I feel really mean to the Josie timeline. It is, once again, shorter than Billie's timeline. I really don't do that on purpose. It just happens, I swear! The next chapter should be better.
Next is the conclusion to Hometown Glory, which is half done, and then another Interlude, which is already done as well. So if I finish the next chapter quickly, they should both be posted later on today. Yay!
Thanks to everyone who fave'd, followed, and reviewed. You all keep me going!
On with the chapter! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Still Own Nothing...
"Why would someone be trying to kill you?" the Professor nearly shouted, holding himself back at the last moment in case of eavesdroppers. It would be harder to hear him if he kept his voice level. Billie cringed, making him feel horrible for scaring her, until he noticed she was cringing toward him, not away. Even when he was consumed by fury, the human child still believed he would keep her safe. That alone was enough to make him calm down and think clearly. He wrapped his arms around Billie, rubbing her back comfortingly, ignoring the curious glance from his younger (and only) sister.
"Are you certain?" he asked in a much more sedate tone.
Romana rolled her eyes, "It's a bit difficult to miss, you know."
"I meant, what happened?" he sighed, rubbing his temple. This was why he didn't visit Gallifrey often. Handling one annoying younger sibling was enough, two was a guarantee headache.
She stood to pace in front of the fireplace, "Which time?"
"Romana?" the Doctor stood taking her hand to still her. "Tell us. What is going on?"
She sighed, "I wish I knew. It all started a few months ago. Aspirin laced meals, a plasmavore attack, getting locked in the disintegration chamber, a Raston robot in my chambers. I could continue if you'd like."
The Professor shook his head, "Where were your guards during all of this?"
"That's something I've been trying to figure out myself, Sig. It seems there's always some reason or another that prevents them from coming in time. Either there was a mistake and the shifts started later than usual, or they were called away to another emergency, or they simply reacted too slowly to catch it."
"You think there's a conspiracy," the Doctor said slowly, eyeing his elder sister.
"I have to consider everything."
"Is there anyone, at all, that you can think of who would do this?"
Before she could answer the door flew open, banging lightly on the wall. Billie peeked around the Professor's arm as he turned to see a tall lean man walking swiftly in. He wore a black suit and crisp white shirt. His black hair was smoothed back neatly. He smirked as he noted the child curled up in the Professor's lap.
"Theta. Sig. I wasn't expecting you two to be here."
"Hello, Brax," the Doctor sighed.
The Professor nodded in greeting, but refrained from saying anything. Really, he should have expected this. Their sister and President had had multiple attacks. Of course the most political of the family would show up.
"Brax," Romana nodded before motioning to the two humans in the room. "This is Sarah Jane and Billie Jean Smith. They're our brothers' new companions."
He raised an immaculately trimmed eyebrow, "A child?"
The Professor tightened his hold of Billie protectively, "That's hardly important at the moment, don't you think, Braxiatel?"
He shrugged, still smirking as he turned back to Romana, asking quietly how she was.
"You have a lot of siblings," Billie whispered, making him chuckle.
Brax looked over, raising an eyebrow. Never thought I'd see the day that you'd be wrapped around the finger of a stupid ape, brother. And a baby ape at that.
I'm telepathic, genius. I heard that. Billie's voice cut through the link.
The Professor had to hold back his laughter as Brax turned horrorstruck to Billie who sported a big Cheshire cat grin. He'd worry about how Billie had been able to piggyback onto the advanced link later. Powerful she may be, but even she shouldn't have been able to do that.
"Romana," Brax returned to the topic at hand, ignoring the snickers of his elder brother. "I believe I've discovered who your assailant is."
The President grabbed her brother's hands eagerly, "Who?"
"An old friend of Theta's actually," Brax smirked as the Doctor swore, knowing exactly who was going to be named. "He goes by the Master now."
"Koschei?" Romana clarified.
"Should have known really," the Doctor sighed. "We've had a bit of trouble from him in the past."
Sarah Jane shuddered, "Please don't remind me."
"Is it that bad?" Romana asked quietly, looking at the Doctor.
"Let me put it this way," the Doctor said grimly, "Think of how bad it could be, then add another suitcase full of bad."
The Professor rolled his eyes at the analogy. Only his brother would think of describing such a dire situation like that.
Romana sighed, slumping back down into her chair, "Do we have any idea where he could be?"
"That, I'm afraid I do not know," Brax frowned, sitting as well.
They all sat quietly. Three genius Time Lord brains and they couldn't come up with one solution to their problem. The thing they needed now was some sort of device to locate the Master. Perhaps he could pull something together on the TARDIS. The Professor was about to suggest them all retiring there when he felt a gentle tug on his shirt. He glanced down to see Billie's face scrunched up in thought.
"Professor," she said slowly. The others looked up at them curiously. "I think I can find him for you, if you want."
Brax raised an eyebrow and Romana looked incredibly confused.
"She's that powerful?" the younger Time Lord questioned.
"What are you talking about?" the Time Lady asked before anyone could answer. "What could a nine-year-old human do? No offense," she added when she saw the outraged look on not only Billie's face, but her Aunt's and Professor's as well.
"Billie is telepathic," the Doctor answered calmly. "And yes, Brax. She is that powerful. If the Professor and TARDIS weren't helping her hold up the shields we taught her to make, she'd be able to hear every mind in the Citadel. Whether she likes it or not, I'm afraid."
"That's why she's traveling with you," Romana said much more sedately, staring at Billie in awe.
"Yes," the Professor nodded. "She needed help controlling it."
The President nodded, getting up from her seat to kneel in front of Billie, holding out her hands till the child gave her her smaller ones. "Billie, are you sure you want to look for him? He's strong enough to feel it when you do."
Billie shrugged, "You got a better idea?"
Romana laughed at that, "No. No, I don't."
"Don't have any choice, then. Do we?"
"There's always a choice," the Professor told her sternly. He hated to think that the little girl thought it was her job to do something like this. She should be enjoying her childhood at home with her mother and brother, not stopping an assassination attempt on the President of the Time Lords. And yet here they were.
She looked up at him, her jaw set in determination, "No, there's not."
Brax snorted, "Dear Rassilon! She's just like you two! No wonder you brought her along."
The tension broke as all the adults chuckled. They quickly agreed that after Billie located the Master, she and Sarah Jane would stay here with Romana where they could be watched by Andred, the only guard left whom Romana trusted, while the three brother Time Lords would go stop the renegade and arrest him with Brax's evidence as proof.
Billie looked absolutely miniscule in the armchair they sat her in, her spine straight, feet dangling in the air, her hands gripping the armrests. The Professor knelt down next her, taking hold of one hand in support as Sarah Jane did the same on the other side. The others stood a little ways away, watching in wonderment as Billie closed her eyes in concentration. The other telepaths gasped lightly when they felt the powerful tiny mind reach out amongst them before branching out farther. Billie's eyes danced under her eyelids, her lips moving silently. A light sweat broke out on her forehead as it slowly became too much for the young telepath. The Professor had to stop himself from shaking her, demanding she stop before she hurt herself. Sarah Jane shifted next to him, probably wanting to do the same.
Suddenly Billie let out a shaky breath, slumping in her chair, and he felt her mind return. He quickly mentally helped her reestablish her barriers as she opened her eyes and frowned at everyone.
"I found him," she said solemnly, and it somehow sounded worse in her small child's voice. "But you're not going to like it."
To say the Doctor was shocked would be putting it lightly. What had he supposedly done to warrant being thrown into the most secured prison on Gallifrey? Only the committers of the most heinous crimes were locked away in the prison that was slightly sideways in time. The worst thing he had ever done was steal the TARDIS, and it wasn't as though he'd been alone in that. So why hadn't the Professor been arrested as well? No, there had to be some sort of mistake.
He sighed as he leaned against the cold metal bars. He trusted his brother would find a way to get him out. The only question was how long did he have to wait in this dingy hole in the wall? He mentally apologized to Josie. There wouldn't be any painting today.
"Well well well. What do we have here?" an annoyingly familiar oily voice called from another cell.
The Doctor swore loudly in as many languages as he could think of at the moment.
"Now that wasn't very polite," the voice mocked.
"Go away, Koschei. I'm not in the mood."
"I would love to," he said in a falsely bright voice. "But you see, I'm locked in here as well. BECAUSE OF YOU!"
The Doctor sighed, looking up to see the angry flushed face of the Master across from him. Despite being imprisoned for over a century he still had neatly gelled black hair and expertly trimmed goatee. His dark eyes flashed furiously.
"You got yourself here, Koschei," the Doctor said sadly, hoping to reach the person who was once his best friend. "You didn't have to go after my sister. You should have known we would come to her aid."
The Master scoffed, "And what have you done?" he changed the subject. "To wind up here with me?"
"I don't know," he answered honestly. His frustration coming out in his voice. "I haven't done anything."
"A likely story. You know every convict here says that at one point or another."
"I'm telling the truth!"
"Sure, sure. Whatever you say."
Growling, the Doctor pushed away from the cell door and flopped back onto the small cot in the corner. Trying to talk to the Master was like talking to a stubborn child who refused to believe they were wrong. All it did was give him a tension headache.
He heard a sigh from the Master's direction, "In all honesty, Theta, I believe you."
"Really?" he asked skeptically.
"Really. Out of all the Time Lords I know, you are the least likely to wind up here for something you've actually done."
"Thanks," he answered sincerely. Maybe there was a chance his friend was still buried deep in there. Maybe…
"No problem," he scoffed. "Though no one will take my word for it, I assure you. You've seen to that."
And they were back to square one.
