Chapter 2
Gingerbread House
—
"Come on." The Doctor said to Ash. "Let's get you back in the Tardis."
"But why? I want to explore." Ash said, unsuccessfully dodging the Doctor's hand before it landed on her shoulder.
"Because you're not safe out here." he said as he led her back into the Tardis.
"Why?" Ash repeated, pushing her sleeves up again. The jumper she had been wearing before regenerating was sort of working like a dress, except for the arms that were way too long.
With an exasperated sigh the Doctor explained, "Ash, you're exhaling enough regeneration energy to alert anyone in the solar system and you're in the middle of a regeneration of a type I've never seen before. It shouldn't even have been possible for you to regenerate. I don't know what effect it might have on you. And who knows what's out there in this universe. Just please, trust me and stay in the Tardis."
Ash ran towards the captain's chair and with a flying leap managed to seat herself. "Fine." she said, arm crossed.
The Doctor, with a defeated look, wandered around the Console Room, occasionally stroking pieces of the Tardis. Meanwhile, Ash had closed her eyes and was searching for a trace of the Tardis with her mind. She didn't know how she was doing it. She was simply willing it to happen.
"I told you to keep an eye on her." the Doctor said to Mickey as he entered the Tardis.
"She's all right."
"She goes wandering off, parallel world, it's like a gingerbread house. All those temptations calling out."
"Oh, so it's just Rose, then? Nothing out there to tempt me?"
"Well, I don't know, I can't worry about everything. If I could just get this thing to-" the Doctor said before kicking the console in frustration.
"Did that help?" Mickey asked.
"Yes."
"Did that hurt?"
"Yes. Ow." the Doctor said hopping on one foot and massaging the other.
"We're not meant to be here. The Tardis draws its power from the universe, but it's the wrong universe. It's like diesel in a petrol engine." The Doctor explained.
"But I've seen it in comics. People go hopping from one alternative world to another. It's easy."
"Not in the real world. It used to be easy. When the Time Lords kept their eye on everything, you could hop between realities, home in time for tea. Then they died, and took it all with them. The walls of reality closed, the worlds were sealed. Everything became that bit less kind."
"Then how did we get here?"
"I did it." Ash said. "I made us crash when I regenerated. But she's not totally dead. There's something…" Ash continued as she jumped off the chair and ran to a spot near the console. "Something right there!"
"What? What! Ha. A light. That's all we need. We've got power! Ash, Mickey, we've got power!"
"Told you so." Ash said, sticking her tongue out. She then started running in circles around the Console Room with her arms spread wide, "WOOHOO!"
"What is it?" Mickey asked, watching the Doctor pull a small crystal-like thing from under the grating.
"It's nothing. It's tiny. One of those insignificant little power cells that no one ever bothers about, and it's clinging onto life, with one little ounce of reality tucked away inside."
"Enough to get us home?" Mickey asked.
"Not yet. I need to charge it up." the Doctor said with a grin.
"Let me! Let me!" Ash yelled, running over to the Doctor and inhaling a lungful of air. But the Doctor held her back with a hand on her head and shielded the small crystal-like powercell from her. He blew some of his energy into the powercell and hid it in his pocket before releasing Ash.
"I just gave away ten years of my life. Worth every second." the Doctor said.
A fuming and now free Ash took a step forward and kicked the Doctor in the shin as hard as she could before running away and hiding under the captain's chair. It was a poor choice of hiding spot, but it was the only thing she could think of.
"What!" the Doctor cried, struggling to remain standing while rubbing his throbbing shin. "Elisabeth Ashton Davis, here, now." the Doctor said with somewhat restrained anger as he pointed to a spot just in front of him.
"no." Ash whispered, hugging her knees under the chair.
"Right then." The Doctor said. He stalked over to the captain's chair and drug Ash out by an arm, then plopped her down on the seat. "You do NOT kick people." he said, holding her upper arms tightly as she tried to wriggle free.
Ash, in between rapid shallow breaths, whined, "I wanted to do it." before giving into the tears she'd been holding back.
Seeing her distress, the Doctor released her arms and gently placed his hands on her head, forcing her to look up at him. "Still regenerating. Confused. Overwhelmed. I'm so sorry I can't make this any easier. Still… no kicking!" He said, before drawing her into a hug. He held Ash as she quickly cried herself to sleep. He had no idea how he was going to deal with a four year old time tot and a dead Tardis in a parallel world.
After arranging Ash as comfortably as he could on the captain's chair, the Doctor pulled the powercell out of his pocket.
"It's going out. Is that okay?" Mickey asked.
"It's on a recharging cycle. It'll loop round, power back up and be ready to take us home in, ooh, twenty four hours?"
"So that gives us twenty four hours on a parallel world?"
"Shore leave, of a sort. Ash has to stay in the Tardis and I can't leave her alone. But it should be safe enough for you and Rose to explore a bit as long as you keep your heads down. Let's go and tell her."
The Doctor and Mickey found Rose sitting on a bench staring at her phone. "There you are. You all right? No applause. I fixed it. Twenty four hours, then we're flying back to reality. What is it?" The Doctor said.
"My phone connected. There's this Cybus Network. It finds your phone. It gave me Internet access." Rose said. She seems oddly detached.
"Rose, whatever it says, this is the wrong world."
"I don't exist."
"What do you mean?"
"There's no Rose Tyler. I was never born. There's Pete, my dad, and Jackie. He still married mum but they never had kids."
"Give me that phone." the Doctor demanded, reaching for it. But Rose pulled the phone away.
"They're rich. They've got a house and cars, and everything they want. But they haven't got me. I've got to see him."
"You can't."
"I just want to see him." Rose pleaded
"I can't let you." The Doctor said, growing increasingly frustrated.
"You just said twenty four hours!" Rose said before standing up.
"You can't become their daughter, that's not the way it works. Mickey, tell her." the Doctor yelled.
"Twenty four hours, yeah?" Mickey said, walking away from the Doctor and Rose.
"Where're you going?" The Doctor asked.
"Well, I can do what I want." Mickey said with a shrug.
"I've got the address and everything." Rose said, walking in the other direction.
"Stay where you are, both of you. Rose, come back here! Mickey, come back here right now!" The Doctor cried, looking from one to the other.
Rose turned back to say, "I just want to see him." longing apparent in her voice.
"Yeah, and I've got things to see and all." Mickey said.
"Like what?" the Doctor asked Mickey.
"Well, you don't know anything about me, do you? It's always about Rose. I'm just a spare part."
"I'm sorry. I've got to go." Rose said, walking away.
Mickey turned back towards the Doctor and with a wave of his arm said, "Go on, then. There's no choice, is there? You can only chase after one of us. It's never going to be me, is it?"
"Back here, twenty four hours!" The Doctor yelled to Mickey before turning to Rose. "Rose! I can't…" He ran into the Tardis to check that Ash was still asleep then chased after Rose.
"If Rose's dad is alive, maybe my Gran is too." Mickey said to himself, shaking his head at the Doctor's antics and walking away.
"Rose." The Doctor said as he caught up to her.
"Mickey's mum just couldn't cope. His dad hung around for a while, but then he just sort of wandered off. He was brought up by his gran. She was such a great woman. God, she used to slap him! And then she died. She tripped and fell down the stairs. It's about five years ago now. I was still in school." Rose said.
"I never knew."
"Well, you never asked."
"You never said."
"That's Mickey. I suppose I, we just take him for granted. Do you think she's still alive, his gran?"
"Could be. Like I said, parallel world, gingerbread house. We need to get out of here as fast as we can." The Doctor answered. "Rose I can't leave Ash in the Tardis by herself. We have to go back." He continued, still following Rose.
"Then go. I'll just go see them then come right back. I'm not going to do anything."
"Rose…"
"I've got to see him, Doctor." Rose said. "Ash will be okay right? She looks like she's four but she's still fourteen, isn't she?"
"Not really. Not anymore. She has the brain of a four year old now." The Doctor said scratching at his head.
"Seriously?"
"Mmmm." The Doctor said, his morose expression showing just how concerned he was that Ash was now four.
"Come on Doctor. You said you'd had kids before. It can't be that bad."
"It's been a very long time, Rose. And they're all gone now. I just don't know if I can do that again."
"You seemed okay with Ash before."
"A humanish teenager and a four year old time tot are two VERY different things Rose."
Suddenly all the people walking in the street stopped.
Rose and the Doctor step closer, confused. " What're they all doing? Rose asked.
"They've stopped." the Doctor said.
Rose, stepping forward to look more closely at one of the frozen people, said, "What are they all wearing? That thing in their ears. Everyones got one."
"That's it. It's the earpieces. Like Bluetooth attachments, but everyone's connected together." The Doctor said.
Rose's phone beeps.
"It's on my phone. It's automatic, look. It's downloading. Is this what they're all getting? News, international news, sports, weather-"
"They get it direct. Downloaded right into their heads"
"...TV schedules, lottery numbers."
"Everyone shares the same information. A daily download published by Cybus Industries." The Doctor said with disgust. "You lot, you're obsessed. You'd do anything for the latest upgrade."
"Oi, not my lot. Different world, remember." Rose protested,
"It's not so far off your world. This place is only parallel." the Doctor said, holding out his hand for Rose's phone. "Oh, look at that. Cybus Industries, owners of just about every company in Britain, including Vitex. Mister Pete Tyler's very well connected. Oh, okay. I give up. Let's go and see him." the Doctor said confident Ash would stay asleep for several hours.
–
Ash woke up in the Tardis alone. "Doctor?" she called out. She slid off the captain's chair, walked over to the door and peeked outside, but there was no one there either.
Where did they go? She thought to herself. But thinking about where they were triggered something and Ash could sense the location of the powercell, the last living piece of the Tardis.
Stepping out of the Tardis, Ash debated what to do. "The Doctor went that way." She said to herself, pointing to the left. "Bet Rose is with him. But where did Mickey go?" Ash closed her eyes and spun around in circles with her right arm pointing out. "There." she said as she stopped spinning. She quickly took off running in the direction her arm was pointing with all the confidence of a four year old who has no concept of risk.
Fortunately she was right.
Ash ran up behind Mickey and grabbed his hand.
"What the hell Ash. Don't sneak up on a bloke like that." Mickey said.
"Sorry."
"Aren't you supposed to be in the Tardis?"
"Ummmm, well I didn't want to be alone." Ash said, giving Mickey her best sad eyes.
"Alright, alright, you can come. But you hold my hand and do as I say. Got it? The Doctor's going to kill me for not taking you straight back to the Tardis and I don't need to give him an excuse to actually do it."
"Okay." Ash said cheerfully, swinging the hand she had linked with Mickey's.
They continued walking through progressively more empty and run down streets before seeing what looked like a military checkpoint ahead.
Ash tugged on Mickey's hand. "I don't like the soldiers."
"It'll be okay. Just keep holding my hand."
"Am I all right to get past?" Mickey asked one of the soldiers.
"Yeah. No bother. Curfew doesn't start till ten." he replied.
"There's a curfew?" Mickey asked, confused.
"Course there is. Where you been living, mate? Up there with the toffs?" The soldier answered, pointing up to the Zeppelins.
"I wish. See you." Mickey said as he and Ash passed through the guard post.
Some time later, Ash cried out in pain and collapsed.
"Ash!" Mickey cried as he knelt down next to her and shook her shoulder, but she was non-responsive.
Great. Mickey thought to himself as he stood with an unconscious Ash in his arms. At least my Gran's house is close.
A block later, Mickey paused outside of a nondescript door and shifted Ash to his hip. Please let her be alive! He thought to himself before nervously rattling the knocker.
"Who's that there?" an elderly voice called out from behind the door. As she opened the door, Mickey sighed in relief. She's alive! She was holding a white cane and wearing a pair of earpods.
"Who is it? I know you're there. Shame on you, tricking an old lady. I've got nothing worth stealing. And don't think I'm going to disappear! You're not going to take me." Mickey's Gran continued.
"Hi." Mickey said, smiling and nearly in tears.
"Is that you?" his Gran asked, reaching towards his face. She was blind.
"It's me. I came home."
"Ricky?"
"It's Mickey."
"I know my own grandson's name. It's Ricky. Now, come here." Mickey's Gran said as she stepped forward.
"Careful Gran. I've got-"
"What are you doing with a child in your arms Ricky? She's not yours, is she!"
"Not mine. No way. I'm just looking after her for a bit and she got tired." Mickey said.
"Oh Ricky!" Gran said, awkwardly hugging both Mickey and Ash.
"Okay, I'm Ricky. Of course I am. Ricky, that's me."
"You stupid boy. Where have you been?" Gran said, taking a step back and whacking Mickey in the arm. "It's been days and days! I keep hearing all these stories. People disappearing off the streets. There's nothing official on the download but there're all these rumours, and, and whispers. I thought that God had disappeared you!"
Mickey looked past his Gran at the stairs just inside the door. The stairs his Gran had tripped on, killing her. "That carpet on the stairs, I told you to get it fixed. You're going to fall and break your neck." Mickey said.
"Well, you get it fixed for me."
"I should have done way back. I guess I'm just kind of useless."
"Now, I never said that."
"I am, though. And I'm sorry, gran. I'm so sorry."
"Don't talk like that. Do you know what you need? A nice sit down and a cup of tea. You got time?"
"For you, I've got all the time in the world."
"Oh, you say that, but it's all talk. It's those new friends of yours. I don't trust them."
"What friends are they?"
"Don't pretend you don't know. You've been seeing them. Missus Chan told me. Driving about all helter skelter in that van."
"What van's that, then?"
"You know full well! Don't play games with me." Mickey's Gran said right as a van pulled up, tires screeching.
"Get inside!" Mickey's Gran yelled. But before they could react, a man jumped out of the van and grabbed Mickey.
"I've been looking for you everywhere!" He said before pushing Mickey, still holding Ash, into the van.
As they drove off, Mickey could hear his Gran yelling, "Ricky! Ricky!"
Inside the van the man sat down next to Mickey. "Ricky, you were the one who told us you don't contact your family because it puts them in danger. And what's with the kid?"
"Yeah. Ricky said that. Course I did, just testing." Mickey answered, adjusting Ash on his lap. "This is Ash. I'm just looking after her for a bit."
The man looked at Mickey as though he were crazy, then shook it off and said. "I saw them. I taped them. They went round Blackfriars gathering up the homeless like the child catcher. They must've took four dozen."
"I found them, Jake. The vans were hired out to a company called International Electromatics. But I did a protocol search. Turns out that's a dummy company established by guess who?" The woman driving the Van continued.
"I don't know. Who?" Mickey said, thoroughly confused.
"Cybus Industries!" Jake and the woman answer in unison.
"Well, now we've got evidence." Jake said.
"Bad news is, they've arrested Thin Jimmy. So that just leaves you." the woman said, craning around to look at Mickey.
"Leaves me what?" Mickey asked.
"The Number One. Top of the list. London's Most Wanted." Jake answered, giving Mickey a slap on the shoulder.
"Okay, cool. Say that again?"
They continued driving in silence until after dark, but eventually pulled up to a large building.
"There's a light on. There's someone inside the base. Mrs. Moore, we've got visitors." Jake said, pulling out a pistol.
Mrs. Moore stepped out of the van wielding her own pistol, while Mickey gathered Ash in his arms and slowly followed them out.
"One, two, three, go!" Jake said, and he and Mrs. Moore rushed the building.
When no gunfire sounded, Mickey entered the building with Ash, only to stop at the threshold in shock. It was like looking in a mirror. There was an identical copy of himself standing right there in front of him.
"What the hell are you doing?" Duplicate Mickey yells at Jake. He has yet to notice Mickey and Ash.
"What're you doing there?" Jake asks.
Duplicate Mickey stepped forward and saw Mickey. "What am I doing here? What am I doing there?" He asks, pointing his gun at Mickey.
"Now hold on!" Mrs. Moore said to Jake and Ricky. "She's just a kid." She continued as she took Ash from Mickey and laid her on a sofa well away from any possible action.
—
Ash started shivering on the couch, then coughed up a stream of regeneration energy. Rubbing her eyes, she sat up and saw that Mickey was nearly naked and tied to a chair. He was being scanned at gunpoint.
"NLGOP AJOPR W." Ash said, alarmed. Mickey, Rickey, Jake and Mrs. Moore all turned to look at her.
"KPTO." Ash said. "BTGOQ LAAGN VJEOT GNWV" she continued, nervously tugging on her hair.
"Right." Jake said before turning back to Mickey. "He's clean. No bugs."
"I can't understand what you're saying Ash, but don't worry, these guys aren't going to hurt you. Are you?" Mickey said, glaring at Ricky and Jake in turn.
Ricky, shaking his head and deciding to ignore both Ash and Mickey, said, "But this is off the scale. He's flesh and blood. How did that happen?"
"Well, it could be that Cybus Industries have perfected the science of human cloning, or your father had a bike." Mrs. Moore said with a smile as she walked over and sat next to Ash. "I can't understand you. Can you understand me?" She asked.
Ash nodded her head.
"Good." Mrs. Moore said, rubbing Ash's back.
"And your name is Mickey, not Ricky." Rickey said.
"Mickey. Dad was Jackson Smith. Used to work at the key cutters in Clifton's Parade. Went to Spain, never came back."
"But that's my dad. So, we're brothers?"
"Be fair. What else could it be?" Jake asked.
"I don't know. But he doesn't just look like me, he is exactly the same. There's something else going on here, Jake." Ricky said, looking over Mickey.
"So, who are you lot?" Mickey asked.
"We? We are the Preachers. As in Gospel Truth. You see? No ear plugs. While the rest of the world downloads from Cybus Industries, we, we have got freedom. You're talking to London's Most Wanted, but target Number One is Lumic, and we are going to bring him down." Ricky said with pride.
"From your kitchen?" Mickey asked, making Ash giggle.
"Have you got a problem with that?" Rickey said.
"No, it's a good kitchen." And it was.
A notification sounded on Mrs. Moore's laptop so she stood and walked to the counter. "It's an upload from Gemini." She said.
"Who's Gemini?" Mickey asked.
"The vans are back. They're moving out of Battersea. Looks like Gemini was right. Lumic's finally making a move." Mrs. Moore said to Jake and Ricky.
"And we are right behind him. Pack up, we're leaving." Ricky said.
