It's been a week now and Jenny won't look Vastra in the eyes, the poor lizard doesn't know what she has done to make her love so angry or upset that she does not want to look at her.
It had started when they were out and Jenny got hurt, it wasn't serous but Vastra got very protective like she normally does when her beloved gets hurt. No matter how small. Vastra thought Jenny had gotten annoyed with her because she was constantly checking on her and just needed some space, but three days later Jenny took to sleeping back in her old room. Vastra knew at that point something was wrong, but every time she tried to approach the maid she would make an excuse and leave the room or in some cases the house for as long as she could. She didn't skip any of her duties, she still made the tea and sorted out Vastras dinner. But without the peck on the cheek, hug or the lingering touch. Vastra had come to the conclusion that the young maid had found someone else and therefore no longer wanted to get married.
"ARGH!" a sharp yell came from the kitchen. Vastra jumped up and ran to the room to see her love hunched over the sink holding on to the porcelain for dear life.
"Jenny? Jenny, what is it!?" Jenny waved her back. "Jenny! Tell me what I can do to help you!" Jenny collapsed to the floor screaming. "JENNY!"
The small woman was unconscious, "Jenny, don't you dare leave me!" Vastra could hear the breaths become slower and shallower. "STRAX!" she yelled trying to stop the tears.
"Madam?"
"What's wrong with her? Fix it! Now!" Strax took out one of his machines from the kitchen draw.
"I can't… She's dying… Every cell is dying."
"Get the Doctor. NOW!" Vastra held her love close to her chest. "Please don't go, please. We are to be married. To be together. Jenny…" The sobs racked through her body, tears streaming from her eyes.
"Vastra?" The Doctor walked into the kitchen followed by the Sontaran.
The lizard hissed loudly towards the man. "What is wrong with her? Doctor do something. Or I will rip you apart!" The tall man simply walked over to her and pointed his sonic screwdriver over the body.
"Sooner than I thought." He mused looking at the reading.
"Sooner than you thought? Doctor, what have you done to her! Fix her Doctor. She can't leave me."
He put his hand on the older woman's shoulder. "Pick her up and take her to your room and place her on the bed. Not under the sheets but on top of them."
Vastra looked at him, tears streaming down her face, some hitting her poor unconscious lover. She just nodded and picked up the girl.
"Strax, go into my TARDIS and…"
"DOCTOR!" The doctor finished Strax's instruction quickly and walked up to the bedroom.
Vastra was shaking, looking down at the love of her life. "What's happening to her?" it was almost a whisper but the time lord picked it up and sighed.
He took the two chairs from the desk and placed them next to the bed. "Sit." Vastra did, as did the doctor.
"Sir. Is this the contraption?" Strax burst into the room.
"Strax please. Be calm." The Sontaran walked over and handed the doctor a small item. "Thank you Strax, you may now leave us." The sontaran bowed and left the room closing the door behind him.
"What's that?" Vastra glanced over to see what was in his hands.
"Open your hands." Vastra opened her hand and he placed a small circular object in her palm. She traced the inscription on the front. "She made me promise… Until she knew you wouldn't… She wasn't sure… She was scared." Vastra didn't look at him just felt around the object, turning it over and over in her hand.
Suddenly she threw it to the floor. "It said something…"
"You can hear it, that's good." She turned to face him and hissed.
What trick was he playing? She stood bolt upright and took the man by his collar. "Tell me immediately what the meaning of all this is." Her eyes piercing the old time lords but he didn't budge; just simply put his hands on her shoulders.
Vastra couldn't go through with her threat. "How long does she have left?" she let go of him and sank back into her chair.
The Doctor reached down and picked up the object, placing it back in the green hands.
Vastra resumed tracing the inscription. "Can you read it?"
"Read what?"
The doctor pointed to the indents on the item, Vastra looks at him confused. "You can't, it's Gallifreyan" she still didn't understand. He sighs at her, "you know I told you about my daughter."
She nodded, "the one that died on Messaline?"
He nodded, "well she didn't die. Because she's part of me she can regenerate. Not as many times, but it happens." The Doctor waited until Vastra had made the connection.
For the Great Detective she could really be stupid. Slowly her eyes opened wider and she flicked between the Doctor and her Jenny. "You mean?"
"Open the watch Vastra."
She looked at the watch in her hands, it was telling her to open it. She obliged. Orange light poured from the watch to the woman on the bed.
Jenny took in a deep breath and yelled.
"Sit Vastra. Don't move. Don't touch her."
She felt hopeless. She couldn't help her lover, she was watching her die before her eyes. "Doctor, what's happening?"
"She's regenerating Vastra. Shhh!" She couldn't draw her eyes from her love whom was spread across the bed, orange light pouring from her limbs.
She was screaming, crying, chanting. "I don't want to go. I don't want to go." Vastra started crying as it dawned on her that her beloved was going to change her body.
The orange light stopped pouring from the small woman on the bed. Vastra just stared at her, eyes wide open.
"She… She… She didn't change."
The Doctor looked at her and shook his head. "We can will ourselves to stay the same if we have enough will power. And well… She is your Jenny." He smiled at her, "yes you can touch her now."
Vastra had to try not to jump on the bed as she touched her girls face gently. Tracing her features; round her eyes, her nose, her smile, her beauty spot, she even stroked her hair. "Oh my love, please wake."
As if a switch had been flicked the small girl slowly opened her eyes.
"Hello my love." Vastra smiled down at the girl.
"Hello."
"I really am sorry to disrupt the hellos, but Jenny you need to rest."
Vastra took this and placed a cover over the top of her love and kissed her forehead. "Rest my love."
Jenny smiled and fell asleep instantly. Vastra closed the door behind her and faced the Doctor. "I am sorry Vastra, but she…"
"I understand Doctor. Thank you." He bid his farewells and left.
Two day after the regeneration Jenny was still asleep, she even slept through Strax waging war against the house plants… Again. Vastra had taken to sleeping on their bedroom floor under a pile of blankets.
"Vastra…" It was whispered. If it wasn't for Vastras advanced hearing she would not have heard it.
"I'm here my love." She knelt besides the bed and stroked her loves face.
"I'm sorry Vastra."
"Shhh. No need to be sorry my dear."
"You're not mad?"
The lizard chuckled and kissed her loves nose. "Of course not. I love you Jennifer Flint. Always and forever."
Jenny sat up and scooted back slowly so her back was against the headboard, she patted the bed. Vastra took the invite and settled next to her love.
"I love you too Vastra. But I am sorry for not telling you sooner. I was scared."
"It's alright my dear." She ushered her sweet maid into her lap and Jenny rested her head on the older woman's chest.
"One bonus of being a time lord."
"What's that my dear?"
"Life span." Vastra looked down at the girl and met those brown eyes.
"You mean?"
"Yes." Vastra held her close and kissed her.
"Ooh."
"What is it Vastra?" Jenny looks at her scared.
"Two hearts." Jenny just smiled at her then settled down to rest against her love. They stayed like that for many hours.
