"Hello? Everything okay?" Molly asked as she pushed a cadaver into cold storage. She balanced her phone with one shoulder as she talked and wrote things down on a clipboard with her free hands.

"Quite. I was calling to… say hello," her caller said awkwardly.

Molly knew she was grinning and tried to stop. It wasn't very nice when he was trying so hard. She kept on smiling.

"Mmm," she said, being completely unhelpful.

There was a long silence which she used to put her surgical tools into the UVC for sterilization. She sipped at her lukewarm coffee and sat back against the countertop.

"So how are things?" Sherlock finally asked.

She could almost picture him wincing as he got out each word. Molly found she quite liked this side of him. It was uncertain and vulnerable and it was just for her.

"It's a slow day at work. It's nice that you called," she gave him.

"It's a tedious day for me as well. There's no work. I've nothing to do," he complained.

"John says when you're bored you shoot holes in walls. Is that true?" she asked curiously.

"That only happened once. Mrs. Hudson patched up the holes when I was gone," he sulked.

Molly's sudden happiness slipped. It was difficult to be reminded of such a dark time. She didn't know how John had coped. Or forgiven.

Sherlock was not a conversationalist, but he was as intelligent as he claimed to be. He knew by her silence, maybe by the change in her breathing, that he'd said the wrong thing. She could almost hear the gears in that amazing mind crank up.

"You were an invaluable help to me, Molly Hooper. I imposed on your flat and your life. I don't know if I've ever said thank you."

"No you haven't," she replied.

"Thank you," he said softly. She knew it was sincere by the unsure tone in his voice.

"You're welcome," she said simply.

Sherlock cleared his throat and she thought he might hang up.

"I believe I owe you coffee," he said instead.

"You do?"

"You asked me out for coffee once," he said.

"Yes…" she answered cautiously.

"And then you brought me coffee. I'd like to do that same."

"Sherlock, are you asking me out or asking me if I'd like a cup of coffee?"

"Both," he said.

Molly set down her clipboard again and hopped up onto the counter. She crossed her legs and considered.

"Me bringing you coffee didn't count as a date. Wait... You're right outside my door, aren't you?" she said.

"But with coffee," he said hopefully.

Molly ended the call with a swipe of her finger, giggling into her sleeve. It was all so ridiculous. Then why did she feel like a teenager again? Young and a little stupid and very much in... no,no,no. She wasn't going there. It was way too soon to even be thinking things like that.

Sherlock was waiting with two cups in hand. As soon as she took the first sip she knew it wasn't from the cafeteria or some chain coffee shop. There was no cream or sugar and it had a flavor profile that could shame a glass of wine.

"This is really good," she said with a happy sigh.

"I know you're busy," Sherlock said. Molly hummed but it was more a comment on the coffee and tension leaving her neck.

"I can spare ten minutes. This was very thoughtful. Thank you," she said.

She caught a glimpse of her reflection in the metal doors of the cold storage unit and some of her pleasure evaporated. Her hair was coming loose from its ponytail, her makeup had mostly rubbed off, and her labcoat was a wrinkled mess.

"You look fine," Sherlock said softly.

"How did you… am I that obvious?"

"You could never be obvious, Molly Hooper," he replied.

"I need to get back to work," she said, biting her lip.

"As you wish," Sherlock replied. He leaned in and used one hand to softly caress her cheek.

"You did say you owed me a kiss. Could I collect now?" he asked softly.

"And you brought me coffee. You can't have the best of both worlds," she replied, but she leaned in closer to him until her nose brushed his.

"This isn't a proper date," Sherlock returned, his lips a breath from hers.

"What is it?" she whispered.

"Ambiance."

Only Sherlock would think the morgue was an appropriate place to give her a first kiss.

The brush of his lips was a light push against hers. He breathed against her soft plump mouth like he was taking in her scent. Only then did he push their mouths together, holding the back of her head gently with one hand. It was the most erotic thing Molly had even felt. He was being careful, so careful, and not because he was nervous or had some expectation. Instead he was waiting on her every response; her breath, her sighs, the flutter of her eyelids were for him road-maps to her desires. Dear god, if this was how he kissed then she couldn't imagine how he...

And then her thoughts completely stopped, falling down like a broken jigsaw puzzle. Sherlock's tongue slipped between his teeth and he was sucking and kissing her bottom lip. She could barely think, could barely stand. He had an arm around her waist now, holding her steady as he tore her apart. Her heart was racing in an unsteady rhythm until it almost hurt. The world was a blur and at it's center was raven black hair, lush curls, a chiseled mouth. All his attention was on her and she was drowning in it.

"Sherlock!" she gasped as he pulled away and nuzzled her neck. She held onto his shoulders as his tongue found her earlobe. He moved his mouth and sucked at it gently before finding her mouth again. She was completely undone. She surrendered immediately. She joined in his dance, kissing him back with all the hunger she'd ever felt for him. Now it was her hands in his hair, finally enjoying that softness beneath her fingertips. Emboldened, Molly pushed at his chest until his back was against the wall. She leaned completely into him, body against body. Sherlock threw back his head. Her fingers were at his buttons when she heard someone discreetly clearing their throat.

"I'll just wait outside then," John said and he marched right back out the way he'd come.

Molly took a few deep gasping breaths as the world righted itself. And then she got angry. Sherlock was still pressed against the wall, his cheeks flush and his lips swollen.

"You bastard!" she said. She realized she was crying. It didn't matter. She deserved her tears.

"Molly, I can explain," he said, holding up his hands like she was something dangerous. Well she felt dangerous. She was tired of his games.

"You don't have to, Sherlock. If John's here too that means one thing. You need something from me. This is low even for you."

Something bitter and foul rose up in her throat until her mouth couldn't remember the sweetness it had just held. She marched over to the man that always caused her so much pain and moved to slap him across the face. His hand shot up and grabbed her wrist. They glared at one another, both breathing hard.

"I don't think so," he snarled, shoving her hand away. The doors closed behind him and Molly sunk to the floor, devastated. She didn't know how many minutes passed, her sobbing into her arms before the doors opened again.

"Hey, you okay?" John asked, leaning down to grasp her shoulder. "Look, I came to apologize. I didn't mean to interrupt. Sherlock was supposed to come with me, to find out the sex of the baby. He said he needed to bring you coffee first. He was gone awhile and... I'm really sorry. Are you two okay? He looked pretty angry."

Molly dried her tears on her labcoat and sighed.

"How did you do it John? How did you of all people forgive him after all the hurt he's caused you?" she asked.

"The manipulation and the lies were the hardest part for me. But in the end he's still family. He's like a brother to me. I'm still working on it with Mary but eventually I'll forgive her too. That's how family works. That's how it works when you love someone," John said gently.

Molly turned her head so she didn't have to meet his eyes.

"Tell Sherlock I'm sorry. I need to get back to work."

"It was a misunderstanding. And don't worry I'll tell him. He's not one to hold a grudge," John replied.

Molly ran her shaking hands under cold water until she couldn't feel them anymore. Then she put on her blue gloves and went back to her cadavers.