A/N: For the June 10th prompt - "Write about a compromise." Rated T. The morning after Comfort.

Molly woke the next morning in a man's arms. For a brief moment, she let herself imagine they were Ford's arms, that everything was alright. But it's not true, nothing will be alright ever again. She started to weep quietly, even though she thought she had no more tears left.

"Molly?" Sherlock asked softly. "It's alright, I'm here…"

She slowly turned in his arms to face him. He looks so much like Ford, but also not like Ford. She brought a hand up to touch his cheek, just below his black eye. His blue-green eyes were worried, but also sunken. God, when was the last time he ate or slept regularly? He looks like shite. Molly wondered at the path her thoughts had taken, focusing on Sherlock rather than Ford or her own pain. He needs me, she realized. Ford didn't tell him that, but it's clear he expects me to take care of Sherlock just like he told Sherlock to take care of me.

"Sherlock," she asked softly, "have you cried at all since Ford told you he was dying?"

"I don't cry. I haven't cried since I was a child."

"Scream, then? Done anything besides bottling up your feelings?"

He sighed quietly. "I'm here for you, Molly. Your loss is a lot worse than mine."

"Bullshit," she said firmly. "I lost my husband and you lost your twin. He was the other half of both of us, in different ways."

Sherlock swallowed hard. "I … I can't break down in front of you. I need to be strong for you."

"We can be strong for each other," she said gently, "and we can be weak too." She softly kissed his forehead.

Something about that was like a dam bursting. Sherlock pulled her tightly to him, burying his face in her neck as he sobbed, his body trembling.

Molly held him close, one hand stroking his curls. She felt her own tears start again. Did they even stop?

They held each other and cried for what seemed like forever to Molly but by the time she had calmed down, she did feel a little better. Ready to face the day, at least. Thank God it's Saturday. Wait... "Sherlock?" she asked softly.

He lifted his head, his eyes red and tearstreaks on his cheeks. "Yes?"

"Did Ford deliberately plan to switch on a Friday so we'd have the weekend to adjust?"

Sherlock chuckled weakly. "Yeah." He turned onto his back, wiping his face with the back of one hand, the other arm still around her. "He thought it would make this easier for both of us."

Molly felt the urge to curl into his side and forget the world existed. She ignored it. "I don't know if 'easier' is the right word, but I think this will help. I … I'm sorry I woke you up last night."

"You didn't – I couldn't sleep, I kept thinking about you, alone in your grief."

He gave her the slightest tug and she gave into her urge, laying her head on his shoulder and curling her body into his side. "I'm glad you came." She thought things over for a moment. "Sherlock, if you promise to be a gentleman, you can sleep here."

He chuckled. "I'm not a gentleman, despite how I was raised, but I promise I'll behave."

"Thank you. After so many years of sleeping beside Ford, it's hard to sleep alone."

"I've almost always slept alone, but I'm willing to make an adjustment." His hand lightly stroked her hair. "I'm happy to confirm what Ford said – you don't snore."

She laughed weakly. "Thanks. Neither do you."

"Thank you."

Molly started thinking about everything that needed to be done before Monday but her thoughts kept coming back to the man beside her. I'll take care of him, Ford, I promise. A new thought struck her and she lifted her head to look at him. "Oh God, what about your parents? And Mycroft? Do they know?"

"Are you kidding?" Sherlock asked, wide-eyed. "Ford's their favorite. They already hate me for existing, I don't need them to hate me for surviving too. Honestly, they'll be relieved to put 'Sherlock' to rest – I caused them nothing but heartache."

She stared at him. "You're going to keep this a secret from them forever?"

"If I can, yeah. At the very least, we won't tell my parents. Mycroft's shrewd, he might figure it out, but I don't think he'd blow my cover, for Ford's sake and yours."

She nodded then laid her head on his shoulder again. "I just hope I can keep up this charade … lie … whatever."

"Don't think of it as a lie. We're keeping Ford alive in a way."

"He lives on in the baby." She swallowed hard. "Why did he insist on you becoming him? Why couldn't he just have me be a widow?"

"He thought you needed a husband more than you needed a brother-in-law." She tensed and he must have felt it. "I was blunt last night and I'm sorry for that but what I said is true – I'm your husband now, Molly. I'll let you decide what that means."

What does it mean? God, I don't even know right now. I just want to lay here and forget about everything. "We can figure that out later," she said quietly, wrapping her arm around his waist. "For now, let's just hold each other."