The Awakening (A Sherlock/Moriarty Vampire Fic - Canon AU)

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

Molly's blanket is a comforting warm weight as she wakes, her pillow is also warm - and cushy. She breaths in through her nose and happily hums. Sleeping pills did wonders. After using the restroom she looked at her reflection and smiled. Even her complexion looked good. Stretching her arms over her head she went to the kitchen to make breakfast: A fresh fruit and non-dairy yogurt smoothie with almonds.

After putting it in a special bought glass bottle with a lid, she left it in the refrigerator and got ready for work. She had a half day and looked forward to the time off. As she took a shower she decided to use it shopping. What did she need? Body-wash, tooth paste, more make-up-

"Yes," she said on an exhale, and then she blinked. Staring at the rag she wondered where the enthusiasm for make-up had come from? It'd been a long time, last Christmas... maybe. She'd like to say, "But I don't have time," but it'd be a lie. There were ways: Setting her alarm to get up earlier, get used to doing it, so she could be fast again.

She could even do it when she got to work, because she spent a lot of time in the lab between Post-Mortems.

"No," she said. "No more excuses." She rinsed and dried off, got dressed in a purple button-up that tastefully defined her body, light tan slacks, and white flat heels. After blow drying her hair and putting on the little make-up she did have: Mascara, black eye-liner... She went with her unused liquid one, which took her two tries to get it right, and translucent coral lip-gloss. She'd even blown dry her hair and used bobby-pins to allow the thick length to hang.

She'd opened the front door before she considered jewelry: A thin gold necklace with a flat heart, square pink jewel earrings, and a bracelet made of various size, pink marble pieces.

Smoothie in hand, feeling confident, she went to her car. She put the smoothie in the cup-holder and drove to work.

At seven in the morning the hospital lacked people in the halls. The long sleeves kept her warm, but she couldn't wait to put on her lab coat. She took the elevator down. The light flooded the room, glinting off the silver body freezers. Wearing the pristine white lab-coat, which marked the success of her career, she put on gloves. She used a spray bottle to sanitize the slabs, then used a different sanitizer to soak the autopsy tools in a tall plastic tube.

Sherlock arrived at eight on the dot, looking as determined as ever. She'd been doing more thinking and had come to a conclusion. Hesitantly she said his name.

Holding the upstairs lab key he said, "Hm?"

"I have a half day today and you need to be out of the lab at two o'clock. I have plans."
He said, "You don't get off until four."

Her cheeks heated and she started to sweat. Why did he pay attention to every thing? "I want to focus the last couple of hours and... also... just give me the key back before you leave. If..." She looked down and pressed her lips together.

And then she said,"When you take the key home it's impossible for me to get in the upstairs lab, and then I can't do my work... and I could even get in trouble." She looked at him and his lack of reaction made her feel less self-conscious. "Well?"

He inhaled and on the exhale: "Right. Until then." He spun on his heels and left, leaving the heavy double doors to close.

She blinked rapidly. Her cheeks were still heated, but she didn't feel self-conscious. Accomplishment made her shiver. This day had begun on a great note and it'd become perfect. She'd stood up to Sherlock, and he'd... not said any thing rude... and now she could relax.