(5) Molly

Nero was given another one labelled 'Molly'. Sherlock said, "That one is a mortician at Bart's Hospital in London. Molly really helped me out of a tight situation."

"What happened?"

"I was ... forced to commit suicide to save my friends."

"Suicide?"

"Fake of course, but she helped me disappear," Sherlock said. "That's when I had to hide for two years."

Nero sat on his bed in the hotel in London, staring at the name. He knew where that hospital was. He still couldn't believe it. That was a hell of a fall but his father had done it to save someone? It seemed like Sherlock was always saving someone, as if he had some sort of hero's complex. Enola had told him before parting that Sherrinford would come the next day to sort out the rest, but Nero wondered if he could find this one on his own. He went down into the street for a cab & went to the hospital. It would be the only place he would look. If she wasn't there, then his uncle's Secret Service could fish her out of all that data he had.

Nero walked towards the hospital, glancing up at the roof once more as he went up the steps to the front doors. He went inside & asked where the morgue was. Once in the elevator however, he went to the top floor & stepped out to the nearest window just below the roof. It was rather high. He got back into the elevator & went down a few floors to where the morgue was. He found the main office & went inside.

There was a woman sitting at the desk, her greying brown hair tied in a long pony-tail. He went upto her, looking around for any name tag. "Are you looking for someone?" The woman asked, grabbing a clipboard. She began scanning over the names.

"Yes but, she's among the living," Nero said.

"You're not here to claim a body?" She pushed her pony-tail over her shoulder to hang down her back.

"No, I'm looking ..." His eyes landed on her name tag, cleared now that her hair was behind her. "You. It's you."

"Me?" Molly gasped. "Goodness, whatever for?"

"You know my father, Sherlock Holmes," Nero began. "Oh. Uhh, Molly?" She had dropped her clipboard the moment she landed on the floor, missing her chair she had been aiming for on the way down. She cracked the side of her face on the seat.

"Ow!" Molly moaned, gingerly touching her face.

"Are you alright?" Nero glanced around & found a small sink nearby & a roll of paper towels. He wetted one & began wiping her cheek.

"SHERLOCK!" She tried jumping up, banging her head against Nero's. Both lay back, rubbing their bumps.

Nero groaned, rubbing his own face now. "My Dad has something for you. I'm Nero." He stood up & offered a hand to help her.

Molly grabbed his hand to get up. "Your father was Sherlock Holmes?"

"Yeah & Irene Adler is my Mom."

"I've heard about the Woman," said Molly. "We all have."

"Clearly," Nero shook his head. "I know about the Dominatrix thing." He gave her the letter. "That's from Dad."

Molly took it. "Is your father ... alive?"

"Yeah, he's fine."

"Have you mentioned this to John, yet?"

Nero held up a hand. "That doctor again." He sighed before going on. "No & I get the feeling I should find him last. Dad gave me a list of a few people to look for & every one I have found all fret over John the most."

"He was crushed the first time Sherlock died," Molly said. "I helped with that. Happened right here."

"I know," said Nero. "Enola told me."

"I'm about done here for the night," said Molly. "Would you like to go out for some coffee? We could talk a bit."

"Sure."

Molly was surprised at that. Perhaps the boy was more like his mother. "Alright, just give me a few minutes." They soon went down to the first floor & walked out. Molly brought Nero to a small diner nearby.

"I was surprised to find you still here," said Nero as they entered. "I thought maybe you might have moved on or something. Like Lestrade."

"I've moved up, not on," Molly said with a light smile. "I'm the top manager of the mortuary now. You've met Greg?"

"Him & his wife," said Nero. "Sherrinford & Enola Holmes. They told me about Mycroft."

"Who else does your father want you to meet?"

"I'm hoping Mrs. Hudson, but she might be dead," Nero said. "Dad told me she would be in her nineties."

"No, she's not dead," Molly said. "She doesn't own the flats any more where your Dad & John lived, but you could always ask Rosie. She knows."

Nero almost didn't manage to put his coffee mug down properly. "Rosie? I think I met her. Nearly knocked her over! I went by Baker Street. Dad told me he used to live there."

"I see," Molly took a piece of her muffin. "In that case, Rosie can also help you with Doctor Watson. She's his daughter."

Nero just stared. "His daughter?! Ohh!"

Molly studied him for a few moments. "You look so much like your father. But the hair."

"My mother's," Nero said.

"How old are you?"

"Eighteen."

"Rosie is twenty-one."

"Would Dad know about her?"

"Know about her?" Molly scoffed. "Sherlock is her Godfather."

"What?"

"Day after she was born, John asked Sherlock to be her Godfather," Molly said.

"So Dad & Rosie have met, then?"

"Yeah, but she was just a baby," said Molly. "She would have no memory of him. Only stories that her Grandmother would tell her."

"And her father."

Molly put aside her muffin & put both hands on her face for a moment. "John has forbidden us to even mention Sherlock's name around him. He has never spoken of your father again. All these years. Rosie wouldn't know since Mrs. Hudson has also refrained from mentioning the fact that Sherlock's sidekick was her father. She never named him."

Nero sat back in his seat. "Could someone tell me exactly what went on with those guys?"

"It's what didn't go on that's the problem," said Molly. "All of England knew they were in love with each other. Your own mother tried to get it through John's head. But the famous CSI Baker Boys denied it. Constantly. Too stupid to see. Just best of friends & now it's too late."

"What?" Nero gasped. "My Dad is very much in love with my mother. Even now, they still do ... stuff."

"Bi-romance is a thing, Nero," Molly said. "And believe me, I know how your father gets around the Woman. That's how he always referred to her."

Nero stared into his mug, remembering all the times he saw his parents together. Was it really possible to be in love with more than one person at the same time? Even more strange was the fact that his own mother knew about John. Then again, she herself apparently had been Kate's girlfriend at some point in time. "About the doctor," he began, still flabbergasted. "You said it's too late?"

Molly finished her muffin before answering. "Well, where's your father? Is he ever coming back?"

"No, he's um," Nero stammered. "That letter will explain everything but he killed someone to save my mother. He's a fugitive here & can never come back."

"So yes, it's too late," said Molly. "I know he did something. I followed that case like a lamb to slaughter. Greg handled it. He tried so hard but Sherlock is an assumed murderer. Possibly his gun was stolen but as he never reported it gone, people still think he may have done it. It wrecked John & he rarely speaks to Greg now & not very kindly."

Nero finished his drink & put the empty coffee mug aside. "I really don't know what to feel about Doctor Watson. He was Dad's closest friend. I'm named after him. Nero Wolfe were extra names my parents came up with at random, since they're in hiding. Nothing family-related, but it's just part of my name," he said the whole thing. "Part of me wants to meet him. But I'm also a bit scared of him. With the way everyone's acting. I don't know what to expect."

"When you're ready to meet him," said Molly. "We'll all be there."

Nero didn't get much sleep that night. He had an odd sort of feeling he would meet Doctor John Watson in a few hours. His link to both the doctor & the old lady was Rosie. He would go for Mrs. Hudson first & then take Molly's advice & get everyone together.

Molly went home by cab. She read her letter twice before reaching for her mobile. When she was answered, she said, "You did it again, Sherlock. Slipped away from us."

"I'm sorry you couldn't help me this time, Molly," Sherlock replied.

"Your son found me at the mortuary."

"You're still there?"

"I run the place now, but I will retire soon enough," said Molly. "I'm just waiting for someone to be wheeled in. How are you doing?"

"We are well enough," Sherlock said. "I do miss England, but I will never go back."

"I read your letter," Molly said. "Between you & me, I'm glad you did that."

"Greg said something similar."

"You've got a good son, Sherlock," said Molly. "I hope he is up to the task you sent him to do."

"I am fully prepared for John's wrath, this time."

"Are you?" Molly snapped. "Are you really?"

"Whatever he wants to do to me, I can handle it," Sherlock stated. "So long as he does not hurt my son. I do not think he will go that far. Nero did nothing to him."

"Meanwhile, YOU did everything."

"Molly? I know."

"I hope so," said Molly. "But don't forget about Rosie. She knows nothing of this." She explained what had happened.

"He will not mention my name?"

"Nope & he hates Greg, too," Molly said. "For labelling you a murderer even though he tried not to. John wants nothing to do with him."

"Greg was just following orders," Sherlock said. "John should know it is not his fault!"

"John is a very broken man, Sherlock," said Molly. "I wonder if we should even tell him, but Nero's gone to everyone else now, it seems. It's only a matter of time before John gets wind of it."

Sherlock sighed. "I told Nero to be very gentle with him."

"Well, at least you have some common sense!" snarled Molly.