To Protect Her
Chapter 11
AN: The final chapter is finally here after a very long wait! So very sorry, but really we are the Sherlock fandom we should be used to waiting for stuff (*cries in corner, cause season4 2016*) I wrote this chapter in about a day, but I had some miss-communication with the lovely people helping me edit. A Final Big Thank You to them! dance-dance-we-re-falling-apart & bademorte. If you haven't already check out there tumblrs. I really love this scene and overall how the story has turned out. I hope you all enjoyed it too!
Before starting: I came across this quote today that kind of goes along with the theme I was trying to get at in the story and what is really going through Sherlock's mind. "Never play with the feelings of others because you may win the game, but the risk is that you will surely loose the person for a life time." - William Shakespeare
Molly looked up and down the polished hallway for Sherlock. She searched the area outside their room, checked the waiting room, and even asked a nurse at the front desk it they had seen him go into the men's restroom. She didn't think that he would leave unannounced, though he was known to do so.
At John and Mary's wedding, Molly had seen Sherlock slip away early. She wanted to follow him, but Tom had insisted that it was not her problem. After a bit of arguing she gave in and settled with asking Mrs. Hudson to check on him when she returned home. When she did, Mrs. Hudson found Sherlock lying on his bed still dressed in his tuxedo. She tried to make him more comfortable and see what was wrong, but he just ignored her presence all together. Molly felt horrible that she wasn't the one to go see him. And now she would not allow something like that to happen again. It was her job to be there for him.
Molly turned the corner to find Sherlock outside the nursery. The detective looked considerably taller standing in the clean, bright empty hallway by himself. She was relieved to see he had not left, but still worried about him. Sherlock was fragile and the emotional excitement of the day was probably weighing on him.
"So looks like we're god-parents now," Molly said hesitantly trying to break the ice. She stood next to him facing the window into the nursery. She smiled to herself seeing all the little infants wrapped up tightly in blankets.
"Yup," Sherlock replied popping the P at the end of the word.
Molly turned her head toward him. "You don't seem very happy about it?"
"Oh no, I'm thrilled. Honestly," he nodded assuring her. "It's just what my brother was talking about. My 'new responsibility.' He got me paranoid for nothing."
"He already knew then?" Molly asked, hoping this sibling rivalry was the only thing bothering Sherlock and that it would soon pass.
Sherlock shrugged, "It's not a hard deduction. I just never thought I was suited for the role."
Things never were simple with Sherlock. There was defiantly something deeper on his mind, Molly thought. "Well, I think you'll do great. She's going to love you. And I'll be right here also."
With Molly's words of encouragement Sherlock was silent again. She could tell something was really bothering him. Sherlock was looking emptily into the window dwelling in his own anxiety. Molly took a minute to reflect upon the moment, trying to think of some way to snap Sherlock out of this state.
Then words just began to spill out of her mouth without much thought or meaning of what she was saying. "Funny isn't it. Here there's so much life. Brand new life being brought into the world, but just round the corner is the morgue. Where we bring the dead."
Seeing as Molly's voice had trailed off, Sherlock though this was another of her slightly uncomfortable jokes. But upon pondering over the words for a second he realized there was more there. "I suppose it just shows us that we have to make the most of the time in between."
Molly looked up at Sherlock with revelation. "Is that why you did it then? Confessed you-" she hesitated not wanting to say the four letter word. "Your feelings?"
Sherlock took a deep breath and turned to his girlfriend. He looked into her eyes so she could see what he was saying was true. "Molly, you are important to me- you always have been- whether I realized it or not. And if I'm going to share these moments with anyone I want it to be you."
"Me too. These past few weeks have been the best in a long time. I want it to always be like this."
"Now, don't get ahead of yourself," he said biting his lip.
A sudden rush of worry came over Molly. Possibilities of what this could have meant ran though her mind: Was Sherlock planning on leaving again? Had something happened? Was everything a lie? "What do you mean?" she asked quickly.
"I first told you the reason for delaying telling you my feeling was for your safety. But I was also apprehensive, because I didn't want to mess anything up." Sherlock knew that it was time to tell Molly the truth. Opening up and exploring this romantic part of his mind was so new to Sherlock and he was still learning to balance it with his machine like detective brain. The anxiousness he felt whenever they were together. His carefulness with each word he said, not wanting it to be the one that turned the pathologist against him. "Being who I am I'm bound to screw up. I adore you so much. And I can't bear the idea of doing something so unfeeling that you won't want to be with me and I will loss you."
"Oh, Sherlock." The realization of how deeply Sherlock felt for her set in. The excuse of protecting her from others was just a cover up for the barrier he made between her and himself. She took a hold of Sherlock's hand and brought him closer to her. "You are such a good man. There is nothing you could do that would make me not want to be with you. I promise, I will always forgive you."
"Thank you. But you are so beautiful inside and out. I don't deserve you."
"Don't talk like that." Her eyes were now full of tears. She didn't even know if it was from happiness or pity for Sherlock. No one had ever said something so loving to her before. She could see all of Sherlock's boundaries dropping; the repressed memories and feelings being exposed. She didn't need to be able to see through his shell, because there was none there. "Look at where you are and look what we have. Our friends. Everything you are saying just shows that you do deserve this, because all this time you've been thinking about others- about me. All the waiting and keeping your distance, hiding your feelings for my own happiness."
Molly shook her head, trying to get a grip on her emotions. But it was no use, tears made their way down her cheeks toward her smile. "Sherlock, that's selflessness. That's love."
Love: the word struck Sherlock, but now not in a loathsome and sour way. Like he understood it for the first time. He saw that love was giving all one had and was for another. And he knew that's what he would do for Molly no matter what.
"Then, Molly Hooper, I love you."
And with that, Sherlock leaned in to kiss Molly. As they both closed their eyes, Molly stood on her toes to meet him. When his lips found hers, his pale complexion changed to a light shade of pink. Sherlock brought his hand against Molly's soft, warm cheek. His thumb followed her jaw with each tilt of her head. Molly's fingers ran through Sherlock's black curly locks that she loved so much. The kiss was slow and passionate, yet both their bodies moved with a sense of urgency. Bliss came over Sherlock and a smile formed through their kiss. He pulled Molly close to him not wanting to let her go.
Sherlock held Molly around her waist when they pulled apart for a moment. They looked into each other's watering eyes, basking in their smiling faces. Molly wrapped her arms around Sherlock and went back to kissing him.
Everything around the two had seemed to stop. Until, they heard footsteps coming from behind them. Sherlock pulled Molly tight to him, telling her to ignore whoever was passing by. But then there was a small crash. Sherlock turned to see the noise was a large gift wrapped box falling to the floor. Molly's face turned red with a feeling of embarrassment as she saw Lestrade's dumbfounded face in the doorway as he stood looking at them.
"Ah, Lestrade. How are you?" Sherlock said nonchalantly, whipping a bit of Molly's pink lipstick from his lips.
"So the papers were right this morning," he said with a chuckle once he had regained himself. "Bloody hell, I can't believe it."
"I guess everyone knows now," Molly said, combing her fingers through the tangles in her hair which Sherlock ruffled up.
Lestrade picked up the present from the floor he dropped. "You know what, good for you two. It's about time!" he said giving Sherlock a fatherly pat on the back and Molly a quick hug. They watched as detective inspector continued to make his way down the hall and turned right.
"Other way!" Sherlock called.
"Right!" Lestrade said pointing the other directing and turning around to go down the opposite hallway.
Molly giggled and smiled back to Sherlock. "It is about time," she said putting her arm around his waist and resting her head on him.
"Defiantly ," he said kissing her again on the top of her head. "Shall we go see our god-daughter?"
Molly nodded, "I'd like that very much."
Sherlock wrapped an arm around Molly's shoulders. They made their way to be with the rest of their friends, all excited to start a new kind of family together. Molly was filled with immersed in joy. People thought she was mad wanting to be with Sherlock, but she knew the truth- That he was as compassionate and caring as he was clever. Sherlock smiled with confidence that no matter what, Molly would always be ready to stand beside him.
The End! Thank you everyone for reading! Thank you to everyone who has followed and favorited the story! And also followed my profile- I will defiantly be writing more. Not as long, but there will be more to come so keep an eye out. Thank you those who have reviewed they mean so much! If you haven't left a comment or review yet it would be awesome if you would, they really help and keep me encouraged to write more. I hope all you liked the story! Keep Smiling