A/N: Thanks again for all your lovely support. You rock! Just though you know: After this one there will be 2 more chapters and then… the end.
Photo evidence
Helen Louise's POV
As it had turned out, Helen Louise was not the only one who thought Molly represented the sunshine in Sherlock's life, because he seemed to think so too. Why else would he choose an orange gerbera daisy for her that meant: "You are my sunshine" and "with you everything becomes beautiful"? But Helen Louise liked the meaning behind the white chrysanthemum even more: purity, honesty, truth and she remembered once reading an article about the symbolism of flowers that said white chrysanthemum meant "there are many layers to you and as soon as I think I have figured you out, I'll find something new." Helen Louise very much liked that and thought that it was a very true statement about Dr Molly Hooper.
Sherlock could have chosen roses or lilies for her – something classic bordering on cliché – but he chose not to. Those two flowers are so much more personal.
Helen Louise didn't know if Molly knew the meaning behind the flowers, but she had seemed very touched none the less. So touched, that even a small tear had made its way down her cheek. And the brain had to agree, it had been an unbelievably sweet gesture. It showed that he paid attention to her and thought about her. Something one might not consider when you saw him interacting with her. But then again, he seemed ignorant of John as well and Helen Louise was sure they were friends – if not best friends.
Helen Louise was sure the flowers had a special place somewhere in her flat.
Mr Belstaff may not be good with expressing his feelings with words, but in his case I'd say: Action speaks louder than words. And how loud – it's almost deafening! Still, I have the feeling that Molly needs him to articulate his attraction to her. There seems to be a lot of baggage between them – like there has been severe hurting in the past. From my point of view (which is above all – literally) Molly is afraid to trust the nice side of Sherlock. And the way he was giving her the cold shoulder between his nice moments, I can fully sympathise with her. From what Molly has said to him when he has brought her coffee, he has been lovely before, but only to manipulate her. Maybe that was what he has meant, when he has said, "I have changed since the fall." Maybe he has used to do that until summer, but something has happened in fall that has changed his opinion about her – or himself?
That's the problem with a real-life-soap-opera: I can only speculate and can't be sure to get a satisfying conclusion.
When Molly returned to the lab after her lunch break, she found the consulting detective and his blogger there. She stopped dead in her tracks and Helen Louise could see clearly that she made an effort not to blush when she saw Sherlock – certainly remembering the flowers.
I swear, I told them numerous times that they're not allowed in here without you, but they didn't listen!
Sherlock was looking at some samples through the microscope, while John sat at the opposite table looking at photographs.
"Hey you two! You know, you're not allowed in here without me."
It was clear that she was addressing solely Sherlock, who chose to ignore her. Instead John answered, "Hi Molly. I'm sorry, but you know…" His eyes indicated towards Sherlock, and Molly exhaled loudly. She walked over to John.
"What are you looking at?"
"The pictures of the Melrose wedding."
"Oh lovely! Let me see."
Just as Molly was about to grab one, the impatient baritone of the man at the microscope was heard, "I've already told John that he won't find the murderer in the photographs. I've deduced all of them. She's not in one of them." He did not look up from his microscope.
John defended himself, "Yes, but maybe we'll find a clue."
The brain could see Sherlock rolling his eyes, but he chose to stay silent.
Just because you haven't found the solution yet, doesn't mean you need to be a pain in the arse!
Molly was looking through a few photos, when suddenly something caught her attention. She took a closer look at one. From her perspective Helen Louise could not see what was on the picture. Molly laid the photograph down on the table again and sighed deeply.
"It's sad, somehow."
"What is?" John asked beside her.
"There are really nice flower arrangements everywhere, but no picture where you see the bridal bouquet. She must have thrown it right after the service or directly when coming to the reception. Too bad, I would've liked to know what it looked like."
Suddenly a chair creaked. Sherlock had gotten up and after three long strides he was towering over the pathologist and his friend. He looked alert and excited – no comparison to the bored expression he had worn only seconds ago. His eyes drifted from the photographs to Molly. In a swift motion he took her face in both of his hands and leaned down to her – their foreheads almost touching, their eyes staring into one another. Helen Louise could see that Molly's chest wasn't moving. She had stopped breathing. Sherlock's voice was as excited as Helen Louise had ever heard it, "I could kiss you, Molly Hooper."
Then do it, you brilliant idiot!
"Sometimes a woman's sentiment can be useful."
Now that somehow ruined it…
He let his thumbs gently brush over her cheeks, and then as abruptly as he had taken her face in his hands, he let go of it, turned around and walked towards the entrance.
Molly finally drew the breath she had been holding. John and Helen Louise stared quizzically from the pathologist to the leaving consulting detective. While Helen Louise seemed to be a bit in the same trance as Molly Hooper, John Watson shook his head, regained his composure, collected the scattered photographs quickly and hurried to join his friend at the door.
On his way out Sherlock called over his shoulder, "The case will be closed by the evening. I'll need a brain by then."
As soon as the two men had left, the pathologist drew a calming breath. Her face was still flushed. Helen Louise watched with sympathy as Molly reached up and attentively glided her fingers over one cheek where Sherlock had touched her. She smiled as if to herself.
No wonder, she thinks she is alone in the room…
ThenMolly glanced in the direction of Helen Louise and mumbled, "I think, I've got the perfect one for you, Sherlock Holmes."
What?!
TBC
A/N: I know there are quite a number of different meanings to certain flowers out there and they vary in different countries. I got the ones I used from an Austrian book about flower symbolism and I really thought it fitting.
