A/N And here we go again. Thanks to everyone, enjoying this Story. Thank you so much for your feedback. Especially Raeya and Stephanie. I appreciate it a lot.
Molly was sitting still and quiet in her chair, when Sherlock, Carys and John came back.
"Are we too early, Molly?" Sherlock asked. He cast a glance over her.
"I ... Um ... I stormed out, earlier. That wasn´t...well. That wasn´t nice of me. Forgive me, Molly."
Molly looked at Sherlock in surprise. Did he just apologize? Good Lord, what was merely going on with him?
"I don´t understand. I mean, how?" Molly Hooper whispered. She blushed, "I already know how, don´t get me wrong...but...she´s your daughter, Sherlock. She really is."
Sherlock hugged Carys fiercely and he was spinning around with her. "Did you hear that, honey? I´m your Papa."
John breathed heavily, loads were falling from his heart, he was glad, he didn´t have to imagine the consequences if Sherlock would not have been the father. He smirked, he had never seen Sherlock so relaxed and happy. Sherlock was always full of power, no matter what he was doing. But at the moment he just exuded peace and contentment, as he stood there, hugging his little girl.
John just sighed. He put his arm around Molly's shoulder. "That's no reason to be sad, Molly. And it's not the way you think."
"It hurts a bit, John." Molly admitted quietly and sniffed. "And yes, I know. He isn´t meant for me." She added after a short pause and blew her nose.
"Molly? You don´t cry because of me, right?" Sherlock asked in a fit of sensibility. The sniffing Molly was leading to no other conclusion. He kissed Carys on the forehead, put her on a table and cleared his throat. He stood directly in front of Molly and grabbed her upper arms.
"Molly. I like you and I appreciate you. A lot. Though it may not always look that way and I sometimes behave like a complete idiot. John will confirm that, I guess. And because I like you, I wish you´d find a guy, who sincerely and wholeheartedly loves you, Molly. I cannot be this man ... I mean ... John and I ... But ... I can be your friend, if you can accept that, Molly. " Sherlock took a deep breath and looked at Molly seriously.
Molly sniffed again. "Thank you, Sherlock. You are honest and that's one of the reasons why I ... it would be nice, if we could be friends."
Sherlock nodded, "then we clarified this. Thank you, for taking the test for me. Could I have the result in writing?"
Molly smiled briefly, "sure. I knew. It´s in the envelope, under the microscope. And I'm happy for you. Frankly, Carys is such a sweet child, aren´t you, Sweetie?"
"Molly´s nice, Sherlock Papa. Carys hug?" Little Miss Holmes wanted to know. Sherlock laughed, "Of course, my child."
oOo
John, who had been silent for a while, suddenly left.
"John?" Sherlock asked, unsure of what he had done wrong, now. "Molly? Could you take care for a moment?"
"Of course, you just go."
Sherlock found John in the hallway, looking out the window.
"I really tried to be nice to Molly, John."
"Nice?" John repeated.
"I'm not very good at it, I'm afraid." Sherlock put his hand on John´s back and stroked gently up and down. "Tell me what I can do better, John," Sherlock said softly. "I am an emotional dyslexic and you know that. Could you say something, please?" Sherlock felt like he was balancing on a slack line. It had been so damn easy, being Gibraltar. But now, when he joined the John-Continent, he entered was completely new territory and that was more than just complicated.
John turned around and put his arms around Sherlock's neck. "You did nothing wrong, Sherlock. On the contrary. I'm so proud of you. You've been more than kind to Molly. You knocked me off my feet, I was nearly crying.", John stated and kissed a very surprised Sherlock. But he caught himself quickly and, in turn, put his arms around John. "I think I can be more sensitive," he mumbled into John's kiss.
John giggled, "Let's go home, Sherlock."
"In order to be a little more sensitive?" the Consulting Detective replied with a cheeky grin.
"Among other things. Let´s get Carys, right?"
oOo
Two hours later, the little girl was blissfully snoozing in her crib.
"I can not stop looking at her, John," Sherlock whispered, who sat close to her on his bed. "It´s so different, now that I know, she is my flesh and blood." Sherlock grabbed John's hand and he winced.
"Let me have a look at it," Sherlock said and John pushed outside into the kitchen.
"Sit down," he commanded. "Hm," he examined John's hand very carefully, John slightly winced again.
"It isn´t broken, I guess, John. You really hit him hard, did you?"
"He deserved it, Sherlock, O'Donnell is a scumbag. To molest a young, helpless mother is inexcusable ... ouch."
Sherlock nodded, "some ice will help."
"Ice in my whiskey, Sherlock," John suggested.
"A Cool Pack for your hand and crushed ice for your whiskey. I think that's doable."
Three minutes later, John had both and sat down next to Sherlock on the couch.
"What´s it gonna be now, Sherlock? With Carys, I mean?"
"After we found Emma, John?" Sherlock lay down and placed his head on John's lap.
"I'm not sure. I don´t wanna take Carys away from Emma, if that's what you want to know. But I want to be part of Carys life. She´s my daughter an I love her. I've already missed so much."
Sherlock took John's healthy hand in his. "Is that all right for you?"
"You´re asking me?"
"I remember, you hate to be run over, John. I do this too often with you, I want this to be our decision here. Yours and mine."
John smiled, "how could I not love this sweet little mouse, Sherlock. She is your child. You love her and so do I. And she is perhaps the only child, we both will have, if we stay together."
"Why should we ever separate, John?"
John caressed Sherlock´s curls. "I do not know. Sometimes things happen."
"Oh well. We´ll talk about it, when the time comes," Sherlock decided.
"Are you staying with me tonight? In my bed, I mean? Entirely without ulterior motives, John. Finally, my daughter sleeps in my room." Sherlock got a dreamy expression. "My daughter," he repeated quietly. "I'm so glad, I have her. And I'm glad I have you, John."
Their lips met. "Well, let´s go to bed then, Sherlock. I promise I'll keep my hands to myself."
Sherlock chuckled, "it will be a severe test, John. I'm irresistible, as you know."
John snorted, Sherlock would never really change. But, John thought, that does not matter. I love him, just the way he is.