Eliza stood against a red, concrete wall, watching as many different people passed without a care in the world, not even acknowledging her. They wouldn't really have any need to, they couldn't even see her. Even without a perception filter, Eliza was very good at making herself unseen. She looked over to a young boy playing fetch with is dog as she was deep in thought. The day was blue and sunny, which in no way matched her mood. She didn't know what to do. One wrong move, and Eliza knew that she wouldn't even exist. Well, that's exaggerating. Her childhood would be re-written, then who knows what would happen. Once, she wished her memories were back. When she had gained that wish, her new found power made her feel like the Universe depended on her. She was needed, and she loved that. But it was at times like this when she wished she was just like everyone else. She missed her home. At that point, she wished that she was still memory-less, that her legacy had never started.
Her heart pounded. She could see the lever slip, Rose reaching to grab for it, the breach trying to pull her in desperately. Think, Riva, think! she yelled at herself. If she saved Rose and kept her with the Doctor, time would be re-written, and that was forbidden if she did it deliberately. If she let Rose fall through the breach, her childhood would stay exactly the same, and the loop would continue.
Eliza knew her place. It wasn't her right to mess around with things like this. But this was her life, after all.
Shaking her head violently with tears in her eyes as she saw Rose slip and fall towards the breach, she made her mind up, but she'd have to be quick. Letting herself go, she found herself spinning through the Time Vortex. When she found the right spot, she flew through it. She found herself running towards the Doctor, in the same room she'd seen. The breach was nowhere in sight; and neither was Rose. A wave of emotions coursed through her veins as she found she was too late. The Doctor's expression was all she needed. He didn't turn to look at her, just continued staring at the spot his Rose was last seen. He made no effort to greet her, Eliza not really wanting one. "She went through?" Eliza croaked.
The Doctor didn't answer for a long while, eventually sending her a picture of what had happened as he approached the wall, slowly, emotionless. The scene was of Rose, falling towards the breach, being sucked in hastily. A few meters away in front of her, Pete Tyler appeared, his arms spread open, ready to catch her securely. When she was safe in his arms, she looked back at the Doctor, whose eyes were wide. Smashing the button Pete had used to jump across the breach, they disappeared in a white flash. Eliza felt the smallest of happiness through her regret. Rose was alive... like she the other side of the Void, but alive and safe.
Nodding, Eliza let herself go again, not even saying goodbye to the Doctor as he leaned his cheek and palm against the large white wall. Falling through the Time Vortex, watching as the different colours span around her and flashed before her TARDIS eyes, she saw the crack. Flying towards it, she focused on opening it, just the tiniest amount so she could slip through. Eliza felt a warning at the back of her mind, but she quickly discarded it. She could do what she wanted. She was the Cub, and she was in charge of this Universe. Not even the Universe itself was going to tell her what to do. Not anymore.
Eliza found herself in the Parallel Torchwood, Rose hammering on the wall she nearly passed through. Parallel Torchwood, Parallel wall, Eliza corrected herself. "Take me back!" Rose cried, slapping the wall as hard as she could. "Take me back!"
Feeling the sadness wash over her, Eliza felt the urge to comfort her older friend. But she couldn't. Watching as the Doctor in the original Universe kept his hand on the wall, pressing his cheek to it, she felt as if she'd been stabbed in the gut repeatedly as she saw Rose do the same, as if feeling for him, trying to melt into him. Eliza felt it across the Void, too. The connection they were having. They could actually feel each other, even through the two Universes. She was told that this sort of thing was impossible. The thought made her give a small smile. She always liked making the impossible happen, and she was, right there and then.
Eliza watched as the Doctor dropped his hand from the wall, turned around mutely and slopped off. As Rose done the same, feeling that he was no longer there, Eliza strode foreword. Rose turned, grieving too much to pay any attention that Eliza was there, and threw her arms around her, sobbing into her neck. She calmly took note of how much taller Eliza had gotten since their last meeting. She was taller than her now. Eliza said nothing as Rose clung to her, not sure if she could have.
After a long minute, Eliza let go of Rose, taking her hand and leading her away from the wall, Rose calming down a little in the presence of her old friend.
The ride to Pete's mansion was a long one. He didn't live in the same one anymore. It was a different one, located in a different part of the city, not too far away from the local supermarket. Custard and Swiss roll in the morning, I think, Eliza thought while in the car, passing the shop. She glanced back at Rose, whose hand was still intertwined with hers, her forehead against the window, watching as the dozens of cars sped passed. Or maybe that will be too soon…
The five of them eventually found themselves at the mansion. Rose looking around the main foyer as the others quietly entered the house, locating the set of marble stairs and stumbling up them, looking for a vacant room tiredly.
Jackie, who was about to run up the stairs after her, had her hand caught by Eliza. "Don't," the young woman warned. "She just needs a little time, is all. She needs to be alone." When Jackie was about to protest, Eliza held up her hand, Jackie quietening immediately. "I was right before, Jackie. Trust me, okay?" Looking back up the stairs for a moment, then looking back at Eliza, Jackie nodded her head, and followed Pete to the kitchen, Mickey bidding his good-nights as he walking up the stairs as well.
Sighing, Eliza looked around the living room, one she remembered all too well. Flopping down on the sofa, she rested her arms above her head, closing her eyes as she watched the Doctor swirling around the Time Vortex, looking for the teeniest, tiniest breach of the Void.
Sorry, Gramps, Eliza thought sadly. You're just gonna have to wait a while…
Her mind shifted as the TARDIS disappeared from view, to Rose up stairs in one of the small rooms. She was led on her back, staring at the ceiling, quiet tears running down her face. She didn't make a sound the entire time Eliza watched her, which was a full forty five minutes. Not once did she close her eyes for more than five seconds, but her eye lids drooped a considerable amount, showing Eliza she was battling sleep fiercely.
Pushing herself from the sofa, Eliza trooped up the stairs, following her mind. Opening a brown door, she found Rose. Eliza made her way quietly over to her and stood over the bed, looking down at her. "You should be asleep. You've had a long day."
"I don't want to…" Rose replied childishly.
"Rose, please?" Eliza begged. "You're not going to have enough energy for tomorrow if you don't sleep."
Rose stayed silent, her eyes even more determined as she focused her gaze on the ceiling. "Fine," Eliza muttered stubbornly. She bent down and pressed a hand to Rose's forehead, looking for her knock-out switch. As she brushed up against it, she felt Rose slip into sleep, her mind going mute. Making sure Rose wouldn't have any dreams, or nightmares, Eliza stood over the her sleeping form once she was certain she was going to have a nice, long, dreamless sleep.
Walking away, she resisted the temptation to check. She knew it was there, even without fully checking. If it wasn't, then time would be re-written anyway, and Eliza would happily take Rose back to the Doctor, no matter what anyone else said.
Sighing again, she closed the door gently. Feeling that her hair was a mess, she pulled the bobble out of her long, brown locks, letting it reach to her mid back. I need a hair-cut, she thought as she walked down the stairs and into the kitchen. Not having the energy to brush the mop on her head, she sat down in front of Pete and Jackie, letting a few strands of hair fall in front of her face.
"You look nice with your hair down, sweetheart." Jackie commented. Taking the thanks, she added, "How is she?"
Rubbing her face with her hands, she sat up in her chair. "She's sleeping at the moment," Eliza replied. "She'll probably wake up late tomorrow."
"I hope not," Pete replied. "I need to take her into Torchwood, settle a few things."
"Nah," Eliza shook her head as she eyed him. She was afraid this would happen. "She's not going anywhere for at least a few days."
"But-" Pete started.
"No buts," Eliza cut. "You know what, Pete? Get a life. Have a heart; she's grieving, for God's sake! She's upset, she needs time. The last thing she needs right now is Torchwood, and it certainly won't do her any good. Think about someone else for once, not just your stupid company, 'kay?" Pete looked at her in shock, wincing at her words. Looking at Jackie for help, she shook her head slightly, mouthing 'no'. Eliza settled her gaze back on the unit, twiddling her thumbs as she considered her options. "I'm going to bed," Pete piped. "See you in the mornin', Jacks," he kissed her on the cheek and walked out of the kitchen.
"I'm gonna have to get used all that," Jackie muttered as the sound of Pete's footsteps faded away. "Pete, I mean."
Eliza gave the smallest of smiles to her. "You will," she assured the older woman. "It might be difficult at first, but you will."
Jackie returned her smile, replacing it quickly with suspicion. "How're you even 'ere?" she asked. "I saw you in the other Torchwood. You were watching us, you were."
Eliza nodded. "Just making sure everything went well, is all," she mumbled. "And to answer your question, I'm here because I'm meant to be." Watching Jackie frown at the comment, Eliza added, "I can't really tell you at the moment. It's complicated."
Jackie said nothing for a long while, debating whether or not she should say anything, or nothing at all. After a few minutes, she asked, "Could you take her back? Could you take Rose back home?"
Eliza nodded again, tiredly. "'course I could, yeah. But I won't. Like me, Rose is also meant to be here… it's difficult to explain, Jackie."
Jackie watched her as Eliza rested her forehead on the counter, her hair slipping past her shoulders. Taking out her purse from her pocket, she pulled something out of the leather object and slid it over to Eliza. Looking down, Eliza saw she was looking at a photo, one she recognized all too well. Smiling, she unfolded the picture, on the back of which had her messy signature on it, to see the Christmas photo they had taken together last year at the Powell Estate. Eliza, the Doctor, Rose, Jackie and Mickey were all looking at the camera, smiling as they raised their glasses in cheers. "That was a good night," Eliza said half heartedly.
"You got drunk," Jackie chuckled.
"Tipsy," Eliza corrected. "I was not drunk, I was tipsy. Trust me; you'd have known if I was drunk. I remember-" Eliza cut herself off. After all this time, after a year of chasing after the Doctor and Rose, Eliza had completely forgotten about the rest. Well, not forgotten as such, but she didn't go to see them often after returning. "I remember when me and a few friends were at my… when we were at my boyfriend's sister's wedding. Apparently, I fell off a table - it's not funny!" she interjected as Jackie started giggling. "Don't ask what I was doing up there. I woke up with one hell of a bruise on my leg…"
"I remember when Rose's friend dragged her home one night," Jackie reminisced. "She was in one 'ell of a state, she was. Frightened me half to death that night."
"I guess we all have some drunkard stories," Eliza chuckled as Jackie gave a yawn. "Tired?"
"Very," Jackie replied, getting off the stool. "I'm gonna go find a bed. See you in the mornin', sweetheart."
Eliza watched as Jackie left the kitchen. She was tired herself, which was saying something. She usually didn't sleep for days, and the last time she slept was only thirty or so hours ago. Shrugging, Eliza scrambled off the stood and walked back to the sofa, taking her boots off and setting them to the side. Taking off her sword and shield, she led down on the sofa, thinking about what lay ahead of her. "This is gonna be a long few months…" she mumbled to herself as she drifted off to a long, dreamful sleep.
A.N: Okay, first, thank you for clicking on this story. To those who have never read my previous two stories, you are most probably very confused to who my AU character is, but you don't really need to know that much about her to read this Fic, nor do you have to read my other two editions. To those who have read them, thank you for sticking with me for this long, I know how crappy my writing can be sometimes :P Hope you enjoyed