So a New Year and a new story. The aim is that this will have a bit more of an actual crime plot line but don't worry there will be plenty of Sherlolly. I just wanted to challenge myself a bit more. I'm dedicating this to Lilsherlockian1975 and Shazzykins to thank you both for your PMs and support.

There are some dark themes and mention of rape but only in conversation not in action. I've rated it m more for the future smut.

Disclaimer - I own nothing, I owe it all to ACD, Moffatt and Gatiss and I am now counting down the days until we get our new Sherlock episode.

Chapter 1

Sherlock Holmes was bored. Really and truly bored. He had even started smoking again and it had helped for a while but his head was still buzzing with energy and thought with nowhere to direct it to.

He was also lonely. John had moved back in with Mary following their tentative reunion at Christmas and since she had had the baby a fortnight ago John had become more or less none existent. Sherlock had tried really hard to feign an interest in the child, he couldn't for the life of him remember her name, but she hadn't done much to relieve the boredom. Too much noise and the smells, his nose scrunched up with the memory. No, he wouldn't be seeing much of John for the foreseeable future.

It was bad news for Sherlock but he was thinking it must be good news for Molly because here he was trying to occupy himself in her morgue.

Granted she'd already threatened to have him thrown out if he broke any more equipment or tried to make any more poisons but he was aware she still had feelings for him so she must be glad he were here.

He glanced over to where she was conducting an autopsy on a recent murder victim. He was itching to go and have a look but the case didn't belong to Lestrade so it was off limits. Not everyone was so keen to have Sherlock's input on a case. Fools.

He must admit he did find watching Molly perform an autopsy very soothing. She was organised and methodical in the way she carried it out. Quietly spoken but very observant, when it came to the dead, he found it calming which was why he had decided to conduct his latest experiments down here, with her, rather than alone in the lab.

A few minutes later he was surprised to hear a comment out loud from Molly, 'no, that can't be right.'

He looked up curiously; it wasn't like Molly to talk to herself. He was used to hearing the click of the recorder and her citing her observations but this was different. Her body language told him that she had found something unusual. He couldn't bear it any longer and was on his feet, striding towards her, in seconds.

'What is it Molly? What have you found?'

She looked at him with surprise, as though she had forgotten he was there, 'oh Sherlock, good, just have a look at these wounds on her upper thighs. See here and here. The police told me she was a victim of rape and then murdered but it doesn't look right, do you see?' She fell silent giving him time to inspect the body.

She realised she shouldn't be letting him do this but what she had seen was quite confusing.

'These wounds were obviously inflicted after death, Molly, I assume the rape therefore took place post mortem rather than before. Necrophilia?'

'No, I don't agree. I don't think she was raped at all either before or after death. I think it has just been set up to look like a rape/murder. But why? Why kill someone and then make it look like they were raped? What would be the advantage?'

'Why indeed?' Said Sherlock, pulling his phone from his pocket and dialling quickly.

'Who are you calling?' Asked Molly.

'Lestrade, I need him to take over this case straight away. Finally, something to end this interminable boredom.' He said with a smile and unrestrained glee in his voice.

He turned away taking up the conversation with Lestrade and Molly watching him pacing around as she rolled her eyes. Only Sherlock could show this much enjoyment over a murder case. If it had been anyone else she would have found it ghoulish but she knew how bored he was. He'd been causing her no end of grief since he'd landed in the morgue earlier that day. It would do him good to have a good case to sink his teeth into, metaphorically speaking of course.

Lab equipment aside she was just glad he was still here with them. She'd heard all about what had happened at Christmas and had read between the lines, more than John had, that the case that he had been being sent on was one he was not expected to come back from.

She was glad she had never needed to receive the letter that he had apparently written to her. Yes, she was curious about what he might have said in it but she'd far rather be curious than have him dead. She winced at the thought. She still cared far too much about Sherlock than was healthy for her and he was still exactly the same as he always had been with her.

No, actually that wasn't true, they were friends now in a way that they hadn't been before the 'fall'. She found she was more comfortable around him now. Yes, she still liked him but there was less stuttering and nervousness, she could be herself around him, confident that he respected and liked her too even if it wasn't romantically.

'Brilliant, come down to the morgue and bring any paperwork, everything, no matter how insignificant.'

Sherlock finished the call and returned back to the body rubbing his hands together.

'I take it you were successful then?' Molly asked smiling at how much Sherlock had perked up in the last five minutes.

'Yes, it means putting up with Donovan as well unfortunately but we can't have everything can we. Now coffee, black, two sugars Molly this could take a while.'

'Yes, I think I know your coffee preference by now,' she huffed as she removed her gloves. But Sherlock was no longer listening he was circling the body, hands hovering over the skin but not touching, eyes narrowed as he swept the skin, this time looking for any clues.

MHMHMHMHMHMHMHMH

It was half an hour later when Lestrade arrived. Sherlock had already started running some tests on dirt found under her finger nails. He'd been barking orders at Molly but she ignored most of them, continuing on with her autopsy.

'Finally Graham, what took you so long? Long lunch at the Yard before picking up the murder case to work on.'

'It's Greg, you git, why can't you ever remember my name? And no, I came straight here after sorting out transferring the case to my division. There is such a thing as due process you know.'

'Tsk, give me the file. What do we know about her?'

'Relatively little, Rachel Wheeler, aged 47, divorced, no children. Works as a legal secretary in a small solicitors. Lived in a flat on her own with her cat for company. Sounds fairly mediocre.'

Molly blushed lightly but didn't say anything not wanting to draw a comparison with her own life.

Sherlock didn't respond straight away he was flicking through the thin file before throwing it onto the desk. 'Nothing, there must be more to this. She's important somehow and she won't be the last. We have a serial killer on our hands but we need more information, more deaths.'

'Nice, Sherlock, very nice. How about we try to solve this before there are any more murders?' Grumbled Lestrade.

'Maybe if I had been called in at the start... yes, that's it, I need to see where the body was found, there's probably something your minions have forgotten or overlooked. Molly, Molly...where are you going?'

Molly had put her work away whilst Sherlock and Lestrade were conversing and she was now coat on, bag in hand, just about to leave the lab.

'I'm off home, Sherlock. In case you hadn't noticed my shift ended almost an hour ago.'

'No, I need you to come to the crime scene with me, I need an assistant. John's unavailable so you'll have to do.'

'Oh well, if you put it like that...No!'

'What? What do you mean no? ...oh this is one of those social convention things that John keeps going on about. There's a murderer on the loose Molly. I need your help.'

She stood her ground, holding the door open, staring Sherlock down. 'Fine...please.'

'Well OK but I expect some food afterwards, and I don't just mean a bag of Quavers!'

Sherlock huffed but nodded his agreement before retrieving his coat and moving to join her.

'What are you smirking about Greg?' Asked Sherlock as he passed him.

'Nothing, nothing...just enjoying seeing you being wrapped round Molly's little finger. Makes a change.'

Sherlock stopped mid stride swivelling round until he faced Lestrade. He drew himself up to his full height, eyes narrowed, 'I am not wrapped around Molly's little finger. I am not wrapped round anybody's anything.'

'If you say so Sherlock.'

Sherlock was about to respond when Molly interrupted.

'Yes, well if you two school boys can stop squabbling for a moment I'd like to get gone. The sooner we do this the sooner I can be home. Come on Sherlock.'

Sherlock followed Molly out trying to ignore Lestrade making wrapping motions round his little finger.

I love a strong Molly. She's come on a long way since Season 1.

Anyhow, I'd love to know what you all think so far. Chapter postings will be two or three times a week. So happy new Year and Happy New Sherlock everyone!