Half Truths and Avoiding Confrontation
Molly doesn't like raising her voice. And she doesn't particularly care for confrontation. She tries to avoid both at all costs. So when Tom started to get snippy about Sherlock, started questioning Molly's relationship towards the detective, Molly told him the truth that he needed to hear.
-Molly and Sherlock were colleagues, sometimes even friends, but nothing more.
-Yes, she had wanted to be something more at one point, but she has since moved on.
-Yes, she knew about Sherlock faking his death.
-No, she did not feel like that makes her special to him in any way; it just means she was useful to him, like his homeless network.
-No, she does not want Sherlock instead of Tom now that he's back.
-Yes, she will still help Sherlock on cases when she can. It's the right thing to do.
All of these things were true.
Molly didn't lie to Tom in order for him to leave the Sherlock situation alone. She did, however, not tell the whole truth. Because feelings are complex and people are tricky and Tom really didn't need to know that Sherlock told her she matters most (and honestly most nights Molly thinks Sherlock probably meant that her help mattered most not her, never her). Tom didn't need to know that although she was happy with him sometimes she found herself replaying the two times Sherlock kissed her: once in public and once just for her. (And she realizes they were nothing more than innocent cheek kisses, but it's Sherlock and her and that means something). And Tom really didn't need to know that the reason she was most nervous about John's wedding was not because she was an awful dancer, but because she was terrified of what Sherlock would do and how it would be received.
So it was obviously a relief when the wedding and reception went off with only the minor-est of hiccups and all that was left was the dancing. John and Mary's first dance was something truly lovely to behold. Molly kept flickering her gaze between the Watsons and Sherlock. Finding the beauty somewhere between the happy couple and the violinist accompanying them.
Once the dance ended she couldn't help but notice Sherlock tossing his boutonniere to the maid of honor standing behind her. It was then that Molly decided to find out where Tom had wandered off to and pull him in for some dancing. The two events were, of course, unrelated.
And dance they did. Happily. Carefree. Until Molly spotted Sherlock out of the corner of her eye.
Although if she were being completely honest with herself it was more like he came in to focus with her line of sight. Because over the years, Molly had honed the unnecessary ability of knowing where Sherlock was at all times when they were in the same room.
She noted the look in his eyes and the set of his mouth. It was an all too familiar face to her and as he began walking away she had the sudden urge to follow after, to comfort him or call him on his selfishness (leaving his best friend's wedding early with no good bye, there are so many things wrong with that situation). But her eyes flickered back to the man in front of her, Tom, and she stayed. Because she had no right to chase after Sherlock. Because it was just a hunch and she could be wrong. Maybe he just needed a breath of fresh air and then he'd be back. And because she knew what Tom would think if she ran after him and she really didn't like confrontation.