Chapter 5

Rating: M

Disclaimer: Not mine

Notes: Nothing to exciting, more plot development. Enjoy! This one isn't beta'd...excuse the mistakes.

It had been a long and emotional day. Molly had spent almost three hours with Chief Inspector Barnaby and Detective Sergeant Troy. She told them everything about her stalker. She told them how she had first met him and how she had begun dating him. She told them how she never really felt comfortable around him, but he helped her with the grief over what happened with Sherlock.

Then of course, she had to explain what had happened with Sherlock. How she had helped him to fake his death and how she had patched him up after he had jumped from the top of the building. Barnaby had already known a little about it from his connections to MI5 and Mycroft, so thankfully, he didn't press Molly.

She told them after Sherlock had disappeared for months on end, Simon had helped her to cope. She had felt so alone and being around John made it even harder. She admitted that Simon was controlling, sometimes frighteningly so, but he had never laid a hand on her so she convinced herself to ignore what her gut was trying to tell her.

Then it had all changed when Sherlock came back. Sherlock had followed Sebastian Moran back to London and he had come to Molly for help. She allowed him to stay with her in her flat. Of course, he needed secrecy, so she abruptly ended things with Simon. She was nervous to break it off, she feared his reaction, but Sherlock was back and he needed her. So she met Simon at a restaurant where she felt he wouldn't make a scene. She couldn't have been more wrong.

He shouted abuses at her that shocked her and everyone in the restaurant. He threw the table over onto the floor, jerking her up by her arms and accusing her of whoring around on him. He became so violent that several of the waiters jumped him and threw him out. The manager of the restaurant was so concerned for her safety; he insisted she allow him to call the police. She refused, knowing Lestrade would hear of it. So she settled for having two of the waiters walking her back to her flat.

Sherlock was there and of course knew something was wrong, but she avoided his questions, feigning a headache and surprisingly, he had let her go to bed. The next morning, the bruises on her arms and wrists were so pronounced, she had to hide them with her clothing for the next several days. After that, she didn't hear from Simon.

She had almost forgotten the whole horrible incident when she started receiving love letters and small gifts left outside of her flat and also at work when she would come in. The notes were never signed and her friends seemed to think it was someone that she worked with, but she wasn't so sure. Deep in the recesses of her mind, she was afraid, very afraid, but she didn't want to admit it to anyone and she certainly didn't want to bother Sherlock with it.

Soon after, Sherlock was able to get to Moran and after 2 long years, the threat to Sherlock and his friends was gone. He came out of hiding and everything went back to normal. It was shortly after that she began to come home to gifts that had been left inside of her flat. About a month later, her parents, sister, and nephew had been murdered when their house had been set on fire.

It had been so emotionally exhausting and she had sobbed inconsolably through most of the interview with Barnaby and Troy, but it had also been a relief to finally be able to speak about it with someone. There were still so many unanswered questions, but Barnaby was concerned that she would go into shock if she kept on speaking of such a traumatic event.

Barnaby had wanted her to stay with Mrs. Cumberbatch, but Molly refused. If Simon came for her, she would not have Meryl caught in the cross fire. So DS Troy had driven her back to her cottage, which was still considered a crime scene.

The first thing Molly had done when she had gotten home was take a long hot bath. Only when her skin had almost pruned, did she get out begrudgingly. She put on her comfiest pair of footy pajamas made herself a nice cup of hot cocoa, put a few chocolate biscuits on a plate, and made herself comfortable on her couch. She wrapped herself in a fluffy blanket and decided to make it a night of girl movies and chocolate. Toby of course had made himself quite comfortable on her lap.

Which is why Molly growled in annoyance at the knock at her door. Its 11 bloody o'clock at night! Who in the bloody hell could be coming by at this time of night! Molly thought to herself. She chose to ignore the knocking but the person outside was annoyingly persistent. She groaned again and threw the blanket off her and stomped towards her front door. Her aggravation overrode her common sense and she unhooked the lock and jerked the door open.

"Do you know what bloody hell time it is…." Her words turned into a squeak of surprise and she slammed the door shut quickly, barely getting the chain on before the door was cracked open. The bored voice of Sherlock Holmes vibrated.

"Really Molly, this is quite silly. Open the door and let us in. John and I would like to speak with you."

"Oh no you don't! You keep me out of this, Sherlock. Molly, I told him to leave you alone." John said through the door.

Molly looked frantically around her house, not sure what to do.

"Molly, open the door or John will be forced to break it in."

"No I won't." John said

"Fine, I'll break it in myself." Sherlock said annoyed and shoved the door with his body, snapping the flimsy chain.

Sherlock stepped into Molly's cottage with John looking apologetic behind him. Molly stared wide eyed before making another squeak and bolting to her bedroom, locking the door.

Sherlock sighed and walked to her bedroom door and knocked. "Molly, this is childish and foolish…."

"Well then you should feel right at home…" John mumbled loud enough for Sherlock to hear. Sherlock turned and glared at him.

"Why don't you go wait outside?" Sherlock snapped.

"Nope. I wouldn't miss this for the world. Besides, we didn't stop for dinner and I'm starving." John shoved Sherlock out of the way and knocked on the bedroom door. "Molly, do you have any crisps or biscuits?"

"Yes." Came her muffled reply, "Top shelf of the cabinet over the dishwasher."

John smirked at Sherlock and pushed past him again, making his way to the kitchen. Sherlock knocked on the door again.

"Molly, I'm not leaving until you talk to me."

"Please just go away! I don't want to talk to you! Why are you even here?" She asked. "No wait, don't answer. I don't care. I want you to go away Sherlock Holmes."

"Molly I don't want to have to break down every door of your house to speak with you, but I will if you keep up this ridiculous behavior."

"Then you'd be making a mistake, mate." A masculine voice said behind Sherlock.

Sherlock turned around and narrowed his eyes. "And who are you and what are you doing in my pathologist's cottage?"

"I am Detective Sergeant Troy and I think the more important question here is who the bloody hell are you?"

The door to Molly's bedroom opened and she stepped out. "Oh…Gavin…this is…Sherlock Holmes." She said breathlessly walking around Sherlock and moving to stand almost behind DS Troy.

Sherlock rolled his eyes. "Well I am here now Molly, so you may tell…Gavin…" Sherlock said his name as if it caused a bad taste in his mouth, "that he can leave."

Troy's eyes narrowed. "I'm not going anywhere mate. You're the one breaking and entering."

Sherlock snorted. "I did not break and enter, Molly let me in, isn't that right Molly?"

"Well actually…" Molly started but was cut off by Tory.

"It didn't look as if she let you in to me. I don't know many women who invite a man in their home and then seek protection from him by locking themselves in their bedroom."

"Protection!" Sherlock snapped. "Molly doesn't need protecting from me. I am her protection, isn't that right Molly?"

"Well Sherlock I…" Molly started but was interrupted again.

"She has the local police force to protect her Mr. Holmes. She doesn't need amateur detectives getting in the way."

Sherlock stepped dangerously towards Troy. Troy mimicked Sherlock's actions, both men seeming to forget Molly was even standing there.

"In case you didn't know Sergeant, I am the world's only consulting detective. And you are right, the local police force doesn't need amateurs, which is why they rely on me and not country bumpkin detective sergeants."

"Sherlock!" Molly squeaked.

"Is that right? "Gavin said almost in a growl, stepping even closer to Sherlock.

"John do something!" Molly cried exasperated.

John stepped from the kitchen, his mouth full of chocolate biscuits and a cup of cocoa in his hand. He swallowed the last bite and grinned. "No I don't think so. I'll wait to see how this plays out."

Molly glared at John when he made himself comfortable in her living room chair watching with an amused expression the interaction between Sherlock and Troy.

"Molly, tell this moron to leave." Sherlock said.

"Oi! Who are you calling a moron, you bloody wanker?"

Sherlock huffed. "Molly it is time for you to come home. I am not going to stand here…"

"Molly doesn't want to go with you. In fact, she begged me and Chief Inspector Barnaby today to keep you away from her. Said she didn't want to talk to you." Gavin finished with a fiendish grin. "Isn't that right Molly?"

"Gavin please…" Molly said trying to dissipate the situation. "Sherlock…he's right. I'm not ready to talk to you yet, so please just go."

Sherlock's expression became confused. "I'm sorry Molly, but I could've sworn you just asked me to leave."

"She did Mr. Consulting Detective, why don't you go and deduce the hell out of that one. Don't let the door hit you in the arse on your way out." Gavin snapped.

Sherlock took a step towards Molly, only to be blocked by Gavin. "She said leave."

"Sherlock, please. I'm sorry, but I just…I need you to go…"

Sherlock glanced at John who smiled widely at him.

Sherlock glared at John who shrugged. "Alright." John said standing. "We'll be leaving now. Molly, it was good to see you and I'm glad that you are alright."

Molly smiled warmly at John, throwing her arms around his neck. He embraced her and whispered. "He is trying Molly. He's just an idiot."

She laughed softly into his ear. "I know John, but I just can't, not now. It's too soon. I'll crumble…I'll fall apart if I let him near me now. It's just too soon."

John squeezed her once more and released her. "We're here when you need us." John turned to Sherlock. "Come on Sherlock, let's go."

"What!" Sherlock said indignantly. "John we're…"

"Leaving!" John said a bit more forcefully, shoving Sherlock past Gavin and towards the door. "Take care Molly and call us if you need us."

"But he called me an amateur detective and…"

"Yes Sherlock I heard him. Let's be off shall we?" John said as he continued shoving Sherlock through the door.

Troy watched them leave. "Bit like a petulant child, isn't he?"

Molly smiled sadly, her heart aching as she watched him leave. "Yes, he can be…but he can also be such a dear." Her voice croaked with emotion.

Gavin regarded her warmly, placing a comforting hand on her arm. "You fancied him once?"

Molly nodded, wiping the tears from her eyes. "Yes, but he never returned my feelings. It still hurts to see him. And although he means well, he just thinks he can come in and take over, not stopping to think what damage he can cause."

Molly looked up at Gavin and smiled. "Thank you, for coming to help me."

Gavin shrugged, smiling shyly. "Inspector Barnaby wanted to keep a couple of men outside your door. I was coming to relieve them when I saw him force your door open."

"Fancy a cup of cocoa and some chocolate biscuits?" She asked.

A huge grin crossed over his handsome face. "That sounds lovely."

She smiled. "Make yourself comfortable Gavin, hope you don't mind cats and chick flicks."

Show me some love you guys...review please. Thanks!