It seems you are all big fans if Aunt Evie and I'm so glad, she was a joy to write. I should warn you though that Sherlock is going to be very stupid before he's sensible!

Chapter 11

When Sherlock went through to the front room Molly was placing a pile of clothes onto the settee.

'I've got enough for you to wear today, some jeans, a t shirt, a jumper and some underwear; you were in luck, Pete had just bought some new briefs so they haven't been worn. Barry has lent you some boots as well. Said something along the lines of dress shoes shouldn't be worn with jeans…fashion darling.'

She grinned at him and he couldn't help but smile back at her, that warm feeling from earlier making him feel light and a little giddy…maybe he should get her to check his concussion.

He pulled the t shirt on and was about to start on the rest of the clothes when he saw Molly's shocked expression and he rolled his eyes and huffed. 'I suppose I should go upstairs and get dressed.'

It was an amused voice behind him who answered. 'Ooh, don't stop on my account it's been a while since I saw a handsome young man naked.'

He turned to find Aunt Evie leaning on the doorframe of the kitchen laughing a little at her own joke.

He shook his head and picked up the clothes. 'Hooper women, you'll be the death of me!' But he made his way upstairs.

Molly giggled with her aunt and then sat down on the settee for a moment to try to collect her thoughts. All this time with Sherlock was playing with her head and her heart. She'd learnt to control her feelings for him over the years but right here, right now they seemed to be overwhelming her. She'd never felt so close to him and she'd never wanted him as much as she seemed to want him right now. It was almost painful. She knew she was going to get hurt...that she should give herself some separation from him to protect herself but she couldn't bring herself to enact it.

She took a deep breath as he came down the stairs, trying to gather herself, then she stood and gave him a bright smile feeling her heart swell as he returned it. He suited the jeans and jumper look; the soft wool of the jumper making her long to wrap her arms around him. How did he manage to look so damn good in everything?

She picked up her purple and pink scarf and started to wrap it around her neck before pulling on a matching woolly hat. 'Hey, are we good to go then? I should warn you it's starting to snow.'

'Why am I not surprised. That's just typical for the weather in this place. Come on. I should have investigated the explosion last night and not wasted the time but it is what it is.'

Molly chuckled at his exasperation and at him calling being treated for concussion a waste of time but she followed him out of the door and up the hill.

The snow was starting to come down heavily now and was already sticking to the path and grass as well as Sherlock's curls. Molly was walking behind him watching as each one landed wanting desperately to be able to run her hands through his hair. She made a mental note though to get him some kind of hat and she giggled to herself as she wondered whether she could find a deerstalker anywhere on the island.

'Go on, what are you laughing at? Me, no doubt.'

He glanced behind himself and Molly's smile got even wider. 'Maybe. Just wondering if I could find you a hat that's all.'

He rolled his eyes. 'Damn it not you as well! What is it about that bloody ear hat?'

Molly shrugged and moved alongside him as the path widened out. 'I don't know, you look cute in it. I mean, it suits you.' She added the last quickly as he started to look vexed. Then her eyes widened and she bit her lower lip as he put his hands in his hair and ruffled the snowflakes out. Damn he looked hot doing that.

Her good mood was crushed however when they saw the lodge for the first time. The basic structure was all still in place, the stone walls and slate roof but the window was blown out and the door was hanging off its hinges and there were black streaks up the walls and tendrils of smoke still hanging in the air.

No one else seemed to be around so they made their way up to the door and Sherlock pulled the torch, that he'd picked up the other day, out of his pocket.

He held his hand out to block Molly. 'Wait here, it might not be safe.'

'Well if it's not safe why are you going in?'

'Because that's what I do Molly, would you have me be otherwise?'

Molly suddenly felt like she was in a conversation or an argument that she hadn't known she was part of and she frowned as she watched him enter the building.

'I wouldn't change you for the world.' Her answer was almost a whisper and she wasn't even sure that he had heard it. He certainly didn't respond if he had.

She edged in a bit further as she heard him moving around. The furniture was blackened and it looked as though his suitcase and clothes were ruined. She saw him nudge his laptop with his foot but it was twisted and melted and no good to them now. He swore under his breath and then made his way to the heart of the explosion in the kitchen.

'Come here Molly. I need you to hold the torch whilst I take some pictures. It all seems fairly sound structurally so we should be OK.'

She tried to breathe through her mouth as she made her way in but the acrid stench seemed to seep into her bones and all she could think was that Sherlock could have been in here, trapped, dying. She tried to concentrate on what he was saying and doing but it was as though there was a roaring noise in her ears, her throat was burning with the effort not to cry.

When they finally made their way out she was physically shaking and she walked away trying to take in gulps of fresh air. Sherlock was saying something behind her about contacting Lestrade but she couldn't respond.

'Molly…Molly…'

She felt his hand touch her shoulder and it was like a damn breaking. She turned and flung herself at him, wrapping her arms around him as tight as she could, sobbing against his chest.

'I'm sorry, I'm sorry…I just…I can't help thinking about how close I came to losing you.'

She half expected him to push her away, to tell her not to be ridiculous but instead he closed his own arms around her and hugged her to him.

'I'm fine, Molly, I'm fine. You've no need to worry. You won't ever lose me I promise. I…I need to tell you…'

Just then there was a shout of greeting from the other side of the lawns and the two of them seemed to spring apart as though they'd been caught doing something they shouldn't have.

Molly wiped at her eyes feeling more than a little embarrassed about her breakdown but she plastered on a smile and held up her hand in greeting at Dr Piper who was making his way across the snowy grass towards them.

'Morning, morning and how are you today Mr Holmes? None the worse for wear I hope after the little accident yesterday.'

Molly couldn't stop her mouth from hanging open in shock. 'Little accident…' but Sherlock put his hand on her arm and then stepped forward.

'Yes I'm fine. I suspect it was a faulty gas bottle, you should get the others checked to make sure there aren't more. It was just lucky for me that I was outdoors at the time.'

'Yes, by God it was. I dread to think what might have happened if you hadn't. Ah well, all's well that ends well. And yes, I've asked Ricky to check the other lodges. I've been onto our insurers as well and if you let me have a list of what you've lost they'll arrange some compensation. Now, do you want me to open up another lodge for you?'

Sherlock raised an eyebrow and let out an ironic snort of laughter. 'If you don't mind I won't take you up on that offer, I think I'll stay at the Hoopers. I was more than comfortable there last night. I would like to know the security details you have in place here though, just to be sure. Who has access to the lodges and the keys?'

Molly watched the encounter taking place and was highly suspicious of Sherlock's overly accommodating and jovial manner but it seemed to be working a treat on Dr Piper who was chatting away and giving him information that she suspected he would have been more reluctant to give if he'd thought Sherlock suspected the explosion of being deliberate.

'And where's your sister this morning? We met her at Pete and Barry's house last night and she was very good company.'

For once Dr Piper's good mood seemed to dim and he raised an eyebrow. 'Yes, my younger sister certainly is known for her...ahem...company. I expect she is still in bed; she's never been an early riser. I had hoped that moving here would slow her down a bit and it has….at least somewhat, but I don't know….siblings hey. We're stuck with them aren't with whether good or bad.'

Molly couldn't help but look at Sherlock to see his response. She'd heard all about the sister he hadn't known he had and what she had put him and John and Mycroft through not to mentioned herself. She saw him wince ever so slightly; his smile as he nodded his head in acknowledgement didn't reach his eyes and she knew in that moment just how much his sister had hurt him. She couldn't help it, her move was instinctive but she took hold of his hand and squeezed it slightly in support.

Sherlock glanced down at where their hands were connected but he didn't say anything nor did he pull away.

The conversation with Dr Piper drew to a close and they watched for a moment as he walked over to another man who had just appeared. Molly recognised Ricky and smiled at him waving her free hand still acutely conscious of the fact that Sherlock wasn't actually letting go of her other hand.

The conversation between Ricky and Dr Piper was short and then he was striding across the grass towards them. As he got closer he finally recognised her and his face split into a grin as he opened his arms for a hug. She moved towards him and let go of her hold on Sherlock's hand but for a split second he held on and she wasn't actually sure he'd release her but he finally did and she moved forward to embrace Ricky.

It was just over a year since she'd last seen him and he hadn't changed much in that time but he was very different from how he'd been as a teenager. Then he'd been skinny and pasty, into his music and CB radios, talking to anyone and everyone so long as they weren't on the island. He'd been determined to move away but here he still was. Now though he had filled out and as she embraced him all she felt was muscle. He was reasonably good looking if you liked brawn and he hadn't really been blessed in the brains department but Molly liked him all the same.

'Hoops, I'd heard you were back visiting your aunt.'

'Hey, yes I thought I'd spend Christmas here. I would have looked you up sooner but what with Robbie dying and all…'

'Yeah, man that was shit. I wouldn't have thought he'd be the type to commit suicide but I suppose you never really know what's going on in someone's head do you?'

There was a clearing of a throat behind them and Sherlock drawled. 'Yes well if we're done with all this trivia Molly maybe we can get on with something slightly more important.'

Molly rolled her eyes at his impatience and was surprised to see a quick flash of anger from Ricky but she turned to make some formal introductions.

Do you want another chapter tomorrow? If so, you know what I need xx