"The greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places." -Roald Dahl

Molly stepped onto the Watsons' front porch, her hands twiddling with the miscellaneous items in her coat pocket. She had been itching to talk with Mary all week, but she had to wait until she and John were back from their honeymoon first. Despite her deep anxiety, a corner of her mouth lifted as she remembered planning the romantic honeymoon with Sherlock.

Months ago

"Should we really be planning the honeymoon?" Molly asked dubiously.

"Yes, of course," Sherlock replied, looking up from a hotel catalog. "How can you have a wedding without a honeymoon planned for after?"

"Well, first of all, we don't know if John and Mary will get back together in time for the wedding, much less the honeymoon."

"Well, if Mary and John don't get back together in time, which I doubt, we can always go on it," he said with a smile and wink.

Molly laughed and threw a couch pillow at him, but she stopped protesting the planning of a honeymoon after his comment.

Molly reached out a finger and pressed the doorbell. She wrapped her arms around herself in an attempt to keep warm in the chilly weather, pacing back and forth as she anxiously waited for Mary to come to the front door. She knew John would be out with Sherlock on a case, so Molly didn't have to worry about anyone interrupting her much needed talk with Mary.

The dull, dark green front door swung open to reveal a beaming Mary, who was already noticeably pregnant.

"Molly! What a pleasant surprise. Come in, it must be freezing out there!" Mary said.

"Thanks." Molly hurriedly rushed in, eager to get away from the cold.

"Sit in the living room, I'll go make you some tea." Mary rushed off to the kitchen.

Molly sat herself down on a couch and rubbed her cold hands together. Normally, she would have felt at ease in the Watsons' home, but today, she felt out of place and awkward. She came to ask Mary about one thing in particular: Cam. Molly had spent a blissful few months with Sherlock planning the wedding, but she sensed that the era of peace would be disturbed when she heard the telegram from Cam at the wedding. The gnawing feeling of fear and anxiety crept back into her heart, and the burden of carrying a dark secret on her shoulders became too much to bear. Molly had to confess. She had to tell someone. And with Mary's past as an assassin, Molly could think of no one better to ask for help and advice on.

Mary came in a few moments later and set down a steaming cup of tea in front of Molly. She set herself down on the seat across from Molly and curled her legs under her, blowing air at her tea in an attempt to cool it before drinking.

"So, Molly, what brings you here?" Mary asked.

Molly took a deep breath. Mary could tell that it was something serious, and that she had to tread her words carefully for the seemingly delicate situation.

Molly slowly began, "I've had something on my chest for a while." She stared at her steaming cup of tea the entire time, not wanting to look Mary in the eyes.

Mary took a sip of her drink, silently waiting for Molly to continue.

"Someone's been blackmailing me."

Mary's eyes widened, wondering what someone could possibly have on sweet Molly. Her first instinct was to ask: with what? But she sensed that she should wait to ask and that Molly would tell her when she was ready. So Mary simply asked, "And...how long has this been going on?"

"About a year now," Molly whispered.

"And you've kept this all to yourself? For all this time?" Mary asked. Molly looked down at her hands. "Why didn't you tell anyone?" Mary asked more gently. Her eyes wordlessly spoke a more important question: why are you telling me?

"I didn't want anyone to know," Molly said quietly. Mary could feel the shame rolling off of her, the desire and need for her secret to stay a secret. "And I'm telling you, because, well, you've been blackmailed before, by Janine. You know what it's like to bury a dark secret. I didn't tell Sherlock, or anyone else because I didn't want them to look at me with shame or disappointment. I thought you would understand."

Mary smiled weakly. "Believe me, I understand." But really, Mary thought, what could be worse than trying to hide your past as an assassin?

"Who is it?" Mary asked.

"I'm not sure. All I know is that they go by Cam." Hmm. That name sounded familiar to Mary.

Mary's eyes darkened. "And how has he been blackmailing you? Threatening you?"

Molly swallowed and fiddled with the handle on her mug. "So far, he's just threatened to spill my secret. Well, it was more implied." Molly started breathing rapidly and panicking. "And if my secret gets out, I'll lose my job, my life will be ruined, everyone will hate me-"

Mary held up a hand. "Well, hold on now. If you don't know exactly who he is, I can assume you two have never made direct contact with each other. How has he been communicating with you?"

"It first started with the night I was kidnapped in that van. I heard the kidnappers refer to their leader as Cam. Weeks passed, investigations were held, and I learned nothing about why I was kidnapped. I thought it was over when I came home one day and found a vase of red peonies on my coffee table."

Mary quirked an eyebrow. What was so special about red peonies?

Molly continued. "Red peonies were my dad's favorite flowers. There were red peonies scattered on every surface of my dad's funeral. Next to the vase, I found the set of keys I had lost weeks ago. To be exact, the keys I lost the day I was kidnapped."

"Well red peonies and lost keys aren't much to worry about," Mary tried reassuring.

"And under the vase was a picture of my dad," Molly said quietly. "Whoever this Cam was, wanted to show me that they could get in and out of my home with ease with my keys. And they knew something about my dad's death. I knew that whoever put the stuff there could break in again, so I put a vase with water on the table next to my living room window. I thought there would be the most likely place they would break in. It's awkward to get in through there, and I placed the vase in a way that the intruder would knock down the vase if they got in. The next morning, I found water on the floor from the vase."

Mary sucked in a breath. "That was Sherlock."

"What?"

"Um. The person who broke in and knocked down the vase. It was Sherlock," Mary admitted.

Molly stared at her. "And you know this because?"

"Well, months ago, Sherlock noticed something off about you. And he confessed to me and told me how he broke into your flat and found whatever he was looking for, he didn't tell me what it was though."

Molly blinked at her. "And you're only telling me now?"

"Well, I didn't think it was important. Sorry love, should have told you sooner. I didn't know you noticed or would be so worried about it," Mary apologized.

Molly sighed. "Well, I guess it doesn't matter now."

Mary nodded, signalling for Molly to continue. However, she was quite confused. What was so special about her dad's death? And still, what was Molly's secret? But Mary knew she shouldn't hurry or urge Molly. She needed to go at her own pace.

"Well, more weeks passed and I got no signs or messages. Until one night." Molly let out a shuddering breath. "I just got home from the pub, and I found Toby...dead. On my table. On the same spot as where I found the vase of red peonies."

Mary stared at Molly. She quickly closed her mouth when she realized that it was open. "And..." Mary whispered fearfully.

"And, I had a strong suspicion that Toby didn't die of natural causes. I took him to the hospital the next day and ran some tests on him. I found potassium chloride in his system."

Mary stared at her, not knowing what that meant.

"Fatal amounts."

Mary put a hand over her mouth. "And you think that Cam...?"

"I know it was Cam," Molly said tearfully. "It was his special way of reminding me of what happened with my dad. What I did to him."

"And you still don't know why he's blackmailing you?"

"No." Molly squeezed her eyes shut and buried her head in her hands. "And then more months passed. They were peaceful. I was planning the wedding with Sherlock. And then, at your wedding, you and John received a telegram from Cam. He knew I would be there. I take it as a sign that my time of peace will be over."

Mary closed her eyes in remembrance. That was where she had heard the name Cam before, but it seemed like there was something else too...

There was a pause. Mary decided it was finally time to pop the big question. "Molly, what does your dad have to do with this? And what exactly does Cam have on you?"

"It's going to get me in jail." Tears started dripping from Molly's eyes.

"Molly?"

"Everyone will hate me if they find out." Molly's voice shook. "I hid it for so many years. Felt so much pain, burden, guilt." Sobs racked through Molly's frame.

"Molly," Mary repeated more gently. "What does Cam have on you?"

Molly finally lifted her head and looked Mary straight in the eyes.

"I killed my father."

"The prettiest smile hides the deepest secrets. The prettiest eyes have cried the most tears. And the kindest hearts have felt the most pain."