Chapter Two
"You're her sister," Sherlock said while walking to an armchair. "She seems pretty upset. From what I'm getting, you left home at eighteen to find yourself. But you already knew who you were. You needed to escape; probably for a crime. Someplace tropical, based on your amount of tan even though it is the middle of November. You somehow ran into John sometime after arriving, hence why you are in this flat now. Definitely not a love thing. Flatmates? It must have been before he was sent to Afghanistan. Then he left after that and you didn't hear from him for a while. Except you got a letter, he wanted you to return home.
"Why return for him? Maybe he convinced you to see your sister. But based on the way you reacted when you saw her it wouldn't have mattered when you would return. It could have been years from now and still would have been the same reaction. You left her alone to hang onto anyone or thing that can care for her. This explains her dating history, which really has nothing to do with why you are here. So, why are you here, Miss Hooper?"
"You're pretty clever, Mr. Holmes," I smiled. "No wonder she likes you." I took my place in the armchair across from him. He gave me a blank stare. "Oh come on, I know you've have realized it before. I know my sister better than anyone else. Her body language around you is enough proof. You completely use it to your advantage. Not saying I haven't done the same thing for my advantage. Either way, I don't approve of you using her to your advantage, no matter who you are. Which is why, when she walks through that door, I don't want you to use her for whatever you need."
The sound of footsteps came from the stairway filling our silence. I sipped my tea as Molly entered through the door. Beads of water dripped from her soaked body and hair. She must have come from work and got caught in the rain. I stood, took the robe down from one of the doors, and wrapped my sister's freezing body in it.
"What are you doing in just a towel?" She questioned.
"Going to the theatre," I remarked sarcastically. She truly looked hurt and no longer mad. "Sit down and I will explain everything."
Molly sat in the chair I was sitting in. Sherlock got up and grabbed Molly a blanket from his room. I shot him a warning glare to show I didn't want him manipulating her decisions. She took the blanket and my tea. Once I changed into a pair of comfortable clothes I leaned against the fireplace ledge next to a human skull.
"Molly," I started, "first off, I'm sorry I left when I did. I figured a clean break would be the best for us. Things were bad enough as it was, and I couldn't have you watching me. For the past ten years I lived in the Virgin Islands. I know you no longer care about the money, but I brought back a whole lot just for you. I got a job as a bounty hunter and a detective, kind of like how Sherlock is. Money was just flying in when they needed me. It also helped that I know how to sweet talk people.
"Either way, I met John while I was there. He was just a flatmate for a little bit. Funny, it seems like you two seem to enjoy the presence of sociopaths. No offense Sherlock, but we both know we are the same.
"I came back for you Molls. I'm tired of running away. I need to stay home and make up for lost time. We have ten years under our belts that I have to redeem. Please, Molly, please understand."
Molly walked over to me and wrapped me in her blanket. I could feel her warm tears fall upon my shoulder. I hadn't been this close to someone for a long time. She was one of the two important people in my life. I would do anything to make her happy.
The door opened and John came in with a carton of milk. He set the umbrella down and set it in the fridge before looking at me and tilting his head. His face seemed to ask 'What's going on?' I just winked at him.
Molly leaned back and looked into my eyes. "Do you promise never to leave again?" She sniffled.
"Yes."
Her grasp around me tightened.
The night went on and Molly told me about her life here in London. She told stories about how she had bought a cat named Toby. She had a whole lot of stories about him. I feared that I may have turned her into a crazy cat woman. That wouldn't be a good thing. Then we got on the topic of past relationships.
"Don't forget about the lovely Jim Moriarty," Sherlock mentioned.
"It was three dates and I ended it," Molly input.
I choked on my saliva. "You were with James Moriarty?"
"Jim," she corrected, "and I did end it!"
I couldn't blame her for dating the most famous criminal in my mind. People get with others for power all the time. He had a lot of it. Who could blame a girl?
"What about you, Victoria?" John asked. "You've had to have some sort of a boyfriend or husband of some sort."
"Oh you know I am far too busy to care for relationships," I remarked, "far too much of a hassle for my liking."
"Not a single boyfriend or little fling?" my sister asked.
"Well, there was this one man," I smiled to myself. "It seems he got away from me. I realized my work was far too important."
As the night drew on our stories got shorter. Molly left in a cab for her home a little after midnight and John recalled to his room.
"So," Sherlock said once we were alone again, "what was the crime?"
"Wouldn't you like to know?" I smirked. "Goodnight, Sherlock."
I retreated to John's room rejecting the couch. John was just taking off his shirt as I closed the door.
"Sorry to barge in," I apologized. "I'm lacking a place to sleep."
"Well, I can always just sleep on the couch," he offered. "But I really enjoy my bed."
"I don't mind sharing." I shook my head.
"Has he figured out how we know each other yet?"
I shook my head 'no' as John climbed into bed. He motioned for me to join him. Once I turned out the light I crawled in with him.
A knock at the door caused me to wake up. The deep gurgle from next to me called them into the room. The door opened and Sherlock looked in. Molly was next to him in her work clothes.
I overheard Molly speak. "Sorry to wake you, but I wanted to know if Victoria would like to come to work with me. John don't you also have to go to work."
"Shit," John mumbled.
The cold air hit my legs as John whisked off the covers. Once he closed the door I put a pillow over my head hoping to block out all outside noises.
"You should go with Molly," John said. "It'll be good for you two. Plus, you are smart enough for the job."
Mumbling a few unpleasant words, I rolled from the comfort of the bed taking John's sheets with me. The floor was like ice, tempting me to crawl back into the warm bed. It took a lot of strength to wobble over to my suitcase and grab a pair of jeans and a tee shirt.
"Give me ten minutes," I grumbled.
Pushing past John, I went to the bathroom. After slashing warm water on my face, I dried and put on my make-up. Then I stepped into my clothes and exited the bathroom.
Molly and John were waiting for me. I assumed that Sherlock was still sleeping. John had my suitcases in his hands. Giving a puzzled look I asked, "Kicking me out already?"
"Molly suggested that you lived her from now on. Also so that you wouldn't be stuck sharing a bed with me," John explained.
"How kind of you, Molls," I smiled as we left for door together. Molly left down the stairs. "I'll take these from you, John. Thank you for your pleasant hospitality. Good to see you again. We should get a few drinks sometime and catch up. Feel free to call."
He nodded and handed me my suitcases. I kissed his cheek before I went to catch up with Molly. The two of us stepped into the cab Molly had taken to get here.
Throughout the day I followed Molly like a lost puppy. Every now and then she'd ask me about living in the islands. I would then respond to her with explaining how it wasn't all it was set out to be, and that I hated being so far apart from her.
"You know, it's nice of you to lie to me," Molly said at the end of the day.
"I don't know what you mean," I lied while putting my suitcase in her spare room.
Molly stood in the doorway.
"You're my younger sister," she started. "I know when you are lying. You're good, very good; maybe even good enough to fool Sherlock. I know you didn't come back because of me. Tell me, please, why did you come back to London?"
I just grinned. "Oh, Molly dear, I really did miss you. Goodnight sister."
I closed the door and went to my bed. Opening my laptop, I checked my emails. Nothing new popped up. I refreshed the page several times just to double check. It was a bit of a disappointment that I had no new clients to reply to. My mysterious on from London hadn't even sent me a request.
I sent myself an email just to check that my email still received messages. My email to myself popped up to prove that I still could get them. I closed my laptop and put it on the night table beside my bed. I turned off the light and feel fast asleep.
Thank you for reading Hope you like it . . . yeah . . . words . . . so how is your day going?