2005's first two months passed in routine.

I went to work at Henricks like normal, my mum shaking her head at me as she usually did.

"You don't have to keep working at that dead-end Rose. You should be out doing things, you have the money. What are you waiting for?"

"Something fantastic."

"Fantastic doesn't come from just sitting around...waiting."

"I'm not waiting mum, I'm preparing."

And I was. My mini library of books and scientific journals lined the wall across from my bed. Their bindings worn from how many times I'd read through them, sticky tabs on sections I found particularly interesting.

Weights sat in the corner of my room behind my bedroom's door, and I went on an early morning jog each day. I wanted to be prepared for anything that came my way.

The first week of March 2005 started with my mother congratulating me on the trip I won around the world.

I hadn't entered any contests and yet Mum spoke to her friends on how I had called her from work one day to tell her. Another thing I didn't do.

It was the anticipatory symphony that sang in my mind that told me something big was going to happen soon.

Friday I kissed my mum's cheek, grabbed my cell phone, keys and change of clothes before heading out the door for work. The day passed by in customer service smiles until the day ended and it was time to go home. Since I was the last to leave, I was always stuck with taking the lotto down below.

To 'sweet' but slightly perverted Wilson in the basement. He wasn't one that would ever make any moves but occasionally his gaze would linger a little too long; he'd stop as soon as I called him out on it. He'd always be found in his closet reading his trashy magazines even before his shift ended. That night he wasn't there, and his 'closet' office door was locked, in fact when I called out I couldn't find him anywhere.

"Wilson?"

Something was tickling at the fringes of my mind, like deja vu I felt as if I'd seen this all before and not from some horror film but somewhere else.

I heard hurried footsteps after a crash down the corridor. I walked towards it cautiously, I turned on the light to the room to the right at the end of the hall.

I'd barely walked in several steps before the door closed behind me.

"Wilson! This better not be a prank!"

An odd creak came from my left and behind, I backed away as an odd shadow passed over the lit walkway.

I looked around to find myself oddly surrounded by moving mannequins, their movements oddly toddler-like and the sound of creaking echoed.

"I'm warning you…"

As one raised its arm in almost a salute posture my instincts called to me and I kicked him in the abdomen, the mannequin fell back with a dull thud.

I ducked quickly as another slow moving one to my right reached out. My eyes shifted around to find an exit. There was another exit towards the elevator and to my right.

I ran through the corridor of the room not stopping to look at the gathering of moving mannequins.

As I came through some double doors I bumped into someone warm and alive.

I glanced quickly up at him, he was familiar. Something about his very short hair, leather and his brow furrowed in confusion. I was sure I'd seen it before.

He opened his mouth as if to say something but I beat him to it.

"Run!" I grabbed his arm before dragging him forward. As we ran my hand fell into his and we reached the elevator.

Mannequins seemed to almost wait for us. We slipped through just barely, both our hands slamming on to the ground level button. I ducked as I saw one of the mannequins try to grab me through the closing doors.

The man grabbed ahold of the arm, yanking until it came off and the elevator doors closed. He threw the arm my way and I caught it, my eyes falling to the point where the arm socket.

"Not hollow as expected."

"You are taking this well." The man eyed me like I was some strange new creature he'd just discovered.

"I work in customer service, I've learned to stay calm in tense situations." I looked into his dark eyes, examining him back just as he was doing to me. "So are they robots?" I paused, "But they don't have any wires, how are they operated then?"

"Why robots?"

"Well they moved on their own but it looked unnatural. I don't think even a flash mob could get that same sort of walk, and it isn't a very public place so it wouldn't make sense anyways."

"Good idea. Not robots."

"Well whatever they are, I hope Wilson didn't get caught up in it."

"Who's Wilson?"

"The chief electrician, he pretty much does everything mechanical around here….was he behind this?"

"Oh…" He paused and looked away, "No, Wilson is dead."

"Dead?" I looked down, and fiddled with the arm in my hand. I could feel my forehead getting all wrinkly as I furrowed my brow, "He could be a little perverted sometimes but he'd never hurt anyone. Who would want to kill him?"

The elevator doors opened.

"Who's behind it then? It has to be someone intelligent. All the mannequins moved coordinately."

The man started running and talking as I followed him.

"Living plastic creatures, being controlled by a relay device on the roof. Which would be a big problem…If I didn't have this." He showed a brick-like thing in his other hand. Where had he pulled that from?

I heard a foreboding beep from the device attached to the brick thing.

He ran up the cement stairs leading to the exit, "I'm going to blow it up…I might even die in the process."

"Why must it be you?"

He looked at me again, his eyes intense. "Because I'm here. Go out there and live your life, eat beans and toast. Don't tell anyone about me or what's happened here because if you do you'll get them killed."

The door shut as soon as I was through it.

"Don't even like beans, much prefer jam."

The door opened again.

"I'm the Doctor by the way. What's your name?"

Then for the first time in my life I gave my real name to a stranger.

"Rose Tyler."

"Nice to meet you Rose Tyler." A big toothy grin came upon his lips, "Now, run for your life."

Just before the door shut, I shouted, "Take care, Doctor."

I ran from the building, my heart beating thunderously in my chest only stopping as the building exploded behind me.

I needed to get home, I knew mum would be worried.

As I ran I bumped into a large blue box sticking out from an alleyway.

As I leaned against it a surge of emotion came over me. It seemed to be inquiring and curious.

A door opened in my mind and I smiled, my hand giving the side a small pat.

"I think I'll be meeting you soon."

As soon as I got home my mother pulled me into her arms.

"I thought I lost you." Her cheek pressed against mine was wet and I wrapped my arms tighter around her.

"How did you find out so fast?"

"Bev called, she saw the explosion from…" A small choked sob came from my mother.

I hugged her tighter, "I'm ok."

Jackie Tyler cleared her throat as our landline rang, "That'll be Bev. I'll make some tea."

I looked down at the plastic arm still in my hand. I grabbed one of the cardboard boxes leftover from one of the Wednesday gals craft nights and placed the arm in it. After second guessing myself I put aside the plastic packing tape and instead grabbed some heavy duty painter's tape from under the sink and taped the box up tight.

My phone rang and I looked at it to find 'lil bro' calling.

"Hi Mickey."

"Are you alright?" A big cheer from the background told me where Mickey was, his favourite sports bar.

"I'm fine. Not even a scratch. Enjoy watching the game with your blokes. Don't worry, I'm ok."

"Ok. Call me if you or your mum needs anything, will ya?"

"Yeah." The dial tone sounded in my ear.

I slumped back into our comfy white leather sofa and wrapped a pink throw around my shoulders, my fingers running across some of the clumsy stitching at the edges and smiling remembering the night my mum had shown her finished craft completely tipsy and giggling alongside the other Wednesday gals.

"I know she should get compensation."

My mum handed me the tea and I breathed in the fumes finally relaxing after all the excitement that night.