A/N: I wrote this over the summer and had utterly forgotten about it until last night. Figured I had no reason so share it.
Sherlock sighed heavily as he closed the door behind him. He was sure the newly weds hadn't noticed him leave the reception early. Even if they did they would excuse it for his low tolerance threshold for social festivities. While that in part may be the reason for his early departure, he couldn't help feeling lonely as he watched his two good friends disappear into the dancing crowd; all the while realizing there was no one available to share his passion for dance. Not that it mattered since he couldn't even share that joy without the one person he wanted to dance with.
No one probably noticed him leave anyway.
Sherlock shrugged off his clothes and slid under his covers and allowed himself to drift off to a dreamless slumber.
He woke up the next day to a rapid tap at the door. He took a moment to speculate on whom it could be before deciding he didn't care. Not bothering to get dressed, Sherlock wrapped the bed sheets around himself and made a slow progression towards the door.
"Ah, Graham. Got over your hangover so soon?"
Lestrade threw Sherlock an irritated look.
"Took you long enough to open the door. John said you never locked it."
Sherlock merely shrugged before turning back to settle on his seat.
"I came to bring back the camera since we don't need it for evidence anymore."
Sherlock eyed it for a few puzzled moments before taking it from the DI's hand.
"There was no rush," he mumbled, already turning it on to examine the photos. "They're not due from their sex holiday for a while."
"It's not called a s—never mind. I figured I'd return it back to you and make sure you're fine along the way. Molly insisted."
Sherlock's head whipped up, so fast, he nearly cricked it. Luckily for him, Lestrade was had been too distracted looking around the wedding planning aftermath that was the room to witness the reaction.
"Why would Molly ask you to check up on me?" he asked as casually as he could.
"She said she saw you leave early and told me to check up on you when I returned the camera."
A momentary throb pulsed across his chest at his words. She had seen him? He didn't indulge on the warm feeling for too long when he didn't understand something. "But how did she know you were returning the camera this morning?"
Lestrade finally looked away from the chaotic room to throw him a confused look before he grasped what he had been trying to ask. "Oh, she was down at the station this morning bailing Tom out. He and a few other idiots got pissed last night after the reception and got into a brawl. Poor bloke was a right mess."
"Was Molly alright?" Sherlock asked, suddenly concerned for her safety. If her idiot of a fiancé had put her in danger…
"Yeah, she went home long before the reception party was over. Didn't even know Tom had been arrested until this morning."
The relief he felt in knowing that she was safe was mixed with a twinge of joy when he realized the implications of her having chosen to go home without her beloved; especially after such a happy occasion as a wedding.
Lestrade appeared to have been thinking along those lines for he added, more to himself than for Sherlock's benefit; "I wonder if they're okay. She stabbed the bloke yesterday too."
It would seem that Lestrade was just the bearer of good news today. Trouble in paradise indeed, he thought delightfully. Sherlock at least had the decent mind not to look to gleeful about that, though he made a mental note to find out more about what could have roused such violence from his pathologist.
"Anyway," Lestrade said, already motioning towards the door. "I'll tell her you're alive."
He was once again lest to the solace of his flat, although much happier than he had been before the DI's visit. He resumed his attention back on the photos. Jonathan Small may have been a murderous criminal, but he really was a good photographer, Sherlock thought as he rapidly went over the pictures. There were some fantastic shots of John and Mary, and not too many terrible ones of himself and the maid of honor. Janine was it? His thumb paused when he landed on the first picture of Molly.
She was standing by the fountain, conversing with Lestrade over something. Her bright yellow dress seemed to dazzle even more under the sun and what seemed to have been her bright mood. A shadow of a smile cast on his face as he went through the next few pictures. There was one that had captured in the middle of a laugh; head tilted back slightly and champagne flute in hand dangerously about to spill over. She looked happy.
The photos that followed included Tom, who must have soon joined them. Lestrade attempted to smile and pose for the camera along with them, but from what Sherlock could tell, he soon skulked off. Thankfully, he didn't come across pictures of her for a number of frames. Well not until he landed on the He didn't need to see to remember the moment. He remembers he had been eyeing them at the back of the hall when Small drew their attention to pose of photos. They had been far too close for his liking. It was unlikely John and Mary would miss such a picture in their wedding album, right?
Delete.
Sherlock smiled smugly as he continued to peruse through the photos. He didn't run into any more fond pictures of them at the reception for a number of frames, a relief that was short lived when he came across the next few dozen.
Sharing a kiss at the guest table. Delete.
Feeding him cake with a smile. Delete
Her laughing when he swiped some icing on her nose.
Delete. Delete. Delete.
Why were there so many of them? Did Small have nothing else better to capture? Even a drunk Ms. Hudson would have been a better subject. He frowned as his thumb rapidly made work to delete the 'unnecessary' images. He only stopped when he was surprised to see one of him and her in it.
Neither of them had been facing the camera at the time. From the looks of it, he had been on the phone, most likely talking to Mycroft when she happened to be passing by. Both their backs were to the camera and everything except their profiles had been in focus at the time. She was just about to turn away from him to head to the main reception hall when Small took the picture. From the timing, their hands were almost reaching to each other. His unoccupied one coincidentally stretched towards hers that was in the motion of moving away with her.
Sherlock knew it was entirely coincidental, and most likely the photographer's test shot, but he still lingered on the shot a while longer before moving on to the others.
Hours passed as he continued the editing activity. Having nothing else to do, Sherlock even went so far as to update John's blog and prepare a slideshow for him. The rest of the photos that didn't make the montage were uploaded to a folder and promptly emailed to the happy couple; all save for one, which he kept for himself.
It was the only one that had of him and her in it together.
A/N: Hope you liked it :)