Author's Note: I promised a big TAB AFTFE special for Christmas, and I think I've delivered. It's probably the size of 3 or 4 normal updates because I got a bit carried away. First thing of course, thanks for the lovely feedback for last chapter in AFTFE Proper as I shall call it. I was extremely happy with it and over the moon that you all like it. I just can't wait to hear what you all think of this one! Review both chapters if you want since they both have different focuses or just wait until the end. Your choice. Please read, review, and enjoy!

Note: You can absolutely read this on its own. HOWEVER it is a "The Abominable Bride" Victorian era special for my Mythea fic "A First Time For Everything" so some things may seem strange without knowing that backstory. But read it you want!

Disclaimer: Clearly I don't own Sherlock. The show is the baby of Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, while Sherlock Holmes itself is the creation of Arthur Conan Doyle.

The First Time She Met Him

When Alice Clarke willingly broke up her engagement with Tim Burgess people called her crazy. They were an extremely attractive couple. And Mr. Burgess! How all the girls wanted him! A smart and promising lawyer with the right breeding to be polite but not so posh he'd turn down middle classed clients. He was well mannered, well spoken, and smart enough that Alice could have an intelligent conversation with him without hurting his ego or masculinity. He was also good to her. Not the way other men were good to their women, he didn't coddle her. He was good because he understood that she needed to work. He understood that before she settled down and had children like a good little wife she needed to live a little. Not to mention Alice was always going on about how he saved her life.

Not literally, you understand.

After finishing the highest level of education her Uncle would allow her to do Alice pleaded to be able to stay in London. She did not want to go back into town where she used to live with her parents. She did not want to go back and have her Aunt dress her like a presentable young lady and try to auction her off to the highest bidder. Alice Clarke wanted a chance to live. Not entirely like the men do, she wasn't crazy, but just a little. She didn't want to become a housewife. She wanted to wear all the new fashions, she wanted to wear heals to work, she wanted to live in a flat all on her own for at least a little while. Her Aunt and Uncle had given her one year to set up a life worth living in London. One year to prove she had something there and then they'd let her stay. Her job as a secretary at an accountancy firm wasn't enough for them, nor was her little flat rented out to her by a charming old man who'd she'd proven was safe. Then she met Timothy Burgess and he was that something worthwhile to them.

Tim was lovely. He was. He didn't rush her into a proposal quickly like another man might, he didn't expect her to be available on his beck and call, and he wasn't threatened by her witty sarcasm. He was smart, lovely to look at, a bright future ahead of him, and so frightfully boring. But Alice will always love Tim because he did save her life. Not only by allowing her to stay in London, but the fact that this lead to the man who truly did give her a life worth living. A man who saw potential and not the person it was wrapped up in.

If Tim hadn't allowed Alice to stay in London then she would have never met Mycroft Holmes.

It was at her work. Her not very fulfilling but better than sitting at home all day work. They had gotten word that some high up government people were investigating one of the clients of the firm and needed to look over any records they had of him. Alice didn't know what she had expected but the group of people who came in over that week were not the people she had expected.

The first two days were a man and a woman, oddly enough. A tall man with the physique of a strong man from a circus. He would be intimidating if not for the blonde hair and how uncomfortable he looked dressed in the three piece suit. The woman was strange. Only just shorter than the man and taller than most of the accountants in the firm. She had strong fierce features and the hardest stare. She also wore a suit and for the first day everyone thought she was a man. Alice got the impression that the woman was disappointed when they discovered the truth. Probably much preferring the respect she received when called "sir". They did not find what they were looking for. Information seemed to be lost and even though Alice could recall some of the facts and figures none of the men she worked for were listening to her.

The third day the woman did not return. Instead the blonde man came with what people could only assume was his boss. Tall and solid. If he were shorter Alice would call him fat but with his height behind him the man seemed to carry it well and might be called simply chubby by some. He was dressed to impress in the finest grey suit with a blue silk tie. His steely eyes bore holes into everything he looked at and he looked at everything. Absorbing every fact and figure he could about the room with a glance. There was a level of confidence and intimidation about him that caused everyone to work with a panic. And there was an intelligence in those eyes that ran so deep that it was hypnotising.

The man wanted to know why the information was lost and who was the idiot who didn't keep their files in check. After much talking down and causing much fear the accountants began blaming their assistants. Until Alice revealed what she remembered in the file. Funnily enough, the intelligent man and the strong man were the first people to listen to her and accept the information. With her help the accountants managed to scrape up the needed information within the week. On Friday Alice had a file to give to the strange man when he came in.

"Sorry we forced you to come out here, sir." Alice smiled as she handed over the information. The man stopped to look at her, curiosity sparking in his grey eyes. He twisted the umbrella in his hand into the carpet.

"How do you know it's not my job to be out here?" The man hummed in a melodious voice as smooth as velvet. He wasn't shocked, he wasn't appalled, he was just curious. Alice was cautious of over stepping her boundaries and getting in trouble with this man and the men in her office but she had caught the man's attention and she was pleased by that.

"Your clothes, mostly… and your smile." She shrugged. There was a moment of silence. The man cocked his head to the side.

"Please elaborate." It was refreshing to have someone so interested in her opinion.

"Your suit… It's very nice, expensive nice, sir. More than most of the gentlemen in this office could afford, even the man and woman who came before you didn't dress as nice. This, sir, and the way everyone scuttles around you as if you're important." He raised his eyebrow in faint amusement.

"And the smile?" He asked. Alice smiled, slightly embarrassed for having noticed this particular detail.

"Despite the level of authority about you, and I'm certain you could scare the wits out of anyone, there was something… gentle about your smile." He had smiled at her during the week and he had laughed at something the blonde man said… It had not matched the persona at all. It was bright and soulful. "I haven't come across many men with gentle smiles who hold low government roles like security. And your smile doesn't reach your eyes, sir. Low level employees don't need to cover emotions or fake them." And you look like the type whose eyes sparkle when they smile she thought to herself. The man looked Alice's face over, taking in every detail. He was fighting off a smile.

"Very well done, Miss Clarke." He shifted the umbrella. "And do you want to know what I can tell by looking at you?" He asked. Alice fought the urge to gulp. "I can tell that while you excel at you job, you do not enjoy it or find it challenging. Gender roles constrict you, your pretty little face constricts you, and perhaps people within your social and familial life constrict you. You risked your career because someone somewhere had informed you that this information was important to someone else. Why?" Oh, he was better than she had ever wanted to be at this. She was right, he did absorb any information she could see. He was a real genius. Alice shrugged, unsure as to what her reasoning was herself.

"I like to see work through." She answered. The man chuckled softly. He reached into his pocket and handed her a card with an address on it. On the other side was an 'M' and nothing more.

"Finish the week of work, Miss Clarke. Enjoy the mundane tasks. On Monday, if you feel like your ambition matches your ability, come to that address."

"Mr. Holmes." The blonde man spoke through the crack he had opened into what Alice presumed was this Mr. Holmes' office. By looking around this reception area it was no doubt opulent with the finest furniture.

"Thank you, Mr. Baker, send her in." Mr. Baker popped his head out of the door. He gave Alice a great big gentle smile and held the door open for her. She curtsied politely and walked into the room, Mr. Baker closing the door behind her. He was exactly as she remembered him. Sharp eyes, fake smile, and a neatly tailored suit. His office was what you imagined while reading literature. The finest furniture, beautiful paintings on the wall, plush chairs, and bottles of scotch and wine at the ready.

"Nice to see you again, Miss Clarke."

"Mr. Holmes." Alice nodded. He looked at her, those eyes almost twinkling at her keen observation. He gestured to the chairs in front of his desk for her to sit and she did so.

"What I am offering is not your typical secretary or assistant role." Mr. Holmes pressed the fingers of his hands against each other. "With that said, that does not mean it won't be boring at times. There would be a lot of paper work and a lot of mundane errands." What else did they ever assign women to do?

"I suppose this is for the role that Mr. Baker is currently doing?" Alice asked. Mr Holmes tilted his head, imploring her to explain. "He looks uncomfortable at a desk. I don't have an insightful answer, Mr. Holmes." Alice shrugged lightly and Mr. Holmes gave a small smile that quickly faded away.

"He is indeed uncomfortable at a desk, but James is trustworthy." A first name. That implied that there was a long relationship there. "I can't just have anyone in this office as I am sure you have discovered for yourself."

"With the covert numbers and no names, I had no clue, sir." The sarcasm slipped out of her mouth before she could stop it and not for the first time did Alice curse her sense of humour. No doubt it had cost her this opportunity. Yet once again Mr. Holmes' eyes almost twinkled as he smiled in response. Did he find her charming or amusing? Or just another annoying woman? His intelligence oozed from him and here she was making a fool of herself the way she always did, poking fun where her sarcasm wasn't welcome. "I've been doing paperwork and fetching tea for years now, sir. I'm quite efficient." She smiled. "Though it seems to me you may want someone viewed as more… capable in this role." By capable she meant someone who could garner more respect. Someone more like Mr. Baker than her. Someone not viewed as emotional and flighty. A man, simply put. Mr. Holmes pursed his lips, his eyes narrowing as he looked Alice over.

"Oh, you're a woman?" He cocked his head to the side. "Here I thought you wore skirts for fun." Alice covered her mouth as a burst of laughter escaped her mouth. Her dark eyes glittered with humour. Mr. Holmes leaned back in his chair, adjusting his jacket. She could see that the jacket was coming awfully close to being too tight. Mr. Holmes continued. "What I am looking for is a personal assistant and everything that goes along with it."

"Paper work, telegrams, food, tea, scotch, meetings, et cetera." Alice interjected.

"Yes, that." He sounded vaguely amused. "However my job is, well, more important and dangerous than it appears to be. There are many dangerous tasks that go along with being my persona; assistant and you will be on call twenty four seven. This is not a role for just any man, nor woman." Alice smiled tightly, feeling a little bitter.

"If you've looked into my life, Mr. Holmes, then you know I don't have one." She had forgotten completely about dear Tim. "And I've been searching for excitement and danger my entire life." Mr. Holmes stared at Alice for a long time before speaking.

"Do you know how many assistants have said that to me in my career so far and how many of them barely last a month? How many over qualified men have run from this office?"

"I'm not most people. Mr. Holmes. I'm not a man either."

A beat.

Mr. Holmes smirked.

"No, you are not, Miss Clarke."

That is how Alice Clarke met Mycroft Holmes and became Anthea James.

That is how her life became covert and overt operations. How it became running with Mr. Baker in the streets, or late night meetings with Mr. Holmes. How her life became checking in on Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. How it became violin concertos and soulful piano sonatas. How it became visiting the country to see Mr. and Mrs. Holmes, and lamenting with Mycroft when he had to order new suits. How Mr. Baker and Miss Thompson became Mr. and Mrs. Baker. How it lead to an accidental kiss and a promise to never talk about it again.

That is how Alice Clarke got the life she always wanted.

Until Tim believed that she loved Mycroft Holmes more than she loved him.

Until Tim slept with another woman, absolutely destroying Alice's reputation until the rumours spread to her Aunt and Uncle.

Until Alice had nowhere to go but to the place she really didn't call home.

Until Alice quit her job.

"You're quitting because your fiancé cheated on you? That is the most absurd thing I had ever heard." It had taken three days since Anthea handed in her resignation for Mycroft to process this information. Three days for him to finally voice any sort of opinion on the subject. Naturally, he wasn't happy.

Anthea and Mycroft sat across from each other in a private room in the Diogenes Club. Anthea, Mary Watson, and Carol were the only women ever allowed to even step foot in this place. If they even knew Carol was a woman. Anthea despised this place but she always made a show of walking through the halls in her beautiful dresses and skirts, wearing heals that clicked loudly on the floors. That always made it a little easier to be in this place. They couldn't say a thing about it. No one could touch Anthea James. No one dared speak up against Mycroft Holmes' strong willed assistant. Anthea smiled sorrowfully at Mycroft and couldn't put the heart she normally would into the eye roll she gave him.

"I'm not leaving because of Tim." She answered. "I'm leaving because my Aunt and Uncle are making me." Mycroft blinked tiredly at her.

"You're only making yourself look worse here." He scoffed. Anthea crinkled her nose at him, so used to him speaking that way at this point.

"They don't want me living alone in London." Again, she only received a blank expression.

"Who do they think you are?" His tone sounded offended for her.

"A woman." Anthea answered.

"A child." Mycroft corrected. This was one of those moments when she wanted to reach out and embrace Mycroft Holmes. Those moments when his protective streak came out and covered her. Not because she was a woman, either, but because she was someone important. It was one of those things that made the genius so special; he saw people for what they were.

"Actually, no." Anthea shrugged. "They said I'm getting to that age where it's embarrassing to have an unwed female relative." Mycroft's expression dropped and changed to an utter look of disgust mixed with a hint of anger.

"No, that's the most absurd thing I have ever heard. Keeping in mind that I regularly converse with my brother, and with James." Anthea hid a little chuckle behind her hands. "Forget about them, Miss James. Disown them. I'll have a flat sorted out for you within the week." If her heart had been warmed before, it broke now.

"They're the only family I have, Mr. Holmes." She spoke softly and sombrely.

"Mrs. Baker would be horrified to hear you say that." He cocked his head to the side. "My mother too." Without a doubt that was true. Jamie and Anthea had a deep bond that dated back to their childhood. Jamie had been the greatest support Anthea had when her parents died. While Mycroft's parents were simply the most wonderful people Anthea ever had the pleasure to meet. If Anthea could pick a family of her own, without resurrecting her parents, she'd choose Jamie and the Holmes family in a heartbeat. Carol would be a close second. Anthea shook her head, a little at a loss.

"What would you have me do, sir?" Her breathless voice reflected this loss. "I refuse to live off of newlyweds who are starting a life together." She spoke of course of Jamie and James. Mycroft frowned, clearly seeing the issue here. "My Aunt and Uncle wish to see me safe and they wish to find me a new fiancé. As much as I hate it, it's what is expected of me. My parents had no other children, my uncle had no children. I'm it. They need me." Mycroft clenched his jaw and looked at the floor. But Anthea had seen this before, he wasn't truly seeing the floor, he was somewhere in his mind. The man was deep in thought, searching the vast areas of his mind for a solution.

"If that is all they wish, then for convenience sake, we could…" He trailed off as he looked up and his grey eyes caught hold of her gaze.

"Sir?" Anthea prompted. The stout man pursed his lips and waved a hand at Anthea, dismissing his thought.

"No, you wouldn't have it." He exhaled. Anthea considered prying. She wanted to know what he had almost suggested but if he had decided that she would have none of it then she, in all likelihood, probably wouldn't. So she let it go.

"Well, then." Mycroft gave Anthea one of those fake smiles that lacked any of the spark his natural smiles had. "If you ever need anything, my dear, you know where to find me." If Anthea's heart had broken before it shattered now. She didn't want to leave work, she loved it. She didn't want to leave Mycroft, she'd never cared for a man the way she cared for him. But he was made of ice and stone, and any crush she may have was never going to go any further. So she was throwing away her dream career and arguably the only man she's ever had feelings for, to keep hold of the only family she had left.

If her mother was alive this would never happen.

So Anthea spent months at her family's house in the country having nothing to do all day except accompany her aunt everywhere and meet with whatever eligible bachelor her aunt and uncle tried to shove down her throat. There was something wrong with each and every one of them, though that was Anthea's who dating history before Tim. This one was too short, this one too tall, this one too thin, that one not thin enough. None of them were smart enough, most of them were too cocky, and one was too shy. She didn't like blondes as much as she used to, green eyes reminded her too much of Tim. None of them dressed well enough. Only one spoke another language and he was one of the short, cocky ones. This one was far too social, that one didn't understand sarcasm. Too many of them belittled her opinions. One of them had a musical education but he was one of the ones who didn't get sarcasm. One of them had stunning blue eyes, but his intelligence let him down.

When she wasn't entertaining these silly men and boys, she had nothing to do. One can only visit their parent's grave with handpicked flowers so many times. No job to keep her busy, no relative of a boss to run after. She didn't even have Jamie to have lunch or dinner with. She missed Jamie and her James so very much. She missed talking to her best friend, her sister, and laughing at whatever happened that day. She missed James pretending to be man of the house to his acquaintances and work people but then asking permission from Jamie before agreeing to do things. She missed James throwing food at her across the dinner table when she visited and being chided by Jamie. She missed Carol swearing up and down that men shouldn't be allowed in positions of power. She missed Carol fixing her hair like she was her daughter or her sister. Walter! The cab driver. She missed his big hugs and his friendly smiles. A true gentleman through and through! She missed chasing after John and Sherlock. She missed rolling her eyes with Mary as they both reported to Mycroft what the boys had been up to. She missed her home in London so much.

Most of all she missed Mycroft. She missed how he treated her, Mary, and Carol like any other respected employee. She missed his sarcastic remarks and the things he'd mutter to her so no one else could hear. She missed when he'd smile, really smile at her and she'd see the soul hidden within the Ice Man. She missed walking into his estate to the very rare sounds of the piano being played. She missed when he'd drop the formalities and call her Alice. She missed the Italian lessons he'd give her when he was bored and they had nothing else to do. She missed how much he cared for his brother. She missed... him. She missed everything about him. She knew she would. She had barely stopped thinking about him since they kissed that night in the Diogenes Club.

She wanted to go home. She wanted her family back. She wanted her make-shift sister and her make-shift brother-in-law back. She wanted the only friends she'd ever had back. She wanted to be around strong women again. She wanted to see Mycroft again. Just to see him would be lovely.

What was she doing here? Staying here like she owed her aunt and uncle some sort of debt. Like her life was dedicated to a man who didn't even want to take his sister's daughter in. These people, they were not her family. Her life and her family were back at home. If Anthea were a man she would have never come back. She would have laughed in their faces. Why did she need to do this for them? Because she was a woman? If Anthea had wanted anything her whole life it was to have a life of a man, and if working for Mycroft had taught her anything it was that women could do anything. Anthea was the second to Mycroft, Mary was a spy, Carol an agent, even Hooper at the morgue was a wonderful woman by the name of Molly who was in the guise of a man. They didn't have to do anything they didn't want to. If Anthea wanted to go back to London she could. She owed herself that. She owed it to her parents to live life to the fullest for their sakes. She had helped to bring down criminals. She could live in a flat in London all by herself. Be damned what others think and say.

Anthea was going home.