The First of Many

Molly awoke in her bed to the sound of her door clicking open, a dark figure emerging from the darkness. Normally she would have been terrified, screamed and grabbed that baseball bat at the side of her bed, but however the said figure had a silhouette of curly hair upon his head and that distinctive belstaff coat upon his shoulders. That could only really mean one person.
Hesitantly she reached over to her lamp, turning it on to reveal a truly befuddled looking Sherlock Holmes.

"Sherlock?!"

"Yes?"

"Why- why are you in my room?"

"Case." he replied, sitting down next to her as if it were the most casual thing in social society to randomly appear in someone's house in the dark at 3 in the bloody morning.

"Case? What- Why would you need my room for a case? I- I'm in my PJs!"

"Because. And your attire hardly
matters." Her attire did matter actually, though it would be her luck to be wearing her old tank top and shorts the night the man of her dreams should walk into her bedroom. There was one fantasy ruined. Then another thought occurred to her.

"Wait! How did you get into my flat?"

"Keys Molly, how else?"

"I never gave you any keys…" And that was the truth, even after he'd stayed with her after the fall she'd never dared give him any sort of independent access to her house. After all, poor Toby couldn't take any more of his 'experiments.'

"Well you could say I borrowed them."

"That's stealing Sherlock. Trespassing even!"

"But I thought we were friends Molly." And there it was, that charming smile he'd bring out to turn her to jelly. One day she swore she'd slap him and tell him he wasn't the boss of her but it seemed that today was not this day.

"Friends? Of course we are yes, but… friends don't break into each other's houses at 3am, Sherlock."

"Oh well I assumed you-" And then came those puppy dog eyes…

"Oh fine. Don't worry, how can I help you this time then, Sherlock? Though bear in mind this is a one-off."

"Right. I understand that you are rather sentimental, yes? Due to the series of photographs of your family all over the flat, the little souvenirs here and there…."

"Well I suppose I am yes. Why?"

"I need to do some research into friendship issues."

"I'm guessing this of for a case then?"

*cough* "Yes, a case for course." he stumbled.

Did he just stutter? Wow he must need a hand this time. Never in 5 years had she ever heard him do that except for the Christmas scenario, of course though she had tried to forget that, failing miserably it seemed.

"Okay then, fire away."

"Right, well in the 'case' there were two friends, close I believe. One went away for a while only to return to find the other had got engaged to-"

"Sherlock. This isn't for a case at all is it? This is about John and Mary. You don't have to feel threatened by her you know."

"Molly don't be absurd, this isn't about John I-"

"Please Sherlock, I've known you for what, 5 years now? I know when you're upset about something, you don't like change."

"5 years, 7 months, 3 days."

"Excuse me?"

"That's how long I've known you."

"Oh right anyway- what, wait you counted?"

"Molly…" He warned, but no matter what he couldn't help but smile at the pink blush that covered her cheeks. It was adorable.

"Sorry, but I know you Sherlock and I can see that you're worried that Mary is going to 'steal' John away from you and we both know that's not true."

Then he began to pace around her room after flinging his coat and scarf onto the chair in the corner.

"Oh but she will! I can see it now, he will move out making it so much harder for me to work, she won't want him to go on dangerous cases, he'll need an income-"

"Sherlock I think you've missed out something important there?"

"No I have not!"

"You're going to miss him. That's why you're upset and It"s okay Sherlock, you're allowed to feel. After all it's only human."

"I am above feeling."

"Sherlock, please. We both know that's not true, of course you do."

"What? Of course I don't! Don't be preposterous."

"Sherlock…"

With a frustrated sigh he slumped down onto the empty side of her bed faced down.

"Fine! Fine, I do. Why would John want to marry some woman instead of going on cases with me? Before the fall he used to love it so why the change now?" He sulked, his deep voice muffled by the white pillows.

Deciding it was best to try and soothe him, she lay down on her side facing him. Then hesitantly she began to play with his hair.

"Hey, listen-'

At this he turned over his eyes swiftly snapping open.

Startled and her mouth agape she backed away slightly removing her hand from his mass of raven hair, only his hand stopped her.

"I never told you to stop. In fact… Do carry on. Please."

Well that was unexpected.

"O-okay…"

"And do refrain from stuttering Molly it is very unbecoming. And you don't need to be so careful! Just *cough* do what you were doing before."

Carding her fingers through his hair, his eyes closed shut once more.

"Alright… You know, John isn't leaving you at all really, he'll still take cases with you but just not all the time and that's okay isn't it? Because he needs a job to support himself and Mary, who by the way isn't just some woman."

"You've seen the way he looks at her haven't you? She's stood by him through
thick and thin, she's seen the worse of him too and never left. I know that you think no one will ever be good enough for him but she really is. They love each other and you are his best friend aren't you?"

"Yes, undoubtedly."

"Of course you are and he won't ever stop being that. Friends try their best to understand each other don't they? So what are you going to do then?"

"Do my best to- wait it's not that simple though!" he came out of his trancelike state, a frown adorning his once peaceful face.

"Isn't it?"

"I don't want him to leave because …" he mumbled.

"What Sherlock?"

"I- I don't want to be alone. You said before I don't like change, well I don't. I've grown accustomed to John being there. After all he is far superior than my skull."

At this she giggled, she loved it when Sherlock was so childish, in a way he was like a big child really. And a big cat to be honest by the way he would occasionally purr at her playing with his hair.

"I'm sure he is but don't think you'll be lonely! You'll still see him every day surely, and you'll… You'll always have me."

"Of course!" he exclaimed, bolting upright he grabbed her hands and stared into her more than startled eyes.

"You can come on cases with me! You're a pathologist, we're friends, you're pretty, it'll be perfect! You can be my assistant when he's busy, well done Molly!"

Molly tried to argue but was drowned out by his excitement and energy, hugging her tightly at the prospect of having a new 'pretty' assistant… Wait, he had called her pretty!

"Will you be my Pathologist Molly? You're perfect I've always thought so." his voiced seemed to have dropped, seductive even like he was emotional. Though she doubted that.

"Me perfect? You mean that?" She said, her eyes welling up.

"Of course you are."

He just called her perfect… PLAY IT COOL MOLLY.

"Alright I'll be your assistant! But only if you allow me to lay a few rules down."

"Rules?" he smirked. "I can't say I'll follow them but go on."

"1) You won't leave me in the middle of nowhere! I've seen John waiting in the middle of roads as you sprint off and there's no way that's happening to me.

2) You won't insult me. Look, I know you don't mean them but at least try not to, please? They're hurtful."

At this he looked down, and then leaned over enveloping her in his arms lovingly.

"I am sorry. You're right I don't mean them, truly I don't. It won't happen again I promise."

"Then why say them at all?" she mumbled, his cheeks now a feint pink in the small light from her lamp.

After his silence, he let her go, Molly deciding it was best to move on to her last rule to change the subject.

"And finally 3) You won't interfere with my love life or say anything of my choice of boyfriend."

"Boyfriend? But why would you date when you are my pathologist? I called you pretty did I not?" Now instead of guilty he looked confused even with an element of anger. Surely he couldn't be jealous?

"Yes, yes you did but what does that mean exactly, Sherlock?"

"I thought we had come to an arrangement. I thought it was customary in a romantic relationship to compliment the other… So I called you pretty and embraced you. Did I do something wrong?"

If Molly was blushing before she must have turned scarlet now. So Sherlock had asked her to be his girlfriend? Thank god she'd accepted!

"No you haven't done anything wrong! I just didn't know, so… We're in a romantic relationship, so you 'like like' me?!"

"Yes I 'like like' you. Now! I must be going, though I doubt I'll get any sleep with Mary over with John."

"Then stay here! It's fine I don't mind."

"We've been in a relationship for 5 minutes and you want me to sleep with you? A little unexpected I'll admit but-"

Oh Molly was past scarlet now, she hadn't even thought of the 'physical aspects' of their relationship!

"NO! Not like that, just to sleep. Clothed, but you needn't take the sofa."

Already Sherlock had begun to undress down to his boxers and lay down next to her. Sherlock Holmes was in his boxers in her bed at 4am. Forget fantasy ruined now.

"I wouldn't have suggested otherwise." He grinned. "Now before we sleep, Molly, can I kiss you?" he whispered, his pale blue eyes meeting her warm brown ones.

She didn't even need to answer; she captured his lips, them moving slowly and tenderly together, has hands moving to her cheeks.

When they broke apart, he placed his hands on her hips gently pulling her closer to him, leaning their foreheads together.

"I've wanted to do that for 3 years." he breathed. "I'm glad I saved my first kiss for you…"

"I'm glad it was me too." she chuckled, her hands in his hair one more.

Turning over, Molly asleep on his chest, he smiled. "First of many I hope."

Hello! Sorry I haven't updated A Study in holidays for so long, I feel so wretched! Alas I've been incredibly busy what with my exams not to mention a bout of writers block. So this is a huge apology to you all and maybe will help me to get back on track! I hope you all enjoyed this fluffy Sherlolly one-shot. :)

Emily x