Author's Note: As usual, I don't own the characters from Doctor Who. I just make them dance. Like puppets. Sorry, it took longer to get here than I thought it would. I just thought it would be kind of awful to be all "Aaaand she drove 3 hours to Cardiff and somehow snuck inside Torchwood 3. Ta-Da!"
TK: The simple explanation is, Jack has met Rose and the Doctor, but they haven't met him, yet. Multiple time travelers in a story can be a b#$%. :D PolkaDotTARDIS: In this story, the whole Meta-Crisis thing didn't happen. As stated earlier, the Dimension Canon didn't work. So, this Tom and this Martha belong to Pete's universe. I just rather liked Tom Milligan, for whatever reason, and I liked the notion of he and Martha together. So, in this universe, they are. If I gave him a different name, who would recognize who he's "supposed" to be? I don't think for most people he was a big enough character for the name "Milligan" by itself to trigger any recognition. Plus, I just don't see a problem with his name or a reason to change it. I still wanted Mickey to have someone so he's not just continually pining over Rose, so I gave him a family. Picked a name at random. I'm a rebel like that.
He was standing, facing the opposite wall when she came in. The cell was small, maybe 6x6, and a very utilitarian bunk hung form the wall to her right, eating up a lot of the limited real estate. He made no move to turn or acknowledge her presence, and she took that moment to study him. His appearance, his very existence, was still bewildering. She'd chosen her path, however; three hours' worth. So, she took a deep breath and began.
"So, who are you?" Rose asked, and at the sound of her voice, The Doctor actually turned. He appeared stunned a moment, and she was more than a little proud at that.
"You?" he asked, "You named me, and you want to know who I am?"
"Mistaken identity. Sort of. It happens."
"Right, so you're here to – what? Interrogate me?" he gave her that superior smile of his, and she flashed him a smug grin right back.
"I'm here to get you out," she said simply. His eyebrows rose, and her grin grew all the more smug. Between bluffing her way into a top secret bunker and speaking with this man who she knew so well and not at all, she was filled with a sort of manic giddiness.
"Hold on," he started, crossing his arms, "Aren't you the one who called in the troops, then?"
"I am not." She was being purposefully obtuse.
"But – you knew who I am."
"Not really, no." she said, honestly, "Just a familiar face. An educated guess." He considered her a moment, clearly not pleased with the lack of information she was providing.
"So, why do you want to help me, then."
"Thursday night. I was bored." She shrugged. As his face grew more guarded, more irritated, she cracked. A snort escaped her, and like that, she was laughing. Laughing at his expression, laughing at the absurdity of discovering his existence, and laughing at their imminent peril. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry" she wheezed, "We're about to get shot at, I couldn't help it." A grudging smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"Who are you?" he finally asked, straight out.
"I'm the Doctor's companion," she shrugged, "Just not from around here. Universe adjacent to this one. Least, I'm assuming it's adjacent, otherwise how did I end up, here?"
"Companion?" his amused curiosity was replaced with genuine interest, "'Universe adjacent?' You're – you're from a parallel universe?" Rose nodded, still trying her best to keep from laughing again. "And there's another Doctor, there, and you traveled with 'im?"
"And wound up here. Questionable retirement plan. Ought to have read the fine print."
"Well, in this economy…" he smiled, and Rose couldn't hold back a grin.
"Well, you're quick as him."
"Glad I pass muster."
"Maybe," she allowed, "But I'm not just here to rescue you."
"I don't need rescuing."
"I'm talking," Rose reminded, and he raised an eyebrow at her, "I'm here to assess whether or not I should help you escape. Like I said, I don't know you. You're not my Doctor, you're a Doctor. If you eventually escape on your own; and if you're really as clever as he is, you most certainly will; that's not on my head. But if have a hand in it, I need to be sure I'm not releasing the proverbial Kraken."
"Understandable," The Doctor allowed, rocking forward once on the balls of his feet, arms behind his back, "Afraid I can't help you, there."
"Why's that?"
"Because I shouldn't be released." He said, matter-of-factly, that patronizing smile she knew so well masking his face, "So, run along, now. Back to your parties and your mansion..."
"Back to hire a contractor to tear out a wall of my bedroom because the TARDIS sure as hell won't fit through the closet door…" she interrupted. Then, Rose took a step forward and looked squarely up at him, all humor gone, "I need a serious reply, Doctor. I'm here because The Doctor I knew made a difference in the universe. He healed lives, healed places, made them whole. If you're not that; if you're dangerous or destructive or, worse, apathetic, I can't have your escape on my conscience." She studied his face closely, and just as she hoped, she saw it. It was a moment, a flash of doubt and grief and agony in his gray eyes. It was everything.
"Go home," he said softly, "Go home and forget about me." Then, much to his surprise, the lovely blond woman in front of him smiled gently.
"Right, then." She said in soft triumph. Before he could react, she'd turned and knocked on the door. "Ready?" she grinned back at him.
"Ready for what?" he asked, incredulous. As the door gradually opened, Rose grabbed the edge and yanked it, and the guard tumbled into the cell. Without missing a beat, she reached behind her and took The Doctor's hand and pulled him along as she sprinted out the door. The Doctor caught up to his enigmatic rescuer in half a beat, and they made it clear, out into the hall, before the second guard could process what had just happened. Torn between shooting, giving chase, and helping his fallen associate, the stunned guard elected to radio ahead to the next checkpoint.
"He's not shooting," The Doctor huffed, "Why's he not shooting?"
"Want you alive," Rose wheezed back, "Keep runnin'." They darted right, up a short flight of stairs and barreled through a set of fire doors, conveniently just as the next set of guards had reached the same set of doors to intercept them. Both armed men were sent sprawling, all Kevlar and surprised epithets, onto the concrete. Rose and the Doctor staggered a bit, but managed to regain their balance and take up their pace once more. Ecstatic, Rose crowed at their luck, and they darted left around a bend and started down the final corridor before they could reach the lift that had brought Rose down here.
About that time, their luck ran out. The two men set to guard the lift were running down the hallway toward them. Rose and the Doctor stopped short, and the guards slowed to a stop halfway between them and the lift. There, one assumed a kneeling stance while the other remained upright.
"Halt!" the standing guard commanded, "You are in violation of…"
"Base station one, do not fire on prisoner. Repeat, do not fire on prisoner," interrupted someone over the radio. The man paused, weighing his response. "Base station one, do you copy?" The guard reluctantly took a hand off his rifle to key his mic.
"Roger, command, we have the prisoner and its accomplice."
"It?!" Rose and the Doctor protested simultaneously. The pair immediately looked at one another. Within a heartbeat, twin smiles crept across their faces.
"Do not fire on prisoner…" Rose repeated.
"Copy that," the Doctor answered. With that, they each tightened their grip on the other's hand and charged forward. The expressions on the guards' faces were priceless as the pair sprinted heedlessly toward their position. The man standing frantically fumbled with the mic on his shoulder as they drew near. Rose and the Doctor sped up.
"Command, this is base station one. Prisoner charging our position. Permission to fire non-lethal." The kneeling soldier was quicker than his partner.
"Permission denied, base station one." Came the reply just as Rose and the Doctor reached their position and body-checked them out of the way.
"Fantastic!" The Doctor crowed, and Rose laughed, too keyed up and out of breath for words. Behind them, the two guards scrambled to their feet and took up the chase. Rose and the Doctor were only five yards from the lift and closing fast.
"Command," one of the guards radioed in, panting as he ran, "Permission to fire on accomplice!" Rose and the Doctor reached the lift and threw themselves inside.
"Permission granted, base station one. Make sure it's a clean shot."
"Yes, sir, I will," the guard smiled and dropped to one knee as The Doctor hit the lift button
"What's he doin'?" Rose asked, breathing heavily as the upper and lower panels began to close. "He's not supposed to shoot." The Doctor's eyes grew wide.
"Duck!" he shouted, grabbing Rose by the elbow and pulling her aside just as the report of the rifle reverberated through the hall. Rose stumbled back and fell, a flash of heat radiating from her left arm.
"Ah! Son of a—You missed, idiot!" Rose shouted just as the doors shut and the lift began its ascent.
"You all right?!" The Doctor was crouched next to her, frantically checking her left side.
"Yeah, yeah, just the arm, I'll be fine," she panted, "You need to be ready. Soon as we're out, we gotta leg it."
"You need medical attention." The Doctor insisted.
"'Tis but a flesh wound," Rose quoted with a brilliant grin. She waited a beat, but saw no glimmer of mirth on his face. "Right, haven't seen that one, then. I'll be fine, Doctor, I promise. I'll be less fine if they catch us. So, be ready." Cringing, she hoisted herself to her feet. The Doctor was still regarding her critically.
"You're a bit mad, yeah?"
"Says the man who goes around abductin' chickens,"
"I didn't abduct the chicken," he corrected, "The chicken stowed away in the TARDIS on my last trip. Got startled when I started hammerin' on the controls, so I landed where I could. I just thought I'd duck outside quick and let it loose when I ran into you."
"Only you," Rose mused, "Listen, if we get separated, there's a car park three blocks west of here. Multi-story, can't miss it. There's an old Land Rover, white, parked on the third floor, northeast corner."
"Can't miss it?" he guessed sardonically.
"I mean old. Looks like its been chewed on by a giant, teething toddler," she clarified, "That's our only way out of here. Meet me there, but stay out of sight best you can."
"All right," The Doctor agreed.
Just then, the lift stopped and the panels opened. Instinctively, they both took cover against the side walls. When they didn't hear anything, Rose peeked out and saw that the hallway was empty. "Clear," she said, and stepped out. Behind her, The Doctor fished around in the inside pocket of his jacket and eventually produced his sonic screwdriver.
"How the hell'd they let you keep that?" Rose asked.
"Dimensional pockets," he grinned, "If they don't feel anything lumpy when they frisk you, they don't check your pockets." With that, he began fiddling with the controls until something sparked and fizzled, "There, lift's stuck. They won't be comin' up this way." Rose pointed to a fire door on the left that read 'stairs.' The Doctor glanced at the door, and then back at her.
"They probably already started up. Bein' soldiers and all," she surmised.
"Ah."
"Shall we?" she motioned down the hallway.
"Yes, let's." With that, they both started running again, reaching the secret panel and pushing through just as the fire door slammed open. In the fake lobby she'd entered earlier that night, the man known as 'Ianto' was standing calmly, holding up the counter-top flap that allowed access to the area behind the desk.
"The doors won't lock. Behind the counter, quickly," he directed, and Rose and the Doctor wasted no time darting around the edge and diving into a crouch. Ianto calmly lowered the flap, walked over to the front door, turned the doorknob, and waited. Rose and the Doctor remained crouched, trying hard to slow their breathing. Seconds later, they heard boots behind the false wall, and just as the guards pushed the panel open, Ianto burst out the front door. The guards immediately followed suit.
"They've gone!" Ianto shouted, looking back at the guards wide-eyed, "How'd you let them escape?"
"That isn't your concern. We'll handle this. Shut the door behind us and lock it. Try to get that security system back online,"
"Yes, sir," Ianto assured, and once the guards had filed out, he did as he was told. Pausing to adjust his tie, Ianto walked back to the desk, lifted the flap, and passed behind the counter. Rose and the Doctor both looked up at him.
"Clear?" Rose asked.
"Yes, for now, but you need to leave. Out the back." Ianto crossed to the doorway behind the desk and held back the beaded curtain. The Doctor helped Rose to her feet, apologizing when she hissed in pain.
"Never mind it," Rose assured. Then, to Ianto, "Where does the back exit take us?"
"A service tunnel under the Wales Millenium Center. Look for a door labeled 'receiving' and you'll be let out onto the truck docks. Once you're outside, you'll need to look for transport."
"I have some," Rose assured.
"You can't return to your vehicle,"
"Whyever not?"
"The CCTV system is down at the moment, but it was operational when you came in. They'll have cross-referenced your image with the traffic cams."
"Wilf won't be happy about that," Rose mused, "Right, well, we'll figure something out," Rose and the Doctor passed through the doorway and down the hall in the direction Ianto pointed out. Rose paused and looked back, "Thanks for the help."
"Don't thank me," he insisted, "I haven't done anything." Rose understood his meaning perfectly. She nodded in acknowledgement and turned to follow the Doctor down the dimly lit corridor.
Footnote: "You know, fightin' in a basement offers a lot of difficulties. Number one bein', you're fightin' in a basement." –Lt. Aldo Raine