Author's Note: First things, first; thank you so much guys for the absolutely fantastic feedback last chapter, that's the kind of stuff that gets me excited to give you more. To those of you who said that if that's me with writers block I should have it more, no, no thank you. I didn't enjoy that but I did like the chapter. As far as this chapter goes… well… I hope you like it, I certainly had fun messing with the idea of it. Let me know what you think of it, I can't wait to hear about it :). Read, review, and most importantly; enjoy!

Disclaimer: Clearly I don't own Sherlock. The show is the baby of Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, while Sherlock Holmes itself is the creation of Arthur Conan Doyle.

Her First Hint of Jealousy

They had been having a perfectly fine day, an absolutely perfectly fine day. No one had tried to declare war, no one had gone missing, nothing had blown up, no meetings had run over time, even the cafe they were currently replenishing their caffeine levels at had been very speedy in supplying their orders. Both of them were in what could be described as pleasant moods for each person and it looked like they may even leave the office at a normal time today. For Mycroft, the day probably stayed that way, for Anthea there was a sudden slope downhill from there. There they were, minding their own business, enjoying their quick break when it happened. She turned up.

"Is that Mycroft?" Mycroft and Anthea had mirroring looks of bewilderment at the sound of a feminine name calling out such a unique name that could only before referring to Mr. Holmes himself. Anthea looked left and right before shooting a look behind her and spotting it. A tall bleach blonde woman with sharp features in a slim pants suit. Her hair was tied back to show of her cheekbones and her slightly greener than hazel eyes shone brightly. The woman was without a doubt interesting to look at in one of those good ways, her sharp features were fairly captivating. "Mycroft Holmes?" She asked, her heels clicking as she made her way over to their table. Anthea blinked, keeping the frown off of her far softer features. As recognition crossed his face, Mycroft faked one of his smiles that didn't quite make his eyes sparkle.

"Ah, Charlotte." He replied, placing his cup of tea down on its saucer. There was no particular warmth in his voice when he addressed her, but no coolness either.

"So it is you!" The woman, Charlotte, breathed as she reached them, leaning over and giving Mycroft a one handed hug. He only looked slightly uncomfortable. Anthea raised her eyebrows and took a deep breath. So this was interesting. "Look at, you! It's been such a long time." Her hazel eyes flickered from Mycroft, to the table, briefly landed on Anthea across from Mr. Holmes, and then onto the empty chair in between them. "Do you mind if I sit down." Anthea watched the woman as Mycroft gestured lazily to the chair.

"Please." He replied. Great. The woman placed down her handbag and took a seat, scraping it across the floor as she did causing Anthea to sigh and roll her own chocolate brown eyes. Steel blue made contact with chocolate brown as he tried to deduce the sigh. "Sorry, Anthea this is Charlotte Cunningham. Charlotte, this is my personal assistant, Anthea James." Anthea forced a smile, aware of how fake it would look but unable to help herself. Charlotte, with her high cheekbones, looked Anthea up and down with her own small smile before turning to Mycroft with a huge smile.

"Oh that's cute, you have an assistant to get your dry cleaning and such." She beamed. "I'd heard you'd climbed quite far up the ladder." Mycroft raised his eyebrows, busying himself with his cup of tea. Anthea fought the urge to scoff as she picked up her coffee and had a long controlled sip.

"That's not exactly her priorities and I'd hardly say I climbed any ladders." Charlotte laughed, leaning on her carefully manicured hand, smiling at Mycroft. Anthea began tapping her leg.

"No, knowing you, you probably started at the top."

"Excuse me, sir." Anthea leaned forward in her chair. "But how would she know anything about you?" The woman looked like she was covering up some level of aghast, Mycroft took it as Anthea doing her job. Anthea wasn't entirely sure why this pretty woman was rubbing her up the wrong way.

"I apologize, Miss James. Charlotte was in one of my university classes." Ah, so she went to the same university which mean she was pretty and smart, fantastic. Anthea nodded once, trying to keep it professional. Charlotte giggled once again and tapped Mycroft playfully on the arm – luckily he looked slightly annoyed by this – as she finally turned to look at Anthea.

"This kid was in my fourth year debate class when he was in first year. Can you believe it, just taking fourth year classes like it was nothing?" Anthea sniffed a laugh, hiding the smile that threatened her lips.

"It sounds just like him, actually. Always the show off." She said, earning an eye roll from her boss.

"I don't show off, my dear, I –"

"Merely make observations, yes, we all know, sir." She waved him off with a cheeky grin. Mycroft quirked an eyebrow and tilted his head. Anthea held back a chuckle as she tucked her hair behind her ear, for some reason or another she was pleased to have regained Mr. Holmes' attention. That lady – Charlotte – bent down to pick up her handbag, clearing her throat.

"Listen, Mycroft, I'm going to get myself a coffee and then I was wondering if you had a moment to chat." She rubbed his arm and looked at him eagerly. Anthea felt time slow as Mycroft looked at her, as if looking for the answer. She felt the same way she had when James had tried to ask her out, silently pleading with him. She pursed her lips absentmindedly. No. She thought. No sir, we have to go. This was a quick break. Come on. Mycroft checked the time on his phone, Anthea looked Charlotte up and down, and Charlotte watched Mycroft.

"I suppose I still have a few minutes to spare." Charlotte beamed, Anthea glowered.

"Excellent." The woman practically sang. Anthea picked up her briefcase and her purse and stood up at the same time as Charlotte.

"Excuse me, sir." She sighed. "I'll be in the car." Both the green hazel eyes and the steel blue eyes were looking at her. Briefly Anthea cursed herself for making such a rash decision, causing attention to be brought onto her like this.

"It won't be long, Miss James." Anthea smiled softly and shook her head.

"Please don't rush on my behalf." She spoke in the most professional tone she could. She turned around and made her way for the exit, pulling her phone out of her purse as she did so. "Maybe I'll take the time to pick up your dry cleaning or go clean the office." She muttered bitterly.

Anthea sat in the car trying desperately to calm herself down as she answered emails and texted Jamie. She was failing however, the feeling deep in her chest just eating away. She couldn't really describe why she was feeling this way – possibly the way the woman had belittled her job – but Anthea was on guard before that. She was intriguing to look at, yes – but Anthea liked to think of herself as pretty decent looking – and younger in this case – and it's not like this is the first time Anthea had been around other pretty girls, Jamie being a great example. The moment she had heard a female's voice call out Mr. Holmes by his first name alone – she was unsure what was going on. Calling him Mycroft meant something, it meant you knew him on a personal level. Anthea had only ever called him Mycroft out loud when he was hurt or when talking about him to his parents. Even when talking to Sherlock she had said Mr. Holmes. It just felt strange to her.

"Are you okay, Miss James?" Anthea's eyes flickered up to look into the rear-view mirror and saw Walter's concerned eyes watching her carefully. She must have been wearing her confusion and anguish on her face. Anthea smiled and nodded, waving him off. She looked out the window at the café and sighed heavily. Realizing she had been tapping her foot, Anthea stopped it and shifted her weight in the seat she turned back to Walter.

"Hey, Walter," She mused. "Have you ever heard of a Charlotte Cunningham?" A paused as Walter thought.

"I can't say I have." He breathed. Anthea licked her lips and pursed them, looking out the window again.

"You've never had to pick her up or drop her off?"

"No." He answered honestly. Another moment of silence passed. Anthea turned back to the front.

"Not even one evening after dinner or anything?" Apparently this was enough to get Walter to twist around in his seat to make proper eye contact with Anthea, her mouth pulled in a straight line, dark eyes stony.

"As in a date?" No. Yes. Anthea shrugged. Walter's eyebrows went up and he almost laughed. "Miss James, those are so few and far between I could name them all to you in all the years I've been doing this."

"So no Charlotte?" Anthea shook her head as she asked. Walter shook his head and smiled.

"No Charlotte." He reassured before turning back to sit in the driver's seat properly. Well then, that means he hasn't seen her since he graduated at the very least. Anthea rubbed her eyes with her index finger and thumb, holding back another sigh. What does it matter if there was a Charlotte? Particularly a tall slim Charlotte who had been in the same – most likely difficult – university classes with him? Wanting to vent off some steam, with a huff she sent a text to Jamie.

Do you want to know what my job really is? Half the time I just sit in the car. Seriously, that's all. Now for example. – A.

Aww, is Alice angry about getting left in the car while the adults do their weird secretive stuff? – Jamie x.

Screw you. – A.

Don't be mad at me. I didn't lock you in the car! Tell your creepy government guy that he's not allowed to leave you in there without a window cracked and some water :P. – Jamie x.

Mycroft returned to the town car and with the soft thunk of the door Walter started driving back to the office without any other notification. Anthea busied herself with her phone, trying desperately not to look over at Mr Holmes, twisting the handle of his umbrella in his hand, and pester him with annoying and unnecessary questions. She did well, in her own opinion, to remain silent for a good five minutes before clicked her tongue with defeat and had to voice some questions and opinions.

"So," Anthea hummed a little too casually as she kept her sight squarely on her blackberry. "She was friendly." Mr. Holmes mmm'ed in response, casually looking out the window.

"Unfortunately people have a tendency to act that way towards others." If she were in a better mood she may have laughed lightly, instead she scoffed once.

"Yeah, I know, sir. But she was very friendly." With the arm rubbing and everything. She imagined that if she had the strength to look at Mycroft right now he'd have his eyebrow quirked at her. Anthea cleared her throat, tucking a stand of hair behind her ear and still focused on her phone. "Did you two used to date or something?" She asked. Anthea heard the edge to her own voice and mentally cringed at it. What was wrong with her today? She heard Mycroft scoff. "No?" She asked, looking up for a split second to see Mycroft, legs folded, hands on the umbrella, looking out the window. "Did you ah," She hesitated. "Did you hook up then?" She dared not look up now.

"Anthea, I fail to see how that is any of your concern." He was using his best belittling voice.

"Ah," She mused, smirking ever so slightly despite herself. "That's a yes then."

"Anthea." That was a warning if she ever did hear one. Anthea shook her head, now choosing to look out her own window.

"No, I get it, sir. She had this cute little genius in her class, probably wanted one last fling before entering the real world. You were fresh out of high school and were probably just curious in that weird Holmes way that just wants to experiment and analyse things." She babbled on, feeling her chest tighten slightly in that stupid way it had before.

"Anthea, remember that time you warned me off questioning your social life and making quick deductions on little evidence?" It was rhetorical, no need to answer as she held her gaze on the glass of the window. "I believe the favour should go both ways." Anthea took a deep breath in and out, eyes falling back onto the screen of her phone but not really seeing it. She'd definitely stepped out of line there, she'd gone into Sherlock territory doing that. She swallowed the air as she calmed herself. This was positively ridiculous.

"Sorry, sir." She muttered as a silence fell upon the car. Anthea stared at the phone in her hands, feeling like a bratty teenager. A few minutes passed and the silence began to eat away at Anthea. Usually quiet was good, they could go hours without talking to each other but now, now Anthea just felt like she needed an apology or to apologize or just for this whole thing to explain itself. "She thinks I'm just a stupid assistant." Her voice was barely audible. Anthea heard a rustling noise she guessed was Mycroft turning around to look at her and she dared not look up when this childish look would not get off her face.

"Is that what this is about?" He asked. Yes. No. Maybe. A little bit.

"Yes, sir." She was rewarded with a scoff. As she should be, if anyone had said that to her she would have laughed in their faces for worrying what a random lady thought of them.

"We both know that's not true, my dear." Anthea gained a soft smile, carefully looking up to make eye contact with her boss. "Also she's lectures on politics and governments at a university. Out of the two of you who would you like to bet has a much better understanding of what really goes on, hmm?" He quirked an eyebrow and Anthea laughed, gaining back her cheeky smile.

"If you ever make me pick up your dry cleaning, sir, I might just quit." He nodded and turned back to face the front.

"Good to know, then I wouldn't have to pay you a severance package." Anthea sniffed and rolled her eyes.

A few days later Anthea was at her desk in the office, minding her own business, working on some documents for Mr. Holmes when who should knock and let themselves in but Charlotte – Miss pretty university lecturer – Cunningham .Feeling her chest constrict Anthea took a deep breath a plastered a smile onto her face that she was certain looked quite similar to Mycroft's mocking smile that often appeared when he was practically oozing sarcasm. She folded her hands together on the desk and looked the lady up and down. She had some type of manuscript in her French tipped nails. Anthea was currently wearing a dark blue nail polish.

"Can I help you?" Anthea asked, titling her head to the side and fluttering her eyebrows.

"I was wondering if I could see Mycroft." She asked, looking at the door behind and just to the side of Anthea, her hazel eyes looked down to meet fierce chocolate. Charlotte's hair was tied back in a bun that showed off her cheek bones, Anthea's was loose and framed her face. "I have something for him." Anthea winced and shook her head.

"I'm afraid Mr. Holmes isn't in the office right now." The bite in Anthea's tone was the one she usually reserved for dealing with particularly piggish CIA and FBI agents.

"Oh," Charlotte blinked. "Well do you know where he is? I'm in-between classes and I would love to give this to him today." Part of Anthea knew the lady was being perfectly nice, part of her was annoyed at the insinuation that she was busy when no one else could be.

"No, I'm afraid he's working at the Diogenes Club right now." She said, putting on her best apologetic look. Charlotte frowned slightly.

"Which club?" She asked.

"The Diogenes. It's a very aristocratic club – they don't let just anyone in there. You'd cause quite the commotion if you tried to enter." Anthea sighed, taking a sideways glance at her computer. "Of course I can go drop it off there for you if you would like – they don't really question my presence there – after I finish this important document, of course." A pause as Charlotte either weighed up Anthea or her options. Or perhaps both.

"Um, certainly." She held out the manuscript, dark blue nails taking it, French tipped ones coming away. "It's a theory by a mathematics colleague at my university. It's unpublished right now and I remember Mycroft saying once that his mother was a maths whiz or something like that." She smiled. Anthea smiled back and nodded.

"Ah yeah, Violet Holmes is a very smart lady. I'm sure Violet, and Mr. Holmes by extension, will be very touched by this. Thank you." Anthea placed it carefully on an empty spot on her desk. She opened a drop and plucked a yellow post-it note from the pile of stationary. Placing it on the manuscript she picked up the nearest pen and hovered it just above the post it. She looked up to Charlotte with an apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry, who shall I say it's from?" The blonde blinked and then smiled politely, apparently accepting this as an innocent mistake – it was not.

"Charlotte Cunningham."

"Ah, yes." Anthea smiled mockingly, writing Charlotte C. in careful lettering on the post-it. "The um…" She waved her hand in the air in a circular motion as if trying to recall her thoughts.

"Friend from university." Anthea laughed.

"Yes of course." She folded her hands on top of the manuscript.

"Do tell Mycroft to stay in touch." Charlotte's soft voice came as she took a last look at the manuscript.

"Certainly."

Once again Anthea was alerted to Mycroft's entrance into the town car by the soft clunk of the door. She looked up briefly from her phone to smile at him. As she looked back at the screen she pushed over the manuscript towards his direction.

"Miss Cunningham dropped this off for you this morning, sir." Mycroft picked it up and skimmed the first few pages.

"Ah, excellent." He hummed before placing it back down in the seat between the two of them. "I'll just hold onto this until one of those occasions when I'm forced to give Mummy a gift arises." Of course he would, Anthea suspected as much.

"She also asked that I tell you to stay in touch." Anthea added, keeping her voice as professional and free of any edge as possible. Mycroft hummed in response. Anthea looked up at him, smiling slightly. "So are you going to call her?" She asked playfully. Mycroft scoffed, looking over at Anthea with a frown.

"What, and make a friend?" He spat. "Please Anthea, what am I going to do with a friend?" Anthea laughed as she locked her phone and put it away.

"I don't know," She shrugged. "What normal people do? Have dinner and a chat." Anthea faked a gasp. "How about go see a movie together?" She joked.

"Very funny, my dear." Mycroft said dryly. Well, she thought so. Anthea bit her bottom lip, trying to stay silent. Eventually the girl inwardly winced and decided to open her mouth.

"You're at least going to say thank you for taking away any obligations you have a son to buy your mother a gift?" Anthea searched his eyes as he contemplated it for a moment.

"Send her an email, will you." Anthea huffed out a deep breath.

"Yes, sir." If she really had to.

Charlotte,

My lovely personal assistant delivered to me the manuscript from your colleague today. That was quite a thoughtful and generous act on your part. I wished to take an opportunity to thank you for the gesture, my mother in particular will be most appreciative.

Thank you,

Mycroft.

Anthea bit her bottom lip and crinkled her nose. She shook her head slightly as she tapped backspace repeatedly.

Regards,

Mycroft Holmes.

Much better.

Author's Note: Mycroft has been upgraded from "creepy smart guy" to "creepy government guy" :P. Like always thanks a bunch to those of you I can't thank personally: Corrine, Guest, Wink, Wheezzy8, Connie (hope life's being kinder to you), and "go get it". Please guys let me know what you thought of this turn of events, I absolutely love hearing your opinions.

Just a brief mention again that I started that "Ask Anthea" blog that can be found on my profile. Just some side fun for me because I barely sleep and I get bored easily but feel free to ignore it, I'd rather you read this :).