Present day
"You have got to be kidding me."
Mycroft simply raised one eyebrow, it was a wonder she even put up with him. They sat together in his private library discussing Moriarty and the terms of his treatment, it seemed that with every visit to report his progress there would be a new rule.
"It's very simple Miss Davidson, stay away from my younger brother and we shall continue to work together amicably." He smiled at her from across the desk and pushed forward a piece of paper. Lori shifted on her chair, if it was another re-drafted contract she would not be happy. Mycroft had a habit of speaking down to, she was used to that, but his incessant need to qualify everything into a category infuriated her. Yes, she was working for him, Okay, so he was a little funny when it came to family-this did not mean that every tiny change in their employment situation needed to be put down in writing. It was a waste of paper.
She fought the need to voice her opinions, he would simply ignore her, but she did let out a large sigh. Mycroft just waited, they had reached a stage of comfort with one another now that she didn't fear death every time she teased or ignored him. Lori let her gaze wander across the familiar surroundings, for a man who represented the whole of the British Government he seemed to absolutely loathe anything vaguely resembling the Union Jack. There was nothing in red or blue, it was all magnolia and leather. The large oak bookcases made the room seem massive and thoroughly unnerved her the first time they had met here.
"So Miss Davidson, you accept my proposal?" The man sat across from her on an impressive ornate wooden chair, it was probably an antique. Everything about him suggested importance; an impeccable suit, not a crinkle in sight; a chauffeur driven car service, a large building he clearly owned in the centre of London. He sat at the head of a large desk, nothing cluttered it, no papers, no pens, it was simply there to look official and imposing. She gulped and nodded.
"Very good, you will arrive here tomorrow at 7am sharp. We will begin then."
He raised an eyebrow at her, daring her to speak against it. She clenched her fists into tight balls. Why did she feel like he owned her? He was just a man in a position of power, she had trained under one of the most influential men in her field so it wasn't the aura of superiority. His eyes swept across her face, reading her answer. She blushed under his intense stare and looked away from him. She didn't like Mycroft.
As her eyes glanced around his abode she noted a few things; the floor was a polished wood of some kind, it looked expensive; the walls were filled to the brim with leather-bound books collecting dust, they looked expensive; the furniture was artistically arranged across the room, leading the eye to his desk, again it all looked expensive. Lori decided she didn't like this room either. The secretary had called it his personal Library with an air of snootiness.
God, even the secretary disliked her. She clearly thought Lori wasn't worthy of Mycroft's time. Had Lori known how much trouble being good at her job would be, then perhaps she would have tried messing around a bit. Maybe then she wouldn't have got stuck playing babysitter to a lunatic.
Well she was pretty much stuck now, Mr Holmes was her only option. He cleared his throat with a smug nod of his head. Psychic?
"Yes that will be fine," Mycroft opened his mouth to say something that would probably make her feel small, she cut him off, "but can I just ask-who is he?" Mycroft Holmes didn't do awkward, it wasn't an emotion that fell into his category of work. But in that moment she swore he grimaced slightly. It was the first sign that maybe he wasn't robot.
"He is someone dangerous. That is all you need to know." She furrowed her brow slightly, the man in chains who had screamed at her didn't seem dangerous, unhinged definitely, broken maybe, pitiful yes, but not dangerous.
He tapped the paper with his finger and pushed it further across the desk. Lori slid it closer and inspected the information it held.
"Mycroft!?" She squeaked when she came across his little gift.
"Is something wrong?" He asked rather innocently for a man who had just bought her a flat in central London. She held the deed in her hands and looked at him shaking her head. Lori just about caught the small smirk he gave at her reaction before it was smothered by the usual irritating cold mask.
She held the deed in disbelief. Mycroft watched her with a not-quite-hidden glee. It was pointless to try and refuse his gifts, after the fiasco with the iphone she had learnt to just get the embarrassing thank you's out of the way and move on. But this was too much, she had to make it clear that he was not allowed to start showering her in gifts. I mean, come on, how the hell was she meant to repay him for an entire flat?
"Mycroft this is too far. I can't accept this." She pushed the paper back towards him and gave him her best serious face. His eyebrow jumped another inch and he sighed. Mycroft leant forward and grasped the her hand before it could slip back into her lap-an unprecedented action for the highly strung man. He rubbed it affectionately as she sat rigid in her chair. They were holding hands across his desk. She was holding hands with Mycroft Holmes.
Dear Lord.
"Lori dear, I thought you wanted to help Jim?" Jimmy, she mentally corrected. Lori wanted to help Jimmy. Once she finally met this Jim person she would leave, immediately. Jim was a murderer, a psychotic genius, a disgusting criminal who played with people's lives. Her patient was the complete opposite. Jimmy was a broken man who craved attention, he needed care. Jimmy couldn't feed himself, Jimmy cried as the men Mycroft employed beat him mercilessly, Jimmy lay writhing in chains in a damp warehouse day and night. He needed her protection. Lori never wanted to meet Jim, but if she got her wish then she had failed her job.
She narrowed her eyes at him.
"What does the man who you torture for fun have to do with this?" She sneered at him and he dropped her hand. The change was immediate, he shoved the walls back up and became the intolerable man whom had first cajoled her into a car two months ago. She internally cursed herself, they too had already gone through the motions when it came to her rage at Jimmy's maltreatment. Mycroft would simply shut down into the bastard shell of the British Government. This time was no different.
He straightened his suit and sat up straight in his chair, making himself as tall as possible, radiating confidence and arrogance. A few weeks ago she would have been a quivering wreck before him, having talked to Jimmy about various means of "encouragement" Mycroft had authorised Lori just wanted to smack him one.
"You will take the deed and keys to this flat Lori because I tell you to. I shall inform you out of courtesy this time, but your personal belongings have already been moved into your new home. This will happen every time I decide to move you." He spoke with sincerity, but it still came across as harsh and cool. He was extremely annoyed at her.
She rolled her eyes at him and tried very hard not to leap across the stupid, expensive desk to strangle him.
"Mycroft you have no right! My home is my home. I am just your employee, nothing more. Stop messing about with my life." He clenched his jaw as she mentioned their relationship, boss and employee, yeah right. Mycroft Holmes had a soft spot her and she knew it. It was why Lori trusted him so much, when dealing with criminals he would look after her; to a point where it would become irritating yeah, but even so, he meant well.
"Do you forget why your are here Mavis?" His voice was low and menacing. She stood up and began pacing the enormous room. She loathed it when people called her by her first name, a point she had made very clearly on the third progress review. He knew she hated it. He was just being an arse now. Lori distinctly remembered asking her foggy-minded mother why she had called her that, Mavis Loreen Davidson. She had called it a whim. That's all motherhood was to Maddy, a whimsical decision in her early twenties.
She turned on him, anger only slightly misdirected. "Just you shut-up Mr Holmes," he raised the blasted eyebrow again, "as I recall it was you who got me involved in this idiotic business- 'mending the criminals.' You turned up just after I finished the damned course! I chose to help those in the justice system, but you, you picked me! So just shut up." She was seething and the pitying look he was currently dishing out did nothing to help the cause. Lori paced faster and faster.
"Lori, stop." Mycroft Holmes did not own her. He wasn't allowed to move her things around without her consent. He just wasn't. The elder Holmes walked around the desk and forcibly stopped her walking. He gently cupped her cheek and sighed heavily. The secretary would be very jealous right now. As the thought passed through her head she almost smiled, almost.
Very slowly Mycroft inched forward and placed a small kiss on her forehead. She sighed, this was getting very stupid. Mycroft didn't normally do affection, and he most definitely did not do hugs. So he released Lori and turned away from her. She took it as a sign to leave.
She gathered her bags quietly. He would probably be thinking of other ways to save her from the evil grasp of all those who she gave therapy to. Or just save her in general. Mycroft didn't like mess and her death would be messy. Just maybe the man didn't want to lose one of his only true friends. This was his way of protection. Sometimes she really bloody hated her job. It lead to over analysis of everything and far too much empathy for others.
The deed was still on the table.
She looked over at him, his back was to her and his posture was utterly straight. Stressed.
Lori knew friends like Mycroft were hard to come by. She also knew if she didn't accept his 'help' he would most likely get her a bodyguard. She reached out and slipped the damned paper into her bag and crept out of the room.
"Thank you Lori." He turned to the door and smiled. She rolled her eyes for the third time in the short hour they had been together that day and smiled back. She walked out of the room and prepared to face the onslaught of Queen Cow-bag at the reception.
It would have to be a quick argument, she was meeting Jimmy at three.
Apologies for any spelling and grammar mistakes, I am without a beta reader right now. Do you like Lori? This story will swap between characters and flashbacks a lot so ye be warned.
Drop me a review my lovelies
Blackvelvet97
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