Anatomically Correct Heart

Since her engagement was over, Molly Hooper didn't have any special plans for Valentine's Day. Like usually during Christmas, she was working because she had nothing better to do anyway.

She strolled out of the lab and went to her locker to fetch her phone, just in case someone (Sherlock) should need anything from her. Opening her space and reaching for her bag, she missed that there was something different about the contents of her locker. Just as she was about to close the door, she felt something fall to the floor from the top shelf.

From the tingling sound she knew it was some sort of jewellery and bent down to collect it. She reached her hand under the lockers and felt her fingers brush against the cool metal chain, so she pulled it out.

It was a small heart shaped pendant. Not the boring over-romanticized symbol that was used to represent a heart, but a real anatomically correct one. The tiny arteries and veins were extremely detailed, even the texture was close to a real one.

Molly let the silver coloured necklace hang between her fingers as she examined it. Reaching the conclusion that it was not hers, although it was incredibly beautiful, she closed her locker door and put it in her lab coat's pocket next to her phone, so she could identify the owner on another day, when everyone else was working, too.

Later on that day, when she was conducting series of tests on a deceased person's blood to find any suspicious chemicals, the familiar steps behind the lab door woke her from her concentration. Sherlock had come.

The doors to the lab burst open and the widely smiling detective stepped in. Molly frowned, seeing such an unusual expression on the man's face.

"Is everything alright, Sherlock. You look a bit... off?" Molly asked and stood up from behind the microscope behind which she had been working.

As soon as she had asked Sherlock that question, his grin dropped, face turning serious. His eyes were examining her carefully and he let out a sigh.

"I'm fine. Why shouldn't I be?" he replied, faking a smile.

Molly shrugged. "Never mind... Is there anything you need? Can I help you?"

Sherlock ignored her questions and stepped closer to the small pathologist.

"Any plans for today?" he asked, voice suddenly mocking and Molly's frown deepened.

"If you're only here to ridicule me, you might as well leave. I'm the only one in today and I have a lot to do."

Sherlock raised his eyebrows. "Fine. I'll go then."

"Okay." Molly turned her back to him and sat down again, trying to finish her work. She was surprised to hear him actually leave, wondering why he came here in the first place.

She sat behind that table for about two more hours, until her job was done. She checked her watch and was relieved to see that her shift was over, too. Molly cleaned the surfaces, put all things back in their rightful places and left the lab, shutting off the lights behind her.

She went back to the locker room, opened her compartment, took off her lab coat and hung it up, when finally the white note on the top shelf of her locker caught her eye. She took it in her hands and turned it so she could see what was written on it. The elegant handwriting looked familiar and she read it.

I thought you might appreciate the sentiment. Yes, it's a heart and yes, it's for you. Most suiting, isn't it?

Dinner at six?

-SH

For an entire minute Molly stood gaping at the white slip of paper. When the message finally reached her, she took the heart-shaped pendant out of her coat's pocket. After another moment of collecting herself, she put the note and the necklace in her bag, changed to outside clothing and left, with the intention of going to Baker Street and demanding an explanation from Sherlock.

Reaching the exit of the hospital, Molly saw the dark-haired detective pacing back and forth in front of the building, hands in his coat pockets. She halted to a stop. Sherlock noticed the movement from the corner of his eye and stood still, now facing the pathologist.

"You waited," Molly asked in a quiet voice, hands gripping her bag.

"Yes," was the answer.

"Is this a joke?"

Disbelief crossed Sherlock's features as he said: "No! No."

A smile crept up to the woman's mouth. "So are you serious?"

Sherlock's eyes were suddenly warm and he smiled genuinely. "Of course."

He seemed a bit flustered now. "Didn't you... like it?" He was looking at her neck.

Molly opened her bag and took the necklace out and held it in front of her. "I do! It's absolutely beautiful, but you shouldn't have."

Sherlock grabbed it, but instead of putting it away, he stepped being her and attached it around her neck. "I wanted to. And it suits you marvellously, Molly."

He stood beside her and reached out his hand. "Dinner?" He smiled.

Molly took the hand he offered and grinned up to him. "I would love to."

The End