Authors Note: Time for Chapter 8! :) Thanks for sticking with me for this long, and as always, enjoy!
"Tell me your full name." the paramedic asked for the 8th time.
She sighed, "Molly Jessica Hooper."
"Tell me how you were injured."
He asked once more. Sherlock let out an irritated sigh. "I was almost killed by tons of rusty metal falling on my head."
"What day is it?"
"Okay, we're done here!" Sherlock said to the paramedic.
"She hasn't finished her examination yet." he argued. "Yes, we have." Sherlock guided Molly away from the ambulance, and towards John and Mary, who were waiting a few yards away.
"Oh, wipe the smirk off of your faces." Sherlock replied sarcastically. "And it looks like you and Miss Morstan have taken a liking to each other."
Mary cast a confused glance to Molly. "He's always like that." She told her. "You really weren't lying, were you?" Mary joked.
"What are you talking about?" Sherlock asked, confused. "I was just talking about how incredibly brilliant you are." she replied.
Sherlock grinned at the pathologist. "Do you want to go back to Baker Street?" Sherlock asked. "Oh no, you two are coming to St. Bart's since you refuse to get your wrist checked, Sherlock." Mary said.
"What happened to your wrist?" Molly asked. "I'm fine. It's just a scratch." he assured.
Molly shook her head. "He won't go with you. I'll take care of it when we get back to the flat." Molly assured.
"Alright. That's better. I'll see you tomorrow?" Mary asked her friend. "Definitely." She leaned in and hugged Mary goodbye, and John planted a friendly kiss on her cheek. "You take care of that one." he whispered in her ear.
Molly grinned. "Will do. Bye, John."
And with that, the two set off towards the road to catch the first passing cab they found.
SsSsS
"I am not wearing this." Sherlock complained.
"Yes, you are. You still owe me for drugging me, and then lying to me about the crazy killer stalking us." she pointed out. "Hm. Point made." he said.
They sat in silence for a while before Molly finally spoke. "Sherlock, why didn't you just tell me what was going on?" she asked. "Because I knew you would try to help, and put yourself in harm's way." He replied.
"You put yourself in harm's way. I told you before, don't get yourself killed for me." She said. "It was for the safety of those around me. Molly, I don't like it when the life I've chosen puts the life of others in danger."
"I don't like it when you put yourself in danger."
"Again, you don't need to worry about me." he said. "Sherlock…" "Molly, I haven't died. I've only been injured. I'm alright. Don't. Worry." He assured. "Sherlock, you're not Superman. You can't survive everything." Molly said.
Sherlock pulled her close to his chest. She wrapped her arm around him gently, careful not to touch his shoulder. They both smelled like rusted metal and sweat, but they didn't care. They were alive and safe; more or less.
"Sherlock?" Molly asked. "Yes?" he replied.
"Promise me something."
She felt him smile. "What is that?"
"Promise me that you'll always come back to me, because if something happened to you…" he cut her off by grabbing her face in his hands and planting a kiss on her cheek. "I promise."
She smiled as he kissed her. "We should probably get cleaned up." Molly suggested finally.
"That might help. I doubt you're tired." he replied with a smirk. "You'd be correct. Someone took away all desire I had to sleep." She joked.
"Hungry?" he asked. "Starving. Should we meet up for dinner with John and Mary?"
Sherlock grunted as he moved to take his phone from his pocket. "I'll text John. He's most likely with Mary." he said.
"I'll be out in a little while." she smiled.
"See you then."
MmMmM
"Oh, goodness, Sherlock! Where the bloody hell have you been?" Mrs. Hudson asked the detective. "Long story. Everybody's fine. No need to worry." Sherlock assured.
"Werent you shot? You look like you've been blown up." She motioned towards the bloodstain left in his hair, and his now torn suit.
Sherlock sighed, "Again, it's a long story."
"Whatever you say. Where's Molly? She found you I presume? Would you like dinner?" Mrs. Hudson offered.
"Actually we're going out." "And who's we?" Mrs. Hudson smiled.
"Molly, John, myself, and Mary Morstan." "John's found himself another girlfriend? I hope this one's nicer than the one he brought around while you were gone. That was a real piece of work." Mrs. Hudson rambled on from the kitchen.
"I see you've snatched up Molly then, haven't you?" She asked finally. "How did you know that?" Sherlock had a hint of confusion, for once, in his tone.
"I see it on your face. You're actually smiling, and nobody's been murdered."
Sherlock grinned and watched Molly emerge out of the bathroom and towards his room. She was dressed in a pair of dark black jeans, and a blue sweater. She pulled a brush through her hair which was dripping with water. She was quick; he could give her that.
SsSsS
After much dispute over where exactly they would go out to dinner, they finally settled on eating chinese takeout in the cramped living room of Baker Street.
"So, you and Mary, huh?" Molly asked John, who was joining her in the kitchen to wash the dishes.
"Looks like it. I have to admit, you and Sherlock look wonderful together." He joked. Molly smiled as she washed the dishes in the sink.
"John?" Mary walked into the kitchen and peered her head around the corner. "I've gotta dash. It's getting late and I have to be at work early tomorrow morning."
John walked over and gave Mary a hug and a quick peck on the cheek, and Molly followed her to the door.
"Night, Molly. If you start to feel any pain, just call me, okay?" "Absolutely. Thanks."
Mary pulled Molly in for a hug, which actually did hurt her somewhat sore muscles. Still, she stayed silent as she closed the door behind Mary.
"You might want to get some rest too." Sherlock interjected from the couch.
"What about you?" She asked. "What about me?" he repeated.
"You were shot." She pointed out. "You were almost killed by tons of falling metal." Sherlock replied.
"True. However, I will be just fine on the couch."
"I've taken over your bed for long enough, Sherlock. Plus, I just slept for 26 hours straight." Molly insisted.
"Molly, I…"
"Just sleep in the same bed! You're adults, not teenagers!" John called from the kitchen.
While Molly tried to stifle a giggle, Sherlock watched her. He remembered the first night he'd went to her for help; fearing for the lives of his closest friends. He thought about the night she had saved his life- no- the night they had saved each other: the first time they kissed. Then he noted the relaxed expression on her face, despite almost dying hours beforehand.
It was in that moment that he realized how badly he longed to be close to her; to have their lips lock in a frenzy of adrenaline and desire that coursed through him when their lips touched. Sherlock stood from the couch and walked over to Molly, and did just what he had when they had kissed previously. Except this time, it was… different.
There was no audience to gawk at the one and only consulting detective actually pursue a relationship. There was no fear of being shot in the middle of some insane crime scene. Sherlock found it quite enjoyable, to say the least.
Molly leaned into this kiss, despite her now aching muscles. She was going to have a rather easy time getting used to the spontaneous kissing. John walked into the living room and smiled at the two.
"So I take it you're sharing the bed, then?" He asked.
Sherlock glared at his friend, but Molly continued to grin.
MmMmM
When Sherlock and Molly crawled into bed together, sleep did not come. Instead, the couple sat there in silence, until Sherlock finally spoke.
"You're not sleeping." He said. It wasn't a question.
"Neither are you." She replied. "Why aren't you sleeping?" She added.\
Sherlock stayed silent. For a second, she thought he actually had fallen asleep, until she glanced over and seen a pair of crystal blue/green eyes staring at her.
"Sherlock?" She asked. "I can't sleep. There's too much on my mind." he admitted.
"What happened before I walked into that warehouse?" She asked. "They told me that they were going to kill you. They told me that they were going to kill John, and Mrs. Hudson, and Lestrade. They told me that they would tear my world apart, and I would never see it coming." he said.
"So why won't you sleep?" She repeated. "For the same reason you wouldn't sleep. You weren't sleeping because you were scared. You still are scared. You're not scared of dying; you're scared of the people around you being hurt. And, as long as you were off guard, there was a greater chance of that happening." Sherlock explained.
Molly reached up and twirled a piece of his hair through her fingers. "But sleep is food for the brain. Just for tonight, lay down and rest." She smiled.
Sherlock pulled the pathologist against his chest and, despite the grunt of pain they both released, they were more than satisfied lying within one another's embrace.
"I should probably go back to work tomorrow, are you busy?" She mumbled into his chest.
"No. I'll go with you. Are you sure you feel up to it?" Sherlock replied. "Yes. It's time to move on from this until we can determine their next move, wouldn't you say so?" She smiled.
"I agree." Sherlock said to the pathologist, who had already let sleep take over her sore body.
As soon as he was sure that the pathologist was safe in his arms, he too let himself drift off into a deep, well needed sleep.
Authors Note: Well, there you have it! Sorry this chapter was a bit shorter than the rest. I really wanted to focus on the whole Sherlock and Molly dynamic this time. :) Also, the guest that posted the review from Emerald City, SC, thank you! You made my laugh so hard! Until next time :)
XXX Danielle