Journeys Anew

Chapter Two

A New Beginning


"I'm just trying to think about what's best for you. Eleanor, be reasonable and think this through. Cardiff has a lot of prospects and you can come back here every holiday. Please, this is a massive opportunity for your father and-"

"I don't care! I don't want to go to bloody Cardiff, I'm quite happy here! And why are you trying to ship me off to Cambridge? Hasn't it ever occurred to you that I might be entitled to some say about my own future! Stop telling me what to do, you're not my mum!" Shouted Eleanor Marks furiously before storming up the stairs making sure to stomp on every step before slamming her bedroom door shut. Standing forlorn at the bottom of the stairs was Sophie Baxter who had tears rapidly forming in her eyes.

Inside her bedroom Eleanor also had tears forming but they were of a different kind. Not of sadness but of pure undiluted fury. Marching over to her CD player she shoved in a random disk and then promptly turned the volume up as loud as possible to drown out any ranting from her father or anyone else. Outside the neighbours peered up at the house as heavy metal music blared out interrupting their quiet Sunday afternoons. Eleanor buried her face in her pillow as the tears continued, each sob was lost in the sound of the lead guitarist's ear-wrenching solo.

Gifted. A genius. A prize. All those terms were just excuses for the people around her to start deciding her future. She was gifted so obviously she would go to some elite school for all the other children just like her. She was a genius so obviously she would do something remarkable like create a cure for cancer or fly rockets to Mars. Everyone since she was little had been crooning over her making plans and decisions but none of them had ever asked Ella what she wanted. Maybe she didn't want to become a scientist or a doctor. Maybe she didn't want to go to those schools with those strange children who eyed her up like she was an alien from Mars. Maybe Eleanor was quite happy to remain in London with her friends and shreds of normalcy.

The truth was that Eleanor scared most people. Even at that school for the gifted she had passed through every class with ease, truthfully she didn't even need to try very hard. At age five she was reading at a level that most adults never accomplished. At age seven she was doing mathematical problems that would confuse most Mathematic professors at Oxford. The truth was Eleanor's intelligence knew no bounds and that scared the hell out of all those teachers and doctors who could find no explanation. At first Ella had loved the attention, being special and unique but now she was seventeen everything was getting too much. All the television documentaries and reports were tiring her. Words like Gifted and Genius had lost their appeal. Eleanor wanted to have some years of peace but everyone seemed insistent that she didn't. They didn't quite seem to grasp that under the intelligence there lay an ordinary seventeen year old girl who was into loud rock music and enjoyed watching teen soaps in her spare time.

'Sophie, stupid witch. Go away and leave my family the hell alone. Dad never wanted to move before you came along...' Sophie Baxter was a secretary at her Fathers company. At first she had started out as a friend but over the past two years she had been growing increasingly closer to her family until finally last year she had moved into the family home. Ever since then her father had been talking about transferring and moving. Now it was official and decided. In a fortnight Ella would move to Cardiff, the capital of Wales.

Eleanor sat up and glanced around her bedroom. It was black, Eleanor had heard about social cliques such as Goths and Punks and it had always interested her. She had a hard time fitting in with society so she decided to go with one of the titles to see if it helped. She'd chosen Goth's because the colour black went with everything and she liked the eyeliner that they wore. EMO's seemed to have a reputation for self-harming and she wasn't sure if her stomach could handle being a plastic bimbo. Determined to make her attempt work she had even bought all the gothic classic novels she could find and painted her nails.

She was reasonably pleased with how her bedroom had worked out. Black walls with silver stars printed on the ceiling and walls along with gauzy grey curtains and tinkling metallic wind chimes. This was how a normal, ordinary teenager would live. When they got upset they listened to loud music because it apparently was supposed to help them feel better. All it was achieving for Eleanor was splitting sore headache but at least it drowned out her fathers shouts of protest and yells to keep it down. Turning over she wiped the mascara stains off her cheeks and adjusted the volume on her player slightly.

Moving away from London was a daunting prospect. London was her home; there were so many other people that Eleanor blended in. She actually had a few friends here and was treated relatively normal providing she didn't come out with anything strange. Why move now? Not to mention her Great-Grandfathers grave was in London. Wilf had died two years ago, sometimes Eleanor still missed him. He wouldn't have wanted to move. Why was everyone turning against her? Why did it feel like she was screaming and no one was listening?

"Ella? Ella love, I brought you some tea."

Eleanor sat up and wiped her eyes as her Grandmother entered the room with two cups of tea and a plate of biscuits balanced on a tray. Sylvia's wandered disapprovingly over the black walls and her lips pursed trying to keep a nagging remark from slipping through. Instead she set the stray down on the unit next to the bed and sat down next to her Granddaughter.

"Sophie's downstairs in the kitchen howling her heart out to your father," Sylvia said neutrally handing Ella a cup of tea, "Ella, sweetheart, why are you making things so difficult?"

The teenager took a few sips from her cup before slamming it down on the unit feeling betrayal nip at her insides. She thought out of everyone at least Gran would have been on her side. After-all she couldn't stand Sophie either and probably didn't want to move from the city where she'd spent her entire life or leave behind her daughter.

"I thought you'd understand! I don't want to leave Gran, I'm happy here and I fit in! Why can't anyone see that? You can't stand her and neither can I. Why don't you get it?" Snapped Eleanor feeling more tears come from her eyes. Sylvia sighed tiredly. At seventy she was getting a bit beyond having to deal with hormonal teenagers. Brushing aside Eleanor's red fringe she gazed into her eyes and huffed at the amount of eyeliner she saw.

"Cardiff is a big city too and you don't have to go to boarding school again. Why don't you at least give it a chance and don't bring my likes and dislikes towards Sophie into this Madame. As far as I'm concerned that's your fathers choice not mine. You're my Granddaughter, that's why I'm here and that's why I'm staying with you. I never told your mum this enough but you are the most important thing in world to me now Ella," Sylvia said sincerely as she stroked Eleanor's dark hair as her granddaughter leaned on her shoulder.

"I...just wish things didn't have to change. Why can't it just go back to the four of us? It's bad enough half the world thinks I'm a freak let alone Sophie trying to stick her nose in parading me around like I'm her new poodle," Complained Ella softly.

"She's just intimidated by you love. She doesn't know how to act around you."

"I'm human! Why does everyone keep treating me like I'm a time bomb waiting to go off?"

"You're different Ella. People misunderstand that, they don't see that you're just a kid they just see that you're smart and it scares them," Soothed Sylvia.

"I know...I just wish I was normal sometimes..." Sighed Ella.

"Don't! Never be ashamed of what you are Eleanor Marks," Sylvia said sharply, "You're special; most people will kill for a brain like yours. Why don't you look at this as a fresh start? You can go to school and no one has to be any the wiser. Look at this as a new beginning Ella."

"A new beginning?" Mumbled Ella tiredly.


"Where the hell are we?"

"Emily, calm down! Please just take a breathe and calm down!"

"Calm down? Calm down? This is completely and utterly wrong! Have you any idea what we've just did Al? Have you any idea of what we've done! And you're telling me to calm down!" Yelled Emily hysterically as her eyes darted wildly around the streets and buildings in front of her. Every pore in her body was denying this place. It made her skin crawl and unleashed wave after wave of shivers down her spine. Her stomach was still reeling with the aftershock of the teleport and her mind was still whirling in the tangled confusion of the series of events that were unravelling before her, completely beyond her control.

"We're safe now alright! I know this isn't an ideal situation but there must be reason why mum wanted us to-"

"You don't even know why we're here? I thought Mum told you something! Or did she just decide to leave out the valuable fact that we've just teleported into a parallel world? Will you just tell me why we're here and what's going on because I'm sick of being left in the dark!" Screamed Emily furiously raking her hands through her matted and uncontrollable brown hair. Across from her Alexander sighed turning his head skyward before kicking over a bin out of pure frustration.

"I don't know alright! All I know is that Mum told me to take this and then use it when the time was right. She didn't give me any instructions or tell me what it was for. I thought the bloody thing was another teleport that would take you somewhere safe! I planned to go back for Mum and Uncle Tony but she must have known! Emily I don't have a clue either so will you just shut up!" Shouted Alexander. Emily turned away examining everything. This felt like surreal like a horrible nightmare from which there was no awakening. She felt so powerless...so weak and unable to do anything. Suddenly she felt vulnerable and completely terrified. She inhaled trying to calm herself down but a part of her badly wanted to slap her brother and demand that he take them back.

There was a long silence while the two of them tried to compose themselves. Emily collapsed into a nearby bench and watched as some youths stepped out of a nearby nightclub and headed into the take-away to get some chips. She was envious, they felt like a world away from her. It was almost eerie how in her emotional turmoil there could still exist people who were so blissfully ignorant and relatively at peace with their normal lives. She pulled out the thin golden chain wrapped around her neck from under her coat and stared at it mulling over its duel meaning. A gift and a defence. Looking at that chain made her feel worse and only heightened her feelings of loss. What if she lost somebody again?

"I'm sorry I yelled at you," Alexander said wearily as he laid a hand on her shoulder. Emily merely nodded held onto the hand. Being alone was not a fate she ever wanted but she knew sooner or later it was a fate she would get. Perhaps not completely alone...she glanced up at her brother's face. Alexander or 'Alfie' was almost three years her senior and tall with her hair colouring. Normally he was confident, arrogant almost and perfectly at ease in any situation. Seeing him look so defeated only made her feel worse but at the same time she was comforted that he was there. As long as he was there she would never be completely alone.

"This is all just such a mess," Sighed Emily rubbing her eyes wincing as her hands skimmed over a bruise, "What are we supposed to do now? We can't risk going back...but Mum must have had a reason for sending us here. I just wish I knew what...I just wish none of this had ever happened. I wish it was this time last week and we were at home with Gran watching Uncle Tony rant at the football match on the Television."

"It'll be okay. She'll have a reason...let's not try to think long term," Alexander said moving around the bench so he was sitting next to her, "What we need for tonight is somewhere to sleep."

"I don't think I'll be able to sleep," Emily said with a small smile, "And we'll need somewhere more permanent. Like a flat or something. We'll need food and money to buy stuff with. A computer, this place has to have a UNIT or Torchwood. And maybe some form of identification." Emily thought about these things. Money was easy to obtain and as for everything else Emily could get them it. Emily was very gifted at getting what she wanted and could be very persuasive.

"I said short term Em and already you're planning us a life," Joked Alfie, "What next? A car?"

"More chance of getting a car for me than for you. You failed your test four times," Reminded Emily smirking slightly. Alexander stood up and offered her his hand which she accepted gratefully. She tilted her head towards the sky to stare at the stars. It was odd, everything seemed to change but the stars always seemed to remain the same. There was something familiar and comforting about that, sighing she followed her brother as they tried to locate a suitable B&B to stay the night. The layout of this Cardiff was not much different from their own. Perhaps, in time she'd grow used to it.

'Please say you had a plan Mum...please be alright...'


"Well that's us. All set," Announced Lee Marks with a bright expression as he slammed down the door to the boot of the car.

Eleanor turned away from her father. She'd gradually came to terms with idea of moving but she still couldn't quite forgive him for ripping her away from her familiar surroundings, neither could she also forgive the soppy look in his eyes when he glanced at Sophie. Sophie Baxter was brunette and in her late thirties. Her hair was combed back into a neat ponytail and she was wearing a white blouse and pink cardigan. Her expression was also cheerful. Next to that happy pair Eleanor felt like a storm cloud on a clear horizon dressed in her black blouse with a purple motif on the front and purple three-quarter length trousers. Her curly dark red hair was loose around her shoulders and her eyes were done over with the usual heavy black makeup. She'd considered dying her hair, Goths seemed to do that but then decided against it.

The house though. She couldn't quite grasp the concept that she was leaving the house beyond. It had been her home since she was seven...every since that incident. Staring at it now was like staring at a corpse, it was familiar but there was nothing there. It was hollow and empty. The familiar reddish tone of the bricks and the way the sun reflected off the upstairs windows sent a pang of sorrow inside her. This was it. Goodbye home. Goodbye Friends. Goodbye life.

"Come on Ella. In the car or we'll leave without you," Joked Lee throwing an arm around his daughters shoulders. In the back seat of the car Sylvia sat looking equally as forlorn while contrasting her Sophie sat digging in her bag from a tin of travel sweets and a Hello magazine that she could read for the journey. Almost smugly Ella got into the passenger seat, at least Sophie hadn't wangled her way there yet. Lee mistook the smirk as a smile.

"Not so bad is it Ella? Don't worry, I've made all the arrangements, you're going to a local school in Cardiff. Good school and the teachers have promised to keep quiet on your situation. That reminds me, Martha phone again, you've got another appointment scheduled for next month on March the twenty third," Lee said absently as he popped a CD into the car stereo player. Ella nodded, check ups with Doctor Milligan were normal. She was her own personal doctor as well as the women responsible for the care of her mother.

Mum...she was being transferred to Cardiff too. Eleanor instantly pushed thoughts aside preferring not to wade herself in horrible memories. Suddenly Sophia and Sylvia screeched in surprise as large blasts of heavy metal music screamed out of the CD player. Lee himself winced and Eleanor burst out laughing.

"For the love of God turn that blood thing down now!" Demanded Sylvia.

"It's what all the kids are into now Sylvia. Eleanor likes it don't you Ella?" Winked Lee.

"I don't care what she likes. I'm not listening to that rubbish for the entire journey and if she doesn't like it she can walk," Snapped Sylvia stubbornly. Lee sighed rolling his eyes as he ejected the CD. Eleanor smiled as he ruffled her hair playfully before replacing the CD with NOW 120. Perhaps Gran had a point, Ella wasn't really too keen on gothic music. The novels were alright but the music was depressing. Maybe she should try punk. Going punk for her new school might not be bad, maybe she could dye her hair purple or something...

A fresh start, Eleanor told herself as the car pulled away from her family home. There was a tone of finality in that thought but also of growing hope. At this school she would probably find the work mundanely easy but she could take a year out to enjoy herself. No more stupid documentaries or qualification exams. She would enjoy being a normal teenager this year before she got dragged off to some elite scientific organisation next year.

'A new beginning...maybe this is what I need.'


A bit ansty and depressing but the next chapter should be more hopeful. It's set about a month later and both parties have settled down a bit more. Emily has to take her first day of school. Also Martha is by this point obviously married so her surname is no longer Jones but Milligan. As for Donna more will be revealed later on. And obviously the Doctor does appear in this fic just not until about chapter five or six since I want a little more development of my OC's first.

R&R. Thanks for all the reviews!

Daydreamer xxx