Excited to update on my birthday :) Hope you enjoy.
As Sherlock entered his taxi late that night at 2 AM, he was surprised to see Molly Hooper slide in after him, smiling apologetically.
"My taxi cancelled. I wondered if I could share with you?"
Sherlock gave a small shrug and kept to his side, noticing Molly run her hand through her greasy hair as the taxi drove off.
"It was lovely to see John again... Rosie seemed much happier." She whispered, unsure of whether or not he wanted to start a conversation.
Surprisingly, he replied. "I saw it in his eyes as he handed her to me. He hasn't forgiven me. I believe that he may never do."
Molly's eyes widened as she watched the orange streetlight from outside illuminate his face for all of two seconds. "Give him time, Sherlock."
"I know, Hooper," Sherlock said, turning to face the scenery go by.
Molly took this as the end of the conversation so settled for picking off the cracked nail polish from her nails.
As the taxi finally settled outside her flat, Molly turned to face Sherlock with a small smile. "Goodnight."
Sherlock looked at her, almost pleadingly. Molly knew what this meant. Don't leave me alone. Not tonight. Not after... Rosie.
"How about you join me for a drink?" She added.
He looked almost relieved, getting out after her as she paid the taxi driver for his troubles.
"Have a nice night, sir," she mumbled to the driver who tipped his hat in reply before leaving.
She walked to her door, unlocking it and stepping into her home, Sherlock following.
He avoided Molly's feline, Toby and settled on her sofa in the living room, sending a glare at the cat who stalked off sassily.
He never liked cats. Dogs were his thing.
Molly returned to the room, sans her coat and holding two wine glasses.
"Tea felt too tame for me. I just want to-"
"Forget?" He cut her off.
She nodded, a small smile playing on her lips as she handed one glass to Sherlock. "Forget I will." She told him, taking a long sip of her wine.
Sherlock had never seen this side of her, actually... he had never registered that she drank her troubles away. He could have guessed from the way her lips were pursed from nights (or days) from sipping from glasses and the way that the red always stained her lips whenever she had had a cheeky one. But he had tended to ignore the details. What she did in her spare time was none of his concern. At least before.
"You ought to cut down on this, you know?" He asked her, before taking a greater gulp from his glass.
Molly rolled her eyes. "What do you know?"
"I know... I know that times have been trying lately but you shouldn't risk your health because of that."
"So what?" Molly whispered, slurring evident in her 'so'. "My best girl pal's dead and I'm stuck being her daughter's nanny as her husband grieves and her weird other 'not-so-husband' looms around like Slender Man."
"Slender-who?"
Molly shook her head, dismissing the reference. "Let's just drink."
And so they did.
...
Sherlock woke up to rays of sun shining in his eyes.
When did I get home?
He yawned, stretching as he noticed his bare body.
Taking the time, he examined his whereabouts. Not high, but drunk...
He winced, holding his hand up to his head. How much did I drink last night?
Sherlock guessed that he had never left the flat of Molly Hooper last night and wasn't surprised to see the lack of her presence in the room. Although, he heard the shower run in the adjoining bathroom.
Grunting, he lifted himself off the bed and slowly got dressed, knowing that she would need at least twenty-five minutes to sort herself out.
He left the room, heading straight for the kitchen, ignoring the presence of her discarded clothes on the floor.
Who dared who?
He searched the drawers and cupboards, smiling when he found his remedy. Tea.
Tea would be nice for him to have this... late in the morning. Tea would be nice for her too.
By the time he had finished boiling the water and retrieving the sugar, he heard the shower cut off.
She didn't take as long...
Preparing their preferred teas, Sherlock turned to face the hypothetical elephant in the room, a case he all too remembered when giving his Best Man's speech for John and...
He looked down at his tea, continuing to stir it slowly.
"Hi."
Sherlock gave a short nod. "Good morning."
Molly blushed, placing a hand awkwardly on her towelled hair. "Thanks for the uh, tea."
"You are welcome."
She took a sip before placing it back down on the counter and releasing her wet hair from the towel. "You can uh, take a shower if you want? I don't mind."
Sherlock thanked her, finishing his tea before accepting a dry towel and locking himself in the bathroom.
What happens now? That was almost certainly a one-night stand so... what. Happens. Now?