"A surprise party?" Sherlock questioned. "It's hardly a surprise if I know about it."
"It's a surprise party for Molly," John sighed, knowing his friend would not be fond of the idea.
"Why?"
"Because she is leaving and it would be nice for all of us to be together to say goodbye properly." He emphasised the last part for Sherlock's benefit.
"You still think it bothers me that she is leaving." It was a statement, rather than a question.
"It does." Another statement.
"Molly Hooper is a very competent pathologist and it will be of great inconvenience to me to find someone else of that calibre who is willing to give me body parts for my experiments. That is all."
"Oh, so you're not going to miss her?"
"No." Sherlock lied.
"Just her body parts?"
"Yes. What? No. John, don't twist my words. I refuse to play your silly game."
John laughed to himself as Sherlock glared daggers in return.
Mrs Hudson thought it was a lovely idea to throw a party for Molly and agreed to bring some food. As did Mary, who said she would tidy and decorate 221B as much as was humanly possible, and Lestrade, who offered copious amounts of alcohol before John insisted that he had it covered. The only person left to be informed was Molly herself.
Despite insisting he was against the gathering, Sherlock had come up with a number of elaborate ideas, many of which bordered on kidnapping, as to how they would convince Molly to turn up at 221B dressed for a party without suspecting anything.
"We'll just tell her that we want to go for a few drinks but to meet here first," John sighed after Sherlock had come up with yet another far-fetched plan to lead the pathologist to Baker Street.
"She'll see right through that!"
"Sherlock, it's fine."
"No John, if you want this to be convincing, you need to come up with a suitable backstory as to why-"
"SHERLOCK!"
The detective stopped and frowned at the doctor.
"You're putting an awful lot of thought into this for someone who doesn't even want to throw this party."
"I'm not throwing the party, you are."
"You know what I mean."
Sherlock turned to pick up his violin, avoiding the conversation.
"Just admit you don't want her to leave," John shouted over the sound of the instrument.
"I will not!" he replied stubbornly.
Sherlock knew exactly why he was refusing to acknowledge Molly's fast approaching departure. Since Molly had assisted Sherlock in faking his death, he had grown very fond of the small pathologist and as much as it pained him to admit, he really couldn't bear the thought of losing her.
Sherlock hadn't talked to Molly in the past few weeks since she announced she was leaving London and he missed her terribly, more than he had realised until he allowed his mind to drift to her section of his mind palace.
He knew the party John was throwing was his last chance to make things right with her before she left.
Last chance to make her stay more like, his thoughts argued with him.
"Shut up!"
"I didn't say anything," John replied.
Sherlock looked up, confused.
He was now in his chair with the doctor sitting opposite him.
How long have I been here? He wondered.
Reading his thoughts, John informed him that he had not spoken in the last two hours.
Two hours?! He had been daydreaming about Molly Hooper for two hours?! Oh, this was not good.