CHAPTER 2 - A Memory -------------------
Rose leaned back in her chair, rubbing her temples with her fingers, sighing. "Long day," she muttered to herself.
Her office was a mess, as usual. Between all the paperwork, moaning employees, government phone calls and rumour-silencing, the cleanliness of her office was something often left overlooked. Empty wrappers, cartons, pieces of scrap paper, ring binders, the odd office supply...she should really think about hiring a maid...
She laughed to herself then, imagining the possible ad in the newspaper:
CLEANER NEEDED Hours negotiable.
Location: Torchwood Tower (a.k.a. "Canary Wharf)
Discretion Required.
A buzz sounded from her desk, and, answering the intercom, Rose was greeted by her mother's voice, "Alright sweetheart?"
"Mum?" Rose glanced at her watch, "It's nearly seven o'clock! Shouldn't you be thinking about getting on home?"
"I'm heading off now - your Dad and I were thinking about getting a few drinks down the pub first, before we call it a night. Hmm, I could use a nice G 'n T..."
Rolling her eyes, Rose sighed. "Alrighty then, but don't be out too late; can't have you nodding-off at the help desk tomorrow."
"I'll keep a written tally on my units, and show it to you in the morning," Jackie replied weightily.
Rose laughed. "Okay, okay! Go, go! Give Dad my love."
"Will do...and don't work too late yourself. Turrah!"
Rose sat in silence for a while after that, staring down across the city of London through one of Canary Wharf's large windows. The sun was setting in the distance, colouring the sky a rich crimson-orange, light reflecting brilliantly off many of London's high-rising glass skyscrapers. The streets were slowly clearing of cars and pedestrians, and the expansive metropolis began to wind down for the evening.
For the briefest of moments, a memory surged back into Rose's mind, one from years ago - the scene before her was now imposed by an image of another city, one of a different Earth, with similar tall structures, though greater in size and much greater in abundance, their architecture superb and of a design not conceived in her time. There were no longer any roads on the ground, but they were not needed; all traffic was in the sky overhead, flying through the air. The people walking along the city's streets were not just people - humans were joined by a variety of creatures, all different, all alien. The city itself had a name: New New York.
"Well, technically, it's the fifteenth New York...so that makes it New New New New, New New New New New, New New New New New, New York!!"
She hadn't been prepared to remember him. She smiled at the memory, but knew her eyes betrayed the overwhelming sadness it brought with it. It all seemed such a lifetime ago. "Doctor..."
Before pushing the memory aside, Rose brought the TARDIS key she still had to her lips, letting a lone tear fall down her face to join the many that had done so before it.