Molly smiled and waved as her students raced out the door for the holiday break. She turned and began to wipe off the chalkboard.
'Miss Hooper?'
Molly froze and looked down. 'Oh, Adelaine.' She dropped the eraser and brushed off her hands. Dropping down onto her haunches, she smiled kindly. 'Did you need something?'
The little girl, with curly hair tied in pigtails, smiled shyly. Bringing her hand around, she held out a piece of red construction paper with homemade snowflakes glued atop.
Molly took it and looked it over. In Adelaine's improving handwriting was a charming invitation to a holiday party at her home the next evening.
'Oh, how sweet!'
'Will you come? Please?' Big blue-green eyes looked up at her beseechingly.
Words failed Molly. If she said no, she would disappoint one of her favourite students, and herself. If she said yes, she would have to endure an evening with Adelaine's father, a man she had developed feelings for. Unrequited feelings.
'It would not be an enjoyable evening if you declined, Miss Hooper.'
Molly looked up in surprise at the deep voice. Coming to stand behind his daughter, Mr Holmes stared down at her with an expectant face.
'O-oh,' she stammered, a deep blush staining her cheeks. 'Erm, thank you. I-I'll be there.'
Adelaine's face broke out into a wreath of smiles. Mr Holmes swung her up into his arms as Molly straightened up and self-consciously brushed her Christmas-themed skirt.
'See, Daddy,' Adelaine smiled smugly. 'I told you she'd say yes!'
To Molly's surprise, a faint blush stole across Mr Holmes's sharp cheekbones and he seemed hesitant to meet her eyes.
'The address is on the invitation. Until then, Miss Hooper.'
With that, he spun away in a flash of black. Adelaine smiled and waved at her over his shoulder. 'See you tomorrow!'
Molly waved absently.
Oh, dear.
oOo
'You asked her then?'
Sherlock looked at John from the corner of his eye and hummed an affirmative.
John laughed softly. 'Good. You've been moony-eyed over this woman for months now.'
'I have not been moony-eyed ,' Sherlock defended himself, sneering at the term.
However true it may have been.
John snorted and simply slapped his friend on the back. 'Well, good luck, mate. Try not to scare her off, yeah. Adelaine adores her.'
'I am aware,' Sherlock hissed, but John had already walked away. His foot tapped impatiently against the floor and he looked at the clock for the seventh time in the past five minutes. She was late. The party had officially started twelve minutes ago.
Just then, he heard footsteps on the stairs. Soft and uncertain.
Molly.
As soon as she appeared on the landing, her eyes were wide and she clearly was uncomfortable as she took in the people. In addition to Adelaine, Mrs Hudson and the Watsons with their two daughters, Mummy and Papa had decided to spend the holidays with him, and Mycroft had been badgered into coming by his niece. Lestrade and his new wife were there, as well.
Sherlock could see she was about ready to slip back downstairs before anyone noticed her, so he quickly rushed to greet her. 'Miss Hooper, so glad you could come.'
'The sign on the door said to just come upstairs,' she explained, and quickly held out a silver tin, tied with a red bow. 'Christmas cookies. My mum's recipe.'
Sherlock took the tin and lifted the lid. Instantly his mouth watered at the delicious aroma of freshly baked sweets. 'Best to keep these away from my brother.'
Her eyes sparkled in the light when she smiled.
'Please come on in. Let me take your coat,' he offered. She hesitated for a moment, as if debating whether she could still make a quick exit, but then unbuttoned the pea coat and slid it off. Sherlock smiled at the brightly patterned Christmas jumper she had paired with dark jeans and draped her coat over his arm.
'I wasn't sure what to wear, if it was formal or-' She tugged on her sleeve self-consciously.
'You look perfect,' Sherlock cut in. A shy, pleased blush danced across her face and their eyes met. Sherlock licked his lips and opened his mouth to admit his ulterior motive for having Adelaide invite her. But then-
'Miss Hooper!' Adelaine exclaimed in delight and raced across the room. 'You came!'
Her eyes locked with Sherlock's for just a moment and he could see the brief flicker of regret before she looked away.
She smiled brightly and bent down just in time to catch Adelaine's hug, her little arms going around her neck. 'Of course I did. Merry Christmas, Adelaine.'
'Merry Christmas!' Adelaine beamed and took Molly's hand to lead her around the room. Sherlock followed behind and found himself admiring the silver bow she'd clipped in her hair, just above her ponytail.
'Nana, Papa, this is Miss Hooper!' Adelaine announced loudly and practically shoved Molly in front of the elderly couple sitting on the couch. Before Molly could even extend her hand in greeting, Adelaine was pushing her along. 'And this is my Uncle Myc, he's my daddy's brother!'
oOo
Having managed to extricate herself from the increasingly personal inquiry of Adelaide's parental figures (of which the girl had many; so, so many), Molly slipped into the kitchen and took a deep breath.
It had been a long time since she'd celebrated Christmas with anyone other than her aging cat, Toby. It was nice. If a bit overwhelming.
Finding the bottle of red wine, Molly refilled her glass with shaky hands.
Mr Holmes had been staring at her all evening. She could feel his eyes on her almost constantly and it sent her into a whirlwind of confusion and butterflies.
'Overwhelmed?'
Spinning around, Molly discovered Mr Holmes leaning against the doorframe, watching her. She smiled nervously. 'A bit. They're all so lovely, I just needed a moment.'
'Oh, believe me. I understand.' He pushed off and sauntered toward her. Unsure of where to look, with his piercing gaze leveled directly on her, Molly looked down into her glass, her fingers playing with the stem.
'I am having a wonderful time, though. It was sweet of Adelaine to invite me.' She glanced up at him and leaned back in surprise to find him standing over her.
Without breaking their gaze, Mr Holmes took the glass from her hand and set it on the table. 'What if I told you it wasn't just Adeliane who wanted you to come?'
Heart racing, Molly's eyes went wide and she could feel the burn of a blush. She swallowed thickly. 'Really?'
'Really.' His lips twitched into a smile. Raising his eyebrows meaningfully, he leaned his head back. Molly followed his gaze and gasped.
Mistletoe .
'Well, Miss Hooper,' he whispered and placed his hands on her cheeks. 'It is tradition.'
Whatever words Molly could have said were stolen by his lips as he pulled her close and thoroughly and completely kissed her.
oOo
Adelaine snuffled and buried her curly head deeper into Molly's side. The two girls were dozing by the fire in Sherlock's chair, Molly's hand lazily stroking Adelaine's curls. Leaning against the doorframe, Sherlock's heart swelled with affection at the sight.
His parents had retired to John's former room hours ago and not too long after, the others had made their goodbyes. Molly had insisted on staying and helping clean up a bit afterward, to which Sherlock had made no complaints. He hadn't stopped smiling all evening and the memory of their kiss in the kitchen left him wanting more.
Just then, Molly's eyes fluttered open and she blinked sleepily, looking down with a soft smile at the sleeping Adelaine who shivered a bit, despite the warmth of the fire. Carefully, Molly reached over and grabbed the edge of a throw and drew it over them both, tucking Adelaine into her side with a kiss to the top of her curly head.
Sherlock took a moment to freeze the picture and store it away in his memories before joining them.
It would be the first of many Christmas nights they would spend as a family.
They just didn't know it quite yet.