PART 2
Molly hadn't expected moving overseas to be so easy, especially with two people. It had been a pain in the ass, frankly, when she had moved from London to the States. She didn't know if it was because of her over-emotional situation at the time that made moving so stressful, or because the system of immigration and emigration just got that much better. Either way, Molly was grateful that her and Theo's move had been smooth sailing.
Not to say that Molly still wasn't nervous at the possibility of running into him in London, no matter how small the possibility was. She felt a fierce protectiveness over her son, as any mother would, and she knew that he would not take the fact that he had a son lightly. Molly'd had nightmares before about him finding out about Theodore before, and none of those dreams were what Molly wanted for her son.
The only good thing about the move was that Theo was completely on board for whatever came their way. She talked to Courtney, as the detective wanted Molly to call her, on the phone many times making arrangements, and Molly would pace around her and Theo's house nervously. Theo would always stop what he was doing and grab his mother's hand, soothing her. When she would hang up the phone, Theo would hug her to him, comforting her, and Molly would marvel on how much taller her son was than her.
He definitely did not inherit my height, Molly thought to herself.
As the date to leave approached, Molly busied herself in work, and Theo busied himself with freshman finals and his friends. Theo was reluctant to leave all his buddies behind for the summer, but flat out refused to let Molly go on her own.
"We are the Hoopers, and we can do anything," he would tell her. Molly waited until she was in the privacy of her room to cry her eyes out at her son's selflessness. She didn't understand why she deserved such a boy in her life, even if she did help create him.
It was one incident in particular that made Molly know that whatever happened, her and Theo's relationship would never be damaged by the lack of a father.
Molly'd woken up screaming. Her nightmare about Theo meeting his father had been horrible, and Molly couldn't help but cry when she awoke. Theo came running in, his blue-green eyes wild with concern, and immediately rushed to his mother. Molly let herself sob on her son's shoulder for a couple minutes before collecting herself and saying, "I'm okay now, Theodore."
Theo's eyes widened at his full name. It was a known fact in the Hooper Home that his mother only used his entire first name when she was angry at him or upset about something, mostly the latter. He patted her back and whispered, "Don't worry anymore, Mom. I'm strong, and you're strong. Together, we are invincible, with or without my father. I love you, and you love me. We're the Hoopers, and we can do anything."
Molly then proceeded to grab her son by the neck and sob some more.
Theo raised an eyebrow when his laughed seemingly out of nowhere. "What's so funny?" he asked.
They sat in the airport, waiting for their flight to be called, and Molly'd let herself think in more detail about her life before Theo, if one would even call it that.
Molly shook her head. "Nothing, dear, just remembering something."
"Is it about me?" Theo frowned.
"No, dear, it isn't." Molly laughed again. "It's about my decision to move to Miami before I knew I was pregnant with you."
"What was your reason, then?" Theo asked, curiously.
Molly let out a giggle. "Well, I was tired of New York City after a month of living there, so I decided to move somewhere different. Then, I got it in my head that Miami would be a perfect place to forget your father because it is the polar opposite of London." She chuckled.
Theo watched his mother with an incredulous expression. "You moved here because its weather was different than London's?"
Molly nodded, smirking. "Indeed, my son. Do not judge me too harshly. I was a heartbroken, 29-year-old woman with ex-girlfriend logic."
"What would you've done if you knew that you were pregnant with me in New York?" Theo asked.
Molly smiled ruefully at her son. "Probably would've gotten on the very next flight and flown back to London."
The anxiety set in she and Theo were about an hour into the flight. Molly had been surprisingly calm up until that moment; she even joked around with her son to keep the tension down. She knew that Theo put on a brave face, but he was also nervous about the possibility of meeting his dad. Theo did not know the reality of how his father was, and the last thing Molly wanted was for her son to discover how heartless he could be when he set his mind to it. Molly was small and was still affected by him, but she had a mama-bear in her, and she knew that she could be vicious when she wanted to be.
Since Courtney had asked Molly to go to London with her, Molly's tough facade had broken to the ones who saw her on a day to day basis. She looked like a cold woman to the outside world, but she was actually terrified of what would happen if she actually met him in the flesh. She hadn't seen him in almost fifteen years, and she was not looking forward to the next time when she would run into him.
She sat next to the window seat on the plane at the request of her son. Theo didn't want to look down and see the world so far below him. It was a strange feeling, but Molly couldn't help but feel a little relieved that her son still had fears. Call it a mother thing, but it was nice to still feel needed. She had smiled kindly and agreed to sit next to the window, even though she herself didn't especially like it either.
They both sat with backs stiff as the plane took off, clutching the others hand as if their life depended on it. Theo had inherited her fear of flying, and Molly was too focused on not throwing up to comfort him. Things became easier when they were traveling steadily in the air. They'd talked quietly back and forth, and Molly felt herself relax more and more...
Until her son fell asleep.
When Molly had been left to her own thoughts, she felt her nervousness come crashing down upon her. She hated that she allowed herself to worry about something that might not even happen, even if the odds were against her. She knew it was unlikely that he had ever left London, but she still allowed herself a small hope that he might have left. Molly stared out the window, not letting her eyes drift to the ground, but straight ahead to stare at the pretty blue sky. She smiled when she realized that her son's eyes were sometimes this color.
To distract herself, Molly let her thoughts drift to her son. It was no secret to Molly that her son was well-sought after. He bore a slight accent like her, even though he'd never been out of the country, and he had inherited his father's good looks. Molly let herself claim some of the shy charm that her son could bring out when he spoke to girls, and he also had inherited her silky brown hair, even if it was curled like his father. Theo had never told her of a girlfriend either out of embarrassment or the lack of one, but she knew that he was definitely interested in girls. She was glad too; she didn't know what she would do if her son had inherited his father's asexualness, even if he had given into temptation and finally lost his virginity to her - the mousy, Molly Hooper. Molly harbored the fear that her son would be like his father sexuality wise until he was thirteen and came to her asking how to talk to girls. She had been so relieved. Even though the thought of her son getting married made her quiver with fright, she always knew she wanted grandchildren. If she couldn't have a husband and more children, she could at least watch her son get married and have his own.
Molly dallied in the part of her mind that held her son for about thirty minutes, but as she neared London, the place that she sought to escape almost fifteen years earlier, she felt her mind focus on... him. She couldn't help it. As she came closer to where her son's father dwelt, her mind simply refused to think about anything else. She remembered the early months of their actual romantic relationship, when everything had been great. Molly knew that when she agreed to his awkward asking her out that it would have to end as some point, but she didn't expect to ever have sex with him. She then got lost in the thought of him actually loving her, only to have her heart broken by him not even two months later. She forever cherished her short six months with him and never once had she wished that it hadn't happened since she found out she was pregnant with Theo, because, if it weren't for the heartbreak she suffered, she would not have her wonderful son.
"Mom... Mom... MOM!"
Molly jumped and was greeted by her sleep son touching her shoulder. "Oh, oh, Theo," she yawned, "w-what time is it?"
"Time to get off the plane, sleepyhead," Theo snipped playfully.
Molly stuck her tongue out at her son. "Hey, I lasted longest. You were out within the hour!"
"I was not!" Theo shot back, a smirk that looked like his father's plastered on his face. "At least I woke up before the plane landed."
Molly looked at him with surprise. "The plane landed?"
"Yep, not even five minutes ago. I was expecting you to shoot awake, but, there you lied, sleeping like a baby." He paused before smiling with a grin that reminded Molly of her brother, Edward. "You even snored a little."
Molly blushed in spite of herself. "I do not snore."
Theo rolled his eyes. "Yeah, whatever, Mom."
Molly and Theo collected their carry-on items relatively quickly and strode off the plane with ease. Molly prayed to God that they would be able to get to her old flat with little or no hazards. Molly never knew why, but she never sold her flat even though she had no intention of going back to London willingly. She didn't feel like apartment hunting, so she settled on hoping that neither he or... John ever went looking at her old dwelling.
As they collected their suitcases, Molly frowned on how long it had been since she thought about Dr. John Watson. The last she'd heard, the older doctor had been married to a woman named Mary and was expecting a baby. That had been a year or two after Theo was born. Molly had cut off John when she had left London. She didn't want to have anything to do with him, but she still named her little boy after John, deciding that 'Theodore Hamish Hooper' didn't sound right but 'Theodore John Hooper' had a nice ring to it. Molly had always silently wished the doctor and his new wife well, but she'd never met the new Mrs. Watson in person.
"Why do you frown?" Theo asked curiously.
Molly glanced at her son and decided to be honest. "I was thinking about an old friend - John Watson to be exact."
Theo's eyebrows shot up with surprise. "The man you named me after?" He paused and added, "Well, at least my middle name."
Molly smiled and nodded. "Yes, John was a great man, and I couldn't help but name my little man after him."
Her son blushed, one that always reminded Molly of her own. "I am hardly little," he retorted halfheartedly.
"Theo, you will always be my little Teddy," Molly teased.
Theo's embarrassed face turned into a glower. "Don't. Call. Me. Teddy," he said menacingly.
Molly laughed. "You used to love it when I called you 'My Teddy Bear.'"
"Yeah," Theo agreed, "when I was four."
The Hoopers continued their little, playful arguments all the way to the flat, but both of them grew solemn when they stared at their home for the next two months.
"Is this it?" Theo asked quietly. "Is this the flat that you lived in before you moved to the States?"
Molly nodded, sighing softly. "Yes. Theodore, welcome to my old life."
A/N: Well, there was Part 2. Hope you enjoyed. You might meet John in the next couple chapters, but you will have to wait longer for him. I'm not ready to write him, and I don't think Theo or Molly are ready to face him, but you will get him eventually. Read and review! xoxo Carly
