Sherlock woke the next morning to the faint sound of singing. He quickly remembered where he was and who it must be singing. He sat up; rubbed his neck and took a quick look at his phone; 5 messages and 6 missed calls from john 2 messages and 3 missed calls from Lestrade and 1 message from Evie. He placed his phone back down without even looking at the messages and made his way toward the sound of the singing. He found molly in the kitchen happily singing along to whatever randomness way playing on the radio. Sherlock half contemplated saying hello but he stopped himself, he had never seen this molly, this was not his molly. Sometimes we forget that people have lives when we don't see them that they are different and molly was no exception. It felt right that this molly was not his it reminded him that if he ever did have to leave again and she could not know that she would be okay without him. It didn't take long for molly to spot him standing in the door way.

"Sorry Sherlock did I wake you up?" molly asked as she turned down the radio. Sherlock shook his head with a smile

"You sleep okay?" his voice was barely audible he cleared his throat and tried again "did you sleep okay?" he repeated.

"Yeah best sleep I have had in ages" molly said as she looked at the floor "you?"

"Yes however your sofa is remarkably uncomfortable"

Molly sighed at Sherlock's comment and resented the fact that he was now back to 'normal'

"What?!" Sherlock said sternly

"Thanks would be nice Sherlock. I was on a date unless you didn't notice"

"Yes and it was going terribly well I see. Do all your dates push you into walls or just this one" Sherlock's tone was sharp and threatening.

"That would have never happened if it wasn't for you Sherlock! Why the hell do you care any way! It's not like you care about anyone but john we all know it Sherlock so don't start acting like you do now okay! Not now!" molly was almost yelling at him and the two stood in silence for only a moment but it seemed much more than that. Sherlock took a few steps closer to molly until there was little space between them, molly looked up at him and tried her best to keep his gaze but before long she found herself again looking at the ground. Sherlock placed his hand under her chin and moved her head up wards until she was forced to look at him.

"Why can you never look at me molly?" Sherlock's voice was calm and comforting but Molly moved her head quickly from Sherlock's hand and took a step back.

"You really want to know" she said as she looked at him with dead eyes.

"Well yes" Sherlock said sarcastically "otherwise I would not have asked. You know me molly I try not to concern my self with things that don't matter or I have little interest in"

"Yes I have noticed" molly said bluntly.

"Well..." Sherlock continued

"Well… what?" molly asked sharply.

"Why can't you look at me?" Sherlock repeated

"Why do you care?" molly said sharply

"I do care molly don't be an idiot it doesn't suit you"

"Typical" molly sighed

"What is?"

"You want to know why I can't look at you Sherlock" molly sighed again. Sherlock looked at her calmly with sorrow in his eyes.

"Because every time I do I fall in love all over again!" Tears were now forming in molly's eyes as she spoke and one trickled down her cheek. Sherlock came close to her again and wiped it from her face with his thumb before saying.

"Well for that I am sorry. You deserve so much more molly Hooper" he replied

"But I don't need any more"

"You need so much more" Sherlock said planting a kiss on molly's cheek before turning to the door. Molly kept her eyes fixed on Sherlock's back fighting back tears, her lip shaking.

"I need you" her voice shook as she spoke. Her words stopped Sherlock dead in his tracks. He turned to face her from the other side of the hall molly could see the small shimmer of tears in his eyes as he sighed and looked at her. For what seemed like an eternity they stood silently gazing at each other neither knowing what to say.

"I need you to" Sherlock said so quietly that at first molly was unsure she had even heard it." I need you more then you will ever know molly Hooper" he continued "but I could never put you in the middle of what I do, if you ever came into harm's way I could never forgive myself and that's why I must go now molly. Thank you" he opened the door and as he looked back at molly he smiled, a real smile that was meant just for her. Molly stood smiling at the shut door before returning to the kitchen. She turned the radio back up and began to wash up the dishes from her unfinished date. Soon there was a knock at the kitchen door. Molly turned around puzzled to find Sherlock stood in the door way.

"I forgot my phone" he announced.

"Ooh" molly said puzzled

"And I forgot one more thing" Sherlock continued as he walked the short distance towards her.

"Oh yeah what's that" molly said with a smirk.

"This" Sherlock said as he placed his hands on her cheeks and kissed her deeply. He ran his hands though her hair and placed them on her back. At first molly was a bit taken back by the kiss but just as she began to sink into it Sherlock pulled back and said

"Now I really must be going"

"Just shut up a second" molly smirked and kissed him again. "okay now you can go" she giggled.

"You sure" Sherlock replied jokingly.

"Yes. Now go before I change my mind Mr Holmes" molly playfully scowled at him.

"Would that be such a bad thing?" Sherlock replied.

"Go! John is probably worried sick" molly said laughing up at Sherlock who still had his hands around her waist. Sherlock agreed with her and began to leave.

"Sherlock" molly called after him. Sherlock turned on the spot only to be met with a hand full of bubbles from molly. She surveyed her good work and the bubbles that now covered Sherlock's face "much better" she chuckled "off you go Mr Holmes back to Bakers Street with you"

Sherlock left again and as she shut the front door behind him he smiled. For the first time in a long time he was happy and that was all thanks to molly. But all good things come to an end and this would be a truly tragic end.