Chapter 9 The Aftermath

AN: My beta-reader informed me that she hadn't been able to edit chapter 9 and 10 and that I have to say goodbye to her as a beta-reader. I had been so happy. That's life. But this leads to one conclusion: All faults are MINE! Sorry.

My dear readers, I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a happy 2015

Both men looked at each other and decided to follow them immediately, otherwise they would never find them again. When they stepped out they saw the Doctor and Molly heading to the murder scene. 'It made sense' Sherlock thought. 'If it wasn't for the murderer, than it must have something to do with the victim.' If he had known that travelling with the Doctor would mean that this assumption was to simple for there were at least a thousand other reasons why the TARDIS would drop the Doctor somewhere to fix something, he would have scoffed himself for making this assumption.

The four walked back to the crime scene and saw that the police was already there. A few bystanders were commenting on the murder and the poor woman who had been slaughtered. Though the murder was horrid, the fact that the woman had died was something they all accepted as the only way out of this misery. One of the woman asked a constable what would happen to her child. The Doctor looked up. His expression sad now changed into exciting. Molly grabbed his arm and shaked her head. "Sss" she said "not good." He changed his expression into serious on which she nodded her approve. The Doctor walked over to the constable and showed his wallet with the psychic paper. "I'm the Doctor" he said. "I heard about the woman's child. Can you tell me where the woman lived so we can take care of the child and take it to the orphanage?" The constable looked at the paper and read that in front of him stood Mr. Booth, General of the Salvation Army. He knew there were people who cared and worked in this neighbourhood, but up till now he hadn't met any of them. He wondered how can so few do something for so many. Then he thought that though there were just a few people helping someone, at least somebody got help in his/her misery. It wasn't much but it was something. He looked at them and saw their compassion. He sighed and gave them her address. At least the child would have a chance.

As they walked over to the woman's place, Sherlock started to walk next to Molly and looked at her.

"What?" she asked looking at him.

"You didn't scream when that psychopath murdered that woman. When he ran, you ran after him. Then you jumped upon his back and you fought with the killer. Is this the real you?"

"Yes."

He squeezed his eyes. "How come you acted always shy around me. Was that an act?"

"No, not really. I forgot who I was. The Doctor brought it back to me."

"Enlighten me."

"Later. I guess John would like to hear it too."

Sherlock looked disappointed but he could understand Molly's reasoning. Then he became excited. Though he had to wait till this adventure was over, he could hardly wait, he would get all the answers. Finally. A smile spread across his face.

As they arrived at the house, if you could call it a house, they entered the room where the woman had lived. In the corner was a small bed where a child slept. As they walked in, a woman came in behind them. "What do you want." she asked unfriendly though her eyes wandered over the four people in the room, noticing the high-end clothes the people wore.

"Hi, I'm the Doctor" showing his psychic paper, though guessing that the woman probably couldn't read, but you never knew. "We're here to fetch the child. Her mother has just died and we will take this child and bring her to the orphanage."

The woman looked at them. Then she nodded as if she agreed to the fact that her tenant was dead and the child would become a burden. She could let the room tomorrow morning, furnished and all. There were enough people out there who would like to have such a beautiful room like hers. At least she was a decent landlady. Not like other people who let the same room to a lot of people, earning three-four times the rent and let the people fight over their rights who had the right to sleep in it. She hoped this time it would be a man. Men easily got a job to pay the rent. It was harder for women to find a job. "The name's Harriette" she said.

"Well, Harriette," the Doctor said, "we'll be on our way then."

"No," she replied, "the child's name is Harriette. Harriette Kelly. If you ask me, to fancy name for such a child."

Sherlock had looked around and saw poverty he never expected to see in his life. Even his homeless network lived under better circumstances. If they took this child away, it would probably be an improvement for the child. The Doctor took some sort of pen and scanned the child with it. Molly took the girl out of her bed. She wrapped a blanket around the child to keep it from cold. John walked over to Molly to take the girl from her so he would carry her, but suddenly the Doctor yelled: "STOP!"

The three stood paralyzed. John dropped his hands to his side and blinked.

Molly looked at the Doctor and suddenly understood and turned away from John. Sherlock squeezed his eyes.

"John, under no circumstance touch this child."

"What? Why not. Does she have a contagious disease? If so, I'm a doctor, maybe I can help her."

"Molly, out!" the Doctor ordered.

Molly and the girl left the room as quickly as possible. Sherlock followed her, on his face a curious expression.

"You know why he send you away" Sherlock stated.

"Yes," she replied, "to prevent a paradox. We'll explain later," she said.

Sherlock started smirking. "Is this always happening? Strange things with a promise to explain it later though later is really later than late?"

She pressed a kiss on the girls front head and smiled back. "I see you get the hang of it" she said with a grin. "Ok, let's take this child to the orphanage. Any idea where we would find the Salvation's Army? I'm sure they will take care of her."

"I'm sorry, I'm not familiar with this London, though I have a guess in which direction we can find it. Let's wait for the Doctor and John. And give me the child. I can see that the weight is hurting your arm."

As they walked away, a furious John followed them. The Doctor saying goodbye to the woman and ran then after them.

When they found the Salvation's Army, they left the girl Harriette Kelly, daughter of Mary Kelly, behind, telling them that her mother just had been slaughtered by Jack the Ripper and that the girl was alone in the world. As they walked back to the TARDIS, John still pissed off because of the way the Doctor had treated him and Sherlock looking pleased, Molly suddenly hooked her right arm in Sherlock's and her left in John's. She pushed her shoulder to John's arm. "Come on John, be glad. We did catch a killer, well, sort off, and he will never kill again and we saved a girl. Let's have tea."

When they all were back inside the TARDIS John walked over to the Doctor. He didn't take any bullshit from Sherlock, so this time from a stranger? No way.

"Care to explain?" he fumed.

The Doctor looked at him with an all-knowing smile which made John more angrier but he still contained it. He looked sideways and saw Molly's expression. Though he wasn't as good as Sherlock in noticing things, he saw that Molly knew also why the Doctor had acted like that. Sherlock's expression was one of curiosity which made him feel a little better knowing that his friend didn't know it either which was nice to witness for a change.

"John," the Doctor said with a friendly voice as if talking to a child. "As we went back in time and we ended up here, I thought it was to catch the killer and prevent more murders. But it seems I was wrong. The TARDIS didn't bring us here to do that, no, she brought us here because of the child.

"I'm sorry? Did you say the TARDIS brought us here? I thought you brought us here. You're pulling my leg. This is just a machine. No way I'm going to believe that 'THIS THING'" while saying this he waved his arm around the place "brought us here."

"No, my ship is sentient. Please, don't insult her. She doesn't like that" the Doctor said with a frown and then he continued his explanation. "Just before we stepped out of the TARDIS, I told you she brought us here. Only then we didn't know why. We assumed to prevent other murders but now it was to make sure you will be born and become Sherlock's friend."

"Excuse me?" John looked dazzled.

"It's quite simple, really. We heard at the crime scene that Mary had a child. At that moment I understood that she" and while he said that, he patted the console lightly and smiled at it "brought us there for the child. I didn't figured out why but I knew the child must be important. When we were in the room, I scanned the child and my readings told me that if she wouldn't be taken to the orphanage she surely would die. That's why we took her to the Salvation Army. To make sure."

"And what's with the fact that I wasn't allowed to touch her?" John asked.

Now the Doctor grinned and said: "well, I think you know the butterfly effect? Though in all my travels I never met anyone who met their great-great-grandmother." Then his face got a sad expression. "I knew someone who tried to save her father by dragging him away in front of a car, despite the fact that his death was a fixed point in time. When she did save him, everything went sour. People died who weren't suppose to die. When her father knew what was going on, he jumped in front of the car to get himself killed. That was very brave of him. That fact placed everything back in order and the people who weren't supposed to die reappeared. John, I couldn't take that risk again. I know you wouldn't hurt the child but I've learned my lesson. Anything to prevent a paradox."

"Huh?" that was all that John managed to say, his face utterly shocked.

"Yes, John, Harriette Kelly is your great-great-grandmother. If she had died, you would never have been born and nobody would have know about Sherlock's amazing gift of deduction. You are important John."

John pointed his finger to the Doctor. "Let me get this straight. The TARDIS brought us here to save a girl who happens to be my great-great-grandmother, just to make sure I will be born because I will become Sherlock' friend and make him famous because I blog about it. That's rubbish. I'm certain he would have found another friend who would write about him. And besides, it's just a blog. And Sherlock has his own page on which he writes his conclusions. He surely doesn't need me."

"But that's where you're wrong. Come. I'll show you" turning around and walking away, leaving a now more confused than an angry John behind.

"Come on then, we haven't got all day" the Doctor yelled, standing in a corridor leading to someplace else. Then he turned around and walked away. The three immediately started running after him. Molly knew what to expect though she didn't know where the Doctor was leading them, but Sherlock and John were taken aback by the things they saw on their way. A tennis court, a swimming pool, a lab, a sickbay (John thought that the sickbay had been on the right of the console room, he must be mistaken), and more stuff. Then they entered a room which turned out to be the library.

Both men were struck with awe. The Doctor turned around and grinned. He always liked it when he could startle people with his TARDIS. They never understood the meaning 'bigger on the inside'.