So, Christmas is over for another year and now we're into the countdown to New Year and the Sherlock special. Anyone else going to the cinema to watch it?

Thank you for those who reviewed over the Christmas period. I know it's a busy time but I appreciate it.

Epilogue - Meet the Hoopers

Molly had never had such an enjoyable or 'energetic' Christmas. The only time she'd resented his advances was during the Doctor Who Christmas special, she'd irritably slapped his hands away trying to ignore his laughter as she concentrated on the screen. In the end they'd settled on a compromise and she'd sat on the floor between his legs watching the programme whilst he'd played with her hair letting it slide through his fingers, his thoughts stuck deep into his mind palace cataloging everything that had happened between them.

Three days later and Molly had had to go back to work laughing at his disgruntlement. 'I have to work Sherlock, you know that. Listen, why don't you come down to Barts and meet me for lunch or come and do some of your experiments in the lab.' After a moment of silence she persuasively added, 'I might be able to find you that liver you were after.'

He looked up from the bed where he was currently sulking, 'fine. I'll be in after lunch, I don't need to eat today.'

She rolled her eyes but kissed him goodbye wriggling out from his grasp as he tried to untuck her shirt from her trousers.

On her way in she received a text from her mum.

Let me know what time you and Mr Holmes are due to arrive on New Year's Eve. Looking forward to meeting him. Mum x

Molly let out a quiet 'dammit' she'd almost forgotten her promise to her mum. She wasn't sure whether Sherlock would even be prepared to go, let alone be polite.

She stewed on the problem all morning and still hadn't fully decided how to tackle him even as he arrived in the lab. He threw his coat onto the bench and came over to greet her. As they kissed his hands roamed over her back. 'Mmm maybe I can persuade you to wear your lab coat here for me one day.'

'Sherlock!' Molly hit him lightly on his chest, 'I will not be having sex at work.'

He raised an eyebrow, 'we'll see.'

He was about to walk away when he must have noticed something, 'go on. Whatever it is you need to ask me just do it?'

Molly looked down at the floor and then at the bench, 'it's my mum. She's expecting us for New Year.'

'Us?'

Molly looked up at that, 'yes, us. Strangely enough she wants to meet the man who prevented me from going home for Christmas.'

He waved a hand, 'just tell her we're too busy. Or go on your own and tell her I am.'

All of a sudden Molly knew exactly how she was going to approach this problem and it was angrily. 'No, Sherlock, you don't get to brush off my family. You may not be close to yours but you know I am to mine. They want to meet you and I want you to meet them. So, if you want to be with me you'll do it and you'll do it politely. OK?'

There was a beat of silence as Sherlock turned to look at Molly, a little stunned by her outburst. Molly found she was holding her breath not knowing which way his decision was going to fall.

He flattened his lips, 'hmm you've always been a little bossy with me haven't you?' His lips quirked up, 'I like it. Fine, when do we need to go and for how long?'

Molly let out a sigh, 'New Year's Eve. We can get the train up at lunch time. We only need to stay 24 hours or so.'

He nodded, 'don't bother with the train, not this time of year, I'll get us a car.'

And that was that, decision made.

Sherlock picked her up just after lunch on New Year's Eve and they made the one hour drive to Surrey thankfully missing most of the traffic.

As they pulled up onto the drive of her mum's house in Reigate Molly turned to Sherlock, 'don't forget! Best behaviour. No deducing my family, or at least no telling them what you've deduced.'

Sherlock huffed, 'fine, let's just get this over with.'

By the time they had exited the car Molly's mum was walking out of the house to greet them, 'Molly, darling...' She wrapped her in a big hug, 'we missed you at Christmas...you're looking thinner, are you working too hard.'

'I'm fine mum, don't fuss.'

Her mum let her go and then turned to Sherlock, 'so, you're the man my daughter has been pining over for years?'

Sherlock ignored Molly's pained 'mum' and held his hand out, 'Sherlock Holmes. I'm pleased to meet you; I see where Molly gets her forthrightness from.'

'Margaret Hooper, you can call me Maggie. Everyone does. Now come into the house, it's freezing out here.'

Sherlock popped the boot and took out their overnight bags before following Molly into the house.

'Do you want to show Sherlock where your room is Molly and I'll put the kettle on? Don't take too long though, or I'll come and check on you both.' She raised an eyebrow and smirked.

As she walked away Molly sighed out another pained, 'mum' which make Sherlock laugh.

She showed Sherlock into a room which held little sign that it had ever been Molly's. It was light and airy with a double bed and some basic furniture. Sherlock was a little disappointed not to see some insight into a youthful Molly.

As he put their bags on the bed and removed his coat Molly apologised for her mum, 'sorry, I should have warned you. She's always been a bit too honest and upfront.'

He smiled, 'it's fine. I like it, she reminds me a little of you. You both have similar looks so you'll hold up well as we get older.'

Molly gasped and went to punch him on his arm but he caught her hand and pulled her towards him, 'so is this your bed Molly? Did you ever sleep with any boys in this bed?' He knew immediately from her expression that she hadn't.

He pushed her down onto it covering her with his body, 'I can't wait to defile you in it then. I like being the first.' He kissed her enjoying feeling her body beneath his. As the kiss deepened he used his knee to nudge her legs apart and pushed his semi-hard erection against her.

He felt her hands come up under his jacket and slide across his back pulling his shirt from his trousers. As her hands touched his skin he felt a prickle of desire which went straight to his groin. Just as he was about to move to kissing her neck her mum shouted up asking them why they were taking so long.

Sherlock sighed and let his head fall to Molly's shoulder hearing her giggle with embarrassment. He heaved himself up and them offered Molly his hand to pull her upright catching her lips for another quick kiss before following her out of the room remembering to tuck his shirt back in as he did.

The afternoon passed in boredom for Sherlock lightened only when Molly's mum brought out some photo albums of Molly when she was younger. He loved how embarrassed she was and made a point of smirking at her when he came across any particularly embarrassing ones.

The only time he let his veneer of respectability down was when Maggie mentioned they were all going to the local pub that evening to celebrate. Sherlock rolled his eyes, 'boring!'

Molly's mum looked at him in shock, 'I'm sorry what?'

'Storming, I said storming that sounds stormingly good.' Molly's mum narrowed her eyes and he wasn't quite sure he'd got away with it.

Shortly after Molly's two sisters arrived. The older one, Sara, with her husband and a son aged about ten. Then the younger sister, Cassie, a divorcee with no kids. It was Cassie who greeted him first.

'Ooh, so Molly finally snared you then. You're better looking in person than on the telly. Have you solved any good crimes recently?'

Sherlock was more than aware that she was stood just slightly too close to him and that her eyes were raking over his body in a way that made him feel a little like a piece of meat. He gave a tight smile and excused himself before he said anything that Molly would berate him for.

Unfortunately the son of the eldest sister followed him out into the kitchen, 'hi, I'm Josh. So is it true that you're a detective?'

'Yes.'

'Cool, so have you ever had to arrest them?'

'I'm a consulting detective not a policeman.'

Josh frowned, 'is that a real job? Could I be one?'

'No!' Sherlock realised he had spoken a little too harshly, 'sorry, no you can't. I'm the only one.'

'Why?'

'Why what?'

'Why are you the only one?'

Sherlock huffed as he poured himself a whiskey. 'Because I'm the best. There is no one like me.'

Josh nodded just accepting what he said, 'OK. So have you seen any dead bodies?'

Sherlock smiled feeling more comfortable with this turn of questioning, 'yes lots. Want to see one?'

MHMHMHMHMHMHMHMHMH

Molly meanwhile was getting the third degree from her mum and her elder sister.

'He's very good looking Molly but seems a little aloof. Are you sure he's the right man for you? I just thought you'd be with someone...I don't know...warmer.'

'Mum, he's fine. We're happy. Can't you just be happy for me?'

'I just worry that he doesn't love you Molly. You deserve to be loved. I don't know why you finished with Tom, he adored you.'

'Mum...'

'It's like you don't think you deserve it.'

Sara chimed in, 'are you sure he's not just using you? He has form for that doesn't he? I seem to remember you saying he was quite manipulative.'

Molly found the double attack overwhelming and frustrating, how did her family always make her feel like this? When her dad had been alive she'd had an ally but since his death it was like she was the black sheep of the family, never quite living up to expectations. 'No, I mean yes. Well, he has been manipulative in the past but this isn't like that.'

'Are you sure you're not just deceiving yourself Molly? You've always seemed to have a blind spot where he's concerned. I think maybe you should think about getting back with Tom. He was so much better for you.'

He sister nodded, 'oh yes, I liked him. He and my Chris got on really well. Have you kept in touch with him?'

'No, no I haven't and I don't need to get in touch with him. I'm happy as I am. Please...mum...'

Her mum turned on her heel leaving the room, 'well, we can leave it for now but this conversation isn't over young lady. I'm just looking out for your best interests. Now get yourself ready we'll be leaving in twenty minutes. And try to do something with your hair Molly, it's a bit of a mess just strung up like that.'

Sherlock was already in their room, when Molly got there, just escaping the constant, mind-numbing socialising. He took one look at her face and frowned coming over to tilt her face up to his so he could look at her in more detail. 'What's happened?'

'No, nothing it doesn't matter,' said Molly trying to move past him. She didn't want him to know that her family didn't approve of him. He'd been reluctant enough to come as it was and Molly was beginning to wonder why she'd made the effort to persuade him.

'I've told you once before Molly that if you are upset it IS important.' He huffed, 'well, if you don't want to tell me I'll tell you. Your family, unsurprisingly, don't like me. I'm what? Cold, aloof, arrogant, and they're worried that I'm using you like I have in the past? Am I right?'

Molly grimaced and nodded before sitting slumped on the end of the bed, 'I wish I hadn't come and I'm sorry I told you you had to. I should have known they wouldn't make it easy and just accept you.'

Sherlock's lips flattened out as he looked at how upset she seemed. He decided there and then he'd find a way to prove them wrong and show them how much Molly meant to him.

Just then Molly's mum shouted up the stairs to let everyone know it was almost time to leave and Molly barely had time to pull her hair out of its ponytail and put on some lip gloss before they set off.

So poor Molly is getting a bit of a hard time from her family. Next time, the pub. Back soon.