Hey hey hey! Another chapter here, and in less time than the other one! Yippee! floratang wondered what he was going to do for his love. Well, that comes later. This is just him trying to be nice (and me trying to be funny… so no deep stuff at the end of the chapter). So, without further ado, let me present Chapter 4. Enjoy!

~vivagreen

I strode into Molly's morgue like I usually did, but with very different emotions in my heart than I usually did. Not that I had usually had emotions, but….

"Hello, Molly. How are you doing today?"

"Go away Sherlock. There are no body parts for you here today."

"No, I was wondering…"

"The microscope is over there, like it usually is." Molly waved her hand in the vague direction of the microscope before returning to her work.

"He died of liver cancer. Heavy smoker and drinker, frequented at the pub near Baker Street."

"Thank you, Sherlock." Molly's tone was uncertain, as she put her head to the side and wondered why I wasn't at the microscope already.

"But no, the microscope is not why I'm here. I was wondering; it's your lunch break soon, so would you like to go have some coffee with me? I… um… have to talk to you. It's about… Ms. Adler."

"Sherlock? Are you um… alright in there? Do you… need to lie down or something? Are you Sherlock? Um… what am I saying… or course you are. You're just drunk? No… you don't drink… And why would you want to talk to me about Ms. Adler?" Molly seemed to be talking to herself at the end of it.

"I'm fine, Molly. Just meet me upstairs in 5 minutes, ready to go."

I left the morgue, practically feeling Molly's confusion.

In 5 minutes, Molly was upstairs with her jacket.

"Good. Very punctual. Let's go."

I swept out the door without waiting for her to follow me. Molly ran up beside me, jogging to keep pace.

"Sherlock, why do you want to talk to me about Irene Adler?"

"You'll see. Don't make this any more difficult than it has to be."

"Sherlock…?"

"Just… here, get in the cab." I opened the door for her, and then climbed in after.

"Teashop, please." The cabbie nodded and drove in that direction.

I got out my phone and texted John.

Being nice to Molly. Taking her out

for coffee. Will explain current…

situation. Have fun at work.

-SH

Within seconds, John replied:

Yeah, yeah. Just don't say anything

mean to Molly or I will punch you.

Have fun explaining your 'chemical

imbalance.'

-JW

How typical of John. Just then, the cabbie arrived at Teashop. We both climbed out. I paid the cabbie and sent him on his way. Once we were both seated and had ordered, the questioning began.

"Ok, why am I here, Sherlock?"

"So I can explain something quite… extraordinary to you. As my friend, you deserve to know."

"What did John feed you? Me, your friend? Really?"

"Yes, really. Now stop the interrogation and just… listen to me." I took a deep breath, preparing myself to be… laughed at.

"I think, my dear Molly, that I have… fallen in love with Irene Adler." Rushing the last few words, I hoped that she would take me seriously and not… laugh as John had.

Molly burst out laughing.

"Stop laughing! There's nothing funny!" Oh, where was my harpoon when I needed it?

"The great Sherlock Holmes, falling in love! Who would've known? I-" But whatever she was going to say was cut off by her chortling.

"Please take me seriously. Look, I'm even being nice and everything!" Molly finally calmed down.

"Well, if you're being serious, then this is wonderful! You two will be so good together! Your personalities fit, and everything!"

"I'm glad you approve. Do you think you could… um… help me? But if it's too much trouble, you don't have too." The request tumbled out of my mouth at top speed. I was uncharacteristically nervous.

"Nonsense! I'd help you even if all the bodies at the morgue were my responsibility. Now, when you finally pluck up the courage to ask her to dinner, I'll tell you what to wear. And-" But I cut off her rant.

"What do you mean, pluck up the courage?"

"Just what I said. You have the courage to deliberately put yourself in danger to solve a case, but you won't call or text Irene, asking her to dinner. How is this logical as you would say?"

"I- um- not the same…" I mumbled something incoherent and took a gulp of my coffee. The burning liquid filled my mouth and scathed my tongue. I swallowed and gasped.

Molly looked at me like I suddenly grew another head.

"Irene must've really changed you. The Sherlock I knew would never have burned himself with his own coffee. Or take me to coffee, for that matter. I think you've become positively human."

There it was. That word again. Do I really need to convince everybody that I'm of the species Homo sapiens sapiens?

So, if I wasn't funny, don't blame me. I try, okay? And if I was funny, yippee! Goal achieved. Let me know about what you think by filling the box below. Oh, and I'm accepting suggestions about how Sherlock should ask out Irene: Text, call, or face-to-face. I'll let you know the results at the end of next chapter.

~vivagreen