Chapter Four

River paced back and forth as the Doctor looked at Rose and wanted desperately to go over and talk to her. Rose only glared at him as the Doctor sighed and looked toward the door, wondering where Pete had gone off to. He told them he would be right back, but he hadn't returned and the Doctor saw that River was inching her way toward Rose.

"Don't even try it," Rose said as she drew her gun and pointed it at River.

"I was just going to ask if I could get something to eat. I'm starving," River said with a smug tone in her voice and Rose looked at the guard standing near the door.

"Tell Henderson to go get them something to eat," Rose said as the guard opened the door and stepped out of the room. Rose slowly placed the gun back in the holster then sat down as the Doctor sighed and leaned back in the chair, folding his arms across his chest.

"So, um, how've you been?" he asked as she glared at him and slammed the gun on the top of the table. "Right, guess I'll be shutting up now."

Connie heard James moving around in the den as she walked toward the door and looked inside the room. She watched him while he muttered something then reached into the drawer of the desk and brought out a black box. He placed the black box on the desk when he pressed his thumb on the green plate and a white light moved over his thumb. A small click filled the air as he opened the black box and removed a gold necklace with a round medallion on the end then a leather wristband with a small pad on the top and placed them on the desk.

"You going tae stand there and watch me or are you going tae come in?" he asked when she walked into the den and he turned to face her. She could see the sadness in his eyes as she walked to him and slid her arms around his waist.

"Talk tae me," she whispered as he kissed her lips then smiled and leaned his head forward, placing his forehead against her.

"Do you trust me?" he asked and she nodded. "Then believe me when I tell you that I really do hunt aliens and monsters."

"But that sounds so insane."

"Aye, it does," he said as she stroked the hair behind his ear and he smiled at her. "Guess there is only one thing left tae do."

"And that is?"

"You're coming with me," he said and her eyes went wide.

"And where are we going?"

"We're going to Torchwood."

"How are we going tae get there?"

"I'm going to use this," James said as she looked at the leather wrist band then at him and gave him a confused look. "This is a vortex manipulator. A shuttle craft crashed in Culloden a few years ago and a team of field agents found it in a box. There were some other manipulators and, after some testing, it became standard issue. I was given one soon after I joined Torchwood."

"What does it do?"

"It can take me from one place tae another as long as I know where I'm going."

"You're making that up."

"No, I nae making it up," he said while she lifted the medallion off his chest and he looked down at it then at her and she slightly smiled at him.

"And what is this?"

"This is an imager. They found a few of them when they found the vortex manipulators."

"What does it do?"

"It can make me look like anyone."

"Why would you need tae do that?"

"So I can blend in with my surroundings."

"Really?"

"Aye," he said with a nod of his head and she sighed, placing the medallion against his chest.

"Och, I dinnae believe a word of this. But if you need tae convince me then let's get going," she said and he smiled, reached over for the leather wristband and she helped him place the leather wristband on his left wrist.

"Now are you sure that you really want tae do this? I ken that you get motion sick and this isnae going tae be a smooth ride."

"Just get on with it before I change my mind and have you sectioned." He smiled then placed the gold chain around his neck while she held the medallion against his chest and could just feel his heart thundering against her fingers. Kissing her lips, James placed her arms around him then tapped the button as he told her to hold on tightly to him and they vanished in a blue light.

Pete sat at his desk as he looked at the screen and watched River pacing back and forth. The guard had come back from the canteen with food for her, Rory, Amy and the Doctor and Rose sat at the table, glaring at them. Sighing, he placed his elbows on the top of the desk as he placed his head down and tried hard not to cry.

"I think I'm going tae be sick," a woman's voice said as he looked up at saw James and Connie standing just under the CCTV camera and James let her go and tapped the medallion. She blinked her eyes a few times as his appearance changed and he smiled at her, stroking some of her hair behind her ear. His hair was now long and blonde and his eyes were gray. His face was round with a small nose and thin lips and a small scattering of freckles covered his cheeks and nose. His body was lean and muscular and he was wearing jeans, white converse, a Celtic baseball cap and a black t-shirt with the head of Storm Trooper from Star Wars on the front.

"What the hell?" Pete said as James took her hand then walked toward the desk then James turned to the CCTV camera and waved. "Who is she?"

"This is my wife, Connie," James said as Connie leaned against him and James looked from her to Pete and sighed. "Where's the bathroom?" Pete pointed to the door to his right as Connie ran inside the bathroom and closed the door behind her. Sighing, James walked to the chair when he sit down and Pete glared at him.

"What is she doing here?" Pete asked then winced as Connie threw up behind the door and James sighed, arching the baseball cap back on his head.

"I know that I'm breaking protocol, but she didn't believe me when I told her who I work for."

"You told her what?"

"We don't have secrets in our marriage," James said when Connie came out of the bathroom when she walked to James and he stood up, allowing her to sit down. He handed her a small roll of mints as she took one then placed the mint in her mouth and he gently kissed her cheek.

"You're Pete Tyler," she said after tucking the mint between her teeth and gum and he nodded. She then looked at James and he smiled at her. "You really dated his daughter?"

"You told her about that?" Pete asked with wide eyes.

"I was going to when you called me," James sighed and Connie realized that he wasn't using his accent.

"Well," Pete said as he looked at Connie and she took hold of James' hand, wrapping her fingers around his fingers. "Yes, they were together, but I wouldn't call it dating."

"Then what would you call it?"

"I am afraid that it's complicated. Let's say that it didn't work out and James had to leave," he said and Connie nodded, squeezing James' fingers.

"Is it true? Is Big Blue here?" James asked and Pete slowly nodded his head.

"What is Big Blue?" Connie asked and felt a little angry when they didn't answer her and James sighed, looking at the floor.

"I want to go see her."

"Don't you want to see…?" Pete asked and James shook his head while Connie stood up and James looked at the door.

"Not just yet," he said as Pete stood up then walked to them and they headed for the door. Opening the door, Pete led the way as they left the office and James held Connie's hand in his. It took a few minutes to arrive at Storage Level Seven as they walked down the hallway and James glanced up at the CCTV cameras. A guard sat at the desk near the large metal doors when she stood up and saluted Pete and Pete smiled, nodding his head. Pete walked to the control pad as he placed his hand on the scanner and the green light moved of his palm. The large metal doors opened as they walked inside the room and the lights hummed as they clicked on. The walls were stark white with shelves stacked with boxes and crates and larger boxes and crates sat on the floor. At the center of the room sat the TARDIS and James felt his heart slamming against his chest. Walking slowly toward the TARDIS, he noticed that the exterior was newer and he wondered if this was really the Doctor's TARDIS. He stood in front of the outer doors when he placed his hand against the wood and felt a soft vibration against the palm of his hand.

"Well?" Pete asked as James looked back at him and gently moved his fingers over the wood.

"I'm not…" James said when one of the outer doors opened and he slid inside then opened the inner door, closing the outer door behind him.

"Where are you going?" Connie asked as he turned to face her and leaned on the doorframe.

"I'm going in there."

"But it's just a police call box."

"Yeah, it is. Now stay here with Director Tyler and I'll be right back." Walking inside the control room, James was stunned on how much the control room had changed while walking toward the console and placed his hands on the top of the console. He slowly closed his eyes when he felt something move through his mind and tears gently rolled down his face. He took the gold necklace and the baseball cap off as he placed them on the console then looked up and wiped the tears from his eyes. "Hello, Old Girl."

The warm blast of air moved through his hair as James walked slowly around the console then walked down the ramp and looked at the swing. He sat on the swing as he kicked his legs so the swing moved back and forth and closed his eyes. He could see the fire flickering around him and Donna as she remarked that he was naked and wanted to laugh at the blush that moved across Donna's cheeks. She did look away as he got up and headed for the wardrobe room to get dressed. He didn't care that he was wearing a maroon shirt under the blue suit as he walked back into the control room and stormed outside. He was angry, he would admit that much, and all he wanted to do was the last thing the Doctor was thinking. True, he was also thinking about Rose, but getting rid of the Daleks once and for all was also on his mind. Ok, he shouldn't have killed all of them. He could have thought of something else, but he was so mad. He also wondered if being mad at the Sycorax for harming Rose and the others might have had a part in his anger and getting chopped off didn't put him in a good mood either. He used to tease himself about knowing that and put it down to some sort of freaky, genetic memory and he softly smiled, kicking his legs some more to make the swing go higher.

"Och, dinnae worry, I won't kick you," he whispered as the swing went higher and higher until his feet nearly touched the metal and he smiled. The swing slowed down as he got off the swing and patted the metal. "Right, do you have any idea what's going on? Why is the Doctor here?"

The warm air moved through his hair when he saw a hologram image of him standing in front of him and James blinked his eyes, tiling his head to one side. He walked closer as he looked at the hologram then up at the bottom of the console and thought for a few minutes.

"Are you telling me that he came for…me?" he asked and the hologram nodded. "Wait, did he really come for me or did you?" The warm air blew through his hair as he patted the metal then walked up the ramp and headed for the doors. "Then I guess I should go make sure they don't cut him up into little pieces."

"James?" Connie asked when he saw her standing at the doorway and her eyes went wide when she saw the inside of the TARDIS. "What?"

"It's alright," he said as he held his hand out and she slowly walked toward him.

"What is this?" she asked as he held her in his arms then felt a warm blast of air move through her hair and he held her head to his chest, kissing the top of her head.

"Do you trust me?" he asked again as she looked up at him then nodded her head and placed her hands on his chest. "Then wait just a little longer and I will tell you everything."

"Can you start with…" she said as she waved her hand in the air and he smiled, nodding his head.

"So, are you ready for more weirdness?" he asked as she softly laughed and buried her face in his chest. "Is that an aye?

"Aye," she said softly as he kissed her lips and she walked out of the TARDIS. He watched her go then headed for the door when a blast of cold air blew around him and he looked over at the console while a light shimmered on the gold necklace and baseball cap. Laughing, he walked back to the console when he picked up the gold necklace and baseball cap off the console then placed them on and turned, heading for the doors and walked out of the TARDIS.