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Molly sighed as she flipped through the paper and saw the full page advert for the Royal Ballet’s version of Swan Lake. One of her favourite ballets, one of the ones her mum and dad had taken her to whenever they could afford to, one of the first she had ever learned moves to in her ballet classes for a performance...and yet here she was, depressed because it was going to be performed and she wouldn’t be able to see it.
She could, of course, afford it. She made a hefty sum at Barts even if it was the average for her career choice, enough to have a nice home and money for good things, but it was more going to the ballet alone that was the problem. She had just rarely felt comfortable doing that. Movies were fine, dinner out on her own had never been a problem, but something as special as the ballet? No, that should be seen with company.
She was debating whether it would be worth it to endure to beg Sherlock to slip into his mind palace during the performance since Mycroft was probably too busy to take her when Meena came up to her. “Molly, I think your locker’s been broken into.”
“What?” she asked, laying down the newspaper.
“Well, I was in there to take a shower before the governor’s board meeting and there’s some plastic sticking out of the locker where there shouldn’t be.”
Molly’s eyebrows creased and she got up, making her way to the lift that would take her to the second floor, where the employee lockers were. Why they just weren’t in the basement she didn’t know, but she found herself humming in frustration the longer it took for the lift to arrive and then to get from the floor the canteen was on to the lockers floor, and then the walk from the lift to the locker.
She had expected to see the locker jimmied open at this point.
What she hadn’t expected was a woman in a well-tailored pantsuit outside the door, looking cool and collected and giving her a nod as she got closer. “I told him to listen to his assistant and put it in your office,” she said as she opened the door for Molly. Molly just gave her a confused look and then saw Mycroft inside the locker room, trying to break into her locker.
“And just what are you doing, Mycroft?” she asked, torn between amusement and irritation.
“Attempting to retrieve a present that had been meant to be a surprise, after it was pointed out by multiple women you may not be keen to agree if you knew I had broken into your locker,” he said in a somewhat sheepish voice.
“Oh, don’t tell me you and your brother have a case for me,” she said, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms.
“Er...no. Not exactly, though there is a bit of a role to play.”
Molly shook her head and then uncrossed her arms as she joined him at her locker. She unlocked it and saw a gorgeous white dress there, staring at her. “Mycroft...”
“Sherlock has told me you are a fan of the ballet and you have a fondness for Swan Lake. My parents will be in town during the performance and wanted to see it, and he suggested you accompany us. Or rather, accompany me as my date.”
Molly looked at the dress, reaching out to touch the plastic covering it. “I think that would be lovely, as long as you promise me one thing.”
“Anything,” he said, gratefulness tinging his voice.
“Never break into anything I own or use again, alright?” she asked.
“Within reason?”
“I suppose I can make that concession,” she said, giving him a smile and watching as he relaxed. She leaned over and kissed his cheek, something that gave him a visible surprise. “Come by for dinner tonight and we can make plans for the evening of the ballet. Bring a good white; I was going to have chicken.”
“I will,” he said with a nod before a small smile spread across his face. “Have a pleasant rest of your shift, Molly.”
“Thank you.” She watched him leave and then turned back to the dress, pulling it out to look at it more. It was lovely, absolutely lovely, and she had high hopes that the evening would be absolutely lovely too.