A/N: Some of you requested that I continue with this and I was inspired so...here you go :) A HUGE thank you to beautywithin22 who very kindly read over the new chapters for me. I will post the others over the next couple of days. This one is set 'pre-canon' as well, hope you enjoy!

Mycroft Holmes had known about his brother's drug habit for almost as long as it had existed, but he'd also known that any attempt to cure him of it would only be met with stubborn resistance. So instead Mycroft had watched (and worried) from a distance, waiting for the inevitable.

When the inevitable occurred Mycroft proved how truly concerned he was for his brother by barely reading beyond the first few lines of the report before heading to the hospital. Thus he was taken completely by surprise when he entered his brother's private room to find Molly Hooper sitting by his bedside.

Molly was just as surprised to see him, but Mycroft was better at concealing his emotions than the young pathologist; a slight pause as he entered the room was the only indication that he'd been caught off guard.

"Dr. Hooper," he greeted her politely, amused to read in her tense posture that she was preparing to defend herself – and Sherlock – should the need arise. "I confess I wasn't completely honest with you at our last encounter," he continued, ignoring Sherlock's derisive snort. "Despite his protests to the contrary, I am not Sherlock's enemy," he paused, "I'm his brother."

Molly stared at him, before glancing at Sherlock for confirmation; Sherlock nodded, shooting a glare in his brother's direction. Her brow furrowed slightly and she looked back at Mycroft warily.

He gave her a small, slightly patronizing smile, "Do you mind giving us a moment?"

Mycroft raised an eyebrow as she glanced at Sherlock again, it was clear that she was intimidated by him but she wasn't going to leave without his brother's acquiescence.

Interesting.

Sherlock gave a curt nod that looked more like a grimace and she stood up. "I won't be long," she assured him, giving Mycroft a meaningful look as she walked passed.

"I don't think your pathologist likes me very much," Mycroft commented once they were alone.

"I told you she wasn't stupid," Sherlock muttered, sounding almost proud and maybe a little smug. "Molly found me," Sherlock continued, answering Mycroft's unspoken question, "she won't leave," he added.

Mycroft frowned a little as he tried to decipher his brother's tone, on the surface he sounded irritated but he thought he could detect something else – was he…pleased? Mycroft narrowed his eyes as he regarded his younger brother closely; he might be wrong about the tone but Sherlock wasn't as irritated by her presence as he wanted him to think.

"I wanted to believe you when you said you could control your addictions," he commented finally in a low tone, "you're slipping."

It was Sherlock's turn to narrow his eyes, "Addictions are for the weak," he said flatly, "I can quit whenever I want. This was a minor miscalculation," he added stiffly.

"Minor?"

"I never make the same mistake twice."

Mycroft raised an eyebrow, "So you admit that you have made one."

"I had an overdose didn't I?" Sherlock hissed.

Mycroft pursed his lips, Touché brother, he saluted Sherlock silently as the latter raised his eyebrows slightly in triumph.

Molly returned before either brother could say anything else, "Visiting hours are over," she said, looking at Mycroft expectantly.

Mycroft considered informing her that he had no desire – or reason – to obey something as trivial as hospital visiting hours, but thought the better of it. "Very well," he glanced at Sherlock, "I trust you will take more care in the future, brother," he said meaningfully.

He heard Molly's gasp at his seemingly callous tone, but – if his glare was anything to go by – Sherlock understood him perfectly.

Unable to resist provoking his brother further, he turned to Molly with a pleasant smile, "May I give you a lift, Dr. Hooper?" he asked, amused by the way she instinctively took a step closer to Sherlock's bed as she politely demurred.

Mycroft chose to ignore Sherlock's smirk at his pathologist's response, but he didn't miss the warning hidden deep in his brother's eyes. This time no words were spoken, but the message was still clear: leave her alone.

Yes, he definitely had to keep his eye on Molly Hooper.