Chapter 14
Notes: Many of you love the aggressive Sherlock...so I hope you're not disappointed with Molly's reaction. Read on my dears! I have also had a few of you ask about why Sherlock can't see that Simon favors Jim...well, just because they're brothers doesn't mean that they favor one another...just something to keep in mind or maybe Sherlock does know and has known this whole time and for hs on reasons is keeping it to himself for now...who knows? I certainly don't. I only write him the way he tells me too or else he's impossible to deal with...hugs guys!
Molly's heart and brain were screaming at her body to stop Sherlock. Finally, her body was overcome by her brain and she shoved Sherlock hard against his chest. He stumbled back a couple of steps.
"Stop it Sherlock! I won't let you do this to me!"
Sherlock smirked. "Molly I…"
"Shut up Sherlock! God! Your arrogance is astounding! Do you honestly believe because my body is responding to you that you're winning some sort of childish game? Of course it felt good Sherlock. It would feel good if Mycroft was kissing my neck!" She snapped throwing her hands in the air in frustration. She did not notice the pained expression that crossed his face at the mention of his brother.
"You still don't believe that I am in earnest?" He asked.
"No Sherlock, why would I think that? What could I possibly need from you Molly…to compensate for the size of your mouth and breasts" She seethed throwing his own words back in his face. "Why should I think otherwise? When have you done anything differently to show me something else besides your contempt? Your boorish and adolescent behavior is not proving anything to me Sherlock."
Molly groaned in frustration, plopping down in the arm chair, resting her face in her hands.
Sherlock swallowed hard. He was treading in waters that he was very unfamiliar with. "I…I don't know how to act Molly. I've never pursued a woman before. I feel…I'm afraid…"
"You feel threatened by Gavin." Molly said looking up at him. "Sherlock the way you are treating me now is not any better than the way you have treated me in the past. You are still trying to manipulate me. You are still refusing to listen to me. You are still only concerned about what you want. I have told you that this is too fast, that I am afraid to trust you and you continue to push. How is that showing me that I can trust you when you don't care about how you are making me feel?"
"I just…I thought you would want me to pursue. I thought women enjoyed being pursued." He said quietly.
"We do like being pursued. We like seduction and romance, but we also like to be treated with respect and we like being heard Sherlock. I have never once in the entire time of knowing you have ever felt like you've actually heard anything that I have said to you. You have selective hearing. You only hear what you want to hear or what you believe will serve you best. I'm a woman Sherlock, with a mind and a spirit of my own. I have things to contribute and to say and I want a man who can acknowledge that and welcome it. I'm not sure that you can."
"I can try. I want to try." He answered honestly.
"I think it might be too late for that Sherlock."
Sherlock frowned. "But why? I don't understand. You love me, I know you do."
Molly sighed. "But I don't trust you and without trust, love withers."
"Molly…" Sherlock began
"I understand that you are trying Sherlock. But I also know you and this is nothing more than a compulsive reaction to the unknown for you. You don't like change. It makes you very uncomfortable. You don't like that I am not at the lab. You don't like that I am not at your beck and call and it makes you feel uncomfortable, maybe even a bit anxious. But that is not a reason to come and profess your devotion in the hopes that…"
"That is not what this is!" He snapped. "Don't you dare trivialize my feelings for you."
"Like you have mine for the past five years?" She asked. "Sherlock you're confused by whatever it is you think you are experiencing. You think Gavin is coming between us, of what you think is happening between us. You feel threatened by him because you don't understand your own emotions and you're reacting in a boorish obnoxious way."
"I don't want to lose you." Sherlock said softly.
"You can't lose me Sherlock, you never had me." Molly said sadly. "I'm going to bed. Please don't be here in the morning."
Molly awoke to a knock on the door. She looked at the clock and groaned. It was 7:30 in the morning and she didn't want to get up. Neither did Toby who did not stir at the intrusion, sleeping soundly beside her on the bed.
"Maybe they'll go away." She said turning over and pulling the duvet over her shoulders. Several more rapts on the door told her other wise and she sighed deeply, pushing the covers from her and climbing out of bed. She made her way to the door and started to open it, but paused. "Who is it?"
"Not Sherlock Holmes" Came the amused voice of Detective Inspector Greg Lestrade.
Molly unlatched the lock and opened the door. She stood glaring at him for interrupting her sleep.
"I have pastries." He said smiling, waving a bag in her face.
"Greg I look dreadful, why are you here?" She asked.
He shrugged. "I'm on guard duty Molls. I'm bored and hungry and I demand your company and coffee." He said teasingly.
She moved and allowed him to come in. "Give me a few moments to wake myself up and I'll put on some coffee."
"Lovely!" He said with a cheerfulness that border lined on making her very angry.
Molly showered, brushed her teeth, and changed. She walked into the small hotel kitchenette to feed Toby and start the coffee. Greg was sitting on her sofa humming happily.
"Why are you so bloody cheerful this morning Greg?"
"Because I heard some gossip Molls, gossip about a certain pathologist we all know and love." He said.
Molly poured two cups of coffee and sat down beside him on the couch. "And what has the local sewing circle been gossiping about?"
"You and Detective Sergeant Troy of course." He beamed at her, sipping his coffee.
"And what did you here?" She asked mildly amused,
"Actually nothing. I was on guard duty last night as well and saw you coming in with him. When he left, he was whistling and had the most ridiculous look on his face. I put two and two together and figured you snogged him. And then of course, things got very interesting when I noted the appearance of one said Sherlock Holmes."
"Oh God…" She groaned while Greg laughed.
"So, you want to tell you friend Greg what happened?" He asked raising his eyebrows up and down.
"With who, Gavin or Sherlock."
He looked at her as if she had lobsters crawling from her ears. "Both of them of course." A slow grin crossed his face. "I'm especially interested to know which one of them did that to your neck."
Molly's eyes snapped open. She hadn't even noticed her neck when brushing her teeth this morning, she was trying to hurry for Greg. She jumped up from the couch and bolted into her bathroom.
Greg burst into peals of laughter when he heard her shriek.
"That bastard! That bloody bastard!" She screamed.
"Well now I know who is responsible." Greg said laughing. "That Sherlock is a cheeky bastard isn't he."
Molly walked slowly back into the room with Greg, her hands covering her neck, a look of mortification on her face.
"Molly don't be embarrassed. We've all had love bites that we'd rather weren't seen." Greg said trying to soothe.
"He did this on purpose Greg to piss Gavin off." Molly snapped.
Greg blinked a few times before it registered what she said. "Wait…did you not want him to do that to your neck?"
"I certainly did not, but when has Sherlock ever cared about what someone else wanted."
Greg snorted. "But surely he didn't hold you down and…" He stopped when he saw the look on her face.
"Actually, he held me against a wall and did it." She said.
"What a fucking wanker." Greg said shocked at Sherlock's disrespectful behavior. "I'm sorry Molly. I had no idea he was acting this badly."
Molly shook her head. "You have no idea. He's been terrible, an absolute child!"
"What's he trying to prove then?" Greg asked
Molly laughed a humorless laugh. "He claims he has feelings for me and wants the chance to prove it to me."
"Well it's about bloody time he admitted it! John and I were talking about that just the other day and…" Greg stopped talking when he noticed Molly's expression. "Molls, what is it?"
"He doesn't feel anything for me Greg. He doesn't like change, it frightened him and makes him uncomfortable."
Greg chose his words carefully. "Molly I think it is more than that. Sherlock has been more open about his emotions since…his death and resurrection. I think the experience clarified many things for him."
"He's just confused and feels vulnerable Greg. He doesn't even know what he's feeling." She argued.
"Maybe you're just scared to give him the benefit of the doubt? You have so much to forgive him for. Do you think it's possible you are refusing to see what's in front of you because he's hurt you so in the past? Can't you forgive him?"
"No Greg. I feel like if I forgive him, then he gets away with how he's treated me. I feel like there is no justice for me. And of course I'm afraid. I don't trust him. My first thought is what new manipulation is this he's trying to pull?"
"Do you still love him?" Greg pressed.
"Of course I do. I love him so much it causes me pain to see him but Lately, I feel like I could move on. I've never felt hopeful of moving on before. But here in Midsomer and with my new friends and Mrs. Cumberbatch…"
"And Gavin." Greg finished for her.
"Yes and Gavin…I could be happy. I could move on from Sherlock Holmes and have a life of my own."
"But isn't what you're doing nothing more than running away? Refusing to face your feelings for Sherlock? He's finally opening himself to the possibility of a relationship with you, he's finally admitting his feelings for you, which John and I both know he's been harboring for a long time. You're running away from him because you're afraid. Do you think you might be using Gavin as a shield? And if so, is that fair to Gavin?"
"I like Gavin. He's kind and funny and handsome and…"
"Safe?" Greg finished. "He's safe, is that it Molly?"
Molly huffed. "Why are you taking Sherlock's side in this?"
"I'm not on anyone's side Molls. I care about you both. You're both my friends. And I am worried about you. I'm afraid that you have run away from everything you know simply because you feel like you aren't strong enough to deal with it and you are Molly. You are so strong. I'm afraid one day you're going to wake up in Midsomer, beside Gavin and go into work in that tea shop and realize what a terrible mistake you've made giving up your job at St. Bart's, your friends, what you love to do Molly, you're a pathologist, not a shop keeper. And worst of all, you might regret not giving Sherlock a chance."
"I'm terrified of him."
"I know you are. He's impossible…he's dangerous and foolish and clueless and a git and so many other things, but he is trying Molly. Albeit it is a pathetic attempt at wooing you, but he is trying. I truly believe he is sincere in his feelings for you. I think he took for granted that you would always be there and he never believed he would have to make himself vulnerable by telling you how he feels. But then you left and now he's faced with his own uncertainties and insecurities and he has absolutely no bloody idea what to do. It's quite pathetic really."
Molly giggled softly. "Yes it is. He's behaving like a school boy, thinking he can just shove me up against a wall and suck on my neck and I'll just fall at his feet and…" Molly flushed at the look on Greg's face. "Well, you get the idea."
Greg looked thoughtful a moment. "Why can't you give them both an equal chance? Date both of them."
Molly snorted. "Sherlock Holmes does not date."
"I imagine he would if that was the condition you gave him to giving him the chance to prove to you that he is sincere in his feelings for you."
Molly shook her head. "He'd never leave Gavin and I alone on our dates and you know it."
"Make a condition for Sherlock. If he interferes at all, you will stop all contact with him."
"I don't know Greg, he's not to be trusted."
"John and I can keep an eye on him. We'll even take him under our wing, teach him how to behave properly with a lady."
Molly sighed seeing that he was not going to relent. "I'll think about it Greg."
"Oh and Molly, put some ice on those things will you? It looks like you were attacked by a werewolf."
Molly's hand flew to her neck and she grimaced. "Bloody idiot!" She snapped.
Greg nodded. "Yes, he is."
"I'll have to cover this with a scarf I suppose. Do you think you could give me a lift into Midsomer? I want to check on Meryl. I haven't seen her since I was whisked away to Cuaston."
Greg nodded. "Sure Molls, it's a beautiful day. The ride would be lovely."
Jim smiled gently at Mrs. Cumberbatch. "Do make yourself comfortable Mrs. Cumberbatch. I intend to have you as my guest for some time."
Meryl's eyes darted around the room. Her fear was palpable and she trembled as he looked at her.
"Mrs. Cumberbatch, I assure you that I mean you no harm. I would just assume harm my own grandmother as to harm you. You are simply here to provide comfort for my other guest who will be arriving soon. I would allow her own mother and father to comfort her, but I'm not quite ready to let her know that they are still alive. It's not exactly time to unveil that part of the plot." Jim said.
Meryl gasped. "Molly's parents are alive?"
"Yes, as are her sister and nephew. They have been residing here in my own home quite comfortably for the past several weeks. I know, it was dreadful to put poor Molly through that, but I needed something that would be so devastating, she would push everyone away, push him away. I never dreamed she would actually run away from him and the silly girl honestly didn't think he would pursue, but I knew he would. So you see I can take care of two birds with one stone. I can bring my pathologist home to me where she belongs, has always belonged, only she was too blinded by Sherlock to see that and I can finally put to rest this silly little competition that he and I share. We're much too old to behave in such a way. I will miss him though, truly I will. I will never again have such an adversary."
"You mean to kill him?" Meryl whispered.
"Of course. He certainly can't go on living, even though I have decided to retire from my life of crime. I feel it's time to discover the blissfulness of domestic life. I have to kill him because he will never just let me have her. He's always so difficult about things." Jim said annoyed.
The door to the sitting room opened and Sebastian Moran came in carrying a small box.
Jim grinned. "Ah, I see you've brought the cat."
"Yes and he's a viscous little fucker!" Seb snapped, sitting the box on the floor and allowing Toby his freedom. "I hate to wait for nearly an hour for Molly and that Scotland Yard git to leave."
"None the less, she'll be pleased to see him when she arrives." Jim said
Toby whirled around on Seb as he bent down to pick the box up. Toby hissed and clawed his hand.
"Ow! Damn cat!" Seb fumed.
Jim laughed. "Fiery little thing isn't he? Well I think it's wonderful that he's so protective of his Molly. You know don't you little cat…you know that I'm going to take her don't you?" He reached down and scooped Toby up despite the cat wiggling and hissing. "Now now Toby. I understand how you feel. I don't normally approve of kidnapping. It's one of the reasons why I killed my younger brother, but I will make Molly happy. Soon she'll forget all about Sherlock and her old life. With you here and her family here to help her with the transition, we'll all be one big happy family."
Jim stroked Toby gently, even as Toby scratched at him. "I admire your devotion Toby. I hope that you and Molly both see my devotion to her as well."
Jim continued petting the struggling Toby as he walked to the door. He placed Toby gently on the floor and turned back to Meryl. "Of course I'll let you go soon, if Molly doesn't want you to stay. If she does, I'm afraid I'll have to keep you. You understand don't you Mrs. Cumberbatch? We must all do what we can to make Molly happy."
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