The Key
Rated M for sex (yeah baby!), graphic description of drug use and who knows what else as the plot develops.
Disclaimer: I still don’t own BBC’s Sherlock, but I’m working on it.
Author note: continued from Ch2. Molly is in the lab analyzing mysterious samples sent to her, but she is thinking (in italics) about an incident after the Fall when Sherlock is living with her and has relapsed into drug use. The next few chapters will continue to be a flashback so they will also be in italics. I hope this doesn’t bother anyone too much, and rest assured we will be back to a normal font very soon.
Once at Bart’s, Molly was her usual efficient self. She ran the tests quickly – no diseases, plenty of heroin – and arranged two weeks vacation. She hadn’t taken any time off after Sherlock’s ‘suicide’ and her supervisor assumed it was the grief finally catching up with her. She caught a glimpse of her haggard reflection in the window and could see why he hadn’t argued with her last minute request. Her eye’s had deep dark circles from weeks of sleepless nights and she looked drawn, pale and deflated.
She quickly gathered supplies to restock her medical kit: bandaids, alcohol swabs, gauze and new syringes for a second round of blood tests. However, she still needed one very important thing and it was going to be much harder to get her hands on.
She found herself loitering by the door to the dispensary, shifting her weight from one foot to the other as she cast furtive glances around her. She was sure that every passerby could smell the guilt on her and knew what she was up to. Gathering her courage she was about to open the door when a sardonic drawl stopped her.
“That won’t be necessary.”
She yelped and jumped away from the very tall man who had appeared behind her. Clutching her shoulder bag to her chest, feeling her heart hammering beneath, she took in his usual three piece suit, the umbrella hooked over one arm and thick legal sized envelope tucked under the other. The only thing out of place was the plain paper bag in his hand. Did Mycroft Holmes bring a packed a lunch to the office?
“I am continually surprised at the lengths you will go to to aid my brother, Miss Hooper.”
“Molly,” she corrected automatically, wondering if he would still be thanking her if he knew the actual state his brother was in. The brother he had entrusted to her care and who was currently sweating several weeks worth of drugs out his system.
“Yes…” he pursed his lips, giving her the impression she would never be on first name terms with the elder Holmes. “However in this case, theft of a controlled substance would likely result in your termination, if discovered. And as there are camera’s monitoring the dispensary from several angles, you would most assuredly be found out.”
Molly blinked up at him, she had forgotten about the cameras in her haste to get out of Bart’s and back to her flat as quickly as possible. Mycroft Holmes looked her over, shrewd eyes missing nothing as he continued.
“And when my brother returns from his exile, he will be extremely put out if his friendly pathologist was no longer able to assist him on his cases,” he said, emphasizing ‘friendly’ and ‘cases’ like they were dirty words.
Molly, still panicked at the thought of being caught stealing from her workplace, remained silent.
“It is regrettable. Had I known earlier, we might have avoided the necessity of this,” he said thrusting the paper bag at her.
She took it and peaked inside, sighing with relief: there was enough methadone to get Sherlock through his withdrawal. She peeked up at Mycroft, wanting to thank him but reconsidered when she saw his grim expression.
“You should have told me when he failed to return to your flat.”
“He said he was working on dismantling Moriarty’s network. I didn’t know how long he was going to…” her excuse died on her lips as he continued to stare her down in stony silence.
“You know that I can’t keep him on a leash,” she tried again, resentful now. “Honestly, even you and the British government can’t keep tabs on him.”
Mycroft continued to glare at her and Molly, though she was nervous and strung out, refused to back down. She straightened her shoulders and met his glare with one of her own. After a few moments, he relented with a sigh.
“What else do you need, Miss Hooper? The next few days will be rough for the both of you, and he’s been known to bolt while in detox.” He took a step back, cocking his head to the side, looking helpful now rather than intimidating and said, “I could send an agent or two—”
“No!” she glanced around before she continued in a much lower voice, “You know how he is: corner him and he’ll lash out. Sherlock has to want— really want— to stay clean on his own. Not because you bullied him into it.”
“Yes that’s true. It would appear you know him … well,” a flicker of surprise passing over his face. He looked her up and down and seemed to make a decision.
“You can give him this when he’s ready, he’ll need the distraction,” handing her the thick envelope.
“What is it?”
“Information I’ve withheld from my brother. More specifically it is information on Moriarty’s network.”
“Withheld?” she said, narrowing her eyes.
“Yes, I withheld it. Destroying a master criminal’s empire is an exceedingly dangerous proposition and I was hesitant to send him into such danger on his own. Give it to him when you think he’s ready.”
The thought of Sherlock unhinged, unprotected and alone hunting dangerous criminals was terrifying. But the alternative was Sherlock, in London, tormented by guilt and pumping expensive white heroin into his veins. She nodded and tucked the envelope into her bag.
“Don’t worry about him, Myc…I mean, Mr. Holmes. I’ll take care of him.”
“Yes. You will. Good luck, Miss Hooper,” and with a final nod he made his way down the corridor, his stroll more suited to the park rather than a hospital.
“I’ll need it,” she whispered to herself.
Even knowing Mycroft as little as she did, she knew a thinly veiled threat when she heard one.
Author note: Sorry for the delay in putting up this next instalment. Chapter 3 turned out to be a too long so I’ve split it into 2, this is the mini chapter and the second (longer) part will be published in a next week.
writingmartha 
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