I got so caught up with work today and my excitement about the Sherlock convention at the weekend (no Ben for me though :() that I almost...almost forgot to post today's update. But here we are, better late than never.

Chapter 11

The next few weeks seemed to offer little real chance for Molly and Sherlock to be alone together. They frequently managed to meet up after lunch and engaged in long conversations about pathology and its potential in helping to solve crime but it was much harder to manage the odd walk and a stolen kiss here and there. So their frustration and need for each other just seemed to grow exponentially the harder it was for them to physically be together. Molly longed to feel Sherlock's hands on her body even as she felt ashamed for thinking it. The shame didn't stop the need though.

John had finally been deemed fit to go back to work but seeing as Dr Brigson had never returned after his visit back home, due to complications with his wife's health, John was offered his position at Netley and also given his quarters. It irked Molly to know that the male doctors all had private quarters which included a bed and sitting room whereas she had to share with the nurses. It was just another example of how she was treated as lesser to her male colleagues even though she worked twice as hard as they did.

They also got to go to the Officer's Mess on site as did Sherlock as a Captain but women of any rank, except the lowest, were not allowed.

John and Mary continued their romance and Mary kept Molly informed every step of the way and she even confided to her friend the fact that she may agree to have sex with Doctor Watson so long as she had a ring in her finger and a promise to be wed. He didn't need to be asked twice and Mary was sporting the said ring by the end of the month.

Sherlock meanwhile had often told Molly how much he wanted and desired her but talk of feelings had never come into it and Molly was almost too embarrassed to ask. She knew how she felt about him and she also knew how she would feel if he walked away and it was that prospect that stopped her from forcing a declaration from him.

His own convalescence was going well and he had long since given up the crutches in favour of a stick and his walking was vastly improving. It was down to his incredible determination and strength of will but Molly feared that it may turn out to be a bad thing. The army kept a close eye on patient's progress and had started to comment that it wouldn't be long before Captain Holmes could go back to active duty and the very thought of it made Molly feel sick.

It was one warm September evening when Sherlock agreed to meet Watson in the mess for a few drinks. He was feeling particularly in need of a distraction given his limited time with Molly earlier which had just left him once again feeling stymied and frustrated. He knew that she wanted to be with him and he with her but finding somewhere private in this place for long enough was proving difficult. He had even gone so far as to consider asking Watson for the loan of his rooms but even for Sherlock it was a step too far. He knew that Watson still frowned on their relationship, still seeing it as Sherlock playing with Molly's affections. He could easily have disabused him of the fact but he still felt angry with himself at having been drawn into such a human weakness as this. He could only imagine what his brother would say if he were to find out.

This all combined into a night where he hit the alcohol hard. It didn't help that he'd taken another dose of morphine before arriving and the combination made him feel light headed and free. So free that it wasn't long before another officer made a swing for him and it was only the fact that Sherlock stumbled a little that stopped him from getting his block knocked off.

John dragged him outside and watched as Sherlock lit a cigarette.

'You're in a strange mood tonight Holmes, worse than normal. I suggest you go and walk it off, you don't need any more alcohol tonight.'

'Pfft...walking's boring. This whole place is boring, I'm surrounded by dolts and imbeciles present company not excepted.'

John rolled his eyes, used to his friend's outbursts. 'Fine, well this dolt is going to leave you to it. Mary's on a night shift so I think I'll hunt her out and she if I can't persuade her to take a break.'

He walked away leaving Sherlock leaning against a tree blowing smoke at the moon.

Sherlock had no desire to go back to his ward and even he knew it wouldn't be sensible to return to the mess. It was then that he remembered what John had said about Mary being on a night shift and a slow smile spread across his face.

MHMHMHMHMHMHMHMHMHMH

Molly had just settled down to sleep in her bed when she heard it; a quiet tap at her window. She lifted her head off the pillow and squinted through the darkness as though she could see what had caused it. She heard it again, a definite tapping and then a whispering. 'Molllllyyyyy, come on, open up for me.' Then a giggling noise.

She frowned and lit the small lamp beside her bed before moving over to the window, wrapping a shawl around her shoulders as she went.

She pulled back the thin curtain just as Sherlock tapped on the window again and when he saw her his face lit up. 'Molly, there you are. Let me in.'

Molly bit her lip, even from here she could tell he was a little out of sorts and had probably been drinking but the idea of letting him in was so tempting. Her dreams at night were full of him and they just left her feeling empty and unfulfilled and she longed to spend more time with him.

She put her fingers to her lips and made a shushing noise before opening up the window to let him in. Luckily it was a reasonably big window but it was still rather an ungainly entrance and when he caught his leg on the window sill he turned the air blue with his swearing which had Molly actually putting her hand over his mouth to shut him up.

'Shhh, the others are asleep right next door. If they find you in here I would get into so much trouble.'

She helped him up and he leant against her limping a little more heavily but once he was on his feet he pulled her to him and whispered in her ear. 'Oh Molly what if I want to cause you trouble?'

He kissed her and all her qualms at letting him in just seemed to melt away. Her hands went around his back and she held him as tight as he held onto her and it wasn't long before they stumbled backwards and onto her small bed giggling at the squeaking from the springs which then had Molly making shushing noises again.

'God, Molly. I just couldn't keep away once I knew you were alone. Have you any idea what you have been doing to me recently? I can't sleep, I can't think, my mind is just tangled up with hormones...you are ruining me.'

As he said all this he was kissing his way down her neck with his hand stroking her breast over the top of her nightgown. He found her nipple and pinched it lightly, making her gasp and have to contain the moan that threatened to leave her.

'Sh...Sherlock. You shouldn't be here. We are completely unchaperoned and I...oh...'

'Please, just let me stay a while. I'll go if you make me but please don't make me.'

Molly was so conflicted. Every cell in her body wanted to be with him, in every way possible, but she also knew the risks she ran in letting him stay. As much as she wanted to be with him there was a danger of this leading to sex and sex before marriage wasn't just a societal rule it was a sin.

But, God help her, she wanted him to stay more than anything so when he moved above her she gave in to his kiss letting his tongue enter her mouth and vie with hers. She didn't stop him when he pressed himself against her even though she could feel his hardness through their clothes and between her legs. And when he rocked himself against her all she could think was how much more she wanted.

He continued to kiss her as his hips relentlessly moved against hers and all she could think about was the strange sensations that he was causing inside her. She felt as though she were building up to something but she just didn't know what. As he broke off and kissed her neck she tried to ask him what was happening to her.

'It's alright, it's fine, just give into it Molly, let yourself go.'

He sucked on the skin at the base of her neck and something inside her seemed to break and she was caught up in a wave of the most amazing ecstatic feeling. It was like nothing she had ever felt before...ever. She briefly heard herself cry out his name before he covered her mouth with his drowning out all her other sounds.

Slowly she felt herself start to reinhabit her own skin and she felt dizzy and tired and just filled with emotion and confusion.

She pushed against his chest and he rolled off and onto his side still kissing her neck whilst his hand continued to fondle her breast.

She moved with him with her hand at his waist playing with a tiny patch of skin that had been revealed when his shirt had come lose from his trousers.

'Sherlock, what was that? I felt...my God, I don't know what I felt. It overwhelmed me.'

He smiled and moved to kiss her on the lips. 'Well the French call it "la petit mort" and the Victorians used the term hysterical paroxysm but I believe in our enlightened times it is known as an orgasm and it comes from sexual pleasure. The question is Molly, did you enjoy it?'

He started back on her neck moving her onto her back as she stared at the ceiling and thought through what he had said. She had read about female hysteria, of course she had, it had been in her medical books but she had never experienced it until now.

He lifted up his head. 'Well, you haven't answered my question. Did you enjoy it?'

She was glad the room was fairly dark so he couldn't see to much of her blush. 'Yes, yes I did. Very much...but...'

He was slowly undoing the laces at the top of her nightdress as he kissed down onto her chest and she absent mindedly threaded her hands into his hair.

'Mmmmm?'

'Well, we haven't...I mean...you didn't...'

'No, Molly, your maiden hood is still intact though I wish it weren't.'

It was then that he revealed one of her breasts and took it naked into his mouth and Molly felt her body reacting once more. Having his mouth on her felt so perfect, each swipe of his tongue and graze of his teeth sent shockwaves through her. She could feel his light stubble rubbing against her delicate skin and she didn't care. She knew she must be a bad person for thinking that but he made her feel alive.

She also knew that he had not reached any climax himself and she was curious. She knew the medical logistics but nothing of the reality and she wondered if he would teach her. She wanted to make him as happy as he made her.

So, they're treading a very fine line but I can't believe things like this didn't happen back then. Human emotions and urges haven't changed even if the social expectations and rules have. And I'm sorry; I can't promise there won't be rough times ahead for our amorous couple.

On an amusing historical note, picked up from my research, vibrators were invented to cure female hysteria and were welcomed by doctors as it meant the hysteria could be treated much faster as often it had taken them up to an hour of manual stimulation to 'cure' the female patient. Yup, you read that right, women could go to the doctors for an orgasm!