A/N: Molly's letter.

Context: Sherlock asks his friends to write a letter to Hamish as he is beginning Uni, the first time he's away from home. Sherlock asks them to write it as if it was their final note to Hamish, knowing that Hamish's world was was going to get a lot bigger and he needed to impart knowledge when Hamish still values their opinions.

Not to worry, Hamish is not bad. He will assure them that this is not the case, sooner or later.

For YuliKo.

Dear Hamish,

My eyes have teared up long before my pen touched the paper so forgive me for the smudges. On second thoughts, I should have typed this. Death was never a thing which scared me. Death was inevitable, death happens to everyone. That is absolute fact and I never really felt afraid of it. Until now. Now that I finally have friends who truly care for me and the most beautiful godson - I am terrified of death. I am terrified of the damage my death will cause. I am terrified of not being able to be there for you.

I know I am only your birth mother but you've always been a son to me, Hamish. So, thank you. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be your mother. For choosing me. Your birth was a rebirth of Molly Hooper too. I was reborn a more confident, more determined and most importantly, a brave woman. I became a mother and I had to set an example for my son. For that, you have my infinite gratitude.

Before we go into the emo stuff, I would like to give you a few pointers from a female perspective. Your greatest asset is your hair. Girls (or later, woman) go crazy for messy, curly black hair. DO NOT shave it completely or even partially as a trend or whatever. Just a tip. You can thank me later. Secondly, NEVER tell your parents about your partner unless you are serious. Sherlock will tear them apart with deductions (only because he's scared and jealous) and John will give the traditional "break him and I will break you" speech. If you don't believe me, ask Rosie (You do remember Mark, right?). Thirdly, call your parents atleast twice a week. They love you a lot and worry about you constantly. Having people like that in your life is rare. NEVER take them for granted. Also, be with your sister. She will have boyfriends and they may break her heart. You don't go around breaking their heads. Instead, be there for her. I know you think the world of your sister, make sure she knows.

Have your parents ever tell you the story of your conception? Well, let me give you the uncensored version. Sherlock never wanted a kid. (Not to worry, he changed his mind as soon as he saw you! You were a bundle of cuteness!) He was scared to be with Rosie and it took a lot of effort from John's side to convince Sherlock that, yes, he was Rosie's step-father. It took him a lot of time to accept that. You can still see him being a little uncertain with handling Rosie. I remember the day they asked me to do this honor. Sherlock was pacing in the lab, repeatedly telling John that he did not have it in him. (The words were "I can't even hold a baby John, how do I rise one?). John, the solider he is, kept calming Sherlock meanwhile asking me if it was okay. I panicked. I panicked real bad. Of course, I didn't tell them that. I merely told them I would think about it. But, I panicked a lot Hamish. It actually felt like I was the Universe's soap opera. It took me a tremendous amount of courage to agree and the main reason I did it was to see a smile from the family which had gone through the worst life has to offer.

Carrying you was a difficult time for me. Perhaps, that was when I grew. I grew along with you. I had to endure countless taunts from parents (When are you getting for yourself eh?). It wasn't easy but that's what made me strong. I learned to accept, learned to not give a damn about people thought. I learnt the art of living my own life, living it in my own terms. I learned to let go of the things I couldn't change. I learnt to be happy about the things I had in life and be satisified. I became the boss of my own life. These are lessons that make me who I am today and I only hope you don't learn them the hard way like I did.

Your birth, I am sorry to say, is a blur to me. John put me in too much morphine. There you were, just a bump a few hours ago and now...you were a beautiful baby. Even your uncle Mycroft could not resist your charms. After you were born, it took us all some time to realise that we couldn't just stare at you for the rest of our life. I am proud of the man you've become, Hamish. I only hope you are as proud of your godmother as I am of my godson.

You know, you were worth it. Worth all of the taunting, the sympathy from relatives, the biological demands, the grief. Letting you go was one of the hardest things I did in my life. But, I am glad. The pain was worth bringing such a wonderful person to this world.

Perhaps they could see it in my face, or perhaps Sherlock loved me enough to know that giving you up was something I could never move on from. So, they made me godmother. There was never a day more happier than realising I could be a part of your life. Your childhood is an abundance of memories I will always remember and cherish. I will never forget the kid with his two broken front teeth and eyepatch, brandishing a sword and yelling "Walk the plank! Walk the plank!"

Now, if I..well, die, tomorrow, there is only one thing I want to teach you. Most of my life was pretty meaningless. I woke up, I worked, I went home and I slept. I was just another face in the crowd, another statistic. No one really paid attention to me. And even when they did, it was always to use me for some reason. I was in love with a man who never loved me back. I lived a cursed life, my dating life was a joke. (I did date a guy once who felt normal. Turns out he was a psychopath who only dated me to get to Sherlock. Not to worry, he's dead and no one misses him). It was dull, no it was blank.

It was under these circumstances I had you, Hamish. And, like I told you, along with you, I also started growing a backbone. I found out that yes, I had friends. Not the kind of friends with whom I had selfies with. Not a Facebook status. Not a mate to drink or go to a movie with. Real friends. Friends who would die for me. Friends who would go along with me through my battles. That is my only lesson to you, Hamish. Have lots of friends but make sure you know who the real ones are. This will save you a lot of pain.

Honey, you know you can talk to me, right? About anything. A teacher you hate, a deep conversation about everything and nothing, the sky, your Biology homework, your relationships. Especially your relationships. I know the pain love can cause and no one should go through it alone. We will get over it. Together. In me, Hamish, you always have a friend. You always have a shoulder to cry on and a voice of hope.

If you ever feel lost, tired or perhaps defeated, remember that you always have a home to return to. A place where you get hot cocoa in winter and an iced tea during the summer but a lot of love no matter the weather. You will always have the three of us through thick and thin, for better or for worse. You have us, hon.

Lastly, I love you very very much. If you ever need us, just give us a shout and we will be there. You are worth it, Hamish. You are worth everything life put me through. Good luck, my little baby! Life is a myriad of joy and sadness - I just hope you have joy in a greater percentage.

Your persistent, no respect for personal space godmother,

Molly Hooper.

A/N: Molly is single. I refuse to romaticise her in this fic. She can't ask for someone's heart while she can't give them hers. She knows this and slowly accepts it. Hamish does not know that Molly loved/s Sherlock.

Sherlock is Hamish's biological father.

Such is the danger of love.