It would appear that I have what probably should have been in a separate collection of Mollstrade/Lestrolly drabbles, as there is a definite theme going on here. Oh well… you know what they say about hindsight! Once the "Missed" bunnies have been purged, I can get on with the general drabbles.

What John Missed

Genre: Friendship, Family

Pairings: Greg and Molly

Main characters: Greg, Molly, John, Sherlock

Mollstrade tie-ins: The Chosen Ties that Bind, Chapter 1 'What Sherlock Missed'

John Watson, stretched out on the couch at 221B with his dozing daughter on his lap, stared off into space, letting his mind wander at will to wherever his thoughts wished to lead it. It had been a long day at the clinic, and he was simply enjoying the simple pleasures of solitude with his little girl while Sherlock was out and Mrs. Hudson was occupied with laundry.

He suddenly found himself thinking about something that had rarely occurred to him. Bringing his hand up absently to rest on Rosie's back, he found himself caught up in reflection about the legacy of names.

Every man would love to have a namesake, someone to carry on a legacy even that small. Private honours that have little significance to anyone but those who have been honoured with, and honoured by, the bestowing of names.

Rosie, unless she kept her surname someday as many women chose to now, Watson would be a moniker that would eventually die out.

John didn't regret having a daughter by any stretch. He adored his little girl, had from the moment Sherlock had so awkwardly announced her impending arrival at his wedding to Mary. The first time he laid eyes on Rosamund Mary, he was utterly in love.

No, that Rosie hadn't been a boy had never bothered John in the least. More than likely, one day when she had children of her own, she'd choose to name one of hers after their old grandpa John.

But it did twinge him with wistful regret that he didn't have a son to take even his Christian name. It wasn't that he would saddle a baby with a name like 'Hamish', but 'John' was a good, strong, reliable name. It was one of those names that went with pretty much any name, if you had enough imagination for it.

It was a simple thing, but John found that, for as much as he loved his daughter and wouldn't trade her for a dozen sons in her place, he deeply missed the idea of having a boy to take his name.

And here Greg and Molly were having twin boys, of all things – talk about a double stroke of luck for Greg Lestrade. Coming into fatherhood later than most men, he would have not one, but two opportunities right out of the starting blocks, not only for his own given names but for the Lestrade family name as well. It was almost as if Greg, in his early 50's and a good 15 years Molly's senior, was making up for lost time.

Of course, nobody knew about the twins detail aside from Greg and Molly, Dr. Warburton, her grandfatherly obstetrician, and of course John – himself the Lestrade's chosen GP, and being in that capacity firmly in the loop. Not even Sherlock had figured out that bit about twins. At least, not yet.

And Sherlock, having orchestrated the Lestrade's union in the first place, would no doubt have the honour of having at least one of the boys named after him – though John was pretty sure that 'Sherlock' wouldn't likely come into play. Try as he might, his best friend couldn't seem to pawn that particular moniker off on anyone. Still, 'William' and 'Scott' were good names to choose from.

And so, when the blessed day finally came, and John was right there waiting with bated breath and frayed nerves for news, along with Sherlock and Mrs. Hudson, he was well and truly blown away to meet the newest additions to their chosen extended family.

When Greg emerged from Molly's room, his perpetually tanned complexion beaming with giddy relief and the purest of joy, he wasted no time escorting the trio of nervous Baker Streeters in to meet his and Molly's brand new sons.

That Sherlock would be handed a bundle unsurprisingly dubbed "Gregory Scott" wasn't much of a shock, but when Greg, the smile now permanently etched on his face, turned to him to pass over the newborn they had called "John William," John Watson thought his heart might burst on the spot.

He didn't realize it until Greg and Molly pointed it out, but the look on his face when the young lad's name was revealed to him had delighted them even more than the look on Sherlock's face to discover twins.