Molly once again found herself waking up with a foggy mind and a glass of water next to her bed. The only difference was there was someone else in her room. Forcing herself to sit up, she focused on the figure sitting on the end of her bed.
"Don't sit up too quickly. You can make yourself sick. You've been asleep for most of the day and without food for nearly twenty-four hours," the voice explained. It took a few more moments to focus but Molly could see that it was Sebastian that was in the room.
Molly's body tensed up as he brought the covers up to her chin to try and provide herself a barrier between her and the blonde. She knew anyone having to do with Jim Moriarty was dangerous and she didn't want anything to do with him.
Sebastian held up his hands to show he meant no harm, "Easy, Miss Hooper. I just came in to make sure you are alright. You have been heavily sedated for most of the day after your escape attempt."
"Well maybe if I hadn't been kidnapped in the first place, I wouldn't have to try," Molly replied sharply. She hated being powerless and wanted nothing more than to run away again, but seeing how well it worked out last time, she thought differently.
"Yeah… I know. I'm just following orders. Jim wants you hear and that's all that matters. It's Moran by the way. Sebastian Moran," he explained to the frightened girl. "Drink your water. I don't want you throwing up if I give you any food."
Molly carefully grabbed at the water and sipped it. After being asleep and without food for almost an entire day, Molly decided this man knew what he was talking about and needed to listen to him. He seemed nice for now but so did Jim when she first met him.
After finishing off the water, Sebastian took the glass and went out into the hall. She wondered if he would return soon but that thought was soon answered as he walked back in with a small tray of food.
He sat it down in her lap and removed the top to reveal a bowl of soup and a side of crackers. She knew instantly it was just something to give her lost nutrients. It would be easy on her stomach without being too filling. "Thank you, Sebastian," Molly nodded to him and picked up the spoon.
He sat on the edge of the bed watching her while she ate. His staring didn't go unnoticed by Molly and she became increasingly agitated by him. "Is something wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?"
"I am just trying to figure you out what makes you so special. One moment you seem scared, the next you are defensive. I have also been instructed to watch over you right now," he responded and sat up a little straighter. He didn't understand what Jim saw in the girl but if he liked her then Sebastian wouldn't question Jim's judgment on this matter.
Molly took another sip of soup before responding to Sebastian, "There's nothing special about me. I am just the girl in the morgue. I don't have any special talents or qualities. I just don't like people thinking they can walk over me." But it never stopped Sherlock before and it certainly never stopped Jim.
Molly sat her food to the side and sighed, "Why can't you just let me go? I promise not to tell anyone where I am. I don't even know where we are. Let me go. No one would even know I am missing." The last words hit Molly hard. She had never given it thought but speaking them out loud made it seem more real. No one would know she was missing. She didn't have any close friends. The closest thing to friends would be the elderly nurse walking through the morgue, John who was more of a friend, and Sherlock. No one would know she was missing. No one except for her cat.
"Toby! I need to get Toby! He's probably crying for attention right now. He needs to be fed!" Molly said in a slightly panicked tone. That cat was one of the few things that relied on her and she didn't want to abandon him.
Sebastian simply blinked at her and realized what he needed to do. "Toby will be fine, Molly. Don't worry about him." Sebastian mentally reprimanded himself for forgetting about the cat. If anyone notices the cat's crying it could alert everyone to her disappearance too soon.
"Listen, Molly… Jim is difficult. He can be the biggest pain in the arse ever but he's my boss and friend. I'd do anything for him. After all the years I've been with him, I have only one piece of advice for you... No matter how angry he gets, don't back down," he explained. "He thinks people that lack a spine are too weak. Stay strong if he gets angry."
Molly didn't know if she could do what Sebastian said. She always tried to stay strong but that was so hard at times that she wanted nothing more than to disappear from the world. She could tell Sebastian wanted a response so she just nodded her head at him.
"Good girl. I'll be back later with more food but for now, just get some sleep," he mumbled and took her food tray and began to make his way back out of her room. Once outside, Sebastian locked the door and looked at Jim who had been standing just outside listening in, "Don't worry. I'll get the cat. Need to keep Molly happy or else you won't be."
Jim only smiled and turned on his heels to go tend to some business in his office.
Molly lay back on her bed and stared at the ceiling. She didn't want to be here but something told her that Sebastian and her were now friends. That thought made Molly smile as she felt it was always nice to have a friend. Even in a situation as bad as hers, she wanted a friend.
Sebastian Moran always made quick work. He was efficient, smart, and able to get around without being seen. Although today just wasn't his day. After finally making it back to Molly's flat in London, Sebastian had managed to gather up the cat essentials and a few articles of her clothing from her flat and placed them in the car. The hard part was actually catching the cat.
He attempted to chase it down but that only involved him getting scratched and narrowly missing the feline every time it decided to make a sudden turn. He then tried to entice it with food but it was obviously not amused by his efforts. "Devil cat," Sebastian huffed as he collapsed down on the couch to rest for a moment. If he hadn't known any better, Sebastian could have sworn the cat was smiling.
Sebastian was about to try and catch the cat once more when he heard someone knocking on the door. Bolting to his feet, Sebastian grabbed the knife he kept in his boot and carefully silently made his way to the door and looked through the peephole. He let out a sigh of relief at seeing it was only one of Molly's neighbors.
Opening the door, Sebastian smiled at the elderly woman, "Hello, may I help you?"
The woman looked slightly confused at seeing a man at the door instead of the young lady she believed lived in the flat next to hers. "Y- Yes… I just heard a lot of commotion and wondered what could be going on. I thought I would come over to investigate." The woman looked Sebastian over and thought he was a very handsome man and if she was younger, she would love to see him more.
Sebastian adopted a happier attitude and shrugged. He had picked up a few acting techniques from Jim over the years and had put them to use in many occasions. Letting out a nervous laugh, Sebastian nodded his head, "Yeah… Sorry about that. My sister and I are going on a trip but we she refused to leave without her cat. I've been trying to catch the thing for the last half hour."
The lady smiled at Sebastian and patted his arm, "It's alright. Little kitties can be difficult… but I prefer big cats are far more understanding and experienced." She gave him a wink just as Toby came out from the flat and rubbed his head against the woman's calves. She reached down and picked up the cat and held it to her chest.
Sebastian was glad Toby made his appearance when he did as he was beginning to feel a little uncomfortable with the woman. Taking Toby from her, he smiled graciously, "Thank you, miss."
"Don't worry about it darling. You can pay me back later. Say… over tea?" She smiled up at Sebastian.
"Maybe someday," Sebastian replied and began to leave Molly's flat. He wanted nothing more than to get away from this place now. "Take care. I might see you around." He didn't give her a chance to respond before he made his way out of the building and out to his car. Placing Toby in the passenger seat, he drove off so he could quickly get back to the house.
Sebastian occasionally glanced over at the cat and found it strange how it would never take his eyes off of him. It had the same look on its face as it did earlier and that only caused Sebastian to sigh, "Shut up, you devil cat." Toby only flicked his tail and moved to curl in Sebastian's lap.
Jim had just finished up his phone call when Sebastian walked into the office. Slumping down in one of the chairs, he sighed loudly and a hand over the scratches on his arms.
Jim only looked at him with an amused smile, "Ms. Holiday likes the strong types, Sebastian. Probably should have told you that."
Sebastian looked up at Jim with shock and then mild annoyance, "Irish bastard." The insult only made Jim laugh while Sebastian simply groaned.
Sherlock had just received his a new case and was walking in to examine the body. "Molly! It's finally Christmas! I ne-"
His sentence was cut short, as the morgue technician he saw was not Molly. It was far from being Molly. The technician was a short, balding man with a small paunch. He had a minor heart condition and was happily married for at least fifteen years.
"Sorry sir, you can't be in here without proper authorization," the man explained while walking towards Sherlock. The detective finally saw his name tag said 'Jones.'
Sherlock looked confused. He had learned Molly's schedule so he would easily be able to use the morgue as he saw fit. "Where's Molly? Isn't this her shift?"
"It's supposed to be. She left in the middle of her shift last night and didn't come into work today. God knows what's gotten into her," Jones said. He had been called in to fill in, much to the annoyance of his wife. "If you see her, I'd like to give her a piece of my mind."
Sherlock didn't respond as he left the morgue with a slightly defeated look on his face. He knew it would be no good to examine the body if Molly wasn't there to allow him clearance. How rude of her to just disappear without letting anyone know. Sherlock didn't think much more of the pathologist the entire way back to Baker Street.
