prompted by potterlockianegalitarian928 on tumblr: Sherlock is thrilled to be working with Dr. M. Hooper, a pathologist whose essays have made Sherlock a fan of their work. When Sherlock meets Dr. Hooper, he is both surprised and impressed that Dr. Hooper is a young woman. When he sees that she's as kind as she intelligent, he falls and falls hard for her.
Sherlock Holmes was on a rather large case concerning one 'Jack the Ripper' and was rather thrilled to be working with Doctor M. Hooper on it. He had been a longtime admirer of the doctor's essays submitted to the various medical journals he read. Oh, it felt like Christmas to him.
"Ah, Mr. Holmes," Mike Stamford greeted him. "Dr. Hooper has been waiting for you in the mortuary."
"Thank you," Sherlock nodded, venturing into the morgue. He looked around the formaldehyde scented room when his cerulean eyes landed upon a young woman.
"Mister Holmes, I presume. I was told we would be working together and—" Doctor Hooper turned to face the most handsome and distinguished man she had ever seen. She did her best to keep her heart beat under control.
"Doctor…Hooper?" he asked with uncertainty.
"Y-yes sir, that would be correct," Doctor Hooper confirmed, dropping her scalpel. Sherlock bent down to retrieve it for her.
"I must say, I am quite impressed that a young woman such as yourself has such intriguing insight of the medical field," Sherlock stated. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Doctor Hooper, as I have been a longtime admirer of your work." He glanced at her hand quickly before meeting her eyes once more. "May I?" She nodded and he took her hand, placing a soft kiss on the back of it.
"I am glad to know you are not disappointed to find me to be a woman, Mr. Holmes," Doctor Hooper remarked.
"Disappointed? No," Sherlock told her. "If anything, I admire you all the more, Doctor Hooper." She gave him a small smile.
"Thank you, Mister Holmes," she nodded.
"Sherlock, please," he said.
"Mister Holmes, we have hardly been acquainted," Doctor Hooper pointed out. "We have already broken one societal rule; are you sure you want to break another?"
"I am quite sure, actually. You will learn that I am not one to follow societal normalities," Sherlock informed her. "Of course, we will only keep it between ourselves but if you are not comfortable with the use of first names, I will cease my insistence upon it. I apologize, Doctor Hooper, if I have been intolerable."
"It is quite alright, Mr. Holmes. Sherlock," she replied, testing his name on her tongue. "Margaret is my name, but I prefer Molly."
"Molly," he repeated. "I quite like the sound of that, Molly Hooper." A faint blush rose upon her cheeks. His rich baritone voice spoke her name as if it contained only the best letters of the alphabet.
"Yes, well, now that we have that out of the way, care to examine this cadaver with me?" Molly asked.
"Delighted," Sherlock replied.
Upon returning to Baker Street, he was met by his friend, Dr. John Watson and his wife, Mary Watson née Morstan.
"Holmes," John nodded. "How was your first meeting with Doctor Hooper? Mary and I have been thoroughly interested in the day's events."
"It was…informative. Lovely, even. She and I examined the lacerations on last night's victim together," Sherlock informed them.
"She?" Mary asked with a spark in her eyes. "Why, that must have been a surprise. Did you think she was pretty?"
"Mary," John warned.
"What, dear husband? Is it so hard to believe that Sherlock Holmes could find a woman to be pretty?" Mary asked.
"I do not involve myself in romantic entanglements, Mrs. Watson," Sherlock spoke up.
"Oh, pish posh. That does not mean you do not find her pretty," Mary pointed out.
"She is a woman of high intelligence and I admire her for it," Sherlock countered. "That is all it is; admiration." Mary let it go until she and John left 221B.
"I give it a week," Mary told her husband.
"Now, Mary," John began.
"Oh, come now, John, surely you noticed the bounce in his step upon returning from the hospital. He fancies her, I assure you," Mary smiled.
"Perhaps, but do not go about pushing them together," John told her.
"I am certain they will not need my help in that endeavor," Mary replied with a wink.
"The face is a bit bashed up, but I'm sure I can make out enough of her to identify her," Molly explained, pulling the sheet back. It had been a gruesome murder, indeed.
"What is this?" Sherlock asked, discovering small bruises on the woman's wrist. "It seems there are puncture wounds from an injection of some sort. This woman is not one of The Ripper's victims, but made to look as though she were." It had been a week since their first meeting. They worked together incredibly well.
"Brilliant," Molly remarked. "I'll ready an autopsy right away." As she worked to test the victim's blood for the cause of death, Sherlock's eyes never left her.
"Doctor Hooper," he began. "Molly."
"Yes?" she asked, studying the blood.
"If you were so inclined, would you accompany me to the theatre tomorrow night? I know it is scandalous to be asking instead of sending a written invitation, but I do not know where you reside or with whom," Sherlock explained.
"Are you asking to court me, Mister Holmes?" she inquired, her eyes locked onto his.
"Well, yes, I should think so," Sherlock replied. "You are of high intelligence and, well, you are quite becoming. That is to say, I fancy you."
"I would love to, Mister Holmes; Sherlock," Molly smiled, "though I am a bit taken aback." Sherlock's brow furrowed. "You see, people talk and I had heard you do not—what was the term—bother yourself with the dullness of romantic entanglements. I apologize but I cannot help but think there are ulterior motives."
"I had hoped those words would never reach your ears, Doctor Hooper," Sherlock spoke softly. "I've no idea if I can convince you otherwise, but I assure you, my intentions are pure. Your kindness is another attribute in which I admire about you. I understand if you were to take back your answer and reject me instead, but I must say it would break my heart if you chose to do so."
"I will not take it back," Molly assured him. "I intend to stand by the first answer I gave, Mister Holmes. I, well I fancy you too." She turned back to her blood testing, finding the results. Sherlock felt exhilarated at the prospect of courting Molly.
"What did you find?" Sherlock asked.
"It was an overdose," Molly spoke quietly. "A cocaine overdose." Sherlock's face fell. What was he thinking!? Molly deserved better than him; better than a man who's chosen addiction was a controlled use of a seven percent solution. It never occurred to him before this moment. This was a matter to speak with John about, though he did not plan to let his friend in on his plans for tomorrow night, but it was too late for that now.
"So I was right?" Mary smiled. "I told you to give it a week, John." They were gathered on the main floor of Bart's Hospital that afternoon, as John wanted to check up on the investigation of Jack the Ripper.
"I do not know what to do," Sherlock sighed. "We are to go to the theatre tomorrow night but I now realize I have made a mistake." He spoke in a hushed tone but his words were not unheard by the petite woman who had just begun to approach him.
"Well, if that's what you think, Mister Holmes, I assure you, the feeling is mutual," Molly snapped at him. "Dr. Watson, Mrs. Watson." She nodded at them before making a swift exit.
"Doctor Hooper, that's not what I—" the sound of a slamming door stopped his words. Sherlock felt his heart ache for her. There was no coming back from this…or was there? He hoped he could fix this and soon.
Author's Note: This is part 1 of 2, so there's more of this story to come. :)