CHAPTER 7

Rose sat in her office, leant on one elbow and twiddling a strand of hair around her index finger, utterly fed-up. Two hours ago she had been asked to complete some paperwork which had only taken a minute or so of her time and since then she had been trying to keep herself amused.

A small pile of paper - each sheet depicting crude doodles of herself and the Doctor - had started to mount up in one corner. Frustrated she snapped the lid back on the marker pen she was using and threw it down. She swung round in her chair to look at the clock behind her and pursed her lips, it was about ten minutes past twelve, fifty minutes to go till she could take her lunch break.

Rose swivelled back round again and picked up some paperclips that lay on her desk and started fitting them together to make a chain. The telephone rang and Rose gratefully tossed aside the paperclips, cleared her throat with a small cough and lifted the receiver to her ear.

"Rose Tyler speaking."

"Hi Rose, it's Mickey, me and Jake have just arrived in Brussels."

"Mickey, thank God, I thought I'd go crazy."

"Still got nothing to do then?" Mickey laughed down the phone.

"It's not funny, the lack of anything to do is driving me mad. I just sit here day after day waiting, just waiting."

"There must be something for you to do…"

"Not on this Earth there isn't. The action is where the Doctor is, on the proper Earth."

"…you're probably right", Mickey admitted.

"This is just a fake world, it's nothing", Rose said bitterly.

A beeping noise sounded down the line.

"Hey Rose, listen I gotta go my money's running out."

"Put some more in."

"Can't, no more change…

They were cut off and Rose replaced the phone with a clatter. Her temper was rising and she had to get out of that stuffy office. It was alright for Mickey gallivanting off around the world, while she was stuck in some stupid desk job. She glanced at the clock again - the hands barely seemed to be moving, time appeared to be standing almost completely still - there was over twenty minutes remaining till her lunch break. Drumming her fingers on the desk impatiently, Rose came to a decision and shrugged on her jacket. She then left her office locking the door behind her.

She strode purposefully across the floor past the rows of bored employees sat staring at blank screens, to the lifts. Rose pressed the large green button and the lift whirred into life, the doors sliding open, admitting her inside. She pressed the button marked with a G, for the ground floor and the lift descended, dizzying her with its juddering movements.

Without warning the lift began to rocket downwards, gathering velocity. Rose groped out for something to hold onto, but there was nothing. She desperately pressed herself up against the wall putting all her effort into staying upright. Her heart was pounding, adrenaline was pulsing throughout her body. Then she was thrown forwards into the opposite wall, knocking the wind out of her as she hit it with force. She slid down the wall and crumpled painfully on the floor.

The lift continued to plummet as Rose crawled into a corner, whimpering with terror. What the hell was happening? Overhead the lights dimmed and went out altogether, blinding her with darkness. Rose had never felt so alone, there was no Doctor to save her now.

Thinking of the Doctor lent her little fragments of bravery.

Determinedly, Rose clambered to her feet shaking and spoke into the pitch black all around her.

"If this is how I'm gonna die", she yelled, "choking back her fear then I'm gonna face up to death with courage."

The lights blinked back on, a pale shade of hope in the gloom. The lift shook, filling Rose's ears with the sound of rattling metal. Then with a final jerking motion the lift stopped and the doors slid open. Rose tumbled out weeping with relief and fell to her knees on the marble flooring. Her shoulders convulsed violently as she knelt, cradling her head in her hands.

The noise of her sobs brought someone running from a nearby room. A young girl with raven black hair flew down the corridor towards the woman who was crouched over howling like a baby. Oblivious to everything around her, consumed by tears that spattered onto the floor.

"Miss…what's wrong?"

The raven-haired woman bent down beside Rose putting an arm around her tremulous shoulders. As Rose sat up to see whose arm was around her the girl read Rose's identity badge. Miss Rose Tyler: Researcher.

"You look like you could do with a nice cup of tea ."

The woman helped Rose to her feet, Rose tottered a little but didn't lose her balance. Leaning on the woman for support, Rose allowed herself to be helped along the corridor into a warmly lit room decorated with subtly toned wallpaper. There was a comfy sofa which Rose sank down onto snivelling but enormously appreciative of the stranger's kindness.

"I'll just put the kettle on", the woman bustled about busily in the kitchen filling the kettle with water from the sink tap and fetching two mugs from a cupboard.

"How many sugars do you take?"

Rose's throat felt swollen and sore but she managed to croak, "two…thanks."

The woman brought the two mugs over and put one down on the tabletop in front of Rose.

"Drink up you'll feel better", she said as she sat down in a squashy chair with her own mug.

Rose lifted the mug to her lips and blew to cool the infusion. Delicately she took a sip and winced as the hot liquid touched her tender throat. She placed the mug back on the tabletop and began kneading her head with her hands, trying to make sense of what had happened. The woman looked at Rose, concerned for her.

"What happened, why were you on the floor?"

"…the lift, Rose spluttered", still struggling to overcome her petrifying ordeal.

"Did you have a panic attack? Are you claustrophobic?"

The woman's eyes swept over Rose, trying to understand why she was in such a state. Rose shook her head, "It started going down…really fast. I couldn't stand…I was thrown to the floor. I thought that I would be killed", Rose broke down, blubbing into the sofa.

The woman's vivid green eyes widened with horror, she got up from her squashy chair and went to sit down next to Rose and put an arm around her shoulders again.

"Is there anyone that can come and pick you up?" She asked softly.

"M…my Dad, Pete…sh..should be home now. His number's in my mobile.

Rose's shaking hands went to her jacket pocket and retrieved her phone, she handed it to the woman.

" W.. .what's y…your name?" Rose faltered.

"It's Jen," Jen gave her a warm smile.

"Thank you…Jen?"

"It's a pleasure, besides I'd never turn down the chance to help the famous, Miss Rose Tyler", Jen grinned.

"H…how do you know…my…"

"I read your name tag when I was helping you up off the floor.

Rose looked down at her badge. "Oh, of course. My head really hurts. Do you mind if I lay down for a bit?"

"No that's fine, you have a rest I'll ring your Dad."

Rose kicked off her shoes and stretched herself out on the sofa. Exhausted, she fell asleep in minutes.

Jen scanned the phonebook on Rose's mobile and pressed the call button. It rang five times and then a man answered with, "Hello Pete Tyler speaking."

"Mr Tyler, hello my name's Jen Williams, I work at Torchwood Towers. Your daughter Rose has just been involved in a terrible ordeal. I think you should come and pick her up.

Pete was flustered, "Well how is she? Can I speak to her?"

"Rose is sleeping at the moment, but she's fine. I'll do my best to explain everything when you get here. I'll phone the front desk and have someone show you to my office when you arrive."

"Ok I'm on my way. I'll be there as quick as I can."

He hung up. Jen put down the phone, picked up her mug of tea and seated herself in her squashy chair once more.

Rose murmured in her sleep as behind her closed eyelids she saw the Doctor gazing at her with such fondness. His chocolate brown eyes glistening with pride.

"My brave Rose."

The sound of his gentle voice resonated inside her head.

"It won't be long now."