25. Gazing Into Each Other's Eyes
One beautiful summer morning, Sherlock and Molly were lying together in Sherlock's bed as the sun came up outside. Both were fully clothed in their pajamas, and both lay on their sides facing each other with sleepy eyes and loving smiles. And they had several very good reasons to smile:
1) Yesterday, Molly had become an official resident of 221B Baker Street with Sherlock. She had unpacked the last of her possessions, and what a joyful moment it had been for the both of them, especially Sherlock. Now her home was his home, for the rest of their lives.
2) They'd spent the night together, spooning in his bed while they slept – him behind her this time. After unpacking the last of Molly's things, both had been tired and gone to sleep not long after. On a subconscious level, both were preparing themselves for their small separation that would begin today and last until tomorrow.
3) Tomorrow was their wedding day.
"What time is your train leaving?" asked Sherlock.
Molly smiled and pressed his cheek. He knew perfectly well what time the train was leaving; he was just hoping that she had gotten a later train. "Same as when I purchased them: 12:20 PM. And all four of us ladies are expecting you men to see us off."
With a pout on his face, he nodded. Molly giggled and kissed his nose. "I still wish you would leave later in the afternoon," he said for the hundredth time.
"I know, love," she said, still stroking his cheekbone with her thumb. "But I'm not doing it to torture you. I'm doing this because I want to spend my last night with my parents' name in the village I was born and bred in. Sentimental reason, yes, but too bad."
Sherlock sighed and nodded. "I am glad that you won't be alone. I know that Mrs. Hudson is very excited to spend some time in the country."
"So is Mary," said Molly. "She's excited to bring Emma to a quieter, greener place. Don't you or John worry about us. We'll have fun together, us girls." She smirked. "Perhaps a more quiet and tame fun that you fellas tonight, it being your stag and all."
Sherlock rolled his eyes. "I think John, Greg and Mycroft are more excited about it than I am. And this time, there is no way I am going above my limit. Not only did John's stag night teach me that the hard way, but I know you would slap me at the altar if I was hungover when we married."
"You're absolutely right," said Molly, laughing. "I've already told those three that if any of them, especially you, got too drunk, I would get them in serious trouble."
Sherlock quirked an eyebrow. "Care to elaborate on how you would do that, dearest?"
"For Mycroft, I'll tell Anthea. For John, I'll tell Mary. For Greg, I'll tell Janine. And you, as you know, would have to answer to me and your mum." The DI and PA had begun dating not long after Sherlock and Molly had gotten engaged.
Sherlock chuckled and stroked her waist. "Point well taken, Molly." He leaned forward a bit so their foreheads rested against each other. Their gazes never broke. "Do you really have to take the 12:20 train?"
Molly nuzzled his nose with an indulgent smile on her face. "Yes, Sherlock. I've already told you why, not to mention your parents are already in the village and are meeting us at the station." She wrapped her arms around him. "We've still got a few hours to be together here, Sherlock. And starting tomorrow, there's no getting rid of me."
"Good," he growled, holding her closer in turn.
They lay together in peaceful silence for a while, just looking into each other's eyes, until Sherlock spoke. "May I ask you a question, Molly?"
Molly grinned. "Since when do you ask for permission to ask a question, Sherlock?"
He chuckled before sobering again. "It is something that I have wondered about since the…the argument." He was still very ashamed of that incident a month ago. "When I said you weren't religious, your reply made me think that wasn't necessarily true." When she bit her lip and didn't answer right away, he said quickly, "I will not think any less of you, Molly. I have never and would never believe you are stupid."
She smiled gratefully at him before answering him. "Well, I have never considered myself a member or believer of any specific religion or spiritualism…but I've always felt that there is a higher power or deity out there. I've just never considered myself wise enough or arrogant enough to try to label or define something that is beyond our understanding...Now, may I ask you a question, Sherlock?"
"Of course you can, Molly," he replied, still in awe of her answer to his question.
She bit her lip again. "Well, for tomorrow night..." She blushed, knowing what they would be doing tomorrow night. "I know we'll both be ready, but we'll both be nervous. Since it's your first time, will you tell me now if there is anything I can do to make it...easier or better for you?" Her tone was not teasing or naughty, but genuinely concerned and compassionate.
Sherlock listened to this, and didn't reply, just kept looking into her eyes. She gazed into his turquoise ones, growing a little more nervous the longer his silence lasted. "Sherlock?" she finally said quietly.
"I love you," he finally replied. And as he told her in a hushed voice what he would like her to do, he felt that no deity or higher power could be more wondrous than the person into whose doe brown eyes he would never tire of gazing into.
A/N: I think you all know which one is coming next! And yes…part of it will have an M rating…I mean, it's about time, right? Review, review, review!