The Doctor, Rose, Mickey and Jackie sat in what would become the Commercial Tavern in their time, drinking something that was allegedly wine and experiencing 19th Century Britain first hand. Once Jackie and Mickey had gotten over the initial Time Travel shock they had actually proved to be very attentive pupils as they found their way around Victorian London. They groaned now and then about their restrictive clothing but saw Rose bearing it with good grace and decided to do the same. Rose was enjoying herself to the fullest, especially with the thought of the murder hunt that was before them. The initial excitement had been forgotten however as they experienced the sights and smells of their city in another time. It was only when they had retired to the tavern that talk turned once again to the Ripper. They kept their voices hushed so as not to give away too much to the surrounding public.
"I didn't know you had a degree from Oxford," said Rose, taking another sip of her wine and grimacing, the deep purple of her velvet gown casting shadows across the table. The Doctor thought she'd never looked so lovely, the dress showing off every curve, her hair piled on her neck exposing the delicate flesh. He noticed a well conceal mark on her collar bone and remembered exactly how she'd got it. He was so lost in thought he nearly missed her next question.
"When did you do that?"
"About two hundred years ago by my reckoning but I was studying there in Earth time 1986, just before you were born. I studied Victorian history and did a massive piece on the Ripper, absolutely fascinated me. I've been countless centuries into Earth's future and no one has ever solved the case. I've been trying hit this date in the TARDIS since then and never made it, always kept sailing off the mark," said the Doctor, wishing her corset covered a little more of her breasts. Every time she breathed in he had to bite the inside of his cheek to stop his body responding to her.
"Why doesn't that surprise me?" said Rose.
"Oi, madam!" said the Doctor. Ok, her insulting him helped, "Its not my fault if my ship decides where she wants to land, you've never been disappointed with the results before."
"It is funny though," said Jackie, who had fallen quite easily into a more friendly banter with the Doctor throughout the day, "You've tried for two centuries and it took Mickey two seconds of pissing about to get you here."
Mickey preened at the complement and the Doctor laughed, "I guess he has his uses after all."
Rose noticed several women across from her who were regarding Mickey's dark skin with interest as well as the Doctor's elegant outfit. Rose shook her head, for some reason the Doctor looked even more at ease in Victorian clothes than in his traditional black, something about the cut of the jackets that showed off his slim athletic frame. One thought of his body and her mind was once again in the gutter, swimming around without a care in the world. She felt a toe against her ankle and she turned to give him a brilliant smile, half convinced he was telepathic. Not here, she told herself, We have work to do.
"So go on then Doctor, share the wealth, give us the absolute low down on Jack and his victims," she said, knowing he liked nothing better than to show off his knowledge. The Doctor straightened slightly and cleared his throat.
"Well then class," he said, raising a groan from Jackie and a giggle from Rose, "Its September 29th, tonight two more victims fall to the Ripper. He has already murdered twice, both prostitutes working the Whitechapel streets. His first victim was Mary- Anne Nicholls, your teachers may have referred to her as Pretty Polly. She died on August 31st, her throat cut. Then came Annie Chapman on September 8th, far more brutal this time, her innards removed. The cuts are surgical, as if the man was a surgeon or doctor of some sort."
"Wasn't you was it?" said Mickey but he turned his eyes away as a death glare shot from both the Doctor and Rose, "Sorry, just a joke."
The Doctor took a sip from his wine before continuing, lowering his voice so only his companions could hear, "Tonight two more victims meet their deaths, Elizabeth Stride and then Catherine Eddowes in Mitre Square. They say Jack was disturbed killing Lizzie Stride and that's why he went on to murder Catherine."
"So if they're tonight can't we stop them happening?" said Rose almost knowing the Doctor's response.
"I can't risk it," said the Doctor, "Even I don't know enough about the case to save those girls' lives without risking the time stream and its not just those five who are the victims. There were other deaths, all with a similar pattern. Some say they were copy cat murders, others say the Ripper did it. There's even a theory that the Ripper actually stopped killing after the second time and the final three, the more brutal murders were another killer. I'd save those girls if I could but too much hangs on these murders happening tonight, changes in policing, how they caught the Yorkshire Ripper, its all connected to these events and for once I'm not going to get involved. I'm here to observe. You understand, don't you Rose?"
She slipped her hand into his a squeezed gently, "Of course I do. Pays to have night off for once anyway. How long till the first murder?"
"About another two hours I think, just gone one AM. I can give you the rest of the history while we wait if you like, I…"
"MURDER!" came the strangled scream from the door.
"That's not supposed to happen?" said the Doctor as several of the other patrons made to help the screaming girl.
"Trouble?" said Rose, taking the Doctor's hand as they stood.
"Fantastic!"
There was already quite a crowd growing out in the alleyway behind the pub, men and women of all classes desperate to get a look at a Ripper victim. The Doctor pushed his way through the crowd with Rose's hand firmly in his grip. He stopped short of the body, turning and blocking Rose's view. She tried to push passed him but he held her shoulders and caught her gaze with his own.
"Don't go near it," he said, "I don't want you to see something like that."
"I'm not frightened Doctor, its just a bit of blood."
"Its not just a bit of blood Rose," he said but it was too late, she shrugged him off and pushed passed a man in front of her.
Rose's eyes fell upon the mutilated girl, her face unrecognisable and covered in blood, her arms slashed to ribbons where she had tried to defend herself. Rose felt her feet hit something damp and looked down to see the rushing blood reaching the toes of her shoes.
"Oh my God!" was the last thing she uttered before the darkness swam over her eyes
Two strong arms pulled her up off the floor and carried her back through the crowd. Her head was swimming and she wanted to be sick but a cool hand to her brow suppressed the feeling and she felt herself being lowered to sitting on the pavement. She gradually opened her eyes to see the Doctors concerned face staring back at her, his hand supporting her back as he knelt before her.
"I told you not to look," said the Doctor, gently brushing her hair back from her face, "Do you feel a little better?"
She nodded, not sure if words would come out even if she tried to speak. She sought his hand and held it tightly before pulling him to her in a hug, not caring for the looks she received from Mickey and Jackie.
"Its ok," said the Doctor rubbing her back gently, "Seeing something like that is always a shock the first time."
"That poor girl, her face. Who would do that Doctor?"
"Someone very evil and someone who will not be getting anywhere near you I promise you that," said the Doctor releasing her and getting to his feet, "Now you three stay here while I have a proper look, all in the name of science of course. That murder wasn't meant to happen and I want to make sure I know what I'm dealing with."
"I want to see," said Mickey following as the Doctor made to walk away.
"Oh no, no way! I am not carrying you if you faint as well, I'll leave you laying there," said the Doctor pushing the younger boy back. Mickey shoved back into the crowd, ignoring the Doctor's protests.
"Rickey! Oh for goodness sake. Rose, Jackie, stay together and don't move, I'll be back in a second," said the Doctor before pushing through the crowd back towards the body.
Rose slowly got to her feet and turned to her mother who was wearing the scowl of all scowls. Oh God, thought Rose, groaning inwardly, I'm for it.
"That man is sick wanting to look at dead bodies," said Jackie, "All in the name of science of course, who does he think he is?"
"Mum," cried Rose, "He's just trying to establish what happened, it shouldn't have done and that sort of thing always means trouble."
"You're very defensive of him. You know you really hurt Mickey yesterday dancing with the Doctor all night and then hitting him this morning when the TARDIS crashed, " said Jackie fixing her daughter with a potent glare that forced Rose to look away.
"He nearly got us all killed," said Rose through gritted teeth, feeling once more the anguish when the TARDIS hasn't responded to her touch, "He hurt the TARDIS and now we can't get out of her until she's fixed. That ship means so much to the Doctor and Mickey nearly destroyed her."
"All this silly talk about the TARDIS being alive. That man fills your head with nothing but rubbish. Living machines, time travelling, chasing Jack the flipping Ripper about in ridiculous clothes."
"Oh Mum don't…"
Rose tried to scream as someone grabbed her from behind but she felt the material pressed against her face and the sickly, sweet smell of chloroform overwhelmed her senses. The last thing she heard was her mother's scream, her last thought, The Ripper.
The Doctor shot up from examining the body when a scream hit his ears. Pushing through the crowd he reached the pavement where he left Rose and Jackie only to see Mickey had got there first and was holding up a discarded key. Neither of the women were in sight and no sign of a struggle save for the key.
"Rose?" he cried in desperation, "Rose, Jackie answer me! Oh God, Rose where are you?"
"Doctor," said Mickey causing the Time Lord to turn and see him fishing something out of a puddle. A purple feather that Rose had been wearing in her hair. He handed it to the Doctor, alongside the Rose's TARDIS key.
"The Ripper got her didn't he Doctor," said Mickey looking like a frightened child, "The Rip…"
"Shut up! Don't say that," said the Doctor trying desperately to compose himself, "Let me think."
"What's there to think about? We have to find her now or she's dead."
"And where do you suggest we look?"
"We could split up," said Mickey, "Search in different directions."
"And what will you do when you meet the Ripper Mickey, do you think you'll live to tell the tale. Stop acting like bloody Rambo and let me think, " said the Doctor turning the key over and over in his hand, "Her phone! Rose's phone, she slipped it into her garter before we left the TARDIS. It has Gallifreyan technology in it, I can trace her."
He pulled the sonic screwdriver out of one of his deep jacket pockets, his hearts racing in panic and anticipation that he was losing the battle to control, and adjusted the settings. The screwdriver beeped back a negative and the Doctor barely held back from throwing it against the wall.
"Damn! Bloody ape never puts her phone on!"
"Now do we start searching."
"Ok, ok, which direction?" said the Doctor weighing up every possibility in his mind.
"Oh stop pretending to be Sherlock Holmes!" cried Mickey, "Just move or we'll never find her."
Choosing a road they headed off into the night, prayers on both their lips.