I'm baaaaack. Thanks once again for your kind reviews and PMs. Also thanks to Nightingale63 for helping me with grammar etc… Your kindness knows no bounds. This chapter is a flash back. Still don't own anything.
Back and forth, back and forth, hair ruffle. Back and forth, back and forth, sigh. This pattern had been going on for ten minutes. In any other situation Molly would have laughed. But, no. The reason why Sherlock was pacing was because tonight was the night that Mary and John would find out about their relationship.
There had been a couple of instances where they had almost got caught. The one that stuck out in Molly's mind was when they were having a heated make out session on a sofa at 221B Baker Street, where she was currently sitting. John and Mary had decided at the last minute to visit Sherlock on their way home. Thankfully, Mrs Hudson's screeching upon their arrival gave Molly enough time to hide in Sherlock's bedroom and Sherlock enough time to return to the experiment he was running on fingerprints before Molly's very welcome distraction.
"The time, Molly?" He rolled his eyes.
Molly blinked at him "Oh sorry" She looked at her watch. "It's just gone seven."
"They're late." His pacing continued. "John's never late."
"They're not late yet, Sherlock." Molly's voice was slow and soothing. She looked at her watch again. "Now they're late."
Sherlock frowned at her. "Not funny Molly."
"Sherlock, relax." She patted the space next to her.
Sherlock scoffed. "How can I relax? This is my best. John," he corrected, "and his assassin, secret agent wife. What if they - ?"
"What if they what?"
"Disapprove." Sherlock whispered.
Molly couldn't help but laugh. "Sherlock Holmes. When have you ever cared about getting anyone's approval?" She paused, letting the words sink in. "Besides, they are more likely to disapprove of you dating me."
Sherlock squinted his eyes at her. "Wwwhhhhhhhyyyy?"
Molly fidgeted in her seat. "I'm sweet and innocent Molly Hooper and you're cold and calculating Sherlock Holmes."
"I'm not."
"I know." Molly interjected. "So do they. They'll just be worried that there's an angle."
He crossed his arms across his chest. "How so?"
Looking up at the ceiling Molly thought for a second. "Well…" She stopped to think again. "You used to compliment and flirt with me to get what you wanted. Then there's the Janine thing; which by the way was a horrible thing to do. To top it all off the Woman but I don't want to talk about her – ever."
"Huh." Sherlock looked perplexed. "You don't think that I'm -"
"No!" She stood and rushed to him. "Sherlock, no." She kissed him. "I know there's no angle or manipulation." She grabbed both of his hands. "Do you know how I know?"
He shook his head slightly.
"Because I see you, Sherlock Holmes." Sherlock smiled and squeezed her hands. She continued, "there's no need for you to manipulate me; I'd give you anything you needed if I could."
"Molly."
"It's true and I know you care about me."
"I do." Sherlock implored.
"I know." She smiled sweetly.
He wrapped his arms around Molly and kissed her forehead. "Thank you, Molly Hooper."
"Right." She broke the embrace. "Go put the kettle on. I hear Mary's voice."
"Bossy." Sherlock grumbled as he headed to the kitchen.
Standing alone now in the lounge Molly gave herself a pep talk. "You've got this, Molly. You can do this."
A pair of strong arms wrapped themselves around her waist. "You'll be wonderful." Sherlock kissed her cheek and let her go.
As the voices in the stairwell got closer Molly looked at Sherlock, who winked at her and walked to sit on his chair.
"Mary, come on." John beseeched.
"John, seriously." Mary scowled at her husband. "I am eight and a half months pregnant, my feet are swollen and I'm exhausted. If you want me to go any faster you are going to have to carry me!"
John looked at her sheepishly. "Sorry, sweetheart."
"It's okay. Sorry for snapping." Turning around Mary continued the journey upstairs to 221B Baker Street.
"I need to sit down." Mary announced as she walked through the door.
"Hello Mary." Sherlock stood and kissed her check.
Mary sighed in relief as she sunk into the sofa. "Hi Sherlock."
Molly moved to sit next to Mary. "Hello Mrs Watson." Molly kissed her cheek.
Mary smiled. "Dr Hooper. How are you, Molly?"
Molly shrugged. "Oh you know." She waved at John and continued with Mary.
"Sherlock." John patted him on the back. "Staying out of trouble?"
Sherlock smiled at his friend. "Never."
John smiled in return. "Mate, I don't mean to be rude but why is Molly here?"
Sherlock glanced at Molly to see if she had heard. He noticed that her body had gone rigid. "I invited her, John. Obviously."
"Well yeah I get that."
Sherlock rolled his eyes. "Excellent deduction, John."
John ignored the dig. "It's just that you never said anything and I thought it was just going to be us three, well four if you count the baby. I didn't even think you liked Molly that much." John whispered the last part.
Molly stood up quickly and headed to the kitchen. "I'll just make some tea," she announced rather hurriedly, her voice trembling slightly.
Mary put a hand on either side of herself and called out to her. "Do you need a hand?"
"No, no. I'm fine." Molly said with a faux cheeriness.
Mary looked at her husband. "What did you say?" she whispered.
Turning to look at Molly Sherlock noticed that her shoulders were hunched slightly and they were shaking.
"John." Mary sighed. "You upset her."
John started toward the kitchen but was stopped by Sherlock. "I don't think you're the best person to -"
"Shut up, John." Brushing past his friend he strode towards the kitchen. "Molly." He said her name so softly.
"Tea will be ready in a moment, Sherlock." Molly looked at the wall in front of her.
"Molly."
"Just let me finish the tea."
Reaching forward Sherlock placed his hand on the saucer she was gripping and placed it on the bench. "Look at me, Molly."
She shook her head. "I'm fine, Sherlock."
The fact that her voice wobbled and she sniffed at the end of the sentence told him otherwise. It also made him wonder why he wanted to punch John right now. "Please look at me."
It was the please that got her. Slowly, almost painfully slowly she turned to face him. It was blurry but she could make out Sherlock's face.
His heart dropped; she was crying. Molly, his Molly was crying because of some stupid comment John made. Reaching his hands up he cupped her face and wiped away the tears.
"He doesn't want me here, Sherlock." She whispered so only the two of them could hear. "I try so hard to get people to like me. Why don't they like me?" The tears started to fall again.
Without a second thought he pulled her towards him, cradling the back of her head as she wrapped her arms around his waist. "I like you. That's got to count for something?" Sherlock smiled when he heard her let out a small laugh. "They do like you, Molly." Taking a step back he ducked down to meet her eyes. He winked at her once again. Slowly she looked up and Sherlock stood at full height. "They like you very much." He kissed her lips. "They don't know where they'd be without you."
They both knew he wasn't talking about John or Mary anymore.
"Their feelings for you confuse and scare them sometimes but they do like you. More than they can say."
Someone clearing their throat pulled Sherlock and Molly out of their moment.
"What, John?" Sherlock's eyes never left Molly's.
"Ah, excuse me."
Molly and Sherlock let go of each other and turned to face him.
"I just want to say two things. First, Molly, I'm truly sorry for upsetting you." John looked truly pained. "I do want you here and Mary and I both care for you."
"I'm in love with you a little." Mary's voice confessed from the sofa. The three occupants of the kitchen laughed.
"And secondly. What's all this?" John's finger flicked between the two of them.
"How about Molly and I make tea. Go sit with your wife and we'll bring it through."
A few minutes later Molly came in carrying the tea tray while Sherlock carried the sugar bowl.
"Did he help at all?" John wondered aloud, clearing a space on the coffee table.
"I supervised."
Molly shook her head and placed the tray down. John sat next to Mary while Sherlock and Molly sat in the small sofa that was from John's old room.
"John, would you like to be mother?" Sherlock asked before he and John cracked up.
"Isn't that Mycroft's domain?"
"Oh Molly, aren't they just so cute when they play nicely?"
Both boys shot Mary a dirty look.
"Very cute. Who's the cute John and Sherlock?" Molly asked in a baby voice. "You are."
Molly and Mary both laughed while the men stared at their partners. Once the laughter died down and John had in fact played mother and poured the tea it was time for questions. Taking a sip of his tea John placed it back on the table. "So, ah. Are you two?"
"Are we what?" Sherlock frowned at him.
"You know; are you?" He handed Mary her tea.
"Are we?" Sherlock tilted his head.
The ladies caught each other's eyes and smiled. "John's trying and failing to ask if you two are together."
"Yes." Sherlock answered simply.
Mary gave Molly a look that said we are so talking about this later.
John had another question. "How long for?"
Molly cradled her cup. "About a week."
"8 days 1 hour and 40 odd seconds." Sherlock corrected.
"What he said." Molly giggled.
"Why?"
Sherlock was taken aback by his friend's question and he wrapped an arm around Molly protectively. "Why not."
The room was silent and Molly found the contents of her mug very interesting.
"Molly and I care for each other. I am lucky enough that she hasn't moved on. I told her how I felt and she agreed to give me a chance."
"Please be happy for us." Molly pleaded, looking at her friends.
John looked from Sherlock to Molly and back again. "It's not that I'm not happy for you. I'm just worried." John took a deep breath. "Sherlock, Molly is compassionate, intelligent, sweet and far too good for you."
"John." Mary chided.
"I know." Sherlock pulled her closer.
"You're my best friend but if you hurt her then I will have to kick your arse."
"Fair call."
"And I'll help." Mary added.
"Can you both please stop threatening my boyfriend!" Molly's voice came out louder than she anticipated. The three other occupants of the flat were shocked. "I get that you are trying to protect me and I appreciate it but I don't need it. I trust Sherlock, I want to be with him and for some strange reason he wants the same. So please try to be happy for us without waiting for the other shoe to drop. Oh, and if either of you lay a finger on Sherlock there'll be trouble. You both forget that I perform autopsies for a living."
Sherlock looked down at her and kissed her lips. "Good work Molly." He praised against her lips.
Leaning to his left John kissed his wife. "Wait till Lestrade hears about this."
Sherlock's head spun and he looked at his best friend. "You're not telling Garth."
Phew that one is almost 2000 words. Please review and thanks for reading.