"Is he clean?" John looked hopefully at Molly.
"Clean?"
The hurt in her eyes confirmed John's suspicions that Sherlock had indeed taken drugs again.
Molly walked up to Sherlock and slapped him hard across the face.
Once.
Twice.
A third time with her other hand.
"How dare you throw away the beautiful gifts you were born with and how dare you betray the love of your friends, say you're sorry."
Sherlock could see the pain written on her face but the harsh words still escaped his mouth.
"Sorry your engagement's over though I'm fairly grateful for the lack of a ring," he said spitefully as he rubbed his cheek still stinging from the slap.
"Stop it. Just. Stop it."
Molly had never stood up to Sherlock before and he considered apologising properly. He was not given the chance, however, before John was at his side uttering concern over how he should have called.
Not that Sherlock was paying attention.
He shrugged John away and turned his attention to the other addict in the room currently deducing his best friend. The conversation soon bored Sherlock and a text with more interesting information pulled his attention out of the lab.
When Sherlock was finally left alone that evening, his thoughts turned to Molly and the way she had reacted to his return to drug use. Shy, quiet, unassuming Molly had shouted at Sherlock and when he retorted in his usual cruel manner she had stood her ground.
Sherlock mentally berated himself for not regarding her more highly and made a note in his mind palace to do so in future.
It was two days later when Molly was pulled into the office of her boss, Mike Stamford. She panicked, thinking she was yet again in trouble for allowing Sherlock to borrow body parts. But this was not the case as Molly was soon to find out.
"A promotion!" Molly exclaimed.
"Yes, congratulations Molly, it is well deserved. I'll take your excitement as acceptance of the job? I must say I wasn't sure you'd be so keen to leave. We'll all miss you but it is a fantastic opportunity nonetheless."
"I'm sorry, did you just say leave?"
In her excitement, Molly had lost concentration on what Mike was saying and missed the very crucial detail that the job she was being offered was not in Barts. It wasn't even in London.
"Bristol? I can't move to Bristol! I have a life here in London with friends and... my cat Toby and…"
Sherlock.
She shook away that thought as she recalled their last encounter when she had found out he was taking drugs again and the way he callously insulted her.
It dawned on Molly that there really wasn't a lot anchoring her to London and the prospect of starting fresh in a new city with an even better job was surprisingly appealing.
This is it, she thought, I'm finally going to get over Sherlock Holmes and move on with my life.
"Mike, I'll take the job."