Epilogue

221C. Once the basement, now Skylab, Sherlock`s most indulgent gift to himself – his very own in-house laboratory, funded by the very grateful blackmail victims of a certain Charles Augustus Magnussen.*

Many a man`s livelihood and freedom had depended on the microscopes and slides perused in this glittering underground prize. All the brushed steel glass fronted cabinets that stored glassware, re-agents and optical filters jostled for space besides a bespoke de-ionized water supply and set of de-humidifiers which reduced the chances of contamination. The ELISA plate alone had cost an eye-watering £10,000. Sherlock loved it almost as much as he loved the woman who sat alone, at one of its benches on that Saturday evening, four weeks after Sherlock had apologised to Greg Lestrade (in writing, no less).

Molly`s look was intent as she pipetted two drops of liquid into a test tube and place it in the centrifuge. Its soft hum always calmed her. The lab was such a sanctuary at times.

A moment later, Sherlock rounded the door in a flurry of urgency and red dressing gown.

"Feet, Sherlock."

Molly was very strict regarding shoes in the lab. Ben was learning, but Sherlock was a law unto himself.

He begrudgingly pushes his feet into a lone pair of trainers, put there for that purpose.

"Nanny." He kisses the top of her head and throws open the immaculate glass-fronted refrigerator, rootling around amongst the labelled plastic containers. Things had been a lot more organised since Molly Hooper had refused to mix her coagulants with her coleslaw.

"Where`s my heart, Molly?" He reaches into the very back of the top shelf, squinting at labels.

"Hmmm." She smiles, and looks at him, keeping one eye on the timer of the centrifuge.

Sherlock turns and clocks her ironic gaze.

"Wordplay, Molly? Enchanting." He finds the box he was looking for and takes it across to where she sits.

"Since I now apologise to Scotland Yard buffoons and wear questionable footwear just because you ask me to, I think we both know the answer to that question."

Molly smiles again and ruffles his hair.

Beautiful man. I love you.

"Are you my pet now, Sherlock? Is that what you`re saying? Have I domesticated you? Tamed the Great Sherlock Holmes?"

"Never! People come and bow down at my shrine and quake in receipt of my wrath. I am no-one`s PET, Molly Hooper!"

"You let them win, Sherlock – John, Greg, Mycroft, Sally … You let them catch you out."

"I was bored. Have I disappointed you? Should I have fought harder?"

Molly takes his face in her hands and looks deep into those eyes.

"Naah … You made me proud. You let it go. You didn't need to have the last word, and that`s progress, Sherlock."

He sat down, suddenly, on the stool next to her as she stopped the centrifuge and took out the test tube.

"You know what, in the end, I didn't mind being caught out. Their victory actually meant more to them than it did to me…oh, goodness Molly – I think I might be – evolving!"

One day, you`ll be a real boy, Pinocchio.

Sherlock opened the boxed heart and stared into its depths.

"Always more disappointing in real life than in metaphor and fairy tale. A bloody, pulpy mess."

"Seducer."

"Scientist."

"Grammar Nazi."

"Nanny."

"Latecomer!"

Sherlock grins.

"Told you, I no longer care about people being late – least of all myself."

Molly is dipping what looks like a litmus strip into the test tube and frowning. She dips another. Then a third.

"Good."

"Good?"

"Yes, good that you don't mind people being late, since I am."

There is a beat; a pause. The hum fills the silence.

"You - ?" Sherlock looks up from the heart, across at her, then at the tube in her hand.

"Oh dear God – "

"Two weeks. Thought I`d better check." She holds up the tube. "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable … "

And they sit in silence as the hum of Skylab soothed them into acceptance.

The End

A/N: Oh dear, now looks what`s happened! Let`s hope Sherlock doesn't try and keep it all a secret again - John will not be pleased to be left out!

Thank you so much everyone for all your support with this silly little tale - I do love it, and very much appreciate the reviews/follows/favourites.

Stay tuned -

Emma x

* Skylab first mentioned and described in `The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Quiet Time`.