More than Words

Genre: Romance, Friendship

Pairings: Greg and Molly, Sherlock and Sally

Main characters: Molly, Greg, Sherlock, Sally, John

Mollstrade tie-ins: Tuning in the Neighbours; Loose Strings; The Baker Street Trio; Molly's Soundtrack

"NO."

Molly knew she had her work cut out for her, but this was going to be a challenge like no other – that much was quickly becoming apparent.

"Oh darling… please… it would be SO special…"

"No. And I'm not the only one you have to convince and I'm an easier sell than John is. Seriously Molly, you know I love you but this… is a bit much, even for you."

"I'll… make it… worth your while…" she sing-songed, tracing her finger from his bottom lip down and around his chin and towards his chest. From there, she let her hand wander to the hem of his shirt, infiltrating it to caress the bare skin that lay beneath it.

Greg's eyes closed as he fought to keep his composure, and his mind made up.

"Molly Kathleen Lestrade. You are my wife, the mother of my three beautiful children, you are my soul mate, the one person who completes me. But I will not do this. Not even for you."

Greg was adamant, but Molly knew there was a weak spot somewhere. She just needed to find it.

"Alright then," she finally conceded. "By the way, Rosie is to take part, I think I mentioned that didn't I? She can be so moody sometimes and so shy. There are times when her Uncle Greg's guitar is the only thing that can make her settle into reason. Did you notice that?" she said matter of factly. "I noticed that."

Molly tried to be casual, but she wasn't quite convinced that her husband, a decades-long veteran of New Scotland Yard, and the most adept person of anyone she'd even met at reading body language, would buy what she was selling.

"And of course Scott and Johnnie are integral participants. I don't worry so much about Scott, but Johnnie can be a bit of a roving gypsy boy. You know he behaves in front of his daddy when he won't behave in front of anyone else…"

"Well, I can't help it if your son has your free spirit," Greg said, beginning to smile. "Of course mine is always well-behaved."

Molly would have had a smartass comeback for that, had she not realized that Greg's stubborn resolve was beginning to crack.

"Mine is a free-thinker, and free-thinkers are the world's movers and shakers. Johnnie is destined for greatness, darling. And your son will be right there to keep him grounded. Scott will keep him on track. But right now, you are trying to distract me, Gregory Joseph Lestrade, and I will not have it."

"Oh… it's ME who's trying to distract! Me the copper, and you the coppafeel?!" Greg said, with a grin, as his hand reached down to grasp her wrist in an attempt to reel in her efforts to "convince" him – at least, until they could move to a more appropriate setting.

He was beginning to warm up to her idea.

In fact, she was beginning to make him warm up in other ways, as well.

Molly studied him as she slowly backed him up towards their bedroom.

Check.

Mate.

"Are you INSANE?" John said, in his distinctive tone. John, who could say a thousand words with a single look. John, who could end a debate with two or three words enunciated in ways only he knew how to. John, who was quite possibly the most expressive man of few words that Molly had ever met in her life.

That was John Watson's heart, on his sleeve. He wore it like a uniform, and while he guarded it fiercely, he rarely made effort to hide it.

That would be the ace up Molly's sleeve.

"Oh come on John, I convinced Greg, and you know how hard that is. Greg doesn't do anything he doesn't want to do, and especially when it comes to THIS."

John rolled his eyes and heaved a breath. "Molly. Greg is your husband. Your methods of "convincing" are best left in the privacy of your bedroom. You do NOT have that power over me."

"No… but your best friend does, in a straight man platonic sense," Molly retorted, casually. "In fact, both of your best friends do. Greg is only willing if you are, and I KNOW you will both do so beautifully… think of it John. Can you think of a better gift?"

"Molly Lestrade. You." John stopped short, letting out an exasperated breath, short and clipped. "You," he said, pointing his finger, averting his eyes towards the floor, giving his head a half turn to the side. "Damn you anyway. I had better not regret this."

"Oh John," Molly gushed, throwing her arms around him and hugging him tightly. She held the bear hug for a few moments, then released him, standing back from him. "Thank you! It's going to be stunning and lovely. But there IS just one other thing…"

John rolled his eyes. He knew it. He just bloody well KNEW it.

"In all fairness, Greg will do his part, but you… well, he'll back you up, and I've heard you together myself. Oh, you're gorgeous together."

"Well. If I'm going to do this, I suppose it makes no matter which part I play. And if Greg will back me up, I guess if we go down, we go down together."

"As soldiers?" Molly asked, her heart about to burst.

"As soldiers," John said, his face as stone. And then, with a single look into her hazel eyes, he smiled.

And so it came to pass, through the hard efforts of one very determined woman who loved fiercely and determinedly, that her husband and one of his two best friends were convinced to partner up for a very special moment on a very special day.

When Sherlock and Sally, standing together in the middle of the floor, faced each other waiting for their cue, the opening notes to "More than Words" issued forth from Greg's acoustic guitar.

When the moment came, John's perfect tenor began to sing the words, and at the right spots, Greg's velvety voice came in to back him up in perfect harmony.

Greg was convinced that John's voice would render his efforts mere backup, noticed but not prominent. And that was why he was comfortable with it.

John, likewise, was convinced that Greg's guitar would do the same for him, and that was why he was willing.

And that was how they played it – each assuming that the other was the strength, and they were merely there to provide the supporting role, and for their friend, they would do this readily and gladly.

And so, to this musical partnership, convinced only by their loyalty and love for their third partner in the Trio, their mutual best friend danced his first dance as the husband to the woman whom nobody expected to find standing with him at the altar, making vows and promising to spend her life with him.

Sherlock and Sally's first dance as husband and wife. And they were being serenaded by John Watson and Greg Lestrade.

Molly stood off to the side with Mrs. Hudson, watching and admiring and loving, as her own personal soundtrack found a new song to add to itself.

She wasn't sure this album would ever truly be completed, but for now, she felt, it was close enough.