Author's Note: Hey, everyone. Thanks for the lovely words about last chapter. I'm very happy that everyone really liked the concept of the chapter. I was a bit iffy about it so I'm really pleased. Also, I'm sorry this chapter is a day late. I worked every day last week and I barely had time to breath so I took a day off to go hang with my friend and I'm glad I did. It lead to me deciding to not put this chapter off and doing it now. I'm quite happy with it so I hope you are too. What final made me choose it was when a French reader told me they wanted something light as their country was sick of sadness. How could I say no after recent events? 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 Asked To Move In

It took a serious of almost spontaneous and out of the blue questions for Anthea to finally make up her mind. Well, they may have appeared spontaneous but the subject was always in the back of her mind, always on the backburner, always present. It's no wonder that a question or two should occasionally make their way to the front.

The first question came only a few days after Mycroft's cataract operation. Anthea had yet to go home after picking Mycroft up from the hospital. She had promised to stay the night and ended up staying multiple nights. The idea of leaving him alone broke her heart. And she knew him, she knew he'd never ask for help if he needed it, so she might as well force the help onto him. It was her duty as his personal assistant, his only admitted friend, and as his girlfriend.

They were lying in bed just talking about everything and nothing. Talking about weird subjects, talking about childhood stories, and talking about the ever present problem of Sherlock. Anthea, at the same time was playing on her phone. It vibrated in her hand signalling a text message. Anthea laughed at Mycroft's little comment about locking Sherlock up for his own safety and checked the message. It was from Jamie. Of course. Who else would it be from?

Hey Ali! Just checking in to see how Einstein is doing. – Jamie xxx.

"Oh." Anthea chirped. "Jamie wants to know how you're doing." Anthea looked to her side, smiling at Mycroft. The genius in question's face twitched into a quick scowl but it disappeared as quickly as it appeared.

"Why does she care? And why does she know?" He answered in that pompous holier-than-thou tone of his. Anthea rolled her eyes and sniffed a quiet laugh.

"Because of me and James, maybe?" She answered both questions with a single answer.

"Please." Mycroft scoffed. "James is just as self-centred as any other goldfish." Anthea looked over again, studying Mycroft's profile as an inkling of sadness washed over her. His trust in James had yet to been restored. Mycroft's trust was precious, hard earned, and meant everything. It was so fragile, too. But James had been trusted long before Anthea even turned up. It was a shame to sense this darkness present when Mycroft spoke of the agent now. Yet he still defended him to those who mattered. Anthea took a breath and turned back to her phone.

He's good. Trying to be tough and independent but that's why I'm here. – A x.

Anthea changed the subject so she and Mycroft returned to talking about everything and nothing. The little darkness washed away and the light comfortable feeling returned.

Anthea's phone vibrated again.

Aw, that's good. James wants to visit but he's all scared :(. I told him he's not going to be murdered for trying to be a good friend but he won't listen. – Jamie x.

Anthea's face broke into a wry smile.

Tell him to make an excuse to come into the office next week. Myc will see through it but it's a safe place for both of them. Idiots. – A x.

No. Mine is an idiot, yours is socially inept :P. – Jamie x.

Anthea laughed under her breath. This is what made Jamie so special to her. They were yin and yang, darkness and light, and they kept each other sane. Anthea often wondered where she'd be now if she didn't have her boarding school and Jamie as her roommate there after her parents died. Not here, definitely. Not so successful and so content.

Jamie…

Anthea licked her bottom lip and bit it as she turned to look at Mycroft again. A question played on the edge of her lips, threatening to be asked… It was a deal breaker, really. It was just that important. Anthea took a breath and tucked messy curl behind her ear.

"You know," She looked down to the small space between them in the bed. "Wherever I live, Jamie has got to have free reign to come and go as she pleases." Anthea looked up and met steel eyes. She raised her eyebrows. "It's just what we do." Mycroft clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes to the roof.

"I suppose." He was dramatically exasperated, of course. "It's only fair when I allow Sherlock in and out." Anthea tilted her head, resting the side of forehead against the headboard.

"And with Jamie comes James."

A beat.

"Naturally."

Anthea scooted closer the Mycroft, closing the gap between them. She rested her head on his shoulder.

The next question came in mind when she finally had to go home for clothes and housekeeping once more. She sat on her couch opening her mail. All of it was bills, except a postcard from Robbie. He hadn't gone anywhere, he was just shocking at staying in touch so he sometimes sent postcards to all his friends in different towns and cities. Anthea placed all the open mail down on her coffee table and leaned back on her couch.

Anthea looked around her flat from her space on her couch. She really liked this place. She wasn't as attached to it as she was to her old flat in the not-so-good neighbourhood but she really did like this place. She loved how she separated the large space with a bookcase full of her favourites. She loved the small kitchen, she loved her bedroom. And so much had happened here. She'd had good memories with Tim on this couch, she even had a few bad ones with him. Jamie had lived here with Anthea for a while, Robbie had stayed a night or two when his trips had been delayed and he needed a place to crash. James had helped Anthea move in here and it was the first time Jamie had commented on how cute he was. Mycroft had cooked in this kitchen, and he'd fallen asleep on this couch watching this television.

Not to mention this was the only place Anthea could ever afford to own. This was her flat. She had bought it outright. She didn't rent it, she didn't have a mortgage on it, and it was completely hers. It was her safe place. If all else failed, Anthea owned her old car, and her big flat. It was nice, homely, friendly, and hers. This was her home through her breakups with Tim and even Mycroft.

The next morning the town car pulled up to pick her up for work. Anthea happily jumped into the car, saying a cheery hello to Walter and smiling warmly at Mycroft. He'd need her help at work, it was still too early for him to get glasses but he really needed to get back to work. The car started up and Anthea went straight to checking her emails.

But after a minute she stopped. She looked over to Mycroft. He caught her eyes on him and glanced over, frowning. He was silently asking what she wanted.

"I'd never sell my flat." Anthea let him know what she was thinking. "I own it, and it's mine."

"Of course, not." Mycroft nodded in agreement. "Should something happen your flat is yours." He turned to look out the window on his side, watching cars go by with his bored expression. "Rent it out and use the extra income to assist with household bills." He lazily shrugged a shoulder. "Not that I need it but I know that you like to feel as if you're contributing." Anthea nodded a few times to herself and turned back to her emails. She opened one.

"Oh, sir. James wants to stop by to discuss something with you tomorrow."

The next question came while they were waiting at the hospital for a check-up appointment. Anthea was reading Wuthering Heights yet again and Mycroft was trying to zone out all the people. Every time someone coughed he visibly flinched. The weird genius would probably have a shower as soon as he got home. Without looking up from her page Anthea leaned in closer to Mycroft.

"I'd liked to have some photos up." She spoke in a hushed tone as she kept reading. She felt steel eyes scrutinizing her face. Silence lingered for a good minute.

"No." Mycroft answered firmly and flatly in an equally quiet voice. Anthea looked up from her page at the people across from them to see if they'd alerted anyone. It was an elderly woman and what looked to be her middle-aged daughter. The daughter must have brought her. How sweet.

"I have photos of friends and family up that I'd like to keep up." Anthea continued, sparing one last look at the mother and daughter before reading again. "Remember how much time I spent making that photo board of all the people important to me?" Mycroft pulled out his pocket watched and checked the time.

"I can't have photos in the main living spaces. It's too dangerous." Anthea pushed her lips together. She turned a page.

"What about other rooms?" She asked quietly. Mycroft glanced over to the nurse's station.

"Bedroom, study, and one photo of your parents in the lounge room." He sighed heavily. Anthea turned another page.

"And my photo board?" She asked.

"In your bedroom." He answered.

"Our bedroom?"

"No." He drew out the word longer than normal. "Your cream and white room downstairs." The one with the sunflowers. The one with all her clothes. The one with the china doll. Anthea pursed her lips to keep from smiling.

"I guess that's a fair compromise." She nodded. Mycroft made that noise somewhere between laughing and scoffing.

"It's more than fair." He answered.

"No." Anthea hummed. "It's just fair."

"It's not all about me, you know?"

This set came completely out of the blue as far as Mycroft was concerned. They were the last to leave a particularly boring meeting. Mycroft had been lost in his brain trying to get through it, while Anthea's mind had wandered. She had realised in that room with men talking at Mycroft and the genius looking somewhere between miserable and fuming that she was listing these questions and rules all about her. She realised that she was talking as if she was going to take over the Ice Man's home. As if she was the only one that mattered. She'd forgotten that the Holmes brothers only had a limited amount of places that they felt comfortable. Mycroft was offering up one of those places for her and she was talking as if she might take away one of his safe places. The last thing she wanted was to make Mycroft feel uncomfortable.

"Hmm?" The genius cocked his head as they walked. He was still in thought and seemed to feel as if he had missed something.

"Hypothetically," Anthea used what she considered to be one of Mycroft's favourite words regarding their relationship. "If I moved in it's still your house." She clasped her hands together. Mycroft frowned as his eyes hovered just above the floor. It seemed that Anthea wasn't doing a good job of explaining herself. "I'm not kicking you out of your own place." Mycroft's mouth pulled into a small smile.

"Obviously." He answered sarcastically as they reached the stairs. Anthea huffed in annoyance at herself. She waited until they were up the stairs to try again.

"Like, maybe you can put the Diogenes Club sign on the study, or a spare bedroom, or the bedroom and I'll know to leave you alone." She tucked her hair behind her. Mycroft was listening to her carefully. "And if you ever feel like being alone to play your piano you could just tell me, and I can go out for a few hours." She stopped talking as they walked past someone who really didn't need to know about this and offered them a sweet smile. Once they were out of earshot she continued. "And I don't care if you just feel like not talking, and I'm not a very good cook but I'm very good at cleaning so you can cook and I can clean up after you."

"Anthea." Mycroft cut her off, amusement shining in his tone. He stopped and forced her to face him. "It's a big house. There's plenty of room for two people." Anthea scrunched up her face.

"This isn't work, sir." She looked deep into his eyes. "We're not going to fall as easily into a routine as we do at work." Mycroft was looking at Anthea with a dangerous smile and light in his eyes. It was as if she was saying something funny to him. A small movement of his face to the side, so faint, and he looked almost gentle. Almost.

"God forbid we have to make more compromises." Mycroft answered sarcastically. Anthea, trying not to smile, shook her head.

"Don't talk to me like that, sir. You're the one who freaked out after an argument about bread." Mycroft pouted and shrugged.

"Everyone makes mistakes, Miss James." He hummed. "Even those who are almost above them."

The last question, or rather the last set of questions, came on lunch break one day. They were at that café, as Anthea called it in her head these days. That café where Mycroft tried to convince Anthea that it would be best for both of them if she found someone else to sleep with. Anthea found a rather fanciful way to show Mycroft that neither she nor he would be happy with that idea. It was also the café that one of Anthea's idiot exes confronted her at and Mycroft tore him to pieces in such an elegant way. She knew where they were sitting for both of those occasions and neither of them took place at this particular table.

Mycroft had just hung up the phone – forever busy. He had complained that his tea had gone cold and was considering ordering another one. Anthea's coffee was still good, but hers was half drunk already and Mycroft's tea had barely been touched. She'd told Mycroft to order another one and also get those cookies he'd been eyeing. He'd mumbled something about being good and Anthea answered with something about deserving it. Needless to say Mycroft brushed Anthea's kind words off. Sometimes he just doesn't hear good things.

"I might get another cup of tea." Mycroft glanced over to the counter. "After all, it would make the walk over here entirely pointless." He looked back at Anthea and raised his eyebrows. "And we can't have that." Anthea sniffed and beamed into her half empty cup of coffee. It was mundane conversations like this Anthea really cherished. Moments when they could be anyone else but at the same time were so typically them. Who else would talk in that melodic tone and pull such expressions? And who else would put up with him with a wry smile and mischief in her eyes?

Resolute, Anthea shifted her position in her chair. She sat up straight, squared off her shoulders, crossed one leg over the other, and nodded.

"Okay. Yes." Her voice was light and bouncy. Mycroft's nose twitched.

"Yes, get another cup of tea?" His eyes narrowed. Anthea realised she hadn't shared her thoughts with him. She crinkled up her nose as she smiled, shaking her head with a silent laugh. "My dear, do you remember when you told me off for presuming you knew what I was talking about?" She told him off for it a few times, actually, and he never learned. He was lucky she understood him. Anthea looked at Mycroft with warm in her heart and on her face.

"Sorry. Yes. I'll move in with you."

A pause.

Mycroft blinked.

Steel eyes widened.

Brown brows creased.

And then the stony mask returned.

"Excuse me, Miss James." Mycroft sniffed. "You can't say yes." He pulled one of his dramatic expressions. "There is nothing to say yes to, I took the questions back. Or is the dementia setting in?" Anthea scoffed, leaning back in her chair.

"We both know you can't take that completely back, sir." She tried to sound as serious as possible.

"Well I did." He adjusted the angle of his cup. "So yes, I can."

"No you can't."

"Yes, I can."

"You don't control the world."

"Don't I?"

Dark orbs held onto silvery orbs.

Mycroft quirked his eyebrows.

Anthea crinkled her nose.

"Fine." Anthea shrugged heavily. "Do you want me to ask?" She asked the first question. Mycroft pursed his lips and looked past Anthea.

"I don't want you to do anything." He sounded bored and tired. That meant yes. She shrugged again, less heavy this time.

"Can I move in with you?" She asked the second question. Something pulled on her heart as she said the words, even in a mocking tone. Mycroft's eyes met her once more.

"You can't do that." He scowled. "You're asking to move into my house?" The genius placed his elegant hand against his chest where his heart should be. "How dare you be so presumptuous and rude?" Anthea didn't know whether to feel exhausted or amused. She knew enough about Mycroft to sense his dangerous sarcasm a mile away. This wasn't the poisonous kind, this was the kind that caused an itch and nothing more. "It's mine, after all, and your flat is yours." Anthea exhaled. One more attempt. She took the dramatic route; leaning in across the table and placing her hand on top of Mycroft's.

"Mycroft Holmes," She spoke in a purposely breathy voice. "Would you like to live with me?" She asked the third question. Mycroft's mouth pulled into a line. He moved his head from side to side, mockingly weighing his options. With a click of his tongue he pulled his hand away, freeing it from Anthea's grasp.

"Oh, alright." He sighed. "Only since you're so desperate to." Anthea let out a single choked laugh as Mycroft uncrossed his legs and picked up his cool glass of tea. "Although I must insist we live in my house. It's far bigger than hat flat of yours." He stood up, ready to take the tea to the counter and ask for another. Anthea looked up at the tall genius in disbelief. Him and his games. He was mad, he was insane.

"You're unbelievable." Anthea breathed. Mycroft's lips pulled into a small smile.

"I know." He picked up Anthea's hand and kissed her fingers just below the knuckles. "And you have to live with me. How trying for you."

Anthea couldn't take her eyes off Mycroft as he walked away towards the counter.

Author's Note: So? What do you think? I like the chapters where I step out of my usual writing voice and do something a little differently. I had a lot of fun with this and I really hope you all like it. Please let me know. Thanks to our guest reviewers; Sophie, Hazel, I FORGOT MY NAME, B, Tadaa, Louise Pond, Wheezzy8, and ovejalucifer. I appreciate every single review I get, it means so much to me. See you in five days.

Feel free to let me know what chapter you'd like to see a Myc POV of but please don't let that be your only comment in your review. I'd like to read your opinions on this chapter first.