THE KEEPER
for MorbidByDefault - I'm glad I was finally able to finish this AU of sorts for you m'dear. Hope you enjoy it - Day
Sherlock was conflicted. His dear friend and something more if he was honest with himself was currently sobbing over a man who had broken her heart. Unfortunately he hadn't gotten the chance to completely rip the man to shreds because Molly had high tailed it out of there - a case that she was helping him with - before he could get a complete word in.
What he had found out was that this complete moron had once popped the question to Molly whilst they were in university together only for her to find him and his now wife getting it on right before they were going to announce it to her mother. Sherlock was beyond seething but he knew he had to take care of Molly first then track the man down and give him a piece of his mind. Molly Hooper shouldn't ever cry over someone who would tear her heart out like that.
He was aware that he had no room to talk considering he had done that to her in the past. But, he never hurt her like that. He would never cheat on her before they wed. If they ever got down that road. That entailed them dating and he hadn't quite gotten there yet. This near altercation today was slowing him down.
Another thing that was slowing him down was the fact that he had had her upgrade her security measures after Eurus had gotten in one too many times before her reveal. He loved his sister but this was one of two places he needed to be off limits. It was his second home and as such it needed to be protected like a fortress.
He had gotten passed the normal bolt-lock, now it was the matter of the password that his pathologist had changed. He turned to her, she was slumped on the steps with another bottle wine in hand. "What's the password, Molly?" He asked as he gotten in wrong for the second time. One more and the Yard would be contacted.
"I didn't expect to see him." She tried to wipe her face. It didn't do much for her state as she only kept crying. "He still looks good, and she's...she's still the same."
Molly was a wreck. Sherlock moved to sit next to her. He took the bottle from her hand as she tilted her head until she was laying on his shoulder. "She's nothing." He swallowed, taking the cork out of her opposite hand. He really needed to grab her bag to see if there was anything of use but he couldn't exactly do that when she was pushed against him like this.
"She's practically a goddess."
Sherlock scoffed. "Not everyone wants one of those you know."
Before Molly could argue Sherlock continued. "I happen to think you're everything."
This sobered her slightly as she wobbled to her feet and rushed over to the keypad. She didn't want him to talk to her about this out here. She was already incredibly embarrassed. She thought she was done with crying in front of Sherlock Holmes. At least this time it had nothing to do with him and more to do with her, and her messy past.
Sherlock drew in a deep breath when he realized what the pass-code was. She had a hard time hiding it in her state. Once the door gave way he had to reach out for her before she hit the ground. He was right to cut her off when she did. There was no telling what state she would be in then.
Taking her in his arms he stepped over the threshold and shut the door with his foot. He moved past the kitchen into the bedroom and carefully placed her down on the made bed. He helped her take off the remaining shoe she had left before turning to see her with her eyes closed.
He crouched, observing to see if she had actually fallen asleep or if she was just ignoring him. He had gotten used to the latter. Of course he had deserved it but he had thought they had worked through most of their issues.
"I have a problem with wanting people who don't want me, don't I?" She said quietly.
Sherlock frowned to the point that he almost bit his tongue on just how unsatisfied he was by one of the lights of his life being so down on herself just because of a stupid man and a stupid woman making her feel so inferior. He had always held her above the rest. He wasn't stupid for doing that either. She was brilliant and lovely, and everything that a man could possible want wrapped up into one petite woman - not quite always tied with a bow.
"No." He feels the growl before he notices the way she looks at him in alarm. She wasn't expecting him to be this way. He's always doing the opposite of what she expects.
"What?" She tries to clear her throat.
Sherlock rises so that he's standing for a moment. He looks up into the darkness of the room for a beat, his brain is whirring. Then he looks at her and he's really looking at her as if this moment count. As if out of all the moments they've had this was the ne that she had to be alert for.
Problem is she's drunk, and she almost wants to laugh, as much as she wants to cry but she doesn't look away from him. Not really. She wants to remember this look on his face the next time she wants to throw something at him. "You're wrong. Out of all the people you have wanted there's one who wants you for you."
"Are you insane?" It reads as if she's asking if he's high - even when she's plastered out of her mind because of another man she knows he's not. From the beginning of all of this; from the out burst where she put Ramon's escapades on display for all in attendance to know, to the point where Sherlock skipped out on ripping someone in half using only his words to run after her - he's never left her side. Not even when she looked like this. A very pathetic vision she was sure.
He scoffs. "Normally that would be questionable but no, Molly. I'm very much in my mind. We've traded places. You're..." He paused no doubtly trying to find a better way to tell her that she didn't look happy without saying it out right. "Not okay." He breathed, calling back to a few years when she had used that line on him. It had truly opened so many doors that he hadn't been expecting.
"However, that's more than okay with me. People run from situations like this because they're terrified of what could happen. I can't."
"Why?" She let him talk for long enough while simultaneously trying to find her footing and get off the bed. She faltered and he made sure to catch her. There eyes never leaving each other's, it was like a very clumsy dance.
Sherlock smiles at her. It's soft, and knowing - the kind of knowing that only two people who have gotten used to each other should be able to understand, and Molly does understand.
"You should go." She fumbles out.
Even though her eyes are saying a completely different story, he nods. He was actually expecting this. "I'm not running away." She tells him as she leads him to the door.
"I know." He replies.
"I just rather not do the next part when you still have a case to finish, and I'm more sober."
He's fully aware that the first part was a half truth but he takes it. "It wouldn't matter if you were sober. My feelings about you are still the same."
"How do you know?" She had started to edge the door closed, his foot was stopping her.
"You're everything. I meant that."
Molly's brows knitted. She doesn't know what to say in return. So she bids him good night. Before she can bolt the lock, he knocks again.
"Sherlock, I told you we weren't..."
She stops when he pulls her towards him and presses his mouth to hers. When he pulls back, "Goodnight, Molly."
She didn't think that was what he meant to say but she couldn't even come up with anything herself before he closed the door once more.
She returned to her room and plopped down on her bed trying to think. It was hard when your brain was just as cloudy as your heart. He had kissed her and then left.
She wasn't sure if she was happy with that but she wasn't thinking about the other man who had hurt her in the past.
When she woke up at half past twelve she found a text.
I'll be done around 2. Still want to talk? - SH
Molly grumbled, she decided maybe she hated him a little for his arrogance so early on. He had sent that text at 8am.
She replied slowly.
I need food first. You let me get drunk.
Check the kitchen. I'm almost there. - SH
It's not 2.
He didn't reply. Molly tossed her phone and headed to the shower. This was what she was going to have to deal with.
It took twenty minutes for her to end up in the kitchen eating the takeout he had gotten her at some point during the night or morning that she was not awake.
She turned when she heard the lock click.
He knew the pass-code.
She passed a hand over her face. This was going to be a day.
Sherlock didn't come sauntering in although he could have. Instead he plated himself some food and joined her at the island. "Finished early."
Molly made a noncommittal noise.
"My birthday." He started.
She sighed.
"Your brother needed to know it too."
"Change it." He scoffed.
Molly smiled. Maybe it wouldn't be such a long day.
She waited until she was mostly finished with her food to reach up and peck him on the cheek. "Thanks for the food."
Sherlock eyed her slowly. She did look very appreciative and then some.
He reached forward and tucked a loose strand behind her ear. "It's a new day," He commented carefully.
She disregarded that thought entirely. She couldn't help but think about what he had did. To her. "Would you do it again?"
His eyes widen significantly. "Do what?"
Molly bit her lip. "You left before I could do anything."
Sherlock almost wanted to laugh at how adorable she was when she was both flustered and pouting. "That was the point."
"You're lucky I like to keep you around, Sherlock."
He leaned towards her, "You sure you're the one keeping me?
"Your parents sent me flowers a few months ago."
Sherlock balked. "When?"
Molly moved over to her fridge where she had tacked the card underneath a few other memos she had written lately. "I figured you must have told them my name or something."
"I've mentioned you before, yes." He was thinking. She could tell. "One of my siblings must have given them your address." He sounded slightly perturbed, she passed the card to him.
"You were still upset with me when you got them."
Molly tried not laugh as he pointed out the rip through his name where she had tacked it. "They were nice flowers though. Lasted a long time. I do take care of things."
"And we're back to the whole Keeper thing."
"Your mother said I did a good job. Mums are usually right."
He sighed. "If I kissed you would that be the end of the conversation?"
"For now." She laughed.
He shot her a look that read so many things.
However after everything that had transpired recently he couldn't not go through with it. Not to silence the woman he was besotted with for a few years at least, but because she was tempting. Which was half the reason he didn't tell her that part of his morning was spent telling her past lover how much he had missed by hurting her.
They still had a lot to talk about but for now he was done with that.
She made sure of it. She was the one to initiate the kiss. "You're being slow." Was her only quip.
They had to take a few more steps but he never forgot the words they exchanged and like the others who had tried to use his words against him, he would in his own and loving way do the same to his partner.
After all this had all started with her, a case that involved flowers and a wedding.