Focus by Shella LaRoche
"What's that noise?" whispers Molly when John leads her gently to the door of Sherlock's bedroom.
"He is sitting on the floor and keeps banging his head against the side of his bed.
All the time he says 'must focus... can't focus... must focus... can' t focus...' and then bang!" John hits his hand with he other hands fist for emphasis, "he bangs his head."
Molly's eyes are full with sympathy. "How long has he been like this?"
"Too long", admits John with defeat and pain in his voice.
"We couldn't do anything. He doesn't react to us." He nods in the direction of Mary and Mrs Hudson who are hovering in the living room.
"Why do you think he will react to me?" Molly asks.
John swallows and reaches out to open the door: "Because you were the one that matters..." And he gently pushes Molly in.
On the floor, wrapped in a sheet, sits a desperate man.
His eyes are red with tears from the arduous task of willing his stubborn mind into submission. They are staring unfocused into empty space.
"Must focus... can't focus... must focus... can' t focus... too much at stake!"
and he bangs his head against the wood.
Molly's heart went out to him. Slowly, every so slowly, she approaches him and kneels beside him. When the next circle is complete she takes his face softly in her hands and addresses him: "Sherlock!"
He gasps for air and for the first time in hours he realises that somebody is there. "Mol... ly?" His eyes are trying to focus and he raises a trembling hand to touch her skin. He needs to know that she is real. "I can't focus!" he cries in a voice filled with anguish. "And there's so much at stake!"
Before he can bang his head again, she cradles him against herself.
"Shhh! Let me help you! I can give you a focal point!"
A glint of hope emerges from the depths of his eyes and he doesn't resist when she helps him to lie down on the bed.
Molly Hooper is not a prude person, but at the moment she's a little shy.
Sherlock is covered in nothing but his loosely wrapped sheet – it seems unfair to her to be completely dressed. But then: he's Sherlock – he had bared every corner of her soul with his deductions. What should nakedness matter to him?
Molly undresses and she is right: he barely notices. She pulls him into her arms and covers them both with his sheet. His head comes to rest at her bosom, eyes closed.
She caresses his hair and asks: "Can you hear my heart beating?"
The barest of nods signals agreement.
"My heart will be beating for you until the end of time. Whenever you have lost yourself and need a focal point, think of it and you will find yourself here."
She taps her chest.
"Sleep now. I will guard your sleep so that you won't get lost again."
She kisses the top of his head and feels how he gradually relaxes into sleep.
The feeling that someone is watching her penetrates her sleep addled mind.
When she carefully opens her eyes she finds herself nose to nose with Sherlock and his scrutinising stare.
Unsure how he would react to her bold statement from last night, she tries to wriggle herself free, but he doesn't let her go.
Then, inch by inch, he lowers his lips onto hers and caresses them with the softest of kisses. Yes, he had played kissing for his cases with the one or other woman, but this was Molly and he is ...shy...and vulnerable.
Ever so gently he caresses her, never letting her out of his grasp.
He finds another part of his soul in her heart and begins to make love to her until they both forget that two separate human beings existed before.
When Molly wakes again Sherlock is sitting on the edge of the bed.
Fully dressed, with towels in his hands.
"I am able to focus again." he states with a resonant voice and asks then, a little insecure: "You might want to take a shower?"
Molly nods and crawls out of the bed. She takes the towels and caresses his cheek in passing. "Your clothes are in the bathroom. You better get dressed – our friends will be arriving soon." And with that he reaches for his mobile.
When she is ready with her morning ablutions and enters the living room it is crowded with people. John, Mary, Mrs Hudson and Greg are standing by the chimney. Angelo is arranging some kind of breakfast in the kitchen with help of a man she never had seen before.
Sherlock, already wearing his coat and scarf, comes to her, lays his arm gently on her shoulder and steers her into the circle of his waiting friends.
"Moriarty is dead", he addresses them. "But his organisation continues to work and I can't be sure, that not one of them will try to get back at me."
John and Greg share a look and nod gravely.
"We have to get rid of the snipers before they realise that I am alive."
"Therefore we have something to do. I need to know that Molly is safe – not only with your help but also with help of the immense powers Mycroft can unleash."
He begs the stranger to step forward, "Father Donahue, I beg you just to perform the shortest of versions..." The old man growls a little and produces rings and a frock out of the depths of his trouser pockets while Sherlock is directing Mary and John to stand next to Molly and himself.
"Will you Sherlock?" The "yes" is clear and decisive, while Molly is a little bit shaken as she realises that he really means her to be his bride.
"Will you Molly?" She manages barely to whisper a "yes" as John passes the rings to Sherlock and her. With shaking fingers she puts hers on Sherlock's finger and accepts his in return.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife. Congratulations!"
While he tries to add the ceremonial "You may now kiss the bride..." Sherlock has already taken Molly's face in his hands and sealed her lips with a kiss of hope and promise.
The priest unfolds two sheets of paper for the newly married couple and the witnesses to sign. Then he passes one of them to Angelo who swiftly drops it into a delivery box.
"You better take a salad to Mycroft - he's on diet." advises Sherlock.
"You can rely on me." Angelo responds and turns to walk away.
Sherlock catches his arm and says with a severe warning in his voice:
"Be careful! If you think somebody has followed you confide in Mycroft. He will take care of matters." Angelo just nods and descends the stairs.
Sherlock addresses his friends: "John and Greg, you know what to to. I'll contact you as soon as possible. See that Mrs Hudson won't be alone."
"She won't be alone." Greg says and John adds: "We will take care of her."
Then he turns around to stand in front of Molly and Sarah. "Molly, you and Mary will stay together. She can protect you." He sees the incredulous look in Molly's eyes as she glances over the pregnant Mary. "And you can help her, when she's near confinement. It may be that you will find yourself in a situation where medical help is out of reach."
Molly trembles and has to swallow visibly. He embraces her one last time and whispers into her ear: "If something happens to me, Mycroft will know what to do.
I have to leave now." And he kisses her goodbye.
"Don't worry, wherever I've got to go now - I've got a beacon that calls me home", and with that and a last nod to his friends, Sherlock Homes is gone.
25th April 2014