#omycroft

It had been a very eventful day, to put it mildly. After weeks of feeling fatigued and sick you had finally caved and made a doctor’s appointment for after work, much to Sherlock’s delight. That knowing little smirk of his had become too much for you to ignore on top of everything else that was happening. He knew how much you hated going to the hospital, the smell of bleach and antiseptic combated with the fact that you were at least being seen by a familiar face. Both Sherlock and John had stepped almost seamlessly into Mycroft’s place in his absence, the past four months bearable knowing they were only a text away.

Despite the support, it had still been 127 days since you had seen or heard from your husband. Each day apart was etched into the lines now marking your forehead, into the sloped line of your shoulders which now carried what felt like the weight of the world and into the sullen attitude you couldn’t seem to shake. Queen and Country had called, leaving you behind to pick up the pieces and try to carry on with your life while you waited for him to return from country unknown.

 You knew something like this would happen one day, had mentally prepared yourself for it, but no amount of preparation could fill the gaping hole in your chest that ached any time you were left to your thoughts. Despite the pain, you were an integral part of the elaborate scheme to make it look as if Mycroft was still present at work; meaning you were in your office every day answering calls and making excuses as to why you needed to cancel and reschedule meetings if you weren’t able to attend in his place. It was this extra stress you had attributed to the tiredness, your health taking the back seat as you did all you could to keep him safe.

You trudged up the stairs to your newest flat later that night, eyes hooded and heavy with exhaustion as you unlocked the door. A sigh left your lips as you replaced your keys on the hook by the front door, placing the shopping bag on the counter before unpacking the supplements John had prescribed and placing them on your bedside table. You bit down hard on your lip as your fingers traced the frame containing your wedding pictures, pulling them away to rub at your forehead in frustration.

The notification tone of your phone sounded, harsh in the silence, pulling you away from your worrying.

I was right, wasn’t I? SH

You rolled your eyes, already imagining the smug expression your brother-in-law was wearing. Why did he have to play these damn games? For all his brilliance, how did he not see you wouldn’t be in the mood for this right now?

You know you are. Surely this means he’ll be home soon? Xx

Your question went unanswered, his reply instead making you laugh genuinely for the first time in weeks.

Congratulations SH

After the night of your engagement, Sherlock had been sure to congratulate you on all big milestones. At first you had thought he was doing it to be smart with you, but Mycroft had often assured you it was him expressing his fondness and trying to appease you for missing that first important social cue.

You let a slow breath through your teeth, knowing it was better for your sanity if you didn’t bother Sherlock for any information or deductions. It wouldn’t do anyone any good to get your hopes back up, but a fluttery feeling in your stomach led you to believe tonight you would finally be seeing your husband again, top secret assignment be damned.

Thanks Xx

With that parting text, you busied yourself with dinner for the evening. You were in such high spirits you even made a pear tart, a portion left covered in the oven alongside the other serving of dinner just in case. You would never admit it, but a meal had been left aside every night so far in the hopes that you wouldn’t be eating alone.

With nothing left to do but wait, you took the cocktail of vitamins lining your bedside and settled against the pillows on your bed. A yawn escaped shortly after, the feeling of your feet up heavenly and more than enough to make you drowsy. In a vain effort to stay awake you grabbed the paperback you had been slowly getting through, rolling to your side and opening it to the bookmarked page to try and focus on the story unfolding between your fingertips. It was all useless though, the harsh light of your lamp hurting your eyes and just adding to your discontent. The switch clicked as you dejectedly turned it off, bathed in a soothing darkness that lulled you eventually to sleep.

  A small smile curved your lips hours later as you felt a warm arm wrap around your shoulders, the kiss pressed to the back of your head enough to shake away the last of your dream. You opened your eyes to find light dimly filtering through from the kitchen, a familiar presence fitting himself to your figure. Your hand rose to cover his, fingers interlacing as you turned to face him.

“Mmm, I thought I’d be seeing you” You said groggily, smile widening as you heard him chuckle. It felt like he had never left, your being whole again as you drank in his shadowed features. Your free hand ghosted along the wispy facial hair along his jaw, this the first time you had ever seen him so unshaven.

“I had my ways of keeping an eye on you dear. I came back as soon as Dr. Watson typed your name into a patient record form. The bastard left the rest of the information blank apart from ‘needs further specialist attention.’ Is everything alright?” Mycroft explained, concern colouring his tone as he tried to diagnose you himself. It made you laugh, a mental note made to thank John later for his discretion.

“Sorry to worry you. Nothing’s wrong, as such” You answered cryptically, mouth opening into a full grin as the butterflies began to pound against your chest. For years you had never been able to hide a single thing from him, but finally you had the upper hand and were able to tell Mycroft something he didn’t already know. The thought was enough to make you giddy, wondering which of a million ways you could tell him.

You were met with a low growl of annoyance, the darkness cloaking any evidence of your condition from his probing gaze.

“You do not go to the hospital unless something is seriously the matter, hence why I have been extracted from a top secret mission. Please tell me that was not for nothing” He said evenly, barely covering his irritation with cool indifference.

“I’m surprised you didn’t contact your brother first, he’s the one who bullied me into going to Bart’s”

“Even Sherlock knows? Good God woman, tell me!” He snapped, seconds away from either blowing up or having a meltdown. You knew the outburst was fuelled by fear so you let it slide, he must have been fretting from the moment John submitted the report.

Your lips met his to quiet him, guiding his hand to trace the small bulge of your stomach as an answer to all his questioning. You felt it as he tensed, his mind without doubt racing to piece it all together.

“Oh” He breathed, suddenly holding you tightly as if you were smoke between his fingers.

“As I said, nothings necessarily wrong. Is it?” You asked timidly, immediately scared that this was something he wouldn’t want. It hadn’t been something the two of you had discussed in too greater detail, something more important always stepping in, demanding your attention. You were still coming to terms with it yourself, the amount of changes you were going to have to make staggering already.

“Of course not” He assured you.

You shuffled to curl into his body, head ducked into his chest and your bare legs tangling with his trousered ones whilst his fingers continued to draw faint circles on your belly. The two of you remained like this for some time, ignoring the onslaught of questions you were both dying to ask.

Finally, it got too much for you.

“Are you okay?” You asked, the simple three words spanning to impossibly cover every second of the time you spent apart.

Your answer was hindered by the sound of a vibrating phone, instantly answered. The space where he had laid was suddenly empty; the sight of Mycroft padding around the room in socks almost comical if it hadn’t been for the tension seeping into his posture with every clipped response. You scrubbed the heels of your hands against your eyes, stifling a yawn as you stood and moved past him to the kitchen. The call obviously needed to be conducted in private and would probably lead to him needing to go to the office or an emergency meeting. With that thought in your mind you began to pull some muffins and a bottle of juice from the fridge, placing them in a bag so he could eat on the way. He was always forgetting to eat or too busy to bother, either way you had fallen back into your routine like no time had passed at all. You took another muffin for yourself, relishing the first bite as you leant against the kitchen counter. It was still some ungodly hour of the morning but you were suddenly full of a nervous energy, near giddy as it truly hit you that your husband was home safe.

You bridged the space between you in bounds as he exited the bedroom, phone call long forgotten as you were swept into his arms.

“I missed you so much” you confided, silenced the next moment with a bruising kiss. It was desperate, heady and completely unexpected but not unappreciated. For someone with such an eloquent way with words, it was amazing how much more commanding his actions could be. He gathered you up, tasting you again and again until you both needed to break apart for air.

“I won’t be gone like that again” He promised breathlessly, eyes wide and lips red as he looked down at you. You stretched up on your tip-toes, using his tie to pull him back down to meet your answering kiss. His hands gathered up your pyjama top, protectively wrapping around the small of your back to support you. The warmth of his splayed hands on your bare skin elicited a shiver, the sensation racing up and down your spine.

“No more long hours either, for either of us” He murmured against your lips, hand coming up to tangle in your hair and cup the back of your head.

“How will Britain survive?” You chuckled, letting him guide you slowly back to the bedroom.

A/N- As always feedback would be greatly appreciated! This is within the same storyline where the reader is with Mycroft, hope you enjoy it!

A shrill buzzing filled your ears, creeping into your dreams and wrapping you in its tight grip. It pulled you slowly, forcibly back to consciousness, the groggy headspace you were in making it difficult for you to recognise the sound as your insistent doorbell. With a groan you stood, casting an eye to the window to find the dusk sky staring back. You ran a hand through your bed hair, pulling the first shirt you could grab from the floor over your near-naked form before stumbling to the intercom.

“’ello?” You answered with a yawn, scrunching your eyes at the returning volume of the grainy voice on the other end.

“Is Mycroft home?” Sherlock asked curtly, as always straight to the point. It took you a minute to look around, noting his missing umbrella and coat teamed with a note left on the table in his neat hand.

“Apart from this being my place Sherl, he does not appear to be here right now” You replied lazily, leaning against the wall with your eyes shut as you waited for the next logical question. It didn’t take a genius to figure out where Mycroft would be, the list short and easy to track. A simple phone call would have been more than enough for Sherlock to find his brother. You were cranky from being woken up, not even able to wonder why he would be uncharacteristically looking for Mycroft in the first place.

“Perfect, can I come in?” He requested instead, making you swallow any snarky words you were planning to respond with. The door buzzed as you let him in, a moment later opening the door to see him walking up the stairs.

One casual look over you had him smirking, your eyes rolling as he strolled past, John not far behind. You pulled the shirt hem down around your hips, suddenly very self conscious about the state they had found you in. A blush spread across your cheeks as you realised all too late it was his brother’s creased shirt you had taken from the floor to cover yourself.

“What’s going on?” You asked slowly, suspicion colouring your features as you looked between the two of them.

“Why would something be going on?” Was Sherlock’s nonchalant answer, taking a place in the kitchen before immediately beginning to examine and rearrange the items on your counter.

“No idea where I would have gotten the idea from” You muttered sarcastically, closing the door and moving to join them in the kitchen. The note sat between the three of you untouched, but you didn’t need to read it to know what it would say. You busied yourself making tea, pulling two additional cups out for your guests.

“He won’t be home for a good few hours. Just enough time” Sherlock crowed as he skimmed over Mycroft’s words, jumping around the room as if it would kill him to stay still for more than thirty seconds. The nervous, electric energy in his movements had you on edge, this high usually reserved for when he had finished a case or a drug hit.

“Enough time for what?” You ventured carefully, rubbing at your eyes before turning to John for help.

“I’m not in the mood for these games, please?” You added when you were given no answer, looking between the two of them again desperately. All you wanted was to crawl back into bed and wait for Mycroft to come back, a few more hours sleep enough to recharge your foggy brain and allow you to be more eloquent.

“We’re going out, explain later. Just go get dressed” John urged you, nodding towards your bedroom.

You shot him a dark look, feeling betrayed as you handed them their tea and stalked off to go change. It was better than arguing; you didn’t need that added headache.

“Yes, your own clothes this time would be preferable!” Sherlock called after your retreating figure, making you tense and look down. Dammit, you were wondering when he was going to take that jab. Better here and now instead of in front of Mycroft. Although the thought of the sharp and scathing reply did bolster your hopes of this exchange eventually occurring.

You reappeared a short time later, giving a quick spin just for the hell out of it. The dress swirled around you with the movement, the black material covered in a sunny sunflower print enough to pull you from your bad mood. You had managed to run a brush through your hair and put on some make up in between quick sips of tea, but you were feeling more awake and fairly happy with your appearance.

“Right, where are we off to?” You inquired, not really expecting a straight answer from either of them.

…

Out of all the places you were expecting, a pub was not amongst them. A few drinks in and you were definitely warming to the idea, the extravagant atmosphere in the Black Friar enough to hold your interest. At first you were convinced they were taking you to a crime scene or somewhere to use your government clearance, but instead you were sitting in a plush booth drinking bourbon and having a pretty good time.  Both Sherlock and John were attentive and able to keep an interesting conversation flowing comfortably between buying rounds, so much so that you didn’t hear your phone vibrating in your purse or the tone signalling your fifth missed call. Both you and John had taken punts on the horses, ignoring Sherlock’s jabs about statistics and being able to deduce the winner based on the jockey’s shoe size.

You felt able to open up and reveal more of yourself than you normally did; whether it was the alcohol or the company, you weren’t entirely sure. Either way, the conversation had turned to sharing what you all wanted for the future, to children and places outside of London. Sherlock pulled his phone out the second it was his turn, smirking triumphantly when he read the caller ID.

“Hold that thought” He instructed before sliding out of the booth, smoothly answering the call and making his way outside.

“Thanks for tonight, it’s hard to make friends when you’re working constantly” You told John, smiling warmly as your gaze went to the table. The empty glasses had began to pile up, your eyebrow furrowing slightly as you tried to remember how many had been yours.

“You’re part of the family now, it was nice to get to know you better. Mary always raves about what a good friend you are, wanted to see for myself” Was the reply, your cheeks flushing at the compliment.

Sherlock returned a few minutes later, his face holding in laughter as he shook the rain from his hair and slid back into the booth to sit next to you. It didn’t immediately click who had followed him into the bar, your face lighting up when you recognised a rather tired looking Mycroft.

“Hello!” You greeted him cheerfully, face cracking into a radiant smile that set both of your companions into hysterics. It was then that you noted his grim expression and tense posture, his eyes avoiding you to instead fall upon your would-be kidnappers.

“Why? Why would you bring her here? Are you trying to give me a heart attack?” He demanded, thinly veiled anger flowing beneath his rhetorical questions. Being treated like an invisible child made you frown, despite being able to see the concern in his voice.

“Just testing a theory” Sherlock boasted, nodding towards you with a look of extreme amusement.

“Good God” Mycroft sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose to try and temper his response. He had visibly paled, taking several moments to compose himself before speaking again.

 A bad feeling began to settle on your chest, the idea of being used as part of an experiment turning your blood cold. Your eyes widened as tears pricked at their corners, turning between the three of them as you waited for them to either confirm or deny that your evening together had all been pretence.

“And pray tell, what was this theory you were working on?” Mycroft continued evenly, the patience exhibited near saint-like.

“Well I’ve already discerned how her feelings towards you are genuine, though I can’t for the life of me see why, so the next logical step was to see if you returned them” Sherlock confessed wryly.

“After I’d proposed? I think you’ve missed the basis on which relationships work brother. We’re leaving, now.” Mycroft stated as his eyes fell on you, voice dropping so dangerously low that no one dared argue. You stood shakily, eyes wide as you downed the last of the bourbon from your glass and began towards the door, alcohol hitting your brain in a flurried rush and losing the ability to balance all at once. You turned halfway through your careful stumble towards the exit, raising a hand in farewell despite still being unsure whether the boys’ intent had been friendly or malicious.

 It was enough distance for you to be out of earshot, Mycroft more than ready to lay into the remaining occupants of the booth. Seeing your wavering form set his resolve though, his immediate attention set on getting you home quickly and lessening any discomfort you’d be feeling in the morning.

“I expected better from you John” He scowled, abruptly turning on his heel and following you out, an arm around your waist to stop you from falling.

The wind was cold on your bare arms, running its chilled fingers slowly up your back to elicit a shiver. Wordlessly you were given his coat, engulfed instantly in the too-long sleeves. The sight of you made Mycroft’s expression soften, safely away from prying eyes allowing him to forget the frustration he had felt from coming back to your flat to find you gone. His outstretched arms pulled you back into his side, safe and warm as he waited for the car to come around.

The dark sedan pulled up to the curb, the rear door opened for you so you could slide along the back seat. You greeted the driver by name and asked how his family was doing, one of the many chauffeurs kept on staff for occasions such as these. A moment later you were joined by the eldest Holmes, an eyebrow raised to find you talking so animatedly about Bill’s last trip to Eurodisney with his kids. He merely sat and watched the exchange in silence, lips quirking into a smile as your head found its way back to his shoulder. You hadn’t realised how tired you had become again, despite the nap earlier this evening. The conversation lulled, your eyes slowly flickering shut in the quiet that followed. You were drifting off, a content hum passing your lips as you felt a kiss being pressed to your hair.

“Love you” you murmured, snuggling closer to the warmth.

“As I you. I told you that they liked you”

“I wasn’t just some way to get at you?” You blurted, hiding your face as you heard the vulnerability in your voice.

“Of course not. They were trying to be protective, in their own unique way” He assured you, beginning to run his fingers through your hair. It was comforting and exactly what you needed at that moment, moving your head into the touch and letting go of the negative thoughts that had wrapped their thorns into your consciousness.

“Like turning up at the flat to kidnap me?” You offered.

“You never had to let them in you know” “Your brother said he was looking for you, he got more than he bargained for I think”

“How so?”

“Answering the door in only your shirt probably wasn’t what he was expecting.” You chuckled, biting your lip.

“Shame I wasn’t there to see it”

“Don’t judge a book by it’s cover” 

All your thoughts faded to the back of your mind as you pushed the earphones snugly into your ears, music loud and setting a punishing pace as you began your daily run. You tucked your phone into your jacket pocket to protect it from the early April rain, concentrating only on putting one foot in front of the other as you began the familiar loop around Hyde Park. It was only a light drizzle to begin with, enough to wipe away the sweat from your skin as it began to appear and slick your hair back from your face. You loved runs like this, the bass line hard and strong as it matched up with each of your steps, everything else melting away apart from the burn of your muscles and your lungs as you pushed yourself forward. The rain slowly grew heavier but it didn’t deter you, instead spurring you on as you started your second loop.

Your music cut off when your phone began to ring with a call, a frustrated sigh coming from your lips as you fished it out and swiped across the screen to answer it. Mary’s name on the caller ID brought you crashing back to reality, instantly jumping to conclusions at the thought of the heavily pregnant woman on the other end of the line.

“What’s wrong?” You asked evenly before she could get a word in, trying to keep calm as you looked around and planned the quickest way to get to her. It would probably require a call to your fiancée, despite his strict rule about calling him whilst at the Diogenes. Your mind rushed over a rough plan of attack, ready to jump to action. She was still a month away from her due date, but babies were early all the time. Your jaw tightened as you bit down on your racing imagination, worrying perhaps needlessly without any information.

“Nothing, nothing, I’m just being stupid. The boys are out again and I thought it would be nice to see you” She rushed back in response, reacting to your forced tone in alarm. You let out a slow breath in relief, trying to settle your heart rate from both the run and the surge of adrenaline.

“Of course, where are you? I’ll come right over” You replied, pulling your sleeve across your face to try and clean yourself up a bit.

“I’m at the flat, don’t rush. See you soon sweetheart, thanks for this”

“Don’t worry about it, see you soon” You smiled, hanging up and beginning to walk towards the road to hail a cab. The bright neon sign of a convenience store demanded your attention from across the road, a split second decision made to sacrifice your cab fare for buying some basic groceries instead. You looked both ways before crossing, shaking the rain from your hair before entering the store.

Your steps were quick and measured up the stairs of 221B twenty minutes later, the usual ‘Oh, hello Dear” from Mrs. Hudson as she answered the door before walking in to find Mary curled up in John’s arm chair reading a baby book. She looked exhausted, her bump bigger and more pronounced than the last time you had seen her as it poked from under her shirt. Her whole face lit up when she laid eyes on you, laughing as she noticed the grocery bag of milk and bread you held.

“I thought you might need some restocking, I doubt either of the boys would have time to pick up anything more than take out” You said in way of explanation, walking over to press a kiss to her cheek before making your way to the fridge. You didn’t even flinch upon being confronted with a row of human brains on the top shelf, merely rolling your eyes and making room for the groceries. It was partly funny, partly alarming, that you could take all these oddities in stride now, a proud smile gracing your features at how well you had adapted to the unexpected surprises having a Holmes in your life brought.

“They’re both too stubborn, you know that. Since you’re in there, you can put the kettle on please?” Mary called.

“Of course, I bought some more tea and some strawberries for us too” You added, taking the kettle over to the sink and filling it with water. After some rummaging around in the cupboards you managed to find two clean mugs, setting them onto the counter and preparing the tea for you both. Out of habit you hummed as you worked, feeling light and in high spirits from the endorphins after your run. You were still in your tights and had stripped down to your singlet, the jacket discarded by the door in hopes it would dry.

“Here you are love” You smiled as you set the tea and fresh punnet of strawberries down on the coffee table by Mary, carrying your own mug with you to the couch.

“Ta, I can’t tell you how good it is to see you” She remarked, taking a tentative sip before setting her tea back down to cool properly.

“It’s been a while, how are you and bub doing?” You asked, noticing not for the first time the heavy impact carrying a child was having on your friend. The bags under her eyes seemed days old, every line of her body tired and sore.

“I think we’re okay, having a personal doctor has its benefits” She joked in response, wincing slightly as she tried to reposition herself in the armchair.

“When he isn’t being a consulting detective’s blogger” You rejoined with a smile.

“Don’t start, this will be you before long” Mary cautioned, eyebrows raised in challenge as you choked on your tea. You took a second to compose yourself, torn between incredulity and amusement.

“Can you really imagine Mycroft with kids?” You pointed out, heart sinking slightly as the words passed your lips. It wasn’t that you hadn’t ever thought of the possibility of one day being a mother, you just couldn’t see them fitting into the life you had built with the eldest Holmes. You had convinced yourself that motherhood was a job for another day; there were more important things to be done here and now. If anything, your job had you certain the world was too unstable for you to bring a baby into, despite the less than subtle hints your future mother-in-law dropped mercilessly when you were visiting.

Still, the same girl with ginger curls and wide smile haunted your thoughts when you gave yourself time to think, the daughter who would fill your days with laughter and kisses and enough drawings to cover your refrigerator in its entirety. Your heart suddenly ached for a person that didn’t exist, for the sound of her laughter as you pushed her on her tyre swing in the Summer, for the weight of her in your lap as you read together in front of the fire in the Winter and for the way she would complete your family. You could even imagine the way she would have her father and uncle wrapped around her little finger, this intelligent and beautiful girl loved more than any other child in Britain.

You hadn’t realised you had been frowning until the dull ache had filled your cheeks, your eyes flickering up to find Mary buried back into her book. You weren’t sure if she had been speaking to you or not, deciding it was better to leave her as is if she were reading. It was another long-formed habit from being with Mycroft, a sigh escaping your lips as you reached out to grab one of Mary’s baby books from a pile on the floor. You were impressed with how prepared she was trying to be, flicking over the first few pages before settling down to read in companionable silence.

It took another hour or so in silence before Mary began to snore, pulling you from a chapter about a suitable pregnancy diet to find the blonde sound asleep. You smiled warmly upon seeing her face so relaxed and peaceful, moving to the door to pull your mobile and earphones from your jacket pocket before lying back on the couch. As much as you didn’t want to wake her from what looked to be a much-needed nap, she snored like a congested sailor, music the next best option so you could focus on the book in your lap. The Runaways crashed over all sounds of snoring, the song wrapping you warmly in its embrace as you began to reread the paragraph you were just on about pre-natal vitamins and the prevalence of iron deficiency in pregnant women. It wouldn’t hurt to stay a little longer you thought, at least until Sherlock and John returned so Mary wouldn’t wake up alone. You nodded to yourself, turning the volume up that bit louder and losing yourself in your music.

You were too absorbed in your own little cocoon to hear the footsteps climbing the stairs, the figure standing in the doorway a moment surveying the room before continuing to tower over your distracted form on the couch.

You jumped as Mycroft nudged the left earpiece from your ear, the sound of heavy guitar riffs filling the room as you looked up at him in surprise. He stood tall, eyebrow tipped questioningly as he leant forward to place a hand on each of your shoulders. You pulled the other bud from your right ear, pausing the song as you said, “And hello to you too dearest” with a smile.

“Anyone could have waltzed in here and taken you unawares with that music so damn loud” He lectured, sniffing unappreciatively as he enunciated the word ‘music’.

“Lucky I have you then, aren’t I?” You grinned, covering his hands in yours and giving a tug to indicate he should join you.

“You’ll go deaf if you don’t manage your volume control more wisely” He continued, causing you to groan in disbelief as you rolled your eyes.

“As much as I love you scalding me, can we save this for another time?” You suggested, tipping your head in Mary’s direction.

“Very well, what are you reading?” He volunteered, expression relaxing to one of curiosity as he perched on the arm of the lounge.

“One of Mary’s pregnancy books, it’s actually quite interesting” You blushed, chest seizing slightly as you tried to judge his reaction. This topic may have been even more dangerous than the previous berating, trust Mycroft to pick the one thing you didn’t want him to focus in on at that moment. All you got in response was a kiss to your hair, the tension in your shoulders released as you leant into him.

“Are you here for me or do you have other business?” You inquired, happy to just have him next to you. Everything seemed to make more sense with him there, a solid and unmovable force to be reckoned with.

“You, of course. Although the occasional check up on my darling brother never goes astray” he smiled indulgently, carding his fingers through your hair. By this point you didn’t even question how he knew where you were, the tabs kept on you and GPS in your phone more than enough to give your location and activities at any second of the day. It didn’t bother you as it once had; he did it because he worried unnecessarily and lived for ruthlessly protecting those he cared for. If it kept him sane, you would support it to your dying breath.

“Yes, we all know how much he loves your checkups” You teased, “but there are strawberries on the table if you’re peckish. I thought I’d get them some groceries, despite how long I can imagine since they’ve cooked a proper meal here”

You curled back into the lounge as his weight was removed from the arm of the chair, returning to rest beside you with the punnet a moment later. A healthy snack was always encouraged; God knows you normally had to force him to eat anyway. You refused when he offered them to you, settling back into the last few pages of the chapter.

There were so many foods to be avoided when pregnant, it absolutely blew you away with how careful women had to be. You knew it was different for every expectant mother, but all the possible complications had your stomach in knots. Comfort came in the way of a warm arm wrapped around your shoulder, eyes flickering up to find Mycroft reading over your shoulder. You smiled to yourself, unconsciously moving closer to him and angling the book so you could both comfortably read as he stretched out and the crossed his legs.

The happy moment was never destined to last, the slamming of the door downstairs echoing up the stairs and waking Mary with a start. You closed the book, chapter finally finished, as Sherlock came practically bouncing into the room, John not far behind. He looked exuberant, fresh off the high of another case. That also did not last long, freezing as he spotted you both watching him expectantly.

“What are you doing here?” He shot at his brother, “And what have you touched?” he added as his eyes moved to you.

You stifled a laugh, rising to collect the mugs and put them in the sink.

“Nice to see you too love, you’re welcome for the groceries” You shot back, leaning against the doorframe with eyebrows raised.

“I invited her, don’t be so rude Sherlock” Mary interjected, her attention back to John as they whispered quietly between the two of them. His hand rested gently on her belly as they conversed, your heart warming to see them so wrapped in the other. Satisfied that she would be attended to as she deserved, you decided to take your leave. Mycroft had already risen, halfway down the stairs with a parting word called over his shoulder by the time you had collected your now dry jacket. You went to leave as well, when a firm grip ensnared your forearm.

“He does want kids you know, he always has” Sherlock told you quietly, eyes intense as he relinquished his hold. It took all your strength to fight back tears as a wave of emotions pounded into you all at once, pulling him instead into a brief and unexpected hug.

“Thank you” You whispered in his ear, his ability to read everything about a person in a glance for once proving beneficial for you instead of an embarrassment. You could have sworn you saw his lips quirk into a smile as you pulled away, all evidence of it gone the next second.

“If you’ve contaminated any of my experiments I’ll charge it to Mycroft” He informed you primly, sweeping away before the moment of kindness might catch up with him.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if you charged him anyway. It’s sweet how much you love one another” You remarked, shooting Mary a wink and a wave before finally leaving. Mycroft was waiting for you at the foot of the stairs, moving to open the door for you as you passed.

Waiting together on the curb you uncharacteristically took his hand, needing the warmth and support as you worked through Sherlock’s newest revelation. You were full of nervous energy, the possibility of this fantasy becoming reality a lot to take in.

“Is everything alright?” He asked, amusement playing across his face as he surveyed you.

“I think so, there’s something we might need to talk about though” You nodded, not sure how to even begin this very important discussion.

Fic/Link to Fic:

You pulled your coat tighter around your body, nose pink from the icy breeze you were battling as you walked the few blocks between the tube station and your office. It was still early in the morning, meaning the coffee line was mercifully short, the large takeaway cup letting much needed heat seep through your gloves and to your frozen fingers and palms as you silently walked the rest of the distance with the other government workers.

You had finished your first coffee of the day by the time you arrived at work, the empty cup balanced in your free hand as you tried to numbly fish the keys from your bag. Blowing the hair from your eyes, you had to double take as you saw the illumination of lights from the gaps in the door. Your brow furrowed, positive you had turned them off when you had left late the night before. You were always the first to arrive in the mornings and last to leave in the evening, so there was no logical reason you could see for the lights to still be on.

The door knob twisted easily under your touch, your concern deepening as you pushed it open and scanned the interior of the room. You had definitely locked the door the previous night also. Your stomach twisted as you slowly entered the room, basic self-defence kicking in as you began to check the office for an intruder. Instead you found Mycroft’s overcoat, scarf and umbrella hanging by the door, your brow furrowing as you checked your watch. It was over an hour before when he normally came in, your confusion piqued as you added your own coat and scarf to the rack.

You straightened out the knitted dress you wore atop thick stockings, checking yourself over quickly before your knuckles rapped against his closed door. You heard a murmur of recognition on the other side, taking it as permission to enter as you made your way into the room. Mycroft peered over his newspaper, appraising you for a moment before lowering it to his desk. A small smile graced his features, his whole expression lightening at the sight of you.

“You’re here early this morning” He noted, eyes brightening as you let out a laugh.

“I was going to say the same thing to you” You countered, eyebrows raised questioningly as you pursed your lips. Met with only silence and a look of amusement you rolled your eyes, knowing you would get nothing from him if he was in this mood. He kept secrets for a living, there was no hope for you squeezing a shred of information if he wasn’t already willing to share it.

“Tea?” You offered instead, changing tact as you headed over to put the kettle on. You didn’t have to wait for his answer, pulling your two matching cups and saucers from the shelf in the adjoining kitchenette, preparing the tea leaves as the water boiled. A soft tune escaped your lips in the form of a hum as you worked, hips swinging slightly along to the beat as you became absorbed in the task.

You jumped slightly as two warm hands wrapped around your middle, softening instantly to melt against his chest as he pressed a kiss to your hair.

“Good morning to you too Sir” You smiled, earning yourself a quick squeeze as he moved to help you with the tea.

“It certainly is when you’re this energetic” He agreed, dividing the heated water between the porcelain and allowing the tea leaves to steep.

“You have the coffee to thank for that, it managed to thaw most of me out this morning”

“You do still appear quite cold though” He observed, eyes trailing from your ears to the tip of your nose. Leaning in, his fingers pushed your windswept hair back to sit more neatly behind your ears, the warm pads of his thumbs rubbing small circles to try and warm them up. You smiled fondly up at him, cheeks flushing as he kissed your nose. It was always best to make the most of when he was this affectionate, his moods so mercurial you were often left wondering if he were the same man that you loved.

You remembered it had taken months since the incident at the restaurant for him to even try to kiss you again and now a further four years down the track it was still uncommon for him to be so forward. He had always been reserved, his emotions and displays of affection not an exception to this. “Proper, in every sense of the word” you had once mused. This paired with him being so early raised a flag in your mind, one that would be set aside to be examined later. For now you leant forward, humming contentedly as his arms encompassed you in another hug. You breathed in the familiar scent of tweed and cigarettes, feeling comfort and safety as he held you close enough to feel his steady heartbeat.

Finally, albeit reluctantly, you pulled away from his chest. Your attention refocused on the cups, knowing there was nothing he hated more than cold tea. You stayed in companionable silence as you both sipped your drinks, the only sound the occasional chink of cup returning to saucer.

“A new blend?” He asked, reaching to find the box of tea leaves and examine it.

“I picked it up last weekend at the markets, I thought you’d enjoy the blue cornflower” You replied easily, always on the lookout for small things like this that he would enjoy. Mycroft nodded in response, draining the remained of his portion before speaking again.

“I did enjoy it, thank you”

“You’re welcome Sir” You smiled, knowing how he enjoyed you using the title. Already you could sense the pleasure emanating from him, the small smirk he was wearing always a tell. You had become an expert in reading his subtle cues and body language over the years, enough so that you were always overwhelmed with the love he showed you despite it being through unconventional means. As you did for him, the smaller things he did for you showed how much he cared. In lieu of constant affection he had begun to help more around work, just like with the tea earlier, to make your day easier. You also found random gifts every now and again, realising it showed he thought about you throughout the day and wanted to make you smile by providing things you may enjoy such as a first edition book or theatre tickets for you both.

You washed, dried and returned the cups to their rightful place on the shelf as Mycroft went back to his desk, about to do the same when his personal line rang. He waved you off as he picked up the receiver, becoming instantly absorbed in the hushed conversation. You left immediately, years in a government job teaching you that it’s better not to know. Instead, you busied yourself at your desk, turning your computer on and beginning to answer the plethora of urgent emails waiting in your inbox. Slowly you added appointments and meetings into the calendar for Mycroft, double and then triple checking there were no clashes before confirming each one individually. It was imperative that there was adequate time between each item for any necessary travel as well as breaks, the idea of tardiness or exhaustion because of any sloppy organisation on your part making you feel nauseous.

After over an hour on the phone, Mycroft emerged from his office. The lines furrowing his brow made you uneasy, his fingers twitching slightly also letting you know he was stressed and craving another cigarette.

“I will be required out of the country for the next week. If you could please reschedule my meetings it would be greatly appreciated” He announced curtly, retreating back behind his door before you had time to process his request. You brought your hand to your forehead, sighing slightly in frustration as you opened back up your emails and the calendar you had just finished filling.

You worked straight through lunch, your posture gradually becoming more hunched and strained as fatigue crept up on you throughout the afternoon. Another two cups of coffee had come and gone, doing little to brighten your mood or the steadily growing pile of work you had to get through. Your back had begun to ache and the headache you were on the verge of didn’t look promising either.

Standing slowly, you stretched out your body, ears met with loud cracks as your muscles and joints screamed in relief. You found pain killers in your bag, swallowing two with a gulp of water from the bottle that lived on your desk. Looking over the emails and schedule for the hundredth time that day, you realised you had finally finished reworking it. It had set you back and you would need to stay late to catch up, but it was definitely finished. With a sense of accomplishment you walked to the door, knocking once and waiting for his answering reply. You entered after hearing a grunt of recognition, laying the new schedule on his desk. He gaze didn’t move from his computer screen, another sigh ghosting past your lips as you turned on your heels and shut the door behind yourself. As usual the good mood hadn’t lasted, his mercurial nature once again taking hold.

Rubbing at your tired eyes, you returned to your desk. Opening the rest of the files needing signatures, you began to methodically read through them, printing the urgent ones and placing sticky notes to the lines needing Mycroft’s particular attention and approval. You also began to prepare the envelopes required to return the documents to the corresponding people and departments, your neat hand marking the address and recipient on each one independently.

The door once more opened, Mycroft walking straight for the door to retrieve his coat and other belongings as if he were leaving. Your alarm rose, quickly grabbing a pen and the documents before rushing over to him.

“I’m so sorry, can you please sign these before you go? They can’t wait until next week” You begged, chastising yourself from keeping him. He took the small stack from you, using your desk to add his signature where required, returning your pen without a word. You felt a pang in your chest, going against every unspoken rule between you by stretching up to kiss his cheek.

“Stay safe Sir” You murmured, searching his face as you gave his ungloved hand a soft squeeze. He seemed stunned momentarily, floored by your ‘outburst’. Then, thankfully, his face relaxed. Pulling you into an unexpected embrace he buried his face in your hair, breathing you in as if he expected to be absent for longer than he let on. The pain in your chest spread, eyes closing as you tried to regain composure.

“I love you” he breathed, catching you even more off guard. You didn’t know what to think, the possibilities endless for what had motivated him to say this now. Sentiment had always been a weakness for him, so what had changed? Your mind was swimming, a dangerous thought resurfacing repeatedly until you took notice. Wherever he was going he was not expecting to return, at the very least not return uninjured. You held him closer, fervently wishing you had some way of protecting him for whatever was coming.

Clearing his throat, Mycroft extracted himself. You were left cold and empty, biting your lip as you watched him leave.

“Goodbye Dearest, I will see you soon” He promised, forcing a thin lipped smile. You nodded numbly, watching every step he took down the corridor. You remained at the open door long after he had disappeared around the corner, unmoving as you waited for him to come back. The pursuit was fruitless, your heart heavy as you moved to finish your tasks so you could go home.

                                                                                          …

The sun had well and truly set by the time you allowed yourself to leave, wrapping yourself in your coat and scarf as you bundled the sealed envelopes in your arms. Flicking off the lights, you made sure everything was tidy and turned off prior to locking the door and dropping the keys into the recesses of your bag. Your stomach grumbled with hunger, making a mental note of the uneaten sandwich in your bag for after you had posted the documents. The box for the courier was on your way out, your pile added to the top as you went by.

You ate in silence on the underground, earphones in and music loud to distract yourself from the worry gnawing at the pits of your stomach. After the sandwich, you unlocked your phone to search for Dr. Watson’s newest blog entry, escaping into another one of their cases to stop you from focusing on how much you already missed Mycroft. Their exploits were as always well written and stimulating, causing you to almost miss your station you were so absorbed.

Exiting at your stop, you scanned your oyster card without breaking stride, moving in a daze out into the frigid night air. You quickened your pace, needing to be inside from the cold as soon as possible. Your senses were hyperaware of everything around you, from the drunken patrons of the pub around the corner from your flat to the traffic whizzing past you as you waited to cross the road safely.

Finally you arrived home, climbing the stairs while rummaging through your bag for your house keys. You found your endeavour unnecessary when you found your front door slightly ajar, a sob wracking your chest as all the events of the day caught up with you. It was scary enough the first time it had happened, but now it was just overwhelming. You leant your forehead against the door, wondering why this was all happening to you and why today of all days. Taking in a shaky breath you steeled yourself, preparing again for the worst. You wrapped your headphones around your neck, pausing the music and taking another breath before forcing the door open and flicking on the lights.

You burst into tears at the sight of Mycroft standing in the middle of your living room, causing him to rush forward as you covered your face with your hands. He pulled you forcibly to him, rocking you gently until the sobs began to dissipate.

“I-I don’t understand. You were leaving and I was so worried” You choked out, voice thick as you cried into his suit jacket. His heartbeat quickened, holding you tighter as he realised the full extent you had suffered. He remained stoically silent, using a finger to tilt your chin up so he could brush away the tears. Your stomach flipped uneasily as he pulled away, sinking straight through the floor as he dropped to his knee.

“What are you doing?” You squeaked, wide eyed and breathless as he chuckled.

“My Darling, what I should have done years ago” He answered, pulling a small box from his trouser pocket. His whole face was glowing, hope sparkling in his eyes as he addressed you again.

“I may not be the easiest man to get along with but you have far exceeded all of my expectations. You bring a light, an energy, to my life I never thought possible and for that I am forever grateful. I’m not as alone in this world as I once thought dearest and I have you to thank for that. You came tumbling into my life when I needed you most, but it wasn’t until I saw you that night in the restaurant bloody and bruised that I realised just how deep that need was. From then on I never had eyes for anyone but you.”

Your vision blurred through a new round of tears, balling your fists together in an effort to stop them from visibly shaking. Surely this wasn’t real, how had you not realised this was coming?

“Will you marry me?” He asked in hushed reverence, finally opening the box to reveal the most exquisite diamond you had ever seen. You were completely choked up, throat too sore from crying to verbally answer him. Instead you nodded repeatedly, nearly having him over as you surged forward into his arms. He caught you firmly, the fingers of his free hand splaying over the back of your neck as he kissed you. You could taste the joy and relief on his tongue, losing yourself in him as you were swept away in the moment.

“I’m sorry for deceiving you earlier, I wanted to surprise you with all this” He breathed against your lips, still slightly breathless as he rested his forehead against yours. Your annoyance from rescheduling his whole week returned in force, crinkling your brow as you tried to not ruin your elation.

“So who was actually on the phone earlier?” You probed, expression softening as you saw the regret in his eyes.

“Your father actually, he finally decided to give his permission. Hence why I was early, to accommodate the time difference” Mycroft admitted, a pained look crossing his face for a split second.

“Then why in the world did I have to wipe your schedule for the week?” You continued, biting back the rest of your complaint with extreme difficulty.

“I will still be out of the country for the week. You will also be joining me. I heard Australia is lovely this time of year. The warmth will be good for the both of us I believe” He shrugged, smiling shrewdly as he waited for your reaction. Your face blanked, these acts of incredible kindness leaving you once again speechless.

“Yes” you said, the one syllable stretching to cover everything offered by this wonderful man.

“May I?” He asked, nodding to indicate the ring he wished to place on your finger. You gave him your left hand without a second thought. Your face split into a wide grin as he slid the ring on, finding it unsurprisingly fit perfectly. He kept your hand in his, admiring the ring.

“Have you told your family?” You asked tenderly, knowing he would want to share (read: brag about) this news with those he held above all else. In response he pulled out his phone, scrolling to his brother’s name and putting the call on loud speaker as he returned to his feet.

It rang once before being answered; Sherlock’s uninterested greeting reminding you of Mycroft’s. The familiarity made you laugh, biting the inside of your cheek to try and be quiet. You rose to stand beside him, cuddling into his side as you waited.

“Brother Dear, I have news” He began, smiling indulgently as he enjoyed dragging out this torture.

“Why else would you call Mycroft? It’s either a case or news, so get on with it.” Sherlock drawled in response, his tone bored already.

“I’ve been informed upon ones engagement that the news should be shared with family” he replied crisply, his arm snaking around your waist to cover your hand in his. Your fingers threaded together seamlessly, the ring an unfamiliar weight you were looking forward to getting used to.

“Engagement? Yes of course, it was obvious really” You heard after a moment of silence. You laughed as you heard what only could be Mary and John in the background shout their surprise and then their congratulations through the line as they pieced together the news from their side of the conversation.

“Don’t be a brat Sherlock, just be happy for us” You snapped teasingly into the phone, shaking your head as you imagined him trying to find some sign that the proposal was inevitable.

“Yes, of course. Congratulations” He complied, the frustration in his voice palpable.

“Thank you brother, I will be in touch shortly” Mycroft acknowledged, ending the call immediately after so Sherlock had no room to retort with anything further.

“Well that was entertaining at least” You remarked, gazing fondly upon your now-fiancée. It still felt surreal to you, but right in every sense as well.

“You will have a life time of entertainment pet, as well as a life of happiness I hope”

“There is no doubt that I will with you by my side Mr. Holmes” You assured him firmly, his answering smile more beautiful than any you had seen before.

“Always, Mrs. Holmes”

A/N: I know there are a few more imagines I’ve used in the fic but I didn’t want to give away the ending by posting them in the info section. Sorry, not sorry! You can find the imaginations I used as inspiration below now that you’ve finished! If you would like me to try and incorporate more Mycroft imagines (or suggest some of your own) into a pt 3 please let me know!