"Happy Christmas!" John exclaimed when he entered the sitting room. Rosie ran straight to her Uncle Sherlock and Aunt Molly with glee.

"Santa's coming!" she squealed to them.

"Well—" Sherlock began but quickly shut up when Molly glared at him.

"Molls, can you help me with something?" John asked, nodding towards the kitchen.

"Sure, as long as Sherlock can keep an eye on Rosie," Molly replied. Sherlock waved them away, lifting the little Watson into his lap.

"I'm rubbish at wrapping gifts, so I thought you could help me wrap the gift Mary left behind for Rosie before…" John trailed off, still saddened over the loss of his wife, the mother of his daughter who looked more like her every day.

"It's alright, John, I'd be happy to help," Molly smiled sympathetically. She missed Mary too and wished she was here to spend Christmas with them all. "You know she's still here in spirit, in our hearts. Her memory is still alive." She gave him a friendly hug before heading upstairs to wrap the gift whilst John headed back into the sitting room.

As Molly wrapped Rosie's gift from her mum, she thought about the possibility of having children of her own. His children. The thought comforted her, but she wondered if he would even want to start a family together. Yes, Sherlock had matured a lot in the past few months—especially with his emotions—so it wouldn't be a far-fetched notion. A picture in her mind was conjured up of a curly haired boy with her brown eyes and little girl with long brown hair and cerulean eyes. For the first time, Molly realized how much she really wanted this—wanted them.

"Molly?" Sherlock called out to her, poking his head into the bedroom. "My mum wanted to talk to you. About what, I haven't the slightest idea, but when you're finished, she's in the kitchen baking pies."

"Alright, thank you," Molly replied. "Oh, and Sherlock?"

"Hm?" he sounded, stepping back into the room.

"Thank you," she smiled.

"For what?" he asked.

"For inviting me here for Christmas," she answered. "It's been so long since I've felt like I had a family and I love being with you during the holidays." He walked over to where she was sitting on the bed and wrapped her up in a warm embrace.

"I'm so happy you came along," he murmured against her hair. "I never want you to feel alone, darling. I'm always here for you. You're family. You always have been." Sherlock smiled when he felt her arms wrap around his waist, pulling him closer, her head resting against his abdomen.

"I love you," she spoke softly. He felt her press a kiss against his aubergine shirt that made his heart swell with love.

"Mm, I love you too, Molly Hooper," he replied. "I hope you don't mind, darling, I know we weren't going to do gifts this year, but I may have gotten you a couple of things."

"Well, I may have gotten you something as well," Molly told him. They were both laughing at the predicament.

"I would like to give the first one to you now," he told her. She watched as he procured a long, thin wrapped package from his pocket. He encouraged her with his eyes and carefully unwrapped it, revealing a velvet necklace box. Lifting the lid, Molly let out a quiet gasp. It was sterling silver necklace with a heartbeat charm. "I called in a favor from a doctor at Bart's to have a scan of what my heartbeat looks like when I'm talking to you. I had to call you for it to work, but that is my heart beating for you."

"Sherlock, this is beautiful," her voice trembled, tears of joy spilling over. "Thank you, bumblebee." He smiled at the nickname she had given him once he had taken to calling her his honeybee. His calloused fingers gently lifted the necklace out of the box and he clasped it around her neck, pressing a kiss to her pulse point. His fears were swept away just because of this small moment between them. He had high hopes that Molly would, in fact, agree to become the future Mrs. Holmes.

"Mrs. Holmes?" Molly called out, peering into the kitchen.

"Oh, come in dear," Lydia smiled. "I'm just getting these pies in the oven." Molly lifted a pie and an oven mitt to help the elderly woman.

"Sherlock said you wanted to see me," she continued.

"Oh, yes," Mrs. Holmes confirmed. "I wanted to say thank you for never giving up on my William. I know how much of a pain he can be, but you are a resilient one." This made Molly laugh.

"He may be difficult at times, but he's more than worth it," Molly replied.

"I haven't seen him this happy since he was a child, long before Victor disappeared," Lydia informed her. "He looks at you the way my husband has always looked at me. Boy looks just like his father, so I know."

"He has your eyes," Molly added. "Lovely eyes, may I add?"

"Thank you, dear," Lydia smiled. "I do hope you're enjoying yourself."

"Oh, it's been wonderful, Mrs. Holmes, I assure you," Molly told her. "It's been a little over a decade since my mum passed and about fifteen years since my dad passed. It feels nice to be part of a family again."

"And family is exactly what you are!" Mrs. Holmes exclaimed. "Even if things don't work out between you two—though I highly doubt anyone or anything could separate the pair of you—you'll always be family to us." She finished wiping down the counter top and her eyes settled over the chain around Molly's neck. "That's a lovely necklace."

"Thank you," Molly smiled. "Sherlock just gave this to me a moment ago, actually."

"My son's a romantic just like his father, though he won't openly show it," Mrs. Holmes mused. "I used to be a bit closed off in my younger years, but Edmund softened me up eventually." The story sounded like her and Sherlock, except the roles were switched. In that moment, Molly prayed that she and Sherlock would still be this much in love when they were his parents' age. Why wait for him to make the first move? Molly decided she would propose to him. The worst that could happen is that he could say 'no' or say he's not ready. If it came it came to that, then fine, as long as she could be with him in whatever way possible.

Author's Note: So now, they're both planning on proposing haha! Who'll get the words out first? You can have a scan of your heartbeat turned into a necklace, by the way. It is entirely possible. And so romantic.