Age of Steel

Disclamer: See Chapter 1.

We were outside the Tyler Mansion and surrounded by Cybermen. They were going to 'Delete' us. My uncle wanted us to surrender so we could get inside the Cybermen upgrade facility. But, obviously, whoever was making this version of Cybermen were too smart to fall for that. I knew that the sonic screwdriver would have little effect on the large group of Cybermen surrounding us. Then I had an idea… it was a long shot but if it worked we would live to continue to fight. I quickly reached in the pocket of my dress, took the TARDIS power cell, and pointed it at the Cyberman standing directly in front of my uncle. I pressed a button on the cell and a golden beam of energy came out of it at struck the Cyberman on the chest. It then bounced to all the Cybermen around us and soon they were nothing more than I piled of dust surrounding us.

"What the hell was that?" asked Ricky.

"We'll have that instead," said The Doctor, "Run!"

We started to run when a large blue van driven by an older woman drove up with horn honking, "Everybody, in!" said the woman.

We all headed for the van except for Pete he made a run for the house but my uncle stopped him, "I've got to go back. My wife's in there." said Pete.

"Anyone inside that house is dead," said The Doctor, "If you want to help, then don't let her die for nothing. You've got to come with us right now." Pete nodded and went with my uncle to the van.

"Come on! Get a move on!" said the female driver.

I was about to get in when I saw Rose just standing there staring at the house. I went up to her and said, "Rose, she's not your mother."

"I know."

"Come on…"

We went to the van and started to get in. As we did the driver said, "Finished chatting?! Never seen a slower getaway in my life!"

Then we started to head back to London. Ricky was sitting in the front with the driver and his comrade. while the rest of us sat in back. I was looking at the power cell in my hand. I was really happy that we found it still active this morning in the TARDIS. Without it… we all would have been dead. I smiled. Even though the TARDIS wasn't active right now… it was still protecting us. Ricky was looking at me through the grating that separated the front from the back of the van. "What was that thing?" he asked.

"Little bit of technology from my home," I responded.

"It's stopped glowing. Has it run out?" asked Mickey.

I shook my head, "It's on a revitalizing loop," I put the power cell in my pocket, "It'll charge back up in about four hours."

"Right. So, we don't have a weapon anymore," said Ricky.

"Yeah, we've got weapons," said Ricky's comrade, "Might not be one of those metal things, but they're good enough for men like him." He pointed to Pete.

"Leave him alone!" said Rose, "What's he done wrong?"

"Oh, you know… Just laid a trap that's wiped out the Government. And left Lumic in charge."

"If I was part of all that, do you think I'd leave my wife inside?" asked Pete.

"Maybe your plan went wrong," said Mickey. "Still gives us the right to execute you, though."

"Talk about executions, you'll make ME your enemy," said The Doctor.

"And take some really good advice," I said, "You don't want to do that."

"All the same," said Ricky, "We have evidence that says Pete Tyler's been working for Lumic since 20.5"

Rose was shocked she turned him and asked, "Is that true?" Pete didn't respond.

"Tell them, Mrs M."

"We've got a government mole who feeds us information," said the van driver, Mrs. M. "Lumic's private files, his South American operations, the lot. Secret broadcasts twice a week."

"Broadcast from Gemini?" asked Pete.

"And how do you know that?" asked Ricky.

"I'm Gemini. That's me."

"Yeah, well you would say that."

"Encrypted wavelength six five seven using binary nine," Ricky and his friend looked at each other while Pete continued, "That's the only reason I was working for Lumic. To get information. I thought I was broadcasting to the Security Services. What do I get? Scooby Doo and his gang. They've even got the van."

"No, no, no!" said Mickey confused, "But the Preachers know what they're doing. Ricky said he's London's Most Wanted."

"Yeah, that's not exactly…" said Ricky.

"Not exactly what?"

"I'm London's Most Wanted for… parking tickets," said Ricky sheepishly.

"Great," said Pete.

"Yeah, they were deliberate! I was fighting the system! Park anywhere, that's me.

The Doctor smiled, "Good policy. I do much the same. I'm the Doctor, by the way, if anyone's interested."

"And I'm his niece, Teddy."

"And I'm Rose. Hello."

"Even better. That's the name of my dog," said Pete, "Still, at least I've got the catering staff on my side."

"I knew you weren't a traitor," said Rose quietly.

"Why is that, then?"

"I just did."

"They took my wife."

"She might still be alive."

"That's even worse. 'Cos that's what Lumic does. He takes the living… and he turns them into those machines."

"Cybermen," said The Doctor, "They're called Cybermen. And I'd take those ear pods off, if I were you." Pete took them off and gave them to my uncle. "You never know. Lumic could be listening." He took out his sonic screwdriver and disabled them, "But he's overreached himself. He's still just a businessman. He's assassinated the President. All we need to do is get to the city and inform the authorities. Because I promise you… this ends tonight."

A short time later we reached London. We got out of the van and we saw people walking along the street all marching in the same direction.

"What the hell?" said Ricky's friend.

"What's going on?" asked Rose.

"It's the ear-pods," I said, "Lumic's taken control."

"Can't we just, I don't know, take them off?"

Rose walked up to one man and got ready to take his ear pods out, but before she could The Doctor stopped her, "Don't! Cause a brainstorm. Human race…" He sighed, "For such an intelligent lot, you aren't half susceptible. Give anyone a chance to take control and you submit. Sometimes I think you like it. Easy life."

"Hey, Come and see." said Rickey's friend. Him and Ricky were crouched down and looking around a corner. We went over to them and saw a row of Cybermen marching alongside people under the control of the ear pods. They were all moving in the same direction.

"Where are they all going?" asked Rose.

"I don't know," said The Doctor, "Lumic must have a base of operations."

"Battersea," said Pete, "That's where he was building his prototypes."

" Why's he doing it?" asked Rose.

"He's dying. This all started out as a way of prolonging life, of keeping the brain alive at any cost."

Rose looked at my uncle and said, "The thing is, I've seen Cybermen before, haven't I? That head… Those handle shapes in Van Statten's museum" Rose was referring to the time she and my uncle were trapped in a crazy rich guys alien museum with the last known Dalek in our universe. I shuttered when I thought of the Daleks.

"Ah, there are Cybermen in our universe," replied The Doctor, "They stated on an ordinary world just like this, then swarmed across the galaxy."

"This group is a parallel version," I said, "And they're starting from scratch right here on Earth."

"What the hell are you three on about?" asked Pete.

"Never mind that. Come on, we need to get out of the city. Okay, split up. Mrs Moore, you look after that bloke. Jake, distract them. Go right, I'll go left. We'll meet back at Bridge Street. Move."

Ricky went one way and his friend Jake went the other. "I'm going with him," said Mickey. Then he kissed Rose and followed Ricky.

"Come on, let's go." said Mrs. Moore. We ran off in a third direction with Cybermen marching behind us.

"There!" said my uncle and we turned down a side alley with Cybermen still following us. We were able to lose the Cybermen for a little while. Then, we heard some coming toward us, so we hid behind some garbage cans. We heard the Cybermen stop and move toward our postion. Then they stopped again. I took out my Sonic Screwdriver and pointed it in their direction. Then we heard them start to move away from us and down the street. We stood and watched them march away from us. "Go…" whispered my uncle as we carefully crept out from behind the garbage cans and started to run in the opposite direction.

A short time later we met up with Jake he ran towars us and said, "I ran past the river. You should have seen it. The whole city's on the march. Hundreds of Cybermen all down the Thames."

Then we saw other figure running towards us. It was either Mickey or Ricky. We weren't sure who it was. To me it wasn't a good sign that there was only one. Jake was sure it was Ricky because his face lit up, "Here he is!" Whoever it was didn't say anything he just stopped and Jake furrowed his brow, "Which one are you?"

"I'm sorry. The Cybermen. He couldn't," From the tone of voice I knew it was Mickey.

"Are you Ricky?" asked Jake, "ARE YOU RICKY?"

Mickey didn't answer. Then Rose spoke up, "Mickey, that's you, isn't it?"

"Yeah." Rose went up and hugged him. Mickey looked at Jake, "He tried. He was running…." Jake turned away from him. He was hurting. Obviously Jake and Ricky were more than friends, "There was too many of them." Mickey continued.

"Shut it," said Jake.

"There was nothing I could do."

Jake turned to face Mickey, "I said just shut it. Don't even talk about him. You're nothing, you are… Nothing."

"We can mourn him when London is safe," said The Doctor, "But now, we move on."

Soon we were across the Thames, from the Battersea Power Station. There was smoke coming from the smokestacks and Lumic's zeppelin was moored between them and hovering over the building "The whole of London's been sealed off," I said, "and the entire population's been taken inside that place. To be converted."

"We've got to get in there and shut it down," said Rose.

"How do we do that?" asked Mickey.

"Oh, I'll think of something." said my uncle.

"You're just making this up as you go along."

"Yuuup. But I do it brilliantly."

I smiled and rolled my eyes, Rose grinned, and Mickey nodded in agreement. Mrs. Moore opened her laptop and all of us except for Jake were crowded around her looking at the screen. Jake was standing a bit ways from us. "That's a schematic of the old factory. Look. Cooling tunnels underneath the plant. Big enough to walk through."

"We go under there and up into the control center?" asked The Doctor.

"Mmm."

"There's another way in," said Pete, we all looked at him, "Through the front door. If they've taken Jackie for upgrading, that's how she'll get in…"

Jake walked over to us, "We can't just go strolling up."

"Or we could… with these…" said Mrs. Moore as she took some ear pods out of her bag. The Doctor, took one to look at it. "Fake ear pods. Dead. No signal. But put them on, the Cybermen would mistake you for one of the crowd."

"Then that's my job," said Pete, as he took two.

"You'd have to show no emotion," I said, "None at all. Any sign of emotion would give you away."

"How many of those you got?" Rose asked Mrs. Moore.

"Just two sets."

"Okay. If that's the best way of finding Jackie, then I'm coming with you." She took the the one ear pod in Mrs. Moore's hand and stood up.

"Why does she matter to you?" asked Pete.

"We haven't got time," Then, Rose looked at my uncle, "Doctor, I'm going with him, and that's that."

"No stopping you, is there?"

"Nope."

"Tell you what," He tossed her the ear pod, "We can take the ear pods at the same time. Give people their minds back so they don't walk into that place like sheep. Jakey-boy?" The Doctor took Jake over to get a better look at Battersea, "Lumic's transmitting the control signal. It must be from over there." He pointed his Sonic Screwdriver in that direction and it started to bleep, "There it is… On the zeppelin, you see? Great big transmitter. Good thing Lumic likes showing off. Reckon you could take it out?"

Jake smiled, "Consider it done."

He walked back over to us, "Mrs Moore, would you care to accompany me and my niece into the cooling tunnels?"

"How could I refuse an offer of cooling tunnels?"

"We attack on three sides," said The Doctor as he took his glasses off, "Above… between… below… We get to the control center, we stop the conversion machines."

"What about me?" asked Mickey.

"Mickey. You can… er…"

"You can go with Jake," I said, "I'm sure it's going to take more that one person to take out that transmitter."

"I don't need that idiot." said Jake.

"I'm not an idiot! You got that?" said Mickey

"Whatever," said Jake as he started to walk off.

Mickey started to follow Jake when my uncle called to him, "Mickey." Mickey turned around, "Good luck."

"Yeah, you too. Rose, I'll see you later."

"Yeah, you'd better."

"If we survive this, I'll see you back at the TARDIS," I smiled.

"That's a promise," said Mickey as he walked away.

A short time later, Mrs. Moore, The Doctor and I entered the Cooling Tunnels via a trap door and ladder. Mrs. Moore went first, then me, then my uncle. Once we got in Mrs. Moore said, "It's freezing." At that moment, I was really glad to be a Time Lord. We aren't as susceptible to cold temperatures and since I was wearing a short dress, if I was human I would be very cold. But, since I'm not human, I was actually pretty comfortable.

"Any sign of a light switch?" I asked.

"Can't see a thing. But I've got these," She reached into her back and gave my uncle a headband flashlight, "A device for every occasion."

"Ooo!" he said as he put it on. She got one for herself and put it on. Then he asked. "Haven't got a hotdog in there, have you? I'm starving."

Mrs. Moore laughed, "Of all the things to wish for," I said. I resisted the temptation to smack him on the shoulder. I wanted to save that for when he was being rude.

"That's mechanically recovered meat," said Mrs. Moore.

"I know," said The Doctor, "It's the Cyberman of food, but it's tasty."

"A proper torch as well." Mrs. Moore handed me a flashlight.

"Let's see where we are," I said as I turned on the flashlight. The first thing the light fell on was a Cyberman. We looked and there were hundreds of them lining the walls of the tunnel. Fortunately, it looked like they weren't active.

"Already converted," said The Doctor, "just put on ice. Come on." We walked forward a little bit. Then my uncle stopped and raps one of the lifeless Cybermen where it's nose would be. There was no response. "Let's go slowly. Keep an eye out for trip systems."

We walked in the tunnel lined by Cybermen for a little while. It was very unnerving walking so close to these things knowing that more than likely they would come to life and come after my uncle, me and our new friend. Then, The Doctor looked over at Mrs. Moore and asked, "How did you get into this, then, rattling along with the Preachers?"

"Oh, I used to be ordinary," she responded, "Worked at Cybus Industries, nine to five, till one day, I find something I'm not supposed to. A file on the mainframe. All I did was read it. Then suddenly I've got men with guns knocking in the middle of the night. Life on the run. Then I found the Preachers. They needed a techie, so I… I just sat down and taught myself everything."

"What about Mr. Moore?" I asked.

"Well, he's not called Moore," she said, "I got that from a book, Mrs. Moore. It's safer not to use real names. But he thinks I'm dead. It was the only way to keep him safe. Him and the kids. What about you two? Got any more family, or?

I took a deep breath and linked my arm around my uncle's, "It's just me and my Uncle… So… What's your real name?

"Angela Price. Don't tell a soul."

"Not a word," said The Doctor.

"Your secret's safe with us," I said. Then we continued walking.

We walked for a few more feet, then I thought I saw a hand of one of the Cybermen twitch, "Doctor, did that one just move?" I asked.

"It's just the torchlight. Keep going, come on," he said. Then, one of the Cybermen's head turned towards us. "They're waking up. Run!" We ran down the tunnel as the Cybermen started to fall in line behind us.

We reached a ladder at the end of the tunnel. The Doctor ran up the ladder first. Mrs. Moore went next and I brought up the rear. The top of the ladder there was a trap door covering it. The Doctor took out his sonic screwdriver and started to loosen the seal. I got my sonic screwdriver out of my pocket and got ready to aim it at the first Cyberman in line. I wasn't sure if it was even going to do any good but I didn't want to end up like Ricky. Just then, The Doctor opened the trap door, "Get up!" called out Mrs. Moore.

We ran up the ladder and the three of us made it out, we pushed the door back onto the hole just as the first Cyberman in line made it to near the top of the ladder. Then, The Doctor and I sealed the door with our sonic screwdrivers. He looked up at the two of us, and said, "Oh, good team, Teddy, Mrs. Moore."

We walked through a dark, metal corridor. Then, suddenly, a Cyberman steped out in front of us. We jumped, and the Cyberman said, "You are not upgraded."

"Yeah? Well…" Said Mrs. Moore as she reached in her bag and pulled out something that looked like a spool of copper wire. "Upgrade THIS." She threw the thing at the Cyberman and it magnetic stuck to the Cyberman. Almost instantly, it sparked and the Cyberman was electrocuted. It shaked and jurked and then fell to the floor.

The Doctor smiled, "What the hell was that thing?!"

We walked to the body, "Electromagnetic bomb," said Mrs. Moore, "Takes out computers, I figured it might stop the cyber-suit.

"You figured right." I said.

"Now, let's have a look…" said The Doctor as he took out his sonic. We bent down and he pointed the sonic at the Cybus logo on the Cyberman's chest, "Know your enemy… A logo on the front… Lumic's turned them into a brand." He removed the logo and showed us the back of it, "Heart of steel… but look…"

Inside the suit there was a blue light, computer chips and circuits but there was also something else some white strands of some kind. The Doctor reached inside and took some out, "Is that flesh?" asked Mrs. Moore.

"Hmmm… Central nervous system," said The Doctor, "Artificially grown then threaded throughout the suit so it responds like a living thing. Well, it is a living thing. Oh, but look…"

I saw the chip and knew what it was, "Emotional inhibitor," I said, "Stops them feeling anything."

"But why?" asked Mrs. Moore.

"It's still got a human brain… Imagine its reaction if it could see itself. Realize itself inside this thing. They'd go insane."

"So they cut out the one thing that makes them human."

"Because they have to," said The Doctor.

"Why am I cold?" asked the Cyberman.

"Oh, my God," said Mrs. Moore, "It's alive. It can FEEL."

"We broke the inhibitor," said my uncle , as he leaned over it. He touched it's head and sincerely said, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"Why so cold?" asked the Cyberman.

"Can you remember your name?" I asked.

"Sally. Sally Phelan."

"You're a woman…" said Mrs. Moore

"Where's Gareth?"

"Who's Gareth?"

"He can't see me. It's unlucky the night before."

"You're getting married."

"I'm cold. I'm so cold."

"It's all right," said the Doctor, quietly, "You sleep now, Sally. Just go to sleep." He put his sonic into the chest cavity ant the blue light went out, "Sally Phelan didn't die for nothing, because that's the key. The emotional inhibitor. If we could find the code behind it, the cancellation code, then feed it throughout the system into every Cyberman's head, they'd realize what they are."

"And what happens then?" asked Mrs. Moore.

"I think it would kill them. Could we do that?" he looked up at me. I didn't know what to do. We had to stop them somehow. Or else they were going to upgrade the rest of the world and after that who knows… Even though this wasn't our universe. We had to do something to stop them

"We've got to. Before they kill everyone else. There's no choice, Doctor. It's got to be done," said Mrs. Moore.

Then she stood up. I looked and saw a Cyberman behind her, "MRS. MOORE!" I called but it was too late. It grabbed her by the neck and electrocuted her.

We stood up and The Doctor shouted, "No! No! You didn't have to kill her!"

"Sensors detect a binary vascular system," said the Cyberman who killed Mrs. Moore. "You are both an unknown upgrade. You will be taken for analysis." As he talked two more Cybermen appeared and we reluctantly left Mrs. Moore's body behind as we were led to the control room

We walked into the control room and saw Rose and Pete there. Both looking very dejected. "We've been captured," said my uncle sarcastically, "but don't worry, Rose and Pete are still out there. They can rescue us. Oh well, never mind."

I rolled my eyes and walked over to Rose, "You okay?"

"Yeah. But they got Jackie."

"We were too late. Lumic killed her."

"Then where is he?" asked The Doctor as he looked around ,"The famous Mister Lumic? Don't we get the chance to meet our Lord and Master?"

"He has been upgraded." said one of the Cybermen.

"So he's just like you?"

"He is superior. The Lumic Unit has been designated Cyber Controller."

Then a set of giant sliding doors opened. Behind them was a Cyberman sitting on a elaborate chair, covered with wires and tubes. "This is The Age of Steel and I am its Creator," said former Mr. Lumic.

Just then we heard screams and shouting. Obviously, Mickey and Jake had disabled the ear pods, "That's my friends at work. Good boys! Mr. Lumic, I think that's a vote for free will." said The Doctor, then he winked.

"I have factories waiting on seven continents," said Lumic, "If the ear pods have failed, then the Cybermen will take humanity by force. London has fallen. So shall the world. I will bring peace to the world. Everlasting peaceand unity and uniformity.

"And imagination?" I asked, "What about that? The one thing that lead you here, imagination, you're killing it dead!"

"What is your name?"

"Teddy… and this is my Uncle, The Doctor."

"A redundant title. Doctors need not exist. Cybermen never sicken."

"Yeah, but that's it," said the Doctor, "That's exactly the point! Oh, Lumic, you're a clever man. I'd call you a genius, except I'm in the room." I rolled my eyes and The Doctor continued, "But everything you've invented, you did to fight your sickness. And that's brilliant. That is SO human. But once you get rid of sickness and mortality, then what's there to strive for, eh? The Cybermen won't advance. You'll just stop. You'll stay like this forever. A metal Earth with metal men and metal thoughts, lacking the one thing that makes this planet so alive. People. Ordinary, stupid, brilliant people."

"You are proud of your emotions."

"Oh, yes."

"Then tell me, Doctor. Have you known grief, and rage, and pain?"

"Yes. Yes I have."

"And they hurt?"

"Oh, yes."

"I could set you free. Would you not want that? A life without pain?"

"You might as well kill me."

"Then I take that option."

"It's not yours to take. You're a Cyber Controller. You don't control me or anything with blood in its heart."

"You have no means of stopping me. I have an army. A species of my own."

"You just don't get it, do you?" I said, "An army's nothing. Because those ordinary people, they're the key." I looked up and noticed the security camera. Mickey told me about the times that he used his computer skills to help The Doctor and Rose before. I hoped that some how Mickey was watching us now. "The most ordinary person could change the world. Some ordinary man or woman… some idiot…." I hated calling Mickey because Mickey was one of the smartest humans I knew, but if Mickey was watching he had to know that I was talking to him, "All it takes is for him to find, say.. The right numbers… Say the right codes. Say, for for example, the code behind the emotional inhibitor. The code right in front of him… Because even an idiot knows how to use computers these days. Knows how to get past firewalls and passwords… Knows how to find something encrypted in the Lumic Family Database, under… What was it, Pete? Binary what?

"Binary 9."

"An IDIOT could find that code," I continued, "Cancellation code. And he'd keep on typing. Keep on fighting." I looked into the camera hopeing and praying that Mickey was watching, "Anything to save his friends…"

"Your words are irrelevant." said Lumic.

"Yeah, Sometimes I talk too much, that's my problem," I pointed at my uncle, "I get it from him."

I looked at the Doctor and he smiled he knew where I was going and what need to happen next, "Lucky I got you that cheap tariff, Rose," he said, "for all our long chats. On your PHONE." He looked into the camera making the 'Phone' sign with his fingers.

"You will be deleted," said Lumic

"Yes. Delete, control, hash. All those lovely buttons," said The Doctor as he walked around the computers in the control room, "Then, of course, my particular favorite, SEND. And let's not forget how you seduced all those ordinary people in the first place." Just then Rose phone beeped and he continued while Rose checked her phone, "By making every bit of technology compatible with everything else…" He stood by one computer and looked at Rose.

"It's for you." she said

She tossed him her phone and he caught it, "Like this." Then he shoved the phone into a port. Then, All the Cybermen clutched onto their heads and cried out in pain. The code flashed on all the computer screens in the room. I smiled. Mickey saved us again.

"What have you done?" Said Lumic, furiously.

"I gave them back their souls," Said The Doctor as he pulled Rose's phone out of the computer, "They can see what you've done, Lumic, and it's killing them!" The Doctor gave Rose back her phone and they four of us ran out of the room.

"Delete! Delete! Delete!" said Lumic as we ran.

Once we left the control room we saw there were explosions and fires all over the factory. We found an emergency exit, but when The Doctor opened the door there were wailing Cybermen blocking our path. He shut the door and said, "There's no way out!"

Just then Rose's phone rang, she answered it and listened, "It's Mickey. He says head for the roof." We saw a metal staircase heading up. So we made a run for it. We finally made it to the roof we looked up and saw the zeppelin. "Mickey, where'd you learn to fly that thing."

I was standing next to Rose so I heard Mickey say, "Playstation. Just hold on, Rose. I'm coming to get you."

We started running across the roof toward the zeppelin, then a rope ladder dropped down in front of us. "You've got to be kidding," said Pete.

"Rose, Teddy, get up," said the Doctor.

As we started to climb we heard Mickey's voice over the loudspeaker, "Welcome to Mickey Smith's Airline. Please enjoy your flight. Woo!"

We held on to the rope ladder as the zeppelin started to rise up and away. Rose and I continued to climb on one side of the later, I was just below her. The Doctor and Pete climbed on the other side "We did it! We did it!" I heard her shout to The Doctor when they got eye to eye.

Just then there was a sudden jerk downwards. Me and Rose both screamed as we nearly fell off. We looked down and saw Cyber Lumic hanging onto the bottom rungs of the ladder and starting to climb up. The Doctor got out his sonic screwdriver and called out to Pete."Pete! Take this!" He dropped the screwdriver into Pete's outstretched hand, "Use it! Hold the button down! Press it against the rope. Just do it!"

"Jackie Tyler," said Pete, "This is for her!"

Pete pressed the button down and held the sonic against the rope ladder. Lumic was getting closer and closer. I took my sonic out and started to do the same thing I my side of the ladder. For a moment, I didn't think we were going to make it but then the ropes snapped and Lumic fell into the fire of the exploding Power Station below us.

A short time later, The Doctor and I entered the TARDIS. It was still pitch black. I took the Power Cell out of my pocket and handed it to my uncle. He placed it into the console and almost instantly the TARDIS powered up. I touched the time rotor, "Welcome back, old friend…" I smiled when I heard it hum. It felt good to have her back.

We went back outside and saw Pete and Rose, "Rose," said the Doctor as we stepped out and walked over to them, "We've only got five minutes of power. We've got to go."

"The Doctor could show you," Rose said to Pete.

"Thank you. For everything." said Pete.

"Dad."

"Don't. Just, just don't." said Pete as he walked away. Rose told me later that she told Pete that she was his daughter from a parallel world. Obviously, it was just too much for Pete. I could see Rose had tears in her eyes. I wrapped my arm around her waist to comfort her.

Just then, Mickey and Jake walked up to us. Mickey was carrying a pile of clothes. It turned out to be our clothes that got left behind at the Tyler mansion.

"Here they are," said Mickey with a grin on his face.

"My suit!" said the Doctor as he took his clothes from Mickey. Rose and I each took our clothes, and the Doctor continued, "Good man! Now then, Jake, we've got to run. But one more thing. Mrs. Moore. Her real name was Angela Price. She's got a husband out there, and children. Find them. Tell them how she died saving the world."

"Yeah, course I will," said Jake.

"Off we go, then!" said the Doctor.

"Uh… thing is, I'm staying." said Mickey.

"You're doing what?" said The Doctor.

"You can't," said Rose.

Mickey's voice started to tremble as he started to explain, "It sort of balances out, because this world lost its Ricky, but there's me. And there's work to be done with all those Cybermen still out there."

"But you can't stay."

"Rose, my gran's here. She's still alive. My old gran, remember her?"

"Yeah," said Rose. I could see her starting to fight back the tears.

"She needs me."

"What about me? What if I need you?"

"Yeah, but Rose, you don't. You've got him and Teddy… We had something a long time ago, but not anymore."

"Well, we'll come back. We can travel anywhere. Come and see you, yeah?"

"We can't," said The Doctor, "I told you, travel between parallel worlds is impossible. We only got here by accident. We, we fell through a crack in time. When we leave, I've got to close it. We can't ever return."

Mickey then held his hand out to The Doctor, "Doctor…"

The Doctor shoo his hand, "Take Rose's phone. It's got the code. Get it out there. Stop those factories," Mickey nodded and my uncle continued, "And good luck, Mickey the idiot." The Doctor slapped his cheek playfully.

"Watch it!" said Mickey.

Then, The Doctor walked back to the TARDIS. I gave Mickey a hug, "Be careful and stay safe…"

"You too…" he said as he hug me back. Then, I joined my uncle inside the TARDIS. I was helping him getting the TARDIS ready to reenter our proper universe. Then, Rose came in. "You OK?" I asked her.

She looked at me tears were starting to run down her face. But, she smiled, "Yeah… I'm fine… I'm just going to go to my room and change…" I watched as Rose walked past both of us, out of the control room and down the corridor.

The Doctor put the TARDIS into flight and then I looked at him, "Uncle Theta… I know I said that I wanted to go home and see my Earth family… But, really… it's only been a couple of days… How long has it been since Rose saw her Mom?"

"About 5 months…" he said, "But, we can visit both your Earth parents and Rose's Mom…"

"I know… But… I've got you… Like I said it's only been a couple of days… We don't have to head back to Denver right way… Besides, I'll like to meet Rose's real mom."

The Doctor smiled, "OK…"

Rose was pacing back and forth waiting for the TARDIS to finish materializing in the Tyler's sitting room. I made sure The Doctor had the right coordinates set and soon the Time Rotor stopped. Rose opened the door and saw her mother standing there

" You're alive," Said Rose, "Oh mum, you're alive." Rose ran over to her mother and wrapped her arms around her.

"Well, I was the last time I looked…" said Jackie Tyler, as the Doctor and I stepped out of the TARDIS, "What is it? What's happened, sweetheart?" Jackie looked at my Uncle, "What's wrong? Where did you go?"

"Far away. That was… far away." said my Uncle.

"Where's Mickey?"

"He's gone home."

Rose and Jackie broke their hug and Jackie looked at me, "And, who is this?"

I walked up to her, "Hello, Mrs. Tyler… I'm Theodora… But you can call me Teddy… I'm the Doctor's Niece…"

"How can you be the Doctor's Niece? They told me the Doctor was the last of his kind..."

I smiled at her, "It's a long story…"