I do not own the Sherlock Characters, I just lovingly borrow them!

Chapter 1

The Christmas Party

My heart was broken. How could he say such awful things to me? What had I done to deserve his bitter, hurtful words? Heartbroken and stupid, this is what I felt. I stood there with everyone's eyes on me and a silence that was suffocating.

"You always say such awful things, always." It was all I could say as I watched him check the name tag on the gift. I saw the minute he realized whose heart I was after. I closed my eyes bloody well determined not to cry. Not one damn tear would I shed for him.

"I'm sorry," he had said in a low voice. I almost thought I was hallucinating. Sherlock doesn't apologize ever, to anyone.

I watched him close the distance and lean down to kiss my cheek. "Merry Christmas, Molly Hooper."

My heart stopped. I looked at him, but he wouldn't look me in the eyes. I turned, put my drink down with a thud, grabbed my coat and flew down the stairs. Once out in the street I gasped for air. The cold, Christmas Eve air rushed into my lungs. I would never be able to live down this humiliation. All of our colleagues and friends had bared witness to my humiliation. Just then the door to 221 opened and slammed shut.

"Molly!" I turned to see Greg shrugging on his coat and coming towards me. I could see the tender look in his eyes. He was a well-seasoned DI, but I knew he had a heart of gold under that rough exterior.

"Molly, I won't ask if you're ok. I know you're not, but let me make sure you get home ok?" I stood there and looked at him while taking in some much needed deep breaths.

"Why did he do it? What…what have I ever done to deserve that? All I've ever done is be there and lo…love him." I said the last words almost as a hushed whisper.

"Molly, why do you love him? He doesn't deserve someone like you!" He put his hands on my shoulders and looked me dead in the eyes.

"I, I don't know. You can't tell your heart who to love. I can't imagine ever loving anyone else other than Sherlock."

"So, he is the one for you? Are you sure he is what you truly want?"

"Yes," I whispered again.

"Ok, Molly. Listen to me very carefully. In about 10 seconds I'm going to kiss you." I looked up with an alarmed and confused expression.

"Yes, you heard me. I'm going to kiss you and whatever you do, don't look up at the windows for 221b. I can feel that bastard staring me down as we speak."

With that he pulled me close, warm hands circling around my waist. I watched as his lips descended on mine. At first I stood there not responding. I broke this kiss and moved back only a few inches. I looked into his eyes and thought, "What the hell, it's Christmas!"

With that I put my arms around his neck and stood on my tip toes. My eyes closed as he devoured my lips again. This time I yielded everything I had in me. Our tongues played that age old dance and I felt his hands tighten around me moving down my back and cupping my ass. A slight moan escaped from me and I heard him growl. Bloody hell, this man could kiss! Just when I thought my knees would give out, he pulled away. For several seconds we just stood there, breathing hard and looking into each other's eyes.

"Damn, Molly are you sure he's the one you want?"

I shook my head yes. Even though Greg was a master kisser he wasn't Sherlock. "Come on," he said as he waived down a cab.

"Do you trust me Molls?" He held out his hand to me. I nodded my head yes. He smiled and opened the cab door for me. I hoped in and he slid in next to me, gave the cabbie my address and off we went.

"Greg, you had your car parked back there on the street." I said with a confused look on my face.

"I know, and it will stay there until morning. I'm crashing on your couch tonight."

"You, you are?" I asked even more confused.

"Yep, and that tosser will be checking every hour to see if I have come back for it. And when I don't come back until the early morning hours to get it, well let's just say he won't be happy." He said with a smile on his face.

"Umm, Greg, he would have to care for this to bother him."

"Oh Molls, I may not be a great consulting detective like Sherlock, but I'm a pretty smart guy. I've seen the way he has looked at you when you are busy looking down a microscope. I clearly heard him apologize tonight, which in the 9 years I've known him he has never done. And add to the fact that he was watching us through the sitting room window I have no doubt he will be livid by morning."

"Ok, if you say so." I sat back a little further in the cabs seat.

"Molly, I'm going to let you in on a little secret about men. We may have a toy we don't really care for, but when another boy comes along and wants to play with it; well we get very interested in it again. Mark my words, you will hear from him before we even make it to your flat."

He leaned back, grinning and chuckled low. He always loved when he could get one up on Sherlock. I smiled and was about to dispute him when my text alert went off.

"Whatever you do, don't open it. Let him see you haven't taken the time to open it. Let him think you are too occupied with me to answer it. Stick with me Molls and I will have him eating out of your hand in a few weeks."