Molly trudged up the stairs to her flat. It was harder to stay on her feet now, as the baby inside her had just passed the five-month mark. She was more than excited about the arrival of her second child, but she wished it wasn't so hard to carry a baby. As she reached the closed door of 221B Baker Street, she could hear muffled voices and the distinct sound of her first child Fabian, shrieking in joy. She smiled as she walked into the room, the sound of Fabian lifting her mood from the awful day she had at work. But her smile dropped from her face, as she not only saw her husband Sherlock in the room, but also the dominatrix Irene Adler. Molly stood in the doorway watching as Fabian was bounced in Irene's lap. Sherlock was stood opposite them, but turned to face Molly as she entered the room. Molly simply stared at him with the question in her eyes, what is she doing here?

"Relax Molly I'm not here to cause any trouble." Irene winked. Sherlock rolled his eyes and left the room to go to their bedroom. Molly watched as Sherlock left the room, without saying a single word. She turned to glare at Irene. "What are you doing here then?" Molly nearly spat.

"I just came to collect my belongings from your husband." The way Irene sneered the last word made Molly extremely uncomfortable and angry. She walked forward to snatch her son from the dominatrix. Fabian shrieked in annoyance and reached out the woman who had previously been holding him. Irene arched an eyebrow. "No need to snatch. Fabian likes his Auntie Irene. Doesn't appear to like you very much dear. Well I suppose that's what bad parenting can do." She smirked. Molly was fuming, whilst trying to contain a struggling Fabian. Just then Sherlock reappeared, Irene's old phone in his hand. He looked between the two women, and hesitated to advance any further. Molly turned her glare to him and thrust Fabian into his arms. "Look after your son for a change." She spat, prying to phone from his hand. She stormed over to Irene. As she was stood in front of the woman, she looked up at her. "Take it and leave." Molly snapped. Irene smirked wider but leant forward to take the phone from the smaller woman. As she did she whispered into Molly's ear. "I feel bad for the second child, what with a mother like you."

The sound of the slap echoed through the flat. It succeeded in shocking Irene and Sherlock. It even managed to temporally make Fabian stop struggling. Sherlock stared at his wife in partial amusement, but he was also confused as to why she had decided to dislike Irene. Of course there were many reasons why an individual would dislike Irene but Molly hardly knew the woman. Irene looked livid but her anger dissipated and she turned to smirk at Sherlock. "Well... I guess it's time for me to... Run..." She commented with a sly quiver in her voice. With that she turned and swept out of the door and on to the dark streets of London.

Molly turned around and looked at her husband. "Can you put Fabes to bed please?" She asked sourly. She didn't wait for a reply before she departed for bed. Once Sherlock had settled Fabian, he went directly to the kitchen and made two cups of tea, one for himself, and one for his wife. When the tea was ready he hesitantly walked to the bedroom and entered slowly. He could tell she was not asleep, despite her being curled on her side in a foetal position beneath the covers. "Molly." He said softly. She didn't respond. With a sigh he placed the mugs on the night stand and made to move his wife. He carefully removed the duvet covering her body, and gently lifted her into a sitting position. All though she did not object to being moved she was clearly reluctant to look at him. He lifted her chin with the tip of his thumb and forefinger. She had been crying.

"Molly." He said again as he pulled her onto his lap. This time she did not object in the slightest and snuggled into his chest. "Why are you crying?" He asked, rubbing her sore back protectively. He felt her shrug beneath him.

"Pregnancy hormones probably." She mumbled into his chest. They sat like that for a few minutes before Sherlock asked, "Is that why you acted like you did earlier?" She remained silent for a long time. Sherlock had assumed she had fallen asleep in his embrace, until she muttered, "Partly."

He looked down at his pathologist in his arms. Ever since he had married her, he thought he had learned to read her perfectly. However she still every so often surprised him, resulting in him falling in love with her all over again. This was one of those times, yet he was unsure was unsure as to why. So he waited patiently for her to continue. When she didn't, he pulled back forcing her to emerge from her refuge in his chest. She had no choice but to look at him. She sighed, but still refused to comment on the matter. Sherlock tried again, "Why did you act like that when Irene was here?" She's sighed again, but proceeded to mumble an explanation.

"I don't know. I just- looking at Irene with Fabian, and you hovering over them... Just... I guess made me feel... Jealous and more than anything sad..."

Sherlock stared at her with a mixture of confusion and awe. He was at loss to understanding why she felt like this. In some strange way it urged Molly to continue.

"I just remembered John telling me the way, you know, you and Irene... met... And how she played you and you played her..." Her voice trailed off, and she looked down at her hands which she had started picking at. "And well... You and her seemed like a perfect match, what with her cunning and sly mind, much like your own... John even said that you seemed to, um, really care for her. And I don't like her chosen... Shall we say profession? I guess from a man's, well and from a woman's perspective I suppose, she just seems so... gorgeous. I just felt so inadequate in comparison... The hormones got the better of me I guess. I didn't mean to lash out." She mumbled.

"False." He stated, his mind slowly coming to life and understanding Molly's point of view. His tone confused Molly and she looked up to question him, "I'm sorry?"

"False." He said again. "Yes, once I did 'care' for her. But she betrayed that almost immediately. And yes I suppose in some peoples perspectives she can be, rather alluring I suppose, but I can assure you I am not one of those people. As for compatibly, she possesses only a mild intelligence. Most of her 'cunning' ideas came from Moriarty. You on the other hand, well Miss Adler flails in your company in my mind. While yes, she can be deemed physically attractive, she is in no way more so than you are to me. The only thing majorly different in your current appearance is temporary and caused by me. And in no way should it be something's to feel ashamed of." He ran one of his hands rather protectively over her large baby bump. She smiled a small smile and covered his hand with her smaller one, intertwining their fingers.

"And as for your intelligence, well there is a reason you are the only pathologist I will work with. And don't worry about Fabian liking her more than you. He only liked her for a brief period of time because her body spray smelt of strawberries." He finished.

Molly smiled shyly at his attempt to make her feel better. It wasn't really an attempt however, as it did make her feel a whole lot better than she did before. "Thank you." She whispered, brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "I only told the truth." Her husband responded, before kissing the end of her nose.

FIN. -Jess