Sherlollymouse: Sherlolly prompt: Sherlock discovers he prefers the "new" Molly (as in, season 3 Molly instead of season 1 Molly) and taking directions from her.

Sherlock Holmes came to the conclusion that he needed Molly Hooper.

He didn't like the feeling of needing something or someone, he was never the type to depend on others or seek their help. Yet he often found himself in need of her assistance. Sherlock lay on the couch and trod in the halls of his mind palace, he replayed all the moments that led up to his conclusion.

First memory was of the night he got shot. Molly took over his own mind palace and started stirring him in the right direction while his own brother merely poked at him.

That was a result of previous action, though. He searched further, replaying older memories.

The day he asked her to work out a formula for him and John so they won't get so drunk. He never asked anyone for help and always preferred to do things himself, but he trusts her and she did not fail him. She didn't account John slipping shots and messing with their alcohol intake of course, but she did not disappoint or refuse to help. Never.

Sherlock played the earliest memory. The day he was going to die, the day she saw through his distress when no one could, the day she offered her help to him. The day Molly Hooper selflessly sacrificed her peace of mind for him and for the safety of London. He felt her take the higher chambers in his mind palace that day and reside over his judgment in time of need.

From that chamber she saved his life on numerous occasions while he took down Moriarty's network and almost died several times or when a valuable information about bombs or poisons escaped him, he always heard her voice reciting the information in his ears and imagined her warm gaze encouraging him and making sure he knew she believed in him.

Molly Hooper helped him and never faltered, she became a woman he admired. She became his rock, and a pillar in his mind palace. Even on that day he added an acid too fast during an experiment and it started emitting foam that ate through metal. Molly Hooper calmly took care of the situation and saved his own feet from being melted. She smiled at him, flushed from the effort and told him that experience is better than just reading things from text books.

It was much more than Molly's brain that he needed, though.

Molly Hooper claimed the few chambers his newly found heart possessed. She's showed him the way to it and then started declaring it her own. He never saw her as an invader, but as someone reclaiming her long due properties. He had her heart a long time ago and broke her trust by breaking it a few times because he didn't understand why anyone would trust him with such an illogical fragile thing. That's why she didn't believe him the night he offered her his.

"I love you, Molly" He whispered, she was turning off the lights in the lab and his voice broke the darkness startling her.

"What?" It was not that she didn't hear him, it was her disbelief.

"I won't blame you if you don't believe me" Sherlock stepped forward, he wanted her to see him in this vulnerable state that only she can see "But I am in love with you. I've fought too hard and too much to not be in love with anyone, but I can't anymore"

Molly still looked suspicious.

"I don't see your love as a weakness, I was wrong" He continued, he looked at the ground. She is not going to believe him, she is going to laugh his words off because Sherlock Holmes doesn't possess a pint of love to give away, but he wanted her to listen nonetheless "You helped me more than you think, Molly. I realized that I can't live without you"

Molly raised her eyebrows "I am always here for you, Sherlock" She whispered "You don't have to say this to keep me around, I am not going anywhere"

"No" She still didn't believe him "I want to be there for you too, if you will let me. I want to kiss you whenever I can and to tell you how much I need you and how much I love you. I'm more scared of losing you than I am of loving you" He whipered the last few words. He suspected she may take his words in the wrong way, but Molly never did. Molly understood him, always.

Her eyes filled with tears for a second and she swallowed them, she gave him a warm smile that always flooded him with peace. "You really mean that?"

"I do, Molly. I am in love with you" Sherlock asserted as he locked his eyes with hers. His heart swelled three times its size when she reached for him and whispered into his ears "I love you"

Sherlock Holmes played the memory of the day he changed for her, the day she convinced him that someone can love him and that he can love someone back. That was three months ago and since then he continued to cherish Molly.

Sherlock finally stood up startling the cat that lay on his chest. He slid his hands into his pocket and stared at the box that was in it and smirked at it.

He now knew exactly how he was going to propose.