Molly decided to take her birthday off this year. It was always a hectic time being the day before Christmas Eve, but since she would work the next two days, she deserved the day off.

She had a bit of a lie in, gorged on breakfast and expensive coffee and headed out to find new things for herself, her god daughter, John and Mary, Sherlock, Greg, and Martha.

It had been years since she had been able to celebrate with her real family, but she was indeed the last Hooper left. Friends were all she had.

She moved through the shops before seeing a hair salon. They didn't look busy and since she was treating herself... why not.

She walked in and asked if there was a stylist open. "New hairdo for the holidays?" The lady asked as soon as Molly sat in her chair.

"It's actually my birthday. Thought I'd treat myself." Molly let her know and while she got a praise and an eventual discount at the price... she was also convinced to do more than just a trim.

Her long locks were gone, she had hair to her shoulders now, it framed her face and made her head feel a stone lighter. The stylist went ahead and added a few curls and made sure they would stay all day long and told her that if she didn't have a bloke already, it wouldn't take Molly long to get one now.

Molly went on with her shopping, moving quick the rest of the morning since she had a late lunch date with her god daughter, and the rest of the Watson's.

Molly saw them sitting at a big round table as she got there and Mary immediately started talking about her hair when she noticed Molly and all her bags.

Rosie reached for her and Molly gave her a kiss as soon as she was close enough and got her little presents from the married couple before sitting down.

"New year new you?" John asked as he gestured to her hair.

"I was going to treat myself to a trim and the stylist kind of convinced me. I like it." Molly told him and Mary smiled wide.

"You look amazing. Almost refreshed like you just got home from some time away." Mary told her and Molly smiled wide.

"I have your presents all wrapped since I'll be working tomorrow night into the next morning." She grabbed the bag from her side and made sure that John knew which presents were for who, and then she heard the chair where her little purse was hanging move. "Oh that's mine-" she looked up and saw Sherlock sitting down and he looked at her and his face was stone still.

"Happy birthday." Molly turned when she heard Martha, aka Mrs. Hudson and she stood and turned and got a hard hug from the older women before she saw Greg was also getting in and coming to give her a hug.

"I thought it was just us 4 for lunch. This is a nice surprise!" Molly told them all before she sat back down with Mrs. Hudson on her left and Sherlock on her right.

"Unlike the hair." She heard Sherlock mutter and she took the hit to her choice and sighed out, choosing not to engage in that insult.

"What else do you have planned today Molly?" Mary asked and she ticked off that she was going to find some Christmas CDs to play in the morgue because the ones last year went missing, and that she might go looking for a new dress for New Years.

"Oh I want to help. I don't have any plans this afternoon and I'd love to keep you company!" Mary called and Molly nodded, happy to have someone to try dresses on with.

"Shall we take Rosie with us? I'd like to maybe buy some outfits and get her on Father Christmas's lap." She nudged her eyebrows up and Mary was excited and the entire meal she could hear Sherlock muttering things, some deductions, sly remarks to their friends plans... and not once did he say Happy birthday.

So when it came time to split ways, she ignored him and made sure he knew it as she said everyone else's name but his as she Rosie and Mary walked away.

"Are you going to tell me what that was about?" Mary asked her and she sighed.

"Not one bloody Happy birthday from him... all I got was a remark about how my hair wasn't a good surprise." She told her and Mary let her clam down as they shopped.

She got to try on a couple dresses before Mary told her that she had the dress that was perfect. She went on to buy it, it being a birthday present for Molly now and she went on to get Santa pictures with Molly, and Rosie and all three of them together.

Molly would cherish this part of her family. They were like the brothers and sisters she never got to have, and while she was god mother she would let Rosie call her Aunt Molly one day.

She was tired when it got close to dinner, and Rosie was getting testy without a nap so Mary and Molly went their separate ways when it came to cabs, and she watched the shops turn into houses and parks and then they ended up at her flat.

Molly got out and paid before going to her door and seeing small scrape marks on the new lock. She sighed and pushed her key in, unlocking, opening the door, and coming face to face with the biggest jerk of all time.

"What do you want Sherlock?"

"Happy birthday Molly Hooper. I apologize. I didn't realize I hadn't said it out loud earlier when I first pulled out the chair." He moved closer, his hands moving from behind his back to his sides. His fingers were clenched then relaxed, tensed and then clenched again.

"A text would have been fine. I know you don't like this kinds of things." Molly moved around him and started a kettle of tea. "You can go now if you want. I'm sure there's nothing interesting here for you to become occupied with."

"Why did you let some women convince you to cut your beautiful hair Molly? On your birthday of all days?"

"I like my new hair Sherlock. If you don't that's your problem. You don't have to look at it everyday if you don't want to." Her limit was becoming breeches and she watched as he seemed to panic.

"You were beautiful with long hair Molly."

"Now I'm just a hideous beast with bald spots ?" She asked sarcastically and he groaned and shook his head.

"Molly-"

"If you don't like it-"

"I do like it! I like it a lot! You're going to cause more attention to yourself now more than before! You were beautiful with long hair Molly, and now... Christ. You know compliments and can by me are a stated fact. You were beautiful before Molly and now you're more than words can describe." He told her and she felt shocked to her core he had openly admitted something like that and then she blushed and looked away.

"You don't have to push yourself to compliment me Sherlock."

"You think, thought, I didn't like it." He stated and she nodded. "Then it had to be corrected. Now I'll have to do something about the feeling I get each time I look at you. Have to keep you hidden from the single men in the hospital."

"No one shows the least bit of interest in me at the hospital." Molly told him, shaking her head like it was silly.

"Yes. I warned them off years ago, scare the shit out of every new person so they wouldn't think about it... now though they might become brave." He stepped closer, his head dipping down to meet her forehead with his. "Happy birthday Molly, I hope you'll take me and my feelings and such as a birthday gift. I was never sure what to buy you."