The Nero Wolfe Problem

Mycroft Holmes is made aware of the existence of his nephew and debates courses of action.

A/N Just a short ficlett, written at 1am during my procrastination of essay writing. It's set just before The Sign of Three in August 2014 (I was using the time-frame somebody on Tumblr made- it's very useful). There may actually be a sequel to this set just after TSoT, perhaps tomorrow night in my desperation to get my essays done I'll write it.

Mycroft Holmes was rarely surprised, much less stunned by revelations. He'd been in the business long enough to know that the word impossible merely meant improbable. Indeed, he hadn't been surprised per se when it had been brought to his attention that no less than Irene Adler was alive. He'd been angry at his brother of course, for duping him and for fooling into the unnecessary trap of sentiment, for it was only sentiment that could have caused Sherlock to save the ex-dominatrix. However, his reaction to his re-appearance and apparent closeness to his brother was nothing in comparison to what happened in early August. When Mycroft Holmes took a phone call from his contact that had been paid to follow Ms Adler in her 'death' to find out that she had had a child.

"Whose the father?" Mycroft growled down the phone, already knowing the answer.

"It's his," came the only reply and Mycroft slammed his fist down onto the table in response.

He had been notified of a woman that his dear brother had been staying with in New York nearly two years ago during his brother's 'death' and it had been over a phone call much like this that it had been revealed that that woman was actually the woman, Irene Adler. It had been a lot easier to take than this new revelation as it had always been a possibility, she had bested him once in faking her death she was capable enough to do it again. Thus her resurrection for the second time, although unlikely was only improbable instead of impossible. It would have taken Sherlock Holmes to fool Mycroft and he had. However, for years Mycroft, much like himself, had believed that his younger brother was asexual, afraid and disinterested in the sentiment and vulnerability of sex. Thus, this revelation had stunned Myrcoft Holmes as he had viewed it as an impossible feat, his brother did not have sex, much less with a woman. Yet, here he was, listening to a man convey the details that Irene Adler had produced a child, a son, in early June. 3 months previously.

Mycroft ruined the nib of his favourite fountain pen as he pressed too hard on the paper as he listened to his contact explain how he had found Ms Adler after she had disappeared from MI5 surveillance back in February in Moscow. She hadn't been thought to be pregnant then, nor a threat to the crown. Indeed, Mycroft had ordered only a half hearted search to find her again, thinking that he was doing his young brother, who had clearly shown some sentiment towards her, a favour in letting her go. Evidently that had been a mistake. Irene Adler had produced a son, named Nero, born in Paris, France so close to Britain, in a private facility."Was it an Adler or a Holmes?" Mycroft asked and his contact responded with 'Wolfe'- Nero Wolfe was the name cited on both the birth certificate and on the passport Irene had legally applied for at the American embassy. The boy had been born in June, meaning he'd been conceived in September or October of last year, just before Mycroft had flown to rescue his brother. Montenegro was Sherlock's final destination with Ms Adler before he'd returned to London. The boy had been conceived in Montengro. Mycroft processed the information and relieved pressure from his grip on the fountain pen when it became evident that the pen was now broken. Damn that man. Damn that woman. Mycroft chuckled at the irony, why was it that his clever anti-social asexual little brother had to choose a manipulative blackmailing dominatrix for a lover?

The contact relayed the last of his information on the woman and her child, Myrcroft's nephew, including a phone number for the woman herself. He'd have to phone her quickly, as it was evident Irene was conscious of tails and would dispose of her phone and number very soon. After hanging up Mycroft brought a hand to his temple, rubbing it slightly and groaning. Plans of actions swirled around in his head.

1- Dispose of them both. But no, even Mycroft Holmes wasn't as cruel as to kill a newborn child, especially not a Holmes child, even if he did have a less than desirable mother.

2- Dispose of the mother and re-home the child. No, that wouldn't do either, Sherlock would never forgive him.

3- Leave them to their own devices. No, Ms Adler might return to her old tricks and use the child as blackmail. Equally, their safety was at stake if he left them and regardless of Irene's status as a manipulative criminal, her son was a Holmes and needed to be protected even if it meant extending that card to his mother.

4- Set up new identities and protection for both Nero Wolfe and his mother Irene Adler. Yes. It was not what Myrcoft wanted, he wanted desperately to seek revenge on Ms Adler, however it was the most practical plan to date.

Mycroft sighed at his eventual conclusion and picked up the phone, dialling the number his contact had given him only moments before. It was time to do what Mycroft Holmes did best for his little brother, damage control.