Hey guys! Guess what? I'm on Christmas break now so I have two weeks to get as many chapters/one-shots out to you as I can! Yay! Anyway, Chapter 7…

John suddenly went stiff in my arms. I released my grip on him slightly, pushing him away to look at him. 'Hey, what is it?' I asked.

He sighed and broke the contact between us completely. He put his head in his hands, sighing. 'I just… I don't… how do I say that to Molly and get her to believe it?'

'John,' I queried. He looked at me questioningly. 'Remember when you and Molly went out the first time and Ashleigh Evanson came along?'

My brother and Molly had known each other since secondary school. They were on and off for years before deciding to finally strengthen the relationship last February.

'Don't remind me…' John groaned.

'No, wait, listen,' I instructed. 'Remember when Ashleigh purposefully tried to get in your way by flirting with you?'

John shook his head. 'I didn't flirt back!' he protested.

I gave him a withering look. 'Yes you did.' He looked like he'd been betrayed. 'Only a little,' I rectified. 'But remember how Molly stepped up and got her away from you? Remember that even though you played around a bit with Ashleigh, Molly never lost faith in you? She kept her belief in you. She knew you loved her and that some pathetic little slag wouldn't be enough to drag you away.'

'What's that got to do with… with now?'

'Like before, this is just a little bump in your story of a perfect romance. Once you and Molly get back onto the right page, everything will resume smoothly.'

John looked away. 'Don't… don't get annoyed with me when I ask this, OK?'

I smiled. 'Promise.'

'How… how long till we're on the same page?'

'You'll see when the time is right, John.'

'Yeah…' John sighed.

'Hey,' I said, putting my hand on his shoulder. 'Believe in her, JJ. She'll come back to you.'

'I hope- Oh shit.'

'What?' I raised an eyebrow.

'Her birthday's next Sunday. And I have no present for her.'

'You're working at the clinic for the whole of next week, right?'

'Yes,' John sighed, shaking his head once again.

'Well then,' I announced, pushing myself onto my feet. 'Looks like we've got some shopping to do.'

John looked at me, puzzled. 'What, now?'

'We have nothing better to do so I don't see why not.' I held out my hand, waiting for him to take it and pull himself up.

'But what if we bump into Molly – or Twatface, for that matter?' he queried.

I smirked, six months later and Liam's nickname was still 'Twatface'.

'I didn't go out with Twatface for a year to end up not learning anything about him,' I grinned. I checked my watch. One thirty. 'He'll be out in the Foxy Red and won't be out of there until three. And until he's dead drunk.'

John slipped his hand into mine and pulled himself upright. 'You know, I think that's the first time in six months that you talked about Telling calmly – let alone with a grin on your face. I'm proud of you, sis.' He beamed and wrapped me in a hug.

'I have your best mate to thank for that one, to be honest,' I said, returning the hug.

'Should I tell him that?' John smirked.

I shrugged. I went round John to open my wardrobe. 'If you really have to. I mean, if it's really necessary, then by all means, go ahead.'

I pulled out my navy hoodie and pulled it over my head, covering my white t-shirt.

'Seriously, you wouldn't mind?'

'No,' I replied bluntly. I pulled my hairband out of my hair and undid my plait. I ran my fingers through my hair several times before tying it back up into a high ponytail.

'Sure? You were pretty mad with Sherlock about it.'

I took a deep breath to steady myself for what I was about to admit. 'I'm over Liam. I promise you.'

'And now, after Liam Telling, there will be Sherlock Holmes.'

I snapped my head in John's direction. He had the smuggest look on his face as he leaned back against the closed door, arms folded across his chest, one foot crossed over the other.

'No,' I declared. 'No, there won't be Sherlock Holmes. Ever. He's too brilliant for someone like me.'

'I know how you feel, Kodi,' John stated.

I looked away from him to rummage in my wardrobe again.

'But I also know that with you, you actually have a chance with the bloody git.'

'But John, I don't want your flatmate.'

'You will do. Soon.'

'Shut up.' I pulled my black running trousers from the top of my clothes pile and shook them.

I looked at John, making a turning motion with my finger. John rolled his eyes but obliged.

'Why are you even getting changed anyway?' he said. 'We're only going shopping. Not out for a workout.'

'Yeah, but,' I replied, flinging the jeans I was just wearing onto my bed. 'I thought we could. It'd get your mind off of Molly, and reduce the stress.'

'Sounds like a plan, Kodes. Except I don't have any of my running clothes on me.'

I pulled up my trousers. 'Yes you do,' I responded. 'You can turn round now.'

'What do you mean?'

I went back into my wardrobe for a third time. 'You left something here when you moved out and we've never had the chance to give it back to you. Aha!'

'My black joggers! I was wondering where they went.'

I handed them to him and closed the wardrobe door. 'Now, just take off the jumper and the button up, borrow a pair of Dad's trainers and you're good to go.'

John glanced down at his chest. 'How do you know that there's anything under the button up?'

I smiled at him. 'You're my brother, John. You always wear a button up over a t-shirt and a jumper over the button up. And then you layer a jacket on top of that. Honestly, I don't know how you can not boil under all of that clothing.'

John chuckled. 'Let's just say I'm a very cold person, shall we?'

'Sherlock rubbing off on you, is he?' I asked smugly as I opened the door.

John gave me a withering look. 'Absolutely not.'

'Whatever, John.' With that I walked out of the room and closed the door behind me. 'Two minutes!' I called.

My phone bleeped.

Molly is in tears. What do I do? - SH.

I rolled my eyes. My usual response would be a sarcastic 'Comfort her?' but I knew that it was beyond Sherlock to do that.

Just soothe her. Where are you? - KW

I found her at the local shopping centre. Elizabethan Fantasy? First floor, shop called Animal Bliss? - SH

OK. Keep her there. I'll come and find you. Laters. - KW

Without John. - SH

I purposefully ignored that text. Who did he think I was? I wasn't that stupid.

But the thought of him hugging Molly gave a very weird sense of anger. I didn't know why: I had no right to be jealous.

John opened the door. He'd changed into his joggers and had his other clothes clutched in his hand.

'Come on. Let's grab Tara and get going.' I started going down the stairs.

'Tara's going?'

I stopped. 'Yeah,' I said slowly, turning back to face John. 'So?'

'Isn't it going to give everyone the wrong impression? Two girls and a guy?'

I rolled my eyes. 'No. Because you're my brother and Tara is my best friend. Now, get a move on.'

I didn't wait for a reply. I thundered down the stairs. 'Hey, T?!' I called as I reached the bottom.

John followed me down.

'Yeah?' Tara called. She hand an apron wrapped around her and a chopping knife in her hand.

'Get rid of all that. John and I are going for a run and you're coming with us,' I told her.

'Any particular reason why?' she asked.

'We need a birthday present for Molly and then we thought we'd go for a run,' I explained.

I opened the shoebox and knelt to reach my running shoes on the bottom shelf.

'I'm so up for that!' Tara looked apologetically at my parents. 'Sorry, guys. My excellence is needed elsewhere.'

I chuckled, shaking my head. 'Tara, just remember that you're a Grahams, not a Holmes.'

She gave me a crestfallen look. 'A girl can dream, Watson.'

'Hey,' John said, a grin glued to his face. I knew what was coming. 'Sherlock Holmes belongs to my sister, not to you.'

Heat rose in my neck and cheeks, turning them crimson, and Tara smirked.

I closed my eyes and groaned, deeply embarrassed.

I left John and Tara in a shop to go and find Sherlock and Molly.

I dialled Sherlock's number, putting the phone to my ear.

'Hello? Sherlock Holmes speaking.'

I grinned. 'It's only me, you git. Stop being so formal.'

'Ah. OK. Is everything alright?'

'Yeah. Where're you again?'

I heard him chuckle. 'The bench opposite Animal Bliss. She has calmed down somewhat but still refuses to go back home. I presume she thinks John will be there.'

'He won't. He's… busy. I'm coming. I'll talk to her.' I started walking, occasionally checking to see if I could spot John.

'Alright. Goodbye.'

'Bye.' I slipped my phone into my hoodie pocket.

I located the shop and the bench opposite it. I saw Sherlock sitting with one foot on the other knee, his arms slung across the back of the bench.

I approached them and my face fell when I saw Sherlock's arm around Molly's shoulders.

Clench fists. Unclench. Bite tongue. Stay calm.

'Hello, Kodi.'

'Hi,' I replied, flashing him a weak smile.

I sat the other side of Molly. 'Hey. You OK?'

'I guess so. I didn't mean to yell at him.' She sniffed.

'Hey, it's fine. All's good.'

'No. He's mad at me.' Molly sighed and closed her eyes.

I sighed, shaking my head. 'He'll come round soon enough.'

'I hope so,' she mumbled.

'I know so,' I replied, winking at Sherlock. He smirked, raising both eyebrows.

'You do?' she asked, looking me sincerely in the eye. 'How come?'

My gaze softened. 'You'll see.'

She managed to smile. 'You've really been the best friend I had wanted at a time like this.'

I beamed. 'Come here, Moll.' I held my arms out and she shifted herself into the hug.

I risked a glance at Sherlock and saw for the first time his genuine smile. I wasn't sure whether to smile back at him and risk losing the rare beautiful sight, but I did it anyway. But he smiled back at me, holding my gaze for quite a long while.

This was my first glimpse into the Sherlock Holmes who was hidden under the rough, cold and emotionless exterior; the Sherlock Holmes who did in fact have feelings but had chosen not to acknowledge them. To see him calm (after reading all of John's complaining texts) was, in fact, refreshing.

I pushed Molly way, gently, taking my eyes from Sherlock to the woman in front of me.

My phone rang. I looked at the caller ID, sighing. 'Guys, I need to go and take this. Catch you later.'

With that, I stood and walked away, answering the call.

'Hi. What up, T?'

'Your brother's freaking out. Talk to him, will you?' Tara explained, sounding rather exasperated.

'Kodi, help me. Now,' John demanded, a couple of seconds later.

'John, what's wrong?' I asked. My worry grew as I walked.

'I can't find a bloody thing for her!' he complained.

'OK, well, first things first, calm down. Nothing will get done if you keep getting yourself worked up.' I waited for him to take deep breaths, only speaking when I knew for sure that his nerves were low. 'Now. What have you looked at so far?'

He told me what he had considered (an extensive list, might I add) and finally wound up with, 'I don't know why this is taking so fucking long!'

'Maybe it's because you're thinking too much into this. Try going for something simpler.'

'Kodi, Molly doesn't deserve simple.'

'Hey, I know what you could get her!'

'What?'

I told him my idea, and could see he was considering it.

'You really think that could work?' he asked me, slightly more enthusiastically.

'Trust me, JJ. When she sees you at her door, on her birthday, with that present, all of this shit will have totally escaped her mind.'

'Maybe…'

'Hey. Just try it. Trust me, this'll work,' I told him.

He sighed. '… OK. Thanks, Kodes.'

'You're most welcome. Now, grab Tara and meet me at the entrance so we can go for our proposed run.'

He laughed, and it was music to my ears. 'Yes, alright. See you there.'

'Yep.'

We hung off and I was left smiling. Perhaps this was what John and Molly needed to come together?

I stopped thinking on the matter, got myself into my 'workout mindset' and started walking back to the exit.

Hey everyone! How'd you like this chapter, eh? Next chapter is Molly's birthday, and we finally get to see if John and Molly fix everything up once and for all. Also, we start focusing on Kodi/Sherlock in Chapter 10, so keep a look out for that too!

Thanks everyone for reading! Please leave a review!