The trio walked into a multi-leveled chamber and looked down into the large vat. AL cringed in dismay while Rose frowned at the creature they were looking at. It was liquid and filled the whole vat.
"The Nestene Consciousness. That's it, inside the vat. A living plastic creature." The Doctor informed the two of them and Rose sighed.
"Well, then. Tip in your anti-plastic and let's go." Rose muttered and AL shook her head at Rose.
"I'm not here to kill it. I've got to give it a chance." The Doctor admitted and Rose looked at him confusedly.
*Everything deserves a chance to live, and a chance to leave.* AL mentioned quietly and Rose nodded understanding that it was a small act of compassion.
"I seek audience with the Nestene Consciousness under peaceful contract according to convention 15 of the Shadow Proclamation." The Doctor stated out loud to the vat it flexed in response. "Thank you. If I might have permission to approach?"
Rose looked over and gasped in surprise she then took off to the side of a black man and AL followed her.
"Oh, God! Mickey, it's me! It's okay. It's all right." Rose touched him and he looked completely freaked out.
"That thing down there, the liquid. Rose, it can talk!" Mickey shouted still freaking out.
"You're stinking. Doctor, they kept him alive." Rose looked over at the man.
"Yeah, that was always a possibility. Keep him alive to maintain the copy." The Doctor shrugged and Rose shot him a dirty look.
"You knew that and you never said?" Rose was interrupted.
"Can we keep the domestics outside, thank you?" The Doctor snapped sarcastically and Mickey huffed indignantly.
"Bit rude ain't he?" Mickey grumbled and AL smirked.
*You get used to it after a while.*
"You didn't move…ROSE SHE DIDN'T MOVE HER LIPS!" Mickey looked at AL and then squeaked. "AND HER EYES!"
*Are you injured?* AL questioned but Mickey was in too much shock to answer he just shook his head.
"Am I addressing the Consciousness? Thank you. If I might observe, you infiltrated this civilization by means of warp shunt technology. So, may I suggest, with the greatest respect, that you shunt off?" The Doctor offered and saw the unimpressed look AL gave him and he shrugged. The Nestene Consciousness reacted to his words. "Oh, don't give me that. It's an invasion, plain and simple. Don't talk about constitutional rights. I am talking! This planet is just starting. These stupid little people have only just learnt how to walk, but they're capable of so much more. I'm asking you on their behalf. Please, just go." The Doctor didn't notice that some autons were behind him.
"Doctor!" Rose shouted in warning but it was too late. The autons grabbed The Doctor up and one took the vial that had the anti-plastic in it from his pocket.
*This probably just got worse…* AL stated worriedly and Rose rolled her eyes at the girl.
"No really, you think?" Rose snapped sarcastically.
"That was just insurance. I wasn't going to use it. I was not attacking you. I'm here to help. I'm not your enemy. I swear, I'm not. What do you mean?" The Doctor was arguing with the Consciousness before the Autons brought in the TARDIS.
*Nope it 'did' just get worse.* AL changed her statement and Mickey looked over at her in fear.
"No. Oh, no. Honestly, no. Yes, that's my ship. That's not true. I should know, I was there. I fought in the war. It wasn't my fault. I couldn't save your world! I couldn't save any of them!" The Doctor argued some more and AL looked at him sadly when she heard him say that.
"What's it doing?!" Rose asked worriedly.
"It's the TARDIS! The Nestene's identified its superior technology. It's terrified. It's going to the final phase. It's starting the invasion! Get out, Rose! Just leg it now!" The Doctor shouted to them to run.
"Mum? Where are you, mum? No, go home! Just go home right now! Mum! Mum!" Rose shouted into her cell phone missing the confused expression AL gave her.
"It's the activation signal. It's transmitting!" The Doctor shouted as lightning bolts shot from the vat.
"It's the end of the world." Rose muttered darkly.
"Get out, you two! Just get out! Run!" The Doctor shouted at Rose and AL in fear.
"The stairs have gone." Rose pointed out needlessly that they couldn't run away.
*We get into the TARDIS!* AL shouted helping Mickey to stand but he was still in shock. *Are you injured?*
"Uhm…no…?" Mickey looked at her still kind of freaked out that he heard words but didn't see her making them.
*THEN GET MOVING!* AL shook him slightly and he started to move now.
The three of them made it to the TARDIS but Rose frowned.
"I haven't got the key!" Rose whined out loud making AL roll her eyes.
"We're all going to die!" Mickey practically started to sob and AL shoved them both out of the way.
*Aren't you glad, that I'm here?* AL asked sarcastically and pulled the key she had in her pocket and unlocked the TARDIS door and shoved Mickey through the door.
"Time Lord." The Nestene Consciousness finally spoke out loud and AL's eyes widened.
*That's going to lead to some scary dark cycle visions later…* AL muttered darkly and Mickey just blinked at her.
Rose looked over at The Doctor who was still in the hub of the danger. AL looked over and sighed.
"Just leave him! There's nothing you can do!" Mickey complained and AL shot him a venomous look.
*That's enough out of you…* AL scolded him and he clamped his mouth shut in fear. *I'll keep him from keeling over, you find a way to help him!* AL nodded to The Doctor.
Rose raced around the catwalk and chopped a piece of rope and grabbed the long chain that the rope held up.
"I've got no A Levels, no job, no future." Rose told herself darkly. "But I tell you what I have got. Jericho Street Junior School under 7s gymnastic team. I've got the bronze!" Rose swung over the vat and kicked the Autons off of the other catwalk knocking them and the anti-plastic vial into the Nestene Consciousness.
*HOORAY!* AL cheered her new friend and Rose winked at her as she swung past.
"Rose!" The Doctor came out of his stupor long enough to grab her up as she swung past him. He a huff of disbelief and looked down at vat. "Now we're in trouble." He admitted with a grin and shoved Rose along with AL and Mickey into the TARDIS and they left.
As soon as they were a safe distance from The London Eye, Mickey ran out in panic and landed on the ground. Rose was back to talking to mum whatever that word meant and AL sighed in relief. Rose stood beside Mickey and looked down at him.
"A fat lot of good you were." Rose teased Mickey who was practically hanging onto her in fear.
"Nestene Consciousness? Easy." The Doctor grinned at AL who shot him a sour expression and he coughed nervously.
"You were useless in there. You'd be dead if it wasn't for me." Rose smirked at The Doctor making AL give out the weird sounding laugh again. "Still adorable…"
"Yes, I would. Thank you. Right then, we'll be off, unless, er, I don't know, you could come with us. This box isn't just a London hopper, you know. It goes anywhere in the universe free of charge." The Doctor offered and AL grinned happily.
"Don't. He's an alien. And she's a 'thing'!" Mickey complained and AL pouted at him. He shrugged helplessly at her and AL nodded with a shrug.
"He's not invited. What do you think? You could stay here, fill your life with work and food and sleep, or you could go anywhere." The Doctor glared at Mickey for insulting his friend.
"Is it always this dangerous?" Rose asked curiously and AL nodded.
"Pretty much, yeah." The Doctor admitted and Rose smirked sadly.
"Yeah, I can't. I've got to go and find my mum and someone's got to look after this stupid lump, so." Rose explained and saw the sad expression on AL's face.
"Okay. See you around." The Doctor nodded and the two of them left.
AL stood in the console room pouting.
*I liked her…ask her again…* AL whined and The Doctor rolled his eyes.
"She doesn't want to go…"
*I'll annoy you for years…*
"Oh sweet Rassilon…" The Doctor grumbled to himself and hit a few switches dropping them back in front of Rose and Mickey. "By the way, did I mention it also travels in time?" The Doctor tried again and Rose grinned.
"Thanks." Rose told Mickey who looked confused.
"For what?" He asked worriedly.
"Exactly." Rose grinned and ran for the TARDIS.
AL grinned at Rose happily and grabbed her hand and took her through the console room.
*I CAN GIVE YOU A TOUR!* AL shouted happily dragging Rose further through the TARDIS.
(I can sense all kinds of trouble with those two.) The TARDIS admitted with a quiet laugh.
"As long as the kid is happy, and NOT on my back about something…" The Doctor grinned to the console and heard the mental snort of laughter come from the TARDIS.