You know I really don't care - well, maybe sometimes

Molly tried not to look at Sherlock while he was working on anther experiment in the was getting late and it was already way past her shift, but she wasn't at all tired and neither was he. John, on the other hand, was sleeping soundly on one of the chairs, leaning his head on the counter.

Sherlock didn't mind her at all. He hasn't even talk to her since he came. And she decided she won't mind him. It couldn't be very hard, right?

Her eyes were starting to ache for a glance towards him, but her healthy mind strongly objected. She knew that one more heartbreak caused by this tall handsome man will make her a new dead body on which Sherlock will be able to experiment on.

"So, Molly?" Sherlock spoke to her for the first time this night.

"Yes, Sherlock?" she said, not being able to stop herself from being happy he finally noticed her, even for a little bit. The way she said his name sent a wave of unfamiliar chills throughout Sherlock's body. They've become regular, he noticed, when he was with her. Still, he couldn't get used to them.

"Um," he stammered, trying to pull himself together, "am I keeping you here for too long? You've been quiet for some time now, and as far as I've deduced with John, being quiet usually means anger. Have I kept you away from some date?"

A date? Seriously? Sherlock's mind screamed. Why would you care if she has a date? No, no, Sherlock Holmes, you DO NOT care!

"Um, no, no, no date," Molly shook her head rapidly. "I was just ..." She sighed. She said three words too many and actually got Sherlock's attention and curious look rather than make him forget about her again. She continued, knowing there was no point in lying to a living lie detector. "I was thinking about caring for ... someone."

"Caring for who?" Damn it, when did he get so nosy? Molly thought, while in Sherlock's mind jealousy has taken over his relief that flew throgh him when she told him she wasn't seeing anyone.

"For you, Sherlock," Molly finally admitted out loud what she's been feeling throughout the years. "I care for you and it's killing me!"

"If it's so hard for you, why do you care?" Sherlock asked. He got an idea, a stupid idea, in the back of his mind, wanting to hug her and hold her close and apologize for every single pain he had caused her.

"I don't know," Molly laughed at her silliness. If only it was that simple. "I have no idea why in the bloody hell I care. But I can't just turn off my feelings, as you can, obliviously."

Of, if only I could, Sherlock sighed in his mind.

"You're incorrect," he said instead, thinking (although he was unknowingly thinking mistakenly) lying seemed like a good cover for his, still unresolved, truth. "I don't turn off my feelings. I simply don't have them. I never care."

With that, the conversation was done and they both quietly got back to work. None of them noticed John Watson waking up in the middle of their conversation, filled with more feelings than even they could see. He looked at both of them with only one eye half open. Each of them was hiding something behind the stone mask on their faces – Molly hid embarrassment in being shut down like that after expressing her true feelings and pain Sherlock once again caused on her poor heart, while Sherlock ... He couldn't resolve the puzzle that appeared on his friend's face.

After several long moments of complete silence, Sherlock stood up, cleaned the tools he was using, announcing he had to go. He snapped his fingers in front of John's face, signaling him it was time to wake up. John yawned and stretched from an uncomfortable sleep and before he even stood up, Sherlock already left.

"He was lying, you know?" John felt the need to tell Molly. "He does care. About certain people and only in certain times, but he does."

Molly looked at him and smiled a sad smile.

"It's okay, John," she said. "There's no need to make me feel better. I know how he is and that he'll never change. It's only hard for me to get over the fact I'm unseen and unheard when he's around. The dumb side of my brain just keeps hoping things might change."

"Don't give up hope," John smiled at her and left.

If only she had any idea!

(A/N: I'm back! Sorry for the long delay, but I had in my mind that I've uploaded the last two chapters, which appparently I didn't ... I looked to check which chapter was the last and I was like WHAAAAT? when I saw I didn't upload from here :P anyways, to all the faithful followers out there – prepare for Niagara falls of chapters ;D you've been warned!)