I stood patiently at the excessively large black painted door. I say excessively large because this door unlike many I had encountered during my current regeneration towered over me and was easily as wide as three or four of me. I rocked back on my heels casting my gaze around, I was doing it again, I was growing impatient, "Stop it," I warned myself out loud. I did that sometimes, talked to myself, it was a terrible habit, "Must stop that" The door opening pulled me back to reality, a rosey cheeked girl peered out at me, "Hello," I beamed my best beam at her timid expression. Why did maids always look so timid? "I'm the Doctor, I'm here to see Inspector Abberline. He should be expecting me" She mumbled at me, something incoherent, and opened the door wider. I tucked my hands into my pockets and strode in past her, rude yes I know but centuries of old habits are hard to shake. The interior was what I considered of this Victorian era, to be rather posh indeed. Inspectors clearly had a good deal going on for themselves. Perhaps I should have called myself, 'The Inspector' then maybe I'd have ended up with a posh place to hang out. Then again, The Inspector and the posh pad sounded far less impressive than The Doctor and the Tardis.
"This way Sir"
Judging by her tone she must have been saying that quite a few times trying to get my attention - I hadn't been listening. I didn't tell her that of course, I gave her a brief nod and encouraged her, in the best humany way I knew, (an outstretched arm) to lead the way. The twists and turns were endless as I followed her. As we walked I wondered; what's her name? Does she know that I'm an alien? Oh don't be silly, of course she doesn't know you're an alien Doctor. Why would she? You haven't told her.
We entered a room on our right. I say we, she merely stood and pointed at the door I was supposed to enter. After sharing a quizzical look with her and her nodding meaningfully at the closed door I decided that the best action would be to knock. A muffled voice told me to "Come in" so naturally, I did. The room I soon surmised, was in fact, an office. It had all officey things in, a filing cabinet, some bookshelves brimming with leather bound books. They were definitely bound in leather, I could smell it from the doorway. The grand oak desk sealed the confirmation of the office theory. Standing behind it to greet me, was Inspector Abberline. The person sat opposite him, etched a smile immediately across my lips. I beamed at her as if we were naughty school children coming to face to face with each other in the headmasters office after committing our crimes. "Vastra!" I strode towards her with my arms open wide. Even under her veil I could see her eyes roll.
"You two know each other?" Abberline looked completely confused. His confusion brought my thoughts back to the plan, I froze on the spot. The plan had been to allow myself to be introduced to Vastra's 'Veiled Detective' persona by Inspector Abberline. Seemingly it was courtesy to allow the human Inspector to think that it was his idea to join our forces together to form an unstoppable investigative team. As this was Vastra's gig I had promised, given my word, that I would play along and not mess this up. Under the growing silence I could feel Vastra's dithering glare upon me. I'd blown it; which really, we should have expected from the word go back when we had sat huddled around Vastra's desk in number Thirteen Paternoster Row, plotting the formation of what we would call, The Paternoster Gang.
"Perhaps my reputation precedes me Inspector?" There she was, quick thinking Vastra rising from her seat to save the day. My body jerked back into action as I strode the remaining steps to grab Vastra's outstretched, gloved hand. I shook it vigorously, I'd have to commit to this slightly altered cover now - fan boy.
"That's right yes, and what a reputation you have too" I refused to release Vastra's hand though I could feel her fingers trying to pry themselves out of my grip, "I'm a very big fan of your work, so is the Mrs, really impressive how you catch all these criminals in London" She'd escalated to the death glare but still I maintained our handshake, "And who can forget how you stopped Jack the Ripper?" I could feel Vastra tense as soon as the sentence passed my lips, our handshake froze. I could sense the Inspector's head jerk up.
"That was a top secret case" Abberline's protest immediately highlighted my error.
"Like I said, I'm a big fan, no stone left unturned in finding out about my favourite Detective" It was probably time to put an end to our handshake, so after two more repetitions I released Vastra's hand. I could just about hear her barely audible hiss from underneath her veil. I grinned back at her but she probably didn't notice. My poor explanation however, seemed to pacify Abberline who nodded his understanding.
"Quite right, Madame Vastra has informed me that your investigative skills are legendary in China"
I turned back to stare open mouthed at Vastra, out of Abberline's line of sight she shrugged apologetically at me - I knew she wasn't really sorry but I couldn't very well argue back with her, Abberline was watching me too closely. I chose instead to smile, smiling always worked in these situations, didn't it?
I'm still not sure how we pulled it off, but as we walked out of Abberline's office, officially united as partners working for Scotland Yard, we were both elated and triumphant. I still hadn't forgiven Vastra's free-styling lies though.
"China?!" I scolded as I clambered up into her carriage after her.
"Home Strax" Vastra informed the Sontaran perched above us in charge of the horse. "It seemed like a good idea at the time. Inspector Abberline cannot contact that far afield to check out the story" I groaned into my hand, though she did have a very point. I wasn't going to tell her that of course, Vastra didn't need me to further boost her ego. When I looked up her veil was gone; I hated when she did that.
"So is that it then? I'm part of the team?" I asked cheerfully as we rattled along.
She smirked at me, could Homoreptilia smirk? I supposed they could. She didn't reply right away, she sort of just, let my question hang in the air for a bit. I hated when she did that too. In the seconds it took for her to form a response I had already recalled the first time Madame Vastra and I had first met.
It was the Tardis that had picked up on the situation. She always picked up on happenings that required a Doctor, though I was beginning to wonder if she had taken me to meet the angry Silurian on purpose. It was easy to forget that the Tardis existed across all of time and space. She saw everything, knew everything; and most importantly, always took me to where I needed to be. That wasn't always necessarily where I wanted to be. When I'd landed I had been greeted with screams and many fleeing, tunnel digging, humans. Naturally I had found myself striding in the complete opposite direction to them, into chaos. I'm still not entirely sure what I thought I was walking into that day, even as I recall first seeing Vastra halfway through devouring her fifth human I couldn't have predicted what we'd both eventually become. She'd been violent at first, yes. Which was natural for a Silurian so rudely awakened. Add on the fact that her sisters lives were cut short by the blasts creating the underground extension and one could almost assume her reaction to be somewhat reasonable. I'd had to restrain her of course, that had taken quite a lot of effort on my part, we were both ancient, but she was somehow a lot more agile than I was, perhaps it was the human forms we Time Lords took that made us somewhat inadequate when faced with warrior races. She had initially assumed me to be what she called 'an ape', her loving term for the humans. It wasn't really a loving term, but like I said, she was really angry. Restrained and safely in my Tardis I had talked loudly over her hissing and yelling, telling her all about myself and the Time Lords until finally she had gotten so irritated with me that she had shut up and resigned herself to the fact that she was going to have to endure my stories regardless. I'd given her a choice, as I do with everyone. She could learn to live peacefully amongst the 'apes' in a time I would select that would suit her requirements. The alternative, was to the endure the punishment of a Time Lord. We won't discuss the option I offered to Madame Vastra, thankfully she took the peaceful offer. I dropped her off in Victorian London, with more than enough earth funds to get by, a plentiful supply of criminals to feast upon and a debt marked over her head. A debt that I would collect upon when the time came.
"We have lots to discuss old friend," her voice fetched me back through time. Her face was closer than I expected when I emerged from my fairly vivid daydream. The sway of the carriage had stopped and the door stood open. Vastra's wise blue eyes seemed to look deep into mine as only a fellow ancient alien's could. Her mouth curved into a smile, something mostly likely never seen by the society here due to the constant wearing of her veil. This close I could appreciate what her wife saw in her. Of course she's an irritable, stubborn old lizard from the dawn of creation; but her heart is not a thing of stone or wood, nor could it ever be. I could see how big Vastra's heart was and no, I don't mean in size, although if you've even seen the anatomy of a Silurian, you would agree, their hearts are pretty damn huge. No, this close I could see her, truly see her, I could see her kindness, and feel her loyalty. To her wife, the green scales didn't matter, the centuries were merely numbers, Vastra the Silurian warrior, was nothing short of beautiful. "I really don't like the way you're looking at me" She informed me with a raised scaled eyebrow before ducking her head down to step out onto the cobbles. The carriage rocked as I stepped down after her, I'd learnt to duck just that little bit further down than she did so as not to crack my forehead on its wooden frame, as I had done so many times before.
We'd barely gotten half way up the steps to Vastra's home on Paternoster Row when the door swung open inwards and we were greeted by the beaming pink cheeked face of her wife, Jenny Flint. Her eyes checked the street behind us before asking in her ever broad cockney accent, "Well? What 'appened then?" I glanced to Vastra, I was certain that she'd prefer to tell the tale herself of how I almost blew the whole thing. As Jenny helped her off with her cloak I spied a top hat resting atop the hat stand, I couldn't resist a hat. Resting it on my floppy head of hair I gave myself a not so modest twirl in the mirror that hung on the wall beside me. This was by far the youngest regeneration I'd ever been lucky enough to get and I did not intend to waste it wearing boring things like scarves and vegetables. Hats and bow ties, that's where the fun was at. When I turned back around Vastra had already ventured off into the house and I was left facing an amused looking Jenny. "Doctor, are you goin' to keep makin' more mess for me to clean up?" I grinned at her and set the top hat down on her head. Being far too large it slid down over her ears and past her eyes, she sighed and lifted it off, thankfully the amusement was still plain across her features. She smirked at me before putting the hat back on the stand.
"It's good to see you again Jenny" I told her with the most sincerity I've probably ever used for anyone. I hadn't quite worked out if Jenny Flint was the hugging type, what with being married to Madame Vastra who was about as cuddly as a balled up hedgehog, but I hugged her all the same. Her small hands patted my back and as we parted she nodded after Vastra.
"She doesn't like to be kept waitin'" She turned and hurried after her wife leaving me stood in the hallway of their not so humble abode. I eyed the swords on the oak cabinet a little further inwards towards the rest of the house. I recognised Vastra's sword instantly, she'd been carrying it when we'd met. She'd used again when I came back to pay her a visit her for the first time. It was the night when we'd both first encountered Jenny Flint, a night that my nightmares refused to ever let me forget; I could recall it even more clearly than the night I'd met Vastra; every detail was crystal clear.
She had been showing me her new hunting grounds. Unusual for a Silurian to share such a thing, but I was not her enemy nor her competition for food, plus I'd spared her existence, so I guess that left me appearing as not much of a threat to her food supply. She had been in the middle of telling me how bad I was for her hunting technique when she'd suddenly tensed. It was the first time I'd seen Vastra's tongue flick out as though she was tasting everything that was going on around us. It was quite fascinating to be perfectly honest, I felt my mouth going dry as my jaw refused to close. "Can you taste that?" She whispered at me.
I shrugged and pointed to my mouth, "Well no, I can't do the thingy. You know the..." I flicked my tongue out and wiggled it at her. It probably wasn't appropriate, and if I'm being really honest, she didn't look at all impressed with me.
"Blood" The word seemed harsh, it made my stomach knot, very few words did that to my stomach. As she continued to, what shall we call it? Taste? Yeah, 'Taste' the air, I gathered from my inside pocket my sonic screwdriver. She'd started off running before I could even test the settings.
"Wait!" I whispered, though it was probably louder than a whisper should be.
What we arrived at was an alleyway, what we were confronted with, is still one of the most vivid memories I own.
A group of four or five exceptionally large men were all stamping and kicking at a curled up figure on the floor. Their legs obscured my view but it looked like a person, possibly even a woman or a girl. "Hey!" I yelled at them. I'm not sure why. Vastra didn't know why either, she didn't need to say anything, her groan confirmed her aggravation with me. I'd never confronted a gang before; there's a first time for everything isn't there? As they paused and turned in our direction I was suddenly very self conscious of how big and muscly they were, and how skinny and weak I was.
"I hope you do not live to regret this decision" Vastra's voice though right next to me, to my spinning head seemed very far away. I gritted my teeth, the bundle at their feet seemed to quiver and shake in fear; it made my blood boil. I flicked out my sonic screwdriver to its full extension, letting my Silurian comrade know that I meant business, "On your head be it Doctor" I heard the cool metallic slither of a blade being released from its prison. As if already fighting back the men drew their own variety of weapons, which were mostly knives, and a meat cleaver. I wasn't deterred. In one swift upward motion of my sonic screwdriver followed by a sharp buzzing, as if pandering to my every need the alleyway plunged into darkness - Then the screams started.
When I finally allowed light to return the alleyway was no more than a blood bath from a horror film. Vastra stood once again beside me, calmly wiping her blade clean with a cloth. Anyone would think she hadn't moved, but we knew better, I knew her better. There was that, and the pile of bodies we now had at our feet. "Got your meals sorted for a while" I couldn't help but mutter as I moved swiftly through the chaos to the one victim in all this. I knelt down over what you would no longer believe to be a young girl, twenty at most. She was a bloody mess, the literal kind, and I felt no shame in searching for a pulse without protecting myself first. She had one, and that was all I needed to know. Her wounds would need tending to but not here, not in this dirty, disease riddled alleyway.
"No" Vastra's tone was blunt and forceful when I turned around with the girl in my arms.
"Please" I found myself begging of her, "Let me help her"
"You can tend to her in your time machine"
"Vastra you know it's too far away" Which was completely true, I didn't park the Tardis near to Vastra's home incase I drew any unwanted attention to her, it was the last thing she needed, or wanted for that matter. I attempted to plead with my eyes, but in all seriousness I suspected I just looked like I had some kind of eye problem.
"Fine" She must have pitied my attempts at pleading, which weren't good at the best of times. She turned her back to me and slung two of the corpses over her shoulder. I couldn't help but stare at her and as her eyes met with mine she hissed irritably at me, "It would be a waste of fresh meat" I'm not one to judge, I've seen a lot of things in my time. This happened to be a first, but I waved up a hand passively brushing off her act of basic Silurian hunting instincts. With the girl in my arms I followed Vastra as we moved swiftly and silently through the shadows back to her dwellings on Paternoster Row.
I'm assuming she tossed the bodies into the pantry but who am I to make such bold assumptions? I lay the beaten girl down on a bed in Vastra's spare bedroom, as I looked down upon her features I couldn't help but whisper, "How in the universe is she still alive?" My screwdriver rattled in my sweaty palm, I wasn't sure where to begin, her head was as good a place as any I supposed. My screwdriver couldn't work miracles, or wood, but it certainly helped things along a bit. I traced along her wounds with sonic pulses, slowing the blood flow, siphoning the pain away, saving her life. A breeze swept into the room, I barely acknowledged Vastra at my side while I continued to work.
"Will it live?" Her use of 'it' annoyed me slightly, but I let it pass, she was still learning. It was pointless having two hearts if I couldn't be even a tiny bit forgiving of mistakes.
"She needs time" I shook my head as I unfolded the blood soaked rags which were her clothes. The bruising was appearing faster than normal, the attack had been brutal. Despite being horrifically beaten almost to death I was grateful for her, that her dignity remained in tact.
"No! ...No" Her protests startled both of us, her hand grabbed my arm, albeit weakly. Her chocolate brown eyes were wide open, staring up at me, fear passing straight from her soul to mine.
"You're safe" I soothed stroking her matted hair very gently. "You're safe, it's okay. I'm the Doctor; and this is" - Vastra had gone. When I turned back to the girl she had passed out again. I smiled down at her calm features, she was a fighter, of that I was sure.
I found Vastra in her conservatory, it was exceptionally hot, I can only assume that it reminded her of Earth a millennia ago. "It cannot stay in my home" I wrinkled my nose, I thought she might say that; and she was still using 'it'. I'd tell her it wasn't appropriate another time. I took a few slow steps towards her but she raised a scaled hand to halt me; I obliged her and stood still. "Do not try to convince me that nursing that ape back to health will be a good idea. You know how I feel about these creatures. I work too hard, by your request Doctor, to live inconspicuously amongst them. I cannot let all that work go to waste for one puny little ape" I sighed and looked around at the exotic plants potted about the place. Vastra so far I have found to be very stubborn, she lived by more rules than I did, which was quite surprising as I have many more rules than the average alien.
"Fine" I decided at last, "Let's put her back on the street. We'll have to do it now before it gets light"
Standing back over the girl we both simply stood for a moment. "Where will we put her?" I asked quite seriously, folding my arms for added seriousness.
"I know of a quiet shop doorway a few streets away, we shall set her down there, the owner will find her at sunrise" I didn't particularly like the plan, but it wasn't my home, and with Vastra's mind made up what else could I do? As we attempted to lift the girl between us she started to moan. She must have been dreaming. Vastra and I shared a cautious glance before trying again, only this time the girl opened her eyes and saw the Silurian leaning over her. We waited with baited breath for the scream, but it never came. Instead, the girl uttered one, single, barely audible word before slipping back into her dream.
"Beautiful"
"What? What was that? What did it say?"
I grinned and looked across at my indignant friend, "She said you were beautiful" I watched how her eyes looked over the girl, flickering over her calm face, over and over. I couldn't read her expression. I couldn't even read her thoughts; but something was happening in Vastra's ancient mind. Something, that had never happened before.
"Get out"
"Excuse me?" She was telling me to leave? Did she mean it or not? I wasn't entirely sure, so initially I didn't move.
"Get out" she repeated at me, her tone more irritable the second time. She hissed at me until I left.
I don't know if I feared for the girls life, as I left her in Vastra's care alone, but as I strode along the cobbles to my Tardis I couldn't help but feel a little optimistic. I playfully skipped the last few steps, a smile across my mouth though I don't know where it came from. And that, was Jenny Flint's first night in number Thirteen Paternoster Row; it was to be the first of many for the rest of her life. Her presence was to change Vastra forever.
Snapping out of my daydream I followed Jenny in her pursuit of Vastra. I hated when life became too slow, forming our gang was just a little thing to pass the time, and according to Vastra, crime was up and business was good - I couldn't wait.