Author's Note: Hey guys! Wow, thanks so much for the positive feedback! Why do I deserve you guys? Thank you! This chapter… I was going to do some more Sherrinford clean up next but then some reviews reminded me that no, this would be next. Because if it wasn't next Jamie would be horribly offended. So here it is. I'm really worried that all my creative energy went into my writing class assignment and that this secretly sucks. I really hope its okay. 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 She Told Jamie About The Baby

Hey, how's Mycroft doing? – Jamie x.

The same level of consideration and care that Jamie had shown for Mycroft after Sherlock was shot had returned. If there was one positive thing Anthea had learnt from these recent and past disasters was that no matter the differences between Mycroft and Jamie, the fact that Anthea loved Mycroft meant that he was family to Jamie too. If anyone could rival Mycroft's loyalty it was Jamie. While Mycroft's was a silent always watching type of loyalty, Jamie was the type to wait in the wings until she was needed to be a fierce protector. Hope had both of these people on her side. Hopefully this little thing growing in Anthea's uterus would have both of them too.

Better. – A.

Anthea's initial answer was. He was doing better than the first few days since Sherrinford and the fight with his parents. He still looked absolutely heartbroken and unsure of himself but he was getting out of his head now and finally beginning to focus on work. At least until this latest bombshell. Now he was back in his head all the time. Anthea decided to revise her answer to Jamie.

He's doing the best he can. – A.

Well enough that you feel comfortable leaving home for a night? – Jamie x.

He's not on suicide watch, Jay. – A.

Anthea didn't want to mention that she'd already left him for a few nights to sulk all alone. He deserved it. Well, maybe he didn't deserve it but the time to think did them both well into coming to yet another ridiculous understanding.

Depending on what you're talking about I can always ask John or Sherlock to drop by. Why? – A.

Anthea added.

James is going to scary island prison on Friday night to make sure their nightshift protocols are up to scratch or something stupid and fancy like that. Thought we could have a girl's night at my place! You, me, and Hope! I'll cook! You can stay in my room with me 3 – Jamie x.

Anthea smirked at the message. It was conversations like this that proved no matter how grown up they became, Anthea and Jamie were still the same teenagers who went to school together. She'd love that. As much as she loved James and Mycroft, living with Jamie at school or in Anthea's flat was always fun. The two had the best times together even if they weren't actually doing activities together. It would be fun and refreshing. Not to mention Hope was just Anthea's favourite person ever.

… And Anthea had to tell Jamie about the little Holmes-Clarke amalgamation, let's not forget that.

That sounds perfect. I can't wait. – A x.

Anthea replied, still smiling to herself.

YAY! – Jamie x.

"I am so excited!" Jamie clasped her hands together and bounced up and down on the couch cushion. The girl was practically buzzing with energy. "We can watch Pride and Prejudice and just talk all the way through it. I got us ice cream and chocolate. I can't drink 'cause you know, breast feeding, but if you want one I got a bottle of scotch too." She was speaking a mile a minute when she scrunched up her face. "You get weird looks when you buy scotch with a baby. I was like 'It's not for me'. Still don't think the guy believed me." Anthea chuckled at her friend. She stroked Thatch who was curled up on her lap. He'd jumped there as soon as she sat down.

"Someone's excited." Anthea noted sarcastically but happily. "You haven't seen another living breathing adult in a long time, have you?" She titled her head to the side playfully. Jamie's eyes went wide. She looked at the front window and gasped.

"You mean there's a whole world out there?" She whispered. "I had totally forgotten!" She and Anthea laughed at the same time.

"Oh Jay, I'm so sorry." Anthea sighed when she'd stopped laughing. "I should have visit more or I should take Hope off your hands sometimes." James was a fantastic father but during the week days Jamie had to do it all on her own. There was some guilt settling in Anthea's stomach knowing her best friend was going stir crazy. Jamie scrunched up her face and shook her head.

"We talk every day, it's not like we've stopped texting or calling." The blonde said. She patted Anthea's shoulder. "And I've been way more worried about how you and Myc are handling all this crazy sister stuff to worry about when I can get my roots done." That was specific. Jamie was obviously thinking about her hair.

"Still, if I had seen you earlier I could have told you that I can easily organise for a top hairdresser to come here and do your hair and I'd even pay for it for being a bad friend." She said.

"No one in this room is a bad friend. Mycroft needed you more than I did." Jamie's hazel eyes looked deep into Anthea's. She paused and her face twitched. "But…" She sung. "If he's feeling better than I am totally going to take you up on that hair offer." Anthea rolled her eyes and laughed under her breath.

"I'll call them up tomorrow." She told Jamie.

"See," The blonde smiled. "Good friend." Anthea smiled back. She wouldn't trade Jamie for anyone in the world. "So," Jamie pushed her currently too long side fringe out of her face. "I can't have either but what do you want before dinner; coffee or scotch?" Ah. Anthea's face pulled into a small scowl. This is where she felt a little more like a bad friend – although it hadn't been long at all since Anthea herself had found out she felt immensely guilty for not telling Jamie straight away about the pregnancy. Maybe because she was still trying to wrap her own mind around it. Jamie and James had been so excited to tell Anthea about Hope. Maybe that was the problem, Anthea's was less than stellar news.

"Ummm…" Anthea chewed on her bottom lip and turned her scowl into a crinkled nose instead. "Neither. I can't have them either." She winced. Jamie's dark eyebrows knitted together. She looked so confused as she looked at Anthea. It was like the puzzle pieces refused to connect because they didn't belong to Anthea and Mycroft's puzzle. Anthea knew that feeling. Then the lightbulb went off in the sleep deprived blonde's mind. Her face, ever expressive, exploded open with a gasp.

"Are you-?" She cut herself off, choking on the word. Hadn't Anthea done a similar thing when telling Mycroft?

"I'm pregnant." Anthea confirmed with a curt nod.

Silence.

No squeal. No scream.

Just silence.

Jamie's expression became somewhat closed. She nodded slowly and hummed.

"Okay…" she chewed on her cheek. Anthea blinked at her. She rose her eyebrow and looked at the blonde like she was an alien.

"That's it?" Anthea scoffed. "That's your reaction?"

"Hey!" Jamie held her hands up in the air in a surrender position, raising her voice. "I'm just waiting to find out if we're happy or sad about this before I react." She crossed her arms against her chest. "I want to know if I should be excited best friend or supportive best friend." Anthea suddenly felt bad for her reaction. Normally she wouldn't. Again was this pregnancy hormones? Because it was annoying. Anthea rolled her eyes again, this time at herself. She expelled a sharp breath in a huff and tucked a curl behind her ear.

"Sorry." She shook her head to clear it. She really appreciated Jamie knowing her and Mycroft well enough not to jump to conclusions. "I think maybe you should be both?" Anthea shrugged. "Because I'm keeping it but I'm terrified."

"Oh my God!" There was that squeal Anthea had expected. Jamie practically screamed with excitement, once again jumping up and down in her seat, until she remembered she had a sleeping baby in the house. She paused, ear pricked and listening carefully for any sign of a woken baby. No noise, Jamie continued but at a more appropriate volume. "Ali! Do you know what this means!?" The blonde's hands were touching her chest like an old lady clutching at her pearls. "Our kids are going to grow up together!" She was beaming. It was infectious and Anthea was smiling too. "They might even end up in the same school year like we were! We can take them to all those stupid kids events and hang out with each other while they have fun. We can make matching costumes for like Halloween and stuff. They might even graduate together!" Thank God for Jamie's optimism.

"That would be pretty cool." Anthea spoke with a laugh.

"Cool? It's going to be awesome, Ali. They're going to be cousins."

"You're right. It's awesome." Anthea agreed. Jamie pounced on Anthea, catching her unaware, and pulling her into the tightest squeeze of a hug. If Hope and Anthea's kid ended up with half the friendship Jamie and Anthea had then that was a lifelong friendship already waiting for it. That's exciting. Anthea was excited to see what would become of that. She was excited for the kid and for herself.

"I'm so happy I'm going to have another cool mum to talk to." Jamie said as she gave Anthea one final extra tight squeeze. Anthea laughed and agreed but thoughts drifted to Mary. She would have been a cool mother for Jamie to talk to. Maybe some of Jamie's plans could include Rosie so she got to hang out with some friends of her mother's and not necessarily her father's. Also so she got to do some activities usually associated with the maternal parent. Anthea would make a note to talk about that later. Mum. That was right, though. Anthea was going to be a mother. The thought was not one she was used to yet.

"Mother." Anthea muttered. She liked the sound of it and was frightened by it all at the same time. She wanted so much to do right by this little person she was creating but would she be a good mother? And being a single mother? Time would tell. Jamie settled back into her side of the couch, a knowing look on her face.

"Is this the terrified part?" She asked Anthea, who said nothing. Jamie pursed her lips together. "Has this got to do with your boyfriend?" She asked. She scrunched up her face. "Do we hate him now? Do I have to ban James from playing with him?" Anthea didn't know whether to laugh or be offended that this was Jamie's initial reaction. So instead she sniffed a quiet laugh.

"No. We don't hate him." Anthea answered in with a deadpan face. "Not yet, anyway." She added and rolled her eyes. Jamie quirked an eyebrow.

"Not yet?" She seemed suspicious.

Anthea told her the story. She told her about Mycroft asking her what she wanted to do followed by her leaving. She told her about going back to home and Mycroft explaining all his reasons why he didn't want children. About how he wanted some time to try and convince himself to stay with Anthea because he didn't want to lose her.

"That stupid idea is so typical of you two!" Jamie threw her hands in the air.

"Of us?" Anthea scoffed. "It has Mycroft all over it." Jamie looked at her with deep amusement sparkling in her hazel eyes.

"You always agree and go along with the ideas so yeah, it's typical of you too." Jamie mockingly sneered. Anthea didn't know what to say since technically Jamie was right.

"I know it's stupid." Anthea shrugged. "And I know it won't work," she quieted down and sobered up. "But I can't leave him yet." Anthea blinked her eyes clear. "We need each other right now. He's home and I don't know if it's the hormones but I need him and he needs me to get through all his family stuff." Jamie's face was unreadable as Anthea talked. "And I don't care if it explodes in my face."

"Just because it's stupid doesn't mean it's not going to work." Jamie shook her head quickly. It was Anthea's turn to frown at her. "All your ideas are stupid but you guys always take these weird as half steps before doing the actual right thing. Like 'We're not dating' turned into 'He took me on a surprise date'." She used mocking voices. "And 'Oh we're not getting back together, I'm just helping him' turned into 'I'm moving back in'."

"So what?" Anthea asked flatly. "You think he'll turn around and decide he wants to be a dad?"

"I don't know, it's Frosty. I'm not going to pretend to get his weird brain." Jamie shrugged. "But I have seen him when his brother got shot, and I'm worried for him with the state of his family right now. Not sure a guy like that could ever walk away from family." Jamie rubbed her arm. She looked down in the direction she had been listening for Hope in. "Not when he's promised to look after me and Hope for James and none of us are related to him." Anthea moved closer on the couch to Jamie.

"Jay," She sighed. "He doesn't have to be there in person to keep an eye on your family or mine."

"What does Sherlock think?" Jamie asked quietly. Anthea looked down.

"That he'll come around." Anthea answered.

"Well there you go!" Jamie peeped. She slapped her hand down on Anthea's knee and squeezed it. "There's your answer. And you know what, Al? It doesn't matter 'cause you'll have Sherlock, and me, and James, and Hope, and Carol, and Molly, and John and Rosie, and Robbie, and so many people who'll love and protect that kid."

"You left out Tim."

"I purposely left out Tim." Jamie said. Anthea smirked. "And this is going to be absolutely awesome 'cause who needs Einstein when you'll have the best of him in a much cuter and less weird package?" Anthea held back a laugh in her throat. She leaned her forehead against Jamie's arm.

"Einstein 2.0?" She joked.

"Better." Jamie scoffed. "Ali-Einstein hybrid. Looks, brains, and attitude. With a famous uncle and another uncle who runs the intelligence agencies."

"They're set up to take over the world."

"With Hope."

"Of course." Both the girls laughed.

It didn't matter that Anthea had a history of not eating breakfast or that she said that she wasn't hungry. Jamie insisted on cooking breakfast for the two of them. She claimed she wanted to look after her future niece or nephew. Anthea was also getting sent home with the leftovers from last night's dinner. That wasn't to look out for the niece or nephew, apparently Jamie had made extra always intending to send the rest home with Anthea. She knew Mycroft was going through a rough time and the state of his and Anthea's kitchen so she wanted to make sure they had something good to eat. Now there was just extra motivation. It made Anthea feel more like a child then someone who was expecting their own kid but she appreciated Jamie's doting, not to mention Jamie's kindness towards Mycroft only really came out when the genius was going through a tough time.

Anthea was sitting in the kitchen cradling Hope as Jamie cooked pancakes. The little girl was getting more adorable every day. She was a wonderful combination of her parents. Her hair was beginning to lighten and Jamie hoped that Hope would be a natural blonde like her father purely because it would be cute to have another blonde in the house. Anthea thought it didn't matter, she already looked like both her parents. Meanwhile Thatch sat at Jamie's feet begging for scraps of food.

Through the door that lead to the living room, Anthea and Jamie heard the front door open and close followed by a loud yawn. Thatch ran off, his tail wagging furiously.

"Hey boy!" They heard the jovial voice of James greeting his dog. Jamie and Anthea smirked.

"Your husband is home." Anthea hummed just before James entered the room. The tall agent looked tired. His hair was scruffy and he'd already ditched his tie somewhere in the living room.

"Hey it's my three favourite girls. What a sight for sore eyes." His voice sounded strained but that didn't stop the agent from flirting with the whole room. He patted Anthea on the head as he walked past her, causing Anthea to glare at him.

"Hey hot stuff." Jamie greeted James back. She got on her tiptoes and the pair kissed gently and innocently. Then James pulled Jamie into a hug, lifting her off the ground for a few seconds making her squeal. Anthea pulled a face at Hope. James put Jamie down. He came back to the table and silently asked to take Hope from Anthea. Anthea graciously let him take his daughter as he sat down next to her. "Want some food before you go pass out?" Jamie asked.

"That would be awesome, thanks." James was practically pining over the idea of food. "So how's my favourite brunette?" He looked at Anthea with his tired eyes full of warmth. Anthea rolled her eyes and shrugged.

"She's pregnant." Jamie answered for her.

"Yeah?" James raised his eyebrows. "So what are we feeling? Are we glad? Sad? Mad?"

"Stop rhyming." Anthea kicked his foot. He jumped in his chair but his stupid smile came onto his face.

"I think we're sad and glad at the same time." Jamie said. James looked over at his wife then back at Anthea. She closed her eyes and took a breath.

"I'm keeping it but Mycroft doesn't know if he's keeping us. Jamie can fill you in later." She dismissed the topic for now. The agent digested this for a second.

"Sure." He let her dismiss it. "But about the baby?" The agent was still looking for how he needed to react. Why did he and Jamie both do that?

"Oh, I'm totally worried about screwing it up but I'm pretty excited." Anthea let herself smile.

"Awesome!" James smiled down at Hope. "I was worried for a while that Hope and Rosie wouldn't have their own Holmes to boss them around. Looks like it's worked out." Anthea scoffed, holding her hand to her chest.

"Excuse me? My kid isn't going to be bossy!" Anthea kicked James' foot again. The agent cocked his head to the side and hummed.

"Holmes, Sherlock, Eurus, and then there's you… Yeah, bossy genes all around." He said.

"Jamie!" Anthea asked her best friend for support.

"Sorry Ali, between you, me, Carol, and Myc, James is surrounded by bossy people." She called out as she was turning off the heat of the stove. She looked over her shoulder and smiled. "But Hope has my genes and Rosy has Mary's so don't worry too much about it." Anthea scoffed and shook her head.

"You guys are going to be lucky if I even let my kid near Hope now." She teased back. James looked back at Jamie then at Anthea.

"Yeah you will." He completely dismissed Anthea's threat, smiling down at his daughter. James leaned over and planted a kiss right on his daughter's forehead and she smiled back up at him.

Author's Note: So? How was it? Was it alright? Man, I hope it was okay… Thanks to our guest reviewers; Tadaa, Singing ferret, Kate, Christie, and Othelia. Thanks to all my reviewers – I really love you all. Please review and give me your opinions on this chapter! Next chapter I hope to go back to cleaning up some non-baby messes. Which mess, I don't know… one of two ideas that are already planned out in my head. Also I'm just studying for exams and working for the next few weeks so I'll be posting on time. Yay!