Chapter 21

Molly takes Sherlock's hand and pulls him over to the settee. "Sit." She pats the cushion gently with her hand. "Please?"

Sherlock silently walks and sits next to her and in one fluid motion takes her hand in his. His fingers stroke the back of her hand encouragingly.

Molly takes a deep breath and blows it out, relaxing her shoulders with it. "I really tried to forgo thinking of Gavin in a bad light after what his Mother had done to me. To us," Her finger moves back and forth between Sherlock and herself. "I naively thought that we could just pick up where we left off and everything would be fine. I never expected Gavin to pull away from me. Not in a million years." Another heavy sigh flows from her and her eyes begin to prickle with fresh tears. "It started with Gavin not visiting me in the hospital. I should have suspected something was off right away, but you know me. Always ready to give someone the benefit of the doubt and then getting burned for it." She looks up at Sherlock to see him flinch. The sentiment is not lost on him but she feels it's bittersweet. She shouldn't be mad at Sherlock for his past transgressions. He is here and Gavin isn't which is more than enough for redemption in her eyes.

"Then when I came out of the hospital, he continued his aloofness. He would stay late at work and leave early, barely saying more than two bloody words to me. After a few days, I called him on it. I point blank asked him why he was acting so unlike the man I thought I knew." She can't hold it back anymore. The tears start flowing freely down her cheeks and she ducks her head to avoid Sherlock's scrutinous gaze.

Sherlock stays silent and scoots closer, putting his free arm around Molly's shoulders. It lends her enough strength and comfort to slow the tears. She takes a few more deep breaths to calm herself and pushes on. Her story needs to get out, for her own sanity. Over analyzing was getting her nowhere and there were only so many times Meena wanted hear about it.

"He told me that I was crazy, and that I was reading too much into things," Molly fidgets with Sherlock's fingers trying to keep her composure. She shakes her head slowly. "I know I wasn't though. I know what was happening. I got angry at that. He had no right to dismiss my feelings and call me crazy when I knew bloody well why. So, I pushed. I told him that it was a bullshit excuse and I demanded a real answer from him."

Molly's face is still staring at their entwined hands in her lap when she feels Sherlock's arm move from its perch across her shoulder. His hand lifts and his index finger finds purchase under her chin. Sherlock lifts her face gently to look at him. "You, Molly, were completely in your right to do so, and I am so proud of you for standing up to Gavin. He should never have treated you so flippantly and come to think of it, I shouldn't have either. I'm truly sorry for that."

A small smile blooms on Molly's lips. "That's alright. Water under the bridge." She collects enough courage from his kindness to lean forward and place a kiss upon his cheek.

Sherlock's face flickers to life, a small smile lighting up his intense features. His calculating eyes now have a warmth to them that sends her heart fluttering and Molly's breath hitches. "Anyway, where were we?" she says through a watery laugh.

"Something about you putting Gavin in his place," Sherlock replies, nearly growling in disgust when he says her ex-fiancé's name.

"Right. Well, after I demanded he give me a real answer it was like a switch was flipped. He started yelling at me about if I hadn't allowed you to beat his uncle's corpse maybe things would have been different and he wouldn't have been put in this situation in the first place. I ordered him to explain to me what situation that would be, because honestly, I still had no idea what he was talking about." Molly's voice warbles and she takes in a shaky breath. "He told me that his parents were threatening to cut him off and take him out of the family business if he didn't break things off with me. After that, he took some stuff in an overnight bag and left. I haven't seen him since." Molly can't hold it back anymore. The dam bursts. A sob escapes, then another and another. Soon, she's bawling her eyes out in her hands, unable to stop the tears from flowing. She feels Sherlock's hands on her wrists, gently tugging them away from her damp cheeks. Then she's being pulled into his chest and his arms wrap around her. Her tears slow and she basks in Sherlock's warmth that surrounds her.

She thought she had no more tears to shed over Gavin. It made her so angry. How could he be so self-absorbed? How had she not seen this side of him before? What else had she missed or brushed off because she thought he was 'such a good guy.' At least one good thing came out of this whole mess; she no longer had to second guess herself. She was free now to do as she wished and without question. Which led her to think about her feelings about Sherlock. They were on the precipice of rekindling something. Would it be worth it to try again? She certainly felt something deep for the man. But would it be worth it this time? Would he be willing not to sabotage what they had? Would he finally put his insecurities aside and trust in them and the relationship? She really hoped so.

There are too many questions and not enough answers for her to muddle her way through this right now. Plus, her head had begun to throb with all the crying she had just done.

Molly's mouth opens wide in a yawn against Sherlock's chest. Boy does she feel tired. She pulls away just far enough to look him in the eye. "Thank you, Sherlock, for listening. I think I needed that. Now though, I think I just need some sleep," she fidgets for a moment with the placket of Sherlock's borrowed shirt. "Would you...," Molly hesitates, not sure if he'll pull away or welcome the idea, "Would you stay? Just to sleep, mind. I... I don't want to be alone right now."

Sherlock eyes her carefully and tilts his head. "Yes Molly, I'll stay. Come," he says, taking her hand in his and leading her to her bedroom.

Molly silently follows him.

The bed is cold but inviting as Sherlock pulls back the covers for her. She slips underneath the sheets and waits for him. With lidded eyes she watches him make his way around to the other side to join her.

They lay together for a few moments, quiet and contemplative. Molly decides to make the first move. Turning to face him she gives him a soft kiss, her lips barely touching his. It's meant more as an unspoken thank you than to start anything sexual. Her hand then finds his and as she rolls away from him, she pulls his hand with her to rest at her waist. Warmth bleeds from his body onto hers, surrounding her with the coziness and comfort that she craves. Her eyelids become impossibly heavy and she can no longer keep them open. Sleep peacefully envelopes her, pulling her into a wonderful dream full of happiness for the first time in weeks.