Alex came to at the sound of Rose's voice. She groaned quietly as the pain in her head hit her again. There was someone moving beside her and she realised someone had her head in their lap. She lay there a moment longer with her eyes closed, trying to make sense of what had happened. Someone was still talking but she couldn't make out the words until a moment later.
"…nothing like us. That creature is not mortal"
She sat up quickly, ignoring the way the room spun at the sudden movement. She tried to look around her but all she found were the blurred images of more people sitting on the ground all around her. She pulled away from whoever was holding her, backing herself against the wall. It was in this movement that she realised her wrists were cuffed, attached to a chain. She tried to pull at them but they wouldn't give. Someone was talking to her, using another name but it had to be to her.
Someone's hands were suddenly on her shoulders and she tried to pull away, but she was already against the wall. There was no one else to go. The hands tightened slightly and a face became clear. The woman was still speaking to her but she couldn't make out the words, and so focussed on her lips as she spoke for a moment until the sound came back.
"…here, Alex. Calm down. Look, it's me, see?" She was telling her. She frowned slightly. The woman seemed to realise what was going on, letting go of her shoulders and backing away only slightly. "Rose Tyler" She told her, gesturing to herself. She nodded slowly, yes, she knew that name. Rose Tyler. Friend. After the Time War. It was over now.
"It's over now" Rose agreed, making Alex realise she had been talking out loud. The memories dispersed and she glanced around again, the terrified faces becoming clear now. They were surrounded by the rest of the household staff and who was likely Sir Robert's wife. And they were all staring at her, scared of her. Alex looked down, not wanting to see the fear she'd caused yet again. Would there ever be a time she didn't scare everyone around her? Perhaps they had a reason to be scared.
"I'm sorry" She breathed, still not meeting any eyes.
"You don't have to be sorry" Rose assured her. Her hand went to her shoulder again and Alex hesitantly met her eyes. Rose gave a small encouraging smile. Alex glanced over her shoulder, her eye caught by something else. Rose shifted, moving so she sat beside her and everyone's eyes were back on the boy in the cage. He was staring at Alex with pitch black eyes and his head tilted slightly. Like he was trying to figure her out. Alex tilted her head in return and it was almost like some kind of silent conversation until Alex stood, moving closer slowly. One of the staff called softly for her to stop, but she ignored them.
"Who are you?" She asked, sitting down as close as she could, trying to ignore the chains all the while. She felt Rose beside her. The creature just continued to stare even as one of the staff spoke again, trying to get the two girls to stop what it was they were doing.
"Where are you from? You're not from Earth. What planet are you from?" Rose asked then, drawing the creature's attention.
"Oooh, intelligence" He drawled out in a pleased realisation. Alex continued to scrutinise him, her mind working on it's own as Rose went on.
"Where were you born?" She asked again.
"This body… ten miles away… A weakling, heartsick soul. Stolen away at night by my bretheren for my cultivation. I carved out his soul and sat in his heart"
"What's with the dramatics?" Alex asked suddenly. "I know, big scary alien from outer space, but what's with the creepy words, hmm? Trying to scare the humans, I presume, but you know the eyes do the trick well enough"
"Alright" Rose went on, trying to draw attention from her friend who she knew was just fresh from war. She didn't need to start another fight before they knew what they were up against. "So the body's human. What about you, the thing inside?"
"So far from home"
"If you wanna get back home, we can help" Rose offered.
"Why would I leave this place?" The creature asked, sounding almost joyful in his quiet voice. "A world of industry, of workforce and warfare, I could turn it to such purpose"
"How would you do that?" Rose asked cautiously.
"I would migrate to the holy monarch"
"You mean Queen Victoria?" Rose asked in surprise.
"With one bite, I would pass into her blood. And then it begins. The Empire of the Wolf. So many questions…" He lunged forward suddenly, making everyone in the room gasp, excepting Alex. "Look! Inside your eyes! You should've seen it! You were supposed to see it!" He cried, staring intently at Rose.
"See what?" She asked carefully.
"The Wolf! There is something of the wolf about you!" He turned to Alex then. "Time has been disturbed…"
"And it will stay that way" Alex spoke strongly, standing.
"You burnt like the sun… but all I require is the moon" He looked at Alex a moment longer. "You've changed something. Time bends around you, I can see it"
"Damn right it does" Alex snapped. "And if I want to break time to save my friend, I damn well will" The creature laughed.
"Such spirit for one so alone" He spoke lowly. Alex paused, visibly deflating as she took a step back. Rose glanced at her, terrified but also concerned for her friend. The doors of the cellar suddenly opened and moonlight spilled in over the creature's cage. He moved to press his face against the bars with a blissful smile.
"Moonlight…" He hummed happily. He shed his cloak as a wind blew through the cellar. The women shifted uncomfortably, not sure what to make of what was happening.
"All of you! Stop looking at it!" Rose told them all, pulling Alex back to the others. "Flora, don't look" She told the maid she knew. "Listen to me, grab hold of the chains and pull!" Rose gave the chain a hard pull. She glanced at Alex, who was staring at the creature with wide eyes. Not horrified like the rest, but just watching. "Alex" She called, drawing her attention. "Look, I don't know what they did to you and I have absolutely no idea what anything that has happened to you the past few minutes even means. But you have to help me. Okay? We have to get out of here" Alex gave a small nod.
"Alright, everyone listening?" Alex called out, much to Rose's surprise. "My friend Rose here has given you a task and if you want to live another day, you'd better listen. Now, everyone, and I do mean everyone Lady Isobel, grab hold of the chain, and we're gonna pull together" Some of the girls stood, grabbing the chain uncertainly. "I said all of you!" Alex shouted suddenly, making the rest stand and grab the chain quickly. "Thank you, now, listen to Rose, will you?" Rose counted to three, ending each time with a call to pull. Over and over and the chain was soon becoming loose from the wall even as the creature changed and growled in his cage. Alex glanced up at it but quickly looked away.
Alex felt a tug on her mind, someone trying to make contact with her. She gasped slightly, unused to the old sensation, blocking it off by instinct. The creature's transformation was complete and the large wolf in the cage growled and flexed his claws. The chain broke free and the door to the cellar was broken down. Alex looked around as Rose yelled.
"Where the hell have you been!?"
The Doctor looked at her before glancing around and landing his eyes on the wolf. He stared at it a moment, entranced.
"On, that's beautiful"
Alex rushed over to him, stopping just behind him a moment before Rose dragged her the rest of the way to the door. The Doctor seemed to remember the urgency of the situation and turned back to the door, rushing everyone out and going last as the wolf threw the cage off. Alex glanced back, finding the Doctor had stopped again. Her mind shouted at her about the danger he was in and before she knew what she was doing she'd rushed over to pull him through the doorway, just in time for the top of the cage thrown by the wolf to narrowly miss him.
The Doctor slammed the door behind him and locked it with the sonic screwdriver. He took Alex's hand to lead her along as everyone regrouped in one of the side rooms. Rose joined them off to the side while everyone else was preparing guns and the like. Humans. The Doctor caught one of Rose's worried glances as he was removing her cuffs. Her eyes flickered up to his and he noticed just how worried she was for her friend. Alex herself was currently staring blankly at the closest wall. The Doctor turned to Alex cautiously, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"Alex?" He called softly. She looked up at him over her shoulder and his breath caught at the flicker of gold swirling in her eyes. "Alex" He repeated, moving her so she faced him with both of his hands on her shoulders. "You need to snap out of it, okay? You really can't do this now" She stared up at him as he spoke but remained silent. After a moment the Doctor caught her mouthing a silent word.
Theta
"You're alright Alex, I'm here, okay?" He assured her. She nodded but the Doctor still watched her closely as he removed her cuffs. He glanced up as he finished, watching the whispers of gold dissipate. He sighed in relief, pulling Alex in for a hug. He only wished he could fix her. Why couldn't he fix it? He'd had time to deal with everything that had happened in the war and she might have gotten out twenty years ago but to her she'd only just escaped. He himself had not left the Tardis for years. But they had Rose now so Alex was putting her walls up too early, blocking it all out without thinking about it. He knew how this would end, but he wasn't sure he could do anything about it.
"Now" The Doctor released Alex, making sure his voice was still soft but serious. "Do you know what it is?" He asked Alex, knowing she had the advantage over Rose to his question.
"Not entirely sure" She shook her head. "I mean, you saw it, but it could easily be any kind of light modulated species triggered by specific wavelengths"
"Did it say what it wanted?" He asked, looking to Rose then. She fumbled a moment at being called on so suddenly.
"The Queen, the crown, the throne… You name it" She told him, remembering what the wolf had said. Alex nodded slightly in agreement. There was a loud thumping coming from the direction of the cellar. The Doctor glanced at the girls before going to investigate. Alex grabbed one of his hands but he shook his head, letting go to leave her where she was. He gestured for her to stay put as he walked out, leaving the girls watching him through the doorway. He seemed to be looking at something a moment before a loud growling echoed into the room and he ran back in. He grabbed a hand of each of the girls and pulled them quickly behind the line of men who were ready with their guns.
The Doctor held onto their hands as they fired and Alex flinched, pressing herself against his side. He let go of her hand to wrap his arm around her shoulders, understanding immediately. They fired again and Alex grabbed onto his jacket, the material clutched tightly in her hands. When they stopped firing the room was full of smoke and the wolf was gone.
"Alright, you men, we should retreat upstairs, come with me" The Doctor told them, nodding to the door.
"I'll not retreat" One man insisted. "The battle's done. There is no creature on god's earth that could survive such an assault"
"It's not from Earth, stupid" Alex spoke slowly. The Doctor gave her shoulders a slight squeeze in a silent hush.
"I'm telling you, come upstairs!" The Doctor repeated, getting impatient now.
"And I'm telling you, sir, that I will sleep well tonight with that thing's hide upon my wall" The man retorted.
"That is if you're alive long enough to get to sleep" Alex muttered to herself. The man moved to look through the doorway to the hall, looking around a moment before coming back to stand on the opposite side of the room, looking very smug.
"Must've crawled away to die"
He barely got that much out before he was grabbed and yanked up to the ceiling by the wolf. Everyone panicked as it killed him and ate him. Alex found she couldn't look away. Like a train wreck. She gaped at the sight even as the Doctor was trying to pull her to the door.
"There's nothing we can do!" He was telling her. "Come on! Alex, please!" She broke her gaze, looking to the Doctor. Those eyes that always looked like him, no matter which face.
"Stop, please!"
She turned to the voice, finding the source standing not too far from her. Much closer than anyone ever had.
"You need to stop this! Come on, I know Lonnie is in there somewhere"
Her brows furrowed in concentration. Not killing him was a betrayal to her instincts, but she knew that name. How did she know that name?
"Remember who you are. Remember, the barn, the red grass, you me and Koschei, do you remember?"
She stood up straight, moving towards him step by step. He seemed to hesitate but didn't back away.
"Come on, come on" He muttered under his breath, searching her gold eyes for something recognisable. "Please"
"Alex!"
Alex gasped, trying to pull away from the hands that seemed to be holding her in place. She registered Rose's worried expression.
"Calm down Alex" Rose told her softly. "It's okay, remember. It's over now" Alex nodded, swallowing harshly.
"Yeah. Yeah, over now"
"The front door's no good, it's been boarded shut" The Doctor spoke up, joining them again. Alex glanced around, finding they'd moved. She was standing to the side with Rose fussing over her while Sir Robert and Queen Victoria listened to the Doctor. "Pardon me, your majesty, you'll have to leg it out of a window" He told her, gesturing to a door behind her. She nodded shortly and walked through. Sir Robert followed and the Doctor glanced over at the girls, relieved to find Alex seemed to be back. His gaze met Rose's and she gave a small nod, which he returned before following the two. Rose took Alex's hand and squeezed it in reassurance as she led her through as well.
"Yeah, any chance you could hurry up?" The Doctor snapped impatiently. Sir Robert climbed up onto the window sill but had to throw himself down to avoid getting hit by the bullets that were suddenly flying through the window. Alex grabbed Rose and pulled her back against the wall to keep clear. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, focussing on staying right where she was, not in her old memories.
"I recon the monkey boys want us to stay inside" The Doctor summarized, looking out the window to see the row of monks that had shot at them.
"You think?" Alex huffed annoyedly.
"Do they know who I am?" The Queen asked, outraged.
"Yeah, that's why they want ya" Rose told her before Alex could make another comment. "The wolf's lined you up for a… a biting" She said the last two words quietly, as if she was afraid to even say them. Alex took her hand again and Rose glanced at her before looking back at Queen Victoria.
"Now, stop this talk. There can't be an actual wolf" The Queen reasoned. Right on cue, a loud howl broke through the air, echoing all around the house. The five were silent a moment, listening in shock.
"Wanna bet?" Alex managed to get out before they were running to the door. The wolf was banging on the other side of a closed door and Alex stared at the door a moment along with everyone else.
"What do we do?" Rose asked desperately, looking to the Doctor.
"We… run!"
"Is that it?!" Rose demanded in true Tyler fashion.
"You got any silver bullets?" He retorted.
"Not on me, no!"
Meanwhile, Alex was searching her pockets, just in case.
"There we are then, we run. Your majesty, as a doctor, I recommend a vigorous jog" He jogged on the spot to demonstrate. "Good for the health. Come on!" He grabbed the Queen's hand and they all dashed off up the stairs. The door broke down behind them and Alex stopped, looking back. The Doctor shouted something and Rose's hand grabbed hers, pulling her along. She managed to take over when she heard the wolf start up the stairs, now pulling Rose along through the corridors after the Doctor.
Alex knew the wolf was right behind them. She knew they were in danger. She felt the change threatening and she knew if any of the others slowed down to look, there's be gold in her eyes. Self-preservation protocols. Running for your life was much easier when you didn't need to force yourself to not start killing everyone yourself. The wolf was getting too close. Alex pushed Rose forward, making sure she was following the Doctor. She could at least provide a distraction. Alex stopped running and turned, facing down the wolf. It leaped at her and she managed to shift just enough to avoid its claws and still touch it.
There was a flash of light and the Doctor turned as he realised Alex was no longer with them. He knew that light better than anyone else in the universe. At the end of the hall was now two wolves. The first black wolf that had been chasing them all this time, and another whose brown fur almost seemed to spark with gold energy. The new wolf had its back to them, growling at the other in warning even as it shook off a kind of daze. It was just as the Doctor was noticing this that Captain Reynolds appeared with a gun. He fired off two shots and the first wolf cried out and retreated. The second wolf flinched and whined but didn't run. It turned and looked over every one of them. Captain Reynolds aimed again.
"Wait, stop!" The Doctor called, pushing the gun off aim before he could fire.
"Are you mad? It will kill us!" Reynolds insisted.
"It's not like the other one, okay?" The Doctor reasoned. "Just- just- just… give me a moment" Reynolds hesitated but nodded and the Doctor started towards the wolf slowly. The gold sparks had subsided and the gold wisps in her eyes were fading. She watched him move until he reached her. He grimaced slightly at the blood he could see within the brown fur, giving her a sorry look before gently resting a hand on the side of the wolf's head. There was a flash of light identical to the last and the Doctor readily caught Alex as she stumbled into him.
"Whoa, are you alright?" He asked, tracing the blood before scrutinising the wound in her shoulder.
"I've had worse" She muttered, seeming more annoyed than anything. She looked over his shoulder then. "You shot me" She pointed out to Reynolds, who happened to be gaping at her in shock. "That hurt"
"I- I'm sorry"
Alex waved it off with her good arm, leaving her left pressed against her body to keep from pulling at the wound. The Doctor hovered over her as she moved to re-join Rose.
"Oh, god, Alex" She muttered, horrified when she saw her properly.
"Really, Rose. I've had worse" She repeated, resisting an almost shrug.
"That's what I'm worried about" Rose grimaced.
"I'll take this position and hold it. You keep moving for god's sake" Captain Reynolds told them all. "Your Majesty, I went to look for the property, it was taken. The chest was empty"
"I have it, it's safe" Queen Victoria assured him.
"Then remove yourself ma'am" Captain Reynolds told her, turning to the Doctor then, shooting a quick glance at Alex as he did. "Doctor, you stand as her Majesty's protector. And you, Sir Robert" If looks could kill. "You're a traitor to the crown" He cocked his gun at the ready and Alex straightened slightly at the sound, glancing nervously at the weapon in his hands. Sure, she wasn't as scared of it as she had been as a human. But that thing had just shot her, she had a reason to be jumpy.
"Bullets won't stop it" She warned the man lowly.
"They'll buy you time, now run!" He told them, waving them off. Alex made sure her left arm was held still beside her even as she pushed Rose ahead to follow the Doctor, she stopped just outside the door, looking back down the hallway.
"Reynolds!" She called, hoping against hope that the man might follow them even as he was shooting the wolf. It was back now and approaching fast even as the bullets hit it. Alex took a step forward only to freeze in the moment the wolf pounced on its prey. She stood in frozen horror, everything in her trying to keep her grounded in the real world instead of the memories this scene made her think of. She was vaguely aware of someone calling her name and when arms wrapped around her waist to pull her back, she registered the Doctor's familiar touch, letting him tug her quickly inside.
Alex growled lowly, tugging on the hair at her scalp with one hand in an attempt to keep herself aware of the world around her. She was no good to anyone stuck in old war memories. She almost screamed when a hand on her shoulder good turned her around. The Doctor gently pulled her hand away from her head lest she hurt herself, searching her eyes for the tell-tale flash of gold. To his relief, there was none there.
"Captain Reynolds" She managed to get out. The Doctor simply nodded in understanding, one hand going to lightly probe at her shoulder. Alex grimaced in pain as he got a better look at the wound. He spoke to Rose over his shoulder, rambling something about something in the room stopping the wolf. Alex pushed the Doctor away gently, watching him another moment before walking over to Rose and quickly pulling her into one-armed hug from her un-injured side. Rose returned the hug best she could while keeping her hands well away from her other shoulder.
"You alright?" Alex asked, pulling away and looking her friend over.
"Me?" Rose asked incredulously. "I'm not the one who got shot"
"Rose, getting shot is the least of my worries" She waved off, even as she grimaced, adjusting her arm. Rose didn't seem to buy it, frowning concernedly at her friend for another moment before glancing at the Doctor over the older girl's shoulder.
"Tell you what though" She started, knowing Alex would be grateful for the subject change.
"What?" The Doctor asked in return.
"Werewolf" Is all Rose said. The three of them laughed breathily.
"I know!" The Doctor nodded, hugging Rose himself before looking her over as Alex had done.
"Sure you're alright?" He asked, meeting her eyes again.
"I'm fine, yeah" She nodded.
"Alex?" He looked back at the girl, wanting to hear she was okay, but unsure if he'd even believe it.
"Good as I can be" She answered honestly.
"I'm sorry Ma'am, it's all my fault" Sir Robert spoke up, addressing the Queen. "I should've sent you away. I tried to suggest something was wrong. I… thought you might notice. Did you think there was nothing strange about my household staff?" He glanced towards the other three at his question.
"Well they were bald, athletic… your wife's away, I just thought you were happy" The Doctor shrugged.
"I'll tell you what Ma'am, I bet you're not amused now" Rose added.
Alex elbowed Rose in the side, and scowled at the Doctor, not wanting to hurt her shoulder worse just to do the same with him.
"Do you think this is funny?" Queen Victoria asked in angry disbelief.
"No Ma'am" Rose said quickly.
"None of us do" Alex added for her and the Doctor, who nodded.
"I'm sorry" Rose finished meekly.
"What, exactly, I pray someone tell me please. What exactly is that creature?" The Queen asked, looking between them.
"You'd call it a werewolf" The Doctor supplied for her, scratching the back of his head.
"But technically it's more of a lupine wavelength haemovariphorm" Alex added with a tip of her head.
"And I should trust the two of you, who change your voice so easily?" The Queen questioned incredulously. "What happened to your accents?" The two of them glanced at each other, sharing an 'oh' expression, realising that fact had slipped their minds since the danger made itself known.
"Oh… right… sorry" The Doctor offered. Alex simply fixed her eyes on her feet in shame.
"I'll not have it. No Sir, not you, not that thing, none of it" The Queen insisted, straightening her back. "This is not my world"
"You should consider yourself lucky still" Alex said before she could stop herself. Her friends eyed her curiously but her eyes were fixed on Queen Victoria, who stared right back at her. "You can return to yours"
So... I guess Alex has PTSD now...? My bad.