"Molly!" the voice of her boss rattled her and shook her out of her revelry. "Are you sleeping?!" he demanded incredulously.
"No, no, not at all. I was thinking," she stammered, trying to cover.
"There's been an accident, a five car pileup. Three dead. I'll need those victims taken care of as soon as possible so we can release them to their families." He told her while studying a stack of papers in his hand. "So stop 'thinking' and get to work."
He left as quickly as he appeared leaving the morgue's door swinging in his exit.
"He didn't look very happy." John Watson said a moment later when he entered the lab. "Everything alright?"
Molly rubbed her hand over her face. "Five car pileup with multiple victims. Looks like I'm in for a long night."
John stepped to her and handed her a large coffee from her favorite shop. "You look terrible. Have you been getting enough sleep?"
Molly laughed out loud at that. "Why is everyone suddenly so concerned with how much sleep I'm getting?"
"Because you look like you haven't had any in ages?" John suggested. "Who else is concerned about it?"
"What?" she asked, after taking a long drink from the coffee.
"You asked why everyone is concerned. Who is everyone?" he clarified, propping himself on the stool beside where she was sitting in front of a microscope.
"Sherlock and I were just having the same conversation last night. I guess that makes him everyone." she answered, though with some reluctance.
"Last night?" John asked with raised eyebrows. "So you were with him last night?"
"He came by, yeah." She shrugged.
John smiled ruefully. "I was wondering what he was doing with himself lately."
Molly immediately shook her head. "No, no. It isn't like that. I mean, he comes by sometimes and calls, but we're just friends."
"Oh, I know." John nodded.
"Oyi! What is that supposed to mean?" she asked, sitting up straighter. "You think that it's so out of the realm of possibilities that it could be more?"
John reached out and rested his hand over hers. "Only because it's Sherlock we're talking about. Not because it's you. But now I understand why you look so tired."
Molly gave him a smile. "He can be quite the handful, can't he?"
"Yes, he can. But the way to deal with him is you have to set some boundaries."
Molly nodded in agreement. "So what brings you here today? How are Mary and Alexis?"
"Fantastic!" he beamed. "Actually, Alexis is the reason I came by. I was hoping I could talk you into babysitting tonight, but I'll check with Mrs. Hudson instead. Apparently, you've already done your fair share of that lately."
"I would really love to help, but I just don't know how long I'll be here tonight." She said, regretfully.
"Oh no, it's fine. I'm sure Mrs. Hudson won't mind."
"So, you and the Misses have big plans tonight?"
"I'm taking Mary out to dinner. We haven't been out since the baby was born. I think it's high time we had a few moments to ourselves." He smiled.
"I'll make a deal with you. If Mrs. Hudson can watch the baby, I'll keep Sherlock occupied so he doesn't bother you as well." She offered.
John scratched his head and raised an eyebrow at her. "Are you sure you're okay with occupying Sherlock like you've been doing lately?"
"What do you mean? Of course I'm alright with it."
"It's just that, you've been doing so well lately."
Molly scoffed. "You act as if I'm an addict and Sherlock is my drug of choice."
"Well..." John mumbled.
"It's not like that at all." She assured him. "I'm completely over Sherlock Holmes. I can assure you I'm fine with working with him."
"Are you fine with him showing up at your flat and calling at all hours?"
"How did you-" she began.
John held up his hand to cut her off. "Because I know him and if he isn't doing that to me, and he hasn't since the baby came, then he's doing it to someone and I took a guess that it was you. Apparently I was right."
"Well, okay, yes, that's what he's been doing, but he's in the middle of an experiment and he needs my help."
"What kind of experiment?" John asked.
Molly giggled. "He's trying to figure out love so when Alexis gets older and comes to him for advice, he'll be able to give it to her. He's afraid he isn't 'knowledgeable enough about it to instruct her properly'. He's taking his role as the baby's Godfather very seriously. It's kind of sweet, really."
"I had hoped when the day came it would be me she would come to," John muttered, "but that's very nice of him all the same." He stopped a moment and thought about what she said before raising his eyebrows again. "And how exactly are you helping him figure out love?"
"John, I told you, it isn't like that. He just has questions and he comes to me for answers."
John laughed humorlessly. "Okay, so he's what? Dating? And after the date he comes to you and barrages you with questions?"
"Something like that, yeah." She confirmed.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, Molly. You shouldn't have to deal with that."
"It's okay. Really it is."
"No, it's not okay. Don't worry I'll talk to him. This has to stop."
Molly got to her feet. "You'll do no such thing. I told you, I don't mind. I'm actually quite enjoying the time we spend together. Even if it does mean I'm not getting much sleep." She put her hands on her hips. "I'm not a child. If I have a problem with Sherlock, I'll bloody well talk to him about it myself."
"This is crazy. He knows how you feel about him, yet here he is completely disregarding those feelings like he always does." John replied just as heatedly.
"First off, he does not know how I feel about him. Second, there is nothing to know because I don't feel that way about him anymore and thirdly, this is really none of your business. It's between me and Sherlock."
John ran his hand through his hair, ruffling it and let out a long, loud breath. "I'm just trying to help. I know you say you don't feel that way anymore, but I also feel like I've gotten to know you a bit over the years and I know aren't the kind of person that can just turn your feelings off like that."
Molly jabbed her hands into the pockets of her white lab coat. "I know you're trying to help, but I didn't ask for the help. I didn't just turn the feelings off. It took a lot of time, but I'm better now. Sherlock and I are fine. I'm fine. Everything is fine, actually, except for the fact that I'm about to be swamped with work and I'm very tired."
"Did I hear someone say my name?" Sherlock's baritone boomed as he pushed through the double swinging doors of the morgue.
"Yes, we we're just talking about you." John said, getting to his feet.
"Nothing bad I hope." Sherlock commented. "How are you, John?"
"I'm good. Taking Mary out for a night on the town actually, so I should be off. I still have to stop by to talk to Mrs. Hudson."
"Oh, good. She's been asking after you. She'll be delighted you stopped by. Mary and Alexis are well?"
"Fine, fine. Everyone is apparently fine." He nodded, before giving Molly a sideways glance.
"Tell them I said hello and I plan on coming by tomorrow to see the baby and whatnot." Sherlock answered, distractedly.
John gave him a smile. "That would be nice. We haven't seen much of you lately. Maybe we can work on a case together."
"Oh, Molly's been stepping in recently. She's doing a splendid job of it. She has a very sharp eye."
"I'm glad to hear you've had some help, but Alexis is sleeping through the night now, well almost. So, I'm hoping to be back to crime fighting very soon."
Sherlock gave Molly a smile and a wink as if they were sharing a private joke. "Molly and I will be happy to have you back on the team."
Did Sherlock just say that she was part of his team regardless of whether John was around or not? She couldn't help the smile that grew as that thought took root in her brain. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she'd always seen their arrangement as temporary. She never imagined that she might still be included if Sherlock had John to call on.
"Are you ready to get started on that body, Molly?" Sherlock asked, bringing her attention back to the two men in the room with her.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Sherlock. I've got three bodies coming in from an accident any minute now. Can we do it tomorrow instead?"
"Of course. I'll just head back home and get some work done. What about that report on the Doyle case?"
Molly went to her desk and riffled through a pile of papers in her inbox.
"I'm off. Please try to get some rest, Molly. And I'll see you tomorrow, Sherlock." John called as he left them alone.
Sherlock stepped over to her. "John thinks you need rest?" he asked with one eyebrow cocked like he was examining her closely. "Actually, I think he's right. You do look rather tired."
"Yes, well, I haven't been getting much sleep lately," she commented, then back peddled quickly. "Not that I'm complaining. I really don't mind you stopping by at all."
She found the paper she was looking for and handed it over to him. He took it from her, folded it neatly in two and placed it in the inside pocket of his blue pinstriped suit jacket.
Molly found herself suddenly standing very close to him. In fact he was close enough that he blocked her view of everything else in the room and left her staring at the bare skin of his upper chest where his pink shirt was unbuttoned. Dark curly hair peaked around the shirt covering the pale skin with a light dusting.
Her breath caught in her throat and she swallowed hard before raising her eyes up to find him looking down at her with a smoldering gaze in his bizarrely colored blue/green eyes.
"Sherlock, what are you doing?" she asked, taking an awkward step back from him.
"I was going to ask if you minded if I came by later tonight. I thought perhaps we could grab some dinner. But seeing how tired you are, I think it would be better to wait till tomorrow," he explained. "Tonight you should get some sleep."
"Are you asking me out?" she asked, completely confused yet more than a little elated. It was something she'd been dreaming about for years. Hearing him say the words was better than she'd ever imagined it could be.
"Well, I just thought we could continue our discussion from last night and I figured I owed you something for all the help you've been lately."
"That sounds nice. I would love to have dinner with you. We can do it tonight, but I'm not sure when I'll be done here."
"You're sure you're not too tired?" He asked with genuine concern in his voice, something that sounded strange coming from him.
"I'm fairly sure I won't be any less tired tomorrow night. I don't expect to get that much sleep tonight."
Sherlock stepped away from her and began to pace for a moment before stopping in mid step and giving her a cautious, narrowed-eyed look. "What about this? I know you say you don't sleep well in your flat alone. How about I come over later with take away and I'll stay the night on the couch, of course? That way you can catch up on your sleep."
"Why would you do that?" she asked, utterly confused and completely flabbergasted.
"Because you need the sleep." He answered simply. "I'll even agree to watch a movie with you while we eat. Anything you want?"
"Anything?"
"Yes, anything, quietly and without complaint." He vowed.
Molly laughed out loud. "Now that I don't believe."
Several hours later, darkness had fallen over the London streets and with it came a sharp chill in the air. Molly wrapped her loudly patterned, brick red, woolen scarf a little tighter around her neck before snatching at the sides of her ill-fitting blue puffer jacket to her body. It was nearly eight and she was finally leaving St. Bart's and making her way home after a very, very long day. A double homicide had added to her body count by the time she left and she was so tired her eyes burned with lack of sleep.
She stopped on the corner and raised one arm while using the other to dig around in her handbag for her phone.
Finding her phone just as a taxi stopped in front of her, she got in, gave the cabbie her address and dialed Sherlock's number.
"Sherlock Holmes." He answered quickly in a crisp business-like voice.
"It's me. I know it's late. I'm sorry. I'm just leaving now. If you want to cancel, I'll understand." She told him as the cab pulled out into traffic.
"No, it's fine. It isn't too late. Actually I have something pressing I'm dealing with at the moment. So I'll be just a little longer," he said. Molly noticed his voice sounded tedious and she worried for a moment that it was her he was finding so tiresome.
"Is everything alright?"
"Yes, everything is fine. I'll be around in a little while. Wait for me?"
"Of course. I'll see you when you there."
His end of the phone went dead and when she checked hers she realized he'd hung up without saying another word.
She was more than a little crestfallen as she shoved the phone back into her bag and set back to look out the window for the rest of the ride.
