Forgotten

Chapter 4: Crack in the Wall

Disclaimer: Doctor Who belongs to the BBC and the episode The Eleventh Hour was written by the incredible Steven Moffat.

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"So the crack is right here…" The Doctor began, gazing intently at a very thin lighted crack that lined the wall of Amelia Pond's bedroom. "But where's the draft coming from?"

Rose Tyler narrowed her eyes as she studied the crack for herself. "What draft?"

"Not an actual draft- it's wibbly wobbly timey wimey," he responded, taking a small lighted screwdriver from his pocket. It made a whining noise as he ran it along the edges of the surface of the crack. He glanced back at Amelia, "Do you know what this is?"

"No…" She responded, watching as he stepped to the wall, his ear pressed against it.

"It's actually funny, really. Tear down this wall, the crack stays put. It's not in the wall…"

Rose frowned slightly. "We see it there, though. How is that possible?"

The Doctor settled his gaze on her. "It's possible, because the crack is everywhere and in everything."

"Everything?" Amelia asked, her blue eyes widening.

"Two parts in time that should never have touched." His gaze was focused intently on the wall, and as he finished his sentence, he turned to face Rose. "Two parts that are being pressed together. Just like-" His eyes stared into hers now, intently. She just returned the stare, that feeling of familiarity returning to her. He seemed as if he was going to speak, but his expression changed, forming into one of confusion. "Sometimes if you listen, can you hear any voices?" He wondered to Amelia.

She only nodded, "Yes."

The Doctor moved to one of the bedside tables, picking up a glass of water, and pouring its contents onto the ground. He pressed the open end of it to the crack and listened.

"Prisoner Zero…" He breathed.

Amelia nodded, her voice soft when she spoke. "Prisoner Zero has escaped. It's what I heard…"

Rose folded her arms. "What does it mean, though?"

"It means… on the other side of the wall there's a prison, and they've just lost a prisoner."

"And it's escaped?" Rose wondered.

"Through my wall…?" Amelia questioned after the woman, glancing over at her briefly.

The Doctor nodded. "Yes. Yes." He paused, beginning to pick up the girl's desk. "The process must be reversed, either the crack will erase itself, or…" He frowned slightly. "You know when grown ups tell you that everything's going to be fine, but you think they're probably lying to make you feel better?"

"Yeah…" Amelia responded.

Rose sighed a little. "Everything's gonna be fine, then?"

"Everything's gonna be fine." He nodded. The Doctor reached out to take Amelia's hand, and she took it, soon after grabbing Rose's in the other.

The Doctor raised his screwdriver to the crack and the whizzing noise again sounded.

A deep voice rang from within the wall- from somewhere else in the universe, if The Doctor had described it correctly. "Prisoner Zero has escaped."

The Doctor spoke into the crack, which expanded itself into a gaping hole. "Hello?" He questioned, repeating the phrase a few times with various levels of enthusiasm.

Suddenly, a large eye appeared from within the hole.

Amelia's gaze was curious. "What's that?" Before The Doctor could answer her, a light shot from the hole, and it closed abruptly.

"See," he grinned, "I told you it'd close…"

Rose tilted her head. "Was that Prisoner Zero?"

The Doctor shook his head. "No, that was a guard. It was trying to tell us something. That Prisoner Zero escaped…"

Rose frowned, deep in thought. "Unless-"

Amelia looked up at her from where she now sat on her bed. "Unless what?"

"You said you heard voices right? What if it's a warning. That whatever Prisoner is gone-"

The Doctor interjected, "Prisoner Zero."

Rose nodded. "Alright.. if Prisoner Zero escaped, maybe it's telling you that it escaped- through that."

The Doctor's gaze grew complicated. "But we'd know.." Before either of the others could speak, he shot from the room and into the hallway.

Amelia looked up at him once she had caught up. "What is it?"

"It doesn't always happen often, but I'm missing something." He suddenly gazed to the side, his head staying in one place. "Something that's in the corner of my eye…"

What sounded like a grandfather clock clanging sounded from outside. The Doctor's eyes widened. "No. No…" He began to sprint toward the back yard, and Rose followed, Amelia running close behind.

"I've got to get back in there." The Doctor told Amelia.

She shook her head. "It's just a box."

The Doctor shook his head. "It's a time machine." He paused briefly. "Rose, you get inside, but be careful. Don't touch anything."

Amelia tilted her head. "A real time machine?"

"Not for much longer if I don't get it stabilized, but a five minute hop into the future should do it."

"Can I come? You let her."

"Yeah. I did. Just five minutes. Give me five minutes and I'll be back." He hopped into the machine, his face peeking out the doors.

Amelia frowned a little. "People always say that…"

"People? Do I look like people? Man falls from the sky and you think he's people?" His voice grew serious. "Trust me. I'm The Doctor, and I promise that I'll be back."

A small smile lit up Amelia's face as he jumped into the T.A.R.D.I.S. and the wheezing noise she'd heard before sounded as it faded away.

As soon as the machine had disappeared completely, Amelia turned on her heels and ran back into the house. She had five minutes, and the seconds were counting down quickly. Pulling out her yellow suitcase from under her bed, she grinned. They would be coming back for her. They would be coming back and she could go into the time machine. Idly, while packing her things, a teddy bear, a toothbrush, another pair of clothes, she wondered what it would look like. She latched the suitcase shut and set off down the stairs so she could wait for the two of them outside. The one thing Amelia Pond hadn't realized was the one hallway door that remained ajar, one that had been completely closed only moments before. Outside, the yard had a pile of reckage. The shed was knocked down but Amelia didn't care, and she doubted her aunt would mind, either. Pulling on her wool coat and hat, she took a seat on top of her suitcase and waited.

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"You are going back there for her, aren't you?" Rose wondered as The Doctor stood at the T.A.R.D.I.S. console, using his sonic screwdriver to fix something. She didn't know what he was doing exactly, but in the last ten minutes the clouds of smoke had vanished, which allowed her to breathe clearly again. That was a clear victory in her mind.

"Of course I am. I promised."

Rose nodded slowly. "And it will only have been five minutes?"

"Hopefully."

"Because you have a time machine…" She said slowly.

The Doctor turned to face her, his gaze pausing on her face for a few moments. "Because I have a time machine." He paused before standing up and walking over to her. "Rose."

"Doctor," she responded, imitating his serious tone.

"Why did you follow me?" He asked steadily.

"What do you mean?"

The Doctor frowned slightly. "I mean, why did you follow me?"

Rose didn't speak right away, taking time to ponder his question. "I- I don't know," she concluded. "You seemed familiar. You still do."

A small grin appeared on The Doctor's face. "I probably should at this point."

Rose's face grew confused. "What?"

"I do know you, Rose Tyler. But what I need you- is to tell me how." His expression was unreadable as he continued, "How do you know me, Rose?"

"I told you. I don't know," she answered honestly.

"Exactly, because you don't know me. Not yet. You probably never should. At least, not me."

Rose frowned. "But, I did. I did meet you. I can't change that." She paused, her eyes narrowing, not following his words. "If you want me to leave-"

"No. No. I do want you here, Rose." His eyes met hers. "My point is, you weren't supposed to follow me here. Or be here, but there you are." He paused. "Things are complicated, and they are only about to get more complicated as time goes on. Now my question for you is, are you or are you not staying?"

Rose was silent for a few seconds. "I'm in," she paused, her mind suddenly moving back to the girl, who was without question waiting for their arrival. "But, we should go. You told her you'd only be five minutes."

A small chuckle sounded from The Doctor's lips, followed by a grin. "This is a time machine, Rose."

She smiled back at him. "I know."

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