Trigger Warning, there is talk of physical abuse in this chapter as well as the run down of Molly's injuries. Sorry it took so long, I am actually going to finish this for you guys and may write a sequel.

SSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHS

Sherlock

I held Molly's hand as the nurse changed her IV. I tried to process what was happening,

Sirens were blaring and Molly was still unconscious, they lifted her onto a gurney to be taken to the hospital, she looked so small and fragile, did they know the power she showed when she was awake? That this small woman had the power to bring the most arrogant man she had ever met to his senses, to feel things he had not felt in a very long time. "Mr. Holmes, I'm sorry, you aren't family you can't ride in the ambulance."

Lestrade walked up behind me and pulling his badge from his pocket declared, "I am Detective Inspector Lestrade, let him ride with her. She is pregnant with his child. See that she is properly cared for. Him too he's in shock."

I nodded my head in thanks as I climbed into the ambulance with her, it was only then that I saw the extent of her injuries, Moran was too fond of a knife. The paramedics began dressing her wounds and calling ahead to St. Bart's. "We've got Molly Hooper, multiple lacerations on neck, chest, and arms, severe loss of blood, blunt force trauma to the arms and legs, she is pregnant, prep the OR we have to stop the bleeding and set any breaks and try to save this baby."

"Roger that, we have her records, she is six weeks pregnant, we will do what we can."

I did not like the way they said they will do what they can, I knew the odds of saving the baby were slim, but I had to hope. Funny thing hope, I never relied on it before, why now. Because Molly, that's why. Please let her be okay.

Four hours in surgery, I knew the injuries were extensive but all this waiting! My hand again reached for the ring, for what seemed like the hundredth time that day. A physical manifestation of hope.

They finally allowed me into her hospital room. "We have her sedated, it will help her heal."

"What of the baby?" I asked. Sitting in the chair next to her bed I put her hand in mine.

"It is too soon to tell, perhaps in a few days we will know more." The nurse walked out of the room leaving me alone with Molly.

I was pulled back to the present by Alyssa's hand on my shoulder. "Sherlock, it has been three days, go home and rest, I'll stay with her and call you if anything happens."

"I can't leave her, I have to stay here."

She crossed her arms and looked me in the eye "You are no good to her if you aren't rested. Greg and I will stay here, she'll never be alone. Now go, I've let Mrs. Hudson know you're coming, she will have a pot of tea ready for you."

"I will be back in fourteen hours. That should be adequate for me to rest and to pack a bag."

"As long as you actually rest." She pushed me towards the door and sat in my recently vacated seat.

I left St. Bart's and hailed a cab. Back at Baker Street Mrs. Hudson had indeed left a pot of tea for me, I poured myself a cup and started the shower. I may as well since I am already here. I must admit sleeping in my bed for a few hours will do some good, and time away from the hospital will give me a chance to store the memories of the last few days.

Greg

Sitting on the small couch in the hospital room with my feet up, I looked over at Ally sitting next to Molly's bed, just as she had promised Sherlock.

She is incredible, I've never seen someone besides John or Molly order him about like that and have him respond, even I have tried all I get is being more frustrated than before. I'm glad my girls like her, otherwise there would be no chance with her.

When I got home after the maze I told my girls that she had agreed to go on a date with me, the first date I've had since their mom left me five years ago. Lilly was ecstatic, at almost fifteen she idolized Ally, she wanted to dress exactly like her arm cuffs, leather jackets and all. I didn't even know what that was until Lilly pointed them out at a party we had for Mrs. Hudson last month. "See dad, the bracelets she's wearing, I would love some of those.

I realized later that day that I had never seen her without bracelets, I didn't think anything of it, it was just a style choice, Sherlock must be wearing off on me.

At 10 years old Maggie was excited that I was happy again and did something besides work. "Daddy, why do you always work? We never do fun things anymore, you are always on a case." When she said that it about broke my heart, I started leaving my work at the office, but my little Maggie could tell that I was struggling, I no longer had two little girls all the time, only every other weekend and occasional holidays, and I hated it, I filled the void with work instead of meeting people and getting out in the dating world again.

I was pulled from my thoughts by the nurse entering the room. "Hello, I am nurse Hollings, I'm here to move Molly so she doesn't get sores. Miss, all the other nurses are busy, would you be able to help me?"

"Of course, what do you need me to do?"

"First, I need you to remove all jewelry on your hands and arms, we don't want them to get caught on cables or tubes."

Ally hesitated before removing her cuffs, she brought them over to me to hold while she helped, she tried to hide her wrists from me, but I could see the scars that wrapped all the way around and were at least 3 centimeters thick. "Ally?" I whispered, reaching for her arm, I had never seen marks like that, not on someone living at least.

She turned away and returned to Molly's bedside. "What now?"

"Please lift her back carefully and I will slip the dirty bedding off the top half and put clean bedding on then we will lift her legs and do the same thing at the bottom of the bed, then adjust her into a new position."

I watched as she carefully lifted Molly and the nurse effortlessly changed the bedding as though she had done it thousands of times. They rolled Molly almost onto her side to prevent any sores that happen from being bed-ridden. The nurse left and Ally sat back down. She didn't hear me pull up a chair beside her when I asked, "Ally, what happened? What happened to your arms?"

"It's what happens when you get tied up for eight hours and beaten."

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but I'm here to listen if you would like."

"I guess at some point I do have to talk about it. I was dating a guy pretty steadily for almost two years, we had talked about marriage but wanted to wait because my dad was finally getting better after being sick for months." She leaned back in her chair before continuing. "He had always wanted to be more physical than I was comfortable with but he left it alone, I assumed it was because he respected me and my feelings. Then my dad suddenly passed away, so suddenly my brother in medical school couldn't even come to the funeral. I loved my dad we were really close, he taught me how to fight, hunt, shoot, track, all the things a dad should teach his daughter, at least in my town." She stood up, back and forth across the room, pacing, as though she was lost in time.

She continued, "The day after the funeral, he tried again to get me to sleep with him, I wasn't ready, and I told him that, but this time instead of leaving it at that, he knocked me out. I was told that I was missing for fourteen hours. I have five hours that I don't remember, I can only assume that I was unconscious the for that. When I woke up, I was tied to an old tractor in his dad's barn. He knew he had to tie me up, or I would fight back. Again, and again he told me if I would sleep with him he would stop hurting me. For eight hours he beat me, always giving me the same ultimatum. He wasn't stupid enough to rape and beat me, but he was definitely okay with beating a yes out of me. Finally, I heard voices, someone had found me! The police came in and arrested him, my mom had called them when I didn't come home or check in with her. The paramedics came and took me to the hospital where I found out I had three broken ribs, both wrists were broken, both ankles as well, he made sure I wouldn't be able to get away, significant bruising to my liver and spleen, I was fortunate that there was no internal bleeding. Along with my wrists being broken, the skin had been torn away from the tightness of the ropes, they bandaged me and hoped for the best. That is why I wear the cuffs, they hide my scars."

She returned to her seat the weight of her story evident in her posture, her shoulders sagged with the burden that they carried. "But that isn't the worst part. After a three-month trial, he only got six months in jail! That's why I came to London, I left a week after the trial ended, I didn't want to be in the country when he was released."

"But you had a permit for a gun and a work visa when you got here. How, those take time?"

"I knew he wouldn't get a long sentence, as soon as the trial started I started to get everything in order. He comes from a prominent family and as such was treated with a light hand for sentencing. There was no way I was leaving without my gun, or a way to support myself."

The awe I had for her filled every fiber of my being, she was amazing. She was strong, but compassionate at the same time, a woman that could drop Moran with one shot was the same woman who would hold Mary while she cried because Elizabeth would not stop crying and she was so tired.

I reached for her hand. "Ally, you are incredible. The fact that you went through all that and then came to London to rebuild your life, well, well it's remarkable."

She reached for the bracelets in my other hand and put them back on, it was clear to me she wasn't ready to share her story with everyone yet, I was honored that she would choose to share it with me.

Alyssa

So, there it was, Greg knew my past, and he didn't leave, but in fact the opposite, he thought I was incredible. I certainly didn't feel that way, some days I felt like I could barely keep it together. I still had nightmares about the ordeal and I wanted to be free of this burden, maybe sharing it would help.

"Alyssa?" I heard a quiet whisper and looked over at Molly. "Alyssa, where am I?"

I turned to her, looking at Greg briefly I told him to call Sherlock and let him know about Molly before returning my attention to her. He left the room pulling his phone from his pocket and began dialing Sherlock's number.

"Molly, you were brought here after we found you. You've been asleep for three and a half days. We sent Sherlock home to rest he will be here soon."

I left her side and walked out into the hall to inform the nurse that Molly had woken up. I turned just in time to see John and Mary walking towards me. "Any news?" John prodded.

"She just woke up, Greg went to call Sherlock and should be back any minute."

As if on cue Greg walked over and shook John's hand and briefly hugged Mary. "He's on his way, he wants us to wait until he gets here and then would like some time alone with Molly."

"I don't think that's too much to ask for, and if I remember right, you owe me dinner." I turned looking at Greg with a facetious look in my eye.

"Why, I do believe you are right. Let me tell my girls, I have them for three weeks this time, I just want to let them know I'll be back late tonight."

"When did all this happen? We went straight from the maze to the hospital, at what golden moment did Greg Lestrade decide to ask you on a date?" John folded his arms across his chest and raised an eyebrow, a smile on his lips.

"In the maze, he decided that was the best time to ask me out. Apparently being an American woman who can handle a gun is all it takes to impress you Brits."

Sherlock

A ringing phone woke me from my sleep. "Sherlock, it's Lestrade, Molly is awake."

"Thank you, I will be right over, will you wait for me to arrive?"

"Yeah, of course."

"Once I've arrived, I would like some time alone with Molly."

"Well that does make a lot of sense, she's been asleep for almost four days."

"I'll be there in fifteen minutes."

"Alright see you soon."

Finally, she is awake. I don't know what I would have done if I had lost her. She has become my everything and I can't imagine my life without her.

I donned my coat and headed towards the hospital. I have some business to attend to, and I would really like to know how my child is doing.