Note: So, everyone, here we have Sherlock meeting David. I wasn't really satisfied with this chapter for quite a while and kept rewriting. I've settled for this now, am still not sure it's good, though. Please let me know what you think about it (maybe even how it could be improved).
Huge thanks again to everyone who has been reviewing. I'm so grateful to you guys and your nice words always make me smile!

Molly had stood up and walked over to where David was now standing, smiling brightly. She had a terrible feeling, caused by the mere fact that David and Sherlock were in the same room at the same time. This couldn't end well. Sherlock in the same room with anyone tended to end badly. Especially if it was someone he didn't know and who didn't know him. Didn't know how to deal with his demeanour.

"Hey, Molly! I thought I'd surprise you with lunch. Oh," he said, when he took sight of Sherlock awkwardly lingering behind Molly, inspecting the walls. The paper bag in his hand dropped slightly, "I hope I'm not interfering with some important dead-people-work you have to do?"

"Um, no, no. It's fine. It's not dead-people-work… It's just, well,… it's Sherlock. He's a… I know him from…" This is hard, what IS Sherlock?

Both David and Sherlock were shooting agitated looks at her by now. So, Molly settled with, "David, that's Sherlock Holmes, he works as a consultant for the police. He was just around and decided to visit," she added when she remembered him asking her not to talk about the case with anyone. In the hope her loyalty made him a bit more controllable she continued, "Sherlock, this is David. I am sure that I don't need to include some descriptive sentence about him, as you already know everything you want to know from his shoelaces or something similarly minuscule." David raised his eyebrows. Sherlock smiled. He was surprised but also pleased with funny-Molly's remark.

„G'day, mate," David said, holding out a hand for Sherlock to grab. He looked friendly.

"G'day? Mate?" Sherlock frowned, ignoring the hand. His eyes wandered to Molly. She stared at him, her eyes begging him not to say anything. Not to comment on David, his behaviour, his very colloquial Australian phrase, his tan, his shirt that said something about cricket. She basically begged for him not to be himself for one short moment. Sherlock nodded almost undetectably.

"Hello," he finally managed to mumble. Still not taking David's hand, he at least looked at him and gave him an obviously fake smile.

Well, that's more than I'd hoped for.

"Right, David, could you just wait here for a minute while I grab my stuff and lose the lab coat? We can go upstairs to the lounge. That'll be a nicer place to have lunch…," she looked round to Sherlock who was still staring at David, "Erm, Sherlock, thanks again for dropping by. It was… nice chatting with you. I'll catch up with you later, okay?" That was more than just a hint for him to leave now. He chose to ignore it and instead just said cheerily, "Yes of course! I'll wait here with David, so he won't feel lonely amongst the dead-people-stuff. I can accompany you two on the way up, wanted to leave anyway." Grinning at her, he waited for Molly to go in the next room and tidy up her reports and get ready. Why are you doing this to me? Realising there was no way to prevent them being alone with each other she nodded and left. "I'll try to be quick, then."

The second Molly left the room, Sherlock turned to David again, finally able to let his inquisitive eyes roam over him freely. Surprisingly, the other man was the first to speak.

"So, you work with the police?"

"Yes, I do." Sherlock did not wonder why David hadn't known that. The Australian phrase, as well as the tan that couldn't have been acquired on a trip – it was too fundamental, he had been subject to strong UV for a long span of time – gave him away instantly. He was living in Australia until recently. At least five years, possibly more. That's how he had missed Sherlock's constant presence in the papers.

"Interesting," he clearly didn't mean it; he was rather looking for some way to start a conversation. "Look, mate, I kind of saw how you stared at Molly. And she was very uncomfortable right now, with us two meeting and all. I'm not mad or anything, I just don't appreciate it very much if my woman hangs out with her ex all the time. Do you get that?"

Sherlock looked round the room. Was this some sort of practical joke? He was almost waiting for John to come in and tell him that there had been hidden cameras in the folders on the desks. He had seen his roommate watch these agonising American shows more than once. On the other hand, he would have noticed cameras or any other kind of observation of the room immediately. Ergo, this had to be real. David was actually being serious.

"Your woman? I doubt that she is." It had been hard enough to hold back until now, but this was just too much for Sherlock. He had to take the bait. "Also, your other observations do not exactly expose you as a master of deduction. As for me hanging out with her, do not be afraid. Although, I understand how I can be seen as a threat for alpha males like you. Apparently, I am handsome – tall, dark hair, piercing blue eyes, symmetric face, cheek bones, all that stuff." He said it matter-of-factly. "Still, I am not really one to hang out. With anyone. Certainly not with Molly. My time, as well as hers, is too valuable to spend it hanging out! Despite this, I see that she has chosen to pass some of her time with you. Which is puzzling, as you are working an average of 65 hours a week, I hear that women don't appreciate it if men don't have time for them. At least, your job pays well. You're trying to hide this fact. The tan lines from the Rolex you took off are fairly obvious. You have been deliberately vague about what you are doing for a living. It is not because you are ashamed, neither is it illegal. Also, you have not told her about the fact that you have an ex-girlfriend and a two-to-four year old child, most likely a son, back in Australia. And if you wish for me to keep that information to myself you should be bloody sure about your feelings towards Molly before you let her fall for you. She tends to do that quickly. If you take advantage of her kindness or hurt her in any way I will not react kindly." With a brutally serious face, he ended his tirade, deliberately not having mentioned that he was, in fact, not a former boyfriend of Molly's.

Right after Sherlock had finished, the door opened and Molly came back, now wearing a cardigan over a simple light red shirt. She had brushed her hair and refreshed her make up.

Oh no, was all her brain could manage to think when she saw the two men standing in the middle of the room, seemingly performing a staring contest. Sherlock looked completely calm. David, on the other hand, was tense, his fists clenched. A baffled and at the same time angry expression dominated his features. How often had she seen this expression? Should she ask them about their conversation? Probably not.

"Okay, I'm ready. Um, let's go?" She wasn't sure whom to address so she proposed it to a spot in the air somewhere between the men.

"Of course," said Sherlock easily.

"Yeah, let's…," came David's reply.

While the three of them entered the lift together, stood inside the lift together, exited the lift together and then crossed the main hall together, Molly felt herself being part of the most appalling silence since the one that had followed when she'd told her mother she wasn't going to be a paediatrician but a pathologist.

At last, Sherlock turned to leave them. "That's my exit," he stood in front of the clinic doors, briefly nodding towards David. Then, without Molly recognising the attempt as such, he came close to her and hugged her heartily, his arms resting on her lower back pulling her close to him. For a moment, she forgot to breath. The hug continued for an unusually long time (even by non-Sherlock standards). When he finally let go of her, he said, "Molly, don't look like we've never hugged, we did it just before David came in down in the lab." He smirked, very pleased with himself. "It was so great to see you today. Take care, will you? Let's have coffee some time soon!" Was that taking it too far? - No, he decided. With one last (very satisfied) look at David, he turned around and left them.

Quickly turning, so that David wouldn't see her fiery red cheeks, Molly directed him towards the lounge.