Who's ready for some more Sherlolly feels? I certainly am! Grab your tissue boxes; this one's a tear-jerker. *Note* This is a blog exclusive. You are the first to see this. That means you are special!
"Lestrade says that she left some things for you. A microscope, some science journals, a few nick nacks."
"I'll pick them up later."
John nodded. "Right. I'll...I'll meet you back at her flat, then."
"Thank you."
Once John had left, Sherlock took a deep shuddering breath. "I'm not quite sure how to do this," he began. "I've seen John do it before, but that was...different."
He placed a trembling hand on the pure white headstone. She didn't belong under piles of dirt. She was meant to have the sun lighten her face, warming her whole body.
"It wasn't supposed to end like this," Sherlock whispered. "I didn't want to tell you this way. But now I suppose it's all I can do.
"I never hated you, or thought you unimportant. I've always found you beautiful, intelligent, and good. Too good for me, which is why I always seemed so brash. I didn't know how to talk to you, or how to tell you how amazing you were.
"I've been wanting to do this for so long. I- I guess now is as good a time as any." Sherlock knelt on the wet grass, and pulled a ring box from his pocket. "Molly Hooper, will you marry me?"
The tears that had begun to pool in his eyes while he'd been speaking now spilled down his cheeks in great drops. He covered his face with one hand, and clutched the ring box even harder with the other. The cool facade he'd preserved for everyone else's sake melted away, replaced by a broken mess.
For what felt like hours he sobbed, but he knew it was only minutes. He'd failed. He'd failed himself and he'd failed Molly. And he could do nothing to fix it.
No two year wait would bring her back to him; Sherlock knew that. She was gone, and he was left behind.
When he regained control over his emotions, Sherlock stood and placed the ring box on the headstone. "Goodbye, Molly," he whispered, then began the long walk to a cab.
His back turned, he didn't see the quivering pine branches move back in place.
Nor did he see the ring box disappear into the pocket of a white lab coat.
