A Marriage Of Minds

A Sherlock & Molly Story

By Brown Eyes Parker

Author's Note:

This story was loosely inspired by "the Mirror Has Two Faces" with Jeff Bridges and Barbra Streisand. If you haven't seen it, you can still follow the story. I suggest watching it just because it's a great love story. Anyways, onto the story!

Rated: T

Disclaimer: I do not own anything. Okay, so I own a DVD copy of the Mirror Has Two Faces and two songs from the soundtrack, but that's all.

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Chapter 1A Funny Kind Of Proposal

"Do you think that you've moved on enough to marry me?"

Molly was so startled by his question that bowl she was holding slipped from her hands causing a tremendous clatter to echo through the morgue. She dropped to her knees, grateful for the distraction of having to clean something up. Sherlock knelt down too and turned the metal bowl over before helping her with the mess of the victim's leftover lunch.

"Marry you?" She said, meeting his eyes.

"Why not, regular people do it all of the time, don't they?" Sherlock answered.

But you're not a 'regular' person," Molly replied. "You never have been. Why are you so interested in getting married now? Is it because John got married?"

"Like I would get married just because my best friend did!" Sherlock scoffed. "Molly Hooper, do you really think I'd do something like that? I never do something just because everybody else is doing it!"

Molly laughed, feeling a little bit braver. "Well, that contradicts your last statement, doesn't it?"

Sherlock frowned at her and looked down at the mess that was still on the floor. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you just said that regular people get married all the time—"

Sherlock sighed impatiently. "I know what I said—"

"Sherlock," Molly interjected gently. "What happened between you and Irene Adler? You two were a pretty hot and heavy item there for a while."

"She didn't want me, not even a little bit. The entire six months we were together, she was just using me to get an old lover back. I don't know how I didn't see it. Me! The smartest man in the room tricked and used by a—" Sherlock paused and released a deep breath. "I shouldn't have ever agreed to go out with her. I've always been better off without romantic entanglements."

Molly ignored the last part of his statement and tried to console him. "I think you did know, but you liked her so much that you decided to let her trick you a little bit. Maybe you thought that having her for a short amount of time would be better than never having her at all."

"I should have told myself that was the stupidest thought that I've ever had!" Sherlock retorted as he stood up and looked around for something to clean the floor up.

"Sherlock," Molly said tentatively.

"What is it?" He asked not even bothering to look at her as he snatched a rag off the table and threw it at her.

"Why would you want to marry me? I mean I thought that you would have sworn off it since you're coming off of a broken heart—"

Sherlock shook his head at her naivety. "Oh Molly, it wouldn't be that kind of marriage! I'm talking about a marriage between two brilliant individuals. Our union would purely be based on our friendship and our ability to relate to each other on a more intellectual level. I am merely looking for a companion to share my life with that is all. So, will your previous feelings for me get in the way of something like that or have you moved on enough to be that for me?"

Molly stood up and straightened out her lab coat, she looked him straight in the eyes and nodded. "You know, I do think I could agree with that sort of arrangement if it's what you really wanted."

"Are you sure?" He pressed.

"Yes I'm sure," she replied, disposing of the now useless evidence and then peeling off her latex gloves. "What about you? Are you sure that you won't have trouble keeping up your end of the bargain?"

"Of course!" Sherlock answered, looking offended by her question. "Are you just doing this because your window of opportunity is closing?"

"Window of opportunity?" Molly repeated.

"To get married," he clarified. "It's perfectly fine if you are, I'm not going to judge you."

Molly shrugged. "Does it really matter why I'm doing it? I mean, maybe in the back of my mind I am thinking what if this is it? What if no other opportunity for me to get married comes along? But does that really matter? I'm agreeing to your terms, I'm going to be the kind of wife that you want. So, we're both helping each other out."

Sherlock nodded. She was agreeing to his requests, most women – even those who thought their window of opportunity was closing – wouldn't agree to a loveless marriage, especially if it was happening on the rebound. She was extraordinary.

"So, when do you want to get married?" He asked.

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"You can't just get married to a girl on the rebound Sherlock!" Mrs. Hudson scolded him later on that week as she followed him around the flat. "Really, what are you thinking?"

Sherlock shrugged. "That I'm lonely and Molly would make a lovely companion."

"But why are you getting married right now? Is it because John's gotten married and your feeling left out or is it for other reasons? Like that woman who was always around—?"

"Don't you have something else to do?" Sherlock asked, glaring at her. "Maybe you could go and finish preparing my bedroom before I bring the new Mrs. Holmes back."

Mrs. Hudson smiled cheerily. "Of course Sherlock! But—"

"Mrs. Hudson!" Sherlock said, rolling his eyes. "Please!"

Mrs. Hudson finally got the hint and left him to finish getting married in peace. Yes, he knew people were going to ask him questions about this unusual union, but he had gotten tired of explaining it three days ago.

There was a knock on the door, he turned around fully expecting to shoo Mrs. Hudson from the room again but found Mary peering in at him.

"Hello Sherlock," she said cheerfully. "Are you ready for the big day?"

"Yes," Sherlock answered confidently. "I haven't got a hint of pre-wedding jitters. I hope that's a good sign."

Mary laughed and nodded towards his tie. "May I?"

Sherlock shrugged. "Be my guest."

She fiddled with his tie and then made a pretext out of trying to tame is unruly hair. "Don't worry about not having pre-wedding jitters, Sherlock. Marrying Molly will probably be the best thing you'll ever do in your whole entire life."

Sherlock looked straight ahead as Mary continued to fiddle with him. "You aren't judging me?"

"Why in heaven's name would I do that?"

"Because this isn't a regular marriage," Sherlock answered. "We're not going to be married in the sense you and John are married."

Mary stood back and looked at him, a smile playing on her lips. "It's a special kind of marriage for a special kind of person. Regardless of the form it's taking, I think you will make a wonderful husband Sherlock."

"You're just saying that because you're my best friend's husband," Sherlock said.

"No, I'm saying it because I believe it," Mary assured him, producing a rose and tucking it into his buttonhole.

"Speaking of John, where is he?" Sherlock asked.

"He's waiting for us in the kitchen," Mary answered. "I insisted that he let me look in on you, I wanted to make sure you were ready and that you weren't going to run. I didn't need him assisting you in any escapes or trying to talk you out of your decision."

"He disapproves of my choice," Sherlock said.

"Hardly," Mary replied. "I just think he doesn't want to see you get hurt. You or Molly, for that fact. I keep telling him though, you're an intelligent man. You have to know what you're doing."

"Thank you," Sherlock said sincerely.

Mary smiled at him. "My pleasure. There, you're all ready now, let's go and get you married."

TBC. . .

Author's Note II:

I will be checking my iPod all night for reviews. I am anxious to see what everybody thinks about this story, especially because it is only my second attempt at writing Sherlock fan fiction. So, if you like it then please leave a review and tell me what you think.

Until next time!

Holly, 1/27/2014_