The events of this one-shot occur after John and Mary's wedding but before John brings Sherlock to Bart's to 'pee in a jar'.

No Regrets

by

thedragonaunt

Molly's phone sounded - again. It had hardly stopped all day, with calls and texts and Tweets, ever since she had made The Big Announcement. She had considered turning it off but she knew people meant well. And she should be grateful, really, that she had so many people in her life who cared enough to want to call or text or Tweet...

She pulled off a surgical glove and fished in her lab coat pocket for the offending mobile. Checking the caller id, she was surprised. This was most unusual. She pressed 'Answer'.

'Molly?'

'Not like you to call. Is everything alright?'

'That's what I wanted to ask you.'

'Oh. So, you've heard then?'

'Molly, I'm so sorry...'

'Don't be! I'm not... Well, maybe a little bit but not for myself.'

'Molly, is it my fault? Is it because of me?'

'No! Don't be silly!'

'Oh!... Sorry. I suppose that sounded really arrogant, didn't it?'

'No, it didn't. It sounded logical.'

'So why, then? Did he give a reason?'

'What? No! It wasn't him. It was me. I did it.'

'You...? And it wasn't because of..? What then?'

'Well, I suppose if I'm going to be brutally honest, you did have something to do with it...'

'Damn! I knew it! Damn, damn, damn!'

'Stop that! Stop that RIGHT NOW! I will NOT have you blaming yourself. It was my decision, mine and mine alone, and I did it for the best of reasons.'

'Explain!' he demanded. 'Please,' his voice softened, almost to a whisper.

'It was a mistake - my mistake. I managed to convince myself - and everyone else - that Tom was my Mr Right. I could do that while you were...not here...'

'But I came back.'

'Yes.'

'So it IS my fault!'

'No, no, no.'

She paused and took a deep breath, closing her eyes to organise her thoughts.

'While there was no way of making a 'like for like' comparison, I managed to convince myself. But when the real thing came back... there was no comparison. So...'

'But, Molly...I can't...I wish...' The words petered out.

He tried again.

'I wish I could but it's just not...in my nature.' He sounded hollow and in pain.

'I know that, silly,' she soothed. 'I've always known that.'

She waited for his breath to even out again.

'But I also know, in my heart and sou,l that I could never settle for second best. I'd rather manage without.'

'God, Molly...'

'Now you're making me feel bad!' she gasped.

There was a long silence, whilst they both regained some composure, then she spoke.

'Please, Sherlock, believe me when I say I have no regrets. None. Not one.'

'None?'

'Absolutely none. I'm a grown woman. I know my own mind. I've done the right thing, for both us.'

'Both of us?'

'No, both of US. Me and Tom. It never would have worked. I would have hated him, in the end, for something that wasn't his fault. That would have been cruel.'

'So you're sure...?'

'Never surer.'

'And are we still...OK, you and I?'

Always so insecure, she thought.

'God, yes! Never better!'

'So...I'll see you?'

'You know where to find me.'

'Yes,' he replied, and hung up.

She looked down at the hand holding the phone and at the third finger in particular, no longer bearing a ring.

'No regrets,' she said, emphatically.

ooOoo