A/N: I apologize for being a few days late. However, I am needlessly blaming myself for something which is not (entirely) my fault: I've been sick since the weekend and most of this week. I had next to no energy, and certainly not the strength to think of ideas. Today I am slightly better, and now set this lovely tale before you. Enjoy! -SWS

Prompt: Mycroft sends Holmes a rather expensive gold watch for Christmas. How does our dear detective react to this gift?

From: MadameGiry25

Date: December 9th


Sherlock Holmes opened the card and scanned its contents. As he did so, his eyebrows shot up rather quickly. After staring at it for a moment as if challenging it, he shook his head and passed it to me. "What can you make of it, Watson?"

I took the card, a bit apprehensively, and studied the front. Have A Blessed Christmas! it proclaimed in plain red lettering. Eyebrows raised in anticipation, I flipped it open and looked at the inside.

Sherlock,

I have thought long and hard and decided that I had better send you a token of appreciation this year. In the package included with this card you will find your gift.

Merry Christmas,

Mycroft

"Well..." I began, rather taken aback by the words which had been written inside the card, "your brother wrote it..."

"Yes," prompted Holmes, "he did. Pray go on."

"I..." I could not come up with any other deductions. Instead, I followed another line of reasoning. "Do you have the package?"

Holmes started and reached behind him to grab the small box from the table. "I haven't opened it yet," he said, "but I will right now, if you would like."

I fixed him with a look, which he apparently recognized the meaning of, as he took his pocket knife and slit open the box to reveal something golden that shimmered in the lamplight. He stared at it, dumbfounded, for a moment or two.

After a period of silence I finally found my voice. "Your brother sent you a gold watch." It really looked quite expensive.

"My brother sent me a fake gold watch."

Not so expensive then. "My dear fellow, why on earth would he do that?"

Sherlock Holmes, the Master of Deduction, blinked once more at the exquisite piece he held in his hand. "I honestly have no idea. Perhaps our best course of action would be to ask him ourselves."


"My dear brother, did you know that -"

"That the doorman is leaving his job unexpectedly to go to Liverpool next week? Of course, what sort of unobservant fellow do you take me to be?"

Sherlock turned in confusion to stare at the door of the Strangers' Room, which one of the finely dressed doormen had just closed after escorting us. I grinned, being sure that he'd been taken completely off guard by that pronouncement.

"I was actually going to ask you if you were aware that the watch you sent me is fake."

Mycroft's expression was one of total puzzlement. I thought for a moment that he hadn't known this, and I was right - partially.

Finally the elder Holmes brother responded. "What watch, Sherlock?"

Sherlock took the watch and the card from his pocket and placed them on the table where Mycroft could inspect them. "You did not send these?"

Mycroft leaned over the table, employing the talents of observation which seemed to be so continually apparent in their family. "Certainly not. If I had, I would have known it was not legitimate. It's perfectly obvious."

Sherlock snorted. "Naturally." He moved closer to his brother. "Now, would you happen to have any idea who could have sent it, if not yourself?"

Mycroft pointed out the writing in the card. "The style of the writing is an excellent imitation of mine, however, the upward strokes of the 'p,' the 'm,' and the 'n' are more apparent than mine, meaning that whoever wrote this has a higher level intellect than I do."

Sherlock's eyes glinted. "And there is only one man of whom that could be possible."

I finally caught on to what they were trying to say. "Moriarty."

The brothers both turned their gaze on me. "Exactly."

Sherlock laughed and clapped his brother on the back. "I knew you would never actually send me a gift, dear brother."

If I didn't know better, I'd say something in his voice indicated fondness. But I did know better. He was a Holmes, after all.


A/N: Well, somewhere in there that took a turn I wasn't expecting! I will try and post some more tonight while I'm feeling slightly more productive, so I will see you guys again very soon. And please review, you guys are making me smile, and I need some encouragement right now. Thanks :-) -SWS