ENTWINED

10.

Molly

Waking up was always a disgruntling experience for me. I often forgot where I was and as such needed to take a moment to figure it out, then make myself get up. I was used to being on the go every day, and never staying in one place for too long. As of later I was staying with the Holmes' much to my confusion.

A lot of troubling things had been happening as of late. I almost died for one, and then to find out that there were people (other than the previous) who wanted to kill me – my kind – and that had never sat well with me. Not since he had come into life.

I looked over to the chair that was pushed up against the desk and saw the familiar locks of curly hair. Sherlock was sitting there with his head tucked down into his chest and his arms slumped around the chair. He was still sleeping, something that I hadn't ever seen him do before. At least not since I first met him. I had left him then and in some way I was doing the same again.

I vaguely remember his mother saying something about having some information for me. Considering if she was awake at this hour I would be able to find out what she meant by that. In truth I would have rather waited until Sherlock was awake to try to talk to him about it, but I couldn't find it in myself to rouse him from his sleep. I didn't know when he actually fell asleep. He was usually awake while I was sleeping, both in the night and in the morning. So when did he actually sleep, and did he get enough of it?

These were things that I thought of in the morning when I was trying to figure out what I was going to do – now, in the future and if I was going to make the right choice for all parties involved. Currently that was Sherlock Holmes; the boy who I couldn't shake, and he would let me go no matter how much it would have better if I was on my own again.

Sherlock

It was an odd occurrence to not see the newest inhabitant of my room when waking up from another night of rarely sleeping. Molly was usually still knocked out when I woke up from the chair I had in my room. I was usually awake and had time to dress before seeing her roll out of the blue sheets that covered my bed as if something had startled her awake.

She often talked about her dreams. So vivid and powerful, she never gave me full details but it was enough for me to figure out that it was something that wove her own tale; something she struggled with. The last one featured her getting nearly killed by a large group of wolves who didn't like her. Who didn't want to get to understand who she was because of her genetic makeup. It turned out to be real. Something that had happened to her, to me, my family. It was enough to increase my curiosity.

Even so I didn't hear her tossing last night, I assumed that was a good sign.

The sheets were straighten this morning. I usually waited until she had left the room to fix them. She must have done it herself after realizing that I hadn't been up when she had initially woken up. It did worry me as much of where she could have gone. There were only so many places that I knew she felt comfortable enough to sit and think. Molly was always thinking of something.

At times I wished I knew what she was thinking. Was it something so terrible, or were there happy thoughts filling her mind.

I slowly leaned forward, stretching as I got ready to get off the chair and find something to wear before going to find Molly. I wanted to take my time with it, but at the same time I was concerned. I made my way around the room to the side of the bed where Molly's bag was usually sitting against the nightstand. It was there.

That was a good sign, I supposed.

I sighed quietly, before turning to my closet to start my daily routine. Going through the motions I reflected on the previous night's activities. Moran dancing with Molly. Our discussion about the wolves who were trying to kill mutts – specifically her. It was a dizzying thought process but it helped me figure out that there was only one place she would go to help her find her answers and it made me feel ill.

As much as I loved my mother, there were things about her that I wasn't quickly to find soothing. As her ways of manipulating people to meet her own ends. She had been amicable with Molly to some extent but it didn't mean that she wasn't prepared to sell her soul to get what she wanted. Her motive this time was of me; her son. A constant annoyance despite Molly's teasing that he was lucky to have her in his life. He had understood her own reasoning for telling him that. She missed her mother who had left her behind with nothing but a letter. A letter that he had only glanced at once and folded quickly once he realized what it was. It was important to the girl, and he had to give it back to her.

I moved through the hallways seeking out the three places that my mother could have taken Molly. The kitchen was empty except for one of my cousins. The sitting room was filled to the brim but no sign of the auburn haired girl or my mom. The last place was the study that had a large library in it. It was the most private place in the house if you wanted to get away from everything. I had often frequented it when I didn't want to be bothered.

I listened for sounds as I made my way up the stairs to the door. I found it shut and also locked. There were voices coming from behind the door. Three distinct ones. I waited to see if I could hear anything specific but it was a hard task. The room was built for not being bothered. If I truly wanted to know what was going on in there I would have to find another way around it.

I found that I had some help in the matter. A quite whistle coming from down the hall in the opposite direction. Mycroft was still here. I wasn't sure why. He would have usually gone off at this point and yet he was still here. He inclined his head to gesture for me to follow him. I only did so out of curiosity.

"Aren't you supposed to be back at work?" I asked when I noticed a device he held in his hands. His face was pensive as he messed with buttons on it. There was a static sound coming from it.

"I am working." He muttered as he fiddled with it some more.

I just stared at him for a few moments. "What are you doing exactly because it doesn't seem like it's working, brother?"

Mycroft shot me a scathingly look. "I have some hearing devices set up in the study for purposes such as this. None of them are picking up."

He was an idiot. He forgot who was in that room. She would have found these bugs already and destroyed them. "You're hopeless."

"Excuse me?"

"She's taken care of them. If she doesn't want anyone to hear what's going on then no one will. Besides why are you so interested in what's going on?"

"If you must know Miss Hooper's mother is in there."

She was here?

I turned back to the room down the hallway. "W-Why?" Was Molly leaving with her mother? After all she had wanted to meet back up with her for years. It wouldn't be too hard for her to do that now that she was here. "How'd she'd find Molly?"

"I brought her." Mycroft was smiling. I hated when he did that.

"Why the hell would you do that?" I huffed folding my arms as I inched closer to him. I could feel the wolf getting annoyed as he realized what was happening. He was growling. For once we were on the same page here.

"It seems she was searching for her too. Wanted to see her. It seemed like a win win situation given Miss Hooper's plight."

"There is no plight."

"No?" His brother said with a teasing smile. He knew something that he wasn't sharing. If I was right it was also the reason he was trying so hard to listen in on what was going on inside the study.

"What do you know?"

"You'll find out, I'm sure. She's rather open with you brother, dear." Mycroft had always been infuriating but it had seemed to accelerate since Molly's appearance.

I decided that I didn't want to hear any more of it and went to stand over by the door to wait for someone to come out. They must have been in there for much longer than I had been awake because it didn't take terribly long for the door to open and Molly to walk out looking out a piece of paper. It wasn't the same page that she carried with her always. It was new.

"Molly." I called, causing her to jump.

"OH. Sherlock, there you are." She gave me a smile as she folded the page up and stuck it in the pocket of her jeans.

I couldn't seem to wait any longer to know what she was going to do. "Are you leaving?"

She bit her lip as she looked up at me with hesitancy. "I know your mother is in there."

"Was in there…" She corrected as she begun to walk down the hallway. She noticed Mycroft there and moved away. I assumed she wanted me to follow. We ended up going outside down to the large tree that we had started to frequent sometimes. She turned to me then. "She's gone again." She didn't seem as sad as she had once been.

"Why?" I wanted to know a lot of things but starting with why she hadn't just gone with her was a good place to start.

"It's a long story which I can share with you of course. I want to share it with you." She trailed off as she pushed her hair out of her face. She was fidgeting as if she wasn't sure where to begin.

It was a good sign that she was eager to talk about it with me. "I told her about you. It was weird…she knew who you were, and your mum too I guess. Maybe that's because they had met this morning. It's kind of confusing." She fiddled with her hands.

I reached out and placed my hands on her shoulder. "Start from the beginning."

Molly (One Hour Earlier…)

Mrs. Holmes was waiting for me in the kitchen with a cup of coffee, and a bowl of fruit. The fruit was for me I assumed as she wasn't touching them at all as she sipped her warm beverage. I cautiously approached her. She gave me a smile that was supposed to be genuine but considering I was weary of her in general I had no idea how to respond to it.

I took the seat beside her, and accepted the fruit was a small nod. "After you're done I have someone waiting for you in the study."

I briefly glanced up at her before taking a strawberry into my mouth. I just watched for a second before trying to find some information. "You probably won't tell me who but should I be concerned for my safety?" I was usually worried about it around anyone who wasn't Sherlock. Especially after he told me about Moran.

"Not at all. They're here to see you actually." She said simply.

"That's not comforting." I mumbled after a few beats of silence. She said nothing in response only kept staring. I bent my head down and focused on the fruit. She had given me berries mostly. I was used to eating those, and quite liked them so I ate them as quickly as I could. "Let's get this over with." I said quietly as I wiped my hands off and stood up.

She made sure to stand in front of me the entire way up the stairs and to the door that was a few paces down from Sherlock's door. I had never been here before but somehow it felt nice to be in a room full of books. If given the choice I would be in here every day.

My eyes passed over the volumes of books that set against the two back walls. It went all the way to the ceiling. In front of the books were three-four places to sit – a sofa, two chairs and a foot stool. There was also a woman whose back was turned to the both of us for about half a minute. From where I was standing she had brown hair with streaks of grey in them. They sat at her neck in bob that kept it out of the way. She had on a light jumper from what I could see. All else was hard to discern at this point.

Mrs. Holmes coughed to get her attention and she slowly turned around. I nearly cried. There sitting in the Holmes' family study was my mother. She looked nearly the same as the last time I had seen her. From my memories she hadn't changed at all a part from a few wrinkles on her face. I must have made some variation of a sob because she had got to her feet. "Oh, Molly." She took the seven feet it would take to slip through between the sofa and the much larger chair to reach me. She took my hands immediately. She didn't say anything for a while as she stared at me with wistfulness. "I missed you." She said finally.

I couldn't stand there much longer without holding onto her for dear life, so I went with a slight variance of it. I reached out and looped my arms through her waist which felt much firmer than it used to. She had been so thin when I younger. It meant that she had been eating someplace. Maybe she was comfortable set somewhere. I wanted to ask about it, but Mrs. Holmes had other plans.

"Why don't we sit, so you can talk comfortably?"

I wanted to ask her why she had brought her here. It didn't make sense. If what she wanted was for me to possibly be with Sherlock then why create a situation where I would want to leave? It baffled me, completely.

Mum took my hand regardless and we sat on the sofa together. I hadn't realized it until she used her fingers to wipe my face that I had started crying. I did that sometimes without realizing it. Emotions were a strange thing for someone who was constantly weaving out of potential attachments. This was the one relationship I wanted to have.

"Mum…how'd you find me?" I managed to get out once I had composed myself.

"Her boy. My…something." I laughed, realizing that she meant Mycroft. It was an unusual name. "He came to where I'm living, sought me out I suppose and said that he knew where you were if I wanted to get in contact with you. I waited about a week before deciding it might help the situation."

"The situation?"

She hummed. "I couldn't explain in the note I left you. It concerns your father. He didn't just leave us, Molly. You have to understand that."

I took a deep breath. "Okay. I'll try but what does have to do with you going away?" It was the only way I could think to phrase it.

"Your father is a special man. He's royalty in itself and if he didn't leave something worse was going to happen to us…to you." She paused for a moment as if having a hard time thinking about it. "He loved you so much that he agreed to go back home in order for you to be safe. There were others who were trying to seek out the child of a pure breed and a half breed. I never explained that I'm not from his world. Not from this one either. I've managed to do fine on my own. He's watched out for me but he couldn't do the same for you, and neither could I. To give you a chance I had to leave you."

"I don't know if it was a very good chance."

"It was." She insisted. "I've heard stories about the girl who came back from death several times. You've risked your life to find me and I feel I owe you something better than one lousy note that you keep reading every night before you rest."

She knew about the note. Was she told? Or was it one of those things mother's immediately caught onto. But, no that wasn't it at all. She reached out and plucked the frayed piece of paper out of my pocket where it was sticking out. "I have a new one for you. It contains a map to your father."

"What?" I had never met the man, why would I want to meet him now?

"He's important to your story. To the old tale really." She had been the first one to tell me about the prophecy. For her to be one of the people like Sherlock's mother who believed that it was real made me do a double take.

"How does he fit into it?" I had nothing against my father. Yes, he had left us but the knowledge that he hadn't a real choice in the matter did help settle some abandonment thoughts I've had for a very long time. Besides, she had done the same trick on me years later and I had still wanted to find her.

"Read it." She passed me a folded piece of paper. The parchment was similar to the one I had previously had. On the inside was a map from where we were to the grounds of the castle. Below it were the beginning of the prophecy.

It is said that there will come a day when a woman will come seeking the truth from the golden one.

The rest of the prophecy was also written in my mother's handwriting but she only wanted me to read the first part. "So you think he's the golden one?" She gave me a nod. "And I'm the woman? It doesn't say anything about who she's supposed to be."

She shook her head and reached over and ran her fingers down the side of my face. It was an affection gesture that I almost greedily leaned into. I missed this. The mum that had been there for me from the beginning only to disappear without a proper goodbye. "My darling daughter sometimes you have to take a leap of faith and hope that you're right about something."

I sniffed, trying to grasp at what she was saying. I would have to take the journey to the grand castle. It was so far away but I had already gone miles away from the place that was once my home. What was another trip?

"If I go won't you join me?" I hoped she would say yes, even though the wolf inside me was stirring in pain as if it had already known the answer.

"I can't. I want to, Molly but I can't."

Then I wept openly. She was going to leave me again with this stupid map to my father. "If he loves you he would want you there too." I pleaded into her shoulder as she drove in to pull me into her arms.

"He does. Oh honey, he really does. But, before I can step foot in that castle he needs to see you. See the beautiful woman you've become. He needs to explain everything because not even I, your own mother have all the answers to why this world is so cruel to us." She paused briefly. I felt her shudder as if she was trying not to weep herself. The feeling of her hands brushing down my hair kept me steady. "You're the key. You're going to have a hell of a time getting to him but it'll be worth it in the end."

"Can you promise me something?" I breathed in her scent. She smelled like sugar and mud. It was an odd mix but I also found comfort in it. This was the woman who gave me life. I wanted to stay like this forever. I couldn't. She couldn't. She had to pull away as much as I didn't want her to.

"You'll be there when I get there."

"Molly…" She started. It was a plea for her to stop before she got started. Her mother was sad, and hurt. There wasn't nothing she could do for her now.

"Please."

"I can't make any promises. I won't know when you get there." She told me as she bent down to kiss my forehead. She was setting up her leave.

"We can make arrangements." Mrs. Holmes interceded once again.

This is what confused me. Why was she doing this? It wasn't for me. She didn't really understand me so why would she offer her help once again.

"I'm assuming you'll want my son involved." That was directed towards me, not my mother. I bit my lip, trying hard not to give her what she wanted. She was smiling again. I look towards my mother. "The next line should help. I'll see you soon sweetheart." There was tears in her eyes as she got up and took the few step backwards to get away from me. There was a window behind the desk that gave a view of the back yard. She was going to jump out the window. She was going to leave.

"Is that a promise?" I asked.

"One I can keep." She nodded with a watery smile before she lifted the window and jumped out. The urge to run to the window to see if she made it down safely was heavy in my heart but I stayed sitting there with Mrs. Holmes close by. I felt alone again.

She was waiting for my answer but I wouldn't give it to her. I needed to talk to her son. He was the only one who could help me with this.

Sherlock - Present

Molly had passed the map to me. It had been only folded over twice, I opened it up and stared at the map. The second line was staring me right in the face but I chose to look at the map instead. It was very familiar to me. I could count on one hand the amount of times that I had ventured to the royal city. I hadn't even been in the castle but I had met the king once via Mycroft's insistence. It had been a very intimate affair. I remembered it well.

If what Molly had told me was correct her father was the Prince who had never married. Considering what her mother had told her it was only logical to accept that her mother was his reasoning for never taking vows with another woman. It was quite romantic – at least that's the word John would have used if had told him about it. Perhaps he would.

"Are you planning to leave then?" My voice was hollow and devoid of emotion. I could turn it off rather quickly when the moment suited me. This moment I needed to appear as if I was unaffected by her decision if she choose to go at it alone.

She gave me a watery smile. "I need you with me, Sherlock." She must have known what I was thinking. "Besides there's the matter of the second line."

I let out a hearty chuckle as I looked down at it. We couldn't know if it was accurate but she had made her choice. Now it was time to go through with it. "It's the first time I've seen you cry. I don't like it. Please stop."

It had caused her to laugh which was why I did it. Other than the fact that I was stating the truth. "You're going to meet your father." I told her as if that was the biggest revelation of all. Her family's history was enthralling but it had never been told. Perhaps at a later time I'd be able to introduce her to a friend who would be more than willing to tell her story. To tell her struggle. To tell the struggle of two parents who had been separated because of what was expected of them. Someday, perhaps.

For now they had planning to do. The real tale was just beginning.

It's been ages. I'm sorry about that. But, I'm back - I hope. This was a really interesting chapter to write because it's been so long. I had to actually go back and find certain details again because I had forgotten some stuff. But, I didn't forget what was coming up next. One of which was Molly's mom finally making an appearance. She'll be back guys, but as is this interaction was always going to happen. I had actually wrote down a few details down in my idea notebook about it. Plus the resulting last scene with Sherlock and the 'I need you' bit. For the record I hadn't even realized it was close the 'What do you need?' 'You.' scene in a way but it kind of plays off on that. Which is kind of neat, right?

It just fills my heart with emotions you guys. It's just so mwah! I hope it wasn't too stiff after all this time because I even said on tumblr that I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about it but after finishing it (it was a rough chapter to get through) I'm really okay with what this is turned out to be.

Btw the prophecy will slowly start to reveal itself as we get through Molly and Sherlock's journey. The second line that I mentioned will be in the next chapter but not all the lines will be revealed as easily. It's just how it goes for the moment. I know a lot of you were curious about what it said. Now we know some of it.

So here we are. I would love to hear your thoughts! Let me know how you feel about what's going on. I would love to know if people are still liking it and what not.

Thanks for anyone who is still invested in this AU because I definitely not gonna give up until it's completed.

See you next chapter.

much love,

day