Molly was sprawled across her sofa when she remembered that she hadn't replied to the text she had received off Mycroft that morning, rummaging in her handbag Molly finally found her phone, unwilling to sit up yet. She unlocked the phone and went to reply to the text 'Thank you, I appreciate it. Molly'.
She didn't expect a reply from him, he'd given up his entire evening for her the day before and she didn't want him to think that she was going to be insecure, especially this early on when it had been her terms that he had agreed to for the chance. Molly thought she was quite a good girlfriend actually, (if that's what she was going to be) she was fine not seeing her boyfriend for weeks on end as long as he checked in with her every few days so she knew that he was okay and she thought that having different interests was a really good thing so you could both have me-time and have something to talk about. She was caring and kind without being suffocating and didn't like overbearing affection which she thought would be exactly the way Mycroft felt. The odd thing is nice but she hated being clutched at all the time, it felt like she was trapped and if a man did that to her she usually dumped him on the spot. She wasn't going to live her life like she was in a cage.
Once again Molly found herself in bed earlier than planned since her muscles were aching so much from all the walking she had done that day but this time she actually managed to read her book, getting drawn into the fantasy worlds that were pressed between its pages ready to be explored. Before she knew it, it was almost one in the morning when she put her book down and turned over to go to sleep, glad that it was Sunday the next day and she wouldn't have to blunder through work bleary-eyed.
Sunday was always a lazy day for Molly, when she was in school it was the day to do all of your homework before the teacher checked it over on Monday morning, when she had been in college it was the day to sleep off your hangovers and when she was in university it was the day where you finished the papers you had been pulling all-nighters to complete before you passed out from exhaustion and woke up late at night craving takeaway pizza. She felt she owed it to herself now that she had a steady job to leave the Sundays to be what they were meant to be- a day of rest- unless something really important came up. That was the reason why Sherlock found her face-down on the sofa in her pyjamas, a bowl of cereal on the floor beside her that she kept scooping into her mouth as she stared blankly at the cooking show that was playing on her TV when he decided to break in to her house that morning.
"What a difference a day makes Miss Molly." Sherlock looked down at Molly as he towered above her, after a few moments silence he removed his coat and scarf and sat down on the floor by her feet "What are we watching then?"
"Some cooking program, it's a bit rubbish to be honest." Molly threw the remote in Sherlock's general direction "Change the channel if you want, I think 101 Dalmatians is on one." The two sat (lay in Molly's case) enraptured with the story until Mary walked in and plopped herself down on the floor in front of Molly and stole the bowl of cereal.
"What are you doing here?" Sherlock said rudely to Mary as she began to eat the cereal
"Just thought I'd pop round since this is my best friends house, what's your excuse?" Mary stuck her tongue out at Sherlock
"My television is broken and John won't let me in your house any more times this week since I tried to do an experiment on the dog." sulked Sherlock staring at the film on TV
"My spit is on that spoon you know," mumbled Molly from above them in the sofa cushions.
"Like I care, you know I haven't had sugar on my cereal since John said I'm not allowed it until Zuri is here, let me enjoy it." Mary curled herself around the bowl protectively as though she thought they would take it off her.
"Alright, alright, Sherlock will you pretty please get me a new bowl." Molly nudged Sherlock's shoulder with her knee.
"You're so lazy." Sherlock sighed getting up to fetch it for her, he returned seconds later with the box of cereal and a spoon, dumping them on her back as he sat back on the floor. "Get your own cereal. I might approve but it doesn't mean I'll be your slave."
"This is the first thing I've ever asked you to do for me!" Molly cried indignantly at the same time as Mary exclaimed:
"You approve? Why don't I know this?"
"Why do you know about it?" Sherlock sneered slightly
"We're best friends numbskull, of course I know." Mary stuck her tongue out at Sherlock again.
"Oh my god if you're going to argue then go home, Sunday is a day of rest not of headaches." Molly moaned stuffing her head into the sofa cushions, the box of cereal still on her back.
"You'd never believe that you lot are friends if you were walking in here now." John stood in the doorway, arms folded across his chest taking in the sight before him.
"Take them away John, I love them but not right now." Molly turned over so she was facing up now as she addressed him. John laughed at the note of pleading in her voice.
"I came to stay here actually not to take them away, I finished the blog post quicker than I anticipated so I thought I'd see my wife." John came over and lifted Molly's legs to the floor so he could sit down.
"So none of you are leaving then?" enquired Molly, looking around as they all shook their heads "Alright then I'll go out then, you know where everything is. I'll get dressed and be out of your hair."
So that was how Molly ended up leaving her apartment to the mercy of her friends while she went out and did her food shopping and had a coffee in a warm little shop.
Molly tugged on the clothes she had been wearing the day before and got her bag leaving the apartment quietly while Sherlock, Mary and John sat watching 101 Dalmatians. She quickly walked to the local supermarket and bought a few essentials that she was running low on and walked further into the centre to the cozy little café she had found a few months ago called Delicious that sold the best coffee in all of London in her humble opinion. Molly relaxed into the squishy armchair at the shop that she usually sat in and cupped her coffee between her hands, her shopping sitting on the floor by her feet. The bell over the door tinkled as a woman in a smart looking suit walked in tapping at her Blackberry and went to the counter to order her drink, Molly barely registered her presence until she looked up and was surprised to see her sat across from her, phone away and mug in hands just as Molly was.
"Can I help you?" Molly asked confusedly, curious why this stranger had decided to sit with her.
"I'm Anthea, Mr Holmes' PA. I thought I should come and meet you if we are to be crossing paths in the long run Miss Hooper." the woman stared Molly down intensely.
"It's Doctor Hooper actually if you don't mind since you are a perfect stranger." Molly straightened her back and shrugged her shoulders back. The woman- Anthea – smiled in a satisfied fashion.
"I can see why he likes you, very spunky, I think we'll get along just fine Doctor Hooper." Anthea reached for her phone again and began tapping at it as she sipped her coffee.
"You're all testing me to see if I'm good enough aren't you?" Molly raised her eyebrows at Anthea, sipping her coffee while she waited for her answer.
"Something like that, yes." Anthea looked up and smiled brightly at Molly. "We want the best for Mr Holmes, it's been such a long time since he has indulged in a normal human relationship that we want to be sure he has made the right choice. You passed the test darling, welcome aboard." Anthea's smile let the tip of her tongue show, Molly noticed, was she intentionally doing that or did she need dental treatment? Realising she was staring Molly tore her gaze away glad that Anthea hadn't realised and drained the remains of her cup. Molly gathered her bags and looked back at Anthea as she stood.
"Good afternoon Anthea."
"And a good afternoon to you too Doctor Hooper." Anthea's smile looked self-satisfied as though things had gone exactly as she had wanted them to. Molly left the café quickly and hurried home to her flat that was thankfully still in one piece with her friends all switching to watch a Harry Potter film that was on after the 101 Dalmatians had finished. Molly put the food away and joined the others just managing to squeeze on the sofa between John and Sherlock since they were both so skinny.
They didn't leave until ten that night after a takeaway from the Chinese on the next road over from Molly's place that John went to get for them. That evening while cuddling Toby on the sofa there was a knock at the door, holding Toby to her chest like a baby, Molly stood to open the front door and was startled to see Mycroft stood on the other side of it. She stood aside to let him come inside and closed the door behind her with her foot.
"I wasn't expecting to see you tonight, is something wrong?" Molly returned and stood in the middle of her living room opposite Mycroft, placing Toby on the floor to pad off to his water dish bored of the goings on already.
"No everything is fine thank you, I hear Anthea paid you a visit this afternoon?" Mycroft sat himself down on the sofa, resting his ankle on his other knee. Molly joined him, a small frown on her face.
"Yes she did, I rather resent being judged to be honest. I know its just because they care but it's a little insulting that I need to be approved of." Molly huffed slightly.
"Well it wasn't on my orders anyway, I didn't find out until after you had left when she sent me a text saying what she had done." Mycroft placed a placating hand on her elbow for a moment. "Anyway I just thought I would call around and see how you are, I know it's late but I was sure you wouldn't react well to Anthea's little trick."
"You could have just called me, I wouldn't have minded. You didn't have to go out of your way to come here at this time of night and on a Sunday too." Molly smiled again, pulling her socked feet up next to her on the sofa cushion.
"Well it isn't entirely selfless I will admit, I wanted to give you something too but I'm not sure how you'll react." Mycroft explained. Molly looked at him curiously wondering what he was talking about.
Before she knew it he was leaning in like he had done that Friday and Molly suddenly worried that she had some food on her face again yet allowed him to do what he wanted. But he didn't stop coming closer and as one hand cupped her cheekbone she realised what was happening. Mycroft's lips brushed hers in a feather-light caress, she could barely believe it had even happened Taking it as a sign that it was okay, Mycroft moved in and kissed her again with more pressure. Molly's eyes fluttered shut automatically. She hadn't had a first kiss in a long time but she never recalled any of her other first kisses feeling this right or her heart thumping slightly faster. Gently Mycroft pulled away and laid his forehead against hers.
"I've wanted to do that for far too long." he breathed out quietly. Molly smiled softly and pressed another kiss to his lips before he took it as his cue to leave her so she could get some sleep. She had barely closed her door when she began celebrating, excitement at their new development bubbling in her chest as a happy laugh. She slept well that night.
A/N: First kiss scenes are scary! Ugh I hope I didn't bugger that up too much. Keep checking for more updates the next few days, thanks for reading!