Until forever.
Characters: Molly and Sherlock
Set during His Last Vow.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in Sherlock. I just adore them.
I hadn't planned to write anything else, but my brain won't leave this alone.
SH SH SH SH SH SH SH SH SH
After Sherlock had left, Molly had spent many hours lying awake in bed pondering his words. It was impossible for life not to be complicated around Sherlock. But his references to lies, illusions and deceit had concerned her. Obviously not her, that was clear from his references to her being 'real'. She couldn't help but smile to herself. They'd shared a kiss. Not just a small peck on the cheek, 'you're a good friend' type of kiss. But a full on 'let's be serious' type kiss. And his parting words to her, "Until forever". They sounded like a promise. But 'It's going to get worse before it gets better'. What did he mean?
Not for the first time, Molly wished Sherlock was a little more transparent. His words kept repeating in her head. She couldn't sleep; it felt as though something was wrong.
Twice Molly had risen from her bed to check the doors were locked, and she hadn't left the gas on. She just couldn't settle.
Finally around 2am she gave up, and decided to head into work, to catch up with the paperwork she'd left earlier that day.
As she tried to type up her report from yesterday's post mortem, she kept glancing at her hand, neatly bandaged. Normally she was quite quick at typing, but it was like trying to type with mittens on. Her mobile suddenly buzzed in her lab coat pocket distracting her. She felt a small pang of disappointment when she saw it was Mary, rather than Sherlock, then the blood drained from her face as the read the message, her hands shaking.
JUST HEARD FROM JOHN. SHERLOCK'S BEEN SHOT. IT'S SERIOUS. WILL TEXT YOU WHEN I KNOW MORE.
Molly's world seemed to collapse in on her. Where? Where was he? How bad was it? What had happened?
Molly had always prided herself on being good in a crisis, and now was no different. Pushing all the concern she had for Sherlock into a space marked – 'worry later', she turned back to her computer. Come on Molly - think. Shot meant emergency; serious, probably meant surgery. She started hitting the keys to bring up patient records. Fortunately most hospitals in London used the same database. Check Admissions, check A&E, she thought. Mary had mentioned John, therefore John would probably have filled out a patient record card, so they would actually have Sherlock's name. Quickly and expertly she navigated her way through the computer maze of hospital records.
A sudden thought struck her. She had deliberately kept the results of the drug tests out of the system. The Emergency room doctors wouldn't know what Sherlock had been using, and might have in his system. They certainly wouldn't take into account the effect of drug interaction with anything he might have in his system. John was a doctor, but he didn't know exactly what Molly had found during the tests.
It took her less than 30 seconds to find Sherlock's details. He was in surgery.
Molly dashed to her supplies cupboard, and searched frantically through the shelves. It took her moments to spot the small bottle of clear fluid, which she grabbed and then palmed a standard disposable syringe on her way back through the lab. At a fast run, Molly dashed down the corridors, and through reception, disregarding the admonishing look from the receptionist. But a doctor running in a lab coat didn't actually attract as much attention as one might think.
Molly knew Barts like the back of her hand. She traversed the hallways and stairs cases with ease, arriving at the correct operating theatre, out of breath and winded.
Inside the room there was a hive of activity. She could just make out Sherlock surrounded by doctors and nurses, it was clear that Sherlock's situation was very serious. She knew she couldn't enter theatre, she wasn't scrubbed, and an infection could be just as fatal as a bullet.
Molly banged on the door loudly, attracting the attention of one of the nurses on the periphery who came over to see what the panting lady doctor wanted.
"Give….. this…. to…. patient." Molly panted out, handing her the bottle and syringe.
The nurse looked doubtfully at her, "the doctor won't do it. Not on your say so."
Molly grabbed the woman's arm urgently. "Listen to me." She begged. "That man. He's an addict. As of yesterday morning, I know he was using. That ….will help stabilize him. " Molly felt the tears streaming down her face. "Please…."
Suddenly Molly heard the unmistakable sound of the heart monitoring registering a problem. "Go!" Molly pushed the nurse back into the room, and peered through the door's window. Through her tears, she could see the nurse speaking to one of the doctors, and he inspected the bottle. He glanced in her direction and then grabbing the syringe, he expertly inverted the bottle and drew off some of the liquid, injecting it directly into the cannula on the back of Sherlock's hand.
Molly watched as the medical team continued to try to save Sherlock. She could just make out the monitor's constant whine over the shouting of the medical team. "Charging! Clear! Again! Again!"
Then silence. Finally a lone male voice said. "I'm calling it."
"No…." Molly fell to her knees, sobbing.
Collapsed on the floor, she didn't see the blip on the machine. She didn't see the flutter of his finger. She didn't see the doctor turn in surprise and register the fact that his patient was in fact 'not dead'.
Suddenly she was aware of the sound of raised voices again. Dragging herself up, she saw that Doctors were working on him again, a hubbub of activity surrounding him. She offered up a silent prayer, and then gasped as Sherlock's eyes opened. He was back.
Molly fell heavily against the wall, letting her eyes close. He had a long way to go, but for now, he lived.
SH SH SH SH SH SH SH SH SH
Molly had stayed outside the theatre for as long as she dared, before heading back to the morgue. She'd caught snippets of conversation from the Doctors and Nurses as they had entered and left the room. Sherlock was critical, but out of immediate danger. Once he was stable enough, Sherlock was being transferred to the VIP ward, a very expensive and exclusive part of the hospital. Molly felt sure his brother had a hand in that.
She kept out the way for the rest of day, staying in the morgue, but doing occasional checks on the hospital database for updates on Sherlock's condition. Mary had sent her a text to let her know that Sherlock was OK, but other than that, no one had bothered to update her.
Checking her watch, for the thousandth time, she decided it was late enough. She couldn't face waiting any longer.
Ensuring she had her security pass and ID, she made her way up to the private wing of the hospital. She waited in the stairwell, watching through the glass side panels, waiting until the nurse was dealing with another patient, before sneaking through the door. Molly had memorized exactly which room Sherlock was in, and she quietly made her way past other doors, before quickly opening his room door, and slipping inside the darkened room. A single small lamp illuminated Sherlock's face, the rest of the room was thrown into shadow.
"Oh Sherlock," she whispered sadly. "What have you done to yourself?"
She padded quietly to the end of the bed, and took the patient notes from the storage rack. Flicking through them, she started muttering to herself. "Heavy sedation, good. Antibiotics. Blood loss…." Molly trailed off into silence as she read about the injury Sherlock had suffered, he was very lucky to have survived. Quietly she replaced the notes.
Very carefully, so she wouldn't disturb the cannula in Sherlock's hand, she slipped her hand into his and then bent down and gently kissed it. "Don't leave me now, Sherlock. We haven't had our forever yet."
"Miss Hooper?"
Molly gave a small scream, dropped Sherlock's hand and spun round to face a figure seated in the dark. She took a step back from the bed. "I….I…."
The figure reached up and turned on a second light, illuminated the corner of the room. Molly recognized this figure instantly from the time he visited the morgue. "Mr… Mr Holmes."
He smiled tightly and stood up. "I would like to say I am surprised to see you Miss Hooper, but I am not."
"I….I just wanted to see how he is," she said blushing with embarrassment. "I'm sorry. I'll go."
"Wait Miss Hooper," he said quietly.
Molly froze.
Mycroft pointed at the patient notes Molly had read. "Do these tell you anything?"
She nodded. "He was incredibly lucky. No major organs hit, but massive internal bleeding."
"That was being lucky?" he queried confused.
Molly swallowed before speaking. "He died Mr Holmes. The Doctor had called it; stopped the resuscitation. And yet somehow he came back from that. We …. I mean you almost lost him. He survived. Today, yes, I call that being lucky."
"I see." Mycroft stood for a moment and watched her carefully. Molly refused to buckle under his intense gaze.
Finally Mycroft spoke. "I understand from the Doctor that operated, that they were completely unaware of my brothers…. Bad habits, shall we say," said Mycroft studying the handle of his umbrella. "An unknown female doctor appeared with just the right medication needed. Apparently it was exceptionally fortuitous timing."
Molly stiffened slightly but said nothing.
Mycroft nodded, and walked slowly towards the door. "I believe Sherlock is indeed lucky. Lucky to have such friends. I'll tell the nurse to allow you 24x7 access to these rooms." He paused at the door. He turned to look at her, "Thank you, Miss Hooper. And for what it's worth, I hope you get your forever."
She smiled. "Please…Please call me Molly," she said.
"Very well. Good night Molly. Try to get some rest. You look tired."
Molly waited until the door closed, leaving her alone with Sherlock. She pulled the chair up next to the bed and sat down exhausted. It was late and she was tired, but at that moment, sitting by Sherlock in the quiet of the night, there was nowhere else she would rather be.
SH SH SH SH SH SH SH SH SH
Authors note: I think I see possibly another chapter of two of this. Trying to fit it in with the episode.
Thanks to all who left a review. Renaissancebooklover108, Ethera O, Lavanyalabelle, Kathmak, Rocking the Redhead, lovebirds413, Friend2friend1 and De. I get so excited to see your comments. Good, bad or corrections to my grammar – I love them all.