Molly hoists her laptop bag higher up on her shoulder as she walks to her anatomy class. She was not feeling very excited to go to her favorite class today, as it was the anniversary of her dad's death and this was her little brother's first day of eighth grade. She knew he was fully capable of getting to school by himself, as he had for years, but she still felt sad in a motherly way that she didn't bring him. This was the first year they had not spent this day together, since last year it just worked out that it was the last day of summer for him. This was Molly's sophomore year of University, and she is pleased with her majors, but she has not made many friends. Who would want to be friends with a shy, introverted girl who desires to be a mortician and is the sole guardian of a twelve-year-old?
Sitting down in her seat she takes her laptop out and prepares it for notes. She looks around at her new classmates filing in for the first day of the semester. Out of the corner of her eye, she captures a mop of dark curls, and it triggers a memory going back to primary school. Molly quickly looks towards the sight and see the most handsome boy she has ever laid eyes on. His beautiful curls are paired with bright blue-green swirled eyes and the most porcelain of skin she'd ever seen. She gasps audibly which gets her a few dirty looks but gains the attention of the boy her mind has just allowed her to remember from primary school. Molly can feel her cheeks heat up as his eyes lie upon hers. She can see confusion, intrigue, and finally realization hit him as he very slowly takes his seat.
Molly tries very hard to pay attention but finds herself glancing over at him more than a handful of times, his gaze matching hers a few times. She can't help but smile at him, especially when his smile lights up the room and gives her butterflies.
When class is over, she purposely packs up very slowly as al the other students drain out of the room. She is bent down, zipping her laptop bag when she feels a tall figure looming over her. "M-Molly…" he stutters a bit and then clears his throat. She straightens up and is astounded at his height, looking up at him softly.
"Billy!? Oh my God it is you!"
He cringes a bit "Please, its Sherlock now. I'm…no longer a child."
"Sherlock. Right, okay. That's an interesting name, but it does suit you. How have you been? I nearly forgot about all our little adventures on the playground; playing doctor and detective. We were always different from the other kids." Molly giggles.
"Molly! Come on we have to solve the case of the lost shoe!" Billy giggles.
"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Molly runs after him, dropping down from the monkey bars. She joins him in the far corner of the schoolyard, examining a very dirty, very lost sneaker that may have been sitting there for months.
"Do they need a doctor for their foot if they don't have a shoe?"
"They might! They could have a lot of cuts on it, Molly. It's very serious."
She grins. "I'll be the doctor; I can fix up all the cuts on their foot."
Billy examines the shoe further. "It belonged to a kid our age, but he was really tall. He must have played a lot of sports without socks cause it's really smelly." He scrunches his nose.
Molly nods and watches him, smiling. "Maybe he was held back a year for failing maths?"
"Sound deduction, Miss Hooper!" he straightens his back, imitating his big brother, Mycroft.
Sherlock smiles fondly and handsomely down at her. "I remember that fondly, Molly. Surely not a coincidence that we both end up in a University anatomy class hm? Becoming a doctor as you've always dreamed?"
"Yes, with a specialty in forensic science and pathology."
"Impressive. Working with the dead, and possible crime scenes. You just may very well come in handy when I'm about solving murders all over the city. I hope we have an opportunity to convene together once we graduate."
"Detective Sherlock Holmes, eh? It has a really nice ring to it. You'll be incredible. Well... you've always been incredible. Even in like, third grade you could read people at the level of a grown adult, and more so. It's…awesome."
He blushes a bit and then grins. "I've only gotten better with age. I can tell that you are mourning a loss on this day, you looked sad and far away when you weren't turning your attention to figure out if I was in fact me. Mourning your dad most likely, as I have no doubt you would not be mourning your horrible mother going by your history..."
Little Molly Hooper sat at her desk in the back of the classroom, tears brimming her big brown doe eyes. She rubs her shoulder and whimpers sadly. Billy comes in and sits in his desk next to her. He's glad the teacher decided on alphabetical seating by last name. He turns to Molly and looks sad.
"Molly...you have to tell someone that your Mummy is hurting you… I don't like when you're hurt. How can I make you feel better?"
Molly sniffles and shows him the huge purple bruise that covers her shoulder, then the one on her side. "You can't do anything, and we can't tell anyone. If a grown-up knew, they would take me and baby Matty away and I'd never see my Daddy again when he comes home. Mummy says he's in a war and he won't be home for a while…but I don't want to never see him again, I love my Dad."
Billy tears up and gives her a really gentle hug. "Okay…I won't tell..."
Sherlock continues his deductions. "…You are worried about Matthew, although you know he is quite safe and a responsible human being, most likely because it's the first day of school that you are missing in conjunction with the date of your father's passing, and the fact that you are the only guardian he has. You are unattached, shy, lonely, worried about how others perceive you. You chose to wear a dress, which you are not accustomed to wearing, going by the fact that you keep awkwardly adjusting the sleeves and pulling the skirt down modestly when you sit. You used a dab of perfume to seem more feminine and attract the opposite sex, as to not seem so withdrawn and nerdy, however I think that's the best way to be. Intelligence is the best attribute one can have Molly, and I assure you that whoever you are meant for will absolutely realize that, and not care about the way you dress or what perfume you wear."
Molly gapes up at him in complete awe, her jaw slack and her cheeks red. Sherlock smirks at her. "Impressed, or turned on? I still fail find the difference in most situations."
"I-I..."
"Ah, both." He grins cockily.
"That was…absolutely superb."
His brow furrows. "That's a different word. I usually get irritating, rude, arrogant, piss-pot…the list goes on."
"I think it was amazing...you have such a unique and incredible talent, Bil-...Sherlock."
Sherlock turns red and looks around, unsure what to say. "Well…th-..ank you?"
"You're welcome. We should probably get to our next classes though. Do you want to meet up for lunch? Let's face it, neither of us has any friends."
"Friends? Of course I don't have friends, why would I have friends, have I ever had friends?"
Molly snorts and giggles a bit. Well, yes, I did have it in my mind back when we were eight that we were friends. We could be again if you like."
His eyes search her as if his deductions would give him an answer. Molly places a hand on his arm. "Let's just start with lunch then, hm?"
"Lunch. Alright."
"Half after noon work? I'll meet you at the café?"
Sherlock nods. "I'll see you there, Miss Hooper."
"I will see you there Mr. Holmes. I look forward to us catching up and maybe being confidantes again. It could work out for both of us." Molly beams.
Sherlock smiles softly and nods, placing a soft kiss to her cheek. His heart does flip-flops, an unexpected emotion he is not at all familiar with. Molly turns red as a tomato but smiles beautifully.
"I suppose I will be needing one, and I can't think of a better woman for the job."
"Needing one what?" she grins.
"You're really going to make me say it?"
"Absolutely. Now, off you go; say it."
"Okay, okay. I will most likely need a... friend. We will see what comes of it."
"Yes, we shall definitely see." Molly beams up at him.