One day, seemingly out of the blue, Sherlock decided that both Molly and Ingress needed fencing lessons. Ingress was, as ever, very curious about Sherlock and was always happy to spend time with him. Molly suspected that this decision was spurred in equal parts by boredom and concern. She knew that Sherlock worried about her safety, as well as that of Door and Ingress. He would never admit it, of course. Whenever she asked, he simply sniffed and pointed out her inability to serve as an acceptable replacement for John.
Somewhere in the House without Doors he had found a variety of archaic weaponry. He and Door occasionally went on expeditions to discover things throughout the house. Door wasn't sure exactly how many rooms there were, some had been closed to her when she was a child. Now that she was the head of the family, she could access everything. Molly and Ingress tended to sit out these expeditions. Ingress was still unwilling to enter certain rooms, though she had begun to feel comfortable with going outside the house, as long as Sherlock and Door were with her.
The fencing lessons had been going on for two days straight. Door was already familiar with some basic sword fighting skills and had been pressed into service as Sherlock's assistant. She wasn't sure how she felt about Ingress learning to wield weapons, but the little girl was eager to learn. And besides, the Underside being what it was, better she learn how to defend herself. Lessons were conducted in the entry hall, all the furniture had been shoved to the side or moved to other rooms. Sherlock was a demanding teacher, which was no surprise to Molly. He shouted at her and made her practice basic moves over and over again. She was nearly exhausted, but he refused to let up. At least he was kinder to Ingress, she was currently sitting on a chair by the wall, sipping water while Door sat and watched. As he shouted another insult at her footwork, Molly was debating throwing her practice foil at his head when suddenly Door shouted.
"Temple and Arch!" She stood and ran across the room. Molly and Sherlock turned and watched as she leapt at the newly returned Marquis de Carabas, back after an absence of nearly three and a half months. She enveloped him in a hug, which caused him to wrinkle his nose and push her away.
"Heavens, Door, you smell like a barnyard, whatever have you been doing in my absence?" He whipped out a handkerchief and a tiny silver box. He dabbed some perfume on the handkerchief and sniffed it delicately. Molly gawped at him. He wore his ever present black coat, but had added a new mix of eccentric clothes and a massive feathered hat as well. He looked like a Musketeer that had escaped from some experimental opera. Door smacked his arm and began to cry. This display merely made the Marquis roll his eyes and sigh.
"Yes, yes, I know, hurrah, I'm back, no need to blubber so. It's most unattractive you know, I'd offer my handkerchief but you'd only soil it," he sniffed, waving his lacy handkerchief.
Now he turned to Molly and Sherlock. It was plain for him to see that their relationship had changed. He was pleased; obviously it was due to his helpful influence. Perhaps he should consider offering matchmaking services. He grinned at Molly and bowed to her. Sherlock instantly stepped closer to her and scowled at the Marquis. "Molly, my dear, lovely to see you as well, now please remain where you are, you reek as well" smiled the Marquis.
Finally, he noticed Ingress, still sitting near the wall, eyes wide. His face softened. He bowed to her as well and waited for Door. She walked over to her sister and whispered something in her ear. Ingress nodded and Door picked her up. She carried her over to the Marquis. "Ingress, this is the Marquis de Carabas, he was a friend of our father and saved my life a few times. He's my friend too, okay?" Door explained to her sister. Ingress nodded solemnly. The Marquis smiled gently and shook her hand.
"Now, I am rather hungry and all of you stink most unpleasantly. I intend to eat, so I suggest you all bathe before I lose my appetite; it is quite foul in here." With a dramatic flourish, the Marquis strutted away.
Door sighed and turned to her other guests. She shrugged and said, "He's right, I'm gonna go wash up, meet you back here for dinner in about an hour?" Molly nodded and put her practice foil away. Sherlock had folded his arms and was glaring at her darkly. Molly reached out a hand and he took it, still frowning. They returned to the guest suite.
A little boy is hiding under the desk. He is playing with some small toys and humming to himself. There is an apple sitting next to him. He takes a big bite out of it and resumes playing. A woman enters the room and calls out "Portico? Are you in here? Your father is not happy!" She looks around for a moment, but doesn't see the little boy and leaves. Portico giggles to himself.
As soon as they entered their room, Sherlock grabbed Molly and kissed her forcefully. Molly kissed him back with equal passion. She almost laughed at how possessive he was suddenly being. He stopped and positively glowered at her. Molly tried a reassuring smile and reached up to brush a curl away from his face. "Sherlock, is something wrong?" She couldn't help herself, she giggled then. Sherlock stormed away, slamming the door to his room then. Molly sighed. Men were just as bad as women sometimes she decided.
Molly was feeling quite disgusting anyway, so she took a quick bath, rubbing some of the soreness out of her legs. She dressed and braided her hair. Before leaving her room, she paused. On her dressing table sat a bracelet. It was made from the handle of a scalpel, the blade removed. The metal had been heated and bent to form a bracelet. Sherlock had found it at the Floating Market one evening, shortly after complaining about Molly not noticing some tiny detail during one of his cases. He traded for it and gave it to her as an apology. Molly hoped he would be reassured when he saw her wearing it. He was sitting in his armchair when she left her room. He had dressed to kill, wearing one of his favorite suits from Baker Street. As he looked up at her, he drank her in, noticing the bracelet immediately. He smiled and stood up, offering her his arm. He whispered into her ear, "You look lovely Molly."
She smiled back and kissed him quickly. They left and adjourned to the dining room.
A large crowd has filled the dining room. The room has been decorated with flowers. All the people are dressed in their absolute finest. Everyone is chatting and drinking. A couple suddenly enters the room and everyone cheers. The couple raises their joined hands and smile at their friends and family. The crowd applauds as the couple kisses.
The Marquis de Carabas was already sitting at the long table, feet propped up on the table. He had removed his hat and set it on an unlit candelabrum. He smiled as Molly and Sherlock entered and raised his goblet to them. Sherlock just scowled. Ingress and Door entered shortly afterwards and took their seats. De Carabas delicately sliced roast beef and served slices to everyone. They all ate in silence for a while. Finally Door began asking the questions on everyone's mind.
"So, well, what happened? Um, how did you escape?" she asked.
The Marquis lightly wiped his mouth and set his napkin down. "I did not need to escape. The Lady Olympia was satisfied with my services and allowed me to leave."
"Services?" sneered Sherlock.
"Oh god, what did she want?" asked Door, the blood draining from her face.
"Tap dancing lessons" replied the Marquis dryly. He took another sip from his goblet.
"Don't be ridiculous, seriously what the hell happened?" asked Door.
The Marquis de Carabas raised an eyebrow and smiled. "I told you all that I am willing to tell. The important thing is that I have returned and I must calculate the full value of the various favors I have accumulated." He speared another bite of meat and ate it. "And, I'm pleased to see that my dear friend Sherlock has ever so thoughtfully prepared another diversion for me, you see, I myself am a swordsman of no small talent. Perhaps I can offer some instructions to improve your technique Sherlock," he grinned. Molly nearly groaned out loud, so much for a quiet and peaceful evening.
Sherlock narrowed his eyes and looked murderous. He threw down his napkin and stood quickly. "Splendid" he spat. "I look forward to your lesson, shall we begin in a quarter of an hour?" The Marquis nodded and resumed eating. Sherlock stalked away.
Door gave the Marquis a Look. "Seriously? Would it kill you to behave yourself? Just for a little while?" she asked.
"I am only trying to assist my dear friend improve his skills" claimed de Carabas. "Please excuse me, I must go and prepare for my lesson." He bowed and left the room.
Molly dropped her head in her hands and fought the urge to swear. She looked over and noticed that Ingress actually looked very amused. The little girl grabbed Door's hand and dragged her from the room. Molly followed them slowly. The women settled themselves in some armchairs and waited for the men to return. Sherlock returned first, he had changed out of his suit into what Molly still thought of as his "pirate on a day off" outfit. As ever, he looked amazing. The Marquis soon followed, having also changed. He had removed his coat and now wore a pair of tight navy blue knee length breeches and flowing white shirt. He also looked quite attractive. Well, as long as they didn't kill each other, it should be fun to watch, thought Molly glumly.
They each picked up a fencing foil and saluted, then began to spar in earnest. They both moved quickly as they deftly maneuvered around the room. Neither spoke, both focused completely on the other. Blades flashed and rattled against each other. Door and Molly were both mesmerized by the speed and strength of the two men. The battled for nearly forty five minutes. Finally, the Marquis seemed to tire, and Sherlock moved in to strike. But it was only a feint, and for a moment it looked like the Marquis would win. Sherlock had anticipated the gambit and spun back, avoiding the Marquis's blade and then spinning once more, his foil now at the Marquis throat. Now the men stood still, both panting heavily. The Marquis smiled and bowed. "Well met, good sir, indeed perhaps there is little for me to teach you" he grinned.
Sherlock glared at him for a second more before lowering his foil and nodding. He reached out and the two adversaries shook hands. Molly let out a breath. Ingress stood and clapped enthusiastically. The Marquis sauntered over to a chair and sat with a sigh. "Delightful, haven't had a decent fight in years, I commend you Sherlock, we must do that again sometime" he said.
Door went and fetched some pitchers with water and dessert. Together they all sat and drank and nibbled on more chocolate cake. The Marquis told them a little more about his recent exploits. He had left Olympia three days prior and had spent the days afterwards rambling about. He had heard of the new detective, Vernet and his assistant, Mary, the healer. He congratulated them on their success but also warned them to be cautious. He had learned some new information during his time with Olympia. She had extensive contacts across the world and knew much about what happened not only in London Below, but many other cities. The Marquis had carefully manipulated one of their conversations to discover what she knew about Deathseers.
"She had never met a Deathseer, she actually told me they didn't exist, which I did not bother to correct. I mentioned that I had heard of one in Dublin, but she told me that was nonsense. She did tell me something interesting about Dublin though. Some years ago, two men rose to power there and were essentially ruling the whole of Dublin Below. They were able to build a gang so vicious and evil that everyone feared them. After a decade or so of terrorizing all of Dublin, the two men disappeared completely and without explanation. No bodies were ever found; some people thought they moved on to a new city. However, there were some who believed that somehow, the two were able to break free of Dublin Below and join the world above." He paused to drink some water. "While it sounds unlikely, it could be the Deathseer master criminal you seek, Molly" he finished.
"What were their names?" she asked.
"No one knew their true names of course, they were called the Wolf and the Tiger" answered the Marquis. "After they disappeared, their gang fell apart and things went back to normal, well as normal as these places can ever be.
Molly pondered this new information. There was still no conclusive evidence one way or the other. They were still no nearer to discovering whether or not Jim Moriarty had any connection to the Underside. The discussion moved on to other topics about the latest news and rumors of the Underside.
Molly left the group first, she was tired from the fencing lessons and wanted to relax. She had changed into her nightgown and sat in her armchair to read. She suspected Sherlock would be in a bit of a mood after the triumphant return of the Marquis. She hoped to relax a little at least before he began torturing his violin. When Sherlock returned to their rooms, he was oddly quiet. Molly had heard him come in, and could hear him pacing in the back of the room. She stood up and turned around, not sure what sort of mood she would find him in. She whispered "Sherlock?"
He stopped and looked at her. She stood outlined in the firelight, her hair and skin glowing with light. Her nightgown was among the least sexy articles of clothing Sherlock Holmes had ever seen. And yet, the sight of her in it provoked something in him. The temptation had been growing for some time, now it would not be denied. He strode swiftly across the room to her, gathering her close and kissing her deeply. The happy hums she made in her throat only added to his desire. His hands roamed over her body. He pulled away for a second, trying to catch his breath.
"Molly, I want … I want more…" he murmured, his hands gliding across her lower back, lips brushing her ear.
He pressed his body close to her, his hands continuing to move to more sensitive regions of her body. Her eyes grew wide as she realized what it was he wanted. She smiled back at him and suppressed a giggle. This was not the mood Molly was expecting. She grabbed his hand and led him to her room. He stopped her before she could climb into her bed. He pulled his shirt off, earning a gasp from Molly. He stared at her hungrily.
"Molly, may I take this off?" he asked, lightly touching her nightgown.
She was about to grin and nod, when the image of the woman whose body he had identified from "not her face" came crashing into her mind. That and the memory of what he had said last Christmas. Her face fell. She stepped back, covering her chest with her arms.
"I'm sorry, it's just, um, I just remembered Christmas" she said in a whisper. She could feel herself blush and wished she could stop. She wrapped her arms tighter around herself and stared at the floor.
Sherlock looked stricken. He still didn't quite understand why he had acted so cruelly in the past. "Oh Molly, please, I know what I said was awful, all of it. I don't understand why I did it, please forgive me, I will always be ashamed of my behavior that night. I'm sorry."
He hated himself then, hated what a monster he was sometimes. This was why he never tried to have friends or lovers before. He was doomed to fail. He backed away from her; certain she hated him as well. Molly rushed over to him before he could reach the door.
"Wait, Sherlock, it's okay. You already apologized to me and I already forgave you. It's just, I'm nervous." She giggled for a second, tension bubbling over. She breathed in deeply. "I don't want to disappoint you. I mean I thought you and that woman …" she trailed off. He shook his head vehemently. She looked up at him, her eyes wide and trusting. She wrapped herself in his arms. She mumbled into his chest. "I guess I am just surprised, I didn't expect that you would ever want me, I'm still trying to understand it." She closed her eyes and reached down to pull her nightgown off.
Sherlock drank in everything about her body, the changing colors of her skin, the birthmark above her right breast, the soft curves of her hips. He marveled at what she was offering him. She tugged him back towards the bed. They lay tangled together, each exploring the other's body. Sherlock felt his mind quiet as he cataloged all the new sensations. The feeling of Molly's hands on his body was marvelous. He realized what an idiot he was to deny himself this. A smug new voice in his mind chided him; he could have had all this, for years, and was too stupid to realize it. He could have been enjoying the soft secret noises Molly made when his lips brushed her nipples. He could have been reveling in the feel of her fingernails lightly running down his sides. Somehow, without realizing it, they removed the last items of clothing on their bodies. This was even better, more to touch and taste. He lay over her body, luxuriating in the contact of skin to skin. He didn't remember when he had last felt so safe and content. Everything was going quite nicely indeed till Molly suddenly spoke up from somewhere underneath him.
"Sherlock, wait, um, we can't, well, I mean we don't have any protection" she whispered.
"What? Like a gun?" Sherlock was confused, in his haze of desire; he had no idea what she was talking about.
Molly thought he was teasing her for a second. Then she realized he really didn't get it. "Um, no, it's just, it's probably not a good idea for me to get pregnant" she said cringing.
"Oh" He lay back and took a deep breath. "Oh" He hadn't considered that possibility. He had spent so long ignoring sexual desire that he had never had to plan in advance for such activities. This was certainly an unfortunate turn of events. It might have been humorous if it weren't so irritating. He suspected that somewhere, John and Mycroft were laughing at him without knowing why.
Molly was snuggling back up alongside him. She had watched his face closely as the realization of what she was saying washed over him. There had been a brief, panicked second when she feared he would go on a rampage, tearing the Underside apart in search of a box of prophylactics. He was calming down, but clearly frustrated. She ran her fingers along his thigh.
"You know, there are, um, some other things we could do, which are also rather nice. Shall I show you?" she asked.
He looked a little confused once more. Molly thought back to her University days and some of the many lessons her old friend Rebecca had shared. Rebecca had given her lots of interesting ideas about pleasing boys and some very useful hints. Molly prayed that she remembered everything correctly. She smiled at Sherlock and resumed kissing him. She began with his lips but didn't stop there. Sherlock was still trying to process all of the previous new sensory information when he was overcome by the new sensations. Molly's lips, tongue and fingers were everywhere. The noise of his racing mind quieted and stilled as he approached climax. When he came, it was the most glorious single sensation he had ever experienced. As his racing heart slowed, he felt Molly wrap her arms around his middle, pressed against his side. That smug voice in his mind returned, taunting him. Perhaps experiencing a little genital stimulation every now and then wasn't such a bad idea after all? Years had been wasted, not experiencing this, not having all this with Molly. She had offered him so much and he had been too stupid to realize it. He pulled Molly up, kissing her, tasting himself on her lips. She was grinning, quite pleased with herself. They lay tightly wrapped together, each catching their breath. After a few moments, Molly spoke.
"Would you like to take a bath?" she asked trailing her fingers across his chest.
A thought occurred to him. "Shouldn't I reciprocate first?" He wasn't sure of the proper etiquette in these situations; he didn't want to be inconsiderate.
She smirked and lowered her eyes. "Oh, well I mean, I thought we could take the bath together and see what happens" she murmured into his chest.
She stood, taking his hand and pulling him from the bed. Still slightly dazed, he followed her into the bathroom. She turned on the taps, filling the bathtub with warm water. She added some drops of lavender oil, scenting the steamy air. As the water continued filling the tub, Sherlock stepped in. He leaned back, shivering slightly from the rush of water over his still sensitive body. Then Molly stepped into the tub. After turning off the taps, she leaned back against his chest. The water was warm and soothing. Sherlock felt his mind returning to its typical frenetic pace. A question occurred to him.
"Molly, are you going to continue to use so many euphemisms every time we engage in sexual acts? I hope not, I find it too confusing" he said as he stroked her arms.
Molly splashed him. "Hey! You started it!"
"I did not. I am always very direct in my speech" he retorted.
"Oh you are not! You said you wanted more, you didn't specify what that meant!"
"I wasn't sure what exactly I wanted right then, or how you would react. I told you, I've never done this before" he reasoned.
Molly was overjoyed that he wanted to continue this new facet of their relationship. She was giddy too. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined joking with Sherlock about sex. "Well. If you would like me to be more direct, how about this?" Molly couldn't believe what she was about to say. She took a deep breath, "You offered, in a most gentlemanly fashion to reciprocate. I suggest that you use your very clever fingers to digitally manipulate my clitoris till I experience an orgasm. Or possibly more than one."
She was absolutely bright red now. Sherlock chuckled softly into her neck. "Well said Molly Hooper, I shall endeavor to meet the challenge you have laid before me." He was in fact, more than able to succeed at the task she had set for him. Molly realized there were definitely advantages to sharing a bath with a genius violin virtuoso.
A few days later, the next time Molly saw the Marquis de Carabas, he was grinning like the Cheshire cat. He waved her closer, all the while smiling. He pulled a paper bag from some inner pocket and waved it at her.
"A small gift for you, my dear" he drawled.
It was obvious he was up to no good, but Molly still came over and took the bag. She frowned at him before she opened the bag. As soon as she looked inside she let out a girlish squeak and felt her cheeks flush. The bag was filled with condoms. She crumpled the top of the bag closed and smacked the Marquis. She shoved the bag towards him as he laughed.
"You don't want it?" he smirked.
"You are horrible! Where did you get these? Never mind, don't answer that" Molly squealed.
"I can always find someone else who would appreciate my gift you know" he said, reached out toward the bag.
Molly pulled the bag back to her chest. Mortifying as it was to be given birth control by de Carabas, she knew it wouldn't be easy to find them in London Below. She spun around to run back to her rooms. Behind her, she heard the Marquis call out, "You're welcome!"
She whirled back and glared at him, "Never, ever will you mention this to anyone! Ever!" The bastard just winked at her and laughed harder. Now Molly had to figure out how to keep Sherlock from figuring out where she had gotten her ill-gotten supplies. It was useless to try, she'd never succeed. She hoped his interest in using the items would overpower any questions about their origin.
I'm not sure if I should apologize or not for this chapter. I have sincere doubts about my ability to write a decent/convincing sex scene and originally had no plans to do so. I honestly don't know where the bathtub conversation came from, hopefully it wasn't too ridiculous.
Well, I suppose in the words of many MST3K fallen henchmen - "I regret nothing!"