Chapter 9

With time running out and the eclipse beginning, On his hands & knees, The Doctor shone his watch light up underneath the stalled car & examines under Garçon's car and stops the slashed fuel line

"Somebody, has cut your fuel line," he said in dismay, getting to his feet. "How far is it from here?" Garçon was frantic.

"It's about another mile or so, we are running out of time" Garçon said as he looked at his watch, he knew if they were gonna stop Rose then they had to somehow get to the house, this was their one chance. The Doctor pulled out his hover board and smiled

"Ever rode a hoverboard" he showed Garçon who smiled, wasting no time. "Quick get on, there's no time to lose" The Doctor hopped on and Garçon clung on behind him.

The Doctor pushed has hard as he could on the hoverboard, his lungs were burning and his hearts were beating like a samba drum from all the effort he was putting in, he could feel himself tiring up big time but he knew he couldn't stop now for Rose's sake don't worry Rose, I'll save you, hang in there

Back in the house in the conservatory the eclipse started, Aurora stared at the sky with excitement and pleasure, it was finally happening, she would take control of Rose 's body and live for another 50 years at least with Mickey, slowly the moon began to disappear.

Aurora stood in the centre of the conservatory, staring up at the bright full moon and waited for the eclipse to begin manifesting itself. Far above in an eon old celestial dance as begun because the Earth moved between the Sun and the Moon ever so slowly. A blood red shadow began to creep across the white Lunar orb. Aurora gloated in sheer pleasure.

"You don't know how long I have waited for this night!" she said ecstatically. "Terry, show Rose to her seat," she ordered. Aurora instructed Terry to put Rose in a seat that was in the middle of the conservatory and to tie her up.

"My pleasure," said Terry grinned evilly grabbing a surprised Rose & shoving her into a large chair, who then started to scream.

"HEY! BACK OFF!" Rose cried as Terry began to tie her up. Squirming, she struggled to get away. "HELP! MICKEY!" Her cry seemed to startle Mickey who suddenly snapped out of his trance & he shook his head. Before he ran to Rose aid.

"Rose!" He leaped forward to help her but Terry blocked him as he wasn't to be stopped.

"You keep out of this!" he growled, angrily picking up Mickey, giving him punch, the pinning him to the wall and finally throwing across the room with his body slamming into the hard-solid wall and he lay unmoving, Terry went to finish off Mickey when Aurora cut in looking ever worse and more like a vampire now with her teeth showing like fangs.

"TERRY!" Aurora barked. "THIS IS NOT THE TIME. LET HIM GO!" she commanded.

Terry kept his fist poised to hit his perceived rival again.

"What do you need him for now, you've got the girl, you just want to replace me" Terry accused Aurora angrily, as he knew the game was up, Aurora's plan had worked. Aurora came closer, her eyes glowing dangerously.

"MAYBE YOUR RIGHT BUT MAYBE I WANT TO SEE EARTH, NOW LET HIM GO" She screamed at him at the same time, she placed her clawed hands at Terry's temples. A bright blue and purple lightning flashed around her hands & Terry screamed, releasing the unconscious earth man, as Aurora turned him into another wrinkled corpse. right in front of an ever more terrified Rose. She looked away in horror. She strained against her ropes, trying to remember what one of her mother's ex-boyfriend had taught her about knot tying. She turned Mrs Newman, trying to buy herself more time.

"Do something!" she pleaded "Help me!" She added towards Mrs Newman who stood there emotionless & Aurora laughed.

"She can do nothing, she is under my control" Aurora laughed evilly "Go to your room mother" she instructed Mrs Newman, who then nodded.

"Yes, call me if you need me" She walked like a robot slowly out of the room, leaving behind a dead Terry, an unconscious Mickey, a frightened Rose and a triumph Aurora, who turned back to a glaring Rose.

"Everything I need is right here."

"Everything I need is right here" Aurora advanced onto Rose and prepared to take her body and soul, Rose let out a loud scream.

"Are we there yet" he yells.

"Almost that's it, there is the house ahead" Garçon exclaims.

"Oh god, it's creepy" The Doctor shivered.

"Hurry, the eclipse is starting" Garçon yelled back.

The Doctor looked up at the night sky in horror, as he saw the moon starting to disappear, lucky as he approached the house the gates were still open, he dreaded to think what he would find inside the house when we got there.

"There's only one chance we are gonna get in Garçon, we're gonna have to smash our way in" The Doctor yelled approaching the door, just then a scream cut into the night terrifying The Doctor, he knew that was Rose 's scream.

"Oh no, hurry, you have got to get her away" Garçon yelled back, before they smashed through the glass door and into that fateful house.

Meanwhile upstairs Aurora was distracted by the sound of the breaking glass.

The hoverboard carrying The Doctor & Garçon crashed through the front door of the mansion & paused in the foyer.

"ROSE, WHERE ARE YOU" The Doctor yelled at the top of his lungs praying she was still alive, Rose let another scream out & also the sound of a commotion from upstairs. "HANG ON!" The Doctor warned Garçon & they sped up the staircase towards the conservatory.

The Doctor and Garçon reached the landing down the hallway when suddenly a clawed hand shot out from a doorway & grabbed them and hurled them off the hoverboard. It was Aurora, who was slowly turning into the demon, dragged them into the conservatory, holding them by the fronts of their shirts.

"Sorry, I'm not looking my best!" Aurora said, with her voice rough. Before she had her claws on The Doctor's throat before throwing him across the room where he landed hard against the solid brick wall to where the unconscious Mickey and the already dead Terry &

she next turned her attentions to Garçon. Aurora clutched Garçon by the throat & glared at him." Still the persistent teenager, eh, Garçon? But now you are old." She hissed. Then she knocked his cane out of his hands and it landed next to where The Doctor was who was slowly getting up. "Why try to hurt me? Do I not have the face of your own sister?" Aurora taunted Garçon.

"Your face is hers," growled Garçon. "But your soul exists as a demon" Garçon angrily spat back before Aurora threw him across the room at the same time The Doctor grabbed the cane and made a lunge for Aurora, both of them brawled in the middle of the conservatory. Aurora seemed to overpower The Doctor but he wasn't giving up and battled back hard even though the demon girl was gaining power all the time however the moon was beginning to reappear,

Rose was still trapped in the chair praying The Doctor could somehow save the situation.

Unfortunately, Aurora was now in control and pushed The Doctor right back into the wall, again dazed he got up but Aurora was now again advancing on Rose realising that if she was going to take her body and soul, she had to do it now.

He struggled with Aurora but she was too strong for him & tossed him against the wall.

Rose watched them as she loosened her ropes, biting her lip then she had almost succeeded in freeing herself when The Doctor finally succeeded in knocking Aurora to the floor. Before he ran up & cut the last rope with Garçons sword-cane.

Garçon raised himself weakly from the floor as Aurora recovered.

"Get the girl away, until the eclipse ends!" he shouted at The Doctor. as he made another attempt to attack Aurora.

This time running up to her, he kicked her hard in the side enough to knock her off her feet and out of Rose's way, then he used the cane to slash through the ropes to free Rose. He then grabbed her hand and led her out of the room at the same time he kicked a chair at Elise who smashed it to pieces with the weapon she had at the same time her looks getting ever more horrible.

The Doctor raced out into the hallway with Rose in tandem and both got on the hover board and The Doctor tried one last attempt to finish Elise off by riding at high speed down the hallway with the cane pointing straight at Elise as she stood there.

To both The Doctor and Rose's horror the demon jumped high in the air and turned into a horrible creature "I MUST HAVE HER NOW" the creature growled.

"DOCTOR " Rose screamed in terror as The Doctor threw the cane in desperation but missed the creature as it hit the wall.

Rose clung to The Doctor like grim death as they raced down the stairs with the creature flying right on their tail.

As they raced out into the hall. The Doctor kicked the chair at a screaming Aurora, momentarily blocking her path. Rose & The Doctor found the hoverboard in the hall & made a break for the stairs but Aurora was right behind them. They spun to face her, The Doctor holding her at bay with the sword-cane. He threw it at her with all his strength but Aurora dodged & the sword thudded harmlessly into the floor. With a screech Aurora suddenly rose into the air, transforming into her true demon form.

The bat-like creature flapped its leathery wings & lunged at them with a cry.

"I must have her, now!"

Back upstairs in the conservatory, Garçon recovered his sword-cane and crawled to where Mickey lay crumpled on the floor. The old man slapped the boy's unconscious face.

Back down stairs, The Doctor and Rose raced through the kitchen with the creature behind smashing plates everywhere from the table, The Doctor makes a move towards a nearby window but his path is blocked by the creature, he then turns around slowly before heading towards another a window

"Where she gone" The Doctor yelled seeing the creature was nowhere in sight.

"I don't know, we gotta get help, Doc" Rose panted in panic. Not before she gripped tight around The Doctor's waist, Rose spun them around and headed for the stairs. She could feel the wind from the pursuing demon's beating wings at her back and ducked, making them turn sharply. They crashed through the dining room, hovering over the table and dodging the chandelier, scattering china and silverware behind them. Finally, they smashed through the window and flew towards the river.

Upstairs, Garçon was still trying to wake Mickey but it was no use he simply wouldn't respond. That was until he gave him a slap.

"Snap out of it! Your friends need your help!" he said. It worked as Mickey slowly woke up

Where am I, oh no Doc, Rose. Mickey sat up immediately and shook himself, finally able to break the spell now that the demon's concentration was weakened. "What must I do?" he demanded, scrambling to his feet.Garçon handed him the sword-cane.

"This might stop her, if it is not too late. Go!"

Mickey sprung to his feet and was already near out the door. Then he ran outside.

The Doctor and Rose glided swiftly over the river, the eerie half-light of the moon reflecting on the coolness of the water. The Doctor glanced up at the sky and saw that the moon was already emerging from the shadow.

"The eclipse is almost over!" he said over his shoulder. "Somehow we've gotta hang on" But then the demon, wasn't about to lose its last chance to live, swooped out of the sky. It lunged forward and grabbed Rose from the hoverboard.

"DOCTOR " She screamed again as she was struggling in the creature's grasp, and The Doctor desperately leaped after them to catch then and grabbed hold of the creature somehow getting its tail. The creature tried to shake him loose but The Doctor hung on like grim death.

Rose grabbed the claws digging into her shoulders and tried to pull them apart but the demon only howled and gripped her tighter. Then Rose felt herself weakening as the creature began to drain Rose the life force from her body and live for another 50 years but The Doctor had other ideas he dearly cared about Rose as a friend and remembered he had a silver bullet and wasting no time he drilled it straight into the creature.

Meanwhile The Doctor remembered the silver bullet he was still carrying in his pocket. Quickly he grabbed it and pressed it against the demon's side. The Doctor successfully stopped the creature taking over Rose's body, as the creature screamed in rage and pain, thrashing wildly but he was thrown away and was falling fast into the cold river below.

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH" he screamed as he plunged backwards into the river.

The creature laughed and begun to drain Rose once again was unconscious.

Mickey burst out of the mansion and raced along the riverbank. Ahead of him he could see the horrible demon flying above the river, carrying a still-struggling Rose. A greenish light surrounded them as the creature used its magic to drain Rose's life essence. Mickey was enraged. How could he have let this happen? he had no choice, this had to work if he missed then the creature would go on killing more and he couldn't let that happen, he had to get a direct hit, Mickey raised the sword-cane and he steadied himself took aim and hurled it with all his might at the demon, whispering a fervent plea.

"Let my aim be true!"

The creature shrieked in pain and anger as the silver shaft found its mark, The creature looked at the moon then growled causing it to throw Rose's limp form down into the river, at the same time the eclipse at finished.

"OH NOOOOOO" before falling to pieces and landing in the river.

The water was cold. She couldn't breathe, Rose couldn't swim. The world around her getting smaller and smaller, until everything went black. 2 arms grabbed her by the waist and pulled her to safety.

"Breathe! Please Breathe! Wake up!" Cries could be heard in the distant. "Breathe!" Water finally left her through coughing. "Stay with me, Rose, don't close your eyes, just stay with me." A face looked down at her with concern. Her vision still blurry, as she had finally stopped choking on water, she could see clearer. "Stay with me, are you ok?" She nodded. "Good, just keep looking at me." The Doctor smiled at her. Then The Doctor pulled Rose to the surface before dragging her across to the side, both of them coughing and gasping for breath. Garçon reached down first pulling Rose out of the water and then The Doctor. Rose was in a state of shock, The Doctor was desperately trying to help. Rose then came back to reality realising where she was, looking at The Doctor.

"Thank you, Doctor, for saving my life, I really owe you this time" she said with relief.

"It's not a problem Rose, what friends are for"

All of a sudden, there was a horrible loud scream made Rose break her gaze from Mickey's and look over her shoulder, just in time to see the thrashing demon rise from the river. The dying creature howled in fury, phasing through several different demonic forms in an effort to sustain itself, before crumbling completely into vapor. Rose shuddered and Mickey's shoulders drooped in relief.

The Doctor reached and hugged her tight, Rose without hesitation returned the embrace before they both looked at Garçon holding the same picture of his sister.

"Now my sister, you can finally rest in peace" he said in tears before he kissed the picture and threw it into the river. Turning, he walked slowly back toward the mansion, leaving the 3 friends alone on the shore.

Revived by the cold water, Rose snapped back to reality, as she coughed and opened her eyes. She raised her head to see Mickey looking down at her worriedly as he waded toward the riverbank and rose shakily to her feet. Mickey quickly reached out to steady her and she found herself very grateful for his supporting arm around her. She glanced up at him as they made their way back to the house and to her immense relief, his eyes were no longer clouded and vacant under Aurora's influence.

"Are you OK?" she asked softly, eyeing a bruise on his cheek. Mickey met her gaze and laughed dryly.

"I'm not the one who had my life force drained by a demon, Rose." Mickey stated. "You should not be worrying about me." Unconvinced, Rose continued in silence. Then Mickey put his hand on Rose's shoulder, biting his lip. "Are you alright?" His voice was heavy with concern.

"I'm OK, just a little freaked out." Rose said as she nodded. Then Mickey looked up at The Doctor, who nodded in agreement.

"I'm fine, too but we better get back to the house and call the police." Still a little dazed and not quite able to believe what had just happened,

Back at the mansion, the Calvary arrived late as usual. A couple of police officers questioned Garçon whilst a team from the ME & CSU recovered Terry's withered body from the observatory. All of them were wrapped in warm blankets, the time travelers described the night's events to the sergeant from 2 days previous. When they were through, he surprised them all by laughing.

"Now, that's quite a story," he drawled, shaking his head. Then he gestured to the back of the police car, where the wealthy old widow sat in quiet incredulity. "But Mrs Newman confirmed it. Says she's been in a trance for 6 months." The sergeant shrugged. "Heck, maybe we were all under that girl's spell." He pointed to the prowl car, "You need a lift back?" The 3 friends shook their heads emphatically and simultaneously cried.

"No" All 3 said in union as they had had enough excitement for one night.

"No, officer," Mickey answered more calmly, "we are fine." The sergeant nodded goodnight and turned to leave with the rest of the police. Rose looked at Mickey again, still worried about his reaction to the whole situation.

"Are you sure ok? Mickey, please next time you meet a girl, get to know her better" Rose put a hand on Mickey's shoulder. Mickey smiled briefly as he replaced the heirloom jewel.

"Yes." He hesitated and Rose's worry grew. "I know, one thing is for sure though, I will never meet a girl like her again" Rose's heart sank at the sight of his long face but her fears were quieted when Mickey brightened, his old mischief returned. "I hope!" he added fervently.

"Yeah," Rose agreed. "Pretty scary."

"I even missed the eclipse" Mickey replied.

"Yeah but Rose & I had a box seat, unfortunately not the type of grandstand view we wanted" The Doctor chimed in with his usual lame sense of humor. Rose wasn't amused.

"No, not sure I ever wanna see another eclipse" Rose added. The police meanwhile left the scene, Garçon had gone with them to make a statement, while the time-travelers were allowed to go.