She had been opposed with the arranged marriage until the day she met her future husband. They were all standing in their house, his brother making the deal official with her father. She stood behind her parents, head bowed and taking sly glances at him. He looked bored, she registered, kept looking at his watch and stopping himself from yawning.
She found his behavior strange for a person whose life is being decided right in front of him. She felt anger surge through her and was just about ready to explode when her father addressed them both.
"Molly, show Sherlock around the garden will you?"
She snapped her head in his brother's direction when he agreed "It will be a great way to get to know each other, brother. Talk to her about your-"
"I hardly think that a woman like her with such little intellectual capacity will even be able to comprehend the complexity of my-"
"Sherlock, I really think you should see their wonderful garden."
"I saw it around the corner, far from what you would call a 'wonderful' garden 'mediocre' will suit it well enough."
"How rude." Molly shook her head as she raised her book of pathology to the light.
Everyone in the room looked towards the girl.
"I insult your intellectual capacity and the garden that you know I know you take care of and that's all you have to say about it?" He had pointed his stare towards her, going in between her mother and father, they stepped aside.
Molly sighed as she closed her book and her eyes, then opened them to his face merely an inch away from hers.
"You insult my intellectual capacity and the garden you know I know you know I have been taking care of since I was but a young lass at the day of our very first meeting and that's all you have to say? Sherlock Holmes, you are every sense of the word 'rude'." they stared at each other. He squinted at her and raked his eyes up and down at her body. He leaned back and took her book with him
"You shouldn't bother with reading these kinds of things you know. You'll never be able to grow up and become a doctor anyway. People would find it a horrid to see a young woman like you holding a book about people cutting up cadavers. You will be isolated."
"You shouldn't bother telling me all these things for you already know I don't care what you or anyone else says. Isolate me all you want, I would rather be surrounded by cadavers than people who can't deal with a woman being a doctor or have a stomach strong enough to hold in breakfast." Molly said with a small passive smile, she snatched her book back.
"The back door heading towards the garden is this way, Holmes." she turned around tucking the book under her left arm.
Sherlock raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms looking at his brother and then at her parents "Say you're sorry and ask for forgiveness." they heard Molly say as she walked out of the room.
Sherlock turned around and caught Molly Hooper's parents' eyes, smiled and said "I'm sorry, forgive me." bowed and left for Molly Hooper.
"You displayed an impressive amount of confidence back in there."
Molly smiled proudly at the ground "Thank you." silence followed as they descended down the stares of the back door.
"And I must say, I admire the fact that you actually admitted to your fault." Sherlock raised his eyebrow at the petite woman walking by his side "You admire me.".
"Yes." Molly avoided Sherlock's gaze and clutched her book tight. The smirk on Sherlock's face was unstoppable.
"So, pathology?"
Molly sipped tea from her favorite cup, the usual mess of the newssheets that Sherlock left, were cleaned by Hudson.
"Now, now Hooper I may be your housekeeper but being a wife also requires-" nodding her head mindlessly Molly mumbled an agreement.
"Why, look Martha! Six bodies were found skinned in the Thames! Six!" Molly stood, taking her paper and the dishes Mrs. Hudson held "Molly Hooper! Such things are not to be discussed-"
"My goodness Martha you sound like mother." Molly cleaned the rest of the table all the while examining the paper she held in her hand "Judging by the looks of these bodies they were skinned while they were alive… interesting."
Molly looked up hopefully at the old lady "Do you think Sherlock is working on this? Well yes of course he is but do you think he'd listen to me if I told him they were skinned alive? And maybe take me with him? That would be a great way to spend a day with my husband wouldn't it?"
Martha Hudson could barely keep her breakfast from ruining her dress, about to protest against the topic of discussion Mrs. Hudson was cut off as Sherlock hurried into the room.
"You moved my things!" Sherlock exclaimed looking at Mrs. Hudson.
"Sherlock! Look at the paper, I observed the bodies and they were-"
"Skinned alive I know." Sherlock had rolled his eyes and rummaged through the kitchen taking out a dish rag and running down the stairs.
Molly swallowed and put the paper down in disappointment. Martha Hudson looked at the young lady pitifully "He'll come around soon, Mo-"
"It's been two years, Martha." Molly looked up at the older woman, her eyes were dry but the smile on her face was enough to wrench Martha Hudson's heart.
Two years had past since Molly Hooper and Sherlock Holmes' marriage, Molly had been opposed at first and yet with Sherlock wooing her like he did she could not stop her heart from melting. The wooing had only lasted until the day of their marriage though, after the vows were said he had not even attended the reception as he had an important case to solve.
At first Molly had been encouraging about his case solving but through the months she had realized that this was how it was going to be. Sherlock and Molly did not share a bed or a room or even a floor. She had talked to him about it once and his response was "I married you, isn't that enough? Your family will be able to continue farming on our land and you won't have to go poor. I've provided you a roof over your head and even encourage you to study, I give you money for your books and your clothes. So far I have been a good husband, I don't think I need to give you anymore. We are both content."
"…Sherlock-"
"Do try to be at least grateful, Molly."
She had shed many tears for she had fallen in love with the man that she loathed the most.
John Watson stood in front of the door to 221B, he shook his umbrella, momentarily getting lost in the way the droplets shook away from it when the front door opened.
"Ah, Sherlock! I was wondering what prompted you to call for me so early in the day." John said as the consultant detective let him in the house. John frowned at Sherlock for his face remained indifferent. "New case? Or did you not solve the case you were working on?"
"No…" John stared after Sherlock as his voice faded. He walked up the stairs "It's alright, Sherlock-" abruptly Sherlock stopped climbing up the stairs and almost caused John Watson to fall backwards.
"The butcher did it. Lestrade was disgusted and fascinated at the same time about the skinned bodies, at first I thought it was the surgeon but further evidence showed that the butcher was a sadist. He didn't like brushing his teeth."
Watson frowned and said, exasperatedly "My goodness! He didn't eat them did he?" Sherlock chuckled. He continued walking up the stairs "No, John. It was the tobacco."
John sat on his chair, Holmes had not moved much of his or rather their previous belongings. He looked around as the detective sat silently in his chair. John assumed he was in his mind palace. Best not disturb him then. Let him think first.
Just as John had wondered where Mrs. Hudson was the door to the apartment opened and a haggard looking Martha Hudson panted out "Sherlock! When do you plan on actually doing something about Molly?!" John smiled and frowned at the same time. Lost.
Sherlock rolled his eyes "For God's sake, Hudson can't you see John and I are talking?"
"No we're no-"
"It's your marriage!" another roll of the eyes "What of it?
"I'm sorry, whose Molly?" John had leaned to the edge of his seat, curious.
"Tea, Mrs. Hudson." with a huff Martha was gone.
"Molly?" Sherlock had stood up and was staring out the window, hands clasped behind him.
"She's my wife John. It really wasn't all that hard to deduce-"
"Your wife?!" John Watson had stood up and looked around the room, there was never a sign of a woman here.
"Did you get married while I was away?"
"No."
John looked at Sherlock's back incredulously "You've been married before we met?"
Sherlock turned his head slightly towards his friend. Only a portion of his eye could be seen by John from this angle. The room was dimly lit.
"Sit down, Watson. I'll tell you all about her." at first John was skeptical of the way Sherlock addressed 'Molly'. The way he said 'I'll tell you all about her' rather than 'I'll tell you all about it'. 'it' being his secret marriage. And so Sherlock told John about how they had been arranged to be engaged three years ago and evidently married, he told him about her strange tastes, about her interest in pathology and all that was Molly.
"Why didn't you tell me about her sooner?" John lifted his head out of his palms. He had sat down and tried not to intervene through the half hour-Sherlock had gotten side-tracked describing molly-of talking.
"You didn't ask-" John was about to protest but Sherlock raised his voice "and it was not necessary."
Silence fell upon them.
"Why now?" John asked grumpily. "Of all the years why now?"
Sherlock looked John in the eye "I love her."
"It's a surprise but I reckon not altogether improbable." John shrugged.
"Something feels wrong." John straightened in his chair, watching his best friend carefully "You think she's being unfaithful to you?"
Sherlock shook his head "No." he shook his head again and walked about the flat "I don't know."
"You want my advice?" Sherlock stopped and walked back in front of John.
"Please." John stood up and looked up at the taller man "Tell me."
Sherlock closed his eyes, it was all so very vivid.
It was very rare for Molly to ever ask Sherlock of anything, really. She was not one to ask and Sherlock made sure to be able to provide for her enough.
But one dinner she had almost demanded for him to be there. He could not say no to the persistent little Mrs. Hudson.
Sherlock sat on the very opposite of the long table from where his wife was picking her food, but not quite eating all of it. If it hadn't been him, her constant rearrangement and poking at the vegetables and spreading them out might have fooled anyone of her eating merrily.
"Did your parents not tell you it's bad to play with your food?" Molly flicked her eyes-brown-towards Sherlock.
"Did you like it?" she asked as she reached for her glass of wine. There were curls-reddish brown-set on the side of her face Sherlock watched as they almost dipped into the wine.
"Did you cook? They taste different than no-"
"Martha picked up a new kind of herb from the market. No, I didn't cook." Sherlock mirrored Molly as he wiped his mouth "No… that's because you only cook breakfast."
Molly let out a polite giggle "Thank you for coming to dinner tonight."
"It's not our anniversary what's the occasion?"
"Neither of us remembered all of our past anniversaries." Sherlock let out a huff of a laugh as Molly looked at him intently.
They were both getting ready to sit up and head to bed when Molly said-languidly "Goodbye, Sherlock."
Through the years, in almost all of the nights Molly had made an effort of sending Sherlock her little 'good night' messages, whether they be in person, letters or by Hudson.
"I think you meant 'Good night'." Sherlock was positioned at the very top of the stairs ready to head down and into his own flat. Molly held the wall partition by the corner that hid the hallway heading towards her quarters.
"No, Sherlock. I meant goodbye."
"After that, she turned and left."
John studied his friend, carefully tilting his head as to see the expression he was trying so hard to hide by looking out the window.
"And that was the last time you saw her? She just left?"
"No."
Sherlock turned around walked towards the door and holding it open he looked towards John.
"But it will be if we don't go now." John stood up, straightening his clothes and grabbing his umbrella.
"Right."
He looked questioningly at Sherlock "Where to?"
Sherlock and John walked up the stairs in search for Mrs. Hudson "We're going to go and interrogate Mrs. Hudson. I have a feeling she knows where Molly is going to run off to."
"But wouldn't it be easier if-"
"Ah Mrs. Hudson. Dr Watson and I have a few things we'd like to discuss with you." Sherlock had smiled politely, hands behind his back.
"If you're going to ask me about Molly then Sherlock I propose that you talk to her about your affairs yourself and for goodness' sake don't bring John into this."
Sherlock closed his mouth and glanced at John to which John released an exasperated breath as a reply "Mrs. Hudson Sherlock and I are trying to solve the matter of-"
Mrs. Hudson drew her hands up in the air as if she was on her deathbed pleading to God to finally let her go.
"You're treating her like she's a case! Goodness just thinking about her face when she finds out-"
"She's not going to find out." Sherlock's tone had been the sound of finality.
Mrs. Hudson glared at Sherlock and John looked away as she turned to him "Molly made me promise not to tell you Sherlock."
They were in the corridor right outside Mrs. Hudson's quarters which was right across the hall to Molly's.
"Then if you have already sworn not to tell me then please." Sherlock gestured to John. Mrs Hudson rolled her eyes and finally gave in "She's going back to the province. She won't be coming back. She's done here."
Sherlock frowned and looked incredulously at Mrs. Hudson and John "What do you mean she's done here? Tell me-"
"I can't tell you anything, Sher-"
"Has my wife lain with another man?" Sherlock's face was the pure undiluted expression of anger. Mrs. Hudson hesitated.
"Then tell me Mrs. Hudson." John comforted the lady as she turned red.
"Molly would-"
Not a small voice yet a gentle call came from John Watson's side, like the calling of an angel to rescue him from his current scenario, a voice gentle and practiced, quiet but never unheard.
"Mrs. Hudson?" the voice called. There was a pale hand that opened the already partially opened door and out came a woman John Watson would never expect to see. She was small and with elven beauty yet not frail. Her gentle appearance wrenched a charming smile out of the old army doctor.
"Molly!" her name suited her John made the conclusion as he watched Mrs. Hudson dart off somewhere else other than there. He stepped aside and had to look twice at his best friend's face. A look of shock and admiration as well as puzzlement clouded his face. A befuddled look.
Amusing.
"I thought you were gone for the day." Sherlock's voice was suddenly so deep and careful.
Big brown eyes stared from himself and his best friend.
"I felt I was slightly under the weather and decided to stay hom-stay he-uh not go out for the day." John nodded as he looked at Sherlock and back at Molly. The heated gaze Sherlock gave her made her turn to look at him.
"John Watson!" he declared. The tenseness in the air squeezed it from him. "I'm John Watson, a… uh close friend of your husband." Finding it strange that he had to declare himself a close friend to his best friends wife John stretched out a hand. Molly took it,a smile-he deduced was rarely shown-overtook her face. He also couldn't help but note the sharp intake of breath from Sherlock as Molly smiled.
"Yes, I've heard of you. I particularly admire-" John was enjoying that things were taking a normal pace when Sherlock broke Molly's attempt at a normal conversation.
"Does the fact that you stopped Hudson from saying anything mean I was right."
Molly's face immediately took another path "Deduce from that what you may, Mr. Holmes you will never know the answer to your question until you outright ask."
"Have you lain with another man, then?" Sherlock was still and he was stiff "Have I not provided enough for you? Are you off to run away? Off to the province you go? Just like that? Have you fallen out of love with me? Am I not enough? How could you? Who is he? Do I even want to know? Are you carrying his child?"
John made to walk but a raised hand from Molly stopped him.
"No. That's not the right question to ask. I may be. Yes. Yes. I was-we were never in love. I have not seen even a glimpse of you. I did not. He is no one. No you don't. I am a virgin."
A polite strained smile masked her face then "Well, Dr. Watson. Now that we've been" her face took on a comical expression "more or so introduced make him happy, will you" John was surprised by the amount of emotion in her eyes yet such a casual tone of voice.
"Are you really still leaving?" Sherlock stared hard at her wife.
"Sherlock, I have nothing here. I'd rather be of no use back in the province. Or maybe there I can cook dinner too." Sherlock screwed his face hard as he tried to process this "I don't understand why you have to leave."
"I don't understand why you're so concerned."
"You're my wife."
"I can be you're wife while being a couple of hundred miles away from you." Molly laughed coldly "You'll survive no doubt about it."
"Did our marriage mean nothing to you?" her eyes threatened to leak.
"This is the longest conversation we've had since the wedding." Molly looked at John "You don't need me here, Sherlock. It won't be much of a separation as we never were. You're a husband who makes a living here and I am a wife who lives far away from you. Nothing so strange, people won't talk I doubt people even know we live under the same roof now. I've never even met your best friend!"
Molly turned around but she did not walk away "It'll be like nothing changed. Besides you have John. He'll keep you satisfied. Happy I suppose." Molly turned to look at John "Am I correct, doctor?"
John Watson gestured dramatically at Molly a finger swaying back and forth 'no' he was speechless and shaking his head.
"If this is about that, then my lady let me just make it clear. I am a married man." Molly let out a small giggle as if they were keeping secrets. She whispered as she lifted up her left hand and pointed to Sherlock "So are we, Dr. Watson. You need not worry yourself sir, I am not one to gossip."
Molly Hooper-Holmes had walked past them and back down from where they came from, she was at the top of the stairs when Sherlock asked "What can I do to make you stay?"
She didn't look back.
"Why would you care if I stayed?"
"What can I do to make you stay?"
She looked to the side, eyes closed from what John could tell.
"The one thing you can't do out of all the things that you can do…
love me back."
It's not over yet I'm just trying this out. :] If I get enough positive feedback I might be fast in updating.