Thanks to Percabeth Jackson, AbbyTheRocker, CoraPearson for following/faving my story.
NicoleR85: you'll have to wait and see if she's Nix's friend or foe.
"Are you sure you're ok about this?" the Doctor asked the Phoenix as they waited for Martha outside of the pub with Charlotte. After Martha had helped him to prove to the Judoon that Miss Finnegan was the alien, he wanted to bring the woman with them on one trip to say 'thank you'. However, with the way the red head had been around Martha it made him think that it might not be a good idea. He was pretty surprised when the Phoenix agreed to let the trainee doctor to come along.
His girlfriend sighed "yes I'm fine with it", she replied "if you keep on asking though I'm gonna smack you one", she playfully threatened.
"And you don't mum, I will", the teenager piped up. The Doctor chuckled ruffling her hair, ignoring her protests.
"You're definitely your mother's daughter", he remarked as Charlotte fixed her hair.
"Oh, showtime", the Phoenix said, nodding to the door of the pub that had just opened. The heavily made up blonde stormed out, shouting.
"I am not staying in there to be insulted!"
"Do you think they said something about her makeup?" Charlotte questioned "I've seen clowns with less". The Phoenix pressed a hand over her mouth to suppress a laugh at her words while the Doctor shook his head, highly amused.
Eventually the squabbling group dispersed, leaving Martha to spot the three time travellers. She walked over to them. "I went to the moon today", she stated.
"A bit more peaceful than down here", the Doctor told her.
"You never even told me who you are", Martha said.
"I think the lack of oxygen went to your brain, we already told you who we were", the Phoenix sassed "I'm the Phoenix, this is our adopted daughter Charlotte" she gestured to the Time Lord "and he's the Doctor".
"What sort of species?" the young woman pressed.
"Mum's a Time Lady and dad's a Time Lord", Charlotte answered.
Martha made a face "Not pompous at all, then", she commented.
"Hey! That's the name of their species! Its not pompous!" the brunette said, coming defence to the two aliens who became the best parents a girl like her could want. The Doctor looked between his girls and Martha, wondering if he might've made a mistake in giving her a trip in the TARDIS.
"I was going to take you on a trip to say thank you but if you're just going to be rude…" he started.
"Ok, look I'm sorry. I guess it's just a lot for me to take in at once", Martha admitted "and I wish I could go with you guys but I can't. I've got exams. I've got rent that needs paying and a family going mad".
"If it helps, the TARDIS can travel in time as well", Charlotte told her.
"Oh, come on now, that's going too far", Martha stated.
"I'll prove it", the Doctor said "come on". He turned and slipped into the alley way. The Phoenix and Charlotte followed after him while Martha trailed behind wondering what kind of ship could go in both space and time. She was rather surprised to see the Time Lord enter the blue police box that she'd spotted outside the hospital.
"Watch this", Charlotte said to her, nodding to the blue box. Martha gaped as she watched the TARDIS disappear before her very eyes. It was about a minute later that the ship came back and the Doctor stepped out, holding his tie.
"Told you", he said, putting it back on.
"No, but that…that was this morning", Martha stammered "Oh, my God. You can travel in time" she then frowned "But hold on. If you could see me this morning, why didn't you tell me not to go in to work?"
"Crossing into established events is strictly forbidden", the Time Lord replied seriously but then he started to smile "Except for cheap tricks".
"And that's your spaceship?" the black woman asked nodding to the blue box "there's not much room…we'd be a bit squashed".
"Take a look!" Charlotte said, going to the double doors and pushing on of them open. She then darted inside "Come on!" she called to Martha, beckoning her inside with her hand.
"Here we go", the Phoenix murmured as the trainee doctor entered the TARDIS. She and the Doctor stepped inside the ship and stood back, wating for the inevitable reaction.
"Oh no. No. No. No", Martha ran straight out, staring at the smaller exterior "But it's just a box. But it's huge…"
"Did Mickey ever do that?" the Phoenix asked the Doctor who shook his head.
"He was too freaked out the last time", he replied. The red head nodded and then sighed, sadly. Charlotte took her hand, knowing that how much her adoptive mother was missing the young man.
Martha ran back into the TARDIS "How does it do that?" she asked, awestruck by the interior "It's wood. It's like a box with that room just rammed in. It's bigger on the inside".
Charlotte giggled as her adoptive father mouthed along to her last sentence. "Is it?" he asked "I hadn't noticed". He closed the door and walked up the ramp. "Right then, let's get going", he said, his little family joining him by the console.
"But is there a crew, like a navigator and stuff?" Martha questioned.
"Duh, we are the crew!" Charlotte proclaimed throwing her arms out.
The black woman raised her brows "just you three?" she asked, somewhat sceptical that two Time Lords and a child could pilot the ship.
"I could pilot the TARDIS solo but its easier with more people", the Phoenix told her.
The Doctor began to programme the console "Close down the gravitic anomaliser, fire up the helmic regulator", he listed off doing just that "And finally, the hand brake. Ready?" he asked Martha.
"No", she honestly replied.
"Lottie, want to do the honours?" the Doctor asked tapping the hand break.
"Together", the teenager said, placing her hand on top of his. The Phoenix took hold of the hand break as well.
"Once more unto the breach", the red head Scotswoman declared and they pulled the hand break together.
"How do you travel in time? What makes it go?" Martha asked, as she clung onto the console tightly.
"Oh, let's take the fun and mystery out of everything. Martha, you don't want to know. It just does", the Doctor replied "Hold on tight". The TARDIS came to a jarring halt, throwing them all to the floor with the exception of Charlotte as the Phoenix had grabbed her and used her body to cushion the teenager's fall.
"Blimey. Do you have to pass a test to fly this thing?" Martha breathed, getting slowly to her feet.
"Yep and the Doctor of course failed it", the Phoenix answered, standing up and bringing Charlotte with her "you ok?"
"I'm fine", the brunette answered "what about you?"
"I'm alright. Had worse", the Phoenix replied, not too bothered by the fall.
"Now, make the most of it. I promised you one trip, and one trip only", the Doctor reminded Martha as he headed to the doors "Outside this door, brave new world".
"Where are we?" Martha asked joining him. The Phoenix and Charlotte doing the same.
"Take a look", the Time Lord answered opening the door "After you". Martha left the TARDIS and was amazed by what she saw.
"Oh, you are kidding me. You are so kidding me. Oh, my God, we did it. We travelled in time", she said taking in their surroundings "where are we?" she asked "No, sorry…when are we?" she amended. The Phoenix tugged her backwards just as a man empties his slop bucket from an upstairs window.
"Somewhere before the invention of the toilet", the Doctor replied "Sorry about that".
"I've seen worse. I've worked the late night shift A+E", Martha said while Charlotte made a face at the smell. "Are we safe? I mean, can we move around and stuff?" the trainee doctor questioned.
"Of course we can" the Phoenix answered "Why do you ask?"
"It's like in the films. You step on a butterfly, you change the future of the human race", Martha said.
Charlotte tilted her head at the black woman, confused "why on earth would you step on a butterfly?" she queried "what have they ever done to you?"
"What if, I don't know, what if I kill my grandfather?" Martha countered, not answering her questioned.
"You do that you'd disappear", the Phoenix replied "So I would highly advise against it".
"This is London, right?" Charlotte asked as they started to walk again.
The Time Lady nodded "It sure is. I'd say we're in 1599", she answered.
The teenager's face brightened "That means Shakespeare is around!" she said excitedly "can we see him?"
"Of course we can", the Phoenix said, taking hold of her hand and started to run.
"Where are we going?" Martha asked as she and the Doctor ran after them.
"My guess, the Globe Theatre", the Time Lord answered.
Sure enough that was exactly the landmark that the Time Lady stopped at "here we are, the Globe Theatre. Though technically speaking, speaking, it's not a globe…"
"It's a tetra decagon. Fourteen sides", Charlotte finished.
"Très bein", the red head said proudly.
"Merçi beaucoup", the brunette responded in perfect french "I learnt about the playwright in my lessons", she explained.
"And now you're about to meet him in person", the Phoenix said, offering her arm to her adoptive daughter. The teenager smiled and linked arms with the Time Lady. They walked into the theatre together with the Doctor and Martha following them in.
"That's amazing! Just amazing. It's worth putting up with the smell. And those are men dressed as women, yeah?" Martha asked after the play had finished.
"Women weren't allowed on the stage so men had to play the female roles", the Phoenix explained.
"I bet you were allowed though", Charlotte remarked to the Time Lady.
"Actually, you won't believe this but I've never met Shakespeare before", the red head admitted.
The teenager stared at her adoptive mother in amazement "You've seriously never met Shakespeare?" she asked and the Time Lady shook her head.
"I'm being very serious. This will be a first for me as it is for you", she told her.
"If only we could see him", Martha muttered, craning her neck, trying to spot the playwright but she couldn't see him "Author! Author! Do people shout that?" she asked "Do they shout Author?"
"Author! Author!" a man shouted and soon the crowd started chanting it.
"Well, they do now", the Doctor said. The chants turned into applause as the one and only Shakespeare came out on the stage.
"He's a bit different from his portraits", Martha commented.
"Genius. He's a genius. The genius. The most human there's ever been. Now we're going to hear him speak. Always he chooses the best words. New, beautiful, brilliant words", the Doctor all but gushed making the Phoenix and Charlotte exchange amused glances.
"Maybe we should leave your father to fanboy over Mr Shakespeare like a schoolgirl and take the TARDIS for a trip or two", the red head suggested "I could take you to see all your favourite people from history".
"I think we should stay. Who knows that kind of trouble he'll get into if we leave", Charlotte stated.
"Good point, your dad is a right trouble magnet", the Time Lady reminded her. The Doctor opened his mouth to argue but the Phoenix clapped a hand over his mouth. "Don't argue, you know I'm right", she said.
"Yes dear", he mumbled and she removed her hand.
"Shut your big fat mouths!" Shakespeare shouted to the crowd, startling the time travellers.
"Oh, well", the Doctor said clearly disappointed.
"You should never meet your heroes", Martha said.
"Oh, I don't know. Mum's kind of my hero and I'm glad to have met her", Charlotte piped up.
The Phoenix put her arm around her shoulders "thank you sweetheart", she said, dropping a kiss on top of her head "I'm glad to have met you too".
"You've got excellent taste, I'll give you that", Shakespeare said to the crowd and then pointed to a man in the crowd "Oh, that's a wig. I know what you're all saying. Loves Labour's Lost, that's a funny ending, isn't it? It just stops. Will the boys get the girls? Well, don't get your hose in a tangle, you'll find out soon. Yeah, yeah. All in good time. You don't rush a genius", Shakespeare said before he bowed. Suddenly the playwright jerked upright and the Phoenix frowned. It was like he'd been tugged upward by an invisible string which begged the question. Who or what was the puppeteer? "When? Tomorrow night. The premiere of my brand new play. A sequel, no less, and I call it Loves Labour's Won", he added.
"But the isn't a play called Loves Labour's Won", Charlotte stated "I mean it never came up in any of my lessons".
"You're right Lottie. That sequel is called the 'lost play'. Its mentioned in his works but there isn't a single copy out there. Just simply doesn't exist and no one knows why, the Phoenix said.
"Well, how come it disappeared in the first place?" Martha asked.
"Well, I was just going to give you a quick little trip in the TARDIS, but I suppose we could stay a bit longer", the Doctor replied, somewhat intrigued by what the playwright had said.
It took a while but eventually they discovered where Shakespeare was staying: the Elephant Inn. "Hello! Excuse me, not interrupting, am I? Mr Shakespeare, isn't it?" the Doctor asked entering the room.
"Oh, no. No, no, no. Who let you in? No autographs. No, you can't have yourself sketched with me. And please don't ask where I get my ideas from. Thanks for the interest. Now be a good boy and shove..." Shakespeare trailed off when the Phoenix stepped into the room, followed by Martha and Charlotte "oh my…" he breathed, openly gaping at the red head. The writer then turned to Burbage and Kempe "You two get sewing on them costumes. Off you go", he said.
"Come on, lads. I think our William's found his new muse", Dolly said ushering out the other two men.
"I can't believe I'm seeing you again, Phoenix", Shakespeare remarked "I mean you said I would but…"
"Hold on, you said that you've never met him before", Martha piped up.
"I haven't!" the Phoenix insisted "I would remember".
"Unless it hasn't happened to you yet", the man told her with a knowing look.
"You've met my mother before?" Charlotte asked.
"Oh, yes. Though I'm not allowed to say what your mother looks like when I met her", Shakespeare replied "Or what point in her life/lives the meeting will happen".
"That's a good idea, no one wants spoilers", the Phoenix agreed "But I'm definitely going to look forward to it".
"Trust me you're going to enjoy it", Shakespeare said with a smile. The Time Lady returned it while behind her chair, the Doctor was a little annoyed that the red head was going meet him in the future. As the playwright wasn't about to spill when it was going to occur, it made him wonder where he and their daughter was when the time came. Hopefully their little family would still be together when she revisited Shakespeare…maybe even gained a new member or two.
"I'm sure I will", the Phoenix said "oh, this is my adopted daughter Charlotte, my boyfriend the Doctor and our…friend Miss Martha Jones".
Suddenly a man in expensive clothes and a gold chain of office enters the room before Shakespeare could say another word. "Excuse me! Hold hard a moment. This is abominable behaviour!" he exclaimed "A new play with no warning? I demand to see a script, Mister Shakespeare. As Master of the Revels, every new script must be registered at my office and examined by me before it can be performed".
"Tomorrow morning, first thing, I'll send it round", Shakespeare said to him.
"I don't work to your schedule, you work to mine. The script, now!" Lynley demanded.
"I can't", Shakespeare said.
"Then tomorrow's performance is cancelled", Lynley said firmly. Out of the corner of her eye, the Phoenix noticed the young maid as she slipped out of the room, noting the look she gave the Master of the Revels. It made her a little more than wary of the young woman. "I'm returning to my office for a banning order. If it's the last thing I do, Loves Labour's Won will never be played", Lynley proclaimed and with that he walked out of the room.
"Well then, mystery solved. That's Love's Labour's won over and done with. Thought it might be something more, you know, more mysterious", Martha remarked, somewhat disappointed. She'd hoped for a bit more to the mystery of the lost play.
Screams sounded from outside which had the time travellers on their feet and racing out of the door. "It's that Lynley bloke", Martha said as they reached the courtyard in time to see the man in question, stagger across the cobblestones, spitting up water.
"That's not normal", Charlotte stated.
"No it isn't", the Phoenix agreed "wait here", she added when Lynley collapsed. Charlotte did as she was told though she wasn't too happy about it as the three adults rushed toward the man.
"I've got to get the heart going. Mister Lynley, come on. Can you hear me? You're going to be all right", Martha said starting to clear Lynley's airways for CPR, and water gushes out "What the hell is that!" she exclaimed.
"Something really bad", the Phoenix said, gravely. She unfortunately had witnessed something pretty similar a while ago and the culprits were dark witches. The Time Lady hoped it wasn't the case here for the last thing she wanted was to tangle with some magically inclined humans who had no qualms in killing people. She didn't want Charlotte in harms way.
"Good mistress, this poor fellow has died from a sudden imbalance of the humours. A natural if unfortunate demise. Call a constable and have him taken away", the Doctor said to Dolly, who'd followed them out.
"Yes, sir", Dolly said.
"I'll do it, ma'am", the maid offered. Dolly nodded and the maid walked off. The Phoenix watched her leave, getting an unsettling feeling about the woman.
"And why are you telling them that?" Martha asked, confused.
"This lot still have got one foot in the Dark Ages. If I tell them the truth, they'll panic and think it was witchcraft", the Doctor explained.
"Okay, what was it then?" Martha asked.
"Witchcraft", the Doctor replied seriously.
"I got you two rooms, Miss Phoenix", Dolly said as they all went back to Shakespeare's room "you, the Doctor and Miss Charlotte are in that one. It's a little bigger", the woman explained "and that'll be yours Miss Jones". She nodded to the room next to the Time Lords one.
"Poor Lynley", Shakespeare sighed "So many strange events. I hope you can do something about it, Phoenix".
"Don't worry Will, I'll stop whoever killed Lynley", the Time Lady promised "before he or she kills anyone else".
"Good", the playwright said, grateful that the red head was here and knowing that she could deal with it.
Charlotte then yawned, catching the attention of the Phoenix. "Better get this one to bed before she falls asleep standing up", the Time Lady said "good night Will". She didn't wait for a response before she ushered the teenager out of the room.
"I'm not tired", the brunette mumbled, leaning against the Phoenix.
"Yes you are", the Time Lady said, guiding her to the bed.
"Can you tell me that story again?" Charlotte asked as she got under the covers "the one about the Phoenix Princess".
"Of course", the Phoenix said, sitting down on the bed. Almost immediately the brunette curled up against her like she did the very first time. "Once upon a time, in the magical kingdom of Gallifrey, there lived a beautiful princess. She and her loving parents lived in an amazing castle made of gold and glass. For a long time Royals and their people lived in peace. Until one day, a horrible fire breathing Dragon came down from the mountains! He had seen the people being so happy…so content with their lives that he grew jealous. You see…he didn't know how to be happy and he didn't want anyone else to be happy either so he decided to destroy Gallifrey", the Doctor leant against the doorway with a smile on his face as he listened to the Time Lady telling her story "One brave knight after another went to strike the beast down but all failed. Then the Princess decided enough was enough. She went to the Dragon's Lair and faced down the beast. Like all the battles, the Dragon had the upper hand, until…"
"She turned into a Phoenix!" Charlotte cried, happily.
The Phoenix laughed "yes she did. In fact her fire burned so bright that it blinded the Dragon. She turned back to normal and dealt the finishing blow".
"The dragon is dead", the brunette yawned.
"Exactly", the Phoenix said, kissing the top of her head "Anyway…there was much celebrating in the Kingdom that night and the Princess was given a new title of the Phoenix Princess. After the Phoenix Princess became Queen, she married the love of her life and they eventually had a beautiful daughter named Charlotte and they lived happily ever after".
Charlotte smiled tiredly up at the Time Lady "I love you, mum", she mumbled before falling asleep.
"I love you too sweetheart, with all my hearts", the Phoenix said, not that the girl heard her.
"I've not heard that story before", the Doctor remarked, entering the room properly.
"I've never told it to anyone besides Lottie", the red head admitted "my mother used to tell me a similar tale when I was a child. It made me fall asleep just like that", she snapped her fingers. she glanced at Charlotte, gently running her fingers through her brown hair "and it does the same for our daughter".
The Doctor joined her on the bed "you're really good with her", he commented "you're a good mother, Nix".
"Thank you", the Phoenix said "I never thought I would be a mum since we lost our people and yet here I am with a wonderful girl whom I love and adore" she glanced at the Doctor "its actually made me think about the future and what I want someday".
"What's that?" the Doctor asked, very interested. Given that they literally had all the time in the world, they hadn't really discussed their future together.
"Well, I would like to get married and expand our family a bit more", the Phoenix replied "but um…I'm happy with the way things are", she quickly added, thinking that the Time Lord might not want things to change "I mean its really, really great and all so I…" the Doctor cut her off with a kiss.
"I want those things too, someday", he said.
"Really? Y-you do?" the Time Lady questioned, surprised.
"Of course", the Doctor caressed her cheek "there's nothing I'd want more". He went to kiss her again when a scream sounded. The two Time Lords bolted out of bed and out of the room. Charlotte sluggishly scrambled after them as she was half asleep.
They all nearly ran into Martha in the hall and they all hurried into Shakespeare's room. Martha goes to the window while the Doctor went to Dolly. Shakespeare could only just stare at the unmoving innkeeper. "Is she dead?" Charlotte whispered, now suddenly awake.
"I'm afraid so Lottie", the Doctor replied gravely "Her heart gave out. She died of fright".
"Poor Dolly", the teenager murmured and the Phoenix put her arm around her, hugging her to her side. The Time Lady's eyes flickered red-gold in her anger over another death.
"Uh guys?" Martha called still looking out the window.
"What did you see?" the Phoenix asked stepping over to her.
"A witch", Martha replied.
"Which way did he or she go?" the Time Lady questioned.
"Um…that way", the black woman answered pointing into the sky.
The Phoenix turned to the Doctor and Charlotte "Don't do it", the Time Lord said, knowing what she was about to do.
"I have to", the Scotswoman all but growled "stay here". She stormed out of the Elephant Inn, not stopping as she ran along the street for a little bit before launching herself into the air and transforming herself into her bird form.
The Time Lady soared through the sky, keeping her eyes peeled for the witch. She noticed the killer flying along ahead of her, the silhouette clearly showing that it was a woman. The Phoenix silently followed her, until the murderess flew into the upper level of a random house. Here we go the Time Lady thought as she changed herself back into her normal form.
The Phoenix shot through the open window, startling the three witches inside. "Oh good, you've brought me to your friends", she remarked "makes my job easier".
"Who is this Lilith?" Mother Doomfinger asked.
"She calls herself the Phoenix", the younger Carrionite replied "But you're not human, are you? I mean there's no way you could've caught up with me so fast".
"You're right I'm not human", the Phoenix confirmed "however, I'm not here to discuss what I am. I'm here to put a stop to all three of you" the phoenix aura flickered to life around her "you killed two innocent people and I cannot let that stand" she walked towards the trio, the Carrionites backing away rather afraid of the red head "so I'm gonna give you the punishment you deserve. Fire!" the Scotswoman unleashed all her newly reacquired power, setting the building ablaze.
Several minutes later, the Phoenix strolled out of the flames, casually brushing the soot from her clothes. She walked back to the inn where the Doctor and Charlotte were eagerly waiting outside for her. Well, the Time Lord was eagerly waiting for her while the teenager was struggling to stay awake. She was tired but she didn't want to fall asleep until her adoptive mother was back, safe and sound. "Mum!" she cried happily, spotting the Time Lady.
"What happened?" the Doctor asked as she approached "are you ok?"
"I'm fine and those witches, whatever they were are toast, literally", the Phoenix replied.
"And the fire didn't hurt you at all?" Charlotte questioned.
The Time Lady shook her head "No it didn't. Remember I told you once how fire doesn't harm me thanks to my phoenix heritage", the red head reminded her.
"Oh…right", Charlotte yawned.
"Come on, lets get you to bed before you pass out", the Phoenix said "I'm sure Will wont mind if we spent the night".