A Good Man Goes to War

"Doctor?" Silence. "Doctor what do we do?" Silence. "Rose?"

Rose took a deep breath, eyes closed, as she tried to control her emotions. She looked to Rory. "Don't worry Rory. It's going to be okay."

Rory chocked. He wasn't sure if he wanted to laugh at that statement, or cry. "Okay? How is everything going to be okay? Where is my wife? Where is…" Rory bent over and pressed the heels of his palms into his eyes. "Oh my god. I'm a father." He straightened, and when he did he was staring at the Doctor again. "Amy's having my baby right now, Doctor. Where is she?"

The Doctor stood hunched over the TARDIS console, face dark. "I don't know."

Rory opened his mouth, but Jack spoke first. "But we will find her."

The Doctor looked up, a fire in his eyes. "Yes. We will. Whatever it takes, we will be getting back Amelia Pond," his eyes met Rory's and there was a slight softness to them beyond the brittle anger enveloping them, "and your baby too." The Doctor swung into motion and began piloting the TARDIS through the Time Vortex. He pulled levers and pushed buttons as he spoke. "We should get together some friends. The Judoon and Silurian armies sound quite fearsome don't they?" The Doctor winked at Rory.

Rose frowned. "Armies?" She ran up the steps towards the console and pressed a button. The TARDIS groaned but stopped. The Doctor glared at her.

"Rose." He began, an edge to his voice.

"Doctor." Rose's voice was admonishing, if not scolding. "You said friends. Tha' means people you trust, not guns for hire."

The Doctor leaned across the console and hissed, "I need to save Amy!"

Rose leaned in as well. "Yes," she agreed gently, "we do. This is a rescue mission, not a war. We don't need an army."

The Doctor stormed around the console and pushed his way into Rose's personal space. He gestured towards the door angrily. "They have an army!"

"Yes! And we will have the moral high ground." That stopped the Doctor dead in his tracks. All the tension fell away from his body, his shoulders drooped. "They had an army that day too. Remember?" Rose continued on, more gently than before. "Two actually."

"And I lost you." He whispered. He couldn't do that again. Between Rose, Donna and Amy, this past decade had seen too many losses in companions. Let alone his entire life. No — Amy was not lost yet. There was still a chance.

Rose raised her hand to the Doctor's cheek and stroked it lovingly. "We're going to find Amy, and the baby. But we're going to do it on the Doctor's terms. Not an angry Time Lords." Rose's eyes glowed gold for a moment and when they dimmed, they were filled with tears. She shook her head. "Not the Time Lord Victorious'." The Doctor's eyes widened in horror. If he could have chosen anything for her not to know. That would have been it.

Jack looked back and forth between the two. He nodded to himself, judging that he could interfere now. "What do you suggest?"

Rose took a deep breath as she tried to compose herself again. "Uhmmm… The Doctor — the Doctor's travelled with lots of people, helped so many. And if the 27 planets and us coming together has proven anything? It's that after you travel with the Doctor, you never really stop helping people." She took the Doctor's hand and looked directly into his eyes. "Especially when it's the Doctor who needs help."

Rory nodded. "I agree. I want friends finding my wife. Not strangers." He walked up to the console and looked between the Doctor and Rose. "Any companions in mind?"

Jack stepped towards the console and pressed a few buttons and pulled a lever. He grinned coyly at the Time Lord and his blonde partner. "Martha and Mickey Smith. They got married. Had a munchkin." Rose and the Doctor smiled and began helping Jack fly the TARDIS.

"And I was thinkin'," Rose put in, as they flew through the Vortex. "there was this UNIT solider that helped me find you." She looked at the Doctor. He was still quiet, but there was a sparkle in his eyes. "The first time. Captain Magambo."

The Doctor's mouth dropped into an 'o' shape. "I know her." He snapped his fingers and pointed at Rose. Rose smiled back. "Oh, and we can as the Brigadier! He's retired, but I'm sure he won't mind!"

Rory held onto the console as the TARDIS shook and landed. "And River Song!" He yelled over the noise.

The four friends smiled at each other.

There was always hope.

Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart was supposed to be retired. He should have been sitting at home with Doris, drinking a glass of scotch and not caring about national security issues and who was trying to invade the world. His daughter was supposed to be doing this now. He had gotten out.

And yet here he was again. In his old office, stuck in his old chair, biding his time. Only a few more weeks, a month maybe. He wanted to leave, desperately wanted to go home to his wife, but something was coming. He'd been warned, and he needed to be prepared.

POP!

The Brigadier covered his eyes and took in a deep breath of ozone as someone materialized into his office. He blinked and slowly lowered his hand, hope filling his heart.

The Brigadier's eyes fell on one Rose Tyler, and he couldn't help but smile. He leaned towards his intercom and pressed a button. "Get me Captain Magambo." He stood up and stretched his hand across the table. Rose shook it, a pleasantly confused look on her face. "Rose Tyler, I've been waiting for you."

Rose raised an eyebrow. "Have you?" She'd not been expecting this. The Doctor had told her to expect a gun to the face, suspicions and lots of boring questions. A handshake and warm smile were not even on the list of possibilities.

"Yes. I was warned you would be needing some assistance." Captain Magambo knocked on the door and entered. She saluted Rose and stood at attention. "Captain Magambo and myself to be exact."

Rose nodded slowly once. "Righ'" she played with the gold hoop earring in her ear. "An' who told you this?"

The Brigadier looked to Magambo who was clearly trying not to smile. "You did ma'am."

Rose laughed. "Of course I did." Rose crossed her arms and nodded. "Well, good to know I've got a future." She glanced around the office. "I've got some other friends I need to pick up, would it be alrigh' if I brought them here?"

The Brigadier looked to Magambo who nodded and quickly left. "It'll be taken care of. But now that you are here, what exactly is happening?"

Rose raised an eyebrow. "I never told you?"

"Foreknowledge, Rose." He raised his eyebrows at her, as if she should know this. And of course she did. Rose simply wasn't used to messing up her timeline, she'd always been very good about that. She sighed as she thought of the Doctor's driving. Guess she shouldn't be too surprised.

"Right. Well, 's the Doctor. He needs help. Help from people he can trust, and you Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, you are on that list."

Martha and Mickey Smith sat up quickly. They froze and strained to listen to the almost perfect silence that was their home.

The sound of pots moving echoed up the stairs from the kitchen. Martha gasped and moved almost as one with her husband. Mickey grabbed the sonic blaster from beneath the bed and rushed into the hallway as silently as he could. He glanced back over his shoulder to his wife as she stood protectively over the bassinet. She nodded at him and he began to make his way down the stairs.

Mickey peeked around the corner into the kitchen and his heart stopped. "Rose?"

The blonde spun around and smiled brightly as the kettle behind her boiled and steamed. "Mickey!" She eyes his sonic blaster, but didn't look too concerned. "Tea?"

Mickey blinked.

He rolled his shoulders and raised his gun. "Who are you and why are you dressed as my ex?"

Rose poured the boiling hot water into a mug as she raised her eyebrow at the man. "Really Micks?" She asked as she dropped a tea bad into the mug. "We've known each other for years and all I am to you is your ex?" She placed the mug on the island between them and slid it towards him. It stopped at the edge, just in front of him. "I'm offended."

Mickey glanced at the mug but didn't lower the gun. "Yeah? Well you're gonna be real offended when I shoot you for impersonatin' and breakin' and enterin', yeah?"

Rose smiled sadly at him. "Mickey it's really me. I came back." She cocked her head and scrunched her face up, wrinkling her nose. "Again." Rose amended. She smiled at him and chuckled lightly.

"Yeah an' how'd you do that, then? Better question, how'd you get in?"

Rose lifted her wrist and pulled back her jacket sleeve. "Vortex manipulator. Just made it. Gave my old one to me. Well, other me. Bit confusin', yeah?" Rose waved her hand airily. "And hey! Look." She pulled out her sonic screwdriver and pointed it at Mickey's sonic blaster. She activated her device and the gun sparked. Mickey dropped it, surprised.

"Wait — is that?"

Rose nodded excitedly.

Mickey eyed her, a bit of hope in his eye. "Rose?"

"Now you're gettin' it." She laughed.

Mickey raced around the island and pulled Rose into a tight hug. "I — I don't understand…?"

Rose shook her head and pulled back. "'S fine. 'S all very complicated and dimensions and walkin', talkin' TARDIS's stuff. That's not why 'm here though."

"Mickey?" Rose and Mickey both looked up at the sound of Martha's worried call.

"Is all good!" Mickey yelled back. "Come on down babe!"

A few rushed footsteps could be heard before a loud wailing erupted from one of the upstairs bedrooms. The footsteps quickly rushed back the way they had come. Rose's eyes widened and she smiled excitedly. "Is tha'?" Mickey glanced at her, smiled proudly and nodded. "Congrats!" She hugged him quickly and headed towards the stairs. Mickey close behind. "Jack mentioned it, but I mean, it is Jack, right?"

Mickey raised an eyebrow. "Saw Captain Cheesecake recently 'ave you?" Rose glanced over her shoulder at Mickey and rolled her eyes. They followed the sound of crying and quickly found a frazzled looking Martha trying to soothe her eight month old baby.

Martha caught sight of Rose and gasped. "Rose?"

"Hi!" She looked at the baby and instantly gravitated towards it. "An' who's this?"

Martha quickly took Rose in. The clothes, her hair, her face. What was Rose doing there? In their world? Oh my god, she thought, what was happening that she needed to come back for? Martha glanced at the bundle, almost red-faced with tears in her arms. "This is Jake." She said over the crying.

Rose's eyes filled with joy as she looked to Mickey. The man smiled crookedly at her. Both of them thinking of their close friend from Pete's World. She turned back to Martha. "May I?" She asked as she made a gesture to take Jake.

Martha handed him over. "By all means."

Rose smiled lightly down at the beautiful baby boy as she held him close. She swung slowly from side to side, eyes closed. She hummed under her breath a soft song from the TARDIS. Within seconds, Jake was silent.

Martha almost laughed. "You need to teach me how to do that."

Rose laughed. "'S not hard." She looked seriously at the tired woman. "Every mother has her own technique, you'll get there."

"So you two had kids then? You and the other Doctor?" Martha watched Rose carefully. She was trying to get answers without prying too hard. Rose had to be there for something, and whatever it was, it wasn't good.

Rose nodded in response, but didn't say anything. "So where is 'e then?" Rose turned to Mickey. "The other Doctor. Why are you here Rose? What's happened?"

Rose sighed. She walked towards the bassinet and gently placed the now sleeping baby in it. She nodded towards the door and the three of them headed down the steps to the kitchen. Rose went about the kitchen, making tea as she spoke, not wanting to sit down. "There wasn't anything wrong." She glanced at Martha and Mickey's disbelieving faces. "Honestly. When I came back to this universe, there was no danger. Look, I don't want to get into it right now. 'S a long story, and frankly it isn't half confusing. What you need to know is that I'm back. I'm travelin' with the Doctor again. This world's Doctor, and one of his companions has been taken." Rose looked around their home. "You're happy. I can see that, and the last thing I want to do is drag you into this mess and ruin that. But Amy's husband, Rory, he's worried sick. Amy was replaced by this thing, called the Flesh. We thought it was her, and when we finally realized it was wasn't it was too late." She bit her lip and looked desperately at the Smiths. "Mickey, Martha. She's pregnant."

Martha gasped. "Oh my god."

Rose laughed bitterly and shook her head. "Or she was. Last we saw of her, she was going into labour. The Doctor is with Rory and Jack right now. They're trying to find out where Amy's been taken." She crossed her arms and leaned against the island. "My job is to get people together who can help. We don't want to go in there half cocked. We need to be smart about this. We need the best."

Martha and Mickey glanced at each other then looked back to Rose. Martha nodded. "We're helping. Whatever you need Rose. Whatever the Doctor needs, we're there."

Rose nodded once. "Good. Get ready and head to UNIT, Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart will be there to help you out. That's where I'm takin' all the recruits. Alrigh'?"

Mickey glanced upstairs. "Yeah, just give us some time. We'll drop Jake off at Martha's parents for a bit."

Rose was already punching coordinates into her vortex manipulator. She looked up at them. "Thank you. Both of you, for doin' this. It means the world."

POP!

Rose Tyler leaned against the wall of the dimly lit hallway. She crossed her arms and rested one of her feet flat against the wall behind her. Almost fifteen minutes. Really, she'd thought it'd take sooner than this. A sound alerted her to the presence of another, further down the hall. Rose turned her head in the direction of the sound and waited. A cloaked and masked figure slowly melted away from the shadows.

"Who are you? And what are you doin' on my ship?"

Rose smiled. "Blimey it took you long enough. Haven't got all day."

The figure simply stared. Her mask was a pale white, with thinly painted eyebrows and bright red lips. Curly black hair flowed out from around the mask. Rose eyed her, unsure.

"Liz 10?" Rose continued, despite the lack of response. "My name is Rose Tyler. I've been sent by the Doctor."

Liz gasped and pulled off the mask. "The Doctor?" She smiled hopefully.

Rose shook her head. "I'm sorry, but he's in trouble. He needs your help."

Liz frowned at her. "And you? How do I know I can trust you? That the Doctor even sent you?" Rose smiled. Oh the Doctor really was brilliant. Thought of everything he did.

Rose raised her hand to the wall of the ship. "Curious thing, a ship as big as this and yet no engines?" She raised an eyebrow at Liz 10. "Star Whales are actually pretty common where 'm from. But you certainly are lucky for havin' one want to help you like this."

Liz eyed Rose for a moment longer. "What do I do?"

Rose held out her hand. "I'm goin' to take you to some friends. They'll take care of you. Bit primitive, but it'll do for you, 'm sure."

Liz raised her brows. "And you?"

"I've got a couple more friends to pick up."

POP!

Alarms blared around River Song as she materialized into the hall outside her prison cell. She picked up the phone on the wall. "Oh, turn it off. I'm breaking in, not out. This is River Song, back in her cell. Oh, and I'll take breakfast at the usual time. Thank you." She smiled and glided happily towards her cell. Oh damn him, he always made her giddy like a little girl.

River paused and turned to the figure hiding in the shadows. "Rose?" The blonde stepped fully into the light and River smiled. "I wasn't expecting you today." Rose couldn't keep the confusion out of her eyes. River narrowed her eyes at her. Her eyes widened slightly and she nodded in understanding. She debated saying something, then said. "Not quite there yet then, are we?" She fought the wince that inevitably came whenever she had to lie to her.

Rose winced. "Sorry."

River shook her head and smiled tightly. A knot forming in the pit of her stomach. "It's fine." She glanced curiously at Rose's clothes. Normal enough really, but there was still something off about her. "What's wrong?"

"It's the Doctor," Rose explained as she walked closer to River still, "he needs you."

River turned away and pulled out her TARDIS blue journal. She flipped through it quickly and suddenly realized why that knot had formed in her stomach. She turned back around and looked at Rose. "Demon's Run."

Rose's eyes glowed gold and yes, she realized. That's what the place was called. Not very surprised that River knew this, she sighed. "Yes." She glanced at River's Regency dress, it was winter weather and a bit formal. She didn't question it. Rose never questioned things like that, River thought. It was always bigger picture for her. "They've taken Amy, and her baby. The boys are tryin' to find Amy righ' now. I'm gettin' together as many friends as I can. We're goin' to save her." Rose paused and stared hard at River. "We're goin' to save you too Melody. Help us."

River shook her head. "I can't."

Rose frowned. "I'm sorry?"

"Rose." River pleaded. "This is it. This is the day the Doctor figures out who I am."

Rose shook her head, not understanding. "So? If it's a paradox you're worried about, then fine. I'll do my best to keep you away from your baby self. But we can do this Melody. We can give you that childhood you never had."

"No. It's not possible. And even if it were, I can't be with him 'til the very end. Paradox."

"I told you—"

"No." River insisted. Rose's eyes narrowed, and her frown slowly turned into a glare. "I can't change this. I won't. This is my life. The implications that the world would have Rose, if I never met the Doctor. No. I won't sacrifice all those lives, all those people, so that I can have a nuclear family." She shook her head. "I am happy." Her eyes watered. "Besides, I can't save myself."

Rose's mouth pinched into an angry straight line. "No. But I can."

POP!

She was last. The last that Rose would call upon on behalf of the Doctor. And she was the least likely that he would have called on in the first place. She had no need to help. No real reason. It was a whim, a hope that she would. And when Rose had learned more about her, she'd been adamant that they ask this girl no matter what. Her skills, beyond all others, would be vital to this mission.

Rose fiddles with the stem of the wine glass between her fingers as she tried desperately to forget River's words. This wasn't just about River's happiness, it was her parents too. How could she take away her parents happiness like that? How could she not care. Rose shook her head and took a sip of the red wine.

The doors to the balcony were open, the white shear curtains billowed in the wind. The most beautiful view of the eiffel tower was painted across the scenery beyond the wrote iron railing. Rose sighed. She'd had such an aversion to France after Madame de Pompadour. Rose almost laughed, how long ago that felt.

The door opened and the woman who entered froze instantly. She stared at Rose with wide eyes, her body poised to run. "Do I know you?" The woman asked curiously.

"No." Rose responded.

The dark haired woman nodded. "And do I owe you money?"

At that, Rose smiled. "No."

The woman smiled and flounced over to the armchair across from Rose. "Than pour me a drink too, will you?" Rose did. The newcomer sat comfortable in her chair and crossed her legs. She took the glass of wine that Rose offered her and inhaled the fumes deeply. She watched Rose with intelligent eyes as they both slowly went for a sip of wine. "Now then. Are you going to introduce yourself? Or am I going to have to pry the information out of you?"

Rose smiled mischievously. "From what I hear, pryin' really isn't your style." She held out her hand to the black haired woman. "I'm Rose Tyler."

"Lady Christina de Suza." Christina took Rose's hand and shook it kindly. "But I'm sure you already know that." Rose nodded. "How can I help you?" Christina took in Rose's clothing and her stature. She was amused to see how similarly they were dressed. Both in leather jackets, though Rose's was blue and her own was black, with black pants and and a vest top. Rose was wearing boots though, whilst Christina was sporting her favourite shoes that she wore on every job. Light, don't make a sound, and dark.

"I need you to procure somethin' for me. Two somethin's actually." Christina raised an eyebrow. "And I need it done quietly, as quietly as possible. No one should even know we're there."

"We?"

Rose nodded. "I'm gettin' some people together."

Lady Christina shook her head. "No. Sorry. But I don't play well with others."

Rose set her wine glass on the table and leaned toward Christina. "For this job, you will."

Christina raised an eyebrow, not liking it one bit. "Well then I'd better be making a substantial amount."

Rose smiled. "You're not makin' a dime." Oh Rose liked her. She knew what she wanted and she wouldn't be had for anything less.

"You've got to be joking. I don't run a charity Ms. Tyler. I'm a thief." Christina was practically insulted.

"I'm well aware of what you are, Christina. But my… partner… asked for you specifically."

That piqued Christina's interest. She'd thought whatever operation this was, that Rose was running it. "And who's your… partner?"

"The Doctor."

Christina's brows rose delicately. "The Doctor wants me to steal something?"

Rose shook her head. "Not something. Someone." Rose paused to let that sink in. "Interested?"

Christina smiled. "Very."

The TARDIS materialized into an almost empty hallway in the upper levels of UNIT. The floors were wood, the walls an off white colour. Just down the way was a series of glass windows, showing off the interior of a conference room. That room, unlike the hallway, was filled. Any person walking by would think it was just a group of people chatting before a meeting. But really, inside held more than just average people. Sitting side by side were a queen and a thief. Across the room were two freelance workers checking up on their baby. By the door was a Captain eyeing the thief worriedly and at the head of the table was a Brigadier who was most definitely supposed to be retired, at least he thought so.

Rose leaned against the wall across from the TARDIS and waited for the doors to open. She wasn't sure what she should be expecting. She had spent very little time with the Doctor after they had devised the beginning of their plans. She'd been in his workshop creating a new vortex manipulator and sonic screwdriver. Once that was complete, she'd said goodbye to the boys and had been off meeting old friends of the Doctor's, and some her own, since.

The Doctor could step out of that TARDIS all fake smiles and charm and pretend to be happy. Which would mean he had one plan, and it wasn't a good one. He could walk out with a storm in his eyes and that would mean he had multiple ideas and all of them ended exactly how he wanted them to, badly. Or he could go and exit that TARDIS with his hands half raised, flapping about, all confused and adorable. Which meant he had hope, and a bit of a plan and all his magnificent brilliance back. She desperately hoped for the latter.

The door opened and the Doctor's head popped out. He looked slightly surprised to see Rose. Then he smiled lightly and the door opened wider. "Hello." He said softly. He hopped down from the small step, out of the TARDIS and they hugged. Rose wasn't sure how to take this. It wasn't any of the versions she'd pictured coming out of that TARDIS, and she wasn't sure how she felt about that.

Rose pulled back. "How'd it go?"

The TARDIS doors opened wider and Jack and Rory stepped out. "Perfectly." Jack told her.

Rory nodded. "The Cybermen won't even know we were there."

Rose smiled. "Tha's perfect. And Amy?" She looked to the Doctor.

He nodded. A weight lifted off Rose's heart. "She's at Demon's Run." Rose's mind flipped back to what River had said. "How about you?" His hands slid down her shoulders and he took her hands.

Rose glanced up at the Doctor, she bit her lip nervously. "I got everyone, but…" The Doctor raised his eyebrows. "River."

Rory frowned. "Why not?" Rose looked away.

The Doctor's face darkened. "I'm sure she had her reasons, Rory." He glanced at the man, and his face softened again. "Let's go get your wife, and your baby. Yeah?" Rory nodded and the four of them headed into the conference room.

The Doctor entered the room and smiled at his friends. He clapped his hands and rubbed them together. "Alright." His eyes skimmed over Liz 10 and Christina. "Yes, this could work." He looked to Captain Magambo and over to Brigadier. "Alistair!" The Brigadier nodded.

"Blimey." Martha said. The Doctor looked to her and Mickey and smiled and gestured at them, his mouth open in excitement. Rory amusingly noticed it was the same expression he wore when he realized Rory was back, and a Roman.

Mickey raised his eyebrows. "You look ridiculous."

The Doctor dropped his arms and frowned. "Oi."

Christina rolled her eyes. "Despite how true that is. We don't have time for pleasantries. Sorry Doctor. But we've all been apprised of the situation and if want to get this Amy back, and her child too, we'll need to move quickly."

Mickey frowned at her. "Yeah, and who put you in charge, sweetheart?" Christina glared at him, but Rose spoke first.

"We did." Mickey looked to her, confused. "And she's not technically in charge. But Christina has her skill set. And if we're goin' t'a do this without a war, then we're goin' t'a need those skills." Mickey nodded. He'd gotten used to taking orders from Rose at Torchwood in Pete's World. Old habits died hard.

Christina smirked at Mickey then turned back to Rose and the Doctor. "I take it you figured out where Amy is?" The Doctor nodded. "Good. Is there any way we can get blueprints of the place?"

The Doctor turned to Jack. "The TARDIS should be able to bring it up. You'll need to use some computer skills to get through the security of the base." Jack nodded and headed out. The Doctor turned to Mickey. "You too Mickey."

Mickey headed across the room and out the door. "On it, boss."

The Brigadier watched the Doctor with open worry on his face. "Doctor, did you say base? As in a military base?"

The Doctor glanced at him. "Something like that, yes."

Liz 10 frowned. "How do you expect us to infiltrate a military base without anyone knowing?"

Christina smiled. "Oh it's not that hard." She leaned back in her chair. "I've done it loads of times."

Captain Magambo looked disapprovingly at Lady Christina. "Yes. We know."

Christina looked nonplussed. "Look, it's won't be too difficult really. Think of Amy like a painting. We are going to be quick, stealthy, and very delicate." Christina got up from her chair and began to walk about the room as she thought aloud. "We'll also have to be conscientious of a fake."

Martha crossed her arms. "What do you mean?"

"A double." Christina explained. "When you steal something you usually leave something behind. Art counterfeiters leave behind a counterfeit painting or what have you, to make it look like the real was never gone."

Rory nodded, following along. "Yeah, but they already did that."

"Exactly! So who's to say they won't do it again? I mean, they took Amy and your baby for a reason. They won't just let you have them. They'll be prepared. Now that you know, they'll be expecting an attack."

Liz 10 looked up from her seat at the table to Christina. "So what do you propose we do?"

"Play right into their hands. Go after the fake with the decoys. Then when they realize what's happening, the try to flee with the real and that's where our actual agent will be to get them."

The Doctor looked to Rose. "Rose can do it. You can get the real ones." Rose's eyes widened. She looked to Christina.

"You'll be on your own Rose. No one will be able to help you. And if we get found, you can't. You have to be a ghost in there." Rose nodded. River's words were running through the back of her head. She had foreknowledge, foreknowledge on this whole thing. This was a very bad idea. No — she could do it. She could save Melody. At the very least, she'll try her best. "First things first though." Christina said. "We need to get a message to Amy that this is happening, to warn her to be ready."

Rose smiled. "Already taken care of."

Jack and Mickey entered the room again and laid out a bunch of maps across the tables. The team quickly submerged themselves in the plans. They were going to do this. And this was going to work.

Rory looked around the table at all the people helping to save his wife, his baby. He looked to Rose. She was already smiling at him, practically reading his mind. He nodded at her and went back to work.

Amy looked out the observation window down to the troops below. There were hundreds of them. Thousands really. She didn't know how the Doctor was expected to fight them. The Doctor didn't even fight, he pointed his sonic and sort of flapped about as he talked and hoped for the best.

"He is not the devil." The leader down on the pavilion was saying. "He is not a god. He is not a goblin, or a phantom or a trickster." Of course not, Amy thought, he's the Doctor. "The Doctor is a living, breathing man, and as I look around this room I know one thing. We're sure as hell going to fix that." She touched the window. How could anyone want to kill the Doctor? Daleks, sure, Cybermen, yeah. But they were evil. These were regular people. What did the Doctor ever do to the Silence, to make them hate him so much?

The door behind her slid open. Amy glanced over her shoulder to see a brunette soldier. "Sorry. I shouldn't be here. I'm meant to be at the thing. I brought you something. Your child's name in the language of my people." She handed a small piece of fabric with gold trimming to Amy. "It's a prayer leaf and we believe, if you keep this with you, your child will always come home to you."

"Can I borrow your gun?" Amy asked, genuinely curious.

"Why?"

"Because I've got a feeling you're going to keep talking." Amy turned back to the window. She sighed. "They're talking like he's famous. The Doctor isn't famous."

Lorna looked out the window. "He meets a lot of people. Some of them remember. He's sort of like a, I don't know, a dark legend."

Amy chocked on a laugh. "Dark? Have you met him?"

Lorna nodded. "Yeah. But I was just a little girl."

Amy sighed. "So was I." She glanced over at the soldier. "You can wait a long time for the Doctor, but he's worth it, okay? The thing is, he's coming. No question about it. Just you make sure you're on the right side when he gets here. Not for my sake, for yours." Amy stretched out her hand and took the prayer leaf. "Thank you." She watched as Lorna left, then looked down at the leaf. She frowned and turned it over. Amy's heart sped up.

The Doctor was coming. He was coming now.

Amy held the prayer leaf to her chest, inscribed with two words, the two words Lorna had clearly not meant them to be.

Bad Wolf.

On this day, in this place, the Doctor will fall.

The Smiths crept deeper into the communications centre on Demon's Run. Mickey pulled out his tranq gun and quickly rolled on the silencer at the end of it. He looked to his wife who nodded and raised her own tranq. They shot both the men in the back of the neck, who quickly dropped like two sacks of potatoes.

"Hoo Rah!" Came a shout from the computer monitors. Mickey glanced at them as he and Martha quickly tied the soldiers up. It seemed like the entire army was stationed in one room, a man was standing on a pavilion making a speech.

Mickey and Martha moved in sync towards the computers and began searching for the bases communications network.

Mickey found it and quickly disabled all connections to it, then killed the satellite so that no outside spaceships or radars would pick it up. "Done." He informed Martha. Mickey looked over just in time to see her nod. She was completely absorbed in her task of deactivating the alarms.

Martha glanced at him. "Did you take care of the surveillance? We need to keep an eye out for the others."

Mickey turned back to the computer. "Doin' it now, babe."

The man who talks, the man who reasons, the man who lies, will meet the perfect answer.

The Brigadier and Captain Magambo had already taken over the control room. They sent a message to the Doctor as soon as they received word that the Smiths had control of communications. The Doctor appeared a moment later with the TARDIS. He'd somehow managed to get it on silent. The Brigadier raised his eyebrows, mildly impressed.

"Hoo Rah!" Came another chant off the monitors displaying the army of Demon's Run.

Captain Magambo pulled up the surveillance of the outside hallways. "Room is secure, sir."

The door of the TARDIS popped open just as the Brigadier said, "Good, keep me updated on any changes." The Doctor hopped out of the TARDIS and nodded to the Brigadier and Captain Magambo.

He went straight for the computer and began typing away, searching for any information on Amy and her baby.

"Doctor," the Brigadier began to ask, "what exactly are we looking for?"

"Anything." The Doctor replied. His face grew dark and he looked coldly at his old friend. "Anything to give a somewhat justified reason in taking my companion and her child. Hopefully it will lessen any punishment I chose to put upon them."

The Brigadier's brows rose slightly. "I thought we were trying to not start a war."

"And it won't be, Brigadier. It'll be a prison."

Some of you have wondered why have we have allied ourselves with the Headless Monks. Perhaps you should have wondered why we call them Headless.

Christina slowly opened up the panel of the ceiling and looked into the empty white room beneath her. Everyone was at the speech in the grand hall, or whatever it was. "Perfect." She whispered. She gripped the edge of the hole and went through head first, elegantly folding her body through the gap without even touching one of the edges with her legs or feet. She dropped silently to onto the white table directly beneath her. Sitting in the centre of the room was a white bassinet.

Christina smiled when she heard the soft gurgle from the crib. She raised her watch to her mouth. "Are the floor sensors off yet?"

"Almost there." Martha's voice filtered in through the intercom.

"Well hurry it up." Christina snapped. "We're on a deadline."

It's time you knew what these guys have sacrificed for faith. As you all know, it is a Level One Heresy, punishable by death, to lower the hood of a Headless Monk.

"Done." Martha growled through the intercom a few minutes later.

Christina sighed. "Finally." She hopped off the table and walked towards the crib. Inside laid a small little pink and pretty bundle of joy. "Hello, sweetie." She reached forward and gently picked the child up from her crib. She looked at the child's bright and intelligent eyes and smiled. "Oh you are going to give them loads of trouble, aren't you?" The child gurgled. "Do me a favour? Give the Doctor hell."

Christina walked towards the door and opened it. A dark-haired woman with a white mask and painted lips stood on the other side.

"Took you long enough." Liz 10 complained. Christina transferred the baby to Liz.

"Blame the help." Christina responded. She nodded down the hall. "Now off you go, quickly before Rory kicks up a fuss."

Liz turned and ran down the hall, her regal cape billowed behind her.

Christina raised her watch to her mouth and whispered, "We've got the decoy. I tripped the silent alarm in the bassinet. Kavorian should be on the move now. Rose, it's now or never."

"Roger that." Rose's voice crackled through the connection.

But by the divine grant of the Papal Mainframe herself, on this one and only occasion, I can show you the truth. Because these guys never can be persuaded.

The door to the white room slid open. Amy spun around, half expecting the soldier from before to come back. No. It wasn't her, it was someone so much better.

"Rory!" Amy raced forward and threw herself into his arms. "Rory they took her. They took our baby away."

Rory pulled back and held Amy's face in his hands. He searched her eyes, so happy to finally have her back. "Now, Mrs. Williams, that is never, ever going to happen." His eyes widened and he stepped back. "Almost forgot." He pulled out the Doctor's sonic and pressed the button.

Amy stepped back. "What are you doing? Why are you doing that?"

Rory sighed with relief, his shoulder's visibly loosing all tension. "Had to make sure you weren't another decoy. It's fine." He pulled her close and kissed her. "It's really you."

The door slid open again. Rory and Amy turned to find none other then Captain Jack Harkness, holding their baby. Amy gasped. "Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Where's she been?" Jack strode over to the near tears mother and handed the baby to her. "What have they done to her?" Amy held her baby close and stroked her cheek. Jack looked between Rory and Amy. Amy looked up at him, dread filling her heart. "Jack? What'd they do?"

"They still have her." He said.

Amy's lip trembled. "What?" She ground out.

Rory brushed back some of Amy's hair gently. "Amy, this is the Flesh version of our baby."

She looked down at the baby in her arms. The entire situation with the Doctor and his Ganger popped into her head. The fact that she was Flesh for so long and no one noticed. Amy snuggled the baby closer. "And where's the other one?" She looked up at Rory.

He smiled. "She'll be fine. Rose is getting her now."

"Rose?"

"Yeah."

If anybody could get her baby back, it was the Doctor. That is, the Doctor, or his Rose. Amy nodded. Jack smiled. "Great! Then I need to get you two kids home. Before Kavorian lets loose the hounds. Let's go."

POP!

They never can be afraid.

The Doctor stopped typing and stepped back, his face confused.

"What is it?" Captain Magambo asked. "Doctor?"

The Doctor slowly shook his head. "They've been scanning her since she was born." He saw the confused looks on the Brigadier and Captain Magambo and quickly clarified. "Amy's baby, they've been scanning her, and I think they found what they were looking for." He pressed a couple keys and brought up an image of the child's biological structure.

The Brigadier narrowed his eyes at it. Being around the Doctor for so many years, and countless other geniuses had certainly taught him a thing or two. "It looks normal enough."

"Yes, but look closer and…" The Doctor typed in a few more keys. The image zoomed in. "Human plus. Specifically, human plus Time Lord." The Doctor stepped back and rubbed his jaw as he thought. "But I don't understand. How…?"

The Brigadier stared at the gold thread that seemed to wrap around the child's DNA. "But I thought Amy and Rory were both human."

The Doctor nodded and waved his hand. "Yes, yes… They are. So this is something else. Something…" The Doctor's jaw dropped open. "No… No!"

Captain Magambo looked back and forth between the screen and the Doctor. "What? What is it?"

"The only way this could have happened would be exposure to the Time Vortex. It's happened before, just a bit differently." The Doctor leaned forward against the machine, dropping his head. Damnit, why hadn't he thought of this?

"Before?" Captain Magambo asked.

"Yes." The Doctor stood back up, unable to stay still. "Rose. She absorbed the Time Vortex and it made her… Human plus. Of course, the baby didn't do what Rose did. But if they were on the TARDIS when… well when." The Doctor gestured and the three of them all tensed awkwardly.

The Brigadier cleared his throat. "Ah." The Doctor nodded and raised his eyebrows uncomfortably. "Would she be able to regenerate?"

The Doctor let out a breath. "I don't know. Rose can't, as far as I know. But since they're connected to the Vortex in different ways, I'd say that they have different abilities from it. The baby looks more Time Lord. Rose is more… different." The Doctor shook his head and began to pace again. "Why even do it though? Even if you could get your hands on a brand new Time Lord, what for?"

Captain Magambo frowned. "A weapon maybe?"

The Doctor looked flabbergasted. "Why would a Time Lord be a weapon?"

The Brigadier shifted in his stance. "Well to be frank Doctor, you've taken down more invasions then I can probably count. Entire species fear your name."

The Doctor frowned at that. "Back in the TARDIS." He ordered. "I'm finishing up here then we're going back to UNIT to meet up with the others. We've got everything we came for." The Brigadier and Captain Magambo nodded and headed into the TARDIS.

The monitor flashed and was suddenly filled with the sight of Madame Kovarian. She smiled. "I see you accessed our files. Do you understand yet? Oh, don't worry, I'm a long way away. But I like to keep tabs on you. The child, then. What do you think?"

The Doctor stared her down, but she seemed unconcerned. He was surprised to see her, and looking so smug. He'd expected her to have the baby near her on the base, which meant Rose should have already gotten to her by now. Or Rose failed. But if Kovarian was already off base. No — she was bluffing. "What is she?" The Doctor asked, deciding to play along.

"Hope." Kovarian sneered. "Hope in this endless, bitter war."

War? If they needed help in a war, they should have asked. "What war? Against who?"

"Against you, Doctor."

The Doctor glared. "And what? You're going to use this baby against me? A child is not a weapon!"

Madame Kovarian laughed. "Oh, give us time. She can be. She will be."

The Doctor smiled bitterly. "Except you've already lost her, and I swear I will never let you anywhere near her again."

Madame Kovarian raised an eyebrow. "Oh, Doctor. Fooling you once was a joy, but fooling you twice the same way? It's a privilege."

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "Yes. The baby is Flesh. We know. That's why we sent someone else for the real one too. And we've got her."

Kovarian looked to the right of her, off screen. A baby wailed in the distance of her video feed. "Really?" She looked back at the Doctor, smug. "I rather think not." The screen went black.

The Doctor stepped back. His hearts racing. "Rose. Rose." He raced back into the TARDIS and threw the machine into the Vortex.

The Brigadier grabbed hold of the console and watched the Doctor, shocked and worried. "Doctor what's wrong? What's happened? Doctor!"

The groaning of the TARDIS sounded and the Doctor barely finished landing her before he was racing out the door. The Brigadier and Captain Magambo slid out of the TARDIS behind him. The Doctor scanned the room. Smiths, Ponds, little Pond Flesh version, Christina, Liz, Jack.

"Rose?" He asked. "Where's Rose!?"

The occupants looked around. She was supposed to get the baby. She —

POP!

And they can never, ever be —

"Surprise." Rose whispered under her breath. She pushed back against the wall behind her, pushing herself as close as she could possibly get. Down the hall, a door opened and Madame Kovarian strode out with soldiers on either side of her. One was holding a pushed off the wall but was stopped when someone quickly shoved her back against the wall.

Rose turned and her eyes widened. "River?" She looked frantically towards the hall. She have to move now. "River let me go." Rose struggled against the woman, but her grip was firm.

"No. Rose I can't. You have to let Kovarian go." River's voice was choked, filled with tears.

Rose looked aghast. "River don't do this. I can save you."

"I told you I don't want to be saved!" Rose pushed at River with all her might, but River was too strong. She was a child of the TARDIS after all, and strength was one of her gifts. It wasn't one of Roses.

"River please. I'm begging you. Let me fix this."

River shook her head. "There are fixed points set Rose. If I don't meet the Doctor in his past, then who's to say any of your past will be the same? What if you don't get left in the other world with your Doctor? Don't get married? Have your fantastic life?"

"River." Rose pleaded. Tears streaked down her face. She had seconds.

"If you do this. None of that may happen." River's voice grew stern. She was forcing herself to stay strong. She'd thought killing the Doctor was the hardest thing she'd ever have to do. She was wrong. "All your children, grandchildren, everyone in that world that you love will cease to exist."

Rose searched River's eyes and found only truth. In stopping this, the life she'd created would cease to exist. Most of them were gone now anyways, passed on from old age. It was one of the reasons she'd left in the first place. But to never have existed. She couldn't do that to her children. To the people she'd saved in that world, the invasions she'd stopped. Her happiness with the Doctor, that one adventure. She couldn't erase it. Because what if she forgot?

Rose stopped struggling. The tears poured down her cheeks as she sank against the wall. She closed her eyes. "He'll never forgive me." She whispered.

River finally let go of her and stepped away. A flash of horror crossed her face. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

Rose opened her eyes and looked at River. Fear and guilt fought for control over River's face.

The gasp caught in Rose's throat. "You lied." Rose moved swiftly, but River was faster. The second Rose grabbed her arm they both disappeared with a loud POP!

Every eye in the room turned to River and Rose the second that they materialized into the UNIT conference room. Rose swung her arm back and punched River across the face.

"Rose!"

"River?"

The Doctor stepped between the two girls. "What is going on?" He turned to Rose. "Where's the baby?"

Rose's bottom lip trembled as she glared at River. The other woman offered no assistance in an explanation. "I didn't get her." She practically growled. River touched her split lip and looked at Rose indifferently. Rose could see she was trying to control her emotions, that she was sad, angry and mostly ashamed. Rose didn't care.

The Doctor's hands tightened into fists. "You left her?"

Rose's gaze flickered to the Doctor. Her eyes were narrowed and her mouth was pinched into a hard line. "I said I didn' get her. Not that I left her."

"What's the difference?" The Doctor's voice grew angrily.

"I tried!" She shouted at him. Jack and Mickey glanced at each other. Neither of them had seen Rose so angry. Let alone so angry with the Doctor.

"Then where's the baby!? You're the Goddess of Time aren't you? The Big Bad Wolf?" Rose said nothing. The tears welled in her eyes. She'd let Melody get away, and for what? Memories. People who weren't even alive anymore. But damn it, they were her family. The Doctor cocked his head to the side. "Well?"

"I'm sorry." Rose croaked.

"You're sorry? I trusted you!" The Doctor's face was flushed with anger. The Doctor had never yelled at her like this, not since the Reapers.

"Well maybe you shouldn't have!" Rose shouted. She was weak after all. She couldn't be trusted. She was selfish. Rose stormed to the door, eyes glowing and as the door slammed shut behind her, it and all the glass windows shattered and collapsed to the ground. Behind her, Rose heard the squelch as the Flesh Melody dissolved, Kovarian had deactivated it. Amy screamed. Rose disappeared into the TARDIS.

Rory sat Amy in a chair as she cried, he tried desperately to comfort her, to no avail. No one spoke for what felt like a century. Then the Doctor turned his deadly glare on River. "And you, Miss. Song?" He stormed up to her. "Where the hell have you been?"

"Doing what I had to."

"And what does that mean?" He eyed her. Saw the tears in her eyes and heard the strain in her voice. Her lip was split, and he knew Rose would never have done that unless it were warranted. "River…" He said, dangerously calm. "What did you do?"

"Her name isn't River." All eyes in the room turned to Captain Jack Harkness. He shook his head as he walked towards her. "I don't know why I didn't see it before. But this is why you told me, isn't it?"

River's eyes widened. "Spoilers," she whispered.

Jack smiled ruefully. "You're Melody. Melody Pond."

Amy stared from her seat blankly. Her mind barely able to wrap around those facts. "But…" Rory shook his head, disbelieving.

River looked to them and smiled gently. "It's true Amy, Rory. I'm Melody, I'm your daughter."

Amy stood shakily. Rory and she slowly made their way to her. "But — but how?"

River shook her head and shrugged, smiling kindly. "I'm a child of the TARDIS. My DNA is fused with the Time Vortex. Though I'm not a Time Lord, I'm very nearly there. I had to lie though, with all the messed up timelines and adventures. I've had to lie so much, for you, because I love you."

The Doctor watched River with a calculating look. "Rose. She attacked you because…"

River turned to him, solemn again. "She knew. From the second she met me, Bad Wolf I suppose. I had to stop her from taking younger me."

Amy shook her head. "Why?"

"Because she doesn't save me. And not there, not yet." River turned to the Doctor. "You save me. You always have."

The Doctor stepped back. He looked down at his shoes and smiled. He looked back up. River smiled at him. "I save you?" River nodded. The Doctor fixed his jacket and smoothed down his hair. "How do I look?"

"Amazing."

"I'd better be."

"Yes." River laughed. "You'd better be." Amy and Rory looked back and forth between the two, not understanding.

The Doctor raced to the shattered door and stepped through the hole. He turned around and winked at his friends. "River'll get you all home. Amy, Rory? I'm going to find your daughter. Come along Jack!" Jack raced out after the Doctor.

"Doctor?" Amy called. "Doctor wait!" She stopped before the shattered glass, her shoes to thin to walk over the sharp pieces. "Doctor!" She leaned forward and was just barely able to catch a glimpse of the TARDIS as is it dematerialized. "Doctor!"

The Doctor found Rose curled up on the couch in the library. In front of her was a roaring fire in the massive Victorian fireplace that Rose loved so much. The TARDIS had apparently even provided the warmest blanket, which Rose was currently snuggled up in. The Doctor stood at the door, debating disrupting her obvious attempt at wallowing. It seemed the TARDIS was against her brooding though, because when he turned around, the door was gone. The Doctor glared at the bookshelf, grumbling under his breath about meddling time machines. He turned around and headed towards Rose. When he got there he paused and stared at Rose, trying to discern if she was asleep or not.

"Wha'd'ya want?"

He jumped then quickly began fiddling with his fingers. "I — uhmm… That is to say…" Rose turned and looked up at him. She raised an eyebrow. The Doctor sighed. "I'm sorry." Rose said nothing for a long time. "Rose —"

"You shouldn't be." Rose whispered. The Doctor slowly sat down at the end of the couch. He watched Rose wordlessly and said nothing. Rose stared into the fire. Her bottom lip began to tremble again. "I was going to get her." She looked to the Doctor, her eyes bright with unshed tears. "I swear Doctor, I was."

The Doctor moved closer to her and rested his hand on her ankle. He stroked it gently. "I know dear. You did your best." Rose shook her head. She sobbed. "What happened?"

"I —" she gasped for breath and started again. "I was righ' there, I saw Melody. And then — River appeared."

The Doctor nodded. "Yes. And she stopped you." At Rose's shock, the Doctor explained. "River told us who she is. And that you knew. She said that you couldn't save her, that I'm the one who does at a different time."

Rose was shaking her head again. She leaned towards the Doctor. "But I could have stopped it Doctor. It wasn't fixed. River…"

"She held you back, Rose. You are magnificent, but you don't have super strength." Rose's face crumpled. The Doctor held her and she shook against him, trying desperately to hold back her tears.

"You said it yourself Doctor." She whispered. "I'm the Goddess of Time. The Big Bad Wolf." She looked up, and the Doctor realized she had been crying. Tears tracked their way down her cheeks like streaming leading to an ocean. "I could have gotten away."

The Doctor frowned, confused. "Then why didn't you?" He asked her gently.

"She said…" Rose pulled back and hugged her knees to her chest. "She said that if I did, then certain things wouldn't happen in your past. Which would change my past, and I'd never get sent to Pete's World with you and we'd never have gotten married." She looked to him desperately. "And Doctor I couldn't, I couldn't risk our children never being born. Never have them exist at all. I just — I couldn't do tha'."

The Doctor's hearts stopped. He was frozen. Children. He'd known they were married, but… children? The Doctor held Rose's face in his hands and leaned in. "She lied."

"I know." Rose cried. "But I stopped. I stopped strugglin' and I let little Melody get away. Because of my own happiness."

"Oh Rose." The Doctor kissed her forehead. "You've done nothing wrong. We're going to find Melody, maybe not now, but we will. She will be okay." The Doctor pulled back and wiped Rose's tears away. "The River from the museum. She looks up to you. I don't think she'd ever blame you. In fact, I think this River knew that you, Rose Tyler, are such a magnificent being, that only the threat of your family would stop you."

The Doctor pulled her towards him and crushed her against his chest. He closed his eyes and tried to picture them. Rose's and his other self's children. Were they blonde or brunette? Manic and rude? He leaned down and pressed his lips to the top of her head. "I wish I could remember them. Remember all the things that you can."

Rose sighed. "The one adventure you can never have." She pulled back and looked up at him. Her fingers stroked the side of his face. "It's okay, Doctor. We'll make our own adventure. And in all those bits in-between, locked in prisons, waitin' for the companions to wake up, breakfast. All tha'… I'll tell you about the one adventure you forgot."

The Doctor smiled sadly at her and stroked her hair back. "That's because I never had it."

"A part of you did. And tha's all tha' matters." She leaned forward and kissed his temple.

And that's all she wrote. Favourite line? And favourite set up of companions for this episode? Because let's be real, we've all thought about it. Who would you put in?

Oh! Started another story. First chapter is up! It's another Rose/Eleven, mainly because I love it. Don't question it. Also includes, Clara, the Master and other faces! Rose is the basically the same, it's sort of a "What if they met this way instead" but with a storyline that is all original. It's called, The Sandbox. Check it out!

Thanks for reading! :)