Chapter One -- Midnight In Dublin

One thing about the Tardis -- one really never exactly knew where one was going to end up. Sure, you could program in a destination, but that never meant you were going to get there. Granted, it usually worked that way, but not always.

At times like this, he really missed Rose. Truly, very much, missed Rose. She always had some comment or some bright little bit to take his mind off what was wrong.

But here he was, wandering the streets of Dublin, well past midnight, wondering why he'd ended up where he ended up.

The Tardis always had a reason. This was where he was needed, apparently. But why?

Someone screamed, high and piercing. He was in a well-to-do section of town, not place where one usually expected to hear screams like that. This was not anger, or startlement, or even fear -- but pain and loss.

He walked toward the house, not even really thinking about it, just wanting to help -- wanting to do what Rose would have wanted done.

He was nearly to the house when something snagged his coat. He looked down, thinking to see a tree or a bush...but it was a little girl, small, perhaps six or seven. Her hair was long and black, she was wearing a white nightgown and clutching a Raggedy Ann doll. There was blood on her nightdress and tears on her face.

"Don't go in there," she said. There might have been tears on her face, but her voice was soft and not trembling -- more than he expected from a six-year-old with blood on her nightclothes.

"There are people bein' hurt," he said. "Shouldn't I help?"

"You can't," she said. "They're already dead."

"You can't know that, love."

"Can," she whispered. "Saw them die. They took the little ones first -- the twins, Maddie and Jamie. They were three. Da tried to stop 'em, but they were too strong. He was next, then Damien. Mum got me out before -- before. But then she went back, thinkin' she could get Ruby. That screamin' you heard, that was my Mum. But you can't help her. I looked, and I saw. It was too late. They were killin' her."

"What are they, then?" he asked, kneeling in front of her. "Do you know what they are?"

"They drank their blood," she said. "I saw 'em drink Da's. They're vampires, like in stories. But they're real."

He blinked, then looked more closely at her. It wasn't composure keeping her voice from trembling, forcing her to keep that matter-of-fact tone. It was shock. She huddled around her doll and her blood-stained dress and stared at nothing with wide, glassy eyes, somewhere else in her mind.

He rose and stepped away.

"NO!" she screamed, and threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his waist. "Don't leave me, Mister! Please don't leave me!"

He touched her hair to calm her. "I have to check and see if there's anybody else left, lovely. I'll just be a moment."

"There isn't! They're all dead! You can't help them! Please don't leave me, or the monsters will get me! They're still in the house! Mister, don't let the monsters get me!"

"All right," he said soothingly, and picked her up, cradling her against his shoulder. "All right, then, let's get you somewhere safe. Where are you grandparents? Hmm? Aunts, uncles?"

"Mum and Da were only children," she said. "And Da said they were all in a better place."

"Damn," he whispered.

"There's a man," she said. "His name was Tommy. He came to see me. He told Mum and Da they weren't safe, that somethin' was after them but Da wouldn't listen. He told him to get out, but he gave me a card, with my name on it, for my birthday last week."

"Oh, you just had a birthday, then?" he asked, looking around, then carrying her towards the street. "And how old are you now?"

"Six," she whispered, and his hearts broke a little. "I turned six last week. Mum baked me a pretty cake, with flowers on it. Ruby gave me my necklace, see?" She drew out a tiny gold cross on a fine chain. "She said since I was big now, I needed a grown-up cross, for when we go to the abbey to pray. Isn't it pretty?"

"It's lovely," he replied. "Do you know the man's name?"

"Tommy," she said. "I guess it was Thomas. Thomas Ronson. He's stayin' at the Royal."

"Then let's go," he said. "Got to keep you safe."

She laid her head on his shoulder, hugged her doll tighter, and immediately fell asleep. That was the shock, he was certain. Now, to find Thomas Ronson.

TBC

I do not own Dr. Who or any other recognizable characters. They all belong to their respective owners. I own nothing.