AN: A bit late to the Adstrade party, but here we go.
He was never one for surprises.
Hated them, in fact. For it meant he had failed to observe his surroundings and anticipate.
So, it was with a loathsome frustration that he shook himself free of the brief, millisecond of shock, and shut the door of his office behind him. Thus trapping him inside with a most unwelcome intruder. One who he had presumed, erroneously, to be deceased.
"Shall I call for tea or will this be a short visit?" He gripped the handle of his brolly tightly should he need to parry an attack.
Perched elegantly in his chair, one legs crossed over the other, Irene Adler stared back at him, a smirk on her red lips.
"Oh, this will be quite brief, Mr Holmes," she purred. But he heard the underlying steel in her voice.
She leaned forward and slid a file across his desk.
Keeping her in his sight at all times, he opened the folder and skimmed its contents, his eyebrows raising the minutest touch at seeing DI Lestrade's name listed as the subject.
"The Government has no interest in the internal affairs of New Scotland Yard." He shut the file and eyed her carefully. "And I fail to see why you of all people would concern yourself with an entity of justice, especially one that seeks to imprison you."
Her elegantly painted nails drummed against the leather of his chair. It was almost a full minute before she spoke.
"We make exceptions to our rules for those we care about. You, of all people, Mr Holmes, know that."
Indeed he did, though he would never admit it aloud.
"Make this unfounded inquiry disappear and so will I." She tapped the folder.
He watched her and chose his words with care. "I take this to mean your little obsession with my brother is no more."
A wicked smile twisted her lips. "Been there. Done that."
Mycroft grimaced in distaste.
She laughed, all signs of wickedness vanishing, and a true, content look came over her face. "Your brother is perfectly happy with his fiercesome little mouse and she is a far better keeper than I would be. No, Mr Holmes, my tastes run a bit more... mature."
She stood and slid the file toward him once more.
Feeling a bit like he was signing his soul over to the devil, he accepted the file and nodded. "Very well, Miss Adler. I shall see that your," he eyed her critically, "paramour, is cleared of all suspicion."
Those wicked red lips turned up into a smile. "Oh, my, Mr Holmes. It seems you have a soft spot for romance."
She tsked something about manners and sashayed around his desk, leaving as silently as she had come.
Mycroft stared at the file. It seemed she did have a thing for detectives, after all.