A/N At last guys! This took soooooo long to get out, but i'm finally happy. i think. So, here it is, the final chapter of this series, the series i never thought i'd ever in a million years start, let alone finish. thank you all for your encouragement and ideas! You're all awesome and ily forever. Please do stay tuned, I'll begin posting the sequel just as soon as the first chapter is finished. in the mean time, enjoy!

"Mycroft?"

He must be dreaming. There was no way this familiar voice could be calling him here. Mummy wasn't even speaking to him after 'that stunt' he had pulled getting Sherlock and company away that day. Eight months had passed without a single word. He, Mycroft Holmes, the British Government and the Queen's right arm, was hearing things.

"Mycroft? Oh Mycie, please? Please just listen to me for a moment?"

The tug on his sleeve forced him to admit that he was not, in fact, hearing things. "Mummy?" He asked, stupidly. After a moment of doing his best (and ultra-rare!) goldfish impression, he regained his senses "May I suggest we reconvene in my office?"

Mummy nodded mutely and followed him as he turned back towards the lift.

Anyone in the lobby as the two walked away would later chuckle about the "And don't call me Mycie in public!" that wasn't quite drowned by the swish of the lift doors closing behind them.

"What do you want?" Mycroft's voice was hard and cold as he turned on his mother the moment the office door clicked shut behind them. The British Government he might be, but that did not mean he appreciated being abandoned by his own mother for doing her job and protecting Sherlock from Siger.

"I've left your father."

That was the last thing Mycroft had expected to hear. He didn't let his surprise show "Is that so?"

"I'm not here for your help, if that's what you think." She said, firmly.

"I'm glad to hear it."

"I just… I regret losing you boys."

"I see."

"You've done a wonderful job of raising Sherlock." She said, sincerely. Mycroft couldn't quite suppress his surprise this time and raised an eyebrow to cover it "You were brave enough to stand up for yourself and gracious enough to stand up for him too. I was not. I can never apologise to you boys enough for my failings as a mother, you especially with the pressures of taking care of him thrust upon you on top of everything else."

Mycroft made no agreement or disagreement, but his voice was slightly thawed when he asked "Why did you leave him? What tipped the balance?"

"He disinherited you both."

"I was aware." Mycroft replied, neatly and precisely crossing his legs as he gave a small, wry smile.

"I didn't believe he would take it so far. I truly thought he would get over this little… silliness."

"I fear that may have been a tad optimistic, Mummy dear."

"I see that now." She gazed at him for a long moment. "Do you think I might ever get my sons back?"

Mycroft regarded her carefully for a moment. "Perhaps we may not be entirely out of reach." He concluded eventually.

"You're kidding." Greg stared at Mycroft like he was out of his mind. "You're even considering giving her our address, after all she put him through? Seriously Mycroft! How can you even think of-" Greg tailed off as Mycroft nodded at Sherlock who was sitting beside him, one arm cradling Lucy while she gobbled down her bottle, his grey-blue eyes misty and gazing into his lap. "Sherls?"

"What?"

"Do you want to see your Mum?"

"She's my mother. Of course I do."

"Oh. Okay. I didn't mean to take over, I just… well, if you want to see her then I guess we'd better see her."

Sherlock looked up to half smile at him, then turned to his brother "But not here." He clarified. Mycroft raised a questioning eyebrow. "I'm not doing another flit with the twins if this all goes... If it doesn't go well."

Mycroft nodded agreeably.

"And I don't want the twins there. If she wants to see me, she can see me. I must know that she's sincere.

"I'm sure Mum'll have them. It's any excuse these days." Greg put in.

"Then I shall arrange something at the club." Mycroft promised with another nod, before departing.

"Sherls…" Greg murmured, pleadingly

"I thought she'd stay with him forever. I thought she'd try to be my omega role model forever. Maybe I can be hers instead Greg."

"Maybe."

"You don't think so." Sherlock accused

"I don't want you hurt again." Greg countered, firmly.

"You don't want me to meet her."

"I said, if you want to see her, then we should see her."

"You'll come too?"

"Well I dunno," Greg began, his tone amused "but I don't think Mycroft's gonna hold your hands on the way, and you know how cold they get when you're panicky… so I really have to come." Greg grinned, cheekily. It was a lame excuse and they both knew it. They didn't need it, and they both knew that too, but it sure as hell lightened the mood.

"Yes you do. Can't have cold hands." Sherlock agreed, grinning as Greg leaned over Lucy to kiss him. "Behave. I have a baby and I'm not afraid to use it." He joked

Greg chuckled. "Babies. The ultimate contraceptive." Jasper chose that moment to start grizzling "See." Greg said, hauling himself up to go to the squalling infant.

"Do you want to go in first?" Greg glanced at Sherlock "Myc and I can hang about out here if you do."

"No. All together or not at all." Sherlock said firmly. He looked a little green now the moment had actually come.

"Right here Sherls." Greg reminded him softly, taking his icy hand in his own again and squeezing reassuringly. Sherlock squeezed back as Mycroft swung open the double doors to the room he held at the club for his private use.

"Mummy dear." Mycroft greeted the woman Greg had only met once as she stood from the chair by the fireplace.

"Mycroft!" She greeted him with a hug and a kiss on his cheek; then turned to Sherlock who stood almost hopelessly in the doorway. Greg kept a tight hold of his hand, offering his support in the only way he could - by sharing his warmth.

"Mummy." Sherlock almost choked on the word.

"Sherlock, darling." She looked at him almost as hopelessly. "Can you ever forgive me?"

Sherlock stood for a long long moment and Greg feared they may have to stop him dashing out of the building. "I'm here. One must suppose that means I'm willing to at least try." Sherlock replied, finally. His voice was calm and even and his emotions were betrayed only to Greg, who kept his grip on Sherlock's hand despite its cold and unpleasantly clammy state.

"That is more than I could have hoped for."

"I know maybe this isn't my place, but what did you hope for, after all this time?" Greg asked, with genuine interest.

"A fair question, Gregory, which it is most certainly your place to ask.I hoped I might at the very least succeed in re-opening the channels of communication with my sons. In the long run, I should be pleased if they were willing to call themselves my sons again. And yourself my son-in-law, of course."

Greg's eyebrows shot up. "You've changed your tune!" he blurted in disbelief

"Greg!" Sherlock hissed, years of habit reasserting itself after just a few minutes. No one must be 'rude' to Mummy.

"No no, Sherlock, he's right." his mother replied soothingly. She turned and addressed Greg again "In answer, young man, I can tell you only that I have been playing an outdated stereotype for far too long. I have seen that now. Of my husband, I can only despair. For his behaviour, and for mine, on that first occasion that we met, I cannot apologise enough. We were incredibly unfair, and horribly prejudiced, to both of you," her gaze flicked to Sherlock "when you were simply trying to do what was best for your children."

It was Sherlock's turn to blurt in surprise this time "Did you just apologise?" he goggled at her

"It is not impossible Sherlock." She said, fighting an amused smile. "Let's sit down shall we?" She added, gesturing back towards the fireplace.

Sherlock and Greg conversed in silence with their eyes on the journey home. It wasn't that they didn't want to talk in front of Mycroft, it was merely that they could discuss without words the events of the past hour with far more success than clumsy words would allow. They're conversation came to an end with a swift nod on Sherlock's part before Greg broke the silence with a very thoughtful:

"I wonder if mum's remembered why she stopped having kids yet…"

Sherlock snorted, "If you ate like ours do, I should imagine it was because her bank balance would not stretch to another gargantuan appetite." He said, the harshness of his words softened by a fond smile.

Greg merely swatted him lightly on the arm and then settled an arm around his shoulders.

It was only once they'd picked up the twins and were home safe that Sherlock slid his phone from his pocket and tapped out the message they'd agreed upon.

Today was enjoyable. Perhaps we should do it again sometime. - SH

He paused for a moment and then hit send and returned his phone to his pocket with a smile. He'd tried. Maybe she'd be around, maybe she wouldn't, but at least for now, everything seemed to finally be going their way.

End Note: I'll be seeing you all shortly, but please do review, it's always good to hear from you! Ciao for now! xx