"Ohh Sherlock, I can't tell you how happy it makes my heart to see you in love. Though I must admit, knowing it were between you and Mykey, I had a feeling it would be you. She is absolutely lovely, just a real sweetheart." Violet Joy Holmes smiles happily at her youngest son, her eyes sparkling with joy.

Sherlock smiles slightly and nods. "Yes, she is mother. She can also handle me too, which says a lot about her character. She's sweet but she's also tough. One of the strongest women I'll ever know. You'd never believe all the heartache she has been through in her life and has overcome, she astounds me with her strength and her love every day."

His mother squeezes his shoulder gently, knowing her son doesn't like hugging much. "Sherlock, I'm just glad that you are happy. I know you've struggled with many, many things for as long as I can remember and I'm just so relieved that everything is out in the open for us all, and that you can finally get past the worst times and get right into the best times of your life. You deserve to be more carefree. Not careless of course, but carefree, at least for a little bit. I know you love your job, and I would never tell you to give it up, as I am sure Molly wouldn't either, but just take it easy for a little while. It will do wonders for your marriage and for Molly. She'll appreciate the attention."

Sherlock chuckles a bit. "Alright, Mum. I'll take it easy for a bit. I was planning on doing so anyway. So, is my marriage enough of a Christmas gift for you?", he smirks.

"Oh…oh der boy, of course it is! I'm absolutely thrilled!", she squeals happily. "Although, telling your father and I that we were right about you all along would be a special treat as well, hmm?"

Rolling his eyes, Sherlock gently hugs her. "Okay, okay…", he takes a deep breath and pulls way, looking down at her. "You and Dad were right. I /may/ just be more functional than Mycroft."

"Oh you! Be nice, it's Christmas.", his mother gently slaps his chest and shakes her head but smirks a bit.

"Ah, yes…Christmas. Let's hope this year goes better than every other year, shall we?"

Molly enters the kitchen and smiles shyly. "I should hope you think it's better." Turning towards Sherlock's mother, she smiles beautifully. "Mrs. Holmes, thank you so much for hosting. Your home is absolutely lovely. I'm also so grateful for your acceptance. I'm sure it's no secret how long I have loved your son, and how many trials and tribulations we have been through, both good and bad, so knowing that you genuinely accept me into your family is one of the best feelings in the world. Thank you."

Violet tears up and gently cups Molly's cheek. "Sweetheart, you have no idea how thankful Benjamin and I are for Sherlock to have found his common sense and returned your feelings. You absolutely deserve him, and he deserves you. I must say, and I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but you are the most adorably morbid couple I have ever seen. I say that with love and gratitude. Also, of course you are family, so please, call me Mummy. As you well know, I am unable to have much of a relationship with my own daughter, so I am ecstatic to have a woman as lovely as yourself for a daughter in law. I just love that you love our little boy."

"Mum!", Sherlock groans a bit and Molly giggles. "Come on, Sherlock. That's so sweet', she nudges him.

As they re-join Mycroft and Benjamin in the sitting room, his father pipes up. "Sherlock, it's a shame John and Rosie couldn't come this year. It's always a joy seeing a child on Christmas. Mycroft rolls his eyes and takes a gulp of his whiskey, staying as quiet as possible.

"Yes, well apparently, he is on good terms with his sister this year, but I don't expect it to last long; it never does. So I'm sure they will be here next year, Dad."

"Sherlock", Molly scolds him a bit.

"What? It's true. They fight constantly and it's very spotty when they get along anyway."

"That doesn't mean it's right to assume ill will in the future."

Sherlock shrugs and takes a sip of his scotch, and Molly, her wine. "Maybe so, but unfortunately it doesn't make it any less true."

Benjamin chuckles and Violet gently takes his hand nodding at him knowingly.

"What?", Molly and Sherlock ask in unison, and Mycroft grunts in annoyance at their blatant obliviousness and his parent's obvious PDA.

"Nothing, you just sound like an old married couple", his father laughs fondly. Sherlock blushes and clears his throat and Molly giggles a bit.

"Yes, I suppose we do."

"It's always a blessing to see little Rosie here, and I'd love to see them on Christmas in the future but maybe there will be another child or two attending at some point as well…" Violet interjects with an optimistic high-pitched lilt in her voice.

"Mother!" Sherlock rubs his face. "Let's not rush Molly, alright? I can assure you that we are discussing everything couples discuss as a couple. But our decisions will be our decisions, okay? Please don't put her on the spot."

His Mum looks at him tenderly and smiles gently, nodding. "Of course. Molly, I am sorry for assuming. I applaud Sherlock for protecting your privacy as well; I know I'm not obliged to your private life; I just get a bit excited. It's just a bit apparent that you two will be the only other married couple in my family and well…you can imagine my hopes for you two. But I know my hopes do not have to be your reality and I accept that. I did not mean to pry, but I have a bad habit of doing so."

Mycroft grimaces in disgust by all the sentimentality, but keeps his mouth shut to spare another Christmas from turning into an intellectual tongue lashing between brothers. Sherlock pops a mini spinach popover into his mouth and places a hand on Molly's protectively.

Molly blushes a bit and squeezes his hand. "Believe me, I know you don't intend to assume. I can assure you that I would absolutely love for you two to be grandparents one day. And I also know that I'm pretty quickly nearing an advanced maternal age. If I can have children, Sherlock and I would like to eventually. I have…" Molly pauses to collect her wording, chewing her lip. Sherlock looks at her and murmurs that she does not have to keep speaking if she doesn't wish to. Molly waves him off gently and sighs. "I have um…I have been pregnant before; when I was eighteen. Um…I was assaulted, and I got pregnant. At the time I was taking care of my little brother because my father had died and he was all we had so, I had to be the adult. However, long story shortened…I wasn't very healthy physically or mentally after losing my Dad and after my ordeal, so I miscarried. I did plan on keeping my son, it was a boy. I was going to name him Declan after my Dad's middle name. Erm…anyway, conceiving may or may not be challenging due to um…internal scarring, and so it's a game of chance really. But we do both hope it's possible. I have wanted to be a mother since I was young. I wanted to be the type of mother that mine never was. Another quite long, unhappy story but…I do wish for it to be so one day if it can be."

Violet tears up and hugs her tightly and comfortingly. "Dear…I am so sorry...I never would've said anything…" Molly sniffles a bit and hugs back.

"No, no don't be. Family should know about each other. I don't have a lot of happy memories from my past, but I suppose it's good to know that I have a family now that I feel I can speak freely in front of."

Violet nods and takes her hands. "If it gives you any hope, I miscarried a few years before I had Sherlock and then Eurus. It was an early one though, wasn't sure of the sex. The doctors told me something nearly identical to you. Sometimes you really don't know. I have a massive amount of hope that it will happen for you. If anybody deserves that gift, it's you, Molly. I also believe that your little boy up in heaven will help it happen. Because I believe in my heart that he knows how much you loved him, and that you are meant to be a mother."

A few tears fall down Molly's cheeks and she nods graciously. "Thank you."

Sherlock and Mycroft both look puzzled, having no idea about their mother's miscarriage. Though it does account for the larger gap between Mycroft and Sherlock, they suppose. Sherlock stands up and wraps an arm around Molly's waist, drawing her close as she leans on him a bit. Violet moves into the kitchen and takes a red velvet cake out of the refrigerator, smiling softly.

"How about some dessert with some eggnog? I'm sure that will lighten everyone's spirits! Then Sherlock can grace us with some beautiful Christmas carols on his violin", Benjamin quips, as he helps his wife with the cake through the open kitchen door.

Molly dabs her eyes dry and returns their kind smiles. "That sounds lovely. Doesn't it, Sherlock?"

Sherlock looks into her eyes, knowing that Molly's heart aches to speak about her late son, but knowing that she also wants to get into the Christmas spirit as best as she can today. He kisses her softly and strokes her cheek, eliciting a disgusted groan from Mycroft in the background, causing both Molly and Sherlock to smirk softly at one another. "Yes, Moll. I suppose it does sound quite lovely. As long as you are okay?", his voice lowers as he questions.

"I'll be okay, I promise." Molly squeezes his hand and then kisses it lightly, as to not smudge lipstick on his skin. "Now let's go have some cake and nog, and then we can give out our real gifts, hm?"

Sherlock agrees, following Molly into the kitchen. His heart is full for what seems like the first Christmas ever that he can remember.