Especially You

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Molly looked down at the golden band encircling her left ring finger. A frown made itself apparent when the image of her husband flashed before her eyes. She should have been happy to be married to him but... the conversation they had about a month prior to the wedding still clawed painfully at her.

"I don't need love, Miss Hooper." His voice was condescending as ever when he addressed her. "Especially yours." The particular look he gave her, as he dug his one last shard of hate into the female's feeble little heart, had Molly biting back tears... and other things.

"One more thing, Miss Hooper." Sherlock adjusted his coat's collar and wrapped the soft cashmere scarf snugly around his neck. "Just because our fathers orchestrated this marriage... doesn't change a thing between us." He left. Just like that. A swift turn, and his broad back descended into the shadows of the corridoor, leaving his fiance stunned and speechless.

The truth was, she had never told a soul that her obvious attraction towards Sherlock wasn't just a mere phase of hormones combusting and spazzing out. Over the years of working with the detective... she had grown... fond of him. Then that fondness became something a bit more serious, and sooner than she expected, she was muttering the word 'love' in a hushed whisper to herself.

Then suddenly... she was married to the man her heart yearned for. It was something strange to behold. Molly Hooper had thought they had moved on and passed the century where young women were arranged to be married to wealthy and eligible bachelors with not only intelligence but grace. However, she hadn't known the fact that her father—and Sherlock's father, Mr. Holmes, were plotting right behind the two adults' backs.

When the marriage anouncment had been made between the families... Sherlock more or less went into a childish rampage against the Hooper family and his own father and brother. At the time, Molly didn't quite understand the reason of such a display of immature, and violent behaviour towards everyone.

When it finally came time to the wedding itself, Molly was scared that she'd be the one left at the alter, and not the other way around. She always had this small voice in the back of her head telling her that Sherlock didn't find her in the least bit attractive or even interesting. If anything, she was a quaint little experiement that would run its course and he'd soon lose drive to test her further.

"Do you, Sherlock Holmes, take Molly Hooper to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

The question had Molly perspiring and blatantly expecting Sherlock to say, "I do not." then quietly she would watch him abruptly turn and make a brisk walk towards the church exit.

However... something froze the young detective in place as he stared past the Priest's head and very bitterly said, "I... do."

Molly had counted 10 minutes total from when the question was asked to the verbal statement.

"Molly Hooper," The aged man brought his small blue eyes onto the trembling young lady staring back in fright. "Do you, take Sherlock Holmes, to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

Unexpectedly, the ginger haired female found herself hesitating as she looked between the Priest and Sherlock. She gulped one last time, inhaled deeply, nodded her head and said confidently, "I do."

"I now pronounce you husband and wife!" The Priest exclaimed proudly as he extended his hands for the congregation to stand and clap.
"You may now kiss the bride!"

It wasn't the way both fathers looked at the newly married couple. It wasn't even in the way their family and friends clapped and cheered. Nor was it the way the music seemed to gracefully flow between the excited crowds... and just fit the event transpiring between the two.

But it was in the way... Sherlock Holmes placed his lips against Molly's and gently, even somewhat intimately... kissed her. Then without warning he gave her an unreadable look as he said, "Are you prepared for the consequences, Mrs. Holmes?"

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