SO sorry for the long wait.

CHAPTER 2

Tea and soufflé

Oswin scanned the earth, wondering if the doctor was around... The scan was positive! Oswin altered her own software so that rather than her Dalek voice, she used the voice she had when she was human "Chin boy, that had better be you this time!" Oswin sent as an audio message to the ship the timelord was on.

Watching the three wander back out of the TARDIS and immediately running around the console so as to scan for advanced technology when the telepathic speaker switched on, a voice calling through making the Doctor's hearts skip. "Soufflé Girl" he responded coyly, "Nice to hear you again; I see Athena is doing well..."

"Oh, she has been fantastic. No wonder you always have a companion. So, how long has it been? Does Nina still fancy me?"

"Well considering he never physically saw you he did well, but moved on. He and Amy are back together, lovely really. Thanks again for saving his life from the insane Daleks" the Doctor mused. "What is your location, I can materialise near you - what are you and Athena doing here anyway?"

"Looking for you, Athena needed some food, should be back soon, I'm sending my co-ordinates to you now. I hope I won't shock you as much this time" Oswin said

"Yeah, I sent them off to get some food so I could talk to you" the Doctor muttered, "And you won't now; I should have realised, remembered from before but of course - total screaming genius over there." He had found the location of her ship now and set course, pulling down the lever so the TARDIS dematerialised from its position only to materialise about a mile away in a large field, presumable a park.

"Well, come aboard" Oswin said "we can have a cup of tea and maybe some soufflé and catch up" Oswin joked

Laughing to himself as he ran out of the TARDIS and back onto the Kronos - the name re-establishing itself within his mind - he Doctor stopped face to eye-stalk with the Dalek Oswin and stopped. Memories of the Asylum instantly coming back as he bit his lip. He was meaning to say nice things, to joke about and have some fun maybe, instead the words came out before he could stop them: "What's it like in there... Are you still fighting them?"

"It's hard to explain. I know the world in my head isn't real, but it still feels it. And sort of. Athena has calmed them somehow; they used to come every night... But now it's more like once a month, more to remind me than anything. So, how are Liz and rose?"

Glad to hear that Athena had done her good, that there was a true meaning to his adventure with Athena, while also reminding himself that for her their last adventure together must have been on Carlon, the Doctor mused, "I haven't seen Lizzy in a long while and Rose... she's safe, in a parallel universe living with... well, she's perfectly fine anyway. I have Amy and Rory now, as you know, back in the early days of you being -" he waved an arm to indicate her Dalek shell. "So why are you here anyway?"

"What have you heard about the "plague" of the daleks?" Oswin said, hoping he knew a lot

"Well, since your little system wipe I've been keeping out of their tentacles so not very much - well, nothing actually" the Doctor confessed. "I doubt this is yet a new name for me - shame though, it's the first one that sort of actually suits me!"

"For a while now, a rogue Dalek, designated "the plague" has been destroying Dalek base planets, stealing information and ruining missions. Since the predator has disappeared from the Dalek memory, the plague is Dalek enemy number 1...guess who? A pattern has emerged in the attacks and now only 6 Dalek bases remain, all in the same area of space" Oswin explained "if the plague showed herself next to those planets, every single Dalek would go there to defend the area. The perfect chance to wipe them all out! But I can't do it alone, especially as I am recognisable as the plague as soon as I set foot on the planet and won't last 30 seconds. I need a team... A group of people who know Dalek, who can fight them. And the oncoming storm is the best place to start. Help me doctor" Oswin said

The Doctor couldn't believe his ears; he couldn't even believe how effective Oswin could be and when she had finished. The Doctor had to take it in a moment, grinning despite himself. "I knew you were a genius but the new Predator... Wow." He actually applauded a few claps before stopping himself, pulling himself together as he added up something in his head. "Twenty-first century England, the place where I seem to hang out most. Of course. We can wipe them out? Once and for all?" He thought back to the time of fire and death. Timelord after Timelord wiped out in seconds by Daleks only to be resurrected and killed again in more extraordinary and revolting ways. He didn't believe in avenging, not anymore, he just wanted to keep in the background now, but the urge to finish the job, finally, was too much. "A crack team you say?" he asked finally, his voice quiet, arms folded. "I think i know a few specialists..."

"Yes, we can do it... At the rate the daleks are growing, this may be the only chance." Oswin said "it will be hard and dangerous... But I can get an army together, distract the Dalek while a dozen people destroy their last bases and then using the resources on Skaro, and kill them all. Saving billions of lives or more and removing the most evil race of all time. Are you in?"

"There's a Progenerator Device; it created the new Paradigm of Dalek, which you would know of course - they must have it stored somewhere on their main base planet. If we could get to that and destroy it then we'd have a chance of beating them before they reproduce" the Doctor stated in one breath, nodding to himself, "We need the Ponds, all three of them. Shame they wanted to go back home but what's one more adventure? I wonder if they've finished their meal. Oh, it means I'll have to go to Stormcage too, pick up the Wife. I wonder who else we could have..." The Doctor was in. Even if he didn't say it outright.

"Right, Ill phone Athena, let her know we have met up, and then we can go... On second thoughts, Is it wise me coming when you get your people? I am a Dalek on the outside. And I think I would have more chance recruiting people like the cybers if you weren't about" Oswin said, phoning Athena through the Kronos

"That is true. We need to rendezvous after collecting as many allies as possible" the Doctor mused, looking Oswin up and down. If only there was a way to humanize her appearance again...

DWDWDW

"The one that called you Nina?" Amy questioned. "She was... Doctor, she's a Dalek?" The voice she'd heard-and argued with-was not that of a Dalek. Amy had been certain of it, even though the nanobots had made her see other Daleks as human. Still, she thought that the Doctor or Rory would have noticed if Oswin's voice was human. "I don't understand."

"The Doctor explained it. Sort of. The Daleks did a 'full conversion' of her, instead of Daleking her up she became Dalek, but her mind was too strong even for them and she kind of survived the process by remaining herself even though she was a Dalek..." Rory's voice faltered as he tried to get his head around it too. "To be honest I didn't understand it either. She sounded Human enough." There was a flash of light, like lightning only resonating from the ground, close to and without the necessary ear-splitting bang. Nevertheless Rory still jumped. Grabbing Amy he looked to the figure whom was crouched Terminator-style (although with clothes) near them and blinked a questioning look as Athena seemed to recognise the figure and ran to her, calling the name 'Rose'.

Rose blinked, focusing her vision on Athena. "You're... real?" She was afraid that if she moved she might be sick.

"It's rose," Athena said. "Are you okay? I asked the doctor about you but he avoided the question."

Rose gasped. "Yeah, I... I think so. Little sick, is all. He avoided the question? Oh, of course, Bad Wolf Bay." She bit her lip to keep from crying. "Where is he, can I see him?" The thought of seeing him again, being swept into his arms, seeing those huge brown eyes again; it was enough to get her on her feet, even if she was walking rather drunkenly. Side effect of too much travel across the Void. She made a determined beeline for the TARDIS, pushing the familiar doors open.

"Wait a minute... Rose? What's happening here?" Rory asked. The question was addressed to anyone present.

Amy glanced to her husband. "I don't know who Rose is. I don't think the Doctor's ever mentioned her, do you?"

Athena looked. "Rose was with the doctor when I met him" Athena watched as the TARDIS disappeared before rose could get in. "Rose, I missed u." She called out.

Rose, regaining her bearings, turned to Athena and gave her a genuine smile. She ran to her, enveloping her in a bear hug. "I missed you too! Never saw you after the angels."

Athena hugged Rose back. This was the only human who ever cared about her enough to hold her while she cried. "Yeah, I know. It's been a while. I've been looking forward to seeing you again." As they parted Athena said "by the way this is Amy and Rory. They were with the doctor when I found the TARDIS again. We're going to go get something to eat. Come join. Please."

Rory moaned as he heard the TARDIS dematerialise from behind them, he and Amy keeping back on conversation between the blond and Athena. He was wondering whether it would be better just to get to the train station and get back to London and their life that way, he had his wallet on him after all, but the look of unadulterated adventure reignited in Amy's eyes told him otherwise as Rose addressed them, talking about a Void which Rory wondered was linked to the Vortex, he didn't say anything as he shrugged. He didn't even know where there were any places to eat - he'd never been to Cardiff before. True he had been to so many different and exotic worlds but never Cardiff. Odd that.

Rose was reluctant to let go, but at last she did. "I thought I never would-" her voice caught as she realized Athena didn't know about Canary Wharf. "But you don't know, do you?" she turned to Amy and Rory. "Hello, it's great to meet you, really. As for food, I'm not sure if eating is the best thing right now-jumping through the Void tends to kill any appetite-but I'll keep you company. I mean, the TARDIS isn't here anymore."

"Yay," Athena said putting an arm around Rose as they walked. "I have so many stories to tell you. The last five months with R2 have been amazing. She brought me to see so many things, but what happened with you? Why weren't you with the Doctor and how did you just appear in front of me. What's the void? Am I asking way too many questions?"

Rose shook her head, laughing at Athena's rapid-fire questions. She hadn't laughed in so long. "No, it's okay." when they stepped inside a little cafe nearby, she added, "It's complicated."

Amy and Rory made up the rear, confusedly listening to the conversation between Athena and Rose. They settled themselves in a booth, opposite the two girls.

"But what'd you ask first? Where'd I go?" Rose had no idea how to explain.

"I think it was what happened to you and why you weren't with the doctor," Athena said as she looked at the menu.

Well..." Rose trailed off. She twisted her hands nervously in her lap. "There was a battle; the battle of Canary Wharf. It was Daleks versus Cybermen-basically them screaming DELETE and EXTERMINATE at each other-" she managed a little laugh, "But they were destroying the world. The Doctor found a way to send them into the Void. Y'know, the stuff between dimensions. Anything that had been through it before would be pulled in. He wanted to send me back to the other dimension, what he call Pete's world, because my dad is alive there but my mum isn't. Mum and Mickey went across, but I stayed with him."

She drew a deep breath. It was almost over, she just had to get to the worst part and then she could stop. "We were hanging onto these clamps to keep from being dragged in, but I had to reset a lever-long story-and I got dragged in. Pete saved me last minute, the gap between the two worlds closed, and we were on different sides. He came to see me, projecting his image through a crack in the dimensions." he voice became thick with emotion. "He... he almost said something to me. But then he was gone. And a few months ago the stars began goin' out, and the walls between worlds started to crumble. I keep trying to get to him, but I've only just succeeded."

"The stars going out?" Rory's ears perked up at this, "That sounds... creepy." Just at that moment a waitress came over for their orders, they placed them and Rory realised he'd have to pay. Wonderful.

"Yeah." Amy agreed. "I remember something like that, a long time ago... but I think it was different." She thought of her muddled memories from when she'd forgotten the Doctor.

Rose shrugged. "I guess. I mean, it broke down barriers between the worlds, so..."

Athena looked at rose shocked. "That's a lot. Wow, I knew being with the doctor was an adventure but that was something." Athena said as their food came and she started to eat. "By the way Rory i do have some money." Athena reached into her pocket looking for the money she had taken from the ship.

"I miss him." Rose admitted, biting back the tears. "Every day, there's a huge hole and nothing fills it." She shook her head, snapping out of it. This wasn't the time to get emotional. Clearly the Doctor had other friends, ones described by Oswin. He was happy. Maybe he'd moved on from what he'd meant to say. Either way, she might be able to see him, a safe him, and that would have to be good enough.

Amy laughed at Rory's expression of relief.

Athena took the money out of her pocket and handed it to Rory. "Here not very good with English money system being American and all. Don't really know how much it is." Athena said before looking at rose. "Yeah, I've missed you and the doctor too, but I've been traveling with R2 and having a good time, that is when she's not ditching me sleeping in the Kronos while she's killing daleks. I got to see so many things. "Athena paused not knowing if she wanted to tell Rose this."Even saw him again." Athena said hoping rose would know who "him" was.

"Zeus?" Rose asked, voice lowering. She remembered their tearful conversation in the library, so long ago. "What... did you talk to him?"

Amy watched the two, wondering if they meant the actual Zeus, the Greek one. Knowing the Doctor is was very possible.

"Yeah Zeus," Athena said. "Not much. He was old, really old. He lived a long life, but never had any family or anything. He was on his death dead when R2 brought me to him. I was the only one there. He said he was sorry to me. That he left because he wanted to try and find a way home and when he realized that was impossible he just found a place to live. Said he tried to contact me a few times after he was sure I would have already left for Carlon but of course I never went back. He gave up and lived his life. I sat with him until he died." Athena looked at her place playing with the last of the food on it as she recounted the story tears almost falling from her eyes.

"Oh, Athena," Rose said, heart welling with sympathy. She drew the girl into her arms. "It's good that you stayed with him." She whispered. "That you were there. It meant a lot to him, I know it."

"Yeah I guess it did." Athena said. "He kept mumbling he was sorry and that he was happy to see me again. Wanted me to go back to Carlon and give his family a message. I never did. I mean Zeus is one thing but how do I talk to them. Didn't really give me any answer but I guess I don't hate the guy anymore. I mean he is my father." Amy and Rory gave her a look. "Yes Zeus is my father and my name is Athena."

"Ummm..." Amy ventured nervously. "So are you a Greek goddess?"

Athena gave Amy a look. "No... Well yes," Athena said with a laugh. "Named after a Greek goddess, and when me and R2 went to Athens. I became the person behind the stories. But I'm not actually a goddess. Although I guess I do have superpowers." She gave Rose a smile as she said this hoping Rose would get the joke.

Rory remained silent, as did Amy as the two of them suddenly felt out of place. It reminded Rory of the days when Amy had been dating Jeff back in high school before Mels - who was really his daughter; he was still getting his head around it - revealed Rory's liking for the redhead. He had still hung around Amy's place, even with the bulky teen about and felt so out of place that he wanted to leave but just couldn't. All the time Mels giving in a Look he didn't want to interpret.

Counting out the money on the table while the waitress sorted out their orders, he was shocked to find over five hundred pounds alone; more than enough for the meal. Who knew how much Athena and Oswin the Daleked Human had on their ship. He looked up at Amy across from him with a raised eyebrow, mouthing the amount of money to her in shock just as the waitress return with three plates for Athena, Amy and himself. He quickly swept the cash off the woodwork.

"Oh, definitely. Power over angels." Rose agreed, being vague enough that Amy and Rory didn't get it. "Very Greek goddess-like."

"He's over a thousand years old" Rory stated, "And we're only twenty seven - he has to have had others before us, like, you know he knew River before us" he placed his hand on Amy's in front of him before they started their meal, trying to remain vague as to their daughter while comforting for the fact that the Doctor wasn't just her Raggedy Man

"Okay..." Was Amy's only response. "But this does prove something he did have other people. He's never mentioned it, but he has travelled with companions before." aside, to Rory, she grinned at his consternation over the price of the food.

"Yeah, very Greek goddess like," Athena agreed with a laugh as she knew Rory and Amy had no idea what they were talking about. It was kind of fun.

Amy sighed, resting her head on Rory's as Rose and Athena shared conspiratorial grins with each other. She'd always thought that before her, the Doctor had been alone. She supposed that was ridiculous to assume. Over a thousand years old and no friend until her? Preposterous. Besides, he'd been married once, as she could remember him mentioning children. "That's true." she said at last, to Rory. "But where do you think he went? It's odd... maybe he just expected us to get to London by ourselves."

"No, he had something to do. I was wondering if we should hitch it back to London anyway but..." Rory eyed Rose and Athena. He was basically telling Amy: 'How would the Doctor treat old friends - how had he left them? Did he WANT them around anymore?' They were needed to keep the new Doctor, their Doctor calm and happy

"I think he went to find R2 which means he's not far." Athena told the two.

"We'll stay a bit longer." Amy concluded. Whoever Rose was, she had to be important to the Doctor. She spoke of him in the way someone hopelessly in love would-granted, the Doctor might not return those feelings, but he cared so much. "He'll need us. He always needs us" Amy decided as Athena's phone started ringing. She answered it

"I've got in contact with the doctor" Oswin said, over the phone "we need you, and Amy and Nina back at the Kronos." Oswin couldn't help but get excited. This was it. What she had been working for!

"R2?" Rory asked through a mouth of omelette, looking to Rose and Amy and swallowing hard. "Take it that's... Oswin?"

"Sure thing and we'll be bringing another friend of the doctors with us," Athena said looking at Rose with a smile before hanging up. "Let this be a surprise." She said with a smile. "Did you pay yet Rory? Was that enough money because I might have more? And yes that is Oswin. My nickname for her."

"Oh, like those movies you made me watch, with the little teddy bear things." Amy said suddenly. 'That's a clever nickname for a Dalek."

Rose nodded at Athena, stomach constricting. Was she really ready to see him again?

"R2D2" Rory grinned at her, the Geek within trying to force its way out as he subdued it with a simple, "Star Wars. I approve. I'll pay at the end and more than enough money. I'll give you the change."

"Yeah," Athena said with a smile. "When I first met Oswin I think I said something like 'oh cool a robot that looks like R2D2.' didn't know what a Dalek was then and Rose kind of pulled me like its running time. Although at the times rose didn't know R2 was nice. Don't worry about the change. There's a ton more money in the ship. You guys keep it." Athena said as she finished off her plate of food.

"Well kind Daleks are few and far between" Rory mused as he thought to the Stone Dalek in the museum and their most recent adventure on the Asylum. "Just as long as they don't start asking you to save them from music, you'll be alright."

"Save from music?" Athena asked. "No wait I don't want to know. we've have so many long stories and some of them have been so sad. they're not the fun running from knights or being put on trail for being a witch stories."

"So, is he coming back now?" Rose asked. "Because his landing and accuracy aren't always the best..."

"No we're going to go meet him. Both the doctor and R2 are at the Kronos." Athena said.

"Oswin's ship?" Rose clarified. "Wow, I haven't seen that in forever."

"I've lived on it the last few months. Been a good home. Much better than anything my parents back in LA gave me," Athena said and then shook her head. She didn't want to think about them. "Well if we're done we might as well go."

"She got herself a ship? She was clever but... Well i suppose we shouldn't keep them waiting, you know how restless the Doctor can get" he wiggled his eyebrows at his wife before rising, sidling past Athena and going up to the counter. Moments later he returned. "Okay, meal's paid for, we can leave when we want." He wasn't hungry even when he'd gotten the omelette, so there was no point in finishing it.

"Yeah I'm done," Athena said as she got up. "Um..." Athena looked around. "i think we have a bit of a problem though."

Rose got up hurriedly, excited but still so very nervous. "So where's the Kronos, then?"

"That's the problem," Athena said. "I was kind of wondering and got lost and found the TARDIS. Actually, somehow I'm drawn to that thing. I mean I always end up on it, and can find other TARDIS'S. Maybe it's because of the angel thing." Athena stopped. "Well anyway I'm kind of not too sure how to get back."

"You're drawn to the TARDIS?" Rory faulted, in all his years with the Doctor noone had ever been like that, not even Melody and she was PART of the TARDIS. "But hang on" they were leaving the cafe now, Rory somehow having found himself at the front of the group, "didn't we kind of establish that the Doctor's with Oswin? I mean, most likely place to go when he realised she was about" he looked to Amy for reassurance as he addressed Athena; "Couldn't you just close your try and find the TARDIS

"yea, probably," Athena said, focussing and feel drawn to something and started to walk. It was the same tug she had felt when a TARDIS had been about before, though the Kronos seemed to block her from sensing them inside

"Angels..." Amy murmured, vaguely remembering something like that before. It had been before Rory traveled with them, hadn't it? "Wait. Weeping Angels?"

Rose cast her a nervous look. "No...?"

Athena kept walking pretty sure she was going 2 end up at the TARDIS soon she heard Amy's comment but decided not to say anything and let rose take care of it.

"No. No! You're a Weeping Angel? Or... part angel? How? They can't... can they?" Amy was talking so fast that it was hard to keep up. "I mean, they're stone unless you can't see them."

"It's a long story that we really don't need to get into." Rose said, quickening her pace and trying to catch up with Athena.

Amy didn't give up that easily. "Can angels become people? Can they move without the blinking thing now?"

Athena stopped and turned around to look at Amy. Rose was next to her. She didn't want Amy to hate her because of this. She kind of liked the red head. "Please tell me this doesn't freak you out too much. Please," Athena said looking at the red head.

"Oh, I didn't mean it to sound like that!" Amy said at once. "I just had no idea that someone so human could be part angel. I mean... you can't do that back-in-time thing, right?"

"No," Athena said a bit relieved. "I can't do that. I can't be turned into a full angel or sent back in time, I can turn angels and people being turned into angels back into humans, and i'm apparently a TARDIS bloodhound. That's it."

"Speaking of which, can you feel it?" Rose asked her. "The TARDIS, I mean."

"Every time I got near the TARDIS i could feel something just pulling me in. It's why i noticed the TARDIS that day back in LA and why I didn't just walk past it today. It's not far," Athena told Rose as she continued to walk.

Rose nodded mutely

Athena continued to walk , distracted by sensing the TARDIS, Almost ignoring everyone, well besides Rose. Rose had apparently decided to put a hand on Athena arm and anytime she got too close to walking into something, probably a car, Rose would pull her back. Then Athena stopped walking and when she opened her eyes and noticed she was right in from of the TARDIS. The Kronos wasn't far away. She smiled at the three behind her and then ran on to the Kronos. "R2 next time you want to find the doctor just send me to a city and have me walk around. Chances are I'll find the TARDIS." Athena turned to look at the doctor. "We have a surprise for you doc..." Athena said with a smile