A/N: dmollyc on tumblr said: I've always thought Mycroft liked Molly. That he thinks very highly of her. I would love to know what Molly and Mycroft were talking about. Probably talking about Sherlock and Anthea talking about them.

So I said: Enjoy some Molly & Mycroft bonding time. A follow-up to my story An Unlikely Pair. Rated K.

"I think they're a bit jealous."

Mycroft nodded thoughtfully. "You could be right."

Molly grinned at him. "Thanks, but you don't have to pretend you didn't already know it before I said it, Super Genius Brother-in-Law."

Mycroft's expression turned rueful. "I have been attempting to be more diplomatic in my interpersonal relations, to be better at dealing with…people."

"Almost said goldfish," Molly said smugly, and Mycroft couldn't help the small laugh that escaped him.

"Yes, well, ahem," was all he said. His expression became unfocused, turned inward, and Molly reached out a gentle hand and placed it over his.

"It's all right, Mycroft," she said softly. "You were handed a horrible, horrible situation to deal with when you were far too young for such responsibilities. I could murder your Uncle Rudy if he wasn't already dead," she added in brittle tones that she knew would tell Mycroft exactly how serious she was. "Maybe you and your parents didn't exactly cope in the healthiest manner or help Sherlock learn to do so, but to be fair to you all, Eurus learned at the feet of a master when it came to manipulating people."

Mycroft blinked, twice, and gave a slow nod. That was all he was capable of offering by way of thanks, and Molly knew it. She'd become an expert at reading both Holmes brothers over the past year. She'd approved Mycroft's brief but intense relationship with Lady Alicia Smallwood, been supportive when it had inevitably burned out, and been more than happy for him when he finally realized that his PA had been quietly in love with him for over a decade - and that he returned her feelings.

Speaking of feelings… "Maybe we should stop hogging each other's company and remind them that they come first in our lives," Molly said with another small giggle as she saw Sherlock gesture for the bartender to top up his and Anthea's drinks.

"In a minute," Mycroft replied with a rare twinkle in his eyes. He sipped appreciatively at his very expensive brandy and gestured toward Molly's glass of red. "Let them stew a bit longer. After all," he added with a genuine smile - another Blue Moon event! - "it will do them both good to remember that they aren't the only important people in our lives."

To which Molly could only smile and nod in agreement.