Hey, my fellow Whovians! Sorry this took a while. I'm still in school, so... yeah.

Anyway, enjoy the next installment of The Doctor and the Dolls!

"It's awful! Just awful!" Mary sobbed, makeup running down her face as fresh tears dropped off onto the bedsheets below her. "Poor Lottie…!"

Several other girls were crowded around her, some offering words of comfort and sympathy, others just looking plain distressed. Oswin was among these girls, though she stared blankly at the abandoned newspaper beside Mary. A big, emboldened headline declared the grim news.

"GRUESOME MURDER AT HAPLAND PARK- BEHEADED WOMAN CRUCIFIED."

A picture of the large tree in Hapland Park was underneath the headline. No body was affixed to it, but dried smears of blood were clearly evident, even in the black-and-white photo. But Oswin didn't feel sick, or even nauseous. All she felt was numb.

"And you saw it, Mary?" asked one of the girls, her eyes wide with horror and curiosity. "You saw the body?"

Mary nodded, her tiny body still shaking with sobs. "It was so awful! L-Lottie, with her head cut off…! And her doll!"

"Doll?" The very word snapped Oswin out of her trance. "Her doll was there?"

Mary took a shuddering breath before continuing. "Ay, it was. And it was in the same state as her! Its head was gone and pins were driven through its wrists."

"The article didn't mention that…" Oswin frowned.

"It was taken away by two policemen, I saw it!" affirmed Mary. One girl wrapped an arm around her shoulders and held her close.

"It's okay Mary, we believe you," she whispered comfortingly.

"We can't really be surprised," said another girl, named Maggie. "After that stunt Lottie tried to pull a few days ago… It's not wonder she got herself killed."

"What do you mean?" asked Oswin.

Maggie gawked at her. "Ain't it obvious? She was trying to tell people about The Silent Lady! So the Mistress had her shut up!"

"You think the Mistress did this?" Mary gaped.

"Well, not her specifically," said yet another girl. "But she could have hired a guard to do it. Returned soldiers will do anything for a job," she snorted.

Oswin felt a pang of irritation, but didn't comment on it.

"So the Mistress had Lottie killed," she said instead. "All because she was trying to tell people the truth about us?"

"I doubt it would have put much of a dent in the business," admitted one girl. "These people don't care if we were kidnapped or not."

"Still, she can't risk someone actually caring. She could still get arrested. So when someone threatens to talk..." Maggie dragged her index finger along her neck; the girls, sans Oswin, gasped. "Lottie was just a warning to the rest of us. We'll end up like her if we cross the Mistress."

"Don't you think the police will trace the doll back to us?" asked Mary, who had started to calm just a bit.

"Plenty of other establishments use the doll system," Maggie retorted. "The Mistress is evil, not daft. And she cut their heads off, so no one can identify them."

"Then…" A girl turned sickly green with realization. "Where is Lottie's head?"

Hushed murmurs spread throughout the room. But no one else had a chance to speak, for the door swung open and a feminine figure walked inside. All the girls bowed their heads immediately with respect as the figure strode past them, tall heels tapping against the floor.

"Good morning, girls," said the figure in a chipper tone.

"Good morning, Mistress," they all replied in sync.

The Mistress's eyes fell on the newspaper. "A tragedy. A truly despicable incident. Don't you think, Miss Mary?" The ice cold gaze turned on the girl.

Mary froze. "I- Y-Yes, M-Mistress. Very horrible."

"There are such awful people in the world nowadays," the Mistress sighed, her red lips parted just so. "I do hope nothing so terrible befalls any of you."

"Thank you, Mistress," was chorused in response.

"Very good," she clapped, causing most of them to jump. "Now, all of you, get up. We have another busy day ahead of us."

She turned on her heel and left them, leaving the scent of her perfume in her wake. Many of the girls stood up and began walking towards the wardrobes to change. Oswin was just a few steps away from it herself when she felt her arm tugged, suddenly and harshly. She whirled around and was face-to-face with Maggie.

"That soldier man you talked to last night," she whispered. "You didn't say anything, did you?"

"What?" Oswin blinked. "No, I didn't tell him anything about The Silent Lady!"

"Then what were you hugging him for? Clara, you're never that affectionate with the other guests!" Maggie pulled her closer, staring pleadingly into her eyes. "Please, I don't want you to end up like Charlotte."

"I…" Oswin sighed. "I really didn't say anything about the girls. I just… told him about my brother." She smiled faintly at the memory of Danny Pink.

"And that's all?" Maggie pushed further. "You didn't ask him to do anything for you?"

"Well… H-He offered to find my brother for me."

Maggie's face fell. "Clara!" she hissed. "That could be just as dangerous! What if your brother sees you like this and tries to help?"

"'If'? He's my brother, of course he'll help!" she replied angrily. "But he's not an idiot, and neither is Danny!"

"Clara, calm down!" hushed Maggie. "Okay, okay… Maybe they're not idiots. Charlotte wasn't, either. I just…" She closed her eyes, exhaustion having completely overtaken her. Oswin frowned, reaching a hand out to her friend. When her fingers made contact with her shoulder, Maggie opened her eyes again. "I don't want to lose anymore friends."

"You won't," she promised. "I'm not going anywhere." Oswin looked around the room; most of the girls had finished changing and half of them had left already. "Come on," she wrapped her hand around Maggie's. "We should get going."

Maggie nodded, and let Oswin pull her back towards the wardrobe. They had to dress for work, after all.

The sun was once again hidden by clouds when the morning came, but no one felt particularly gloomy at Number 10 Tardis Street. In fact, the air was almost abuzz with anticipation. The morning meant a new start on their ongoing investigation of the missing girls, and that had Matt Oswald practically itching to get outside. He was the first to wake up, first to dress, and first downstairs in the dining room. Well, aside from Martha. The maid spared him a drowsy good morning as she completed her morning routine. Matt was so restless he ended up helping her through most of it, just for the sake of having something to do. Within an hour, the table was set, food prepared and served, and both early-risers were seated at the table, awaiting the rest of the house. Martha didn't say much, just wearily responding to any of Matt's quips. He gathered that she was not much of a morning person.

After ten minutes, the Doctor finally appeared in the dining room. He now wore a blue suit in place of his pinstripes, and a pair of reading glasses was affixed to his face.

"Good morning, everyone," he smiled, taking a seat across from Matt. "Glad to see my brother's clothes fit you... Kept the bow tie, though, hm?"

Matt looked down at his apparel, which had been provided for him earlier, folded up on his bed in the same manner as his night clothes. It was a common dark suit with a grey waistcoat, though anyone could see that it was a tad too big for the tutor. And true to the Doctor's words, the same bow tie Matt had worn the day before was still around his neck. He touched the tie and frowned.

"I told you, they look nice."

"Mmhm." The Doctor reached for his plate and coughed something that sounded suspiciously like 'posh' before he started eating. Not a minute later did Jack Harkness make his entrance. He greeted the rest of them with a smile, and pulled out a newspaper from behind his back. He placed it on the table for them all to see.

The Doctor frowned. Matt immediately froze. And Martha stared at the paper with wide and fully awake eyes.

"I'm assuming this is related to the girl you stumbled upon yesterday?"

Indeed, the sickening display Matt and the Doctor had seen was now plastered on the front page of the paper. Except the girl was now missing from the tree. Of course, the image may have been too much for the general public to handle.

"Yeah," the Doctor answered, after regaining his senses. "That's where we found her. Not exactly a good early morning topic, Jack."

"It seems to be causing quite a stir, though. Jack the Ripper II, or so they say."

The Doctor snorted. "Please."

Matt coughed as politely as he could into his fist. "What's our plan?"

"I've got a few friends I made in India," smiled Jack. "Most of them were soldiers about to return home to Britain. And when soldiers are out of work, bars and brothels are the most likely places they'll go. Usually for security and the occasional drunken patron."

"So Jack's going to contact his friends and see if any of them know about the murdered girl," explained the Doctor. "Like if a girl from a brothel has gone missing."

Matt nodded. "Okay. But how do you know if they'll talk to you?" he asked Jack.

"Oh trust me," the captain flashed his usual flirty grin, winking at the tutor. "I can get anyone to talk."

"Hate to admit it, but he's usually right," the Doctor muttered.

"Is there anyway I can help?" Matt continued.

"You and the Doctor are coming with me," said Jack. "Going it alone is so boring."

"And Martha will remain here, in case anyone wants to drop by and give us more information," added the Doctor. "After seeing that article, someone's bound to know something." Martha yawned in reply, probably confirming what the Doctor said.

The ate their breakfast in comfortable silence, and soon, the men were off to the city's less reputable parts, while Martha dutifully remained behind at Number 10 Tardis Street.

It was a surprisingly short cab ride from the Doctor's house to the lower side of London, where most of the brothels and shady hangouts Jack knew of were located. Of course, it might have just felt that way to Matt, since being stuck in a cab with both the Doctor and Captain Jack Harkness was like being trapped in a box with two records playing on loop; they were both talking a mile a minute, barely pausing for breath as they went over their strategy. Matt tuned them out eventually, but he did catch the basic premise of their plan. Jack would go in front of them and search out any familiar faces he knew. Then the 'interrogation' would begin, with the Doctor and Matt keeping an eye out for any trouble.

The cab pulled up to a noisy tavern, which was already full at that hour of morning. The three men left the carriage and walked inside, Jack heading the trio with his best charming grin. The inside of the tavern was dirty, and the air smelt suspiciously damp, but it seemed that none of the patrons noticed, or even cared, as they kept drinking and laughing with the same rancor as any man would in any other establishment.

The patrons themselves appeared to fit in perfectly with the environment, unlike the well-dressed Jack and Matt. The Doctor blended in a little better, with his raggedy overcoat, but unlike the rest of the place, he had all of his teeth still remaining in his mouth. Several patrons gave the trio a mean glare, and whether they were suspicious or just unfriendly, Matt didn't know. He stepped a little closer to the Doctor anyway. Jack appeared to spot a familiar face sitting at a booth in the far corner of the bar, and approached him with a long stride that made the Doctor and Matt struggle to keep up.

"If it isn't Charles Ashden!" Jack's voice boomed, barely reaching over the clamor of the tavern. The man at the bar turned to face the source of the voice. His face lit up with recognition.

"Captain Jack!" he laughed. He stood up, swerving slightly, which indicated the state of his intoxication, but he gripped the edge of the bar tightly and kept smiling as if he were fine. "What're you doing in London?"

"Oh, you know. This and that." Jack reached the man and gripped his hand in a strong greeting. "Didn't expect you to come home so soon, though."

"Apparently I'm gettin' on years," answered Charles. "But 'onestly, I think they didn't want me to drink the rest o' their ale!" They both laughed at that. Once he calmed, Charles spotted the Doctor and Matt standing behind Jack. "Oi, who're they?"

Jack looked back at them. "Just some friends. Thought I'd show them the more exciting parts of London."

"'Friends,'" Charles snorted. "Still up to your usual games, Harkness?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Jack defended, his face the very picture of innocence. "They're just friends. You'll always be my favorite," he joked.

"Oi, none o' that!" Charles swatted away Jack's incoming arm, meant for his shoulders. "You know I ain't one o' them!"

"Your loss," Jack winked. Charles rolled his eyes at the same time the Doctor did. Suddenly, Jack leaned in towards his old army friend. "So, Charles. How have you been settling in after India?"

Charles blinked. "Er… Well, uh, I've gotten myself a job. Pay's decent, but nothin' I'd brag about."

"A job doing what? Where?"

"Awful lot of questions tonight, Harkness."

"I'm feeling awfully inquisitive tonight. So?"

Charles regarded him silently for a few agonizing seconds before he spoke again. "It's called the Silent Lady," he finally answered. "It's a nice place."

"The Silent Lady," Jack repeated. "I know it… That's a new brothel, right?"

"Now, don't be gettin' all high an' mighty, Captain," Charles muttered sourly. "Plenty of respectful people pass through those doors."

"I'll bet."

The Doctor stepped forwards then. "Sorry. Charles, was it?" He waited for the man to nod. "David Smith, nice to meet you. I was wondering… Have you noticed anything strange going on at the… Silent Lady?"

"Strange?" Charles' brow furrowed. "'ow d'you mean?"

"Just anything… out of the ordinary."

"Look mate, I just guard the front door. I might occassionally enjoy the company of a pretty young thing," he grinned, ignoring the Doctor's scowl, "but I don't pry into my employer's business, alright?"

"Okay, Charles, we get it." Jack ran a hand through his hair. "Thanks anyway."

Just as the Captain began to turn away, Charles called out again. "You know, Danny works at the Lady, too."

Jack turned back. "Pink?"

"Yeah. One of the other blokes recommended 'im for a job. We both guard the doors, but he might know more then me. 'e got pretty familiar with a lady last night," he winked.

Jack hummed, musing over this new information. "Any idea where I can find him?"

Charles only shrugged. "'e's working tonight, but I dunno what 'e does with 'is free time."

"Right. Thanks, Charlie. I'll call you for a drink sometime."

"As long as you pay, Captain!"

Jack pushed the Doctor and Matt back through the tavern, Charles' booming laughter following them. They got back into the considerably cleaner air of the outdoors, free from the smell of ale and sweat.

"Was that it?" asked Matt, frowning. "You only talked to one person."

"We're about to talk to another. If we can find him, that is." Jack stuck his hands in his pockets and looked upwards. "Danny Pink. He was a good soldier, back in India. Didn't think he'd come home so soon." A wolfish grin overtook the Captain's face. "Not that I mind. Quite a looker, him."

"Do you do that with everyone?" Matt asked, feigning offense, though his smile was teasing. "And here I thought I was special."

The Doctor looked at Matt strangely, but Jack only laughed and threw an arm around the tutor in the same manner as he'd done before.

"You are special, Mr. Oswald. I just use my charms to my advantage, that's all."

"So," the Doctor said, quite loudly, "Danny Pink. He can tell us more about the Silent Lady than Charles did, yes?"

"Seems that way," Jack replied, reluctantly removing his arm from Matt. "Danny was pretty sharp. Though he never struck me as the type to work at a place like that."

Matt sighed. "It's hard for soldiers to get work after coming home. My uncle was a soldier, and he had a hell of a time finding a job after Crimea."

"I doubt your uncle had to work in a brothel, though," said the Doctor, and Matt only shrugged. "Still, I think we should continue searching the area. We might find someone else who knows something."

"And maybe someone knows where Danny is," added Jack.

With the three of them agreed, they continued their investigation in the lower city.

Danny hesitated in front of the blue door, marked with the number 10. His hand opened and closed into a fist, unsure if knocking was the best thing to do.

He'd heard of a famous detective, a doctor of some kind, that lived in London and solved cases for free. For someone as lost and poor as Danny Pink was at that moment, he sounded like an angel come from heaven. Danny, although having promised Miss Oswin that he would find her brother for her, had no idea where to start. London was a big city, and there were probably a lot of Oswalds running about, not to mention Matts. So, this doctor-detective was his best chance of finding him.

But something about that blue door, with its polished wood and shiny gold numbering, brought out Danny's fight-or-flight response. It felt like once that door opened, something drastic would occur, and things would never be the same. He didn't know why he felt that way about the door, he just… did.

Maybe he should try and find Matt Oswald on his own, he thought. Perhaps the detective wasn't even home. Or busy, with a different matter. But then the image of Miss Oswin's face, her big pleading eyes and desperate frown, came to the ex-soldier's mind and he found himself filled with renewed determination. Before he could stop himself, his hand was on the knocker and the sound of metal on wood echoed through the mostly-empty street.

He waited for a few moments before the door was pulled open, a pretty young maid on the other side.

"Yes?" she tilted her head quizzically. "How may I help you?"

Danny steeled himself. "Hello… Is this where the Doctor lives? The detective?"

She nodded. "Yes, it is. Though I'm afraid he's out at the moment." The maid raised an eyebrow when Danny visibly deflated. "Did you need something from him?"

"I needed help," admitted Danny. "Do you know when he'll be back?"

"It may be a while. I can take a message, if you'd like?"

"Oh. Alright, well… I was looking for someone. A… friend of mine, she's trying to find her brother. I've heard the Doctor helps people out like that."

The maid smiled. She produced a notebook and a fountain pen from her apron pocket and began writing something down. "He does. This friend of yours, what's her name?"

"Oswin."

A pause as she scribbled in her notebook. "Strange name. And yours?"

"It's… Danny." He decided to leave out his surname. He really didn't need it to be mocked right now, however nice the maid appeared.

"Okay…" she finished writing down Danny's name. "And this person you're looking for? Do you know his name?"

"Matt Oswald," he said plainly. But the maid's expression went from calm to stunned.

"What did you say?" she murmured, eyes nearly popping out of their sockets.

"Er…" Danny shifted. "Matt Oswald? At least, that's what she said his name was…."

The maid's eyes dashed back to her notes. "You said your friend's name was Oswin?"

"Yeah?"

"Hold on!" She held up a finger and suddenly disappeared back into the house, leaving a bewildered Danny on the doorstep. He stared at the spot she once occupied, but he didn't have to wait long before she came back, slightly out of breath. A small photograph was clasped in her hands. She held it out to him.

"Is this your friend?" she asked.

Danny, with great trepidation, took the photograph and examined it. He nearly dropped it with shock. It was the spitting image of Miss Oswin, though her hair was done up in a hairstyle befitting a lady of a higher station than a prostitute, and her clothes spoke of more money than her current job actually provided. But on the back of the photo, the name "Clara Oswald" was written in a looping script.

"I… It looks just like her. B-But… She said her name was Oswin, not Clara." Still, as Danny said it, he realized that the name Clara suited her much better. It was… refined. Elegant, even. And her last name matched the one she gave for her brother. "Where did you get this?" he asked.

"From Matt Oswald," answered the maid. She watched his reaction carefully; the soldier almost gasped, his grip on the photograph tightening ever so slightly, as his jaw fell open.

"He was here?"

"Looking for his little sister. The Doctor is helping him as we speak."

Before Danny could further marvel at his luck, the maid spoke again.

"Maybe you should come inside, Danny. We can wait for the Doctor and Matt to return together."

The soldier nodded, and allowed her to lead him past the foreboding blue door. His apprehension aside, he felt relief at finally catching a break. Now all he had to was wait for the famed Matt Oswald to make his appearance.