I'M ALIVE! And married, which is still weird... Here's another chapter for you lovely folk, and as always thank you for all your wonderful support, enjoy :)

S is for Sunshine, and Showers

Molly was thankful for small mercies, and sunshine in the south of England was one of them, as the company had much to be desired. Ever since Sherlock's impromptu abduction a few months ago Tom's family had become unbearable, either because they bought into Anderson's theories, or because they allowed their prejudices of her profession to cloud their judgement. All in all, she was having a pretty dour time, and the ever fickle British weather seemed to agree with her, clouding over and starting to drizzle just as Tom and his dad were attempting to light the BBQ. It was such a cliché it was making her head hurt. She sighed heavily and made her way inside, wishing Mycroft would hurry up with whatever catastrophe he was planning, there was only so much polite conversation she could make before the awkward questions relating to Sherlock started flowing her way. She made her way into the kitchen hoping to be of some help, only to be shooed away by Tom's insufferable Aunt Laura into the open plan living space with a multitude of relatives she either didn't know, or could do without. She starting walking towards one of the bathrooms where she could text Mycroft, and hopefully find out how long it would be before she could escape, when she was pulled into a smaller lounge that she didn't remember existing. She looked around and saw that her abductor was none other than Tom's sprightly 80-year-old Grandma Edna, who had an unsettling twinkle in her eyes.

"I like to come here to avoid my children," The older lady stated, sitting back down in one of the plush armchairs. "Sit down, you're giving on old lady neck ache." Molly did just that, taking a seat on the sofa next to the arm chair,

"Thank you Edna" the younger woman smiled tiredly at the older, letting her mask fall a little.

"You're most welcome child, I'm afraid my girls can be quite abominable at times, they weren't raised that way I assure you." Edna began, taking a large sip of some colourless liquid that looked suspiciously like a gin and tonic. "Their father indulged them a little too much, and unfortunately they repeated that behaviour with their own children, and now I have quite the collection of grandchildren. One of them turned out ok, that's why she's not here, but poor Thomas, I am sorry about his inability to cut the apron strings." She sighed and chuckled at Molly's shocked expression,

"It's not that bad-" Molly tried to reason weakly, but was silenced with a wave of Edna's hand.

"Pish posh. That boy doesn't know what he's got in you, it is quite obvious. Always was a bit dense." Edna stated bluntly, causing Molly to giggle, as she remembered several occasions where dense was somewhat too polite a word to use. "Have you set a date yet?" Edna continued, the silence further proving her point. Molly sighed, and shrugged, it wasn't like she hadn't tried to drag Tom out to venues and nail down a date, he just didn't seem that interested. She'd always imagined planning her wedding as a partnership, not being left to her own devices purely because she was the bride. The only things she was willing to allow him not to be involved in were flowers and dresses, but she saw no reason why he shouldn't be making choices on cakes, cars or colours, it was as much his wedding as hers.

"I'm cursed." Molly whined after a few minutes of companionable silence, "those bloody Holmes have cursed me to a future of spinsterhood and cats, running errands at 4 in the morning and babysitting their parents,"

Edna chuckled to herself, she'd watched the relationship between her grandson and this young woman over the past couple of years, she'd watched it flourish, flounder and finally flat-line. It had very little to do with those brothers in her opinion, and a lot to do with Tom's inability to provide equality in their relationship.

"Well my dear, maybe they appreciate you and don't want to let you go to any Tom, Dick or Harry," She said, that unnerving twinkle returning.

A knock on the door prevented Molly from using any of the carefully crafted responses to any Holmes related questioning she'd thought up on the way down ("They are like brothers to me, really high handed, irritatingly clever brothers", and "I've had words with their mother, but alas even she cannot make Sherlock understand the words privacy and personal,"). The door opened to reveal a soggy Tom, who swiftly declared that the food was ready before disappearing again. The two women made their way to the open plan living space, which had been vacated now the sun had decided to show its face again, and it was rather obvious that they'd been forgotten about. Most of the food had already been eaten, and what was left was cold. Edna rolled her eyes, she'd be having words with her daughter later. Molly's phone began to ring, Mycroft at last,

"There's a rather quaint country pub down the road, I would recommend you go there for a hot meal. A car is waiting for you outside." He drawled before hanging up on her before she could reply. Edna gave her a knowing look,

"I'd do the same in your shoes dear." The older woman smirked.

The two had a lovely lunch, and the car took Edna home before driving Molly back to her flat in London. She knew the brothers would be in there, they'd taken to using her Netflix account to try and outdo each other with their latest competition: 'who can find the worst possible thing on the television'. She checked her phone just as she was leaving the car, she wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry at the messages.

"You gave Tom's entire family Salmonella!" Molly yelled at the pair on her sofa, slamming her front door shut.

"You're welcome," Both brothers said in unison, without turning away from the television.