Amanda Gallant, a 26 year old student studying to obtain a Masters in Forensic Science, arrived home at 11 at night to nothing waiting for her but a text message on the phone she forgot to bring with her that day. It was from Mycroft, the man who until that day had seemed to have no interest in her. It was short and she replied to it as quickly as possible.
From the first time she laid eyes on him, she found him a bit upsetting. Not so much because of anything offensive about him but more because he was sitting in her spot. She'd never seen him at the diner before, and had almost asked Tammy, her usual waitress who he was.
Amanda had been having lunch at the diner for nearly 6 years. As a university student, the Diner had been close enough to her school that it took less than fifteen minutes to get to from her classes. She had made sure to keep the same slot of time open for lunch everyday each semester. In all honesty it was a lot of work to go through for an average meal at a low price, especially considering the places much closer to her school, but she had a routine, and she would stick to it.
After she had obtained her Bachelors Degree she had started to work on getting her Masters. Now, in her last year studying at the university she had to readjust her schedule to include spending more time at St. Bart's for researching her thesis. She had set up a schedule to do research at St. Barts in the mornings and then go to classes in the afternoon. It had put a bit of a strain on her lunch routine, since Bart's was much farther and she had to leave a bit later.
Her 11:00 to 12:20 lunch break shifted to a 12:20 to 1:45 lunch break, with her usually making it to the diner around 12:40. It had upset her but she figured nothing to big would come of it. She had been wrong.
Her first thought upon seeing him in her spot was that he should not be there. Then, realizing that she couldn't really blame him for taking up an available seat, she looked around for another open seat. There weren't any. Amanda, not wishing to deviate anymore for her set routine, took a deep breath and walked over the man at her usual table.
In most situations, she wouldn't have asked to sit with a person, she wouldn't have bothered, but her lunch routine was what kept her sane most of the time, no matter what happened at school of with her parents, or with her friends, she always had her lunch time routine, and she would be damned before some stiff office worker took it from her. Thankfully he had let her sit.
She had hoped it was a onetime thing, but he was there the next day as well, and the next day. It wasn't until Thursday that she had accepted that he was simply a constant presence that she would need to get used to. The next Monday she completely forgot to ask to sit with him, realizing it a minute too late and kicking herself for the rest of her lunch. He hadn't seemed to mind though.
A full month later and she wondered how she could have gone from being his rather reluctant lunch partner, to enjoying his company. She had admitted to herself a week before that she fancied him, but had decided to do nothing about it. Then, completely out of the blue, he had asked her out.
She spent about an hour fretting to herself after sending the message before giving up and going to sleep.
The next morning she was awoke by her phones text alert sound. She grabbed her phone and read the message in a tired haze, quickly realizing it was from Molly Hooper. Reading the message she started to become more and more frustrated getting dressed quickly while also trying to send off a message.
Please please please do not let him have it. He's gotten the last three already – AG
If he gets to it he gets to it, I can't really interfere. – MH
She huffed angrily before sending off another message.
No, you cannot have him. I swear if you take my body I will snap your arm in half. – AG
A minute later she phone chimed alerting her to a response. Your body? It's not like your name is on it. – SH
Amanda rushed to St. Bart's. She called Molly while on her way to request that she bring the new body they got in over to her usual work station. Finally arriving and slightly rushing to her work station, thanking Molly as she saw a beautiful recently dead body.
She was able to get a minute of prep work in before the doors slammed open.
"That's mine." A deep voice said. Amanda raised an eyebrow at the obviously displeased man.
"Really? Your name isn't on it." She responded, smirking. Sherlock's eyes held nothing but contempt for her.
Sherlock Holmes was a brilliant man, and, in truth, Amanda admired his brilliance. That said, he was also too quick to pass off others as idiots that he need not waste his time with. He also believed that his research was a million times more important than hers and therefore felt entitled to every body that entered the morgue.
"I needed that to test how the bruises develop post mortem. It would solve the case I'm working on faster than anything else." He waved his hand as he said so, which was holding what seemed to be a riding crop.
Amanda shrugged, "guess you'll just have to wait for someone else to die."
Sherlock left the room, assumedly to go complain to Molly. It wouldn't make a difference, she got to it first. Molly came by a couple minutes later.
"He used to work here," she said in reference to the body, "I knew him. He was nice."
Amanda acknowledged her statement with a slight nod, not letting it distract her from her work.
"I suppose nothing I do will convince you to give the body up." Molly said, looking a bit defeated.
"Nope, sorry." Amanda replied. "Should tell him to just go home, he's been here every day for the past two weeks. He needs a life…he needs a girlfriend."
Molly chuckled. Amanda was aware of Molly's "secret" crush on Sherlock. It made her a bit upset seeing him ignore her so much. Then again, maybe she wasn't his type…she wouldn't know. In all the time she'd known him, she'd never known him to be attracted to anyone. She shrugged it off, it wasn't really her business, but she did worry about Molly getting hurt.
"Any weekend plans?" Amanda asked Molly after a few moments of silence.
"Nope," Molly sighed, "Just me and my telly. How about you?" Amanda was about to say the same but the remembered her scheduled date.
"Shit, I nearly forgot." She exclaimed. She had been so worked up about getting the body she'd completely forgotten. "I have a date."
Molly smiled, "That's great. With the man from the diner I assume?" Amanda blushed a bit, nodding. "Well good, you deserve to have someone; you've been alone as long as I've known you."
"What about you? You deserve someone too." Amanda said. Molly shrugged.
"You should called me and tell me all the juicy details so I can live through you." Molly joked. Amanda laughed and nodded in confirmation.
They conversed a bit more before Molly went back to her work and left Amanda to hers. Once finished she cleaned up and put everything in its rightful place. As she left she passed Mike Stamford who stopped her. He was with a blond man with a cane who seemed a bit out of his comfort zone.
"Is Sherlock here?" Mike asked. Amanda gave a shrug,
"If he is he would be up in the lab, but he's might have gone home by now. You'd be better off texting him." She said. Mike nodded and he and the man with him continued on their path to the lab to check anyway.
Once out she went back to her flat and started mentally preparing herself for that night. Most days she spent alone, without many friends in London and not much will to make any new ones, she had lived a relatively solitary life since starting college.
That suited her very well though; she preferred to focus on school work. She did have some friends, Molly for instance, but she was solitary by nature and therefore didn't spend much time with them. Thinking about her upcoming date was making her anxious. She could hardly remember the last time she'd gone out on a date. She wasn't that great with relationships, and she often found spending large amounts of time with a single person a bit stressful. That being said, she couldn't deny that she was attracted to Mycroft.
He was mostly quiet, didn't seem to need to fill every moment with chatter. He also had a sophisticated air about him that was like no one she'd ever met. He seemed nice, though they hadn't really talked a lot. He seemed like someone she could fall in love with. Though she hadn't liked him from the start, she had warmed up to him over their lunches together.
By 7:30 that night she was very anxious. She stressed over what to wear for an hour before finally settling on a not too showy, not too tight, and just above knee length, black dress. She hadn't messaged Mycroft since the night before, and it was starting to get to her. He could have forgotten. He could have changed his mind and decided not to go out.
She could text him to make sure but that could come off as clingy. So instead, she waited. She stared at the clock, messed with her hair a bit, made sure her makeup was alright, and tried to calm herself down. Her worrying was for nothing. As soon as the clock struck eight her doorbell rang.
Amanda stared down at the table as she fiddled with her napkin. She had run out of things to say about five minutes after Mycroft picked her up and now they sat in silence. Not even companionable silence, it was the silence of a date going wrong.
After picking her up, Mycroft had driven her to a nice French restaurant. After they obtained menus they viewed them for about five minutes before Amanda's obviously troubled face led Mycroft to suggest he order for her, she gladly accepted the offer. Now, with wine and waiting for their food, which Amanda couldn't even guess because he ordered in French, the sat in silence.
Amanda was very much aware of Mycroft and his actions on the other side of the table. Every so often, he would take a sip of his wine, and three times he had looked at his phone. He had mentioned when the date started that work kept him very busy and every now and then he may need to respond to a text or email. He didn't seem to be nearly as uncomfortable as her though. She tried to think of something to say, but it had been so long since she was on a date, she really couldn't remember what people usually talked about on them. Eventually, Mycroft broke the silence.
"I have been meaning to ask, what is your last name?" He asked. She looked up at him, seeing genuine curiosity there.
"Gallant," she answered, "what's yours?" She hadn't actually thought of it before, but it was probably something one should know about the people they date.
"Holmes," he responded nonchalantly. Amanda's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Any relation to Sherlock Holmes?" she asked, trying not to grit her teeth, not wanting to come off as upset by a mere name.
"Yes, in fact, he's my younger brother. Are you acquainted with him then?" He looked a bit concerned. Like he thought her view of his brother would affect her view of him. In truth it probably would if she hadn't been around Mycroft long enough to realize that Mycroft has very little in common with his brother.
"Yes, sadly," she sighed, remembering her small spat with him earlier. "Probably best to avoid him as a topic of conversation."
Mycroft chuckled, "well so long as you are aware that my brother and I have nothing in common."
"Promise?" She asked teasingly. Mycroft simply nodded, as there food arrived. She was a bit grateful, since the topic of his brother had come to an end and she wasn't too eager to return to the silence.
Amanda's worries were for nothing though, as they finally settled into a steady rhythm of conversation. They spoke of his family and hers, and where they grew up. Amanda disliked sounding cliché, but talking with him, time seemed to fly. They soon finished there meal and both decided to pass on dessert.
After dinner, instead of him taking her home, he suggested they walk for a bit, and Amanda was glad for it. While the date had had a rocky start, the rest had easily made up for it. They had only gotten a block, and only two sentences into what could only be described as future blackmail information to use against one Sherlock Holmes, when Mycroft's phone rang.
Mycroft sighed, quietly apologizing as he answered the call. "Hello...No, I told you specifically to wait for a response…I don't care if you thought it was a good idea at the time….you must be joking….no, no, don't tough anything. I'll be there as soon as I can." Mycroft's voice never really rose beyond normal speaking level, and his tone remained calm, but Amanda could easily tell he was angered by whoever had messed up on the other end. Mycroft hung up, and at least looked apologetic as he stated he'd have to take her home.
The drive home was quiet, though at least Mycroft finished the story about Sherlock. He promised her that any mention of it would shut him up for at least ten minutes. He walked her to her door, and she wasn't really sure if this was a date that should end in a kiss or not.
Before she could become too conflicted though, Mycroft decided for her. He leaned down, pressing his lips lightly to hers, and she easily responded, smiling at the chemistry between them as proven by a good kiss. She had missed this part of dating. The part where she felt right with another person because kissing them made her feel connected to them. She wouldn't call it fireworks, or even sparks, just an instinctual sense of rightness.
He pulled away, bid her adieu and drove off. She finally entered her flat, smiling to herself. She sat on her couch for a few moments before pulling out her phone and ringing Molly.
