The Lost Girl Chronicles Book 2: The Spark That Lingers

by frosty600

For Sophie, it continued with a crash landing and almost being crushed under the weight of the new man the Doctor had become. For the Doctor, it continued with a brain implosion and blue eyes and a smile that made his hearts race. Second in the Lost Girl Chronicles. Doctor/OC

10. Chapter 9 The Age of Steel

Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who. Just Sophie my o/c.

A/N: Thank you to everyone who followed/favourited and reviewed last chapter, and thanks to Saberbladeprime for helping me out again this chapter.

CHAPTER 9

The Age of Steel

"Delete! Delete! Delete!" the Cybermen continued to chant the order as they closed in on them, arms extended as they reached for them.

Sophie felt a hand take her gloved one and didn't have to look to know it was Rose's. She closed her hand about the blonde's just as tightly as she was holding hers as they stared at the advancing Cybermen with wide fearful eyes, hearts pounding.

The Doctor, who'd reached into one of his pockets and pulled out the charging power cell, pointed it at the Cybers. A stream of golden energy shooting from it, hitting one of the metal men in the chest and bounding off and into the others, bringing them up short. The inflectionless chanting ceasing as their large metal bodies started trembling slightly as their bodies were bent backwards, before disintegrating into atoms.

Sophie blinked in shock at the now empty space the Cybermen had been, "Blimey!" she breathed with relief as she glanced over at the small power cell the Doctor was holding, beside her Rose nodded silently still gripping Sophie's hand tightly, 'blimey' seemed to cover it nicely.

Ricky spun to the Doctor, eyes alight with interest, bullets may not have done much of anything but whatever that was had taken those metal men out with ease, "What the hell was that?" he demanded to know.

"We'll have that instead, run!" the Doctor yelled, grasping Sophie's free hand with his as they took off at a quick clip across the Tyler's front yard.

A blue van drove up, and honked the horn, drawing their attention, "Everybody in!" Mrs. Moore shouted at them.

Ricky, Jake and Mickey immediately moved to get into the van. Pete however, turned and moved to run back towards his house. The Doctor released Sophie's hand and moved after him grabbing him.

Pete struggled desperately against his grip, "I've gotta go back, my wife's in there!"

"Anyone inside that house is dead," the Doctor replied his tone grim and firm needing for Pete to understand that he was completely serious, but his eyes were sad as he regarded the man, "If you wanna help, then don't let her die for nothing," he urged as Pete stopped trying to pull away from his grip, "You've gotta come with us right now."

Pete nodded slowly, reluctantly, his heart heavy as he turned from the house and moved back towards the van, almost feeling numb in that moment, but not quite.

"Come on!" Mrs. Moore shouted from the driver's seat, "Get a move on!"

The Doctor moved back towards the van, his gaze landing on Sophie and Rose as they stood together, hands still clasped together as Rose clutched at the brunette's hand as she stared at the house with a lost expression.

Sophie squeezed Rose's hand, "She's not…" she trailed, swallowing hard as Rose squeezed back tightly, "Your mum's alive and well in our world," she tried again her voice soft and sad for her.

Rose inhaled a sharp shaky breath, nodding even as she squeezed her eyes tightly shut for a moment against the pain, because she much as she knew logically that Sophie was right, her mum was in their world safe and sound… that was still her mother in that house with the Cybermen... possibly dead already… possibly alone and terrified for her life… her hand tightened further around Sophie's and the brunette squeezed back just as hard, offering what little comfort she could.

The Doctor came up beside them, "Rose, she's not your mother," he murmured the reminder with quiet urgency.

Rose nodded jerkily, her eyes snapping open as she took a deep breath, forcing herself to form the words, to actually give them voice, "I know," she managed to say, her voice cracking.

"Come on," the Doctor urged, grasping her arm, giving it a small squeeze as he urged her towards the van, where Mrs. Moore was watching the three stragglers with rising incredulous impatient exasperation.

Sophie followed Rose into the van the blond still grasping her hand tightly, making the process only slightly awkward for her. She settled herself into the seat beside Rose as the Doctor followed her in slamming the back door shut as he sat beside her.

"Finished chatting?" Mrs. Moore asked waspishly, "Never seen a slower getaway in my life!" she groused, the van's engine revving as she put her foot down on the accelerator, taking off down the road as another line of Cybermen came into view, marching forward ominously.

*O*O*O*

Down in the cellar that she'd hidden herself away in, Jackie opened the door a crack, cringing as it creaked softly. She peeked out the tiny sliver, her gaze immediately landing on the metal back of one of the monstrosities that had crashed her party and murdered her friends, a small quiet relieved sigh escaping her at seeing it walking away from her, heading for the stairs away from the cellar. It was a short-lived relief however, as in the next moment she saw another step out of a doorway. A startled fearful gasp escaped her and she swiftly withdrew from the doorway, pressing the door closed again, heart hammering…

It was too late however, as the Cyberman turned towards the door, having seen and heard her before her retreat.

*O*O*O*

Ricky, who was sitting beside Jake in the front of the van that was moving along at a quick steady speed down the road now, turned to look at those seated in the back of the van, or rather at the strange device that the man was still holding in his hand, "What was that thing?" he asked.

"Little bit of technology from my home," the Doctor replied, glancing up at Ricky briefly before returning his gaze to the cell he was cradling in his hands.

"It's stopped glowing," Mickey observed with a worried frown, "Has it run out?" he asked the Time Lord with concern.

"It's on a revitalising loop," the Doctor murmured quietly in explanation as he tucked the power cell safely into his pocket, "It'll charge back up in about four hours."

"Right," Ricky muttered with a dark frown, "So, we don't have a weapon anymore," he grumbled.

"Yeah, we've got weapons," Jake cut in, "Might not be one of those metal things, but they're good enough for men like him," he said glaring pointedly at Pete.

Rose immediately bristled and Sophie grimaced slightly as the blonde's hand tightened about hers further, her grip painful now, "Leave him alone!" Rose demanded defensively, her voice rising to a shrill pitch as she glared, "What's he done wrong?"

"Oh, you know," Jake began with sarcasm, "Just laid a trap that's wiped out the Government. And left Lumic in charge."

Pete stiffened at the accusation, "If I was part of all that, do you think I'd leave my wife inside?" he asked affronted.

Ricky shrugged, levelling his own distrustful glare at Pete, "Maybe your plan went wrong," he retorted, "Still gives us the right to execute you, though."

"What?!" Sophie exclaimed shocked and aghast as she stared at the glowering Ricky with wide startled eyes, fingers wiggling slightly against Rose's grip as the blonde's hand tightened further, hoping to prompt her to loosen her hold even just a little.

"You heard me," Ricky almost spat in response not tearing his glare from Pete Tyler.

The Doctor narrowed his eyes on Ricky, "Talk about executions, you'll make me your enemy," he leaned forward as Ricky pulled his gaze from Pete to stare at him, "And take some really good advice, you don't wanna do that," and Ricky swallowed a tad nervously at the dead seriousness in the man's eyes.

"All the same…" Ricky muttered after a moment of terse silence, tearing his gaze away from the man to toss another hard glare at Pete, "We have evidence that says Pete Tyler's been working for Lumic since 20.5."

Rose turned her gaze back to her dad, eyes wide, not wanting to believe it, she swallowed against the lump in her throat, "Is that true?" she asked him, hoping that he'd deny it, but Pete said nothing adverting his gaze uncomfortably.

"Tell 'em, Mrs. M," Ricky requested of the blond woman that was driving the van, turning to look at her.

"We've got a government mole who feeds us information," Mrs. Moore informed them, "Lumic's private files, his South American operations… the lot. Secret broadcasts twice a week."

Pete frowned as he looked up staring at the three in the front of the van, "Broadcasts from Gemini?" he asked abruptly drawing startled looks from the three in the front and curious ones from those in the back with him.

Ricky scowled darkly, glaring distrustfully at him, "And how do you know that?" he demanded to know.

"I'm Gemini," Pete stated flatly, still frowning, "That's me."

Sophie blinked, "That's a twist," she murmured softly and the Doctor nodded in agreement as he continued to eye Pete, "Aah…" Sophie breathed pained as Rose's grip shifted on her hand once again.

Rose blinked registering the sound and tore her gaze from her dad to look down at their joined hands and flushed slightly, relaxing her grip allowing Sophie to slip her hand from hers, "Sorry," she apologized sheepishly.

Sophie gave her a small understanding smile, "S'ok," she murmured as she flexed her fingers and massaged her palm with her other hand as pins and needles broke out over the area.

Ricky continued to glower at Pete with continued disbelief, "Yeah, well you would say that," he bit out.

"Encrypted wavelength six-five-seven using binary nine," Pete stated and Ricky and Jake exchanged a look, "That was the only reason I was working for Lumic. To get information," Pete continued eyeing the three with dubious disbelief, "I thought I was broadcasting to the Security Services," he let out a humourless sound, "What do I get? Scooby-Doo and his gang. They've even got the van!" he groused glancing about its interior.

"No, no, no!" Mickey cut in shaking his head, "But the Preachers know what they're doing. Ricky said he's London's Most Wanted!"

"Yeah, that's not exactly…" Ricky trailed off shifting uncomfortably in his seat as he took in all the eyes that were on him and beside him Jake couldn't help but smirk slightly in amusement.

Mickey frowned at him, "Not exactly what?" he demanded.

"I'm London's Most Wanted for… parking tickets," Ricky admitted sheepishly and Sophie blinked lips twitching upwards into a small amused smile, a hand coming up a moment to late in an attempt to hide it as she fought down the urge to giggle and the Doctor smiled with unrepentant amusement, whilst Rose raised her eyebrows at him.

"Great," Pete scoffed with heavy sarcasm.

"They were deliberate!" Ricky snapped defensively, "I was fighting the system! Park anywhere, that's me."

The Doctor's smile widened and he nodded, "Good policy. I do much the same. I'm the Doctor, by the way, if anyone's interested."

"Sophie," Sophie murmured as she lowered her hand from her lips offering them a small friendly smile.

"And I'm Rose," Rose beamed a grin unable to help but glance over at her dad again, "Hello!" she said cheerily.

"Even better," Pete muttered with a groan, "That's the name of my dog," Rose's smile slipped her expression falling slightly at the reminder, "Still," Pete continued sighing, "At least I've got the catering staff on my side."

"I knew you weren't a traitor," Rose murmured with quiet sincerity as she stared at him intently.

Pete glanced at her with surprise, "Why's that, then?" he asked eyeing her.

Rose took a breath, the truth on the tip of her tongue – wanting to tell him, to have him look at her and acknowledge who she was… to know her. She swallowed and glancing over at the Doctor to see him staring at her a silent warning in his gaze, and then to Sophie to see her staring with concerned, but wary eyes. She turned her gaze back to her dad, swallowing again, firming her resolve, "I just did," she murmured quietly looking down at her lap.

Pete shook his head, looking away from the blond, "They took my wife," he murmured with quiet desperation.

Rose lifted her gaze to him again, "She might still be alive," she murmured softly in an attempt to comfort.

"That's even worse," Pete muttered, "Cos, that's what Lumic does. He takes the living… and he turns them into those machines."

"Cybermen," the Doctor cut in, drawing everyone's attention to him, "They're called Cybermen," he repeated lowly, "And I'd take those ear pods off, if I were you," the Doctor said nodding at Pete's ears that still had the pods plugged into them.

Pete immediately reached up and took the pods out of his ears handing them over to the Doctor without complaint.

"You never know…" the Doctor muttered as he slipped his sonic screwdriver out of his pocket eyeing the pods with distaste, "Lumic could be listening," and Sophie made a small disquieted face as she eyed the pods in the Doctor's hand watching as he pointed his sonic at them. The sonic screwdriver gave a brief whirr and the blue tip flashed as he swiftly disabled them.

"But he's overreached himself," the Doctor continued, "He's still just a businessman. He's assassinated the President. All we need to do is get to the City and inform the authorities. Because I promise you, this ends tonight."

*O*O*O*

Several Cybermen stood before Lumic, the wheelchair bound CEO examining them with interest, "My everlasting children…" he addressed them, "Tell me… how does it feel?"

"We feel nothing," one replied.

"But in your mind? What do you think?" Lumic tried again staring at his creation intently.

"We think the same. We are uniform," came the inflectionless response.

"But you think of… what?" Lumic persisted.

"We think of the humans," the Cyberman responded, "We think of their difference and their pain. They suffer in the skin, they must be upgraded," it stated flatly.

Lumic grinned, "Excellent!" he laughed, "Then let's begin!" he declared, "Computer, identify John Lumic."

"Voice print acknowledged," the computer announced.

"Activate ear pod primary sequence," Lumic ordered.

"Please state area of activation."

"The City of London," Lumic stated, "I've just declared independence. Begin transmission!"

*O*O*O*

On the streets of London, the familiar short bleep-like alarm sounded and the people that had been going about their business immediately froze in their tracks, the ear pods plugged into their ears flashing…

*O*O*O*

In the Tyler's cellar, Jackie also stood frozen, the fancy birthday gift pods she was wearing flashing as the transmitted signal hit them.

*O*O*O*

In a single fluid motion, the people of London turned as one and began to walk in the same direction, expressions blank, eyes glazed over.

*O*O*O*

Jackie stepped mindlessly through the door of the cellar, walking past the Cybermen and heading up the stairs out of the basement.

*O*O*O*

Lumic grinned as he stared at his computer watching the progress, the success of his transmission, "You will come to me. My dear children. The Immortal Ones."

*O*O*O*

"All of London has been sealed off," A report announced, as a nationwide emergency news broadcast went out, "There are reports of an army, an army of metal men. All citizens should remove their ear pods. I repeat, remove all ear pods. London has been placed under martial law. If you are hearing this, stay in your homes. I repeat, stay in your homes."

*O*O*O*

Mr. Crane winced in pain, leaning heavily against a lorry as he clutched at his ears. With an effort he managed to rip the pods out of his ears, "Oh, no you don't!" he panted.

*O*O*O*

The Doctor, Sophie, Rose, Mickey, Pete and the Preachers walked along a street, watching with bewilderment as the people marched mindlessly past them, all heading in the same direction, "What the hell…?" Jake muttered disquieted.

"What's going on?" Rose asked frowning in concern at the marching people.

"It looks like they're in some kind of trance," Sophie murmured, her own brow scrunched with concern as the people continued to pass them.

The Doctor nodded in response to the observation, not taking his eyes off the people, "It's the ear pods. Lumic's taking control."

A cold shiver ran down Sophie's spine at that, "Knew they were creepy," she muttered eyes flicking to the pods in the marching peoples ears, another cold shiver of dread running down her spine at the idea of someone being about to take control of her like that… to be able to take away her freewill…

"Can't we just… I dunno, take them off?" Rose asked, reaching towards a man to pull out the pods in his ears.

The Doctor grabbed her arm pulling it away, "Don't! Cause a brainstorm," he warned her.

Sophie swallowed, glancing at the marching people again, before turning her concerned gaze back to the Doctor, "So, we can't do anything?" she asked him.

The Doctor turned his gaze to her and shook his head, not from here, "Not without killing them," he replied grimly and Sophie's heart sank further and she glanced away back towards those marching. The Doctor sighed following her gaze and shook his head again as he eyed them, "Human Race," he muttered, "For such an intelligent lot, you aren't half susceptible," Sophie flicked her gaze back to him her brow scrunching at him, "Give anyone a chance to take control and you submit. Sometimes I think you like it. Easy life," the Doctor blinked as his gaze returned to his companions and took in the flat stares they were giving him. He tugged at his ear, glancing from Sophie to Rose then to Mickey and then over to Pete and back again, "Uh, rude?" he asked Sophie and Rose.

"Yep!" Sophie and Rose replied in sync, both nodding at him.

"Ah…" the Doctor muttered, tugging at his ear again.

"Hey!" Jake suddenly called and they all turned to see Jake and Ricky crouching down, peering around a corner, "Come and see," Jake waved them over. They walked over, and joined Jake and Ricky in peering around the corner and saw a row of Cybermen marching alongside more people, all still moving in the same direction.

"Where are they all going?" Rose asked.

"I don't know," the Doctor muttered with a shake of his head, "Lumic must have a base of operations."

"Battersea," Pete supplied drawing their gazes, "That's where he was building his prototypes," he explained.

"Why's he doing it?" Rose asked her dad with a frown.

"He's dying," Pete responded, "This all started out as a way of prolonging life, of keeping the brain alive, at all costs."

Sophie squeezed her eyes shut at that, horrified…

"The thing is, we've seen Cybermen before, haven't we?" Rose asked glancing over at Sophie and the Doctor.

Sophie opened her eyes again, glancing over at the blond as she nodded, "Yeah, we have…" she murmured.

"The head. Those handle shapes in Van Statten's museum," the blond recalled and Sophie nodded again, fingers tangling in the ends of her hair.

"Ah, there are Cybermen in our universe," the Doctor explained, "They started on an ordinary world just like this, then swarmed across the galaxy."

Sophie felt another shiver of dread run down her spine, "Stuff of nightmares…" she whispered, recalling once again just what the Doctor had called them in Van Statten's creepy alien museum.

The Doctor heard the whisper and turned his gaze to her, nodding as he eyed her with concern. A horrible thought occurring to him in that moment that had his hearts aching in his chest for the petite brunette once again, she'd been dreaming of this… seeing something of this, the Cybermen. He couldn't know for sure, but it would certainly explain the horror he'd see haunting her eyes after she'd woken up these past few days since they'd started…

He reached for her mentally, brushing his consciousness against her comfortingly and Sophie offered him a small smile as she brushed back, the smile however, didn't quite manage to reach her eyes and the Doctor cleared his throat, "This lot are a parallel version," he continued his explanation, "And they're starting from scratch right here on Earth."

"What the hell are you three on about?" Pete asked them, eyeing the three of them with curiosity and confusion.

"Never mind that," Ricky cut in, "Come on we need to get out of the City," he stated and they turned to see Cybermen marching steadily down the street towards them, "Ok, split up," Ricky stated decisively as he turned back to them, "Mrs. Moore, you look after that bloke," he ordered nodding at Pete, "Jake, distract them, go right, I'll go left, we'll meet back at Bridge Street. Move," and Ricky and Jake took off in opposite directions.

Mickey quickly turned to Rose, "I'm going with him," he stated, and gave her a quick kiss, before he turned and ran after Ricky, not giving the blond or anyone a chance to try and talk him out of it.

"Stay safe, Mickey…" Sophie murmured quietly as she stared after him for a moment, before glancing over at Rose to see that the blond was staring with wide worried eyes, teeth abusing her lower lip.

"Come on, let's go," Mrs. Moore called to them urgently and they all turned and ran. The Doctor's hand finding Sophie's as he glanced over at Rose to ensure that the she had moved with them. The blond running beside the parallel version of her father.

"There!" Mrs. Moore cried and pointed in the direction of a side alley they were fast approaching and they turned into it, dashing down it.

Cybermen pursuing them.

*O*O*O*

Ricky and Mickey ran down a street, coming to a stop as they reached a fork in the road, the both of them out of breath glancing around, "Which way?" Mickey asked, "I don't know where we are?"

"Did they see us?" Ricky questioned glancing back the way they had come.

"Do they know where we are?" Mickey muttered.

"I think they saw us. I bet they can see in the dark…" Ricky muttered.

"I bet they've got satellites…" Mickey continued the two starting to speak over each other.

"I bet they saw us in the dark…" Ricky carried on.

"They know where we are," they spoke together. They blinked in surprise and glanced over at each other.

Ricky frowned at his look alike, "I don't get it," he muttered shaking his head in confusion, "What is it with you? You are exactly like me."

Mickey shrugged, "I dunno. I reckon you're braver."

Ricky smirked, "Oh yeah. Ten times," he agreed, "Still, your friends aren't bad," he admitted, "I'll give you that."

"Oh, that's the Doctor, Rose and Sophie," Mickey murmured with a small shake of his head, "I just tag along."

"Well, then, you're not that bad," Ricky murmured with a small shrug.

Mickey blinked at him a little surprised at hearing that from his parallel self that had for the most part just seemed rather annoyed by him, "Do you think?"

Ricky shrugged again, glancing away a little awkwardly, "Yeah, I suppose."

The loud booming sound of the Cybermen's marching feet came from behind them and they both whirled to look, wide eyes landing on Cybermen as they marched along the street towards them.

"Cybermen," Mickey breathed fearfully.

"Split up!" they both shouted in the next moment, before they turned from each other and dashed off in opposite directions.

*O*O*O*

The Doctor, Sophie, Rose, Pete and Mrs. Moore crouched behind a pile of rubbish and dustbins, hiding as Cybermen marched down the street. Rose grasped tightly onto Pete's hand, clutching it fearfully. Sophie's hand tightened around the Doctor's and the Time Lord shifted his grip in response, intertwining their fingers squeezing reassuringly.

They heard the Cybermen stop right by them and the Doctor pulled out his sonic screwdriver with his free hand, slowly and carefully raising it, aiming it at them. He flicked it on, and it bleeped once and they heard the Cybermen move on.

Sophie let out a low sigh of relief, her grip on the Doctor's hand relaxing, but not letting go. Rose stood abruptly dropping Pete's hand as she did so, glancing at him, she shifted a bit awkwardly at the somewhat bewildered look he was giving her. She attempted a smile, and Pete looked away shaking his head in confusion as he stood. The Doctor, Sophie and Mrs. Moore doing the same, watching warily as the Cybermen marched off down the street. Rose forced her gaze away from her dad, turning her own gaze to the retreating Cybers.

"Go," the Doctor whispered a moment later, and they quietly crept out from behind the dustbins and ran in the opposite direction.

*O*O*O*

Jackie filed out of the back of a lorry, along with many other people, all of which immediately started marching towards the Battersea power station without batting an eye.

"Chamber twelve now closed for sterilisation," A Cyberman reported, "All reject stock will be incinerated."

*O*O*O*

Ricky ran as fast as he could, but he couldn't seem to shake the Cybermen that were pursuing him… gaining on him. Cybermen appeared ahead of him blocking his path and Ricky turned sharply, changing direction dashing down a side alley, only to find his way blocked off by a chain-link metal fence. He rushed up to it and gave it a rattle just as Mickey ran around from the other side.

"Come on!" Mickey urged and Ricky started climbing the fence, the Cybermen stomping closer and closer as they pursued him down the side alley, "Come on! Come on!" Mickey cried with growing urgency as the Cybers got closer… too close!

One of the Cybers reached out and closed a heavy metal hand around Ricky's ankle and he let out an agonized cry as a current of electricity was sent coursing through him.

"No!" Mickey shouted eyes wide with horror, heart pounding against his ribcage as he watched Ricky fall backwards off the fence and land in a crumpled heap on the ground. He slowly lifted his gaze from the body to stare at the Cybermen, who were just standing there watching him from the other side of the fence. Mickey sniffled as he stumbled back a couple of steps, before he turned and ran.

*O*O*O*

Cybermen marched on either side of Mr. Crane as they escorted him to stand before Lumic, "This one is unprogrammed," one of them reported.

"Mr. Crane," Lumic observed with a frown, "I thought you were one of the faithful."

"Oh, that I am, sir," Mr. Crane assured with a nod, "My ear pod must've malfunctioned. For which I apologise," Lumic squinted at him suspiciously, "If I er… might…?" Mr. Crane asked and Lumic nodded his ascent and he took a few steps closer to Lumic's wheelchair, "I'd like to request an upgrade, sir. I've seen the future, and it's copyright Cybus Industries. Sign me up."

Lumic blinked, "A willing volunteer," he murmured the beginnings of a smile starting to turn up his lips.

"You've known me a long time, sir. Quite a team, you and me," Lumic's smile twitched into a grimace, "I've been with you all the way," Mr. Crane continued, "But believe me, sir, knowing you so well… I know exactly what to do," he suddenly lunged forward taking Lumic by surprise as he ripped away his breathing apparatus away, ignoring Lumic's exclamations of protest as he smashed the life-support system that had been built into the chair causing it to explode.

"Help me!" Lumic cried with desperation.

One of the Cybermen responded, stepping forward casually tossing Crane across the room with a casual swipe of its arm.

"Die, you!" Crane shouted as he attempted to lunge forward again, only for one of the Cybermen to grab him by the neck, killing him instantly.

"Help me!" Lumic managed to gasp out already beginning to struggle for air without the assistance of his breathing apparatus.

"You are in pain. We can remove pain forever," a Cyberman stated.

"No! Not yet!" Lumic gasped out, "I'm not ready."

"We will give you immortality."

"I've told you," Lumic gasped, truly struggling to breath now, "I will upgrade. Only with my last breath!"

The Cyberman stomped around to the back of Lumic's wheelchair, "Then breath no more," it stated, before hitting the logo on its chest and wheeled Lumic out, ignoring his protesting shouts.

"No! No! I command you, no!"

*O*O*O*

"I ran past the river," Jake panted, the moment he came up to the small group that were waiting on Bridge Street, his eyes scanning over them, searching for Ricky only to see that he hadn't arrived yet, "You should have seen it," he continued, "The whole City's on the march. Hundreds of Cybermen all down the Thames," a figure appeared at the end of the street running towards them and Jake turned his face lighting up in relief at the familiar face of his friend, "Here he is!" silence met his exclamation and Jake began to frown at the odd reaction, "Which one are you?" Jake asked as the bloke that he really hoped was his friend came to a halt in front of them.

"I'm sorry," and Jake stilled in rising dread and panic as he looked right at him, "The Cybermen. He couldn't…"

"Are you Ricky?" Jake asked and when he got no response, he asked again shouting with desperation, "ARE YOU RICKY!"

"Mickey, that's you, isn't it?" Rose pleaded her voice cracking as she stared at him with wide eyes, tears starting to well.

He glanced over at her, eyes meeting hers and gave a small despondent nod, "Yeah," he murmured quietly.

And Sophie let out a shaky breath of relief as Rose dashed forward throwing her arms around Mickey in a tight hug and beside her the Doctor relaxed minutely.

Mickey returned the hug for a brief moment, before he turned to Jake who had fallen silent, "He tried. He was running…" Jake turned away, not wanting to hear it, hands clenching at his sides, his friend was gone… his best friend, dead.

Mickey stepped after him, "There was too many of them…"

"Shut it!" Jake told him, cutting him off, his voice sounding hollow in his ears, face contorting in pain, nails biting into the palms of his hands.

"There was nothing I could do."

Jake whirled rounding on him, eyes red tears welling, "I just said shut it! Don't even talk about him. You're nothing, you are," Mickey stared at him helplessly feeling every word his own eyes reddening as tears welled, "Nothing!"

"No, he's not!" Sophie defended with a heavy frown, drawing their attention, she looked at Jake, face softening at the heartbreak on his face, "I'm sorry about Ricky but…" she murmured sincerely and Jake squeezed his eyes shut. Sophie glanced over at Mickey who was staring at her morosely, "Mickey's not nothing… he's really not," and Rose nodded in agreement, taking Mickey's hand and giving it a squeeze, just all so grateful that he was alive, for a horrible moment she thought she'd never see him again…

Mickey sniffled a bit as he looked down at his feet miserably, not able to bring himself to believe it in that moment.

"We can mourn him when London is safe," the Doctor stated his voice low and calm, "But for now, we move on."

Jake nodded with determination drawing himself up, 'London safe' that's what Ricky would want, would do… and so he turned and walked with the rest as they started off down the street, staring stonily ahead of him, determinedly ignoring Mickey.

*O*O*O*

The group walked up a slope and looked out over the river at the Battersea Power Station on the opposite bank.

"The whole of London's been sealed off, and the entire population's been taken inside that place. To be 'Converted'," the Doctor murmured grimly and Sophie took a deep steadying breath as she felt another cold shiver run down her spine.

"We've got to get in there and shut it down," Rose said seriously, staring hard at the Power Station and Sophie gave a short nod of agreement, teeth sinking into her lower lip as she too stared at the Power Station.

"How do we do that?" Mickey asked.

"Oh, I'll think of something," the Doctor replied with a small shrug and Sophie and Rose briefly exchanged a look lips twitching upwards, whilst Mickey stared at him with indignance.

"You're making this up as you go along!" he accused.

"Yuuuup!" the Doctor said popping the 'p', "But I do it brilliantly."

"Yeah, ya do," Sophie acknowledged softly, glancing over at him with a small smile and the Doctor shot her a quick grin, whilst Rose's lips twitched into an amused smirk and Mickey blinked at him, but had to nod in reluctant agreement.

*O*O*O*

"That's a schematic of the old factory," Mrs Moore stated as the Doctor, Sophie, Rose, Mickey and Pete stood around her peering over her shoulders at the 3D model of Battersea she'd brought up on her laptop. Jake stood a short distance away, listening with only half an ear, "Look, cooling tunnels… underneath the plant… big enough to walk through."

"We go under there," the Doctor murmured gesturing to a spot on the screen, "And up into the control centre?"

"Mhmm," Mrs. Moore nodded.

"There's another way in," Pete spoke up and they turned their attention from the screen to look at him, "Through the front door," he stated, "If they've taken Jackie for upgrading, that's how she'll get in…"

"We can't just go strolling up," Jake pointed out with a frown as he joined them.

"Or we could…" Mrs. Moore said as she began digging around in her bag, "With these…" she said as she pulled out some ear pods. The Doctor picked one up looking it over, "Fake ear pods. Dead. No signal," she explained, "But put them on, the Cybermen would mistake you for one of the crowd."

"Then that's my job," Pete stated determinedly.

"It'd take more than just the ear pods to fool the Cybermen," Sophie murmured, teeth sinking into her lower lip as she stared at Pete with concern.

The Doctor nodded in agreement, "You'd have to show no emotion. None at all. Any sign of emotion would give you away," he warned.

"How many of those you got?" Rose asked Mrs. Moore.

"Just two sets," she replied.

"Ok," Rose nodded, "If that's the best way of finding Jackie…" Rose got up from the bench and stepped over to Pete, "Then I'm coming with you."

Pete frowned in confusion as he eyed the blond, "Why does she matter to you?"

"We haven't got time," Rose evaded his question as she turned to the Doctor and Sophie her expression set in determination as she regarded them, "Doctor, Soph, I'm going with him, and that's that."

"No stopping you, is there?" the Doctor muttered as he stared at her.

"Nope," Rose replied firmly and Sophie let out a quiet concerned breath as she continued to stare at the blond, the determination on her 'little sisters' face never wavering.

The Doctor sighed out a breath, "Tell you what…" he tossed the ear pods to her, "We can take the ear pods at the same time. Give people their minds back so they don't walk into that place like sheep. Jakey-boy?" he called, before he turned and started further up the slope, Jake following him curiously.

Sophie glanced after the Doctor and Jake for a brief moment, before she turned back to Rose, stepping over to her she grasped her by the hand and led her a few of steps away from Pete, "Are you sure?" she couldn't help but ask, staring at Rose with concern.

Rose nodded resolutely, "Yeah, I am."

Sophie sighed lowly, giving a small nod, "It's just… no emotion Rose… no matter what you see in there," she swallowed, "You can't show any, not even a little bit."

Rose nodded, "I heard the Doctor," her eyes met Sophie and she gave her a slightly nervous, but no less determined smile, "I wouldn't say no to some pointers, though," she admitted quietly and Sophie blinked at her a little surprised, "You do a really good uh… 'reveal nothing' face," Rose murmured staring at her with hopeful eyes.

Sophie blinked again, fingers tangling in her hair, "That's not really something I can teach in five minutes, Rosie…" she murmured quietly, "That took me years and…" she trailed biting her lower lip briefly as she tried to think of just how to explain it, she'd never had to before, not really, "Um…" she sighed, "It was mainly all practise. I'd focus on something else… I mean I'd still feel," she swallowed heavily fingers twisting further into the ends of the hair, "Everything, but… I'd focus, mainly on my breathing and on keeping it to myself…" she trailed again frowning, she had a feeling that she wasn't doing a very good job of explaining and she was highly aware that they didn't really have time.

"So, no box?" Rose asked, lips curving up in mild amusement.

Sophie blinked at her again, "I tried the box," she admitted, "The box sucked," she muttered recalling the many failed attempts at stuffing all her hurt into a mental box with a grimace and Rose shook her head in mild amusement.

"Lumic's transmitting the control signal," the Doctor told Jake as they stared at Battersea Power Station, "It must be from over there…" he pointed his sonic screwdriver at the Station and it bleeped and a circle of red lights blinked at them from the Zeppelin parked on top, "There is it… on the Zeppelin, you see? Great big transmitter," he stated, lowering his sonic, "Good thing Lumic likes showing off," he mused, before turning to look at Jake, "Reckon you could take it out?"

Jake shot him a grin, "Consider it done."

The Doctor nodded and turned moving back down the slope, his gaze landing on Sophie as she hugged Rose, the blond hugging back, "Sparks?" he called as he approached, Sophie pulling back from the hug.

Sophie turned to look at him, "Cooling tunnels?" she guessed and the Doctor nodded in confirmation, before turned to Mrs. Moore.

"Mrs. Moore…" he addressed her, drawing her attention, "Would you care to accompany Sparks and I into the cooling tunnels?"

"How could I refuse an offer of the cooling tunnels?" Mrs. Moore replied as she stood.

"We attack on three sides," the Doctor began to explain taking off his glasses, "Above, between, below. We get to the control centre, we stop the conversion machines."

"What about me?" Mickey asked from where he was standing by the bench still, slightly apart from them drawing their attention to him.

"Mickey!" the Doctor exclaimed wrong-footed as he floundered to think of something he could do, "You can… ahm…"

Mickey frowned rather hurt that the man had forgotten to include him in any of his plans, again! "What, stay out of trouble? Be the tin dog?" he shook his head, "No, those days are over. I'm going with Jake," he declared flatly, decision made.

Jake scowled, "I don't need you, idiot," he spat.

"I'm not an idiot! You got that?!" Mickey shouted back, before he took a calming breath, "I'm offering to help."

Jake stared at him mutinously for a moment, before he looked away, "Whatever," he muttered as he turned and started away.

Mickey moved to follow, only for the Doctor to call after him.

"Mickey," Mickey turned back to see the Doctor eyeing him, "Good luck," the Time Lord told him.

Mickey nodded smiling slightly, "Yeah, you too."

"Stay safe," Sophie told him, giving him a small smile.

Mickey returned it with a nod, "You too Soph," he murmured before he turned to Rose, "Rose," he hesitated a moment, wondering what to say to his girlfriend… who honestly, wasn't really his girlfriend anymore… not really, "I'll see you later," he finally settled on.

Rose nodded, "Yeah, you better."

"If we survive this," the Doctor spoke again drawing Mickey's attention back to him, "I'll see you back at the Tardis."

"That's a promise," Mickey murmured with a nod, before he turned and started off after Jake again, with a smile.

The Doctor enveloped Rose into a quick tight hug, that the blond returned, "Good luck," he told her seriously as he pulled back.

Rose nodded, "You too," she murmured just as sincerely, before she turned to look at Sophie just as the brunette enveloped her in a second hug that was somehow tighter than the first one, and she hugged back just as tightly.

"You be careful!" Sophie murmured.

Rose nodded, "You too," she replied, "And don't worry," she added with a small grin that was more confident than she felt as they pulled away from each other, "I'll focus," she assured her and Sophie nodded.

In the next moment Rose was turning, moving swiftly back over to Pete Tyler, the two heading off together and the Doctor, Sophie and Mrs. Moore turned and headed off in the opposite direction.

*O*O*O*

The Doctor opened a trap door into the cooling tunnels, before urging Mrs. Moore and Sophie ahead of him, before alighting the ladder himself and following them down.

"It's freezing," Mrs. Moore commented.

Sophie nodded shivering slightly, missing the warmth of her leather jacket, "You're not wrong," she murmured.

"Any sign of a light switch?" the Doctor asked as he glanced about the dark tunnel.

"In a tunnel?" Sophie asked glancing at him.

The Doctor shrugged, glancing at her in turn, "Odder things have happened," he pointed out.

Sophie nodded in agreement and peered about the darkness of the tunnel again, squinting against it in an attempt to see through it, "Still, if there is one… good luck trying to find it in here," she commented.

"Can't see a thing," Mrs. Moore agreed with a light laugh, "But I've got these…" she rummaged around in her bag and pulled out a miner's light, handing one out to the Doctor, "A device for every occasion…" she told him, trailing as he took it from her with an ecstatic grin.

"Ooh!" the Doctor exclaimed as he turned the miner's light over in his hands, whilst Mrs. Moore went back to rummaging in her bag.

"Put it on," she told him as she pulled out a second miner's light holding it out to Sophie who accepted it from her giving it a brief look over before placing it on her head as Mrs. Moore pulled out a third from her bag.

"Haven't got a hotdog in there, have you?" the Doctor asked, the light on his head, as he eyed the bag curiously, "I'm starving."

Mrs. Moore laughed shaking her head, "Of all the things to wish for! That's mechanically recovered meat."

"I know," the Doctor agreed with a smile, "It's the Cyberman of food, but it's tasty," and Sophie gave a soft hum of agreement, whilst Mrs. Moore shook her head as she started digging about in her bag again.

"A proper torch as well," Mrs. Moore said as she handed the torch she'd pulled out of her bag to the Doctor.

"Let's see where we are," the Doctor murmured as he switched on the torch and took a few steps forward, Sophie and Mrs. Moore following him as he shone the light down the tunnel ahead of them. The artificial light immediately landing on the metal surface of a Cyberman, the walls of the tunnel were lined with them… row after row, hundreds upon hundreds of Cybermen, all of them completely still, lifeless.

The Doctor peered at them, "Already converted, just paralysed," he murmured.

"So many…" Sophie breathed horrified as she stared with wide eyes at the seemingly endless rows of Cybermen, "Already so many…" there had been a lot out on the streets, but that was nothing, absolutely nothing compared to what they were seeing here. She felt the Doctor take her hand in his at almost the same moment she felt the comforting warmth of his consciousness brushing against hers. She brushed back, her hand tightening around his.

"Come on!" the Doctor urged and started forward again, Sophie moving with him. Mrs. Moore hesitated briefly, before she moved to follow them. The Doctor paused and rapped one of the Cybermen on the nose… or where the nose would have been if the metal head framed by bars had one.

There was no reaction to his rapping apart from the hollow sound of his knuckles rapping against the metal, "Let's go slowly. Keep an eye out for trip systems," the Doctor murmured.

Sophie nodded in silent agreement still staring at the lifeless forms of the Cybermen. The Doctor grip on her hand shifted, his fingers interlacing with hers as they started warily down the cooling tunnel again, edging past lifeless form after lifeless form.

*O*O*O*

A huge truck drove away from the Power Station, a row of Cybermen marched heavily in the opposite direction, "Chamber six now open for human upgrading," the metallic voice of a Cyberman could be heard as Rose and Pete darted alongside the building, doing their best to keep out of sight, "Chamber seven now open for human upgrading," Rose and Pete crouched out of sight watching as a row of people under Lumic's control marched alongside the Cybermen, "Chamber eight now open for human upgrading."

"Just put them on," Pete murmured quietly in reference to the ear pods, "Don't show any emotion. No signs, nothing. Ok?"

Rose nodded, "Don't worry. We can do it," she whispered.

"Chamber seven now open for human upgrading."

"We could die in here," Pete murmured quietly eyeing the blond as he placed the pods into his ears, "Why are you doing this?"

Rose swallowed, "Let's just say I'm doing it for my mum and dad," she replied adjusting the pods in her ears. She took a steadying breath, reminding herself that she needed to focus, "Right, let's go," she said and they swiftly moved out of their hiding place heading for the marching line of people, hands clasped together.

"Chamber eight now open for human upgrading."

Pete gave Rose's hand a squeeze before they joined the progression and the pair let go their faces smoothing over, carefully blank, revealing nothing as they started marching with the others.

"Chamber nine now open for human upgrading. Chamber ten now open for human upgrading. Chamber eleven now open for human upgrading."

Rose swallowed heavily again as they approached the entrance of the Power Station, face still carefully blank as she focused, focused on her breathing just as Sophie said she did, not a flicker of emotion showing on her face.

*O*O*O*

Jake climbed up the ladder to the roof of the Power Station, where the Zeppelin was parked. He smiled as Mickey followed him up onto the roof. Jake crept quietly over to a wall, hiding behind it to avoid being spotted by the guards that were standing on duty beneath the parked Zeppelin. He beckoned for Mickey to join him.

"Two guards," Jake observed when Mickey had joined him behind the wall, "We can take them."

"Don't kill them," Mickey hissed in warning, grabbing Jake by the arm preventing him from emerging from behind the wall.

Jake turned back to Mickey with a glower, yanking his arm free, his earlier irritation that he'd pushed aside with an effort for the sake of the mission flaring once again, "Who put you in charge?" he demanded.

Mickey met his gaze unflinchingly, "If you kill them, what the difference between you and the Cybermen?"

Jake paused, eyeing Mickey, "Well, I suppose we could use these," he conceded pulling out a couple of corked bottles, handing one to Mickey.

Mickey blinked at it, "Smelling salts?"

"Bit stronger than that," Jake replied, "One of Mrs. Moore's little tricks. Should knock them out," he informed him and Mickey nodded, "Three, two, one…"

The two ran out from behind the wall, moving quickly and quietly up behind the two human guards. They grabbed them from behind and shoved the small bottles under their noses. The 'smelling salts' knocking the guards unconscious in seconds.

"There's got to be more guards on board," Mickey observed.

"Then let's go get them," Jake replied before he started up the ladder into the Zeppelin, Mickey swiftly following him up.

*O*O*O*

The Doctor led them on through the cooling tunnel as they moved in single file down the narrowed passage, still moving past lifeless metal form after lifeless metal form, the light of their torches reflecting off the metal surfaces. His fingers still interlaced with Sophie's as he held her hand in own.

"How did you get into this, then?" the Doctor asked, glancing over at Mrs. Moore, "Rattling along with the Preachers?"

"Oh, I used to be ordinary," Mrs. Moore replied with a soft sigh, as she continued to edge along down the tunnel, "Worked at Cybus Industries. '95. Till one day, I find something I'm not supposed to. A file on the mainframe. All I did was read it. Then suddenly, I've got men with guns knocking in the middle of the night. Life on the run. Then I found the Preachers. They needed a techy, so I… I just sat down and taught myself everything."

Sophie glanced over at her curiously, "So, you've got a knack for computers?"

"Oh, I don't know about a knack," Mrs. Moore murmured softly smiling at the petite brunette that was still staring at her with curious eyes.

Sophie blinked at the response and smiled back, "Sitting down and teaching yourself everything. Sounds a lot like a knack to me."

"I do alright with them," Mrs. Moore replied with a small shrug and Sophie blinked again before she nodded.

"What about Mr. Moore?" the Doctor asked.

"Well, he's not called Moore," Mrs. Moore admitted, "I got that from a book, 'Mrs. Moore'. It's safer not to use real names. But he thinks I'm dead. It was the only way to keep him safe. Him and the kids. What about the two of you? Got any family, or…?"

"Well… uh, Rose and I, we call each other sisters, but… we're not, biological," Sophie almost mumbled, her mind flicking once again to her parents and her gaze flicked to the lifeless Cybermen and she couldn't help but wonder… if in this world they'd become one of the converted. She swallowed heavily forcing her gaze away again, the Doctor's hand squeezing about hers and she squeezed back.

"Oh… adopted?" Mrs. Moore murmured softly.

Sophie blinked and turned her gaze back to Mrs. Moore focusing on the in and out of her breathing about to shake her head when she paused, "Well… kinda, sort of…" she tripped over her tongue a bit, recalling Rose saying that she'd practically been adopted, "Not officially…"

The Doctor made a dismissive sound, "Who cares about official?" he asked rhetorically, glancing at Sophie, his lips quirking up in a bit of a smirk, "Officials boring!" he pulled a bit of a face and Sophie's lips quirked up in response, "It's just paper! Boring old paper and who needs more of that?" the Doctor's smile widened into a grin as Sophie nodded as her own smile widened into a grin. He shifted his gaze to Mrs. Moore again, his thumb caressing the back of Sophie's gloved hand, "Go on, then. What's your real name?"

"Angela Price," Mrs. Moore replied, "Don't tell a soul."

"Not a word," the Doctor promised.

"Not one," Sophie agreed with a nod, turning curious eyes to the older woman, "Was it a Passage to India? The book I mean. The one you got Mrs. Moore from."

Mrs. Moore aka Angela Price blinked and then smiled as a light laugh escaped her, "Oh, you're good."

The Doctor nodded his gaze turning to Sophie again, his eyes fond, "Absolutely brilliant," he agreed and Sophie flushed a bit as she shifted a bit awkwardly at the sudden unexpected praise.

"I just like reading," she mumbled, she'd just been curious.

"Two days in the library… like is an understatement," the Doctor replied.

Sophie felt her cheeks flush hotter and she sighed out a low sheepish breath at the reminder, "Never gonna let me live it down…" she muttered.

"Probably not," the Doctor agreed shooting her a cheeky, foxy grin.

"Git," Sophie muttered in response.

"Ah, but a foxy one," the Doctor quipped giving her a smug look, foxy grin still in place, and Sophie groaned, the receding red in her cheeks flaring hotly again in a mix of embarrassment and irritation, her shoulders slumping slightly as she huffed out a breath as she shot him a look.

The Doctor chuckled, his hand squeezing about hers as his thumb continued to caress the back of her hand.

Mrs. Moore smiled wistfully as she eyed the pair, 'Oh, to be young and in love,' she couldn't help but muse. She missed that feeling… missed her husband… missed her family.

Behind them, a red light behind a one of the lifeless Cybermen flicked on and started to bleep quietly. Slowly, the Cyberman turned its head.

*O*O*O*

Inside Lumic's headquarters in the Battersea Power Station, an alarm sounded from a computer, drawing the attention of the Cybermen in the room. One strode over, checking the monitor, "Movement in Deepcold Six," it reported.

"Awaken the army," a second ordered.

*O*O*O*

"Did that one just move?" Mrs. Moore asked fearfully, having sworn she saw one of the large metal hands twitch.

Sophie swallowed heavily staring at the same hand Mrs. Moore was, "I think so…" she murmured, she'd been hoping it was just her, but if Mrs. Moore had seen it too.

"It's just the torchlight," the Doctor reassured them, "Keep going, come on," he murmured moving to continue down the tunnel just as one of one of the Cybermen in front of them definitely shifted, turning to face them, "They're waking up… run!" the Doctor shouted.

They dashed down the cooling tunnel as fast as they could, the Cybermen springing to life, one after the other, as they went. The sound of their loud ominous footsteps followed them down the tunnel, echoing to them as they reached a ladder at the end of the tunnel, the three scrambled to get up it.

"Get up! Quick!" Mrs. Moore yelled, "They're coming!" the Doctor fumbled his sonic screwdriver out of his pocket and frantically tried to sonic open the sealed trapdoor that was cutting off their escape.

"Doctor!" Sophie urged frantically.

"Almost! Almost!" the Doctor called back to her, hearts hammering in his chest as the sonic whirred and buzzed.

"Open it! Open it!" Mrs. Moore cried, the Cybermen marching closer and closer.

"Ha!" the Doctor couldn't help but exclaim as he got it unlocked and practically threw the door open in his haste.

"Get up!" Mrs. Moore exclaimed frantically as they scrambled up the ladder as fast as they could, "Quick! Quick!" she urged them.

"Come on! Come on!" the Doctor called.

"Oh, bugger!" Sophie muttered, the Cybermen fast approaching the bottom of the ladder now. She hurried out of the trapdoor after the Doctor. Mrs. Moore a mere second behind her as the older woman scrambled up out of the hole in the floor.

The three scrambled for the door, the Cybermen stomping up the ladder after them. They slammed the door shut on them and the Doctor buzzed his sonic screwdriver at it sealing closed.

"Oh, good team!" Doctor exclaimed catching his breath, grinning at Sophie and Mrs. Moore.

Mrs. Moore nodded in response breathing heavily.

Sophie blinked at him, focusing in on him rather than the minor trembling of her limbs and the pounding of her heart against her ribcage as she tried to get her breathing under control… "I thought you didn't like 'team'," she commented.

"Exception to every rule, Sparks," Doctor replied with a small shrug and a smile as Mrs. Moore made a soft sound of amusement.

"Ah… of course," Sophie murmured with a nod, her lips quirking up in a small smile as the Doctor straightened and started to glance about them...

*O*O*O*

"Units upgrading now six thousand five hundred. Repeat. Six thousand five hundred and rising," the voice of a Cybermen came through the speaker as Rose and Pete filed along with hordes of others, their faces emotionless.

A Cyberman stepped out in front of Rose, bringing her to a halt as she stared tensing despite herself, fighting to keep her focus on keeping her face blank, "You will wait," it stated, before stomping away and Rose relaxed if only slightly her heart pounding against her ribcage.

Pete glanced at her from where he was standing slightly behind her, "Are you ok?" he whispered.

"No," Rose admitted just as quietly.

"Chamber six now open for human upgrading," came over the speakers. Rose and Pete watched as people obediently filed forward, flames aligning themselves above incinerators, "All reject stock will be incinerated," a woman walked into a cell and they stared horrified as the door slid shut behind her and multiple blades whirled into action, swooping down on her, converting her. The head of a Cyberman was lowered down…

Pete swallowed, hundreds of cells working to convert people as they stood helpless, "Any sign of Jackie?" he asked Rose, only to freeze as a Cyberman turned as if drawn by the sound of his voice.

It stared considering him as it stomped over, "You are Pete Tyler," it stated Pete and Rose stared, "Confirm you are Pete Tyler," it demanded.

Pete swallowed, "Confirmed," he tried uncertainly.

"I recognise you," it stated flatly, "I want first. My name was Jacqueline Tyler."

"No!" Rose gasped sharply in horror and disbelief before she could stop herself as she stared at the Cyberman in front of them.

"What?!" Pete exclaimed eyes widening in horror.

"They are unprogrammed," the Cyberman that had once been Jackie Tyler reported, "Restrain."

"You're lying!" Pete shouted with desperation, "You're not her. You're not my Jackie!"

Several Cybermen stomped forward ready to restrain the unprogrammed humans, when Pete lunged forward towards the Cyberman that had been Jackie, "No," it stated, "I am Cyber-form. Once I was Jacqueline Tyler."

"But you can't be… not her…!" Rose exclaimed horrified.

"Her brain is inside this body," the Cyberman replied.

"Jacks, I came to save you," Pete murmured.

"This man worked with Cybus Industries to create our species," the Cyberman with Jackie brain stated ignoring the murmur as irrelevant, "He will be rewarded by force," it informed the others of its kind, "Take them to Cyber Control," it demanded before turning and stomping away leaving Rose and Pete to stare after it with wide eyes as they were grabbed from behind and marched in another direction.

"They killed her…" Rose breathed with mounting horror, the backs of her eyes stinging painfully as tears threatened to well, "They just took her and killed her!"

"Maybe there's a chance, I dunno. Maybe we can reverse it," Pete posited with desperation.

"There's nothing we can do," Rose replied sniffling and swallowing hard.

"But if… if she remembers…" they turned in their captors grasp straining to see as they were led away, eyes landing on the many Cybermen… hordes of them… "Where is she?" he asked desperately, "Which one was it? Which one was her?"

"They all look the same!" Rose cried as she frantically searched the hordes with her eyes, Pete doing much the same. They were both shoved forward roughly as their captures forced them onwards towards Cyber Control as had been ordered.

*O*O*O*

The Doctor, Sophie and Mrs. Moore edged quietly down a dark metal corridor, when a Cyberman suddenly stepped out in front of them. The three jumped, startled.

It turned to them, staring, "You are not upgraded," it determined.

"Yeah?" Mrs. Moore spoke as she shifted, stepping forward a pace or two, her hand closing around a cylindrical device with copper wire wrapped around it, "Well, upgrade this," she declared throwing it at the Cyberman. It stuck to its chest. The device sparks, a moment before a current of electricity was sent through the metal frame. The Cyberman shook, jerked and sparked violently before collapsing to the floor.

"What the hell was that thing?" the Doctor asked as he pulled his gaze from the downed Cyberman to Mrs. Moore impressed.

"Electromagnetic bomb," Mrs. Moore replied as they approached the body, "Takes out computers, I figured it might stop the cyber-suit," she explained.

"You figured right," the Doctor agreed.

Sophie nodded her agreement, "Forget knack. You're a whiz!" she frowned slightly, "Computer whiz… wizard…?" she tried. She blinked, glancing over at Mrs. Moore to see her staring at her in bemusement. She flushed slightly, "Um…?"

The Doctor shook his head, glancing over at Sophie fondly, "I'd go with wizard," he told her, "Just personally."

Sophie hummed a bit, "Me too," she decided, the word sounded better to her ears then whiz at any rate.

Mrs. Moore stared at them both with amusement, "Why?" she asked.

The Doctor shrugged, "Well, it just sounds cooler, doesn't it?" he replied, "And who wouldn't want to be a wizard over a whiz?" he asked as he took out his sonic screwdriver and bent over the Cyberman, "Now, let's have a look…"

He pointed it at the Cyberman's chest, the tip flashing as it began to whirr, "Now… know your enemy… and the logo on the front… Lumic's turned them into a brand," he murmured as he pried the logo off, "Heart of steel…" he stated, holding the plate so that Sophie and Mrs. Moore could see, "But look…" he reached inside and pulled out some white bodily tissues.

"Is that flesh?" Mrs. Moore asked and Sophie lifted her gaze from the white matter the Doctor was showing them to look up at him curiously.

"Hmmm… central nervous system," the Doctor replied, "Artificially grown then threaded throughout the suit so it responds like a living thing. Well, it is a living thing," he murmured with a sigh, "Oh… but look…" he said and pointed at a metal chip.

"What is it?" Sophie asked shifting a little, so that she could get a better look at what he was pointing at, eyeing the chip.

"It's the emotional inhibitor," the Doctor replied, "Stops them feeling anything."

"But… why?" Mrs. Moore asked with confusion.

"It's still got a human brain…" the Doctor explained, "Imagine its reaction if it could see itself. Realize itself inside this thing."

Sophie swallowed thickly, "They'd be in so much pain…" she murmured heavily, barely able to imagine what that would be like, or maybe she just didn't want too, "They'd go mad with it."

"So, they cut out the one thing that makes them human," Mrs. Moore murmured with a shake of her head.

"Because they have to," the Doctor responded.

"Why am I cold?" the Cyberman suddenly asked, it's systems restoring.

"Oh, my God," Mrs. Moore breathed as Sophie stilled as she stared with wide eyes down at the Cyberman, "It's alive. It can feel."

"We broke the inhibitor," the Doctor murmured. He leaned over it and touched its head, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," he apologized with sincerity.

"Why so cold?" the Cyberman asked again.

Sophie took in a deep steadying breath… there was so much pain in that voice… pain and confusion, "I'm sorry," she couldn't help but murmur, echoing the Doctor's apology with one of her own.

"Can you remember your name?" the Doctor asked.

"Sally," the Cyberman responded, "Sally Phelan."

"You're a woman…" Mrs. Moore murmured, blinking in shock.

"Where's Gareth?" Sally asked.

"Who's Gareth?" Mrs. Moore asked her.

"He can't see me. It's unlucky the night before," Sally replied.

"You're getting married," Mrs. Moore murmured sadly.

"He won't…" Sophie swallowed her voice catching in her throat, "He won't see you," she tried to assure her, her throat threatening to close about the words.

"I'm cold. I'm so cold."

"Sorry," the Doctor whispered, "You sleep now, Sally. Just go to sleep," he murmured as he pointed the sonic screwdriver just inside the suit and the tip flashing and the blue light switched off, "Sally Phelan didn't die for nothing," he blinked as realization dawned on him, "Cos that's the key. The emotional inhibitor," Sophie blinked and tore her gaze from the Cyberman that had once been Sally Phelan to look at him, her brow scrunching slightly, "If we could find the code behind it, the cancellation code, then feed it throughout the systems into every Cyberman's head…" Sophie let out a low breath as she gave a slow nod, on her right Mrs. Moore gave a nod of her own, "They'd realise what they are…"

Sophie swallowed heavily her gaze drifting back to the lifeless Cyberman.

"And what happens then?" Mrs. Moore asked him.

"I think it would kill them," the Doctor murmured and frowned. His gaze going to Sophie who was staring at the Cyberman her brow scrunched in a solemn frown, "Could we do that?" Sophie swallowed heavily again, inhaling sharply as she lifted her gaze to the Doctor's, his eyes as heavy as her own.

"We've got to," Mrs. Moore murmured with a nod and Sophie and the Doctor turned their gazes to her, "Before they kill everyone else," she reasoned, meeting their eyes, "There's no choice."

Sophie looked down, her eyes squeezing shut, no she didn't suppose there was, if there had been the Doctor would have mentioned it by now. She opened her eyes again, her eyes going to the Doctor taking in the heavy reluctance in his gaze. She reached out for him as he so often did for her, brushing her consciousness against his as she grasped his hand tightly in her own, feeling his consciousness brushing back against hers in return as he grasped her hand just as tightly in return, as he stared solemnly at the metal body that housed Sally Phelan's brain.

"It's got to be done," Mrs. Moore murmured staring sadly at the body of the Cyberman… of Sally Phelan, her device… her device that had broken the emotional inhibitor chip and caused such pain. She swallowed and stood, a metal hand grabbed her by the neck and she froze eyes widening before electricity was sent coursing through her… killing her.

The Doctor and Sophie leapt to their feet, eyes wide with shock and horror, "NO!" they shouted.

"No," the Doctor repeated furious, "You didn't have to kill her!"

One of the Cybermen that had had come upon them unnoticed until it was too late scanned the Doctor, "Sensors detect a binary vascular system," it reported and Sophie stiffened as it turned its focus on her, her hand tightening around the Doctor's as it ran the scan again, "Human… anomalies detected. You are unknown upgrades. You will be taken for analysis," it stated, and the Doctor glared disgusted by them, his hand tightening about Sophie's in turn as the Cybers started to lead them off.

Sophie strained her neck looking back over at Mrs. Moore… no, Angela Price's crumpled form, a tear escaping to roll down her cheek as she lost sight of the woman and she turned her head to face forward again, eyes hardening as her gaze landed on the Cybermen again. They hadn't had to kill her… they really hadn't had to kill her!

*O*O*O*

Jake wandered over to Mickey who was standing by a panel that had 'Transmitter Controls' written on it in large letters. Jake blinked at it a bit bemused, a small smirk curving his lips as he stared at it.

"The Transmitter controls are sealed behind here," Mickey muttered, "We need like, an oxyacetylene or something."

Jake rolled his eyes, "Oh, I forgot to bring it with me," he replied sarcastically.

Mickey frowned and turned his gaze to him, "Well then, what do we do?"

"We'll crash the Zeppelin," Jake decided.

"With us inside it?" Mickey asked.

"We could set it to automatic and then just leg it!" Jake replied, "Let's have a look," he muttered and they turned and headed over to the controls. Jake tapped a couple of buttons on the keyboard before shaking his head, "It's locked. There's got to be an override…"

"Let me have a go," Mickey said, shoving Jake out of his way, making him frown irritated, "I'm good with computers, trust me."

Jake crossed his arms watching as Mickey tapped away at the keyboard focusing intently on what he was doing. Unseen, a red light on the back of the keyboard began to blink, an alarm system tripped and the Cyberman that had been standing lifelessly in an alcove and assumed empty by the pair twitched.

*O*O*O*

"We've been captured, Sparks," the Doctor said with sarcasm the moment they were led into the control room, "But don't worry, Rose and Pete are still out there. They can rescue us…" Sophie arched a quizzical brow at him, her gaze going back over to Rose and Pete who were over by a row of computers. The Doctor turned to the two and blinked as if he'd only just noticed them, "Oh well, never mind."

Sophie shook her head, "Thinks he's so funny," she muttered as she started towards Rose and Pete the Doctor only a step behind her.

"I am so funny," he muttered.

Sophie glanced over at him, "Your timing needs work," she retorted without any real heat as she gave him a look.

The Doctor scratched at his ear, giving her a bit of a lopsided smile, "Got you to smile, didn't it," he murmured.

Sophie blinked as she realized that her lips really had quirked up into the smallest of smiles, "Huh…?" she mumbled with surprise and then found herself pulled into a tight hug, one that she returned just as tightly.

Rose pulled back from the hug, peering closely at her 'big sister' taking in the pain in her eyes, "You ok, Space-Cadet?" she asked, her gaze briefly flicking over to the Doctor, noting the fact that they had come in minus Mrs. Moore.

Sophie gave a short, almost sharp nod of her head, her jaw clenching, "Yeah," she murmured softly. She sucked in a breath as she eyed her 'little sister' in return, "You ok?" she asked.

"Yeah," Rose muttered a little weakly, swallowing against the painful lump still lodged in her throat, "But they got Jackie," and Sophie swallowed heavily, heart clenching.

"We were too late," Pete sighed, breaking his silence as he sat slumped staring solemnly at no spot in particular, "Lumic killed her."

"Then, where is he?" the Doctor called out frowning heavily as he looked around, "The famous Mr. Lumic? Don't we get the chance to meet our Lord and Master?"

"He has been upgraded," a Cyberman stated in response.

The Doctor turned to it, eyeing it, "So, he's just like you?"

"He is superior," the Cyberman stated, "The Lumic Unit has been designated Cyber Controller."

"Oh, I'm sure he's thrilled," Sophie sassed, sarcasm heavily colouring her tone as she eyed the Cyberman, and beside her Rose felt her lips twitch up.

They turned, Pete slowly getting to his feet, as they stared as a heavy set of sliding doors opened and a Cyberman in an upgraded wheel chair, that was covered in wires and tubes, rolled through them, "This is The Age of Steel and I am its Creator," the fully upgraded Lumic stated.

*O*O*O*

"Almost there," Mickey murmured to Jake as he worked away, fingers tapping over the keyboard.

Jake nodded, "Not bad work," he said approvingly.

Behind them the Cyberman flexed it hand, before it raised its arm as it stepped out of the alcove, moving towards them. The sound had Jake turning towards it and his eyes widened in alarm, "It's moving!" he shouted alarmed and they hurried out of the way as it reached for them, "You said it was dead!"

"Yeah," Mickey agreed with a nod, "But it's still a steel robot," Jake raised his gun pointing it at the Cyberman. Mickey pushed it back down, frowning in thought, "Wait a minute!" he exclaimed as it dawned on him, "Hey, Cyberman, over here!" he called and it turned towards him and Jake, "Come on, you brainless lump of metal," he urged with anticipation as it stomped towards them, "Come and have a go!"

The Cyberman raised its fist in preparation to strike, Mickey and Jake duck out of the way at the last second just before its fist smashed into the transmitter control panel and electricity explodes through it, destroying both the Cyberman and the signal.

*O*O*O*

The ear pods plugged into the marching people ears stopped flashing and the unconverted came back to themselves. They glanced about the Power Station that they had been marching into with growing horror.

"Oh no!" a woman cried and in the next moment panic broke out as they started shrieking in alarm and scattered as they ran.

*O*O*O*

Mickey beamed an ecstatic grin, "The transmitter's down!" he cheered and he and Jake hugged with excitement and the thrill of success.

*O*O*O*

In the control room, the screams of the people freed from Lumic's control reached them and the Cybermen looked around, "That's my friends at work. Good boys!" the Doctor exclaimed with a grin, "Mr. Lumic, I think that's a vote for free will," he winked.

"I have factories waiting on seven continents," Lumic stated, "If the ear pods have failed, then the Cybermen will take humanity by force. London has fallen. So shall the world."

*O*O*O*

"Hold on," Mickey murmured, "I've logged on to Cyber Control," he said as he managed to bring up the image of the control room in the Battersea Power Station onto the monitor, "They're alive!" he exclaimed with relief a wide beaming grin on his face, "The Doctor, Rose and Sophie, there they are!"

"Never mind them," Jake exclaimed, "What the hell is that thing?" he asked as he pointed at a Cyberman in a large chair covered in tubes and wires.

"Shh," Mickey muttered as he tapped his fingers over a few more keys, "Has this thing got sound?" he asked and a moment later he'd gotten the audio-link to connect giving them sound.

*O*O*O*

"I will bring peace to the world," Lumic continued, "Everlasting peace, and unity, and uniformity," and they stared at him aghast.

"And imagination?" the Doctor asked, "What about that? The one thing that lead you here, imagination, you're killing it dead!"

Lumic focused on him, "What is your name?"

"I'm the Doctor," he replied brow arching as he returned Lumic's cold emotionless stare with his own.

"A redundant title," Lumic stated, "Doctors need not exist. Cybermen never sicken."

"Yeah, but that's just it!" the Doctor exclaimed as he took a step forward, "That's exactly the point! Oh Lumic," he groaned despairingly, "You're a clever man… I'd call you a genius, except I'm in the room," Sophie and Rose exchanged a brief look before turning their attention back to the Doctor, "But everything you've invented, you did to fight your sickness. And that's brilliant. That is so human," he frowned at Lumic, "But once you get rid of sickness and mortality, then what's there to strive for? Eh? The Cybermen won't advance. You'll just stop!" he exclaimed, "You'll stay like this forever. A metal Earth with metal men and metal thoughts," Sophie grimaced at the image that invoked, "Lacking the one thing that makes this planet so alive," the Doctor continued, "People. Ordinary, stupid, brilliant people."

"You are proud of your emotions," Lumic observed.

"Oh, yes," the Doctor agreed with conviction.

"Then tell me, Doctor," Lumic demanded almost challengingly, "Have you known grief, and rage, and pain?"

"Yes," the Doctor replied, "Yes, I have."

"And they hurt?" Lumic pressed.

"Oh, yes."

"I could set you free. Would you not want that? A life without pain?" Lumic asked.

The Doctor stared at him levelly, "You might as well kill me," he stated firmly.

Lumic's eyes seemed to flash, "Then I take that option."

"It's not yours to take," the Doctor exclaimed with exasperation, "You're a Cyber Controller. You don't control me or anything with blood in its heart."

"You have no means of stopping me," Lumic responded, "I have an army. A species of my own."

The Doctor putting his face into his palm and rubbed at his eyes entirely exasperated now, "You just don't get it, do you? An army's nothing. 'Cos, those ordinary people, they're the key," the Doctor glanced over at the security camera mounted on the wall, "The most ordinary person could change the world. Some ordinary man or woman… some idiot…" the Doctor continued.

Sophie followed his gaze to the security camera, before glancing back at him, a smile starting to pull up her lips as realization dawned, her heart lifting, 'Mickey!'

"All it takes is for him to find, say, the right numbers… say the right codes…" the Doctor hinted, hoping that he was managing getting through the somewhat clever idiot, "Say, for example, the code behind the emotional inhibitor. The code right in front of him. Because even an idiot knows how to use computers these days. Knows how to get past firewalls and passwords…"

"Sounds like he's quite clever, actually," Sophie commented in an almost offhanded manner as she shot the Doctor a look.

The Doctor glanced over at her pouting slightly, "Bit of hush," he huffed at her, pout still jutting out his lower lip and Rose couldn't help, but grin in amusement. The Doctor focused his gaze back on the camera, "He should know how to find something encrypted in the Lumic Family Database, under…" he blinked glancing over at Pete, "What was it Pete? Binary what?"

"Binary nine," Pete replied loudly, eyes wide with realization.

*O*O*O*

"Binary nine…" Mickey whispered and began to type, fingers moving rapidly over the keyboard, the numbers of the code appearing on the screen one by one.

*O*O*O*

"An idiot could find that code," the Doctor continued and Sophie rolled her eyes as she exchanged an amused look that was mildly exasperated with Rose, "Cancellation code. And he'd keep on typing. Keep on fighting," he looked meaningfully into the camera, "Anything to save his friends."

"Your words are irrelevant," Lumic interjected.

The Doctor grinned, "Yeah, talk too much, that's my problem. Lucky I got you that cheap tariff, Rose. For all our long chats. On your phone," he glanced meaningfully at the camera again and made the phone sign for good measure.

"You will be deleted," Lumic told him.

The Doctor nodded, "Yes," he agreed lightly, "Delete, control, hash, all those lovely buttons. Then of course, my particular favourite, send," he commented glanced at the camera again, "And let's not forget how you seduced all those ordinary people in the first place," Rose's phone pinged and she reached into her pocket pulling it out as the Doctor continued, loitering by a particular computer, "By making every bit of technology compatible with everything else."

"It's for you," Rose called to him and tossed her phone to him.

He caught it smoothly and turned to the computer, "Like this," he stated as he slotted the mobile into the docking station he'd spotted, transmitting the cancellation code almost instantly.

The Cybermen cried out clutching at their heads in agony and Sophie flinched, her hands clenching into fists at her sides, her gaze sweeping over the room, seeing the code '6879760' flashing on every screen.

*O*O*O*

Mickey and Jake jump up and down in delight, "Yes!" they exclaimed.

*O*O*O*

Cybermen all over the factory twitched and fell, crying out in agony as they clutched at their metal heads. One near the Doctor caught sight of its reflection in a piece of metal and a whimper escaped it, its hands coming up to touch its metal face in horror with metal fingers.

The Doctor stared sadly, "I'm sorry," he breathed apologetically as around them Cybermen continued to fall…

Outside one's head exploded, others following soon after…

Sophie sucked in a shaky breath, "So sorry," she agreed quietly and felt Rose take her hand as she stared eyes wide with equal horror as the Cybers continued to wreath about in agonizing pain.

"What have you done?!" Lumic demanded.

The Doctor spun to him furious, "I gave them back their souls," he snatched Rose's phone out of the dock, "They've seen what you've done, Lumic, and it's killing them!" he grasped Sophie hand and turned dashing leading them from the room, Rose's hand tightening about Sophie's as she glanced back a small sound of relief escaping her at seeing her dad moving with them.

"Delete! Delete! Delete!" Lumic's shouted enraged.

*O*O*O*

The Doctor, Sophie, Rose and Pete dashed along through the Power Station, running for their lives as fiery explosions erupted all over the place. They make it to a door, an emergency exit and the Doctor thrust it open, and they peered out it, only to see writhing wailing Cybermen blocking the exit. The Doctor slammed it shut again, desperation written all over his face as he turned back to them, his gaze darting about, "There's no way out!"

*O*O*O*

Jake began to turn the wheel of the Zeppelin steering it away from the Power Station. Mickey frowned at him, "What are you doing?" he asked.

"We've got to get away," Jake replied glancing over at Mickey briefly, "If that factory blows up, this balloon's going to ignite!"

Mickey glowered angrily, "Take it back!" he demanded.

"Mickey, they've had it," Jake replied.

"I said, take it back!" Mickey demanded again as the Zeppelin began to drift away from the roof. Mickey shoved Jake away from the wheel taking his place, "We're not leaving them behind," he stated firmly starting to turn the wheel when Jake took hold of it again trying to turn it the opposite direction. Mickey glowered at him harder and pushed him away, "There's no way we're leaving them behind!" he spun the wheel guiding them back towards the roof, aligning once more, an explosion shook it.

Mickey speed dialled a familiar number and thrust the phone at Jake, "Hold it!" he demanded and Jake held the ringing phone to his ear, "Rose?" Mickey spoke into it the moment the blond picked up, "Rose, can you hear me? Head to the roof!" he told her.

*O*O*O*

Rose lowered the phone from her ear, "It's Mickey. He says, 'head for the roof'," she told them, they turned and ran towards a flight of stairs, fire breaking out behind them as they dashed up the steps trying to outstrip the flames.

*O*O*O*

Lumic roared with fury and ripped himself free of the tubes binding him to the chair, "No!" he roared enraged.

*O*O*O*

Rose made it to the top of the ladder that led to the roof, she leapt over the wall and onto the roof, followed closely by Sophie, the Doctor and then Pete, they all paused as they caught sight of the Zeppelin above them.

"Mickey," Rose breathed into her phone, "Where'd you learn to fly that thing?"

There was a beat of silence as they continued across the roof towards the descending Zeppelin and Sophie glanced over at Rose curiously, "What did he say?"

"Playstation…" Rose admitted glancing over at her.

Sophie and the Doctor and Pete blinked at her, "Video games for the win," she muttered, nibbling her lip a bit nervously.

"Oh, just brilliant!" the Doctor sighed with sarcasm, resisting the urge to face palm, "Mickey the bloody idiot!" he groused.

The three flinched as more explosions went off around them and sped up just a bit more.

*O*O*O*

Jake tried to take the wheel, "You can't go any lower…"

Mickey took it back, refusing to back down, "I've got to!"

"You're gonna crush them!" Jake yelled and Mickey glanced over at him, hearing the logic in it.

He started looking around, "There's got to be something. There's got to be," he insisted, his eyes alighted on a lever with and he grinned, "Oh, yes!" he hurried over to it and pulled firmly and a hatched opened…

*O*O*O*

"You've got to be kidding," the Doctor mumbled as they raced towards the rope ladder that had descended, "Sparks, Rose, get up!" he shouted and Rose started up the ladder, followed by Sophie, then the Doctor and Pete.

*O*O*O*

Mickey pushed another lever, "Hold on tight, we're going up!" and Jake grinned as Mickey grabbed a com and spoke into it, "Welcome to Mickey Smith's airline. Please enjoy your flight. Woo!" he cheered, grinning ecstatically as he spun the wheel.

*O*O*O*

"We did it!" Rose cheered as the Zeppelin rose, her hands fisted tightly around a rung of the ladder they were hanging from, "We did it!"

"Yeah, we did!" Sophie agreed nodding, a breath of relief escaping her, only for the rope to jerk, and Rose screamed, Sophie felt her grip slipping and she tightened her grip frantically wishing that she'd thought to take off her gloves before climbing. She glanced down and her eyes widened further at seeing the hulking form of the upgraded Lumic hanging from the bottom rungs of the ladder, "Oh, bugger!" she cursed as Lumic started to climb up, her grip tightening further, heart pounding.

The Doctor pulled his sonic screwdriver from his jacket pocket, "Pete!" he shouted down to the man, "Take this!" Pete looked up and stretched out a hand and the Doctor dropped it into his hand, "Use it! Hold the button down!" he hurriedly explained, "Press it against the rope, just do it!"

"Jackie Tyler, this is for her!" Pete shouted as he pressed the button on the sonic and held it to the rope as the Doctor had told him, Lumic climbing higher and higher up the ladder towards them, determined to get them.

Pete continued to hold the tip of the sonic to the rope, beginning to fear the it wouldn't work, but finally the rope snapped not a moment too soon and Lumic fell.

"Nooooo!" Lumic shouted as he plummeted to the Earth and was engulfed by the exploding Power Station.

Pete laughed in delighted relief and the four started to struggle up the rope ladder again as the Zeppelin continued to fly them away to safety.

*O*O*O*

The Doctor crouched by the dark console, peering at some of the mess he had made, he looked up and over to where Sophie was quietly puttering, helping him clean up the mess he'd made in his impatient hurry to get to the light, the two of them alone in the Tardis as Rose wandered about the Pier with Pete Tyler and Mickey… well, did whatever he was doing with Jake. He swallowed as Sophie feeling his glanced over at him curiously.

He straightened up, "You know," he began in a conversational tone, crossing the console room towards her, "This mess is gonna take me awhile to clean up," he tugged at his ear as Sophie blinked, staring at him a bit quizzically now as she nodded, knowing this already, "Let alone getting her sorted enough to be able to get us home…" he trailed as Sophie nodded again, this also being something he'd mentioned earlier when they'd first stepped back into the Tardis, "It'd have to be a good… uh oh, half an hour…" he trailed staring at her with consideration, "Maybe forty-five minutes of work. Plenty of time for a trip…" Sophie blinked again with confusion now, "Well, if you took one of the scooters… the roads should be clear and safe enough now… so you'd be able to make it there and back again in time…"

Sophie frowned realization dawning as he gave her an intent meaningful look, her heart leaping in her chest, "But what about…?" she trailed as she stared at him.

The Doctor tugged at his ear again, "Yes, well…" he glanced away, "It's still not a brilliant idea…" he muttered and turned his gaze back to her, eyes meeting as he deliberated what to say, "But… if you still wanted too…"

Sophie pressed a warm, quick kiss to his cheek, "Thank you!" she breathed heartfeltly, her heart all but dancing in her chest as she pulled away to distracted too even blush in embarrassment at having done so.

The Doctor nodded, a faint flush to his cheeks as he stared at her with slightly wide eyes, he cleared his throat, "Uh… just, um… uh, remember forty-five minutes and then we have to leave,"

Sophie nodded and pulled out her phone from a pocket of the black waitress uniform she still hadn't changed out of, "I'll set an alarm for thirty minutes," she told him and the Doctor nodded still staring at her, eyes warm, but with the shadows of concern.

"You remember where the garage is?" he asked referring to large room of the Tardis that was home to the vehicles.

"Yep," Sophie replied with a bright beaming smile for him as she hurried out of the console room, the Doctor watched her, adjusting his black suit jacket, a small sigh escaping him as he tugged at his ear again.

He stepped towards the Tardis doors, opening them up in preparation, before moving to wander a circuit around the console as he waited for Sophie to come back out. It wasn't a long wait before she was carefully walking one of the scooters out into the console room, a helmet hung over one of the handles ready for her to put on, and the Doctor immediately moved towards her. She paused, looking at him and bit her lip, "Are you sure, this is ok?" she asked him, seeing concern in his face as he regarded her.

The Doctor smiled and nodded once again, "Yep," he popped the 'p', reaching for the helmet, lifting it away from the handle bar, "Just be careful… yeah?" he murmured as he held it out to her, gazing at her intently.

Sophie nodded as she took it from him and put it over her head, latching it under her chin, "I will… they won't even know I was there," she promised and the Doctor nodded again taking hold of the handlebars to help her walk the scooter to the opened Tardis doors.

Once they wheeled it out of the Tardis doors, Sophie settled herself on it and the Doctor leaned against the doorframe of his beautiful ship just watching as the engine purred to life. She glanced over at him again and he curved his lips up into a smile, one that she returned before she took off down the road.

The Doctor blew out another breath tugging at his ear as he watched her go around a bend, before he turned and stepped back into the Tardis, his brow furrow slightly in concern. Honestly, he'd prefer to be going with if only to be sure nothing went wrong, but he needed to get the Tardis cleaned up, prepped and ready to go and… he truly wanted his Sparks to be able to at least see her parents… to be able to check on them… to take a peek at them. He just hoped… really hoped that his hunch was right… that they had made it out of this mess just fine… and where fine, even if they didn't have a Sparks of their own.

He sighed tugging at his ear one last time before he hunkered down and got to work on fixing up the Tardis whistling a tune to himself for some noise…

*O*O*O*

Sophie walked down the street, having left the scooter a short ways away so that she could approach quietly, teeth worrying her lower lip as she moved closer and closer to the house that may just house her parents in this parallel world. Her earlier joy now tinged with growing nervousness as she couldn't help but wonder if she really should as 'what ifs' plagued her once again, but still she didn't stop walking, her gaze locking onto the house… one of only a few that had its lights on, she observed with a sense of relief. Whoever lived there was fine and if they had been tangled up in what happened earlier they'd made it home.

She came to a stop by a set of bins that were sitting out the front of a home on the other side of the street to the one her parents had lived in once upon a time, and she took in a steadying breath as she saw the same purple tulips lining the front of the white house. Her teeth sank a bit harder into her lower lip as she scanned the brightly lit windows she could see, hoping to catch a glimpse of those that lived there, only to be disappointed at seeing no one.

She stared for a few more moments and upon not seeing anything she sighed with disappointment, hand tangling into the ends of her hair, tugging lightly. She glanced away from the house briefly casting it about the night biting her lower lip anxiously as she pondered what to do… a large part of her wanting to just go up and knock on the door… she blinked frowning as her gaze tore away from the house again, darting to the bins she was standing near registering that she'd seen something odd, or thought she had…

She blinked again as her gaze landed on a bright purple gift bag that was sitting completely out of place by the bins. She stared at it a moment bemused and nervous, she swallowed heavily as she bent down reaching for the bag with a slightly trembling hand.

Picking it up, she peeked inside to see a rectangular shape wrapped with gift paper that was also bright purple and a card, swallowing again she reached inside and plucked out the card, flicking it open with nervous fingers. Her wide eyes alighting on writing done in an unfamiliar hand.

'We thought you might like this.' Her heart seized in her chest as her gaze landed on the next words slightly below the first, 'Love parallel mum and dad.'

Her eyes pricked hotly as tears threatened to well, her breaths coming heavily as she stared at the written words, stared so hard that it took her a long moment to realize that something else was written on the card… this time in a hand she recognised, it was a somewhat messy scrawl like it had been added in haste, but she could recognise it as her own… parallel hers! She existed here! She swallowed past the painful lump in her throat and focused on the words she'd… parallel her had written to her.

'Can't believe they showed us you and not the creepy metal men of doom! Stupid bleedin' visions!' followed by an exasperated face emoji.

Sophie choked out an amused sound… parallel her… kind of, sort of definitely sounded like her, or at least she thought so. She blinked again realizing that there was another messy scrawl under that, 'Oh, and forgive all the purple – mum's obsessed with the colour.'

She blinked back tears and sucked in a shaky breath as she looked up from the card and back towards the house and froze. Her heart seizing again as her gaze landed on two people that she'd only seen in pictures before standing side by side in the doorway of their home, gazing at her and slowly her dad raised a hand in a wave, her mum doing much the same, smiling. She stared transfixed for a long moment, before her phone buzzed and beeped in her pocket making her jump in surprise and glance down at herself, hand delving into her pocket to bring out her phone that was lit up as it continued to beep with the alarm she'd set.

It'd been half an hour already… she swallowed heavily. She needed to leave and head back to the Tardis. She glanced back up at her parents, eyes wide, wet with unshed tears and their smiles turned a bit sad, evidently knowing that she had to go. She stared for a moment longer, before she raised a shaky hand in return, waving just a little at them in return, heart pounding as she forced herself to turn and start back down the street feeling their gazes on her for a long time as she moved further and further away. One step in front of the other, hand tight around the gift bag they'd left out for her… her parents, parallel parents had left her a gift! She sucked in another shaky breath, hand still trembling as she reached where she'd left the scooter.

She paused by it, leaning against it for a moment, focusing on the in and out of her breathing trying to calm herself. A moment later she swung a leg over the scooter and started it up again, she looked back towards the house just once more, lips curving up in a small smile that gradually widened as she put the helmet back on and took off down the street.

*O*O*O*

The Doctor worked diligently on getting the Tardis sorted, sonic screwdriver in hand as he worked on some wiring. He looked up and then straightened as he heard the sound of the scooters engine fast approaching reached him and he turned and he made his way back over to the hatch from underneath the console and jumped up, walking towards the Tardis doors as Sophie appeared in the doorway of the Tardis with the scooter. He helped her wheel it in and over to the wall, kicking down the stand for it before turning to her eyeing her, hearts clenching at the tell-tale slight reddening of her eyes and as he peered closer the signs of dried tears on her cheeks, "Sparks, what…?" he trailed as Sophie shook her head at him and beamed a smile.

"They're alive!" Sophie told him, "Completely alive, and fine…" she rambled a bit, before she trailed taking a breath.

The Doctor smiled relieved and happy as he took in the expression on her face that was happy… happy tears he realized, tension leaving his shoulders as he nodded. He blinked taking in the bright purple gift bag clutched in her hand, his eyes turned immediately curious even as his brow pinched down into a concerned frown, "Sparks, you went inside?"

Sophie shifted the gift bag she was holding, "Oh, no… this," she swallowed fingering the handles, eyes pricking once again, teeth sinking into her lip for a moment as she stared down at it, excited and nervous as she stared at the gift bag… the present from her parents, "They knew I was coming. They left this for me by these bins across the street from them."

"Of course, they did!" the Doctor exclaimed, his frown clearing and smile widening into a grin. Brown eyes following as Sophie walked over to a 'y' beam and set the gift bag down and then blinked as she turned away from it, "Not gonna open it?" he asked curiosity burning as he eyed it.

Sophie bit her lower lip again, "Not yet… later," she said, even as she glanced over at the bag again, fingers twitching with the desire to see what was inside and so missed the Doctor's brief disappointed pout at having to wait to find out. Sophie tore her gaze from the unopened gift, sweeping her gaze around the still dark console room, "How's things coming along in here?"

"She's almost ready," the Doctor replied just a couple more wires here and there to attach, then I can put the power cell back in and we'll be ready to go."

"Brilliant," Sophie murmured.

A couple of moments later Sophie was sitting by the open hatch on the console room floor, her legs dangling over the edge, power cell held carefully in her hands, the Doctor underneath the console as he worked at the finishing touches, sonic whirring away. She stared at the power cell that was glowing brightly, fairly humming with energy. The whirr of the sonic screwdriver flicked off and she looked up, gaze shooting to the Doctor as he straightened and started towards her, with a beaming grin, "She's ready for the power cell!"

Sophie nodded and handed it over watching as he made his way back under the console, slotting the power cell into place and she beamed a wide grin as the Tardis started lighting up, 'Hello Sexy! Welcome back!' and the Tardis gave a faint hum.

*O*O*O*

"So, what happens inside that thing, then?" Pete asked nodding towards the Tardis and he and Rose walked towards the blue box.

"Do you wanna see?" Rose asked quickly, hopefully.

"No, I don't think so," Pete replied to Rose's disappointment, "But you three, you know, all that stuff you said about different worlds…" he hesitated a moment unsure if he wanted to know as he stared at Rose, "Who are you?"

"It's like you say," Rose swallowed, biting the bullet, "Imagine there are different worlds, parallel worlds. Worlds with another Pete Tyler… Jackie Tyler's still alive…" she met his gaze staring intently, "And their daughter," she murmured carefully.

Pete stared, eyes widening as realization dawned, "I've gotta go…"

"But if you just look inside…" Rose tried.

Pete shook his head taking a step back, "No I can't. There's all those Lumic factories out there. All those Cybermen still in storage. Someone's got to tell the authorities what happened. Carry on the fight…"

"Rose?" came the Doctor's voice and the two turned to see him and Sophie stepping out of the Tardis doors jogging towards them, "I've only got five minutes of power… we gotta go."

Rose turned back to Pete, "The Doctor could show ya…"

"Thank you," Pete murmured shaking his head, "For everything."

Rose stared at him with wide eyes, tears welling, "Dad."

"Don't," Pete said more forcefully then he'd originally intended, "Just… just don't," he turned away and the Doctor scratched at the back of his neck a bit awkwardly as Rose stared after him tearfully.

"Here it is!" Mickey called as he and Jake approached, his arms holding the Doctor's suit and Sophie's leather jacket, "I found them. Not a crease," he added as the Doctor took his suit from him with a beaming grin.

"My suit!" he cheered.

"My jacket!" Sophie exclaimed happily as Mickey turned to her holding 9's old shrunk down for her leather jacket, "Thanks Mickey!" she murmured, shrugging it on over the waitress uniform with a grin.

"Good man!" the Doctor agreed, "Now then, Jake, we've gotta run. But one more thing; Mrs. Moore. Her real name was Angela Price. She's got a husband out there. And children. Find them. Tell them how she died saving the world."

Jake nodded, "Yeah, course I will!"

"Off we go, then!" the Doctor said cheerily.

"Uh… thing is, I'm staying," Mickey cut in a touch awkwardly, squaring his shoulders as the Doctor turned back to him.

"You're doing what?" he asked shocked.

Sophie blinked at him eyes saddening, "You are?" she murmured.

"You can't!" Rose protested, upset her, tears obscuring her vision now and she tried to blink them back.

Mickey swallowed as he stared back at them, "It sort of balances out," he replied his voice trembling as he stared at Rose's expression her hurt paining him, "Cos this world lost its Ricky, but there's me. And there's work to be done with all those Cybermen still out there."

"But you can't stay!" Rose cried in protest, "Soph tell him, he can't…" and Sophie swallowed, heart clenching painfully as she stared from Mickey to Rose, her throat tight.

"Rose," Mickey cut in and Rose quieted tears slipping down her cheeks as she stared at him, "My gran's here. She still alive. My old gran, remember her?"

Rose sniffled, trying to hold back her tears, "Yeah."

"She needs me," Mickey told her.

Rose frowned, tears still falling down her cheeks, "What about me? What if I need you?"

"Yeah, but Rose… you don't," Mickey replied glancing over at the Doctor and Sophie, before back to Rose, "It's just you and them, isn't it?" Rose attempted to shake her head in protest, but Mickey continued, "We had something a long time ago, but… not anymore."

Rose sucked in a shaky breath unable to say anything in response to that, not really… cos he was right… she just… she just didn't want to admit, didn't want to lose him, "Well… we'll come back," she grasped at straws, "We can travel anywhere, come and see you, yeah?"

"We can't," the Doctor cut in shaking his head and Rose turned her head to look at him, tears still making tracks down her cheeks, "I told you," he murmured in response, "Travel between parallel worlds is impossible. We only got here by accident. We… we fell through a crack in time. When we leave… I've got to close it," he stared at Mickey intently, "We can't ever return."

Mickey met his gaze, reading the silent question in the Time Lord's eyes. He held out a hand, "Doctor."

The Doctor took it, "Take Rose's phone. It's got the code, Get it out there. Stop those factories," Mickey nodded, "And good luck. Mickey the Idiot," the Doctor slapped Mickey cheek a twinkle that was almost fond in his eyes.

"Watch it!" Mickey exclaimed. The Doctor merely smirked before he turned and sauntered off back towards the Tardis.

Sophie smiled as Mickey's attention landed on her, "Take care of yourself, Mickey," she murmured biting her lower lip, "Oh, I hate goodbyes!" she sighed unhappily, before she threw her arms around him in a quick, and her eyes glazed as she accidently brushed skin against his and Mickey frowned in concern as he pulled back to catch a glimpse of it. Sophie blinked back into focus eyes meeting his and she smiled, "You…" she trailed taking pondering on the image she'd seen, "You're brilliant," she settled on and Mickey blinked staring after her a moment as she gave him a last look before she turned and headed for the Tardis, slipping inside it to join the Doctor in the console room as they waited for Rose.

Mickey turned to Rose who'd taken out her phone as Sophie said goodbye and handed it to him, "Thanks," he murmured staring at her, "We've had a laugh though, haven't we?" Rose nodded tearfully, "Seen it all, been there and back… who would have thought, me and you off the old estate, flying through the stars?"

"All those years just sitting there…" Rose sniffed, "Imagining what we'd do one day…" her voice cracked, "We never saw this, did we?"

Mickey enfolded her into a hug, the blond hugging him tightly, heart aching… and yet, not aching as much as she really thought it should, "Go on," Mickey murmured, "Don't miss your flight."

Rose clutched him tighter for a moment, burying her head into his shoulder, knowing that she'd lost him… and would never see him again. She pulled away, head lowered unable to look at him, before she turned and walked to the Tardis, crying heavily. She reached the threshold, and hesitated, before she turned back giving him a last lingering look, before she turned and stepped inside, the door closing behind her.

"Jake, you wanna watch this," Mickey called and Jake came to stand beside him, watching the blue box.

The Tardis dematerialized with a wheeze, and Jake's eyes widened in surprise, "What the hell?!" he exclaimed.

"That's the Doctor in the Tardis with Rose Tyler and Sophie Connolly," Mickey responded staring at the spot the Tardis had been for a long moment before turning away.

*O*O*O*

Jackie Tyler stood in her kitchen filling the kettle for a cup of tea. She froze in surprise as the familiar wheezing sound reached and she practically dropped the kettle as she spun and hurried out of her kitchen, her eyes landing on the Tardis that had materialized directly into her living room. The door opened and Rose stepped out.

"You're alive…" Rose breathed and Jackie raised her brows in response, "Oh, mum, you're alive!" she cried as she rushed over to her mother and threw her arms around her with a sob.

Jackie blinked, a bit nonplussed, but pleased to see to her daughter, "Well, I was the last time I looked…" she trailed, the Doctor stepped out of the Tardis, Sophie a step behind him watching them, "What is it? What happened, sweetheart?" Jackie asked, but Rose couldn't reply, just clung tighter her eyes screwing shut against the onslaught of tears that wanted to fall from her eyes again. Jackie looked to the Doctor, "What's wrong? Where did you go?"

The Doctor swallowed, "Far away," he murmured, "That was... far away."

Jackie glanced over at Sophie who gave a small nod, "Very far away," she murmured quietly.

"Where's Mickey?" Jackie asked not seeing him.

"He's gone home," the Doctor replied and Jackie hugged her daughter comfortingly another sob escaping from her as she clung even tighter.

*O*O*O*

Mickey and Jake got into the blue van. Mickey turned to Jake his expression determined, "I know it's not easy with my face looking exactly like Ricky," he began, "But I'm a different man. I'm not replacing him. But we can remember him by fighting in his name," and Jake nodded, "With all those Cyber factories out there," Mickey continued, "Do you think they'll be one in Paris?" he asked.

Jake nodded again, "Yeah."

"Then, let's go and liberate Paris," Mickey said decisively.

Jake blinked at him sceptically, "What, you and me? In a van?"

Mickey shrugged, "There's nothing wrong with a van. I once saved the universe with a big yellow truck," and Jake grinned and started the engine and they drove off down the road.

*O*O*O*

Sophie sat on a couch in one of the many rooms of the Tardis, this one very reminiscent of a comfortable living room, a half full mug of coffee, sitting neglected and cooling on the coffee table, as she held the gift that her parents had given her on her lap, the purple gift bag on the floor by her feet. She ran her hands over the rectangular shape, fingering the paper, teeth nibbling at her lower lip as she continued to hesitate, anxious excitement coursing through her. She fingered the edge of the paper close to where sticky tape was holding the paper in place, hiding the present from view, but didn't move to open it.

A shadow appeared in the doorway and she didn't need to look up to know that it was the Doctor standing there, peering into the room, "It won't open itself, ya know," he murmured softly as he stepped into the room.

"I know," Sophie replied glancing up at him as he came up to the couch and sat beside her, "It's just… when I open it… that's it… it's open," she swallowed and turned her gaze back down to the gift on her lap, smoothing her hand over the surface of the paper again, "There won't be another one…" her voice quieted to a whisper, "Not from my parents…" she took a deep breath and glanced at the Doctor again, nervousness in her eyes, "What do parents give their kids anyway…" she frowned slightly, "Parallel kid…" she blew out a breath, fingers twitching over the paper.

The Doctor blinked, "Oh um… all kinds of things," he responded tugging at his ear a bit awkwardly, his eyes landed on the card, "Can I?" he asked gesturing to it and Sophie nodded.

He picked it up and flicked it open, his eyes scanning over it and his smiled a bit in mild amusement as he read it over.

Sophie tapped her fingers over the paper, taking a breath, "I should open it…" but she made no move to remove the paper. She glanced over at the Doctor again as she felt his hand on her shoulder giving it a squeeze.

"You don't have to open it now… it's not going anywhere. You could do it later," he murmured and Sophie swallowed again, her gaze going to the bright purple paper, her jaw clenching briefly.

"I-I want to…" she murmured, "I want to open it," her fingers fiddled with the edge of the paper again, before she slid her fingers to the tape, the Doctor's hand squeezing her shoulder again as she hesitated briefly before she carefully lifted away the tape, repeating the process until she could lift the paper away to reveal what was inside.

Her breath caught as she looked at the top of the object… a beautiful book that was sploshed with a softer purple and creamy white colour. She ran her fingers over the front of it for a moment, before she slowly slid her hand to the edge of it and opened it, her gaze landing on a photo… "Photos… it's an album…" she murmured as took in the first one, an image of her parents together, young… teenagers… his arm around her shoulders whilst she held out a hand fingers forming the peace sign, "Highschool sweethearts… maybe…" she murmured as she gazed at it.

The Doctor nodded peering at it, "Could be… certainly looks like it," he murmured and Sophie swallowed as she turned the page, eyes alighting on the next photo, her parents a bit older… her mum in an off the shoulder wedding gown and her dad in a snazzy tux. She ran a finger carefully over the edge of the photo, and the Doctor briefly looked at her to see her worrying her lower lip as she stared unblinkingly down at it.

She turned the next page, her parents a bit older again, her mum standing with her back to her dad as he hugged her from behind, their hands on her rounded belly… evidently pregnant… pregnant with her… parallel her… she swallowed and turned the page again this time, a photo that was very similar to one she'd seen in the house when they'd been inside it… her parents smiling at the camera baby her cuddled between them.

She swallowed heavily again, turning the page again and blinked down at the photo that was staring up at her… this one, possibly taken by her mum as she wasn't in the photo, it was of her and her dad on the living room floor, mess everywhere her in the centre of it, sticky fingers stretched up towards the camera with a wide grin, whilst her dad sat slumped, the mess over his shirt, face and even splattered through his hair a sheepish, 'forgive us' expression on his face as he stared up at the camera.

The Doctor smiled in fond amusement at the photo, happy family scene if he'd ever seen one. Sophie sucked in a shaky breath and softly closed the album, placing it on the coffee table and felt the Doctor's hand on her shoulder shift so that his arm was over her shoulders, tucking her into a one-armed hug, "You alright, Sparks?"

Sophie nodded, eyes pricking, "Yeah… it's… a good present…" she murmured a bit haltingly as she sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly, leaning against him.

The Doctor nodded, "Brilliant," he agreed. They lapsed into a silence, Sophie staring at the album, teeth nibbling on her lower lip again. The Doctor shifted slightly and turned his head to look at her again, "I'm sorry," he murmured.

Sophie blinked shifting herself so that she wasn't straining her neck to look up at him, expression quizzical, "For what?"

"Your dreams… visions you were seeing…"

Sophie looked away from him, "Oh…" she mumbled and then glanced at him again, "Did I accidentally project again?"

The Doctor shook his head, "Not this time," he replied, "I just figured it out. It wasn't too hard to put the pieces together."

Sophie grimaced slightly, "Was I that obvious?" she muttered brow scrunching slightly.

"No, I just…" the Doctor trailed eyes meeting hers as she blinked up at him a bit curiously now and his lips quirked up in a foxy smirk, "I'm just clever."

Sophie nodded, her own lips quirking up in response, "Not your fault," she murmured in reference to his apology, "You don't make me dream…" she muttered, shrugging slightly.

"No, I don't," he murmured in agreement as he nodded, "I'd uh, like to do another scan…" Sophie blinked over at him again, "And maybe… a blood sample this time, if you don't mind, that is," he tacked on quickly as he stared at her.

Sophie nodded, "If you think it'll help," she murmured agreeably, before glancing away from him again, her brow scrunching again as she couldn't help but doubt that it would, beside her the Doctor couldn't help but wonder the same, nothing had stuck out to him last time aside from the minor anomalies that seemed quite normal to him with her telepathy, but still he was determined to keep trying, in the hopes that he could figure out a way for her to not have to deal with them.

Rose appeared in the doorway and the two turned to look at her, the Doctor's eyes narrowing only slightly at the look in her eyes as the blond still somewhat sombre blond eyed his arm that was still draped over Sophie's shoulders in a hug. Rose blinked back at him, eyes narrowing slightly in return, feeling the sudden deep need to scream 'Just kiss her! You git!' at him, kiss her before you lose her.

"Hey," she settled for instead. Sophie blinked shifting on the couch again, the Doctor's arm falling away from her shoulders as she did so. Her gaze going from Rose to the Doctor and back again wondering just what she'd missed now, "Is that an album?" Rose asked curiously before either could reply, her eyes having gone to the coffee table.

"Uh…" Sophie hesitated her gaze going to the Doctor, they'd just been talking about going to the med bay, hadn't they?

The Doctor gave her a small shrug, 'It can wait.'

Sophie smiled and nodded, "Uh, yeah…" and Rose stepped further into the room coming to sit on her other side, eyes alight with interest as she did her best to focus away from the throbbing ache that was Mickey's absence, his decision to leave… leave her… Sophie reached for the album, opening it again to peruse through the photo's inside again with her friends, the mood lightening greatly as jovial laughter soon followed as the three went through it together.