So, first adventure! spoooky ~ thankyou so so much for the reviews you two lovely people left, it really cheered me up :)


"So…This is a time machine?" Natalie questioned, when they'd headed back inside. "I can come back to this exact spot? A Second later?"

The doctor glanced up from the console. "Got somewhere to be?"

She thought of her mum. Waiting and listening out for her to come home from work. She thought about her friends and her job and her life that she was leaving behind;

"…No."

He looked like he didn't believe her, but didn't comment on it. He fiddled with the buttons attached to the console as she glanced around her surroundings, trying to get her bearings in the T.A.R.D.I.S. She had been here before, but it was still hard to grasp, to adjust. It was almost beautiful, in a strange way.

He paused at the console until he drew her attention, his expression unexpectedly serious. "Whole of time and space. The universe on a plate. What d'you think?"

"…I wanna go back in time." She blurted out, a smile spreading across her lips as she gripped onto the console. "Start slow, yeah? See if you're not bluffing. Take me…to see something old."

"Something old it is!" He grinned back, pulling down a lever. "Hold on tight!"

That wasn't an exaggeration. Last time she hadn't really been focusing on the T.A.R.D.I.S taking off, she was busy having a mental breakdown on the ramp with her head against the walls. This time, when it lurched, so did she, the only thing keeping her upright was her grip on the console.

"We've landed then?"

He nodded, tilting his head towards the door.

Sure, she'd been to a spaceship, but this was something different. She glanced at the doors, before taking off at a run. Her hands outstretched in front of her as she barrelled through the doors.

"19th Century England!" The doctor exclaimed, stepping out onto the ground behind her. "Always loved this century, lovely! Well…I say lovely, if we see good old Queen Vic, we might need to start running."

Nat grinned as the wind whipped her hair about her face. "Don't tell me you upset Queen Victoria, was she not amused?"

He frowned. "Don't."

"….What?"

He didn't reply, walking in front of her as his trench coat flapped in the breeze. She decided not to question. The doctor was a complex man, fire and ice, quiet and loud, angry and solemn. She didn't want to upset him.

The manor in front of them was grand in size, and stature. She felt somewhat out of place.

"Phwoar…" She murmured, eyes wide. "That's one hell of a gaff, isn't it?"

The doctor hummed. "Is indeed. Shall we?"

"I still cant believe this is the 1800's!" She kicked at the turf underfoot, sending grass sailing across the ground. "This is 19th century grass. That's mental." Natalie quickly fell into step with him, their hands swinging in time to their feet. "And we're breathing 19th century air."

"If this gets you, I cant wait 'till we meet some people."

She blinked. "Will I have to do a courtesy? Will they even understand me?"

The doctor looked her over as they came to stop at the front door. "Why wouldn't they understand you?"

"All the Victorians were posh weren't they? Especially ones that live in houses like this." She tilted her head to the manor, eyebrows furrowed. "I'm from the north, they might not get what I'm saying."

He blinked, then, slowly, the brightest grin she'd ever seen spread across his face. Then, he laughed, a laugh that came from the bottom of his stomach, his head thrown back.

When he had stopped, he wiped a tear from his eye with his left hand. "Oh, Natalie Kemp. I like you."

She couldn't stop from smiling back, before she raised her fist towards the door. "Shall we then?"

"Ladies first."

She knocked on the manor door, clearing her throat.

No one came.

She threw a glance to the doctor. He shrugged.

She knocked again.

He rooted around his pocket, producing a thin metal device and pointed it at the door.

"Isn't this breaking and entering?" She asked, as the door swung open. "And what is that anyway?"

"This," He held it up against his chest. "Is my sonic screwdriver."

"…Right."

The house was pitch black, but the doctor lit it up with his 'scewdriver'. The faint whirring sound rang through the house as she checked the hallways, ceiling, and doors. It was haunting as she followed the doctor, floorboards creaking on every step.

"Do you not think this is creepy? All dark and everything? No one home?" A floorboard creaked underfoot. "And whats will all the mirrors?"

Mirrors of all kinds, short, long, ceiling length, scattered all across the room. Someone clearly loved themselves too much.

"You shouldn't have come here."

Her blood ran cold at the unfamiliar voice. She swallowed quickly, trying to make out the figure in the gloom.

"They'll get you, you know. Like they got everyone. You should leave."

"Right." The doctor replied, undeterred. "And…who would they be, then?"

"The thing." Another floorboard creaked. "They'll get you. Just like they got Florence. Just like they got everyone. I'm not going to warn you again. You have to get out."

The doctor chanced a step closer to the voice. "Listen, these things, tell me about them. I can help you."

"Why should I trust you?"

"Do you have a choice?" Natalie interrupted, stepping next to the doctor. "How many offers of help have you had on your own—alienating yourself from everyone? Please, let us help."

Slowly, light lit up the man as he sparked the candle, casting his face in an orange glow. He was old, lines graced his forehead, the corner of his eyes as he frowned, his lips. Grey hair poked out of a small cap on his head, dirty and worn down from years of wear.

"Alright." He concluded. "Please…follow me into the parlor. There's less of them there."

They both followed him as he set off to walk. The mirrors carried on into the corridor, the décor of the place similar to the entrance. Floorboards were falling apart, wallpaper crumbled from the walls and—

In the corner of her eye, she could've sworn she saw something move in that mirror. She blinked, her head snapping back to where she thought she'd spotted it.

"Doctor." She tugged on the sleeve of his coat. No response. "Doctor."

"What?"

Natalie pointed a shaking finger towards the mirror. "That mirror…I saw something move."

"…Your reflection, maybe?"

Her eyes narrowed at him. "Shut up." His only response was to put his hands up in mock surrender. "I could've sworn I saw something. It wasn't me, I know it wasn't."

He took a step forward to the mirror, ready to get his screwdriver—

"Hello?" The mans voice bellowed. "I'm in the parlor!"

That was what they were there for after all. To help him. They could look at the mirrors later. She kept her eyes on the mirror as she followed the doctor, warmth was seeping into her fingers.

Just a hot flush. She told herself.

It was a pretty strong hot flush. It made her feel odd. The longer she looked at the mirror, the more warm she was. Cosy—almost.

The doctor was already getting down to business when she went into the parlor. It was in a similar state to the rest of the house, but it was bright. Candles were lit wall to wall.

"So, we'll start with the basics, whats your name?" The doctor was sat on a chair opposite the man, resting his elbows on his knees.

"Jacob." The man answered cautiously. "And yourselves?"

"I'm the doctor, and this," He jabbed a thumb over his shoulder. "Is Natalie. Grab a seat, Nat."

She waved at Jacob, noticing the wood creak when she sat down. Either she'd put on weight or the chair was about as stable as anything else in the house.

She hoped it was the former.

"Start at the beginning. Tell us what happened."

Jacobs hands tremored as he spoke. "It started…90 years ago. I'm from Gloucester and…I needed the work, my mum died when I was a child. So I begged on the streets. Mr and Mrs Pocherline offered me a job, I'd have to move up to rural London. Away from the city, clean their house."

"So this was their house?" Natalie asked, taking a glimpse of her surroundings. If he was employed to be a cleaner maybe he needed the sack. "Have they…passed away now, Jacob?"

He nodded quietly. "I was a live-in cleaner. Helped all generations of the Pocherlines. Became family to them. It started with members of staff first, a butler here, a maid there…"

"Wait, what started?" The doctor interrupted.

"The disappearances. We just thought they'd left for better jobs, but then when little Miss Jemima disappeared we knew it was something else. It carried on, and on. They just kept disappearing. In the end it was just me and their daughter, Florence, Florence Pocherline. We grew up together…We—" Visible tears rose in his eyes. "Loved each other."

Her heart tightened painfully at the sight of his tears. Without thinking, she leant forward, covering her hands with his. "I know this is painful Jacob, but please, the more we know the more we can help. You're doing so well."

Jacob nodded, a tear falling onto his and Natalies hands. He squeezed them tight as he carried on speaking. "Thankyou." He paused again. "…I've been on my own for about five years now, since she disappeared. But people keep coming…kids play here and I try and warn them and I tell them no but…"

"They disappear." The doctor finished for him, solemnly. "In the blink of an eye."

"Yes."

"There's one thing I want to ask, Jacob, if you'll indulge us." The doctor got up from the chair, coming around the back of it to stand behind Natalie. "Me and my comrade here were wondering about the mirrors. I mean, theyre lovely, very fancy, but why so many?"

Jacob blinked at the doctor owlishly, letting go of Natalies hand. "I just like them. So did Mrs Pocherline. She had a whole room dedicated to them three flights up, but most of them are down here now, makes them easier to clean."

"The house is falling to bits though Jacob." Natalie said. "Yet the mirrors are spotless—I saw them back there, you can eat your dinner of them theyre so nice."

"They are rather lovely, aren't they." Jacob mused.

A warm feeling was building in her stomach. She felt stupid for thinking that there was something in them earlier, that she had seen something. It was just her reflection. She wanted to see it again.

"Yeah, they are lovely." She agreed, pushing out of her chair. "I'm going to go look at them again."

The doctor watched her, bewildered. "Nat—I'm sure you've got plenty of nice ones at home!" His voice disappeared behind her as she left the parlor. "Whats so special about the mirrors?"

"That's how they get them doctor!" Jacob's voice was muffled by the walls. "They talk to the mirrors!"

The one she'd set her sights on was encased in gold. Jewels surrounded it, the candle light reflecting in the back of her vision. The warmth in her stomach spread till it touched her toes, her hand raised. She wanted to touch it.

"Nat…" The doctor was behind her, he must have ran. "Step away from the mirror for me?"

She didn't take her eyes off it. "Why? Look at it! It's beautiful."

"Its…Very lovely." He lowered her arm, gripping tightly on from her hand. "Very very lovely. But I think we need to go back to the parlor, don't you?"

She took a step closer to it. She needed to be closer. The next step she took was apparently too much. Two arms wrapped around her waist and yanked her back.

"C'mon Nat," The doctor grunted with effort. He tightened his grip around her waist when she dug her heels in. He tugged her again, succeeding this time. "Jacob, help me!"

She struggled against him as he carried her away, the mirror getting further and further away. "Please, doctor!" She squirmed. "I just wanna see it!"

"Not a chance!"

The further she was away from the mirror, the more the warmth dulled. The need to see the mirror was still there, but muted. When the doctor dropped her back onto her feet, she stayed there, watching him watch her.

He stopped an inch away from her. "I don't understand, why the mirrors?" He took her face in his hands, his palms warm against her cheeks, looking into her eyes. "What has it done to you?"

"It hasn't done anything." She stressed, feeling his scrutiny intensify under his gaze.

He dropped her chin and reached for his screwdriver. "What, so you've developed an ungodly fascination with home design in the last five minutes? No, somethings happened to you…Someone."

Her chin wavered, watching him scan her with his screwdriver. He was ranting, pacing, running his hands through his hair, yet keeping his eyes on her. Her heartbeat was through the roof.

"What is it?"

"Doctor you're scaring me."

"I mean you look normal but its obviously doing something. Tapping into your telepathic field? But I would notice it, I'd realise it 'cause it would target me first, so its something else, has to be!"

"Doctor!" She yelled, making him still in his tracks. "I know this is exciting for you, but back there I couldn't even think aside from that mirror. I am scared, so stop pretending like I'm not here and tell me whats going on!"

He blinked at her. Then his face changed into something that would have made her laugh if she hadn't been so frightened. He looked like someone had kicked his puppy. "…Sorry."

"What's happened to me?"

"It's the mirror!" Cried Jacob, behind them.

"Yes, very astute Jacob." He snapped sarcastically, giving his attention back to Natalie. He stopped in front of her, eyes on her. "The mirror—its… affecting your thoughts somehow. I'm not sure why yet, but I'll figure it out. But I'd go and say that's what happened to everyone else. I think the mirror took them."

Her eyes widened. "So, they were swallowed…By the mirror?"

Jacob came up behind them. "That's what happened to my Florence? The mirror took her?"

The doctor didn't turn around, keeping his eyes on Natalie. "Yes. But I won't let it take you. Trust me."

She didn't know if she did yet. But his eyes held such a promise that she wanted to. He watched her, waiting for her response, but she only gave a small nod.

He took that. He spun back around to Jacob. "Jacob! I need you to tell me everything about these mirrors. When you got 'em, why you like 'em, why Mrs Pocherline liked 'em, anything that comes to your head."

Jacob's reply was to open his mouth, then shut it again. Like a goldfish.

"Jacob please. It won't be long until it starts after Natalie again and I want to know how I can stop it before it does." He beckoned her forward with a finger. "Nat, come here, where I can see you."

She grumbled, but did so anyway. "I'm not a dog."

He ignored her, watching Jacob speak;

"Mrs Pocherline was a collector sh-she loved all sorts of finery." Jacob stammered, his eyes flicking from Natalie to the doctor. "She loved antique mirrors, spent all her time with them. But she couldn't clean them when she got sick, so she hired me. I've been cleaning them all my life. Theyre just pretty, aren't they."

Natalie hummed in agreement, feeling a soft smile pass over her lips. "Yeah, they are."

The doctors head snapped to hers. He watched her like a hawk. "…Say something again, Jacob? About the mirror?

"What shall I say?"

The doctor still hadn't taken his eyes off of her. It wasn't doing any favours for her heart rate. "Anything, anything at all."

Jacob cleared his throat. "I really like the gold one."

So did she. That was her favourite. Natalie felt the familiar warmth seeping up from her toes again. "So do I. It's gorgeous."

"I love the mirrors." The doctor said, raising an eyebrow. He was still watching her like a hawk. Perched on the dining table. "They're great, aren't they?"

Nat shrugged. "Sure, I guess."

"HA!" He made her jump, jumping off the table and landing on his feet with a thud. "See that Jacob?! When I talk about the mirrors, nothing, no reaction, but she responds to you. Say something about the mirrors again."

Jacob frowned. "They have… a lovely sheen?"

Natalie nodded enthusiastically, almost akin to a bobble head. "Yes they have such a nice sheen, don't they…Its lovely…"

The doctor turned away from her, running his hands through his hair. "Jacob, it's all about you! Everything, the mirrors, the house…Its you!"

The doctors explanations quietened as backed away from him, letting him get lost in the rambling explanations he was apparently so fond of. The mirror was waiting, and she could finally answer.

Her skin tingled as she gently shut the door behind her, the anticipation of seeing the mirror again made her blood run static, thrumming under her skin as she came to a stop in front of the gold mirror.

"You are beautiful…" She told it, running a hand over the casing. She took another step towards it, inches away from the glass. "Look at you…"

"NATALIE!" It was muffled by the wooden door, but he'd be here any second. She didn't have time.

Just as the door slammed open, she took the final step into the glass. It swallowed her limbs, her arms disappearing past the surface, and she kept walking, until it swallowed her whole. The only thing she could hear was the doctors muffled shouts until she left him behind.

"No!"


This will be continued, obviously! was a bit too long to do one big chapter, and who doesnt love a big cliffhanger?

Thanks for reading :)