A/N: Last chapter :( I didn't think I would feel sad about this story ending but I do. It was a lot of fun to write. I'm going to start writing the sequel very soon. Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who has read, reviewed, followed, or favorited. You guys are all awesome and I hope you enjoyed this little tale. I also hope this last chapter is to your liking and that I did all of these beautiful characters and the fantastic world of Sherlock Holmes some justice. Let me know what you think and thank you again for taking the time to read this. It really does mean a lot. Until next time!-thefaultoflegend
Ava Liam Watson. Mary and the baby are doing well. Congratulations on being a godfather. - JW
Sherlock was sitting in the back of a cab beside Molly when he got the message. The two of them had quickly gotten out of the old warehouse that James and Tom ended up taking Molly to, and Mycroft got them a car to take them straight to the hospital. Sherlock had about twenty different messages, most of them from Lestrade, saying that the hospital was clear of any other bombs, and that everyone was safe and sound. The one text message that mattered most, however, was the one from his best friend, announcing the arrival of his baby girl. Sherlock broke into a wide grin when he got the message. He wasn't sure how he would handle the new Watson, and the thought of being a godfather terrified him. He had absolutely no idea how to even hold a baby let alone how to take care of one. But, right then he was excited. The day had been the best he could remember in a long time. His number one enemy was being escorted to prison, his best friend had a baby, and the one person who mattered the most currently had her hand in his.
"What are you so happy about?" she asked him while he still stared down at his phone. He reached over and showed her the next.
"Liam. William. They named her after me," he said proudly and Molly couldn't help but reach up and kiss his cheek.
"Ava Liam. I like it. Liam is an unusual name for a girl but…"
"But she has John Watson, adrenaline junkie, and Mary Watson, trained assassin, as her parents. She may turn out to be a little bit unusual."
"Exactly. And I bet you won't mind that one bit." He broke out into a grin and shook his head. "Are you excited to see her?"
"Nervous. I'm not exactly an expert in the field of babies. But I have watched a lot of YouTube videos about them." She laughed out loud and the sound was like music to his ears. She was still a little cloudy, he could tell by the far-away look in her eyes, but there was still something hidden there, behind the laughter, behind the smile. She looked out the window, away from him, leaning her head against the seat.
"I'm sorry, Molly," he said suddenly, but she didn't turn to look. "For using you all of those years. You don't deserve that from anyone. Not from Tom, not from Moriarty, and especially not from me." He pinpointed exactly what she was thinking.
"Why do the people I care about always use me? Moriarty only dated me to get to you, fine. You always used me for lab access and body parts, it's just who you are. But I thought that with Tom, as much as I didn't want to be with him anymore, at least he didn't use me for anything. That he liked me just for me. I guess I was wrong. I thought I could have at least one person who just wanted me for me and nothing else."
"I want you for you," he said and she turned to him to look at him, finally. He could read everything about her in those eyes, like all of her thoughts and feelings where his for the taking as long as he could get her to look at him. Right then, he was expecting to see anger, sadness. But what he saw instead was love, and it hit him right in that icy heart of his that was finally beginning to thaw. "I was a complete arsehole to you Molly Hooper and I don't deserve you at all, I know that. But somewhere along the way, I didn't want you for lab access or body parts, I wanted you because… because you made be better. You deserve so much better than what I've given you so far. You deserve all of the happiness you can get, Molly Hooper. And I want to make you a promise."
"You don't make promises. Your last promise, your last vow, was to John and Mary and Ava."
"Yes and I also change moods at the drop of a hat. So I'm making you a promise, Molly." He paused then, letting out a frustrated groan and running his hands through his curls, willing the words to just leave his brain and get out. It had become easier, explaining his feelings, but he still struggled at times. She squeezed his hand encouragingly and he tried again. "I promise you that I'll never use you again, Molly. You have given so much to me and I have taken so much from you and that's not fair. And from now on, I'm going to give everything I can to you. Everything I am capable of. I know that I wouldn't make the best…boyfriend. I would be irritable and frustrating and I'll forget important dates and you might not see me for days at a time and you'll have to beg me to eat and sleep and I'll eventually snap at you for something idiotic and then feel horrible about it later. But I promise that I'll try to be better for you. I just…" He looked at her and saw a smile on her face then.
"Keep going. You're so close," she said and he smiled back.
"I just want you to be mine," he whispered and then her lips were on his, her arms over his shoulders. And he was kissing her back, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist.
"Yours," she said when they broke apart and he gave her another soft kiss just before they arrived at Bart's. He helped her out, paid the driver, and they walked over to the front doors. "You ready?" she asked as she slipped her hands in his.
He laughed lightly, his eyes lighting up. "That game is on."
Ava Liam Watson was 51.2 cm and 3.4 kilograms, a perfect weight and height for a newborn baby. She had her father's nose and her mother's eyes and light blond hair that could barely be seen unless one was standing close enough. She had a strong grip and a surprisingly clear focus as she looked up at her mother.
Sherlock grew unusually quiet when he and Molly walked into Mary's hospital room. He gave Mary a kiss on the forehead, shook John's hand and offered congratulations, but then he snuck back to a corner of the room and sat in a chair, observing the little girl that Mary held in her arms. She was so tiny. Sherlock knew that babies were tiny but Ava looked like she could break if someone even touched her the wrong way. She was quiet as well. Sherlock expected screaming but she really just lay there, occasionally moving her small fist around.
"So are the two of you going to tell us what happened?" asked John, who had been keeping quiet while sitting in a chair beside the bed, staring intently at his new daughter.
"Molly and I are in a relationship," replied Sherlock. "I think," he added while glancing at Molly. They all laughed quietly as to not disturb the small Watson.
"Well I'm happy for you mate. It's about time. But I was actually asking about what happened with Moriarty."
"Ah…yes. Well Molly disarmed the bomb that was concealed inside the body of the fifth murdered girl."
"You disarmed a bomb?" asked Mary and John at the same time.
"Yeah. Sherlock taught me how a few days ago. And then he came to my mind palace to tell me how to do it again."
"Yes, that's interesting. Because when I got shot you were the one who was in my mind palace, saving my life," added Sherlock.
"I was?" she asked, coming over to him now. He nodded and she leaned down to kiss his forehead before perching herself on his lap.
"That's something I'm going to have to get used to," said John while pulling a face, but Sherlock and Molly just smiled. Sherlock went on to explain the rest of the case to John, how Moriarty was using Molly to get to him and how Tom was in on it as well.
"There's only one thing that I don't understand," said Sherlock when he got to the end of his explanation. "Who called Lestrade about the bomb? Who else would have known about it?" They sat in silence for a few moments, each trying to make their own deductions about who could have done it.
"Well I wouldn't worry about that now," said Mary. "You have a goddaughter to hold, Sherlock." He shifted uncomfortably under Molly and mumbled something about maybe later.
"You just took down the most dangerous man in the world and you can't hold your goddaughter?" she asked him with a smile.
"You first," he replied. Molly gently took the baby from Mary. Ava fussed for a few seconds, but Molly rocked her a little bit and she was fine then. Sherlock watched closely as she spoke quietly to the little girl and he got a strange feeling, something that he couldn't name at all. It was almost nice to see Molly holding a baby. She knew exactly what to do with her.
She looked up at him after a few minutes. "Sit up straight." He did as he was told and she walked over with Ava still in her arms. "Just support her head, okay? You're not going to break her." He nodded nervously and the next thing he knew he was holding his goddaughter in his arms, looking down upon the face of this little creature who wasn't there a couple of hours ago and who right then was laying in his arms, happily it seemed, as a small smile crossed the baby's face. The word miracle flashed across his mind for the second time that day and he felt an overwhelming feeling of love for this little human that he only just met.
"Hello, Ava," he whispered quietly. "I'm Sherlock. You're godfather, I suppose." He smiled softly. "I promised your parents I'd take care of you. So I'll make the promise to you, too. I will always be here for you, Ava." He bent down to softly kiss the little girl's forehead and when he looked up he was met with three pairs of watery eyes all staring back at him.
After saying their goodbyes, Sherlock and Molly walked out into the night of London, feeling better than they had in weeks, than they had in years possibly. It was a clear night so the pair decided to walk home instead of taking a cab. Molly would stay at Sherlock's until her concussion was better, and then, much to Sherlock's dismay, she would be returning to her flat. But maybe not for very long. The stars were shining brightly and Sherlock took Molly's hand as the strolled happily along. "Do you believe in love at first sight, Molly?" he asked. The question came out of nowhere and Molly whipped her head around to look up at him. He knew that he only just started recognizing love but once he did it, it was hard to ignore.
"Now I know you're not talking about me," she replied with a laugh.
"No," he said quietly. "Ava."
"Well, yes I believe in love at first sight. And I knew you would love that little girl as soon as you looked at her. You're going to make a really great godfather."
"Well, I might need a little bit of help. You seem to know what you're doing."
"Not really. It's just instinct I guess. Like how women are more attuned to babies' cries." They walked in silence for a few minutes, although it wasn't uncomfortable in anyway. "You know, we haven't even been on a date yet."
"I know. How about some coffee?"
Molly smiled brightly, already having the answer in her head. "Black, two sugars."
"Very funny," he said before grabbing her and pulling her towards him as she let out a little squeal. He brushed a piece of hair out of her eyes, marveling that she was in his arms. Molly. The pathologist from St. Bart's, suddenly his. "I never thought I could be a part of a team. And now look. John and I. Mary and Ava and I. You and I."
"We make a good one," said Molly, staring into the eyes of her consulting detective.
"That we do, Molly Hooper." He kissed her and they set off again. "How about dinner instead? I'm starving."
"Fish and chips?"
"Sounds perfect." They went on their way and talked about anything and everything, all of the things they were excited to do with Ava, all of the experiments they were going to run now that they had free time. Their laughs and voices were lifted up to the London night, carried down that long street. Another day gone. Another life saved. The consulting detective and his pathologist. Nothing could take them down.