Piper walked into the console room to find the Doctor attempting to fly the Tardis. Rose was stood nearby, watching him as he ran around flicking switches and pushing buttons. A few seconds later, the Tardis landed and the Doctor turned to look at them. "We've seen the future, now let's look at the past," he said pointing to the doors. "I promised you both a time machine so that's what you're gonna get. 1860, how does 1860 sound?"
"Sounds great," Piper grinned.
"What happened in 1860?" Rose asked curiously.
"I don't know but let's find out," he grinned. "Earth, Naples. December 24th, 1860." He crossed his arms, staring intently at the screen. They moved to stand next to him. On the screen, it was dark and snowing.
"That's so weird. It's Christmas," Rose murmured softly.
"And it's all yours." The way he said it sounded as if it were nothing and Rose supposed it wasn't. Not to him anyway. Not with a time machine that could go back and forth whenever and wherever he wanted it to.
"But think about it though. It's Christmas in 1860. Only happens once and it's gone. Finished. It'll never happen again." Rose said. The Doctor looked at her as she continued. "Cept for you. You can go back and see days that are long gone, spend time with people that aren't even alive anymore. No wonder you never stay still."
"Not a bad life."
"Better with three," Rose grinned and grabbed Piper's arm, pulling her towards the door.
"Hey. Where do you think you're going?"
Rose spun around. "1860."
"Go out there dressed like that and you'll start a riot, Barbarellas." Both of them looked down at the clothes they were currently wearing. Rose was wearing jeans, a top and a blue jacket, while Piper was wearing jeans, slightly heeled knee high boots, a top with a jumper and a dark purple jacket just in case it got cold. She didn't like the cold that much.
"There's a wardrobe in there," he pointed. "First left, second right, third on the left then go straight on, under the stairs and past the bins and it's the fifth door on your left. Well, hurry up!"
Piper decided to follow Rose, hoping she would be able to remember his instructions because she sure as hell wouldn't be able to. When they eventually found the closet, they dived right in. Their eyes lit up in amazement. All the clothes were organized perfectly according to each year and decade. They couldn't help but wonder around, trying different things on even if it didn't have anything to do with 1860. Both of them deciding they wanted to wear a dress, went to look at the available dresses. A few minutes of looking, they both found the perfect dress. Rose, off the shoulder with a black bodice and burgundy skirt and Piper, a dress with a deep dark purple bodice and black skirt. She still wore boots. For their hair, Rose had tied hers up, adding a pretty flower. Piper had carefully parted her waist length hair, putting a side fringe in before carefully separating the rest so she could plait both sides. It made her look even younger than she was. Almost child like. They found the Doctor underneath the console, fiddling around with something. He looked up and his eyes grew wide. "Blimey!"
Rose smiled. "Don't laugh," she warned him playfully.
"You look beautiful," he told Rose before turning to Piper. "And you...you look georgous! Considering."
Piper smiled shyly at him. She didn't mind that he had added the word 'considering' at the end of that sentence. But Rose did and she frowned, more than a bit put out. "Considering what?"
"That you're both human."
"I'd take it as a compliment, Rose." She looked at the Doctor who hadn't changed. "What about you? Aren't you gonna change into something more fitting for the year?"
"I've changed my jumper. C'mon, let's go." He stood up and made for the door but Rose pulled him back.
"Nope," she said. "You sit here. This one's ours. You've already done this a thousand times. C'mon." She grabbed hold of Piper's hand and dragged her to the door. She slowly opened the Tardis door and stepped out into the snow. Piper followed her from behind.
The Doctor stood behind her. He took the time to look at the dark haired girl. She really was a sight in that dress. It was almost impossible to look away. Shaking the inappropriate thoughts aside, he stepped out of the Tardis, closing the doors behind him. He held out his arms for them to take. "Here we go. History." It was still snowing mildly as they walked down the snow covered streets. He stopped, letting go of their hands as he walked over to a man with newspapers. His face changed as he looked at the date. He made his way back to them looking a little disappointed. "I got the flight a bit wrong."
"I don't care."
"It's not 1860. It's 1869."
"I don't care."
"And it's not Naples."
"I don't care."
"It's Cardiff."
"...Right," Rose muttered.
The curtains opened and everyone clapped as the great Charles Dickens stepped onto the stage. "Now, it is a fact," he said. "That there was nothing particular at all about the knocker on the door of this house but let any man explain to me if he can, how it happened that Scrooge, having his key in the lock of the door, saw in the knocker, without its undergoing any intermediate process of change, not a knocker but Marley's face!" The crowd listened intently to his words. They gasped and whispered as he carried on. "Marley's face! It looked at Scrooge as Marley used to look. It looked..." He cut himself off as he scanned the crowd. He paled as an old woman in the crowd began to glow. His eyes widened in shock and fear as he pointed at her. "Oh, my lord." He whispered. "It looked...like that." He pointed a shaky hand towards her. Everyone turned to see what he was looking at and gasped in shock and fear. "What is this?" Charles demanded as the woman stood up. The glowing around her grew brighter as she opened her mouth and screamed.
Outside of the theatre, the Doctor, Rose and Piper stopped. The Doctor grinned at them. "That's more like it!" He threw the newspaper over his shoulder and ran towards the screaming. Rose and Piper pulled up their dresses and ran after him.
Inside the theatre, Charles Dickens stood and watched helplessly as the crowd ran screaming in fear. "Stay in your seats," he begged them. "I beg you, It is just a trick." The blue light flew around the room.
"Fantastic," the Doctor watched in wonder at the glowing light. He looked at Charles Dickens and made his way over to him. In the crowd, the woman finally stopped screaming, her eyes closed and she collapsed onto a chair. "Did you see where it came from?"
"Ah, the wag reveals himself, does he? I trust you're satisfied, sir!"
The Doctor raised his eyebrows.
"Oi, leave her alone!" Rose cried loudly as a man and a young girl grabbed the old woman. "Doctor, I'll get em."
"Be careful!" He told her as she ran to them. He climbed onto the stage. "Did it say anything? Can it speak? I'm the Doctor by the way and this is Piper." Piper was torn between helping Rose or staying with the Doctor. In the end, she chose to stay with the Doctor. She ran up to join him on the stage. He bent down to help her up and she smiled at him in thanks.
"Doctor? You look more like a navvy."
The Doctor frowned at this. "What's wrong with this jumper?" He asked, pulling at it. The Doctor watched the creature as it disappeared. "Gas. It's made of gas." The Doctor, Piper followed closely by Charles Dickens made their way outside just in time to see Rose being kidnapped. "Rose!" The Doctor yelled, running towards them.
"Oh my God, Rose!" Piper screamed.
"You're not escaping me sir, Ma'am! What do you know about that Hobgoblin? Hmm? Projection on glass, I suppose. Who put you up to it?"
The Doctor and Piper were only half listening as he put a hand on his shoulder. "Um, yeah mate. Not now thanks. Oi, you!" He ran towards a man sitting on a carriage. "Follow that hearse!" He demanded as he pulled Piper inside. The Doctor also pulled Charles Dickens inside when he told them they couldn't steal the carriage. "C'mon, you're losing them!"
The man driving the carriage looked down. "Everything in order, Mr. Dickens?"
"No, it is not!" He exclaimed.
The Doctor did a double take. His eyes lit up like a child at Christmas. "What did he say?"
"Let me say this first, I'm not without a sense of humour-"
"Dickens?" The Doctor interrupted.
"Yes."
"Charles Dickens?"
"Yes," he snapped.
"THE Charles Dickens?"
"Should I remove them, sir?"
"Charles Dickens, you're brilliant you are! Completely 100% brilliant. I've read em all, Oliver Twist, The great expectations and what's other one? The...the one with the ghost?"
"A Christmas carol?"
"No, no, no. The one with the trains. The Signal Man, that's it! Terrifying. Best short story ever written. You're a genius, right Piper?" Piper nodded in agreement. She couldn't believe she was meeting Charles Dickens!
"You want me to get rid of them, sir?"
"Er, no. I think they can stay."
"Honestly, Charles. Can I call you Charles? I am such a big fan!"
"A what? A big-a big what?" He asked confused.
The Doctor seemed to realize his mistake and hurried to explain. "Fan, number one fan. That's me."
"How exactly are you a fan? In what way do you resemble a means of keeping oneself cool?
"No, it means fanatic, devoted to." He explained. "Mind you, I've got to say, that American bit in Martin Chuzzlewit, what was all that about? Was that just padding or what? I mean, it's rubbish that bit."
"I thought you said you were my fan?"
"Ah, well if you can't take criticism. Go on, do the death of Little Nell, it cracks me up." Piper elbowed him in the side sharply and looked at him incredulously. Rose had been kidnapped for God's sakes! He noticed her look and sobered up. "No, sorry, forget about that. C'mon, faster!"
"Who is exactly in that hearse?"
"My friend. Her best friend. She's only 18 and it's my fault. They're in my care and now she's in danger."
Charles's eyes widened. "Then why are we wasting time talking about dry old books? This is much more important. Driver, be swift! The chase is on!"
"Yes, sir." The carriage flew down the streets.
"Attaboy, Charlie."
"Nobody calls me Charlie."
"The ladies do," the Doctor replied, winking at Piper who blushed.
"How do you know that?"
"I told you, I'm your number one-"
"Yes, yes. Number one fan," Charles interrupted, staring out of the window.
When they finally came to a stop, they ran to the door and knocked. A moment later a young girl answered the door. "I'm sorry sir, we're closed." Piper growled making the Doctor look at her, eyebrows raised.
"Nonsense. Since when did an undertaker keep office hours? The dead don't die on schedule. I demand to see your master."
"He's not in sir," she lied.
"Don't lie to me child. Summon him at once!"
"I'm awfully sorry, Mister Dickens. The master is indisposed."
The girl once again tried to shut the door on them but Piper wasn't having it. She held the door open so she couldn't shut it. "Step aside." She growled darkly at her. "Now!"
The girl jumped but Piper didn't care. Rose could be in danger for all they knew because of these people. The lamp behind her flickered. "Havin trouble with your gas?"
"What the Shakespeare is going on?"
The Doctor pushed past the girl, putting his head against the wall. "There's something Inside the walls. Something's living inside the gas." A banging sound followed by a scream made the Doctor and Piper run down the hall. Charles followed swiftly behind them. The Doctor kicked the door in, revealing Rose in the grip of a man. The old woman from before was standing next to him.
He pulled her away from them, Charles standing behind them, staring in disbelief. "It's a prank. Must be. We're under some mesmeric influence."
"No, we're not. The dead are walking," he stated. He turned to Rose. "Hi."
"Hi. Who's your friend?"
"Charles Dickens." Piper answered with a grin.
"Ok."
"My name's the Doctor. Who're you then? What do you want?"
"Failing. Open the rift." The creatures cried. "We're dying. Trapped in this form, cannot sustain. Help us. Ahhh!" The corpses dropped to the floor as the creatures left the bodies.
Not long after, they were all in the living room of Mr. Sneed, the owner. Rose paced the floors, fuming as she had a go at the man. "First of all you drug me, then you kidnap me, and don't think I didn't feel your hands having a quick wonder you dirty old man." Piper smirked while the Doctor grinned.
"I won't be spoken to like this!" He protested but she wasn't done.
"Then you stick me in a room full of zombies. And if that ain't enough, you swan off and leave me to die! So c'mon, talk!"
"It's not my fault. It's this house! It's always had a reputation. Haunted. But I never had much bother until a few months back. Then the stiffs, er, the dear departed," he corrected himself quickly. "Started getting restless."
"Tommyrot." Charles denied.
Sneed turned to him in disbelief. "You witnessed it! Can't keep the beggars down, sir! They walk and it's the weirdest thing, it seems they hang onto the scraps." Piper listened intently. The more she knew the more it would help them later. She loved learning new things.
"Morbid fancy."
The Doctor rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on Charles. You were there, you saw it."
"I saw nothing but an illusion."
"If you're going to deny it, don't waste my time. Just shut up!" The Doctor snapped in annoyance. Piper's jaw dropped at his bluntness and her jaw clenched in silent anger. "What about the gas?"
Piper turned her attention to Charles who didn't look happy. She felt bad that the Doctor had snapped at him. He didn't deserve it. She stood up and followed him out of the room. "Hey," she called softly. He turned around to face her, smiling slightly. "Sorry about him. He can be a bit rude sometimes but he doesn't mean it."
"It's fine," he told her. He was stunned when she pulled him into a hug but leaned into her nonetheless. They stayed that way for a few moments before pulling apart.
She smiled softly at him, grabbing his hand so she could pull him along. They walked into the other room where the bodies lay and waved his hand over their faces, half expecting them to wake up and grab him. Piper stood by the door, watching him as the Doctor leaned against the door. "Checking for strings?" he asked, making Charles jump.
"Wires perhaps. There must be some mechanism behind this fraud."
"Charles..." she started before stopping thoughtfully making both men look at her. "Actually, can I call you Charlie?" He nodded to her softly. She smiled in thanks.
"C'mon Charles," the Doctor interrupted her. He placed his hand on his shoulder. "Alright, I shouldn't have told you to shut up. I'm sorry. But you saw those gas creatures."
"I cannot accept that."
"And what does the body do when it decomposes?" He continued. "It produces gas. Perfect home for these things. They slip inside and use it like you would do with your coach."
"Stop it. Can it be that I have the world entirely wrong?" He sounded wistful.
"No," Piper whispered. "There's just so much more out there." The Doctor left the room after while Piper decided to stay with Charles. Ten minutes later, he walked back in grinning like a loon. "What?"
"We're gonna have a séance."
Piper wasn't happy. "Maybe we shouldn't be doing this. At least, not yet."
The Doctor walked over concerned. "Why not?"
She hesitated, choosing her next words carefully. "Something's not...right. Something doesn't feel right. About all of this."
The Doctor grabbed her hand. "It's alright. If you don't want to take part it's fine." She squeezed his hand lightly. She had always been know for having good instincts and right now they were telling her something was wrong. But she was determined to find out what their intentions were. And if they needed stopping...well then, so be it!