elysium ≫ wholock [[ON HOLD]]

iv ➳ crack

"So, uh, where's my...subject?"

The Doctor found Molly outside the door a few minutes later. "What's his name, again? John, something?"

"John Watson," Molly said, slightly suspicious of the Doctor's sudden nervousness.

"Ah, I see. Just a sec." The Doctor held up a finger, then ducked back into his temporary office. "John Watson, gotta write that down," he said to Molly, half way inside, haly way out. Instead of writing John's name, the Doctor speedily scribbled instructions onto a prescription form for Clara.

"Key?" he whispered to Clara, who showed him the piece of metal that was tucked into her pocket. He reached into his own pocket and stepped further into the room to block Molly's view as he threw a few bills onto the examination table. "Right," he whispered again, placing the form on top of the pile of money. "Address of where the TARDIS is, right on the corner. I won't be more than an hour...or two. Hopefully."

"You better figure out something," Clara hissed. "This is some alternate universe - what if we run into ourselves or something, like you see in the films?"

"Doubt that'll happen," the Doctor reassured her. "There's about a 33.3% chance - but it did happen once, if it helps. But that was something different; a Cyberman invasion, and a friend of mine had to stay to play the part of the replacement of his alternate self. But I can't exactly replace you, could I? It'd be a long shot." He added the last part quickly upon seeing the quick flash of fear on Clara's face.

"I'll see you, then," the Doctor said with a grin. Before Clara could reply, he was out the door, the same grin present for Molly.

"Everything all right?" Molly asked. The Doctor nodded and started towards the elevator bank. "Isn't Clara coming along?"

"Nah, she's going back to - " The Doctor stopped himself from saying the TARDIS. " - back to check up on an old friend of ours. She's right around the corner, actually."

"Oh." Molly pushed the button with a down arrow on it next to an elevator, the pressed the one for the ground floor once she and the Doctor were inside. "John's out in the gardens on the grounds. It's the only place he'll agree to go to."

The Doctor nodded again, placing his hands behind his back in a professional manner. The elevator dinged to signal their arrival. Molly showed the Doctor to a back door, and pointed out John, a lone man sat on a bench in the middle of the gardens. The Doctor could already tell John was going to be stubborn.

As soon as the Doctor made contact with the bench, John spoke. "Are you another one of them?"

"Another what?" the Doctor asked, leaning back and assuming a similar position to the one John was in.

"Another doctor. Molly was ecstatic when she found you. Best help line in the world, she said."

The Doctor smiled. "Well, it's not wrong. That's the same way I met my friend. She called my number first." When John stayed quiet, the Doctor continued. "John, you know, I've heard the name Sherlock Holmes before."

"When? Five minutes ago, from Molly?" John retorted.

"No, no, long before then. Feels like centuries ago," the Doctor said. "John, have you got any ideas at all as to why Sherlock Holmes suddenly doesn't exist? Any ideas, nothing's ever too absurd."

John sighed quietly. Without looking at the Doctor he muttered, "There was a crack in a wall."

The Doctor froze. "A - a c-crack?"

John nodded. "All this light, then Sherlock was gone."

"B-but I closed them!" the Doctor sputtered. "I rebooted the whole universe! I shut them myself! All of them!"

"What?" John gave the Doctor a strange look. Was everyone going mad these days?

"John, I believe you," the Doctor quickly said. "I completely believe you. Just tell me, was the - the crack, was it sort of pointed downwards, and really, really, rough looking? Like a proper crack?"

"Well, I guess. I didn't really mind paying attention to its shape."

"Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay," the Doctor muttered. He stood and began pacing in front of the bench. "Cracks...cracks are back. Cracks in the next universe over - oh god, if she's here, how'll I explain...okay, think of cracks, not Rose. Cracks, cracks, cracks. Okay, cracks, where have I seen cracks...Amelia's bedroom, the Byzantium, everywhere before I rebooted the....Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Are you sure I'm the one who's supposed to be insane here?" John asked.

"I'm not insane. You're not keeping up." The Doctor ran a hand through his hair. "Tell me, has there any been any...unearthly occurrences here? Like, I dunno, space ships on Christmas? Giant pepper pots and tin men overrunning the city?"

"I think I'd have remembered those..." John stood up alongside the Doctor, measuring up to his chin. "What are you going on about? Are you - have you seen the cracks before?" John asked in bewilderment. "You could...we could find - "

"Shh!" The Doctor held up a finger, centimeters away from John's face. "I'm only agreeing to this because I can't leave this place without poking around, can I? Now...well, how do I go about this?...People...fall out of the world sometimes, but there's always something left over. Traces. Little things that you usually don't pay attention to, but can't account for when you do notice them. Faces in photographs...an extra book you don't remember getting, abandoned luggage in the old closet. But nothing is never forgotten, not completely."

John nodded, barely catching any concept of the Doctor's words. "And if something can be remembered, it can be brought back," the Doctor finished. He started pacing again.

"So...so if we can make people remember - " John started.

"Not make, more like coax. And it's not that simple...at least it wasn't that simple last time...John, you're going to be stuck doing all the remembering. Just keep thinking about Sherlock Holmes; do not let a single detail slip from your mind. Keep up with that, and I'll be back." The Doctor turned on his heel, about to make a getaway.

"But I don't even know your name!" John called.

"The Doctor. Just the Doctor. Haven't got time for the questioning right now," the Doctor said quickly. "Now, you can expect me back soon. Just don't fall asleep tonight."

With a grin, the Doctor bolted out of the gardens, back into the lobby, and out of St. Bart's. Hurriedly, he hailed a cab and scrambled into it.

"221B Baker Street," the Doctor breathed, excitement clear in his voice.