A/N - We are deviating from the historical timeline from here on in, but that is the real transcription of the 'Dear Boss' letter.

Thank you all so much for your lovely reviews! Enjoy :D

Monday, 17 September 1888

"It arrived just this morning." said DI Cole. "Addressed to the Central News Agency."

He handed a letter in red ink to Jenny. Carefully she opened it not wanted to destroy any evidence. Not that Scotland Yard would be able to apprehend the Whitechapel murderer; still it was best to follow procedure. Until procedure got in the way, that is. She read the letter with a look of disgust then handed it to her wife.

Vastra read it out for the room,

"'Dear Boss,
I keep on hearing the police have caught me but they wont fix me just yet. I have laughed when they look so clever and talk about being on the right track. That joke about Leather Apron gave me real fits. I am down on whores and I shant quit ripping them till I do get buckled. Grand work the last job was. I gave the lady no time to squeal. How can they catch me now. I love my work and want to start again. You will soon hear of me with my funny little games. I saved some of the proper red stuff in a ginger beer bottle over the last job to write with but it went thick like glue and I cant use it. Red ink is fit enough I hope ha. ha. The next job I do I shall clip the ladys ears off and send to the police officers just for jolly wouldn't you. Keep this letter back till I do a bit more work, then give it out straight. My knife's so nice and sharp I want to get to work right away if I get a chance. Good Luck.

Yours truly
Jack the Ripper

Dont mind me giving the trade name

PS Wasnt good enough to post this before I got all the red ink off my hands curse it No luck yet. They say I'm a doctor now. ha ha'

Charming." Vastra muttered. As much as she would like to believe otherwise Vastra knew this was no hoax. Jack the Ripper. So the Haneish, whatever is actual name was, decided to use the media for his 'game of fear'. It made sense really, what better way to control the masses then by taunting them directly.

"What do you think?" Cole asked.

"I think it's best not to ignore somethin' like this." Jenny said. "Perhaps you could track down where the letter was posted from."

"We shall look into it ourselves as well." Vastra reassured him.

"I can't tell you how glad I'll be when this all blows over." he said.

"I completely agree."

The moment Vastra and Jenny arrived home Strax came running out to meet them. He looked even more worked up than the time he thought the neighbor's cat was actually a multi-form out to kill him. Strax caught his breath then handed a postcard to Vestra.

"I found it on the porch." explained Strax, "None of my sensors were tripped. It was no human postman."

"Definitely not."

It was written in red ink. The same red ink as the letter, the same handwriting. Only this time the Ripper didn't need to keep up the pretense of being a madman, he just was one. Vastra almost couldn't believe what she was seeing. Done in ink was a near perfect rendering of a girl. Underneath were the words 'My Dear Doctor, since you have chosen to ruin my game I shall ruin you.' The message was simple and horrifyingly clear.

"Oh dear lord!" Jenny cried, "That's Clara."

"Clara who?" asked Strax.

"The Doctor's Clara." said Vastra. "The girl he keeps pointlessly trying to convince us he has no feelings for."

"Oh dear."

They ran into the house. Jenny dashed to the parlor while Vastra changed out of her impractical dress. Grabbing a telephone-like device Jenny dialed up the TARDIS. The Doctor answered on the second ring.

"Hello?"

"Doctor the Ripper is goin' after Clara!"

"What?"

"'e thinks you're working with us." Jenny said. "You 'ave to get to 'er now. We're goin' after the 'aneish."

"I'm on my way." the Doctor replied. His voice was so dark and emotionless in made her shiver. The line went dead. Jenny didn't want to be the Ripper once the Doctor got a hold of him.

She dropped the phone onto the cradle and ran upstairs to change into her trousers. Afterwards she met her wife and Strax on the landing. They knew the Ripper was likely to strike at the manor where Clara lived and worked. Rushing down the stairs they ran to their coach.

"Oh please don't let us be too late." Jenny muttered. "I don't know what e'll do if 'e loses someone else."

Vastra turned to her wife, her calm mask slipping. "I don't think he would survive it."

They grasped hands tightly as the coach raced through the streets. Both begging the universe that they make it in time.

Clara hummed a simple tune as she sorted through her lesson plans. Mr. Hartsfield, along with most of the staff, was out today leaving the house nice and quiet for working. Alice was sitting at the table attempting to paint the bowl of fruit Clara had set out. The ability to watercolor was an accomplishment expected of all ladies of quality these days. While painting was enjoyable both Clara and Alice found the acceptable subjects rather dull. There were only so many pears a girl could render.

Russell, who was working on problem sets, leaned over to his sister while watching Clara. "Is she acting strangely to you?"

The six year old looked up at her older brother. "Is it not obvious?" she asked in disbelief.

"No."

Alice rolled her eyes. "She's in love stupid!" She couldn't believe her brother didn't understand this. Alice had read nearly every love poem in her father's library, the ones she was allowed to read anyway.

"I would rather you not gossip about my life, Miss Alice." said Clara making both children jump. It was hard not to smile at their guilty expressions.

"I am sorry, Miss Oswald." Alice said chastised. She smiled mischievously, "But am I right?"

Clara sat down next to her. "I may like someone, but people don't fall in love so fast."

Alice set down her brush and turned to her governess. "What about love at first sight? It happens in all the fairytales."

"Well those are just stories dear. Real life is a little more complicated."

"Real life is boring." the girl frowned.

Clara laughed then kissed her on the forehead. "Yes sometimes, but sometimes it's more amazing than any story book. Now you two keep working and I shall be back in a bit."

She got up and straightened her blue day dress. Out in the hall Clara sighed dramatically. Why did children have to be so perceptive? She told Alice the truth. She wasn't in love with the Doctor, not after what amounted to three days of actually knowing him. Sure she'd never felt this way about anyone before and true she didn't know what being in love felt like. Clara decided to abandon this train of thought before she got a headache. She liked the Doctor a lot, which was enough.

Clara reached the second floor landing when she heard a noise. Cautiously she crept down the hallway.

"James?" she called out.

No one responded. Clara was never one of those women with delicate sensibilities, yet something raised the hairs on the back of her neck. Heart pounding she reached the end of the hall only to discover an open window.

Clara laughed. A squeaky hinge frightened her? What was the world coming to? She would have to speak to someone about this, Clara thought as she re-latched the shutter. The children were sure to get sick with that cold draught coming in.

She turned around and screamed. A man had been standing directly behind her. Clara had no idea where he'd come from. He didn't move or make any noise, just stared at her impassively.

"Who are you?" Clara demanded. "How did you get in here?"

The man still said nothing. Clara's eyes darted around trying to find a way past him. She was trapped. Gasping in horror she backed up as the thing opened its mouth to reveal rows of pointed teeth. Talons sprouted from his fingers dripping blue venom which singed the carpet.

"Miss Oswald? Clara are you alright?" Russell and Alice, alerted by her scream, had come to check on her. They appeared at the landing at the end of the hall freezing at the sight of the stranger blocking Clara's path.

"RUN!" Clara screamed.

She threw herself at the monster knowing she would die before she let him hurt the children. He threw her back as if she weighed nothing. Clara's head slammed into the wall and she crumpled to the floor. She tried to move but her muscles wouldn't respond.

The creature moved to stand over her. "You are brave," he said in terrifying monotone, "And very pretty. I see why the Doctor chose you."

"And the Doctor says step away from her now!" shouted a voice.

The man whirled around hissing to find the Doctor pointing a green, glowing metal instrument at him.

"Don't give me that. I've got you cornered." said the Doctor.

"Think again." Leaping over Clara's body the creature dived straight through the window, shattering the glass as he fell from the second story.

"Well that's just unfair." muttered the Doctor. He knelt down and helped Clara sit up. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I think so." she said, as he checked for injuries. "What was that thing?"

"A Haneish. Though you might know him better as the Whitechapel murderer."

"That's what's been killing women?" Clara exclaimed.

"Yes." the Doctor said seriously. He wrapped his arms around Clara tight, kissing the top of her head. "And now he is after you."

Before Clara could respond to this horrifying news four people came charging up the stairs. A short potato-like man, a green lady, a petite woman wearing trousers, and finally a hysterical looking Lena.

"I take it we missed the party." the green lady said. "Are you hurt Clara?"

"You know my name?" Clara was overwhelmed. She had nearly been killed by some sort of demon and now there were a whole assortment on non-humans running around. The green lady appeared to be nice though, and she was quite beautiful.

"I am Madam Vastra; this is my wife Jenny and our good friend Strax. We are friends of the Doctor's."

"He went out the window." the Doctor said like a General commanding an army.

"I'm on it." Vastra nodded. "Strax with me." They disappeared down the stairs.

"The children!" Clara cried, her senses returning. "I need to find them!"

Lena, who until that point had been sobbing in the background, spoke up. "They're in my room. They came in screaming that there was a man in the house. I told them to hide under the bed; I didn't know what else to do."

Clara sighed in relief leaning into the Doctor, who still had his arms around her. She could deal with anything as long as Russell and Alice were fine.

"Jenny get in contact with the police, you know how to handle them," said the Doctor. He turned to Lena, "Can you take care of the children? I need to get Clara out of here."

Lena looked alarmed at being addressed directly by the mad doctor, but she nodded with determination. The events of the night seemed to have changed her opinion of him. "Yes, sir."

The Doctor smiled at her, and then helped Clara to her feet. He gazed down at her, his expression full of concern and guilt. Softly he tucked her hair behind her ear. "I'm sorry to have to do this to you Clara, but the TARDIS is the only safe place for you now."

She smiled then kissed him in front of everyone. She'd nearly died; she didn't care at this point. "It's ok." Clara said. "Though when we get there I demand a full explanation of what in the world is going on."

He laughed weakly, "I promise."