Dinner was going along well. If 'well' meant extremely awkward for some parties and extremely pleasant for those oblivious, then yes- the dinner was smooth sailing and very, very well.
Until dessert that is.
Everyone, save for Mycroft, were guffawing heartily after a hilarious story told by Aliana about her eldest son's first battle- climbing a tree. Unfortunately, the young and very chubby little boy had broken a branch and landed on his bum in a lot of mud.
Mycroft was downing his wine in large gulps, his face as purple as the alcoholic drink. His brother smirked across at him, clearly amused.
The laughter waned to chortles and chokes before dying down altogether to a comfortable silence.
"So Sherlock, dear." Mummy said, looking at Sherlock "Marion tells me you've been courting Molly."
The mousy pathologist choked on her drink next to Mycroft and looked up wide-eyed. The government worker didn't miss the look shared between her and his brother. He grinned. Entertainment. Good.
...
"What did you do to make her not want you anymore?"
"Wording choices, Mummy." Enola scolded, sniggering.
"Oh it wasn't your boy, Ali- it was Molly over here. She can't handle much, really."
"Mum!" Molly yelled, horrified.
"It's true darling. Every time they're a bit different, mysterious, she lets them go- that's where we are different sweetie."
"There are many other things that make us different Mum."
"Oh you should have heard the reason she gave me," Marion continued, not listening. Molly groaned, downing her glass and reaching for the bottle for another.
"Work, she said- women don't work, I told her. But that's the new age females- work over giving their mother some grandchildren."
"Mum! This is hardly the time or the place."
"Yes, yes you're right. But I must know- what was the real reason? I know when you lie, love."
Molly bit her lip. She loved her mother but the old woman had no sense of privacy or timing. Then again, maybe this was a sign, maybe she could finally come clean-
Looking up, she bit back her words. Her brother, whom she got into another argument with earlier about telling his wife about the affair, was very uncomfortable sitting next to the adulterer in question. Why was she even sitting there in the first place?
She looked back up and caught Sherlock's, then Enola's eye. The evil witch of a woman was smirking at her. Upon sharing the gaze, Enola winked and grinned.
"I have no idea what you are talking about." Molly said, chin held high "It was purely stress from work. I took it out on Sherlock and it wasn't fair on either of us."
...
...
Sherlock recoiled in his seat.
She was lying. Because of Enola. The fear in her eyes, the way his sister winked at the pathologist- Enola was holding something over her. That much was certain.
He looked across at Molly. She was staring at him, silently pleading to him not to call out her in public. It was funny how she could tell when he'd figured something out. Obviously the secret Enola had was very important and dear Molly. He needed to find this secret- now. This dinner just got a whole lot more interesting. Mycroft caught his eye.
It seemed both brothers wanted to figure this out.
...
...
Rachel scowled.
"I'm ending this." she said reaching for her pocket.
"Don't you dare, Rachel."
The girl looked up into her brother's warning gaze.
"Charles, this is not fair on Molly or Sherlock. They're suffering because of Enola."
"Don't try to be a hero, sis. You're gonna muck things up for our family."
"I'm not being a hero," Rachel hissed "I'm doing what's right. This should've been brought to light ages ago. What dad and Enola did was vile and it's unfair that innocents are paying for it."
Her brother was trying to stop her, but she wasn't having any of it. The blasted earring was seated in her clenched fist, which she brought onto the table.
"Rachel, our parents-"
"It's not fair that mum, Auntie and Sherlock live out our dad's lies."
"Rachel, don't-"
"I'm sorry, but you and I both know what I'm doing is right. Put yourself in their shoes for a moment."
Without waiting for an answer, Rachel unclenched her fist and repositioned the earring so that she was holding it between her index finger and thumb. Raising it up, she called out for attention.
"Hey!"
Sherlock looked up first, unsurprisingly. She saw the recognition in his eyes. He knew that piece of jewellery.
"I kinda found this the other day." That got everyone's attention. She examined Enola and Molly's expressions in particular. Her Aunt seemed confused and curious. Her bio-mum on the other hand- foundation was never that pale. And since when did she ever have a neutral poker face? Her eyes were flitting around the earring but never really looking at it. Her lips were pursed in a thin line.
She recognised it.
"It's really pretty, so I'm sure you want it back. Is it anyone's'?"
"Where'd you find it? You sure it's one of ours?" Aunt Molly asked.
"I know it's one of yours. I just figured it out, for sure, a few moments ago actually."
"It's not mine." Molly said, frowning. "Rachel, where're you going with this?"
"You'll see." oh you will see "Sherlock, I know you know whose it is."
"All eyes turned on Sherlock, who looked at his sister. Rachel didn't catch Enola's look to her brother, but definitely caught the one aimed at her: desperate and pleading. How pathetic.
There was a pause in the room and tension settled in the air, though most weren't sure why. Sherlock's gaze flitted between the object, his niece, his sister and Molly.
A corner of his lip twitched upwards when he came to his decision. He let out a breath of air,
"I do. It's Enola's."
Rachel smiled and threw the offending jewellery to Enola, who caught it, eyes wide in horror as she stared her brother down.
"Darling? What's wrong?" her second grandmother asked.
"Yes, sister- why don't you enlighten us?"
Rachel was surprised at the hostility in Sherlock's voice. The detective had posed the answer innocently, with a tilt of his head, but you could hear the angry undertone in his deep voice.
"I must have d-dropped it, uh, a-at M-Molly's place or-"
"The truth Enola, or I will tell them myself." Sherlock said "I will, Enola. You should have known I'd find out in the end."
His replies were curt, cold, uncaring. He was betrayed and very, very upset.
New Motto: Don't piss off or keep things from Uncle Sherlock.
Molly seemed shocked- that was to be expected. But also slightly...hopeful? Rachel turned back to Enola.
"Well?" her brother demanded. Enola flinched before looking back up. Her eyes kept flicking back to the earring.
"Why are you pushing her? So she left her earring somewhere- who cares?"
Rachel looked up at her father, horrified. Even so close to the truth and he was still fighting.
"Why don't you tell us then, dad?"
Her brother's words shocked even Rachel. She looked over at him. His face was neutral but she could see his anger.
Thank you she mouthed. She received a head-shake. He was still angry at her as well.
"What do you mean?" Dad demanded. His annoyed demeanour faltered and morphed into one of sick realisation when he caught his children's twin looks. Rachel smiled humorlessly.
"Go on." she pushed.
Her father looked around the table. All eyes were darting back and forth between him, herself and her brother, Sherlock and Enola. The first and the last were masks of fright and desperation.
"I left it in M-Matt's house."
Rachel looked up at her mother. Mum was frowning- she was putting the puzzle pieces together.
"Where?" Sherlock demanded.
"U-Upstairs." She tried, her voice cracking as she began to sob. Tears began streaming down her face. Who knew she could break so easily?
"Where, Enola- You are only receiving the luxury of me repeating this because you are my sister."
"In the bedroom! For god's sakes, look what you're doing to her!" Matt cried out.
Enola was in a right state- her eyeliner and mascara were racing black trails down her cheeks as she cried and sniffled. Serves her right.
"What were the two of you doing in the bedroom?"
The question was so soft, it was almost unheard. Mum was looking at Dad and Enola. She was breathing heavily; her lower lip and hands were trembling.
That's when it sunk in: the secret was out. Dad slept with another woman. Her family was torn apart.
She looked up to find Charlie, but he'd gone. She felt a presence on her right- it was her brother.
"This was what I wanted to avoid." He muttered, reaching for her hand. He squeezed her fist comfortingly.
"I'm so sorry." Rachel answered, gripping his fingers.
"Maybe you two should leave for now?" It was their second grandmother.
"It's alright, uh, Gran Number Two- this is our family. We sit through each other's messes." Charlie answered. He stayed kneeling next to Rachel. She slipped of her chair and onto the floor, clutching his hand.
"Kids, come with me."
Rachel wasn't going to disobey her mother. They teens followed the blonde out, Charlie carrying Micah.
"Please, go to the library. I'll fetch you when I'm ready. There are things the adults need to discuss."
Usually strong, Mum was holding back her tears. She was biting her lower lip insanely hard. Out of nowhere, she reached out and hugged all three children tightly. In normal circumstances the two elder kids would try shoving their way out, but now neither had the energy or the heart.
Mum walked away, and after awhile they could hear Dad's voice and lots of yelling.
"Let's go." Charlie muttered.
The three children walked in silence to the library, save for Micah who was still happily messing around with his saliva, unknowing that his family just hit a rather giant bump along the road.
...
...
There was silence in the dining room when the estranged family left. Molly looked up to find Sherlock staring at her intensely. She recognised the look- it was his deduction look. What could he be deducing now?
Another gaze was boring a hole into the side of her face . It seemed that both Holmes brothers had taken an interest in her. Enola seemed to realise what they were doing as well because she suddenly looked a lot more frightened.
Oh. They're figuring out the blackmail.
The brothers shared a glance and nodded.
They've figured out the blackmail.
"No, please don't-" Enola started. A waved hand from Sherlock silenced her.
"What is it, you two?" their mother asked.
"What's wrong now?" Molly's mum asked, very tired. She sent a death glare at Enola.
"Isn't it enough that my son's marriage and family have been wrecked, most certainly for good?" Enola cowered in her seat as Marion poured herself another, full, glass of wine.
"They've figured something else out." Molly answered, a rueful smile playing on her lips. She leant back to take a sip, after handing the bottle over to the Holmes' mother.
"Trust me, you'll want some more." she said, handing over the bottle.
"Enola, you really are Father's daughter. Blackmailing now, are we?" Mycroft started.
"Blackmailing? Mycroft that is a very serious accusation." His mother said. Molly sympathized for her. First, she finds out her daughter is a home-wrecker; then, her son is accusing their daughter of blackmail; finally, if son is correct (which he is) her daughter is a home-wrecker, blackmailer and reason of the sabotage in Sherlock's relationship.
"Yes, Mummy, we know." Sherlock answered "I suggest you listen to our reasoning.
"There was a look in Molly's eyes when she was forced to answer why our, uh, courting was halted. She immediately tensed- a sign of fear and went with the same story you, Marion, built for her. Her body language suggested someone forced to keep a secret. She also couldn't think up a lie. Is she a bad liar? Quite, but she knows how to think on her feet- so why couldn't she think up a lie? Pressure. Why was she pressurized and why was she scared?" Sherlock nodded to his brother, giving him permission to continue.
"Because said blackmailer was present. Here comes the rather tricky bit, but with the things that were enlightened just now, it has become much easier. Enola slept with Molly's brother, the latter being not very strong-willed- no offence Mrs. Hooper- immediately tells the one person he can trust- Molly. Enola is fairly smart and therefore either figured it out on her own or was confronted by Molly, though the latter is more unlikely. Either way, Enola, who has a certain dislike for Molly being with Sherlock for reasons that are up to her to give up, seizes the opportunity to blackmail Molly-"
"-into letting me go." Sherlock finished.
Everyone stared wide eyed at the two brothers. If this were a TV show, Molly could almost see them high-fiving and Enola being dragged away yelling "I would have gotten away with it too, if it weren't for you meddling self-proclaimed sociopaths!"
Sherlock looked back at Molly.
"What I don't understand is why didn't you tell me?" he asked her softly.
"I was protecting my brother and respecting the fact that he wanted to tell Mia in his own time."
"So it is true then."
Molly took a deep breath and let it out. She glanced at Enola- her beautiful, indifferent demeanor was replaced by sad, pathetic mess.
"Yes. It's true." Molly answered.
Footsteps sounded in the room. All eyes looked up to find Mia, striding in by herself. The woman looked determined and very angry, to say the least.
She moved around to where Enola was sitting and towered over her.
"Now that the children are gone-" she breathed in and shut her eyes. Enola stood up to match her height.
"Please, Mia-" she said hands in surrender. Molly couldn't hold back the gasp when she saw Mia's palm fly up and come in contact with Enola's face with resounding strike.
Enola stumbled from the force and cried out in surprise and pain. She looked up.
"Mia, I deserved that, I know, but-"
"It's Mrs. Hooper to you and you deserve a hell of load more!"
Molly stood up and ran around the table as Mia pounced onto Enola, pushing the adulterer onto the table. Screams and punches and yelling echoed around the room. Molly caught her hands around her sister-in-laws waist and pulled her back.
Mia came loose from surprise rather than from Molly's strength.
"Mia, violence isn't the answer. You know that."
"You. You knew as well and you didn't tell me. How could you not have told me?"
Molly stumbled back, the words hitting her like a slap.
"Mia-"
"No! You bloody knew and you couldn't find time in your busy schedule to tell me!"
"Mia I wanted Matt to tell you himself."
"My arse! You were just too damn scared. You as good as lied to my face these past weeks!"
"Mia please, we should talk rationally about this." Enola called out weakly, nursing a split lip, blackening eye and scratched face. Mia turned around seething, and launched herself back on Enola, only this time, Molly was too shocked to break it apart.
She was snapped back into reality when her brother came into the room. Yelling out in surprise when he caught sight of the catfight.
"What are you doing standing there? Break them apart!"
No one did anything and Molly allowed herself to be pushed aside when her brother shoved his way through to pull Mia away.
"DON'T TOUCH ME YOU DISGUSTING SLUG!" his wife yelled literally kicking screaming. Matt dropped her and Mia rebounded, hitting him in the chest and face. He let her do so.
"HOW COULD YOU?" she yelled multiple times. Enola ran towards her brothers, looking very small as she cowered in fright.
"Mia please-"
"DON'T TELL ME TO CALM DOWN, ANY OF YOU! YOU SLEPT WITH HER. ON OUR BED YOU SICK BAS-"
"ENOUGH." Molly jumped in surprise at the sound of the voice. Apparently so did everyone else. Everything was stilled in a very weird freeze frame.
"Good." Aliana continued at a softer volume. "I think now is the time to cool off. Matthew, if you would let your wife go, and Mia- as much as they deserve it-" she paused glaring at the culprits in question "-no more hitting for now. Understood?" The broken couple relaxed and stepped away from one another.
Aliana continued talking, but Molly wasn't listening properly. What concerned her was her brother. He was running his hand up and down his face. He looked nauseated and his stance was one she knew from the past.
She watched him inch away with disgust and worry.
...
...
"Mycroft, sweet, could you please find your nephews and niece and bring them and Mia home?" Mycroft, Sherlock deduced earlier was already sending of a text to bring the car around the front and too equipped it with means of distraction for the younger riders.
"Already done." he said officially. "Mia, why don't you follow me? I'm sure you'd like to see your children." he continued in a tone softer and gentler Sherlock never knew his brother could manage.
Mia sniffled.
"My children." she muttered aiming it at Enola "I raised them." she continued rambling as Mycroft led her out of the room.
"Marion, I apologise profusely for my children's behaviour, especially my daughter's."
"I should hope so." Marion sniffed. Conceited fool, Sherlock thought "but mine are the same, maybe more so. I'm sorry on their behalf." Better. "Speaking of my lovely children, where are they?"
Sherlock looked around. Molly and her brother were missing. Right on cue, his phone buzzed in his pocket.
She's outside the room talking to someone on the phone. Concern over brother (who left).
-MH
There were times when the annoying proved useful. Pocketing his phone, Sherlock walked to the door. The two older women and a very battered Enola followed suit.
"Oh Lord, really? I'm so sorry- I'll pick him up now if you'd like...what do you mean?...you threw him- he walked...which direction...yeah I'm positive we'll get him...thank you so much David- truly means a lot...thanks again, have a pleasant evening." Molly hung up and placed her phone back into her purse.
Her face was grim.
"Where's your brother?" Marion asked.
"Out. I'm going to go get him."
"Where is he?"
"Mum, I can't have you following me this time. It could be dan- look, I'll get him and bring him back. Please stay here. I'm borrowing the keys." she said before jogging down the corridor as fast as her heels and skirt allowed.
"Why would it be dangerous?" Sherlock asked.
"Huh?" Sherlock groaned. Molly obviously got her smarts from her father.
"She was going to say getting her brother could be dangerous- why is that?"
"I-I don't know, I mean- oh."
"What?" Sherlock asked, getting flustered.
"Matt, when she left him, he as getting drunk all the time. And he was violent- no one could calm him other than Molly, but even so she'd sometimes receive a few, em, blows in the process. Nothing serious, but- Mia convinced him to go into rehab- she was a miracle."
Sherlock was already racing down the corridor.
"Which pub was his favourite?"
"Uh, Nelson's- down the corner. We know the owner so he was never kicked out."
"Was there any place he used to go to, either by himself or with Molly when they were younger that is close- walking distance- to Nelson's?"
"I-I don't know- I have to think."
"Good, you can do that in the car. I'll drive."
...
...
Molly parked her car outside Nelson's before walking along the sidewalk. David waved at her and smiled sympathetically through the window. Molly returned the gestures and walked down the familiar path.
David was a nice man- always helping her through Matt's dark days as she called them. From what he'd told her, Matt wasn't as intoxicated as he used to be, but was still very drunk. Molly just hoped her intuition was correct and that he was where she hoped he would be.
Jogging, Molly took a right and carried on until she came to the big playground she and Matt used to visit almost everyday as children. To a six year old Molly, this placed was a wonderland of happy memories. As an adult, and at this time at night with the bright yellow lights as the only light source, it seemed much more real.
And depressing.
She checked every swingset, slide, see-saw but he wasn't near any of them. Molly tried to drown out the thought of him falling into the wide lake in the centre of the park but a nasty feeling crept up the back of her head.
Steeling herself, she kept walking, trying to figure out where he would be. She scanned the area, looking past the outdoor, non-electronic gym, the swingsets, the large tree, the picnic tables-
The tree. Of course!
Molly pulled off her shoes- they were cheap fakes anyway- and began running towards the large trunk. Of course he'd be there, it was giant and their comfort place- not that any of them had used it since secondary school.
Hoping he was actually there, Molly scanned the area of the tree for any sight of her brother. She was about to give up in disappointment when she heard rustling above her head. Looking up, she caught sight of a pair of shoes. Matt's shoes.
Molly looked down at her dress and back at the tree, contemplating.
"Oh whatever." she muttered before climbing up.
Matt was stood on the third branch, his hands clutching the one above his head. He was leaning out, and he turned his head towards her upon hearing her climb.
"Molly!" he cried happily "Come to see me jump?" his words were slurred yet understandable.
Oh joy he was in his delirious stage
"And why do you want to jump?"
"Because I've messed up my entire life- so what's the point? Time to jump, then it ends!" he yelled out like a toddler receiving candy for breakfast.
"I don't think you want to do that."
"Why?"
"If you jump- it won't end. You'll just break something and be in more pain."
Matt's face scrunched up in concentration as he tried to decipher meaning.
"Oh." he said. "Is that right?"
"Yep. Now give me your hand so that we can go back down and put you into bed."
"Okay."
Molly climbed down silently, making sure her brother didn't do something stupid.
Once they reached the ground, Molly wheeled on her brother and socked him in the face. He exclaimed in pain and moved forward to hit back. Being drunk as he was, he lashed out blindly and missed, barely scrapping the side of her face. Even so, it hurt and Molly hissed.
"Sit down, you idiot."
"Go away Molly." Molly sighed. He was getting angry now.
"No. What you did was disgusting and what you are doing now is coming in a close second."
"I KNOW!" he yelled, whirling around to punch the tree trunk behind him. He cried in pain and brought his hand away. The knuckles were bruised and beginning to bleed, but no broken bones as far as Molly could see.
She stepped away and calmly continued "Instead of solving your problems, or at least making them better you are getting yourself as drunk as you were twelve years ago and wallowing around in self pity. You don't deserve that luxury. So come on, now. I'm taking you home."
Matt stumbled up to Molly and grabbed her. She had enough time to run away, but knew her drunken brother enough to know he wouldn't do her any real harm. His fingers digging into her arms were really hurting though- and so was her jaw.
"I'd like to see you try." he whispered, his beer breath blowing into her face. Molly winced and sighed in relief when her brother seemed to realise what he was doing and dropped her before stepping away.
He stumbled and fell, hitting his head on the ground. It wasn't a hard hit but it was enough, in his state, to knock him out for a while. Sighing, Molly pulled out her phone.
...
...
"The playground! That's where he'd be!" Marion yelled from the back seat. Sherlock rolled his eyes.
"And where would that be?"
"Uh- it's near Nelson's, but I can't place where." Sherlock groaned. He glanced at his sister on the passenger seat. She caught his gaze and muttered I'm sorry. It just annoyed him more.
A phone rang, breaking the awkward silence. It was Marion's.
"Molly, dear is something wrong?"
Sherlock's ears perked and he turned his head, narrowly crashing in a hydrant at the sound of her name.
"The playground? Okay- wait, sweetie- could you give us directions?...Sherlock? But he's driving...I don't think he can concentra-okay okay, I'll give it to him."
Sherlock grabbed the phone and placed it to his ear.
"Have you made it to Nelson's?" Sherlock felt a tug when he heard the worry and agitation in her voice, even though for once it wasn't his fault.
"Yes we have."
"Good. Drive past it and follow the road and make the first left. Once you see the florist's take a right until you see the playground. You can't miss it. I am at the tree in the playground- you'll know which I'm talking about when you see it."
"Okay, I'll see you in a few minutes." He was about to hang up when he heard her voice again. He placed the phone back to his ear.
"Sherlock. Matt's out cold for now, but he tends to get violent after black-outs because he can't confirm his surroundings. Please-"
"We'll be there in less than two minutes."
"Thank you."
Sherlock tossed the phone backwards, uncaring whether it was caught or not. They drove in silence, breaking the speed limit by a lot.
Racing towards the tree, Sherlock glanced behind to make sure the others were keeping up. Enola caught up within those few moments and ran along with him the rest of the way. The mother's were instead jogging as fast as they could.
The siblings panted when the stopped running. Enola leaned against the tree. It was easy to find- he'd seen very few trees this large. Walking around it, Sherlock caught sight, first of Matt sprawled but stirring on the ground- a result of his lack of balance while intoxicated- and then Molly, silhouetted against the moonlight.
It was very cliché, the way the moon cast a silvery outline on Molly's figure. She turned towards him, her hair was a mess and she was holding back tears, but when she smiled in relief when she saw him, there was only one word he could dig up in his Mind Palace (and a crap adjective at that):
Beautiful.
"You're here. Great- I can't get him up." she said looking down at her brother.
The mothers arrived then, joined by Enola. Sherlock, Enola and Molly pushed Matt to a standing position. He woke suddenly and began throwing punches randomly.
Molly and Enola ducked away; Sherlock kicked him in his groin and restrained him from behind.
"Stop moving. It's just your sister and mother here." he ordered. Marion came running.
"Don't hit him! Oh my baby boy." she cooed, shoving Sherlock away.
"Molly, dear, I'm taking your brother to my house." she said, limping away.
"Here, Marion- let me be off some assistance" Marion called, moving to help Matt walk towards the car.
"Sherlock, the keys please."
Without taking his eyes of Molly, he chucked the keys at his mother.
"Is he going to be okay?" Sherlock had forgotten his sister was with them.
"Yeah, obviously. He's drunk, not poisoned." Molly bit out. Enola looked towards Sherlock for defense. He raised an eyebrow at her. Enola scowled and turned back to Molly.
"You did this. Even my brother won't come to my defense."
"I didn't do anything Enola."
"You did. You took him away. If you had kept your claws to yourself from the start I never wou-"
"I never knew you hated me that much." Molly sighed "I know what you think I did, and for that I am so very sorry- but there isn't anything else I can do about that. What you did on the other hand, was much worse."
"I just wanted to fix my family!"
"It was already repaired when you arrived."
"No it wasn't! Don't you see Sherlock? She's making herself the victim! How-"
"Enough Enola." Sherlock snapped. He couldn't take anymore of this.
"Sherlock!"
"Enough. Please- we will talk about this later- trust me- but for now, go back to Mummy and go home."
...
...
Molly watched Enola send her a death glare before walking away. She stepped forwards and was startled by Sherlock's gasp.
"What?" she cried, whirling around. Finding nothing, she frowned and moved back to her original position, only to find herself staring at the top of his curls.
Sherlock ran his fingers down her arms.
"You're hurt." he murmured, trailing his fingers across the darkening bruises. A shiver went through Molly at his touch. He felt it and looked up in concern.
"Did I hurt you?" Molly flushed, embarrassed.
"No." Sherlock smirked, realising what she meant. His eyes travelled across her face and settled on her hurt jaw.
Fingers brushed away the hair and stroked the injured skin carefully. Molly's eyes found their way to his lips. The sensuous buds were parted; she could feel his breath, a gentle breeze, on her face. She could almost taste them like she used to-
"Did your brother do this?"
"Yeah, he was drunk Sherlock- he barely knew who I was. It's fine. They're just bruises."
Molly barely had time to register anything when Sherlock planted his lips on her bruised jaw. Talk about aloe vera gel on burns. All the pain flew away.
Then he pulled back.
Molly looked up at him before leaning in. Sherlock met her halfway. It was slow and sweet. Not enough- she missed this.
She missed him.
Molly pulled him down towards her and held onto him by his neck. His arms instinctively latched themselves around her waist. It was getting more and more heated when he pulled away, again.
Sherlock chuckled when Molly grunted angrily.
"Your bruises- I don't want to hurt you."
"They're just bruises, I'm fine, Sherlock."
"I'd still like to take the precaution." he muttered, placing butterfly kisses on each bruise on her arms and peck on her blue-black jaw.
Reunited, the couple walked back in silence, wrapped around each other, to the car.
The drive to 221B was quiet, save for small comments and Sherlock's deductions of the random pedestrians.
"Where does this leave us?" Sherlock asked as the car came to a stop outside the building. Molly sighed.
"Sherlock, I need to sort out my family right now, and so do you."
"So that is a no. Understandable. Goodnight Molly Hooper." Sherlock said. Pursed lipped and clenched jawed, he moved around to exit the car, Chuckling, Molly pulled him back towards her.
"It's not a 'no'. You need to sort out your family as well. Another reason is your sister. Please don't shun her. Talk to her, explain that you aren't leaving her alone if you still want to be with me. Who knows? Maybe she'll hate me less. I just want to make sure that you two are not estranged."
Sherlock stared at Molly a few moments, face unreadable.
"Everything okay?"
Sherlock leaned forward and crashed his lips onto hers. He pulled away after a few moments.
"How are you always this selfless?" he murmured, stroking her cheek. Molly grinned, looking down as the heat rose to her face.
"It's a gift and a curse." she admitted, chuckling at her joke.
"Never joke, Molly, it doesn't suit you." Sherlock retorted, grinning.
"I promise, when the dust has settled, I'll wait for you over..." Molly taught for a while, glancing up. She caught sight of the 221 building roof "I'll wait for you there." she said, pointing upwards.
Sherlock followed her finger and snorted.
"How repetitive, and sentimental." Molly whacked his arm.
"It's romantic. And the setting of one of the best nights of my life." she said, gazing upwards. Sherlock cupped her chin and pulled it gently towards him.
"Do you mean that?"
"Deduce it."
"I think this time I'll wait for an answer." he replied smirking. Molly gasped in fake horror
"Sherlock Holmes waiting for an answer?" she exclaimed "The world's about to end!" Molly placed a hand over her heart for added effect. Sherlock grinned again and grabbed her wrist, pulling her even closer; their noses almost touching.
"What did I say about the joking Dr. Hooper?"
"I know- but if it gets that grin on you-" she said, leaning forward to peck said grin "-then I believe it's worth it. It's much better than that pout you do all the time."
"Is it true though- that night being the best?"
"The most romantic thing ever done for me, by the one of the men I love most in this universe. Yes, I believe it was one of the best nights." she said pecking him. "You'd better get it- I think John wants to tell you something."
Sherlock looked behind him, indeed there was John, staring out the window staring intently at the detective.
"Then it's best I take my leave."
"Goodnight Sherlock."
...
...
Once she drove away, Sherlock grinned. He knew Molly's feelings for him, but hearing her say it still made him feel better than solving a number-10 case. That's when he realised he never admitted he reciprocated those feelings.
Next time he saw her, no matter where (or when, or why, or who else was there), he would tell her.
He strolled into the apartment and barely had his scarf off when he was bombarded by his blogger.
"Sherlock, I think we need to have a little, um, chat."
This is the longest chapter I've written in a loooooooong time. It was near impossible getting all the elements together but HOPEFULLY the characters aren't to OOC and that it wasn't to anticlimactic.
So OVER 300 REVIEWS AND 200 FOLLOWERS. *faints* I LOVE YOU ALL! HUGS TO EVERYONE AND JAMMIE DODGERS AND BANANAS TO YOU AND YOU AND ALL OFF YOU!
*sigh* chapter 26 is underway- comment what you want to see and who knows, it may just be in there (kos frankly I have no clue what to put in there right now)
Thank you my gorgeous. brilliant, awesome readers,
-Ash :)