I trudge up the stairs, my new book heavy in my arms, and tears falling down my face. I hadn't seen Amelia in awhile, so I quickly glance in her room. Asleep, thank God. I then notice just how large the crack is, and the noise in the back of my head was getting louder.
Prisoner Zero has escaped.
My eyes narrow in pain as the message blares in my head. Gonna have to get used to that. I gaze sadly at Amelia's packed bag before heading out of the room again. Examining the room across from hers, I fall onto the bed. I close my eyes and almost instantly fall asleep.
Six Years Later
Prisoner Zero has escaped.
The loud voice wakes me with a start. It's been doing that ever since the Doctor left, it's starting to get old. I get out of bed and pull on some clothes before heading across the hall to Amy's room.
"Knock knock," I say, tapping lightly on her door. She looks up from her TARDIS drawing and smiles at me.
"Morning," she greets cheerfully.
"Your aunt phoned last night," I tell her, the smile immediately dropping from her face. "She wants you to meet with another psychiatrist today."
"What did you tell her?"
"I told her that after you bit the fourth one last week, you shouldn't see another so soon." She laughs at that, her smile returning. "You're almost seventeen, you can take care of yourself."
"Thanks Jo."
"So, anyways, what do you want for breakfast?" I ask, changing the topic.
"Actually, I'm meeting Rory for breakfast in an hour," she tells me, standing up.
"Oh, well okay. Say hi to him for me, and bring him around sometime."
"Will do." I smile once again and leave the room. Heading back to my room, I pick up my sonic and scan the room. Normal again, dammit. I slip it into my pocket and head downstairs, my stomach growling loudly.
"Hello! Anybody home?" I hear from the door.
"Kitchen, Scully!" I yell back, smiling. She enters, giving me a quick peck on the cheek before opening the fridge.
"Is that a pen in your pocket or are you pleased to see me?" She asks jokingly, pouring herself a glass of milk.
"Shut up," I smile. "You're the only one in this godforsaken town that believes Amy and me."
I have my reasons, you know.
Yeah, I know.
"Good." She sits at the table, munching on some dry cereal. I pull up a chair and sit across from her.
"You could just have a regular bowl of cereal, you know that right?"
"Yeah, so?"
"Nothing, I guess."
"So," Scully starts, her mouth full of cereal. "Has anything changed with Prisoner Zero?"
"Not yet," I answer. "I feel like I'm missing something."
"Besides the Doctor?"
"Yes, besides the Doctor. I feel like there's something I'm not quite seeing, like it's in the corner of my eye."
"Weird."
"Yeah, it's probably nothing, though."
I think we both know this is not nothing.
"Shut up Scully." I stand from the table, putting her now empty cup into the sink. "Stay as long as you like, show yourself the door when you're ready."
"Where are you going?" She calls as I start up the stairs.
"Investigating."
"Without the Doctor?"
"Obviously."
That's my girl.
I smirk at her statement, opening my bedroom door. Pulling out my sonic, I scan the room again, finding no difference than earlier this morning. I sigh in annoyance and plop on my bed, my eyelids growing heavy. Just a quick nap, I promise. A quick nap, and you'll wake up with the Doctor by your side. He'll be back for us.
"In your dreams," I mumble to myself, slowly falling asleep.
Six Years Later, The Doctor's Return
I sit in the park, glad that the fresh air is doing some good on me. Twelve years cooped up in that house, twelve lousy years without the Doctor. I smile as I remember the little girl we startled when we first landed. How much she's grown. I'm startled out of my thoughts when my phone starts ringing, so I quickly answer it.
"Hello Amy!" I say cheerfully.
"He's back," is all she says, and my smile droops from my face.
"When?" I ask in return.
"He barged in here five minutes ago, I hit him with a cricket bat. Come home soon, please."
"I'll be right there, put on your policewoman costume. If he wakes up before I get there, play the part."
"Got it." She hangs up on her end, and I immediately stand up. This town isn't that big, I can run fast, I can get there in under ten minutes. I rush to get home, even sprinting down a few side roads to get there quickly. I make it in my record time, 2 minutes and 32 seconds. Skipping steps on the stairs, I stand at the landing short of breath, spying the Doctor handcuffed unconscious to the heater at the end of the hall. Amy comes out of her room, putting her hair in a bun.
"That was fast," she comments, tying her hair back.
"Record," I say before heading into my room to get changed.
Prisoner Zero will vacate the human residence or the human residence will be incinerated.
The message blares in my head as I finish putting on my costume. Great timing! I have to deal with the Doctor and Prisoner Zero at the same time, lucky me! I try and push the message to the back of my head, sighing gratefully when I succeed. Glad Scully taught me a few things. I walk back out into the hall, noticing how the Doctor is starting to stir.
"Call in for backup, and play along," I whisper quickly to Amy, who reaches for her fake radio on her shoulder.
"White male, mid twenties, breaking and entering. Send us some back up, we've got him restrained," she starts as he finally opens his eyes. He clears his throat and tries to look at her directly.
"Cricket bat, I'm getting cricket bat," he says finally, making me smile.
"You were breaking and entering," I say, wiping the smile from my face. He suddenly tries to stand up, the handcuffs preventing him from doing so.
"Great. Brand new me, whack on the head, just what I needed," he explains, his eyes drifting to me. "You're policewomen."
"And you were breaking and entering," Amy says again, really not letting go of her character.
"I'm looking for Amelia Pond; cute, redheaded, Scottish girl, and Jo; strong headed, independent, blonde woman." My eyes widen a bit at his descriptive words. "I promised five minutes, but the engines were phasing. I'm guessing I went a bit far. Has something happened to them?"
"Those two haven't lived here for a long time," I bluff, staring him in the eyes.
"How long?" He asks again, his face drooping in disappointment.
"Six months," I say randomly, and he leans against the heater.
"No, can't be six months," he says in disbelief. "I said five minutes, I promised."
Guess we know how well you keep your promises.
He looks up at me, but I avoid his gaze to look at Amy.
"Call Sarge, tell him he knows information about Amelia Pond." She does, turning around and whispering nonsense into her shoulder.
"I need to speak with whoever lives in this house right now," The Doctor says, looking at me as if he can see into my soul.
"We live here," Amy states from where she is at the end of the hallway.
"But you're policewomen."
"Yes, and this is where we live! You got a problem with that?"
"How many rooms?" He asks, out of the blue.
"What?" Amy is as confused as I am, but it instantly snaps into place in my head. Perception filter! That's why if felt out of the corner of my eye.
"How. Many. Rooms?"
"Five," she states matter-of-factly.
"Six," I correct, earning a look of surprise. "Your room, my room, bathroom, spare room, and linen closet." I point at each in turn. "Perception filter." I point to the end of the hallway.
"How do you know that?" Amy asks, almost in disbelief.
"Corner of your eye," I tell her, turning around slowly. Almost as magic, the door appears, and I almost head instantly for it.
"Don't go in there, Prisoner Zero is here!" The Doctor calls, and I stop with my hand on the doorknob.
"Oh yeah?" I respond, turning to look at him. "He's been missing for years, we're sure he's dead. And Prisoner Zero is an alias, we found that out ages ago. Policewomen, remember?" I say, acting like a real policewoman, and open the door and walk in, ignoring the Doctor's shouts of protest. It's dark, and I stumble around for the light switch. I can hear the handcuffs rattling, and the Doctor ask for his screwdriver.
"Must have rolled under the door, is it in there?" He calls, but as I turn on the light, chills travel around my body.
"Rolled under the door, and jumped on the table?" I ask, starting to feel scared.
"Get out of there!" He shouts.
"Gladly!" I turn around, but too slowly as a slimy alien creature floats into my vision. It hisses at me as I panic and stand still, staring. Gathering all my willpower, I rush out the door and into the hallway. I toss the Doctor his sonic, and he quickly locks the door. He tries to get himself out of the handcuffs, but his sonic doesn't work as quickly as it should.
"Oh, what's the big bad alien done to you?" He asks it, as if it could reply. I grab mine out of my pocket and quickly undo the handcuffs when he's not looking.
"Let's get out of here!" Suddenly a man walks out of the room I was just in, growling. I know what it's called, what is it? Yes! Multi-form! Instead of heading for us, he goes into the spare room, allowing us to run down the stairs and out the door.
"Whoa! That shed was in pieces last time I was here," The Doctor tells us, heading for it.
"Yes, and then I fixed it. Come on," I say.
"It looks old, at least ten years." He sticks out his tongue and licks it. "Twelve years. I'm not six months late, I'm twelve years late. Why did you say six months?"
"Why'd you say five minutes!?" I cry back emotionally, and the Doctor falls back slightly.
"Jo," he starts, but I grab his arm and drag him away from the house.
You left, the least you could do is remember us.
I did.
"Barely," I say aloud, getting a sympathetic look from the Doctor.
"Wait a minute, then you're Amelia Pond!" He exclaims, looking at Amy. "You're the little girl."
"You're late."