Hope you guys like Victorian Era... this is a long one but I really did enjoy writing it. Let me know or write a review in what kind of stuff you want me to write about. Open to suggestions.
The swish of dress skirts and petticoats had Sherlock raising his eyes from the report and looking to his landlady fussing about his flat. He didn't speak, just watched before he started to think about why she was doing this.
" , what and why are you doing?" He asked knowing that John was out and about town.
"You had that blasted telegram remember? The one that was making an appointment with you. Miss Hooper." Sherlock looked up, around the flat, looking for that paper she was referring to and saw it stabbed to the wall instead of the mantel. "She sent another that she was keeping the appointment just this morning. I came up here to tell you and saw how this place might give her the wrong impression of how professional you are." She fussed about once again.
Sherlock watched over her cleaning methods, drawing a line at the dusting of the bookcases. She can clean the tables and the desk as much as she wanted, but not his books. She went into the kitchen next and Sherlock took a moment to look at what he was wearing, thinking back to how many days he had been wearing it and he took a moment to get up and go into his rooms to change.
Once he came back out, in his dressing robes and his shirt buttoned all the way up and his clean trousers, Mrs. Hudson was gone, and he listened hard for her downstairs but didn't hear anything to show that the Miss Hooper was here.
Sherlock moved to pick up his violin, strumming and tuning it before starting to play something a bit upbeat. He heard the ringing of his bell and he stopped playing the moment and his client started up the stairs. He put the violin down, the bow as well before turning to address the two women now entering his company.
"Hello Mr. Holmes, I am glad you made time for me today." Miss Hooper came forward, holding out her gloved hand and while he started to deduce her right away, he kept his comments to himself and waved her to sit down.
"You did send for a reservation. I guess I should be flattered that you thought so much ahead." He said and watched as she bit the corner of her mouth before he looked to Mrs. Hudson as she called that she would get tea going.
"I don't know how to go about this…" Miss Hooper told him and she started to fidget with her gloves before pulling one off to wring around her hands. They sat in a slightly uncomfortable silence until Mrs. Hudson came back in, carrying a tea tray with milk and honey and sugar.
"Why don't you start with who you are worried for." Sherlock told her after she had her first sip.
"My mother." She said and moved forward on her chair, setting her tea down before going back. "She's been well off since my father passed years back… and she's recently remarried, and all of a sudden she has been sick more often than not. I went to see her just before I sent the first telegram." She paused and did a double take seeing it on the wall. "I stayed there until just yesterday. She had been sick for over three weeks, and she didn't start getting better until I made my visit." She told him and Sherlock mulled over the obvious wondering why she needed him.
"And why do you need me?"
"I need you to find the proof. I know it's my stepfather. Beyond a doubt, but my mother is in love with the idea of him, she doesn't see the real vile things that I did within the past two weeks. Like I said, she got better when I got there, so I never saw him do or put anything to her." She said and he nodded once again. "I knew the way he was sending me off, all happy and proud, he was going to try and make her sick all over again." She felt the words catch in her throat and she took a deep calming breath.
"If you know… why not tell your mother?" Sherlock asked before taking two long gulps of his tea before putting it down.
"I raised suspicion but… also, like I said, she is enamored with him." Miss Hooper sighed and Sherlock watched her worry play out, she grabbed her glove once again, twisting it and he saw something red flash on her palm and he stood before holding out his hand. She looked confused so he leaned down and grabbed her hand, twisting it until he could see the thin blisters forming on her palm and he ran a finger over it, feeling her jerk back from the pain.
"How would you like me to proceed Miss Hooper?" He asked after letting her hand go.
"For you to pay a visit and prove me right." She said looking at him like it was obvious, but he just sighed and moved around so he could circle her.
"You are singular right Miss Hooper, no fiancee or love interest?" He asked her and she stuttered out the resounding no. "Might I ask, who you live with, an aunt, cousin?" He asked and watched her gulp before she shook her head.
"That is besides the point Mr. Holmes. I just need you to find some kind of proof. My mother doesn't live more than a days train ride, I can pay for our fair-"
"Don't think me daft Dr. Hooper. I know who you are. I know who you pretend to be." He cut her off at the knees and he noticed how she started to panic. "And your secret is safe with me. But I need to know. How do you plan on me convincing your mother of any kind of proof I find. Afterall, I am no one to you, nor her." He waved her theory away before he started to pace the floor.
"Are you going to report me?" She asked looking up at him now, making eye contact as he paused.
"For what? Following your dreams?" He asked her before shaking his head. "I think that this… plan of me just going to find proof, it needs to be adjusted. I think that your mother needs to trust me, and you more than she trusts her new husband." He wasn't making any sense to her but she just waited for his ideas to become clear.
"Any more tea dears?" She heard Mrs. Hudson before Sherlock er… Mr. Holmes ever spoke again.
"No thank you." Molly waved it off and and sent the elder woman a soft smile before she looked around to see Mr. Holmes looking out the window. "Mr. Holmes? Are you quite alright? You've been quiet for a long time." She spoke now, and it seemed to snap him out of what was going on inside his mind.
"Yes. Just thinking through my plan, all the scenarios." He told her before returning to his chair and bouncing his knee before he took a deep breath. "This is going to sound mad, but to insure that your mother survives and your stepfather is put into a correct jail… I say we trick them." He said and she looked a bit more confused than before.
"And how would I do that Mr. Holmes?" She asked tilting her head just a bit and Sherlock clapped his hands.
"You mean we." He saw the moment it started to sink in before he leaned forward. "We… Miss Hooper, are going to convince your mother that we are getting married. You must send a letter straight away that you met a man on the train." He told her and moved to get some papers for her in a shuffle before going to get the letter ready.
"Why? She will not believe it." She stammered out, hoping that he wasn't really suggesting that they fake an entire courtship. She could not ask for that kind of attention. She couldn't parade around being Mr. Holmes first ever interest.
"Of course she will. You will send her letter after letter everyday. Telling her things that sound like I am the perfect man for you. Don't use any names as of yet, and the next time that she becomes ill we will both be worried, we will both head out there, ready to go and spend some time in the country." He said it like it was simple and easy.
"I can not just lie to my mother. If she thinks that I have found a man, she will start wedding planning. She will go out and buy baby things. When she finds out this was just ot prove her husband-"
"Miss Hooper, this can either end bad in two different ways. One… your mother does become very mad when she finds out this is all a sham, or she-" He stopped himself, realizing she knew where he was going with this. He sat there, watching her come to terms with his plan and then she nodded.
"May I have those papers?" She asked and he put them in her hand, grabbed the pens around the flat before she turned to write down exactly what she knew her mother would believe.
Dearest Mother,
You would not believe what has happened. On the train ride home a man that was sitting around my area started to make easy conversation. Apparently his best friend is getting married and he wanted to know what is and isn't okay to say as a best man speech in front of other women.
I helped him just a little and it seems like he is a real gentleman. Even helped me get my bag into the carriage home. He's asked me for my company when he returns to London in a couple days.
I told him yes. He was very charming in the most shy ways. I have to tell you that I am nervous. It might ruin everything for me. But something just feels so right with talking to him.
Your loving doting daughter,
Molly
She signed her name and started to fold the paper before pausing. "Are you sure this is going to work?"
"I would have never suggested it if I didn't think it through." He told her with a small smile. "Trust me, this is why you came to me Molly." He said her name softly, hoping that the sound would make her relax, and she did.
"Okay." She continued to crease the paper. He stood and gently took it from her hands.
"If you will just give the address, I can have someone sent out right away." He told her stuffing it into an envelope. He watched her write out her mothers name. Watched her hesitate. "Think of it like this… lie to her and save her. Or always be worried for her." He told her before turning. All he had to do was look down the street, then the other way before going back inside. A runner would be here within moments and Sherlock would have sent him on his way.
He finally came back upstairs, noticing the redness in Molly's eyes and she quickly stood and said her thanks before rushing out of the house.
Two days later she was back, wondering what to do with her mother's response and Sherlock happily told her about personal things that she can tell her mother. True things that wouldn't be an issue later on since he was so sure that would come up once they took the leave and visited.
They sent it out the same way, and this time Molly stayed for a little longer, actually interested in Sherlock's life. John had been updated in their rouse and suggested that Sherlock learn things Molly had done in her life, such as her father, her real one, and how everything affected her.
Sherlock and John both had to console her when she reached the point of no return with the tears.
Between meetings about her mother, she still worked at the morgue in disguise. No one mentioned anything, and even Sherlock found it hard not to talk to her like he knew her. Or rather him when she was working.
Molly and he had shared more than just history, they had shared laughs and memories and he found himself wanting to talk to her every time he saw her. And when she started to come over more frequently, more on the chance of him inviting her to see some of his experiments after work, he always saved the most exciting for when she would be available.
It was a good three months of letters before Molly came rushing to his flat one morning. Her hat wasn't even on correctly when she rushed up the stairs calling his name. He had pulled his dressing robe closed and met her at the top of the stairs.
"She wrote… she said that she has been sick for the past month but did not want to worry me. She said that she is worse than ever before and felt horrible for keeping it from me." She started to sob as she handed him the letter and he took it, pulling her into his arms and trying to calm her.
He shouted for Mrs. Hudson to bring tea and something for Molly to eat. "Sherlock, what am I to do? If she is worse than ever how will she stay-"
"Don't you think about that right now Molly. You stay right here. I will go and pack for a weeks trip. We will go back to yours and we will get what you need before heading there straight away. There isn't a moment to lose." He told her as he heard Mrs. Hudson hurrying up with the rattling dishes. He didn't realize what he was doing until his lips landed on her forehead. He gave it a peck, rubbed her shoulder before turning and rushing into his room.
He grabbed a travel trunk before setting it on the bed. He grabbed his formal attire and added sleepwear before he went to his shoes. He placed an umbrella that oddly reminded him of his brother before going for his thick jacket. He walked back through dressed and ready to go before he saw John.
They didn't talk much, and Molly was being patient in that sense. It wasn't until she felt a tug did she realize he was trying to talk her into standing. "We need to be going." He told her and she blushed before nodding and heading down the stairs.
She got a carriage home with Sherlock watching the streets. He was surprised to see that she already had a bag near the door with her lady things inside and he helped her get it to the carriage.
She stepped back inside and the driver was off to the train station. They got two tickets, and the entire three hour ride she had started to twist her gloves in her hand again.
Sherlock let her fret over this and only intervened when he heard her hiss in pain and drop the glove. "Give me those." He held out his hand as she started to do the same thing to her other hand. He grabbed her hand, looked over her blisters once more before taking her left hand in this to stop her from hurting herself again. "Things will be fine Molly. We will get there, I will introduce myself, you will take care of your mother… it just occurred to me that I didn't ask if your mother had staff that might know of something." He paused and turned to her.
"My mother might be well off since my father's passing but she believes in keeping house herself. She doesn't do much but clean and cook. My stepfather is also a doctor. Not a good one or he would be well off as well with as many children that are in the town I grew up in." Molly rambled on about how her mother was particular about how she dusted and did laundry. Calming herself with stories of getting in trouble for getting the newly clean sheets all muddy by playing with her dog.
The ride seemed to pick up around that time. Two more long anxious stops and they were in her hometown of Manchester. The got out of the station in record time, hailed a carriage and as Molly started to fret again, Sherlock grabbed her hand, letting her play with his fingers and squeeze his hand every now and then.
The got to the home of Dr. Lewis Armstrong and as he got their bags she ran up and started to bang on the door. He was just getting to the top of the 10 stairs when the door opened. "Molly-"
"Where is my mother?" She asked passing the man and pushing the door open wide for Sherlock to come through.
"She is out in her gardens. Shall you sit while I bring her in. I am sure she will want to know why you are here." He told her and waved her to the sitting room, but he kept his eyes on Sherlock as he said his parting words.
She started to pace as he put the suitcases down and closed the front door. He stayed standing and when he heard rustling about coming from the way her stepfather went he gathered Molly in his arms and whispered that she had to calm down.
"My Molly." They both looked up and saw what seemed to be a haggard woman hanging on tightly to her husband and he heard Molly's breath hitch before she took a deep breath.
"Momma." She walked towards her, making sure Sherlock didn't hold her any longer. It felt way too real to be in his arms. "You should have told me you felt worse." She hugged her mom tightly, swaying only slightly when her mother seemed to pull away and fuss over Molly's hair. "Mom, this is Sherlock… he's the man that has been mentioned in my letters. We were set to have breakfast this morning and when I told him what was going on he insisted on bring me out here since I was getting so worried."
"You always worry too much." Her mother moved from holding her husband to leaning against Molly for support as she looked over Sherlock. "Very pleased to put a name and a face to my daughters love. You are all she writes about. She says you're as smart as a whip." She held out her hand and Sherlock smiled at both mother and daughter fondly before leaning in and giving her hand a light kiss.
"I would hope so. Yet your daughter is smarter than I can ever hope to be." Sherlock replied and was glad to see Molly blush under the compliment. "Mrs. Armstrong I hope you don't find em too forward in our meeting-"
"Pish posh I have been waiting long enough to meet the only man to turn my daughters head. She speaks of you so often in her letters it feels as though I have already met you. Now, how about we sit down and you start to call me Agatha." She moved to her chair and Molly helped her get comfortable before she nodded to Sherlock to sit on the two seater and she joined him.
"Dr. Armstrong I hate to ask this and be so forward but it seems that Molly, in her worries to get here, has given herself some horrible blisters, might you have a wrap to keep the swelling down?" Sherlock asked since Molly put her hand facing up so the blisters in question did not touch her dress.
"How many times have I told you not to twist your gloves?" Her mother pestered as her stepfather simply walked away.
"I know momma." Molly bowed her head before looking down at her hands. "Sherlock here has taken them from me every time I start to get nervous. Hates that I give myself blisters." She smiled at him since he really had been doing that as of late and he just sent her a smile in return.
"And Sherlock… what is it that you do?" Her mother started her questions right away. And Sherlock answered them all, truthfully. He saw the worry on her stepfathers face when he started to elaborate on what he could tell from just seeing Agatha alone.
"For instance, if I may be so bold, you didn't dress yourself this morning. I could tell when I saw your back strings that they were tied straight, as for Molly's they are slightly turned up to the right since she is right handed. I can tell that you had wheat toast with butter and marmalade jelly for breakfast, yet just a small amount. You only have so many crumbs. I can tell that you are deeply worried about your daughter being worried because you keep sending her reassuring smiles." He listed just a couple things more and was glad to see that Molly's mother was not at all insulted by what he was finding out.
"Smart as a whip indeed." She smiled at him and leaned forward. "Do you love my daughter Mr. Holmes?" She asked just like Sherlock could tell she wanted to.
"Very much so." He looked from her mother to Molly before he saw her breath hitch and she blushed.
"Plan to love her and cherish her?" She asked again and Sherlock tore his eyes away from Molly's to focus on Agatha. There was something in her tone that he had to note wasn't okay. But he nodded to her, giving her the truth and reassuring her that this was real.
"Excuse me." Molly stood up, hearing her mother's tone and seeing the tears well up in her eyes was not something she needed to see. She rushed from the room, heading to the kitchen and trying so hard not to cry.
"Would it be alright if-" Sherlock wanted to get up and rush after her but he knew that this was someone else's home, someone who Molly might want to talk to more.
"Lewis will see to her coming back in, go on." She smiled at her new husband and he nodded before trotting off like a good boy.
"You plan to marry my daughter Mr. Holmes?" Agatha asked right away.
"Only is she agrees." He told her and something inside him shifted at the thought of Molly being his real and true wife.
"Then I am sure you will need to know that she isn't just some random woman-"
"On the contrary Agatha, I know everything about Molly, including her work." It was a good thing that Molly had told him about her mother supporting her through the whole fake man doctor thing because he was delighted to see how surprised her mother was.
"And you don't think it is wrong?" She asked and he laughed lightly.
"She is the only one worth the job in London. I can say that with certainty." Sherlock smiled wide and she gave him a wider smile in return.
"So you love my daughter, you approve of everything she does, and you plan to cherish her. Sounds like you are here for more than just her comfort." She stated and Sherlock found that he did want to move a step forward.
"I am actually not sure if Molly would approve of me asking for permission. It would be like me ordering her food for her." Agatha threw her head back and laughed at the thought before sighing and nodding. "But I would love to have your approval. I have always been told that i am not a man a lot get along with, and even my older brother said that it would be a miracle if any family would bless my marriage to their daughter." He added and she smiled sweetly at him.
"We shall talk. I hope you don't mind that my daughter might ask you to stay with in our home until she is sure I am on the road to better health." She told him and he just nodded and brushed away the worry.
"I am curious as to what might be causing your illnesses, Molly says that she was out here the day we met because you were sick." He shot for the historical backup that Molly had told him.
"Yes, I find it assuring that she has told you all about this on the way here."
"I wish to be of some help. Maybe there are nearby things in the environment that are disagreeing with your body." Agatha went on to confirm every question he had and by the end he reached the same conclusion Molly had. This was her husbands doing. Now just to find proof.
Molly had come back in some time ago, sitting next to him and happily adding in her thoughts and he could tell the doctor was starting to get worried. Yet he didn't step in until Agatha had yawned loudly. He dismissed Molly's worry and told her that he would get his wife up to bed for her afternoon resting period. Molly had waited for them both to be gone before looking towards Sherlock and waiting.
"Just as you thought." He told her shortly before seeing her stepfather come back in for Agatha's shoulder wrap. "She will be well later on?" He asked the man, finally addressing the man he knew didn't like to be left out of conversation.
"She always enjoys her night walks." He told them before going towards where he had left his wife. He heard them both go up the stairs before he stood and held out his hand for Molly.
"Let's go check out the kitchen." He rushed her, only stopping when she started to lead. Sherlock took to lighting the stove and smelling the spices before looking around for anything ingestible before looking around. "What does your mother do everyday without fail?" He asked looking to see if she always ate something, or touched something.
"Her garden. She goes out there every morning and every night." Molly told him and Sherlock turned his head in thought before she realized that she would have to show him. "Come." She held out her hand that didn't have the blisters and dragged him to the back yard. He saw nothing at first as they walked down a path, he tripped over a large rock and she giggled at him before slowing their pace to a quick walk.
He came across what he could only describe a forest of different flowers, some roses, other lavender, saw tulips and lilies and his mind whirled at the different flowers growing all around. "How does she keep them all alive, they are all mixed around and they all need different amounts of sun." Sherlock looked at Molly who giggled one again.
"You could say that my mother has a green thumb." She told him before walking around the flowers and smelling some with gusto. She always loved the smell of a fresh yellow rose. She took one from the bush and inhaled deeply before turning and blushing as she saw Sherlock watching her with. She had seen his look more often now than ever before. Sometimes it was when she had been at work, others it was when she was at his flat, cooking dinner or telling him more about her father or mother. "Why do you keep looking at me like that?"
"How am I looking at you Miss Molly?" He asked coming forward just a bit, looking nowhere but her face.
"Like you are happy, but not just happy. I don't know." She blushed a deep red and Sherlock smiled and leaned down to take the rose from her grip before smelling it himself before he stepped forward and while pushing her hair from her neck he folded the flower into her hair and she smiled wide.
"Maybe… just maybe, because I am happy. Happy to be here with you. Happy to finally put this to the back of your mind and save your mother. Happy that this case is finally getting solved." He stopped talking when her face suddenly fell and she looked down. "Happy, to help you out. To get to know you. To finally enjoy your company and not have you worry about Agatha." He grabbed her hand, ran his finger around the blisters before he rubbed over her bare left hand.
For a split second he imagined his grandmothers ring there, but he put that to the back of his mind when out of the corner of his eye he saw something out of order. "What?" Molly noticed his change immediately and looked around the roses. He pushed through a couple of bushes before grabbing what looked like a berry. "What are those?"
"Poison if ingested." He told her before looking at the small plant that looked like it was hidden from view if you weren't looking for it. "Have you ever eaten one?" He asked her before standing back up.
"No, I didn't even know that she was growing those." Molly shook her head and as Sherlock made his way back to her she saw him smoosh the berry and let it drop to the floor.
"You need to ask her Molly. It's Nightshade. Creates purple flowers. And it seems that some parts of this bush have been picked. If we find some in the house, we squish and threw them out. If I catch your stepfather coming out to pick more… we have our proof." Sherlock said and moved to offer his clean hand to her.
"What if we can't find the berries inside?" Molly's voice almost broke, and Sherlock leaned down slightly and kissed her temple.
"Then we stay here until he tries to pick more berries." Sherlock told her and as soon as they got to the other end of the backyard he pulled her into a hug. "She must be worse than last time." He commented when she started to cry into his chest. She nodded against him and he rubbed over her shoulders and mid back before kissing the top of her head again.
"Last time she only had mild pain in her legs, but now she can't even walk normally. She looks so underweight. Her eyes say happiness but her entire being screams suffering." She whispered against him and he tightened his hold. The wind picked up and he looked above to see dark clouds rolling in.
"We should get back before it starts to rain." He told her softly before holding her tighter for just a few more seconds and then turning with her still tightly under one arm heading back to the house.
They got there, saw the house was still empty on the first floor. Molly told him that they should get their rooms settled and while Sherlock was a bit worried about not being able to be with Molly all night and make sure that her step father didn't try any funny business.
Before Noon came around her had already sent a letter to his brother asking for a package to be delivered and one to John to not worry because he was with Molly and her case was coming to a close. He had also added that he didn't know how long he would be with her but he would take all the times he needs to make sure that they have all the proof to see to a fast arrest and speedy trial.
He went back downstairs after refreshing and Molly and her mom were talking away about what she wanted to do now that Molly was around and she started to ask more about Sherlock, and as he deduced certain things about Molly's mother he kept them to himself, even if they weren't all bad.
Sherlock helped set the table, laughing at the small memories mother and daughter were tossing out for his benefit. He helped moved the food on the platters into the dining room. Lewis was called in, and Sherlock took notice that he seemed too high and mighty to help with meals so he waited on his sick wife.
He, Molly and Agatha took their time with their meal, and Sherlock enjoyed getting to know every new aspect of Molly, even if it wasn't who she was anymore. Her mother described her as shy and smart, and while Molly was stil, smart Sherlock knew for a fact she had overcome her shyness since she was outspoken in both her role as a woman in mans company, and as her fame male pesona.
After dinner Sherlock had the honor to help Agatha back to her garden, making sure that she was bundled up as was Molly.
Sherlock and Agatha talked about him for the next two days, about his family and his work. Then the package came and he asked Molly to have a minute alone.
"Agatha, I want you to know that I do love your daughter so much. I love her and she loves you. You're very important to her, and with you knowing that. I have to ask you something." He gave a pause and Sherlock saw her face calm. "Do you know how your husband is making you sick?"
"Lewis would never…" She paused as she looked away.
"You're a very smart woman, Agatha. You know as well as I do that every time Molly visited you when were sick, only to get better as she was caring for you. Only to get sicker once she left again. He has been giving you something, slipping it to you somehow." Sherlock told her and she bit her lip and he saw tears in her eyes. "Like I have said… I love Molly, and yes she is concerned about your sickness and why it keeps coming back. Something sounded off to me the train ride home the first day." He said but her mother just started to work her jaw.
"She knows as well doesn't she." It wasn't a question. But a remark.
"Yes, she told me on the train ride here." A little fib never hurt anyone. Sherlock mused that she was taking this all in, wondering.
"Have you figured out how he is doing it?" She asked him and he shook his head. "How about what he is using?"
"Nightshade Berries. They are hidden under some roses and carnations in your garden."
"Berries you say? Black?" She asked and he nodded. "He likes to make this flavored water every Sunday. It has black berries and mint. Delicious but that is the only thing that he has ever made me." She told him and Sherlock nodded before smiling.
"Good thing tomorrow is Sunday. Ask him to make it, I will catch him making it with the poisonous berries." He told her and reached for her. "And when this is all cleared up… I want to give Molly this." Sherlock reached into his pocket, pulled out the pouch and let her open it on her own.
"Sherlock… she is going to love it." Agatha told him before he noticed tears falling from her eyes and he sat there for a moment not sure what to do but then he got up and walked towards his almost mother in law and grabbed the ring and pouch before giving her his hand to hold.
"I want to make your daughter the happiest woman in the world." He reassured her when she asked about her getting better. "I will do everything my power to make sure that you get better." He promised and she stood up quickly, pulling him into a hug.
He was awkward with affections but he knew he was getting better at it. Molly came back in with tea and sat curled into Sherlock's side as her mother read aloud. The next day sherlock was up early, planning on helping with breakfast, and in under a half hour he caught Lewis red handed making a jar of juice for all of them.
The cops were sent for right away. Lewis got sent away for a long time, Agatha was getting better each passing day, and while Sherlock did want to ask Molly right away he chickened out. They went back to London three weeks after they had left and things stayed the same, except that Molly wasn't worried about her mother any longer, she was hanging around him and John and Mary for pure fun.
It wasn't until a month after they had returned that he found himself alone in her company, and everything just felt right. He had here sitting next to him, Mary had just went into the kitchen and John had followed to help her.
"Molly...can I ask you something?" Sherlock asked and she nodded and turned to face him before he reached into his pocket. "I have had this since the day I have met your mom. And she was super happy. And I want to make you just as happy. And the only way I can think about that is how I want to make you happy everyday." Sherlock opened the pouch and grabbed her hand to drop the ring into hers. "And I want you to make me just as happy. I would like to ask you to marry me. To be my wife." He told Molly and watched as her breath hitch.
"Sherlock." She gasped and raised her other hand before touching the ring and looking up to him. "Yes." She nodded and he leaned in and sealed his lips to hers and when he pulled back he put the ring on her finger as fast as he could.
"I cannot wait to make you Mrs. Holmes." He whispered as he leaned his head on hers and she looked up.
"I think I want to quit my job. Uit being the man, and if you can manage it, I can work on your cases, sort of like your own personal pathologist. That way I don't have to pretend anymore." She told him and he looked mildly concerned and she gulped wondering if he wanted to quit altogether.
"You don't have to give that up for me. I am sure that we can find ways around such things- I would never ask you to give that up." Sherlock captured her chin, making sure she understood what he meant.
"But what about when I am with child? Surely someone will notice. Someone will say something-" He cut her off with a quick peck and he drew her close.
"We shall talk more about this another time. Maybe when we have worried over the actual wedding Molly. I don't want you to give up what you have worked so hard for without thinking more about it. This isn't a rash decision." He told her and brought her into his arms and she giggled lightly.
"I am sure it is you how needs to think about this Sherlock. For I have been imagining what and how this would all play out since you first walked me home. After you knew who I actually was. I had already fallen half way in love with you and your acceptance." She told him and he captured her hand, turning it so he could kiss her palm and then before he could open his mouth to tell her that he needed time to think about her giving p her entire dream, he heard the screech of happiness coming from Mary watson as she cheered on her new friends engagement.
But he knew deep down that they would figure things out. Afterall if this is what else could make her happy, then he would do it in a heartbeat.