Time and the Trickster

By Lumendea

Chapter Fifty-One: Dancing Lights: Richard Becket

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

…..

It was a warm early summer Saturday in June that shouldn't have been anything but brilliant for students just released from school. Rose Tyler sipped at the milkshake in front of her and picked up one of the lovely golden chips in the newspaper in the middle of the table. Her hand nearly collided with Shareen who was reaching for a chip herself. The girls were sitting in a small shop a few blocks away from their childhood home the Powell Estate, having become rather nostalgic for their old haunts. Why? Rose really didn't have a good answer to that question and was feeling more than a little awkward sitting in the old chip shop.

"Do you ever have problems at Cambridge being from Peckham originally?" Sharon suddenly asked, looking out the window at the passing people.

"Sure," Rose admitted, leaning on her hand and looking at the window. "I got asked if I had a gun during my first month and if I had a boyfriend with a gun. And I've been called a chav more than a few times."

"Seriously?" Shareen asked, raising an eyebrow.

Rose shrugged and snatched up another chip. "Most of my classmates are middle and upper class. They've never been to Peckham and I don't really consider myself from Ealing despite Mum living there now. And of course I don't go around telling people about the money Harry left us."

"Figures it'd be harder for you," Sharon sighed. "At least we're at the University of London. There's more diversity there."

"It's not so bad," Rose promised with a shrug. "I mean I don't really have any good friends in Cambridge, but there are some classmates I go out with sometimes. Your mates are a lot more fun," Rose told them with a smile.

They were all quiet for a few moments, munching on their chips and people watching. Rose's eyes widened as one of her former schoolmates walked past with a pair of kids, one a toddler and one in a stroller.

"Isn't that Chloe Baker?" Sharon questioned, leaning back in her chair to study the woman more carefully.

"I think so," Rose answered, shaking her head in mild disbelief. "I think remember Mum telling me she was pregnant before A-Levels," Rose shrugged a bit. "My mind was elsewhere then so I might be wrong."

"Looks like she's had another one," Shareen observed before shuddering slightly, "Man I couldn't handle being a mum at our age."

"Me neither," Rose agreed with a small shudder of her own, "I honestly can't fathom how Mum managed by herself with me after Dad died."

"Speaking of your Mum…." Sharon started cautiously, "How are things?"

"Well I haven't committed matricide yet," Rose replied, picking up another chip. "But after her last comment about aliens, it was a near thing."

"She's still mad huh," Sharon remarked with a flinch. "Sorry, hon."

"Not your fault," Rose assured her with a forced smile. "I'm just surprised how long she'd staying angry. I knew that my mum was tenacious, but this is something else."

"She's probably afraid for you," Shareen offered gently, "She lost your Dad to a mysterious hit and run that left her a single mum and you're doing something dangerous." Shareen fixed Rose with a stare, "Plus she's got to be wondering what other secrets you may be keeping from her now that she knows you kept aliens a secret for nine years."

"You haven't told her about the Doctor yet right?" Sharon questioned, tilting her head as she regarded Rose.

"Sort of," Rose admitted with a grimace. "But only in the he's the alien who helped keep me safe capacity and not in the by the way I'm dating a version of him after he changes his face."

"See," Shareen replied with a smirk, "You are keeping secrets so is it any wonder she's worried and angry with you."

"Great," Rose muttered as she drilled her straw into her thick milkshake, "Now I have guilt."

"You didn't have any guilt before?" Sharon asked with slightly wide eyes.

"Not really," Rose confessed before sighing. "Look I've got a pretty serious selfish streak, I acknowledge that."

"And you're a little too arrogant," Shareen pointed out calmly as she selected another chip from the shared platter.

"A bit yeah," Rose agreed with a shrug, but she flushed a little and snatched up another chip as Shareen gave her a knowing look. "I think I liked you better before you started studying psychology."

"Truth hurts doesn't it," Sharon teased with a chuckle. "Mind you UNIT has already expressed interest to us about hiring when we're done with exams."

"Figured as much," Rose agreed with a shrug. "They've got me in the lab so far this summer under Malcolm." Rose paused and looked at Sharon, "Oh did you find a doctor to oversee your work experience requirement."

"I couldn't get anyone to respond to me," Sharon admitted with a sigh, "But UNIT arranged a spot for me with a doctor Hendrickson starting next month. Bit embarrassing to be unable to find someone on your own."

"Yeah, but we didn't exactly grow up personally knowing any doctors," Shareen reminded her gently, "Except for the Doctor, but he wouldn't count in this case."

"No," Rose agreed with an amused smile. "Definitely not."

"So…" Shareen questioned slowly, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Talk about what?" Rose asked, looking back at her friend with a hint of confusion.

Shareen managed not to roll her eyes even as Sharon snorted softly. "What has been bothering you," Shareen replied calmly. "Rose you've been really tense for weeks and after spending time with the Doctor that usually is not the case."

"I- I guess I'm just worried about…." Rose glanced around before dropping her voice, "the Silver Lord," she finished with a whisper. "I don't know what he did to me, but it had to be major to get three incarnations of the Doctor in one place, but I haven't a clue why he questioned me about my personal information or what he did to me when I was out." Her fingers tightened around the glass her milkshake was in and her friends politely did not mention the fact that her hands were shaking slightly. "Something is coming and I haven't got a clue what it is or what it is for."

"Just remember that you know you'll travel with the Doctor in the future and that everything will be okay," Sharon offered with a smile.

"Time can be rewritten," Rose reminded her tensely. "There isn't any guarantee for how things will turn out. Time is flexible and even seemingly small things have an impact."

Her two friends shared a look and Rose snatched up another chip which didn't taste as good now as it had ever a minute and a half ago. She knew that her mood had been sour lately between lingering questions about the Silver Lord, the decrease in the amount of time she got to spend with the Doctor and her mother's irritation with her. So far the best thing about summer had been her time in the UNIT lab with Malcolm, Tosh and Kate since they could usually find something interesting to distract her for at least a couple of hours.

"Look girls," Rose said with a sigh, "I appreciate your concerns and trying to cheer me up, but I think this is something I just have to grit my teeth and get through."

"And you will," Shareen told her firmly. "It will be fine Rose."

"Yeah," Rose agreed half-heartedly as she picked up the last chip. "I'll see you later, I need some air." Standing up, Rose pulled on her leather jacket and grabbed her shoulder bag, heading for the shop door.

"Try and enjoy your day," Sharon called after her with a small wave.

Giving them a wave over her shoulder, Rose managed a small smile and stepped out onto the streets of Peckham. She was a few blocks away and back near where she'd parked her motorcycle when Sharon had suggested coming back to the old neighbourhood. Rose's phone beeped and she reached into the pocket of her leather jacket to pull it out in a smooth practised motion. Blinking, Rose was a little surprised that it was Richard Becket calling her. She hadn't heard from him in over three weeks.

"Hello," Rose greeted as she answered the call.

"Rose," Richard greeted in a rush, he sounded a bit of out of breath. "You're back in London right?"

"Yeah," Rose answered, a knot of worry beginning to form in her stomach at his tone.

"Can you come by my office immediately? I think something is wrong."

"Have you called UNIT?" Rose questioned, quickening her pace to a near jog as she headed down the street towards her motorcycle.

"Not yet," Richard admitted his tone still rushed, "I haven't been able to get through to my contact. Please Rose, I need help."

"I'll be there in fifteen," Rose promised as she reached her bike and unlocked the back to retrieve her helmet. "Keep trying to reach UNIT."

"I will," Richard promised before he ended the call.

Debating for a moment between calling UNIT herself and heading straight over, Rose swung over her bike and started it up. Richard would get through UNIT, but someone needed to get on scene right away. Not to mention that she owed Richard for protecting her during that mess at his office a few months ago. Rose wove in and out of traffic as quickly as she could, speeding the whole way.

The five-story shining glass and metal building of Becket Enterprises gleamed in the sunlight as Rose drove up and parked her bike. The car park was almost empty with only a few vehicles around. Climbing off her bike, Rose hung her helmet over the right bar and looked up at the building with a mixture of curiosity, worry and excitement. She'd been feeling tense and out of sorts since Section 13, even after a week long holiday with the Doctor on the moon of Phadri IV. There was no movement in the building from what Rose could see and she slowly walked up towards the main door.

Sudden movement inside the lobby made Rose tense, but the door opened a moment later and she relaxed slightly to see Richard standing at the doorway waiting for her. The large glass doors swung open and Rose heard the soft beeping of the security system. Directly in front of her, Richard swiped his key card in the system scanner before turning to Rose. Richard's blond hair was ruffled like he'd been messing with it and his blue eyes were frantic.

"Rose," he sighed in relief, "Thank you for coming."

"Are you okay Richard?" Rose asked with a touch of concern. "What is happening?"

"I'm alright," Richard assured Rose, "but something strange is happening with one of my latest projects. We were working on a prototype that UNIT sent us and strange lights started appearing early this morning."

"Lights?" Rose repeated quizzically.

"We only have a skeleton staff around on weekends, but I sent them all home an hour ago when they started having audio and visual hallucinations. Most have reported that the symptoms faded as soon as they left the building." Richard told her. "And I'm afraid my communication line to UNIT is still blank." Richard's face tightened and he looked at her. "Have you ever had that happen?"

"Once," Rose admitted darkly, a sick feeling rushing through her. Surely she wasn't facing another treachery situation in UNIT. "I should call Benton, I have his direct line."

"Good idea," Richard agreed, but he caught her hand when Rose began to reach for her phone. "But you should see what we were working on first so you can help explain. I'm afraid that I'm not good at translating into lay man's terms."

Nodding in agreement, Rose followed Richard to the lift and was quiet as he swiped his card again and accessed the underground lab levels. The lift went down smoothly, but slower than Rose would have liked.

"I sorry about all of this," Richard apologised, giving her a sheepish smile.

"It's alright," Rose assured him with a small forced smile. "Things like this aren't exactly uncommon in my life."

"So the rumours say," Richard teased lightly. "So… how is Private Smith? I'm afraid I haven't seen him since I was released from the hospital."

"He's doing well," Rose informed Richard in a happier tone. "The skin regrowing treatments they used even got him back to normal without much scarring."

"I was hoping that," Richard answered with a grin, "They worked so well on me, but his burns were..." he trailed off with a grimace.

"Were worse," Rose finished with a small shudder at the memory. A sick feeling churning in her stomach as she realised that she'd be back in that corridor in just a few seconds. "But he's good," she added with a nod.

The lift stopped and the doors opened with a soft ding. Stepping out, Rose gasped softly as she nearly walked through a miniature aurora borealis in the middle of the corridor. She looked around only to see the white walls of the corridors were nearly glowing with shimmering colours of every shade in almost random designs while the corridor itself was filled with small ribbons of multicoloured lights.

"Wow," Rose breathed in awe, attributing her sudden light headiness to the strange and beautiful sight. "This is…" she trailed off as she slumped against a wall and the world faded away even as the lights remained clear in her mind.