We're here at the end of another fic and can I just say thank you for all the support and comments for this one. I wasn't sure how well it would be received, and you have more than exceeded my expectations.

We left Molly and Sherlock having consummated their relationship somewhere in the future…so where are they now?

Chapter 4

Molly had no idea what time it was when she woke up, but she felt groggy and disoriented. The only thing she was sure of was that she was at Barts, it had been a staff tannoy announcement that had awoken her.

She felt around in the darkened room until she found the switch for the bed lamp, and she clicked it on; blinking as her eyes acclimatised to even that dull, light. God, she felt rough.

As she pushed herself up to a sitting position and ran her hands through her hair, she tried to recall why she'd stayed at the hospital. It was then that she remembered what could only have been some kind of hyper real dream. She'd dreamt that she and Sherlock had been transported forward into the future. It had been a terrifying nightmare. Even now, thinking about it, Molly felt her heart starting to race a little and the hairs on the back of her neck pricking up. It had all felt so utterly real.

The only bright spot had been how the dream had ended.

She closed her eyes and brushed her fingers over her lips. They actually felt bruised from the intensity of his kisses. It felt like none of her previous dreams or fantasies of Sherlock. It was more like a memory. She remembered how good his body had felt as it moved against her own, the slip and slide of their skin as they pressed against each other. The brush of his unshaven cheek against the soft, sensitive skin of her breast.

She let out a groan and swung her legs over the side of the bed. She needed to get dressed and get home, but before that she needed coffee, and lots of it.

A minute or two later, just as she'd finished doing up her bra and was reaching for her top, she heard the sound of the door handle turning and she squeaked in shock. Hurriedly, she grabbed her shirt.

'Someone's in here, don't come in.'

The door carried on being pushed open and Molly heard a familiar huff.

'Calm down Molly, it's just me. I thought if you felt anything like I did on waking that you might need some coffee.'

As she struggled to pull the shirt down to cover her boobs, she saw Sherlock holding out one of the cups from the staff canteen, frowning at her when he saw her embarrassment.

'Sh..Sherlock, what are you doing here?'

She saw him still for a second, his eyes narrowing, and it felt as if he was reading her every thought, not just her body language.

'You know, it doesn't matter, I'm sure there was some clue that led you to know I'd be in here. Thank you for the coffee, but I'm going home. I need a shower, and to brush my teeth…and anyway it's my rest days so you'll have to cope alone in the lab.'

She took the coffee from him, grateful that the canteen always served it lukewarm enough that she could take an immediate gulp of it,

Sherlock took a step closer, invading her personal space in a way he didn't normally do.

'Hmm, let me guess…though you know when I say guess I mean state. You had a strange dream last night, more of a nightmare really.'

He ignored her sharp intake of breath and continued on.

'It wasn't all a nightmare though. In fact, I rather think it had a happy ending.'

Molly felt a sudden flush of heat as she remembered how the dream had ended with her and Sherlock having sex. He couldn't know that, surely.

She glanced up at him briefly and saw him smirking, as if he knew exactly what she'd been thinking. She felt a sudden blush rising up on her cheeks, as well as a strange uncertainty, had it been a dream? The coffee was hitting her system and quickly dispelling that feeling of grogginess.

As if in answer Sherlock leant towards her, his cheek lightly brushing hers as his lips moved closer to her ear.

In a low whisper he said, 'it wasn't a dream, Molly.'

His words had her reaching backwards for the bed, needing to sit down before her legs gave out from under her.

'No…it must have been…we were in a different world. Are you saying you really were there with me?'

'In the future…our future…yes, I was. I can't explain it, I'm not sure I'll ever know how, but when the impossible has been removed, what remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.'

Molly took another sip of her coffee as her mind roamed all over what she now realised were actual memories. The strange lighting, the ghost like figures, the puzzle over the unexplained deaths and…and her and Sherlock having sex.

She looked up at him suddenly, her eyes locking onto his. 'Did we…'

He seemed to intuitively know what she wanted to ask him, and he finished the question for her. '…have sex? Yes, yes, we did and it was…'

He took a deep breath and a slow smile spread over his features; a smile which seemed to warm Molly's very soul.

'Oh Molly, it was so much more than I ever realised it would be. And with your permission, I'd like us to do it again. So?'

Molly's heart was thudding in her chest, but she still had questions. What seemed so simple the night before now seemed sudden and out of character for him.

'Are you sure Sherlock? I mean, it was a stressful situation, we didn't know if we'd ever get back here. I'll…I'll understand if you can't…' she had to stop, feeling emotion choking off her words.

Immediately, he put down his coffee and sat down on the bed next to her, gently taking her hand. She shifted her body, so she was facing him and nervously looked up at him.

He was looking down at her with that same expression on his face as the time he'd congratulated her on her engagement to Tom. It was such a soft look, full of an emotion that she couldn't quite pinpoint.

'Oh Molly. Yes, it was strange and stressful, even scary, but it was also freeing. Seeing the future, seeing what we are capable of being. I've repressed my feelings for you for so long I almost didn't know how to release them. But this…this was the catalyst I needed, maybe it was even the reason this happened to us. Please believe me Molly when I say I have not one single regret. So, in case you're still in the slightest bit unsure, let me make it perfectly clear, I love you, Molly Hooper.'

Her eyes searched his, looking for the lie in what he was saying but all she could see was openness, even vulnerability. She could still barely believe that this was happening though, it felt too good, how would she ever contain her happiness if it was true.

With a shaking hand she lifted her palm to his face, feeling the warmth of his skin, her thumb sliding along his cheekbone. It was something she'd longed to do so many times.

His reaction just confirmed what he'd said. He tilted his head slightly, pressing his cheek against her palm, his eyes closing slightly.

'Say it again.'

His eyes refocused on her, and he didn't hesitate. 'I love you; I will always love you.'

She felt the final shreds of disbelief washing away and a smile crept over her face, mirrored by his own.

'I love you too, Sherlock.'

And just like that they were kissing. She couldn't have said which of them initiated it, they'd just moved together, lips meeting in a kiss which seemed to hold all the promise of their life together going forward.

It wasn't long though before he pulled back. 'Not here, I don't know about you, but I've had my fill of Barts hospital for now. Come home with me, back to Baker St.'

Molly nodded shyly and let him take hold of her hand as he led her out, back through a hospital which now felt back to being so familiar to her.

Fifteen minutes later they pulled up outside Speedys cafe and as Sherlock paid the cabbie she looked up at the frontage of his house. It had always seemed so imposing, could she really see herself living here with him? He'd seemed to imply it with what he'd said earlier but she needed to think about it.

She followed him up to his flat, feeling butterflies skittering about in her stomach, knowing they were going to have sex again. It felt so much more real than it had, late at night, in that other place.

As Sherlock walked into his front room ahead of her though she heard him groan.

'John, what are you doing here?'

'Morning to you too Sherlock. Funnily enough I'm here because we'd arranged for me to be here. I've been through your e-mails and…'

Sherlock cut him off. 'Not interested. Go home, I'm taking the day off.'

Molly heard John let out a huff. 'You? Taking a day off? You never take a day off, not unless you're literally in a coma in a hospital bed.'

'Well, I am today. I've glimpsed the future, John, and there's more to life than work.'

Molly could hear the disbelief in John's voice as he replied. 'Like what? Nothing's ever been more important to you than work.'

Sherlock was quick to respond and when he did, she felt a warmth spreading through her. 'Like family, a wife, children…'

John scoffed. 'Who'd marry you?'

Sherlock turned slightly and Molly saw John notice her for the first time, his face registering his shock.

Sherlock smiled softly. 'Molly would. So? Will you?'

Even after everything that he'd said in the last hour this question still surprised her, but she immediately knew what her answer would be.

She looked up into those ever-changing eyes and she bit her lip and smiled cheekily. 'Maybe, but you won't find out until you're down on one knee with a ring.'

She heard John let out a quick snort of laughter and saw Sherlock's eyes narrowing as he grimaced slightly. 'Fair enough, looks like I'll have to talk to my parents and get them to send my grandmother's rings up.'

His response had her grinning happily and wishing they were alone, and Sherlock must have felt the same because he turned back to his friend. 'John, go home, I want to spend time with my fiancée.'

At that Molly couldn't help but say, 'girlfriend.'

Sherlock ignored her as he shucked off his coat and jacket and then turned to her, Helping her out of her own coat and her cardigan.

John shook his head in disbelief. 'Fine, fine, I've no idea what's happening here, but I'm going.'

As he reached Molly, he turned to her. 'For what it's worth, Molly, I'm happy for you, but don't let the git walk all over you. Start as you mean to go on.'

He grinned and then leant in to kiss her on the cheek. They both heard the grumble of discontent from Sherlock.

'John we're friends, but I'm not sure I like seeing you kissing my soon to be wife.'

Molly chuckled and corrected him. 'Life partner.'

As John left Sherlock started to undo the cuffs of his shirt and Molly felt her heartbeat picking up at the idea of finally seeing him naked. The room at Barts had been very dark the night before and everything had been so much less visual.

He raised an eyebrow as if he knew her thoughts. 'We both know you'll marry me; our daughter has my name.'

Molly knew absolutely he was right, but she found she liked teasing him both verbally and physically, and so as she responded she started undoing the buttons on her top one by one, seeing Sherlock's eyes caught by her actions. For the first time she could see his physical attraction for her, and it made her feel more confident.

'Her name is double-barrelled, so maybe we don't get married.'

She paused her actions and saw Sherlock shake his head in frustration. 'Enough of this. Kiss me, and when I get the rings from my parents, we'll soon see who is right.'

He pulled her to him, and Molly chuckled for a second at his obvious disgruntlement, but she soon gave into his kiss, all her feelings and desires coming to the fore and wiping away their banter.

Without even breaking the kiss he picked her up, making her feel as though she weighed nothing at all. She wrapped her legs around his hips as he carried her through to the one room in his flat, she'd never seen before, his bedroom. She wasn't given any time to look around though because as soon as Sherlock had dropped her onto the bed, he set about relieving her of all of her clothing until she was laid out naked before him.

It surprised her that she didn't feel more self-conscious under his gaze, but he had such a look of raw desire that it gave her a confidence she'd never felt with anyone else. She wanted him equally naked though and she told him so in no uncertain terms. The upside was that she was able to lean up on her elbows and watch as he stripped for her; her eyes greedily taking in every inch of skin that was revealed to her. She couldn't wait to explore his body with more than just her eyes.

As he lay over her on the bed they kissed once more, and it just felt so right. The feeling of his long, lean body against her own; his erection was pressing against her thigh and the feel of it had her spreading her legs for him. As far as Molly was concerned, they had all night for leisurely exploration, but right now she just wanted to feel truly connected to him, intimately so.

To that end she reached down between them and positioned him at her entrance. As her hand wrapped around his cock he gasped and pulled back from the kiss and she saw how dilated his eyes were, how flushed his cheeks were, and how kiss-bruised his lips looked. She wasn't sure she'd seen him looking more gorgeous.

'Are you sure?'

His unnecessary concern was both touching and amusing, and she smiled as she nodded her head. 'Always Sherlock, I have always wanted you and I always will.'

She watched his expression as he started to push into her. Saw his eyes close and his mouth open in a silent moan.

'God, Molly, you have no idea how good you feel. I hope you know we're going to be doing this a lot in the coming days, weeks, months…I have so much catching up to do.'

She let her hands slide down his back until her palms were pressing down onto his lush backside, encouraging him to start to rock against her. Everything felt so much more heightened and relaxed than it had the night before, but just as it had then she felt her climax already building and she knew it wouldn't be long before she came.

She kissed and licked her way up Sherlock's neck, hearing him groaning and swearing as she sucked on his skin, his thrusts starting to get more powerful. She could feel her own need inexorably rising, but she just needed something, though she didn't know what, to tip her over the edge.

She soon found out when it was though as Sherlock spoke, his voice rough and low. 'Fuck Molly, I need you to come…now.'

That was all it took, hearing him sounding so undone, his voice triggered one of the best orgasms that Molly could ever remember having.

Her climax brought on Sherlocks and moments later they were holding onto each other, trying to catch their breath whilst kissing any patches of skin they could reach.

'God, Molly…that was…'

'Mmm, it was. Let's do it again.'

Sherlock groaned and shifted to one side. 'You might need to give me a few minutes.'

Molly chuckled and rolled onto her side, knowing she'd need to go and clean herself up soon, but not ready to leave him just yet.

'Time is something we seem to have lots of, let's just hope we stay in this time zone from now on though.'

Sherlock leant forward and kissed her. 'Agreed, though as long as I'm with you I don't mind where I am.'

Molly knew she was blushing at his words, it seemed like it was still going to take her a while yet to get used to hearing him being so affectionate.

He interrupted her musings with one word which distracted her completely.

'Shower?'

Well, if it was going to be with a naked Sherlock she didn't mind if she did!

And there we have it. Though I do have to add in some of Mychakk's musings. Will Sherlock's knowledge of the future change what might happen? Will he talk to Mycroft about that sealed file and have more work done to prevent whatever happens? And how would all that affect Rebecca and Emma, will they even still be the children and grandchildren that are born. I shall let you guys make your own decisions on that.

Anyway, thank you once more, send me some love and I'll be back in a couple of weeks with a short Soulmate Christmas fic xx