"The Theater, The Theatre"

14. Face & Retreat

New York City, in the year 2047

The Doctor and Rachel returned to find the room much emptier than they had left it. Only the six 'living' remained, and they were arguing loudly amongst themselves. Of the ghosts, there was no sign.

"Hey!" Rachel shouted, and thankfully it got their attention. "What happened?" she asked.

"They all left, a couple minutes ago," Chloe revealed. "We barely had time to notice, so we couldn't stop them."

"We figured we were better off staying here," Mackenzie Rios added.

"Away from the ghosts," the Doctor guessed their fear. "Right, stay here if you will. Those of you who wish to help us find them again, it will be greatly appreciated.

Walking out once more, the Doctor was followed by Rachel, Chloe, George, and Jamie.

"They went through that wall there, so they could have gone through here, or through there," the young usher indicated one path and then a second.

"Right," the Doctor considered their options.

"We could split up," George offered. "Half here, half there..."

"Most times I might agree. Not this one I'm afraid. We stay together," she nodded, then made to reach for her sonic screwdriver, thinking she might be able to track them this way, but when she only touched the space where her jacket pocket should be, she found it absent, just as she remembered where it was: cushioning the back of her future companion's mother, back on the TARDIS. "Right, instinct," she took a breath before pointing... "This way."

"They looked like they were trying to figure things out," Chloe explained. "How they got here and all that." Rachel stopped.

"Doctor, wait." They all stopped and looked at her. "I think I know where they went."

"Well then lead the way," the Doctor gladly bowed her head to her.

"It's back that way."

They had adjusted their course, and before long they came to find the ghosts. They kept quiet so not to announce themselves, and instead they watched. They were staring at a wall, where picture frame upon picture frame were set. Even as they stood some steps away, they could see what pictures had their attention. The entire wall contained images of the various plays and musicals which had been presented in this theater. Here was Lady Hanlon and her two sons, there was Prince James in the coronation scene. was sitting dejected in the middle of his shop, while Etta made herself up before a mirror that was projected on a great screen. Cassie and Brian were kissing in a dark room lit only by a few candles on the ground. Prisoner 0712 sat on her knees, her head thrown back in such a way that they could almost hear the scream that would have followed. And there was the Angel, standing over Young Cosima, sheltering her in her wings.

"This is their theater..." the Doctor spoke despite herself, and when the ghosts heard the voice, pulling them out of their observations, they turned at once.

"Is this me, or is this you," the Angel looked to Rachel and pointed to the picture. Rachel was about to reply, but the Doctor stopped her.

"If you'll only come back with us, we will be happy to explain what we can about..." she started.

"Why can't you tell us right here?" Cassie frowned. "You just want to be able to control us. We didn't choose you to lead us, did we?" This had been exactly the kind of thing the Doctor had been afraid of, and she looked briefly back to Rachel before addressing the ghosts.

"You want me to be blunt, is that so?" she asked Cassie.

"I don't see why not," she declared. The Doctor sighed.

"Very well. The situation is this: Most of those people back there have never seen anything like you. Your lot, on another level, I would say, also find yourselves in what we might call unknown territory. The only way for this to change is for us to put these uncertainties aside and try to get to know one another, and work together."

"Looks to me as though you know plenty about us already," Lady Hanlon pointed to the picture of her on the wall. "Yet we know nothing of you."

"Which can be arranged. I'm the Doctor, and before you ask, that is my only name, just the Doctor. I'm a Time Lady, not born to this Earth, much less this time. I travel in time and space, which I realize will sound rightly insane to many of you, but take in your situation as it is and maybe it won't sound nearly as strange, will it? I have travelled to so many places I would not venture listing them or everyone would die of old age, if not boredom and starvation, the point is," she breathed, "The point is that in all the places I've gone, I have helped many people, and this is what I am attempting to do here. I want to help you, so everyone can get back to where they belong and safely so."

There was silence for seconds, many at first and then many more again, as the Doctor and those who had followed her watched the ghosts look to one another, deciding the path they would take. Some didn't look swayed in the least, others might have followed the Doctor, but in not wanting to offend or separate themselves from their strange new kin, they stayed rooted to where they stood.

But in the end, one little body separated itself from the mass. Young Cosima took hesitant steps forward, looking to the Doctor, and Rachel and those who had accompanied them and seeing in them people she could trust. Anyone who knew the story of Young Cosima in Rise would know this was no simple feat. But then she'd made up her mind and she'd gone forward without looking back. The Doctor crouched before her with a smile.

"Hello there," she nodded. "Cosima, yes?" The girl bowed her head. "That's a beautiful name," she told her, and though it did make the child smile, it wasn't nearly the way she would have imagined it to be. But despite that, when she stood again, they started back to rejoin the others, and the ghost girl followed, while her kin had no choice but to let her go.

TO BE CONTINUED (TOMORROW)