Rise of the Cybermen

Seren hummed quietly to herself as she walked out of her en-suite bathroom wrapped in a towel while using another to dry her long hair, steam billowing out behind her. She had just finished taking a long, hot shower following her daily workout – or as daily as possible when one travels in a time machine. She made her way to the walk-in closet and quickly got changed into a fresh pair of clothes, emerging a few minutes later dressed in light brown top, dark blue dark wash jeans, light brown patterned pumps with the matching light brown purse* hanging off her elbow. She had a pair of small gold hoop earrings in her ears, a few gold bangles on her left wrist and her perception filter ring on her right ring finger. She sat at her vanity and brushed her long raven blue-black hair, tying it back behind her head with two thin crown braids, one beneath the other*, with a few strands curled and framing her face gently while the rest tumbled down to her thighs in luscious waterfall curls beginning at mid-back.

Once she was dressed, she grabbed the book she was reading, 'War and Peace' by Leo Tolstoy, and walked out of her room, closing the door behind her. She walked down the winding, maze-like corridors of the TARDIS while reading her book, her purse swinging gently from her elbow. She headed towards the console room, knowing that would most likely be where the Doctor, Rose and Mickey would be, probably debating on where they wanted to go for their next adventure. At the moment, they were drifting aimlessly through the Vortex until either someone came up with a destination they had in mind or Idris took matters into her own hands and took them someplace that they needed to be.

Seren was a few feet outside the console room and could hear laughter echoing out from the room, when the TARDIS violently shook, sending the preoccupied woman flying into the wall. She dropped her book as she hit the wall hard with her side, her head hitting the wall as well from the force of the impact. An alarm rang loudly in warning through the ship.

"Idris, what happened?" Seren asked in confusion, speaking loudly to be heard over the sound of the alarm and trying to pull herself up to her feet while the TARDIS shook violently.

There was no response from the sentient ship nor was there the ever-constant singing at the back of her mind, frightening Seren more than the violent shuddering did – Idris always responded to Seren, always sang at the back of Seren's mind no matter what. The only times she had been silent was when Rose had inadvertently summoned the Reapers after saving her father, Pete, in 1987 and when the Doctor regenerated following their departure from the Game Station in 200,100.

"Idris?" Seren asked frightened, looking up at the ceiling in worried fear.

Not getting a response, she picked up her book and slowly made her way to the console room where the others were, using the wall for support against the violent shaking of the ship. Every part of Seren was hurting, her side and head hurt from the impact against the wall, her chest ached and felt empty as though a vital part was missing.

She entered the console room to see the Doctor frantically working at the console, trying to operate it and pilot them through the intense shaking. Mickey was pulling himself up by holding onto a panel at the console while Rose was holding tightly to the back of the jump seat she had been sitting on, trying not to scream.

"What's going on?" Seren asked frantically, using the coral pillars for support against the violent shaking while making her way to the console. "What happened to Idris? Why isn't she responding?"

"The Time Vortex, it's gone!" The Doctor cried in alarm. "That's impossible! It's just gone!"

Mickey struggled to stay on his feet, keeping a tight hold of the console as the shaking became increasingly more violent than before.

"Brace yourselves! We're gonna crash!" The Doctor shouted in warning.

He grabbed the console and held tightly while Seren did the same next to him. Mickey gripped the console tightly across from them and Rose held tightly to the back of the jump seat she had been sitting on.

Just as the Doctor had predicted, they crashed violently and were all thrown onto the ground when the shaking stopped. Gas masks fell from the ceiling and the lights of the TARDIS all went out, pitching them into complete and utter darkness.

"Everyone all right?" Seren asked, slowly getting to her feet with a wince. "Rose? Mickey? Doctor?"

"I'm fine. I'm okay." Mickey said with a groan, getting to his feet. "Sorry, yeah."

"I'm okay." Rose called, using the jump seat to stand up.

"She's dead." The Doctor whispered in quiet horror, his eyes wide as he looked at the Time Rotor. It was smoking, and the ship was completely silent. "The TARDIS is dead."

"Oh, Duw ." Seren breathed with tears in her eyes, knowing what the TARDIS meant to the Doctor.

"You can fix it?" Rose asked, moving towards the Time Lord and Seren.

"There's nothing to fix. She's perished." The Doctor said quietly, running his fingers over the controls on one of the panels, pulling a lever back and forth fruitlessly. "The last TARDIS in the Universe, extinct."

Seren covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes prickling with tears at the sorrow and pain in the Doctor's voice. She took his hand and held it comfortingly while he wrapped his arm around her, holding her close to him.

"Seren's got the Vortex inside her, maybe she can do something." Mickey suggested, moving to stand by them.

The Doctor shook his head sadly.

"The Vortex is gone from her as well." He said regretfully. "It's why she isn't shimmering anymore."

Seren had realized that the disappearance of the Vortex was the reason behind the emptiness in her chest, the piece of the Vortex that she had kept after becoming Bad Wolf was gone as well. However, that didn't lessen the pain of it being confirmed, a few tears escaped her long lashes and fell down her snow-white cheeks.

"We can get help, yeah?" Rose asked hopefully, though the panic was clear on her face.

"Where from?" Seren asked, separating from the Doctor and looking up at the taller girl helplessly. The Doctor looked at Rose as well, a similar helpless expression on his face as well.

"Well we've landed, we've got to be somewhere." Rose said, trying to hold onto whatever hope she could and fight the rising panic at Seren's helpless expression. Seren and Siwan almost never panicked, they were always calm and collected when the world was going to hell around them – probably because the world was going to hell around them.

"We fell out of the Vortex. Through the Void, into nothingness." The Doctor told her. "We're in some sort of no-place. The Silent Realm. The Lost Dimension."

Behind them, Mickey walked towards the door and opened it. He poked his head out for a moment before looking back at the trio standing by the console.

"Otherwise known as London." Mickey said with a grin. He laughed and stepped out of the TARDIS, the rest quickly following him and finding themselves at Lambeth Pier. They had landed on a grassy patch surrounded by a low wall. "London, England, Earth. Hold on…" Mickey jumped off the low wall and picked up a discarded newspaper, holding it up and looking at it. "First of February, this year. Not exactly far flung, is it?"

Rose jumped off the wall and looked at the paper over Mickey's shoulder. Seren looked around with a frown, feeling as though something was off about where they had landed. If they had landed on Earth, then why was her connection to the Mara feeling so dim? Like it used to be when she first began travelling with the Doctor, before she had absorbed the Time Vortex? Why was her connection to her family, the strands of light that connected her to her loved ones, so dim? If anything, the connections were dimmer than they should be, as if they were in the wrong place. And the strand of light that connected her to Rose seemed almost non-existent, as if the blonde girl didn't exist.

Seren looked up at the sky and her eyes widened in shock, her mouth dropping open slightly. Her expression caught the Doctor's eyes and he followed her gaze, looking up at the sky as well.

"So, this is London?" The Doctor asked Mickey, his voice slightly high-pitched.

"Yup." Mickey replied, not looking away from the paper.

"Your city?" The Doctor continued, jumping down from the wall.

"That's the one." Mickey replied with a nod.

"Just as we left it?" The Doctor asked while holding a hand out to Seren. She took the offered hand and jumped off the wall as well, standing next to him with their fingers interlocked.

"Bang on." Mickey said.

"And that includes the zeppelins?" Seren asked, looking up at the sky. "Because I don't remember zeppelins being in the sky when we left."

Rose and Mickey looked at them with wide eyes before turning and looking up at the sky.

"What the hell?!" Mickey breathed, his jaw dropping at the sight of massive airships flying over their heads.

"That's beautiful." Rose breathed in amazement.

"Okay, so it's London with a big International Zeppelin Festival." Mickey said with a shrug.

"A Zeppelin festival?" Seren repeated incredulously, looking at Mickey with a raised eyebrow.

"This is not your world." The Doctor said quietly, causing Rose and Mickey to look at him in confusion while Seren's eyes widened in realization.

"But if the date's the same…" Mickey started before confusion gave way to dawning realization, his eyes widening. "It's parallel, right? Am I right? Like a parallel Earth where they've got Zeppelins. Am I right? I'm right, aren't I?"

"It would explain why the connection is so dim." Seren mused quietly. At the questioning looks she received from Mickey, the Doctor and Rose, she elaborated, "The connection I have with the Mara and with everyone I love. They're not gone exactly, just extremely dim as though they are connected to someone else as well. Probably the parallel versions of myself and Siwan."

"Must be." The Doctor said with a nod, responding to Seren and Mickey's speculations.

"So, a parallel world where…" Rose said, trailing off when she caught sight of something a few feet away.

"Oh, come on!" Mickey exclaimed, becoming excited. "You've seen it on films. Like an alternative to our world where everything's the same but a little bit different, like… I dunno… traffic lights are blue, Tony Blair never got elected."

"And he's still alive." Rose added faintly, looking at what had caught her gaze.

The Doctor, Seren and Mickey followed Rose's gaze to a poster in front of them. Seren gasped in shock, her hand coming up to cover her mouth and her eyes wide. There, in front of them, was an advert for Vitex Lite, cherry flavor, starring Pete Tyler. Rose's father and Seren's godfather, a man who had died in 1987 in a car accident.

"A parallel world where Dad's still alive." Rose breathed faintly, stepping towards the advert.

Seren reached out and grabbed Rose's shoulder with her free hand, stopping the blonde from getting closer to the advert sign.

"No, Rose. Don't look at it." Seren said sternly. She let go of the Doctor's hand and stepped towards Rose, moving to stand in front of the younger woman. "This isn't our world, and this is not our Uncle Pete."

"Seren, that's my dad, your godfather." Rose breathed in amazement, stepping around Seren and reaching out, touching the advert.

"Trust me on this." The advert said in an utterly lifelike replica of Pete Tyler's voice. The picture of Pete winked cheekily and gave a 'thumbs up'.

At the cheeky wink and 'thumbs up', Seren had to hold back her own gasp at how similar it was to her Pete Tyler, the one who had died when she was a child.

"No, Rose. That's not your dad, that is not my godfather." Seren said in a pained voice, tearing her gaze away from the poster and looking at Rose.

"He's a success, Seren!" Rose exclaimed with a tearful smile. As always, she didn't see the pain that was etched across Seren's face, so absorbed in her own thoughts and feelings. "He was always planning these daft little schemes, health-food drinks and stuff. Everyone said they were useless. But he did it!"

"Rose, listen to me, right now." Seren said firmly. She grasped Rose's shoulders and forcibly made the blonde look at her straight in the eyes, Seren's heels reducing the height difference somewhat. Rose tried to glance back at the poster. "Stop looking at it!" Rose reluctantly tore her gaze away from the poster and looked at Seren. "Uncle Pete is dead. Our Pete Tyler is dead. He died when you were 6 months old and I was 5 years old, on November 7, 1987. We saw it happen, remember? We sat with him as he died. This Pete here, he isn't our Pete. He's a Pete. For all we know, he's got his own Jackie, his own Tyler/ Jones girls. His own Tyler/ Jones girls who aren't us." Rose tried to look back at the poster but Seren shook her shoulders firmly, keeping the blonde from looking away from her. "You can't see him, not ever."

A few tears escaped Rose's eyes as she gave a tiny nod. Seren let go of her and, with a pained glance at the poster, rushed back to the TARDIS, loosing the battle against her tears as they streamed down her face.

A sleek black Luxury Lexus with the license plate 'PETE1' raced up the driveway of a small white-toned mansion, two Luxury Sports Acura's, one a sleek silver with the license plate 'STAR1' while the other a metallic dark blue with the license plate 'ADERYN1', behind it. All three cars came to a stop at almost the same time in front of the main doors of the mansion and their occupants emerged – Pete Tyler from the black Lexus with a beautiful bouquet of white flowers in his hand, Dr. Seren Smith, nee Jones, from the silver Acura and Dr. Siwan Jones, soon-to-be Pierson, from the blue Acura.

"Almost had it, twins." Pete said with a bright grin, looking at his beautiful twin god-daughters.

He was dressed in a sharp designer 2-piece dark suit with a white shirt and a patterned dark blue/ light blue tie, with his Ear Pods (small, silver Bluetooth-like devices) in each ear.

"One of these days, Uncle Pete." Seren said with a laugh. "We will beat you."

The amethyst eyed Welshwoman was wearing white top-black bottom pencil dress, 5" high heeled black and white pumps and a diamond and pearl jewelry set, with the black clutch purse* in her hand. On her left ring finger were a pair of yellow gold wedding rings, a pure white solitaire princess cut diamond set in a plain band and a slim wedding band encrusted with small diamonds all around it*. Her thigh length raven blue-black hair was swept up in a sleek 'tuck and wrap' bun* at the back of her head, a few strands left loose to frame her gently face. Like Pete, she had Ear Pods each of her ears.

"Just you wait." Siwan added with a laugh of her own. "You will eat our dust."

The sapphire eyed Welshwoman was wearing a smart pant suit consisting of a red sleeveless cowl neck blouse beneath a black blazer, black trousers, 5" high heeled black peep-toe pumps, ruby and gold earring studs in her ears and a red hand bag* hanging off her elbow. She had her thigh-length raven blue-black hair swept back in a French twist*, a few strands coming loose and framing her face beautifully. On her left ring finger was a timeless and beautiful white gold engagement ring, a princess cut diamond in the middle with a round blue sapphire on either side followed by a round white diamond*. Like her twin and godfather, she had her Ear Pods in each of her ears.

"We'll see about that, Little Bird, Little Star." Pete said chuckling. "Adam still at the hospital?"

"Yeah, he's in the middle of a surgery but he'll come home as soon as he's done." Siwan replied as the three of them walked up to the front doors.

"As long as he's here before the party starts or Aunt Jackie will have his hide." Seren said dryly.

"He knows." Siwan said reassuringly with a grin on her face, a matching grin on Seren and Pete's faces. Pete hid the bouquet behind his back and opened the front door.

"Hello? Sweetheart?" Pete called when they entered the mansion, closing the door behind him. "Only me. And the twins."

"Oh, the bad penny." Jackie Tyler said, descending the stairs in a black silk dressing gown and scowling at her husband, barely glancing at the twins behind him. "Was this your idea? Don't deny it. It's got your fingerprints all over it. 'Trust me on this'." Jackie said the businessman's trademark line with a mocking sneer. "Oh, I can trust you all right. Trust you to cock it up."

"What have I done now?" Pete asked cluelessly, the bouquet still behind his back.

"Aunt Jackie, I'm sure that whatever it is, it can be fixed." Siwan said soothingly.

"Have a look and see if it can be fixed." Jackie said scowling, leading the trio to an adjoining drawing room.

The four of them stopped in the middle of the room and Jackie pointed to a massive banner that hung between two pure white Corinthian pillars – 'Happy 40th Birthday'. There was another banner hanging just below it – 'Congratulations Adam and Siwan'. Around them, servants bustled about in a mad rush to get everything ready for the dual party meant to start in a few short hours.

Instead of only having a birthday party for Jackie, it was also an engagement party for Dr. Adam Pierson and Siwan. When Jackie had heard of Adam's proposal to Siwan, she insisted on having the engagement party at the same time as her birthday party, much to the surprise of her family. Jackie Tyler was not one to willingly share the spotlight with anyone. At the Tyler matriarch's insistence, a surprised Adam and Siwan agreed to have their engagement party at the same time, if only to avoid having to go through the nightmare of planning another party for a few weeks later.

Seeing the birthday banner, Seren and Siwan winced, realizing what had their godmother so furious.

"What's wrong with that?" Pete asked, not understanding his wife's fury.

"40!" Jackie exclaimed. "It says 40!"

"You are 40." Pete said, still confused.

"Well, I don't want the whole world telling, do I?" Jackie hissed.

"You're having a party tonight." Pete reminded her.

"My 39th!" Jackie snapped.

"Uncle Pete, Aunt Jackie's official biography says that she was born on the same day as Cuba Gooding Junior, and that makes her 39." Seren explained gently.

"Exactly!" Jackie snapped in irritation. She stalked out of the drawing room, calling out, "Rose!"

Pete sighed and shook his head in exasperation, the twins wincing sympathetically.

"I'll see what I can do to fix this." Siwan said, gesturing to the birthday banner.

She turned and went to speak to a pair of servants, working with them to fix the banner. Seren and Pete left the drawing room, following Jackie back to the entrance hall.

"Rose!" Jackie called up the stairs. "Come here, Rose!"

"Aunt Jackie, how was JJ today?" Seren asked the older woman.

"He was okay, a bit fussy but he calmed down after the nanny fed him his bottle." Jackie replied, glancing at her. "He should still be asleep."

"Thanks." Seren said with a smile. "And Happy Birthday."

Seren hugged her godmother tightly before letting go and making her way up the stairs. Behind her, she could hear Pete presenting Jackie with the bouquet and Jackie's scathing response to the beautiful floral arrangement. Seren sighed despondently at the change that had occurred in the older woman over the past decade and made her way down the hall to her son's nursery. Going inside quietly, she made her way to the crib and looked down at her sleeping son.

1-year-old Johnathan James 'JJ' Smith was all that Seren had left of her husband, Dr. Johnathan 'John' Smith. Scientist John Smith and his lab partner, James McCrimmon - both of whom JJ was named after - lost their lives 1½ years earlier in a lab accident as they tried to save a group of technicians. They were able to save the technicians but were unable to clear the lab before it exploded, costing them their lives.

John and Seren had met when he first joined Vitex, Seren was 17 while John was 29. The two had become close friends, Seren's eagerness to learn about the science behind her godfather's products often driving her to spend hours on end at the lab with John while he taught her and worked at the same time. Slowly, the two fell in love with each other, and though their relationship raised a few eyebrows due to the significant age difference, they eventually got married when Seren was 20 and John was 32. Unfortunately, they only had roughly 2½ years together as a married couple before John's untimely death when Seren was 4 months pregnant.

JJ was a perfect mix of both his parents, from physical appearance to personality, even though he was only a year old. In physical appearance, he had his father's dark brown hair and blue eyes, though with his mother's doe shape, a light skin tone that was a blend of Seren's milk white tone and John's slightly darker tone, a small button nose, rosy cherub cheeks and full dark pink lips. In personality, he had both their stubbornness, adventurous nature and sense of right and wrong. With his large blue eyes and full lips in a perpetual pout, he would have just about everyone he met wrapped around his fingers within moments of meeting them – something he often took advantage of when caught doing something he wasn't supposed to, which was more often than not.

Seren gently kissed her sleeping son and quietly made her way out of the nursery and into her own room next door while removing her Ear Pods. Just before entering her room, she saw Siwan entering her own room while removing her own Ear Pods, both women needing to get ready for the dual party that evening.

"Mickey, keep an eye on Rose." The Doctor told Mickey quietly before running after Seren, back to the TARDIS.

Entering the TARDIS and closing the door behind him, a pang of sorrow and pain shot through his heart at the sight that greeted him. Seren was curled on the jump seat and sobbing, her head buried in her knees and her shoulders shaking with each sob.

"Seren Rhosyn?" He asked quietly, making his way to her and crouching in front of her.

"I'm okay. I just need a minute." She said tremulously, raising her head and looking at him with tears-filled amethyst eyes. Eyes that no longer had any trace of the gold Vortex energy that used to run through her.

He knew that she wasn't fine, that she needed more than a minute. He quietly moved so that he was sitting next to her and gathered her in his arms, holding her while she succumbed to another round of tears, her shoulders shaking with each sob. The Doctor just couldn't understand how Rose could be so oblivious to the pain Seren was in, he couldn't understand the blonde's inability to see what her actions were doing to the older woman.

"I think I've set a new record." Seren said quietly with a dry, humorless laugh, raising her head slightly and looking up at the Time Lord.

"What do you mean?" The Doctor asked in confusion.

"I've already lost Uncle Pete twice, once as a child and again last year when we went back to 1987. Now, it most likely will be the third time I lose him." Seren said in the same humorless tone. "Except this time, it won't be to death, but to his own family. His own Jackie, Rose, Seren, Siwan and Rhiannon. His own grandkids." She gave a dry laugh, tears streaming down her face. "Is it possible to lose the same person more than once?"

"Will you be okay?" The Doctor asked, knowing that there was nothing he could say to make her feel better.

"I will be, just give me a little time, please." Seren said honestly as the two of them pulled apart from their embrace and got to their feet. "I just need some time to be able to handle the loss of the Vortex and the dimness of my bonds with the Mara and everyone I love." She turned to the console and looked at the Time Rotor, taking note of the damage caused by the explosion. "Let's just worry about figuring out what's wrong with Idris and hopefully find a way to fix her. Then we can get the hell out of this world and away from temptation."

"I couldn't agree more." He said, giving her a bright grin before turning to look at the console.

The two worked in tandem, fixing the Time Rotor with the Doctor doing the actual fixing and Seren handing him the tools he needed. Once the Time Rotor was fixed, the two tried working the controls on the console, fiddling with levers and pushing buttons.

"Argh!" The Doctor cried in frustration when the controls refused to respond to their commands, running his hands through his hair.

Seren reached out and put a comforting hand on his shoulder, feeling the tenseness of his muscles through his suit. Both of them turned and looked over at the door when they heard it open.

"I told you to keep an eye on her!" The Doctor moaned in irritation when he saw Mickey enter the TARDIS alone and close the door behind him.

"She's all right." Mickey said reassuringly.

"She goes wandering off! Parallel world, it's like a gingerbread house!" The Doctor exclaimed. "All those temptations, calling her."

"Oh, so it's just Rose then? Nothing out there to tempt me?" Mickey snapped back, getting fed up with the Time Lord treating him as though he was nothing.

Seren realized in an instant that just as there was something in this world to tempt her and Rose, there may be something to tempt Mickey as well – his grandmother.

"Mickey, you can't go looking for Gran." Seren said gently, stepping towards him and taking his hand. "Just like Rose and I can't go looking for Uncle Pete. I'm sorry."

Mickey sighed unhappily, his expression sad, but nodded in understanding. Seren had told him about what had happened when the Doctor had taken her and Rose to 1987, the overwhelming temptation to save her parents and having to fight it with every fiber of her being, how she had even begged the Doctor to stop her if she gave any indication of giving in. He knew that if his grandmother was alive in this world, than he may not have the strength to leave her if and when they find a way home.

"I'm sorry, Mickey." The Doctor said quietly, looking apologetically at the Londoner. "I didn't realize that you would have something that would tempt you as well." Mickey nodded in acceptance of the apology. "If I could just get this thing to…" He kicked the console hard, frustration pouring off him in waves.

"Did that help?" Mickey asked with a snicker.

"Yes." The Doctor bit out, going to the jump seat.

"Did that hurt?" Mickey asked, taking obvious pleasure in the Time Lord's equally obvious pain.

"Yes." The Doctor moaned, sitting down on the jump seat and rubbing his foot. "Ow."

"That's what you get for kicking Idris." Seren said sternly, looking at the Time Lord with amusement on her face.

The amusement quickly faded as she turned and looked back at the console, keenly feeling the loss of the Vortex and the silence in her mind that she had become so accustomed to.

"We're not meant to be here." The Doctor said quietly, putting his foot back down and looking around the darkened control room. "The TARDIS draws her power from the Universe, but we're in the wrong Universe."

"Like diesel in a petrol engine." Seren summarized, leaning against the console.

"But I've seen it in comics." Mickey said, sitting on the jump seat next to the Doctor. "People go hopping from one alternative world to another. It's easy!"

"Not in the real world." The Doctor said, pausing for a second before continuing. "Used to be easy. When the Time Lords kept their eye on everything, you could hop between realities, home in time for tea." He sighed sadly. "Then they died, and took it all with them. The walls of reality closed, the worlds were sealed. Everything became that bit less kind."

"Then how did we get here?" Mickey asked.

"I don't know. Accident?" The Doctor suggested, shaking his head and rubbing his eyes. He looked and sounded weary and drained out. "Should've been impossible, now we're trapped."

Seren glanced at the Doctor for a moment, worry etched across her face before looking at the ground. She frowned when something caught her eye.

"What's that?" She asked, pushing off the console and bending down to have a closer look.

It was a tiny spec of glowing green light just beneath the grilling.

"What?" Both men asked, straightening in the jump seat and looking at the Welshwoman.

"That, there. Under the console." Seren said, pointing to the light. "Something is glowing." She glanced up at the ceiling and the immediate area that surrounded her before looking back at the light. "I don't think it's a reflection."

The Doctor shot to his feet and crouched next to Seren, looking down at the spec of light.

"It's a light! Is it? Is that a light? I think that's a light! That's all we need!" The Doctor rambled excitedly. Seren stepped back while the Doctor and Mickey removed the grilling. "We've got power! Mickey, Seren Rhosyn, we've got power! Ha!" Seren laughed with relief and the Doctor jumped down, going beneath the main part of the console. "It's alive!"

The Time Lord was deliriously happy, the small speck of light giving him hope that they would return to their own world, their own Universe.

"What is it?" Mickey asked, confused.

"It's nothing. It's tiny." The Doctor replied, moving several wires out of the way so he could reach the spec of light. "One of those insignificant little power cells that no-one ever bothers about. And it's clinging onto life! But with one little ounce of reality tucked away inside!"

"One of those little, insignificant things that turn out to be very significant." Seren commented, earning a bright smile from the Time Lord.

"Right you are, Seren Rhosyn." The Doctor said, climbing back up and pressing a kiss to her cheek before going back beneath the console, not noticing the woman's blush.

"And is that enough to get us home?" Mickey asked, a smirk on his face when he saw the blush that stained Seren's milk-white cheeks at the Doctor's kiss.

"Not yet." The Doctor said truthfully, picking up the power cell and sitting back on the small stairs under the grilling that led beneath the console. "I need to charge it up."

"We could take it outside and lash it up to the National Grid." Mickey suggested.

"Wrong sort of energy." The Doctor said.

"It needs to come from our Universe." Seren explained. "Because that's where she draws her power from."

"But we don't have anything." Mickey pointed out.

"There's me." The Doctor said with a grin.

"There's us." Seren corrected, crouching down beside Mickey so she was directly across from the Doctor. "I have the power of the Mara flowing through me and I have had the power of the Vortex for months before we crash landed here. I can give some of my energy as well."

The Doctor nodded and held up the power cell cupped in his hands. Seren put her tiny hands over his larger ones and they both blew on the power cell gently. It began to glow brightly, a slight shimmer appearing along Seren's arms at the same time.

"We just gave away 10 years of our lives." The Doctor said, he and Seren beaming brightly. "Worth every second!"

The Doctor giggled dorkishly and Seren rolled her eyes, a fond smile on her face.

"Seren, the shimmer is back in your skin." Mickey said, looking at the woman's bare arms.

"Very slight." Seren stated, seeing the barest hint of the shimmer in her veins.

"It'll return slowly as the cell powers up." The Doctor said reassuringly.

He held the power cell up and they watched as it glowed for a few seconds before the light faded.

"It's going out. Is that OK?" Mickey asked with a frown.

"It's on a recharging cycle." The Doctor explained. "It'll loop 'round, power back up and be ready to take us home in, ooh, 12 hours?"

He would have said 24 but since both he and Seren both gave 10 years, it had cut the time in half.

"So, that gives us 12 hours on a recharging cycle?" Mickey asked innocently.

Seren looked at Mickey and raised an eyebrow, not buying the seeming innocence of his question.

"Shore leave." The Doctor said, getting to his feet and pocketing the power cell. "As long as we keep our heads down. Easy, no problem."

"Let's go and tell Rose." Seren said with a smile as she grabbed her purse, happy they were finally going to return to their own Universe.

She looped her elbow through the Doctor's and the three of them walked out of the TARDIS. They walked around for a while before reaching the embankment of the Thames where they found Rose sitting on the backrest of a bench, staring despondently into the water.

"There you are!" The Doctor exclaimed when he saw Rose. "You all right? No applause, I fixed it!" He held up the power cell, currently clear of any light, and flopped back on the bench beside her. Mickey sat on her other side while Seren stood in front of her. "12 hours and we're flying back to reality."

Rose stayed silent, not reacting to what should be good news for them. Seren frowned and stepped closer to her, taking her hands and holding them gently.

"What's wrong, Rose? What happened?" Seren asked in concern.

"My phone connected." She replied softly. "There's this... Cybus Network, it finds your phone. It gave me Internet access."

"Rose, this isn't our world." Seren reminded her gently. "Whatever it says, it doesn't matter-"

"I don't exist." Rose said, cutting Seren off.

"What?" Seren asked, completely taken aback and confused by the news.

"There is no Rose Tyler in this world! I was never born, but you were!" " Rose cried, glaring at Seren.

"What?" Seren repeated, staring at Rose with wide eyes.

Seren suddenly realized why there was no strand of light connecting her to Rose while all the others were dim – it was because Rose didn't exist in this world so there was nothing there to dim.

"You, Siwan and Rhi were born!" Rose yelled angrily. "In this world, Siwan is your twin and Rhi is your elder sister. All three of you were raised by Mum and Dad after Uncle Ifan and Aunt Glenda died in a car accident." Rose stood up abruptly, the sudden movement sending Seren to the ground where she looked up at the angry blonde with wide eyes. "How is that fair! Why do you and your sisters get to have time with Dad when I don't? Not only that, but Siwan's engaged to Adam and you're married with a kid!"

"I'm married?" Seren asked quietly, slowly getting to her feet and staring at Rose with wide eyes.

"Widowed, actually." Rose corrected, her anger fading for the moment. "A scientist named John Smith who died a year and a half ago along with his lab partner, a fellow scientist named James McCrimmon."

"Oh Duw." Seren breathed with wide eyes, staring at Rose in disbelief.

"I've gotta see him." Rose all but demanded, her words shaking Seren out of her dazed state.

Seren and the Doctor looked at Rose while Mickey looked away, his thoughts racing.

"You can't." The Doctor said firmly.

"I just wanna see 'em." Rose whined.

"I know how much you want to see them, Rose. Trust me, I do." Seren said gently. "But you can't."

"You just said 12 hours!" Rose exclaimed, looking at the Doctor.

"You can't become their daughter, that's not the way it works." The Doctor said exasperatedly.

"12 hours, yeah?" Mickey asked in clarification, getting to his feet.

"Where are you going?" The Doctor asked him in bewilderment, getting to his feet.

"I can do what I want." Mickey called, turning around to look at Seren and the Doctor while walking backwards.

"I've got the address and everything." Rose said while holding up her mobile, walking backwards as well and going in the opposite direction of Mickey.

"Stay where you are, both of you." Seren ordered, looking between Mickey and Rose.

"Rose, come back here! Mickey, come back here right now!" The Doctor ordered.

"I just wanna see him." Rose said childishly.

"Yeah, I've got things to see and all." Mickey said.

Seren sighed in resignation and looked between the two departing humans and then up at the Time Lord in front of her.

"You go with Rose and keep an eye on her, I'll go with Mickey." Seren said, realizing that they were fighting a losing battle. She knew that she wouldn't be able to go with Rose because there was already a version of her that was likely to be at the Tyler residence, which was where Rose was most probably going. "I have my mobile with me and you can call if anything happens."

"Okay, fine." The Doctor said with a resigned sigh of his own. "Back here, 12 hours."

"12 hours." Seren agreed with a nod.

The two turned and walked away, the Doctor chasing after Rose and grumbling the entire time while Seren caught up with Mickey.

"Let's go see Gran." Seren said cheerfully, looping her arm through Mickey's.

The two quickly made their way to the last place they knew Rita-Anne Smith lived, noticing the differences between this world and their own. They walked passed a vacant factory lot and up to a military roadblock, soldiers standing around. One of the soldiers caught sight of the pair and walked up to them.

"Are we all right to get past?" Mickey asked.

"Yeah. No bother. Curfew doesn't start 'til ten." The soldier replied.

"There's a curfew?" Seren asked, bewildered, cocking her head to the side.

"'Course there is. Where've you been living, mate? Up there with the toffs?" The soldier asked, looking up to the zeppelin-filled sky.

Mickey and Seren followed his gaze and looked at the zeppelins that flew overhead for a moment before looking back at the soldier.

"We wish." Mickey said with dry laugh before walking past him. "See ya!"

The soldier lifted the barrier and let Seren and Mickey through, the two thanking him and waving before walking down the road, past the army trucks. They had just reached the corner before Rita-Anne's street when Seren's mobile began beeping, giving off a two-tone ring.

"Mickey, wait." Seren said, tugging his arm and stopping him in his tracks.

Seren pulled her mobile out of her bag and looked at it, seeing that it had connected to the Cybus Network just as Rose's had. Both of them stood against the wall, hidden from sight if anyone where to look around.

"News...international news...sports...weather..." Seren said, scrolling through the daily updates that had appeared on the main screen right after she unlocked her mobile. "TV schedules...lottery numbers...joke. It's a daily download published by Cybus Industries."

"Cybus Industries?" Mickey asked, recognizing the name from the factory lot they had passed and from the network that connected the mobiles.

"Owners of just about every company in Britain apparently." Seren said, opening an information window and skimming through the contents. "Including Vitex. This Uncle Pete is very well connected."

Her phone chimed with the alert of an incoming text. Closing the information window and opening the messaging center, she read the text.

"The Doctor and Rose are going to the Tyler residence." Seren told Mickey with a sigh, wondering just when Rose would learn to listen to what she's being told. She looked up at Mickey, putting her mobile back in her purse. "Ready to go see Gran?"

"Yes." Mickey replied with a nod before shaking his head. "No."

"We don't have to do this." Seren said, realizing and understanding his torment.

Mickey was scared to find out if his beloved grandmother was dead in this Universe as well, uncertain if he could handle the knowledge of losing her even if it was a version of her that wasn't his.

"No, I need… I need to know." Mickey said, taking a breath and squaring his shoulders.

"Okay, let's go." Seren said, nodding.

The two turned the corner to a more run-down looking area of the town. They crossed the street and walked up to Number 1, Mickey reaching out and rattling the knocker.

"Who's that there?" An elderly sounding woman called out from inside. The door opened to reveal an elderly West Indian woman standing there – Rita-Anne, Mickey's blind grandmother - with a white stick and a pair of Ear Pods in her ears. "Who is it? I know you're there. Shame on you, tricking an old lady. I've got nothing worth stealing." She brandished her cane warningly. "And don't think I'm gonna disappear! You're not gonna take me!"

"Hi." Mickey said breathlessly, overcome with emotion and staring at the elder woman.

Seren put a comforting hand on his arm and squeezed gently. He covered her hand with his in silent gratefulness.

Hearing Mickey's voice, Rita-Anne stopped in her tracks, lowering her cane.

"Is that you?" Rita-Anne asked in a hushed voice, stepping out of the house and onto the stoop.

"It's me. I came home." Mickey replied, a smile crossing his face as Rita-Anne reached out to him, touching his face.

"Ricky?" She asked.

Seren had to cover her mouth with her hand to keep the amused snort from escaping.

"It's Mickey." Mickey corrected automatically, shooting a glare at Seren.

"I know my own grandson's name, it's Ricky. Now, come here." Rita-Anne said, wagging her finger at him before pulling him into a hug.

Mickey held on to her tightly, savoring the warmth of the woman who raised him from childhood.

"Okay, I'm Ricky." He breathed, a smile on his face. He was so happy he had her back, even for a little while, that he would be anyone she wanted him to be. "Of course I am. Ricky, that's me." Rita-Anne suddenly pushed him away and whacked him on the shoulder. At the action, Seren had to cover her mouth with both hands to smother her laughter, remembering all the times Mickey used to get smacked by his fierce grandmother. "Ow!"

"You stupid boy!" She growled, smacking him again. "Where've you been?"

"Ow! Stop hitting me!" Mickey cried as Rita-Anne continued to hit him.

"It's been days and days!" She snapped, hitting him as she spoke. "People disappearing off the streets. There's nothing of it on the download." She stopped hitting him and tapped her Ear Pod in explanation. "But there're all these rumors, and-and whispers. I thought they'd gone and disappeared you!"

Mickey and Seren listened to what she was saying and a glance behind her brought their attention to a torn carpet on the stairs.

"That carpet on the stairs," Mickey cut in, his voice trembling as memories washed over him. "I told you to get it fixed, you're gonna…" He squeezed his eyes shut, holding his tears back through sheer force of will. "Fall and break your neck."

"Well, you get it fixed for me." Rita-Anne said.

"I should'a done way back." Mickey said, guilt holding his heart in a vice grip. "I guess I'm just kinda useless."

Seren bit her lip at her best-friend's words, sorrow filling her heart.

"Now, I never said that." Rita-Anne replied, her tone softening.

"I am, though. And I'm sorry, Gran. I'm so sorry." Mickey said, his voice choked on his tears.

"Don't talk like that." Rita-Anne said, cupping his cheek gently. "Do you know what you need? A nice sit down and a cuppa tea. You got time?"

"For you, I've got all the time in the world." Mickey said, looking at her with a gentle expression.

"You say that, but it's all talk." Rita-Anne said with a laugh. The laugh faded and concerned filled her tone as she said, "It's those new friends of yours. I don't trust them."

"What friends are they?" Mickey questioned curiously, exchanging a look with Seren.

"Don't pretend you don't know!" Rita-Anne said sternly. "You've been seeing them ever since Seren got married and had sweet little JJ." Mickey and Seren shared a surprised look. "Mrs. Chan told me. Driving about all helter-skelter in that van."

"What van's that then?" Mickey asked with a frown.

"You know full well! Don't play games with me." Rita-Anne snapped as a van skidded to a stop behind them. "Get inside!"

Mickey took a step towards the house when he and Seren were both grabbed by the collars and pulled backwards.

"I've been looking everywhere for you!" A man shouted, shoving them both into the van and slamming the door shut behind them.

The woman driving pressed on the gas and the van took off, peeling down the road and leaving Rita-Anne calling after them in fear and confusion. Mickey and Seren looked at the man who shoved them into the van, sitting down across from them. He had short spiky platinum blonde hair and was dressed in dark clothes.

The man shot Seren a quick glare before turning to Mickey.

"Ricky, you were the one who told us. You don't contact your family 'cos it puts them in danger!" The man reprimanded him while Seren raised a confused eyebrow at the glare she was given, wondering where the hostility was coming from.

"Yeah," Mickey said with a nod, confusion apparent on his face though the blonde man didn't notice. "Ricky said that. 'Course I did, just testing."

Seren rolled her eyes and had to bite back a groan at Mickey's attempt to play himself off as Ricky, though for the moment it seemed to be working since neither of their captors realized they were talking to the wrong version.

"I saw them. I taped them!" The blonde man said. "They went round Blackfriars gathering up the homeless like the Child Catcher. They must've took four dozen."

"The vans were hired out to a company called International Electromatics." The blonde female driver said, glancing back at them briefly before turning her eyes back onto the road. "But I did a protocol search. Turns out that's a dummy company established by, guess who?"

"I dunno, who?" Mickey asked.

"Cybus Industries!" The man and the woman said in unison.

Mickey and Seren nodded, going along with it since they didn't really have much choice.

"Well, now we've got evidence!" The man told the woman.

"Bad news is, they've arrested Thin Jimmy." The woman called back, directing her words to Mickey. "So that just leaves you."

"Leaves me what?" Mickey asked with a confused frown, a similar one on Seren's face.

"The Number One. Top of the list. London's Most Wanted." The man said with a broad grin, as though it was something to be pleased about.

"Okay, cool," Mickey said, nodding slowly before it sunk in. "Say that again?"

"London's Most Wanted!" Seren shrieked, staring at the blonde man with eyes wide in shock.

Night had fallen completely by the time they stopped driving. Seren had eventually calmed down from the news that Mickey was considered London's Most Wanted due to his parallel counterpart - Mickey having played a big hand in calming her down by pulling her into a hug and holding her tightly (which earned her another glare from the blond man, Jake).

Jake opened the door and hopped out first, his gaze going to the lights that shone from the house windows.

"There's a light on. There's someone inside the base." Jake said while Mickey hopped out behind him and then turned to give Seren a hand. "Mrs. Moore, we've got visitors."

The blonde woman, Mrs. Moore, and Jake jumped into action, grabbing their guns. The two of them snuck down the side of the house, guns at the ready like spies, and with Mickey behind them. Seren rolled her eyes at their actions and followed with her Bo staffs out and extended, all four of them coming to a stop at the front door, crouching before they could be see by whomever was inside.

"One...two...three...go!" Jake counted before throwing the door open.

Mrs. Moore and Jake burst into the room with Mickey and Seren behind them, their guns pointed at the intruder, only to stare in dumbfounded shock at the man standing on the other side of the room – a man identical to Mickey, his parallel counterpart, Ricky Smith.

"What the hell are you doing?" Ricky demanded, glaring at them.

Mrs. Moore and Jake looked between Mickey and Ricky with completely bewildered expressions, unable to understand how there were two versions of the same person. Seren, seeing the parallel counter part, retracted her Bo staffs and tucked them into her back pocket.

"What're you doing there?" Jake asked bewildered, lowering his gun.

"What am I doing here?" Ricky repeated, slowly walking towards the four of them with his brow furrowed. "What am I doing over there?"

At the second question, Ricky pointed at Mickey. Mrs. Moore and Jake spun around and pointed their guns at Mickey, who raised his hands in the air with wide eyes. Seren rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest.

Seren mingled with the party guests as they waited for Pete to announce Jackie's entrance before both would announce Adam and Siwan's entrance. JJ was running around, ducking between the guests' legs and entertaining them with his excited babble and bright smile that showed his four teeth, two on top and two on the bottom.

Seren was dressed in a purple, pink and silver saree with a matching purple and silver blouse, the drape pleated and pinned over her left shoulder*. Her jewelry consisted of a small light purple and white diamond necklace and earring set inlaid in silver*, a stack of matching silver, white, purple and pink bangles on each wrist*, her wedding rings on her left ring finger and her Ear Pods in each ear. Her long hair was tied in a fancy bun at the back of her head with a beautiful silver and diamond hair comb*, a strand left loose and curled at her temples on either side of her face. On her feet, she wore a pair of 6" high heeled silver open-toed, ankle strap sandals*. For the occasion, and bowing to her godmother's pleas, she was also wearing makeup, consisting only of light shimmery-metallic pink eyeshadow, purple eyeliner with black kohl lining her waterline* and clear lip-gloss accenting her natural dark red-pink lips. With her naturally long eyelashes and blush-filled rosy cheeks, she had no need for anything more.

JJ meanwhile was dressed in a black waistcoat and trouser suit with a white button-down shirt and a purple tie that matched his mother's dress*. On his feet, he wore a pair of smart black shoes. The blazer that matched his suit had lasted all of 10 minutes before being removed and promptly lost somewhere in the house.

When Lucy, one of the servers passed by with a serving tray, Seren took a salmon pinwheel and nibbled on it, speaking with her companion (and lab colleague at Vitex) about how things were going with their newest experiment.

"Oh, never mind about experiments, Seren, Tom." An elderly woman admonished gently to the two scientists. "Seren, this is your godmother's birthday party and your twin's engagement party. You can survive not talking about work for one evening."

"Yes, Mrs. Peters." Seren and Tom said in unison, smiling at the elderly woman who only shook her head exasperatedly at them.

"Where are Rhiannon and Johnny?" Another woman, Mrs. Marks, asked as Tom walked away and joined another conversation. "I haven't seen them."

"Unfortunately, David and Mica both fell sick yesterday." Seren replied, a shadow of worry passing over her face as she spoke. "Rhiannon and Johnny didn't want to take the chance of travelling with them so they stayed in Cardiff."

"Oh, the poor dears." Mrs. Marks said sympathetically, just as elderly as Mrs. Peters. "I'm sure they weren't too happy with their parent's decision to stay behind."

"No, they were not." Seren said with a light laugh, remembering the adamant expressions on the two children's faces when they were told they wouldn't be coming to London for the party. "But we're planning on going to Cardiff in a few weeks, so that appeased them somewhat. By the time we ended the call, the two of them had already come up with a long list of things they had planned for the trip. And that's with taking into account that we'll only be there for a week or two."

The small group of women laughed, each of them remembering the times when their own children had been young. Laughing lightly as well, Seren turned and her gaze was caught by a blonde female server and a brown-haired male server entering the entry hall, the woman carrying a tray of nibbles while the man was carrying a tray of champagne. She frowned, not recognizing the pair from when she had handled hiring and meeting the servers for the evening. She hadn't gotten any notice of servers who were unable to work that evening, so she wondered who the pair were.

"Seren, how is little JJ doing these days?" An elderly woman, Dr. Myers, asked, drawing Seren's attention away from the two strangers though she made a mental note to investigate.

"He's doing well." Seren replied with a smile, knowing full well not to say anything that would give the nosy woman any ammunition for gossip. She knew that Dr. Myers was looking for juicy gossip to feed the rumor mills about how Seren was handling the death of her husband and raising her son as a signle parent, even with the aid of her family. "As you can tell, he's very fast on his feet and takes every opportunity to play 'Hide-and-Seek'."

The women around her laughed at the comment and the exasperated sigh Seren gave when describing her son's antics. Before any of them could say anything else, Pete drew everyone's attention to him.

"Excuse me!" Pete called loudly, the band stopping the music while everyone turned their attention to the blonde man standing on the staircase. "Thank you very much. Thank you. If I could just have your attention, please?"

"Pete!" A man shouted from the crowd. "Go on, Pete!"

"Thank you very much!" Pete said with a laugh.

"It's about time you did some work!" Another man called, earning a spattering of laughter from the crowd.

"Um, I'd just like to say thank you to you all, for coming on this-this very special occasion." Pete said with a smile. "My wife's… 39th-"

The crowd chuckled at their host's words.

"Don't believe that one!" A man called with a laugh.

"Trust me on this." Pete said with a smile and his trademark 'thumbs up' sign, earning a louder laugh from the crowd. "So, without any further ado, here she is. The birthday girl...my lovely wife...Jackie Tyler."

He gestured to the top of the stairs and Jackie descended gracefully, her hair done up in an elegant bun and dressed in a tight black dress, black sheer stockings and black high heeled sandals. The crowd gave a round of polite applause and cheers, cameras flashing as photos were taken of the birthday girl. She stopped in the middle of the steps, standing next to Pete and facing the crowd of guests.

"Now, my parties are usually famous for me not giving a speech." Jackie said with a smile. "No work, no politics, just a few good mates and plenty of black-market whisky. Pardon me, Mr. President!" She added jokingly to the President as the crowd laughed. "But this time, I'm making an exception."

"Today is made extra special because it's also our youngest goddaughter's engagement party." Pete said with a proud smile. "Let me introduce my beloved goddaughter, my Little Bird, Siwan Jones, and the love of her life, Adam Pierson."

There was a round of loud, raucous applause and cheers as the newly engaged couple descended the stairs arm-in-arm. Both were smiling radiantly, happiness and love pouring off them in waves.

Siwan was dressed in a beautiful red lehenga with a halter-neck blouse*, silver embroidery on the blouse and skirt with the dupatta hanging off her elbows behind her. She wore a stack of matching red and silver bangles* on each wrist and a pair of red and silver jhumka earrings inlaid in silver* in her ears as well as her Ear Pods, her engagement ring sparkling on her left ring finger. She had her hair tied back in a bun with a beautiful silver hair comb*. On her feet were a pair of 6" silver open-toed, ankle strapped sandals*. Like her twin, she was also wearing makeup after bowing to Jackie's pleas, consisting only of light red shimmery-metallic eyeshadow, a thin line of black eyeliner with black kohl lining her waterline* and a clear lip-gloss accenting her natural dark red-pink lips.

Adam was dressed in a black suit with a red waistcoat, tie and handkerchief, a white button-down shirt* and black shoes. His hair was combed neatly and parted at one side and on his left wrist, he wore a silver Rolex watch*.

"I'm going to take a leaf out of Aunt Jackie's book and not give a speech." Siwan said with a radiant smile, earning a laugh from the crowd and Jackie. The couple stood next to Jackie and Pete who had moved to the side. "We can only say thank you for coming and celebrating with us."

"Thank you." Adam said with a smile.

"So, get on with it. Enjoy, enjoy." Jackie said smiling.

The crowd clapped as Pete and Jackie smiled at each other and descended the remaining steps hand-in-hand with Adam and Siwan behind them. Cameras flashed once again, this time focusing more on the engaged couple though Jackie and Pete got their share of pictures taken.

While Pete and Jackie mingled with their guests, Seren went up to Adam and Siwan and gave them both a tight hug. JJ, not wanting to be left out, quickly grabbed Adam's attention by tugging on his pant leg.

"Up." JJ demanded, raising his arms to the older man.

Adam laughed and picked the boy up, holding him against his hip.

"Keep a close watch on him when he's with you. He's been experimenting with climbing and has nearly managed to get up the stairs." Seren warned with a grin, poking JJ in the side lightly.

"And the chairs." Siwan added, making a face at JJ and causing the boy to laugh delightedly.

"Don't worry, Seren. I'll keep an eye on him when he's with me." Adam said reassuringly.

The sound of barking drew their attention and they turned to the sound, seeing Rose run into the room.

"Uppy! Uppy!" JJ squealed, seeing the dog and wriggled in Adam's arms.

Adam shook his head and put the toddler on the ground gently. JJ wasted no time running (toddling) to Jackie who had picked the dog up and was talking with a few guests a few feet away.

"Uppy." JJ said, looking up at Jackie.

"JJ, you want to play with Rose?" Jackie asked in a child-like voice, bending down so she was eye-level with the toddler.

"Uppy!" JJ squealed happily, reaching out to Rose.

Jackie laughed and put Rose down, letting her play with the toddler. Rose barked, letting JJ pet her and run his small hand through her fur. The dog barked again, her tail wagging as she took several steps away from the boy.

"Oh, please don't." Seren moaned, seeing the dog wag her tail and step away from the boy.

Unfortunately, Seren's plea went unanswered because the next second, Rose barked loudly and ran out of the room with JJ hot on her heels.

"Seren, just let him play for a bit before you run after him." Adam said with a smile, seeing the woman get ready to chase after her son.

"Okay, might as well." Seren sighed.

They split up, the couple going in one direction with Seren going in the other, and mingled with the guests while still keeping an eye on JJ and Rose.

"You lot are complete idiots." Seren said with another eye roll, her arms folded over her chest.

The four of them were in another room, this one with a splendid 18th Century painted ceiling. There was a nice fire roaring in the hearth, bathing the room in golden light and giving a nice warmth.

"Seren, what are you doing here?" Ricky asked, looking at the Welshwoman while Jake and Mrs. Moore stripped Mickey down to his boxers and tied him to a chair. "I thought you were going to be at the party? What with it being Siwan's engagement party as well as Jackie's birthday."

Seren had to use all her skills in acting to conceal her shock at the news of Siwan getting engaged. In their Universe, Adam and Siwan were still dating, though they were all just waiting for when he would finally pop the question. Or when Siwan would take matters into her own hands and ask him.

"Slight detour." Seren said vaguely, not being able to say much else.

"How you doing, though?" Ricky asked, looking at her closely while Jake ran a scanner over Mickey from head to toe. "Raising JJ without John?"

"I'm handling it." Seren said with a shaky smile.

Thankfully, Ricky mistook the shaky smile as sorrow instead of uncertainty on how to respond and put his arm around her comfortingly. Jake, seeing the move from the corner of his eye, shot Seren a glare before returning to the scan he was running on Mickey.

Mickey and Seren caught each other's eyes and raised their eyebrows, having caught the glare that Jake shot her. They both wondered where the hostility was coming from and Mickey realized that it had been there since they were tossed in the van.

"He's clean. No bugs." Jake said with a sigh, turning to Ricky.

Jake managed to hold back another glare at the sight of Ricky holding Seren close to him.

"But this is off the scale," Ricky commented, letting go of Seren and eyeing Mickey, "He's flesh and blood, how did that happen?"

"Well, it could be that Cybus Industries have perfected the science of human cloning…" Mrs. Moore suggested. "Or your father had a bike."

Seren bit back a snort at the last comment while Ricky stared at Mickey menacingly. She moved to the side and hopped up onto an empty table, crossing one leg over the other as she watched the scene in front of her. Though she looked completely relaxed, she had her Bo-staff in her back pocket and within reach, ready to use it the moment she felt that either she or Mickey were in danger.

"Your name's Mickey, not Ricky?" Ricky asked Mickey, moving forward and circling his bound counterpart menacingly.

"Mickey." He said with a nod, his voice containing a hint of a tremor though he was able to mask his fear quite well. "Dad was Jackson Smith. Used to work at the key cutters in Clifton's Parade. Went to Spain, never came back."

"But that's my dad." Ricky said, stopping on Mickey's side and bending forward to get a better look at him. "So… we're brothers?"

"Be fair," Jake commented. "What else could it be?"

"I don't know." Ricky said, staring at Mickey with a furrowed brow. "But he doesn't just look like me, he is exactly the same. There's something else going on here, Jake."

"So-So who are you lot?" Mickey asked, managing to gather his wits enough to ask the question that had been running through his and Seren's mind since they were first taken and shoved into the van by Jake.

"We-We are the Preachers." Ricky said, straightening up and circling Mickey once again. "As in Gospel Truth. You see?" He stopped in front of Mickey and gestured to his ears. "No Ear Pods. While the rest of the world downloads from Cybus Industries, we-" Ricky bent forward once more and stared at Mickey fiercely in the face. "We have got freedom. You're talking to London's Most Wanted, but target Number One is Lumic, and we are going to bring him down."

"From your kitchen?" Seren asked sassily.

Jake smirked, showing a non-hostile expression toward Seren for the first time since they met. Ricky glanced at Jake before looking at Seren, straightening up.

"Have you got a problem with that, Smith?" Ricky asked with a scowl on his face.

"Not at all, Smith." Seren replied with a smirk, her tone still sassy.

Mrs. Moore's laptop beeped with an incoming alert and they all looked at her, Ricky still with a scowl on his face.

"It's an upload from Gemini." The blonde woman said, glancing at her companions before looking back at the screen.

"Who's Gemini?" Mickey asked, looking between the three Preachers.

"The vans are back." Mrs. Moore continued, all three Preachers ignoring Mickey's question. "They're moving out of Battersea. Looks like Gemini was right. Lumic's finally making a move."

"And we are right behind him." Ricky announced, looking at Jake and gesturing silently for him to release Mickey from his bounds. "Pack up, we're leaving."

Seren jumped off the table and helped Jake untie Mickey before handing him his clothes. They were silent, moving quickly and efficiently as Mickey redressed and the three Preachers grabbed their weapons and equipment before leaving the house.

The five of them climbed into the van with Ricky at the wheel and the rest in the back. They waited until an International Electromatics lorry drove past the base before following it at a discrete distance. Mickey watched with trepidation as Mrs. Moore and Jake checked their weapons and Seren made sure her own Bo-staffs were in working order.

"Seren?" Mickey asked uneasily.

She looked up at him with a questioning expression on her face. He didn't say anything but looked at her Bo-staffs before looking back at her face.

"We don't know what we're up against, Mickey." Seren said softly. "I'd like to be prepared in case it comes to a fight, though I would prefer not having to."

He nodded in understanding, though he still looked uneasy. Of the five in the van, he was the only one that wouldn't be much use in a fight and he was well aware of it.

Seren quietly made her way through an empty hallway on the ground floor of the Tyler's mansion, JJ in her arms and eagerly suckling his bottle of milk. The little boy had finally slowed down long enough for Seren to catch him, having sent his mother on a merry chase through the crowd of guests as he ran after Rose, and was ready for some of 'Mummy's Magic'. In this case it was being held only by his mother and no-one else, an action that Seren was only too happy to indulge.

Seren was brought out of her musings when she caught sight of the male server she didn't recognize sneaking into a nearby office and closing the door behind him. She followed him and quietly opened the door a crack, peeking inside. She saw him leaning over the table and looking at the screen of an active laptop.

Seren opened the door properly and cleared her throat, catching the man's attention. He whirled around and stared at her, his gaze going from her to JJ and back. The man had a pair of dark-rimmed glasses on, making him appear almost nerdy though they did not take away from his rather handsome appearance.

"Care to explain what you are doing in this office?" Seren asked with a raised eyebrow.

The office had once been John's before his death and was now used by Pete, though the older man also had his own study near his bedroom on the top floor.

"Oh, I was just, um…" The man stammered for a moment before giving her a bright grin. He removed a bill-fold from his pocket, flipped it open and held it up to her. "Hi, I'm John Smith, one of the servers for this evening's party."

Seren looked at him completely unimpressed.

"No, you're not." She said, her unimpressed tone matching her expression. She managed to conceal the pang of pain that shot through her heart at his name - a name that was as common as her beloved John was not. At his surprised look, she continued, "Firstly, that paper's blank. Secondly, I know all the staff that had been hired. You and your blonde companion are not among them. So, I ask again, who are you?"

"I'm a friend." The man admitted, pocketing the bill-fold. "I'm the Doctor."

"Nice to meet you." Seren said, a gentle smile on her face. "I'm Seren Smith and this is my son, JJ."

She could tell that he meant her and her family no harm. She may have Chosen a mortal life before John died, she still had her Empathic abilities as well as her instincts that have never led her astray.

The Doctor smiled at her before turning to the laptop, Seren stepping up beside him.

"You haven't answered my question." Seren said. "What are you doing in this office?"

"I saw the laptop, couldn't resist." The Doctor replied sheepishly, a grin on his face when he saw the encryption that came up on the screen.

Seren shook her head, the man reminding her a lot of John's curiosity. The Doctor worked at cracking the encryption and Seren rocked JJ, holding the bottle in place while the baby's eyes fluttered tiredly, close to falling asleep.

The Preacher's van followed the lorry until it reached a small mansion. Parking at a discrete distance, Jake and Ricky got out to get a closer look at what they were dealing with while Mickey and Seren stayed inside the van with Mrs. Moore.

"I don't know what they're doing, but this seems to be the target." Ricky said through the walkie-talkie from where he and Jake were hiding in the bushes in front of the mansion. "Big house, fair bit of money. Now we have got to find a way to get in."

"I've identified the address. It belongs to Peter Tyler, the Vitex millionaire." Mrs. Moore said, her laptop open and active on her lap.

Mickey and Seren exchanged wide-eyed looks at the news. Not only were Rose and the Doctor in there, but so were Pete, Jackie and Seren's parallel self.

"Pete Tyler?" Mickey repeated with wide eyes.

"He's listed as one of Lumic's henchmen, a traitor to the state." Mrs. Moore said, looking at Seren with narrowed eyes.

"My godfather isn't a traitor." Seren hissed with narrowed eyes of her own, her expression fierce as she glared at the blonde woman across from her.

Seren knew that the Pete Tyler they were talking about wasn't her Pete, but he was still the man that loved her like his own daughter. And in this world, Pete was the man that raised her and her sisters' parallel counterparts as his own daughters.

"We've got to get in there." Mickey said, shock and worry etched across his features.

"Now, shut it, duplicate. That's what I just said." Ricky snapped.

Mickey reached out and put a calming hand on Seren's leg, keeping the fierce Welshwoman's anger calm.

Suddenly, the three of them were startled at the frantic return of Ricky and Jake who were panting.

"What happened?" Seren asked worriedly, pulling water bottles out of her purse and handing them to the two men.

"There are these metal things out there. Coming out of the vans." Jake said, taking large gulps of water between sentences.

"Metal things?" Mickey, Seren and Mrs. Moore repeated in unison, confusion echoing in their voices.

"I'm in." The Doctor said once he had cracked the encryption.

Seren, who had been pacing and rocking JJ to sleep, joined him by the desk and sat down on the chair while the Doctor looked over her shoulder.

"You know, you could've just let me do it." Seren said with a smirk. "It wouldn't have taken so long."

"Why's that?" The Doctor asked, a mad grin on his face.

"I was the one who put the encryption on it." Seren replied with a grin, shifting JJ so he was resting his head against her shoulder.

"The most precious thing on this Earth is the human brain…" Lumic narrated as the presentation began with a display of the human brain, preventing the Doctor from responding.

"This is Mr. Lumic's presentation." Seren said with a frown, looking at the screen and watching the presentation.

"Who's Lumic?" The Doctor asked, glancing at her before looking back at the screen.

"Owner of Cybus Industries." Seren replied, not looking away from the presentation. "They created the Ear Pods, among other technological advancements."

As the presentation continued, the Doctor and Seren's expressions became steadily more horrified.

"This is the ultimate upgrade. Our greatest step into cyberspace." Lumic narrated.

"Cybers!" The Doctor breathed in horror.

"What are Cybers?" Seren asked, not liking the horrified expression on his face.

"No time to explain! Let's go!" The Doctor said, grabbing Seren's arm and pulling her out of the office at a mad dash.

They slowed to a brisk walk when they entered the drawing room and the Doctor let go of Seren's shoulder. He caught sight of his blonde companion, Rose, and gestured towards the window while Seren caught Siwan and Adam's attention and gestured the same.

Discretely, the five of them went to the window and looked out. They stared in shock, seeing a number of marching figures in rows heading towards them across the expansive grounds, back-lighted by the floodlights. The figures were about as dainty as elephants.

"It's happening again." The Doctor breathed in horror, pressing his face against the glass.

"What's happening?" Siwan asked in confusion, not liking the worry on Seren's face and the way she was holding JJ tightly to her.

"What do you mean?" Rose asked in panic.

"I've seen them before." The Doctor said, not answering the questions.

"Doctor, what are they?" Seren asked, her tone calm and firm despite her clear worry.

"Cybermen!" The Doctor replied.

Several Cybermen smashed through the French windows, creating an entry into the house. The guests screamed in fear and moved to stand closer together as the Cybermen stepped through the shattered now glass-less windows, herding the guests to the center of the drawing room.

"Did they have to smash through the windows?" Siwan asked in irritation, earning an exasperated eye roll from Seren. With the noise, Seren, Adam, the Doctor and Rose were the only ones that heard the sapphire-eyed Welshwoman's question.

JJ woke with a start at the sound of the glass smashing and the screaming guests, adding his own terror-filled screams to the noise. Adam wrapped his arms around Siwan and Seren, holding them close while Seren frantically tried to calm JJ down. The Doctor and Rose were next to them, all five watching with keen eyes.

The President's phone beeped, and he answered it with a distasteful tone in his voice, "Mr. Lumic."

"Mr. President," Lumic said with a wheeze. "I suppose a remark about crashing the party would be appropriate at this point?" He gave a dark chuckle.

"I forbade this!" The President exclaimed.

The crowd of guests looked around in fear, each wondering what was going on. Pete, standing behind the President, glanced over at Seren, Siwan and Adam a few feet away to make sure they were okay before checking on Jackie on the other side of the room. JJ had stopped crying, though he was clinging to Seren tightly and whimpering, his head buried in the crook of her neck.

"These are my children, sir. Would you deny my family?"

"What are they? Robots?" Rose asked the Doctor in a quiet whisper so as not to draw attention.

"Worse than that." The Doctor replied in the same quiet whisper.

"Who were these people?" The President demanded to know.

"Doesn't matter." Lumic replied dismissively.

"They were people?" Seren gasped with horror, looking up at the Doctor with wide eyes.

"Yes." The Doctor said sadly, disgust clear on his face. "Until they had all their humanity taken away. It's a living brain jammed inside a cybernetic body, with a heart of steel, all emotions removed."

At the Doctor's words, the President glanced over at him, silently wondering how the server would know so much.

"Why no emotions?" Rose asked quietly.

"Because emotions are painful." Seren said quietly, her voice filled with pain. Adam tightened his hold on her and Siwan took her free hand, holding tightly.

"I demand to know, Lumic. These people, who were they?" The President demanded again, his voice growing louder with anger.

"They were homeless and wretched and useless, until I saved them, and elevated them, and gave them life eternal." Lumic said. "And now I leave you in their capable hands. Goodnight, sir. Goodnight, Mr. President."

Lumic ended the call and a Cyberman stepped forward, stopping in front of the President.

"We have been upgraded." The Cyberman said in a mechanical voice.

"Into what?" The Doctor asked, a fierce expression on his face.

"The next level of mankind." The Cyberman replied. "We are Human 0.2. Every citizen will receive a free upgrade, you will become like us."

"I'm sorry." The President said sadly to the Cyberman. "I'm so sorry for what's been done to you, but listen to me… This experiment ends! Tonight."

"Upgrading is compulsory." The Cyberman said.

"And if I refuse?" The President asked, a note of challenge in his voice.

"Don't." The Doctor warned.

"What if I refuse?" The President asked, ignoring the Doctor whom he believed was just a server.

"I'm telling you, don't." The Doctor said earnestly, taking a step forward.

"Mr. President, please, listen to him." Seren pleaded, stepping forward as well and looking pleadingly up at the older man.

"What happens if I refuse?" The President asked, barely sparing the Doctor and Seren a second glance.

"Then you are not compatible." The Cyberman said.

"What happens then?" The President asked.

"You will be deleted." The Cyberman said.

Without warning, the Cyberman reached out and grasped the President by the neck, his eyes widening in shock. He was electrocuted to death by the Cyberman and the crowd was silent for a heartbeat before erupting in screams of terror. The room erupted into chaos as crowd scattered, running in every direction and frantically trying to get away. Some were lucky and were able to get away, others were electrocuted to death like the President.

In the din of the chaos, Adam grabbed Siwan and Seren's hands and pulled them out of the drawing room behind the Doctor and Rose. Pete, seeing Adam take the twins and JJ out of the room, focused on trying to find Jackie.

"There's nothing we can do!" The Doctor yelled.

The Doctor took Rose's hand and pulled her out of the house through one of the broken windows with Adam, Siwan and Seren (with JJ held tightly in her arms) right behind them.

"Aunt Jackie and Uncle Pete are in there!" Seren cried, glancing back at the house as they ran across the grounds.

"I'm sorry, there's nothing we can do!" The Doctor said apologetically, speaking loudly so as to be heard over their own pounding hearts.

"You won't be any use to them if you get killed!" Adam added, speaking just as loudly.

The Doctor grabbed one of Seren's hands with his free hand and they ran up the slope only to skid to a stop when they saw a row of Cybermen approaching them. They quickly spun around and ran back down the slope around the side of the house just as Pete leapt out of a broken window.

"Quick!" Rose shouted, spotting him. "Quick!"

"Uncle Pete, come on!" Siwan yelled.

Pete ran behind them, following them around to the front of the house.

"Pete, twins, is there a way out?" The Doctor called, looking around.

"The side gates!" Siwan yelled, pointing in the direction they needed to go.

Pete led them towards the side gates, holding Seren's hand while the Doctor held Rose's and Adam held Siwan's.

"Who are you? How do you know so much?" Pete asked the Doctor, remembering his words from the drawing room when the President was talking to the Cyberman.

"You wouldn't believe it in a million years!" The Doctor replied, all of them skidding to a stop when they saw more Cybermen marching towards them, cutting off their route to the side gates.

They spun around and ran back the way they came, the Cybermen behind them.

"How do they know so much about the house?" Adam asked, realizing the strategic manner they were being cut off from the exits by the Cybermen.

"I don't know, but it's something I am going to be investigating." Siwan swore firmly, not at all pleased about her home and sanctuary being violated. "Assuming we get out of this mess."

In the distance, two armed figures came running across the lawn towards them, the floodlights obscuring their features.

"Who's that?" Rose shouted breathlessly.

"Get behind me!" Ricky shouted as he and Jake fell to a kneel.

The Doctor, Rose, Pete, Seren with JJ held tightly in her arms, Adam and Siwan ran behind them as they fired their guns at the Cybermen who stopped marching. Unfortunately, the bullets didn't affect the Cybermen, only ricocheting off the metal plating.

The two men rose to their feet when the Cybermen stopped and Rose turned to Ricky.

"Oh, my God, look at you!" Rose breathed, fussing with his coat and pulling him into a tight hug. Ricky looked over her shoulder at a snickering Seren with a look of complete bewilderment, not having any idea who the blonde girl was. Ricky was also wondering how Seren had changed so quickly when he had just seen her at the van with his duplicate and Mrs. Moore. "I thought I would never see you again!"

"Yeah, no offence, sweetheart, but who the hell are you?" Ricky asked, pulling away from Rose and stepping away from her. He turned to Seren, "And how did you get here so quickly and change?"

"Rose! Doctor!" Seren Jones and Mickey yelled in unison, running across the lawn towards them.

Pete, Adam, Seren Smith, Siwan and Adam stared at the recently arrived Seren Jones while Ricky and Jake stared between the two versions of Seren.

"That's not me. That's like...the other one." Mickey said panting, gesturing to Ricky.

"Oh, as if things weren't bad enough, there's two Mickey's!" The Doctor whined.

Seren Jones rolled her eyes at his antics and hugged him tightly before letting go.

"It's Ricky." Ricky told the Doctor with a scowl.

"But there's more of them." Mickey said, nodding at the Cybermen.

"They're Cybermen, right?" Seren Jones asked in clarification, remembering what he had told her about them following their trip to Utah, 2012.

"Yeah." The Doctor said with a nod, wrapping his arms around her and holding her close.

They looked around in fear, staying close to each other as the Cybermen marched around them. Adam held Siwan close in his arms while Pete held Seren Smith and JJ in the same manner.

"We're surrounded." Rose breathed, fear in her voice as she took Mickey's hand and held tightly.

Ricky raised his gun, ready to fire once again.

"Put the guns down, bullets won't stop them." The Doctor said, seeing the gun raised. Jake, ignoring him, fired his gun rapidly. The Doctor angrily pushed the gun to the ground, stopping Jake from firing any more bullets. "No! Stop shooting, now!" The two straightened up and the Doctor turned to the Cybermen. "We surrender! Hands up!" He raised his hands and gestured for the rest of the group to do the same. Everyone raised both hands while Seren Smith raised one, the other wrapped around a whimpering JJ. The Cybermen marched towards them. "There's no need to damage us. We're good stock. We volunteer for the upgrade program. Take us to be processed."

"Upgrade? Processed?" Seren Jones repeated, glaring up at him.

"Volunteer?" Seren Smith and Siwan repeated incredulously in unison.

"Just go with it." The Doctor said out of the corner of his mouth.

Seren Jones sighed and the three identical women fell silent.

"You are rogue elements." A Cyberman said.

"But we surrender." The Doctor said in protest.

"You are incompatible."

"But this is a surrender!"

"You will be deleted."

"But we're surrendering! Listen to me, we surrender!"

"You are inferior. Man will be reborn as Cybermen, but you will perish under maximum deletion."

The Cyberman raised its arm, reaching out towards the Doctor, the action copied by the rest of the Cybermen who reached out to the rest of the group. They all watched in terror, inching closer to each other.

"Delete! Delete! Delete!" The Cybermen chanted in unison.

Links (on pinterest):

*Seren outfit (light brown top, dark blue dark wash jeans, light brown patterned pumps and light brown purse) - .ca/pin/474566879479840086/

*Seren hairstyle - .ca/pin/474566879479520717/

*Parallel Seren outfit - .ca/pin/474566879469180692/

*Parallel Seren wedding rings - .ca/pin/474566879476907091/

*Parallel Seren hairstyle - .ca/pin/474566879477812613/

*Parallel Siwan outfit - .ca/pin/474566879478495588/

*Parallel Siwan hairstyle - .ca/pin/474566879477593446/

*Parallel Siwan engagement ring - .ca/pin/474566879477798728/

At the party

*Parallel Seren saree (pink, purple and silver – no peacock design) - .ca/pin/474566879478970107/

*Parallel Seren jewelry - .ca/pin/474566879478970209/

*Parallel Seren bangles - .ca/pin/474566879479625794/

*Parallel Seren hairstyle and hair comb - .ca/pin/414894184407897542/

*Parallel Seren shoes - .ca/pin/474566879473591630/

*Parallel Seren makeup - .ca/pin/474566879477990657/

*JJ suit (black waistcoat and trouser suit with a purple tie matching Seren's saree) - .ca/pin/474566879474627765/

*Parallel Siwan lehenga - .ca/pin/474566879479514146/

*Parallel Siwan bangles - .ca/pin/474566879479626054/

*Parallel Siwan earrings (silver and red) - .ca/pin/474566879478522264/

*Parallel Siwan hairstyle and hair comb - .ca/pin/474566879479848001/

*Parallel Siwan shoes (silver) - .ca/pin/474566879475410476/

*Parallel Siwan makeup - .ca/pin/474566879479241067/

*Adam outfit - .ca/pin/809522101741971621/

*Adam Rolex watch - .ca/pin/AZKZIzMD68VZVIpRY8hqzdDJP_JkohY9Ejposc7ch6NhsaHLXgNMrkY/