The Cold Shoulder

[Madame Vastra]

Four years. It had been four years since the last encounter with The Doctor that the Silurian could remember. Not that Madame Vastra was exactly keeping track or anything. She had much more important things to worry about. Mostly, her work as a detective. She knew that she had to focus on what she was doing as a job, which is exactly what she had been doing for the most part. She was currently in a dark corner after having 'solved' the case behind a child murderer. She licks the remnants of her meal off her scaled fingers before slipping her gloves and veil back on. She double and triple checks herself, making sure that she was entirely covered, before making her way back to the streets. It was the dark of night and now, Vastra was merely looking up at the sky, a soft sigh escaping her lips.

"Where are you...? Please, of all things. Don't forget us, Doctor...I beg of you. And I do not beg easily."

[Thirteenth Doctor]

Had there ever been any intention to return to that time period? Sure, maybe. It all was always a matter of timing, circumstance, and clearly her TARDIS still deciding when and where she needed to be. However, she was never always quite certain when she'd return to old haunts. Things...got crazy you know...with The Doctor and all. Life was ever changing ever moving. And it seemed these days especially for some reason were getting much more harder to keep up with. She also always had a lot on her mind it seemed. About herself, about her companions, about well...just about everything! And there wasn't even so much as barely enough time sometimes to just grab a custard cream out of the dispenser before having to shimmy her way out the door again to deal with something else. Had she even slept?! She didn't know anymore. It wasn't like she herself needed a lot, but somewhere in the vague back of her mind she remembered her human companions usually did. Even then though, heavens did they get enough too? She had to wonder. Clearly this sort of rhetoric had been in conversation to herself many times prior in her head. And clearly more often than it should have. She was going to have to note that one for later she was certain.

But going back to the topic at hand, one of going to an old haunt, the thought had briefly crossed her mind in a general sense. Perhaps nostalgia she supposed. Whimsical thoughts of time prior. Not to say that Ryan, Graham, and Yaz weren't great; but there was just that something about the past sometimes that just got even The Doctor hooked up from time to time. And in some instances, being able to revisit them was just a tad nice to be able to do. However, the question still remained had she planned really on going back to that exact time period? Well.....let's just say it was true fate, that eventually The Doctor would do a few return house calls.

So almost like magic, but don't ever expect The Doctor to see it that way, the sound of that iconic blue box range out in long strands of echoing vwhoorps as it phased in and out along one of the dimly lit streets. Of course as it were, the untrained human never could hear or see the TARDIS as it arrived, but for the searching wanderer seeking out that beacon of hope, the sound could have been probably heard as far as the edges of the town. It was all a matter of if one was looking or not.

Inside, The Doctor looked up from her console to check the holographic readouts. "Oh bugger, ya' did it again! You know how I feel abou' it when you do tha'!"

Her accent pronounced because of frustration. All she got was a cheeky bloop whorp sound from the TARDIS.

"Don'." she waggled a finger at the console. It whorpled again if too mock. "Ooo..."

A long almost electrical sounding vwhorp, still soft but punctual whined, which in turn The Doctor's head tilted, "Of course I still talk to you. That's rubbish. I'm talkin' now aren' I?"

The TARDIS at that point seemed to make a strong triple whorple sound and it seemed to in turn make The Doctor recoil just a tad. "I'm not distant. I've been fine! Seriously. Also, I've not been too busy...okay well maybe a little, but still! Not that bad!"

Another blurp. The Doctor sighed, "Seriously...I'm fine. Graham, Ryan, and Yaz are only gone for holiday. They'll be back."

The TARDIS didn't make any more noises, but the readout of where she was glared mockingly at her face. Pressing her lips together firmly for a moment she debated, but inevitably in the end, she gave a huff of a sigh and popped a custard cream out of the dispenser broodingly and bit into it with frustration. "Fine, I'll goooo. Was getting tired of sitting around inside anyway."

She grabbed her coat that was hanging on something and put it on as she wandered towards the door with part of that custard cream biscuit in her mouth. This was probably going to be a short venture all things considered. After all it wasn't like she'd gotten a direct call from them as of late. Though why would she have? They were more of a time when she was a he and he wore derpy outfits such and tweed jackets and bowties. She missed that face some days. But alas times change. Granted, it wasn't like she didn't want to be in this time, or to see certain people, because she did. She just was mad that her TARDIS as per usual did what she thought was best rather than what The Doctor wanted. With times growing rough, it wasn't a surprise she was there. She needed it. Yet with a "you just wait and see you'll be wrong" look on her face as she looked back at the console of the control room, she pulled the door smartly, remembering what Idris said about how she felt about the door opening the wrong way and walked out into the open past time air of Earth. Closing the door behind her, gently, because as broody as she was at her old girl she still loved her TARDIS, she took in her surroundings, finishing off the custard cream biscuit as she did so.

[Madame Vastra]

Vastra had once again, sighed to herself. There were so many thoughts rushing through her mind that she just didn't know what to do. On one hand, she didn't know if she was required anywhere, in case there was another case that had required the attention of Scotland's Yard's detective. On the other, she had a home to get to. She figured she had best make sure that both her wife and their butler were alright. Strax... that was a concern. If he had eaten any of the sugary treats that Vastra and Jenny had saved up, then that would be problematic. She knew exactly how Strax could get when he was hyper. With this in mind, she made a quick turn and began walking home.

However, she was stopped dead in her tracks. Tears swelling up in the Silurian's eyes as she began to hear something. That noise. It couldn't be. After all this time, was he really back? The Doctor, who she had thought left this time period to go on to other travels. Could it be possible that he returned? Or perhaps there was a timeline mishap, maybe this was The Doctor from a point in time that fell in between different occasions where they had met before in her point of view. But one thing was certain. She was currently hearing a noise that she could not mistake for anything else. The most magical sound in the universe. She knew what was causing it and though she was currently alone, she could not help but voice her thought process to herself.

"That's....the TARDIS....but that means...doctor! DOCTOR!"

A hopeful gleam in her eyes, cloak waving in the winds behind her as she ran, Vastra set off. She took off running, following the noise of the TARDIS. She had to get there and fast. She had to make it before he left. She just had to see her old friend. It had been too long and she was not about to let this one chance to see The Doctor again go to waste. She was running as fast as her legs and lungs would take her, many emotions coursing through her. Hope, mostly but there was also pain and regret. Perhaps a hint of fear, she wasn't quite sure what she was feeling but to her, that didn't quite matter right now. All that Vastra cared about was finding out answers. Seeing The Doctor was a huge priority for Madame Vastra but she wanted to know why he left her, Jenny and Strax behind. She wanted to know what he was doing, why he came back, the more questions she realised she wanted answers to, the more questions began springing to her mind. These thoughts swarming her mind like a plague, she follows the noise and finally, she makes it. She was behind the TARDIS so she didn't quite yet see The Doctor just yet, all she saw was a small figure exiting the box. A quiet giggle escapes her before she calls out.

"You are almost as small as Strax! Doctor!"

[Thirteenth Doctor]

The cool night air had been like a familiar book one read. Or that familiar smell in ones kitchen when one were to cook that evening meal. It was like coming back to a home away from home. if one were to be honest though, The Doctor had many, many, many of these so called places of memory. For even a brief moment, she actually was able to in her mind, relieve all those moments while being there as that lanky, tweed wearing, charismatic smiling man. Even down to Clara, the first time he'd ever met her. It was like watching a ghost in the wind, always there, always with her. Sadly it also made her throat close up ever so slightly and her eyes threaten to tear in sadness knowing she'd never see Clara again in the same way as flesh and blood. However, that revere of emotion was broke so abruptly by someone talking near her that the tears never came, and she more turn around with a slight gasp of air trying to regain composure as she whirled about and saw a face she hadn't seen for a while, not since old bushy browns grumpy pants last face.

"Vastra!?" she nearly squeaked out and put a hand to her chest, then she gave a small red cheeked smile. "Well, definitely a welcome face to see. I um....was just in the area and though'...ya know..."

As she spoke her voice diminished more and more after every word, an embarrassed look on her face as she thumbed to the TARDIS. She was so lying out her butt, but there she was anyway. Right where she needed to be. She looked down a bit knowing she'd been gone for a long while.

"I'm sorry." was all she could say. "For being gone so long."

Inside, whether she'd admit to this or not, she was happy to see the Sillurian again. Her and Jenny and Strax had become very good friends of her when she had needed them the most after the loss of Amy and Rory. She'd been a fool to cast them off so carelessly. They were her friends after all. But now that she was there, she could make up for it in some way to them.

[Madame Vastra]

Unable to cope with the anticipation of seeing her old friend once again, Madame Vastra sprinted right for the TARDIS. Though upon making it over, she had to admit to herself that she was rather taken aback. Looking at The Doctor's features and after hearing her voice, it was very clear that the Silurian was shocked. She stops in her tracks, right in front of the Time Lord...or Time Lady, Vastra didn't quite know which one this incarnation would prefer just yet, this was her first time meeting this variant of The Doctor after all, there were many things she would have to learn about her, what she liked and just generally, who she was. This pronoun situation was one of them, and one that Vastra never thought she'd ever have to worry about. It would have taken a while for words to actually make their way out of those green, scaly lips of hers. For the moment, she was blabbering and gesturing a hand over The Doctor's form. After noting how she was behaving, she cleared her throat and straightened her posture, attempting to get back into her more professional stature and hopefully vocals, despite how difficult this seemed to be for her.

"Doctor...hm, well perhaps it would be nice for you to see my face, if you could actually see it properly while I wear the veil. Sometimes, I do wish I had a choice in the matter..."

Almost a sad tone escaped her as she spoke the latter of her sentence, quite the contrast to the light toned and joyous manner of speaking that she had spoken with when she started what she was saying. She was so caught up in the fact that her old friend had finally returned, and trying to make sense of everything that she didn't quite notice a tear had fallen from her eye. Though difficult to see through the veil she sported, it would not be impossible to spot that the veil itself had gotten damp around those lizard like eyes that the Silurian sported. Vastra cleared her throat before having made an attempt to lighten the mood, even if just a little bit.

"My my. Here we go again. You have regenerated, I see. You know, I had always wondered what you'd look like if you ever changed into a woman. I even began questioning if it was possible but evidently, it is very much possible and not only has it happened...but dear me, Doctor, you do make for quite the fine woman, if I may so. But...ohh! I must not get distracted by such things. How have you been, old friend? It has been a while since you have made a stop here. Doctor please...I hate to do this to you but I'm afraid I must, for I just have to know the truth of the matter. I am going to ask you a question and you are to respond with it using a singular word answer. One word, that is all. Do you understand what I ask of you?"

[Thirteenth Doctor]

Well that was something, the Sillurian was beside herself it seemed. Not the first time. She'd had other moments, some of which were quite adorable. Her time amongst humans had rubbed quite off on her it seemed. At least a little. Vastra was a unique gem for the times. She believed in helping the innocent, unlike some of her kind that weren't quit ready. Something The Doctor definitely could admire. The Doctor put her hands in her pockets, smiling just a little before looking down still red cheeked a bit, her hair dangling around the edges of her face except for a few strands. She licked her lips a bit, letting herself absorb the compliment. She continued to listen to the reptile woman. A part of her had forgotten about the veil deal. But she'd go along with it, it was only fair. Her eyes pierced in the direction of where she believed Vastra's might be behind that veil.

"Yes." she gave a nod of understanding.

[Madame Vastra]

Vastra had very briefly mentally cursed herself once she thought back on her words. She just allowed herself to flirt with this new incarnation of the doctor. Having a few mental thoughts, she winced, though if The Doctor could notice this or not would depend on just how well the Gallifreyan could see through the veil covering the Silurian's face. 'Get a hold of yourself, Vastra! You're married! And not only is this an old friend, not just any old friend either but The Doctor, but h-...she is married, last I heard!' Taking a moment to gather herself, mentally, Vastra could have only hoped that her friend would think this silence was due to the woman trying to figure out exactly how she wanted to word her question. Madame Vastra placed her hands behind her back, as she wanted to stick to her professional appearance as much as she possibly could. Tilting her head down ever so slightly to get a better look at The Doctor, she stared into her eyes, one could imagine she was staring into her soul, even as she asked her question. Though was this Silurian focusing on The Doctor's facial expression or was she looking beyond? Not many would typically know the answer to this, as she certainly had her way with the mind.

"It has been four years, I believe, since we last met. Four years since that noise has graced this place. We had wondered, for the longest time, if we would ever hear it again. Even Strax has gone off on his own little adventures, finding leads that have even the slightest correlation to you and believing it means you have returned. Now, Doctor...while I know that regeneration means change. I do understand this, perhaps more than you know. I do know that you change less than even you may think you do. Doctor, these changes of yours....they're minimal. You change what you look like and your personality but not who you are. Through all the incarnations I've known you as, yes you have been different each time. But deep down, behind the eyes that you have worn all these times, you have been the same being. The Doctor, the one person many think of when they hear the word 'hero'. The one who would protect this planet, no matter what it took. This has not changed, from how I have seen you. So, you do not change all that much when you regenerate. This in mind, my question...is this. Has there been, at all, any particular reason that you have not come back to this place, even to just say hello and check in on us, until today? Take your time to think, and then kindly choose a word to summarise an answer. One word."

Fear was coursing through her veins as she asked this, though she was not about to just let this be shown. She awaited The Doctor's answer, her tone of voice when speaking was stern and authoritative. She was in control of the situation and she would have it known, her head even tilted to the side in curiosity as she awaits the response that would be given.

[Thirteenth Doctor]

The Doctor had to think long and hard on this one. She couldn't just give any surface answer and it be all good in Vastra's books. No she had too critically think about this one. This was going to take her down some very dark thoughts and memories she didn't want to dredge up. Things that she'd had from the past before this incarn and some with this one. The real question was what was going to be the real root cause. This was going to be a hard one, they were probably going to be standing out in the open for a while. Though she was sure Vastra wasn't going to care one bit if they were. She was reptilian in biology after all.

Interestingly enough it wasn't as long as a human would start to assume that The Doctor would have to. No The Doctors mind was fast, faster than any humans. She could process things at exponential speeds that could boggle even a modern computer some days. So relatively The Doctor had her answer in about fifteen minutes tops and that would be including deciding what to tell Vastra in private later about what she's been up to in full, to did Vastra get a new outfit, to wondering how Strax and Jenny really were doing, to the "I really could use another custard cream", to things haven't changed much around the area, to a plethora of other thoughts and such. To be frank she had her answer within probably first five minutes and if giving The Doctor any true credit she really had it in the first. However, as all brains go, she had to dissect this answer over and over again to make sure it was the right one to give. That's what took up at least the last ten to fourteen minutes depending.

She could have give answers about any one number of her situations she'd gone through, or maybe companions, or leave it to the excuse she just forgot. Yet none of those were the real root or excuse she could use. To be honest there was no excuse. Except maybe...the one he'd been wrestling with in her last incarnation as was and just kept wrestling with technically. Perhaps if she just accepted it as what it truly was that she's had since day one, she'd be more weight lifted of her burden. However, that one thing was more prevalent than ever in this regeneration. She even already had moved tactics on her companions just to try and ease this one thing she was trying to avoid. But alas she couldn't hide her soul to Vastra. She couldn't hide her hearts either.

It was almost like the sound, air, and everything else went and disappeared from The Doctors side when she uttered the one word, "...fear."

There it was out in the open now. The one thing The Doctor had been tackling even before this incarnation, it was fear. Fear of loss, pain, unknown, despair, helplessness, weakness, cold nature, darkness, etc. The list could go on, but most of all there were things that were going through her mind right then she'd rather not speak in a public setting that she was fearing. She hoped Vastra would understand. The Doctor was exposing her inner most self. She didn't do that for just anyone, never. Only those she could truly trust with her life.

She could feel the cold seeping inside of her, and not physical cold, but that internal knowledge of having exposed ones self willingly but still finding ones self feeling feelings that shouldn't be felt like guilt and shame in ones self for even feeling such things. She was The Doctor after all, she was the icon of all. How could she be so vulnerable right? That couldn't be possible. Yet she was and she'd only given that to a small few in her life that she ever felt that way. Not even Graham, Yaz, or Ryan knew. Rose was close, so was Donna. River her wife. Now Vastra was one she realized after all these years she was going to have to trust with something of herself that was a vulnerability. It made a shiver go down her spine though having revealed her answer, yet she never lost eye contact.

[Madame Vastra]

Vastra took a moment, perhaps even a few minutes, to glare at The Doctor, to stare right into her eyes and read her as if the Gallifreyan was a mere book. After studying her for a while, Vastra's posture seemed to relax. So that's what kept The Doctor all these years. It wasn't that The Doctor forgot or just didn't care, not at all. Something was scaring her and though Vastra didn't quite understand what this could be or what it could mean, she did know one thing about it. If it was making The Doctor feel any kind of fear, whatsoever, then it was bad news and not something that either of them should take lightly. Madame Vastra desperately wanted to hear more and this was not for the purpose of just knowing or forcing her friend to reveal any secrets, the truth of the matter was far from this. She wanted to know because she was worried. A Silurian who was very different to the rest of her kind, by quite a long shot. One who would befriend the Humans that she believed were pure of heart, one who fell in love with one of them. Yes, she cared deeply for people even if they were not Silurian so it should come as no surprise that the cared very deeply for The Doctor. Seeing the fear and pain in her face, hearing it in her voice, reading it through her eyes. All of this scared Vastra to her very core. The Doctor was lost in her pain, in her fear, in her emotions as a whole. It was not anything new but seeing it up this close and especially after The Doctor opened up about it, she knew she had to help her. After all, The Doctor helped Vastra a long, long time ago. It was time for a debt to be repaid.

"I see....Doctor, walk this way. We will discuss this at my home if you don't quite mind. Jenny and Strax are out at the moment, so it is as private a setting that we are going to get. And I can get us some tea."

With this said, she had taken a step to walk off, though she awaited The Doctor, unsure if she was going to follow or not.

[Thirteenth Doctor]

"You had me at tea." The Doctor stated with a tiny smile.Thank the universe she understood the weight of what she was going through. The fact they were going to be able to talk privately was okay with her. Granted she wouldn't have minded Strax or Jenny there, but the fact they weren't made the audience load a bit easier to handle on the other hand. She began to follow Vastra, catching up with her in stride.

She looked over at Vastra briefly as they walked, "Have things been...okay while I've been gone?"

Other than the obvious of the other two, she was thinking to herself.

"I hope you lot have been able to stay busy this whole time. I'd feel bad if things have become to borin' or dull." she tried to make it more light in nature and less worried, but she really did care.

[Madame Vastra]

Madame Vastra smiled softly behind her veil, glad that her friend was going along with her. She wrapped an arm around The Doctor's shoulders and walked alongside her, though kept in front ever so slightly since she knew the way to the house. The main reason she was doing this was that, while she didn't know if it translated onto The Doctor or if it was just Strax, but in her experience, people with short legs weren't exactly known for being fast walkers. So this was just a 'to be safe' measure. Taking in the look of the streets in the black of night while walking, Vastra snapped out of her thought process as soon as The Doctor had begun speaking.

"We have....been fine. There had been a few things here and there but such is life. Of course, there had bound to be downs as there were bound to be ups. But I digress, our conversation is not about such matters. We will move onto this properly when we get to our casual...as you may be keen on calling it...chitchat. Until then, we have some serious matters to attend regarding you. Because I am worried for you, Doctor. Truly, I am ever so. And....I wish to help you."

She took a key from her dress and walked towards a door. Inserting the key into the lock, she'd turn it and open the door. She wasn't quite sure if Strax and Jenny had returned just yet, so to be sure she shouted their names from the door. After waiting and getting no response, she nodded to herself and stepped inside, holding the door open for The Doctor.

[Thirteenth Doctor]

She had nodded as they had reached the door, understanding what she meant. After waiting for her to get the front open, she moved inside the place Vastra called home right behind her. It was familiar and yet new all at once. Every time she changed faces she found herself finding even some of the same things she'd explored once prior all new again. Kind of like rebooting that favorite video game for the first time after a long hiatus. Once in she closed the door behind her. She then did a little twirling walkabout the foyer taking it in.

"I don't mean to trouble your mind Vastra." she stated as she looked about, getting ever so slightly nostalgically caught up in the moment. "Oh how amazing it is to see old familiar things with new eyes."

It felt so long since she'd been to Vastra's. Yet all the memories flooded back like magic. Including the more painful ones with Clara. That was also probably a large reason she'd never had the chance to return. All of that revolved much around Clara and before she had gotten her memories back as old bushy brows, she'd forgotten much of that time frame sadly. It wasn't until her death prior to regenerating into herself that she was able to remember Clara and everything that had transpired. She still didn't quite get what the Testimony was, but it had brought some ease of mind somehow to her at that time knowing that people like Clara and Bill's very essences were kept somehow in a form of living. Even if it wasn't what a human would call living. But yes the memories were like echos. They made her both want to smile and shed tears all at once. Only the prior surfaced a little.

She looked over at Vastra, "Now, how about that tea then eh? Makes for deep conversation much easier."

[Madame Vastra]

Vastra had smiled towards The Doctor after hearing her speak, then remembering the veil and so settled with a nod of her head, one hoping to get the message across that she really did not mind. Even then, if such an action wouldn't quite do so, the Silurian had words to fall back on, and so she made sure that she took full advantage of her ability to speak when faced with a scenario in such a fashion to this one. Placing her hands behind her back once more, she'd speak up. While it would be very, very difficult to tell in this situation, considering Vastra was rather trained to keep her emotions hidden when she willed, along with the veil covering her face, her heart had shattered when coming to terms with the situation. All this pain The Doctor had been feeling, not only was she seemingly not seeking help for herself but she saw herself as a burden too? This was not good.

"Not at all, old friend. Please, do make yourself comfortable. I will get the tea sorted and be with you momentarily. I must say however, you are quite right. Whatever the situation, if it is tense, troubling, perhaps even scary in some occasions...if it in any way, brings on any negative emotion, tea is quite the remedy for it."

With this said, Madame Vastra turned her back and began walking to the kitchen. Before too long, the sound of water boiling would have rung throughout the building as Vastra moved herself around to gather the essentials for the tea making process.

[Thirteenth Doctor]

Normally the tea making would have been Jenny's job seeing as she'd taken on the role of 1000's dutiful wife sort of situation. However, Vastra, as The Doctor could recall, was also quite known and keen at doing things as well for herself too. Probably to prove to not only herself but to others that she was still quite capable not only as a woman, but also as a Silurian. You could take the Silurian from the underworld, but you couldn't take the underworld out of the Silurian. She was at heart still a reptilian of merit. Something The Doctor could understand. So as she let her go about making the tea, The Doctor further took in the homestead. Things were very different than they had been when she was hipster boy with emo hair and bushy brows with a strong Scottish accent. But as things do, they change. Still never hurt to remember where you'd been even if you kept moving forward. She did eventually sit though, taking on the chair that she'd sat in many times prior when having tried being "retired" those few regenerations back.

There was going to be so much for them to catch up on. As was, she couldn't remember everything Vastra knew of her. Was the last thing Vastra knew was just the last time she saw her? And of course, what was technically her last visit? After all time was a fickle thing. Not always did visits to people she knew happen in proper order. Sometimes she could visit someone in a later face and then sometime later a much earlier face could have showed up at that same location at a later date. It was all so confusing sometimes if it wasn't kept in check. She had a massive memory bank, but even she could lose track sometimes. However, as far as she could recall, the last time definitely has to be when she was bushy brows.

Surprisingly, as much as she was one for not sitting still in some incarnations, this one seemed to have more control over staying put. Ask two regens ago and she'd say, nah can't sit still. Instead, she found herself sitting there, an arm rested on one of the armrests, acting as a stand for her face, her hand curled into a loose fist against her right cheek. Her gaze was lofty, off and distant as she could hear the sound of Vastra getting the tea. It felt comfortable, safe even. Almost threatening to drag her off into some far off land of mental drowse where only darkness and dreams lived. Yet somehow she stayed in that semi blissful state of wake sleep that left her aware of her surroundings. So instead of being a droopy drooling snoring mess, she looked more like she'd just taken a pill of grace and just went with it.

[Madame Vastra]

Madame Vastra eventually finished up on the drinks. With a smile, she took hold of both mugs and walked towards the room where The Doctor was seated. She had placed hers down a coaster before seating herself in her special chair, keeping a hold of her own mug. A few seconds of silence passed before the Silurian placed the drink down on a coaster that was placed on her desk. Now that there was no company around besides The Doctor, she felt safe enough to remove her veil and so, that is what the did. She took hold of the veil with both her hands and pushed it up and back, revealing her green, scaly features. Maintaining a warm smile, she then removed her gloves and placed them on her lap.

"So Doctor...first off, I will clarify. Let us do away with this one word nonsense in your case. I was a fool to ever consider the possibility that you would lie to me regarding such matters and for this, I do apologise. Truthfully, from the bottom of my heart, I am sorry for that. But please...because I am worried about you. My dear friend. You mentioned the reason for not returning was fear? Would I be right in assuming this fear has to do with loss of a sort?"

She raised a brow, she hated the fact that she was going to have to get The Doctor to talk about painful feelings. That kind of talk was a heart breaker and she knew it, it was even killing Vastra inside to have to do this to her friend. But at the same time, The Doctor needed a talk like this. She had to know that she wasn't alone in the world, that there was nothing to fear. And if Vastra wasn't going to help her see this then who was? The Silurian saw this as her job, like she had a duty of care. Akin of how a mother would care for their young.