A-Levels and Aliens

Hey, I made it back alive and here's part ten… of many. I did originally plan to finish this story after this incident but then I realised I still had the rest of the year to go in the story and I had a massive brainwave on hol. So now, I'm very sorry but it's gonna be a bit longer than anticipated. I'm sure you're all extremely disappointed. Anyways, I wrote loads while I was away so I have enough chapters to update pretty regularly over the next week- have got a load of stupid college work to do as well though. 'Mutters angrily'. ANYWAY… hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: Nothing you might recognise belongs to me

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The TARDIS materialised in the Powell Estate, the door was yanked open and the Doctor exited at a run; Captain Jack half a pace behind him. The two men tore up the stairs to Jackie's flat and, using his sonic screwdriver, the Doctor forced open the front door. They entered and suddenly ducked as Jackie swung a broken tennis racket at them.

"Jackie, it's us!" the Doctor said hastily,

"Oh," Jackie said, dropping the racket with a thud and hugging him tightly, "Thank God you're here!"

The Doctor released her and looked around, taking in the two relieved faces of Kirsty and Lauren. "I need some more information before I do anything else," he said, collapsing onto the sofa and leaning forwards, his elbows on his knees. "According to the TARDIS databanks, Zoë and her 'uncle'- if that's what he really is- are members of the Ziola alien race. They typically have human features, which makes them very difficult to spot. Does Zoë have straight, dark brown hair and tanned skin?"

"Yes," Lauren said, "I did think it was a bit odd, it being November and all. And England,"

"Yeah," Kirsty agreed. Suddenly her eyes widened. "Hey Zach had those features as well! I wondered if they related or something but they never said anything,"

"Zach?" said the Doctor, slowly, "I think it stands a good chance. All Ziola have forenames beginning with 'Z',"

"Bet that gives them a lot of choice," remarked Lauren, dryly, before pausing a second. "Wait a minute. Did you just say the Ziola alien race?"

The Doctor nodded while Jackie and Jack tensed. "Yeah. Alien race. They exist. Just don't worry about it,"

"Don't worry about it?" Kirsty exploded, "You're telling us that aliens do in fact exist and you say 'don't worry about it'?"

"Yes! Do not worry about it!" the Doctor cried, angrily, "Look, I have to get out there and rescue Rose and now possibly Matt..?"

He looked at Jackie who nodded grimly.

"…who are both in an extremely dangerous situation and I do not have time to be explaining things to you! You can wait. Is that understood?"

Kirsty and Lauren both nodded shakily, understanding that the Doctor's anger wasn't because of them. He was furious at the Ziola, worried and scared for Rose, which made him lash out.

"Right then," he said, breathing heavily, "Tell me the whole story. And can you give me directions to Zoë's house? Then Jack and I can go there and sort out this whole sorry mess."

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Ten minutes later, they were hurrying on their way through the cold and windy streets towards Zoë's house- and Rose. The two men had left Jackie behind, despite her protests, with firm instructions to look after Kirsty and Lauren and to not answer the door or come after them, no matter how long they took.

"Have you got a plan?" Jack asked, breaking the uneasy silence.

The Doctor shook his head. "I rarely do plans. I usually work things out as I go along. All I know is we have to get in there and rescue Rose and Matt,"

"What about the Ziola?"

The Doctor shuddered slightly. "They're only dangerous to Rose and possibly me. I don't care what happens to them. I only want Rose safe."

Jack nodded, seeing now more than ever how much the Doctor loved and cared for Rose. "C'mon. We're here."

They walked up the path which was covered with overgrown weeds and paused outside the door, the Doctor fishing his sonic screwdriver out of his pocket.

"I'll just go and see if I can find that window that the girls were telling us about," said Jack, "See if I can spot Rose…"

The Doctor nodded and unlocked the front door with a small click. He cautiously walked in and looked around in the early afternoon gloom. The place seemed deserted but the hairs on the back of his neck prickled unpleasantly. The odd ornament lay around, shrouded in dust, and dark pictures were hung on the walls. About four doors connected the hall way to other rooms and there was a sweeping staircase to the Doctor's right. Overall, the place gave a distinct feeling of not being lived in.

Remembering what Rose's friends had told him, the Doctor deduced that Rose must be being kept in an underground room. This meant he needed to look for a cellar door. He examined the four available doors. Three of them were, what had been at one point, polished mahogany wood and the other was dull wood with, handily enough, a metal key stuck in the keyhole. But the Doctor wasn't stupid. He was fully aware that he might be walking into a trap. Clutching his sonic screwdriver in one hand, he turned the key with ease and slowly opened the door. Peering around it, he didn't see any Ziola about so he walked in, his eyes straining in the dim light.

"Doctor?" came a small voice, out of the darkness,

"Rose!" he said, racing down the steps and swooping down on her, gathering her in his arms and holding her close to his body. He felt her arms encircle his waist and the two lovers who had been separated for three weeks clung tightly onto one another.

"Thank God you're here," he heard her whisper, "I'm sorry I got myself into this situation,"

"It's alright. You didn't know," he told her gently, stepping back and placing his hands either side of Rose's face, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," she replied honestly, staring into his warm brown eyes, "Just a bit cold. I'm still in my clubbing gear."

Looking down, the Doctor saw she was indeed still wearing only a skimpy top and a short skirt. It didn't look sluttish on her- in fact it even heightened her beauty in his opinion. He shrugged off his long brown overcoat and draped it over her shivering shoulders, helping her put it on and then he hugged her again.

"We saw Jack through the window," Rose said,

"We? Is Matt here as well?"

"Yup, I'm here," said Matt, standing up from where he'd been sitting watching them,

"Jackie and your friends were worrying where you'd got to," the Doctor said, "You OK?"

"I'm fine. You gonna get us out then?"

"I'll do my best," the Doctor replied.

Suddenly, the wooden door slammed shut and the lock clicked audibly. Rose and the Doctor looked at each other.

They were trapped.

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Jack slouched against the wall outside and thought hard. When he had first left the Doctor, he had crept along the side of the house until he discovered the small window. The look on Rose's face when she spotted him was just fantastic and it got even better when he managed to tell her that the Doctor was on his way. He left the window, intending on following the Doctor, with Rose's face engrained on his memory. On it was pure hope and love. Jack didn't think he'd ever seen such a powerful expression on someone's face before and it made him feel quite awed.

But then things starting going wrong. He had reached the front door, which he knew the Doctor would have left open for him, and discovered that it was in fact shut. Jack immediately realised that the Doctor was walking into a trap as the Ziola knew they- or at least the Doctor- was here. He hastened back to the window and was partly delighted to see the Doctor and Rose wrapped in one another's arms again and partly worried when it became clear that they were trapped. Unable to see any Ziola, Jack knocked smartly on the window and had to grin when he saw his friend's relieved faces.

"Hello!" he mouthed,

"Jack! Use your sonic blaster!" the Doctor mouthed back, holing his hands in the shape of a gun.

Jack nodded and pulled it out, aimed and squeezed the trigger. A large square hole appeared in the side of Zoë's house where the window and surrounding wall used to be.

"Captain Jack to the rescue once again!" he joked,

"My hero!" Rose said, before receiving a sharp nudge in the ribs from the Doctor. She looked at him, an eyebrow raised. "Oh alright. My other hero,"

"Thank you," the Doctor said,

"Your other, better looking hero," Jack sniggered, "You alright, honey?"

"Yeah," Rose grinned cheekily, "C'mon, let's get out of here,"

"Good idea," said the Doctor, his scowl at Jack's comment disappearing, "Rose, I'm gonna lift you up and you climb out of the window to Jack,"

"No, I want to stay with you,"

"Rose please. They want Bad Wolf and aren't about to let you go in a hurry. This is the easiest way," said the Doctor patiently, "Please? I want you safe,"

"I know you do," said Rose, looking directly at him, "But we're a team. I'm not a wimpy girl who needs rescuing all the time. I fight by your side even if it puts me in more danger. That's the way we've always done it."

The Doctor held her gaze for a moment before nodding. "You're right, of course you are. But Matt's going out that way."

He turned to the young man in question who jerked his head in acknowledgement. The Doctor and Rose linked hands and created a cradle below the gap in the wall, ready for Matt to step onto.

"Be careful," Matt said, before leaping up and grabbing the edge of the hole. Jack pulled him up with his hands and the Doctor and Rose heaved from below. With a final push, Matt scrambled out and stood next to the captain, looking back down at the others.

"Put the wall back and we'll meet you by the front door, alright? Stick together," the Doctor instructed,

"Sure," replied Jack, "See you in a bit." He aimed the sonic blaster and the wall reappeared. The Doctor and Rose heard Matt's high pitched "Cool!" before grinning at one another. The Doctor took Rose's hand, linking their fingers like always.

"Ready to go kick some Ziola butt?" he asked her.

Rose smirked. "With you? Always. Let's go!"

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Review please. Constructive criticism is gladly received