Molly awoke refreshed and glanced sleepily around the room. She could hear the soft snoozing of her husband as he lay in the bed beside her, his arm wrapped lovingly about her slender waist as they slept together in the hospital bed. Abigail lay quiet in her hospital crib beside Molly and she reached out to touch her baby girl, and thought better of it, not wanting to wake her when everything seemed just so perfect.
She rose up in the bed, running a hand through her hair and felt Sherlock stir beside her. She glanced down at him as she sat up in the bed. She ran a hand through his lazy dark curls as he slept and smiled to herself. Things were such a crazy roller coaster ride lately, but she was still blessed in many ways. She heard a slight sigh and glanced at the sleeper couch that was provided within the hospital suite. John lay on it, arm cast up above his head as he slept. She laughed to herself. These were her boys. She was so grateful for everything they'd done for her.
There was a soft knock at the door and two nurses entered. "We're here to get you ready for your biopsy, Mrs. Holmes." The taller, older nurse said. Molly nodded and yawned. She had been dreading this day, but ever since her night under the stars with Sherlock. Their bond had been re-established then, and she hoped it would stay that way. The second nurse came and took Abigail in her crib back to the nursery and Molly sighed as she watched her go. As Molly proceeded to get prepared for her surgical procedure, Sherlock and John slowly awoke. Sherlock was watching her intently as John left to bring him them some coffee. Molly wished she could have even a sip, but knew it was not allowed due to the fact that she would be going under the knife once more.
Molly laid on the gurney that was provided to her and reluctantly applied her blue surgical cap. John came and gave her a hug as she proceeded to lay back. Sherlock stepped to her side and glanced at the nurse. "I'll be joining her." He stated.
"Mr. Holmes, we don't allow anyone back past recovery."
"I understand on a normal basis that you wouldn't. My colleague Dr. Watson has spoken to Mrs. Holmes surgeon and has gained permission for me to accompany her throughout this surgical procedure." Sherlock always sounded so professional and smart when he spoke. Molly smiled up at him, surprised that he had taken this step.
"I'll check in with the surgeon. I'll be right back." The nurse bowed out of the room, only to return a minute later with confirmation that what Sherlock spoke of was true. Sherlock bent and placed a kiss upon Molly's forehead.
"I'm going to be here with you throughout the entire thing, love." Sherlock stated as he stroked her cheek. "Not going to run away this time."
"Thank you." Molly whispered and drew him gently into another kiss. John cleared his throat, knowing the nurse was growing somewhat impatient, as she had a schedule to keep.
"I'll see you lovebirds in a few hours." John remarked and patted Sherlock on the shoulder before grasping Molly's hand and giving it a squeeze. "You'll do fine, dear." John smiled and backed away as they started their journey to the surgical floor. Sherlock found Molly's hand on the way and held it as if he were afraid to let it go.
Molly lay face down in the strange surgical bed, her face protruding from the hole in the cushioned mattress that would allow full access to her spine. Sherlock sat beside her, stroking her neck in a protective and loving gesture. Molly was taking deep breaths, always becoming nervous throughout these things. Molly heard her surgeon enter the operating room. She closed her eyes, trying to keep her panic at bay.
"Alright, Mrs. Holmes. We're not going to have to put you under for this. We're going to give you a local anesthetic so as to allow you to remain awake while we biopsy the tumor, okay?" The sophisticated voice of the surgeon echoed through the sterile room.
"O-Okay..." Molly answered reluctantly. The idea of having a man cutting on her spine while she was still awake terrified her, but she understand it was done for certain reasons. They wouldn't be removing the tumor just yet, but merely taking a biopsy of it to examine what it was they were dealing with. Sherlock rubbed her neck a bit firmer, as to remind her he was present.
"She won't be feeling any pain, correct?" Molly heard Sherlock grumble. He wasn't pleased, perhaps frightened of the procedure as well.
"She won't feel anything but perhaps some pressure." The surgeon replied. "Alright, we are ready to begin." She felt the chill of the surgical scrub as they cleansed her skin as well as the prick of the needle in several places as they numbed her. The anesthesist that sat at the top of the surgical table was giving her something to keep her calm but her heart felt as if it were about to race out of her ribcage and across the floor. Sherlock seemed to sense it.
"Are you okay?" He bent close to her and whispered into her ear. She didn't answer, tried to focus on the task at hand of calming herself before she became a claustrophobic nutjob strapped belly down to a surgical bed. "Molly?" He asked again. Movement from up top. Suddenly, Sherlock's brilliantly blue green eyes were staring up at her from the floor.
"Mr. Holmes! What are you doing? You're disturbing a very delicate procedure-" The surgeon began.
"I'm calming my wife, whom you're cutting open, sir." Sherlock stated rather firmly back at him. The surgeon said nothing more, but continued his work. Molly gasped down at him, still fighting the urge to calm herself. "It's alright, love." Sherlock reassured her, giving her his wickedly handsome half smirk. "I promise to take you to an even better evening out once you're well and able." Molly giggled, remembering the events of their last date night. She was blushing, she could feel it.
Pressure from above causing her to wince. Sherlock's smile faltered. "Just pressure. It's not pain. It's just, uncomfortable." She told him, knowing the last thing this OR needed was an irate Sherlock Holmes rampaging around in it like a bull in a china shop. Sherlock watched her, taking her gaze, locking it in so as to become the only thing she could focus on.
"So, tell me, wife." Sherlock began. "Where should we be off to next?"
Molly awoke from her long afternoon nap not long before the doctor entered the room. Sherlock and John were speaking emphatically to him, and the conversation seemed to be an exciting one. Molly sat up in the bed, looking over to see that Abigail was beside her and was squirming about, wanting attention. She reached in and took hold of her, bringing her close to her bosom and rocking her quietly. The three men seemed to realize that she was calming the baby and lowered their conversation somewhat. Soon, her doctor approached.
"I've received the results of the biopsy and I must say the prognosis is astonishingly good, if not somewhat baffling." The doctor gave her a hopeful grin. Sherlock approached the bedside and sat upon it, taking little Abigail's hand in his own as she grasped at his long, lean fingers. "It turns out that the tumor is benign. The growth is being caused by something foreign in your body, and even though the lesions are cancerous, the tumor is not."
"So..." Molly crinkled her brow. "This is good news, right? But how can a noncancerous tumor feed cancerous lesions?" She glanced at John, who only shrugged but look confused as well.
"This I am not sure of, but we are going to run many more tests from the material that we have gathered. We can surgically remove the tumor once we've realized what we are dealing with. But the fact that it is not lethal is very very reassuring." The doctor concluded, said his goodbyes for the moment, and left the room.
"This is wonderful news." John smiled. Sherlock looked nearly overjoyed, if you could call it that. Sherlock showing emotion was something Molly was still trying to get the hang of. Abigail cooed as her father played with her little chubby hands and Molly giggled at the sound of it.
"A noncancerous tumor that produces cancerous lesions. Quite curious." Sherlock's eyes were lost in thought. "Perhaps..." Sherlock glanced at John, giving him a look only the two of them would know what it meant. "This requires some brainwork." Sherlock kissed little Abigail upon her head, kissed his wife lovingly upon her mouth, and rose to exit the room. John bowed to her a bit before following close after. If anyone can find something out, surely its my boys. Molly thought to herself before turning her full attention to her baby girl.
Sorry for a short chapter. I'm exhausted from work but couldn't bring myself not to post a new chapter after the long hiatus this weekend. A twist is about to make itself known. Will there be more good news for Molly? Is the silver lining going to win out?
Thank you as always for reading!