Okay everyone like i said in my A/N (Disgusted at the sound of that thing) I had to start again and now I m re-writing it and adding a few things like the little twist i thought of about 10 minutes ago, so... I don t own doctor who blah blah blah, enjoy...
Now to say that this morning when i woke up was awkward would be an understatement...
i fell asleep last night and now i wake up with half my body on his chest, you know what i mean, head in his neck pressed chest to chest, well when i tried to escape this awkward position not only did the hand around my waist tighten but so did the one that i hadn't noticed buried in my hair. Trapped that s what i was, he may look tall and toothpick like but he is strong as hell, and now that i think about it you can feel the muscles on his chest...
NO! No don t go there, stop it, bad girl. His breathing patterns changed and i knew he would be waking up in a minute so i did the only thing my panicked mind could think of...
Fake sleeping...
Yup fake sleeping the worst thing to do, i had to concentrate because he was now nuzzling my head and I can scream nor stop breathing, this sucks... his breathing suddenly hitched and now i think i am not his pillow, though he sure is comfy...
Slowly i felt him un wind his arm from around my waist and release his grip on my hair, lifting me gently from his chest, i had to concentrate again so as not to make it seem obvious that I m awake, my head was placed on the pillow and i was over whelmed with his scent, so i turn my face to the side getting as much of it as i could but internally i freeze when his had rests on my cheek, he strokes it a moment and then i feel his presence leave and the door quietly open and close, i sigh and open my eyes.
'I'm acting like a love sick puppy...' i sit up and pull the covers off. I didn't want to get up, but despite my internal whining i walk over to the wardrobe and grab some clothes identical if not a little lower cut but the TARDIS seemed to want to play games, pulling the dirty top over my head i go to put the clean one on but something catches my eye from the mirror.
Walking over i look at my reflection and turn to see my back lifting my hair over my shoulder, there underneath my Phoenix tattoo was another one and my breath caught in my throat, it- No it's not, can t be- shouldn't be i- I- He can t find out, who knows how much trouble this would cause... i shake my head, pull the top over my head hurriedly and changing the last few articles of clothing i grab my coat and head down the hall 'time for 'Gridlock'',
'Not a word to him about this TARDIS, please...' i beg, she gives me a positive hum and i relax slightly muttering a quick thanks before i head into to the console room trying to act normal, the doctor looks up at my entrance and seems to freeze momentarily his eyes trailing lower than my face before he turns to the console, i sit by Martha as she sits quietly...
"Just one trip. 'S'what I said. One trip, in the TARDIS, and then home." He said happily, Martha looks up at him from her spot, "Although I suppose we could stretch the definition. Try one trip to the past, one trip to the future. How do you fancy that?" he asks still just as excited, i look away because i know he is not talking to me, i couldn t let him know i just, i couldn't i would only complicate things...
"No complaints from me!" Martha exclaims thrilled, excitement also filling her eyes,
"How about a different planet?" he asks, anything to get them to stay longer,
"Can we go to yours?" I wince as she asks this, i had forgotten about that question, the Doctor's excitement ebbs almost immediately and he turns away from us, i get up and go to his side, and grip his hand, i had to hold in a gasp, he didn t feel it, too far in his despair, i squeeze it and he looks at me and the pain in his eyes was like what i had been through was nothing compared to his, so much suffering so much self-loathing, i made up my mind right then i would fix him, he was broken and i would put him back together even if it killed me...
"Ahh, there's plenty of other places!" he says
"Come on, though! I mean, Planet of the Time Lords, that's got to be worth a look! What's it like?" Martha persists and i felt him flinch slightly,
"Well, it's beautiful, yeah." the doctor says keeping his response short so as not to drown in memories.
"Is it like, you know, outer space cities, all spires and stuff?" Martha continues to ask not realising the pain she is putting him through and i had the urge to slap her for it,
"Suppose it is." His voice was getting distant and i tighten my grip hoping to ground him in the present,
"Great big temples and cathedrals!" she continues, now i flinch with him, he's so clearly avoiding this topic, but Martha is oblivious, lost in a cheerful imagination off what was now gone and corrupt in the end.
"Yeah." Keeping him grounded was never going to work...
"Lots of planets in the sky?" I shiver as i remember what was yet to come,
"The sky's a burnt orange, with the Citadel enclosed in a mighty glass dome, shining under the twin suns. Beyond that, the mountains go on forever slopes of deep red grass, capped with snow." his eyes were distant and his voice far away, he wasn t in the TARDIS anymore he was home... Martha is utterly enthralled.
"Can we go there?" She asks, i whirl around about to snap,
"Naah! Where's the fun for me? I don't want to go home! Instead " his hand squeezes mine tightly and i realise what i was about to do, it could mess up the timelines if i told her now, she had to hear from him... he begins to dance around the main console, tweaking settings as he goes, myself adjusting things discreetly.
"This is much better. Year five billion and fifty-three, planet New Earth! Second hope of mankind! Fifty thousand light years from your old world, and we're slap bang in the middle of New New York. Although, technically it's the fifteenth New York from the original, so it's New New New New New New New New New New New New New New New York. One of the most dazzling cities ever built." i had to agree but it wasn t at the moment though, i quickly run to my room for the three umbrellas, but the TARDIS was going to play with my room and only gave me two... fine then the doctor and Martha can share...
walking back i think about the sly look Martha had cast me in 1599, it puzzled me she should be jealous, i shake my head and go over to Martha or i would have if the doctor had not pulled me to the console and placed my hands on it in a silent message to hold on, i roll my eyes but do as he asks anyway, finally we land and the doctor throws on his overcoat, and leads us out of the TARDIS into the pouring rain shower. Martha scowls and hurriedly zips up her jacket i hand her and umbrella and go to open mine, and again Martha acts out of character, pushing me towards the doctor.
Now i am under said umbrella the doctor holding it and me beside him, this was not what i had planned, i needed to distance myself from him, i glanced back at Martha a few times only to see her smirking, now she's reminding me of a film where the best friend tries to make you admit your feelings...
It's still raining in the slummy portion of the city where Martha, the Doctor and I ended up. We strolled through a junk-ridden street, past what look like giant dumpsters and old laundry swinging from a line, Nice.
"Well, it looks like the same old Earth to me. On a Wednesday afternoon." Martha says
"Hold on, hold on. Let's have a look." the doctor replies, he pulls me over to a dead screen on the wall, and we hear the sonic screwdriver buzzing, Martha following. Once static appears, the Doctor bangs on the top of the screen himself, and Sally Calypso flickers into view, ahh just what we need a bunch of bullshi-
"and the driving should be clear and easy, with fifteen extra lanes open for the New New Jersey expressway." sally says (ha alliteration) the image on the screen shifts to reveal the New New York above ground, a gorgeous spired city on the coast of a large river, with sleek flying vehicles zooming in the air, in other words a lie.
"Oh, that's more like it! That's the New we had last time. This must be the lower levels. Down in the base of the tower, some sort of under-city." the doctor exclaims
"You've brought me to the slums?" she asks sounding irritated but smiling all the same,
"Much more interesting! It's all cocktails and glitter up there. This is the real city." the doctor says always looking at the bright side, welllll most of the time,
"Hmm i agree lots more action here..." i say
"You two'd enjoy anything." Martha says fondly, she's acting weird still,
"That's me." he says
"Of course i do" i say at the same time
"Oh, the rain's stopping! Better and better!" the doctor shouts cheerfully
"When you say "last time", was that you and Rose?" I flinch again, ow now there's his grave,
"Um yeah. Yeah, it was, yeah." the doctor stutters rubbing the back of his neck,
"You're taking me and Phoenix to the same planets that you took her?" Martha asks sounding upset,
"What's wrong with that?" the doctor asks defensively,
"Nothing. Just ever heard the word "rebound"?" she asks sounding pissed, as she pushes past him, vexed, a man suddenly flips open the top of the large green boxes to reveal a street vendor's cart. Around us, many others do the same, appearing and shouting out their wares.
"Oh! You should have said. How long you been there? Happy! You want Happy!" Pharmacist 1 says, i now dub him Happy,
"Customers! Customers! We've got customers!" Number 2 shouts,
"We're in business! Mother, open up the Mellow, and the Read!" and number three is now mellow...
"Happy, Happy, lovely happy Happy!" Happy shouts (Wow lots of happy there...)
"Anger! Buy some Anger!" Ah now number 2 is anger,
"Get some Mellow, makes you feel all bendy and soft all day long!" Mellow says sounding high, i don t like the use of anything remotely drug related so i cringe away,
"Younger, them. They'll rip you off. Do you want some happy?" Happy says trying to convince us
"No, thanks." The doctor says and i don t have to look at him to know he is frowning or have had to watch it you can hear it in his voice,
"Are they selling drugs?" Martha asks confused
"I think they're selling moods." the doctor corrects,
"Same thing, isn't it?" She says disdainfully, other, more bedragged-looking people walk into the alleyway behind us. These newcomers draw more cries from the pharmacists. A pale woman dressed in very dark clothes walks with intent toward the stalls.
"Over here, sweetheart! That's it, come on, I'll get you first!" mellow shouts to the girl
"Oy! Oy, you! Over here! Over here! Buy some Happy!" happy shouts trying to gain her attention,
"Come over here, yeah. And what can I get you, my love?" mellow asks the girl,
"I want to buy Forget." the girl says quietly,
"I've got Forget, my darling. What strength? How much you want forgetting?" mellow asks softly, i frown,
"It's my mother and father. They went on the motorway." the girl says,
"Oh, that's so sweet." mellow says, sweet how is that sweet what would she do if someone she loved left without her? She reaches behind her into the stall, pulls out a small circular token, and holds it out to the pale woman.
"Try this. Forget Forty-three. That's two pence." mellow says, the girl pays mellow and turns away, the token still in her hand. Before she can do anything with it, the Doctor stops her.
"Sorry, but hold on a minute. What happened to your parents?" he asks curious,
"They drove off." The girl says simply
"They might drive back." the doctor tries to reason,
"Everyone goes to the motorway in the end. I've lost them." he voice was now low and sad,
"But they can't have gone far. You could find them." he tries again, the girl just looks at him, then looks down with a sigh. She sticks the circular token to her neck.
"No, no no, don't!" he says but he is too late. Once the token was applied, the girl's expression changes almost instantly, she seems docile, serene; a bit out of it, but blithely unaware of her surroundings, it just wasn t right to do that emotions weren't to be played with.
"I'm sorry, what were you saying?" the girl asks politely, i cringe i couldn t do that i wanted to remember my family, i was human that's how i know what is on my back isn't possible, that would mean I m-
"Your parents. Your mother and father. They're on the motorway." the doctor says interrupting my train of thought
"Are they? That's nice." i cringe again this wasn t right i couldn t mesh the two images of this girl it was wrong, I look at Martha to see her making a disbelieving face, and look to the Doctor, as i look at his expression, he is disturbed, but not surprised.
"I'm sorry. I won't keep you." the girl says, we watch her go with frowns on our faces, mine more sympathetic the Doctor pensive, Martha upset and a little scornful.
"So that's the human race five billion years in the future. Off their heads on chemicals." she needed to understand and that was what i was going to do, make her understand,
"Really Martha would you not do the same in her position, she lost her parents, knowing that they weren t going to come back, how would you feel, if your parents had left you and wouldn t come back? Answer me Martha, Answer me that..." i felt the doctor wrap his arm around me and pull me into his chest, i relax slightly, "I'm sorry Martha but I m sure you would do the same if you were depressed, sometimes the pain is so real you just want it to end you want to feel numb, you want to forget, and i know that it's wrong but i understand that pain and I m sure you do as well but no one does as well as the doctor..." i say softly, and it was true no one knew as well as him.
Suddenly two figures spring out from behind her, carrying guns and dressed in dark clothing. The man (Milo) grabs her from behind, throwing an arm around her neck and dragging her off, as his wife (Cheen) stands in front of them pointing her gun at us, me knowing it is fake go to hit the woman but the doctor pulls me back and behind him. Martha screams and struggles, but they're quick they retreat, taking Martha with them.
"I'm sorry, I'm really, really sorry. We just need three, that's all." Milo says
"No, let her go! I'm warning you, let her go! Whatever you want, we can help. All of us, we can help. But first you've got to let her go!" The doctor says desperately,
"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. Sorry." Cheen says sounding as though she was sobbing, Cheen repeats her apologies, until the couple have disappeared with Martha in their clutches, slamming a large green door behind them. The Doctor bares his teeth in frustration and begins to wrestle with the door.
"Move!" I shout feeling rage once more, i hit the door just as he moves and it disintegrates, i don t wait for him as i run towards Martha s screams, Faster Faster FASTER! i push myself, i could change it i could...
"The Doctor and Phoenix are so gonna kill you, and never mind them, I'm gonna kill you myself! Let go of me!" I hear Martha shout, i couldn t help but smirk, confident until the end.
"Don't you dare! Don't put that stuff in me, don't! Get off me!" i hear, shit i had to get to her, "I'm telling you, don't!" I hear her voice again, i bolt into the ally seeing the load Martha on, the car rises into the air and the engines power up, just as the Doctor rushes out onto the fire escape.
"Martha!" We shout together, the vehicle speeds off down a small alleyway and out of sight.
XXX
The Doctor and I, back in the alleyway where we met the pharmacists his hand tightly clamping on mine as though i were going to be taken as well, pounds on the door of one of the now-closed stalls. It flips up quickly; behind it is Mellow. Seeing us, she grins broadly and leans toward us over the countertop.
"Thought you'd come back! Do you want some happy Happy?" She asks,
"Those people who were they? Where did they take her?" the doctor asks clearly restraining his anger, pissed and not going to take it anymore,
"They've taken her to the motorway." Happy says flipping his lid as well
"Looked like carjackers to me." Mellow commented,
"I'd give up now, darling. You won't see her again." Anger says, i force my hand free of the doctor and go over to him, he grins
"What do you want sweetheart?" he asks, i grab his shirt as he leans over the count and snarl
"You are going to be helpful or so help me you will be ash, am i understood?" i let go and he nods shakily,
"Used to be thriving in this place. You couldn't move. But they all go to the motorway in the end." Happy says sounding shaken, the doctor comes over to me and claims my hand again, he grills them all at once.
"He kept on saying three, we need three. What did he mean, three?" he asks,
"It's the car-sharing policy, to save fuel. You get special access if you're carrying three adults." Mellow answers
"This motorway how do we get there?" he questions
"Straight down the alley, keep going to the end. You can't miss it." Mellow says pointing left. The Doctor strides off in the direction she indicates pulling me as well, not losing a second.
"Tell you what how 'bout some happy Happy? Then you'll be smiling, my loves!" Ohhh bad idea, at this, the Doctor turns back.
"Word of advice, all of you. Cash up. Close down. And pack your bags." the doctor says seething
"Why's that, then?" Mellow
"Because as soon as we've found her, alive and well and we will find her, alive and well then we're coming back. And this street is closing. Tonight!" he says whirling around and continuing to drag me,
The pharmacists glance at each other, apprehensive.
In a dilapidated corridor, near an old sign reading "MOTORWAY ACCESS," the sonic screwdriver buzzes in the dim light. The Doctor is forcing open a large door; the lock opens with a loud clang and we step through onto a platform. He coughs, while i hold my breath, now in an atmosphere of heavy smoke, all hovering in the air is traffic jam from hell. Right in front of us, the door to one of the floating vehicles opens, and Brannigan, a large figure covered in protective gear, leans out.
"Hey! You daft little street struts! What are you doing, standing there? Either get out or get in! Come on!" he shouts to us, the doctor and i look at each other before he bursts into a Coughing fit, the Doctor pushes me through and then jumps through the open door into the car.
"Did you ever see the like?" Brannigan asks, sounding amazed at what he had seen, Valerie, a dark-haired woman in the car, hands the Doctor an oxygen mask, and he takes it gratefully and pushes it to my face, i try to push it away but he insists, so taking to lung fulls i push it away.
"I'm fine i was holding my breath" I says, he looks alarmed suddenly and reaches forward, checking my pulse, " I wasn't holding it for long I m still breathing and my heart his still beating" i reassure him putting the mask to his face,
"Just standing there, breathing it in!" Brannigan exclaims to Vale, He pulls off his goggles, cap, and scarf; he's a cat, i don t stare though knowing it would be rude and i already knew,
"There's this story says back in the old days, on Junction Forty-Seven, this woman stood in the exhaust fumes for a solid twenty minutes. By the time they found her, her head had swollen to fifty feet!" Brannigan continues on
"Oh, you're making it up." Vale says, Brannigan now heads to the front of the car, getting in the driver's seat.
"A fifty-foot head! Just think of it. Imagine picking that nose." ew
"Stop it. That's disgusting." Valerie says
"What? Did you never pick your nose?" he asks her. All joking forgotten, Valerie suddenly sits up straight and taps Brannigan on the arm.
"Bran, we're moving!" She says urgently,
"Right. I'm there. I'm on it." He says now serious as well. He pulls a lever on the console, and the engines in the back of the car spew out smoke. As they go forward, the other cars move into place around them; horns beep in every corner. They don't go far, though, and after a couple of seconds Brannigan draws the lever back.
"Twenty yards! We're having a good day." I shake my head knowing what he meant, Valerie smiles, and both of them now turn back to regard us, we're standing behind them and he is pulling off his oxygen mask, the doctor i mean.
"And who might you two be, sir, ma'am? Very well-dressed for a pair hitchhikers." he asks
"Thanks. Sorry, I'm the Doctor, and this is Phoenix." he says gesturing to me as he spoke my name,
"Medical man! Ha-ha! My name's Thomas Kincade Brannigan, and this is the bane of my life, the lovely Valerie." I smile sadly knowing i could never have that, Love.
Letting my mind wonder, i remember my parents liked to travel and would go all sorts of places, just before they passed away, i went on one of these adventures, now i didn t think they did this before then, but they liked to go to various parts of the world and explore, my luck happened to bring me to a tomb, in the jungle of course, puzzle after puzzle to make it to the artefact and of course, what s a tomb without traps, those were fun, -note the sarcasm- but they did make my reflexes sharper and i loved it, i didn t believe in magic at that time but i did after we got to the main room, (I watched tomb raider- sue me- don t i don t own that either) what we found there was a shimmering globe, and to be very honest that was where everything went downhill, that was the day i learnt how to use a gun, the statues had come to life and attacked us, statues for crying out loud... any way we got out and went home about a month later the nightmares started, fire monsters and lava, i was scared out of my mind and would wake up screaming, now they're vague and i can t make them out after i wake up just the lingering fear, another two months and my parents died, leaving me and my brother with my aunt Joan, only interested in money...
"What, they were born in here?" The doctor knocks me from my memories, i look at the cat in his arms and grab one gently from behind me stroking it, i felt the doctor's eyes on me again, and I raise an eyebrow
"We couldn't stop. We heard there were jobs going, out in the laundries on Fire Island. Thought we'd take a chance." Valerie says to him,
"What? You've been driving for two months?" Oh no doctor much longer than that,
"Do I look like a teenager? We've been driving for twelve years now." Brannigan says, it shocked me in the show this didn t affect me now,
"I'm sorry?" The doctor asks as though he hadn t heard him right,
"Yeah! Started out as newlyweds! Feels like yesterday." Brannigan says
"Feels like twelve years to me." Vale says good naturedly
"Ahh, sweetheart, but you're still lovely." Bran says, i smile again, He tickles her, and she giggles, their troubles forgotten.
"Twelve years?! How far did you come? Where did you start?" The doctor asks interrupting them
"Battery Park. It's five miles back." Bran answers
"You travelled five miles in twelve years?" The doctor says disbelievingly
"I think he's a bit slow." Bran says to vale. The Doctor reaches behind him and puts the kitten back with its brother's and sister's.
"Where are you from?" Valerie asks, i shrug, absently stroking the kitten,
"Never mind that, we've got to get out. My friend's in one of these cars. She was taken hostage. we should get back to the TARDIS." he says i put the kitten down. He pulls open the door next to him, but emerges into nothing but a cloud of smoke.
"You're too late for that. We've passed the lay-by." Brannigan says, i pull the doctor back inside and close the door, "You're a passenger now, Sonny Jim!"
"When's the next lay-by?" He asks urgently, i don t even glance at him,
"Six months, doctor..."
The Doctor doesn t seem to be amused by that piece of information as he flops into a seat.
We had been in here for about half an hour now and i was bored stiff, the sonic screwdriver was in front of a screen with the insignia of the New New York Police Department. The Doctor wanting to get through, he was holding the vocal transmitter. still not going to do any good though,
"I need to talk to the police." he says into the transmitter,
"Thank you for your call. You have been placed on hold." An electrical voice says, as these words are spoken, they also appear typed on the screen: THANK YOU FOR YOUR CALL. YOU HAVE BEEN PLACED ON HOLD i sigh there are no police...
"But you're the police!" the doctor exclaims, no I m not doctor I m Phoenix, i think amusedly,
"Thank you for your call. You have been placed on hold." the voice says once again
"Can i take it apart I m so bored..." I whine to the doctor, he looks at me and shakes his head, i pout put keep my hands away from the screen, the Doctor scrambles up to the front of the car where Brannigan and Valerie are still sitting.
"Is there anyone else? I once met the Duke of Manhattan; is there any way of getting through to him?" the doctor asks, no doctor he is dead... i put my hands in my coat pocket and feel something cold, i pull it out,
"YES!" i say making everyone jump and look at me, i rub my neck "Sorry go back to what you were discussing, i pull out my headphones, what i had found in the pocket of my coat was a phone and my headphones, music!
So i go through my list and find some songs the first one being 'Nightcore Marionette' (DONT own it...) and as this is playing i look at the people in front of me watching their mouths move but hearing none of their voice
Brannigan moves his mouth, then the doctor does
The n Valerie, the doctor says something after her, the song changes, 'Avril Lavigne's I m with you' ( Don t own) i only look at them now singing under my breath not audible to human ears,
THE DOCTOR What about the other cars?
No i know that the doctor is talking to the Cassini sisters, i never did like this conversation after about 3 minutes he hands Brannigan back the transmitter.
The music had changed a total of four times and the songs that had been played were:
A thousand miles- Vanessa Carlton Again- Flyleaf Jordan sparks- Tattoo and Breathing- Jason Derulo (I own none of them) now i am listening to Wide awake by Katy Perry, (You know what I m gonna say) i think the doctor is demanding that he be taken down to the fast lane...
After a minute he picks up the communicator and talks into it, i think it's Alice talks to but it could be May i can t remember. Brannigan reaches up and angrily takes the transmitter away from the Doctor.
The screen at the front of the car blares into life. It's the news starting up. Sally Calypso is on the screen with that smile on her face, Brannigan says something and Valerie smiles a bit.
Valerie and Brannigan start to sing, I take my earphones out and listen to the song the Doctor watches them.
On a hill, far away
Stood an old, rugged cross
The emblem of suffering and shame
And I love that old cross
Where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain
So I'll cherish the old, rugged cross, rugged cross
Till my trophies at last I lay down, I lay down
I will cling to the old, rugged cross, rugged cross
And exchange it someday for a crown.
By the end of the hymn, Valerie has got tears in her eyes. you could hear as everyone in the under city sang and the harmony was beautiful.
About five minutes later the doctor finally speaks,
"If you won't take us, we'll go down on our own." he says, i look at him and nod. He scrambles to the middle of the car, pulling out the sonic screwdriver and inspecting the floor. Brannigan and Valerie turn, shocked.
"What do you think you're doing?" Bran asks
"Finding our own way. We usually do." I say as i go to help the doctor lift the trap door,
"Capsule open." the computer voice announces, Valerie and Brannigan look on in horror as the door in the floor of the car opens, revealing the hundreds of cars below them. One pulls up right underneath the opening, and the Doctor and I prepare to jump down.
"Here we go." he says looking at me, he takes off his overcoat and throws it to them. Valerie catches it, i take mine off and place it on the seat i had sat on.
"Look after this. I love that coat. Janis Joplin gave me that coat." the doctor says looking at the coat,
"Can you look after mine to? I like it paid for it myself, designer, cost an arm and a leg, very fond of it," I say
"But you can't jump!" Valerie says horrified,
"If it's any consolation, Valerie, right now, I'm having kittens." i giggle at this and look at him ' i don t giggle, this is still very weird' i sigh
"Ready?"
"This Martha she must mean an awful lot to you two." Bran says
"Hardly know her. I was too busy showing off Phoenix just met her to. And I lied to her. Couldn't help it, just lied." he says, He looks up.
"Bye then!" He says, i couldn't help what came out next
"Allonsy!" He jumps down, landing on top of the next car and coughing from the fumes i hold my breath and jump down after him landing with a soft thump.
The Doctor draws the sonic screwdriver across the top of the car we just landed on, opening its top door. He drops into the car myself right after him, finding a man dressed all in white and looking very pale.
"Capsule open." the computer voice says
"Who the hell are you?" The white person says
"Sorry sir, Motorway Foot Patrol. We're doing a survey. How are you enjoying your motorway?" i ask in a pleasant voice, not at all caring urging the doctor to hurry up. He turns to the floor, opening the bottom door.
"Well, not very much. Junction Five's been closed for three years!" i wince, ouch that must have pressed some buttons over the years,
"Thank you. Your comments have been noted. Have a nice day!" the doctor says, he leaps through the bottom of that car me after him just as quickly, continuing down into the next one. He's still coughing the fumes are intense, I m holding my breath, and have the common sense to take a breath in the car before jumping.
"Capsule open."
The sonic screwdriver is quickly opening the bottom door of this car. The Doctor looks up at two very startled Asian girls in the front, i put on a present smile and say the same as before.
"Thank you for your cooperation. Your comments have been noted." the doctor says again, he picks up a blue handkerchief and starts to tie it over his mouth to stop him coughing.
"Do you mind if I borrow this? Not my colour, but thank you very much." he goes to pick up another one but i grab his hand and shake my head,
"Hurry up, I'm fine" i say, Down again this car has two very naked drivers, who look at us in utter shock. I honestly don t know where to look so settle for the ceiling and start the routine again, i was honestly bored with it, we had been through so many and my cheeks were beginning to hurt with the amount of smiling i had done, it looked plastic i know that much.
"Capsule open."
"Oh! Don't mind me." the doctor says. Into the next one, which is lit all in red, with a very large man in the front this could be a hot pot for the guy couldn t be healthy.
"Capsule open." that voice was starting to get to me, sure I m tolerant but this is ridiculous, The Doctor salutes him and we jump through this car as well.
Finally after having gone through so many we reach the bottom
"Capsule open."
The Doctor and I jump down. The businessman whirls to face us.
"'Scuse me, is that legal?" The businessman asks, i look at him with a smile,
"Sorry, Motorway Foot Patrol." the doctor says, but he's coughing too hard to finish the spiel.
"Sorry. Have you got any water? The fumes out there are wreaking havoc on his lungs" i say
"Certainly. Never let it be said I've lost my manners." the man says, he reaches over to a water cooler, filling a cone-shaped clear plastic cup and handing it to the Doctor. The Doctor drains it immediately.
"Is this the last layer?"
"Ah, we're right at the bottom. Nothing below us but the fast lane." the man says at the same time a say
"Yes."
"Can we drive down?" The doctor asks...
"We could but i really don t want to, i don t think we would make it..." the man says
"Why what's wrong with facing your fears?" the doctor asks, i slap him on the back of the head
"Don t be rude sweetie" shit it slipped out again... i sigh and shake my head,
"Well, I'd love to, but I'm not, sorry, i don t think you would either though..."
"If you'll excuse us." the doctor says pulling us over to the trap door, using his sonic screwdriver to flip it open.
"You can't jump. It's a thousand feet down!" the guy says sceptic
"No, we just want to look." the doctor says. He stares out into a thick, murky fog, dotted with tiny lights. Faintly, from the distance, comes the same screeching roar that Martha heard.
"What's that noise?" the doctor asks
"I try not to think about it." he replies
"What are those lights? What's down there?" the doctor continues to question, he coughs again, waving a hand in front of his face to sweep away the smoke. "I just need to see." he says, he runs up to the screen in the front of the car and points the sonic screwdriver at the display. He's getting manic now thinking of ideas.
"There must be some sort of ventilation. If I could just transmit a pulse through this thing, maybe I could trip the system, give us a bit of a breeze." yup and there is his brilliant mind at work again,
In the businessman's car, the Doctor is now playing with the wiring of the front console, helped by the sonic screwdriver he looked like a kid if I m honest. One of the wires snaps in his fingers.
"That's it! Might shift the fumes a bit, give us a good look." he exclaims, we stare out from the bottom of the car.
"What are those shapes?" the businessman asks. As they speak, huge snapping claws materialize in the fading smoke.
"They're alive." the doctor says
"Yes they are care to take a guess at which species they are?" i ask knowing the answer already,
"What the hell are they?" the man asks, "They" now appear to be extremely large crabs. The lights are their eyes.
"Macra." The doctor says with deadly recognition,
"The Macra used to be the scourge of this galaxy. Gas. They fed off gas, the filthier the better. They built up a small empire using humans as slaves and mining gas for food." the doctor explains to the man
"Doctor Martha is down there," i say urgency in my voice, one line going through my head 'Time can be rewritten'
"They don't exactly look like empire-builders to me." the guy says completely ignoring my concern for my friend,
"Well, that was billions of years ago. Billions. They must've devolved down the years and now they're just beasts. But they're still hungry and my friend's down there." the doctor continues to explain. A clank at the top of the businessman's car. Both of them look up and i look unconcerned at the intrusion. Novis Hame
"Oh, it's like New Times Square in here, for goodness's sake!" the business man complains, Novice Hame's feet dangle down, and she drops into the vehicle with them.
"We've invented a sport Phoenix!" the doctor looks at me grinning, i grin in return,
_
There we are for now i would like to thank everyone for their patience and all the views, reviews, followers, favourites and hope you enjoy the chapter
Shadow OUT!
XXX