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If the Winds in the Right Direction - Part 2
by Bane Huntress
Chapter 2 – New Circumstances
When Rhys finally got home from work, it was to a quiet flat. There was
nothing unusual about that, Gwen hadn’t really been home before him in a
long time, but this time there wasn’t any presence of her boss. It
actually felt like home again, especially when he had got that Dr Owen to
help him put everything back in the spare room, it still smelled a little
off in there, like they hadn’t got rid of all the blood.
He shoved a ‘for one’ frozen lasagne in the oven, then sat down to see if
there was anything worth watching on the telly.
After flipping for five minutes he settled on yet another rerun of Top
Gear and yawned, he still had to wait another thirty minutes for his tea.
He was just grinning at something Jeremy Clarkson said about an old sports
car when the doorbell went.
He grimaced, “Whatever you’re selling we don’t want any!” he grumbled as
he finally threw the lock and opened the door. “Look mate…” he paused as
he finally looked on the four suited people outside his door. “What do you
want?” he questioned warily.
The woman in front looked at her clipboard, “Mr Cooper?”
“That’s Gwen, I’m Rhys.”
“Ah, is Miss Cooper home, Mr….?”
“No she’s not.” He said shortly, not wanting to offer them anything else.
“Oh… Well can we come in and have a quiet word about Miss Cooper?”
“Why what’s she done now?” he sighed, if it wasn’t one thing it was
another.
“In private?” she asked more softly.
He gave her another once over, she wasn’t really anything to look at,
probably in her late thirties, almost like a bank worker. The other men
behind her just looked clean cut, they also looked about her age. The
youngest of them was a man with a goatee beard, who seemed to be staring
at him with intense dark eyes.
“This isn’t going to take long is it? Only I was planning on a quiet
night.”
The woman smiled. “No time at all.” She held out her hand, “My name is Dr
Susan Jones.”
He shook her hand then stood back to let them in, last thing he needed was
nosy Mrs Harris asking awkward questions in the hall again.
“Why don’t you all take a seat, anyone want some tea or coffee?”
“Yes please that would be lovely.” She said sitting down, “Just for me and
yourself.”
He frowned, waving a hand at the other men. “But…”
“They’ve had enough to drink today.” She giggled.
“Suit yourselves”, as he said it, he felt his back tighten, knowing they
were all watching him way to closely. It was almost a relief to turn to
face them again when he had finished and handed one of their best mugs to
Dr Jones.
“Thank you, we don’t wish to stay long…” Susan smiled waiting for him to
sit down before she continued. “We’re from Torchwood in London.”
He frowned at her. “Well I can tell that by your accents.” He told her,
never having heard the name before, but it was ringing bells.
“Ah, yes.” She didn’t lose that smile that was turning a little creepy.
“We are the main branch of who your… Miss Cooper works for.” She
explained. “an incident about five months ago first started us observing
the Cardiff branch of Torchwood, then there was something else about ten
days ago that made us step up our investigation. I was wondering if you’d
noticed anything different about Miss Cooper’s behaviour recently.”
He gave the others another wary look; he didn’t like this at all. He might
be bloody pissed off with Gwen to the point he wondered if she would even
notice if he upped and left, but he knew that whatever she did she thought
it was important. And at the end of it, why come talk to him?
“Not that I’ve noticed.” He said stiffly as something fell to his right.
“What the…” he spun round to see one of the older men picking up some
books Gwen had left on the telly.
“Sorry.” The older man apologised.
“Nothing broke.” He replied carefully as he turned back to Susan, he
frowned, he was sure she had just moved. He watched as she took a sip of
her tea.
“Ah, this is nice? What is it?” she asked politely.
“Tetley.” He said flatly. Then at a loss with what to do with his hands,
he took a sip of his own drink. Then rubbed his tongue against the roof of
his mouth, something tasted off.
“As I was saying.” Susan interrupted. “Have you noticed anything strange
in Miss Coopers habits?”
“Umm…” he suddenly felt light headed, he took a longer drag of his tea to
see if that helped.
“Anything strange at all?” Susan’s voice seemed to be coming from miles
away.
“Old blue police box.” He whispered, resisting the urge to clamp his hands
over his mouth, Gwen hadn’t said anything but he was sure he wasn’t to
tell anyone. Who would have believed him anyway? Then there was that
doctor guy with the stupidly huge eyes that looked like they would fall
from his head if you knocked the back of his head hard enough.
“The Doctor?” someone whispered, only it wasn’t Susan, he managed to focus
a little. The man with the goatee was now talking to him.
“Wait a moment…” he heard himself slur. Had he just said all that out
loud?
“No,” came a reply. “What was the Doctor doing here?”
Humf, he didn’t want to talk about that, not after just getting his stupid
pregnant boyfriend out of the flat.
“Who’s boyfriend?”
Fucking Gwen’s boss, fucking unnatural if you ask me, men having kid’s
just wasn’t right, I would have sworn that he had the kid here just to
spite me, never get the smell out of the spare room!… But he had seemed
happy enough when that Doctor with no name came waltzing in like he owned
the sodding place, and that box just appearing in the living room, like,
what was that about? Then just disappearing like that with Gwen and all
her little friends from work, going like it was just another day at the
office, and has she really been home since then? No! fanny assfarting with
a couple of queers. He giggled. At least she wouldn’t be shagging any of
them, something wrong with puffs! Then that just meant more girls for the
rest of us in my opinion, well unless all the girls were turning lezz,
then that might be a problem… guys having kids though? Ugg… not if I have
anything to do with it.
“Do you know where they went?” the blurred guy with the goatee asked,
looming over him.
“How should I know!” probably back to her stupid work, where ever the hell
that was, like she told him anything.
“When did they go there?”
He really just wanted them to bugger off so he could get some kip. When
did they go? A few day’s ago?
“What have you found?”
“Hu?” the blurry guy didn’t seem to be talking to him anymore.
“Nothing, they cleaned up too thoroughly, there’s only an odour and we
don’t have the technology for that. They left nothing of use here.”
“Right well… I think we got all we can from this guy, Let’s go.”
Hey… where were they going? They better shut the bloody door on their way
out! But the blackness behind his eyelids seemed a far better place to be
right now, soft and warm and so much more uncomplicated.
…
He was woken by Gwen shouting at him about something, his head felt like
any movement and it might burst open.
“I’m surprised no one called the fire brigade! How could you sleep though
this?” Gwen was coughing and moving about the flat, making a fuss about
opening the windows.
“Will you keep it down my head feels like it’s gonna explode!” he snapped
as loudly as he could, then coughed himself, his throat felt raw. The
coughing was only making his head worse though.
He felt Gwen in front of him, her soft hands on his face, “Oh my god!” she
gasped, “Are you all right? Maybe we should get you to the hospital?”
“Wha?” he couldn’t really make sense of what was happening.
“Rhys… you left something in the oven then fell asleep or something, the
flat was, is, full of smoke… were you drinking today?”
He frowned, he couldn’t… But… “I came home early… was watching telly,
there was someone at the… door…” there had been someone at the door, but
for the life in him he couldn’t remember what they had wanted, it wasn’t
helping that he really didn’t want to think right now because it hurt to
much.
“Rhys look at me!” Gwen snapped, “Someone spiked your drink at work or
something?” Gwen was being persistent.
“Was drinking tea.” He said pointing at the cup.
“No.” Gwen said in a patient tone. “I mean was there a chance at work for
some of the lads to put something in your drink?”
He shook his head; no one dared do that again, not after Kev had that
really bad trip.
“Come on.” Gwen was trying to get him to stand. “We’re off to the nice
people at the A&E, and then I’m going to phone up your work.” She growled
out, as he resisted being moved.
“Well why don’t you come with us then?” Jack asked him, already his tone
had that little snobbish lilt whenever Jack thought he was being stubborn,
and maybe he was, but there were reasons.
“You know I can’t leave…” he rolled his eyes to the other Doctor, then
back. “I don’t want to leave him alone if he cocks something up.” He
reached out and squeezed Jack’s upper arms, looking earnestly into his
pale blue eyes, “and besides, you’re still not ready to be dragged around
the city.” In fact he knew Jack was still too weak, and it was starting to
get worrying, he had scanned him again to no satisfactory conclusion as to
the cause.
“I’ll drag Ianto along with me, and we are only going to the toy shop,
it’s not far really,” Jack replied. “Besides, Rose is getting restless,
she’s been cooped up here for months, and the weather is fine, what can go
wrong?”
“Famous last words.” He replied with a knowing grin. “And other than you
draining a bank account for her? I would rather not risk it.”
“I know…” Jack’s shoulders slumped. “I just need to stretch my legs. Rose
is already taking care of Alex, Tosh is looking for a Zoo with Polar
Bears, Owen is taking care of Torchwood business and Gwen is still at A&E
with Rhys. I just need to get out for a bit with our daughter.”
Ooh that was a low blow, and he knew Jack was good at those. “I’ll give
you an hour.” He sighed totally beaten, he didn’t like it, but there
really was nothing he could say that would keep them both on the TARDIS.
Jack grinned then leaned in and kissed him. “Thanks” he whispered. “I know
you’re anxious about the TARDIS not working, but I’ve lived here for
years, we’ll be all right, and if not, you’re only going to be a few
minutes away.”
He rolled his eyes, “Go before I change my mind.”
“Love yah.” Jack kissed him again before running off shouting at Ianto to
get his coat, then calling for their little Rose.
“He’s got ya well and truly under the thumb.” The other Doctor chuckled.
“Yeah.” He replied knowing he was resigned to it and listening to Rose’s
delighted squeals. “I’m trying to work up an immunity but it’s not working
so far.” He sighed as he started sorting out dusty circuit boards.
“I can’t believe you two.” The other man said as he scrambled about under
the control column, “Ya went an’ found the last of our kind, seduced ‘im
an’ made him have ya kids… You’re like the perfect couple or somethin’… it
would be sickenin’ if it weren’t so tragically believable.”
“Thanks.” He chuckled, throwing one of the boards over his shoulder. “I
was rather surprised myself to tell you the truth,” he mused as he looked
up, letting his eyes wander over the walls. “We have our ups and downs… he
takes it all in his stride.” He let out a long breath, “I thought I knew
what love was after living so long… but I guess you can never know
everything.”
The other Doctor didn’t reply straight away. “So this thing?… it’s the
real deal? The whole nine yards, hook line an’ sinker, the universe
exploding etc,etc. An’ ya wouldn’t know?”
He pursed his lips for a moment, “Ye-ah… Yeah I think it is…”
“Ok we’re off!” Jack called as he pushed Ianto out the door.
“Dad!” Rose skipped over everything on the floor to throw her arms about
him, kissing him as he returned the gesture with a chuckle. “See you
later!” she called as she then ran after Jack.
“AN HOUR!” he shouted.
“Yeah! An hour!” Jack shouted back, waving one hand over his shoulder
while the other held Rose’s, as she tried to tug him to walk faster.
“Bye Dad!”
“Bye sweetheart!” he grimaced the moment that endearment came out of his
mouth, so much for the tough guy image he liked to think he had.
Especially with his current company. Male pride and all that.
There was no response at all from the other man, and when he looked over
all he got was a crop of short black hair as he tried to hide his face.
Sighing softly, he would have done the same, after all he had been alone
for so long too, even witnessing the most mundane of affection sometimes
leaked through the cracks in the walls he had built around himself,
leaving him hollow and hurting. But that was another man, in fact, it was
still the man sat across from him.
Ianto thought they should have bought the SUV after all, as he watched
Jack try to catch his breath as they stood inside a Woolworth’s store.
“Daddy! Can I have this?” Rose asked as she held up a Snow White costume.
“You can have anything you want.” Jack said indulgently.
Ianto was instantly by her side, looking though the rack to see if it had
a better fit for the seven year old.
He just found the right size when Jack leaned in and whispered. “Can you
keep an eye on her,” he asked. “I just want to go and order something,
keep her away from the toys till I get back.”
“Sure.” he replied. “Will you be long?”
Jack winked at him. “I’m going to see if I still have some charm, won’t be
long. Rose stay with uncle Ianto, ok?”
“Yup!” she called absently as she rummaged in another stack of clothes.
“No stopping her now.” Jack grinned and patted his shoulder before
striding off towards the other end of the store.
“Uncle Ianto, do you like this?” Rose asked as she held up a pink cardigan
with little pink horses embroidered on the sleeves and around the hem.
“Why don’t you try it on and see?” he asked her, guessing this would be
the best way of keeping her occupied till Jack came back.
It worked too, for a while.
“When’s Daddy getting back?” Rose asked; she was getting a bit bored.
“Soon… I hope.” He folded another little dress into the red plastic
basket.
“Excuse me?” someone said behind them.
At first he thought that someone was trying to get past him, it was early
Wednesday morning, even if the shop wasn’t really that busy yet. When he
turned there was a Security guard who seemed to be addressing him.
“Mr Johns?” the guard asked.
“Yes.” He replied feeling Rose’s hand slip into his own.
“There’s a call for you.” The man said. “From your work? They said it was
Torchwood?”
He instantly reached up and touched his com, all he got was static,
obviously this place still had a mobile dampener. “Where’s the phone?”
“If you follow me, it’s in the security office.” The guard said, then led
them over to a small door just a few meters away from where they stood.
“We don’t often get emergency calls.” The man explained chattily. “We
can’t call them out over the com system, don’t want to alarm customers.”
He typed a code into the key pad on the wall, when the door clicked he
opened it, waving them through, before following. “And just when I was
watching that lass with deep pockets, always a dead giveaway. Come on,
it’s just up here.”
Ianto kept Rose before him as they climbed the stairs onto the next level.
He wasn’t happy about this at all, and why hadn’t they asked for Jack?
There were other door’s leading off the corridor they found themselves on,
and it was strangely silent.
The guard didn’t seem to think anything was wrong as he walked over to the
third door on the left. “It’s in here.” He said as he walked into the
room. “Who the hell are…” there was a muffled sound, then the noise of
something soft and heavy hitting the floor.
Without thinking he grabbed Rose up and turned to flee.
He only had time to be aware of something heading towards his face when
everything greyed out a little. When he blinked away the spots in front of
his eyes he could see a man in a suit forcing something over Rose’s mouth.
Then everything faded away.
Jack thought he might have finally gotten through to the store manager.
“Ok.” The man said still looking a little surprised. “You want one of
every ‘My Little Pony’ merchandise we stock, to be delivered to…” he
looked at the card Jack had given him. “this address by this afternoon?”
“Yeah.” He confirmed, giving the man his most charming smile.
The man just looked at him with a frown. “We don’t normally do deliveries,
that’s part of our online service.”
“Then Simon.” He got the name from his little store badge on his cheap
suit. “Can you get your internet people to do it?” He grinned trying not
to make it look too strained. “Or better yet, do it yourself I’m sure my
wallet will be more than generous for your trouble.”
That seemed to brighten the middle aged mans disposition. “I could go
round to the few other Woolworth’s in the area; see if they have anything
we might not have in stock?”
“Fantastic!” he slapped the man on the back, then handed over a platinum
credit card.
The Doctor might claim poverty all over the place, but after an excavation
of the TARDIS a few years back, he found that one of the Doctors
companions had been squirreling money away across time and space. Accessed
at the right time and place could be amassed to a very large and
substantial fortune, over the course of two weeks he had updated all the
accounts into his own name.
The Doctor had indulged him, always claiming that he had never needed
money before, and if he did, he knew how to get it. A short reminder that
his two year old daughter might need that little security, if she ever got
stuck anywhere had soon quelled his griping, as he happily took Jack to
every bank though time and space.
“Bring that back this evening when you deliver the toys… ohh and can I get
them all gift wrapped?”
“Anything you want Mr Harkness!” Simon said happily.
“All right I’ll see you then.” He shook the man’s sweaty hand then went
back to the children’s clothing section of the shop.
The smile he had, soon faded when he couldn’t see Ianto over all the
clothing racks. At first he thought that maybe he was bobbing down or
something. But as he walked down the ends of the aisles they were nowhere
to be seen, he turned to begin looking thought the rest of the shop when
he suddenly felt Rose’s fear. For a moment he had to hold on to a rickety
shelf full of cards with the shock of it, then there was nothing. But this
wasn’t like the nothing when the TARDIS had taken her away, this was a
muffled, dull nothing, like when she was asleep, only more so.
He spun to find himself facing a discreet door in the wall. Without
thinking he ran over to it but it was locked, assessing the lock he tabbed
in a few buttons on his wrist device and soon as the door clicked he
wrenched it open.
There was only one door open at the top of a flight of stairs, he ran
towards it.
Three men inside, all in store security uniforms and all unconscious.
There was the sound of a heavy door closing around a corner at the end of
the corridor.
Without hesitating he skidded around the corner to see a fire door,
crashed though it to find rougher stairs leading down. He could hear the
sound of other people running, the soft sounds as they moved.
He threw himself down the stairs, following the sound.
There were too many doors, he couldn’t seem to run fast enough, finally he
was inside the delivery bay; he turned to see the tale end of a black van
screeching out of the open bay doors.
He jumped down, but by the time he got to the door he was too late. The
van was already out of sight. He could hear its engine disappearing into
the general noise of the city, he ran to the end of the road behind all
the shops.
The street was busier that it had been only half an hour before; people
littered the pavement going to work or shopping, the traffic was heavy but
there was no sign of the van.
“He’s not answering!” the Doctor screamed in her face.
Gwen winced, a few minutes ago the Doctor had seemed to spring into life,
growling and screaming unintelligibly.
She had come straight in from A&E to give Owen a sample of Rhys’s blood,
the hospitals were still conducting tests, but she could tell something
was wrong. But so far the tube was still in her bag.
They had somehow figured out that the Doctor wanted to get in contact with
Jack; she had whipped out her phone and tried contacting him, but the
Doctor had wrenched it out of her hand and paced restlessly with the phone
to his ear, his lips were drawn back over his teeth in a snarl.
“They went into Woolworths.” Tosh said softly, she was already looking
through the CCTV network. “I can’t get into the shops security camera’s
though… what the!” she gasped as her fingers flu across her keyboard.
“What is it?!” The Doctor leaned over her shoulder.
“I can’t believe it!” she said stunned, “the whole CCTV network’s been
shut down, but there isn’t a power cut in the area, this makes no sense…”
her voice going higher in alarm.
“Find them!” the Doctor snarled.
“I’m trying!” Tosh snapped back.
“Try harder!”
“What’s going on?” She finally asked, seeing the strained look on Tosh’s
face.
“Something’s wrong…” was all he snarled back.
They spent another five minutes watching Tosh, if it was possible the
Doctor was getting even more agitated, his hair was a mess as he scrubbed
his hands through it yet again.
“Finally!” Tosh said in triumph, “I got the… Oh my!” She gasped. Then
pointed to the monitor over her head, where a static black and white image
came into view of Jack running towards the Millennium centre and jumping
on the invisible lift.
They looked up at the mechanics whirred into life above them.
The Doctor shoved past her as he ran over to where the lift came down.
“Where’s Rose!” he demanded as Jack came into view. But the other man was
bent over, she could hear him wheezing from where she stood by Tosh.
“WHERE IS SHE!”
Jack raised his hand trying to catch his breath. “Ta… Taken!” he gasped
out, “Tosh!”
“Yes Jack!” she called not looking away from her monitors. “All CCTV went
down; I’m going through backdated footage. What am I looking for?”
“Ford Transit…” Jack managed. “Duratorq 2.2TDCi… Blacked out… licence, 1LB
TW01.”
“Jack! What happened!” the Doctor demanded again as Jack half jumped, half
fell off the little platform of stone into the Doctors arms.
“I don’t know!” Jack sobbed out, “I was only gone for… a few minutes…
Couldn’t follow!” Gwen was shocked when she saw tears streaming from his
eyes, as he stumbled over to them, clutching onto the Doctor as if the
other man was the only reason he was standing.
“You left her alone?!” the Doctor demanded as they came to stand behind
Tosh.
“I left her… with Ianto!” Jack snapped back, “I was in… the same shop…”
Like in slow motion she watched Jack’s eyes roll back in his head as he
started to crumple towards the floor.
The Doctor half dragged him over to the old sofa where he laid him out
then started checking his vitals.
“Is he alright?” she asked, edging nearer.
“Passed out.” The Doctor replied shortly as he pulled Jack’s legs up onto
the cushions and tried to make the unconscious man more comfortable,
despite his crisp agitated movements, he was gentle in his ministrations.
“Look after him.” he barked at her before going back over to Toshiko.
She hovered over Jack, unsure of what to do, when Tosh suddenly swore
loudly.
Gwen just turned to see all the monitors suddenly go blank.
“No no no!” Toshiko chanted as she desperately tried getting the computers
back online.
“What’s going on?” Rose’s voice came from the direction of the blue box.
“Jack!” she hurried over with Alex in her arms.
“What did you find out?” the Doctor was demanding from Tosh.
“Nothing… well.” She amended as she turned around. “I think I got a
glimpse of the van heading north along Caerphilly Road, there are some
industrial units up that way… and the registration number is…” Tosh caught
Gwen’s eye, and it sent a shiver down her spine. Something was wrong.
“It’s registered to… a publishing firm… but… it’s a Torchwood London
vehicle…” she swallowed hard.
There was an awkward silence, only filled by Alex’s soft mewling.
“We can get the SUV out.” Tosh suggested. “I can stay here and try and get
the computers back online while you guys go see if you can find anything?”
Gwen was just about to suggest it was a good idea when everything went
black.
The sound as everything electrical suddenly losing power was deafening
before fading away to nothing.
The last of the water trickling down the column in the middle of the room
seemed mournful as it echoed off the tiled walls.
“Why havn’t the emergency lights kicked in?” Tosh whispered into the dark.
The only light coming from the TARDIS’ small smoky windows penetrated the
gloom as their eyes adjusted.
They were almost blinded when the door to the blue box was thrown open and
the other Doctor peered out.
“What happening? The TARDIS just detected somethin’ similar ta a AM
pulse.” He looked around a little. “I guess tha’s why all the lights a’
out then.”
Gwen jumped when the round door to the outside suddenly gave a loud creak,
then it sounded like something heavy slammed into it, echoing about the
HUB ominously.
Tosh gave a yelp.
“What the hells happening now!” the Doctor demanded sharply.
“Lockdown.” Jack’s voice came from behind them. “External lockdown.”
“But who?” Gwen asked as she watched the other Doctor prop the TARDISs
door open, before ambling over to the rest of them.
“The main branch of Torchwood has the ability to lock this place down, if
they think we have been compromised.” Jack uttered softly.
She watched him sit up slowly in the gloom.
“We’re stuck here. All the exits are being sealed; all power and any
outside connections have been severed…”
A blue light filled their little space in the HUB, one of the monitors was
flicking into life. They all watched mesmerised as black text began
appearing on the screen.
/We know you are there Doctor.
/Do not move or try to escape.
/We have something you might want back unharmed.
/Further instructions will follow.
/Torchwood
“You said this place would be safe.” The Doctor soft accusing whisper
filled the silence.
“I thought it was.” Jack replied in a pained voice. “They just leave us
alone.”
“But how did they find out you were here?” Tosh questioned. “Like you said
they just leave us alone… and we defeated Abaddon months ago…”
“And we haven’t really done anything since…” Gwen broke off as she glanced
at Jack. He was sitting with his head in his hands; the other Doctor also
sat with him now, his attention firmly fixed on her boss.
“I told you not to go…” Jack’s Doctor suddenly hissed, Gwen could see his
thin shoulders shaking. “You took Rose into danger that you should have
known about!”
Jack’s face was on his knees, she could hear his laboured breathing as he
fought back sobs. “I…” was all he managed.
“There must be a way out!” the Doctor barked making her jump. “Where is
the back door?!”
Gwen looked at Tosh, she just looked as lost as she was.
“There isn’t any other way out, other than the main door or the lift…”
Tosh whispered, “Ianto…” She paused. “Told me once when I asked, and he
knows every inch of this place.”
“Jack?” The Doctor questioned, but he didn’t look at him.
“She’s right…” Jack confirmed brokenly.
The Doctor just growled as he ran to the main door, pulling out his wand
thing with a blue light.
He didn’t think he liked his reincarnated self.
He looked over at him now as he tried to open a big round door to their
right, he didn’t think he would have much luck. Couldn’t blame him for
trying though; it was what he would have done, but maybe not in this
situation.
Jack moved under the arm, that he had put about him. He was aware that it
was a bit of a pathetic gesture, but the other man wasn’t protesting, and
he had to admit that he kinda liked it.
This whole situation was a little strange though.
After gallivanting all over time and space, nothing had quite prepared him
for this.
He could no longer feel that small link he had with his own TARDIS, and
this one gave him nothing, well, not nothing, it just seemed to ignore
him, which was most annoying.
Along with that, everything felt a little off. Like when he had first
stumbled upon Rose. He was drawn to her wrongness, she was there, stood
right in front of him, but she shouldn’t be.
A little like a paradox that the universe wasn’t reacting to, ignoring her
like it was putting it’s fingers in it’s ears and humming loudly while
facing the other way.
Then there was her mother and Micky, just the same, wrong. He knew that
Rose’s little brother was due for greatness, had actually met him on his
travels, when he was a very old man, and at the time he was perplexed that
he knew him, but dismissed it as just one of those things. He had also
felt a little odd, but again he had ignored it, not wanting to get too
involved.
One thing that did feel right though, in this crazy parallel universe, and
that was sitting right next to him now, oozing grief and mucus.
Well that was a fib too, Jack felt as wrong as the rest of them, but it
was on another level that he felt right. Maybe it was his mixed
Kerrafreyan and Gallifreyan blood, the possibility that he might not be
the only one, that there was another he could share his longevity with.
He wasn’t so sure about the kids though, they were already proving to be a
bother, but this reincarnation of himself seemed keen enough, and
according to them, this was the first time for things to go wrong.
“All my fault…” he heard Jack mutter over and over to himself, and it
needed to be nipped in the bud, and seeing as the other Doctor was now
storming off towards the TARDIS with his little gang in tow, that left
him.
He squeezed the broad shoulder, “It’s gonna be all right.” He told Jack,
trying to sound convincing. “An’ it’s really not your fault.”
Jack gave a despairing grunt, he assumed it was some kind of a chuckle.
“How could it not be!” Blue eyes glared up at him. “I should have known
better!”
He couldn’t help but tighten his arm around Jack’s shoulders and give him
his best grin. “ah, but ya know everything always works out in the end,
and I’m here to make sure it does!”
For a moment the stunned look on Jack’s face must have mirrored his own.
Maybe that’s why he WAS here?
The TARDIS had bought him here, or more correctly the TARDIS’ had been in
cahoots to bring him here, to help out with what ever was coming, knowing
that the other version of himself couldn’t handle it alone.
He found himself grinning broadly at the other man, this is why he didn’t
do domestic, you always lost your mind to the little blighters, until you
couldn’t think straight.
Pulling Jack to his feet, not willing to leave him alone out here in the
dark, and also needing to collar one of the little gang to watch the
monitor for any more messages.
Rose blinked as she opened her eyes onto a brightly lit metal room.
Her head felt funny, like it was full of cotton wool or something, and she
didn’t like it.
She tried to feel where her Daddy was, but she couldn’t feel him, then she
tried for her Dad, but it bought a sharp pain into her head, like when she
had fallen over and hit her head on the stairs in the control room.
That feeling like when her Daddy went away filled her chest and she
couldn’t help the tears. Trying to wipe her nose that was dripping and
finding that her hands had been tied together with some metal bracelets
with a chain between them. She didn’t like them but they wouldn’t come
off.
“Rose?” came Uncle Ianto’s voice from behind the table that was in front
of her.
Awkwardly she got up off the floor and hurried over to him.
He was laid on the floor and they had put the same bracelet things on him,
but his arms were behind his back and the side of his face was bloody.
“Are you all right?” he asked, and he sounded like he had a cold or
something.
“My head feels funny” she confessed, she dug into one of her pockets,
Daddy always insisted she carry a handkerchief, finding it she folded it
neatly, like Daddy would do when she hurt herself, and pressed it to the
wound on Uncle Ianto’s head.
He winced a little.
“You’re hurt.” She told him. “Daddy always does this when I cut myself.”
“It’s all right.” He smiled up at her, through his eyes didn’t seem right,
like they were looking through her. “Do you know where we are?” he asked.
She shook her head. “A metal room.” She informed him. “I think those bad
men who hit you bought us somewhere far away.” She sniffled, wiping her
nose on her sleeve.
Stiffly uncle Ianto sat up and she climbed into his lap, wishing he could
hug her.
She felt his head rest on top of hers.
“It’s gonna be alright.” He told her, “The Doctor and Jack will find us…”
She shook her head again as she buried her face in his chest. “But Dad’s
scared.” She told him, she could at least feel that through the cotton
wool and pain.
“So you can feel him in your head?” he asked. “Can you tell him where we
are? Call to him?”
“No not him.” she whispered, “but maybe…” she left the rest unsaid as she
tried a new idea, even though she knew it might not work. Daddy had told
her, she could do anything if she really wanted to.
End Chapter 2 – New Circumstances
Chapter 3 – Running blind |