Chapter Nine
This chapter was so hard to write, especially the scene between Sherlock and Molly. I wanted to keep Sherlock's character as Sherlock Holmes. He couldn't just go through a complete personality change. However, I had to find a way to make it work.
And then the ending. I wrote at least two different versions of it before coming up with the final draft.
John turned as Mary headed back into the living room. "Better?"
"If your daughter makes me rush to the loo one more time…" Mary muttered as she eased down onto the couch next to him.
John chuckled as he wrapped an arm around her. "Sorry, love."
Mary lowered her head onto his shoulder. "I hope she comes soon. I'm not sure how much longer I can stand this."
"You need a back rub?" asked John.
"Mm, no," breathed Mary. "This is actually really comfortable."
"Good," said John, placing a kiss to Mary's head.
The two of them sat watching the telly for a few minutes before Mary spoke up.
"I was thinking of lunch with Molly," said Mary. "See if Sherlock'll come?"
"Yeah, sure," said John, pulling out his phone. He typed out a text to Sherlock and waited for the reply.
They had gotten through an hour of the movie before Mary noticed John checking his phone for the fifth time.
"What is it?" asked Mary.
"I'm sure it's nothing," John brushed off, still looking a bit uneasy. "He hasn't replied yet. But he gets distracted…"
Mary frowned doubtfully. "You sure?"
John nodded. "I mean, we had this agreement that we would always answer each other's texts as soon as possible with the understanding that if we didn't within thirty minutes, something had happened to us. He's usually so good about it; he hates it when I 'overreact.'" He stared at his phone for a moment. "You know, I probably am overreacting. He has forgotten to get back to me before."
"No, go check on him," Mary told him.
John looked over at her in surprise. "Well, Mary, it's not like he can get hurt."
"Then go box his ears for me," said Mary. "Go on."
John nodded and got up, heading for the front door. He stopped a couple of paces away and turned back. "Call if you need me."
Mary nodded. "Okay."
John grabbed his keys and headed out the door, hailing a cab and giving the driver Sherlock's address. As the taxi pulled up to 221 Baker Street, John glanced quickly over the front of the building. Nothing seemed to be amiss.
He quickly paid the cabbie and hurried to the front door. Once he was inside the entryway, his hand went unerringly to the gun in his jacket. He slowly ascended the stairs to the first floor, listening to the sounds of flurried activity coming from the flat upstairs.
John eased the door open, his grip tensing around his gun as his eyes lit upon an empty living room. He heard the noise coming from down the hall, and he approached Sherlock's bedroom, slowly opening the door and preparing for the worst.
Instead, he was met with the sight of Sherlock standing at his wardrobe and throwing shirt after shirt behind him to the floor. "No. No. No!"
John breathed out a sigh of relief, releasing the handle of his gun. "I've been texting you."
"Busy," Sherlock replied shortly. He tossed another shirt onto the floor. "No!" He finally pulled a purple dress shirt out and smiled. "Yes!"
"Busy," stated John. "Sherlock, it's been over half an hour with no response. That mean anything to you?"
"I told you; I've been busy," Sherlock brushed off as he headed past John and into the bathroom, closing the door.
John rolled his eyes and stepped up to the door. "Well, listen, since I'm here, I need to ask you something. Mary and I are having lunch today with Molly. Want to join?"
The bathroom door was flung open, and Sherlock barged past John, going to retrieve his jacket from his bedroom.
"Sorry, John, can't," said Sherlock.
"What do you mean you can't?" asked John.
"I have important plans," said Sherlock, heading out the door and to the living room to grab his scarf and coat.
John followed him. "Can't you put them off?"
Sherlock wrapped his coat around himself, tying the scarf as he swept out onto the landing. "Sorry, John! They've been put off long enough!"
John watched as the detective disappeared down the stairs, leaving the doctor standing there in shock.
What the bloody hell just happened? John wondered.
Molly closed the drawer containing Mr. Cabust and then turned to the file on the table, closing it and heading out into the hallway. She headed towards the elevator as she reviewed the notes she had made so far. She was so engrossed in her report that before she knew it, she was back in the lab upstairs. She jotted down her finale note as she headed for her office.
"Molly."
Molly startled a little, looking up from her paperwork to see Sherlock standing next to the lab table, apparently waiting for her. "Sherlock. Hi…again. You've been visiting an awful lot lately."
Sherlock gave her a smile. "You're good company."
Molly smiled a little, setting her file down on one of the tables as she turned fully to face him. "Will you be working on an experiment today?"
"No," Sherlock responded. He stared at her for a few moments, his mouth working as he struggled to find the words.
Wow…Sherlock Holmes speechless, Molly thought. That's definitely a first.
Sherlock apparently found the words after a moment. "I wanted to thank you for trusting me yesterday. Not many people do."
Wow, a "thank you" without being prompted. This is a day of firsts.
"Well, you trusted me enough to share your biggest secret with me," Molly replied. "The least I could do was return the favor."
Molly watched as a small, confident smile suddenly appeared on Sherlock's face. It was as though he had been trying to find a way to start a conversation and had just found his way in.
"Actually, my mutant abilities are not my biggest secret," Sherlock told her.
Molly frowned, confused. What could be bigger than that?
"They aren't?" asked Molly.
Sherlock paused for a moment before taking a single step closer to her. "The day I asked you for help in planning my death…when I told you that you've always counted…I wasn't just trying to gain your assistance."
Molly's frown deepened, wondering what he could be up to. Was he trying to butter her up with compliments?
I don't think so, Molly thought. He hasn't done that in almost a year.
Sherlock glanced down almost sheepishly at his feet before looking up at her apologetically. "I know this doesn't sound like much coming from me, and it's true. I never gave you any reason to think otherwise."
Molly almost let out a chuckle. Sherlock always had a knack for getting inside your head.
"I always said that sentiment was for the losing side," said Sherlock, "and I truly did abide by that."
Molly nodded, looking dejectedly down at the floor.
"Until I met you," finished Sherlock.
Molly's gaze slowly moved back up to his, staring in shock. Did he really mean…
"You managed to sneak your way past my façade and make me see that sentiment doesn't have to be a weakness," said Sherlock, stepping closer to her until he was right in front of her. "With the right person…it can be your greatest strength."
Molly's jaw dropped involuntarily as she listened. She had a sudden urge to pinch herself and make sure she wasn't dreaming.
"But then…life got in the way," Sherlock continued. "It wasn't until that disastrous Christmas party—"
Molly winced at the memory of Sherlock's insulting deduction at the party in 221B four years ago.
"—that I realized that you possibly felt the same. But then with Moriarty and your engagement and then Magnusson, it just…didn't seem to be the right time. And now…now, I have the chance to make up for all the pain I've put you through. It was a stupid way of keeping you out of harm's way, and I apologize."
Sherlock reached down and took Molly's hand gently in his. "I know this doesn't mean much after…everything, but…do you think we could make this work?"
Molly stared at him for several more moments before her brain finally caught up with the conversation. She smiled as she grasped the hand in hers. "We could definitely try."
Sherlock's face brightened immeasurably as he held her hand. "Dinner? Tonight?"
Molly's smile grew. "Sounds lovely."
"I'll meet you at your flat at, say, six?" asked Sherlock.
"I look forward to it," said Molly.
Sherlock smiled as he leaned down and planted a kiss on her cheek. "Don't worry." He pulled away from her. "I haven't told John or Mary your secret."
"Oh, it's okay," Molly quickly told him. "You can tell—"
"No," said Sherlock. "It's your story to tell."
Flattered by his understanding, Molly smiled appreciatively. "Thank you. I have lunch with them today, and I'll tell them everything." She faltered at the implication of her words. She didn't want him to panic at the mention of going public all of a sudden. "About my abilities, not us. I—"
"I don't mind," Sherlock reassured her. "If they ask or if you tell them, it's fine."
Molly smiled again, pleased with his answer. She had been so afraid that he wouldn't be ready to share this new part of himself with anyone yet.
"Do you want to join us for lunch?" asked Molly.
"Love to, but I need to follow up on a new lead," Sherlock told her. He ran his thumb over her hand affectionately.
Molly smiled shyly as he brought her hand up, giving her hand a kiss.
"See you tonight, Molly Hooper," said Sherlock before releasing her hand and heading out of the lab.
Molly stood staring after him for a good five minutes before heading back to her task of filing her paperwork, a hundred-watt smile on her face.
Well, that wasn't exactly how I dreamt it would happen, Molly thought. Her smile widened even further. That was a hundred times better!
John walked into the café with Mary, searching for the table Molly had already gotten. A waved hand caught their attention, and they headed to the corner where Molly sat facing them.
"Hi, Molly," greeted Mary as John helped her into a chair opposite her.
"Hi, Mary!" said Molly, a huge, ecstatic smile on her face. "John!"
John chuckled at the pathologist's good mood. "Hi!" He sat down next to Mary, his back to the front of the shop. "You're looking very happy today."
Molly gave a good-humored shrug as her smile grew. "Well, what can I say? It's been a morning full of surprises."
The waitress stepped up to their table. "Hi. What can I get for you?"
"Tea and the fish and chips," said Molly.
"Tea also for me, and I'll have the cobb salad," said John.
"Water for me," said Mary. "And I'd like the tomato soup and chicken sandwich."
"Got it," smiled the waitress, sauntering off to the kitchen.
"Surprises, huh?" asked John.
"Yeah, um…" Molly glanced down at the table for a moment. "Well, Sherlock stopped by today. And, uh, he told me about the whole mutant thing."
John's brows rose in surprise. "Oh, he did?" He chuckled before thinking that through. "Huh…"
No wonder he was in such a hurry this morning, he thought.
"Important…" mumbled John.
"What?" asked Molly.
John waved it off. "Oh, nothing. It's just that I stopped by Baker Street to invite him to lunch, and he said there was something important that he had put off long enough."
For some reason, this made Molly blush happily. "Really? Important…Well, while we're on the subject, there's something you two need to know as well." She took a breath before continuing. "I'm a mutant, too."
John's eyes widened; that had been the last thing he had been expecting to hear. Well, actually "I finally got a date with married-to-my-work Sherlock Holmes" would have been the last thing he was expecting.
"You are?" asked Mary, also shocked.
Molly nodded. "Yeah."
"Wow…" chuckled John, "it is a small world. So, what can you do?"
"I can control the four elements: earth, water, air and fire," Molly explained.
"Wow, that's amazing!" exclaimed Mary. "Well…then there's something I need to tell you also. I'm a shapeshifter."
Molly's jaw dropped a little. "Oh, really?" She glanced over at John. "So, what about you? You hiding anything over there?"
John shook his head with a smile. "Nope, all human here."
Molly gave a little laugh with Mary.
"So, that's why you're all happy?" asked John. "You found out Sherlock's secret?"
Molly's happy little smile reappeared. "Um…not quite. Um…" Her eyes brightened mischievously. "I met someone today. He, uh, he asked me out for tonight."
"Oh, great!" exclaimed Mary.
"Congratulations!" said John.
"That's wonderful, Molly!" said Mary. "Ooh, what's his name?"
"Um…" Molly's gaze tracked off to the side, and she smiled as she spotted something behind them. "Actually, here he comes now."
John turned to see Molly's new boyfriend just as someone swept up to the table and stepped around Molly's chair. John looked up at the man's face and froze.
"Hey!" Molly smiled up at Sherlock as he sat down next to her. "I thought you said you were busy."
"My plans fell through," Sherlock told her with a smile. He glanced over at the Watsons. "Hello."
John stared between Molly and Sherlock, jaw hanging open slightly. "I'm confused."
Sherlock frowned as he looked around at everyone. "About what?"
"Sorry, my fault," said Molly. "John, Mary, I'd like you to meet my date."
Sherlock's expression cleared instantly. "Oh, that."
John stared at his friend. "You…asked her to dinner?"
Sherlock's frown returned. "Isn't that what one does when starting a relationship?"
Molly let out a little giggle.
"A relationship?" asked John blankly before giving a little teasing smile. "You?"
Sherlock rolled his eyes. "Don't look so shocked, John. I am human, after all." He paused and then shrugged. "Well, not really."
The joke finally broke the tension at the table, and they laughed as the waitress returned to the table with their order. The waitress took down Sherlock's order of tea and left again.
"So…you two?" asked Mary as she dug into her meal. "'Bout time."
"Sorry about that again," Sherlock told Molly.
"Better late than never," Molly told him with a smile.
Sherlock smiled back at her. "That's true."
"So, you're really serious about this?" John asked Sherlock in between bites, worried about his best friend using Molly yet again the same way he used Janine.
Sherlock paused before looking over at Molly, giving her a smile. "I am." He scooted over slightly and laid his arm on the back of her chair, leaning in to give her cheek a kiss. He sat back in his own chair, keeping his arm behind Molly.
The four friends launched into conversation, enjoying the leisurely lunch.
Moran smirked in satisfaction at the table of friends, who sat completely clueless to the danger sitting among them.
You lot are so pathetic… Moran thought. How Jim Moriarty ever lost to you, I'll never know.
John smiled over at Moran. "So, does this mean we double-date now?"
Moran rolled his eyes in mild annoyance. "Don't get all sentimental now, John. Just because Molly and I are dating doesn't mean I'm not still me."
"Ooh, romantic, Sherlock," Mary teased. She looked across the table at Molly. "You sure you know what you're getting into here?"
Molly laughed as she leaned a little into Moran's arm behind her. "Yeah, I know."
Moran smiled down at her. "Good, 'cause I'm not letting you get away."
Molly smiled at him again.
"Wow…" said John. "This is a whole new side of Sherlock I've never seen."
The three of them began laughing as Moran joined in with Sherlock's deep baritone chuckle.
Oh, you have no idea, John, Moran thought.
Oh, snap! I did!