AN: Again guys thanks so much for your AMAZING outpouring of support for this little Christmas fic. Appreciate you all so much! Hugs!

"Sherlock!" John yelled again. "What in the hell are you doing?"

Sherlock turned to look at him. "Removing the rubbish." He said calmly as he bent down and pulled Sebastian to his feet.

"Sherlock how could you!" Molly said in a choked sob. She shoved him as hard as she could. He released Sebastian more from the surprise at Molly's reaction than being shoved by her. "Are you alright Sebastian?" She asked stroking the hair from his forehead.

Sebastian looked at her with a dazed expression, but he shook his head. "I'm okay Molly, but I'm sorry about this. It was supposed to be such a special night for you."

Molly wrapped her arms around him and hugged him. Sebastian returned the gesture looking over her head to smirk at Sherlock.

Sherlock's gaze narrowed and he made a move to grab Sebastian, but John grabbed him and pulled him back. "Stop this Sherlock before you make it worse."

"How could it be worse?" Sherlock snapped. "Did you see the snake? He's not even hurt. He's just pretending to get her attention."

"Yes and you gave him the inning he needed when you hit him." John said struggling to hold Sherlock back.

"Sherlock Holmes, I can't believe the nerve and gall that you have!" Molly said with a trembling voice. "What is the matter with you? What has Sebastian done to you?"

"He's an insufferable git for one thing Molly and he's not good enough for you!" Sherlock all but shouted still trying to shove passed John and succeeding this time only to be grabbed by his brother.

"Now now Sherlock. We mustn't cause such a fuss. I think it's splendid to see Dr. Hooper out and about instead of being cooped up in that stifling morgue." Mycroft said beaming at Molly as he held his struggling brother.

To make matters worse for Sherlock, Sebastian was still smirking and making lewd kissing faces over the top of Molly's head as he held her in his arms.

"Thank you Mycroft." Molly said. "I only wish you brother could show me the same courtesy." Molly helped Sebastian as he faked a limp to lean against the wall. She turned around and stalked towards Sherlock. He stilled his struggles against his brother when she stared up at him, her face hard and her eyes glistening with tears. "Why can't you let me be happy? Why do you always have to do such terrible and selfish things? What possible motive could you have for ruining my date? I thought we had put all of that other nonsense behind us and that we were going to try to be friends. I thought you cared about me and my happiness."

Sherlock stepped towards her, but stopped when she took a step back from him. "I do care Molly. I care very much about your happiness and believe me when I say you can't be happy with a man like Sebastian."

"Why should I believe you Sherlock?" She asked the tears glistening in her eyes now spilling over and down her cheeks.

"Because he will hurt you Molly. He's the same idiot that he was at University. He'll only use you and toss you aside."

She laughed bitterly. "Oh that's rich coming from you! I can't believe you would do this to me." She shook her head and wiped at her eyes. "I want you to stay the hell away from me Sherlock."

She turned to go, but he grabbed her arm and pulled her back. She whirled around on him and attempted to pull her arm away but froze when she saw the desperation on his face. "Molly please listen to me and trust me on this."

"Why should I trust you Sherlock? Give me a reason too…please." She said her voice soft and almost pleading. For an instant, he saw the love that she once held for him in her eyes.

Sherlock felt his throat go dry and the butterflies began to swarm in his stomach. His hands and forehead broke out in an instantaneous sweat.

"Oh Sherlock, please for once in your life open your damn mouth and tell her how you feel." John whispered from behind him.

Sherlock found that he could not speak at all. Molly's expression turned from pleading and hopeful to sad and pained before returning to angry indignation. She pulled with all of her might and managed to yank her arm away from him.

"Stay away from me Sherlock. Just stay away from me." She bit out and turned away from him.

As Molly helped Sebastian who was still faking an injury, walk towards the door, he looked back at Sherlock and raised his fist. He made a V shape with his fingers before putting his tongue in between the V and making a disgusting gesture with his tongue.

"Bastard!" Sherlock hissed and made to run after them, but Mycroft, John, and another waiter wrestled him back and held him.

"Calm yourself little brother!" Mycroft said.

"How can I calm myself? Did you see what he did! Do you know what disgusting things he plans on trying with MY Molly?" Sherlock's struggles lessoned as he spoke. "How could this have even happened? Where would she have met him? They don't travel in the same circles! She certainly doesn't spend her leisure time in a snake pit!"

"Oh that, yes, I introduced them." Mycroft said matter of factly.

Sherlock stilled and looked at his brother. "You did what?" He asked very quietly, dangerously so.

Mycroft smiled. "I said I introduced them Sherlock, please try and pay attention, I do hate repeating myself."

Sherlock did not move for several moments before he exploded into a roar and attacked his brother. "YOU BLOODY WANKER!" He screamed as he took a swing at his brother. Mycroft, anticipating this reaction from his overly dramatic little brother easily side stepped the punch.

Sherlock turned to attack again when he was tackled form behind by John and three other waiters. "I'll bloody kill you Mycroft!" Sherlock screamed as they began dragging him.

"Really Sherlock I do think you're over reacting." Mycroft said as he looked around the wrecked dining room and at the destroyed table. "And look at the mess you made." He shook his head and watched as John and the other three men managed to drag his younger brother kicking and screaming from the restaurant.

Mycroft suddenly felt a small presence beside him. "Is this the reaction that you expected sir?" Anthea asked as she texted rapidly into her mobile.

Mycroft frowned. "Well something of the sort, though he did get more aggressive than I thought he would." He sighed deeply and looked around at the stunned patrons. "I do apologize for my brother's ridiculous behavior. Come along Anthea."He said as he began walking towards the door, Anthea's heals clicking rapidly behind him as she texted away oblivious to where she was walking and yet managing to not hit anything or trip on her way out.

As Mycroft passed the manager he reached into the breast pocket of his dinner jacket and pulled his wallet from the inside. He smiled as he handed the manager several hundred pound notes. "This should cover the damage I should think Monty. I do appreciate your help in this. Your hostess chose the seating perfectly."

Monty smiled widely at Mycroft and folded the money before putting it into his pocket. "I am glad that we could be of service Mr. Holmes."

Mycroft nodded and left the restaurant with Anthea still on his heels. They waited only a moment before the black Mercedes pulled up to the curb. He opened the door for Anthea and she climbed inside never looking up from her mobile. Mycroft took a deep breath and slowly released it. "It is a lovely evening."

He climbed into the car and shut the door. "Drive around for a bit Marcus if you don't mind. I'm sure John will need time to get Sherlock back to Baker Street and Sherlock will need a few moments to lick his wounds."

"Treacherous ass!" Sherlock roared as he paced in front of the couch while John sat there staring up at him.

"I'm sure he meant well Sherlock. Molly has not had the best of luck with men. Mycroft probably just wanted to introduce her to a nice bloke."

"A nice bloke?" Sherlock said coming to a stop in front of John. "And Sebastian Wilkes is a nice bloke is he? Did you forget what an intolerable douche he is?"

"He wasn't that bad…wait…a what?" John asked.

"Douche. I heard it on American telly. I don't know what it means exactly except that it's not a good thing to be." Sherlock said before renewing his pacing.

"When did you start watching the telly?" John asked.

"I watch it sometimes and...wait…that's not the issue here John!" Sherlock snapped. "Why would my brother care anything about Molly's love life? I'll tell you why! Because he did it to spite me, that's why! This is the lowest of lows! How jealous can he be of me! I'm his brother! This is so childish!"

"Um, yes it is." John agreed in a tone that let Sherlock know what John was thinking.

"I'm not the child here John!" Sherlock argued.

"Really? Because I could've sworn that it was you and not Mycroft who hit Sebastian, ruined Molly's evening, destroyed the dinner table, spilled everyone's water, and generally trashed the entire restaurant." John said calmly. "And if you are so upset that Molly was with him, why did you let her leave?"

"She told me to stay away from her!" Sherlock groaned and flung himself into his chair. "How am I supposed to get her to come to the party now?"

"I don't imagine that you will. She's going away with him for the weekend."

Sherlock's expression became comical as he sputtered. "Wh…wh…what?!"

John nodded and leaned back against the couch crossing his ankle over his knee. "I heard her telling him that she was so dreadfully sorry for how you had behaved and that she would make it up to him and take excellent care of him when they went away for the weekend."

"I…but…I…she can't!" Sherlock said.

John's brow quirked. "I'm pretty sure that she can. Besides, you let her go with him."

"What was I supposed to do? Club her over the head and drag her away?"

"No and thank God that didn't cross your mind while we were there." John grimaced. "No, but you could have given her a reason to trust you. She desperately wanted you too. Couldn't you see it in her face? God Sherlock, you have got to be the biggest idiot on the planet or the most pathetic. Why didn't you say something? Why didn't you tell her how you felt? Not that she would have listened at that particular moment, you did just sock her date, but later, after everything had calmed, it might have made a difference."

Sherlock sighed deeply and looked pitifully at John. "And now I'll never know if it would have."

"Yes, because you're a bloody coward." John said.

"Thanks for your support and encouragement." Sherlock fumed.

"You have never responded to support and encouragement before so why would I offer it to you now? I'm trying to help you if you would stop sulking and listen to me."

"What can I do John to fix this?" Sherlock pleaded.

John sighed. "I'm not sure that you can because it will require something that you, in the past, have refused to give."

"I'm desperate John! I'll do anything…give anything." Sherlock promised dramatically.

"Okay then, you're going to have to give yourself Sherlock. You're going to have to let Molly in and see you…the real you. You're going to have to risk your heart. You're going to have to risk her rejection. You're going to have to risk your love and most importantly, you're going to have to open your bloody mouth and communicate with her. You're going to have to tell her how very sorry you are for being such an enormous ass. You're going to have to beg her forgiveness for every cruel thing that you have said and done to her, regardless of doing it to protect her at times. You're going to have to tell her that you think she's beautiful and you're going to have to make her believe you because she won't, not at first. And you can't give up Sherlock. If you want her, you're going to have to fight for her and pursue her. You can't fume and sulk if she doesn't give in right away. You've hurt her deeply and she's going to be afraid of you, of what you could do to her heart." John stopped to let Sherlock ingest all that he was telling him before continuing.

"You're going to have to let her know that you have feelings for her, deep feelings for her, that you care deeply for her. You're going to have to open yourself to her because she's not going to want just a part of you Sherlock. She's going to want all of you as you would demand that of her."

Sherlock stared at John, his eyes wide and frightened. He swallowed hard. "I…I've never let anyone that close before John."

John nodded. "I know that and so does Molly. And it is a frightening thing to open yourself to someone else. It makes you feel vulnerable and terrified, but it is so worth it Sherlock. Letting someone love you and know you as no other does. To let someone share your life, to let all of the walls come down and let someone else truly see who you are, and when that person loves and accepts you, ALL of you, there's nothing else like it in the world Sherlock."

John let his leg down and scooted to the edge of the couch. He regarded Sherlock with a serious expression. "Can you do that Sherlock? Can you do that and be that for Molly? Do you even want to be? You said you wanted to give her a Christmas gift. Can you give her your heart and accept hers, promising to protect and nurture it?"

Sherlock's answer was immediate. "Yes."

"I am very glad to hear it." Mycroft said as he entered the flat without bothering to knock or ask if he could enter. "You will of course need my assistance."

Sherlock stood and glared at his brother. "Why would I need anything from you, traitor?" He spat out.

"Because I know where he is planning on having this little weekend get away with Molly and you will need my help to sabotage it of course." Mycroft said with that insufferable small smile that always graced his features.

"You set this up." Sherlock accused.

"Yes I did as a matter of fact. I didn't know what else to do to make you begin your pursual of Dr. Hooper, so I thought I would try provoking your childish jealousy. As you can see, I was successful in my endeavor."

Sherlock's face took on a sulking expression. "It was not childish jealousy." He sniffed. "I only meant to protect her from his lechery."

"Yes and replace it with your own form of lechery I'm sure. But that is neither here nor there." Mycroft said waving a dismissive hand at Sherlock. "Now let's get down to business. We will have to move quickly if we are going to stop this."

Mycroft pushed passed Sherlock and sat down across from John. "She's going to be much too angry with Sherlock so the task of smoothing the waters has fallen to you I'm afraid John."

"It usually does." John said smiling.

"Stop talking as if I'm not in the room!" Sherlock snapped.

"Oh be quiet Sherlock and sit down." Mycroft said waving his hand dismissively again.

Sherlock narrowed his eyes at Mycroft and John, but said nothing. He flopped down on the couch beside John. As he started to lean over towards something on the floor, Mycroft stopped him.

"So help me Sherlock if you pick up that blasted violin I will take it from you and smash it into a thousand pieces. If you want to act like the adult that you supposedly are and help us with that brilliant mind of yours, then please stay, but if you are going to sulk then go into your room and sulk. John and I have business to attend too."

Show me some love! Love you all!