The music of the night.

Sherlock shifted in his seat and glanced sideways out the corner of his eye at Mary and john sat side by side on the sofa next to him. Mary had her feet curled up under her and was resting her head on John's shoulder and her arm slouched over his waist. Meanwhile john had his arm around Mary and his feet resting against the coffee table in front of them. Typical couple. He thought and turned his eyes back to the television.

Molly cleared her throat and he looked out the corner of his eyes at her instead. Molly also had her feet under her…what is it with women and doing that? It is not that comfortable and they were bound to get cramp soon so then they will have to move and make a noise and distract the rest of them from the musical. Not that he was watching it.

John had talked him into it. Why had he let john talk him into it? He did not like musicals, all that bursting into song for no apparent reason. He could not justify it. Why would someone want to sit through nearly three hours of people crying and singing?

Mary had chosen The Phantom of The Opera. But it wasn't the original, it was the 25th anniversary special. Sherlock shifted, he felt his eyes narrow and knew that it was made about five years ago. He sat back and crossed his legs again for he was getting pins and needles in them. At least it was not the original one; he would have got annoyed at the picture quality then.

The first twenty minuets had not done anything for him. Although he did thing the effects on the chandelier were good considering it was staged in the Royal Albert hall, none of the songs caught his attention.

Then Angel of Music started and he straightened his back a little. He watched as Christine stood in front of the mirror and the Phantom appeared as if by magic next to her. Now that was a good effect. Obviously it was just projected onto the mirror and was not great quality, he found himself smiling.

He stole a look at molly to find her smiling too. Then she turned her head and caught him looking at her. For one moment, Sherlock felt a blush rise up his neck. What are you doing?

He looked back at the television as The Phantom of the Opera song came on and found him absent-mindidly tapping the arm of the sofa in time with the music. He wondered why the Phantom wore a mask. He could see his lip curl up on the left hand side. Even though the Phantom was trying hard to cover his face, he had done a remarkable job. Sherlock narrowed his eyes and saw that even though the mask would have been plastic, it looked like porcelain. He knew that the design team would have spent a long time designing the mask and making sure it fit the actors face. However, he brushed past this to see that the Phantom probably would have made it himself. What?

He felt molly shift nearer to him and looked at her, a smile on his lips that he could not get rid of. She moved a little closer. Then he looked back at the television as the Phantom was steering a boat. Obviously, it was on wheels and the mist and fog was just covering this up so that the audience would not see it, even so, Sherlock marvelled at the set, and the effect the projection of the darkness and the candelabras made. It made the set look so gothic and in touch with the musical. The organ in the centre of the set topped it off. It looked rustic and made the set so much better he thought.

In all your fantasies, you always knew. That man and mystery were both in you. Sherlock smiled at the lyrics. He found that he could relate to the lyrics and the phantom.

Sing!

It was then that the vocalising started, the women playing Christine getting louder and louder until the phantom screamed sing for me! He did not know that women could reach that far. He swallowed, all of his opinions and beliefs about musicals being blown away.

Sherlock sat forward a little, oblivious to the eyes of Mary and John looking at him and each other. As soon as The Music of the Night filled the room, Sherlock knew that he could never go back to being ignorant of the world of musicals and their power to entrance someone as quickly as a blink of any eye.

"The darkness of the music of the night…" he whispered just after the Phantom. For once, he was glad of John and Mary's surround sound as when the Phantom reached his crescendo, Sherlock felt the hairs on his arms stand up on air and a shiver ran down his spine. He was not used to feeling such emotions. He always focused on the cases that filtered through 221B. He distanced himself, not getting too involved. Now, now, he felt completely sucked in to the musical and the life of the Phantom.

As soon as it started, the music of the Night ended. Sherlock sat back, feeling almost proud of him for falling in love with musicals. He glanced across at Mary whose head was up now, looking intently at the television.

Sherlock looked back as Christine whipped his mask off. He felt a gasp fall from his mouth and heard Molly do the same, her hand over her mouth. Sherlock watched, the makeup and prosthetics department had done an excellent job with the words on the actors face. Once again, he looked beyond the stages and prosthetics and saw that the Phantom really was conscious and angry and his emotions were all over the place. He saw how the Phantom had decided to lock himself away from the world that hated him, made fun of him, and rejected him. Sherlock felt sorry for him, knowing what it is like to be shunned by the world around him. He was always shunned at school and university for his intelligence. They used to make fun of him and rejected him from their social group.

Sherlock's mind focuses on the more light-hearted song with the mangers singing. They were discussing the night's events and then several notes appear from the opera ghost. He smiled, remembering The Study in Pink. He looked at john. He always was a romantic, exaggerating things and making him always look like the hero that always saves the say. John looked across on him, a smile on his lips. He remembered when he sent text messages to the journalists who were at a police conference run by Lestrade. He had everyone's attention, just as the Phantom did with the notes.

Soon enough the scene changed to the part of the play that was being performed at the Paris opera. Sherlock knew that the mangers were doing the wrong thing by going against the Phantoms orders and knew that something bad was going to happen. He shifted and sat on his left side so that his left leg was resting on top of his right. and the Phantoms booming voice e hoed across the hall. He knew that he was doing something, then the main singer, the one who hated Christine started croaking. He laughed softly. Then Christine got her leading role at least. This is what the Phantom wanted he thought, running his fingers through his hair.

The Phantom was obsessed with Christine, just as he was obsessed with new cases. Fitting all the pieces of the jigsaw together and solving the case.

Suddenly the lights flicked and his thoughts stopped as the phantom crept along the gang walk at the top of the hall. He sat forward, realising molly had done so too. Suddenly there was a scream as the hung body swung in the air. Sherlock felt his hand grab molly's. He did not let go as Christine and Raoul came onto the stage. He did not want to let molly's hand go, he lessened his grip and sat back, molly doing the same.

Then the music changed to that of a romantic nature. What did he know about romance? Absolutely nothing. All I Ask of you he smiled and rested his head against the sofa, tapping his fingers along to the tune.

That is all I ask of you. There was a clear love triangle forming between Christine at the centre. Both the Phantom and Raoul wanted to win her heart but it was clear that Raoul had the upper hand. He was talking to her directly, never taking his eyes off her. It seemed to him that Christine felt the same way. His mind recoiled to when Mary asked him if he knew anything about human nature. Nature no. human? Now look where he was, sat watching a musical with his three best friends, holding molly's hand in his.

Then the song ended, but he knew something was going to happen, it was all going to well for his liking.

He was proved right. The camera slowly panned up to where the composer and the orchestra were situated. A light focused on the fixture as the Phantom appeared, his voice angry and upset. He almost felt for him. Sherlock knew that the Phantom felt like he had been betrayed by Christine even though nothing was ever there between them. It was all in the Phantoms head. Then the signing of Christine and Raoul reached the phantoms eared and Sherlock watched as the Phantom suddenly got very angry. Something was going to happen.

Then the music hit a crescendo, Sherlock felt his heart rate increase with it and shivered slightly at what was going to happen next. The chandelier above the audience gave off sparks and it looked as if it was exploding. That was the Phantoms anger erupting he thought. At least he never got angry like that. Sherlock marvelled again at the effects and thought that it finished the first half with a bang. Applause erupted through the Royal Albert hall and Sherlock felt that he should clap along with them.

He looked at molly, which had a grin on her face and together they withdrew their hands, but Sherlock almost felt lost without holding onto molly's hand. It helped him and made him feel as if he was important. Not in the way, he thought a few months ago, but that he meant something to someone.

Mary hit the pause button, Sherlock turned his head as she, and john stretched their arms. John got up and looked at him and molly. "Drink?" he asked.

"Tea pleases John." Molly said, Sherlock felt her get up also and talk to the window to look out.

"Coffee." Sherlock said, feeling johns mind working about what happened between him and molly. "please." He added a second later.

John nodded and went to leave the room to go the kitchen. Mary smiled at Sherlock and followed john. "I'll give you a hand. I need to check on Sophie."

Sherlock turned as they both left the room, his thoughts drifting to that of john and Mary's daughter. He was not that fond on babies. Until they could talk and no long puked all over you, then he took an interest. However, Sophie was only 6 months old and he was developing an uncle-like-mature towards the child. He had lost count of the number of times he had held her or babysat…with molly.

He turned his head once more and smiled. He got up from the sofa and walked towards her, coming to a stop next to her. She looked up, caught i=his eye in an instant and smiled fondly.

It was a moment or two before she said, "I have les mis on dvd."

He felt the hairs stand up on the back of his neck. "Which one?" he asked. Even though he was falling in love with musicals, he still did not want to watch old ones.

Molly turned towards him. "Well. I have the 2913 one with Hugh jackman and Russell Crowe or the twentieth anniversary special which was done in 2010." She said.

Sherlock hummed at the thought. They were both recent and both sounded good. "We could do both? Maybe not on the same day. I expect they are long?"

Molly nodded. "Both about the length of Phantom, maybe a bit longer."

"I'd love to." He said, the words falling so easily from his lips.

"This time next week? Mine?" she suggested.

He stepped closer so that there was only an inch between them. "It's a date." Sherlock whispered and bent his head. He pressed his lips to mollies and pulled her closer. He felt her arms wrap around him as the kiss lasted and they both pulled back, panting slightly and a smile on their face.

Molly was watching from the kitchen doorways. "Mary come away and leaves them to it." John said, leaning against the kitchen counter, waiting for the kettle to boil.

Mary turned towards her husband, still listening to Sherlock and molly's conversation. "I can't help it. It is about time they did something. Molly has been waiting for it since god knows when."

The kettle finally boiled and john poured hot water into each of the four cups. "Is that why you chose Phantoms then?" he asked, opening the fried door and pulling out the milk.

Mary laughed and turned back to her vantage point, looking into the living room she watched as Sherlock edged closer. Mary gestured to john who appeared just in time to see Sherlock and molly kiss. She gave a little squeak of delight and hugged john tightly, who hugged her back. "About time!" she said and clapped her hands. "I knew Phantom would do the trick. The songs are good and I knew Sherlock would enjoy them. And I also knew that he would relate to the Phantom and feel sympathy for him." she added.

John gazed at her and squeezed her shoulders. He planted at kiss on her lips and her body tin glad. She never got tired of kissing john. It was so much better without his silly moustache. "You Mrs Watson are a genius." He said and picked up two cup. "Now go and check on your daughter. She is almost ready for a feed. And maybe uncle Sherlock will do it." He said, giving her a wink before carrying the cups through to the living room.

Mary squeaked again and made her way to her daughter's bedroom. She knew Phantom would work and make Sherlock see what was out there in front of him. The world of culture and molly.

TBC if anyone would like another chapter and finish The Phantom of the Opera completely.