Work Text:
‘This is wrong,’ Sherlock hissed. The sun bore down on the crowd as the judgment of the drum beat sounded.
‘We have no other alternative, Lord Holmes,’ Captain Lestrade replied, lifting his chin as they watched the proceedings.
‘There is always an alternative.’
‘Irene Adler, for your crimes against the crown, you have been sentenced to death by hanging…’
The voice drolled on as Irene rolled her eyes. ‘It’s Captain… Captain Irene Adler.’ She stood on the platform, her hands tied behind her back and three guards at the ready behind her, swords drawn, should the elusive pirate attempt to escape.
A movement in the crowd drew Sherlock’s attention. A familiar head of loose brown tresses wove among the people, coming closer to where he stood with his brother and Lestrade.
‘Lord Holmes, Captain Lestrade,’ Molly Hooper greeted as she came into view, her gaze moving from man to man, finally landing on Sherlock. ‘Sherlock.’
‘Miss Hooper, this is hardly the place for a lady,’ Lestrade chastised her.
Molly smirked, adjusting the ties of her cloak. Sherlock caught a flash of sunlight glinting off something hanging from her waist as she did so. He smirked. ‘I’m hardly a lady, Captain. An orphan apprenticing in the art of dissection and craftsmanship? A hanging is nearly the tamest cause of death I’ve come across.’
‘Nevertheless, my dear,’ Mycroft frowned. ‘It is entirely unsuitable for you to be here. One would have thought your tangling with the likes of Irene Adler once would be sufficient.’
The once timid wisp of a girl quirked her eyebrow at the powerful man and lifted her chin. ‘I have come with purpose.’
‘And that would be?’
Straightening her shoulders, Molly turned her piercing gaze to Sherlock. The drum beats tempo increased behind them and the noose was placed around Irene’s neck. ‘To tell you that I have always loved you. It was no secret, and you surely have been aware of the fact. But it needs to be said.’
The men gaped at her, this orphan girl who had become a woman through a harrowing pirate ordeal and who willingly and publicly laid her heart bare.
She smiled brightly at all three. ‘Also, I came to apologize.’
‘Whatever for?’ Mycroft would regret asking this for years to come.
She reached up and pulled the ties loose on her cloak. ‘For this.’ She whirled about, her cloak falling away to reveal a white blouse bound to her waist by a black corset, tight trousers adorning her legs, and a sword sheath attached to a leather belt. Her sword already in one hand, a dagger in the other, as she pushed through the crowd away from the stunned men.
‘Move!’ She bellowed as the drum beats gave way to an anticipatory roll. The crowd parted at her shout and with a spectacular throw, she whipped the dagger at the rope just as the bottom of the platform collapsed beneath Irene. The dagger sliced through the rope and the pirate fell to the ground, rolling to her feet and immediately rushing to Molly’s side. Molly cut Irene’s bindings and they hurried through the stunned crowd as the Captain’s guards rushed in from all sides.
Captain Lestrade was on their heels as they rushed to the only possible escape, the overlook. The women skidded to halt just before they tumbled over the edge.
‘Did you think this through at all?!’ Irene laughed as they gripped each other’s arms.
Molly shook her head, pushing the pirate behind her as a dozen soldiers appeared, their swords drawn on the fugitives.
‘Molly Hooper!’ Mycroft shouldered his way through the men and leveled her with a glare that would turn a lesser man into ashes. ‘How dare you!’
‘How dare I? How dare you condemn someone to death for crimes you have no proof of!’
‘She is a pirate!’
‘As am I!’
Stunned silence fell over the crowd at Molly’s bellow.
Sherlock appeared behind his brother and it was all Molly could do not to look at him for help. For all she knew, her admission of love only sealed his contempt for emotions and he would readily hand her over to the mercies of the court.
‘She may not be the most moral woman, but she has done no crimes that would harm anyone. Yet, you would let your fear of pirates dictate whether or not she lives. Who are you to wield the power of life and death?’
‘She is a criminal who must be hanged for her crimes. And who in their right mind will stop me? You?’ Mycroft scoffed.
Molly lifted her chin and was about to answer when Sherlock shoved his way past his brother to stand by her side. ‘I will.’
He slipped her arm through his and tugged her to his side and slightly behind him. Molly felt as though her heart would burst. But that might also have been caused by the rush of running for her life after freeing a condemned pirate.
‘Sherlock!’ Lestrade hissed.
Mycroft gaped. ‘You would choose this… this pirate over doing what is right?’
Sherlock looked down at her and the side of his mouth twitched in a faint smile, which vanished when he raised his gaze to his brother once more. ‘By choosing her, I am doing what is right.’
‘Well, this has been such great fun,’ Irene interrupted behind them. ‘But I really must be going.’ She sauntered around Molly and Sherlock to plant a kiss on Mycroft’s cheek. Pursing her lips, she batted her eyes at him. ‘Now, don’t be a stranger. What fun is it being a pirate when no one is chasing you?’
Mycroft’s nose wrinkled in distaste as Irene turned away from him. She stood up on her tiptoes and placed a firm kiss on Sherlock’s unyielding lips. ‘Sorry, love, but it never would have worked out between us.’
Sherlock’s brow furrowed and he flicked his eyes to Molly, who was desperately holding back her laughter.
‘Molly, dear,’ Irene purred and grasped Molly’s hands tightly. ‘I cannot ever thank you enough.’ She walked to the edge of the overlook and turned her head to look back at them once more. With a wink, she said ‘I owe you one.’
With that, she spread her arms and fell gracefully over the side. Molly gasped and rushed to the edge, only to see Irene breaking the surface of the water and start swimming toward the waiting ship nearby, a black flag waving in the wind.
She shook her head fondly at the pirate. Sherlock came up to her side and laced his fingers with hers. She looked up at him, the wind blowing her hair across her face and he reached out to brush it behind her ear.
‘Is this really your choice, Sherlock?’ Mycroft asked, barely noticing as Lestrade hustled his men down to the docks in pursuit of Irene. There was no heat in the older Holmes’ voice, just resignation. ‘She is, after all, not of noble birth.’
Sherlock’s answer was to wrap his arms around his pirate, pressing his lips to hers in a kiss that was far from proper. She moaned into his mouth and pulled herself closer to him, his hands tangling in her hair and her hands knocking the hated hat from his head.
Mycroft rolled his eyes and walked away.
When Molly finally pulled back, breathless and flushed, Sherlock refused to release his hold on her, rather alluring, figure. She giggled up at him, her brave, sword-wielding front lowered to let him see the pirate he loved beneath. He silenced her laughter with another kiss.