A/N: So, I had a bit of a Sherlock marathon and was inspired. This is an AU/missing scene from 'A Scandal In Belgravia,' set right after Sherlock and John leave the pool. Loosely based on 'Tremble For My Beloved.' Hope you enjoy it :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Tremble

...
It's a world where madness craves
It's a world where hope's enslaved
Oh, I tremble for my love always
- 'Tremble For My Beloved,' Collective Soul
...

"If you don't stop prying, I'll burn you. I will burn the heart out of you."

"I have been reliably informed that I don't have one."

"But we both know that's not quite true."

For a split second Sherlock froze.

Molly.

He didn't know how Moriarty knew, but he did. And now she was in danger.

"Are you going to explain to me where we're going?" John asked as he struggled to keep pace with the consulting detective as they left the pool.

"We are going nowhere," Sherlock said brusquely as he hailed a cab, "I have somewhere I need to be."

"What-?"

The rest of John's question was cut off as Sherlock hopped into the cab, slamming the door behind him.

Sherlock drummed his fingers absently on the armrest as the cab made its way through the busy streets.

How had he not seen it?

He had been too distracted by her reaction to 'Jim from IT' to pay proper attention to what was right in front of him, to the true danger that he had presented.

In his attempt to protect her heart he had neglected to protect her life; if anything happened to her because of his lapse he would never forgive himself.

At the sight of Molly's surprised – and apparently unharmed – face, Sherlock let out the breath he didn't realise he'd been holding.

"Is…was there something you needed?" she asked, twisting her hands nervously as he spun in a circle, sweeping the morgue for any sign of danger.

"Nothing, thank you," he said absently, shooting her a charming smile in an effort to distract her, "I just…needed to be sure."

Her brow furrowed in confusion, "Be sure of what?"

"You're working late," he commented, ignoring her question.

"I…um…" she shrugged a shoulder, "there was some paperwork I needed to finish."

He nodded, still searching the room for anything he might have missed.

"Are you sure you don't need anything?" she asked, distracting him from his search.

"Quite sure," he assured her, a thought occurred to him and he pinned her with his eyes, "Jim from IT, you didn't bring him back to your flat did you?"

She blushed, clearly flustered by the question, "N-no, never. We, um, well…I, uh, broke it off," she finished lamely, avoiding his gaze as she buried her hands in the pockets of her lab coat.

"Good," he said approvingly, "that's…good," he continued, more to himself than Molly as he spun in another slow circle, just to be sure.

"Are you all right?" she asked, watching him, "You seem…different."

He flashed her another disarming smile, "Fine," he assured her, making to leave, "everything's fine."

She blinked as he brushed passed her and turned to watch him go, "Ok," she said quietly, "good night then."

He paused at the door and turned to look at her over his shoulder, "Good night, Molly. Take care of yourself," he said seriously and was gone.

Molly shook her head a little, trying to make sense of what had just happened. Surely he hadn't been checking up on her?

She told herself to stop being silly, but the memory of the look in his eyes as he told her to take care kept her up that night for much longer than she would care to admit.