Molly reflects on Sherlock's strange behavior. Spoilers for S3E1. Takes place just after parting ways with Sherlock. Companion piece to Everyone's Changed. Enjoy!

He was different somehow. She knew that two years could change a person, but this change in him was so stark, so drastic. Before his fall from the roof of St. Bart's, before the request that had humbled him, his personality had been as sharp as his cheekbones. He had a softness about him that wasn't there before. Molly wondered to herself if he even noticed.

She watched him as she took notes, scribbling in her little pad of paper while Sherlock listened to all these people; he was sharp with those doing wrong and soft with the victims. Before, he would never have held that woman's hand. He probably would have chided her for being silly or something of the sort. Instead he chose to comfort her and bully the selfish, greedy father.

Even when he had taken her out to look at that mystery skeleton, she could sense him trying to reign himself in. Holding his tongue on snide remarks, chastising himself under his breath. She was sure he thought she didn't notice, but it was impossible not to. He hadn't been the smart-arse show-off he usually was.

Even thanking her had thrown her at first. He had always managed to weasel himself in, taking what he wanted by dropping little forced compliments where she could gobble them up like a starving tramp, ready to give him anything he needed. But now, one of her last memories of him had been him asking her for help, voice breaking, clearly uncertain of what was going to happen. So it shouldn't have surprised her when he thanked her, especially given the changes she'd already noted in him.

Then he'd sealed his thanks with a kiss. Her face burned with embarrassment at the memory. The little smile, the soft look in his eyes, everything leaning toward her … no, she was sure she hadn't imagined it. Just as she hadn't imagined his tone, the look on his face when he congratulated her on her engagement. Something like disappointment. And even though he'd reminded her that she was engaged, that she had moved on, she was still a little disappointed herself when she watched him lean in and felt his kiss land on her cheek instead of her lips.

"Have you been waiting long?"

Molly looked up from her coffee to see Tom slide into the booth across from her. She was so lost in her thoughts she almost forgot she'd even called him.

"No, not at all," she told him with a little smile. He frowned at her.

"Your eyes are a bit red. Have you been crying? You sounded strange on the phone …"

Molly quickly wiped at her eyes, checking for tell-tale signs of tears.

"Oh no, not at all. Must be this weather," she said with a little chuckle. "Thank you for coming on such short notice. I really needed to see you right now." I need to get my mind off Sherlock Holmes, she added silently to herself. Unfortunately, Tom wasn't doing the trick. The similarities between him and Sherlock were just too many: the height, the curls, the wardrobe … When she looked at her fiancé, all she could see was Sherlock.

And now that the famous detective was back, she was pining for him all the more.