Final chapter - thank you and thank you again, for all the reviews, messages and following - I read it all and it has helped me write massively. I hope you enjoy and it isn't a massive disappointment! xxx

'A…proposal?'

'Yes,' he smiled.

'Your freaking me out again.'

'Why?' he frowned, 'because I'm smiling.'

'Partly,' she admitted. 'I thought you were joking earlier with all…this' she gestured with her hand, 'but you sound…serious.'

'I am serious,' he said, lowering his voice, his eyes looking down, then tracing by up her body. 'I was serious. About everything.'

Molly felt her whole body turn to jelly.

'I know it's hard to trust me Molly. I am not exactly the most reliable of people.'

'You are reliable,' she interrupted. 'Just…this is so unlike you. You actually sound emotional.'

'I know,' his eyes widened, 'strange isn't it?'

'Just a bit,' she smiled. 'So…those things you said in the kitchen, I wasn't imagining them? Were you…'

'Flirting?' He answered. 'I believe so. Strange how one cannot control their emotions isn't it? I never thought…'

'Focus Sherlock.'

He bent his head to the side. 'How odd.'

'What?'

'You said that to me that night. The night I was shot by Mary.'

Molly frowned. 'I don't remember saying that at the hospital; only that I was telling you to bloody wake up because you couldn't all leave us like that.'

'Your concern was truly heart warming,' Sherlock said sarcastically.

Molly shrugged her shoulders. 'You don't respond to niceties – I thought a good shouting would get you out of the coma.'

'And you would be right,' he smiled warmly. 'Because you know me so well - even in my mind palace.'

Molly looked at him confused.

Sherlock began to pace the room. 'After I was shot,' he began, 'my brain went into overdrive; I needed to think it through sensibly. So naturally…'

'You went to your mind palace.'

'Exactly,' he nodded, 'and the first person I saw…was you.'

Molly watched as Sherlock continued to pace the room, his hand on his chin, deep in reflection.

'Me?' She asked.

'Yes,' he looked at her. 'You saved my life.'

She shook her head. 'It was all you Sherlock. I was just a physical presence for your thoughts.'

'No,' he said adamantly, his pace slowing until he stopped in front of her. 'It was you who told me to focus. Then I could breathe,' he closed his eyes, 'and think clearly. You told me exactly what to do.'

'I'm glad I was there to help' she responded unconvincingly.

Sherlock opened his eyes. 'You don't believe me?'

'Sherlock, do you think you owe me something because I saved your life? Is that why you're here and why you were flirting with me all night? Were you just being nice?'

His head drew back. 'That would not be nice, that would be deceitful and rude, and I would only do that if I wanted something from you…which I don't.'

'You used to,' she replied. 'Quite often.'

'Yes, I did,' he paused. 'But ironically it was you who changed me.'

Molly frowned. 'What do you mean?'

'Somehow I found myself…emotionally, through you.'

'You have learnt to flirt I suppose,' she smiled.

Sherlock's face lit up like a child. 'I did do rather well didn't I?'

'Modesty may need some work though. Timing as well Sherlock, I mean I had a fiancé not half an hour ago.'

'The timing,' he agreed, 'was not exactly fortuitous I agree, but it was my original intention when I came here to…what is it called? Open up?'

'Even though I was engaged?'

Sherlock took her hands in his and her face turned to look at him in equal shock and awe.

'I may not have known that he was having an affair but I knew you were not in love with him. I could not let you marry him.'

Molly felt her eyes fill up with tears against her will.

'No…I wasn't. I've been so stupid and so…confused! Especially with you coming back…'

She looked down at her hands clasped between his.

'You are have never been stupid Molly.'

His left hand went up to to her face, placing a finger under her chin until he looked at her.

'You are never stupid; me, on the other hand…well that was my epiphany.'

Molly felt her heart beat faster in her chest.

'Am I dreaming? Sherlock Holmes admitting that he is stupid?'

Molly smiled, forcing a tear falling to fall down her cheek, which Sherlock deftly brushed away with his thumb. Molly felt herself closing her eyes, cherishing this moment; a moment she had never thought possible, even in her heaviest of dreams.

'I realised that I was not only coming to your house for refuse, but also to see you; for that utter, plain and simple fact.'

Molly opened her eyes to see Sherlock was looking at her transfixed, his hand now placed on her cheek.

'I know I've hurt you Molly, on more than one occasion, and I know it took me a long while to treat you as you truly deserve…but I know now that you are more than a friend to me. I cannot deny it and I cannot see reason or logic why I should. You make me almost…normal.'

'Normal?' She raised her eyebrows.

Sherlock looked to the ceiling in thought. 'Alright, perhaps I'll never be normal, but you bring me as close to it as I could possible get.'

'You'll never be perfect and that's why I like you.'

Sherlock saw and felt how genuine she was and suddenly felt guilt creep upon him.

'There are some bad things I have done Molly,' he admitted, 'dark things. Things I do not wish to burden you with but know I should tell you-'

Molly closed her eyes and shook her head for him to stop.

'I've no doubt that you have. I also have no doubt that whatever you may have done in the past it was for the greater good.'

Sherlock's voice dropped. 'You believe that?'

'I always have…even when you've been so stupid that I've been forced to slap you.'

'I never did tell you how hard that hurt…'

'You deserved it,' she said, eyes narrowed.

'Hmm, yes, I suppose I did.'

'You can tell me in time,' she smiled. 'But for now…'

He gently stroked her hair back and she shivered.

'Cold?' He frowned, looking frantically around for something to help.

Molly smiled shyly. 'I'm not cold Sherlock.'

'Oh,' he blinked. 'What was that?'

'You have that effect on me.'

He raised an eyebrow. 'Peculiar…but I rather like it.'

Molly stalled for a moment, hesitation passing over her face.

'What is it?' He asked, eyes searching in the only way Sherlock can. 'Is it Tom?'

'How you do that I've no idea,' she asked in wonder. 'You know me better than I know myself.'

Sherlock stroked her hair again, passing his hand comfortingly down her neck and down her arm. She could feel the warmth even through her dressing gown.

'Your worried because you…'

'Were engaged not an hour ago?' She offered, 'yes, but you do make that difficult to forget, especially when you touch me like that.'

'Apologies,' he said, taking his hand off her arm.

Molly felt a sense of loss immediately and took his hand brazenly.

'I don't owe him anything,' she breathed. 'Do I?'

'Certainly not,' Sherlock agreed, rubbing circles on the back of her hand.

'What did you say to him to get him to leave by the way? I couldn't hear.'

Sherlock leant a little closer.

'I know people and he knows it. A few small threats won't do him any harm.'

Molly frowned. 'He won't get hurt will he?'

'Well…a few broken ribs should do the trick.'

'Sherlock!'

He rested his hand back into her hair and smiled.

'No. Nothing will happen to him. Wounded pride and being without you will be worthy penance.'

Molly closed her and eyes and realised he was right; it was her time now.

'So that proposal of yours…'

'I'll get to that, but first there's something else I need to do that requires, well, my immediate attention…'

Without having the time to catch her breath, his hands were suddenly either side of her face, fingers entangled in her hair in one swift, smooth motion his mouth found hers.

He was gentle at first, almost searching, and Molly could already feel her legs giving way from beneath her; as if he could sense it, one hand came to her waist to hold her against him.

But she found that the shock soon gave way to natural instinct and Molly found her hands reaching for his head too; they fell into such a deep kiss, that when he gently pulled away, neither of them knew how long they had been there.

His hands remained on her waist as Molly moved her arms downwards to rest on his shoulders.

'You Molly Hooper, are one new revelation after another.'

'You can just call me Molly you know,' she said distractedly.

'Am I supposed to give you a pet name now?' He asked with a slight grimace.

'Molly will do for now,' she smiled.

'Thank heavens for that,' he breathed. 'So now I've prepared you well enough for that proposal I believe.'

'That was the preparation. What can you possibly propose now?'

'It was rather good wasn't it?' He grinned.

'Just a bit,' she said sarcastically.

Sherlock pulled a little closer and naturally, Molly let him, letting her hands push softly into his hair.

He closed his eyes momentarily.

'It won't always be easy for me,' he admitted.

'I know,' she whispered. 'But I always said I'd be there for you.'

Sherlock held her closer. 'You always have. It's about time I repay the favour.'

'You already have' she sighed happily.

'Not by half,' he disagreed. 'But I intend to start by proposing…dinner.'

Molly grinned. 'Are you asking me out?'

He shrugged. 'Least I can do after I just stole your virtue.'

She laughed, and looked up at Sherlock, just as the first early morning light crept through the curtains.

'How about breakfast?' She suggested.

He smiled, before slowing reaching down to kiss her softly; brief but meaningful.

'I know a nice little café-'

'Oh no. I meant here. There's some bacon in the fridge, and seeing as you know the way around my kitchen…' she reminded him.

He narrowed his eyes teasingly. 'I see who is in charge now.'

'Your fault for waking me up at such an hour,' she said, pulling his hand towards the door, before pausing at the stairs. 'And just to clarify…John and Mary? That was still your originally reason for coming here?'

'I thought it was,' he frowned. 'But deep down my brain was making excuses for my…well, heart you could say.'

Molly squeezed his hand. 'Careful, you could be getting romantic.'

'Me?' He said wide-eyed. 'Heavens no. It was their romantic endeavours that found me here in the first place. I really must get rid of them.'

'Anddd the romance is gone,' she rolled her eyes.

'Ah, I see how that came out wrong,' he said, stroking her cheek once more. 'I told you I wouldn't be easy.'

'I'm betting on it,' she shook her head in amusement.

'Thank heavens for the bolt-hole I say,' Sherlock replied. 'Thank heavens for Molly Hooper and for the only woman who has really mattered.'

'That's better,' she smiled.

And with that, Molly led Sherlock down the stairs, to the kitchen, and to a life that which would never be normal, but hopefully, all the more…extraordinary.