A/N - Quite a long oneshot! I actually quite like this one but as always reviews are welcome! So please r and r and let me know what you guys think. GV
Disclaimer - I do not own any of the Sherlock characters.
John Watson was still coming to terms with Sherlock's new relationship. The sudden interest the consulting detective had taken in Molly was unsettling to say the least and also rather cute, not that John would admit it. Before Molly, Sherlock hadn't even shown any interest in the fairer sex and had claimed to be married to his work on several occasions. So of course it came as a surprise when Sherlock announced, just a few months ago, that he had a date and with none other than his pathologist, Molly Hooper.
John remembered that day vividly as his mouth hung open for at least half an hour before he could regain composure and make a soothing cup of tea for himself. At first John thought it was one of Sherlock's more extravagant ploys to get Molly to do something for him but when Sherlock did go out on his date, John sat in the living room for the whole night and thought of all the possible scenarios of how the date could go, all ended up with a broken hearted and tearful Molly. John didn't want this for Molly, she was sweet, kind and thoughtful and the thought of Sherlock manipulating her made Johns stomach lurch. He needn't have worried though all went swimmingly at Angelo's that night. Sherlock was a perfect gentlemen and Molly managed not to be her normal clumsy self ( ok so she had two glasses of wine before coming out but who could blame her! ) When Sherlock came home that night he was rightfully interrogated by John.
"Oh your back! a bit early isn't it."
"No John it's past midnight."
"So how'd it go?."
"Fine."
"Really? Look Sherlock if this is some ploy to get something from Molly just stop, she doesn't deserve this."
" Its good to know you think so highly of me John, no I do not want anything from Molly Hooper except her companionship. I have recently seen her in a different light and yes it really went fine."
After that Sherlock had gone to his room to analyse the nights events and John was left dumbfounded on the living room sofa. That was the last time John broached the subject. If Sherlock wanted to get himself a girlfriend then he would let him, it's not like he was his carer.
Sadly this was not the last time John would be surprised by Sherlock's uncharacteristic behaviour. He was surprised when Sherlock brought Chinese take-away to Molly when they visited the morgue. He was surprised when Sherlock took Molly out on a second date then a third then a fourth. He was surprised when he walked into the living room to find Sherlock with his head on Molly's knee whilst she stroked his unruly curls. "Helps me think" was the explanation he got for that one. He was more than surprised when Sherlock bought a gift for Molly, come to think of it he still didn't know exactly what the gift was. Knowing Sherlock it was probably some chemicals or a microscope, practicality before sentiment he had told John, but with this new and improved Sherlock it might have actually been something significant. Anyway, John wasn't going to pry it was Sherlock's business and he was truly happy his flatmate had found someone. In fact, no one knew exactly how much Molly meant to Sherlock, well up until today that was.
Anderson was never going to be complimentary toward Sherlock, even if he secretly admired the man, he would never admit it, not even to himself. So it came as a given that Anderson would make jibes at Sherlock and his new interest. DI Lestrade had even started making small notes of all the insults Anderson had dealt, who knows he might be able to re-use one of them. The list included the DI's personal favourites such as " Sherlock you better watch your pet, if you leave them too long they will run away" and " I'm going to have to inform the military their alien experiment has taken a turn for the worst." Still if Molly had taught Sherlock anything it was to be patient or at least just glare at the stupidity until it went away. So Sherlock managed to deal ice cold death stares at Anderson and ignore the more poignant of the idiotic mans insults. After all Sherlock was a grown man and could take care of himself.
However this particular day Anderson had been told by Lestrade to drop off a bag of evidence to the morgue personally. He had mucked up Lestrade's coffee order so this was Lestrade's form of punishment for the man. Anderson hated morgues. They were too cold, dark and dingy. The smell of death reeked through the room and he almost felt as if the dead were actually watching him. Yes, he definitely did not like morgues. And he did not like the people who worked in them. Especially a certain Molly Hooper who just happened to be filing some paper work when he went in.
"Freak No.2, Lestrade sent me with this evidence." He said nonchalantly as he dropped the paper evidence bag on the small morticians desk.
Molly still hadn't gotten used to the constant jibes and media attention that came with being the worlds only consulting detectives sort of girlfriend. She could deal with the comments though, after all it was a relatively small price to pay for being able to date Sherlock, with his iridescent eyes, his long sweeping coat and his smell so musky and distinctly him. Oh and his…
A sharp cough brought her out of her wistful daydream.
"Yes, umm I'll pass it on to Sherlock. He emm should be here soon" she choked as she fumbled with the paperwork overflowing on her desk.
"Yeah, I bet you will!" exclaimed Anderson.
"What's that supposed to mean?" shrieked Molly as she could feel her already rosy complexion turning a deep shade of scarlet.
"Nothing" Anderson shrugged as he turned slowly on his heel and made his way to the heavy morgue door. "Oh, before I go, you know I do really admire your work, you are efficient most of the time, but missing the half moon defensive mark on the victims left wrist the other day was just sloppy" Anderson stated with a tone of triumph. He had spotted the defensive wounds and helped catch the killer he was not going to let this one go easily, especially since it was Sherlock Holmes' girlfriend doing the autopsy.
"The wounds arose post-mortem, that's emm the only reason I missed them." Molly said as she took a deep shuddering breath. Trying hard to stop her shaking hands she grasped the edge of her desk and stood upright, Molly Hooper may be many things but she was not sloppy. However this man standing in front of her was a police officer and also quite imposing. The dim morgue lighting didn't help much and only made Molly even more nervous of the man standing in front of her, criticising her, demeaning her. Her eyes nervously flitted around the morgue looking for any signs of a distraction. Thoughts bombarded Molly's brain of primary school and being asked a question by the teacher and not knowing. The expectation of the whole class looking and waiting for mousy Molly to answer, she never could. It was all too much. She would just mumble something incoherent and hope the teacher would move on.
"You know you're an ok pathologist, for your age but really missing vital marks is not going to help anyone. Unless you were distracted say with some consulting detective" mocked Anderson, who now stood square in front of Molly looking at her with accusing eyes as if she had committed some heinous crimes. " Face it Molly, your work is getting sloppy, maybe Sherlock just isn't good for you."
"What are you suggesting Anderson?" bellowed a deep voice from the doorway.
Molly quickly looked over to see him standing there and let go of a silent breath she wasn't aware she was holding. Sherlock was glaring at Anderson with one of his now perfected death stares. As Sherlock started to walk towards Anderson a rather flustered John Watson entered closing the door cautiously behind him.
" Well, care to explain yourself?" Sherlock asked.
"I was just saying that Molly's work has been less than satisfactory this past while and that she should spend less time with you and more time concentrating on her career and what is actually important in her life" Anderson spat gaining confidence with each word.
He barely had time to register Sherlock's fist flying towards his face as his nose being literally put out of joint. The force of the collision caused Anderson to fly across the room and whack his head off of Molly's cluttered desk sending paperwork and a few pens cascading to the floor. Molly's shriek was enough to break Sherlock out of his fury filled daze as he crossed the room and hugged Molly tightly before turning his gaze back to the now bleeding Anderson.
" Anderson." Sherlock warned, " Molly's work is meticulous and I would be lost without her. She is my pathologist. So do keep your opinions to yourself or risk lowering your already belittled IQ."
With that Anderson hurriedly turned pushing past a sniggering John Watson on his way out of the tense morgue.
"Oh and Anderson, the dead are watching." hollered Sherlock as the confused man fled from the morgue.
"Sherlock, did you really mean that?" asked Molly.
"Mean what?"
"That you would be lost without me." Molly stared at the detectives eyes as for once in his life a flash of emotion surfaced on his face.
"Of course." He answered. As a genuine smile spread across his features.
In that moment John Watson truly saw just how much Sherlock had changed and just how much he cared for his pathologist, and suddenly the past few months didn't seem so strange to John after all.