"Dinner in the middle of nowhere." Luke remarked as he and Thea stepped inside the 1950s themed dinner in the middle of the Utah dessert having followed the coordinates from the envelope they'd received a few days ago.
Thea had spent a few days at Bannerman road seeing as it was half term, which meant Luke had come home for the week. So theyd spent a few days both at home and annoying Sarah Jane with their noise and mess (which she secretly missed) when an envelopse had arrived coloured TARDIS blue with no name on it, merely a number and no return address, the letter only containing coordinates and two plane tickets from London Heathrow airport.
It didnt take a genius to know who it was from.
Thea frowned, staring at the room leading to the back.
"What is it?" Luke asked, seeing her frowning.
She blinked, shaking her head, utterly no idea why she was staring at the door, it would only lead to the restrooms, she doubt there was anything important behind there.
"Drinks." she announced.
"I'll get them." Luke offered, moving to the counter as Thea slipped into a booth, her gaze glancing to the back of the dinner before snapping it away hearing the bell above the door ring, signalling customers.
She grinned, knowing who else would be joining them, peering over the back of the booth to see the Ponds walking in with River Song and the Doctor, a stetson in his head. "Howdy!" she cheered.
"Thea!" River greeted.
"Ah, how's my favourite girl!" the Doctor grinned, setting his stetson on her head as he hugged her.
She laughed as the stetson slid down, covering her eyes, and she set it back on his head, "and the Ponds!" she jumped up and hugged them both.
"Oh, not you too." Rory mock groaned. He thought it was bad enough with the Doctor calling them the Ponds, he let the man do it, despite they were married as Amy and Rory Williams and Thea had called them Williams and now she was calling them Pond too.
"Nevermind, this is Luke!" she introduced as Luke set down two glasses of Banana milkshake on the table.
"The famous Luke Smith." Amy smiled.
"Nice to meet you." he smiled, shaking their hands.
"Amy." she introduced, "and my husband Rory."
"Oh, and this is River Song." Thea gushed, pulling Luke over to the woman.
"Oh, you talk about me, do you, sweetheart?" River smirked.
"Only once or twice." Luke laughed.
By once or twice he meant she had not stopped talking about the woman. Going on and on about how clever she was and how easily she handle the Doctor, and she certainly couldnt stop reminding them how easily River had taken on a Dalek.
It was pretty annoying actually.
"Ah, good to see you Lukey boy." the Doctor patted his back before hugging him, "how's your mum?"
"Shes good."
"Right then," River cleared her throat and they all sat in the booth, Thea sliding so Luke could sit next to her, the Doctor next to him with the Ponds and River opposite, "where are we?" she skimmed through her diary, "Have we done Easter Island yet?"
Thea blinked at the Doctor pulled out his own identical diary, "Er, yes! I've got Easter Island."
"They worshipped you there. Have you seen the statues? Oh, and we can't forget they thought Thea brought the plague."
Thea frowned, "i've not done Easter Island yet." she looked round Luke at the Doctor, squinting suspiciously at him before Rivers last words clicked and she spun to face her, "what do you mean they thought I brought the plague?"
River simply smirked, "spoilers."
Which only annoyed Thea as her face turned red in anger.
"Jim the fish." the Doctor quickly cut in, changing the topic from when Thea had been accused as a witch...will be accused as a witch.
"Oh! Jim the fish. How is he?"
'"Still building his dam."
"Whos Jim the fish?" Thea shook her head.
"And old friend." The Doctor told her.
"Sorry, what are you two doing?" Rory cut in, confused.
"They're time travellers, so they never meet in the right order." Amy explained, "They're syncing their diaries."
"Doesnt that get annoying?" Luke wondered.
"Terribly." River laughed.
"Thats why her favourite word is spoilers." Thea remarked, staring across at River, pointing at her with the straw from her glass, "im going to figure you out one day."
"Yeah, one day you just might." River agreed lightly.
"So whats with the trip in the past?" Thea asked the Doctor, taking a sip of her milkshake, not a single person at the table surprised by her sudden change in topic.
"Hold on...you're a future Doctor?" Rory frowned.
"Isn't there rules or something agaisnt that?" Luke shook his head.
"How far in the future?" Amy asked, "how old are you?"
"1103." The Doctor answered.
"You were 908 last we saw you."
"Somethings wrong..." Thea murmured, "what is it?"
"And don't bother lying." Luke added, "the visionary sees right thought it."
"I've been running," he said after a moment, "faster than I've ever run. And I've been running my whole life. Now, it's time for me to stop. And tonight, I'm going to need you all with me."
Amy frowned at him, sensing there was more to it than just that, "Okay. We're here. What's up?"
"A picnic." He smiled, "And then a trip. Somewhere different, somewhere brand new."
"Where?"
"Space, 1969."
Thea fidgeted excitedly in her seat, "the moon landing!?"
~.~
Luke glanced at Thea seeing she was quiet as they sat on a large picnic blanket before a beautiful lake, Lake Silencio, that Doctor said it was called, the moon clear in the sky. He didnt trust it when she went quiet.
"Are you okay?" He asked her quietly, seeing her staring out at the lake.
"This place lives up to its name." she murmured, "its quiet."
"Yeah. Whats wrong?"
"Something..."
The Doctor popped open a bottle of red wine, "Salud!"
"Salud!" The humans clicked their glasses together as Thea held up a can of coke, turning her attention to the group.
She didnt drink alcohol, hated the taste and she knew the Doctor did too.
"So, when are going to 1969?" Rory asked.
"And since when do you drink wine?" Amy eyed him.
"I'm 1103 I must've drunk it sometime." He took a swig of wine only to spit it out on the sand, "Oh, why it's horrid. I thought it would taste more like the gums."
Amy rolled her eyes at him, looking out at the beautiful landscape, only to frowned at the alien figure, standing there, almost watching them. She squinted agaisnt the sun, "Who's that?"
"Who's who?" Rory looked at her.
Amy turned to him, "Sorry, what?"
"What did you see? You said you saw something."
"No, I didn't." Amy took a sip of her wine.
Thea glanced over where Amy had looked, but there was nothing there, not now at least.
"Ah, the moon." the Doctor grinned, "Look at it. Of course, you lot did a lot more than look, didn't you? Big, silvery thing in the sky. You couldn't resist it. Quite right."
"Oh, do you remember when your big brain almost brought the moon crashing to Earth?" Thea grinned, nudging Luke.
He shoved her back, rolling his eyes, "mum said we werent suposed to bring that up."
The Doctor smiled sadly, seeing how much Thea face was constantly bright and full of life, especially whenever Luke was around. She really did love that boy, and he knew he loved her just as much, as long as Luke was around he knew Thea would be alright.
It had come suddenly to him one day that he realised he did love her and see her as a daughter which was why he had adopted her. He gave her the papers and honestly he hadnt expected her to say yes. But she did and everytime she called him dad he felt his hearts swell.
"The moon landing was in 69." Rory realised, "Is that where we're going?"
"No." the Doctor sighed, "A lot more happens in 69 than anyone remembers. Human beings...I thought I'd never get done saving you."
"What do you mean?" Luke began, not quite understanding the mans words.
A truck pulled up, the Doctor stood as they looked over, the Doctor holding up his hand in greeting as the man got out the truck and waved back.
"Who's he?" Amy squinted.
River slowly stood, her gaze on the lake, "Oh, my God."
They turned to see an astronaut, knee deep in the water.
"You all need to stay back." The Doctor warned, "Whatever happens now, you do not interfere. Clear?"
"Why?" Thea demanded, seeing the recognition in the Doctors eyes. He knew what was happening and he was refusing to tell her.
"Because I'm asking you very nicely."
"No." She refused to except that.
"Thea." Luke murmured.
The Doctor smiled, taking her hands in his, "i love you, Thea." He told her in Gallifreyan, "and I need you to stay back, stay with Luke. Please."
"Why?" she demanded. She hadnt spoken her native tongue for so long, she missed it dearly.
"Promise me, please."
She looked into his eyes, seeing the tears, the desperation..."fine." She grit out back in English.
"Thank you." He murmured, kissing her forehead before turning to Luke, "Look after her."
Luke nodded, hearing the silent words to keep her back from the lake, taking her hand as the Doctor turned and headed to the lake, to the astronaut.
"What is going on?" Rory shook his head.
They watched as the astronaut lifted its visor, the Doctor talking to them, gesturing to the suits arm before bowing his head.
"No..." Thea breathed, seeing the astronaut raise its arm.
"What's he doing?" Amy squinted.
"Oh my god!" Lukes eyes widened, seeing what the astronaut was about to do and quickly wrapped his arms around Theas stomach...
"Stop it!" Thea yelled, grabbing Rivers arm as the woman reached for her blaster, "dont, please! River, please don't! River, don't kill him!"
River looked at her sharply, how she spoke, like she wasn't talking to her.
The astronaut fired at the Doctor. The man stumbled back, Amy screamed, rushing to him as River held her back, the Doctors hands began to glow with regeneration energy, only for the astronaut to fire again, sending the Doctor to the ground, killing him in the middle of his regeneration.
Thea screamed at that, sinking to her knees in the sand as Luke went down with her, refusing to let her go. She gasped, struggling to breath, she could hardly see as tears stung her eyes, she couldnt hear anything, like a high pitch ringing in her ears. She was sure Luke was trying to say words of comfort. She could hardly see, Amy, River or Rory run to the Doctors body.
His dead body.
It couldnt be. He couldnt be dead.
She could hear River trying to shoot at the astronaut as it walked back into the lake, Amy sobbing over the Doctors prone form as Rory tried to check for any life signs.
This wasnt how it was supposed to go. This wasn't fair!
She had just found a dad after years, found one who loved her and cared for her as much as she did he and now he was dead!
The man from the truck stepped over and Thea closed her eyes as she saw the can of gasoline in his hands.
It couldn't be. She couldn't be alone.
She couldnt be the Last of the Time Lords.
A Time Lords body, especially nowadays with Gallifrey gone, it was a miracle, entire galaxies would do anything to get their hands on a Time Lord body, they couldn't leave him there. One drop of his or her blood could change civilisations forever, and not for good.
She shook her head, refusing to take the gasoline, refusing to be the one to burn his body. She couldnt do it.
She couldnt even look.
She closed her eyes, faguely aware that Lukes arms were still around her, hugging her tightly, she could barely feel him, barely feel the sand on her knees, barely hear anyone as Amy refused to believe the Doctor was dead.
Even as River and Rory moved the Doctors body into the small boat by the side.
Thea couldnt watch, so she kept her eyes closed as the Doctors body burnt in the middle of the lake.
~.~
"You were 2, I was 3 and you two were 4," River was saying as they headed back to the diner. Luke refused to remove his arm from Thea, helping to lead her back to the diner. She was in shock, according to Rory, well, they all were shocked by what they saw. She was just taking it the worse.
The Doctor, the only other Time Lords in the unvierse, the man she only recently called her father, was dead. He couldnt even imagine how it would feel when mum died. He didnt want to think about that.
This wasn't like last time when UNIT faked the Doctors death, this was real. They all saw it.
"What?" Luke looked at her.
"The Doctor numbered the envelopes. You and Thea were 2, Amy and Rory were 4, I was 3, Mr Delaware was 5."
"So?" Rory shook his head, not following.
"So, where's 1?"
"What, you think he invited someone else?"
"Well, he must have. He planned all of this, to the last detail."
"Will you two shut up?" Amy hissed, stumbling to the booth they had sat in earlier, "it doesn't matter."
"He was up to something."
"He's dead."
"Space, 1969. What did he mean?"
Luke turned to Thea, helping her into the booth opposite Amy, giving her his jacket. He knew she didnt need it, it wasnt cold and she felt the cold the least of them all, but it was a bit of comfort. She wrapped it around herself, holding it tightly.
"Thea mentioned that he had seen the moonlanding before. Had been sent back in time by Weeping Angels." He recalled her mentioning that, after the Daleks had moved the Earth, Thea kept contact with the old companions of the Doctors. She liked to hear what he did and the companions were always happy to talk about the things they had seen.
"If it matters to the Doctor, then it matters to us." Rory reasoned.
"He's dead." Amy whispered, barely able to speak up.
"But he still needs us. I know. Amy, I know. But right now we have to focus." she knelt at the edge of the booth, looking at Thea as the girl stared at the table, unfocused. She had never seen the girl so empty before. "Thea," she lifted the girls chin with a finger, "I know you're hurting, but your dad needs you, now more than ever. Okay, so please..."
"How do I know to trust you?" she whispered.
"Im your friend. I know you still hardly know me, but one day you will..."
"When?"
"One day soon."
"Who shot him?"
"I dont know."
"When I find whoever killed him..."
River swallowed, knowing how serious Thea was, "You know full well he won't want that."
The Doctor would never want anyone to try and avenge his death, especially Thea. He wouldn't want her to ever kill anyone.
Rory frowned, seeing a blue envelope on the table by the back, "look." he turned to the man behind the bar, "Excuse me, who was sitting over there?"
"Some guy." He shrugged.
River grabbed the envelope, "The Doctor knew he was going to his death, so he sent out messages. When you know it's the end, who do you call?"
"Er, your friends." Rory suggested.
"People you trust." Luke agreed
River turned over the envelope, seeing the number 1, "Number 1. Who did The Doctor trust the most?"
Luke could only shake his head, if it wasnt his own family or his current companions then he didnt know.
The back door opened and the Doctor stepped out, a strawing his mouth, grinning, pointing as he noticed them all.
"This is cold." River glared at him, "Even by your standards, this is cold."
"Or hello, as people used to say. I just popped out to get my special straw. It adds more fizz."
"Dad?" Thea slowly stood, staring at him eyes wide.
"Hey, kiddo," He grinned at her, "Lukey boy." his grinned faltered, seeing seeing tears in her eyes, "whats wrong? Whats happened? Sarah Jane," he swallowed, looking to Luke, "is she...?"
"You're ok..." she whispered, reaching to touch his face, want to check he was real and not some sort of hologram or robot or something.
"Hey, of course I'm okay. I'm always okay." He wiped away a tear with pad of his thumb, "I'm the King of Okay."
She choked, not sure if she was laughing or crying, "I told you you'd say that."
"Yeah, you did, and you know, its a rubbish title. You know whats a brilliant title though?"
"What?"
"Being your dad." he winked at her.
"I don't understand." Rory shook his head, "How can you be here?" he stepped up and poked the Doctor, making him rock on the heels of his feet, exactly as they had both done when he came back as a centurion.
"I was invited." The Doctor frowned, "Date, map reference. Same as you lot, I assume, otherwise it's a hell of a coincidence."
"River, what's going on?" Amy turned to her.
"How old are you, Doctor?" River demanded.
"That's a bit personal." He muttered.
Thea stepped back to look at him, his eyes certainly were younger than the him they just saw die, "answer her."
"909."
"Yeah, but you said you were..." Amy began but River cut him off.
"So where does that leave us, huh?" She glared at him, "Jim the fish? Have we done Jim the fish yet?"
"Who's Jim the fish?" The Doctor frowned.
"I don't understand." Amy shook her head.
"Yeah, you do." Rory muttered, stepping closer to his wife.
"I don't!" The Doctor cut in, "What are we all doing here?"
They glanced at each other, not sure who would be best to answer until Thea stepped up, being a Time Lady should would be best to speak without giving away his future.
"We've been recruited." She supplied, "Something to do with space 1969"
"And a man called Canton Everett Delaware III." Luke added.
The Doctor narrowed his eyes, "Recruited by who?"
"Someone who trusts you more than anybody else in the universe." River offered.
"And who's that?"
"Spoilers."
The Doctor tensed his jaw at that, he was really starting to hate that word, especially when something had upset Thea and she refused to tell him what it was.
~.~
Thea sat on the harness under the console, her head low and eyes closed, focusing on breathing and just being glad that that Doctor wouldn't actually die for another 200 years.
She was such an idiot! She should have been stronger, better prepared, she shouldn't have been a mess like that. She gave it away that something was wrong and now the Doctor was suspicious.
She had to be better at this. If and when her abilities got stronger, she couldn't just keep blurting out random things like she did now and accidently change the future. Foreknowledge was danger. Her abilities were dangerous, and that was why as soon as the council saw anything in you with psychic abilities, they kept a close eye and took you for private training. It was dangerous and terrifying, and yet she hadn't felt anything about something this big.
Luke sat on the bottom step leading up to the control room, where the Doctor was dancing around the console, rambling on as he gave Thea her moment to have her thoughts alone, well, alone with Luke. That tended to count as being alone with them.
"Are you sure you're alright?" Luke frowned at her.
She exhaled slowly, "he still has 200 more years to live." She gave a strained smile.
"Could you...could you change the future?" he wondered, "know you know whats going too happen? Could you stop him dying?"
She shook her head.
"Because its a fixed point in time?"
She nodded, "even my death is a fixed point in time. Whenever that is."
"Not for billions of years." He looked at her, a slight threat to his words that she wasnt to die anytime soon.
"I'll still regnerate before then." she murmured.
"Not anytime soon, I don't want to see that." he whispered.
As much as he knew it was a part of her life, it would happen no matter what one day, whether old age or because she got killed (she was always putting herself in front of them from the danger) he didn't want to see it happen. He knew she would still be his Thea, still the same old Thea who grabbed his hand and took off running through the Bubbleshock factory and crashed into Maria, but she would still have died and he didnt want to have to know that.
He shifted as River, Amy and Rory slowly made their way down.
"Thea..." Amy called softly, "can you explain it again?"
"The Doctor we saw on the lake," She sighed, "is the Doctor 200 years in the future."
"But all that's still going to happen. He's still going to die."
"We're all going to do that, Amy." River murmured. "Even Time Lords die, eventually."
"But you told me he was on this 11th body," Luke shook his head, "why didn't he just regenerate."
"He was hit before the regeneration could fully start," Thea explained, "killed in the middle of it, best way to kill a Time Lord, dont let them regenerate."
"But we're not all going to arrange our own wake and invite ourselves." Rory shook his head, "So, the Doctor, in the future, knowing he's going to die, recruits his younger self and all of us to, to what, exactly? Avenge him?"
"Avenging's not his style." River sighed.
"Save him?" Amy suggested.
"He'd give his life to save others." Thea pointed out.
"We have to tell him." Amy determined.
"Wouldnt that be agaisnt the laws of time, though?" Luke frowned.
"We've told him all we can." River agreed, "We can't even tell him we've seen his future self. He's interacted with his own past. It could rip a hole in the universe."
"Yes, but he's done it before." Amy argued.
"And in fairness, the universe did blow up." Rory reminded her.
"What?" Luke blinked at that.
"Long story." Thea waved him off, "i'll tell you later."
"But he'd want to know." Amy insisted.
"Would he?" River countered, "Would anyone?"
"Did you not...sense anything?" Rory asked slowly knowing how temperamental Thea coukd get when her abilities were brought up. Especially when something rather big happened but she didnt see it coming. That really frustrated her.
Thea shook her head. She only saw close things, 200 years was too far ahead. Now she knew what would happen, even if she didnt get a sense of what would happen, she knew what would, she woukd change it.
Screw the paradoxes, this was her father!
She would change a fixed point in time for her family.
Damn the laws of time.
The Doctor took that moment to drop his head over the edge of the glass floor, "I'm being extremely clever up here, and you're all down there listening to Thea, you might as well be her companions."
"I think we're all ok with that." River remarked, getting a small smile from the girl.
"Coming." Thea called, getting up and heading back up stairs with Luke.
"I dont understand," Amy called, making Thea pause, "how can you be ok with this?"
"Im not." She murmured, "but its my duty as a Time Lord. I'm a Visionary I see the future..."
"You don't see everything."
"I see a lot more than you know." she replied stiffly, "sometimes I can't change things even if I want too, the unvierse has to makes it own ways and sometimes..." she let out a breath, closing her eyes a moment before snapping them back open, almost glaring at the woman, "sometimes I have to watch people die and not do anything to stop it even if I wanted too." she headed up stairs, Luke quickly rushing up after her in case she ended up saying something to the Doctor out of anger. He was always there to calm her down.
River swallowed, closing her eyes a moment as Thea looked at her as she passed. It was like the girl had spoilers of her own, like she always knew. She couldnt, she tried very hard to keep it from Thea more than the Doctor. He was oblivious, she was not. It was very hard to keep secrets from a psychic. Sometimes the girl knew things before she was aware of what she knew. The foreknowledge locked in the back of her mind, waiting for the right time to come out.
"Time isn't a straight line." the Doxtor was saying as he danced around the console, "It's all bumpy wumpy. There's loads of boring stuff like Sundays and Tuesdays and Thursday afternoons."
"Whats wrong with Sundays?" Luke frowned, "I always call mum on Sundays."
"Because most weekends you're too hungover to drive." Thea teased.
"Sometimes I'm busy doing assignments." He defended.
"But most of the time its because Sanjay wants to take you out partying."
"Shut up, Thea," Luke flushed, giving her a playful shove as she giggled.
"Ooh, did I strike a nerve? You just can't say no to the cute ones, can you?"
Luke rolled his eyes, turning to the Doctor, "can we throw her out?"
The Doctor looked at them, seeing Thea smiling again, whatever was worrying her no longer seemed too much of a concern, at least to her. It still worried him. "No." Thea stuck her tongue out at Luke, "Now there are Saturdays. Big temporal tipping points when anything's possible. The TARDIS can't resist them, like a moth to a flame. She loves a party, so I give her 1969 and NASA, because that's space in the sixties, and Canton Everett Delaware III, and this is where she's pointing." He flicked on the monitor.
"Washington D.C." Amy read, "April 8th, 1969. So why haven't we landed?"
"Because that's not where we're going."
"Where are we going?" Rory frowned.
"Home!" he exclaimed, moving away from the console, "Well, you two are. Off you pop and make babies. And you, Doctor Song, back to prison. Thea and Luke, I'll drop you back off at Sarah Janes. Does she even know where you are?"
Luke looked slightly guilty at that. They hadnt really told Sarah Jane where they were going, told her they'd been invited to America and showed the familiar blue envelope and Sarah Jane had just had this knowing smile and told them to let her know when they landed.
"She knows we're safe." Thea stated.
He eyed her, knowing she was keeping something big from him, "Me? I'm late for a biplane lesson in 1911. Or it could be knitting. Knitting or biplanes. One or the other." he sat on the jumpseat, crossing his arms as he looked at them, "What? A mysterious summons. You think I'm just going to go?" he scoffed, "Who sent those messages? I know you know. I can see it in your faces. I don't appreciate my own daughter lying to me, or you helping her cover it up. Don't play games with me. Don't ever, ever think you're capable of that."
"You're going to have to trust us this time." River said.
"Trust you?" The Doctor walked over to her, a hard look on his face, "Sure. But, first of all, Doctor Song, just one thing. Who are you? You're someone from my future. Getting that. But who?" She was silent, "Okay. Why are you in prison? Who did you kill, hmm? Now, I love a bad girl, me, but trust you? Seriously."
Thea swallowed seeing how upset River looked knowing that the Doctor didn't trust her. She did, the spoilers River kept from them was there future, exactly what she was doing now, what she woukd always have to do, kept secrets because they protected people and kept you safe. River was trying not to show it but Thea could see the tears in the womans eyes.
"Then trust me." Thea turned to the Doctor.
"Okay." The Doctor said instantly, turning to her.
She took a breath, "I'm asking you to do this...please."
"Are you being threatened?" The Doctor eyed her, "Is someone making you say that?
"Do you think I'll let someone have the chance to try to threaten me?"
"Youre lying to me. Its the one rule I have for you, don't keep secrets from me."
"Im a visonary, sometimes I have too keep secrets." Thea murmured, "when I do its for good reason."
The Doxtor frowned at her a moment before pulling her into a hug, sensing her distress that she had to keep this secret from him. "Secrets protect us and keep us safe." He realised she wasnt telling him because she couklldnt, which meant, it was his own timeline in play, which was rather tricky business and she was struggling to keep that to herself, but she had too, timelines and all that.
"Thank you." River breathed to Thea who gave a small nod as she moved to Lukes side, the boy wrapping an arm around her, squeezing her shoulder knowing how she hated that.
"So!" The Doctor ran around the console, "Canton Everett Delawaret III. Who's he?"
"Ex FBI." River brought up thw information on the monitor, "got kicked out."
"Why?" The Doctor frowned.
"The Bureau didnt condone his relationship with a black man." Thea answered.
Luke coughed, "nerd." She lightly elbowed him.
"6 weeks after he left the Bureau, the President contacted him for a private meeting." River continued.
"Yeah, 1969. Who's President?" The Doxtor asked.
"Richard Milhouse Nixon." Thea said at once.
"Vietnam, watergate." River murmured, "theres some good stuff too."
"Not enough." The Doctor remarked.
"Hippie."
"Archaeologist."
"Okay, since I don't know what I'm getting into this time, for once I'm being discreet. I'm putting the engines on silent." He pulled a lever and a screech filled the room.
Thea stepped forwards and pulled down another lever and the noise stopped.
The Doctor looked round at her, "Did you do something?"
"Just came closer to watch better." She smiled sweetly.
He eyed her a moment, hearing Luke trying to hide a laugh, "Putting the outer shield on invisible. I haven't done this in a while. Big drain on the power."
"You can turn the TARDIS invisible?" Rory blinked as the Doctor pushed a button...and bright lights lit up the room.
"Very nearly." River muttered, pulling another lever and the lights turned off.
The Doctor looked over at her, "Er, did you touch something?"
"Just admiring your skills, sweetie." She replied.
"Good. You might learn something. Ok. Now I can't check the scanner. It doesn't work when we're cloaked. Just give us a mo." he ran to the doors and everyone followed, he turned to them, "Whoa! Whoa, whoa, whoa. You lot, wait a moment. We're in the middle of the most powerful city in the most powerful country on Earth. Let's take it slow."
He stepped out and the humans pressed their ears to the door trying to listen in.
Something about a child on a recording calling for help, a spaceman coming after her.
Thea moved to the monitor, trying to get it back online when the TARDIS jolted, the Doctor clearly having walked into it.
"Every time." River sighed.
"He said the scanner wouldn't work." Rory frowned, seeing Thea standing there.
"He also made a horrible noise and turned the lights on when trying to turn the TARDIS invisible." She pointed out, connecting two wires together, causing them to spark.
"Good point."
"And guess who read the manual."
"You did."
"And Thea is just that good," Luke added.
"Flatterer." She grinned at him, getting the scanner working and seeing the Doctor on the floor, his face pressed into the carpet.
"Thea, have you got my scanner working yet?" The Doctor shouted.
"Almost!" Thea responded.
"Get the President out of here." a man ordered, "Sir, you have to go with them, now."
"Someone make her blue again!" the Doctor strained.
River flicked a few switches and the TARDIS shimmered into view of the men in the oval office, staring at the sudden appearance of the box.
"What the hell is that?" Nixon demanded.
Thea laughed, seeing the Doctor slip out of their grasp, seeing they were distracted by the TARDIS, and slipped into the presidents chair.
"Mr President, that child just told you everything you need to know, but you weren't listening." The Doctor told him, "Never mind, though, because the answer's yes. I'll take the case." The men all pointed their guns at him, "Fellows, the guns, really? I just walked into the highest security office in the United States and parked a big blue box on the rug. Do you think you can just shoot me?"
River ran out the TARDIS, "They're Americans!" The most trigger happy of all humans.
The others followed after her, all with their hands up as the men turned to them.
"Don't shoot!" The Doctor shouted, seeing Thea step in front of Luke, ready to take the shot for him, "Definitely no shooting!"
"Nobody shoot us either." Rory added, "Very much not in need of getting shot. Look, we've got our hands up."
"Thats president Nixon." Luke stared.
"Yeah, it is." Thea nodded.
"Oh, Clyde and Rani are going to be so jealous."
"Who the hell are you?" Nixon demanded.
"Sir, you need to stay back." Canton said.
"But who are they and what is that box?"
"Cant you read? It says police." Thea rolled her eyes, gesturing to the TARDIS.
Luke nudged her side, "What did mum say about being rude to people with guns."
The Doctor hid his laugh from her comment with a cough, turning back to Nixon, "I'm your new undercover agent on loan from Scotland Yard. Code name the Doctor. These are my top operatives, the Legs, the Nose, the Brain, the Visionary and Mrs Robinson."
"I hate you." River hissed.
"No, you don't."
"Who are you?" Nixon demanded once more.
"Nah, boring question." the Doctor waved him off, "Who's phoning you? That's interesting. Because Canton Three is right. That was definitely a girl's voice, which means there's only one place in America she can be phoning from."
"Where?" Canton frowned.
"Do not engage with the intruder, Mr Delaware." One of the black agents called.
"You heard everything I heard. It's simple enough. Give me 5 minutes, I'll explain. On the other hand, lay a finger on me or my friends, and you'll never, ever know."
"How did you get it in here?" Canton questioned, glancing back to the TARDIS, "I mean, you didn't carry it in."
"Clever, eh?" The Doctor smirked.
"Love it."
"Do not compliment the intruder." The agent cut in.
"5 minutes?"
"5." the Doctor nodded, glancing at Thea for confirmation, "what you reckon, 5 minutes?"
She shrugged, "5 minutes 10 seconds."
"Mr President, that man is a clear and present danger to..." the black agent tried to tell the president.
"Mr President," Canton cut in, "that man walked in here with a big blue box and 5 of his friends, and that's the man he walked past. One of them's worth listening to. I say we give him 5 minutes. See if he delivers."
"Thanks, Canton." The Doctor nodded
"If he doesn't, I'll shoot him myself."
"Sir, I cannot recommend..." the black agent began.
"Shut up, Peterson!" Nixen snapped at him, "all right, 5 minutes."
"I'm going to need a SWAT team, ready to mobilise. Street level maps covering all of Florida. A pot of coffee, 12 Jammie Dodgers, a fez and for the Brain and the Visionary to stand on either side, thank you."
"Get him his maps." Canton called.
"Could we have some snacks?" Thea asked softly.
He looked over at her, "i'll see what I can do." He offered.
Luke rolled his eyes as she beamed.
~.~
The maps were everywhere, covering every surface in the oval office. Though only the Doctor, Thea and Luke were looking at them, looking at a certain map laid out before them on the desk, peering over Nixon as he sat in his chair. Amy and Rory were sat to the side on a sofa, while River was standing to the side, looking at another map of her own.
"Why Florida?" Canton asked, moving over to them.
"There's where NASA is." The Doctor answered, "She mentioned a spaceman. NASA's where the spacemen live. Also, there's another lead I'm following."
Thea glanced up hearing Amy and River whispering, likely about the spaceman they saw at the lake.
"Amy, what's wrong?" Everyone looked over hearing Rory to see Amy hutched over, holding her stomach, looking rather pale.
"Amy?" River called.
"Are you all right?" The Doctor eyed her.
"Yeah. No, I'm fine." She waved them off, "I'm just feeling a little sick. She moved to a guard by the door, "excuse me is there a toilet or something."
"Sorry, ma'am," he shook his head, "while this procedure's ongoing, you must remain within the Oval office."
"Well then let her be sick all over your uniform then." Thea crossed her arms.
"Shut up and take her to the restroom." Canton laughed.
The guard nodded, "This way, ma'am."
"Thanks." Amy muttered, following him out.
"And remember to breathe." Thea told her.
"Yeah," Amy gave her an odd look as she left, "thanks, I will."
"Remember to breathe?" Luke raised his eyebrows.
"I have no idea why I said that." She shook her head.
Canton moved before them, "Your 5 minutes are up."
"Yeah, and where's my fez?" The Doctor countered.
"And the snacks." Thea agreed, tilting her head as she looked at the map.
They all looked up as the phone rang.
"The kid?" Canton guessed.
"Should I answer it?" Nixon wondered.
"Here!" Luke called, pointing on the map.
"The only place in the United States that call could be coming from." The Doctor agreed, patting his back.
Thea peered over his shoulder, laughing at where his finger was pointing, "Obvious, when you think about it."
The Doxtor checked his watch, "5 minutes 10 seconds."
"You, boy, are a genius." Canton looked at the boy.
"Supergenius." Thea grinned, she glanced over seeing Amy return with the guard.
"Mr President, answer the phone."
Nixon hesitated a moment before answering the phone and pressing record and the recorder, "Hello. This is President Nixon."
"It's here!" The little girl cried, "The spaceman's here! It's going to get me! It's going to eat me!"
"There's no time for a SWAT team." The Doctor determined, "Let's go. Mr President, tell her help's on the way." He shouted to the president as he ran to the TARDIS, "Canton, on no account follow me into this box and close the door behind you."
Thea grabbed the Doctors tweed jacket he had thrown aside, quickly running after him, after the humans and inside the TARDIS.
"What the hell are you doing?" Canton shouted, following them inside.
The Doctor ran to the console, sending them off as soon as the door shuts, Canton just inside.
"Jefferson isn't a girl's name." The Doctor remarked, "It's not her name either. Jefferson, Adams, Hamilton. River...?"
"Surnames of three of America's founding fathers." She answered.
"Lovely fellows." he grinned, "Two of them fancied me."
"Jefferson and Hamilton?" Thea guessed.
"Of course."
"Are you okay?" Rory asked Canton, seeing him gaping like a fish at the sight of the room, "Coping?"
"You see, the President asked the child two questions. Where are you and who are you? She was answering where."
"It's bigger on the inside." Canton breathed.
"Yeah, you get used to it." Rory patted his shoulder.
"Now, where would you find three big, historical names in a row like that?" the Doctor wondered aloud.
"Where?" Amy shook her head.
"Here!" the Doctor pulled down a lever, landing them, "Come on!" He took Theas hand, pulling her outside as she grabbed Lukes, tugging him with them.
"It's er..." Canton blinked.
"Are you taking care of this?" The Doctor turned to Rory.
"Why is it always my turn?" He huffed.
"Because you're the newest." Amy gave him a quick kiss.
"Um, isnt he the newest." Rory argued, pointing to Luke.
"I've been fighting aliens since the day I was born." He shrugged.
"Seriously?"
"Saved the world the day he was born." Thea kissed his cheek.
"Shut up." Luke rolled his eyes, rubbing his cheek.
"And a week later helped the Slitheen destroy it."
"Slytherin?" Amy blinked.
"Slitheen." Luke corrected.
"Big green things that explode when you throw vinegar on them." Thea explained before looking around what seemed to be an abandoned office, like it hadn't been used in years, papers left scattered about, a thin layer of dust.
Amy and Rory looked at each other, shaking their heads, what Thea got up to when they werent around, they didnt want to know. She certainly found trouble as much as the Doctor did.
The Doxtor sat in the chair at the desk, waving the small American flag he found.
"Where are we?" Amy asked.
"About 5 miles from Cape Kennedy Space Centre." the Doctor answered, "it's 1969, the year of the moon. Interesting, don't you think?"
"Very." Thea agreed eagerly.
"But why would a little girl be here?" Amy wondered.
"I don't know." The Doctor sighed, "Lost me a bit. The President asked the girl where she was, and she did what any lost little girl would do. She looked out of the window." The Doctor moved to the window, peering out to see the street signs with the famous names.
"Streets." Amy realised, "of course, street names."
"The only place in Florida, probably all of America, with those three street names on the same junction. And Thea you've got that face on again..." he turned to her.
"What face?" she blinked.
"The 'he so clever and he's the best dad ever' face."
"This is my normal face." She told him.
"Yes, it is."
"Do you want the honest answer or the kind one?"
"The kind one?"
She patted his cheek, "You're rather clever, but so am i."
"And she got your arrogance." River added.
"Lukes clever too." She defended.
"Flatterer." He called.
"You love it!" she laughed.
"We've moved!" Canton exclaimed as he stepped out of the TARDIS with Rory, "How...how can we have moved?"
"You haven't even got to space travel yet?" The Doctor looked over.
"I was going to cover it with time travel." Rory replied.
"Time travel." Canton breathed.
"Brave heart, Canton." The Doxtor clapped, turning and walking further into the building, "Come on."
"So we're in a box that's bigger on the inside, and it travels through time and space."
"Yeah, basically." Rory nodded.
"How long have Scotland Yard had this?"
"It's a warehouse of some kind." River remarked, pulling out her scanner to confirm her suspicions, "Disused."
"This is a trap." Thea stated.
"I noticed the phone, yes."
"What about it?" Amy frowned.
"It was cut off."
"So how did the child phone from here?" Luke shook his head.
"Okay, but why would anyone want to trap us?"
"You must have annoyed someone." Thea spun to the Doctor crossing her arms.
She dreaded to think what he had been doing while she'd been with Luke on Earth. Probably ran into someone and annoyed them, it was a typical day for him.
"How do we know its not someone you annoyed." the Doctor countered, tapping her nose.
"This isnt usually how Slitheen work," Luke shook his head.
"And Mrs Wormwood is dead, and so is the Bane mother, so thats them out the question."
"Could it be the Trickster?" Luke suggested.
"Zygons? Lure us out here and take our places."
"We get it," River cut in, "you've annoyed a lot of people."
Thea crossed her arms, huffing, "it still doesn't explain why a little girl would be here."
"No, it doesn't." The Doctor murmured, "so lets find her and ask her."
They looked around, River pulling out a torch she had on her, spotting an examination table in the middle of the room, some wires hanging about, "It's nonterrestrial." She noted, "definitely alien. Probably not even from this time zone."
"Which is odd," the Doctor called, disappearing towards the crates to the side, all full of old equipment, "because look at this!" He grinned, seeing a crate with a NASA spacesuit, complete with the helmet.
"It's Earth tech. It's contemporary."
"It's very contemporary. Cutting edge. This is from the space program."
"Stolen?" Luke frowned.
"What, by aliens?" Amy scoffed.
"Apparently." The Doctor grinned, putting the helmet on.
"But why? I mean, if you can make it all the way to Earth, why steal technology that can barely make it to the moon?"
"Maybe because it's cooler?"
"It is pretty cool," Thea agreed slowly, eying the suit. It was the same one from the lake, she could sense that. It just didnt make sense. The Doctor in the future knew the astronaut was waiting for him and he had gone, told them to come here with his younger self. Why? It didn't make sense.
She shook her head. She had 200 years to figure it out.
"This is you lot starting to go to space." Thea smiled, "broading you're horizons, that is just..."
"Brilliant!" Luke grinned.
"You're saying there are cool aliens?" Amt raised her eyebrows in disbelieve.
"Well, what would you call us?" The Doctor lifted up the visor.
Amy just stared at him wearing the helmet, "An alien."
"Oi!" He cried.
"Thea is a cool alien." Luke said.
She just laughed at that, "im a weirdo and you know it."
"Clyde thinks your cool."
"And thats what counts."
"I, er, I think he's okay now." Rory called, pointing to Canton as they joined them with their own torches.
"Ah! Back with us, Canton." The Doctor patted his back.
"I like your wheels." Canton remarked.
"That's my boy. So, come on. Little girl. Let's find her."
Amy walked over to River as she scanned some slime on some of the wires, "River..."
"I know what you're thinking." She muttered.
"No, you don't."
"You're thinking if we can find the spaceman in 1969 and neutralise it, then it won't be around in 2011 to kill the Doctor. I've been thinking it to."
"So let's do it." Amy insisted.
"It doesn't work like that." River shook her head, "We came here because of what we saw in the future. If we try and prevent the future from happening, we create a paradox."
"Time can be rewritten."
"Not this." Thea cut in.
Amy looked over to see her staring at her, "Says who?"
"Me."
"And you're ok with knowing your fathers doing to die and you cant do anything to stop it."
"Its 200 years." she hissed, "I can figure it out by then."
"And then what? Stop it? Help him to die?"
"I don't know!"
"Is everything okay?" The Doctor asked Luke quietly as they looked through the crates, "Thea..." he looked over to were she was talking to River and Amy, checking out the equipment, "she looked a bit upset."
"Shes just worried," Luke offered, knowing he couldnt tell the Doctor anything of what they saw of his future, "the Brigadiers been in and out of hospital a lot lately."
It wasnt a lie, the Brigadier was getting old now, he wasn't as healthy as he was and Thea was rather upset to know that in a few more years the man would likely pass away. She never said it, hardly ever showed it, but it hurt her to know they were all getting older and she wasnt.
"Oh, right." The Doctor nodded slowly, making a mental note to visit his old friend before it was too late.
"What's this?" River frowned, shining her torch on the ground, seeing a wire run across the floor and down a manhole. "Doctor? Look at this."
The Doctor and Luke walked over as River moved the cover aside, "So where does that go?"
River held up her scanner, "There's a network of tunnels running under here."
"Life signs?"
"No, nothing that's showing up."
"Those are the worst kind."
"Could be anything down there. Vashta Nerada, Headless Monks..." Thea smirked across at River, "dangerous to go along."
"Be careful." the Doctor warned as River started to make her way down.
"Careful?" she scoffed, "I tried that once. Ever so dull."
"Shout if you get in trouble."
"Don't worry, I'm quite the screamer. Now there's a spoiler for you."
Thea laughed, seeing the Doctor shaking his head, almost exasperated with Rivers teasing and mindless flirting, "River Song i bloody love you!"
"Oh, I know." She winked at her.
"So," Canton looked over at Amy as he looked at a few jars on the tables, "I was in a bar having a drink. Tell me, honestly, Am I still there?"
"Afraid not." She smiled.
~.~
"Are you alright?" Luke asked River as he stood guard of the manhole, ready to help pull River out if she found something down there. Thea had requested him to do so as she checked out the spacesuit, trying to figure out if it was the exact one from the lake, or just another random NASA spacesuit surrounded by alien equipment.
River was breathing heavily and for a moment Luke saw she looked frantic before her face went calm.
"All clear." She called, "just tunnels. Nothing down there I can see. Er, give me 5 minutes. I want to take another look around."
"Stupidly dangerous!" The Doctor called back.
"Yeah, I like it too."
"Rory will go with you." Thea offered the man.
"Er, I will." he blinked.
"Yeah, because dad says I can't. Please..." she flashed a bright smile.
"Fine." he rolled his eyes, "only because you asked so nicely." he pointed at her before climbing down after River, "hold on, River, im coming too."
"I appreciate you!" she called down after him.
"So, you were kicked out of the FBI because you had attitude problems?" Amy asked Canton, curious as they looked at the wires.
"No, I just wanted to get married." he replied.
"Is that a crime?"
"Yes." he looked over at the Doctor as the man rummaged through more boxes with Thea as Luke stood by the man hole ready for if River and Rory needed a quick exit, "Doctor who, exactly?"
"Ah. That's classified"
"Classified by who?"
"God knows." she muttered.
"Do you work for him?"
"He's my friend, if friend is the right word. I haven't seen him in a while. I had something I wanted to tell him, but stuff always gets in the way."
"Stuff does that."
Thea looked up sharply a moment before they all heard a little girl cry our, "Help me! Help! Help me!"
"That's her!" Canton gasped, pulling out his gun and running in the direction of the voice as Amy ran after him only to double over, holding her stomach.
"Amy?" the Doctor rushed to her side.
"Whats wrong?" Thea asked, taking her hand and squeezing it, "breathe."
"Help me!" the little girl begged, "Please!"
"I need to tell you something." Amy gasped, "It's important."
"Doctor!" Canton cried from another room.
"It's really, really important."
"Doctor, quickly!"
"What, now?"
"Canton!" Thea shouted, turning and running after the man, grabbing Lukes hand as she past him. The Doctor pulled Amy off after them, into another room to see Thea and Luke on either side of an unconcious Canton.
"Hes alright." Thea checked him over, "just unconcious."
"What hit him?" Luke wondered, looking around, seeing only them there.
"Doctor, I need to tell you something." Amy insisted, "I have to tell you it now."
"Not a great moment." the Doctor muttered.
"No, it's important. It has to be now."
"Help!" the girl cried, "Help me!" the Doctor spun trying to see the little girl, "Help me!"
"Doctor," Amy swallowed, "I'm pregnant."
The Doctors eyes widened as he stared at her.
"River..." Thea breathed, spinning to look the way they came only to turn back at the sound of stomping to see someone in the spacesuit walk in.
"That's it...the astronaut..." Amy breathed.
"Dont..." Thea warned her quietly as the astronaut raised their visor to reveal the little girl inside.
"Help me!" the girl cried.
"Get down!" Amy shouted
The Doctor turned to see Amy grabbing Cantons gun, "What are you doing?"
"Saving your life!" she screamed as she fired the gun.
"Thea!" Luke yelled as the girl jumped in front of Amy.