Chapter 10 Explanations

Everywhere were bookcases. Lots and lots of bookcases. It seemed that the library stretched out for miles. Sherlock loved a good book if the contents was convenient for his work or it had something to do with bees. It seemed that this place could teach him everything. It really struck him with awe. John's eyes began to gleam. He loved to read but time was not always kind to him. He almost wanted to ask if he couldn't stay for a while, at least ten years, or a hundred more like and when he had read them all, the Doctor could take him back to the day they went off. Wouldn't that be something.

Somewhere stood a table. The Doctor walked over and Sherlock was convinced the Doctor would show them a book. Because he was a time travelling alien, he must have purchased a book from the future, written by John about their adventures. But the Doctor surprised him. When the Doctor was near the table, he suddenly disappeared. Approaching the table they saw another room. The cases had hidden the entrance. This room was different. Just four white walls and a large sofa, a few side tables and a few footstools. On one of the side table was a small square black device with a bunch of buttons. When they entered the room, the Doctor grinned at them. "Have a seat." He pushed a few buttons and suddenly a bright light shone upon the wall. Before they knew it, they were introduced into watching a silent movie. The intro of the movie took Johns' and Sherlock's breath away though to be honest, Molly was surprised as well. On the wall appeared the title 'Sherlock Holmes Baffled'. Before they could give any comment on the movie, the movie had finished.

"Nice, isn't it?" the Doctor commented. "The first movie made about Sherlock in 1900, duration only 30 seconds. Actor unknown but performance is based on the Sherlock character who played on stage in 1899." And enthusiastically he continued his comment. "People really loved that performance. The title of the movie is also nice, isn't it? 'Sherlock Holmes Baffled'. The same title you used on your blog John, according to the body found in a car in Surrey while the person died during a plane crash the day before that. Coincidence?"

Before they knew it the Doctor had pushed another few buttons and another movie started to play and a title 'A Study in Scarlet' appeared. "This movie is from 1914 just as this one." Another title on the wall appeared 'The Hound of Baskerville'. Before they knew it, they had seen titles as 'The sign of Four', 'Silver Blaze', 'Sherlock Holmes faces death'. "There are lots and lots of movies about Sherlock. Of course, in all the movies there's John Watson too except the first, but then again, that one only lasted 30 seconds. I would like to think if the duration was any longer, your name would have popped up as well." Before they knew it, the Doctor walked out and yelled: "allons-y" and walked over to a case and took out a thick book. It looked old. With a big grin he placed it on the table and they looked at it. The title read: Sherlock Holmes, all his adventures, 4 novels & 56 stories' by A. Conan Doyle.

"That's not John Watson" Sherlock replied pointing at the cover. He tried to look stoic but his eyes gave him away. He couldn't understand what he just had seen but he desperately tried to get a grip on it. The fact that the Doctor had mentioned that John had written every story about him and now seeing a different name on the cover was a relief. As if it all was a lie that didn't concern them but a different person with unfortunately the same name. The Doctor opened the book. Though the Doctor skipped the index, Sherlock was able to spot some titles who looked familiar with the cases he had solved. The story started at page 7 where they all could see:

A STUDY IN SCARLET

PART I

(Being a reprint from the Reminiscences of John H. Watson, M.D., Late of the Army Medical Department)

CHAPTER I

MR. SHERLOCK HOLMES

As their eyes wandered over the pages they noticed Doyle's writing. John being in the Fifth Northumberland Fusiliers. John who had been in Kandahar, who had been shot, who had met Stamford, who introduced John with Sherlock at Bart's and became instantly flatmates.

The Doctor closed the book. "This is all you are allowed to see" he said. "This is all history to me but to you some things still has to happen. Further knowledge is not allowed otherwise you could change your future. And we can't have that, can we?" he said while fidgeting his ear. "That's why I only showed you the movies of cases you've already solved. Movies made based on the stories written by Mr. Doyle. In fact" looking at John, "by you."

"How?" John exclaimed, looking at the Doctor with a baffled expression. "How is this possible. That man wrote about us in 1887. How can he have memoires of my life while I haven't lived it yet."

"Well, to be honest John, everything I showed you is coming from a parallel universe. The movies, the books, the stage performances. In fact, there are lots and lots of parallel universes where your names are famous through the ages. You can't mention one without thinking about the other.

"No, I won't believe it. Convince me" John stated with his arms folded looking at the Doctor as if he was telling a bad joke.

"The first time when we were introduced I addressed you as Dr. John Watson. If you recall that meeting, you must remember that she didn't introduce you that way. She just said: "John Watson". By the mention of Sherlock I knew immediately who you are and added your title. Though you both are famous and known everywhere in the galaxies, it didn't occur to me that you were living in the same time stream with my Molly. Though now I have met you, I think I'll read the stories again and place them in this era. That'll be fun." The last two sentences were said as an afterthought. Besides."

Suddenly the Doctor stopped talking while a serious expression crossed his face. His eyes started to focus on something nobody else seemed to see. John immediately recognized this stance. It looked so familiar. Then the Doctor started to mumble "this isn't correct. This can't be correct. How is it possible I never noticed this before. Why didn't I see it the first time we've met. How could I have been so blind."

The Doctor wanted to say something more but then he spotted Molly's expression.

"Oh," he exclaimed excitedly. "It was you, wasn't it" pointing at Molly. "Now I understand why Arthur insisted on me telling him stories about Sherlock and John. And because he had written the book I thought it wasn't bad to give them to him. I only thought he had a writer's block but that wasn't the case, was it. I knew I should have kept you at my side at all times and not let you wander off. You went to see him, didn't you. If you hadn't broken your wrist, you would have never met him."

"I'm sorry" Molly said remorseful. "I don't know exactly how it started. I guess that I accidently told him that I had studied pathology. That's not a clever thing to do when women are supposed to be domestic, and not doing a man's job in 1887. I guess I must have mentioned you guys as well."

'There was that 'guys' thing again' Sherlock thought.

"Besides," Molly pouted "my wrist wasn't broken, I just bruised my ribs.".

The Doctor nodded enthusiast. "Yeah, when we were chasing that Myrka."

"Myrka?" John asked. "What on earth is a Myrka."

"Exactly" the Doctor beamed. "They're not supposed to exist but the Silurians made them. You really can say that those reptilians are very clever indeed. They make them and let them fight for them. You humans can still learn a lot about them. Though" the Doctor started saying this as an afterthought "better it would be if you humans wouldn't fight at all. Let's be honest. What is there to gain. More land or more fuels. What you're gonna do with all that money. Bigger house, more cars. You can't take it with you. But that never stops you, doesn't it. But there is still hope. Otherwise I wouldn't spend so much time in saving you guys all the time."

"Made them?" Sherlock asked, skipping the whole war and gain story.

"Yes, the perfect warrior. Taller than a human being, adapted to deep-sea life, can also survive on land, highly bullet resistant and can take out a missile by himself. He can create powerful electrical charges and kills you that way."

Sherlock and John looked at Molly with disbelief in their eyes. John stated: "You chased him!" looking at her as if she had gone mental.

"Mmm, yeah." Molly nodded enthusiastically. "Of course. We couldn't let him kill other people, could we. He was programmed to kill. What else was there to do. Unfortunately there was no way to reason with him, so the Doctor had to kill him."

"How did you bruise your ribs?" Sherlock looked at her with curiosity, and though he tried to hide it, respect was also shown. Taking out a dangerous murderous reptile with no tools. He looked at John and saw that John still was shocked by Molly's confession about chasing that monster. He knew that John was a brave man but he wouldn't go out into battle without his gun.

"How did you kill it?" John stammered.

"Know your enemy's weakness" the Doctor stated looking at Sherlock. Sherlock saw it and immediately understood the Doctor's statement. He had underestimated Moriarty though Moriarty had underestimated him too. But it had almost cost him his friends and two years of his life.

"Yes, that's true, but I want to know how." John kept on insisting.

"Yes, Molly, tell them," while heading back to the console room. The others followed him while Molly starting to tell her story.