Part 7 of the Broken Girl series.

The Ponds have gone, the Doctor is being anti social and Aderyn isn't doing too well. Vastra and Jenny do all they can to bring the Doctor out of his TARDIS and put Aderyn back on the straight and narrow. But it may take the interest of a barmaid governess to bring the pair back together. Or will it push them further apart?

I DO NOT own Doctor Who.

Life at Paternoster Row was eventful. Aderyn thrived under the tuition of Madame Vastra and Jenny. Vastra taught her how to fight, creep and generally survive. Jenny taught her how to pick locks and fight dirty. Soon she had become an unofficial member of the Veiled Detective's team.

But despite Vastra's best efforts, the Doctor remained closed away in his TARDIS and his refusal to spend time with Aderyn sent her into a downward spiral of self destructive behaviour. Vastra knew there was only so much she could do for Aderyn. And what she did was try and enable Aderyn to survive without the Doctor.

The change in Aderyn was sudden. She hated the Victorian way of life. The intricate, brightly coloured tattoos that covered her arms drew a lot of unwanted attention. Tattoos were very uncommon and Aderyn was forced to keep her arms covered during the hot summers. Her glasses were of an unseen style so she had to resort to raiding the supply of contact lenses she had stashed in the TARDIS. But they were starting to run out. She became grumpy and disgareeable.

She kept her hair short, finding it easier to get by if people thought she was a man. She learned to deal with everything that was bothering her, the departure of the Ponds and the Doctor's reclusion, by frequenting inns. She often returned to Paternoster Row drunk and bloodied. She developed a reputation as a prolific bar fighter.

Vastra worried greatly about her. She tried desperately to involve Aderyn as much as possible in the goings on in the hopes that she would be too busy. But Aderyn always found time to go to an inn.

Jenny tried her best to help Aderyn. But she could see that Aderyn needed the Doctor.