Chapter 4 – Home Away From Home

Miriam nearly dropped her stout when a loud scream and the sound of shattering glass broke the contemplative silence that had fallen between her and Richard.

Richard shot up, though he was careful that his glass didn't spill, and hurried over to his sister-in-law.

There she was, sweet Eva O'Connor, her face pale as a ghost. Miriam supposed it was only natural. After all, to Eva, Miriam was a ghost.

"Oh Lord!" Eva gasped. "No! No! No!" she cried and leant into Richard's body as he attempted to comfort her.

"Eva," Richard said calmly. "Suhhh now. It's okay."

"Miriam," Eva whispered. "There," she lifted a shaking hand and pointed in Miriam's direction, her eyes wide. "Miriam," Eva whispered again and pulled away from Richard slowly.

Miriam remained fixed.

Involuntarily, the older woman moved slowly in the direction of the figure that she was sure was an apparition.

"Eva," Richard said calmly. He put his hand on her shoulder and gently tried to stop her. "It's not-."

Eva paid him no mind.

Before Miriam could formulate any sort of response, she was pulled into the smaller woman's arms.

"I-" Miriam began.

"EVA!" The sound of Thomas O'Connor's shout and threatening appearance, a large wooden bat in his hand, silenced the young woman.

Richard turned to face his brother; however, Eva's attention remained fixed on Miriam.

When Thomas saw the sight before him, the bat in his hand dropped to the wooden floor. His feet locked in place; however, his body began to shake from the rush of adrenaline that coursed through his body and the sight before him. After his breathing had slowed, he forced his eyes away from the impossible sight and looked to his brother as if to confirm that he saw the same thing. His eyes darted back to the sight of his wife hugging a young woman, a young woman who could only be their Miriam O'Connor.

Fifteen minutes later found all four sitting at Miriam's table, each with a glass of strong Scottish whisky. Eva had insisted.

"I don't believe it," Eva shook her head, her face still wet with the tears. "I… it's not possible."

"I'm sorry," Miriam said softly. "I'm not sure-"

"A parallel world?" Thomas asked. It was clear he was beginning to accept the possibility.

Miriam nodded to him and then looked to Eva, a look of concern on her face. She wasn't sure what to say to convince her. It was then she remembered. "I know! I know!" She pulled her purse into her lap and began to shuffle around. She briefly glanced up to Richard, "You said Miriam couldn't cook."

He nodded slowly.

She returned to her excavation, littering the tabletop with various items. "It's in here. I know it is." She looked up to Eva. "You gave it to me just the other day." She quickly returned to her task. The three O'Connor's watched as she began unfolding crumpled receipts that had been collected over the last few months.

"Here it is!" Miriam held up a wrinkled receipt with writing on the back. "What about this!" She held the paper out to Eva.

Eva's reach was hesitant, as though she knew that whatever was written on that receipt would confirm what Miriam, the Miriam across from her, had to say.

The younger woman and the two O'Connor brothers watched Eva read the writing on the back of the wrinkled paper.

"It can't be," Eva whispered, and her head rose to look at Miriam.

Miriam nodded to the paper. "You gave me that last Sunday, well, my last Sunday."

Eva looked back down at the receipt once more and whispered, "Banana bread."

Miriam nodded.

"My granny's banana bread."

Miriam nodded.

"With rum." Eva set the paper down on the table, and Thomas picked it up to examine it for himself.

"Did you ever give that to her?" Miriam asked softly.

Eva shook her head slowly and then Eva began to cry once more. Miriam could hear the grief and utter disappointment in the sound.

Thomas pushed the receipt over to Richard. He didn't bother to pick it up. He had already accepted the truth.

Watching Eva cry, Miriam felt her throat tighten and then she released her own sob before burying her head into the strong arms of her would-be father. Her cry grew even more as he pulled her to him.

Just when Miriam felt she couldn't cry anymore, she was drawn from Richard's embrace by Eva's strained voice.

"Well, that's that then." Eva sat up rigidly, decisively, though she didn't pull away from her husband's comforting arms. She nodded to Miriam as though she'd come to some sort of decision. Though, it was clear from the movement of her throat that she was holding back another sob. "You're still our Miriam, and that is that." She then finished off the whisky in her glass. "Just different."

All four seemed to let out a sigh. All would be well. Regardless of where Miriam, this Miriam had come from. They were a family. Always a family.

Eva's declaration lightened the confusion and grief that had only moments before filled the room.

After Miriam had finished her glass of whisky, Eva took the glass from her.

"Let's head on up." She lifted her head towards the floor above. "I'll make some tea, and we can get a bit more comfortable. I'd like to hear more about this parallel world."

Miriam allowed a soft smile to lighten her face. She nodded and began putting her purse back together.

Upon reaching the O'Connor lounge, Richard gestured to a well-worn settee. "Have a seat."

Miriam dropped down into the settee and then smiled up at Richard. "You've still got it," she let out a laugh and ran her hands over the threadbare blue fabric.

Richard and Thomas looked confused.

Thomas nodded to the settee. "That settee will be there until the fabric is completely worn through. You know how Eva is," Thomas told her. He then questioned, "She got rid of it?"

Miriam nodded and then smiled at Thomas. "You," she nodded to him with an amused smile, "well the parallel you, dropped a bucket of paint on it when he tried to repair the ceiling." She glanced above her. The ceiling hadn't been repaired yet. "I'd recommend moving the settee."

Thomas gave Miriam a smile, "Thanks. Anything else I should look out for?" He asked.

Miriam thought about it for a brief moment and smiled. "Where's the fun in that? Though I'll tell you, Eva was quite happy with the new settee you bought her. Had a recliner on one end."

Thomas looked up at the ceiling. "You know, I do really need to get around to fixing that."

Richard was about to say something when their attention was drawn to the television that had been left on when Thomas ran down to see about Eva's scream.

Eva, who'd just returned with a tea tray, nearly dropped it upon hearing a horrible roar. All eyes widened as three monstrous looking aliens filled the screen.

The image of the aliens had lasted only seconds before the cameras focused on a startled looking reporter.

"These remarkable images have been relayed right across the world," he explained. Behind him was a picture of the largest of the three creatures, its dangerous red eyes making it clear they were not friendly.

Focused on the telly, Eva set the tea tray down on a side table before sinking down onto the settee next to Miriam.

All three watched as the video revealed an unnatural rocky formation.

"It is now believed," the reporter continued, that these images are not taken from Mars, but from this rocky…" the Reporter stuttered as the camera returned to him, "this strange, possibly a spaceship."

"Doesn't look anything like that one, you remember, the one that crashed into Big Ben," Thomas told the room as all four continued to watch as various images were cycled across the screen.

"They said that was a hoax," Eva reminded him.

Thomas turned to his wife, "Oh I doubt that. You know how they deal with these things, all sorts of cover-ups. Probably some different sort of species."

"Have they had aliens land in your world?" Thomas asked Miriam.

Miriam shook her head but clarified, "Well, there's always reports and such, but nothing like this."

Thomas nodded and everyone's attention returned to the television.

"Despite claims of an alien hoax," the reporter continued, "it's been reported that NATO forces are on red alert."

"See," Thomas nodded to the screen.

"In your world, in the parallel world, that Doctor, that Doctor is some sort of fictional superhero that goes around fighting aliens?" Richard asked.

"Well, I guess so." Miriam shrugged. "I'm… I know he goes about trying to save everyone… but well, like I said, I never really watched the show." She turned to Richard with a worried expression on her face. "He's sick Richard, really sick. When I was at Jackie's, that's where Rose and the Doctor are, he was still trying to… he said he was still regenerating. It went all wrong I guess. It was awful. I don't think he can help us. Not now."

It was nearly three in the morning when Eva pulled herself up from her seat and stood. "I think it's about time for bed. Alien invasion or not, I'm exhausted."

Miriam agreed. She'd been tired before arriving at O'Connor's, and after two pints of Guinness, and a glass of Eva's whisky, she could barely keep her eyes open. She'd been dozing off and on, leaning on Richard's arm, for the last hour.

Eva gestured for Miriam to stand. "I'll show you to your," she faltered momentarily, "I'll… show you to Miriam's room."

Miriam nodded sleepily and stood to follow the older woman.

When they arrived at the bedroom, Miriam couldn't help but notice many familiar items laying about.

"You'll find some night clothes in the top drawer." Eva gestured to a large cabinet.

"I just haven't…" Eva ran her hand over the back of a wooden desk chair as she looked around the room, "I haven't been able to pack anything up yet." After a moment, her eyes landed on Miriam. "Perhaps it was meant to be, maybe… well… despite everything, I'm glad you're here." Eva walked over to the younger woman and pulled her into a tight embrace before pulling back and looking Miriam in the eye. "You make yourself at home." She looked around the room, "Everything… well… I think it's just right."

Miriam knew exactly what the older woman meant and nodded. "Thank you, Eva," she said softly and leant in to give the older woman a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you."

Eva patted her on the arm, "Get some sleep, my love. Alien invasion or not, the O'Connor family is going to have a Happy Christmas tomorrow morning. I expect you up then, rise and shine."

Miriam couldn't help but laugh at the stern look Eva was giving her.

"Of course," Miriam promised and then watched as Eva left the room.

Despite all the strangeness of finding herself in a parallel world and the threat of an alien invasion, Miriam had no trouble falling asleep.

Miriam put her arm over her eyes to block out the sunshine that was streaming through the window of her room. Knowing very well she couldn't lay there all day, she lowered it, stretched out like a cat, and then opened her eyes. That's when remembered. She wasn't in her room. This wasn't part of a strange dream. It wasn't a hallucination. She was in her dead counterpart's bedroom. Dead.

She looked down to the foot of the bed and stared at the large fluffy purple dog. She remembered that dog. She'd seen it in the mall when she was a kid. Her father had said it was a waste of money. Apparently, this world's Miriam had convinced Richard, or perhaps Thomas or Eva, that it was absolutely necessary that she have that thing. She giggled. Miriam had to admit now, looking at it there, it was rather ugly. Still, she couldn't help but consider the different lives she and her counterpart had lived.

Miriam got out a bed and pulled on the dressing gown that she'd laid out the night before. Well... five hours ago, she corrected when she looked at the clock hanging over the desk. From there, her eyes travelled to a number of certificates and awards that hung nearby. It was obvious that Miriam O'Connor had been drawn to the sciences. Oh, she, Miriam Rasmussen, had an interest in the sciences, but her true love was singing, though acting was a close second. She leant closer to the various science club awards. Miriam Rasmussen had never received an award for physics s it related to bouncy balls.

She touched the glass preserving Miriam O'Connor's high school diploma and traced the name. It looked so strange. The other her had gone to Roland Hill High. Rasmus Rasmussen would never have sent his daughter there. She'd gone to St. Luke's Preparatory College in Bristol. And, while St. Luke's wasn't the most prominent school, it was extremely well known, and one of the best for those studying the arts. Education was extremely important to him. He was a scientist after all. She briefly wondered if she'd focused on the arts for just that reason. It would have been extraordinarily hard to impress Rasmus Rasmussen with a cardboard display explaining the science behind popcorn. He'd always been impressed with her musical ability, something he'd sorely lacked.

They'd made a strange pair, and he was often mistaken as her grandfather. He'd been in the Second World War after all. From what she'd been told, it had been quite the surprise when he'd adopted her at the age of 74. She often wondered how he'd gotten away with that: a 74-year-old single man adopting a baby girl. No, she knew very well. It was exceedingly rare for someone to say no to Rasmus Rasmussen. He'd been a rather intimidating man. She smiled fondly at that thought. Rasmus Rasmussen had been an orphan, and deep inside that hard exterior, he'd been a loving father, in his own way of course. She wiped away the tears that she hadn't even realised had filled her eyes. Oh yes, she'd always considered Richard a sort of second father, but Rasmus Rasmussen, despite his hard exterior, was hers, all hers. She couldn't help but wonder if he was still alive. He'd been alive in her 2006. Obviously, he'd not adopted Miriam O'Connor. Was Rasmus Rasmussen alone?

Miriam let out a deep sigh and shook herself. She gave the room another look over and then stretched. She was slightly surprised, despite having only five hours of sleep, that she felt perfectly rested.

"I could get used to this," Eva O'Connor said before taking a sip of her morning coffee. It was clear the woman was already comfortable with Miriam considering she still had her curlers in her hair. Miriam knew Eva never let anyone, other than family, see her in her curlers. That very fact reassured Miriam more than anything that she'd really been accepted.

"Richard's an excellent cook, but he's not one for mornings," Eva told Miriam as she watched the young woman use a spatula to turn the potatoes in the frying pan.

"Just the same then," Miriam added as she pushed the sausages to the side of the pan.

"And to see you there," Eva leant back in her seat, "well, she was good at mixing up all her experiments but couldn't seem to apply it to cooking."

"Well, I had to fend for myself. Dad was about the same as you're Eva. He did all sorts of fascinating experiments." Miriam glanced back at Eva. "But couldn't make instant oatmeal."

Both women laughed.

"I had a hard enough time dragging him to the table," Miriam continued, "let alone get him to cook something." She gave the frying pan a good shake before moving it off the burner. She turned to the other woman. "If it weren't for you and Richard, I'd have probably starved before I got old enough to make my own breakfast over the summers."

Eva nodded to a lump under a cloth on the centre of the table. "That will be your real test there."

Miriam smiled slightly. "Oh… I think Richard will be surprised."

"Well doesn't this look fine." Richard O'Connor surveyed the table now loaded with sausages, fried potatoes, and a bowl of fresh mixed fruit. He patted his belly. He leant down and gave his sister-in-law a kiss before turning to watch Miriam who was now frying up some eggs

"You take them over easy, right Eva?" Miriam asked.

"That's right."

Miriam lifted two perfectly fried eggs from the pan, placed the on a plate, and handed them over.

"Sunnyside?" Miriam asked Richard. "You'll take three?"

Richard gave her a hearty laugh and nodded. "I take it my parallel self was treated to your breakfasts?"

Miriam nodded. "When dad was away," she didn't see Richard wince slightly, but he quickly recovered, "I'd stay over. Eva taught me how to make eggs, but…" Miriam plated the three eggs and handed the plate to him.

"Thank you, my dear."

She nodded and then leant over to pulled the towel off the lump on the table.

"Ah ha…" Richard eyed the bread, his brow narrowed in good humour. "I suppose that's my recipe. Seems we O'Connor's have been revealing all the family secrets."

Miriam giggled. "We'll see."

They all turned their attention to the hallway. Thomas O'Connor could be heard dragging his heavy feet towards the kitchen.

"Egg beaters?" Miriam asked Eva.

Eva smiled and waved her hand at her. "Oh go on, it's Christmas. Besides, it would be torture for him to be left with fruit and egg beaters while we dine on this." She gestured to the food on the table.

"Well," Thomas O'Connor said as he leant back in his chair, brushing the Irish soda bread crumbs off of his beard, "She's got you beat Richard. Hands down."

Miriam smiled, and Richard frowned, though there was no real disappointment in the look.

"Well, I suppose I have to admit it's true," Richard conceded.

"You've topped it, Miriam," Thomas told her as he reached for another slice of the bread.

"That's what you said before, the other you I mean."

Whatever Richard was about to say died upon his lips and his eyes grew wide.

"What?" Thomas and Miriam said together. They then followed his gaze.

"Oh my God!" Miriam exclaimed.

"EVA!" Thomas hurried to his wife who was now standing, a strange blue glow hovering over her head.

"What is it?" Thomas looked to Miriam, as though she had the answers. Seeing she was just as stunned as he was, his attention returned to his wife. "Eva!" he cried. He gave his wife a shake; however, she made no response. In fact, it was clear to all she was in some sort of trance.

They tried to stop her; however, every time they tried to forcibly hold her back there was such a look of pain in her eyes, that they couldn't bear to do it. Instead, they followed her. They soon realised it was not just their Eva who was affected. Richard, Thomas and Miriam were horrified to see the street full of families trying to get the attention of their loved ones, who all had the strange blue light glowing about their head.

"NO!" Thomas called out to his wife as it looked like she might jump off the building. They had followed Eva, along with other families, to the tallest building near the pub, which happened to be just across the street from the Powell Estate.

"It's happening everywhere." Miriam looked to Thomas. "There are so many."

It was true, nearly every tall building was topped with people who looked as though they were about to jump.

"What's going on? Have you heard anything?" Richard O'Connor's demanded news from whoever was on the other line. "We're on the roof. With Eva." Richard glanced to where his brother was standing behind his wife, holding her hand. They'd all given up on trying to get anyone from backing away from the roof.

"Yes. Yes. When?" Richard questioned. It was evident he wasn't getting any reassuring news.

Miriam's attention was drawn to Thomas, as he murmured his wife's name as he removed her curlers. He'd muttered something about how horrified she'd be if she knew she'd been standing on the ledge with her hair all done up in those things.

"Right. Okay." Richard gave a firm nod and then flipped his phone closed.

He looked to Thomas. "They're saying not to disturb them. Not to try to move them. Tommy was just watching the news. They're saying there's some sort of genetic link. All these people," he gestured to all the people lined up at the edge of the rooftop, "they're linked."

"By blood," Miriam murmured. "It's got to be blood."

She looked up to Thomas. "Eva's A positive. I'm betting all these people..." She glanced down the row of people standing alongside Eva.

"The Prime Minister's asking for that Doctor. Asking if anyone can find him." Richard told her.

"You know where he is." Thomas looked at her, his eyes pleading with her to somehow have an answer.

"I… He was at Jackie's but… but he was…"

Richard looked to Miriam. "Go, Miriam, go see if he's still there, at least so we know-"

BOOM!

The very earth shook, and the sound of breaking glass surrounded them. The air was filled with screams and cries of terror. It was then IT appeared. The alien rock-like ship. It began to descend until it loomed above them. The sound of fear was all around them.

"Go, Miriam, even if there's a chance… even if it's just to know…" Richard pled with her.

Miriam nodded and without another word ran.

"ROSE!" Jackie cried.

Miriam turned the corner to see Jackie Tyler standing in the middle of the alley, bags of groceries at her feet. She was standing there, looking up at the sky, at the ship high above. It was then Miriam noticed that the Tardis was gone. Both Police Boxes were gone.

It was then Jackie noticed her. "Miriam!" Jackie ran to the other woman.

"She's gone… they just disappeared," Jackie cried.

"Was it the Doctor?" Miriam asked, a hopeful look in her eyes.

Jackie shook her head wildly. "No! No!" She cried. "He's still out. They were there. It… It wasn't like before. It wasn't normal," Jackie tried to explain.

"What do you mean?" Miriam asked.

"Like before. Like always. The Tardis doesn't leave like that. It just… it just sorta disappeared." Jackie looked to Miriam, her eyes wide and full of fear. "It wasn't right and the Doctor… the Doctor…"

"He was still unconscious?" Miriam asked.

Jackie nodded.

Miriam paled.

"What am I gonna do?" Jackie asked Miriam as though she had the answers. "In that other world, what happens? Is my daughter all right?"

"I… I don't know." Miriam shook her head and began to cry. What was going to happen? "I don't know." What she did know was that the Doctor had all sorts of companions, and there was the fact that she'd already learned that this parallel world wasn't quite as parallel as she thought it would be. "I'm not sure it would be the same even if I knew. Things so similar but there… there are differences."

"I… I…" Jackie looked up towards the spaceship, "ROSE!" She yelled once more.

"Jackie, come on. Please…" Miriam wrapped her arm around the older woman. "Come with me. My family, well my friends, sorta family from my other world are on the roof with Eva… my sorta mother."

Jackie looked at her confused.

"The O'Connor's," Miriam tried to explain.

"From the pub?" Jackie asked.

Miriam nodded and pulled on her hand. "We've got to stick together."

Jackie didn't move but looked up at the ship.

Miriam pulled her hand, "Please Jackie!"

Jackie turned to her. "I… Miriam?"

"Come with me. We'll stay together."

Jackie studied the young woman next to her for a moment. She gave one more glance up towards the spaceship and then allowed Miriam to pull her along.