Fic for scandalbaby: Molly's Christmas Lunch
Title: Molly’s Christmas Lunch
Recipient: scandalbaby
Author: thesmallhobbit
Characters/Pairings: Sherlock Holmes/Molly Hooper, Greg Lestrade, Mycroft Holmes
Rating: G
Warnings: None
Summary: When Sherlock called in to see Greg Lestrade the information Sherlock brought was the very last thing Greg had imagined.
Greg Lestrade was used to Sherlock Holmes fidgeting in his chair while Greg completed the essential paperwork on his desk. He was therefore paying Sherlock no attention until the man suddenly stood up.
“Molly’s pregnant,” Sherlock said.
“What?” Now Sherlock had Greg’s full attention.
“I said, Molly’s pregnant. She told me this morning. It doesn’t make sense.”
“You do understand about the, err, birds and bees? This isn’t one of those things you’ve decided are of no importance and therefore jettisoned?” Greg leant backwards in his chair, staring at Sherlock.
“Don’t be ridiculous, Lestrade. Sex and its after effects are one of the major reasons for crimes.”
“So what do you mean, it doesn’t make sense?”
“I’m going to be a father. What am I going to do? What if Molly decides to go back to work afterwards and leaves me with the baby?”
“Maybe Mycroft ...”
“No, no, Mycroft would be useless. He hated me when I was a baby, said I made too much noise and demanded too much attention.”
“No change there then. What I meant was maybe Mycroft could get one of his minions to recommend suitable nurseries.”
“Molly will sort all that out. But what do I do if she asks me to hold the baby? I’m the father; I need to know these things.”
“Calm down, you’ve got plenty of time.” Greg waved his hands in the hope Sherlock would stop pacing round his office and sit down.
“No I haven’t. I’m meeting Molly for lunch. I need to know what I’m doing by then.”
Greg shook his head. He normally found following Sherlock’s train of thought difficult, but this was even harder than usual. “Plenty of time before the baby is born. It is your child? I hadn’t realised you two were that serious about each other.”
“Of course it is. I’m still deciding where we were at the time. It might have been ...”
“I don’t need the full details,” Greg hastily interrupted.
“And we need to get married.”
“You don’t have to. Lots of people have children without being married.”
“Molly and I are not lots of people. I was thinking of telling her I’d arranged a special Christmas treat on Christmas Eve and taking her to a registry office and we’d get married.”
Greg tried to process the idea. He was convinced there was something amiss with the plan, but his brain was refusing to co-operate, since it was still coming to terms with the idea of Sherlock not only being a father, but apparently, despite his apprehension, happy about it. Finally Greg said, “You’ll need witnesses.”
“You and Mrs Hudson will do.”
“So you’re planning on taking the bride to her own wedding without giving her any idea what’s about to happen.”
“It will be romantic. Molly likes romantic gestures.”
“Ye-e-es.” A thought struck Greg, “You have asked her to marry you?”
“No. The idea only came to me on the way to meet you.”
“I can see a number of flaws with your plan. Chief of those is that you don’t even know if Molly wants to marry you. I will be very happy to help if a quiet wedding is what is wanted, but I need to hear it from Molly herself. Now, go and have lunch with her and leave me in peace to finish these reports.”
Sherlock nodded and headed for the door.
“Oh, Sherlock,” Greg called out, “congratulations, Daddy!”
***
Greg should have known his offer to help with the wedding, said only in order to calm Sherlock, would be taken literally. Which was why, two weeks later, he found himself sitting in an armchair in 221B, with Molly sitting on the sofa opposite.
“You are sure this is what you want, Molly?” Greg began.
“Definitely. I don’t want months of preparation. I like going to weddings, but organising one will be stressful and we don’t need it. Also, we don’t want to tell people I’m pregnant until after the wedding, so we can’t leave it too long or it will be rather obvious.” Molly grinned.
“So, it’s to be Christmas Eve?”
“No, December 23rd. It will make it easier for family to come and get home again. The registry office is booked.”
“You want me to book somewhere for the reception and sort things out there?”
“If you don’t mind.” Molly smiled at Greg. “If you don’t want to I’ll understand.”
“That’s fine. If you tell me what you want and how many people are coming, I’m happy to organise it for you.”
“You see, I told you it would be easier if there was just the two of us,” Sherlock interjected.
“And I said if we do it this way we don’t have to visit both sides of the family and explain afterwards. One ceremony, one meal, bye bye,” Molly replied firmly. Greg grinned at Sherlock being bested by Molly’s logic.
Molly turned back to Greg and continued as if she hadn’t been interrupted. “There’ll be Mr and Mrs Holmes and Mycroft,” she ignored Sherlock’s groan, “my mother and step-father and two sisters, if they can be bothered to come, John and Mary, my friend Beth and her partner, you and Mrs Hudson. Fifteen in all. Do you think it will be possible to find somewhere?”
“The pub I’m thinking of has a private room which will fit fifteen. Are you quite sure that’s where you want to have your wedding reception?”
Molly nodded firmly. “It will be ideal. I’ll devise suitable invitations for everyone, so they think we’re having a pre-Christmas lunch and say we’re meeting up for a drink beforehand to get them near to the registry office.”
“So long as you’re happy, I am,” Greg said.
“There’s one more request,” Molly said. “Would you give me away?”
“Of course. But what about your step-father?”
“He’s nice enough, but I don’t particularly know him. Mum married him after I’d left home. I think you’d be a much better choice.”
“Thank you. I shall be honoured to do so.”
***
Of course, having a surprise wedding didn’t go entirely to plan. Mycroft, inevitably, worked it all out. Shortly after he received his invitation to ‘pre-Christmas lunch’ he called round at Baker Street. Walking into 221B he smiled and said, “Congratulations, brother dear.”
Sherlock glared at him. “What for?”
“Your forthcoming wedding and fatherhood.”
“I suppose there’s no chance you will decline your invitation.”
“None whatsoever, I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”
“Will you tell Mummy?”
“No. Although I will make sure she is suitably attired. She’d never forgive you if she came to your wedding in her ordinary going up to town clothes.”
Sherlock snorted.
“I presume Greg Lestrade will be your best man,” Mycroft continued.
“Actually, he’s giving Molly away,” Sherlock replied.
“In which case ...” Mycroft smiled again. Sherlock glared back.
***
Somehow, Mrs Hudson also knew, although no-one had told her and she hadn’t said anything. Nevertheless, when the guests assembled close to the registry office, Mrs Hudson was seen to be wearing a new hat, which was considerably more ornate than one for a mere pre-Christmas lunch.
One of Molly’s sisters had refused to come when she learnt the invitation to lunch didn’t include her two badly behaved children. (John and Mary had left their toddler with a friend.) However, everyone else had arrived and expressed considerable surprise at being encouraged by Greg to go into the registry office. He was quite grateful to Mycroft for taking a lead and the others meekly followed him.
They were even more surprised to find they were attending the marriage ceremony between Molly and Sherlock, but there was little time for any reaction before it was time to go into the room. Molly’s mother had slipped into the ladies, but Mrs Hudson followed her with some tissues and after a couple of minutes the two re-emerged, Molly’s mother smiling through her tears.
The ceremony passed without a hitch, much to Greg’s relief, who had dreaded someone raising an objection, and then they were outside again and heading for the pub.
Despite the unconventional nature of the wedding, the reception went extremely well. Everyone chatted to everyone else; the two mothers sharing the view that, although they would have liked more warning, it was lovely to see their respective offspring married at last.
Sherlock had wanted to skip the traditional speeches, but Greg had insisted it would be a good idea to thank people for coming and to let them share in the toast to the happy couple.
Accordingly, at the end of the meal, Greg stood up and said, “Thank you all for coming today. I realise the event wasn’t quite what you were expecting, but I do hope you have all had a good time.” He was pleased to see a number of nods, together with a “hear, hear!” from John. “I have known both Molly and Sherlock for several years and am delighted to be proposing the toast in their honour, ‘Molly and Sherlock!’”
The toast was echoed enthusiastically throughout the room.
Greg had not expected Sherlock to say anything and was surprised when he stood up. “Molly tells me I should thank you for coming, but I’m not going to. I have far more important information to impart. We are expecting a baby in May, so I should like to propose a toast to the grandparents.”
This announcement was greeted with stunned silence, before Mycroft raised his glass, looked at the table where both sets of parents were sitting and said loudly, “The grandparents!”
Lastly, Mycroft himself stood up and said, “It Is customary for the best man to regale the guests with tales of the groom’s reprehensible youth. We do not, however, have sufficient time for this before you all have to catch your trains back home, and therefore I shall content myself with wishing Molly and Sherlock all the best for the future.”
The speeches over one or two of the guests began surreptitiously looking at the time. Sherlock too glanced at the clock and stood up before saying loudly, “Don’t hang around if you don’t want to, we’re off on our honeymoon.”
Mrs Holmes went over to Sherlock to kiss him. “But what about Christmas?” she asked. “You were coming to us.”
“Sorry, Mummy, better offer!”
“But what about all the food?”
“You’ll do exactly what you do every year; continue to eat it for the next week. Maybe you can come up with another exotic and inedible recipe for leftover turkey.”
Sherlock turned and taking Molly’s hand the two of them left.
Mrs Holmes looked round. Catching sight of Greg she asked, “Inspector, are you doing anything for Christmas?”
Greg, concentrating on waving farewell to Molly and Sherlock, replied without thinking, “No, nothing much.”
“In which case, ...”
Recipient: scandalbaby
Author: thesmallhobbit
Characters/Pairings: Sherlock Holmes/Molly Hooper, Greg Lestrade, Mycroft Holmes
Rating: G
Warnings: None
Summary: When Sherlock called in to see Greg Lestrade the information Sherlock brought was the very last thing Greg had imagined.
Greg Lestrade was used to Sherlock Holmes fidgeting in his chair while Greg completed the essential paperwork on his desk. He was therefore paying Sherlock no attention until the man suddenly stood up.
“Molly’s pregnant,” Sherlock said.
“What?” Now Sherlock had Greg’s full attention.
“I said, Molly’s pregnant. She told me this morning. It doesn’t make sense.”
“You do understand about the, err, birds and bees? This isn’t one of those things you’ve decided are of no importance and therefore jettisoned?” Greg leant backwards in his chair, staring at Sherlock.
“Don’t be ridiculous, Lestrade. Sex and its after effects are one of the major reasons for crimes.”
“So what do you mean, it doesn’t make sense?”
“I’m going to be a father. What am I going to do? What if Molly decides to go back to work afterwards and leaves me with the baby?”
“Maybe Mycroft ...”
“No, no, Mycroft would be useless. He hated me when I was a baby, said I made too much noise and demanded too much attention.”
“No change there then. What I meant was maybe Mycroft could get one of his minions to recommend suitable nurseries.”
“Molly will sort all that out. But what do I do if she asks me to hold the baby? I’m the father; I need to know these things.”
“Calm down, you’ve got plenty of time.” Greg waved his hands in the hope Sherlock would stop pacing round his office and sit down.
“No I haven’t. I’m meeting Molly for lunch. I need to know what I’m doing by then.”
Greg shook his head. He normally found following Sherlock’s train of thought difficult, but this was even harder than usual. “Plenty of time before the baby is born. It is your child? I hadn’t realised you two were that serious about each other.”
“Of course it is. I’m still deciding where we were at the time. It might have been ...”
“I don’t need the full details,” Greg hastily interrupted.
“And we need to get married.”
“You don’t have to. Lots of people have children without being married.”
“Molly and I are not lots of people. I was thinking of telling her I’d arranged a special Christmas treat on Christmas Eve and taking her to a registry office and we’d get married.”
Greg tried to process the idea. He was convinced there was something amiss with the plan, but his brain was refusing to co-operate, since it was still coming to terms with the idea of Sherlock not only being a father, but apparently, despite his apprehension, happy about it. Finally Greg said, “You’ll need witnesses.”
“You and Mrs Hudson will do.”
“So you’re planning on taking the bride to her own wedding without giving her any idea what’s about to happen.”
“It will be romantic. Molly likes romantic gestures.”
“Ye-e-es.” A thought struck Greg, “You have asked her to marry you?”
“No. The idea only came to me on the way to meet you.”
“I can see a number of flaws with your plan. Chief of those is that you don’t even know if Molly wants to marry you. I will be very happy to help if a quiet wedding is what is wanted, but I need to hear it from Molly herself. Now, go and have lunch with her and leave me in peace to finish these reports.”
Sherlock nodded and headed for the door.
“Oh, Sherlock,” Greg called out, “congratulations, Daddy!”
***
Greg should have known his offer to help with the wedding, said only in order to calm Sherlock, would be taken literally. Which was why, two weeks later, he found himself sitting in an armchair in 221B, with Molly sitting on the sofa opposite.
“You are sure this is what you want, Molly?” Greg began.
“Definitely. I don’t want months of preparation. I like going to weddings, but organising one will be stressful and we don’t need it. Also, we don’t want to tell people I’m pregnant until after the wedding, so we can’t leave it too long or it will be rather obvious.” Molly grinned.
“So, it’s to be Christmas Eve?”
“No, December 23rd. It will make it easier for family to come and get home again. The registry office is booked.”
“You want me to book somewhere for the reception and sort things out there?”
“If you don’t mind.” Molly smiled at Greg. “If you don’t want to I’ll understand.”
“That’s fine. If you tell me what you want and how many people are coming, I’m happy to organise it for you.”
“You see, I told you it would be easier if there was just the two of us,” Sherlock interjected.
“And I said if we do it this way we don’t have to visit both sides of the family and explain afterwards. One ceremony, one meal, bye bye,” Molly replied firmly. Greg grinned at Sherlock being bested by Molly’s logic.
Molly turned back to Greg and continued as if she hadn’t been interrupted. “There’ll be Mr and Mrs Holmes and Mycroft,” she ignored Sherlock’s groan, “my mother and step-father and two sisters, if they can be bothered to come, John and Mary, my friend Beth and her partner, you and Mrs Hudson. Fifteen in all. Do you think it will be possible to find somewhere?”
“The pub I’m thinking of has a private room which will fit fifteen. Are you quite sure that’s where you want to have your wedding reception?”
Molly nodded firmly. “It will be ideal. I’ll devise suitable invitations for everyone, so they think we’re having a pre-Christmas lunch and say we’re meeting up for a drink beforehand to get them near to the registry office.”
“So long as you’re happy, I am,” Greg said.
“There’s one more request,” Molly said. “Would you give me away?”
“Of course. But what about your step-father?”
“He’s nice enough, but I don’t particularly know him. Mum married him after I’d left home. I think you’d be a much better choice.”
“Thank you. I shall be honoured to do so.”
***
Of course, having a surprise wedding didn’t go entirely to plan. Mycroft, inevitably, worked it all out. Shortly after he received his invitation to ‘pre-Christmas lunch’ he called round at Baker Street. Walking into 221B he smiled and said, “Congratulations, brother dear.”
Sherlock glared at him. “What for?”
“Your forthcoming wedding and fatherhood.”
“I suppose there’s no chance you will decline your invitation.”
“None whatsoever, I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”
“Will you tell Mummy?”
“No. Although I will make sure she is suitably attired. She’d never forgive you if she came to your wedding in her ordinary going up to town clothes.”
Sherlock snorted.
“I presume Greg Lestrade will be your best man,” Mycroft continued.
“Actually, he’s giving Molly away,” Sherlock replied.
“In which case ...” Mycroft smiled again. Sherlock glared back.
***
Somehow, Mrs Hudson also knew, although no-one had told her and she hadn’t said anything. Nevertheless, when the guests assembled close to the registry office, Mrs Hudson was seen to be wearing a new hat, which was considerably more ornate than one for a mere pre-Christmas lunch.
One of Molly’s sisters had refused to come when she learnt the invitation to lunch didn’t include her two badly behaved children. (John and Mary had left their toddler with a friend.) However, everyone else had arrived and expressed considerable surprise at being encouraged by Greg to go into the registry office. He was quite grateful to Mycroft for taking a lead and the others meekly followed him.
They were even more surprised to find they were attending the marriage ceremony between Molly and Sherlock, but there was little time for any reaction before it was time to go into the room. Molly’s mother had slipped into the ladies, but Mrs Hudson followed her with some tissues and after a couple of minutes the two re-emerged, Molly’s mother smiling through her tears.
The ceremony passed without a hitch, much to Greg’s relief, who had dreaded someone raising an objection, and then they were outside again and heading for the pub.
Despite the unconventional nature of the wedding, the reception went extremely well. Everyone chatted to everyone else; the two mothers sharing the view that, although they would have liked more warning, it was lovely to see their respective offspring married at last.
Sherlock had wanted to skip the traditional speeches, but Greg had insisted it would be a good idea to thank people for coming and to let them share in the toast to the happy couple.
Accordingly, at the end of the meal, Greg stood up and said, “Thank you all for coming today. I realise the event wasn’t quite what you were expecting, but I do hope you have all had a good time.” He was pleased to see a number of nods, together with a “hear, hear!” from John. “I have known both Molly and Sherlock for several years and am delighted to be proposing the toast in their honour, ‘Molly and Sherlock!’”
The toast was echoed enthusiastically throughout the room.
Greg had not expected Sherlock to say anything and was surprised when he stood up. “Molly tells me I should thank you for coming, but I’m not going to. I have far more important information to impart. We are expecting a baby in May, so I should like to propose a toast to the grandparents.”
This announcement was greeted with stunned silence, before Mycroft raised his glass, looked at the table where both sets of parents were sitting and said loudly, “The grandparents!”
Lastly, Mycroft himself stood up and said, “It Is customary for the best man to regale the guests with tales of the groom’s reprehensible youth. We do not, however, have sufficient time for this before you all have to catch your trains back home, and therefore I shall content myself with wishing Molly and Sherlock all the best for the future.”
The speeches over one or two of the guests began surreptitiously looking at the time. Sherlock too glanced at the clock and stood up before saying loudly, “Don’t hang around if you don’t want to, we’re off on our honeymoon.”
Mrs Holmes went over to Sherlock to kiss him. “But what about Christmas?” she asked. “You were coming to us.”
“Sorry, Mummy, better offer!”
“But what about all the food?”
“You’ll do exactly what you do every year; continue to eat it for the next week. Maybe you can come up with another exotic and inedible recipe for leftover turkey.”
Sherlock turned and taking Molly’s hand the two of them left.
Mrs Holmes looked round. Catching sight of Greg she asked, “Inspector, are you doing anything for Christmas?”
Greg, concentrating on waving farewell to Molly and Sherlock, replied without thinking, “No, nothing much.”
“In which case, ...”