Ok, so right now I'm fighting a huge writer's block. I know where I want the story to go but I'm not totally satisfied by what I'm writing. But I think I have to write through it or I'll just stop altogether. So, another chapter with Sherlock and Molly working together in the lab. I'm keeping with the camaraderie of last chapter with some underplayed tension but not much (but some little payback from Sherlock's treatment of Molly during SIB). Hope you enjoy it nonetheless.

Molly and Sherlock kept peacefully working next to one another. Sherlock on his experiment and Molly on her paperwork and one or two little breaks when the detective asked for her advice. Sherlock was at ease, doing what he liked, even if he had to admit that it would be even better if there was a corpse to examine. Unfortunately, the pathologist was quite decided on clearing up the files that waited for review and annotations, so no trip to the morgue. Sometimes, Sherlock surprised himself as he stole some looks at Molly, trying to decipher something about her. He couldn't grasp it and it somewhat kept niggling at the back of his mind. It wasn't unpleasant like the feeling of missing something about a case but it was still there, like a casual touch at the back of his mind.

However, sometime around noon, Molly started to receive several messages as her mobile beeped at short intervals. At first, Sherlock dismissed the calls, but as the length of time between each beep was getting shorter, he couldn't help but remark:

"Molly Hooper, what is it that your phone is so insistent about?" he brusquely asked as another text alert sounded.

Molly wrinkled her nose thoughtfully as she checked her screen. Completely oblivious of the detective's question, the petite woman absent-mindedly replied:

"Sorry Sherlock, I have to take that."

The dark haired man looked at the petite woman bewilderingly. Never before had Molly been so unaware of him. She didn't even notice that he might have been a little rude. He was still looking at her as she turned her back to him and called whoever was stalking her by phone.

"Yeah, sorry… a lot of paperwork... Of course… Tell me the symptoms again" was saying Molly to the man on the phone.

Sherlock couldn't help but stop altogether what he was doing and listen intently at the conversation. Surely it held no interest for him whatsoever but nonetheless, he sat back on his stool, staring as Molly was fully focused on words he didn't hear.

"OK, do you think it could be related to alcoholism? I know that she doesn't display the most usual symptom but it could be that. And wouldn't that be relevant with her history?"

As he was observing the woman in front of him, Sherlock realised that Molly wasn't just a great pathologist who had the good grace of humouring him. She also was a brilliant doctor. It was the first time that he saw her exercising her job in a way that was not related to crime and he couldn't help but be fascinated. As much as John's saving of a guardsman, observing the woman as she paced the lab, her mind working out symptoms and diagnostics was simply humbling. She actually didn't depend on his skills, she just had her owns on which to rely. His chest constricted and warmth spread.

Molly, unaware of Sherlock's attention to her, was rubbing the side of her head as she tried to diagnose the symptoms that Nick had told her. He was rejecting her theories one after the other but she was stubborn enough to keep trying, despite his laconic let downs. At some point, instead of another dismissal, Nick went silent. She focused on that and tried to develop the theory. But the only thing she heard on the other line was a quick "Not bad" and a click followed by the disconnection signal. Molly looked at her phone, shocked. He had just hung up on her.

At the sight of the pathologist glaring daggers and astonishment at her mobile, Sherlock got up and sneaked next to her. Recently, he had gotten used to invading her personal space for no particular reason. Once again, he leaned into her and asked: "Problem?"

Molly jumped and quickly turned to the detective. She couldn't help but notice how deep he was into her personal space. Again. It was new and she had thought the first few times that he wasn't even aware of doing it. Now, she wasn't so sure. But she couldn't see why we would do that. But it was still quite discomfiting.

"You know, I'm going to put a bell on you, so you can't sneak up behind my back anymore" she diverted, smiling, his close presence to her doing something strange to her equilibrium.

As for his question, she wasn't going to answer him. Somewhat, the idea of discussing Nick with him felt awkward. Much more awkward actually than when she had been engaged to Tom. She didn't know what but something had changed that made her fear… something. Maybe Mary's words or Nick's quick narrowing of the eyes when she mentioned Sherlock. Well, something made her just uneasy about it.

Sherlock took a step back. Evidently Molly was not feeling comfortable with him so close. He felt a pang in his chest about it. As for the way she had avoided his question, he felt… irritated. This was not the Molly he'd come accustomed to. The one who would answer him when he asked a question. Only one reason for that change. And from that, he could deduce that she'd been on the phone with the lover. The sneer when he used the noun to designate the doctor was clear to him. It should appal him that he'd display so much inane sentiment about it but after a few trials at neutralising his thoughts about the man, he had just dropped it. After all, neither John nor Mycroft were in his mind palace to point out his uncharacteristic disdain of Molly's lover.

As Molly watched Sherlock distance himself and seemingly enter his mind palace with a frown, she sighed at her attempt at humour. That went well. Not at all. But she didn't want to spoil further the mood and decided to divert once more Sherlock's ideas. If he could hear her.

"So, how when the attempt to recreate different finger prints? Did you manage something that looks real enough?" she cheerfully asked.

"Oh." Sherlock suddenly came back to the present moment and looked at the pathologist. She hadn't sounded so joyous on the phone. She liked his experiment! Sherlock relaxed at the thought and gestured to her to come and see what he achieved: "Come and see. I think that with this new compound, I'm very close to match the effect that skin leaves on glass. Of course, it's still a little imperfect on metal but maybe you have some suggestions…"