Author's Note: Thank you for all the great feedback last chapter, guys. All of it is so very appreciated. This chapter has been floating around my head for a little while. I thought now is good timing for it, and not to mention I didn't want to move onto the next big thing when we just had Sherlock find out. We need to let that simmer. So here's this. I'm actually quite pleased with how it turned out so I hope you are too. Also, some quick important notes in the end of chapter Author's Note. Please 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 Told Someone He Was Dating

"No."

"Please."

"No."

"Come on, what's the big deal?"

Mycroft Holmes ran his hand through his hair as he sighed in exasperation. He looked passed Anthea into the café behind them. The two were out to lunch, sitting in their favourite spot outside at the café they frequented near work. He folded his hands together and took a long hard look at the personal assistant as she silently pleased.

"You know Miss James, occasionally I like to reflect on my life and wonder in precisely what moments I made the wrong decisions, sending my life down a very interesting path. I am beginning to suspect that this," He gestured between the pair, meaning their relationship. "Was one of those bad decisions." Anthea pulled a face at the older man, almost sneering as she mocked amusement. Always with the dramatics, the Holmes family.

"You're the worst decision I ever made." Anthea mocked back. Mycroft took a sip of his tea and raised his eyebrows.

"Well we knew that a long time ago, didn't we?" The gentleman hummed as he placed his cup back down, the handle facing just the right way. She'd ask if he was joking, but there was no point, he wouldn't say. By his face Anthea could tell he hadn't put enough sugar in it. Anthea couldn't help but smile as she shook her head.

"Look, it's just lunch." She leaned in, looking into Mycroft's steely eyes, pleading. "It'll be a few hours and then it'll be done." Mycroft's face remained stony and sceptical. He scanned her face before looking down and pulling on his shirtsleeves to neaten them.

"I have an event to attend at the club." Mycroft's tone was neutral as he didn't look up. Anthea leaned back in her seat and folded her arms across her chest.

"You hate those events." She stated just as flatly. Steel eyes flickered up.

"I hate your event more."

Silence.

He was right, and they had reached a stalemate.

Anthea rubbed her forehead. This is what happens when one stubborn person dates an even more stubborn person. No one got anywhere, you just remained stuck between a rock and a hard place. She tucked her curls behind her ears as she took a deep breath, preparing to try again.

"Look, I'm asking you to make a compromise because people are compromising for you." She didn't even want to think about how her matter-of-fact tone sounded a lot like Violet's Holmes. Anthea paused, her dark eyes searching Mycroft's. She was trying to appeal to that heart she knew was in his body somewhere. "Jamie is having a big dinner to show her friends her honeymoon photos and open presents. She knows you won't go to that so she's organised a lunch just the four of us where we can mock people in the photos, and you can tell her which presents look expensive but are actually cheap." Mycroft rolled his eyes. "Don't do that, okay? She's trying for your sake, just like I put up with your brother basically calling me your trophy girlfriend for your sake. Maybe you can do something for my sake?" Mycroft met Anthea's gaze ones more. He pursed his lips as his brain ticked away. Anthea could see that he was mentally having an argument with himself. She cocked her head to the side and gave him a sweet half smile, hoping to push the argument in favour of her. Mycroft sniffed and looked away.

"I'll consider it." He hummed. Anthea raised an eyebrow.

"I'll consider it means no."

"No." He turned back to her. "I'll consider it means I'll consider it. I can't help it if most of the propositions I need to consider are stupid. This one is included, of course." He tapped his index finger on the table. "But I promise you, I will consider what you have done, what Jamie has done, and what I can get out of James for this, and get back to you." Anthea sniffed, her mouth pulling into a sneer smile. He meant it, he was actually going to consider it. That was amazing. Mycroft looked at her and pulled a face. "What?" He asked.

"Nothing." Anthea looked down to the table, her smile growing. "I just love you."

"Oh, don't use that against me, too."

The meeting was over and done with relatively quickly. Unfortunately, as what always happened with these high society types that met at the Diogenes Club in a conference room, a number of the attendees insisted on hanging around for a drink. It annoyed Mycroft as he hated socialising with these people and would much rather be in the main space with the no talking rule, or in his own suite. It absolutely grated on Anthea's nerves because she couldn't stand most of these people – one or two exceptions existed of course, like Mr. Warwick – and this place was one of her least favourite places in the world.

The few men left, on their second glass of scotch, were currently laughing at something stupid, while Anthea and Mycroft tried to discretely pack up their items. Even their laughs sounded like they were competing for the biggest ego. Loud sickening chortles that would get them kicked out if they were downstairs.

"Say, Mycroft." Warwick, the large man with the larger smile, spoke far too informally. Anthea liked Charles Warwick, she knew him from work. High enough to have power and influence, not so high that he had his nose up in the air. Mycroft froze in spot, let the words pass him by, and looked up, raising his eyebrows. A silent yes. "You're coming, right?" Mycroft looked back down to his briefcase with a small, well-hidden sigh. He closed the case and locked it.

"Am I attending, what exactly?" He asked, sounding positively exhausted. "Anthea reads so many invitations a week, I only receive the important ones." Warwick chortled.

"Here." Another man, the very thin, balding, white haired man spoke sharply. He owned something big, something important that made him necessary to these events. Something he inherited from his grandfather. Old money. Not humbled by growing up like everyone else like Mycroft was, not taught by his parents to be respectful like this Warwick fellow, not even graceful and appreciative his advantages it like Charlotte Cunningham. He was one of those people that made this club so annoying to be in. "On the weekend. It's a rather large event and all the benefactors of the club are expected to be here." Mycroft winced and put on one of his most obviously fake sympathetic smiles.

"I had be considering it, Julien, unfortunately – and much to my chagrin – it seems I'm being forced to attend a far more intimate event." He rolled his eyes for Anthea's benefit. Anthea did what she always did in this place, and silently observed. She sat in her leather office chair, biting her bottom lip, as she watched the men converse.

"Pardon my rudeness," Another gentleman began. He was okay. Old money too, but had earned his way into his position. His parents had forced him to make his own way before they'd even put him in the will. He was about forty, married, and had beautiful children. One day, if Carol let her, Anthea would like to introduce Mr. Jacobs' son to Carol's Katie. "But since when do you have intimate events to attend, Mr. Holmes? From what I understand you don't even attend Christmas with your family." Mycroft hummed.

"Yes, well. My partner had a run in with my brother. I'm sure none of you are surprised to learn that it all went down quite horribly. As an apology I'm being forced to attend her sister's event."

A silence fell over the room and for a moment you could forgive someone for thinking they were downstairs. Warwick looked at Anthea, eyes full of disbelief, silently asking her if this was true. Anthea, face neutral, shrugged. She'd yet to hear confirmation of Mycroft's attendance herself, much less it being an apology for Sherlock's behaviour. That was… sweet? Sweet for Mycroft, anyway.

"Partner?" Jacobs asked. Warwick snorted.

"Mycroft," He began. "I've known you since you had a full head of hair and I could probably fit into your suit." Anthea smirked at him. He winked at her. "I've never seen you with another soul that wasn't working for you." Anthea took quite amusement in the fact that she did indeed work for Mycroft.

"Yes, well I didn't set out specifically to get a girlfriend, Charles." Mycroft snapped. "I made an exception for someone who is exceptional company." Anthea fought the urge to look up and search Mycroft's face, to see what he was thinking, anything. Instead she got out her phone and texted people aimlessly to keep up her bored, silent persona. She made a note in her head to call Jamie about all this later, it couldn't be explained properly in text.

"Well, I'll be." Jacobs breathed. Mr. Warwick looked at Anthea again.

"A for Assistant?" He prompted. She looked up from her phone and quirked an eyebrow. "Is this true?" Anthea nodded and went back to texting. Jacobs and Warwick looked at each other again. "Don't stop there, what's she like?" Anthea looked at the three men with her trademark mildly amused, mildly perturbed look on her soft features. She shrugged.

"Pretty, I guess." She spoke in a very noncommittal tone. "A little opinionated for my liking but she's okay. Kind of funny." She wanted so badly to smirk at Mycroft at that moment. As a little dig for those moments when he told her no one thought she was funny.

"I bet she's jealous of you." Jacobs smiled at Anthea. Anthea scoffed as she continued texting.

"Hardly." Anthea laughed. "She's dating the Ice Man. She doesn't have to worry about him going anywhere." There was that gross group chortle again. And she'd been the one to inflict it upon her and Mycroft again. She'd have to apologize for that.

"Enough interrogating my assistant, thank you gentlemen." Mycroft practically ordered as he picked up his briefcase and umbrella. "I do hope that is a suitable excuse for you, Julien." Mycroft forced the coldest smile onto his lips. "The club staff were very understanding, but heaven forbid that you have a problem with it." The venom was fierce on Mycroft's tongue. Had Julien just been bitten by a snake with that much venom he'd surely die. The man gave Mycroft a cold smile back.

"If you feel it is valid, I can't argue."

"Good, now if you excuse me, I have actual work to do today." And like that they were finally allowed to leave the God forsaken club. Anthea brightened up immediately, practically bouncing out of her seat.

Anthea couldn't stop staring at Mycroft in the town car. She was making up for all the times she wanted to look at him throughout that conversation that had just happened. The brunette tried to hide her naughty smile by biting her bottom lip as she watched Mycroft. The man in question was trying to ignore her stare as he answered emails on his phone. She knew the staring would be annoying him but she just couldn't stop. He'd not only confirmed he was coming to Jamie's for lunch, but he said he was with someone. This was a big step, this was huge. This wasn't a little bit of ice chipping away, this was a large chunk of the iceberg falling off into the ocean and causing a tidal wave. Anthea sniffed, her lip breaking free of her teeth's grasp, and breaking out into a smile.

Anthea wondered if Mycroft knew how big this was. For anyone else, obviously not, it would be miniscule. But with Mycroft, anything that had even the smallest hint of caring and sentimentality in it… Well, it could be a sign of the apocalypse, that's how big it was. He'd even called her exceptional company, but she already knew he actually enjoyed to be around her. It would be a little odd if he didn't. Anthea sniffed, turning to grin out the passenger window. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Mycroft place his phone down on his lap and turn to face her.

"I could guess what has got you acting strangely, but it would be far less difficult if you just told me." He always sounded bored at times like this. Anthea turned back, smug grin on her face.

"You said you have a partner." She sung quietly and proudly. Mycroft let a mild look of disdain cross his face. "You said you didn't go out looking for a girlfriend and you said you had a partner."

"That is what has you smiling like a buffoon?" Mycroft scoffed. "Honestly, I had thought you'd be more ecstatic over the fact that I've agreed to attend your dull lunch." Anthea chose to ignore that jab. She knew it was his way of diverting her. Instead she lifted her shoulder, shrugging.

"That's important, and thank you for that."

"You're welcome."

"But you admitted out loud to someone not on a need to know basis, that you're dating someone." She felt like she was teasing him like a school kid. She might as well have been one of those kids singing that tree song. Honestly though, she wasn't teasing him. She was enjoying it and simultaneous trying to wrap her head around it. Mycroft checked his phone again.

"Now that Sherlock knows there's no point in trying to keep the fact that I'm dating someone a secret, is there, my dear?" He breathed as he typed an email. "No doubt Sherlock is going around parading that I am a hypocrite." She chuckled, but that was not the point she was trying to make. She didn't care if Sherlock was going to make fun of Mycroft for all his 'don't care about anyone' nonsense. He still believed in it, and Anthea thought it was stupid for the most part anyway. Anthea tucked her hair behind her ear again.

"No, Mycroft. That's the first time you've said that to someone." Mycroft looked back over to his assistant with a serious look.

"Other people know." He stated. Anthea shook her head.

"But all of them have either worked it out themselves, or heard it from me, Jamie, or John." She explained. "I don't think you've told a single person until today that you've got a girlfriend." She paused. "A partner at that." Mycroft was stony faced as he looked over Anthea's face.

"You are, though." He sounded unsure. Confused, even.

"I know." Anthea giggled. "I didn't think you wanted to admit it yourself." Mycroft frowned to himself as he looked down at his feet.

"Don't be absurd." He muttered, looking back up. "I don't like the words girlfriend or boyfriend but we are seeing each other and it was at my suggestion." He stopped and swallowed a breath.

Anthea had forgotten it was kind of Mycroft's doing. She forgot about him breaking into her flat and then taking her on a date without telling her it was a date. The understanding, the relationship. It was all Mycroft. She made the first move, she'd initiated the first kiss, she was the only one to say 'I love you', but Mycroft had made the big decisions.

"I'm afraid you are important to me, dear." Mycroft shrugged as he continued. "You've reached the point of no return now." Anthea, grin grow, shook her head.

"No, I reached that the moment I accepted this job." She laughed. "You reached the point of no return when you kissed me." Mycroft turned again, this time looking at his umbrella as he dug it into the floor of the vehicle.

"Actually, it was that dress…"

"What?"

Author's Note: There we have it! Opinions? Alright? I'm particularly happy with that ending. Let me know how you felt :). Thanks to the following guest reviewers: Anna, enola, Bibliophile, Guess Who, Louise Pond, Wink, and guestification. Thanks for being awesome, everyone who reads this.

A few thing's to note: For those of you who don't know, I'm back at uni doing another degree. Why is this important to you? On Wednesday's I have a late, and long, lecture. The next chapter is due Wednesday night my time. I plan to have it done by then, but if I don't then I might have to post on Thursday. Check on both days, just in case. The second reason this is important is it's the reason I haven't gotten around to the next Myc POV chapter yet. Once I settle back into the routine of a full time student then I can get to it… or in the Easter break. Thanks for understanding.