A.N: Hey Sherlollies!

Thanks for all the reviews, I was so happy with your responses and tried to reply to every single one of them. Please note the story will end up soon 3 or 4 more chapters.

I am really enjoying this journey.

Steffy2106

Chapter 14:

Sherlock woke up with a massive headache that pulsated in time with the loud knocking on his hotel room door.

"Sherlock, open the damn door!" John called.

Sherlock rolled out of bed and fell over in the process. He opened the door, squinting in the dim lighting.

"How much did you drink, mate?" asked John, with little compassion in his voice.

"Not sure," Sherlock croaked, resting the heel of his hand on his forehead. "But I feel like I'm about to die."

John chuckled. "You've always been such a drama queen..." He sighed. "Mary and I are about to leave for the airport but the wife wants to talk to you." John smiled. "'Wife.'" he nodded. "I really like the sound of that."

Sherlock snorted and winced at the pain it caused him. "Stop with the stupid romantic mumbling John, it's only us. Where's Mary?"

John pointed to the door across the hall. "She's finishing her suitcase; tell her I'll take the bags downstairs." John reached up and gave Sherlock an awkward hug. "We'll be back in a week Sherlock, until then try to stay out of trouble okay?"

Sherlock smiled. "You know me."

John grimaced. "Yeah...that's what worries me the most."

"Don't trouble yourself John, I promise to limit my recklessness. Enjoy your time in the sun."

Sherlock closed his door and knocked once on Mary's before walking in without waiting for an answer.

"Ah. Sherlock..." She looked up from her suitcase. "Lord, you look like crap. You really shouldn't drink that much."

"Yes, thanks for the deduction Mary, it's so much help to me right now." He replied with heavy sarcasm. He sat down heavily on a comfy looking settee.

Mary shrugged.

"Your husband told me to tell you that he will be waiting downstairs with the bags."

"Yes, I shouldn't be too long," she replied, closing her suitcase and going to stand in front of him, her arms crossed against her chest. "What happened with Molly last night?"

Sherlock looked at her suspiciously. "What do you mean?"

Mary sighed with exasperation. "Don't play dumb with me, Sherlock Holmes, John and I saw you going since you came back from the dead, we promised each other not to get involved, that it was your business." She chuckled "Not that I am dumb enough to ever believe that John watched from the sidelines. I'm sure he meddled and more than once."

Sherlock opened his mouth to deny it but she held her hand up to stop him.

"I don't care if he did, I knew it from the start. But now her relationship with Tom is as good as over and last night... last night she was so distraught, Sherlock, she had raw pain written all over her face and I know you're to blame so don't insult me by denying it."

"So what am I supposed to do?" He asked annoyed about this conversation, it felt like it was going nowhere and Sherlock was not a big fan of pointless chatter.

"Fix it."

"Fix it?" he asked incredulously.

"Yes, I don't care how or what you'll do. I want to come back and see things fixed." She sighed, pointing a finger at him. "Molly is a good woman and it's like you're taking a malignant pleasure in destroying her. I know it's not the case, I know you're just too blind to human nature to even get what you're doing, but I also know that you are deeply fond of her. One day you're going to wake up realising what I already know and it will be too late, she would have given up on you and really, who could blame her? I think she's probably either the bravest or the stupidest woman in earth for hoping for so long."

Sherlock opened his mouth again. But she shook her finger in front of his face.

"This is not open for discussion, Sherlock! You either fix it, stop your bullshit or you let her go." She softened suddenly, leaning down to give him a motherly kiss on the top of his head. "We love you, Sherlock, we want you to be happy." She reached for her suitcase and walked to the door, "and please have a shower. You reek." She added, before exiting the room.

MSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSMSM

It took Sherlock four aspirins, 6 cups of tea and a cold shower to function again. He didn't remember exactly what he had said to Molly last night but he suspected it had to be pretty stupid. How could he face her and ask her to forgive him for what he said last night when he only had a vague idea? He remembered telling her that Tom and her where not a good match and he had meant it; why should he apologise?

Mary's annoying voice sounded in his head "Fix it!" What was there to fix, anyway? Molly was better single than she was engaged; she was different when she was engaged and Sherlock didn't like that version of her.

And when Mary told him to fix it she didn't say how to do that, what was he even supposed to do? Make things better between her and the mentally challenged fiancé? Sherlock snorted, that was never going to happen.

When Sherlock arrived at Molly's house the sun was already setting.

"May I see Molly?" Sherlock asked as soon as Tom opened the door.

"Oh you want to see Molly?" asked Tom, and Sherlock didn't have to be well acquainted with the man to see he was angry.

"I believe that's what I requested." Sherlock responded with a smirk. However no matter how intuitive Sherlock was, he never saw the first coming until he was sprawled on the floor.

"Here!" said Tom, throwing a letter on the floor beside Sherlock before slamming the door shut.

Sherlock reached for the enveloped that said 'Tom' in Molly's delicate script.

Dearest Tom,

I believe you already know what is in this letter as the engagement ring on top was probably indicator enough.

I never meant to hurt you and never doubt that, when I accepted to marry you, I meant it with all my heart.

Please don't think I am leaving you because of Sherlock. I am leaving you for you, for me...for us.

I know you're probably wondering how breaking your heart is in your best interests but I swear it is. You were right, you deserve so much more than what I am giving you. I have spent the whole week trying to decide if I wanted to come to Cambridge and as I am writing these lines I am still undecided.

You are an amazing man, Tom, and you deserve someone who would follow you without a second thought, someone for whom you will be everything and sadly this person is not me.

I swore I would never do you wrong but I suppose that, in the end, I did. For that I'm sorry, so very, very sorry... You won't ever know how sorry I am.

It's with a breaking heart that I am telling you goodbye and I know one day you will meet the right woman, the woman that will love you completely. A woman who will love you as much as you deserve.

I will always love you and keep your memories in my heart.

Thank you for loving me.

Love you always

Molly xxx

Sherlock reread the letter twice and realised at this instant, as a weight lifted from his chest, how terrified he had been that she would end up leaving.

He frowned, folding the letter back in the envelope. What did it mean? Where did this visceral fear of losing her come from? It was just Molly, his pathologist, his Molly.

"My Molly..." He whispered, trying the words. Was he becoming prone to the human error he always dismissed with disdain? How could something sneak up on him without him even realising it?

John's words hit him like a tonne of bricks: 'You're always so perceptive of anyone but yourself' Did John know the importance Molly had in Sherlock's life? Did they figure it out before he did?

"So I presume you don't know where she is?" Sherlock shouted in the direction of the door before standing up.

Tom opened the door again, an eyebrow raised in disbelief. "Are you seriously asking me that?"

Sherlock shrugged, rubbing the side of his jaw. "It was worth a shot, you can't get any madder."

"Yeah... Well I'm not sure of that."

"That's not what I wanted." Sherlock said, extending the letter back to Tom.

"Of course it is." Tom replied, looking at the letter but not reaching for it. "I don't know if you did anything to make her stay but you are responsible. The decision she took was not to decide whether she wanted to be with you or with me, this was never in the equation. It was a choice of who she couldn't live without." Tom sighed "and to be fair, I always knew it was you."

"I just realised that that sentiment might be mutual," said Sherlock barely louder than a whisper, still unsure of what he felt.

Tom let out a humourless laugh. "It didn't take Sherlock Holmes to figure that one out." Tom sighed. "Listen, I don't like you and I think we both know that. But Molly… she is one of the good ones here."

"I know that!" Sherlock said, standing straighter.

"Just...Whatever you do, just treat her right." Tom replied, closing the door and dismissing Sherlock.

Sherlock got his phone out.

Do you know where Molly Hooper is? – SH

Within seconds another text came.

Come to Diogenes, need to talk- MH

Sherlock sighed, hailing a cab.

No time, urgent matter. Need to know her location now SH

Come to Diogenes and I will tell you – MH.

Sherlock growled giving the Diogenes address to the cab driver.

"Hello brother!" Said Mycroft from his seat behind his desk as Sherlock walked in without knocking. "You could have knocked but I guess manners are not in your habits."

"And I presume simplicity is not in yours. Where is she?"

Mycroft gestured to the chair across from his desk. "Please, sit down, I have a time sensitive matter to discuss with you."

"I don't have the time Mycroft I-"

"You will make the time, Sherlock!" Mycroft stated adjusting his jacket. "The matter I want to talk about is a little bit more important than your gallivanting."

Sherlock sat down with a dramatic sigh. "I'm listening."

"You see, I received a few phone calls from some eminent members of the Franc mason telling me that my idiot of a brother has been following them not so discreetly." Mycroft rubbed his forehead. "The thing is, I know my brother is an idiot but I know he can be very discreet when he needs to be. I know that if these men saw you it was because you wanted to be seen. The question is why?"

"Why does it matter to you? Are your friends upset?"

"I have no friends." Mycroft spat. "And believe me or not but your safety and the one of the people you care about will be in jeopardy, these men are very powerful, and they won't stop at anything to keep their secrets."

"I wanted to be seen to make them nervous. When you're nervous, you slip up."

Mycroft laughed. "Please Sherlock, are you really that naive? These men have spent their whole life keeping this part of their life a secret; do you think that you 'Detective-extraordinaire,' will be enough to scare them?"

"Maybe."

"They will have you killed before that happens."

"Oh come on, killing me is so two years ago."

Mycroft sighed and rolled his eyes. "There is only so much I can do to keep you and your friends' safe, you know."

"Then don't, I never asked you to."

"Well, yes you did."

"Before I left, but now I'm back and it's fine."

"You promised to not do anything stupid!"

"And I don't believe I'm being stupid!"

"Yes well the bruise forming on your jaw is clearly stating otherwise. What are you doing now little brother, eh? After making friends you're getting involved in lover's quarrels? How primitive of you to fight in such a way for a woman. I thought you were more evolved."

"And I thought you were smarter." Sherlock stood up adjusting his collar. "Where is she?"

"Ah I see, are we going to go conquer the princess's heart? How touching!" Mycroft said, with a little mocking smirk on his face.

"Where is she?"

Mycroft sighed. "If you knew what was good for you, you would stay away. Caring is not an advantage, Sherlock. She will become a pressure point, a distraction you don't need - especially with all the extra stupid battles you are fighting these days."

"Mycroft..." Sherlock warned.

Mycroft rolled his eyes. "Very well," He looked at his computer screen. "She is staying at the St-Armand Hotel, room 307." He looked at Sherlock. "And don't tell me I didn't warn you." but the coldness in his eyes was gone for a minute leaving place to genuine concern.

"Duly noted brother, have a lovely night." Sherlock added before leaving the room to go see Molly.