This is a little story I came up with as a sort of prequel to "Keeping My Promise". Timeline wise, the eleventh doctor is going through the events of between "Amy's Choice" and "The Hungry Earth" . The idea of the Silence going after Rose and Clara Tyler were inspired by bittie752's wonderful story "An Unexpected Family". Things start off slowly for the first few chapters because I felt that things need to be established with our characters before we go diving into the juicy stuff.

This AU story holds that Rose found Jack (who becomes a key figure later in the story) first and established a few things before running off to do all she did in Stolen Earth and Journey's End. Rose has explained to James why she lied about the pregnancy after they were brought back to Bad Wolf Bay... Its just the full Time Lord doesn't know it... yet.

Really shouldn't have to add this, but will anyways: Don't own Doctor Who...But a woman can dream can't she?

"Mummy! James! It's back again!" Rose Tyler and James McCrimmon both looked in the direction of the upper floor of the flat at the screams of pure terror coming from upstairs. Bolting off the couch, James scaled the stairs ahead of Rose by taking two stairs at a time. Reaching the far door on the right side that was next to Rose's, the one that was speckled with lavender and peach colored flowers, James threw open the door with his shoulder and stumbled into the room.

"Clara..." James stepped forward slowly and put his hand on the girl's trembling shoulder as he guided her backwards towards the doorway. "Slow and steady steps; make no sudden movements". They both were staring at the tall creature that was standing by Clara's windowsill, the creepy pale and disfigured head on a suited body that stood taller than himself. James had the look he gave while he was trying to figure something out, be it alien or alien technology. Clara, on the other hand, had a look of sheer horror and panic as the creature seemed to be staring and pointing at her.

"This Time Child," the creature rasped through the tiny, unmoving mouth... or what James assumed was a mouth as it wasn't actually moving or forming any words. "You will hand her over to us... To our cause."

He heard a shriek behind him and a "What is that doc-.. James? Why is it in my child's room?!" Rose shook her head a moment as she almost let slip what she initially referred to him as when they were left on Bad Wolf Bay the second time. Times like this where there was an unknown alien in front of her brought out old habits.

Clara flinched for a second partly as she knew what her mum had almost called the man who had become a father figure to her since he arrived with her mum that one night almost 2 years ago and partly because of her shriek.

"I don't know, Rose," James replied. His face had turned into one of no emotion. It still dug at him when she made those slips. It made him all but remember why their living arrangement was the way it was and that he was just James to Clara... not Dad, as he had hoped after Rose told him all about her on the trip back from Norway after they were both left here. Guiding Clara behind him so that he could better shield his family from harm as they were still his family, even if it wasn't in the manner he had hoped for. "Don't take your eyes off it... I don't know what it is or what it will do, so just stay back... the both of you."

Putting his hands in his trouser pockets, he put on his most confident grin and stepped forward. "Now then... I must tell you that your request that I, how you so simply put it, hand her over to a strange alien that does not exactly look friendly is utterly denied. Why do you want this little girl anyways? Look at her room! Toys and books and dolls everywhere! Not really organized, very brilliant mind you... just not organized." James continued to ramble on and on about why these strange aliens wouldn't want his Clara.

Yes, to him, Clara Donna Tyler was his Clara. How could she not be? He was helping to raise her, wasn't he? He took her to father-daughter events at school to help keep an appearance of a normal childhood. He took her to the park, dance classes, ice-cream trips with her friends on Fridays after classes let out.

To her friends, James McCrimmon was her mum's good friend that was helping to raise Clara by providing a solid father figure to the little girl.

Feeling himself get pulled out of his thoughts by a rather forceful jab between his shoulder blades, he looked to the alien waiting for its response.

"The child will be the key..." the creature began to rasp again, this time in a more forceful and intimidating manner while holding up one of its arms and pointing directly at the child. "The key to the destruction of our greatest enemy... You will hand her over now!"

James tugged at his ear as he stepped back a few steps as the creature raised its arm. "Sorry mate... answer is still not a chance in hell." He was giving the creature a chance to retreat unharmed. While the human side in him felt it forfeited that chance the moment it threatened Clara, the Time Lord side felt all alien creatures deserved a chance to leave the situation. That way if they still attacked, their death was not on his conscience.

Clara turned to look behind her mother as she had the creepy feeling that something was coming down the hallway. Seeing another one of those... things... standing behind her mother, she screamed again, drawing James's attention away from the creature in her room to the one in her hallway.

"The child will be ours... you had your chance for a peaceful transfer," the creature in the hallway warned as it disappeared from the hallway at the same time as the creature did from the bedroom.

Double blinking for a few seconds, James looked at Rose and Clara. "Why are we standing outside of your room? Why aren't you in bed, young lady?" Clara looked between her mother and the man she knew as the only father figure she had known and put on a cheeky grin... "Because you decided I could watch some more telly?" she asked in a hopeful manner while looking at James with giant puppy dog eyes.

Before James could suggest 30 more minutes of telly, Rose pointed back into the bedroom with a "Clara Donna Tyler... You have had a drink of water, had your bed time story, now it's time for sleep." Rose knew that if she didn't step in, James would have teamed up with her and she would have ended up not going to bed until at least 11pm. That couldn't happen...again.

"Worth a shot..." Clara shrugged and said her good nights and hugs before shuffling back into her bedroom.