AUTHORS NOTE TWO THINGS YOU MUST KNOW...

1. THE MERRY GO ROUND IS NOT A CAROUSEL IT IS ONE OF THOSE METAL THINGS IN THE PARK THAT EIGHT PEOPLE SIT ON AND HOLD THE METAL THINGS THAT CONNECT IN THE CENTER SO WHEN THEY SPIN THEY DONT FALL OFF.

2. THIS TAKES PLACE AFTER THE MIND PALACE CHAPTER. HE WAS IN THE PARK ON THAT SWING WHEN HE IS IN THE PALACE. THIS IS HIM "LETTING GO" OF MOLLY.

At such a late hour on a week day you'd expect to find the neighborhood playgrounds vacant. No child much less and adult would be caught dead on a swing lightly leaning back to gaze at the stars. Of course if you've never met Sherlock Holmes you'd think that, but there are people such as he that would walk through and linger long past when all the children were gone. It was not a habit he had developed on his own, usually the vacant swing next to him was occupied by someone else. A little known fact about Molly Hooper was that she suffered from insomnia which often found her taking on extra shifts at the morgue to keep her occupied. Sherlock used to think that she worked so late to keep up with her rent. It wasn't until he spotted her walking one night while he was on one of his side cases did he pause and take interest.

...

Sherlock glanced down at his watch and frowned. 12:23 A.M. Ordinary people would be in bed on a Tuesday so why was Molly Hooper walking alone on the streets of London, and more importantly where was she going. Moments like these almost caused one to believe it was fate that brought Molly across his path that night, but Sherlock was not that type of man. Something hit his nose and he strained his eyes to catch a look at what he discovered was a white snowflake melting on his nose. Tiny ones began their descent onto the street distracting the consulting detective for a moment. It was only when a black cabbie zoomed by did he break from his trance, realizing he had let the politician he was following slip from his sight. Oh well he would try again tomorrow night.

Sherlock turned to watch as Molly rounded the corner across the street. Scowling at his odd desire to follow Sherlock jogged across the road and trailed behind her a safe distance. Even from behind he could see the difference in the pathologist. She appeared relaxed and confident judging by her brisk and steady pace. It was very unlike the Molly Hooper he'd been accustomed to. Strangely enough Sherlock found that he was pleased by the change. All throughout London they journeyed. Molly was more knowledgable of the city than he gave her credit for as she led him down side streets and shortcuts through mazes of alleyways. At last the pace slowed as they came to a small park behind some decaying old Victorian houses. The buildings hiding them were unoccupied and worn down, but the park itself looked up to date and taken care of. Sherlock mentally showered his brain for information on this place but found that he could conjure nothing. Surprisingly this was all new to him.

Hesitantly Molly pressed on the black iron gates pausing momentarily as they squeaked before continuing to push her way in. Much like a shadow Sherlock slunk in right on her heels silently before the gates could close. He was surprised to see inside behind the tall bushes a relatively peaceful scene. It was small and quaint but still had an air of sophistication with the precariously arranged flowers and paths. Some of the green was even enclosed with short fences. The snow still quietly fell on the bare trees and decaying plants covering their imperfections so that they sparkled in the night. Molly began expertly weaving through the different trails passing picnic areas, a big playground, and even a lake. Indeed the park was a hidden gem from society and the innocence of it and Molly seemed to blend perfectly. Finally the perimeter hedges were visible again and Sherlock deduced that they had reached the end of the park.

It had confounded him greatly when Molly walked to the bushes and parted the thick branches with ease before stepping through and having them appear as immaculate as they did before. She may hear him but discreetness be damned he had to follow. Sherlock briskly walked to where he saw Molly moments before and pushed the bushes in the same fashion. Like before they parted easily and Sherlock could detect a lining of glass attached to the other side. Pondering how odd it was to have a glass door covered by the greenery, he stepped through and allowed the entrance to shit silently behind him.

In a word what he came upon was different, but different in a good way. A canopy of trees sat above him with weaving branches that danced around each other like strings in a weave. The air was warm and the flowers bursting with a subdued color that oddly fit the place. Sherlock realized that he was in a public green house.

"What are you doing Molly?"

She turned to glance behind her not showing an ounce of shock at his sudden appearance. "Oh hello Sherlock", she said evenly. Sherlock stared at her back curiously before walking round the swing and seating himself down next to her. She glanced at him before returning her gaze to the falling snow. Sherlock cleared his throat.

"This cold air will kill the plants you've been tending to you know." He eyed her expecting a question to bubble out in her normal flustered manner but she just frowned.

"It's suffocating in here, they need to breathe." To prove her point Molly rose from the crafty rusted metal and began unhooking all the windows and doors until the greenhouse resembled a jungle gym more than anything else. She turned to face a puzzled Sherlock and smiled faintly bringing some of the normal Molly back."everyone needs to sleep sometimes", she stated.

"Then why are you here", he countered.

She shrugged, her smile faltering."Same as you I suppose, I can't." Sherlock stood with his hands clasped behind him studying her. Maybe it was the exhaustion that was only now becoming evident but she accepted the scrutiny with barely a waver.

"You have insomnia", he stated. She nodded and waited for his other deductions. After a moments pause the observations came pouring out."You were never diagnosed but you know you have it judging by the fact you don't have any medication for it. On average you get three no two hours of sleep but can still function properly due to caffeine you consume in the morning. You've never been able to hold you liquor so a little goes a long way. You work late to avoid staying awake in bed. Tonight you couldn't get a shift therefore", he gestured to the frosted garden,"you came here. Although I must admit I have no idea why."

Molly began pacing around some of the flower displays finally lying down on a merry go round decorated with poppies and small daisies. Her body was diagonal so as to avoid the cool metal bars. She gestured to the opposite side and sherlock obliged by lying down in the same fashion so that both of their heads just peaked out from behind the pole at the center with meticulously woven vines. They laid on their backs and let the receding storm hit them with light snow flakes.

"When I was a little girl this was a real park. It was just this small enclosure and my dad and I used to come here everyday."

"What happened."

The wistful look Molly held dissipated and she sighed."Progress. There was all this land from the old estate and it was done over. A new playground was built and people stopped walking the distance to get over here. When my father died I stopped coming, but I suppose we all gravitate to the people and place we love most. I came back and found it off much worse than this. I was able to contact the city and let them allow me to turn it into a public green house. The money's rubbish, but I did what I could and you know?" Molly turned to look at him with warm eyes."I think it turned out alright, perfectly okay."

"So you come here when you can't sleep, to be closer to your father?"

She nodded,"that and I'm at peace here."

Sherlock frowned and made to get up."I apologize, I must be in the way."

Molly reached out with her hand and grasped his coat. He looked down at her troubled face, and he could almost see the scared little girl that came to the park alone after her father's death. He hesitated."Please", she whispered,"stay."

And he did. Together they stared up at the night sky and talked about a number of things. Topics he himself wouldn't even share with John sprang to the conversation and she listened without judgement. They talked until the change of pressure on Sherlock's coat told him Molly was no longer listening. He turned to see a passed out pathologist with a lingering smile upon her lips. Gently sherlock lifted her hand and placed it on the cool metal. He stood and went around the green house shutting all the windows and doors so the warmth could collect in the space again. Molly still lay asleep and Sherlock bent down and scooped her tiny figure up. She fidgeted in his grasp but then snuggled into his coat and sighed contently. Sherlock walked out of the greenhouse and into the cold air. Down the winding paths he retraced their steps hours before and exited the park where he located the main road and hailed a cab to Molly's flat. Outside of her door he still held Molly bridal style and he felt for the spare key she'd given him after the fall to her apartment. After fishing it out he quietly entered and made his way to her bedroom where he deposited her sleeping form onto her yellow and red sheets. After pausing for a moment he leant down and kissed her forehead.

"Pleasant dreams Molly Hooper"

...

A buzz vibrated from inside Sherlock's coat pocket and he pulled out his phone. It was a text from John alerting him that he'd left the reception.

What is the purpose of informing me of this? —SH

I thought you'd want to know.
—JW

Why would her party celebrating the bonding through a contract interest me?
—SH

The same reason she asked me if you were coming.
—JW

And we both know what that is.
—JW

Sherlock scowled and agitatedly responded.

You must be drunk John. Go to Baker Street, rest, and talk to me when you're sober.
—SH

I'm not drunk and you're still an idiot.
—JW

Sherlock sighed and tucked the mobile back into his pocket. The February air filled his lungs as the snow drifted into the greenhouse as it had done those years ago. The merry go round spun slowly round looking dejected and sad. The warmth was gone and now nothing was left but empty shells. They didn't deserve this, but here they were allowing the snow to seep into their core. The day had already proven to be trying on him and these reminders were too much for Sherlock to deal with at the moment. Carefully he shut every door and window. He took a final look around before shutting the lights and stepping through the hedges solemnly. Suddenly the chimes of Ben echoed through the trees. Sherlock looked behind him at the concealed doorway and drew a cigarette lighting it between his fingers. After taking a long drag he studied the doorway once more. This was the final step he had to take in order to shut her out, to prove he didn't care. This was the goodbye. He took a long drag before gazing at their sanctuary with sad eyes.

"Happy Valentine's Day Molly Hooper."