Phoning home (formerly known as "an unexpected call")
DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. This idea just popped into my head so I wrote it down. As my first version was rubbish, I rewrote it.
Sorry Sherlotte, you'd have to read it again. ^_^ Thank you so much for following the story. This kept pestering me to write the ending.
To all other readers: Please let me know if this is rubbish! I wrote the first version sleep deprived and without spell check. I wanted to much and the dialog sucked. I really want to get better at this, so please give me feedback. And so: On with the story:
Molly had just begun to feel comfortable in her seat on the train back to London. Like every so often she had been visiting her University BFF Louise for the weekend - or any 2 random days in a row that were suitable for both. Louise worked at a small town near Winchester (Hampshire) as a general practitioner in a clinic. The merely one hour train ride made Molly almost ever feel like she was going on vacation, or like she was on the edge to becoming an adventurer. Just one step out of the new ordinary and she could be … Well what could she be? She was Molly. She always did as she was told. Or let's say it like this, she did what she thought was right. She followed all the instructions he had been given her thoroughly. She took some days of, got herself a new position at Barts and then applied for another job - she even cut her hair after an appropriate period of time. Molly thought that maybe he even didn't knew why women do this to celebrate a new beginning but he somehow persisted that she should do this. Molly got herself the new ritual to spend some days every month or two in Winchester with Lou and to stay out of the city as much as possible. She got herself a new flat too. The neighbor Todd was particularly sweet but Molly could not shake off the feeling that he was double edged. He tried to catch her attention all the time and was rather disappointed that Molly always found a way to decline his invitations to dinner or the pub. When they first met he even made sure to have an comedy like entrance where they both walk into each other and have a lot of things flying about. He dropped books while Molly threw a lot of her laundry onto the floor. Some months before the Fall she would have found this endearing but now… it felt so badly scripted to her. Did he really think, that she had not seen him waiting at that corner in the hallway?
While she looked down on her newest crocheting project (it was supposed to become a beanie) she sighed and thought about a new way to get into her flat without Todd realizing when her cell phone rang. She checked the Caller ID but found it to be anonymus.
"Hooper" she said in a neutral tone.
"you look sad" said a low voice on the phone
"I am not sad." Molly said quietly
"you look sad whenever you part with that neighbor of yours"
"you – sa-saw that? And besides ." she took in a breath "what are you talking about? Todd and me are not like that!"
"Molly," the voice said in a wavering tone "I had you observed of course. But that guy is rather stupid. Turned himself in more or less with the beginners mistakes he made at trying to contact the circle. Even exposed some other members. The yard arrested him for doing drugs along with the other guys. They do not even know who they arrested there. Peh!"
Molly began to sob lightly. She was relieved and broken hearted at the same time. All this emotions ran loose and needed an outlet, so she quietly cried. Trying to hide it, made it worse of course.
"Are you really that upset about the end of that aspiring love story? I told you before to not engage yourself in"
"No, I – it 's okay. I knew, it was all fake." She tried to take a steadying breath "That's why I looked sad walking away from him every time. It's not like I actually hope for something, I'm just human you know. We do and want silly things" she tried to get some air and gulped loudly in the process " I never, I - thank you."
"…why are you crying?" it was a question more out of curiosity then empathy. He really wanted to know.
"because of you, you stupid brilliant clever thing. I was so worried as I heard your voice but you seem to be in good spirits " Molly tried to mask her overflowing emotions again but failed miserably hot tears ran down her cheeks and she tried to breath soundless to calm herself. If he would call her, than he would nearly be back, plus he had been looking after her all this time. "I just miss you so, much. So, so much, and I know it is stupid but I, I wanted to hear your voice, so badly "
"…"
Since the other side stayed silent Molly spoke again. This time a lot calmer and lower: "So, how far from home are you?"
"I will be back. According to my plans it should merely take another year to reestablish my live in London. Everything will return back to normal soon"
"has there ever been "normal" around you? Do you even like that?" Molly said half jokingly, more convincing herself that the voice on the other end.
"Well, yes. I want to go back actually"
"then come back home soon, you stupid Git. It has taken you long enough already!"
"Yes John, I'll hurry"
"Molly"
"…."
"my Name is Molly"
"Yes"
"You did it again. And here I am, stupid Molly being worth to be called stupid. I am actually so relieved, so happ"
"I have to end this call, it turned out I got carried away"
"Don't you do that to me. When will you be back? Will you let me know when you plan to come over and say hi? I even cut my hair short for you! I -" in all her rage all she could hear was the beeping sound of the empty line….
*beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep*
"I still love you, although it should be impossible" Molly whispered to herself as she still clutched the beeping phone.
The rest of the ride is silent. It seems no one in the neighboring compartments heard anything. Or cared for this quarrel. Molly laughed out loud as she realized that it may have sounded like a lovers quarrel for bystanders.
So now, Todd was gone. Would the circle send another guard? Gladly she had been out of town so for them she came of clean and was hopefully unsuspected. She had mentioned Todd to Lestrade though, but this was not out of the ordinary. Her new personality was extremely cautious und untrusting. As far as the world knew, her big crush had turned out to be a fraud. So for her, as they saw her, it was only natural to suspect lies everywhere.
She was not in the mood but took her beanie up again and crocheted under whispered cursing. Half meant for the stupid beanie and this stupid yard as well as a certain consulting detective who happened to not say anything about her emotional outbreak. She concluded, that he just did not want to deal with that. But maybe he understood why she had been crying. She had told him anyway. She grinned at that. He was alive. He had called her.
She understood that she "counted" but for Sherlock, even as a friend you were just more convenient than some other humans. He could adapt to anyone if needed. It was just something with John that was mutual and bonding for Sherlock. Sometimes she thought, that if there had been another lab technician, Sherlock would have found a way to get what he wanted anyway. The plan for the Fall would have been different - but anyhow. She felt replaceable to Sherlock. Even if she did count, even if he acknowledged that: She was replaceable. What hurt Molly most, to her it was clear, that even if Sherlock knew how she felt, he would be indifferent to it.
She stepped of the train at Clapham Junction and joined the mass of people making their way to the subway to the north exit at Grand Road. She did not mind slowing down in the crowd as she was not in a hurry to get home. Toby was all fine and had recently started to also make himself a second home at another lady's place, a house or two away. Men, she thought and sighed. She abruptly came to a stop as the people in front of her did not move any further and noises from a commotion at the end of the subway reached her ears. She tried to see anything but she was to small and also she did not understand what was going on. Around her, people started to talk and complained about being stuck. Molly rolled her eyes. It was nothing, really. You are stuck here for 5 minutes, I have been stuck the last 2 years she thought bitterly. As she got on her tiptoes again to maybe see anything that was going on, - damn her curiosity -, someone to her left, facing the same direction, took her hand and squeezed it lightly. Since she knew, she was not supposed to look at him, she closed her eyes briefly, squeezing the familiar hand back and relishing on the feeling, masking the cruelty of it all.
"Welcome Home" Molly said quietly
"I soon shall be." Sherlock replied, steadily looking onwards, signature smirk gracing his features.
Molly saw nothing of that for she knew the magic would be lost soon. As she was to open her eyes Sherlock loosened the grip on her hand gradually. Molly quickly closed her eyes tightly, regained a strong hold on his hand and said in a steady voice "Thank you!"
As if broken a spell, everybody began to move again and the commotion was solved. Sherlock was gone and left Molly standing there in the crowd with watery eyes and full of hope.
As Molly unpacked her stuff later that evening she found an unknown cell phone. The one, from which Sherlock had called her apparently. She deleted the history and called the one number saved in the contacts. The Girl, to whom this belonged, Mary was her name, was really nice and believed her impromptu as she had made up the story that some lanky guy had bumped into her at Clapham Junktion and lost it. She decided then, that just to annoy Sherlock, she would take John Watson with her. Mary sounded just like Johns type. warm, caring and a bit bold.