Next Stop, Everywhere

by noblecrescent

She's clever, and he likes it. It's a good thing she likes him too. So are they on the same page? She and he, in the TARDIS, next stop everywhere? *First of the Monsoon Seasons*

10. Torchwood Secrets

I knew what they were doing was wrong...and I was working on stopping them. I was going to. But I never counted on them coming back that day. I never believed it went so much deeper than I knew about. I spent all this year learning from them, becoming more cunning and cold. I had to. In order to defeat them, I had to keep it a secret from the Doctor. We had to keep it a secret.

I just never believed things would end this way...

---

"Commence the ghost shift!"

Leaning against the glass door, I watched the lever be pulled down and the blinding light hit my face. I looked away, closing my eyes for five minutes until it was pulled back up and the light died down.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to announce we've just measured the ghost energy at five thousand gigawatts. Give yourselves a round of applause," Yvonne Hartman, the boss, my boss, announced. She turned around, flashy smile on her face and walked towards her office. I stood away from her door and moved aside, opening it for her. "Isn't this wonderful?" she asked then walked inside.

Slowly, I walked down the open space between the desks with my eyes fixated on the plain, white wall ahead. Every time I looked at it, it made my stomach churn. I stopped at the end and stared at it, just like I always did when they finished the new round. "...wonderful," I whispered.

"Minerva? Think you can cover for me?" my friend, Adeola, called from her desk. I had to forget about the wall and return to normal. She walked over to her, my heels clicking after me with each step, "Gareth and I want a little alone time..." she smiled sheepishly.

I nodded, "Go ahead," she smiled and stood up from her chair then walked off. I looked around and since no one was paying any attention, I took her place. I learned quick on how to breach computers and since everyone around trusted me, no one batted an eye as I worked the computer. I quickly downloaded the information I was looking for into a flash drive and stuffed it into my skirt's pocket. When I stood up, I pressed down my skirt and took a quick scan to make sure no one was raising any confused eyebrows, but like usual...no one cared.

~0~

"So, what've we got? Any sign of that power loss?" Mickey asked me as we walked down the corridors towards the sphere chamber, yet another room that made my stomach churn.

"They've classified it as a 'glitch', but we know better," I spoke quietly. Even if were alone, there could always be someone lurking around that could catch us. It was dangerous enough what we could be dealing with and if Yvonne found out that we were both time travelers and we knew the Doctor...we could be killed. Or worse, be used as leverage against the Doctor.

"How much time do you think we got?"

"Before the Doctor returns or the dimensions break?"

He smirked, "Which one's gonna be less scarier?"

"...dimensions breaking," I answered fast, making us both laugh.

"The alien can't be that bad, Minnie."

"Believe me, Mickey, I've seen his wrath when the people he cares about are in danger. You don't want to be on the wrong side," I grew serious. I knew a long time ago that when the Doctor found out - because I had no doubt that he would find out at some point - about my job, he would go ballistic. He'd kill me for working at a place like this. The only reason I remained at Torchwood was because my best friend was back.

Although he hadn't been there from the very start. I found Torchwood by accident - or rather they found me after my old school was burned down. My new school was always offering internships and Torchwood happened to be around, looking for bright students interested in...extra-terrestrial matters. Of course at the time of my hiring, they said that I would be an assistant. I wondered how badly they would be kicking themselves if they knew they had directly hired somebody who used to travel with the Doctor? But so far, they were none the wiser.

They had no clue that they also hired another of the Doctor's companions. After I stopped traveling with the Doctor - the whole Magpie incident really pissed me off - I had the shock of my life bumping into Mickey. Apparently, he'd been working there for a few weeks while I was 'gone'. I was ecstatic to find him back on our Earth! He was my best friend after all. The only thing that kind of dampened the mood was the reason for his return. Something was going on with 'the walls of the universe', something the Doctor never really covered with me but I learned well from Mickey.

Apparently the Cybermen they had fought on Mickey's world - yet another creature the Doctor hadn't covered with me - had suddenly vanished from his world. He and the Torchwood version on his Earth were in deep battle with those metal things until they disappeared. They followed them here but when Mickey arrived, there were no Cybermen around. Of course once he explained that to me and I got a good look at the 'ghosts' that had started popping into our world, we knew there had to be a connection.

I liked to think that while the Doctor and Rose were out in space, somewhere in Time, Mickey and I were having our own adventure right at home. I was like an agent working for a Torchwood that was on another Earth.

We entered the sphere chamber where our co-worker, Rajesh, was sitting at his desk, feet on the desk and reading a book. It was as if the big old sphere in the middle of the room wasn't an important issue. Nobody knew what was inside, not even Mickey, but he theorized that another Cyberman had to be inside. It was perhaps the reason why the Cybermen followed into this world.

"Nice to see we're working hard," I acted serious and rigid...something Yvonne liked. Given my young age, I had to demand respect from older employees if I wanted to stick around. Yvonne loved me but it meant nothing if I couldn't get the rest of the employees to do the same.

"It's just so busy," Rajesh rolled his eyes, sitting properly again.

"Yvonne wanted me to pass the message on about yet another great ghost shift."

Rajesh didn't look so happy with the message. It was probably the reason why he was more interested in a book rather than the mysterious sphere. "I know. We had nothing."

"Let me hear it," I stuffed my hands in my lab coat's pocket.

He sighed and stood up, taking off his glasses, "Didn't they tell you?"

"You know how it works around here: if it hasn't gotten to Yvonne, it hasn't gotten to me."

He agreed silently. I knew that he didn't like that a teenage girl garnered more trust from the boss than him...a qualified scientist twice my age. But it was what it was and he had to deal with it.

"So, what happened?" I asked.

He adjusted a control on the panel, "RND came up with a new spectrometer yesterday. Barged in here, all full of themselves..." he walked across the chamber, checking various instruments while I walked behind him, glancing at Mickey who "returned to work" off to the sides.

"And what they find?"

"Nothing. It gave them nothing. Same as ever. The machines keep saying the sphere can't exist. But there it is."

We stopped, looking up at the enormous sphere we had found. It was suspended in mid-air, bronze colored, with a step ladder below it. I got the creeps just looking at it. Sometimes I spent nights thinking about what could be inside. Mickey had shown me pictures of what a Cyberman looked like and it was definitely a terrifying thing knowing that they were once humans like us, like me. But then another thing kept nagging at my head: why wasn't the Cyberman - or Cybermen - inside the sphere coming out already? It had been weeks and the sphere was dead silent. What was it waiting for?

"And is there anything we can do?" I asked once I managed to tear my gaze from the sphere. Rajesh hadn't done that yet. "Rajesh?" I asked again.

"No, I'm all right. It's just... gets into your head, this thing. Like it's... staring at you," he became entranced with the thing, as usual.

"Yeah, I get the feeling," I gently pulled him away from the scene to help him with his struggle. I wondered if that was an intended effect from the sphere, something the Cybermen wanted?

"I'm sorry," Rajesh shook his head once his thoughts were clear again.

"It's alright," I smiled at him. I glanced back at the sphere and despite knowing the effects, I started walking for the step ladder. I could see Mickey shooting me a glance as I came up to it.

Every time I entered the chamber, I just had to try and touch it...not that I ever did. Each time I went up, gotten close to it...I just stopped. Like there was an invisible barrier preventing me from laying even a finger on it. At times, it frustrated me. Is that what the Cybermen wanted? For no one to touch it? The Doctor would probably know, I thought. But he was off somewhere with Rose, probably forgetting all about me and Earth.

"Minerva?" Rajesh called, snapping me out of my thoughts. "I wouldn't."

"Why not? We never can anyways," I tried pressing my hand on it but like always I couldn't. "Doesn't that bother you?" I looked back, "That you can't even touch it? None of us can't."

"I...try not to think about it," he turned around, beginning to walk away.

"And that's the problem," I made my way down to the floor, shaking off my lab coat, "You can't just stop because you 'don't like it'. It's our job to figure out what this is. It could be something really bad and destroy us all-" Mickey started to fake cough, alerting me I was slipping away from the professional attitude, "...all I'm saying, is that we have to keep working on it," I handed him the lab coat and walked out, nodding to Mickey a silent "thanks" for reminding me.

~0~

"Minerva, think you can conduct the next ghost shift?" Yvonne stepped out from her office just as I returned from the sphere chamber. I faintly smiled, nodding my head. She gestured for me to move to the front of the room.

The thing was...I didn't want to do it. While I didn't understand how deep the consequences were for these "ghost" shifts, I knew that it wouldn't be well for the dimension walls. According to Mickey, they should all be sealed off and these shifts were allowing them to jump back and forth. I didn't want to conduct more, but if I didn't, Yvonne would either suspect or fire me on the spot. Either way meant I'd be away from Torchwood Institution and unable to help Mickey.

"Sorry for being late!" Adeola's loud call made me snap out of my thoughts.

"Me too!" Gareth exclaimed.

"Sit down," Yvonne ordered, "My trainee-assistant is at head right now. Minerva?"

Another downside of this job, apart from being in danger all the time, was that I had to use my real name. Torchwood was very strict when it came to its employees. They did a really good background check on me and found all my files. Yvonne had taken a liking to me because of my independence, seeing I was young and clever, and immediately set me to work. I had proven my skills when I was able to identify a lot of alien species and even fix weapons that were out of Earth's boundaries. Truthfully, a lot of it was luck, Mickey's education from the other dimension and just the knowledge the Doctor had supplied me with during the time we spent together. And other things just came to me.

I glanced at Yvonne, seeing her gesture once more for me to go to the head of the room.

I stood at the front of the desks, facing the great, big wall. "At power," I ordered. The scientists stood by the levers, ready for the next command. I nodded, putting on my sunglasses as the blinding light emerged, "And...we are into Ghost Shift."

Online.

An alarm went off, something that's never happened before. I looked back, confused, "What's going on?"

Yvonne hurried towards Matt's computer, "What is it?"

"Something's interfering with the ghost field," Matt replied.

"Location?" I raised an eye brow.

"It's within the city."

"Search it," I demanded, looking back to the wall. But when I saw it wasn't working, I glanced at the scientists, "Close it down! Now! Close it!" They hurriedly worked and pull down the lever.

Offline.

"Matt, how's it going?" I pulled my sunglasses off.

"It was a very specific excitation of the ghost field."

"Good," I turned to them, "Makes it easy to pinpoint," I walked over and peered to the computer screen along with Yvonne.

"It's a council estate," Matt said, typing away, "The Powell Estate. SU157GO. It was a public area."

My eyes widened, my heart nearly stopping. Oh no.

"Can we patch into the CCTV network?" Yvonne asked. She had no idea what she was about to be dealing with.

"Doing it now."

"Yvonne, I hope this doesn't affect me..." I tried keeping myself on check, hoping I hadn't screwed up with her and be sent home.

She looked up, "Please, you're my number one worker here. Your work is top shape and this wasn't your fault. No, we've got intruders."

"Thank you. If you don't mind, I'm going down with Rajesh again," she nodded. I hurried off down the corridors, running as fast as I could with heels. I hated being professionally dressed! On turning the corridor, I crashed into someone. I shook my head and saw it was Mickey. I sighed, relieved, "Oh thank god! I don't know what's wrong, but something stopped the ghost shift and...it's from the estate!"

"Are you sure of what it is?"

"No but...it always could be," I looked to the side, both silently guessing who could have caused the malfunction of the shift, "They could have returned already."

"Then we'll have to explain."

"Somehow, I don't believe the Doctor is gonna be very understanding. Much less when he discovers you've been traveling from dimension to dimension...and that I work in the institution."

"He should've asked you," he shrugged.

"Yeah, but I wouldn't tell him anyways," I admitted, "I mean, before, I would have. I thought the institution was just wonderful...but then Yvonne started filling me in on its real purposes and...I couldn't tell him. It'd put him in danger and I'd never forgive myself if anything happened to him."

Mickey smiled, almost smirked I could say, "Well, he'll just have to understand, then."

"Why the smirk?" I asked, frowning. This was no time to be smirking! The time to finally come clean to the Doctor had arrived and I was scared out of my wits!

"...nothing," he strolled right past me.

"Mickey?" I called after him, wondering what the hell had gotten into him. He could at least come back and help me devise a plan where the Doctor didn't kill me in front of everybody.

~0~

I had to keep my calm, that was the first thing I kept telling myself. I stood in our weapon room to examine the latest weapons the soldiers had found last week. I was tasked by Yvonne to try and examine them for their functions. I didn't know how, but I did recognize some of the weapons even though I never saw them. It was a weird thing but I thanked my brain because this was yet another reason why Yvonne let me be so close to the projects. "Put the particle gun over there," I instructed a soldier while I jotted down the weapon's catalog name o my clipboard, "And make sure it doesn't go off. Now that I've fixed it, it'll kill."

If somebody asked me how I fixed that thing, I honestly wouldn't know what to say. My fingers had just moved along the crooks of the weapon until it was functioning like it should be. I was so confused the first time that happened but Yvonne was delighted...so I let it keep happening.

"And this is my lovely assistant, Minerva," I heard Yvonne say from across the room. Who was she doing a tour from? I thought the whole point of Torchwood was to keep things on the down low. "Minerva? Come on out!"

"Boss is calling," I looked at the soldiers, making them smile. I turned and walked for the entrance from which Yvonne's voice had came from. Of course when I saw the Doctor and Jackie standing next to Yvonne I nearly I yelped.

The Doctor, on his part, seemed just as shocked as I was. Of course that quickly subsided to be replaced by a growing anger.

And let the trouble begin...

"Doctor, this is the genius side of Torchwood," Yvonne moved beside me, proudly smiling as she had no idea that today was my last day and probably the last day of Torchwood altogether. "Minerva, this is actually the Doctor. Can you believe that!?"

"Hello..." I said quietly, reaching to shake his hand.

"Hello," He repeated, more serious. I felt the really tight squeeze he gave my hand but he was stupid if he thought I'd let him crush my bones like that.

I returned the favor with a tight smile and an abrupt yank of his hand. I then leaned to his side, as if I were going to give him a hug - since around these parts anyone would be excited to meet the reason why Torchwood was created in the first place - and I whispered, "Don't say anything unless you want to make me mad."

Needless to say, when I drew back the Doctor looked incredulous.

"And his companion," Yvonne gestured to Jackie.

"Hello," I shook her hand. I mouthed a 'Why?' to her. She gave me an apologetic shrug. Of course there wasn't much she could've done for us.

"So she's the genius behind these weapons?" the Doctor asked Yvonne, his eyes still fixed on me. Maybe if I looked really hard I could see the smoke coming out of his ears. Or the fire in his eyes?

"Oh yes! We've had a particle gun in our possession for eight years and none of us could get it working until she came in! In a few months, she got it down."

"But this is the 21st century, you shouldn't have particle guns," the Doctor said, more directly to me.

"We must defend our border against the alien," I said quietly.

He blinked, staring open-mouthed, "Oh...really?"

"...yes."

"Sebastian, can you bring me the Magnaclamp?" Yvonne called.

"By any chance, have you got anyone called Alonzo?" he suddenly asked.

"No...I don't think so. Is that important?"

"I suppose not..." He looked somewhat disappointed.

Sebastian brought over the Magnaclamp and handed it to Yvonne. "The Magnacalmp," Yvonne introduced, "Minerva, care to take this one?"

I sighed, not very fond of the idea. On this one, I did agree with the Doctor. Handling weapons was a terrible thing. Still, I took it from Yvonne and explained what it was. "It was found in a spaceship buried at the base of Mount Snowdon. Attach it to any object and it cancels the mass."

"Mhm," the Doctor looked at me. "And the ghosts?"

"A simple side effect," Yvonne replied.

"Of what?"

"All in good time, Doctor," She smiled.

"Oi! Where are you taking that?" Jackie suddenly yelled. We looked back and saw the TARDIS being hauled away on the back of a truck.

"If it's alien, it's ours," Yvonne recited our motto.

"You'll never get inside," the Doctor said calmly.

"Hm!" Yvonne huffed and walked off.

I turned as well and made to move but felt a hand over my arm restrain me with yet another tight grip, "Care to explain...Minerva?" the Doctor spat.

I swallowed hard, trying to keep my nervousness as low as possible, "...perhaps under different circumstances..."

"Doctor, stop it," Jackie scolded, yanking his arm back, "The woman has no idea Joy knows you. If she finds out, it'll be trouble for her and is that what you want? You never asked about it so..."

He remained silent and looked at me, speaking with such coldness in his tone, "I am so disappointed in you."

"...not as much as I am with you," I returned just as coldly. If he was going to play that card, I'd have a lot more things to be angry about.

We rejoined Yvonne, the Doctor keeping quiet of his knowledge about me.

"All those times I've been on Earth, I've never heard of you," he spoke up, eyeing me with the scolding look I'd be getting all day for this, "Not one person uttered a word about this place..."

Yvonne only smiled, glancing at me for to answer. Oh, I really hated these next words...

"Of course not," I said coldly, "You're the enemy. You're actually named in the Torchwood Foundation Charter of 1879 as an enemy of the Crown."

At first he was stunned yet again, but then he became confused, "1879... that was called Torchwood, that house in Scotland."

"That's right. Where you encountered Queen Victoria and the werewolf," Yvonne said.

"I think he makes half of it up," Jackie shook her head.

"Her Majesty created the Torchwood Institute with the express intention of keeping Britain great. And fighting the alien horde," I recited the words Yvonne implanted in my head from the first day she had revealed the institution's real purposes.

The Doctor frowned, "But if I'm the enemy, does that mean that I'm a prisoner?"

"Oh yes," Yvonne said lightly "But we'll make you perfectly comfortable. And there is so much you can teach us. Starting with this," she stopped us at the sphere chamber and gestured for me to open it.

I pressed my ID card against its digital lock and opened the door, Yvonne nodding for me to go ahead first. I sighed, coming in and searching for Mickey who was, thankfully, not here at the moment.

"Now, what do you make of that, Doctor?" Yvonne asked, sounding proud.

Rajesh, seeing the Doctor, straightened himself up and walked over to us, "You must be the Doctor. Rajesh Singh. It's an honor, sir."

But the Doctor was captured by the sphere, staring open-mouthed at it, Jackie following in the same manner.

"Yeah..." he said absently.

"What is that thing?" Jackie asked.

"We've got no idea," I turned to them, looking at the Doctor and hoping he'd begin to understand why this job was a secret, "We've no idea what's inside, what could be inside if there is anything inside. It could be dangerous to people...to certain people," I stared deeply into his eyes, "It had to be kept a secret..."

"Certainly," Yvonne agreed, missing the whole meaning of it.

"But what's wrong with it?" Jackie frowned, still staring at it.

"What makes you think there's something wrong with it?" Rajesh asked while I turned away and walking towards the sphere.

"I dunno... just feels weird."

"That's the effect it has on everyone," I called, "It makes you wanna run and hide like it's forbidden...but not all of us run. Some of us..." I trailed off as I went up the steps, "...some of us want to stay and...find out what it is..." I reached for it.

"Don't touch it!" the Doctor called, startling me out of the trance, "Don't touch it! No one!" he darted up beside me, now wearing 3D specs, and looked at the sphere.

"We tried analyzing it using every device imaginable," I began explaining, quietly, my urgency for him to figure what it was became so obvious that his anger seemed to diminish.

I mean...if he was already here...he might as well help...

"And results?"

"...the sphere doesn't exist. It weights nothing. It doesn't age. No heat. No radiation. And - has no atomic mass."

"But I can see it!" Jackie exclaimed.

"Fascinating, isn't it? It upsets people because it gives off... nothing. It is... absent," Rajesh said.

"Well, Doctor?" asked Yvonne.

"This is a Void Ship," he answered, turning around to face the group.

"And what is that?"

He folded away the specs, his tone growing concerned, "Well, it's impossible for starters. I always thought it was just a theory, but... it's a vessel designed to exist outside time and space. Travelling through the Void," he helped me down the stairs to the floor, gripping my hand for some reason like he was afraid for me.

"What exactly is the void?" I asked.

"The space between dimensions. There's all sorts of realities around us, different dimensions - billions of parallel universes all stacked up against each other..." he paused, looking at me with the same sorrow he had when Mickey had left. Oh, if he knew Mr. Smith was right back in this world, "The Void is the space in-between. Containing absolutely nothing. Imagine that - nothing. No light, no dark, no up, no down. No life. No time. Without end. My people called it the Void, the Eternals call it the Howling. But some people call it Hell."

"But someone built the sphere. What for? Why go there?" Rajesh asked.

"To explore. To escape. You could sit inside that thing and eternity would pass you by. The Big Bang... end of the universe, start of the next, wouldn't even touch the sides. You'd exist outside the whole of creation."

"You see, we were right. There is something inside it," Yvonne smugly said, missing the whole danger part of it.

"Yes," the Doctor said quietly.

"So how do we get in there?" Rajesh asked.

'We shouldn't," I spoke up, capturing Yvonne's attention...and not the good kind, "I told you Yvonne, we should try to send it back. We don't know what is in there..."

"Your assistant has the right idea," the Doctor nodded, "How did it get here in the first place?"

"Well, that's how it all started. The sphere came through into this world, and the ghosts followed in its wake," she explained.

"Show me," he ordered, but not to her, to me.

I looked at Yvonne for approval, which she quickly gave, and so I led the alien away, still hand-in-hand as we left for the rift chamber.

~0~

"Minerva, did you get the new numbers for the energy levels?" Yvonne asked.

"Yeah, in your office right now," I pointed to it across from the chamber.

Content, she turned to the Doctor, "See? This is why we prosper. Had it done in just a couple of minutes. We only take the best."

He only stared at me, but I could feel his pounding accusations. He walked past us towards the great wall.

"Minerva, explain to them the wall please. I need to run those through," Yvonne instructed.

I sighed, walking to the Doctor, "Well, the sphere came through here. A hole in the world," he passed a hand over the wall, "It's not active at the moment. But when we fire particle engines at that exact spot, the breech opens up."

"How did you even find it?" he glanced over.

"They were getting warning signs for years. A radar black spot. They built the place; Torchwood Tower. The breech was six hundred feet above sea lever. It was the only way they could reach it."

"They built a skyscraper just to reach a spatial disturbance?" He put on the 3D specs, "How much money do they have?"

"Enough."

"Joy? Rose is here," Jackie called, "Is she gonna be alright?"

"Perfectly safe."

"I don't think I can say the same for you," the Doctor turned, "What the hell do you think you're doing at a place like this?"

I raised an eye brow, "Oh, so now you take an interest in what I do," he stared, confused, "I work here."

"But why?"

"Because I didn't know what was going on in the beginning!" I snapped. "They offered me an internship and I took it. It was only after that I was informed of what truly goes on around here. And also, I'm one of the good guys. Can you imagine what could happen if this sphere ends up in the wrong hands? I'm here to help."

That seemed to quell the Doctor's anger for now. He turned towards Yvonne who was coming out of her office. "Yvonne, let me wrap my head around this. You find this breech, probe it, the sphere comes through," he walked towards her office, "A hole in the fabric of reality and this hole...you think 'Oh, shall we leave it alone? Shall we back off? Shall we play it safe?' Nah, you think 'let's make it bigger!"

"It's a massive source of energy. If we can harness that power, we need never to depend on the Middle East again. Britain would become truly independent. You can see for yourself. Next Ghost Shift's in two minutes," she walked along the desks.

"Wrong hands, huh?" he raised an eyebrow at me.

"Exactly why I'm here," I made him see it, "She's the wrong hands and so we're here to make sure she doesn't do anything."

"We?"

I blinked, hurriedly tuning away and following Yvonne.

"Cancel it," the Doctor ordered to her.

"I don't think so."

"I'm warning you, cancel it."

"Exactly as the legends would have it," she turned around, "The Doctor, lording it over us. Assuming alien authority over the rights of Man."

"Let me show you," he took out his screwdriver and moved to the front of Yvonne's glass wall of her office, "Sphere comes through," he made the glass splinter and crack, "But when it made the hole it cracked the world around it. The entire surface of this dimension, splintered. That's how the ghosts get through. That's how they get everywhere. They're bleeding through the fault lines. Walking from their world across the Void and into yours. With the Human Race hoping and wishing and helping them along! But too many ghosts and..." he merely tapped the wall and made the glass shatter into millions of pieces.

"Well, in that case we'll have to be more careful," Yvonne turned to the staff, "Positions! Ghost shift in one minute!"

The Doctor glared at me, "Do something."

"Why me?"

"Because you work here!"

"...I can't."

It looked like he wanted to yell but instead he went after Yvonne. Jackie put a hand over my shoulder, giving me a comforting look.

"He doesn't get it," I said quietly, "He never gets it."

"We are in control of the ghosts! The levers can open the breech but they can equally close it!" Yvonne was saying when Jackie and I rejoined.

She and the Doctor stared down at each other for a few minutes. Suddenly, the Doctor stepped back, "Okay."

"Sorry?" Yvonne stood there, dumbfounded.

"Okay," he moved and got a chair from the desks, taking a seat.

"Is that it?" .

"Fair enough. Said my bit. Don't mind me. Any chance of tea?"

"Ghost shift in twenty seconds!" Adeola exclaimed.

"You can't stop us," Yvonne warned him.

"Ghost shift in ten seconds," Adeola said, "9...8..."

Yvonne and the Doctor stared at each other again but this time, Yvonne was faltering.

"7...6...5...4...3...2..."

"Stop it," she cracked and looked to the staff, "I said shut it down."

"Thank you."

"I suppose it makes sense to get as much intelligence as possible. But the program will recommence as soon as you've explain everything."

"I'm glad to be of help. And you know what, to further educate myself, I'd like to speak to your highest thinking employee, I'm assuming is her," he pointed to me.

Yvonne nodded, "She'll be happy to answer any questions."

"I sure hope," he stood up.

I dreaded it to come. He walked to me, violently grasping my arm and pulling me into the corridors.

"Oi! Oi! That hurts!" I snapped, pushing him off.

He turned around, "What the hell do you think you're doing? I leave for a couple of months and this is what you're up to?"

"I thought you weren't mad at me anymore," I rubbed my arm, recalling his look in the sphere chamber.

"I honestly don't know how I should feel about this!"

"You don't know what's going on-"

"You're right, I don't," he gritted his teeth, "I don't know why one of my friends would be working in a place like this. This is the job you were talking about since last Christmas? The one that gave you countless raises? Joy! They shot down aliens from the sky!" he threw his hands in the air, "What are you doing here!?"

"You don't know okay. When I first came here, I didn't know what it was about. Plus, I needed the job! I lost everything okay, you don't know how in need I was."

"There are countless jobs in the world!"

"BUT I DIDN'T HAVE THE LUCK!" I yelled, "And besides, you would've known if you asked which you never seem to do! When I found out what this place was about, I was going to quit..."

"So why didn't you?"

"When you dropped me off after the 50's...they found the sphere the next day. I couldn't just walk away from it. I knew that sphere would be something bad so I stayed and infiltrated their information. Together, we've used it for good."

"Who's this 'we' you keep talking about?"

"...Mickey."

"He's here?" his eyes widened to the point of nearly popping out his head

I sighed, nodding, "You really got to start asking, Doctor. He was here when I got back. He explained everything. From the other dimension when you left him up until now. The Cybermen disappeared from their world and are possibly inside that sphere..."

"Why am I just hearing about this now? I know you're clever, I know you can take care of yourself but...this is way out of your hands!"

"I called!"

"No you didn't!"

"Yes, I did! Every time Rose answered she said you were busy..."

"I...I didn't know that."

"No...of course you didn't, you never care enough to call on your own," I said sadly, looking away, "I did my part, I called...to tell you. But then...I got scared the more you didn't answer and I started to think how you might react. I was confused, alright? But really...things would've been easier if you had just shown a bit of care!"

"I do care, I thought we went over this, Joy," he passed a hand through his hair, frustrated, "Did you forget what we talked about during the 50's?"

I had to smile at the memory of the nice moment we had shared, "...did you? You said these beautiful things to me and then you just dropped me off like nothing...do you know what that does to a person?" his eyes softened, silently thinking, at least I hoped he was, "Not one call did I get from you. Not even to know how I was doing, how Jackie was. Nothing. It's like I ceased to exist once again."

"You asked me to bring you home," he reminded, but it sounded like he was saying that to himself, like he was assuring his doubts.

"Yes, I know that perfectly...but if we're friends, isn't a call in order?"

"I don't understand, if you called...Joy, I never even knew about it! I swear!"

I nodded, assuring him I believed him. It didn't take a genius to know what happened with my calls. The messenger never did her job.

"I thought we were getting somewhere. I really liked our last trip, even if it was the wrong place, but I liked it," I continued,"...but then reality snapped back and I remembered my place. All I can say now is please don't give me any compliments, don't give me hope then take it away," I gritted my teeth, my hurt turning into anger rather fast that if I wasn't so emotional I would've been worried over it, "Don't come to our planet months later and act like you know everything about me enough to think that you know my intentions for this institution. You don't get to do that. You don't get to doubt all the values you've taught me for this planet. Ever."

I bit my tongue so I wouldn't yell everything I felt. Everything Mickey had once told me I should tell him was now at the tip of my mouth, but I knew better. If I was going to tell him, it'd be in a much calmer atmosphere. If I waited nearly a year I could do with another day.

"Call me a trader, call me what you want, but I know what I'm doing is the right thing. You wouldn't know because you're not here with us. You and Rose are on a whole other level while me and Jackie live here. I don't know what's going on with my planet and if you want to come and help me save it, then by all means, please go ahead. But if you're just gonna think so low of me over a job that I had to take because of you, then I guess we're done here," I turned around and walked back.

"Joy," he called, much quieter now. I stopped, glancing over my shoulder, "Why does she call you Minerva?"

"...because that's my name," I said before walking away.

~0~

Yvonne was sitting at her desk with her laptop in front of her, explaining to the Doctor all about the Ghosts and the sphere. She was a bit confused why he was being silent about it, but she assumed that's how he worked. "So these ghosts, whatever they are - did they build the sphere?"

She was more than irritated at seeing him so relaxed while he sat across her with his feet crossed on her desk, "Must have. Aimed it at this dimension like a canon ball."

"Doesn't that break the walls...like...extremely?" I asked, horrified at the dire consequences of those actions.

"Mhm," he answered, sensing the fear that flashed through my eyes.

While he wasn't angry, or at least I believed he wasn't, we still weren't on very good speaking terms. The small revelation set him on edge about my real identity. Thankfully, he hadn't said a word to Yvonne and acted like we had just met, once again.

"Yvonne? I think you should see this," Rajesh's voice called from the laptop screen, "We've got a visitor. We don't know who she is, but funnily enough, she arrived at the same time as the Doctor."

Immediately, the Doctor's voice twitched. I was beginning to wonder where the blonde had gotten herself to.

Yvonne turned the laptop around so the Doctor and Jackie could see Rose and Rajesh on the screen, "She one of yours?" she asked.

"Never seen her before in my life," he shook his head.

"Good! Then we can have her shot."

He sat up properly now, "Oh all right then, it'll be worth a try. That's... that's Rose Tyler."

"Sorry," the blonde waved through the screen, "Hello!" the Doctor waved back at her.

"Well, if that's Rose Tyler, who's she?" Yvonne pointed to Jackie.

"I'm her mother."

"Oh, you travel with her mother?"

"He kidnapped me."

"Please, when Torchwood comes to write my complete history, don't tell people I traveled through time and space with her mother..." the alien pleaded, making me smirk.

"Charming," Jackie rolled her eyes.

"I've got a reputation to uphold!"

"I'll make sure it's on the very first page," I announced, making him mock-glare. Suddenly, a familiar sound started to come in from the rift chamber.

"Yvonne," I walked over to the doorway," Who said to start the ghost shift?"

"No one," she stood up and moved beside me.

"Well...it's starting!" I gestured to it, confused.

"Excuse me? Everyone?" she stepped out, "I thought I said stop the ghost shift."

But it continued.

"Adeola?" I called, seeing her fiercely type away on the computer, "You need to stop." But she didn't. I glanced back at the Doctor, "Something's wrong." Adeola was a good worker but she would never do that much.

"Step away from the monitors!" ordered Yvonne, "Gareth, Addy, stop what you're doing right now! Matt. Step away from your desk. That's an order!"

"Stop the levers!" I shouted to the scientists, running over to Adeola. I snapped my fingers in front of her face but she just continued on. "What the hell is going on?"

""What is she doing?" the Doctor rushed over, looking at the screen.

"I don't know. She's a good woman. She's my friend. I don't understand. Adeola quit this!" I shook her but it was like she was in an endless trance. I wasn't even sure if she was blinking!

"She can't hear you," he pulled me back, "They're overriding the system," he looked to the others.

"But we're going into Ghost shift!"

"It's the ear piece controlling them. I've seen this before," he pointed to Adeola's ear. He took out his screwdriver and moved behind her.

"What are you doing?" I panicked, "Doctor, that's my friend!"

"I know, and I'm sorry," he held the screwdriver to Adeola's ear and deactivated it. Adeola screamed then dropped her head on her desk, Matt and Gareth doing the same as well.

"What did you do!?" I hurried to hold Adeola's head up, "Doctor, what did you do!?"

"You just killed them," Yvonne said, horrified.

"They were already dead," he clarified, more to me than her.

"What? But she was...we just talked and..." I looked around, frantically, seeing the other two dead as well, "They can't be dead!"

"Joy, I'm really sorry," he put his hands on my shoulders, "Really."

"But..." I ran a hand through my hair, my heart beating faster and my hands becoming sweaty and clammy, "...no more deaths, no more...no more, no more, no more!" I clasped my hands over my head, seeing the faint images of the death reports...my guilt sky-rocketing again.

"Hey, HEY!" he shouted, forcing me to stay still as he turned me to face him, "What's wrong?" he looked extremely concerned.

I swallowed hard, remembering where I was again, "...she died...and it was my fault."

He studied me for a minute, "...Adeola?"

I freed myself of his hands and stepped back, hurrying to Jackie for a hug. "It was not," she mumbled quietly to me, though the Doctor still looked at us suspiciously, 'It was never your fault."

"Doctor?" Yvonne called, snapping him to the problem, "Those were standard devices," she walked over to Adeola's desk, reaching for hers, "How does it control them?"

"Don't," he warned, going for Matt's desk.

"But this is impossible," Yvonne grabbed Adeola's ear piece and pulled on it. A string of brain tissue came off with it. "That's disgusting! It goes inside their brain!"

"What about the Ghost shift?"

"90% there, it's still running. Can't you stop it?"

They're still controlling it. They've hi-jacked the system.

"But who's they?"

"It might be a remote transmitter but it's gotta be close by." he held the screwdriver on the palm of his hand, looking for some kind of signal. "I can trace it..." he looked up, "Joy, you wanna go?"

"Who's Joy?" Yvonne frowned, glancing between us.

"Doctor, I think you need to give her a moment," Jackie answered.

"Is she-"

"Not the time to ask. Just do what you need to do," she shooed him off, Yvonne trailing behind him.

"Okay, we've done this before," she turned me to her, "And what have we said?"

"...it's not my fault?" I asked, sounding like a child.

"It is never your fault. What happened to Liv was never your fault."

"Never my fault..."

"Now if you could just say it like you mean it, that would be nice," she sighed, watching me sadly.

"It's falling apart, Jackie," my voice trembled, "He thinks I'm in this job for the wrong reasons."

"What did I say about that slap? It's clear he doesn't know you he's thinking that."

"I just wanted to help..."

"And you have, you are."

"But he doesn't think that...he thinks I'm the lowest of the lowest."

"Well then I'll slap him across the face," she pointed, "Because I know you have been working and working to keep us safe."

"Yeah, but I even lied to you about the sphere. I didn't tell you anything."

"Good, I would have been scared out of my mind!"

I had to smile just a little, "Oh, I just hope he can finish things. I don't want deaths. No more."

"It's been hard hasn't it?" she asked, growing serious yet sympathetic,"Ever since the anniversary, huh?"

"It's always like this," I began to recollect myself, "Death leaves a wound that'll never close."

"Miss Souza!" one of the scientists yelled, "We can't control the levers anymore!"

I glanced over, "There's nothing I can do. Everything's being overwritten."

"Get away from the machines!" I heard the Doctor yell.

I looked to him, "But you-" I screamed when I saw metal machines coming after him and Yvonne. "What the hell!?" I stumbled back against a desk.

It was Cybermen.

One of them shot at a scientist, immediately killing him. Jackie backed away with me, equally terrified.

"What are they?" she asked.

"We are the Cybermen. The Ghost shift will be increased to one hundred percent."

The blinding light became even more radiant.

"Here come the ghosts." the Doctor yelled.

Dozens of rows of ghosts were emerging from the light, the sound of the Cybermen marching accompanying them as well. And as they became more clear, we realized they weren't ghosts, as I always suspected.

They were Cybermen!

"But there's millions of them coming through..." I looked to the rows, "An invasion is cut short with this..." I glanced to one of the Cybermen, "...it's a victory."

"Sphere activated! Sphere activated! Sphere activated!" the computer's voice made the Doctor look over.

"You built the sphere didn't you?" I asked the Cybermen beside Jackie and I.

"The sphere is not ours. The sphere broke down the barriers between world. We only followed. Its origin is unknown."

My eyes widened, "But...then what's in...? But...you were our lead. This was the target..."

"Rose is down there," Jackie said, horrified.

I looked at the Doctor, "If Cybermen aren't in the sphere...then what is?"

This was a huge mistake. If that sphere didn't contain Cybermen, then Mickey's weapon wouldn't work. And if it wouldn't work...they could be killed.

---

With so many Cybermen in the room, in the world, was there even a possible way to fight back? At the moment, I didn't see it. But then...then, he figured it out, and then...things went horribly wrong.

---

"What's down there? She was in that room with the sphere. What's happened to Rose?" Jackie asked me, frantic about the fate of her daughter.

"I don't know, Jackie," I shrugged, my eyes watery, my mind set on Mickey that was also down there, "I just...don't know."

"Are they..."

I only shook my head.

The Doctor walked over to us, directing himself to Jackie, "I will find Rose. I brought you here, I'll get you both out. You and your daughter."

"...but you gotta get Sophia's daughter too."

"Who the hell is Sophia?"

"Glad to see you're asking," she glanced at me, "It's her mother."

"Sure, okay, and Sophia's daughter too," he looked at me, "Does she know you're here?"

"No," I spat, annoyed at just the thought of my mother, "And I'd rather we not bring her up."

"Sophia is a friend of mine and her daughter is in my care," Jackie explained, leading me to whack her in the arm, "Now you gotta promise to get my daughter and her's out as well."

"Jackie!" I exclaimed.

This was so NOT the time!

The Doctor's eyes flickered from hers to mine, very sincerely speaking to us, "I promise you. I give you my word."

A Cyberman approached Yvonne who sat at her desk. She was looking mighty dejected her life's work was crumbling down in front of her. "You will talk to your central world authority and order global surrender."

"Oh, do some research. We haven't got a central world authority," she snapped.

"You have now. I will speak on all global wavelengths."

The Doctor put on the 3D specs as the Cyberman began to speak.

"This broadcast is for human kind. Cybermen now occupy every land mass on this planet. But you need not fear. Cybermen will remove fear. Cybermen will remove sex and class and color and creed. You will become identical. You will become like us."

And a few seconds later, we heard the screams of the people below, their horrified shrieks as the marching of Cybermen followed, shoots here and there.

"No!" I exclaimed, moving to run to the window but the Doctor pulled me back. I tried budging out of his grip and when he wouldn't let go, I looked up, "Please?"

He sighed and moved us over to the window, both of us looking down as we saw the streets in chaos, people lined up, others dead on the ground, others resisting...

I could only look for a moment before my tears formed, "My grandmother is down there...she's down there, Doctor, please do something," I pleaded.

"I ordered surrender," the Cyberman broadcasting said.

The Doctor looked back, frowning, "They're not taking instructions. Don't you understand? You're on every street - you're in their homes. You've got their children. Of course they're gonna fight," he looked down at me, "Just like we will."

I breathed in shakily, leaning my head on his arm, "She's down there and she can't die. Not her too."

"Scans detect unknown technology active within sphere," one Cyberman announced, "Cybermen will investigate."

"Units 10 65 and 10 66 will investigate sphere chamber," a second Cybermen said.

"We obey."

And a couple of them marched off.

I sniffled, "There has to be something we can do," I glanced at the Doctor, "Right?"

But he remained in place, as if lost in his thoughts. I looked around and noticed Yvonne's laptop screen had turned on.

"Hold on, what's that?" I turned him to the desk, making him see the laptop had turned on. We rushed over, seeing the images the Cybermen approaching the sphere chamber only to be stopped by another alien.

"Daleks," he breathed.

"Daleks?" I repeated, swallowing hard, "You've told me they're...deadly." They were part of the reason he was forced to regenerate after all.

"That's an understatement..."

Jackie moved over to us, "Rose was terrified of the Daleks. What have they done to her? Is she dead?"

He became angry, gritting his teeth, "Phone," he held out his hand. I looked around and reached for one in secret so the Cybermen wouldn't see. He dialed and quickly awaited, "She's answered! She's alive!"

"Why haven't they killed her?"

"Don't complain," I shook my head.

My heart did beat a little slower at the thought of Mickey being alive. That was on less stress in all this.

"No, they must need her for something," the Doctor mumbled, listening to the conversation, "What's the Genesis Ark?" He mumbled to himself. A few moments later, he hung up, "Lost her."

"Quarantine the Sphere Chamber. Start emergency upgrading," one of the Cybermen announced, "Begin with these personnel."

"What?" Yvonne exclaimed as she was pulled up, "We surrender! We surrender!" she cried but they dragged her away.

"Yvonne!" I rushed after her but a Cybermen blocked my way.

"Upgrading," it grasped my wrist.

"NO!" I yelled, struggling to be free.

"Oi!" Jackie yelled as well.

I looked back and saw Yvonne and the Doctor were being contained as well.

"This one's increased adrenaline suggests he has vital Dalek information!" the Cybermen concluded with the Doctor and began pulling him in the opposite direction from us.

"You promised me!" Jackie yelled to him.

"I'll think of something!" the Doctor shouted.

"Just save Mickey!" I exclaimed, "We'll be dead before you reach us, anyways. Save them instead."

He quieted down, dead serious as he spoke again, "I refuse. I'll save all of you."

"...I'm sorry, Doctor," I cried, feeling like this would be the end for me, "It might not mean to you as much as it means to me but...you were very important to me, and even if you didn't ask, I realize you did care for me in a way. I just hope that I made some kind impact in your life like you did in mine. I noticed you so much..."

The Doctor's POV.

While sitting on a window sill, staring out to the chaos below, a Cyberman approached, "You are proof."

I glanced over, "Of what?"

"That emotions destroy you."

"Yeah, I am," I looked back to the window, feeling horrible for Joy's last words. I knew there was bigger things to worry about, like finding out what Daleks were doing in the sphere. Why they hadn't killed Rose or Mickey. But...something in my gut told me to think about the American's words more carefully.

A shout, a human shout, made me look back to find a group of people dressed in black suits, wearing helmets and carrying guns stood behind the Cybermen. They shot at a row of Cybermen, destroying them all. I rolled out of the way, before I was shot like the rest, and crouched in a corner as the last of the Cybermen were destroyed.

"Doctor, good to see you again," Jake's voice flowed from one of the shooters as he removed his helmet. Not only Mickey was here...but a whole crew.

"The Cybermen came through from one world to another - and so did we."

I blinked, "...didn't anyone tell you why the dimension walls were sealed off in the first place?"

"Don't know, didn't think to ask," he shrugged.

"Maybe you should start asking, then."

"I could say the same for you," he smirked.

I raised an eyebrow, my mind drifting back to the American once more...

~0~

Joy's POV.

We were brought down to the lower levels where more of the staff was waiting in lines. The sounds of drilling pierced my ears and when we approached them, sparks flew over our heads.

"What happens in there?" Jackie asked, "What does upgrading mean?"

"I think they want to turn us into them..." I looked around, my tears partially blurring up my vision, "They remove our brains and put it in a suit of armor. That's what Cybermen are. They're us..."

"This is your fault!" she shouted at Yvonne, "You and your Torchwood! You've killed us all, and what's more, you brought innocent children into this!" she glanced at me, her eyes tearing up, "Sophia trusted me."

"You should have never talked to her," I said quietly, loathing the moment my mother had entangled herself into Jackie's life, acting like a friend, acting like she actually gave a damn about me.

Jackie still stood by her opinion, it was my mother's fault, but she believed my mother wanted to "fix things" and so decided to have more talks with her whenever she phoned. I'd never take the phone and so it left Jackie to talk with her. I still didn't understand how my mother had even gotten the phone number of the Tyler's. How my grandmother had gotten Mickey's number...I just didn't get it.

One of the Cybermen pulled Yvonne forwards, "Next."

"I did my duty for the Queen and Country," Yvonne kept saying, tearing up, "I did my duty. I did my duty..."

I watched her go in and heard her shrill screams. I swallowed hard. Whatever I thought about Yvonne, she did not deserve that type of death.

"Next," the Cybermen grabbed me.

"No!" my voice broke, "Please...no!"

"Cyber Leader One has been terminated," Another Cyberman walked forth.

The one holding me let go, "Explain, download shared files."

I quickly grabbed Jackie and ran as fast as we could, "We're gonna make it!" I cried happily, "I'm gonna make it!"

"Where are we going?" Jackie cried.

"Anywhere!"

~0~

I don't think I ever ran as fast as I was doing at the moment. Also, I don't think I've ever hated stairs as much as I did right now.

But...it was saving my life!

"Is that your phone?" I asked Jackie, hearing the familiar ringtone coming from her pocket.

"Oh my god! It is!" she quickly reached for it and answered, "Hello? Oh god! Help us!" I looked back and saw we weren't being followed for the moment, "Yeah, she's with me! Uh, I don't know...staircase?"

We stopped in front of a sign on the wall, "Tell him it says N3."

She nodded, repeating my instruction, "No, no! Don't leave us!" No, don't leave me!" But I heard her hang up.

"What's he up to now?" I asked, running ahead on the stairs.

"No idea!"

We continued to run, silent, the only sounds being made were heels clicking and our panting.

"Jackie?"

"Yeah?"

...I've never felt like this before."

"Like what?"

"Afraid...for my family. I don't know if they're alive or not! I don't know where they are!"

"You can call them after this. But you will call, right?"

I nodded, for once, so determinant to do so, "I swear to you. I'll call my grandmother first."

"Good!" she rushed ahead of me, "Now let's go!"

I was growing tired of this. I felt like I taking off my heels or else I'd just fall down the stairs, "Hold up!" I called for Jackie. I leaned against the rail and pulled down for my shoes.

"I told you, you would get tired." Jackie remarked.

I smiled, "But I look great in them."

"Of course."

"Now if I could do without the professional skirt..." I held up my heels.

"Work in an institution, darling," She teased.

"Yeah, it's turning out to be a a bundle of joy!" I commenced running again.

"You know, your parents would be proud of you," she followed. I couldn't help feel sad all of a sudden, apart from everything else, "And Isadora, your grandmother, she would be very proud. If I don't make it-"

I turned around, "Don't say that. We're gonna make it."

"Let's face it, you have a much higher chance of surviving this than I do. If I don't make it, I want you to know that you have made me very proud of you and I know you made your family proud as well. They have a daughter who has risked her life for the planet countless times. They are proud of you, Minerva."

I smiled, hugging her tight, "Thanks Jackie."

She hugged me tighter, "Just remember that okay?"

I nodded, pulling back. We began running but stopped when we saw Cybermen at the bottom. "Other way!" I yelled.

We rushed back up and exited through one of the doors. We ran down a corridor and were blocked off by two more Cybermen. "You will be upgraded."

"No..." Jackie shook her head, backing away.

Suddenly, the Cybermen fell to the ground. We looked up and saw a man holding a gun. Behind him, we saw Mickey and Rose.

I gasped happily, slipping on my shoes again before running to Mickey, encasing him in a big hug, "Thank god you're alright!"

"Same for you, Minnie!"

I pulled back, glancing at Rose quickly. While we weren't exactly friends, I was content to have her alive.

"Joy?" the Doctor moved to us, not getting more words out before I had already given him a hug as well, "Oh, thank goodness you're alright!"

"Same for you," I mumbled, "I shouldn't even ask what you're doing because you're already planning, right?" I felt him stiffen all of a sudden, making me pull back, "What's the matter?...apart from everything, anyways."

"...ask," he whispered, looking me over, "...I didn't ask about the job and..."

I raised an eyebrow, confused of what he was going on about, "Are you okay?"

He looked over to Mickey, who seemed to be smirking again, "...I didn't ask, did I?"

Mickey shook his head, "Not one bit."

"I am such an idiot," the Doctor said, backing away from me.

"What did I do?" I asked, terrified I had made another mistake, but Mickey only smiled while the Doctor became silent as he thought.

"But it can't be..." Jackie whimpered, pointing a man beside us, "That one's not fair. You died twenty years ago..."

"It's Pete from a different universe, Mum," Rose explained,a faint smile on her lips.

"There are parallel words, Jackie," Mickey added, "Ever single decision we make creates a parallel existence, a different dimension where-"

"Oh shut up," Jackie snapped, Mickey quietly doing so, "Oh...you look old," she remarked, gazing upon Pete.

"You don't," he replied.

"How can you be standing there?"

"Just got lucky. You were left on your own. You didn't marry again or...?"

"There was never anyone else," Jackie said, quietly. "Twenty years though...I never left the flat. Did nothing with myself."

"Brought her up," Pete gestured to Rose, "Rose Tyler. That's not bad."

"Yeah..."

"In my world, it worked. All those daft little plans of mine, they worked. Made me rich."

"I don't care about that," Jackie said but she paused a moment later, "...How rich?"

"Very."

"I don't care...how very?"

"Thing is though, Jacks...you're not my wife," Pete remarked, "I'm sorry but you're not. I mean, we both..." Jackie nodded, slowly approaching him, "You know, it's just sort of..." he sighed, "Oh come here!" he dashed for her, picking her off the ground for a hug.

I smiled softly, "Good for you Jackie."

~0~

If we got out of this, I was going to kill the Doctor for this. I still had that anxiety every time he'd get himself into stupid plans...

We watched him slip into the lab, dodging any firing beams from the Cybermen and Daleks' ongoing battle. Of course, the idiot had to trip over one of the Cybermen's body. Surprisingly, it didn't divert the battle and he quickly slipped back out.

"The roof is opening!" I exclaimed, feeling the entire building shake.

"What are they doing!? Why'd they need to get outside!?" Rose cried.

"Time Lord science, what time Lord science?" the Doctor seemed lost for words.

"We gotta go up!" I hurried down the corridor, "What are they doing up there?"

"But it's forty-five floors up!" reminded Jackie.

Suddenly, a young man popped out from an elevator, Jake, "We could always take the lift..." he smiled.

I grinned, "Great! Because I now hate stairs!"

~0~

We were horrified to see thousands and thousands of Daleks coming out from the 'Genesis Ark' from behind the window.

"Time Lord science..." the Doctor breathed in, "It's bigger on the inside."

"Your people put those Daleks in there?" I asked, my eyes fixed on the sky, "What for?"

"It's a prison ship."

"And how many Daleks?" Rose questioned.

"Millions..."

"I'm sorry but you've had it. This world's gonna crash and burn and there's nothing we can do," Pete walked away from the window, "We're going home. Jacks, take this," he handed Jackie a chain with a big yellow button at the end

"But they're destroying the city!" Jackie cried.

"I'd forgotten you could argue," he smiled softly, "But it's not just London, it's the whole world. But there's another world, just waiting for you, Jacks. And it's safe. As long as the Doctor closes the breach. Doctor?" He glanced up.

"Oh I'm ready!" The Doctor turned to them, "I've got the equipment right here. Thank you, Torchwood!" he rushed to a computer. He began typing, "Just slam it down and close off the both universe."

"But we can't just leave. What about the Daleks? And the Cybermen?" Rose asked.

"They're part of the problem and that makes them part of the solution. Oh yes!" Rose only chuckled, lightly, as she did not understand, "Well!?" The Doctor walked around, "Isn't anyone gonna ask? What is it with the glasses?"

"What is it with the glasses?" Rose quickly asked, grinning from ear to ear.

"I can see! That's what! There's two separate worlds, but in between we've got the void. That's where the Daleks were hiding and the Cybermen traveled through the Void to get here! And you lot," he pointed around, "One works to another, via the Void! Oh, I like that. Via the Void! Look!" He placed his glasses on Rose, "I've been through it. Do you see?" He started moving around for Rose to observe.

She reached out as if to touch something in the air, "Void stuff? Like...background radiation!"

"That's it! Look at the others!" he turned her around, "The only ones who haven't been through the Void are Joy and your mother," he pointed at us, "First time your mother's looked normal in her life."

"Oi!" Jackie frowned.

"He's just jealous cause he's not normal," I muttered to her.

"Yeah," he rolled his eyes, walking towards the white wall, "The Daleks lived inside the Void. They're bristling with it. The Cybermen-all of them. I just open the Void. End of verse. The void stuff gets sucked back inside."

"Pulling them all in!" Rose finished excitedly.

"Sorry, what's the void?" Mickey asked.

"Dead space," the Doctor shrugged, "Some people call it hell."

"So you're sending the Daleks and Cybermen to Hell?" Mickey looped around the dimension jump chain, as I liked to call them, around his neck and glanced at Jake, "Man, I told you he was good."

"But...but it's like you said," Rose looked around, her smile beginning to fade, "We've all got Void stuff. Me too, cause we went to that parallel world," she flexed her fingers, studying them. She pulled her glasses off and looked up. "We're all contaminated. We'll get pulled in."

The Doctor stood before her, his excitement gone as well, "That's why you've gotta go," Rose blinked, not understanding just yet, "Back to Pete's world. Hey!" He glanced to Pete, "We should call it that: Pete's world," he looked back to Rose, "I'm opening the Void, but only on this side. You'll be safe on that side."

"And then you close it. For good?" Pete questioned.

"The breach itself is soaked in Void stuff, in the end it'll close itself. And that's it. Kaput!"

"But you stay on this side...?" Rose pointed, giving me a quick glance, already disliking the one fact that remained, "And Joy?"

"Well hold on, Joy can't go into our world," Mickey stepped up, earning a look from me, "You have a family here. You're not going."

I was taken aback by his tone...what if I didn't want to stay anymore?

"I'll just hold onto these," the Doctor rushed back to the magnaclamps.

"I'm supposed to go?" Rose raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah."

"To another world, and then it gets sealed off. Forever?" The Doctor went to a computer, not responding anymore. She laughed, sarcastically, "That's not gonna happen."

"We haven't got time to argue, the plans works, we go in," Pete joined them, "You too. All of us."

"I'm not leaving him!" Rose yelled, angrily.

"And I'm not going without her!" Jackie cried.

While those three argued it out, I glanced to Mickey beside me, my eyes already watering up, "I'm supposed to say good bye to you again? For good this time?"

He faintly smiled, "I'm sorry."

"I didn't get to say goodbye the first time and I don't wanna do this now. Isn't there any way you can stay? You're my best friend, what am I supposed to do?" He didn't answer. "Can I come with you?"

"No," he said without even thinking about it.

I blinked, not expecting his answer to be so quick. "But..."

"You cannot."

""If you're leaving too, then I should too. I'd be with my best friend and the people I care about."

"I don't think so," Jackie nearly shouted, overhearing us, and walked over, "I will not have you in that world."

"Jackie..." I frowned, feeling so crushed that no one wanted me to come.

"No," she looked at Rose, "This is crazy, Rose you have to come with us. Joy, you have to stay. Your mother is here. You family is here. I love you sweetie, but the right thing is to go back to your mother and father."

"But Jackie-"

"No, you swore you'd call them and you can't do that from another world. Doctor," she looked to him, "She has a family. Take her to them. Rose, you have to come with me."

"Jackie, they could be dead," I continued to argue. I was terrified of going back and finding out that everyone was dead. "There's no point anymore."

"You don't know that. And after this, you are going to speak to them."

"Minnie," Mickey took my hand, "I want you to stay."

"But I don't wanna say goodbye anymore!" I exclaimed, looking at all of them, "Rose wants to stay, and I wanna go."

"Last time, I didn't get to say good bye. But this time, I finally have the opportunity. Good bye Minnie, have a fantastic life," he hugged me while I let tears stroll down my cheeks, "I get the feeling it'll be different from now on. He'll ask."

I pulled back, "Only because he won't have her anymore," I discreetly glanced at Rose.

He chuckled lightly, "Oh Minnie, you're so clever and so oblivious at times! This time you haven't realized."

"Now Rose," Jackie turned to her daughter, "Let's go dear."

"Mum, I've had a life with you for 19 years. But then I met the Doctor and...all the things I've seen him do for me," Rose was tearing up as well, "For you. For all of us. For the whole...stupid planet and every planet out there. He does it alone, Mum."

As she spoke, the Doctor quietly crept up behind her. He took out the same chain with the yellow button the others had.

"But not anymore, cause he's got me," Rose finished, a small smile on her face. The Doctor placed the chain on Rose's neck. She quickly looked back, "What are you-"

But Pete pressed the button on her chain. Jackie and Mickey gave me small smiles then disappeared right out of my eyes. I looked at the Doctor and found him helplessly staring where Rose had just been.

"Aren't you gonna do something?" I asked, almost helpless myself.

"I just did..." he replied, his voice a low whisper.

"No, you sent the wrong person," I said wiping some of my tears.

"Did I?" He looked up at me, making me stay quiet for a second.

"Do you know what you're giving up?"

"My friend, and you'd be giving up your family. Where are they, Joy? Why don't you live with them?" he paused, looking to the side as he thought again.

I watched him curiously, letting go of his thoughts and walking over to a computer.

"I don't wanna say goodbye anymore," I spoke up again.

"Neither do I. I hate endings."

"But..."

Rose suddenly appeared again, much to our shock. "Rose?" I frowned. "But you're..."

"I'm not leaving," she declared, looking at the Doctor.

"You're leaving your mother behind," he marched up to her, "You will never see her again."

"I made my choice a long time ago. And it's you."

He was stunned for a few minutes, before an alarm went off from the computers, "It's happening!" He ran over to the computer.

"What do we do?" Rose questioned.

The two had a mini-stare down before the Doctor let it go and pointed to the computer, "Those co-ordinates over there, set them all at six!" she nodded and moved to the computer, "And hurry up!" he shouted, sounding angry.

"Mind if I help?" I moved beside her, wondering just how she felt about the biggest decision of her life she had just made.

But when she looked up, her eyes were filled with rage, almost accusingly, "This is your fault."

"M-mine?" I pointed to myself, swallowing hard, the familiar words beginning to rush through my head.

"I left my mother, and she'll be sealed off, and all because of you and your stupid institution."

"It's not my fault," I said feebly.

"Yes it is."

"No..."

"I made my decision a long time ago but you forced my mother into another dimension."

"No!"

"Yes!"

'NO!" I shouted, making the Doctor look up from his side, "It's not my fault! Stop blaming me for something I didn't do! STOP IT!" I frantically clasped my hands over my head. I couldn't have another person blaming me for something that I hadn't wanted to!

"What's going on?" the alien rushed over, gently pulling my hands down, and looking at Rose.

She just shrugged, "Don't know," she continued to type.

"It's not my fault, it's not my fault," I mumbled to myself, remembering Jackie's words, "It's not...it's not."

"It's not, it's not," he repeated with me, having no idea what it even meant, 'C'mon," he led me to the wall, forcing me to sit on the floor, "I need you to stay still. Don't move. You can't be thrown into the void but I don't want to risk it, alright? Is that clear, Joy?"

I nodded silently, glancing at Rose who was watching us discreetly, "It's not my fault."

"No, it's not," the Doctor affirmed, "Id ask you, but...time forbids, unfortunately. But that'll change!" he jumped to his feet.

"We've got Cybermen on the way up," Rose announced.

He ran over to look at the screen, "How many floors?"

"Just one."

He grabbed Yvonne's laptop and began typing when the computer's voice announced, "Lever's operational," making both grin.

"That's more like it, bit of a smile!" Rose exclaimed, nudging him, "The old team!"

The alien smiled and handed her magnaclamp, shooting me a cautious look, like I'd lash out and start yelling again. I watched them attach both magnaclamps on the walls, across from each other, next to the levers.

"Press the red button!" he instructed the blonde.

She nodded and did so.

"When it starts, just hold on tight. Shouldn't be too bad for us but the Daleks and the Cybermen are steeped in Void Stuff. Are you ready?" he spoke at lightning speed that I doubt Rose had even heard half of it.

But she nodded and positioned herself beside the lever, her arms looped around the magnaclamps, same as the Doctor, "So are they!"

There were Daleks appearing by the window, as if to fight.

"Let's do it!" the Doctor exclaimed, both pushing the levers and hurriedly taking hold of the magnaclamps.

Online.

I pressed myself against a wall as the strong, sucking wind began, carrying all the Daleks and Cybermen back into the void.

"The breach is open! Into the void!" the Doctor cried, grinning as the aliens went straight into the void.

I shut my eyes, breathing heavily, forgetting about my own possible death and focusing on someone important to me. My grandmother. She wasn't dead, I knew that. Something inside told me she wasn't. I would've felt it like I did when my grandfather died, even as a kid I felt the sense of death. But I hadn't had that same feeling anymore, meaning neither nor my parents were dead. At least, that's what I believed.

Offline.

My eyes snapped open, glancing from one alien to a human, seeing which one was in trouble.

And it was Rose.

The lever behind her had begun to deactivate itself and she was trying to reach back for it.

"Rose, wait!" I called, pushing myself off the wall to move for her. I yelped when I felt a Dalek brush beside me so I jumped back. "No, no!" It was wasting time!

Rose's hands slipped from the magnaclamp and was drawn back to the lever. She managed to activate it again, but at what cost?

Her fingers were still slipping from it...

"Help her!" The Doctor cried, making me look at him, seeing his eyes filled with such desperation and frantics..and guilt. "Please!"

He felt guilty for asking me to move after he specifically said not to. I supposed it was like going back on his word. But he was also guilty for whatever could happen to Rose...and if something did happen to her, he'd be guilty over her death and that is something I wished on no one because I knew exactly how it felt.

I looked at the incoming specimen, and carefully went towards Rose, "Hold on..." I reached out for her.

For a moment, her eyes that were always filled with rage when they saw me were softening, like she was surprised. And then, she started shaking her head. It wasn't to deny my help, it was for me to stop. Her hands slipped from the lever and she was pulled towards the Void.

"No!" I tried going for her but froze when another Dalek passed by me, pushing me to the side.

The Doctor screamed after her but he couldn't do anything. Pete appeared and caught her just seconds before she was pulled in. Rose glanced at the Doctor one final time and disappeared. Not even a minute later, the wind died down and finally came to a complete halt. And...I knew what had happened at this moment.

We had won and we had lost.

The Doctor silently let go of the magnaclamp, making his way up to the wall. He placed his hand on it and rested his head beside it, as if listening to the blonde on the other side.

Again, I had lost my best friend. But this time, I lost Jackie too. I lost Adeola. And what's more, I had made the Doctor lose one of the most important people in his life. Rose was right, it was my fault. I put my hand on my mouth as I let out a sniffle. Another got out and another until I finally broke down into sobs. I threw the chain across the room and supported myself with the desk to keep from balling up on the ground.

After a few minutes of just standing by the wall, the Doctor finally turned around. With teary eyes, I glanced at him. There were no words any of us could say to make any of this a little better. We had both lost. He approached me, and I was taken aback by his complete dry face.

"Why aren't you crying?" My voice trembled, my hand flinging to one of my cheeks and wiping tears off.

His eyes fell to the ground, "Because sometimes...it's just so sad...that not even tears can release what you feel."

I stared, my breathing pattern slowing down little by little, "What are we gonna do? What am I gonna do now?" I looked around the empty chamber now, "You'll just travel now...but I lost everything. Again. I lost my job. I lost my friends...I lost everything."

"You didn't lost everything-"

"I did," I looked back to him, "I was finally going to move out. I even found this little apartment not too far from the Powell Estate. I had everything planned out and now..." I started sniffling again, "I lost it all," I broke down.

"You can come with me," he reached for my hand, "Joy we could-"

"No!" I exclaimed, swatting his hand away, "I will not be a replacement!" I stood straight and in front of him, "I get that you lost her. I truly do but I will not be a replacement for her!"

"I'm not replacing her." he said, serious, "But you have always been a friend-"

"No I haven't," I backed away, "You don't know anything about me! And up to now, I've never reproached you for ignoring me because I understood, okay? I got it!" I gestured with my hands, "You're mind could barely keep up with anything that wasn't Rose! And I had help to manage this. I had Mickey. I had Jackie. I had them with me and I could talk to them! Who am I going to talk to now!?"

"Joy, I-

"YOU DON'T GET IT!" I yelled, stomping my foot down like a child, my tears streaming down like a water-well.

"I DO GET IT!" He yelled right back, shutting me down for a minute, "I understand now! I got it! All your subtle hints, all of Jackie's hints! Mickey's! I UNDERSTAND IT ALL!"

"That's a lie, you'd never understand," I said quietly, "You're just saying all that because she's gone and you need a replacement."

'Do you think so little of yourself that you believe I'd look at you as rubbish? That everyone views you the same?"

"That's what I've been taught!"

"Well get those stupid thoughts out of your head because I'm not one of them! I think you're very important!"

"You cared," I conceded, "But never enough to realize. She's gone and I refuse to be a replacement. Just go..."

"You can't ask me to leave you behind, not after all this."

"I can, and I am. It wouldn't be the first time people have walked out on me. You won't be the first and I guarantee you will not be the last."

"Joy..." he paused, "...You said your name was Joy..."

"It's not. But you wouldn't know that."

"Well how could I, I never asked," he shrugged, "And you never said."

"It occurs when you get to know people," I said bitterly, rubbing some tears off my face, "Did you ever stop to wonder why Mickey called me 'Minnie'? Didn't it ever occur to you to ask me? My name is Minerva! Minerva...Minnie...Minerva. It's Minerva!"

"And why did you say it was Joy then?"

"BECAUSE MY PARENTS WOULDN'T FIND ME WITH THAT NAME!"

He blinked, too lost for words. I watched my tears fall to the ground and I couldn't stop them.

"Do you know what Sarah Jane told me?" I looked up, "She said I should tell you everything about me because one day, and I quote, ', "One day...he may not come back and he wouldn't even know what kind of friend he left behind," I sighed, "It wasn't just me that thought it, everyone else saw it! And I don't think it's fair that now that Rose is gone, you want me to come with you. It's not, Doctor. It's not," I wiped my tears and took a deep, shaky breath, "I think you should just go."

"But that's just it, Jo-Minerva," he took a moment, "I did notice. I realized I hadn't asked. This whole bloody time and I never asked. It was staring me right in the face and I never noticed it..."

I stared at him, wanting so bad to be happy about it. The thing that I had waited nearly a year for, but...

"I'm sorry Doctor, but I just don't believe you."

He opened his mouth to speak but I shook my head. He walked passed me, for the exit of this horrible room.

I bit down hard on my lip to keep my sobs in pause...just until he left. When I didn't hear any more foot steps, I burst into sobs. I covered my mouth as if to muffle them, but it was no use. I leaned back on a desk before I fell from all the sobs.

"Grandma, I need you," I mumbled to myself. But even after all this, I wouldn't return to her. I had failed yet again and I'd have to explain that to her...and I couldn't. "All my fault, all my fault, all my fault," I said in-between sobs, "Always my fault!"

Suddenly, I felt arms wrap around me and hug tightly from behind. I glanced over my shoulder and heard quiet, little sobs.

"Do what you do, do what you say, I will never blame you for any of this," the Doctor mumbled.

I turned around, forcing him to let go, and looked at him with rapid blinking eyes. He seemed to await another shout or another reprimand but I couldn't. I just couldn't. Those were the last words my grandmother had said to me before I left.

My lip quivered and I threw my arms around his neck, hugging him very tight, quickly receiving another back.

~0~

I had insisted. I had begged. I had pleaded. Finally, I was standing before the Powell Estate, in its ruins. The Doctor stood by his TARDIS, just watching. I looked back, "I'm going up."

"What for?" he asked softly, his eyes looking up to the Tyler's place, the door not even in its place anymore, "There's no point."

"I have to see what's left," I turned to face him, "And while I'm here, I want you to go and speak to Rose."

"There's no point in that. You know I can't."

"The dimension walls don't close in a snap and you know it. You might consider Torchwood trash, but it's taught me very well. There's still a little gap in the universe. I don't know exactly how you can get the message across but I'm sure you'll think of something. Go and do it," I looked to the Powell Estate, "I'll be here."

He sighed, "Thank you. Please stay safe, I'll be back."

I nodded but didn't look back anymore. When I heard the doors shut, I began my way towards the Estate. My breathing trembled as I went up the familiar stairs that were now half ruined. I peered inside the shattered apartment. The furniture was thrown around, some destroyed, some not. The windows were shattered, papers covered the floor. I had the feeling people had been hiding in here by the way everything had been thrown around, like Cybermen were searching for the hiders. I walked around, trying not to step on Jackie's broken table. I walked to Rose's room which was also in ruins now. All my papers were on the ground and books. I went to my stash of money an found it destroyed.

I had nothing.

I walked back to the living room and cried softly. I picked up a piece of elegant china piece that Jackie had bought last week. She was so excited. I looked around, letting it all sink in. My newest home, and possibly my only real home, had been destroyed. My friends had left and I was alone.

I had always been on my own. What was the difference now? I had met people. Different people. The kind of people that don't let you just move on and forget about them. That's what happened...and now I was paying the price.

I picked up a book, one of my books, that was actually a sketchpad. It seemed to be in pretty good condition and when I opened it, all my drawings were in perfect shape, except for one page that was ripped out.

When the Doctor returned, I sat on a couch that wasn't too destroyed. I had grown tired of crying but my eyes would refuse to be dry. I looked up and saw his eyes were red and puffy.

"We're alone now," I said, quietly, "The place is destroyed."

He looked around, walking to the kitchen then Rose's room. He picked up a paper beside Rose's room, "New Earth?"

"I draw," I whispered, knowing that was just one of the things he didn't know about me.

"Oh..." he realized it, and set the paper down on a broken table, "...one more thing I didn't ask."

I stood up, "Did you say goodbye?''

"Uh...yeah."

"Good."

"And actually, time has gone forwards for them a little faster. Jackie's pregnant."

My eyes slightly widened, "She is?"

He nodded, "3 months."

I put my hand over my mouth, "Oh that's great!"

"Yeah," he smiled softly, "They're...they're going to be okay."

"Yeah..." I walked around, stopping by the entrance and taking in the sight of the apartment "What are we gonna do?" I sighed, heavily.

He moved beside and gazed around the apartment, "Well, I was thinking, if I still have the opportunity I mean...I would really like to get to know you."

I glanced over, "I would like to get to know you too."

He smiled, "What's your name?"

"Minerva," I replied, feeling a couple butterflies in my stomach now that I had his full attention. "My name is Minerva."

"Minerva," he repeated, like he was testing it out. He said two more times as he bobbed his head. "Like the Roman goddess of Wisdom," he chuckled softly, "It fits."

I smiled, amused. "I guess."

He turned to me, serious for a moment, "I know that what I did has no excuse and I don't intend for this to make it better but...I have to point out that I did ask once about you. What mattered to you?"

I nodded, acknowledging he did, "Yes..."

"Then I made small questions about your family...which you avoided heavily."

I nodded again, the feeling of guilt arising as I realized that I had also been ignorant, "Yes, I suppose you did."

"Now, I know it was probably late by then but...do you see that maybe, deep down, you didn't really want to tell me yet?"

I thought about it, really thinking and asking myself what exactly I wanted. I definitely wanted to tell him, but I also admitted that I was afraid of his reactions. And the big fear of one specific reaction had kept me from answering those few questions he made in the past.

Blame.

"J-Minerva?" he asked again.

"I...I'm afraid you'll blame me...like everyone else did one time," I swallowed a lump in my throat forcing my tears to stop before they formed. I'd get through this without crying. Yes sir. "See, something big happened when I was thirteen, and that, that I don't want to tell just yet. But after that incident...my mother blamed me, solely me for what happened. My father agreed. My cousins. A few aunts and uncles. Everyone blamed Minerva..."

"And then Minerva started blaming herself too," he finished for me, I nodding silently, "And that is a huge mistake."

"And I guess, looking at this psychologically, I made the mental association that you'd blame too. I linked you with my mother and that is something I am terribly sorry for."

"It's okay," he assured, "I'm not angry. I don't think I have the right to be. But...you told Jackie and Mickey. Why?"

"But I thought it was a one-time visit. Like, I'd tell them the story then get blamed and move on. But you...you were someone important, I didn't want to feel the rejection again by someone I cared about. My own mother rejected me why wouldn't an alien?"

"Because the alien carries far more guilt than anyone else in the universe," he said, lost in thoughts for a moment.

"Why?"

He looked at me and sighed, "There's a lot of things I haven't told you either. It seems like we haven't gotten to meet officially..."

I shrugged, "It'd appear so."

He reached for my hand, "But see, that's how we'll remember them. Everyone. Because we'll stay together, we'll learn every last detail about each other. I'll fulfill my promise to Jackie by bringing you home, I'll remember Mickeys words, and I'll show you the stars out there for Rose. Together we stay, together we move forwards."

"And...you won't blame me?"

"Never," he walked us towards the doorway, walking out the apartment.

"Doctor?"

"Yes?"

"What did Mickey tell you? The first time he stayed in the other dimension." It was the unanswered question that I couldn't get Mickey to spill. We had conversations about his last trip with the Doctor and Rose, but he always said that eventually the Doctor would tell me himself.

"Something short, something subtle, yet something very effective," the Doctor replied and I smiled to myself, recalling those effects it did indeed take on him, "He said, 'Notice Joy's eyes because while they're unlike any other human's, they're fairly familiar to you'."

We stopped by the TARDIS, looking at each other. I breathed as quietly as possible, feeling nervous, "And what happened?"

"Turns out I was an idiot because I missed the obvious. I should have noticed the eyes."

"What exactly does that mean?"

"Joy, I'm over 900 years old, and no human has ever carried that much pain and that much anger in their eyes...and yet, you do."

I know I was missing the point, but I had to stop and process the fact he was over nine hundred years old. I snapped my head at him, eyes wide as could be. "...you're...you're how old?"

"You didn't know that?" it was his turn to be surprised, the whole moment pausing to get over this one fact.

I shook my head, "No, I mean...I read about you in the UNIT pages but-"

"You read about me?" he raised an eyebrow.

Looking at that, I can see how that would sound kind of creepy, "Well, I wasn't doing it to be a freak. It was during your regeneration, remember? I just wanted to see how you...changed your whole..." I gestured to him, "...body! So I sort of hacked into UNIT...sorry."

He chuckled, "No, no, it's my fault, really. I should have told you about that. I didn't even tell Rose, but...well...sorry."

"It's okay, I was just curious to know how..." I breathed, taking in his new self again, "...it's just incredible, honestly. But anyways, big picture here, I read about you but your age seemed undetermined."

"Right, well, getting back to the point...we have a big age difference and your eyes are young. Something really bad happened, didn't it?"

I nodded, "Yes," I whispered.

"Well, I refuse to let it continue. I am determined to get some happiness back into them," he pointed to my eyes, "Just you wait."

"It's a nice goal, Doctor, but it's been many years now. I'd be content with learning about you instead. Let's just focus on that, yeah?"

"Um, let me think about that," he pretended to do so as he opened the TARDIS doors for us, "And I think: no."

"So you're seriously-"

"Sorry, we've got to get to know each other," he pulled me inside the box, making me laugh as he shut the doors, "Then get happiness back in the eyes!"

He was so deranged thinking he could fix a lifetime amount of pain, but I had to admit that it would be very nice to finally know more about him. Who knew where it could lead us to...

---

Author's Note:

Ello! So, I was thinking of starting the week with an update. How was it?

Yeah, sorry, no devil episodes...truthfully, they were never my favorite.

And yes, Rose is gone now, sorry to say. I'm actually a huge ten/Rose shipper but for this story it's just not gonna happen, sorry! But let's welcome Miss Donna Noble in the next chapter, shall we? *whispers* she's my favorite! And about the little threat Miss Tyler made, it'll come up again...but much, much later.

Sorry, but the Doctor isn't exactly falling in love. BUT there are a few sparks going out here and there, don't you think? ;)

Thanks for your comments about my writing, it actually makes me feel really good because usually all my essays are marked as a 'C' when I believe I've earned something higher than that. Perhaps it's just because they haven't given me a topic I actually care about. Give me Doctor Who and I'll write in a heartbeat.

Once again, thank you very much and your comments are very much appreciated! :)