Chapter 1: Pete's World
Rose shook the restraining hand off of her shoulder and glared at her mother. "For the last time, Mum, there is no choice."
Jackie Tyler huffed. "Don't take that tone with me young lady. All I'm sayin' is this idea of yours comes from a dream. A dream Rose! What if it kills us all?"
Rose drew a deep breath and exhaled slowly before replying. "What was it that led me to bloody Norway? Was that a figment of my imagination too? You don't have to come, nobody is makin' ya, but like I said, there is no choice, not for me. " With that, Rose grit her teeth and strode over to see if Mickey was ready.
Jackie's lips firmed into a hard line but she returned to her husband Pete's side with a decided lack of fear. She straightened her spine, shushed the small baby strapped to her chest and admonished Pete to bloody well not drop the infant perched on his hip. "Very well then, get on with it. It's almost tea time."
Chuckles rippled from the assembled group and Rose's mouth curved into a small smile as pride flooded through her. Jackie Tyler was tough; a fighter and a survivor. Rose hoped that scrappy spirit would carry her through this time as it always had before.
Fear coursed through her as she scanned the small group surrounding her, making sure everyone's dimension hoppers were in place. God! What the hell was she doing? Jackie was right to question the insane plan she and Mickey had devised. It was theory, nothing but slightly educated guesses held together by gut intuition and fervent hope. Rose was risking the lives of everyone she loved based on the illusory feeling of hope.
A mental image of twinkling brown eyes under a fringe of wild chestnut hair rose in her mind and Rose smiled. Then again, they both quite liked hope.
Drawing a deep breath she assumed an air of confidence she in no way felt and reiterated instructions.
"Ok, everyone knows what to do? Mick opens the rift, I start glowing, and you lot hit your yellow buttons." At their affirmative nods Rose flashed a grin and issued a cheeky salute. "Right then, see ya on the other side!"
Before her lingering doubts could catch up with her, Rose stepped forward, and let the energy seeping from the ground beneath her feet connect with her mind. Just like the first time she'd stood next to what she and Mickey had since discovered was this world's rift, her TARDIS key began to warm against the thin skin between her breasts. She closed a trembling hand around the faintly pulsing metal and motioned for Mickey to activate their cobbled together rift manipulator.
The ground rumbled and a crack began to form beneath her feet. White hot, the energy surged through her, seeping into her bones. The warmth spread from the soles of her feet to the top of her head and she flung out her arms, welcoming the surging power that flooded her mind and merged with her soul.
As if uttered from the depths of a cave, she heard her mother scream, her 'not' father shout, and Mickey give the command to jump before her mind was overwhelmed with the lilting melody she had up until now only heard in her dreams.