Chapter 3 – New Old Friend

Miriam had been standing in the doorway for the last ten minutes waiting for the light to appear. She was so afraid but so curious. "What was that?" She whispered softly to the Doctor, as though he might sit up in bed and explain what had happened. So far, the man… the alien… in the bed hadn't moved, hadn't even let out an audible breath. She hesitantly stepped into the room and was about to take another step when she froze. There it was. His mouth opened, just slightly, and he let out a golden breath. It swirled above him for a moment before moving towards her. She didn't scream, nor did she move. She was terrified, terrified, but curious. It hadn't hurt that much… well, yes it had hurt, but she was prepared for it this time. She was far too curious, and she didn't think it had done any real harm. It moved slowly, as though sensing her acceptance, and moved directly through her chest. There was no burn, only warmth, a comforting warmth. She released a gasping breath that she hadn't even realised she'd been holding and her eyes grew wide at the sight before her, the air from her lungs was now alight with gold, though much dimmer than the Doctor's. She was transfixed as she watched it drift behind her, out through the window, and then disappear into the starlit night. She turned back to the man in the bed. He was completely still, unmoved by what had just occurred. It was then she noticed it. She leant forward, hovering over the man. "Strange," she whispered. She leant closer to his face to get a better look. "Freckles," she confirmed. She could see them now, though they were very faint. Had they been there before?

BAM!

The sound of a door banging open, startled Miriam. She let out a quiet shriek and jumped away from the Doctor.

"Mum! Get off the phone!" A woman's voice could be heard from the other room. Miriam assumed this was Rose.

She turned to see Jackie pass down the hallway, still on the phone.

"It's only Bev!" Jackie called out to her daughter, covering the receiver with one of her hands.

Miriam glanced back at the Doctor once more before heading out to the sitting room to meet the famous Rose Tyler.

"You're awake!" Mickey was the first to notice her, momentarily distracting him from the danger that had followed them. He hurried towards her and studied her with a suspicious eye, "Who are you?" He began his inquisition. "Where'd you get a Tardis?"

Miriam was so surprised by his sudden assault that she couldn't even begin to consider what he was asking.

"Not now!" Rose interrupted Mickey's attack. "We don't have the time." She returned her attention to her mum who was still on the phone. "Mum! Give me the phone." She didn't wait for Jackie to comply. Instead, she pulled it from her mother's hand and told Bev, "Look Mum will call you back. We got to go. It's not safe." With that, Rose pressed the end button on the phone and tossed it onto the settee.

"Hey!" Jackie complained.

"Look, mum, it will just have to wait. We've got to get out of here!" She tossed the phone on the settee. "Where can we go?"

"Go? Go where?" Jackie questioned, clearly irritated that Rose had ended her call with Bev. "No. No. We're not going anywhere!"

"It's not safe!" Rose stated once more. She glanced briefly at Miriam; however, it was clear Miriam was of little concern at the moment.

"Oh, don't be stupid. We're not going anywhere! It's Christmas Eve," Jackie told her daughter.

Miriam's brows furrowed. It was clear that Rose was really concerned and that leaving was important. While she didn't know much about the show, she did know that Rose was smart and whatever concerned her was probably something that shouldn't be taken lightly. She picked up her purse from the coffee table. "Where to? Where can we go?" Miriam asked. She felt slightly strange interrupting the scene. She wasn't supposed to be there after all.

Rose was slightly caught off guard by the stranger's support; however, she quickly recovered and turned to her mother once more. "We've got to get out mum, we got to get out!"

"We can go to my mate Stan's place," Micky suggested.

Rose fought the urge to roll her eyes. "Really? Stan's?" Rose couldn't believe Mickey would suggest such a thing.

"What? He could put us up." Mickey reasoned.

"That's like only two streets away!" Rose was not impressed.

"Well, you got any better ideas?" It was obvious that Mickey was hurt by her quick dismissal.

Rose turned to her mother. "Where's cousin Mo living at now?"

"Oh, I don't know… Peak District or somewhere." Jackie put her hands on her hips. "Now, why… what are you babbling on about leaving and all anyway?"

"We were-" Rose's attention was suddenly drawn to the new Christmas tree behind Jackie. "Mum. Where'd you get that tree?"

"I thought it was you," Jackie told her. "Miriam and I," she nodded to Miriam, "we set it up and-"

"How can it be me?" Rose asked.

"Well, it was there just outside. The bell rang and there it was." Jackie told her. "You went out, and you know I've been wanting a new tree."

"It wasn't me," Rose told her. She took a step towards the tree to get a better look at it.

"Who was it then?" Jackie asked.

Rose looked like she might reply; however, all conversation stopped abruptly when the tree lit up and began to play the unmistakable melody of Jingle Bells.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me," Rose's voice sounded more exasperated than anything.

When the tree began to rotate in different directions, Miriam thought perhaps the tree's motor had started up on accident; however, this thought was quickly disposed of when the speed increased enough to create a whirling wind within the small room.

"Oh my God!" Jackie cried as the tree began to rock back and forth.

To the horror of all, the tree began to move forward, chopping through the coffee table, sending splinters of wood, glass and paper flying about the room.

"Get out! Get out!" Mickey cried and began pulling on Rose's arm, pulling her behind him in the direction of the front door. He picked up a chair and began a weak attempt at slowing the thing as though he was a lion tamer. Jackie cowered against the wall next to Rose.

"I said get out of here!" Mickey shouted to them. The chair was nearly gone.

Miriam broke from her temporary paralysis and looked back towards the door. "The Doctor!" She cried out and hurried into the bedroom.

This reminded them all about the unconscious alien in the other room. Rose began towards the bedroom; however, her mother grabbed hold of her arm.

"What're you doing?" Jackie cried.

Rose yanked free. "We've got to save him."

"Get out of here!" Mickey told them once more. He'd picked up another chair and attempted to hold the thing off.

"We can't just leave him, we can't!" Rose cried, and she rushed into the bedroom.

Miriam was already there, shaking the man in the bed. "Wake up Doctor, please! You've got to get up!"

He didn't budge.

Miriam was suddenly pushed to the side, nearly knocked over, when Rose hurried over to take her place in her attempt to rouse the man. Under normal circumstances, Miriam would have found Rose's actions extraordinarily rude; however, it was clear she was frantic. Desperate.

"Please wake up!" Rose pleaded.

Leaving Rose to wake the Doctor, Miriam hurried over to help Jackie and Mickey push a large wardrobe in front of the door. Just as it was in place, they could hear the sound of the door being shredded by the homicidal Christmas tree.

"We're going to die!" Jackie cried as she backed herself up to the far corner of the room.

"Toss me that jacket!" Rose ordered Miriam, who was entranced by the sound of the wooden door being ripped apart.

It wasn't until Miriam felt a pillow hit her in the head that she realised she was being spoken to.

"You! Just don't stand there! Toss me that jacket." Rose demanded once more, pointing to a black leather jacket draped over a dressing table.

Miriam quickly complied. She watched as Rose fished around in one of the pockets, another, and then another. She was clearly getting frustrated.

"Come on… come on…" Rose complained just as the tree began its destructive wrath on the wardrobe.

Rose let out a sigh when she found the sonic screwdriver and hurried to wrap the Doctor's hand around it.

"Please… wake up!" Rose begged just as the tree burst through the wardrobe.

Miriam was knocked against the wall by a flying door and could hear Jacky cry out, "I'm going to get killed by a Christmas tree!"

The next thing Miriam heard was a loud explosion. She looked up and was just in time to see what remained of the tree come raining down on them. The second thing she noticed was that the Doctor was wide awake, his penlight aimed at the tree.

"Remote control. But who's controlling it?"

She watched the man jump out of the bed as though he'd had a spring attached to his backside and hurry out of what remained of the door, Rose followed behind. Miriam didn't seem able to move. She watched as Mickey ran after Rose and then Jackie finally stood, grabbed a dressing gown that had been draped over the bed, and hurried out to find the Doctor. After Jackie had left, Miriam was able to move once more, and she only hesitated a second longer before following them out onto the balcony.

She was just in time to hear Mickey complain, "They've just gone. What sort of rubbish is that?" He paused for a moment upon seeing her appear but then looked back to the Doctor. "I mean, I'm not really complaining, but they're not much cop if a sonic screwdriver is going to scare them off."

Miriam was sure the Doctor's eyes briefly glanced her way before he told Mickey, "Piolet fish."

"What?" Rose asked.

"They were just piolet fish." The Doctor repeated and then bent over in pain holding his stomach. "Augggh," he groaned.

"What's wrong?" Rose asked, hurrying over to him to help him stand. "What is it?"

"You woke me up too soon," he groaned in pain once more. "I'm still regenerating." He began to sink down against the wall.

Miriam rushed forward to help Rose hold him up.

"I'm just…" He glanced at Miriam and then to where she was attempting to hold him up. "I'm just bursting with energy."

Miriam was now only slightly surprised when the Doctor exhaled another burst of golden light. So wrapped up in the man's suffering, she was hardly aware when the golden glow headed directly for her, momentarily glowing around her chest before disappearing. It reappeared with her next exhale, faint remnants of the golden light floating up into the night sky.

"You're absorbing my energy," the Doctor's brow narrowed at her. "That's not supposed to happen."

Miriam was about to reply when the Doctor curled up in pain and cried out. He pulled away from both of them and slid down the wall.

"They're after my energy." The Doctor's eyes met Miriam's for a brief moment before looking to Rose, "They could run their batteries off of me for a couple of… ow!" He curled up in another bout of excruciating pain. "They can smell it a million miles away. Ahhhh! My head! My head" He cried out, clutching his head between his hands and then burying it between his knees.

"Oh! Oh! What?" Jackie hurried forward and crouched down next to him.

"My head! My head!" the Doctor cried out. "My head! I'm having a neurone implosion. I need-"

"What do you need?" Jackie interrupted.

"I need-"

"Say it. Tell me, tell me, tell me."

"I need-"

"Painkillers?"

"I need-"

"Do you want aspirin?"

"I need-"

"Codeine? Paracetamol? Oh, I don't know, Pepto-Bismol?"

"I need-" The Doctor cried once more, leaning away from Jackie and towards Rose.

"Liquid paraffin. Vitamin C? Vitamin D? Vitamin E?"

"Jackie!" Miriam tried to calm her.

"I need-"

"Is it food? Something simple. Bowl of soup. A nice bowl of soup? Soup and a sandwich? Soup and a little ham sandwich?"

"I need you to shut up!" The Doctor finally ground out.

Jackie abruptly stood, glared down at the man, and then told Rose. "Oh, he hasn't changed that much, has he?"

The Doctor rolled onto Rose's arm as a support and tried to stand. "We haven't got much time." He attempted to straighten himself, and in doing so, put his hands in the pockets of his dressing gown. "If there's pilot fish, then-" the expression of urgency suddenly fell from his face and was replaced with one of confusion, "What?" He looked up to them. "Why's there an apple in my dressing gown?"

"Oh, that's Howard. Sorry," Jackie nodded to the apple.

"He keeps apples in his dressing gown?"

"He gets hungry." Jackie frowned slightly as though trying to figure out why the apple was so important.

"What, he gets hungry in his sleep?" The Doctor's expression was now of slight amusement.

"Sometimes."

The Doctor's look of amusement was suddenly replaced by pain as he fell back against the wall again and slid down. "Argh! Brain collapsing!" He rubbed his head, dropping the apple onto the ground. "The pilot fish," he groaned and then looked up to Rose. "The pilot fish mean that something, something, something is coming."

For a very brief second, the Doctor's eyes fell on Miriam before he passed out completely.

Miriam was about to bend down to help pick the Doctor up, but this time she was pushed away, causing her to stumble backwards against the railing.

"You! You! What are you?" Rose demanded as she shoved Miriam once more.

Miriam's eyes went wide, and she tried to back away. "What-"

"What'd you do to him?" Rose demanded once.

"I haven't-"

"You saw it! We all saw it! The Doctor said you were using up his regeneration energy." Rose accused.

"He didn't-"

"Get away!" Rose shouted and pushed at Miriam once more. "Get away before I push you over the edge."

Miriam was horrified. By the look on Rose's face, she didn't doubt that Rose would do just that.

"Rose what are you doing?" Jackie demanded as she attempted to pull her daughter from attacking the young woman.

"You saw it, mum," Rose was now crying, "She was killing him!" Mickey, who was holding up the Doctor's limp form nodded his head in agreement.

"I saw nothing of the sort!" Jackie defended Miriam; however, there seemed to be a very slight degree of uncertainty in her voice.

"No!" Rose demanded through her tears. "I want her out! Leave!"

"She's got nowhere else to go!" Jackie tried to reason with her daughter.

"I don't care!" Rose looked to Miriam, "Go back to wherever you came from. Get in that blue box you came in and leave!" She pulled from her mother. "I want you gone!"

"Rose-" Jackie attempted to reason with her daughter once more.

"I'll go." Miriam interrupted, her voice barely above a whisper but heard by all. She felt for the other woman. As much as she was hurting, she could understand Rose's fear.

"She's got-" Jackie continued.

"It's okay Jackie, it's okay. I'll go."

Jackie turned to Miriam. "But-"

"It will be all right."

"Where you gonna-"

"Come on Mum, get inside." Rose pulled on her mother and pushed her through the door of the flat. Once Jackie was inside, Rose closed the door and turned to face Miriam.

"Will you-" Miriam tried to request.

"Just go. I don't know what you are, who you are, but I don't want you around the Doctor." Rose told her.

"Could you tell him, tell the Doctor-"

"Go." Rose nodded, turned and then disappeared into the flat, slamming the door behind her.

"… I need help. I want to go home." Miriam told the hard, wooden door.

Miriam stood there for a moment, staring at the fine wood grains that were visible through the painted wood. How had everything gone so pear shaped? Things had been strange enough. She'd been stranded in some parallel universe where fictional characters had come to life. Now, not only was she in this strange world, she was alone.

Miriam had just started towards the stairs when the sound of a door opening caught her attention, giving her hope. She turned; however, it was only just in time to hear something being tossed onto the ground and the door shutting once more. Her purse. She at least had her purse.

"What was all that about?" Jackie demanded of her daughter once they got the Doctor settled once more. "You just chucked her out."

"She was killing him." Rose's tears were just beginning to dry on her cheeks.

"I don't think she was," Jackie told her. "This isn't like you, Rose. Not like you at all."

Rose broke down, "I just…" she plopped down on the settee, "he's gone, mum. My Doctor's gone, and I don't know who this Doctor is."

"So, this isn't about her."

"No. Yes. Yes, yes, it is. You saw it. She was draining him. He was in pain."

"But he's not your Doctor?"

"No… yes… I don't know." Rose buried her face in her hands and began to cry once more.

Miriam pulled on the doors to one of the blue boxes. It didn't budge. She looked to the other. She really wasn't for sure which one she'd arrived in. They looked identical, and her memory was a bit dodgy. She pulled on the second blue box, and it too was locked. She'd thought perhaps if she was lucky, one of the boxes would open. It was cold, and she was tired. Apparently, luck wasn't on her side. She looked around. This was indeed the Brandon Estate, a dirtier, dingier version. It was also darker; a few of the streetlamps were broken, and it gave the area a creepy feeling. Even the Christmas lights that hung on a few of the balconies high above did little to cheer her. She was alone on Christmas. Alone with nowhere to go. It wasn't alright. She began to walk, no real destination in her mind.

She was only slightly surprised when she realised she was standing outside O'Connor's. She supposed it was only logical that her legs on autopilot would lead her here. The corners of her lips lifted at the sight of the familiar looking pub. It appeared exactly like she remembered. Exactly. She stepped forward and tried to get a better look. She knew it was late on Christmas Eve, perhaps even early Christmas day. The pub was closed. O'Connor's was never open on Christmas. It was then she noticed the tree, the small Christmas tree in the window in the pub. She let out a gasp. It was there! She hurried to the window to get a closer look. There was no mistaking it! There, hanging heavily off two of the limbs was a bright red sparkling ball with golden glittered popsicle sticks sticking out in random order. It really was a hideous ornament, though Richard assured her each and every year that it was his favourite.

6-year-old Miriam was sitting on the barstool next to a small tree spinning back and forth in anticipation as Richard O'Connor slowly cut the tape from a poorly wrapped box one piece at a time.

"I wonder what it could be?" He asked.

Young Miriam nearly vibrated. "I made it myself!"

Richard O'Connor stopped unwrapping the gift and looked to her. "Really? Just for me then?"

Miriam nodded eagerly and looked down at the paper as though she was trying to will the paper away.

"Well, in that case, we better hurry and see." He began unwrapping the paper a bit faster; however, it was clear it was still far too slow for her.

Miriam's vibrating stopped, and she appeared to hold her breath as Richard began to lift the lid off the box.

"Oh, my," Richard O'Connor exclaimed when he saw what was inside.

Clearly, the young girl took this as a good sign and let out a satisfid breath. She leant over the gift and then looked up to him. "You can put it on your tree since you don't have very many ornaments on it. I made it extra big because you're extra big."

Richard laughed as he pulled the glittering monstrosity out of the box. "It's quite lovely my dear." He let it hang from one of his fingers, giving the light a good opportunity to reflect off the obscene amount of glitter.

"It's a star!" Miriam told him eagerly.

"I see that."

"I didn't want to use the five-pointed triangle star, everyone uses that, and it's just wrong." Her tone was quite serious.

"I would have used cotton balls coated in gold glitter for gas; however, Edward Small used them all up on his snowman ornament. You'll just have to pretend that all those sticks are gaseous radiation." She told him.

"Gaseous radiation?" Richard asked.

Miriam's nodded eagerly.

"It's quite perfect my dear. Just lovely!" Richard smiled down at her making Miriam feel extremely proud. "In fact," he fixed the ornament to the front of the small tree between them, using two branches to hold the ugly ornament up, "I think we should move this fellow."

Young Miriam's smile widened when he picked up the small table tree from the end of the bar and moved it to a table centring on the picture window looking out onto the street.

It seemed that this universe's Richard favoured it as well.

"Merry Christmas Richard," she said to the sparkling Christmas tree.

"Miriam?"

Miriam was startled at the sound of a familiar voice from behind her.

Before she could even turn around, Miriam found herself being pulled into a bone crushing hug as Richard O'Conner pulled her to him. "Oh, thank the Lord! It's you!"

Miriam was shocked, but the hug wasn't unwelcome. Even if he thought she was some other Miriam, it was good to feel a sense of home. The reality of the situation came crashing down on her when she felt a dampness begin to permeate her hair. Richard was crying.

"Richard-" She didn't want to lie to him, let him believe she was his world's Miriam.

He pulled away to get a good look at her, "We thought you were dead! That you'd died!" He cried before pulling her back to him. "I can't believe it. Oh, I can't believe it!" He was now full out sobbing.

Dead? Was she dead in this parallel world? To say that Miriam was shocked was an understatement. She had imagined all sorts of scenarios for her parallel counterpart; however, being dead hadn't even crossed her mind. She tried to turn her head away from Richard's chest so that she could breathe and was faced with the sight of the Christmas tree and that horrible ornament. An ornament she'd made for Richard in 2002. An ornament she'd made when she was six. How could this Richard recognise her as Miriam? It was 2006 here. She certainly didn't look like she was 10-years-old anymore.

"Richard please," She used a bit more force to pull away. She hated doing this to the man; however, she wouldn't, couldn't lie to Richard, and she had questions, so many more questions.

Sensing the urgency in her voice Richard pulled back slightly, allowing her some room. "Miriam?"

Miriam took a deep breath. "Richard, I'm not… I'm not who you think I am."

Richard frowned. "Of course you are. Were you injured?" He studied her face a bit more.

Miriam shook her head.

"You look tired." He told her.

"I'm not injured. I'm fine. I'm just not me, or well I am me, but I'm not your me."

Richard frowned. "You're not making sense."

Miriam sighed. What could you say? Sorry Richard, but I'm not the Miriam you know. She is probably dead, and I'm here because I'm actually from another universe?"

She studied him for a moment and then told him, "I, I think I have a problem Richard, a really big problem and…" She glanced into the pub, "are Thomas and Eva in town or are they visiting Eva's family?"

"They've already turned in for the night. What is it?" His voice was full of concern.

"Can we talk inside? I think I need a drink, and after what I have to say, you might need one too."

Richard gave her a nod and then led her into the pub.

"Why don't you get comfortable," Richard gestured to her favourite booth. "I'll fix us a pint." Richard studied Miriam for a moment and then asked, his eyebrow raised, "Guinness?"

Miriam nodded with a soft smile. When Richard turned away, Miriam ran her hand along the worn wood table top. Was this her favourite booth as well? Did Richard's Miriam do her summer homework here? Did she sit and eat chips while she read Austin classics and Highlander romance novels?

She sat down in her usual spot and looked to where Richard was pouring their drinks. Watching him there, she could easily forget she wasn't in some strange universe or dreaming. She hadn't completely ruled out the possibility that this was all a manifestation of her imagination. She'd always had an active imagination.

She watched as Richard leant back for a moment to admire the beer as it moved and settled in the glass. She recalled him telling her when he'd poured her first Guinness Stout, "It's an art, my dear, a good pint of Guinness is a thing a beauty." Even when the pub was packed full and business was flying he'd told her, "There's no excuse for a bad pour my dear. No excuse at all." He'd been serious, quite serious.

Miriam settled back in her seat and looked around the pub. There were subtle changes; however, for the most part, it looked like Eva had just given the pub a good dusting and things had been shuffled around just slightly.

Her attention returned to Richard as he put their perfectly poured drinks on the table.

"Beautiful Richard. Just lovely."

He nodded to her in approval and sat down.

They stared at one another, observing the similarities, searching for the differences.

Richard was the first to move. He lifted his pint. "Always remember to forget, the troubles that passed away."

Miriam lifted her glass, "But never forget to remember, the blessings that come each day."

"Happy Christmas," they said together and took took their first drink, both with tears in their eyes.

An hour later Richard sat back in the booth and looked at his daughter who claimed she was not his daughter. He was at war with his mind. He didn't want to believe what she'd said was true, though he had to admit there was something different about her. He couldn't quite place it. And, the fact that she'd been declared dead just three months ago, the dental records had been conclusive, was pulling at his heart. But here she was, his Miriam, his dear Miriam.

"You're not Miriam?" he asked, though the tone expressed his reluctant acceptance.

Miriam's heart clenched at the sound of pure grief in his voice. "No. I'm not you're Miriam."

"And in this other world, you're not my daughter?" He asked.

Miriam shook her head. "No." This thought seemed equally painful to him so she added, "Though I think I'd have liked that very much." She gave him a slight smile and put her hand on top of his. "You were always there for me. I was rather lucky, not many little girls get two dads." She nodded to the tree. "And, if your Miriam gave you that when she was six, then you have the same horrid taste in Christmas ornaments as your parallel you."

The corners of Richard's lips lifted. "Yeah, well, it was made by a very special little girl."

Miriam smiled softly at him. "Thanks."

There was a heavy sort of silence between them before he spoke once more, "It's so strange," he nodded to her, "You sitting there, so much like her." An odd expression crossed his face, "You were 10 in 2006 then?"

Miriam nodded, "Yep."

"Miriam is… was, she was twenty."

"That is strange," Miriam said thoughtfully. "I thought parallel worlds were supposed to be more, you know, parallel."

Richard let out a laugh. "That is my Miriam."

"So you're going to try to get back then?" Richard asked, "With the help of this Doctor?"

Miriam nodded. "I suppose I have to."

"Why? Who's to say that?" Richard asked.

"Why what?" Miriam asked.

"Why do you think you'd have to return to the other world."

"Well, you for one," Miriam told him. "You'll be eaten yourself up finding I've just disappeared."

"As well as I should be, letting you walk home alone." It was evident from Richard's tone that he wasn't pleased with his parallel self.

"Don't be so harsh." Miriam squeezed his hand. "Like I said, I'd been walking that path for years, and as much as I'd have liked it, you weren't my dad."

"Still, I have half a mind to go with you and give myself a piece of my mind," Richard grumbled; however, there was a lightness to his eyes that hadn't been there since they'd sat down at the table.

"I should probably stay away from Thomas and Eva," Miriam told him. "I don't want to cause any more heartache."

Richard took her hands in his, "Oh don't you even think of it. I know for a fact Thomas and Eva, regardless of what universe they are from, would want to know. You may not be our Eva, but you're still our Eva all the same. Just different. I don't think they'd forgive me if they didn't know."

"But-" Miriam tried to argue,

"Now don't you now 'but' me Miriam, be you O'Connor or Rasmussen. You let your old dad handle this."