A/N: Inspiration struck! I am almost halfway done with the next chapter! Will hopefully be up in the next few days. Make sure to read my note at the bottom! Important!

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When they arrived at the hospital, the gang was told that it wouldn't be long before baby Watson would be arriving. John was taken back to Mary by a nurse, leaving Sherlock and Molly alone in the waiting room. Neither spoke a word for a long time. The silence was killing Molly and she knew she should say something, anything to ease the tension that was crowding the room. She knew what she wanted to talk to him about, but she was afraid of upsetting him.

"Ask the question, Molly," he hummed, breaking the silence.

She swallowed hard and focused on her shoes, "What does Irene mean when she says dinner?"

"Exactly what you think it means."

She took a shaky breath, she had been afraid of that. She hesitated before asking her next question, but she had to know, "Have you and Irene….I mean to say, did you two ever…..have dinner?"

He sighed the way he did when he found something tedious, but his demeanor softened when he looked from the wall into her eyes, "No, Molly. Miss Adler and I have never had dinner. Not that she didn't try, that is."

She wanted to assure him, "Even if you did, that's fine. You're past is none of my business. I just remember how distraught you were after that Christmas she died. I just thought, that maybe, you two had, had something. Sorry, I'm not trying to pry."

"I'd be lying Molly, if I had said I had felt nothing for her. She intrigued me in a way I had never been intrigued before. I would not have gone so far as to call it love, but she did fascinate me. But, her untrustworthy nature was something I could never get past."

"Understandable," was all Molly could manage to say. More silence fell after this. It was becoming too much to bear. 'To hell with it!' she told herself.

"What are we, Sherlock? What is this? I know I was the one who said we would talk about this later, but I just can't bear it anymore. You say you have feelings for me, but I look at the woman you had feelings for in the past and I am nothing like her. You acted so indifferent toward me for so long. What exactly has changed?"

He looked at her somewhat bewildered. She wasn't sure what she expected him to say, she had laid a lot out there for discussion. It startled her when he began to speak with rapid speed.

"You are correct, Molly Hooper. But, to my credit, I act indifferent toward everyone. I am aware that I have been horrible to you in the past, but I assure you that absolutely nothing has changed. I have always trusted you, had the utmost respect for you. I have often said that I unaware of the beautiful, but that is not always quite true. I see beauty, but I do not appreciate it. I've always seen how beautiful you are. Always admired how you hum while you work, thinking that I am not paying you any attention. How you talk to the bodies you cut into, though to others you would seem a bit strange, I find it endearing. The feelings have always been there, but I've always suppressed what I feel in order to focus on the work. As to you not being like Irene Adler, I would not want you to. I want you to be clumsy, ridiculous, sweet, caring Molly Hooper. The feelings have been harder and harder to fight since my return from the dead. I am a weary man, Molly. I do not want to fight them any longer. I have always disliked the word boyfriend, so I will let you decide a title."

Her heart hammered in her chest. That was quite a confession. She had expected him to play it off cool and make her fight a little to get more of an answer out of him. But, here he was, giving her exactly what she wanted. A small smile crept on her face as she recalled the sweet words he had just sang.

She thought, "Well, we could use terms such as 'partner' or 'significant other'. They give the allusion of being in a monogamous relationship without using the words 'boyfriend' or 'girlfriend'."

He nodded in agreement. She felt horrible, but she had one more thing she wanted to discuss before they could be interrupted, "Look, Sherlock. I just want you to know, that I will stay with you no matter what, alright?"

He arched an eyebrow, "Alright?"

"What I mean to say is," she cleared her throat and began to blush, "it's alright if you never want to….have dinner with me. Some people just don't like to or don't feel comfortable, having dinner….and that is perfectly fine. Contrary to popular belief, having dinner isn't what makes a relationship work." She scolded herself silently, because that sounded better in her head.

"I'm quite aware of that, Molly."

'Oh God, way to go, Molly', "Oh, um, well. Good, that's good."

"Molly," he began in that tone of warning Molly had begun to hate, "one day, Molly."

She thought maybe she hadn't heard right, "I'm sorry?"

"I said we'll have dinner one day. I'd just rather put it on the back burner while your life is in danger."

She was sure her smile looked awkward and off-putting but she really didn't care, she leaned forward and gave him a chaste kiss on the lips.

"Ahem," a voice sounded from the waiting room entrance. A cheeky John Watson gave his friends a knowing look, "I almost forgot about the article. We'll talk about this later, you two. For now, come and meet the newest addition to the Baker Street family."

They followed John down a long hallway, dodging nurses and doctors as they ran about. They came to the last door on the left and entered. Molly saw a very exhausted looking Mary, cradling a small bundle wrapped in blankets. As they approached the bed, Molly could see the beautiful Watson baby, looking very content in her mother's arms.

"Everyone, this is Elizabeth Sherri Watson. We'll probably call her Lizzie for short," John explained.

"Sherri?" Sherlock questioned, but Molly could see the expectant glee on his face.

"Mary's idea," said John, "supposed that was as close to Sherlock we could get for a girl. Plus it rhymes with her name. She likes that too."

Though he tried to keep up his cool façade, Molly could see the absolute joy in Sherlock's eyes as he peered down at Lizzie.

"Would you like to hold her, Sherlock?" Mary asked.

"Oh, I don't think that would be a good idea…." He trailed off as John placed Elizabeth in his arms anyway. He looked nervous and Molly had never seen the great Sherlock Holmes nervous before. It was actually kind of cute, she thought. Molly went to stand next to Sherlock and pushed the blanket aside enough to stroke the infant's tiny arm. When she looked up at Sherlock, she couldn't help but feel that something about the moment they were sharing with the child felt right. She wondered if he felt it too…..probably not.

Her moment was ruined by the British government himself. Mycroft Holmes tapped his umbrella against the hospital room door as a signal to his arrival. "Hello, all. I hope I'm not interrupting this terribly domestic moment?"

"Of course you are," John answered a bit bitterly, taking Lizzie from Sherlock's arms so he could deal with his brother.

"What do you want, Mycroft?" Sherlock asked not too politely.

"Tsk, tsk little brother. Why so vile, today? I was hoping I could speak to you outside for a moment?" He asked as he turned to leave, giving Sherlock no choice but to follow him. Before he exited the room completely he called back, "You as well, Dr. Hooper!"

Molly scrunched up her face in resistance but followed anyway. She could only imagine what Mycroft could have to say to her, nothing good she was sure. He sat in the waiting room that they had just came from and crossed his legs, motioning for them to take a seat across from him.

Molly sighed, and Mycroft took notice, "Why so distressed Dr. Hooper?"

"You know why," she answered.

"Oh," he said knowingly, "you think I'm here to tell you that your relationship with my little brother is a bad idea? That you two should end it. That he will only break your heart and sentiment is a downfall?"

"Yes, something along those lines."

He scoffed, "Hardly. I don't see an immediate concern. You seem to keep him lined out and away from drugs. I don't really see the benefit of the sentiment Sherlock seems to dabble in nowadays but to each his own. I'm just glad I won't have to babysit him as much. And Mummy will be most pleased to hear the news. She adores you, Dr. Hooper."

Sherlock scowled, "I don't need a babysitter, Mycroft."

"I beg to differ," he responded, rolling his eyes.

"What then, brother mine, do you want?"

"I see that Irene Adler has returned from the dead…..and you wish for me to keep an eye on her?"

"That is correct."

"I have men watching her at Baker Street now, we will move her to a more secure location later this evening. Someplace where she will be watched round the clock, ensuring she doesn't try to get clever."

"Is that it?"

"Yes, dear brother, that is it."

"Then why did you come all the way down here? Phones are a more convenient way to deliver useless information."

"Wanted to look in on this joyous occasion," he said, rather sarcastically.

"Where are you moving her to?" Molly asked.

"A round the clock, watched cell."

Molly didn't like the sound of that at all, "Why can't she stay at Baker Street?"

Sherlock gave her a look that seemed to say 'What are you doing?' but she ignored it, "I know I'd hate to be cooped up in a cell being watched all day. You say you have men at Baker Street with her now. Plus Sherlock and I will be there to keep an eye on her as well. That is, if that is okay with you, Sherlock?"

Sherlock studied her face for a moment, but just shrugged, "Sure, why not? As long as she doesn't try to bother me while I think."

"You'll one day, have to teach me how you do that Dr. Hooper," Mycroft said with a smirk, "We'll try her a night at Baker Street, if she doesn't cooperate, we'll move her to the cell," he got up, using his umbrella to balance himself, "Well, this is all getting a bit too warm and fuzzy for my liking. Good day, Sherlock. Dr. Hooper."

As Mycroft disappeared out of sight, Sherlock turned to Molly, "You're too nice, do you know that?"

She smiled warmly at him, "Well, I know I would hate to be sent to that cell and be watched all day. At least at Baker Street she can have a little freedom and we'll be able to keep an eye on her. Besides, she may know something useful that she hasn't told us yet."

"Maybe," he agreed, putting his hand on the small of her back, leading her back toward Mary's room.

"You were good with her, you know," she stated.

"Hmm?" he asked.

"Lizzie, you were really good with her. You seemed a bit nervous. Just thought you should know that you did just fine."

She felt him lightly rub his thumb back and forth as they continued to walk. They saw that Mary had fallen asleep in their absence and Lizzie had been taken to the nursery. A very tired looking John waved as they came in, gesturing them to be quiet. He leaned in close to his friends so that he could whisper.

"She's all tuckered out," he joked, "listen, before you two go, I, and by I, I actually mean we, wanted to ask you guys something. We wanted to know that, if in the event something happened to the two of us, if you would watch after Lizzie for us?"

"You mean, be their godparents?" Molly suggested.

"Yes, exactly."

Sherlock answered before Molly could, "Of course we will. I made a vow John, remember?"

John smiled at Sherlock's response. They said their goodbyes and Molly and Sherlock were soon headed back home to Baker Street. Molly tested the word out in her head. Baker Street really was her home now. She wondered what she and Sherlock would do about living arrangements when this whole mess was sorted out. She began to imagine their future. It was an odd thing to think about; a future with Sherlock Holmes. She soon remembered that when they arrived back at their flat that they would have an additional flat mate for the time being. But all of her thoughts seemed to halt as she drifted off into a long, overdue sleep on Sherlock's shoulder. Through all the madness and sadness, in this moment she felt content. But Molly Hooper was no fool. She knew that James Moriarty would not settle with content for very long.

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A/N: Next chapter will be in Sherlock's point of view. He will listen in on a conversation between Molly and Irene. Molly will reveal something she hasn't told anyone, not even Mary. And Irene will shock Molly with a confession of her own.