There's so much I want to tell you:
So first of all, I've got my hands on a few Doctor Who books (and I got some for my birthday 😊). And I've got 2 with adventures with the 9th Doctor, which I'm going to adapt into chapters because their stories are so good. (And the Target novelisation of some episode is just really useful for some source material)
I also got one big finish audio with the 9th Doctor. and let me tell you, I cried my eyes out listening to it. Hearing Christopher Eccleston's voice, the sound effects, the sounds of the TARDIS, AND THE GENERICS OF DOCTOR WHO S1 AT THE BEGINNING. J'ai chialé ma race, as we say in French.
Also Good Omens S2 ? O Hail Gaiman ! but mostly Fuck You Gaiman. (I know you're laughing your head off behind your computer screen displaying your next tumblr post.)
I didn't watch the S3 of the Witcher. I juste can't. The Lore my friend, the Lore ! and the characters. Sorry, I can't. Even the One Piece Live action is way, WAY better that the Witcher netflix. And i mean it most sincerely.
Anyway, enjoy your reading! I'm desperately trying to finish my online courses so that I can go on to year 2.
Have a nice cup of tea, folks !
Amid the cries of pain from the injured and dying experts, and the maniacal laughter of the two Slitheen, the Doctor hurriedly put his hand on an ID card. He grunted in pain as the electricity burnt his hand and sent ripples of pain to his body's nerves. With a tremendous effort, staggering and sweating profusely, he reached the usurper of Asquith and pressed the badge against the collar he wore. The two Slitheen suddenly screamed in pain; they too were affected by the same electric discharge.
All the affected specialists fell unconscious or died. Alvia hurried to an expert whose ID card she knew had been removed, and proceeded to check her pulse and breathing. She sighed with relief as she felt a weak pulse. Then she was pulled away by the Doctor, who grabbed her hand. They ran down the corridors until they found the armed police force guarding 10 Downing Street.
"Oi! You want aliens I'm gonna give you aliens – You've got them. They're inside Downing Street" The Doctor called out, dropping Alvia's hand to clap his own. "Come on !"
Alvia hardly had time to catch her breath as she was once again dragged along by the Doctor, matching his pace with some difficulty. They went back into the meeting room, with the police force on their tail. Unfortunately for the Doctor, the Slitheen had put Asquith's skin back on him, thus making the accusation improbable.
"Where've you been ?" asked the Prime Minister's usurper.
Seeing all the bodies in the room, the police started to check the bodies for any signs of life.
"I called for help; I sounded the alarm. There was this…. Lightening!" he lied, and he created the lie on the spot. "This kind of er… um… electricity, and they all collapsed!"
"I think they're all dead." said one of the police officers after checking on an expert who suffered a fatal fate.
"Hey! This one's alive!" another exclaimed.
"See if there are any other survivors, and get an ambulance!"
"Is there? Er – That's what I'm saying!" He suddenly pointed at the Doctor and Alvia, who's hands were still linked. "It's them! This girl and this man over there! They did it!"
"I think you will find the Prime Minister is an alien in disguise." the Doctor defended himself, accusing the Prime Minister.
The accused folded his arms, looking at the Doctor with scepticism and mild disbelief at the Doctor's bold statement regarding his accusation. The Doctor moved his head, looking for some support from the police officer beside him.
"That's never going to work, is it ?"
"Nope."
"Fair enough."
Not waiting to be arrested, the Doctor fled, taking Alvia with him, shortly followed by the entire police force. Security on their tail and more familiar with the place than the two runaways, the Doctor and Alvia soon found themselves surrounded. Guns pointed at them; they raised their hands with mixed confidence. Despite the obvious dangerous situation, the Doctor was all smiles.
"Under the Jurisdiction of the Emergency Protocols, I authorize you to execute them!"
Security engaged their guns. Alvia swallowed hard at the sight of the various guns, but could see that some of the police force felt mildly uneasy about executing her.
"Uh, well, now, yes. You see, eh… the thing is… If I was you, if I was going to execute someone by backing them the wall, between you and me, little word of advice…"
Alvia had never been so happy to hear the ping of an elevator, and she snuck inside the cabin the instant the door opened.
"Don't stand them against the lift!" The Doctor moved and closed the door using his sonic screwdriver.
Alvia felt her legs fail and she crouched down, exhaling a heavy sigh of relief.
"Fuckin' hell…" she exhaled between her hands, rubbing her face. "I haven't run that much since high school and that was at least five years ago. I might throw up my lungs if we keep running like this. Never been much of a runner, me."
"I can see that." chuckled the Doctor as he glanced at me.
Before Alvia could utter a sarcastic retort the elevator slows down before stopping. With a ping the door opened leaving Alvia and the Doctor to be greeted by a roaring Slitheen.
"Oh, hello!" nodded the Doctor with a smile, and used his screwdriver to close the door.
Alvia caught a glimpse of Rose and Harriet escaping into another room while the door closed.
"You couldn't close the door by pushing a button like everyone else, could you?"
"Now, why on earth would I do that when I've got a sonic screwdriver?"
They finally left the elevator as it reached the second floor. Alvia diligently tailed the Doctor as he made his way to the stairs. They could hear the policemen from where they stood. Once they reached the first floor, they started to look for Rose and Harriet, who were certainly being hunted by the Slitheen from earlier. As the Doctor made his way to the lift, it suddenly pinged, alerting the Doctor to the new arrival on this floor. He backtracked hastily, grabbing Alvia by the waist and then hid in a crevice next to the door.
The hiding place wasn't meant or designed to accommodate two people, and so the Doctor found himself pinning Alvia against the wall, causing her to turn her head so she could breathe while their legs were intertwined. If the situation wasn't so critical right now, they might look like a couple trying to hide and snog each other. It took a lot of effort for her to maintain a straight face and not blush, and also to focus her thoughts on the Slitheens nearby and not on the way her body fit strangely well with the Doctor's.
With her head against the Doctor's chest, she could hear and feel the pounding of his hearts. She could smell the leather of his jacket, the heady scent of hydrocarbons and his own scent, which seemed to be a combination of various fragrances such as musk, an undertone of banana, and then something she'd never smelled before and which her brain was unable to identify. This unfamiliar scent recalled to her the smell of a new book but also of an old one. Might it be that Time had a smell of its own? No matter how cliché and absurd it might seem.
The Slitheens walked past the two figures hiding in the shadows, talking together, unaware of their presence. Once away, the Doctor glanced towards the direction of the Slitheens, ensuring that it would be safe for them to return into the light. They followed their tracks in silence, the two of them were very quiet as they walked.
Then there was a high-pitched scream from Rose.
"Out! With me!" said the Doctor.
Harriet quickly joined the Doctor and Alvia's sides, Alvia grabbing the politician's arm to guide her behind her and the Doctor for some protection, meanwhile Rose ripped the curtains off and threw them at the Slitheen next to her, hoping to slow her down even a little.
"Who the hell are you ?" asked the Doctor glancing at the woman behind him.
"Harriet Jones – PM for Flydale North."
"Nice to meet you."
"Likewise"
"No time for manners." rumbled Alvia. "We need to run, now!"
Without delay, she made her way to the door, grabbing Harriet to escort her out of the room, with Rose following and finally the Doctor after a few seconds. The extinguisher having been abandoned and the door slammed shut. The Doctor quickly took the lead, telling them where to run.
"The Emergency Protocols are in there! They give instructions on aliens!" Harriet revealed, trailing behind the Doctor
"Harriet Jones – I like you."
"And I like you too."
"Oh, for fuck's sake... Are all British people always this polite?!" Alvia complained, struggling to keep her breath. "We've got the Slitheens on our arses, you know!"
As they ran on, they ended up stuck at a door until the Doctor unlocked it with his sonic screwdriver. Once opened, it led into the Prime Minister's meeting room. Nobody got a chance to close the doors, the Slitheens were there too, standing in the next room. The Doctor reached for a glass or crystal bottle of alcohol and pointed his sonic screwdriver in a threatening way. Harriet had grabbed the red case which contained the protocols and was holding it tight against her chest.
"One more move and my sonic device will triplicate the flammability of this alcohol. Whoof! We all go up. So back off." The Doctor said very convincingly.
Alvia had to hold back the smirk that threatened to rise as she watched the Slitheens stare hesitantly at the Doctor and the bottle he held.
"Right then. Question Time. Who exactly are the Slitheen?"
"They're aliens." replied Harriet Jones
"Yes. I got that, thanks."
"Who are you, if not human?" asked one of the Slitheens, the one imitating the 'new' Prime Minister.
"Who's not human?"
"He's not human." Replied Rose to Harriet.
"He's not human?"
"Can I have a bit of hush ?" the Doctor asked, as he looked at Rose and Harriet.
Alvia puffed in amusement and slipped her hands smoothly into the pockets of her jacket.
"Sorry."
"So – What's the plan ?"
"But he's got a Northern accent." Harriet continued, turning towards Rose.
"Lots of planets have a North." says Alvia and Rose at the same time. "Oh… that's weird." Alvia grimaced as she got an ugly glare from Rose and an exasperated one from the Doctor.
"Oh, not you too, I said hush!" then lifted the bottle to reinstate his threat. "Come on! You've got a spaceship hidden in the North Sea. It's transmitting a signal. You've murdered your way to the top of government – what for? Invasion?"
"Why would we invade this God forsaken rock?" Green replied with a slight tone of offence.
"Then something's brought the Slitheen race here – what is it?"
"The 'Slitheen Race'?" repeated the Slitheen who had assumed the appearance of General Asquith.
"Oh no, no, no! Slitheen is not our species. Slitheen is our surname. Ah! Never heard that one before. The Slitheen race." Green laughed after he had corrected the Doctor. "Jocrassa Fel Fotch Pasameer Day Slitheen at your service."
"Ah. So, you're family," guessed the Doctor.
"It's a family business." confirmed Jocrassa.
"Then you're out to make a profit. How can you do that on a 'God forsaken rock'?
"Ahhh. Excuse me? You said your device will do what? Triplicate the flammability …?" the other male Slitheen suddenly inquired.
"Is that what I said?"
"You're making it up!" he accused him.
"Ah, Well! Nice try. Harriet, have a drink. I think you're gonna need it." the Doctor offered, handing her the bottle.
"You pass it to the left first."
"Sorry." The Doctor was about to pass the bottle to Rose when Alvia took it from his hands.
"Oh don't mind me, sorry!" she said, not appearing sorry, her attention directed to the bottle of alcohol.
Alvia removed the plug with a slight clink of glass and brought the bottle neck close to her nose, then withdrew it immediately. It didn't smell as strong as a white rum or an old Martinique rum or even a good old whisky, but it was strong enough for Alvia to guess its alcohol concentration. She could turn it into a Molotov cocktail if necessary. Tissue was not a problem and neither was fire. She had a lighter in one of her pockets, not that she smoked, but she made a habit of taking one with her in case someone needed to light a cigarette – or a blunt, which happened more often than you'd think.
Crossing his arms, the Doctor began to tell the story of Downing Street up to the creation of the cabinet.
"Fascinating history, Downing Street. Two thousand years ago, this was marsh land. 1730, it was occupied by a Mr Chicken. He was a nice man. 1796, this was the cabinet room – if the cabinet's in session and in danger, these are about the four most safest walls in the whole of Great Britain." he suddenly pressed a button near the door. "End of lesson."
Every access to the room was suddenly sealed off by thick metal shutters.
"Installed in 1991. Three inches of steel lining every single wall. They'll never get in." he says with confidence.
"And we'll never get out." Alvia replied with a smirk.
"Ah…"
Alvia chuckled at the Doctor as she saw his confidence slip away when he realised he'd locked them in with no way out.
"You're very good for acting in the moment, but you're certainly not good for planning for what happens next." Alvia teased, patting his arm. "Well, at least we have a weapon if we need to get past the Slitheen."
"A weapon? What weapon?" the Doctor frowned.
Alvia raised the bottle to her eye level and shook it nicely.
"You do realise I was bluffing when I said I could triplicate flammability?" the Doctor politely told her.
"Yeah, he's good at make it up things." Rose added with an air of patronising confidence.
"Eh Oh! Before you get all patronising on me, hear me out." she replies sharply. " I can create a Molotov cocktail; cloth isn't a problem and I have a lighter in one of my pockets."
"Rassilon ! Where on Earth have you learned to do that?" The Doctor stuttered with surprise.
"Like I said, I've been involved in some demonstrations."
"Well, You're not going to use it as a weapon, especially to blow up one of them."
"Alright, alright." She admitted, hands up "It was just a suggestion. Anyway, we're stuck. What do we do, Doctor? Any ideas?"
"Okay, let's check the room for any kind of technology, anything that might help us get out of here or figure out whatever the Slitheens are doing on Earth." The Doctor clapped his hands, instructing them what to do in the same way a teacher might instruct small children.
With that, Rose and Alvia proceeded to search the room for any kind of technology. Harriet Jones settled into a chair and opened the red case containing the emergency protocols for alien invasion, taking the file before opening it and reading it meticulously. Leaving the bottle of alcohol on the huge wooden table, Alvia went to what she knew was the cupboard, flipping on a light switch before suddenly freezing.
Lying on the floor like forgotten clothes was an ancient disguise of human skin. Left on the floor like dirty laundry was a skin suit. Alvia approached and crouched down beside the pile of flesh and tissue, looking at it with morbid fascination, observing how realistic the flesh was. Well... It was real. It was not a skin made of silicone or rubber, like they had used in the show. She could see the texture of his skin, the moles, the zip that hid the inside of the skin. She couldn't help it and took a look, slightly moving the flabby, cold skin. The sight of the inside of the body made her completely sick, and she held back with unknown strength from throwing up. The inside was slimy, red, and bloody. There were no organs or bones left, the muscles were gone too.
Alvia stood up suddenly, leaving the wardrobe without a backward glance or any consideration for the human skin on the floor. She pressed her hand against her mouth, feeling the saliva pooling and the muscles in her stomach tightening.
Her return caught the Doctor's attention, then his concern.
"You okay ?" he asks, approaching her.
"There is... There is a skin suit inside..." she whispers in a broken voice, with her throat tight. She grabbed the sleeve of his jacket. "It wasn't as... real when I... it's so much worse…"
The Doctor glanced towards the cupboard and spotted a flat piece of flesh, and realised immediately. Stupid Doctor. He should have realised and prepared Alvia for this, he should have slowly prepared her to realise that what she saw, the actors and special effects were no longer just actors and specious effects. They were real. And so was death.
He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, drawing her closer to him to comfort her. She wrapped her arms under his jacket and around him, enjoying the embrace he was offering her. But it didn't last long, and he pulled back, breaking the embrace with a brief kiss on her hair, whispering some apologies. She gave him a wry smile, which looked more like a grimace than anything else, and sat down next to Harriet Jones, focused on some kind of list. Alvia picked up the bottle to open it again and this time drink from it. She sipped the alcohol very slowly, sip by sip, thankful that the burn of the alcohol on her lips, tongue and throat was enough to distract her from what she witnessed just before.
Moving the corpse of the Prime Minister and then the assistant into the cupboard, the Doctor wasn't aware of Alvia's behaviour. But when he had finished, seeing her put the bottle back on the table and lick her lips and swallow, he could only give her a disapproving look and take the bottle away.
"What was his name ?" the Doctor asked, looking at Harriet Jones.
"Which one?"
"This one, the secretary or whatever he was called."
Harriet goes to look.
"I don't know. I talked to him, I brought him a cup of coffee, I never asked his name."
"Indra Ganesh. That's his name."
"How can you know that ?" Asked Rose.
"I read the nametag he wore."
"He wasn't wearing any." denied Rose, eyes squinted a bit, with an air that irked Alvia.
"Yes, he did." replied Alvia, bringing the bottle of alcohol towards her, as she felt the desire to have some more. "It's usually a requirement, if not an obligation, for people to wear a name tag when working for the government. Military and some companies do it. I know my father had one for his work."
"Anyway, what have we got here ? Any terminals ? Anything ?" The Doctor called out, taking out his sonic screwdriver before scanning the metal panels and the walls that separated them from the outside world.
"Nope, this place is antique. What I don't get, is when the killed the Prime Minister, why didn't they used him as a disguise ?"
"He's too slim" he replied, scanning a door. "They're big old beasts, they need to fit inside big humans."
"But the Slitheens are about what… eight feet ? How do they squeeze inside ?"
"That's the device around their necks. Compression field literally shrinks them down a bit. That's why there's all that gas, it's a big exchange."
"Wish I had a compression field; I could fit a size smaller."
"Excuse me, people are dead! This is not the time for making jokes." Harriet exclaimed, looking at Rose indignantly."
"Sorry." Said Rose, who wasn't very sorry; gesturing towards the Doctor who was scanning a wall. "You get used to this stuff when you're friends with him."
Feeling the burn of alcohol against her lips and tongue, Alvia slowly swallowed the sip she had taken, tapping her nails against the etched glass of the bottle in a steady, hypnotic rhythm. With not much in her stomach to mop up the alcohol, she could already notice and feel the first signs of drunkenness. That smoky sensation, where her reflexes seem looser and less focused than when she was sober, had set in. She had to stop. Any more and she would be completely useless and even incoherent. Unable to understand what might be said and incapable of being understood in return. It was risky too, considering the Slitheen family gathering in Downing Street. Besides, it wasn't even that good. Plus she didn't like it that much. One might think that the government would invest in better quality alcohol.
Alvia glanced at the Doctor's figure, noticing a brief twitch of his jaw as he reacted to Rose's words. But was it really Rose's words that set him off? Or was it the reminder of how death loomed over Downing Street and threatened the whole world?
"Well, that's a strange friendship."
The doctor walked towards the fireplace, ready to scan it too, then paused on his way, staring at Harriet Jones as she dropped the protocols into the red suitcase.
"Harriet Jones, I've heard that name before. Harriet Jones." the Doctor repeated with confusion. The knowledge in his head but not coming out, like a word he knew that refused to come out. "You're not famous for anything, are you ?"
"Me ? Hardly." She scoffed.
"Ring a bell. Harriet Jones."
"Don't worry about it, Doctor. You'll find out eventually." Offered Alvia with a smile. "It happens even to the best."
"Lifelong back bencher I'm afraid, and fat lot of use I'm being now, the protocols are redundant. They list the people who can help and they're all dead downstairs.
"Not all of them. Some of them survived thanks to Alvia." Informed the Doctor.
"Speaking of which, can I have a look at that list? My name is on it and I don't even know how. Well, I do have some theories about it, but I'm still curious about it. Also, sometimes it's better to have many people who share the same knowledge. You never know what might happen."
Harriet simply nodded and handed the stack of papers to Alvia. Grabbing the protocols, she flipped through various pages that indicated action steps and finally came across the list of people to contact. As she expected, the majority of the scientists were from UNIT. And at the bottom of the page, she saw her name and her role as a consultant, nothing more. There was no mention of connection with the Doctor or UNIT, and nothing about Torchwood or even Jack.
"Weird…" she said, with a frown.
"What's weird ?" the Doctor asked, bending over the list.
"My name is on this list with a role but I have no connection with UNIT. I literally don't know how I got a clearance. I wonder if you have – will have any influence on that or..." Alvia hesitated to mention Jack or Torchwood.
"Or what ?"
"I know someone who may influence this, but he doesn't have anything to do with UNIT or even the government. He'd rather remain underground."
"Like you said, I guess I might have some part in that. We'll see about that later." Reassured the Doctor, squeezing lightly her shoulder with his hand.
"And those papers haven't it got like, defence codes and things ? Couldn't we just launch a nuclear bomb at 'em ?" Rose intervened.
"Yes, Rose. Let's blow up London with a nuclear bomb. Why don't you blow up the whole country or even Europe while you're at it?" Alvia mockingly said with a heavy amount of sarcasm.
"You're a very violent young woman and your friend's right."
"She's not my friend. But I'm serious, we could!" She replies, glaring at Alvia.
"No, seriously, you are trying to turn London into a new Chernobyl?" Alvia continued mockingly.
"What's wrong with my idea ?"
"What's wrong with your idea? You're really asking ? There is literally nothing right with what you're suggesting."
"We could get rid of the Slitheen easily!" she defends herself.
"So will the whole population of London and its environs, not to mention the poisoning of farmland for the next 50,000 years; and not forgetting the contamination of the water and the radioactive cloud that will roam wherever the wind takes it, endangering the rest of the world with its radioactive fallout." Alvia explained wisely, folding her arms. "Don't be shocked Rose, that's nuclear for you. That's precisely what happened with Chernobyl. Do you have any other bright ideas?"
She looked up at him, frowning in confusion, but for a different reason. As a French citizen, she didn't understand why the nuclear codes had been taken out of the UK or what had led to this decision. She had tried searching the internet back home with all the knowledge of 2023 available on her phone or laptop, but couldn't find an answer to her questions. Maybe she should ask on Reddit or inquire with the Doctor later when she remembered. But she had a feeling that she would most likely forget to ask him about it.
"Anyway, there nothing like that in here." Harriet added, clearing her throat. "Nuclear strikes do need a release code, yes, but it's kept secret by the United Nations."
The Doctor looked at Harriet Jones suddenly to listen carefully.
"Say that again."
"What, about the codes ?"
"Anything. All of it."
Harriet paused for a few seconds to think and then began to tell him everything she knew about the UK's nuclear weapons. She told how the British Isles had no access to the nuclear weapons without special permission from the UN.
"Like that's ever stopped them." Rose scoffed.
"Exactly, given our past record – and I vote against that, thank you very much." said Harriet in agreement. "The codes have been taken out of the governments hands and given to the UN."
As Alvia finished talking, the Doctor appeared to be deep in thought, his expression unreadable, staring into nothingness. She leaned back in her chair, being careful not to press against the backrest too hard and crush the Doctor's hands, which were resting close to her shoulders. She looked up at him, frowning in confusion, but for a different reason. As a French citizen, she didn't understand why the nuclear codes had been taken out of the UK or what had led to this decision. She had tried searching the internet back home with all the knowledge of 2023 available on her phone or laptop, but couldn't find an answer to her questions. Maybe she should ask the Doctor later when she remembered. But she had a feeling that she would most likely forget to ask him about it.
"Is it important?" Harriet had to ask.
"Everything's important." declared the Doctor instinctively.
Alvia could definitely agree with the Doctor's perspective that everything and everyone was important, as she had watched Doctor Who. Even some of the secondary characters, no matter how awful or annoying they were, had their significance. However, she couldn't help but question her own importance in a universe where deadly and immortal aliens, time and space travel existed. Did she really matter? Did she have a real impact on the events she was witnessing?
For approximately nine long months, she felt the days passing by without really living them, never really feeling alive or fully included in this strange world. It was only when the Doctor came into her life that she began to feel a bit more alive, joyful, and real. But she knew deep down that being dependent on the Doctor wasn't healthy, no matter how wonderful he was. She realised that her life shouldn't solely revolve around him, as it would only lead to a broken heart in the end. Whether he left her, whether she was separated from him, or worse, the history and bonds they forged would eventually end in tragedy. This was not pessimism, but rather the reality she had come to accept.
"If we only knew what the Slitheen wanted." Harriet paused. "Listen to me, I'm saying 'Slitheen' as if it's normal."
"What do they want, thought ?"
"Well, they just one family so it's not an invasion." The Doctor walked over to the end of the table. "They don't want Slitheen world… They're out to make money, which means they want to use something, something here one Earth… Some kind of asset."
"Like what ? Gold? Oil? Water?" Harriet listed quickly.
"You're very good at this." complimented the Doctor and glanced at Alvia. "Any idea ?"
While Harriet took the compliment with pleasure, the Doctor stared at Alvia with expectation. He'd offered her a chance to prove herself, to help. She had to be subtle and smart, she couldn't just blurt out her knowledge like facts. Therefore, Alvia tried to figure out a way to mention the nuclear issue while not pointing straight to it.
"All those things can be found in space quite easily… " Alvia tapped her index finger again and again on the table, dismissing the movement as a reflex. "Maybe… Maybe they are looking for something hard to get, something hard to create. But something valuable in space. Energy, perhaps? But what kind?" That was her clue. She couldn't say anything more and she didn't need to. The Doctor was smart enough to make the connections.
A double ringtone suddenly rang in the room. An old ringtone for Alvia, almost vintage. And that was from Rose's phone. Pulling it out of her bottom pocket to check her phone, Rose drew Harriet's attention and curiosity.
"We're sealed off – how did you get a signal ?"
"He zapped it!" Rose explained, pointing at the Doctor with her phone. "Super-phone!"
"Then we can phone for help! You must have contacts."
"Most of them dead downstairs yeah…"
"It's Mickey."
"Oh, tell your stupid boyfriend we're busy!" the Doctor complained, rolling his eyes.
"Are we thought ?" Alvia asked with a slightly teasing tone.
"And that's enough alcohol for you." He adds in a final, but caring tone.
"Well, my boyfriend's not stupid after all." Rose interrupted, handing the Doctor her phone.
Alvia glanced over to see what was on the tiny screen of the Nokia 3310 that Rose was holding up. However, the screen was so small, and the resolution so inferior compared to her phone, that she couldn't see anything from her chair. She had to get up and join the Doctor to see a picture of a Slitheen coated in electricity, roaring in pain with his mouth open. A few seconds after the Doctor returned the phone to Rose, it rang. It was Mickey calling. At first, Rose answered, holding the phone to her ear. Then, the Doctor snatched the phone quickly from her hand, talking to Mickey, walking to the middle of the table where there was a speaker. The Doctor instructed Mickey to log on to the UNIT website. Meanwhile, Alvia returned to her seat, this time taking a seat in the very centre of the table, giving Harriet a quick glance as she poured the Porto into glasses. Harriet was about to pour a fourth glass when Alvia declined, saying she didn't want any more. There was a small Larson effect when Rose's phone was plugged into the speaker, and then everyone could hear Mickey's voice, and the other way round.
"It's asking for the password."
"Buffalo – Two Fs, one L."
"You call that a password?" Alvia muttered disdainfully, earning a 'shush' from the Doctor.
She had every right to be offended. UNIT was a military organisation that dealt with alien invasions and all paranormal threats. They kept the whole world in the dark and yet their website was secured by a very weak password. No capitals, no numbers or special characters and less than eight letters. For a civilian password it might pass, but for a military organisation? It was an invitation to be hacked. They were lucky that it was 2005 and not 2023, when this world was still in doubt about the benefits of the internet; and not in the middle of a cyber war.
"Password again."
"Just repeat it."
"And please Mickey, don't type it by hand, just use the Copy and Paste buttons to do it. Saves time."
"Which is ?"
"Really ? Oh fuck it… There's a first for everything..." Alvia ran a hand over her face, realizing that two things were missing from her face. She had forgotten to put them on this morning. "Select the password then press control and C. It copies. Then press control and V to paste it each time. No need to redo the control C. I can't believe I have to teach you this Mickey. And this password, mon dieu…"
She had to go to UNIT to give a lecture on cyber security. They couldn't just sit around with a ridiculous password like 'buffalo', they kept high-tech alien weapons and technology in the Black Archives, for God's sake! Not some merely information about the weather, or the latest scientific discoveries or even anything related to the NASA. If her father had ever taught her anything, it was how to protect her life and her data with strong passwords that were hard to hack. Or strong enough for the hacker to give up on the complexity of the passwords. Her father worked in cybersecurity and was heard, which was something to be proud of.
"Well, I've got a question if you don't mind." Jackie finally intervened, holding the phone. "Because since that man walked into our lives, I have been attacked in the streets. I have had creatures from the pits of hell in my own living room, and my daughter disappeared off the face of the Earth."
Alvia slid out of her chair, watching Rose being annoyed by her mother's concerns. Then her gaze went to the Doctor, whom Jackie was addressing all her questions to.
"I told you what happened." Rose sighed.
Rose's behaviour made Alvia frown. How could she simply shrug off and dismiss her mother's perfectly legitimate concerns like that? Rolling her eyes like a petulant teenager... oh. Oh. It dawned on Alvia. She was, she still is a teenager. Rose is young. She's only 19 years old, barely an adult. When Alvia was 19, her mind was barely adult, still in high school, living with her parents. Even though Rose had left school and was working until she met the Doctor, she was still a teenager, just beginning to transition into young adulthood. It was normal adolescent behaviour, seeking independence from parental worries.
"I'm talking to him," snapped her mother. " 'Cause I've seen this life of yours, Doctor. You put stars and wonders in people's lives, taking them away like leaves in the wind. And maybe you get off on it. And maybe you think it's all clever and smart, but you tell me. Just answer this, is my daughter safe? Is Alvia safe? Don't think I'm stupid for not spotting you two, being friendly and all."
Alvia wanted to took the Doctor's hand, comforting him as he stared at the phone in silence, unsure of what to say to Jackie that might make her more worried, frustrated or angry than she was at him.
"Ah Jackie. I appreciate you being concerned for me, but I'll be fine." she replies with a small smile.
"Will you? I lived with you for nine months, I saw how heartbroken you were. I saw the pain in your eyes and in your smile. Holding back your tears so I wouldn't worry and crying at night. You weren't fine for the last nine months Alvia. I may not be your mother, but I care about you as if you were my own daughter."
Alvia's throat tightened at Jackie's words. She felt like the most awful creature in the world. Never considering Jackie as anything other than Jackie Tyler, Rose's mother and her flatmate.
"Will they be safe, Doctor. Will they always be safe? Can you promise me that?"
"Nobody can promise that Jackie. Least of all the Doctor. The universe is full of danger and no one is safe from it." Alvia spoke again in a hoarse voice at first, and then returned to her usual tone. "Look at me, like you said, I'm broken. I've lost everything, my house and my family were gone in a matter of seconds. It's tragic, it's horrible. But that's life. And it is what it is."
He blinked, wiping away the fleeting sensation of tears at the corners of his eyes. A warm feeling filled the Doctor's chest and his hearts. He didn't expect to be defended by Alvia with such intensity, but it was nice. This regeneration made him into a lonely man, in need of companionship, joy and light to move forward in his life. He needed someone to show him what it meant to be The Doctor again. But as he saw her passionate and protective tirade, wearing a cracked mask, it was like looking in a mirror. He didn't know if that was a good thing. Deep within him, hidden behind his high and demanding morality, lurked a great vow and also darkness. Fury, rage, chaos, pain, exhaustion... all those things were crashing and mixing into an amalgamation of his worst impulses, something twisted, deranged, and sordid. The Valeyard. It scared him.
But what about her? If the Valeyard awaited him in the darkness somewhere in the future, then who was waiting for her? What kind of beast might arise from within her? Could he stop her if her darkness came into light? What if she used her knowledge against him? She could be unstoppable with the information she possessed. How much did she actually know about him? How specific was her knowledge? Did she know his greatest secret? She knew about the one he denied its very existence, she knew about the Last day of the Time War. But how could he be sure she wasn't lying to him? She might have been hiding more about what she knew about the war than she dared to say.
No. No. It's wrong. He's wrong. He shouldn't worry about the possibilities of what might happen. He shouldn't judge her with negative apprehensions. He shouldn't be suspicious of her. He needed her. He needed her with him, not against him.
Stupid Doctor…he scolds himself.
Stupid, stupid Doctor. With unrequired, unwanted, unnecessary paranoia.
"We're in." Mickey's voice snapped the Doctor back to reality. He struggled to avoid flinching. He moved, getting closer to the speaker. He ended up shoulder to shoulder with Alvia.
"Right then! on the left, there's uh… a tab – an icon – little concentric circles – click on that."
A few seconds later, a strange, rather high-pitched, saturated sound came through the speaker. It wasn't nice to listen to, and it seemed to go on forever, stuck on a repeating loop.
"What is it ?"
"The Slitheen have got a space ship in the North Sea and it's transmitting that signal, now hush, let me work out what it's saying."
Jackie made a comment about the Doctor having to answer her at some point. Meanwhile, Alvia was amused to hear Mickey over the speaker shushing Jackie.
"It's some sort of message."
"What's it says?"
"Don't know, it's on a loop, keeps repeating."
Suddenly a ringing sound came through the loudspeaker. Someone was ringing at Mickey's door. And the Doctor, not properly hearing the Slitheen's signal, asked for silence. Hushing as if that would solve the problem. Mickey asked Jackie to go and see who was ringing the doorbell at three in the morning.
"No, no, no no! Jackie! Don't !" Alvia unexpectedly exclaimed in panic, alarming Rose, Mickey and the Doctor. "Mickey! Don't let her open the door!"
"What ? What's wrong ?!"
Everyone heard Jackie come back in a panic
"It's him! It's the thing, the Slickeen!"
"Oh no, they've found us!"
"Mickey, I need that signal!"
"Never mind the signal!" exclaimed Rose, concerned about her mother. "Get out! Mum just get out, get out!"
"We can't, it's by the front door," Mickey told them, as muffled roar is heard. "Oh, my god, it's unmasking. It's gonna kill us!"
Alvia rubbed her eyes and face, exhaustion and stress taking over. Nibbling her thumbnail, she wondered if she should intervene or let events unfold before her. Could she buy a little time? She remembered Bayonne's cute little face. She gave him a bit of time, even though its end was near and unavoidable. Yet she had sworn vengeance on those who had hurt him. But of all the Slitheen's lot, she had no idea who had hurt him.
It doesn't matter who... She reflects, with a blank expression on her face. Someone will pay for it.
"There's got to be some way of stopping them!" Harriet exclaimed impatiently. "You're supposed to be the experts, both of you. Think of something!"
"I'm trying!" The Doctor retorted, walking around the table, thinking of a way to stop the Slitheen at Mickey's. His mind was racing.
Everyone could hear the Slitheen making strange and alarming noises through the phone, as if it was roaring. Then a loud noise of wood being smashed against.
Hearing Jackie's frightened whimper triggered something in Alvia. Jackie Tyler who'd helped her, taken her in when she'd just lost everything. Jackie who had been more than understanding and forgiving when she herself was in distress. Jackie who had been loving and caring when she was at her very lowest. She simply couldn't let Jackie down, not when she could help.
Alvia stared at the Doctor for a few seconds. He wanted her to prove herself, to help? Then, God help whoever dared to stand against her, because she wasn't going to hold back.
You've no idea what you've just unleashed, Doctor…
But I'll be good.
I promise.
For you, I'll be good.
"Ok, right. Erm, time to work." Alvia finally spoke, clearing her throat. "Jackie, Mickey – whoever holds the phone you need to go to the kitchen and find anything with vinegar in it. Pickles, vinaigrette – anything and everything to put in a bowl or something like that. And when the Slitheen shows up, just throw it at him!"
"What are you doing, Alvia ?" Asked the Doctor, confused but curious.
"Saving time. Jackie ?"
"I'm on it!"
"Good!" Alvia breathed with relief, a faint smile spreading on her face.
For a couple of seconds there was some shuffling noise, as Jackie rummaged through the cabinets before starting to list everything she could find with vinegar in it. The Doctor made a comment to which Rose reacted with a sharp 'shut up'.
"Jackie, you done?" Mickey inquired quickly "Give me the jug and hold this."
"Wait, Mickey come back!" Jackie yelled.
"Mum? Mum! What's going on?! Where's Mickey ?! Mum, please answer!" Rose panicked.
Rose had every reason to panic, Mickey had just gone off with the jug of vinegar, gherkins and pickled egg and onion. That was new, and not something Alvia had expected or knew about. And judging by her apprehensive and uncertain face, the Doctor could tell she was as much in unfamiliar territory as anyone else. Jackie never answered her daughter, and apart from her heavy breathing, the room was unbearably silent. All were holding their breath.
There was a slam of the door, then a few seconds later a muffled explosion. Then Mickey's voice came through the speaker.
"It's gone."
Having heard Mickey's voice, the Doctor, Rose, Harriet and Alvia all breathed a sigh of relief. Alvia rubbed her face and wiped away the first tears of relief from her eyes, murmuring words of relief about his survival and the defeat of the Slitheen.
"You've could tell me that thing was going to explode, Alvia! How am I gonna explain the mess in the hallway tomorrow ?! I won't clean up, I tell you."
"Put the blame on one of the kids. They already have so much graffiti to clean, one more or one less." Alvia joked, reaching for one of the glasses Harriet had poured. She drank the alcohol in the glass in one gulp, but immediately regretted her action as the awful taste of alcohol invaded her palate and burned her as well. But she'd just saved Jackie and Mickey, with a big scare in between; she earned that drink.
"Vinegar ?" The Doctor asked, coming towards Alvia to pat her gently on the back as she was coughing from the alcohol.
"They're from Raxacoricofallapatorius." She replied once she had recovered her breath.
"Raxa – What ?"
"How did you know ?" Harriet asked.
"You asked for an expert, Harriet. I gave you an expert." The redhead told her, not providing any clear answer. Knowing that the truth would only cause more trouble.
"Oh. OH! Of course! Creatures made of living calcium, hyphenated surname – of course, they're from Raxacoricofallapatorius! Fantastic Alvia, truly fantastic !"
A soft pink painted on her pale, freckled cheeks, as a coy but sincere smile starched her lips. The Doctor returned her bright smile full of delight and pride.
"Did you use vinegar to dissolve this monster? Like Hannibal?" Harriet asked with curiosity.
"Hannibal ?" Alvia repeated in confusion. "You're not talking about Hannibal Lecter, are you?"
"No I am not." Harriet chuckled, amused. "Hannibal of Carthage is known for crossing the Alps and using vinegar to dissolve boulders."
"I've met him, back in the old days." the Doctor added, his eyes glazing over, as he remembered the past.
Smiling at each other, Harriet refilled the glass Alvia had swallowed and passed it to the Doctor. Glass in hand, Rose, Harriet and the Doctor raised their drinks in a toast, and drank it. The Doctor immediately reacted with a violent gag and spat out the alcohol in the glass.
"Not your taste ?" asked the redhead, with a look of half disgust and half amusement.
"My taste gone wrong." He said with a grimace, putting his glass back on the table. "I used to like alcohol before."
"Well, if it helps, maybe you don't like Porto. Also, this one is frankly awful. Trust me, I've drank better."
The Doctor gave her a quick glance and a smirk, making her chuckle.
As things got quieter, Rose chatted to both Mickey and her mother over the phone, enquiring about the two of them from the other side of the phone. For Alvia, who was fond of using the expression "time is relative," time never felt longer than it did now.
With absolutely nothing to do but think about how to get out of Downing Street and stop the Slitheen from carrying out their plans for Earth, time felt long, very, very long. What had felt like five long minutes was, in fact, just one. Harriet sipped her drink slowly, fidgeting with the sheets of the emergency protocol without any interest in them, while Alvia was busy trying to remember every detail of the episode and the future that was coming up. She tapped her index and middle fingers rhythmically against the table, making a knocking sound as her nails hit the coated wood.
Waiting had never been a problem for Alvia in the past. Although she used to cope with the wait by listening to music on her headphones and phone, she clearly wouldn't do that now. But the temptation was there. Her phone remained safely in the right pocket of her jacket, screen off, set to silent and vibrate – she rarely took off the silent mode, as she had spent most of the last few years in school and refused to be disturbed in class by a text or a call. Even during times of COVID and lockdown, her phone remained silent.
Minutes passed until Mickey's voice was heard again, as he left Jackie with the phone discussing with Rose. He called for the Doctor, to hear something. Someone's voice could be heard, a familiar voice. But not a good voice. That voice belonged to the Prime Minister, well, to the Slitheen to whom people had given the responsibility of being Prime Minister. Speaking in front of millions, billions of people through a television screen, he lied about weapons of mass destruction in the sky above the atmosphere, about the existence of a mothership ready to attack the Earth, that there was some way to get rid of it. He requested; he begged the United Nations to provide him with the nuclear weapons access codes.
This is exactly the moment when the Doctor figured out the objective of the Slitheen, the trickery committed by this alien family.
"He's making it up. There's no weapons up there, there's no threat. He just invented it. Alvia's right, it wasn't an invasion!" he revealed, walking around the table.
"Do you think they'll believe him ?"
"Humans are gullible" Alvia pointed out as she folded her arms. "They'll believe anyone and anything, regardless of the facts, as long as the lie looks genuine."
"That's why the Slitheen went for spectacle. They want the whole world panicking, because you lot – you get scared, you lash out."
As everyone followed the Doctor who headed for the locked main doors, Rose slowly began to realise.
"They release the defence codes…"
"And the Slitheen go nuclear."
"But why?"
The Doctor pressed the button that previously sealed them into the room and they opened, its thick metal panels sinking into the walls, bringing them into view of three Slitheen who guarded the doors.
"You get the codes, release the missiles. But not into space because there's nothing there. You attack every other country on Earth, they retaliate, fight back. World War Three – whole planet gets nuked." The Doctor stated with a straight face.
Then appeared the Slitheen in Margaret's skin. Her round face, twisted into a triumphant and malicious look.
"And we can sit through it in our spaceship waiting in the Thames." she shamelessly admitted. "Not crashed. Just parked. They'll be two minutes away."
"But you'll destroy the planet, this beautiful place. What for?"
"Profit. That's what the signal is beaming into space, an advert."
"Sale of century," Revealed Margaret. "We reduce the Earth to molten slag, then sell it. Piece by piece. Radioactive chucks capable of powering every cut-price star liner and budget cargo ship. There's a recession out there, Doctor. People are buying cheap. This rock becomes raw fuel."
"At the cost of 5 billion lives."
"Hmm. Bargain." She scoffed, unaffected by the sheer number of people who were going to die. She had done worse before with her family.
"Then I give you a choice – leave this planet or I'll stop you."
They suddenly broke into laughter, clearly mocking the Doctor's warning words. They didn't take him seriously.
"What ? You ?! Trapped in your box ?"
Unimpressed and unfazed by the Slitheen's carefree and arrogant attitude, the Doctor replied, glaring at the Slitheen in Margaret's skin with cold eyes.
"Yes. Me."
With these two words, the Doctor pressed the button again, sealing off the meeting room, under the mocking gaze and laughter of the Slitheen. Alvia yawned unexpectedly, tears of exhaustion welling up in the corners of her eyes.
"Damn, how long have we been here?" she said, wiping the wetness out of her eyes.
"At least for a few hours, Midnight has already passed." said the Doctor looking at her, a kind smile on his face. "Tired?"
"Yeah."
"Take a nap. We got time on our hands until we figure out a way out of here."
"Sure ?"
A hand behind her back and a nod was the only response Alvia got from the Doctor. His face, however, revealed nothing but warmth. This was enough for her to accept the nap offer without concern for being inconvenient for the others. Then Alvia sat down in the chair next to the protocols, pushing them back to the red suitcase that held them. She took off her leather jacket, folding it into a pile and a messy cushion. Settling herself as comfortably as possible against the table, wrapping her arms around the jacket, she rested her head on it and then closed her eyes. Breathing slowly, she heard Harriet, Rose and the Doctor whisper and then moving around to different places. then there was the noise of a chair being pulled gently. Then silence.
Tired from the long day, then from the adrenaline crash and the alcohol. Alvia quickly fell asleep.
Alvia woke up from the pain in her back. Leaning over the table did her no good and she craved the cosiness of the mattress in her room at Jackie's. As her senses gradually awakened, she became aware of a weight covering her entire back and shoulders, embalmed by a leathery, musky smell, a strange but pleasant one. Opening her eyes and then blinking slowly, she became aware the room had been dimmed. She slightly moved her head and then found out what was covering her. A leather jacket. Not hers, since it was between her arms and head. It was obviously the Doctor's.
She closed her eyes once again, enjoying her drowsy state for a few more minutes. With the warmth of the Doctor's jacket against her back, Alvia stayed in this position for several minutes before her slumber wore off and she fully awoke. In a slow movement, Alvia straightened up. Her spine cracked painfully and the Doctor's jacket lay still on her shoulders.
Looking around the room with a tired, slightly unfocused gaze, she observed Harriet and Rose who had also taken the opportunity to rest. Neither of them seemed to have found the perfect position to sleep in and she suspected that they too would desire their own bed the moment they woke up.
The only one who wasn't sleeping was the Doctor, sitting at the head of the table, fiddling with his sonic screwdriver – buzzing quietly. Either the Doctor didn't appear to notice that Alvia was awake or perhaps he did but didn't deign to show it. Alvia slid out of her chair to get closer to the Doctor, who looked at her when she sat down near him.
"Did I sleep long?" Alvia asked with a slow, sleepy voice.
"Only a couple of hours. Sun must be up outside. slept well?"
"I believe I would have slept better on the floor rather than in this chair." Alvia grunted, rubbing her stiff neck. "Once this whole mess with the Slitheen is over, I will eat and go back to sleep – on a proper bed this time."
This made the doctor chuckle briefly. Then, taking a quick look at his jacket, Alvia suddenly became aware of the Doctor's physical appearance. It was a rare sight for her to see him without his iconic leather jacket. She had few memories of him without it, outside of the on-set pictures taken by the Doctor Who crew or the occasional interview with Christopher Eccleston in Doctor Who confidential that she had seen. His black jumper and trousers hid all the oddities of his body: his slenderness, his musculature, everything. She could only imagine the shape and form of his body from his wrist and collarbone, which looked thin and sharply defined. Was he slender from his regeneration, as his next one would be? Or was he suffering from some disorder like his actor counterpart? Even his cheekbones were defined, too much defined. It worried her.
Alvia finally returned the jacket to the Doctor, which he promptly put back on. She noted how his body seemed to change suddenly, more relaxed and less rigid. As if wearing his leather jacket gave him strength, protection, like an armour. Perhaps he felt this feeling of protection when he wears his jacket, made him less vulnerable to... everything?
As time passed, Rose and Harriet woke up. Using his screwdriver, the Doctor turned the lights back to their original brightness. The phone call with Mickey, which had been ended a few hours ago to give everyone a rest, started again. Everyone was getting ready for what was to come, as dark and uncertain as the future might be.
While Harriet suggested different ways of using the Porto – including the suggestion of a Molotov cocktail made by Alvia earlier – Rose had been dictating the various telephone numbers of the experts who had been present downstairs. Mickey for his part was trying to call the several experts, unfortunately only getting the voice mail.
"Alright, Doctor. I'm not saying I trust you, but there must be something you can do." spoke Jackie over the phone.
"We don't have enough time to do it," said Rose. "Mickey, any luck?"
"There's loads of emergency numbers but they're all on voicemail."
Alvia glanced at the Doctor, who lay against one of the metal panels blocking one of the doors, his arms folded, his face serious and frowning.
"Voicemail dooms us all." Harriet Jones complained.
"Since most of the experts are dead and the others are probably in hospital, I don't think you can blame them for not picking up the phone." said Alvia.
"If we could just get out of here." Rose added in frustration.
"There's a way out." The Doctor finally spoke up, drawing everyone's attention. "There's always a way out."
"Then why don't we use it ?"
"Because it's dangerous." Alvia couldn't help saying.
"Because I can't guarantee their safety. "
"Don't you dare! Whatever it is, don't you dare!" Jackie scolded, refusing to let the Doctor hurt her daughter and Alvia.
"That's the thing, if I don't dare, everyone dies."
"Do it." Rose said simply.
"You don't even know what it is, you'd just let me?"
"Yeah."
"How about you, Alvia?" The Doctor asked, looking at her.
She smiles. It was a kind smile, one filled with confidence and understanding, with a hint of knowledge. Reaching for his hand, their fingers unconsciously intertwined, and she gave it a gentle squeeze. He stared at her, his eyes wide with emotion. Without needing to say anything, she communicated her response and how deeply she trusted him.
"Please, Doctor! Please! They're just kids!" Jackie pleaded.
"You think I don't know that? Because this is my life, Jackie. It's not fun, it's not smart. It's just standing up and making a decision because nobody else will."
"Sometimes the only choices you have are bad ones. But here, now, there is no such thing as choice. Between the world and us, being selfish is irrelevant, for the world comes first. When it comes to the fate of the world and its inhabitants, our individual desires become irrelevant. We cannot place ourselves above the rest of humanity, above six billion individuals." Alvia added with a sympathetic look.
"I could save the world but lose you." The Doctor stared at her, the look on his face showed his hesitation, his sadness and his fear of being alone again, should he lose them.
Rose felt a rush of jealousy, as she saw the Doctor say these words, staring at the redhead beside him. Who exactly was she? Since she'd been back home and the doctor had met her, he'd seemed fascinated by her. Infatuated, even. She didn't like it.
"Except it's not your decision, Doctor." Harriet declared solemnly, "It's mine."
"And who the hell are you?" Jackie asked angrily.
"Harriet Jones, MP for Flydale North. The only elected representative in this room, chosen by the people, for the people and on behalf of the people I command you. Do it."
Relieved and freed from having to make this choice, the Doctor smiled. Next, he bent over the table to grab the protocol case and pull out the file before rifling through the sheets to find a specific piece of information.
"So, how do we get out?" Asks Rose, sitting down on the table.
"We don't." He answered before turning to the phone. "Mickey, use the buffalo password, it overrides everything."
"What're you doing?" Jackie asked.
"Hacking into the Royal Navy… We're in. Here it is, H.M.S Taurean, Trafalgar Class Submarine, 10 miles off the coast of Plymouth."
"Right, we need to select a missile."
""We don't need it. All we need is an ordinary missile. What's the first category?"
"Sub Harpoon, UGMA4A."
"That's the one. Select. Ready for this?"
"Yeah."
"Mickey the Idiot, the world is in your hands. Fire."
The only real indication that Mickey had actually launched the missile came when Jackie's emotionally charged voice uttered the words "My God". For a few seconds nobody moved, until Harriet expressed her concern about the solidity of the walls in the conference room.
"Not solid enough" informed the Doctor. "Built for short range attack, nothing this big."
Staring at the cupboard, Rose took charge of their survival. She opened the door and suggested that in case of an earthquake, it was best to hide in a narrow space. Harriet and Alvia rushed over to help Rose empty the cupboard, tossing files and folders carelessly around the room. They quickly removed books, boxes, and even the bodies of the Prime Minister and the Secretary, along with a skin suit, to ensure their safety.
Once they had cleared the cupboard of anything that could harm them, the Doctor ended Rose's phone call and moved to stand between Alvia and Rose, holding their hands. As they waited, Harriet muttered Hannibal's name like a prayer. Finally, the missile struck 10 Downing Street, causing the entire building to collapse in a burst of flames and force.
Alvia felt like a doll, tossed around by the explosion, but the Doctor held her steady. She slammed her back against something painfully and cursed in French. Finally, everything went still and she landed on something hard - or rather someone. In the darkness, the Doctor tried to work out what was pressing against him until he bumped against Alvia's sore back, causing her to grunt in pain. They all got up and began tapping the walls blindly in search of the door. Eventually, the Doctor found it and opened it, and Harriet was the first to emerge.
The building had been completely destroyed, and the damage had even spread to the adjacent flats. The ground was littered with destroyed furniture, both whole and broken bricks, metal, papers, glass, and ashes. Fires burned on either side, and smoke filled the air. Alvia held her shirt up to her nose and breathed cautiously.
A security guard walked over quickly, checking on everyone and Harriet flashed her ID card at him.
"Harriet Jones, MP for Flydale North. I want you to contact UN immediately, tell the ambassadors the crisis is now over, and they can step down. Go on, tell the news!"
"Yes ma'am."
"Someone's got a hell of a job sorting this lot out. Oh Lord! We haven't even got a Prime Minister!"
"Maybe you should have a go." The Doctor proposed.
"Me? Ha!" She says, laughing. "I'm only a back-bencher."
"I'd vote for ya," said Rose.
"Oh now, don't be silly."
They grinned. Alvia stretched to try and ease the pain, but nothing seemed to work. She thought maybe a good shower would do the trick; she would kill for some hot water and food.
"Look, I'd better go and see if I can help." Harriet tells them as a goodbye.
They watched Harriet hurry over of a group of policemen and UNIT soldiers, calling people's attention by yelling that the Earth was safe. It was when seeing Harriet act that the Doctor at last recalled who Harriet Jones was.
"I thought I knew the name. Harriet Jones – future Prime Minister. Elected for three successive terms – the architect of Britain's Golden Age."
"Look, I'd better go and see if I can help." Harriet tells them as a goodbye.
They watched Harriet hurry over of a group of policemen and UNIT soldiers, calling people's attention by yelling that the Earth was safe. It was when seeing Harriet act that the Doctor at last recalled who Harriet Jones was.
"I thought I knew the name. Harriet Jones – future Prime Minister. Elected for three successive terms – the architect of Britain's Golden Age."
Alvia wondered what the golden age the Doctor had mentioned might have looked like. Was it possible for her to help make it happen, or was Harriet's mandate already doomed because of the Sycorax and Torchwood? And did it even matter to her who the Prime Minister was, as long as it wasn't the Master?
With nothing left to do at Downing Street, the Doctor led the way back to the Powell Estate where his TARDIS was parked. Rose and Alvia followed on foot since they no longer had a car. They split up as they passed the TARDIS, with the Doctor heading back inside his ship while Rose and Alvia went to see Jackie.
As Rose hugged her mother, Alvia made her way to the kitchen to make some tea and snacks.
Hours passed, and Alvia found herself living in the small flat with Jackie and Rose. Eventually, Rose confronted Alvia about her presence in the apartment, having discovered that her bedroom was different and occupied by items that did not belong to her. Jackie, knowing her daughter's character, chose to step in and explain the situation to Rose herself. Although Rose was understanding, she was also reluctant, but she let the matter go once everything was explained.
After a satisfying meal, Alvia went to take a shower. As she dried her hair with a towel, scrunching the curls to better define them, she searched carefully for a small container that held her glasses and her piercing. She had taken them off the day before to clean them and forgotten to put them back on. After putting her piercing back in, Alvia wrapped her hair in a cotton T-shirt and changed into a comfortable outfit for a nap, consisting of pyjama bottoms and a bra.
She then headed to her bed and set an alarm to wake up a few hours later.
Sadly for her, it wasn't her alarm that woke her up. Instead, Rose made her way into the bedroom to pack a bag of clothes.
"You'd better start to move and get stuff ready. The Doctor isn't going to wait for you to leave." Rose said bitterly. "he said that you should come with us."
"M'kay…" replied Alvia in a hushed tone burying her face into the pillow. "I'll do it later…"
"Uh-uh, get up, I need the bed."
"Hhh… alright, alright..." She sighs sheepishly and rolls off the bed, rubbing her face.
Alvia unwrapped the shirt binding her hair and walked towards the kitchen, sidestepping Jackie who was looking for Rose, mugs in hand. She made herself a new cup of tea, sipping the beverage as she absently watched the TV showing Harriet Jones. Jackie came back into the living room with tears in her eyes, and put the mug for her daughter on the table.
"She's not going to stay, is she?" Jackie sniffed, with sadness in her voice. "she's gonna travel off God knows where with this Doctor. And leave me alone, again."
Alvia remained silent.
"And you're gonna leave, too. Don't bother denying it. I always knew you were going to leave. But please tell me, give me some peace of mind. Is this what you really want? Go away with him?"
"Call it Fate or Destiny, but it was meant to be." Alvia spoke, dismissing the knot that was growing in her throat. "I need him Jackie. To protect me. To protect... I know things, Jackie, dangerous and terrible things, secrets that must stay that way."
"But does he need you?"
"Does it really matter ?" Alvia shrugged.
Jackie gazed at Alvia with a pained expression, wishing she could tell her that yes, it did matter. But she couldn't find the strength to tell her.
Rose reappeared into the living room and dropped a bag full of clothes onto the sofa and picked up the mug her mother had placed on the table.
"I'm gonna pack my things." she muttered, offering Jackie one last sympathetic look.
Alvia returned to the bedroom and changed into a different top, keeping the same jeans and shoes from the day before. As she packed her things, she carefully considered what to bring with her and what to leave behind here. She placed a tissue suitcase, which she had bought months ago for storing off-season clothes, on the bed and began to gather her belongings.
She knew that she needed to bring all her technological gadgets and unpublished books from her world. When it came to clothes, she chose her favourite and most comfortable outfits, keeping in mind that she would be running in them. She selected several pairs of shoes, including a pair of low-heeled black Richelieu shoes, and grabbed winter accessories such as a braided mustard scarf. She also took with her the long brown coat she had been wearing when she arrived in this world. She had found it in a thrift shop a few years ago and fell in love with its pattern and colour, which reminded her of the Tenth Doctor's coat. The coat's length was just perfect for her, reaching just above her ankle since she wasn't very tall.
She assembled a compact toiletry bag, filling it with her skincare and makeup essentials and few pieces of jewellery. After packing all of her necessities, she indulged herself by bringing along a few trivial items. Among them, the sequel to Good Omens, a book that didn't exist in her own world and which she was eager to read. She also selected a variety of tins of tea, including Masala, Genmaicha, and other types of tea from different countries, ranging from white and black teas to infusions and roiboos.
Her suitcase finally closed, she straightened up and stretched, making her spine crack. She put her leather jacket back on and put the strap of the suitcase on one of her shoulders before leaving the room, and paused a few seconds, looking at Jackie and Rose talking to each other, then left the flat and went downstairs to meet the Doctor in his Tardis.
As she had no keys to open the TARDIS and was reluctant to pull to open the door, she knocked four times against the blue painted wood, hopefully getting the Doctor's attention. Which she got, a few seconds later, the door swung open and the Doctor appeared before her. Initially surprised, his expression quickly changed into one of delight upon seeing her.
"Rose told you, good! Where is she?"
"With her mother."
"Ah, domestic." he nods. " Well, you should find your own room. The TARDIS surely has one for you."
"I'll do that." She says, thanking him. "What are you going to do in the meantime?"
"I need to stop that little signal the Slitheen were broadcasting, find the one who graffiti'd my Tardis and uh... other stuff."
"Ask Mickey about the graffiti, he's probably one of the kids on the block, so he'll get his name."
Letting Alvia enter the Tardis, he returned to the console, continuing what he was doing before he was interrupted. She left him alone and went to find her room, sinking into the depths of the TARDIS. Her heart pounding with excitement. The TARDIS seemed to like her, or at least appreciate her, for she quickly found her room. Her was name engraved in gold on a bronze door.
The bedroom was spacious and bright. The floor consisted of hardwood and the wall - which made Alvia smile - was white and ornamented with roundels, the famous round things that served as light sources and which could be dimmed and augmented.
The bedroom was spacious and bathed in natural light, its hardwood floor gleaming underfoot. Alvia couldn't help but smile at the sight of the white walls, adorned with roundels - the famous round things that served as both light sources and decorative elements, which could be dimmed or brightened as needed.
In front of her, beyond a light wooden sideboard adorned with various plants, including a blooming Spatifilium and a towering Monstera, was a generously sized double bed. Its rattan headboard exuded warmth, while the soft pillows beckoned to her, promising a restful slumber.
On her right were empty bookcases and hexagonal shelves, waiting to be filled with books, travel souvenirs, and other curiosities. A large wooden board on trestles served as a desk. Finally, a dark wooden shelf with cubes for storage and a few drawers caught her eye. Its shape reminded her of the storage units for Chinese tea sets, and it was already equipped with a kettle and several teapots of different shapes and sizes, along with matching cups.
To her left were two sliding doors made of wood and opaque glass. One was a single door, while the other was double. The double door led to a dressing room that lit up as soon as it was opened. It appeared to be already filled with clothes, underwear, and shoes, but Alvia noticed that there was still plenty of space for her belongings. The single door led to the bathroom, which also functioned as a toilet. The sand-coloured walls gave the space a warm and welcoming feel. Alvia was delighted to find an Italian shower, a large round bathtub, and a simple yet elegant clear stone sink with plenty of space and drawers to store her toiletries. Above the sink, there was a large mirror that reflected the room's brightness.
However, the one thing that put stars in Alvia's eyes was the huge skylight above her bed. And although the TARDIS was still at the Powell Estate, it showed a breath-taking view. Before her astonished eyes, she was observing what looked like the Pillars of Creation in the Eagle Nebula, also known as M16. A view she had never seen before, except from Hubble's pictures.
The room was perfect, it housed a range of things that were important to her. She had something to keep her busy for when she couldn't or wouldn't travel outside the TARDIS. Dropping her suitcase beside the buffet, she expressed warm thanks to the TARDIS, who acknowledged her with a twinkle of the rondel lights.
After admiring the breathtaking view from the skylight for several minutes, Alvia gathered her thoughts and began to unpack her suitcase. She neatly placed her clothes and shoes in the spacious dressing room, while the items from her toiletry bag found their place on the counter and in the drawers of the sand-coloured bathroom. Her leather jacket and long coat were hung on the integrated coat rack between the doors, keeping them easily accessible but out of the way.
Alvia still had to organize her books, teas, and other belongings. She grabbed her phone, put on some music, and started putting the books and tea on the shelves and bookcases. Once those were organized, she needed to find a place for all her tech gear. She put her reading pad on the bedside table, and the two external hard drives on the desk – where she noticed the sudden appearance of a laptop – along with her headphones.
Alvia circled around, hands on hips, pleased with her arrangement, but anticipating her desire to rearrange her books and teas at an ungodly hour instead of sleeping.
"You found the one who tagged on your TARDIS?" teased Alvia, hands in her pockets.
"It was Jamie, pretty easy to figure out, he's been painting all over the place since his brother gave him a can of spray paint" said Mickey, stuffing a CD into his pocket.
"He doesn't have the artistic touch of Joshua, though." she adds, smirking.
Mickey chuckled.
Jackie and Rose came out, appearing to be arguing. Jackie was trying to convince her daughter to stay, promising to get a real job, to get a degree.
"I'm not leaving 'cos of you. I'm travelling, that's all. And then I'll come back!"
"But it's not safe!"
"Mum… if you saw it out there… you'd never stay home." She said softly before turning to the doctor, taking her backpack off her shoulders.
"Got enough stuff ?" he asked sarcastically.
"Last time I stepped in there, it was spur of the moment" she told him, throwing her enormous bag into his arms. "Now I'm signing up. You're stuck with me. Haha!"
Rose turned to Mickey to talk to him. Meanwhile, Alvia took the opportunity to say goodbye to Jackie.
"She'll be fine, we'll make sure of it. Don't worry Jackie." reassures Alvia, hugging Jackie, and rubbing her back with a hand. "Oh, by the way! Can you give my resignation to Mr Adler, please? Well, when he's recovered."
"Yeah, I'll do it sweetheart." Jackie smiled weakly, and then turned to the Doctor. "You still can't promise me. What if they get lost ? What if something happens to you, Doctor, and they're left all alone standing on some moon millions light years away. How long do I wait then ?"
Holding Rose's bag, the Doctor had no satisfactory answer to give. However, Rose stepped in to reassure her mother with a hug. The Doctor led the way into the TARDIS, followed by Rose. Alvia lingered for a while, exchanging a few last words with Jackie before joining the rest of the group inside the time machine.
"The Doctor isn't the most reliable driver when it comes to the TARDIS, and he won't always be there when he wants to be. But he'll do everything to make sure we're both safe and secure, you can be sure of that, Jackie. And even if time goes by and we're more than late. We'll always come back."
With a final smile and nod from Mickey and Jackie, Alvia stepped inside.
As the Doctor excitedly chattered about a plasma storm in the Horsehead Nebula, Alvia pulled out her phone to compose and send a message. She pocketed her phone and then joined Rose and the Doctor, eager to witness the celestial event for herself.
At approximately 239 km, a phone buzzed, bearing a message that would bring a smile to one man's face.
'See you soon, Jack.'