Jack appears in a flash and lets out a surprised cry as he lands on the floor. He quickly looks up to see where he is but realises he seems to be in a park and there doesn't seem to be anyone around. He lets out a huff and pulls himself onto his feet. He can't see Kathy anywhere, he thought she'd be here, that's what— no! Jack groans in annoyance when he realises his vortex manipulator has fizzled like Kathy had said it would.
"Hello." A voice quietly speaks behind him.
He spins around and smiles broadly when he sees two familiar brunettes. "Kathy! Ashildr!"
Kathy raises an eyebrow and shares a look with her companion, Ashildr. "Hello Jack."
"Oh brilliant!" Jack cries. The ex-time agent lunges forward and brings Kathy into a tight hug. He pulls back and sees Kathy staring at him wide eyed and surprised. His smile dims when he realises. "We haven't met, have we?"
"We've never met as far as I am aware, just seen you from a distance." Kathy replies.
"Where?"
"A bar."
"Ah, well, I do always like—" Jack begins to say with a grin.
"I think the both of us would prefer it if you don't finish that sentence." Ashildr interrupts.
Alright. Let's start again." Jack holds out his hand. "Hello, Captain Jack Harkness."
"He's doing that flirting thing you warned me about." Ashildr remarks.
Jack scoffs. "I'm only saying hello!"
Kathy laughs. "Katherine Davis at your service."
"So, where am I? Hope this is Cardiff, early 21st century."
"Well, right area, wrong year."
"I'm close though, right? Cause my manipulator has gone bust."
Kathy winces. "Jack… this isn't the early 21st century. You're in the 19th."
He looks her up and down, sees her clothing, and realises she's right. "Why didn't you send me to the right time?"
Kathy looks at him, surprised. "I sent you?"
"Yeah, you fixed my vortex manipulator temporarily."
"Oh, well, I probably did that cause you just told me I did and what's happening right now has already happened to me." Kathy points out.
Jack groans in annoyance. "Oh, well," he waves his hand around at her, "I must say, very nice. I like this outfit. Just as gorgeous as the last." He gives Kathy a sly wink which makes her blush brightly. Amelia had forgotten how... overwhelming Jack's teasing could be. It makes her feel uncomfortable.
"Y-you can tease later. Right now, we have other things that are a priority." She clears her throat in a clearly uncomfortable manner, glancing at her daughter-in-law for help but all she receives is an amused raised eyebrow.
Jack laughs loudly. "Aww, is someone shy? Normally you'd be flirting back."
"Well, I've only just met you."
"That does makes things awkward." He rubs the back of his head, feeling out of place with a Kathy that doesn't really know him. He is so used to older her who seemed to know him so well and how to flirt back with him. He knew neither of them meant anything by it. Only playing really. "Wait, you know my future, you know when I'm going to find the right Doctor that coincides with me right?"
Kathy shares a look with Ashildr and looks back at him. The emotions on her face seem almost identical to the ones that the older Kathy he'd just left wore. "Jack… you're going to have to wait 138 years till you find the right Doctor."
Jack reels at that. "Surely not? How am I meant to wait? I don't exactly have a life span like you two and Carlyle."
Kathy looks about then turns to Jack. "Let's get you back to ours. We'll talk then."
—
Jack is soon settled at the table in their front room with Kathy sitting opposite. Ashildr had left them to it.
"Well?" Jack prompts.
"When you were on Satellite Five?" At Jack's nod, Kathy continues, "Do you remember being shot by a Dalek?"
Jack frowns. Actually… "Yes. I was facing death by extermination. And then I came back to life. What happened?"
"Rose."
"I thought I thought the Doctor had sent her back home." Jack says.
Kathy shakes her head. "She came back. Opened the heart of the TARDIS and absorbed the time vortex itself."
The what— "What does that mean, exactly?"
"It's what the TARDIS runs on. It brings colossal power. No one's ever mean to have that power." Kathy explains. "If a Time Lord did that, they'd become a god. A vengeful god the Doctor says. But she was human. She brought you back to life but she couldn't control it. She brought you back forever."
"So, what are you saying? That I'm kind of immortal now? Like Ashildr?" Jack questions.
"She's a bit different, barring any accidents, the Mire chip in her will keep healing her, making her better. A functioning immortal." Kathy explains. "You, on the other hand, will be killed but then always brought back."
"But at least, for example, being blown to pieces will kill me, right?" Jack asks hopefully. He can't imagine living forever.
"No, you sort of… grow back together." Kathy grimaces as if recalling a specific memory. Great, apparently that actually happens.
"Why are you staring at me like that?"
"Cause it was disturbing alright!"
"Do you think she could change me back?" Jack asks her hopefully. "You know, Rose, when I find them again?"
Jack's heart drops when Kathy shakes her head. "The Doctor took the power out of her caused them to regenerate. But Jack, when you find the Doctor, Rose has been lost."
"What happened?" Jack asks, fearful of what Kathy's response will be.
"There's a big battle between the Daleks and Cybermen called the Battle of Canary Wharf. To solve the problem, the Doctor sends both species to the space between the worlds and sealed up the walls." Kathy explains. "Rose ended up being on the other side, trapped in a parallel world with her mother, Mickey and a parallel version of her dad."
Jack sighs in relief, at least Rose is safe, but that leaves his situation. "That's just it then? I'm stuck like this forever? How could the Doctor leave me?"
"They can't help it cause it's not easy even just looking at you, Jack, because you're wrong." Kathy states bluntly with a slight wince.
"Thanks." Jack huffs, surprised Kathy would say that.
Kathy winces again and closes her eyes as she runs her forehead. "I'm sorry but it's awful."
Jack can see she doesn't mean anything bad by it and decides to tease her. "Bit prejudice."
Kathy huffs and gives a light shove. "Sorry, can't help it. Instinct. I blame the Time Lord. You're a fixed point in time and space. You're a fact. That's never meant to happen. Except it did, with you."
Jack wrinkles his nose. "Don't I feel special. What am I meant to now?"
Kathy sighs. "Do something with your time. Find a purpose because, I'm sorry Jack, but you're going to be around for a while."
—
Kathy is minding her own business as she walks through Cardiff, Wales on Christmas Eve. She had gone on a business trip but would be returning to Barry, Wales where she, Carlyle and Ashildr had set up the past year but now with the addition of Jack. They'd been helping him settle into the 19th century before letting him loose. Kathy had advised him to avoid Cardiff mostly due to the risks of interacting with the Doctor too early but stay in the local area.
Kathy pauses not too far from the theatre when she feels the familiar snap of the mental link she has with the Doctor. She picks up her skirt and immediately runs in the direction the mental link is directing her to. Kathy slows down when she sees the doors of the TARDIS open and Rose emerging in a late 19th century black and maroon dress with a cloak, not too dissimilar to Kathy's green dress, and stepping gingerly onto the fallen snow.
She slaps her forehead, drawing some looks from passers by. She feels so stupid. How could she forget that this is Nine and Rose's first adventure together in the past where they interact with the Gelth?
The companion is soon followed by the Doctor. Kathy swallows thickly and wrings her fingers together to gather her nerves as this is the first time she'll be meeting this incarnation and really doesn't want to mess this up.
As soon as he steps out of the door, Kathy snaps her fingers and the door swings shut. The Time Lord and the human spin around in surprise, staring at the door in shock. Kathy takes this opportunity to clear her throat to draw the duo's attention.
"Kathy…" the Doctor murmurs as he's seeing a ghost.
Though she finds that a bit odd, Kathy shakes it off and walks closer to them. "Ah, so you've met me then. I wasn't so sure when specifically you do, only that it was this face."
"Wha— how did you get out of—" The Doctor splutters before cutting himself off.
"Out of what?" Kathy asks but the Doctor doesn't answer so she turns to Rose with a smile. "Hi Rose."
The companion seems to be staring at her in a similar way to the Doctor but all wide eyed. "Uh, hi? Where's Carlyle?"
"With his wife—"
"How old are you?" The Doctor cuts through.
Kathy looks at him bewildered but answers anyway. "1,339 years."
"So, you haven't—"
"Ah! Spoilers!" Kathy quickly cuts off. "Surely, when you apparently meet me for this first time, I explain that I meet you out of sequence."
Rose shakes off her surprise. "Exactly, Doctor! Remember no spoilers." The way she says it is so purposeful as if she's making a point to not let the Doctor reveal something.
"Hints are fine. Hints are always good." Kathy reassures.
"Alright, what's the hint?" The Doctor asks somewhat reluctantly. It's strange being confronted with a Doctor that knows so little.
"It's Cardiff 1869 not Naples 1860."
Rose, who's been grinning looking around at the street they stand in, pauses and her smile drops. "Right." She glances at him accusingly. "Does this happen often?"
The Doctor scoffs. "No!"
Kathy snorts. "Don't you mean almost all the time? The TARDIS likes to not listen to you."
"How would you know?" The Doctor asks accusingly. Kathy raises an expectant eyebrow. "Right…"
"So, are you going to introduce Rose to history?" Kathy remarks. Rose grins excitedly.
"Right, yeah, let me just—" The Doctor reaches back to close the TARDIS door but Kathy interrupts him by snapping her fingers causing the door to swing shut. The Doctor blinks rapidly, turning his head back and forth between the TARDIS and Kathy, who currently holds an amused expression. Rose sniggers as she watches. He points at her and the ship, clearly struggling to get his mind wrapped around the fact that she had closed his ship with the simple gesture.
"H-how did you do that?" He asks in complete and utter bewilderment. "You can't just go around doing that!"
"Why?" Kathy asks with a falsely confused frown. "You do it."
The Doctor splutters. "B-but it's literally impossible!"
"Nothing is ever impossible, Doctor." Kathy remarks. She turns to Rose, offering her arm. "Would you like to accompany me through history?"
Rose laughs. "Of course." The companion links her arm with Kathy's and the two stride forward, leaving a dumbfounded Doctor in their wake.
He soon shakes it off and trails behind them as they giggle and chat with Kathy pointing out different aspects to Rose and explaining them as they go along. Children are running around cheerfully, carolling echoes and horse drawn carriages ride on by through the thin blanket of snow.
While Kathy and Rose are thoroughly enjoying themselves, Kathy can see that the Doctor is growing increasingly bored until they hear the screams coming from the Taliesin Lodge music hall.
"That's more like it!" The Doctor exclaims cheerfully. He runs around the two girls in excitement. Kathy rolls her eyes at him and pulls Rose along after him. People are running while screaming out of the music hall with police whistles sounding off in the distance.
—
The trio rush inside to see the blue gas entity that is the Gelth flying around the hall.
The Doctor grins brightly at the sight. "Fantastic." He doesn't even glance at the two women and instead jumps on the stage with Charles Dickens himself, the man who had been entertaining the hall's guests with his story A Christmas Carol.
Of course, once again, the Doctor is in one of his moods where he does not focus on anything or anyone else except for the ongoing adventure at hand. Completely forgetting about Kathy and Rose. Kathy turns to speak to the companion, to grumble about this but is startled when she realises Rose is no longer next to her. Kathy's eyes widen when she realises she had been so distracted watching the gas entity and the Doctor that she hadn't paid attention to the fact that this is the moment that Rose goes after Gabriel Sneed and Gwyneth as they take Mrs Peace's body. Oh, no.
"Doctor!" She shouts, gaining the Time Lord's attention. "They've taken Rose!" The Doctor's eyes widen when he realises she's right and the two of them run outside. Kathy knows they're probably already too late and the undertaker duo have already kidnapped Rose.
The Doctor and Kathy emerge onto the street to see the undertaker's carriage pulling away.
"Rose!" The Doctor yells in panic but the carriage carries on into the distance.
"You're not escaping me, sir." Dickens says as he comes up beside them. "What do you know about that hobgoblin, hmm? Projection on glass, I suppose. Who put you up to it?"
"Yeah, mate. Not now, thanks." The Doctor dismisses. He runs towards a nearby carriage. "Oi, you! Follow that hearse!" The Doctor gets into a nearby carriage with Kathy swiftly following.
"I can't do that, sir." The driver protests.
"Why not?"
"I'll tell you why not. I'll give you a very good reason why not. Because this is my coach." Dickens barks at the two of them.
"We're just borrowing it." Kathy says. "You can join us if you like."
An angry Charles Dickens gets pulled into the carriage and they're on their way after Sneed's hearse.
"Come on, you're losing them." The Doctor urges.
"Everything in order, Mister Dickens?" The driver calls to them.
"No! It is not!" Dickens yells angrily. Kathy tries not to laugh at the double take the Doctor does on the man that sits with them.
"What did he say?" The Doctor asks.
Kathy smiles brightly, indicating her hand as an introduction to Dickens. "Doctor, meet the Charles Dickens." She says happily.
The Doctor beams at the author. "Charles Dickens? You're brilliant, you are. Completely one hundred percent brilliant." He rambles excitedly. "I've read them all. Great Expectations, Oliver Twist and what's the other one, the one with the ghost?"
"The Signal Man." Kathy supplies.
"The Signal Man, that's it. Terrifying!" The Doctor grins away at Dickens. "The best short story ever written. You're a genius."
"And I just love A Christmas Carol." Kathy adds. "Always a good classic for this time of year. It's such a heart-warming story with the way you tell it. Masterpiece."
Dickens looks rather pleased upon hearing both of their praise and admiration of his works. A gratified smile falls upon his face.
"You want me to get rid of them, sir?" The driver asks.
"Er, no, I think they can stay." Dickens replies with a smile.
"Honestly, Charles. Can I call you Charles? I'm such a big fan." The Doctor speaks quickly.
"A what? A big what?" Dickens asks, looking greatly confused.
"He means a great follower of your work." Kathy tells the man, who makes a small noise of understanding while nodding.
The Doctor continues rambling on while the carriage rocks in pursuit of Rose. Throughout the journey, Kathy chuckles to herself, smiling at the Doctor's excitement as Dickens seems to become even more confused by the speedy words of the Time Lord. Honestly, nothing really changes over the next regenerations up to Thirteen except Twelve, he doesn't ramble as much.
—
They arrive at Sneed's house in no time. Kathy jumps out of the carriage immediately, wanting to get to her friend before anything bad happens. She knows that she hasn't really seen Rose that frequently so far but feels a certain level of attachment since she was the first ever companion Kathy went on an adventure with. Dickens and the Doctor follow suit, all hurriedly going to the door of the house. Gwyneth is the one to answer upon Dickens' knock.
The servant girl nods her head politely as she shifts nervously on the spot. "I'm sorry, sir. We're closed." She says to Dickens.
"Nonsense." Dickens refutes with a huff. "Since when did an Undertaker keep office hours? The dead don't die on schedule. I demand to see your master."
"He's not in, sir." Gwyneth replies, quickly, looking even more nervous by the second.
"You're a terrible liar." Kathy speaks up, gaining the girl's attention. "Please, just let us inside. You've taken our friend and we'd like her back."
Behind Gwyneth, they can see that one of the gas lamps on the wall flares up.
The Doctor raises a brow at the sight of it. "Having trouble with your gas?" He asks Gwyneth. The girl turns to the lamp, gazing at it with slight alarm, appearing more nervous by the moment.
"What the Shakespeare is going on?" Dickens murmurs.
The Doctor goes past Gwyneth to the flaring gas lamp with Kathy following.
"You're not allowed inside, sir, ma'am." Gwyneth tries to stop them.
The Doctor presses his ear to the wall, listening intently. "There's something inside the walls. The gas pipes… something's living inside the gas."
"We can figure that out later. Right now, we need to find Rose." Kathy argues.
Upon those words, they all hear Rose's scream, "Open the door!" Gwyneth closes her eyes, knowing they've been caught. "Please, please, let me out!"
They all hurriedly take off to the girl's cries of terror. Sneed tries to stop them, outraged that they dare come into his house but the Doctor and Kathy both take turns to roughly shove past him.
They reach the door and the Doctor doesn't waste any time kicking the door in. Kathy barges in to see Rose struggling in the grasp of the dead Mr Redpath and Mrs Peace. Running up to Redpath, who holds his hand over Rose's mouth, Kathy gives a punch straight into the dead man's face. He stumbles away, letting Rose go and Kathy takes her chance to pull the companion over to the group by the door.
The two possessed dead people simply stand there, unblinkingly with a blue glow around their eyes.
"Good Lord. Are all of you just violent hooligans?" Dickens murmurs before turning to the possessed dead bodies standing before them. "Dear God. It's a prank. It must be. We're under some mesmeric influence."
"No, we're not. The dead are walking." The Doctor replies before turning to Rose. "Hi."
"You alright?" Kathy asks though she knows really it's always good to check and be considerate.
"Hi. Yeah." Rose gasps. She glances at Dickens. "Who's your friend?"
"Charles Dickens."
"Okay."
The Doctor stares sternly at the corpses. "My name's the Doctor. Who are you, then? What do you want?"
Redpath replies with several voices, "Failing. Open the rift. We're dying. Trapped in this form. Cannot sustain. Help us." Then, together, he and Mrs Peace open their mouths, letting out a scream of agony. The gas leaves them and returns to the gas lamp. The corpses collapse to the floor with a loud thud.
The group remains silent as they all stare at the dead bodies with stunned expressions though Kathy after a brief moment recovers and purses her lips and rocks awkwardly at the silence.
"So… tea?" She remarks, drawing out her sentence. This breaks everyone out of their silent daze. Dickens and Sneed look at her aghast, Gwyneth stares at her with wide eyes, Rose slightly smiles while the Doctor shrugs.
"Might as well." The Time Lord remarks.
—
They move into the living room of the house where a nice cosy keeps them warm. Sneed sits on an armchair, looking very disgruntled by Rose's angry rant at him.
"First of all, you drug me, then you kidnap me, and don't think I didn't feel your hands having a quick wander, you dirty old man." Rose barks angrily at him.
Gwyneth glances at the raving companion every second or so as she prepares some tea for everyone. Dickens sits at the small dining table drinking his own cup of tea. The Doctor and Kathy stand by the fireplace, watching the scene of Rosé's scolding in amusement. Kathy sniggers to herself, feeling very proud of her friend, while the Doctor smiles amusedly.
"I won't be spoken to like this!" Sneed retorts crossly.
"Then you stuck me in a room full of zombies!" Rose continues on, glowering at the man. "And if that ain't enough, you swan off and leave me to die! So come on, talk!"
"It's not my fault. It's this house!" Sneed yells. Clearly a slip of the tongue as he appears to regret it, slightly wincing as he nervously glances round at everyone while they all stare back at him. "It always had a reputation. Haunted. But I never had much bother until a few months back, and then the stiffs," he receives a couple disapproving looks, "the er, dear departed… started getting restless."
"Tommyrot." Dickens scoffs, taking a sip of his tea. Kathy rolls her eyes at the man and almost laughs at seeing the Doctor do the exact same thing.
"You witnessed it!" Sneed argues. "Can't keep the beggars down, sir. They walk. And it's the strangest thing, but they hang on to scraps."
Gwyneth cones round, handing both the Doctor and Kathy their cups of tea. "Two sugars, sir, and just one for you, ma'am." She tells them politely. "Just how you like it." The Doctor gives the girl a confused and curious stare while Kathy smiles gratefully.
Sneed continues to explain, "One old fellow who used to be a sexton almost walked into his own memorial service. Just like the old lady going to your performance, sir, just as she planned."
"Morbid fancy." Dickens again dismisses.
"Oh, Charles, you were there." The Doctor bites out in an irritated tone.
"Literally right in your face." Kathy adds.
"I saw nothing but an illusion."
"If you're going to deny it, don't waste my time. Just shut up." The Doctor retorts. Dickens looks shocked at his words but the Doctor simply turns to Sneed. "What about the gas?"
"That's new, sir. Never seen anything like that." Sneed admits.
"Means it's getting stronger, the rift's getting wider and something's sneaking through." The Doctor states, speaking his thoughts out loud.
"Something not good," Kathy mumbles quietly, taking a sip of her tea. She had been going over the possibilities of what to do, to stop this but she realised there's no other way to stop the Gelth except with Gwyneth's sacrifice. They'd just keep trying and they're made of gas, which makes things difficult. Kathy wonders if she should tell the Doctor but this is an early one, are they close enough from his point of view to listen to her?
"What's the rift?" Rose asks.
"A weak point in time and space." The Doctor explains. "A connection between this place and another. That's the cause of ghost stories, most of the time."
"That's how I got the house so cheap. Stories going back generations." Sneed says. The door of the living room opens and closes, indicating that Dickens had left in a huff. "Echoes in the dark, strange songs in the air, and this feeling like a shadow passing over your soul. Mind you, truth be told, it's been good for business. Just what people expect from a gloomy old trade like mine."
Glancing at the Doctor, Kathy nods her head in the direction the author had gone. The Doctor seems confused and simply lifts an eyebrow.
Kathy huffs. "Go after him, idiot. He needs someone to talk to and you need to apologise."
The Doctor frowns and rolls his shoulder as if shaking off her presence in his mind, probably still not used to it after thinking he'd destroyed anyone that could. Nonetheless, he goes after Dickens. Kathy smiles, glad that, despite not being as familiar with her at this point in his timeline, at least he listens to her.
—
Spotting Rose leaving the room, Kathy decides to follow along. Kathy knows where she'll be and goes to the pantry and finds Rose and Gwyneth inside. The maid is busy working on cleaning up while Rose seems to be trying to help.
"Please, miss, you shouldn't be helping. It's not right." Gwyneth says, taking away the rags that Rose holds.
"Don't be daft. Sneed works you to death." Rose responds, taking the rag back.
"We'd love to help you." Kathy speaks up, walking over to begin washing the tea cups. But Gwyneth remains firm, taking the rags from both of them. She looks rather embarrassed for someone wanting to help her, most likely not used to it. Kathy smiles kindly at her, understanding the girl's timid behaviour.
"How much do you get paid?" Rose asks.
"Eight pound a year, miss." Gwyneth answers.
Rose stares at the girl in shock. "How much?"
"I know. I would've been happy with six." Gwyneth replies, turning to clean what's in the sink.
"I think you deserve a raise for everything Sneed's put you through." Kathy says.
"Oh, it's not all bad, ma'am." Gwyneth states, shifting around for some pantry supplies.
"So, did you go to school or what?" Rose asks.
"Of course I did." Gwyneth tells her, turning back to face them. "What do you think I am, an urchin? I went every Sunday, nice and proper."
Rose raises an eyebrow. "What, once a week?"
Gwyneth nods. "We did sums and everything. To be honest, I hated every second."
Rose laughs lightly. "Me too."
"Suppose it had its ups and downs but I did like history." Kathy remarks.
"Where you came from before?" Rose questions.
"Yes." Kathy replies, smiling softly as she thinks of her old life. So long ago now.
"Don't tell anyone, but one week, I didn't go and ran on the heath all on my own." Gwyneth says to them. Kathy can see she's excited to be sharing such a secret with them. They all start to laugh then.
"I did plenty of that." Rose remarks. "I used to go down the shops with my mate Shareen. We used to go and look at boys." She chuckles at that.
Gwyneth blushes at that and hurriedly turns away, back to the sink. "Well, I don't know much about that, miss."
"Come on, times haven't changed that much." Rose responds. "I bet you've done the same."
"I don't think so, miss." Gwyneth replies, looking nervous to discuss such subjects.
"There has to be some man in your life you've fancied." Kathy speaks up, giving the girl a small, sly smile. "Maybe a nice gentleman? One with nice smiles and polite words? Hmm?"
Gwyneth twists her apron in her hands, turning back to them and answers with a small smile. "I suppose. There is one lad. The butcher's boy. He comes by every Tuesday. Such a lovely smile on him." The girl grows a fond smile.
"Oh, I like a nice smile." Rose comments.
"Me too." Kathy agrees.
"Good smile, nice bum," Rose adds. Despite knowing she was going to say that, Kathy can't help but let out a big snort and falls into a fit of giggles to which Rose joins her.
"Well, I have never heard the like," Gwyneth states, shaking her head at them. She giggles along for a second, more at their words and behaviour. "I swear it is the strangest thing. You've got all the clothes and the breeding, but you two talk like some sort of wild things."
"Maybe we are." Kathy shrugs throwing a wink at Rose who giggles. "Maybe that's a good thing."
"You need a bit more in your life than Mister Sneed." Rose says to Gwyneth.
"Oh, now that's not fair." Gwyneth replies, she looks saddened at the thought. "He's not so bad, old Sneed. He was very kind to me to take me in because I lost my mum and dad to the flu when I was twelve."
Rose looks at the maid sympathetically. "Oh, I'm sorry."
Kathy nods, sending a sympathetic smile at the maid.
Gwyneth smiles at the two of them. "Thank you. But I'll be with them again, one day, sitting with them in paradise. I shall be so blessed. They're waiting for me." She smiles warmly at that before turning to Rose. "Maybe your dad's up there waiting for you too, miss." Then nods lightly to Kathy. "And your parents, siblings, daughter and grandchildren, as well."
Kathy stiffens. Does that mean her parents… She can't be sure really. Since she's been in this world for a thousand years, had it been the same in her home world or is she in the past parallel to it? Either way, her parents aren't alive and there's only one hope of seeing them again. And there's her poor little girl... "Maybe…" She murmurs quietly.
"Er, who told you he was dead?" Rose asks, staring at Gwyneth with some suspicion.
Gwyneth tenses, hurriedly turning again to do the washing up. "I don't know. Must have been the Doctor." She says, trying to dismiss her comment. Kathy watches as the girl is becoming more anxious.
"Your powers are getting stronger, aren't they, Gwyneth?" Kathy asks carefully.
"Just as your knowledge grows and fails you." Kathy stiffens at that, knowing Gwyneth has touched a nerve. The maid stares at Kathy with wide eyes, alarmed. "Sorry, sorry ma'am… I just think too much."
"What do you mean?" Kathy breathes, wanting to know but also fearful.
Gwyneth's eyes become glazed over as she stares at Kathy intently. "You think you know so much. But this world is so much more different than the one you watched on those boxes."
Rose glances between them, looking confused. "Gwyneth, what're you talking about?"
"And you've both come such a long way." Her eyes shift, more focused on Rose. "You're from London. I've seen London in drawings, but never like that. All those people rushing about half naked, for shame. And the noise, and the metal boxes racing past, and the birds in the sky, no, they're metal as well. Metal birds with people in them. People are flying." Gwyneth's lip begins to tremble. "And you, you've flown so far. Further than anyone. The things you've seen. The darkness, the big bad wolf."
Kathy reaches forward, to comfort Gwyneth as she can see she's shaking but the moment she touches Gwyneth's shoulder, the girl turns sharply to stare at her with wide eyes. "And you, there's no wolf but you are lost. You've travelled even further, a distance so great. Falling and falling as you lose and gain so much." Gwyneth snaps out of it, gasping. Staring at them in horror, bumping into the pantry shelves behind her as backs away. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
"Its- It's all right, Gwyneth." Kathy speaks quietly, feeling herself shaking as well.
"I can't help it. Ever since I was a little girl, my mam said I had the sight." Gwyneth explains shakily. "She told me to hide it."
"But it's getting stronger, more powerful, is that right?" Comes the voice of the Doctor. They all jump and turn sharply to find the Doctor at the doorway of the pantry, analysing the scene in front of him. Kathy feels annoyed with herself that she'd forgotten he appears like that, so wrapped up in what Gwyneth was saying.
The maid averts her eyes, looking nervous as she replies, "All the time, sir. Every night, voices in my head."
The Doctor nods understandingly. "You grew up on top of the rift. You're part of it. You're the key."
"I've tried to make sense of it, sir. Consulted with spiritualists, table rappers, all sorts." Gwyneth admits almost tearfully.
"Well, that should help. You can show us what to do." The Doctor says, drawing confused looks from the two girls next to Kathy.
"What to do where, sir?"
"We're going to have a séance."
—
Everyone gathers around a table in the living room, holding hands. Dickens keeps scoffing and huffing about the situation. Still in denial but eventually he joins hands with them and the Doctor promises the girl to call out.
"Speak to us. Are you there? Spirits, come. Speak to us that we may relieve your burden." Gwyneth pleads.
The whispering starts. Crying whispers echoing around the house, growing closer.
"Can you hear that?" Rose whispers to Kathy.
Kathy simply nods, anxiously staring at Gwyneth, knowing the girl's death is drawing nearer.
"I see them. I feel them." Gwyneth gasps as she looks up at the ceiling. Everyone else stares at the ceiling, watching the gas tendrils drift above their heads. The blue entities gather around them. The Gelth continue to whisper but it comes at gurgled and muffled, struggling to come through.
"What's it saying?" Rose asks.
"They can't get through the rift." The Doctor realises. "Gwyneth, it's not controlling you, you're controlling it. Now, look deep. Allow them through."
"I can't!"
"Yes, you can. Just believe it. I have faith in you, Gwyneth. Make the link." The Doctor encourages.
Gwyneth stops staring at the ceiling, lowers her head, closes her eyes and, with a deep breath, opens her eyes. "Yes."
Blue outlines of three people appear behind Gwyneth, materialising more as human figures and creating a bright blue glow. Kathy stares fearfully at the creatures while around her, they all stare in awe.
"Great God! Spirits from the other side." Sneed gasps.
"The other side of the universe." The Doctor corrects.
"Pity us." The large entity speaks, its words echoing around them as its child-like voice mixes with Gwyneth's. "Pity the Gelth. There is so little time. Help us."
"What do you want us to do?" The Doctor asks, gazing calmly at the creatures.
"The rift. Take the girl to the rift. Make the bridge." The Gelth instructs.
Kathy watches as the Doctor's eyes shift to that of suspicion. "What for?" He asks.
"We are so very few. The last of our kind. We face extinction." The Gelth explains sorrowfully. Kathy winces, knowing that's going to get the Doctor to pity them.
"Why, what happened?"
"Once we had a physical form like you, but then the war came."
"War? What war?" Dickens questions, looking completely dumbfounded by the whole thing.
"The Time War." The Doctor tenses upon those words then his features became empathetic. "The whole universe convulsed. The Time War raged. Invisible to smaller species but devastating to higher forms. Our bodies wasted away. We're trapped in this gaseous state."
"So that's why you need the corpses." The Doctor concludes.
"We want to stand tall, to feel the sunlight, to live again." The Gelth says. "We need a physical form, and your dead are abandoned. They're going to waste. Give them to us."
"But we can't." Rose tells them, looking horrified.
"Why not?" The Doctor counters, frowning.
"It's not… I mean, it's not…" Rose struggles to explain.
"Not decent? Not polite? It could save their lives." The Doctor retorts.
Rose shakes her head, giving him a hard stare. She turns to Kathy, squeezing her hand. "What about you? You can't agree to this either."
Kathy stares at the table, pondering deeply. Honestly, she is just as horrified by the idea as Rose is. But even if Kathy knows it doesn't end up happening anyway, she agrees with the Doctor on this. It's not polite or decent but it's giving another species a chance to survive.
"I agree with the Doctor." Kathy says aloud. Rose's shoulders slump in disappointment while the Doctor nods and seems happy to have Kathy on his side.
"Open the rift." The Gelth pleads. "Let the Gelth through. We're dying. Help us. Pity the Gelth." With that said, the Gelth goes back into the gas lamps and Gwyneth collapses across the table unconscious.
—
A little later, Gwyneth has been laid on the chaise lounge. Rose and the Doctor are arguing over the situation. Now the decision has been made to allow the Gelth through the rift and use the dead bodies for transportation until the Doctor can find new ones and a new home, which sparked the argument between the Time Lord and his human companion.
"Seriously though, you can't." Rose says angrily to the Doctor.
"Seriously though, I can." The Doctor retorts bitterly.
Kathy rolls her eyes at them as she gently wipes at Gwyneth's forehead with a cool wet rag. The girl is exhausted after opening the link for the Gelth.
"It's just… wrong." Rose says, looking disgusted with the Doctor and his plan. "Those bodies were living people. We should respect them even in death."
The Doctor has already explained what the Gelth are to Sneed and Dickens. Sneed had struggled with the concept but accepted they're some sort of foreigners. Dickens has finally come around but is still in a dumbfounded state. His bewilderment about the whole thing is not helped by his decision to keep gulping alcohol at hand.
"Do you carry a donor card?" The Doctor responds snidely.
Rose frowns, crossing her arms grumpily. "That's different. That's—"
"It is different, yeah. It's a different morality. Get used to it or go home. You heard what they said, time's short. I can't worry about a few corpses when the last of the Gelth could be dying." The Doctor rants, ending it softly, pleading with his companion.
"I don't care. They're not using her." Rose argues.
"Sorry Rose, but I think Gwyneth should have a say." Kathy says, drawing the duo's attention as she helps Gwyneth sit up. "Go head, Gwyneth."
The maid looks at them with steely determination. "The angels need me." She says firmly. "Doctor, what do I have to do?"
"You don't have to do anything." The Doctor says.
"They've been singing to me since I was a child, sent by my mam on a holy mission. So, tell me." Gwyneth demands.
The Doctor turns his attention from the girl to Kathy. She knows he can see how anxious she looks.
"Tell me, before I decide on anything, whether or not this is going to turn out well." The Doctor says through their mental connection.
"Just… do what you think is best." She replies.
The Doctor raises an eyebrow at this. "I need to know what's going to happen before I decide anything, so just tell me." The Doctor states sternly.
Kathy shakes her head. "I'm sorry, I can't. I have to let things go as they are or I'll make things worse."
The Doctor sends her a harsh and annoyed gaze. "So, in other words, spoilers." He turns back to the others. "We need to find the rift. This house is on a weak spot, so there must be a spot that's weaker than any other. Mister Sneed, what's the weakest part of this house? The place where most of the ghosts have been seen?"
"That would be the morgue." Sneed replies.
"No chance you were going to say gazebo, is there?" Rose remarks. Kathy's lips lift slightly at the girl's words.
—
Kathy follows behind the others as they all make their way down into the cold basement which functions as the morgue. It's dark and damp that holds the recently departed, lying under white sheets. Kathy shivers feeling unnerved and unsettled as the room gets colder around them.
A Gelth comes out of a gas lamp by the door and stands under a stone archway. "You've come to help." It speaks with joy, still sounding like a little girl. "Praise the Doctor. Praise him."
"Promise you won't hurt her." Rose demands.
"Hurry! Please," the Gelth says, ignoring Rose's words, "so little time. Pity the Gelth."
"I'll take you somewhere else after the transfer. Somewhere you can build proper bodies. This isn't a permanent solution, all right?" The Doctor tells them.
"My angels. I can help them live." Gwyneth murmurs. Kathy closes her eyes, fearful of tears falling because of the great sadness and guilt she feels.
"Okay, where's the weak point?" The Doctor asks.
The Gelth tells them that Gwyneth needs to stand under the archway, under where the Gelth is hovering. The maid establishes the bridge, linking the Gelth to this world. Gwyneth opens her mouth wide as it glows bright white and wisps of the blue gas fly out of her mouth. The entities are freed and they swirl around the air with glee. Kathy shivers as they sliver by, appearing more like snakes rather than ghosts or angels.
"She has given herself to the Gelth." The main Gelth attached to Gwyneth speaks firmly. More and more Gelth fly around the cold and dark room. "The bridge is open. We descend." The sweet blue apparition suddenly turns flame red with its face forming into a nasty and wicked grin with sharp teeth, lighting up the room with a chilling orange-red. Its voice deepens and hardens. "The Gelth will come through in force." It speaks in a monstrous voice that no longer sounds like an innocent child.
"You said that you were few in number." Dickens protests angrily.
"A few billion." The Gelth sneers. "And all of us in need of corpses." All around them, the dead are coming to life as the Gelth start to take over.
Sneed steps forward, begging Gwyneth to stop but Kathy cuts him off, dragging him back along with the Doctor and Rose before his neck can get snapped.
The Doctor shoots Kathy a harsh look of rage. "I told you to warn me about something like this!" He yells angrily.
"I'm sorry! I couldn't!" Kathy speaks loudly m over the many voices of the Gelth and the corpses.
In the corner of her eye, Kathy can see Dickens and Sneed run away from the basement. All the dead start to come towards the remaining group and backs them up against a metal gate. Kathy hurriedly drags both the Doctor and Rose behind the metal gate, where the corpses cannot reach them.
"Give yourself to glory." The Gelth speaks together. The corpses push against the metal gate, waving their pale, rotting arms through the bars to get to the trio. "Sacrifice your lives for the Gelth."
"I trusted you. I pitied you!" The Doctor shouts at them.
"We don't want your pity." All the dead cry as one as they shake the bars of the gate viciously. "We want this world and all its flesh."
"Not while I'm alive." The Doctor spits out.
"Then live no more." The Gelth counters as they shake the metal gate even more. The trio pushes themselves as far up against the wall of the small room as they can.
"But I can't die." Rose breathes out shakily. She glances between them. "Tell me I can't. I haven't even been born yet. It's impossible for me to die. Isn't it?"
"Time doesn't work like that. You can be born in a later century and die in another earlier one." Kathy explains. "It all depends on where you're at in time."
"And it's your fault!" The Doctor snaps at her. "If you warned us beforehand none of this would be happening right now. We wouldn't have to die!"
Kathy glares at him. "We're not going to die here, you idiot." She retorts. "Do you really think I'd let Rose or you die? Just like that? If you really believe that, then you're an idiot!"
"Well, then, what's your brilliant plan? You gonna fight them off? Punch them all? I thought you were so fantastic on platform one but now I realise, you're just useless." The Doctor barks.
"Just shut up and turn up the gas." Kathy retorts, struggling to hold back her tears at his harsh tone. She reaches around him, ripping a gas pipe from the wall next to him, causing the gas to hiss out immediately. The Gelth lets out a scream as they are sucked out of the bodies, making the corpses collapse to the ground uselessly. Rose and the Doctor stare at the sight in amazement and relief.
A coughing Dickens and Sneed are heard coming into the basement, turning down the flame of the lamps in the room. The trio quickly push their way out of the alcove.
"Gwyneth, send them back." The Doctor calls out to the girl who still stands under the arch. "They lied. They're not angels."
The girl sways on the spot, staring at them all in a daze. "Liars?" She questions softly.
"Look at me." The Doctor says firmly. "If your mother and father could look down and see this, they'd tell you the same. They'd give you the strength. Now send them back!"
Gwyneth continues to stare blankly at him. Her posture slumped as she limply stands there. Rose begins coughing as the gas filling the house fills her lungs. Dickens hurries her out of the room along with Sneed as Kathy and the Doctor stay behind with Gwyneth.
"They're too strong." Gwyneth murmurs.
"Remember that world you saw? Rose's world? All those people. None of it will exist unless you send them back through the rift." The Doctor pleads.
"I can't send them back." Gwyneth says. "But I can hold them. Hold them in this place, hold them here." She takes a box of matches from her apron pocket.
The Doctor shakes his head, holding out a hand for the matches. "Come on, leave give that to me." He insists.
Kathy grips her hands together tightly as they shake. Tears start to well up as the girl gazes back at them, unblinking and bleak of life. "Doctor… look at her," Kathy whispers.
The Doctor glances at Kathy then back to Gwyneth and reaches to feel for a pulse in her neck. Kathy knows he doesn't find one as his eyes grow sympathetic. "I'm sorry." He whispers sadly. He kisses her forehead. "Thank you." The Doctor runs out.
Kathy steps forward, tears leaking down her face as she stares at the lifeless girl. "Gwyneth, I'm so sorry." She breathes out shakily. "I wish- I wish…" She can't get the words out.
Gwyneth merely nods softly. "I know. It's all right' ma'am." She whispers.
Kathy gently gives Gwyneth her own kiss of gratitude on the forehead before running after the Doctor.
—
The moment Kathy sprints a short distance from the house, it explodes into a fiery flame. Destroying all the dead and the Gelth in one fatal swoop. Kathy continues to stare at the burning house for a moment, staring mournfully at the sight. Poor Gwyneth. Another life she's failed to save. Adding to the list of Sir Robert, Peter Street, Willa's granny and Fletcher.
Suddenly, she feels a tight angry hand on her shoulder. "You. You did this." He growls at her.
"I'm sorry." Kathy says quietly.
"You had the chance to warn us and you just sat there, doing nothing!" He shouts. "I bet you think you're so high and mighty, picking and choosing who to save. Trying to play the martyr—"
Kathy glares at him and, without realising what she's doing, slaps him in the face, stopping his rant. "You think I don't feel anything?! You think I don't feel the pain, torment and guilt for every life I fail to save no matter how many I do that would've died otherwise!"
"I—"
"Because that's what I feel every day!" Her whole body is shaking as she cries. "But there's nothing I can do. I have to carry on otherwise I'll fall apart. You know that feels, don't you?" The Doctor doesn't reply, only gapes at her in shock.
"I have all this knowledge, Doctor. I'm constantly worrying about how I'll make it worse if I try to change things, save people." Kathy murmurs softly. She sees Sneed, Dickens and Rose standing at the side, watching. "I do what I can."
"I'm sorry." The Doctor murmurs sombrely.
Kathy huffs a watery laugh. "Yeah, well," she sniffs, wiping away her tears, "it's not your fault, nor is it mine. It's the universe playing with us with all its cruelty and beauty."
"No, I- I'm the one that told Gwyneth to go under the arch." The Doctor awkwardly apologises. "I don't think I'd have listened to you anyway. I desperately wanted to save a species."
"You don't really know me yet." Kathy reassures him softly, still sniffling a little. "It's weird. I've gone from a you that knew me so well, even more than I know myself to a you that's so young and hardly knows me."
The Doctor scoffs. "I'm not that young." Kathy raises an eyebrow. He huffs a small laugh. "What'll happen now?"
Kathy shrugs. "Well, I was in the middle of running some errands. Need to get home."
Rose steps forward. "You can come with us. I'd like a girl onboard."
Kathy shakes her head. "I can't. I don't travel with you." Rose looks sad at that. "I'm sorry."
"Till the next time then, I'm assuming." The Doctor remarks awkwardly.
Kathy gives him a slight smile. "Till the next time, Doctor."