Sherlolly in The Sign of Three
(Sherlock meta by ladylillianrose)
Okay let’s discuss the various Sherlolly things in The Sign of Three shall we? [...]
Firstly, Archie. Yes, yes I know not technically Sherlolly, but come on. You can’t tell me he’s similar to what a child of Molly and Sherlock would be like. Stubborn, curly haired, interested in murder, totally could be their child. And he causes Sherlock to sort of look at children differently, his little “hmm” when Archie comments on the maggots in the eyes being cool. Almost as though he’s thinking, you know kids aren’t that terrible when they’re not screaming or misbehaving. AND he technically solved the murder!
Then there’s the weird photograph moment with Tom and Molly. Molly is clearly attempting to give him a proper kiss, he is her fiance and they are at a wedding. But Tom seems reluctant and more focused on the photographer taking their picture. Wedding photographers (even the murderous ones) like to take a variety of photos, so an engaged couple who are friends with the bride and groom, kissing would be a sweet photograph. It just bothers me that Tom seems to almost be pushing her away.
And then of course there’s Sherlock in the background keeping an eye on his pathologist. Thought we didn’t see you there did you?
The Speech/Telegrams. Molly seems to be the only one genuinely concerned about Sherlock having to give the speech to a roomful of people. She knows that it’s completely different from when he deduces people, deals with the press, etc. This speech requires sentiment and emotions, which while he’s gotten better about them over the years, are still not terribly easy for him to express. And certainly not to a large group of people about his best friend. Both Lestrade and Mrs. Hudson believe he’ll be fine because they’re assuming it will be just like when he’s explaining about a case. He’ll ramble on, but have no issue delivering it to a room full of people because he’s a show off. But this is far more personal, and Molly understands that. Which is of course why she’s so concerned. And of course the telegrams will be full of sentimental messages, which she knows he’ll have trouble dealing with the wording of them (full of sentiment and nicknames, etc.).
And on the subject of her phoning Mrs. Hudson, she’s calling from work, her goggles specked with blood, in the middle of something (she still has one glove on and a tool in her hand) to discuss Sherlock and his role in the wedding. And then we of course see John talking to Sherlock about his role in the wedding, and what’s Sherlock doing? Experimenting with a blowtorch and a human eyeball. Please try and tell me they aren’t beyond fucking perfect for each other.
Then there’s the looks she keeps giving him throughout his speech. She’s smiling, biting her lips and fiddling with her engagement ring, all while looking at Sherlock and sitting a decent distance from Tom. She’s sitting closer to Lestrade than she is to Tom, which is incredibly unusual to be doing at a wedding when sitting with one’s significant other (unless you’ve had an argument or something, and this position is prior to Tom being a complete and utter idiot!).
Her face when he asks Lestrade about the murder, is priceless. She’s just trying to keep from laughing out loud because she knows Sherlock is teasing him and that Lestrade has given a ridiculous answer. And then Tom opens his mouth. The look on Sherlock’s face is one of polite behavior, almost as though he’s telling himself internally, “Be nice for Molly’s sake.” The minute he says anything Molly looks like she’s about to kill him. Firstly if Lestrade couldn’t come up with a decent answer she knows Tom’s answer is just going to be worse. And then he stands up awkwardly, so of course everyone sees and hears him, and gives his “meat dagger” theory. Which again has Sherlock refraining from making any comment apart from repeating “meat dagger” in a questioning tone and no. And poor Molly looks like if he weren’t standing she’d be giving him a swift kick to the leg. Her “sit down!” is totally in the tone of, “you’ve completely embarrassed yourself and me, so shut up and sit down.” Because we all know she’s an intelligent woman, so one would hope that she would find an equally intelligent significant other, which Tom is clearly not.
Then he goes to see her about the stag night. She thinks the murder scenes theme is odd, but then when she see’s what he means with the personal touch, she genuinely says “delightful.” She speaks/understands Sherlockease, so she gets that it’s meant to be a sentimental gesture. Hell if it weren’t a stag night Molly would probably be up for a pub crawl along the same theme. His coming to her about the “practical experience” is of course rubbish. She points out that he’s a graduate chemist, and we know he’s had a history with drugs (so of course he knows how substances and body chemistry work), so there’s no reason for him to come to a Pathologist for this data. And then when he fumbles about with Molly’s teasing (which I love that she’s able to do that with him) and then realizes that she’s teasing him he gets flustered. “You look….well,” was of course not what he was going to say. In the past he’d have complimented her in order to get his way, but he won’t do that to her anymore because she counts. And then there’s him actually making an effort to remember Tom’s correct name!!!! The man can’t remember Lestrade’s first name, and though it takes him a minute he remembers Molly’s fiance’s name because it’s Molly and it’s important to her. The not a sociopath comment is of course great, and I think people are misconstruing Molly’s comment of, “and we’re having quite a lot of sex.” It perplexes Sherlock, but it’s a connecting thought to the "not a sociopath", because Jim was a GAY sociopath. So she’s merely running with that theme. It’s just my theory, to be fair, but that was my first thought, Tom’s still not a sociopath, and she’s established that he’s heterosexual.
Then there’s when Sherlock realizes the Mayfly man is there. He says he’s come up with ways to kill friends and colleagues, and while he doesn’t mention Mrs. Hudson (because she’s like a second mom to him) he also doesn’t mention Molly either. Probably because he knows from first hand experience how Molly is capable of helping him fake his suicide so hiding a body or making a murder look like an accident would be simple for her. I see it as a compliment to her abilities and how highly he esteems them.
And Tom of course has to go and open his big mouth again, assuming Sherlock’s drunk. But apart from John, Mary (whom John told), and Lestrade (who had to be told by text), Molly is the only other one who gets that something related to the murderer is happening. Which of course is why she stabs Tom with her dessert fork, not even looking at him in regret (she doesn’t take her eyes off of Sherlock).
And finally there’s the reception. Molly doesn’t take her eyes from him the entire time he’s playing his violin, she’s in a spot close to the stage specifically for the best view of course. Then after he finishes his piece he tosses his boutonniere to Jeannine with Molly standing right next to her. She pulls a face, not the face of a woman who has a wonderful fiance (who she is standing far away from).
When Sherlock leaves, looking sad, as we’ve all of course pointed out the comparisons. Molly is of course the only one who sees. And you can see her struggling with whether or not to follow him outside (and oh how I wish she had!) but I think she reminds herself that she’s engaged, and continues dancing with Tom, almost sort of settling. She’d rather run after Sherlock and throw her arms around him, but she’s a good person and doesn’t want to hurt Tom and has decided to settle for less than what she deserves (not saying she doesn’t deserve to be happy, but come on we all know she is obviously not happy with Tom).
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