The next few weeks turned into a blur to everyone. Mary's death was a shock and not everyone knew how to handle it. John shut himself down, not really wanting anything from anyone apart from help with Rosie.
Molly helped any time she could, but she still had her job at Bart's to do. With Mycroft's help, he made sure that she would get the time off she needed without it cutting into her holiday time. Molly still found it hard trying to comprehend what happened; she just lost one of her best friends and her goddaughter had just lost her mother. Molly wasn't a stranger to death considering she worked with it every day, and, of course, losing her dad, but it was still difficult losing someone so young and so out of the blue.
She was trying to be strong for everyone else. She hadn't properly cried since that night sat on Sherlock's sofa. She had to be there for Rosie. She was at John's house when Sherlock came knocking at the door, wondering if there was anything he could help with. All she wanted to do was say yes, and hope that he could just help, but she couldn't say yes. John already asked her earlier to keep him away, should he come knocking. Anyone but him.
"Molly, thanks so much for your help. I don't think I'd be able to do it without you."
"It's no problem, John. I just glad that I can help."
"Molly, if Sherlock comes knocking to help, hand him this note and tell him that if he comes round, I want anyone but him."
It was at that moment Sherlock had knocked. John stayed hidden in the house, but made sure he was in earshot so he could hear what was going on. Molly stepped out of the house and did what she had to do.
Even though she knew it would hurt everyone, Molly knew that it was something she would have to do. She hoped they would fix it out soon; it was hurting everyone. She felt guilty when spending time with Sherlock behind John's back, because she knew that he blamed him for Mary's death, but Sherlock was the man that she loved. They hadn't said it to each other yet, but considering everything that they had been through lately, she could see it in his eyes.
Looking at Sherlock now, she knew it was killing him inside. She wasn't a consulting detective, but she could read Sherlock like an open book. She went back inside and closed the door behind her.
She turned to John and said the words that were on her mind. He was stood in the hallway with all of Rosie's stuff, as she was spending the next couple of days at Molly's flat.
"I know it's not place to say this, John, but don't make me do that again. It's not fair on me. I hate feeling like I have to pick a side."
"Molly, I just need time. I can't deal with this right now."
"And you think I can? I'm not meant to be stressed and it's certainly not good for the baby -"
Molly stopped herself, realising what she had just said. How was she going to recover from what she had said?
"Molly...what baby? Are you -...Are you pregnant?"
"No - I meant Rosie, of course. She doesn't like feeling in the middle of this." She turned to look at the child in her arms "Do you?"
It was at the moment that the child decided to let out a little murmer. She knew the child had her back.
Not fully convinced, but not wanting to argue, he dropped the subject, changing it to his daughter. He and Molly agreed that he would pick her up after his shift the next day.
When Molly walked back into her flat, she wasn't surprised to see that Sherlock was there. She went and put Rosie down in the cot that had been put in her spare room. Mycroft had it sent to her house after Mary died. He knew that Rosie would be spending a lot of time at her flat and she would need somewhere to sleep.
Sherlock was sat on of her sofa in his mind palace, holding the letter John had asked her to give him. She took it from his unresponsive hand and began to read it.
'Sherlock,
What happened to Mary is your fault. Everything that I had is gone.
When you 'died', I asked for one miracle. For you not to be dead. I would give anything for you and Mary to swap places. You broke your vow to us. I don't need you, so stay away. Please.
John.'
She read it a couple of times. She knew how tough it was on Sherlock to not have his best friend, but she could understand why John was mad. She hated being stuck in the middle.
"He blames me for everything."
"Sherlock, it's not your fault that she jumped in front of you."
"Yes, but she didn't have to."
"But she did. I know that if I was in the same situation she was in, I would have done the same thing." Trying to change the subject, she handed him back the letter. "So, how are you going to fix everything with John?"
"I have a plan. I can't tell you top much about it just yet, but tomorrow I am going to text you an address. In three weeks time, I need you to turn up with an ambulance. Please don't ask why, but it will work."
Before Molly had a chance to say anything, Rosie woke up crying. Before she had a chance, Sherlock went and got her. He carried her back into the living room.
He sat back down next to Molly, rocking Rosie back and forth, trying to calm her down.
"Ssshh, it's okay."
Molly hadn't realised until now how good Sherlock was with children. It was at this moment that Molly couldn't hold in her emotions anymore. She sat there and started to cry.
"Molly, what's wrong, are you okay?" Sherlock asked, looking concerned.
"Sherlock, I can't do this. It's just so much - my job, looking after Rosie, everything with Mrs Hudson, Mary's death, you and me and the baby...I feel so overwhelmed. It's so much."
"Molly, why didn't you just talk to me? I know I'm not good at emotions, but I can at least try. Everything will be okay."
They both knew it was a lie. They knew something was coming, but they didn't want to think about that until it happened. Molly took Rosie from Sherlock, knowing that it was time for her to be fed.
They fed, washed and got Rosie ready for bed.
When lying in bed that night, Sherlock holding Molly close to him, he couldn't stop thinking about one thing she had said. "If I was in the same situation she was in I would have done the same thing." He replayed it over and over in his mind palace. He couldn't imagine that. He didn't want Molly to do the same thing; he didn't want Molly or his child to die, and for him to be alone again. Or what if Molly died after their child was born? How would he cope? How could he raise their child alone?
He knew Molly was brought up by her father, all on his own, but how could he do it? He was different. He knew he couldn't do it. He knew what he was going to do was going to hurt himself and her, but if it kept them safe, that was all that mattered.
Sherlock Holmes was going to break Molly Hooper's heart.