Molly and Greg sat quietly on the couch. Their hands were intertwined as they enjoyed each other's presence. Molly had been nervous about attending this dinner party together, unsure of how their friends would react to this change in their relationship. She knew it was silly to be worried, but neither Molly nor Greg had anticipated how comfortable they would be as a couple. She looked at Greg and grinned, realizing he was thinking the same thing.

The moment was broken as Mary sat down on the table in front of them. "Just wanted to catch up with the two of you for a few minutes."

"You're welcome to join us, of course," said Greg.

Molly struggled to find something safe to say to Mary. Unexplained tensions between Mary, John, and Sherlock the past several months had made Molly uneasy in the other woman's presence. Finally, she asked. "Are you enjoying being a mother?"

Mary smiled. "Oh, yes, so much. Willa has been a godsend. This is exactly the life I wanted for myself. I have an amazing man, a beautiful child, a quiet home." Mary's voice caught with emotion. "I have everything I ever wanted."

Molly did not doubt the sincerity of her words.

Greg asked, "How is John adjusting? I haven't seen much of him recently."

Mary gave a playful grimace. "That's actually what I wanted to talk to the two of you about. I'm hoping that you will not encourage John to go on cases with Sherlock."

Greg's face showed his surprise. "Why not? They obviously enjoy working with each other."

"And John does seem a little bored," said Molly, her tone flat. She resented being brought into this situation.

Mary waved a dismissive hand. "Oh, he's just tired from late night feedings. John has always yearned for this sort of domestic life." She glanced around, making sure she couldn't be overheard. "The last few months before the wedding, John was more or less humoring Sherlock by going out on cases."

Greg responded, "I certainly didn't get that impression."

"Nor did I," added Molly, her voice almost shaking with her anger.

"You know, I don't really talk about my past, but not having a family… Well, this life is a miracle for me. John got his miracle when Sherlock returned. My life with John and Willa is mine." Mary paused. "With Moriarty possibly being back in the picture, it is far too dangerous for John to be involved with Sherlock." Mary smiled confidently at Greg and Molly. "Sherlock agrees with me, by the way."

Greg nodded as understanding dawned, and Molly said, "That's why Sherlock hasn't been in touch with John. The two of you decided to protect him."

This explained so much for Molly. In the lab recently, Sherlock had been uncharacteristically quiet, his loneliness for John evident in every movement. Yet he denied needing John at his side, saying John's family must come first in his life. Oh, Sherlock, you're John's family, too.

"And I hope you'll help me continue with that. Agreed?" Mary nodded to herself and patted their knees. As she stood up, she said, "I have been remiss in talking to my other guests. Please excuse me."

Mary joined Victor and Olivia on the other side of the room. Both Greg and Molly watched the three chat.

Greg finally said, "I don't know if I can tell John to stay away from Sherlock."

"Sherlock doesn't trust her anymore," blurted Molly, no longer able to keep her misgivings inside.

"What?"

Molly lowered her voice. "I honestly don't know what happened, but I do know Sherlock is not fond of Mary like he used to be. He does not trust her."

Greg ran his hands over his hair. "Did I ever tell you Sherlock asked me to help him with his best man's speech?"

Molly smiled. "No. That was you?"

Greg held his hands up in denial. "Oh, that was all Sherlock. He had called me over to Baker Street in a panic to ask my advice." Greg shook his head at the memory.

"So, what did you say to him?" Molly moved closer to Greg, their sides now fully in contact.

"I made the mistake of advising him just to be honest about his feelings for John."

"Why a mistake?"

"Because then he went up there and basically recited a love letter."

"Oh." Molly hesitated. She thought back to Sherlock's beautiful best man's speech. At the time, she had been bursting with pride that he had done so well. Inwardly kicking herself for not having given it more thought, she now realized just how much Sherlock had revealed with his words. She decided to make a confession of her own. "I tried to stop the wedding."

Greg jerked in surprise. "I know I had a lot of champagne at the reception, but I'm pretty sure that didn't happen."

"You're not the only one Sherlock asked for advice." Molly whispered. "He had me help out with the stag night."

Greg laughed. "I don't recall bailing you out of that jail cell."

Molly hunched her shoulders. "I think I got them into the jail cell."

Greg put an arm around her and gathered her close. "Now this I have to hear."

"Sherlock asked for my help with an app that would measure their rate of alcohol consumption so they would get pleasantly buzzed but not drunk."

"You seem to have miscalculated."

"No, I intentionally got them drunk."

"Why?"

"The Vitruvian Man."

Greg appeared confused. "The what man?"

"Vitruvian Man, you know, by Leonardo da Vinci?"

"Is that the guy splayed out in the circle?"

"Yes, based on the proportions of the ideal man."

"Yeah." Greg paused. "I'm not getting it."

"When Sherlock brought over a file on John so I could help with the calculations, he had an image of John's face superimposed over the Vitruvian Man."

"John Watson, the ideal man…"

"… For Sherlock Holmes."

"Is that when you knew Sherlock was…?" Greg indicated Victor with a subtle wave of his hand.

"I'd suspected previously from the way he watched John, but the Vitruvian man made me see rainbows."

"And?"

"So I adjusted the calculations to get them closer to drunk than pleasantly buzzed, hoping their inhibitions would drop and one of them would finally say something."

Greg chuckled. "John spiked their drinks once or twice, too. No wonder they got shitfaced."

"I wonder what would have happened if Mrs. Hudson hadn't let the client in?"

Molly leaned against Greg, enjoying his warmth and camaraderie. She looked around the room, noting that Harry and Sherlock had yet to rejoin the party. She wondered what they were talking about.

"John isn't gay." Greg made this assertion gently, as if he both believed and doubted the veracity of the words.

"Perhaps that is why it's so difficult for him to see what's right in front of him?"

"How much time have those two idiots spent regretting the 'what could have been'?"

"Too much."

Greg said, "Makes me even more grateful for Sally."

"Sally, why?"

"She's the one who convinced me to stop moping and just ask you out."

Molly giggled as she imagined how the scene must have played out. "I have always appreciated Sally's direct approach to problem-solving."

The fact that Greg had needed a nudge from Sally did not surprise Molly. She knew all too well that sometimes people see most clearly through the lens provided by another. Molly raised Greg's hand to her lips and gave it a tender kiss. "I'm not disappointed you took some prodding to ask me out. I'm just so glad you finally did."

Greg kissed her temple and the tip of her nose. He was leaning in for more, when they were interrupted by Victor. "I'll take your dessert plates, if you like. I'm going to ask John if he needs help with the cleanup."

Greg and Molly handed over their plates and thanks, then looked at each other.

"Want to try to eavesdrop on that conversation?" Greg teased.

Molly swatted at his knee, her anxious gaze drawn towards the kitchen. She hoped John would see himself more clearly through Victor's lens.