𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥 | 𝘖𝘴𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘬 3 ✔︎

Chapter X - Another Arises

Jack's POV

I knock on the door of 221B and the nice old lady from before answers with a smile on her face.

"Hello! Jack, was it?"

I smiled back. "Yes, Mrs Hudson. Good to see you again!"

"Come inside! I've got tea on,"

"Oh, there is no need Mrs Hudson, I'm just here to talk to... erm, Clara. Is she around?"

"Mrs Hudson frowned. "No, I'm afraid. She went to the Diner."

"Alright. Thanks!" I stepped away from the door and she closed it, smiling. Then, I turned on my heal and started down Baker St to the Diner.

~

Upon approaching the Diner I see that the lights are off, the door is locked and the sign reads "Closed." I stop in front of it and dial Clara's number, After a couple of rings, I hear her answering machine.

"Hi, this is Clara Oswald. I'm probably on the tube or in outer space. Leave a message."

"Hey, Clar. I stopped by 221B to tell you that I'm back, but the landlady said you were at the Diner. Anyways, I'm at the Diner--and it's all closed up? Wondering where you are and, um, call me back as soon as you can. I'm a little worried. Bye,"

I hang up then dial Ash's number. After one or two rings, she picks up.

"Hey, Jack. Have you gotten back?"

"Hey A. Um I have. Where are you?"

"Wiggy and I are on a... date."

"Oh? Great to hear! Anyways, where's Clara? I stopped by 221B and she wasn't there. I called her as well, but she didn't pick up."

"She texted me and said she went to the Diner. Have you checked there?"

"I'm there now and it's all closed up. No sign of her. Oh--hold on," I peek into the window of the Diner and notice Clara's coat and bag lying near the counter. "I see her bag and coat inside. But she's not there."

Ash's POV

I look across the table at Wiggy. Jack is on speakerphone--loud enough for Wiggy to hear him. We make eye contact. I respond to Jack, 

"I'll call Sherlock. Maybe he knows where she is. Bye, Jack."

He signs off and my phone goes to home screen.

"Where might she be?" Wiggy asks me.

"I don't know, I'm worried. She would've told someone is she just went on a trip by herself," I say, dialling Sherlock.

"A trip?" Wiggy asks. He still doesn't know that I'm immortal or that the Diner is a Time Machine.

"Nevermind," I say.

My phone rings for a while until I hear Sherlock's familiar baritone voice.

"This is Sherlock Holmes. Please leave a message."

I hang up, then call again. He doesn't answer. I leave a message.

"Hey, it's Me. We--Jack, Wiggy, and I--can't find Clara. Maybe you know where she is? Call me back."

"What do we do now?" Wiggy asks me.

"I don't know." I reply. "Just wait, I suppose."

Sherlock's POV
Hours later

A breeze blows my hair and the tall grass around me. John is on my left, Mycroft on my right. Behind us  is the old Holmes house, burned to a crisp. In front of us, who we're watching, is my older sister, Eurus. She lies in the grass and looks up at the sky.

Just minutes ago, we were trapped at Sherrinford, with her trying to kill us. Now, we're just waiting for the police to arrive and take us back to London. Mycroft isn't entirely sure what to do with Eurus yet.

I look down and turn on my phone. Two missed calls from Ashildr--1 new voicemail. I open the voicemail and it plays.

When it's over I immediately call her back. She picks up almost immediately.

"Where's Clara?" I say, more frantic than intended. Mycroft and John shoot me glares--John's is concerned, Mycroft's is annoyed--and I turn and walk away from them.

"We don't know," she answers. "She texted me this morning saying she was at the Diner. But Jack stopped by not 30 minutes later and she wasn't there. He and I are at the Diner now, and her stuff--her bag and coat--is here."

"I'll be there right away." I hang up as helicopters begin to land near my brother and John. I'm the first one on the aircraft, thinking,

One case down, another arises.

~~~~~

Merry Christmas!

WC: 694

25.12.17