Chapter 2: Longing.

Mycroft Holmes missed somebody. He did. Who was there to miss when he was practically the British government and had some of the most beautiful assistants around? There was the one woman to miss. The one damn woman who he shouldn't miss but did, almost everyday. When he wasn't worrying about his brother or dealing with his job. His job was his relationship now. It ran in the Holmes Family he would assume. His father had been the same way. Married to his work. Going home at night, and not ignoring his mother, but not giving her the attention she deserved either. His father had been fond of his mum, but not in the way he should have been. Not in the way he had been fond of her.

"Mycroft! I can't believe you're taking me to meet your family, don't you think this is a bit early?" Adele worried as she looked out the window of the car, the countryside rolled by, but this wasn't just the typical English countryside, this was the 'wealthy' English countryside, where large, old estate homes stood on rolling green pastures filled with horses, sheep, cows, whatever the owners fancied. It was all very different from the small village type setting Adele was from.

"Nonsense. We've been going out for almost 5 months though, my mother is eager to meet you." Mycroft said, looking over at Adele who was fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. She looked especially lovely today. She was dressed in a nice pair of slacks with a greenish blouse that made those green eyes of hers stand out. Her hair was pulled into a tasteful ponytail, a string of pearls sat on her neck. "Come now, my mother won't bite your head off. She'll love you." he said, taking one hand off the steering wheel and reaching over for hers. Lacing his fingers with hers, he gave her hand a small squeeze. "Besides, you look brilliant today. How could they not love you?"

"Because I don't come from a well to do background." Adele said, looking at him worriedly. "Mycroft, you know my parents. My father was a police officer, while a well ranking police officer, still nothing more and my mum was just a school teacher. We made enough, but we don't have this." she said, waving her free hand towards the large houses that towered around them. "We lived in a 2 story house with 3 bedrooms." It was true, Adele came from a modest background. He parents made enough to get by, afford a few luxuries, holidays to Spain or France every now and again, but they didn't go to Polo matches or drink expensive wine. They both worked hard for their money, Adele had never had the lush lifestyle that Mycroft was so used to, hence the Mercedes that was bringing them to his parents' house.

"Nonsense, Adele, you're over thinking it. They won't judge you just because you don't have a ton of money, my parents come from old money. Stop worrying. You're charming, when you're not in day old stained clothing." he teased. Attempting to lighten up the mood.

Adele gave a small smile and looked over at him. It was a moment that little did she know, would stick with her whenever she thought of Mycroft Holmes. He just looked so happy, he was laughing about something or another, a smile on his handsome features, his hand was in her hand and everything felt right. Even if she was going to meet his parents. Even if they were talking about moving in together, despite only 5 months, everything was okay. Everything was well.

It was that day that Adele thought about now as she looked through her messages on her phone. One message in particular was from a certain Violet Holmes, the mother of Mycroft, the woman who had scared Adele out of her mind, had become a second mother figure. Even after the two had spilt, Violet had a certain fondness for Adele, sending her cards for holidays, a small gift on her birthday. It was simple this year. "Merry Christmas, love. Have a wonderful New Year. xx Violet." Not much, but Adele loved it all the same. She missed Violet. Hell, she missed Mycroft. She'd admit that now. She wanted to climb up into bed with the stubborn pain in the ass, feel the familiar pattern of his breathing after they had made love and were dozing off, feel his arm wrapped around her. However, that wasn't going to happen. So, she'd sit here, watching this damned Home Alone movie with her cat, nursing a glass of red wine. Looking down at her phone once more, she picked it up and started to go through her contacts. Getting down to the Hs, she scrolled down till she found Mycroft Holmes. She still had his bloody phone number, while she doubted it was the same, maybe she would send him a text message, of course, Mycroft didn't text, he wouldn't text if he could talk. He only texted if he was the dentist. It wouldn't hurt, would it?

Sighing gently, Adele stared at the phone for a long moment, putting the red wine up to her lips while she contemplated this. Nope, it wasn't a good idea. They hadn't spoken in over 5 years. What was one night of being lonely? It was Christmas, she would be fine. She'd get drunk, go to bed and tomorrow it would be better. Tomorrow it would be better. That was what she kept telling herself over and over again. Everyday. Tomorrow she wouldn't be a lonely 30 something by herself in a flat in London with a cat. Tomorrow she'd meet the man of her dreams and tomorrow they'd get married and move out to the country, buy a small farm, have children and grow old together. Tomorrow. Tomorrow. Tomorrow.

The word Tomorrow filtered through her brain while she dozed off in a red wine induced sleep. Not hearing her phone beep. The number on the screen said "Mycroft Holmes." The message under it. "Have a wonderful Christmas, Adele. –MH."

On the other side of London, Mycroft sighed as he stared at the phone. Hopefully that hadn't been a mistake. Hopefully she didn't have his number and hopefully she had no idea who "MH" was, even though he knew she would. Taking a deep breath, he stood up from the chair, put out the fire and made his way up to his bed. Nursing the glass of whiskey on the way up. Adele's memory floating in his head, Merry Christmas to him.