Author's Note: I'm back! Molly's hen night is upon us! Inspired by episodes 2x03 and 8x12 of One Tree Hill.
"Don't get too crazy tonight," Molly teased her fiancé.
"Ah, no worries, I have no interest in the sort of stag night John had," Sherlock replied with a smirk. "We'll just be solving a case or two, nothing out of the ordinary."
"Well now I feel like the odd one," Molly told him.
"I just want you to have fun tonight, Molly Hooper," he spoke softly, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "You deserve it." She smiled at the feel of his lips on her skin. "But not too much fun."
"So no fun with you when I get home?" she asked innocently.
"Not if you're inebriated, no," he replied. "It'll be straight off to bed with you." Molly's phone pinged, a message having come through.
"That'll be Mary," Molly stated. "She and Meena are waiting for me. I love you."
"I love you too," Sherlock said in reply. "Be safe."
"You too."
"There's the bride!" Mary exclaimed when Molly got in the backseat with her, and Meena who was eating a packet of crisps. Mycroft had provided a car and driver for them tonight.
"We have fun plans for you tonight, Molly!" Meena informed her.
"Should I be scared?" Molly asked, knowing Meena was once a wild child back in her uni days.
"Probably," Mary laughed.
They pulled up in front of a spa moments later, not being what Molly had expected to start off the night with.
"Massages first, partying later," Meena remarked. "You work yourself so hard, so I thought this would be a perfect first stop."
"Well, that just sounds perfect," Molly smiled. "Thank you."
"I can't believe you're solving cases for your stag night," Greg said.
"Come now, Greg, surely you know me well enough by now," Sherlock replied. "You still get to come along on the actual investigation; that should be fun for you."
"Better than sitting behind a desk," Greg agreed.
"Alright, Mrs. Hudson's got Rosie, and I'm here, so what's the case?" John asked.
"Unfortunately, nothing interesting has come up, so we're spying on a woman's husband," Sherlock sighed.
"Really, mate? An infidelity case? That's the way to celebrate getting married," Greg chuckled.
"Well, we are following him to a bar," Sherlock pointed out. "Maybe something more interesting will happen whilst we're out."
"I hope so," John sighed.
The girls left the spa, feeling refreshed after their massages and having those surprisingly okay health drinks. Molly had no clue where they were headed to next, but she was so relaxed, she didn't have a care in the world.
"I hope you have your dancing shoes on," Mary told her.
"Are flats dancing shoes?" Molly asked.
"Good enough," Meena replied, "let's go!"
The bass of the music pulsed through the club, making them feel the beat in through their bodies. Mary had already dragged Molly toward the dancefloor, leaving Meena to hunt out her prey for the night. She was the only single girl of the three of them, after all.
Despite Molly's hesitance about the nightclub, she was having a lot of fun with her friends, dancing to the music, and singing the words out loud together.
Sometime later, the girls made a beeline toward the bar for some drinks. Molly was just enjoying her second piña colada, when a woman came up to them, sliding money toward the bartender.
"That's for her drinks," the mysterious woman said, pointing to Molly.
"Oh, I'm engaged, you don't have to buy my drinks," Molly explained.
"I know you're engaged, Molly Hooper," she replied.
Mary's eyes widened.
"Noooo," she said with astonishment. She started laughing.
"I take it you know who I am?" the woman asked. Mary nodded before she threw back a shot. "Good. Though, I'm surprised Doctor Hooper doesn't."
"Should I?" Molly asked.
"The name's Elena," the woman told her. "Elena Rider. Congratulations on your engagement."
Mary knew that Elena Rider was not the woman's real name, but perhaps she could conceal that from Molly for the time being.
"Elena Rider?" Meena asked. "No offense, but it kinda sounds like the perfect stripper name." Elena laughed, not the least bit offended.
"I used to be one, so no offense taken," Elena replied. "I just wanted to send my congratulations to Molly, but it was nice meeting you all."
"Why don't you come with us?" Molly asked. Mary hid her face, after her eyes widened at the suggestion. "It is my hen night, after all."
"I did have somewhere to be, but this sounds more fun," Elena answered.
"Very spontaneous of you, Molls, I'm proud," Meena told her. "Maybe she can give you some pointers."
Molly furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.
"I think she means pointers on pole dancing," Mary laughed.
"Yeah, I don't know about that," Molly said nervously.
"Come on, live a little," Elena insisted. "Even if you don't like it, you won't have to do it again."
"I guess it couldn't hurt," Molly shrugged before downing the rest of her drink. "Where to, then?"
"I know just the place," Meena and Elena said in unison.
John and Greg were already buzzed after having spent an ample amount of time at the bar. Sherlock finally caught sight of the woman's husband who had finally entered. The man went to the opposite end of the bar and ordered a drink, obviously looking for someone.
Twenty minutes passed with no sign of infidelity, but curiously enough, the man threw his phone, hitting another patron. That's when the fight broke out. The bartender was already breaking up the fight when Sherlock, John and Greg decided to leave. No infidelity was to be seen.
"So what now?" John asked.
"The Packet," was all Sherlock said, looking down at his phone.
The girls had decided to hit another pub for more drinks before going to the destination of Elena and Meena's choosing. After a few drinks, they were all a bit tipsy. Molly was definitely having more fun than she assumed she would, but she did miss Sherlock.
"So, Molly, Elena and I thought we'd all go to that lingerie shop down the road. She says they have a pole she can teach you on," Meena told her.
"Hold that thought," Elena said. "I need the ladies' room."
"Wonder why Sherlock asked us to wait out here," Greg voiced.
"Mm, dunno," John mumbled.
They only had to wait a couple of minutes before Sherlock got back in the car, shaking glitter out of his hair. Instead of being annoyed at the glitter, he looked amused.
"How's this for a case?" Greg asked, showing Sherlock his phone. Sally had texted about a killer on the run.
"It seems that the game is on," Sherlock smirked.
They drove along the street that they were told the suspect was last seen, hoping he hadn't gone too far, and was hiding. Sherlock parked in front of an abandoned house, gesturing for Greg to join him and for John to stay put.
"Why do I need to stay put?" John asked.
"Because you are slightly drunk, and Greg still has his wits about him," Sherlock explained. He locked the car whilst he followed the DI inside. Sure enough, they heard footsteps above them; quiet ones, but footsteps nonetheless.
They slowly made their way up the stairs, not wanting to alert the killer if he was, indeed, up there. A slight breeze was felt from the cracked open door at the end of the hall.
Peering inside, the curtains were being blown around from the wind coming through the now open windows. Sherlock and Greg inched over quietly toward the closet door. A gunshot rang out, the bullet flying right past them and into the wall.
The man revealed himself, attempting to fight them , but Sherlock took him down, unarming him simultaneously. Greg alerted Sally and kept the killer handcuffed for when the rest of the force got there.
"Not bad, Holmes," Sally told him when they brought the suspect out. It was the first—and only—compliment he would ever receive from her.
"Watch and learn," Elena told them. The girls watched as she used the pole in the shop, clad only in her blood red mini dress and heels. By this time, Molly was quite eager to learn. She briefly wondered what Sherlock would think of this new skill. "Your turn, Molly."
Molly snapped out of her thoughts and jumped up, running toward the pole. Her right hand grabbed onto it, but instead of twirling herself around it, she ended up crash landing onto the chair against the wall behind the pole, laughing all the while.