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He had been eyeing the vase for a little while now, having seen it on some random website for unusual science-themed gifts to give. He had considered it for a gift for Molly's birthday but had decided on something else, and then decided to get it for her for Christmas instead. Unfortunately, he had put in his order too late and it had not arrived in time, much to his consternation. Two days after his birthday, however, he arrived home from a lunch date with Mary, John and Lucinda to see the parcel sitting on his kitchen table. When he opened it, he removed the anatomical heart vase with the red finish and surveyed it with a smile. He could, perhaps, give it to Molly today as a "just because" gift, complete with flowers inside it.
A quick trip to a florist later and he was soon carrying the vase filled with crocosmias and dahlias interspersed with white lilies. The florist had remarked it was quite an interesting vase, and when he had told her that it was going to a rather special woman with an interesting job she'd been more than happy to create the stunning arrangement for him. He hoped Molly approved of it. He made his way down to the basement and didn't see her working. "Molly?" he called out.
"In my office," she called back. He carefully held the vase so he didn't drop it as he opened the door, and he heard her gasp as she caught sight of it. "Oh, Sherlock, that's lovely!"
"I thought you could use something to brighten your day," he said, lowering it to see a wide smile on her face.
"You have no idea how sorely true that is," she said, getting up and taking the flowers from him before giving him a quick kiss.
"Oh?" he asked.
"Some arsehole in the apartment above mine did something and their apartment flooded, and that, in turn, flooded my apartment," she said. "I've spent the last hour on the phone with my landlord and...so many of my things are water damaged and I have insurance issues to sort out and it's a bloody mess." She sighed. "I hope that photo album you gave me for Christmas isn't among the things that were damaged."
"Mary got doubles of all the pictures," he assured her.
She gave him a grateful smile. "Well, that's something." She looked at the vase for the first time and smiled. "Oh, this is such a lovely vase! An anatomical heart. I love it, Sherlock. Thank you so much."
"It was supposed to be your Christmas present," he admitted, "but it just arrived today. I had simply thought that you would appreciate a gift to make you smile. Apparently I was right on the mark." He followed her back to her desk, watching her set the flowers on her desk in a position where she could look at them frequently before sitting back in her chair, and then he sat on the edge of her desk. "You could always stay with me for a time. Make your overnight stays at Baker Street more...permanent."
"How permanent?" she asked, her eyes widening a bit.
"Just until the issue is sorted out with your home, if you want," he said, rushing his words a bit, to reassure her. "Though...if you wanted it to be more permanent...I wouldn't say no to that."
She was quiet for a moment. "I should say it's all too fast," she said. "All of it, really. I mean...we really haven't been dating all that long, and we just starting staying the night at each other's home, and yet...I wouldn't mind."
He felt a spark of hope spring inside him at those words. "Really?" he said.
She nodded. "But living together is different than playing sleepover. And living with me would be different than living with John. You do realize that, right?"
He nodded. "I do," he said. He reached over to put a hand on top of hers. "You don't mind that nothing about our relationship has been typical?"
She gave him a small smile and moved her hand away before getting up out of her chair and moving in front of him. She moved her hands to frame his face, caressing it gently. "I had always thought if I was lucky enough to get the chance to be in a relationship with you it would never be typical. It would never be normal. But I would be fine with that, because I would get to be with you, and that would be all that mattered." She leaned in more and kissed him softly. "Just because it isn't typical doesn't mean it isn't a good relationship."
"So you think we have a good relationship?" he said, giving her a smile, moving his hands around to the small of her back to keep her close.
"I think we have a very good relationship," she said with a nod, giving him a wider smile. "I don't think either of us are suited for typical relationships."
"Then maybe that's why we're so well suited for each other," he murmured, leaning in more.
"Perhaps so," she said before pressing her lips against his again. He knew that they were at her workplace and they couldn't afford to get too carried away, but there would be time enough tonight when they got to his home. Their home, he supposed, at least for the time being. He felt his heart lighten at the thought. After a few minutes she pulled away. "I suppose I can make do with what I already have at your place for the time being and put off going back to my home for a day or two until my day off."
"I could check out the damage tomorrow, see if I can get help to bring the salvageable items to Baker Street," he suggested.
"Would you?" she asked, giving him a grateful smile. "I may have to find a way to suitably reward you if you do that."
"You've already done that," he said, running his hand up and down her back. "By agreeing to stay with me. But I'm sure I can come up with other suitable awards."
"Yes, I'm sure you can," she said with a chuckle. "Then you see what you can salvage and get over and come up with some ideas and I'll see how many we can see about fulfilling tonight, all right?"
He nodded. "That sounds like a feasible plan," he agreed before kissing her again. He hadn't wanted it to work out like this, not at all, but he wasn't going to say he was unhappy with the end result. He just hoped that what had been ruined today wasn't anything that couldn't be replaced. If it was that would put a damper on all of this. But for now...well, for now, this was a start to see if maybe this could be the start of a new level to their relationship.