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In The Windmills Of Her Mind

Chapter Twelve

When you knew that it was over, were you suddenly aware that the autumn leaves were turning to the colour of her hair?

Jacob led Rose into a small room, the walls were made of dark mahogany and the carpet was a ruby red reaching from wall to wall. Before her was a large desk with two leather chairs and a sofa resting against the wall, the walls were lined with bookcases and littered with notes. Rose fell easily onto the sofa with her head crashing back against the smooth leather which creaked under her sudden movement. Jacob slowly closed the door and turned the lights on so that a dim amber shone over the room, Rose closed her eyes and breathed heavily.

On the desk stood a clock, it chimed in the faint light as time moved on another day and another hour – Rose watched the hands slowly turn as her life passed her by and she squinted at the numbers. Jacob fell into the chair behind the table and watched her as the clock slowly released chimes – in her mind she was counting. It had been 21600 seconds and no one had returned. No one had walked into the room with the intention of hurting her. No one had made her scream and cry and wish for death to finally fall upon her so that the waiting would stop. Nothing had happened. Only Jacob.

Rose's hands raised to her temples where she feverishly scratched, she rubbed her head and felt her fingers tremble and her ribs ache in protest to the movement. She took in shallow breaths of forgotten air and she looked up from the clock to meet Jacobs questioning eyes.

'Where are they?' she whispered as the lights within the room flickered, Jacob licked his lips and watched her

'Who?' he asked softly. Rose shook her head at him and her eyes widened

'You know. I know you know. You can see them. Where are they hiding?' she whispered in panic, trying to shield herself from the blows that she knew were to come.

Jacob raised himself from his desk and walked over so that he was sitting in front of her, he watched her eyes as they darted around the room and he gently placed a hand on her arm.

'No ones coming Rose – you're free' he told her softly. Rose flinched under his touch and looked up at him, her eyes filling with tears

'Why are you lying to me?' she choked. Jacob shook his head

'I'm not – I swear'.

Rose met his eyes for a moment and she watched him, she no longer knew what to believe or who to trust. She raised her eyes to the amber light that hung from the ceiling and watched as the shards of light beaming from it flickered in the darkness. Her eyes darted to the window where the wind howled and tore at the glass, rain hurtled against it and leaves danced through the air. Rose shivered and slowly stood so that she could limp over to the window; it was a full length window reaching from the floor to the ceiling. She pressed her forehead to it and watched as the rain threw itself at her but never hit her. She raised her hands to the window and pressed her palm flat against it – she was reaching out.

Around her the lights slowly flickered out into darkness and lightning lit up the sky as thunder roared above her, but to Rose there was only one voice she could hear and only one face she could see. She pushed her forehead harder against the window as she longed for herself to feel – and slowly the memories fell back into her, piecing her mind together ready for her to break. It was time.

The Doctor's hand was warm within hers as he helped her to her feet. Moments before the street had been bare and only their laughter fell through the shadows – but now there was movement within them. The Doctor squinted into the darkness as Rose did the same; he squeezed her hand comfortingly as he called out

'Hello?' he asked tentatively, when he got no reply he raised his eyebrows in Rose as they prepared to walk away. Only when they heard a click did they turn around, and then they saw the barrel of a gun pointing at them through the darkness.

The Doctor heard a small gasp escaped from Rose's lips and he froze, he looked around and saw more guns appear from the darkness. He gave Rose's one last squeeze before he dropped it and raised his arms into the air – she did the same. The guns slowly came out of the shadows revealing the men that held them. They were dressed in head to foot black, bullet proof vests mounted their chests and balaclavas covered their faces – only their eyes were visible which stared at them blankly through the darkness. Rose gulped heavily and remained silent as the Doctor eyed up the competition.

'Hi…I'm the Doctor and this is Rose' he began brightly. When the guns were raised higher as though they were about to take aim, the smile fell from the Doctors face

'I think there's some sort of misunderstanding' he began. The men looked from one to another until one shouted out

'Take them'

When they felt feet colliding with the backs of their knees pushing them forwards they knew they were in trouble. Rose fell to her hands, her skin grazing on the concrete below her, a gentle trickle of blood ran down her hand and she reached out to the Doctor. He grabbed her hand as the men jumped on them from behind kneeing down on them; the Doctor swallowed heavily and met Rose's eyes

'Don't fight them' he shouted to her as he clung to her hand. Her eyes were wide and frightened as she watched him, she nodded frantically to his orders, he gasped for breath against the pain and held her eyes

'Rose – I won't let anything happen to you, I promise' he shouted as they pulled a bag down over his head. Rose squeezed his hand one last time as a bag was pulled over her head plunging her into darkness, then they were tugged apart and their hands broke free.

The Doctor and Rose were bundled into nearby vans and slowly driven away.

On the street the day remained the same as before – as though they had never existed. The street was empty except for the tiny skid of blood on one of the slabs and a leaflet that rested beside it

'Time for this to stop – fight them before they find you'.