First off please allow me to say a deep and meaningful thank you to all of you who have given me reviews to my stories. You are all so kind and lovely...

I do hope everyone likes this story…However, it is from Toby's point of view so please don't expect too much out of this story…His mind I fear might wonder off at certain moments to come back to the subject at hand…or paw so to speak.

Anyway, have a purr-fect day!


~*~Toby and his New Pet ~*~

~*~Part 1 of 1~*~

Cats have never forgotten that they were once worshiped.

-Anonymous

said Holmes at last with an unsteady voice, 'I owe you both my thanks and an apology. It was an unjustifiable experiment even for oneself, and doubly so for a friend. I am really very sorry."

-The Devil's Foot by Arthur Conan Doyle


~*~SHERLOCK~*~

Humans are quite odd.

In fact, they don't even know how to wash themselves properly with their own tongue! It's hard to believe but yet it's true. Instead of washing themselves properly they torture themselves with water! True insanity that! He has even watched his human sit in the evil stuff, as she uses some smelly bubbly stuff…rubbing herself with her incredibly misshapen paws. Never thinking that her tongue would be so much better!

Seriously, Toby worried about his pet sometimes. Not that he'd allow it to be shown, of course, for he did have his male cat pride to maintain as well as his beautiful fur.

However, he would watch her while he waited off to the side never far from the bathroom door, just in case Toby found that he needed to play the hero simply because his human was an idiot…A cute idiot but still an idiot but more importantly she was his idiot. He also waited by the door which she always left opened a crack so he could come and go; he had trained her quite well…So there he was in case he simply needed to make a run for it and hope his pet didn't drown or that blasted wicked water might even attempt to reach out and grab him or something!

Toby was perfectly fine with his water bowl that his favorite and only pet would keep fresh and sometimes she'd even place some nice ice cubes into it to keep the water nice and cold for him. He lived in hope that one day his pet would realize that water should be drunk not sat in to bathe oneself! Seriously, what the hell did his human think its tongue was for!

He has even purposely shown her! Really he has! Toby would go to her and make certain that she was watching and purposely with quite a lot of vigor as well and wash himself. Really, it wasn't all that hard! There were rare times when he'd even attempt to lick her arm or leg before she'd start to pet him…Oh, how Toby loved it when she'd pet him…Oh, what a feeling! Though that wasn't the point…

His pet was quite lovely and he did love her even if she was odd. It was just Toby had a hard time understanding …Molly…Yes, that was his pet's name. His dear sweet Molly, that name was what others of her kind; these extremely weird humans called her…Molly…

There once been a…Tom? Now that one Toby hadn't been at all interested in. The damn fool even had a dog! Seriously, adog! A little yappy thing that Tom had actually thought Molly and him could share that horrid little thing together! That they all including him could be one little happy family. What an idiot, that stupid Tom!

To think his pet and her mate had honestly expected him, a highly intelligent feline, to get along with that blasted stupid mutt! Well, Toby simply ignored the silly thing most days except when he decided to show that dog who was actually top cat in their small and completely his territory. Oh, the power and the trill! Toby showed that mutt who exactly was boss!

Toby knew he was a very good owner of his Molly to put up with some of her silliness. Here he gave her the honor of catering to his every need and then to put up with his pet's stupid mate!

That was until one day, the human known as Tom, Toby refused to ever claim that human as his own pet. He only had Molly and that was enough for him. Even if they hadn't stopped being each other's mate, Toby was never going to claim him. Not ever! Toby was much too smart to have ever have done that…Well, when Tom stopped being Molly's mate that blasted dog went right out that door with him…Never to return…Oh, happy day! Much like the day Molly decides to put a tree with little toys up for him to play with!

To be honest, he wasn't sure what exactly happened but Tom had always been glaring at him in a rude manner when Molly wasn't around. Which was fine for Toby knew how to glare right back at him mostly with his best kitty smirk. What also bothered him about Tom was that he was always yelling at him when he'd scratch the side of the colorful sofa…Sure, he had a scratching post but he still loved to scratch and mark that certain piece of furniture. It was his anyway. One side looked as if he had wounded it on purpose, his own brand of fine lovely art, so what if it looked as if he was attempting to shredded the blasted thing to ribbons…Perhaps that was his dastardly plan! That's right, Tom, first he was going to shred the sofa until there was nothing left and then…THEN the next stop was to take over the entire world! That is if it didn't interrupt with his important nap time…

Well, on the day that Tom was shown the door, Molly and him had been moving closer to something humans called a 'wedding'…As they moved close to that, Tom had informed Molly that they were soon going to have some new furniture and some very valuable antique pieces…Which the word 'antique' even Toby knew damn well meant old anyway! Tom had also informed her that Toby's claws were going to have to go.

Whatever that meant…All Toby knew was his beloved pet didn't like that at all and she was quite angry. They argued…She and her mate…Bitterly it seemed and loudly. Toby had watched all this calmly off to the side, up high on the bookshelves with the occasional twitch of his left ear. He had an odd feeling his pet would need some comfort only he could provide…He was better with the comforting thing than most human males were. Yet, another way he was far more superior to others.

Then the stupid human said the words that had ended his pet's relationship with the man…Forever…

"It's Toby or me, Molly; I refuse to come second to some worthless stupid damn cat!"

"Tom…" Molly told him with a cold tone that Toby had never heard coming from his incredibly warm human, "Toby will always come first with me and trust me, you will always be so much lower than second place."

"Yeah, I've suspected that for a while now. Your damn cat and that freak Sherlock Holmes…I refuse to be behind them in what you care about!"

And with that Molly and Tom were done. Over. Tom took that filthy dog, who loved to lick only one part of himself, with him. Now they both no longer welcome in his territory. YAY! Oh, if Toby had been human, which thankfully he wasn't there would have definitely been a happy grin curving his lips on that day.

When Tom and the dog left, his sweet pet wept and he allowed her to hold him as she fell apart. He had to wait a short while before she remembered to fill his food bowl with something yummy…but for once he was patient…See, he could be self-sacrificing when needed to be…Though she really shouldn't expect it all the time…For she really needed to remember who exactly was the pet in their relationship!

For Toby simply allowed her the high honor of serving him and catering to his needs. Obviously he was quite good at this for his valued and much loved pet.

Plus, with her being so very useful at times, she could also be so darn cute as well.

The smile and happy tone she'd use when Molly would give him a new toy or when they both would play with his toys…Oh, the joyful laugh she'd make…Made his little heart leap with happiness…

The cute and to be honest a bit annoying way that the sweet girl had no hunting skills what so ever…Seriously, how she survived so long without him, Toby simply didn't understand!

Once or twice he had with a lot of male pride had caught mice just for her. He could have easily have ate the mouse…both of them in fact, he had caught them at different times, of course…but really, he could have easily enjoyed his hard earned feast…Yet, he had saved it, both times, just for her, his dear Molly, his lovely pet…He had even placed them right on her pillow! Come on, how is that not love! He was smart enough to know that she'd find the lovely and well-meaning gift and seeing that all this had taken place in his territory, she'd know exactly who the gift had been from.

Especially seeing Toby had made certain that he was around to witness her receiving such a lovely prize. He had even meowed to tell her, 'You are so welcome my pretty pet, enjoy! I do so love you!'

Yet the way she gasped and moaned, "Oh, Toby…"

One would have thought she didn't see the great love and his complete unselfishness in that wonderful act of giving her his kill…

And worse, she hadn't even bothered to eat the mice in front of him, in fact, Toby strongly suspected that she had thrown them away…She hadn't even bothered to play with them first!

Still he loved his human, really he did…Toby simply didn't understand her at times.

It was a good thing that he loved her and she was so bloody cute! It was also a good thing that she didn't seem to mind when he rubbed his scent upon her to help make her smell so much better and to let others know, especially those of his own kind, exactly who his loved pet, his Molly, belonged to…

Sadly thinking about all this was seriously cutting into his nap time. Which was another thing, his pet didn't sleep as much as one should…One should have over sixteen hours, everyone knows that!

Suddenly, he heard a familiar sound that made him stiffen. A knock…Ooo, Someone wanted permission to enter his territory. So he stretched, getting out of his comfortable ball…Good thing he hadn't been asleep, then…

His pet had been watching a box with many colors and with noise coming out of it. He had been happily lying beside her. Anyway, she got up to move towards the door and looked through the peek hole…To stiffen and breathe in a sharp breath. Molly moved away to head towards the kitchen table. Taking a wood chair she carried it and thrust it under the door knob…She double checked the chain as well as her lock…

A knock come once more…Yet, it obviously looked as if Molly didn't want whoever was there to come in to his domain…

His lovely pet made a slight noise and came back to sit down beside him. Molly's odd looking paw moved to stroke him softly upon his back. Her misshapen paw was shaking slightly but that didn't stop her from softly and tenderly rubbing under his chin…Oh, Molly knew exactly how he liked it…Oh, yes, he had trained her quite well indeed!

"Molly? I know you're in there…" A familiar voice rang out and Toby found himself relaxing even more. He eyed his human. The male human at the door was someone he actually liked…He was much better than that stupid human Tom! Seriously, his Molly should show good taste for once and mate with that one!

He never glared or showed disrespect by staring or shouting at him for doing what came natural to him. He'd also glance at Toby as if he knew everything there was to know about him…Which Toby found oddly comforting…

The male human also seemed to act as if he owned whatever territory he walked into…However he acted as if he would allow Toby the right to rule the carpeted land under his paws…

Others like stupid Tom and more importantly his lovely Molly called the human male, Sherlock…Though Tom had tried to call him a 'freak' and that didn't last very long…Hell, the moment Tom said that he was tossed out the door…All that had been missing from that moment had been a nice long hiss.

Molly and Sherlock, they were good humans. Toby really did like them together, lately, however, his Molly and Sherlock seemed to be having…well…issues…Serious issues, and it seemed, to Toby anyway. Humans seemed to love their drama. Silly creatures!

"Molly…" Sherlock's voice rang out once more.

In response Toby's pet picked up a small black box and the noise from the much bigger box grew louder…Much, much louder…

"MOLLY!" This in turn made the one known as Sherlock louder which was understandable, for he was pretty much talking to a wooden door. "Molly, talk to me please! I have tried calling and texting you yet for some odd reason you changed your blasted number without giving it to me! Also, no one seems willing to give it to me…Mary…Lestrade…Hell, not even my own brother and we both know he could get it, he probably even has it…but he's being super annoying, as always! Did you notice that I said, 'please'…isn't that supposed to be a stupid magic word or something? Did you also notice the flowers in my hands when you looked at me from the peek hole? Molly? Please just talk to me!"

Toby did the only thing he could do; he purred and leaned into Molly's side. He watched as silent tears started to fall down her cheeks. She quickly rubbed them away.

Oh, Toby might be a highly functional non-social feline but he did care…Mostly about his pet…Most of the time it was about his next meal and his nap time but he did care about his pet. Having a pet was a big responsibly and not for the weak hearted that was for certain.

Just as he knew he loved his pet, he also knew she loved the man whom she was refusing entrance into his territory. Molly loved Sherlock even more than she had with that blasted Tom…Which showed Toby that his pet did have good sense at times…

Until that is Molly told Sherlock that their friendship was over…Done. Yet, just like the human outside the door, even Toby had a hard time believing that…His dear Molly loved that human. LOVED him deeply and madly…The kind of love that doesn't ever fade away with time…Or go away if one ignores it or pushes it down an abyss…

Nope, his Molly would always love that man behind that door…

Yet, somehow she had found the will to turn Sherlock away…To close that bloody door…On whatever they once had…Toby had witnessed it happening. Molly telling him that they were no more; their friendship was over …That the great Sherlock Holmes was no longer welcome into her life, into Toby's territory.

Too bad humans weren't supiour species like himself, they would simply hiss and wait a moment to make up…Have a little fight and later wash each other before taking a nap…Or the human male could simply wait until she was in heat and get her attention then…

Oh, Mother Nature, humans were ODD!

Well, Toby could clearly remember the day Molly had decided to show her alpha kitty side…

~*~SHERLOCK~*~

It was one night, with cold evil water pouring down from the sky and with him blissfully pleased with himself that he was so powerful that the rain didn't even dare come in…

Toby's pet had come in smelling like her place of work and…some other scents…Some were unfamiliar to him…There had also been some deep emotions raging within his cute adorable pet.

Molly had been wounded. Not badly but enough to have a couple of bandages, that he instantly feared that she had been forced to see his archenemies, The Vet! Oh, his poor, poor dear! He completely understood the terror of that ordeal. His pet also seemed quite emotional…Which was understandable if she had gone to The Vet…In fact, Toby was going to let The Vet have it the next time he saw him!

Toby knew his dear sweet pet would probably feel much better if she focused on feeding him something yummy and take a brush to his fur…He had even meowed and attempted to inform her of this simple fact.

She hadn't at the moment for instead the human known as Sherlock entered his territory, which to him was highly acceptable, for Toby felt that this human was actually worthy of being in his honorable presence.

Toby had listened to the soft sounds coming from the door seconds earlier. It sounded as if this Sherlock fellow had picked the lock and somehow quite cleverly removed the chain…It was a mystery that he as a cat simply wasn't interested in…Now the mystery of how to catch that bird that liked to land on the ledge of the window each morning, however…he was still trying to solve that case…Anyway, it was one of the many reasons Toby liked the human named Sherlock…he was actually wickedly clever… The humans he normally met weren't even close to clever.

Oh, how this human male would have made a lovely member of his species. He had no doubt about that though sadly; Sherlock was as human as his own pet. To be honest, they both would have been lovely members of his species. However, he knew without a doubt that if the one known as Sherlock had been a fellow tom cat…there would have been some serious fighting going on!

Toby didn't like that thought for he wasn't sure he would actually win. Not that he had grown too old or even too soft to fight…Sure he was a bit fluffy, but mostly it was because he was a big boned feline and really there was nothing wrong with that, mind you…Anyway, that Sherlock, would have been something…much more, if he had been the same species as him…So much more, of that he was certain.

And Toby actually found himself respecting that…

"Molly…" The male human stated carefully, watching the female before him, much like the way Toby watches a mouse.

"Get out, Sherlock….You are no longer welcome here. This will never be your bolt hole ever again. Now go away! I told you at Bart's that we are now done."

Toby couldn't help but watch the man's face as Toby continued to calmly sit and twitch his tail.

Sherlock looked honestly confused much like when Toby would jump onto his very own kitchen counter or kitchen table only to have his human order him off. Really, everything within his domain belonged to him! Should he not sit or lay upon them? Of course, he kept jumping up there to make his pet see reason.

"Why are you being so illogical, Molly? I know it's not your time to the month so that can't be it!"

"Just go! As I said we are now done. I am no longer your friend and you can go find some other pathologist to do your bidding…Some other pathetic, pitiful fool to use and to manipulate for your own selfish reasons! I am no longer on that list, Sherlock! Not anymore. Never again! I don't…I don't want anything more to do with you."

"Molly, you don't mean that…"

"Yes, I do, Sherlock! I am not going to work with you anymore! The only way I will ever work with you again is if Greg begs me to on his knees and he has already assured me that he will respect my wishes for he knows how to treat a friend with respect! Now get the hell OUT!" Molly snapped at Sherlock.

"But…But…Just one question…Just one single question…What did I do that was so wrong?" Sherlock actually sounded and looked highly confused, puzzled really.

Yet, his words seemed to make her angrier.

"What did you do that was so wrong?" His pet repeated in disbelief, "You used me as BAIT, Sherlock bait! You nearly got me killed and you are actually standing there asking me that question! You purposely put my life into the hands of a mad man!"

"You weren't badly injured and I wasn't going to allow him to seriously harm you or even kill you…And plus, it was all a bit humorous if you think about it. Also, you know my methods…" Sherlock informed her as if that is all that mattered…he had found it all humorous. Or that she wasn't seriously wounded…

Sherlock attempted to give her a reassuring smile and it looked as if Molly wasn't the least bit impressed.

"Like that really matters! It still doesn't change the fact that you, my supposed friend, used me as bait! And yes, I know your methods; I have always respected your bloody methods! I have always respected you, Sherlock…But tonight I have come to the brutal realization that you don't respect me and…and the crazy thing is…you simply don't understand what you did! You…You betrayed our friendship! The one thing I had total trust in and you totally destroyed it and…and Sherlock, if I can't trust our friendship then how in the hell am I supposed to trust you? You didn't even ask me if you could use me as bait…because….because you wanted it to look real! Well, guess what it was so real that it opened my eyes! I don't like what I'm seeing, Sherlock, and I've honestly had enough."

"But…Molly…My plan worked! I got him and really…I…I wasn't going to let him hurt you…Really, I wasn't…and in the end he didn't seriously hurt you…"Sherlock reminded her once more. His voice soft, yet he still looked quite confused. Uncertain as to why she was so upset.

Hopefully, the human male wouldn't turn to Toby for any answers; all he knew was that humans were seriously weird and odd.

"No…No, he didn't seriously hurt me." Molly agreed, with tears still running down her cheeks. "YOU are the one who seriously hurt me and you don't even care or even understand! I am so tired of always being hurt by you…So very tired. And…And the one thing I had faith in…our friendship…you…you just don't get it! I'm so tired of you always being so thoughtless and cruel! I could handle loving you and never having that love returned. I could handle that, Sherlock! Hell, I have handled that but I refuse to have my friendship…my loyalty towards you treated like rubbish! So no more! We are done. Now…Please show me at least some respect and leave without forcing me to make a phone call."

"Molly, do be reasonable…You…Surely, you don't mean…any of this…Right? You don't mean what you are saying…" The one known as Sherlock no longer looked confused. A bit wounded, perhaps…Concerned? Maybe that too but there was something else there that Toby couldn't quite put his paw on…Lost? Sure, there was that…Oh. Wait. Fear. That was it.

Sherlock was worried and fearful. Quite fearful in fact, hmm, this human didn't do fear well at all. Toby had the perception about this…He could also sense that his own pet actually meant what she was saying. Maybe the male was smart enough to sense it as well. Maybe that was what made Sherlock so very afraid.

If Sherlock was a cat, all he'd have to do is run and hide under the bed. That's what Toby always did when he was afraid. Really, he couldn't understand why humans simply didn't do that in the first place. When in doubt hide under the bed! That would be quite simple, wouldn't it? Plus, Toby would have been happy to keep Sherlock company under there…Yet, Sherlock didn't run and hide under the bed. Nope. Which made Toby doubt this male's mental capacity but that was alright, not everyone was as smart as him.

Even with tears running down his pet's cheeks there was something in her body language and in her eyes that spoke volumes. Toby's favorite human meant her words. Sherlock and her were done. Completely over…Finished. Now they were no more. For some odd reason, unlike with her and Tom, Toby felt this was wrong. Very wrong. Sherlock seemed to feel exactly the same as he stood there before Molly. Sherlock was so still, it was almost as if he was holding his breath…He seemed unsettled and his inquiring eyes were now wide.

Molly moved passed him and opened the door, "Goodbye, Mr. Holmes." Molly said softly and a bit brokenly.

There was something so damn permanent in her tone that Toby had never heard before…never from her…Yet, it was there…Sherlock must have heard it as well.

Somehow he stood his ground, in complete denial, as he shook his head, "No. This is not goodbye and we are not over! Never over!" He replied almost childishly.

Molly sighed wearily and with grim resolve she reached into her pocket. A small flat box suddenly appeared in her misshapen paws to play with it before she placed it to the side of her head. With her voice completely thick and trying not to sob, she spoke into the weird box, "Hello, Mr. Holmes, this is Molly Hooper, I'm not sure if you remember me…Um, right…Um, thank you…Mycroft…Yes, well, I'm calling because years ago you nicely offered…Well, you said that should I ever need anything from you that all I needed to do was ask?"

"Molly…No, please, you don't need to get my brother involved in this! Just hang up, and stop trying to make me leave!" Sherlock said, actually sounding desperate.

Unmercifully, Molly continued, her voice now oddly calm and collected. "Well, yes…You see your brother has broken into my flat, hopefully for the last time and I was hoping if it wasn't too much of a bother if you could have him removed. I don't want to get the police involved and thought that maybe…You'd be willing to help me…Yes…I know…I would be very grateful…Sadly, at the moment I'd prefer to have you in my corner than Sherlock…Um, well, yes…Of course…I understand…Yes…Thank you, Mr…um, Mycroft, at least someone in your family has a great heart as well as a great mind. You are quite the gentleman…Yes, thank you again...Um, bye!" With that said Molly put away the flat box.

Instantly, Toby heard noise from one of Sherlock's pockets...

"I don't want to leave, Molly, seriously you can't…just force me out of your life so cruelly! It's wrong! Don't you see how wrong that is?" Sherlock sounded so lost…So very lost indeed. "Do…Do you want me to apologize? Hmm? Okay, I'm sorry! There I said it! And I noticed that you said you were tired so maybe you just need some rest, yes? Tomorrow you'll…Tomorrow you will still be my Molly, right?"

Uncharacteristically, Molly said nothing. She simply stood there, holding open the door…Hmm, well, if the silly odd human wasn't going to accept the open door, he would. Toby sniffed the air, perhaps his pet would feel better if he found a mouse or something for her to play with or eat…Maybe the mouse would still be alive enough to twitch a little when he gifted it to her.

So with great grace and elegance Toby moved…Surprisingly, he didn't get very far as his pet quickly picked him up.

The noise from Sherlock's pocket continued…Finally, he slowly reached for his own flat shaped box and brought it to his ear.

"No, Mycroft, I am not leaving Molly's! No…No, I think that Molly and I need to talk about this nice and calmly. Surely, I just need some time to make her see reason, for she's simply being stupid right now…Mycroft! NO! Don't you dare! You don't need to send over some of your people! Mycroft…Mycroft! Come on, you don't mean that! Really? You are actually threatening to tattle to mummy over this? Seriously? Gee, while you are at it, make sure you bring up the time I totaled your shiny antique car when I was fourteen! For I'm certain our parents haven't gotten tired of you bitching about that after all these years! Wait, WHAT?! Why you horrible twat! Okay…OKAY! Fine! I'm leaving the flat and will see you in fifteen minutes…How in the bloody hell is this for the best, Mycroft? Molly thinks we are done but we're not! Don't you dare send your dogs after me, you know I hate when you do that! Yes…yes…Fine, Fatty, fine, I understand you…Okay, fifteen minutes. I said that I understand! You are complete rubbish as a brother and as a human being!"

After a long moment Sherlock slid his weird little flat box back into his pocket. His body language claimed that he had suddenly lost something quite serious. Much like a tom cat losing a catfight…or…something else of great importance…Perhaps something that the human hadn't realized was so important until it was gone.

Toby had felt like that once. When he was a kitten he had the most lovely catnip toy…He may have took it for granted but it had always been there, until once day it wasn't. Even if Toby had other fancy toys there were some lonely nights he still searched for it. His special well played with catnip mouse. He would let out a cry of sorrow when he realized it was truly gone forever. Still heartbroken, perhaps Sherlock would be the same. Searching for something long gone…Oh, how Toby missed the comforting toy in question. The toy had even once belonged to his own mum…Maybe tonight when his pet was asleep he'd look for that lovely toy of his memory…Yet, he knew he'd remember even looking for it that it was lost forever…

"Molly…Please…I don't want us to be over."

Toby's pet was refusing to look at Sherlock for she had already said all that needed to be said…Plus, the very oh so permanent goodbye had been spoken quite clearly.

Sherlock took a deep breath before whispering, his voice hoarse and a bit raw, "I am sorry, Molly. I can see that my actions have hurt you greatly. Now that I have acquired the necessary knowledge…I can learn from it. I…I won't use you as bait again…So…Please Molly, please…Don't toss me out of your life."

Surprisingly, the door seemed to open all the way. Molly still silent and waited…She seemed to be an eerie statue. However, Toby knew that within her was a seething cauldron of deep emotions. Pure, raw and true emotions.

Toby watched as Sherlock swallowed hard and shifted upon his weird bottom paws. Silence followed as he waited. For what, exactly? Toby couldn't help but wonder…Forgiveness? For his sweet silent pet to look at him once more? To meet his sharp focused eyes? To let him know everything between them wasn't really over? That they were still friends…That there was still hope for them…Still something more than being completely over…

It never happened and in the end Sherlock walked slowly out as if each step was taking him closer towards some horrible fate…Perhaps even worse than a visit to the evil and notorious Vet…Mother Nature, Toby hated that damned Vet!

Toby almost felt bad for the human…almost …For to be quite honest he was more concerned over the state of his own pet and that of his food dish at the present moment.

Molly shut the door softly behind Sherlock. There was something incredibly sad about that action. She carefully allowed Toby back onto the floor and all he could do was watch as she slid to the floor. With her back pressed against the door she began to sob. Her sobs were much worse than when that horrible Tom had left. As hard sobs over took her tiny body, Toby continued to watch helplessly all the time wondering when she would serve him something yummy…

~*~SHERLOCK~*~

And now Sherlock was back once more. Trying desperately to get back into his pet's life and back into Toby's territory…Which he could understand completely for it was a lovely piece of territory that he had…

"Molly…" The male human began to say quite clearly from behind the door. "I can understand if you don't want to accept the flowers…or…even me…Just listen, please…I've been thinking and I now understand how wrong I was. I had no right to use you as bait, no right at all and I am sorry…"

His voice seemed to fade away and Toby eyed the door with a flick of his ear. He dimly noticed his pet turning down the noise level with the little box before setting it down on a side table. She was, at least, listening…

As if somehow realizing this, Sherlock's voice began once more…

"I really didn't mean to treat our friendship like…rubbish. Seriously, Molly, I didn't even realize that I was doing that. I didn't realize that I was treating you or our friendship in such a manner until it was much too late. I would like…it back…what we had…I want you back, Molly and sadly, I don't know how to get you back…So, help me fix this Molly, please…help me…"

Toby glanced at his pet as she quickly rubbed at her eyes and cheeks. Toby simply sat there, wondering what his pretty human was going to do.

Sherlock continued, "You see, I learned much too late that…that…I do return your love but if you don't want it, that's perfectly fine…It will bother me but I can accept that but…please…just please, Molly, let me back into your life. I'm begging and you know bloody well that I'm not a begging man…Hell, I don't think I've ever begged for anything in my life, but I am now."

Molly slowly stood up and studied the door.

The familiar voice continued desperately and Toby decided to lick his paw as he waited. His ears could use a good washing especially if he was about to have some company. He did enjoy looking his best, even if it was quite easy seeing that he was the prettiest one in the room…Still, one should at least attempt at being more beautiful…No matter how hard that was!

"I'm not even attempting to manipulate you…I'm simply being honest. I need you in my life. I will do anything in an attempt to gain you and your trust back…anything…To show just how honest I'm being with you and to show you just how sorry I am…" Sherlock abruptly stopped speaking…

Toby and Molly tilted their head and Toby stopped washing his ears. Really they were clean enough as it is.

"I tattled on myself to my mummy." Sherlock finally admitted as if it bothered him to do so, "She's not happy with me at all…In fact she spend over an hour letting me know just how unhappy she is with me…but…um…to be quite honest, I'm not happy with myself either."

Molly moved towards the door and removed the chair from the front of the door as well as the chain.

When she opened the door Toby blinked at the unorthodox sight before him and his pet gasped. The human was actually on his knees!

"Sherlock!" Molly could help but say his name at such an unexpected sight.

"I told you that I was begging." He stated this as if his being on his knees was a normal every day event and she really shouldn't be surprised. Sherlock thrust the flowers at her.

Instantly, she stepped back and ordered, "Just get in here."

"Do you want me to do this while staying on my knees or come in on my own two feet?" Sherlock asked tentatively, as if Toby's pet was testing him and he simply wished to give the alpha the respect that was her due. Hmm, perhaps this male could be trained after all. Oh, what a lovely pet this man would make!

Molly sighed and she took some steps forward and reached down while ordering once again, "Just get in here…Get up, Sherlock…"

Slowly that happened. Toby watched the door close by his pet's misshapen paw…This time; however, Sherlock was finally on the right side of the door and welcomed back into Toby's kingdom. Yet, Toby knew instantly that the male human would have to be quite careful. For he had greatly hurt his beloved pet.

He walked around the two humans before coming to a rest to stand like a statue…Well, if he was a statue whose tail twitched, of course…

Finally Molly carefully spoke, "You actually told your mother what you did?"

The human male nodded as he confirmed, "Yes. I told her everything. I didn't leave anything out! In fact, Mummy would love to spend a day with you. I hear that Mycroft plans to call you tomorrow…seeing how he has your bloody number and won't share it…He will want to see if you would be willing to meet with Mum and do whatever it is that women do when they get together…Even if…

"Even if, what?" Molly asked as Sherlock's voice faded away.

"Even if you still won't allow me back into your life." Sherlock said softly, as if he might actually regret something deeply. He looked away and his eyes actually met with Toby's. Toby simply studied him in return. Calmly and peacefully…

Sherlock's eyes went back to Molly's as she spoke, "Did you really mean what you said outside my door, just now? Or are you simply being cruel?"

"I meant it, all of it…as I said I told my mummy and I told her about the mistake I made. I may do many questionable things for a case but I would never life to mummy. Ever. I am in no way being cruel or manipulating you nor will I ever use you for bait ever again. I promise."

"You hurt me, Sherlock, greatly…and now you think you actually love me?" Molly questioned softly.

"I now know there is no thinking about this, my love no matter how illogical is a simple fact. I just didn't know it until you decided that we were over. It was then that I realized just what I was losing." Sherlock informed her; even Toby could hear the honesty in his voice…Toby even witnessed it with his body language.

Toby suddenly eyed his pet…Come on…You know you want to take a chance…Oh, how Toby knew his pet longed too, yearned to believe…Hell, needed to believe. Yet it was completely up to his pet. Molly knew this man in front of her. She knew all his faults and his good points…Everything

Yet, in knowing everything about Sherlock she still loved him…Simply saying something was over and done didn't make it so especially if the heart has other plans. Molly loved this man and Toby suspected that Sherlock did indeed love her back…Plus, if Toby had any faults, he was quite certain Molly would still love and accept him…and forgive him…So why not Sherlock? Though Toby didn't need forgiveness for he was indeed perfect in every way…Anyway, the question here wasn't his perfection but whether his pet would give Sherlock another chance…

Both males, cat and human, waited for her response as Molly eyed Sherlock thoughtfully, carefully….cautiously.

Sherlock released his breath that he must have been holding and Toby relaxed as Molly slowly nodded in acceptance, "Okay, but I swear that this is the last shot you ever get. You ever treat me, my friendship, or even my love for you as rubbish again…"

She left the treat hanging in the air.

Sherlock shook his head, "I won't, Molly, honest. I'll treat you like a beloved treasure…I swear…I now know better…I'll even treat Toby well, if you want."

Molly smiled, "You promise?"

Sherlock's misshapen paw reached out and caressed her cheek.

"I promise." He vowed.

Then as weird as it was the humans moved their heads together very slowly to do something silly called kissing…He didn't understand why humans did that. Another thing that made him wonder about his pets.

Toby would have simply jumped on a female kitty he liked and bit her…And to be honest, something else if that evil madman of a Vet hadn't removed something of his!

But it looked like whatever his male pet was doing with his mouth; his lovely female pet liked it so perhaps it wasn't all that weird…or even wrong. For look at both of his pets, so happy together!

Suddenly, Toby froze. This male human was now his pet. He was shocked that he hadn't realized all this much sooner. All the signs were there! From the very beginning in fact! Damn, he always misses something!

As he looked over both of his pets quite carefully for he knew he could handle the responsibility of caring for two pets. However, he was a bit sad that his new pet probably didn't know how to wash himself with his tongue! Oh, Mother Nature, he probably sat in water! Good thing he was a cute thing like his sweet Molly…

Maybe his new pet would at least know what to do with a dead mouse…Maybe…Oh, well, even if he didn't Toby would forgive him for no one was perfect…Other than Toby, himself, of course.

Perhaps if his new pet was extremely lucky, Toby would give Sherlock the grand honor of serving him breakfast one fine morning…

Seriously, Toby couldn't help but be truly amazed with just how thoughtful he was and what a good owner he was towards both of his beloved pets…

And with that happy thought, Toby went back to his sofa to take a nice long nap.

~*~THE END~*~