Time Will Tell

2

"So what's your name?"

The Doctor set his teacup down. "Pardon?"

"Your name?" Holmes asked again. "Surely 'The Doctor' isn't your real name."

Watson nudged him. "Sherlock, don't be rude."

"No, no. It's alright." The Doctor looked at Holmes. "John Smith."

Holmes was silent for a long moment. "...you've got to be joking."

"I most certainly am not."

"That name sounds made up."

"Excuse me? John is a very popular name, right Dr. Watson?" Watson nodded in agreement.

"Okay, fine. Not made up. But what kind of doctor are you? What do you specialize in?"

"Science." The Doctor answered. "I'm a professor of science, time, and anomalies. Does that answer your question?"

"Yes. But... where did that box come from? That police box?"

"Oh, that." The Doctor smiled. "You see, I just woke up in it not too long ago. Very cramped, I have a lot of sore spots in my neck and back, highly recommend not doing that."

"Do you know how or why you ended up in there?" Watson asked.

"No, I'm afraid not. One minute I was sitting comfortably in my own home, and the next I was trapped in a police box."

"How very peculiar," Sherlock muttered.

"Listen, if you're going to say things, you can at least say them loud enough for everyone to hear," The Doctor barked.

Sherlock jumped slightly at his loud tone. "Yes, of course. Sorry. Force of habit."

Watson smiled at The Doctor. "He does that a lot. Sometimes I can barely understand what he's saying. Sounds like gibberish to me."

"That's what my friends always say to me. Sometimes I speak too fast and in very big sciencey words that they can barely understand what I'm talking about. I have about a million things going on in my head twenty-four seven, and it's very hard to have people around me that don't understand a word I say."

"That's the same with me," Sherlock pointed out. "I'm a detective, so I always point out the small things in life, and I also use big words. Most of the people around me look at me like I have two heads or something when I start talking."

The Doctor cracked a smile. "Well, looks like we have the same problem. Maybe we can understand each other when we go off on something."

All of a sudden, there was a knock on the front door. Watson stood up to get it, and a moment later came back with a policeman in tow. The Doctor and Holmes both stood up to greet the policeman.

"Sherlock Holmes, I believe?" The man asked, looking at The Doctor.

He laughed. "I'm afraid you've got the wrong guy. That-" He pointed to Holmes. "Is the one you're looking for. I'm John Smith, pleasure to meet you."

The man nodded. "Likewise." He turned to Holmes. "Detective. There's been another disappearance."

Holmes looked surprised. "Who and where?"

"Lord Barronrowe, on 34th Street. Nothing was left when he disappeared."

Both Holmes and Watson grabbed their coats from the coat rack near the entryway. "Let's go. Time to investigate." Holmes looked at The Doctor. "Doctor? Want to come with? You may be of help."

The Doctor nodded. "Of course." He followed the three men out of the house and to the two parked cars on the street.

"This is it?" Holmes asked when they got to the scene.

"Yes, sir, this is it." The policeman answered. He stepped forwards, standing right in front of a statue, and stopped. "This is where our witness last saw him."

"And where is the witness?"

"Right here." A small voice piped up from behind them. They all turned around, surprised when they saw a little beggar boy in front of them. "I'm the witness. I saw it happen. Well, not exactly, but-"

"Just tell us what you saw," Watson asked gently.

The boy nodded. "Okay. Well, I was sitting across the street over there-" He gestured to a building on the other side of the road. "when I saw the man walking that way." He pointed to the left. "I blinked, and the next thing I knew, he was gone. I could've sworn that statue was pointing at me, or like he was reaching out to touch someone, but when I blinked again, it was back to normal."

"And you saw nothing else?" Watson asked.

"Nothing, sir."

The Doctor turned around, staring at the statue. Holmes saw this and noticed the look of seriousness on his face. "Thank you. You may go now." The boy turned and ran down the street. "Doctor?"

"A weeping angel." The Doctor muttered. "I've confronted these things many times before."

"Doctor, they're just statues." Holmes walked up to the statue, leaning on it. "It's just a stone statue. Been here for many years. It doesn't move."

"That's what you think." Holmes and Watson both perked up at this, but chose to ignore it. "Anyways, men. Let's go investigate."

The policeman nodded. "Yes. Well, if you follow me, I'll lead you all to the police station. It's not that far from here, so we can walk there."

When they started walking, Holmes pulled The Doctor aside. "What was that?"

"What was what?"

"That! What you said earlier! About the statue!"

"I have no idea what you are talking about. You must be hearing things."

"Oh no, Doctor. I don't just hear things. I know what you said. Is there something you're not telling us?"

"You have gone completely mad, Holmes. Completely mad."

"Excuse me? I'm as sane as it gets. You're the one who's mad."

"I am not!"

"Then tell us who you really are, Doctor."

"All in due time, Holmes. Be patient. Time will tell. Eventually, you'll have all the answers that you need."

"Are you always this vague with people?"

"Always."