A.N: Hey Sherlock lovers!

I didn't expect to update for a little while but this story got so much activity I wanted to thank you by updating earlier.

Thank you so much for all the followers and favorites. Thanks to Katieswar123, rachelalexandra, and guest for their reviews it means a lot.

I also wanted to thanks Georgia (sherlockdrinkstea) for her amazing beta abilities. She is great, quick and give great and insightful comments…How perfect is that?

I still don't own Sherlock.

Don't forget to leave me a little review I love reading you .

Steffy2106

Chapter 2:

"Took you long enough" Sherlock barked as soon as Molly walked into the room. He paced back and forth, hands locked behind his back.

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, well got here as fast as I could."

Sherlock turned to her and stopped mid-strode. "You look horrendous. What happened to you?"

Molly looked down at her clothes; she wasn't even wearing the worst of her 'work around the house' clothes. "What's wrong with me?"

Sherlock opened his mouth but a very loud throat clearing from John was his cue to shut it.

He shook his head instead. " Nothing, " he said, pointing to a closed office door. "I won't work with him."

"Yeah I got that loud and clear. Just give me a minute."

Molly came back dressed in her white lab coat. "So where's the body?"

Sherlock pointed to one of the autopsy table. She slipped on her gloves and started to circle the table to have a general appraisal look at the body.

"So are we good here?" Asked Lestrade in the corner. "I really need to go back to the precinct and start question witnesses."

"Why did you leave if you were needed?" asked Molly.

Lestrade threw a glance at Sherlock. "I was trying to prevent World War III."

She nodded - it made complete sense.

Sherlock frowned. " I am not that difficult to deal with!"

That got a simultaneous snort from Molly and John.

"You can go, I've got it covered." Molly shone the light on the victim's neck.

"Thanks again Molly, we owe you one." Lestrade reached for his hat, preparing to leave. Sherlock looked up.

"We don't owe her anything - it's her job. "

Molly rolled her eyes. "You're welcome, Greg."

"Greg?" Sherlock whispered with disbelief.

As Lestrade left the stuffy lab John's phone started to ring.

Sherlock threw a quick look at the clock. " That's Mary; she's probably with the wedding planner and needs your input. You should get that if you don't want to anger her."

John looked at his phone screen and answered, exiting the morgue at the same time.

"So, what do you think?" Sherlock asked Molly - who was now probing the temple of the victim.

"Well, based on this quick examination I'll say she was strangled and received a forceful blow on the temple. Judging by the bruising, I don't believe that the strangulation killed her. Either it was two attempts to her life or the killer changed method in between."

"See. That's why you're the best, Molly Hooper. The drunk thought she died by strangulation!" Sherlock shouted towards Kane's office.

"Shhhh! Sherlock, stop it!" Molly scowled, but she couldn't stop the wave of pleasure rearing up when he said she was the best.

"Don't be ashamed by your brilliance Molly, it's very rare to find. You should embrace it."

"I do Sherlock, I know I'm smart but it's not a reason to rub it in other people's faces."

"Why not?" He asked, seriously confused.

Molly sighed, shaking her head. "Oh Sherlock…" her words trailed off and she frowned, looking at the strangulation marks.

"What is it?"

"Those marks around the neck are quite peculiar. I've never seen such a pattern before." She looked up and met Sherlock's icy blue eyes." Why was this case so important? If it isn't for the strange pattern of the object use to strangle her, it seems like a pretty straight forward autopsy to me."

Sherlock shook his head, bringing his fingertips under his chin. "It does seem so, doesn't it? But the truth is that this murder will emblaze the press. I need to have it resolved sooner rather than later and to do that I need to have access to the best deductions and the best persons, and you, Molly Hooper, are my pathologist."

Molly blushed at his reference to her being his, she knew it was only work related but it affected her just the same. She could feel her engagement ring burning a hole in her pocket, she knew she wasn't doing anything bad but the feelings were there.

"The truth is at this stage the victim is irrelevant" Sherlock was still speaking.

"What's so peculiar then?"

"She was found at the Westminster Abbey, hanging by her feet naked on the cross by the altar, her arms spread out like a reversed cross."

"That's terrible!" Molly squeaked. "Who would do something like that?!"

"That, Molly, is something I intend to find out very soon." Sherlock gave her his lopsided grin that made her heart melt. He sighed. "So, what about your fiancé?"

"What about him?" She asked, immediately on her guard.

"What's his name?"

"Tom."

"His full name."

"Why do you want to know?"

"Isn't it customary for someone who cares about another to be concerned with the other's life? You're one of the most important people in my life, Molly."

"I am?"

"Don't ask stupid questions, you are very well aware of the fact." He said, irritated. His hand rose in a dismissive gesture.

"I just don't want you to go around and ruin him for me."

"Why would I do that? He is who you chose to be with, and I trust your judgment even if your two most recent experiences show a clear attraction toward sociopaths. Statistically speaking, the likelihood of this man being a sociopath as well is close to none."

Molly opened her mouth but closed it again. He was right, why would he ruin Tom for her? Jealousy a little voice screamed in her head… but Sherlock wasn't jealous. He was possessive and hated changes but he was not jealous. "His name is Tom Bailey, he's 36 and he's an engineer for South West trains and contrary to what you seem to think, he doesn't find me horrendous, he never did." She added against her best advice. His words earlier had hurt more than she expected.

Sherlock's eyebrows shot up in surprise, seemingly taken aback by such a comment. He opened his mouth and was just about to speak when John entered the morgue again.

"Perfect timing as usual, John." Sherlock breathed sarcastically.

"What?"

"Well." Molly felt the need to change the subject. "This is all I can say from the preliminary examination of the body. Let me grab you a picture of the patterns around her neck. I'll email you the autopsy report as soon as I'm done."

"How long do you think it will take?" asked Sherlock.

"Based on the nature of the case I'll work as fast as possible. I'll do the full autopsy tonight and ask the lab report to accelerate but…" She shrugged. "I'll say 48 hours, tops."

"We'll pick up the report," said Sherlock, fastening his scarf.

"No, Sherlock. I don't think it's wise I'll…I'll email it to you."

John frowned before glaring at Sherlock. "Is everything alright, Molly?"

Molly forced a smile but she knew Sherlock would see right through it. "I'm fine John it's just - we don't need more drama with Dr. Kane do we?"

It was clear from John's face that he didn't believe a word of it but he smiled nevertheless. John left first, but just before he followed him, Sherlock whirled around and caught the flapping door.

"I don't know what I said to offend you Molly , but I'm…. I'm sorry."

Molly rolled her eyes. You never know and yet you hit bulls-eye every time she thought. "It's fine, Sherlock."

"You know, statistically, a man over 35 who has never been married has a greater chance of having an emotional disorder. Your fiancé is 36, you said?"

"Yes and you're 38!" She snapped.

"Do you need a better example Dr. Hooper? I am, after all, a sociopath." He grinned.

She chuckled along with him, shaking her head dismissively. "I need to work, Sherlock. Go away." She looked away and started to prepare the body for the autopsy. Sherlock could read her like an open book and she didn't want him to read her this time.

"One more thing before I go… I shouldn't have said you looked horrendous, even if you did. You are always pretty Molly Hooper but if your fiancé told you that you looked lovely in these clothes he is nothing more than a liar."

Molly looked up, startled, but Sherlock was already gone. She knew she should have been angry - he had just called her fiancé a liar - and yet she couldn't wipe the smile from her face because she hadn't missed the fact that Sherlock just said he found her pretty.