Work Text:
“I’m glad we could go out tonight,” Molly said with a smile as she looked at Sherlock the evening the case was solved. “But you didn’t have to come here.”
“It’s all right,” Sherlock said with a slight shrug. “The case was solved quite early today and there hasn’t been another one yet. And I thought it might be best if you decided where we ate tonight.”
“There’s a good place a few blocks away, if you don’t mind Indian,” she said, taking off her lab coat.
“It’s not my favorite, but if that’s what you would prefer that’s fine,” he said, nodding slightly. “I will admit I am slightly nervous.”
“Have you ever been out on a date before?” she asked.
He shook his head. “This is my first.”
She looked at him, slightly wide eyed. “Then you should decide. I mean, I’ve been out on dates before. Maybe not a lot, but enough.” She hung her lab coat on the rack. “I don’t want to seem pushy.”
“You aren’t being pushy,” he said with a slight grin. “To be honest, I would prefer if you decided, only because I’m afraid I may do or say the wrong thing.”
“You’ll be fine,” she said, giving him a warm smile. “Just think of it as though we’re getting lunch together. We’ll talk and eat, and then we’ll go our separate ways.”
“But afterwards, won’t you want something more?” he asked.
She chuckled. “I’ll let you set the pace for that. I can afford to end the date without a goodnight kiss, if it makes you uncomfortable.” She grabbed her coat and put it on. “How do you feel about Italian?”
“I like that,” he said with a nod.
“There’s a really nice place that I go to sometimes, near Northumberland Street.”
“I actually know the owner,” Sherlock said with a smile. “The last time I went there was with John. He thought the two of us were on a date.”
Molly chuckled again. “Oh, that must have rubbed John the wrong way.”
“I was paying more attention to the place we were staking out than the food, though John took advantage of his hospitality,” Sherlock said with a slight grin. “I think he might be surprised if I bring an actual date there.”
“Then we should go there. But promise you won’t be looking for a potential new case while we’re there,” she said as she went to the door of her office, Sherlock following. “I want your undivided attention tonight.”
“I promise you shall have it,” he said with a nod. “You don’t have anyone relieving you?”
“Dr. Lewis called in sick, again. He’s starting to make it a habit,” she said with a frown as they exited the morgue. “If he doesn’t want to work here he should go quit.”
“He’s having an affair,” Sherlock said with a shrug. “He tells his wife he’s coming to work when he goes off to spend time with his lover.”
“How do you know that?” Molly asked, shocked.
“Do you really want to know?”
She thought for a moment, and then shook her head. “No, I suppose not. It will really be a blow for Melinda when she finds out, though. She truly loves him.”
“I apologize for putting you in that position,” he said quietly. “You know, and he does not know you know.”
“It’s all right. I’m not overly fond of him. His wife treats me well though, and I suppose knowing this might make future conversations awkward.”
“You can always pretend you know nothing. You did quite well pretending you didn’t know I was alive when I was pretending to be dead,” he said. “No one was the wiser.”
“I’m still surprised I pulled it off,” she said as they got to the elevator. “I wanted to tell John and Greg very much. I’m glad it was only for such a short time that you were gone.”
“Most of Moriarty’s empire had fallen apart with the news of his death,” he said as Molly pushed the button to call the elevator to them. “He had obviously not thought very far ahead when he began plotting his game. Or he at least thought the empire would be in better hands. Either way, the man who was left in charge escaped, but not before I decimated the organization.”
“Do you know who he is?” Molly asked.
Sherlock nodded. “Sebastian Moran. Mycroft is using all his contacts to try and find him.”
“Are you worried he might come after you?”
“If he does, I can handle that,” Sherlock said. He looked at her. “I will not let any harm come to you or my friends and family. I promise you that.”
“But how can you promise that?” she asked quietly. “If he was left in charge he must be ruthless and cunning.”
Sherlock looked as though he was debating something, and then he reached over and lifted her head up slightly by putting his knuckles under her chin. He then moved his hand slightly and ran his thumb across her cheek, and watched as she shut her eyes and tilted her head ever so slightly. “I will keep you safe,” he said quietly. “You can trust me on that.”
“I trust you,” she said, reaching up and putting her hand over his. “I know you will try your best.”
“I will do more than my best,” he said. She opened her eyes and looked into his. He looked at her intently, and then she took a step forward. He licked his lips slightly and moved his hand a bit. “Are you going to kiss me?” he asked quietly.
“I was thinking about it,” she said, moving her hand away from his and placing both her hands on his chest.
“I thought that came at the end of the date,” he said with a frown.
“It usually does,” she said with a slight smile. “But there can always be exceptions.”
“If you’re sure,’ he said with a slight nod.
“I am.” She smiled at him and stepped in closer, and just as they were about to kiss the elevator door opened and someone cleared their throat. Sherlock and Molly pulled apart quickly, the moment ruined. “Oh, Dr. McCallen," Molly said towards the woman staring at them slack-jawed. “May I help you with something?”
“I just needed to get a report from you,” she said, still wide-eyed. “I’m sorry I bothered you.”
“It’s all right,” Molly said with a sigh. “Let’s go back to the office and I can get you the report. It will only take a moment, Sherlock.”
“Take your time,” he said with a nod.
“Come with me,” Molly said to the woman, who turned back to Sherlock for a moment before hurrying along after Molly, who had already begun to walk back to the morgue. Sherlock waited by the elevator, and within five minutes Dr. McCallen and Molly returned, Dr. McCallen clutching some papers.
“Once again, I am sorry to bother you,” Dr. McCallen said. “I’m really, really sorry.”
“It’s fine,” Molly said. She reached over for Sherlock’s hand as she got over to him, and he grasped it firmly. “But now I would very much like to go on my date.”
“Of course,” Dr. McCallen said, nodding more emphatically than she needed to. “First floor, right?”
“Yes, please,” Molly said as the three of them went into the elevator. Molly was still holding Sherlock’s hand as the elevator made its way up from the basement. The doors opened and the two of them walked out as Dr. McCallen leaned over to press another button. “I can tell everyone in the hospital is going to know about this before I return to work in two days,” Molly said, grumbling slightly.
“Are you ashamed to be seen with me in this way?” Sherlock asked, stopping in his tracks.
“What? No, Sherlock, of course not. I am very pleased we’re going out. If the relationship gets serious I’ll shout it from the rooftops that I’m dating you. It’s just that she’s a gossip, and by the time I get back people will probably say we were shagging in the office or something.” Molly shrugged. “I like my personal life to be private, that’s all, and not filled with gross misconceptions.” She lifted their joined hands up. “I’m not ashamed of you, and this, whatever it is. I promise.”
“All right,” he said.
“Can we go to dinner now?” she asked, smiling at him. He answered with a nod, and she squeezed his hand as she lowered it, and then they made their way out to the entrance. Suddenly the sound of metal colliding with metal was heard, and Molly dropped his hand and ran towards it. “Sherlock, go back in and see if you can get a doctor. There’s been an accident, and I don’t know how bad the injuries are.”
“Any doctor?” he asked.
“Anyone who is nearby. We don’t have emergency services, but at least we can stabilize people if they’re injured.” Sherlock turned to go back in, and Molly ran to the accident. She looked in on one car and saw the unmoving driver. She reached in through the shattered window and felt for a pulse. Sadly, she did not feel one. “Damn,” she muttered to herself.
“Get me out of here,” the driver of the other car said from his seat.
“Of course,” Molly said, going over to his car. She tugged on the car door, and after a few tries wrenched it open. The driver got out, a bit unsteady on his feet. “Are you injured?”
“A bit,” he said.
She looked over and saw Sherlock coming with two doctors. “I have help on the way.”
“I don’t need help,” he said, grabbing her arm. “I do need insurance, though.”
“What do you—“ she began, but he used a hand to pull something out of his pocket, and then she felt the sharp edge of a knife press against her throat. “What are you doing?” she asked.
“Taking a hostage,” he said as she began to hear sirens. Sherlock had gotten close, and she could see he was looking at the scene with something close to fury on his face. “The coppers will have to let me go if I threaten to kill you.”
“I think you vastly misunderstand my date,” she murmured.
“They won’t risk an innocent—“ His reply was cut off by the sound of a gunshot, and he quickly dropped the knife and grabbed his shoulder. “Bloody hell! Someone shot me!”
“The next bullet will go through your forehead if you do not step away from her,” Sherlock said darkly, leveling his gun on the man. The man looked at her, then Sherlock, then quickly shoved Molly to the ground and took off running. Sherlock debated for a moment going after him, but he saw patrol cars cutting off the man’s avenue of escape and so he went to Molly. She was on the ground, still shocked. “Are you all right, Molly?”
“Yes, fine, though I hurt my wrist breaking my fall,” she said. Sherlock offered her a hand and she pulled herself up. “Nothing some pain medication and some ice won’t fix, though.” Sherlock framed her face in his hands, and she looked at him. “Sherlock, I’m fine. He didn’t hurt me too badly.”
“I was worried,” he said quietly.
She wrapped her arms around his waist and moved her face out of his hands. After a moment he put his arms around her and held her close. “You saved my life, Sherlock,” she said, her voice slightly muffled because she had buried her face in his chest.
“I promised I would keep you safe,” he said quietly.
“Thank you,” she said, lifting her head up.
“You are most welcome.” He looked away from her after a moment, watching as the police put handcuffs on the man who had nearly hurt Molly. “I get the feeling dinner will be delayed,” he murmured.
“It’s all right,” she said. “As long as we get food eventually.” She let go of him and then reached up, moving her hands so she could move his head to face her again. “I’m going to kiss you now, and if anyone tries to stop me I will hurt them,” she said with a smile.
“All right,” he said with a slight grin of his own.
She raised herself up slightly and pressed her lips against his. It was a soft kiss, not much more than a brushing of her lips against his, but after a moment he pulled her closer and she deepened the kiss. They were still in that position when the police came over to them, and only broke apart when the policeman in charge cleared his throat. Molly looked at Sherlock, wide smile on her face, and got a wide one in return from him. If nothing else, this would definitely be a first date to remember, she decided as Sherlock began to talk to the police. And that was definitely one stellar first kiss. She just hoped the rest of their dates were not quite as excitement filled.