sorry its taken so long. I have had the most manic week ever. this is the penultimate chapter, so i will provide an epilogue to this.

The atmosphere aboard8 the TARDIS could not have been more different to the aborted timeline. The Doctor took the happy couples to the top romantic destinations in the world. Sherlock rolled his eyes when the Doctor had told them, but then he was Sherlock. They visited Andromeda and Appalachia. They visited Arcadia and 17th century Paris. John could honestly say he had never seen Sherlock happier. He absorbed everything he saw. He made amazing deductions. It was like he was on a case, except the whole time his long fingers held Molly's hand. There was a memorable incident in which the Doctor was looking for his companions. He knocked on the door, but instead of Sherlock, he got a very flustered and rumpled Molly.

"What are you doing in there?" he asked, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"Umm… nothing. Just ummmm talking"

"Oh no. you weren't. Not on my TARDIS!"

Before Molly could stammer out a reply, Sherlock's voice issued from the room.

"Molly, that was excellent! We have to do that again!"

"Sherlock!" hissed Molly, mortified, but shut the door, leaving the Doctor both amused and disgusted. The days flew by and soon became a week. 2 weeks. 2 whole weeks before they even considered going home. In the end all it took was one look, from Sherlock to John that showed that he wanted to go home. They talked about it, the 4 companions. Clara couldn't leave the Doctor, she wouldn't discuss it, but there was stuff that she and the Doctor had to do, knowledge that they had to find. She promised John that she would come back to him. John didn't want to go, but Clara knew that Sherlock wouldn't leave without John, and she was also perceptive enough to know that Sherlock, despite all the wonders of the universe, missed life at 221b. They knew that this really wasn't the life for them. On the last day, the Doctor took them to the birth of the solar system, much to Sherlock annoyance. Molly taught Sherlock the planets and they kissed as Jupiter formed. For all his faults, Sherlock was actually quite a romantic. Then as if no time had passed at all, they arrived home.

The TARDIS materialized in 221B Baker Street, less than 2 hours after they had left. Sherlock leapt happily onto the sofa

"ahhh" he sighed "home at last!"

"There's no place like home" agreed John "are you sure you won't stay" he added to Clara

"I can't. The Doctor doesn't like endings. But I will be back, as sure as Sherlock will be on a case within the week. I will return. I've just found out who I am. There are still answers out there for me to find. I need to understand"

She kissed him gently, and Sherlock rolled his eyes

"Could you please keep you affections to a minimum?"

Clara laughed

"What about you and Molly?" she sniggered

"That's different" he retorted "I'm involved"

To an outsider, they would have heard an explosion of sniggers, giggles and gwarffs, as Clara, John and the Doctor tried to stop themselves exploding into hysterics. Neither Molly nor Sherlock looked impressed.

"We have to leave now, but we will be back" said the Doctor as he stepped into the TARDIS "there may be a few side effects from the time energy you absorbed, Sherlock, but nothing too major."

The TARDIS materialised away, as John watched. Molly sat on the sofa next to Sherlock. His lips twitched and he squeezed her hand. Sociopath or not, we will make this work he thought I will make this work.

And they did