Author's Note: Oh man, thank you so very much for the awesome reviews last chapter! They made me so happy. I loved each and every reaction that came in. This chapter is a few hours early because I need to wake up around 6am tomorrow for work so posting this at the usual 10pm to 12am timeslot won't work. I am really happy with how this chapter turned out. I got everything I wanted in there and to a decent standard, I think. Of course what matters here is what you guys think. 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 They Met Margot

"Congratulations, it's a girl." The doctor said through the crying.

Anthea gasped.

"A girl!" She said in a single laugh, smiling like an idiot. A precious little girl! Her little one she had been talking to and cohabiting with for so long was a little girl. A mini-me with just a hint of Mycroft. She had a name, too. It was Margot. Anthea's daughter's name was Margot.

They wiped Margot off quickly, nothing extensive just to make her more comfortable, and offered her to Mycroft. Mycroft immediately took a step back and shook his head rapidly. So they placed the small baby on Anthea's chest where she might hear her mother's heart and feel at home. Anthea gasped again seeing the tiny being she created lying on her chest.

"Hi, little one!" Anthea cooed in a high voice. She took Margot's little hand in her fingers. "You're so tiny, aren't you?" She smiled at her daughter. Margot had the smallest nose and the most beautiful lips. Even so fresh Anthea thought that pout looked like Mycroft's pout. "You should have stayed inside where it was safe for longer, you know? But you wanted to compete with all the over the top people out here, didn't you?" She laughed at the baby. Her feet and hands were so small and she was so light. She was Anthea's little angel. "That's okay, because I'm happy to meet you early, I'm your Mummy." Wow. Anthea was someone's mother and it hurt. She loved her more than she thought it was capable to love another person. And she even loved Mycroft more for helping her create her. "And you, you're Margot. Silent 't', it's French. Your Grand-mummy will probably insist you learnt that language soon so you'll know all about silent letters." Anthea crinkled her nose as she joked with – or at – her daughter. She barely knew what was going around in the room around her. Where was Mycroft?

Anthea looked over her shoulder. Mycroft was by her side again, having returned that step or two. He was looking down at the baby on Anthea's chest scrutinizing her like an English professor marking an essay. Except add a little fear into the mix. God, Anthea really did love him. Even as he stood there being so strange she loved him dearly. How could she not? He helped make this beautiful creature, even if it was an accident. Anthea nodded to tiny Margot.

"You don't want to hold her." She asked. Mycroft tensed. He shook his head again and then cleared his throat.

"No." He said in an unsure sounding voice. Anthea smiled sadly, accepting this. She touched Margot's nose with her finger, then toucher her little hand. Mycroft had the curtsey to make up an excuse for why he didn't want to hold the baby. "Skin to skin with the mother is ah, important initially, and…" He trailed off, his eyes watching something carefully. Anthea looked. Margot was opening and closing her hand around Anthea's finger. "Palmar reflex…" He muttered as if still talking to Anthea. She had no idea what that was. She didn't care either, she was back to looking at her precious new gift. Okay, maybe you do forget the pain a little. Maybe the kid was worth it.

"Are you saying it's nice to meet me, too?" Anthea asked the baby. "You're very polite. I hope you stay that way." She teased. This kid better have a good sense of humour or she was in a world of hurt as she grew up.

Sometime after the rest of the labour process was complete a nurse or midwife came to collect the baby off of Anthea's chest. Anthea's heart ached as they lifted up the baby and took her away.

"Excuse me." Mycroft barked, walking around from Anthea's side to the front of the bed in the direction the woman was heading. "Where are you taking my daughter?" He hissed. It was like he was barking orders at an agent who'd made a critical mistake. It was like that time Anthea washed that USB. The poor young girl looked like she shrunk a few sentences. From the other side of the room, removing the gloves, the doctor answered for the girl.

"She needs to be cleaned, Mr. Holmes." The doctor spoke calmly as if she'd seen this all before. "Then she needs to be placed in an incubator. I trust you know what that is." Mycroft scowled at the well-respected woman.

"Of course I know what that is." He barked. "I don't see why this has to be immediate." The doctor was completely calm and maybe even compassionate as she folded her hands together.

"Because she struggled to start breathing, Mr. Holmes." The doctor said. "The sooner she is prepared the sooner we can monitor her vitals. There are other issues that come along with preterm babies that we need to watch for and we can't do that yet. I understand that cuts into bonding time with the mother but we want there to be plenty of bonding time in the future." Mycroft's scowl gradually melted away leaving only a dissatisfied downturned mouth. The doctor turned to Anthea. "While you're in here would you like incubator in your room?"

"Of course." Anthea answered immediately without thinking.

"The light can be distracting to some." The doctor added. It might bother Mycroft then but Anthea didn't care.

"No, bring her back." Anthea replied. The doctor nodded with a gentle smile. She was practiced at all this.

But while Anthea was in hospital? That meant Margot would be here longer than Anthea. The thought made Anthea's heart ache even more. She was early because she had to be like everyone else in the family and announce herself on her own terms but that meant she needed artificial help. Logically Anthea knew it made sense and was the best for her but she wanted to take her little girl home.

"It won't be long." Mycroft said. It was like he read her mind. His back was to Anthea as he spoke so he didn't even read her face. He turned around and, looking at the floor, began to walk back to Anthea's side. "If she demonstrates she's healthy and there is no eating problems then it will be a week maximum. There will be no extra time if she's incredibly lucky." Anthea got the sense that he wasn't even talking to her. As she looked in his steely eyes they didn't even seem present in reality.

"Mycroft." Anthea called gently. The genius' gaze shot up and he finally really looked at her, waiting for what she had to say. "You okay?" She asked seriously. Mycroft sniffed a silent laugh. He picked up Anthea's hand and brought it up to his lips to place a soft kiss on her knuckles.

"Don't worry about me, dear." He said. "You're not on the clock, you can't be fired for being selfish when you have the right to be selfish."

"You're right. What was I thinking?" Anthea teased. Mycroft smirked. His thump stroked her fingers.

Sherlock, James, and Jamie impishly entered the room. Sherlock and Jamie looked around the room. Jamie looked disappointed. Sherlock did too, but he folded his arms across his chest and stood up straight.

"I told you the baby wouldn't be in here anymore." He said with a stuck up nose to Jamie. She turned to James and rolled her eyes.

"Hello to you guys, too." Anthea teased, her face a mixture of tiredness and amusement.

"Hey!" Jamie beamed cheerily. James waved silently but with an excited aura. Mycroft, sitting in the chair besides Anthea's bed, quirked an eyebrow and dressed down the visitors with a look.

"How very rude of you all," He hummed, folding one leg over the other and placing his hands on his knee. "Entering without permission when Alice is exhausted and not even greeting her first." Did he expect any different? Anthea hadn't. Maybe from James who was trained in professional behaviour but not from Jamie and Sherlock. Everyone was just excited too. Was Mycroft on edge? Not that anyone cared. James pulled a bit of a face and Sherlock rolled his eyes.

"Her name is Ali." He corrected his brother. As for Jamie…

"Speaking of!" She walked forward on tiptoes in excitement, eyebrows raised. She was asking a silent question. Anthea shook her head at her friend being such a child.

"It's a girl." Anthea gave her what she wanted. "You guys have a niece." Sherlock's face looked like he'd just bee hit in the face with a soccer ball. Like it suddenly became extremely real to him hard and fast. Jamie squealed and it hurt Anthea's ears more than Margot's initial cry had. James' mouth just slowly pulled into a goofy grin. He looked like he had a private joke with himself.

"Yes! Perfect!" Jamie yelled. She leapt forward and hugged Anthea. The brunette laughed sleepily and patted her friend's back. "A perfect buddy for Hope!" She said as she stood back up.

"And for Rosie." Sherlock added quickly. "Not that gender matters but if you're including your daughter than my other niece should be mentioned too." He shoved his hands into the pockets of his coat. Mycroft was silently watching his brother. James pushed his hand through his hair, starting from the back and coming forward.

"It's totally my fault it's a girl." He said with a laugh, sharing his joke. Jamie rolled her eyes at Mycroft with a smile on her face, as if she knew what he was getting at and expected Mycroft to know too. Anthea frowned at him. "I mean, my sisters, Carol, you and Jamie, Hope, and Margot. I am just cursed to be surrounded by awesome women." He said. Ah yes, Anthea had heard about this curse before. Sherlock's face scrunched up and he turned sharply at James.

"That doesn't even make sense!" He scowled at the big blond man. "Even if there were such thing as curses, which there isn't, why would your curse affect my family? That's completely illogical."

"Calm down there, Sherly, I was just joking." James pulled a face at the genius. Suddenly he was tough agent James again.

"If you're going to joke at least be obvious about it or have the decency in this kind of company to be clever."

"Sherlock." Mycroft finally spoke from his chair. Sherlock turned to him ready to speak in his defence and maybe insult Mycroft but one look and the words melted away on his tongue.

"Don't worry!" Jamie smiled over at Mycroft whose face was very serious. "I thought we'd give Ali some space and let Sherlock see the baby first. James and I are going to go relieve Liz of babysitting duty and we'll be back with Hope in like two hours or something. Okay?" Anthea was actually relieved to hear that. She was exhausted and at least needed a nap. Maybe Mycroft could take Sherlock off after he saw the baby and she could sleep for a little while with her baby in the room. Even Sherlock looked touched by Jamie's offer.

"Thanks, Jay." Anthea said. Jamie leaned over and kissed Anthea's forehead. Had she ever done that before?

"It's nothing." She said. James came over and gave Anthea a squeeze. They said goodbye to Mycroft and he offered to walk them out of the hospital.

Mycroft had returned to his seat after walking the two blondes out. Sherlock was sitting in the other chair across the room facing the bed. No one was talking, Anthea was too tired, Sherlock was focused on waiting, and Mycroft was in his head. That's where they were when the staff wheeled the incubator into the room. Sherlock sat up immediately. Anthea's face burst into a smile.

"Hi, Margot!" She whispered. The wheeled the incubator right up to Anthea's bed so she could put her hand inside and touch Margot's tiny little hand. "I almost forgot how small you are." Anthea cooed at her.

"She's not that bad." A nurse laughed. "She'll be big and strong in no time."

"I bet she will." Anthea said, looking at Margot and still talking in that high baby voice. She caught herself doing it and couldn't believe herself. Was this something mothers were just prone to do? Did her personality not make her resistant to this at all? Apparently not. Mycroft stood up and began examining the equipment. The staff let him which was nice of them. Finding no fault apparently his attention turned to them. He folded his arms behind his back and looked down his nose at them.

"Two days or three?" He asked. Anthea would have felt embarrassed had she not been used to this attitude from him. And in fact it was the most she'd seen out of him since they took Margot from the room in the first place.

"Well, her breathing has already improved-"

"I can see that." Mycroft cut the nurse off. Anthea smiled apologetically.

"But they'll want to watch it for a day or two. If she can eat then maybe only two." That would mean only one extra night than Anthea. That would be amazing. Anthea would love that. Mycroft didn't look relieved but he didn't look annoyed either.

"Make no mistake, I do not want her rushed out of here, she should be healthy. However, the sooner she can be with her mother the better." He said firmly.

"Most parents feel that way." The nurse smiled. Mycroft blinked and frowned. He slowly made his way back to his seat by Anthea's side and kept his eyes on the incubator.

As soon as the staff had left the room Sherlock jumped out of his seat. He walked over to the incubator and stood above it peering in. He was taking in every detail of his niece. He moved to stick his hand in the incubator but froze.

"May I?" He asked Anthea. She laughed silently and nodded. Sherlock put both his hands in. He took hold of both Margot's hands and encouraged her to take grip on his fingers. He pinched her little feet gently. He appeared to measure her arms and legs in comparison to his hand.

When he was done measuring her and experimenting, because that's what he was doing, he placed his hands on either side of the glass and continued to stare in at her.

"She is small," He said, quirking an eyebrow down at her. "But she is in good condition." If he hadn't been invested in Rosie then Anthea would have questioned how he knew all this. He was lucky he had a reason. The younger Holmes brother's mouth twitched into a smile. "She is very beautiful." He said with the dreaded sentiment seeping out through his tone.

"She looks like her mother." Mycroft said.

"Obviously." Sherlock rolled his eyes. Then he stopped and looked up at Mycroft. "No offence."

"None taken, brother mine."

"Are you kidding?" Anthea scoffed. She leaned over to point at parts of Margot's face. "I know she's new and it's hard to tell but how can you not see that is Mycroft's jaw? And those ears?" Anthea looked Sherlock in the eyes. "They're not my ears." Sherlock pursed his lips, smiled, and shrugged.

"Maybe she got the good bits." He said. Anthea would let it rest at that. It's a shame it was too early to see the true eye colour. "Margot…" Sherlock tested the name out. He put his hand in and touched Margot's hand again. Sherlock liked her. Anthea looked at Mycroft, hoping to give him an impressed and surprised look but the genius, face still serious, was looking between his brother and his daughter.

His daughter. He had said that before, didn't he? He was already acting strange but he did say that.

Sherlock left only moments after that. He excused himself with wanting to call their parents so Mycroft didn't have to and that he promised John he'd come home and bring him later or tomorrow so there was no point sticking around. It was obviously just an excuse to let Anthea rest.

Mycroft walked Sherlock out of the hospital too and was gone for half an hour before he returned. That's what he said, Anthea fell asleep within fifteen minutes of him being gone. He could have been gone for the two whole hours before he woke her up to say that James and Jamie had returned.

This time Jamie actually said hi to Anthea in a soft voice before going straight for the baby. James had the pram with Hope in it. Jamie gasped and went right over to the incubator.

"Look at you! Aren't you just amazing?" She cooed brightly at the sleeping Margot. James put the pram safely by a wall and came over. He laughed with joy.

"Man, I never thought I would love babies," He said, looking at Anthea. "But thanks to our girls, I think I love babies." He said.

"Me too." Anthea nodded at him. "It's weird, right? Babies never had a power over me until they were my friend's babies."

"We're not supposed to be taken down by a stupid baby face!" James shrugged at Anthea. Jamie was ignoring them, focused on Margot. "All the FBI has to do is offer me a cute baby and I might finally take their job offer." Anthea laughed. Mycroft did not.

"You do that and I'll send Carol to kill you. Or maybe I'd do it myself." Mycroft growled from his seat. Surprised that he was even listening, Anthea laughed.

"You're out of practice, I'd like to see you try." James said pompously. Mycroft simply quirked an eyebrow and James held up his hands in surrender. Some silent conversation having taken place. Jamie looked up from the incubator.

"Can I hold her?" Jamie asked in a whisper. "Or is it like a soufflé and opening the oven door will ruin the cooking process?" Mycroft frowned, Anthea barked a single laugh in surprise.

"I think its fine. Ask someone." The new mother said to her best friend. James walked out into the hall. He returned with someone to help with the incubator – or over – and handed Margot to Jamie. Jamie really was super mum, she knew exactly how to hold Margot and when the little one began sniffing and crying Jamie instinctively began bouncing her and rocking her.

"Hey precious." She sung. "I'm your Auntie Jamie and that goof ball looking over my shoulder is your Uncle James." James waved with his index finger. "I am going to be your favourite person in the whole world." She stopped bouncing to consider something. "Actually, I hope your cousin Hope will be… and I know your Uncle Sherlock will be stiff competition but like he's got scary work to do, I'll always be around and I'm probably the only person who can cook for you." Anthea laughed. She looked at Mycroft. This time he at least reacted, rolling his eyes. Jamie leaned in and smelled Margot's hair before kissing her head. "I hope you've got all the best of both your parents without the sass and annoying stuff." She smiled. "Maybe just a little sass but keep it in line, yeah?" She offered the baby over to James. He eagerly agreed. They swapped over flawlessly thanks to practice and Jamie stroked Margot's head as she sat in James' arms. The baby made a few noises again.

"She's so light!" James remarked to the entire room. "This is weird." Jamie giggled at him.

James sat down in the seat on the other side of the room so he could free one arm to touch Margot's hands, feet, and even tap her nose. He was perfectly content busying himself with her and Jamie and Anthea were perfectly content to watch him. Jamie sat on the edge of Anthea's bed again.

"Life is going to be hard now, Ali." Jamie said as they watched James.

"I know." Anthea agreed.

"But it's going to be totally worth it." Jamie added.

"I know." Anthea repeated.

"And you know if you ever get busy and need help your daughter is always welcome in my house." She said. Anthea took hold of Jamie's hand.

"I know." Anthea said once more. Jamie squeezed her hand.

"Man! She's so cute!" Jamie groaned, looking up at the roof.

"Sounds like you want another baby." Anthea teased, crinkling her nose. James' face shot up, a glimmer in his eyes.

"Whoa!" Jamie held her hands up. "No! Not yet! Can I wait until the first is walking and talking first?" James looked back down to Margot. Anthea laughed.

Mycroft was busy looking at his nails. James and Margot were out of view with Jamie sitting on the bed. Had that something to do with him now doing something else? There were plenty of possible reason for him not to be staring right now. Maybe he'd gotten over whatever it was and didn't care. Maybe he only got weird when he saw the baby. Maybe he just trusted James. Maybe he was trying not to listen to the conversation. Anthea was too tired to pinpoint it down.

Jamie and Anthea turned to light chatter about the delivery and how long Margot would stay in the hospital as James continued to play around. When Hope began to make a fuss Jamie picked her up to soothe her and then showed her the new baby. She stared at Margot with big wide brown eyes. The new sight was weird and wonderful to her.

Not wanting to stay too long for Anthea's sake, James offered the baby to Mycroft for a quick hold while Jamie found assistance. Mycroft shook his head.

"No." He said again. James immediately pulled back like a good agent listening to orders.

"Are you sure?" Anthea asked. Mycroft smiled a weird sombre and twisted smile before looking down. A single laugh escaped his mouth as he looked up.

"I'm sure." He said. "She should be in the incubator." But he had been so comfortable with James holding her. It was not entirely out of the ordinary for Mycroft to steer clear of physical contact but this was his brand new baby girl and even if he didn't want anything to do with her he had told Anthea he would help her for the first month. Anthea pushed herself up into a better sitting position.

"She can be out of it for a bit longer." Anthea offered. Mycroft's brows furrowed more than they already were, he clasped the edges of the arms of the chair. He shook his head. Anthea went to speak.

"A." It was James. She looked up at him and the tall man shook his head. Don't push it, he was saying. Leave Mycroft alone. Anthea sighed. She wouldn't force him to hold her, if anyone other than Anthea or Sherlock knew Mycroft it was James.

"Do you want to talk about it?" She asked. A pain flashed through Mycroft's eyes.

"Its not-" He stopped himself with an exhale. He blinked a few times. "There is nothing to talk about," He said. "It's not disgust or hatred if that's what you're fearing, Alice." He looked up at the tiny bundle in James' arms. "She's beautiful." Anthea's heart burst with pride. She knew Margot was beautiful, she knew everyone else thought so, but Mycroft said it. There was just something so special about hearing Mycroft say it. Even James chest looked puffed out with pride at that.

"Then-?" Anthea began to question Mycroft further when he held up a hand to silence her.

"I can't." He said Anthea looked up at James. He smiled but shook his head. Don't push Mycroft. He can't always talk about things in terms that others outside of his mum, brother, and sister can understand. That's why he was gone speaking to Sherlock for so long. When he's processed it and can talk about it in English then he'll talk about it.

He called her beautiful, though.

He called her his daughter.

It couldn't be that bad.

Maybe he even Margot as much as Anthea loved Margot. Although, Anthea suspected it would be pretty hard for anyone to love Margot as much as she did.

Author's Note: So? Does it live up to the standards you had based on last chapter and maybe from your own imagination over the last few months? Man, I hope so. I've had this in my head for so long and I am just so glad to have it down in writing now and I am so excited to hear/read what everyone thinks. Next chapter will be the next day because that's when Violet and Siger will get there. I know you're all dying for that. Thanks to last chapter's guest reviewers; Guests x5, Pert067, and Guest 217. Thanks to everyone who reviews, you know how important you all are to me. I hope to see you all in five days.

Also slightly important: Thursday is the 3rd anniversary of the fic. Well Thursday or Friday. It was TECHNICALLY posted on the 26th of January because it was after midnight but I hadn't gone to bed yet so I consider it the 25th. Um… Wow. This wouldn't have gone on so long without the support from you guys. Thank you.