Author's Note: Hello everyone. Thanks for the wonderful feedback; Violet always goes down a treat. I have a week off to study and then my exams don't start until the following Friday so I should be able to update in time next update too. Also, I'm well aware we've past 3500 reviews and that's insane but so is my schedule. I'll do lots of thank you stuff after the university year :). As for this chapter… Well, it's the beginning of the Christmas saga really. 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 Jamie Gave The News

Anthea was not in the mood for Christmas this year. As a teenager she'd once yelled at Jamie for treating her like a charity case when Jamie offered her to come stay over Christmas break. She'd later apologised the best way a mood teenager could and had grown to be appreciative of the offers from Jamie and boyfriends as they came and went. This year however, everyone knowing she was newly single and all the Holmes and Watson drama that surrounded her, she felt like every offer was everyone wanting to help a lost soul or a good cause again. People came out of the woodwork to offer her hospice in the Christmas spirit. Funnily enough the only person who didn't offer was her Aunt and Uncle. Probably because she hadn't even thought to mention the break up to her Aunt and was just expecting the usual card to go to her flat's address.

The first offer was Tim. It was both surprising and expected.

To: Ali (personal)

From: Tim Burgess (personal)

Subject: Christmas…

Hey Ali,

Your personal email is still listed in my contacts as your fake name. I searched your two "real" last names until I remembered. But that's just an anecdote.

I was just wondering what your holiday plans were?

Tim.

Anthea rolled her eyes at the email. At least he was doing her the pleasure of not mentioning Mycroft.

Hi Tim,

Um… The usual, I guess. Watching movies and stuff. I'll probably offer to babysit Jamie's dog when she visits her family a few days after.

Family gathering for you?

A.

Ali,

Not this year. My brother is on a cruise right now so I have my nephew. The plan is to play videogames all day then maybe go over my parents for dinner.

If you want something to do during the day you can come over and join us. New games though, so you'll probably have no idea what you're doing.

Tim.

There it was. She'd have even turned it down when they were dating.

Tim,

No. I'd rather watch some movies or read.

Plus, what would your girlfriend say?

A.

Ali,

I don't care. I hate the idea of you sitting alone.

Tim.

And there it was. The big reason Tim could never be fully trusted. He didn't care what his girlfriend would think. It's not that she'd be fine with it, it was that he didn't care. It cause a deep rooted emotional response to rise from her stomach to her throat. She didn't answer that email.

The next one was Robbie and Anthea had been a little unfair to him. Maybe it was because all her defences were up, or maybe it was because it was so soon after Tim's offer that she was still reeling from it. She should have been nicer. Robbie, despite outward appearances, was a kind soul. When she was surrounded by killers, Robbie was just the guy who tore down a few street signs in his youth.

Hey there Alibear! So the gf and I are inviting a whole bunch of people to stay at ours for a big New Year's thing. Wanna come?

A simple text message that didn't have any hidden agenda. That's how Anthea should have read it. Sitting on her bed in Jamie's house with a cup of tea and brooding about both Mycroft and Tim, Anthea saw far too into it.

I don't need your pity, Robbie. I have a life of my own away from all of you. – A.

I've never pitied you Al, you know that.

It wasn't until the response came that Anthea's bile was pushed back down and she was hit with a wave of regret. No. He'd never viewed her once as the poor young girl with a lot of tragedy around her. She was just his cool friend. He said they were inviting a lot of people and unlike Tim, Robbie's girlfriend would love to sit with Anthea and make fun of Robbie together. Anthea had to clear her thoughts and come back to respond to the text message ten minutes later.

Sorry Robbie. Not my best time of the year any year. I can't stray too far away from London right now. Make it up to you guys later, okay? – A.

No problem sweet cheeks. Say hi to all the regulars for me.

Do the same for me – A.

After Robbie was a nice unassuming text from Molly.

Some friends from work are having a little Christmas Eve party this year. I'm going to go for a little bit so if I you want something to do we could go together.

Anthea smiled. One newly single girl reaching out to another newly single girl for company and protection from the dating populace. It was sweet.

Thanks! If I have no plans I might come. –A.

Text me on the day if you're coming.

The next offer came from Carol. It was unimposing, unemotional and so very dry, just like the Amazonian woman herself. Anthea had gone to the Agency offer to drop off a few schematics and weaponry blueprints acquired from the U.S. and to sign a few requests that needed approval. Anthea was in the middle of skim reading a document in Carol's office to make sure it met all of Mycroft's criteria when the agent spoke for the first time in ten minutes.

"You know if you need to escape from James over the break all you have to do is call?" Anthea, hunched over the desk, looked up to meet Carol's gaze. They were harsh and fierce, never out of work mode, but over the years Anthea had learnt to see through to the spark of kindness behind these people. Anthea's lips curled into a smirk as she turned back to the document.

"I know." She hummed as she turned a page. She had no intentions of going but she appreciated the offer. It would only be Carol's immediate family and Anthea had spent enough dinners with that small group to not feel intrusive so it was the best offer so far but Anthea wanted to pull a Mycroft and be by herself and out of the way.

A beat.

"Jamie can come too." The strong woman added. Anthea burst into laughter so suddenly she almost slipped while signing the document.

Then there was the offer she didn't expect.

Anthea lay in her bed in Jamie's house with familiar long arms wrapped around her waist and warm air hitting her neck. She held her eyes shut tight as she tried to trick her body into sleep. It would be easier tonight with him here. They had an important meeting in the morning so they both needed to be fresh and ready for anything. Unfortunately that meant they needed each other. The same rules were set by Anthea. Mycroft had to leave first thing in the morning and he couldn't stay no matter how many offers James and Jamie gave him. Maybe this wasn't healthy for them, or maybe it was. It was so full of emotion and history that it was hard to tell. It could very well be part of the healing process that Violet said they needed to do. Either way it wasn't as difficult this time. Instead of feeling like she needed to cry every time she felt at home Anthea just let herself enjoy the smells that were uniquely Mycroft. Mycroft certainly took less time to get into the bed and lacked some of the hesitation that had been present before.

Then he moved. Pulling his arm out from under her body, Mycroft propped himself up on it while leaving his other hand laying lazily on Anthea's hip as if it were his property.

"Mummy is making us have a family Christmas." He sighed, exasperated with the idea alone. "With the Watsons." Anthea could almost feel him rolling his eyes.

"Are we talking now?" Anthea mumbled tiredly. Mycroft shifted his weight so he was leaning further over Anthea to see her face.

"You're the one who chose not to talk." Was that amusement or annoyance in his tone? Both perhaps. Anthea sniffed a laugh. It was an unspoken rule of hers. She rolled over onto her back so she could look up at his face. His hand now sat high on her thigh.

"I think it's a good idea." A pause. She smirked. "The Christmas thing, not the no talking thing." Mycroft quirked an eyebrow playfully. "Your family needs that right now." Mycroft pursed his lips thoughtfully.

"Theoretically, you're right." He cocked his head to the side like a lazy shrug. "But last time we did this I almost died."

"Someone's dramatic."

"No." Mycroft raised his eyebrows, looking dead into Anthea's eyes. "Sherlock miscalculated a little experiment. I could have died." Anthea blinked, her eyes wide in shock. And then the shock faded and she could barely stifle a laugh. It came out sounding like she choked on a snort.

"Still…." She shrugged, smiling. She turned to her side once more, her back to Mycroft.

Silence.

"I would be less likely to die if you were to come." He'd said it so casually and so lazily that you'd think that the past events hadn't happened. Anthea scrunched up her nose.

"No thanks." She muttered a little bitterly.

"Why not?" Mycroft asked. "It's not as if you have plans with family of your own." Anthea felt a pang in a sensitive and damaged part of her heart.

"Mycroft." Anthea hissed.

"I didn't mean it as an insult. I meant it as an observation." It was his apology.

"I've had offers. I'm pulling a you this year and am going to sit in the dark brooding." Not quite her plan, but it sounded nice.

"You know you'd much rather listen to Mummy, and as much as you won't admit it you'd like a chance to reconcile with Mary." This was his version of asking again, of bargaining. Anthea closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She would like those things.

"Yeah…" She swallowed nothing. "But I think it's better if I don't." Mycroft's fingers twitched on her hip.

"And why is that?" She really should have turned to him to say what she was going to say next but she couldn't look into those blue eyes and say it. So she rolled her eyes to herself and mentally prepped herself.

"Myc…" She began. "I love you and I'd love that, but…" She hesitated but she had to keep going. "I'm not going to even think about something like that until I know you comprehend love." She stopped and waited for a response. When none came she continued. "I think you think you love me but to throw it away like that…" She had to stop herself from getting emotional. "You learnt quickly you couldn't throw your brother away and that's love. It's taken you a lot longer to realise you miss me."

"Alice-"

"Don't justify it right now, okay." She whispered, holding her eyes tight shut. "I just want to get some sleep."

"Well then…" Mycroft mumbled. "I retract every time I told you I love you, which I'm sure can be counted on one hand, and replace the statement with 'I think I love you'." He joked dryly. Anthea laughed quietly.

"Okay, no talking now."

"Yes, Miss James."

Mycroft laid back down. His arm slinked back under Anthea and soon she was engulfed in his smell once more.

Surprisingly Jamie was the last offer. Most likely because she presumed her offer didn't need to be proposed out loud. Anthea entered the kitchen by herself and smiled at the couple present in the space. James was sitting at the table with a bowl of cereal and Jamie was at the kettle. At first Jamie smiled back but her expression faltered into a confused blink as she looked around. She heaved a breath loudly, looking accusatorily at Anthea.

"Did you kick Mycroft out again?" She chided her. Anthea, smirking, shrugged. She took a seat adjacent from James at the table.

"I walked him to the door this time." She pointed it. It was certainly an improvement.

"Why didn't you just let him stay for half an hour and then go to work with him?" Jamie continued to chide Anthea like talking to a naughty teenager.

"It's one of the rules." Anthea stated. Jamie pulled an expression and opened her mouth to speak but James cut her off.

"Don't question it. The less you question them the easier it is." He smiled lazily at both the women. He took another scoop of his cereal and hummed, eyes brightening. While he worked on swallowing his mouthful he tapped Anthea lightly and continuously on the arm. "Speaking of not questioning why. You and Jamie have to go pick Poppy up on Christmas morning and bring her to my parents' house. I have to go pick Em up from the airport because apparently she's been in Mexico for like two weeks and didn't tell us." Anthea looked at James blankly.

"Jamie and I?" She asked. "Why me? I'm not going."

"You're not coming?" Jamie whipped around at the speed of light. Her face looked something between hurt and angry. "Why not?"

"Why would I go to James' house for Christmas?" Anthea looked between the couple. Jamie scoffed, placing a hand on her hip.

"Because you've been mooching off my holidays for years."

"Yeah, your family Jay. Not James' family." Anthea cocked her head to the side. "They have enough estrogen in that place in one time. Why would they want me there?"

"Because you're Jamie's family." James spoke through a mouth full of cereal. "And because I love you." Anthea's icy feelings towards the holiday's melted from James and Jamie's warmth. She leaned back in her chair and looked between the couple.

"That's really nice of you, cupcake." Anthea sighed. "But I'll pass. I don't want to get in the way." James and Jamie shared a look. James looked alerted, Jamie looked a little panicked.

"But you have to be there." Jamie insisted, stepping away from the counter and closer to the table so she could place her manicured hands on top of one of the chairs.

"Jay," Anthea smirked. "You'll like not having me around for once."

"No, but this is special." Jamie persisted. Anthea's brow furrowed.

"Why?" She questioned. James and Jamie looked at each other again. Jamie raised her eyebrows at her husband who, in response smirked and nodded.

"You have to be there," Jamie turned to Anthea with a big grin now on her pretty face. "Because I wanted all the aunts there when I tell them, and Auntie Ali is the most important one." It was one of those moments when time seemed to both freeze and be fleeting. Anthea blinked at Jamie. She turned to look at James who was just grinning like a big mindless puppy. She looked back at Jamie again and struggled to find any words.

"You mean?" She spat out a segmented sentence. Jamie began nodding but Anthea's brain wasn't registering it as she tried to finish the sentence. "You're pregnant?" Jamie kept nodding. Anthea brought her hands to her face and pushed all hair away from her face. "Like you're going to be a mum?"

"Yeah!" Jamie giggled excitingly. She tried to grimace despite her big smile. "How weird is that?" Anthea jumped out of her chair and pulled her best friend into a hug.

"It's so weird!" She answered breathlessly as she and Jamie squeezed each other.

"So you have to come to Christmas." Jamie spoke into Anthea's collarbone.

"Yeah, obviously."

"Hey, can I get in on that hug?" Both the girls broke into laughter at James' quiet and awkwardness. Anthea gestured for James to come over.

"Jamie's pregnant." Anthea mentioned to Mycroft as she sat next to him in the town car. His eyes were focused on his umbrella as he twisted it into the floor of the car and scowled.

"I know." He muttered with distaste. "And it's your fault for introducing them." Anthea smirked into her phone.

"How dare I create a successful family unit?"

"It's despicable."

Later that evening James showed Anthea a text exchange he had with Mycroft.

Anthea confirmed some information for me today. You possess many of the traits needed to be a good father, James. I don't foresee any difficulties arising that you can't handle. I suppose what the average person would say is 'congratulations'. What I am saying is that if you insist on procreating at least you're predisposed to create a successful and well balanced person. – M.H.

Thank you, sir. I really mean it. – J.

Of course one can only hope that the child inherits the good genetics from both of you. The last thing Earth needs is a goldfish with your blind faith and your wife's annoying tenacity. That is a cult leader waiting to happen. – M.H.

Wow, Holmes. Thanks? – J.

Just ask my family. There is addiction on both sides which has led to a lot of problems for Sherlock. I inherited my mother's need to have her opinion heard and my father's tendency to hypothesis all possible scenarios. – M.H.

Hahahahaha. Was that an apology? – J.

Never send me a text or email like that again. – M.H.

Anthea asked James to send her a screenshot.

Author's Note: Man! So many characters made an appearance this chapter. It was fun to do lots of little short segments. What did you guys think? I think a lot about this chapter but I don't want to affect your own opinions with mine so I'll just eagerly wait for your reviews. Thanks to our guest reviewers; Christie, Guests x2, PinkFriday28, LittleSchoolgirl, Louise Pond, and Francesca Abott. Thanks to all my reviews, I look forward to your views on this chapter. See you in five days!