The Handkerchief

Note: This is an AU that has been plaguing me for some time. I may do more of it but I'd like to see what others think first. Enjoy. :)

Disclaimer : I don't own Sherlock. I only own the plot.

There was only so much time that a student could have off from school after having to grief a loss. This was especially true with the case of one, Molly Hooper. She had been absent from her courses for a week. Most would think it was a bit of special treatment however that was never the case.

Molly Hooper was not the class president, or the head cheerleader. She was just an awkward girl who spent most of her time trying to speak to people who just pushed her around because she let them.

You'd think she'd want to change that but coming back she just wanted to get through the day with as little conflict as possible.

There was also another student who attended Chapel Hill Academy. One who most tried to be friends with because he was quite mysterious and gorgeous. From the way he cared himself to the way the standarized uniform of slacks, dress shirt and blazer with a tie usually ecentuated his built form. One, Sherlock Holmes.

He didn't see the point in forming bonds let alone friendships with these people who admired him. It was quite silly if you asked him. He would tell you so. He just didn't see the point. However, there was one exception in the form of a lad that was interested in medicine. John Watson.

They had first encountered each other last year in science class that Sherlock had been forced to take. (It was required.) Watson and Holmes became lab partners and started to take interest in each other. Sherlock in the rather mediocre yet not entirely dull mind of John's and John in the way Sherlock acted. It was quite interesting from the outside perspective.

This year though they had been split up. This year focused more on their college field study and obviously they had been on two different sides of the spectrum of studies. It didn't stop them from speaking and spending time together. This was a boarding school after all. There were weekends and breaks where "fun" could be made.

Theirs being a bit more unorthodox than the rest of their peers. On this day during lunch in fact Sherlock was shocked to realize that his friend had another friend in the form of a girl no less. Though it quite surprised him in two aspects:

1) It was a girl who wasn't romantically interested in him. There had been many that he observed in the past.

2) She was a familiar girl. His Chemistry partner to be exact; Molly Hooper.

He had thought nothing of it over the past week when he worked alone in lab. He just figured that she had dropped the course. However, now looking back there had been a bit of distress in her actions the last time they were working together.

He watched in fascination as John bounded down to Molly and talked to her. He couldn't hear exactly what they were saying but there was a lot of sympathy on his friend's face and bit of relaxation in the girl that he didn't care to notice much.

Something had happened apparently. Molly was crying Sherlock noticed with a grim expression on his face. He hated when people cried. More so girls. He wasn't good at fixing that. He wasn't one to comfort. That was just something he never cared to teach himself to do. It'd never seemed important enough.

John had muttered something to Molly and gave her shoulder a firm squeeze before wandering back to Sherlock. He saw that his friend was giving him a nearly bewildered gaze at the display of affection he had shown his the grieving girl. "I didn't know she was coming back today. I thought she'd at least text me."

"You're..." Sherlock paused briefly trying to be sure he wanted to ask the question before continuing. "You're acquainted with her?"

John laughed at the way he worded the question. He always found it strange how he asked the most simple questions in a more regal way. "Yes. We are friends. We met a couple years ago after I got into a tussel with these guys. She was volunteering at the clinic I went to to get patched up."

"She wants to be a doctor then?" Sherlock looked confused. He didn't see quiet/awkward Molly becoming a doctor. John's motion of shaking his head caused him to stop momentarily.

"She wants to be a pathologist. Kind of odd, isn't it?" John smiled but Sherlock's focus was elsewhere. He was thinking of his lab partner as a pathologist. It didn't seem too strange. If anything it seemed to suit her.

The sound of the bell ring pulled the boys away from their thoughts and onto their feets. They headed back to the front entrance of the quad and into the academy once more. Neither had looked to see that Molly hadn't move an inch, not even a flinch at the ringing of the bells. There had been three-one at the end of lunch, the second as a ten minute warning for the stragglers and another as a late bell.

Molly had slipped into a memory. One that seemed so far away when in reality was just the week prior.

Back in the school Sherlock had just sat down in Chemistry for another lab day. Something coiled inside him upon realizing he was alone again today. Usually he didn't notice nor care but the lab called for two people to work through this one together whereas all the others had been single assignments. They could have helped each other if needed but there was no requirement for it.

He wanted to curse his instructor and that girl for not moving inside with everyone else. It wasn't that serious. Everyone grieved. This long was too long for anyone.

Instead of making a spectual about it to anyone even though he could feel the piercing gazes of others watching him as he pushed back from the table and calmly walked out the room without even a halt in his step. The instructor had said nothing.

He wondered back out to the quad which was vacant and down to the small hill where she was still sitting. He just stood a couple feet back to figure out how to do this. He normally wouldn't care if he hurt anyone's feelings or didn't realize it at all. This blatantly dull girl needed fixing quickly.

It nearly took five minutes for it to come to him. Not too long but considering he would have usually just grabbed her and went on his way. He found himself stalling. He was begrudgingly about to be courteous to someone. Someone he really didn't know that well.

As a lot of the trash magazines and books he briefly skimmed over when he got bored said: girls were delicate. Even more so when upset over something.

He shoved his hands in the pocket of his trousers and walked down to where she was sitting. He didn't even look at her as he pulled out a small cloth and extended his arm to give it to her. She stopped sobbing and breathing it seemed as she directed her gaze from the item in his hand, to his hand up his arm and to his face.

"Here." He stated when she didn't move to grab it. He stuffed his hand back in his pocket and waited a moment. He still didn't look at her but could see that she had began to wipe the tears off her face which he was surprised to see didn't have make up on it.

"W-what are you doing here?" She asked a few moments later after cleaning away her face. He noticed the crack first then the stutter as she posed the question. He wouldn't think of it any more than that she was overwhelmed.

"You need to be in class."

"So should you." Her voice was quiet as he expected it to be but was much more clearer. It was obvious she had cleared it.

"Obviously." He muttered before turning to her and gripping her arm at the elbow and speaking once more with a bit more urgency. It brought out his baritone a bit more. "Get up."

When she didn't move he yanked her to her feet and spoke quickly. "Everyone dies. It's how we evolve. We allowed to mourn yes but it's been a week and that is entirely too long. I'm sure you miss whomever it is that died."

"Mum-." She was cut off as Sherlock began speaking again. "Yes, that is rather unfortunate but your mum would want to keep living. You are alive still Molly, and so you should continue to go to your lessons."

There were many things running through her head but only one needed to be said despite the way his icy blue orbs were glaring down at her. "You really need me." She paused for a moment as she felt his grip tighten on her arm and then she continued knowing that he was getting impatient. "Being rude won't help, though."

He huffed as he turned and began to pull her along to the school. They needed to get back to the lab to have time to finish their assignment. He had already wasted enough time as it is.

"Here." She called while trying to keep up with the long strides of his legs. Sherlock turned and looked down at her. She was trying to give him back his handkerchief. He turned back around and spoke two words that were pretty simple. "Keep it."

"It's yours." She stated quietly.

"I'm aware of that. I'd rather not have it now that your tears are on it." That was the truth but he covered it up with a lie next. "I have another."

Before they reached the door however she pulled on his arm hard enough that he leaned down and she stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek quickly. She let go of his arm and walked inside the lab.

Sherlock just stood there for a moment blinking. She had whispered something to him before giving him that small nuisance of affection. "Thank you."

He just rolled his eyes before joining the rest of his class inside. He wasn't sure what she thanked him for but brushed it off as they had other things to worry about. Like the assignment they had to complete within the next twenty five minutes.

This was be interesting, he couldn't help but thinking as he sat down and they began working.

fin.

Hello! So I'm not sure where this came from exactly. I just really needed to write it since it's been on my mind and I'm in between updates on my Sherlolly fic COD:Unknown (check it out please). If anyone wants it I may have more shots like this centering around this AU. It was definitely interesting to write. Let me know what you think, yeah? Much love,

Day