Chapter 2 Another suitor
AN: Not beta-ed. My dear readers. English is not my first language. Please forgive me for any mistakes I made. If you can manage to let that slip, enjoy the story.
The door closed with a bang.
The two man still standing near the exam table looking confused. The giggles and the running footsteps of the man and Molly faded away. Then John came to his senses. "WHAT?" John exclaimed. He looked at Sherlock. "What the heck was that. Who was that man? And why did Molly run off with him? That man is a bloody killer and she just smiled at him, jumped into his arms and then ran off with this 'psychopath'" the last word spitted out.
Sherlock looked at John. Then he swallowed, meanwhile blinking his eyes as if that would help his brains to start to work again. John, now accustomed to this, waited till his friend recovered from the shock this certainly has caused. He really wished that he was as clever as Sherlock and saw all the answers in front of him, but alas. He had to wait 'patiently'. It took at least a minute before Sherlock responded although in John's opinion it took longer.
"Well, John," Sherlock swallowed, "I can say Molly's secret has come to light."
"Secret?" John exclaimed. "What secret? That Molly fancies psychopaths (remembering Jim but not mention him, that would be too painful) and she loves them? That she agrees with their lifestyle and killing? No, no, no, you have to convince me because I don't believe you. Molly is the most gentle woman I know. Caring. She couldn't live with such a person or have such a person as her friend. It would break her heart." John sighed.
"Not only that John, but didn't you notice her demeanour changed? You know how she always reacted shy, always self-effacing. Now she stood up against the man, telling him twice he was rude. Ordering that if she would go with him that they would be back within 5 minutes, whatever that means. She made him confess that he was rude and he admitted that he had made a mistake with that woman 'Rose' what took a whole year, whatever that means. Then she jumps into his arms, embracing him and looks at him as if he's the most important man in the entire universe. I don't know John. I'm sure you know that I know that she has a crush on me but compared to him, I'm nothing. Didn't you notice? She introduced us as guys. Not men, just guys. She even didn't look at me the way she always looks at me. With admiration. Now it was completely gone. I was just degraded as a guy. (When he got home he really should think about that. Molly's admiration gone? Would he mind? Of course he wouldn't mind. Would he? Confusing. Not now. Busy.) The only thing I noticed that the man is extremely dangerous, a killer. I noticed you noticed that yourself. But she ran off with him. Voluntarily."
"Any idea how they became acquainted?" John tried to become calm but his mind was spinning.
"I believe she must have met him when she was a teenager. She said that it was fifteen years ago. Then according to the man's age he must have been a teenager too. But that doesn't make sense does it. They recognized each other immediately saying that she gained weight and he still was skinny. But he claimed it was a hundred years ago, give or take a few years. (Code?) And then the fact that the man had seen war. I'm impressed John. You saw it immediately. A warrior. But to be honest John, this whole meeting didn't make any sense. I really have no idea."
Despite everything what happened, John smiled because of the compliment. Praise from Sherlock. Very rare. Then he focused again on the disappearance of Molly. "Is there something we can do?"
"What can we do? Mycroft? Ask the footage of the CCTV and see in what direction the pair (pair? They weren't a pair, were they?) took off? Maybe he took her for a lunch or a field trip or to see a dead body. He calls himself the Doctor but I don´t think for a moment he is one. Not like you. And just as I said, she left voluntarily.
The last words just left Sherlock's mouth or the door swept open and another man ran into the room. Also young and good looking.
Sherlock immediately deduced the man. Young. In his thirties. Short brown hair, roguishly stuck-up here and there. He wore a grey-blue RAF greatcoat with brass buttons, also ankle-length. A dark blue shirt, blue-grey trousers, suspenders and caterpillar boots. (Why was he wearing WO-II uniform?) But the thing that really caught Sherlock's eye was the belt holster immediately knowing it wasn't there for show. He saw his eyes and noticed that this man also had seen war just as the former stranger. Not just seen, also participated. Also a warrior. Also dangerous. This man would also kill you in a heartbeat. The man looked concerned.
"Molly Hooper?" the man asked, authority not quite hidden in this question.
When he didn't see Molly but just the two man, his face changed from concerned into flirtatious. A very big smile appeared, showing a lot of white teeth. "Hello, I'm captain Jack Harkness" he said in a flirtatious way, offering his hand first to John in the meantime letting his eyes floating over John's and Sherlock's body and John could definitively tell that the man liked what he saw.
Then Molly ran into the room. "Jack, stop it." Her voice ordered obedience.
"I'm just saying hello" His voice sounded a little pouted, turning around to face Molly, his coat also sweeping around.
"Yeah, I know you do. But to you that's flirting. Now, leave those poor men alone. John has married a lovely woman and Sherlock is not interested at all."
John heard the 'asexual' when he heard one and he never thought that she would bring that up. He instantly figured out that she tried to protect them. John looked at the man and certainly knew that that man was capable of sleeping with everybody he wishes to sleep with. The man definitively was unisexual. His body poured out a lot of pheromones and then his smile. He knew for certain that a) though he wasn't gay b) and he was married, that without a doubt c) that man certainly could lure him in. (WHAT?) Where the heck came that thought from. He wouldn't go sleeping with a stranger, especially male, just because he was good looking. But man, that man was lethally charming! Even Sherlock seemed under his spell.
Then Sherlock blinked, as if to wipe away some dirt on his eye lenses. 'The man was American. She was introduced to him by that Doctor'. But then Sherlock saw a second inexplicable scene. Molly smiled at the man, wrapping her arms around him. That smile was identical to the one she gave the Doctor.
'Why would she do that? But more important, where did she come from? She just ran off with that Doctor'. Then he noticed. (why didn't he see it immediately. He couldn't have been derived by that man now, could he?) Molly's clothes. They were different. She wore different clothes. 'She changed in five minutes? No, that's not possible'. There was something with her hair too. Her ponytail was placed a little lower. 'No, you can't do that within five minutes, can you? Not with the long hair Molly has'. Then he noticed a little scar in her neck. That wasn't there five minutes ago and this scar seemed to be at least a few months old. And then that guy. (Now he was starting to think like Molly, where did that 'guy' came from, definitively a man). 'The man had been concerned. Why? And why was this man important to her, just as that other man. It seemed that Molly wiped him and John out of her system. (he wasn't jealous, was he? No, definitively not. not? Not now, I'm busy).
The flirtatious look had disappeared for most part as Molly introduced him to them.
Though Jack's smile probably still could illuminate half the city street lights it wasn't as dangerous as his first appearance. This smile seemed more genuine from friend to friend.
"I'm honoured to meet Molly's friends" he said, shaking their hands. "Doctor John Watson and Sherlock Holmes. The two most amazing persons in the whole galaxy."
Molly slapped his arm and gave him a look Sherlock immediately interpreted as 'hold your mouth, you're telling'.
'What was going on? Now it happened again. John had been introduced as John Watson and Jack said 'doctor John Watson'. And what about 'the whole galaxy'.
Jack stopped and said with a smile: "Molly, I just came here because I heard our friend would pay you a visit and I was afraid that he would take you away from me. You know, I can't let you go. We need you. But then again, when or if you would leave, you would be brilliant."
"She is!" The voice startled the four people in the room. They hadn't noticed that the door had opened once again and that the Doctor had entered the room. The Doctor walked over to Molly and put his arm around her shoulder. "She faced Davros and she said to stick it somewhere. She stopped him."
"What" exclaimed Jack, shock on his face. "Really?" facing Molly, an admiring look upon his face after hearing this news. "Wow. Brilliant." Then he looked over to the Doctor and said: "Doctor, you certainly choose your companions well." First Rose and then Donna and now our Molly. Then a thought came to mind and he raised his eyebrows and looked at the Doctor. "But I thought he died. He must have died. Or couldn't the meta-crisis kill him because he wasn't Dalek but creator of them? And how did he survive? We barely escaped."
The Doctor rubbing his chin looked at Jack. "Yep, he should have and he didn't. I guess you're right in your assumption. But Molly saved the day," giving her a big smile and an admiring look.
Sherlock noticed that though Molly gave a shy smile, she accepted the praise and the admiration. 'Strange. Molly of all people (not that she was such a goldfish, after all he considered her to be his 'friend'?) was admired by two you could say mighty (where did that came from) warriors. And really, did she really said to stick it somewhere? No, she couldn't. That wasn't her. And how did she stop that man Davros. Some leader of a secret organization? Army? He had never heard of him. Creator of Daleks. What were they. Weapons? Viruses? No, no weapons or viruses. But what then? Jack said if the meta-crisis (what was that?) couldn't kill him because he wasn't Dalek (you can't be a weapon or a virus) but creator. So it must be something else. Or someone. Creator of assassins? But then again, you can kill assassins but the trainer as well. Then what? The men had fought him and 'them' or 'it' at least two times and the last time it seemed that the meta-crisis had dealt with him and them/it. But apparently not good enough. But they thought they had defeated him. And now their Molly (he had heard the possessive pronouns) had dealt with that guy (there was that guy again, Molly certainly had infected him) and both men were in awe. Molly certainly had skills she never had shown to him.'
"Molly," the Doctor said, "thanks for joining me. We really had a great time," giving her a big grin. So, I have something for you" in the meantime reaching into his pockets. Out of his pocket came a parcel, wrapped in blue paper (Jack murmured "really?" rolling his eyes). Molly chuckled. Her eyes sparkled. "Jack," she said in a soft tone as speaking to a child, teaching and correcting him, "I know it's your favourite colour too. Don't pretend otherwise." Now the Doctor chuckled. "Yep," popping the 'p', it's our favourite colour. A big grin followed this statement. "Well, as I was saying, Molly, I have something for you" giving her the parcel.
Sherlock observed 'How's that possible? That parcel is bigger than his pockets. It must be a magic trick. Otherwise the others must have said something about the size of the parcel and the man's pockets. And what about the colour. Their favourite. All three their favourite is some dark-blue colour?' Coincidence? Then there was the case of the wrapping paper. It looked like it was made not just of paper but also of fabric. He had never seen that kind of wrapping paper. But then again, probably he might have skipped that. He wasn't in 'giving presents'. So wrapping paper, no, not his area.'
She unwrapped it and out of it came a t-shirt, blue of course. The same blue as the paper. On the t-shirt was a slogan. "Thank you" she said with a sigh. "It's beautiful." She hugged him.
"You've earned it. You know why I give this to you, now do you?" looking at both men still standing near the exam table.
"Yes." She acknowledged, giving the Doctor a nod.
'As if it were the crown jewels' Sherlock sarcastically thought. And then that blue again. And now Molly was hugging him. He knew Molly was a cuddling type, but that guy (grrr, 'guy' again!) she was really enjoying hugging him.'
"Well," the Doctor said, "Jack, I'm leaving. You're coming? After all, after all the trouble of finding me. I guess it was Toshiko, who pinned me down, wasn't it?
"Yes, it was. She saw the rift activity and because of a specific compound she discovered in the key she did some calculation. Unfortunately I was late but you already came back. Lucky me" he said with a grin.
"Right. Well, Molly, coming too? I can drop you of at your place" the Doctor said.
"Thank you but I have some work to do."
"We could buy you lunch. That's the least we can do" Jack stated. "I'll make sure the pepper pots will be removed from the table" he said with a wink.
Molly laughed. "Ok then, you certainly know how to persuade me." Then Molly turned around and faced John and Sherlock as if they hadn't been there the whole time during their conversation. "Bye boys. I'm taking a free afternoon. See you next time."
Jack walked over to the door, opening it for Molly, which she accepted with a nod. She left and both men followed her, their coats sweeping as if they were in a hurry.
John saw them leave. He sighed. At least, Molly was save. As save as she could be. And now she has another handsome man following her. Then a thought came to mind. 'What is it with handsome men wearing long coats. Now I understand why Molly fell for Sherlock. These guys were her first. She couldn't have prevented that. It was meant to be. But then. Now it seemed that she completely forgotten him and Sherlock. No awe in her eyes for his friend anymore.' He looked at Sherlock who had walked over to the exam table where the t-shirt lied which the Doctor had given Molly.
Sherlock spread the shirt on the table. Both men stared at the slogan.
Molly!
Defender of the earth!
They both looked shocked. Surprised. Confused.
'What?' Sherlock thought. 'That's got to be a joke. But who was he kidding. Both men respected Molly and confirmed her participation in the destruction of 'said' Davros. He really had to sort this out.'
"John, I'm going home." Forgotten was his research as if it hadn't been that important, though he had been working on this experiment for at least two days.
When they left St. Barts John muttered: "What is it with women and secrets."
"Because men never finds them out unless women want them to find them out" Sherlock replied dryly. He knew John referred not only about Molly but also of Mary who had her secrets.
He thought about the fact that Molly had kept her mouth shut for almost two years, telling nobody that he was alive. Knowing Molly that must have been really hard for the woman. Mmm, he probably should revise his opinion concerning women. No, not women, just Molly. A sly smile appeared on his face. That was quite a challenge. If he would use his charm, she would tell him everything. But the fact she never mentioned both men before, although they were very important to her, he could tell, and the fact that she never told John anything. Mmm... The woman could keep her secrets. How could he persuade her to tell? Especially when her love for him was gone (that wasn't bad was it? Not seeing those begging adoring eyes anymore. Was it? Was it? Really?).