Sophia Holmes and the Scandal in Belgravia *Completed*

Chapter Fourteen - Leviathans Part VIII

The Doctor joins us at Barts while Sam and Dean take Donna to see if they can find anything about the portal which brought them here in the first place.

"What exactly are we looking for again?" John questions, placing a conical flask on the worktop.

"Any alkali which is strong enough to neutralise the chemicals in the Leviathans, which should, theoretically, kill them," I explain. "The tricky part is finding the right concentration."

Dad brings in a small machine and probe and sets it down on the worktop.

"A pH probe and meter," the Doctor exclaims, breaking into a grin. "Been a long time since I've seen one of these beauties!" Dad nods in acknowledgment and I pour the wriggling liquid into one of the flasks, then as I draw my hands away, dad casts the probe down into the glass. The Leviathan sample hisses slightly upon contact but we wait for the figure to appear on the screen of the meter.

"2.3," John reads, eyebrows raised. "Meaning we need to find something with the pH of 9.3...?" I nod to confirm then think. I can see dad eyeing me, seeing how quickly I come to the right decision.

I smile and sprint out through the doors and a little way down the corridor to the cleaner's room. I take a hairpin out of my hair as I realise it's locked, but the Doctor takes out something which looks like a torch with a blue light and opens the door, the instrument giving a slight humm as the door slips off the latch.

"Can I see that?" I can hear John's excitement as the Time Lord passes him the torch-thingy and I assume it bares some relevance to the tv show he claims the Doctor is from.

I sift through the cupboard, pushing tins aside and dropping bottles onto the floor until I find what I'm looking for.

"Surface cleaner?" John frowns, handing the Doctor back his instrument.

"Borax," I correct, peering at the label. "pH of 9.3 and kills 99% of all germs to top it off."

But the Doctor seems unimpressed.

"I can't let you kill them," he says quietly. "Not without giving them the chance of going peacefully."

"This is a full-scale invasion," John argues. "They entered our homes and took our men, women and children. I think they've gone too far."

"And you think retaliating is any better?" The Doctor snaps. "Burning every single Leviathan because they got in the way."

"If you have a problem with the way we're handling this, then I suggest you get back into your blue box and fly away," I say. "You are on Earth, the home planet of the human race and this is how we deal with alien threats. You better hope we don't turn on you for getting in our way." I turn and start walking back towards the lab.

"Yeah," he says, softer now but I continue to walk. "Okay then."

"Sorry?" John questions.

"On you go," the Doctor says, in a false, lighter tone. "You're right, I can't stop you."

"I'm glad we've got that sorted," I call back down the corridor and turn into the lab, walking directly for the flask on the work-top. I can see the Doctor watching me, hate in his eyes as I pour the potentially deadly liquid into the flask. The black substance hisses upon contact and begins to steam before exploding against the side of the glass.

"Well I think that should do it," John says and I nod as I seal the lid on the bottle again.

The door to the lab opens and Dean pokes his head around.

"We good to go? Sammy and I've found something."

"Oi," the firey ginger replies, appearing beside him. "Try again, Ken-doll."

"Okay," Dean's eyes look tired - finally he's met his match, "Sammy, Scully and I have found something." Donna looks slightly confused but is momentarily speechless.

"Where?" dad asks, perking up at the news and even the Doctor looks up to hear his reply.

"Some old tube network beneath London," Dean replies. "Bank Station, I think Sam said."

"Take this," I say, tossing the bottle over to Dean who's reflexes respond automatically to catch it, "and the Chevy and go on ahead. We'll take a cab and follow behind."

"Yes ma'am," Dean grins, giving a mock salute before allowing the door to close.

"We need to take as many of these from the store cupboard as we can find," I say and the others follow me out.

"How did you know?" John asks once we're outside the lab. "About the spray, I mean."

"It's a fairly simple deduction," I tell him. "The chemical synthesis industry has to ensure that they use a fairly weak alkali in their cleaning products so it doesn't dramatically injure their customers, however it still has to work. A weak alkali would easily neutralise the weak acidity of the Leviathan. What got me thinking was that many of these cleaning companies have to sell products which kill, or immobolise bacteria. What's in most cleaning products? Borax."

"Impressive," dad compliments and I have to compress a smile.

"It's just a shame you couldn't find anything which wouldn't annihilate an entire species," the Doctor retorts bitterly. John spins around to face him as we arrive at the cupboard.

"You had as much an opportunity as Sophie had to find an alternative," John hisses. "In the time we had, I think she did pretty bloody well so lay off of her." He takes a couple bottles I hand him and offers one to the Doctor. "Maybe, if you stop wasting time, we might be able to get there in time for you to do your heroics where nobody dies but for now, this is the plan. Are you in?" The Doctor grimaces and hesitates, but after a moment takes the bottle.

"Great. Then lets go."