Hello again! Wow, I can't believe I haven't updated in such a long time, I'm really sorry. Work had been keeping me busy and my mind was just blank for a very long time unfortunately. I sincerely thank you for reading, followingand favouriting, also for your patience! And to cocopops1995, Icecat62, elennemigo & rubyred753: thank you so much for your kind reviews! 3
A/N: This is settled right after the last chapter, you'll recognise a little twist tough. I'll also explain more at the end of the chapter.I hope you'll enjoy reading.
*Please note English is not my first language, this story is not beta'd and I still have troubles sometimes with the past perfect tense, apologies for any possible mistakes there.
Staring
Molly leant against the doorframe of the dance hall entrance with her arms folded in front of her chest as she stared at the spot in the distance where Sherlock's silhouette had just vanished into the darkness of the night. She bit her lower lip, trying to figure out the little 'What if'-scenario her mind had just acted out. It had painted such a clear picture that she almost wished she really had called Sherlock out on leaving. The sadness she had seen in his eyes touched her soul and fuelled her desire to support and comfort him, but yet destroyed all her hopes. She had wished the romantic setting of a wedding would re-ignite that spark she and Tom had shared when they had fallen in love and for them to just enjoy this day together as a couple in joyful anticipation of their own future wedding.
But the look in Sherlock's eyes as he had made his lonely decision to leave his best friend's wedding so very early had shaken Molly to the core. She had sensed his need to be alone but at the same time doubted if being alone would really be good for him at this moment. Her concern had preyed so heavily, so dominantly on her mind that before she'd known it, she had excused herself to the bathroom but dashed outside to look for the detective instead, all while inwardly convincing herself how incredibly wrong this was.
~ 'Well, we all do silly things.' ~Her own words had suddenly echoed in Molly's mind and made her stop dead in her tracks after she had just stepped outside and witnessed how Sherlock gracefully had whipped on his Belstaff and left the venue. When her imagination then had suddenly started to act out this alternate scenario she'd just been standing there since and still kept staring at the now blank spot where the detective had disappeared into the night merely a few minutes before.
Suddenly upcoming tears made her swallow. Never had Molly expected Sherlock's reappearance in her life would turn her world upside down like that but she had to recognize her over the last months slowly surfacing, or rather resurfacing, feelings for Sherlock couldn't be denied or suppressed anymore. She felt like the most idiotic person on earth for being too blind to figure out her feelings and it saddened her most that it was all at the cost of Tom's own feelings. She did love him – but not enough. The realization weighed heavy on her heart and she knew now: no matter if she would have gone after Sherlock or not, it would end the same way.
'Tom doesn't deserve this,' she thought to herself as she tried to fight the tears.
When Sherlock was finally able to catch a free cab, he sank into the back-seat and tried to rest his mind for a moment. He knew the caring eyes of a certain pathologist had followed him on his way out, but he hadn't been able turn around, even though he'd felt he somehow wanted to. He just needed to leave. He suddenly frowned before he closed his eyes and just let his mind drift off.
~ ~ 'Sherlock?' 'You nervous?' John smilingly asked as he joined his best friend's side. 'Why should I be nervous?' came his calm counter question. 'Well, the stage will be yours soon.' 'Having an audience listening to my violin playing doesn't alarm me,' he dryly stated. 'Aren't you nervous? Soon the dance floor will be yours.' 'How could I? I've had the best teacher,' John grinned. Sherlock's lips slowly formed a half-smile but his gaze remained frozen. 'Um, Sherlock?' 'Hm?' 'You're staring.' His half-smile suddenly disappeared. 'Certainly not. I'm observing. That's what I do. Always.' His voice wasn't as calm as before but John didn't notice. 'I know. But right now...you're staring,' John cleared his throat. 'Well, you two seem to get along well and Janine is cute, no one blames you,' he casually added. Sherlock opened his mouth in surprise but closed it again quickly. He turned his face to John, then back to the dance hall. 'I'm not staring,' he calmly replied. 'You probably failed to notice that one of your guests is missing.' John sighed but couldn't suppress a smile. 'I just-' 'Sarah Fisher, single, judging by the way she had been flirting with one of the waiters all day, she-' 'Sherlock!' the groom now laughed. 'I was just teasing you.' 'Teasing,' the detective ruminatively frowned. 'Well, never mind,' John replied and patted his best man's shoulder. 'Won't try that again.' The two men just stood side by side for a few seconds before John spoke again: 'Guess it's time, I should get Mary. Don't start without us,' he joked. 'How would that make any sense?' Sherlock frowned again. 'Um, won't try jokes again either, I should know better by now,' John smirked and went off to look for his bride. Sherlock clasped his hands behind his back again, returning his attention to the scenario at the dance hall. His glance wandered through the crowd, over to Janine and next to her it finally got stuck on a certain petite auburn-haired woman in a yellow silk dress – again. But different from before, he now instantly drew back. 'Staring,' he hissed before he lowered his face towards the floor.
Sherlock's eyes fluttered open. 'Right,' he mumbled and pulled some money out of his coat's inside pocket. 'Thanks, keep the change,' he said as he got off and before the driver could thank him, he had already shut the car door from outside.
While the cab was pulling away, Sherlock just stood on the pavement, staring at the front door of 221B. It was one of those rare moments where he found himself confused – although he had to admit those moments had recently not been so rare when it came to Molly Hopper. He wasn't really sure how to construe what his mind had just recalled and above all why it had been this particular scene. Of course he could just eliminate the impossible because whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth – but was he ready for that truth?
Thanks for reading.
A/N: So, the second part of chapter 8 and the whole of chapter 9 just happened in Molly's 'mindpalace' because I really liked trying to explore how Molly in canon might have felt and what she might have thought when Sherlock left the wedding – at the same time I also wanted to try writing a dance scene between Sherlock and Molly, so yeah, this was my try on this whole situation.
I know this is in general a slow development here but I hope you still enjoy. It might take a certain amount of time again but I'm working on the next chapters and some actual Sherlock/Molly interaction is ahead. Thank you for sticking around, it means a lot. 3