Chapter 4:
I stared open-mouthed at what I saw before me. Clouds swirled directly above the TARDIS, and a blue light poured out of the rift in Cardiff into our machine. Somehow I didn't think it was supposed to do that while refueling.
I threw open the doors to see smoking machinery and sparks everywhere. I could barely make out the Doctor's form across from me. "What is it? What's 'appening?"
"Oh, it's just little me," Margaret the Slitheen snarled, dropping her human skin arm and picking me up off the floor by the throat by her claws. "One wrong move and she snaps like a promise."
"I might have known," the Doctor said, keeping back but shifting his weight back and forth, spoiling for a fight.
"I heard your bleating all night, poor baby," the Slitheen mocked. "Now shut it! Get the expactorator ready, put it at my feet or I'll tear the flesh off your pretty little wife." She grabbed me tighter and I gasped airlessly, trying to pry her claws from my throat.
The Doctor's mouth was a thin line as he did as she told. He never took his eyes off of me.
"Thank you," the Slitheen said primly. "Just as I'd planned."
"I thought you needed to blow up the power station," I gasped.
"Failing that, then if I were to be arrested, then the police that tracked me down would have considerable technology of their own. Therefore they would be captivated by the expactorator. Especially a magpie mind like yours, Doctor. That's why the expactorator was programmed to go to plan B," she tightened her grip on me, "to lock onto the nearest alien power source and open the rift. And what a power source it found." She looked around the TARDIS. "I am back on schedule. Thanks to you."
"You'll...destroy...the planet!" I managed.
"And you with it!" She sat me down, but held on tight still. "While I ride this board of the crest of the inferno all the way to freedom. Stand back, Doctor, surf's up!"
The doors behind us burst open, and the Slitheen actually dropped her hold on me in surprise. I staggered away, clutching my throat to the Doctor's ready arms.
"Oi, mate! I'll 'ave a word with you!" my Mum blasted, totally ignoring the Slitheen in front of her, eyes only on the Doctor.
"Assembled hoardes of Gengis Khan couldn't get in, but irate mother-in-laws, that'll pass through."
"Mum! Kind of in the middle of something!" I nodded to the Slitheen.
"She'll just have to wait her turn..." Mum trailed off . "Aren't you the mayor of Cardiff?"
Margaret preened. "Why, yes I am."
"And you're an alien?"
"Yes, I am Blon-"
"You wantin' to kill 'im?" Mum interrupted her, nodding toward the Doctor.
"Why, um, yes."
"Have at it then," Mum said, crossing her arms and fixing us with a glare. "I'll wait. And if you don't, then I will."
"I like your style, human," Margaret said. "And that jacket is lovely."
"Thanks. Got it at Harrod's."
"Really? On sale?"
"Yes. Half off." Mum looked proud. "Couldn't afford to pass up such a bargain."
"Quite right." The Slitheen turned her attention back on us. "Now, as I was saying, Doctor, surf's up!" She powered up the board and I could hear a high-pitched whining and the wind around us from the rift picked up speed. I noticed parts of the TARDIS start to fly about...
And then a door on the central console opened.
A bright yellow light shone into Margaret the Slitheen's face.
"Course, opening the rift will tear the ship apart," The Doctor said, holding me tighter.
"So sue me," the Slitheen snarled.
"But it's not just any power source. It's the TARDIS. My TARDIS. The best ship in the universe."
"It'll make wonderful scrap."
"What's that light?" Mum said, shielding her eyes.
"Don't look at it, Jackie. It's the heart of the TARDIS. This ship's alive. You've opened its soul."
Margaret stared as if transfixed. "It's...so bright."
"Look at it, Margaret."
"Beautiful..." her voice was sounding hazy.
"Look inside, Blon Fel Fotch. Look at the light."
He didn't even need to speak anymore. The Slitheen was captivated by what she saw. She smiled at it, smiled at him, and then whispered, "Thank you."
The light expanded, blinding all of us. When we could see again, Margaret's skin suit lay on the floor.
The Doctor bolted into action. "Don't look. Stay back. Close your eyes, both of you!" He ran about shutting the console. "Now, Rose, shut it down, shut it all down. Jackie, the power on your left, turn all the switches to the right."
"The what to the what?"
"JUST DO IT!" he blasted, startling Mum into compliance.
Machinery sparked around us, switches blew, and thunder and lighting roared outside.
The lights came back up and it was like everything was normal again.
"Nicely done. Thank you all," the Doctor said, relief clear in his voice.
I took a deep breath and glanced at Mum, who was looking a bit peaked.
"Is this what life's like all the time, with 'im?" she cocked her head to the Doctor.
I nodded. "Most days."
"You'll never get bored, I'll grant you that." She frowned at him. "What do you think you're doing, taking my little girl to some foreign planet, not even marrying her proper?"
"What, you mean like you did, in front of a judge and witnesses? Or in a big church with flowers and guests and a minister?"
"Yes!"
"Sod that!" He waved a hand in dismissal. "Domestic. I don't do domestic"
I elbowed him. "You are now."
"Oh. Right." He gave my hand a squeeze. "Hadn't thought about that. Me. Domestic. Who would have thought?"
"So if you're going to do this," Mum said, "And I'm not saying I'm happy about it, because I'm not, but if the deed's already been done and there's no backing out of it..."
"None whatsoever," The Doctor said, smiling.
"Then you're going to do it right and proper. In a church, in front of a man of the cloth, and with me in attendance."
"You want us to have a ceremony here?" I said, my heart giving a little leap. She might not be happy about it, but she was accepting it.
"You're my only daughter, and I want to see you get married. I don't care that you're already married, I want to see it for myself."
"Mum!" I ran over and hugged. "Thank you."
"I'm not saying I like it." She gave the Doctor a glare. "I still don't think he's the right man for you. But if there's no changing your mind..."
"There's not!" I hugged her again. "I'll have to call Shireen, see if she can perform honor duties."
"Who's going to stand up with me?" the Doctor asked.
Mickey burst into the room. "What'd I miss?"
I looked at the Doctor.
"Oh, no. Not Mickey the Idiot!"
"Hey, you called me Mickey!" Mickey beamed at him. "Why's there a Halloween costume on the floor?"
"Oh, yes, what happened to Margaret?" I said, totally forgetting about her. "She burn up?"
"No, I don't think she's dead." The Doctor came to stand over the floor where she had been.
"Then where'd she go?" Mum asked.
"She looked into the heart of the TARDIS. Even I don't know how strong that is. And the ship's telepathic, like I told you, Rose, gets inside your head. Translates alien languages. Maybe the raw energy can translate all sorts of thoughts." He knelt down and fumbled about with the suit and held something up. "Here she is."
"She's an egg?" Mickey asked.
"Regressed to a child."
"She's an egg," I said.
"She can start again. Live her life from scratch. If we take her home, give her to a different family, tell them to bring her up properly, she might be alright."
"But she might be worse," I said.
"But she might not. It's her choice."
"She's an egg," Mum said.
"She's an egg," The Doctor agreed. "Now can I drop you two off somewhere?" he addressed Mum and Mickey.
"Least you can do," Mum said. "Now, Rose, what do you think of a Christmas wedding?"
"Sounds brilliant."
"You having another wedding, mate?" Mickey addressed the Doctor.
"Their idea, not mine. Wanna come?"
"Can I bring a date?"
I winced. Married though I was, I didn't know if I could get used to Mickey dating again.
The Doctor clicked a few switches, the TARDIS started up, and we were outside my flat.
My mum stepped outside. "How do you get used to that?"
"Mad, the both of them," Mickey said, stepping off with her.
I stood in the doorway. "Take care, you two. I'll be back soon."
"I know Christmas might be two seconds from now for you, Rose, but you might think about calling before then, there's a lot of arrangements to be done," Mum said. "And try not to get pregnant, there's nothing worse than having a bun in the oven while you're wearing a wedding dress."
"And you should know," the Doctor mumbled.
"Hey!" I elbowed him.
"What? Do the math!"
"Bye, Mum, Mickey!" I said, closing the door before she could retort and putting my back against it. "That was a nightmare."
"Slitheen's trying to blow up the world? All in a days work."
I gave him a look. "You know what I mean."
"You're the one that's gotten me into another human ceremony." He shuddered. "Domestic."
I slid my arms around him. "I'll make it up to you." I kissed him gently.
He grinned. "You can start right now."
"Shouldn't we take Margaret back to her planet?"
"She can wait." He kissed me until I forgot about everything else but him.
Author's Note: This is the last bit. Should there be a sequel dealing with events from the fight with the Daleks and subsequent regeneration? Thanks everyone for reading and commenting!