An: sorry for the lack of updates, a plethora of personal issues, a nice mixture of tragedies and joys, happened within the space of a week and consumed all of my attention that was not focused on work.

Jenny and Vastra approached the asylum together, in slight trepidation. It had required a little grease in the form of money to track Cathy down and even more to ensure her release into Jenny and Vastra's care. The not entirely untrue story was that Jenny was her sister and Vastra was a widow who ran a house for unfortunate women.

It was a strangely intimidating place, for all it looked nondescript. A well-dressed middle-aged man and an older woman in a faded dress were waiting outside the door. Jenny's hand twitched towards Vastra's at the sight. Vastra felt the slight brush and turned to Jenny, observing the clenched jaw.

"They will not take you. And if they did, I would get you out." She promised, earning herself a grateful smile.

Inside, the asylum smelt rank, of old sweat and stale air. They were ordered to wait in a small room whilst Cathy was fetched out.

"And there is the small matter of the signing out." The well-dressed man came back with a form. "I was unaware she had any other relatives." He fished for information.

"Trouble in the family. I ain't…I am not on talkin' terms with my aunt an' uncle. Hence it took a while to find 'er. But we got a nice place for 'er to come to." Jenny stumbled over her words.

"Well, she's quiet, doesn't give us much trouble."

"No doubt she shall flourish under my care." Vastra interjected smoothly. "I am well-acquainted with rehabilitating young women into society."

If the man hadn't been there, Jenny would've given her a swift nudge for that but at that moment the door opened and the older woman brought in Cathy.

She was thin, as if she hadn't eaten properly for a long time, with short cropped hair. She twitched at the sound of the door closing. She didn't look anyone in the eye, but twisted her hands together in a repetitive motion. Vastra recognised it.

"Is it…is it really you Jenny?" she croaked.

"Yeah. Yeah it's me. We've come to get you out."

"What about our aunt…and uncle? I thought…"

"Well it don't matter about them. Yor comin' with us. S'all bin arranged. Madame 'ere is gonna help look after you now."

Cathy glanced at Vastra and then returned her gaze to the floor. "I see."

"Well then, that's everything. She had no belongings other than her clothes when she arrived, otherwise I would give them to you."

"It is no matter." Vastra waved the pair away. "I can provide everything she might require."

"C'mon." Jenny went to guide Cathy out the door, but she flinched at the touch. "Foller me then." Jenny led the way, Cathy following her and Vastra bringing up the rear.

They said nothing more until they reached the cab, where Parker was waiting. Once inside, Jenny started trembling and grabbed Vastra's hand, keeping a firm hold on it until she'd recovered. Vastra was surprised but said nothing and they sat in silence all the way to 13 Paternoster Row.

Jenny showed Cathy to the spare bedroom, mainly used as a storage room for more books.

"This'll be where you sleep. I've got some old dresses an' things fer you to wear til we get you some new ones at least."

Cathy looked around the room as if it were a palace.

"The bathroom's jus' down there, if you want to take a bath. Or d'you want to eat?" Jenny and Vastra had planned how to get her out, but not precisely what to do once they had.

"I am…not hungry now. But…I would like…a bath?" Cathy spoke haltingly, as if she were expecting to be interrupted.

Jenny nodded and left her to it.

"She speaks weird. An' she's actin' like this isn't even real. As if she can't quite believe it."

"You told me you were always terrified of the asylum. If that is what it does to you, I can understand why. It is quite possible she thought she was there forever. The trauma must've impacted her. I'd give her time."

"I don' even think she really recognises me at all. S'just strange. She's nuffin' like I remember. Don't think I 'ardly recognise 'er."

Vastra sighed. "I imagine you've both been through a lot since you last saw each other."

"Last time I saw 'er was the day she walked out on us." Jenny crossed her arms and slumped moodily. "Dunno what she done after that 'cept that she got married. Some bloke called Ashdown."

"Why don't you ask her?" Vastra suggested.

Little by little, Cathy came to herself, telling snippets of her story to Jenny throughout the week.

She'd married a factory worker, Teddy Ashdown, just to get out of the house, tired of all her wages going straight to their father's drink and having to look after all the little ones. Life had been fine for a good few years. They'd settled down, Cathy had had two children, a boy and a girl. She took in sewing after the youngest started school, to keep her busy. But her factory worker accused her of having affairs while he was out. He started drinking. Cathy found herself ten years later, looking after children and a drunkard, the very things she'd married to escape. So she left him, took the children with her. But she couldn't find enough work and the children were too young really. Not yet old enough to leave school. She left them with a lady who had a house for caring for children of unfortunate women and she became a prostitute in a dress house. When a gentleman tried to tie her up and beat her, she fought him but the owner of the house didn't defend her and she was kicked out. She tried to go to her uncle and aunt for help but they got her locked away as a mad woman. That was a year ago and she'd been there ever since. She didn't know where her husband was or her children.

She gave Jenny the address of the house where she'd left the children but all Jenny was able to find out was that they'd been thrown out when there was no more money forthcoming from Cathy. She promised Cathy she'd ask the Irregulars and check out the workhouses.

Cathy had spent the week watching Jenny and saw how Jenny would look at the veiled lady. Jenny had told her she was a maid for this Madame Vastra but she didn't act like it apart from helping around the house occasionally. Cathy tried to do a little as well but she was rather weaker than Jenny. She saw how casually they touched each other and discovered they slept in the same room and was horrified. She'd heard of such people of course, from prostitutes, about how some gentlemen would have kept Mistresses, kept whores. But a Madame? A lady? It made her very uncomfortable and awkward around them.

By the end of the week, she'd seen enough and felt recovered enough to leave. She asked Jenny about finding her new lodgings and Jenny supplied her with a list and also some suitable positions for jobs. Madame Vastra would provide her with references, if she used her married name, she would no doubt be successful.

"You're welcome to stay 'ere though." Jenny offered as Cathy sat in the kitchen finishing breakfast, the morning of her leaving. "If yer need more time…"

"No! No. I am…quite recovered thank you."

"Yer do look better at least. That wig George made up is decent."

"I do. And I do feel better. But I…I couldn't stay here. I don't…I…I heard from our uncle how…some of the things. About you, I mean. And I met a woman named Lettie, who surprisingly knew you. She said you'd been lovers, which rather confirmed what he said. Is it true?" Cathy looked pained at the idea. Vastra leaned in even closer where she had been eavesdropping. A lover?

"You met Lettie?!" of all the things Jenny might've expected, that was not one of them.

"Yes. In…in the dress house." Cathy lowered her voice. "Were you?"

"I s'pose, in a way." Jenny shrugged. Vastra sniffed, intrigued as to who Lettie was.

"And you and the Madame?" Cathy's voice was barely a whisper. Whoever Lettie was, Vastra couldn't hear what they were saying now.

That made Jenny splutter. "Me an'…" speech failed her.

"I…thank you kindly for your help." Cathy cut across her anyway. "But I'd really rather get on my own way now. To be around people like you, I wouldn't feel comfortable. I couldn't. It's not right. But thank you. For getting me out the asylum." Cathy nodded. She walked out of Paternoster Row with a small case of clothes, a job as a typist and a small apartment in a respectable enough part of town.

Jenny watched Cathy walk out on her for a second time but felt more sadness than resentment or anger.

"Well, here's hopin' this time yer life treats yer better." She muttered to herself, trying not to feel the sting of a second rejection by her family. Although really, said a voice in her head, what was you expectin'? The way you are, who you are, what was you expectin'?

"Who was Lettie?" Vastra asked, feigning casualness, the day after Cathy left. Jenny paused in handing her a cup of tea.

"Hm?"

"Your sister. She mentioned a woman named Lettie, a prostitute, that you were lovers."

Jenny cut her eyes at Vastra. "Din't yer mother tell yer s'rude to listen in? Sides, it weren't nuffin' like that." she sighed and blew on her own tea. "We lived together for a bit. Pretended to be sisters to get better lodgings."

"How did you meet?"

Jenny gave an unimpressed look at the interrogation.

"I'm merely curious." Vastra shrugged in fake nonchalance.

"It was after you an' the Doctor rescued me. The first time I mean. I'd hopped off seein' as you'd threatened to eat me…" Jenny glowered at Vastra. "An' I was crashin' in a stable. Got found but the drayman give me a job, workin' as a stable boy. Got food an' to kip down wiv the 'orses. It were a good deal. 'e took me to a pub one night an' Lettie was workin' there as a barmaid. Used to see 'er quite regular an' she invited me back to her place."

"She was a prostitute yes?"

"Yes. Anyw…"

"And she invited you back?"

"Yes! Anyways, she said I stunk an' I needed to take a bath…"

"Ha!" Vastra laughed, earning herself another glower and a rude gesture.

"So I did on'y…"

"You were a girl, not a boy."

"She din't seem that fussed. She weren't in a dress house like Cathy, she were an independent. So we lived together, I did me work, she did 'ers, got a nice place. Then I got found out. Takin' a bath at the stables. Drayman e'en sent the peelers round to us so we 'ad to leave in an 'urry."

"And then?"

"What you want the 'ole 'ist'ry? Gonna need a lot more tea fer that."

Vastra got up and put the kettle on.

"And then?" she repeated.

"I started up as a street seller, it leaves yer with some opportunities. Started misdirectin' fer gangs whenever peelers came round askin' questions. Jacob was me pair in that, used to curl up like mice together. Anyways, I got enough money on the side from that, me an' Lettie got another place. A little attic room. I remember Lettie sayin' "Bit posh fer the likes of us ey Jenny?" an' laughin' as we looked around. We shared, said as 'ow we was sisters and used to doublin' up. We din't look nuffin alike but the landlady took the money an' went on 'er way. Anyways, while I was actin' up to the peelers for…"

"Is that how you got involved with the Tong Gang? Is that why you left?" Vastra interrupted

"Mostly." Jenny said evasively.

"Another lover?"

"Nuffin' like it!" Jenny flushed slightly. She waited until Vastra poured another cup of tea. "I ran into yer round about then. I'd started dressin' like a boy again, Lettie'd taken me to this bar see? Fer me birthday. All full of these women dressed like blokes. It were a good ruse, switchin' it up, keep the peelers confused. An' to keep meself busy whilst I was waitin' fer a job I used to pick pockets."

"And you picked mine. I remember."

"I…I tried to find yer again y'know. Twice you see a lizard woman, it intrigues yer." Jenny laughed. "It were Lettie who found you in the end. At the circus. When I saw you in a cage I got right proper mad. Tried ter start an argy. Got duffed up for it though, protestin' fer Lizard Liberty." She laughed. "But I…"

"What?" Vastra's head went back and her tea spilled on the table. "You were that ape too?"

"Not an ape but yes. Unless there were somebody else who did the same." Jenny said exasperated. "Anyways, I went back that night to get you out but you got out jus' fine by yourself so I…" Jenny shrugged. "I just left yer to it I guess." Vastra's tongue snicked out.

"You followed me. You were the one, when the Doctor and I were talking…"

Jenny shifted uncomfortably under Vastra's intense glare. "I s'pose."

"Well. Our paths have crossed quite a bit haven't they Jenny Flint!" Jenny looked up but Vastra seemed more wondering than anything. "What happened after that?"

"Well, Lettie got a bit mad at me. Said I was stupid, riskin' bein' found out. Sent off somewhere. Then I did. I got caught by the peelers doin' me switch act. They gave me a choice between prison and spyin' on the gang so...I spied. But then the gang found out an' I was in trouble. Me an' Lettie split ways, I went to ground on the streets, ended up in the workhouse. Never seen Lettie since."

"What happened in the workhouse? You mentioned being in one." Vastra drained her cup and went to make more. She seemed intrigued and Jenny couldn't seem to stop talking now it was all coming out.

"Well I met this girl in there an' we left together. Set ourselves…"

"So there was another lover." Jenny's flush answered her. "You are attracted to women then, as a rule?"

Jenny fidgeted. "I s'pose. Yeah. Thas why me aunt and uncle don' like me. It got round y'see. S'why Cathy left too. She don' like it either."

"I see." Vastra watched as Jenny stared at her hands in silence. "Continue."

"You want I should call witnesses?" Jenny snapped, jerking to her feet. "Woss it to you anyways? Why're you so curious? You don' like it either is that it? Wanna know everythin' so as you c'n feel proper when yer kick me out too?"

"I merely wished to know. There's no need to get upset." Vastra sipped her tea.

"No need ter get upset?!" Jenny knocked her teacup over. "I've bin banned from seein' one sister, under threat of the asylum, me other sister just walked out on me, again, fer about the same reason an' the rest of me family are dead or disappeared! Then you start interrogatin' me on me entire life an' you think there ain't no reason ter get upset? You insensitive stupid BLOODY lizard." Jenny's face screwed up as she tried not to cry.

Vastra was stunned as she watched Jenny stalk out and slam the door behind her. She sat back in her chair, staring intently at her tea, thinking on her own family and realising, with a small amount of guilt, that she might not have chosen the best time to be quite so inquisitive.

An: Oh Vastra…