Ch 7

"Jack! Vastra!" The Doctor called, needing to warn his friends. There was no response from them, though Arthur started to wail in the Doctor's arms. He rocked him unconsciously, stomach doing flips. "Girls, we've got to move." He tried not to sound too urgent.

"Now why on Earth would you do that? Trying to get away from me, again?"

His blood ran cold, almost afraid to turn around and see who the voice belonged to. A hand came to rest on his shoulder, another wrapping around him to touch Arthur's head, "Oh, a baby...Do shut up." Missy snarled.

Arthur only cried louder at Missy's touch, the sound close to resembling screams. The Doctor flinched away from her, him and the girls jumping up from the cot. He stood defensively, the girls hiding behind him.

"What? My family isn't happy to see me?" She smiled, holding her arms out as if she was expecting a hug.

"You are not even close to family." He seethed.

"Well, maybe not now, but we could be." She moved closer, holding her arms out to take the baby.

He held his son tighter. "Could be is could have been. You passed up your chance at forgiveness a long time ago."

"And why is that? What did I ever do to seriously hurt you or your family?"

"Are we talking the whole record or recently, because both have a long list." He took a step back.

"Recently." She murmured, a slow grin spreading across her face.

"You stopped me from getting River proper help." Anger was evident in his tone.

"The proper help for what?" She pretended to have no idea what he was talking about.

"You know what." He bit out. She'd been here for days, stole River, and somehow found or made the footage he'd just seen. He had no doubt she knew it all.

"Now, dear, you decided to hide from me all on your own. When I came here, I just wanted to talk. You were the one that ran away. You are the reason she's dead."

If he'd left the TARDIS then, they'd all be far too exposed to the mad woman in front of them. "You hid River from me when she needed medical attention. If you wanted to talk, you had days to do so without hurting her." He countered, hearts drumming heard enough that he could feel them against his bones.

"It's always something with you, isn't it." She huffed, crossing her arms.

He ignored her. "Where's River?"

"She's in the other room, dead. My goodness, have you forgotten already?" She laughed.

"That not what I mean. Her consciousness." He demanded.

"Ohhh, you mean this?" She pulled a little white cube out of her pocket.

"Precisely." He nodded, concealing any other reaction.

"Would you like it?" She asked, inspecting the box.

He raised an eyebrow. "Are you offering?"

"Hmmmm, no. I think I want to keep her for myself."

"What use is she to you?" He glared.

Missy shrugged, "Entertainment? I'll find some use for her I'm sure."

"Well that's a terrible birthday present, isn't it. You were wrong, by the way."

"Wrong about what, hmm?" She raised an eyebrow.

"My birthday. The army you tried to give me all those months ago as a present, it wasn't my birthday." He stated.

"So? Haven't you ever heard of an early birthday gift, Doctor?" She rolled her eyes, "I swear, sometimes you're as dimwitted as the half-breed."

"Who gives a birthday gift over half a year early?" He said, though it was besides the point.

"Does she have mummy?" Freya asked.

"I want Mummy!" Amelia wailed.

"Nobody appreciates evil step-mums these days." Missy exaggerated a sigh.

"Give her back!" Freya shouted, drawing sudden courage to run forward and push Missy as hard as she possibly could. Missy hardly budged, grabbing Freya's arm and lifting her like an old rag doll. "Ow, ow, ow! Put me down!" Freya kicked wildly.

"No. Little girls who misbehave deserve to be punished." She raised her other hand to strike the girl.

The Doctor moved as quickly as he could, running right for Missy ramming her with his shoulder before she could lay another finger on her daughter. Missy dropped Freya out of surprise. Freya fell onto the ground, the little cube landing right next to her. She immediately scooped it up, holding it protectively.

"Do. Not. Lay. A finger. On. My. Children." The Doctor practically growled, fists clenched.

"You mean our children." She smiled, holding up her hand. River's wedding ring was now on her ring finger.

"How the hell did you get that?" Everything in him was tight with rage.

"If you don't want people to take your valuables, then you shouldn't leave them just laying around." She smirked, having stolen the ring off of River's body.

"It wasn't just lying around. Give it here. Now." He demanded.

"No! Finders keepers."

"That ring is no more yours than you are the mother of my children. Give it back." He said again.

"Make me." She snarled.

"Girls, run." His voice was low, and it was more of a warning that they shouldn't see what he was going to do. The girls ran out of the room, Amelia somehow managing to take Arthur with her.

"I'll ask one more time." He hissed, eyes narrowed. "Give me the ring."

"No!" Missy hissed, glaring at him.

He lunged forwards, simultaneously sweeping with his leg to knock her feet out from under her. She jumped, narrowly avoiding this move, though she had been expecting it since he had used it the last time. "Nice try."

He let out a frustrated grunt, jumping at her again. Missy cackled, jumping around the room like they were playing a game.

It took him a good few minutes before he managed to properly trip her. She landed on the ground with a thud, sticking her tongue out at him. He quickly moved to pin her, trying to assure she couldn't escape again. "Give me back the ring."

"No! It's mine now!"

"It will never be yours." He forced her arms together so he could hold them with one hand and grab for River's ring with the other.

She growled, trying to bite his hand as he held her. His response was to strike her face, scratching her eye in the blow. He then wrenched the ring from her finger without a care if she got hurt. She howled in pain, shrinking back for a moment. He jumped off her as he had what he wanted.

She lunged for him once he was off of her, "You don't play nice, Doctor!"

"I don't steal wedding rings from dead people!" He managed, toppling under her weight but keeping a firm grip on the ring. She tried to pry the ring out of his fingers, forcing all of her weight on him. "Get off!" He cried, trying to wiggle out from beneath her.

"No!" She hissed, trying to force him down harder.

He gathered and exerted his strength, throwing her off his with a large motion and an 'Agh!' She fell onto her back, hissing in anger.

Just then, Jack came running into the room, moving to a defensive position by the Doctor's side. Missy stood, fuming as she looked at the pair.

"Where's Vastra?" The Doctor asked the other man, hoping he knew.

"She's with the girls now." Jack murmured, barely glancing at him.

"Good." He breathed, glad to know his children were safe. At least for now.

"Freya has River." He added.

The Doctor perked up and Missy checked her pocket, becoming even more outraged. "That little brat. I'll scratch her eyes out!"

"You won't step a bloody inch near her." The Doctor hissed.

Jack reached for his gun.

"Oh, looks like things are getting a little steamy in here. Guess I should-" She vanished with a flash before her sentence ended.

Jack and the Doctor stared. "Where'd she go? Damn it, she could be anywhere."

"Do a scan of the TARDIS." Jack suggested.

"Scan for life forms. Full ship surveillance." He ordered.

The screen flickered to life to show the results of the scan. One Canine Life Form. Three Feline Life Forms. One Human Life Form. One Silurian Life Form. Four Human Plus Time Lord Life Forms. One Time Lord Life Form.

The Doctor let out a breath knowing Missy hadn't found the girls. He still found it a bit surprising that River qualified as a life form. If he gave it some though, it wasn't entirely strange; Lots of life forms didn't have pulse, including the very ship who was performing the scan.

"She's not here." Jack breathed, as he read the scan over the Doctor's shoulder.

He nodded. "Come on. I need to be with my kids." Jack nodded, following after him.