Eventually, Molly managed to get some sleep. And he was strangely enough very restful.

The next morning, like every working day, she was woken by her alarm clock, which was much too loud. Carefully and with her eyes still closed, she groped for that annoying thing. But instead of her alarm clock she felt something soft. A grumble finally opened her eyes. Startled, she now looked at the sleeping body next to her.

"What the..." she whispered softly.

Molly straightened up a bit and rubbed her eyes incredibly.

'This must be a dream. This is not real' she thought to herself.

She pinched her arm and with a distorted face in pain she realised it was not a dream.

"What's Sherlock doing here?

Then suddenly she remembered that she had asked Sherlock to come over. Molly had had a strange encounter with Claire Fitzgerald last night and then received a very scary message from an unknown sender.

Sherlock stopped by shortly afterwards.

She had been grateful for his visit. She was a bit afraid to be alone because of that evening and the message. But she had not expected him to stay with her. For a moment a little smile appeared on Molly's lips as she thought about it. But then all the painful memories she associated with him suddenly came back to her. She had to be careful not to let him get so close to her and her heart again. After all, she wanted to forget him and be happy here in Ireland.

Carefully she bent over slightly and nudged the sleeping body lightly on the shoulder.

Another grumble.

"Sherlock?" she asked carefully.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm trying to sleep," he muttered in his deep voice.

"OK, but I mean, what are you doing HERE? In my bed?" she then asked. Still irritated that he had slept in the same bed with her that night.

And all of a sudden he opened his eyes in shock and straightened up with a jerk.

"Uh...uh... I apologize for that. I don't know how that happened" he replied quite surprised and gestured wildly with his hands.

Of course Sherlock knew how it happened. After she had fallen asleep on the couch, he had lifted her into his arms and put her to bed. Unconsciously, he had inhaled her sweet scent. Just before he was about to leave her house, he had thought about what it would be like to lie next to her. And before he knew it, he was already lying in bed next to her, watching every single inch of her. How her chest rose and fell gently with every breath. Her nostrils fluttering slightly as she breathed. She smiled in her sleep and Sherlock had to smile too. And then at some point he too fell asleep. It wasn't intentional and now he felt pretty stupid. After all, he couldn't really explain himself.

"Anyway, today I'm thinking about the file on Mrs Daly. I'll pick you up for this party tonight at half past six" he replied to her then, hoping to distract from the situation.

'Oh, yes, the party. Sherlock wanted to accompany me as my friend. But was it really such a good idea?' she mused.

After all, Molly wanted to finish off with Sherlock. She wanted to free herself from him and the thoughts of him. She wanted to forget him completely and once and for all. For far too long she had been under his spell and it didn't do her any good - except a broken heart.

"Sherlock. I don't think this is a good idea"

He turned around abruptly and stared at her questioningly.

"What do you mean exactly?"

"That... that you want to accompany me there as my boyfriend" she stammered slightly nervously and emphasized the words my boyfriend in particular.

"Aha, and what do you think I should be then?" he then asked. In his voice lay annoyance and something else. Was it disappointment?

"Maybe" she began "...maybe you shouldn't come at all. I can do the research on my own. You just instruct me in advance what to look for and I'll tell you everything" she explained to him.

Molly knew this was a stupid idea. Sherlock had a view for everything and saw things that others were blind to. But she was also afraid. Afraid of what would happen to her and her feelings if she got involved and took him to the party as her boyfriend. She wasn't sure but the words were spoken now.

Sherlock stood there motionless. He swallowed when he heard that she did not want him to accompany her. So Molly was actually planning to forget him. He felt a slight sting in the place where his heart should be.

But he also knew that he would not let Molly go there alone. After all, it was supposed to be a trap. And what if the murderer was after her? Then he would lose her once and for all. No, he couldn't let that happen!

"Sherlock?" Molly then asked, slightly surprised, after he hadn't said anything for a few minutes.

"Molly..." he whispered softly.

He took one short, deep breath before continuing.

"If this is supposed to be a feeling thing, I don't understand it... And by the way, we have a case to solve, so concentrate on it now and not on any feelings," he replied in an arrogant tone.

Molly looked at him with complete bewilderment.

And there he was again - the one and only Sherlock Holmes. The one who was completely unfamiliar with feelings and human nature. Of course, he was not himself the last few days. It had been just too good to be true' she thought and turned away from him disappointed.

But Sherlock was right too. There was a case and it had to be solved. Also so that Molly could be excluded as a suspect and finally start her new life in peace and quiet.

Meanwhile Sherlock noticed Molly's distraught and disappointed look. Of course he had heard what he was saying and it definitely didn't fit with his behaviour of the last days. What she didn't know, of course, was that her suggestion had hurt him, but he couldn't tell her that either.

Damn, what am I talking about? I'm certainly not going to be able to calm Molly down like this' he thought to himself and sighed inwardly.

Then he turned around and left her house as fast as he could. Sherlock knew he needed help with these things. After all, Molly was a very emotional person and he, he just wasn't.

He knew that if anyone could help him, it was John. He had to talk to John about it. That included telling him about the last days and what Molly had confessed to him on her last day. But he was also sure that John would know what to do. After all, all this with feelings was his area.