A/N: I do not own Sherlock. If I did I would have made sure that awesome kiss in the first few seconds was real! Sherlolly FTW! Molly was in his mind palace! Aaannnnd slapped his but dam she's a BAMF

Title:Human Error, Sherlock

Summary: Molly Hooper was positive Moriarty is dead. Sherlock had seen him shoot his brains out. Her boss, Mike Stamford who is also one of John's closest friends and whom they both trust, did the autopsy. The DNA results proves that it's Moriarty but this isn't the Jim she dated… she stares at the picture of dead Moriarty on the slab before the autopsy had started. She specifically remembered he had a menacing scar diagonally across his chest onto the top of his ribs… this Jim has nothing but the wound from the autopsy… Who did she date?

Rating:T (ratings will change in future chapters)

Genre: Drama/Adventure/Romance

Chapter One

Molly just stared at the telly blankly, her heart pounding heavily in her chest while the loop of Moriarty's video continued.

"Did you miss me?"

She was sure Moriarty's dead. Sherlock said that he shot the gun in his mouth. Sherlock saw him die. No one could obviously survive that. No one can go back from that, right? She's a doctor she knows what would have happened if he did actually survive that… he'd be brain damaged.

She tried to remember if she saw Moriarty's body on the slab when her boss Mike Stamford did the autopsy. But then she realized she never really saw the body she was too preoccupied doing Sherlock's autopsy to be even be bothered by him, besides she didn't want to see Jim's body. It only fuels her anger of being used by a psychopath. She didn't even know who Jim really was until she saw his face on the telly and the papers, after he had stolen the crowned jewels, Sherlock didn't tell her (to protect her, she guesses). Her skin crawls with disgust when she remembered that kiss they shared one night, he fooled her into thinking he was this sweet guy full of romance that she thought she could fall for and help her get over Sherlock even only they've been out on two dates.

"Did you miss me?" the message looped again. It has been fifteen minutes since it first aired. She finally had the strength to turn it off before she'd throw up on due to her slow rising panic attack that she's having and it's bubbling in her stomach and threatening to escape her throat. She felt the stool behind her, collapsing to it. She held on the table so she wouldn't fall over.

She has been so out of it that she doesn't even remember her phone ringing; her hand just moved on its own and answered her phone. It took her a couple of seconds to comprehend that the voice on the other line has been calling out her name.

"Oi, Molly!" D.I Greg Lestrade says desperately.

She spoke up but it sounded like a groan, she clears her throat and her voice comes out hoarsely "Greg,"

"I've been trying to ring you the past five minutes." She could hear the relief in his voice, "I was about to call dispatch to check on you."

"So-sorry, I didn't hear the telephone." She says quietly.

"Did Molly finally answer?" Mrs. Hudson said on the other end. Lestrade probably went over to Baker Street to check on Mrs. Hudson when the broadcast started to air. "Is she alright?"

"Yeah, I'm alright." Molly says loudly this time. She could hear the two discussing whether or not it was safer for her to go to Baker Street while they wait for Sherlock to comeback.

Her heart did a funny dance at the mention of Sherlock's name. She mentally reprimanded herself; she's a grown woman and should act like a teenager when it comes to him. Sure, she can talk without stuttering anymore and has a little confidence being around him but she always has to mentally prepare herself and not do anything rash in order to seem calmer even though most of the time her heart would be racing in her chest. And also the fact that she hasn't seen Sherlock since Christmas eve, he was fairly odd that day. He was really nice. He dropped by the morgue without really needing anything from her or whatever he wanted and probably just forgot about it.

The first thing she had said to her was, "Merry Christmas." Then he stuck his hand out asking for a present, when all she did was stare at him confusedly he simply said, "Last time you were this nervous around me was a the around Christmas time a few years back, I figured you had a present."

Then the real reason why she was nervous around him walked in the door, Tom. He had a big smile on his face but when he saw Sherlock his face dropped into a frown and slight anger played on his face. Then he turned to Molly, the look on his face broke her heart. "I guess I'm early. I'll come back later." He slams the door behind him making her flinch.

She tries her best to avoid Sherlock's gaze. She didn't know why she felt wretched and guilty. What she does with her life and decides with her relationships is her business not his. And besides, Tom is only a friend… she can have dinner with friends... right? When she finally looked up to meet his gaze beneath his stoic expression she saw a few emotions escape him, he looked disappointed, annoyed and jealousy… nah she ignored that last bit this is Sherlock, he doesn't have that emotion especially for her. "We're just friends, he wanted to do lunch." She explained, she started twirling the end of her hair and started to avoid his gaze again when he started to shake his head with disapproval.

"No need to explain, it is none of my business." He says firmly, he looks at the door as if waiting to see if Tom was going to barge back in again. After a few beats, he starts to speak again and in one breath which seems like it he deduces her, "It's normal to feel lonely on the holidays, enough that invitations from ex-fiancé's sounds like a wonderful idea. Most couples tend to get back together due to the holiday blues even though the relationship was terrible but I'm guessing it's better to have a pretend happiness than the alternative of actually being alone since your mother has yet abandoned you to spend Christmas with future husband number four." He paused for breath and then continued, "Tom's familiar and he fills that empty void but there was a reason why the engagement fell through, and I'm positive you can find someone more suitable for you. Being with someone just because you're lonely isn't a good enough reason, if you keep this up then your worse fear of becoming your mother would happen. Companionship doesn't always mean happiness, Molly." He said in one steady breath, he raises an eyebrow waiting for a destructive reaction form Molly who is just staring at him blankly trying to comprehend all he had said.

If she was just another person who doesn't know Sherlock, she'd probably slap him right now but he his right, as always, everything he says is always the truth. His lack always tact pains her because he always hits home especially where it hurts. She could always count in his honesty though even though it hurts to hear the truth, it's kind of like how Sherlock could always count on her slapping him hard across the face just in case he falls off the wagon again. She sighs an exasperated one, "You are probably right," she mumbles enough for him to hear.

A sly grin escapes his lips, probably surprised that she agreed quickly. He was hoping for an argument. He just hums in agreement. He places his hands behind his back and straightens up, "Well, Merry Christmas again Molly Hooper." He gives her a quick nod then turns to leave. He gets to the door and pauses for a moment , he turns to her "You probably want to inform Tom that you only seek friendship, from the slightly murderous look he gave me, he thinks you might want to give your failed engagement another go." He gives her a decent smile, a genuine Sherlock Holmes smile that rarely escapes his beautiful face; she's only seen it a few times when he's solved something that has baffled him, but this time the smile was directed at her, "Oh, and Molly, you are a lot stronger than you think." He leaves her before she could respond.

That day was also the last time she saw Tom as well. As Sherlock said Tom was thinking that they were getting back together. Sherlock was right about one thing, she was lonely but Tom was actually right for her. He loved her wholeheartedly, accepted her flaws, he was always there for her without asking for anything in return. It was her that was the problem, she wanted to be fair to Tom because he deserved better. He needed someone who loved him as much and was willing to give her heart whole heartedly. She wasn't right for him; she realized it as soon as Sherlock came back to her life after two years of being gone.

"Molly!" Lestrade's voice brought her back to the present, the desperation in his voice shows that he's been calling for his name for a while now, "If you're in any kid of trouble just say the word. I'll send dispatch straight away."

"No. I am sorry, I am alright. Just a bit shook up is all." She pinches the bridge of her nose. She realizes this will not be the first time she's going to be asked if she's alright. This thought gave her a slight migraine.

"I'll have Donavan—"

"No Greg, I am quite alright. Just keep an eye out on Mrs. Hudson for Sherlock." She says quietly into the phone. She knows that Sherlock has been sent away for the crime he committed against Magnussen. She doesn't know the extent of it and what exactly happened but John briefly filled her in with the details, from John's distraught she knows she wouldn't be able to see Sherlock for a while maybe forever. But now she's sure England probably needs Sherlock because of Moriarty.

"Alright," he sighed in defeat. One thing he knows about her is that if she makes up her mind no one can change it (well maybe except for Sherlock) it'll be pointless to argue with her. "If anything comes up give me a ring." He demanded.

"Straight away."

"Mrs. Hudson please sit down—" She heard Greg reprimand Mrs. Hudson before he hung up on her, the act made her smile a bit.

Molly told herself to get up and continue whatever it was she was doing before the broadcast. To treat today like a normal day, "As if a criminal mastermind hasn't risen from the dead… the same criminal mastermind that you went on a date and possibly may have kissed or not… or even slightly enjoyed…."She mumbled to herself. And as if on cue one of her co-workers walked in the lab and asked her if she was alright. So it begins, she thinks to herself.

She didn't hear from Sherlock that day, or the day after that or after that. She wasn't offended or anything, she knows he's keeping a low key away from the press and Moriarty's spying eyes. Though she knows Sherlock is keeping a close watch (well in his own way…) she didn't notice it until a coworker mentioned that there are more homeless people around the area. When she started to pay attention on the homeless people and it's the same people that helped her with Sherlock's death.

It wasn't five days after the broadcast till she got a text from Sherlock. She was sitting at her flat after finishing a glass of wine that she drank in one gulp due to a very stressful day at work, and the fact that she saw Tom today…

Alright? – SH

Yeah. It's not every day though that someone who I thought was dead comes back to life and taunts all of England if they miss him… - Molly

She doesn't know what prompt her to send a long text to a simple question, maybe it's the second glass of wine that she had drank in less than ten minutes and she's definitely feeling the after effects of being a lightweight and swearing off alcohol, the last time she had a drink was the night she broke off her engagement with Tom. she was kidnapped by her friends forcing her to drink her loneliness away by taking shots of tequila. The night turned into a fun night she barely remembered but a very miserable morning after thus her swearing off drinking.

Minutes has passed and she still hasn't gotten a response from him, it doesn't bother her anyway he doesn't really enjoy small talks. She's already talked too much for a simple question he had asked. But to her surprise he responded to her text, as she read it a smile formed on her lips.

Well, apparently it happens twice in a year. A supposedly dead person comes back to life to surprise England. –SH

That's true but I knew you weren't dead... –Molly

Fair enough –SH

Is he really alive, Sherlock? -Molly

It took him a few minutes to respond and his response didn't surprise her either.

I do not know. –SH

An honest answer from Sherlock, she's positive that he's frustrated and probably still haven't eaten just to figure out what is happening. But she let it go, Sherlock will eventually figure this mystery out, he always does.

She stares at her empty glass of wine and was contemplating if she wanted another drink or not. "One more glass, Molly then you go to bed." She told herself. She indulges herself with another glass of wine and places the half empty bottle of wine back in her cupboard. Sitting on the side of her bed, she finishes the glass in one gulp again. And she only has one person to blame for this.

Tom.

Other than the fact that they were short staffed this morning so Molly had to deal with twice the work than she's normally used to not that she cannot handle stress but on her lunch break she saw Tom with a girl. She was getting ready to buy her lunch when Tom walked in with a girl, it wasn't any other girl it was one of Tom's past girlfriend before her. She froze when she saw him and ran away not even getting her food but not before Tom saw her and ran after her.

"Molly, wait." He called after her, she saw him pat the girl's shoulder then she could hear footsteps after her. "Molly, please." He begged.

She sighed, she turned to him. "Hello Tom," she smiles at him even though inside a strong confusing emotion empowers her but she doesn't really know what she's feeling. Was she jealous, angry, happy, or maybe a little relieved that he's found someone now… she certainly doesn't know?

"Molly, I-I Mo-Molly," he started to stutter. She knew that stutter too well, that's when he's nervous and guilty. He did that when he tried to hide his surprise to propose to her.

She stepped forward and grabbed his wrist, "Tom, it's alright… I'm glad you're happy. I really am…" She smiles at him. "You deserve to be happy, Tom." She raises her toes and gives him a kiss on the cheek. She gives him one more look and turns to leave him. After that she was starving all day, annoyed at her coworker for calling in sick, and confused if she was really happy for Tom or not.

Toby jumping on her lap brought her to the present again. The cat kept rubbing its head on her palm wanting attention. Molly obliged and started patting the cats head between his ears. "Looks like it's you and I tonight…." She mumbles to herself, the cat just purring in agreement. "As always…"

She opens her table side drawer and there it was sitting on the edge taunting her was her engagement ring. She picks it up , staring at it. She knows most people are supposed to return the ring back but Tom wouldn't take it back, he kept saying that it was a gift. His voice echoed in her mind the night she broke their engagement.

"I love you Molls, I can make you happy. I know I will. I'm not blind, I know what this is really about I've seen the way you look at him. But I know this much, he can never make you need, I don't think he is capable of that. Please keep the ring Molly just in case you want to come back to me, whenever you are ready to get what you truly need and what you truly deserve."

She puts the ring on her finger, "What the hell is matter with you!" she scolds herself. Toby jumps off her lap and goes into his usual corner hissing at her for scaring him. She hates this part of herself when she feels lonely. She likes to end up sabotaging herself by always wanting something she cannot have. Though she admits she doesn't really want Tom back, she thinks she just wants the thought of Tom, a person who loves her as much as she loves Sherlock. She realized as soon as Sherlock came back a year ago that she never was over him. She had told herself that the only way she'd be able to accept someone's love is to be over Sherlock... she needs to be free of him…

She hugs on her pillow as she falls onto her bed. Staring at her ring again, hoping that if she was good enough she'd someday find someone would love her as much as Tom did and as much as she loves Sherlock. She closes her eyes succumbing into a dreamless sleep…

A/N: I hope you enjoy this. :) I'm just trying this out, I know it's not going anywhere yet, but I am planning to. SOOOO please review and all that it helps with inspiration :)