Disclaimer: Doctor Who belongs to the BBC. I do not own any of it, nor do I make any money from it.

A/N Thank you for all your lovely reviews. We are at the halfway point of the story and almost at 300 reviews. This is perfect.

Anyway, here is Part 2 of the 'The Time Agency'. This chapter was supposed to have the introduction of the Agency but this became prolonged and I felt like it all deserved one full chapter. Hope you like it all the same.

Happy Reading!

The Time Agency: Gallifreyan Blues

Previously

Rose watched curiously as the Gold Usher walked behind Romana who kneeled.

"I invest you," the Gold Usher said. "Lady President of the High Council, Romanadvoratrelundar." He lifted the circlet and slowly placed it on Romana's head. "I wish you good fortune and strength. I give you the Matrix," he said as the circlet went around Romana's head.

Romana stood up, as if in a daze and Rose was so absorbed in the ceremony that she almost didn't notice the Doctor tugging on her hand. Rose quickly knelt like everyone else as Romana gazed upon the Panopticon.

"I am Lady Romanadvoratrelundar," she spoke deliberately, her voice strong and steady. "Of House Heartshaven of the Prydonian Chapter. President of the High Council of the Time Lords of Gallifrey." Her gaze swept over the Panopticon again. "Arise, now."

Rose and the Doctor slowly got to their feet along with other Time Lords. Romana shook out of her daze and nodded in acknowledgement as the Time Lords bowed to her. She walked back out of the way that she had entered, beckoning Andred as she did.

"Is it over?" Rose asked the Doctor in a low voice as the Time Lords began to disperse.

"Yes," the Doctor said. "The ceremony was a success."

"Oh," she said, a hundred questions on her mind.

The Doctor gazed down at her and smiled. "I assume you have many questions," he said.

Rose chuckled and nodded. "Loads of them but I'll hold off until we get back to the TARDIS," she said.

"Splendid," the Doctor said, taking her hand. "Let's go to the TARDIS now, shall we?"

"Oh no, we can't," Rose said at once.

"Why not?" he asked. And no, he did not whine.

Rose rolled her eyes at him. "Leela," she said and then looked over his shoulder.

The Doctor turned around just in time to see Leela approach Rose and the two women immediately hugged each other. The Doctor was left wondering since when his companions liked each other more than him.

"Oh, I was hoping you would be here," Leela said as she looked at Rose. "Romana did mention that she had a way of bringing you but I didn't think the Doctor would..."

"I am standing right here," the Doctor protested.

Leela looked confused. "Well, of course you are, Doctor," she said, as if wondering why he was stating the obvious.

Rose almost laughed at the Doctor's affronted face but settled for smiling widely. They were interrupted by Andred who walked up to them with quick strides.

"The President wishes to see you and Miss Tyler," he told the Doctor.

"Oh? What about?" the Doctor asked in mild interest.

Andred looked uncomfortable. "I don't know, Doctor," he said.

"Fine," the Doctor nodded. "If you could just show us to her new office..."

Andred nodded and began to lead. Leela decided against following them, claiming she had to speak with Rodan.

Andred led the Doctor and Rose along a corridor lined with flowering shrubs to a pair of deep red double doors. Rose held the Doctor's hand, wondering why she felt so nervous. She had spoken to Romana mere hours ago.

But she hadn't been President then. Rose remembered the grand ceremony and the circlet that the Gold Usher had placed on Romana's head. The Matrix, whatever it was, sounded forbidding. Rose made a note to add that to a list of questions she had for the Doctor.

Andred knocked on the doors. "Enter," Romana's voice beckoned. The command was slightly imperious but nothing out of the ordinary.

Andred opened the doors and clicked his heels. "The Doctor and Miss Tyler, Madam President," he said.

"Thank you, Andred," Romana dismissed him with a nod. "Once I am finished talking to the Doctor and Rose, could you ask Leela and Rodan in here?"

"Yes, my lady," Andred gave a short bow and left the office swiftly, closing the doors behind him.

Romana's office was quite wonderful. There were long columns, reminiscent of Grecian architecture but the walls were painted a deep red and the thick carpet covering the floor matched the wall. There were paintings on the walls, each in an ornate golden frame with an overhead spotlight. The structure and design did not adhere to any specific style, rather it was a mixture of several styles.

Whatever it was, it suited Romana perfectly. She herself was sitting at a desk in the middle of the room and smiled at the Doctor and Rose. "Please, sit down," she said, indicating the two armchairs in front of her.

"How are you feeling, Madam President?" the Doctor asked, sounding a bit concerned.

"Fine," she answered. "The headache is all but nonexistent now."

"Headache?" Rose asked before she could help herself.

"Yes," Romana answered her. "The Matrix can be...overwhelming."

"You wanted to see us?" the Doctor prompted, perhaps because he wanted to be off Gallifrey as soon as possible.

"Yes," Romana said and then opened a small ornate, wooden box on her desk. She reached inside and carefully pulled out a silver scroll made of delicate metal, the width of which was the size of the Doctor's palm.

The Doctor stared at in surprise. "Is that a...?" he asked.

"A contract?" she asked. "Yes. But it's not for you."

"Okay, who's it for then?" he asked, a bit relieved.

Romana put the scroll on the desk and leaned back in her seat. "What do you know about the Time Agency?" she asked.

"Number of things," the Doctor said, now distinctly wary. "Am I to assume that the contract is for them?"

"It is," Romana nodded. "I need you to deliver it."

"Excuse me?" the Doctor asked, more shocked than anything else.

"You heard me right, Doctor," Romana said, a tiny smile gracing her face.

"What does the contract contain? You're not pulling a Claudius are you?" the Doctor asked, only half-joking. However, the reference was lost on both Romana and Rose and he sighed. "Hamlet. Claudius sent Rosencrantz and Guildenstern with...never mind," he said, waving it off. "What's in the contract?"

"A proposition," Romana said as she unfurled the contract. It was about as long as her arm. "I want to employ the Time Agents."

"Employ them?" Rose asked. The Doctor had told her about the Time Agency but she was vastly under the impression that the Time Lords did not like anyone other than them to have time travel.

Romana nodded and Rose realised that the Doctor looked equally shocked. "That is very unusual, Madam President," the Doctor said, with deliberate use of Romana's new title.

"I realise that, Doctor," Romana said at once. "But times change and we must progress with them."

Rose was surprised when the Doctor did not smile at that. He looked torn between pride and concern. "Romana, you do realise what you're doing?" he asked her gently.

"I am making changes," Romana asserted without hesitation. "Don't worry, Doctor. I'm not doing it on my own. The CIA has been very helpful."

"The CIA?" Rose asked. "But the last time..."

"Last time was different," Romana assured her. "It has been a while since your last visit, I'm afraid. CIA went through a major overhaul during Lady Flavia's final term. She, ah, changed a lot of things around."

"Who's the Head now?" the Doctor asked, leaning back in his chair. Absently, he realised that he sounded far too much like his previous self. In fact, he was channelling Time's Champion in full force now.

"Narvin," Romana answered.

The Doctor nodded, his finger twirling absently in front of him. "What are your plans for the Time Agents?" he asked, his voice all sharp and focused now.

Rose realised with a start that this was the side of the Doctor that always reminded her of a soldier. A strategist, a chess master who knew exactly what needed to be done to win a war. She kept quiet, staring at the Doctor whose eyes distinctly more blue than green and his aura felt darker, somehow.

Fighting off a shiver, Rose focused on a random spot on Romana's desk as the Doctor and Romana traded questions back and forth. She was unsure as to how to react to this Doctor. He was still the Doctor, her best friend who read to her and whispered Byron's conquests to her while they sat opposite the man himself, but right now, he sounded more and more like the Time Lord who stood up to Daleks and Cybermen and handed down death without mercy on those who did wrong.

Rose wondered whimsically why she was not scared of him. Even Romana seemed a bit tense as she answered the Doctor's questions but Rose felt fine. In fact, she realised that she had been stroking her thumb over their clasped hands on her lap. The Doctor didn't even seemed to have noticed but his cool fingers were gripping her hand in a soothing grasp like always.

She was lost in her thoughts and started slightly when her name came up. "I trust you and Rose enough to know that you will succeed," Romana said.

The Doctor nodded, his features softening. Rose relaxed again. This was known territory, nothing unpredictable with this Doctor. "We will leave for Gerron then," he said. "Come on, Rose."

Rose stood up and smiled at Romana who returned her smile with a dazzling one of her own. The Doctor had already pocketed the scroll and the two of them hurried towards the TARDIS.

However they were waylaid by a tall, lean man dressed very unconventionally. He was dressed in a perfectly fit plain black suit with a white shirt and a black tie. His black hair was slicked back, with not a hair out of place. His high cheekbones and sharp blue eyes were somehow familiar but before Rose could ponder more on that, the Doctor tensed beside her.

"Thete," the man said, an amused smile gracing his lips. "I wasn't expecting you to be here."

"The President called me," the Doctor said, his voice steady, considering the death grip he had on Rose's hand.

The man did apparently notice the tight grip for he smiled swiftly at Rose. "Irving Braxiatel," he said, offering his hand. "I presume you are the infamous Miss Rose Tyler. The girl who has baffled all of Gallifrey with her timelines."

Completely confused at his words, Rose did best to hide her surprise and returned the handshake. "Nice to meet you," she said, feeling proud of herself for not stumbling on her words. The Doctor did relax slightly, for he had gone positively pale at Braxiatel's words before.

Braxiatel smiled at Rose. "I must say I can see why everyone is baffled," he said, staring at Rose in a way that made her want to fidget.

"You're being rude, Brax," the Doctor said and Rose made a mental note to hug him later in thanks.

"Forgive my curiosity, Miss Tyler. It is very nice to meet you too," Braxiatel said to Rose and then looked at the Doctor. "Thank you for the Christmas present. The socks were lovely."

The Doctor nodded back tersely. He noticed Rose's look of confusion and stroked his thumb over their clasped hands. "Rose, I would like you to meet my older brother," he said. "And do forgive his rudeness. His manners seem to have worsened with age."

Rose's eyes went wide. "O-Of course," Rose said, stumbling only slightly and staring at Braxiatel. No wonder he had seemed oddly familiar. The Doctor's brother, wow wasn't expecting that. They seemed more like rivals but then again, maybe weren't all siblings rivals in one way or another. Take her cousins for example.

"Oh, my manners have got worse?" Braxiatel asked, sounding annoyed. "As I remember it, you're the troublemaker not me."

The Doctor was about to retort but then he smiled at Rose gently. "Rose, will you please wait for me in the TARDIS? I have something I wish to speak to my brother about," he said.

Rose nodded quickly and the Doctor smiled reassuringly at her. Rose smiled at Braxiatel and left the two brothers to talk. As soon as she was out of earshot, the Doctor rounded on Braxiatel. "Have you lost your mind?" he demanded of his brother. "Mentioning timelines?"

Braxiatel looked slightly amused at the outburst. "You hadn't told her, I see. She was surprised when I brought it up," he said. "I thought she was your friend."

"She is," the Doctor said. "But until I know exactly why her timelines are the way they are, or rather aren't, I'm not going to mention it to her and cause her unnecessary worry."

"Do you mean to tell me," Braxiatel was definitely amused now. "You cannot see her timelines at all, can you? Not even a glimpse." For the first time in years, Braxiatel actually laughed out loud. "Rassilon Thete, this is priceless."

"Shut up," the Doctor said sulkily. "It's not funny."

"There is something wrong with you if you don't see the humour in this," Braxiatel told him, getting his laughter under control.

"I got your note the last time," the Doctor said, abruptly changing the subject. Any more of his brother's teasing and his face might turn permanently red.

Braxiatel wasn't fooled for a second by the subject change. "Yes, I did," he said. "I also noticed that Romana gave Miss Tyler some flowers," he said and smirked when he saw the Doctor tense again. "Arkytior, if my regeneration's memory isn't failing," he continued, his tone teasing.

"Yes, she did," the Doctor replied. "Now if you will excuse me..."

"Have you told her what they mean?" Braxiatel asked him.

"No, and it's about to stay that way," the Doctor said.

"You know the history of those flowers, Thete," Braxiatel said. His tone turned serious. "You have to tell her."

"Should I really?" the Doctor asked him, equally serious. "Without knowing anything?"

Braxiatel held his gaze for a moment before conceding with a nod. "Fine, but don't do anything stupid," he said. He reached into his suit pocket and pulled out a pocket watch. "I'm late for a meeting," he said. "I believe I shall see you sooner or later in the next century?"

"Yes," the Doctor agreed. "Goodbye, Brax."

"Goodbye, Thete," Braxiatel said, his mask slipping for a second to reveal the concern underneath. "Take care of yourself. And Miss Tyler."

The Doctor was only mildly surprised when he included Rose but he nodded and then left for the TARDIS. Braxiatel watched his brother in worry but then sighed and headed towards the President's office. With luck, he would catch her in time for a light celebratory drink.

As he walked towards the TARDIS, the Doctor pondered over Braxiatel's words. All teasing aside, he could see why Brax wanted him to tell Rose about Arkytior and what it meant.

The legend of Arkytior was infamous. The flowers bloomed only on Mount Perdition, the place where he had grown up before coming to the Academy. But the legend went that the flowers would bloom only before the Draug goddess came to Gallifrey.

He hadn't thought much of the legend but as absentminded that this incarnation was, it did not miss the little things. All the wolf insignias that had followed him after he had met Rose had not been lost on him. Not to mention that 'Arkytior' was a Gallifreyan word whose English translation roughly meant 'Rose'. And the timelines not being visible just added to his confusion.

His instinct had caused him to pick up all these things but his mind refused to connect them. He was missing a vital piece and it frustrated him. It was quite obvious though, that Rose Tyler was no ordinary human. The girl was something extraordinary and one day she would be glorious. That much, he did know.

The fact that he might, very possibly, be attracted to her was neither here nor there.

He was a bad liar.

A/N End of Part 2. Thanks for reading.

So, what did you think? Did you like the direction it took?

We had Romana assigning them a task to go and talk to the Time Agents. We met I.B. who is the Doctor's brother. It was guessed by some of you the last time. I loved writing their interaction. I always thought of them like Sherlock and Mycroft and one of my readers pointed out the exact same thing. They do remind me of Sherlock and Mycroft.

The legend of Arkytior is something I made up. However, it is true that the translation of the word is 'Rose'. Susan's Gallifreyan name is also Arkytior but I'm choosing to ignore that for now. Mostly because I'm not sure what I want to do with it. I might use it retroactively later.

Oh, and 'Draug' is Tolkien's Elvish word for 'Wolf'. In case you didn't know.

Anyway, let me know what you thought. I promise we will meet Jack in the next chapter. Cross my hearts.

The new chapter will be up on Monday. See you then!

~ Phoenix