Chapter 24
Not Gonna Die Part 1/Army of Ghosts
By: Izzy
The Doctor and Rhee had so much fun at Hedgewick's World, that for a time she forgot all about Canary Wharf. She felt like a teenager and he helped her feel that way with his silly antics and playful nature. She smiled brighter and wider than she had since she was a teenager. Dollywood. She wanted take him there once. She hoped they had one in this universe. They laughed until their sides hurt. She thought that even he forgot his worries while they were there. But it had to end as all things did. Rhee's phone began to play Headstrong by Trapt. Which meant one thing. Jackie was calling.
"Hello, Jackie," Rhee asked the phone as happily as she could but he noticed that it was a fake happiness.
"Rhee!" Jackie exclaimed happily. Rhee had to take the phone from her ear to a minute and rub her ear. That hurt. "You and skinny should come for a visit. I have something to show you."
"We will soon Jackie," Rhee said trying to keep a smile in her voice. She didn't want to worry Jackie or the Doctor. Jackie hung up. Rhee felt fear and sadness strongly. She was fighting not crying.
"Jackie?" he asked.
"Yeah," she said sady as she shoved the phone in her pocket and took a deep breath. "Looks like our fun time is over."
"What are you talking about? We have a time machine," he teased.
"But it's Jackie," she said.
"Ah," he said. "You're right. But what has you so sad. You love to visit Jackie."
"Spoilers," she said sadly as she walked back to the TARDIS. He followed her. He put them into the Vortex. He was worried about her, she hardly ever just shut off like this. Well not since she was first aboard. He worried he had done something. No, wait she was fine until Jackie called. What had Jackie said? He had to talk to the older Tyler woman. He set the coordinates for London and walked to their room to find her singing to the darkness. Not Gonna Die by Skillet.
Death surrounds
My heartbeat's slowing down
I won't take this world's abuse
I won't give up, I refuse!
This is how it feels when you're bent and broken
This is how it feels when your dignity's stolen
When everything you love is leaving
You hold on to what you believe in
He found himself singing with her. {Notes: the ~ means only the Doctor is singing it, the () means it's both.}
~The last thing I heard was you whispering goodbye
And then I heard you flat line~
She turned to look at him surprised but she continued to sing.
No, (not gonna die tonight
We're gonna stand and fight forever)
~Don't close your eyes~
No, (not gonna die tonight
We're gonna fight for us together
No, we're not gonna die tonight)
Break their hold
'Cause I won't be controlled
They can't keep their chains on me
When the truth has set me free
This is how it feels when you take your life back
This is how it feels when you finally fight back
When life pushes me I push harder
What doesn't kill me makes me stronger
~The last thing I heard was you whispering goodbye
And then I heard you flat line~
No, (not gonna die tonight
We're gonna stand and fight forever)
~Don't close your eyes~
No, (not gonna die tonight
We're gonna fight for us together
No, we're not gonna die tonight)
Don't you give up on me
You're everything I need
(This is how it feels when you take your life back
This is how it feels when you fight back)
No, (not gonna die tonight
We're gonna stand and fight forever)
~Don't close your eyes~
No, (not gonna die tonight
We're gonna fight for us together
No, we're not gonna die tonight)
No, we're not gonna die tonight
Not gonna die
~Not gonna die~
Not gonna die
~Not gonna die~
Not gonna die tonight
After the song was through she broke down and cried. He held her as she cried. She shook as she cried. "What's wrong?" he asked softly. "That song, you were trying to convince yourself weren't you?" She nodded but remained silent. "There's a chance that you'll die this time?"
"There's always a chance I'll die," she said sniffing, regaining some composure but she felt as if she could break again any second.
"But why are you so upset?" he asked.
"Because," she started to tell him but had to stop herself and pick her words carefully. "It's going to be hard on us."
"On a scale of one to ten?" he asked.
"Ten," she said. "This adventure is going to test our love to it's max."
"Bring on the Daleks, the Cybermen, and the Slitheen," he said. "None of them will ever break us up." She giggled at his attempts to cheer her up.
"You just jinxed us," she teased trying to keep in good spirits.
"Oh, well," he said. "Hurry up and get dressed." She stood up and went the the wardrobe but not before the Doctor patted her butt. He laughed as he left the room. Just to be a smart butt she dressed in one of his suits. The blue one, it fit snuggly but she made it work. But she put on her own converses. Lastly she had to pin up the pants and the sleeves because he was so much taller than her. She ran to the console room and felt surprisingly comfortable in his suit even with it being snug. Normally she hated snug cloths it came from her years of being overweight.
"Ready," she said as she entered the console room. He looked at her and she watched his jaw visibly drop. She wanted to laugh at him, but before the sound could come out of her mouth she heard her phone sing Headstrong again. "We're on our way up."
"Allons-y!" he shouted as he took her hand and ran out to the walked up to Jackie's apartment. She knocked on the door.
"Jackie, it's us!" Rhee shouted. "We're here." Jackie swung the door open and hugged Rhee.
"Oh, I love you!" Jackie said.
"I love you too!" Rhee said
"You may not be my daughter but I love you so much!" Jackie shouted as he tried to slip past the two women. But Jackie wasn't having that. "Oh no, you don't. Come here!" She pulled him into a hug and kissed him on the cheek. "Oh, you lovely big fella!" She hugged him tighter.
"Just, just, just put me down!" he shouted.
"I've got a surprise for you!" she shouted as she moved into the kitchen. "Guess who's coming to visit? You're just in time. He'll be here at ten past."
"Jackie," Rhee started as she moved in behind Jackie. "Who are you talking about?" Rhee knew who Jackie was talking about but she needed to asked for his sake.
"It's Rose's granddad." Jackie said. "You can call him that too, Granddad Prentice. He's on his way any minute, Right, cup of tea!" She started to make tea for the three of them, Rhee sighed.
"She's gone mad." she said.
"Tell me something new." he teased.
"Granddad Prentice, that's her dad." she said. "But he died, like, ten years ago. Goddess give me strength. Jackie?"
"Any second now." Jackie said.
"But he passed away." Rhee said sadly. "His heart gave out. I know you remember."
"Of Course I do." Jackie said.
"What makes you think he come back?" Rhee asked, still trying to keep the air up that she didn't know what was going on. So he would get the information he needed and so she didn't have to explain to Jackie.
"Ten past. Here he comes." Jackie said ignoring Rhee's question. An ethereal humanoid shape walked through the outside wall and stood next to Jackie. "Here we are, then. Dad, say hello to Rhee and the Doctor. She's Rose's best friend and he's Rhee's husband." Rhee and the Doctor ran out of the apartment building to see the 'ghosts' were everywhere.
"They're everywhere!" he exclaimed. Everyone was not running in fear of the 'ghosts', she knew why but couldn't tell him. Jackie came out from apartment building with them.
"Doctor, look out!" she exclaimed. One of the 'ghosts' walked straight through the Doctor and judging by the look on his face it was not a pleasant experience.
"They haven't got long." Jackie said. "Midday shift only lasts a couple of minutes. They're about to fade."
"What do you mean, shift?" he asked Jackie. "Since when did ghosts have shifts? Since when did shifts have ghosts? What's going on?"
"Oh, he's not happy when I know more than him, is he?" she asked.
"But no one's running or screaming or freaking out." he continued.
"Why should we? Here we go. Twelve minutes past." she said. The 'ghost shift' ended. All the 'ghosts' disappeared. He looked on in mix of amazement and horror. He pulled Rhee into a hug.
"Can you tell me anything that will help?" he whispered to Rhee.
"Not anything that you haven't already figured out on your own," she said. He sighed. He let go of her and grabbed her hand. All three of them walked back inside. As soon as they were inside they gathered around Jackie's little TV.
"On today's Ghostwatch, claims that some of the ghosts are starting to talk, and there seems to be a regular formation gathering around Westminster Bridge." the reporter said as Rhee frowned. "It's almost like a military display."
"What the hell's going on?" the Doctor said. He changed the channel. It was the weather.
"And tonight we're expecting very strong ghosts from London, through the North and up into Scotland." the weatherman said. He changed it again, this time it was a talk show.
"So basically, Eileen, what you're telling me is, that you are in love with a ghost." a woman said, that reminded Rhee of a female Jerry Springer.
"He's my ghost, and I love him twenty four seven." another woman cried. Rhee sighed and rolled her eyes.
"Drama Queen," she muttered under her breath and the Doctor couldn't help but laugh. "What? I've never liked talk shows like that!" He changed it again this time it was a ghost hunter interview.
"Well, no one needs me anymore!" the ghost hunter shouted. The Doctor changed it again.
"My ghost was pale and grey until I discovered Ectoshine!" the woman on the ad said. He changed it again.
"And today the President , what is-" the reporter said in French. The Doctor changed the channel a few more times.
"Oh, yes." Jackie said.
"It's all over the world." the Doctor said in awe. Then a soap came on.
"Listen to me, Den Watts." the woman on the soap said. "I don't care if you have come back from the grave. Get out of my pub! The only spirits I'm serving in this place are gin, whisky and vodka. So, you heard me. Get out!" He turned off the TV and tossed the remote on to the coffee table.
"When did it start?" he asked.
"Well, first of all," Jackie said. "Peggy heard this noise in the cellar, so she goes down-"
"He means worldwide, Jackie," Rhee interrupted Jackie.
"Oh." Jackie said. "That was about two months ago. Just happened. Woke up one morning, and there they all were. Ghosts, everywhere. We all ran round screaming and that. Whole planet was panicking. No sign of you two, thank you very much. Then it sort of sank in. It took us time to realize that we're lucky."
"What makes you think it's your dad?" Rhee asked.
"It just feels like him." Jackie said. "There's that smell, those old cigarettes. Can't you smell it?" Honestly she had smelled cigarettes, Pall Malls. Matt's cigarettes. She had felt Matt when Jackie felt her dad.
"I can't, Jackie," Rhee said.
"You never knew him but Rose did," Jackie said.
"Sorry, Jackie," Rhee said.
"But you felt something," Jackie said. "I can see it in your face." Rhee looked away from the Doctor so he wouldn't know. She still missed Matt. She always would. But she loved the Doctor.
"No," she said. "I didn't feel anything."
"Then look at me," he said. She looked at him and he saw it in her eyes, Jackie was right. He stood up and walked to the kitchen.
"I'm sorry," Rhee called to him with tears in her eyes. "I will always miss him. But I love you, Doctor." She stood up and followed him to the kitchen. "I never said goodbye to him."
"I know," he said. "And I understand." She reached for him, and he moved so she couldn't reach him. "But it still hurts that you think of him." The last statement hurt. It hurt bad.
"It's a psychic link." she told him sadly as she sat down back in the living room. He followed her and sat down on the sofa by Jackie. She tried to stay strong enough to not breakdown though. But she lost all drive to live through the battle.
"Of course you want your old dad to be alive, but you're wishing him into existence," he said to Jackie. "The ghosts are using that to pull themselves in."
"You're spoiling it." she said.
"I'm sorry, Jackie, but there's no smell, there's no cigarettes." he said. "Just a memory."
"They're not ghosts Jackie," Rhee said as she head back the tears. She never meant to hurt him. But she couldn't help miss Matt.
"But they have to be ghost!" Jackie exclaimed. "They're human! You can see them. They look human."
"They're not," Rhee said softly.
"They're pressing themselves into the surface of the world," the Doctor said. "But a footprint doesn't look like a boot." He was hurt but he did understand. He missed all his companions but not like she missed Matt. He sighed, they would have to talk before they had a fight. That would make things hard because of their bond. If they didn't fix this soon it would cause physical pain to them both. Right then he couldn't do it. So he dived into the case. He left to go to the TARDIS.
Rhee remained with Jackie. They were doing so well. Rhee hadn't even thought of Matt since they left the alternate world. But the ghost dig deep and find the person you miss most. And in her case it was the man that died saving her life. "Are you OK, Love?" Jackie asked.
"I'll be fine," Rhee said with a fake smile.
"What's wrong?" Jackie asked.
"I smelled Matt's cigarettes and cologne," Rhee said sadly.
"Ah," Jackie said. "And the Doctor knew?"
"Yeah," Rhee breathed out.
"Fix it," Jackie said.
"I'll always miss Matt," Rhee said. "So how can I fix this?"
"Remind him that you love him," Jackie said.
"I tried," Rhee said.
"No," Jackie said. "You told him that you love him. Remind him why you love him. Remind him why he fell in love with you."
"I don't think I can," Rhee said sounding defeated before she started.
"That's not the Rhee that Rose boasted about," Jackie said. "That's not the Rhee that tore apart the TARDIS just so she could save the Doctor."
"Jackie," Rhee said trying to keep all her emotions in check. But when she opened her mouth to say something along the lines of being the same woman but what came out was her shouting. "I'm gonna die soon!" Jackie looked at Rhee in shock.
"That's why you've been so distant since Jackie called," the Doctor said as he reentered the apartment. He rushed to Rhee and grabbed her arms a little harder than he had intended. "What happens? How?"
"I can't tell you," she squeaked. Jackie took that moment to leave the apartment.
"Don't give me that bullshit!" he shouted at her, with so much anger that she broke farther. He had never spoke to her like that. Was he just like the other before Matt? Only with her for a reason befitting them?
He felt her break. It hurt him physically just like he knew it would. Had he caused this? No, this isn't what he wanted. He just wanted her to tell him what happened in the show to Rose. But he couldn't flat out ask because then Jackie would want a full explanation and they didn't have time for that. She was going to die? No! Not so long as he drew breath! He would give up all his regenerations for her to live. Granted that he didn't have many left but he would still give them all to her. "Rhiannon?" he asked tenderly. She didn't even look at him. She remained hollow. "I'm sorry, Love. I'm so sorry." He let go of her arms and hugged her. She didn't hug him back. "Please talk to me." She still didn't respond. He picked her up and sat her down on the sofa. He sat beside her. He put his hands on her temples and brushed his mind to hers.
She let him in. He found himself in a room with clothes, wads of paper, and aluminum cans spreed across the floor. There was a DIY desk with a 21st century computer sitting upon it, a DIY dresser and shelfs. Atop the dresser was a small TV and PS2. As he moved farther into the room he saw a Captain's bed in the corner of the room, with a shelf above it. But what caught his eye the most was a wad of blankets in the corner of the bed. The blankets rose and fell like something was underneath it. He moved closer wading through the mess like it was an ocean, as he got closer to the bed he could hear a faint cry.
"Hello?" he said softly. The faint cries stopped and a small head peeked out from under the blankets. All he could see was sapphire eyes and brown hair.
"What are you doing in my bedroom?" the little girl snapped. He couldn't believe it. This was a young Rhee. He'd know that voice anywhere. "What are you doing in my bedroom?!"
"Oh, yes," he said. "Sorry, I was looking for a friend and ended up here."
"How do you just 'end up' in my bedroom?" she said with anger lacing her voice.
"Well it's a bit of a long story," he said as he ran his hands through his hair. "Um, why were you crying?"
"Non-ya," she said in a childish fashion. "Are you from England?"
"Kind of," he said.
"How can you kind of be from England?" she asked sounding angrier. She flipped the covers off of her. He noticed that she was 10 years old. "Either you are or you're not." Why would he enter her mind and he be talking to a 10 year old version of her?
"Would you believe me if I said I was an alien?" he asked.
"Yes," she said. "Aliens are cool, well except the ones that want to take over the world." He laughed. She was so clever as a child. "I'm Rhee. What's your name and race?"
"I'm the Doctor," he said. "And I'm a Time Lord."
"What does that mean?" she asked. "Do you like have special powers that control time?"
"No," he laughed. "But I can tell what time it is at all times. And I'm a genius."
"Then maybe you can help me," she said as she looked at her feet and fidgeted with her blankets that lay on her legs.
"What do you need help with?" he asked.
"My mom," she said. "She's sick." She shuddered. "She's losing blood. So much blood. But I can't help. I can't do anything!" Her tears renewed in full force. "The doctors say that she is gonna die! I don't want my mom to die!" He moved to her side and held her. She held right on back.
"Shh," he said. "I'll help anyway I can." He rubbed her back. But then everything faded and he was no longer holding the small girl. He was alone in darkness sitting on ground. "Hello?" He heard his voice echo. He stood up and moved around a bit until he saw a door. He went through the door. He entered into a hospital room. A 22 year old Rhee laid on the hospital bed, writhing in pain. He closed his eyes he didn't want to see her like that.
"I called Micheal," Rita said. He didn't even see her beside Rhee at first. Wait, Micheal? That jerk was here?! Rhee's first husband. He took a deep breath. "Hello? Are you the doctor?"
"Not exactly," the Doctor said.
"Don't be playing around here," Rita said bitterly. "We've been waiting for hours! My daughter could be dead by the time this hospital gets it's head out of it's ass!" He was taken back by her actions. Wait. Did he hear right? No!
"What do you mean dead?" he asked.
"Dead!" she shouted. "As in no longer living! How stupid can you be?!"
"I mean why is she dying?" he asked.
"She's pregnant," she said. "But she's having lots of abdomen pains. Her doctor thinks it's an-"
"Ectopic pregnancy," he finished in disbelieve. Then everything faded again. What's going on? Wait! There's a theme to these memories. Death. These are the memories where death effected her the most. That means the next one is- Suddenly he was outside her old apartment as it was burning down. Rhee was screaming and crying while Tacaria held her. But behind Tacaria and the younger Rhee was his Rhee. He walked up to her.
"What do you want?" she asked a bitterly. She sounded different. She looked like his Rhee but didn't quite sound like her.
"Who are you?" he asked.
"I'm Rhee," she said.
"No," he said. "You don't sound like my Rhee. And your body language is different." He pulled out the Sonic and pointed it at her.
"Well aren't you so smart," she said bitterly. "I'm Rhee but I'm not."
"What the hell do you mean?" he asked as anger rose to the surface.
"Hmm.." she said. "How to explain me." She thought for a minute then it came to her. "The Valeyard."
"The Valeyard?!" he asked in shock.
"Yes," she said. "I'm the equivalent to your Valeyard. Kind of, but not really but it's the closest thing I can compare myself to. You can call me Ombre for lack of a better name."
"Shadow," he said bitterly. "But how did you come into being?"
"The same way yours did," she said with a smug smirk. "Fear, doubt, anger, regret, and my personal favorite despair." He looked confused so she continued. "When Rhee became a Time Lady, her broken mind and heart now felt all the pain on a higher level. She had a hard time cooping so I was created in her head to deal with the extra pain. So you could call me a hidden personality but that wouldn't be giving me enough credit. After all there is a possibility that I might come out as a regeneration once she can coop with the pain of her past."
"So you deal with her extra pain?" he asked.
"Well I say deal, but I really mean re-channel as she always does," she said.
"I want to talk to Rhee," he said firmly.
"That might be a bit difficult," she said. "She shut herself down."
"I know," he said sadly. "I caused it. And it hurts even now that she is shut down because of me."
"I can see how much you feel bad for what happened," she said. "So if you look in the fire, you'll find her there, but I'll tell you this. It's not your fault."
"I know I did this!" he exclaimed.
"No," she said. "You'll see." She walked away. He took that as cue to go find his Rhee. He walked straight into the fire of the apartment. He honestly thought he would be burned by the flames but he was unharmed by the flames. If anything the flames were cold. Freezing even.
"Rhee?" he asked as the flames faded and he found himself somewhere else. It was a small park, in the middle of a neighborhood. On one side of the park was a monument. It was small but he was more concerned about what or rather who was lying atop the monument. His Rhee laid atop the monument. She looked beaten and broken. He approached her carefully not knowing what to expect. As he got closer he noticed that there was something on her. It looked like a large leech, but he recognized it. Now he knew what Ombre meant by it's not his his fault. This was the cause of Rhee's broken state, a Tristitia Caeperat. An alien leech that feeds on sadness, and enhances sadness that is already in the victim's heart. Even on Time Lords, actually if he was being honest with himself they effected Time Lords worse than most other races. That scared him. But when did she pick it up? Was it on someone on Hedgewick's World and it found Rhee more appetizing? It didn't matter. He had to save her. He ran to her and the leech hissed at him.
"The Doctor was using me," he heard Rhee mummer. "Everyone uses me. Everyone hates me." Those comments hurt him, but knowing her past he could see why she felt like that under the infuse of the leech.
"I would never use you!" he exclaimed. She looked at him with blank eyes. "I love you!"
"The Doctor doesn't love you," the leech trilled. "After all he only wants you because he believes the two of you are the last of Time Lords."
"No!" he exclaimed. "I would still love you even if you would have remained human!"
"The Doctor can't love you," it hissed. "He only bonded with you because he wanted to rid himself of his loneliness. Anyone would have-"
"You're wrong!" he shouted. "I love Rhee with both my hearts!"
"But how?" she said. "How can you love me?"
"I ask you the same question," he said. "I love you and I don't have a reason." He watched as color came back slowly to her face. "I will never need a reason. I just do."
"'If you know why love someone then it isn't real love at all'," she said quoting Eagle from Magic Knight Rayearth. She sat up and smiled at him. "I forgot. I was so hurt because I hurt you then you yelled at me that I forgot what's most important. Love." Suddenly the leech screamed and went to attack the Doctor. But before it reached it target, it was cut in half.
"Damn bug," Ombre said. "I'd been trying to get rid of it for a while now. There are differences between me and your Valeyard. I'm only in her head for one. I'm not evil."
"Thanks," Rhee said as she looked straight at the Doctor.
"And she can't see me," Ombre said. He nodded and she disappeared.
"Please tell me how you die," he begged.
"I can't because you'll be too worried about saving me that you won't save two universes," Rhee said softly with a soft smile. "I need you to not think on what I said. I'll be fine as long as I am able to do what needs to be done. Which means I may have to leave your side for a time." He opened his mouth to argue. "But don't worry I have a plan." She gave him a brighter smile.
"I love you," he said.
"I love you too," she said. "But it's time we got out of here." He opened his eyes to see her looking back at him with love in her eyes. "I mean it, I'll be fine. Just let me do what I have to do." He nodded and let her go. Jackie reentered the apartment and he jumped up and ran out the door. Rhee smiled.
"So it's all sorted then?" Jackie asked.
"Yeah," Rhee said as she stood up and went to follow him. "You should come too."
"But why?" Jackie asked as she did follow.
"You'll get to see Rose again," Rhee said. "Just don't tell the Doctor I told you." She walked with Jackie to the TARDIS and he came out with a device that looked like it was straight out of the Ghostbusters movie.
"'Who you going to call?'" he asked.
"Ghostbusters!" she laughed. It did his hearts good to hear her laugh again.
"'I ain't afraid of no ghosts!'" he said as he danced around like the madman he is. It did her hearts good that he was not mad at her anymore. He looked at Jackie. "When's the next shift?" He pulled metal cones out of the TARDIS. He placed them around in a triangle.
"Quarter to." Jackie answered as he ran around making sure the cones were ready. "But don't go causing trouble. What's that lot do?"
"Triangulates their point of origin." he said. "This lot are transposing themselves over the whole planet. Like tracing paper."
"You're always doing this." Jackie complained. "Reducing it to science. Why can't it be real? Just think of it, though. All the people we've lost. Our families coming back home. Don't you think it's beautiful?"
"I think it's horrific." he said. "Lady, give us a hand." Rhee nodded. She already knew what he needed so she took the power cable inside the TARDIS and pulled it in. She moved to the monitor and got in place. He stepped inside the TARDIS, he watched her with great amusement and pride. Jackie stepped in behind them and watched them with amusement as well.
"So, as soon as the cones activate, if that line goes into the red," Rhee said showing that she knew what to do. "I press that button there. If it doesn't stop-" She reached into her pocket and grabbed her Sonic out. "Setting fifteen B. And I hold it against the port, eight seconds and stop."
"You have your own Sonic?" he asked.
"Yeah," she said. "Jess made it for me." He starred at her in shock. "And if it goes into the blue, activate the deep scan on the left." She grabbed the deep scan switch to show him she knew where it was.
"Right!" he exclaimed with a smile that told her how proud he was of her. "Two minutes to go?" He ran back outside and activated the cones. "What's the line doing?"
"It's alright." she shouted at him. "It's holding!"
"The two of you look in sync," Jackie said. "Almost as if you think as one. Is that something to do with your bond?"
"No," Rhee said. "I've always known what he needs."
"How?" Jackie asked. "He's an alien."
"I am too," Rhee reminded her.
"But you weren't when we met," Jackie said.
"But now that I really think on it," Rhee said. "I've never been truly human. Not really. I mean physically I've always been human but mentally I've never felt human. Hell, if you would have heard some of my rants you'd thought I was an alien already." She laughed.
"Here we go!" the Doctor shouted from outside.
"It's working." she yelled to him. "It says delta one six."
"Come on then, you beauty!" the Doctor shouted. She rolled her eyes. That was so the Doctor calling Tech beautiful. "Don't like that much, do you? Who are you? Where are you coming from? Whoa!"
"Be careful!" she shouted at him.
"That's more like it!" he exclaimed. "Not so friendly now, are you?" She didn't notice that Jackie had climbed up to the ledge and was sitting there waiting for them to get done.
"I said so!" he exclaimed as he put in the coordinates to Torchwood Tower. "Those ghosts have been forced into existence from one specific point, and I can track down the source. Allons-y!" He danced around the console and as he danced Rhee noticed Jackie. "You were right about Allons-y! I love saying it! Allons-y! Look sharp, Love! Allons-y! You know what I should do is find someone named Alonso so I can say 'Allons-y Alonso' every time! You're staring at me."
"Yeah," Rhee said. "Jackie's still on board."
"If we end up on Mars," Jackie said bitterly. "I'm going to kill you." The TARDIS signals that they have landed. He turned on the scanner to see guards fill the room they landed in. But Rhee found it odd that they didn't have their weapons drawn like they did in the show.
"Oh well there goes the advantage of surprise." he said. "Still, cuts to the chase. Stay in here, look after Jackie." He walked to the doors.
"I'm not going to look after Jackie," she said as she chased after him.
"Well, you brought her." he complained as he turned to look at them then turned back.
"I was kidnapped!" Jackie exclaimed as Rhee got in front of him.
"You're not leaving without something," she said blocking his path.
"And what would that be?" he asked with an eyebrow raised.
"This," she said as she kissed him fully on the lip, almost knocking him over. He quickly recovered and kissed her back. They broke the kiss when Jackie cleared her throat reminding them that she was there. "Be careful, 'cause they have guns."
"And I haven't." he said with a big goofy grin. "Which makes me the better person, don't you think?" Rhee nodded. "They can shoot me dead, but the moral high ground is mine." She laughed lightly at his antics. She moved so she could see through the door. Jackie moved so she could see too. They watched as a blonde haired woman ran in. That's not Yvonne. This woman was tall, almost as tall as the Doctor, she wore a t-shirt that said 'Rule #32 Enjoy the little things'. Well they couldn't see part of it, because over the top of the t-shirt she wore a suit jacket. But Rhee recognized the rule from Zombieland. The woman also wore a pair of jeans with converse.
"Amazing!" the woman exclaimed, sounding very American. "It's so wonderful to meet you!"
"Er, thanks. Nice to meet you. I'm the Doctor." he said nervously.
"Oh, yes. Yes, you are," she said with a smug smirk.
"You, you've heard of me, then?" he said.
"Well of course I have," she said happily. "If it weren't for you, none of us would be here. The Doctor and the TARDIS."
"And you are?" he asked.
"Oh," she said. "Forgive me, I'm Aisha Smith."
"Aisha?" he asked. "That sounds similar to a friend's name."
"It does?" she asked. "Well, as memory serves, you have a companion with you. The Doctor and the Lady. So where is the Lady? I can't wait to see her again. But I just this is the first time she met me."
"Yes. Sorry. Good point." he said. "She just got a bit held up." He reached into the TARDIS and grabbed the first person he felt. Which just so happened to be Jackie. "Here she is." He looked at Jackie and frowned. "Hmm. She's not the best I've ever had. Bit too blonde. Not too steady on her pins. A lot of that. And just last week, she stared into the heart of the Time Vortex and aged fifty seven years. But she'll do."
"I'm forty." Jackie protested. Aisha looked at Jackie strangely but didn't argue. Instead she smiled at the Doctor.
"Deluded." he said. "Bless. I'll have to trade her in. Do you need anyone? She's very good at tea. Well, I say very good, I mean not bad. Well, I say not bad-" He stopped when he got hit with the door for being rude. "Anyway, lead on. Allons-y. But not too fast. Her ankle's going."
"I'll show you where my ankle's going." Jackie whispered as Aisha led the way. Leaving Rhee alone in the TARDIS. She grabbed her Sonic off the console, then ran to their room to get her psychic paper and finally she made sure she had her phone. She poked her head out of the TARDIS to see if the coast was clear but they were now transporting the TARDIS. She saw the Doctor and he nodded to her. She hoped that was him giving her permission to do what she had to do. She ducked back in and waited for them to stop moving the TARDIS.
After the TARDIS stopped moving she poked her head out again and looked to see if anyone would notice her get out. No one was around, she sighed. She stepped out and straightened the suit to look more professional. She saw a lab coat and grabbed it, then put it on. She buttoned it so that she looked like everyone else. She walked, like she owned the place and no one noticed her. She got on to a computer and used the Sonic to get past the password screen. She searched the database for Ianto and Lisa. Ianto was easy to find she knew his last name but she couldn't remember Lisa's. But Rhee finally found a file that talked about Ianto and Lisa dating. Rhee thanked the Goddess for Jack. Because the file was written by Jack. She was going to have to give that man a large hug. She found out that Lisa was on the same floor Rhee was on but Ianto was assigned to the Sphere Lab with Rajesh and Samuel, who she knew was really Mickey. But she found another person on the Sphere Lab roster that she didn't know, a Jenny Anderson. There was no females in the Sphere Lab in the show. Could it be Rose? Rhee pushed the thoughts aside and closed the computer out, making it look like she was never there.
She got up and walked to where she would find Lisa. She sighed. She knew nothing about Lisa. So how was Rhee going to save someone she knew nothing about. On her way to the office Lisa was at, Rhee saw a coffee maker. Light bulb. She grabbed a cup of coffee with half milk so that way it was cool. She took a small drink of it as she walked. She was going to need the caffeine. She got to the office and instantly spotted Lisa. Rhee was in luck Lisa was wearing white. Rhee smiled in greeting as Lisa watched Rhee enter the office but then Lisa turned back to her work. Rhee pretended to trip on something and split the coffee all over Lisa's white shirt.
"You clumsy bitch!" Lisa exclaimed.
"I'm so sorry," Rhee said. "I'll pay for you to have it dry cleaned. Here." She reached into her pockets and pulled out the Doctor's wallet. She gave Lisa all that he had in the wallet. Lisa gave Rhee a confused looked. It was obvious that Rhee knew nothing of British money.
"Thank you," Lisa said nervously. The she took the money. She went to show her boss what had happened. Rhee using her Time Lady sense of hearing heard the boss agree to let Lisa go home to change. Rhee did a happy dance in her head. Now Lisa would be out of the building when the Cybermen appear. Rhee walked out and down to the Sphere Lab. She used the psychic paper to get in then shoved it down into her pockets. She walked in unprepared for the effects of the Sphere. She just starred at it.
"Can I help you?" Rajesh said.
"It's different than they said," Rhee said. She felt something from it not an emotion or anything physical. It was more a spiritual feeling.
"Try not to look." he said. "It does that to everyone. What do you want?"
"Ah, yes." she said. "Sorry. I was transferred from Torchwood Three. I'm your newest analyst."
"I hadn't heard anything," he said. "Can I see your authorization?"
"Jack said he was sending it over," she said.
"I haven't reserved anything," he said. "Do you have your ID from Torchwood Three?" She wanted to face-palm. Of course he was going to ask for your ID.
"Of course," she said. She pulled out the psychic paper and hands it to him.
"That's lucky." he said. "You see, everyone at Torchwood has at least a basic level of psychic training. This paper is blank, and you're a fake. Seal the room. Call security. Samuel, can you check the door locks? She just walked right in." She looked over to see Mickey and she smiled. He gave her a thumbs up. Who does that anymore?
"Doing it now, sir." he said.
"Well, if you'd like to take a seat." Rajesh said as he pulled out a chair by the computer. He pulled up a chat service with web-cam. "Aisha?" Rhee watched as the woman appeared on the screen. Aisha's face lit up at the sight of Rhee and she found it strange. "I think you should see this. We've got a visitor. We don't know who she is, but funnily enough, she arrived at the same time as the Doctor."
"She yours?" Aisha asked as she spun the laptop around. Rhee could now see the Doctor and Jackie behind him. Rhee saw in his eyes that he was happy to see her but he didn't let it show on his face.
"Never seen her before in my life." he said nearly convincingly.
"Well then we can have her memory erased and have her dumped into the street." Aisha said sounding heartless.
"Oh, all right then." he said as his eyes shown his anger but it wasn't heard in his voice. "It was worth a try. That's, that's the Lady."
"Greetings," Rhee said with a small wave of her hand. She hated being on a web-cam. "Sorry, Love."
"I know," Aisha said. He gave her a strange look that she ignored. "So who's she really?"
"I'm Jackie Tyler," Jackie said. "Her adopted mother."
"You travel with her mother." Aisha teased sounding like she was going to laugh.
"He kidnapped me." Jackie protested. Rhee rolled her eyes.
"Please, when Torchwood comes to write my complete history, don't tell people I traveled through time and space with her mother." he begged and Rhee laughed.
"Charming." Jackie said.
"I've got a reputation to uphold." he said almost sounding like he was whining.
"What's up everyone?" Aisha said. "I told you to stop the Ghost shift! Adi. Step away." Rhee grimanced at the name. Adeola. Rhee knew she couldn't save the young woman but that didn't stop Rhee from feeling bad that she died. "Matt, Gareth stop!"
"Aisha, I thought you said the next Ghost Shift was canceled." Rajesh said. "What's going on? Aisha?" Suddenly the Sphere started to make a banging noise. Mickey and a woman that Rhee couldn't see her face, ran to the scanners. "It can't be. It's active!" Rajesh ran to a different scanner. Then back to the computer where Rhee sat. "We've got a problem down here. Aisha, can you hear me?" The Sphere began to shake. "Aisha, for God's sake. The sphere is active! The readings are going wild! It's got weight, it's got mass, an electromagnetic field. It exists!" Then there was a large clank heard from the door.
"What the hell was that?" Rhee asked.
"The door's sealed." he said. "Automatic quarantine. We can't get out!"
"It's all right, Rhee." Mickey said as he grabbed his gun and stood beside Rhee. Rose stood on the other side of Rhee with a gun as well. "We've beaten them before, we can beat them again. That's why I'm here. The fight goes on."
"They're not what you think," Rhee said.
"How would you know?" Rose asked.
"Because I do," Rhee said. She then saw Ianto in the room that was a joined to the one they were in. She ran to Ianto. "We'll be saver in a group. Allons-y!" She grabbed his hand and pulled him to Mickey and Rose. Rajesh was cowering behind Mickey.
"We had them beaten, but then they escaped." Mickey explained to Rajesh. "The Cybermen just vanished. They found a way through to this world, but so did we."
"What are Cybermen?" Rajesh asked. "And what's inside that sphere?"
"No one knows." Mickey said. "Cyber Leader, Cyber King, Emperor of the Cybermen. Whatever it is, he's dead meat."
"It's good to see you." Rose said to Rhee.
"Yeah. It's good to see you," Mickey said.
"It's nice to see you two too," Rhee said. "But you're wrong Mickey, what's in that Sphere is much worse than that." He gave her a strange look.
"Can anyone hear me?" Rajesh shouted at his radio. "Come on, I need help down here! I need-" He was cut off by the Sphere creaking and a loud thunk. Mickey and Rose threw off their earpieces and lab coats.
"Here we go." he said. Rhee sighed, she held on to Ianto's hand tightly. Ianto stayed quiet. Rhee figured that he either thought that it was because he was confused or scared. Probably a bit of both. He was always a bit quiet in the beginning of Torchwood. "I know what's in there, and I'm ready for them. I've got just the thing." She shook her head at Mickey. "This is going to blast them to Hell."
"Samuel, how do you know?" Rajesh said.
"The name's Mickey. Mickey Smith." Mickey said. The Sphere lowered and finally he knew what Rhee meant by it's much worse than Cyberman. Because four Daleks came out of the Sphere. She wanted to cry. "That's not Cybermen."
"Oh, my God." Rose said.
"Location, Earth. Life forms detected. Exterminate!" Dalek Sec said. Rhee could never forget these Daleks. Because they were the Daleks she never wanted to meet the Cult of Skrao. Never ever. But she knew she would. Daleks with names and feelings were scary and what Caan becomes later on is worse.
"Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate!" They all chanted and Rhee felt the fear of everyone in the room. The air was thick with it. Wait, that's right the Cyberman appear at the same time. This wasn't just the fear of everyone in the room it was the fear of the whole world she felt. She swallowed hard trying to block out the fear from everyone else the best she could. She wasn't ready for this.
Notes: I am doing daring things that I hope that you all will enjoy the changes i have made. Hehe. Thanks readers and reviewers.