The knocking started at 2 am on a Tuesday.
John was laying in his bed, lulling somewhere between awake and unconscious.
His eyes jolted open when he heard the four knocks. Nothing was good when someone shows up at your door in the middle of the night. John threw his blankets off of him and rubbed his eyes. "Who the hell...?" He mumbled to himself as he trudged down the stairs to the door. Upon opening the door, however, he discovered nothing. Just an empty street. He stepped out of his flat and looked around. No one in sight.
John closed the door behind him as he returned inside.
"Sherlock?" John called quietly as he made his way around the living space. John heard no answer. Giving up, John walked back to his room and returned to his bed. It was probably just his imagination.
Just as he was about to slip into sleep, john's bedroom door flew open.
"John! Did you hear the knocking?" John groaned at the loud voice of his flat mate.
"There was no one there Sherlock. Go back to bed."
Sherlock's eyes went wide. No, there's no way John heard the drumming. It wasn't possible.
"John..." Sherlock said quietly but John was already back to sleep. With one last look, Sherlock closed the door and went back to his room. Off in the distance, the detective could still hear the four beat rhythm.
The next morning John awoke slowly. He hasn't slept well; the knocking at the door followed him into his dreams. He slumped down the stairs to find his flat mate perched on his favorite chair, hands under his chin.
"Did you sleep at all last night?" John asked, seeing that Sherlock hadn't changed his clothes from the day before.
"Sleep wasn't a priority." He mumbled so low, John could hardly hear him.
"I have a double shift at the clinic today so I'll be home late." John said and made a cup of coffee for himself. "No. You're taking the day off." Sherlock stood up and joined John in the small kitchen.
"What?" John turned and looked at him. "John don't make me repeat myself." Sherlock blinked. "No I heard you but I can't miss work today. I'm covering for Sarah. She's come down with the flu." John went back to his coffee.
"I took care of it. I spoke to the clinic and called you in ill." Sherlock explained. "Sherlock what's this all about? Is there a case? You know I can't miss work for cases." John poured his coffee down the sink; there was no need for it now considering he wasn't going to work. "No, John. This is much more dangerous." "Great." John mumbled. "Now explain to me what's happening."
-Somewhere else-
"But where could he have possibly gone?"
"If I can just trace the path of the portal, the Tardis should be able to- AHA! He's on Earth!"
"Why would he go to Earth?"
"I don't know but we're headed to London!"
-back at 221B-
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you John."
"Sherlock, out of everything that could possibly be seen, I've seen it twice. I think I can handle what the hell is happening."
Sherlock and John were still arguing in the kitchen. As of right now, they were getting nowhere.
"It doesn't matter!" Sherlock held John by his shoulders. "We need to stay-" Sherlock was interrupted by the sound of drums, the four beat rhythm that haunted both of them the night before.
"Can you let go of me so I can open the damn door?" John said, trying to wiggle out of Sherlock's grip. "No one's at the door, John." Sherlock said so low John wasn't entirely sure he said anything at all.
Knock knock knock knock
"That's the same knock that I heard last night." John said, puzzled. John couldn't hear what Sherlock said next, even though they were a foot apart. Without warning, Sherlock took off through the door and down the street. "SHERLOCK!" John shouted and ran after his flat mate. He didn't think twice about the blue police box he sprinted past.
In said police box, a madman was pacing and talking to himself. "But why London? What could possibly interest him here? Nothing important happens in London, it's such a boring place!"
"Doctor-" His companion spoke up. As if he didn't hear her, Rose's Doctor kept on speaking. "I know for a fact that nothing unusual has been going on, not since Christmas at least."
"Doctor I know what it is!" Rose said a little louder. "What could it be?! London is such an ordinary place!" The Doctor ran over to Rose and took her by the shoulders. "Why is he here, Rose!?"
"I don't know, maybe it has to do with the string of murders that have been occurring?" Rose crossed her arms.
"Murders! That's it! You're brilliant, Rose!" The Doctor pulled her into a tight embrace.
All too soon for Rose, the embrace was broken, her Doctor taking her by the shoulders, gazing into her eyes. "I know just where to go." He offered her one of his award winning smiles.
John was only a few feet behind Sherlock when the detective completely stopped moving. With a small "hmph" John accidentally ran into Sherlock, realizing he stopped abruptly a little too late.
"Sherlock, what the bloody hell has gotten into you?" John said trying to catch his breath. "I'm trying to save our lives, John." Sherlock said without looking at his friend. "If our lives are in danger, I think I have the right to know what is going on!"
Sherlock paused. "Aliens, John."
