"Coming?" Sherlock called over his shoulder as he strode towards the door, coat flapping in his wake.
Molly shook herself out of her cheek-kiss induced daze and quickly followed. She chastised herself. Surely she should be immune to him by now, she was engaged for Christ sake. Engaged to a lovey, kind and caring man. Boring. It was Sherlock's voice she heard in her mind, always Sherlock's voice. Well so what? Boring doesn't insult my appearance. Boring doesn't flatter me to get me to give him body parts. Boring doesn't disappear for two years. Mores the pity. Him again. Why was he always inside her mind?
They walked in silence, Molly having finally caught up with his long stride.
"So when's the big day then?" Sherlock asked, keeping his eyes in front of him.
Molly frowned and made to speak, but before she had a chance to answer Sherlock stopped abruptly outside what Molly assumed was their destination. He opened the door for her and she stepped inside the delicious smelling shop.
Sherlock followed her in and approached the counter. A young man looked up from where he was chopping something and immediately grinned at Sherlock.
"Mr Holmes! Lovely to see you again! Hows all that crime solving going?" His accent was strong east London and Molly noticed he had cute little dimples when he smiled.
Sherlock shook the man's hand and Molly saw him smile briefly. So Sherlock liked this man. He certainly didn't smile for just anybody, no matter how briefly.
"Good evening Alfie. I trust you haven't been framed for any crimes in my absence?"
Alfie laughed and shook his head. "No, thank god. Dunno what I would have done without you. I always said you weren't really dead, knew you'd be back eventually. Chips for you and your lady friend?" he asked, winking at Molly, who had been watching the exchange silently. She gave Alfie and shy smile and looked up at Sherlock who nodded.
"Yes. And some water please. Thank you Alfie".
"No bother at all mate. You sit yourself down, I'll be right over."
They moved to the small seating area and took seats opposite each other. Sherlock took out his phone and ignored Molly for the 2 minutes it took for their food to arrive. Molly dug into her dinner eagerly, having missed lunch assisting Sherlock.
Sherlock did the same, albeit in a more controlled manner. He occasionally sipped his water.
"You never answered my question Molly," he said, keeping his voice low in the quiet café.
Molly swallowed her chips before answering.
"Oh erm, well we haven't really discussed it to be honest. But soon hopefully," she smiled brightly and Sherlock nodded.
"Your false smiles don't work on me Molly, as you well know."
He was right of course, and she knew it. She sighed and took a gulp of her water.
"I'm trying, I really am," she explained.
He frowned. "You shouldn't have to try Molly. You know that aswell."
His patronising tone angered Molly. How dare he judge her relationship. He was the reason she was such an emotional mess.
"Well what am I supposed to do? Resign myself to a life of loneliness?" she snapped.
Sherlock regarded her, holding her gaze.
"Are you?"
"Am I what?"
"Lonely."
Molly felt a lump rise in her throat as she looked into his blue eyes. She willed the tears not to come.
"Yes," she almost whispered.
"Even with him?"
She nodded, not trusting her voice anymore.
"Then why on earth are you with him Molly?"
Molly shrugged. She didn't have an answer.
In fact yes, yes she did. Of course she did.
"Because I can't have you."
She felt heat flood her cheeks but she forced herself to hold his gaze,
She could see he was uncomfortable and he broke their staring contest to take a sip of water.
"And what makes you think that?" he asked staring at a point over her shoulder.
She scoffed. Was he joking? No, of course not. He doesn't joke.
"Where do I start? You flatter me to manipulate me into giving you body parts, the rest of the time you're insulting my personality or appearance and I'm pretty sure you only asked me here today because John still isn't speaking to you. Should I go on?" she raised an eyebrow at him.
Sherlock was silent for a while and Molly was considering just walking away from him. She was just about to grab her bag when she felt his large warm hand cover one hers across the table.
"Molly, please don't leave."
She frowned. "How did you-"
"You forget how well I know you Molly. I can practically read your mind."
Molly sighed.
"Look Sherlock, I think I've embarrassed myself enough for one day. I think I'm just going to-"
"You're wrong you know," his baritone voice interrupted her.
"You're wrong about everything you said. In the beginning, I admit, I did use your feelings for me to my advantage in the morgue. But please believe me when I tell you I haven't done that for a very long time. As for insulting you, you cannot know how sorry I am. I can only blame it on my apparent obsession with showing off. A most unattractive quality I am trying to correct. As for only inviting you because John wasn't available, you are correct. I would much rather spend the day in your company alone than have to endure John banging on about us not telling him I wasn't dead. In conclusion, you're deduction was incorrect. You can have me. You've had me for quite a while actually."
Needless to say Molly was dumbfounded.
"Why are you telling me this now?" was all she could think to say.
His hand was still covering her and he slowly turned it over, entwining their finger. Molly felt her whole arm tingle.
"Because I wanted to give you and chance to be happy, and I thought you were with Tom. But you're not, Molly. I think I could make you happy if you gave me a chance."
His blue eyes met hers and she could see the sincerity behind his words. She couldn't find anything to say so she gave him a watery smile and squeezed his hand. He smiled back.
"Eat up. I want to take you to Baker Street for the evening."
She frowned.
"Sherlock I can't. I need to see Tom. It's not fair to string him along, he's a good man. I need to end things with him. Even if we can't be together, I know it's wrong to stay with him when I don't love him." She gave Sherlocks hand another squeeze, willing him to understand.
He nodded and lifted Mollys hand to his lips.
"Very well. Go to him Molly Hooper. Tell him you're going to be with the man you love now. The man who loves you."
Molly's eyes rapidly filled with tears and Sherlock stood up and pulled her close to him.
"But hurry back," he whispered in her ear, "I want to sleep with you next to me tonight."
She nodded against his chest.
"Okay".
He pulled back and wiped at her tears with his thumbs.
"I promise Molly, I promise I will look after you. I may not be as romantic as you deserve and you know better than anybody what a selfish arsehole I can be. But I swear to you, nobody will love you more than I do. And I will be better for you. I'll change." He was so sincere; Molly had never seen him like that before.
She nodded and took his hands in hers.
"I don't want you to change Sherlock, I just want you to be yourself. That's all I've ever wanted. Just you."
They left the chippy, Molly waving goodbye to Alfie who gave her another wink. Sherlock wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer.
"I hope he realises you're mine. That's the last time we come here for chips," Sherlock murmured grumpily.
Molly could only grin. What a strange, strange day.
As it turned out, the first day of the rest of her life.