Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who and never will, but I do own Sophie McQueen and any other characters that I come up with!

Army of Ghosts:

Part 2...

The Doctor was the first one to break out of his stupor and he raced outside, like a penguin with its tail cut off.

I managed to shake myself out of it before chasing after him. "Theta, wait up!" I called.

I caught up to him just barely. Just like Rose said, there were ghosts everywhere around us. I couldn't even count how many there was as it was too many to count. To make this even stranger, the people didn't seem to be bothered by the fact that they were there. If it had been a couple months since this whole thing started, everyone was probably used to them by now, but still.

There was even a group of kids, who would probably be freaking out the most, acting perfectly normal, carrying on with their ball game as if nothing strange was going on around them.

One of them started towards my mate and my stomach lunged. "Theta!" I cried out, but he didn't have time to move.

However, there was no point to my worry as the ghost went right through him.

My mate shuddered in discomfort, but there was no pain. I still went over to him with worry in eyes as I grabbed his hand.

Just then, Jackie and Rose joined them.

"They haven't got long." The older blonde informed us. "Midday shift only lasts a couple minutes. They're about to fade."

"What do you mean, SHIFT?" The Doctor demanded, confused. "Since when did ghosts have shifts? Since when did shifts have ghosts? What's going on?"

Jackie rose a brow. "Oh, he's not happy when I know more than him, does he?"

He ignored her. "But no one's running or freaking out or –"

She shrugged. "Why should we?" She checked her watch once again. "Here we go. Twelve minutes past." She smiled at me, biting her lip with anticipation.

A couple seconds later, the ghosts disappeared and my mate looked more confused than ever. I've never seen him this confused before.

We started heading back to the flat, but I paused, looking up at the bright blue sky, a feeling of dread washed over me, in the pit of my stomach. It fluttered as I placed my hand upon it.

I felt a hand on my shoulder as I looked back to see Theta standing behind, the ghosts lost from his mind as he stared at me concerned.

"Are you feeling alright? Do you need to go back to the TARDIS?" he questioned.

"No. I'm fine." I shook my head. "I just have a bad feeling, that's all."

He frowned. "Are you sure?"

"Yes…now come on, let's figure out what's going on."

My mate stared at me for a moment before nodding in agreement and we went back inside.

-0-

We all settled down in the sitting area, turning on the news. Well, every single news station to see if it was happening all over the world, like Rose said.

She was right.

It was all they were talking about.

The Doctor changed the channel again for the fourth time, shaking his head in disbelief. "It's all over the world."

Peggy Mitchel, from Eastenders, was on screen as she stood behind the bar of the Vic, glaring at a ghost.

"Listen to me, Denn Walts. I don't care if you HAVE come back from the grave! Get out of my pub! The only spirits I serve in this place are gin, whiskey, and vodka. So you heard me – GET OUT!"

My mate clearly had enough of this if the look on his face was any hint. He shut the telly off and turned his body towards Jackie since he was on the floor with me leaning into his side.

"So, Rose said this started a couple months ago?" he inquired.

Jackie nodded. "Yeah, and it just happened out of nowhere. Woke up one morning, and there they all were – ghosts – everywhere. We all ran around screaming and that, the whole planet was panicking…no sign of YOU, thank you very much." Most of the trips we went on never were on Earth, which was why we weren't around. "…then it sort of sank in. took us time to realize that…we're lucky."

"Lucky?" I said, but it sounded like a question. She nodded and I was quiet for a moment. "So, why do you think that it's Rose's grandad? It could be someone else."

Jackie shook her head. "It's him. It feels like him…there's just that smell, those old cigarettes. Rose smells it too, don't you Rose?"

Rose looked guilty. "No, I don't, mum."

"But you said…?"

"I know…but I lied." Rose admitted. Jackie's face fell. "I'm sorry mum, but I didn't want to hurt your feelings by saying I didn't believe you."

"Well, that's because you didn't try hard enough to smell it." Jackie informed her intently. "You've got to WANT it sweetheart."

"The more you want it, the stronger it gets?" The Doctor guessed.

Jackie gave a nod of her head. "Sort of, yeah."

He sighed, rubbing his face. "Like psychic link. Course you want your old dad to be alive, but you're wishing him into existence. The ghosts are using that to pull themselves in."

She frowned at him. "You're spoiling it."

"I'm sorry, Jackie." He told her softly. "But there's no smell. No cigarettes. Just a memory."

"But if they're not ghosts, what are they then?" Rose asked, rubbing her mum's shoulder.

"Yeah, but they're human! You can see them – they LOOK human!"

I frowned for a moment. "She's right about that. They're all blurred though, but they definitely look human."

The Doctor looked thoughtful. "Maybe not. They're pressing themselves into the surface of the world. But a footprint doesn't look like a boot."

Normally, I could understand what he was saying, but that made no sense.

-0-

"When's the next shift?" The Doctor asked Jackie as he arranged three cone devices in a triangle shape at the park we had landed in.

"Quarter to." She responded after checking her watch. "But don't go causing trouble. What's that lot do?"

"Triangulates their point of origin."

"Trying to find whose causing all this." I translated in simple terms.

A thoughtful look crossed Rose's face. "You don't suppose it's the Gelth?"

"The who?" I asked, my face screwing up in confusion.

She turned to me. "They're ghosts. I met them with the Doctor." She smiled fondly in the Doctor's direction. "It was one of my very first adventures with him. Remember Doctor?"

He barely looked at her. "Yes. I remember."

Jealousy hit me all at once and I glared at Rose. She noticed, smiling sheepishly.

"Sorry…" she muttered.

The Doctor glanced over at her. "But no, it's not them."

Rose nodded, expecting that answer.

"They were just coming through one little rift." He went on to further explain. "This lot are transposing themselves over the whole planet. Like tracing paper."

Jackie regarded him crossly. "You're always doing this. Reducing it to science. Why can't it be real?" He just ignored her, focused on his task. "Just think of it, though…all the people we've lost – our families coming back home. Don't you think it's beautiful?"

I didn't say anything. It would be nice to see my parents again…but I knew this was wrong and that it shouldn't be happening.

The Doctor paused in his work, meeting Jackie's eyes for the first time. "I think it's horrific."

Jackie looked mildly shocked, but I wasn't. I knew his answer was gonna be something along those lines.

With that said, he went back to word, gesturing me over. "Soph, give us a hand." I clapped in response and he gave me an amused look. "Not what I meant, love."

"Oh…right." I flashed him a teasing grin as I helped him unwind a cable that he had, leading it through the TARDIS. He plugged it in the console just as Jackie and Rose walked in, closing the door behind them.

"As soon as it becomes activated, if that line goes into the red, press that button there." He started to explain, in a speed that no one would be able to keep up with unless you knew the Doctor as long as I have. "If it doesn't stop…" He held out the sonic screwdriver, putting it in my hand and wrapping his own hand around it. "Setting 15B, hold it against the port, eight seconds and stop."

I nodded. "Got it."

"If it goes into the blue, activate the deep scan on the left."

"Got it." I repeated.

He squeezed my hand, kissing my forehead. "Good…now! What do we got? Two minutes to go?" He looked over at Jackie, who looked at her watch.

She nodded and the Doctor ran out the TARDIS doors again with Jackie following him, leaving me alone with Rose. I pretended to be okay with it, but inside, it was killing me.

Focusing on the task at hand, I put the sonic into a port on the console. Two minutes later, I heard the Doctor's voice through the open doors of the TARDIS.

"What's the line doing?!"

"It's holding up just fine, love!"

It was quiet after that and Rose spoke.

"Sophie…I'm sorry about what happened." She said softly. I said nothing. "I shouldn't have tried to do that to you…just because I was jealous of you and the Doctor…he clearly loves…and I see that now…I hope you can forgive me."

I finally said something. "I don't know if I can. You tried to kill me, Rose. How can anyone forgive someone for that?"

Rose sighed. "I know…but I just wanted to let you know that I am really sorry even if you don't believe that I am."

I could only nod.

Then she went on, "I've been seeing someone to help me." I looked at her surprised. "I've only been seeing her for just a few months…but it made me realize something…I wasn't jealous of you being with the Doctor…" She bit her bottom lip. "I was really jealous of the Doctor being with you…"

I stopped her, eyes wide. "What…what are you saying?"

Rose took a deep breath as she looked down at her feet before meeting my eyes again. "I'm in love with you, Sophie."

This had to be a joke.

I didn't have time to say anything though as the Doctor's voice broke the conversation. Shaking my head, I responded back to him.

"The scanner's working - it says 'delta one six!'"

"Sophie..." Rose started.

I cut her off. "I don't know what to say to that, Rose. Do you really expect me to believe that?" She sighed in response. "I'm sorry, but I don't believe that for one second. You can't be in love with me." I turned back to the scanner. "Even if you are...I'm sorry...but I don't feel the same way. I love the Doctor."

"I know...I just wanted to let you know..." Rose said quietly.

I didn't say anything else to her as suddenly a ghost appeared on the center of the triangle the Doctor made. When it did, blue electricity came from the cones and connected over the top of the ghost, containing it in a kind of electric pyramid.

We watched in amazement, forgetting for a while about what Rose revealed.

Theta put on a pair of what looked like 3D glasses as he watched the ghost closely. Not as sexy as his brainy specs, but still.

After a moment, he bent over and adjusted a setting on his equipment, causing a green light to blip. He continued to adjust the knob and the ghost shuddered and groaned. It was obvious it wasn't happy with the Doctor doing this to it.

The Doctor was just amused by this as he laughed out loud. "Don't like that much, do you?" Then he muttered under his breath, "Who are you? Where are you FROM? WHOA!" He let that part out because he received an electric shock from the ghost. I felt it as well, but I winced as I pulled my hand away, rubbing it.

"Are you alright?" Rose asked, grabbing my hand that got shocked.

I immediately pulled it back quickly, remembering what she had told me. "Yeah, fine." I responded shortly.

"That's more like it!" The Doctor cried out triumphantly. "Not so friendly NOW, are you?"

I shook my head. 'You're enjoying this way too much.' I mentally told him.

'Yeeeeah, just a little bit.'

I shook my head again.

The ghost continued to groan and shudder and jerk within the Doctor's triangle. Just as sudden as the ghost came, it disappeared. Then he darted forward and began gathering up his equipment, running back inside the TARDIS with the equipment tucked underneath his arm.

My mate dashed to the railing, throwing his coat over it. He grinned.

"I told you!" he stated excitedly. "Those ghosts have been FORCED into existence for one specific point! I can track down the source. Allons'y!"

He pulled down a lever and the TARDIS shuddered, causing me and my mate to fall into the captain's chair. My mate jumped in response and I felt like I needed to throw up, but I managed to keep it down. However, I couldn't help the groan escaping my mouth as I rubbed my stomach.

My mate jumped up from the chair as the rotor rose and fell. I stayed where I was though, not wanting to stand up just yet.

"I like that." He chirped, not taking notice to how pale I was. "Allons'y. I should say allons'y more often. Allons'y. Watch out, Sophie McQueen! Allons'y! And THEN, it would be brilliant if I met someone called Alonzo. Because then I could say allons'y Alonzo! Every time!" He finally noticed how pale I was and his face grew concerned.

"Love?"

"I'm fine." I said quickly, standing up on shaky feet. "Just a little woozy." Before he could say anything else, I changed the subject. "Theta...you do realize that...Jackie and Rose are still with us?" He looked back.

Jackie was perched on the gantries, legs dangling, while Rose stood next to the console, arms crossed.

"If we end up on Mars, I'm gonna kill you." Jackie said dryly.

"And she means it." Rose added.

My mate looked horrified.

I was fine with Jackie being here, but Rose...not so much. It was too late now...

The TARDIS finally materialized in what looked like a storage area. Soldiers burst in through the doors, holding onto big guns, shouting and getting into their positions. We wanted all of this transpire on the monitor.

"They don't look very happy to see us." I commented. I felt uncomfortable seeing the guns as I rubbed my stomach. I didn't take notice that Jackie was watching me rather intently.

"Oh well there goes the advantage of surprise." My mate shrugged. "Still. Cuts to the chase. Stay in here, Rose, look after Jackie. Soph, you stay in here too." He made his way to the doors.

"But Theta..." I went to protest as I followed him. "You can't go out there alone."

"No." He said sternly. "You haven't been feeling well for weeks, so yes, you are staying here and you are gonna let me go out alone."

"But they have guns." I tried to protest again.

"And I rather you be safe, than me." My mate told me softly, losing the stern voice for a softer tone as he turned around and cupped my face. "Alright?"

I sighed, leaning into his touch. "Fine but be safe." I sternly articulated.

"I promise." Then he grinned. "Besides, they can shoot me dead, but the moral high-ground is mine." He kissed my forehead, and with that, he opened the doors and stepped through it, closing them behind him.

I bit my bottom lip as me, Jackie, and Rose watched from the crack of the TARDIS doors. Their guns locked and loaded.

I held my breath and felt someone grab my hand. It was Rose and I didn't bother pulling away.

Before anything could happen, a tall blonde burst through the doors, running towards the Doctor, a great big grin plastered on her face.

"Oh..." she sounded like she could barely contain her excitement. "Oh how marvelous!" She clapped her hands ecstatically. "Oh very superb! Superb! Happy day!"

The soldiers followed suit, applauding him. My mate lowered his hands, the look on his face showing that he didn't know what to make of this.

"Um...thanks..." he said slowly. "Nice to meet you. I'm...the Doctor."

And the clapping started again.

"Oh, I should say! Hurray!" The blonde woman cheered, grinning.

"You...you've heard of me, then?"

The woman nodded enthusiastically. "Well of course we have. And I have to say, if it wasn't for you, none of us would BE here. The Doctor and the TARDIS!"

Overcome, she started clapping again. I rolled my eyes. She was laying it on pretty thick, a little too thick, but my mate seemed to be enjoying this just a little. Of course he was.

Finally, he gestured to them to settle down.

"And...and...you are?" He asked her.

She waved a hand. "Oh, plenty of time for that." She cleared her throat. "But according to the records, you're not the one to travel alone. The Doctor and his companion...or well I guess this time around, the Doctor and his mate."

His eyes narrowed. "And how do you know that?" He asked, his tone a bit dark.

He blonde woman didn't even flinch as her own voice suddenly adopted a slight sinister quality. "There's no point of hiding anything. Not from us." She smiled, then sounded cheerful again. "So where is she?"

My mate said nothing for a moment. "...yes." He finally said. "Sorry. Good point. She's just a bit shy, that's all." I kept myself from snorting at that lie. I was anything but shy.

He opened up the TARDIS a little bit more and grabbed the first person, which was Jackie, much to his horror.

After a few jokes at Jackie's expense, Rose and I watched as the party left the door and we looked at each other.

What now?

TBC...

In...

Army of Ghosts, Part 3...