Author's Note: Thanks so much for reading and I hope you enjoy this new installment. Please do review if you can. I love hearing what you guys think.

To be honest, I am a little worried about this chapter but hopefully you all will love it as much as me. :)

Disclaimer: Please know that I don't own these characters. The world of Sherlock Holmes belongs to Moffat, Gatiss, BBC, and, of course, Sir A. C. Doyle.

The next morning, Molly walked downstairs for the first time in what seemed like a lifetime. She actually cleaned up a little this morning and put on the jeans and one of the kitty t-shirts with a cute cardigan overtop that the guys had picked up for her. She wasn't quite 100% better but clean clothes and a fresh day helped her feel half human at least. She was absolutely starving…she couldn't remember the last time she ate more than tea and toast and felt a little like a tool after last night. She didn't want to make the guys bring anything up for her, though she knew John would have in a heartbeat... He was just that kind of guy.

She stopped on the second to the last step to brace herself. She was nervous for some reason. They had seen her at her absolutely worse... there was no reason to worry but perhaps that's why she did. It might have been not only the awkward morning after your complete breakdown moments she was trying to put off but also perhaps the fact that she had had a strange dream about John after they were able to calm her down. She couldn't remember exactly happened in the dream but she woke up blushing and her heart racing. Geez… she apparently had read too many romance novels with doctors as the heroes… Maybe it was the dream that compelled her to go downstairs … maybe I am seeking him out unconsciously she thought to herself. No... she thought as she shook her head…I'm just hungry. She walked down the final two steps and into the living room.

'Oh' Molly gasped putting her hand over her heart and blushing a deep red finding John there in bathrobe reading his morning paper.

'Good Morning' he said looking up. He beamed up at her a smile so easy and his eyes crinkled a little at the corner with laugh lines. God, how on earth had she never noticed how attractive he was before all this?

'Morning'

He put down his newspaper, stood up and walked into the kitchen with Molly trailing behind. 'Do you want some tea or coffee or some breakfast?' He smiled again at her seeing she had followed him into the room. He opened the fridge and started rummaging through it. 'I think I have some eggs in here somewhere. Sherlock! What's this?! Why are there ears in my good Tupperware?!'

Sherlock came out from his room, shrugged his shoulders and walked over to his desk turning on John's computer.

'Oh! That man!' John said exasperatedly.

Molly giggled, but then caught herself, putting a hand over her mouth. She hadn't laughed (at least consciously) since that night. Damn it! She had promised herself she would go at least an hour without thinking about it. She sat down at one of the stools, shook her head a little as she bowed it and held her lips shut with her teeth. Her lip trembled a bit and she looked down at her hands…just staring at them willing away her thoughts.

John walked over to her and put his finger under her chin tilting her face up. He looked into her eyes and said 'You know it's okay to laugh, Molly. I know these past few days have been rough but it's okay to be okay. Plus living with this bullhead' he jerked his thumb at Sherlock 'You have to laugh, otherwise... who knows what will happen.'

Sherlock acknowledged his comment with a glare and a huff but Molly looked back at him with large dow-eyes – still silent. Her lip trembled again and she immediately bit it again. She nodded at him and grabbed him around his waist, looking for an anchor in the reeling of her feelings. She could hear him chuckle a little and his heart beat against her cheek as he reached around her back rubbing circles into her shoulder. He put his cheek on top her head and said 'Come on. We miss that smile. How about we have a contest to see who can tell the worst joke?'

She nodded and said with the smallest voice, 'You go first.'

John thought for a second and said, 'Knock Knock'

'Who's there?'

'Doctor'

'Doctor Who?'

'Da dump dump' he giggled. She couldn't help but smile it was so bad and something she had heard so many times. She thought racked her brain for something worse and said 'Two guys walk into a bar and the third one ducks.'

She felt John chortle and she giggled and looked up.

'There it is.' He whispered smiling down at her. He swept in and gave her a kiss on the cheek and then turned to the stove. 'So...how about those eggs? I promise not to include any ears.' He turned and winked.

Molly put her hand to her cheek, nodded, 'Okay.'

OoOOooOOoo

After Molly finished her breakfast and curled up on the couch, Sherlock turned to her in his chair and John sat in front of her on the coffee table. They glanced at each other and John started 'Molly, we have to talk about yesterday.'

'Uh-oh' she thought.

'While you were sleeping…before your shower…Sherlock and I went to your flat to check things out. While we were there…' He hesitated for a moment but Sherlock nodded and leaned forward. 'We came across two men burglarizing your greenhouse. We aren't sure what exactly they were after but we apprehended … or the police did… one of them. We believe based on the evidence that this man is one of the men who raped you.'

Molly gasped and looked to the door leading upstairs. She hadn't thought… she knew they were out there and worked for Jim but they were so close. Her flat was so close… She needed to get out of here. She needed to find a better place to hide. What if they came after her again. Tears started to well and she started to feel like she couldn't breath.

'Molly. It's okay. Focus on me. Focus on my breaths.' John said as he drew in a breath though his nose and blew it out through his mouth. He did this a few times and Sherlock mirrored his efforts. Molly tried as well. After what seemed like an hour but really was maybe 30 seconds, her breath steadied.

'Okay?' John asked.

'Yes.' She nodded.

'Okay…Lestrade has the man detained down at the yard but he needs you to come down to NSY for a line up…if you think you're up for it.'

Both pairs of eyes trained on her as they waited for a response. They could see Molly struggling with this decision and after the last few days neither of them could blame her.

Sherlock got up and sat next to her on the couch. 'We'll be with you the whole time.'

John nodded.

'Okay' she said in a small voice 'As long as you both are there. I think I can do this…right? I can do this…' looking to them for validation.

'Definitely.' Sherlock said taking her other hand 'Definitely.'

ooOOooOOoo

All three walked into Lestrade's office not 20 minutes later. Sherlock striding in while John walked slower with Molly, who huddled into herself as people stopped and looked up as she passed.

'God...Everyone must know...' she whispered as she turned beet red.

'It's okay, Molly. They are just concerned. That's all...' John said putting his arm around her shoulder.

'Lestrade.' Sherlock said as he reached the DI's desk.

'Oh...Hi...Molly...' Lestrade said as he nodded to her before he got up to walk around his desk. He leant against it and crossed his arms in front of him. 'We are almost set up. Now listen, Molly. You have worked with us before...you know the drill. We are going to take you to the next floor down. There you will be directed into a room. Me, Stg. Donovan and I am assuming these two guys will be there with you as well as a lawyer for the defense. We will be behind tinted glass, so when the men come out they can't see us, but you will be able to see them. If you see the man who... hurt... raped you, please let us know. Okay?'

She nodded the smallest of nods.

' Okay.' he said reaching out and patting her shoulder. He walked past her and stuck his head out his door and yelled 'Donovan!'

Sally almost immediately popped her head into the office.

'Are we all set up?' he asked.

'Yes. Everything is ready.'

He turned to all three of them and said 'Okay... Let's go.'

oOoOo

They all bustled down the stairs and into the room where there was a man in a suit waiting and there was a large plate glass window with an intercom next to it.

Molly stood in the middle of all of them and Sally hit the intercom. 'Okay... Bring them in.'

The men filed in each holding a number.

Molly began to tremble as the men came in and she saw a familiar face. She grabbed the hand closest to hers, which was Sherlock's. He squeezed back trying to comfort her.

'Molly. Do you see the man who attacked you?' Lestrade queried.

Molly hesitated. She knew full well which one he was but she was so scared.

Sherlock put his arm around her shoulder. He knew she had seen number Four before he could see it register in her eyes by the way she tensed up as soon as he crossed the threshold into the room. He could see how scared she was

'It's okay, Molly.' John said from her other side as soothing as he could...'Take your time...They can't see you.'

'Number Four.' She whispered...her voice cracking. She didn't make eye contact with anyone...just continued to stare forward... at him... at the man who changed her life in such a bitter way. She cleared her throat. 'Number Four.' she said again a little louder 'is the one who... who raped me.' Tears flowed down her cheeks and she turned into Sherlock's embrace. 'He's the one who... who broke me.'

Sherlock and John looked at each other over Molly's head. He wasn't sure what to do. But John nodded to him, almost willing him to offer her more comfort. Sherlock planted a kiss into her crown. 'It's okay, Molly... It's okay.' Her tears subside but she didn't move.

'If that's all, Greg...' Sherlock looked up.

Lestrade was taken aback. Sherlock never called him by his first name before... he cleared his throat. 'Yes...yes. That'll be all for now.' He put his hand on Molly's shoulder to get her attention. 'Molly, when you're up to it, please give me or Donovan a call and we will be over for the rest of your statement...okay?'

She only nodded her head, which was still hidden in Sherlock's chest. Sherlock lead her out of the room followed closely by John, who nodded to Lestrade and Donovan as he left.

'I can't believe the freak...' Sally started.

'Donovan! Just shut it!' Lestreade said walking out the door.