Author's Note:

I know I haven't updated Masquerade in close to a year. It's atrocious and it pisses me off. I am hoping to have more time here in the future to rectify this. In the meantime, I am trying to get my writing juices flowing again. So here's my venture into that! I am planning on this being little short chapters as scenes come to me, but the first couple of chapters will be longer to set the story. Barts has an international reputation as being one of the most medically-focused research centers on the planet. I never seem to find any fanfics centering around what Molly does other than medical autopsies, which if she is at Barts, I can bet you a million that is only a small bit of what she actually does there. I want to explore that and give her character some more dimension. Also, Sherlolly.

TL:DR I want to explore Molly's duties at Barts, how it works with Sherlock being around, new people, and give Molly the family she deserves.

Disclaimer: I don't own shit. We know this. Enjoy what I've managed to punch out without expectation of like anything ever coming from it.

A Guiding Hand

Prologue

"I know you have a lot on your plate, my dear, but I thought I'd at least ask." Mike Stamford smiled gently at the petite woman, knowing that the odds were Molly were too sweet to deny his request.

He honestly really hoped she would. The poor girl never gave herself any chance to rest. The only reason he was asking was because it was procedure, and in order to gain permission to list a hiring advertisement, he had to be able to prove he had legitimately asked all of his staff if they could assist him first. He had saved young Molly Hooper for last. Hoping that one of the others would have warned her and she'd have come to the decision already to deny him.

"Well, it's only for this year, correct?" Molly's lips were pursed as she gazed absently at the lab data on the screen before her.

She had been working very hard on her latest research project, and was fully aware of the setbacks she would experience if she agreed to Mike's proposition.

"I am hoping so. I really think you shouldn't agree, dear! You already work so hard. Your hours are scattered as they are! Not to mention with the NSY constantly paging you…"

Molly chuckled, "Mike, you know I voluntarily agree to all of that. And it's not as if I have much of a home life right now…"

She didn't catch Mike's wince. The poor girl's work load hardly enabled her to change her situation. Her engagement of only 6 months ago had quickly snuffed it, what with the return of Sherlock Holmes. And anybody with half a brain understood that once Sherlock Holmes was back, murder and mayhem would once again take over the operations of St. Bart's Pathology Department. It was profitable for the department, believe it or not, since they had an outstanding grant that they received from Her Majesty's Government's Research Division. Part of the grant's guidelines had been allowing third party consultants frequent access to St. Bart's labs and participation in the student experimentation stores. It didn't take any sort of a genius to figure out why that clause was specifically in there.

"I think yes. I can do it. I already do the tours and I helped Daniel with the lab instructions when he was still around," Molly nodded firmly, turning a warm smile in Mike's direction.

"Molly, please, give it some more thought-"

She shook her head and stood up, "It's done, Mike. Now what do I have to do to make sure everything is set up for the students?"

A tired sounding sigh escaped his lips, "Let's sojourn to my office, yes? We will have to discuss any certificates we may need you to get in order to fulfill the position to the satisfaction of the board. Also, if you are determined to help out, we are certainly going to rearrange your schedule. I can't have you falling dead on the job, what with your new responsibilities. Oh God, that was a terrible joke!"

Molly burst into laughter, reaching out to pat him on the arm, "It's all right!"

Mike flushed red, but continued to lead her to his work space, "I am so mortified! I tell you it's entirely too easy to have such a morbid sense of humor down here!"

"I think you mean a morgue-sense of humor."

Mike groaned, "Saints preserve us Hooper!"

Molly just giggled.