Hello , everyone, welcome to the longest chapter yet! Ross won- so you get to watch a little romantic action between Evy and her almost boyfriend. Yes, I know that the Doctor and Martha don't meet her in this chapter, but next chapter, they will. I promise! And I promise it will be up soon!

Song ~ Winds of Change by Scorpions


For a moment, Evy couldn't breathe. Her heart- hearts- sped up as she tried to process the impossibility before her eyes. A blue police box. In an alley, just across the street. On her sixteenth birthday.

Was it just her, or was this too improbable not be true?

As if in a dream, Evy stepped back from the rail. Her mind reeled, searching for a way to explain this, to show how this wasn't real, to prove that it was. She grasped for an explanation, for proof that this was as real as she wanted, as real as she had hoped for and dreamed of for oh, so many years.

Suddenly, she had to be down there. To feel the wood of what she barely dared to believe might be the TARDIS, to make sure that this was not some cruel trick, or a hallucination from something the bartender might have slipped into her drink.

The thought spurred her feet into action. She ran, bursting back through the door in an ironic reversal of her previous flight. She ran through the club, ignoring music and people, pushing past those she couldn't dodge.

At last, she was outside, on the ground, across the street from the alley in which the TARDIS was parked. The image hadn't disappeared- proof that it was not a hallucination, and further proof that it was real. But, now that she was here, less than a hundred feet away from the blue box she had dreamed about for so long, she was afraid to come any closer. The irrational fear that the Police Box might disappear the moment she came closer halted her on the sidewalk, simply staring in wonder and amazement.

Then, involuntarily, her feet took one step closer. Then another. Slowly, almost reverently, she approached the solitary blue box. Soon, she stood before it, shivering slightly from both cold and emotion. It seemed real enough- the Police Box cast a shadow on the grimy pavement littered with trash and discarded "Vote Saxon" candidate posters, and it did not waver in her vision as a hallucination might.

Her hand reached out, to touch, to assure herself, one final time, that this was real. Her fingers brushed one of the panels, and she felt the silky smoothness of paint and wood worn from years of travel. A slight hum, tinged with gold, seemed to flow through them for a moment.

"Oh, my God." She whispered to herself, savoring the smooth feel of the wood under her fingertips. "It's real. It's completely real."

#

The Doctor was currently very puzzled. And, to an extent, he had been enjoying it. It wasn't very often he was able to be puzzled, or fooled, for any length of time. But that extent was quickly reaching its end.

He and Martha had just come back from New Earth when the TARDIS had found some very strange energy signals, coming from 21st Century Earth- the original one.

Normally, he might have dismissed it; left it for UNIT or one of the freelance alien hunters to deal with, if it became a problem. But now- well. If he was being honest, it was to provide a welcome distraction from- things.

So, here they were, sneaking around UNIT headquarters. He had traced the signal to the hangar bay, so there they were. It was darkened, but he could still see that it was crowded with artifacts and aircraft, not all of them terrestrial. Not even most of them terrestrial.

Martha, however, could probably only see the shapes outlines. He winced silently as she stumbled over another object. She didn't fall, and it wasn't very loud, but any sound could alert the guards he was sure were on duty. If they were caught, it wasn't very likely they would be punished- but that didn't mean he wanted to answer questions.

Carefully, he used the sonic screwdriver to trace the energy signature. Following where it pointed, and motioning for Martha to follow him, he found a door set into the wall of an irregularly shaped corner in the hangar. He tried the knob as Martha drew level with him. It was locked, unsurprisingly.

Quietly as he could, he used the sonic to trip the lock mechanisms and unlock the door. It swung open silently and easily at his touch, revealing a workroom, dark like the hangar, but dimly lit by the powerlights of a hundred different contraptions. The lights- blue, green, red- flashed slowly and steadily, each to their own rhythm, creating their own personal lightshow.

"Ah-hah!" There it was. The source of the strange power was a small device, about the size of a desktop computer. It sat on the table in the middle of the room, surrounded by mismatched parts and pieces of parts.

Closing the door behind him and Martha, he ran the sonic over the device.

"What is it?" Martha asked in a hushed whisper.

"It's some sort of generator- oh! That's clever."

"What is?"

"It's a communications device that supplies its own power- enough for this to broadcast from here to oh- Pluto, maybe?" He shifted the device towards them, examining it with insatiable curiosity.

"The trouble is-"

"Oh, now ,here we go," Martha muttered.

"That this isn't the device's original function. It's been improved on. Rebuilt and improved on, by the look of it," The Doctor said, admiringly, running the sonic down the gaps in the device's casing. "So it shouldn't be producing energy anymore. At least not when the power supply system isn't on. Not as well as it's been built. "

"So-" Martha slowly began edging toward the door, looking at the thing as if it was going to blow up in her face.

"So, we're taking it. Something is wrong here, and I want to find out what." Martha stared at him with a disbelieving expression. "Relax, it's not going to explode."

"You sure about that?"

"Oh, completely."

Martha still looked doubtful, but she stopped edging out the door and stepped a little closer. The Doctor picked up the device, after first using the sonic to turn it completely off, including whatever was producing the power.

"C'mon. I want to get back to the TARDIS and analyze this."

"Tinker with it, you mean."

#

Evy must have stood there for half an hour, trying to figure out what to do. Should she call someone? Who? Should she call her mum? Or should she just stand there, waiting?

Finally, the night's chill had decided her. She went back to the club, grabbing her hoodie from behind the coat check, and returned to the TARDIS. Silently, she stood there, staring at the TARDIS while her mind tried to figure out what to do. She could call her mum-

Yes, that would probably be the best thing to do.

With trembling fingers, Evy pulled her phone out of her pocket and dialed the flat number. The phone rang… and rang… and went to message service.

"Hello, this is the Tylers. We're out or asleep right now, so please call us back later." The voice was cheerful; happy and hopeful. Evy heard her fourteen year old voice add "At a decent hour, please!" in the background. Normally, the cheeky line of her fourteen year old self made her smile, but not tonight. She needed to talk to her mum. Frowning, her fingers dialed the seldom used number for Rose's UNIT office.

The phone rang once and went to the message service. "This is Rose Tyler; either our office is closed or I and my team are unavailable at the moment. Please call back later. If this is a serious issue, please phone your senior commander and have him contact me. Thank you." This message was much more serious in tone; a person hearing the two separately probably would never connect the lighthearted sounding woman from the flat number with this serious sounding civilian consultant, except for the surname.

Evy could feel herself starting to panic, just a bit, and forced herself to calm down. There's still her cell number, she told herself. Her fingers flew as she keyed in this last number. This time, the phone rang twice before going to the recording.

No, no, no!

"This is Rose Tyler, I'm not able to answer my phone right now. Please leave a message and I'll call you when I have time." The woman in this message sounded tired, as if she had been working long past her strength. She sounded lost and careworn, much older than she really was, nothing like the cheerful woman of the flat message, or the crisp, capable, almost cold woman from the UNIT message.

Silently, Evy ended the call. Who could she call now? Who would be even the least able to help her?

Carefully, Evy dialed Max's cell next. Not that she had much hope of the phone being heard in the loud club, but it was a habit. Max had always been there when she needed her; she had always meant shelter since the time Evy had first started to realize how much her dad's absence weighed on her mum.

As she had expected and dreaded, the phone went to message. "Max here. If you're calling this number, you're either a friend or an ex. So, if you're a friend, leave a message or call me back. If you're an ex, there's a very good reason I dumped you, so stay off the line. Thanks!"

Evy once again ended the call. Who could she call now? Desperately, she dialed in the number for David's cell phone. Once again, all she got was message service.

"This is David Jacobsen; I'm unable to answer my phone right now, so please leave a message and I'll call you back as soon as possible."

Her hand shook a little as she hung up the should she call now? All her life, even when she had started asserting her independence, there had been someone behind her, ready to catch her if she ever fell to far. And always, since they had left Pete's World, there had been Max. Max, who was friend, confidant, older sister, and bodyguard. And now, there was no one.

Needing reassurance desperately, Evy glanced up at the TARDIS, almost involuntarily. For some reason, the sight of it filled her with a deep sense of comfort. However, comfort did not allay her desire- her need -for advice.

Slowly, idly, Evy scrolled through the pre-programmed numbers, searching for one she could actually call. Then she saw it.

Ross Jenkins

201-975-4980

For a moment, she hesitated. She had only ever called him once- as a concert invite on Max's behalf. She still got a funny feeling in her stomach whenever she thought about calling him. Or the day he had given that number to her.

But- there was no one left to call, no one she trusted enough. Because for whatever crazy reason, call it gut feeling, she did trust him; she trusted Ross implicitly. So.

She took a deep breath, selected the number, and pressed the call button.

Ross Jenkins woke up from an uneasy sleep as his phone rang. Cursing, he managed to raise himself enough out of bed to grab the annoying thing. Glaring blearily at the bright light of the phone, he was sorely tempted to turn the damn thing off and go back to bed.

He had just started his new shift, at an uneasy time between day and night, and so was still getting used to waking up late and working until eleven. Which meant that most of the time, he was ready to drop just from sheer exhaustion. He wasn't complaining; the new shift meant fewer duties, and more of the more interesting and important sort. Still he did miss some things about his old shift- sleep, and, he was a little surprised to find, Evy Tyler.

He liked her, he really, really liked her. Oh, she was pretty- she was gorgeous; look at how the other junior soldiers jumped over themselves to flirt with her- but that wasn't half of why he liked her. She was so- strong, he supposed. That was really the only word he could think of to describe all that he couldn't put into words. But Evy was so much more-

The phone in his hand rang again, cutting through his thoughts. He grimaced, and propped his head up with his elbow so he could answer it.

"Hello?" He said groggily.

"Ross? Oh, god, did I wake you? I'm so sorry-"

"Wait- Evy? Is that you?" Why was she calling him so late? Her voice sounded worried, almost panicked.

"Last time I checked." Oh, another thing he loved about her- her healthy sense of humor. Wait- had he just said love? He liked Evy, a lot- more than a lot, actually- but love? Love was something people found in their late twenties and early thirties, not when they were sixteen and twenty. He got so wrapped up in this that he forgot he was actually on the phone.

"Ross? You still there?"

"Yeah, sorry. Dozed off. What's wrong?" he glanced at the clock for a second. "And why are you still up and alert at 11:30?"

"Oh. I didn't realize it was so late. Max took me clubbing." Oh. Evy, in a club. That, he would pay to see. Not that she covered up all the time, but Evy, in one of those skimpy outfits he saw the women at the bars wearing, smiling, laughing- that was a picture he'd dearly love to see…What the hell was he thinking? Evy was a friend. One day, she might be more, but right now, it was just friendship. Ruthlessly, he dragged his thoughts out of the gutter and back to the point.

"Did she leave you there?" Half of him groaned at the thought of leaving the bed, but if it was for a friend-

"What? NO! Max would never-"Her voice trailed off.

"Then what's wrong?"

He heard her take a deep breath over the phone, as if steadying herself. He braced himself for whatever she was about to say.

"I found the TARDIS."

Woah. Whatever he had expected, it wasn't that.

"Okaaaay. So you found the Doctor's TARDIS."

"Yes. I need your help."Her voice was very soft, as if she was either on the verge of tears.

"For what, Evy? Whatever it is, I'll try my best."

"Thanks, Ross. But you know all those rumors about my dad?"

"Yes." How could he not? As with anyone unusual, rumors swirled around Evy. The identity of her missing alien father was a hotly debated subject, and the real truth a closely guarded secret, kept among Rose, Evy, and UNIT's top brass. One of the best was that her real father was the Doctor, since her mother had been his Companion for several years. Personally, Ross doubted that one. It seemed one of UNIT's failings to automatically assume that anyone unusual with the slightest tie to the legendary Doctor had a familial tie.

"And you know that one that the Doctor is my dad?"

"Yes."

"It's true." Her voice is barely a whisper, and he's stunned. All he can do is listen as Evy tells him the story. "He never knew- my mum was barely three months when Doomsday happened. So I lived for fourteen years in a parallel world. Then we found a way back, but for some reason, the –transport- landed us right after Doomsday. Couple of months after, actually. I never believed we'd find him- I never even thought I'd be the one to find him! And now I don't know what the hell to do!"

He manages to make his frozen lips move.

"Did you call your mum?"

"Yes. Three different numbers- all I got was message service."

"Did you call Max? Or Lieutenant Jacobsen?"

"Yes. But neither of them will answer." He heard her rising panic- the way her voice got eerily calm.

"Alright. Evy, just take a deep breath. Calm down; it's okay. I answered, right?"

He heard her breathing deeply for a moment before she replied.

"Yes. You did."

"Okay. Just breathe, Evy. I'm here, alright? What's wrong?"

"I don't know what to do! I found him- but I can reach my mum, and I have no idea what I should do! What the hell am I supposed to do?" Her voice is starting to climb into panic again, and he hastened to reassure her.

"Evy, you're fine. I'm not going anywhere. What do you need help with?"

"Please. Just tell me what I should do." Her voice is calmer, but it begged for him to do as she asked.

Oh, god. He has no idea what he should tell her. He has no experince with this- he's from a small village in Surrey, for crying out loud! His dad was a lawyer, not an oblivious Time Lord.

"Well, what do you want? In relation to the- your dad." That would give him time to pummel his brain for something to tell her.

She took a deep breath. "I never thought about it much- I never dreamed this would happen. " A small laugh. " I guess- I guess I just want to know him- the person my mother knew. I just don't want things to be complicated- All I want, I suppose, is what my mum had. To see the things she did."

He listened, and decided to tell her something very wise he'd once been told himself.

"Okay, Evy- I have no experince with this. But I'm going to tell you something one of my commanders in training for UNIT told me and my group. He meant this for in battle, or on a mission, but I think it applies to you, right now. Trust your instincts- they're a whole lot more sensitive then you. And if that applies to me, who's only human, and you must have a whole lot better instincts than me, then yours are definatly worth trusting."

"I-"

"Just trust them, Evy. What do you think you should do?"

"I'll stay here. It- it feels like the right thing to do."

"Alright. Are you good now."

"Yes. Thank you so much, Ross. You have no idea."

"Anytime." He was about to hang up, but then he thought of something. If Evy did join her dad, then this might be his last chance for a long while to ask her something. Nervously, he spoke into the phone.

"Evy? Can I ask you something?" Did he sound as nervous as he felt?

"Yes, Ross?"

"Never- never mind. Just call me if you need to get into UNIT."

"Why would I-"

"A hunch."

The line was pregnant with the air of something unsaid- something important.

"Stay safe, Evy. I- I do care about you."

The line was silent for a long moment.

"I will. I promise. And if I need too call you, I will."

"That's all I can ask."

"Thank you, Ross. Thank you so much." Evy hung up.

Ross almost chucked the phone across the room. Why hadn't he asked her? Idiot! But he didn't throw the phone.

Intsead, He held it in his hand for a long time, just looking at it. Eventually, he set it aside and tried to go back to sleep. Somehow, though, despite his exhaustion, he wasn't quite able to.


Hey, everybody, a little reminder to read and reveiw. Martha and the Doctor will meet our Evy in the next chapter, and Ross will have a key role. The next chapter will be your alien battle/world domination plot, so Evy will join the TARDIS. Something to look forward too. BTW, am I doing the Martha/Doctor interaction right? They're fairly tricky to get right ...

Anyway, my goal number of reviews for this chapter is eight, so please click that blue button and help me get there!

Side note :I HAVE ONLY 2.5 DAYS OF SCHOOL LEFT!

-Wings