A/N: Wow I never thought people would like this. Thank you SO MUCH for the reviews! They do wonders for my productivity and encourage me to keep writing.

Okay so here's the next chapter. Enjoy~

Mary sat patiently in her living room, sipping a cup of cocoa as she waited for the storm that is her husband's best friend to barge in. He did not disappoint.

"Nice to see you too Sherlock." She gestured to the plate next to her. "Biscuit?"

"I will assume given your undeterred reaction to me and your barely veiled delight that you know why I'm here and what I would like to know."

Mary made sure to take a long sip before addressing him. "Ben is it?"

Sherlock fumed at the mention of the name. "Who is he, and why are you encouraging my pathologist to go on a date with him?"

" 'My pathologist'? " Mary looked towards an amused John who raised two thumbs up and mouthed 'I told you!'

Sherlock rolled his eyes at their exchange. "Yes, I'm sure John alerted you regarding that matter." He was getting irritated though. "Who. Is. He?"

"Well I don't know him personally, but Molly does love his work and has on more than one occasion voiced that she appreciates his…aesthetics." She couldn't help wagging her eyebrows suggestively.

Sherlock looked like he was going to bite his tongue off. Oh this is so much fun, she thought.

The consulting detective could also tell that she was deriving too much joy from the situation. "Cancel whatever arrangement you had for her this Saturday," he commanded testily.

Mary nodded. "Okay."

"And don't try to interfere with—what?"

"I said, okay. I won't encourage or interfere from now on."

Sherlock eyed her suspiciously. He hadn't expected her to comply. Why was she giving in so easily?

Mary just sat there innocently. "I'll even cancel their Saturday date."

John stood at a corner with his arms folded as he watched them. Mary was definitely up to something, but he wasn't going to say a word.

Sherlock gave up trying to deduce the reason out of Mary. "I will know if you try anything."

Mary frowned. "I wouldn't worry about me if I were you. Don't forget, Molly's free to see whomever she likes. If you want a chance then you better ask her out on that dinner soon."

He startled at that. "How did you—"

"You're not the only one who can eavesdrop," she winked.

Sherlock turned to give John an accusatory look.

"What are you looking at me for?" He clearly didn't know what part he had in this. Sherlock tugged John's jacket, ignoring the indignant cries as he pulled out his phone to look at the call history. He shoved the phone at John's face to see his treachery before turning to Mary.

"If you breathe a word of what you heard to Molly."

Mary snorted at that. "It's not like she would believe me anyway."

Sherlock blinked. He wasn't sure how he felt about that being true.

"Well?" Mary asked. "Run along now. Don't you have a case to work on?"

Sherlock didn't move a muscle. He was still trying to look for any indication that Mary was messing with him, but nothing was coming up.

"Or would you rather we talk about what I eavesdropped?" She threatened.

" ' I can't wait to turn you on' " in her most bedroom voice. Sherlock couldn't have run out of the room any faster.

John and Mary stared at each other before they burst into giggles.

"Are you pulling his leg about this Ben?"

"No, I assure you he's a real person."

"Then who is he?" he asked expectantly.

Mary pointed to the laptop on the table. "He heard us talking about that video of Benedict Cumberbatch and me inviting Molly over to watch a Hay Festival event of him on Saturday."

John went over to read the title of the video. "Oh Genius is what you were playing last night right?"

"Yeah that's how I ended up finding that clip."

"So—" he had to pause to stop laughing. "—so Sherlock is jealous of a celebrity?"

Mary hummed as she bit into a biscuit.

"Why didn't you tell him?"

She just gave him a meaningful look.

"You're planning something aren't you?"

"Planning? No, I gave my word to Sherlock." she said, looking solemn. " But planned?" She quirked up a mischievous smile. "Let's just say I might have set some things in motion before you stopped by. Well within my promise if I may say so myself. He can't give me grief about it later on."

John stared incredulously at Mary who just shrugged. "A lot can happen in 8 minutes."

"Why go through the trouble though? Sherlock was already going to ask Molly out," he asked as he reached over to grab a biscuit.

"Yes, then the clot backed out and went on a manhunt instead going asking her out straight up. I want him to face Molly, eventually." John gave her a pointed look. "And I might have been a little bored," she admitted. John still wasn't buying it. "Okay, and it might be a tinsy bit fun messing with him." John smiled widely at her confession.

"So," he leaned in curiously, "what's the plan?"

11 minutes ago:

"Hey, Molly? About the reading, would you mind we change the plans up a bit?"

"Uh, yeah okay. What do you have in mind?" She's not cancelling is she?

"So, I know someone. And they can get us tickets to see Ben and Loo live at the Hay Festival." Molly's face lit up at her words.

"Would you be okay with that?"

"Yes!" Molly practically screamed. "Would you be able to come though?" she asked, remembering Mary's sore back and feet.

"Probably not, but don't worry I'll have fun watching the drama."

"Sorry, 'the drama' ?"

"On telly I mean. I wanted to catch up on one of my American shows anyway."

"Are you sure?"

"Aw don't fuss. I'll have John drop them off to you at Barts tomorrow."

"…"

"You can have fun for the both of us all right?"

"…okay."

"Great! Bye."

Mary hung up, feeling quite proud of herself. She dialed another number and waited for the other end to pick up.

"Hello, Jane? It's Mary. Listen, I think I can get you an audience with Sherlock for your case much sooner than I anticipated. Yes, he'd be delighted to take it on. I might need a favor though; you know those Letters Live tickets you have…"

A/N: And that's it! For now at least. Mary's shown her cards (to me at least). 8 minutes is a short time to think up some mischief (that's how long their cab ride from Barts was). We'll see how thorough she was as events begin to unfold in the next chapter ;)

Thank you again for the reviews! They really make my day.