AN: There's only one more after this. Hugs and much appreciation to you!
Molly hated saying goodbye. She loathed leaving people that she cared deeply for, even if she was going no more than an hour or so away from them. She sat down at the small table in the corner in Mrs. Cumberbatches' tea shop trying not to cry. She could hear the dear little woman humming in the back kitchen preparing tea and cookies.
Molly was going to miss the smallness of this place. She was going to miss the sentimental feeling that the small town created within her heart and how welcome the towns' people had made her feel. She was going to miss the village fates and the small town shops. It was so peaceful and serene while London was so loud and fast paced.
She would be forever grateful to the Midsommer folk for their support of her during the dreadfulness of James and Simon Moriarty. She would be forever grateful to them for never once blaming her or trying to run her out of their town when Simon murdered that sweet young man and raped and murdered that young woman.
Meryl came from the kitchen carrying a small silver tray. The tray had a tea pot and several different types of baked goodies. She sat the tea down in front of Molly before sitting down herself. Molly looked at her and smiled, a few tears falling down her cheeks.
"I'm going to miss you and I just want to thank you for how kind you were to me when I first came here." Molly said.
"Well you're welcome dear. And stop this crying, we will still see each other. It's not as if we live miles and miles away from one another. I make trips into London all of the time. And you can most certainly visit me any time; even bring that sour faced young man of yours."
Molly laughed. "His expression is often dour isn't it?" She wiped at her eyes. "Oh Meryl…I am so very sorry for what happened to you. I am so sorry that Jim took you and that you had to go through that."
"Now stop that Molly! That was not your fault! That young man made his own choices and look where it got him, dead and buried. You had nothing to do with his insanity."
The tiny doorbell tingled as the door was pushed open. Sherlock entered with a scowl on his face. He walked over to Molly and thrust the cat carrier at her. "Remove this little fiend from my care Molly." Sherlock demanded.
"Little fiend!" Molly said. "Sherlock, my Toby Woby is just the sweetest thing."
Sherlock's expression became alarmed. "What's the matter with you Molly?"
"I'm sorry?" She asked looking from Toby to Sherlock.
"Why are you speaking in that way? Or you in some form of shock?" Sherlock asked frowning.
"Sherlock, I'm talking baby to my Toby Woby. He's my brave little hero." Molly said laughing and sitting the carrier down. She pulled Toby from it and held him in her arms. The fat ball of bright orange and snow white fur purred his contentment loudly. Sherlock made a face of distaste.
A bell dinged from the back of the shop. "Oh! The cookies are ready!" Meryl said excitedly and started to stand.
"I'll get them Meryl." Molly said standing and shoving Toby at Sherlock.
Sherlock stared at Molly in horror with his arms full of cat and watched Molly disappear at the back of the shop. Toby shifted in his arms and glared up at Sherlock, his purrs turning into a low growl.
"Blasted cat." Sherlock hissed under his breath.
"Sherlock you mustn't be so negative towards animal. They can sense those kinds of things you know." Meryl admonished gently.
Sherlock had opened his mouth to respond when Toby's growl turned into a yowl. Sherlock cried out and dropped Toby.
"He bit me!" Sherlock fumed. Toby looked up at him and Sherlock could have sworn the cat smiled at him. Toby turned on his heels, his tail straight up in the air and sauntered over to Meryl, purring loudly and rubbing up against her legs.
"There's a sweet boy." Meryl said picking him up and kissing him.
"Meow…." Toby said with a look of sheer contentment as Meryl moved her attentions to behind his ears.
"Our little resident hero." Meryl cooed at Toby who snuggled even more so into her arms.
"Hero?" Sherlock snapped. "I could've died and no one is scratching my ears." He fumed.
"That's because you despise all human contact." Molly said cheerfully coming back from the kitchen with a plate of freshly baked cookies.
Sherlock sat quietly at the table with a sulky expression as Molly and Meryl continued their praises of Toby while showering him with attention and completely ignoring the disgruntled detective.
"Oh stop pouting Sherlock." Molly said. "Have a cookie." She held one out to him which he took begrudgingly. He ate it quietly his jealousy of Toby the cat evident on his face.
"So you're parents and sister will be staying in London?" Meryl asked.
"Yes. I can't stand the thought of them not being close by after all that has happened. My father is going to get a flat in London that has three bedrooms. It will be nice to have them so close and I'll be able to see my little nephew more often." Molly said happily eating another cookie.
"I was in the hospital." Sherlock blurted suddenly. "Would it be too much to ask for a little attention?"
Meryl and Molly stopped talking and looked at him before bursting into laughter. "Oh my…"Meryl said laughing. "He is rather like a little boy isn't he?"
Sherlock stood and glared hard at Molly before turning in a huff and leaving the shop dramatically, his coat billowing out behind him.
"Sherlock!" Molly called after him. "I'm sorry. It's just your adorable when you pout. Sherlock, come back."
But he was already outside and down the street. Molly spent another hour with Meryl talking with her and hugging her before finally making her final goodbye. She left Meryl promising to come and see her within the next month. As Molly made her way down the sidewalk of the small town she saw Gavin standing over on the other side of the street in a small rest area equipped with a fountain and chirping birds. She smiled to herself at the surreal picture this presented and made her way over to him.
"Gavin." She said smiling. "Are you here to see me off?"
He nodded. "You didn't think I'd let you leave without saying anything did you? One of the sergeants told me that you had stopped by to tell Chief Inspector Barnaby goodbye."
Molly nodded and reached out taking his hand. "I wanted to thank him for all that he had done for me and my family and also for being so patient with Sherlock. I know he can be a hand full." She squeezed the hand she was holding gently. "I just want to say thank you for everything that you did for me Gavin. You're very sweet and kind."
"I was just doing my job." He said softly blushing slightly. "Molly, you really are a wonderful woman and I'm glad that I got to spend time with you while you were here. I'm very glad that I got to know you. And I want you to know, that if you ever need anything at all or if London becomes too big of a place for you, you're always welcome back here. And you have friends here, people who care about you and will always be here for you."
"Thank you Gavin." She said smiling shyly before her expression became serious. "Oh Gavin, I hope that I didn't hurt you. I was just so confused and alone. I just needed someone so badly. I know that is not excuse, but I am so sorry."
"Molly I'm a grown man. I could've said no but I didn't. I wanted you badly and it had been so long for me. I think I used you as much as you did me. And I don't regret being with you for one moment." He said emphatically, taking her hands in his.
They were silent a few moments before Molly spoke. "She's seems like a very nice girl." She said nodding towards Clarice who sat in the car waiting for Gavin. "Is she an old girlfriend?"
"I met her on a case that we had a couple years back. She lost her aunt during that time and it was really hard on her. We became friends and kind of lost touch. She came to visit her Uncle in the hospital while I was there. She was walking passed my room and happened to see me. She visited a couple times and we started talking again. We're going to see where it takes us."
"I'm glad Gavin. You deserve someone as special as you are." She said squeezing his hands.
Gavin looked down, his ears tinged with pink. He took a deep breath and looked at her. "Molly if he ever hurts you again or does something bad to you…I…look… just know that I will be here for you in the form of a friend okay."
She nodded. "I'll remember." She stood on the tips of her toes and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. He returned the gesture, wrapping his arms around her middle and standing to his full height, lifting her off the ground.
"I think this calls for a proper hug." He whispered into her hair, squeezing her against him. She laughed and kissed his cheek as he placed her back on the ground.
Gavin looked over her head and saw Sherlock approaching. "Guess I'll be off then. You take care Molly Hooper."
"You do the same Gavin Troy." She said smiling.
Gavin turned to leave when Sherlock called out to him. "Wait a moment please Sergeant."
Gavin frowned and sighed, but turned back to look at Sherlock with a neutral expression on his face. Sherlock stopped in front of him and looked at him a moment before holding his hand out to him. "I wanted to say thank you for protecting Molly and risking your life in the process."
Gavin blinked in surprise and slowly took Sherlock's extended hand. Sherlock closed his hand over Gavin's and shook it with determined strength. "I am being sincere Sergeant. Thank you for what you did for Molly. I know that Moriarty attempted to take her once before and you stopped him."
Gavin, who had never taken compliments well, felt his cheeks flush. He cleared his throat. "Um…yes well…thank you. I um…was just doing my job."
Sherlock's lips quirked and he nodded, releasing Gavin's hand. "You take care Sergeant."
"You too Sherlock." Gavin said smiling and turned back to his car walking away.
"Thank you Sherlock, for being nice." Molly said taking his arm.
"He did protect you so it was right for me to say thank you." Sherlock said quietly. "You're going to miss the idiot aren't you?"
"Yes I will. But we can always come for a visit, right Sherlock?" Molly asked grinning up at him.
"A visit! Why in the bloody hell would we do…." His voice trailed when he looked down at her and saw her brow quirked. Sherlock cleared his throat. "Yes of course, if you like."
A black Mercedes slowly approached the walking couple. It stopped in front of them and the door opened. John stuck his head outside. "Everything's been packed up at the hotel and Mycroft has offered to give us a ride back to London."
"How very kind." Sherlock said with his voice tinged with sarcasm.
"If you wish to walk, then by all means do so. But I am sure that Molly would appreciate a lift." Mycroft's voice came from inside.
"Yes I would thank you Mycroft." Molly said pulling her arm free from Sherlock and climbing into the car beside John.
Sherlock glared at John as if he should get out and stand with him.
"Oh just get in the damn car!" Greg Lestrade's voice snapped from inside.
Sherlock rolled his eyes and climbed into the car. Mycroft pulled the door closed from the seat facing John, Sara, Molly, and now Sherlock.
"Was that so difficult little brother?" Mycroft asked.
Sara sighed. "Please let's not argue."
"No one is going to argue Sara." Mycroft promised. "If one should try to argue, we will simply put him out on the side of the road."
Sherlock's gaze narrowed, but he said nothing while Mycroft smiled at him with saccharine sweetness.
Sherlock climbed out of his brother's car when it pulled in front of 221 B Baker Street. He helped Molly out and stood holding the door. He looked at Molly who stood staring back at him with a questioning face. Sherlock grinned wickedly and leaned in whispering something to John. John peered over Sherlock's shoulder to look at Molly and grinned just as wickedly as Sherlock had. He nodded to Sherlock. Sherlock shut the car door and stepped back, watching the car pull away.
"Why is John not coming in? He has to be as exhausted as we are."
"He wants to see Sara home." Sherlock said. "And to make sure that Mycroft drops Greg off at his ex-wife's flat instead of his own. He needs someone to tend to him for a few more days."
"Oh." Molly said smiling innocently at Sherlock, having no idea what was dancing around in the detective's mind.
Sherlock watched her appreciatively from behind as she walked to the door to the building. The door was thrust open and Mrs. Hudson stepped out and threw her arms around Molly, crying tears of relief and joy at seeing them.
"Oh Molly dear! It's so wonderful to see you? Are you alright? Is your family alright? Is that dreadful little man dead? Are you hurt?" She fired questions at Molly too rapidly for her to answer. She released Molly only to look her over, her hands flinting as rapidly as her words checking over Molly to see if she had any wounds or was hurt in any way.
"She's fine Mrs. Hudson." Sherlock said patiently coming to stand behind Molly. "And Moriarty is truly dead this time. He's not going to be able to hurt anyone again, thanks to Molly."
Upon seeing Sherlock, Mrs. Hudson's eyes filled with a fresh wave of tears and she threw herself into his arms. "Oh Sherlock, I was so worried. And your brother had me moved to a safe house and I didn't know where I was and there were all of these armed men and I heard from one of them that Moriarty had a brother who had murdered and raped someone and that he had taken Molly and that you had been hurt…" She paused to breath. "And I didn't know where John was or if Sara was alright and I was so worried about you because you never take good enough care of yourself when you're on a case and you had been gone for so long and I…."
"Mrs. Hudson!" Sherlock shouted.
The small elderly became silent in his arms. He picked her up and held her against him in a tight embrace. "We are safe, everyone is safe. There is no need for you to worry now. John, Molly, and I are home now for good."
He held her for several moments as she continued to spout of nervously at him as she cried. He sat her back down on her feet, but still held her with one arm while he stroked her hair with the other. He spoke to Mrs. Hudson reassuringly and so gently that Molly was nearly moved to tears. Soon he was able to quiet Mrs. Hudson down enough to walk her to her apartment. "I'll be up in a moment Molly with the bags and Toby."
Molly nodded and went upstairs to wait for Sherlock while he took care of Mrs. Hudson. Molly sat down on the couch and toed her shoes off. She had just started to doze when she heard the door open. Sherlock came in sat Toby's carrier down with the other bags and took his coat off.
"Is she alright?" Molly asked sitting upright on the couch.
"Yes, I made her drink one of her soothers before making her lie down for a nap. She'll be fine now." He said walking towards Molly.
"It's so nice to be home. I wasn't sure that I would ever see home again. I didn't know if I'd see any of you again." Molly said tiredly. When Sherlock didn't answer she looked up at him. He was staring at her with a strange expression. "Sherlock?"
He moved quickly to her and wrapped his arms around her lifting her off the couch to sit down with her on his lap. "Say that again Molly."
She looked at him in confusion. "Say what? That I'm glad to be home again?"
He nodded burying his face against her neck and inhaling deeply. "Yes…say it again." His voice rumbled deep in his throat and caused shivers to break out over her arms. Oh my God how I've missed that voice…she thought to herself.
"Molly…" He called lazily.
"It's nice to be home Sherlock." She said again. "Home with you."
"Home at Baker Street where you belong. And I promise to keep you safe for always." He said into her hair. "Now I am going to fulfill a promise I made to you a while ago."
"What promise?" She asked confused again.
"That I would show you just exactly what I can do with a naked woman."
"Oh!" She squeaked when he stood with her in his arms. He smiled lecherously at her and she could feel her entire body flush under his gaze. He turned without another word and carried her into his bedroom, kicking the door closed with his foot.
He tossed her onto the bed and stepped back to look down at her. "Now Doctor Molly Hooper, You. Are. All. Mine."
Show me love!