Thank you for all your reviews and follows and favourites, I was blown away by the response. It seems you're all wanting a Sherlolly excuse to get festive :). Let's see how part one of the plan works out. Can Molly make Sherlock jealous...well what do you think?

The Jealous Streak

Molly had started off feeling reasonably confident and OK with Mary's first plan. At least that was until she had heard that Mary had already set the ball in motion and roped in one of their colleagues at work to help.

She had almost choked on her tea when Mary had casually announced that she'd phoned him earlier that day and explained what they were planning to do.

Handley Johnson was a very good looking and very successful consultant in gastroenterology. When he had first started at Barts, two years earlier, he had gone through the female staff like a dose of salts. He had even asked Molly out on more than one occasion but by then she had heard about his reputation and had politely declined.

'Oh My God Mary I can't believe you spoke to him about this. I didn't even know that you knew him.'

This time it was Mary's turn to blush and glance nervously at John as she confessed to having gone out with Handley a couple of times, 'before I knew John of course...and it was never anything serious. He's a good laugh though. If you have to fake date anyone then Handley will at least show you a good time, in more ways than one.' She winked causing John to roll his eyes in exasperation.

'Mary!' Exclaimed Molly.

Mary smirked, 'well, you might want to let off a bit of that frustration before you get it on with Sherlock. Might be your last chance for a fling.'

Molly shook her head in despair at her incorrigible friend whilst John just laughed.

Mary turned to her husband, 'so John! What we need from you is advance notice of when Sherlock is planning to come into Barts so we can set up a "show" for him. Can you do that?'

John sighed and raised his eyebrows, 'I suppose so. I think he might be planning on going in on Tuesday. I can text you both once I know a time.'

'Perfect. Now Handley knows what to do, you just need to go along with it Molly, can you do that?'

'I suppose so. I don't really have a lot to lose at this stage do I? Sherlock will probably see right through it though.'

'Oh I don't know about that. He seems to have a blind spot the size of the sun as far as your boyfriends are concerned. John's already told me how he missed the fact that Jim from IT was really master criminal Moriarty and I think I know why. He was so jealous he just concentrated on looking for reasons to break you two up rather than on who Jim actually was.'

Molly frowned considering what Mary had said and whether or not it sounded feasible. 'Well...maybe,' she said hesitantly. 'But he didn't try and break me and Tom up now did he!'

'He didn't need to we could all see that that one wasn't going to last.'

'What? Why? There was nothing wrong with Tom.'

'No but there wasn't much right with him was there! He was just a poor man's duplicate of Sherlock wasn't he...and not a very good one at that.'

'No he wasn't...' Molly sat and thought before shaking her head and closing her eyes, 'oh God he was wasn't he. How have I only just seen that? You don't think Sherlock noticed do you?'

She missed the glance that passed between John and Mary before John cleared his throat and sat forward, 'no, I don't think he saw it at all. He was too wrapped up in his triumphant return to London. You know how self centred he can be.'

Molly smiled in relief, 'oh thank goodness. How embarrassing would that have been?'

MHMHMHMHMHMHMHMHMH

Three days later Molly found herself smiling nervously at Handley who had just appeared in the morgue following a text from John an hour earlier.

'Hey Molly, I believe we have a show to stage...and can I say how excited I am to be able to oblige you in this. You know I'm always happy to take you out myself if you get bored of chasing after Mr Frigid Holmes. You only have to say.'

Molly smiled more genuinely but politely declined his offer, he'd always been a charmer, easy to get on with and easy on the eye. Molly could see why he had so many conquests. As a one night stand he would be perfect but she just wasn't in the mood.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out reading the text, aware of Handley watching her and waiting to hear what it said. She cleared her throat, 'they're on their way down.'

Just then they could hear distant footsteps and conversation gradually coming towards the morgue doors.

Molly suddenly felt sick, 'I...I don't think I can do this.'

Handley smiled, 'you'll be fine, honest.' And with that he moved forward picking her up and balancing her on the edge of one of the tables; then before Molly could say anything else he pulled a sprig of mistletoe from his pocket held it above her head and kissed her.

His mouth swallowed the squeak of surprise from Molly and her hands automatically came up and around his back. All Molly could think was that he was very good at this, in fact she'd almost forgotten why they'd started kissing in the first place but then she heard the morgue doors push open and an intake of breath as the previously animated sounding conversation ceased in mid flow.

Handley continued the kiss for just a moment longer before breaking off and looking over his shoulder. He grinned and lifted Molly back down to the floor, 'oops looks like we've been sprung Molly.'

He glanced at his watch, 'I need to get back to my office anyway, my two o'clock will be arriving shortly. I'll see you soon then Molly, text me about tomorrow night.'

He gave her another brief kiss and then as he walked away from her he swatted her backside playfully making her squeak once more. 'Doctor Watson, good to see you. Bye Molly.' Then he left the morgue leaving a bright red and slightly mortified Molly behind him.

Sherlock's eyes had narrowed and he followed the other man's exit out of the room before turning back to the embarrassed pathologist. 'That was a bit unprofessional wasn't it Molly? What if Stamford or one of the other managers had walked in and found you in a compromising position like that?'

Already Molly's embarrassment was starting to dissipate and her anger with Sherlock's patronising tone was rising.

'For starters it's none of your business and secondly I don't think Mike would be too bothered. My record at this hospital has been exemplary with my only black mark being a false autopsy for one very much alive and irritating Consulting Detective. Now what can I do for you Sherlock?'

It turned out he wanted some spare thumbs, if she had any, and to that end he didn't make another comment about her new 'relationship'.

Molly had judged it all to be a complete flop as plans go. The rest of the afternoon passed in a slight funk of depression as she decided he hadn't really been bothered by her display at all. So it was a complete shock to her when a few hours later they received confirmation of Sherlock's reaction to Molly, Handley and that kiss. It was so good that Mary phoned Molly at home.

'Molly, it's Mary, the eagle has landed.'

Molly sat down on her settee with the phone feeling more than a little confused, 'sorry what?'

'Handley just rang. Sherlock came to see him after his shift and warned him off. Told him to break it off but to be gentle about it and not hurt you. Said he knew Handley was a player and that you deserved better.'

'Oh,' Molly felt a little shell-shocked. She didn't quite know how she felt about this news.

'Molly...are you still there? Did you hear what I said?'

Molly nodded and then realised Mary couldn't see her, 'yes, yes I am. But maybe he was just trying to be a good friend; him not wanting to see me get hurt is not proof that he has any feelings for me.'

'Well maybe you're right but it certainly proves he isn't indifferent. And if you ask me the speed with which he went to see Handley is proof that he was jealous. A good friend would just have waited to see how it was going to pan out not jump in and try to end it this quick. This is good Molly, very good. We need to move on to phase two.'

Molly gulped nervously, 'what's phase two?'

'I don't quite know yet but I'll be in touch. Feel free to let me know if you think of anything yourself.'

'Well, maybe I should just ask him out like I tried to before.'

There was an intake of breath on the line, 'no!... Good God...absolutely not. Are you mad? A direct approach like that will just spook him and send him running for the hills. No sit tight and like I said I'll be in touch.'

Molly hung up and sat holding the phone, thinking for a few minutes. She bit her lips nervously thinking back over what Mary had told her. She was genuinely surprised that Sherlock had acted at all and part of her was a little angry that he had turned into a bit of a caveman. But she was also afraid that this little sliver of information might be more dangerous than anything she'd heard previously; it gave her the one thing she had abandoned years ago...hope.

Could it be possible that he had been jealous? That he hadn't liked to see her kissing another man.

She shook her head to try to rid herself of such daft notions. All that this experiment was going to prove was how much she needed to leave and get away from him.

MHMHMHMHMHMHMHMHMH

It was a couple of days later when Mary fixed up to come round to Molly's flat. She arrived just after six and came bearing a couple of bags filled with God knows what and carrying a bottle of Prosecco.

'Come on Molly find us some glasses I'm gasping for a drink. I haven't had any alcohol since our night out and that feels like weeks ago already.'

Molly laughed and went in search of a couple of wine glasses whilst Mary divested herself of her coat and popped the cork out of the bottle, only narrowly avoiding the light bulb in the front room.

'Cheers and Merry Christmas. How's your shopping coming along? Not many days left now til Christmas Day.'

'Oh shut up, I've hardly done anything. Go on, tell me how you're getting on. I can see you want to gloat.'

'Me...gloat...but of course. I bought my last present today and just have three or four left to wrap up. Christmas is now mine to enjoy in relative relaxation. John on the other hand has bought nothing. God help him if he leaves buying my present to Christmas Eve though.'

She took a sip of her drink and then continued, 'so have you heard about the drinks night this weekend. Lestrade invited John and Sherlock to it today and I've told John I won't sleep with him for a fortnight if he doesn't persuade Sherlock to turn up.

Molly giggled, 'poor John, does he stand much of a chance?'

'He'd better because I intend for that night to play a big part in our plan. But anyway let's not get too distracted I come with phase two.' She pointed to the bags on the floor, 'a Molly make over.'

Do we feel sorry for Molly with all Mary's plans or is she doing a good job so far? I felt as though she needed someone to give her a bit of a push and a boost of confidence and Mary's got plenty of that. Next update will be Friday.