Disclaimer: I own nothing of Sherlock BBC.
Months had passed and thanks to his successful capture of Sebastian Moran for the government, for now Sherlock was safe. It was also time for Molly's plan to start, she had prepared long enough for it.
Being an easily contented baby, Stella Hannah Watson presently happily babbling to herself, was having a lot of fun on her own. Molly picked Stella up and the baby smiled, proudly showing her gums and the sight nearly broke the dam of Molly's tears.
Molly jumped when she saw him at the doorway. "Sherlock, what are you doing here? Looking for John? John and Mary went out for a date. I'm babysitting Stella for them." The silence was further enlarged when Sherlock did not reply her, staring at her still. Molly reassured herself that Sherlock could not have known of her plan; she had made sure of it. Molly continued her one sided conversation, "It is Stella's bedtime now. I need to put her to bed." and went up the stairs.
John and Mary came back soon after, not wanting to stay away from their new-born for too long even though they knew she was in good hands. They reached the top of the stairs and to their surprise, found Sherlock standing outside Stella's room.
"Sherlock, came to see your goddaughter?" John asked good-naturedly. He saw how Sherlock had changed for the better after the Magnussen incident and hoped he would stay that way.
"Yes and now you two are back, Molly and I are off then. Good night." Sherlock grabbed Molly's arm and saw themselves out. John and Mary looked at each other but both put it down as Sherlock's usual quirks and proceeded to retire for bed after seeing their daughter sleeping soundly.
"You once talked about looking sad when you think no one can see you…" The two walked side by side and no words were exchanged until Sherlock broke the ice.
"You can see me." Molly stopped in her tracks and turned towards him.
"I don't count." Sherlock said matter-of-factly. Molly realized who he was talking about and looked away.
"I never said it before but I've always trusted you, Molly." What she did for him was worth it. Even if it was not for Mycroft, she would still do the same thing to save Sherlock.
"Promise me that you would lay low until all this had blown over. Don't let everything I did be rendered to nothing, Sherlock and never blame yourself for a choice that I made. Stay safe, I know Mycroft will always look after you but you cannot be so reckless anymore. Your loss would break his heart." Molly reached out to kiss his cheek. Perhaps it would be easier if she fell in love with Sherlock instead but love was never about taking the easy route.
"What about yours, Molly?" Sherlock asked in return. "My heart would survive it." Liar. Her smile tainted with sadness betrayed Molly but for once, Sherlock chose not to expose it.
After her bath, Molly opened the cabinet and took out a vial. The liquid in it shook vigorously then she realized it was because her hand that held it was trembling. One thing Molly learnt was that in life there were many things beyond our control and all the more we must control what we could. At least she got to plan how Molly Hooper died.
It would be painless and quick or so she was told. The poison tasted bitter and Molly drained it down with water. You could call her cruel but Molly intended for Sherlock to be the first person to see her dead. Using the last of her consciousness, Molly sent Sherlock a draft message from her phone.
Peter Pan
- Molly
During those years when the world thought he was dead, Sherlock sporadically used her flat as a bolthole and Molly once joked about texting him 'Peter Pan' if she was ever in danger and needed his help. Unable to resist the effects of the poison, she collapsed to the ground and all Molly could hear was her heartbeat pounding loudly in her ears.
"…My…Mycroft…" Her body instinctively went in survival mode and she gasped loudly, trying to breath in more air. Disoriented, Molly panicked and called out the only name that was on her mind before everything turned black.
It took Sherlock exactly thirteen minutes and twenty-five seconds to arrive and break into her flat. He phoned for an ambulance but Sherlock knew it was too late, Molly was already dead.
The light drizzle heightened the melancholy atmosphere for those present to send Molly Hooper off. Stella's loud cries that echoed throughout the cemetery did not make the burial any easier to deal with. "She's still so young. This is not right…" Mrs. Hudson sniffed and Greg patted her shoulder for comfort while discreetly rubbed his eyes.
To justify for her sudden death, the official autopsy labelled Molly Hooper's cause of death as a genetic heart condition and one day her heart just stopped working. With his arm around Mary who carried a finally subdued Stella, John kept a watchful eye on Sherlock that stood some distance away. He took the hardest hit among them even if Sherlock did not show it; he was the one who found Molly dead and must had blamed it on himself for not noticing Molly having a hereditary heart condition.
As a doctor, John also felt responsible for not realizing in time that something was wrong with Molly then maybe the outcome would be different. But those things were hard to be detected unless the patient themselves felt something amiss with their body. Sighing internally at how fast a life could end; John kissed Mary's head, grateful for his family.
Mycroft watched the handful of people slowly walking away from her grave after the funeral ended and heads were turned back at different points of time, reluctant to leave the cheerful and strong Molly there by herself.
Courtesy demanded him to pay his respects but Mycroft felt that he did not deserve the right so standing from afar, Mycroft gazed at her grave until his vision turned hazy. In the situation where he could only save one, Mycroft chose Sherlock over Molly so she paid the price with her life and he his heart.
Author's note: Don't hate me!
Also, the medical aspect is probably all incorrect so I'll just apologise about it first.