Chapter 10: Love and Monsters

A blonde man was running up a hill, following a familiar sound. His heart beat fast at the faint sound of the TARDIS materializing. He stops on top of the hill to catch his breath and spots a blue police phone box that sits, out of place, surrounded by abandoned buildings. The man stares at the TARDIS as he slowly walks towards it. He stares her up and down, amazed, and places a hand on the door. "Doctor! Doctor, the trap!" A woman's voice reaches him. He looks around before quickly following the voice.

He enters one of the empty warehouses and various shouts and random noises echo from the building. "Where's he gone? Can you see him?" A male voice yelled.

"There he is! Stop - no! Allyson, watch out! There!" The girls voice echoed back.

"Where!?"

"There! Over there!" The man starts dashing up the metal stairs, heading towards the noise. After sever flights of stairs he comes across a long corridor, which has ominous growling noises emanating from it. A bright light shines from behind a door and the man approaches it. He cautiously opens the door to reveal a ferocious snarling monster, who roars at him.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

The same guy from before is now sitting in front of his video camera. "That's what it did. It went 'RRROOOAAAARRR!' And if you think that was the most exciting day of my life- wait 'til you hear the rest. Oh boy..." The man shook his head as he let out a small laugh. "So there I was, with that thing going RAAAH!"

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::...::..

The monster slowly approaches the man, snarling at him hungrily. The Doctor suddenly appears with Allyson by his side. The Doctor was holding a large pork chop in front of them and just out of the monsters reach. "Here, boy! Eat the food! C'mon, look at the lovely food! Isn't that nice? Isn't it? Yes it is!" The monster turns to face the Doctor and Allyson, but doesn't look at the meat. The Doctor notices the man standing silently by in shock. "Get out of here, quickly!" The Doctor yelled at him. "Have some, boy! Wouldn't you like a porky-choppy then?" The monster approached them again, only it's eyes were laid on Allyson. The Doctor quickly noticed this and pulled her behind him. "I said, run!" He yelled at the man just as Rose comes rushing in with a loud cry and flings the contents of a blue bucket onto the monster. The monster howls and clutches at it's face. "Wrong one! You made it worse!" The Doctor pouted.

"You said blue!" Rose defended herself.

"I said 'not blue'!" Rose looks fearfully at the monster, who was now staring at her, she lets out a whimper and Allyson quickly grabs her and rushes off with her. "Oh... hold on!" The Doctor slams the door shut and chases after them. The man continues to stare in shock at the scene before him. The small group run about, screaming and hollering as a small chase takes place. Rose was being chased by the monster who had Allyson right on its tail with a red bucket. They all run back and forth in the corridor, the man just standing at the end in complete bewilderment as the group ran around. Some how Rose ended up with the red bucket and the monster was chasing Allyson. The Doctor runs through a door was but stops and takes a good look at the man.

"Hold on... don't I know you?" The man just runs away, down the stairs and out of the building not stopping. He runs outside and leans up against the brick wall, catching his breath. The faint sound of the TARDIS engines reach his ears and he sighs.

"You can't imagine it - the Doctor's machine - the most beautiful sound in the world."

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

"Yet that wasn't the first time I met the Doctor - and it certainly wasn't the last - ohhh no. I just put that bit at the beginning because it's a brilliant opening. But, er, this is the story of me and my encounters with alien life-forms. But be warned, because it is gonna get scarrrrry." He leans menacingly towards the camera and bares his teeth. "I - I need a remote control zoom, I'm having to do that with the lean - the scarrrry. But look, don't worry, 'cos it's not just me sitting here talking - Ohhh no."

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

He now stands on an ordinary suburban street talking into his camera. "That's Ursula on camera." He points the camera at Ursula who waved a gloved hand at the camera.

"Hello!" She smiled.

"My good friend, Ursula Blake, and my brand-new camera." He points the camera at a beige-colored terraced house in the middle of the street. The camera then is shifted to the man standing in front of the house. "That was my family home, down there." He brings his voice down to a whisper. "I did try, but there's two women live there now and they're a bit…severe." He grimaced at the camera. "So… never mind. But that - is where it all started. That's when I first met the Doctor."

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Everything is slightly blurry and faded as a small child walks through a simple house, Elton's home. Everything was dark. "What was it... erm... I must have been 3 or 4 years old. Middle of the night, went downstairs, and there was this - man." The little boy walked down the stairs and turned into the living room. Standing there by the window was a tall man with brown hair. It was the Doctor, he turned at looked at Elton, a distraught look upon his face. Then everything fades.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Elton, now a full grown man, was staring at his childhood home, reminiscing about the time. "So what happened? Elton, tell me. Why was he there?" Ursula asked him.

"I don't know. I - I still don't know. All those years ago.." Elton paused, completely lost in thought. He quietly waves his hand at the camera and everything goes black.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

The camera was on Elton in his bedroom again. "Okay, first thing's first, my name is Elton. Er... not to be confused with Elton John. I left school, got a job, Transport Manager, Rated Logistics, modest little haulage company, perfectly normal life, and then... it all went mad."

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Elton was walking around, shopping in a busy London street. He carried a few bags and was currently window shopping. "Two years ago, I was in town, I was stocking up. You know, nothing special, all the usual stuff, when all of the sudden..." As Elton walked by a window a plastic dummy raised its hand and shattered the glass. The sudden noise causes Elton to freeze in his tracks and stare in shock as other dummies broke windows and began to march out into the sidewalk. People ran about, screaming in fear. "Shop window dummies! Come to life!"

The dummies marched through the streets, shooting people with beams of red electricity. Some shot at telephone lines, causing electrical fires and more chaos. They smashed up cars all the while people continued to panic. Elton bolts from the scene and nearly gets hit by a confused driver. "I survived... obviously..."

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

On a different street in London, Elton was walking casually in the mists of the other ordinary people who were going about their daily business. But something catches Elton's eye. "12 months later, I'm back in town. I'm up west, looking for a new suit, something nice and smart, when I hear this plane overhead." A loud humming sound captured Elton's and other shoppers attention as the look up to see a large spacecraft ejecting clouds of black smoke. The ship flew dangerously low and crashed into Big Ben, ripping the clock apart. The bell let out a loud ring one last time as the ship destroyed the tower. Everyone looked on in horror. "But it wasn't over yet, ' cos then... Christmas Day..."

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Elton was sleeping soundly in his bed now. His blankets pulled up to his chest. "I'm in bed fast asleep, nice and cosy, quarter to 8 in the morning, when all of a sudden -" The window a few feet from the foot of his bed explodes. Glass fly's into his room, covering the floor with hazardous shards. Elton jolts awake at the sudden noise. "SMASH! And I was stuck in bed, right, 'cos there was glass everywhere! And I was barefoot! I had to invent a rudimentary pulley system, just to reach my boots! And by the time I'd done that..." Elton had his boots on as he walked over to his shattered window. He hazily looked up to see the Sycorax spaceship. He gapes at the massive object. "And that's when it all started happening. That's how I met Ursula -"

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Ursula sat smiling at the camera on a bench. "That's how I met Victor Kennedy-"

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Mr, Kennedy stood above Elton with his hand raised, poised to strike him. "You stupid man!" He yelled.

"And that's how I met Jackie Tyler -"

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Jackie was crouched in front of a washer in a launderette. "Oh, you don't meet many Eltons!" She smiled.

"And that's how I finally met the Doctor- and realized the truth."

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Elton was currently sitting in front of the camera. His head in is hands, looking dejected. He sniffled and shut off the camera, collecting himself. Afterwards, he turned on the camera and wiped his nose and his eyes, erasing any evidence that he had been crying. "Um, I should say, this isn't my whole life. It's not all... spaceships and stuff, 'cos I'm into all sorts of things. Er... I like football... I like a drink. I like Spain, and if there's one thing I really love, Jeff Lynne and the Electric Light Orchestra - 'cos you can't beat a bit of ELO." He smiled lightly.

He switched on "Mr Blue Sky" and was dancing around the room. Jumping up and down just dancing. He stopped to play some air drums and whirred around on his chair.

He sat back at his desk, in front of the camera, in better spirits. "So - great big spaceship hanging over London. Imagine the theories."

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Elton typed away on his computer, researching on what he had witnessed, when sparks and smoke fly from the monitor. The screen lets out a loud pop and goes black. Elton jumps backwards, shocked. "The Internet was on meltdown. But I kept on digging. Something was going on - ohh yes." Elton manages to pull up a website titled 'My Invasion Blog'. The background was an image of the Doctor and a girl with black curly hair against a falling snowflake background. "And then one day, on some obscure little blog by someone called Ursula Blake, it was like a chance in a million. It was him - it was that man again but the photo was new, it was taken on Christmas Day but Christmas was just gone. And he looked exactly the same."

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Elton and Ursula sat on a bench in a park, talking about the Doctor. "His name is the Doctor and the girl is Allyson." Ursula pointed to the girl in a picture she had set as her blog's wallpaper.

"Doctor what?"

"That's all anyone knows. On Christmas Day I was taking photos all over the place. I went mad with it all. Spaceships and lasers and everything. We all went to Trafalgar Square that night, 'cos everyone was celebrating - just being alive. And I snapped them in passing, that's all. He was just some bloke with a girl. I didn't realize he was significant, until Mr, Skinner pointed it out." Ursula explained to Elton.

"Who's Mr, Skinner?" He raised an eyebrow at her, confused.

"Oh, there's a few of us. The Inner Sanctum, all studying this Doctor." Elton slid over on the bench, closer to Ursula.

"I've seen him. The Doctor - I swear to you, I saw him when I was a kid. He was in my house, and he was downstairs. But I've never seen her." He pointed to Allyson in the photo. Ursula frowned slightly.

"Yeah, we don't really know much about her. She just started appearing recently. Always by his side, but never talks. But don't tell me - he looked exactly the same as he does now." She grinned at him.

"Yes - yes!" He smiled back, amazed. " Oh my God. You believe me!" She grinned back.

"You're not the only one, you know.." They both get up and begin to walk around the park.

"So that's how I met Ursula - all thanks to the Doctor. Turns out we read all the same sites and she only lived half a mile away. She was like a proper mate. Poor Ursula." He trailed off, reminiscing of the past. "But like she said, there was this little community - the select few, all with their stories of the Doctor."

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

A group of friend sat crowded around a table in a basement, they were all talking and laughing. They told jokes and other funny stories just bonding over the simple fact that the Doctor had brought them all together. "This little gang used to meet up, underneath the old library on Macateer Street. Mr, Skinner, first name Colin, but we always called him Mr, Skinner. I don't know why, we just did."

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Mr, Skinner was standing in front of the small group, giving a presentation on a poster board. While he was speaking he would occasionally mark the poster. "To me, the Doctor isn't a man, he's more a collection of archetypes..."

"Then there was Bridget."

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Bridget was giving presentation, only on a slide projector and all the lights were dimmed. "All these different Doctors come and go, but the single constant factor is this faux police box. It keeps cropping up, throughout history. However, recently, this girl, Allyson, has shown up too."

"She lived way up North, but she traveled down without fail, just for the meetings."

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

"Then, there was bliss." Bliss stood by a covered pedestal. She pulled the sheet off, showing her own modern interpretive art. Everyone looked on, interested.

"What I'm trying to do is sum up the Doctor - what he means to us."

"She was ever so sweet - bless. Bless Bliss, we used to say."

"What he could represent and what he should represent. And what he won't ever represent...sort of thing." Everyone nodded, understanding the point she was trying to convey.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

The small group was gathered around the small table again. They were all sharing the laughter at a good story that someone had told. "We should have a name. You know - as a group." Ursula suggested as she quieted her laughter.

"Names are very important." Bliss nodded in agreement.

"What we need is a good, strong name, like a team." Elton clenched his fist to demonstrate. "Something like... London Investigation 'n' Detective Agency - LINDA for short." He hesitantly looked around, gauging their reactions.

"Say it again." Mr, Skinner leaned in to try and hear it better.

"London Investigation 'n' Detective Agency."

"'N'?" Mr, Skinner asked.

"Fish 'n' Chips, Rock 'n' Roll... Chaka Demus 'n' Pliers!" Everyone laughed at Elton's examples.

"Ooh, I like it. It's not too solemn." Bridget smiled.

"I like the 'n'." Bliss giggled lightly as she covered her mouth.

"We're the men from LINDA!" Mr, Skinner laughed.

"And the women!" Bridget chimed in.

"Linda United!" Mr, Skinner laughed and everyone joined in.

"Did you think of that on the spot?" Ursula asked Elton as everyone settled down.

"No," he shook his head. "I've been wanting to use it for years."

"I give you LINDA!" Mr, Skinner raised his glass and everyone chinked them together.

"LINDA!" They toasted.

"So we'd all meet up, every week, and we'd talk mostly about the Doctor for a bit. But after a while, Bridget started cooking."

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Everyone gathers around a table that was covered with some culinary treats that Bridget had prepared and was serving everyone. "Oh my God, that's gorgeous! No really, wow! Oi, the rest of you, get your hands off!" Ursula gushed as she tried Bridget's treats. She playfully swatted everyone else's hands away from the treats.

"The next thing you know, Mr, Skinner started his readings, 'cos he was writing his own novel."

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Everyone sat in a row in front of Mr, Skinner, who was reading aloud on a slightly higher stool. He had a box of papers in his lap that he was reading from. "That's the last time you ride the ghost train, Johnny Fransetta... now say your prayers!" He paused." To be continued.." Everyone groaned, sad to see the reading over so soon, though it had taken a few hours.

"You can't leave it there!" Bliss complained.

"As time went on, we got to know each other better and better."

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Everyone was sitting in a circle in the basement again, Bridget doing all the talking. Everyone else sat silently and listened. "I started all of this because.. erm... my daughter disappeared. it wasn't aliens that took her away - it was just - drugs. I come down to London, every week, and I just keep looking for her." Bridget began to cry, unable to hold back her tears anymore. Ursula gently rubbed her back.

"Bridget.." She cooed softly. Everyone else looked on sympathetically as Ursula pulled Bridget into a hug.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Bliss performed in front of LINDA. She was playing the guitar and singing while everyone else watched. "I gave my love a chicken, it had no bone. I gave my love a cherry, it had no stone..." Her song held a sad tone.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Bliss was playing her guitar again, only on a far happier note than before. Ursula joined in with a tambourine. Both of them singing together and the others watched, clipping in time with the beat. "Then it turned out that Bridget could play the piano, and I confessed my love of ELO. Next thing you know... Musical LINDA."

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

The group had now formed a band. Bridget played the piano, Mr, Skinner on the drums, Bliss on rhythm guitar and Ursula on bass guitar. Elton stood center-stage as the lead singer with a microphone. "You got me running, goin' outta my mind.. You got me thinking I'm wasting my time" He was really dancing around, getting in to the music. He danced up to Bridget and they both sang together.

"Don't bring me down."

"Just for fun."

Elton moved over and repeated the line with Ursula. He continued to swing around the small group as he performed. Elton gave everyone the change to sing a part in the piece. Mid-song the electricity cut out. Everything goes black.

"Careful, mind the cables." Mr, Skinner warned everyone as they tried to figure out what was happening. The basement door was thrown open with a loud bang. A black silhouette appears in the door while the light from the lift blocked them from seeing any detail. The shadow opens the gates over the lift and enters the room. The small band stare at the man in silence, stunned and confused.

"And that's when it all changed, that Tuesday night in March. That's when HE arrived." The man walked up to a desk and set his briefcase down.

"Lights!" The man yelled obnoxiously loud. The lights switched on and everyone got an eye full of the rather large man in a suit.

"That's when we met Victor Kennedy. The golden age - was gone." Victor Kennedy looked down at them all. An air of aloofness about him. LINDA stared back, still confused.

"So, we meet at last.. LINDA." His voice dripped with sarcasm as he gave each of them a hard stare. Mr, Skinner walked forward and held out his hand to shake.

"Pleased to meet you, sir. I'm sorry, was the music too loud?" Victor backed away from the older gentleman, a disgusted look on his face.

"No no no no. I don't shake hands- back, back." He shooed the man back. "I suffer from a skin complaint - Eczeema." He told them.

"Oh, you mean 'eczema'?" Elton asked, confused. He had never heard of Eczeema.

"Oh, this is worse - much worse. I blister to the touch. Back, back - all of you, further, further. Thank you." Everyone backed away, still bewildered.

"Sorry, don't mind me asking, but who are you?" Elton asked, trying to shed some light on the stranger.

"I am your salvation." The man simply smiled.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

LINDA had gathered around Mr, Kennedy's laptop as it played a video of the Doctor with Rose and Allyson boarding the TARDIS. "That's the Doctor!" Ursula gasped.

"It's really him!" Elton smiled at her, both of them sharing the gleeful moment.

"You've forgotten your purpose in life. You, with your band and your cakes and your blubbering and all the while he still exists - the Doctor." Victor sneered.

"Look at him, just look!" Bridget pointed at the screen. They all shuffled closer to get a better look but Victor started to sweat.

"Move back, move back. All of you! Oh, wait for this, the picture cuts out, but the sound still continues." He presses a few keys on the computer and the sound of the TARDIS is heard. "Listen. Listen to the sound of the universe... yess." As the whooshing of the TARDIS fades, Elton backs into a corner and puts his head in his hands. Remembering the sound.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Ursula asked, concern evident in her voice. She tries to go and comfort him but Victor blocks her with his cane.

"Leave him!" He told her before he turned to face Elton. "You've heard it before, haven't you? When? When was it? Where? Where were you?" Elton shook his head slightly, memories flooding back.

"I'd forgotten, until now. But it was that night..." Elton stammered, a slight headache forming.

"What night?" Victor pressed him.

"I was just a kid... that's why I went downstairs. It woke me up. That noise..."

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Elton was a little boy again as he walked down the stairs in his childhood home. As he walks into the living room, the TARDIS sounds in the background.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

"But what is it? What does it mean?" Elton asked himself.

"That is a sound of his spaceship." Victor answered, a small smirk on his lips.

Soon they were back at the table, Mr, Kennedy opened his briefcase and pulls out some files that he proceeds to hand out. "Right then, homework! using the Torchwood files, we're able to look at all the old databases in a completely new light. We're able to build up a more detailed profile of the Doctor. I've allocated tasks to each of you. I'd like you to -" As he hands a file to Mr, Skinner, their hands nearly touch. Victor recoils away from the other man. "Careful! Watch the eczeema!" He said sharply. "I'd like you to complete your targets and meet back here this time next week, one step closer to catching the Doctor." After he finished handing out the files he clumsily sat behind the desk. "Well don't just sit there. Move!" He hollered after they all just stood there, unsure what to do. Everyone jumps and begins to pack up their things to leave.

"Erm, Bliss? Is it Bliss, isn't it?" Victor waved at Bliss..

"Yeah." She smiled shyly, unsure if she was in trouble. Victor smiles at her.

"Could I have a word with you in private, please?" His smile disarms her and she happily agrees.

"Course you can, yeah."

"Thank you." He continued to smile at her as he waved to the others. "Goodbye, goodbye." Everyone except Bliss crowded into the service lift and left the two alone. Elton and the others were walking across the street, talking about their homework.

"Better get to work! Lots to do." Elton smiled.

"I never thought of it as work." Ursula frowned at Elton.

"It's what we've always wanted, though. To find the Doctor." He sulked from Ursula's attitude.

"Yeah, I suppose." Ursula trailed off, not very happy with the new turn of events.

"All of a sudden, without anyone saying so, we were working for Victor Kennedy."

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Victor sat behind the main desk, his hands steepled. All the other LINDA members sat behind desks, silently and obediently taking notes as they searched through the manila files. "Though we had to admit, he was right. His methods were much more rigorous. It felt like we were getting closer and closer to the Doctor." Elton raised his ruler in the air, feeling slightly uncomfortable about it.

"Mr, Kennedy?" He called to get the man's attention.

"Yes?"

"We... we were wondering. No sign of Bliss. Do you know where she is?" Victor seemed to be slightly caught off guard but quickly composed himself.

"Yes, didn't she tell you? She's getting married!" He smiled. "She left a message. It'll never last." He mumbled under his breath before he spoke up again. "Come on, back to work!" They all obediently bent back over their papers and resumed taking notes.

"But we did get lucky once."

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Ursula is at Elton's desk and Mr, Skinner grabs a piece of paper excitedly. "A police box!" He exclaimed. "Newly arrived, it says newly arrived today! And it's in Woolwich!" Victor snatched the paper from Mr, Skinner.

"Well don't just stand there, move! Move, go, go!" Victor practically pushed them out the door.

"Don't get excited, that's where you came in."

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Elton was back in the warehouse that he was first describing at the beginning of his video. "Woolwich. Police box. Red bucket, blue bucket. Police are stupid, etc."

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Elton sat in his desk, back at the basement that housed LINDA. Victor towered over him, anger emanated from the large man. "Useless!" He yelled.

"I just froze." Elton mumbled.

"You met him... and you froze, you stupid man!" Victor raised his hand to smack Elton, who flinched. Ursula's eye's flashed with anger at the action.

"You can't hit me! 'Cos you don't touch, you said so, you get a rash and an itch and -" Elton rambled on, defending himself, not wanting to get hit. Victor grabs his cane and raises it, about to strike him.

"I can use this!" Ursula abruptly stands and storms over to the two and begins to yell at Victor.

"Use that cane on him and you'll get one hell of a smack off me! And then a good kick! Is that completely understood, Mr, Kennedy?" The malice in her voice caused Victor to pause. He slowly lowered his cane.

"Duly noted. Ursula..Blake. Most likely to fight back." The two stare each other down for a moment. "Right then! We'll change tack, we'll approach this sideways." Victor turned back to his desk and Ursula and Elton shared a grateful smile. "If we're to discover the truth about the Doctor, then we need to try and find..her." He held up a photo of Rose.

"Now when it comes to the Doctor's companions, the Torchwood files are strangely lacking." Victor stood by a projector, showing images of Rose Tyler. Everyone else was sitting to the side watching. "It seems the evidence has been corrupted, something called 'Bad Wolf' virus. At least we've got these photographs." He clicked a remote and the image changed to another of Rose. Bridget raised her hand to get Victor's attention.

"What about Allyson?" She asked hesitantly, unsure of how he was going to react.

"Who?" He frowned.

"Allyson. She's one of his most recent companions." She nervously swayed in her chair. Victor's frowned deepened as he looked through some of the Torchwood files.

"I don't have anything on her. She must not be important." Victor dismissed her, but she wasn't going down that easily.

"No she is. She's popped up more in the past with the Doctor than Rose Tyler. She can't speak but she's always there with him. I've actually found a file on her." Bridget walked over to Victor and handed him a folder that she pulled from her bag.

"Yeah, she was with the Doctor." Elton piped up when he saw her photo attached to the file. Victor looked between the two and gave a curt nod.

"Well, we can't track her if we don't have anything to go on." He looked at Elton, "Have anything to help find Rose Tyler?" Elton stood back and thought.

"Yeah, she has a London accent, definitely. She's from London." He nodded, sure of himself.

"So we hit the streets. We get out there, we take the photographs. Someone's got to know who she is somewhere. We find her, we find the Doctor and that Allyson."

"Yes, but London's a big place. I mean I should know, my own daughter's out there." Bridget looked concerned but Victor ignored it.

"Bridget, don't make this personal. I don't like to be touched literally, OR metaphorically, thank you very much, I haven't got the time. Bleeding hearts outside! Find me that girl!" He promptly hands each of them a photo of Rose. "Go. Now, move!"

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Elton stepped out into a busy London street, people were hustling and bustling around him. He checked the photograph he had of Rose. "So it began. The impossible task. To scour the mean streets, to search a major capital city for an unknown girl. To hunt down that face in a seething metropolis of lost souls. To find that one girl in 10 million -"

"Oh, that's Rose Tyler. She lives just down there -" And older lady points down the street. "Bucknell House, number 48. Her mother's Jackie Tyler. Nice family. Bit odd.." The lady trails off, an bemused expression on her face as she walks off. Elton watched her leave before heading down the street she pointed to with a smile.

While Elton was walking between two parked cars, he stops, hearing a woman yell. "Oi, Jackie!" A blonde woman was walking up the other side of the street with to plastic bags full of laundry.

"Hello sweetheart!" She smiled to the woman who called out to her. Elton held up the photo of Rose and compared her to Jackie, trying to see the family resemblance. "I'll see you down the Spinning Wheel tonight, yeah? Pub quiz, get 'em in!" Jackie laughed.

"All right then." The woman smiled as she walked away. Jackie walks into the 'Wash Inn' launderette to do her laundry. Elton looks around quick before an idea strikes him. He quickly peels off his jacket and then his shirt. He slips his jacket back on and balls up his shirt. He briskly walks into the 'Wash Inn'.

In the launderette, Jackie was hunched down, sorting her clothing. "I'd been trained for this. Victor Kennedy's classes covered basic surveillance and espionage." Elton walks past Jackie and to a washer. He opens it up and tosses his shirt inside. "Step one: engage your target. Find some excuse to start a conversation. But how was I gonna do this? How?" While Elton was beating himself up, Jackie called over to him.

"Excuse me love, you couldn't give us a quid for two fifties, could you?" Jackie asked hopeful. Elton nodded and began to fumble with change in his pockets.

"Yeah.. just a... ah, da-da!" He pulled out a pound coin and exchanged it with Jackie. An awkward smile on his face.

"Oh lovely! Cheers." Jackie smiled. Elton turned back to his washing, focusing hard.

"Step two: without provoking suspicion, get on first name terms with the target."

"My name's Jackie, by the way." Jackie smiled again. Elton looked at her in disbelief.

"I'm Elton." He half smiled.

"Ah, you don't meet many Eltons, do you? Apart from the obvious!" Jackie and Elton both shared in a laugh. The silence afterward not nearly as awkward as Elton felt.

"Step three: ingratiate yourself with a joke or some humorous device." Jackie's laugh behind him caught his attention.

"I tell you what, Elton. Here we are, complete strangers, and I'm flashing you me' knickers!" Jackie waves her undergarment around and laughs. Elton shifts uncomfortably, not sure what to think but laughs regardless.

"Step four: find some subtle way to integrate yourself into the target's household." Elton took a deep breath and opened his mouth, but yet again, Jackie bets him to it.

"Mind you, I'm only down here because my washing machine's knackered. I don't suppose you're any good at fixing things, are you?" Elton stared at her, still in disbelief about his luck.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Elton was crouched behind Jackie's laundry machine, which was pulled away from the wall, changing the plug. Jackie stood back, watching him silently, fluffing her hair. "Here we are." Elton stood up straight, " It was a fuse. There's nothing wrong with the machine. That's fine. All working!" He smiled proudly at Jackie, who had stopped flouncing her hair.

"Oh Elton, I should have you on tap!" The both laughed. "I used to have this little mate called Mickey, he did all that stuff." Her tone dropped off, remembering him. "He's gone now. Bless him."

"Well, if you need me, give us a call. I'll jot down my number." Elton smiled, trying to change the subject off this Mickey.

"Well you do that, and I'll make us a cup of tea. Go on, go and sit down. Put the telly on if you want, can't bear it silent." Jackie walks off to put on some tea and Elton righted her washer before heading to the living room.

As he entered the living room he looked around, seeing photos of Rose from different ages on Jackie's mantle piece. "It's just me these days, rattling about." Jackie told him from the kitchen. A few moments later Jackie entered, carrying a tray with tea and a few cups. They both settled down on the sofa and poured themselves tea. "There's my daughter, she's gone traveling. I keep her bedroom all nice and ready though, just in case she comes back." Jackie stared off, a bit sad.

"And her name is?" Elton played dumb.

"Rose."

"It's a nice name, Rose. So where's she...traveling?" He wondered just what her excuse was.

"All over. She got a mobile, I get a call now and then. Not so often as I'd like. Still, that age, who can be bothered phoning home?" Jackie gave Elton a sad smile.

"Who's she with, is it mates, is it, or..." Elton pried.

"Just mates. Yeah." Jackie answered nonchalantly.

"Well, if I had you making a nice cup of tea like this, I wouldn't stray far from home." Elton smiled as he took another sip of tea. Jackie gave him a sincere smile.

"You're a charmer. Say it again." She laughed and Elton gave a few chuckles. They both sipped their tea again. Jackie watching him over the edge of her mug.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Since Elton had told Victor of his encounter with Jackie, he had been much happier. "Magnificent! Oh I could kiss you! Except I can't, of course. The eczeema." Victor smiled at Elton who was just bursting with joy.

"I've even got a picture of her on my phone." He whipped out his mobile and brought up the photo to show the rest of the group.

"Oh it's amazing! You've achieved steps 1 to 4 in precise order! How did you manage it?" Mr, Skinner was amazed. Elton let out a sigh.

"Well, I had to work very hard. She keeps everything very close to her chest." He put simply, instead of saying that she was the one that really did all the steps for him.

"That's a hell of a chest." Ursula gushed out.

"But how do you move on? Step five, that's the problem." Bridget looked at Elton, wanting his insight.

"Step five!" Victor cheered. "That's this week's homework. I want a full plan of attack from each of you. Now go on, vamoose!" He banged his cane on the desk repeatedly. "Avante! There's work to do!" The excited group quickly gathers up their things and begin to leave. "And Elton - keep infiltrating, you will do anything to get that information, boy, anything!" Victor pointed his cane bandashingly at Elton.

"Yes sir!" Elton nodded as he turned to leave.

"Oh, oh Bridget! Bridget, oh yes.." Mr, Skinner and Bridget both stop and look back at Victor. "Could I have a word with you in private, please?" He smiled.

"Er, Mr, Skinner's giving me a lift." Bridget shifted, uncomfortable.

"Oh, I can drop you at the station, I'm sure Mr, Skinner won't mind, will you?" Victor peered at Mr, Skinner who looked uncertain what to do.

"Not at all... erm... well, Bridget, I'll see you next week."

"All right then." Bridget smiled at him as he leaned down and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Elton and Ursula give each other a knowing smile as Mr, Skinner joins them. "Bye bye!" Bridget smiled and waved to them as they left in the lift.

Outside the three of them were walking away, Ursula and Elton both smiling but Mr, Skinner was a bit reluctant. He just couldn't shake this nagging feeling he had. "Now Mr, Skinner, I don't mean to pry - but did you give Bridget a little kiss back then?" Ursula giggled like a school girl.

"I think I did." Mr, Skinner gave her a shy smile.

"And if you get your way, might there be more little kisses between the two of you?" Ursula raised an eyebrow.

"I think there might..." He bit his lip, a bit hesitant.

"I knew it!" Ursula cheered, giving a small jump.

"That's brilliant!" Elton smiled widely, happy for the man.

"Now, let's not get excited. We'll see." Mr, Skinner brushed them off, trying to get their attention off him and Bridget.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

The Doctor rushes into the TARDIS and throws his coat on the Y beam as he walks up to the console. Rose stood there waiting for him, a small smile on her face. "Ahhh right, then! Next adventure shall we - wait a moment." He looked around. "Where's Allyson?" Rose bit her lip, trying to contain her laughter as she gazed over the Doctor's shoulder. The Doctor furrowed his brows at her but followed her gaze to see his coat over Allyson. She stood with her hands on her hips and her foot was tapping irritatedly. The Doctor swallowed a lump in his throat as Rose finally busted out laughing from the look of fear on the Doctor's face. The Doctor cautiously walked up to Allyson and gently pulled off his coat.

Raging blue eyes met his brown as Allyson's hair stood up in random directions. She was dressed in a simple white tee with a v-neck and dark blue jeans. She had filled out a lot more since he had found her. Her skin wasn't as pale, her cheeks held a slight pink to them and her skin had healed from the IV's the nurses had in her. Her ribs no longer pushed against her skin but were now covered with a healthy layer of muscle and a little extra. Her face had rounded out a bit more, softening her sharp jaw and cheek bones giving her a strong look but still famine. Allyson glared at the Doctor, sending shivers down his back. "Um.. sorry?" He tried. Allyson held up her hand, asking for something. The Doctor looked down at it and back at her. "Oh no. No, you can't!" He whined like a 5 year old.

"You better listen to her!" Rose laughed at him. Allyson flexed her fingers, telling him to cough it up. Her long red nails flashing at the Doctor. The Doctor slumped his shoulders and stomped his feet.

"But Allyyysoonn! I didn't meean itt!" He whined. She raised a brow at him and looked expectantly at her hand. The Doctor pouted and reached into his suit jacket, fishing around for something. "Oh, alright." He grumpily put his sonic screwdriver in her hand. She quickly grabbed it and put it in her back pant's pocket. This was his punishment. Whenever he did something wrong she would take away his sonic screwdriver. The Doctor gloomily stalked over to the console and started to unenthusiastically press buttons and pull levers. Rose kept laughing as Allyson walked over to stand by Rose.

The Doctor pulled the TARDIS into orbit around a red giant. "All right, since Allyson won't let me have my sonic, we're calling it quits for the day." The Doctor pressed a few buttons and the TARDIS gave a slight hum and stopped shaking. Rose and Allyson walked off into the TARDIS, both laughing at something they found humorous. The Doctor stood by the monitor and watched the girls walk out of his sight before he looked down at a slip of paper. It was the print out of Allyson's vitals that he had taken when she was in the med-bay a while back. She had healed relatively fast, but that was because of the TARDIS. He pulled out his specs and looked at the numbers. His brows furrowed as he focused. He was still baffled by the results.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Elton stood in front of a mirror as he shrugged out of his jacket. "And there I was. The ultimate step five." He took his shirt of and starts prepping himself. He messed with his hair and sprayed on deodorant. "The perfect infiltration." He opened a bottle of mouth wash and began to gargle some. He jumps around and punched the air, psyching himself up. "Target - Jackie Tyler." He points to himself in the mirror, feeling on top of the world, and leaves the bathroom.

He jumps in the doorway to Jackie's room with a smile on his face. "You're right, it is a bit hot. But it's about to get hotter!" He grinned wickedly. Jackie sat on the edge of her bed, a phone to her ear.

"I'll see you soon. All right, be careful." Jackie sniffled as she hung up the phone. Elton's grin falls off his face as he looks at her concerned.

"Everything alright?" Elton asked her. Jackie sighs.

"That was my daughter." She turns to face Elton and chides herself. Elton looks at her sheepishly. "Oh, look at you. I'm sorry. I was just being stupid." Jackie rubs her forehead as she tries to collect herself.

"Is she okay?" Elton asked, genuinely concerned.

"She's so far away. I get left here sometimes and, um... I don't know where she is, anything could be happening to her, anything. And I just go a bit mad." Jackie looked Elton over, "Put your shirt back on."

"Where is she?"

"Doesn't matter. I'm sorry. You'd better go." Elton just nods and turns to leave, but stops mid-step.

"Actually..."

"That's when it struck me. Funny the things you think of with your shirt off. But that's when I realized what was really important."

"Never mind about Rose. I'm not even gonna ask. And I will put my shirt back on, because I'm going to go out and get us both a pizza. cause I reckon you need cheering up. she goes swanning off and who's left to care about you, eh? So I say a nice bit of pizza, we'll put the telly on nice and loud and annoy that woman next door, just you and me as proper mates. Yeah? Mates. Go on. Say yes." He smiles encouragingly at her with she returns.

"Yes!" She whispered.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Elton was walking back from the pizza parlor with a box in his arms. He held his head high as he walked, proud of himself. "All of a sudden, a lot of things made sense. I'd got so lost in conspiracies and aliens and targets, I'd been missing the obvious. cos I DID like Jackie, but I liked someone else even more!" As Elton reached Jackie's estate, he found her standing outside with his jacket in her arms.

"Right. Let's get inside then, the pizza's getting cold." He smiled at her, but she just glared at him.

"I went in your coat. For once in my life I thought 'I'll pay'. I thought 'He's such a nice man, he won't accept anything, so I'll just slip a tenner in his pocket'. and look what I found." She pulled out the photograph of Rose. Elton felt his heart drop. He messed up. "A photograph of my daughter."

"No no no no no, it's not like that. I can explain!" Elton begged but Jackie wasn't having it.

"I bet you can." She glared.

"I wasn't being pervy or anything, I wasn't after her! I was looking for the Doctor!"

"Oh I know that. I worked that out. 'Cos it's never me, is it?" Jackie looked close to tears from her anger.

"No, but that's how it started, but I changed my mind!"

"Let me tell you something. about those who get left behind. Because it's hard. and that's what you become, hard. But if there's one thing I've learnt, it's that I will never let her down. And I'll protect them all until the end of my life. So whatever you want, I'm warning you: back off." She pointed a cruel finger at him.

"But Jackie, I only wanted to meet him." Elton explained.

"I thought you liked me." Her voice cracked some.

"I do!"

"Just get out of here!" She shouted at him, very upset. "I said get OUT! And leave me alone!" She threw his jacket at him and ran back inside. Tears streamed down her face as she slammed the door shut. Elton stood still as stone with the pizza and his jacket in his arms.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Elton was pacing back and forth in the basement again, very distraught. "And she was right! It's shameful, we USED that woman -"

"I KNEW I couldn't trust you! You broke cover, you STUPID little man, you failed step five!" Victor scalded him.

"I don't CARE about step five! Because it's all gone wrong, Mr, Kennedy. Ever since YOU turned up! We used to come here every week, and we'd have a laugh. We were friends. No wonder they stopped coming. I mean there's no Bliss any more, and even Bridget, she hasn't turned up." Elton yelled at Victor, caught up in his anger.

"I've been phoning and phoning her, there's no reply." An upset Mr, Skinner spoke.

"And who can blame her?! I'm sorry Victor, but you're on your own. Because I am leaving! And so are you, Mr, Skinner! And as for you, Ursula - " He stalks over to her and stands right in front of her. "You're coming with me. And we're going to the golden Locust and we're going to have Chinese."

"What's that got to do with it?" Ursula was baffled.

"I mean you and me. Together. Having a mean. If you want.." He softened, hoping she wouldn't reject him.

"Oh, I'd love it." She smiled, touched.

"But you can't leave. You'll never know what he was doing, the Doctor. You'll never know what he was doing in your house all those years ago." Victor turned to drastic measures.

"No. I'll never know." Elton paused, "Ursula, get your stuff. Mr, Skinner, are you coming? Not to the Chinese, if you don't mind, just sort of walking out."

"I certainly am!" Mr, Skinner stood up abruptly.

"Victor. Good Luck. Good bye." Elton told him simply as they all began to walk out.

"Mr, Skinner! Would you stay for a minute, please?" Victor sounded desperate.

"We're walking out." Mr, Skinner told him simply.

"I've got numbers for Bridget! I've kept records, I've got old numbers." Victor opens his briefcase and begins to rummage through the papers. "We could track her down. Together. You and I." He smiled. Elton and Ursula exchange looks but Elton just shrugs, unsure.

"That's more like the old team spirit. You two have a nice time." He waved to Elton and Ursula.

"I hope you find her." Ursula gave him a quick hug.

"I'll email you." Elton gave him a half way as they both turn and walk to the lift.

Elton and Ursula walk out of the building, hand in hand. "Mm, prawns!" Ursula smiled.

"Yeah, I like prawns."

"Do you?" Ursula raises a brow.

"Crispy aromatic though."

"Oh, I left my phone.." Ursula stops in her tracks as she feels in her pockets.

"Really?" Elton asked in disbelief.

"Yeah! It's not in my pocket."

"So much for the big exit." Elton rolled his eyes.

"Yeah... come on." They both turn and walk back to the building. "Hurry up!"

They descend in the lift to the basement. Elton and Ursula open the gates and step out. "I'm not stopping, I just left my.. ph..phone." Ursula trails off as she noticed that Mr, Skinner was absent and Victor was hidden behind a newspaper. "Victor?"

"Take your phone and go." His slightly panicked sounding voice resounded from behind the paper.

"Where's Mr, Skinner?" Ursula looked around.

"He's gone to the toilet." Elton and Ursula slowly edge toward Victor.

"But... we haven't GOT toilets. We have to use the pub on the corner." Elton told him.

"Well - well - well that's.. that's where he is, then." Victor said uneasy.

"Help me." A weak squelchy voice squeaked from behind the desk.

"What was that?" Ursula demanded.

"Nothing, it was nothing, it was nothing!" Victor said rather loudly.

"Help me!" The voice sounded stronger.

"Shut up!" Victor whispered.

"That's Mr, Skinner..." Elton worked out.

"Victor.." Ursula sounded disgusted. " Look at your hands!" she pointed at the green clawed hands gripping the paper. Victor quickly slammed the paper down.

"Look at the rest of me." He revealed himself as a large green blob-like alien. He had a small patch of black hair on the top of fat head. "You've dabbled with aliens. Now meet the genuine article."

"Oh my God." Ursula wanted to hurl.

"You're a... thing!" Elton blabbered, at a loss for words.

"A THING? This THING is my true form. Better than that crude pink shape YOU call a body." Victor looked a bit put out at being called a thing. Mr, Skinner's face was barely visible on Victor's oversized belly.

"What happened? Where am I?" He asked, trying to look around. Elton and Ursula stare in shock. "Ursula? Is that you?" Mr, Skinner squints.

"That's Mr, Skinner! What've you done to him?" Ursula asked horrified.

"I've absorbed him." Victor told her, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. He licks his lips as Bridget's face emerges on his back.

"Colin? Is that you? Colin?" She called out, looking for him.

"Bridget, my love?" He responded.

"Oh my God! That's Bridget!" Ursula gasped.

"Colin, where are you?" Bridget called out desperately.

"I'm here, Bridget! It's all right - I'm close." Mr, Skinner tried to comfort her.

"You've absorbed them BOTH!" Ursula was revolted by the alien.

"What about Bliss? Where is she?" Elton demanded. A muffled voice answers him. Elton tilts his head. "What?" Victor looks awkward as he leans to one side.

"I said 'you really don't want to know'." Victor shifts back to sitting right and Bliss groans from the pressure.

"You've absorbed her." Elton breathed out. Victor nods, a twisted evil smile on his face. "Are you some sort of Absorbathon? An Absorbaling? ...And Absorbaloff?"

"Yes! I like that!" Victor laughs.

"Let them go. I'm ordering you! Let those people go!" Ursula pointed a finger at Victor.

"Oh, but they taste so sweet. Just think about the Doctor... ooooh, how will he taste? all that experience - all that knowledge - and if I've got to absorb Jackie Tyler to get him, then so be it."

"Don't you dare." Elton hissed between his teeth. Ursula grabs Victor's cane and banishes at him. He cowers back, not wanting to get hit.

"If I have to beat them out of you!" Ursula threatened.

"Oh, no! Please don't hit me! Look at me - I'm such a slow and clumsy beast. Please don't hit me." He whimpered, baiting her.

"Well then, give them back." Ursula was obviously caught off guard by the alien.

"What? You mean like this?" He lunges forward and grabs Ursula's wrist. "Just one touch, that's all it takes!" He smiled gleefully.

"Oh, no!" Ursula cried as she watched her arm be absorbed into the green alien's belly. Everyone screamed in distress as Ursula was being absorbed.

"Leave her alone!" Elton yelled as he lunged forward to pull her away. Ursula held out her hand, effectively stopping him.

"Don't touch me! Oh, Elton, I'm so sorry. You can't touch me." She cried.

"Ursula." He whispered, helpless. Victor chuckled triumphantly.

"'Most likely to fight back'. Indeed."

"Leave her alone!" Elton cried out as Ursula screams. She's absorbed head first into the Absorbaloff. Victor shudders with delight and pleasure as Ursula's face begins to emerge on his chest.

"Yes." Victor's satisfied voice grounded out.

"No! That's not fair!" Elton complained.

"She tastes like chicken." Victor boasted.

"Elton, where are you?" Ursula's face looked around for him.

"Please, Mr, Kennedy. Please. I'm asking you. I'm begging you. Give her back to me." Elton whimpered quietly, just wanting her back.

"I can't. Once they've been absorbed, the process is irreversible." Victor told him matter-of-factually and sniggers.

"Wait a minute.." Ursula's brow furrowed. "Now I've been absorbed, I can read his thoughts. Oh my God, Elton. You're next. Get out of here!" Victor smirks up at Elton. "Now you've seen him, he can't let you go. Just run! Go on! Never mind me, get out!"

"Isn't she the clever one?" Victor continued to smirk. Elton looked torn between trying to figure out how to save Ursula and running.

"Run, Elton! Run!" Ursula screamed.

"Save yourself, boy!" Mr, Skinner joined in.

"Run for your life!" Bridget yelled. Elton stood frozen in his spot. Victor stands and leaps over the desk, surprisingly agile. He lets out a bone chilling roar, finally Elton runs to the lift, out the doors, and into the street. Victor right behind him. Elton kept running only glancing back to see if Victor was still behind him. Eventually he ran into a dead end and was cornered. Elton falls to the ground, defeated.

"Ohh, what's the matter? Have you given up so soon?" Victor mocked him.

"There's no point. Where would I go? Everything I ever wanted... has been absorbed." Elton hung his head in despair.

"Oh, Elton. Don't say that." Ursula cooed, despite the situation it was a surprisingly sweet thing of him to say.

"But it's true!" He insisted.

"Then join us! Join us, little man." Victor inches towards Elton. "Come on, everlasting peace. Come on, join us. Dissolve into me.." The Absorbaloff reaches out, trying to touch Elton's forehead and absorb him when a sound distracts him. The TARDIS begins to materialize into sight, not to far from the two men. Elton opened his eyes, not believing his ears. Once the TARDIS materialized the Doctor and Allyson step out, both giving Elton a very unhappy look.

"Someone wants to have a word with you." The Doctor told him. Rose storms out, straight up the Elton, completely ignoring the large green blobby alien.

"You upset my mum." She looked murderously at him as she got straight to the point. Elton glanced between her, the Doctor and Allyson, and the Absorbaloff in disbelief.

"Great big absorbing creature from outer space, and you're having a go at me?" Rose ignored what he said.

"No one upsets my mum." She told him flatly.

"At last. The greatest feast of all. The Doctor." Victor ignored Elton and licked his lips at the sight of the Time Lord.

"What's this thing? A sort Absorbatrix? Absorba..clon? Absorbaloff?" The Doctor sized him up, deeming him less dangerous than a pebble.

"Absorbaloff, yes." He grinned dangerously. Rose finally looked at the green alien leaned over to the Doctor.

"Is it me or is he a bit... Slitheen?" The Doctor keeps his gaze on Victor.

"Not from Raxacorricofallapatorius, are you?" The Doctor asked him.

"No!" Victor scoffed, "I'm not the swine! I SPIT on them! I was born on their twin planet."

"Really?" The Doctor raised a brow, "What's the twin planet of Raxacorricofallapatorius?" Allyson watched him speak, wishing so much to say that word. Such a mouthful, but she loved it.

"Clom."

"Clom." The Doctor looked around, not at all impressed.

"Clom, yes. And I'll return there victorious, whilst I possess your traveling machine." Victor told him, revealing his plan as he gestures to the TARDIS.

"Well, that's never gonna happen." The Doctor told him skeptically.

"Oh, it will. You'll surrender yourself to me, Doctor, or this one dies." He points to Elton. "You see, I've read about you, Doctor. I've studied you. so passionate, so sweet. You wouldn't let an innocent man die. And I'll absorb him - unless you give yourself to me." Victor demanded. Rose and Allyson share an amused look as the Doctor scratched the back of his neck, slightly uncomfortable.

"Sweet, maybe. Passionate, I suppose. But don't ever mistake that for nice. Do what you want." Victor looked taken back, not at all expecting the Doctor to say such a thing. The Doctor stands still as a statue, completely detached from the scene. Rose and Allyson glance up at him, slightly concerned.

"He'll die, Doctor." Victor warned.

"Go on then." The Doctor brushed his hand toward him, indicating that he could continue. Victor pauses, completely caught off guard by the Doctor.

"So be it." He turns to face Elton who looked scared stiff that the Doctor was just going to let him die. Victor was near touching him when the Doctor spoke up again.

"Mind you - the others might have something to say."

"Others?" Victor looked at the Doctor confused.

"He's right. The Doctor's right. We can't let him." Ursula realized, "Oh, Mr, skinner, Bridget, PULL!"

"No!" Victor began to panic, realizing what they were about to do.

"For God's sake, pull!" Ursula cried out.

"No, don't - get off, get off!" Victor tried to brush them off as the three of them begin to pull away from Victor.

"If it's the last thing we ever do - Bliss! All of us together! Come on! Pull!" Ursula rallied. Victor wailed in pain as he was beginning to be pulled apart. "LINDA united! PULL!" Victor drops his cane in pain. "Elton! The cane!" Elton sat scared but grabbed the cane regardless. "Break it!" Ursula told him. Elton quickly stands up and snaps the cane over his leg. A sprinkle of blue sparks fall out and the hand at the end opens, revealing a bright light.

"My cane! You stupid man - oh no!" He lets out one last roar as he turns into a liquid and falls to the pavement.

"What did I do?" Elton looked down puzzled as the remains of Victor Kennedy bubbled into the ground.

"The cane created a limitation field. Now it's broken, he can't stop. The absorber is being absorbed." The Doctor told him, eying the ground.

"By what?" Elton was still confused.

"By the Earth." The last of Victor disappears between the cracks and for a fleeting moment Ursula's face appears on the stone. Elton lunges towards her, wanting to pull her out.

"Bye bye, Elton. Bye bye." And she sinks into the stone. A tear escapes Elton's eye as he kneels by where Ursula once was. Rose watched on, her anger ebbing away at the sight of him losing someone he loved.

"Who was she?" She asked.

"That was Ursula." He answered, tears streaming down his cheeks. Rose watches silently for a moment before walking over and wrapping her arms around his shoulders, comforting him.

"And that's it. Almost. Because the Doctor still had more to say."

"You don't remember, do you?"

"And then explained. That night."

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Elton sat on some stone steps between Rose and the Doctor. Allyson sat on the ground close to the Doctor's feet. Rose had her arm linked through Elton's still reassuring him. "All those years ago."

"There was a shadow in your house." The Doctor began.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Child Elton stood at the top of the stairs again in his childhood home. He slowly walked down the stairs, having heard something in the living room. "A living shadow in the darkness. An elemental shade had escaped from the Howling Halls." Elton walked around the doorway and saw the Doctor staring out the window, a troubled look on his face. "I stopped it, but... I wasn't in time to save her. I'm sorry." Elton looked over to the other side of the room, there he saw Allyson kneeling by a woman. Allyson had shut the blonde woman's eyes and was paying her respects. It was Elton's mother.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Elton closes his eyes and puts his head in his hands, his lip trembling. "We forget because we must." Elton looked up at the camera, his eyes red. "So there you go. Turns out I've had the most terrible things happen. And the most brilliant things. And sometimes - well - I can't tell the difference. They're all the same thing. They're.. they're just me. You know, Stephen King once said, he said 'Salvation and damnation are the same thing'. And I never knew what he meant. But I do now. 'Cos the Doctor might be wonderful, but thinking back... I was having such a special time. Just for a bit. I had this nice little gang. And they were destroyed. It's not his fault. But maybe that's what happens if you touch the Doctor. Even for a second. I keep thinking of Rose and Jackie. And how much longer before they pay the price."

"Oh, now don't get all miserable. Come on, Elton. You've still got me." Ursula's voice said, off the screen. Elton smiled.

"Oh yeah. 'Cos the Doctor, no matter how amazing he is, didn't give me a happy ending. It was Allyson."

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

Allyson kneels down by the slab of pavement that Ursula's face had appeared on, she had her sonic and the Doctor's in each hand. Both giving off a loud whirling. "What's she doing?" Elton asked the Doctor.

"She's trying to key into the absorption matrix and separate the last victim. It's to late for total reconstruction, BUT-" He was cut short as Ursula's face began to emerge from the ground and then the rest of her head. Allyson reached down and grabbed hold of Ursula's arms as she began to pull out of the stone.

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

"Even then, after all that. Allyson, the girl who never spoke a word, saved me." Elton sat in his chair and Ursula walked into the view of the camera and wrapped her arms around Elton. Both of them smiled into the camera. They both rub noses and kiss briefly before Elton grabs the remote to the camera and zooms in. "There we are... I've even bought a remote zoom. But what I wanted to say is. You know, when you're a kid, they tell you it's all, grow up. Get a job. Get married. Get a house. Have a kid, and that's it." He shakes his head. "Ah. But the truth is, the world is so much stranger than that. It's so much darker. And so much madder." He smiles. "And so much better."

..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..::..

A/N: I really did not like this chapter.. I didn't like how Doctor lite it was. Plus, I didn't really find the Absorbaloff that...fiercesome.

All I know is. I really miss having a laptop. If I had one I swear I'd get this updated more often. I have a hard time sitting still for an extended period of time because I get back issues, so I get some of this typed out and then I'm like "Okay, I have to move. I have to do something." If I had a laptop, which if I get enough money from Christmas, which I should if I know my dad, I should be able to get one. But till I do, don't expect these to be every three days like they use to. I'll try to post one within a week but no guarantees =\

But don't get me wrong. I love writing Allyson and the Doctor. I have some twists for them but this is going a bit slower than I'd hoped. So stick with it, she gets more interesting lol not that she isn't already. Like what did the test print out say about her that makes even the Doctor wonder what she is? Hmm? I love hearing from you guys so by all means PM me or leave reviews. I love reading them.

Again, sorry for the delay. After the next chapter things should pick up some and really get interesting. But as usual, anything confuses you or you have any questions I'll gladly answer them!

Also! I'm not done yet lol. I'm take suggestions for Allyson's last name. So you can leave them in the reviews or PM me. I'll pick the top 5 or 10 depending on how many I get and let you choose.

Tatty-bye, loves!