Thursday, 13 September, 1888
They had been patrolling the streets every night since the second murder. Tonight their work paid off. Altered by the sound of screams, Vastra dodged around a corner, sword drawn. Jenny was right behind with her revolver. They discovered the Haneish dragging a woman into an alleyway. She was bleeding from the head and already unconscious. A thin, dark-haired man in an out-of-season waistcoat, the Haneish didn't look much like a serial killer. That is until he revealed his true nature.
Taken by surprise the man turned on Vastra and Jenny with a snarl. Inch long fangs sprouted from his gums and talon-like claws extended from his fingertips. Each dripping blue venom. His electric violet eyes glowed in the gloom of the alley.
"Let her go." Vastra said her voice even and strong.
He dropped the woman onto the cold stone without thought. She was like a broken porcelain doll with her pale skin and golden hair. He cocked his head in an animalistic way. "You have changed the game." he said softly.
"Why are you on Earth?" Jenny demanded. "What do you want 'ere?"
"I fell through the sky." he continued in monotone. His voice lacked any intonation or emotion. "I fell through the sky to this world puzzles.
"You mean you crashed here?" Vastra asked, moving to block any escape.
"Yes. And I found a new game here. In this world everyone lies, everyone has secrets. Secrets are powerful. Delicious. In this world I can create a game of fear, but now you are here. You have changed the game." he repeated.
"The game is over." Vastra said. "No one else is going to die. If you need help getting off this planet that can be arranged, but the killing stops now."
A hideous approximation of a smile slid across the Haneish's face. Cheeks pulled back over his skull causing his mouth to split nearly ear to ear. The gaping grin displayed dozens of pointed, dripping teeth. Vastra's eyes went wide and Jenny stepped back instinctively. No sane creature could ever make that expression.
"Oh I think not. The fear will spread like wildfire burning the minds of these people. I will control them with the very mention of my name. 'Jack the Ripper', has a ring to it don't you think. This game has just begun and now you've made it even more interesting. I never imagined I'd have an opponent. Thank you so very much for that. But now if you'll excuse me, I have some letters to post. "
The man suddenly darted forward. He was faster than either woman expected a blur of movement. Vastra swung her katana at his throat. The Ripper dodged with calculated precision slashing her side with his talons. Her scales deflected the blow. Jenny fired a shot. The bullet grazed the man's arm. The Haneish howled in rage turning towards her. She fired again this time hitting him in the shoulder.
Furious he sent Jenny spinning to the ground. Her head cracked on the stones. Vastra rushed to block the Ripper's escape, catching him in the side with her blade. They fought ferociously. Even injured the Haneish was extremely strong. After several moments he gained the upper hand, landing a fracturing blow to Vastra's jaw. As she lost her balance he shoved past her disappearing into the night.
Vastra cursed the universe as the Ripper got away. She kneeled down next to her fallen wife checking for injures. Jenny's eyes fluttered open at Vastra's touch. She glanced around in confusion trying to ignore the pounding in her head.
"What 'append?"
"He got away." Vastra said. She stroked Jenny's hair soothingly. "We underestimated him."
"Yeah, 'e's a mighty fast little blighter." Jenny agreed. "Jack the Ripper? What sorta name is that? And what the 'ell was 'e going on about letters for?"
"I'm afraid we'll know soon enough."
"Brilliant, just brilliant." Jenny sat up rubbing her head. She glanced over at the blonde woman laying a few meters away. "Is she alive?"
Vastra moved over to the unconscious girl, checking for a pulse. It was faint, but her heart was still beating. There was a small gash on her forehead. Vastra saw no other wounds. The woman would be fine once she woke up. Ripping off a piece of her ruined shirt Vastra wrapped it around the woman's head to stop to flow of blood.
"I doubt she'll remember any of this in the morning." Vastra said. "Though we can't just leave her here."
"There's the city's sorriest excuse for an inn just down the road. We can put 'er up there for the night. She'll be pretty confused when she wakes, but less so than if we took 'er back to our place."
"I think you're right." Vastra nodded picking up the girl bridal style.
From the shadows the man calling himself Jack the Ripper watched as the two women carried his prize away. They knew him for what he was. This was something the Ripper never expected on this planet of savages. For the first time in ages he felt something close to happiness. The stakes had been raised. His game was going to change the course of history; humanity would never forget this.
"There is a man called the Doctor, he lives in a cloud in the sky. And all he does all day, every day, is stop all the children in the world ever having bad dreams."
"But I've been having bad dreams." whispered Alice.
"He's been on holiday." Clara said, kissing her goodnight. "Now I'm confident he is back to work and you don't need to be scared to sleep anymore, honey."
"Ok." Alice smiled.
"Now both of you get some rest we have Latin tomorrow." Clara put out the light chuckling at Russell's groan. There was nothing the boy hated more than Latin, wait tell she got them started on Greek.
She slipped into the hall humming softly to herself. Clara couldn't remember ever being so happy. Four days had passed since she saw the Doctor and she still got butterflies every time she thought about him. About kissing him. Clara blushed crimson. What would her mother say about her kissing a man who wasn't even human? Well knowing her mother she'd have had a fit at the idea of Clara kissing anyone without a ring first. She had been the kind of women who had heart palpitations at the thought of low necklines. The scandal!
Clara wandered down to the kitchen looking for Lena. It was sad she couldn't tell her friend about her amazing adventure, but Clara would never betray the Doctor's secret. Not that Lena would have believed her anyway. Worlds inside little boxes on top of clouds? They'd say she'd gone round the bend. She did wish she could tell Lena something though.
She found Lena at the servants table at the back of the kitchen. She was talking with the cook and James the butler. They all looked very serious.
"Evening!" Clara said brightly, taking a seat.
Everyone stopped talking and looked up at her. Their expressions ranged from worry to disapproval.
"Umm…Is there something on my face?" she joked awkwardly, hoping to break the tension.
"Clara," Lena started hesitantly, "There is something we need to talk about."
Clara stared at the three of them. What on Earth was going on? Unless… "Oh please don't tell me someone we know has been killed too!"
"No!" James said. "It's just we are worried about the possibility of that happening, more than anything." He glanced at the other two for support, looking deeply uncomfortable.
"What do you mean?" Clara asked slowly.
The cook, Annie, sighed. She ran her fingers through her graying hair. "We all know you've been asking about the mad doctor. In fact, you were seen with him last Sunday."
Last Sunday? Oh dear lord, someone saw her following the Doctor? That was so embarrassing. Her job could be at stake if it got round that she'd taken to stalking strange men across London. Impropriety at its finest.
"I wasn't exactly with him. We just happened to be on the same street." Clara said carefully. "Why does it matter?"
"Because you could have been killed!" Lena blurted out. She was close to tears, overcome with worry for her friend.
"What?" Clara gasped.
"According to reports the Whitechapel murderer is likely a doctor. Someone with medical knowledge." Annie said urgently.
"And you think it's him?"
"You've heard the stories! He's insane and everyone knows it. He has no friends, no family, he never speaks to anyone!"
"So that automatically makes him a murder?" Clara cried outraged. They were prejudiced against the Doctor just because he didn't fit into their perfect little society. And therefore he must be evil or insane.
"That's not just it!" James said, "I saw him once myself. I could see the truth with my own eyes. There's something dark about him, something wrong. People avoid him like the plague!"
"And now he's taken an interest in you." Lena whispered, "What if he is planning on killing you next?"
"The Doctor is not a murderer!" Clara hissed. She'd heard enough. "There is no evidence at all to suggest him and it is unjust to sit here and accuse him of such horrible crimes. I appreciate your concern for me, I really do. But I'm not going to spurn a man over a collection of nonsensical, childish, ghost stories!"
In a huff Clara marched out of the kitchen. Fuming and hurt she fell into bed desperately wishing she could talk to the Doctor. She hated having to wait tell Sunday to see him again. Hopefully the Bobbies will have caught the real killer by then and the Doctor's name would be cleared. Comforted by the thought, Clara eventually drifted off to sleep dreaming of dancing in a ballroom in the sky.
Winter Term is over so I've got two-week of nothing but writing time, so updates will be coming! First off thanks to everyone who has reviewed, favorited, and followed this story! You guys are amazing! :D
*Historical Note: The name 'Jack the Ripper' was taken from a series of letters written to the Central News Agency. The writer claimed to be the killer and signed with the pseudonym Jack the Ripper. These letters were also referenced in a package sent to the president of the Whitechapel Vigilance committee which included half a human kidney that may have been from Eddowes body. All of these letter's were probably fakes, but for the sake of this story I'm pretending otherwise.