COD (Cause of Death)
Chapter Twenty Four: The Sum
I was made to love you blind,
blind but you made your own bed,
honey you made your own mind
I'm as human as they come
but you're not the end - all we're not the whole sum
- The Sum by Ally Rhodes
People seem to always think of the cliche-est cliche when try are faced with a defining moment in their lives. Especially if you have the history of the people like Molly Hooper and Sherlock Holmes. Of course, Sherlock wouldn't be one of the ones that would do this. He would be too busy trying to think of a way around the bad part.
However, he could also concur with the idea that irony is probable at the current moment. Being back on a rooftop - the exact same rooftop where he "fell" a few years ago. Yes, this was all quite unfortunate.
Bad things were only possible here. Despite that, he found his way here. He wasn't supposed to be. He had a choice as he had then. Protecting those he held dear had been his motive, though most hadn't thought of that. He made another then after speaking to the man behind the messages. It had been no trouble really deciding this.
Molly Hooper was another one of those odd persons who Sherlock had come to call a friend. He wouldn't say it had always been willingly. The thought of any of this would have never crossed his mind. It was not supposed to be real. Yet, here he was.
There was more of course. There always was more, nothing was ever as simplistic as it appeared. Not for him or anyone who surrounded him it seemed. He put all those excess layers to the back burner for now as he stepped a bit closer to her form which was sitting with her legs dangling over the edge. She was sitting perfectly still, her body at an angle that didn't make is seem like she was trying to do something as reckless and let's not mention stupid as what he knew she was planning to do.
Sherlock stood tall, wanting to be able to hold his ground if he had to reign her back in. He might, he had already thought about all the possibilities so far. He was finally coming around to asking her a question, the easiest way of acknowledging her than to just pull her into his arms and holding tight. In normal circumstances he was sure to be looked at as if he was Moriarty himself however nothing was normal anymore.
The most greatest example of this was the fact that he had stayed silent this long or that he had let her do whatever she had been doing to protect him the past months without anything more than a few measely texts. Yes - he had known her motive way before his meeting with the man who later he was sure he would need to give an actual thank you to for making he and Molly come back to each other. That is of course if they make it out of this alive.
"Why did you come?" Molly's voice was as soft as ever. He tried to refrain from dissecting the way it trembled once again as if she was weary of speaking at all.
"You know why, Molly." Sherlock stated as he sighed. His hand twitched at his side as he yearned to reach out and place a hand on her shoulder out of comfort. It was moronic, he thought silently. This was what it felt like, he mused as he watched her turn carefully so that they were facing each other for the first time in a long while.
Molly placed a hand on the edge and swung her legs over so that she could stand again. Sherlock stepped back a few steps - six total, to give her a little space to walk around. She didn't look to want to do any of that. She was just staring at him while gnawing at the bottom of her lips, thinking. "Are you sure about that, Sherlock?"
"Positive. I talked to a friend of yours." He said as if that was more important than what they were actually speaking of. It might as well have been. These were all delicate matters but for now the latter needed to be addressed. Molly only nodded as she glanced at him really for the first time. She wasn't searching for anything, he noticed. She wasn't trying to see him this time. She was just memorizing him as if this was it. It wouldn't be entirely stupid of him to entertain that thought. It could be...
"Then why are you here?" She asked him again as her eyes reached his again. Their orbs connected and Sherlock smiled faintly as he took three steps forward and began speaking. "Someone once told me that when you really care about someone you are willing to do anything it takes to make sure they are safe, no matter the costs. I am merely taking their advice."
Molly couldn't help the smile that came to her face as she heard him echo the words that she had once said to him. There was also a glimmer of tears shining in her eyes but she did her best to hold it together. "They must have been quite important to have their words stick with you."
"Oh yes. Very extraordinary." He nodded. "I already knew that. The day she offered her assistance willingly might have reinstated my belief in her character. I have been told a bit more over the past two hours."
Molly's expression faltered quickly as she looked away from him and slowly spun back to the ledge. She didn't move towards it. Only looked at it. "I killed Irene not even thirty six hours ago. How can you be willing to trust someone who can kill someone you cared about even for a second?"
"Miss Adler and I were never friends. That had never been a possibility because of what she was. Add on the fact that I can't trust her, there is no hard feelings about her demise. If it wasn't you it would have to be someone else. Though it surprised me to find that it was, you."
Molly almost wanted to laugh. Not because she was happy to have baffled Sherlock but because she knew that there was so much he didn't know. She had done worse than killing THE WOMAN.
A silence surrounded the duo and Molly was brought back to the true reason why they were here - or why she was here rather. "The song you composed after my death was beautiful, I want to hear it someday."
Sherlock made no comment nor movement. He just closed his eyes for a brief moment before he asked the question he had been slowly working up to. "Tell me why you must do this. Besides the darkness that would come what is the other reason, Molly Hooper?"
"Don't pretend Sherlock, I know you know. You've always known."
"Yes, but humor me for a moment. I want to hear you say it." Molly was swift and a bright flame in this dreary moment as she rushed him and spoke in a hushed tone as if speaking it would make it that much worse. "I love you, you idiot. For a man who is a supposed genius you enjoy my pain entirely too much. I would do anything to make sure you wouldn't have to suffer. Are you happy now?" Her voice shook as she finished her small confession.
"No." He shook his head fervently as he caught her wrist as she went to walk away from him again. Molly tried to get him to let her go. She was running out of time. The time was now. He would not let up though. "No." He stated again as he pulled her into his chest. "I won't let you do this alone."
"Sherlock, this is more than about you or me. You can't always have what you want. You have to let me do this."
"You stupid woman, I am trying to tell you something without all the idiotic sentiment but you won't let me! I have worried since the moment you left 221B the last time only to have this last moment with you. I love you, Molly Hooper and it would be my pleasure to go down with you. I am willing to fall one more time just to say that I didn't have to watch you do it on your own. It would make me mad for the rest of my life. So, please...allow me the honor."
"Shut up and kiss me." Molly mumbled wearily before she felt him against her, giving her exactly what she needed and so much more.
Then they were walking backwards, or forward for Sherlock and they didn't stop. Not even when there was nothing there. Molly's grip on his curls tightened and Sherlock's grasp on her waist turned more into a ferocious embrace as they took their last leap in this time.
Then, there was nothing.
I promise I didn't pull a Moffat on you. There is still that last chapter. I believe all lose ends will be tied there and you'll be more than a little satisfied ...or at least that's what I'm hoping. See you all then.
P.S. You can listen to the titled track "The Sum" from the quoted lyrics at the beginning of the chapter on my tumblr page: .
much love,
day