Thanks, M Sherlock for beta'ing.
A few days later, Mary and John were over at Baker Street. The last of the wedding RSVP's had come in and Sherlock was, for the second time, helping to adjust the seating arrangement.
Mary was sitting in a chair, facing Sherlock's desk, and the list was in her hands. "So," she remarked to Sherlock, "we will have one empty space at this table." She pointed with her pen to the seating arrangement for the table at which Molly would be sitting.
"Really?" asked John, peering over at the list with interest, from where he was seated in his usual chair. "I thought that table was full."
Mary turned to look at her fiancé. "It was, but Molly told me yesterday that Tom isn't coming. Apparently the engagement's off." She gave Sherlock a suspiciously shrewd look. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"
John looked from Mary to Sherlock, and back again. "Why would Sherlock know anything about it?" he questioned in some confusion.
Sherlock shifted his casual stance to clasp his hands behind his back in a more formal manner. "Er, yes, well, I might know something about that," he admitted, trying but not quite succeeding at keeping his tone matter-of-fact.
John glowered at him. "So help me, Sherlock, if you've done something to sabotage Molly's happiness, I will kick your arse."
"John!" exclaimed Mary immediately. "I'm sure that Sherlock would not have done anything of the sort." Then she arched an eyebrow at Sherlock, seeking confirmation for her defense of him. "Would you?"
Sherlock looked at his friends a little guiltily - after all, he had been planning to do something of that nature. "I may have considered saying something to her, but in the end, it was her decision to break off her engagement."
John looked at him in surprise. "So you knew already about it?"
Sherlock attempted a nonchalant shrug. "She came here, after she ended it."
That earned a suspicious look from his friend. "Since when have you become such good friends again? I thought you were avoiding her, outside of work. At least that's what she told Mary." Then he added, somewhat to Sherlock's embarrassment, "It's not like 'you' tell me anything these days."
Sherlock lifted his chin slightly. "Well, Mary is - surprisingly - easy to talk to. You, on the other hand, still tend to treat me like a child at times," he said, huffing a little.
John gave him an incredulous look. "What else would you expect? It's because you act like one. Look at the way you behaved when I thought we were going to get blown up on that train carriage. You let me believe we were going to die."
"Car, not carriage," corrected Sherlock automatically, recalling that conversation from months earlier with Shilcott, the train enthusiast. Ah, I enjoyed that day with Molly immensely, he thought, drifting off into a daydream and smiling at the memory.
John's voice brought him back to reality. "My God, Sherlock, what is with you? As I said, you tend to behave like a child, so sometimes I treat you like one."
Sherlock tried to recall what John was talking about. Oh yes, he had acted like a bit of an arse that day in the train car, most certainly, but he had also wanted to secure John's forgiveness.
"Well, that was months ago, John. Things have changed since then."
John folded his arms in front of him and gave Sherlock a hard look. "I suppose you're going to tell me you're now seeing Molly?"
Sherlock was rather surprised that his friend had stumbled upon the truth. "Well, as a matter of fact…"
Mary shot up from her chair. "I knew it!" she exclaimed exultantly. "I knew you had a thing for each other but were just too stubborn to admit it."
Sherlock gave her an admiring look. Mary was a perceptive woman, and he had no doubt she had recognized the signs before he had. "All due to you, Mary. It was your comment about Molly not setting a wedding date that got me thinking," he admitted. "It was at that time I realized that perhaps her affections were not as engaged as they should have been, considering he was her fiancé."
Mary grinned. "In that case, I'm glad I was able to give you a push in the right direction."
Sherlock noticed that John was still looking at him in astonishment. He couldn't blame his friend, he supposed. He'd never shown any interest in women before, well, except for his intellectual interest in Irene Adler, of course.
At that moment, the sound of footsteps on the stairs could be heard. "Ah, that will be Molly now, I gave her a key, you know. We had hoped to tell you about us together, but you forced my hand," he said, addressing Mary with a note of recrimination in his voice.
Mary just smirked at him, and he couldn't help grinning back.
Sherlock went to the door, opened it, and dipped his head to kiss Molly, deliberately prolonging the embrace so his friends could be in no doubt that he was sincere in his intentions towards her.
When they broke apart from their embrace, Molly gave him a rather confused look and remarked, "If you were planning on us sharing the news with John and Mary together, I think you just dropped the ball on that one."
Sherlock smiled wryly. "I had to tell them. Mary mentioned that you had broken off your engagement, and I had to admit that I already knew. I'm afraid matters escalated after that and I was forced to confess that you and I have entered a romantic relationship."
He put his arm around Molly and placed a mollifying kiss upon her cheek, then walked with her to join John and Mary, who were both now standing together.
John was shaking his head. "If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't believe it."
Sherlock gave him a pained look. "Why is it so hard to believe that I should be attracted to this intelligent, extremely beautiful woman?" he demanded, a little belligerently.
John smirked. "Oh, that's not so hard to believe. What's hard to believe is that she would still be interested in you," he pronounced, nevertheless giving Sherlock a friendly nudge and wink, and the four of them shared a laugh.
Sherlock was fully aware he deserved that little dig. But, he was going to prove that his intentions were honourable, and he had long term plans for Molly.
Later that evening, when the women were talking about the bridesmaids dresses and what Molly was planning to wear for the wedding, Sherlock took John aside.
"John, I need your help." Then he outlined his plan to John, in detail.
"Are you sure you want to do this, mate?" John asked his friend, rather perplexed. "You and Molly have just gotten together. You even told me once that you were not interested in romantic entanglements, so this is quite a turnaround for you."
Sherlock frowned and looked down at John, crossing his arms in front of him. "This would seem to me to be the next logical step for Molly and myself. Your wedding is still a month away, so it isn't like I am rushing into it that quickly. Do not forget, we have known each other for many years. Now that I have come to terms with the fact that I love her, I would think you would be more sympathetic to my plight. I want her to know I am ready to take things to the next level, as they say, and I think your wedding day would be the perfect time for it to happen."
John gazed thoughtfully at Sherlock, then nodded. "Well, if you're sure, who am I to stand in the way of true love?" He glanced over at the women, who were still absorbed in conversation, then he looked at Sherlock again. "Listen mate, do you need my help in finding what you need? They do come in an assortment of shapes and fits you know. You can even get different colours. I mean, I'm sure you want everything to be perfect for Molly, don't you? You don't want it slipping off because you didn't get the right size, do you?"
Sherlock uncrossed hus arms and wiped his palms,which had suddenly turned sweaty, on his trousers. "Perhaps you're right, you do have experience with this, and I am completely lacking in this particular area. Is it too early in our relationship for her to be ready for such a big step? What if she says no?" His voice held a note of uncertainty in it.
John patted his arm. "To be honest, Sherlock. I sincerely doubt she would say no. She broke up with Tom for you, didn't she?"
Sherlock ventured a glance over at Molly and noticed she and Mary were now looking in their direction, having apparently finished their conversation. In a louder voice he said, "Yes John, that is correct. And I would most appreciate your help with this important case." He gave John a meaningful look.
"Alright then, Sherlock. Should we go out tomorrow then?" He gave Sherlock a conspiratorial wink, keeping his back towards the women.
"That would be most excellent, John," responded Sherlock. Raising an eyebrow at his friend, he asked, in a quieter tone, "Shall we say one o'clock?"
John looked over at Mary. "As long as Mary doesn't have other plans for me." He addressed her. "Alright if I go out with Sherlock tomorrow on this case of his?"
Mary smiled. "Of course. You two need to go out and do something together. It will be a good distraction from wedding planning." She turned to Molly and remarked, "Those two have been going stir crazy lately. It will be good for them to get out."
Sherlock walked over to Molly. "I'll make sure we are done before you've finished work tomorrow. Remember, we have reservations for dinner at Angelo's."
Molly stood and placed her hands on his shoulders, looking up at him in a way that made his heartbeat quicken. Oh, he was so ready for this next step, he knew it in his heart. "I can't wait for our first official 'date'," she told him.
Deciding he didn't even care if John and Mary were watching, Sherlock smiled and bent his head to kiss Molly, thoroughly enjoying the way her lips felt under his, and the way his technique had improved even in the few short days since they had first kissed. They had so much to learn from one another and he looked forward to experiencing all of these new things for the first time together.
Oh yes, the game was on, but this time it wasn't a game. He was deadly serious.
Author's note: Well now, what could Sherlock be planning? Could it be a seduction?
Hazard your guesses and post your review with your thoughts on what Sherlock is planning. Don't you enjoy making your own deductions?
Come on, don't be stingy about sharing your opinion, I'd really like to know what you think - I am not a mind reader :)
