Chapter 2
"So you clearly are not from here so tell me sweet Clara, where are you from?" Hatter questions while smiling at his new found interest, "Im from Earth, human" she answers sweetly, Doctor smiles to himself knowing his soft spot for earth and the human race specially this girl.
"Doctor, where are we actually going?" questioning the Doctor was a difficult thing to do, he would often end up being distracted or too into his 'zone', "The Queen of hearts palace of course!" Doctor replies "What why?" panic fills the Hatters voice "because we need to stop this" Clara answers for the doctor, Doctor smiles down at his companion clearly admiring her knowledge for their hobby and her enthusiasm for it, "Brave heart Clara" he says quietly to her.
Walking down a drawn-out cobble path, Clara and Hatter are talking happily to each other and the Doctor strolling in front in deep thought searching through his mind to figure out where he has seen this behaviour before. People often referred to regeneration as the lottery, people such as River or even himself however sometimes it just causes a block, he regenerated into this form a while back but still he would occasionally have blocks. The Doctor halts suddenly and sadly smiles remembering his old companion and bestfriend, he was her raggedy man and she was his reminder.
"Are you ok Doctor?" Clara questions, she knows him well, he can never hide his emotions from her "can't hide anything from you can I?" He weakly smiles "the big brown eyes, i know them" she answers back "just memories" a simple answer but Clara knew not to question any further, she knew about his past she was his impossible girl after all, the one willing to jump into his timeline just to save a man (well him and everyone and every planet he had saved), a man she knew was special to her.
"Doctor, I was just thinking, shouldn't we gather more information before we just jump to the... Urm... Solving?" Hatter questions with uncertainty in his voice "Argh yes, you are probably right, I must of got slightly excited"
"Excited about a body tearing queen?" Hatter says puzzled "Just don't ask" Clara adds "just go with it" she gives the hatter a reassuring smile. "Cheshire cat" the Hatter suggests "he keeps these kind of things in his records, perhaps we could go to him?" Clara turns on her heels to face Hatter her face lit up with excitement, the Hatter looks slightly confused by her reaction but just shrugs, "just go with it" he reminds himself.
The three adventures approach a grand cottage that is decorated in a checkerboard fashion and ivy. "This is Cheshire's home" Hatter announces gesturing towards the door, Clara is about to walk to the door before the Hatter grabs her hand, a bold move on his behalf; Clara, to the Hatters delight, doesn't remove her hand from his hold.
They walk together to the wooden door with the Doctor trailing behind, shaking his head in annoyance of the Hatter taking his impossibles girls hand. Quickly Doctor slips in front of the two and taps on the door, the rattle of lock sounds through the door and then swiftly opens.
The Hatter smiles and steps into the house taking Clara with him the Doctor following close behind "Hey Chess!" Hatter casually speaks "Hello Hatter, who are your friends?" looking towards Clara and Doctor "Im the Doctor, this is Clara"
"We were wondering if we could see your ball head records Chess" Hatter smiles, Cheshire disappears and the door goes, moments later Chess reappears with documents in his hands, he is now in the shape of a human like figure with cat features. Clara steps back dumbfounded by Chess's transformation, "he is a shape shifter Clara" Doctor explains quietly then goes on to look at the data.
"Clara, please come sit, make yourself at home" Chess says kindly "would you like some tea?" Clara smiles and nods "please" Chess grins and walks off into the kitchen. "Man, man, man, man" the Doctor mumbles to himself scanning the records "THEY ARE ALL MEN!" he exclaims in realisation making Clara and Hatter jump. "The victims are all men?" Clara asks, the Doctor turns to Hatter quickly "you knew that"
the Hatter quickly looks down and starts to go cherry red in the face, "why did you not tell us?" Clara asks
the Hatter says nothing.
The Doctor summons Clara over "Somethings not right, everything he tells you don't believe it ok?" Clara bites her lip as she takes in what the Doctor is telling her, the Doctor looks at Clara and she nods showing she understands. Doctor smiles at his impossible girl as she processes what they have discovered, he knows he has a soft spot for her, perhaps he has even grown to like her more than a bestfriend...
The door slams, Clara and the Doctor look at the door then at where the Hatter was fixed in one quick motion. He had gone.
The Doctor smiles at Clara and they both go after the suspicious Hatter.