Bond-

Mycroft made his way through the aisles of the grocery store trying and failing to ignore the baffled stares of everyone around him. This was what he got, he supposed, for deciding to go shopping in the middle of the day wearing a three piece suit (umbrella included and hanging off the handle of the cart he pushed), expensive shoes clicking against the hard floor. Mycroft hated shopping as necessary as it was. Quite often he would send an underling out to buy things for him just to avoid the dreaded situation. This time though he had nothing else really better to do (an odd occurrence).

Mycroft was searching through the cereal aisle for Raisin Bran when he heard an unmistakable sniffling sound. He waited, but the sound didn't repeat itself so he continued walking. He had safely placed the box of cereal into his cart when did hear the sniffle again. Curiously he rolled around the corner to the other side of the shelf in search of the source.
Sitting on the floor, hugging her knees, was a child.
The poor girl couldn't have been older than six, her long brown hair loose and wild around her shoulders. Mycroft immediately knew she was lost though that was hardly a difficult deduction. Carefully he came towards her, hoping beyond all hopes that he didn't appear as a creeper- something that happened to him far too often even when there weren't children in the area.

"Miss, are you alright?" Mycroft inquired in a soft, cordial tone. The little girl looked up at him with tear filled hazel eyes. She had a smattering of freckles and a truly tiny nose which was running.
Mycroft's heart tugged painfully when she scooted away from him, "I lost my mum," she told him.
"I see," he softened his voice further in hopes of reassuring her, "I'm sure she's very worried."
The little girl nodded.
"What is your name?" he inquired, uncomfortably bringing himself down to her level. She hesitated, brushing a lock of her dark hair behind her pale ear, "Isabelle."
"I see," Mycroft continued, "I want to help you Isabelle to find your mother, would you like that?"
He was pretty certain he was doing this wrong but Isabelle seemed to brighten up at the idea. "How?"
Mycroft let his hands rest on his knees, "If you come with me I shall take you to the front desk, they will call for your mother and then she will come and retrieve you. Alright?"
Her expression soured, "I'm not meant to go with st-with strangers," she informed him, "Mum says I could be stoled."
"That is entirely true, but I can't very well tell people to 'please pick up their daughter in the bread aisle'" he joked. Isabelle blinked, "Why not?"

Mycroft laughed lightly, though it came out more like a shaky exhale. He straightened up and pulled the grocery cart over to him, "How about this My Dear. You hold onto one side of the cart and I'll hold onto the other. I'll guide you, and if you feel in the least bit unsafe you can run away, alright?"
Isabelle seemed to consider this for a moment then she shrugged, staying a shy, "Ok."
Her small fingers wrapped around the metal mesh of the end of the cart, climbing to her feet. Her eyes had gone dry and her face screwed up rather adorably in determination. Mycroft noted that she was wearing pink flowery socks under a pair of shoes with T.A.R.D.I.S designs on the toes. Her T-shirt had a picture of a robin on it surrounded by a similarly flowered background; her jeans hung a little loose around her narrow hips. All were hand-me-downs except for the shoes.

Slowly he moved forwards, the little girl clumsily walking with him.
"Are you a- a spy?"
Mycroft forced himself not to stop walking, mouth quirking into a smile, "Whatever gave you that idea?"
"Cause you're dressed like Bomb from Mum's movies."
It took a moment before Mycroft chuckled, raising an eyebrow incredulously at her, "Do you mean Bond? James Bond?"
She nodded, "Yeah, I don't like him much 'cause he's boring."
"Oh my," he tsked half-heartedly, "Does that mean you don't like me?" he turned a corner; they were nearing the front desk. Thus far he couldn't see any frantic looking parents hanging around. Isabelle stuttered to reply, "I-I don' know you. You c-could wanna 'nap me."
His smile grew, "I promise you I won't, but I find it good that this has been instilled in your mind."
Isabelle stared at him as though he was an alien, "…What?"

He laughed again.

The front desk called for Isabelle's mother to come collect her child and Isabelle was moved onto a plastic chair. Mycroft couldn't bear the idea of leaving while she waited for her parents so he stayed, standing protectively close (though not too close) just in case. "D'you think they left me?" the little girl asked pathetically. Mycroft shook his head, "Hardly."
It was a possibility but he didn't want to tell her that. A stressed parent with more than two children might easily make that mistake, which could mean a long wait for poor Isabelle. Idiots.
"You could just say no," she mumbled at her palms.
"Apo- I'm sorry," he corrected smoothly. She finally smiled at him, a bright smile that set something inside of him at ease. He was surprised by the level of trust in her eyes, when only five minutes ago she was afraid of him.
"That's ok." She told him, "I like you now I think."

The small child kicked out her legs, hugging herself and anxiously waiting for her mother to come and get her. "D-did you ever get lost when you were small?"
Mycroft hummed "Once," he replied thoughtfully, "I was distracted by an odd display. I of course found my own way back following certain…clues. They hadn't even noticed my absence."
"Oh…"
"But as I previously stated your parents should be coming-"
"Parent. My Dad is dead." She spoke so bluntly it nearly made Mycroft's mouth fall open… It didn't of course.
"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Isabelle!"

A blonde woman rushed towards them, her short hair falling out of a loose ponytail. Mycroft could see the resemblance, pale skin and an angular face with a few freckles on her nose. Otherwise she seemed to more match the two little girls that followed at her heels- twins, five year difference between them (older, obviously) and Isabelle. The first had mud brown hair and a pinched expression at the sight of her sister and the second had short blonde hair like her mother- looking far less annoyed.
"MUM!" Isabelle jumped unceremoniously off the chair she was on and hugged her mother's legs, "Isabelle I am so sorry!" the woman apologized, kneeling down to hug her daughter properly, "I didn't notice you were gone sweetheart. What happened?"
"I go lost in with the breads but James Bond saved me!"
The woman looked up at him, "Honey, I don't think he's James Bond," she chuckled.
"Don't be stupid Izzy," Gloria huffed beneath her breath which made Mycroft frown. "Sorry," Isabelle apologized automatically before she turned to Mycroft, "I know he's not really Bond, only he didn't tell me his name."
"Thank you for finding my daughter," Isabelle's mother said, standing up and regarding him with a smile much like her daughter's.
"It was my pleasure."
The family was all gathered together and ready to go back, Isabelle holding onto her mother's trouser leg.
They began walking away when he, without thought suddenly blurted, "Mycroft Holmes."
The mother nodded under the impression that he was speaking to her, her mouth opening to reply when Isabelle cut her off, "Isabelle Long!"
"It was a pleasure Miss Long," he replied, bowing his head in goodbye. Isabelle waved, and giggled (more like a guffaw really) and then she was led away by Mrs. Long.

Mycroft returned to his shopping.

Two chapters in one day? WOW, it's like Christmas am-I-right? Pft. No.
Thought this was cute and fluffy and not too long unlike the one before it. I don't know, do you prefer longer chapters or short?

Leave a review. If you do I'll uh… Write another chapter? Heh heh (Gadzooks I've already run out of bribes!)