Thank you for sparing me. LOL I had to be very careful with that end of the story line. I battled back and forth with my brain on if he should sleep with Sarah or not, but in the end, decided that while there had to be something, Sherlock couldn't betray Molly physically. I never ever intended for one moment to make Sarah in any way a "bad guy". But I will say this... Sarah was a personal touch for me. So, this is an after the fact footnote. Barrington Hall is a real place located in Roswell, Georgia. It still stands to this day. And the story's Sarah told about Roswell gray and the two brother's hiding the valuables in "Augusta and Savannah " is also true. Roswell King and Catherine Barrington were my 4th great grandparents. :) Of course, I fear I am weird, and keep adding an extra e in Roswell. For some reason, so pardon the misspelling. I also keep trying to put an e at the end of the word "with" when I write. NO idea why... LOL Anyway...on with the story.

Mild mature content warning.

Chapter 39

Molly found it hard to get out of bed. She wasn't tired, exactly. She'd not slept much, but slept deep. As she had for months, she'd taken the melatonin John suggested. Off she would sleep into a nice dream state. In her dream state, she could still live out her life with Sherlock. They could watch the children grow up. Grow old together. She could still hold him, kiss him, touch him. All the things that were forever denied her in the light of day.

She knew it had been long enough for her to move on. She just didn't see the need. She may not have had Sherlock long, but nothing else would do. Any other man would not deserve that she would likely compare everything they did to him.

It was getting late, so she forced herself from the warm cocoon she had created for herself to shower and dress for the day.

Once she was dressed she came out to check on the children. Addison was sitting propped up at the table eating cereal with no milk. Laura was just sitting there watching him.

"Aren't you going to eat, sweetheart? " Molly asked, sitting beside her.

"Not hungry. "

It was then that Molly noticed how tired the little girl looked. She tried to change the subject.

"So, I thought tomorrow you and I can go look at shops. Give me an idea what you want for your birthday. Coming up soon, you know. "
"I dont want anything. Nothing I can have. "
"Well, you don't know that. Your gramma could probably find a purple dolphin that speaks Swahili if she put her mind to it. " She said trying to make a joke.

She was rewarded by Laura jumping up and running from the room.

As she started up to go after her, there was a knock on the door.

She growled at the interruption, but answered it.

"John... I told you, you don't need to knock. " She greeted wearily

"You ok? "
"Im not sure. Look, I need to go talk to Laura. Can you keep an eye on Addie for me? "
"Sure. If I can help, let me know. "

Molly found Laura in Laura's bedroom, knees drawn up so tight it was like she wished to shrink herself out of existance. Molly sat beside her on the bed and rubbed her back.

"What's wrong? "
"Nothing. "
"Its obviously not nothing. I can see you haven't been sleeping well. Of course, silly me. The nightmare..."
"No. "
"Really? "
"I didn't have it. Haven't in a few days. "
"That's good news, isn't it? "

Laura began to cry quietly.

"No. Its like ...like Im not looking for him anymore. I know he's gone, but at least in the dream... "
"It was like he was still there somewhere. Trust me, I understand. Your daddy lives on in my dreams too. "
"But you DREAM of him. This was my only dream. "

Suddenly Laura sat up and faced Molly. She looked utterly devastated.

"I know I'm not normal, but I am still young. What if... what if I am starting to forget him? If a time comes where I don't remember him being here at all? "
"Oh sweetie... I wouldn't let that happen. "
"How can you stop it? I've looked it up. Its normal. I will remember some things, but not like I know them now. My brain is still developing and it pushes things out. "

Molly thought long on it.

"Well, you train your mind not to. "
"How? "
"By making sure every day you remember. Look at daddy's picture. Listen to his interviews. That will help with his look and voice. Then always, everyday remember times with him. "
"It won't work. "
"Sure it will. Think about it. You...well...normal children learn to read and write younger than you are now, but can still remember as they get older. Because they use it daily. You have a better than average mind. And you are stubborn, like dad. You can make sure that happens. "
"You really think so? "
"Absolutely. Now, Uncle John is already here, and more family and friends will be here soon. You need to eat something, or no cake for you later, young lady. " She said, bumping her nose to Laura's.

"Yes, ma'am. " Laura smiled smally, and rose to go have her breakfast.

Late afternoon Molly and Mary set up the decorations and John saw to the play games, Violet and Mycroft sat in the house while Addison took his nap, when there was another knock a the door. Mycroft rose to answer. It was a young messenger with a package for Violet. He signed for it and came to her.

"What's this? " He asked, curious.

"OH! I was waiting for this. I asked my staff to message this over if it came today. "
"But what is it? Has it to do with the court case? Father was already convicted."

Violet smiled.

"This! "

Mycroft took the envelope and looked at the papers inside. Violet didn't wait for him to finish.

"Its done. Over. Thanks to your father's stupidity, and tendancy to over exxagerate his own abilities, I finally had a way out. This, my dear son, means he is out of my life, and he gets NOTHING. "
"Finally divorced? "
"They really need to come up with a word to describe what this is that is stronger than finally." She said, looking better than she had in nearly a year.

"Come, we will tell Molly after the party. Today is about Addison. "

mmmmmmmmmm

Sherlock climbed out of the cab with Frank just outside the edge of his property. He stood still.

" Are you sure you are ready for this...Sherlock? "
"Not really. I can't be sure how they will react. I haven't had contact with anyone. So I don't know how things are going. How to do this, this time. "
"Well, this time wasn't your doing. But like I said last night, I would avoid meantioning Sarah. That won't help at all. Besides, you didn't actually betray your wife. "
"Not physically, technically. But... Molly is very astute at reading me. "
"Im willing to wager once you see your wife, you will never again think of Sarah."
"I don't think of her now. Not in that way. Shouldnt be difficult. Virtually deleted. "

"Vertually? "
"Well, I shouldn't completely delete her, should I? If it wasn't for her... or you... I wouldn't be here. "
"True enough. "

Sherlock looked at his watch and straightened.

"In another thirty seconds we will be surrounded. "
"By? "
"My brother's men. That is why we stopped the cab where we did. Going onto the property would have gotten us killed. "

Frank looked with shock at Sherlock, but recalled the long tale he'd been told the night before and began to shake his head.

"Life would never boring with you around, would it? " He chuckled.

Sherlock quirked a brow at the older man.

"I suppose we are very shortly going to find out. "

mmmmmmmmmm

Not only did they have to find a better word for finally, they also had to create one for the chaos that ensued at Addison's party.

Sherlock summized his brother would be the first to see him. He would have to be cleared by his brother.

Mycroft's abrupt departure didn't really make anyone notice. Getting up quickly for phone calls was part and parcel with life around Mycroft.

Mycroft got half way to his brother and froze. Torn between wanting to hug him to make sure he is real, and kill him. In the end, hugging seemed a lot less effort.

It took Sherlock a long time to explain everything to Mycroft as he had to explain it three times.

In the end, they decided it would go easier, if Mycroft took Frank into the party first. Explain things. That way it wouldn't be as bad of a shock, especially to the older women. Sherlock argued at first, not wanting to delay the reunion with his family any longer. He thought better of it, eventually...as he recognized this way would greatly reduce the chance of him getting hit. Repeatedly.

Mycroft entered the party with Frank just behind him. When all looked over at him with nothing more than mild curiousity, he asked them to all gather around...and sit. He had a story for them, in honor of Addison's birthday.

Frank, as it turned out, like many old men of the sea, was an excellent storyteller. He told the story about a man who came out of the seas, broken and mysterious.

Toward the end of the tale, he told of the man hitting his head.

"That's when he told the captain... " Frank stopped for a moment to glance at Mycroft, who merely nodded for him to continue.

"He...told the captain... me...that his name ...is Sherlock Holmes. "

Molly began to shake all over, as she held Addison closer to her on her lap. Laura was beside her, clutching her hand.

John was the first to recover.

"Why...why are you telling us this? This is cruel... " He said, voice shakey.

"Because...its true. For almost this past year... it wasn't his fault, Mrs Holmes. You mustn't be angry with him. As soon as he knew who he was he immediately wanted to come back to you. "

"I assure you, it is true. " Mycroft offered. "I've spoken with him, and we all decided it would be better if the good captain here explained first. "
"Where is he?" John asked, a supportive hand on Molly's shoulder.

Mycroft watched as Laura bolted to the garden, not sure what the girl was thinking.

"In the house. " Mycroft said numbly.

Molly stood up and handed Addison to John.

"I need to see him first. "

mmmmmmmmmm

Molly slowly entered the house. There in the center of the living room stood her husband. He was tanned from time spent on the ship. His hair was longer than normal, but it was definately him. The look in his eyes could not be denied. She step by step made her way over to him, as he held out his arms. When she was less than a foot away, Sherlock made to hold her.

Until she slapped him.

Hard.

" I was hoping to avoid that. " Shelock said, trying to sooth the side of his face.

Inside Molly's mind, she knew it wasn't his doing. Her thinking would tell her that she just needed to hold him again. He didnt mean for this to happen, like his fake death off St Barts.

But she wasn't thinking of that. Months of grieving, pain, loneliness all came out in that moment. Suddenly, she was sobbing uncontrollably and pummeling his chest with her fists, then slapping him about the head.

Sherlock didn't make one move to defend himself. He'd give her this. She needed to get it out, so they could move on. It wasn't until her ring caught his lip and he started bleeding slightly that she stopped. She stepped back in shock.

"Oh God! Oh! I am sorry, Sherlock! I was just so... "
"Its alright, my love. I deserved it. "
"No. No you didn't. " She said finally succumbing and wrapping her arms around his waist. Working on a ship had put some weight on him, and it felt good. Solid. He held her back, swaying her slightly as he kissed the top of her head.

She finally led him back to the back to see everyone else. They... had had time to absorbe what happened. Warm greetings all around, especialy between Sherlock and John. Violet had found new life. She embraced her son and declared the day the biggest success Enland had seen since the end of World War Two.

But when Sherlock tried to see Laura, he saw her small frame sitting in the garden. With a brief kiss for Molly, he made his way over there, and sat beside her, thier positions mirroring one another. Knees drawn up, arms resting on thier knees, fingers entwined.

"You ok? "
"I don't know. " Laura said, sniffling.

"No? Perhaps we can deduce it. A bit angry? Yes. A bit sad...absolutely. Is there no happy? "
"I didn't believe you were gone for a long time. Then, I believed. I thought you would be gone from everything forever. "
"Im so sorry, sweetie. I never meant to hurt you. "
"But you did. And I don't like it. I think I liked it better when I didn't feel. When I could block it out and feel nothing."
"I thought that once too. But you know what? "
"What? "
"Some feelings are wonderful. And those feelings are worth the bad feelings we get. "

"Maybe. "
"Definately. If it weren't the case, I should be quite angry with you, you know! " He said in mock severity.

"Me? Why me? "

Sherlock looked down at his daughter's face with tenderness.

"Because you...my sweet girl...taught me to love through the pain. I have come to the conclusion, and I am of course seldom wrong, that the pain we go through, makes us appreciate the happiness that much more. "

Laura thought on this a moment, then nodded. It made sense.

Laura got up and Sherlock started to do the same, when the tall child plopped herself right back down onto his lap. He brought his arms around her tightly and smiled.

They were still smiling when they joined the others walking hand in hand. Addison squirmed out of Molly's arms and carefully made his way to his father.

Small fingers touched his face, and Sherlock closed his eyes at the sensation.

"Hey Addie. Yes, I've come home. Give me a hug, now...ok? " He said, opening his arms.

Addie looked at him funny and ran to John. He hid behind John's legs.

And called John...daddy.

John never saw it coming.

mmmmmmmmmm

An hour later, Sherlock managed to apologize to John. John. for his part, took it in stride. Sherlock has been gone a long time, and Addie was still very young. All he remembered about Sherlock was that he played violin. But John was the constant in the boy's life. So it was natural he took on that role in a toddler's mind.

After Sherlock was caught up in all the events that transpired in his absence, he got another round of hugs as his guests left for the night. Addison was already in bed, having passed worn himself out. Laura took her bath and looked ready to collapse herself. Sherlock tucked her in and she fell asleep as he was kissing the top of her head.

He was home.

Sherlock went into the kitchen where Molly was loading the last of the dishes in the dishwasher. He came up behind her, and wrapped his arms about her waist, kissing her earlobe. Molly placed wet hands on his and leaned back into him. He bent to place a slow kiss on her neck. Molly stiffened.

"Sherlock...don't. Not yet. "
"What's wrong? "
"I need time, Sherlock. "
"Its been a year, Molly. "
"I know. And don't think I don't...Its just that you strange to me right now. "
"Stranger? Im your husband. "
"Yes. You are. A husband that I mourned. Its hard to just shake that off. "

Sherlock stepped back just a small bit, and nodded curtly.

"That isn't to say... I mean... Its not that we can't...eventually... "
"I see. "
"No, you don't. I can see it all over your face. "

Sherlock inhaled then walked out to the living room and sat down on the couch, legs crossed and fingers templed. Slowly his eyes closed.

"Great. " Molly whispered to herself. She saw that Sherlock's need was still evident. " He's going to use his mind palace for porn. "

Molly sat down beside him and took his hands from his face and held them tightly till she got his attention.

"Sherlock, I need you to understand. "
"I understand that I am a stranger to you. You don't make love with strangers. I applaud your sense of morality, Molly. "
"Don't get that tone with me, Sherlock Holmes. I didn't mean stranger as in unknown to me. I mean the feeling of you being here is strange. It will take some getting used to. You really being here. Being real. Not a dream. "

Sherlock looked at her, his eyes softening. He pulled her hand to his lips.

"Im real, Molly. Im not going to disappear when the morning comes. You need time, and I need you. It seems we are at an impass. " He said silkily. " I can easily deduce the solution. "

"And...and what's that? " Molly said, a shiver coming up her spine as Sherlock kissed her fingers very very slowly.

"...we must put ourselves on the same page. Get things back to normal as quickly as possible... for the sake of the children, of course. " He added with a sly smirk.

Molly felt herself melting. Sherlock continued his assault, soft warm lips on her fingers, looking at each like one would when licking particularly good bbq off. Hungry.

He didn't play fair.

He finally drew one finger between his lips and flicked the top of the finger with the tip of his tongue, his eyes not leaving Molly's. She felt it all the way to...well...no... it didn't come quite to her toes. It went to exactly where Sherlock meant it to go.

She moaned softly and pulled him down for a kiss. He was really there, really holding and kissing her. It was his hand that was reaching into her trousers, not hers. He was there, and wanting her.

No. Molly corrected herself. Needing her.

mmmmmmmmmm

Later that night, Sherlock on his side laid beside his fully sated wife, propped up on his elbow. He was running a finger along her cleavage when he noticed the necklace. He picked up the heavy ring in his fingers and looked at Molly, love in his eyes.

"Suppose I can have this back now? " He smiled.

"Only if we take new vows. " Molly said firmly.

"Not another wedding. Really, Molly. Two is quite sufficient. "
"Not a wedding, Sherlock. Vows...just between us. "

Sherlock looked oddly at her.

"Here. I'll go first. Sherlock, I promise I will never again lose faith that you will always come back to me. I promise to be patient when you are on cases. I promise to love you no matter how much of a wanker you can become. I promise to be your anchor when you need one, and your sails when you need to sail. And I promise to love you unconditionally, always. "

Sherlock was properly humbled again.

"Molly, I can't promise that I will ever be a perfect husband. I won't promise that I won't try your promised patience, or ever stop being a wanker, as you so charmingly put it. I can't even promise to always be there when you need me to be. What I CAN promise, is that I will ALWAYS come back to you, and will ever try to be worthy of the treasure you have given me. A warm loving heart. You took in return a colder more inexperienced one, and made it something knew. I promise I won't take that for granted. "

Molly was in tears when Sherlock finished. He took the ring off the necklace and took her own off her finger, as they reslid them on.

It was a new beginning. And Sherlock was looking forward to whatever came his way.