Author's Note: Hi guys! So I wanted to update sooner but then I got a really bad one of these (subject matter of this chapter). Like the worst one I've ever had. So I told myself "recover from the migraine and then just write a small chapter about a migraine to remind them that you're not dead". So here, I'm not dead! Also I wanted a chance to wish you a happy new year before 2019! This chapter is short but I don't think the quality is lacking at all. 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 Migraine With Margot Around

Completely debilitating. Imagine your whole head feeling as if it was constricting in on itself. Not only does your skull feel like it's crushing your brain and eyes but your jaw is rebelling against your teeth and gums too. Your neck is so tight you're not even sure what kind of physical action could cause such strain on the muscle. Finally any liquid or food you consume make you feel immediately the consequences of such an action. According to Mycroft that was what this specific migraine felt like. Or, in simpler words; 'not fun'.

Mycroft has been known to ignore these cues from his body and soldier on. It usually takes a lot of effort from Anthea to get him to take his medicine and have a break before he destroys himself. You know this particular migraine is bad when he doesn't need any convincing. For once he took his medicine on his own. He lay in bed with his eyes closed and an icepack against both temples. He didn't even make a noise in protest when Anthea told him that she was cancelling and/or rescheduling any plans for that day. Or the next day. Migraines like this came with a hung over like phase.

Now about a year ago this would have been all that needed to be done. Anthea would spend the day reading or doing her own thing while letting Mycroft relax. However this was not about a year ago. Now they had a very loud, very demanding baby daughter. She was adorable but not very suitable companionship for a father with a migraine. He did his best to quell his personal issues around her as it is. The least Anthea could give him now was some peace from Margot.

The first obvious answer was to get Margot out of the house. There was only so long you could take a baby out of the house before she got very tired and very grumpy though. Anthea took Margot with her to look around the shops (at some very nice shoes and some toys for Margot). As soon as it was nap time Margot began to get niggly. She was very much a Holmes in those situations – nothing pleased her. So after picking up a few food items from the shops Anthea took her home. At least down for a nap Margot would not put up much of a fuss.

Sure enough the little girl slept quietly and soundly. For about an hour. Before she started calling for Mama from her room. Her room upstairs. Where Mycroft was. Anthea winced and cursed under her breath. She should have put Margot down for a nap somewhere downstairs. She didn't think! The great shadowy assistant hadn't even thought of that! She was slipping. Not a word of complaint came from Mycroft when Anthea came upstairs to get Margot though. Could be that he just didn't want to talk.

Another Holmsian trait of Margot's that proved to be problematic was that she wanted what she wanted when she wanted it. Sometimes it could be quelled and other times it could not be. Wanting Patches on the day of her christening being a pretty good indication of when it could not be quelled. Today, after her nap, she decided she wanted to see Daddy. She knew he was home – she just knew it – and she wanted to see him. She was going to complain until she got to.

Anthea tried to feed the girl after her nap, as routine would have it. Margot continuously swatted the food away, making a noise of defiance as she did. Her little face was scrunched up in a little angry expression.

"What is with you today?" Anthea asked her. Anthea brought the food close to Margot's mouth once again only to have the girl turn as far away as she could.

"Dada!" She called. Anthea sighed in exasperation.

"I told you; no." Anthea said firmly. Margot's bottom lip was pouted. It would have been cute about ten minutes ago… or hours ago. Anthea tried the food again. Margot pushed it away with her chubby baby hands.

"Dada!" She said.

"Maybe later when he's feeling better." Anthea said to the big blue eyes staring defiantly at her. Anthea sighed again, pushing her hair out of her face. "You know, Margot, this would be so much easier if you could understand all the words I was saying."

"Dada." Margot said again. Anthea put her hands down on either side of the baby seat.

"Dada later." Anthea said. Margot blinked. "Yeah?"

"Yeah…" The baby babbled.

"Food now." Anthea said. Margot blinked again. Anthea picked up the spoon.

"Ngha!" Margot turned away. Anthea closed her eyes and clenched her fists. She counted to three then opened her eyes again. Her beautiful daughter was looking like quite the mixture of an angel and a devil. Anthea was at a loss.

"He doesn't even like children when he's feeling well." Anthea tried to reason with Margot. "He doesn't even like people!" Anthea leaned forward and looked dead into those deep blue spheres. "We're lucky because he likes us but even really friendly people would get upset if we made lots of noise around them when they feel like Daddy. You've got to be a big girl for today, okay?"

Margot stared at Anthea.

Anthea rested her head on the table of the baby chair, making Margot giggle.

This was a lost cause.

Eventually, like the determined woman she was, Anthea got Margot to eat. It was a long and arduous task but one can't let their infant starve because they're a stupid, stubborn, baby. That would be terrible parenting!

Margot still wanted to see her Daddy, though. Not even Patches could distract her from the task at hand. Any other day this would be fine and easily solved. Today… By the afternoon Anthea was at her wits' end. There was only so much she could do. Maybe… Maybe she…

Maybe she had to give in…

Maybe Margot had to win. Just for a second. Surely if the child could just be placated that would be enough. If they bothered Mycroft with loud baby noises for about a minute or two that would Margot down. Surely Mycroft could deal with a moment of deep pain to save Anthea from fighting a never ending battle for the rest of the day. Relationships were about give and take, after all… That was Anthea's justification to stop herself feeling so bad about relenting to the baby.

Carrying Margot on her hip, Anthea gently creaked open the door to the bedroom. Mycroft was where he had been all day. If he had moved at all to check his phone or whatever then Anthea couldn't tell. The soft sound of the door alerted Mycroft to the intruder. He opened his eyes and glanced over at his partner looking in. Poor thing looked tired. Anthea smiled.

"Hello." She said softly.

"Hello." Mycroft answered in an equally quiet voice. She dared not ask how he was. That was a stupid question that even she'd hate to hear at a time like this if the roles were reversed.

"I'm sorry to interrupt." She said. Mycroft's expression shifted to something vaguely sarcastic and pompous.

"Interrupt what?" He said. Yup, sarcasm. Anthea smiled. He'd know in a second.

"Margot has wanted to see you all day." Anthea explained. Mycroft shifted to sit up and get a better look at the brunette woman sticking her head in.

"Has she?" He asked. No sign of annoyance but generally nothing to show for any emotion anyway. Anthea nodded.

"I've been trying to keep her quiet and distracted but if we want peace to continue then she has to come in." Anthea explained. Mycroft's mouth twitched. "I'm sorry." Anthea laughed.

"Don't apologise." Mycroft insisted gently. He flickered his hand to gesture for Anthea to enter. So with Margot on her hip, Anthea opened the door properly and walked in. Margot's little face immediately light up.

"Dada!" She sung like a happy little bird. Mycroft blinked hard.

"Shh." Anthea hushed Margot.

"Hello, little one." Mycroft said in a soft voice – hoping Margot would pick up on it.

Anthea sat on the edge of the bed and put Margot down next to her. The little girl immediately crawled up to her dad and babbled. She was trying to say something close to words. There were a few almost words in there.

"So I was told." Mycroft nodded. Margot placed her little hands on Mycroft's chest and continued to 'talk at him'.

"Honey, shh." Anthea said as she leaned forward and stroked Margot's head. Margot had no interest in her mother at this very moment. She'd seen Mummy all day! It was Daddy time!

"Was it really that bad?" Mycroft eyed the little girl.

"Da!" She hit his chest. Mycroft clicked his tongue.

"You're being unfair to your mother." He said. It was his turn to stroke her head. The talking like noises ceased. "She was only trying to be considerate to me."

It was like Mycroft's very presence soothed the small child. Margot went from loud and babbling to quiet and gentle in mere seconds. She leaned forward and rested her head on Mycroft. A few more minutes passed in quiet as Mycroft spoke to her in hushed tones and the little girl was asleep.

Anthea scoffed. She watched in disbelief as Mycroft moved Margot to a more comfortable position (still in contact with him – of course).

"Unbelievable." Anthea said, shaking her head. "I should have done this ages ago!"

"You should have." Mycroft agreed smugly. Anthea glared at him.

"I was trying to help you." She said.

"I know." Mycroft said, his tone was gentle and loving. It was still such a strange and wonderful tone of voice on Mycroft Holmes of all people. He was holding Margot's tiny hand in his fingers and stroking her top of her hand with his thumb. "We know for next time."

"Yeah." Anthea agreed a little begrudgingly. Now Margot was quiet she could leave Mycroft to rest. She'd leave Margot there for a little while and come back for her later or when she woke up. Either way, before she could cause Mycroft's head any more issues.

Anthea stood up and stretched out her back.

"Stay." Mycroft said. Anthea looked back over. The loves of her life were together on the bed Anthea pursed her lips together then shook her head.

"I should do stuff." She said. "Files to reorganise, kitchen cabinets to clean out." An impromptu day off like this should be used productively around the house. When else would either of them go through the kitchen cabinets unless they couldn't find anything in date?

"You should, but do you want to?" Mycroft asked. Anthea looked from his attempt at manipulation to the door. "You want to stay here." Mycroft hummed. "In fact, I'd argue that you should take advantage of this rare opportunity. When will both Margot and I want such an intimate family moment again? It could be months." Anthea looked back at Mycroft. Even with a migraine he was arrogant. The look on his face, he knew what he was doing would work.

Anthea sighed.

"Fine." She said bitterly despite the smile on her face and the light feeling in her heart. Mycroft couldn't feel the victory that strongly.

Anthea lay down on her side of the bed on the other side of Margot. Margot was fast asleep in the middle of her parents with her mum's hand on her chest and her dad stroking her hand.

This is how Margot spent the entire afternoon.

Author's Note: I hope that you agree that even though it's short it's still pretty decent. I hope you enjoyed it and I hope it'll tide you over until next chapter. Please let me know what you think! I'll see you next year ;). Really though, see you in a week.