Of Beating Hearts: First in the Bonded Souls Saga

by frosty600

Soul Bonds. They were rare among Time Lords it was rarer still for a Time Lord's Bonded to be a different species. So, the last thing the Doctor expected was to find his own. But things rarely went as the Doctor expected. So, on the Christmas Eve he took Rose home and he laid eyes on Rose's second cousin Ivy for the first time and sensed the Bond all he could do really was smile...

10. Chapter 8 Rise Of The Cybermen

Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who just my o/c Ivy

A/N: A huge thank you to everyone who reviewed, followed and favourited. And waited so patiently for an update. It's so nice to be writing again! I'll update the next chapter of this story to not leave a cliffy.

Unless you guys would prefer that I update another fic. I feel so bad it's been so long since I've updated most of them.

As always, a huge thank you to ArielArtemis prereading for me and providing feedback.

CHAPTER 8

Rise Of The Cybermen

A man in a pristine white lab coat, pressed a button, switching on a set of floodlights that silhouettes a large humanoid but robotic metal figure, "The prototype has passed every test, sir. It's working!"

"I hardly think 'working' is the correct word," an older man replied, before he moved further into the room, ordering the electric wheelchair his weak body was confined to forward, medical equipment heavily packed onto it, each device necessary to his continued survival. His eyes focused on the colossal robotic figure, "That would apply only to machines."

"I'm sorry. I should say… it's alive," the younger man replied.

The frail, but no less impeccably dressed man moved closer to the robotic figure, eyeing it intently, "Can it hear me?"

"It might still be in shock," the younger man replied casting an eye over the readings that were coming from the robotic lifeform, "Bear in mind the brain has been welded to the exoskeleton."

"Skin of metal…" the older man murmured almost in awe as he spun his wheelchair to the side so that he was completely facing the silhouetted figure, "…and a body that will never age… or die. I envy it," he admitted, "Do you know me?" he said louder, speaking to the figure, "Answer. Do you know me?"

"You are John Lumic," came the tinny robotic inflectionless response.

Lumic grinned, an exhilarated, satisfied laugh escaping him, "My child. Mark this day, Doctor Kendrick. We are blessed!"

"Well, it's not quite over yet, sir," Kendrick replied, "We need Geneva's approval," he reminded the company CEO respectfully, "Technically, this is a new form of life. And that contravenes the Bio-convention. They need to ratify this."

"And they will refuse me," Lumic stated with certainty.

"Nonetheless, we need to tell them," Kendrick insisted.

"And if I don't?" Lumic asked.

Kendrick blinked and straightened his spine, "Well, I'm sorry, sir, but it's my duty," he stated firmly, "I shall have to inform them."

Lumic's lips twisted up into a cruel smile, glancing over at the younger man, "And how will you do that from beyond the grave?" he asked rhetorically.

Kendrick shook his head in incomprehension, "I don't quite understand…"

"Kill him," Lumic ordered almost lazily.

The smile that had still been curving up Kendrick's lips faltered and faded, before he turned to the robotic figure he'd help create just in time to see it had moved. Its hand grasped his shoulder and electricity was sent through his body, he cried out as agonising pain rocketed through him.

Lumic turned to the computer, smiling in satisfaction as Kendrick slumped to the floor, dead. He tapped a few keys on the keyboard, "Captain?" he called.

"Yes, sir?" the Captain's voice came from the computer.

"Inform all staff. We have a new destination. Set sail for Great Britain!" he ordered, the satisfied smile still curving his lips.

*O*O*O*

Ivy slid a lock of the length of her hair through her fingers, eyeing the colour. It wasn't faded yet, but the pink had lost some of its sheen. She'd give it a week – maybe two at most before the colour looked visibly faded.

Which meant.

She turned her gaze back to the mirror she'd stood in front of, breath catching slightly as her eyes briefly met those of her reflection. The green that she'd inherited from her father. She focused on her hair, leaning forward and tilting her head down slightly to eye her roots. Her regrowth wasn't obvious – not yet.

But she'd give it a week before the regrowth was visible to people at a glance. She'd have to make an appointment with her hairdresser. She pulled out her phone to do just that, then hesitated. How did one do that in the Tardis?

Did you just call and hope it went to the correct point in time? What was stopping it from connecting a call to her past or some really far point into the future where her favoured hairdresser was no longer with them.

Was it better to get the Doctor to land the Tardis in the present, make the appointment for when she needed it then get him to take her there when it was time?

She'd have to ask.

She closed the closet door, hiding the mirror attached to the inside door of it from view, before she headed out of her room. She paused once more, glancing about the empty corridor of the ship, before flicking her gaze up towards the ceiling, "Console room?" when nothing happened, except maybe the slightest shifts of the low constant hum of the ship. She smiled, taking that for the answer it was, "Thanks!"

As she approached the console room she heard the sound of laughter, laughter that almost edged into the realm of hysterical. She smiled at the sound, a smile that grew as she started down the stairs into the console room. Her gaze landing on Rose's face, the joy there as she laughed freely with the Doctor making her happy. She didn't think she'd seen Rose interact with the Doctor without tension since she'd joined them in the Tardis. There'd always been an undercurrent of pain, heartbreak.

But in this moment where she sat on one end of three seats that were joined together, the one in the centre some kind of captain's or pilot's chair the two on either side perhaps for co-pilots? She wasn't sure. She didn't know much about earth aircraft and even less about the mechanics of a sentient spaceship.

Rose's gaze, drawn by movement out of the corner of her eye, drew her gaze from the Doctor and beamed a grin as she spotted her cousin, "Ivy!" here exclamation drawing the Time Lord's attention. The man swivelling in the seat he'd taken on the other end of the three seats. His back having been to the stairs.

He beamed his own grin at her, "Ivy, there you!"

"Yep," she nodded, offering Mickey a smile as her gaze wandered over him, "Here I am," she agreed, her gaze returning to her cousin and the Time Lord, "Sorry, if I was holding up the show."

"Nah," the Doctor waved the concern off, "We were just reminiscing."

Ivy started towards them as the duo ushered her into the chair that they had left between them, "That explains all the laughing – could hear you lot from the opposite side of the corridor."

"Apparently a fire breathing munchkin lady is hysterical," Mickey piped up from where he was sat by the console. A finger firmly holding down a button. He'd been going for a light tone, but as every eye in the room turned to him. He had a feeling that he hadn't quiet hit the mark. His mood having darkened helplessly the longer he'd sat with them, listening, watching as Rose smiled and laughed at half told stories.

Leaving him feeling very much on the outside looking in. And then Ivy… how even Rose had seamless moved to include her cousin. Situating her between them. Doing more to include her then she'd put forth with him and they had barely spoke 3 sentences since she'd stepped in. Her smiles, her genuine joy after so long of stilted smiles and barely concealed hurt. Should have filled him with joy and once upon a time it would have.

He was happy to see it. He was. But as he continued to sit on the edge of them… it struck home with painful clarity that he was her second choice. Would always be her second choice. That she'd chosen him. Settled for him. Because she couldn't have the Doctor. He thought he was ok with it. That it was fine, because he loved her. But it hurt. Hurt so much sometimes like now. That he couldn't help but wonder why he was doing this to himself.

Rose looked at Mickey, the grin on her face shrinking slightly at the expression on his face, before she looked away again. She'd woken up happy. Feeling good. Lighter than she'd felt in a long time. Since before the space station and the consequences of what she'd done. And she just wanted to bask in it for a while. To reminisce with the Doctor and to her delight he'd been more than happy to oblige. She'd even been happy to include Ivy. How long had it been since she hadn't felt pain at the sight of her cousin.

She just wanted to enjoy it.

She had no idea when the next wave of heartbreak would hit her, leaving her feeling crushed all over again. She'd go to Mickey then, find out what was bothering him and make it better like he did with her. But for now. Just for now. She wanted to bask and remember and laugh with the Doctor about things that had happened with the man he used to be.

"It was hysterical!" the Doctor insisted before he turned his gaze to Ivy, grinning with amusement, on the verge of laughter again, "The look on her face!"

Rose gave him a mock indigent look, eyes shining, "I thought I was gonna get frazzled! Of course I made a face!"

"Yeah," the Doctor nodded enthusiastically, "One minute she's standing there, and the next minute rawwwh!"

Ivy couldn't help the light chuckle that escaped her, more at the ridiculousness of it then the portion of story she was being told as the Doctor mimed breathing fire.

"Yeah… where… where was that then?" Mickey tried again to get involved in the conversation. Hoping that he managed to sound curious and interested instead of disheartened and resigned, "What happened?"

"Oh, it was on this um… uh, this uh… planet thing, asteroid," the Doctor hedged, tugging at his ear as Mickey stared him expression completely devoid of amusement, "It's a long story you had to be there," he turned away from him mentally casting about for another topic of conversation. His gaze inevitably going to Ivy, "So, what took you so long?" he asked ignoring how Mickey slouched back with an eyeroll at his less than eloquent dodging of the question, "Tardis said you were up ages ago."

Ivy blinked nonplussed. She didn't think it'd taken her that long to get ready – maybe an hour? Maybe an hour and a half including breakfast, "It's a hair wash day," ok, maybe it had been closer to two hours, "Speaking of, what's the best way to book an appointment back home?"

The Doctor shrugged, "Just call."

"Just call," Ivy parroted a little dubiously, "And it'll connect to my present? Not 10 years ago or 15 years into the future?"

He blinked at her, a little bemused, "Time machine," he reminded with a grin, "I can get you to any appointment anywhere, any when."

"Ah," Rose cut in sagely, "But then it wouldn't be with her hairdresser."

The Doctor glanced from one to the other and back again, with a small frown, "And, that's important?"

"Very," they replied, voices overlapping.

"It's about trust," Ivy added, Rose nodding along in agreement, "I'm trusting this person to not kill my hair when she's dyeing it. You lose that with someone new. Plus," she shrugged fingering the ends of her hair, "I like how she cuts and styles my hair."

"Ah, well. When you put it like that," The Doctor tugged at his ear, "I suppose we could make a quick pitstop on Earth," he eyed Ivy's hair, "Don't see why though," he grinned at her, "Your hair looks great!"

"Thanks. The colours dulled and my roots are starting to grow in," she explained, "Give it a week or so and it'll look a right mess…" she trailed and frowned quizzically as the Doctor straightened in his seat and leaned closer. She leaned away, encroaching into Rose's space as she eyed him with bemusement, "What are you doing?"

"Trying to see."

Ivy's hand went to the top of her head a little self-consciously, the regrowth didn't look bad yet, but it was still regrowth, "Why?"

The Doctor pouted a little, slumping back down in his seat, "I still don't know what your natural hair colour is."

"Really?" Rose blinked surprised, "I'd of thought it was obvious," but then. What did the Time Lord really know about their family? He hadn't really met many of them. Just her mum and herself and of course now, Ivy.

The Doctor frowned at Rose quizzically, what was he missing? "How is it obvious?"

Ivy blinked bemused. She hadn't realised that she'd never gotten around to answering him the last time he'd asked. To be fair a lot had been going on and then there had been the werewolf later that night. She shuddered slightly at the memory. She sat up straight the Doctor's gaze drawn back to her at the movement. She smiled as their eyes met, "Guess."

"Guess?"

"Yeah!" Ivy grinned, "And no checking my roots," she said with a mock scowl getting up out of the chair and snagging a beanie that had been left rather helpfully left in the console room, and putting it on, "It's cheating."

Rose shook her head, her heart panging a little painfully in her chest as she took in the unbearably fond look he had on his face as he gazed at Ivy who was adjusting the position of the cream-coloured beanie, she'd put on to hide her regrowth, pulling it back a little so it didn't cover so much of her forehead. She swallowed and turned her gaze to Mickey. Her Mickey and grinned, "5 quid it takes him three tries."

Mickey rolled his eyes, before countering, "4 tries. And he finds a way to cheat."

"Done!"

"Oh, ye of little faith," the Doctor huffed, before sniffing, "Prepare to lose, both of you," he turned his gaze back to Ivy. Eyes considering, "Ginger?"

"Nope," came the answer from his three companions.

He pouted a little, before shaking it off, "Right," he got up, "Earth. Quick pitstop," he flicked a switch on the console, "Make a phone call."

"Grab some milk," Rose added, "We just used the last."

"Grab some milk," the Doctor agreed, hitting a button and then paused a bit stupefied as he took note of the finger Mickey was using to hold down a button, "Uh, what're you doing that for?"

Mickey frowned, eyeing the Time Lord with suspicion, "'Cos you told me to."

The Doctor blinked, "When was that?"

"About half an hour ago…"

The Doctor glanced away a bit sheepishly, "Um," he scratched at his ear, "You can let go now," he muttered.

Mickey released the button, still eyeing the Time Lord, his suspicions growing, "Well, how long's it been since I could've stopped?"

"Ten minutes? Twenty? …" he tugged at his ear a bit as Ivy stared at him quietly now. Her look speaking volumes and had him fighting the urge to squirm. Whilst Rose let out a low snigger of amusement at his floundering, "Twenty-nine?"

Mickey frowned at him indignantly, "You just forgot me!"

"No, no, no," the Time Lord attempted to deny, speaking quickly, "I was just… I was just…" he cast about for an excuse, fingers tugging at his ear again, feeling Ivy's gaze on him. For a thing so quiet it was loud in its delivery, "I was calibrating," Rose continued to snigger at him, "I was just… no, I know exactly what I'm doing."

The last word had barely finished leaving the Time Lord's mouth when the Tardis console exploded violently, sparks and flames erupting from the rota, sending them to the console room floor. Ivy pulled herself up. Her heart feeling like it had lodge in her throat as she clung to the console, her stomach feeling like it had been left behind as they plummeted sharply.

The sentient ship shaking heavily as the Doctor frantically tried to operate the console, tweaking buttons and pulling levers with growing desperation.

"What's happened?!" Rose exclaimed eyes wide with fright as nothing the Doctor did seemed to do anything to stop their rapid descent.

"The time vortex is gone!" the Doctor replied with shock and disbelief, "That's impossible, it's just gone!" he continued staring in disbelief as he tried a couple more knobs and levers, "Brace yourself!" he shouted at his companions, moving with determination around the console to Ivy. The pinkette deathly pale with her terror, "We're going to crash!"

Ivy's grip on the console was white knuckled, her breaths unsteady. Her mind briefly transported back to her parent's hospital beds. Bodies bloody and brushed from the crash – lifeless. She gasped, going from feeling unmoored and spiralling in her terror. To feeling tethered and supported as she felt a chest press against her back, a mere second before arms looped around her to grip the console. The hold protective as the Doctor braced the both of them. It was stupid. It wasn't like he was preventing the crash, but somehow, she felt safer there. Held. His arms tight about her. A silent, I've got you.

Ivy let out a short cry of alarm as the Tardis came to a sudden stop. The Doctor's body cushioning the impact as the collision threw them to the floor, gas masks dropping from the ceiling. The Time Lord shifted slightly so that he could look at Ivy, who'd landed on top of him, his brown eyes concerned, "You alright?"

"I um," Ivy swallowed heavily trying to catalogue herself. Her limbs feeling a little shaky from the sudden lack of adrenaline. They were alive! "Yeah. I'm," she nodded decisively, shifting off him, "Yeah. I'm fine."

The Doctor smiled in relief as he got to his feet, "Rose?" he asked shifting to help Ivy to her feet, "Mickey?" he peered through the dark console room, "You two alright?"

"I'm fine," Mickey picked himself up from where he was on the other side of the console. Whilst Rose gave a nod as she peered about the dark space the console room had become, "I'm ok. Sorry. Yeah."

"She's dead," the Doctor whispered as he stared up at the rota, the sound of clicking coming from the console as the engines cooled, "The Tardis is dead," he continued in horrified shock as he started to slowly make his way around the console. The reality of it setting in.

"You can fix it?" Rose asked quietly, hopefully.

"There's nothing to fix," the Doctor murmured still staring at the lifeless console with shocked disbelief, "She's perished," he placed his hand over a lever and pulled it back and forth fruitlessly, the Tardis lifeless beneath his palm. The silence from the ship almost deafening to him, "The last Tardis in the universe… extinct."

Rose swallowed, fear beginning to creep in. Her gaze darting to Mickey over to Ivy before settling back on the Doctor, "We can get help, yeah?" she asked the Time Lord, a touch of desperation entering her tone.

"Where from?" the Doctor countered as he released the lever to press a button on the lifeless console.

Rose shrugged helplessly, "Well, we've landed," she tried, "We've gotta be somewhere!"

"Could we maybe, rig our phones to send an SOS signal?" Ivy suggested.

The Doctor shook his head regretfully as he turned to face them, "We fell out of the vortex, through the void, into nothingness. We're in some sort of no-place…" unobserved Mickey headed for the doors, "The silent realm… The lost dimension…"

"Otherwise known as London," Mickey called looking back into the Tardis from where he'd poked his head out. He beamed a relieved grin at them, laughing as he stepped out into the familiar streets of London.

"What?" the Doctor muttered more than a little confused. He followed Mickey out the door. Ivy and Rose sharing a brief look before heading after him. The two of them relieved to see sunlight coming in through the open door of the Tardis.

"London, England, Earth," Mickey stated with some amusement as he was joined by the others, still grinning widely, "Hold on…" he said, spotting a discarded paper on top of a nearby dustbin. Whilst the Doctor looked around with a growing realisation. Mickey jumped down off the low wall and picked up the paper to look over the cover, "First of February this year," he read, "Not exactly far flung, is it?" he queried as Rose jumped down and peered over his shoulder at the newspaper curiously.

The Doctor tore his gaze from the skyline he'd been observing, he jumped down from the low wall, glancing about as he turned to offer Ivy a hand. The pinkette blinking in mild surprise at the offer before she accepted with a small, pleased smile.

"So," the Doctor began casually as he shifted his grip on Ivy's hand when she didn't immediately pull her hand from his after she'd stepped down off the low wall, clasping it in his own, taking the chance to prolong the contact. Internally delighting that she was allowing it, "This is London."

"Yep," Mickey replied with confidence.

"Your city," the Doctor checked with the same casual tone.

"That's the one," Mickey confirmed with the same confidence as before.

"Just as we left it," the Doctor persisted.

"Bang on," Mickey agreed.

"And that includes the Zeppelins?" the Doctor asked raising his gaze up to the sky again and Ivy, Rose and Mickey followed it.

"What the hell…?" Mickey exclaimed in shock.

"That's a bit odd," Ivy muttered, watching the large airships pass overhead.

"That's beautiful," Rose breathed.

"Ok," Mickey shrugged, lowering his gaze from the Zeppelins to look at the Doctor again slightly uncertain now but trying to play it off, "So, it's London with a big international Zeppelin festival."

"This is not your world."

"That doesn't sound half ominous," Ivy murmured, having picked up something of the grimness in the Time Lord's tone.

The Doctor glanced at Ivy, his hand squeezing around hers, inhaling a breath to reply, only to be cut off as Mickey spoke.

"But, if the dates the same…" he trailed with confusion before realization hit him, "It's parallel, right? Am I right? Like parallel Earth where they've got Zeppelins," he said with growing enthusiasm, "Am I right? I'm right, aren't I?"

The Doctor nodded, "Must be."

"So, a parallel world where…" Rose trailed smile beginning to slip as shock lanced through her as her gaze caught on something.

"Oh, come on," Mickey cut in, turning to her, impatient with his excitement at being right and what's more having the Doctor admit that he was right, "You see it on films. Like an alternative to our world where everything's the same but a little bit different, like… I dunno... traffic lights are blue, Tony Blair never got elected…"

"And he's still alive…" Rose murmured softly, her gaze still affixed to the advert poster that had her father, Pete Tyler on it, holding a cherry flavoured Vitex Lite drink.

"What…?" Ivy started only to pause as she followed Rose's line of sight. Her gaze landing on the advert poster of her cousin Pete. She swallowed, "Oh…"

"A parallel world and my dad's still alive…" Rose murmured transfixed as she moved towards it, the Doctor, Ivy and Mickey following after her.

"Don't look at it, Rose. Don't even think about it," the Doctor warned her sternly, only for the blond to ignore him as she continued towards the poster, "This is not your world."

"But he's my dad…" Rose murmured reaching for the poster, "And…" her finger brushed over the surface of the poster, and it sprang to life.

"Trust me on this," the image of Pete Tyler told them winking and giving them a thumbs up and a smile.

Rose stepped back, "Well, that was weird," she muttered before she began to smile again elation starting to build as the reality of him being on a poster like that sank in, "But he's real!"

"Trust me on this."

"He's a success!" Rose exclaimed joyfully, just like she always knew he would be, ever since she was a little girl… she'd just knew he'd be a success if he'd been given a chance and, in this world, he'd had just that!

Ivy stared at the poster of the man, her cousin Pete that she'd never really had a chance to know. She'd been too young when he'd passed. He was dead, but here he was alive. Her teeth worried her lower lip. A fine tremble starting in her limbs. The hand that was still grasped in the Doctor's tightening unintentionally. If he was alive here – did that mean that her parents hadn't died in that crash. Had she been a better daughter? She was brought out of her spiralling thoughts by the Doctor's hand squeezing hers back. She turned her gaze to him, conflicted green meeting concerned brown. She offered him a weak smile, before her attention was returned to Rose as the blond continued to ramble her excitement and joy palpable.

"He was always planning these daft little schemes. Health food, drinks and stuff," Ivy gave a small nod. She remember the stories Jackie would tell when the mood struck her, "Everyone said they were useless. But he did it!"

The Doctor shifted, releasing Ivy's hand so that he could grasp the blond firmly by the shoulders, "Rose," he stated firmly drawing the blonde's gaze to his own. His gaze stern, needing his companion to understand how serious he was, "If you've ever trusted me, then listen to me now," Rose's gaze drifted happily to the beaming poster of her father again, not really listening to caught up in the fact that her dad was alive and here, "Stop looking at it!" he ordered sternly and her gaze tore reluctantly from the poster to look at him again, "Your father's dead. He died when you were six months old. That is not your Pete."

Rose's smile faded as she swallowed, but her gaze drifted over to the poster again, the proof that her dad was alive… alive and a successful businessman.

"That is a Pete. For all we know," the Doctor continued urgently, "He's got his own Jackie, his own Rose. His own daughter who is someone else, but not you," Rose's eyes started drifting towards the poster again, but she swallowed and attempted to stop herself from looking, "You can't see him. Not ever."

Rose gave a tiny nod looking down sadly, her heart hurting and the Doctor released her with a small sigh, tugging at his ear. Ivy stepped towards her and took the blonde's hand in her own giving it a comforting squeeze. One the blonde returned briefly before slipping her hand from her cousins. She leaned back a little as Mickey laid a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Trust me on this. Trust me on this. Trust me on this. Trust me on this," the poster of Pete continued to play…

*O*O*O*

Pete rolled up the drive, tires of his luxury car crunching up the gravel as he headed for the small mansion. He paused in opening the door as his phone rang. A smile curving up his lips as he registered the caller ID. He tapped his earpiece to answer, "Hi Chickpea," he glanced at the time, "How'd your first flight go ok?"

"Yeah, it was fine," replied the young woman as she stood in a busy airport, a physical phone pressed to her ear, "Pods are fried though."

"Shocking," Pete replied drolly, "That's what happens when you don't use them."

"I do use them!" she protested, "I listen to music with them."

"Yes, but you don't hook them up properly. Messes with the circuitry. Like how those old mobiles would suddenly start breaking down if they went without a proper sim card in them."

"Yes well. I'm an old-fashioned girl at heart," came the unrepentant response, "Give me a large unwieldy tablet over a download directly into my brain any day!"

Pete snorted, smile fondly at that, a smile that was slightly wry, "Yes, I know," he murmured, gods he was proud of her. How he wished he'd thought when this all started, before he'd realised. He shook the thought away, "Still, I'll get you a new pair, have them by the time you arrive. Jackie'd go spare otherwise."

"Speaking of…"

Pete frowned a sinking feeling in his chest, "Why do I suddenly sense impending doom?"

"'Cos you're a smart, smart bean."

Pete raised a brow but waited for her to continue.

"My flight into Heathrow. It's been delayed. Something to do with bad weather."

"Ivy Prentice," he mock groused, "Are you using me as your beard."

"Guilty."

"Jackie is going to be wroth if you don't make it. It's her fortieth."

She grimaced, "I know, I…" she trailed as an announcement came over the tannoy, "Oh, it just got cancelled."

"Jackie is going to kill me," he muttered, finally opening the car door, grabbing the bouquet of flowers that were resting on the passenger seat.

"I'll get started on your epitaph."

Pete shut the car door, "You better make it a funny one."

"Trust me on this," Ivy replied, doing the thumbs up out of habit despite the fact that he couldn't see her. She sighed, "I'm sorry. I should've caught a flight out earlier in the week."

Pete frowned as he started for the house, "You had classes and Jacks and I. No matter our situation. We're both so proud of you, you know that right?"

Ivy smiled ducking her head, "Yeah – it's just it's Jackie's fortieth and I wanted to be there. It's been so long since I've gotten to see you both. I'll try and see if I can catch another flight. Better late than never."

"If the weathers as bad as I'm getting off the reports. There won't be. Not without going way out of the way. Just sit tight. Catch a flight down tomorrow. Jackie will understand. We'll do something special just the three of us, like old times. Jacks will love that."

Ivy bit her lower lip not entirely sure that was exactly true, "Yeah, ok."

"And let me know if you need some extra money for a hotel. Love you, chickpea. Talk to you later," Pete listened to Ivy's response, before hanging up the call. He opened the door and stepped inside, "Hello? Sweetheart?" he called as he stepped into the hall, "Only me."

His gaze went to the stairs as Jackie crested them. Internally grimacing as he took in the unhappy expression on her face. Not a good sign. He hadn't even told her yet and something had already happened to upset her.

"Oh, the bad penny," she groused at him as she elegantly started down the staircase, "Was this your idea? Don't deny it. it's got your fingerprints all over it. Trust me on this," she quipped scathingly with a mocking thumbs up, "Oh, I can trust you alright. Trust you to cock it up."

"What've I done now?"

Jackie shot him a look as she stepped off the stairs, "Have a look," she swept into the drawing room that was bustling with servants. A large banner hung between two pillars. The focus of her ire. The glaring mistake popping out at her. She glared up at it pointedly, her hands on her hips as she waited for Pete to make his excuses.

Pete blinked not getting it, before he looked at Jackie, "What's wrong with that?"

"Forty," she huffed, "It's says forty."

He stared at her nonplussed, "You are forty."

Jackie almost threw her hands up in exasperation, "Well, I don't want the world telling, do I?"

"You're having a party tonight!"

"My thirty-ninth. My official biography says I was born on the same day as Cuba Gooding Junior, and that makes me thirty-nine, thank you very much. Rose!" she swept from the room. Honestly the cluelessness of that man, "Rose?" she called as she stepped back into the entrance hall, Pete following her, "Come here, Rose!" she called up the stairs.

"There are from the girls in the office," Pete told her as he held out the bouquet to her, "Happy birthday."

Jackie eyed it disdainfully, "I've got hand sculpted arrangements by Veronica of Reykjavik, and your secretary stopped off at a garage? I don't think so. And if you're giving out presents, where's my Zeppelin? Everyone else has got one."

Pete slot the flowers into a banister as Jackie turned to look up the stairs again.

"Rose? Come on, Rose!" she called up them again, before turning back to Pete, "Look, you didn't even notice, did you?" she asked cocking her head to the side so that he could see the very fancy earpieces that she had fitted into her ears, "Special delivery. Got sent round today. Birthday present from Mr Lumic. Latest modal. Diamond studded. Pick up signals from Venezuela."

Pete stared at her nonplussed all over again, "Why would you want to pick up signals from Venezuela?"

"Well, I don't know!" Jackie huffed with annoyance, "But now I can find out," she looked back up the stairs, "Rose! Come on, Rose!" she turned back to Pete, eyeing him, lips pursing, "Alright, out with it. What else have you cocked up?"

"Nothing!" Pete denied, before he sighed, "It's Ivy. Her flights been cancelled at the layover. Bad weather."

"Ooh, I knew it!" Jackie hissed, "I knew I should never have listened to you about letting her go to that school halfway across the world! What was wrong with her going to one of the locals. A degree in Law from there would be as good as any other."

"She wanted to go!"

"This is your fault!"

"I can't control the weather!"

"You put grand ideas in her head!"

Pete took a breath, "She'll be fine. She's gonna catch a plane down in the morning. We'll go do something special then, yeah? Like we used to."

Jackie bit her lip, looking away, "It won't be the same," she sighed. It'd never be the same and she'd been so looking forward to seeing her. It'd been too long since she'd left to continue her schooling. Why'd she have to want to go from an assistant to a full fledged lawyer? She shook her head, "Fine! But I want you to have her picked up from the airport first thing! And I want lunch booked at that restaurant we both like. Full table service, the works!" she demanded, before she turned back to the stairs, "For God's sake, where is she? Rose? Oh," she mused the irritation all but gone from her voice as a thought struck her, "She needs a good bath before tonight. She's gonna be honking. Rose, come to mummy!"

A small lapdog pottered into sight at the top of the stairs.

"Come on. There you are, my darling," Jackie cooed and the dog pottered down the stairs to her, patting the dog affectionately.

Pete activated his earpiece again as his phone rang for the second time in so many minutes, "Mr Lumic!" he greeted, "Jackie was just saying thank you. That's very kind of you."

*O*O*O*

"Those ear pods are handmade," Lumic informed him as he sat inside his own Zeppelin, "Tell her to take care."

*O*O*O*

"Course I will, course I will," Pete agreed, stifling the urge to fiddle with his hands, "I don't suppose you'll be uh, joining us tonight for the party? We'd be very honoured."

"The world below can party. Some of us have work to do. My plans have advanced Peter. The President has promised a decision. I'm flying in now. We'll be at the airstrip by five o'clock."

"Right," Pete frowned, pausing briefly as he glanced around to make sure Jackie wasn't listening, "It's just that I promised I'd help the wife out tonight."

"If the President of Great Britain can make this meeting, then so can you."

"Oh, I dunno," Pete mused attempting a joke, despite how tense he felt, "He's not married to Jackie, is he."

"Five o'clock Mr Tyler. Famous day."

Pete listened to the end call tone, before he released a sigh, shaking his head before he took off. Thousands of things to do and little to no time to do them in.

*O*O*O*

Lumic took a deep breath from his breathing apparatus, before he pushed it away and turned to the screen of his computer, "Voice print access, John Lumic," his name appeared on the screen, "Initiate ear-pod override. Subject: Jacqueline Tyler. "

*O*O*O*

In her bedroom, sitting at her dressing table, Jackie froze, the brush she was using falling to the desk with a clatter. Her face completely blank as rods extended out of the ear-pods and then up to meet above her head with a blue light connecting them.

*O*O*O*

"Download Tyler residence, February the first," Lumic ordered, "Give me security arrangements for tonight. Passwords, encryptions, services," he waited patiently for a couple of moments for the requested data to be downloaded from Jackie and in turn uploaded onto his computer, "And Restore."

*O*O*O*

Jackie blinked, her face unfreezing as the pods returned to normal. She gave her head a shake, before she picked her brush up again and resumed powdering herself.

*O*O*O*

"Thank you, Mrs Tyler," Lumic murmured before calling out another order, "Activate picture link. Mr Crane."

Crane appeared before him on a screen from where he was seated in the passenger seat of an articulated lorry, "Mr Lumic?"

"Events are moving faster than I anticipated. I need extra staff."

"Very good, sir. I shall go on a recruitment drive."

*O*O*O*

The call ended and Crane turned to the driver, "Back her up," he ordered. And the car started to roll slowly backwards as the driver reversed.

*O*O*O*

Ivy stared at the screen of her mobile, the glowing screen the only light illuminating the darkness of the console room. The sound of the Doctor fiddling about the equally dark console, sounding faint to her ears as she stared at the search engine, she'd been able to open after having clicked 'agree' to the free Cybus Network trial that had pinged from her phone before she'd really thought about it.

Her fingers hovered over the keyboard. She knew she shouldn't she'd heard the Doctor out there with Rose. They wouldn't be hers. They'd be another Ivy's. Her parents were dead – but ever since she'd seen that poster of Pete. The man alive and well in this world. She couldn't help but want to know if her parents were alive too.

If the Ivy of this world still had them. Hoped that she had them. That they hadn't been taken from her in a crash like hers had been.

It couldn't be so bad to know, could it?

She glanced up at the Doctor to see him still busy fiddling with the console, a frown darkening his brow as pulled at switch only for nothing to happen. She looked back down at her phone and typed in the letters spelling out her parent's names, before hesitating a moment, her thumb hovering over the enter key. She swallowed and pressed it the search page immediately flooding with answers in response to the wide search parameters.

She stilled in the seat she was occupying, her heart freezing as she took in the top answer on the page. 'No!' she clicked into it her eyes alighting on the news article that it took her too. She scrolled down. Taking in the picture of two vehicles bonnets crushed inwards from a head on collision, the date depicted in the caption.

Too early.

The date. It said it happened years ago. Not months. She quickly scrolled down, eyes skimming searching for the details she was looking for. A wounded sound escaped her as she found the information she was looking for. Her eyes taking in the damning words for a mere moment before the phone was plucked from her fingers.

"Ivy what…"

"Sorry. Sorry," Ivy murmured in response as the Doctor looked down at the screen of her phone taking in what it displayed, "I just, I wanted to know. I didn't think that there would be any harm in knowing. I was wrong."

The Doctor sighed and slumped heavily into the chair beside her.

"After Pete – I thought. I hoped. I mean he was why not them," she rambled at her knees, shoulders slumped, "Instead she. Their Ivy. She lost them so much earlier."

"I'm sorry. So, so sorry."

Ivy shifted, turning her head to look at him with a small furrow to her brow, "You aren't mad?"

"Oh, I am," he replied, "But at myself more than anything," he admitted with a grimace, "I was supposed to be watching you. Instead, I got distracted," He'd never forget the wounded sound that had his attention diverting from the Tardis to his Ivy, "And you got hurt."

Ivy shook her head, "I was so convinced that 'cos Pete's alive they'd be alive too." Instead, this worlds Ivy had been without her parents for far longer. She squeezed her hands together in her lap until it started to hurt.

The Doctor laid a hand over hers, and Ivy swallowed as she allowed him to pry her hands apart, folding her hand inside his, "I'm sure there's a parallel world out there where your parents are alive."

"It's just not this one."

"No."

He squeezed her hand, the two sitting in silence for a moment, before he got to his feet, tucking her phone away in his pocket as he turned to her, "Come on," he urged her to her feet, "Come and help me."

"With what?" she asked, following him towards the console, "Messing with random buttons and hoping?"

"Yes," he nodded, "You can mess with the buttons, and I'll start checking the power cords under the console." There had to be something. Anything. That'd give him an idea. He whirled around as the door of the Tardis opened. He scowled in irritation as Mickey stepped in, "I told you to keep an eye on her!"

"She goes wandering off," the Doctor cut in shaking his head, before shooting Mickey a look Rose had a history of not thinking when it came to her father, "Parallel world, it's like a gingerbread house! All those temptations calling out."

Ivy winced and crossed her arms self-consciously. Knowing that she'd given in. taken a bite out of the gingerbread as it were.

"Oh, so it's just Rose, then?" Mickey retorted eyes narrowing on the Doctor, "Nothing out there to tempt me?"

The Doctor shrugged dismissively and turned away from him, "I don't know, I've got my hands full," he grumbled.

Ivy winced again at that. Catching the implication. She gave Mickey a weak smile, "It's a gingerbread house," she went with the Doctor's analogy, "Something for everyone."

Whilst the Doctor continued to scowl as he grumbled his frustration. He'd entrusted Rose to Mickey when the blond hadn't wanted to immediately return to the Tardis. Trusting that Mickey cared enough for Rose. Loved her enough to keep her and himself out of trouble and yet. He shot the younger man another irritated look. He was in here instead of out there, "I can't worry about everything…" he turned to the console, "If I could just get this thing to…" he lashed out in his frustration, kicking the lifeless console hard.

He walked slowly towards the chairs, trying hard not to limp and failing as his foot throbbed angrily in his shoe.

"Are you ok?" Ivy asked concerned, taking in his stiff movements and the small grimaces he was making with every limped step.

"Yes."

"Did that help?" Mickey asked unable to control the slightly amused smirk curving up the corner of his lips.

"Yes."

"Did that hurt?" his smirk widened into a smile.

"Yes," the Doctor sat and rubbed at his aching foot with a small pout, "Ow."

*O*O*O*

Sitting on a bench by the bank of the Thames, Rose sat phone in hand as she stared down at the notification she'd received. Zeppelins moving through the air above her head, one flying so low that it barely missed the rooftop, a 'Cybus' logo stamped on the bottom of it. She tapped her thumb over the accept button.

*O*O*O*

"We're not meant to be here," the Doctor murmured as he gazed pensively at the dark lifeless console, "The Tardis draws its power from the universe, but it's the wrong universe. It's like diesel in a petrol engine."

Mickey walked over to him, sitting in the seat beside the Doctor. Ivy following him with her gaze, "But…" he began with confusion, "I've seen it in comics."

"Comics?" Ivy questioned moving to join them at the chairs. Slumping into the remaining free one on the Doctor's other side.

"Yeah, comics," Mickey nodded, before shooting her a look, "Don't knock 'em. You like trashy romances I like comics."

Ivy held up her hands, "I wasn't," she assured, "Just comics?"

"Yeah," Mickey confirmed again, "People are hopping from one alternative world to another in them, it's easy."

"Huh," Ivy murmured musingly, "Maybe I'll have to give some a read."

"I'll hook you up," Mickey grinned. Never thought he'd here either Ivy or Rose say that.

Ivy returned his smile.

"Not in the real world," The Doctor answered Mickey's question derisively, before he paused glancing over at the two of them, before he sighed out a breath, "Used to be easy," he admitted, "When the Time Lords kept their eye on everything, you could hop between realities, home in time for tea," he murmured, "Then they died, took it all with them. The walls of reality closed the worlds were sealed. Everything became a bit less kind."

"Then how did we get here?" Mickey asked.

The Doctor sighed in frustration, "I dunno," he muttered wearily, "Accident?" he suggested in the next moment, "Should've been impossible. Now we're trapped."

"Ah," Ivy murmured, leaning back in her chair, "Could be worse."

Mickey arched a brow at her, "How?"

"Could of been trapped without each other," she gave a small wry smile, "Four brains are better than one, right."

The Doctor returned her wry smile with one of his own, "Ah, optimism."

Ivy shrugged, "Would you prefer. Existential dread?"

The Doctor's wry smile became a grin, "Nope…" he trailed distracted as his caught a small glimmer out of the corner of his eye. He leaned forward, peering intently at the small green glow at that had caught his attention, "What's that?"

"What?" Mickey asked.

"That, there," the Doctor exclaimed pointing, "Is that a reflection?" he asked practically leaping from his chair as he moved towards it.

"It looks like a glow," Ivy murmured as she leaned to see what the Time Lord was seeing.

"It's a light!" the Doctor cried with excitement, "Is it? Is that a light? I think that's a light!" he rambled giddily.

Ivy grinned widely, gaze on the Time Lord now. She didn't think she'd seen him this giddy or excited over anything. It was… cute.

"That's all we need!" the Doctor grinned and started pulled up the grating. Ivy and Mickey joining him. The three of them working to get to the small green light, "We've got power!" the Doctor cheered giddy beyond belief at the revelation. He could get them out of this! "Ivy! Mickey! We've got power! Ha!"

*O*O*O*

The lorry ferrying Crane backed into a scrapyard where the homeless were milling about. Crane stepped out of the car and strode towards them. Pausing only a moment to pat the back of the vehicle.

"Gentlemen! Gentlemen!" he called, "I beg your attention. Christmas has come early, so come and get it."

The back of the lorry opened, a ladder descending in open invitation to step inside. The full attention of the men on Crane and the lorry.

"Ah, smell that, comrades," Crane enticed, "Burgers and chips, sausage and beans…" he smiled widely as the men, hungry and starving hurried towards the open back of the van. All aside from a young man who remained half hidden behind some junk as he watched with anxiously at the situation unfolding in front of him, "Pork… chicken… and hot, sweet tea," Crane beamed, "All for free!"

The young man unable to just stand and watch, ran out from where he'd been half hiding, going up to an older man. If he could save just one… "Don't go!"

"Oh," the older man exclaimed eyes still on the lorry where the promise of food awaited him, "But there's food!"

"All you can eat," Crane continued as he encouraged the homeless into the back of the lorry, "Free of charge. Don't just stand there. Fill your faces with pasties and…"

"He's lying," the young man insisted with growing urgency.

The older man frowned at the younger taking in his appearance, "Easy for you to say. When did you last starve?"

"All those people disappearing off the streets. It's been going on for months. It's them. They're taking you away."

"Tomato soup," Crane called out another food.

"What for?"

"Experiments," the younger man stated darkly.

"But hurry up now."

The older man looked from the younger to the back of the lorry, "No," he denied his empty stomach making the decision for him, "I'm so hungry."

The younger watched helplessly as the older man headed quickly for the lorry, backing up a bit as he took out the video camera, he'd brought with him in the off chance he managed to catch them in the act of kidnapping the homeless of the streets.

"So come and get it while it's hot!" Crane exclaimed, the older man joining him with a laugh, joyful at the thought of a full belly at long last, "That's it, kind sir. Get in there and fill your face!"

The older man got into the back of the lorry, whilst the younger backed up some more until he was hidden behind the homeless shelters.

"Feast yourself, brother. Feast yourself."

The young man swallowed as screams came from inside the lorry and sounds of a small scuffle as the older man tried to get out only to be forced back by those that had lowered the ladder.

"Take them away," Crane ordered.

"No! Help!" came a last cry before the back of the lorry doors closed.

*O*O*O*

Ivy and Mickey watched as the Doctor swiftly jumped down into the opening they'd made and began working his way towards the small shining green light. The pinkette's brows rising high on her forehead as he carelessly pulled out important looking internal pieces of the Tardis as he went, moving closer and closer to the light, eventually standing right under the console.

"It's alive!" he exclaimed joyfully, deliriously happy as he pulled something else out of his way, eyes locked on the tiny green glow… he could just about reach it now!

"What is it?" Mickey asked curiously.

"It's nothing," the Doctor replied airily, as Ivy and Mickey continued to peer down at what he was doing, "It's tiny," he continued brightly, "One of those insignificant little power cells that no one ever bothers about, and it's clinging to life, with one little ounce of reality tucked away inside."

Ivy smiled, "Sounds a lot like hope."

"Aye," the Doctor agreed breezily, "A teeny tiny beacon of hope."

"Is it enough to get us home?" Mickey asked hopefully.

"Not yet," the Doctor replied as he reached the power cell and picked it up. He cupped it carefully in his hands as he sat back on a small set of stairs under the grilling, staring at it like the little beacon of hope that it was, "I need to charge it up."

Mickey shrugged and suggested the first thing that came to mind, "We could outside and lash it up to the National Grid."

"Ooh," Ivy hummed, "Sounds illegal."

Mickey shrugged again, "Needs must. Sides what are they gonna do?" he grinned, "Press charges across realities?"

"Wrong sort of energy," the Doctor cut in with a grin, "It's got to come from our universe," he stated.

Mickey frowned his hope of being able to get back home dwindling rapidly, "But we don't have any."

The Doctor grinned again, lifting his cupped hands carefully towards his face, "There's me…" he murmured in response to their inquisitive looks, before he blew on the surface the green light glowing brighter in response, absorbing the energy it'd been given, "I just gave away ten years of my life."

Ivy blinked, "Just like that?" she glanced at Mickey taking in his expression and getting a shrug, before turning her eyes back to the Time Lord. He could do that? Just choose to give away years of his life?

The Time Lord beamed a grin, "Worth every second!" he let out a giddy laugh. He could do this. He could really do this. Get them home. Safe and sound.

Ivy shook her head, lips curved up in a wide smile. Watching the Doctor as he laughed giddily. Mad. Completely.

*O*O*O*

Where she sat on the embankment of the Thames, Rose bit her lower lip as she stared down at her phone for a moment longer, before she gave in to the desire to just search his name. She typed 'Pete Tyler' into the Cybus Network with slightly shaky fingers and hit the 'enter' button on her phone. Her breath catching as the results showed up barely a second later…

*O*O*O*

"It's going out. Is that ok?" Mickey asked with concern as the bright glow of the power cell began to fade.

"It's on a recharging cycle," the Doctor replied as the light brightened again before dimming once again, "It'll loop round, power back up and be ready to take us home in, oh, twenty-four hours?" he estimated.

"So, that gives us twenty-four hours on a parallel world?" Mickey asked perking up a bit more at the information.

"Shore leave!" the Doctor replied with a nod, grinning brightly still caught up in the thrill of his ship being alive, "As long as we keep our heads down. Easy. No problem," he remarked, tossing the power cell up in the air and catching it again.

Ivy arched her brows, "Keep our heads down?" she repeated, "Us?" she hadn't been on that many trips through time – but none of them had been very… keeping their heads down.

"It's possible!" the Doctor mocked a sniff, before he was grinning again and heading for the Tardis doors, "Come on, let's go and tell Rose!"

*O*O*O*

The Doctor, Ivy and Mickey walked down the path by the Thames embankment, "There you are!" the Doctor called jovially when they spotted the blond sitting on a bench, "You alright? No applause, I fixed it!" he said cheerily showing her the power cell he still had firmly in hand, "Twenty-four hours, then we're flying back to reality," he grinned taking a seat next to her on the bench, holding the power cell up for her to see once again. Waiting for a reaction.

Ivy moved to take a seat on the other side of the blond, eyeing her cousin with concern as she continued to just stare at her lap, or rather, the phone that she was holding in her lap, a lost expression on her face, "Ah…" she muttered trailing as she realised Rose had done a search as well, but… Pete was alive so why did she look so lost.

The Doctor grin faded as he lowered the power cell he'd been holding as he took notice of the mobile. Grimacing. He should have confiscated the damn things, "What is it?"

Rose swallowed, "My phone connected. There's this… Cybus Network, it finds your phone. It gave me internet access."

"Yeah," Ivy murmured softly, "Mine got the same – my folks…"

"Yeah," Rose cut in a little sharper than she'd intended, before she swallowed softening her voice. It wasn't Ivy's. Her Ivy's fault, "I saw."

"Rose, whatever it says, this is the wrong world," the Doctor reminded her.

Rose swallowed again, eyes still locked on her phone, "I don't exist."

Ivy stiffened in shock, "What?"

The Doctor frowned at her, "What do you mean?"

"There's no Rose Tyler. I was never born. There's Pete, my dad, and Jackie… he still married mum… they took in Ivy after…" she trailed glancing at the Ivy sitting beside her and left it at that. Didn't need to add the details of that. Even as the knowledge that an Ivy got her parents when she, didn't, "But they never had kids -," Rose stated, reminding herself. Soothing the burn somewhat. Ivy wasn't their kid she was. They just took in family that needed them. Like family should. She swallowed heavily, "Never had me."

Mickey stared at her, his expression unreadable, but eyes sad as he stared at her.

"Give me that phone," the Doctor demanded as he reached to snatch it from her grip, Rose swiftly pulled it away, clutching it protectively, and he pulled back again with a low sigh, eyeing his blond companion.

"They're rich," Rose commented throat feeling tight, "They've got a house and cars, and everything they want," she paused, the back of her eyes beginning to prick painfully. Plus, Ivy, "But they haven't got me," she murmured her voice shaking as she tried to fight back her tears. She stood and paced a few steps away, before turning back them, reaching a decision, eyes blazing with stubborn determination, "I've gotta see him."

The Doctor stiffened, his spine straightening, "You can't."

"Rose…" Ivy tried.

"No," Rose bit, "You shut up. They're my parents not yours!" she winced a little as Ivy reared back a little in shock.

"Of course not!" Ivy retorted, no matter how much she loved Jackie… she didn't really know Pete… they would never be her parents. She wouldn't ever want them to be.

Rose licked her lips, her eyes pleading with the Time Lord to understand, "I just wanna see him."

"I can't let you!" the Doctor replied firmly as he stood.

"You just said twenty-four hours!" Rose exclaimed angrily, glowering at him now. Why couldn't he just understand.

"You can't become their daughter," the Doctor retorted exasperated and wary as he returned her glower with a glare of his own, "That's not the way it works! Ivy, do something!"

Ivy shot him a look, "Do what?" she crossed her arms, "I'm not tackling my cousin – besides there's nothing to do when a Tyler gets that look in their eyes…" she trailed at least that's what her parents had always said.

She blinked a little in mild surprise at the smile her cousin shot her. She could have sworn she was pissed at her just a second ago. Prentice temper at work.

The Doctor huffed in aggravation, "Mickey, tell her!" he demanded as he turned to the younger man instead, gesturing at Rose.

Mickey shifted his expression thoughtful, "Twenty-four hours, yeah?" he murmured as he started back a couple of steps.

"Where're you going?" the Doctor asked him with bewilderment, not having expected this from him.

"Well, I can do what I want!" Mickey retorted defiantly.

"I've got the address and everything," Rose told him as she started walking backwards away from the bench.

Ivy blinked in surprise, "You do?"

"Yeah," Rose replied, before eyeing her as she continued too slowly back away, "Why?"

Ivy shrugged, "Just seems like lax security is all," a couple of rich people with their address searchable… sounded like a robbery waiting to happen.

Rose narrowed her eyes, trying to parse her cousins point, "I'm going."

"Stay where you are, both of you!" the Doctor demanded as he looked from one to the other frantically as the two backed further and further away in opposite directions, "Rose, come back here! Mickey, come back here right now!"

"I just wanna see him," Rose assured the Time Lord as she took another couple of slow steps back, a part of her hoping for his blessing.

"Yeah, I've got things to see and all," Mickey stated, making the Time Lord turn his head to look at him again.

His expression incredulous, "Like what?"

"Well, you don't know anything about me, do you? It's always about those two," Mickey retorted frowning at the Doctor, hurt flaring at the truth of it, as he continued to back away, "I'm just a spare part."

"I'm sorry. I've gotta go."

The Doctor turned from Rose to Mickey and back again as the two continued to walk away from him, before his attention was caught by Ivy moving, "And where are you going!"

"She's my cousin," Ivy said simply, before she turned her head to look back at the retreating Mickey, "Look after yourself, yeah?"

Mickey nodded, "Yeah, you too."

The Doctor gaped as Ivy walked away from him too. The Time Lord, frantically glancing back at Mickey before looking after Ivy and Rose. The pinkette easily catching up to the slowly retreating blond.

Mickey snorted, "Go on, then," he said with a gesture, "There's no choice, is there?" he more stated then asked, as the Doctor turned back to him with a frown, "You can only chase after one of us. And we both know that it's never going to be me, is it?" he stated firmly eyeing the Time Lord with confidence.

Rose turned on her heel and started a fast-paced walk, her shoulders hunched as Ivy fell into step with her.

The Doctor bit back the urge to curse as he looked after the retreating forms of his soul-bond and Rose, before he whirled around to face Mickey, his expression fierce, "Back here, twenty-four hours!" he shouted, before he whirled away from him and hurried down the path Rose and Ivy were rapidly disappearing down.

Mickey watched him for a brief moment, "Yeah. If I haven't found anything better," he muttered to himself, before he turned and walked away.

*O*O*O*

Pete watched silently as Lumic's Zeppelin arrived at the airstrip. His gaze drawn to the official Ranger Rover pulled up. He crossed the short distance as two security men stepped out followed by the President.

"Mr Tyler," the President greeted, eyeing the man not having expected to see him here, "What's the matter couldn't wait until tonight?"

"Mr President," Pete returned the greeting shaking his hand, "Honoured. I'm on the fast-track program. Cybus Industries have bought up my company," he explained careful not to grimace at the knowledge, "So I'm part of the firm now."

"Some people say they've bought my Government."

Pete laughed, "I've never heard anybody say that. Never," he winked and flashed a thumbs up, "You can trust me on this."

"I've tried your drink, that Vitex stuff," the President informed him, "It tastes like pop."

Pete shrugged, "Well, it is pop."

"You made money by selling a health food drink to a sick world. Not quite the ordinary Joe you appear to be, are you?"

Pete remained silent, unsure what to say to that.

The President sighed, "He does like to keep us waiting," he started towards the Zeppelin, Pete following him, "But tell me," he urged turning to Pete as he stopped at the bottom of the stairs descending from the Zeppelin, "You've had the chance to observe John Lumic more than most. What's your opinion?"

"He's very sharp, I'd say," Pete replied, weighing his words, "Sharp as ever. Very clever man. Brilliant, in fact."

"Then you don't think he's insane?"

"That's not the word I would've used, no."

"I see."

The President started up the stairs and into the Zeppelin. Pete following obediently behind.

*O*O*O*

Mickey walked along a Cybus Industries factory. He slowed a bit as he realised that there was roadblock ahead. Complete with armed soldiers. "Am I alright to get past?" he asked wondering what he could do if he wasn't.

"Yeah, no bother," the solider assured, "Curfew doesn't start until ten."

Mickey blinked in surprise, "There's a curfew?"

"Course there is," the solider stated incredulously, eyeing Mickey, "Where you been living, mate? Up there with the toffs?"

Mickey followed the soldier's gaze to the Zeppelins in the sky, "I wish," he snorted before walking past him towards the barricade, "See ya."

One of the soldiers lifted the barrier for him at his approach. Mickey passed him with a silent nod of thanks.

*O*O*O*

"Mickey's mum just couldn't cope," Rose began to explain as the three walked down a busy street, armed soldiers marching past on patrol, "His dad hung around for a while, but then he just sort of wandered off. He was brought up by his gran," she smiled at the memory of the woman. Ivy looked out over the street as she listened, remembering, "She was such a great woman. God, she used to slap him!" her smile faded, "Then she died. She tripped and fell down the stairs. It's about five years ago now. I was still in school."

"The great ones always leave to soon," Ivy murmured before she frowned, "I don't think his dad even showed up for the funeral."

"He didn't," Rose confirmed with a scowl at the thought of the man that had wandered off and never came back.

"I never knew," the Doctor mumbled with a frown.

"Well, you never asked," Rose pointed out.

"You never said!" the Doctor rebutted defensively, unable to help but feel a bit guilty now in hindsight over how he'd spoken to him earlier. How dismissive he'd been over what Mickey could possibly have to go searching for.

"Mickey doesn't really share," Ivy murmured. It was something she'd noticed especially after she'd moved in with Jackie and Mickey had been around so often. If you wanted to know something you had to ask.

"That's Mickey," Rose nodded, tucking some hair behind her ear as a gust of wind blew, "I s'pose I… we just… take him for granted," she glanced at the Doctor as she asked, "Do you think she's still alive, his gran?"

"Could be," the Doctor murmured with a shrug, "Like I said, parallel world, gingerbread house. We need to get out of here as fast as we can."

A short bleep-like alarm sounded and around them everyone suddenly froze and the trio looked around confused, "What are they all doing?" Rose asked with confusion.

"They've stopped…" the Doctor trailed.

"Stopped is putting it mildly," Ivy muttered – it was like someone had hit a pause button and the world around them had come to a halt.

The Doctor paused by one man, taking note of the flashing ear pod that was quietly beeping, "It's the earpieces… like Bluetooth attachments, but everyone's connected together."

Rose and Ivy's phones bleeped simultaneously. Rose pulled hers out, peering down at the alert, whilst the Doctor dug out Ivy's. the pinkette peering down at it to see what had pinged, "It's on our phones," Rose murmured.

Ivy hummed her agreement as she reached over the Time Lord's arm making no move to pull it from his grasp, briefly scrolling down the information that was trickling in as it downloaded onto the device.

"It's automatic, look. It's downloading. Is this what they're all getting?" Rose asked as the Doctor pulled out his spectacles and peered over Ivy's hand as she continued to scroll down screen, "News, International news, sports, weather."

"It's the daily broadcast," Ivy muttered.

"They get it direct. Downloaded right into their heads," the Doctor explained.

Ivy blanched, her hand falling away from her phone, "Directly into their heads," she parroted as she absorbed that information looking about at the still world around them again.

"TV schedules… lottery numbers…" Rose listed.

"Everyone shares the same information," the Doctor expounded, "Daily download published by Cybus Industries," he read just before the download scrolled down to a 'joke' and around them everyone laughed.

The trio stared at them nonplussed as the people who'd just been frozen picked up where they'd left off as if they'd never frozen at all.

"Oh-oh, that's creepy," Ivy muttered.

The Doctor shook his head, "You lot, you're obsessed," he muttered, "You'd do anything for the latest upgrade."

Rose shot him an indignant look, "Oi… not our lot," she gestured at herself and Ivy, "Different world, remember…"

"It's not so far off your world. This place is only parallel," the Doctor reminded them.

"Right," Ivy grimaced, before she levelled the Doctor with a serious look, "If our lot ever gets download direct into our heads…" she grimaced again as she glanced around the world that was still acting as if it hadn't just come to a complete stop as they got information downloaded into them, "Let's just go with – not happening."

"Yeah…" Rose muttered, arms crossing, "Let's file it right up there along with a door into the brain."

Ivy blinked, "A door…" she blanched heavily, "What?!"

"Yeah – it was a thing," Rose muttered with a grimace of her own at the memory. Looking away as her mind turned to the bloke she had such high hopes for and had them dashed completely. She honestly hadn't thought about him since then.

"Oh, look at that," the Doctor mused drawing his companions attention back to him as he held up Ivy's phone for the two of them to see, "Cybus Industries, owner of just about every company in Britain, including Vitex. Mr Pete Tyler's very well connected."

Rose gave him a look. Her eyes widening until she had the best puppy-dog eyes that she had in her arsenal.

He raised a brow at her in return attempting to remain indifferent, before he sighed, "Oh, ok," he huffed. Curiosity and soft heart be damned, "I give up," he tossed Ivy's phone to her, the pinkette catching it between both of her own, "Let's go and see him," he conceded and got a wide pleased beaming tongue in-teeth grin from the blond.

Ivy gave his arm a commiserating pat-pat. He'd done well holding out so long against the wilful stubbornness of a Tyler.

*O*O*O*

Mickey approached a rundown looking building on an equally rundown looking street. He hesitated briefly, before speeding up again and determinedly rattling the knocker three times, before he could change his mind.

His breath caught in his throat as an all too familiar voice called from inside. One he hadn't heard in far too long.

"Who's that there?" the voice demanded, before the woman opened the door, a white stick in hand and a pair of ear-pods in her ears, "Who is it? I know you're there," she frowned at the space before her. Staring ahead blindly, "Shame on you, tricking an old lady. I've got nothing worth stealing," she brandished her stick in the air threateningly, "And don't think I'm gonna disappear! You're not gonna take me!"

"Hi," Mickey managed to find his voice as he just stared at her. His gran.

Rita-Anne stopped in her tracks, her stick lowering, "Is that you?"

"It's me," Mickey breathed still overcome at the sight of her, "I came home."

She reached out, touching a hand to his face, trying to determine the familiar shape of his features, "Ricky?"

"It's Mickey."

"I know my own grandson's name," Rita-Anne huffed, not willing to put up with no fooling on his end, "It's Ricky. Now, come here."

Mickey fell into the hug gladly, holding her as tight as he dared, still hardly able to believe that she was here. Alive!

"Ok, I'm Ricky" he agreed easily. He didn't care what she called him, "Of course I am. Ricky, that's me."

She pushed him away before delivering a solid smack to his shoulder.

"Ow!"

"You stupid boy," she wacked him again, "Where have you been?!" she demanded to know. She'd been out of her mind and here he just turned up like he'd only been out for an hour!

"Ow!" Mickey cringed a little, "Stop hitting me!"

"It's been days and days!" she exclaimed wacking him three times for good measure, "I keep hearing all these stories. People disappearing off the streets. There's nothing on the official download," she pointed to her ear-pods, "But there're all these rumours, and… and whispers. I thought God had disappeared you!"

Mickey who'd stopped paying attention to her rant when his gaze caught on the ruined, torn up carpet on the stairs, found his voice, "That carpet on the stairs. I told you to get it fixed," he swallowed heavily, his voice trembling as it fought past the large lump in his throat, "You're gonna…" he closed his eyes tightly trying to fight back the memories of just that happening, "Fall and break your neck."

"Well," Rita-Anne huffed, "You get it fixed for me."

"I should'a done way back," Mickey muttered, why hadn't he done that? He should've, "I guess I'm just kinda useless."

"Now, I never said that."

"I am, though," he muttered his voice catching in his throat, tears burning the backs of his eyes, "And I'm sorry, gran. I'm so sorry."

Rita-Anne frowned, "Don't talk like that," she hushed him, "Do you know what you need? A nice sit down and a cuppa tea. You got time?"

"For you. I've got all the time in the world."

Rita laughed at that, "Oh, you say that, but it's all talk," she waved off, "It's those new friends of yours. I don't trust them."

"What friends are they?" Mickey asked both curious and confused. He'd never had friends that had concerned his gran back home.

"Don't pretend you don't know," Rita-Anne scolded, "You've been seeing them. Mrs Chan told me. Driving about all helter skelter in that van."

The sound of skidding tires sounded somewhere in the distance.

"What van's that, then?"

"You know full well! Don't play games with me."

A van did a handbrake turn into the road behind them, coming to a stop behind Mickey's turned back.

"Get inside!" Rita-Anne demanded with alarm. Not a moment before Mickey felt himself tugged backwards by a strong hand in his collar.

"I've been looking for your everywhere!" the young man that had him told him, before shoving Mickey into the van.

Rita grasped at the air in front of her even as she heard the sound of the engine roaring before a car door slammed and they drove off.

"Ricky! Ricky!" they'd gotten her grandson!

*O*O*O*

Jake frowned at his friend reprovingly as Mrs Moore drove off, "Ricky, you were the one who told us you don't contact your family 'cos it puts them in danger!"

"Yeah," Mickey nodded, tamping down on the urge to correct his name. This wasn't his gran who could call him whatever she wanted, "Ricky said that. Course I did, just testing."

"I saw them," Jake jumped straight into why they'd been searching for him, ignoring the somewhat weird statement, "I taped them! They went round Blackfriars gathering up the homeless like the child-catcher. They must've took four dozen."

"The vans were hired out to a company called International Electromatics," Mrs Moore informed him as she rounded a corner, "But I did a protocol search… turns out that's a dummy company established by guess who?"

Mickey stared at them quizzically as he was stared at expectantly. How was he supposed to know? "I dunno. Who?"

"Cybus Industries!" the two exclaimed in unison.

Mickey nodded along, pretending like he knew what the two were talking about.

"And now we've got evidence!" Jake grinned at Mrs Moore.

"Bad news is, they've arrested Thin Jimmy," Mrs Moore told Mickey, who blinked. Who? "So that just leaves you."

Mickey paused mid agreeable nod, "Leaves me what?"

"The number one," Jake declared proudly, "Top of the list. London's most wanted."

"Ok, cool," Mickey nodded, before pausing as he played the words back in his head, "Say that again?"

*O*O*O*

Inside Lumic's Zeppelin a presentation is underway. The diagrams on display demonstrating as Lumic's voice-over narrated.

"The most precious thing on the Earth is the human brain, and yet we allow it to die. But now Cybus Industries has perfected a way of sustaining the brain indefinitely within a cradle of copyrighted chemicals. And the latest advances in synapse research allows cyberkinetic impulses to be bonded onto a metal exoskeleton. This is the ultimate upgrade. Our greatest step into cyberspace."

"I'm sorry. Could we stop it there," the President interrupted, having seen more than enough. More than he'd wanted too.

Lumic wrenched his breathing apparatus away from his face affronted.

"I don't need the pitch," the President continued, "I think we all know what this 'ultimate upgrade' entails. And I'm here to tell you John, the answer is no," he stated firmly ignoring Lumic's grunt as he continued, "My government does not give you permission," he stood, "And I think no government ever will."

"I prepared a paper for the Ethical Committee."

"Oh, come on," the President huffed, ready to leave, and more than half tempted to just walk out now, "It's not just unethical. It's obscene."

"Mr President…" Lumic began, a touch of desperation entering his voice, "If I might make a personal plea. I am dying, sir."

The President's gaze softened a little at that, not unfeeling to the man's plight, but he had the entire country to consider, "I'm aware of that. And I am very sorry."

"Without this project, you have condemned me. My inventions have advanced this whole planet… would you have that perish?"

"You're a fine businessman, John, but you're not God," the President stated, "I'm really very sorry, but I think we should end it there," he turned to Pete, who'd remained wisely silent throughout the entire exchange, "Mr Tyler, I'll see you tonight."

Pete nodded.

"I think we could all do with a drink," he continued, "Mr Lumic," he turned and walked out of the room. A man in a white boiler suit following him out.

Lumic stared straight ahead horror-struck. He'd known that the Ethical Committee wouldn't agree with him, but the President. He'd thought that he'd be able to be swayed if not wholly convinced from the offset.

Pete stepped towards him, "Still," he murmured going for light-hearted, "It's not the only country in the world. There's always New Germany."

"This is my homeland. My birthplace," Lumic focused his gaze on him, "You may leave."

"Thank you, sir," Pete murmured before he turned and left without a backwards glance. Happy to be out of there.

Lumic waited a moment to ensure that he was alone, before he turned his wheelchair back to his computer screen, "Mr Crane?"

Said man's image appeared on the screen before him, "Ready and waiting, sir."

"Did the override work?"

"Well," Crane hedged slightly, "Needs a bit of fine tuning. We weren't exactly delicate, given the rush, but…"

*O*O*O*

"Er, yeah, yeah," Crane spoke over the din in the control room, "It's all working," he assured, "I've been testing the system, sir."

Behind him a row of the kidnapped homeless stood, lifeless, as the ear-pods affixed to their ears, flashed.

"They've grafted on a treat," Crane continued his explanation, "These have. Given a little persuasion. If you care to observe, sir…" he stepped away from the row to allow better visibility from the screen Lumic watched from. A control grasped in his hand, "And turn to the right…" he ordered the row of homeless people obeyed, "And back to left…"

They turned.

"Are you having fun, Mr Crane?" Lumic asked coldly.

"Oh, no, no, not at all, sir," Crane replied sheepishly, "It just, well, it uh… irresistible."

"Then resist," Lumic ordered. He didn't have time for such stupid displays of mediocrity, "And start the upgrade."

"Did we get permission?"

"I am governed by greater laws, old friend," Lumic dismissed, "The right of man to survive. Now begin!"

Crane stared at the screen for a moment as it turned to static as Lumic disconnected the call, before he turned back to the men, "And turn left…" he ordered, they turned, "Forward march…" they marched forward.

They marched through a door held open by one of the members of staff. The row of controlled people marching into the room that was illuminated with a red glow. And then, screams echoed back to them.

Crane winced from where he was leaned over a technicians shoulder peering at a computer screen, "Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Let's cover up that noise," Crane declared, "Uh, give us track number nineteen."

A Wimoweh – the Lion Sleeps Tonight played through the speakers not quite completely covering up the sound of blades and serrated cutting wheels slicing through the air in a whir of machinery. But enough for Crane to wander away from the computer contentedly as he focused on the music rather than the horror beyond the doors.

*O*O*O*

Jake hopped out of the van first as it pulled up outside a house. He peered through the night at the house, brow furrowed, "There's a light on. There's someone inside the base," he announced as Mickey hopped out of the van, "Mrs Moore," he palmed his gun, "We've got visitors."

The three snuck down the side of the house, Jake and Moore with guns at the ready. They crouched down outside the door.

"One… two… three… go!" they burst in through the door, guns at the ready.

Mickey's mouth fell open in a surprised gape as he took in the sight of this universes Mickey who stood in the room. And unimpressed frown on his face at the surprise they'd just given him.

"What the hell are you doing?!"

Jake and Mrs Moore looked from the 'Ricky' stood with them and the 'Ricky' stood across from them.

"What're you doing there?!" Jake demanded.

"What am I doing here?" Ricky parroted, before he walked towards them, eyeing his double distrustfully, "What am I doing there?" he demanded pointing his finger at the man that looked like him. But definitely wasn't him.

Jake and Mrs Moore swung their guns around, aiming them at Mickey. Who raised his hands, wide-eyed.

*O*O*O*

"They've got visitors," the Doctor observed as a stretched limo drove past the trio as the looked up at the Tyler property from where they were crouched amid some bushes. Safely out of sight of any potential security.

"Oh, wait," Ivy blinked and resisted the urge to facepalm, "Mickey said it was…"

"February the first," Rose finished with a little smile, "Mum's birthday. Even in a parallel universe, she still loves a party."

"Well, given Pete Tyler's guest list, I wouldn't mind a look," he dug into his pocket, "And there's one guaranteed way of getting inside," he waved the little wallet he'd pulled out of his pocket in the air at them.

Rose grinned in excitement, "Psychic paper."

"Who do you wanna be?"

Ivy bit her lip in thought, "Someone who can get away with coming to a birthday party without gifts?"

The Doctor and Rose blinked at her.

"Right," the Doctor mused, not having thought of that, glancing down at the psychic paper, "That narrows it down a bit."

Rose's smile faded a little – she suddenly had a bad feeling…

*O*O*O*

"We could've been anyone," Rose hissed as she kept a tray of canapes aloft as the high society guests milled about them.

"Got us in, didn't it?" the Doctor retorted as Ivy pulled the cap she'd donned as part of her uniform lower over her head, trying to obscure her face without looking like she was trying to obscure her face, "You'll be fine," he assured her having caught the movement out of the corner of his eye, "No one notices the wait staff."

"You're in charge of the psychic paper," Rose huffed at him, "We could've been guests," she insisted, "Celebrities. Sir Doctor, Dame Rose, Dame Ivy," surely celebrities would have been forgiven for not bringing gifts. Not catching the interaction between the Time Lord and her cousin. Too busy being incised over having to serve at what would've been in a perfect world her family, "We end up serving. Did enough of this back home."

"Yes," the Doctor huffed, shooting Rose a look, "Because that's exactly what we'd need. Ivy meeting Ivy in a crowded party and the chaos that'd cause."

"She could've hidden in the back," Rose rebutted half-heartedly. Before sighing out an irritated breath as she thought about it. Doing her best to quell her irritation, "Yes, alright. I get it," besides even if the other Ivy wasn't here. She wouldn't want to have to watch her mum fawn over her – either of them. Much as it pained her serving was probably best…

Ivy gave a polite smile as a guest took a champagne flute off her tray, a soft breath escaping her as she got ignored in return. Perhaps she should have gone back to the Tardis to wait – waiting, hoping not to be recognised by people who may or may not know her was stressful.

"Besides," the Doctor continued, pressing a calming hand to Ivy's lower back, "If you wanna know what's going on, work in the kitchens," he guided Ivy to the side of the room, the area a little less crowded. Rose following them with a small glower, "According to Lucy," he nodded towards a black man in a fine suit.

"Who's Lucy?" Rose cut in, searching the crowd with her eyes. Had his picked up another tag-a-long? It was bad enough knowing that he didn't want her. That he wanted her cousin, but to have to share him with another woman. An unknown woman was just… no. She refused. Why couldn't she and Mickey be enough?

The Doctor nodded in the direction of a young waitress on the other side of the room, "She's carrying the pinwheels."

"Oh, that's Lucy, is it?" Rose bit out, eyeing the offending woman with narrowed eyes.

Ivy sighed softly as she eyed her cousin. Possessive thy name was Rose. It still somewhat baffled her that Rose wanted her to remain on board the Tardis. She wasn't one that could ever share the things she considered hers with ease.

At one point in time. She'd been one of those things. She didn't think she was anymore.

"…Yeah," the Doctor nodded ignoring her tone with deft ease, "Lucy says, that's the President of Great Britian."

Ivy blinked, peering at the man the Time Lord had indicated, forgetting briefly her desire to keep a low profile in her surprise, "What?"

"What," Rose echoed a second later, "There's a President, not a Prime Minister?"

"Seems so."

Ivy shook her head a little bemused, "Parallel worlds be trippy."

"Or," Rose rolled her eyes, "Lucy's a bit thick."

Ivy shot her an unimpressed look, one that went ignored as Rose refused to turn her head to look at her as Pete stepped onto the staircase, moving up them so that he was easily visible by all his guests. The blonde's entire attention immediately captured by her dad.

"Excuse me!" Pete called and Ivy shifted slightly so that she was a little more hidden by the Doctor's frame, "Thank you very much. Thank you, if I could just have your attention, please?"

"Pete! Go on, Pete!" a man called from the crowd.

"Thank you very much!"

"It's about time you did some work."

"I thought you liked them young," another heckled.

Ivy bit back a groan as Rose moved closer to the stairs, the pinkette following behind the Doctor, not willing to be left without the safety of his back to hide behind if she needed too. Hoping that the Doctor was right that the people that took in this worlds Ivy wouldn't recognise her amongst the hired help.

"Um, I'd just like to say," Pete began the short speech he'd prepared for their guests, "Er, thank you to you all, for coming on this, er, this very special occasion," Rose stared at him just soaking him in now that she had an unobstructed view, "My wife's… thirty-ninth," the guests chortled. Pete flashed them his signature thumbs up, "Trust me on this…" the guests chortled louder in appreciative amusement, "So, without any further ado, here she is. The birthday girl… my lovely wife… Jackie Tyler."

Jackie who'd been waiting for her introduction, crested the top of the stairs in her elegant black skin-tight gown. She came to stand by Pete, the guests clapping, "Now, I'm not giving a speech, that's what my parties are famous for, no work, no politics, just a few good mates and plenty of black market whisky," the guests laughed again, Jackie's gaze landed on the President, "Pardon me, Mister President," she said through a light laugh, "So, yeah!" her gaze scanning over her guests with a beaming grin, "Get on with it," she urged, her gaze locking in on a light shade of pink, "Enjoy," she continued peering at the young woman that was attempting to hide behind a taller man, "Enjo…" she trailed as she caught a glimpse of the young woman's face as she shifted a little, "Oh," she breathed, "You little snit!"

Ivy cautiously peeked around the Doctor's back, hoping that the woman wasn't talking to her. Upon seeing the woman's gaze locked on her she swallowed and pointed to herself, hoping to convey confusion and not fear of what exactly was about to happen.

"Yes, you!" Jackie huffed, "What're you hiding back there for?!" she whirled on her husband, "Did you two plan this?!" she demanded to know.

Whilst behind her back Ivy shot the Doctor a look of 'what the hell do I do?' To which he tugged at his ear a little helplessly.

Pete held his hands up, "I'm as shocked as you are, Jacks."

"Oohph!" Jackie huffed, "I hate surprises!" she groused more good naturedly then anything, before she turned back to her guests. Her gaze immediately going to Ivy and frowned to see her still stood where she had been, "Well, get up here!" she demanded.

Ivy shot another look at the Doctor, what the hell was she supposed to do? He'd told her with all confidence that she wouldn't be recognised!

The Doctor stared at her a little helplessly, before simply shrugging and nodding towards the stairs encouragingly. Best to just go with the flow.

Ivy swallowed and started forward, not daring to look at Rose who had yet to move since she'd been recognised.

"Ooh," Jackie huffed lowly as she came down the stairs, stopping at the bottom, waiting expectantly as Ivy slowly came up to her, "What have you done to yourself?" she questioned, "The ginger was bad enough. But pink?" she pulled the serving cap off her head, before smoothing her hands down the soft strands.

Ivy blinked, ginger? Did this worlds Ivy choose ginger as her dye of choice… the Ivy of this world dyed her hair too?

"Surprise…?" Ivy offered after a moment's hesitation. How did this worlds Ivy interact with Jackie and Pete.

Jackie let out another huff, "Gonna give me conniptions, you will," she cupped Ivy's cheeks in her palms, "Did you really think you'd be able to pull one over me? I raised you sweetheart. It'd take more than pink hair and a servants get up to fool these eyes."

Ivy let out a small oof as she was pulled into a hug, her own arms tentatively coming up around the older woman. Her gaze seeking out the Doctor's only to find no help there as he gave her a little shrug.

Whilst Rose, she noted with a sinking heart was staring stone-faced.

"Right," Jackie smiled pulling back, "Let's get you out of that get up and into something nice!" she beamed, "And when you get back, I expect to hear all about that fancy school that you insisted on attending. And don't think we won't be having words about trying to pull one over on me. You know I hate surprises!"

Ivy looked out towards the Doctor again wide eyed. She had no idea where her room in this place was supposed to be! And school? What school?

"Go on shoo!" Jackie insisted, before clicking her fingers at one of the household staff, "Make sure she gets there. I don't want no more surprises tonight!"

Ivy shot a last look at the Doctor over her shoulder as she was led away by one of the well-meaning staff – who was mumbling about being happy to have the 'young miss home.'

"My Ivy," Jackie stated loud and proudly, "She's gonna be a hot shot lawyer once she's finished her schooling… now, quit your staring!" Jackie called to her guests, "I've been talking long enough!" the guests chuckled, before clapping as she ended with, "Enjoy! Enjoy!"

Pete stared after the young woman he considered a daughter. His Chickpea. Glad she was here and yet, also surprised. It wasn't like her to not include him in her plans… and the weather. The weather had been bad. Had she actually caught a flight down earlier? His gaze turned to Jackie and caught the look she was giving him. Yeah, there wasn't a chance he could get away with ducking out of the party to speak to her. He'd have to wait until she came back down.

The Doctor tore his gaze away from Ivy's retreating back to look down at the blond at his side as she let out a low shaky breath, "Rose…"

"…I know," Rose mumbled a small bite to her tone, her throat feeling tight. God, that had been painful just like she'd known it would be, "It's not her fault," she stated more to remind herself. It wasn't even her Ivy. It was this worlds Ivy who'd been essentially raised by her parents – got the life she always wanted. The life that she should have had with her mum and her dad together and happy.

The Doctor blinked that wasn't quite what he'd been – but that was good. He eyed her as she stared at Jackie and Pete. A lost little girl look on her face that he recognised from a lifetime ago when all she'd wanted to do was see her dad, "You can't stay," he murmured, "Even if there was some way of telling them."

Rose swallowed, "Course I can't," she acknowledged, "I've still got mum at home. My real mum. I couldn't just leave her, could I. It's just…" she swallowed again, wishing things had worked out when she'd managed to save her dad. That the Doctor had managed to save the world and the change could've stayed, "They've got each other," she nodded towards this worlds Pete and Jackie, "Mum's got no one."

"She's got you! Those two haven't!" the Doctor told her firmly.

'No,' Rose thought, 'Instead they've got Ivy,' she shook her head trying to shake the bitter thought away. This worlds Ivy had lost her parents when she was seven. She should be glad that this worlds version of her cousin had somewhere to go that was full of love. Just why couldn't she be here? Why hadn't they had her?

The Doctor sighed, tugging at his ear as he looked around the guests, "All these different worlds, not one of them gets it right."

"Rose!" Jackie suddenly called and a series of yips and yelps came in response, "There's my little girl!" Jackie cooed as a small dog came into sight pottering over to Jackie, "Come to mummy, come to mummy!" she encouraged picking up the small dog, cradling her in her arms, "Yes, good girl! Good girl, aren't you?"

The Doctor couldn't help it, he laughed. He glanced back over at Rose to see that she was giving him a withering look, "Sorry," he muttered a bit sheepishly, but couldn't quite smother his amused grin.

Rose let out a low huff, arms crossing over her chest as she eyed the small yappy thing that her mum was smothering with love. She'd have thought it cute… except. It had her name. Her mum had given her name to a dog!

*O*O*O*

"Platoon zero two now boarding," A metallic voice announced as Crane walked outside the factory, "Platoon zero two now boarding."

"Stop staring," Crane ordered one of the drivers as the newly minted cybermen marched past them in an orderly line.

"Who are they, sir?" the driver couldn't help but ask, trying to tear his eyes away from the disquieting sight of the metal men.

"I'm told they're the future," Crane replied, "Ain't technology wonderful? Go on, get in the cab. Start her up."

"Sir."

Crane's phone rang as the driver left to do what he was told. He answered and Lumic's voice immediately filled his ears, "Mr Crane, are we mobile?"

"Just about to hit the road, sir. And yourself?"

"I'm arriving, Mr Crane," Lumic replied, and Crane looked up to see the large Zeppelin flying in, "Prepare the factory. Now, send them forth, old friend. Let the good work begin."

*O*O*O*

Mickey sat, tied to a chair and stripped to his boxes under a painted ceiling, fighting the urge to shift uncomfortably as he was circled and scanned.

"He's clean," Jake declared, "No bugs."

"But this is off the scale," Ricky exclaimed as he stared at what could be his identical twin, "He's flesh and blood. How did that happen?"

"Well," Mrs Moore began, "It could be that Cybus Industries have perfected the science of human cloning…? Or your father had a bike."

Ricky glared at Mickey menacingly and circled him, "And your name is Mickey, not Ricky?"

"Mickey," he confirmed, "Dad was Jackson Smith. Used to work at the key cutters in Clifton's Parade. Went to Spain, never came back."

"But," Ricky bent down to get a closer look at Mickey, "That's my dad. So… we're brothers?"

"Be fair," Jake muttered, "What else could it be?"

"I don't know," Ricky frowned still eyeing Mickey, "But he doesn't just look like me, he is exactly the same. There's something else going on here, Jake."

"So," Mickey started, feeling that it was now safe to pose a question as some of the tension left the room, "Who are you lot?"

"We?" Ricky straightened and started circling the chair again, "We are the Preachers. As in Gospel Truth. You see?" he gestured to his ears, "No ear-plugs. While the rest of the world downloads from Cybus Industries, we, we have got freedom. You're talking to London's Most Wanted. But target number one is Lumic, and we are going to bring him down."

Mickey blinked, "From your kitchen?"

Jake smirked.

Ricky frowned again, "Have you got a problem with that?"

"No, it's a good kitchen."

A bleep came from the laptop.

"It's an upload from Gemini," Mrs Moore announced.

"Who's Gemini?" Mickey asked.

"The vans are back," Moore read, Mickey question going ignored, "They're moving out of Battersea. Looks like Gemini was right. Lumic's finally making a move."

"And we're right behind him," Ricky stated with determination, "Pack up," he ordered, "We're leaving."

*O*O*O*

Ivy sighed as she slipped on the elegant pale blue dress she'd chosen out of the wardrobe of her parallel self.

It felt wrong to pick through the other woman's wardrobe, but she didn't wanna know what would happen if she bumped into anyone after she left this room still in her waitress getup. She sighed out a low breath and sat down on the end of the bed – looking about the room of her parallel self. It was everything she'd wanted back home with only a few minor changes. The joy of growing up with a lot of money.

She shook her head. The Tardis had given her, her dream room and she couldn't be happier with it. What this Ivy had was unimportant. She pulled the off-white shoes with low chunky heels she'd chosen towards her. She'd learned her lesson last time. If she had to choose a heel it was going to low and sturdy as possible.

Just in case she had to run.

*O*O*O*

The lorry with its metal men aboard drove past the base. The Preachers van following as Ricky put pressure on the gas pedal.

In the back the Preachers checked their weapons. Jake shooting Mrs Moore a grin and she loaded her weapon. Whilst Mickey sat and watched, slightly anxious.

*O*O*O*

The Doctor detached himself from the milling guests as they spoke amongst themselves, easily slipping out a door into the dark corridor beyond without notice. He strolled down it, the voices of the guests getting fainter.

*O*O*O*

The Doctor paused in his walk his eyes curiously taking in the framed pictures that decorated the walls. A small fond smile as his gaze alighted on one in particular. The sound of heeled steps coming towards him had him mentally preparing excuses for why he was so far from the kitchens and the guests.

"I see you've found a way to cheat after all," Ivy's softly accusing voice had him smiling all the wider as he turned. Prepped excuses forgotten.

"Ah well," the Doctor tugged his ear as Ivy stepped towards him, "Wasn't exactly my intention when I started wandering."

"Well, guess I don't really need this anymore," she mused reaching for the fascinator she'd added to her look to help hide her regrowth. The damn thing hadn't wanted to sit comfortably against her scalp.

The Time Lord watching with a smile as she set the fascinator down on an end table set against a wall, "So, blond."

Ivy nodded, "Like every other Prentice I've ever met."

"It suits you."

"Thanks."

"So," the Doctor cleared his throat, sensing that she wanted to move the conversation along, "What brings you to this lonely corridor of chateau Tyler."

Ivy shrugged, "Got lost."

The Doctor arched a brow at her, lips curved into a small smile.

"And snooping," she admitted, "I started snooping and got lost. I was curious. I've never lived in a mansion, and no one was interested in stopping me so…" she trailed off with another shrug, this one more sheepish.

The Doctor's smile grew into a grin, "It just so happens that I too am snooping."

"Shocking."

He offered an arm, "Would you care to join me?"

"How could I refuse?" Ivy remarked with a small laugh, accepting his arm, before glancing about the corridor, "Where's Rose?"

"Ah," the Doctor tugged at his ear a little uncomfortably, hoping that the blond hadn't gotten herself into any trouble, "She uh, wanted a moment to herself."

"Right," Ivy intoned, biting her lower lip.

"You look, lovely. By the way," he told her as they started down the corridor again.

"Thanks," Ivy murmured looking down at the dress she'd chosen again, "I just hope this isn't one of her favourites. Dunno how I'm gonna get it back to her."

The Doctor let out a small hum, tucking her hand more firmly into the crook of his elbow, "We'll think of something."

The Doctor drew them to a halt, glancing back at the slightly open door that they'd passed, catching a glow out of the corner of his eye. He grinned as he spied the source, a laptop sitting open on a desk.

He led them in, closing the door behind them. The click of the latch sounding a little loud to Ivy's ears in the otherwise office they'd stepped into.

"Oh," the Doctor breathed out as they came around the desk and stood in front of the laptop. His gaze taking in the screensaver that was taking up the screen. A picture of Jackie, Pete and Ivy. A little younger than the one stood beside him if he had to judge. He smiled fondly, "You make a cute ginger too."

Ivy blinked in at the image taking it in, "It doesn't look bad," she allowed, fingering the ends of her own hair briefly. Ginger had been a brief thought for her, before she'd settled on the shade of pink she now sported.

The Doctor's fond smile turned into a bright grin, both fond and amused as his gaze went to illuminated by the glow of the laptop framed picture situated with pride on the desk, "You did rock pigtails."

Ivy stiffened, "What…?" her gaze shooting the frame that the Doctor had now picked up and was looking at with a wide grin. She snatched it on auto-pilot, catching a glimpse of her awkward 12-year old self complete with gangly limbs and braces. So much for him never seeing a picture of her awkward pigtails and braces stage, "Ugghh," she huffed, ignoring the Doctor's pout as she set it firmly face down on the desk, "Focus."

"…Right," the Time Lord cleared his throat as he pulled out his brainy specs. Placing them over his eyes as he wiggled the mouse. Interrupting the screensaver and revealing an open screen instead of one requesting a password. He smiled.

*O*O*O*

Rose watched Jackie laugh with the man that was apparently the President and not the Prime Minister.

"I remember her twenty first," Pete said as he came up alongside Rose, his eyes on his wife, "Pint of cider in the George."

Rose stared for a moment, before gathering herself, "Sorry. Champagne?" she offered, hoping that she sounded natural.

"Oh, I might as well," he smiled, "I'm paying for it!"

Rose laughed with Pete, silently revealing in having a conversation with her dad, "It's a big night for you…"

Pete swallowed his sip of champagne, "Well, for her…" he continued to watch Jackie enjoying herself, "Still, she's happy."

"Yeah, she should be," Rose smiled at her mum, before returning her gaze to her dad, "It's a great party."

Pete blinked at her, more touched than was warranted over the opinion of a stranger, "Do you think?"

Rose flashed him a thumbs up and a grin in imitation of his poster, "You can trust me…!"

"You can trust me on this," he corrected her lightly.

"That's it, sorry, yeah!" Rose rambled a little the two sharing another laugh, the blond unable to stop her grin in that moment, "So, um," she began trying to make the question sound natural and not awkward in her desire to find out more. Find out why… "How long have you two been married?"

"Twenty years."

Rose swallowed, heart beating uncomfortably against her sternum, "And no kids, or…"

"There's Ivy," Pete replied, "Not that we'd ever think to replace her parents."

"Right. Course," Rose muttered, taking a breath before trying again, "But no…"

"No," Pete cut in seeing where she was going, "We kept putting it off. She said she didn't want to spoil her figure and then there was Ivy…"

"It's not to late," Rose encouraged, "She's only forty," there was still plenty of time for them to have her… of course what would they name her? She looked away with a tiny frown, they'd given the dog her name.

"Thirty-nine."

"Oh right," Rose smiled with mild amusement, "Thirty-nine!"

Pete chuckled as Rose grinned, "It's still too late…" he admitted, and Rose found her smile fading as he continued, "I moved out last month. We're gonna keep it quiet. You know, bad for business," he divulged. A beat of silence passed between them. Pete eyeing her as she nodded, a frown pulling down his brow, "Why am I telling you all this?" he muttered bewildered at himself, "We haven't met before, have we?" he questioned and Rose stared at him with baited breath – waiting hoping for him to recognise her like he'd managed to do before when she'd saved him, "I dunno," he muttered as he peered at her something niggling at him, "You just seem sot of…"

"What?" she encouraged, eyes wide and hopeful.

Pete considered her for a moment longer, that niggle persisting, "I dunno," he muttered unable to place it, "Just sort of… right," he managed. There was a beat of silence between them and he shifted uncomfortable now under the girls gaze. His gaze caught on a familiar figure and he took the chance to move away, "Stevey!" he called leaving Rose to stare after him disappointed and resigned of course he couldn't recognise her. He didn't have a biological daughter in this world. Just a cousin through marriage that he'd adopted, "How's things? How's it going at Torchwood?"

*O*O*O*

Ricky and Jake crouched down in amongst some bushes outside the Tyler mansion watching as some men dressed in white get out of the back of a lorry, "I don't know what they're doing, but they seem to be the target," Ricky reported speaking into a walkie-talkie, "Big house, fair bit of money. Now we just have to find a way to get in."

*O*O*O*

"I've identified the address," Mrs. Moore informed Mickey the pair of them still in the van, "It belongs to Pete Tyler, the Vitex millionaire."

Mickey stilled swallowing heavily, "Pete Tyler?" he questioned hoping that he'd heard wrong.

Mrs. Moore nodded, "He's listed as one of Lumic's henchmen. A traitor to the state."

Mickey stared at her wide eyed with shock, "But… but… we've gotta get in there!" he exclaimed with concern just knowing that Rose would have found a way inside. Her and the Doctor and Ivy… all three inside and non the wiser as to what was about to go down.

*O*O*O*

Ricky frowned a bit exasperated, "Now, shut it duplicate," he spoke into the walkie-talkie again, "That's what I just said," he muttered as a ramp was let down from the back of the lorry, the sound of heavy metal feet marching followed. Ricky frowned at the lorry, "What are they doing…?" he murmured just as the source of the heavy footsteps marched down the extended ramp and onto the gravel, "What the hell are they?" he breathed. Ricky and Jake stayed huddled in the bushes just watching for a moment, before they retreated as quickly and quietly as they could, neither wanting to get caught.

*O*O*O*

"Ooh, what do we have here," the Doctor mused as he came across an important looking file. Ivy peering silently at the screen as he clicked into it, bringing up a presentation that immediately began to play.

"The most precious thing on this Earth is the human brain…" the voice over began, diagrams already beginning to shift on the screen.

*O*O*O*

Rose glanced through a window and spotted her mum sitting alone on a patio bench out on the porch. She took a fortifying breath before turning from the window and heading for the door instead. A moment later she was stepping out onto the porch still holding the tray of champagne as a ready excuse for her presence, "Mrs. Tyler, is there anything I can get you?" she asked, hopeful for the chance for an opening.

Jackie glanced over at her, "The last twenty years back," she said with a short, tired laugh. That had a tinge of bitterness.

Rose gave her a slightly uncertain smile, "I can manage a glass of champagne… or a nice cup of tea?" she offered.

"Oh, that'd do me!" Jackie said with a smile and a more genuine laugh that Rose joined in with a light chuckle.

Rose, seeing her chance, chanced sitting down on the bench next to her mum, still holding her tray filled with champagne flutes, "My mum loves that," she commented, "End of a long night she never goes straight to bed, she always stays up just to have that last cup of tea."

"Oh, I'm the same!" Jackie replied.

Rose stared at her, "Two sugars…"

Jackie nodded laughing lightly, "And me! Pete always says, you know…" she trailed and shook her head, "Ah, never mind him."

Rose swallowed heavily, seeing her chance and seizing before she could lose her nerve. She had to try she couldn't let them end like this. They were perfect together, "I was talking to him earlier," she murmured glancing out over the porch a touch awkwardly, "He's a nice man. You know, a bit of a Jack the Lad, I s'pose, even if he has got money, but…" Jackie started to frown at the younger woman, "He's a good bloke. Better than most," she turned her hopeful eyes back to her mum, "He's worth a second chance."

Jackie's frown turned into a scowl as her gaze turned sharp with indignance, "Are you commenting on my marriage?" she asked coldly.

Rose blinked rather taken aback, her mum had never spoken to her like that before. Had never looked at her like she was a little bit of nothing, "No, I was just…"

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Jackie demanded, "Your staff! You're nothing but staff, you're just the serving girl, for God's sake," Rose swallowed thickly and looked away rather hurt as Jackie rained her tirade down on her head, "And you are certainly not getting paid. Don't you dare talk to me."

Jackie got up and stalked back inside without another glance at the serving girl that had dared to comment on her personal life.

Rose stared after her as her back disappeared through the door, she looked away miserably, that hadn't gone how she'd wanted it to at all… in fact she was scared that she may have just unintentionally made it worse. She'd only wanted… wanted them to be together even if they never had a her to complete their little family unit…

Suddenly, a floodlight snapped on and Rose squinted against the harsh glare, peering through it with difficulty to see rows of marching figures approaching each step accompanied by an ominous 'boom'.

*O*O*O*

"Oh my God," Ivy breathed horrified as she stared at the shifting diagrams the voice over washing over her. Giving her chills. Deep seated chills. She didn't understand everything it was saying – but she understood enough.

"This is the ultimate upgrade," the voice continued, "Our greatest step into cyberspace."

"Cybus…" the Doctor muttered with horror as realisation sank in.

"Doctor…?" Ivy questioned, "They can't…" she gestured helplessly towards the continuing presentation. The horrifying spectacle of proposed advancement continuing to play, "Can they…?"

He gripped her hand, his own trembling slightly before he tore his gaze from the screen, "We've got to find Rose."

He took off from the room at quick clip. Ivy hastening to keep up. The Time Lord's mind spinning. How far along was it? Was there enough time to stop it?

Ivy swallowed heavily, the deep seat chill she'd been feeling as they watched the presentation, somehow deepening into fear at the Time Lord's obvious horror.

*O*O*O*

Rose stood staring at the large approaching figures with squinted eyes for a moment longer, before she turned on her heel and dashed back inside. She had to find the Doctor and her cousin and God, where was Mickey?

*O*O*O*

The Doctor and Ivy moved through the party guests, the pair searching for Rose in amongst them. They spotted her as she moved through the crowd, eyes searching. The three met by one of the many windows. The Doctor pressed his face against the glass, staring out at the approaching large metal figures. Their shape all too familiar to his eyes, "It's happening again," he murmured with mounting horror at the sight… he was too late.

"Are those…" Ivy trailed horrified, recognising the design of the heads of the marching metal men that were to all appearances storming the mansion. The presentations voice over still fresh in her mind.

Rose frowned at them, what had she missed while she'd been trying and failing to stop her family from falling apart, "What do you mean?"

"I've seen them before," the Doctor replied still gazing through the window.

"What are they?" Rose asked him.

"They- they look like robots," Ivy breathed wide-eyed, feeling sick. How could anyone want to do this to themselves.

The Doctor swallowed as he continued to stare at his old enemy. One he'd dearly hoped to never see again, "Cybermen."

No sooner had he named them then metal fists smashed through large French full body length windows in another wall, and the guests screamed in shock and alarm. Cybermen marched into the mansion, row after row of them, and all the Doctor, Ivy and Rose could do was stare in horror as they and the cowering guests were forced back as the Cybermen herded them until they were up against a wall, completely surrounded.

The Presidents communication device bleeped, breaking the horrified silence that had fallen over the guests, "Mr. Lumic," the President spoke as he answered it with a tap against the earpiece, distaste colouring his tone.

"Mr. President," Lumic replied, his voice loud and clear in the room, "I suppose a remark about crashing the party would be appropriate at this point," he laughed smugly at his own joke, the sound ringing around the room.

The President gritted his teeth angrily, "I forbade this!"

"These are my children, sir. Would you deny my family?" came Lumic's response.

"What are they?" Rose asked under her breath, "Robots?"

Ivy shook her head, eyes locked on the Cybermen that had them cornered, "If only."

"Worse than that," the Doctor replied lowly as he glanced about the room, the Cybermen that had them surrounded… no way out that he could see… trapped. He shifted slightly, putting as much of Ivy behind him as he could without provoking a response from the Cybermen. It wasn't much but… it was something until he could figure them away out of this, and he'd have too. He couldn't bear to have Ivy end up… he cut the thought off.

"Who were these people?" the President demanded.

"Doesn't matter," Lumic replied dismissively.

Rose swallowed heavily, "They're people?" she gasped with horror.

"They were. Until they had all their humanity taken away," the Doctor replied.

Ivy shivered, that part hadn't been covered in the presentation.

"That's a living brain jammed inside a cybernetic body," the Time Lord continued, "With a heart of steel. All emotions removed," he elaborated for his companions and Ivy felt herself swallowing past a lump in her throat.

"Why no emotions?" Rose asked.

"Because it hurts," the Doctor replied.

"That… that makes a horrifying kind of sense," Ivy muttered.

"I demand to know, Lumic. These people, who were they?" the President demanded, his voice rising in his growing anger.

"They were homeless, wretched and useless until I saved them," Lumic responded.

Ivy let out a shaky breath as another horrifying realisation hit at that specific wording, "They weren't given a choice…" she swallowed, clutching a little at the back of the Doctor's coat without realising she'd even lifted her arms, "Were they…"

"And elevated them. And gave them life-eternal. And now, I leave you in their capable hands. Goodnight, sir. Goodnight, Mr. President."

Lumic hung up and one of the Cybermen stepped forward towards the crowd, "We have been upgraded," it stated.

"Into what?" the Doctor asked.

"The next level of mankind," the Cyberman responded, "We are Human Point Two. Every citizen will receive a free upgrade. You will become like us."

"I'm sorry," the President stepped forward, approaching the Cyberman, "I'm so sorry for what's been done to you," he turned and walked around, "But listen to me, this experiment ends. Tonight," he stated.

"Upgrading is compulsory," the Cyberman responded.

"And if I refuse?" the President asked.

"Don't!" the Doctor quickly interjected warningly, and Ivy and Rose tore their gazes from what was happening to glance at him.

"What if I refuse?" the President insisted.

The Doctor stepped forward, Ivy releasing her grip on his coat, blinking in surprise at her arm even as she allowed it to fall back to her side, "I'm telling you, don't."

"What happens if I refuse?" the President insisted, ignoring him as he stared resolutely at the poor souls before him.

"Then you are not compatible," the Cyberman stated.

The President frowned, "What happens then?" he challenged.

"You will be deleted," the Cyberman stated and in the next second the Cyberman had grasped the President by the neck, the man's eyes widening in shock and alarm.

Ivy reached out blindly her eyes locked on what was happening in front of them, her hand finding Rose's the blond gripping her hand tightly in return as she too stared with wide horrified eyes as electricity suddenly shot through the Presidents body, killing him. The guests screamed in terror as the other Cybermen started forward, reaching for them with the intent to kill them all.

"Jackie?! Jackie?!" Pete Tyler shouted for his wife, trying to get to her, but was overwhelmed by the chaos as the guests attempted to flee.

The Doctor swiftly turned and grabbed Ivy's hand pulling both of his companions into motion, Rose's hand still clutched tightly in Ivy's. The three running out of the house through one of the windows the Cybermen had broken.

"There's nothing we can do!" the Doctor shouted as they made it outside, as Rose pulled free of Ivy's grip, ready to charge back in.

"My mum's in there!" Rose shouted desperately, moving to run back towards the mansion.

"Rose!" Ivy shouted with alarm even as the Doctor lunged past her, grabbing Rose before she could manage more than two steps.

"She's not your mother!" he reminded her and Rose let out a strangled sound from somewhere in her throat, "Come on!" he urged, hurrying them on.

They ran up a grassy slope only for a row of Cybermen to appear in the distance, calming marching forward.

They turned and ran back the way they had come, along the side of the house approaching the set of broken windows again, just as Pete Tyler leapt out one of them.

"Quick! Quick!" Rose shouted at him as they dashed by and Pete ran after the three, his heart heavy in his chest with the knowledge that he'd failed to find Jackie… even as he felt relief at seeing his Chickpea safe and sound.

*O*O*O*

Jackie let out a terrified shriek as one of the Cybermen spotted her and she turned on her heel and fled down the corridor, heart pounding as she heard the sound of its heavy footsteps as it pursued her.

She made it to a flight of stairs. She hurried down them and into the cellar hoping to lose the monstrosity that was chasing her.

The Cyberman approached the steps, and started down them, stomping steadily down the steps…

*O*O*O*

"Pete, is there no way out!" the Doctor shouted as they reached the front of the house, looking around frantically for a possible exit.

"The side gates!" Pete shouted, pointing in the gates general direction and the four took off in the direction he'd indicated, "Who are you? How do you know so much?" he asked as they ran, "And how do you know Ivy?!"

"You wouldn't believe it in a million years…" the Doctor started only to trail as another row of Cybermen appeared marching towards them, forcing them to change direction once again.

"Who's that?" Rose asked as they spotted two figures running across the lawn towards them, armed with guns.

"Get behind me!" Ricky shouted the demand at the group they'd seen fleeing, he and Jake aiming their guns at the advancing Cybermen, opening fire at the metallic men the moment they'd gotten out of the line of fire. The bullets bounced rather harmlessly off the metal, but still the Cybermen came to a halt.

Ivy gave 'Mickey' a relieved smile, "Glad you're ok!"

Rose fussed with 'Mickey's' jacket, "Oh my God, look at you…" she breathed overcome with relief, before she threw her arms around him hugging him tightly, much to Ricky's bewilderment, "I thought I'd never see you again!"

Ricky pulled away from the tight grip with a slight effort, the blond was stronger than she looked, "Yeah, no offence, sweetheart, but who the hell are you?" he asked much to Rose's bewilderment as she stared up at him surprised and hurt at the reaction.

"Oh…" Ivy blinked not noticing the strange look Pete was giving her as he glanced from the young black man, he'd never met to Ivy who seemed to know him, "Are you not…"

"Rose!" They heard a familiar voice shout and they turned.

"That's not me!" Mickey said as he came to a stop in front of them, Rose blinked, looking from one to the other wide-eyed, a bit thrown by the sight, "That's like…" Mickey shot Ricky a brief look, "The other one," he explained with a bit of an awkward mumble.

"Oh, that's… odd," Ivy settled on. Suddenly very glad she hadn't run into her parallel self as she took them both in – knowing that they were both Mickey.

"Oh, as if things weren't bad enough," the Doctor grumbled as he too stared at the pair, "There's two Mickey's!"

"It's Ricky!" the one that was giving the Doctor a dark scowl corrected, and the Doctor blinked a bit in genuine surprise, lips beginning to twitch despite the situation, even as he gave a small nod of acknowledgement.

"But there's more of them…" Mickey pointed out as he looked about in terror.

Ivy stiffened as she looked around, heart pounding against her rib cage as she saw avenues of escape rapidly disappearing as the Cybermen marching towards them at a steady unwavering pace, their heavy footsteps getting louder and louder, the earth begin to vibrate beneath their feet slightly as the Cybermen got closer and closer.

"We're surrounded…" Rose breathed fearfully, and Ricky raised his gun ready to open fire once more on the metal men.

"Put the guns down," the Doctor said in response, "Bullets won't stop them," he told them, only for Jake to ignore him as he opened fired at the Cybermen again. It had brought them to a stop before. The Doctor stiffened and shot out an arm, hand closing around the gun pushing it down, scowling, "No! Stop shooting, now!" he demanded angrily, before he straightened and turned to face the Cybermen that were surrounding them, "We surrender!" he called to Cybers, "Hands up…" he murmured raising his own, hoping that the 'Mickey-Ricky' and his gun happy friend wouldn't give him any further trouble.

Ivy, Rose and Mickey raised their hands in surrender, Pete's, Ricky's and Jake's following a bit more slowly as they glanced a bit warily at the man that seemed to know a lot about what was happening.

"There's no need to damage us, we're good stock," the Doctor addressed the Cybermen once again, using the last idea he had, buying them time, "We volunteer for the upgrade program. Take us to be processed."

"You are rogue elements," one of the Cybermen responded.

"But we surrender," the Doctor insisted staring in mounting disbelief at the Cybermen, hearts hammering in his chest.

"You are incompatible," the Cyberman stated.

"But this is a surrender!" the Doctor insisted.

"You will be deleted."

"But we're surrendering! Listen to me, we surrender!" the Doctor shouted, frantic now. Itching to move to cover Ivy as little good as it would do in the end if they attacked.

"You are inferior. Man will be reborn as Cyberman, but you will perish under maximum deletion," the Cyberman informed them.

The Cyberman raised its arm, reaching for the Doctor and Ivy stared with wide horrified eyes, heart lodged in her throat, as she far too easily, recalled the electricity that had been sent coursing through the President with a single touch, killing him…

"Delete. Delete. Delete!"