Chapter 24

AN: I thought I could get this done in 2 more chapters and I couldn't. There will be two more after this one.

Molly awoke with a start, sitting up in bed, clutching the blanket to her. "Who's there?" She called quietly in a trembling voice.

"It's Jack, dear girl. Don't be frightened." He said stepping further into the room. His silhouette was illuminated by the moonlight. "Molly, listen to be very carefully. We don't have much time. Mycroft and Barnaby are on their way here, but it will take them a couple of hours to get here. Moriarty has chartered a plane to take you both to New Zealand and he plans on you leaving in the morning. I am not sure that Mycroft and Barnaby will be here in time, so I might have to buy them some time. It might become very dangerous. If I come back in here in the morning and I tell you to hide yourself, you must do so immediately. Do not ask me questions, do exactly as I say, do you understand?"

Molly couldn't help but shudder at the serious tone in his voice. She nodded her head and spoke softly. "Yes, I understand."

"There's a good girl. And you must continue to stay brave Molly. You are doing wonderful in spite of all that you've been through. Please don't despair and give up."

Molly's eyes began to sting with hot tears. "Will Sherlock come?"

Jack sighed and came to her side quickly grasping her small hand in his. "Of course silly girl. Nothing would keep him away."

"He won't want me anymore Jack…not ever again."

"Molly that camera was broken. There was no film, Sherlock saw nothing. Moriarty planned this whole thing child. You were drugged my girl." Jack said patting her hand.

"What?" Molly whispered.

"I don't have time to explain now. But know this, Sherlock is coming and he's coming to bring you home and for Moriarty's blood." Jack pulled her hand to his lips and kissed it gently. "Believe me girl, what you think happened did not happen and when Moriarty realized that his original plan was not going to work, he quickly compiled another one. Sherlock thinks he hurt you Molly, in the most wicked way that a woman can be hurt."

Molly looked away ashamed."But he did…"

Jack shook his head. "No child. You were drugged. You experienced what Moriarty wanted you too, but only in your mind. He did force you to remove your clothes and lie on the bed, but he didn't rape you. He molested you and I am so sorry that I couldn't protect you from that, but he did not rape you."

"But Sherlock believes he did." Molly asked confusion clouding her mind.

"Yes and he's coming for Jim…he's out for revenge now." Jack said grimly.

Molly inhaled sharply. "Jack…what aren't you telling me?"

Jack sighed. "Mycroft was able to get to me to be on the lookout for Sherlock. When Sherlock found what Moriarty left for him in the bedroom that he had kept you in…Sherlock just…he went out of his mind. No one knows where he is now. He separated himself from Mycroft. Even Dr. Watson doesn't know where he is, but they know he's on his way here. The last thing he said to Watson was that he was going to watch Moriarty burn for what he had done to you."

Molly began to tremble, her small hands covering her mouth. "But…he's alone and Jim is so well armed…he has men everywhere…Sherlock will be killed."

"I won't let that happen, I promise. Now, remember what I said Molly. Be ready to hide if I tell you too." Jack gave her hand a gentle squeeze before disappearing out of her room.

"Oh Sherlock what have you done?" She whispered into the empty room. "Please don't die for me. I couldn't bear it…please Sherlock…"

Sherlock stared at the house that stood no more than ten yards away from him. The only lights that were visible within the house were from a downstairs window. As he started to move closer to the house, a sudden movement in one of the upstairs window caught his eye. Though she was blanketed by nothing more than the moonlight, he could see her as clearly as if she were standing in front of him. He felt his heart clench from the sudden joy of seeing her, but also from the deep cutting pain of knowing what she had endured.

So overcome with emotion, he nearly gave himself away by stepping forward and almost calling to her before he remembered where he was and stopped himself. His mind, heart, and body were all at war with one another. His body longed to charge forward and storm the house, run upstairs and grab her to him never letting her go. His brain was fighting the impulsiveness of his body, reminding him of the precarious and dangerous situation that he was in coming alone and of the danger that he could put his beloved in should he give into his emotions and do something stupid. His heart throbbed painfully in his chest. The love, relief, and fear that he felt for Molly was overwhelming his senses and he struggled to think clearly. He, the great Sherlock Holmes was currently at a loss as to what he was going to do now that he had found his Molly.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid…" He hissed quietly admonishing himself.

Now he understood why Barnaby had called his brother. Sherlock Holmes was indeed emotionally compromised. He had charged off into the night without a clear plan and unarmed thinking only of getting to his Molly as quickly as he could and tearing James Moriarty to shreds.

"Fuck!" He hissed louder. "Okay…what can I do? Think Sherlock think!"

He began to look wildly around the wooded area that he was shielded by. When he realized that his efforts were futile he cursed again out loud into the night air. "Fuck this!"

A soft feminine gasp caught his attention. Molly was staring down at him with her large doe eyes opened in shock. She had opened her window to let in the night air and had heard him.

Her hands flew to her mouth covering her choked sob. Sherlock stepped out farther into the moonlight. He raised his hand quickly, putting a finger to his lips to quiet her.

She nodded and disappeared back into the room. Sherlock felt actually pain from the loss of her, but his pain quickly gave way to surprise when she returned to the window. He watched in awe as she tossed what looked like several sheets tied together from the window. When she threw her leg over the side of the window, Sherlock bolted towards her to stand underneath the window.

"No Molly…I am alone and unarmed. I can't protect you properly and when Moriarty discovers you're gone, he'll move hell to find you."

Molly ignored him and climbed the rest of the way out of the window. Grasping the sheet tightly, she began her descent slowly. Sherlock stood under her ready to catch her if she should fall of the sheet should give way.

When she had climbed several feet down she realized that the sheet had not been long enough.

"Catch me." She said in a rushed whisper and abruptly let go of the sheet. Sherlock caught her in his arms, but the depth of the fall and how quickly she dropped knocked them both to the ground. Before he could speak, she threw her arms around him holding him to her and sobbing her relief at seeing him.

Sherlock pried her arms from around his neck and stood, scooping her into his arms. He ran quickly back towards the brush holding her tightly against him. Once reaching the safety of the branches, he fell to his knees with her and pulled her to him kissing her and squeezing her so tightly that he took her breath.

"Sherlock…" She gasped.

"Shush Molly. We aren't safe here" He said before kissing her over and over everywhere that he could reach, her eyes, nose, lips, cheeks, forehead, and neck.

"I wasn't sure you'd come." She said softly through his kisses. "I was so afraid that you would believe Jim."

Sherlock held her at arm's length and looked at her. "Believe Moriarty? Believe what, love?"

"That I…wanted him…that I let him touch me and…" Her breath was knocked from her once again when she was crushed against him, his arms trapping her and holding her against this chest.

"Good God Molly, why on earth would you think that I would believe something like that? I know what he did to you. I saw the room. I know that he forced you…that he hurt you." Sherlock kissed her head. "And he will pay for what he has done…he will pay for it over and over and when I grow weary of his screams, maybe then I will kill him."

Molly couldn't help but shudder at the violence in his voice. He tightened his arms around her, kissing her face repeatedly. "I'm sorry Molly. I didn't mean to frighten you."

"Sherlock…I'm not sure what happened. Jack said that I was drugged and that my mind was playing tricks on me. I don't know what happened."

Sherlock released her enough so that she could lean back and he could look in her face. "What do you mean?"

"I…I know that we were both naked and that he was…" She covered her mouth, trying to hold back the sob. "He was…on top of me and between my legs. I felt him…moving…"

"Molly you don't have too." Sherlock said trying to spare her from the horror of it.

She shook her head. "No Sherlock, listen to me. I felt him moving….but when I came back to myself…I was dry…nothing was on me Sherlock. There was no mess and I wasn't in any pain down there."

Sherlock stared at her trying to make sense of what she was saying. "But he left your underwear for me to find."

"I know he did. I think he wanted you to believe that I had willingly slept with him. He…he told me that if I would let him that he would let my family go and …Oh! Sherlock! My parents and sister! Where are they and my nephew?"

"Safe Molly. Everyone is safe." He assured her.

"And Mrs. Cumberbatch?" She continued frantically.

"Safe Molly along with Toby. He's sharing a hospital room with that dreadful sergeant." Sherlock said laughing softly, the emotion of what was happening was finally forcing him to acknowledge it and release it, His laugh was forced and humorless, but he felt some emotional relief.

Molly laughed softly though her tears continued to fall. "Gavin is not dreadful Sherlock."

Sherlock smiled softly before caressing her cheek. "Molly, what do you think Moriarty did to you?"

"I just don't know Sherlock. I thought that I had been raped, but now…I don't think he did. I know he was on top of me, but he wasn't inside of me."

Sherlock flinched at her words, but let her continue you. "When he was done doing whatever it was that he did, he told me that he had recorded it and that you would see it. That you would see me taking of my clothes for him and laying in the bed for him. He said you would think that I was a whore and wouldn't want me because I had slept with Gavin and him." Molly paused and looked at him with the most grief stricken face. "Sherlock, he said that he would let them all go if I would let him touch me. He promised me that they would be safe. I would never, ever let him…Sherlock please say that you believe me." She pleaded.

"I know that Molly. I know that you would never let that grotesque man touch you willingly. I would never think that you had given yourself to him and I would never think you a whore Molly. You are beautiful and kind and loyal and so very brave and I love you…my God how I love you. Nothing would ever keep me from you Molly! And there is nothing that could separate you from my heart." He held her face in his hands as he spoke to her. "You have my heart and I am completely and utterly devoted to you."

Before Molly could respond to him, Sherlock put his finger to her lips. He titled his head slightly. He could hear their movements before he heard their voices. He stood quickly, pulled Molly to her feet, and began to run pulling her behind him.

"I'm a fool Molly." He called to her as they ran. "I should've taken you someplace safe first."

Molly stumbled trying to keep up with his much longer legs and the fact that she was barefoot and had nothing on but a night gown did not help her attempts at running. After Molly had fallen the second time Sherlock wasted no time in whisking her off her feet and tossing her over his shoulder. He continued running farther and farther into the woods with her clutching at his back holding on for dear life.

She cried out in fear when she heard their voices. There were several of Moriarty's men running after them and she knew that Sherlock was being burdened by her.

"Sherlock, put me down. Leave me here. Jim won't kill me and you can go for help."

Sherlock ignored her and continued to move through the woods. Molly hissed with pain as the branches that he pushed through swung back and sliced against the skin on her face and arms.

"Sherlock please…they'll catch us and they'll kill you. I couldn't bear that! You have to live, please Sherlock." Molly pleaded.

Still he moved forward ignoring her cries until he came to a particularly thick brush. He stopped abruptly in front of it before putting her to her feet. He grabbed her hand. "We can lose them in here, but it will be painful Molly. This brush is covered with thorns, but we will be safe. They won't follow us in here."

Molly stared at him before looking at the brush. She could see the thick, jagged thorns jutting from the thick limbs. She swallowed hard.

"You can't cry out Molly. You can't make a sound or they will find us." Sherlock said as he removed his coat and wrapped it around her shoulders.

"Sherlock what are you doing?" She said horrified as his arms and neck were now bare.

Moriarty's men were closing in on them. Sherlock wrapped an arm around her waist and slammed his hand over her mouth. He lifted her off the ground and dove into the brush. He gritted his teeth and forced himself to ignore the tremendous ripping pain he felt against his exposed skin. He could feel his blood trickling down his arms and his face. Molly struggled against him trying to rid herself of his coat. He tightened his grip on her body and her mouth and pushed forward. Finally when he felt that he had them safely in the middle of the thicket, he sat down on the ground, the thorns and sticks poking into him from all angles. He could feel Molly's tears sliding over his hand.

He held her in his lap tightly against him, holding her still, keeping his coat around her to protect her. His hand over her mouth protected most of her face.

"I'm alright Molly." He whispered. "Don't cry. The pain is not so bad." He lied easily for her benefit.

She turned her head and looked up at him. He could see the anguish in her eyes illuminated by the moon. He placed a kiss on her forehead. "This will all be over soon Molly. Mycroft and Barnaby will be here soon." He whispered.

She continued to cry softly through his hand, the pain that she knew he was in was tearing her heart into. He held her tightly, rocking her gently and placing reassuring kisses on her hair and face, trying to soothe her and keep her quiet as they waited for the sun to rise.