It's been a ridiculously long time since I've updated. Sorry. Me and my computer have both had viruses. I had flu (still getting over that) and my laptop had some unknown virus that made it moody and uncooperative. It is still upset with itunes and for reasons unknown refuses to connect to the itunes store which is really really annoying.

Well anyway this chapter is dedicated to W.R6597 who emailed me to tell me (basically) to get a move on. They phrased it a lot better than that but that's what it boiled down to. And, you were right I did seriously need to update. So that's for giving me (and my muse who I think also got my flu) a push to get writing again. Hope you enjoy it and that it's been worth the wait.

"Why did we come in here?" Sherlock asked as Mycroft near shoved Sherlock through Mycroft's bedroom door after dragging him out the nursery.

"Because, think about it Sherlock, if we're in the nursery Sherrinford'll know that it was you who threw that toy soldier at him and all that ridiculous drama about the – look busy" Sherlock frowned but obeyed his brothers hissed instruction just in time. The door to Mycroft's room flew open and Sherrinford burst into the room. Mycroft looked up from his seat at the desk, with an expression of mild surprise and curiosity. The elder siblings generally left each other alone and intervened only occasionally on the younger Holmes' behalf when they felt that their authoritative presence was needed. Sherrinford had the grace to look somewhat ashamed about his dramatic entrance even if it was only a second.

"What are you doing?" Sherrinford asked suspiciously directed his question at Sherlock although it was Mycroft who answered.

"Reading." Mycroft replied blandly gesturing to the open book on his desk. "And Sherlock is no doubt making a nuisance of himself; in all likeliness he has my magnifying glass." Mycroft and Sherrinford both turned towards Sherlock. He sat cross-legged under Mycroft's window a large book open in his lap with Mycroft's magnifying glass in his hand and was slowly ripping a page in the book and examining the result through the magnifying glass. Sherlock glanced up to gaze innocently at Sherrinford.

"Hello Sherry." he said cheerfully.

"Don't call me Sherry!" Sherrinford snapped.

"Sorry Sherry." murmured Sherlock absently as he moved the magnifying glass along the edge of the rip.

Sherrinford clenched his fists furiously but forced himself to calm down as Mycroft raised an eyebrow at him.

"Did you want something?" Mycroft asked mildly.

"I just - wondered what you were doing." Sherrinford answered somewhat lamely.

"Well now you know." Mycroft replied. It was a subtle dismissal and Sherrinford recognised this. Instead of arguing he examined Sherlock suspiciously a final time and exited the room, not quite slamming the door. Mycroft sighed heavily closing the book he had been pretending to read.

"Do stop that Sherlock." He snapped as Sherlock tugged the rip further. Sherlock sighed theatrically and put the book aside.

"You told me to look busy." He protested.

"I did not tell you to rip up my book." Mycroft snapped, "And what, precisely, possessed you to throw you're toy soldiers out of the window?"

"Experiment." muttered Sherlock as he examined a small tear in the wallpaper through the magnifying glass.

"An experiment." Mycroft repeated wearily, "Of course. What was the experiment?" he added with the tone of one who didn't really want to know, but felt duty bound to ask.

"Seeing how much snow had fallen." Sherlock explained.

"By the depth of the hole?" asked Mycroft sounding almost impressed.

"Of course." Sherlock replied once again employing his infamous it's-obvious tone.

"It can't have been that accurate looking out of the window." Mycroft commented. Sherlock shrugged.

"Well I was going to outside and look and see the difference in the holes."

"The snow will have fallen and made all the holes the same size." Sherlock tipped his head on the side as he thought about this.

"That's true." he said and he leapt up and darted from the room. Mycroft shook his head, picked up his book and resumed reading. He only hoped that Sherlock had the sense to stay out of their cousins' way.

Sorry about the length but this was written at school in one of my lessons and I wanted to put it up now. Amazingly this has ended in an opportune place, but this still isn't finished. Sighs.

I'll try and update sooner next time.

Thanks to everyone who has reviewed and favourited and alerted. It really does mean a lot.

Thanks for reading. See you soon (hopefully)

xxx