Summary:

After hearing Sherlock's admission of what he wants, Molly can't seem to wrap her head around it and finds herself a bit annoyed, despite it being what she had wanted to hear; but that's what worries her. They have a small tiff before promising to keep communicating going forward.

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Molly shuffles back from the bathroom after getting herself together and dressing and she climbs back into bed, eyeing him suspiciously. He looks at her lovingly and genuinely.

"Did I upset you?"

"No, Sherlock", she huffs and lies back down.

"Molly..."

"Just-...sleep, okay?"

"No, I won't. Not until I know why you're annoyed with me."

"Why?", she sits up and crosses her arms. "Why? Because you just declared that you're going to stay and be all domestic and help me raise our child like a normal family when I know you only said it in the heat of the moment because no matter if you think you meant it, you're not that kind of man. You just aren't. You're not built for domesticity Sherlock, and we both know that. So telling me that you want to try will just let both of us down." She tears up a bit and looks at him.

Sherlock looks absolutely crushed and Molly can nearly visualize his walls climbing back up around him as his eyes go from soft and loving to stone cold in a matter of seconds.

"Wait...Sherlock-"

He wordlessly gets up and throws his boxers on, then a t-shirt. Molly quickly blocks his path as he goes to leave and gently places her hands on his chest. "Sherlock I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you like that, it wasn't right...i-it was cruel. I'm sorry. Please, can we talk about it?"

Sherlock sets his jaw, holding back the horrific words that came into mind when she had thrown venom at him a moment ago, though he knows it wouldn't do either them or their child any good to begin arguing and be the type of parents who can't stand each other. That's not what he wants; he does really love her. However, she is the only person in the world that can break him down into tiny shards of glass and make him feel terrible about himself, which is what she did when she claimed he was unable to change and be a better man for her and their baby.

Taking his hand, she rubs circles over the top of it and looks up at him with her wide doe eyes. "I'm so sorry", she whispers. "I don't know where that fury even came from, I-...it was out of nowhere. I know how hard you have been trying to be a better person and you really have come so far, and I know I was the one to give you an ultimatum. I guess I just wasn't expecting to hear what you said. I really wasn't despite how good you have been to me, and it shook me up. I just can't...I can't see you being so domestic, and I'm only scared that it will work short-term, and that you will get bored of us and leave. That is the fear that I have, and it haunts me. I don't know if I could survive that kind of sadness. I've been through too much to lose the one person I have always been in love with deeply and irrevocably."

Sighing, he swallows hard and leads her back to bed, still on edge but willing himself to calm down again; that she is hormonal and scared and didn't truly mean to hurt him. "I love you too, Molly. I know that it's taken me ages to realize that, but I have. It wasn't just the heat of the moment. I do want to be a part of your life and our daughter's life. A permanent fixture, not a temporary one. I swear to you."

Molly throws her arms around his neck, her oversized t-shirt hanging loose on her shoulders. Sherlock gently wraps his arms around her as she gently peppers him in kisses. It tickles a bit, and he can feel a blush heating his cheeks.

"Alright, alright, Moll. I forgive you, okay?"

She cups his face and kisses him softly, and it's the kind of kiss that makes his heart melt and his metaphorical knees weak. Bringing his own hands up to cup her cheeks, he kisses back until they need air, and she nuzzles his nose gently. "I'm so sorry. I never meant to hurt you."

"I know that. You're going through a lot Molly. It's fine. But I meant everything I said. I'll be...I'll be everything I need to be. You may need to guide me from time to time and be direct with me, but I can get it. I swear. I actually spoke with John...and I'm really sorry but he dragged it out of me. He surprised me by being at Baker Street after the cab dropped me off. He made me realize that it would kill me to have to see our daughter and know her from any place further than directly as her father. I won't fail...if I need to collect myself, I will still have Baker Street to go to."

Molly blushes into his chest and takes a breath. "I really want to believe you, but you'll have to prove yourself. And not that I want to bring this up, but if you so much as think of any kind of drug, you won't see us again. I'm not kidding, it won't be the same as when you were only responsible for yourself. I will NOT have our little girl around that. I had to live through my mother's downfall into an abusive fuck...a-and I won't let our daughter see you deteriorate like that. Not ever. Is that crystal clear?"

Sherlock swallows hard and nods. It's always a bit of a shock to him to hear Molly cuss, as she is usually so soft-spoken. "I promise, if I ever feel like I want to slip, I will let you know, and I'll find a better distraction, and we will work through it. I won't lose either of you for good. I wouldn't be able to handle that. You've become an insatiable need in my life, Molly Hooper."

She smiles up at him a bit but grimaces. "That's great, but can we lie down? My back is killing me now."

Smiling softly, he nods and helps her lay down. He lies behind her and gently massages her back. Molly hums softly as her eyes slip closed. "Ohh...that's lovely, thank you. Also, I'm glad you finally realized I'm damn good for you."

He lets out a laugh and leans down, kissing her bare shoulder exposed by her large shirt, and smiles on her skin. "Hm, well, you could have just told me."

Molly gasps and playfully smacks his forehead. "As if I didn't try the most unsubtle ways."

"I was not a man that was good at puzzles and signals! Crime-solving, science, some other comparable things. Feelings, not so much."

"Until Eurus..."

"A bit before that. Maybe until Mary's death...seeing John's grief. Realizing that all those years ago, that maybe dragging you into the scheme to evade death by suicide could have backfired. I was so cocky back then, I only recently stopped to think, what if he had truly been steps ahead of me? What if he had killed you when he was close enough? Thinking of losing you made me as sick as I was when I lost Mary. She put a value on my life that I could never think of how to live up to...not until now. She must have seen the potential in me to be more. Not only for myself but for you, and now for our daughter."

Molly nods sleepily as Sherlock drapes an arm carefully over her. She places her hand over his on her stomach. "We'll talk more about everything, but I'm really worn out", she murmurs.

"Of course you are, sleep Moll. I'll be right here, I promise", he responds, pulling up the blankets and kissing her cheek.

Her eyes flutter closed, and she shifts until she's comfortable "Mhh, thanks love", she mutters, sleep almost immediately taking her as Sherlock's cheeks blush and goosebumps spread down his arms at what she just absently called him.