Unicorn and the Wasp Part 1
OK GUYS I AM SO SORRY OVER THE LONG AND OVER DUE UPDATE OF THIS STORY BUT I'm IN THE PROCESS OF REWRITING ON OF MY OTHERS AND I HAVE JUST FINSIHED MY A LEVELS SO NOW THAT I HAVE NOTHING TO DO I'M GOING TO TRY AND UPDATE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. I HOPE YOU ENJOY THE LONG CHAPTER AND PLEASE REVIEW ! : )
Rose was watching from the monitor in the TARDIS as the picture of a beautiful garden of an English manor house came into view. Excitement and adventure were shining in her eyes, the one thing that had returned to them after the confession she had given her husband and her best friend who was like her brother. Her life seemed to be taking a turn for the better. Having spoken about the catastrophic events which led to numerous devastating emotions and feelings her life seemed to be better. Her hearts comforted that her husband was never going to abandon her, a man who would die to protect her and help her. His love for her was even stronger than before. She looked up at her husband who was pulling on his trench coat, her eyes looking up at him through her eyelashes, a large smile smiling over at him which he returned. He held out his hand towards her and she grasped it in a tight grip as he led them out the squeaky door of the TARDIS, Donna following them as they took in the sight before her.
Large bushes were present either side of her form while her converse cladded feet was pressed to a gravel path which had well groomed grass and bedding plants either side which led up to the large stately and very English manor. The large grey stone bricks held the enormous house which was embedded with large oak window frames and doors, the bushes and planets travelling up the walls giving the whole house a very welcoming feel to it.
The Doctor had placed one of his hands in his pockets causing his trench coat to lie loosely over his arm, his eyebrows were in a raised position and his eyes were wide with excitement and happiness as his lips moved into a huge smile, showing all his teeth.
"Oh, smell that air. Grass and lemonade and a little bit of mint. Just a hint of mint, must be the 1920s." The Doctor chimed happily as both him and his Wife moved away from the TARDIS as Donna continued to close the door. The Doctors expression moved from a smile to one with his lips pursed in a circle shape with his eyebrows in a frown as his voice portrayed all his emotions.
"You can tell what year it is just by smelling?" Donna asked not really believing him, her eyes in slits her head shaking in confusion as she looked up at the Doctor who had stopped and turned to face her, one of his eyes squinting from the sunlight
"Oh yeah." The Doctor sighed cheekily as he waved his head in a smile
"Or maybe there's the fact that a vintage car is coming up the drive gave it away." Rose said with a smile on her face, her features moved away from her companions. Her tongue was resting cheekily on the top layers of her teeth as she spoke over at him. The Doctor just looked down at her as he readjusted his footing, one of his eyebrows raised and the other was pressed into its normal position as they took in the large creamy white car moving up towards the house.
"Rev. Golightly. The Lady Eddison requests that you make yourselves comfortable in your rooms. Cocktails will be served on the lawn from half-past four." The three of them heard as they peered around from the side of the house, taking in the form of four men standing in the entrance. Two of them obviously butlers and workers of the house while there was a Reverend and a man who appeared to be the driver of the car, and maybe even a professor.
"You go on up. I need to check something in the library."
"Oh?"
"Alone."
"It's supposed to be a party. All this work will be the death of you." The pair converged before they both made their way into the house. Rose was holding a frown on her face as she took in the interaction between the people, the Doctor still had one of his eyebrows raised while Donna was thrilled to be there, her face lit up with a large smile as her body shook with excitement.
"Never mind Planet Zog. A party in the 1920s—that's more like it." She chimed with her smile still pressed to her face
"The trouble is, we haven't been invited." Rose said at her, her voice voided from the whole of her features and her voice until she watched the Doctor reach into his coat pocket, and her face moved into a large smile full of life and happiness. The Doctor not failing to notice as Rose became the woman she was before everything that happened to her. Over joyed to finally having his wife back with him "Oh, I forgot—-" She chimed in a high pitched voice, her face still holding the small
"Yes, we have." The Doctor laughed as he began to wave the wallet in front of their faces, his eyebrows moving into a raised position and his mouth moving into a smile which showed all of his teeth.
About half and hour later the Doctor was still leaning up against the door of the TARDIS. He had lost his trench coat and he was simply wearing his pinstriped suit which his wife loved him in. His eyebrows were in a frown when he took in the people starting to prepare the garden before he started to knock on the door of the TARDIS and shouted through the wooden door.
"We'll be late for cocktails!" But just after he said that the door creaked open and The Doctor watched as Donna emerge. Donna was looking very elegant in her flapper style dress which was black and had golden embroiled patterns running on the torso of the dress, a knitted black fabric travelling over her stomach for the patterns to continue to her hem. Her hair was held up to the top of her head in intricate plates with her fringe falling over her forehead.
"What do you think? Flapper or slapper?" Donna asked as she moved her body into a different position as she said each of the words, her figure still in the doorway of the TARDIS while the Doctor looked at her with his mouth pressed together, his eyebrows in a frown as he looked over at her before his face moved into a large smile
"Flapper. You look lovely." HE chimed before he looked to the doorway again looking for his wife who was no where to be seen "Where's Rose?"
"Right here sorry" The Doctor heard as he looked at his wife as she moved from the doorway of the TARDIS a smile on her features as she began to readjust and sort out her dress. But the Doctor beamed a huge and breathtakingly beautiful smile as he looked at his wife. Rose had pulled her hair up to an intricate bun at the back of her head, her side fringe sweeping over her forehead, intricate curls having falling from the rest of her hair. Her dress had loose material flowing gently over her shoulders and finished in the middle of her forearms. The dark purple colour flattering her from and her complexion while the dress hugged her figure. The top of the dress travelled in a circular shape in a low cut with a blue pattern of flowers and swirls moved across the collar and down the side of the dress, the purple material enhancing the vibrant blue of the pattern. The dress hugged her curves and travelled further her knees, the material soft and loose.
"Blimey... you look fantastic!" The Doctor breathed as he took in the picture of his wife who blushed at the complement a little before looking up at him with a smile. She turned around and closed the door as the Doctor held out his arm and she linked hers through it before they headed towards the garden to join the party.
Tables had been set up on the lawn and servants were finishing setting up food and drinks. A record player with a big dish projector was wound and started while the house keeper Miss Chandrakala was making sure everything was prepared and everything was to run smoothly.
"Look sharp! We have guests." She clapped to the people around her as the Doctor and his companions walked towards them, his arm still linked into Rose's who was holding a large smile. The Doctor had his hand raised in greeting his own face holding a smile as Donna came to stand next to them.
"Good afternoon!" The Doctor cried happily as the footman Davenport arrived to take their drink orders. His accent was very posh to Rose and Donna and he seemed to be very polite. The 1920's was like a completely different planet compared to the society they had lived in.
"Drink, sir? Madam's?"
"Sidecar, please." Donna replied with a large smile on her face as she lent towards him. The Doctor and Rose readjusting themselves as the Doctor pressed his hands into his pockets while Rose was once again readjusting her dress
"And a lime and soda, thank you." He smiled just for Davenport to turn his attention over to Rose
"And for you Madam?" He asked politely just for Rose to look up at him, her mouth hanging open as she pulled her attention from the bottom of her dress
"I'll have what he's having thank you" She voiced up at him with a smile present on her face. He bowed down over at them before moving to sort out and prepare their drinks.
"May I introduce Lady Clemency Eddison." Greeves informed from the position he had occupied from the entrance of the garden. A petite woman was walking and arriving at the garden in a fashionably dressed dark blue gown and Rose watched with a smile as the Doctor's face moved into a large smile as he greeted the old lady like an old friend.
"Lady Eddison!" The Doctor cried as he held out his hand over at her. The Lady smiled over at them kindly before clasping her own hand in his, her other holding what seemed to be a tissue
"Excuse me, but who exactly might you be…and what are you doing here?" She asked them with a frown on her face
"I'm the Doctor, this is my Wife Rose Smith and this is our work colleague Miss Donna Noble…of the Chiswick Nobles." The Doctor said with a smile, his eyes still squinting at the bright sunlight as he moved his hand over towards Rose and then Donna, the two of them shaking the elderly ladies hand
"Good afternoon, my lady." Donna said with a posh accent and a huge smile on her face "Topping day, what? Spiffing! Top hole!" She finished as she curtsied a little causing a rather peculiar look from Lady Eddison.
"No, no, no, no, no. Don't do that. Don't." The Doctor said with his eyebrows raised, his voice quiet just so Donna could hear while Rose reached into her husband's pocket for the psychic paper before she held it out to the lady.
"We were thrilled to receive your invitation, my lady. We met at the ambassador's reception." Rose said with a smile as she took a step towards Lady Eddison while Donna and the Doctor were still talking before she cocked her head to the left and the old lady smiled over at Rose and the Doctor. Rose having pulled the Doctor from his conversation with Donna, a smile always present on her features.
"Doctor, Rose how could I forget you? But one must be sure with the Unicorn on the loose." She said gently as she walked forward to grab a glass of wine, the Doctor and Rose following next to her. The Doctor had his arms held behind his back while Rose was clutching hold of a little bag like Donna as they listened to Lady Eddison.
"A unicorn? Brilliant. Where?" The Doctor said quietly just so she could hear, his mouth was hanging open, his eyebrows raised causing his forehead to crease as he leant down to listen to the petite lady
"Uh, the Unicorn. The jewel thief? And nobody knows who he is. He's just struck again. Snatched Lady Babbington's pearls right from under her nose." She said to them. Half way through her speech the young lad from earlier came over to give them their drinks and they took them graciously as they looked at Lady Eddison. Donna had downturned her lips when she heard about what was going on, her drink by her mouth
"Funny place to wear pearls." Donna said softly before they were all interrupted by the Butler Greeves once again.
"May I announce the Col Hugh Curbishley, the Hon Roger Curbishley." He voiced just for everyone to turn and notice a younger man pushing a wheelchair in which an older man was sitting.
"My husband. And my son." Lady Eddison informed as the pair of them came to sand next to her, the Doctor and his friends smiling at them gently as they held their drinks in their hands, the two of the men having smiled at them.
"Forgive me for not rising. Never been the same since the flu epidemic back in '18." Hugh said cheekily with a smile on his face as he grasped hold of a drink and the young lad coming over to talk to Donna and Rose.
"My word! You are super ladies!" Roger said with a smile on his face as he looked over at Rose and Donna, the young man taking hold of Donna's hand causing her to smile a large smile and the Doctor had one of his eyebrows raised sceptically and his mouth in a small smirk as he took in the sight before I'm
"Oh! I like the cut of your jib. Chin-chin." Donna laughed as her hand was placed with a kiss and the Doctor watched as the young man's gaze lingered on Rose causing his emotions to fling hey wire and falling into protective mode. He failed to notice the small smile to fall onto Rose's lips as she could feel everything the Doctor was feeling via their connection and she watched as the Doctor shook his hand, introducing the pair of them before pressing his hand protectively around her middle
"How do you do?" Roger said with a small smile on his face causing the Doctor's to spread
"Very well, thanks." The Doctor replied, really enjoying himself as he converged with all these people. Davenport approached again with Roger's drink on his tray
"Your usual, sir."
"Ah, thank you, Davenport. Just how I like it." He said to they young man, each one of the sharing a knowing glance
"How come she's an Eddison but her husband and son are Curbishleys?" Donna asked, talking over to her friends so no one else would be able to hear
"The Eddison title descends through her. One day Roger will be a lord." Rose said to Donna as she motioned her hand towards the married couple, the Doctor taking a sip from his drink while Donna raised her eyebrows at what Rose had just told her.
"Miss Robina Redmond." The Butler informed once again as a young lady dressed in the top fashion joined them. "
"She's the absolute hit of the social season. A must. Miss Redmond." Lady Eddison informed as she held out her hand towards the Doctor and his friends, while her husband looked up at his wife as Miss Redmond smiled at the old lady
"Spiffing to meet you at last, my lady." Redmond smiled as she shook the older ladies hand.
"Rev Arnold Golightly."
"Ah, Reverend! How are you? I heard about the church last Thursday night, those ruffians breaking in." Eddison informed as she brought the young man towards her with her hand before she walked to her husband's side
"You apprehended them, I hear." Hugh said from his sitting position in front of him
"As the Christian fathers taught me, we must forgive them their trespasses. Quite literally." HE said with a smile causing Rose to frown a little
"Some of these young boys deserve a decent thrashing." Roger informed just as Davenport came over to him to take his glass causing Roger to look over at him
"Couldn't agree more, sir." Davenport exclaimed just for the pair of them to once again share a look, the Doctor and his companions all watching as Roger coughed as he cleared his throat
"Typical. All the decent men are on the other bus." Donna whispered over to the others causing Rose to look down and smile while the Doctor just continued to look at the pair of them
"Or Time Lords." The Doctor informed just for Rose to look up at him with a smile on her face.
"Now my lady, what about this special guest you promised us?" Golightly asked just for Eddison to smile at him
"Here she is. A lady who needs no introduction." Eddison informed as she turned to look around Golightly causing everyone to turn and look at the woman who was dressed in a lightly fitted blue dress which fell to below her knee, a dress embroiled with golden stitching. Everyone began to applaud her and as the woman was walking across the lawn towards them everyone could see her blushing, see her crawling away from the attention as she sheepishly walked over to them.
"Oh, no. Please don't. Thank you, Lady Eddison. Honestly, there's no need." She said with a small smile as she stopped in front of them. She gave Lady Eddison a kiss on the cheek in greeting before she held out her hand to shake Donna's hand "Agatha Christie." She said with a smile on her face just for Donna to smile blankly at her.
"What about her?" Donna said with a smile just for the Doctor to lean forward with his mouth hanging open, his eyebrows raised as his eyes widened to look at her. Rose was simply smiling at her as she took in her husband's expression. Once again he was meeting his hero's.
"That's me." She informed with a slight smile just for Donna to exclaim in excitement, the Doctor's smile widening as he continued to smile over at her
"No! You're kidding!" Donna laughed with a smile
"Agatha Christie!" The Doctor exploded as he shook her hand rather roughly "I was just talking about you the other day. I said, "I bet she's brilliant"." The Doctor rambled just for her to smile over at him, one of her eyebrows furrowed as she looked over at the Doctor "I'm the Doctor, Rose and this is Donna. Oh, I love your stuff! What a mind! You fool me every time. Well…almost every time. Well…once or twice. Well…once. But it was a good once." The Doctor ranted, his eyes going distance as he shook his head over at her all the while Agatha was looking at him as if he was crazy.
"You make a rather unusual couple." She said with a smile, her eyebrows furrowed once again.
"Oh, no, no, no, no. We're not married."
"We're not a couple." The Doctor and Donna said to her at the same time, the Doctor waving his hand down to the ground, his eyebrows in a frown while Donna was shaking her head and hand at the same time between the two of them.
"Obviously not—no wedding ring on the ladies finger. It is you who is the Wife" She said with a smile, her body moving to each side as she smiled over at Rose and shook her hand holding up her hand in the process to show the three of them her ring which was present on her finger and then motioning towards the Doctor's which also held the silver wedding band.
"Oh…you don't miss a trick. Very perceptive" Rose said with a smile as she continued to shake Agatha's hand, her face holding a gentle smile as she looked at the lady
"Thank you, I pride myself for my talents, must be thrilling to live a life of love and happiness" She smiled over at them
"Mrs Christie, I'm so glad you could come." Lady Eddison cut in, a smile present on her features as she moved over to gain the writers attention "I'm one of your greatest followers, I've read all six of your books." She said as she came to stand next to her husband once again as Agatha smiled over at him, Rose and the Doctor looking on with a smile as they watched the woman blushing all the time "Uh, is, uh, Mr Christie not joining us?" Eddison asked her just for Agatha to go quiet and look up at the older lady
"Is he needed? Can't a woman make her own way in the world?" She said rather awkward, pausing in the middle to look away from her and then back, her mouth hanging open as she spoke
"Don't give my wife ideas." Hugh joked as he spoke up to the young lady
"Mrs Christie, I have a question. Why a Belgian detective?"
"Excuse me, Colonel." The Doctor said gently as he walked over to the colonel and took the newspaper from the older man while the others were talking to Agatha
"Belgians make such lovely buns." She informed causing everyone of them to laugh with her while the Doctor strode to a corner on his own as he looked at the newspaper.
"Where on Earth's Prof Peach? He'd love to meet Mrs Christie." Roger informed with a frown as he looked towards the house and then his friends.
"Said he was going to the library." Go lightly said to them just for Rose to looked up at her husband who was motioning for her to join him, she frowned when she took in his expression and tapped Donna on the shoulder as the pair walked over to him
"Miss Chandrakala, would you go and collect the professor?" Eddison asked her head maid who nodded over to her with a smile
"At once, my lady." She informed before she headed towards the house, Rose having watched her go past and head into the house.
"The date on this newspaper." The Doctor whispered over to Rose and Donna who were looking over his arms and towards the date, Rose's face moving into realisation while Donna's moved into a frown. The Doctor's own eyebrows were raised as he continued to look at Agatha
"What about it?" Donna voiced confused
"It's the day Agatha Christie disappeared. She just discovered her husband was having an affair." Rose informed over at her. He eyes and her face fell in sadness as she looked over at Agatha and then back towards Donna who had her mouth hanging open as she looked at Agatha who was smiling. Rose then moved her eyes and face over to the Doctor who was smiling at her gently and Rose smiled a very small sad smile in the process.
"You'd never think to look at her smiling away." Donna gasped
"Well, she's British and moneyed." The Doctor stated, dragging out his words as he frowned as he looked at her "That's what they do—they carry on. Except for this one time. No one knows exactly what happened—she just vanished. Her car will be found tomorrow morning by the side of a lake. Ten days later she turns up at a hotel in Harrogate." The Doctor explained as his face softened as he looked at her and then held his head in the air as he turned his attention over to Donna who was listening to everything he had to say
"Said she'd lost her memory. She never spoke about the disappearance till the day she died. But whatever it was…" Rose said gently over to Donna who flickered her head from Rose and the Doctor and then over to Agatha.
"It's about to happen." Donna whispered for Rose to look at the ground and the Doctor to nod his head, his eyebrows in a frown position
"Right here, right now." He said gently but before they could continue in what they were saying each one of them snapped their heads in the direction of someone shouting and screaming. Miss Chandrakala was running out of the house, her hands waving in the air as she bolted towards her mistress, panic and fear was present on her features which in turn caused each one of them to frown as they took in what was happening.
"The professor! The library! Murder! Murder!" The Doctor looked down at Rose and she looked up at him before they bolted from their spot and sprinted towards the house and the Library. The Doctor made his way towards the door and flung it open. His eyebrows raised, his lips pressed together as he lent his body weight on the door as he swung it open, him being the first one to enter the room followed by Rose and then Donna. Agatha being close on their tails before she rushed over to the body. Greeves then having arrived.
"Oh, my goodness." Grieves panicked just for Rose and the Doctor to rush to the dead body, the Doctor having his mouth hanging open as he pulled on his glasses as he took in the wound on the back of his head
"Bashed on the back of the head. Blunt instrument" The Doctor informed as he looked over at Rose who was tapping his watched
"Watch broke as he fell, time of death was quarter past four." She said as she looked over at her husband who nodded over to her before the pair of them got up and started to examine the papers that were littering the desk.
"Bit of pipe. Call me Hercule Poirot but I reckon that's blunt enough." Donna said from her position on the ground as she fingered the pipe delicately. Agatha was looking at the body and then towards the Doctor with her mouth hanging open before she knelt down to the fireplace and removed a scrap of paper from the fireplace. The Doctor flickered his eyes towards her, his face still holding his glasses but he said nothing and went back to his work.
"Nothing worth killing for in that lot, dry as dust." The Doctor said over to Rose who nodded before leaning on the table, Agatha was continuing to walk around the room as Donna went to stand between the two of her friends.
"Hold on, the body in the library? I mean, Prof Peach, in the library, with a lead piping?" Donna said softly as she watched both Rose and the Doctor to continue to shift through things. Rose looking in the draws while the Doctor was flicking pages of different books
"Let me see!" Eddison bellowed from the hall
"Out of my way!"
"Gerald!"
"Saints preserve us."
"Oh, how awful."
"Someone should call the police." Agatha informed once everyone had forced their way in the room, Agatha standing from her seat just for her to be interrupted by the Doctor.
"You don't have to." He stated as he once again took out his psychic paper "Chief Inspector Smith from Scotland Yard, known as the Doctor. His Wife Rose and Miss Noble is the plucky young girl who helps us out." The Doctor said quickly as he showed everyone the paper, at the last part Donna looked at the Doctor who was still wearing his glasses and her eyebrows raised a little.
"I say." Lady Eddison breathed
"Mrs Christie was right. Go into the sitting room. I will question each of you in turn." The Doctor replied once again, his eyebrows raised causing his forehead to crease while his arms were held out to his side as he tried to guide the people out again
"Come along. Do as the Doctor says. Keep the room undisturbed." Agatha informed as she escorted them all out of the room leaving the TARDIS companions in the room
"The plucky young girl who helps me out?" Donna snapped as she watched the Doctor raise his eyes, his mouth hanging open as he forced his body to the ground and stretched out his limps as he examined the floor for clues
"Donna there were no policewomen in 1926." Rose defended from her position in the room, her arms folded across her chest as she watched her husband work and Donna look from her and then to her spouse.
"I'll pluck you in a minute. Why don't we phone the real police?" Donna muttered again, her own eyebrows raised as she spoke to the Doctor who closed one of his eyes to get a better looked at the ground
"The last think we want is PC Plod sticking his nose in. Especially…" The Doctor informed before he trailed off, pulled something from his pocket and pressed if to the crack in the floor and then pulled it away from the floor, his eyebrows moved into a raised position, his breathing coming out from his mouth before he got to his feet "now I've found this. Morphic residue."
"Morphic? Doesn't sound very 1926." Donna complained as she looked towards the Doctor who was looking at the substance towards the light, his other hand resting delicately underneath the pen
"Gets left behind when certain species genetically re-encode." The Doctor whispered with a frown as he continued to study the substance, Rose smiling as she watched the two of them
"The murderer's an alien?" Donna cried sarcastically as she looked towards the door, her eyes showing how unimpressed she was
"Which means that one of that lot is an alien in human form." Rose stated from the corner of the room as she pushed herself from the wall, her hands going to her chest.
"Yeah, but think about it. There's a murder, a mystery and Agatha Christie." Donna whispered as she shook her head over to the Doctor who was still frowning as he looked at the substance. He frowned before he brought it closer to his nose
"So?" He chimed as he sniffed the residue "Happens to me all the time." He stated before holding the pointy pen tip out to Donna who shrieked back.
"No, but isn't that a bit weird? Agatha Christie didn't walk around surrounded by murders. Not really. That's like meeting Charles Dickens and he's surrounded by ghosts. At Christmas." Donna said to him, failing to notice the Doctor fingering the material and pressing a little bit of it into his mouth and tasting it
"Well—" The Doctor said in a high pitched voice, his eyebrows still holding the frown as he shook his head, causing him to share a smile with Rose as they pictured one of the first adventures they had shared together
"Oh come on. It's not like we could drive across country and find Enid Blyton having tea with Noddy. Could we? Noddy's not real, is he? Tell me there's no Noddy."Donna rambled as she spoke to him, getting a little excited as she watched the Doctor take of his glasses, and reached out for Rose before the pair of them turned to look at her
"There's no Noddy." She said gently before she was dragged out of the door by the Doctor.
"Next thing you'll be telling me…" Donna complained as she followed them at a hurried pace. "…It's like Murder on the Orient Express and they all did it." Donna informed as she tried to keep up with the Doctor who still had his hand in Rose's while he was whipping his mouth with his hand unknown to the three of them that Agatha was waiting in the hall way for him
"Murder on the Orient Express?" Agatha asked with a frown on her face
"Oh, yeah. One of your best." Donna informed as he took a few steps back down from the stairs
"But not yet." Rose said with over to her, causing Agatha to look at her at the same time
"Marvellous idea, though." Agatha said with a smile on her face as she thought the thought over in her mind.
"Yeah, tell you what—Copyright: Donna Noble, yeah?" Donna said cheekily with a smile on her face before the Doctor cut them from their conversation
"Anyway," The Doctor said in a high pitched voice dragging out the word "Agatha and I will question suspects. Rose, Donna, you search the bedrooms, look for clues." He said with a smile as he nodded towards Agatha who nodded with him, he reached into his blazer pocket which was hugging his figure very tightly before whispering over to Rose and Donna "Any more residue." He whispered causing the two of them to nod their heads before Donna and Agatha's mouths hung open when he pulled two large magnifying glasses from his pocket "You'll need this." He said passing one to each one of them.
"Is that for real?" Donna chimed in a bored tone, her eyes glaring up at him a little and her tounge was clicking against her teeth
"Go on. You're ever so plucky." The Doctor said cheekily as he watched her stalk up the stairs he smiled before he turned to Rose and spoke to her quietly "See you in a bit?" HE said to her gently, she just took the other magnifying glass before smiling up at him, her eyes sparkling with adventure
"Solving a murder mystery in the 1920's, you betcha" She laughed before pressing a kiss to his lips and running to catch up with Donna, turning to look down at the Doctor before rounding the corner, her old spark flowing through her.
"Right then. Solving a murder mystery with Agatha Christie. Brilliant!" The Doctor laughed happily, reminding himself of his attitude when he had met his 5th incarnation. His hand were once again in his pocket while he had a large smile on his face, Agatha did not look remotely impressed
"How like a man to have fun while there's disaster all around him." She snapped at him, his smile faltering as he continued to sway on his feet
"Sorry. Yeah." The Doctor said quietly as she continued to look up at him
"I'll work with you—gladly—but for the sake of justice, not your own amusement." She said before she walked around him, the Doctor turning to look after her, his eyebrows raised, his teeth still clutched tight as he followed her
"Oh."
The Doctor and Agatha had finally set themselves up in the sitting room. The Doctor was standing and pacing from either side of the room with his head looking down at the ground while his hands were behind his back. Agatha all the while had her legs crossed where she sat and she had a pen and paper at hand as she looked towards Golightly who was sitting in the chair which was facing them
"Now then, Reverend… Where were you at quarter past four?" The Doctor asked the young man. He stopped pacing and leant his body against the fireplace as he looked at the Reverend who had placed his finger tips together as he looked over at the pair of them
"Let me think. Why yes, I remember… I was unpacking in my room."
"No alibi then?" The Doctor voiced, one of his eyebrows moving into a raised position as he spoke
"You were alone?" Agatha asked, writing down everything the man was saying
"With the Lord, one is never truly along, Doctor."Golightly said with a smile on his face, shaking his head over at them.
Roger was the next person to be seated in the chair, his back leaning on the back of the chair, his hands in his lap
"And where were you?" The Doctor questioned, his tone even, one of his eyebrows raised as he frowned at the young man
"Let me think. I was, uh… Oh yes, I was taking a constitutional in the fields behind the house. Just taking a stroll, that's all." He said with a smile on his face as he answered the Doctor's question
"Alone?"
"Oh yes, all alone. Totally alone. Absolutely alone. Completely. All of the time. I wandered, lonely, as the proverbial cloud. There was no one else with me. Not at all. Not ever."
"And where were you?" The Doctor said again, his face the same but this time he moved his hands so they were folded across his chest as he looked over at Robina Redmond who was now sitting on the chair
"At a quarter past four…well, I went to the toilet when I arrived, and then, um…" She stated as she held her hands to her stomach as she spoke up to Rose's husband "Oh yes, I remember. I was preparing myself. Positively buzzing with excitement about the party…and the super fun of meeting Lady Eddy." She stated, her red lips smiling up towards both the Doctor and Agatha.
"We've only got your word for it." The Doctor said his face and body not moving
"That's your problem, not mine." She said again, the smile not leaving her lips
"And where were you, sir?" The Doctor stated, his mouth falling in large movements, his head held high as his eyes looked down at Hugh Curbishley who was sitting in his wheelchair
"Quarter past four? Let me think… Oh yes, I remember… I was sitting in me study reading through some military memoirs. Fascinating stuff. Took me back to me days in the army. Started reminiscing. Mafeking, you know. Terrible war." The older man rambled as he spoke up to the Doctor.
"Colonel, snap out of it." The Doctor snapped a little, his torso moving forward as his hands remained folded across his chest
"Oh, sorry. Got a bit…carried away there." He said with a small embarrassed smile on his features causing Agatha to look down at her lap with her own smile on her lips.
"And where were you at a quarter past four, my lady?" The Doctor sighed as he moved his hand in to his pocket, Agatha again writing things into her book before she looked up at Lady Eddison who was looking a little nervous and shaken over the whole thing
"Now let me see… Yes, I remember… I was sitting in the blue room taking my afternoon tea. It's a ritual of mine. I needed to gather strength for the duty of hostess. I then proceeded to the lawn where I met…you, Doctor… …and I said "And who might you be and what are you doing here?" and you said, "I'm the Doctor, this is my Wife Rose and this is Miss Donna Noble…
"Yes, yes. You can stop now. I was there for that bit." The Doctor said with a smile on his face, his eyebrows rose as he spoke over to her
"Of course." She said with a smile before she belched and placed her hand to her hand her eyes blinking while Agatha looked up at her in shock "Excuse me."
The two of them had finished questioning each of the guests laving the Doctor and Agatha to discuss everything they had learned as they paced the front of the fireplace. Agatha moving her hands as she looked up but the Doctor had his head looking down at the ground, his hands firmly in his pockets
"No alibis for any of them. The secret adversary remains hidden. We must look for a motive." She said as she came to stand in front of the Doctor who was taking a drink of tea and smiled when he heard Agatha putting on a Belgian accent "Use the little grey cells." She said with a smile causing the Doctor to smile with her
"Oh yes, little grey cells. Good old Poirot." The Doctor chimed with his eyebrows raised as he finished his tea before he strode over to the chair the other's had sat in and he flopped into the chair, the cup and sauser being held in both of his hands as he laid on the chair "Y''know, I've been to Belgium. Yeah, I remember…" The Doctor chimed as he moved his eyebrows into a frown as he got lost in his thoughts "I was deep in the Ardennes trying to find Charlemagne…he'd been kidnapped by an insane computer." The Doctor rambled
"Doctor! Doctor!" Agatha snapped over at him, pulling him from his reprieve.
"Sorry." He said quietly, his frown still on his face.
"Charlemagne lived centuries ago." Agatha exclaimed with her face still in a frown as she held her pen to her lips
"I've got a good memory." The Doctor voiced over at her, his eyebrows moving into a raised position as he watched the lady walk over to him
"For such an experienced detective, you missed a big clue." She said pointing her pen over at him, her hand pressed firmly to her hip
"What, that bit of paper you nicked out of the fireplace?" The Doctor asked, his body still flopping in the chair but his eyebrows moving and meeting in the middle as he spoke over to her.
"You were looking the other way!" She said aghast as she pointed with her pen the other direction just for the Doctor to scrunch up his face as he looked over at her.
"Yeah, but I saw you reflected in the glass of the bookcase." He said in all seriousness just as he watched Agatha smile over at him
"You crafty man." She laughed causing the Doctor to smirk over at her "This is all that was left." She said as she pulled the note from her bag and watched as the Doctor walked over to her and looked at the scrap of paper
"What's that first letter? N or M?" The Doctor asked as he looked at the burnt piece of paper
"It's an M. The word is "maiden"." Agatha replied, her pen pointing towards the word
"Maiden!" The Doctor yelled causing Agatha to jump as she moved her hands from the paper as she tried to regain her breath while the Doctor turned to look over at her "What does that mean?" He whispered just for Agatha to sigh up at him
"We're still no further forward. Our nemesis remains at large." Agatha stated as she looked away into the distance, her arms falling to her legs while the Doctor frowned and rested his tongue to his top teeth. "Unless Mrs Smith and Miss Noble has found something." She said as she looked back up to the Doctor who was looking down at her, hoping his wife and best friend were having better luck than they were.
Rose and Donna had split up to cover more ground so Rose was on the opposite end of the corridor to Donna. She climbed a few steps before she walked down the corridor. She headed to the door closest to her to find the door locked. She frowned and tried to again just for Greeves to suddenly appear behind her causing her to jump.
"You won't find anything in there."
"Oh! How come it's locked?" Rose exclaimed startled, her breathing heavy as she tried to regain the oxygen she had lost due to the shock of seeing him
"Lady Eddison commands it so."
"Due to the nature of the investigation I will need to see what is inside" Rose said to him. The Old man simply looked at her for a moment but when he noticed the kindness and gentleness of her eyes he went to lock it, pulling the keys from his belt as Rose stepped out of his way "Why is it locked in the first place?"
"Many years ago, when my father was butler to the family, Lady Eddison returned from India with malaria. She locked herself in this room for six months until she recovered. Since then, this room has remained… undisturbed." The man said to her. He started out at the door as he unlocked it but turned to face her as he unlocked it. Rose nodded to herself before she opened the door which creaked in the process due to it's misuse.
"There's nothing in here." He informed over at her as she continued to look at the disused bedroom with her mouth hanging open, her eyebrows in a frown before she turned around to look at the Butler once again.
"How long has it been empty?" She asked as she looked from him back to the room which was furnished very basically. The room held a bureau, some shelves a fire place and a bed with a teddy bear, everything holding a thick layer of dust and covered in spider webs.
"Forty years."
"Why would she seal it off?" Rose muttered to herself before she shook herself from her thoughts and brought in a huge lungful of air before she turned towards the man "All right, I will need to investigate. Thank you" She smiled as the Butler bowed to her before she closed the door behind her. She walked over to the bed and picked up the teddy, fingering the old material and the moth eaten ear before she snapped her head towards the nose of buzzing.
"Hello, how did you get in?" Rose asked with a frown as she placed the teddy bear back to the bed and then towards the closed door. Her thoughts flying back to the time she stood in the doorway... had a bee or wasp flown into the room? "Oh, what a noise! All right, busy bee, I'll let you out." She voiced again with a smile present on her face as she walked over to the curtains which had been drawn "Hold on. Alright Alright, just calm down I'm coming I'm coming" She smiled as she walked over to the window and pulled open the drapes, the magnifying glass still present in her hand as she pulled open the drapes. Her blood ran cold when she saw the huge wasp outside of the window. She took a few cautious step back, her breathing getting rapid just for her to scream and shield her eyes as the wasp smashed through the window causing Rose to flinch at the sudden onslaught of glass. "That's impossible!" She muttered to herself as she found herself circling away from the wasp, moving to the front of the window, the wasp moving forward towards him "Doctor!" Rose yelled just for the wasp to continue to gain on her, sending her husband her panic and calling him towards her. But she looked down at what was in her hand to find the magnifying glass. She moved it up to the sunlight and aimed the beam at the wasp. She had to fight back her tears while it was screeching in pain but she suddenly flung herself towards the door, ducking under the giant wasp as she bolted towards teh door, shoving her body to the door and flinging it open screaming for her husband as she backed away from the door, resting her back against it just for her to snap her body from the door when it's stinger came through the closed door and close to her leg. She screamed out in surprise and moved away from the door just as Donna came from the opposite direction and the Doctor and Agatha came to her in the other direction. The Doctor had his eyebrows raised and his eyes wide as he took in the panting form of his wife who was backing away from the door.
"There is a giant…wasp!" She managed to say as she gasped for air
"What do you mean, giant wasp?" HE asked as he took in her expression, his face scrunching up as he shook his head over at her
"I mean a wasp that's giant!" Rose cried sarcastically, rolling her eyes over at him, just for Agatha to smile over at her, annoyed at her outcry
"It's only a silly little insect." She laughed, her voice high pitched causing the Doctor to look down at her with his mouth in a circular shape
"I'm not over reacting!" Rose yelled over at her "I'm not like that so when I say "giant", I don't mean big, I mean flippin' enormous!" Rose managed to say again, trying to control her emotions as she spoke over to the pair of them. She looked over at her husband who was looking at her with a frown on his face knowing better than Agatha that Rose never exaggerated and never once freaked out over an insect "Just take a look at its sting!" She snapped over at the pair of them as she motioned towards the sting which was stuck in the door. The pair of them moved their gaze towards the door and the smile that Agatha was wearing was immediately lost and the Doctor moved his hand into Rose as he pulled her closer in comfort.
"Let me see!" He muttered quickly as he snapped his body into the room. "It's gone. Buzzed off." The Doctor complained when he let go of Rose's hand and rushed off to the broken window.
"But that's fascinating." Agatha cried when she spotted the stinger. The Doctor shoved his body from the window and over to Agatha
"D-D-D-D-D-D-Don't touch it. Don't touch it. Let me." He ordered before snatching the pen from her hands and pulled out a vial with a stopper as he tried to gather a sample, his glasses back on his face as he looked at the stinger that almost caught his wife "Giant wasp… Well, there are tons of amorphous insectivorous lifeforms..." The Doctor muttered to himself as he frowned as he collected the sample, Agatha looking at him as if he was made
"But…none in this galactic vector." Rose intruded as she spoke over to her husband from the corner, once again her arms folded across her chest
"I think I understood some of those words. Enough to know that you're completely potty."Agatha informed from her spot on the ground just for the Doctor and Rose to ignore her and he got to his feet, the others following him.
"Lost its sting, though. That makes it defenceless." Donna said, first time she had spoken since they had been reunited
"A creature this size? Gotta be able to grow a new one." Rose said over to her with a frown on her face as she went to have a look at the stinger which had almost caught her leg
"Uh, can we return to sanity? There are no such things as giant wasps." Agatha said enchanted, first holding up her hands to talk to the trio before turning her attention back towards the broken window.
"Exactly!" The Doctor said loudly with his eyebrows raised, his eyes wide and his forehead creased as he nodded his head over to her "So… The question is, what's it doing here?" The Doctor voiced before looking up at the ceiling and then moving from the door. The four of them had wondered from the room and were making their way down the stairs when they heard the scream. The Doctor looked up at Rose and her own eyes held the concern which was shining in his before they all began to bolt towards the direction it had come from. They rushed from the house and out onto the cobbled path and both the Doctor and Rose fell to Miss Chandrakala's side as she was lying on the drive with a fallen gargoyle lying on top of her, her eyes blinking weakly, her breathing heavy as Rose grasped hold of her hand in comfort.
"The poor, little…child." She managed to say, her eyes flickering towards Rose who was smiling at her kindly but the Indian lady blinked a few times before he head moved to the side and she died on the ground. But the Doctor could hear a loud buzzing and when the Doctor noticed the others with the woman he scuffled to his feet which slided against the small rocks before he looked up into the sky and toward the giant wasp Rose had been talking about.
"There!" He shouted as he got to his feet, the other's snapping their head up towards the giant wasp which was hovering above them, Rose's hearts beginning to bet faster as her memories fell to earlier
"Come on!" The Doctor yelled with his eyebrows in a frown before he bolted from his spot, the others moving on to follow, each one of them running up the stairs
"Well, this makes a change. There's a monster and we're chasing it." Donna complained as she continued to look down at the stairs, both Rose and the Doctor snapping their bodies forward quickly, unaffected by the sudden need of energy and exercise as if they did it all the time
"Can't be a monster. It's a trick. They do it with mirrors." Agatha informed as she and Donna rounded the banister and continued their way up the last flight of stairs. Rose and the Doctor already having reached the top, the pair of them skidding to a stop, Rose sliding into her husband's back when they could see the wasp.
"By all that's holy…" Agatha breathed as she watched the wasp tap the new stinger on the stone arch just for the Doctor to look up at it, a huge smile on his face and his eyebrows raised while the others tried to regain their breath.
"Oh, but you are wonderful!" The Doctor admired as he watched the Wasp turn to face him, for him to see the wasp move from the wall and look down at them
"Now, just stop there." Rose warned watching as the wasp came closer to them and she had to shove her husband out of the way when it came rushing at them, with it's stinger first. The two time beings were shoved to the floor with a large thud, falling on top of each other as the wasp flung itself past them.
"Oi! Flyboy!" Donna shouted from across the hallway. Rose had fallen over the Doctor's back and because Rose and the Doctor were looking over at Donna the pair of them had been lifted from the ground due to the Doctor's position and they watched as Donna held up her magnifying glass, the same way Rose had managed to hold of the wasp but nothing seemed to happen and it flew in the other direction after it had managed to scrap across the wall.
"Don't let it get away!" The Doctor yelled as both him and Rose helped each other up, scrambling forward quickly "Quick, before it reverts to human form!" The Doctor shouted again as the four of them bolted and chased after it.
They rushed into the hallway, the Doctor's lapels were flapping against his speed as he flung himself onto the walls of the hallway
"Where are you? Come on!" he stated loudly as he run before he came to a sudden stop, his eyebrows furrowed and he shouted to himself "There's nowhere to run—Show yourself!" He bellowed just for every door in the hallway to open and everyone was standing their staring at him
"Oh…that's just cheating." Rose muttered to herself a little discontented.
"My faithful companion! This is terrible!" lady Eddison cried as she came to sit next to her son who clasped hold of her hand, the others all filing into the room while Rose and the Doctor took refuge by the fireplace, the Doctor standing closely behind Rose
"Excuse me, my lady. She was on her way to tell you something." Davenport informed as he placed Eddison's husband in front of her
"She never found me. She had an appointment with death instead." Eddison stated flustered before she placed her head back into her tissue
"She said, "the poor little child". Does that mean anything to anyone?" Rose asked from her position she had taken with her husband, her eyes sparkling with comfort and gentle kindness as she spoke over to them
"No children in this house for years." Hugh informed as he turned his attention's disapprovingly towards his son "Highly unlikely there will be." He stated just for his son to look down on his lap and his mother move his arm around him
"Mrs Christie, you must have twigged something. You've written simply the best detective stories." Eddison said from her position on the sofa opposite Mrs Christie who was looking at her with her mouth hanging open
"Tell us…what would Poirot do?" Golightly spoke up, his hands once again resting together on his knees and finger tips.
"Heaven's sake! Cards on the table, woman! You should be helping us!" Hugh snapped causing Agatha to look a little flustered at the sudden change in their admiration, looking over at everyone in the room
"But—I'm merely a writer." She gasped and argued at them
"But surely you can crack it. These events, they're exactly like one of your plots." Robina said as she reached over to grasp hold of the woman's hand.
"That's what I've been saying. Agatha, that's got to mean something." Donna informed, shaking her head over to the woman who had snapped her own head towards Donna who was perched next to her
"But what? I've no answers. None. I'm sorry, all of you, I'm truly sorry, but I've failed. If anyone can help us, it's the Doctor, not me." She said never once lifting her head as she looked to the ground, her mind and hearts fogged with disappointment and heart break and she watched as everyone turned to look at the Doctor who was looking down at the ground, even Rose had angled her body closer to him so she could see him. The Doctor just raised his eyebrows and his eyes went wide as he noticed everyone's attention on him.