The Bad Wolf Code
Notes: This was inspired in part by the fate of Angel in the Buffy book, The Lost Slayer. I love that book. Any fans of the show should really check it out. The bit where they set the sprinklers off then the priest blesses the water and makes it holy…such an awesome idea.
Anyway, I took what happened to him, changed it, and made it into my own AU fic in which the Doctor does not save Rose from the Autons. In fact, the Doctor seems to have disappeared altogether…
Oooh, I've just noticed that my chosen title is similar to a certain controversial book by Dan Brown. But you can rest assured that this fic has nothing to do with Da Vinci. I promise.
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"Wilson?"
There was no answer. She walked cautiously across the room and tried the door at the far end. Finding it locked, she was just about to give up the hunt and leave the money with security for the night when there was a slight creak from behind her. She turned around just in time to watch the door she had entered through slam shut.
She ran back towards it and pushed, then pulled, on the handle. It wouldn't open.
"Oh you're kidding me," she said, wondering what on Earth she was supposed to do next. She certainly wasn't spending the night locked down in the basement.
A noise behind her made her turn around again sharply. Trying not to let her fear show on her face, she walked to the centre of the room, glancing around her. All was quiet.
"Who is it?" she called, her voice shaking slightly. She frowned. This just wasn't funny. She looked around at the collection of immobile dummies, draped messily in last month's fashions. And as she watched, a plastic face slowly, very slowly, turned to stare at her blankly. She held her breath, scared, but somehow fascinated. Her mind raced, searching for logical explanations, as the dummy began to move other parts of its body. It was starting to advance on her.
"OK, you got me, very funny," she called out with false bravado, her voice echoing around the room. It had to be a trick, it just had to be, because if it wasn't…she was completely alone.
Suddenly, about six other dummies jerked to life, and she began to feel slightly angry.
"Right, I've got the joke," she called out crossly. "Whose idea was this? Is it Derek? Is it?" No one was answering. Feeling a little panicked, she called out again, "Derek, is this you?"
The dummies were walking now, slowly and unsteadily, but definitely moving towards her. She backed away her heart pounding uncomfortably in her ears as she groped for an exit. She tried to stare defiantly at that first dummy, but it made no reaction except to raise its arm…
Rose Tyler closed her eyes, praying for someone to rescue her. But no one came.
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Some time later…
"You did it!" Shareen accused, pointing her finger wildly at Rose. "You murdered him!" The others nodded their heads in agreement. Rose tried to keep a straight face, then burst out laughing.
"Was I that obvious?" she said, grinning.
"Edith my dear, it couldn't have been anyone else," said Mickey in a snooty, upper class voice, grinning back at her as he gave her a kiss on the cheek.
"What gave me away?" Rose asked.
"The clue about the emerald jewellery!" Shareen said. "It was completely obvious. Cause look, it said right here on the invitation: Edith le Grandbutte, suggested costume, emerald jewellery. An idiot could have worked it out."
"Yeah, even Mickey got it," said his friend Dan wickedly, receiving a thump in return.
"Watch it you," Rose warned. "You're talking to the Deputy Mayor of Casablanca, isn't he Huges?"
"That's right," said Mickey, puffing out his chest in his smart dinner jacket. Everyone laughed at this and there was a general demand for more wine. Rose laced her fingers through Mickey's.
"Thank you so much for this," she said quietly, smiling. "It's been a fantastic party."
"Well it was Dan's idea really," he said modestly. "To have a murder mystery, I mean. But yeah, I suppose I was the one who sorted it all."
"Don't forget whose flat this is!" cried Shareen, giving a little mock curtsey as she fetched another bottle. "Your humble hostess."
"Hey, I was the one who cooked!" Mel protested.
"And a lovely meal it was too," said Steve, watching her lovingly. She blushed and giggled.
"You're all fantastic then, alright?" said Rose, giggling. "Pass that bottle here."
She was just reaching for it when the doorbell rang.
"God, who could that be?" Shareen wondered crossly, looking at the clock. "It's past midnight."
"It's not the cab is it?" asked Mel worriedly, looking at her watch. "It's not supposed to come for another hour yet."
"P'raps it's your mum. You don't have a curfew do you?" Steve teased her. Mel punched him in the arm and he pretended to be fatally wounded. "Owww…you'll have to kiss it better now…"
"Ha bloody ha," she said, rolling her eyes.
The doorbell rang again and Shareen sighed. "Alright, I'm coming," she called on her way out of the room. After a few moments she returned, followed by one of the most handsome men Rose had ever seen. She laughed and looked around the table accusingly.
"OK, who ordered the stripper?" she asked with a grin, looking at the strange outfit the man was wearing. A long coat that looked old fashioned, almost uniform, and underneath that a shirt tucked into trousers that were held up by braces. It was a bizarre collection of clothes, but the man wore them like he was a model. Looking at the man's face, Rose had a suspicion that he would look good in anything.
"What's he supposed to be?" Mickey asked grumpily.
"I'm Captain Jack Harkness," said the stranger, smiling a perfect smile. "And I'm here for Rose Tyler."
"Ooooh, an American! OK, someone own up," said Rose, giggling. "Who booked him?" No one answered. "Well go on," she persisted, frowning. "I'm not cross. Who was it?"
"It wasn't me," said Shareen.
"And it definitely wasn't me," said Mickey with a face like thunder. Rose turned to Steve and Mel, but they both looked slightly bewildered.
"No one booked me," said the Captain calmly. "No one hired me, no one ordered me."
"So you're not a stripper then?" Rose realised, blushing. "Oh God, I'm sorry, I just thought…because of your clothes…" She trailed off, feeling embarrassed.
"Don't worry about it, happens surprisingly often," he said lightly. "Now, is there somewhere we can talk?" He looked Rose in the eye. "Somewhere private."
"Um…well, there's the kitchen," she said, waving her hand in the general direction. She was beginning to feel rather uncomfortable. The Captain's gaze was intense, and he was still staring her straight in the eye. And somehow, she couldn't bear to look away.
"How about your flat Rose?" he suggested. When she didn't reply, he added, "It's important."
"Yeah, but I still don't know who you are," Rose said slowly. "Captain of what?"
He rummaged in his wallet and produced some official looking ID. "I'm with a special ops branch."
"The police?" asked Mel in a small voice, looking a bit frightened.
"Sort of," said Jack. "Well, not really. But it's nothing to worry about." He fixed his eyes back on Rose. "I just need to talk to you."
"OK…" said Rose hesitantly. "I'll…I'll get my keys."
"Hang on a second," Mickey began, standing up. He did not look happy. In fact, he looked like he was squaring up to the Captain, preparing himself for a fight. He was met with a cool, unconcerned stare.
"Mickey, don't fuss," Rose said, taking his arm and leading him away. "Look, I've got my mobile, and my mum's at home. I'll be fine." She gave him a quick kiss on the lips.
"Rose, you don't even know this bloke," Mickey protested, but Rose just kissed him again and smiled.
"I'll be fine," she insisted. She looked back towards the Captain, who was standing in the doorway silently, still staring at her. She shivered in her elegant dress, but not altogether because she was cold. Jack suddenly moved forwards, picked up her silk shawl, and slipped it over her shoulders, smiling softly. She picked up her handbag, and said a quick goodbye to Shareen and the others.
"Thanks again for the party," she said. Shareen hugged her tightly, whispering in her ear, "Go for it, girl!" Rose shot her a warning look then waved goodbye to Mickey. He folded his arms, clearly in a sulk.
And that was how Rose Tyler left the last normal evening of her life.
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I hope you all enjoyed that. Hopefully I'll be able to stick with this project...I have lots of good ideas for it, and a pretty detailed plan of where it's going, so fingers crossed eh? Please review. Please.