Hi, everybody!
I hope lockdown isn't too much for you and that you have something to keep you busy. For my part I still have classes and study to the max, and in my free time I try to keep myself busy and enjoy it. I've picked up my graphics tablet and I'm trying to get back into graphic design; I've started writing the next chapter and chapter 7 of my other story. And playing Animal Crossing New Horizons :D (this game is just awesome !)
Anyway, lots of activity during these difficult times.
I hope you won't be too hard on this chapter in terms of mistakes, because this is the original chapter and it hasn't been fixed yet. It is currently being corrected by my Beta, but it takes time, as she's too studying and continues to have classes. As soon as I have the corrected chapter I'll change it immediately to the new version.
Suggest that everything was perfect in the Tardis would be a lie. Yes indeed, I was living a great love pleasure with the Doctor; even if we were keeping our relationship secret from Rose and Mickey. Mickey was sort of my new 'Jack', although the big brother and flirting thing was exclusive to the Captain, but Mickey was a good friend and I shared some nice jokes and great times with him, Rose who had not been happy about him coming on the Tardis sometimes seemed to forget that he was there with us, the Doctor too. And my relationship with Rose was... how can I explain it?
Let's just say we were small-scale replicators of the Cold War. We were looking at each other with cold, black eyes, ignoring each other as much as possible; and we were ready to bust out at the first sign of an argument. I was still mad at her for the slap she gave me. I kept all this anger hidden deep inside me; and sometimes I had the strange feeling of hearing a whispering voice in the deepest part of my mind, whispering to me, murmuring to me, muttering to me, susuring to me to let me go, to ravage everything, to annihilate the one who caused me pain, to abandon myself entirely in this nameless rage and fury... during those moments I was terrified. Scared of myself and the idea that I could let myself go. Scared of that voice that seemed to reflect the darkest ribs of my Being. But in those dark moments that haunted me, the Doctor would suddenly stand by my side, like a salvation light. And he would bring me back to the reality without knowing it, he would muffle that voice until I could no longer hear it and all my dark thoughts and desires for chaos would be just a simple bad memory. In the end it all ended for the best, but I knew that one day it would no longer be the case.
Anyway, as water boiled for tea and I waited for my piece of toast to finish grilling, I could hear the laughs from Rose and the Doctor coming emanating from the console room. My toast finally jumped out of the toaster, hot and crisp as I liked it; and I poured the water into my mug. Tea infused while I buttered my toast and walked to the console room, mug in hand and toast in mouth.
As I got there, I saw Rose and the Doctor remembering an adventure as Mickey watched them with a finger stuck on a button. I immediately frowned when I saw that Mickey's arm was shaking a bit because of the strain. After eating the last bite of my toast, I walked down the stairs and made my presence evident.
"Mickey, I think you can leave that button alone. Judging by what I saw, the Doctor completely forgot you." I said as I took a sip of my tea and glancing blankly at the sitting duo.
"Since when I could stop?" Mickey asked after he got his arm back.
The Doctor stammered looking for the right words, hoping not to cause a problem by revealing that Mickey could have let go of the button from the very beginning.
"You've just forgotten Mickey, Doctor!" I growled severely as I put my mug on the ground and folded my arms. "And you, Rose, why are you standing there chewing your thumb and giggling? He's your boyfriend! Have some respect for him! Ever since he arrived on the Tardis you've treated him like he was nothing! That's not an acceptable conduct, especially from you, Doctor!"
The Doctor and Rose had the decency to be sorry.
"Sorry..." Apologised the Doctor. "But I know what I was doing!" He tried in vain. "I was calibrating, everything was perfect!"
And to prove otherwise, the console exploded suddenly and violently. Sparks and flames erupted. The heat grazed and licked my face and I narrowly avoided a burn on my face. The Doctor knelt down in front of the console and frantically tried to get the Tardis working while Rose, Mickey and I gripped onto the nearest and most stable thing in the room. The lights were flickering as the console made a very strange noise as everything flipped and shook suddenly.
"What's happened ?" Rose asked.
"The Time Vortex is gone! It can't be!" Exclaimed the Doctor with alarm. "It's just gone! Brace yourselves! We're gonna crash!"
A much more brutal shock tilted the room and the trio took off backwards onto the fence while I accidentally released the coral pillar and my back and head met the walls of the room with its round things. I groan in the pain at the meeting and look up and squint to see as the light vanished, plunging everyone into darkness. I could smell and see smoke coming out of the rotor and oxygen masks fell limply from the ceiling.
"Is everyone all right? Rose? Mickey? Alvia?!"
Mickey replied as did Rose, and I grunted to answer back. As I saw the others get up I observed with the Doctor, the console grinding as the engines cooled down. Smoke was replacing the light that usually came out of the rotor.
"She's dead..." Whispered the Doctor. "The Tardis is dead."
Rose tried to comfort the Doctor by saying he could fix it, but he replied that Sexy was absolutely dead.
"We can get help, yeah?" Rose tried again, as she followed the Doctor, pulling the masks off, which was hanging in the air.
"Where from?"
"Well, we've landed. We've gotta be somewhere."
What the Doctor said froze my blood and made me panic and choke for air.
"We fell out of the Vortex, through the Void, into nothingness. Sort of a no-place..."
No.
No god.
No god please, no. No.
No. Not there.
Not this place. Not again.
Anything but there.
Any place but that one. Not the Void, not the void. Not again. Please.
"The Silent Realm."
Flashes of memory of this place resurfaced with the madness that came with it. My hands gripped my skull painfully as I pressed my nails into the skin of my scalp. My eyes were wide open and yet I didn't seem to see anything.
"The Lost Dimension."
"Otherwise known as London," Mickey cut in with a laugh.
"SHUT UP!" I shouted unexpectedly.
This sudden and unforeseen outburst made everyone jump, including the Doctor. I curled a bit more in place as my body shook frantically in fright. The Doctor sprinted towards me before he stood at the same level, his hands grabbed mine to pull them away from my head and save me from more pain.
"Hey, hey, hey, I've got you. I've got you. Shh... Sh... Sh... Sh... you're not alone in there anymore. I'm right here with you. I'm here." Reassured the Doctor in my ear. "You're no longer locked into the Void."
A hand went to wipe away my tears and arms pressed me against a living, warm chest with beating hearts. I was breathing fast as the Doctor gently rubbed my back and whispered words of comfort to me.
"There... there... it's all right." He said, softly brushing my cheek with the palm of his hand. "Let's get some fresh air, shall we?"
My breaths gradually calmed down and my hands slipped and grabbed his suit jacket on the back. The Doctor kissed the side of my head as my eyes captured the light and the illusion of the silent and lonely darkness of the Void vanished from my mind.
A door creaking sounded, and I muttered slowly into the Doctor's chest.
"Don't apologize for having a panic attack... it's perfectly normal to have that reaction after what you've been through, and this is all my fault. I should have known you'd react like this." Said the Doctor softly, caressing my cheek with one finger.
He helped me to get up and walked with me on the way out. I clung to him, scared that if I let him go I would return to this living nightmare. The Doctor went to take his coat and mine, and we had to let each other go for a few moments, but the Doctor's hand went to take mine again and he pulled me close to him on the way out. My mind was still confused and alert. When we finally reached outside I was squinting at the sunlight.
"First of February of this year. Not that far, huh?!" Mickey laughed as he read a newspaper.
"So, this is London?" Asked the Doctor as he walked beside me.
"Yup."
"Your city? Your London?"
"That's the one."
"Just as we left it?"
"Bang on."
The Doctor raised his head to the sky, and so did I; staring with apprehension and slight panic at the zeppelins floating above us. I pressed the Doctor's hand a bit harder, and my other hand grasped the arm which was holding me, his thumb was rubbing the back of my hand in a small circular movement.
"And I assume that includes the zeppelins? " Continued the Doctor.
Rose and Mickey raised their heads together to see the massive floating objects. Mickey cursed as Rose marvelled and complimented the spectacle above our heads.
"Okay. So, London welcomes the International Zeppelin Festival." Mickey remarked as if it were normal.
"When they haven't been used since the early 20th century?" I asked a bit coldly.
"This is not your world." Added the Doctor as he released my hand and put his around my shoulders.
"But... if the date's the same..." Mickey looked confused. "It's parallel, right? Am I right? Like a parallel Earth where they've got zeppelins? Am I right?"
I clenched my teeth at the sudden appearance of excitement in Mickey's voice. There was absolutely nothing joyful about traveling from one world to another...
"Must be," Replied the Doctor, giving me a worried look.
"So, a parallel world where... " Intervened Rose with a distant voice.
She had spotted a billboard where her father was.
"Oh, come on. You've seen him in the movies! An alternative to our world where everything's the same but with a small difference. Like, I don't know, the red light's blue; Tony Blair was never elected..."
"A whole fictional universe coming to life..." I mumbled, catching Mickey's eye and the Doctor's worried gaze.
The Doctor brought my body a little closer to his.
"And where my dad is still alive..." Finally said Rose, looking at a billboard. "A parallel world where my father is still alive."
It was a picture with his father, the background was red with bubbles, it had Peter Tyler holding a pink bottle, the slogan and the name of the brand. And Rose walked towards it, determined, as if nothing else mattered; which slightly irritated the Doctor. And I could understand, since the disaster of the trip on Pete's death day, Rose had shown us a part of herself that slightly disturbed the Doctor and me. Everyone was attached to their parents, and that included me. But in Rose's case, it was almost an unhealthy obsession.
Rose grew up without her father and what Jackie told to her daughter had been slightly different from the truth; after all, it is best to tell the very best to someone who didn't know him. Jackie had done a good job of that, a bit too much, in fact. Rose had idealized her father and refused to see her father's bad points. The womanizer side, for example, which Jackie had once told me... or the fact that he sometimes stole other people's ideas... I'm not going to criticize him; a lot of people are like him.
"Don't look at it, Rose!" Exclaimed the Doctor as he pulled me along with him as he followed Rose. "Don't even think about it, this is not your world!"
"But he's my dad." She says, ignoring the Doctor's words, raising her hand to the poster to touch her father's face. "And..."
As soon as she put her fingers on the screen, the image started to move, and Peter Tyler's voice was heard saying, " Trust me on this."
"Oh, that's weird..." Comments Rose in comparison to the technology she doesn't have in her time. "But he' s real..."
The voice repeated the same slogan and the image moved, like a gif.
"He succeeded!" She rejoiced. "He planned all these silly schemes, healthy drinks and stuff. Everyone said it was useless. But he did it."
She spoke as if it was her father. But he wasn't, he wasn't her father. And the Doctor really wanted to get that through to Rose, make her understand. He let me go to stand up in front of Rose, grabbing her arms in a firm grip.
"Rose, if you ever trusted me, then listen to me now."
She glanced at the poster, attracted by the image of Peter Tyler.
"Stop looking at it! " He commanded suddenly. "Your father's dead. He died when you were six months old. That is not your Pete. This is a Pete. For all we know, he's got his own Jackie. His own Rose. His own daughter who's someone else, but not you. You can't see him! Not ever!"
Rose made a sad pout that hid her annoyance. The poster began to repeat itself and I moved towards it to turn it off, receiving a dark look from the blonde. But instead of ignoring it, I gave her back the glance, a glance perhaps even darker. I could see it in her eyes that she wanted to make people think that her situation was different, that she was mourning the loss of a parent and take advantage of this universe to meet the parent in question. But she was going to have to learn that between what we want and reality there is a huge pit. If she thought I couldn't understand how she felt, she was deeply wrong.
The Doctor apparently noticed that Rose hadn't fully integrated this information and he continued to repeat this for a few minutes. In the meantime, I talked to Mickey.
"Rose is obsessed with her father... I don't think she thought for a moment whether we had anything to tempt us here." I said quietly as I crossed my arms, not taking my eyes off the blonde's back.
"When we were young, she ended up getting the wrath of many of our friends by talking about her dead father over and over again when we discussed our family problems."
"Everybody's got them," I said, agreeing with Mickey. "Do you think anyone from your family might be here?"
"My grandma, maybe? I'd like to at least see her one last time, even if it's from a distance... and you?"
"My family..." I sighed. "It's 2006, correct? My grandfather hasn't discovered cancer yet, so..."
"I'm sorry... when did he die?"
"In 2015..." I said after thinking a bit, stretching myself slightly. "But hey... I didn't look to see if my parents existed in the other world, I certainly won't look for them here."
"Mickey! " Called suddenly the Doctor. "Keep an eye on Rose, I'm going back to the Tardis!"
And the Doctor quickly turned inside the Tardis. I preferred not to stay near Rose any longer and I followed the Doctor. He was pulling levers, pushing buttons frenetically. He was almost hurting himself to make Sexy alive again. I pulled him from the console, taking him in my arms as he turned the hug, pushing his head into my neck, to hide his grief. I whispered a few words of comfort before putting a hand on his cheek and kissing him gently, until Mickey walked suddenly into the Tardis. The Doctor stepped back, giving me one last look, and walked towards Mickey.
"I told you to keep an eye on her." Reprimand the Doctor.
"She's all right." Replied Mickey.
"She goes wandering off! " Scolded the Doctor, pointing at the TARDIS door. "Parallel world, it's like a gingerbread house! All those temptations."
"It's just Rose, then?" Mickey says offended. "Nothing to tempt me? Or Alvia?"
"Well, I don't know. I can't worry about everything! If this thing could..."
The Doctor kicked his foot against the console, as if that would make Sexy start again; and went to sit on the passenger seats.
"Did that help?"
"Yes."
"Did that hurt?"
"Yes. Ow..."
I sat down next to him, joined by Mickey, who moved against the console. The Doctor rubbed his foot through the fabric of his shoe. I leaned towards him slightly, looking up at the ceiling and he dropped his foot to wrap his arm around my shoulder and bring me closer to him, allowing me to rest my head against his shoulder.
"We're not mean to be here." Confessed the Doctor. "The Tardis draws its power from the universe, but we're in the wrong universe. It's like diesel in a petrol engine."
"But I've seen it in comics, people are hopping from one world to another... It's easy!" Says Mickey.
I let out a mocking snort, drawing attention to myself.
"Easy? I was in a violent road crash when I shifted to a different universe, I should have died... and believe me the transition through the Void isn't the happiest moment..." I confessed, remembering the incident, the fear of the crash and the terror of dying that I had felt at that time.
"You've never told me that before..." Whispered the Doctor sadly.
"I tend to avoid the past Doctor, especially when it comes to my old world... I'm many things, but nostalgic isn't really one of them."
There was a pause between us before Mickey broke it.
"So not easy to travel between worlds, huh?"
"Used to be, when the Time Lords kept their eye on everything. You could change realities and be home for tea. And now they are dead and took all their knowledge into their graves."
I took his hand wrapped around my shoulders and interlaced my fingers with his, rubbing my thumb in a comforting pattern.
"The walls of reality closed, the worlds were sealed. Everything became less kind..."
"Then how did we get here?" Asked Mickey.
"I don't know." Answered the Doctor honestly, rubbing his face with the other hand. "Accident? It should be impossible and now we're trapped."
Mickey sighed with abandon and the Doctor stood up unexpectedly, seeing something. I followed his look to examine under the wire fence. The Doctor wondered what that was. Under the heavy grating panels was a faint green light.
"Is it a reflection?" He asked as he checked the ceiling.
I crouched down and observed.
" No, that' s a light, Doctor. A light from your Tardis."
"That's all we need! We've got power, Alvia, Mickey! We've got power!" He exclaimed as he removed a panel. "Ah!"
The Doctor put the grid to one side and then jumped into the hole and pulled out the Tardis' cabling and important system circuitry.
"It's alive!" The Doctor shouted happily, throwing circuits to the sides.
"What is it?"
"Nothing. It's tiny. A tiny insignificant power cell that no one bothers about and it's clinging onto life!"
"It' s not so insignificant now, Doctor." I chuckled softly as the Doctor struggled with black wires.
"An ounce of reality tucked away inside." Continued the Doctor after winking at me.
"Enough to get us home?" Asked Mickey.
"Not yet. " Said the Doctor, luminous pod in hand as he stepped up. "I need to charge it up.
"I suppose we can't get it on a power grid? Considering the thing's alien?" I assumed when I approached the Doctor, going to sit on the first step down the hole.
"Exactly, but luckily we've got a power source from our universe. Me."
The Doctor carefully held the pod, cupped in his hands, and began to blow gently on the power cell. It began to glow, bright enough to enlighten us. The Doctor was radiant in joy, and I too was giggling, glad for the situation. I leaned over to the Doctor, my eyes never leaving the light cell that pulsed smoothly in his hands.
"I just gave away 10 years of my life. Worth every second!" He chuckles.
Then the Doctor came to the surface, forcing me to move as well. And we sat down on the cold ground, looking with fascination at the light pod. It went out slowly, alarming Mickey.
"It's on recharging cycle." Explained the Doctor to reassure him. "The power's growing and will be ready to take us back in, ooh... 24 hours?"
He kissed the pod, our only hope of reactivating the Tardis and getting back to our universe.
"So, we've got 24 hours in this parallel world?"
"Yeah! Exactly! Free time, as long as we don't cause any trouble. Let's go and tell Rose about this." Said the Doctor.
We stood up and helped the Doctor to put the circuits more or less in place without putting them in place, knowing that the pod would return to its place later. I smiled at the Doctor and caught his cheek and kissed him. He turned his head slightly to kiss me properly.
"Bravo, Doctor. For finding a way to get us back to the other universe." I congratulated him gently.
"I would have found another way to do it," He says. "I'm not gonna let you go through this again, not a second time." He adds seriously.
"Go through what again?" I asked in confusion.
His fingers caressed my cheek so tenderly as he replied.
"Losing a new home. Changing universes."
My heart swelled with love at his words and I suddenly hugged the Doctor.
"This is a promise," He swore as he rubbed my back after giving the hug back. "And I intend to keep it."
"I know you will..." I whispered in his chest.
"Oi! Lovebirds! I'm waiting! " Interrupted Mickey.
We looked at him sheepishly and he just smiled, amused. The Doctor collected his coat and I did the same as we left the Tardis and went out looking for Rose.
We found her sitting on a wooden bench having her feet on the seat.
"There you are!" Exclaimed the Doctor as he pulled out the pod. "That's it, no applause, I've finally fixed it!"
He went to sit next to Rose, while Mickey sat on the other side; leaving me no space on the bench. I crossed my legs as I put my hands into the pockets of my black frock coat and stared at the device in Rose's hands.
"24 hours and we're back to our reality! " Informed the Doctor as he lifted the pod.
But the Doctor's excitement waned when Rose didn't show her joy, but instead a blank stare as she was lost in her thoughts; the Doctor noticed the phone held by Rose with a glance.
"What's it?" He asked, putting the pod away in his coat.
Rose then explained that her phone was connected to the networks of this world and to the internet.
"Rose, whatever it says, this is the wrong world."
"I don't exist." Finally unveils the blonde. "There's no Rose Tyler, I was never born. There's Pete, my dad, and Jackie. They're still married, but they never had kids."
"Give me that phone. " Ordered the Doctor as he went to pick up the phone that was taken away by Rose.
"They're rich. They've got a house and cars and everything they want. But they haven't got me."
She stood up and made a few steps. And before she said anything, I finally intervened.
"No." I said coldly.
"What?" She asked stupidly.
"You were going to ask to see them and the answer is no. Especially if it's going to end in a disaster like before." I crossed my arms and dodged the question. "You can't do that."
"I just wanna see them," She tries with a dark glance.
"It's never "just seeing them" with you!" I sniffed sarcastically.
"You can't understand!"
"Oh, shut up Rose! Stop acting like your situation is unique! You want to see your parents?! Alright me too! But I won't, and I haven't in your world!"
"Unlike you, I'm not an insensitive bitch who doesn't love her parents!"
"Rose!" Shouted the Doctor.
SMACK !
My hand burnt a bit as I watched Rose Tyler's bruised cheek. I clenched my fist, feeling tears running down my face as Rose held her cheek, eyes wide open in shock.
"You have no fucking idea what it's like to lose everything you knew and loved. Friends, family, neighbours... NO fucking idea. I lost my world instead of my life! I lost my planet, my moon, my sun for your bloody world!"
Mickey and Rose stared at me with shock and surprise, while the Doctor looked sad and compassionate; seeing me crying openly for the first time.
"You don't know what it's like to live every day in anxiety, wondering if the ones you loved exist in this world. If they have the same personality, if they love the same things and the same people; if they have the same life as the one you knew." I told her with a sob in my voice. "And I'd much rather live that anxiety than live the disappointment! Because the chance that everything is different from what I've known is the very worst truth! I can't handle the idea that my parents aren't together, or that some members of my family don't exist. I'd rather live with that anxiety than be broken by the truth again, because it hurts!"
"What are you talking about?" Asks mickey with hesitation.
I had difficulty to swallow.
"The day Rose tried to save her father from death by causing a paradox, the paradox caused me to die. And I was eaten by a creature instead of the Doctor. I ended up in my own world, and I was like a ghost. No-one could see me or hear me, and I couldn't touch anything, everything went through me. And I saw them, I saw my family; they were so happy." I sobbed as more tears streamed from my eyes and my shoulders trembled. "But they forgot me, wiped me from their memories and from the world. 18 years of memories where I disappeared, never existing in their eyes. If I had been visible, I wouldn't have been their daughter in their eyes, just a stranger. They would have had the same look they give to someone on the bus instead of a loving look at their own daughter."
The Doctor came up suddenly to take me in his arms, ending this conversation. I continued crying in the Doctor's arm, clutching his coat in my fists.
"You can't. But I can." Finally spoke Rose Tyler with no compassion in herself. "I'm stronger than you."
"This is not a competition, Rose! " Exclaimed the Doctor as he continued to hold me in his arms. "Alvia's right! You can't see them!"
"But you said we had 24 hours!" She moans capriciously.
"Didn't you listen to a single word Alvia said? Oh! I give up! Mickey, tell her!"
"What do you want me to say?!" Replied the young man. "It's impossible to make her change her mind when it comes to her parents, I'm useless! ROSE!" He suddenly turned his head towards the blonde in question. "Where are you going?!"
Rose used the opportunity of the Doctor's turned back to leave in the direction of her family. She raised her phone before she spoke again.
"I've got the address and everything!"
"Rose! Come back here! " Ordered the Doctor impatient, taking a step towards her.
"I just want to see them!" She said before she left.
The Doctor groans in irritation as we saw the blonde leave without a second look or anything.
The Doctor took a few steps in her direction before turning to us. He looked in both directions several times, his face showing all his annoyance, distress and hesitation. It could be seen that the Doctor didn't want this situation, but he had to go after Rose. I put a hand on the Doctor's arm.
"Go after her..." I advised him. "Mickey and I can manage without causing any trouble."
"Are you sure?" he asks, looking me straight in the eye.
I gave him a small smile and then nodded in agreement. He stole a kiss and his lips touched mine fervently and disappeared a few seconds later, then set off in pursuit of Rose Tyler. The feeling of the kiss warmed pleasantly on my lips for a while.
"So, you and the Doctor, eh? " Mickey asked. "Are you two together?"
"We didn't really put a word in about who we were, but yeah... we're together." I replied by wiping the moisture from my cheeks.
"So, uh, what do we do now?" Asks Mickey, putting his hands in his jeans pockets.
"I need to take my mind off things; let's get something to drink, tea, coffee..."
"Do you have any money on you?"
"Lucky for us, I'm not the Doctor, so I've got some money on me. Courtesy of the Tardis, but still. "I joked. "Do you know a good coffee shop or something, like a Starbucks maybe? 2006, definitely not my time..."
"I know an address, maybe it exists here, let's check it out."
So, I followed Mickey. We walked peacefully through the city, side by side, hands in our pockets and in silence. The slightly chilly weather had forced me to button up my coat and shove my face into the collar of my hoodie.
"How different is 2006 from your time? It's only 10 years different." Mickey said as he struck up a conversation.
I looked up at the sky and thought about the difference.
"Technologically it's not the same, whether it's the TV, the computer or the phones. It's really not the same. Everything is evolving so fast that in my day a technology became old after what... two months? Three months? We're upgrading storage capacity, developing image quality... we're making so many discoveries that it's almost impossible to be on the cutting edge. And scientifically, it's incredible, too. The things we're discovering about the human body, the planet and space! It's so fascinating!
"Must be amazing." He comments as he imagines it.
"In a way it truly is! It's incredible how since the beginning of the 20th century technology has made a real leap forward and how fast it's progressing! But... it has to have an impact on life and culture."
"What do you mean?"
"Technology is a part of people's lives, but on such a level that just losing your phone seems terrible. On phones of my time you can take a picture, chat, go online, watch videos, listen to music, read, make appointments, manage your money, shop online. The phone becomes a part of us, we use it all the time. And that's a shame, because it prevents us from simply having a good time."
"It can't be that bad, can it?"
"Go to a concert in 2019 and look at the audience, the vast majority will be filming the concert instead of really experiencing it. When I went with the Doctor to a concert in 1985, the atmosphere wasn't the same at all. Everyone was singing, dancing, drinking their beer, not a single camera in hand. In the end, there's good and bad, just like now."
"Yeah." Agrees Mickey before suddenly pointing to a shop window across the street. "It's right over there."
"Let's go, drink will take our minds off it."
And we walked into the coffee shop. The interior decoration was really nice and made us feel comfortable immediately. It was rustic, cosy and modern all at once. An interior that we would find a bit anywhere in my time, in fact. Mickey and I ordered our drinks and sat down at one table. After a few minutes, a barista came and put the drinks on our table. Mickey had a hot coffee shake while I asked for a Viennese chocolate. We talked peacefully about anything and everything, taking time to get to know each other. And when it was time to leave the coffee shop we looked at each other, pensive, and not knowing where to go.
"I know it's a bad idea, but..." hesitated Mickey as he rubbed his head. "But I'd really like to go see my nana."
"Are you sure? You might be disappointed about what you find out, you know?" I asked him seriously and with a hint of worry.
"Yeah... even if I'm disappointed. But at least I'd get one last look at my grandma. " he confirmed, nodding his head.
I waved to the street and the road.
"So, go ahead, lead the way."
Then we went to his Grandma's house, we took some public transport to get there quicker. On the way he told me anecdotes of his childhood with his grandma, leaving me homesick for my own grandparents; I laughed with him when he remembered the slaps he received from the woman who raised him.
As we drove past a factory, we saw the road was blocked by soldiers. I glanced discreetly at the factory, feeling an unpleasant shiver go up my spine as a brief image of the Cybermen popped in my mind. I moved a bit faster, all to get away from this infernal factory, which must surely have been a Cybermen conversion factory.
"Can we pass?" Asked Mickey to one of the soldiers who had come forward when he saw us.
"Yeah, no bother. Curfew hasn't been passed. It's not ten o'clock yet."
"There's a curfew?" Asks Mickey again.
"Of course, there is! Where have you been living, mate? Up there with the toffs?" Asked the disbelieving soldier.
They looked up at the skies full of floating zeppelins, and so did we.
"Oh, I wish." Joked mickey before moving on. "See ya."
I followed Mickey and one of the soldiers lifted the barrier for us, and we kept going. We finally arrived at Waterton Street, the street where Mickey's grandma lived. I followed him in silence as he walked towards a dark red door with the number 1 on it. His hand reached up to the door and stopped, hesitating. I gently patted his back and gave him a smile that I hoped would be comforting; it seemed to be enough for him because he knocked three times at the door.
A voice echoed inside the house, demanding, old and yet strong.
"Who's there?"
The door opened, and we saw the person who had been standing inside. Mickey's grandma. A woman of the very same skin colour as Mickey, wearing a black skirt, a blue shirt and a navy-blue woollen vest. She was blind, wearing sunglasses and holding a cane. She was also wearing a pair of grey earpieces that I had seen on many people.
"Who are you? I know you're there. Shame on you, tricking an old lady. I got nothing of value here!" She said before raising her cane in a threatening way. "And don't even think about making me disappear. I won't let it happen!"
"Hi." Said Mickey.
The old lady's face changed instantly, we could see relief. She stepped forward and asked:
"Is that you?"
"Yes, it's me, I'm home."
She put one hand on Mickey's face.
"Ricky"?!"
I retained an amused sniff as Mickey replied, "It's Mickey". The former incarnation of the Doctor would never have let Mickey down on that.
"I know my grandson's name! It's Ricky. Now, come here."
Then Mickey went into his grandma's arms and gave him a hug.
"All right, I'm Ricky. Of course, I am. Ricky, that's me. " He said as he was hugging her.
The hug ended, and the grandma suddenly slapped his shoulder.
"You stupid boy!" She scolded as she continued to slap him on his arms. "Where've you been? It's been days and days! I keep hearing all these stories of missing people. There's nothing of it on the download, but all these rumours and whispers going around. I thought you were disappeared too!" She said with worry in her voice.
But Mickey was only half listening, his attention was drawn to the carpet on the stairs. But the information her grandma was giving us was creeping me out, and I knew these people could be considered dead. The cyber-conversion already started...
"That carpet on the stairs..." He mumbles. "I told you to get it fixed. You're gonna... fall and break your neck."
"Well, you're gonna fix it for me!"
"I should have done way back. I guess I'm juste kinda I'm useless."
"Now. I never said that."
"I am, though." He said, sobbing softly. "I'm sorry, Gran. I'm so sorry."
"Don't talk like that. Do you know what you need? A nice sit-down and a cuppa tea. You got time?"
"For you, I've got all the time in the world. We have time."
"We ?"
"I, uh... brought a friend with me. Alvia."
"Pleased to meet you, ma'am." I suddenly intervened with a warm smile. "Alvia Saxon."
"Ooh! A girl! A polite one too!" Teased the old woman. "I like her, more than your other friends, I don't trust them."
"My other friends?"
"Don't act like you're ignorant!" She retorted virulently. "Mrs. Chan saw you with them, wandering around in that van."
The same van that appeared suddenly and quickly. The stunning blue colour was certainly not discreet. It slid down the road and stopped behind us. A young blond man grabbed Mickey, suddenly taking him away from his grandma and I too climbed up after being grabbed by Mickey's arm.
"Who is she?!" Asked the blond man. "No, let me guess, a new rookie, right?"
"Sort of," I replied dryly, crossing my arms.
"I like her. She's got a little foxish manner, you know, in a mischievous, tricky way. I'm Jake, by the way." He continued before introducing himself and reaching out to me.
"Alvia Saxon."
"Now Ricky, you were the one who told us not to contact our families because it puts them in danger!" Reprimands Jake.
"Yeah. Ricky said it. Of course, he did. I was testing you." Replied Mickey, having no clue about what was going on.
"I saw them. I taped the whole thing." Continued the blond man. "They were at Blackfriars picking up homeless people like child-catcher. They must've taken four dozen of them."
"The vans were hired out to a company called 'International Electromatics'." Suddenly spoke the driver, who turned out to be a woman. "I did a protocol search... turns out that's a dummy company established by guess who?"
"Cybus?" I deduced.
"Exactly!" Congratulated the two of them.
"Hey, she's good! You picked her right!" Praised the woman. "By the way, bad news. They've arrested Thin Jimmy. So, that just leaves you."
"Leaves me what?"
"Number one." Jake said as if it was something to be proud of. "Number one on the list. London's Most wanted."
"Okay, cool," Mickey laughed before taking a pause. "Say that again?"
I couldn't help but laugh. I burst out laughing. It was between the amused laugh and the nervous one. After I calmed down, I wiped a tear from the corner of my eye, giving a sheepish look to Mickey as he pinched his lips.
"So, who are you Alvia Saxon? " Asked the woman.
"Just a traveler, just passing by."
"And how did you come to fight Cybus?"
"A company that has a whole monopole on companies, technology and whose goals are more than mysterious to the public at large without a rival is mind-boggling and worrying. Because no rival means no industrial spying and therefore dirty business never comes to the surface; And who knows what Cybus may be hiding..."
"Hey! She's more than a pretty face, she's smart!" Complimented the blonde guy as he tried to wrap his arm around me.
"And she's gonna throw you out of that fast-driving van if you dare touch me. Plus, I'm with someone." I warned him with a black stare, to the delight of Mickey's amusement.
"Oh... Uh... well. Okay. " Stuttered Jake as he cleared his throat. "Well, rule number one, don't get in touch with your boyfriend, it might put him in danger. " he adds unnecessarily.
"Knowing him, trouble will find him anyway..." I mumbled as I moved away from the blonde.
And I don't know how long we were on the road, but enough time for me to start dozing off. Car had always had this effect on me; it was so easy for me to sleep in a car and it passed time. When the van stopped, it was now dark. The woman who turned out to be Mrs. Moore and Jake noticed a light in the building near where we parked. This building that turned out to be the safehouse for this group. I panicked a bit when I saw that they both had a gun in their hands as we ran to the safe house. When Jake entered the room, he stopped in shock.
"What are you doing here?!" asks Jake in total shock.
"What am I doing here?" repeated Ricky. "What am I doing there?" he asked, pointing to Mickey.
Mrs. Moore and Jake pointed their guns at Mickey who was in horror and shock. Horror because guns, and shock because it was the meeting with his parallel double.
"Before you do anything, like shooting us, you should listen to us !" I suddenly intervened by attracting guns and looking suspiciously at myself.
And it seemed that arguing wasn't in their habit, as Mrs. Moore hit me on my side of my face violently with the tip of the gun, causing me to fall into unconsciousness. When I woke up, I was lying on the cold, dirty stone with my cheek against it, my arms tied - and fortunately not behind my back - a dull pain on both sides of my head, muffled sounds and blurred vision. I felt as if my head had been wrapped in cotton wool and was turning at the same time, causing an incipient nausea that left a bitter taste all too familiar deep in my mouth and on my tongue. As my vision became a bit less blurred, I could see Mickey, who was sitting on a chair with his arms tied up and wearing only his black underwear.
"He's clean. No bugs on him. But it's beyond comprehension!" he says to Ricky.
Ricky looked at Mickey darkly before he spoke in turn.
"He's flesh and blood. How can this be possible?"
"It could be Cybus Industries that perfected human cloning," tried Mrs Moore. "Or, your father had a double life."
This didn't seem to satisfy Ricky at all, it made him a bit more furious if that was even possible.
"And your name is Mickey, not Ricky," questioned Ricky, circling around Mickey like a vulture.
"Mickey." he said. "My father was Jackson Smith, he worked at the key cutters in Cliffton's Parade. Went to Spain, never came back."
Ricky leaned over and said.
"But that' s my dad. So... we're brothers? «
"What else could it be? "asks the blond man, with a laugh.
"I don't know. But he doesn't look like me. He look exactly the same. There's something else, Jake."
"Maybe if you hadn't knocked me out, I could have given you some information." I snarled sharply as I got up slowly and then sat down. "There was no need to hit me so hard..."
"Alvia!" Exclaimed Mickey with relief. "You're awake!"
"That's the only thing you can be happy about Mickey..." I grumbled as I rubbed my head with both hands tied and glanced darkly at his doppelgänger.
"Who are you both?" Asked the woman.
"I'll return the question." I responded turning my gaze to her.
"We're the Preachers," Ricky replied, "As in 'Gospel Truth'. See? No ear plugs. " he said with a gesture to his ears. "While the rest of the world downloads from Cybus Industries, we have got freedom." he continued, kneeling beside me. "You're talking to London's most wanted. But target number one is Lumic, and we're going to take him out and eliminate all his allies and right now you really look like Lumic's allies. So, tell me... Who. Are. Are you?"
I watched him imperturbable throughout his speech, while Mickey swallowed in fear. When he finally asked the question, I couldn't help but let a wicked smile grow on my lips.
"Did you ever wonder what's up? Beyond this earth? Outside this solar system?" I asked in a mysterious voice. "There are galaxies, much larger than this one, separated by billions and billions of light-years, some filled and teeming with life, with a history and experience perhaps much older than the human one. These galaxies stretch across the universe to its end, to its walls. And behind these walls... there is the Void, the dark dimension; which separates this universe from thousands of others. Universes where magic exists, universes where stones possess the powers of every existing singularity and have the power to destroy and create a universe with a simple snap", I said as I snapped my fingers for an example. "Parallel universes and alternate universes. Where every possibility exists. Where an idiot who is called Mickey Smith instead of Ricky Smith..."
Ricky Smith stared at me, stunned.
"But more importantly, a world where I have a sonic screwdriver," I continued, suddenly taking on a cheerful voice. "Cutting-edge technology that can do a lot of things. Including being free from its restraints," I explained, raising both my wrists, free.
I was holding in one of my hands the sonic screwdriver that Sexy had offered me before the Doctor's regeneration. I had no idea if I was going to use it again at that time, especially since I hadn't really had the opportunity; the Doctor was doing his work perfectly with his own. But today seemed to be the opportunity.
I jumped up and pointed my screwdriver towards Mickey to set him free.
"In the end... You can trust us." I summed it up.
"Because you're from another world?" Jake asked with his eyes wide open, shocked.
"Because we are not Lumic associates."
A beep sounded suddenly.
"It's an upload from Gemini. " informed Ms. Moore as she looked at her computer screen. "The vans are back. They're moving out of Battersea. Looks like Gemini was right, Lumic's finally making a move."
"And we are right behind him. Pack up, we're leaving," ordered Rickey. "You two, are coming with us. I don't entirely trust you."
"It's nice of you to offer us the ride", I thanked him with a touch of sarcasm. "And Mickey, please get dressed."
Mickey quickly got up, grabbed some clothes and headed for a corner where he could get dressed without being seen or disturbed. The trio set to work packing their bags, preparing computer equipment and weapons. My eyes crinkled at the sight of the weapons they were stuffing into a cloth bag.
Once everyone was ready, we headed for the blue van. Ricky went to drive, and we sat in the back. On the way, Jake and Mrs. Moore set up their weapons, prepared their munitions. The van was silent except for the audible clicking of the guns.
About an hour later we arrived at the Tylers' house. Where the Doctor and Rose went. Mickey stayed with Mrs. Moore in on the front of the van while I stayed in the back, the poor man had been forced to pick up a gun. Jake had tried to do the same with me, but the bluff threatening to castrate him with the screwdriver to make me held would have been a simple bullet seemed to have had its effect. I couldn't castrate someone with a sonic screwdriver, come on! And even if I could, I'd rather not find out.
While Mickey was talking to Mrs Moore, I was trying to remember what happened next. I knew the Cybermen were coming, that was the end of the episode. But that was the biggest part of the story! I couldn't remember the smallest details! I was useless and clueless!
I was almost tearing my hair out of frustration, fiddling with my fingers when suddenly I heard Ricky talking and noises of heavy footsteps; heavy enough to be heard through the walkie-talkie.
"What the hell is that?"
I lifted my head suddenly, snapping in the process painfully. I walked towards the separation of the van. My fingers tangled in the net that split the van in half.
"We've got to move, now!" I hissed furiously.
"What's going on?" Mickey asked fearfully.
"There's no time! The Doctor and Rose are in there!"
Ricky and Jake ran in front of the van to follow the Cybermen. I argued with the duo in the front so that we would follow the two outside with the van without having to reveal for the moment who the metal beings were. As Mrs Moore seemed to have the last argument, I then felt a growl rise up in my chest as a sharp spike of irritation and fury took hold of me.
"Oh, for Rassilon, SHUT UP AND DRIVE!" I shouted.
And without delay, Mrs. Moore turned on the engine and drove the van quickly after Ricky and Jake. She didn't argue and kept her eyes on the road.
"How the hell did you do that?" Mickey asked with a slight hint of fear in his voice as he stared at me wide-eyed.
"How I did what, Mickey?" I asked confused and agitated as I glanced at him.
"That thing! With the bright eyes and everything!"
"What the fuck are you talking about?" I asked, frowning, not understanding what he was talking about.
Mickey was going to answer me, but he stopped as the Van made a tight turn as it braked at the same time.
Mickey came out to join Rose while she was holding Ricky in her arms. I glanced at Mrs Moore, paying no attention to her faint glassy eyes and grabbed the sonic screwdriver from the inside pocket of my coat while staring silently and anxiously at the scene outside in the cold night. The Doctor stopped Jake from shooting at the Cybermen then seemed to speak to them. The Doctor raised his arms in the air, fists closed; and the others followed him as the Cybermen assembled, became more numerous, and raised a hand towards them in an attempt to delete them.