Author's Note: Yo! Hows it going? Thanks for the kind reviews last chapter. It meant a lot. Just a little chapter today but it didn't want to be longer than this. I think it's good and I hope you like it. Let me know. Please read, review, and enjoy! Oh! And we passed Margot's birthday between posting last chapter and this one… that's kind of fun.

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 Margot Laughed

James was not in a good mood. Anthea guessed that he hadn't been in a good mood since he discovered the suspect for the leaked information. At least James in a bad mood looked more like a mopey puppy dog than anything else.

Carol and James had come over for a meeting with Mycroft. It wasn't about the leak – if it was Anthea would be involved. It was a business as usual meeting. It was supposed to be taking place at the government office but after a text conversation with Anthea he had decided to come home early. She'd told him not to but… Mycroft is Mycroft.

How is Margot? - M.H.

The text had read.

Aren't you in a meeting? - A.

Anthea knew very well that he was indeed in a meeting. Even at home she found herself memorising his calendar out of sheer habit.

Yes. Answer the question. - M.H.

She hadn't even rolled her eyes. This was too typical Mycroft to even be bored by it by now.

A little fussy. I wanted to do some work but she wanted me. She won. Seriously though, you're in an important meeting. - A.

It's quite trivial. Why is she fussy? - M.H.

This warranted a small frown. He was ignoring her pushing him to pay attention.

I checked your schedule. It's an important meeting. - A.

Why is she fussy? - M.H.

Okay. So he was having one of those days where he just wanted to be home. Those were happening a lot. Anthea was just going to have to give in and let him ask questions about home.

I don't know. She gets fussy in the afternoon. Maybe she misses you. - A.

I'll come home after the meeting. - M.H.

Okay. One more attempt to argue. Just one. If he insisted then she'd give up.

Mycroft, you were supposed to meet with James and Carol later. - A.

They can come to us. You can make tea. - M.H.

Yes, sir. - A.

Of course this set him a little back in work as he spent time absorbing Anthea and Margot's presence before working in his home office. This also meant he made Carol and James wait for a while before he'd see them. Therefore Anthea was left to entertain them in the main living area and James moped some more.

Margot was laying on a blanket surrounded by toys (Anthea had been doing something all the websites referred to as 'tummy time' before they got there). James too, was laying on his stomach on the floor. His chin rested on the back of one hand while the other held Patches and made him dance. Carol and Anthea preferred to sit cross legged.

"Ignore it. I do." Carol said to Anthea. Anthea smirked at her. James purposely ignored Carol in return and touched Margot's nose with Patches' nose. The baby girl made a noise and lowered her head. James smiled.

"If this is because Myc had a go at you-" Anthea began with a sigh. She was cut off by James.

"I'm fine, A." He said.

"You should be used to that." She finished, unperturbed by the interruption.

"I said I'm fine, A." He sat up quickly. Carol gave Anthea a look as if saying told-you-so. Anthea snickered, her nose crinkling as she did. James huffed.

Ignoring the women James took Margot and moved her onto her back so she could see him and he could keep playing with her from this perspective. It ruined the point of the activity but Anthea didn't really care.

"Seriously, James." She said, tucking a curl behind her ear. "What did you think was going to happen? You get all emotional about an agent you barely knew when it's Mycroft's family." James' face remained still. He started grabbing Margot's toes one by one.

"Rudy was a big deal." Carol said to Anthea seriously, suddenly giving James some slack. Anthea pursed her lips and tilted her head to the side.

"Your uncle 'big'?" Anthea questioned sarcastically. "Your only friend's father 'big'?" Carol and James said nothing. "Exactly." James tickled Margot's foot and she frowned. James laughed quietly. Carol and Anthea smiled.

"Hope's not ticklish." He said quietly. "She doesn't care when I do that." Anthea looked over the big blond agent and felt her heart go out to him.

"All I'm saying James is I get that this is a big deal for you guys and your reputation but it is to the Holmes' and the Vernets too." Anthea said as she looked at Margot enamoured with James. Anthea might not care as much because it wasn't her family but its her daughter's family and her partner's family. "You know how Mycroft gets with family. Let him relax and if you still need support once he's okay you know he'll give it to you without you asking."

A pause.

James sighed.

He tickled Margot's foot again. She made a sound of protest and he smiled again.

"Yeah, I know." He said. Carol rolled her eyes.

"So you listen to it when she says it." The agent woman scoffed. Anthea licked her lips to stop from smirking.

"You say it meanly. She says it sassily." James explained. "There's a difference." Carol and Anthea looked at each other.

"How?" Carol asked. Anthea shrugged.

"Margot knows." James said. He pulled a face at her and the little baby smiled from ear to ear.

"Margot knows everything." Anthea agreed smugly. The others in the room could probably feel the love for her daughter radiating off of her. James snorted and smiled at Anthea. It was nice to see. Carol just let the absurd conversation lie. No point arguing with a new mother and… well… James.

Mycroft came into the room looking as suave and calm as the ice man ever did. In his tan three piece suit with his hands in his trouser pockets, Mycroft wore a face of confidence and boredom with the world that summed up his whole projected persona. Even Anthea's warm smile did not shake the Ice Man routine right now. It was still business hours. Although there was a spark in those eyes when she smiled that was very telling. Blink and you'd miss it.

Carol stood up respectfully. Anthea and James stayed on the floor with the youngest Holmes.

"Sir." Carol said. Mycroft lazily lifted his chin as his return greeting.

"I hope the change in venue wasn't an inconvenience." He said, sounding like he actually didn't care whatsoever. He didn't. Anthea kind of loved that.

"Not at all, sir." Carol replied.

"Anything to see my favourite brunette girls." James said, pulling a really stupid face at Margot. Mycroft looked him over and hummed. Anthea tossed her hair over her shoulder.

"That's why you hire a pretty assistant. It makes people more malleable." She joked. Mycroft's eyebrows lifted up.

"My dear," He clicked his tongue. "Two people wish to see you and suddenly your ego inflates tenfold." Anthea crinkled her nose at him and he chuckled silently. "Are you ready James? Or are you going to leave the adults to the talking?" Mycroft addressed the fully grown blond man on the floor playing with his infant daughter.

"Yeah, sorry sir." James said. He got onto his knees preparing to get up but apparently had to give Margot an extended goodbye. He tickled her feet again until she pulled them away, giving him a Cheshire cat grin. He snatched her foot by the ankle, leaned forward, and blew a raspberry on the boot of her foot.

Margot laughed in delight.

The baby laughed.

As her face erupted in a smile a bright and light giggle came from it. It was the cutest little thing. Mycroft and Anthea must have looked like they just heard an ungodly or ethereal noise – depending on which one you looked at. Both their expressions dropped and eyes widened. Anthea leaned forward and Mycroft stiffened. Carol had never looked so gentle. James had never looked so proud. He turned around to look between the three other people but mostly Anthea and Mycroft.

"Did you hear that?" James asked chirpily.

"I did…" Anthea answered in a wispy airy voice. She was looking at the big smile on her daughter's face. The little thing was really becoming a tiny person. It was so amazing and cute that it physically hurt Anthea. "It was adorable." Was all she could offer up and it didn't sound convincing even if she completely meant it. Luckily father of a one year old James seemed pleased with this response. Mycroft was looking down at Margot but there appeared to not really be looking at her. His brain was in the way.

"James elicited Margot's first laugh…" He mused out loud to himself. One eyebrow quirked. "I am both surprised by this and utterly bored by the predictability of it." His steely eyes moved over to Anthea even if that veil was still in the way. "Who better to make an infant laugh?"

James took this as encouragement. He took both of Margot's feet in his two big hands and right between them blew the loudest raspberry he could. The noise made Mycroft blink. Margot laughed louder than last time. Her face was full of complete joy.

Anthea buried her head in her hands. She forced herself to stay strong and not cry at this. She wanted to cry so badly at how sweet and innocent and amazing this was. To stop from crying she growled and rubbed her face with her hands.

"My daughter is too cute." She hissed. Her hands fell heavily on her lap. "It doesn't make sense. You and me," She gestured to Mycroft. "Do not equal cute." He didn't argue. "She shouldn't be allowed to make that noise." Mycroft's eyes drifted back to Margot. He was taking her all in again and Anthea could tell he was memorising her just as she was in this very moment. She wished she had that ability.

"I'm sorry sir," James said. "Can I bring Margot into the meeting?" He asked. He wanted to hold her and keep playing with her during their meeting didn't he? Mycroft's face twisted.

"Don't be ridiculous." He scoffed. "Of course you can."

It was Anthea's turn to be surprised and not at all surprised at the same time.

Very pleased with himself and with Mycroft's answer, James scooped up his new target audience to take her with him into Mycroft's home office. Anthea stayed on the ground.

"I'll pack all this up," She said, referring to Margot's blanket and toys. "And then I'll bring in some tea."

"Thank you, my dear."

Author's Note: So how was it? Those familiar with the blog might remember that that text conversation happened on it a while back now. The plot of the chapter didn't but I kind of like expanding on small things that happen there. Thanks to our guest reviewers; Observant Potato, Guest, Madalina, and B. Thanks to all of you! I hope to see you all again in five days.