Journey Amongst the Stars
By Lumendea
Chapter Twenty-Two: The Empty Child: Knock at the Door
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.
AN: Wow, you guys have really missed Jack. The comments were an explosion of excitement for his return.
…
The Doctor returned to the alley, still a bit irritated at his utter failure. At least Rose hadn't seen that. She would have been laughing and giving him that tongue touched smile. Rose wouldn't have pointed out that her scanning plan was better, but they both would have known that she was thinking it and that it was true. The Doctor was half tempted to pull out the sonic and just scan right now, but then he noticed that Rose wasn't waiting by the TARDIS.
"Rose?"
A small cat meowed from the top of a trashcan and the Doctor gently picked it up. "You know, one day, just one day, maybe, I'm going to meet someone who gets the whole don't wander off thing. Nine hundred years of phone box travel, it's the only thing left to surprise me. She's jeopardy friendly. You have no idea the trouble the woman can get into."
Suddenly, the sound of a ringing telephone made the Doctor look at the TARDIS in surprise. Putting down the cat, he opened the door of the small cupboard set into the front of the TARDIS' doors.
"How can you be ringing? What's that about, ringing? What am I supposed to do with a ringing phone?"
Pulling out the sonic screwdriver, he got ready to scan the phone when a young woman came walking up the alley. She had a rounded face framed by brown braids and was wearing a simple dress. Her dark eyes were sharp as she set her gaze on the Doctor.
"Don't answer it. It's not for you."
"And how do you know that?"
"'Cos I do. And I'm telling you, don't answer it."
"Well, if you know so much, tell me this. How can it be ringing?" The Doctor turned back to the phone, gesturing at it and scowling. "It's not even a real phone. It's not connected, it's not-"
He turned back to the woman, but she was gone. Huffing, he grabbed the phone and answered it.
"Hello? Hello? This is the Doctor speaking. How may I help you?"
"Mummy? Mummy?" a soft, childlike voice asked on the other end.
"Who is this? Who's speaking?"
"Are you my mummy?" the child asked.
"Who is this?"
"Mummy?"
"How did you ring here? This isn't a real phone. It's not wired up to anything."
"Mummy?"
Then there only a dialing tone. The Doctor looked at the phone for a moment before hanging it up. A small shudder passed through his shoulders, and he started to worry a little bit more. Knocking on the TARDIS door, he allowed himself a moment of hope.
"Rose? Rose, are you in there?"
A noise outside the alley drew the Doctor's attention. He glanced at the phone one more time before racing out of the alley in search of his companion and the source of the noise.
He found the young woman from before entering a house as the last of the regular occupants vanished into their bomb shelter. A small smile took over his face even as a bit of worry warred with amusement. She'd known about the phone; how had she known about the phone? How had that even happened?
The young woman reappeared in the door and whistled twice. A small smile as on her face as a pair of urchins appeared out of the shadows. Then more came into view, popping up from unexpected places on the street. They all headed for the front door, and the Doctor's smile returned as he guessed what was happening. He stayed in the shadows for a few more minutes, watching as more and more children came rushing towards the house.
…..
The balloon was dropping. Rose's cut in the balloon was letting the air out slowly. Thank the guardians, it hadn't popped, but the wind was still a problem. She was swaying through the air, and Rose's stomach wasn't happy. Her hands were aching from the death grip she had on the rope, and the problem of the German planes hadn't gone away.
Suddenly, the balloon stopped moving. She wasn't being blown towards the next building or falling. They were just frozen in place. A light field had formed around Rose, locking her in place. She looked up to see the balloon itself still being battered by the wind, but it couldn't move thanks to the rope being held fast.
"Sorry to barge in, it looked like you were doing pretty well, but why risk it. I can get you down safely."
That was Jack's voice. Rose swallowed, her confusion only growing at the balloon was held solidly in place. The light surrounding her was gentle, but very much out of place. That was Jack's voice, but he hadn't' greeted her like she'd expect.
"Thanks for the offer," she replied.
"I'm just programming your descent pattern. Keep as still as you can and keep your hands and feet inside the light field."
"Okay," Rose agreed.
"You can let go of the rope now." Jack sounded amused.
Rose pried her hands open. She couldn't help but brace herself for the worst, but the light beam held her in place. The barrage balloon continued to drift in the breeze while she stayed put. A sigh of relief escaped her, and she looked down at her hands with a grimace.
"Oh, and could you switch off your cell phone? No, seriously, it interferes with my instrument."
"You know, no one ever believes that," Rose said. None the less, she pulled her phone out of her shoulder bag and switched it off.
"Thank you. That's much better."
"Take your time," Rose said. She eyed the German planes. "It's an interesting view. I'm only in a Union Jack t-shirt in the middle of an air raid."
Jack chuckled. "Be with you in a moment." There was a pause. "Hold tight!"
"To what?"
"Fair point."
Suddenly, she was sliding down the light field as it if were a water slide. Somehow, she didn't scream even when everything flashed past her. There was too much visual input, and her balance was completely thrown out the window. Rose landed and blinked, trying to keep her stomach from giving up breakfast.
Then she was in a dark space with Jack grinning at her. Dizziness hit Rose hard, and she blinked frantically, trying to hold back the flickers of darkness at the edge of her eyes. Jack was watching her with that charming smile of his.
"I've got you. You're fine; you're just fine. The tractor beam, it can scramble your head just a little."
"Yeah… that fits," Rose managed. "Hello."
"Hello," Jack returned.
"Good to see- uh thanks for the lift. It was a bit much out there."
"Are you alright?" Jacek gently lowered Rose so she could stand on her feet.
"Why, are you expecting me to faint or something?"
"You look a little dizzy."
"That's…" Rose swayed. "That sounds very correct." Jack grabbed her arm. "Uh… anyplace that I can sit-"
In the future, Rose would deny that she fainted. Jack would insist that she swooned, even if it was Athena and Melody who were hearing the story. But the world did go black, and Rose did fall over with Jack only just keeping her from hitting her head.
…..
"It's got to be black market. You couldn't get all this on coupons," one boy said.
The children were all gathered around the family dining table, which was covered with food. The Doctor peeked out carefully, watching them, and taking everything in. He was inclined to agree with the boy himself.
"Ernie, how many times?" the young woman he'd followed said. "We are guests in this house. We will not make comments of that kind. Washing up."
The children laughed at her remark, and the first boy groaned. "Oh, Nancy."
Nancy just turned her eyes to another of the children. "Haven't seen you at one of these before."
"He told me about it," the boy said, pointing to Ernie.
"Sleeping rough?"
"Yes, miss."
"All right, then. One slice each, and I want to see everyone chewing properly."
The plate of slices of meat was handed around the table, and the Doctor quickly slipped to the table. None of them noticed, and it was all he could do, not to laugh.
"Thank you, miss."
"Thanks, miss."
"Thank you, miss."
The plate was handed to the Doctor, who smiled. "Thanks, miss."
His voice stood out amongst the young ones and all the children tenses, looking at him with wide and panicked eyes. Only Nancy seemed to stay calm when all the others were ready to bolt. Several were already out of their chairs.
"It's all right. Everybody stay where you are!"
"Good here, innit? Who's got the salt?" the Doctor asked.
"Back in your seats. He shouldn't be here either," Nancy said.
The children slowly sat back down. They all hesitated to eat until the Doctor tucked in. It wasn't half bad. Not great, but definitely good.
"So, you lot, what's the story?"
"What do you mean?" Ernie asked.
"You're homeless, right? Living rough?"
"Why do you want to know that?" another boy asked. "Are you a copper?"
"Of course I'm not a copper. What's a copper going to do with you lot anyway? Arrest you for starving?" the Doctor scoffed. He looked around the table at the sad state of the children and almost smiled. Here they were in rough shape and looking after each other. Still, they weren't supposed to be here. "I make it 1941. You lot shouldn't even be in London. You should've been evacuated to the country by now."
"I was evacuated. Sent me to a farm."
"So why'd you come back?"
"There was a man there." The Doctor heard everything that wasn't being said and anger twisted in his gut.
"Yeah, same with Ernie. Two homes ago."
"Shut up," Ernie snapped. He quickly regained his composure. "It's better on the streets anyway. It's better food."
"Yeah. Nancy always gets the best food for us."
"So, that's what you do, is it, Nancy?" the Doctor asked.
"What is?" Nancy had narrowed her eyes slightly at him.
"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 waved his knife and fork around. "Puddings for all, as long as the bombs don't get you."
"Something wrong with that?" Nancy asked with a sharp tone.
"Wrong with it? It's brilliant. I'm not sure if it's Marxism in action or a West End musical."
"Why'd you follow me?" Nancy asked, changing the topic. "What do you want?"
"I want to know how a phone that isn't a phone gets a phone call. You seem to be the one to ask."
"I did you a favour," Nancy answered. "I told you not to answer it, that's all I'm telling you.
"Great, thanks," the Doctor said with forced cheer. The topic clearly bothered the girl deeply, which meant that it was likely dangerous. It shouldn't be happening. Forcing a smile, he looked around at the children. "And I want to find a blonde in a Union Jack. I mean a specific one. I didn't just wake up this morning with a craving. Anybody seen a girl like that?"
The children laughed, but Nancy came around the table and took his plate. The laughter faded, and he noted the young woman's tension and apparent anger.
"What have I done wrong?"
"You took two slices. No blondes, no flags," she said sternly. "Anything else before you leave?" Her voice dared him to push his luck. It was the sort of dare he was very good at.
"Yeah, there is actually. Thanks for asking. Something I've been looking for. Would've fallen from the sky about a month ago, but not a bomb. Not the usual kind, anyway. Wouldn't have exploded. Probably would have just buried itself in the ground somewhere, and it would have looked something like this."
The Doctor held up a rough sketch of the craft the Tardis was following. In truth, it just looked like some kind of metal tube. The children stared at the drawing with confusion. Before he could say anything more, a knock at the door made everyone jump.
"Mummy?" a child's voice called. "Are you in there, mummy?"
Moving to the window, the Doctor pulled back the curtain and checked the front stoop. There was a small boy in a gas mask.
"Mummy?" the boy called.
"Who was the last one in?" Nancy demanded.
The Doctor turned to watch the children and Nancy. One boy pointed to Ernie.
"Him."
"No, he came round the back," Nancy said. "Who came in the front?"
"Me."
"Did you close the door?"
"Er…." The boy trailed off.
"Did you close the door?" Nancy asked more urgently.
"Mummy? Mummy? Mummy?"
Nancy ran into the hallway past the Doctor in a rush. He followed her and watched her frantically bolt the front door. Fear and grief filled her eyes. Once again, nothing here made sense.
"What's this, then?" he asked gently. "It's never easy being the only child left out in the cold, you know."
"I suppose you'd know."
"I do actually, yes."
"It's not exactly a child," Nancy answered with an air of defeat.
"Mummy?"
Nancy rushed back into the dining room where the children were all waiting with confused expressions. The Doctor was glad that it wasn't just him, but Nancy's worry and fear were so real that he thought he might just be able to reach out and touch it.
"Right, everybody out. Across the back garden and under the fence. Now! Go! Move!"
At her words, the urchins all grabbed their coats and followed her instructions. The Doctor stayed out of the way as the children all ran out the back. Nancy knelt and spoke to the one remaining child, a small girl who couldn't have been more than four.
"Come on, baby; we've got to go, all right? It's just like a game. Just like chasing. Take your coat, go on. Go!"
"Mummy? Mummy? Please let me in, mummy. Please let me in, mummy."
The Doctor leaned into the hallway to see a small hand reaching through the letterbox.
"Are you all right?" the Doctor asked gently.
"Please let me in," the child begged.
A glass vase sailed past him and hit the door just above the letterbox. The Doctor jumped at the sudden crash, and the hand withdrew. He turned to see Nancy staring at the door.
"You mustn't let him touch you!"
"What happens if he touches me?"
"He'll make you like him."
"And what's he like?" the Doctor asked.
"I've got to go."
"Nancy, what's he like?"
"He's empty," the young woman answered sadly. Beside them, the telephone started to ring. "It's him. He can make phones ring. He can. Just like with that police box you saw."
The Doctor picked up the phone, still watching Nancy and heard, "Are you my mummy?"
Nancy snatched the phone and put it back on the hook. Behind them, the radio began to play in the dining room.
"Mummy? Please let me in, mummy," the voice called through the radio.
A clockwork monkey on the floor began to move. "Mummy, mummy, mummy," it called.
"You stay if you want to," Nancy said. Then she was out the back, leaving the Doctor confused and alone. The small hand appeared through the letterbox again, and this time the Doctor noted a large scar on the back of the hand.
"Mummy? Let me in please, mummy. Please let me in."
"Your mummy isn't here," the Doctor answered.
"Are you my mummy?"
"No mummies here. Nobody here but us chickens. Well, this chicken."
"I'm scared."
The words made the Doctor frown. "Why are those other children frightened of you?"
"Please let me in, mummy. I'm scared of the bombs."
"Okay," the Doctor agreed. "I'm opening the door now."
The child pulled back his hand. The Doctor slowly unbolted the front door, his hearts beating a bit faster than he'd ever admit to. When he opened the door, the front step was empty, and the street was deserted.