A/N: Oh my gosh. Have you all seen the new Sherlock episode? :O I'm so happy, it was epic and awesome :D But if you haven't don't worry, thar be no spoilers 'ere.
An Apology: Basically, I have two weeks of exams starting this Monday- oh the joy. The school have also delightfully placed two on my birthday (the Tuesday - not that any of you are particularly inetested) D: This unfortunately means that updates may not come for a while. For which I am very, very, sorry!
Please don't kill me? :'(
Disclaimer: Yes. Wait, no. Wait - what was the question?
Note: I LOVE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. That is all.
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"So, explain again. Why are there five floors in 221 Baker Street, but really only four?" John frowned. It had been hard enough to accept the existence of another dimension in a box, aliens in the living room, and time travel - without having to try and understand the fact that there were quite possibly aliens sleeping above his room in his own flat.
"Perception filter." The Doctor explained, "It's a telepathic effect which misdirects your senses. It can also change your memories - to convince you it's always been there, and make you forget anything which doesn't quite add-up."
'You can tell that he's had to explain this to people before.' John thought tiredly. "So the fifth floor I remember…" He trailed off, gloomily.
"Is a figment of your imagination. Clever isn't it?" The Doctor grinned, like he was calmly discussing the newest model of a brand of vacuum and not some alien technology that manipulates your brain.
John just hummed in response, and stepped a tiny bit closer to his flatmate.
Sherlock, however, was practically devouring the new information. "How does this link to my cases?"
"Well, they're suspicious circumstances, and you can't seem to find any clues…"
"You think that someone is using this 'perception filter' to mask any clue they could have left behind?"
"Exactly."
…
The Doctor ran back up the stairs to flat 221B, pointedly ignoring the set of fake stairs on his right. It wouldn't do to let whoever was up there realise they'd been found out; at least, not quite yet.
As soon as he entered the flat, he ran straight to his Tardis and jumped in, only taking the time to grab John's coat from where it lay over the arm of his chair. Slamming the door behind him he found that the Tardis was still the worse-for-wear after their rather hurried landing earlier.
The corner of the console section was still dripping the orange junk he'd used to put out the flames, and there was a rather alarming amount of charcoal coloured dust coating some of the more sensitive areas of the controls. Oh well, it couldn't be that bad, surely.
Now, he had time to think. There was definitely something fishy going on here; something he'd missed. He swivelled the Tardis screen round to face him, and made a quick scan of the area directly around the flat, and the inside; for good measure.
Earth, London, 221B Baker Street, 2011,
Timelord:1 Human:2 Unknown signature: 7
5 beings with harmful intent.
The Doctor frowned, running the fingers on his right hand through his scruffy hair. That would account for him, the timelord obviously, and there were enough for Amy, Rory, Sherlock, John, and 5 of their 'guests' upstairs.
But how were only two of them human?
He scanned the area again.
Earth, London, 221B Baker Street, 2011,
Timelord:1 Human:2 Unknown signature: 7
6 beings with harmful intent.
He was startled from his confused thoughts by a sudden banging on the Tardis door, and a very angry John Watson.
"Doctor, if you don't hurry up in there I am personally going to break down this door and drag you out! You may have forgotten but it's bloody freezing outside where we're all waiting for you! I thought we were supposed to be making 'plans-of-action' and all that, not standing on dark street corners like bloody cold drug-dealers."
That would explain the extra being 'with harmful intent' then.
"Coming!" He shouted, and opened the door to find John, shivering, on the other side - arms folded across his body. He stormed past the Doctor and over to where he could see his coat without once unfolding his arms, and the straight back out again once he had the piece of clothing in his hands.
"John!"
"What?"
"I'll give you a lift outside" The Doctor winked, leant against the doorway of the Tardis, he knew John wouldn't refuse.
However, it took John a little while longer to realise he wouldn't refuse as well.
"Fine." He eventually sighed. "But next time, be a bit quicker about it when I'm freezing my balls off."
The Doctor nodded, gently closing the door behind him, but not before sending a quick glance at the open door to the flat that John had just come through. A door he was certain had been shut a second ago.
He shook his head. He must be seeing things, probably just needed a good lie down. Or a rest. Or some tea.
…
"What's this one do then?" John asked, pointing at one of the many levers.
"It's the vortex loop control." The Doctor replied over his shoulder, somewhat distracted whilst trying to fly the Tardis outside to meet the three people waiting for them there.
John just nodded slowly. He'd seen exactly the same face on Sherlock when he was on a case and rambling off deductions. It was the face that meant he wouldn't be getting an explanation anytime soon.
"What about this one?" He asked instead, pointing at a strange shaped device sticking up out of some questionable black dust.
"That's, erm, well, that's my sonic screwdriver." The Doctor said, picking it up and blowing the dust off of it, before placing it into his jacket pocket.
"A sonic screwdriver? Doesn't look much like a screwdriver to me." John commented
"That's because it's more than just a 'screwdriver' John. It can do loads of cool stuff, look!" The Doctor pointed it at the consol, and a strange sound was emitted from the device. Something on the console went up in flames. Again.
But the Doctor didn't notice. He was too busy rushing over to grab John, who had screeched at the sound of the screwdriver, and was now doubled over, his hands pressed tightly against his ears.
"John, John!" The Doctor shouted, gripping John's upper arms and carefully pulling him up to face him. "Are you alright?"
John stopped screeching, but wouldn't look the Doctor in the eye, and kept his hands over his ears. He was shaking like a leaf, and the Doctor was reminded of an adventure he'd once had on Midnight, when a monster had begun to possess the tourists…
He snapped himself out if it though. Now was not the time to reminisce.
"I've stopped it now, you're all fine." He said calmly, rubbing soothing circles through John's jumper, until he removed his hands from over his ears and glanced up.
There was something in his eyes.
Only for a fraction of a second, and then it was gone again. But the Doctor knew he hadn't imagined it.
A flash of purple; just bright enough to glow slightly in the gloom of the Tardis, a flash that was most definitely not normal. Or human for that matter.
"You ok now?" He asked quietly.
"Yeah fine." John replied, louder. "Sorry about that, dunno what got into me." He shuddered a little, but stood up straight again. Only slightly leaning on the Doctor for support, and the Doctor was sure that was probably from the phantom pain in his leg rather than anything else.
"C'mon then, they're all still waiting for us outside." The Doctor nodded, and set the Tardis to land outside, but made sure to keep an eye on the scan he'd set the Tardis to perform on it's interior.
Status: In flight. Destination: Earth, London, Baker Street, 2011.
Timelord: 1 Human: 0 Unknown signature: 1
No beings of harmful intent.
…
When the Doctor and John stepped out of the Tardis a few seconds later, they were immediately pounced upon by Sherlock.
"You were gone a while. Anything happen up there?"
"No." The Doctor replied. "Just had a few problems with some fire damage, that's all." He'd had to put out the tiny fire on the console mid-flight.
Sherlock looked sceptical, but nodded. "Ok then. Amy and Rory have walked to the Chinese round the corner. Said they haven't eaten since the 16th century." He shot the Doctor a reproachful look. "I said I'd wait for you."
"Oh, right. Let's go and meet them then." The Doctor said, swinging his arms by his side, and wondering where the sudden awkward tension had come from - and why on Earth he hadn't told Sherlock about the sonic screwdriver incident. The man was obviously clever, and would probably be able to make something of it.
But then again, he didn't have all the facts of the case, did he?
…
Later on in the evening, whilst Sherlock and John were at Scotland Yard; in a meeting about the unsolvable cases (and under strict instructions not to mention anything alien, like perception filters), The Doctor filled Amy and Rory in on what had happened in their absence.
"So, you think that Sherlock and John are the aliens?" Rory asked, confused.
"Oh no! Course not. I just- there's something I'm missing here." The Doctor frowned, his hands in his pockets.
"I'm confused too." Amy stated. "Why would aliens choose this flat to settle above? I mean, it's a bit weird isn't it, two alien occurrences within four days… Doctor?"
The Doctor's head had snapped up at this last comment. He had the dreamy look in his eyes that meant he was thinking very hard about something. "I think you're on to something there Amy. Why would they choose to settle above Sherlock Holmes and Doctor John Watson, indeed?"
…
"Are they still, y'know, fictional to the rest of the world?" Rory whispered later that evening, glancing over at Sherlock and John, chatting about the cases in the corner of the Tardis.
The Doctor sighed. "I'm not sure… I mean, they've settled in pretty well. There haven't been any government officials banging on the door and demanding birth certificates. It's like they've always been here."
"Yeah, I guess so." Rory said, "although, now I think about it, it seems a bit obvious that they've always been here." He chuckled, but it was cut short by Amy calling him from their room
"Rory! Where've you put my jumper?"He sighed, and went to help, leaving a stunned Doctor frozen behind him.
A/N: Ooh, the plot thickens again! Who said I was going to do this the easy way? Leave a little love? (or hate, whichever way you're currently swinging) :3
P.S Also, is there anyone here who objects vehemently to slash?