The Successor

by CityOfFallenAshes

Everywhere they went, she was known as "the Successor". The problem is, neither she nor the Doctor knew just what it meant. {10/OC}

31. The Successor: Part I

((The Successor: Part I ))

~~OO~~II~~OO~~

I had to be the stupidest person on Earth...if that's even where I was at the moment. Not sure about that... I whirled around to see if there was a door, desperately wishing for the Doctor to magically appear so that he could help me fix my mistake, but I was alone in a room of white. I pulled out my phone, but quickly discovered that there was no signal. Something that was close to impossible; I should have been able to call someone from anywhere and any time. "Damn," I murmured, stuffing it into my pocket and throwing myself down onto the comfortable couch. I immediately found myself wanting to sleep, but made myself remain awake. Something was wrong; I couldn't sleep when something was crazy like this.

I settled down to think over it, swallowing thickly and grimacing. I had cried harshly after the return to the TARDIS without Clave, and my throat had grown sore. How nice it would be to have some water...

Even as I thought it, a glass of water materialized before me on the white washed floor. I blinked, then leaned forward and plucked it up. Sipping at it, I went over what had just happened in my mind. I'd wanted a glass of water...and I'd gotten it. So perhaps...

Curiously, I thought of a fairly expensive set of copic markers I'd been craving, thinking of how I'd wanted them, and just like the water, they were in front of me. Grinning now, I set the water down and leaped to my feet. Maybe there was a decent chance at at least getting through to the Doctor...

Within seconds, I had a signal on my phone. Smirking and believing I'd outsmarted wherever...this is, I raised the phone to my ear, the Doctor's number plugged in. He answered quickly, yelling over the sound of a wailing TARDIS, "Ali! Why aren't you out here and why are you calling me on a phone?!"

I couldn't help it. I giggled, then became serious. "I'm calling you because I don't think I'm on the TARDIS any- here, hold the phone up towards the console." I waited a second, then yelled at the top of my lungs, "HEY! POLICE BOX, CHILL! I'M FINE!"

Silence met my ears until the Doctor announced she'd calmed down. Then I repeated, "I don't think I'm on the TARDIS anymore. I walked through a mirror."

"People can't walk through mirrors, Ali," the Doctor sighed with what seemed to be exaggerated patience. I stuck my tongue out, then slammed my mouth shut when he scolded, "Don't go poking your tongue out at me, we have things to do."

"Can't do anything, remember?" I reminded with an exasperated sigh. "I'm literally in a place that gives me anything I...want..." I trailed off, my thoughts shifting rapidly. Was it possible that maybe my family...?

"Go look in my room," I told him thoughtfully, considering the thought, "I'm not on the TARDIS...do you think it'd be okay to want my family in here...?"

"Ali, no," the Doctor said warningly. I heard him walking, probably going to see if I really wasn't in my room anymore. He stopped. "...how did you get out without leaving through the doors?"

I rocked back on my heels, chewing on my lip. "Err, I was talking to Drevan on the phone and I kind of noticed something weird about my mirror. I reached through it, then walked through it and ended up here. Bre mentioned not too long ago that people were disappearing back home. Do you think it's possible that this is what was happening?"

It clicked in my mind. Oh. "Doctor, I think whatever has done this is looking for me."

"Nothing's looking for you," he said, attempting to be firm. Even I could hear the uncertainty.

"Whatever you say," I murmured gravely. "I'm the Successor, what makes you think-"

I was interrupted by the loudest blaring I'd ever heard. I yelped, dropping to my knees and cradling my phone in them as I covered my ears. Distantly, I could hear the Doctor's muffled voice attempting to speak to me over the loud siren going off, but I couldn't comprehend his words. I cursed to myself, then whipped up the phone when the blaring stopped. "Doctor?" I said shakily.

"What's going on?"

"I'm not-" My phone went dead, along with the lights. "...sure?" I tucked my phone away uncertainly, standing. It was now pitch black around me, but I could hear things shifting. Pressing in.

The room was shrinking. I cursed, darting forward to try and find a door in the dark, nearly tripping over my own feet. I felt along a wall, then smirked when I felt a door knob. I ripped it open and shot into a new white area, slamming the door behind me. Safe, I sighed in relief and looked around.

This time, I was in a study. A computer screen was lit, though flickering every now and then. Everything was the same white color as before. I crept forward to study the bothersome technology, then narrowed my eyes. Not a study, security room. There were security cameras...and in each one was a different person. None of which I recognized. And they kept changing to someone different. "These must be the missing ones," I murmured.

And then, a certain image caught my attention. A terrified young woman that looked like a smaller version of Catie with a rounder face was whipping around, her brown hair flying around her face, mouthing a single word that I recognized: Doctor.

Another one of his companions, this one from the future most likely. Not Amy or Rory. A new one. Had he gone back and found Clara...? No, that wasn't possible. He'd leave Clara alone. I doubt Catie would let her daughter run around with him anyhow. Feeling bad for the scared woman, silently promising her that the Doctor would soon arrive. I hoped.

I uneasily settled into the chair provided, a surprisingly comfortable one with white cushions. I was tensed, ready to run again if I needed to as I attempted to call the Doctor again. This time, however, no such luck, even when I silently wished for it. With nothing better to do, I settled back and began testing what I could get while watching the cameras.

I had just wished for an amazing chocolate milkshake when I saw him. I shoved the milkshake off the desk and lunged forward to peer closely at him. There was no doubt about it. That face was the face of the Doctor's. My Doctor's, not that bowtie man, either. But he wasn't dressed right...the hell was up with that? Had he been digging around in weird clothes and showed up here? Where was the TARDIS.

Not sure of what else was left to do, I silently wished for a door to open to that room. When I turned around, there was a door waiting for me, and I darted for it. But before I could get it open myself, it swung open, sending me stumbling into the man who'd opened it. "Doctor, " I gasped in relief as he jumped back with shock crossing his face. "The hell's wrong with you? Where's the TARDIS? Something's weird here, and-"

"I'm not the Doctor," he replied slowly, watching me cautiously. "I assume, since you appear to be friends with him, however, that I may introduce myself as John Smith." I felt my jaw drop in confusion, then frowned thoughtfully as my mind drifted back to a short conversation with the Doctor concerning Rose Tyler...

"I ended up leaving her with someone who would age with her. She didn't deserve to continue to stay with me, a man outside of her species. I left my...copy with her in the parallel universe. When I left, they seemed to like each other enough."

"Oh," I murmured. This must be the copy. But how was he here? "You're from that other world than...how'd you get here?"

The copy, or John Smith, I supposed, pursed his lips, running a hand nervously through his hair like my Doctor did. "I work for Torchwood in our universe. Rose and I were working on a...something that would help us cross dimensions, even without a thin link between them, and it went wrong. I was dropped off here, not sure how long ago. Rose must have been left elsewhere."

My blood went cold. Bad Wolf was here...damn it. Damn it! Not good, not good at all! That meant things were going to get bad. "I just walked through a mirror," I admitted. I extended a hand and he loosely grasped it to shake. He was so much like the Doctor... "I'm Alissa Levine, a.k.a. Ali. Dunno how much you know about me on that side, but I'm also-"

"The Successor," he finished with a grim smile as the lights flickered warningly. "Rose and I are very aware of who you are, Miss Levine. She dreams of you sometimes."

"Well we need to find her," I replied firmly. My mind was running over what I'd learned. What I wanted most was to get out of here and find the Doctor...

It hit me. He couldn't find Rose, which must have been what he wanted more than anything else. I wanted to get out, find the Doctor, and fix it all.

This place gave us everything we wanted but not what we truly wished for. No wonder people couldn't get back out! That girl I'd seen wanted to get to the Doctor, like I did, but that meant escaping. "I think," I said carefully, recapturing John's attention. "I can get us Rose Tyler. I'm not so sure about getting out though. This place...it doesn't want us to have what we really want. So maybe...maybe if I want Rose to show up, then she'll be able to."

John's eyes scanned over the information as if it was in the air. "It's worth a try," he murmured, then held up a hand to stop me. "But first, we need to find as many others as possible. We don't know what will happen if we get what we really want. If I get Rose, something might be messed up and kill us all. We need to get everyone out."

"Easy," I replied, waving for him to follow me. He ducked into the room with security cameras, and I paused to ask, "Do you mind seeing if you can get a signal for my phone in here? The place won't let me anymore." He nodded and I pulled out my phone, checking it with a sigh of relief. Within seconds, I had the Doctor back on the phone. "Sorry 'bout that, turns out the place doesn't like my title."

"Are you alright?" he demanded, ignoring my words. I smiled and reassured him that I was, though my smile faltered nervously when he said, "The signal cut off nearly a day ago."

...so the time was different here. Great.

"Met a friend," I said nonchalantly, glancing warily at John. That was going to be an interesting meeting when we finally got back together. "Long story short, you know him, he knows you, we're moving on now. Have you found anything?"

"Scanned the mirror. I didn't find anything."

"Well, watch it," I said firmly, "I'm hoping we'll be able to walk right out of here and back through it if what I think will happen happens. At least, someone else may be able to. With my luck I'll end up on the other side of the planet. Okay, so it turns out this place gives us everything but what we truly want."

"And if what you want is to get back to someone who isn't in that world...or someone who is, I suppose."

"Right, then you can't. I can't get out because I want to get back to you and the TARDIS, my friend here can't get back to his...?" I glanced at him for confirmation and he mouthed a word that made me blink. "Wife. Can't get back to his wife because he wants to, and she's also somewhere in this place." I bit my lip. "I was going to see if we could gather most of the people here. Bre mentioned people that disappeared...thousands of them. It's going to get a bit crowded."

John snorted with an amused look on his face and I smiled faintly. He was a bit calmer, quieter than the Doctor. So there were some differences, though they weren't exactly visible. "After that, however, we don't have a single clue of what to do, Doctor."

"I'll see what I can find out here," he promised. "Be careful, Ali."

"I know, I'll see you later," I replied softly, then shut my phone. "Hopefully." I whirled around to John and gave a confident smile though I didn't feel so confident. "Alright, John Smith," I said with a smirk, hiding my nervous shakiness. "Let's get a move on, then. We need to get those people out of wherever they are, find your Rose, and get to the Doctor...though I'm not sure if you two will actually be wanting to see him..."

John gave a dry smile. "Rose will want to. She always does. I know she sees him sometimes, when she looks at me. But that's alright. Like you said, let's get to work."

And so began our work.

A couple hours later here and no doubt days later for the other side, I jerked my head around as people burst through the doors, all random strangers that had been trapped in their own little rooms. John glanced at me. "Be ready," he said quietly.

I nodded, tensed and prepared. Every single time we'd attempted anything, something had gone crazy or exploded. So I was ready this time, and when sparks erupted from the computer, I leaped back. John followed suit, and the computer seemed to implode. "That's okay, we got what we wanted," I murmured. "All of the rooms will let people in, and since we made the room bigger, it'll help let all of them in... Any sign of Rose?"

John shook his head. "None," he sighed.

In the past few hours, I'd discovered a few things about John. He appeared to be like the Doctor. Said a few of the things the Doctor said. But at the same time, he wasn't the Doctor. He didn't look at things the same way, in that crazy attitude that ended up with us in serious trouble. And he cared deeply for Rose, a strange way the Doctor didn't. Perhaps it was the time apart, but the Doctor didn't seem as upset anytime she was mentioned. Not as he'd been in the time we'd known each other before the travels and now.

My phone went off and I hit talk, lifting it to my ear. "Hello?"

"Ali?"

"Bre," I greeted in relief. "Nice to hear from you. Err, you know that thing you told me not to do a while back? Yeah...kind of did it." Silence. "Bre?"

"I did, too. I went through a mirror, and now there's a whole lot of people and I don't know any of them." Bre sounded near tears, something that was fairly hard to accomplish when concerning her. "Where are you? Are you here, too?"

Oh my gosh. "You're here?" Fear for my friend made me jerk my head around, searching. "I'm going to flash a strobe light app on my phone on the ceiling. Follow it if you can see it, okay?"

"Y-yeah."

I hung up, pulling up an app and holding the flashing phone towards the ceiling. At John's bewildered look, I explained nervously, "One of my friends ended up here, same way I got through and probably the same way the others did. I'm trying to guide her here...Bre!"

I was tackled by a nearly sobbing woman, her arms thrown around my neck in a tight hug. Bre was practically hysterical as she wailed, "I was so worried! Are you okay? You, Mr. Smith, why didn't you tell me you two were here, you promised you would look after her!"

I grimaced. "Long story short, this is John Smith and the dude with me was the Doctor. Two completely different people, and this one was made from the Doctor's hand." John gave a rather sour look and I shrugged. "Sorry, but it's true. You'll see later, Bre, for now we need to figure out a way to get out of here..."

"Where exactly are we?" Bre said shakily.

"Place where time...passes...differently..." I trailed off, my face paling.

If time passed differently here, than...I was screwed. My time was going to run out before we got out of here. For all I knew, I wouldn't get to see the Doctor again before the TARDIS died and I needed to take up what task had been forced on me. Hands shaking, I glanced at John, who was watching me with a grim look. He knew and probably had known for a lot longer than I had.

Terrified and hands shaking, I pulled out my phone to call the Doctor again. But as soon as I did, there was a new sound. The sound of a voice that I knew very well and had heard twice before in my life. One that screamed "EXTERMINATE!" as the sound of guns filled the air followed by terrified screams and horrified people. I shoved Bre protectively behind me, terrified. "No," I breathed, "There's no way they can be here-"

"Unless they're the ones who created this place," John interrupted. I moaned in frustration.

"Don't you have some kind of weapon that will work against them?" I said desperately, but he shook his head, looking slightly guilty.

"I lost it," John admitted. "Rose had one that worked against Daleks though. She may still have it. It sounds like a cannon going off, if you hear it, go towards the sound. For now, stay back. I know what you are, Alissa, and I don't think we want the Daleks getting a hold of the Successor."

I paused. "You know?"

"Pete's World works a bit differently then yours. We know everything before you," he said with what might have been a hint of a smirk. He was proud, something my Doctor wasn't really into showing.

"Lovely," I muttered.

"What the heck are you talking about?" Bre breathed, looking beyond confused. I shook my head with a slight smile, amused by her near panicking. She thought this was bad? ...okay, this was pretty bad. Worse than the Cybermen, worse than the Carfioliax, just...worse.

"I'll explain a whole lot more if I can later," I promised, gently pushing her again. The Daleks were getting closer and we needed to move. John was in the same kind of mood as me, because he ducked out of a nearby door that had previously been used to herd all the people in. "They must have been waiting for us to get them all here, John," I commented as he closed the door behind us. But I could still hear the screams, and I felt a moment of guilt. There was nothing we could do against the Daleks right now.

Suddenly, the door was blown down as a Dalek slammed through it. Another crashed through the walls and fairly quickly, we were all surrounded. "SURRENDER!" cried one of the Daleks.

"I think not," I gritted out, glaring at the one that had spoken. It must have been a leader of some kind, because it rolled forward. "What do you want?" I demanded.

"They're Daleks," John replied, "Do they need to have a reason for wanting the person that's needed most by their enemy?"

"Kind of," Bre commented, "Yeah."

Rolling my eyes, I returned my attention to the Daleks, gaze flicking back and forth between them. The one decided to answer the question, however, surprising me. "YOU ARE THE SUCCESSOR. SURRENDER!"

"No," I replied.

The Dalek seemed to study us for a few seconds, then suddenly fired a gun. Bre screamed as the laser flew past her head, ducking down and cowering. John protectively stepped in front of her. He could handle the situations she couldn't.

I was furious. But nevertheless, I threw my hands up, tears forming and leaking from my eyes. "Fine," I spat, waiting until John had his arms up, too. "Fine! We surrender, see? Stop killing people and the Successor will willingly go with you."

"THE HUMANS WILL BE EXTERMINATED!"

"No, they won't," I snarled, glaring around. I couldn't let John be killed, not if he still had Rose to return to, and Bre... Frustrated when the Daleks simply swirled their guns towards John, I muttered, "Be ready to move. You can see when they attack, maybe we can get out of the way and make a run for it..."

"Doubt it," John murmured, though he was tensed, a worried crease on his forehead. "They're Daleks."

"I don't care what they are," I gritted back. "I've gotten away from quite a few different things. I'm sure I can get away from them."

"Ali!"

"What the-" I whipped around, my eyes snapping wide. "Doctor?!" What the hell was he doing here?! How had he gotten here? His eyes were narrowed, focused on the Daleks, who were twirling around to face him. Slowly, I shoved John forward. Bre meekly followed. "Move," I muttered.

"What are you doing here?" the Doctor demanded, question aimed at the Daleks. I wasn't going to demand answers now, while he was obviously trying to help us out. I don't think he realized just who was beside me though...

"THE DOCTOR WILL BE EXTERMINATED," the Dalek screamed, ignoring his question. It started towards the Doctor, who didn't move an inch, instead glaring full out at his worst enemy. "THE SUCCESSOR WILL COME WITH US."

"No," I muttered under my breath, "I don't think the Successor will be going with you bastards."

The Dalek stopped, then turned towards me, as if remembering I was still in the room. I moaned at my own stupidity, and the Doctor's eyes widened when he caught sight of John. The Dalek began to move towards us and I bit my lip. "SURRENDER! SURRENDER, OR THE DOCTOR WILL BE EXTERMINATED."

"Um, you already promised to do that," I retorted. I made sure I was planted in front of John again, John making a face at me. Despite the situation, Bre laughed hysterically. "Oh, hush you," I scolded, a smile kicking up the corners of my lips. I glanced nervously towards the Doctor, who was now messing desperately with his sonic.

The Dalek waited a moment, and then the others began to surround us. I bit my lip uncertainly. "THE SUCCESSOR WILL JOIN THE DOCTOR. BOTH WILL BE EXTERMINATED."

Damn it.

I cringed as their little gun arms moved to aim towards me...and then froze when words suddenly blossomed all around us, overlapping each other in the room. They spread across the walls, the doors, the ceiling, the floor, even the Daleks themselves, who screamed in their confusion and what might have been a hint of pain.

Bad Wolf.

John grinned. "Rose is here," he murmured.

And just as he said, a door was thrown open, a young woman with curled blonde hair and a cocky smile on her face appearing. Her eyes sparkled with triumph as she pointed a massive gun at one of the Daleks, firing it without a moment's hesitation as the Dalek screamed. The Doctor went still, staring at her, and she gave a smile with her tongue peeking out.

"Hullo, Doctor," Rose Tyler greeted. "Been a while, yeah?"

~~OO~~II~~OO~~

A/N: *flails* Rose is here! Yay! But that means this is close to ending. |D Hope you enjoyed and look forward to the next chapter! :D

bored411: It does kinda suck. |D Doctor wasn't too happy with her for a minute there. XD So you know.

Maren the fangirl: I love Clave. ;-; I hated writing him being left behind. But...it may not be the end for him entirely. ;)

BrainStormer: Oh, you'll have to wait and see if they get one of those. ;) And mirror places are pretty good. :D

MaybeALittleBroken: THE CAPE! Please. No more little mermaid songs. XD