Thanks to Rocking the Redhead, geranium08, Mione W.G, Nerdlee, Silvermoon of Forestclan, Maia2, elfigreen14, crazed-ink-slinger, Mayacakaia, RuexMytholover, Katelyn852, ThetaSigma14, RawrxSushi and Hannah for their reviews

Thanks to Pablo, Lexie, PetraTodd and Sempaiko for beta and generally putting up with me.

Dedicated to Nocturnias, 'cause I know she's been waiting for this and she's awesome.


CHAPTER NINE

Molly and Sherlock walked sedately with each other back towards the motel. Molly looked down at the knife she'd taken from the Winchesters. It was easier to look at it than it was Sherlock. "It's a beautiful piece. It's an ancient demon-hunting knife of the Kurds. But I had heard all of them were stolen by Lucifer's army. Wonder where the Winchesters got it from?"

"Lucifer's Army?" Sherlock replied and Molly could feel his gaze on her. She became uncomfortable, muscles tightening. When would Sherlock cease having this effect on her? "As in the devil?"

She nodded slowly in answer to his question. It was a simple enough one to answer, really. "Satan, the Morning Star, Beelzebub... I could go on. Very real."

Sherlock reached a hand out to touch Molly on the arm. She was strongly reminded of the intense few minutes they'd spent kissing just up at the crossroad. "You are telling me the Devil is just walking around?"

"Not anymore," Molly replied. She slipped the blade back into her coat. "It was after I'd retired, but I still heard about it."

"About what?" Sherlock didn't move his fingers away from Molly's arm. She relaxed as she got used to the sensation.

"The Apocalypse," Molly replied. "Happened about four years ago. Remember, there were all of those earthquakes, tsunamis... All inexplicable and severe."

"Trivia," Sherlock replied dismissively.

"It happened," Molly insisted. "But from what I hear, Sam and Dean stopped it. Of course, they inadvertently kick-started it... But at least they cleaned up after themselves!" She let out a nervous laugh.

Sherlock moved in front of Molly, stopping still and looking down at her. He smiled softly. "Don't make jokes, Molly."

Molly felt a swell of nerves in her as Sherlock loomed over her, his eyes flying over her person, taking her in. She always got butterflies in her stomach around him. It was worse now that she knew what the touch of his lips was like. She thought he'd be uninterested, cold.

But she'd found someone passionate, hungry. Definitely not uninterested.

"You're exactly as you were before," Sherlock said, stepping closer. "Even though you are a monster hunter."

Molly felt the heat rising in her cheeks. "I told you. I didn't lie about who I was... Just about what I did."

"I suppose that's true..." Sherlock began to lean in.

Molly withdrew before his lips could touch her. "What are you doing?"

Sherlock blinked, drawing to full height. "I-I thought... This was what you wanted."

"No!" Molly exclaimed. She then looked away bashfully. "I mean, it is what I want, but..." She shook her head. "Sherlock, you didn't show interest in me before any of this..."

Sherlock blinked at Molly. "Is that what you think?" He brushed a lock of hair off of Molly's forehead. "You really don't know?"

"Know what?" Molly asked, her insides squirming. She was absolutely baffled by this turn of events.

"Oh, everyone is so vacant!" Sherlock said, his usually acidic words losing their sting as he said them with a soft laugh, one that sounded almost...fond. "Even you... And the whole reason I like you is because you're more observant than most of humanity."

Suddenly, Molly's insides stopped squirming. She glared at Sherlock, crossing her arms over her chest. "Not the way to win a girl over, Sherlock."

"The day before the fall," Sherlock pressed on. "When you pointed out how I looked. You were the only person who saw me." He sighed, stroking his long fingers over Molly's cheek, making her shiver. "And then I saw you. I really saw you for the first time." He sighed. "Maybe I didn't see everything, obviously... But I saw enough."

Molly bit her bottom lip, doing her best to slow down her racing heart by taking a deep breath.

"I'd like to do this slowly," Molly murmured. "This is a lot. Hunting again... What happened between us. Just a few hours ago, I slept with Dean. I can't just jump into- whatever- with you."

Sherlock's gaze narrowed. "I don't know what this is supposed to be."

Molly nodded, letting out a short mirthless laugh. "I know. That's why we've got to take it slow."

Sherlock nodded slowly. Molly could tell he wasn't really happy with the decision. He would have to get used to it. Whatever it was that was happening, they couldn't mess it up. All they had was each other.

"Can I ask you something?" Molly asked.

"Why was I willing to make a deal?" Sherlock asked. "Despite the fact I would know that being back in my own life was an illusion."

Molly opened her mouth to question Sherlock's prediction of what she was going to say. Sherlock just gave her a look. She let out a small squeak, her cheeks turning red. "Oh. Of course. But... Yeah. Why..."

"I was going to ask him to wipe my memories," Sherlock replied. "Make it so that I didn't remember any of this world. Have Moran just disappear and give me the evidence to clear my name."

Molly took in a deep, trembling breath. "You really want that? You'd be willing to condemn yourself to hell... In order not to remember this world?"

Sherlock pulled away from Molly. He raked his fingers through his hair. "I am very clever. Too clever for my own good, most people would say." He sighed deeply. "But when it comes to this world- this world that you've lived in- I am an absolute moron. And that frightens me in ways I have never felt before." He looked up at Molly. "I don't know if I can handle knowing that I am completely stupid."

Molly shook her head. "You're not stupid, Sherlock. This is... It's an adjustment."

Sherlock laughed bitterly. "An adjustment?"

Molly nodded. "Yeah. I was raised in this. But most hunters don't come to it until they're adults. It's always the same. Something horrible happens, introducing them to the supernatural. And even if you forgot, you would never be out. Believe me." Molly bridged the gap between them, cupping Sherlock's face. "You are too clever for your own good. Once you adjust to this world... You're going to be one of the greatest hunters who ever lived."

Molly caressed Sherlock's cheek and he leaned into her hand, looking so much like a cat being stroked. Molly felt her heart begin to speed up.

Slow, she told herself. They needed to take things slow.

"Well-" A voice laughed behind them. "Isn't this a tender moment?"

Molly whirled around, facing off against her mother. No, it was not her mother. It was the thing that had been wearing her mother's body for the better part of two decades.

"Heard about what happened at the crossroads," the demon inside Molly's mother said, laughing. "Moriarty couldn't wait to tell us. But Crowley has an even sweeter deal for you. He asked me to deliver it." She smiled. "Figured you'd be more inclined to listen to me than either Moriarty or himself."

"And what is that?" Sherlock sneered.

Molly turned to look back at Sherlock. "Everything you asked for. Your life back. Not remembering anything about the supernatural world." She turned to her mother once again. "But we've got to give up Sam and Dean."

"You stumbled into this," The demon explained. "You were happily retired. And now that Moriarty is downstairs, whether his network remains running or not is really not our concern. So go on your way. You will have your lives back."

"But Sam and Dean will be dead," Molly replied.

The demon laughed heartily. "One ride in the Impala and you're ready to die for Dean? He can't be that good in bed."

"Not about that." Molly reached into her coat. "But anyone who is fighting the king of Hell... Those are people we want to keep around."

Molly pulled the flask from her jacket, spilling the contents onto the demon's face. She screamed as the holy water burned her.

"Run, Sherlock!" Molly called out. "Warn Sam and Dean! The demons are coming for them! Probably have another dog out from the pit!"

Sherlock was off like a shot and Molly began to chant. "Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus."

The demon in her mother's body shook her head. "I've been in here for too long. Send me down, you're killing your mother."

Molly nodded, tears in her eyes. Of course she knew. That was why she was doing it. For twenty years, her mother had been dragged around by a demon. She needed to be at peace, even if it meant her death. "Omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio, infernalis adversarii."

The demon leapt onto Molly, wrapping her hands around her neck. Despites the hands throttling her, Molly continued to chant, her voice raspy. "Omnis legio, omnis congregatio et secta diabolica."

The demon's hold loosened as she convulsed. Molly took a sharp breath while she had a moment of reprieve. The tears wells as she continued. ""Ergo, draco maledicte. Ecclesiam tuam securi tibi facias libertate servire, te rogamus."

The demon shuddered, looking down at Molly in shock as her body shook.

Molly sniffled. "Audi nos!" She then let out a small sob. "Goodbye."

The demon threw her head back and opened her mouth, the black smoke flying out of her mouth.

The body fell limp on top of Molly. She reached out and touched the corpse's hair. The moment the demon had vacated the body its hair turned an ashen grey. "I'm sorry, Mum."

Molly shifted herself up, cradling the body in her arms. She knew she wouldn't have a chance to say goodbye. Her mother's body had been ridden for so long, she had been dead for ages. At least now her soul could be properly at peace.

"Molly?" It was Dean. She looked up at him. Sam and Sherlock were by his side.

"When this is over," Molly whispered. "I'd like to give her a Hunter's Funeral."

Dean nodded silently.

"I think it'll be over a lot sooner than you think."

Crowley. He was standing in front of them, petting the large, invisible creature by his side. "That was one of my best, Doctor Hooper."

"I should have just stabbed her," Molly whispered.

"Not really a nice thing to say about your own mother," Crowley hissed. "But I can't say you're not right. King of Hell. If I want to bring her back, I can any time I want. Like I did with my pup here." He smirked. "You and Sherlock should have taken me up on my deal."

The invisible creature growled loudly. Molly jumped to her feet, joining the guys, who were backing up slowly.

Crowley's smile grew. "Sic 'em, boy!"