Sherlock and Molly were having a quiet evening in, when the doorbell rang. Neither of them bothered to answer it, as they weren't expecting company. Besides, Mrs. Hudson seemed to enjoy knowing who was coming for a visit, so she liked opening the outer door, despite her half-hearted complaints to Sherlock. He had deduced long ago that his landlady didn't actually mind doubling as the door lady.

A tread sounded on the stairs and Sherlock looked at Molly in surprise. "I wonder what Mycroft is doing here? He usually at least texts first."

Molly shrugged. "I guess we'll find out soon enough." She went to the door and opened it just as Mycroft reached the landing. "Hi Mycroft. What brings you by this evening?"

Instead of answering her question, Mycroft said, "Hello Molly. How are things proceeding with your pregnancy?"

Molly beamed at him. "Very well, although I'm starting to find myself tiring easier these days."

"I hope you are not working too hard," he responded in some concern.

Molly was surprised and rather touched by her brother-in-law's comment. He had softened a lot over the past few months. At Christmas time he had even pocketed a discarded bra of hers from the sitting room of his parents' house, when the family had been together at Christmas. He had handed it to Sherlock on the morning after Christmas, saying he was keeping it safe for them so the Holmes parents wouldn't see it. That had been a little enbarrassing, but his heart had been in the right place.

Molly didn't think the Holmes parents would have been too scandalized by the bra. After all, she and Sherlock had only been married a few months, but Sherlock certainly appreciated the gesture. He had no qualms about letting his brother know of his newfound sexual prowess, but when it came to his parents, he was a little more circumspect. He continued to have a complex about the thought of his parents ever being intimate, or of them knowing that he was, heaven forbid, having sex. It was rather ridiculous, considering the ever expanding girth of Molly's belly, which made their intimate life rather obvious.

Sherlock walked towards his brother, saying, "Are you deliberately trying to avoid Molly's question? What's up? Do you need me to take Mummy and Daddy off your hands again? Last time we spoke, they didn't say they were coming to London in the near future."

Mycroft cleared his throat. "Yes, well, actually I was hoping to solicit some help from the two of you."

"Why don't we go and sit down?" suggested Molly. "Would you like a cup of tea?"

"That would be good. My throat seems rather parched, as it happens."

"You too, Sherlock?"

He nodded.

Molly set about making the tea, while Mycroft sat in an armchair (not Sherlock's of course), so that the couple would be able to sit together.

When the tea was ready Molly handed one to Mycroft and another to Sherlock, then fetched her own, settling in comfortably beside her husband on the sofa.

After several minutes silently sipping their tea, Sherlock finally asked, " Well, Mycroft, this is your party. What did you want?"

Mycroft cleared his throat nervously. "Actually I was hoping to solicit your help. It seems your recent transformation has caused me to reevaluate my own ideas on sentiment. As you know I have been seeing Lady Elizabeth Smallwood for over a year now. In the beginning it was just like my other liaisons, pleasant, but with no unnecessary sentiment. Since Christmas however, I have been reevaluating my relationship with her. I have come to the conclusion that I am a better man when I'm with her, and I can see us having a future together on a more permanent basis."

Molly put her hands to her mouth. "Are you saying what I think you're saying, Mycroft? Do you want to marry her?"

"I believe that would be the next logical step to take in our relationship," conceded Mycroft.

Molly could see that Sherlock was looking quite stunned. He had opened his mouth slightly, but seemed unable to speak, so she took the initiative.

"What can we do to help, Mycroft?" she asked.

"As you know, Valentine's Day is just around the corner, and I would like to take Elizabeth out to dinner. I was hoping the two of you would come along. I thought I might propose to her after dinner."

"Are you hoping that having us there will make her more likely to accept?" questioned Sherlock with a grin.

"Of course not" huffed his brother. " I just feel a need for - moral support."

"We should go to the Ritz," suggested Sherlock unexpectedly. "I was planning on taking you there anyway," he said looking at Molly. "It holds some very pleasant memories for me, as we spent our wedding night there." He gave her a meaningful look, and Molly couldn't help blushing at the shared memory of their first night together when they had made love three times. (Oh yes, waiting to be together had definitely been worth it.)

"It seems we have more in common than I thought, brother mine," commented Mycroft. "The Ritz happens to be one of my favorite places to spend an evening as well, and their restaurant is excellent."

"Have you bought a ring for Lady Smallwood?"asked Molly.

"Actually, I plan on using our grandmother's engagement ring. The centre stone is an emerald which is also Elizabeth's birthstone. Seeing as Sherlock did not want to use it for you, I thought it might be a nice gesture. It is a family heirloom, after all."

"I wanted to choose a ring for Molly myself, not use an old family heirloom," said Sherlock, crossing his arms defensively.

"I'm sure Mycroft meant no offence,"soothed Molly, placing a hand on Sherlock's arm.

Mycroft immediately spoke up. "Of course not, Sherlock. I merely meant the ring was available, so I decided to use it." Then his eyes widened suddenly as he noticed the engagement ring on Molly's finger. "Speaking of engagement rings, yours seems to have changed."

Molly laughed. "Sherlock bought me a ring enhancer for it last month," she explained.

"It is very nice indeed. Was it a special occasion?"

"Not really, just a sweet gesture. My husband is very good with surprises." Molly was not going to tell Mycroft about the little re-creation scenarios she and Sherlock had been doing over the past two months. Bad enough that Mrs. Hudson had happened to see the one when Sherlock had proposed to her again, having added the ring enhancer to her own engagement ring. What had happened later was a very nice memory.

Molly flushed slightly as she remembered. All their little re-creation scenarios were very nice memories, well more than nice, actually. Quite steamy really, because they always ended up in the bedroom, making passionate love afterwards.

Sherlock, evidently noticing the direction of her wandering thoughts asked, "Is that it then, Mycroft? Shall we meet at seven o'clock on Valentine's Day at the Ritz? I'll let you make the reservations."

He almost pushed his brother out the door, as Mycroft gave a rather disconcerted, "Oh yes, alright then," and left. Sherlock had not even allowed him to finish his tea

Sherlock shut the door firmly behind Mycroft and locked it.

"Sherlock! That was a bit.."

"Bit Not Good?" he supplied, casting her a seductive glance that made Molly's heart suddenly start to beat faster.

"I was going to say rude, but sane thing, I guess."

"He said what he came to say. I did not want to spend the entire evening entertaining my brother." Then he lowered his voice and said in his rich baritone, "I'd much rather be entertaining you."

"Maybe I don't want to be entertained," teased Molly.

"That's not true, and you know it. I saw the look in your eyes when you were talking about your ring enhancer. I know you were thinking about what came afterwards."

Molly flushed. "Am I that transparent?"

"Only to me," he assured her. "So yeah, about that entertainment…?"

"Uh, I need the loo," she hedged.

"No you don't," asserted her husband, stalking towards her like a predator, then putting his hands on her shoulders, kneading them gently. " You went just ten minutes before Mycroft got here."

"I did?"she asked, a little breathlessly. He was giving her that look, that one that turned her into a puddle of quivering jelly. "Oh yeah, I did." At this point in her pregnancy, Molly had started to run to the loo every time Sherlock made any insinuation of upcoming bedroom activity. Her bladder was not to be trusted, especially when he had this thing about taking his time with her before they proceeded to the "main event." Not that she was complaining, of course.

She had barely finished the words when Sherlock bent his head, and his lips were on hers. As always, he had the power to incapacitate her. She threw her arms around his neck and began to return his forceful kiss in equal measure. It was just as well that Sherlock had to bend to kiss her, because that meant the action gave a little extra room for her expanding middle.

He kissed her until she could feel that intense desire he always provoked with those wonderful lips. When Molly started clasping his neck tighter to support her trembling legs, Sherlock swept her off her feet and into his arms. Even with the extra fifteen pounds she was now carrying, he seemed to have no trouble, carrying her easily into the bedroom so they could finish what they'd started.

Afterwards, lying in his embrace, Molly asked, "Do you want to have dinner now?"

Sherlock buried his face in her hair and kissed her neck. "I thought we just did."

Molly giggled. "You're so silly, sweetheart. I mean food."

"I suppose."

They got out of bed and slipped on dressing gowns rather than putting their clothes back on. There were some leftovers in the fridge that Molly reheated, and as they waited, the couple discussed Mycroft.

"I have to say," admitted Sherlock, "my brother has also been making changes for the better over the last few months."

"I'm glad he has found somebody he genuinely cares for. It's just a shame that Lady Smallwood will not be able to give him children."

"I don't really see Mycroft as the paternal type."

"People would have said the same about you a few months ago, and look where you are now," Molly pointed out.

"Yes, but my capacity for emotions was always there, it was just supressed after Victor died. My brother has never been one to be overly sentimental about anyone or anything."

"It's funny," mused Molly. "I used to compare you to Sheldon Cooper, but actually I think Mycroft is more like him than you are."

"I was like him though. Funny that even Sheldon has evolved as a character to the point where he and Amy are now engaged."

"Speaking of engagement, I think we started a trend. First Kaitlyn, then Greg just a few days ago, and soon it will be your brother. With all the weddings in our future, and a baby as well, it's going to be a busy year!"

"It's still surreal to think that our little girl will be here in less than three months." He rubbed his wife's belly. "I wish we could see her."

"We might not be able to see her, but we can listen to her heartbeat, remember?" That baby Doppler monitor Mycroft had given them had come in handy. "I'll dish out the food while you get it, okay?"

Sherlock smiled. "Okay."

Once they had eaten their dinner, the couple went to the sofa. Molly loosened her dressing gown, exposing her abdomen, and together they listened with joy to the fast beat of their growing baby's heart. Mycroft might have his faults, but he was going to be a good uncle, Molly thought.

She was looking forward to Valentine's Day.

Author's note: So, what do you think about Mycroft's decision to tie the knot?

Do you celebrate Valentine's Day?

What does Sherlock have in mind, do you think? I hope you are looking forward to finding out!

Updated for corrections and better flow 6/27/18