Disclaimer: Q.


The first time they held hands was after a mugging. Of course it would be after a mugging.

He was walking her home again. They've grown out of their awkward stage now. And are finally back to their previous effortless sync. But with the knowlegde it was okay to feel sentiment, that's all.

They were passing the mouth of an alley when two idiots decided to have a bit of fun. Idiotic because Sherlock Holmes was a boxer and he was massively taller than the two idiots.

It happens within an instant but the world slowed down for Molly Hooper. Adrenaline. She sees him work smart targeting the men's weak side. Also working his height to their disadvantage. Sherlock Holmes was a ballerina of a fighter.

He's readjusting his coat and two men are on the pavement at his feet.

"Idiots," he sniffs then turns to Molly.

"All right, Molly?"

It strikes her, not for the first time, Sherlock Holmes is extremely fit.

Unbelievably fit.

Deliciously fit.

She swallows, licks her lips before she answers with a nod. She can feel her eyes sparkling.

He gives her an appraising look, assessing if she got hurt in the scuffle. What he sees, plain as day, is attraction on her face. And he smirks.

He moves closer to her and drops his voice to a whisper. Almost conspiringly.

"Keep it in your trou, Molly. We're in public," he teases.

A bit after their understanding, Molly discovers Sherlock loves to tease her.

And as always she's responds with blazing cheeks and stutters.

She pushes his shoulder roughly and determinedly marches on.

"S-shut up."

She looks back when Sherlock chortles after her.

"Molly, wrong way," he says cheekily.

Sherlock Holmes is really cheeky.

She harumphs and marches past him, chin held high.

And his chuckling begin anew.

She's ahead of him but not for long. She stares straight ahead still a bit miffed and more than embarrassed.

And she is so exasperatedly fond of him right now.

He's still chuckling beside her.

She quickens her pace then she feels it. Cold warms hand in hers. She doesn't stop walking but notices Sherlock isn't laughing anymore.

She gives him a sidelong glance and an unasked question. He shrugs his shoulders a bit, he's staring straight ahead too.

Oh.

Oh.

He wants to keep her close. After an incident like that of course he would want her closer.

Not for her sake but for his. An urge to protect her. Also an instinct bred from his three year leave. She bites her lips to stop herself from saying something sickeningly sweet. She opts to exclaims in her head instead.

Sweet sweet, awkward man.

It's when he moves his thumb lightly back and forth that undoes her. She moves closer to him and lightly kisses his coated shoulder - as a way of telling him all is forgiven.

Molly Hooper is a feminist but she finds it feels strangely pleasing to have a man to want to protect you. Even if that man is an awkward schoolboy.

Especially if that man is an awkward schoolboy.

The first time they held hands was after a mugging. Of course it would be after a mugging.

Also that's when Sherlock decided she needs to move in his flat.


Molly Hooper, 35, and tired.

She was leaving the morgue when three bodies came in. One after the other. High priority. Needs to be done now. Can't wait till her next shift. Okay.

She finds nothing wrong with the bodies, all death from natural causes. But since the families requested them done, she had to comply. Okay. Weird though that she couldn't do them next shift. Or why it had to be her.

She just finished scrubbing out when a messenger brings with him a folder. Okay. Result from a smaller hospital that need her consulting. Also high priority. She would've have refused but she's always flattered when other doctors ask her opinion. That doesn't happen often. Okay. So she does that for a bit because the finds were interesting and she couldn't help but try to duplicate the results herself.

So that added an extra 5 hours to her shift. Also Sherlock didn't come by. She tries not to pout.

Ding!

Speak of the devil and he shall appear.

In form of text message.

I stole Toby -SH

Oh, Toby. Poor, poor Toby. Alone with that vile man! She hopes he won't find him in the process of shaving the poor cat again. Sherlock wanted to see if lack of fur was a factor in female cats choosing mates. Something about pheromones.

When she points out how in hell was he suppose to know if Toby got any or not.

Stalk him of course, he says as if it were the most obvious thing.

Molly secretly thinks he was just taking out revenge. Toby pushed his mobile off the counter.

Also she thinks he somewhat salutes the cat. Sherlock Holmes almost never departs with his phone. Toby picked the right opportunity to strike at the strange man who did funny things to him.

Molly Hooper quickened her pace. All the while silently praying for Toby to be strong. Mummy was on her way.


It's when she sees her lumpy couch with a brown throw from half way up the stairs that she first suspects.

She enters cautiously first then is greeted with a view of her grandmother's tea table. Beside that her equally lumpy wide armchair facing the fireplace.

Her first thought is, please god tell me he didn't send me the bodies.

She hears a creak up the stairs. And knows instantly he's up there in John's old room.

She moves slowly up the stairs, pushes the door slowly open, afraid of what she'll see. And she sees what she just suspects.

Her queen size bed but with a new cream satin padded headboard that sparkles pink when it catches light. Pretty, she notices detachedly. Her mother's chest at the foot. Her old white nightstand. Her old lamp on it with the teal shade decorated with the single sunflower. Her old vanity table with her odd bits and crannies. She's absolutely certain she'll find her clothes in the closet. He also somehow squeezed in her flat screen.

Her things look odd and at home.

She also finds Sherlock Holmes in the middle of it all, adjusting the new also cream colored thick curtains.

"Somehow they've mananged to botch this up," he says by way of greeting.


More soon.

ElixirBB left me a really awesomesauce review. I blush.