IX
Welcome to Hotel Soelife

Parallel London
UNIT base

Moments pass and the UNIT team continue to chat amongst each other. The Doctor goes back to join Colonel Brimikawood who is now smoking. He looks at the Doctor for a long time.

"You haven't been on holiday, Doctor; you've all been waiting for us. I'm sure we're all in need of a break away."

The Doctor doesn't say it but he knows the Colonel is telling the truth. He tried to travel the parallel world with Rose but neither of them could really think straight. And the Colonel can tell.

For the rest of the afternoon, the Doctor goes around the base and makes sure that he speaks to each and every UNIT member, ruling out Will Sullivan. He spends a lot of time reuniting with Martha and Sarah-Jane. Then after a while the Doctor asks Rose if she wants to spend their holiday together travelling the parallel world. Rose is delighted with the idea.

It is Terry's idea that she will stay around the UNIT base and enhance their security system, insisting that currently it isn't good enough to keep intruders such as the British army away.

"You'll be okay here, won't you?" The Doctor asks April.

April shrugs. "I'll find somewhere to stay. Ireen and Harry keep offering their place but I think they need time alone together."

"What about Will?"

April cringes for a moment. "We're spending the holiday together but I don't know how I feel about staying at his family home."

"Hotel Soelife is still open for business to UNIT," Jason says as he comes up behind April. "We have quite a few close mates working there that'll happily give you a decent room to stay in. They're trustworthy, they really are."

The Doctor smiles. "There you go. A holiday home for you."

April smiles back before hugging the Doctor tightly. "You take care of yourself. And look after Rose." She whispers in his ear.

"Same for you, April."

They then let go and the Doctor bids everyone farewell as he starts to follow Rose into the lift.

"You better write to me, Doctor!" April calls before they disappear.

The Doctor turns to look at April and then nods. "I promise. As long as you address me as John Smith and yourself as Mrs Robinson. Rose will be Jackie Orman and Terry as Tiffany Jenner. We can't risk any information getting into the wrong hands."

"I hate you." April mutters under her breath but knows that the Doctor knows what it is she muttered as he smiles at her. The iron gates close and April watches the lift as it start to descend.

"I'm guessing you need directions on how to get to Hotel Soelife." Martha says as she comes up behind April.

"I guess that'll be better than walking around London aimlessly." April replies, smiling softly at Martha.

Everyone starts to say goodbye to one another as they leave the base to begin their relaxing holiday. A group of members agree that they will be meeting up in the local pub later in the evening.

"Enjoy the holiday, boys!" Private Jackson calls before disappearing into the lift with several others.

April says goodbye to Ireen with a hug but they find themselves being quickly wrapped into a large bear hug by Harry, and then Alic joins on. Soon enough Jason comes running in to join the group embrace. Yet they all find themselves laughing as they are tangled up in each other's arms.

April watches the way Will, Alic and Harry talk to one another and it is suddenly clear to her how strong their friendship is, and even after the murder, they are still close. However Will catches April watching him.

"You're not still mad at me?" He asks as he approaches her.

"I never said I was. I just wanted the truth from you rather than hearing it from a crazy woman," April sighs. "It doesn't change the way I think about you."

Will smiles before squeezing April's hand and leaning forward to kiss her on the cheek. "I'll see you again soon."

"Where will I find you?"

"I'll find you."

April follows Martha and Jason into the lift. The lift takes them out to a street not too far from Covent Garden. When the gates open they are instantly met with a bitterly cold gust of wind and snow falling from the sky.

Martha and Jason walk across the street hand-in-hand and April follows by their side. Jason reassures April that she has nothing to worry or stress about staying at Hotel Soelife seeing as the hotel is always open for use to all UNIT soldiers, and they are also very friendly with the workers there. However after they walk up the stone steps and push open the glass doors to step into the reception, their facial expressions tell April otherwise.

They stand in front of the glass doors and observe the scene around them.

The reception is exceptionally bright with the marble flooring and polished walls and furniture, just as if it has just been cleaned, or is constantly cleaned excessively. There is a circle of black leather chairs around a glass coffee table for visitors, and there are palm tree plants sat in white or black vases dotted around the reception. To their right is a large arch in the wall which leads to the bar and the restaurant, and to their left is another archway leading to the lounge and the lifts to the upper floors. Directly in front of them is a large, round, polished oak reception desk, and standing behind the desk stands a tall, skinny man with bright red hair. He looks at them with his hands behind his back and a forced grin upon his face which is very clown-like.

The reception is very overly done in its brightness and a little too overwhelming. Even Martha and Jason thinks so.

"Well it looks like they've renovated the place." Martha mumbles as they slowly start to approach the reception desk, careful not to slip on the over-polished floor.

"And their new receptionist," Jason mutters back. "Doesn't look real."

Martha nudges April. "This is nothing to worry about. We've got in under control."

"Hello!" The receptionist beams the moment the three reach the desk. "Welcome to Hotel Soelife! We like to make sure that our guests get the best luxurious stay they'll ever have in their lifetime and all staff will be willing to help out whenever needed. There's no need for any of our guests to hesitate when asking for something you want because we'll be with you faster you can begin to even think about waiting. Hotels cannot get any better than this so why not kick off those scabby shoes of yours and relax for as long as you want to stay! We'll have everything you'll want and so much more than you will believe. As our motto says, 'Soelife is rare, because we care.' So, how can I help you? I'm sure that you'll be asking for a room for three? Or a double room and a separate single? Anything you like! You can ask for any room you desire and we will have it! Be it a room for five and it'll be there for you. Be it one night only and it's all yours. Be it for a months stay and it will be no trouble for us! We will take care of all guests, no matter where they stay or how long they are here for."

April, Martha and Jason exchange glances as the man speaks cheerfully and at a very fast pace. Quite often as he speaks, Jason opens his mouth to speak but the receptionist continues to ramble on.

"So how may Hotel Soelife be at your service?" The receptionist leans over his desk to peer down at his guests. "My name is Sunny Blythe and I will be on duty at all hours of your stay."

"I like what you've done to the place." Jason says, more to himself before looking up and meeting Sunny's bright eyes. "We would like to book a single room for this young lady here for as long as she wishes."

Sunny looks at April. "And what is your name?"

"Mrs Robinson." Jason replies quickly as he fumbles in his trouser pocket.

Sunny looks from one guest to the next before pushing away from the desk and turning to his computer.

Jason pulls out a thin metal stick from his trouser pocket which could pass off as a memory stick. However Jason pulls out a few fifty and a hundred pound notes from the stick before hiding it away in his pocket again.

"Okay your room will be on the fifth floor, number 505," Sunny then rummages around in one of the drawers before pulling out a key. "So here is your key to your room which will also allow you into the gym and the inside swimming pool. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and supper will be served on the hour. Your schedule for your meal times will be up in your room. You are expected to turn up to your meal dead on time, if not you'll miss your queue. We have a lot of guests here so it's vital that you keep to your time. You may order room service at any time of the day but ordering your meal at meal times is completely prohibited. Lights out is after eleven at night where we expect our guests to remain in their rooms overnight and to only leave under a matter of emergency which will not happen. And outside guests are also prohibited unless you ask for permission in advance."

April scowls at Sunny Blythe. Should she not have freedom on holiday?

"Am I allowed to leave the hotel during the day or is that under regulation?" April asks sternly.

Sunny laughs. "No of course you may leave these premises at any time of the day! You'll just have to sign out before leaving and then sign back in on your return. Would you like me to show you the way to your room?"

"Thanks but no thanks, mate," Jason says as he picks up the key off the desk and then hands Sunny the money. "We can take it from here."

Martha, Jason and April start walking away from the reception and towards the golden lifts. Neither of them say anything but they soon find their walking pace starting to speed up as they sometimes turn to look back at the reception. Before they know it, they break into a run towards the lifts, laughing.

The lift is completely different to UNIT's one as the walls are polished oak and there is a large mirror on the back wall.

Neither Martha, Jason nor April knows what it is they find so funny and yet neither of them questions it. Nor do they question why they suddenly feel high with happiness. Jason's jokes seem more hilarious than ever before and he starts to make jokes about things that are not really that funny at all. And yet they find it funny.

They laugh at how polished the hotel seems to be and Martha says that they must have had a renovation since the last battle. They then start laughing and waving at the CCTV camera that April spots in the corner of the lift.

Once the lift doors open to the fifth floor, the three stumble out into the hallway, holding onto each other in their fits of giggles. Martha actually finds tears rolling down her cheeks from her laughter and that makes them laugh even more. They act like someone who has had a little too much to drink and are trying to support one another but nothing really helps.

The whole world has suddenly become a joke in a matter of seconds. And this sudden burst of happiness they feel seems completely normal. Nothing is wrong about the giddiness.

The hallway, to their luck, is empty of other people, and the colours around them seem so bright and exciting with the red carpet and the cream coloured walls. Oil lamps hang on the walls.

They eventually reach April's room, and Jason knocks on the brown door, which makes April howl with laughter.

"Well I thank thee for escorting me to thy new palace." April says as she takes a theatrical bow, wobbling on her feet ever so slightly.

"It is our pleasure, Mrs Robinson!" Martha replies as April unlocks her room door and almost stumbles in, resulting in more laughter. They then bid one another farewell through their laughter.

"We shall see you soon!" Jason calls down the hallway as they disappear back into the lift.

April frantically waves them goodbye and then shuts herself in her room with a happy sigh of relief.

Her scowl quickly appears on her face again and all of a sudden, it is as if her laughter has escaped her. Nothing seems funny any more, nor does any of the things they were laughing about a moment ago. Her emotions she felt before they left the reception return to April.

April is met with a light coloured room with deep red, thick curtains and a large double bed. Hanging on the wall directly opposite the bed is a large plasma television screen.

Coldness suddenly rushes over April as she remembers the look on Martha and Jason's faces when they saw that the hotel they once knew is suddenly changed, and how in a matter of seconds they were suddenly happy for no reason at all.

So why is it she feels normal again after shutting herself in her room?

April tries to push the thought away. It is something she knows that she should look into but she has lost all the energy to do so right now.

Besides she is on holiday, why does she have to?

Instead, April brushes the thought to the side and explores her new room.