New York, 1951 AD/CE
Kathy tries to blink the sleep away as she looks around the room in confusion, trying to work out where the beeping is coming from. A small groan of annoyance comes from her side and she looks down to see five-year-old Anthony Pond still snuggled up next to her as well as a book open on her lap.
Oh yes, she remembers now. Rory and Amy had wanted a night out with just the two of them as Kathy's in New York visiting so Kathy's babysitting their son for them. Anthony had insisted it was childish to be read a bedtime story in bed so Kathy had offered the compromise of sitting on the settee instead.
She gently eases herself away from the boy, placing him horizontally on the settee while she investigates the noise. It's a call coming through on her scanner. The machine's still going and is multi-purpose now, especially with the help of River dropping off different parts so that Kathy can update it and provide maintenance.
"Hello?"
"Kathy?" It's Vastra. She lets out a quiet sob and Kathy knows what this is, she's been waiting for it. Jenny's not been well for a while and getting older to do it must be— "She's gone."
Kathy's hearts shatter at her words. Of the original Paternoster Gang, Jenny, Kathy and Vastra were the only ones left after Stax's passing and now it's only Kathy and Vastra and while the Silurian has a longer life span than humans, she too will one day go.
Kathy looks over her shoulder to see little Anthony sleeping still. To think that he will be gone from her life in a flash too. At least with his parents, after they're gone, she'll still see younger versions of them but for how long will that be? The same with all the other companions of the Doctor.
The Doctor was right. Immortality isn't living forever, it's everyone else dying.
—
London, 1953 AD/CE
Rose Tyler in her pink poodle skirt and Jean jacket thanks the woman with the pushchair and heads back down the road she had just come up. Thank god it is the beginning of summer, and not raining otherwise she'd be soaked by now.
She and the Doctor were heading for 1950s New York but instead ended up in London. It wasn't long before they realised something was going wrong but in the midst of it all, he'd run off, taking the moped to give chase to the police car from the Connolly's house before she could stop him. Rose was left behind in the Connolly house with the panicking Tommy and Rita on the grandmother's kidnapping. While Eddie seemed rather pleased and relieved by the police finally taking the Gran away.
She'd decided to do her own investigation after she spotted a weird sort of red electricity coming out of the telly in the Connolly's lounge and going up the Ariel before disappearing. She couldn't help but wonder if the company that provided, Magpie's Electrics, has something to do with taking people's faces. Rose thinks both Kathy and the Doctor would be rather proud of her for doing her own deducing.
Rose turns the corner and sees the sign for the television shop she was heading for when a voice speaks up behind her, "'Magpie's Electricals'."
Rose spins round to see Kathy who's dressed in a dark red skirt, similar to Rose's, but with black polka dots on it. Her shirt is also dark red with short sleeves with a string of pearls and matching earrings and her hair is curled and put up in an elegant bun with a black, netted, hat on top of her head. She also has red lipstick, black high heels, black lace gloves, and black stockings.
Her friend looks away from the shop's sign and grins at the blonde before continuing, "AKA, the man who seemed determined that everyone have one of his TV's, even if it meant taking a massive loss."
Rose beams, unfazed by her friend's sudden appearance and wealth of prior knowledge. It's just common practice now. "You would know that, wouldn't you?"
Kathy shrugs with false innocence. "Spoilers."
"Well, come on, then." Rose chirps brightly, offering out her arm for Kathy to link hers with. Instead, Kathy halts her by grabbing the girl's arm.
"Wait, Rose," Kathy says, pulling the girl back. She digs through her pockets, pulling out her sonic screwdriver, silver with metal claws and a red light on the end. She places it carefully into Rose's hands. "Take this."
"What for?" Rose asks curiously, holding up the tool in question.
"You're going to need it." Kathy stares at the shop, seemingly running through the options in her head. Weighing up the pros and cons. "Once we're inside, the door is going to be locked by Magpie. Then something will attack us."
Rose gives both the Time Lord/Human/Apalapucian next to her (she wishes there was a shorter name to describe what Kathy is) and the shop an anxious expression. "Should we wait for the Doctor, then?"
"No. There's no time. He's busy with his own problems right now." Kathy turns to Rose, staring steadily at the companion. Rose looks back wide eyed, ready to listen. "You have to listen to me. The thing inside, it's going to try to attack us both, but it's only going to get one of us. I want you to run when I tell you to. Run to the door, use the sonic to open it, and then find the Doctor. Go back to the vegetable stand where the police car vanished. Demand to see the Doctor. They'll let you in."
"What?" Rose blinks in bewilderment, frowning at the instructions. "I'm not leaving you behind to get hurt. If we're going in, we're sticking together."
"No. You're doing as I told you." Kathy grips Rose's shoulder firmly, looking stern. "You have to do this, Rose."
Rose frowned heavily at her. It's not like Kathy to be so worried about her safety, no more than usual anyway. "You alright?"
It's Kathy's turn to frown. "'Course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"
"You just seem off." Rose observes. "Is it the TV knowledge? What's happening?"
Kathy shakes her head. "Don't worry, it'll be alright. I just don't want you to get hurt." To worry Rose even more, Kathy grips her shoulder more tightly. "All the hints I can tell you is that you're needed for something else. You need to use my sonic for an event later."
Rose blinks slightly. "What do you mean?"
"Just remember," Kathy takes the device, holding it up to Rose's face, "this tool, when wielded well, can become your greatest weapon. Especially against electricity." She winks, handing the sonic back to Rose. "Just run when I say and use the screwdriver to unlock the door."
Kathy then spins around and walks swiftly to the front door of the shop, going inside. Rose follows closely behind. The door jiggles a bell, letting Magpie know the two females are here as it closes behind them. He seems to be working on something. A small device of sorts. But he quickly puts it away upon their wandering gazes.
"Oh, I-I'm sorry, ladies. I'm afraid you're too late." He tells them politely, though looking rather nervous and his toe sounding rather urgent. "I was just about to lock the door."
"Yeah? Well, we want to buy a telly." Rose says to him steely. She makes sure to keep close to Kathy. She is not willing to allow her friend to jump into danger like she normally dies. Rose will make sure she herself is the one hurt this time. Not Kathy.
"Come back tomorrow. Please." Magpie tells them, seeming to be jittery by having them there in the shop.
"You'll be closed, won't you?" Rose asks, looking puzzled by his words.
"What?" He questions, blinking in bewilderment as to what the girl means.
"The coronation is tomorrow." Kathy reminds him, gazing carefully at the man. "You'll be closed up along with all the other shops, yes?"
"Yes, yes, of course. The big day." Magpie replies, distracted. "I'm sure you'll find somewhere to watch it. Please go."
They both walk up together to his counter, leaning on it to stare at him.
"Seems to me half of London's got a television, since you're practically giving them away." Rose comments conversationally.
"I have my reasons." Magpie responds, looking down at the counter.
Rose narrows her eyes, suspicious.
"Not good ones, I'm afraid." Kathy notes, staring steadily at the man. She watches as he stares up anxious at her. "Magpie, she's not going to let you go if you do this. She's just using you. She'll never let the suffering stop. She'll only let it kill you in the end." He looks startled by her words. Truly frightened by the foreboding of them.
Suddenly a telly behind them can be heard giving off feedback with a high-pitched ringing and static. A female appears on screen, staring darkly at them.
"Hungry." She calls out, looking as though she were starving. "Hungry."
"What's that?" Rose asks, staring at the screen.
"It's just a television one of these modern programmes." Magpie dismisses, hurriedly going around the shop's counter and over to the door. "Now, I really do think you both should leave... right now."
"Not until you've answered our questions." Rose states firmly, turning around from the counter to face Magpie. "How come's your televisions are so cheap?"
"It's my patriotic duty." He responds, brightening. "Seems only right that as many folks as possible get to watch the coronation. We may be losing the Empire but we can still be proud. Twenty million people they reckon'll be watching. Imagine that. And twenty million people can't be wrong, eh? So why don't you get yourself back home and get up, bright and early, for the big day." He tries to wave them out, opening the door for them.
"Magpie, we all know this has nothing to do with the coronation." Kathy responds evenly, turning around to face the man as well. "You've been selling tellies for another reason entirely, and it is for no good intentions whatsoever." She then turns to the screen, glaring at the woman on the telly. "Isn't that right, Wire?"
"Oh, what a clever woman." The Wire retorts wickedly.
"Oh, my god. Is she talking to you?" Rose asks, looking alarmed at the woman on the screen actually responding to Kathy. She sees Magpie slowly locking the door and it sets her on edge even more.
"Yes, I'm talking to both of you, little one." The Wire says smartly back. "Unreasonably chilly for the time of year, don't you think?"
"What are you?" Rose asks, getting closer to the screen. Kathy holds out an arm, pushing Rose back away from the screen.
"I'm the Wire." The woman speaks from the telly. "And I am huuuungry!"
Kathy throws Rose aside before the electrical tendrils can get the girl. The electrical tendrils from the telly grab onto Kathy's head instead, pulling all her brain's mental signals and energy out of her, grabbing her face along with them.
"Run, Rose!" Kathy manages to scream before she loses her mind fully.
"Kathy!" Rose cries out in alarm from the ground where she had fallen, watching in horror at the sight of her friend's face being pulled away from her body.
"Run!" Kathy screams as more electrical tendrils start to come from the telly, searching for another food source.
Rose jumps up in alarm as the tendrils begin to weave towards her, searching. She runs to the door, pushing Magpie out of her way before the tendrils can reach her. Magpie doesn't fight at all. Merely leans against the wall and looking stricken. Rose aims the sonic at the door and manages to unlock it. She rushes outside in the cold night air, leaving her friend's screams behind her.
—
Inside an office, Detective Inspector Bishop and the Doctor stand before a map of London in the corner, criss-crossed by coloured pins and string. The Inspector's desk is littered with pictures of the people whose faces have been stolen while the map indicates where they had been found.
The Doctor studies it carefully, wearing his glasses as the Inspector explains what's been happening.
"We started finding them about a month ago." The Inspector explains. "Persons left sans visage. Heads just... blank."
"Is there any sort of pattern?" The Doctor asks, walking over to the desk and picking up a file, a picture of a woman without a face on top of it. He flips through the paperwork but finds nothing of interest.
"Yes, spreading out from North London. All over the City. Men, women, kids, grannies. Only real lead is there's been quite a large number in—"
"Florizel Street." The Doctor interrupts, recalling the house he and Rose had been in earlier that day. He hoped Rose had headed back to the TARDIS, when he was done here he'd go find her.
The Inspector looks over at the man, surprised then there's a knock on the door.
"Excuse me, sir. There's a girl out here demanding to see the Doctor." The man tells them. "She's raving on about her friend in trouble or something."
"Let her in." The Inspector instructs.
The officer opens the door more, allowing a frantic Rose to burst into the room. Tears stream down her face and she rushes over to the Doctor, who looks at her in shock due to the state the girl is in, hugging him.
"Doctor, I'm so sorry." Rose cries.
The Doctor pulls away, gripping onto her shoulders. "What is it? What's wrong?" He asks briskly.
Another knock comes at the door. The same officer from before sticks his head into the room once more. "Found another one, sir." He declares as he leads in a figure covered in a grey blanket that hung to their knees, a red skirt peeking out underneath over black stockings and black high heels shuffling beside him.
"Oh, er, good man, Crabtree. Here we are, Doctor…" The Doctor lets go of Rose and walks over, apprehensive of the person underneath. The grandmother on Florizel Street hadn't been dangerous, but that doesn't mean that they can't become dangerous. "Take a good look. See what you can deduce."
Crabtree pulls the blanket off the person's head, revealing light brown hair the Doctor recognises instantly. His eyes widen in surprise and horror as he stares at Kathy, without a face. Of all the things he had expected, it hadn't been her.
"Kathy?" He exclaims. She stands before him, facing him with blank features. She no longer holds the light blue eyes that he's become familiar with. Everything is completely wiped clean. Only her skin is left covering the area where her features had been, with her light brown hair hanging around the blank skin.
"You know her?" The Inspector asks from behind him.
"Know her? She's..." His voice breaks off, staring at his friend in disbelief.
"I recognise her, Detective Inspector. Been snooping around and making a fuss." Crabtree says. His words sound faint, the underwater kind of sound. "They found her in the street, apparently, down by Damascus Road."
The Inspector's reply fades into the background as the Doctor moves a trembling hand towards Kathy's blank face. He gently brushes a lock of hair out of her blank face. Fury boils up within him. He grits his teeth, glaring darkly.
He glances over to Rose, sees her tear-stained cheeks and the sheer horror on her face and he knows he needs to calm down otherwise he'll begin yelling at her. Something for which she doesn't deserve. She cares for Kathy just as much as he does. He knows that.
"Are you all right?" He asks her kindly.
"Yeah." Rose answers, nodding and wiping away her tears.
"What happened?" The Doctor questions.
"We went to Magpie's to investigate." Rose explains. "She... she warned me beforehand that something was going to attack us. But I didn't think... I didn't think it would be that."
"What was it?" The Doctor asks her, feeling more urgent in finding out how to save Kathy.
"It called itself 'The Wire.' It lives inside the telly. It looked like a woman, but I'm not sure if it even was." Rose lowers her head shamefully and stares sadly at the ground. "I'm sorry, Doctor. I should have known better. She always does that. Pushing me out of the way. It should have been me. I should have—"
"No. Don't blame yourself, Rose." The Doctor insists sternly. "Kathy would never want you to get hurt. We both know that." He looks back to Kathy, fixing on one detail he'd heard the officers saying behind him earlier, discussing where they had found Kathy. But he had not caught exactly what had been said. "Where did you find her?"
"Just... in the street." The Inspector answers.
The ice-cold anger builds up again. The Doctor grits his teeth tightly. "In the street." He repeats darkly, finding those words disgusting, finding the very idea of someone doing that to Kathy infuriating. His hands tighten into fists as he gazes at the blank face of Kathy. "They left her in the street. They took her face and just chucked her out and left her in the street. And as a result, that makes things… simple. Very, very simple. D'you know why?" He whips around, looking to the Detective Inspector.
"No..." The Inspector responds now looking nervous, almost scared but the Doctor doesn't find it in him to care.
"Because now, Detective Inspector Bishop, there is no power on this Earth that can stop me!" The Doctor snarls loudly. He turns, briefly squeezing Kathy's shoulder in reassurance to the woman, before walking swiftly passed her. "Come on!"
—
The Doctor marches through the early morning streets with the Inspector and Rose following behind. It is hard for them to keep up with the fast pace the Doctor is travelling. He has his long legs to give him the extra boost in hurrying through the neighbourhood. He reaches the Connolly house in no time. The Inspector and Rose come up behind him as he starts to ring the doorbell rapidly. Tommy is the one to answer this time.
"Tommy, talk to me." The Doctor says to the boy, his voice sounding so deadly earnest that it unnerves Rose slightly. "I need to know exactly what happened inside your house."
Tommy glances over his shoulder and then steps outside, closing the door behind him. But Eddie opens it back up harshly, glaring at the Doctor. "What the blazes do you think you're doing?" He growls lowly at his son.
"I want to help, dad." Tommy replies.
The Doctor stares bitterly at the man. Rose glares along with him. "Mr. Connolly." The former bites out as a warning.
Eddie steps into his face. "Shut your face, you, whoever you are." The man spits at him. "We can handle this ourselves!" Eddie turns back around to his son, getting into the boy's face now. "Listen, you little twerp. You're hardly out of the bloomin' cradle, so I don't expect you to understand, but I've got a position to maintain! People 'round here respect me. It matters what people think!"
Tommy stares at the man for a moment, looking at him in question then the boy seems to realise something, his eyes lighting up when he sees the truth standing in front of him. "Is that why you did it, dad?" He asks.
Eddie moves away slightly, looking shocked by the boy's question. "What d'you mean, did what?"
"You ratted on Gran." Tommy says angrily. "How else would the police know where to look? Unless some coward told them."
"How dare you!" Eddie snarls at him, getting up into the boy's face again. "You think I fought a war just so a mouthy little scum like you could call me a coward?!"
Tommy shakes his head, narrowing his eyes. "You don't get it, do you? You fought against fascism, remember? People telling you how to live, who you could be friends with, who you could fall in love with, who could live, and who had to die. Don't you get it? You were fighting so that little twerps like me could do what we want, say what we want. Now you've become just like them. You've been informing on everyone, haven't you? Even Gran. All to protect your precious reputation."
"Eddie, is that true?" Rita asks, emerging at the doorway to the scene standing outside. She stares at her husband horrified.
Eddie looked like a deer caught in the headlights. "I did it for us, Rita." He explains. "She was filthy! A filthy, disgusting thing!"
"She's my mother." Rita retorts in disbelief. "All the others... you informed on all the people in our street, our friends."
"I had to." Eddie counters, faltering. He stares around, looking at anyone as if they might defend what he did. He only receives hard stares. He looks back at Rita. "I-I did the right thing."
"The right thing for us or for you, Eddie?" Eddie looks down, shamefaced at her words. Rita turns her attention to her son. "You go, Tommy. Go with the Doctor and do some good. Get away from this house. It's poison." She glares back at her husband. "We had a ruddy monster under our roof, all right, but it weren't my mother!" Rita slams the door in Eddie's face.
"Tommy?" Rose calls gently, holding her hand out towards the boy in encouragement. He takes a last look at his father, banging on the door to get his wife to let him back inside, then takes the offered hand.
—
The foursome head down the street, going past the long tables in the streets and people running about happily, getting ready for a street party after the coronation of the Queen. Rose still holding Tommy's hand, who is staring at her as the people around them set up for the impending street party.
"Tommy tell me about that night. The night she changed." The Doctor asks, sympathetic but urgent.
"She was just watching the telly." Tommy answers.
The Doctor slows down as he spins in a circle, looking up at all the of the TV aerials on Florizel Street.
"That's what that energy came out of." Rose says. "There was this woman who talked to us, then she tried to get me, but Kathy pushed me out of the way."
"You said it." The Doctor breathes in realisation. "You guessed it straight away." He grins at her, Rose smiling widely back. "Of course you did. All these aerials in one little street. How come?"
"There's a shop up the road, Magpie. He's selling them off really cheap. She replies.
Tommy nods in agreement. "That's where we got ours from. Gran was always watching it."
"Is he now?" The Inspector remarks.
"Come on!" The Doctor cries and he races off, the others following.
—
The Doctor busts the window of the front door as soon with his elbow as they arrive at Magpie's shop. Not even bothering to use the sonic screwdriver. There are a few more things he would like to smash, but he knows he needs to keep his head level if he wants to save Kathy.
The Doctor goes up to the counter, and slams his hand repeatedly on the bell, shouting angrily for Magpie. But clearly, the man is elsewhere.
The Doctor then goes around to the back of the counter. Urgently, he rifles through drawers and papers. Instantly he found something severely wrong. Something that should not be anywhere near the era. A portable telly. Small, brown, and, after giving it a lick, he can tell it is made of iron and Bakelite. He holds it up to the light.
"Well, I know for one thing that that shouldn't be invented yet." Rose notes as the Doctor sits the device down on the counter and scans it with his sonic. "What's it doing here in 1953?"
"No idea." The Doctor mutters. His sonic starts to pulse loudly, picking up another frequency within the shop. He holds it up in the air. "It's not the only power source in this room."
Suddenly, every TV screen flickers into life. Then, images begin forming on the screen, crackling through the static. People's faces. All of them looking frightened and shouting out for help, but with no sound coming from them whatsoever. Tommy spots his Gran, looking at her face in horror.
"Doctor…" Rose gasps in horror as she stares at a screen in the bottom corner.
The Doctor walks over, crouching by the screen, gazing at her black and white face. Kathy gazes out, looking more worried than frightened. He can see her lips moving, repeating the same names over and over again. 'Doctor, Rose. Doctor, Rose.'
Tenderly, the Doctor touches his hand to the screen. "We're on our way." He whispers to the screen. Kathy simply continues to repeat the names, unknowing of his presence.
Rose kneels down to stare sadly at the screen. "I'm so sorry, Kathy." She whispers. "We'll save you. I promise."
"What do you think you're doing?"
They look over to see Magpie standing in the doorway of a back room. He looks at them in bewilderment. But he spots Rose, however, his eyes widen slightly.
The Doctor shoots up from his crouch, storming over to the man and glaring furiously at him. "I want my friend restored!" He shouts into the man's face. "And I think that's beyond a little backstreet electrician. So tell me, who is the Wire?"
"Yoo-hoo!" calls a female voice. "I think you're looking for me." The Doctor turns going over to the main centre telly to see a woman smiling wickedly back at them all. "Ohh... this one's smart as paint."
"Is she talking to us?" The Inspector asks.
"Yeah, she does that," Rose replies, backing warily away from the televisions.
"I'm sorry. I'm afraid you're brought this on yourselves." Magpie says over by the doorway, backing up as close as he can get to the wall. "May I introduce you to my new... friend."
"Jolly nice to meet you." The Wire greets pleasantly.
"Oh, my god, it's her, that woman off the telly." The Inspector says, looking alarmed by what is happening.
"No, it's just using her image." The Doctor tells him. He gazes fixedly at the woman on screen. "So, you're the Wire?"
"That is correct." The Wire speaks, giving her a wicked smile. Her image slowly blossoms into full colour. "And I will gobble you up, every last morsel. And when I have feasted, I shall regain the corporeal body, which my fellow kind denied me."
"Good Lord. Colour television!" The Inspector gasps.
"So your own people tried to stop you?" The Doctor questions.
"They executed me. But I escaped, in this form. And fled across the stars."
"And now you're trapped in the television." The Doctor retorts.
The Wire's smile fades along with the colour, going back to black and white. "Not for much longer." She grits out.
"Doctor, is this what got my Gran?" Tommy asks.
"Yes, Tommy." The Doctor responds, his voice hard in an angry tone. "It feeds off the electrical activity of the brain, but it gorges itself, like a great overfed pig, talking people's faces, their essences. It stuffs itself."
"Oh, yes. And that lovely woman from earlier, ooh, how delicious she was. Such a mind on her. So... brimming with power." The Wire purrs wickedly, mocking. The Time Lord grits his teeth, hands tightening into fists as they shake while Rose squeezes her eyes closed to stop the tears spilling.
"But Gran never came here." Tommy argues.
"Doesn't matter. Wherever there's a TV, it can feed." The Doctor explains.
"And you let her do it, Magpie." The Inspector accuses, looking at the still cowering shop owner.
"I had to." Magpie replies pathetically. "She allowed me my face. But only if I'd serve. She's promised to release me, at the Time of Manifestation."
"What does that mean?" Tommy questions.
"The appointed time. My crowning glory!" The Wire answers slyly.
"Doctor! The Coronation!" The Inspector realises.
"Well, obviously the Coronation!" The Doctor retorts rattily. He turns to the Wire. "For the first time in history, millions gathered 'round a television set." He raises a brow at the Wire, getting closer to the screen. "But you're not strong enough yet, are you? You can't do it all from here. That's why you need this." He waves the portable television in his hand at her. "You need something more powerful. This will turn a big transmitter into a big receiver."
"What a clever thing you are." The Wire retorts sarcastically. "But why fret about it? Why not just relax, kick off your shoes, and enjoy the coronation? Believe me, you'll be glued to the screen."
Rose jumps back as soon as she sees the wicked smile from the Wire. The electrical tendrils miss her face by inches but it grabs onto everyone else's. The Doctor, Tommy, and the Inspector all groan in pain as their faces begin to stream towards the screen.
"Doctor!" Roses cries out in alarm as she listens to them all cry out in pain. What should she do? They are all frozen to the spot as the Wire feasts on them. She has no idea what to do! How can she save them? Then, Kathy's words float into her mind.
"Just remember. This tool, when wielded well, can become your greatest weapon. Especially against electricity."
The sonic! Of course!
Rose hurriedly pulls out Kathy's sonic from her coat pocket and jumps forward. She aims it at the Wire and lets it pulse loudly at the entity. The Wire screams in agony, immediately letting go of the Doctor, Tommy, and the Inspector. They all fall to the floor behind Rose. She stops her assault with the sonic against the Wire, opting to check up on the people who had been hurt by the electrical energy.
Rose hears Magpie rush behind her, grabbing the portable television and taking off with the Wire, who has jumped into the device. Rose wants to give chase, but she can't leave the Doctor.
She slaps the Doctor's face lightly. "Doctor, wake up. Come on! They're getting away." Rose urges.
It takes another slap, harder this time, for the Doctor to gasp and bolt upright. His eyes immediately scanning the room. "Where's Magpie?" He asks.
"He took off with the Wire in that portable telly." Rose responds.
He blinks and stares at the silver sonic still clutched in her hands complete with its red light and metal claws.
"Where did you get that?" The Doctor questions.
"Kathy gave it to me before she– well, you know," Rose explains. She stares down at the sonic, feeling a swell in her heart. "She knew this was going to happen. That's why she gave it to me. She knew I was needed here to save you." Rose beams at him. "She's amazing as ever."
"Ha! You bet she is!" The Doctor exclaims cheerfully, looking over to the screen which still has Kathy's face. She's still calling out their names, still worrying over their safety. He leans forward, giving the part of the screen where her forehead is a quick kiss before standing up. "And you are brilliant!" He kisses Rose on the forehead too. She laughs in response; simply glad to have helped the Doctor and Kathy.
They see that the Inspector had not been as lucky. The man's face is wiped away, leaving him blank. However, Tommy still has his so Rose and the Doctor quickly wake up Tommy before all three of them dash out and look frantically up and down the street.
"We don't even know where to start looking it's too late." Tommy despairs.
"It's never too late," the Doctor replies instantly, "as a wise person once said Kylie I think... But the Wire's got a big plan..." Rose can see the millions of thoughts now flashing through his mind as he rattles off new ideas while pacing, "so it'll need... yes, yes, yes, it's got to harness half the population... millions and millions of people... and where are we?"
"Muswell Hill." Tommy replies, confused as to why the Doctor doesn't know this.
"Muswell Hill?" The Doctor's eyes widened in realisation. "Muswell Hill! Which means…" He runs around Tommy, standing at the end of the street and looking out towards a large building on the horizon.
"Oh, I know this!" Rose exclaims happily. "Alexandra Palace!"
The Doctor beams at her, gesturing to the building in the distance with both hands. "Alexandra Palace." He confirms. "Biggest TV transmitter in North London! Ohh! That's why they chose this place!" He grabs Rose by the hand and pulls her back inside the shop. "Tommy?"
"What are you going to do?" Tommy asks, following them in.
"We're going shopping."
The Doctor gathers up the different electronics he needs from both Magpie's shop and the TARDIS. With all the supplies together, the group rush off to Alexandra Palace. The Doctor builds the device as Rose and Tommy run carrying it. It is difficult building on the go, but the Doctor manages.
They reach Alexandra Palace and see Magpie climbing up the main broadcasting tower. The trio speed up their pace, rushing into the building. The Doctor plugs the device into the station's systems, making sure it is functioning properly. He orders both Rose and Tommy to keep watch over it and to not let anyone stop them for anything. The Doctor then grabs a long feed of copper wiring, making sure that it is connected to the device before running out of the room with the wiring unravelling behind him as he goes.
—
Kathy gasps as her eyes shoot open. She spins on the spot, frowning at the sight of the office she is in. She feels so relieved as she reaches up, running a hand through her hair and touches her face to find a nose and mouth. Oh thank god, she's back in her body.
She sticks her head out into the hallway, seeing a man stride down it. He blinks when he sees her, he obviously recognises her but is surprised to see her.
"Hello, sorry." Kathy apologises. "I was just wondering, can you help me? I don't seem to know where I am."
—
Kathy leans up against the wall outside of the secret police house where they had been keeping the faceless people. She stares up at the golden sky. The sun is just starting to set and she lets out a relived sigh as she feels the last rays of the sun.
She hears the many people beside her rejoicing in gaining back their faces, their lives. She smiles at that. Kathy is glad they are all okay as she knows the Doctor and Rose are okay as well. She had been so worried though during her moments trapped within the Wire's system.
Kathy stares down the street when she hears Tommy running up to hug his Gran. She sees both the Doctor and Rose walking towards her. Each with the biggest smiles on their faces as they briskly walk towards her. She smiles back at them, allowing her mind to drift away from her worries and just enjoy the moment. She ran up, hugging them both in delight and laughing with them.
"Don't worry me like that!" Rose scolds her, giving her a smack on the arm.
Kathy laughs, pouting and rubbing at the spot as if it really hurt. "Sorry. But I didn't want you to get hurt, and I couldn't have you go losing your face as well." She replies.
Rose smiles softly, handing her back the sonic. "Yeah. I know that now." She says. "You really are amazing with those possibilities. You always know how to solve everything."
"Well... not everything," Kathy says quietly, thinking sadly about how lost she's felt, and will feel, when she has adventures with the Doctor in their future that she doesn't know. She shakes her head. "Anyway, how about we go enjoy that fantastic street party? I always wanted to go to one."
"Sure thing." The Doctor says brightly, slinging an arm around her shoulders. Kathy smiles at him, linking her arm with Rose's as they travel happily down the street.
—
"And then there was this bus, so I might've stolen it?" Kathy remarks conversationally as she stuffs another sandwich into her mouth.
Rose laughs. "No way! You stole a bus?!"
"I had to!" Kathy retorts once she finishes the sandwich. "The swarm was returning and I had to save everyone from choking!"
She's telling the Doctor and Rose about how she encountered the Fumifugium during 'The Great Smog' of 1952 in London while the street party is in full swing around them. Beer, sandwiches, orange squash. Kids, old people. Everyone having a whale of a time. The Doctor, Rose and Kathy are helping themselves.
Rose had spent a large portion of the journey back to Florizel Street trying to convince them to go to the Mall, where the official street party is happening, but when Kathy had declared she wanted to be at a proper street party and the Doctor retorted that this is real history, she had relented.
"A species that lived and thrived in smoke…" The Doctor muses to himself.
"I can't believe it!" Rose scoffs, laughing as she swipes up another cupcake.
"Oi!" Kathy cries but she's not offended. "It's true! Scouts honour."
"You're not a scout!" The Doctor retorts.
"And?"
Rose laughs, bending over as she does causing the Doctor and Kathy to start off as well.
The party is brilliant. People laughing and dancing all around. The best food and drinks are passed about. Kathy laughs as the Doctor keeps feeding her and Rose different sandwiches that he picked up at random and asking to decide which one is the best. Eventually, Rose decides enough is enough and responds by shoving a cake into his face, making him get covered in icing. Kathy and Rose hold onto each other as they burst with laughter at the disgruntled expression he makes with the cake all over him.
Then, as the night falls over them, and the lights people placed up overhead across the street light up, the Doctor, Rose, and Kathy enjoy dancing with everyone. Rose and Kathy have their own brief moment spinning each other around and giggling up a storm. Before the Doctor grabs Rose and they dance while Kathy has her own spin with Tommy.
Rose pulls her aside and asks, "Are you okay?"
Kathy frowns. "'Course I am. Why do you ask?"
"It's just before we went into Magpie's shop? You were a bit off." Rose explains.
Oh. Of course, she wouldn't let this go.
"Yeah, Rose. Sorry about before. I've just lost someone I've known for many decades and, well, I wanted to be able to save someone." It feels stupid now she says it out loud. Jenny's death wasn't her fault.
"Mortality's not your fault you know." The Doctor pipes up, clearly having heard the end of the conversation as he walks up to them with his glass of squash.
Kathy laughs tearfully. "I know. Just gotta get that in my head sometimes."
The Doctor nods understandingly and wraps her up in a hug. Kathy soon feels another set of arms joining them and a flash of yellow and pink out of the corner of her eye. She smiles softly and her hearts fill with love.
—
A/N:
I cut out the bit where Rose tells Tommy to go to his dad as I don't personally like the message it sends when it comes to victims and their abusers. Tommy shouldn't have to forgive his dad just because he's family.
Also, Kathy stealing a bus… 😅 and also the chapter with the longest time not from Kathy's perspective.