Notes: Well hello, long time no see. That's my fault and I'm completely i didn't intend for this story to go a little bit of a hiatus but it did. Things got a bit busy in my life. Then I had writer's block on this story and wrote a couple of other things. Then I went on holiday that didn't leave much time for writing. So now i have found a little bit of time to write.

So once again just want to apologies about that. I hope you like the chapter. Enjoy!

Sherlock looked at her. "What do you want to talk about?" he asked, already sensing he knew the answer.

"Sam," Molly said not looking at him. "It's time I guess, I explain why I kept her, – why I didn't tell you why-?"

"Why didn't you tell me, that I had gotten you pregnant." Sherlock finished for her.

"Yes," Molly replied. "Sam doesn't know the full extent of our relationship. She thinks it was just a one night stand between – friends."

"But it wasn't," Sherlock interrupted. "I mean we were what is it John calls it."

"Friends with benefits?"

Sherlock nodded. "Well yes, we were that. Why are you lying to Sam? Why are you creating more secrets?"

Molly put her head in her hands, "Because it's easier for her to think, – believe that she was just a product of a one night stand than to know she was something that we tried to prevent ourselves getting into that situation."

"Sam wouldn't think that."

"I know my daughter, Sherlock. I know how she thinks, and believe me, she would think that. I know I never wanted to have kids that young, but Sam, she was worth it. I would go through it all again."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Sherlock asked.

"Are you really going to ask that?" Molly looked him straight in the eyes trying not to let her anger boil over. "Don't you remember what you were like back then? What you turned to?"

1997

Molly had found out two weeks earlier that she was pregnant. She hadn't seen Sherlock in three weeks, a part of her wondered if he knew, placing a hand on her still flat belly. She knew this child wasn't hers. It would be biologically, but she wasn't in the right place right now to have a child.

She didn't know where she stood with Sherlock, he was definitely the father. How was she going to tell him? she kept asking herself. 'How is he going to react? What is my dad going to say?' He was going to be so disappointed in her.

It was a week later when she found Sherlock in an alleyway drugged up and out of his mind. He didn't even recognize her.

"Sherlock," Molly gasped, turning his body over.

He barely noticed the movement and only just about managed to murmur.

Feeling his body shake underneath her she shook him again. "Sherlock, you have to wake up. Okay?"

He opened his eyes and squinted at her. "What?" He tried to move out of her grasp but failed.

"Come on, Sherlock. You know who I am, don't you?"

"Of course, you're my drug dealer," he smiled before falling asleep.

Molly tried not to cry as she reluctantly left him to go to the nearest phone box and dialled the number his brother had given her many months ago, when they started being friends.

It wasn't long before the older Holmes brother was there, arranging for his little brother to go back to rehab. Once Sherlock was gone Mycroft turned his attention to Molly.

"Will he be okay?" she asked.

"I would hope, though it's hard to say whether my brother will be. This is his second time entering rehab in the last three years."

Molly bit her lip. "I hope it works out better this time for him."

"Is that because you are carrying his child?"

Molly stared at him in shock. "How? How do you know?"

Mycroft rolled his eyes. "Really Miss Hooper, you know my brother sees things others do not. Is it hardly surprising that I do as well? You are though aren't you?"

"I am," Molly admitted.

"I can't speak for my brother, but I will say I don't think he is in a fit state to be a father."

"You don't think I don't know that? I don't want him to know about the baby. I want to give it up for adoption."

Mycroft blinked in surprise. "You don't want to keep it."

"I'm too young, I'm not in the right place to be a mother, I need to finish university. No, it's better for the baby no matter how much it hurts me I need to put its needs first."

"So you want to give it up for adoption?"

Molly nodded. "Yes."

"I can help arrange that all for you, and we are agreed on Sherlock not knowing."

Once again Molly nodded, but couldn't speak for all the emotions hitting her, though she knew it was for the best if Sherlock didn't know.

"That's why you didn't want me knowing? Because I called you my drug dealer." Sherlock stood up.

"Seemed like a very good reason if you ask me."

Sherlock sat back down. "I don't remember that."

"I wouldn't have expected you to. I don't think you would want to."

"You didn't give her up for adoption in the end."

Molly smiled. "No, I – couldn't when – when the nurse told me she stopped breathing overnight, at this point, she wasn't even twenty-four hours old. I wanted to see her, I hadn't signed the papers; Dad took me down in a wheelchair and I think both of us just fell in love with her the moment we saw her, he put his hand on my shoulder and said, 'she's a Hooper.' I think that was his way of telling me it was okay for her to stay."

"I'm glad you did. You've done a very good job with her. Better than I would have done."

Molly disagreed. "I think you would have done a good job, Sherlock, it's just we didn't allow you to try, maybe in a different universe you would have been the best dad for her."

They stayed silent for a few minutes that seemed to drag for both of them. The two of their minds went back to Sam, and how the operation would be going. Barely half an hour had passed since she'd been taken down, and though they knew they had hours to go, right now it felt like a lifetime away.

"How old was she when she got the diagnosis?" Sherlock questioned.

"Just over one. She wasn't meeting milestones like other children. She couldn't sit up properly. Dad used to say she was as stiff as a board."

"So how old were you?"

"Twenty one I think or maybe twenty-two. That time period is very blurry, but I remember a week after we found out about Sam having CP, Dad got his first diagnosis with cancer."

Sherlock looked at her shocked. "I – I can't imagine what that must have been like. I remember when we met your brother had just married and moved to America." Molly nodded. "He's five years older than you?"

"Six, but yeah, Matt had just moved over there. So it was just the three of us. Dad beat cancer the first time. He said Sam kept him going and that she taught him how to fight. I think she was just a good distraction for him."

"It must have been a difficult time."

Molly shook her head. "Not really. A difficult time is being told there is something wrong with your child, that they might not have the normal life other children will have; being told they might not ever walk or talk. It's like they give you a list, a list so long of all the things the doctors believe they may never do, and you just have to sit there normally, but inside you're just numb."

"I didn't know-."

"Of course you wouldn't," Molly whispered. "When you look at Sam what do you see?"

Sherlock thought for a moment. "A funny and clever child who knows how to speak her mind."

Molly's lips circled into a smile. "That's Sam. But when I look at her. I see the small child sat on my lap, the one who might not do many things. This small child who I love more than anything, and I feel so bad because look at her now. Like you said she can speak her own mind. I mean she has Mycroft in the palm of her hand, and she knows how to play him. I just can't stop myself from seeing that baby with an uncertain future."

Sherlock picked up another sandwich. "I think studies would say that's normal and I mean it's in the Holmes DNA to charm people, to have them in the palm of their hand."

"I think she gets that from you. I mean, she doesn't like the word no or being told what to do. Being told she might walk at the age of five wasn't good enough for her. To prove them wrong she learnt at two and a half and took her first steps with a doctor and physiotherapist in the room. She walked from the physio to me. It was like Christmas came early. It was almost like this tiny version of her walking was like her giving them the finger saying 'look what I can do.'"

"Then she had the walker, she tried to catch Mycroft's feet with. I remember from Mummy's photos."

"She did on more than one occasion, and as you know with the talking she's like everyone else. An old soul on young shoulders. But I mean you saw how she was with the doctor; she has to be."

"Did she have to talk like a grown-up with doctors from a young age?" Sherlock questioned.

"She didn't have to but she just adapted and found if she spoke like an adult and told them everything that was wrong in the appointments which makes it easier. Plus she hates being patronised, so baby talk didn't stick around long."

"Is she very smart?"

"Yes, too much for her own good."

"She gets it from you, she's kind."

Molly felt her face go red. "It wasn't just me, it's like that saying 'it takes a village', she's had many great people in her life."

"Who was Sam's father figure that left?" Sherlock blurted out.

Molly felt shocked. "What? How – how do you know someone left? Has Sam said anything?"

"No Sam hasn't told me anything. My father did. He said after your father died there was someone else and they left."

Molly nodded, "A year before my dad died I started dating a guy named Kevin, he was lovely. Sam grew attached to him and she started calling him dad after the first year we were together. I think that might have been brought on by my dad's death."

Sherlock's face saddened at hearing this.

"I always told her about you though. She knew Kevin was her dad because he was dating me and at this point living together, she knew about you, Sherlock. I always told her about you. I would tell her stories about 'her real daddy', I'd have Mycroft give me information on cases you were solving. I would turn them into child-friendly bedtime stories. She loved them and loved you. Sam always thought you were so smart."

"I am smart," Sherlock defended himself.

Molly rolled her eyes. "I know you are, Sam just liked having this figure to look up to. You were almost like a superhero to her. Kevin and Sam got on very well too. We were happy for a long time. He did all the things dads do. He helped her through operations and physio as well."

"If you were happy, why did he leave?" Sherlock interrupted.

"Over time Kevin and I fell out of love and realised that we were better suited off as friends. For a long time, we stayed together for Sam but realised we couldn't keep doing that. It wasn't healthy for both of us and I think deep down we both deserved to be happy."

"So you broke up?"

Molly nodded. "Sam was nine when it happened, he'd been in her life for over five years. As much as it upset me leaving him, it hurt Sam the most."

2007

"Why do you have to break up with him, Mum?" Sam cried.

Molly held her daughter in a tight hug "Sammy, Kevin and I realised it's better Mummy and he remain just friends."

"But I want Daddy because real Daddy can't be in my life."

Molly felt a lump in her throat. "Real Daddy is out fighting bad guys. Remember, we have to stay hidden to remain safe."

Sam nodded. "Why do people I love keep on leaving us? First Grandad, now Daddy. You're not leaving are you, Mum?"

"No, love, I'm not going anywhere, and we don't need any dads because we have each other."

"So after that, it was just me and Sam. It has been ever since then."

"Did it upset you breaking up with him?"

"It did, but it was more the effect that it had on Sam. I still think she finds it difficult now having new people in her life because she is scared they will either walk out or die."

"I am not going to do either of those things."

"I know you're not, Sherlock, it's just Sam and I. The both of us I guess are just used to being alone. Moriarty was my first date in years and well, look how that turned out."

"It didn't have to be that way, just you and Sam. I was clean back in, what 2007? You could have told me about Sam."

"Sherlock you relapsed in 2008 – twice."

"But who's to say I would have if I had known about Sam. I might have stayed clean."

"We didn't want to take that risk."

Sherlock nodded and without realising it took her hand. "You always took care of me in uni."

Molly laughed. "Well, someone had to, and we were lab partners. We both needed to be on the best form to get good grades."

"You were the only competent one in the class."

Molly blushed. "Thank you."

"I should have been there for you and Sam."

"I know. There were so many times I would lay awake at night feeling so guilty about not having told you about Sam, and the older she got, the harder it got to contact you. Then we both ended up at Bart's in one form or another and there were so many times I tried to tell you, but I couldn't, and I am sorry for that, Sherlock."

A loud beeping noise came from one of the other rooms, Molly watched as nurses ran past the door to get to the other.

Sherlock's hold on Molly's hand tightened slightly. "Is Sam going to be okay?"

Molly squeezed back. "I hope. I always try to think positive."

"Does it always take this long?"

"It can do. Just depends on the type of surgery she is having."

Sherlock leaned in closer to Molly, slowly closing the gap between them, both on uncomfortable hospital chairs. "I just want her to be okay."

"She will be." Molly tried to promise. "We both will be here for her when she wakes up. That's what she will want. Her parents."

'Her parents. A mum and dad.' The words rang quickly in his Mind Palace - 'a mum and a dad together'. Weren't they the words that Molly had said to Sam? If not that, something quite similar. Before he realised what he was doing Sherlock leaned forward to kiss Molly. Just as their lips touched, the door handle rattled and his parents walked in.

Sherlock jumped away from Molly as quickly as he could and started pacing the room.

"Have you heard anything yet?" Mrs Holmes asked, sitting down in the chair that Sherlock had just vacated.

"Not yet," Molly answered. "I think it will be a few more hours before we do."

"I think I might just go outside for a minute and get some fresh air." Sherlock walked towards the door to exit the room.

"I'll text you if we hear anything while you're gone," Molly said, looking at him reassuringly.

He nodded back in a way Molly could tell was his way of saying thank you.

When Sam woke up she felt groggy and very distant. It felt like no time had passed but also an eternity since she had been put under for her operation.

"Hey, sweetie." A voice which Sam presumed was a nurse or at least hope spoke to her. "The operation is finished; now you need to wake up, okay?"

"Ugh" Sam managed to get out.

"I need to check your blood pressure, okay?"

Sam nodded and felt a tight feeling on her arm. She didn't remember the nurse putting the cuff on her arm. Had it been there before she woke up? She couldn't remember, all she really wanted to do was go back to sleep and get rid of the horrible taste in her mouth.

"Did surgery – okay?" Sam managed to ask.

"As far as I'm aware it did. Is there anything I can do for you now, sweetie?"

"Want Mum and Sher-lock," Sam said trying her best not to slur her speech.

"Sorry, sweetie, can you say that again?"

"Mum and Shlock"

"You want your mum?"

Sam nodded "and" she knew if she tried to say Sherlock again the nurse wouldn't understand her. Thinking as quickly as she could, through her slightly drugged-out mind. She said what she needed to say. "Dad. Mum – and – Dad."

"You want your Mum and Dad?"

Sam nodded finally glad someone could understand her.

"I'll call up to your ward and they will be down soon."

Sam looked happy as she fell back to sleep.

It had been a long five hours for Molly, Sherlock and his parents but when a nurse finally walked into their room they all breathed a sigh of relief.

"Mum, Dad, Sam is asking for you down in recovery. Do you know where to go?"

Sherlock felt dazed. 'Dad!' Had Sam used the word Dad when talking about him? He barely registered what was going on when Molly replied to the nurse, informing her that she already knew where to go.

"Sherlock?" Molly called him out of his thoughts. "You coming? Sam wants us."

Shaking his thoughts away he followed Molly out of the room.

When they were in the lift Molly turned to him, he thought she was going to talk about the near kiss. Instead, she surprised him.

"I just want you to know, Sherlock, Sam is going to be a bit different when you see her now. I just want you to prepare yourself. She won't be what you're used to. She is going to be vulnerable, okay?"

Sherlock nodded, not really knowing what he would be about to see and slightly relieved that the topic of the kiss was not mentioned.

Once they made it into recovery a nurse led them to outside Sam's cubicle.

"Before you see her, I just want you to know she has got an epidural to help relieve some of the pain in her feet. That will be taken out in a few days by one of the nurses on the ward, when she is feeling better."

"Did the operation go okay?" Molly asked worriedly.

"The doctor said it all went okay though we are having a bit of trouble stopping the bleeding on one of the feet. There might be a small chance she will have to have a new cast put on tomorrow."

Sherlock chose this moment to ask a question. "Is she okay now though?"

"She was sick about five minutes before you both came in. We have given her some anti-sickness medicine through the cannula in her hand, though she is saying she still feels sick which is normal. Apart from that she is okay. She's been asking about you both. Do you want to go sit with her?"

The parents nodded and the nurse pulled back the curtain to where Sam was. In that moment Sherlock saw what Molly meant. Sam looked tired, washed out and in a lot of pain. He didn't like it. He wanted the other Sam back. The one that was rude to Anderson.

"Sam," Molly whispered as she walked over to her.

Their daughter opened her eyes. "Mum, Sher – Lock"

Sherlock's heart sunk a little. She had not called him Dad like he was expecting her to.

"Water – please?"

Seeing a cup on the table next to her bed Sherlock picked it up. Grateful there was a straw in it he placed it by her mouth, allowing her to take a sip.

Sam moved her head away when she was finished. "Thanks."

Sherlock didn't reply and took a seat next to Molly.

"In pain, Mum. Hurts."

"I know, love. When the nurse comes back I will ask about pain killers."

"Is Sam allowed the strong painkillers? Considering my past."

"Mycroft once advised me not to give her painkillers after surgery for that reason, but when he saw her the next day and the agony she was still in with the pain relief he knew she couldn't have done recovery without it."

"That sounds like Mycroft."

"His heart was in the right place, but I think he forgets that I know how to be a mum to Sam, and I definitely wouldn't allow my twelve-year-old daughter get addicted to drugs."

"Mycroft always did like to play mum."

"Mum, legs feel heavy." Sam's voice broke their conversation.

Molly lifted the blanket covering Sam's legs. "You've got casts on. That's why they are bound to feel a bit funny."

"Do they have a colour?"

"Nope, they're plain white for now. They will probably add the colour on in a few days when you're in better spirits."

Sam started to cry. "I feel sick, Mum."

Molly stood up and started to wipe the tears out of her eyes. "I know, Sammy. If you need the sick bowl just let me know."

Sam nodded, feeling sleep hit her again.

"Just get some more sleep and I will wake you when we head to the ward."

"Okay, Mum."

As Sam fell back to sleep, Molly sat back next to Sherlock.

"You're so good with her," he whispered.

"I guess I'm just used to how she is after surgery."

"I wouldn't know what to do."

Molly patted his hand. "You will do. It takes time."

It wasn't long before Sam was back on the ward and in her own room. Waiting inside were her grandparents. Their relieved smiles greeted their granddaughter as she was brought in.

Mrs Holmes walked over and hugged her granddaughter. "It so good to see you."

"Love you, Grandma."

Mr Holmes walked up next and kissed her on the forehead. "Well done Sam. You're so brave."

"Thanks."

"You get some rest okay?"

"Yes, Gramps."

Mr Holmes walked back to his wife who was slowly picking up her things. "I think it's best we come back tomorrow so Sam can get some rest."

Molly couldn't help but feel so grateful. "Thank you for being here today and being here for Sam."

Violet Holmes walked over to her and gave her a hug. "There is no need to thank us. We are a family. We want to be here for you both."

"I'll get Mycroft to contact you when it's a good time to visit tomorrow."

"Thanks, Molly." Mr Holmes said.

After his parents left, Sherlock stayed for a few hours, not really knowing if he should stay or go; a part of him felt like he was in the way, but he knew it wouldn't be good if he left.

"I'm going to stay with her tonight," Molly told him when visiting time was over.

Sherlock listened but didn't say anything.

"You can come and visit her anytime tomorrow. Don't wait for a text just come over when you want to. That is if you don't have a case."

"Cases are on hold for a while. I will be here."

Sam was still not feeling great and slowly managed to eat a piece of toast. "Thank you, Sherlock, for being here."

"You're – welcome," Sherlock said as he left the room.

The nurse in recovery had been right about Sam having to have her cast changed, but over the next few days, Sam gradually started to feel better as her pain was being managed with the medication. Molly and Sherlock, apart from when he went home at night, rarely left her side. Until a phone call happened.

"Sam I've got a phone call from work. I just need to step outside an answer it."

"Okay. I'm going to have a nap."

Once she was in the corridor she answered. "Hi, Mike. Is everything okay?"

"Molly I am really sorry to do this with everything you have going on at the minute. But would you cover someone's shift as soon as possible? I wouldn't ask if we weren't desperate."

"I mean Sam is still in the hospital." Molly watched as Sherlock walked towards her as she made a quick second decision. "But someone is here and I'm comfortable for them to stay with her. I'll come right away."

"Molly, thank you so much. I really do owe you one."

"It's fine, see you in a bit."

"Who was that?" Sherlock asked as Molly pocketed her phone.

"Mike, he has asked me to go into work."

"And you're going in?" the detective asked.

"Yes, they have no one else who can go in. That's why he rang me."

"But what about Sam? Who's going to look after her?"

"You are," Molly told him.

"Me? But what do I do?"

"Just sit with her. Sam has a voice. If she wants anything she will tell you. But please make sure she keeps eating and drinking."

Sherlock looked at Sam through the small window in the door. "She still not eating?"

Molly shook her head, "No, and it's not like her. Normally all she wants to do is eat. I offered her chocolate, but she said no thanks."

"I take it she likes chocolate."

"I normally have to stop her from eating too much."

"She gets that from Mycroft."

Molly gave him a disapproving look. "She is having a nap at the moment. If she wakes up in pain let her call the nurse button because I'm almost sure she is due meds soon. Make sure she drinks even just a little bit, maybe every half hour. The machine started beeping last night; apparently she was dehydrated so they put her on a drip. Her oxygen levels were also low, so they had to give her an oxygen mask to help."

Sherlock looked at her with wide eyes. "Is she okay?"

"She's fine, Sherlock, just needs to eat and drink."

"But what if she needs anything else and I don't know what to do?"

"Then maybe deduct. Sam just likes having someone close by. If you see her reach out her hand it's because she just wants that little bit of reassurance. Okay?"

"Okay."

"I better let Sam know I need to head to work," Molly said walking back into the room.

Sam woke up and watched Molly pick up her stuff. "What's happening?"

"Mike called, love; I need to head into work quickly to do a shift. I won't be long, I promise. Sherlock's going to be here while I'm gone."

"Yes, I am," the detective said, taking off his coat and putting it on the back of the chair.

"Okay. Work hard, love you."

Molly laughed. "Love you too. See you in a bit." Molly turned to Sherlock. "See you later."

"If anything interesting happens in the lab, please inform me. I might need information for any potential future case."

"I will let you know."

After Molly left, Sam fell back asleep or at least what Sherlock hoped was sleep and not just his daughter ignoring him. He did as Molly asked, trying to get her to take small sips almost every half hour. But apart from that, he was board.

There was a part of him that wished he could be out on the streets of London solving a case, but he knew he needed to be here for now. It still bothered him that he hadn't seen anymore from The Woman, and that he still didn't know the passcode.

Before his thoughts got any deeper he watched Sam reach out her hand. For a moment he wasn't sure what to do. 'If you see her reach out her hand it's because she just wants that little bit of reassurance.' Molly's voice reminded him what to do.

He reached out and held her hand. "I'm here, Sam. I'm not going anywhere."

Sam smiled.

As he held her hand he drew invisible circles with his fingers on the back of her hand, not knowing if this was what Molly meant by reassurance. A figure at the window of the door caught his eye. He thought he imagined it, but he was sure Irene Adler had been standing there a minute ago. Without thinking he let go of Sam's hand and walked to the door.

There was no one there when he got to the door, and as he looked down the corridor they were empty. He needed to go investigate. Instead, he stepped back into the room. Turning round to look back at Sam her hand was no longer stretched out, but she was looking at him.

"Everything okay? Do you need to go like Mum did?"

"No, I just thought I saw – the nurse," he lied.

Sam gave him a sceptical look. "I'm in pain. Can I press the nurse's button?"

"Yes."

As Sam was about to push the nurse's button she looked back at him. "Would you sit with me again?"

Sherlock nodded, sitting down next to her.

"I like having you here. You're better company than Mycroft. You might not think it, but he constantly talks."

Sherlock smirked. "Does he try to bore the pain away by telling you about government work?"

"He does but it doesn't work."

When Molly came back after her shift she found Sherlock holding Sam's hand and both were fast asleep. It was the most rested she had seen them both in days.

Notes: So Irene's been at the hospital, but who is she here to see Sherlock or Sam. What do you think?

Comments and Feedback are always very much appreciated.

Thank you as always to goodshipsherlollipop for beta reading this for me. I really and grateful.