Alright, really fast update seeing as I got lodes of reviews for the last chapter!
Hope you like this one, and it's not too dull!
Read on!
Random Fact : I'm too tired to say anything witty. *ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzz* (was that witty enough?)
"Do you have any idea what this stuff looks like?" Clyde was stood on tiptoe, feeling around on one of the top shelves in the cluttered attic.
"No," Rani replied, stooped over a pile of old boxes, rifling through them. Something suddenly grabbed Clyde's hand. He yelped stumbling backwards, clutching his wrist, as a small pink fluffy thing gummed at his hand.
"Eww! Get it off! Get it off!" he yelped, shaking it violently. Rolling her eyes Rani went over and stroked down the purple ridge of soft fur lining it's back. The jaw of the pink thing opened and it hopped up onto Rani's shoulder. Clyde wiped his hands on his jeans. "What the hell is that?" he asked glowering at it. "Some type of Pigmy Puff?"
"It's a pet from the planet of Glaxion," K9 replied, enjoying that he could help with some information. "It lies dormant until it is wanted or awakened, your touch reawakened it."
"It's cute," Rani stroked its head softly, and the thing nuzzled its face into the crook of her neck.
"If you are looking for the invis-remove it is the green looking spray bottle on the second shelf next to the computer,"
"Thanks K-9," Rani replied.
"What this one?" Clyde held the bottle up.
"Affirmative," the robotic dog replied. Grinning at Rani Clyde lent on the desk, only to knock something off in the process.
"Clyde!" Rani scolded, glowering at him. The pet from Glaxion seemed to mirror her glare. Creepy. Mumbling something Clyde picked it up, Rani went over to him, well in mind to punch him on the shoulder, but her curiosity got the better of her. It was a dusty worn old photo album, the patterns on the side looked like those of the TARDIS. Carefully picking it up Rani flipped open the front page, dust sprung up, making both teens cough. To my dearest Sarah-Jane, it read on the inside front cover. I'm never forgive myself for my sudden departure, but I thought that these would bring back the memories of the times we used (and still do) cherish… the handwriting was slightly scruffy, and had a odd boyish quality to it. Clyde leaned over her shoulder. His breath tickling her ear, she moved away.
"Clyde stop it!" she snapped.
"Stop what?" he cocked his head to the side, and Rani rolled her eyes in response. Turning the first page they saw a picture of Sarah-Jane and K-9 on a very English looking beach, with a man with a crazy scarf and a mop of floppy brown hair. "That must be The Doctor," Clyde realised.
"Yeah, but he looks different to the other one," replied Rani.
"I think that it's her original Doctor. Don't they change bodies or somethin'?"
"It's called regeneration, I wonder how many he's been through,"
"Ten," came K-9's voice. "I was originally built in the fourth,"
"So Sarah-Jane's known him for a long time," Rani carefully turned the next page. It was a picture of a young Sarah-Jane, grinning up at a handsome looking man in an army uniform. From the look of it he was high in the ranks. The man was looking down at her with a mirroring smile on his face. "That's sweet!" she smiled at seeing Sarah-Jane so happy.
"Who do you think he is?"
"Dr. Harry Sullivan," came the answer from the doorway of the attic. Both teens jumped and spun round facing the older woman. "I miss those times," she smiled, and it looked like the tears had dried from her eyes.
"Was he in the war?" Rani asked, handing the album back to Sarah.
"Not really, he did work for the army though, and joined MI5 after his work with UNIT – it was pretty up there if you worked with the Brigadier those days – could get you any secret service job that you wanted…"
"You're not serious?" Clyde raised his eyebrows, and Sarah-Jane nodded.
"Oh, you found the Triffil, I'd wondered where Soho had gotten too,"
"You named a pet alien Soho?" Rani grinned at the absurdity of it all, as Soho hopped over to its mistress' shoulder.
"You get different breeds – and this one's apparently a rather fine one. Harry got me it as a anniversary present,"
"He sounds like a proper man," Rani glowered pointedly at Clyde. Sarah laughed.
"He was," making a suggestive eyebrow move.
"YUK!" Clyde yelped. "How many men have you had in you're day?"
"That's for me to know," she tapped the side of her nose knowingly, infuriating Clyde all the more. "And for you to possibly find out," she went over and picked up the invisi-spray. "Now, lets see about cleaning those pictures,"
"You still haven't told her yet – have you Luke?" Maria's voice cut over his on the phone, as she put her feet up on the sofa, resting her head against the arm.
"I can't Maria," came the sighing reply. "I'm scared," his voice was so soft, that she could have missed it.
"Luke," she whispered desperately wanting to comfort him. "Luke what did they do?"
"They," he swallowed. "Broke one of my ribs," he breathed out slowly awaiting the ashamed answer.
"Oh Luke," she bit her lip, and scrubbed the oncoming tears out of her eyes, desperately trying not to start crying. "Why don't you tell Sarah-Jane?"
"I can't… I want you there with me when I do, and Clyde, and possibly Rani as well,"
Maria decided to compromise. "Right so Thursday morning we'll all tell Sarah-Jane, and Rani's Dad as well,"
There was a pause down the other end of the phone. "Yeah, I'd like that, it kills two birds with one stone,"
"Someone's been learning phrases," Maria teased. Luke shared her laugh.
"Kind of, but it's been really difficult without you,"
"Luke – don't say those type of things – it makes me feel guilty!" she heard the front door open and shut, and large feet clomp into the hallway. She groaned.
"Maria?" Luke's worried voice cut her out of her thoughts.
"Sorry it's mum's long term boyfriend's here. At least they've both got jobs now, even if he's a builder and she's a temp,"
"Temp? What like temptress?"
"NO!" Maria giggled down the phone. "Like office temp, she sorts things out and organizes the office – apparently she's pretty good at it."
"Do you have any idea why mum was upset this afternoon?" Luke asked out of the blue.
The teen stopped her giggling and was immediately concerned for her best friend – no boyfriend's – mother. "I'm not sure,"
"She came into the lounge and looked like she'd been crying,"
Then realization hit her full in the face. "It must have been about the naval regiment that's coming back from the North Pole,"
"I think I know what you're talking about, I was reading some old UNIT reports that went back to the fifties about Petrosapien ship that crashed there,"
She turned onto her stomach fiddling with the nearby cushion. "Reading old UNIT reports?"
"I was bored! And Clyde hadn't come round yet,"
"Hang on, aren't the Petrosapien an alien from Ben 10?" Maria thought it was a little bit more than a coincidence.
"Do you watch that," she couldn't believe Luke's voice was sounding rather skeptical. "Isn't it for kids?"
She rolled her eyes. "Well, I have to baby-sit Agent Booth's son, and Parker's crazy about it,"
"Well some of the show was taken from experience – according to mum aliens like the Petrosapien actually exist,"
"That's a little crazy," she grinned. "But I suppose all of those ideas couldn't be just thought up,"
"What do you do when you're scared?" Luke's question was so unusual for him.
"I talk to my dad about it – or someone about it, that normally helps,"
There was a sigh. "I don't know Maria, I just can't take it any more! It's killing me from the inside!" there was a sound of a soft thud and a sudden crack.
"Luke John Smith, if you're banging your head against the wall – I will personally come over to the other side of London and bang it against the wall for you!"
"I didn't bang it!" he replied in defense. "I punched my pillow…" he trailed off.
"Luke-" she was about to try to calm him down, but she heard her mum's voice from the kitchen.
"Tea in two!" Chrissie called, wandering into the small-adjoined living room to see her daughter hugging one of the pillows and clutching the phone in her hand.
"I've got to go Luke," she sighed. There was a mumbling groan from the other line. "I know, but I'll text you later – talk on web cam?" she got a reply, and Chrissie knew that her daughter wanted to be alone.
"I'll see you Wednesday Maria," Luke replied from the other end of the phone.
"Yeah," Maria really didn't want to put the phone down, but she knew that she had to. "Luke I," she swallowed and stopped herself from putting her foot in it.
"You'd better go then," she groaned mentally, he must have been having a rough time because his voice sounded so different from when she had last seen him.
"Bye," she murmured.
"Yeah – see you," Maria bit her lip wondering if she should cut off, but she heard the plates being placed on the table. "Luke I've really got to go,"
"So have I, Clyde wants something," she could imagine him running his hand through his thick brown hair – hair that she'd only ran her fingers through last night, had it really been that short a time? It felt like it had been a year. Was this what being in love felt like? She ran her teeth over her lip in thought; she really needed time to think this over.
"I'll see you soon," she replied, getting a murmur in reply and feeling guilty she killed the call. Wandering over to the dining room table she flopped down dejectedly into the seat. Tony looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
"Summit the matter?" he asked, as she prodded at her food.
She shrugged. "Being a teen sucks,"
Right now Maria couldn't be more right!
So laugh - I mentioned Ben 10! The alien ideas are actually pretty good, but I don't watch a show for kids... I was bored okay - and only waiting for the Simpsons, or was it iCarly? Meh, I'll just stop digging myself into a hole! But the Petrosapian is coming back later in the story, with other familiar faces, so if you don't like, tough! But please don't stop reading and reviewing! (adds as subscript in small voice!)
Anyway hoped you liked it!
Got to go to bed now - I is shattered!
Thanks,
LostLyra