Hey you guys, I hope you're all having a good week. Before nI go on I just want to say thank you for all of your comments and support. I love reading every single one and they motivate me to keep writing so keep them coming.

Chapter 7

John stayed on with Sherlock after Greg had left to follow up a couple of leads. He could see Molly working on paper work in her office but her door was closed so it was as good as private for himself and Sherlock.

'So...you and Molly then..'

He saw Sherlock's forehead crease but he didn't look up from his scope.

'I know you have some kind of arrangement set up with her but I have to say the two of you look very...umm...comfortable around each other.'

Sherlock finally sat back and looked at him. 'Well good, that's the whole point. We need to look believable.'

'Yes, but are you sure this isn't something more Sherlock? I mean, this is the second time I've seen you in a fake relationship now and I have to say this one looks different.'

'Well you're hardly the most observant man on the planet...we've proved that on numerous occasions.' He changed the slide on the microscope but then paused. 'Different how?'

John leant the side of his hip against the table with his arms crossed. 'You look more relaxed for one; more engaged. You leant into her more and carried on looking at her after she'd finished kissing you and your expression didn't change when she moved away like it used to with Janine.'

He saw Sherlock thinking through what he had said. 'So it's more believable.'

'Yes but that's not what I'm saying. I'm saying it's different with Molly?'

Sherlock was about to spit out a denial but then he paused. He'd be lying if he said it wasn't different. Of course it was different, it was chalk and cheese different.

John stood and let his hands fall to his sides. 'It IS different isn't it. I knew it. Mary always used to say this would happen, she was convinced. I never was...well not until I heard you tell Molly you loved her...and now...well...'

Sherlock frowned again, cutting across John's ramblings. 'Mary said what would happen?'

'That you'd realise that you have feelings for Molly.'

'Well of course I have feelings for her, you know that. We're friends, I trust her, that's why I asked her to do this. But that is all this is...friendship.'

John tilted his head a little. 'Are you sure about that? Because I'm not.'

'No, but then you thought I was honestly proposing to Janine so let's not rely too heavily on your judgment hey!' He put his eye back to the scope and ignored all John's attempts at conversation but it had hit home a little.

The next day saw the case wrapped up by lunchtime which gave Sherlock plenty of time to pack and wait for the arrival of Mycroft's car. He and his brother were travelling separately as Mycroft was picking up their parents en route.

He sat in his chair in the front room and tried, yet again, to make sense of his feelings for Molly but it didn't seem to be getting any clearer. He felt as though in some ways he was heading into this weekend completely unprepared. His feelings and emotions seemed chaotic and out of control and he hated it...he hated not knowing what he should do for the best. He was used to dealing with cold, hard logical facts and none of this felt even remotely logical.

He was on the verge of ringing Mycroft and crying off from the whole event but the doorbell rang, indicating the driver had arrived and he found himself just picking up his weekend bag and making his way down the stairs.

MHMHMHMHMHMHMHMHMH

Molly on the other hand was stupidly excited about her weekend away, though with a tinge of nervousness about what she could expect from Sherlock's family. John had assured her that his mum and dad were lovely although his mother definitely wore the trousers in that relationship but everything Sherlock had told her about his aunt made her seem like an overbearing, dominant family matriarch.

She had packed way too much but she hadn't really asked Sherlock much about the family and their dress code but given how immaculately turned out he and his brother were she had made sure to pack a couple of nice dresses just in case.

The one thing she had asked about was gifts for the hostess but Sherlock had assured her she didn't need to worry about it. 'I've left Mycroft to buy whatever he deems as being fit from the both of us. In the past he's bought expensive wine to lay down so it will no doubt be more of the same.'

She stood waiting in the entrance to her flat until the car pulled up and then she lugged her suitcase down to where the driver stood waiting by the boot. He soon relieved her of the case and she assumed Sherlock mustn't have been picked up yet, given there was no sign of him but when the driver opened the rear door there he was sitting over the other side and studiously ignoring her as he texted on his phone.

She said a quick hi as she climbed in and received a grunt from him in response and then that was it for the next half an hour. Even when he put his phone back into his inside pocket he made no effort to talk to her, instead he just sat gazing out of the window.

Molly tried once or twice to engage him in conversation but he either blanked her or gave a monosyllabic answer and she found herself getting increasingly angry with him. She was here doing him a favour not the other way round so why was he being so obnoxious with her all of a sudden. She knew he was a moody bugger sometimes but she expected a bit more civility from him.

Meanwhile Sherlock knew he was being an ass and that he needed to snap out of it but he didn't quite know how to. His body was already reacting to Molly's proximity and he knew he wanted to kiss her and touch her but his mind was appalled. He felt backed into a corner with no way out. He couldn't call things off now, it was all far too late and yet he knew the danger that lay ahead of him. He was falling for Molly and to a man who had never expected to be emotionally attached to anyone in that way it was a more than scary prospect. He wanted to stay within his safe comfort zone even if that meant he was alone. He knew how to be alone but he didn't know how to be otherwise. John's friendship was the closest relationship he had ever had and whilst that had enriched his life there were no guarantees that being with Molly would do the same...and yet he wanted her.

It was an endless cycle of argument and counter-argument circling around in his head and he was barely aware of the time passing or of Molly's increasing frustration with his. That was, at least, until she not so lightly punched him on his arm. He turned his head and scowled at her.

'Are you going to talk to me at all this weekend because if not, I may as well go straight back home?'

He narrowed his eyes. 'I have talked to you. At least three times since you got in the car.'

'Barely. Do you still want me to come? I mean it Sherlock, if you've changed your mind just say and the driver can take me home after dropping you off.'

His heart lurched at the thought and prompted his mouth before his brain could engage. 'No...I still need you. I'm...sorry Molly, I was being rude. I was just caught up in the case we were just working on.'

He saw her visibly exhale and then she gave him a tight smile. 'Fine, is there anything I can help you with? Anything at all.'

His mouth ran dry for a moment as his traitorous thoughts considered asking her to straddle him and kiss him like she had after their night out but he shook them off and instead started to tell her about the case and how he had solved it.

They ended up spending the rest of the journey in animated conversation and neither of them noticed as the weather started to turn and the rain began to fall. It was only when the driver alerted them both to the fact that they were almost at their destination that they both looked outside. It wasn't particularly heavy but it made the sky look a lot darker and the day feel a lot later than it really was.

'Oh, look at the rain, it hasn't rained in weeks. I've missed it. I always love when we start getting into Autumn, all those cold nights and warm homes...Halloween and bonfire night.'

Sherlock was less looking out of the window now and more bemused and intent on looking at Molly's rapturous expression as she looked out at what to him just looked like damp and miserable countryside. Her expression faltered slightly though as they passed through the impressive wrought iron gates into his aunt's estate.

She turned to look at him with confusion and a bit of fear on her face. 'Hang on, where are we now?'

'My aunt's place, Rosings Manor. Her family have had this estate for over two hundred years. Mycroft will inherit it on her death and then who knows; it's not likely my brother will have any children hence my aunts determination to force me to have them.'

The car pulled up in front of an imposing yellow butter stone house which was similar in style to stately homes that Molly had visited with her parents in her youth. She felt completely overwhelmed and out of her depth.

'Y..you never mentioned anything about where she lived.'

'Why would I? Does it make a different?'

Molly turned her head to face him. 'Yes...dammit...yes it makes a difference. Look at this place Sherlock. I'm going to be so ridiculously out of my depth here. God, I should never have agreed to this.'

He could hear the open fear in her voice and couldn't help but feel a little confused by it but he reached out his hand and took hers hoping to calm her a little.

'Molly it's just a house and they're just people. It doesn't matter if they like you or not, or think you're posh enough or not. I like you...isn't that sufficient.'

She finally looked at him as he said those last words and he felt an unusual sensation wash over him; something akin to protectiveness. He wanted to make her feel safe and more than that...happy and that was a rare feeling for Sherlock.

Just then the driver opened the door and the two of them climbed out of the car and into the light rain fall. Molly looked around herself once more but Sherlock pulled her to him.

'Relax Molly, enjoy yourself.' He let his lips quirk up into a quick smile. 'You finally have me as a willing boyfriend, so make the most of it.'

With that he bent his head to hers and captured her lips in a slow kiss which ended up lasting a lot longer than Sherlock had initially intended it to. By the time they broke apart he found he wasn't feeling the cold anymore and Molly was grinning at him with droplets of rainfall catching in her hair. He found himself wondering if she had ever looked more beautiful. He was tempted to tell her but just then a second car pulled in behind their own and he could see Mycroft's disapproving face at the back window.

I can just imagine Mycroft's face…can't you? It would be a cross between him sucking on a lemon and chewing on a wasp.

So, they've finally arrived and the weekend is beginning and Sherlock is in over his head. Hope you're still enjoying it xx