Time Can Be Rewritten
Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
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The Empty Child
"What's the emergency?" Rose asked, unable to contain her excitement as the Doctor rushed around the console.
"It's mauve." He replied as the Tardis shuddered and shook.
"Mauve?"
"The universally recognised colour for danger."
"What happened to red?"
"That's just humans." The Doctor smirked at her, "By everyone else's standards, red's camp. Oh, the misunderstandings. All those red alerts, all that dancing."
Rose giggled, grinning at him. She felt hyper, the thought of seeing Jack again, it was clearly bubbling over as the Doctor seemed endlessly amused at her obvious excitement at the danger. He gestured to the object they were following on the monitor, "It's got a very basic flight computer – I've hacked in, slaved the Tardis. Where it goes, we go."
"And how safe is it?"
"Totally." Rose snorted as part of the console exploded and he rolled his eyes at her as he amended, "Okay, reasonably. Should have said reasonably there." He moved frantically around the console, "Oh, no, no, no, no, no! It's jumping time tracks – getting away from us."
"What exactly is this thing?"
"No idea."
"And we're chasing it because…?"
He grinned at her, "It's mauve and dangerous. And about 30 seconds from the centre of London."
OoOoOoOo
Rose followed the Doctor as he exited the Tardis, "Do you know how long we can knock around space without having to bump into Earth?"
"Five days?" She teased, "Or is that just when we're out of milk?"
He rolled his eyes, "Of all the species in the universe and it just has to come out of a cow." Rose sniggered, linking her arm with his as they walked away from the Tardis, "Must've come down somewhere quite close. Within a mile, anyway. And it can't have been more than a few weeks ago. Maybe a month."
"A month?" Rose smirked, "Although, considering your driving skills, that is rather close."
"Oi!" He crossed his arms defensively, "It was jumping time tracks all over the place, we're bound to be a little out. Do YOU wanna drive?"
Rose looked up at him eagerly, "Would you let me?"
"No."
"Then why'd you ask?" She pouted at him. The Doctor rolled his eyes at her, a smile playing over his lips, she couldn't help the grin then, she never could when he looked at her like that, "So, are you gonna do a scan for alien tech?"
"Rose, it hit the middle of London with a very loud bang. I'm gonna ask." He showed her the psychic paper.
"Doctor John Smith, Ministry of Asteroids."
"Psychic Paper-"
"Tells me what you want it to tell me, I remember," She sighed, chewing on her bottom lip, "It's just not very Spock, is it?"
The Doctor rolled his eyes, motioning a door, "Door-music-people. What d'you think?"
"I think you should do a scan for alien tech." He held his sonic screwdriver to the door, "Gimme some Spock! For once, would it kill ya?"
"Are you sure about that t-shirt?"
Rose looked down at the Union Jack plastered across her chest, she hadn't been able to resist, especially since the Tardis had placed it right at the front of her wardrobe. "What's wrong with it?" He snorted and turned back to the door. She pouted, "Rude."
"Muuuu-mmy?" Rose spun around as she heard the eerie voice of the gasmask child, she looked up to the roof and saw him staring down at them, "Muuuu-mmy?"
"Come on if you're coming," The Doctor opened the door, and walked into the building, "Won't take a minute."
Instead of following him, she ran over to the steps that went up the side of the building, climbing them quickly, she waited for the rope of the barrage balloon to appear. Grinning to herself, she grabbed the rope and thought, 'Jack better appreciate this'. She climbed the rope, panting as she heaved her body upwards. The balloon started to drift away from the building, Rose wrapped her legs around the rope as well, holding on tightly as planes zoomed around her as she was suspended above London.
There was an explosion below her and Rose closed her eyes tightly as she lost her grip and fell. She screamed as she was caught by a blue beam. Letting out a relieved breath as she heard Jack's voice, "Okay, okay, I've got you."
"Yeah, I can see that." She shouted back, her voice trembling, "Appreciate you waiting 'til the last minute."
"It's more impressive that way," Jack chuckled, "I'm just programming your descent pattern. Keep as still as you can and keep your hands and feet inside the light field." Rose rolled her eyes, "Oh, and could you switch off your cell phone?" She made a disbelieving sound, "No, seriously – it interferes with my instrument."
"You know, no one ever believes that!" Rose shot back as she switched her phone off.
"Thank you. That's much better."
"Oh, yeah, that's a real load off, that it. I'm hanging in the sky in the middle of a German air raid with the Union Jack across my chest, but hey! My mobile phones off!"
He laughed again, "Be with you in a moment… ready for you. Hold tight!"
"To what?!"
"Fair point." She could hear the smirk in his voice as she proceeded to zoom feet first down the tunnel of blue light. Rose let out a noise as she suddenly fell into Jack's arms.
"I've got you!" She stumbled, her head feeling fuzzy, "You're fine, you're just fine. The tractor beam, it can scramble your head just a little."
Rose grinned at him, "Hello."
"Hello." Jack looked her up and down, his eyebrows raised and a smirk on his lips.
"Hello." He set her on her feet, "Sorry, that was hello twice there. Dull, but you know, thorough."
He snorted, "Are you alright?"
"Fine, why are you expecting me to faint or something?"
"Well, you do look a little dizzy…" He trailed off.
"What about you? You're not even focused…"
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Rose kept her eyes closed for a few moments before sitting up and getting off the bunk.
Jack was grinning at her from the pilot seat, "Better now?"
She rolled her eyes, "You got lights in here?"
He turned them on, "Hello."
"Hello."
Jack smirked, "Hello."
"Let's not start that again," She laughed as she stepped towards him, "So, who are you supposed to be then?"
He leaned forwards, "Captain Jack Harkness. 133 Squadron Royal Airforce – American Volunteer."
He handed her his psychic paper, Rose gave him her tongue in tooth grin, "Liar." Jack raised his eyebrows at her, "This is psychic paper, it tells me whatever you want it to tell me."
Jack sat back in his chair, "How do you know?"
She smirked back, "I have a friend who uses this all the time."
"Ah."
"And," She added with a grin, "You just handed me a piece of paper telling me you're single and you work out."
He let out a short laugh, "Tricky things, psychic paper."
Rose hummed, teasing as she handed it back, "Can't let your mind wander when you're handing it over."
"You're in love with a man called the Doctor, and you don't see that changing any time soon…" He pouted playfully as he read it, letting out a sigh, "Disappointing, really."
"Yup." She arched an eyebrow, "Nice spaceship."
Jack shrugged, "Gets me around."
Rose ran her fingers along the ceiling, "Very… Spock."
He stared at her in confusion, "Who?"
"Not a local boy, then."
He looked at the device on his wrist, "A cell phone, a liquid crystal watch, and fabrics that won't be around for at least another two decades… guessing you're not a local girl."
"Technically I am, just decades in the future."
Jack snorted. Rose leaned forwards, wincing as her hands brushed against the side of the ship, "Burn your hands on the rope?"
"Yeah," She replied absently, staring out of a window, "We're in mid-air, can't people down there see us? Or the German planes?"
"No," He held out a hand, "Can I have a look at your hands for a moment?"
She sat down and held out her hands towards Jack. He ran his scanner over them, "You can stop acting now. I know exactly who you are. I can spot a Time Agent a mile away."
"Really?" She arched an eyebrow, "And I thought my disguise was fool proof."
His lips twitched as he continued, "I've been expecting one of you guys to show up. Though, not, I must say, by barrage balloon. Do you often travel that way?"
"Jeopardy Friendly, that's me." Rose snorted, "Really though, you should try it sometime, it's exhilarating."
"Really?" He asked sceptically, "So you screaming, fearfully, I might add-"
"I resent that!"
Jack chuckled as he took off his scarf and wrapped it around her wrists. He flicked a button over her head as he finished binding her hands, there was a bleeping sound and what looked like tiny golden fireflies appeared above the wounds on her hands.
"Nanogenes. Sub-atomic robots. The air in here's full of them."
"Pretty sure you didn't need to tie my hands up."
"No," He smirked at her, "But you do look good in bondage."
Rose hummed, her tongue poking out between her teeth, "You bet I do."
He grinned back at her, looking down at her hands he turned off the switch and the Nanogenes disappeared, "They just repaired three layers of your skin." He untied her wrists, "We'll get down to business."
"Business?" Falling into the easy flirtation with him, she had forgotten that currently he was a conman and not the man she had known at the game station.
"Shall we have a drink on the balcony?" He held up a bottle of champagne, he pressed another button and steps to the roof lowered themselves into the spaceship, "Bring up the glasses."
Rose followed him up, glasses in hand as she stepped out onto the invisible spaceship.
"Well," Rose said, looking around her, "I can definitely say standing on an invisible spaceship is far more unnerving than facing Slitheen in Downing Street."
Jack chuckled, ignoring the remark about Downing Street for the moment, he flicked another switch causing the spaceship to appear beneath them.
"You have an invisible spaceship."
"Yeah," Jack grinned at her.
"Tethered up to Big Ben."
"First rule of active camouflage. Park-"
"Where you'll remember it." Rose finished with a laugh. Jack smirked at he popped the cork out of the champagne bottle and filled up their glasses.
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They were sitting across from each other atop of the spaceship, drinking when Rose stood up suddenly, "You know, I really should be getting back."
He raised an eyebrow, "We're discussing business."
"Of course," Rose nodded and teased, winking at Jack and raising her glass as he chuckled, "Never discuss business with a clear head."
Jack stood up and walked towards her, "Are you travelling alone? Are you authorised to negotiate with me?"
"And what would we be negotiating?"
"I have something for the Time Agency. Something they'd like to buy. Are you in power to make payment?"
She tilted her head to the side in thought, "I'll have to talk to my partner."
"Partner?"
"Yeah, I should really be getting back to him."
"Him?" Jack asked softly, "So, is this partner of yours, the Doctor with no name?"
She looked down a grin playing over her lips, flushing as he teased, "So your 'partner' is-"
"Shut up, Jack." Rose cut him off, glaring playfully at the man who would become like family to her.
He smirked at her, before taking a device out of his pocket and pointing it over his shoulder, "Do you like Glenn Miller?" 'Moonlight Serenade' started to play, he walked over to her and took her hands in his, "At least allow me this one dance, if this mysterious Doctor has already stolen your heart." He winked at her.
She giggled as they started to slow dance. "It's 1941. The height of the London Blitz. The height of the German Bombing Campaign. And something else has fallen on London – a fully equipped Chula Warship. The last one in existence," Rose rested her head on his shoulder, even though he was attempting to con her, her heart warmed just listening to his voice, "Armed to the teeth. And I know where it is. Because I parked it." Rose chuckled, "If the Agency can name the right price, I can get it for you. But in two hours, a German bomb is gonna fall on it and destroy it forever." Jack pulled away from her, looking at her seriously, "That's the deadline. That's the deal. And now, shall we discuss payment?"
"Do you know what I think?"
"What?"
"You used to be a Time Agent, now you're some kind of… freelancer?" She placed extra emphasis on the last word.
Jack grinned at her, "I prefer the term criminal."
"I bet you do!"
He turned serious again, "So, this Doctor of yours – does he handle the business?"
"Yup!"
"Maybe we should go find him?"
"Scan for alien tech?"
"Yup." Jack grinned at her hopeful look and scanned using the device on his wrist.
"Finally, a PROFESSIONAL."
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Rose followed Jack through the same hospital as last time.
"Hello?" Jack shouted, his words echoing through the corridor.
"Doctor?" Rose yelled after Jack got no response. Grinning happily as the Doctor poked his head out of a doorway.
"Good evening." Jack walked over to him, shaking his hand, "Hope I'm not interrupting – Jack Harkness, I've been hearing all about you on the way over."
The Doctor turned to Rose, confused. She wrapped her arms around his arm and whispered, "He knows about us being Time Agents." He just nodded bewildered.
"And it's a real pleasure to meet you, Doctor." Jack patted the Doctor heartily on the shoulder, winking at Rose before he walked off.
The Doctor still looked completely non-plussed as he looked down at Rose, "Where've you been? We're in the middle of a London Blitz, it's not a good time for a stroll."
She snorted, pulling him along with her as she walked after Jack, "Who's strolling? I went by barrage balloon. Only way to see an air raid."
He gaped at her, "What?!"
Rose winked at him, squeezing his arm, "Listen, what's a Chula warship?"
"Chula?"
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Rose leaned her head against the Doctor's shoulder, her arms wrapped around his as they watched Jack scan one of the bodies.
"This just isn't possible. How could this happen?" He turned to the Doctor, looking confused.
The Doctor was frowning, "What kind of Chula ship landed here?"
"What?"
Rose cut in, "Jack said it was a warship. He stole it. Parked it somewhere out there, somewhere a bomb's gonna fall on it – unless WE make him an offer."
"What kind of warship?"
"Does it matter?" Jack looked agitated, "It's got nothing to do with this!"
The Doctor glared back angrily, "This started at the bomb site. It's got EVERYTHING to do with it. What kind of warship?"
"An ambulance!" Jack admitted, turning on his wrist device, "Look." A hologram of the warship appeared above the device, "That's what you chased through the Time Vortex. It's space junk. I wanted to kid you it was valuable. It's empty. I made sure of it. Nothing but a shell. I threw it at you. Saw your time travel vehicle – love the retro look, by the way, nice panels – threw you the bait-"
"Bait?" Rose asked.
"I wanted to sell it to you and then destroy it before you found out it was junk."
"You said it was a WAR ship."
"They have ambulances in wars." Jack walked away, annoyed, "It was a con, I was conning you – that's what I am, I'm a conman. I thought you were Time Agents but you're not, are you?"
"Nope." Rose grinned at him.
"Ahh… should've known. The way you guys are blending in with the local colour – I mean Flag Girl was bad enough, but U-Boat Captain?"
"Oi!" Rose defended, making the Doctor smirk at her, "I like this shirt."
"Anyway, whatever's happening here has got NOTHING to do with that ship."
Rose looked around at the gasmask zombies, "What IS happening here, Doctor?"
"Human DNA's being rewritten, by an idiot."
"What d'you mean?"
"I dunno – some kind of virus. It's converting human beings into these things," The Doctor nodded towards the bodies, "But why? What's the point?"
The three of them looked at the bodies as they suddenly sat up asking, 'mummy?' repeatedly.
"What's happening?" Rose asked quietly.
The Doctor looked confused, "I don't know." The gasmask zombies started getting out of their beds, surrounding the three of them as they backed away, "Don't let them touch you."
"What happens if they touch us?"
"You're looking at it."
Rose felt the Doctor grab her hand tightly as the three of them were backed against the wall as the gasmask zombies encircled them chanting the same question over and over.