AN: This is unbetaed and not Britpicked. So if anything is wrong please tell me. In my head Gareth is played by Asa Butterfield (Mordred in the Merlin series) and Eve Newton (the little girl in the episode Silence in the Library). You can picture them as the characters or completely ignore that if you want. Please leave me a review. Thanks.
Promptly at 9:30 AM a nondescript, black car with tinted windows dropped Greg off in front of an innocent looking block of flats. They were nothing special. They were the kind of flats inhabited by single bankers and old ladies. There were hundreds of similar flats all across London. No one would suspect that the power behind the British government lived there. In the nearly ten months that Gregory has been dating the British government, he likes to think he's learned to expect the unexpected.
Greg climbs the three flights of stairs to Mycroft's flat and knocks on the front door. Normally the door opens quickly, sometimes even before Greg has the chance to knock, but this time the door remains closed. Greg knocks again a little more forcefully. He hears muffled voices from the inside of the apartment followed by footsteps. After a short silence the door opens.
Rather than the tall government official he was expecting there's a young girl, about 9, standing in the doorway. She's wearing a simple blue and white striped dress. Her straight brown hair reaches just past her shoulders. She wasn't what Gregory was expecting.
"Um… hello," Greg says after a moment of shocked silence. "Is Mycroft here?" The little girl nods.
"He said I should let you I," the girl informs him. Greg follows her into the kitchen.
"I'm Emma," the girl declares proudly as they each take a seat at the small dining room table.
"I'm Greg," Lestrade returns.
"I know," Emma replies. "Daddy said you would be spending the day with us." The gears in Greg's mind are turning.
'Daddy? Since when has Mycroft had a child? Who's their mother?'
The girl pours herself a bowl of sugary cereal from a box with a popular cartoon character on it.
"You can have some of Daddy's cereal if you want" she offers between bites of colorful marshmallows. Greg prepares himself a bowl of Mycoft's cereal. It's pretty bland, targeted a dieters, but it's better than the diabetes-inducing mass of sugar and artificial colors that Emma is eating.
"Daddy won't mind," Emma continues. "You are his boyfriend. A good boyfriend always shares his food. Zoey's boyfriend Damien always brings her biscuits at lunch." The use of the word boyfriend causes Greg to choke on his cereal.
"He called me his boyfriend?" Greg asks, cutting off Emma's continued rambling about Zoey and Damien.
"Not exactly," Emma admits. "But I could tell. He put on some smelly stuff and spent a lot of time picking out his clothes this morning. Too bad his clothes were messed up in the fire."
"Fire?" Greg asks startled.
"Gareth set fire to his bed sheets," Emma explains. "He says it was an experiment but I told him that was what was going to happen before he even started. He should have listened to me. I am older…" Her story is interrupted by an angry shout.
"You are not!" declares the little boy (presumably Gareth) who's standing at the entrance to kitchen. Mycroft is standing behind him. Greg and Mycroft lock eyes. A flicker of emotion passes over Mycroft's face but it's gone before Greg can identify it.
"Yes I am," Emma counters smugly.
"Six minutes doesn't count," Gareth shouts.
"Yes it does," Emma shouts back. "Six minutes older is still older. Don't you agree, Daddy?"
"I think…" Mycroft began calmly "that your mother would be very cross if she was to learn that her children are quarreling at the breakfast table." Immediately, the arguing stops and the children's demeanors change.
"You don't have to tell her," Gareth says.
"Yeah," Emma agrees. "We can be good."
"We promise," Gareth attempts to convince their father.
"If we're good the entire day and don't cause any more trouble will you not tell Mummy?" Emma asks, trying to sound as innocent as possible. "You know how much our fighting upsets her. There's no reason to upset her."
"Yeah," Gareth chimes in. "No reason to upset her."
"If you behave for the rest of day I see no reason to inform your mother of your behavior," Mycroft responds. Before the children can reply Mycroft's mobile rings.
"Holmes," he answers. He listens for a moment. "Very good. Thank you." He hangs up. Turning to the children and Gregory he says "In 15 minutes a car will be by to pick us up. Finish your breakfasts so that we may leave." The children nod and practically inhale the sugary cereal before running to their rooms to get ready.
This leaves Gregory alone with Mycroft for the first time since he found out the later had two children. For several moments that seem to drag on, neither man speaks. Mycroft is finally the one to break the silence.
"You have questions," Mycroft begins. "But we haven't the time. The car will be outside shortly. I promised my children that I would take them sightseeing. You are welcome to join us. Or if you'd rather, I could ring you tomorrow." The offer would sound nonchalant to anyone not familiar with Mycroft, but Gregory knows better. He can hear the trace of uncertainty in his boyfriend's voice. He understands. Mycroft is offering to show Gregory an intimate piece of himself that he normally keeps hidden. If he turns him away there will be no turning back.
"Where to first?" Gregory asks in response to Mycroft's offer. "I haven't been sightseeing in ages."
First up is the British Museum. Gareth spends seconds look at the map of the museum before rushing off to an exhibit on Gladiators. When they catch up he's already trading facts with one of the museum's experts. He knows almost as much about sports and fighting in ancient Rome as the expert. However, he knows nothing about daily life, the government, or the art of the period. It reminds Greg of a certain uncle consulting detective who is able to identify the origin of mud for any area of London but can't tell you who the prime minister is.
Emma is slightly better rounded than her brother. She tries her best to visit every exhibit in the few hours that Mycroft allotted for their visit. Lestrade notices that she lingers longest on the items that relate to theatre or art. He makes sure they hit as many of those exhibits as possible.
After spending the morning as a bit of the early afternoon in the museum, they stop at a bistro for a late lunch. The twins spend the entire meal talking excitedly about what they just saw. Gareth relays stories of thrilling battles between powerful fighters. Emma describes the beautiful art she saw in vivid detail.
After lunch they head over to the tower of London. This time they join a tour group. Gareth thinks the prison is cool but lets out a groan when they reach the jewel room. As the group circulates around the room Emma spends most of her time at one specific case. Gregory reaches that area just as Mycroft leans over to talk to his daughter. He can just barely hear their conversation.
"I know your mother's birthday is coming up," Mycroft begins. "Those would look exquisite on her but the subsequent police investigation would be an unwelcome gift. We will choose something more appropriate from the gift shop."
After the tour and a brief stop at the gift shop, they eat at a small dinner around the corner. It's small, quiet, and very cozy. The waiter smiles when he brings their meal. Lestrade can guess what they must look like. It makes him smile too.
Next, they take a ride on the London eye just as the sun is setting. It's beautiful. Gregory can't help stealing a kiss from Mycroft while the children are distracted. They disembark from the observation wheel and walk the two blocks to where the car is waiting to take them home. As the speed off Emma and Gareth chatter about all the exciting things they did. Emma recites a poem she learned at the British Museum. Gareth asks Mycroft about a story the tour guide told at the Tower of London. By the time they arrive at Mycroft's flat both children are nearly asleep. They walk like zombies as Gregory and Mycroft guide them to their beds. They're both asleep before their heads hit their pillows.
Gregory plops down on Mycroft's plush couch. The couch is barely broken-in despite being at least 3 years old. Mycroft joins him shortly after carrying 2 of the beers he keeps for when Greg visits. He hands one to Greg and keeps the other. They sit side-by-side, shoulders barely touching while they quietly sip their beers.
"Their mother's name is Rachel," Mycroft breaks the silence. "I was just out of university. I had a minor position within the government and was beginning to rise through the ranks." Greg has trouble believing it. In his head he's just always assumed that Mycroft came out of the womb plotting the downfall of dictators and resolving international crises. He lets it pass and allows Mycroft to continue his story. "Rachel was working at a shop to pay for art school. We met through a mutual acquaintance and became attracted to each other. We gave into these feelings one night while inebriated. We agreed that we were not compatible and had no interest in beginning a relationship. She moved to Perth to focus on her art and I concentrated raising my position within the government. Then we found out that she was pregnant."
"How often do you see them?" Gregory asks.
"I arrange visits bi-weekly when possible," Mycroft explains. "Monthly at minimum. My work makes it difficult sometimes. I have to be careful that they remain a secret from anyone who would try to leverage them against me." Greg nods. He understands.
"They're good kids," Gregory states. "It was nice to meet other members of your family besides Sherlock."
"It's fortunate that you say that," Mycroft replies. "Because Mummy has requested your presence at Christmas dinner."
AN: I will try to write a Mycroft/Lestrade (probably also featuring Sherlock/John) where the Holmes' significant others meet their mother at Christmas dinner. I don't think the twins will be involved. I want to write a fic a day (from different fandoms) for December but December starts Thursday and I don't have anything done. Plus I have a presentation Tuesday, at least 2 projects due that week and finals the week after. College is hard. We'll see if I can pull it off.
Until next time : )