10
Sherlock leapt nimbly to his feet and stepped between Stapleton and Molly, "Don't worry, Mr Holmes. I have no bad intentions, I just want to talk" the man said raising both hands to show he was harmless, "I think you've already talked too much and perfectly highlighted your point of view" Sherlock scolded him coldly.
Stapleton ignored him and turned to Molly looking at her softly, his face showing obvious signs of exhaustion, "I'm sorry if you felt bashed by Miss Riley's piece" he told her, "That wasn't what I was pursuing. I just want justice for Winston" he sighed, spreading his arms in a sorrowful way.
"You were so young when you accused my son. You didn't see him start the fire and you were inexperienced at your job…you may have made mistakes" Stapleton gave her a pleading look, "I'm here to ask you and your friend, the renowned detective, to consider revising Winston's case". Sherlock grimaced "I swear I have no ulterior motives, Mr Holmes" the man affirmed holding his icy gaze.
"I ask you to study the papers and come to my house and take a look at my proofs wall" he insisted pointing to the wall behind the sofa on which photos and notes from the Sheridan case were still hanging. As Winston's father spoke, Molly strolled on over and stood beside Sherlock "Miss Hooper, Mr Holmes please, help me get justice for my son and find the real culprit in Vanessa's murder, the one who ruined Winston's life".
"I already went on over police's notes and Molly's autopsy report who, to be fair, was supervised by an unrivalled pathologist, and I found no mistakes" Sherlock stated confidently, "Molly may have been a newbie at the time, but she graduated with honors and was the best in her training course" he went on towering over Winston's father.
"I've always trusted her and if I had a choice I wouldn't work with anyone else, so Mr Stapleton don't think for one second she made mistakes" Sherlock took a step forward wanting to intimidate him, "It was your son who squeezed Vanessa's throat until he choked her. His fingerprints were on her skin. There was no trace of smoke in the girl's lungs, so she was already dead when the fire was started" he rattled on, overwhelming the man with his words so as to leave him fuzzy headed.
"Sherlock?", he turned his face to Molly and looked down at her "Hmm?" she placed a hand on his arm, "A word, please" she whispered nodding to the fireplace and walking over there. He glanced apologetically at Stapleton saying "Give us a minute" and followed her without making a fuss.
"What is it? Did I say something wrong?" he asked quietly unhooking his jacket's button as he gave a distracted glance at Billie, the skull showing off on the shelf, and resting his arm on it. For a split second Molly couldn't take her eyes off his chest and his tight-fitting shirt. She wondered how on earth Sherlock could make even the simplest gestures sexy, like unbuttoning his jacket. If only they had been fully alone…no, that wasn't the time for fantasize, she scolded herself.
"Fantasize? About what?" Sherlock's question made her realize she had spoken her thoughts aloud and blushed right away, "Nothing" she hastened to reply as he cocked his head and narrowed his eyes. She huffed with half a smile "Oh, stop deducing me!" she whispered punching playfully his chest and casting an embarrassed glance at Stapleton who in the meantime had settled down on the sofa.
"Thank you for defending me with such heart, Sherlock but you were a little harsh on him" she said lowering her voice further, "I just told him the truth, Molly", he shot back, "Winston Stapleton is guilty. I know, you know…the only one who insist otherwise is him" Sherlock emphasized pointing to the man.
Molly nodded in agreement "But the truth can also be told in a more soft way, don't you think?", he sighed running a hand through his hair "Okay, spit it out. What do you want me to do? Apologise?" he briefly peeked at Stapleton again as Molly moved closer to him conspiratorially "Let's go to his house and take a look at his…", "Let's go…who? Us? No way" Sherlock interrupted her shaking his head strongly.
"Why not?" Molly folded her arms to her chest and pouted, "Because it would be a waste of time…what clues do you think he may have collected? He's an amateur, he doesn't even know where to start collecting information or clues" he stated in a cocky tone. Molly pulled back biting her bottom lip. Sherlock got distracted and was almost on the verge of taking her in his arms and biting her sexy bottom lip himself…Focus! his inner self scolded him.
"Aren't amateurs the trumps of London you often ask for help?" she asked stubbornly and Sherlock admitted to himself that in this she had a point, "Ok, let's make a deal…I'll call John and I'll go with him to Stapleton's" he said taking her by her elbows, bringing her close to him and stroking gently her arms up and down, "Why can't I come with you? I know Winston's case much better than John and I could be more useful to you".
He kept his eyes on the ground as Molly spoke, "Are you hiding something from me, Sherlock?" she asked tilting her head in search of his eyes, "Listen Molly, there is something in my sister's drawings about you" he owned up and went on without giving her time to reply, "I need time to figure out if it's a real threat or whatever. In the meantime I don't want you to expose yourself", Sherlock put his hands on her shoulders as he nodded towards Stapleton "But now it's not the time to talk about it. Just trust me, please"
Stapleton, for his part, watched curiously Sherlock and Molly argued. The two of them were so engrossed in explaining to each other their reasons, even though they spoke so softly they didn't understand what they were arguing, that they didn't notice that Mrs Hudson entered the room with a steaming cup of coffee for the 'weird client'.
The old lady shook her head as she handed Stapleton the cup, and with a sigh turned to the man who climbed the stairs behind her "Oh! Those two are having another little domestic today!".
"Who's having a little domestic?" John asked as he throw the door wide open and walked in. Both Mrs Hudson and the stranger sitting on the sofa pointed their index fingers at the fireplace on the opposite side of the room and John's eyes followed them. Molly and Sherlock were in each other's personal space and speaking intensely, eyes in the eye.
His friend had his curly head tilted towards her and, from time to time, moved his mouth close to her ear. Molly shook her head and with it her neat ponytail as she responded with a tenacious look to whatever Sherlock was saying.
It wasn't the first time John witnessed an argument between his two friends. Usually it was Molly putting Sherlock in line for something he said or did. But there was a very different tension between them at that moment. It was no mystery to John how Sherlock felt about Molly. Not after clearly hearing him admit he loves her four months before. At first he had considered the 'I love you' simply as words needed to be said to save Molly, words spoken under duress.
But once John got over the shock of what had happened, he had thought back to how Sherlock had instantly realized that the one his sister was threatening was Molly and not Irene Adler as supposed by him. Or how he panicked during that call, and totally lost control of himself and his incredible mind, which has never happened before even in the most difficult cases of his career.
Not to mention the fury with which he had destroyed the coffin Eurus had symbolically set for Molly, or the fact that to describe what his sister was subjecting to the three of them, and Sherlock in particular, he had chosen the word 'vivisection'.
Therefore according to Sherlock his sister's intent was to make him suffer and burn his heart out of him, just as Moriarty had promised to do. Even more, her purpose was to open him up and reveal all the emotions and feelings Sherlock had been so careful to hide deep inside.
And in this way John realized his friend's heart was Molly. If only he had observed better Sherlock over the years, John would have recognized the signs that lie beneath a man in love. In Sherlock's case several came to his mind.
For example Sherlock had never put up with men who had shown romantic interest in Molly. On closer inspection Sherlock had always displayed a subtle jealousy and tried to knock out all her relationships. He had also chosen as his bolt hole her flat – her bedroom to be more precise, without considering the fact Sherlock had entrusted her his life when he staged his own fake suicide.
Watching them John remembered when, over a lunch at his home, he had confronted Sherlock about his feelings for Molly. "So" John said as he slid Rosie out of her highchair, "What about Molly?" he asked hoping to sound casual, "She's fine" was Sherlock reply sipping his coffee as he watched Rosie gleefully crawl to the carpet where her toys were gathered, "Yeah, I know she's fine" John reiterated explaining he had dined with her the previous evening.
Sherlock then gave him a good natured look "Come on John, ask what you have to ask. Not mince words", "Ok, then" John nodded as he leaned his arms against the back of a chair and looked him straight in the eye, "Did you talk to her…after Sherrinford I mean?".
The corner of Sherlock's mouth quirked in a smirk, "Yes, I did, John" he said turning his attention to little Rosie, "And?" his friend urged him, "And…" Sherlock put his cup down on the table and got up from his chair to sit on the carpet next to his goddaughter, "We are fine. We are still friends".
John sighed "Yeah, thanks…I see this for myself. Did you tell her how you feel about her?", Sherlock nodded and was silent. John got the feeling he was embarrassed to share with him what he and Molly had said so he decided not to insist, "She still loves me, John" Sherlock's words stopped him in the kitchen's doorway with plates in hand.
"Despite all my flaws, my frailties and my bullshit. But…" he broke off and lovingly ruffled Rosie's blonde curls, "She doesn't trust me with her heart. I have hurt her so many times she fears I may change my mind, may discover it is not love what I feel for her" he looked up at John and gave a sneering little laugh to himself, "And how can I blame her? After all don't I always declared I don't do feelings and romantic entanglement doesn't fulfil me?".
John frowned as he asked "What are you going to do?", Sherlock stood and went over to his Belstaff and put it on "Show Molly I love her and want her with me" he stated and took a deep breath, "I don't know how because romantic relationships are not my area". John just smiled and raised an eyebrow "You'll find a way…it will be a long way to go but I'm sure you can reassure Molly about how you feel".
And judging from what he saw, John had no doubts Sherlock had been successful in showing Molly his love for her. He also thought that if no one interrupted them, those two could go on discussing who knows how long, so he decided to make their presence in the room evident by clearing his throat pointedly.
"Sherlock" he called his name aloud to catch his friend's attention. Sherlock and Molly turned to look across the room from where the voice was coming and they saw three pair of eyes fixed on them. "John" claimed Sherlock, quickly regaining control of himself as Molly blushed bright feeling somehow exposed to the gazes of the three.
"You're here" Sherlock added buttoning his jacket and taking a few steps towards him, "Indeed, I am" answered John grinning at them, "But I can leave if you're busy". Sherlock rubbed his hands getting closer to his friend, "What nonsense!" he made a face as he waved dismissively a hand to him, "On the contrary, you have perfect timing!".
The blond doctor looked at him puzzled and Sherlock hastened to explain "Molly and I were just talking about you", John crossed his arms over his chest "How come?", "I need you to come with me to this man's house" he said pointing to the man sitting on the sofa, "His name is Martin Stapleton and he is…a sort of a client".
The man scrambled to his feet "So are you coming?" he asked in disbelief, "You go ahead, Mr Stapleton. We'll follow in an hour" he stated, essentially dismissing him. Stapleton left the room with a nod of thanks and, escorted by Mrs Hudson, walked down the stairs.
"Well!" John said as he briefly followed the man with his eyes and then turned them to his daughter's godparents, "Now I thing you two owe me an explanation".
