He's back to London, and he claims he needs an assistant. John is not in the picture anymore, so it's only natural for him to turn to her.
She's never been able to tell him no, and she's not going to start now.
xxx
"You don't have to do this," John tells her over a cup of tea. "It's time for him to grow up."
"I know. It's fine, I'm fine," she says, though she doesn't think he's going to buy it.
She's not fine, not really, but she can't bring herself to care.
xxx
"Are you serious, Sherlock? What is she – John's replacement?"
"We're partners in crime," she cuts in. "Like Tommy and Tuppence, you know."
Sherlock frowns. "Like whom?"
"Fictional detectives. Have you ever read any of Agatha Christie's books?"
He only stares at Greg. "Of course not."
She does her best to ignore the poignant looks coming from Sally and Philip's direction.
xxx
"We're not a couple."
She blinks repeatedly. "I'm well aware of that."
"Why did you say Tommy and Tuppence? I've researched them, they're a married couple."
"I don't know, those were the first names that popped into my mind. Problem?"
"No. Can I borrow your phone now?"
"Sure," she says, and he doesn't mention the incident again.
xxx
Mrs Hudson begs her to come over when Sherlock starts shooting at the walls in the middle of the night.
"I'm sorry," the old lady says apologetically. "John got him to break the habit, but it's getting worse now that he's on his own."
Molly doesn't comment, just moves her things to John's old room. She's not even sure that Sherlock notices, but at least he doesn't shoot at the walls anymore.
xxx
She's not really afraid when a woman she's never seen before invites her into an expensive car and drives her to an unknown destination. John has told her this would probably happen, but she's still a bit nervous at the idea of facing Sherlock's big brother.
"It's nice to meet you, Miss Hooper," Mycroft says in a deceptively pleasant voice. "Should we expect you to become a member of our family anytime soon?"
"I don't think so," she replies slowly, and he nods.
"What a pity. I'm sure you would make for a beautiful goldfish."
She never mentions the meeting to Sherlock, but she has a feeling that he knows.
xxx
John gets married, and Sherlock doesn't speak to anyone for the rest of the week.
She drags him to a pub, tries to cheer him up by telling him how Scotland Yard is desperate for his help. He only stares at the bottom of his glass, doesn't utter a word until they're back to Baker Street.
"I can't do this," he says, and she has no idea what he's talking about.
Her heart breaks a little when he starts crying; she's never seen him crying before, wasn't even sure he knew how to do it.
She holds him until he eventually falls asleep.
xxx
"John has tried to call him, but he never answers. He's worried."
She's worried too, but she doesn't tell Mary. "You know how he is," she says instead. "He'll get over it eventually."
However, she's not entirely sure this is ever going to happen; she doesn't have the slightest idea what she's going to do if it doesn't.
xxx
She receives a text message from an unknown number, and she spends the rest of the morning trying to decipher its meaning.
Brainy is the new sexy. Have you ever attempted to outsmart him?
In the end she simply deletes it. She doesn't tell Sherlock, for she's not entirely sure she wants to know what this is about.
xxx
Enough is enough, and she decides to trick Sherlock into meeting John again.
She's actually surprised when everything goes according to her plan; she watches from a distance as the two old friends embrace each other, then smiles and walks away.
It's in the dead of the night when she wakes up from a deep slumber, and she fancies she hears a whispered thank you and the faintest brush of lips against her cheek.
She must be dreaming, she thinks as she drifts off once more.
xxx
Sherlock's parents come to visit him, she tries her best not to stare at them. They're nothing like either of their sons, but she thinks she likes them.
"I'm glad he's found himself a girlfriend at last," his mother whispers as Sherlock is momentarily distracted. "You're the best thing that could have happened to him."
"I'm not his girlfriend," she replies quickly, and the old lady shakes her head.
"I may not be as smart as he is, but I know him. He had a goldfish when he was a kid, he was so heartbroken when it died. Now, he looks at you the same way he did with his little friend."
Suddenly she remembers Mycroft's remark about goldfishes, and she starts to wonder.
Sherlock's mother offers her an encouraging smile; that's when Molly notices that her eyes are exactly like her son's.