Author's Note: Wow guys, just wow. The feedback for last chapter was absolutely amazing. I thought it was adorable and I'm so glad you all did too. Thank you guys for reviewing, all the feedback has been spectacular, encouraging, and making me feel like improving myself just to bring you better content. I really hope you guys continue to enjoy this. Please continue to 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 in his House

The day was not particularly busy, nor was it particularly long. The reason, Anthea suspected, that she was feeling so warn out was just the culmination of many, many hard working days. This is why she was not so surprised that she had gotten home at 9pm, accidentally fallen asleep, woken up at 11pm, cooked dinner, had a shower, and got into bed at 1 am with an alarm set for 6.30am. It was exhausting but Anthea can't say she missed having a lot of free time – she enjoyed the work.

Anthea got out of the shower – not bothering to dry her hair, put on her scruffy, old, but so comfortable pyjama pants and an old, hole filled top and collapsed on her bed with an exasperated sigh. Scooting onto her side and shuffling to pull the blanket out from under her Anthea tried to fall asleep as quickly as possible. Five and a half hours sleep was still enough to function – under five however may be a detriment considering they had a day full of meetings tomorrow. There would be a lot of traveling in the black town car too, so she'd have to use that time efficiently to answer any emails and messages. Anthea rolled over to lie on her stomach, her face buried in the pillows. She'd have to remember to collect all important files to place into her briefcase.

Shit.

Anthea sat up on her knees in her bed. Early in the afternoon when Anthea and Mr. Holmes were rushing to catch the interrogation of a highly dangerous criminal after a meeting with the prime minister another PA had given her a confidential file that was to be looked over before a meeting tomorrow. In her rush Anthea had placed it in her shoulder strap briefcase she had bought herself and ran after Mr. Holmes. The day had barely allowed time to stop and she had forgotten to give him the file after they returned to the office. The meeting was a high priority case and the file was labelled confidential. Anthea snatched her mobile off her desk and quickly tried to dial Mycroft's mobile number.

Damn it. He didn't answer and she did not have his home number if he even had one. She frowned and let out a loud sigh feeling anxiety rising. This could not be like the USB incident again, this would embarrass them both and she'd find herself quickly without a job and probably barred from any government related job ever again. She quickly sent a text to Mycroft in hopes that he would at least catch that.

Urgent sir – I need to give you a file. – A

Slipping on some flip flops, she ran to the kitchen where her briefcase lay on the counter with the discarded plate of pasta and cheese. She opened it and let a sigh of relief escape her lips, sealing it back up in the case. She grabbed her keys and ran to the elevator, dialling the driver's phone number as she went.

"Hello?" His voice was dreary and dazed. She had woken him up – that much was obvious.

"Hi, Walter, it's Anthea."

"Anthea!?" His reply had panic in it and Anthea realised her own tone must be panicked. She took a deep breath to calm down. "Do you know what time it is? Is anything wrong!?"

"No, no, don't worry, Walter. There's nothing wrong. I just need Mr. Holmes' address." A pause.

"Now!?" The disbelief was over the top – people who had just woken up tended to be dramatic.

"Yeah, I really need to get something to him and I don't have time to get a driver. Could you text it to me?"

"Uh sure, no problem."

"Thanks Walter." Anthea spoke with a sigh. She hung up without waiting for a reply and once the elevator doors open to tenant parking she ran to her car.

She blasted her radio as she drove – hoping this old rock star who was presenting the songs would play ones that she could sing along to in order to keep awake.

She got past Mr. Holmes' security fine – flashing her I.D., which she was so happy to find in her briefcase – and giving a few extra pieces of information regarding her employ. They said they'd call ahead to the house to see if he was awake for her.

When he opened the front door Anthea was blown by the idea of seeing Mycroft Holmes out of a suit. He was wearing a dressing gown the colour of a red velvet cupcake, and pyjama pants, his hair was messy, and there was sleep in his steel blue eyes. Anthea was suddenly aware that she looked no better as the water dripped from her hair onto her now soaking back. The great Mycroft Holmes and his mysterious personal assistant, looking like regular, albeit exhausted, people.

"Anthea?" By the croak of his voice it was clear he had been asleep. She saw him peer over her shoulder in both directions and scope the distance. "Are you alright?" Anthea let out a sigh.

"I'm fine – I'm perfectly alright sir." She held her briefcase up at eye level, shakily. She watched as his focus flickered from the distance onto her newest accessory. "I forgot to give you an important document for tomorrow's first meeting." She saw the tension that she hadn't realised had been there release from his shoulders and his arms shift. She looked down to see there was a gun in his right hand. Really, Anthea shouldn't be surprised, in fact, she was assured. He stepped aside and gestured for her to enter, face blank.

Once inside and standing in the beautiful entrance hall Anthea was painfully aware of how little she knew of Mr. Holmes' private life. She looked around briefly for any signs of life of any hint of breathing or snoring, hoping she would not wake anyone up. Anthea heard the click of the front door and watched as Mr. Holmes placed the gun on the table next to the door, walked past her, expecting her to follow him wherever he was heading.

"No, you are not disturbing anyone, do not worry." Anthea found herself oddly relieved – not only for the fact that she wasn't waking up a household but for another reason she wasn't sure of. "The only people perturbed by this are myself, you, and whoever you got in contact with to get this address." He looked over his shoulder to give Anthea a look over. "If I had to hazard an educated guess I'd say Walter."

"It's almost two in the morning, sir, how can you do that now?" He let out a single chuckle in response. Perhaps he couldn't turn it off. Anthea briefly entertained the idea that maybe it actually got worse when not in full control of the senses – as if it were given free reign. Like how the lights shined brighter when you've been asleep, or everything sounded louder. She wouldn't ask though, not now.

He walked her through the quite bare living room with only the essential – except a beautiful upright piano – into the kitchen. Along the way Anthea tried to keep an eye out for any family photos. Mycroft gestured for her to sit down at the counter in the country style kitchen.

"Can I get you something to drink, my dear?" He asked in a calm tone. She wondered if he was fighting off a yawn or if he was always on point. Anthea scanned the kitchen before flicking her brown orbs over to him and smiling politely.

"Perhaps a water would be nice, sir." He nodded and turned to the cabinets to pull out a glass. "Sir, may I ask why you don't have any photos around?" He walked to the sink and turned on the cold water tap – knowing that his PA preferred room temperature water. He made a hum noise as he considered how to answer.

"Precautionary, mostly." He responded over the sound of the tap. "We can't have people breaking in here and seeing the faces of people who do not need to be dragged into my business. Secondly, I'm not one for sentiment." Anthea rolled her eyes. The tap was switched off and Mycroft placed the glass in front of Anthea, standing on the opposite side of counter. "Most importantly, however, I keep all my memories up here." He placed a slender finger on the side of his head. "Why do I need a photo of a time in my childhood when I can simply go into a room in my mind palace and find every detail as it was?" Anthea smiled in recognition.

"Oh yeah, mind palaces." She yawned and picked up the glass of water. "Hannibal Lecter has one of those in the books." She took a sip. Mycroft playfully frowned and raised an eyebrow.

"I don't know whether to be pleased you've heard of the concept or insulted at being compared to a fictitious cannibal." Anthea laughed into her glass.

"A very smart, fictional cannibal, sir." That false smile of his fell onto his lips as he watched Anthea place the glass on his counter top. He placed both his hands on the table and took a deep breath in.

"Let's see this oh so important file shall we." Anthea nodded, pulling open her briefcase and placing the file to face her boss on the counter. He flicked it open scanned each page, taking time to look over any diagram. Anthea quietly sipped her water as she waited for her boss to finish – it would not take too much time – it was Mycroft Holmes after all. When he had finished he cleared his throat. Anthea raised her eyebrows waiting for a response as his gaze was returned to hers.

"Well thank you, Anthea. That was important for me to see." He half smiled.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, I didn't want another USB incident and I don't have your home number." The smile on his tired features turned to something slightly more natural. He pushed the file to the side of the counter.

"No, no. This was well done of you. I'm not pleased you slipped up but I am glad to see you had the initiative to rectify the situation as soon as you remembered." He walked over to her side of the counter and Anthea watched as he almost place a hand on her shoulder but deciding against the fond expression he gestured to the way of the front door instead. "Now my dear, go home and please get some rest before the day starts." Anthea nodded and found herself yawning at even the mention of sleep.

"Yes sir, you too." She collected her briefcase, phone, and her keys and stood up.

"Oh, but one more thing." He held his palm out flat in front of her. Anthea frowned before recognising the gesture, juggling the items in her hands and placing her phone in his palm. She watched as he went through it before smiling and handing the blackberry back to her. "Mistake rectified."

Anthea looked down to see her phone open to her contacts.

Mycroft – Home

Author's Note: There you go! Let me know if you enjoyed it, I really appreciate all this feedback :). The next two chapters after this one are kind of going to be a two-parter. It's like how chapter one and two can be read separately but work well together, chapters 9 and 10 are going to be like that.