When Sherlock says he doesn't know 

why Molly can't say ILY to him

 (Sherlock meta by writingwife-83)

Q: Molly says that she can't say "I love you" to Sherlock, and that he knew why, but Sherlock denies it and says he doesn't know why. Do you think he lied or genuinely did not know why she wouldn't say it to him?

A: I don’t think he was lying at that moment. I think he honestly didn’t understand why she couldn’t just say it. Because in his mind it was already established that she loved him. It wasn’t a secret. So he simply wanted her to say the words. And actually, it’s obvious that his initial attempt was to get her to say them WITHOUT the meaning behind them. Basically just a “repeat after me” idea. But that’s where he was at first still thinking too much with his head.

I said this before in another post, (and also in my post TFP fic) but the problem with that is that those aren’t just meaningless words. If you say them to someone and mean it, they’re very emotionally powerful. It’s a powerful experience to hear it said to you but also to speak it, especially the first time! My belief is that he didn’t fully grasp that till she made him say it first. Which, to me, proves their truth from his lips. If he spoke those 3 words without the hard hitting truth behind them, I really don’t think he would have felt the need to shred a coffin with his bare hands immediately afterward.

So basically, once again, Molly Hooper schooled him.

How did Molly have Sherlock's coat?

 (Sherlock metaby writingwife-83)

Q: So, I have one question. in The Lying Detective, Sherlock told Molly that he hoped that she didn't forget his coat. How did she even have his coat in the first place? Does he leave his clothes at her flat because her bedroom is one of his bolt holes? I. NEED. TO. KNOW.

A: Mm, I like this ask! I think there’s a couple easy explanations for this, and frankly, I like both of them.

First, yes I think it’s super likely that Sherlock keeps clothes at Molly’s since it’s one of his bolt holes. He probably keeps a couple changes of clothes, maybe a couple of coats, maybe even some disguise pieces depending on the circumstances. And we know he’s “got lots of coats,” so he could certainly choose to stash them wherever needed so that he can always have one in a pinch. I will always like the idea of Sherlock keeping important things at Molly’s, so that’s a nice explanation.

Here’s another though! I also would like to think that Molly has a key to Sherlock’s flat. Granted, it could absolutely have been one of those things that he did selfishly back in the day, because we all know how he likes to demand that his friends run errands for him. But still, I like the idea that she would have access to his flat, seeing as he clearly has access to hers. What are the chances she doesn’t have a key? There’s likely only a handful of people that Sherlock would trust to have access to his flat and go in to get something for him, and what do we know about Molly? He has always trusted her! 

And in reviewing both options (and realizing how much I like them both) I’d have to conclude that both are true. I’d say that Molly has a key to Sherlock’s and he also stashes clothes at her place. Case closed!

John is seeing but not observing 

 (Sherlock meta by writingwife-83)

Q: I was watching John's Irene speech in TLD and I know many of us know that a huge part of it applies to Molly. When John said, "Trust you [Sherlock] to fall for a sociopath [Irene]," I remembered this bit Moffat said at the Comic Con back in 2013, "I don't think they're [Sherlock & Molly] gonna end up dating. Two sociopaths in one relationship would not be a good idea." Well, what do you know? Sherlock has long fell for a sociopath. She just happened to be wearing a lab coat instead of nothing!

Yeah, there’s another one of those “Moffat, why??” moments lol. There’s no logic to it at all. Fist of all, Molly is the least like a sociopath on the show. And second, the writers have stated that Sherlock clearly isn’t a sociopath and that’s simply what he calls himself. It literally sounds like one of those things he says just to get a reaction from people. I know you were just making a cute/funny wording observation but I couldn’t help picking on Moffat’s statement a bit. ;)

And now you’re gonna get me on another tangent…although I do believe that the meaning of John’s words apply well to Molly, sadly I don’t think that would have occurred to him. I think here we have an instance of John seeing but not observing (at least, up to The Final Problem, where perhaps he got some facts straightened out).

I feel like John is just making the overly obvious assumption. I mean, the fist time he sees Irene, she’s literally naked and on top of Sherlock. And then he watches her flirt with him, exchange lusty glances, and set her mobile alert on his phone to an *ahem* enthusiastic sound clip. What guy isn’t going to assume his bestie is interested in that when he finds out she still sends him texts like 3-4 yrs later?

But when it comes to Molly, even in s4e2, John refers to Molly as “the last person you’d think of” when bringing her up to Sherlock. Say what now, John?? And here is where I’ll put some perspective on this and stop just talking about John like he’s an idiot. (tho, ok he has been a little) Most of what happened between Sherlock and Irene happened in front of John and/or he knew all about it. We can say absolutely that the very opposite is true with Sherlock and Molly. The most emotionally charged scenes for sherlolly have taken place alone. No one else was present, and that includes John. (again, up to The Final Problem) Even stuff that’s not on screen, much of it was obviously not observed by John. Sherlock staying at Molly’s flat, working at the lab with her without John at times, calling her for help with random things…all of that. Most of what John has observed of them has been less than warm and fuzzy, except for the apology and cheek kiss at the [Christmas] party.

I think I’ve said it before, but I will repeat that if John knew half of the stuff that has gone down between Sherlock and Molly, he would have been giving that “get yourself a piece of that” speech to Sherlock a long time ago. And it would have been about Molly Hooper.

In case you wanted another feels angle for the ILY scene… 

 (Sherlock meta by writingwife-83)

I just realized that there’s something else in Sherlocks expression when he utters the second and heart melting ILY. There isn’t just realization…there’s peace. Which sounds crazy, considering the circumstances. Think about that.

The rest of that phone call, before and after his declaration, he is bordering on panic. But in that moment of the second ILY, something visibly shifts. And you can see in his suddenly softer gaze that it’s almost like he’s been transported away from the fear for just the briefest moment. It’s like his words and that accompanying realization physically calms him, even in that horrifying scenario. And if this doesn’t fit with everything else we’ve ever been given of Molly and Sherlock, I don’t know what does.

That love is a force to be reckoned with and nobody can convince me otherwise.

Romantic or platonic, does it matter?

 (Sherlock meta by swjmart and writingwife-83

swjmart: There has been lots of debate about the "ILY" scene. Was it real, and if so- is it romantic vs platonic. I have been thinking- maybe it just doesn't matter. Lines are often blurred. Emotions come & go. Anyone in a successful long term relationship knows there is an element of CHOICE. Maybe that is what BC was talking about ? Sherlock hadn't chosen what to do with it all yet. They have a profound love but will he choose to take it to the next level of, commitment, physical intimacy, etc.

writingwife-83: I think you do make an important point, particularly with Sherlock. Because although we can now rightly say he is the most emotional of the Holmes children, he’s also still a bit out of his depth in learning how to process those emotions and what to do with them. I definitely think that in canon he doesn’t know what kind of love it is yet. No question it was genuine and heartfelt, but that’s probably as far as he’s gotten by the end of what we saw in s4. I believe there is a romantic aspect to it, but it’s possibly not something he’s consciously admitted to himself. And yeah, then there’s the aspect of choosing if/how to act on it. I often imagine that if Sherlock realized he loved Molly romantically, he’d admit it to himself, but then decide that “it is what it is” and decide to try and carry on with life as usual and just work around it. I’d love to think he wouldn’t be able to last with that plan of course lol! But there we have the difference of the show and fanfic! XD

swjmart: Agreed ! So another question @writingwife-83 - can you explain Molly beaming after that intense conversation if things weren’t going forward to some degree - even in baby steps ? The smile to me hints towards sherllolly IF TFP is the last episode. Her smile is actually where we stand at the end. Imo there is no way Molly would be beaming if things weren’t “good” between her and Sherlock. Saying “I love you” changes things and I would think she would pull back if there was not at least some movement towards a relationship. However - if there are more episodes, they will probably gloss over the whole thing as per Moffat’s comments and we will be back to the never ending tension and angst…perhaps they threw in her beaming smile without thinking it through - though another person i message alot thinks Mofftiss are too detailed oriented for that to be the case. We may never know…

writingwife-83: Well I think the real and true answer is that we may never know. And honestly I think that’s where Mofftiss want things to be when it comes to Sherlock and any possible relationship. BUT! Here’s my (what I’d like to consider level headed) take on things:

Yes, Molly is clearly happy. But Molly also knows Sherlock, and arguable better than most others on the show, partly because she’s so perceptive and also because she’s known him longer than some others. My point is that Molly would know Sherlock well enough to temper her expectations based on who he truly is. Would Molly make some sort of relationship ultimatum after she’s heard those 3 little words come out of Sherlock’s mouth, especially given the circumstances? I don’t think so. Would she even demand that he expound on his feelings and what they really mean? I think she probably wouldn’t. Yes, she’d feel him out and try to understand what he went through, though I think he’d give that to her without her prompting. But I honestly think she’d be gentle with him. Because I think she already got the feel from that second ILY that he meant it in one way or another. Think about what that would already mean to her and how precious that already is. I feel like she’d take that and smile at him and tell him it’s ok and that she’s sorry he went through something so horrific and she knows he’s sorry and she forgives him. Because first and foremost they’re friends. I mean this in the best way and hopefully it makes sense- I don’t think it takes a ton to make Molly happy. I don’t think she’s demanding or unreasonable. She’s firm where needed and she refuses to accept being treated wrongly of course, but she would never ask more of someone than they can give. And I think that’s what I’ve been so long winded in saying.

If Molly is happy with Sherlock at the end of s4, in my mind that means he is holding up his end of the friendship/relationship to the best of his current ability. Because Molly Hooper knows what Sherlock is capable of at any given moment, and she’d never demand more from him than that.