Author's Note: Hi! Sorry, I have very limited access to internet here in Japan. Archive of our Own isn't working on the cruise – its blocked – so I'm updating this now and posting to Archive when I can. I can't answer reviews properly but I appreciate them so much. This chapter is so-so but hey! It's alright, too :P. 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 Violet Learnt Of Rudy
It made the most sense to tell Violet about Rudy while she was in London for Margot's Christening, it really did. That was the plan, too. Let her stay, butter her up with love from the grandchild they gave her then tell her. But to be frightfully honest they were scared. After the Eurus business, Mycroft feared being cut out for life (even if Mycroft pretended like that would be a wonderful thing). Anthea was scared, too. Not for herself but because Mycroft was the British Government and he wasn't scared of anything. Only Violet Holmes nee. Vernet.
Anthea sat down to talk to Violet and Siger because she'd promised multiple times she would. Mycroft would be hiding in his home office until the coast was clear. Anthea got the couple comfortable in the living room and offered wine or tea. They both took tea. She had considered doing this after lunch somewhere but decided a homefield advantage was wiser.
You could tell from their faces that Violet and Siger knew something was up. They were no idiots. Yet they kept it to themselves and waited patiently for Anthea to start. Mycroft had gained that skill and so had Eurus, waiting for the opposing team to crack and appear stronger for it Sherlock could do it occasionally. Not always. Not with this level of calm. This was harder than any negotiation.
Anthea swallowed nothing, stretched her neck, and took a deep breath.
"There was a serious leak of information recently." She began. "A breach that was very calculated and thought out." Siger looked tired. He almost rolled his eyes, he already knew where this was going. You could see years of rolling his eyes at Rudy built up. Violet looked suspicious but not jumping to conclusions yet.
"Okay…" She sung carefully. Anthea pursed her lips. She tucked a curl behind her ear.
"Mycroft and I were too busy with our new arrival to work on it directly. But James, our James." She gestured to upstairs indicating that 'our' was hers and Mycroft's. "He worked on it because it was agent related.' Siger nodded. He was expecting to hear the word ' agent' in there somewhere. Violet kept stoic. "Unfortunately it was your brother, Violet." The elder woman deflated. She sunk low. Siger was watching his wife with worry. Anthea couldn't help but notice how much he looked like she did when Mycroft heard bad news; wanting to help but not wanting to push the boundaries.
"What?" She hissed. Although can hiss be the right word for a venomous or poisonous animal when it was pitiful and pining?
Anthea proceed on filling them n on the details including the punishment. She'd even collated a file with any official document she was allowed to show lay persons without punishment – and some that PALL had made an exception for. Violet flicked through them, silently absorbing all the information. Anthea didn't know whether to be frightened or empathetic. She could feel all the negative energy filling the room.
When she finished the matriarch was still speechless. It was strange to see. This woman who normally dominated the family conversations brought to such a quiet, reserved place.
"Excuse me." Violet uttered before standing from her place. Anthea stood up urgently to follow. Violet held up a palm to silence her and stop her from following her. "I'm going for a walk all by myself."
"Oh, okay." Anthea pouted. She sat down silently and let Violet go. Siger offered Anthea a gentle and understanding smile.
"She'll be alright." He said. Anthea bit her lip. She looked in the direction Violet had walked off in.
"It's just… Mycroft…" Anthea trailed off. Siger kept that gentle smile as he nodded.
"It won't be like that again." He assured Anthea. "This was Violet's brother's fault. Mycroft wasn't involved."
"We sent him away." Anthea questioned the retiree's words. He shook his head.
"You had to." Siger said. "She knows that. I can tell." Anthea was still uneasy but she trusted Siger to know his wife and her feelings for their son. He should be right.
Ten minutes later Mycroft emerged from his office and came into the living room. He had Margot in his arms as a shield. It was a clever mood, Anthea admitted to herself. Upon looking around and realising his mother was nowhere to be seen Mycroft joined Anthea and Siger in the kitchen. Siger was sitting at the bench while Anthea leaned over the counter on the kitchen side. Mycroft came to stand next to Anthea, clutching Margot.
Siger shook his head at his son and Anthea could feel Mycroft tense up besides her. Margot didn't complain though.
"That Rudy." Siger bemoaned. Upon realising that was why his father was shaking his head Mycroft relaxed.
"Quite the loose cannon." Mycroft uttered his reply carefully.
"And always jealous of your mother." Siger added, raising his eyebrows. Mycroft's mouth twitched. Anthea rolled her eyes at Siger's words.
"How horrible, only being highly gifted and not a full blown genius." She breathed sarcastically. That twitch in Mycroft's mouth pulled into a full smile. Siger smiled at Anthea too.
"It must be terrible." He replied. Anthea loved to hear sarcasm from the elderly gentleman's lips. She laughed quietly, smirking at Mycroft.
Anthea and Mycroft had returned to the home office not long after that to discuss business. They did not have much left to do for the day but to distract themselves they were planning for the week ahead. It was half an hour into this that Siger opened the office door. He didn't knock which might normally be a problem but as he gestured for Violet to enter before he did any complaint on Mycroft's lips drifted away.
Mycroft gestured to the couch, silently offering his parents a seat. Siger remained by the door as Violet shook her head vigorously.
"No." She said. "I though a walk might calm me down but it didn't, I'm still too furious to sit down." You could still feel all that frustration. If Anthea was a weaker person it might have made her uncomfortable. Mycroft closed his hand into a fist and lowered it to the desk.
"Ah." He hummed once his hand safely touched the wood. Violet's blue eyes light up.
"Oh no, not at you, Myc." She said, taking a step forward. "At Rudy." She clarified. The anger that had dropped way when she addressed Mycroft returned. "At everything he's done to my family, and at constantly dragging you into his messes and schemes." Anthea and Mycroft shared a look.
"It's quite alright, Mummy." Mycroft dismissed her worries. He had calmed down. The British Government was no longer frightened.
"No, its not alright." Violet barked. "If your grandparents were around they would be horrified!" Her arms flapped by her side. "This gives Oscar further reason to alienate himself from the whole family." She looked between the three other people. Then took a deep breathe. "And what he's done to Eurus…" She trailed off. Her bright blue eyes fell sad as she looked upon her eldest son. "And you," It was almost a whisper. "It was…" She shook her head. Siger stepped closer to her. "You should have told us about Eurus, Mycie, but he shouldn't have put you in that situation. He should have left my little girl for me to deal with and left my son to his own career." Anthea was surprised. She was shocked to hear Violet speak so understandingly about what Mycroft went through. To acknowledge that he suffered too because of Sherrinford, and not just the rest of the family, it was like fresh air had been let into the room after months and months. They had gotten past it already but this was… nice. Mycroft and Anthea shared a more surprised and poignant look.
"It's… okay, Mummy." Mycroft said gently. "Everyone is fine." He paused. "I'm fine."
Violet blinked. She looked to Siger, to Mycroft, to Siger, to Anthea, then back to Mycroft.
"I need to give you a hug, dear." She said to her eldest child. Mycroft rolled his eyes.
"Please don't." He whined.
"I have to." She said just after she began approaching the desk. Siger was smiling.
"Hug Alice instead." Mycroft nodded to Anthea by his side.
Violet did hug Anthea, but only after she hugged Mycroft. He pretended he was not pleased. Anthea suspected otherwise. Siger quietly walked out of the room.
Author's Note: Thanks to all my reviewers! I appreciate it so much. I can't answer properly right now but please tell me what you think and I'll answer when I can. Also I might not be able to update again until I get home in over a week. Hope you understand! Hi AO3 people whenever I get this up! Its June 14th on FFN now.