A/N
QueenTatooine: Well, he will try ;)
EmrysLover1215: Yeah, but that's what I said. They would have to really pay respect to the books. In my opinion, I don't like a lot of things with the movies, especially the fifth, because they left out too much important stuff.
Dreamcatcher56 (chapter 19): Thank you for reading =)
artsoccer: Of course there is. They are not the same person even though they look alike.
caryl4eve: Thank you so much =) Btw, is your username a homage to Carol and Daryl?
Seralina: That's fantastic, to quote Nine, haha.
ChaleseWinchester789: Thank you =)
I'm sorry it's taken me this long, to be honest I have a bad case of writers block for this particular story and I haven't written anything since July except for like a fourth of chapter 23. The thing is that I finished this chapter and the next in July and decided to post if as to not leave you hanging for too long and thus breaking my rule for three finished chapters before posting. I will post the next chapter sometime in a few weeks. After that I don't know when the next update will be. I will probably go on a hiatus until I get feeling for the story again, but hopefully it won't come to that. My course in school right know is 9-16 everyday with 1-2 hours travel back and forth which leaves little energy and time for writing. My next course starting November will be more work at home as will my Master's dissertation in the spring so hopefully I will write a bit then when I need a break from fact searches etc.
I might write for another fandom for a while just to get the feeling back, but I don't know. I will let you know how I feel when I post the next chapter in October. I'll probably shorten the story in any case and skip some episodes and clumping together some. Maybe do flashbacks or time-skips. Sticking with the important ones at least.
I hope you understand and that you will stick with me even though the updates will be far between.
No Beta.
Chapter 21 Uncover
Nobody sees, nobody knows,
We are a secret can't be exposed.
That's how it is, that's how it goes,
Far from the others, close to each other.
~Zara Larsson
"Why didn't you tell me about Mickey?" Rose panted as she dived behind an upturned table.
"Now?" The Doctor raised his delicate eyebrows as he crouched down beside her, his back against the underside of the table. "This isn't the time to have this conversation, Rose."
"I'm with the Doc on this one," Jack cut in as he fired of his blaster while he backed towards their table, and then quickly made his way around and behind it.
"You might be right," Rose huffed as a lightbeam flew over her head. "But I want the truth, Doctor, no more stalling. As soon as we're back in the TARDIS I want you to tell me everything."
"Fine." The Doctor reluctantly agreed. He had managed to avoid that particular topic for a week now, using Jack as a distraction.
"Guys," Jack's voice was a few octaves too high. "We have a more pressing matter to attend to."
"Right." The Doctor nodded, turning around so he could look over the table.
"EXTERMINATE!"
"EXTERMINATE!"
"EXTERMINATE!"
"I'll create a distraction while you two run for the left hallway." Jack stood up without waiting for an answer and started firing at the three Daleks. "RUN!"
The Doctor took Rose's hand and pulled her towards the hallway opposite the Daleks, the two of them running until they could no longer breathe. Even the Doctor's respiratory bypass was nearly depleted. But somehow they made it all the way to the TARDIS, and without missing a beat, the Doctor let go of Rose's hand and continued up to the console.
Rose stayed by the door, panting heavily as she leaned against the wall as the Doctor typed in the coordinates that landed them right where Jack was, easily bringing his lifeless body inside while leaving the three Daleks outside.
It only took a minute before Jack woke with a gasp.
"Never getting used to that." He groaned.
"Which one," The Doctor asked. "They dying or the getting shot at by Daleks?"
"Both." He grinned and pulled himself up from the floor. He took a look around the room and noticed Rose standing by the doors, still slightly out of breath but holding herself up. They shared a look, and with a nod, Jack made his way to the stairs. "Well, I'm pooped." He faked yawned. "I'm going to bed, dying always makes me tired. Plus, you two have some talking to do." He winked at the Doctor, who cast a dirty glare his way.
He climbed the stairs while grinning at the low muttering the Doctor was throwing at his back. He loved them both to death, but sometimes they acted like children.
"All right, turtledoves," Jack eyed the menu given to him by the very hot waiter at the small restaurant they were sitting at in the small coastal village south of London. "What are we having?"
"I don't know." Rose shrugged. "How about the chicken with a side of betrayal." She pronounced the last word with a bit more heat but she never took her eye of her own menu.
"Rose, please." The Doctor lowered his own menu onto the table. "I didn't mean to keep it from you for so long, I was just... I was afraid."
"Afraid of what?" Rose put the menu down and looked at the few passerby's that were walking past the outside terrace where they were seated, before she met the Doctor's gaze. Her voice was still cold but Jack could see the hidden expression of hope in her features.
"Of losing you again." The Doctor was sincere. He reached out to take one of Rose's hands in his own. "I thought... if I told you Mickey stayed in this universe, that you would want to go to him and leave me. I... I just wanted to have you to myself for a while before you left."
"Doctor..." Rose was shaking her head and grabbed hold of his hand, the one already holding her other one, so it was trapped between her own. "I've told you before, I'm not leaving you. Never."
"I know that." The Doctor looked down at their entwined hands. "But I'm old, Rose. I've seen so much. Sometimes... Sometimes it's easier to get used to the idea that everyone will leave eventually, then to give in to..." He paused. He swallowed once before looking up at her eyes again. "It's just easier."
Jack didn't stay to hear what Rose was saying. He felt like he was intruding on their privacy so he left. He walked inside to the bar and seated himself there with a glass of scotch and a week old newspaper that he had found on a seat outside.
"That can't be right." Jack muttered to himself as he read the article. He fished his phone from his pocket and did a quick search. The second link provided him with enough information to go outside and interrupt the Doctor and Rose.
"We could always... " Rose stopped mid-sentence when Jack made it to their table, her cheeks flashing crimson before she ducked her head and hid them behind her long hair.
"I definitely want to hear more about that later," Jack winked at her before turning serious and handing his phone to the Doctor. "Look at this. I think we need to check it out."
"When was this?" The Doctor asked with a frown as he stared at the picture.
"One week ago from Thursday, two days after you picked me up." Jack answered.
"Rose." The Doctor handed the phone to her who then quickly skimmed the article.
"I think someone wants our attention." She handed the phone back to Jack.
"I'm guessing two someone's." Jack pocketed the phone. "Have you guys ordered or do you want to go directly there?"
"It's a time machine, Jack." The Doctor shook his head. "We can go whenever we want."
"Fine." Jack retook his seat at the table. "Let's get some food in us then before we take care of the troublemakers. I'm starving."
"OK, left, sharp turn!" Amy told Rory who turned the car sharply. "Ok, right! No, no, no I mean left." She studied the map and turned it around. "No, sorry right, right! I definitely meant right."
Rory followed Amy's instructions the best he could, turning left when she said left, right when she said right, and looped when she said looped. He wasn't prepared for her last words though, so when she yelled stop, he just slammed the brakes and hoped for the best.
They exited the car in tandem and looked at the Doctor, Rose, and Jack with a hint of shamefulness in their eyes, but deep down, neither of them were regretful.
"Seriously?" The Doctor held up a phone with a picture of the crop circle shown on it. It spelt out Doctor.
"You never answer your phone." Rory turned the car door with a little bit more force than necessary.
"Ok, you've had all summer." Amy walked up to the Doctor. "Have you found her? Have you found Melody?"
The Doctor glanced at Rose before answering.
"No," He cast his eyes down. "Not yet, but you know who she will grow up to be, so I WILL find her. One day."
"We tried talking to River," Rose cut in. "But she doesn't want to help us. She wants things to be like they are."
"Buy why?" Amy looked at the two of them. "What could be better than spending your childhood with your parents?"
"I don't know." Rose walked up to give her friend a hug. "How have you two been?" She released Amy, her expression grave. "With everything...?"
"We stayed out of it." Amy answered, knowing exactly what she was talking about.
"Yeah," Rory cut in. "We figured it was best to lay low and wait for the Doctor. But when he failed to show up after the whole thing stopped..."
"You decided to take matters into your own hands." Rose finished for him, a grin on her face.
"Pretty much, yeah." Rory grinned back, but it faltered when the sound of a roaring engine disrupted the silence.
"What the hell is that?" Jack and the Doctor walked around the flatted circle to try and locate the sound, when a red corvette broke through the wheat stalks and stopped a hairsbreadth from Jack. A young black woman around Amy's age stepped out and took a look at Jack, who was still standing in shock in front of the car.
"You said he was funny looking not that he was this hot." The woman said, still eying Jack.
"Mels?" Rory raised his eyebrows.
"What are you doing here?" Amy stepped away from Rose to walk over to the woman now known as Mels.
"Following you, what do you think?" Mels answered.
"Um..." Rory eyed the car. "Where did you get the car?"
"It's mine..." Mels answered nonchalantly while she kept making eyes at Jack, who unlike his usual self stayed silent and kept his expression hard and wary. All of a sudden the sounds of sirens could be heard in the distance. "...ish."
"Oh, Mels," Amy groaned. "Not again."
"You can't keep doing this." Rory chastised her. "You'll end up in prison."
"Sorry, hello, Doctor not following this." The Doctor cut in. "Doctor very lost. Who is this?"
"Doctor?" Mels raised her eyebrows as she took in the Doctor. "I thought he was the Doctor." She gestured towards Jack.
"No," The Doctor shook his head slowly. "I'm the Doctor. That's Jack,"
"Captain." Jack injected with a flirty smile. "Captain Jack." The Doctor glanced at Rose as he rolled his eyes, and she giggled in response.
"Whatever." Mels shrugged. "Is that the phone box!" She pointed towards the TARDIS. "The bigger-on-the-inside phone box?" She walked past Rose to stand in front of the TARDIS and lightly caressing it. "Time travel... that's brilliant."
The Doctor followed her and leaned against the side of the TARDIS as he caught her gaze.
"Who are you?" He asked.
"I'm Mels, best friend of Amy and Rory."She answered. "I've heard a lot about you." She smiled seductively.
"Then why don't I know you?" He glanced over at Amy and Rory who was standing by Jack and Rose, eyeing the two of them warily. "I danced with everyone at the wedding. The women were all brilliant, the men a bit shy."
"I don't do weddings." Mels backed away from the TARDIS as the sirens came closer. "And that's me out of time" She pulled out a gun and aimed it at the Doctor who immediately raised his hands.
"Doctor!" Rose yelled at the same time as Amy yelled "Mels!"
"Drop the gun." Jack told her as he aimed his blaster at her.
"For God's sake! Rory said exasperated.
"What are you doing?" Amy asked, a hint of despair in her voice.
"If you don't drop the gun NOW, I'm gonna shot." Jack warned.
"Relax." Mels shook her head as she smirked at the Doctor. "I just need a ride."
"Anywhere in particular?" The Doctor asked, while subtly telling Jack to lower his blaster.
"Well, let's see!" Mels smiled in a way that didn't bode well. "You've got a time machine, I've got a gun. What the hell... let's kill Hitler."
"Doctor?" Jack asked, the unspoken words evident by the tone in his voice.
"It's alright, Jack." The Doctor opened the doors to the TARDIS. "Mels want to go for a ride and who am I to deny anyone that."
"That's more like it." Mels said as she followed the Doctor inside.
"Rose," The Doctor called for his partner, ignoring Mels. "Help me?" He nodded towards the console, and Rose gave a short nod in response and walked up to stand beside him.
"No funny business." Mels warned.
"Why don't you lower the gun, Mels." The Doctor said as he had his back towards her, starting the dematerialisation sequence. "Guns don't work in the TARDIS. Not while we're in a state of temporal grace."
"Really?" Mels pondered for a few seconds before raising the gun and firing a shot, blowing it right through the time-rotor.
"What did you do?" The Doctor turned around and faced her. "You've shot her!" He quickly turned around again to look at the time-rotor as the TARDIS started spinning and smoking. "You shot my TARDIS! You shot the console!"
"It's your fault!" Mels yelled back as she clung to the railing with Amy and Rory. Jack was holding on by the door and Rose was clasping the console.
"Argh!" The Doctor clenched his fists. "How's it my fault?!"
"You said guns didn't work in this place." She answered nonchalantly. "You said we're in a state of temporal grace."
"That was a clever lie, you idiot!" The Doctor snapped as he tried to frantically work the controls. "Anyone could tell that was a clever lie!"
"Doctor!" Rose yelled at him over Amy's screams. "It won't get better by calling names."
"But she shot my TARDIS!" The Doctor wailed.
"Doctor!" Jack called. "You need to land her."
"I'm trying, Jack!" The Doctor called back while frantically pulling levers and weaving weavers. "Hold on!"
The TARDIS started spinning and hitting things, knocking all the inhabitants around until it finally came to a standstill, the smoke still billowing out of the time-rotor.
"Everyone out!" The Doctor exclaimed and Jack opened the doors for Amy, Rory and Mels. "Out, out, out! Everybody out. Don't breathe the smoke, just get out!"
"Where are we?" Amy asked when the Doctor had closed the doors.
"A room." The Doctor answered a bit distractedly as he turned to Rose who was still coughing slightly. "Are you alright?" He said softly to her, quiet enough so the others wouldn't hear.
"Yeah," She nodded and coughed once more. "I'm alright, just need to clear my throat."
"Good." The Doctor nodded as well. "Good." Then he saw Mels trying to get inside the TARDIS again. "Mels, don't go in there!" He strode up to her and grabbed her gun.
"Oi!" Mels protested.
"Bad smoke!" The Doctor chastised her. "Don't breathe the bad, bad, smoke. Bad, deadly smoke because someone shot my TARDIS!"
"Doctor, this guy," Rory got his attention. "I think he's hurt." He gestured towards an immobile man lying on the floor. As he said it, then man slowly started to sit up. "No, hang on. No, he's... he's fine."
The Doctor eyed the man suspiciously for a second before walking up to the desk and discarding the gun in the fruit bowl. While doing so, another man climbed up from behind the desk.
"Ooh, hello!" The Doctor said surprised. "Sorry, is this your office? Had a sort of collision with my vehicle. Faults on both sides, let's say no more about..." That's when the man turned around, and his identity was unmistakable. "...it."
"Is that who I think it is?" Jack asked the room at large.
"No, it can't be." Amy stared at the man in disbelief. "Doctor?"
"Thank you." Hitler said. "Whoever you are, I think you have just saved my life."
"Believe me..." The Doctor swallowed. "It was an accident."
"What is this thing?" Hitler asked as he saw the TARDIS and walked up to it.
"What did he mean we saved his life?" Amy whispered to the Doctor and the others. "We could not have saved Hitler."
"You see?" The Doctor raised his arms. "You see, time travel, it never goes to plan."
"This box," Hitler spoke. "What is it?"
"It's a police telephone box from London, England." The Doctor said as he slowly walked towards Hitler. "That's right, Adolf, the British are coming!"
"No, stop him!" Hitler exclaimed as he pulled his gun and fired before the Doctor had a chance to notice the other man had stood up.
Rory immediately went Roman mode and punched Adolf Hitler on the chin, knocking him down on the floor. He then picked up his dropped gun and pointed it towards him.
"Sit still, shut up." He told him.
"Nice punch." Jack told him as he joined Rory and aimed his blaster at Hitler who was now holding his hands above his head.
"Thank you." Rory gave him a quick smile.
"Are you ok?" Amy asked the unknown man, who didn't seemed worse for wear.
"Yes, yes." He answered quickly. "Yes, I'm fine. I think he missed."
"He was going to kill me." Hitler spoke up.
"Shut up, Hitler!" Rory snapped.
"Rory, take Hitler and put him in that cupboard over there now." The Doctor told him as he walked up to the unknown man. "Do it!" He said again when Rory hesitated. "Are you ok?" The Doctor asked the man.
"Oh, I…" Without another word, the man fell backwards in a faint.
"I think he just fainted." Rory said as he came back from putting Hitler in the cupboard.
"Yes," The Doctor said slowly. "That was a faint. A perfect faint."
"There's something fishy about this whole situation." Jack chimed in.
"I'm with Jack on that one." Rose spoke up. Something doesn't feel right."
"I know." The Doctor looked up at his two companions. "I feel it too."
"Mels?" Amy's voice stopped them from going any further, and all three of them looked in the same direction she was. Mels.
"Hitler…" Mels said through clenched teeth.
"What about him?" The Doctor asked.
"Lousy shot." She panted and fell to the floor.
"Mels!" Amy exclaimed and ran over there with the Doctor and Rory close at her heels. Rose and Jack stayed back to watch over the unconscious man. "Mels!"
"Rory?" The Doctor yelled.
"No, no, no!" Rory said frantically as he tried to locate the wound. "I've got to stop the bleeding!"
"You think she will be alright?" Rose asked Jack as they watched Rory try and stop the bleeding while Amy cradled their friends head in her lap.
"I don't know." Jack shook his head. "It looks bad"
They watched in silence as Mels and the Doctor had a conversation too silent for them to hear, but then all of a sudden, Amy, Rory, and the Doctor exchanged glances and the Doctor stood up.
"What's happening?" Rose asked the Doctor.
"Penny drops!" Mels grinned as she started to glow with what Rose could swear was regeneration energy.
"What the hell's going on?" Rory leaned back.
"Back!" The Doctor grabbed Amy and Rory and pulled them back towards Rose and Jack. "Back! Back! Get back!"
"Doctor!" Rose called for him again as Mels stood up, still glowing. "What is going on?"
"Last time I did this, I ended up a toddler in the middle of New York" Mels said to no one in particular.
"Remember what I said about River possibly being able to regenerate?" The Doctor asked Rose as he, Amy, and Rory came to a stand with their backs against the desk.
"Yeah," She said slowly.
"Well, she can." He said, never taking his eyes off of Mels.
"You mean…?" Rose stared at Mels with a slightly gaping mouth.
"Yep." The Doctor said in a high pitched voice.
"Oh…" Jack drew in a breath. "Didn't see that one coming."
"What are you talking about?" Amy sounded frustrated.
"Mels." The Doctor started. "Short for…?"
"Melody." Mels answered for him.
"Yeah," Amy agreed. "I named my daughter after her."
"You named your daughter…" He paused."After your daughter."
"Took me years to find you two." Mels started to explain. "I'm glad I did. And, you see, it all worked out in the end, didn't it? You got to raise me after all."
"You're Melody?" Amy couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"But if she's Melody," Rory cut in. "That means she's also…"
"Oh, shut up, Dad!" Mels cut him off. "I'm focusing on a dress size." That's when she let go of the regeneration energy and let it burst through her like a fiery inferno. When she was done, none other than River Song stood before them.
"Damn." Jack huffed as she started to check herself out. "That is one entrance." He chuckled and looked down at Rose who just stared back at him with her eyebrows raised and an expression that said 'Really? Now?' He just chuckled a bit more and turned to look at the newly regenerated Mels who was now a bit too close to the Doctor for his liking.
"…That bow tie!" She eyed the Doctor's bow tie for a second before pushing herself away from him. "Excuse me, you lot, I need to weigh myself!" And with that she ran from the room.
"Doctor." Rose came up to him and the others at the desk. "We just found River Song."
"Yeah." He answered, still a bit dazed.
"No, I don't think you understand." She laughed softly. "We found… River… Song."
"Who's River Song?" Mels popped her head back into the room.
"Sorry, spoilers." Rose shrugged at her.
"Oh, sounds exciting." Mels grinned. "Hang on, just something I need to check!" She disappeared again.
"Is anybody else finding today just a bit difficult?" Rory said to the room at large. "I'm getting a sort of banging in my head."
"Yeah," Amy turned to him. "I think that's Hitler in the cupboard."
"That's not helping." Rory dragged a hand through his hair.
"Right." The Doctor clapped his hands and stood up and walked across the room. "This isn't the River Song we know yet. This is her right at the start. Doesn't even know her name."
"Ah, that's magnificent!" Mels exclaimed and when the five of them turned to the sound, they saw her standing by the doorframe, leaning her hand against the door jamb. "I'm going to wear LOTS of jodhpurs!"
"Is anyone thinking what I'm thinking right now?" Jack joked.
"No!" The Doctor and Rose said at the same time.
"Time and place, Jack." Rose shook her head. "Her parents is standing right there." She said the other bit so only he could hear as she gestured towards Amy and Rory.
"Well, now, enough of all that!" Mels said and pulled out a gun that she then aimed at the Doctor. "Down to business."
"Not again." Jack groaned as he pulled out his blaster again. "Drop the gun or I won't hesitate to shot."
"It's okay, Jack." The Doctor held up a hand towards him. "She's just doing what she's programmed to do."
"Programmed?" Rose frowned.
"Where'd she get the gun?" Rory asked at the same time.
"Hello, Benjamin." The Doctor said as a way of answering.
"You noticed." Mels smiled and then pulled the trigger before anyone had a chance to react, but it only made a clicking sound. No bullet came out.
"Of course I noticed." The Doctor said, his voice filled with excitement like it always was when he had the chance to sound clever. "As soon as I knew you were coming, I tidied up a bit."
"I know you did." Mels reached inside her vest.
"I know you know." The Doctor countered as she pulled out a banana instead of a gun.
"Goodness," Mels faked sighed. "Is killing you going to take all day?"
"Why?" The Doctor walked up to her and took the banana. "Are you busy?"
Rose watched in silence as the Doctor and River danced around each other, firing insults and pulling knives alike. She couldn't help but notice how close to actual flirting they really were, and a growing feeling of jealousy was nestling itself in her chest.
The straw that broke the camel's back was when River right out kissed him.
Whatever she and the Doctor was saying after that went unnoticed by her, because all she could hear was a loud buzzing noise in her ears that drowned out anything else. She just stared at River with unseeing eyes as she stood by the window. Completely unaware of what was happening with the people around her.
It was like the jealousy filled her from the inside out, and the only thing keeping her from doing something, anything…attacking…screaming…throwing a fit…at Mels, was because she knew she would one day become the River Song she called a sister and friend. Her sister that had never before shown any interest in the Doctor. The opposite actually. She had often tried to push the two of them together.
"Rose! Rose!" Someone was shouting her name and when she finally cleared her senses enough to register anything, she saw Jack standing in front of her, jostling her shoulders.
"It was never going to be a gun for you, Doctor," She heard Mels say. "The man who understands every kind of warfare, except, perhaps the cruelest."
"What's going on?" Rose asked Jack. "What's she talking about?"
"Kiss, kiss." Mels blew a kiss and then jumped outside through the window.
Rose was still confused, but then she turned around and saw the Doctor on the floor.
"No!" She threw herself down on the ground beside him. "Doctor," She took his hand in hers. "What did she do to you?"
"Poisoned me…" He ground out. "But I'm fine. Nothing to worry about." He smiled up at her.
"Don't lie to me, Doctor." Rose could feel hot tears falling down her cheeks. "You promised, no more lies."
"I know." He brought their entwined hands up to brush a few tears away. "I'm dying. But it will be alright." He finished quickly before she could respond. "I have a plan."
"What plan?" Amy asked.
The Doctor stood up slowly with Rose's help, but let go of her; except for her hand since she refused to let it go; once he got his footing under control.
"I'm not dying." He groaned. "See, fine!"
"Ok," Rory decided to take the bait. "What do we do? How do we help you?"
"Take this. The TARDIS can home in on it." He handed the sonic over to Amy. "Now, go get after her!" He pushed Rory towards the window.
"What about you?" Amy stood still beside him.
"I'll take care of him," Rose answered for the Doctor. "Hurry up after her. Don't let her get away. Jack!" She called at her old friend who was looking out the window, but he came up to her when he heard his name. "Go with them." It wasn't a question.
"Yes, Ma'am." He saluted her once, before he placed a hand on Amy's shoulder to guide her to the window and Rory.
A/N
I hope you liked it, and as I said before, the next chapter will be up in a few weeks but after that I just don't know.