Chapter 2

Molly entered her flat breathing a sigh of relief, she couldn't wait to throw herself on the bed and sleep. The jetlag and the hot shower were getting the better of her. She got rid of everything she was wearing, except her underwear, and went straight to her bedroom. She set the alarm clock and snuggles under the covers.

She got up five hours later still slightly dazed, put on the dressing gown hanging behind the door and went to the kitchen to make tea. That kitchen still brought back memories of that Sherlock's phone call from Sherrinford. Just as the living room reminded her of the clarifying encounter she had with him in the very early morning hours after those events.

The words Molly yelled at him echoed in her ears, "Are you happy now? Is your ego satisfied?" she hadn't shed a tear in front of him as he stood, his arms along his body, a pained expression on his face "I'm sorry, Molly" a barely audible whisper.

And she yelled at him again "Why did you have to? Why did you want me to tell you? I never wanted anything from you, I never deluded myself you could fall in love with me…so why? My feelings for you were…mine, only mine!".

Sherlock had approached and wrapped her in his arms, despite her wriggling and beating her fists on his chest screaming "I hate you, I hate you!". When the strength to fight left Molly, he pulled her slightly away from him and said "I'm here to explain. Please, listen to me. If you don't want to have anything to do with me anymore, I'll understand and I promise I'll disappear from your life".

So they sat on the sofa, she leaning on the armrest with her legs gathered to her chest and Sherlock not far away with his eyes fixed on her face. When he finished the whole story, Molly hugged him tightly and he did the same. They remained like this for a long time, as if they were two wounded animals licking each other's wounds.

When they finally looked into each other's eyes again, they knew that everything had happened the previous day was forgiven and that they would be fine. They would have been able to let bygones be bygones. Sherlock aware that Molly was in love with him and Molly aware that Sherlock loved her only as a precious and trusted friend.

From there, from their mutual affection, they would start over, laying new foundations for their friendship. However, it would take some time to sort things out, and the job offer that came to her from the John Hopkins' Pathology Department in Baltimore a month later seemed like a good opportunity to be away from London and Sherlock for a few months. Now that she was absolutely sure he would never reciprocate her feelings, the distance would help her to downsize those feelings once and for all.

As Molly waited for the water to boil, she picked up her phone and found a text from John asking her to move the evening to his house since Rosie has a bit of a cold. She replied positively and warned him she would arrive a little later than previously agreed. Then she dialled Mycroft's number.

She had to let it ring for a while before he answered "Are you okay?" she asked as soon as she heard his voice, "Yes, yes I was still sleeping" he replied, "I'm sorry. I didn't think about it. I wanted to know…", he interrupted her "It's okay, Molly. Where are you?", she sipped the hot liquid "Still in my flat. My welcome back has been moved to John's house, his daughter is not so well".

There was a few seconds of silence "Have you already seen or heard my dear little brother?" he asked, "No, I'm a little nervous at the thought, Mycroft" she confessed, "I'm sure as soon as he sees me, he will draw his deductions", he laughed briefly "Let's be honest, Molly. My little brother never deduced you correctly. It's always been the other way around".

She sat on the stool and admitted "It may be" and then let out a long sigh "We have to tell him, Mycroft. Before Sherlock finds out for himself…I've never lied to him and I don't want to start now that our friendship is returning to what it was once", she heard Mycroft snorted annoyed.

Molly smiled at the thought that the Holmes' brothers weren't all that different in reacting when someone contradicted their ideas, "Okay, fine" he muttered finally defeated, "I'll arrange a lunch for Sunday, is it okay for you?" he asked her, "Yes, that's fine. And invite your parents, too", "Oh, for God's sake, Molly!" he exclaimed exasperated.

"We already discussed this, Mycroft" Molly said with a sigh, "It's not fair to them" another silence at the other end, "Okay, I'll call them to come…you want me to bring Euros too? She's my sister, shouldn't she know too? I could grant her a special permit for this family reunion" he added with his usual irony, "Has she had any improvement? If you think she can understand…we could go to Sherrinford together and talk to her" Molly threw out.

"No improvement" Mycroft inhaled deeply, "And I don't think it's worth taking you to that place" he concluded. After a rather long silence, Molly called his name "I'm here" he replied and added "Tomorrow we have to meet at the Diogenes", Molly giggled "It's a men's club! How am I going to get in?" she asked, "Should I dress up as a man? I could get a fake moustache", Mycroft chuckled too.

"Oh, that would be fun! But don't worry about that…from the secondary entrance there is a corridor that leads directly to my private office" he explained and then asked in a practical way "What time do you think you can be there?", Molly thought about it a few seconds "By lunchtime" she replied.

"Okay. See you tomorrow then" he whispered, "Huh, Molly? Have fun tonight, and remember what I told you", she put the cup nervously in the sink "Don't…Mycroft, please" she rolled her eyes "Goodnight, see you tomorrow".