Born in Black and White

Chapter 35

A few days later, Kairi woke up in unfamiliar arms. She sighed in relief when she smelled Sherlock on the silken sheets of her own bed. She adjusted minutely, her face in between the pert breasts of her best friend and pathologist. She glanced up at Molly who was starting to open her eyes and they both chuckled awkwardly, adjusting in each other's arms and providing comfort as they settled against one another to just lay in peace.

Since finding the photos from Moran, Kairi had never been alone for even a moment. Everyone had decided to take off some well-earned holiday time until a little after the New Year to aid Kairi and Sherlock in their upcoming battle. Lestrade, John or some armed personnel of Mycroft's was almost always around her during the day. Molly would end up being around often as well. She was thankful to not be alone this time, to sink into despair and drink to escape the barrage of thoughts on her mind, the fear that gripped her so completely. Sherlock would pop in and out frequently, no doubt on the case as he sought after Moran and possibly Moriarty. Kairi felt her heart slow and go cold each time he left, fearing the next time she would see him would be underneath a white sheet in Molly's morgue.

During the night, Kairi felt like she would wake up to different people encasing her in their arms, sometimes a mouth would land on hers and she'd be brought out of sleep by Sherlock's hands. Though, it wasn't entirely true. It was mostly Molly and Sherlock who would switch in and out - no mouths on Molly's part. The idea of Lestrade sharing her bed was laughable to her and probably detestable to Sherlock, so no, only Molly and Sherlock had shared her bed - both for entirely different purposes.

She would fall asleep with one of them, only to wake up the next morning with the other. Usually when Molly was around, there was one other sleeping in her front room. No one was taking Moran to be anything less than serious. Lestrade and John seemed to be taking shifts on the couch. She had offered John to share the bed with her and Molly, but he had declined, admitting that it was too much pretty in one bed and the girls wouldn't be able to control themselves with him around. She was glad to have John, his wry humor in the darkest of times always put a smile on her face. Molly was nurturing and comforting and always good for a laugh. Lestrade was strong and serious, keeping her comforted in the way an attractive, maybe adopted brother, only can.

She should feel bothered that she was in Molly's arms and not Sherlock's, but she could feel how tense Sherlock was the night before, how far away he'd been since he had professed his need for her. She understood why he was distancing himself, why he was focusing on the case. Sherlock believed no one else could possibly find Moran and Moriarty, not even his brother who almost always had a constant watch over them all. He could not trust another soul with Kairi's safety. She would be flattered if she weren't so concerned. He was aflame from both ends at this point, burning harder and brighter with each step he took. The few moments he allowed himself solace, were stolen from Kairi, kissing her on the staircase or pulling her into the darkened hallway of 221B to press his body into hers in a heated rush. If not for all of the death and terror, Kairi may have found it all quite exciting.

Coming back to the present moment, wrapped up in Molly, she was happy to feel so comfortable with another woman. Over the past few months, since her entanglement with Sherlock, Kairi had found such peace with the unassuming pathologist. Molly was what a sister should actually be like. It wasn't any fault of Heather's that Kairi found familial solace in the arms of someone she wasn't related to. Heather, probably just as much as Kairi, understood that they'd never fit together like that. Molly, John, Lestrade, Mrs. Hudson, and especially Sherlock, they were all of her family; as broken, toiled, and blackened as they were, they belonged to one another, finding peace within common turmoil. Almost as if she sensed this, Molly's arms tightened around Kairi and she exhaled a deep sigh.

Finally braving to speak, Kairi whispered into Molly's neck, "I'm so scared Molly."

"I am too," Molly started, running her fingers through Kairi's hair, their intimacy over the last few weeks had intensified, showering each other with physical and emotional affection that wasn't always doled out by their male counterparts. "But we have to trust in our friends. Sherlock will never let anything happen to you."