Chapter 1. l' aventure

"If ever there were an angel in this world, I need you," I prayed near my bedside, knees folded, sitting on my meditation pillow. "I've tried everything, God. I've no friends, seldom family, and I hate my job. I used to have dreams. Dreams where I'd become something and make something of my life. But, now they've all left. I know angels do not dwell often in my realm, but please, please, I'm begging you. For something, anything. I need you. I fear my sanity will not last much longer. I fear…."

I stopped, breaking down in sobs, as I shriveled into myself, clutching my sides for dear life. The anxiety taking over my brain, an attack on the horizon. Me vs. my broken brain. Me vs. the crippling anxiety, depression, amongst other things.

I grew up mildly unhappy, but I was content. I was content with seldom – well, seldom friends and family who cared for me. I had plenty toys; I always had shelter and food and clean water. And thus, I seldom complained. Yes, depressed as I was, I was grateful. Always grateful.

I also always had my mother. As much as her constant fretting over me during my adolescence drove me towards insanity, I always had her. No father in the picture, not since I was a babe, anyhow, but I always thought it better that way. Just me, my mother, and my three best friends against the world. And it was enough, at least for a while.

However, as my mental health decayed and my employers worsened, I lost the spark in my eye and the pep that guided my step and I became a shell of a person. I didn't quite know who I was anymore. I used to be so much. Nonetheless, I seldom let it show just how much I ached, just how much I questioned every little thing about life and myself. Just how much hope I'd lost. Because, I was still cool, calm, collected, fun Anne. At least, that's what my mother thought.

Carlotta – Carly for short – knew otherwise. She was my best friend. I confided everything in that girl. My other two friends, Julien and Roesia knew much, much less and I intended to keep it that way.

As the anxious feeling in my stomach subsided and I could feel the ground beneath my bum once more, I realized that my thoughts were coming back into reality and I opened my tearstained eyes. Before, I could stand up, I heard a knocking on my door.

I gasped out of shock and called out, "Hello?"

"Ma Cherie, dinner is prepared when you're ready; it'll be on a pot on the stove," Mother called to me through the closed door.

"Merci, mum," I let out a sigh after I heard her footsteps walk away.

Please, angels…

Normally I cooked for myself, but I guessed since I didn't have work today my mother decided to treat me with freezer-section baked lasagna, which I nearly groaned at. I was fortunate that my mother decided to cook for me and perhaps I'd love it if it weren't for the fact that since starting my latest job, my diet has become pasta dishes and bagels – oh, and fruits, but more the portable, cheap kind. Bananas, apples, you know. I reluctantly took a serving.

"Mum, I'm going to go eat on the patio if you need me," I said, grabbing a book and a fork on my way out.

"Alright, sweetheart."

Les Fleurs du Mal. Never read it, but my professor had told me it was a classic and that I should give it a chance. So, on my one day off work and school, I decided I would. Never was good in college, although, perhaps that's why I went to a local school instead of a university. Mother wanted me to apply to a uni in America or even England. She said that she wanted to see me achieve wonders and that my quaint little French town would hold me back. Maybe she was right. Perhaps Ars-en-Ré and it's bicyclists and sandy beaches held me back. Too many laid back tourists, not enough adventure or life. This was enough for most, but not for me. Although, neither was a formal education and travel without an education was much too pricy for a young nineteen year old.

Not two pages into my book and a bite into my supper and I heard a loud noise off into the distance. I thought nothing of it, not even bothering to peep up from my novel, until it continued; the noise became louder and closer and caused immense fear to flood my brain as I dropped my book into my lap and looked out. Bombs. A bombing.

"MOTHER!" I screamed as I ran inside the house. "We're being invaded by terrorists! The news was right! It's happening!"

I was frantic, trying to find my mother. I had no clue where the hell I was supposed to go or where the hell my mother even was.

"Mum!"

Not being able to find her, I took a risk and ran outside wondering if she'd gone to search for local authorities for insight on what to do. Paris was the danger zone, not my little beach town. We should be safe. We had to be safe. That's why we refused to live in the city. It wasn't the city of love; it was the city of robbery and terror, at least for locals.

"Miss, what are you doing outside when the sky's falling?" The tongue spoke French however the voice was of a Londoner; if my brain hadn't been frazzled I would've been perplexed by how crisp his dialect was.

"Trying to find my mum," My eyes were beginning to fail me as the anxiety coursed my blood. I knew I was growing faint; I wouldn't last long at this rate.

"You should be inside," He looked like he was focusing…. hard. I didn't know on what or why but he was staring intensely into a… glowing screwdriver? It radiated an odd blue light that my frazzled mind fixated on. "Miss, are you alright?"

That was the last coherent thing I heard; the rest was washed away by screaming; although, I couldn't tell you if it were mine of a terror struck citizen's.

"How do you suppose the daleks are creating all this chaos?" My mind picked up the voice of a bold, female Londoner… or was she Welsh? My head was dazed as I slowly came to. "And why here?"

"They must want something."

"Like what?"

"I'm going to find out. You watch over her; I'll check her head wounds when she awakens. I'll be back."

A door slammed and I sat up in a fright.

"Where am I?"

I blinked a few times, clearing my vision. I was inside what looked like a large metal prison cell. The walls extended much too high and the room seemed never ending. I felt claustrophobic even though I had plenty of free space around me. After a few moments of looking around, I saw a female. Blonde, young, pretty; probably the one I heard earlier.

"Who are you?"

"My name's Rose and you're inside the TARDIS," She spoke, her cockney accent sounding weird as she attempted to pronounce words in my tongue. Although, I'd have to give it to her, the few words I had heard thus far, while the pronunciation was atrocious, the grammar was spot on; better than mine, even.

"The what?" I asked, standing up, eyes leveled with her. We were around the same height. I assumed her to be perhaps an inch taller than me, if even.

"Sorry, hard to explain without The Doctor around," She shrugged, smiling sheepishly. "What's your name?"

"Antoinette," I said, my heart still racing. "Are we… safe? From the explosions, I mean."

"In here, yes," She said, afterwards mumbling, "I think."

"Then that's all that matters for now," I said, sitting crisscrossed on the floor beneath me, trying to control my breathing. This was not what I meant by adventure. I take it back, angels. I'm meant for a simple life with simple people and a doting mother. MOTHER. "My mum's out there!" I stood up, running towards what looked like the door. It was, and I pushed it open; it was heavy but after a second it finally began to open.

"No, Antoinette, don't!" Rose called out. I could hear her footsteps already approaching me, but I didn't care. All I cared about was finding my mother.

I stepped out of the building I was in, not looking back, and took off running. I knew what street I was on. It wasn't far from my apartment. It wasn't far from where I'd passed out.

"Mum!" I shouted as I approached the apartments. There was still smoke in the sky but I hadn't heard anything blast off since leaving that odd metal room, so I felt a bit more assured. "Shit."

I stopped dead in my tracks. My apartment complex had been blown up. It was all rubble and dirt. I fell to my knees, tears watered in my eyes. It didn't take long before I'd given up hope, sobbing hysterically.

"You, female of Earth," an odd voice rang in my ears. I thought I was hallucinating until I looked up to see a large metal robot with no feet and a metal arm where his face would be as well as for an arm.

I nearly screamed as I noticed more approaching me.

"Rise, human," Their voices were robot, in sync, and absolutely terrifying.

I rose quickly, my heart beats uneven.

"Y-yes?" I asked in the clearest voice I could muster.

"Come with us." They all took off in one direction, some behind me as I followed them, unsure of what other options I had as I just watched my whole life and everything I lived for become dust.

They led me for what felt like hours to a warehouse. I knew this place. It was the old boat warehouse where mariners would store their possessions in the winter months. It looked completely untouched even as ash fell from the sky.

"Why did you take me here?" I asked once we were inside with the door shut.

"Necklace."

The unison metallic voice was absolutely chilling. One of the worst sounds I'd ever heard in my life. One of the worst feelings I'd ever felt. Worse than watching my grandfather's corpse be buried underground.

"Give. Us. The. Necklace."

I grabbed the necklace looped around my neck, fear in my eyes. They could ask me for my leg and cut it off right in front of me and I'd be horrified but alright but my necklace was my grandmother's necklace. Made from a shard from some old diamond. She said it was passed along through generations and I'd be damned if I saw it go before I could pass it to my future child. But, at the same time, I didn't want to die, and I didn't know what to do. Before I could respond, the warehouse door opened and light flooded the dark building.

It was the mystery man. The mystery man from the metal building. The mystery man from outside my flat.

"I knew the signal was tracked here," He grinned, looking at me. "Oh, hello again. I'm glad you're awake now. But, I told Rose to keep you safe."

"I-I ran off," I explained, frazzled. "To find my mother."

He gave me an understanding look before turning to the robot monsters.

"What is your fascination with this girl?" The man asked, walking towards the robots who surrounded me.

"Diamond. Necklace. Fuel."

"Oh, so no exterminate?" The man inquired, smirking as if any part of this situation was funny.

"Why do they want my grannie's necklace?" I cried.

He gave me a weird look and stepped towards me, through the robots and grabbed my diamond charm between his hands, studying it.

"Who are you?" He asked, looking into my eyes. "This is part of the Koh-i-Noor."

I shrugged, "Grannie said it was a scrap from when some big diamond was cut. She said it's been passed on for a while."

"You're a descendent of the crown," He mumbled before turning to the robots surrounding us. "Why do you need the Koh-i-Noor for fuel?"

"Damaged Ship. Damaged Ship."

He looked at me and then looked at them, "And if we give you the diamond –"

I gasped, covering my mouth with my hands.

"If we give you this diamond," He continued once more. "Will you leave this planet?"

The robots were quiet.

"Exterminate." One spoke which started a chorus of 'Exterminates.'

"SILENCE, please," The man shouted, pulling out the glowing screwdriver from earlier. "I guess we'll have to handle this in a different manner, then." He looked at me momentarily, thoughtfully. "What was your name?"

"Antoinette," I said, confused.

"Nice to meet you, Antoinette. I'm the Doctor. And I'm going to need your help if we're to make it out alive."