AN-This one was inspired by "Hold Your Head High" by Colbie Caillat


Leaving was the hardest thing Molly had ever done. She hadn't told Sherlock about her departure because she wasn't sure if she would have had the strength to leave if she saw him. But she had done it; she had told him how she felt and had left with dignity.

She had spent so much of her life being Sherlock Holmes' personal assistant, fetching him his coffee, running tests for his many case, nicking body parts for his absurd experiments. For so long, she wasn't even sure if they were friends. Things had changed after The Fall. She had grown far more confident and assertive in his presence. She realized that he counted her as one of his closest, most trusted friends, and she was perfectly content with that. However, things couldn't stay this way forever. She needed something more, and a change in scenery could be exactly what she needed to move on from him. Moreover, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and turning it down would have been a fool's move. Now, she was sitting on an airplane headed to one of the most beautiful places on earth about to start the newest chapter of her life. Her stomach was in knots; she was so excited and terrified at the same time.

The flight had been a short one, and she retrieved all of her belongings without a hitch. She took a cab from Edinburgh Airport to her new flat. It was near the University of Edinburgh Medical School, where she would be heading the pathology department. She would be part of some of the most innovative research in forensic science. She would be helping teach bright young minds in a field she loved. She would be working with some of the greatest pathologists in the country. She couldn't wait to get started.


It had been a month since Molly started her position at the University of Edinburgh, and she had handled the transition well. At first, she thought it would be difficult for her to settle into a new routine. However, the staff at the University welcomed her warmly and she really enjoyed working with them. She really missed doing post mortems and working cases, but she enjoyed the research she was doing, and she knew that the work she was doing would greatly benefit the scientific community.

Her friends had all called her and congratulated her; they were even planning on coming up to visit her. However, one person had conspicuously not contacted her once since her departure, a certain consulting detective.

The hardest part of all of this was that she would no longer be working with Sherlock. She enjoyed working with him in companionable silence, helping him whenever she was needed. They had done so much together, and she really missed it. But this would be good for her. She knew she loved him and always would. She had really needed to distance herself; it was the only way she could ever really move on.

She walked into the lab and was greeted by a smiling blond pathologist.

"Good morning, Molly. You look absolutely ravishing this morning," Ewan greeted her with a wide smile.

"Good morning to you, too, Ewan. You don't look was bad yourself," she responded with an equally wide grin. She then busied herself gathering all the test tubes and agar plates necessary for her experiments and settled into her work station.

"So, are you all dressed up to meet someone special, like a boyfriend?" he queried in a nonchalant tone.

"First, I don't get dressed up for anyone but myself. Second, I don't actually have a boyfriend," Molly answered with a cheeky smirk.

"An amazing woman like you should have dozens of men falling at your feet."

"Right… I really don't ever see that happening."

"Well, why not? You're an intelligent, funny, caring woman. Any man would be lucky to be with you," he stated sincerely.

"That's very sweet, Ewan. Maybe you're up for the job," the petite brunette joked as she turned to her work, blushing deeply.

They worked in a comfortable quiet for a while. Molly stole a glance in her coworker's direction. He really was an attractive man. He had sandy blond hair that he styled in a way that made him look like James Dean. His eyes were a deep, emerald green that shone brightly when he talked about things that he loved. When he smiled, which was often, he showed off deep dimples that made him look almost childlike. Beyond his obvious good looks, he was also very kind and patient. She had seen the way he helped the young students who came into the lab seeking help. He really enjoyed helping others. He also shared her love of the morbid and macabre. They had often shared long conversations about the many cases that Molly had helped solve and the interesting things she had seen in the morgue. Yes, Ewan Buchanan was a wonderful man anyway you looked at it. Molly's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Ewan's deep tenor.

"Listen, Molly, I was wondering if maybe you'd like to grab a cup of coffee later."

"Oh, that would be love—"

"No, I don't think she'll be able to make it."

They both turned their gazes to the doorway to see a tall figure standing in the doorway.