NicoleR85: thanks!
Guest: glad you enjoyed reading the movie within the crossover. A Jurassic Park is a definite possibility. If it does happen, its more than likely to be in book three as I've already chosen the movie for book two.
Hayley sat on the hospital bed waiting patiently as the Doctor scanned her with his sonic. "Whats the verdict?" she asked while he read the results.
"Looks like you've got some time vortex bound to your DNA", the Time Lord replied, looking at the device with a frown "should be impossible but that's what it says".
"Is that bad?" Hayley questioned, wondering if she should be concerned. The gold stuff within her didn't seem to be doing any harm as far as she knew.
"Normally I'd say yes as no human is able to hold the time vortex within themselves without burning up from the inside…" the Doctor said and an alarmed look appeared on Hayley's face "but you're perfectly fine!" he quickly added "in fact you're more than fine as you're able to utilise it the way you did".
"S-so no need to worry?" the brunette queried.
"No, no need to worry", the Doctor assured her.
"Good", Hayley sighed "that's good" she leant against him "god I'm tired".
"Get some rest", the Doctor said "I've got some repairs to do".
"Ok" the brunette yawned, lying down on the bed, curling up "have fun".
"Will do", the Doctor said and left the room so Hayley could sleep after the day that they'd just had. He walked to the console room and proceeded to start with the repairs.
A few hours later saw the adopted Tyler, sitting on the edge of the TARDIS, legs dangling as she looked out at the stars. She looked at the glowing and swirling dots, deep in thought. She had a lot to think about. From the time vortex bonded to her DNA to the change in her relationship with the Doctor. Speaking of…
"Hi Doctor", Hayley said hearing the Time Lord approach.
"Hey", the Time Lord said sitting down next to her.
"Don't think I'll ever get used to a view like that", Hayley remarked nodding to the stars.
"I'm still not used to it myself", the Doctor said.
"Really?" Hayley asked "even after all this time?"
"Yep. Even after all this time", he agreed. The pair sat there in comfortable silence for a few minutes before Hayley spoke up again.
"Did you mean it? What you said, I mean. That you um…love me"
"Yes, I do mean it", the Doctor replied "why do you ask?"
"I dunno. I just…didn't know if you meant it or if it was an adrenaline rush or because you thought I died or mph!" Hayley was abruptly cut off from her ramble when the Doctor kissed her.
"I do mean it Hales", he said softly "I just wish it didn't take me almost losing you to realise it".
Hayley could hear the sincerity in his voice and in the expression on his face…was one of love. Now she felt stupid for asking him if he meant it. "I'm sorry for asking Doctor. With everything that happened in the Pyramid I…I just had to ask".
"Its ok Hayley", the Doctor said "I'd do the same if I was you".
Hayley turned her gaze to the stars "You know, I actually started to have feelings towards you which is strange", she said.
"How so?" the Doctor asked, hoping she wasn't regretting the kiss…his feelings…everything.
"It never really occurred to me that this would happen. I mean, I wasn't looking for a relationship", Hayley explained "plus there was the whole punching you in the face when we first met…"
"Oh…" the Doctor looked down, his hearts sinking at her words.
"But I don't regret it", Hayley continued making the Doctor look up at her, hopeful.
"Really?" the Doctor asked.
"Really", Hayley confirmed. She gave him a quick kiss "no regrets at all".
The Doctor grinned "fantastic", he said before pulling her in for a longer kiss.
"Mum! Rosie! We're back!" Hayley called as she and the Doctor stepped through the front door of the Tyler flat.
"Hales!" Jackie exclaimed hurrying out into the hall. The moment she saw her adoptive daughter, she ran over to her and gave her a massive hug. The older blonde looked her over "still in one piece, that's good", she commented.
"Of course. I know how to take care of myself", Hayley reminded her.
"And I'd never let anything her hurt her either", the Doctor added, putting a hand on the small of her back. Jackie didn't miss that little movement and nor the look he was giving her adoptive daughter.
"Are you two together?" she questioned.
"We are mum", Hayley replied.
Jackie stared at them "Is this a joke?" she asked, in disbelief "because it's not funny".
"It's not a joke mum", Hayley assured her.
"I know you don't like me very much Jackie…" the Doctor started.
"That's a bloody understatement", Jackie scoffed "you brought Rose home at the wrong time and you almost got both of my daughters killed at Downing Street!"
"Technically he wasn't the one who blew the place up, that was Mickey", Hayley pointed out "besides, I'm not a child anymore. I'm old enough to make a decision about who I want to date".
Jackie looked between the two of them, still in disbelief. She needed to talk to Hayley in private to see if she wasn't just saying that so she could carry on travelling through time and space with the Doctor. "Sweetheart, can I talk to you for a sec?" Jackie asked.
"Sure", Hayley replied. She and Jackie went into the kitchen, closing the door.
"Hales, are you two really together now?" Jackie asked "you're not just saying that so you can keep travelling".
"No, I'm not just saying that", Hayley said "I really like him mum. More than like, actually. Why can't you be happy for me?"
"I am happy Hales", Jackie said "but the Doctor? Seriously? Why couldn't you have fallen for a nice, normal boy?"
"I guess 'nice and normal' aren't my type", Hayley replied with a smile "mum, the Doctor is a decent enough guy. And he wouldn't hurt me. If he did, I'd kick his ass".
Jackie let out a laugh "that's my girl", she said putting an arm around her adoptive daughter, hugging her.
~couple of days later~
"This is so weird", Rose remarked watching the Doctor do some repairs on the TARDIS, Hayley passing him the parts when he needed them. Occasionally they'd share this look…a loving one.
"What is?" Hayley asked straightening up to look at her sister.
"You two…together", Rose shook her head "I still can't believe it".
"You're not the only one. Mum couldn't believe it either", Hayley said.
"At least she didn't slap me for it", the Doctor put in.
"That's very true, thankfully she didn't do that", Hayley agreed. The Doctor turned back to his repairs on the console.
"Right, we are done!" he cheered a few minutes later.
"Cool", Hayley said "so where are we headed next? Somewhere warm I hope. I've had enough cold to last me a good few years".
"The Eye of Orion is rather warm and it's a pleasant place to go", the Doctor replied "plus there is no danger whatsoever".
Hayley raised her eyebrows "really? No danger", she said not quite sure if she should believe him.
"I promise you Hales there isn't any danger there. Given what you've just gone through, peace and quiet is just what you need", the Doctor said.
"So while I'm enjoying the peace and quiet, what are you gonna be doing?" Hayley questioned.
"I'll be enjoying it too", the Doctor answered.
"You enjoying peace and quiet?" Rose scoffed "that's about as believable as the pair of you being an…item".
"I can do", the Doctor insisted "in fact, I'm gonna prove it" and with that he pulled a lever sending the TARDIS into the time vortex. Suddenly an alarm started to blare and lights flashed on the console.
"What is that?" Rose asked as the ship started to shake more violently than before.
"It's mauve", the Doctor replied rushing over to the scanner as the TARDIS shook around them. There was a strange cylinder object on the screen. It shouldn't have been possible for anything else to travel through the time vortex and yet here it was.
"Mauve?" Hayley asked.
"The universally recognised colour for danger", the Time Lord answered as he typed on the screen.
"What happened to red?" Rose asked with a frown, usually the colour red was the colour for danger.
"That's just humans. By everyone else's standards, red's camp. Oh, the misunderstandings. All those red alerts, all that dancing" the Doctor gestured to the monitor which showed him the object they were now chasing "It's got a very basic flight computer. I've hacked in, slaved the TARDIS. Where it goes, we go".
"And that's safe, is it?" Hayley questioned getting the feeling that it wasn't.
"Totally", the Doctor lied. Suddenly part of the console exploded and the sisters glared at him. "Okay, reasonably" he quickly amended "Should have said reasonably there".
"You don't say", Hayley said sarcastically.
"No, no, no, no!" the Doctor shouted "It's jumping time tracks, getting away from us".
"What exactly is this thing?" Rose asked as the Doctor frantically worked at the console to keep up with the object.
"No idea", he replied.
"So then why are we chasing it?" Hayley asked.
"It's mauve and dangerous, and about thirty seconds from the centre of London", the Doctor replied.
"Do you know how long you can knock around space without happening to bump into Earth?" the Doctor asked as he stepped out of the TARDIS after landing it on Earth.
"Five days?" Rose guessed stepping out after him with her sister "Or is that just when we're out of milk?"
"Of all the species in all the Universe and it has to come out of a cow", the Doctor remarked. The trio started to walk down the alley, unaware that they were being watched from above. "Must have come down somewhere quite close. Within a mile, anyway. And it can't have been more than a few weeks ago. Maybe a month", he said.
"A month?" Rose asked in surprise "We were right behind it!"
"It was jumping time tracks all over the place", the Doctor told her "We're bound to be a little bit out. Do either of you want to drive?"
"We'd probably be better at it than you. And we'd make sure to bring our companions back at the right time and not 12 months later", Hayley said.
"I thought you'd forgiven me for that already?" the Doctor asked.
"I have", Hayley replied "Doesn't mean I won't bring it up from time to time".
"How much is a little?" Rose asked getting back to the current situation.
"A bit", the Doctor said vaguely.
"Is that exactly a bit?" Hayley asked.
"Ish", the Doctor replied equally as vague as before.
"What's the plan, then? Are you going to do a scan for alien tech or something?" Rose asked wondering what he was going to do.
"Rose, it hit the middle of London with a very loud bang. I'm going to ask" the Doctor pulled out his psychic paper and showing it to the sisters.
"'Doctor John Smith, Ministry of Asteroids'" Rose read aloud.
"It's psychic paper. It tells you…"
"Whatever you want it to", Hayley cut in "I remember".
"Same here", Rose agreed.
"Sorry", the Doctor apologised.
"Not very Spock, is it, just asking", Rose commented as they reached a door marked 'Deliveries only'.
"Door, music, people. What do you think?" the Doctor asked getting out his sonic.
"I think you should do a scan for alien tech. Give me some Spock, for once", Rose repeated. The Doctor just ignored her and started sonicing the lock. "Hales? You agree with me don't you?" she asked looking for some support from her sister.
"Oh no I'm not getting involved", Hayley said putting her hands up, earning a grumpy look from Rose. When the Doctor finally got the door open he looked at Roses' shirt.
"Are you sure about that t-shirt?" he asked.
"Too early to say. I'm taking it out for a spin", Rose replied looking down at it. The Doctor entered the building and the sisters were about to follow when they heard an eerie voice call out.
"Muuuu-mmy?"
Rose and Hayley exchanged looks. "You heard that, right Hales?"
"Yeah I did", Hayley replied. When the voice called out again Rose suggested that they go look for the source. "Before we do that I need to get my ICER from the TARDIS", Hayley said.
"You really think you'll need it?" Rose asked as they walked back to the TARDIS.
"Can't be too careful", Hayley replied. She took out her key from her pocket and unlocked the blue box "you coming?" she asked Rose when the blonde didn't follow her in.
"Nah, I'll wait here", Rose said.
"Ok. I'll be back in a minute", Hayley said and closed the TARDIS door. She ran to her room, picked up the holster on her bed and strapped it to her leg. She then picked up the ICER and slid it into the holster. Once Hayley sure it was secure, she left her room. When she passed the scanner on the console, it flickered to life and beeped at her. Surprised, Hayley turned to the screen wondering why it suddenly turned on. "Oh my god", she breathed, eyes wide as she stared at what was on the screen. She turned and ran down the ramp. She had to warn Rose and the Doctor they were in World War Two!
Hayley yanked open the TARDIS' door "Rose there's something-" she broke off when she didn't see her sister standing there. "Rose?" she called but got now answer. Frowning, she checked behind the TARDIS thinking that her sister might've decided to hide there and jump out, giving her a scare. But she wasn't there. The Doctor isn't going to be happy about this she thought as she hurried down the alley to the building the Time Lord had entered minutes ago.
Hayley found the alien standing on stage, the people laughing at something he must've said.
"Sorry, have I said something funny?" the Doctor asked confused. Hayley made her way to the stage as he added "It's just, there's this thing that I need to find".
Hayley grabbed his arm "sorry about him ladies and gentlemen, he's had a little bit too much to drink. Enjoy your evening!" and with that she dragged a protesting Time Lord out of the drinking den.
"What did you do that for?" the Doctor asked pulling his arm out of her grip.
"Two very simple reasons. One: we're in World War Two. Two: my sister is missing", Hayley replied. The Doctor stared at her as if he couldn't quite believe what he was hearing. Being in World War Two he could understand. With his track record it was very likely that he was going to end up somewhere in that era. But Rose going missing? That was something he couldn't quite understand. How could she have gone missing? Did she just wander off? Or did something happen? Whatever the case was, Hayley wasn't around when it happened.
"What do mean Rose is missing?" he asked, needing more information.
Hayley quickly explained to him about hearing this voice and Rose wanting to go find the source of it. "…I didn't want to go looking for the owner of that rather eerie sounding voice without my ICER. So we went back to the TARDIS where Rose chose to stay outside. I couldn't have been in there for more than 5 minutes but when I came out she was gone!"
"It's ok Hayley . We'll find her", the Doctor assured her seeing the brunette get a little worked up over the fact that Rose was missing.
"How can you be so calm? Rose is missing! And in case you've forgotten we're in the middle of World War Two!" Hayley said raising her voice.
The Doctor reached out and gently grasped her upper arms "Hales we will find her", he repeated "I promise".
"Ok", Hayley said feeling much calmer "how are we going to find her?"
"We use the TARDIS to track Rose's phone", the Doctor replied.
"You can do that?" Hayley asked as the Doctor took her hand, leading her back to the TARDIS. The Doctor was about to answer when the police box's phone started to ring.
He opened the compartment behind the panel of writing and looked at the phone confused "How can you be ringing?" he asked and Hayley looked at him wondering how he could be so confused over a ringing phone.
"Well it's a phone, it supposed to be ringing", Hayley pointed out.
"You don't understand Hales, this phone isn't connected", the Doctor told her "it's just part of the TARDIS's disguise".
Hayley's eyes widened a little at that piece of information "that's why you're confused. Because it's impossible for a fake phone to be ringing", she said.
"Precisely" the Doctor got his sonic out of his pocket and was about to use it on the phone when a young female voice spoke behind them.
"Don't answer it. It's not for you"
The Doctor and Hayley turned around to see a young woman, Nancy, standing there in a dark thick coat. "And how do you know that?" the Doctor asked
"'Cos I do. And I'm tellin' ya, don't answer it", Nancy said again.
"Well, if you know so much, tell me this. How can it be ringing?" the Doctor turned back to the phone "It's not even a real phone. It's not connected, it's not…" he broke off when Hayley tapped his shoulder.
"Uh Doctor? She's gone", she said. Nancy had slipped away when the Doctor was talking. As Nancy was gone, the Doctor turned to Hayley.
"Do you think I should answer it?" he asked.
"That young woman told you not to", Hayley replied.
"I know but do you think I should?"
"Answering a phone that shouldn't be ringing, but somehow is? Yeah I'd answer it", Hayley said although there was a small part of her that didn't want him to answer the phone.
The Doctor picked up the receiver and held it between them so they both could hear. "Hello?" he said. There was nothing but except crackling on the other end. So the Doctor tried again "This is the Doctor speaking" more crackling "How may I help you?"
"Mummy?" a little boy's voice called.
"Who is this? Who's speaking?" Hayley asked.
"Are you my mummy?" the child asked.
"Sorry but we're not your mummy", Hayley said apologetically.
"Who is this?" the Doctor questioned.
"Mummy?" the boy asked again.
"How did you ring here? This isn't a real phone. It's not wired up to anything, it…" the Doctor was cut off by the boy asking once again
"Mummy?"
The line then went dead. The Doctor and Hayley exchanged puzzled looks. Ok that was weird the brunette thought placing the phone back into the cradle before closed the door.
Suddenly there was a crashing sound behind the pair. Hayley and the Doctor ran, following the sound out of the alley.
When they reached the street they heard a woman speak. "The planes are coming. Can't you hear them? Into the shelter. None of your nonsense, now move it!" the Doctor and Hayley climbed onto a couple of dustbins to look over the garden wall where the woman was talking. She was ushering a boy into an air raid shelter. The woman turned back to the house "Arthur! Arthur, Will you hurry up? Didn't you hear the siren?" she called.
A large man exits the house "Middle of dinner, every night. Blooming Germans" he grumbled. "Don't you eat?" he shouted at the sky. The Doctor found that rather amusing.
"I think he should at least be thanking them", Hayley commented "the guy is seriously overweight". The Doctor smirked, rather amused. The second the family had gone in the shelter, Nancy creeped out from behind the shelter and slipped inside the house.
"Fancy a dinner in the Blitz Hales?" the Doctor asked.
"It'll be a new experience", Hayley replied "just wish Rose was here to be a part of it". She really wished she had her phone on her but it was currently charging back in the TARDIS.
"We will find her Hayley . and who knows? That young woman might've seen her", the Doctor said.
The Time travellers entered the house via the back door and hung back as several children entered through the front door. The Doctor sat at the table with the children and the young woman who'd spoken to them before. Hayley stood behind his chair staying as quiet as she could as everyone else chatted away, completely oblivious to the two adults in the room. That is until the Doctor spoke up after taking two slices of meat.
"It's all right! Everybody stay where you are!" Nancy said to the children who were startled by the presence of Hayley and the Doctor.
"Good here, innit? Who's got the salt?" the Doctor said grinning at them. Hayley also gave them a small smile.
"So, you lot, what's the story?" he asked helping himself to some sauce.
"What do you mean?" the boy called Ernie asked.
"You're homeless, right? Living rough?" the Doctor questioned.
"Why do you want to know that? Are you a copper?" Jim asked.
"Of course I'm not a copper. Hayley isn't one either. What's a copper going to do with you lot anyway? Arrest you for starving?" the children laughed at his question, the tension in the room now broken.
"Why aren't you guys in the country? You should've all been evacuated by now", Hayley asked reaching over and taking one of the Doctor's slices of meat.
"Oi!"
"Rationing. You're only supposed to have one", Hayley told him before she ate the slice of meat. As the Doctor still looked put out at what she did, Hayley gave him a kiss on the cheek. That made him brighten up immediately.
"I was evacuated. Sent me to a farm", Alf spoke up, answering Hayley's question.
"So why'd you come back?" Hayley asked.
"There was a man there", Alf replied quietly. Hayley could tell by his body language that whomever this man was, didn't treat Alf very well.
"Yeah, same with Ernie. Two homes ago", Jim said.
"It's better on the streets anyway. Its better food", Ernie spoke up.
"Yeah. Nancy always gets the best food for us", Jim agreed.
"So, that's what you do, is it, Nancy?" the Doctor asked the young woman.
"What is?" Nancy asked.
"As soon as the sirens go, you find a big fat family meal still warm on the table with everyone down in the air raid shelter and bingo! Feeding frenzy for the homeless kids of London Town" the Doctor replied "Puddings for all! As long as the bombs don't get you"
"Something wrong with that?" Nancy asked.
"Wrong with it? It's brilliant. I'm not sure if it's Marxism in action or a West End musical", the Doctor said with a grin.
The children looked at him confused. "Why'd you two follow me? What do you want?" Nancy demanded.
"I want to know how a phone that isn't a phone gets a phone call. You seem to be the one to ask", the Doctor said.
"I did you a favour. I told you both not to answer it, that's all I'm telling ya", Nancy said.
"Great, thanks", the Doctor said not really happy with her answer. He'd been hoping for something a little less vague.
"Nancy, you wouldn't have happened to see my sister around have you? She's about this high" Hayley indicated Rose's rough height with her hand "blonde hair and is wearing a union jack t-shirt".
"Nope haven't seen her", Nancy replied standing up, taking the Doctor's plate away "anything else before you two leave?"
"Yeah there is actually. We've been looking for something that would've fallen out of the sky about a month ago, but not a bomb" the Doctor took out a notebook from his pocket "It would've fallen out of the sky about a month ago. It wouldn't have exploded like a bomb, just buried itself in the ground somewhere. And it would've looked something like…" the Doctor quickly sketches the object he'd been chasing through the time vortex "this".
He shows them the drawing. Nancy looked at it intently but didn't say anything. Suddenly there was a knock at the window. The Doctor and Hayley went over to the window, the young brunette pulled back the curtain to reveal a child wearing a gas mask.
"Mummy?" he called knocking on the glass "Are you in there, mummy?"
"Who was the last one in?" Nancy asked urgently.
"They were", Ernie said pointing at Hayley and the Doctor.
"No, they came round the back", Nancy said "Who came in the front?"
"Me", Alf said quietly.
"Did you close the door?" Nancy asked.
When Alf hesitated, Nancy asked again "Did you close the door?" she didn't even wait to get a reply, she just rushed out into the hallway and bolted the door.
"Mummy?" the child called through the front door.
"What's this, then? It's never easy being the only child left out in the cold, you know", the Doctor said joining her out in the hallway with Hayley.
"It's not exactly a child", Nancy informed them.
Hayley frowned wondering what Nancy meant by that. She felt sorry for the boy, he must be so scared being out there on his own. Both time travellers watched as the children hurried out into the hall and out the back.
"Mummy?" the boy called again. Hayley took several steps towards the front door. "Please let me in, mummy", the child begged. A little hand with a scar on it poked through the letter box.
"Are you all right?" the Doctor asked standing beside Hayley.
"Please let me in", the boy repeated. Hayley reached out but before she could touch his hand, an object goes sailing past and shattered against the door. The child's hand withdraws from the letter box.
"You mustn't let him touch ya!" Nancy warned.
"What happens if he touches her?" the Doctor asked tugging Hayley behind him to put some distance between her and the boy.
"He'll make her like him", Nancy replied.
"And what's he like?" Hayley queried.
"I've got to go", Nancy said not really wanting to spend another moment longer in the house.
"Nancy, what's he like?" the Doctor asked repeating Hayley's question.
After a moment's hesitation, Nancy answered "He's empty". The telephone rings "It's him. He can make phones ring. He can. Just like with that police box you saw" the Doctor picked up the phone.
"Are you my mummy?" the trio head the child say. Nancy snatched the receiver and slammed it back down. Radio started to play in the dining room, the child calling through it for his mum. A clockwork monkey also started up, the child's voice also coming from it as well. Hayley looked at the shadow of the boy by the front door. How can an ordinary child speak through all those things? She thought confused. Nancy left the house not wanting to stay there a moment longer.
"Doctor", Hayley called seeing the boy stick his hand through the letter box.
"Mummy? Let me in please, mummy. Please let me in", he pleaded.
"Your mummy isn't here", Hayley said torn between staying where she was and going to the door. On one hand there was Nancy's warning and on the other there was a scared little boy outside.
"Are you my mummy?" the boy asked again.
"No mummies here", the Doctor said when he joined Hayley "Nobody here but us chickens", he glanced back as the deserted house "Well, two chickens" he corrected.
"I'm scared"
"Why are those other children frightened of you?" the Doctor asked.
"Please let me in, mummy" the boy pleaded again "I'm scared of the bombs".
"Should I open the door?" the Doctor asked Hayley. He wanted because he left sorry for the boy but he also didn't want to if it turned out the Nancy was right and he was dangerous.
"Yes. If the boy turns out to be dangerous, we can always run. I doubt he'd be able to catch either of us, he just a kid", Hayley replied.
"Okay. I'm opening the door now"
The boy pulls his hand back and the Doctor draws back the bolts. When he opened the door, the boy was gone. The Doctor and Hayley walked down the path looking up and down the deserted street. There was no sign of the child. "I take that back. He's very fast", Hayley said.
"We need to find Nancy. If anyone's going to have answers, it's her", the Doctor said and Hayley nodded in agreement.
Nancy was startled when she turned around to see the Doctor and Hayley standing in the doorway of the outer house she'd just entered. "How'd you follow me here?" she asked.
"I'm good at following, me. Got the nose for it", the Doctor said, sounding rather proud at that.
"People can't usually follow me if I don't want them to", Nancy said looking at both of them suspiciously.
"My nose has special powers", the Doctor explained making Hayley smile.
"Yeah? That's why it's uh…" Nancy trailed off, not able to finish that sentence without cracking up.
"What?" the Doctor asked wondering why she just trailed off.
"Nothing", Nancy said trying really hard not to laugh.
"What?" the Doctor asked again.
"Nothing!" Nancy grinned "Do your ears have special powers too?" she asked teasingly.
"What are you trying to say?" the Doctor asked calmly.
"I don't think there's anything wrong with your ears", Hayley commented "they're very nice ones". The mentioned ears went a bit pink at her compliment as did the Time Lord's cheeks.
"Goodnight, Mister", Nancy said turning away.
"Nancy, there's something chasing you and the other kids", the Doctor said "Looks like a boy and it isn't a boy, and it started about a month ago, right?" Nancy turned back to the pair "The thing I'm looking for, the thing that fell from the sky, that's when it landed. And you know what I'm talking about, don't you?"
"There was a bomb. A bomb that wasn't a bomb. Fell the other end of Limehouse Green Station", Nancy replied.
"Take us there", the Doctor ordered.
"There's soldiers guarding it. Barbed wire. You'll never get through", Nancy told them.
"Won't stop us", Hayley said confidently. Thanks to Ward's training, she knew how to get in and out of places undetected. And if she did get caught, she knew enough to be able to fight her way out.
"You sure you want to know what's going on in there?" Nancy asked both of them.
"I really want to know", the Doctor replied.
"Same here", Hayley added.
"Then there's someone you need to talk to first"
"And who might that be?" the Doctor asked.
"The Doctor", Nancy replied. She turns away, missing the confused look the Doctor's face.
Even after Nancy showed them where the bomb was, she still insisted that they go see the Doctor first. When Hayley asked why, Nancy replied with "Cos then maybe you won't wanna get inside".
"Where're you going?" the Doctor asked as she started to head back up the steps.
"There was a lot of food in that house. I've got mouths to feed. Should be safe enough now", Nancy replied.
"Can I ask you a question? Who did you lose?" he asked, turning to face her.
"What?"
"The way you look after all those kids. It's because you lost somebody, isn't it? You're doing all this to make up for it", the Doctor said having worked all that out while they were in the house.
"My little brother. Jamie. One night I went out looking for food" Nancy explained "Same night that thing fell. I told him not to follow me, I told him it was dangerous, but he just. He just didn't like being on his own"
"I'm so sorry Nancy", Hayley said sincerely. She didn't know what is was like to lose a loved one, having not experienced herself but she knew how much it hurt because she'd seen the way Jackie was whenever she spoke about her husband.
"Amazing", the Doctor remarked.
"What is?" Nany asked confused.
"1941. Right now, not very far from here, the German war machine is rolling up the map of Europe" the Doctor explained "Country after country, falling like dominoes. Nothing can stop it. Nothing. Until one, tiny, damp little island says 'no'. No. Not here".
"Kinda like a mouse in front of a lion", Hayley added.
"Exactly", the Doctor agreed "You're amazing, the lot of you" he looked between Hayley and Nancy, a proud look on his face "Don't know what you do to Hitler, but you frighten the hell out of me. Off you go then…do what you've got to do. Save the world".
Feeling slightly better by the Doctor's words, Nancy turned and walked away. "So you think we're amazing now, huh?" Hayley asked as she and the Doctor walked down the steps "because the last time I checked, you called us stupid apes".
"Hales I was angry at the time and I'll admit that sometimes for a reasonably smart race, you humans do some very dumb things", the Doctor said "but sometimes you do amazing things too like sending people to the moon or…"
"Or standing up against the country who seemingly wants to take over the world?" Hayley said giving him a smirk.
"Definitely. That is amazing", the Doctor agreed "and so are you". That had Hayley blushing this time.
When they reached the gate, the Doctor got out his sonic and used it on the padlock. Hayley pulled out her ICER and held it at the ready. The Doctor pulled open the gate and they entered the abandoned hospital.
The pair walked through a darkened ward where rows and rows of patents lay on beds, completely lifeless and still wearing gas masks. "This is really strange", Hayley remarked as they passed, her ICER still at the ready. The Doctor nodded in agreement, it was rather strange. They entered yet another ward, unlike the previous one it was dimly lit. It too had numerous people on beds wearing gasmasks. The Doctor and Hayley turned when they heard a noise behind them. An older man wearing a white doctor's coat had entered the ward. Upon seeing him, Hayley lowered her ICER but didn't put it away in case there was a chance he wasn't a 'friendly'.
"You'll find them everywhere. In every bed, in every ward. Hundreds of them", the man said.
"Yes, I saw. Why are they still wearing gas masks?" the Doctor asked.
"They're not", the man corrected him. Hayley frowned at that what does he mean they're not wearing gas masks? I can clearly see they are she thought. "Who are you two?" the elderly man asked.
"We're uh…"
"Are you the doctor?" Hayley cut in before the Doctor could tell him who they were.
"Doctor Constantine", the man replied "And you are?"
"Nancy sent us", Hayley answered.
Dr Constantine's eyes widened at her answer "Nancy? That means you must've been asking about the bomb"
"Yes", the Doctor said.
"What do you know about it?" Constantine asked walking slowly over to a chair, leaning heavily on his cane as he did so.
"Nothing. Why we was asking" the Doctor replied "What do you know?"
"Only what it's done", Constantine said vaguely.
"These people, they were all caught up in the blast?" the Doctor asked looking at the patients.
"None of them were" Doctor Constantine laughs slightly but it turns into a nasty cough. He sits down at the chair.
"You're very sick", Hayley commented putting her ICER away. There was no way that an elderly sick man was a threat to them.
"Dying, I should think" Constantine corrected her "I just haven't been able to find the time. Are either of you a doctor?"
"I have my moments", the Doctor replied. Doctor Constantine then told him to examine any one of the patients warning him not to touch the flesh. The Doctor went to a random patient and scanned him with his sonic.
"Conclusions?" Doctor Constantine asked.
"Massive head trauma, mostly to the left side…" the Doctor ran his screwdriver over the patient's chest "Partial collapse of the chest cavity, mostly to the right. There's some scarring on the back of the hand and the gas mask seems to be fused to the flesh, but I can't see any burns"
"Examine another one", Doctor Constantine instructed and the Doctor did so. He found that the other patient had the same symptoms, gasmask fused to the face and a scar on the back of the hand. The Doctor turns his screwdriver off and turned to Doctor Constantine.
"This isn't possible" the Time Lord goes to another bed and the results are the same. "They've all got the same injuries", he said thoroughly confused.
Doctor Constantine nodded "Yes"
The Doctor rushed over to another patient and got the same results yet again "Exactly the same", he said still very confused. How was that even possible?
"Yes"
"Identical, all of them" the Doctor continued "right down to the scar on the back of the hand".
"How did this happen? How did it start?" Hayley asked after quickly looking at one of the patients, noting that the scar was the exact same one as the little boy had.
"When that bomb dropped, there was just one victim", Constantine said.
"Dead?" the Doctor asked.
"At first" Constantine replied "His injuries were truly dreadful. By the following morning, every doctor and nurse who had treated him, who had touched him, had those exact same injuries". Blimey whatever that thing is, it works fast Hayley thought FitzSimmons would have a field day with this "By the morning after that, every patient in the same ward, the exact same injuries. Within a week, the entire hospital. Physical injuries as plague. Can you explain that? What would you say was the cause of death?"
"The head trauma", the Doctor guessed.
"No", Constantine shook his head.
"Asphyxiation", the Doctor said trying again.
"No"
"The collapse of the chest cavity…"
"No"
"All right. What was the cause of death?" the Doctor asked. He'd just listed off all the things that these people had but Constantine still told him 'no'. So what was the cause of death then?
"There wasn't one" both the Doctor and Hayley looked at Constantine confused "They're not dead". He hit a waste basket with his cane, the noise making all the patients sit up in their beds. Hayley backed away from the bed she'd been standing by, rather alarmed. The Doctor pulled her back behind him as though to protect her against the gas masked people. "It's all right. They're harmless", Dr Constantine assured him "They just sort of sit there. No heartbeat, no life signs of any kind. They just don't die".
"And they've just been left here? Nobody's doing anything?" the Doctor asked. Hayley moved to stand beside the Doctor as the patients laid down on the beds.
"I try and make them comfortable" Constantine replied "What else is there?"
"All on your own? Isn't there anyone else to help you?" Hayley asked him.
Constantine shook his head "no. I'm the last one left" he replied "Before this war began, I was a father and a grandfather. Now I am neither. But I'm still a doctor"
The Doctor could relate to Doctor Constantine. He too once had a family but they were gone now as where the rest of his people. "Yeah. I know the feeling", he said. Hayley took his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze to let him know that at this moment he wasn't alone. The Doctor looked at her and she gave him a small smile. The Time Lord returned it, glad that she was with him.
"I suspect the plan is to blow up the hospital and blame it on a German bomb", Constantine told them.
"Probably too late", the Doctor said gesturing to the beds.
"No. They are isolated cases. But… isolated cases breaking out all over London…" Constantine broke off coughing. The Doctor took several steps towards him "Stay back, stay back" Constantine warned him while coughing "Listen to me... Top floor. Room 802. That's where they took the first victim, the one from the crash site. And you must find Nancy again"
"Why?" Hayley asked.
"It was her brother. She knows more than she's saying. She won't tell me… but she might mi…mi…" Constantine gags and clutches his neck "m…mu…me…"
Both the Doctor and Hayley watched concerned as speech as becoming more difficult for Constantine "Are… you… my mum-my?" Hayley's eyes widened horrified as part of a gasmask started to protrude from Constantine's mouth. She turned away unable to watch.
"It's ok Hayley . Its over", the Doctor said when the gasmask had completely fused to the man's face. She looked back at Doctor Constantine who was slumped over in the chair.
"Ok, that was horrible. I swear I'm never watching another horror movie again", Hayley declared. Yes, she'd been a participant in the Predators vs Aliens battle in Antarctica so she had seen a fair number of horrible things…that didn't mean she was used to it.
Suddenly they heard an American voice call out in the hall "Hello?"
Then came Rose's voice which had Hayley running out of the ward, the Doctor following. Her sister was walking towards her with an unfamiliar man. "Rose!" she cried happily rushing over to her and enveloping her in a big hug "thank god you're ok!" Hayley pulled back and lightly smacked her sister upside the head.
"Ok I deserved that", Rose said rubbing the back of her head.
"Yeah you did. Why on Earth didn't you wait for me? I told you wasn't going to be long"
"I know Hales. I'm sorry", Rose said apologetically.
"Just don't do anything like that again", Hayley said sternly.
"I won't, at least not without you", Rose promised.
"Good answer. Now who's your friend?" Hayley asked nodding to the man.
"Jack Harkness", the man said holding out his hand.
"Hayley Tyler", Hayley said shaking his hand. Much to her surprise Jack kissed the back of her hand. The Doctor saw this from where he was standing and frowned. How dare he!
"I know, I've been hearing all about you on the way over for Rose", Jack said with a smile.
"Really?" Hayley asked pulling her hand out of his as he'd yet to let go.
"Don't worry it was all good things", Jack assured her "and I like your mark, very badass". It was at this point the Doctor decided to step in.
"Hello I'm the Doctor", he said. They shook hands, the Time Lord using a little bit more force than was necessary. And he had good reason to. Jack was flirting with his Hayley!
"It's a pleasure to meet you too", Jack said, rubbing his hand "that's quite a grip you've got there", he added before walking past them towards the ward.
"Where exactly have you been Rosie? We're in the middle of a London Blitz. It's not a good time for a stroll", Hayley said turning to her sister missing the smirk on the Doctor's face as he watched Jack go, rubbing his hand.
"Who's strolling? I went by barrage balloon", Rose said starting to walk "Only way to see an air raid".
"I'm sorry I must've misheard you. Did you say barrage balloon?" Hayley asked walking after her, the Doctor following.
"I did", Rose replied "Listen, what's a Chula warship?"
That made the Doctor stop "Chula?"
"This just isn't possible. How did this happen?" Jack said scanning one of the patients with the device on his wrist.
"What kind of Chula ship landed here?" the Doctor asked.
"What?" Jack asked glancing over at him.
"He said it was a warship. He stole it, parked it somewhere out there, somewhere a bomb's going to fall on it unless we make him an offer", Rose explained.
"What kind of warship?" the Doctor asked as Jack moved across the room to examine another patient.
"Does it matter?" Jack asked agitated "It's got nothing to do with this"
The Doctor took several steps towards the man "This started at the bomb site. It's got everything to do with it. What kind of warship?" he asked angrily.
"An ambulance!" Jack turns on his wrist device to show the three of them a hologram of the ambulance "That's what you chased through the Time Vortex. Its space junk. I wanted to kid you it was valuable. It's empty. I made sure of it. Nothing but a shell. I threw it at you. Saw your time travel vehicle, love the retro look, by the way, nice panels. Threw you the bait and you followed it all the way here. I wanted to sell it to you and then destroy it before you found out it was junk".
"You said it was a war ship", Rose argued.
"They have ambulances in wars", Jack informed her "It was a con. I was conning you. That's what I am, I'm a con man".
"Can I shoot him?" Hayley asked suddenly, alarming Jack.
"Yes", the Doctor replied.
"No, you can't", Rose said quickly stepping in front of Jack as Hayley pulled out her ICER.
"Why not Rosie?" she asked "he did con us and for all we know it was his 'space junk' that's responsible for all this" Hayley gestured around the room with her free hand.
"This whole thing isn't my fault!" Jack insisted "and I only conned you three because I thought you were Time Agents. You're not, are you?"
"Just a few more freelancers", Rose admitted.
"Ahh… should have known" Jack said coming to stand beside Rose, eyeing the weapon in Hayley's hand warily "you guys aren't exactly blending in with the local colour", he added nodding to their clothes.
"What is happening here, Doctor?" Rose asked wanting to know if Jack really was responsible or not. If he wasn't then her sister had no reason to shoot him but if he was… she wasn't going to stop Hayley from using her ICER on the man.
"Human DNA is being rewritten… by an idiot", the Doctor replied glaring at Jack.
"What do you mean?" Rose asked needing more information.
"I don't know", the Doctor replied "Some kind of virus converting human beings into these things. But why? What's the point?"
Suddenly all the patients sit up in the beds. "What's happening?" Rose asked as all the patients started calling mummy.
"I don't know", the Doctor said. The three of them started backing up as Doctor Constantine stood along with the patients.
"Don't let them touch you", Hayley warned pointing her ICER at the gas-masked people as they closed in on them. She fired at one which only seemed to make him falter briefly but still continued at walking towards them "note to self: get FitzSimmons to make bullets with stronger dose of dendrotoxin", she muttered putting her ICER away.
"What happens if they touch us?" Jack asked.
"You're looking at it", the Doctor replied. Now would be a good time for the time vortex to make an appearance Hayley thought as the group were backed against the wall by the patients who continued to call 'mummy'.
To be continued….