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If you are interested in the M rated version of this chapter, it is the extended, uncut version and it will be posted now under the title Mine, only mine *adults only special*

Chapter nine

Mine, only mine

It didn't take long for their wandering hands start to find their way under each other's clothes. That little voice inside that had been tempting him to touch her for what felt like forever, was exultant, revelling in delight at her sweet perfection.

They came together at last and it was everything Molly hoped it would be and so much more than Sherlock expected it ever could be.

Molly looked up at Sherlock, he had his eyes squeezed closed, buffering, unable to process what had just happened. Molly's stomach squeezed and clutched, while she waited.

Finally his eyes sprung open and landed on Molly, "I love you, Molly," he smiled an innocent open smile.

Relief flowed through her limbs releasing the knots forming in anticipation of the axe about to fall, Molly was certain no one had seen Sherlock this unshielded since his childhood.

He shuffled over and lay down next to her, "You're not going to say it back? I declare my love and you leave me hanging like a fool?"

Molly giggled, "I think you've finally stopped being a fool, you know there's never been anyone for else for me, you know I love you," rolling over on her side she bent her arm up and leaned on her elbow, smiling, "I love you, Sherlock, more than I've ever loved any other, okay?"

Sherlock rolled to his side mirroring her position, his expression serious, "More than Tom?" He looked down while waiting for the answer.

Molly frowned at him, "Of course, more than Tom, I broke off the engagement didn't I?"

Sherlock hesitated for a moment, "But you were going to marry him or you wouldn't have said yes," Sherlock maintained eye contact this time, wanting to see the truth.

Molly sighed, "Sherlock, I've loved you for a lot longer than you've loved me," Sherlock drew a breath and opened his mouth to respond, Molly pressed a finger to his lips, "Just listen," Sherlock nodded, for once not arguing. "I know you trusted me, I know I mattered, but you didn't love me. Tom was," she paused to gather her thoughts, trying to be fair to Tom, he'd deserved better from her, he couldn't help his inability to be another man.

"Tom was a lovely man, I thought I could make him enough, if I just tried hard enough, and when you weren't here, most of the time I could. I'd cry when he was asleep, wondering if you were still alive, if you thought about me -ever," Molly's eyes filled with the memories of those long dark nights.

"We hadn't been together for long when he asked me why I was always crying, - I told him I had allergies, that I always looked I'd been crying. I didn't want him to know I was crying for another man who didn't, wouldn't, couldn't? Love me and who was 'dead' anyway."

"I'm sorry Molly, I'm so sorry." Sherlock rolled to his back and pulled Molly to rest on his chest, he pulled the throw Mrs Hudson kept on the end of his bed, 'In case you get cold, dear, you're not a machine you know, much as you may wish to be.'

"If I could fix things I'd let myself fall sooner Molly, but I needed to grow a lot, I would have crushed you, I was..angry."

"I know, I wasn't ready either, I was too in awe of you, too cowed by your presence," Molly laughed, "So much for the post sex glow, we've gotten all maudlin instead."

Sherlock started sliding his hand up and down her body gliding in and over curves, "Maybe we should try again?" His voice already husky with want.

"Hmm," Molly tapped her fingerr on her lip pretending to think it over, Sherlock grinned and kissed her neck, "Sherlock," she whined.

Molly awakened something in him that he was almost certain no one else on the entire planet could inspire. He didn't believe in soulmates, but neither did he believe in coincidences either, so where did that leave him? John provided friendship and Molly the romantic, however it worked, he needed them, he made a mental note to check with John if Sherlock and Mary were those for him respectively.

They lost themselves in each other again, emotions running high, but far from losing his mind like he'd been sure he would, his thoughts had coalesced, flowing like a silver river, cool and clear, moving past and through him slowly, not taking focus away from the moment, rather, enhancing it.

Sherlock's only thought during their coupling became Molly, Molly, Molly, awareness crept back in slowly, with it the realisation that he was sitting up with Molly embracing him as he sobbed and called her name over and over.

Molly remained silent, she didn't move, she wasn't worried or upset, just patient, as she always had been, just letting him feel what he must, years without emotional release had conspired to turn him into a human bomb.

Should the detonation have come from a negative source it may well have sent him over the edge of sanity, he certainly wouldn't have been the first genius to be lost in such a fashion, but that was not to be Sherlock's fate, he had Molly. Tiny, seemingly fragile Molly, deceptively dismissible, strong enough to carry him while he rode it out.

Years ago he'd thought The Woman strong, now he saw her for what she was, a thug and a bully in a pretty body using sex as her weapon of choice and protecting her own heart – such as it was– by using others as playthings, convinced of her own superiority, fooling herself she was noble like a lion. She was a female Moriarty, charming, empty, and in the end – no doubt – insane.

Sherlock opened his eyes to focus on Molly, far from looking worried, she was serene, head on his shoulder, breathing measured, she seemed…content.

Sherlock's lips curved, "Are you hungry Molly?"

Molly lifted her head to look at him, radiating happiness, "Sherlock! I'm famished! My tummy rumbling?"

"No, but we did just do quite a work out,"he winked.

Molly laughed, the tinkling sound a thousand little bells, Sherlock suddenly felt like he was in a Disney movie, before the thought could turn sour and ruin the moment, Molly said to him, "Oh, I never did tell you about the autopsy I had on the day of the day of the broadcast, a few things happened and pushed it out of my head."

Sherlock gaped at her, Molly pulled a face and asked "Inappropriate?"

Sherlock laughed and shook his head, looking at her in adoration, "No, Molly, far from inappropriate, more like perfect."

They snuggled in together under the covers once they'd both ran off to the bathroom and freshened up a little. Molly pulled Sherlock's shirt on and buttoned it loosely, Sherlock thought she should dress that way permanently, it was sexy and had the added benefit of letting people know that she was taken.

Sherlock logged into an app on his phone for food delivery while Molly told him excitedly about the curious autopsy that she'd been so disappointed to miss out on when she'd been escorted from Bart's that day.

After they'd eaten they snuggled under the covers together curled into each other like ferns, Sherlock stroked Molly's skin, up over her hip and dipping into her waist, again and again, he couldn't get enough of her petite curves. Sherlock murmured into Molly's neck so softly he barely made a sound, just vibrations through her skin she somehow deciphered into words, "Molly? I don't want you to date other men anymore."

Molly stilled, "Sherlock?" Sherlock was subdued, "I don't want other men to touch you Molly, I want you to be mine, only mine."

"Sherlock, I am yours, I've been yours for a long time," Molly stopped, understanding sinking in at last. "Sherlock when I was yours but you were not mine it was different, I was trying to move on, now we belong to each other, you don't have to check with me, as you'll have me."

"I don't know how these things works, I want to be clear. You are mine and I am yours?"

"Yes Sherlock," he didn't need to see her face to know she wore a smile, he was certain it was as wide as his own.

Sherlock pulled Molly tighter and kissed the top of her head, she could feel him relaxing and drifting away, in that moment everything else disappeared, the broadcaster, the engagement, the tranquilliser dart, the agents, it all floated away as they drifted into sleep together at last.