She's getting ready to leave for work. Her hand is resting on the doorknob. Toby makes a figure eight around her legs and she bends down to pet him.
Her knees begin to give and she slumps to the ground clutching Toby to her, to which the cat responds negatively by scratching her arm and rushing off. Molly pays no attention to the incident (it had happened before) and places her head in her hands.
"Molly?"
Sherlock stares at her from roughly six feet above, unable to rationalise what has just happened. He wonders what he should do. Deduce, he supposes, and proceeds to analyse.
"You're upset." he says and kneels down next to her. He observes what he believes to be a slight nod and is about to get up when he realises Molly isn't planning on doing the same.
"Oh, wait. Do you want to talk about what's upsetting you?"
"I can't do it." she whimpers.
"What? Go to work? Of course you can, you do it every day." Sherlock says drily.
"No. You wouldn't understand."
"Molly, calm down. What are you talking about?"
"Lying. All of this, my whole existence with you, has been a big lie. I lied to myself constantly about how you felt... towards me. I lied to myself about Ji – M-Moriarty. He lied to me."
"He lied to everyone." Sherlock whispers, looking at the floor angrily.
"And now I have to lie for you. And you don't understand how hard it is. Knowing you can end someone's pain by telling them a secret. Knowing that you can't tell because it puts everyone in danger."
"You can do it, Molly. I know you can. Why would I have chosen you to help me if I didn't think you were capable of doing so?"
Molly looks up at him, "Did you really mean it?"
"Mean what?"
"When you said that I counted. Did you mean it?"
"Of course."
Molly shakes her head and sighs quietly. "No, you didn't. You just said it to get me to assist you. Like always."
"Well, I suppose that's one way of looking at it. But most of the things I do are for personal gain." Sherlock pets Toby as the cat rubs against his legs, "However, yes, I did mean it, and not just in the sense that you counted because you were the key in keeping me alive."
"I was the key? The only person you could have gone to? What if someone else could have helped you?"
"No one else could have."
"I know, but theoretically."
His eyes lock on hers, "I still would have come to you."
"Why?"
Sherlock smirks, "That wasn't a very long line of questioning. It does flatter me when people take my word as gospel. Especially when my word is being so blatantly threatened. You watch the news, yes? And read the paper?"
Molly nods.
"And you didn't believe a word of it. You never doubted me, even when the newscasts told you otherwise: with an exceptionally intricate and realistic article. Most of which was true."
"What?" Molly asks, incredulously.
Sherlock nods, "Most of what they said is true, except for the most vital part: that I am a fraud. The reason I chose you to help me was because I knew you didn't believe the lies Moriarty, and the whole of England, it seemed, was telling about me."
"Of course I didn't. I couldn't possibly. And I still don't."
"Exactly. Don't doubt yourself." Sherlock says, pointing at her for emphasis. He shakes his head, "What is wrong with you, Molly Hooper?"
She sighs and looks up, "I'm gullible and completely enamoured by you."
The small smile that had played on Sherlock's lips disappears and he stands.
"You need to go to work."