A/N: Written for day 2 of Sherlolly Appreciation Week 2019. K+ rated swaplock take on That Christmas from ASiB. Enjoy!
"You always say such horrible things."
She did, didn't she? The realization gave her pause. Why was that, exactly? What was it about him, that set her off like this?
"I am sorry. Forgive me," was all she could find to say, stepping close as he shut his eyes as if in anticipation of more painful words - and kept them tightly shut as she stood on the tips of her toes in order to brush her lips across his cheek. "Merry Christmas, Sherlock Holmes," she murmured
The sound of a masculine groan of pleasure cut through the thick silence of the room; in a panic, Sherlock's eyes shot open as he stared from Mary to Mary's latest bit of eye-candy (Jason? Jeffrey?) to Donovan (Sandy? Sasha?) to 'Not Your Housekeeper' Greg Lestrade. "That, that wasn't me!" he squeaked out, his voice ridiculously high, not at all the usual smooth baritone she was used to hearing.
"No, it was me, my phone," she said distractedly, holding up her mobile. At last, the case was moving forward! Without a second thought for any of the others, she headed toward her bedroom in order to read whatever tantalizing tidbit Jim Moriarty had for her this time.
On the threshold of the kitchen, however, she paused. Turned back. Held up the gift and locked eyes with Sherlock. "Thank you," she said. "Whatever it is-" she already knew what it was, a 17th century German treatise on beekeeping, one she very much looked forward to reading "-thank you."
Then she left the room, mind once again fully occupied by the case. Jim Moriarty was the key to unlocking the secrets Irene Adler had, to destroy the consulting criminal's web.
She paused again upon closing her bedroom door behind her, looking once more at the carefully wrapped gift she held in her hands. Dearest Molly, love Sherlock xxx.
Once this case was resolved, she decided as she carefully set the gift on her dressing table, she would make some time to have a cup of coffee with Sherlock Holmes.
And prove to everyone - herself most of all - that Molly Hooper, Consulting Detective, wasn't just a machine.