Beauty and the Beast • Sherlolly fanfiction

XX

I had fun with this chapter. I think there's going to be two more chapters before it's finished. Also I've just published the preview to my new story, Beauty of Machinery so go ahead and check it out if you want. It's sherlolly, of course (;

The lantern was starting to run out of oil, but John assured Molly they were nearly out. Not that he needed to. She already felt safe enough now that Sherlock was beside her. Just having him hold her hand firmly, it assured her that they weren't going to be separated again. Is that what she really wanted after all? All this work, trying to liberate herself from marriage and not be tied down to the life of a housewife. Her determination not marry was very much a part of why she was in this mess in the first place. Of course it didn't help that Jim turned out to be a psychopath.

"Watch your step," Sherlock's deep voice cautioned when they reached a staircase. It was tall and steep, but it seemed to be an ice house, so naturally up would be the way out.

He put an arm over her shoulder and guided her along beside him. She looked up at him, watching his features in the dimming glow of the lantern John held a couple yards ahead of them.

"I left you, but you came back for me, Sherlock." She forced herself to say, her feeble voice just barely above a whisper. "I left, why would you come after me?"

His eyes were so sharp, so fierce looking. Intimidating to say the least. But then, when he turned and cast his eyes upon her, their eyes locked momentarily and his intense gaze piercing into her partially frightened, unsure, stare. Then his hard features softened. He stopped climbing up the steps and gently grasped her shoulders with both hands so she was now completely facing him.

"I told you before you left that you do count. Molly, you will always count! You matter the most to me, don't you understand?" He searched her eyes for some mutual cue, something to assure him that he hadn't just imagined the feelings he detected she had for him. But he couldn't read a damn thing being as nervous as he really was. He had no idea what she was thinking right now, and so he could only hope she still felt the same. "Molly, I love you."

She looked him, her mouth slightly ajar as they both stood there in silence, the only noise being John's ascending footsteps.

Here she was, back to her haunting question. How could she ever commit to the life of a housewife? She wanted her freedom so badly. She had nearly gotten herself killed trying to get away from Sherlock, when he was a different person. No. When he was a beast. He proved time and time again to be the best man she had ever known. Sherlock Holmes was no beast.

Molly was definitely not an ordinary woman, but he was no ordinary man, as it should be.

John kept walking, trying to reach to exit to provide more light since the lantern was fading even faster.

Sherlock looked down at her, listening to her silence nervously. But after another moment, it seemed clear to him that her silence was a form of rejection. He slowly dropped his hands from her shoulders, then turned and continued walking up the stairs without another word.

When his hands left her shoulders, she snapped out of her thoughts just in time to see him turn away, just in time to see the hurt look on his face trigger a flash of pain in her heart.

The lights dimmed even further,  leavig a glow to make out the shape of their faces.

"Sherlock!" She finally said in an urgent tone as she took a step closer to him. He turned over his shoulder, only to see her quickly stepping closer. She held his face in one hand and slipped the other into his own hand, holding tightly. Yes, now she was sure. She didn't want to be separated from him again. It was going to be the two of them, that she knew. "I love you, Sherlock."

The light had gone out completely by now, leaving them in pitch black.

She couldn't see his face, but she heard him give a happy throaty chuckle as he held her hand tighter.

He grasped the tiny woman into his embrace, nuzzling his head in the crook of her neck for only a moment before speaking.

"Come on, we need to get out of here." He said, although he was unable to remove the grin that stuck on his face.

John was a flight above them. "Sherlock! The hatch we came in from, its stuck..."

They heard pounding on wood. Sherlock knew it was John trying to muscle open the hatch. He sped up his pace a little, Molly trailing beside him. They caught up with John at the top in a moment and Sherlock went straight to the hatch.

It took a few tries and adjusting position, but the two men were finally able to pound the doors open. Overwhelming sunlight filled the darkness. It hurt Molly's eyes after being in the dark for as long as she had, so she squinted her eyes, looking at her feet as John exited first.

Sherlock climbed out next. John turned around and offered him a hand, only to be stunned upon seeing Sherlock. "Sherlock, my god, look at you!"

Molly snapped her eyes open and looked up at them. Sherlock's back was towards her as he climbed out. She saw that his wings were gone. John looked confused but was smiling. Sherlock turned around. Then she saw him.

Beautiful, smooth, porcelain skin. There was no trace of scales. His eyes were no longer red. Instead they held a trancing pool of colors varying from blue, gold, and emerald. He smiled at her and outstretched his held to help her up. Not claw, but a strong, steady hand. She took it, allowing him to pull her in towards him. She watched his eyes move around, then focus on her as he grinned.

"Sherlock?"

He broke out into laughter as he picked her up and started twirling her around. She laughed along, tears forming in her eyes as she watched him fondly. He set her down gently, "Molly, look what you've done; you saved me!"

At this point she didn't care to hear his explanation. She grasped his cloak collar and pulled the man closer to her. She had to step on her tip toes, but she closed the distance and kissed him, which he returned with passion.

Meanwhile John looked at some rocks in the dirt awkwardly.