An: You can't spell tissues without issues. With guest appearances.

For the first time since she'd met Jenny, Vastra was the first to go to bed. She had decided against tracking Jenny down and lay there. She thought of her own sisters, how they would frown upon her association with an ape. She imagined what they would say. "You let it sleep in the same bed as you?" "And you haven't eaten it yet?" "What fun! A little pet!" But her sisters would never meet Jenny Flint, would never know that Jenny Flint was not just another ape. If they met her, they would treat her like any other ape. The thought riled Vastra and she snarled defensively at the ceiling. "Are you protecting it, Vastra?" "What makes it so special?"

"She is Jenny Flint." Vastra hissed out loud at no-one, burrowing angrily beneath the covers. It made no difference, in the end. They were dead, apes had killed them. "She is what is good in them. And she must be protected." She murmured, falling into an uneasy sleep.

Jenny was just putting the tea down in the plant room (Vastra had told her that the correct term would be conservatory but for Jenny it was always the plant room). She'd spent the night in the stables, not particularly wanting to sleep in the same bed as such a stupid Silurian but sleep had refreshed her and she felt like making peace.

Vastra stalked in, irate from a restless night, picking up her tea without a word. Jenny stood, twisting her hands in her apron nervously. She sensed Vastra was annoyed but wanted to ask her anyway. A question that she'd never even thought to ask, such a simple thing to know about someone.

"Out with it." Vastra said curtly as she sat in her wicker chair and sipped her tea.

Jenny curled up, business-like, in the chair opposite. "When's yer birthday?" she asked without further ado.

"My birthday?" Vastra blinked. Of all the things, that was not what she was expecting.

"Day you wuz born."

"I know what one is. It's just a very…random question."

"Mine's comin' up soon. An', well ain't no-one gonna exactly be celebratin' it…" Jenny had been thinking about that half the night. "…but it got me wonderin' when yours was. An' 'ow Silurians celebrate 'em I guess."

"I am unsure when I was born in terms of an ape calendar. The seasons are different to when I was young. And we had different ways of marking time. I know how old I am. And I know when I first woke to this world. It was in April…" Vastra trailed off and stared into the distance. After last night, April was forefront in her mind.

"When yer sisters were killed?" Jenny finished, thinking back to the April they'd just spent together. The withdrawing, the sulks, the arguments and then finding a cold drunk lizard lying on the floor. She remembered Vastra's few sentences on the subject. "What were they like? Were they all warriors like you or were they…"

"It is none of your business, ape!" Vastra hissed suddenly, shooting a rather venomous glare at Jenny that startled the young woman almost as much as being cut off.

Jenny sat curled up, frozen in a mix of disbelief and fury. It splintered when Jenny bolted upright, fists clenching and unclenching, her eyes narrowing as she made her decision. That was that.

It didn't take her long to find Vastra again; the Silurian had retreated to the basement. Jenny had avoided it before but she stomped down there now, slamming the door shut behind her. She remembered, when they'd first started living together, wanting to hit Vastra. It was a puny feeling compared to this now. Vastra was going through a set of stances and didn't even turn to look at Jenny as she stalked down the steps.

"None of my business? It's none of my business?" she hissed. "I tol' yer 'arf me life story an' yours is none of me business?!"

She'd reached Vastra now, who was still focussed on her exercises and ignoring her.

"You carn't even tell me their na…OI!" she reached out and slapped Vastra, as hard as she could, across the cheek.

Tears sprang to her eyes, those cheek ridges were bleedin' 'ard and she shook her hand vigorously to try and rid it of the stinging.

"Are you quite finished?" Vastra asked her coldly, finally turning to face her.

Jenny answered with a snarl and struck out again. Vastra managed to deflect most of her blows but she was used to more precision attacks. As a Warrior, she hadn't fought much and the training was much more regulated. Jenny was fighting from the street and the street was dirty.

An elbow to the stomach as a foot hooked around hers to sweep the legs out from under her and Vastra ended up on her back on the floor and rather winded.

"Was I arskin' that much ter know their names?" Jenny asked breathlessly, staring down at her. Vastra rolled upright without answering, merely blocking another blow. "Even jus' how many?" She blocked that one too. "To know somethin' about yer? Anythin'?" Two more blows in swift succession. Her attempt to block the second failed and it turned into a backhand across Jenny's cheek.

Vastra gasped, feeling a rush of guilt and fear as the young woman sprawled on the floor of the basement. It was unintentional. She'd just been blocking the hits. After all, she was the punisher of those who hurt Jenny Flint. She protected Jenny Flint.

"Jenny!"

The young woman didn't look at her as she got up slowly, carefully wiping the blood that was trickling from her lip away with the back of her hand. The sight made Vastra shiver.

"Jenny…" Vastra reached out to inspect the injury her blow had caused but Jenny flinched away, breathing heavily from her exertions.

"An' fer the last time…" She turned to glare at Vastra who was now hovering and then shoved her hard. "Not." Shoved her backwards again, surprise registering somewhere that Vastra let her, that Vastra had let her attack so much and only defend. "An." Shoved her back into the wall now. "APE!"

Vastra stared at Jenny as if she'd never seen her before. The brown eyes, usually liquid and warm were almost black with fury. The lips, so often quirked into a grin or exasperation, held a snarl and teeth. Brown hair was escaping from the bun and sticking to the damp sheen of sweat on her forehead. As much as she'd annoyed Jenny yesterday, it seemed she'd really pissed her off this time.

"You 'eard her, Vastra. She's not an ape." Both of them turned in synchronicity to glare at whoever had intruded. "Hello!" the Doctor waved from the doorway. "So what are you fighting over this time?" he asked as he made his way down the steps. "Still glaring I see." He noted as both Jenny and Vastra stared at him in silence. "Jenny's improved I'll give her that. She nearly had you on the ropes, Vastra."

Jenny snorted. "Not 'ardly. She weren't even fightin' back or nuffin'." The Doctor reached her and with a look asking for permission, inspected her split lip.

"Well you won't have a shiner and all yer teeth are still there so I think you'll be just fine, Jenny Flint. Put a cold cloth on it, no problems. Rose'll keep you company."

She felt the dismissal and nodded, walking up the steps without looking back at Vastra.

"C'mon. I've treated a few of these for me mates back 'ome." Rose took her by the hand and led her to the kitchen.

A cold cloth was quite soothing for her lip, and for her eyes which had ended up hot and itchy. Rose made her a cup of tea as best she could.

"Ain't right, yer boss bein' able to land one on you like that. But good on yer fer standing up to 'er. Even if she is a lizard."

Jenny snorted. "She ain't me boss." 'sides she'd been the one who'd hit Vastra first. Her heart sank slightly in shame and she buried her face back in the cloth. Hardly better than her uncle.

"No?" Rose grinned. "Well they do say good friends make a good fight. I remember once me and Shareen, ooh we went at it like cats over this bloke…" Rose talked idly and Jenny found her a very comforting if completely unknown presence.

"So what happened?" The Doctor asked. "You ain't been keepin' her locked up down here have you?"

"Of course not!" Vastra spat, wincing slightly. The ape…the human could land a blow she'd give her that. "She attacked me."

"What did you say to her for her to do that? Apart from callin' her an ape I mean."

Vastra sighed. "We were discussing her past yesterday. I…was a little inquisitive, I suppose. She shrugged. "And today, she…asked about mine. About April. About my sisters. And I told her it was none of her business." She saw his expression. "Well it isn't!" she blustered. "They are dead, what business can it possibly be of hers what they were like? What does it matter to her?"

The Doctor was silent. "Sometimes they make it their business. If you're gonna be with 'em, sometimes they need a bit more than just "hello I'm a lizard woman from the dawn of time, come live with me." Well, after a bit at least. Usually they're quite happy at the start."

"I have told her some things." Vastra said defensively. "How my mother died, how my sisters died. What is my past to her? It is lost!"

"Yeah well, there'll always be questions you'd really rather not answer about the past." The Doctor shrugged. "But they get intrigued about it anyway. It depends how much you value her as to how much you tell her." He grinned. "And I know you value her. Lettin' an ape do that to you? She's well in isn't she."

Vastra snorted.

"Well at least apologise to her. For treatin' her that way." He nodded and moved towards the stairs.

"She attacked me!" Vastra protested.

"Well then, get her to apologise to you. Tell her that was out of order. Sort it out. Talk to each other!" The Doctor made gestures with his hands to imitate talking before turning to go.

"Doctor! There is…another thing…" Vastra ran after him. It'd caused some problems the past few months now and he travelled, might know something…

Rose talked a little about travelling with the Doctor. "Do you know Dickens? I met 'im." "It's always a bit of an adventure though I'll tell you." "Anyways I'd better go find 'im acutally. Nice meetin' you Jenny." Rose gave her a hug, whispering in her ear as she did. "Don't be afraid to slap 'er one again if she needs it."

Half an hour or so later, Vastra walked into the kitchen and made tea in an awkward silence, occasionally sneaking glances at the a…human who held a cloth across their eyes in scrunched fists. She pushed a cup across the table to it but it didn't move.

A sigh escaped her and she sat down. Part of her was incensed, to apologise to an ape! After being attacked by her too. Part of her was wracked with guilt, that she had hurt Jenny, as so many others had hurt Jenny. The rest was still thinking on the Doctor's words. "Depends how much you value her…and I know you value her."

She stared down at her own cup, hands folded in her lap. The scrape of china on wood alerted her and she looked up quickly to see Jenny watching her carefully over the rim.

She heaved another sigh and the words seemed quite easy really. "I'm sorry, Jenny."

A flicker of surprise. The tea cup was set back down. "'m sorry too. Din't mean to go at you quite like that."

"You fight well. For an…" Vastra nearly bit her tongue.

"Go on. Say it. Fer an ape." Jenny leaned back and folded her arms, staring moodily at the tea cup.

"For someone untrained. I'm amazed the gang managed to put you to such trouble."

Jenny stared at her queerly. It felt like a compliment. But she snorted. "I was 'arf starved at the time. Anyways. Can't fight arf like you do. You does it like yer dancin' or somethin'. Could barely reach you." In more ways than one, Jenny thought.

"I could teach you." It came almost automatically. A peace offering and yet…something more also. She ignored the voice in her ear expressing horror at the thought of her teaching Silurian combat to an ape. The shock on Jenny's face was worth it. She looked younger like that. More naïve. And then, ah that magnificent little quirk of the lips into a grin. Vastra found herself automatically grinning back whenever she saw it these days.

"Aright then." It was the way it spread forth and then was contained to make a little dimple at the side of her mouth. Vastra found it fascinating. It disappeared. "Did the Doctor tell yer to…"

"Goodness no. He's a pacifist." Vastra snorted. "It wouldn't occur to him. But you help me with the cases we take on. It would be best if you were prepared before the time comes when you have to fight. Otherwise you might end up hurt."

"And you might be too full to eat 'em?" Jenny grinned at her. Vastra's eyes flashed in ironic humour as she recalled saying that injuring Jenny was a crime deserving of death and devouring.

"It is always well to be prepared."

Thus Jenny overcame her dislike of basements and began training alongside Vastra, going over poses and stances again and again. It was a little frustrating, there wasn't any fighting at all and Vastra corrected her so continuously at every session, the Silurian was lucky not to get another slap, despite Jenny's vow to herself that she wouldn't go off like that again. But Vastra assured her that strength and agility had to be built up, and correct posture was vital to avoid injury so she went through all the exercises on alternate days. It burned her muscles enough that she could see what Vastra was driving at.

When she bled again at the end of September, Vastra gave her a small cup. She said the Doctor had given it to her.

"What do I do with it?" Jenny stared askance at the small rubber half circle in her palm.

"Put it up?" Vastra shrugged, earning her a very odd stare from Jenny.

But Jenny went off to try it anyway and when Vastra inquired as to how she was getting on, she said it worked well enough. Vastra didn't ask for details.

And neither did Jenny any more. Not about April, or Vastra's birthday, or what the Doctor had said. Vastra waited but the questions were not repeated. The Doctor had said talk but it seemed awkward to bring it up again, when they were getting along fairly peaceably.

Jenny didn't even bring up the fact that it was her birthday in a week's time and when Vastra got the letter it seemed awkward to tell her then.

"Ah! Jenny. I have something to tell you." Vastra informed her as Jenny brought her tea in the morning.

"Woss that ma'am?"

"Read through this and tell me what you think." Vastra handed her a letter and a case file. It was from a company. Apparently, some trade in Egypt was going awry and there was talk of ancient curses. "They saw my advert in the paper and they've asked me to go over there, to see what I can find out. I suspect it might be dangerous." She grinned and licked her lips.

"Yer goin' to Egypt?" Jenny asked incredulously.

"Yes, as soon as possible. I must pack immediately. But I would value your thoughts before I go."

Jenny stood dumbfounded, staring at the letter.

"Jenny?"

"Sounds hokey to me, ma'am. Prob'ly just some natives not 'appy with the trade an' stirrin' up trouble. 'sides them businesses in Africa is rotten. Prob'ly illegal activity on the side of the traders. I'd go after 'em first rather than any trouble makers." Jenny shrugged and handed the letter back.

"Hm!" Vastra looked at her appraisingly. "I shall take that into consideration."

"Not everyone what the police calls a criminal is one. An' not everyone what the police don't chase after is innocent. You know that." Jenny glowered at her.

"Certainly." Vastra nodded and swept back out to go and pack.

The question of whether or not Jenny was going with her stuck in Jenny's throat. If she was, Vastra would've said. Besides, if there was fighting to be done, Jenny was still on basic stances.

She accompanied Vastra to the station, got her bags sorted for her and then waved forlornly as the train slipped out of sight, just two days before her birthday.

It was a strange thing, Jenny found, despite the fact that Vastra was cold-blooded so it shouldn't really have made a difference, but the bed was definitely colder without her in it.

An: Ahh Jenny…