Thanks to mattw2017, Charmed2100, NicoleR85 for following/faving my story.
NicoleR85: thanks! Glad you like the new version.
The future isn't certain. It can change as quickly and swiftly as the wind changes direction. Anything can affect the it…turning left instead of right…or leaf falling off a tree…
For me it was going to my best friend's flat to pick up my sketch book. That's when I met the Doctor. I didn't know it at the time but from the moment I met him, my life was going to change…
~Powell Estate: 2005~
Imogen knocked on the front door and Jackie Tyler opened it. "Hello Imogen", she greeted.
"Hi Jackie. I'm not disturbing you am I?" Imogen asked noticing that the blonde woman was still in her bathrobe.
"No, you're not. I was about to get dressed", Jackie said. She stepped aside allowing the teen entrance. "Rose is in the kitchen. Make yourself at home", the woman said.
"Will do, thanks Jackie", Imogen said. She headed off down the hall and stopped in the doorway. In the living room a man wearing a leather jacket. He was flicking through her sketch book singing a couple of lines from Luck by a lady. "See anything you like?" Imogen spoke up.
The man turned around. "Quite a few things actually", he replied "whoever this Imogen is, she's pretty talented".
"Thanks", Imogen said "mum suggested that I should take it up as a career. But I don't know…I think I want to travel…see the world a bit…" Imogen trailed off "I'm sorry, I don't know why I'm telling you that. I don't even know you, no offense".
"None taken. And people can't help telling me things. I've just got one of those faces", the man said with a grin.
Imogen let out of laugh "right! Of course you are".
"Oh, Imogen I didn't know you were here", Rose suddenly spoke up through the hole in the wall.
"Your mum let me in", Imogen answered.
"I'm making a coffee. Want one?" Rose asked. Imogen politely declined saying that she already had one. "Ok", Rose said turning back to the kettle.
Imogen turned back to the mystery man. "So what's your name then?" she asked.
"The Doctor", he replied. Imogen didn't comment on his 'name' though it was a bit strange. If that was the name he preferred to give then she wasn't going to force him to tell her his actual name.
"And what are you doing here Doctor?" Imogen asked. The Doctor was about to answer her when they heard a scuttling behind the sofa "Rose I think another stray has gotten in", Imogen called leaning over the sofa to have a look. She gave a yelp when a plastic arm leaped out and latches itself around her neck. She stumbled back from the force of the arm leaping out at her from behind the sofa. The Doctor rushed over to pry its fingers away from her throat as the brunette gasped for air.
She fell back onto the sofa, the Doctor practically falling on top of her as he was still trying to remove the plastic arm which seemed unwilling to relinquish its vice like grip of Imogen's neck. Rose came in carrying two mugs of coffee "I told Mickey to chuck that out", she said seeing the arm but taking no notice of the fact that it was trying to kill her best friend while the Doctor was attempting to help her "honestly give a man a plastic hand…" Rose set the mugs onto the table at the same time as the Doctor managed to yank the arm away from Imogen.
It flies across the room then seemed to turn in mid-air and go for Rose. Before it could even grab her by the face, an object collided with it sending the arm across the room. It was Imogen's sketchbook. Rose sat beside Imogen and rubbed her back as she coughed. The Doctor lunged for the arm as it tried to scuttle across the floor. He trapped it in his arms struggling to get his sonic screwdriver out from his pocket. The Doctor eventually managed it and used the tool on the arm.
"It's all right, I've stopped it", he said assured them. The Doctor tossed it to Rose "there you go, you see? Armless".
"Do you think?" Rose asked getting up and smacking him with it.
"Ow!" the Doctor exclaimed rubbing his arm.
"How can you joke when that thing almost killed Imogen?" the blonde girl said crossly.
"You alright?" the Doctor asked Imogen having the decency to look concerned. Imogen nodded rubbing her sore throat. She knew he didn't mean for her to be strangled by the plastic arm. She didn't blame him at all. "See she's fine" the Doctor said taking the arm from Rose "nice to meet you Imogen" he added.
"Likewise", Imogen said her voice slightly hoarse from being strangled by the arm.
Without another word the Doctor left the flat. Rose and Imogen exchanged a look before running after him. "Hold on a minute. You can't just go swanning off", Rose said hurrying down the stairs after the Doctor, Imogen close behind.
"Yes I can", the Doctor said "Here I am, this is me, swanning off. See ya!"
"But that arm was moving", Rose said "It tried to kill Imogen".
"Ten out of ten for observation", the Doctor said sarcastically.
"You can't just walk away", Rose said not about to let this go. First she gets attacked by plastic dummies in Henricks and then her best friend is almost strangled to death by a plastic arm! She wanted answers and this Doctor bloke was going to give them to her. "That's not fair. You've got to tell us what's going on", Rose almost demanded.
"No, I don't", the Doctor replied still going down the stairs.
"All right, then. I'll go to the police. I'll tell everyone. You said, if I did that, I'd get people killed. So, your choice. Tell me, or I'll start talking", Rose said as they left the block of flats.
"Is that supposed to sound tough?" the Doctor asked
"Hate to break it to you Rose but that didn't sound tough at all", Imogen said from behind them.
"Who are you?" Rose asked walking next to the Doctor.
"Told you. The Doctor", the Time Lord replied.
"Yeah, but Doctor what?" Rose questioned. Unlike hers and Imogen's name, 'The Doctor' wasn't a normal name. For anybody. Yes, there were some medical professionals who had the title of Doctor but even they'd have their surname attached to it like…Doctor Smith or Doctor Jones.
Imogen sped up so she was walking in step with Rose and the Doctor "I'm just curious. Why did that plastic arm attack us?" she asked.
"It wasn't after you two, it was after me", the Doctor answered "Last night in the shop, you blundered in…" he looked at the blonde pointedly "almost ruined the whole thing".
"You're the reason Henricks went Kaboom?" Imogen questioned.
"Yes he is", Rose replied. As much as she didn't really like working there, it was the only decent job she could get. Now she doesn't even have that and it's all thanks to the Doctor.
"So what about me?" Imogen asked "I've never met you before today and yet it still attacked me".
"Wrong place, wrong time", the Doctor said with a shrug. He couldn't help think of his fallen friend, Niayah when he looked at Imogen. It was her eyes. They were violet just like the Time Lady's. he got a pang in his hearts as he thought about how Naiyah's eyes would light up at a new discovery or seem to shine when she took in the wonders of the universe. Though the last time he saw them they were full of sadness…pain…
"This plastic stuff. Who else knows about it?" Rose asked breaking through his thoughts and inadvertently putting the Doctor back on track with the situation at hand.
"No one", the Doctor replied.
"What, you're on your own?" Rose asked surprised.
"Well, who else is there?" The Doctor said "I mean, you lot all you do is eat chips, go to bed, and watch telly, while all the time, underneath you, there's a war going on".
"Ok then enlighten us. How did you stop that arm from moving?" Imogen questioned.
"The thing controlling it projects life into the arm. I cut off the signal, dead", the Doctor explained quickly.
"So that's radio control?" Rose asked.
"Thought control", the Doctor corrected.
"Who's controlling it, then?" Imogen queried.
"Long story", the Doctor said.
"But what's it all for?" Rose pressed. She had to know more "I mean, shop window dummies, what's that about? Is someone trying to take over Britain's shops?"
"No", the Doctor replied.
"I'd probably hazard a guess and say that they want to take over the world", Imogen surmised.
"Exactly", the Doctor agreed "Do you believe two me?"
"No", Rose replied as she stopped walking. Imogen stopped walking too while the Doctor continued on by himself.
"Yes", Imogen replied surprising Rose.
"Really, though, Doctor. Tell us, who are you?" the blonde girl asked. The Doctor stopped and turned around.
"You know when you're a kid and they tell you the earth if turning but you can't quite believe it because everything looks like it's standing still" the Doctor walked back to the girls "I can feel it. The turn of the Earth" he said. He then took Imogen's hand, intertwining his fingers with hers "The ground beneath our feet is spinning at a thousand miles an hour, and the entire planet is hurtling round the sun at sixty seven thousand miles an hour, and I can feel it" as the Doctor spoke, Imogen could've sworn that she felt the ground beneath her feet vibrate as if it was moving as fast as the Doctor said "We're falling through space, you and me, clinging to the skin of this tiny little world, and if we let go…" the Doctor released her hand "That's who I am. Now, forget me, Rose, Imogen. Go home".
The Doctor walked away from them heading back to his TARDIS. He entered the blue box and placed the arm on the console. As he worked on wiring it in to the console, in order to track down the source of the signal, his thoughts went back to Imogen. Slowly he reached into his pocket and brought out Naiyah's locket. He ran his thumb over the engraving, tears pricking his eyes as he did so. "I wish you were here", he whispered.
"So do you really believe the Doctor, Imogen? You don't think he's…I dunno…some kind of mad man?" Rose asked the brunette as they walked back to the Powell Estate.
"A mannequin arm tried to choke me to death a few minutes ago Rose", Imogen said "So yes, I believe him" she glanced at her friend "How come you don't believe him?"
"Well how can I?" Rose asked "living plastic", she muttered under her breath.
"Rose, you saw that arm attacking me. Don't forget, it tried to attack you too AND you were at Henricks as well when those dummies came to life", Imogen said "You have to at least consider the possibility that something strange is going on".
Rose could see that Imogen did have a point. With the shop dummies coming to life at Henricks and the arm attacking her friend, it did seem like there was something going on. She just was a little hesitant to believe what the Doctor said about a war going on beneath their feet. "Ok, fine I admit that there is something going on", Rose confessed "but there's nothing we can do about it".
Imogen raised a brow "Says who? The Doctor?" she asked.
"He did tell us to go home and to forget about him", Rose pointed out "But I know you're not going to…" she sighed.
"You know me too well Rosie", Imogen said.
"Unfortunately I do" Rose sighed again "Ok, where do we start?"
Imogen's smile grew when Rose said 'we'. That meant she was going to help her find out whats going on. "The one place that always has weird stuff…the internet", she answered "My house is a bit too far away and I got the bus here... what about Mickey? Does he have a computer?"
"Yes he does", Rose confirmed "Let's go see if he's home".
"Hey, hey, here's my woman", Mickey cheerfully said when he opened the door to see her girlfriend. "And Imogen. What a nice surprise", he added less cheerfully as the brunette followed Rose in.
"Hiya Mickey! Just come to borrow your computer", Imogen said heading to his bedroom where Rose told her Mickey's computer was.
"You don't mind do you?" Rose asked.
"Of course not", he replied "Just don't read my emails", Mickey called after his girlfriend as she headed towards his bedroom.
"Like we'd want to read your emails!" Imogen shouted back.
Rose stepped into the bedroom to see the brunette at the computer, typing away. "That's a lot of results", she commented seeing the large number of results come up for the word 'Doctor'.
"Yep", Imogen agreed "We need to narrow it down". She typed in 'Doctor Living Plastic'. Those three words came up with less results but it was still far too many. She looked at the screen for a moment before she had a thought. "I wonder…" she murmured before typing in 'Doctor Blue Box' into the search bar.
"Blue box?" Rose asked giving her a curious look.
"There was a blue police box on the street corner while we were talking to the Doctor", Imogen said glancing up at her "But when we ran around the corner after hearing that weird noise, it was gone".
"You think there's a connection between it and the Doctor?" Rose asked presuming that's what Imogen was thinking.
"Maybe", Imogen said clicking on the search button. This time there were far fewer results, less than 500. The result at the top of the page looked promising.
Doctor Who? … do you know this man contact Clive here.
Imogen clicked on the site and a page popped up with an extremely fuzzy picture of the Doctor. She then clicked on the 'contact Clive' link underneath the image.
It was safe to say that Mickey wasn't entirely happy about taking Rose and Imogen to visit Clive. Imogen pointed out that she would've driven them except her car was in the garage. "You're not coming in. He's safe. He's got a wife and kids", Rose said getting out the yellow car.
"Yeah, who told you that?" Mickey asked "He did. That's exactly what an internet lunatic murderer would say".
"Relax Mickey I'm going to be there so nothing is going to happen to Rose", Imogen assured him as she got out of the car. A young boy opened the door after Rose knocked on it.
"Hello, we've come to see Clive", Rose said potently
"It's about the Doctor", Imogen added.
"Dad! It's a couple of your nutters!" the boy called. Moments later a middle age man appeared at the door.
"Oh, sorry. Hello. You must be Rose and Imogen. I'm Clive, obviously", Clive said, introducing himself.
"I'd better tell you now. My boyfriend's waiting in the car, just in case you try to kill us", Rose said.
"No, good point. No murders", Clive agreed. He waved at Mickey who nods back.
"Who is it?" a woman called from upstairs.
"Oh, it's something to do with the Doctor. They've been reading the website", Clive called back. He turned to the girls "Please, come through. I'm in the shed".
Rose and Imogen followed Clive out into the garden to the shed. Blimey he needs to get a different hobby…probably one that's less obsessive Imogen thought as she stepped into the shed seeing all the various bits and pieces on the walls and covering the tables. "A lot of this stuff's quite sensitive. I couldn't just send it to you. People might intercept it, if you know what I mean" Clive explained to the girls "If you dig deep enough and keep a lively mind, this Doctor keeps cropping up all over the place" he pulled out a thick blue file and turned back around to face Rose and Imogen "Political diaries, conspiracy theories, even ghost stories" he placed the file on top of a stack of books and opened it "No first name, no last name, just the Doctor. Always the Doctor. And the title seems to have been passed down from father to son. It appears to be an inheritance", Clive explained as he showed them around. He pointed to the computer screen where a photograph of the Doctor was displayed. "That's your Doctor there, isn't it?" he asked.
"That's him", Imogen confirmed.
"I tracked it down to the Washington public archive last year. The online photo's enhanced, but if we look at the original…" Clive pulled out a set photographs from the folder. Imogen frowned as he showed the photo's to them, pointing the Doctor out in the crowd. He looked exactly the same as he did when they met him.
"November 22nd 1963…" Clive said.
"Assassination of President Kennedy", Imogen murmured. She'd paid particular attention in school when it came to history as it had always interested her.
"It must be his father", Rose said looking at the photo.
"Going further back...April 1912" Clive brought over a photo album and showed the girls a black and white photograph "this is a photo of the Daniels family, Southampton. And friend" he points to the Doctor wearing clothing typical of the time period. Once again he looked exactly the same. This is impossible. Who exactly is this Doctor? Imogen thought staring at the photo. "This was taken the day before they were due to sail off for the New World. On the Titanic. And for some unknown reason, they cancelled the trip and survived. And…" Clive showed them a sketch of the Doctor. Again he looked identical to the other photographs. "1883. Another Doctor. And look – same lineage. He's identical. This one washed up on the coast of Sumatra on the very day Krakatoa exploded. The Doctor is a legend woven throughout history. When disaster comes, he's there. He brings the storm in his wake and he has one constant companion".
"Who's that?" Rose asked.
"Death" Rose and Imogen exchanged looks at those words.
Outside Clive's house, Mickey shift's in the driver's seat of his car, bored. He looks around at the quiet street unaware of the wheelie bin that was shuffling towards his car.
"If the Doctor's back…if you've seen him, Rose…Imogen… then one thing's for certain. We're all in danger", Clive continued looking at the pair seriously.
~outside~
Mickey glanced at Clive's house wondering if he should go get Rose and Imogen as they'd been in there for some time. A noise causes him to turn his attention away from the house. That was when he noticed the black wheelie bin close to his car. He was pretty sure that was further away when he parked. He was about to look back at Clive's house when he saw the bin start to move. Mickey stared as it shuffled even closer to his car. He gets out of his car and goes to the now stationary bin, looking around it to see if he could find out what was making it move. He didn't see anything.
Thinking it was possibly some kid messing around he quickly lifted up the lid. It was empty.
~Clive's shed~
"If he's singled the two of you out… if the Doctor's making house calls…then God help you", Clive said to Rose and Imogen, still a very serious look on his face.
~outside~
Mickey closed the bin confused. something had to be moving the bin. They don't just move around on their own but there wasn't anyone inside the bin and there wasn't anything, that he could see, on the outside of the bin which would explain how it moved.
He shook his head. Maybe he was just seeing things. Mickey stepped away from the bin and was surprise to find that his hands wouldn't move. He pulled them but they wouldn't budge. They seemed to be stuck to the bin. Mickey took several steps backward pulling even harder in an attempt to free his hands. The bin stretches as he pulled, unwilling to let him go.
Suddenly Mickey was yanked towards the bin whose lid opens up. The wheelie bin pulls him inside, shutting its lid with a satisfied burp.
~Clive's shed~
"Who do you think he is Clive?" Imogen asked curious to know his thoughts about the Doctor.
"I think he's the same man. I think he's immortal. I think he's an alien from another world", Clive answered. Imogen could tell by his eyes that he truly believed what he was saying. And it made her wonder, was Clive really a nutter or was he telling the truth?
"You know I think we should do something tonight, the three of us", Rose suggested as she got into the car completely unaware that the Mickey in the driver's seat wasn't the real one.
"Like what?" Imogen asked buckling herself in. Judging Rose's face when Clive told them about the Doctor, it was clear that she thought he was mental. She didn't blame the blonde for wanting to do something normal to get her mind off the last hour. Though, she rather wanted to sit at home with a cup of tea and go over everything she'd learned and the Doctor.
"How about getting a pizza?" Rose suggested.
"Sure", Imogen replied. She should've said no but since this was Rose asking…and considering what the blonde had been through the night before…
She couldn't say no.
"Mickey?" Rose asked.
Pizzaa! Yeah" he started the car "P-p-pizza!"
Imogen and Rose clutched their seats as Mickey drove down the road weaving all over the place.
~restaurant~
Imogen sat in the restaurant trying hard not to stare at Mickey but she couldn't help it. There was something really off about him. He hadn't seemed like himself since Clive's house. If the terrible driving to the restaurant was any indication, she would probably go as far as saying that this wasn't Mickey. A little disturbed by that thought, the brunette found herself wishing that the Doctor would turn up.
Rose, on the other hand, chatted away to Mickey completely oblivious to the fact that there was anything wrong. "Do you think I should try the hospital? Suki said they had jobs going in the canteen"
"I could ask at the bookshop. They might have jobs going", Imogen offered turning her attention to her friend.
"You'd really do that?" Rose asked.
"I wouldn't have offered if I wasn't going to do it", Imogen told her "Besides I'd be letting you down in the best friend department if I didn't help you look for a new job". Rose leant over and gave Imogen a hug which was slightly awkward due to the distance between them at the table.
"So, where did you meet this Doctor?" Mickey asked suddenly gaining their attention "Because I reckon it started back at the shop, am I right? Was he something to do with that?"
"No", Imogen quickly answered. She was pretty sure that Rose hadn't told him anything about meeting the Doctor or his involvement in the shop. She most certainly didn't tell him anything about it.
"Sort of", Rose said.
"What was he doing there?" Mickey questioned.
"I'm not going on about it, Mickey", Rose insisted "Really, I'm not, because, I know it sounds daft…but I don't think it's safe. I think he's dangerous".
"But you can trust me, sweetheart, Babe, sugar, babe, sugar" Imogen stared at him when it sounded like he glitched "You can tell me anything. Tell me about the Doctor and what he's planning, and I can help you, Rose. Because that's all I really want to do, sweetheart, babe, babe, sugar, sweetheart".
"What're you doing that for?" Rose asked starting to get the feeling something was wrong.
"Your champagne", the waiter said in a familiar northern accent. Imogen glanced up and sure enough the Doctor was standing there holding a bottle of champagne. He put a finger to his lips and she nodded knowing that he didn't want her to give him away.
"We didn't order any champagne", Mickey said not looking away from Rose. He grabbed her hand, pinning it to the table "Where's the Doctor?" he demanded.
Imogen bit her lip so she didn't say anything really hoping that whatever the Doctor was going to do, it was going to be soon. "Ma'am you champagne", the Doctor said holding the bottle out to Rose. Imogen watched her friend wave him off.
"It's not ours…Mickey, what is it? What's wrong?"
"Doesn't anybody want this champagne?" the Doctor asked again. Mickey, exasperated, raises his eyes to look at the waiter for the first time saying
"Look, we didn't order an…" he cut off when he realised that the waiter was actually the Doctor "Ah. Gotcha".
The Doctor shook the champagne "Don't mind me. I'm just toasting three good friends. On the house!" he aimed the bottle at 'Mickey' and released the cork. Both Imogen and Rose watched as the cork was absorbed into 'Mickey's' forehead. He then spat it out before standing up. Imogen pulled Rose back as Mickey smashed the table in with his hands that he'd turned into clubs. The Doctor grabs Mickey and after a moment of struggling, he pulled off his head.
That made the other customers freak out. Rose raced to the fire alarm by the door and triggered it. "Everyone out! Out now! Get out!" she shouted. Customers get up from their tables and race for the front doors as 'Mickey' flailed around having lost his head.
"Come on! Move!" Imogen shouted ushering the last customers out the door. She, the Doctor and Rose hurry through the kitchen with 'Mickey' chasing after them. The trio burst out of the rear exit, the Doctor quickly shutting the door and locking it with his sonic screwdriver. While he does that, Rose runs to a set of padlocked gates "Open the gate! Use that tube thing. Come on!" she said tugging the padlock.
"Nah. Tell you what, let's go in here", the Doctor said going past Imogen, who had been staring at the blue box the second they exited the restaurant, to unlock the door. He pushed the door open and stepped inside. Imogen followed him in and her mouth dropped open. It was bigger on the inside!
The Doctor watches Imogen as she circled the room taking everything in. He could tell by the look on her face that she was in complete awe of the place. She lightly touched the console, the lights brightening a fraction, not that the brunette noticed. The Doctor did though. He also heard the happy hum his ship emitted the second Imogen stepped in. the TARDIS was clearly happy to see the human. But why? What was it about her that made his ship react that way?
"It's amazing!" Imogen exclaimed breaking him out of his thoughts.
"You think this is amazing, wait till you see the rest of it", the Doctor told her.
"There's more?" Imogen asked a look of surprise on her face.
"Yep", the Doctor replied.
"Fantastic!" Imogen said smiling taking another look around the room. The Doctor had to grin at the way she was taking everything in. He loved it! Someone who was amazed by the TARDIS, not seeming to be overwhelmed by the fact that it was bigger on the inside…it was a refreshing change…in a way. Though he hoped she was going to make a remark that it was 'bigger on the inside'. He always loved it when they did that.
Rose suddenly rushed in, shouting "It's going to follow us!"
"The assembled hoards of Genghis Khan couldn't get through that door, and believe me, they've tried", the Doctor said calmly as he attached 'Mickey's' head to the console.
"What are you doing Doctor?" Imogen asked finally noticing him doing something with Mickey's head.
"You know I mentioned about the arm receiving a signal?" he asked her.
"Via thought control", Imogen said recalling what he'd told them earlier.
"Yes", the Doctor said "Well the arm was too simple, but the head's perfect", he explained.
"You're using the head to find the source of the signal", Imogen guessed.
"Yep", the Doctor said before turning to Rose "Right. Where do you want to start?" he asked assuming that they had questions about the TARDIS.
"The inside's bigger than the outside?" Rose asked still not quite believing it.
"Yes", the Doctor replied.
"It's alien", Rose stated.
"Yeah", the Doctor confirmed.
"Are you alien?" Rose questioned.
"Yes", the Doctor answered.
"But you look human", Imogen pointed out.
"No you look Time Lord. We came first", the Doctor corrected her.
"Time Lord? Is that your species?" the brunette asked, fascinated. This was the first time that she'd met an alien. At first glance she never suspected him of being one seeing as he looked like…well…a human.
"Yes it is. It's called the TARDIS, this thing. T.A.R.D.I.S. That's Time and Relative Dimension in Space", the Doctor explained. Rose then burst into tears. Imogen went over and hugged her.
"Did they kill him? Mickey? Did they kill Mickey? Is he dead?" Rose asked through her tears.
"Oh. I didn't think of that", the Doctor said. Rose stepped away from Imogen and glared at him
"He's my boyfriend. You pulled off his head. They copied him and you didn't even think?" Rose said angrily.
That was when Imogen noticed the head was melting. "Um…Doctor? The head's melting", she said.
"Oh, no, no, no, no, no!" he exclaimed running around the console pushing buttons and flicking switches.
"What are you doing?!" Rose demanded as the TARDIS started to shake and a wheezing noise filled the room.
"Reviving the signal, it's fading! Wait I've got it…" the Doctor glanced at the screen "No, no, no, no, no, no, NO!" Rose and Imogen grabbed hold of the railing tightly as the shaking grew worse "Almost there. Almost there. Here we go!"
After a few moments the wheezing and shaking stopped. "You can't go out there, it's not safe!" Rose called after the Doctor who'd just run out of the TARDIS. "Imogen!" she shouted after her friend who quickly followed the man out of the box without any hesitation.
The violet eyed girl was surprised to see that they were on the Thames Embankment. "I lost the signal. I was so close", the Doctor told her as Rose hesitantly stepped out of the TARDIS.
"We've moved", Rose stated seeing that their surroundings had changed "does it fly?"
"Disappears there and reappears here. You wouldn't understand", the Doctor replied.
"What happened to that headless thing? Did it melt with the head?" Rose questioned.
"Yes", the Doctor answered.
"What's a police public call box?" Imogen asked looking at the exterior of the TARDIS.
"It's a telephone box from the 1950s", the Doctor replied patting the box "It's a disguise".
"It's a bit conspicuous", Imogen remarked "Doesn't she attract attention?"
"Not really. If you put a mysterious blue box slap bang in the middle of town what would people do?" the Time Lord asked. Before Imogen could answer he continued "they'd walk right past it".
"Someone would've taken notice", Imogen said.
"Highly unlikely", the Doctor scoffed "Would you have taken notice of a police box from the 50's?"
"Actually I did", Imogen said, surprising the Time Lord "I noticed her on the street corner when we were talking this morning".
"You're more observant than most people", the Doctor commented. That made another refreshing change. Observant and not weirded out by the TARDIS. He was strange feeling aside, he was starting to like this girl.
"Mum's a journalist. I picked up a few things from her", Imogen said with a shrug.
"You called the TARDIS a she", the Doctor said "Why?"
"It just felt right. Besides all earth ships are female so I'm just guessing it's the same with alien ships too", Imogen explained. And there's another reason the Doctor thought. She immediately called the TARDIS a 'she' where most people would say 'it'.
"I'll have to tell his mother that he's dead" Rose said quietly causing the Doctor and Imogen to look at her.
"He could still be alive Rose", Imogen said trying to look on the bright side.
"You think so Imogen?" Rose asked her hopeful.
"Absolutely", Imogen replied without hesitation.
"Who are you two talking about?" the Doctor asked.
"Mickey", Rose replied.
"You know, the guy who was replaced with the plastic copy?" Imogen elaborated.
"Oh…him", the Doctor said in a tone that told both girls he wasn't that bothered.
"You forgot him? Again?" Rose said angrily.
"Look, if I did forget some kid called Ricky…" the Doctor began.
"Mickey", Rose corrected him.
"It's because I'm trying to save the life of every stupid ape…" the Time Lord continued
"Hey!" Imogen protested taking offence to his comment about her species.
"…Blundering on top of this planet, alright?"
"Alright!" Rose shouted.
"Yes! It is!" the Doctor shot back. Rose shook her head in disbelief.
"If you're an alien, how come you sound like you're from the North?" Imogen asked after a few moments of tense silence.
"Lots of planets have a North", the Doctor replied folding his arms indignantly, looking away.
"So…this living plastic. What has it got against us?" Imogen questioned.
"Nothing. It loves you", the Doctor replied "You've got such a good planet. Lots of smoke and oil, plenty of toxins and dioxins in the air…perfect. Just what the Nestene Consciousness needs. It's food stock was destroyed in the war, all its protein plants rotted, so Earth…dinner!"
"Any way of stopping it?" Rose asked.
"Anti-plastic", the Doctor replied holding up a vial of blue liquid. "But first I've got to find it. How can you hide something that big in a city this small?"
"Hide what?" Rose and Imogen asked together.
"The transmitter", the Doctor answered "The Consciousness is controlling every single piece of plastic, so it needs a transmitter to boost the signal".
"What's it look like?" Imogen asked.
"Like a transmitter. A huge circular metal structure like a dish, like a wheel. Radial. Close to where we're standing", the Doctor said facing them. Imogen looked at the London Eye which fitted his description perfectly. She nudged Rose and gestured to the landmark when she looked at her. The blonde's eyes widened in realisation as she looked at the London Eye.
"What?" the Doctor asked turning around to see what the girls are staring at but doesn't make the connection. He turns around to look at what their staring at again, still he doesn't get it. "What is it?" he asked confused.
Imogen sighed and turned him around to face the London Eye "huge metal circular structure…"
"Oh. Fantastic!" the Doctor said when it finally dawned on him what the two girls were looking at. For the second time that day, the Doctor took hold of Imogen's hand. Then they ran.
The Doctor and Imogen race across the London Bridge towards the London Eye, Rose close behind them. The Time Lord couldn't help but smile at the situation. Here he was running to save the Earth…again, hand in hand with someone. He could've taken Rose's hand but no, he took Imogen's. Again.
It doesn't take the trio long to reach the landmark, where Rose discovers the entrance to the Nestene Chamber.
"The Nestene Consciousness. That's it, inside the vat. A living plastic creature", the Doctor explains as to the girls as they see a large vat filled with liquid plastic while they're descending the metal steps.
"Well, then. Tip in your anti-plastic and let's go", Rose said.
"I'm not here to kill it. I've got to give it a chance", the Doctor told her. They descended another set of steps where the Doctor leans over the railing at the bottom to address the Nestene Consciousness. "I seek audience with the Nestene Consciousness under peaceful contract according to convention 15 of the Shadow Proclamation". Imogen and Rose watched the gloop wobble around as if it was answering the Doctor. "Thank you. If I might have permission to approach?"
Rose looked over the other side and spotted Mickey on a lower level. The Doctor rolls his eyes as she runs over to him. "Imogen you were right! They kept him alive!" she said happily crouching down beside a terrified Mickey.
"Yeah, that was always a possibility. Keep him alive to maintain the copy", the Doctor stated.
"You knew? Why didn't you say anything?" Imogen asked following him down one level lower than Rose and Mickey.
"Can we keep the domestics outside, thank you?" the Doctor said to her.
"Rude", Imogen muttered. She hung back on the steps as the Doctor spoke to the Nestene.
"If I might observe, you infiltrated this civilisation by means of warp shunt technology. So, may I suggest, with the greatest respect, that you shunt off?"
Not sure insulting a vat of goop is the best idea Imogen thought as a frowny face appeared in the goop, making angry noises "Oh, don't give me that. It's an invasion, plain and simple. Don't talk about constitutional rights" the Consciousness reared what appeared to be its 'head' angrily "I…am…talking! This planet is just starting. These stupid little people have only just learnt how to walk, but they're capable of so much more. I'm asking you on their behalf. Please, just go"
"Doctor!" Imogen shouted as two dummies came up behind him. But before he could do anything, they grabbed him.
"That was just insurance. I wasn't going to use it. I was not attacking you", he insisted after one of them removed the anti-plastic from his pocket. Imogen watched a door slide back to reveal the TARDIS.
"What's happening?" Imogen asked as the stuff in the liquid continued to roar.
"It's the TARDIS! The Nestene's identified its superior technology. It's terrified. It's going to the final phase. It's starting the invasion! Imogen run!"
"I'm not leaving you", she said.
"Imogen please go!" the Doctor pleaded the Nestene started the invasion.
"No", she said adamantly. There was no way she was going to run off on the Doctor now, not when he was in trouble. Imogen glanced around, desperately looking for something…anything that could help. She brightened when her gaze fell upon that very thing she'd been searching for.
"There's nothing you can do Imogen", Mickey shouted at her as she ran up the stairs.
Imogen ignored him, snatching up the emergency axe and hurried to where a chain was attached to the wall by a rope. She hesitated for a moment until she heard the Doctor shout. Imogen glanced down at him and her eyes widened seeing how close he was to the edge. She turned back to the chain, with a determined look in her eyes. Imogen quickly hacked through the rope, freeing the chain.
She gripped the chain tightly and took several deep breaths to psych herself up. "Geronimo", she muttered before she stepped off the edge. The teen swung down, kicking the one of the dummies into the vat. Now partly freed, the Doctor was able to toss the other one in. The vial of anti-plastic also falls in causing the Nestene Consciousness to writhe and scream.
"Imogen!" the Doctor shouted grabbing her as she swung back "Now we're in trouble", he added as parts of the Nestene chamber starts to explode. The pair dash to the TARDIS where Rose and Mickey were now huddled. The Doctor quickly unlocked the blue box and they all hurry in.
When the TARDIS appeared on the Embankment, Mickey rushed out eager to get away from the blue box and the Doctor. Rose goes over to him to calm him down. The Doctor leans against the TARDIS "Nestene Consciousness?" he snaps his fingers "Easy".
Imogen put her hands on her hips, raising an eyebrow "oh really? You'd be dead if it wasn't for me", she said.
"Yes, I would…", he admitted "Thank you" he paused for a moment before speaking again "Right then, I'll be off, unless, uh…I don't know…you could come with me", he offered.
"You're offering me a ride in your ship?" Imogen asked.
"Yep", the Doctor replied popping the p "This box isn't just a London hopper, you know. It goes anywhere in the universe free of charge".
"Count me in", Imogen said enthusiastically. She turned to Rose "you coming?" she asked.
Rose shook her head "Sorry Imogen I can't", she said rather reluctantly "I've got to go and find my mum and someone's got to look after this stupid lump" Mickey wrapped his arms around her legs.
"Doctor your box wouldn't happen to be a time machine would it?" Imogen asked recalling what the TARDIS stood for.
"It is", the Doctor replied going into the TARDIS. Imogen goes to the blue box but pauses at the entrance to briefly glance back at Rose. When she'd gone into the TARDIS Rose turned to her boyfriend and kissed him on the cheek.
"Thanks", Rose said.
"Thanks for what?" Mickey asked confused.
"Exactly", Rose replied with a smile. She ran into the TARDIS while her still confused boyfriend watched.