Author's Note: Hello! Thank you for your feedback last chapter and for the Myc POV. All of it is greatly appreciated. It really means the world to me. For this chapter… I struggled to get it done on time because I've had an interesting week and have been exhausted most evenings. I did get it done though, and I'm glad I did. I've had this one floating in my head for a while, I even talked to Lauren about it a few weekends ago. I hope you enjoy it. 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 Asked Her To Move In

Anthea checked the time on her phone and groaned. It was getting late, ten in the evening, and if she was going to go home tonight she better go now. Any later, even fifteen minutes, and she'd probably happily hop into Mycroft's bed. The problem was, between spending time with Jamie and Mycroft, Anthea hadn't been home in almost two weeks. She had a pot plant in her kitchen that was without a doubt dead by now and she'd run out of nice work clothes. Some of her clothes had been sent to the dry cleaner's with Mycroft's but that wouldn't be back until Wednesday.

But tonight had been so nice. Mycroft had work he needed to do so Anthea had sat on the couch in his study reading while he worked. They talked lightly and just enjoyed each other's company. Anthea could do that forever. If she could freeze time and remain in one moment eternally it might be that one for the sheer comfort of it alone.

She closed her book and placed it on the small side table next to the lamp so she could keep reading it next time. Deep down she knew Mycroft would have moved it to another less intrusive location by then. Mycroft's eyes were watching her, probably because it was the first time she'd moved since dinner. He had his hands folded together and pressed against his lips. Anthea pouted and lightly shrugged her shoulders.

"I have to go now." Her voice was quiet and full disappointment and sadness. Mycroft moved to place his hands under his chin.

"Do you?" He asked in a neutral tone. Anthea couldn't read his face right now, the blank mask too firmly in place. Though she did know that he wouldn't even be asking if he wanted her to leave. This was Mycroft's version of Anthea's sad look and mournful tone. Anthea nodded. Mycroft eyed her.

"I don't have anything to wear tomorrow." He knew that already but Anthea reminded him. He shrugged as if 'so what?' Anthea's lips pulled into a smirk. She stood up and stretched her back. "And there's a very dead plant in my kitchen."

"Well if it's dead what's the emergency?" Mycroft's tone still completely flat. Anthea pulled a face at him. It made sense, yeah, but it was so Holmsian it seemed absurd.

"And to get my mail. I have bills." She expected a comment of some sort in return but Mycroft rolled his eyes. A sigh of resignation that was giving Anthea his begrudging permission to leave, not that she needed it. Anthea waited for Mycroft to stand up and walk her to the door, really as just a reason to spend a few more minutes to avoid leaving. He didn't move though, not past pushing his chair out a little. He kept his eyes on Anthea and she could see his brain ticking away behind his stormy eyes. She cocked her head to the side.

"I've had a thought." He stop and half shrugged. "I constantly have thoughts, but this one is relevant to this particular predicament." Anthea sniffed a single laugh at Mycroft's strange quirky genius ways. It was outrageous how used to him she was. At this rate she'd hit that fifteen minute mark and end up staying the night anyway. Maybe that was his plan, to delay her long enough.

"What is it?" She asked. His expression still schooled into that emotionless, critical thinking mask, Mycroft lowered his hands onto the desk.

"Wouldn't it be easier if you simply lived here?" Anthea's heart did flips in her chest. Her brows knitted together and after a quick pause she laughed.

"Yeah, right." The brunette woman laugh. "Like you could stand that. Can you imagine?" Mycroft's face remained stony except for the single eyebrow he rose.

"I'm serious." He muttered.

Anthea swallowed. She could feel her heart racing.

"What?"

"You do comprehend what I'm saying, no?" He quirked his head so elegantly. Meanwhile Anthea felt like she looked like a fool as she tried to process this. She opened her mouth to speak and closed it again. She ran a hand through her hair and swallowed her breath.

This was Mycroft. The chances of him ever getting to this sort of milestone in a relationship were miniscule. Anthea still imagined he'd end it any day now. If she moved in it would only make it harder when he inevitably wanted to pull away. She was safe in her flat, she had always been safe in her flat.

"Do you know what you're saying?" Anthea finally managed to talk. Mycroft looked mildly annoyed by her words. Anthea stepped forward and placed her hands on the wood of his desk.

"You love your solitude. You love your own space. If I'm here you'll never be really alone." Mycroft pulled a pouting like face and raised his shoulders in a shrug.

"If you haven't noticed, Anthea, this house is large and has multiple rooms." He answered sarcastically. "I'm sure I could find time to myself." Anthea had heard what he had said, but she hadn't completely comprehended it. He just didn't get it. He just didn't get how this took away any security and safety from both of them.

No.

Anthea shook her head.

No, no, no.

"I think you should think on this, Mycroft." She tucked her hair behind her ear. "See if it still seems like a good idea after a night alone. Or two." Mycroft's stony look was replaced as recognition flashed through his steely blue eyes.

"Ah," He hummed, a small fake smile on his lips. "Yes, I had forgotten that this was a sore point with you." That comment had calmed Anthea's heart down – had even maybe stopped it for a moment as she felt confused and a little defensive.

"What?" She crossed her arms against her chest and tilted her head.

"Well, this is why you and the lawyer broke up, is it not?"

"He broke up with me." Anthea answered in a flash.

"Because you didn't want him to move in." Mycroft nodded, adding to her answer. Anthea rubbed at her neck.

"That's because my flat is my flat." Mycroft nodded smugly again. God, Anthea hated that right now.

"Much like how you're trying to argue that my house is my house?" Anthea looked to the ground, frowning deeply. It only grew when she heard Mycroft chuckle. "It's understandable, considering your abandonment issues. If I understand correctly, you broke up with Robbie every time the relationship began to feel serious. In fact, the lawyer was your only serious relationship ever."

"You haven't even had one." Anthea looked back up.

"Yes, but we already know about my emotional attitude." He looked so comfortable, so… smug, and Anthea felt like she was being interrogated. Like there was a white light shining on her and exposing all her relationship sins.

"Whatever." She threw her hands in the air. "I'm leaving. I have to go home." She began to walk away.

"Of course you do…" Anthea turned around to glare back at Mycroft.

"I do." She raised her voice slightly. "I have all my stuff there."

"Yes, as a safety net."

She wasn't going to do this. She wasn't going to argue. She was going to go home where she could breath. She'd deal with Mycroft tomorrow.

When Anthea got home she dropped all her stuff at the front door, walked over to her couch, and sat down. She took a deep breath and rubbed her forehead to get rid of the tension building up in her head. She fell backwards onto the couch to lie down, and groaned as she did so.

She didn't know what had happened. She didn't know why she reacted that way. She didn't know why the idea of living with a boyfriend freaked her out so much. Mycroft liked to think he knew, and he probably did, but Anthea wouldn't give him the satisfaction of being right. She brushed it off with Tim as Tim just not being right. She had known it was going to end with Tim eventually. But Mycroft? Why had she freaked out on Mycroft?

Anthea was happy with Mycroft, she was very happy. She was relaxed, content, and she felt safe. She had known that Mycroft was Mycroft and that he could end their relationship at any moment, but she also saw how hard he was working to do the right thing as he learnt how to be in a relationship. Maybe that's why Anthea never expected this to come up. Maybe she expected it to take him much longer to reach this point. Or maybe she thought he'd break it off long before now.

The first time Anthea did something like this was when she broke up with Robbie for the first time only to regret it, date him again, and then break up with him again. Last time Anthea did this her boyfriend insisted they had a break to think, and then he had slept with another woman. He had been hurt and then he hurt her. This time it was Mycroft. He wasn't like Robbie who'd persevere and continue to pursue her, and he certainly wasn't like Tim who'd been hurt and hurt her back. Who knew what route he'd take.

Anthea would have to deal with whatever hand Mycroft would deal her tomorrow.

There was nothing to deal with the next day at work. Mycroft was perfectly normal and didn't bring up the ending of the previous night at all. He left her alone and they worked like normal. It was a completely normal work day. So normal that Anthea considered going home with him for the evening.

And then she thought of living there…

And she had to go back to her own home.

"Anthea." Mycroft called for Anthea's attention in the town car. She looked up from her phone and across the car to where Mycroft was sitting in his usual seat. He held the handle of his umbrella in one hand and his phone in the other. The blue light from the phone shined on his face like it no doubt her own phone's light was shining on hers.

"Yes, sir?" She asked. When Mycroft continued he did not look up from his own phone.

"Are you coming over tonight, or am I free to go to the club?" To be honest, in all her panic she had forgotten that Mycroft had planned to cook tonight. Anthea had been looking forward to it, too. Unlike her Mycroft was a pretty good cook whenever he had the time or could be bothered to cook. But instead of expressing her interest Anthea found herself looking back at her phone and sniffing.

"You don't need to ask me if you can go to the club." The words fell from her mouth without her consent. "I'm not your mother." Mycroft looked up from his phone, his face unreadable.

There was nothing but the sound of traffic.

Mycroft looked back down to his phone.

"Fine. I'll be going to the club then."

"Oh." Anthea pouted. "Oh, okay." She nodded to herself as she you turned back to her phone. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Mycroft look up at the roof of the car and click his tongue.

"For goodness sakes, Miss James." He hissed in exasperation. "If you want me to cook, then just say so."

"No. No, no." Anthea spoke in a light overly friendly voice. "I told you to do what you want. It would be rude of me to change my mind."

"Alright, I've had enough." Mycroft pocketed his phone in his breast pocket. He turned in his seat so he was sitting diagonally and could look right at Anthea's face. "I take my offer to move in back." Anthea felt her heart constrict again, although this time for a different reason. This time her heart froze because she expected Mycroft to do what he always did; to go hiding back in his fortress of solitude and lock Anthea out. A whole NDA situation or worse.

"What?" Anthea asked, her mouth suddenly dry.

"I take the offer off the table." He swept his hands passed each other in the air in a ceasing motion. Cut, that's it, cut the music, cut the tape. Over. "You clearly aren't ready to even consider it so I'm taking it back."

"You." Anthea pushed her hair back. She looked out the window next to Mycroft's head as she found her words. She rubbed at the back of her neck. "You can't take something like that back."

"I just did." His said firmly as if nothing could change it. As if just because he said it, it makes it true. "Quite frankly my dear, I don't care. It would be convenient, yes, but I am perfectly happy living alone." He gave her a taught smile. "It's you" He nodded at her "who has the problem. I'd much rather not have you having a panic attack every time I offer you to come over only to see you try to hide your disappointment when I let you turn down the offer." Anthea pursed her lips and shook her head.

"That's not what I'm doing."

"It's exactly what you're doing." Mycroft matched her fake smile. Hers immediately fell. "It seems to me the only options are to ignore it ever happened or break up." Mycroft explained his thoughts as Anthea bit the inside of her bottom lip. "And I'm not going to let you sabotage this relationship when that is clearly a role I'm destined for." With that most of Anthea's tension dissipated. She sniffed a laugh as she hid her face in her hands. When she looked back up it was with a smaller but natural smile.

"I see your point." She nodded. "But taking it away won't fix the problem." Mycroft placed his free hand on top of the one holding the umbrella.

"I know." He answered as he tightened his grip. "But that is for you to work out on your own." He twisted the umbrella into the carpet. "I'm in no hurry." He wasn't, more than anyone else in the world he absolutely wasn't. Mycroft Holmes was content to stay still and for once Anthea was so very grateful for that.

"So, can I come for dinner tonight?"

"No. I'm going to the club. It would be rude of you to change your mind." He answered sarcastically but with no venom. Anthea made a noise that was somewhere between an offended scoff and an honest laugh.

That evening:

"Hello."

"Can I come now?"

"I'm already cooking."

"I'll be there in half an hour."

Author's Note: I hope that was okay. I found structuring it to be the most difficult part and I ended up just going with the flow. Let me know what you thought about what happened! Thanks to our single guest reviewer this time: Sophie. All my reviewers are greatly appreciated. You all help me to keep going, even during difficult times. See you next update.