Chapter 65 has been updated.
He was hitting buttons and pulling levers pushing the Tardis to go faster. Rose had recovered enough to where they could travel again and he was eager to stretch the Tardis's legs. He realized he had gone to far when the engines began to phase and smoke filled the control room. He landed the Tardis quickly. "Out," He cried at Kiam and Rose and opened the door, rushing out into the fresh air.
"Are you okay." He asked Rose as she started to cough.
"Fine," She said hoarsely and he scanned her to make sure. Finding nothing wrong he turned his attention to his little boy. He scanned him with the sonic and was reading the results when he heard a little voice behind him ask.
"Are you okay?" He turns around to see a little girl with a Scottish accent, standing there wearing a striped nightgown and a red jacket, with bright red hair.
"Yeah, just some smoke." He opens the door and leaned in. "Fans on." He called and is relived when it works.
"Are you policemen?" The little girl asks them.
"Why? Did you call a policeman?" He wonders turning his attention back to her.
She doesn't answer his question but instead asks "Did you come about the crack in my wall?"
"What crack?" Rose asked leaning down to her level.
"Who are you?"
"I'm the Doctor, this is my wife Rose and this is Kiam. We're just travelers" He replied. "Does it scare you?"
"No, it just looks a bit weird." She told him misunderstanding his question.
"No, no, no. The crack in your wall. Does it scare you?"
Her green eyes grew wide, "Yes."
"Well then, no time to lose. Do everything I tell you, don't ask stupid questions, and don't wander off."
Rose stepped forward and took her hand in one and Kiam's in the other and he followed them into the house.
"If you're a doctor, why does your box say Police?"
"Good question." He told her, pleased that she noticed. "How old are you?"
"Seven."
He continues to follow them as they head up the stairs. "What's your name?"
"Amelia Pond."
"Oh, that's a brilliant name. Amelia Pond. Like a name in a fairy tale. Are we in Scotland, Amelia?"
"No. We had to move to England. It's rubbish." She tells him.
"Do you have a sister or a cousin named Melody." Rose asked her curiously.
"No." She responded.
"So what about your mum and dad, then? Are they upstairs?"
"I don't have a mum and dad. Just an aunt." She says sounding sad.
"I don't even have an aunt." He responded. They reached the top of the stairs and she let go of Rose's hand as she paused for a moment and looked at him.
"You're lucky."
"I know. So, your aunt, where is she?"
"She's out." Amelia said sounding as though this was a normal occurrence. He looked at Rose and she looked as concerned as he felt.
"And she left you all alone?" Rose asked her softly.
"I'm not scared."
"Course, you're not. So you know what I think?" He asked Amelia.
"What?"
"Must be a hell of a scary crack in your wall" He said and with that she turned and headed to one of the doors opening it. He followed her into the room with Rose and Kiam trailing behind him and saw on the wall a w shaped crack. He had seen a similar crack before when he was aboard the Byzantium with the Weeping Angels.
"You've had some cowboys in here. Not actual cowboys, though that can happen." He said heading over to the crack to examine it. "This wall is solid and the crack doesn't go all the way through it. So here's a thing. Where's the draft coming from?"
He pulled out his sonic screwdriver again and scanned the crack. "Wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey. You know what the crack is?" He asked her.
"What?"
"It's a crack. But I'll tell you something funny. If you knocked this wall down, the crack would stay put, because the crack isn't in the wall."
"Where is it then?" She asked him quietly.
"Everywhere. In everything. It's a split in the skin of the world. Two parts of space and time that should never have touched, pressed together right here in the wall of your bedroom. Sometimes, can you hear?"
"A voice. Yes." The fear in her voice was clear. He listened closely and heard a faint growling but couldn't make out the words. He looked around the room and saw a water glass sitting on her nightstand. He rushed over to it and grabbed the glass. He emptied the contents on the floor and went back to the crack.
"That's considered rude." Rose scolded him. He smiled at Rose as he put the glass to the wall.
"Prisoner Zero has escaped." He heard the voice from the crack saying.
"Prisoner Zero?" He looked at her questioningly.
"Prisoner Zero has escaped. That's what I heard. What does it mean?"
"It means that on the other side of this wall, there's a prison and they've lost a prisoner. And you know what that means?"
"What?" She asked in a hushed voice.
"You need a better wall. The only way to close the breach is to open it all the way. The forces will invert and it'll snap itself shut. Or" He paused and looked first to where Kiam was ignoring them and looking at Amelia's books before turning back to Amelia.
"What?"
"You know when grown-ups tell you everything's going to be fine and you think they're probably lying to make you feel better?"
"Yes."
"Everything's going to be fine." He lied and took her hand. He aimed the sonic screwdriver at the crack. The crack widened and the bedroom was flooded with light.
"Prisoner Zero has escaped. Prisoner Zero has escaped." The voice came through the crack loudly.
"Hello? Hello?" He said into the crack. A giant blue eye appeared at the crack and stared at the three of them.
"What's that?" Amelia asked gripping his hand tighter. A bolt of light comes out of the crack and he feels a sharp pain and doubles over slightly, as his side grows hot. He straightens himself upright again as the pain recedes and watches as the crack closes.
"There, you see? Told you it would close. Good as new."
"What's that thing? Was that Prisoner Zero?"
"No. I think that was Prisoner Zero's guard." He releases her hand and reaches into his pocket and pulls out his psychic paper." Whatever it was, it sent me a message. Psychic paper. Takes a little message." He opened up the paper and almost started laughing when he read. "Prisoner Zero has escaped. But why tell us? Unless."
"Unless what?" She asks him.
"Unless Prisoner Zero escaped through here. But he couldn't have. We'd know." He responded He pulled out the sonic screwdriver again and did a quick scan of the room, finding nothing.
"Well it is time we were off."
He picked Kiam up off of the floor and then took Rose's hand as he headed down the stairs and outside to the Tardis, Amelia followed close behind.
"But it's just a box. How can you go anywhere in just a box."
"It's not a box. It's a time machine." He unlocked the door and leaned in. The smoke had cleared out. He was going to have to repair the engines before pushing her again.
"What, a real one? You've got a real time machine?" She started bouncing happily. "Can I come?"
He turned to look at Kiam who nodded eagerly and then looked at Rose.
"What about your Aunt?" She asked Amelia.
"She'll say it's okay. Please, I'll be good I promise." He looked at Rose, who looked back at him amused.
"Oh all right." He told Amelia. "But only one trip, then back before your Aunt notices you are missing."
She nodded "Wait here," she said and turned and ran back into the house. He waited and a few minutes later she came back dressed in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, carrying a small red suitcase. She had her red coat on again and a pair of boots. He opened up the Tardis door and she ran in happily followed by Kiam.
He looked at Rose, "You always say we can't handle more then one child. Now's your chance to find out if you're wrong." She gave him a quick peck on the cheek and then followed after the children. "All right Amelia, lets find you a room." He heard her say and watched the three of them disappear into the corridors. He closed the doors behind him and headed to the console.
-DW-
The tardis was parked orbiting in space while he was under the console making repairs. The others were further back in the tardis and the smell of food was drifting in from the kitchen. His stomach growling he stood up and headed to the kitchen. He stopped in the doorway in shock. It looked like a bag of flour had exploded. The children were both standing on stools covered in it and Rose was across from them also covered. Egg shells scattered the counter and various containers were on their side. Behind Rose a pot simmered away on the stove.
"What happened here?" He asked as he entered the room.
"Were making a cake," Amelia exclaimed happily.
"Cake" Kiam agreed with her.
"I think you are suppose to make cakes in the bowl, not on the counter."
"Awe it's no fun that way." Rose exclaimed and proceeded to measure out a cup of sugar and dump it on the counter. He shook his head as she gave him a look and added another cup of sugar to the first. He ignored her and walked up behind the children. "Both of you need to shower before dinner. Kiam use the one in out room. Now scoot." He said helping them off the stools. Amelia paused in the doorway as Kiam rushed out.
"The other bathroom is right across the hall." Rose told her.
"Thank you." Amelia responded before hurrying off.
He placed the chairs back at the table before turning his attention to Rose. He carefully studied her mess on the countertop, before picking up the vanilla and pouring some on. He looked up at her and smiled before turning to the bowl of batter on the counter. He sniffed it and then dipped his finger into it.
"It's missing something." He told her.
"No it's not, that is an old family recipe." She responded.
"Still missing something." He replied as he watched her pour it into the cake pan and then place it in the oven. She turned back to the mess on the counter and picked up a handful and threw it at him. He looked up at her surprised and she smiled at him with her tongue between her teeth.
"You need to shower too now." She said coming around the counter and grabbing his tie. He smiled and he followed her to her room.