Vastra, Jenny, and one more…
Vastra and Jenny approach their most challenging case yet…babysitting. The doctor, an old friend of Mrs Anderson, had promised the two newlyweds to look after bonnie for the weekend, much to their dismay. However, Bonnie can win the heart of anyone, even an indifferent Silurian and a Victorian maid.
Jenny woke to the touch of sunlight on her face which drifted through the window, her having neglected to have closed the curtains last night. Getting up she expected to hear Vastra gently scolding her for not closing the curtains when it was so cold outside and she was likely to catch a cold, but turning round saw that Vastra was not there. 'She's probably gone hunting' Jenny thought as she got dressed. Making the bed she fondly straightened Vastra's desk lamp and book, and went downstairs. "Strax" she said entering the kitchen "'ave you seen Vastra? She's normally back by sunrise"
"Ah, yes" Strax said happily by the stove. He was frying an entire unpeeled potato "She's with the Doctor in the study. Do you require me to take action?"
"No, Strax, peel and cut the pota'o first. Did you say the Doctor?"
"Yes indeed young man, now…" but turning to finish his sentence instead saw jenny disappearing back down the corridor, towards the study. Knocking on the door breathlessly, she heard Vastra's soft yet deep voice call out "come in" but noticed the agitation on the edge on her tongue, and entered cautiously.
"Back so soon Doctor?" she asked politely, glancing over at Vastra who was pacing the room her brow (or what she supposed you could call her brow) furrowed.
"Ah, Jenny" the Doctor grumbled "come and talk sense into ya wife" he was standing in the middle of the room, his hands in his pockets.
"This is ridiculous" Vastra muttered furiously.
"'cuse me, but what's ridiculous?" Jenny asked, walking over and placing a hand on her wife's arm "Vastra?"
"The doctor wants us to babysit for him" Vastra said bitterly, shooting the doctor a foul expression "for a future dweller. Is this really what you think of us doctor? As a resource?"
"Look, you're the first names that came ta mind" the doctor sighed "it's only a weekend for goodness sake"
"But Doctor, we don't know the first thing about children!" Jenny protested
"I…I thought women liked babies!" The doctor said impatiently, then gesturing vaguely to the TARDIS "well come on, I haven't got all day"
"Absolutely not" Vastra replied firmly
"I'll make it worth ya while, honest" the doctor said before getting back in the TARDIS "I'll come pick you up tomorrow afternoon!" Jenny and Vastra listened to the sound of TARDIS leaving, till it had disappeared. They were left standing in the sunny autumn twilight in the centre of Sycamore street. The road was lined with trees reflecting its name with leaves just beginning to turn brown. The silence fell on them suddenly, and they were left staring at the front of a house with a green front lawn behind a little white gate and fence. The shady front porch had a rocking chair on it, and the line was trimmed with small evergreen plants and shrubs.
"So…we'd better go knock on the door" jenny said awkwardly. She could feel how angry Vastra was. "1225 Sycamore Street. It's the right address isn't it?"
"Yes" Vastra said curtly. There seemed to be a curtain of silence between the two of them, and Jenny was beginning to find it suffocating. Remembering herself she carefully opened the front gate and walked up to the door, listening to Vastra's heeled footsteps. She followed close behind. It had been maybe two or three years…Jenny thought gently of her memories of the Silurian behind her, most of which were behind closed doors. Infants were always more…accepting than adults, but a human's reaction cannot always be predicted. She just hoped the Doctor knew what he was talking about.
After a moment's hesitation, she rang the doorbell. In a minute it was answered by a plump woman with a sweet round face, who wore a sleeveless cardigan and denim trousers. "Hello. Are your friends of the Doctors?"
"Yes Madam. My name is Jenny Flint, and this is my wife V…Veronica." She could Vastra giving her a piecing look through her vail and was thankful that she'd worn her darkest that day. "Were 'ere to babysit…uh, Bonnie, was it?"
"Yes that's right, Bonnie, come here sweetie!" A little girl in a pink tutu and a red dress came running in from the kitchen, holding a toy cowboy in one hand and a unicorn in the other. Seeing the strangers, she hid behind her mother's legs, and peeped around them. Looking up at Jenny and Vastra, she bit her lip, before her face broke into a smile.