AN /: Yeah, this is definitely going to be a four or five chapter thing. A big thank you to everyone who reviewed, your opinions are really appreciated and can only make this story better.
Disclaimer: 'Sherlock', 'Doctor Who', and all characters within belong to the BBC, Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss. I'm just taking them for a joyride, I make no profit from this.
O.o.O.o.O
The Angel, The Detective, And The Phone Box
Ch 3. The Search
It is a strange juxtaposition between a children's game and a life or death situation. To hold hands and weave past evil statues, it makes John feel as if he is five and out exploring with his friends. However, the fear that he would have felt then would have been more the thrill at being free to explore. The fear he feels now is completely real, caused by the very real threat of death. He doesn't know what it is about the Doctor that makes him believe what he says about the statues, but the way they move when no-one looks and the way the Doctor talks with such sincerity compels him to listen and to believe.
These statues definitely make John's top five list of creepy things, coming in at two, just underneath a reoccurring nightmare about being sucked into an abyss of fire and death. The fact that these alien living statues only move when they cannot be seen makes them scary, the anxiety of not being able to take your eyes off them for a second is absolutely terrifying. It is a fear totally different to the fear for his life he held in the war. At least then he was being killed by a human enemy.
The sun has almost set, throwing long shadows about the kitchen, and John reaches for Sherlock and the Doctor to form the front of their human pentagon as they walk slowly around the weeping angel with its outstretched arm. Under any normal circumstances John would feel utterly ridiculous at having to grab Sherlock's hand, considering he is constantly denying that they are a couple, but of course this isn't an ordinary circumstance and it's not like anyone really cares at the moment. Sherlock' hand is gloved and cold, but it is familiar and provides a little relief. John is still holding the torch in his other hand, and can feel the Doctor tugging at his wrist.
"Give me the torch,' the Doctor urges, but Sherlock tugs on Johns hand and buts in.
"One torch won't do us much good with the current lack of light,' Sherlock says in a quiet voice,' we need to find another torch, or at least some candles. I think I saw one in the hallway, so if I can just go find that..."
Sherlock tries to separate himself from the pentagon but John keeps a firm grasp on his hand and pulls him back. He winds up staring at Sherlock, a battle of wills that John does not intend to lose.
"Don't go without us,' John says, staring Sherlock down with as much authority as he can muster,' you don't know how many more stat- angels are out there. Besides, I don't think Lestrade would be happy if I have to tell him that you've been sent to another time by an inanimate object."
"There's a Lestrade here too?" Rory asks, turning to look at John in surprise.
"Rory!" Amy shouts, and John has to crane his neck to turn his head at almost one hundred and eighty degrees to see that in the time it has taken Rory to stare at him, the angle has turned around and taken three steps towards them. It is so close now that if they don't watch it it could reach out and grab Amy's jacket.
"This thing is fast!" Rory exclaims, turning his head back around and staring intently at the statue again, as if he is daring it to harm her.
"Rory, please, whatever you do, don't take your eyes off it." The Doctor implores, and Rory looks embarrassed, but even more determined than before.
"Right then, let's keep moving, shall we?" Amy says, taking a few steps towards the door, and this prompts everyone to begin to move. They make it out through the doorway, John in front with the torch and Rory and Amy bringing up the rear, and emerge into a hallway that is still just light enough to see in without the torch. Sherlock ducks down towards a dresser that is pressed up against the wall, flattening himself against the floor and sticking his hand underneath the sagging wood. He feels around, pulling away holding a rather large black torch. He gives the switch a flick and sends a beam of light spilling down the long hallway, illuminating the moth-eaten carpet and faded pictures that hang from the walls.
"Pass it here,' Amy says,' so we can watch from both ends."
"Actually, considering how tall I am it would be more efficient for me to hold the torch,' Sherlock says,' I'll be able to illuminate a far greater proportion of the room."
"But John already has a torch,' Amy argues,' you can't have both torches up front."
"Fine,' Sherlock says tersely,' John, hand your torch to Rory."
John does as he is told and then grips tightly at the Doctor's wrist.
"Now, forgive me if I'm wrong,' Sherlock says,' but isn't there a rather large flaw in this plan of yours, Doctor? Why on earth would you search an old abandoned house full of deadly statues at night, when you are less likely to be able to keep your eyes on them?"
"Ah, well, about that,' the Doctor says apologetically,' see, that's actually my fault. The crystal that we're looking for triggers if it's touched by sunlight. I had planned to come here during the day and looking for it, but the problem seems to be that the entire house is rigged up to have sunlight pouring in through every window. I wouldn't have been able to find the crystal and take it away at the same time so I just came here to look for it and figure that part out later. Well... that and I got the time mixed up. I was aiming for 5am, not 5pm."
John hears Amy groan from behind him, and he's sure he just heard Rory slap his forehead. He has to agree with them though, the Doctor's plan does seem a little... vague.
"So you're telling me that you've put us all in mortal danger because you got the time wrong? You have a time machine for crying out loud!" Rory shouts, and John isn't sure whether he heard that last part right.
"You have a time machine?" He repeats, and sees the Doctor wince.
"I wasn't going to tell you that bit..." The Doctor says meekly.
"A proper, working time machine? Really?" Sherlock asks, and his face lights up like a Christmas tree.
"If we get out of this house alive I'll be happy to give you a tour, but right now we have slightly bigger things to worry about." The Doctor says, and he reaches forwards to open the door in front of them, revealing two more angels.
Amy shrieks and Rory lets out a shout, and John feels his blood freeze in his veins. These angels look no different to the last two they have seen, and there is a possibility that they are the exact same ones, who have simply circled the house and come back to haunt them. The angel on the right is looking straight ahead, its arms by its side, but the angel on the right has both arms outstretched, and its mouth is curled into the beginning of a sneer. The Doctor approaches with caution, moving past one of the angels to peer into the room beyond.
"Okay, is everybody calm?" he asks, his gaze around the corner, and John finds himself nodding despite the fact that every nerve in his body feels like it is frayed beyond repair.
"Good, that's good,' the Doctor says quietly,' because I think there are more in this room."
"You have got to be kidding me!" Amy groans, and the Doctor reaches over to pat her shoulder reassuringly.
"It could be worse,' he says kindly,' remember last time? Last time was a lot worse. This is better than last time."
Amy seems reassured by this and a look of determination reappears on her face. The smiles reassuringly and then pulls on John and Rory's hands, leading them like small children into the room that John now recognises as the main hall. The sun has set now and the hall looks positively creepy by torchlight, completely empty and falling apart around them. The ceiling and the far ends of the room are shrouded in darkness and the wind has picked up outside, howling and buffeting the sides of the house.
Sherlock holds the torch up as high as he can, illuminating almost one hundred and eighty degrees around him, and even though Rory is doing the same he is not as tall as Sherlock and there are just a few gaps in the circle of light.
"Reminds me of one time in a library..." the Doctor mutters. Amy looks at him with curiosity but the Doctor doesn't elaborate.
Suddenly John hears Sherlock gasp, and just for a second the drops as Sherlock goes to clap his hands together.
"Get the light back up!" Rory shouts just as Sherlock realises his mistake, and now there is another angel a few steps in front of them. John has no idea where this one has come from, but it is truly terrifying to see. The serene, expressionless face of the other angels isn't present on this one. This one is snarling, its mouth gaping open and its stone fangs bared. Its fingers are clawed, reaching out towards them, its shoulders are hunched, and its wings look leathery, as if someone has plucked the feathers off. It is enough to even send a shiver down Sherlock's spine, and John feels him shudder, hears the rustling of his long coat.
"I know where the crystal you were searching for is,' Sherlock says quietly, his voice shaking just slightly, and he is stretching his hand into the air as high as he can and staring intently at the statue,' the room with the body."
"Why would it be there?" John asks, because he was only in there yesterday and he didn't notice anything out of the ordinary, but Sherlock is already pulling him up the stairs before anyone can tell him to wait. They have broken their pentagon and have formed more of a line, Sherlock at the front followed by John and the Doctor, followed by Amy, with Rory shining the torch down the stairs to cover their exit. Sherlock barges through the door and John notes that the police have taken the body.
"I've already checked this room,' the Doctor says, looking around,' there was nothing, no crystal and nothing out of the ordinary. What on earth would I have missed?"
"This is the only room with a mirror. A whole entire house, and this is the only mirror." Sherlock says quietly, and John notices for the first time that there is indeed a mirror on the left wall. It is old, with some sections fading away to show the metal underneath, but it is big, and still clear enough to give John a very good view of their odd little group.
"The angels can't look at themselves,' Sherlock says quietly.
"So the best place to hide something that they need is behind a mirror,' John finishes as it all clicks into place.
"That's brilliant." Rory says, and Sherlock regains his smug grin.
"Right,' the Doctor says, taking charge,' Rory, close the door but keep watching it. Amy, watch the window. Don't want the angels sneaking up on us. Somehow."
John watches as Sherlock grabs one end of the mirror and pulls it from the wall, hearing the Doctor shout in disapproval as it crashes to the floor and breaks into thousands of pieces. Where the mirror had been there is a small white switch, and as Sherlock flips it down the wall in front of him slides away to reveal a gaping hole in the wall that leads to what is probably another, secret room. The only problem is that there is no light beyond the wall.
"Found it." Sherlock says more to himself than to anyone in particular, sticking his head into the darkness.
"Hey, don't do that,' the Doctor says, grabbing Sherlock by the collar and pulling him back,' you don't know what's in there."
"What, and you do?" Sherlock retorts, and John can see that he is beginning to bristle angrily, drawing himself up to full height and towering above the Doctor's head.
"This is ridiculous,' Amy exclaims,' anyone else would be beside themselves if they met Sherlock Holmes, but all you two are doing is trying to dominate each other! The two greatest minds of the universe and you can't even get along for ten minutes!"
"She's right,' the Doctor says in exasperation,' I never argued with Shakespeare this much!"
"You've met Shakespeare?" John and Amy reply simultaneously.
"Yes, well,' the Doctor scratches the back of his head bashfully,' it was ages ago, nothing special, although he did flirt with me a bit, and I did save him from some witches, but that's not the point and I have to take a look at this corridor... or room, whatever's in there."
"I'll go with you,' Sherlock says decisively,' John, stay with these two. I'll take this torch, but you two should be alright with just the one."
"Fine,' John replies,' but just don't get yourself killed, and don't do anything stupid."
"You should have more faith in me John,' Sherlock says, smiling sincerely before ducking into the dark space in front of him, causing the Doctor to shout and dive in after him.
"I have faith in you, Sherlock,' John sighs to himself,' it's just your common sense that I have problems with."
End Chapter Three