Chapter 2: Tracing the Threads

The sound of weapon fire hitting the exterior of his beloved ship caused him to wince, but he knew she'd hold. "That's not right," he muttered, shaking his head. The Sontarans had invaded, Rose's dad was alive...

Rose.

She had wrapped her arms around herself as her body shivered from reaction.

"Rose," he whispered, crossing the short distance to gather her into his arms.

"It's...it's my Dad, but it's not. It looked like 'im, but it can't be. Right? I mean, he's older. Got grey in his hair an' he didn't before. Not in the pictures. He's dead, isn't he? Isn't he?" One of her hands fisted his jumper as she seemed to fight for control. "It's some trick, isn't it? I mean, I was jus' talkin' to you about him. An'...and there he was..."

"Rose."

She didn't answer.

"Rose," he repeated her name, putting as much emphasis on it as possible.

Once he was certain he had her attention, mostly due to the tearful brown eyes staring into his own, he continued. "Anything's possible. Time's fragile, an' something's mucked with it. Those aliens that were with him? They shouldn't be here. The Sontarans are supposed to be occupied with their war with the Rutan, not on Earth. It's all gone pear-shaped, an' we need to figure out why."

"We can't leave him there," Rose said softly. "We just can't. If it's my dad, an' he is. You said he is. Well, a version of 'im, we can't leave him. It's not right."

He sighed. "Rose, he's not..."

"Don't say it. Just don't, okay? He is. An' he's my Dad, and you've got to do something." She poked his chest with an accusing finger. "You've got to. We can't just leave him like that. Not with those Sonatrans or whatever they're called."

"Sontarans," he corrected absently. Great. Fantastic. He had sworn that he didn't do domestic, and now what was he thinking of doing? Bringing in the family. He wouldn't let Jackie into the TARDIS – well, willingly. Peter Alan Tyler, though? A man who shouldn't exist? Should he let him in? Save him? Even though, at the end of the day, he'd be dead all over again?

He touched her cheek, searching her eyes as he replied. "Rose, you sure? You know that it's not really him, right? I don't want you to be hurt..."

"Doctor, it's him! It's my Dad, an' you've got to save him. I know it's not gonna last. But, please." Rose looked at him imploringly.

He sighed again. She had no idea just what he would do just to make her happy. What had become of the man he used to be? When had her happiness become more important to him than... ?

No.

She wanted her dad safe. He could do that. Could save Pete Tyler and bring him aboard for the short hop to somewhere else. There had to be a resistance movement or even UNIT about. He couldn't see the human race rolling over for the Sontarans.

Which reminded him. If Pete Tyler was alive and the Sontarans had invaded...where was he? This universe's version of him, at least. At least, he thought this was an alternate universe. But if something had changed the original timeline...

Oh.

That would be bad.

Rose was still waiting for an answer.

"Okay."

"Jus' like that?" she asked, incredulous.

He smiled faintly. "Just like that. But only for a bit. We'll get him to a safe place, an' then we've got to find out what happened around here. You have to be certain, though. You do want me to do this?"

"Yes."

Without bothering to reply, he moved to the console. Short distances were tricky and he checked the readouts on the screen to try and determine just how much space he had to manoeuvre.

Answer? Not much.

Fantastic. Good thing he was a genius.

He set the coordinates, turned a few knobs, pressed a few buttons, and with a flick of a final switch they were off. The temporal rotor barely pulsed, but a moment later Peter Tyler was starting to materialise in the corner of the room. Hard to twist the exterior dimensions to exclude the Sontarans, but when one was a genius, it was possible.

Easy.

"Rose?" the newly solidified human asked.

"Dad?"

Domestic.

Only one thing he could do. He walked around the console. "Mind keeping the domestics outside? Thanks. So, Pete Tyler. I'm the Doctor. Welcome to the TARDIS. Before you say anything – yes, it's bigger on the inside. Yup, I'm an alien. And nope, she's not quite your daughter. There. All answered? Good."

"Doctor..."

He beamed. "Yup, that's me! So, Pete Tyler, I have some questions..."

"Doctor, d'you mind?" Rose asked in exasperation.

"What?" He looked at her father and sighed. Ah. Culture shock. Should've thought of that before he started babbling. "Right. That's okay. Culture shock. Happens to the best of us."

"Who are you?" Pete seemed to barely be able to speak, let alone process what he was seeing. Great. Fantastic. At least he wouldn't be here long.

"Told you, I'm..."

"He's a git. Never mind him," Rose interrupted his words and took her father's arm. "C'mon, have a seat. It's okay. Really."

"No, it's not." Pete shook his head in denial and remained where he was. "You can't be here, Rose. I just saw you. Outside. But...she's not you, is she? Or you're not her. Your clothes are different."

"Nothing wrong with his powers of observation," he commented. That earned him a dirty look from his companion.

"So, there's another me out there?" Rose's nose wrinkled as she seemed to think hard on the subject. "How's that possible?"

He returned to the console and reset the coordinates. Sent them drifting in the vortex for a time, at least until he got answers. "Told you, Rose. Anything's possible in time. But meeting another you'd be a bad idea. Let alone touching another you. Tends to muck up time, an' it's mucked up enough already without that paradox on top of it."

Once he was satisfied that they were safely in temporal orbit, he leaned against the console and folded his arms before him. "But, if you're all rested, Pete, I've got a few questions for you. Starting with the most important one. When'd the Sontarans invade? And how."

"Three years ago. Christmas Day. Wait a minute, you should know this." Pete looked at him suspiciously.

"Alien, remember? Assume nothing. So, Christmas Day? What year?"

"2006."

He suppressed the urge to curse. 2006. Which meant this was 2009 and they certainly weren't anywhere near the Powell Estates. Fantastic. At least it wasn't Cardiff. "And what about the resistance movement? Three years of Sontaran oppression. Must be something."

"Yeah, UNIT and a few others. Why 're you asking?"

"Jus' curious. That and it's where we're going next. Soon as you tell me where I can find 'em. No, never mind, I can guess. They're keeping the fight to the outskirts of London, aren't they?" Without waiting for an answer, he nodded. That'd be it. They'd reclaim the old UNIT HQ. Clever blokes. Stay out of the city, have a useful base of operation.

He'd be able to get answers from UNIT. Besides Pete Tyler still being alive, there had to be something else. Something that he was missing. Something important. Like where he, or the version from this universe, might be. He returned to the controls. Just a few more twists on the directional knobs and they were away once more.

This time to UNIT HQ.

This was certainly not turning out to be the best of days. Not only had she been almost captured by her own dad but now she was running from a Sontaran patrol. Stupid, stupid, stupid. She should've looked. Should've realised that the patrols were there – they had just let her past because of Pete Tyler's trap.

But she hadn't.

This was her reward for that mistake. Running. Again.

She was lucky the Sontarans were only firing stunning blasts. Though the stun would hurt, it wouldn't kill. That they preferred to save for later. She dodged another beam, leaping around the corner of a decrepit building.

Rose skidded on a piece of rubbish, cursing at the poor footing as she struggled to keep up the pace. She had to get away. They were right behind her. She could hear their pounding footsteps. Their shots were getting more accurate.

They would have her in a minute if she wasn't careful.

She couldn't go to the commune. That'd put everyone in danger. She couldn't backtrack – the Sontarans would catch her.

That left her one choice.

The outskirts. Maybe in the confusion of the ongoing skirmishes between UNIT and the Sontarans, she could evade her pursuers.

Maybe.

She lengthened her stride, looping the bag of food over her shoulder so she could pay more attention to her movement. She had to escape. Had to flee.

She couldn't get caught. Not now.

She heard the muffled thump-whoosh of heavy artillery fire in the distance. She was getting close to the main battlefield.

Just a little bit further, and she'd be safe. Well, as safe as one could be in the midst of a battle. But it should throw off the Sontarans. She'd just be another human warrior. Fighting for UNIT, disappearing into the shadows, and returning home.

At least, that was the plan.

However, as she had long ago learned, the best laid plans would always be thrown merrily out the window when aliens were about. She pressed herself against the solid wall of the building beside her. The Sontarans were coming, but she wanted to be certain it was clear to continue running.

That was when she felt a hand land upon her shoulder.

She stiffened, silently cursing herself. Stupid, stupid, stupid. She had got cocky. She had thought she was safe.

She was wrong.

"Who are you?" a harsh voice whispered. A harsh human voice.

"In trouble. C'mon, there're Sontarans right behind me. We've gotta move." Rose replied, daring to try to take a few steps forward.

The hand tightened on her shoulder. "How do I know you're not a sympathiser?"

"You don't. But there are about a dozen Sontarans behind me that'll prove it. So, mind not askin' questions when we should be..." A blast struck the wall above her, causing shards of broken masonry to fall on top of them. "Running!"

They ran. Her latest friend turned out to be a stocky, older man wearing a uniform that was in parts too-worn and too-tight for his figure. If she had to guess at an age, she thought he was in his late sixties, though his hair only had a touch of grey. "This way," he instructed, grabbing her arm and steering her toward the fighting. "We'll meet up with my squad. They'll be able to drive back the Sontarans."

"Right." She managed the word between breaths as they dashed through the crumbling ruins of the city.

There. The street ahead was cloudy – whether from smoke or dust she was not sure. However, flashes of light indicated the presence of soldiers and their weapons. The sharp rat-a-tat-tat of their artillery echoed down the street, but she could see someone standing at the edge of the dust cloud.

"Oi! Yates! Get us some cover fire!" her companion shouted.

The figure started and swung the rifle toward them. "Benton! Get over here!"

The newly named Benton increased his speed, pulling her along with him. Only when they had reached the other soldier's side did they stop. "Squadron of Sontarans are on our heels, Yates. Need a round of cover fire."

"Who's she then?" Yates asked as he signalled for other soldiers to join them, almost as if this sort of thing happened to him every day.

"Right now? Trouble." Benton answered.

"'She' can talk for herself, y'know. I'm Rose. Rose Tyler."

"Nice to meet you, miss," Yates said politely. "I'm Lt. Colonel Mike Yates. That's Colonel John Benton. And…" The officer aimed his weapon. "Looks like you brought friends."

"Not my friends," she mumbled. She was ushered to the side by Benton as Yates and several other soldiers started firing at the oncoming Sontarans.

She wasn't certain how the outnumbered soldiers could hold back the Sontarans. Seeing the troops in person only made her realise how much trouble humanity was really in. Their uniforms were in tatters – most were hemmed poorly, and a few had rough patches made from other materials. The only equipment that seemed to be in decent shape were their weapons, but that was to be expected.

The commune was too far away now, and she could not get away from Benton. Not without getting caught by the Sontarans. It really was one of those days.

To her surprise, she heard a female voice shout orders from deeper within the smoky battlefield. "Fall back! Fall back! Echo, echo, echo."

Benton looked surprisingly grim as he gently grasped her arm. "You heard her, Rose. We're falling back. And you're coming with us."

"Wait a mo', I didn't agree to goin' with you. I'm going home." She struggled against his grip, but it only tightened in response.

"Not like this, you're not. Rose, listen to me. The Brigadier'd probably want to talk to you. You can help us. You're from the city, you know what's happening inside. And it's not safe."

Her tone was harsh as she replied. "Like anythin's been safe since they came!"

The Colonel's lips narrowed as he steered her with the retreating troops. "Doesn't matter, Rose. You're with UNIT now."

"An' you're gonna let me come back?" she asked, shaking her head. "Doubt it, knowing you lot. I can't go with you. Let me go!" She had food to get to the commune. They needed her. She couldn't let them take her. She had to get away. Somehow. "Please, Benton. My people, they need this food." She gestured at the bag. "I've got to get back to them."

His expression was apologetic. "Sorry, miss. It's for your own protection."

"Sorry doesn't cut it." She glared at him, but he seemed unrepentant.

Benton shrugged and kept her moving. His hand never strayed from its grip on her arm. He was a smart one.

Protective custody, was it? Great. Fantastic.

And she had thought this day couldn't get any worse.

What sort of world had they found themselves on?

He watched the frantic pulse of the temporal rotor with a thoughtful expression. He was, of course, ignoring the reunion between Rose and her dad. Best thing to do, in a case like this. Not that he really was her dad. Well, he could be or was if the timeline was different. But it wasn't.

Sometimes thoughts about alternative realities and altered timelines could give him headaches. He could feel one building near his right temple and the pain sharpened with each beat of his hearts.

He hesitated to speculate, but speculation was all that he could do. Fact. Sontarans had invaded in 2006. Fact. Pete Tyler was alive. Fact. The Nestene Consciousness... Wait. He had forgotten to ask about that.

He leaned across the console to press another button, nudging the TARDIS closer to their destination. "Pete, did your planet get invaded by the Nestene Consciousness in 2005? Plastic shop dummies coming to life, attacking everyone in sight, mass hysteria on the streets? Typical horror film-type reaction?"

Pete Tyler turned toward him, his face a study in shock. "You mean you don't know? Oh. Course you don't. Yes, there was a plastic scare in 2005. UNIT took care of the problem with a bomb. Lost the London Eye, but it was worth it."

Oh. That answered it then. Either a) he didn't exist in this universe, wiped out with the rest of his people or b) the version of him that belonged here was dead. "Fantastic," he muttered to himself.

The pace of the temporal rotor slowed to a stop and he sighed. Only one thing for it. He'd probably have to talk his way into UNIT HQ. They either wouldn't know him, or they'd think he was dead. Not the best of situations to be stuck in.

Never mind, of course, the likelihood of his getting shot on sight by some trigger-happy guard. UNIT was at war. "We're here. Stay inside. I'll be right back."

"Like hell you will," Rose replied, bracing her hands on her hips. "Not without me."

"Rose, they know me here. Best to be on the safe side, yeah? You and your dad can socialise while I chat with UNIT. Shouldn't take long. All I've got to do is convince 'em to let Pete stay. Then we can sort this. Simple, yeah?"

Her eyes narrowed. "Nothing simple about it. I know you, Doctor. You're thinkin' about protectin' me again. An' I won't have it. You need me."

"I'd let her do as she likes, Doctor. I know that look. Her mum'd do the same to me," Pete added helpfully.

He shot the other man an exasperated look. "Rose, your dad needs you too."

"You're wasting time."

She was right. He was. He needed to talk to UNIT. But she wouldn't relent. He knew that look on her face as well.

Served him right to have picked a stubborn ape for a companion. Then again, he wouldn't have it any other way.

He grinned. "Right. Fine. Pete, you stay here. Don't touch anything. And I do mean anything. Take a seat by the door or somethin'. But don't touch any of those controls. Got it?"

Pete nodded and settled onto the floor, leaning against one of the pillars. "How long'll you two be gone?"

"Long enough to get this bit sorted," he replied. Hadn't he already said that? Wasn't Pete listening? Probably still suffering from culture shock, he reasoned.

"Right." Pete looked unconvinced, but he did not care.

It was time to get this part of the problem fixed. He held out his hand and smiled when Rose took it. It was probably selfish of him, but he was pleased that she wanted to come with him rather than stay with her dad. However, that didn't stop his worry. Anything could happen outside the TARDIS doors.

Anything at all.

Well, no use in worrying about what might be rather than what was. He opened the TARDIS doors and stepped outside…

And right into the line of fire of half a dozen UNIT soldiers.

Only one thing he could do. With a cocky grin, and making sure that Rose was safely behind him, he waved with his free hand. "Hello!"

"State your name and business." One of the officers – a captain judging by the rank pins on his shoulder – ordered.

"I'm the Doctor. This is Rose Tyler. An' I'm here to sort out the mess that you lot are currently in."

"And I'm the tooth fairy," the Captain snapped. "You're trespassing on private property, Doctor-if-that's-what-your-name-is."

He blinked. "Really? Ne'er met the tooth fairy before. Have you, Rose? 'Sides, would've thought that a war would've caused you to slacken your regulations on trespassing. 'Specially when said trespassers happen to travel in a police public call box. Tell you what, Captain. Why don't you contact the Brigadier, assuming that it's either Lethbridge-Stewart or Bambera, and let them know that I'd like to talk to them?"

He began to reach into his pocket and froze as the Captain cocked his rifle. "Calm down. Just reaching for my card."

"Slowly."

With exaggerated care, he slipped his hand into his pocket searched until he came across the card. "Here, show the Brigadier this." He handed over his old UNIT badge.

The Captain took a cursory glance at the item as he accepted it. "This doesn't look like you, Doctor."

"Course it doesn't. I'm taller, thinner, and a better dresser these days. Go on, then. Tell the Brigadier I'm here." Last time he had dealt with UNIT, they knew about him. They had known that he could regenerate. Things had obviously changed for the worse.

"Jenkins, Mosey, escort these two to a holding room. You might be who you say you are, Doctor. You might not be. I don't really care. But you will." The Captain turned on his heel and headed toward the main house.

He sighed and turned toward Rose. "Why do I always get threatened by amateurs?"

"It's a gift?" she offered as their arms were grasped firmly by their guards.

"Oi! We can walk, y'know. 'S not hard. One foot in front of the other? 'Sides, I'm not going anywhere. I wanted to talk to the Brigadier. Not escape from UNIT's clutches." Amateurs.

"Move it." One of the guards pulled on his arm and steered him toward the house.

Great. Why did he always get the stereotypical guards, too?

Murphy must really have a vendetta against him.

To be continued...