THE UMBRELLA CONSPIRACY

It all started with the umbrella. Next thing Molly know she's is being dragged back through the rain to a see a certain someone. Sherlolly & hints of Anthea/Mycroft

It was one of those days where no one would probably believe a word you said unless you had proof of it. Well, Molly had the umbrella sitting out in the hall where it lay in a little tall cylinder. The only visible part of it was the brown curved handle. Molly was torn at glaring at the object for getting herself in the mess but really she should be smacking the only consulting detective with it.

He was an unbelievable man in all the right aspects but there were ton that made her wish she was the kind of woman who would yell. She was capable of that. She had done a lot of that when not among three scary (good) looking men.

How this all started exactly? An umbrella, of course.

It was raining and Molly had gotten a text from Sherlock asking if she would come over as soon as possible. The text also included a few things she was required to bring. He didn't really ask, actually. The text that she could recall even without pulling her phone from her sodden trouser pockets.

Baker St.

Bring iodine, chlorine and vanilla extract.

Not more than hour or I will be forced to come out to you. - SH

She had decided against replying to him with something ruefully sarcastic. The last ingredient had baffled her. Why would he ask for that when he asked for the other two? Sherlock Holmes never seemed to not surprise her. It was both a good and bad thing. She had been trying to wean her emotional feelings towards the man.

He had been sending her texts and coming to the morgue more often with cases since his return. She hadn't minded much. He moved a bit more quicker than usual if that was possible. She could assert she had experienced the force of this statement as she had to dig her heels into the cold wet surface of the sidewalk and Sherlock took her up by the arm as she had just settled in a chair near his toxic wasteland (the worktable area). He had jumped up at the sight of her after she had placed the bag of the things he asked for beside him on the other side of her.

"Yes?" She asked him, her eyes closed for a brief moment before she began looking around at the line of test tubes and containers setting near her.

"Where'd you get the umbrella?"

Molly hadn't really gotten the chance to say anything as Sherlock took the wet umbrella out of her limp grasp and began inspecting it very closely as if something of real importance. He was glaring at it in a way that Molly only saw a few times when he was truly pissed off over something. Before she could even ask, he was grabbing her by the arm and they were walking out of the flat and down to the raining streets.

She had called out to him several times but he did not budge. His eyes were moving about in a manner that made it clear that he was searching / scanning for something but it didn't seem that he could locate whatever it was he was looking for. He turned back to her and leaned down a bit giving her that look he gave her right before he was about to spittle of one of his long deductions.

"This is Mycroft's umbrella." He said. That was much shorter than she imagined.

"Um," She started as she wracked her brain for something intelligeble to say here. She didn't know what he was talking about. She hadn't seen Mycroft since the wedding between two of her closest friends - John and Mary. "Are you sure? I haven't seen him." She told him finally.

Sherlock either didn't believe her or he wanted to make sure because soon enough he had his phone in front of his face, not even stopping as the rain continue to cause his hair to droop a bit. Molly's own hair was soaked again. She had barely had time to take a minute to sit from her initial run into the safe and warm quarters of 221.

Soon enough for his liking as there was a bit of a smirk on his face a black car sidled up besides them and she was being ushered into the car along with Molly. Sherlock held onto the umbrella as if it was the answer to everything right now.

"Sherlock." She called his attention back to him for just a moment before he went back to staring blankly at the gorgeous assistant of Mycroft's Anthea. She ignored him, paying close attention to her phone after another text came in. A smirk appeared on her face as she typed away.

They soon arrived at a place that she had only ever been to three times. The first time after she first met Sherlock, the second after his fall, and then one last time upon his return for debriefing. None were especially special or social in any aspects. They were all business and there were always those carefully placed suggestions which she always read as threats no matter how many times it had been said, "just a little thought, you don't have to go by it of course."

It still made her uncomfortable to be under the older brother of the Holmes brother's home. To sit in his chair and have to not act like she was trying not to find a way out of being there at all. A strong grip at her back was her comforting gesture this time as she walked (was guided) inside by Sherlock.

He seemed to be eager to get this over with. She supposed that was an accurate enough recollection of everything. Now, she had just been sitting there in the middle of the silent duo for about fifteen minutes if the grandfather clock was right. She thought so.

Molly was the first to speak as she was brought a towel and a blanket to keep her warm. Apparently she had been loud in her chattering teeth and shivering. Sherlock sat in the chair opposite her staring at his brother.

"So, to what pleasure do I owe this visit, Sherlock? Miss Hooper?"

"Doctor, Mycroft. Molly is a doctor."

"Many would beg to differ. However, you are correct. Doctor Hooper." Mycroft smiled tightly in her direction and Molly busied herself wrapping the thick yet soft blanket around her and beginning to draw her hair which was down today.

"I have something that belongs to you, brother." Sherlock said as he stood up and walked around the corner where the little holder was with the umbrella and picked it up. He uncurled his arm on his way back around as if he was extending a sword. It might as well have been as he made a jab in his brother's direction with it. Molly sat there suddenly tense at the atmosphere she was in.

She could probably scurry away if she wanted to. Currently, she was more concerned as to what was about to occur between the two siblings. She had often admired the strange relationship between the two of them. They did care for each other in a very odd way. John had told her plenty. Not that he knew all but he had been in the middle of a few of their conversations.

"What makes you think that's mine?"

"Because it is. I've been at close range with it to know if it was different."

'You are aware that there are several umbrellas just like that."

"Yes..." Sherlock trailed off.

"Thank you for returning it. I was wondering where this one went off to. Where'd you find it?"

"Molly." He said.

She looked up at him. He wasn't looking at her, just stating the fact.

"Why'd she have it?"

"Yeah, about that...Sherlock you didn't let me tell you all that. You sort of dragged me out into the rain. I'm sure to have pneumonia soon enough. Anyway.." She continued as she saw that she had gotten his attention again.

"Someone gave it to me."

"Someone?" Both brothers asked at the same time.

Molly's head bobbed up and down in admission. "When I was at the store to grab the vanilla extract you wanted, it had intially started to pour outside. I had my jacket of course but I thought it would wait a little while before pouring like that. Baker Street wasn't too far away so I was just going to run there and sit for a little bit. He just gave it to me. It was very nice but he had a strange face."

"Why do you accept things from people you don't know?" Mycroft asked while his brother walked over to Molly and crouched down to her and asked her, "Strange how, I need details?"

"Is this important somehow?"

"Possibly." Mycroft added, looking a bit ticked that Molly hadn't answered his question. That information needed to be added to her file.

"Tell me, Molly." Sherlock urged her his hand on her chin, holding it as to keep her focus on him. He was being childish, Mycroft thought as he watched the detective interact with his pathologist. This was interesting...

"He was burned on one side of his face and the other half looked like it had been scratched with claws or maybe talons. Also, he was wearing this large hood that hid his hair but gave him a bit of a shadowy appearance. I don't know, it was a bit odd. He wasn't mean looking though despite his face."

"Appearances can be decieving, Molly."

"I know that." She told grabbing his hand and pushing it away from her face. That was starting to get uncomfortable. Sherlock stared at her for a moment. He appeared to be contemplating something before he stood to his full height and wrapped the blanket around her more securely.

He leaned over her and pressed a quick kiss on her forehead before walking around the couch and heading back out. "Stay there. Mycroft get her back to 221B as soon as the rain has let up or when she stops shivering. I suspect Anthea still has a couple clothes to spare her here. I'll text you with what you need,"

Mycroft didn't stir much from his seated position in his chair. Anthea sat near him, her face a bit red from the last bit of the younger Holmes brother's deduction.

He didn't say much. There was a small smile on his face however.

Brother, why must you cause such trouble over little matters.

"Anthea." He called.

"Yes, sir." She nodded without another word and walked out the room and towards the stairs. The petite pathologist would be taken care of. As long as she was affiliated with the detective she wouldn't have to worry much. Whether her safety was an issue or not.

Anthea found it rather sweet the way Sherlock seemed to have come into being around the young woman even if he was fighting it as much as possible. The Holmes brothers were a bit stubborn that way.

Would you look at that! I dabbled in the Holmes Brothers life again. Well sort of. This was one was a bit more phone and less tense. I also finally got to hint at my secret ship (not so secret anymore) Anthea & Mycroft. They would be an interesting pair. I have this idea for a Mycroft little number. That might have to wait until next week though haha. What do you think?

Much love,

Day