Monster Hunters: A Clever Use of Images

Rating: General Audiences

Pairing: Nine/Rose

Other tags: Monster Hunter AU, Human AU, Established Relationship, Suspense

Warnings: None

Summary: The Doctor and The Bad Wolf are known for their ability to fight the unthinkable and defeat the impossible. But their latest assignment might just do them in.

Hello, welcome to Day 26! Sorry this is later than usual. But it's 11:54 PM here in EST, so it counts! As I mentioned in yesterday's post, this one-shot was mostly written today. As a result, I haven't gone over it as much as the others, so sorry in advance for any mistakes I might have missed.

Word Count: 1,355

The house was silent as a tomb as Jason crept through it. The shadowed hallway was a complete contrast to the bright afternoon sun coming in through the windows. Holding his torch higher, he listened for the sound of any movement. He had no clue where Rose was, but he trusted his wife to take care of herself. They'd both been doing this job for years. They knew what to do and what not to do. They know how to avoid getting hurt or killed.

Jason thought about their mission. This abandoned house, well, mansion really, had been the last known location of several missing people. Police had found several abandoned cars and motorbikes in the driveway. When conventional methods of investigation resulted in more missing people, Jason and Rose Noble had been hired to go to Wester Drumlins and check it out.

Jason saw movement in the corner of his eye and froze. Quickly but quietly, he turned towards the motion. About 10 meters down the hall there was a stone statue. Jason wondered what it was doing inside until he got a good look at it. His heart stopped. It was a stone angel. He kept his eyes on the statue, not even blinking as he felt around the pocket of his leather jacket for his mobile. He pulled it out and hit the speed dial for Rose. She picked up on the first ring.

"Rose, we need to get out of this building and quarantine it." Jason spoke quickly before she could ask him what was wrong or even greet him.

"Wait, what? Jason, what do you –"

"It's angels, Rose. Weeping angels. Where in the house are you?" Jason felt bad for interrupting her, but there wasn't time. He had no clue how many angels were in the building. He started backing away from the angel, keeping his eyes on it.

"I, I'm on the second floor. So far, every room I've been is has been empty. I'll meet you back at the front entrance. Jason? Please stay on the line with me." His heart clenched at the worry in her voice.

"Of course, sweetheart. Of course I will." He heard her sigh of relief through the mobile.

Since he was on the first floor, Jason got back the foyer first. The entire way he spoke reassuringly to her, letting her know where he was at all times. Rose got to the foyer about a minute after Jason. She ran to him, and he threw the arm holding his mobile around her.

"Come on, let's get out of here," she said, grabbing his arm to pull them both outside. But when they turned, they saw another angel blocking the door. It stared at them with stone eyes. They were trapped. Even as stone, weeping angels have the power to send you back in time. Jason turned so he was standing back to back with Rose, facing the hallway he'd just come from. The lack of another angel made Jason hopeful that this was the only one, and that it had used another exit to cut them off.

"Ok, I don't see any more. Do you know where another exit is? You were on the ground floor." Jason mentally retraced his steps through the house. He was about to say no when he realized. They didn't have to escape. They just had to keep the angels from moving. And he knew just the way to do it. He reached behind him and grabbed Rose's hand.

"Rose, I have an idea. It's a crazy idea, but it just might work and get us out of here alive. But you have to trust me." The answer came without hesitation.

"With my life. Whatever it is you need me to do, just tell me." Jason's heart swelled when he heard Rose's words. Even so, he took a deep breath before telling her what he needed her to do.

"I need you to stay here."

"… WHAT?!" He quickly continued before she could turn around and slap him despite the angel in front of her. While that would be the least of his worries in that situation, it was something Jason (wisely) tried to avoid at all times.

"Just for a moment. I need to go grab something from that I saw in one of the other rooms. I'll only be gone a minute if not less. I'll call your mobile, we can talk the entire time." As he said the last sentence, Jason did just that. He held the mobile to his ear as he walked away.

"So, what even is your plan? You didn't say." Even though she couldn't see him, Jason smirked. Sometimes he even surprised himself with his brilliant plans.

"Ok, so a weeping angel can't be seen by a living thing, correct?"

"Yes. I don't know where you're going with this, but yes."

"Well, that includes itself. Get the angel to see itself, and it can't move." He was met with silence on the other line for a moment before he heard his wife's laughter.

"Oh, you think you're so impressive."

"Oi! I am impressive! That's the only way I could land myself with such perfection as you, Rose Noble." She laughed again as Jason reached his destination. He hurried over to what he needed and grabbed it. He was unable to keep a hold of his mobile, his torch and the item, so he turned the mobile on speaker and put it in the breast pocket of his jacket. The torch went in the back pocket of his jeans. He picked it up. It was a lot lighter than he thought it would be, which was a very good thing. He started back down the hallway as fast as he could move.

"Ok, Rose. Here comes the trusting part of the plan. I need you to take several steps back, about 15 or so. Tell me when you did." He heard her footsteps for a few seconds.

"Ok, done. Jason, I love you, but what exactly did that accomplish? And what did you need?" This was the part of the plan that he hated. He wished he could've explained it while he was in the same room as Rose, but he couldn't risk the angel hearing it. He needed to count on it not realizing that Rose was the bait.

"I need you to blink." He was met with silence. "Blink Rose, just once. I need the angel in the middle of the room. I'm counting on it going towards you. Blink, as quickly as you can." For a moment, the only thing Jason heard on the other line was Rose's breathing.

"Ok, I trust you on this. One, two, three." For one terrifying moment, Jason didn't hear anything through the phone. Then he rounded the corner and saw Rose staring at the angel, which was now in the middle of the foyer.

"Ha! Fantastic. Rose, get out of its line of sight but keep looking at it. This is perfect." As she moved out of the way, Jason stepped forward and set down what he was carrying. "Ok, Rose. It's safe to look away now." They turned to each other, and Rose tackled him in a hug. They stepped back to admire their work.

The angel was now standing in front of a mirror from the mansion's dressing room, forced to stare at its own reflection. It would never be able to move again. Jason kissed Rose firmly on the mouth.

"I'm so glad that worked. For a moment I thought you might've been taken. I don't know what I would've done. Followed you, probably. I never want to lose you." He grabbed her hand, and together they returned to their car.

That evening, Wester Drumlins was marked an off-limits location. Setting foot there was considered trespassing. It wasn't often that The Doctor and The Bad Wolf walked away from a situation. They were known for defeating the most impossible creatures and monsters known (and unknown) to mankind. But for some beings, simply getting out alive was a victory.