Lottie part 3

Lottie pulled the manhole open, gesturing for the Doctor and Rose to climb in. They walked past pipes and tubes until they reached a small chamber. The Doctor opened the door and they walked down some steps. Lottie's eyes widened at the sight of a huge, orange, jelly type being in the centre of the chamber.

"I'm assuming that's the controller?" Lottie asked, somewhat sarcastically. The Doctor nodded, telling them, "the Nestene Consciousness, that's it, inside the vat. A living, plastic creature."

"So it's essentially melted plastic?" Lottie confirmed, to which the Doctor nodded.

"Well, then. Tip in your anti-plastic and let's go." Rose said. Lottie shook her head. "We should give it a chance, Rosie. It's only trying to take over the world." The last part was said in full sarcasm.

"I'm not here to kill it. I've got to give it a chance." The Doctor agreed.

They went down some more steps until they reached a railing. Lottie's eyes searched the building and widened when they landed on Mickey. The Doctor leaned over the railings and began to speak with the Consciousness.

"I seek audience with the Nestene Consciousness under peaceful contract. According to convention 15 of the Shadow Proclamation."

The Consciousness wormed around a bit. Lottie held back her gag of disgust. It reminded her of bad milk, the smell matched it too.

"Thank you. That I might have permission to approach."

Rose glanced at Lottie. Lottie gestured to Mickey. Rose's eyes widened in excitement and relief. "Oh, my God! Mickey! It's okay! It's alright!" She ran over to her boyfriend and squatted down beside him. Lottie rolled her eyes, but followed.

"That thing down there, the liquid, Rose, it can talk!" Mickey freaked.

"You're stinking!" Lottie frowned. Early 21 century slang, I'll never get it. "Lottie, they kept him alive!" Lottie smiled at the two. "I did say it was a possibility."

Rose and Lottie helped Mickey to his feet and the Doctor continued to talk to the Consciousness.

"Am I addressing the Consciousness? Thank you. If I might observe, you infiltrated this civilization by means of warped, shunt technology. So, may I suggest, with the greatest respect, that you shunt off?"

Lottie bit her lip at seeing the Doctor take control. Dammit she thought, surprised with herself, but at the same time expecting it. She always did like the bad boys.

"Oh don't give me that, it's an invasion! Plain and simple! Don't talk about constitutional rights! I... am... talking!"

Lottie's eyes widened at the dark tone. Oh fudge.

"This planet is just starting. These stupid little people have only just learnt how to walk, but they're capable of so much more. I'm asking you on their behalf - please, just go."

Lottie felt fear fill her as two plastic people, Autons the Doctor had called them, grabbed him. Rose called out trying to warn him but it was too late. The Autons pulled the anti-plastic – such a stupid name – from his jacket.

"That was just insurance! I wasn't going to USE it." The Doctor tried to defend himself. "I was not attacking you. I'm here to help. I'm not your enemy. I swear, I'm not... what do you mean?"

Lottie's eyes widened in fright as she stared over at the TARDIS, which had appeared behind two doors,

"Oh, oh no, honestly, no! Yes, that's my ship. That's not true. I should know, I was there. I fought in the war. It wasn't my fault! I couldn't save your world! I couldn't save any of them!"

"Doctor! What's goin' on?" Lottie shouted.

The Doctor shouted over at her. "It's the TARDIS! The Nestene has identified its superior technology. It's terrified! It's going to the final base. It's starting the invasion! Get out, Lottie! Just leg it! Now!"

Rose hurriedly yanked her phone out of her pocket and dialled a number. Lottie stared at her. "Ah, Rose? Not the time!" Rose ignored her, calling frantically into the phone.

"Mum?!... Where are you, mum?... Go home! Just go home, right now!... Mum?! Mum!" Rose looked at Lottie, a terrified gleam in her eye. "Lottie… I'm scared." She whispered, as though afraid to say it.

Lottie rushed forward, bringing her young sister into her arms.

"It's the activation signal! It's transmitting!" The Doctor yelled. Rose whimpered against Lottie. The oldest Tyler held in a growl. "I figured that, Doctor!"

"The end of the world..." Rose murmured mournfully to her older sister.

"Get Rose and What's-his-name out, Lottie! Just get out! Run!" The Doctor yelled.

Lottie grabbed Mickey's hand, beginning to pull them towards the stairs, but the ceiling caved, crushing the stairs. "There's a fault in that plan!" Lottie shouted back.

Lottie brought the two younger almost adults to the TARDIS. "You two, try and get in." She said, turning and heading back in the direction she came.

"But, I haven't got the key!" Rose called at her sister's retreating back.

"We're gonna die!" Mickey wailed.

Lottie stared around the room, assessing her options. She stared at a rusty old chain, tugging on it briefly.

"There's nothing you can do!" Mickey called over to her.

She yanked on the chain until it unhooked, grabbing onto it, and for the first time since she arrived in that universe, thought things through. "I've got no money, no Katie, no university," she thought for a minute, what do I have? Finally the answer came to her. The reason for her newfound home. "But I've got the Tyler's."

Taking a leap of faith, literally, she swung off the railing, swooping down to the Autons, kicking them into the Consciousness, making sure to hit the anti-plastic. She swings back, letting go and bumping hard into the Doctor. The Doctor quickly wrapped his arms around her to stop her from falling in.

"Now we're in trouble." He informs her cheerfully.

Lottie glanced down where the Consciousness was exploding. "Ya don't say." They shared a grin before grabbing hands and running towards the TARDIS.

The ride in the TARDIS was… awkward to say the least. As soon as the magnificent ship was parked, Mickey burst out the door and fell over, crawling backwards towards a group of bins.

Rose and Lottie stepped out, the former calling Jackie. Lottie smiled as she looked at Rose, laughing as even she heard Jackie prattling on in the background. Smiling, Rose happily ended the call, hugging Lottie in a side hug that the older woman returned.

"A fat lot of good you were!" The Tyler's called over to Mickey from where they were standing. Lottie giggled slightly at Mickey's whimper.

The Doctor emerged from the TARDIS, leaning on the door.

"Nestene Consciousness?" He clicked his fingers. "Easy."

Rose glanced back at him as she called teasingly. "You were useless in there. You'd be dead if it wasn't for Lottie's fabulousness." Lottie laughed.

The Doctor smiled "Yes, I would. Thank you… Both of you. Right then! I'll be off! Unless, uh... I don't know... you two could come with me." Lottie and Rose separated from their hug, turning to look at him. Rose put her hands in her pockets as Lottie adopted a thoughtful expression.

"This box isn't just a London hopper, you know, it goes anywhere in the universe free of charge."

A smile grew on Lottie's face. Mickey seemed to see it as he shouted fearfully, "don't! He's an alien! He's a thing!"

The Doctor glared. "He's NOT invited. What do you think? You could stay here and fill your life with work and food and sleep, or you could go, uh... anywhere."

"Is it always this dangerous?" Lottie asked, glancing over at Rose.

The Doctor nodded, knowing this was what stopped many from coming. "Yeah."

Mickey puts his arms around Rose's legs like a little child. Lottie looked down at him.

Rose seemed to hear Mickey's silent – but rather obvious- request. "Yeah, I can't... I've um... gotta go and find my mum and um... someone's gotta look after this stupid lump..." She gave a small laugh. "So..."

The Doctor seemed saddened. "Okay. See you around." He then turned to Lottie. "And you?"

A gigantic grin grew on Lottie's face. "Did you even have to ask?" Lottie's contagious grin soon fell onto the Doctor's face.

Lottie began to walk toward the TARDIS, but Rose pulled her back. "Don't go… I just got you back." She said tearfully. Lottie's heart ached. She had only known the young Tyler for just about two months, but Rose had known her for her whole life. "I'm sorry. I have to!" Rose studied her sister's expression for a moment before nodding. "Okay… See what's out there for me?"

Lottie nodded, a small tear falling down her chin. She quickly hugged her before turning and walking to the TARDIS. The wheezing sound echoed through the alleyway as the TARDIS dematerialised.

"Come on, let's go." Rose said softly to Mickey. Mickey glanced up at her and, upon seeing her heartbroken expression, brought her into his arms.

They began walking back down the alleyway towards the streets, when the wheezing began again. They whirled around, shocked to see the TARDIS reappearing. Lottie stepped out. Rose's eyes widened. Lottie's outfit had completely changed, along with her hairstyle. Lottie's once waist length blonde locks were now resting just below her breasts.

That could not have happened in the span of a minute at most.

"He forgot to mention that it also travels in time." Giving Rose one final smirk, the changed Lottie stepped back into the TARDIS, leaving the door open a tad.

Lottie smiled at the Doctor as she walked back in. "Thank you… For doing this." The Doctor gave her a grin. "Hey, you were right… Rose definitely deserved to come along."

•••

Author's Note: Yes, a couple adventures happened between the scenes where Lottie became the Doctor's companion to when they came back for Rose, but none of them were from the series. If you want to find out what they were, there will be flashbacks. If you want to see them in full detail just ask and I'll make a spinoff. There has been no dramatic change in the Doctor and Lottie's relationship at this point. They are still just friends. It's only been about two weeks at the most.

As for when Lottie 'saved' the Doctor from the Autons; I spent about an hour debating whether I should let Rose have her moment to save the Doctor, but, yes, I did give it to Lottie, but I did it for a reason! I didn't just do it to make Lottie seem heroic. I did it to kind of show that Lottie accepted the fact she was trapped in an alternate universe and had accepted the Tyler's as her family. Were you guys okay with that? Please let me know.