Chapter III: Improbable

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Taken from "The Adventure of the Bruce-Pardington Plans" by Mr. Ithel Williams. Edited by Dr. John Watson. Published in 1894 by The Strand.

"We must fall back upon the old axiom that when all other contingencies fail, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."

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Many months passed and Jareth was no closer to solving the case. Desperate times called for desperate measures.

"I deduce you are going to someone more clever than you," Sarah said as she smoothed Jareth's collar.

"He is not. I merely need a perspective from someone who is not involved with the case," Jareth said.

"Mycroft is more clever than you. You are just a bit older and a bit wiser, that's all," Sarah said.

Jareth smirked. "Precious, are you ill? Did you just say I was wise?"

"Wiser does not mean wise," Sarah said, "Play nice with your friend."

Jareth pulled Sarah as close as her growing belly would allow. "You will be alright without me here?"

"Ned is asleep and the governess will be back in an hour. I'll be fine, Jareth. I can take care of myself," Sarah said.

"I just… worry. I wasn't there when Ned was born and I know…"

"Of course you were there. Don't you remember me throwing that pitcher at you when you tried to enter?"

Jareth shook his head, blinking away visions of chains and a prison cell. "Right. Yes, but… you know what I mean."

"I do. Stop worrying. I'm only five months along. You won't miss a thing."

"If you say so." Jareth gave her a long, tender kiss of farewell before leaving 221 Baker Street.

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Sherlock, Jareth, and Watson made their way into the Strangers' Room in the Diogenes Club. Mycroft Holmes continued to increase in size. The feast surrounding him which he called "breakfast" was hardly helping matters.

The elder Holmes motioned to his chair. "To anyone who wishes to study mankind, this is the spot."

"Handy, really, as your ever-expanding backside is permanently glued to it. Good morning, my friend," Jareth said.

"Jareth. Sherlock. Doctor Watson," Mycroft said with a nod of his head.

Watson shook Mycroft's hand. "You look ... well, sir."

"Really? I rather thought I looked enormous." Mycroft took a sip of port.

The doctor cleared his throat. "Well, now you mention it, this level of consumption is incredibly injurious to your health. Your heart..."

Sherlock interrupted. "No need to worry on that score, Watson. There's only a large cavity where that organ should reside."

"It's a family trait," Mycroft quipped.

"Oh, I wasn't being critical," Sherlock said with a smirk.

"If you continue like this, sir, I give you five years at the most," Watson said.

"Five? We thought three, did we not?" Mycroft said.

Jareth said as he began to walk around the room, "I'm still inclined to four."

"As ever, you see but you do not observe. Note the discoloration in the whites of my eyes, the visible rings of fat around the corneas..."

Sherlock chimed in, "Yes, you're right. I'm changing my bet to three years, four months and eleven days."

"A bet?" the doctor exclaimed.

"I understand your disapproval, Watson, but if he's feeling competitive it is perfectly within his power to die early," Jareth said.

"That's a risk you'll have to take," Mycroft said.

Jareth sang to himself once again as he looked at a painting of the Reichenbach Falls. "Look up here, man, I'm in danger. I've got nothing left to lose."

"You're gambling with your own life?" Watson said.

"Why not? It's so much more exciting than gambling with others'," Mycroft said.

Sherlock nodded to one of the plates near Mycroft. "Three years flat if you eat that plum pudding."

"Done!" the elder Holmes said with glee.

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A little later, the four gentlemen drank coffee in silence. The older Mr. Holmes broke the silence.

"I expected to see you a few days ago about the Manor House case. I thought you might be a little out of your depth there," Mycroft said to Jareth.

The detective put aside his cup and saucer. "No. I solved it."

"It was Adams, of course," Mycroft said.

"Yes, it was Adams. Murderous jealousy. He'd written a paper for the Royal Astronomical Society on the obliquity of the ecliptic, and then read another that seemed to surpass it," Jareth said.

"Did you understand it?" Mycroft asked

"Yes, of course I understood it. It was perfectly simple. Unlike Sherlock, I did not forget my knowledge of astronomy," Jareth said.

"No – did you understand the murderous jealousy? It is no easy thing for a great mind to contemplate a still greater one," Mycroft said.

"Did you summon me here just to humiliate me instead of help me?" Jareth asked he got up to move again.

"Yes," Mycroft said before laughing, "Of course not, but it is by far the greater pleasure." He took another sip of porter. "A woman will call on you – Lady Carmichael. I want you to take her case."

"And this will help with the Bride case how?" Sherlock asked.

"Sometimes, to solve a case, one must first solve another," Mycroft said.

Jareth sang to himself once again as he "I'm so high, it makes my brain whirl. Dropped my cell phone down below. Ain't that just like me."

"Cell phone? Whatever is that? You and your nonsense words," Mycroft said.

Sherlock interrupted the nonsense talk. "Lady Carmichael's case – what is it?"

Mycroft waved his hand, dismissing Sherlock concern. "Oh, rest assured, it has features of interest including a moronic husband who does not properly appreciate his brilliant wife. I thought, Mr. King, you could… empathize."

"And you've solved it already, I assume?" Sherlock asked.

"Only in my head. I need you for the, er... legwork," Mycroft said.

"Why not just tell us your solution?" Watson asked.

"Where would be the sport in that?" Mycroft said, "Will you do it, King? I can promise you a superior distraction."

Jareth replied, "On one condition: have another plum pudding."

"There's one on the way," Mycroft said with glee.

"Two years, eleven months and four days," Sherlock said.

"It's getting exciting now!" Mycroft said as the three gentlemen left.

Of course, the case ended up being anything but simple when the time came to solve it.

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A/N: I like Lady Carmichael, but, we're going to skip that bit and get to everyone's favorite villain.