Author's Note: Sheesh! The feedback from last chapter was absolutely awesome and better than I expected. I'm also very pleased that you all wanted to kill Myc and not me. Hahaha, I'm safe for now. But seriously, I'm so glad you liked my choices for our favourite pair – I did what I was basically planning to do from the beginning and how I always thought it would go down. And now we have part two, the resolution to all that. We will have some answers here and there… I'm post it now because I need to go to bed early tonight and don't want to keep you waiting. I'll let you get to reading it, I'm sure you want to see what happens after 'Thea walked out. Read, review, and 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.

The First Time He Actually Apologised

The first night at Jamie's was nothing but crying and cursing out people.

The second night had been getting as drunk as possible and still cursing out a certain someone.

The third and fourth night the girls curled up on the couch, sharing a blanket, and watched movie versions of classic books. Wuthering Heights, of course, Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, Little Women, and To Kill a Mockingbird.

The following night was dinner at Jamie's mum and step-dad's place. With Jamie's brother there it felt like being part of a nice family dinner. Better yet, a family that didn't consist of mopey geniuses, and made Alice begin to feel even more like herself.

As Alice began to feel more like herself and less like she'd be punched in the gut, she began to explore during the day while Jamie was at work. She'd gone to see friends who still lived in Jamie's town or neighbouring areas, she'd taken the trip to her home town to visit her parent's graves, and she'd just enjoyed walking around with nothing specific to do.

It should be noted that her phone was on silent and she didn't answer it for anyone.

By the end of the first week she hazard a look at her phone.

Missed Calls:

5 – Carol

A couple of diplomats

15 – James

2 – Mycroft – mobile

Some agency person

1 – Walter

1 – Robbie

1 – Mycroft – home

She'd bit her lip and considered calling Carol but thought the better of it and put her phone back away. She didn't need to call James, James had already spoke to Jamie like a thousand times about her. Every time Jamie was on the phone to James and the subject had turned to Alice, Jamie had stepped out to another room. Jamie failed to recognise that Alice now had a very wide skill set and knew how to eavesdrop effectively.

Here are but a few snippets of the conversations over the first week and a half:

"Hey Jamesy, how's it going?"

"Yeah, she's here."

"He hasn't told you? Well I'm not going to it's up to them."

"No, I know she's not answering her phone. The last thing she needs to do is talk to that douche."

"I don't care."

"Yeah, well, that might be true but you don't know Alice the way I do. I've never seen someone hurt her like this. He'll just have to deal with it because I'm not letting her go back in a rush."

"Really? We were having a nice chat and you bring this up?"

"No."

"No."

"I don't care if she's not answering your calls. She just wants to be Alice right now."

"Well that's his problem isn't it?"

"He's a grown ass man, James. It's not my fault all of you pander to his whim. Let him look after himself."

"Yeah, love you too. Bye."

"Better, actually. Getting a couple of jokes out of her now."

"Good. I'm glad."

"No, I'm not being mean. It's true."

"Ask him what happened. Go on, you'll see why I'm like this."

"Yeah it sucks about his brother and I already sent him a card about it. The thing is, the aftermath of all that, that's got nothing to do with Alice."

"Whatever, James."

"Sorry I hung up."

"Yeah, I know you care about them both."

"Yeah I know."

"If you put me on to the phone with him I'm going to kill you. Or I won't, because he probably will first."

"That's because you're being stupid and inconsiderate."

"I'm sorry."

"Love you, alright? I'm just not backing down."

Alice felt bad for not talking to James, particularly after all those missed calls but judging from what she'd heard he was going to try and talk her back to the office without knowing what had gone on. It hurt too much. It wasn't the subject of the NDA that stung – she'd known as soon as it was over that the kiss was going to have never happened in anyone's eyes. It was the fact that he put it on her desk. Even now, the thought of it made me feel utterly sick and feel like crying. How can he just use people as he likes? Maybe if it had been over something else, or maybe if the kiss hadn't been so… perfect, it wouldn't have been this hard.

It would be so much easier not to feel, the way he doesn't. If she didn't feel, imagine all of the pain Alice would have missed out on. Her parents death being the biggest – she wouldn't have ever experience that gut wrenching sickness knowing you'd never see them again. She wouldn't have broken down in a parking lot over Tim. The kidnapping and following torture would have only been a mild coincidence. Seeing Mycroft broken after the fall, she could have left him to wallow in his own self-pity. And this. This absolutely destroying feeling of slowly falling for such a one of a kind person, only to have everything, even your friendship, thrown back into your face as if it were nothing. There is only so much one person can take.

The doorbell rang. Jamie and Alice, sitting in her living room, stared at each other silently. Jamie bit her bottom lip hard as she got up to look through her venetian blinds to see the front door. They hadn't been expecting any guests today. As Jamie let the venetians fall back into place she turned to Alice, widened her hazel eyes, and shook her head. That could only mean one thing. She was to be collected. Alice rolled her eyes in response.

As Jamie walked to her front door Alice could see the girl mentally preparing herself. She was walking tall with heavy steps, determination in her eyes. The blonde was preparing for a fight. Jamie cleared her throat and yanked open the front door and placed her hands on her hips, cocking a hip out.

"Well, well, the Ice Man cometh." She fumed. Looking at the carpet, Alice bit her thumbnail to stop from laughing at Jamie's tone.

"Miss Thompson –" That sickeningly familiar melodic tone began, sending a shiver done Alice's spine.

"You have a lot of nerve, showing your stupid face around here. I should do one better than slapping that stupid face of yours."

"If you'd allow me a moment to –"

"I'm not giving you a moment to do anything but leave." The blonde wasn't giving the man at the front door a chance to talk. It was great to hear. "And you." She said. "You came with him? I'm disappointed with you." By the sounds of it, James had come for the ride.

"Hey, hey, hey." Alice could picture James holding his hands up in the air defensively as he spoke. "I'm not playing any sides, here. I came for the free ride to see my girlfriend and see how my friend is… and you know, make sure no blood is spilt." Jamie changed positions, folding her arms across her chest as James leaned in and kiss here on the forehead.

"Yeah, well, she's fine. You can go now."

"Jamie –" Mycroft began.

"Ah, so when you want something, I'm Jamie." The blonde hummed, tilting her head to the side. "Yeah, it doesn't work like that Mycie-boy." Alice could just imagine the look of disdain on Mycroft's face after that.

"Jamie-doll." James rubbed her on the arm. "At least let me in. We drove, we took a long time to get here."

Jamie groaned as she thought. The girl looked over to her best friend. Alice sighed but nodded. Let the blonde agent in, he'd been harmless. Jamie sidestepped slightly.

"Alright, you big lug. You can come in. Frosty the Snowman has to stay put." Her hazel eyes narrowing or what Alice presumed was a pair of steel eyes. James pushed his way though, pausing to give Jamie an actual kiss as he stepped in. His face lightened up with a big smile as his eyes landed on Alice. Alice forced a smile back and stood up off the couch.

"There's my favourite brunette." James sung as he pulled Alice into a hug. It turned out not to be just a greeting hug as he held her there. Alice rubbed his back. After a moment James pushed the messy curls out of Alice's face and planted a kiss on the top of her head.

"I'm sorry I haven't spoken to you."

"Hey, it's okay. It must have been big for you to disappear." He whispered. Feeling pressure in her eyes, Alice buried her face into James' broad chest. James was like a giant teddy bear, so very comfortable. Alice remembers how his very presence at her rescue had brought her to tears of relief. "Look, A. I know he can be the world's cruellest person at times, and I get that you're hurt. But Holmes has come all this way and he's not doing well."

A pause.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." He nodded. "We missed a meeting a few days ago. He's barely gone home and I don't think he's eating too well."

"Is that why I heard Jamie say 'he's a grown ass man who can look after himself'?" She smiled sadly. James burst into laughter and planted another kiss on Alice's forehead.

"Yeah." He sighed. "But just give him a second and then let Jay punch him in the face." He let go of the hug to look at Alice carefully. "I mean A, how many people would he actually come to see in person?" Alice pursed her lips as she though. She brought her hands up to her face and rubbed her eyes as she sighed in exasperation.

"It's alright, Jamie." She called up as she scruffed up her hair – not believing that she was allowing herself to do this. "Let him in." James smiled and Alice rolled her eyes. Jamie turned to stare at her best friend.

"Oh come on, Ali. Don't get sucked back in!" Alice crossed her arms against her chest and shrugged.

"I'm not, don't worry." Her voice was quiet and thoughtful. She sat back down on the couch with a sigh. Jamie groaned as she moved further out of the way to let the other person in.

The man himself stepped foot in Jamie's house. Dressed in a suit, umbrella in hand, looking as impeccable as he always did. Here Alice was in a black sweeter and plaid pants with her hair natural. He didn't even have to wear the walking boot anymore apparently. Mycroft came to stop just into the family room with Jamie right behind him, glaring daggers into the back of his head. His facial expression looked humbled but he was a master of masks. Steel eyes took in every detail of the girl on the couch, arms folded, bottom lip jutting out slightly. Mycroft cleared his throat as he twirled that umbrella uneasily in his grasp.

"Miss Clarke." He nodded. Alice quirked an eyebrow.

"Mr. Holmes." She replied coldly. James looked between the two not so subtly. He scratched the back of his head as he winced.

"Hey, Jamie." The agent sounded unsure and used a higher tone than usual. "Why don't you show me that garden down the road you're always talking about?" Jamie pouted and shook her head.

"I'm not leaving Ali alone." She said firmly, just short of stamping her foot down. James walked over and placed a hand on the blonde's arm.

"We're just going down the road, we won't be far." Alice watched as James searched Jamie's eyes, practically silently begging. Mycroft had his eyebrows raised and was looking down at the tip of his umbrella.

"Well, okay." Jamie huffed, allowing herself to be guided away by the agent. "But if he makes her cry again I will punch him. That's not an empty threat."

The reply wasn't heard as they exited through the front door.

A minute or so passed with no interaction and no movement. Mycroft looked around the room, probably deducing a million and one things, while Alice tapped her leg, staring at the switched off television set. Eventually Mycroft gestured to the arm chair diagonal from where Alice currently sat.

"May I?" He cocked his head. Alice glanced over briefly before turning back to the black screen.

"I'm sorry. You have to sign a contract to sit down." Mycroft quirked his eyebrows and took a deep breath. He nodded as he came to sit in the chair anyway.

"I'll admit, that was warranted." He spoke softly. Alice scoffed. It was more than warranted.

Another minute of silence continued. Both watched the absent minded twirling of the umbrella. All Alice wanted to do was to close her eyes and for the whole situation to dissipate into thin air. She can't remember ever feeling this awkward with Mycroft. Why did he turn up here? He just needed to go. Mycroft licked his bottom lip.

"It's been two weeks, Alice." He was watching his tone very carefully, still talking very calmly and collectedly. Alice widened her dark eyes.

"I know." She breathed. "I said at least a month, I know you remember that." Mycroft closed his eyes. Alice had turned back to look at the television set again, she couldn't bring herself to look at the man. Just being able to see the repetitive motion of the umbrella stirred up positive and negative feelings.

"You haven't been answering your phone."

"And you're pretty ballsy trying to call me."

"Alice." It almost sounded like an order or a warning.

"What?" She snapped, daring him. Her eyes narrowed on the telly. She realised she was still tapping her leg. Mycroft closed his eyes again, and softly groaned. He was steeling himself.

"When are you coming home?"

"I am home." Alice answered automatically – emotionlessly. Mycroft clicked his tongue.

"Alice." Alice's head snapped over to him, finally meeting his steely gaze.

"What?" She dared again. His eyes were softer – less guarded than usual. Alice tried to ignore that to the best of her ability.

"I-" He hesitated. Mycroft scratched the edge of his eyebrow with his ring finger as he started again. "I need you back at the office." Alice sniffed, pulling her arms closer to her chest.

"Can't you train another goldfish to do my job? Ones just as good as the other. You know how people replace fish an no one ever notices the difference? You could do that."

"Alice." Dismissal again, really?

"What?" She rose her voice this time, searching his face. He pursed his lips and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"You're not a goldfish." He sighed. Alice rolled her eyes.

"Isn't everyone a goldfish to you?" She mumbled to herself.

"No." Mycroft answered. "You're not and I'm hurt by the accusation that you think I view you as such."

"You're hurt?" Alice practically laughed as she yelled. "Do you realise how much you hurt me?"

"Yes I know." He closed his eyes. Alice could see that Mycroft was struggling to find his words. That's what happens when you lie all the time – it becomes hard to tell your true feelings. "And when or if you come back there will be no contract. It's already shredded and the files deleted." Alice ran her fingers through her hair in frustration.

"It wasn't the NDA, Mycroft." She rubbed her temples. "I mean it was, but it was what it meant." She turned back to look him in the eye. "I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry I acted on impulse but I didn't act alone. I didn't mess my hair up. That NDA. That being placed on my desk said to me that you blamed me. That said you didn't trust me. That said you viewed me no higher than you view everyone else. You twisted the knife, Mycroft. You made yourself perfectly clear." She hadn't realised her eyes were welling up until she noticed she needed to blink to clear her vision. Mycroft's face was drawn down as he watched her and listened.

"That wasn't what I was doing–"

"No, what you were doing is pushing the crazy orphan girl away from you. This little leach on people. You wanted it far away from you and your solitude. I forgot. Apparently I had you in a vice grip." Mycroft clicked his tongue and looked to the side of the room.

"That's not true, and you know it." He spoke down to her. She was not having that.

"Really?" She sneered. "Because you certainly made me doubt every friendship and relationship I've ever had."

"Of course not." He scoffed. "You understand loss at a deep level many people never do until later in life. You don't cling, you appreciate everyone and don't want to lose anyone else if you can help it." Mycroft glared at his umbrella. Alice watched him carefully. "Don't you see, I was trying to hurt you?"

"Why?" She question.

"Because I wanted you to get out of the room and leave me alone." It was Alice's turn to scoff. He had done much better than that.

"Why?" She questioned again.

"Because I didn't want to tell you why I created the NDA." He was getting frustrated and so was she.

"Why?" She asked again. Mycroft stopped. He searched Alice's fierce eyes before turning away. He was looking around but not really seeing anything in particular – searching his brain perhaps, or whatever was left of a heart.

"Come now, Alice." He muttered. One side of Alice's top lip rose in annoyance – was he really trying to order her around.

"Come now, Alice, what?" She pried. "What is it, Mycroft?" He still refused to look her back at her. She could see how tight his grip was on his umbrella handle.

"Don't make me say it." He plead quiet. Alice cocked her head.

"Say what? Something human and emotional?" She gasped and placed a hand on her heart. "God forbid!" Mycroft scowled to himself.

"You know-"

"No I don't know." She interrupted. "I can honestly say I have no clue why you'd lie and try to hurt me rather than telling me the truth."

"Because I didn't want to lose you too."

Silence.

Anthea's face pulled into a look of confusion as she glanced across the room. She shook her head and turned back to Mycroft.

"What?" She breathed. He heaved a sighed, eyes firmly on his umbrella.

"What happened that evening in the club," He breathed, looking up at Alice. "It will change things, despite our best efforts to ignore it. I can't have that." A pause, he looked away contemplative. "Change." Alice bit the inside of her lip. "I thought it over and over, Alice. All possible outcomes lead to you eventually leaving. I've already lost my brother." Another pause as Mycroft re-evaluated the direction of his words. "I don't like change, Miss Clarke." Alice looked down to the floor. Mycroft couldn't say it but he'd pretty much admitted her importance to him once again. "In my mind the NDA would not only mean that no one else would find out about what happened but it may be enough to repel you. Perhaps get rid of that crush forever. If that were to happen then everything could just stay as it has been for years." He stopped briefly. "No Baker Street, and no assistant typing away on her blackberry in the town car." Mycroft shook his head at the thought. Alice tucked a curl behind her ear. She looked up to the roof and had to clear her eyes again.

"Did you really not see how incredibly hurtful that was? Did you not see how much that said you didn't trust me?" Mycroft winced.

"Emotions have never been my strong suit. Though I must, I did have the sense physically knocked back into me." Alice let out a single laugh as she sniffed. Mycroft gave her a small smile.

Silence lulled again. Alice took a deep breath to clear her thoughts. Mycroft came forward to sit on the edge of his seat, edging closer to Alice.

"Look, my dear. I can't begin to tell you how sorry I am for hurting you like that." Alice blinked. Had she finally heard the 's' word from Mycroft, regarding anything? "I got carried away with my own selfish agenda and did not consider how deeply I could cut you. I didn't want to lose the best PA I've ever had and somehow managed to do that anyway."

A beat of silence.

"So will you just come home to London, and come back to work?" Alice pursed her lips, dark eyes searching blue eyes.

"Yes." She answered. Mycroft visible relaxed. She lifted a finger to pause him. "But I have conditions." Mycroft ran his tongue over his top row of teeth as he thought. Eventually the man nodded.

"Very well," He hummed. "List them."

"Saturdays are half days now. It can be morning or afternoon but they're half days." She stated. "If you want me to move on, I need time to meet new people and hang out with my little list of friends." Mycroft pouted but nodded. "I'm your PA, not your babysitter. I'm not looking after you anymore. Don't argue, you know I do. The diet is your business and I couldn't care less if you're eating or sleeping correctly. I'm telling you in the morning what time I'm going to have my lunch break. I'm not asking and I'm not going to ask if you want to come. You forget to eat, fine."

"That's fair." Mycroft agreed but his tone didn't sound one hundred percent certain.

"I get that I'm on call all weekend but if I'm out with a valuable friend I haven't seen in a long time, like Robbie, then I reserve the right to argue with you and stay put until I can get out of it. You have more people under you to do your bidding." She took a deep breath. "And finally. I never ever want to feel like a goldfish ever again."

"They're all quite achievable." Mycroft nodded. He still didn't sound one hundred percent sure.

"And I'm finishing the week here. I'll be back on Monday." She added. Mycroft cocked his head.

"Really?"

"Really." She nodded. "I told you a month and it's been two weeks. Five more days without me is not going to kill you or destroy the country." Mycroft pulled on his cufflinks, neatening his clothes.

"Certainly."

"Good." He tone was still sharper than usual. Mycroft's eyebrows raised.

"One last thing, Alice." He hummed as he dug into his breast pocket. He pulled out the sapphire droplet necklace. Alice held her hand out and Mycroft placed it gently in her hand. "That was never a gift of pity, nor was it to placate you, or reward the behaviour of a pet." Silver eyes were for once very open and very honest as they searched chocolate eyes. "I wasn't lying when I told you I saw it and could see it on no one but you." Alice's hand closed tightly around the necklace and she smiled sadly to herself.

"Thank you." She breathed softly. Her quirked her eyebrow at him. "But I'm still mad at you. This isn't going to go away overnight." She spoke firmly. "You can't get away with murder."

"Yes, well." Mycroft twirled his umbrella. "I've made a start." He had, and that said a lot, actually.

James, with his ever perfect timing, was pulled back into the house holding hands with Jamie.

"Sorry." He sung as the came into the living room. "There's only so long looking at flowers and kissing can distract her."

"Mmmm-hhmmm." Jamie agreed, folding her arms across her chest once more. "And Genius' time is up." She cocked her head to the side and smiled sardonically. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to vacate the premises now." Mycroft raised his eyebrows at Alice and the girl felt her lip pull into a smile in response.

"Very well, Miss Thompson. It is your rental property, after all." He sighed as he stood up. "Come along, James." James visibly winced. Mycroft quirked an eyebrow at him.

"Actually, sir. I was going to stay the night and catch the train home tomorrow." He rubbed his neck as he half whined – half explained. "I came all this way to see 'Thea and Jay. I kind of wanted to take them out to dinner or something. Spend the night with the girls."

"Oh." Mycroft nodded. "I suppose I can't blame you for such a thing. I know what you people are like with your relationships. I'll have Walter pick you up from the station tomorrow." He began walking to the door. "James, Alice." He nodded. "Jamie."

"Einstein." Jamie slammed the door behind Mycroft. She turned back to James, eyes wide.

"How did you get away with getting the day off?" She sounded impressed. James smiled proudly.

"It means I'm here with 'Thea. If I'm here with you two, that means she's safe." Alice rolled her eyes.

"One minute I'm being shoved away, the next I have an agent bodyguard." She quirked an eyebrow at her two friends. "Shouldn't I have whiplash from this?"

"Well," James pulled a face as he shrugged. "I also did a terrible job try to work out your new scheduling program and he might be really sick of me by now."

Anthea walked into the office on Monday morning all set to be still fuming. Professional, certainly, but not friendly. She'd only brought the basics back with her in her briefcase as to not get too comfortable back at her desk. She wasn't sure how easy it would be to fall back into routine after all that had happened.

As soon as Anthea entered the office she found a box on her desk. With a frown she hesitantly approached. She examined the box. It was a small fan heater still in its packaging. On it was a little yellow sticky note.

If you still find the office chills your bones.

- M.H.

Anthea dropped her head as she stifled a laugh. Curse him. Curse the way he remembered everything everyone ever said and the way he could recall it at a moment's notice. Curse the way he could manipulate her sense of humour, and the fact that his wasn't too different. Sometimes, sometimes he made it so hard to hate him and that only was enough to hate him.

Anthea rolled her eyes as she dropped her handbag and briefcase to the floor to head into the kitchen and make her boss a cup of tea. Back into routine, as soon as it was done she knocked on the door, waited for a response, and entered.

"Good morning, Miss James." Mycroft hummed, looking up from his file long enough to fake a smile.

"Good morning, Mr. Holmes." She replied coolly as she placed the cup of tea on the usual place on his desk. She moved around to stand at the front of his desk. "James has made a mess of my schedules so I'm not attending the morning meetings, I'd rather fix that up if you don't mind, sir."

"That's quite alright, Miss James." Mycroft nodded. "You may want to examine your filing system while you're at it." Anthea sighed and shook her head, thinking of the mess James might have made to her perfect system that he could never grasp.

"Good idea, sir." She moaned, Mycroft raised his eyebrows once. Not knowing exactly how to end the conversation, Anthea awkwardly turned around and began to head towards the wooden door.

"Oh, Miss James." She heard called out behind her. Anthea turned back around to see Mycroft once more busying himself with his work.

"As per our agreement, I believe you're to tell me what time you wish to have your lunch break today."

"We have no meetings at one this afternoon, I'll go then, sir." She stated. Mycroft nodded and waved her off. Anthea thought of that stupid heater still sitting on her desk. "Since we're both free then, would you like to come, sir?" Mycroft's pen froze mid-sentence. He did not look up when he answered.

"Very efficient. I'd love to, my dear." Anthea watched as he hand began writing again. She sighed and shook her head to herself as she left the inner sanctum to try and fix her organisation systems.

Author's Note: And there we have it. What do you think? Not quite back to normal, I'll tell you that now. Also DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD IT WAS TO WRITE 'ALICE' INSTEAD OF 'ANTHEA' IN THE NARRATIVE? Seriously, I kept tripping up. Stupid stylistic choice. Anyway, let me know what you thought and what you think of James Squared while were here too. Time to thank all the guest reviewers from last chapter. Thanks to; Guest x5, Bunnyrabbit100, Enomisje, Anon, Corrine, Wink, Wheezzy8, and ovejalucifer. I love every reviewer and reader. You're all the best. Thank you for not killing me 3.