Chapter 4

Rose wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her new blue sweatshirt, a birthday present from the Doctor a week ago. She stood up slowly and took a deep breath then walked slowly over to the small varnished jewellery box by her hung up clothes. She opened the lid and gazed into her reflection of the tiny mirror. Her eyes fell to the bottom drawer of the box and pulled it open. In it was a small watch, a family heir-loom and by it, a medium sized top-of-the-range one. Rose stared at it and shakily put slid it onto her wrist. She switched it on (it had been off to save the battery) and it told her the year. 202,007.

Rose swallowed. The memories came flooding back. A tall, dark haired, sweet, American guy. Jack, was his name wasn't it?

"Oh God, Jack!" she whispered. How could she have forgotten him? He had been her friend. A daunting thought struck her. The TARDIS must have erased him from her memories, but why? And why had the Doctor never mentioned him?

Her mind was spinning. She thought of their situation. They had passed the beginning of time and flown straight back to the end then crashed. Their times were close.

Rose raised it closer to her face and saw the 'contact' button. She closed her eyes and pressed it. Static. That was a good thing, right? "Hello?" she spoke through. "Jack? Are you there?" If he's still alive. She thought.

"HELLO! Is anybody listening?"

Rose sighed with relief. "Jack! Jack, it's Rose!"

"Rose!" he laughed. "Where are you? Back on Earth?"

"Um, no. We're on the planet Skaro."

"Skaro? But that was destroyed thousands of years ago."

"It must've been blown into another galaxy instead."

"But, that was the home planet of the Daleks! The Daleks are dead though, they were destroyed a couple of years ago. What year are you in?"

"202,007." Rose replied. "You? Are you still on the Game-station?"

"Yes I am on the station still, with no one but myself for company. I'm in the year 202,007. Why did you leave me? Are you coming back?"

"We can't come back at the moment," (Jack sighed) "We've crashed."

"On Skaro!"

"Yeah, but the thing is, I must have had a little amnesia 'cause I forgot about you. I'm sorry. It was just after I destroyed the Daleks -"

"You destroyed them?"

"I absorbed the energy from the Time vortex -"

"WHAT?"

"The Doctor took it though after. He regenerated and is a different man. It was this watch that made me remember you. I couldn't remember what happened when I had it and for some reason the TARDIS erased you from my memory. Jack, I love him!" and before she knew it she was pouring her heart out to him.

"Oh, Rose. It's your lucky day. Yours truly, has been re-building a transmat, you know, used in the games? Pure genius! It should transport me to any ship. It's been hard without proper plans but I finished it about half an hour ago. Sure you want me to come? Does the Doctor know?"

"Not exactly. I'll tell him in a minute. I need you."

"Don't worry. Wait why don't we surprise him. Where in the TARDIS are you? You can't be by the controls."

Rose cleared her throat. "The, er… the wardrobe."

"See you in a minute, Rose. Can't wait to see you."