Disclaimer: I own nothing of Sherlock BBC.
They were not 'boyfriend' and 'girlfriend', Mycroft felt he was too old for that and Molly was fine with it. It was just a term. Being the British Government, he was always busy so they rarely had time to meet up and Mycroft was glad that Molly did not complain about it unlike other women which might.
It was the week before Christmas and Molly was examining a male body that was suspected of being silenced by a criminal gang. Sherlock was also in St Bart's to use the lab for his experiments. "Hmm…a shoot to his head from the back, execution style. A typical method of killing used by the gangs." Sherlock walked into the morgue to ask Molly where she hid the microscope this time round and conveniently gave his input.
"That's what I thought too but I would leave the investigation to the police and you. Although from the gang's point of view, I could see why they would want to do that. Only the dead couldn't talk. The hold and power that man had over them could then be totally eliminated." Molly explained while taking off her gloves, concluding the end of the autopsy.
"Interesting ideas you have here, Molly. Remind me not to offend you. Now, where did you keep the microscope? I need it urgently for my experiments." With that tone of his, people would think he was actually demanding for it.
"And here I thought you would insult me at every chance possible even if you didn't mean it to be one. Ask me again, Sherlock, nicely this time then maybe I would recollect where I placed it." After a long day at work, Molly was hungry and went straight to the cafeteria.
"Women and their sensitivity" Sherlock complained quietly. "I heard that, Sherlock Holmes!" Molly turned her head and shouted in reply. He made a face behind her back and decided to follow Molly until she gave in and returned the microscope to him.
To others, it was after his 'death' that Molly appeared to stop being infatuated with Sherlock but all along, it was merely a cover. Believe it or not, it was a coincidence that Molly got to know Sherlock. Even if she did not, someone else would be placed near his side to keep track of him for Sherlock could easily go out of control despite his brother watching. It was just as well that Sherlock could care less about her 'feelings' for him and Molly also did not want Mycroft to misunderstand.
"You were too rash, Sherlock." Molly mumbled harshly. The latest name on her 'list' was Charles Augustus Magnussen and for months now, Molly considered the many ways on how to handle this man but could not come up with the prefect solution, especially with Sherlock gotten himself involved and Mycroft in a precarious position because of his brother, until she received the news of Sherlock killing Magnussen shortly after it happened.
Mycroft invited Molly to go to his parents' house for Christmas but she declined and told him about having to go visit her great-aunt in Northampton and knew Mycroft would be too worried about Sherlock to realise that it was a blatant lie.
Molly thought she just needed more time for deal with Magnussen so for now it would be best if she stayed away from the Holmes brothers. Furthermore, Mycroft and John would be with Sherlock and they could look after him so he would not be up to any more mischief. Then the world's only consulting detective had to go and killed that man.
Mycroft as the British Government naturally made more foes than friends and Sherlock's ways of doing things certainly did not make people like him at all. With Magnussen dead, a man under the supposed protection of the government only gave those people a legitimate reason to ruin the Holmes brothers once and for all. According to Molly's information, Sherlock's head would be on the chopping board first.
Your cover had been compromised.
-RO
Someone knocked the door and Molly instinctively knew who it was. Looking at the text, she knew that the day would come where the truth would reveal itself but Molly was also in love enough to naïvely hope for that day to arrive much, much later. With a silent sigh, she opened the door.
"Louise Eliza Hayes, that's your real name, is it not? You managed to pull the wool over my eyes for so long and here I thought I found…" Mycroft stopped in mid-sentence. "You are very much mistaken if you think because you are from the Royal Office; you could get away with it." Molly was confused at his remark. "Maybe I should help you jolt your memory, only the dead couldn't talk? You instigated Sherlock to kill Magnussen for you!"
"What made you think Sherlock was so susceptible to my insinuation?" Hurt by his accusation, Molly questioned Mycroft angrily.
"You underestimated him." He sneered and Molly could feel her heart breaking.
"And you overestimated yourself, Mycroft." Trying to hide the pain caused by the infuriating man standing in front of her, Molly countered. She pretended to not notice tears swimming in her eyes when Molly heard the door slam shut, signalling the inevitable had finally happened where Mycroft Holmes walked out of her life permanently. Molly knew he would never forgive her for lying to him.
The priority now was to save Sherlock so Molly hurriedly made her way to the Royal Office. "If he is available now, I would wish to see him. It would not take too long." She never entered this place unless necessary but Molly had to take her chances. "I will convey your request, Consultant." The secretary replied briskly. The double mahogany doors soon opened and Molly stepped into the room. The man seated behind the table gestured to the chair in front of him.
"I am here to plead on behalf of Sherlock Holmes. Had Magnussen lived, he would become too much of a threat to the monarchy and eventually too powerful to control. I understand Magnussen was not to be touched but nevertheless his death was no way a bad thing for us. On account of the contributions of the Holmes family for generations, please help him." This meeting might backfire badly. They were taught to be impartial and not bring personal emotions into work.
"Louise, I believed I had warned you before. Do not get too emotionally attached to the Holmes Boys, especially Mycroft Holmes. Break the rule and suffer the consequences. We would hate to lose you like this. The Royal Office would not be implicated into this matter, do you understand? This would be the last I would hear of Sherlock Holmes, dead or alive." With that, Molly was dismissed. What her superior did not know was it was already too late; she wandered too far away.
From what she gathered, Mycroft convinced them not to officially convict Sherlock and instead he would go on a suicide mission. Molly was warned to stay out of it but how could she just watch and not do anything? Sherlock meant too much to Mycroft even if he would never admit it.
Molly was present too when Sherlock boarded the plane. It must be terrifying; knowing that he was sent to die for real this time. Molly sincerely hoped that Sherlock had learnt his lesson or else what she was going to do next would be in vain.
Soon after the plane took off, Moriarty was broadcasted on all TV screens in London. It was apparently important enough to recall Sherlock and temporarily put his death trip on hold while Molly was called back to the Royal Office immediately.
Molly's superior frowned deeply at her when she entered his room. "I had let you down, Sir." Molly did not regret her actions but she did felt guilty about it. Molly became an orphan at a fairly young age and they were her second family yet what she did was akin to betrayal, defying direct orders like that.
"You had let the Royal Office down. We were very disappointed in you, Louise. You threw everything away for them." The man shook his head and pushed a file towards her. From the start, Molly knew of the consequences and was prepared to face them. Holding the file in one hand, Molly bowed deeply to the man whom she secretly regarded as a father-like figure and left.
Walking on the streets, she could hear the constant reporting by different news stations of Jim Moriarty's apparent return to London. Looking up, Molly wondered just how much she missed Mycroft for her to wander to the Diogenes Club like a lost puppy. Before she could turn and leave, Molly was invited inside.
She moved towards his room with ease as memories of her spending time here with Mycroft flashed through Molly's mind. "Take a seat…" Mycroft stood up from his chair but was unsure of what to call her. "Just call me Molly will do." They actually sounded like a pair of strangers but she found it hard to laugh about it. Seated, Molly looked at Mycroft and was not surprised to see him a little under the weather. He must be exhausted, trying hard to rescue Sherlock from death sentence.
"I couldn't thank you enough. I knew it was you who 'brought back' Moriarty." Such formality. How did they come to this? It was too late to change anything now.
"After all, I instigated Sherlock to kill Magnussen. The least I could do was to free him from the charges." Molly could not help but act like a child in front of him.
"I'm sorry that I actually said that, Molly. My mind was not thinking straight at that point of time." Whatever resentment she had towards Mycroft was gone in an instant.
"It was the best I could come up with but not enough to let him walk as a free man again. The last update I got was Sebastian Moran currently is trying to restore the former glory of Moriarty's criminal empire. He would be the perfect scapegoat for the broadcast and if Sherlock succeeded in capturing him, it would prove that he is still useful enough to be kept alive, as crude as it sounds." Molly shrugged her shoulders at the suggestion but it was worth a try.
"Sherrinford might be up to something soon. I'm not sure what or when but seeing this is a sensitive time, he might just take advantage of it." Molly had to warn Mycroft before leaving even though she knew it was a taboo topic. Then Mycroft noticed the file Molly placed on the table when she first arrived. The significance of Molly receiving her file from the Royal Office became clear to him.
"I'm sorry that I lied to you, Mycroft but you needed to know that everything else was true."
This should be the last time she would see him yet Molly could not find anything to say except to apologise for what could have gone right for them but did not. Without waiting for his reply, Molly exited the room. Minutes passed and Mycroft Holmes continued to stare into space, feeling for the first time a sense of helplessness.
Author's note: Errr, enjoy?
**To Modoko, welcome back (not sure if you remembered me but you also left another review on my other story :D) and thank you for leaving a review for this one too. Hope you will stick around for more!