Chapter 1- The mystery message
DISCLAIMER- I do not own characters from BBC Sherlock or Doctor Who. Note: When referring to the Doctor I'm referring to the 11th Doctor.
It had been a while since the Doctor had found out about the big secret of the past but now it was different, because somewhere in his time stream he was in need of protection, from today until who knows how long he would have to be his own guardian, at least, that's what it seemed. He had no idea whether the man or woman he was going to meet at some point was a past or a future regeneration of himself nor why he would need protecting, but he knew that trying to find out could interfere with time and create a paradox. Yet if he failed to prepare himself to protect this mystery version of the Doctor then all his work, past and future would be undone and many people would die, he shook his head in face of the burden his life carried.
All he had to guide him onwards was the message he had received on psychic paper:
'Doctor, you are in grave danger, save yourself. Travel to London, to the year 2010, the TARDIS will be able to read this and take you to the right place, there you will find you'll want a disguise- an army doctor will have recently committed suicide in London, he's in the hotel two blocks away from where you land, his name is John Watson. If you catch him before he dies wait outside and don't try and stop him. You might not like it my love but you're going to have to cover up his death and pose as him. He only has one living relative- his sister, keep away from her and you will be able to maintain the disguise. You're looking for a flat share in London, I can't tell you more than that, just act natural and do whatever. You will find him as long as you don't try to hard, but don't let him know that you're the Doctor- you used a chameleon arch on yourself but this time someone had tampered with it changing your personality as well as your DNA, but don't be discouraged Doctor, as long as you stick with him you will be able to find the locket which will restore everything that's changed. I'm sorry that I can't tell you any more than that. Good luck Doctor, for I have faith in you.'
And that was it… a message from some mystery person who cannot reveal their identity, nor give him more guidance than to act natural and let everything unfold on its own. The Doctor sighed and fiddled with his fingers, feeling utterly alone. He had no plan and he hated that, he remembered back to the last time he'd tried to settle into a 'normal' life. He'd been with the wonderful Ponds, yet he couldn't help from feeling restless without being able to run around and solve the mystery. It just wasn't his thing to sit still on a sofa and watch telly and no one seemed to understand that either. They were perfectly content staring at the screen and watching some people acting to the best of their abilities with a soundtrack, why couldn't they just go and do the things they were watching other people do on TV in real life? Human lives were so interesting and they were wasting it away watching other people pretending.
The Doctor walked around and around the TARDIS console, staring in an intense manner at the psychic paper, as if the psychic paper would give him more information without consequences if he were to stare at it with his puppy eyes for long enough. He stopped walking and stood beside the blue boringers. He then turned around and headed towards the old girl's telepathic interface, realising that there was no point trying to delay the event that had to happen: if he was ever going to do this mystery task, he might as well do it now. He had to admit that he was a little excited, despite the fact that he'd have to adapt to a normal life once again. He put the psychic paper into the TARDIS' telepathic interface and pulled the lever, he closed his eyes to the comforting sound of the TARDIS before take-off. All too soon it landed, and the time had come for him to leave the TARDIS, not to come back for a very long time.