Aliens of London
The TARDIS materialized at the Powell Estate, and her two passengers went out in to the daylight. Seren was once again wearing her purple sleeveless blouse that matched her eyes, a blue denim knee-length skirt, purple 5" high heeled sandals, and a pair of silver and amethyst earrings with a matching bracelet on her right wrist* with her hair in a half-pony held by a matching purple ribbon. The Doctor was wearing his usual black trousers and leather jacket, with a dark navy-blue jumper.
He Doctor leaned against the TARDIS as Seren looked around the Estate.
"How long have I been gone?" she asked curiously, turning to look at him.
"About twelve hours." The Doctor replied with a smile, crossing his arms and legs as Seren chuckled at the reply.
"So, my phone call with Siwan hasn't happened yet. Weird." Seren said quietly to herself before raising her voice and turning to the Time Lord. "Right, I won't be long."I just want to see my sister, Aunt Jackie and Rose."
"What are you going to tell them?" The Doctor asked curiously to her retreating back as she walked in the direction of the flats.
"I'm telling Siwan the truth, but Aunt Jackie and Rose? I don't know." Seren replied with a slight frown, glancing back at them as she stopped. "I've been to the year 5 billion and only been gone, what, twelve hours?" The Doctor snorted as she shook her head. "No, I'll just tell Aunt Jackie and Rose that I went out walking off some night-terrors. It has happened often enough it wouldn't alarm them. See you later." She waved at him and began walking before glancing back with a warning. "Oh, don't you disappear."
She ran towards the flats as the Doctor walked around the small area while he waited for Seren. Entering the building, she ran up the stairs and entered her flat.
"I'm back!" she called out as she put her keys in the bowl on the table beside the door, knowing that Siwan would be either in school or at work. "I had night-terrors again, so I went out for a walk. Aunt Jackie, are you or Rose in?" Jackie came out of the kitchen holding a cup of tea, followed by Rose. Seeing them, Seren continued speaking with a smile on her face. "So, what's been going on? How've you been? Is Siwan in school or at work?" the two speechless blondes looked at her as though they had seen a ghost walk through their door. "What? What's those faces for? It's not the first time I've stayed out all night."
The mug slipped from Jackie's trembling hands and smashed to the floor.
"It's you." Rose breathed, looking down at the smaller woman, her disbelieving expression mirrored by Jackie.
"Of course, it's me." Seren replied, completely confused.
"Oh, my God. It's you. Oh my God." Jackie cried as she hugged Seren tightly, Rose joining after a moment.
Seren managed to shift her head to the side so she wasn't being smothered and noticed several types of Missing Persons flyers on the table, all saying 'Where is Seren?' with a photo of her smiling.
Before Seren could voice her confusion or shock at the sight of the posters, the Doctor came crashing in to the flat.
"It's not 12 hours, it's 12 months." He said softly, as Rose and Jackie pulled away from Seren slightly and the three women looked at them. "You've been gone a whole year." The Doctor gave an apologetic chuckle. "Sorry."
Seren looked at him in shock as Jackie and Rose looked at her in astonishment. Soon enough, after Jackie changed out of her dressing gown into proper clothes, the astonishment gave way to fury as Jackie couldn't get a straight response from her god-daughter about where she had been for the past year and phoned for a policeman.
"The hours we've sat here, days and weeks and months. We thought you were dead, Siwan nearly gave up her studies, and where were you? Travelling!" Jackie yelled at Seren, who was sitting on a sofa as the Doctor stood beside her. Rose was seated on the other sofa, quiet as her mother yelled at the brunette. "All we had was one phone call the day after Hendricks went up. And what the hell does that mean, travelling? That's no sort of answer." She turned to the policeman who was sitting on the other sofa. "You ask her. She won't tell me. That's all she says. Travelling."
Jackie stood beside the policeman and crossed her arms as she started angrily at Seren.
"That's what I was doing." Seren protested softly.
"When your passport's still in the drawer?" Jackie yelled pointing towards the drawer she was referring to. "It's just one lie after another!"
"I meant to phone, I really did." Seren said softly. "I just… I forgot."
"What, for a year? You forgot for a year? You forgot to phone your sister for a whole year? And we're left sitting here?" Jackie asked loudly, and began pacing. "I just don't believe you." She turned to Seren and asked pleadingly, "Why won't you tell me where you've been?"
"Actually, it's my fault." The Doctor spoke up, making the policeman and Jackie turn to him and Serayah. "I sort of er, employed Seren as my Companion." He gave the three humans a smile.
"When you say companion, is this a sexual relationship?" the policeman asked, looking at the Doctor.
The Doctor and Seren looked at each other.
"No!" they said in unison.
"Then what is it?" she demanded angrily to him. "Because you, you waltz in here all charm and smiles, and the next thing I know, she vanishes off the face of the Earth! How old are you then? 40? 45? What, did you find her on the Internet? Did you go online and pretend you're a doctor?"
"I am a Doctor." He insisted.
"Prove it." She said. "Stitch this, mate!"
Jackie slapped him, hard, making him stumble backward with a groan as Seren rolled her eyes and held back the urge to laugh, knowing that this was not the time. Jackie slowly got her fury under control and grabbed the phone and walked the police officer out of the flat before making a call.
"Where is Siwan?" Seren asked Rose, who looked at her with a pained expression. "What did Aunt Jackie mean that Siwan nearly gave up her studies?"
"She's in an exam right now." Rose said softly after a moment. "When you disappeared and you didn't come home for several days or answer your phone, we all became scared. As time passed, Siwan was having a hard time balancing work, school and the search for you. She was ready to quit work and school so that she could search for you full time."
"What?" Seren looked completely shocked.
"The only reason she didn't was because we convinced her that you would want her to continue with her studies, so she did. For your memory. but she never stopped searching, hoping for a sign that you were okay." Rose sighed.
"Oh, my God." Seren breathed, her eyes wide with what she had learned.
"Adam had been a big support for her, helping her get through the pain of the possibility of losing you."
"Adam Pierson? The one who is completely in love with Siwan but she has no clue?"
"Yeah, that's the one." Rose said, nodding. "They're dating now."
"That's good. He's been in love with her for so long, it's a surprise Siwan never noticed." Seren as she stood up and went to the kitchen to pour herself a glass of water.
Leaning against the counter, she took small sips as she pondered on the news she had been given. She was joined by Rose, who was silent and staring at the older brunette with a mixed expression of wonder/ relief at her return and fear of her disappearing again.
Finally, Rose pulled Seren into a tight hug. They stayed in their embrace, with tears streaming down their faces, and were silent for several minutes until Jackie walked in.
"Rhiannon and Johnny are on their way back with the kids. They were just about to get on the A48 when I called and where able to turn around." The older blonde woman said as the two girls broke apart slightly and looked at her. "I can't get a hold of Siwan, but I left her a message so as soon as she's done her exam she'll be able to see it." Jackie sighed and pulled Seren into a hug, Rose being pulled in as well since she still had her arms around the brunette.
"Did you think about us at all?" Rose asked, holding her best-friend tightly.
At Rose's question, the tears that Jackie had been holding at bay through sheer force of will streamed down her face as she looked at her god-daughter.
"I did." Seren said as the three of them separated from their hug. "All the time, but-"
"One phone call." Jackie said. "Just to know that you were alive."
"I'm sorry. I really am." Seren said earnestly to them.
"Do you know, what terrifies me is that you still can't say." Jackie admitted, cupping her face with both hands. "What happened to you, Seren? What can be so bad that you can't tell me, sweetheart? Where were you?"
Seren looked away, not knowing how to reply. If it were Siwan asking her, she would easily be able to say. But with Jackie and Rose, it was much more difficult as the two had a harder time being able to grasp the possibility of the weird and unexplainable.
After several more minutes of pleading by the blonde mother and daughter duo, resulting in no response, Seren went to her room. Rose and Jackie also left the kitchen, sending matching glares to the Doctor, who was now seated on the sofa as he waited for Seren to come out and tell him how she wanted to proceed. If she wanted to continue traveling with him or to stay with her family.
Seren emerged from her room, now dressed in a light brown single-sleeve top with a left ¾ sleeve, denim booty shorts, 5" high heeled peep-toe ankle boots and a gold 8-strand chain necklace around her neck*. She had braided the front part of her hair back into a crown, keeping it out of the way except for a few strands framing her face, with the rest tumbling down her back to her hips in loose curls*.
"I'm going up to the roof." She called to Jackie and Rose, leaving the flat, followed by the Doctor.
The two walked up to the roof in silence and Seren perched on the wall as the Doctor leaned back against it, his arms folded.
"I can't tell them." Seren said after a few minutes of silence. "I mean, I can tell Siwan, she'll be able to understand and grasp it, but Rose and Aunt Jackie? I can't even begin to explain it to the two of them. They're never going to forgive me. And I missed a year. Was it good?" she turned to the man next to her.
"Middling." The Doctor replied shrugging.
"You're so useless." Seren said, sighing and shaking her head.
"Well, if it's this much trouble, are you going to stay here now?" he asked, looking at the brunette.
"I don't know." Seren replied with a groan, looking at him. "I can't do that to them again, though."
"Well, the two of them are not coming with us." The Doctor said adamantly. "Your sister, maybe. But not Rose and Jackie."
"No chance!" Seren said, as she burst out laughing. After the two of them calmed down, she said with a smirk, "She slapped you!"
"900 years of time and space, and I've never been slapped by someone's mother." He told her indignantly.
"Your face!" Seren said with a wide smile.
"It hurt!" he pouted as he put a hand to his cheek.
"You're so gay." Seren said with a chuckle, before turning to look at him. "When you say 900 years, you mean your age, yeah?"
"Yes." He replied, nodding.
"Aunt Jackie was right. That is one hell of an age gap." Seren commented as she looked away. She jumped of the ledge with a groan and changed topics. "Every conversation with you just goes mental. There's no one else I can talk to. I've seen all that stuff up there, the size of it, and I can't say a word. I mean, I can probably talk to Siwan or Rhiannon about it, if they don't hate me for disappearing for a year, but at the same time, I don't want to burden them with the knowledge. Not when Rhi has Johnny and the kids and Siwan could be happy living out a mortal life with a good person who will keep her happy." Seren sighed and leaned against the railing across from the Doctor. "Aliens and spaceships and things, and I'm the only person on planet Earth who knows they exist."
There is the sound of a deep horn and, turning to it, they see a spaceship trailing black smoke coming towards them. Seren and the Doctor crouched as the spaceship passed overhead, narrowly missing their heads and head for the city. The ship narrowly missed Tower Bridge, weaved around St. Paul, and then, with a nasty back-fire and splutter, took out a portion of Big Ben and dove for the Thames, crashing into the water with a splash.
They stood up in surprise, watching as a plume of black smoke rose into the air on the horizon.
"Oh, that's just not fair." Seren muttered with a shake of her head as the Doctor laughed, taking her hand and running towards the action.
On the street, it is complete mayhem. The army had closed off the roads. Much to the annoyance of the drivers as they stuck their heads out of their windows or got out of the cars. There were horns being honked and people yelling at the soldiers told irritated drivers to stay back.
The Doctor and Seren ran between the cars, coming to a stop not far from one of the army tanks and a pair of soldiers.
"It's blocked off." The Doctor pointed out as they came to a stop.
"We're miles from the centre. The city must be grid locked. The whole of London must be closing down." Seren added looking around, not even the slightest bit winded from the run despite wearing high heels.
"I know. I can't believe we're here to see this." The Doctor said excitedly, pulling her into a one-armed excited hug. "This is fantastic!"
"Did you know this was going to happen?" Seren asked, looking up at him with a slight frown.
"Nope." He replied cheerfully.
"Do you recognise the ship?"
"Nope!"
"Do you know why it crashed?"
"Nope!" he grinned at her.
"Oh, I'm so glad I've got you." She muttered sarcastically.
"I bet you are. This is what I travel for, Seren. To see history happening right in front of us." The Doctor said passionately, completely missing the sarcasm, as he gestured to the chaos that surrounded them.
"Well, let's go and see it. Never mind the traffic, we've got the TARDIS." Seren said.
"Hmm, better not." The Doctor declined. "They've already got one spaceship in the middle of London. And we really don't want to shove another one on top."
"Yeah, but yours looks like a big blue box. No one's going to notice." Seren pointed out, confused by the refusal.
"You'd be surprised." He refuted. "Emergency like this, there'll be all kinds of people watching. Trust me. The TARDIS stays where it is."
"Good point." She agreed before looking back at the gridlocked roads. "So, history's happening, and we're stuck here."
"Yes, we are." The Doctor nodded.
"We could always do what everybody else does." Seren suggested, making him look at her questioningly. "We could watch it on TV."
The Doctor looked thoughtful for a moment and shrugged. The two of them ran back to the flat and Seren turned the TV on before sitting down on one sofa as the Doctor sat on another while they watched News 24 on scene.
"Big Ben destroyed as a UFO crash lands in Central London. Police reinforcements are drafted in from across the country to control widespread panic, looting and civil disturbance. A state of national emergency has been declared. Tom Hitchinson is at the scene."
The two of them watched intently, the Doctor more so, as the newscaster appears on screen.
"The police are urging the public not to panic. There's a help line number on screen right now if you're worried about friends or family."
The phone rang, and Rose got up to answer it. She looked as if she was trying to tell the person on the other end something but was cut off. A few seconds later, she hung up the phone.
"That was Siwan." She told them. "She called to say that she was being called to the hospital since Adam has been called as well. She'll try and come by in a little while, since she isn't supposed to be at the hospital today anyway, but she can't say for sure."
"Did you tell her about me?" Seren asked, her emotions a cross between nervous and hopeful.
"I tried, but I couldn't get a word in." Rose replied, sitting back down on the sofa. "Things sounded pretty chaotic."
Seren nodded in understanding as the Doctor changed it to a US news Channel, AMNN.
"The military are on the lookout for more spaceships. Until then, all flights in North American air space have been grounded."
He switched the channel back to News 24.
"The army are sending divers into the wreck of the spaceship. No one knows what they're going to find."
Back to AMNN
"The President will address the nation live from the White House, but the Secretary General has asked that people watch the skies."
Jackie brought mugs of coffee and tea in to the living room for her friend Ru Chan, Rose and Seren, but not for the Doctor. She had decided to go for the 'ignore him entirely' approach.
Rhiannon and Johnny Davies, Seren's sister and brother-in-law, already had cups of coffee in their hands. They had arrived just before the city went into lockdown and smothered Seren in tight hugs as soon as they saw her, reluctantly letting her go when breathing became an issue.
Rhiannon had the same dark hair as her sisters, though she kept hers short and reaching only until her shoulder-blades in gentle layered waves. She had blue eyes, though a more of an ocean blue-grey than the gem-colors that her sisters had. She stood at 5'3" and had an athletic figure, though her curves were slightly more rounded from child-birth, and she had a small amount of residual weight around her belly from her most recent pregnancy that she was still working off.
"You've broken your god-mother's heart. And both your sisters' and your god-sister's." Ru Chan angrily scolded Seren, who sighed as she took a sip of tea.
David and Mica, Seren's 6-year-old nephew and 1-year-old niece, were seated on the sofa, sandwiching Seren between them as they listened to the adults scold their beloved aunt for disappearing.
The two children had their father's blonde hair and their mother's ocean blue-grey eyes. They got a great deal of their personalities from their mother's side of the family - calm and rational even when the world goes to hell around them until some poor idiot really pisses them off at which point everyone in the vicinity finds places to hide - though the jovial and happy nature - finding joy and wonder in even the most smallest of things - mainly from their father's side.
"Either I make him welcome or I run the risk of never seeing you again." Jackie commented, picking up the phone.
"I cradled them like children!" Ru exclaimed to Seren.
"Oi, I'm trying to listen!" The Doctor exclaimed to the two women ranting, who gave him nasty looks.
On the TV, News 24 cut to outside 10 Downing Street.
"…His current whereabouts. News is just coming in. We can go to Tom at the Embankment."
The news cut to the Embankment.
"They've found a body."
The Doctor raised his eyebrows as they watched the report.
"It's unconfirmed, but I'm being told a body has been found in the wreckage. A body of non-terrestrial origins. It's being brought ashore."
The small gathering at the flat rapidly turned into a welcome home party for Seren, with wine being served.
The Doctor glanced at the growing crowd and shook their heads as they turned back to the TV, watching intently as Seren had a completely exasperated look on her face as friends and neighbours alternated between berating her for not telling anyone were she was and welcoming her back. She had moved from her seat on the sofa and perched on the arm of the Doctor's seat as they watched the news coverage.
"A body of some sort has been found inside the wreckage of the spacecraft."
"Oh, guess who asked me out." Jackie called out, handing a bottle of wine to one of the guests and sitting down on the sofa next to Rose. "Billy Crewe."
The Doctor raised his eyebrow before shaking his head and turning back to the TV as Mica climbed onto his lap.
"Brought to the nearest shore. Unconfirmed reports say that the body is of extra-terrestrial origin. An extraordinary event unfolding here live here in Central London. The body is being transferred to a secure unit mortuary, the whereabouts is yet unknown. The roads in Central London are being…"
The channel changed a few times before settling on Blue Peter.
"And when you've stuck your fins on, you can cover the whole lot in buttercream."
Mica laughed as she wrestled the remote from the Doctor before it fell to the floor.
"Oh, look at that. Then ice it any colour you want. Here's one I made a little bit earlier. And look at that, your very own spaceship ready to eat. And for something a little extra special…"
The Doctor tightened his grip on the one-year-old before picking up the remote and turning it back to News 24, outside Albion Hospital.
"Albion Hospital. We still don't know whether it's alive or dead. Whitehall is denying everything. But the body has been brought here, Albion Hospital. The road's closed off. It's the closest to the river."
Mica hopped of the Doctor's lap and stood in front of the TV, blocking the view.
"Go to the side." The Doctor told her, pointing to the side. "Go on."
Seren slapped his shoulder and hopped off the arm rest.
"Now, Mica, that's not a very beautiful look on your face." She commented as she crouched next to the now frowning child. "Let's see if we can turn that frown," she picked her up and flipped her upside down, holding her tightly by the legs and walking over to the side slightly so they were out of the way of the television. "Upside down!" she let out peals of laughter, joined by Seren's own laughter. She turned her back right side up and hugged her tightly, a wide smile still on the little girl's face. She had been so focused on the child, she missed the contemplating look on the Doctor's face as he watched her. "Now there's the beautiful smile I was looking for." She said, pulling back from the hug as they sat back down, this time on the floor next to the Doctor's legs.
"What did I miss?" she asked him quietly, seeing the news had switched back to Number 10.
"General Asquith is at the Hospital and the patients have been moved out to the streets."
She nodded and turned back to the TV, Mica leaning against her side as he played with her long hair. The two were joined by David on her other side as he curled against her and watched the television.
"Mystery still surrounds the whereabouts of the Prime Minister. He's not been seen since the emergency began. The opposition are criticising his lack of leadership, and... Hold on." An official car pulled up in front of Number 10 and a portly man got up, briefly glancing at the media crowd before entering the building. "Oh, that's Joseph Green, MP for Hartley Dale. He's Chairman of the Parliamentary Commission on the monitoring of sugar standards in exported confectionary. With respect, hardly the most important person right now."
The chatter that filled the flat was suddenly brought to a halt as Siwan entered the flat, calling out her greetings. The beautiful Welshwoman stopped short, eyes wide behind her glasses, when she caught sight of Seren, who had stood up when she heard the younger woman's voice.
"Seren?" Siwan whispered disbelievingly. Tears gathered in the corner of her large blue eyes as she looked at the slightly older woman. "Seren?"
"It's me." Seren said, tears filling her own expressive orbs as she moved to stand in front of her younger sister. "I'm home."
"Oh, my God. It's you." Siwan dropped her bag as the two women hugged each other tightly. Rhiannon stood up from the sofa and joined the hug, while Johnny kept the kids from jumping on the three of them. "Where were you? Why didn't you call? We were so worried." Siwan fired rapid questions at her before a frown crossed her face and she turned to Jackie and Rose, "Why didn't you tell me she was back?"
"Mum left you a message on your mobile and you didn't give me a chance when you called earlier saying that you were going to the hospital for a bit." Rose explained and Siwan nodded in understanding.
"Why don't the three of you go into one of the rooms? Have a Jones sisters moment?" Johnny suggested. "Siwan, you would have some privacy if you want to yell at Seren for disappearing the way she did. Then Rose can join and you can have a Tyler/ Jones sisters moment."
"That's true. Come on." Siwan said with a radiant smile. "We can talk in my room. I need to change."
Seren nodded and the three sisters went into Siwan's room. While Siwan changed out of her pant suit, Seren and Rhiannon sat on the bed as Seren told them everything that had occurred. She explained how, for her at least, it had only been a few days and not a year, and everything she had seen and experienced.
"Well, that does make sense." Siwan said practically, coming out of her closet dressed in a light blue backless cowl-neck halter top that tied behind her neck, white slim-fit trousers with a brown belt and 5" high heeled open-toed sandals*. "I mean, there is no way you would go an entire year without calling or communicating in some way."
"Especially not after what we had been through." Rhiannon added.
"So, you're not mad?" Seren asked cautiously.
"Oh, we're furious." Siwan said as she sat at her vanity, took off her glasses and began combing out her hair, which had been up in a French twist. She decided to leave it open, parted in the middle, with the loose curls tumbling down her lower back to her hips.
"But we do understand that it wasn't your fault for returning a year late." Rhiannon said. She frowned and turned to look at the middle sister. "Have you told Rose and Aunt Jackie about where you have been?"
"Are you nuts?" Seren exclaimed, looking at the older woman incredulously. "They'd never be able to handle it!"
"Good point." Rhiannon let out a sigh. "Would it be okay if I told Johnny?"
"Sure." Seren said with a smile. "Just as long as you stress that he can't tell anyone. I know that we've got history occurring right now, but I don't want anyone to know that I travel through time and space with a mad man in his bigger on the inside blue box."
Rhiannon agreed with a smile as Siwan came and sat on the bed next to them, putting her glasses back on her face.
"So, how are things between you and Adam?" Rhiannon asked, looking at Siwan.
"Yeah, Rose had mentioned that the two of you were dating." Seren said, looking at her younger sister.
"They're good." Siwan replied, a slight blush covering her high cheekbones.
Rhiannon and Seren looked at each other and proceeded to grill the woman on her relationship with the handsome mild-mannered doctor. They were joined by Rose a short while later, and it was as if the past year never happened as they grilled Siwan on her love life.
Several hours later, it was dark when the Doctor slipped out of the now overly-crowded flat and walked toward the staircase. Seren, seeing him leave, ran out after him.
"And where do you think you are going?" she asked, making him turn to look at her.
"Nowhere." The Doctor replied with a shrug. "It's just a bit human in there for me. History just happened and they're talking about where you can buy dodgy top-up cards for half price. I'm going off on a wander, that's all."
"Right - there's a spaceship on the Thames and you're just wandering." Seren said, looking at him disbelievingly.
"Nothing to do with me. It's not an invasion. That was a genuine crash landing. Angle of descent, colour of smoke, everything. It's perfect." The Doctor said to her earnestly.
"So…?"
"So maybe this is it! First contact! The day mankind officially comes into contact with an alien race. We're not interfering 'cause you've got to handle this on your own. That's when the human race finally grows up. Just this morning you were all tiny and small and made of clay. Now you can expand!" The Doctor said with a chuckle, making Seren laugh as well. "You don't need me. Go and celebrate history. Spend some time with your sisters. And you can tell me whether you want to continue traveling with me or not."
He turned to leave.
"Promise you won't disappear?" Seren asked, making him stop and look at her.
The Doctor looked at her thoughtfully for a moment.
"Tell you what." he said, rummaging through his jacket pocket and pulling out a key, "TARDIS key." He handed it to her with a smile. "It's about time you had one." He tuned and began walking away. "See you later!"
Seren smiled at his retreating back, holding the key in her hand. She turned and headed back into the flat with a smile on her face.
Inside, she sat on the sofa with Siwan perched on one arm-rest and Mica curled on her lap, slowly dozing off.
"Here's to the Martians!" Jackie said cheerfully, holding up her wine glass in a toast.
"The Martians!" everyone, except for Seren and Siwan, cheered.
"I should go and see Mickey." Seren said quietly to Siwan, who nodded as the older woman moved to stand up.
The laughter, which had accompanied the cheer, stopped abruptly as all eyes fell on Mickey as he entered the flat, wide-eyed and slack-jawed as his gaze fell on Seren.
"Crisis, with no head of state. Since the Royal Family have been evacuated."
The television, which was still on, was the only sound in the flat for several moments as Mickey and Seren looked at each other, the rest staring between the two best friends. The question running through everyone's minds was 'will the two be able to mend their friendship, considering what had occurred during the past year? What Mickey had endured during the past year?'
"I was just about to come and see you." Seren said softly, breaking the silence as she stood up and handed Mica to Siwan.
"Someone owes Mickey an apology." Ru said.
"You're right, Ru." Seren told the older Asian woman before turning to Mickey. "Mickey, I'm so sorry."
"Not you." Ru told the apologetic traveller and turned to Rose and Jackie, looking at them pointedly.
Seren looked confused as Jackie and Rose looked around at the expectant guests in the flat.
"Well, it's not our fault." Jackie said defensively. "Be fair. What were we supposed to think?"
Jackie gave Mickey an unpleasant look and turned, walking into the kitchen followed by Rose. Seren looked between Mickey and the doorway her god-mother and god-sister went through, completely confused.
"Designate, though she insists this was a matter for the electorate." In the near silence of the sitting room, they could hear the newscaster giving his report, though no one was really paying much attention to it.
"Go on." Rhiannon said quietly to Mickey and Seren, gesturing to the kitchen and taking Mica from Siwan. "Go in and explain what happened."
Seren nodded as she, Siwan and Kickey went into the kitchen. The chatter slowly resumed as Jackie sat on the chair, Rose leaned back against the wall next to her and Seren and Siwan leaned against the counter.
"You disappear, who do they turn to? Your best friend." Mickey ranted, turning to Seren. "Five times I was taken in for questioning. Five times." He held up his hand, holding out all five fingers in emphasis. "No evidence. Course! There couldn't be, could there? And then I get her and even my own girlfriend, your god-mother and god-sister," he pointed to the two as they rolled their eyes and Seren looked at them in shock. "whispering around the Estate, pointing the finger. Stuff through my letterbox, and all 'cos of you." He pointed to her angrily. "You know what? The only person who believed me was Siwan. And Rhi, to an extent. When Jackie asked them why they didn't blame me, you know what they said? Rhi said that she lived in Wales and didn't know everything that had happened, so she couldn't form an opinion. Siwan said that she knew I would never do anything to hurt you or Siwan." He turned and walked to the other side of the kitchen.
"I'm sorry." Seren said quietly, feeling terrible for having caused him so much pain. "I didn't think I would be gone for so long."
"And I waited for you, Seren!" he cried out, turning and walking back to her. "Twelve months, waiting for you and the Doctor to come back!" He looked at her, dead straight in the eyes as he spoke.
"Hold on!" Jackie said, looking at Mickey. "You knew about the Doctor? Why didn't you tell us?"
"Yeah, yeah." Mickey said as he noticed someone trying to listen in through the serving hatch. He closed the shutters and the door as he continued to speak. "Why not, Seren? Huh? How could I tell them where you went?"
"Tell us now." Jackie ordered, looking between Mickey and Seren.
"I might as well, 'cos you're stuck here." Mickey said, shrugging. "The Doctor's gone. Just now. That box thing just faded away."
"What do you mean?" Seren asked with a frown, her heart pounding.
"He's left you! Some boyfriend he turned out to be." Mickey replied.
Seren looked at him for a heart beat before rushing out of the kitchen, grabbing her brown drawstring bag from beside the door and running out of the flat. Seren was followed out of the flat by Rose, Mickey and Siwan, who had grabbed her dark brown purse before running out of the flat after her sister. Jackie watched the four leave and crossed her arms in frustration, not sure what to do.
"Ay! Where you goin'?" Johnny yelled to Siwan's retreating back, seeing the small group run out of the flat in a hurry.
"No idea!" Siwan yelled back. "Keep everyone entertained, we'll be back in a bit!"
Johnny shrugged and went back inside, muttering about 'crazy Jones sisters' under his breath.
The four of them arrived in the space where the TARDIS had been parked several hours earlier.
"He wouldn't just go, he promised me." Seren insisted as she looked around.
"Oh, he's dumped you, Seren. Sailed off into space. How does it feel, huh? Now you are left behind with the rest of us Earthlings. Get used to it." Mickey said snidely, still upset about the occurrences of the past year.
"He would have said something to me." Seren said, whirling around to look at the taller man as Jackie walked up to them.
"What're you chimps going on about? What's going on? What's this Doctor done now?" Jackie asked with a frown, looking between the two.
Siwan and Rose just watched the interaction.
"He's vamoosed." Mickey said, chortling.
"He's not, because he gave me this." Seren said angrily, holding up the TARDIS key. Mickey looked at her and shrugged in response as she continued, "He's not my boyfriend, Mickey. He's better than that. He's much more important. And he-" Seren cut herself off as the key began to glow and she heard the faint sound of engines whirring.
"What's that sound?" Siwan asked, looking around completely alert.
"I said so." Seren told Mickey before turning to Jackie and Rose. "Aunt Jackie? Aunt Jackie, you and Rose, go inside! Aunt Jackie, Rose, don't stand there, just go inside." As Seren gently pushed them towards the building, they stared over her shoulder utterly transfixed. "Just… Aunt Jackie, Rose!" the whirring got louder as Seren turned and watched the TARDIS begin to materialize. "Oh, blimey."
"Wow." Siwan breathed, staring mesmerized at the materializing blue box.
"Huh?" Mickey pointed meaningfully at the TARDIS, now fully materialized in the spot it had been in.
"How'd you do that, then?" Rose asked wide-eyed as she nodded her head to the blue box.
Seren looked between the two blondes and bit her lip, not sure how to reply. After a few moments of trying to find a way to explain, she gave up and went to the TARDIS, walking in. The Doctor was looking at the monitor with his back to her.
"Alright, so I lied." The Doctor said, glancing at Seren before turning back to the screen. "I went and had a look. But the whole crash landing's a fake. I thought so. Just too perfect. I mean, hitting Big Ben." He scoffed. "Come on, so I thought let's go and have a look…"
"Aunt Jackie and Rose are here. And so is Siwan." Seren interrupted him, making him groan.
At the sound of the door closing, the two turned and saw Mickey, Rose, Jackie and Siwan walking up the ramp of the TARDIS. Rose and Jackie had their hands over their mouths in shock as Siwan looked around in wonder.
"Oh, that's just what I need." He said exasperatedly before adding warningly, "Don't you dare make this place domestic."
"You ruined my life, Doctor." Mickey said angrily, casing the alien to spin around and look at him. "They thought she was dead. I was a murder suspect because of you."
"See what I mean?" The Doctor asked, spinning around to face Seren. "Domestic!" he turned back to the monitor.
"I bet you don't even remember my name!" Mickey shouted.
"Ricky." The Doctor replied, turning to look at him.
"It's Mickey." Mickey ground out.
"No, it's Ricky."
"I think I know my own name."
"You think you know your own name? How stupid are you?"
Rose and Jackie, who had been looking around the TARDIS with bewildered expressions on their faces, turned and ran out of the TARDIS.
"Aunt Jackie, Rose, don't!" Seren yelled out to them, before turning to the Doctor, "Don't go anywhere." She turned to Mickey, "Don't start a fight!" she turned to Siwan, "Keep an eye on them!" She ran out after the two blondes, yelling "Aunt Jackie, Rose, it's not like that! He's not…" seeing their retreating backs, Seren sighed, muttering, "Oh, never mind!" before running back into the TARDIS and coming up to the console. "That was a real spaceship?"
"Yes." The Doctor replied, as they turned back to the monitor with Mickey behind them.
"So it was all a pack of lies?" Seren asked with a frown. "What is it, then? Are they invading?"
"Funny way to invade, putting the world on red alert." Mickey pointed out off-handed.
"Good point!" the Doctor exclaimed mildly impressed, glancing at Mickey before turning back to the monitor. "So, what're they up to?"
A short while later, the Doctor was under the console, fiddling with the controls as Mickey watched while Seren and Siwan sat on the railing, talking quietly, mostly Siwan comforting Seren who was torn between staying with them and going travelling with the Doctor.
"So, what're you doing down there?" Mickey asked the Doctor, looking down at the alien beneath the console.
"Ricky." The Doctor corrected around the screwdriver clenched between his teeth.
"Mickey." Mickey insisted.
"Rickey." The Doctor said, taking the screwdriver out of his mouth and holding it in his hand. "If I were to tell you what I was doing to the controls of my frankly magnificent time ship, would you even begin to understand?"
"I suppose not." Mickey replied with a shrug.
Seren had to agree with 'the magnificent time ship' comment. The TARDIS truly was remarkable and beautiful. The TARDIS hummed a joyous tune, causing the two sisters to look up at the ceiling.
"He does have a point." Siwan whispered quietly to Seren. At the questioning look, she elaborated, "She truly is a magnificent ship. And the humming is beautiful."
"You can hear her humming?" Seren asked, surprised.
"Yeah. Can't you?"
"Yeah, I can. It's just that the Doctor said that it's pretty rare for that to happen."
"Well, I guess we're just extraordinary then." Siwan said with a smirk, nudging Seren lightly as the two laughed lightly and turned back to Mickey and the Doctor's bickering.
The two sisters looked at each other and sighed, getting up and walking to the consol.
"Well, shut it, then." He snapped at the human.
"Some friend you've got." Mickey muttered to Seren, who looked at him sadly. Siwan crouched next to the Doctor, watching as he fiddled with the controls to give her sister and Mickey some privacy
"He's winding you up." The brunette replied softly. She looked at him and said sincerely, "I am sorry."
"Okay."
"I am though." Seren insisted.
"Every day, I looked." Mickey told her softly, pain in his voice at what he had been through in the past year. "On every street corner, wherever I went, looking for a blue box for a whole year."
"It's only been a few days for me. I don't know. It's… it's hard to tell linear time in here but I swear it's just a few days since I left you." Seren said pleadingly.
"Not enough time to miss me, then?" Mickey asked her after a moment's pause.
"I did miss you." Seren replied with a small smile.
"I missed you." Mickey said with a smile.
"So, um, you and Rose have obviously broken up. In twelve months, have you been seeing anyone else?" Seren asked, attempting to change the subject.
"No." Mickey replied immediately, his face falling.
"Okay." Seren said slowly with a slight smile.
"Mainly because everyone thinks I murdered you." He continued.
"Right." She said slowly, regretting the topic she chose.
"So… now that you've come back… are you gonna stay?" Mickey asked.
Seren bit her lip, not sure what to say in response. The sound of sparks flying broke the tense moment between them as the Doctor stood up.
"Got it! Ha, ha!" he exclaimed excitedly as he looked at the monitor, Siwan on his other side. Seren joined them as the Doctor explained what he had done. "Patched in the radar, looped it back twelve hours so we can follow the flight of that spaceship. Here we go." He pointed to the monitor. "Hold on." He hit the monitor. "Come on!" he pointed to the screen as the two women looked at it. "That's the spaceship on its way to Earth. See?" they nodded. "Except... Hold on." They waited a few seconds as the monitor showed them the data. "See? The spaceship did a sling shot round the Earth before it landed."
"That would mean it came from Earth in the first place." Siwan pointed out, frowning as the Doctor looked at her in surprise.
"Exactly." He said. "It went up and came back down. Whoever those aliens are, they haven't just arrived, they've been here for a while."
"Question is, what have they been doing?" Seren asked earning nods from the Doctor and her sister.
The Doctor began channel-hopping on the scanner as Seren and Siwan watched the screen.
"How many channels do you get?" Mickey asked, looking over their shoulders.
"All the basic packages." The Doctor replied, straightening up and crossing his arms as Seren continued flipping the channels.
"You get sports channels?" Mickey asked, looking at the alien with wide eyes.
"Yes, I get the football." The Doctor replied, turning back to the screen. "Hold on, I know that lot."
Seren and Siwan looked at the screen as well before exchanging looks.
"It is looking likely that the Government's bringing in alien specialists - those people who have devoted their lives to studying outer space." The female newscaster said.
"UNIT." Seren said.
"Unified Intelligence Task Force." Siwan continued.
"Good people." The Doctor agreed before looking at the twins. "How do you know them?"
"Our father worked for UNIT." Seren replied. "You?"
"He's worked for them." Mickey said, causing the three of them to look at him in surprise. "Oh yeah, don't think I sat on my backside for twelve months, Doctor. I read up on you! He pointed to the alien. "You look deep enough on the Internet or in the history books, and there's his name, followed by a list of the dead."
"That's nice. Good boy, Ricky." The Doctor said sarcastically.
Seren let out a breath, completely fed up with Mickey's attitude.
"He's a hero, Mickey." Siwan snapped before Seren could say anything. At the comment, the three looked at her. "And being a hero, you will always have one true companion. Death. How is the list of the dead that follow his name any different from Adam, who is a doctor? From Tad, who worked with UNIT? From Seren and myself, who worked in the medical field? From every single fireman, police officer, rescue worker who have a list of the dead alongside the list of the saved. Sometimes the list of the dead is longer than the one of the saved. And sometimes... sometimes, there is no list of the saved, only the dead because there are times, nobody lives." Mickey looked appropriately chastised as Siwan berated him. "I understand how difficult this past year has been for you. Believe me, I do. But that doesn't make it okay for you to make such underhanded and snide comments about the Doctor. Actually, it doesn't give you the right to make such comments about any one."
As Siwan took a breath, Seren put a calming hand on her sister's shoulder and turned to the Doctor. He was staring at the younger twin with a look akin to respect in his eyes.
"Okay, the three of us know them. You more than Siwan and I. So why don't we go and help?" Seren asked, looking at the Doctor.
"They wouldn't recognize me. I've changed a lot since the old days." The Doctor replied, shaking his head and walking around the console, pressing buttons. "Besides, the world's on a knife-edge. There's aliens out there and fake aliens." He pointed to himself as he added, "We want to keep this alien out of the mix. I'm going undercover. And er, I'd better keep the TARDIS out of sight." He walked towards the door as he said, "Ricky! You've got a car. You can do some driving."
"Where to?" Mickey asked as the three humans followed the Doctor, Seren and Siwan pausing long enough to grab their purses and sling them over their shoulders.
"The roads are clearing." He replied, opening the TARDIS door. "Let's go and have a look at that spaceship."
The four walked out of the TARDIS and into a helicopter spotlight.
"Do not move! Step away from the box! Raise your hands above your heads!" a man yelled through a bullhorn.
Police cars and Saxon armored personnel carriers surrounded them. The soldiers surrounded them, weapons armed and ready. Mickey, terrified, ran away as Jackie and Rose ran out of the block of flats.
"Seren! Siwan!" Jackie yelled as a soldier grabbed her.
"Seren! Siwan!" Rose yelled as well, as she was grabbed and held back as well.
The noise of the sirens and the helicopter drowned out the sound of the mother and daughter duo yelling for the sisters.
"Raise your hands above your heads! You are under arrest!" the man said through the bullhorn.
The Doctor, Seren and Siwan looked at each other and shrugged, raising their hands as ordered.
"Take me to your leader!" the Doctor said cheerfully, a wide grin on his face.
Seren and Siwan face-palmed.
"Those are my god-daughters!" Jackie yelled at the soldiers holding her back.
"Let me go!" Rose yelled. "Those are my god-sisters!"
The Doctor, Seren and Siwan were lead to a police car.
"Okay, getting arrested isn't exactly undercover." Siwan said as they sat inside, and the doors were shut.
Siwan and the Doctor were sitting by the doors with Seren in the middle.
"We're not being arrested. We're being escorted." The Doctor said, the grin still firmly in place.
"To Downing Street?" Seren asked in surprise and getting a nod in response from Siwan and the Doctor as the two laughed. "You're kidding."
"I'm not!"
"10 Downing Street?"
"That's the one." Siwan said with a smile.
"Oh, my God. I'm going to 10 Downing Street?" Seren asked, squealing slightly in excitement before it faded, and she frowned. "How come?"
"I hate to say it, but Mickey was right. Over the years I've visited this planet a lot of times, and I've been, um, noticed." The Doctor told them, slightly sheepish.
"Now they need you?" Seren asked.
"Like it said on the news. They're gathering experts in alien knowledge." The Doctor said. "And who's the biggest expert of the lot?" he looked at the two women with a smile.
"Patrick Moore?" Siwan said innocently, smiling radiantly at the man.
"Apart from him." The Doctor said with a mock glare at her.
"Oh, don't you just love it." Seren teased him, an equally radiant smile on her face.
"I'm telling you. Lloyd George, he used to drink me under the table." The Doctor said. "Who's the Prime Minister now?
"How should I know?" Seren asked as she leaned her head back against the head rest. "I've missed a year."
Before Siwan could reply to the question, they pulled up to 10 Downing Street and the doors were opened. The Doctor got out from his side and waved for the cameras and Seren and Siwan got out from the other door.
"Oh, my God." Seren breathed, looking around in amazement as Siwan gently nudged her towards the building.
They entered the building and were led into the waiting room, filled with experts who were mingling and talking with each other. Seren and Siwan earned a few strange looks due to their attire, but they just shrugged them off. It's not like they were expecting to end up in Downing Street when they were getting dressed.
A young man entered the room and called out in a loud voice, gaining everyone's attention.
"Ladies and gentlemen, can we convene? Quick as we can, please. It's this way on the right, and can I remind you ID cards are to be worn at all times." As he spoke, he walked towards the Doctor and the two sisters. His ID card stated his name was Indra Ganesh. He handed an ID card to the Doctor as he spoke to them. "Here's your ID card. I'm sorry, your Companion and Siwan don't have clearance."
"I don't go anywhere without Seren. And she isn't going anywhere without Siwan." The Doctor said firmly as he put the card around his neck.
"You're the code nine, not either of them." Ganesh said regretfully. "I'm sorry, Doctor. It is the Doctor, isn't it? They'll have to stay outside."
"They're staying with me." The Doctor said firmly.
"Look, I know Siwan Jones has been here before, on multiple occasions, but right now, even I don't have clearance to go in there. I can't let her in and that's a fact." Ganesh told them firmly.
"It's alright." Seren said softly.
"You go." Siwan added. "We'll be fine."
"Excuse me. Are you the Doctor?" a woman asked the Doctor, coming up to them.
"Sure?" The Doctor asked the two.
"Not now. We're busy." Ganesh groaned when he saw her. "Can't you go home?"
"I just need a word in private." She said.
"I suppose so." The Doctor said to the twins, not paying attention to Ganesh or the woman he was talking to. "Don't get into any trouble."
Seren and Siwan gave identical 'Who? Us?' smiles as he turned and left, going into the Cabinet Room with the other experts.
"You haven't got clearance. Now leave." Ganesh snapped to the woman before turning to the twins and guiding them away. "I'm sorry Siwan, but this time, I'm going to have to leave you both with security."
"It's all right. I'll look after them. Let me be of some use." The woman said to Ganesh with a smile as they turned to look at her. At Ganesh's nod of agreement, she gestured for the twins to walk with her. She turned to the sisters and said quietly, "Walk with me. Just keep walking." They walked passed the guards at the door. "That's right." as Seren looked around, she added, "Don't look around!"
"MP Jones, what's going on?" Siwan asked as they walked through the hall.
"You know her?" Seren whispered.
"Harriet Jones, MP Flydale North." Harriet said, flashing her ID card at Seren.
They stopped in a corner by the staircase.
"This friend of yours." She started, looking desperate and scared, turning to the twins. "He's an expert. Is that right? He knows…" her voice cracked. "He knows about aliens?"
Seren and Siwan exchanged looks and turned to the older woman.
"Why do you want to know?" Seren asked, curious yet cautious.
Harriet opened her mouth to reply but broke down crying instead. Seren and Siwan exchanged looks and put their arms around the distraught woman.
"It's okay. It's okay, MP Jones." Seren said soothingly, grateful for the experience she had working in hospitals in high school.
"Just take a deep breath." Siwan said, in just as soothing a tone as her twin. Harriet slowly calmed down, taking deep, gasping breathes. "That's it. Deep breathes."
Once the older woman calmed down slightly, she spoke.
"Thank you. Come with me. This is important." She led them into the Cabinet Room and took out a body that looked like a suit. She put the bodysuit over a chair and looked at the twins. "They turned the body into a suit! A disguise for the thing inside!"
She burst into tears once again, covering her face with her hands as she sobbed.
"It's all right. We believe you." Seren said gently, putting a hand on the older woman's shoulder. "It's alien."
"They must have some serious technology behind this." Siwan added as she began searching the room, trying to open drawers and cabinets. "if we could find it, we could use it." She went to a closet and opened it, only for a body to fall out onto the floor.
"Oh, my God." Seren cried as she and Harriet ran over to the body and Siwan turned it over. "Is that…"
Siwan knelt beside the body and checked for a pulse as Ganesh entered the room.
"Harriet, for God's sake!" he cried exasperatedly. "This has gone beyond a joke. You cannot just wander-" he stopped short as he saw the three women around the body. "Oh, my God! That's the-"
"Prime Minister." Siwan finished the sentence and looked up at him. "He's dead. I've already checked for vitals, there aren't any."
"Oh." Came a sickly-sweet voice from the door, causing them to look at the over-weight woman. "Has someone been naughty?"
She entered the room and closed the door behind her as the three women and one man looked at her.
"But that's not possible. He left this afternoon." Ganesh said in denial. "The Prime Minister left Downing Street. He was driven away!"
"And who told you that, Indra?" Siwan asked him, comprehension beginning to dawn on her face.
"Me." The woman replied, walking forward towards them and removing her purse before reaching up for her hairline.
She unzipped her forehead and the room filled with blue light as a large green alien wriggled out of the suit. As soon as the alien was free of the confining suit, she flexed her three long fingers in relief.
With a roar, she reached out to grab Ganesh, who was frozen and staring at the alien in shock.
Links (on pinterest):
*Seren outfit when returning to Earth (same as chapter 1 and 2) - .ca/pin/474566879475865903/
*Seren outfit and accessories - .ca/pin/474566879478222111/
*Seren hair - .ca/pin/474566879476989471/
*Siwan outfit - .ca/pin/423901383648720376/