He sat in the TARDIS aone, his hands covering his face. How could he have let this happen?
a Previous regeneration earlier.
"Where would you like to go today Clara?" He asked with a cheerful smile clapping his hands together.
"Well.." She looked lost in thought, then pulled out her book of places she wanted to go, and flipped through the pages.
His heart sank. The way she flipped through reminded him of River, and the smile fell off his face.
"Doctor?" Clara asked, pulling him out of his thoughts.
"Hmm?" The Doctor asked, masking his face with a smile.
"Are you alright?"
"Perfectly fine." He said bluntly and returned to the console.
"Doctor," She started. "Look at this." She turned the TARDIS screen to show him reports.
The Doctor carefully examined the screen carefully. He smiled and laughed. "Care to meet a few friends of mine?"
Clara looked confused. "What does a murder have to do with meeting some of your friends? I thought you don't like killings?"
"I Don't. But they do, and I can promise you they'll be there." He said with a smile, dancing around the console and straightening his bow tie.
"So we're going to America?"
"And London. We still have yet to collect the whole crew you know."
"Whole crew? I thought I was the crew." She said almost about to pout.
"Silly Clara." He said with a laugh and patted her head.
"That's reassuring." She mumbled, crossing her arms. "The last 'crew' I found out about turned out to be your dead wife." She mumbled under her breath. And of course, the Doctor didn't hear. A part of Clara was slowly falling in love with the Doctor. Maybe that's why the TARDIS hated her. But then again, the TARDIS didn't hate River from the sounds of it. But there was a secret she kept from the doctor. She was the one who saved River from the library. Heck, she's probably out having adventures right now. But River asked Clara not to tell him, that she would be back one day to explain everything.
"Here we are!" He said with a nod, snapping the doors to the TARDIS to 2013 London.
"Who are we picking up?" She asked curiously.
"Sherlock Holmes." he stated bluntly.
If Clara was drinking anything, she would have spit it out. "Sherlock Holmes? He's real?"
"Of course he's real! Where do you think they get the ideas for the books from? Pay attention Clara!" He said straightening his jacket and stepping a foot out on the London streets.
Of course, it smelled like rain. It Always Smelled like rain.
The streets seemed calm today, and he could see the London eye. "Baker street" He mumbled to himself looking around. "Baker street...Baker street...Ah Ha!" He said finding the door to the flat marked '221B' and knocked on the door. "Mrs Hudson!" He yelled. "Mrs Hud-!" He was interrupted by the door opening.
"Why hello Doctor!" The frail old women greeted him with a hug.
"Is Sherlock home?" The Doctor asked.
Her face fell. "You haven't heard...Have you?"
The Doctor shook his head and became worried. Had something happened to the consulting detective?
"He's passed on."
The Doctors face fell. "I did come to 2013, correct?"
She nodded.
"Not of old age then?"
She shook her head.
"Well thank you anyways." He muttered glumly. "Tell John I said hello"
"He's in if you would like to speak to him."
A tiny little spark was on the Doctor's face now.
"He's talking with his sister Harry, but I'm sure he wouldn't mind." Mrs. Hudson said with a nod.
"I would love to!"
Mrs. Hudson lead them up to the flat where there were to figures sitting in chairs, facing away from him.
But that voice! He knew that voice!
He walked in, and when he approached to sit in a chair across from them he realized...John's sister. Couldn't be John's sister because he knew that person by a much, much, much, different name. "River?" He mumbled in astonishment.