First Meeting:

A young Tara walks around the college campus trying to get to her next class.

'Hey!' he called out to her.

'Yes?' Tara stopped on her tracks, turned around, and asked.

'Stand on one leg' he told her.

'No' she refused flatly.

'I am sorry. Come again' slightly shocked

'No. 'N' 'O'. No' she repeated herself.

'You realize we're ragging you right?' he asked still shocked.

'Yes. And I really thought you were different?' Tara told him.

'Why?' he asked in an amused manner.

'I heard your speech in the debate, very impressive.' Tara told him.

'And?' He smirked.

'Well! Your passion compensated very well for the flawed argument you presented. You convinced everyone there' She smiled smugly.

He raised an eyebrow and smirked 'Oh really? Please explain to me what was wrong with my argument.' He faked an interest.

'With pleasure. We live in India, the seventh-largest country in the world, the second-largest democracy in the world. 3,287,263 sq km of area, 3214km from north to south, 2933km from east to west, the land frontier of 15,200km, and a coastline of 7,517km. 27 states and 5 union territories. A population of 0.86 billion people who speak 19,596 languages and dialects, 22 scheduled languages.' She lectured him and he rolled his eyes. So, she cut it short.

'Can you seriously overlook caste, creed, community, gender, socio-economic status of every individual and speak about equality? Not everyone's life is the same, not everyone's circumstances are the same and not everyone's problems are the same. You can't judge everyone on the same scale. You're over-romanticizing a situation that needs a much more logical approach.' She challenged.

He went close to her and reached for her hand. He twisted her hand pinning her against him 'You should have been on the losing team. They would've had a shot at winning' he kissed her cheek 'Even if you were bloody Jennifer Aniston this is what I would've done. Now have I proven my point?' he smirked.

She flipped him over pinning him to the ground 'Tonight 7 pm at Gianni's.' she told him and let go of him.

'I'm sorry?' he asked in shock, still lying on the ground.

'I haven't asked anyone in this academy out on a date. I am asking you, which means you're privileged, which means everyone is not the same. Now have I proven my point?' She said smugly.

He looked at a dumbfounded yet awestruck. She took his phone and added a number.

'Don't be late' she said as she left.

...

'So, let me get this right you're going out on a date with a guy who tried to rag you. Why?' Vikrant asked her in confusion, he was still trying to comprehend the story his sister had just told him.

Tara shrugged as she took a bite of his ice cream. 'I don't know. Seems interesting. And he wasn't ragging. It was innocent fun.' She explained and sneaked another bite before Vikrant moved his ice cream away from her.

He looked across the table to his twin 'You were right, Vikram. Our sister has gone mad' he told him.

Tara was offended 'I've not gone mad, just a little crazy' she said with her mouthful of ice cream.

...

Mycroft was in his car, Anthea sitting next to him. His phone rings and he looked at the caller ID. Mummy. He huffed and clenched his eyes. Anthea was trying to hide her sniggering under her phone but Mycroft caught it. He shot her a glare and picked up his phone.

'Hello, Mummy' he said with a painful grimace.

'Hello, Mike' Violet said cheerfully.

'Mycroft is the name you gave me if you could possibly struggle all the way to the end' Mycroft said smugly

'Behave, Mike' Violet scolded her eldest son.

Mycroft rolled his eyes and sighed 'Why have you called, Mummy?'

'Mycroft Holmes, I haven't spoken to you in a month. I don't even know how you have been. Are you alright?' she yells loud enough for Anthea to hear. She sniggers and Mycroft has his head in his hand in exasperation.

'Yes Mummy, I am well. How have you been?' he tells his mother, hoping she wouldn't yell again. He was starting to get a headache.

'Good. Are sure you're alright? You don't sound alright' she asked again with concern.

'I am fine, Mummy. Why do you keep asking?' Mycroft was starting to get irritated, not that he wasn't already irritated.

'I am your mother, Mike. I know when something is not right' Violet said firmly, warning her son to come out with it already.

'Work has been stressful' he lied easily and she bought it.

'You and Sherlock, two of a kind always caught up in your work. We don't see enough. We miss you' Violet told him.

'What do you want me to do, Mummy?' he sighed.

'I know you're a busy man so I am giving you a two months-notice. I want you, two boys home for Christmas' Violet ordered.

'We never celebrate Christmas. Do you not remember what happened the last time we did? Sherlock drugged us all.' His anger flaring up.

'I remember perfectly well what happened. If your brother ever pulls off a stunt like that again he will suffer consequences. Now I want to see you two for Christmas and I am not taking no for an answer. Do I make myself perfectly clear?' She commanded. Now she was angry. There was no escape for Mycroft now.

'Yes Mummy' he said like a small boy in defeat.

'Bring along John and little Rosie too' Violet added.

'Yes, Mummy' he said and closed his eyes. Perfect. This was exactly what he needed a weekend with his parents, brother, Dr. Watson, and a child. What has my life come to? He thought and threw his head back on the seat.

'Good. Good Night Mycroft. Take care of yourself.' Violet said.

'Good Night Mummy. Give my regards to Father' He said politely. That phone call had been exhausting.

'I will' Violet said before hanging up.

With that Mycroft hung up and tried to recover. Anthea looked at him and smirked.

'She is not wrong you know?' She said without looking up from her phone.

'About?' Mycroft asked flatly. He leaned back into the seat and closed his eyes.

'Everything' Anthea said. This wasn't new to Mycroft. She had always been a nosy assistant, who gave the impression of being ignorant but observed everything.

Mycroft raised his eyebrows and sent her a questioning look.

'Well! you don't see them enough and you are not fine' Anthea stated in an obvious manner.

'I'm absolutely fine' he told her without opening his eyes.

'No, you're not and you haven't been since you met her.' Anthea said with a sly smile.

'her?' Mycroft knew exactly what his assistant meant, but he wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of being right.

'Don't act clueless. You're far too smart for that. You know I'm talking about Tara.' Anthea scolded lightly.

He scoffed 'You're out of your bloody mind. Take it easy on that phone, you're losing precious brain cells.' he told her.

'Oh! please Mycroft! I have had enough.' She turned to the driver 'Thomas, could you drive us to Tara's?'

'Yes Ma'am' Thomas replies with a smirk

Mycroft is surprised by their nerve. He jolted up in his seat sitting straight. His exhaustion was all but forgotten. 'What the hell do you think you're doing? You do remember that you are a personal assistant, this is none of your business.' He was angry but Anthea wasn't having any of it.

'Yes, it is. I am your personal assistant. Your personal life is my business.' Anthea retorted boldly.

Anthea was always hard to argue with. Before Mycroft could say anything, the car was standing in front of Tara's.

'I am not going in there' Mycroft told her

Anthea leaned over him 'Mycroft, don't be a coward' she opened the door and pushed him out.

Before he knew it, he was standing in front of the bakery and his car was gone. Times like this made him regret hiring Anthea but she was very loyal and trustworthy. What the hell am I supposed to do?

'Are you going to stand out here all night or are you going to come in?' Tara asked from the door. She wore an amused smile on her face.

He didn't realize he had been standing there for quite some time 'My apologies' he said and walked in behind her.

'It's alright. What can I get for you?' she asked sweetly.

'The usual' Mycroft said with a small smile.

'Cheesecake and tea?' he nodded

He goes to the table and sits down and looks at her to get his order. There was no doubt she was a baker, her apron was covered in flour, she had some on her face too and her hair was tied in a messy bun. Yet she looked graceful.

'You're working alone?' Mycroft tried to start a conversation.

'It's late and Grace lives across the city, I don't like to keep her late.' Tara told him as she continued to work.

'It's late and It's not very safe for you either' Mycroft stated in an obvious manner.

Tara smiled. 'I'll be fine. Thanks'

Just then a man walks in wearing a long trench coat, a gun, and a bag in his hand. 'If you want to live to see tomorrow, put everything you have in that cash register in this bag. And you Mr. Fancy Pants I'm going to need your wallet, phone ohh...and the pocket watch too' he said as he eyed Mycroft.

Tara immediately takes the bag and starts emptying the cash register.

'Now that isn't very kind, is it? This woman has worked hard all day. I'm sure we can come to another agreement' Mycroft says as he walks over coolly towards the robber. The man points immediately the gun to Mycroft's head.

'What do you think you are doing? This is a robbery and I will shoot you if you don't stand down' he threatens.

'So much for not wanting any more drama.' Tara thought

'Yeah! I don't think so' within a second Mycroft had twisted the gun out of the perp's hand and had him pinned against the counter. He looked at Tara with a smug face 'What did I tell you?'

She just shook her head and huffed. Before they could do anything, the man slipped out of Mycroft's grasp and fled. 'And you let him go' now Tara was being smug.

'I am the British government. He is going to rot in prison for years.'

'I thought you said you occupied a minor position in the British government' she smirked.

He smiled and said 'How about I walk you to your apartment?'

'You don't have to do that' Tara said politely

'Nonsense' Mycroft shrugged it off.

'You're not going to listen to me, are you?' Tara asked in rhetoric.

'No' he smirked.

'Give me a minute I need to close up' Tara said and started to clean up.