Title: Making the Connection
Story Summary: A non-chronological collection of short chapters based on one word prompts, includes (pre-)slash for Johnlock & Mystrade
Chapter Summary: A couple of days after his fall Sherlock decides to read one of Molly's books. Post-Reichenbach. Prompt: Slartibartfast
Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Moffat, Gatiss & SACD.
A/N: For all of you who hadn't noticed, this is a very special chapter because it's number 42. Yes, I'm very sorry, but this is going to be a 'Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'-related chapter. The prompt for this chapter came from the lovely Larilie, because we both love the books. It's probably my most challenging prompt up to now (I even found 'staple' easier than this!), so if you happen to really hate it, please bear with me ;)
Sherlock needed to keep himself busy in Molly's flat for two more days to get things sorted out, to find a place to start his hunt, because he was going to untangle Moriarty's web. Molly had gone out to buy hair dye and a few more groceries. Dying had made him hungry. When she came back he had just taken a book out of one of her shelves. It was one of five in a series. He had heard John talking about it.
"I don't think that's the book you want to read." Molly said as she came over to see what he had picked out.
"But you said I could read any book you had. I know John and Mike read it, because they keep referencing it when I'm around, it's like a code that I don't get. I never found the time to read it before but I heard it's supposed to be brilliant." Immediately after he said the words it hit him that he wouldn't hear anymore references to the book anytime soon, but he pushed that thought away.
"John read it, really?" Molly seemed rather surprised by that. "But still, believe me, it's really not your cup of tea, Sherlock." She tried to take the book away from him, probably worried what he might do to it if he didn't like it, but he hung on to it.
"Why not?" Sherlock asked as his long fingers gripped the slim book harder.
Molly sighed. "Because although it's really logical it's also rather silly and it elaborates all the time in a very strange way and I don't think you'd like the characters."
"So it's like real life?" It wasn't a joke, just an observation.
"In a way, yes." Molly let go of the book, knowing that she wouldn't be able to let it go. Instead she started to pack away the groceries and afterwards she took Sherlock to the bathroom with her to give him a make-over.
Sherlock didn't say a word during the whole process because his eyes were glued to the pages of the book he had picked from her collection. After she was done cutting and dyeing his hair Sherlock had already read the first hundred pages.
"Why did you think I wouldn't like the characters?" He asked while she wiped the last droplets of the red hair dye from the sink. He was not yet sure whether he liked the book and its quirky descriptions of nearly everything, but he was already rather fond of that Arthur character.
"Well, there's one coming up, he's quite representative of that bunch and I always found him fascinating, maybe because I wanted to have his job. His name is Slartibartfast and he's quite the opposite of you." Molly put some hair wax in her palms and started to style his hair.
Sherlock frowned at her in the mirror. "In what way?"
Molly smiled at the result of her make-over, obviously pleased with herself. "To quote him: He'd much rather be happy than right any day. I think that's as far from you as possible."
"Everybody likes to be right, Molly, but only few people ever achieve happiness. Luckily I'm the kind of person who is happy when he's right." Sherlock pointed out to her.
"See, I told you it wouldn't be your thing." She held out her hand for him to give the book back.
"If you don't mind I'd like to keep on reading anyways. I have nothing better to do until my funeral." It was true, he really needed something to distract him from being so incredible bored at the moment. What he didn't even admit it to himself was that he enjoyed figuring out John's code, because it almost felt like he could still talk to his best friend. Decoding past references was easier for Sherlock than thinking about what he had lost and whether he would ever be able to get it back.