A/N: You have all been so fantastic! Only one chapter to go in this fic. There will be lots of things in the A/N's then, but for now: THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!
Remember! It's almost time for the 2013 SAMFAs (Sherlock and Molly Fic Award)! If you want to vote for some fics, please visit the sherlolly website. Replace the DOTs with periods, and visit: wwwDOTsherlollyDOTcom/samfas. Voting begins Monday, May 13. Rules and other information are posted there also.
BTW, this fic is not eligible for the 2013 SAMFAs. Last year it won 3 awards: Best Romance, Best Mystery, and Fan Favorite in the Rated M category. Thanks to everyone who voted for it!
Summary: Baker Street at Christmas finds many things have changed.
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Five months later…
John and Mary climbed the stairs from 221C to 221B. Mary had been hesitant at first to move in to the basement flat at 221 Baker Street, worried that Sherlock would do things like pick the lock on their door and storm into the bedroom while she and John were shagging. Possibly not caring. Or possibly offering commentary. Molly was a good influence on him but it was still so hard to tell with that brilliant damnable man. But so far Sherlock had exercised remarkable restraint, only barging in a few times, not while they were shagging and not before knocking to announce his presence. Of course, she and John had only been married for two months, so he could just be waiting a bit to revert to his old ways.
Still, it was a nice place to live. Close to Bart's and easy for her to get to work. John was working part-time at a volunteer clinic and working with Sherlock as well. Faced with the prospect of losing his blogger and stimulator of genius, Sherlock had offered John a nice bit of cash to work with him. John had accepted, as he wanted to do his part to support him and Mary, and the clinic work was his way of not letting his medical skills rust while doing some good in the world. So far, it was an excellent arrangement.
John and Mary had moved into 221C with Mrs. Hudson's ecstatic approval and got married 2 months after. Sherlock had made a surprisingly good best man, and Molly had been the maid of honor. Sherlock even gave a (mostly) appropriate toast to them at the reception, a smiling Molly at his side. Sherlock and Molly had danced with Mary and John, Sherlock with Mrs. Hudson and Molly with Greg Lestrade, and then they had spent the rest of the evening either with Sherlock deducing guests and arguing with Mycroft or dancing with Molly.
While they were on their two week honeymoon (gift from Mycroft), Molly moved in with Sherlock at 221B. They'd returned, tan and blissful and a few pounds heavier, to find Molly's cat Toby on Molly and Sherlock's legs, as they lay curled around each other, asleep on the sofa.
It was…odd, John thought as Mary rang the bell, just how much emotion Sherlock was capable of expressing now. Oh, John had always known it was there, but he hadn't thought Sherlock would show it. And it wasn't as though he'd suddenly metamorphosed into some gushy romantic. But there was a soft fondness in his eyes that had only rarely been there before, and he'd smile whenever Molly ran her fingers through his hair or give him a brief kiss. They even held hands on occasion. Odd, yes. But it was… good.
"Why are you ringing the bell? Come in!" Sherlock's voice, slightly irritated and preoccupied, shouted at them. John shrugged and they went into the flat just as some Christmas music started to play on the stereo.
The place was set up as usual for Christmas, with lights in the window and food and drinks in the kitchen. Molly and Mrs. Hudson weren't there, but Greg and Mycroft were, having what seemed like a pleasant conversation. Sherlock was on the sofa, scowling slightly at his new mobile: an early gift from Molly. Mary put their bag of gifts down and ruffled Sherlock's hair. He frowned at her. "Only Molly and Mrs. Hudson do that," he said. Then he added: "and hello John, Mary."
Mary threw up her hands in exaggerated apology. "So sorry, your highness. And where are Molly and Mrs. Hudson?"
"On their way here." As if on cue, Sherlock's phone came to life: "She blinded me with science!"
John and Mary stared at each other, gobsmacked.
He looked at it and smiled. "Excellent. They'll be downstairs in about a minute. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to help."
As he rose, John asked: "Sherlock… is that…your ringtone for Molly?"
Sherlock's brows knitted together in confusion. "Yes. It's also my text message tone for Molly," he added with a smirk.
Seeing their stare, he became even more puzzled. "That's what people do when they're in a relationship, isn't it? Have special ringtones for each other on their mobiles?"
Mary nodded vigorously. "Yes. Absolutely."
"I deduced as much." Sherlock shook his head. "Honestly, when did I become the relationship expert?" He hurried to go help Molly and Mrs. Hudson as John pulled out his phone and began typing like mad.
Mary turned to him. "Did you-"
"Got it," John replied. "Downloading it now. We will definitely be listening to that song later."
"I knew there was a reason why I loved you," Mary murmured, kissing her husband.
He raised an eyebrow. "I thought it was because you like my bum."
"That, too," she said, smiling.
Greg and Mycroft came over to greet them, and the four of them exchanged some casual conversation about the weather, work, and married life.
Sherlock returned a few minutes later, Molly and Mrs. Hudson following along, Sherlock helping them out of their coats. Everyone but Mary and Mycroft looked at Molly in surprise. She was wearing the dress she'd worn the Christmas before the Fall, complete with earrings and silver bow in her hair, though without makeup. Molly realized they were staring at her and managed a small smile. "Sherlock asked me to wear it."
"And you are beautiful," he told her, kissing her briefly on the lips. He glowered at John and Lestrade as if daring them to say something, but they were silent.
"Sherlock's right, dear, you're lovely in that," Mrs. Hudson said, and Molly smiled again.
"Yes, now that that's settled, perhaps we can start the party properly?" Sherlock asked.
And they did. About half an hour in, Mrs. Hudson went to get another plate of hors d'oeuvres from the kitchen. Suddenly she let out a sharp, frightened cry.
Sherlock leaped to his feet, everyone else following suit, and they ran to the kitchen. "Mrs. Hudson?"
Mrs. Hudson stood with the refrigerator door open, pointing at it. "A severed hand!" She exclaimed. "Sherlock, there is a severed hand in the refrigerator!"
"Yes," he said, puzzled. "Did it frighten you?"
"It's unsanitary! Molly!" She exclaimed. "Did you know there's a severed hand in there?"
Molly looked as puzzled as Sherlock. "Of course I did. Who do you think gave it to him?"
Sherlock smiled, and Molly smiled back at him.
And this, Sherlock thought, is why I love Molly.
Gifts were exchanged and opened, comments were made, and laughter and music rang out at 221B Baker Street in a way that had never happened before. Sherlock grudgingly tried on the scarf Mary and John had bought him, looked at it critically, then announced: "It will do, I suppose. Thank you," which John assured her was actually high praise. Molly loved the earrings she got from Mary and John: hand-crafted, tiny silver scalpels. Lestrade looked quite pleased with the bottle of aged scotch from Sherlock and Molly, and Mycroft's lips actually twitched in a smile when he opened his box from them and saw a leather-bound copy of The Joy of Sex.
"Sure that you don't need to keep this? You are in a relationship now," he said to Sherlock.
"I prefer to learn firsthand, thank you," Sherlock replied. Molly giggled, and everyone else looked confused. But neither Holmes elaborated.
Finally it was just Molly and Sherlock left. Molly started for the kitchen to clean up a bit, but Sherlock stopped her. "Leave it for tonight," he told her. "I have a special gift to give you."
"All right," she said, following him into the living room. He had rearranged the furniture a bit while she was in the loo, leaving a wide open space in the sitting room floor. He put a CD in the stereo and pressed play, and music Molly was unfamiliar with filled the room.
He stood in front of her and bowed. "May I have this dance?" He asked formally.
Molly barely managed not to giggle. "It would be my pleasure," she responded, and moved against Sherlock.
She sighed as she felt her body fit to his, his chin resting on top of her head lightly as they began to dance. The lyrics started in the song and they slowly moved against each other.
Every single one of us is getting
massacred on a frozen path
Fever comes to wipe us out
and scratch your name off of a list
You and I are on the outside
of almost everything
You and I are on the other side
of almost everything
They were slurring words and acting like
a bunch of animals every given day
Never read or hardly wrote
but signed an 'x' once in blood
You and I are on the outside
of almost everything
You and I are on the other side
of almost everything
Cause we
We got the same heart
And we
We got the same heart
You and I are on the outside
of all of this
You and I are on the other side
of all of this
You and I are on the outside
of all of this
You and I
You and I
Molly sighed. "That was a lovely gift. Thank you."
He kissed the tip of her nose. "You're welcome. But that wasn't quite your gift."
She looked up at him. "Oh?"
"There's a box over there on the mantle," he said with a nod. "Go open it."
Molly did as he asked, frowning slightly when she opened the plain cardboard box. "There's nothing in here, Sherlock. Are you sure you-" she continued, turning around to face him again. And her heart stopped.
Sherlock was holding out a dark blue velvet ring box. A blue star sapphire was flanked by two small pink sapphires on a gold band. Molly clutched one hand to her chest as Sherlock smiled and his eyes met hers.
"Marry me, Molly Hooper," he said softly.
Molly's hands flew up to her mouth for a few seconds. She started to cry, but when she pulled her hands away Sherlock saw that she was smiling.
Molly looked at him. And she knew, like she'd known when he asked her to go in a date, and when he'd asked her to be his girlfriend, that there was only response she could ever give him.
So she smiled through her tears and said:
"Yes. That would be lovely. Thank you. Yes is my answer."
"You and I Are a Gang of Losers" by the Dears, copyright 2006 by Maple Music Recordings.