Half Past Gone
Chapter One
Rose Tyler was once again experiencing the 'enjoyable' high of her own fight-or-flight instinct. Hand-in-hand with the Doctor, they flew down the sandy beach of the supposedly quiet planet of Xak-Tsaroth – trying to escape from the traders who had taken a fancy to the two exotic foreigners.
In response to her delighted laugh at the sight of the TARDIS, the Doctor threw her a grin over his shoulder, dark eyes twinkling with merriment. The cock-sure expression, however, faltered when her gaze moved from her face to over her shoulder. Though she didn't have time to turn and look, she soon understood why he looked so grim.
She felt something coil around her ankle, as her hand was ripped from his as she fell. She was only able to look up from the ground as she was surrounded, the Doctor's voice still ringing in her ears.
Everybody in Cardiff, heading about their business in the morning hours, weren't quite sure what to make of the odd blonde girl. She was dressed in a pure white t-shirt which was falling off her shoulders, with loose trousers of the same shade, the colour having the effect of making her look far more pale than she actually was. Hair that would have been blonde when clean was more brown than blonde from dirt and a streak of an oil-like substance in it.
She shuffled along the waterfront, her gait unsteady and dark eyes focused on some faraway point. She seemed to emanate sorrow and childlike confusion, completely unaware of her surroundings which caused most to stare curiously and then shiver when the brown eyes passed over them, averting their own eyes.
She slumped in the doorway of a house, legs collapsing under her as a haze passed over her eyes once more. What she didn't expect was somebody to come out of the house, nor the blessedly familiar voice that rang out as the door opened.
"Rose!"
