Disclaimer: See Chapter 1
The TARDIS tipped and tumbled through the Time Vortex as the Doctor did his status quo of not piloting it correctly. Which, if by any indication of the groaning engines, she was not very happy about. Cassie hung on to the main console, holding the button down that the Doctor had indicated to her. The lights were dipping in out making visual sight very sketchy.
"Hold that one down!" The Doctor pointed at a lever in another section of the console.
"I'm already holding this one down!" Cassie snapped back in annoyance of his glee of the situation. But, that was the Doctor. Finding the joy in a hurricane.
"Hold them both!" He scrambled around the console to mash down more buttons and levers.
"Sure! I'll just break my arms for something that's not gonna work!"
"Oi! No complaining! I promised you a time machine, and that's what you're getting," more buttons were pushed and knobs were spun, "You've seen the future, now let's have a look at the past," he paused as he glanced down at the screen in front of him, "1860! How does 1860 sound!?"
"What's so special about 1860!?"
"Let's find out! Hold on-here we go!"
CLDW
Cassie suddenly lost her grip on the console, button, and lever; and went flying backwards on the floor along with the Doctor. Both of them just smiled at each other and stood up.
"Jeez," Cassie's first words were to break the silent.
"You're telling me," the Doctor agreed, "You all right?"
"Probably. Doesn't feel like anything's broken. Did we make?"
He quickly grabbed the screen and smiled, "I did it! Give the man a medal," Cassie just shook her head at his ego. Promising herself to get him back for it later, "Earth, Naples, December 24th, 1860."
"Wow," Cassie breathed, "It's Christmas time." She looked at the doors, just itching to period dress and explore 19th century Cardiff as Rose did in the episode.
"All yours." The Doctor gave a grand gesture at the door with a smile.
"No, but I mean. It's Christmas Eve 1860 only once. Then it's just gone on the 25th. No one can ever go back and relive it. Except for you," Cassie was getting lost in her words. Not paying attention, being careless, "You can go back to the time of Queen Victoria or forward to the End of the Universe. Visiting aliens worlds of a hundred thousand different species. From huge, green, farting aliens to space vultures. I can see why you never settle down."
The Doctor gave her suspicious look from the corner of his eye as she described some species like Raxacoricofallapatorions and the Shanseeth with to much detail to just be random words. This girls choice of words and riddles was starting to peak the Doctor's interest even more then her reactions to things did. She was very interesting. He didn't, however, want to confront her about it yet. This was only there second trip and, the Doctor had to admit. He liked having her here. He didn't feel as alone with her here, "Not a bad life."
"I think it would be better with two," she stated simply as she looked back at him for a second before she sprinted toward the door leading to the other part of the TARDIS.
"Where are you going!?" The Doctor couldn't believe she was running away.
"It's 1860 out there. I can't exactly go out like this." She indicated her dark-wash jeans, red, form-fitting top, and black, hoodie jacket. The Doctor's eyes lingered slightly on the top before snapping them up to her face.
"Fair point. There's a wardrobe down there, first left, second right, third on the left, go straight-" He was cut off by Cassie coming over to him and placing a hand over his mouth.
"Just never mind. She'll help me." She turned in a quick twirl as she left the Doctor to ponder her acceptance of the TARDIS as a living conciseness. The door was closed behind her, but was opened a crack to allow Cassie to stick her head out, a second later, "And if I'm dressing up in period wear, so are you! No just changing your sweater!" And the door closed.
CLDW
Cassie stepped back into the console in a peach colored dress. Unlike Rose's dress in the episode, this one had sleeves that fell about three-quarters down her arm and gathered a little around the elbow. It also had four bows cascading down the front and the back of the floor length dress trailed into a semi-train. The only jewelry she wore was a black choker with a yellow topaz in the middle. Seeing as it was December outside of the TARDIS, Cassie found a brown shawl to pair with the outfit. Her hair fell in soft curls around her face in a half up/half down style. A small clip for decoration wedged into the bun.
"Blimey." The Doctor said from his place at the console.
"You like?" Cassie did a little twirl for him, holding the folds of the dress out to show it off more. His eyes slowly followed her figure up and watched as the bodice of the dress hugged her waist. His eyes finally made it to her face and saw the smirk on it. He quickly looked away and coughed slightly.
"You look beautiful. Considering." Still not looking her in the eye. He tinkered with a few more wires as he heard scoff come from her lips.
"Considering what?"
"That you're human."
She took a deep breath, bottling her anger, and put a smile on her face, in place of the smirk, "I'm taking that as a compliment. And I told you to change!" He only smirked and fingered his jumper.
"I've changed my 'sweater'. Americans and their funny slang." He took her arm before she could retort back, "Come on." As they made it to the door, Cassie let go of the Doctor's arm and cut him off.
"I'm doing this. You've had plenty of time to relish in the moment. It's my turn." She pulled them open with so much excitement that they hit the walls on either side of the frame. The TARDIS gave a disgruntled shutter as they exited the machine and Cassie gave a silent apology.
Cassie, in her haste, stumbled out of the TARDIS and made the first footsteps in the road before the ancient box. She gently patted the beginnings of a drift near the door. Her ungloved hand came back red and dripping with the melted snow trailing off it. She found strange comfort in the stinging sensation crawling through her fingers. She continued to stare at the hand as the Doctor exited the TARDIS.
"Ready for this?" A light in his eyes as he saw the wonder in hers. She held a finger and walked a few paces away from him. She went up on her toe so to not break the heel of her period shoe, and spun around in the falling snow; giggling as the small flakes tickled her nose. She stopped in mid-spin when she heard a small chuckle behind her. She looked over, grinning and nearly skipping back to the Doctor; taking his hand, "Here we go. History."
CLDW
Cassie's head whipped around to get a look at every single person and place in the crossroads. Women and men strolling through the streets, arm in arm. Some in expensive clothing and some in shabbier rags. Caroling people walking in a massive group like you would normally see in a 21st century mall. Children running beside the horse drawn carriages and laughing, despite the cold assaulting them through their thin clothes.
The Doctor unlaced his arm from Cassie's and went to pay a newsvendor for a paper. Cassie walking a little ways ahead, to absorbed in the scenery to notice.
"I got the flight a bit wrong." The Doctor came up behind her after he'd looked at the headline of the paper.
"What else is knew?" Cassie answered back not caring if they were off by a few years. It didn't matter if they were in 1200 at the court of King Richard or in 2375 in the country of Zimbabwe. It was amazing.
"It's not 1860, it's 1869."
"Doesn't matter."
"And it's not Naples."
"It doesn't matter."
"It's Cardiff."
Cassie spun around and put her hands on his shoulders, "How many times do I have to tell you? It. Doesn't. Matter." He sighed and led her across the street, dodging horse carriages and running children alike. They finally reached the other side of the street, only to hear a scream emanate from the theatre.
"That's more like it!" The Doctor exclaimed and rushed off followed by Cassie, trying to keep up in her heels.
CLDW
After the Doctor and Cassie battled through the crowd of panicking people (which was, frankly, almost equally terrifying as facing a Dalek) they finally made it into the theatre just in time to see an old women standing erect, in the audience with blue smoke coming out of her mouth. The smoke was shrieking and streaming through the room, making the last remaining people scamper for the exit.
The Doctor sprinted towards the stage to the astonished looking bearded man (AKA Charles Dickens) standing there. Cassie stayed in the back of the audience seating to keep an eye on the alien. While everyone else was clued into the creature rising through the air, Cassie was the only one to see two people (a man and a woman) run through the row and sling the old woman over the man's shoulder. Her eyes followed them out as she warred with herself. Should she go or should she stay? She really doesn't want to be drugged and trapped in a room with murderous dead people. But, if she doesn't go, how would the Doctor know where to go to look for the 'ghosts'.
"Ugh, I'm so gonna regret this," she mumbled as she hiked up her dress to run, "Never wearing heals on an adventure again. I'll go with Ten's style. Nice clothing, proper footwear."
He gave a call to the Doctor as she followed the pair out, him not even glancing over; continuing his conversation with Dickens.
"Hey! The two of you! You can't do that!" She called as she rushed out the door in time to see the head of the old lady disappear into the hearse. The man hid behind the carriage, leaving the explaining to the woman (Gwyneth), who did look remarkably like Gwen (Same actress, what you gonna do?).
"Oh it's a tragedy, miss, don't worry yourself, me and the master'll deal with things." Cassie catching every word of the woman's garbled, Welsh speech thanks to her extensive watching of Torchwood, "Fact is, this poor lady's been taken with a brain-fever and we have to get her to the infirmary-" Cassie pushed past the woman and grabbed the lady's hand just to see if it was really true. Her hand felt nothing but ice as it wrapped around the sickly fingers. Cassie's other hand went her mouth in horror and disgust.
"She's really dead," she whispered to herself, "I'm so sorry for this to have been done to you." Cassie squeezed her hand before she retracted it from the stone cold grip and stepped backward... Only to be bumped into by the man as her clapped his hand with the white cloth around her mouth. Cassie struggled against the arm on instinct, even though she knew it would be pointless. Her vision grew fuzzier and fuzzier until her hands dropped to her sides. She was still semi-conscious, but not enough to fight back. Only to listen.
"What d'you that for?" the woman exclaimed as Cassie was practically on the ground.
"She's seen to much! And likewise, did you hear the way she talked? She may know something about this! Get her in the hearse!" She felt two pairs of hands lift her from the ground, one pair lingered a little to long and ghosted over her body. Her sub-conscious summoned up some disturbing images of Jay and Mike.
"Cassie!" She was broken from her nightmarish fantasies as the Doctor called her name before the door of the hearse was closed.
CLDW
Cassie felt herself being laid down on a table somewhere in the Mortuaries home. The man (who Cassie remembered his name was Sneed) and Gwyneth had already laid the dead woman back in her coffin next to her grandson.
"The poor girl's still alive," Gwyneth suddenly said, "What are we going to do with her?" Cassie was eager to hear the answer to that question as well. While she may know what happened in the original series, this was a completely different time line. Rose was still back in 2005 and Cassie didn't even exist in this reality. Well, she technically did, but she still lived in Paris, Texas with her original family. And she had quite a few music and writing awards, to add to her ego.
"I don't know!" Sneed exclaimed, bringing Cassie back to the present, "I didn't plan any of this, did I? Is it my fault if the dead won't stay dead? She might be a better help then me! We'll just have to wait 'til she wakes up."
"We can't expect a child to know anything of this darkness," Gwyneth retorted back, "And if it's not your fault, then whose fault it it, sir? Why is this happening to us?"
Footsteps trailed out of the room and a click was heard as the door was locked. Leaving Cassie alone with two very undead corpses.
CLDW
Slowly, control over her body came back to Cassie. And with it came the pain. The pounding in her head was only equal to the ache that she felt in her arms and legs. She sat up slowly, lifting her hand to her forehead. Hoping the added pressure from her hand would soothe the steady drum beat. It didn't.
She swung her legs over the table and stood up shakily, holding on to the edge of it for support. Once she regained her balanced Cassie quickly rushed to the door and tested the handle in vain. She leaned her forehead against the door until she heard a creak behind her. Turning around, Cassie saw the grandson sitting bolt upright in his coffin. His face had a ghostly glow to it as he breathed in more of the gaseous creature from the gas fixture.
"Okay, no need to be hostile," Cassie pressed her back against the door looking the dead man walking in the eye, "I know who you are. You're the Gelth. See, I know about you." Cassie was just talking, rambling. Buying time until the Doctor could get there. But it didn't seem to be working as the old woman sat up in her coffin as well. Both managed to get out of their boxes and started steadily walking towards her.
Cassie, not seeing any other option, took off both shoes and lobbed them at the advancing corpses. Her feet felt immediate relief, but the bodies only staggered a little as the shoes hit them squarely in the chests and glanced off them. Not even making them fall backwards.
"Knew that wouldn't work," Cassie mumbled, "'Kay, now it's time for some noise. Doctor!"
The grandson reached out a hand to her only to be met with a kick that knocked him to the floor. The woman was still coming, but she tripped over the legs on her grandson and fell next to him, "Doctor! Now would be a good time to come!" She turned her back to the floundering corpses and beat her fists against the door, "Open the door! Please!" With Cassie focusing on the door, the corpses righted themselves and made their way closer to her. Cassie felt an icy cold touch around her waist as the grandson pulled her away from the door, "Let go! I don't need grab hands from you to!" Cassie struggled as the grandson pulled her arms behind her back in a vice like grip.
The door was suddenly kicked open and in the frame stood the Doctor, Dickens, Gwyneth, and Sneed. They stood there staring at the scene before them with wide eyes.
"Anytime you want to get me out of here!" Cassie called as they just stood there. The Doctor came to his senses first and yanked Cassie out of the room and into the hall.
"I think this is my dance, thank you-"
"It's a prank. Must be. We're under some mesmeric influence." The Doctor was about to retort when Cassie cut across him.
"Really? You're going with that?" the Doctor just grinned.
"Hi."
"Hi," Cassie answered back, breathless, "I leave you alone for a few minutes and you pick up Charles Dickens." The Doctor just ignored her and spoke to the dead.
"My name's the Doctor. Who are you, then? What do you want?" The grandson opened his mouth and an unearthly wail emanated.
"Failing! Open the rift. We are dying. Trapped in this form. Cannot sustain. Help us..." The two bodies tilted their heads back as the gas escaped from their mouths and they toppled to the floor.
CLDW
"First, you steal a woman in plain sight. Granted she was dead, but still you can't do that! Then you shove a foul smelling handkerchief in my face," Cassie was reaming Sneed out for everything between here and the moon, "And don't think I didn't feel you're little... Exploration! Dirty bastard!" Cassie shuddered as she thought of the experience. The Doctor gently put a hand on her shoulder in comfort.
"I won't be spoken to like this-" Sneed interjected and tried to stand.
"Oh, no! I'm not done with you yet. Then you put me in a room with the a live play action of 'Night of the Living Dead' and leave me to die. So you better come out with the truth mister!"
"It's not my fault," Sneed defended himself, "It's this house! Always had a reputation. Haunted. But I never had much bother, till about three months back. Then the stiffs-" All the people in the room gave him a disgusted look at his derogatory term for the dead, "Er, the dear departed-started getting restless."
"Tommyrot!" Cassie just rolled her eyes as Dickens denied the obvious. Sneed was the one answer him this time.
"But you witnessed it! Can't keep the beggers down, sir, they walk," the Doctor was deep in thought as Sneed continued in his explanation, "And it's the queerest thing, they hang onto scraps of their old selves. One old fella-used to be a sexton-almost walked into his own memorial service. Like the old lady, going to your performance, just as she'd planned." Gwyneth entered the room with a trey of cups.
"Two sugars, sir, just how you like it." She set the cup of tea in front of the Doctor, who followed her with his eyes as she continued around the room. Stopping at Cassie next.
"I just brought you coffee with some chocolate mixed in," the maid gave Cassie a warm smile as she went to give Charles his drink. Cassie smiled down at her favorite drink, thinking of how the beverage wouldn't even be invented for a few decades or so, let alone be called Mocha coffee.
"Morbid fancy," Dickens muttered as he took his drink.
"Charles, you were there," the Doctor tried to reason with the writer as Cassie payed more attention to Gwyneth then the annoying disbeliever.
"I saw nothing but an illusion."
"If you're gonna deny it, don't waste my time, just shut up." Cassie would have told him the same thing, but it didn't seem her place to yell at a historical figure. Not yet anyway. Dickens quieted down with a hurt look on his face as the Doctor turned back to Sneed, "What about the gas?"
"That's new, sir. Never seen anything like that."
"Means it's getting stronger. The rift's getting wider, and something's sneaking through."
"And the rift is...?" Cassie asked for the benefit of everyone else in the room. Also to pause the Doctor in his self rambling before he gathered steam.
"A weak point, in time and space. A connection between this place and another. That's the cause of ghost stories, most of the time." He said off-handedly without much thought.
"That's how I got the house so cheap," Sneed interjected, "Stories go back generations. Echoes in the dark. Queer songs in the air. And this feeling, like a shadow passing over your soul. Truth be told, it's been good for business, just what people expect from a gloomy trade like mine."
Cassie shook her head in disgust and noticed Dickens sneaking out of the room.
CLDW
Cassie had followed Gwyneth into the tiny kitchen with the leftover cups to wash and dry them. Gwyneth protesting all the way.
"Please, miss, you shouldn't be helping, it's not right." Trying to take the cups out of Cassie's hands.
"Don't be silly. You've probably done your fair share of work for Sneed. How much does he pay you?"
"Eight pounds a year, miss."
"What! Twelve dollars a year?" Cassie was shocked. She had gotten pretty good at converting English money to American money and twelve dollars a year was just unacceptable.
"A dollar, miss? Isn't that American currency?" Gwyneth asked with a perturbed smile on her face.
"Oh! Um, yeah. I mean, yes. As you can probably tell by the accent I grew up in America. But, I was just surprised at the amount," Cassie covered quickly for herself.
"I know!" Gwyneth smiled with excitement, "I'd've been happy with six!" Culture shock. I just have to get used to the culture shock. Cassie thought
"You did go to school, right...?"
"Course I did, what d'you think I am, an urchin?" Cassie only laughed quietly, "I went every Sunday, nice and proper."
"Once a week?" Cassie still was surprised.
"We had to do sums and everything. To be honest, I hated every second." She whispered with a giddy excitement.
"Who doesn't!" Cassie smiled along with her in friendship.
"Don't tell anyone," Gwyneth leaned in more, "But one week, I didn't go, I ran away down the Heath, all on my own." Twenty-First century or the Seventeenth. Kids will be kids.
"I never did any of that. Always wanted to though. My friend, Lindsey, always tried to convince me to. Go and look all the boys around the mall."
"Well I don't know much about that, miss," Gwyneth answered, casting her eyes down in embarrassment.
"Really? Never looked at anyone? At all?" A coy smile playing on Cassie's lips.
"I suppose...There is one lad," Gwyneth admitted, "The butcher's boy, comes every Tuesday afternoon. Such a nice smile on him." Gwyneth sighed in happiness.
"Sounds nice," Cassie smiled as she thought of Mickey and Rose. She always loved how they could be so cute together, but sometimes it got to the point where she was practically puking up rainbows. She would love to experience a fraction of the relationship they had together. But, she doubted it would happen since she started traveling around the universe. You couldn't really start a relationship when you would mostly likely leave without a second thought about the other person. While she loved Rose, in and out of the telly, Cassie always hated how Rose had been to quick to leave Mickey to zoom around time with the Doctor. Leaving him to carry on and then just expect him to drop everything when she showed up out of the blue.
"I never asked. Have you got anyone?" Cassie blinked a couple of times before she registered the words Gwyneth had asked her.
"Um, no. There's no one," She lightly rubbed a dish dry as an image of green eyes and dark hair flashed through her mind. From the dream and reality.
"Well, how about that bloke your with?"
"What! Oh, no. Defiantly not. I only just met him. But, back to your love life. Have you asked him out. A cup of tea maybe?"
Gwyneth gave her a calculated look, as if she was trying to understand her, "I swear, miss, it's the strangest thing. You've got all the clothes and breeding. But you talk like some sort of wild thing." Cassie liked being described as that. She was always known as the 'follow the rules' type back home. In both worlds.
"I like the sound of that. Maybe you should consider it. There's more in this world then serving Mr. Sneed." The maid gave her a stern look.
"Now that's not fair, he's not so bad, old Sneed. He was very kind, taking me in, cos I lost mam and dad to the flu when I was twelve."
"I'm sorry," Cassie put a hand on the other girls shoulder, "I recently lost my family to."
Gwyneth gave a her a teary smile, "I'm sorry for you to. But, you'll see them again, we both will. Sitting with them in Paradise. I shall be so blessed. They're waiting for me. Maybe your mam, dad, and sister's waiting up there too, miss."
"Wouldn't be to sure," then Cassie realized something, "Wait, I know you could assume my parents, but how do you know I just had a sister?" Gwyneth's eyes widened in sudden panic.
"Dunno, must've been the Doctor."
"But I haven't told him anything about back then."
"Back in the other world." Cassie jerked back in surprise.
"How do you know about that?" Gwyneth only scrubbed harder at the plate she had in her hand.
"Mr. Sneed says I think to much, I'm all alone down here," indicating the kitchen, "Bet you've got a dozen servants, haven't you?" Cassie narrowed her eyes at the subject change.
"Don't change the subject. How do you know about where I come from?"
"And you've come such a long way." Cassie moved back as Gwyneth moved closer to her.
"What makes you say that?" Gwyneth's eyes were boring into Cassie, holding her gaze.
"I just do. You're from...London. I've seen London in drawings, but never like that, all those people rushing about...half-naked, for shame. So much noise! Those metal boxes, racing past...and those birds in the sky, also metal with people inside! No! But your from even further than that. I've heard of America. And of Paris, but never both in the same place. You've flown so far. Further than anyone. The things you've seen. In person and in moving pictures. The darkness. The big bad wolf-" Gwyneth quickly backed up, stuttering over the words in fear, "Oh I'm sorry miss. I'm sorry."
"It's fine." Cassie tried to comfort the scared girl, it wasn't her fault she had seen all the creatures and darkness from the Doctor's past.
"Can't help it. Ever since I was a little girl, mam said I'd got the sight. She told me to hide it."
"But it's getting stronger. More powerful. Is that right?" Cassie turned and saw the Doctor standing in the door. Pulsing with the essence of the Oncoming Storm. Cassie just rolled her eyes and brought the terrified girl closer to her.
"All the time, sir," she said from Cassie's arms, "Every night, now, voices in my head."
"You've grown up on top of the rift. You're part of it. You're the key." Cassie pulled Gwyneth closer as the Doctor explained.
"I tried to make sense of it, sir. Consulted with spiritualists and table-rappers and all sorts."
"Well that should help. You can show us what to do." Cassie didn't like where this was going.
"What to do where, sir?"
"Where having a seance, Gwyneth." Cassie whispered in her ear.
CLDW
Cassie was sitting in-between Gwyneth and the Doctor since she refused to sit next to the man who groped her. She gave Gwyneth a comforting hand-squeeze who was looking as pale as a sheet. She smiled back in thanks.
"I've seen it done, sir, this is how Madame Mortlock summons those from the land of mists, down in Butetown. Come. We must all join hands..." There was an awkward pause as Cassie reached for the Doctor's hand, he pulled back for a second until he let her clasp it.
"I can't partake in this." Dickens stood up from the table in a huff.
"Humbug?" The Doctor offered, "Come on. Open mind." You couldn't open that mind with a thousand pounds of dynamite.
"But this is precisely the sort of cheap mummery I strive to unmask. Seance! Nothing but luminous tambourines and a squeeze-box concealed between the knees. The girl knows nothing!"
"Oh, just shut up!" Cassie called out to the surprise of the men in the room. The Doctor just gave her a look before turning to Dickens.
"Now don't antagonise her. I love a happy medium." A smile appeared on his face as he made a joke almost below the level of Cassandra's cheap shots to her husbands.
"You did not just say that."
"Come on. We might need you." The Doctor completely ignored Cassie's comment as Dickens reluctantly took Gwyneth and Sneed's hands, "Good man. Gwyneth. Reach out."
Gwyneth took a deep before continuing, "Speak to us. Are you there? Spirits, come. Speak to us that we may relieve your burden..."
"Voices..." Cassie whispered as a subtle chattered was brought to her ears.
"Nothing can happen, it's sheer folly..." Dickens refuted once again.
"Yeah? Well, tell that to her," Cassie said as Gwyneth tilted her head back in awe.
"I see them! I feel them!" Blue gas started pouring out of all the gas lamps in the room. It swirled around Gwyneth's head, whispering words that rose and fell but were indistinguishable.
"What are they saying?"
"It can't get through the rift-" The Doctor answered Cassie. Urgency evident in his voice, "Gwyneth. It's not controlling you, you're controlling it. Now look deep. Allow them through."
"I can't-"
"Doctor, maybe she shouldn't," Cassie said in an attempt to stop things before they got out of hand.
"Of course she should. She just needs to believe. I have faith in you, Gwyneth. Make the link."
"Yes-!" Gwyneth exclaimed as the gas became more corporeal and a wind sped through the room. Three figures formed behind Gwyneth, their hair and clothes streaming out behind them. They looked ethereal in a way. Like blue goddesses in the mortal world. The rest of the gas continued to circle them. Encompassing them in blue.
"Great God!" Sneed said in awe and fear, "Spirits! From the other side!"
"The other side of the universe." The Doctor spoke with an odd determination. The central figure opened its mouth and began to speak in a ghostly wail.
"Pity us! Pity the Gelth! There is so little time. Help us!"
"What do want us to do?" The Doctor's mind was racing. This was the first species he'd encountered after the war that needed his help. He would do anyone to make up for what he had just done to his own people.
"The rift. Take the girl to the rift. Make the bridge."
"What for?"
"We are so very few. The last of our kind. We face extinction!"
"Why, what happened?"
"Once we had a physical form. Like you. But then the War came."
"What war?" The Doctor's stomach dropped a little as he prayed for it not to be-
"The Time War."
Cassie squeezed the Doctor's hand without fear of suspicion. He had told her about it as they had shared a plate of chips.
"The whole universe convulsed. The Time War raged, invisible to smaller species. But devastating to higher forms. Our bodies wasted away. We're trapped in this gaseous state." Of Course. The Doctor thought. It would be all his fault. Not only had he destroyed his own people, the war they had fought had brought death and destruction to other beings who were caught in the cross fire. Now, his more determined than anything to help these creatures.
"So that's why you need the corpses."
"We want to stand tall. To feel the sunlight. To live again. We need physical form and your dead are abandoned, they go to waste. Give them to us." Cassie didn't like the demanding nature the creature took on. The human race didn't waste the dead. They respected them. For all the experiences they had and the wisdom they gathered. Just because they didn't burn them for fuel didn't mean they didn't have a purpose.
"We can't do that."
"Why not?" the Doctor counted, a fire in his eyes at the descent from his companion.
"It's not..." Before she could continue he cut across her in a rage.
"Not decent? Not polite? It could save their lives." Before Cassie could argue further, Gwyneth let out a groan as the voices faded.
"Open the rift. Let the Gelth through. We're dying. Help us... Pity the Gelth!" The last line almost seemed like an after thought. Something just thrown in to distract them from something.
A wail sped through the room and the Gelth dissipated; the air stilled as the blue gas was sucked back into the fixtures. Cassie only managed to get a hold of Gwyneth before she slumped to the table. The silents was broken by Dickens.
"All true. It's all true." Now he believes.
CLDW
Cassie pressed a cold rag to Gwyneth's forehead as she laid down on the chaise. She still looked as pale as a ghost, but had a little flush to her cheeks. She was still knocked-out, until her eyes fluttered open.
"It's okay," Cassie assured her before she could get up, "You just rest, hm?"
"But my angels, miss! They came, didn't they? They need me-" She looked wildly around as Cassie just pressed her back onto the cushions.
"They do need you, Gwyneth. You're their only chance of survival-" Cassie put herself in front of Gwyneth in protection before the Doctor could finish.
"You're not using her. She needs care and rest and she certainly has nothing to do with this!" She turned back to Gwyneth, offering her a sip from the china cup, "Try this. It's the same thing you gave me. It's not bad." As Gwyneth did indeed enjoy the mocha, Cassie kept her ears trained on the conversation between the men.
"But what did you say, Doctor? Explain it again, what are they?" Sneed questioned.
"Aliens."
"Like, foreigners, you mean?" Little farther than that, Sneed-y
"Pretty foreign, yeah. From up there." The Doctor pointed upward
"Brecon?" Oh, yeah. Just outside the city. Course.
"Close. And they've been trying to get through from... Brecon to Cardiff," the Doctor just rolled with the 17th century mans thinking. Bettering the understanding of the situation, "But the road is blocked, only one or two can slip through. Even then, they're weak, they can only test-drive," Cassie wrinkled her nose in distaste when the Doctor described the bodies like a minivan, "the bodies for so long. They have to revert to gas, and hide in the pipes."
"And that's why they need the girl?" Dickens reasoned and pointed at Gwyenth.
"They won't get her," Cassie said for the tenth time that night. The conversation once again opened to include Cassie and Gwyneth.
"But she can help. Living on the rift has made her part of it. Gwyneth can open up the rift, make a bridge, and let them through." The Doctor tried to reason with her.
"Just because she can doesn't mean she should."
"Incredible," Dickens says before the Doctor could answer back, "Ghosts that are not ghosts but beings from another world. Only able to exist in our realm by inhabiting cadavers."
"It could work. Good system." The Doctor smiled.
"You can't let them walk around inside dead people." Cassie huffed in annoyance.
"Why not? It's just like recycling."
"It's nothing like recycling. These people were once living. They had families, jobs, friends. They had a life. They deserve to be respected. For all the bonds they made in their lives, all the wisdom they learned. Ever heard of respecting your elders and the dead? My mom taught me to always remember that one day it'll be us there. Treat them the way you would have others treat you."
"Do you carry a donor card?" Cassie's temper flared more as the Doctor used situations that were completely different from this.
"How would you feel if it were you?" The Doctor just scoffed at her attempt, "Or your mom?" The Doctor stopped dead, "Would you want to see her walking around after she died. Knowing it's not her there anymore. That it's some alien that's practically feeding on her-"
"Stop." The Doctor's voice was low and firm, "It's different traveling with me. Get used to it or go home." Cassie closed her mouth, scared of the full affect of a Time Lords anger washed over her.
"Not easy, is it, my dear?" Dickens commented. For one thing to talk more which he loved to do, but to also take attention away from the girl who seemed to be almost skewered by the man's stare, "This new world. Oh, I was so sure of myself. The great Dickens! Everyday, checking the papers for my name. Such vanity. When I'm nothing but an old fool."
"At least you're learning," the Doctor said as he brought his composure back.
"Learning what? That I'm a spent force? That this addle-headed scribbler is no longer use nor ornament? I didn't need you to tell me that, Doctor." Cassie almost felt bad for Dickens. It seemed as if he was discovering something about himself that he didn't like very much. Cassie saw the Doctor turn back to her and squared her shoulders. She would be ready if he yelled at her.
"You heard what they said." The Doctor said, more reasonable, "Time is short. I can't worry about a few corpses when the last few Gelth could be dying."
Cassie deflated a little, but still held to her morals. Her memory was weakening the more time she didn't re-watch the show and she couldn't remember some aspects of the seventh series, let alone in the first one. But every time she thought about what would happen if Gwyneth helped the aliens, a hard pit formed in her stomach, "I just want Gwyneth safe."
"Don't I get a say, miss?" Gwyneth spoke up from the chaise, having not made a sound before.
"Well yes but..." Cassie paused as she thought, "You're right. This is your choice. I just wanted to help in some way. Stupid, I guess." She sat down next to the girl, feeling ashamed of herself for treating this young woman like a child. She was startled to feel a hand on her shoulder.
"Oh no, miss. I see it. In your head. You only just wanted to protect me. If anyone's stupid it's me."
"No, don't say that-" Cassie tried to protest. And she really did think Gwyneth was brilliant. Maybe not in science and math. But in what really matters. Family, heart. Gwyneth was a genius.
"S'true though. A simple child, that's what I am compared to you and especially him," a thumb cocked at the Doctor, "Things might be very different where you're from, but here and now, I know my own mind. And the angles need me. Doctor?" She said turning back to him, still holding Cassie's hand, "What do I have to do?"
"You don't have to do anything."
"They've been singing to me since I was a child. Sent by my mam on a holy mission, so tell me." The Doctor pursed his lips together in thought before answering.
"We need to find the rift. This house is a weak spot, so there must be one spot that's weaker than any other. Mr. Sneed," He turned quickly to the undertaker, "What's the worst part of this house? The place where the most ghosts have been seen?"
He hesitated for moment before he answered, "That would be...The morgue."
"Right. Lovely." Cassie laughed out with strain.
CLDW
The morgue was dark, damp, and smelled profusely of decaying flesh. Not that that was any surprise. Cassie could see several bodies laid out on wooden trolleys. The space almost reminded Cassie of a mausoleum. With the wrought iron gate on one side and an architectural arch on the other. The door creaked from disuse as it was pushed open by the Doctor.
"Talk about bleak house," he muttered as he stepped forward cautiously.
"We really need to get you a better joke book," Cassie sighed and heard a satisfying snort come from the Doctor before he sobered.
"Doctor..." Dickens said, "I think the room is getting colder." Whispering began filling the room. Rising and peaking then rising even more. Gas light filled the room taking the form of one of the figures.
"You have come to help! Praise the Doctor! Praise him..." Cassie scoffed under her breath. Way to play on his ego.
"And nothing will happen to her?" Cassie tried to reassure herself through asking the figure, but the knot kept tightening more and more.
"Hurry!" the creature cried. Completely ignoring the question Cassie put to them, "Please! So little time. Pity the Gelth!" There was that statement thrown in. It was making Cassie even more and more suspicious.
"I'll take you somewhere else after the transfer," Cassie jerked with the Doctor's statement. It seemed like the Doctor was trying to make up for the way he treated her feelings earlier, "Somewhere you can build proper bodies. This isn't a permanent solution, all right?"
"My angels! I can help them live." Gwyneth was shining with anticipation, but with a pale under glow.
"Okay, where's the weak point?"
"Here! Beneath the arch!"
"Beneath the arch..." Gwyneth muttered as she stepped into the arch. She breathed in sharply and stiffened almost to a statue.
"I believe in you," Cassie said. Even if she disagreed with what she decided, it was her decision to be made.
"My angels!" A bright light suddenly filled the room, emanating from behind Gwyneth. Cassie staggered backward in surprise followed by the Doctor, Dickens, and Sneed.
"Establish the bridge! Reach out to the void. Let us through!"
"Yes!" Gwyneth called in awe, "I can see you. I can see you! Come!"
"Bridgehead establishing..."
"Come to me. Come to this world. Poor lost souls..." The whispering grew louder. It began to hurt Cassie's ears. She covered with them with her hands, if only to dull the noise slightly.
"It has begun! The bridge is made. She has given herself to the Gelth!" The blue smoke filled the room, coming from Gwyneth's mouth. Their movements reminded Cassie of the way fish moved around the tank. Her eyes darted from one to the next. She was always expecting them to stop coming. But they never did. More and more just pouring out, almost taking the whole room.
"That doesn't seem like a few," Cassie observed at the same time as Dickens. The words left Cassie's lips and the Gelth changed. The angelic faces were replaced by that of a demons. The soft blue undermined by a fiery red. The smile on the figures face turned into a mocking laugh.
"The bridge is open. We descend! The Gelth will come through in force."
"You said you were few in number!" Dickens called out as a Gelth brushed by him.
"A few billion! And all of us in need of corpses!" The Doctor just stared in shock. Stuck in the fact that the species had betrayed him. Sneed stepped forward brave in his actions (no matter how foolish they were).
"Now Gwyneth, stop this, there's a good girl. Listen to your master! This has gone far enough, now stop dabbling, child. And leave these things alone, I beg of you." Cassie called out as the Gelth dived into the corpses in the room and they immediately sat up. Her call came to late as one of the corpses began to strangle Sneed. Cassie tried to go help him (even if he had felt her up and made her have disturbing flashbacks, she didn't want him to die), but was stopped by a hand on her wrist.
"Don't go near-" Cassie saw something strange in the Doctor's eyes. She couldn't place the emotion in them, but the thought was driven from her mind as Sneed was killed and stood up again, this time one of them.
"I have joined the legions of the Gelth. Come, march with us." Dickens made a noise of disbelief, but it went unnoticed by the two other people and the corpses in the room, "We need bodies. All of you, dead. The human race, dead, fit only to become our vessels. The Gelth shall march in victory!"
"Gwyneth! Stop them! Send them back!" The Doctor called as more and more dead bodies were taken over. Gywneth's mouth did open, but the voice that emanated from it was the Gelths.
"Three more bodies! Convert them! Make them vessels fro the Gelth!"
Dickens made it to the door before the advancing bodies cut the exit off. Leaving Cassie and the Doctor stranded, "I'm sorry, Doctor! But I can't!" Cassie was appalled by what she was hearing. He was going to leave them there because he couldn't take the truth. He would rather let them die then see light. There was one thing for certain after that sentence. If they survived this, Cassie would never pick up 'A Tale of Two Cities' or 'A Christmas Carol' again, "I'm too old, your new world is too much for me – I'm sorry -" And he disappeared out the door. Some Gelth went after him but the main focus was on the two people who stayed. Cassie stared in shock after Dickens and barely registered the Doctor calling out and dragging her in through the bared gate behind them. He shut the door and braced them against the opposite wall as Gelth corpses reached for them through the bars.
"Give yourself to glory! Sacrifice your lives to the Gelth" Sneed said again as he swiped at them through the bars.
"I trusted you. I pitied you!" The Doctor called back in anger at them and himself. Because of his need for forgiveness another world would end in destruction.
"We don't want your pity," Sneed scoffed as he reached again, "We want this world and all its flesh."
"Not while I'm alive," The Doctor said as he put an arm in front of Cassie. If there was one thing he could save, it would be the life of this human who seemed to know more about these aliens then he did.
"Then live no more!"
"I'm gonna die, aren't I?" Cassie asked as the Doctor's arm crushed further into her stomach.
"I'm sorry," the Doctor had a resigned quality to his voice. Along with a sadness that could shake anyone to there core.
"It's 1869 and I'm gonna die. I was born in the 90's and I'm gonna die in the 1860's." She was babbling again. She seemed to do that often in times of crisis.
"All because of me. I brought you here." His head was falling slightly in defeat. Eyes closing in despair. Cassie was having none of that. She grabbed his chin and held in up to her gaze.
"Now none of that. This is not your fault. I wanted to come. It was my choice. It doesn't matter how irresistible you made the offer. I still could have said no. But I didn't. This is all on me. Have you got that?" He nodded his head as his eyes remained filled with pain. She released her grip and they once again stared at the corpses through the bares.
"And what about me?" He broke the silence of animal grunts with words to comfort her, "I saw the fall of Troy. World War Five. I was pushing boxes at the Boston Tea Party."
"Show off." Cassie muttered loud enough for the Doctor hear and bring a smile to his lips for a minute. Until it faded as he continued.
"Now I'm gonna die in a cellar, in Cardiff!" Cassie took his hand as the corpses reached further in.
"Go down fighting. Yeah?"
"You bet." He squeezed her hand, "I'm glad I met you."
"Me too." They smiled at each other...until Dickens rushed back into the room.
"Doctor! The gas! Turn on the gas! All of it, now!" The Doctor whipped his head around to stare at Dickens as he turned to knob of another lamp, putting it on full.
"What are you doing?"
"I might be an old fool but I understand basic science, sir! Turn on quickly, turn on the gas! Flood the place!" The Doctor's face brightened to understanding as he joined him in turning on the gas lamps in the space they were enclosed in.
"Brilliant! Gas!" Cassie followed suit and turned a nob on another, not even matching Dickens pace as he ran from one to the next.
"Am I correct, Doctor?" He asked for approval, "They're gaseous creatures-"
"Fill the air with gas - it draws them out of the host, sucks them into the air, like poison from a wound-" The Doctor finished as he turned another knob.
"I hope – Oh lor-!" The old woman and her grandson came into the morgue as three other bodies came at Dickens, trapping him against the wall. The Doctor and Cassie were to busy continuing the plan to help, "I rather hope this theory will be validated soon. If not immediately." The Doctor pulled a gas line off the wall, ripping it open. The room that smelled terrible to begin with began to choke them. Cassie put a hand over her mouth in an attempt to soften the exposure.
"Plenty more-" The corpses that were coming at Dickens suddenly stumbled and let out a wail as they were ejected from the bodies.
"It's working!" Dickens exclaimed as he extracted himself from the circle of bodies. All the dead bodies crowding the barred door gave the same wail as Dickens bodies and fell to the floor as their smoke rose. Cassie and the Doctor opened the door and hurried over to were Gwyneth had remained the entire time.
"Gwyneth! Send them back! They lied, they're not angles!" The Doctor was desperate to get through to her. Fighting the blue smoke that encased her face. The masks lifted as Gwyneth answered in her own voice.
"...Liars...?"
"Look at them! If your mother and father could look down and see this, they'd tell you the same. They'd give you strength. Now send them back!" Cassie coughed slightly, hiding the fact that the room had barely breathable in it. But of course the Doctor noticed, "Charles, get her out."
"I'm not leaving you or her," Cassie struggled to make the words come out with no real breath.
"They're too strong..." Gwyneth said, pulling the focus away from Cassie.
"Remember that world you saw? Cassie's world? All those people. None of it will exist, if you don't send them back through the rift!"
"Can't...send them back. But I can hold them. Hold them in place. Hold them here..." Her hands moved to her apron pocket and extracted a box of matches. Her eyes staring straight ahead without any light in them, "Get out."
"No! I'm not leaving you!" Cassie called reaching out to grab Gwyneth's hand. But the Doctor literally smacked it back.
"Cassie, get out, go now." Cassie made to protest but was cut across by him, "I won't leave her while she's still in danger, okay? Now go!" Cassie stayed still till the Doctor shoved her into Dickens grasp and her pulled her to the door. Cassie fought against him and manged to get out of his grasp in the hallway. She quickly ran back down to the cellar in time to see the Doctor with his hand pressed against Gwyneth's neck, checking her pulse. A sad frown came to his lips, "I'm sorry." He bent down and kissed her forehead, "Thank you." He ran right for the door and almost right in to Cassie. She could see a lecture coming on about being insufferable and irresponsible, but she merely held up her finger to him and went over to Gwyneth.
She smiled softly at the servant girl and kissed her lightly on the cheek, "You'll see your parents soon," she whispered in her ear. Cassie turned back towards the Doctor who had an odd expression his face. She only smiled a watery smile; took his hand and hiked up her skirts, "Shall we?" He smiled back and took off with her right beside him.
CLDW
The explosion was still active behind them. Fires burning in odd places. The smell of gas seeping everywhere. Heat whooshing out from the charred remains of the house. The Doctor helped Cassie up from the snow pile they had been thrown into. Dickens ran up to them from his spot that he took cover in. He had a relieved smile on is face that faltered slightly when he counted only two of them.
"She didn't make it. She closed the rift." Cassie whispered in answer to Dickens silent question. The Doctor put an arm on her shoulder. It was awkward and stiff but it held more comfort than anything else.
"At such a cost. The poor child." Dickens said solemnly, almost like a prayer.
"I did try, Cassie...you saw that. She was already dead. I examined her. Gwyneth had been dead for at least five minutes." The Doctor beseeched Cassie, fearing that after all he lost ed tonight, he would lose her to.
"I know. I saw you. I knew she was dead." Cassie wasn't aware of what she was saying.
"I think she was dead from the moment she stood in the arch." The Doctor said pulling the broken looking girl closer a little.
"But she talked, and helped, and saved us. How could she?" Her eyes were trained on the snow drifts being blown around by the small gusts of wind.
"'There are more things in Heaven and Earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy.' Even for you, Doctor." Dickens quoted. It seemed that the way they were speaking, it was like a funeral for Gwyneth.
"She saved the world. A servant girl. And only us three will know." Cassie stared into the flames still crackling around the broken wood of the house. Feeling the warmth of the tongues of fire wash over her. Wanting nothing more to have her mother's or Jackie's arms around her.
CLDW
They had reached the TARDIS and were standing outside the double blue doors saying good-bye to Dickens.
"If you don't mind, Charlie boy, I've just got to pop into my, um...shed. Won't be long." Before he could hassle Cassie inside, she turned to Dickens.
"What are gonna do now?"
"I shall take the mail-coach back to London, quite literally post-haste; it's the wrong time of year to be on my own. I shall spend Christmas with my family, and try to make amends. After all I've seen tonight, there's nothing more vital." Just like 'A Christmas Carol'.
"You've cheered up." The Doctor noted with a grin on his face.
"Exceedingly! This morning, I thought I knew everything in the world. Now I know I've barely started. And what an appetite I have, Doctor! All these huge, wonderful notions! I am inspired. I must write about them!"
"Are you sure about that?" Cassie questioned while the Doctor only gave him an indulgent smile.
"Oh, I shall be subtle, at first. 'The Mystery of Edwin Drood' still lacks an ending. Perhaps the killer was not the boy's uncle, perhaps he was not of this earth! 'The Mystery of Edwin Drood and the Blue Elementals'! I can spread the word, and tell the truth!
"Good luck with it," The Doctor said, giving him a handshake, "Nice to meet you, fantastic!" Cassie stepped up and silently kissed his cheek. A blush creeped over Dickens' face as Cassie just stepped back and laughed.
"Oh my dear! How modern. Thank you. But I don't understand, in what way is this good-bye, where are you going?"
"Into the she. You'll see," The Doctor said it as if it were obvious.
"'Pon my soul, it's one riddle after another with you. But Doctor – in amongst all the revelations, there's one mystery you haven't explained. Answer me this. Who are you?" Dickens asked the age old question that would never be answered truthfully.
"Just a friend. Passing through."
"You seem to know so much of future times." Dickens observed, "And I won't intrude, but I have to wonder...My books, Doctor. Do they last?" A look of dread was on his face but mixed in with flecks of hope.
"Oh yes."
"For how long?" Dickens countered eagerly.
"Forever." Dickens just smiled, "Right then. Shed. Come on, Cassie."
"Both of you, inside that box?" He asked skeptically but with a playful light in his eye.
"Get you mind out of the gutter." Cassie laughed as she went through the doors and up to the console. The Doctor right behind her.
"And you're okay with him writing about the 'Blue Elementals', are you?" Cassie eyes trained on the Doctor.
"In a week's time, it's 1870. And that's the year he dies." a little gasp escaped Cassie lips and the Doctor back peddled to fix his unfeeling error, "Sorry. He'll never get to tell his story."
"At least he got to live it." Cassie said as she watched Dickens through the video feed, still staring curiously at the TARDIS. Unnoticed went the look the Doctor gave her after her statement. A look of pride and adoration.
"But in your time, he was already dead. We've brought him to life, and he's more alive now than he's ever been. Old Charlie Boy." A smile pulled at his lips, "Let's give him one last surprise..." He reached for a lever.
"Can I do it?" Cassie asked with hope in her eyes. The Doctor gave her a mischievous smirk and guided her hand to the lever and watched as she gently pushed it down. They laughed together as they caught sight of Dickens face before the fully entered the vortex.
A/N: Hey guys! I know it's been forever since I last updated but it wasn't my fault. First, I had to live through Hurricane Sandy (got the whole week off from school!). Then, my teachers made up for the week lost by having a test almost every single day (who else hates physics out there?) on top of the fact that it was the end of the first quarter (straight A's and one B+). Then, after that hectic week, the whole play drama started and I needed to practice for my audition. Finally, its Thanksgiving break so I finally finished the chapter. Now, on to stuff about the story, cause who cares about my life.
Some of you have been saying they want to see different plot points and things in the story because it's a completely different character in there. I will be changing some of the things in the story, but not everything. I kept close to the story in the first few chapters because I was nervous about how people would react to the differences. But a change in the story will be coming. I promise.
By the way, you guys may want to check out my second chapter again. I slightly changed my opening dream sequence. I originally had it as the three faces of the Doctor and Rory. But then I thought about it a little more and decided to change a little fact. It's not major and doesn't affect the chapter itself. But it will affect the story later on. The change also affects subtle aspects in this chapter to. Brownie points for anyone who can guess.
I want to thank all the people who favorited and followed the story. It means a lot to me when I get an alert on my phone telling me someone liked it. I'd also like to thank my reviewers (I'm up to 14 already!) You're the ones who inspire me to write quicker. So the more reviews there are the quicker the chapters come (I feel like I said this last chapter to, but whatever).
Remember the three R's: Review, Review, Review! See Ya!