Birthday Escape (Open to Canon)

[Sherlock Holmes]

Bright blue eyes opened, earlier than usual. Today was the day that he would need to get out of the house as soon as possible. Not even John could catch Sherlock leaving. The consulting detective did not put it past his brother to tell John about what this day was. It would be totally pointless, apart from one thing. It was on this day that Sherlock had been born and for some reason that apparently entailed having some sort of party or a present. Didn't Mycroft realise that all Sherlock wanted was to go and work?

Getting dressed, quickly, Sherlock looked around his room, everything was neat and tidy. Nothing out of place, apart from the bed that he quickly made. Everything had to be in order in this one room. Leaving the room, Sherlock glanced around the living room, his eyes briefly flickering to the kitchen. Breakfast was something he could skip on most days, today in was a necessity. The time was 6am. Mycroft shouldn't wake for a while long. Hopefully, Sherlock would be able to head his brother off and make his get away down the stairs. Otherwise the window was going to be his next escape route.

Walking over to the window, Sherlock carefully peered out. He couldn't see any sign of Mycroft's usual black car that he used to kidnap John. So far, so good. Sherlock walked over to the door, and placed his ear against it. No one climbing the stairs. Slowly, he opened the door, pausing when it was wide enough for him to slip his head through. Peeking down, he gazed down the stairs, looking out for any sign that his brother was coming and that he would need to make a dash for the window. Seeing as Sherlock had been away last year, being dead, he had a feeling Mycroft might be rather pointed about today this year.

[Mycroft]

Beep Beep! Beep Beep!
Mycroft rolled over and groaned as his alarm clock blared in his ear. 5:30. In the morning. This was just unreasonable. How did normal people do this everyday? With a final glare at the digital display he slammed his hand down on the clock in the hopes that he would luckily hit whatever button made the blasted thing cease and desist already!
"It's all going to be worth it, Mycroft," He murmured to himself as he slid out of bed and into his silk dressing gown and slippers. "All going to be worth it." he repeated as he shuffled sleepily to the kitchen. He groaned even louder when he entered the room.
Today was Sunday. The house staff had the morning off on Sunday because they never got any full days off.
"Completely worth it." He mumbled as he slipped a cup under the coffee maker. Glancing at the clock he could feel a sly smile slowly form on his face. He had won. Sherlock would never expect this. Of course his younger brother had come to the logical conclusion that nothing could drag Mycroft out of bed, especially not on a Sunday, and of course Mycroft had deduced his brother's conclusions and was going to retaliate.
Now it was 5:40. Plenty of time for Mycroft to prepare for the day and make it to Baker Street before Sherlock had a chance to leave. A piece of whole wheat toast with low fat margarine in hand, Mycroft returned to his bedroom to dress.
6:30 a.m. Still ungodly early but a bit more tolerable, thought Mycroft as he rode in his sleek black car to his younger brother's house. And just enough time to catch Sherlock unaware.
The clatter and hissing of a much louder than usual experiment own the staircase as Mycroft let himsef in with his personal key. Perfect. He won't be able to hear me. John must have bought a pair of ear plugs. Smart man. Triumphently, he strode up the stairs, careful to avoid the creeky step, flinging the door open at the top.
"Happy Birthday, Sherlock!" He exclaimed, watching as a beaker dropped from Sherlock's hand and shattered on the floor.

[Sherlock Holmes]

Because there was no sign of Mycroft, Sherlock had decided to quickly make a trap for his older brother. The idea was to make a system that would pour a chemicle of Mycroft as he entered. Similar to the the pranks where water was stored above a door, which would then let down when opened. Only instead of water, Sherlock was making a blue dye that would dry to form blue and transparent crytsals. It was something that would almost definitely annoy his brother, so Sherlock was intending to set it up. It would also annoy his brother that he had escaped.

The chemicle needed to be mixed with another chemicle, during the fall, to prevent crystalization while waiting for Mycroft to walk in. So Sherlock also planned for the reaction to be endothermic. It was almost a joke on the fact that Moriaty refered to Mycroft as the 'Ice-Man'. He might as well give Mycroft some humor in what would otherwise be a rather annoying time, having dragged himself all the way to 221B Baker street. Mycroft never enjoyed exercise and this was one of the few occasions that he would do it volentarily. So some humor would be needed in this prank.

"Happy Birthday, Sherlock!" At the sounded sound of Mycroft's voice at 6:45 am, Sherlock dropped the chemicle that he was preparing and the beaker shattered, spilling the liquid out onto the floor and Sherlock let out a curse. Since Mrs Hudson would probably kill him, seeing at this point the liuid was rather corrosive and the kitchen floor was rather easily corroded, Sherlock rushed to tidy up the mess, pouring water onto the floor, before breafly mopping it up. That was okay. Mrs Hudson would not have a hole in her floor.

"What are you doing here, brother dear?" Sherlock asked, feining innocence. "Your sudden apperance took me by suprise." It annoyed Sherlock that at times, Mycroft could walk incredibily quietly. While was was talking, Sherlock edged towards his bedroom. The window there was much better for escape. "Surely you have more important things to do, what with running Britian." He said. Maybe if he annoyed Mycroft enough, he wouldn't have to make his escape so dramatically. He could just walk down the stairs and go to work. No fuss from Mycroft, no need for John or anyone else to find out. Birthdays were pointless.

Pausing, Sherlock looked at Mycroft, his face now incredibly serious. "You know I don't enjoy your visits, especially on pointless matters. And I do not visit you on your birthday. They are nothing to celebrate." Sherlock said, lowering his voice slightly, to make it clear that now he was being serious and he was rather annoyed by the constant birthdays. That had to be one of the great things about being dead. Mycroft had not had the chance to wish Sherlock Happy Birthday.

[John Watson]

John was in bed. If was the first day he got any real sleep, to be completely honest. He finally cracked and got some earplugs. He rolled over in bed, as o.e of his earplugs fell out of his ear. It fell to the ground with a silent clatter. Just as this happened, he was awoken by a very annoying sound.

Mycroft.

John rubbed his face and took a cup of coffee that had been sitting on his nightstand since yesterday. Taking it up to his lips, he spat it out.

"Now that is rubbish." He said silently to himself.

He slumped up, reaching for his phone. As he held his hand upon it, it buzzed. He picked it up. Calender alert. Sherlock's birthday. Its not like he would care. It would be a normal day for Sherlock. A normal day.

Wait. Mycroft was here. Nothing was normal.

John could here muffled noises from the living space. And when he said living, he meant it in the most minimal way possible. Experimental tools, Bunsen burners littered around the room, used tea mugs, things of all sort, scattered around the room.

He slumped into the living space.

"What the hell is going on?" He said, rubbing his head.

[Mycroft]

Mycroft made no attempt to help his brother as Sherlock cleaned up the chemicals off the floor. It may have been his birthday but nothing was gonna get Mycroft down on his hands and knees next to Sherlock. God forbid any of his house staff got sick. Sherlock rose and was going on another one of his tyrades about how he didn't like his birthday and how this was pointless and how he disliked Mycroft's visits. Of course Mycroft took very little notice. Sometimes Sherlock could be so frustrating. "But it will all. Be. Worth it." Mycroft mentally reminded himself.
"You know I don't enjoy your visits, especially on pointless matters. And I do not visit you on your birthday. They are nothing to celebrate."
Mycroft sighed. "Sherlock, brother dear. First, stop edging towards your bedroom. Hasn't anyone ever told you that climbing out of windows is dangerous?" He gave Sherlock one of his sickly fake smiles, fully aware that he had, in fact, told Sherlock that exact thing many times during their childhood. "Secondly, you don't visit ever. Birthdays being no exception. Third, this is no pointless matter. Birthdays are a day to celebrate that you've survived another year, which, shall I remind you, I didn't get to do last year." His false smile faded into a grimace. "So at least for me, this is something to celebrate. I've got my baby brother back and he's managed to make it a few more months without accidentally killing himself."
"Look on the bright side," Mycroft called back to the kitchen as he strode to the sofa, umbrella in hand. "You get attention. And we all know that you love that." It didn't take someone with Mycroft's sense of intuition to tell that Sherlock was going to object. "Listen." Mycroft nearly shouted. It was odd, he never raised his voice. Most people got the idea of the levity of the situation without it. But then again, Sherlock wasn't most people. "For this one day out of the whole year can we just pretend that we get along?" Mycroft paused for dramatic effect rather than a response and was stunned to hear someone besides Sherlock interject.
"What the hell is going on?"
Mycroft turned around to see a very sleepy looking Dr.John Watson in the doorway. He gave the shorter man another one of his fake smiles.
"Good morning, doctor. And nothing you need to worry about." He turned back to Sherlock, smile never dropping. "I'm just wishing my brother a happy birthday."

[Sherlock Holmes]

Sherlock did not enjoy having his brother here, trying to celebrate his birthday. Sherlock never did understand why Mycroft felt this human tie. It was pointless. "Sherlock, brother dear. First, stop edging towards your bedroom. Hasn't anyone ever told you that climbing out of windows is dangerous?" Sherlock thought about that. Maybe they had. But people were stupid. "Doesn't matter. Its easy." Sherlock shrugged, not moving any closer to the door, because he could easily make his escape.

"Secondly, you don't visit ever. Birthdays being no exception. Third, this is no pointless matter. Birthdays are a day to celebrate that you've survived another year, which, shall I remind you, I didn't get to do last year." Sherlock rolled his eyes. Yes he had been dead, but that wasn't his fault. "Firstly, I didn't have a choice and secondly, is it something that I'll have to make a habbit of to avoid birthday greetings?" Sherlock asked. The idea of dying for a week was preferable to having another birthday.

"So at least for me, this is something to celebrate. I've got my baby brother back and he's managed to make it a few more months without accidentally killing himself." Sherlock resented being called a baby brother and he gave another glare towards Mycroft. "It is one of the few times you decide to care for me. Why not just do what you do the rest of the time." At tleast there was no sign of any presents. Sherlock hated presents. They were pointless and usually weren't even useful. A crime to solve was so much better. But he doubted Mycroft brought one of those.

"Look on the bright side," As if there was any, but Sherlock didn't say that. He didn't want to draw out the torture. "You get attention. And we all know that you love that." Okay, maybe that was true. Sherlock did enjoy showing off and people complimenting him on his skills. But people rarely did that anyway, and this was the wrong kind of attention. He liked attention that was based on his skills, not because he had been born a certain amount of years ago on this very day. Plus Mycroft being here didn't make it seem any better. "You just want an excuse to eat some cake." Sherlock said. Birthday cake was a common thing on birthdays, not that Sherlock ever stuck around long enough to see any.

Sherlock was about to say something else, when Mycroft's voice was raised and Sherlock stopped. Mycroft never did that. "Listen." For once, Sherlock was complient. He wondered if he had been to annoying to his brother, of whom he still considered his arch enemy. "For this one day out of the whole year can we just pretend that we get along?" Sherlock pretended to think about it. "Uh, no." He replied.

Sherlock was currently glaring at Mycroft when John came in. "What the hell is going on?" That seemed to be a valid question. "Nothing of importance. My brother just wanted to visit while I was working with some chemicles." Sherlock replied, giving his most icy stare towards his brother. "Good morning, doctor. And nothing you need to worry about. I'm just wishing my brother a happy birthday." Rolling his eyes at Mycroft's reply, Sherlock put his hand on the door handle, certain that the stairs were not an option, and he did enjoy leaning on the dramatic side. He wasn't going to leave just yet, but he wasn't going to stay anoether five minutes to have a nice cosy chat with Mycroft.

[John Watson]

Firstly, I didn't have a choice and secondly, is it something that I'll have to make a habit of to avoid birthday greetings?

"Apparently so, Sherlock." John couldn't help but interject. There are things in life that you shouldn't open your mouth to. Then there's other stuff. The comments which give an irresistible urge to make a Smart Aleck remark on. This was one of the Smart Aleck ones.

It is one of the few times you decide to care for me. Why not just do what you do the rest of the time.

John wobbled his head from side to side, making the "You've Got A Point" face. and he really did have a point. Sherlock never really bothered to get involved remotely to Mycroft. and Sherlock was the plague to Mycroft. All those experimental tools and dirty dishes lying around. It was like the house of to Oafs.

I simply refuse to go anywhere near them. This would be going through Mycroft's head 364 days of the year. All but on his birthday.

You just want an excuse to eat some cake.

John could not help but snicker at this comment. and, in all fairness, it was slightly true. It's not the only reason Mycroft did this on his birthday, but Anthea wouldn't remind him not to go out of his diet on his baby brothers birthday.

Nothing of importance. My brother just wanted to visit while I was working with some chemicals. Said Sherlock, cleaning up nasty smelling chemicals from his floor, surrounded by shards of glass.

Good morning, doctor. And nothing you need to worry about. I'm just wishing my brother a happy birthday.

"Oh, it's your birthday? Had no idea."

[James 'Jim' Moriarty]

Moriarty yawned. He had gotten barely any sleep the past few nights. He had had to send Moran off to deal with some double-crossing criminals in South Africa, track down Irene Adler's latest location, and a whole list of other things that kept him awake until the small hours of the morning. But now that he had been out and about, and realized what day it was, there was a spring back in his step.

The consulting criminal had a special birthday treat in store for a certain consulting detective. Everything had already been arranged, as he didn't want to miss this. He walked down to the end of Baker Street, close enough to 221B to see what was happening. Sure enough, there was Mycroft appearing. No doubt Sherlock would try to avoid him. He didn't seem like the birthday type, even if it was his own. And then he was at the window. Probably going to attempt a desperate escape. Oh, this was amusing. Moriarty smiled, and leaned against the wall to see what would happen.

[Mycroft]

Mycroft simply sat there as Sherlock completely ripped apart his attempt at kindness with another sickly fake smile on his face.
"You just want an excuse to eat some cake." All Mycroft could do was sigh and shake his head at his brother's stupidity. Why was the man just not letting him care? Needless to say, it was very frustrating. Maybe not as frustrating as John's feined stupidity.
"Oh, it's your birthday? Had no idea."
Mycroft turned towards him.
"John, please cut the half baked lies. You do know who you are in a room with, right? We aren't dumb." Mycroft smiled and turned back to his brother, his voice deadly calm and quiet. "Sherlock, dear. I am going to make this extremely simple for you. Today I am not going to 'do what I do the rest of the time. It is your birthday and since I so obviously desperately need an excuse to show that I care, this is going to be one of those excuses. We are going to celebrate. And you don't have to like it but we are either way. Have I made myself abundantly clear?" Mycroft didn't even wait for a response. "Good. I'm glad we reached an understanding."

[Sherlock Holmes]

"Apparently so, Sherlock." So that was it. Every year, Sherlock was going to die to get out of being wished happy birthday. It didn't seem like too much of a price to pay. It just involved some planning. Besides, it could come in useful, having a range of different ways that he could appear to die. Who knew when Moriarty would want Sherlock to commit suicide again. It paid to be prepared. Sherlock was ready to make his escape. As John snickered at the cake remark, Sherlock gave a smile. He did enjoy teasing Mycroft.

When John lied about not knowing that it was Sherlock's birthday, the detective rolled his eyes and let Mycroft deal with it. "John, please cut the half baked lies. You do know who you are in a room with, right? We aren't dumb." Sherlock gave a small smile at that, it was such an obvious answer and it was nice to have Mycroft's attention directed to John. But then his brother returned his attention to Sherlock and the consulting detective gave an inward sigh. He could not remain away from Mycroft's attention for long, it appeared.

"Sherlock, dear. I am going to make this extremely simple for you. Today I am not going to 'do what I do the rest of the time. It is your birthday and since I so obviously desperately need an excuse to show that I care, this is going to be one of those excuses. We are going to celebrate. And you don't have to like it but we are either way. Have I made myself abundantly clear?" Celebration, it sounded dreadful and boring, especially when Sherlock could be doing more interesting things such as experimenting or working in the morgue.

"Good. I'm glad we reached an understanding." Sherlock gave a small nod. "Yes, we have. I need to make my immediate escape. Have a good day, Mycroft. And try not to start a war." Sherlock said, turning around, entering his bedroom and then making an escape out the window, climbing down using whatever was offered and reaching the ground. Then, Sherlock took off, heading in the opposite direction of St Barts, but as soon as he was sure that he was out of Mycroft's line of sight, he started looking for a taxi to take him to work.