Lestrade had been notified, and the case of the dead civil servant was now in the hands of the police. Sherlock and Alex stepped out of a cab, and onto the pavement of Bakers Street, triumphant. Sherlock paid the cabbie the money he was due and they walked towards the shiny, black door of 221B. Sherlock's smile quickly disappeared.
"Mycroft!" He muttered angrily.
"Did you say Microsoft?" Alex asked, she was quite confused.
"My brother, Mycroft," Sherlock explained, "is in the flat." He straightened the door knocker."
"Oh," Alex understood, "mum always called him the ice-man."
"I hope she didn't tell you my nickname." He muttered.
"She has a nickname for you?" Alex sounded disgusted.
"Moriarty had nicknames for me and Mycroft, and she started using them too. Your mother found my nickname especially amusing." Sherlock angrily thrust the key into the lock.
"I do not want to know." Alex mumbled as Sherlock pushed the door open and bellowed:
"What are you doing Mycroft?!" He jumped up the stairs, two at a time, followed by Alex. When they got up to the landing Sherlock turned and whispered to Alex: "Stay out of view."
"What? Are you embarrassed of me?" Alex snapped back indignantly.
"He'll know you're my daughter at one glance." Was Sherlock's only excuse.
"So?" Alex replied, "He has to find out some time."
"Fine!" Sherlock gave in, he had quickly learnt that Alex was like her mother, and that there was no point arguing. "Hello brother dear. How are you?" He put on a sickly sweet smile as he walked into his living room. Mycroft was standing by Sherlock's fireplace, fiddling with the skull that sat on top of it.
"I hear you've been talking to the chancellor." Mycroft got straight to the point.
"News travels fast." Sherlock took a seat in one of the armchairs by the fire. Alex followed suit, and sat in the armchair opposite.
"Well, he is a key member of government and it is my job to know all the news about members of government." Mycroft explained.
"Well then you'll now that the case is now in the hands of Lestrade, so any complaints you have will have to take them up with him." Sherlock grinned at his brother.
"I was hoping it wouldn't have gone that far." Mycroft sighed and turned to sit down in the seat occupied by Alex, but stopped when he saw her. "And you are?" He looked Alex up and down.
"Alex." She replied.
"Alex who?" He prompted.
"I think you know the answer to that." She looked him straight in the eye.
"I'm just keen to know who's surname you got. Are you Adler or Holmes?" Mycroft was quick to reply.
"Adler-Holmes." Replied Alex, curtly.
"Oh, they went for double-barrelled." Commented Mycroft.
"Irene went for double-barrelled," Sherlock butted in, "I had no part in the decision, seeing as I wasn't there."
"So you have a long lost daughter Sherlock." Mycroft turned to his brother.
"You're reacting very calmly." Commented Sherlock.
"I think it's hilarious," Said Mycroft, chirpily, "I wonder how mother will react. Have you told her yet?"
"No." Sherlock spat the word.
"I'm sure she'll be thrilled, angry at first, but thrilled." Mycroft leant on Alex's chair. "I imagine she'll love having a girl in the family, she'll spoil you rotten." Alex looked horrified.
"Yes well Mycroft we're very busy with a case so-" Sherlock started to shoo his brother out of the house, but Mycroft wouldn't give up that easily.
"What case? You just solved one." There was a pause whilst Sherlock tried to think of a reply.
"Yes," Alex saved Sherlock, "and now we have to find another one."
"Exactly," Sherlock smiled at her, "so off you pop!" He practically shoved Mycroft out of the door and then collapsed back into his seat.
"I don't have any siblings, do I?" Asked Alex.
"None that I know of." Sherlock answered.
"Phew." Said Alex as she sunk further into the chair she was sitting in, exhausted.