After returning from St. Barts, they threw the TARDIS into the Time Vortex and headed off to bed. Molly didn't feel as dejected after this Sherlock visit than she had after the last one, but it was still an odd feeling, seeing the man she had a crush on after so long. Still, it was definitely easier than last time.
But that wasn't what was bugging her as she lay awake, trying to will herself into sleep. It was Moriarty. He'd come back, but why? What was the point of kidnapping those two children? Did he want ransom, fame, what? He'd been caught so easily, it almost seemed like he'd wanted to be caught. And that didn't bode well for anyone.
She finally managed to drift off, her dreams colored by her worries over Sherlock and Moriarty. When she woke several hours later, she felt groggy and unrested.
The pathologist – really, former pathologist at this point, she didn't see herself returning to her work any time soon – grabbed some breakfast, then headed into the console room. The Doctor was already there, as always. He always went on about superior Time Lord biology and how he didn't need as much sleep as humans, but sometimes Molly had to wonder if he ever slept. He looked up as she came in, flashing a bright grin. "Morning," he greeted cheerfully.
"Morning," Molly said back, heading up the stairs to the console. "So, where to today?"
The Doctor grimaced. "Well, er, we sort of wore the old girl out with these last few trips, so I was thinking somewhere sort of quiet for the next few days. That alright?"
The companion nodded agreeably. "Sure. I'll find something to read in the library, there's a really good detective series I found earlier."
Before the Time Lord could respond, Molly's phone rang again. She froze, already anticipating who the caller would be. A quick look at the caller ID showed her she was wright. Ignoring the Doctor's questioning look, she picked up the call. "Hi Sherlock. Problem with yesterday's results?"
The voice on the other end hesitated several moments, so long that Molly was left wondering if he'd hung up. Finally, he replied in a low, strangely subdued tone. "Is there somewhere quiet we can meet?"
Molly blinked in surprise. That wasn't what she'd been expecting. "Why?" she asked cautiously.
Another hesitation. "There's something I need to ask you."
She was a bit confused by the whole cloak-and-dagger routine he seemed to be trying to pull. "Look, I'll meet you at St. Bart's in ten minutes - "
"No," he cut her off immediately. "It's not safe. And it'll be a bit suspicious if you show up there again, seeing as you don't work there anymore."
"Not safe? What?" Her brow furrowed in confusion. "Why?"
"Moriarty's... unique plan has the public thinking I'm a criminal," he explained with a tone tinged with bitterness.
Molly felt a thrill of fear. "You're on the run?"
"Precisely. I need to speak with you. Can that ship of yours land anywhere?"
"As long as we've got coordinates, yeah," she told him.
Without missing a beat, he shot off coordinates for her, along with a date and a time. Molly had him repeat them, to his irritation, then agreed to meet him there. "Sherlock, don't worry," she told him. "Whatever's going on, the Doctor and I, we can help."
"Right." With that, the line went dead. Molly stared at the phone for a few moments, going over their conversation in her head. Her instincts from yesterday were screaming away in her head. Something was really, really wrong.
The Doctor gave her a few moments' silence before asking lightly, "Another trip to London, then?"
She nodded. "With some mystery coordinates to match," she told him ruefully.
"Did he say why?" the Time Lord asked somewhat irritably.
"No," Molly admitted. She hesitated, then turned to the Doctor. "Something's wrong. Sherlock sounded scared. I've never heard him like that before. We should probably get there soon."
Molly could tell the Doctor wasn't exactly keen to go to Sherlock's rescue, but he would never say no to helping someone either. Reluctantly, he said, "Alright, let's go then." He hurried to the console, starting up the flight sequence, with Molly's help. He'd been starting to show her how to work some of the controls, and now she was able to help with some of the start-up sequence. It was good to feel helpful, though she was equally content to just sit back and enjoy the ride.
SCENEBREAK
"Well, I guess I shouldn't be surprised," Molly said ruefully as she stepped out of the TARDIS. Sherlock's coordinates had sent them into what looked like some sort of abandoned warehouse. It was dark, night-time, and their footsteps echoed eerily around the walls and high ceilings.
"He certainly has a flair for the dramatic," the Doctor agreed, looking around with raised eyebrows.
Molly snorted. "You're one to talk."
Before the Doctor could retort, a voice sounded from the shadows. "You came." Sherlock stepped out from behind one of the shelves, taking a few steps out before stopping. He looked worn, his eyes tired, hair mussed. He was shuffling slightly, not meeting Molly's eyes. She felt a chill creep down her spine. Something was definitely wrong, if Sherlock was this rattled.
She nodded. "You asked me to," she said simply. "What do you need?"
Sherlock hesitated, looking from Molly to the Doctor, then looked down again. "You're wrong, you know," he said softly. There was unusual sincerity in his tone, a careful softness that suggested he was trying to be kind. "About my regard for you. I know I've often acted like you don't matter, but you do. You do count. You've always counted, and I've always trusted you."
Molly drew in a sharp breath. Sherlock had never, ever been so sentimental, especially when talking about her. She'd had no idea what to even think about what he'd said, or whether to trust it, but he seemed unusually sincere. Maybe he really did care about her after all. She wasn't sure what to say, so she just stayed silent, watching him in shock while he continued, "But you were right. I'm not okay."
The companion hesitated, shooting the Doctor a quick, questioning look. He was glowering untrustingly at Sherlock, but when he caught Molly's glance, he shrugged as though to say, it's your call.
She turned back to Sherlock. "Tell me what's wrong," she said quietly.
The detective began slowly approaching, that sharp, intelligent gaze fixed on her, dark with uncertainty. "Molly, I think I'm going to die," he admitted in a small, scared voice. That voice frightened her more than anything. What could possibly get Sherlock Holmes so scared?
Molly knew he wouldn't have asked for help if he didn't have a plan. "What do you need?" she asked simply.
He kept coming closer, finally stopping a few paces away. Molly couldn't look away from the desperate look in his eyes, and the quiet trust she'd never expected from the detective. "You," he replied quietly. "Your help."
Quickly, he explained his plan, and what he needed. The Doctor and Molly listened in silence to his explanation. Everything he needed would be available – and Molly knew the Doctor was itching to suggest futuristic or alien alternatives – but the plan still bothered her. "Sherlock, it's dangerous," she argued.
"It'll work," he assured her somewhat smugly.
"And after?" Molly pressed. "When the world thinks you're dead and Moriarty's men'll kill you if they see you?"
"I'll find them and get them convicted," Sherlock said confidently.
"And how long will that take?" she asked knowingly.
Sherlock shrugged, trying to see unconcerned, but she could see the fear in his eyes. He was about to subject himself to months and months of lonely travel, hunting down criminals while the world thought he was dead.
There had to be something more they could do.
SCENEBREAK
After they dropped off what the detective needed, the Doctor and Molly headed back into the TARDIS. They'd agreed to meet up with Sherlock afterwards to make sure everything had gone according to plan and that he was still alive. Molly still didn't like the plan, but Sherlock was stubborn, there was no convincing him otherwise.
There was something that had been eating at her since they'd gotten back. It must have showed, because after a few moments' silence, the Doctor turned to her. "Alright, what's up?"
She hesitated, looking towards the door, before sighing. "It's just weird. This whole thing with Moriarty, Sherlock planning to fake his own death, having to make everyone think he's dead. It's just... weird. It's like, my life's so crazy now, but I thought everything on Earth would stay the same, you know? Like my life was wild and crazy and wonderful, and London would just stay in this little pocket of normalcy, 'cause that's how I'd left it. But now everything's falling apart, and I can't do anything about it."
"You've done plenty," the Time Lord assured her. "You're helping Sherlock with his 'suicide.' There's nothing more you can do."
Molly hesitated, feeling a little guilty about what she was going to ask next, but she knew she had to. "Actually, there is." The Doctor looked at her questioningly, and a little warily. She looked him right in the eyes and told him, "I want to invite Sherlock to stay on the TARDIS."
The Time Lord blinked at her in shock, mouth opening and closing a couple times, making him look like a gaping fish. Molly nearly had to hold back a laugh at his expression, but the seriousness of the situation kept her solemn. Finally, the Doctor managed a light, "Well, not quite what I expected." He sobered after a few moments. "Really? Sherlock Holmes on the TARDIS?"
"He'll be on his own, him against Moriarty's entire network," Molly pointed out. "Even for Sherlock Holmes, those aren't good odds. He'll be completely on his own, having to go god knows where just to find these guys, having to find ways to get them legally convicted, all while trying to hide from both Moriarty's network and whoever might recognize him from the papers or who knows him. We could help him, Doctor."
"But we don't have to," the Time Lord told her firmly. He made his way over to her, putting a hand on her shoulder and bending down slightly to look into her eyes. "Molly, this guy keeps walking over you, and you keep coming back to him, over and over. You don't have to. You don't owe Sherlock Holmes anything. You know that, right?"
Molly looked back at him steadily. "I do," she assured him. "But as crappy as he is sometimes, he was as close as I had to a friend for a very long time, and like it or not, I still care about him. And he doesn't deserve what's happening to him now. Maybe he'll never care about me the way I care about him, but I can still be a decent person to him and maybe even be his friend. I believe he's scared, more scared than I've ever seen him before, and I believe what he said in the warehouse. I also believe he'd never leave John Watson unless he absolutely had to. I don't have to help him, but I want to. Will you help?"
The Time Lord hesitated, but her words finally seemed to convince him. He sighed, tone heavy with resignation as he muttered, "Fine." He headed back over to the console, then turned back to Molly, voice more firm as he added, "He doesn't get to touch the console, and if I find him poking around he's getting a one-way ticket back to Earth."
Molly couldn't help but grin. It would be just like the detective to try to tear apart the TARDIS console to try to figure out how it worked. "Deal. I can't promise he won't be a handful, but I'll try to keep him from doing anything too damaging. And it's only until he finds and catches everyone related to Moriarty, which'll be easier with your help."
The Time Lord groaned. "Sherlock Holmes on the TARDIS. Why do I ever agree to these things?" He seemed to be asking the TARDIS rather than Molly, so she kept silent, holding back a smirk.
SCENEBREAK
They landed by the detective's grave a few days after his supposed death. The detective in question was standing by the trees nearby, watching a figure by the grave with a heartbroken expression. The Doctor didn't even have to look to know it was John by the gravestone. He and his flatmate had a uniquely deep bond. He wondered what it was going to do to both of them to be separated like this.
Molly went up to talk to Sherlock, then led him over to where the TARDIS was parked. The detective managed to look completely unimpressed as he entered the ship. "A rather conspicuous place to park, wouldn't you say?" he snarked lightly. "A big blue box in the middle of a graveyard?"
"No worse than a dead man standing by his own grave," the Doctor pointed out with equal snark. "Stunt like that, you won't last a day on the run."
Sherlock rolled his eyes. "Believe it or not, Time Lord, I can take care of myself."
"Oh good, then I don't have to make any offers then," the Doctor snarked.
Molly shot him a glare. "Doctor," she warned.
Sherlock's brow furrowed. "What offers?" he asked with confusion.
The Time Lord's companion glared at him, then turned to Sherlock. "Come with us," she said simply.
The detective managed to look even more confused. "Come with you... on the TARDIS?"
The Doctor leaned towards Molly. "For a genius, he's a bit slow," he said in a low tone.
Molly just rolled her eyes and told Sherlock, "Yeah, on the TARDIS. It'll be easier to track Moriarty's men on the run, and it'll be a lot safer."
Sherlock looked from Molly to the Doctor, then shook his head. "I can take care of myself, thanks."
He started to walk away, turning his coat collar up, but Molly got in his way, now glaring at him. "You know, you're as bad as the Doctor, acting like you don't need anybody. Don't turn your back on the people trying to help you, Sherlock. I'm trying to get you home faster to John. Isn't that what you want?" There was bitterness in her tone as she spoke, but sincerity too. She really wanted to help him, something the Doctor wished he didn't understand. He knew all too well what it was to care about someone you shouldn't.
Sherlock hesitated, then nodded. "Fine. I'll stay."
Molly smiled slightly. "Good." She turned and started off down the hallway. "I'll show you where the rooms are, then we can get going for the day. Plenty to see out there."
The detective went to follow her, but the Time Lord pulled him aside quickly. In a low tone, he told Sherlock, "I'm letting you on because Molly asked me to. She cares about you, Sherlock."
The human sighed. "I know," he said shortly.
The Doctor leaned in closer, voice tight as he warned, "So if you hurt her in any way, you're getting left behind, no matter what planet we're on. Got it?"
Sherlock's sharp gaze flitted over his face, but he seemed sincere as he told him, "Got it." The Time Lord released him, allowing him to follow Molly back to the hallways, wondering just how he'd allowed himself and the TARDIS to get into this mess.
Oh yeah, I went there. Ladies and gentlemen, Sherlock Holmes is now traveling on the TARDIS. Whether this is awesome or a source of horror... I'll let you decide.
This episode is now over. I won't say which one's next, but you can probably guess. Sorry for not straying too far from canon here, but all I wanted from this episode was to get Sherlock onto the TARDIS. Hopefully there'll be more tomorrow (or rather today, since it's midnight.)
BloodLily16: Ah, gotcha. :) So do you want me to reply to your old comments, or just the new ones?