A/N: Hello, pretties! Here it finally is!
Huge thanks go out to my lovely readers and those who reviewed: Henr233e, MuteBanana, ThisLooksLikeAJobForMe, eccentricpetal, naughtynyx, coloradoandcolorado1, superlc529, romanticincanada, seadysue, patemalah21, pixieprincess303, BritMel, Zora Arian, Tinfoil2010, CumberChelz and the 5 guests: thank you all so much! Every review is read, even when I am rubbish at responding.
When I update next, the story will be fast-forwarded. It is now about 75% complete!
In today's chapter: Molly sings, and Sherlock meets another of Molly's old boyfriends.
S&MS&MS&MS&MS&MS&MS&MS&MS&MS&MS&MS&M
Sherlock hadn't been to Source Below in years. The last time had been for a case. This time, in a way, was for a case. What would John call this case when it was all over, Sherlock mused. "Bizarre Love Triangle?" "Strangelove?" Some other darkly disturbing 80's tune? Privately Sherlock thought "Let's Go Crazy" would be a fitting title, because that was very likely to happen. Maybe they should leave the 80's entirely and use something newer… although "Psycho Killer" was a good option as well…
"Oh, look! Karaoke starts in 15 minutes! Are you going to sing, Molly?" Mary asked.
"What, sorry?" Molly said nervously.
"Yeah, Molly, Sherlock says you've got an amazing voice," John added.
Molly raised her eyebrows. "Did he now?" she said, voice caught between amusement and embarrassment.
Sherlock sighed. "Is it some deep dark secret? You clearly love to sing; therefore, you should sing."
"F-fine," Molly stammered, and Sherlock frowned. She hadn't stammered in a week.
They found a table and Molly went to pick a song off of the list. John went to get drinks for them and Mary went to the lavatory, leaving Sherlock to sit and watch the crowd. There was no sign of Moriarty, but that didn't mean he wasn't lurking about somewhere. Though it was also likely he wasn't: Sherlock knew he was Moriarty's pet project but the man did have business to attend to.
Eventually they all arrived back. Molly told them she would be the second person to sing and they sipped their drinks and chatted idly (everyone but Sherlock, who only spoke if directly addressed) and then the talking died down as the karaoke began.
The first singer was a male uni student, obviously a bit drunk, who belted out a somewhat painful-on-the-ears version of "The Outsider" by A Perfect Circle. When he'd finished, Molly's name was called, and she flashed them a quick, nervous smile before going up.
Sherlock did not, of course, recognize the song when it began. Pop music, along with many other forms, held little or no interest to him personally. What knowledge he had was solely based on cases, and that was scant. He'd learned more about non-classical music in the past week than he'd learned in the past five years. Popular films, too. Why couldn't Moriarty have at least picked out some independent films instead of that hackneyed mass-appeal codswallop? Oh, yes. It wasn't about him. It was about Molly. Did that mean she'd seen all those films and she liked them? He did not want to contemplate it.
"Sherlock," John whispered, and Sherlock was jolted out of his musings. John glared at him, flicking his eyes towards the stage. Right. Sherlock gave Molly his full attention. She was smiling at him, clutching the microphone nervously. No, definitely quite nervous. Was she unused to performing in public? Had she only done this because of him?
And then she began to sing, and all thought fled.
A fallen star,
Fell from your heart,
And landed in my eyes,
I screamed aloud,
As it tore through them,
And now it's left me blind,
The stars, the moon,
They have all been blown out,
You left me in the dark,
No dawn, no day,
I'm always in this twilight,
In the shadow of your heart,
And in the dark,
I can hear your heartbeat, I try to find the sound,
But then it stopped,
And I was in the darkness,
So darkness I became,
The stars, the moon,
They have all been blown out,
You left me in the dark,
No dawn, No day,
I'm always in this twilight,
In the shadow of your heart,
I took the stars from my eyes,
And then I made a map,
I knew that somehow,
I could find my way back,
Then I heard your heart beating, you were in the darkness too,
So I stayed in the darkness with you,
The stars, the moon,
They have all been blown out,
You left me in the dark,
No dawn, no day,
I'm always in the twilight,
In the shadow of your heart,
Ooooo
Sherlock glanced at John and Mary. They both sat staring at Molly, looking as gobsmacked as he'd felt the first time he'd heard her sing. He wasn't sure why it was surprising that Molly had such a beautiful voice. Perhaps because she never offered up that she could sing, or offered to do so. Perhaps it was because she was so quiet by nature and her gift seemed incongruous with that. Regardless of the reason, it was unfair for anyone to assume there was nothing special about her. Including him.
He joined in the thunderous applause as Molly somewhat sheepishly handed the microphone to the next participant, a young girl who stared at it, then at Molly, as though she wanted to change her mind now. Molly, a faint blush to her cheeks, slipped into her chair at Sherlock's side.
She glanced at them as they all sat looking at her. "What?" she asked.
John cleared his throat. "Molly… that was amazing."
"Was it?" she asked. "Thank you."
"It was more than amazing… good God, Molly, why are you a pathologist? You could take musicals by storm with that voice!" Mary exclaimed.
Molly laughed nervously. "Oh, well, that's not really the sort of profession for me. I like my morgue and my dead bodies. They never complain if I sing! Oh," she said, raising a hand to her cheek, "That sounded bad, didn't it?"
"A bit morbid, yes," John said with a smile. "But it's fine. Considering who my best friend and your boyfriend is, I'd say it's all fine, Molly."
Molly smiled, clearly (to Sherlock, of course) still nervous. There was something more, though. Although she'd spoken the truth, there was more to it than that. There was some deeper reason Molly had never pursued a singing career. He suspected it had something to do with her family. He was about to begin an analysis when a voice exclaimed from behind them: "Molly?"
Sherlock turned to see a man in his late twenties to early thirties, wearing a black T-shirt and black jeans, staring at Molly. Molly was staring back at him with an expression of equal parts surprise and delight. "Steve?" she exclaimed.
"It IS you!" the man beamed, moving to Molly as though Sherlock didn't exist and enfolding her in a tight embrace. Molly laughed and stood up. "I thought I recognized your voice. I mean, who else could sing like you back at Oxford. It's great to see you! You look fantastic!"
"Yes, she does, doesn't she?" Sherlock said, standing up and flashing a tight smile.
"OH! Sherlock, this is Steve Taylor, we went to uni together. Steve, this is-"
"Sherlock Holmes. Molly's boyfriend," Sherlock interjected, ignoring the slightly irritated look Molly gave him and flashing a dazzling fake smile at the man.
Steve stared at him in amazement. "Bloody hell, it is you! I saw something in the Sun, but you never can trust those rags, you know… wow! It's amazing to meet you."
"Is it?" Sherlock asked, eyes traveling over the other man with a predatory lightning speed.
Theatre major. Not gay. Not a criminal mastermind, either. Familiar with Molly's singing. Attended Oxford together. Has not seen Molly in three-no, four-years. Middle-class family, same as Molly. Musician: the vocalist in the band performing here tonight. Very pleased to see her. Conclusion: former boyfriend, ended on good terms when he left, would be interested in picking up where they left off. Final conclusion: get him away from Molly as quickly as possible.
"My band is on in thirty; will you all stay and have a listen?" Steve asked.
Molly rushed to speak before Sherlock. "That would be great! We'd love to!"
"We would?" Sherlock frowned.
"Yes, we would," Molly said, scowling. She turned to introduce Steve to John and Mary, and Sherlock continued frowning the entire time.
Steve smiled. "I've got to get ready. It's so great to see you, Molly! And to meet all of you," he added hastily as Sherlock glared daggers at him.
"Charming," Sherlock snapped as Steve left. Molly stared at Sherlock with a frown. "What's gotten into you? Steve is an old friend."
"Old friend? Don't you mean old boyfriend? Really, Molly, have you forgotten who I am?" Sherlock asked irately.
"He's… we only dated for a few months," Molly said, cheeks turning slightly pink.
"I rather think that qualifies as a boyfriend, then," Sherlock said coolly.
"And then we broke up and were friends, and I haven't even seen him in years!" Molly exclaimed.
"Yes. And clearly, he would like to spend some time catching up with you," Sherlock sneered.
"What? That's ridiculous!"
"I assure you it is not," Sherlock told her.
"You're jealous," Molly said with a faint smile.
"Yes, you are, Sherlock," John spoke up before Sherlock could deny it. "You are absolutely jealous."
Sherlock sat down with a scowl. "I am correct about him. You will see."
Molly sat back down, uncertain if she should be angry or pleased. "Steve is harmless. He's a lamb. You know I.. I'm not interested in anyone but you."
"Tell that to Steve," Sherlock said, much sulkier than he'd intended.
"Can we please watch the show?" Mary sighed. "I've seen his band, they're quite good."
"I'm sure," Sherlock muttered, and John smirked.
After the show, as the applause was dying down, Sherlock turned to Molly. "Molly… will you come back to 221B with me and spend the night? We can go by your flat first to get whatever you need."
Molly smiled. "I'd like that… if you're finished being jealous."
He raised an eyebrow. "I was merely trying to prevent an unfortunate situation."
"Right," Molly said with a grin.
Mary and Molly went to the loo, and John turned to Sherlock. "All right, out with it."
"Out with what?" Sherlock asked.
"The whole jealousy thing."
"I was not jealous. That man's life could be in danger. Have you forgotten Moriarty has already had one man killed this week for flirting with Molly?"
John's mouth dropped open. "My God, you're right."
"Is this news to you?" Sherlock asked.
"I thought you were just being a git."
"I am not a git. When have I ever been a git?"
John raised his eyebrows. "Riiight. So, are you certain there was no jealousy in all that deep concern?"
"That man means nothing to me. However, Molly would obviously be distraught if anything happened to him. I care about Molly enough not to want that to happen."
John nodded. "Didn't quite answer my question there, Sherlock."
Steve chose that moment to wander over. "Hi, I thought I'd see if you were all interested in sticking around for our next set… did Molly dash?"
"Went to the loo with Mary… you know how women are, always traveling in pairs," John joked.
"We're actually leaving, sad to say," Sherlock said smoothly.
Steve's face fell. "Oh. Well, could you give Molly this?" He handed Sherlock a flyer with a number written on it. "It's my mobile. Have her to give me a ring, would you?"
"Certainly," Sherlock said with a smile.
Steve shook their hands again. "Great to meet you. Tell Molly bye for me, I've got to go freshen up before our next set."
"It's been most interesting," Sherlock said, his smile tightening.
As soon as he walked off, Sherlock slipped the piece of paper into his coat pocket. John frowned. "You're not going to give it to her, are you?"
"No."
"Sherlock…"
"Would you like to have to go look at his body at Bart's in a few days?" Sherlock asked sharply.
John sighed. "Ok, you have a point. I can't say that you don't."
"Good. That would mean that you were wrong."
"Still don't like it," John muttered.
"There are a great many things about this situation that I dislike," Sherlock said darkly.
Silence ensured for a few more minutes until Molly and Mary returned. "Shall we?" Sherlock asked, standing up.
John followed suit, and they helped Molly and Mary into their coats before shrugging on their own. "We'll have to come watch them again sometime soon," Molly said.
"Of course," Sherlock told her, knowing that his definition of 'sometime soon' was very different from hers. It was easier than arguing, however.
His mobile beeped with a text. He fished it out as they left. Jealousy suits you.
He closed it with a scowl and a snap.
"Everything ok?" Molly asked.
Sherlock looked at her and smiled. "Yes." He smoothed her hair away from her face and brushed his lips to hers. "Let's go home."
"Cosmic Love" by Florence + the Machine, copyright 2010 by Florence + the Machine, Universal Island Records