his exit, making her laugh.

She returned to her work as she continued to softly giggle, already feeling better about the prospect of not having to face the family dinner alone.

.

.

.

Oooookkkkk. So no smut yet. Disappointed?! Sorry about that! Heh ... sort of ... errr ... Expect the next installment on Wednesday (: