mousedetective MHAW Prompt #4: you're a reaper escorting me to the afterlife and the road there is surprisingly long au

"There's a song about this, you know."

"Hmm?"

"Yeah." She snickered. "It doesn't have enough cowbell, though."

Sherlock glanced down at her and frowned. "Molly, I told you-"

"Yeah, I know, 'don't make jokes, it's not your area,'" she mimicked, not even coming close to his deeper tones. "That was ages ago, thought maybe you'd changed your mind."

"No."

There was silence between them for a period of time that seemed - much like the road along which they were not so much walking as ambling - to stretch out forever. Finally, Molly asked the question that had been on her mind ever since she'd found herself facing the Reaper Formerly Known As Sherlock Holmes, the man she'd loved since she'd first met him. The man who had selflessly thrown himself in front of a bullet meant for their dear friend, Mary Watson, who even now (Molly hoped) was enjoying her Golden Years with her husband John, their daughter Rosie-dear-GOD-how-could-you-betray-me-like-this-Watson-and-become-a-police-detective, and Rosie's husband and their three children.

"Sherlock," she began, then stopped.

"Molly," he replied, not looking at her.

"Sherlock, I know I have no idea how this afterlife thing works and you presumably do, having been turned into a Reaper and all for the past 20 years, but, um, two things..."

"You look like you do when we first met because that's your inner image of yourself," he replied promptly. "As for the other..."

"Yes?" If Molly still possessed heart, she knew it would be pounding in her chest as they stopped and turned to face one another.

"As for the other," Sherlock repeated, while all around them flowers bloomed in the beautiful clearing that had sprung up to replace the road, "there's no rule about when we have to arrive. Only that I escort you to your final reward."

"And what if I'm willing to wait for that final reward?" Molly whispered. Oh yes, her heart was definitely hammering in her chest - wait, when had she taken on a physical form again?

He smiled down at her tenderly, reaching out to curl his fingers against her cheek. She could feel it, which surely meant that he had taken on physical form as well, didn't it?

"There's no rule that says your final reward is a destination rather than a person. Me, I'm that person," he added, as if she needed clarification. "As far as I'm concerned, we can stay on this road for the rest of eternity. If, of course, I'm right about you still being in love with me, I mean, I could be wrong, of course and if I am I apologize and it surely goes without saying that I love you-"

Molly silenced him with a kiss, tiptoeing up to press her lips softly against his. "As far as I'm concerned, Sherlock Holmes, staying on this road for the rest of eternity sounds just about perfect."

So that's exactly what they did.