A/N: This is such a long chapter. I hope you like what I've done with this chapter, in which shenanigans with Janine ensue. It may seem like it's about to get very angsty, but, as I'm terrible at writing angst, it gets fluffy rather quickly. I apologize if it makes the story move a bit too quickly. This was the hardest chapter to write. I've never really had an angsty relationship, so I don't know how to write this well.
Disclaimer: I don't own Sherlock. All rights go to BBC, Moffat, Gatiss, and Sir ACD.
Within a week of Janine's arrival at the school, it was apparent that Sally Donovan no longer held the title of biggest maneater. Everyone was so annoyed with Janine, that Molly had apologized to Sally, the two had made up, and had joined forces with Sherlock, John, Mary, Greg, and Phillip to catch her in the act. They met in the dorm room of Kitty Riley, the school's newspaper reporter, who was in the process of creating an expose on Janine's shenanigans.
"We all know she's flirted with practically every man in the school," Mary quipped, two weeks into Janine's stay.
"I've caught her snogging five times after P.E.," Phillip remarked. "And with a different guy each time." He held up photographs. "I got photos of all five encounters."
"I heard she shagged Bobby Reynolds," John offered.
"But," Molly interrupted. "she's a date 'em and dump 'em sort of girl, and she keeps coming back to Sherlock."
He twined their fingers. "I'm not going to give up my girl just because some hormonal girl with too much makeup has the hots for me."
Molly smiled, and laid her head on Sherlock's shoulder.
The next week, Molly sat alone in study hall. Sherlock and Greg had gone off on a case, but she'd needed to stay behind and study for a big exam. She was happily listening to a violin concerto that Sherlock had recorded for her, reviewing her Anatomy notes.
Eventually, Molly was aware of a presence beside her. She pulled her earbuds out and turned to face the intruder.
Janine.
Molly rolled her eyes and returned them to her notes. "What do you want, Janine?"
"I just want to apologize."
Molly scoffed. "For what? Trying to sabotage my relationship?"
Janine stifled a sob. "No. I wasn't trying. I didn't realize I was leading poor Sherl on. He...he came on to me last night. I tried to fend him off, but he's...he's too much. I'm...I'm sorry, Molly. I know how much he meant to you."
Molly slowly turned to face Janine, and burst out laughing. "Are you kidding me? There are things you don't know about Sherlock. Things I know that tell me that of all the underhanded things he could do to betray me, cheating is not one of them. Not to mention, you really should check your sources before you fabricate a lie like that. Sherlock was with John all last night."
"Are you sure?"
"Of course I'm...what are you saying?"
Janine wiped her eyes. "I'm saying that Sherl isn't the Prince Charming you think he is. He told me that he never loved you anyway. Too mousy." She stood and sauntered off.
"Say your prayers, Holmes," Molly hissed.
"I can't believe you identified a serial killer," Greg praised.
Sherlock shook his head. "I told you. Don't mention it. I'm just glad we got him off the streets."
Greg nodded. "Well, thanks."
Sherlock turned and entered into his dorm room. "Sherlock Holmes. You messed with the wrong aspiring pathologist."
He flipped on the light. "Molly. What are you talking about?"
She stood and slowly paced towards him. "I'm talking about how you were with 'John' all night."
Sherlock was confused. "Yes. I was helping him study chemical reactions."
She laughed cynically. "So you're not a total liar. I heard you were studying chemistry, but with a different 'J'. Specifically, Janine."
His jaw dropped. "Molly, who told you such lies."
"I heard it straight from the horse's mouth. She said that you said that you never loved me. I thought...I thought I meant something to you. I guess I was wrong." She went to move past him, but he grabbed her arm.
"Molly Hooper. I can't believe you. You think I would leave you? I love you more than I've ever loved anyone else. For God's sake, I didn't love Irene half as much as I love you."
Tears formed in Molly's eyes. "You...you love me?"
Sherlock took her face between his hands, wiping her tears away with his thumbs. "Of course I love you, Molly."
She threw her arms about his neck and he wrapped his arms around her waist, picking her up off the ground. "I love you, Sherlock. So much. So, so much."
He set her down on her feet, and leaned in. Just then, John and Mary burst through the door.
Sherlock groaned. "Seriously? Every bloody time!"
Molly chuckled. "C'mon. I think we need to call an emergency meeting."
The eight teens were soon congregated in Kitty's room.
"I know we've been annoyed with Janine. I think everyone is, but I draw the line when she starts telling lies to get what she wants," Sherlock growled. "No one hurts my friends and gets away with it."
Sally nodded. "For once, I agree with the freak. Molly's been nothing but nice, even though Janine's been coming on to her boyfriend for three weeks. This latest development was underhanded and cruel."
The girlfriend in question, with a devious plot in mind, muttered, "We should give her a taste of her own medicine."
Molly didn't voice her idea, and she didn't need to; Sherlock was way ahead of her.
"Molly, you're a genius," Sherlock exclaimed. "If I go in as bait, and Kitty's hiding somewhere with a video camera, we have video and audio evidence."
"Not Kitty," Molly interjected. "Send Sally."
The whole room looked at her. Molly blushed, and cleared her throat. "No offense, Kitty, but as a reporter, your word's less credible, because you have the means to edit the information. No one really knows that Sally and I made up. The whole school, and likely Headmaster Magnussen, still believes that Sally hates me and Sherlock. It'd be totally believable that Sally heard the two of them talking somewhere, and videotaped the encounter to sabotage Sherlock, and instead caught Janine trying to seduce him. Sherlock could call her out on her other crimes, and then we'd have her."
Greg chuckled. "Molly, that is the most devious thing I've ever heard. And I love it."
Everyone agreed to the brilliantly devious plot that Molly devised.
That Friday, it was set up perfectly. Sally was stationed in Greg's room with Phillip, under the pretense that Phillip was visiting his cousin, videocamera at the ready. Sherlock was sitting outside his dorm, pretending that John was out, and that he'd forgotten his key.
Janine came around the corner, and gave a sultry smile when she saw Sherlock. "Hey, Sherl. What are you doing out so late?"
"I forgot my key, and am waiting for John to get home so he can open the door. Molly is studying and I'm not going to disturb her to let me into her for a while." These were the preplanned code words, and Sally, who'd been filming a staged video of Phillip and Greg dancing, carefully opened the door and turned the camera on Janine and Sherlock, retaining a hidden position.
"Well, lucky for you, Sherl, I have my key. You can stay in my room."
He chuckled nervously. "That's okay, Janine. I'm fine right here, and I really don't think my girlfriend would appreciate me hanging out in another girl's room without telling her."
Janine stepped closer to Sherlock. "What she doesn't know can't hurt her. I won't tell."
Sherlock backed away, hitting the wall. "I don't really feel comfortable with the situation."
Janine pressed her body flush against his, her fingers dancing over his chest. "I'm sure you'd be more comfortable in my room."
"Is that what you told Bobby Reynolds? And the five guys you snogged after P.E.?"
Her eyes narrowed, and she took a step back. "Excuse me?"
"I have sources. Photographic evidence. Don't try to lie."
Janine did not get that the jig was up, and attempted to seduce him once more. "So I shagged Bobby. So I kissed Steven, Rupert, Earl, Mark, and Andrew. I only did so to make you jealous."
At this Sherlock actually laughed. "Are you insane? I don't find you appealing as girlfriend material, nor do I even like you as a person. Why am I supposed to be jealous?"
Janine hissed and stepped far from Sherlock. "You messed with the wrong girl, Holmes."
When Janine was out of earshot, Sherlock called, "Did you get that, Sally?"
"Loud and clear, freak."
"Love you too, Donovan."
She fought back a grin. "I did it for Molly, okay. Don't go thinking we're friends or something."
Sherlock laughed. "I wouldn't dream of it."
The next day, all eight teens knocked on Headmaster Magnussen's office door. It swung open to reveal Janine weeping crocodile tears into her uncle's shoulder.
"Oh great," Sally muttered. "She beat us here."
"Sherlock, I'm pleased you're here already. It saves me the trouble of calling you all down here. Now, I'm not one to accuse without hearing both sides of the story, but my Janine tells me that you tried to seduce her, and take advantage of her."
Sherlock snorted, and his seven compatriots rolled their eyes. "Headmaster, I do believe it was the other way around," Sally piped up.
Magnussen turned his gaze on Sally. "Do you have something to say, Miss Donovan?"
Sally cleared her throat. "Last night, I was taking a video of Phillip and Greg."
Magnussen raised a brow. "A video of what, pray tell?"
"They were mocking how girls dance. And I heard Janine and Sherlock talking in the hallway. I opened the door to see what was going on. I brought my camera with me, and caught the whole thing on tape. See for yourself."
"J'accuse," Mary murmured.
The Headmaster watched the tape, no reaction present on his face, other than an occasional raised brow. The eight teens stood tensely, and Molly moved to take Sherlock's hand.
When the film ended, Headmaster Magnussen stood. "Well, well. This certainly changes things." He straightened his glasses. "Janine, if you would remain here, the rest of you are dismissed."
The eight teens swiftly returned to John and Sherlock's room. As soon as the door closed, a cheer went up.
Two days later, Kitty came bounding up to the lunch table. "Hey, guess what I just heard?"
"What?"
"Well, apparently Janine was sent here to keep her in line. She's from a strict Catholic family, and her shenanigans were getting her in trouble, so her parents sent her here as a last resort to a Catholic girl's school. They figured that if she had a family member present at the school she'd stay out of trouble. Apparently, the distance from home had the opposite effect. She's off to the convent."
Molly grinned. "Good riddance. No one steals my man." She slung a protective arm around Sherlock's shoulders. He looped an arm around Molly's waist. "Like I said, it'll take more than a hormonal girl wearing too much makeup to pull me away from my Molly." He kissed her forehead.
Sally scoffed. "And you accuse me and Phillip of being the king and queen of PDA."
Greg rolled his eyes. "Sherlock and Molly don't stick their tongues down the other's throats in public."
"Harhar," Phillip snarked. "You're just jealous Greg, that you don't have a girl to snog."
The silver-haired boy rolled his eyes, and shot a look at Sherlock. The raven-haired boy shook his head slightly, and smirked.
A/N: It moved too fast. I know it did. If anyone can give me some angst writing pointers, it'd be much appreciated. Your author is the one who punched a guy in the face, dated the same guy a year later, broke up with him four weeks later, and the guy and I are still best friends. He wears the scar from my right hook like a badge of pride. Loves to tell people that it's me who gave him the scar. Anyway, I hope this wasn't too terrible, and I hope you'll continue reading. Reviews, constructive criticisms, and PMs are more than welcome. Love you all. xx
