Chapter 17

Rose's diary.

Entry Date: Friday, 7th December 2018.

'Got up with John this morning and saw him off to work. He's finished the Cyber Dog programming and they are in the shops now. Ricky and EJ are inseparable, and Ricky's personality is really developing now.'

'It's been snowing overnight, and more has been forecast. I phoned the nursery and they are still open, so EJ can still go in for his morning class. The walk is going to be real fun….'

Doctor's diary.

Entry Date: Friday, 7th December 2018.

'I had a lovely breakfast with Rose this morning before I set off for Torchwood. It still seems strange to be going in without her. I see on the situation boards that a ship has made an emergency landing in Northern France overnight, I wonder if we'll get a 'shout' for it….'

Northumberland Place.

Notting Hill, London.

It was 8 o'clock in the morning when Ricky the Cyber Dogs preset alarm activated and he rose from his basket. He padded across the living room and tapped the door with his paw.

"Morning Ricky," Donna said, and opened the door. He continued his journey down the hallway and up the stairs, turning right at the top, into the new hallway. Donna opened EJ's door, Ricky padded over to his bed, where he part jumped, and part climbed onto his bed.

EJ roused from his sleep and started to chuckle as Ricky licked his face, making dog like panting noises. "Hee, hee, morning Ricky."

With his task completed, the Cyber Dog hopped off the bed and trotted out of the room to find his mistress in the kitchen.

Rose was sitting on a stool in the kitchen; her left hand was in the curve of her lower back, supporting her aching lumbar region, whilst sipping tea from the mug in her right hand. She heard the 'tap-tap-tap' of Ricky's paws as he came onto the laminate wooden floor. He sat down and looked at her with his head tilted to one side.

"Woof," he announced, which was his signal that he had completed his alarm clock programme.

"Good boy," Rose sing songed. She reached into the battery charger on the worktop and found a 'treat' for him. She tossed it into the air in his general direction.

The Cyber Dog's high resolution, stereoscopic, CCD cameras, tracked the trajectory of the desired object. His graphical microprocessor calculated the advanced path of said object, and his motor coordination processor launched him into an intercept path to meet it.

He caught the 'treat' in his mouth, juggled it around until it was end on, and then swallowed it.

"Clever boy," she said, as she leaned down and patted his head. She went to the cupboard and reached down a bowl, a box of cocoa pops out of another and a spoon out of the cutlery draw.

EJ came into the kitchen, pulling his nursery uniform jumper over his head. Like any three year old, it was obvious that he had dressed himself.

"Mornin' Mummy," he said with a cheerful smile. Rose gave him a warm smile in return.

"Mornin' Sweetheart." She went over to him and tucked in his white polo shirt, and turned down the left side of his collar, before kissing him on the cheek. She then sat him at the table and prepared his bowl of cereal.

Whilst he was eating, he looked out of the patio doors, and noticed for the first time that it had been snowing overnight. "Oh look, it's been snowin'," he told his mother, in case she had overlooked the fact. "Can I build a snowman after school?"

Rose grinned at him, as she loved the snow herself. "Yeah, of course you can. Now hurry up and eat your breakfast, so that we can get you washed and ready to go."

John had already left for work and taken Delores the DeLorian. Rose and Eyulf would walk the ten minute journey to the nursery, enjoying the fresh air, and today, enjoying the snow.

They both had their winter coats, woolly hats, gloves, and boots on as Rose opened the front door. It had started to snow again, and John's footprints now had a light dusting covering them.

"Let me Mummy," EJ said as he put a booted foot in a virgin fall of snow. Rose had a sudden flash back to Cardiff, 1869, and her first step into the past. She had beaten the Doctor to the door so that she could be the first to step where she had never stepped before, and it was snowing.

She watched with a smile as he made his way down the steps to the pavement, walking to the side of his father's footsteps. He stopped at the pavement and looked up at her with glee. "I'll be back soon Donna," she said as she patted Ricky on the head, before closing the door.

They walked hand in hand down the street until they met up with his friend Josh and his mother Helen, where the two boys immediately started a snowball fight. Rose chatted with her friend as they made their way to the school.

"How long have you got now Rose?" Helen asked, making conversation.

"Two to three weeks now according to the scans," she replied. "But I still have this feelin' that she's not gonna wait that long."

"My Josh was a week late," Helen told her. "I didn't think he was ever going to come out."

Both women laughed as the entered the school grounds and made their way to the nursery. They unwrapped their offspring from their protective garments, hung them on their pegs, kissed them, and waved them off into the classroom.

They walked back together along Artesian Road, until Rose turned into Northumberland Place, and Helen went straight on. The trees all had a coating of snow, and it was like a scene from a Christmas card. The snow scrunched under foot as she made her way home, and climbed the steps to the front door.

"I've got the kettle on," Donna told her as she stamped the snow off on the door step.

"What would I do without you?" Rose said, smiling at the ceiling.

"Have cold cups of tea most likely," Donna replied with a laugh.

Rose hung her hat, coat, and gloves in the hall, and went through to the kitchen, Ricky following close at her side. She heaved herself on to the kitchen stool and felt it.

The Engine Room of a Tritovore Starship. Forêt Domaniale de Guînes. France.

John was dangling on the end of a line, in the cramped crystal nucleus containment chamber of the Tritovore ship. He held his sonic screwdriver in his teeth, while he adjusted the field strength of the four anti-gravity clamps.

Jack was in the Engine Room above the chamber, watching the readouts and making fine adjustments to the plasma intermix ratio that kept the crystal nucleus stable.

Tritovores had become regular visitors to Earth after they negotiated a trade agreement with the United Nations for the faeces of seven billion humans. Well, calling it a trade agreement was a bit of a stretch. The Tritovores asked if they could have some of our shit, and the heads of governments all over the world said 'how much do you want'.

Unfortunately though, emergency landings of their ships were becoming a common occurrence in winter weather, due to the air intakes icing up and causing a malfunction of the Slipstream engine. The traders that flew these ships only had a basic mechanic onboard, who wasn't really up to the job of retuning the engine once it had been de-iced.

John had designed an anti-icing pre heater for the air intakes, and Torchwood had issued the designs to the Tritovorian trade council, who were retro fitting their fleet. Unfortunately, they hadn't got around to this ship yet.

"Okay, Doc, all four clamps are showing the same flux level, you can lock them off there," Jack shouted down the shaft.

He took the sonic out of his mouth and was about to lock the anti-gravity clamps, when he felt it.

"Oh no no no no no NO! Not now."

"Doc, what's the matter?" Jack called down to him. He didn't answer as he was in a conversation.

["Rose, are you alright?"]

["Yeah, you felt it then."]

["Mummy, Daddy, she's ready to come out,"] EJ told them, fulfilling his promise to them.

["Thanks son, we know,"] John thought.

["Where are you John?"] Rose asked.

John actually laughed as he looked around him. ["I'm actually dangling on the end of a line, in an engine room that could vaporise a forest if I don't lock off the anti-gravity clamps."]

["John."]

["Yeah?"]

["Lock off the anti-gravity clamps. Ooharghhh."] She was suddenly hit with a strong contraction.

["Rose, what's happening, are you okay?"] John asked with concern, he could feel the panic rising in her.

["Lock off the damn clamps and come home,"] she said more sharply than she intended.

"Doc, what's wrong?" Jack asked again, wondering if the ship was going to create a crater in a French beauty spot.

"The baby's coming," he said, as he started to lock the clamps with his sonic.

"Shit!"

Northumberland Place.

Notting Hill, London.

"Ooharghhh." Rose said as she slipped herself off the stool, suddenly hit by a strong contraction. She felt liquid running down her legs.

"Rose, what's the matter?" Donna asked. "Do I detect that your waters have broken?"

Rose didn't answer straight away as she was in conversation with John. "Donna, I think I'm going to need an ambulance, something's wrong and the baby's comin' now."

"Oh my God. Right, phoning them now, I'm also simultaneously calling Jackie and Pete." Donna could have several conversations at the same time.

"Thanks Donna."

Ricky sat with his ears down, making whining noises. His programming hadn't come across an emergency before, so he didn't know what to do. Rose was bent over the worktop, panting through the pain.

"It's alright right boy," she said, trying to believe it herself. She then had an idea. "Ricky, fetch a towel, fetch a towel."

The Cyber Dog tilted his head to the side trying to process the speech and identify the word 'towel'.

"Hang on Rose, I can stream the data to him," Donna said.

Ricky suddenly turned and scampered off to find the linen closet. A minute later, he came trotting back, trailing a bath towel behind him which he held in his mouth. He reached his front paws up on the kitchen unit so that Rose could take it.

"Oh you clever boy. Thanks Donna." She wiped her legs under her dress and then dropped it on the floor and used it as a mop.

"The ambulance is on the way, E.T.A, six minutes. I've got your mum on the phone; do you want me to put her on the speaker?"

"Nnngh, yes please Donna."

"Rose, Rose, is everythin' alright?" Jackie's voice asked from everywhere.

The sound of her voice sent Rose into floods of tears. "Mum, the baby's comin', I'm scared Mum."

"Oh Sweetheart, don't cry, everythin'll be alright. I'm comin' over." That made Rose cry even more, this time with relief.

"Thanks Mum, the ambulance will be here in five minutes."

"If I'm not there in time, get Donna to phone me and tell me where they're takin' you."

"Don't worry Jackie, I'll take care of it," Donna told them. "I've got Pete on a conference call, patching him through."

"Rose, are you alright?" Pete asked. He was in Torchwood mode and ready for the worst.

"Pete, the baby's comin' early," Jackie, told him.

"Oh bugger and John's in France with Jack," Pete informed them.

"France?" Rose asked.

"Oh isn't that just wizard," Donna said.

"Yeah, they're fixing a space ship that made an emergency landing. They couldn't wait for the intergalactic repair company because there's a container full of faeces at Le Havre that's fermenting nicely."

"Pete!" Jackie exclaimed. "Too much information."

"Rose, do you want me to send a team?" Pete asked.

"Oh, that's a nice thought Dad, but the ambulance will be here any minute. Oh, I've just thought I'll need my bag."

"I'll get Ricky to fetch it," Donna said. A few seconds later, the Cyber Dog trotted out of the kitchen.

"Rose, I'm hands free in the car, the main roads aren't too bad, but the side roads are covered with snow," Jackie told her.

"Right, that does it," Pete said, "I'm coming over with a field ambulance."

Rose could hear a 'bump, bump, bump', as her holdall was dragged down the stairs. He backed into the kitchen, dragging the bag behind him. She was still leaning on the worktop, panting and gasping; it seemed to be the most comfortable position.

"Oh that's a relief," Donna said, "the paramedics are here, everythin's gonna be alright Rose."

Donna opened the front door and directed the crew through to the kitchen, who looked a little puzzled as to who was talking to them.

"Rose, isn't it?" the young woman said. "I'm Georgina, Gina for short, and this is Ross. I can see your waters have broken, are you getting contractions?"

Rose turned to give them a weak smile. "Hi, yeah, the contractions are strong and close together. It's all I can do to stop from pushin'."

"Okay Rose, you're doing fine, can you still feel the baby moving?" Ross asked.

Rose knew what they were asking really, 'is the baby still alive?' She closed her eyes and reached out with her mind, and there in the darkness, was the little glow of her daughter's consciousness.

"She's fine," Rose said as she opened her eyes. Gina and Ross did a double take as they looked at her eyes. They could have sworn they'd seen a golden hue to her eyes.

"Okidoky, let's get you into the ambulance and off to hospital then. Is this your bag?" Gina said.

Rose nodded as Ross sat her in the collapsible wheelchair that he'd brought in with him. Gina picked up the holdall and placed it gently on Rose's lap, when she noticed Ricky looking at her.

"Oh hello," she said, "it's one of those new Cyber Dogs."

And then the penny dropped. "Rose Smith, of course. I'm sorry I didn't recognise you, your husband is Dr. Smith, the brilliant inventor," Gina said as they headed down the hallway.

"Did John tell you that?" Rose said with a weak smile.

"Would you like your coat on?" Ross asked, "It's a bit chilly outside."

Rose smiled and indicated her coat hanging by the door, and Gina placed it around her shoulders before they headed out side to negotiate the steps. It was snowing steadily, and the paramedic's footsteps from when they arrived had already been covered over. Ricky was about to follow his programming, and follow his mistress, when Donna called out from the brass intercom.

"Ric-kay," she called in her best, Chiswick tone of voice. "Back here laddie, she'll be fine." The Cyber Dog looked at Rose being lifted down the steps, and then back at the front door. He turned around and trotted inside. "Good boy," Donna said as she closed the door.

They got Rose into the back of the ambulance and onto a stretcher. They attached a pulse oximeter to her finger and blood pressure cuff to her arm. Gina put on a stethoscope and listened to Rose's bump, her face had a look of intense concentration until it broke into a smile. "A nice strong heartbeat," she declared.

Rose was about to sigh with relief when she was hit with another contraction. As Ross drove off, Gina reached into an equipment locker and took out a cylinder with a mouthpiece attached.

"Here, have a few puffs of Entonox, it'll help with the pain and make you feel better."

Rose grabbed the mouthpiece and took three long breaths of the gas and air.

"Is that better?" Gina asked after the gas had taken affect.

Rose nodded. "Yeah, thanks." She took another couple of deep breaths and started to experience euphoria, a sense of extreme well being, and a bit giggly, almost tipsy.

["Oooh, this is good stuff,"] she said and thought at the same time.

["Rose?"] John shot back immediately. ["Are you okay? Sorry I've blanked you out a bit, but I've got to concentrate on locking these clamps."]

["S'alright Love, baby'sh fine (hic),"] she thought with a drunken slur that sounded rather sexy. Did she just hiccup a thought?

["Allllright then Rose just hang on, I'll get this finished, and I'll be right with you, okay?"]

["Okay,"] she thought happily, ["and Shohn, I bloody love you."] Her hormones were raging now, and she sent him an all points bulleting of telepathic eroticism, that made him whimper, as he steadied his hand to prevent himself, Jack, a ship of half a dozen oversized Green Bottle flies, and a very pretty, picturesque forest from becoming a ball of high energy plasma.

["I mean, it's not like we're goin' anywhere,"] she thought distractedly as she took another breath of Entonox.

["What?"] John asked, panic starting to rise in his chest.

["We're stuck in the snow. It's really pretty out there, like a Christmas card."]

John groaned inwardly, as Rose smiled at that beautiful sound of the universe breathing.

The Engine Room of the Tritovore Starship.

"What are we going to do?" Jack called down the shaft.

John continued to lock the first clamp with his sonic screwdriver. "We're going to finish this before it goes critical, and then I'm going to hold Rose's hand while she gives birth to our daughter."

Jack grinned down the shaft; he'd said that with his old conviction, that nothing in the universe was going to stop him. "Okay Doc, number one is locked off and the levels are remaining constant," Jack shouted down to him.

"Right, moving on to number three." He started to lock down the clamp with his sonic screwdriver, making sure not to move anything as he did so.

["Oooh, this is good stuff,"] echoed in his head, making him nearly drop his sonic.

["Rose?"] John shot back immediately. "Jack, you'll have to hang on a moment," he called up the well.

["Are you okay? Sorry I've blanked you out a bit, but I've got to concentrate on locking these clamps,"] he thought.

"Is there a problem?" Jack asked with concern, he didn't want to end up spread into his composite atoms.

"Er, not exactly, I've got an intoxicated, telepathic wife, who's transmitting on all frequencies." He had a quick conversation with Rose before continuing to lock number three, when he received an erotic boost to his nether regions.

"Ooooh," he whimpered.

"Doc?" Jack asked.

["I mean, it's not like we're goin' anywhere,"] Rose thought at him.

John had a knot in his stomach. ["What?"]

["We're stuck in the snow. It's really pretty out there, like a Christmas card."]

"Jack, we've got to get a move on." He redoubled his efforts on the anti-gravity clamps.