The Daleks were advancing towards them. "Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate!"
Hally's shield shimmered in front of her face, surrounding the four of them.
The Daleks landed. All four of them gliding over the floor, closer and closer. Three of the four were golden, how Hally remembered them. But the other one, the one who seemed to be leading them. It was black. Hally wasn't sure what that could mean.
"Halt! Cease Extermination!" It screeched.
All four Daleks stopped short of the shield. Their eyestalks moved rapidly as they scanned and analysed the beings in front of them.
Hally looked at Rose and Mickey, her face betraying her fear.
This couldn't be good. Would she be able to take out four Daleks at once?
The black Dalek swivelled towards her. "You are an enemy of the Daleks." It stated.
Hally smirked slightly. "Yeah. That'd be me."
"You are the destroyer of Oixn. Archangel of Death. Time Lord…" Its eye scanned her up and down.
Hally heard Mickey try to stifle a snigger to her right. She raised an eyebrow. "Yep. All of the above." She stared straight into the Dalek's eye. Daring it to make the first move.
Again the Dalek seemed to consider her. Scanning her up and down. She hoped that simply appearing dangerous would be enough. Maybe she could take them all out at once?
Problem was, she wasn't sure if she could without dropping the shield. She couldn't put Rose or Mickey in harm's way. But she also couldn't let the Daleks know that she was possibly outnumbered.
"You are armed." It said. Its high-pitched voice filling the large room.
"Always." She smirked. The Dalek was tracing the edge of her shield with its eye.
There were a few moments of complete silence. The Dalek seemed to be deep in thought. Mickey shifted slightly, still pointing his gun ahead.
They seemed to have reached an immediate stalemate.
Finally, the Black Dalek announced. "Your death will be delayed. You will be necessary." It turned away from them, looking back to one of the gold Daleks on its right. "Report. What is the status of the Genesis Ark?"
It was only now that the Black Dalek had moved out of the way that the group could see what it was referring to. Behind the four Daleks was a chamber. Vaguely Dalek-shaped.
"Status, hibernation." One of the other Daleks barked.
Hally was looking at the chamber. The smirk had fallen from her face, concern etched across her brow.
"What is it?" Rose whispered to her.
"Nothing good. Whatever you do, don't touch it." Hally shot Rose a meaningful look.
"Which of you is least important?" The black Dalek had turned back to them.
Rose piped up. "What's that supposed to mean?"
It repeated its question. "Which of you is least important?"
"No, we don't work like that. None of us." Rose stated. Shaking her head.
The black Dalek shook slightly, indicating its anger. Hally strengthened the shield, making the golden energy flicker dangerously. This seemed to deter the Dalek for a moment.
The blue light behind the black Daleks eye seemed to narrow. Staring pointedly at Hally. "You will designate the least important! Or we will open fire."
She frowned. This was less than ideal. It was calling her bluff.
She opened her mouth, hoping something smart would come out. But before she could, Rajesh stepped forward.
"This is my responsibility." He shot the three of them a look. Rose tried to pull him back but he made his way forward. Stepping through Hally's shield to face the Daleks alone.
"I…" His voice cracked. "I represent the Torchwood Institute. Anything you need, you come through me. Leave them alone." He motioned back to Hally, Rose and Mickey.
The Daleks instantly surrounded Rajesh, forcing him to kneel. Rose cried out in anger when the trio watched in horror as they extracted everything from him. Leaving him dead.
"His mind spoke of a second species invading Earth infected by the superstition of ghosts." The black Dalek announced to his Dalek companions.
"Dalek Thay, investigate outside." It instructed.
Hally frowned. These Daleks had names. Why would they have names?
The humans and Hally watched as The Dalek which had left the room acted as a camera for the others. Projecting its view onto a large holographic screen for all those in the lab to view.
What happened next, Hally could only describe as surreal. As the Dalek rounded the corner and was confronted with two Cybermen.
One of the Daleks spoke. "Identify yourselves." It commanded.
"You will identify first." The Cyberman countered.
"State your identity."
Hally rolled her eyes.
"You will identify first." The Cyberman bit back. Emotionless as usual.
"Identify!" The Dalek screeched angrily.
Hally shot Rose a look. "This might take a while…"
Finally, the two species identified themselves. After much back and forth.
A soft vibrating sound caught Hally's attention. She looked down and pointed to Rose's pocket. The human pulled out her phone. Jackie's name on the screen. Rose held the mobile behind her, accepting the call.
Hopefully, that meant that Jackie and The Doctor were ok. And now they knew that Rose was ok too. That was something at least.
The Cybermen and Daleks continued to bicker. Eventually, the Cybermen suggested an alliance but to Hally's amusement, the Daleks denied.
In response, the Cybermen readied their weapons. "Hostile elements will be deleted."
However, the 'battle' was very short-lived. The Dalek easily exterminated both the Cybermen in a heartbeat.
Another Cyber voice crackled across through the communication link. "Daleks, be warned. You have declared war upon the Cybermen."
The Black Dalek shook slightly. "This is not war. This is pest control."
"We have five million Cybermen. How many are you?" The new Cyberman demanded. Hally figured that The Doctor and Jackie must have wherever was being shown on the screen. And that must have been their Cyberleader.
"Four." The black Dalek replied simply.
"You would destroy the Cybermen with four Daleks?" The Cyberleader questioned.
"We would destroy the Cybermen with one Dalek."
Hally let out a loud laugh. One of the gold Daleks turned its eyestalk to her. Mickey shot her a confused glare.
"Oh come on…" She whispered to them both. "You have to admit they're hilarious."
The screen suddenly went black as the Daleks cut off the communication. But not before they'd spotted The Doctor in the background…
"Rewind image by nine rells. Identify grid seven gamma frame. This male registers as the enemy." One of the other Daleks rewound the footage. Hally was both relieved and concerned when she spotted The Doctor hovering behind the Cyberleader, just as the link had been cut.
The black Dalek turned and advanced on Rose quickly. Again stopping just short of the shield that Hally had left hovering around them.
"The female's heartbeat has increased."
Hally heard Mickey mutter under his breath. "Yeah, tell me about it."
"Identify him." The black Dalek commanded Rose.
Rose smirked. "All right, then. If you really want to know, that's the Doctor." She said cockily. To her amusement, the black Dalek rolled back slightly. "Five million Cybermen, easy. One Doctor? Now you're scared." Rose crossed her arms and Hally was fondly reminded that this was the human who had absorbed the Time Vortex and defeated an entire army of Daleks.
Hally sighed dramatically. "I'm not sure whether I should be offended or not." She crossed her arms. Shooting Rose a smile.
The Daleks retreated from them, moving back to the Genesis Ark. They encircled it and as they had done with Rajesh, they extended their arms, connecting to the touch points on the container's shell.
"Why are we being kept alive?" Mickey muttered, looking between Hally and Rose.
Hally looked back to the Ark. "They need us. My guess is they can't open that thing themselves…"
"But why keep all three of us alive?" Mickey continued. Fear evident on his face.
Hally shot him a sympathetic look. "Because… right now, they're not sure how powerful I am… they've heard the stories… so are trying to avoid any kind of attack."
Rose huddled in closer. "Could you take them all out?"
Hally sighed softly. Speaking so softly that both humans barely heard her. "Probably not… but let's not tell them that."
Mickey grimaced. "So it's like before. Whatever is inside that thing, they need us to wake it up."
"Yeah…" Hally nodded.
"But why would they build something they can't open themselves?"
The black Dalek had obviously heard him. It approached the group again. "The technology is stolen. The Ark is not of Dalek design." Its eye swivelled to look at Hally again. She stood up slightly straighter.
"Then who built it?" Rose asked.
"The Time Lords. This is all that survives of your Home World." She'd not heard a Dalek sound smug before. It was mocking her.
The black Dalek turned back around, approaching the Ark once more.
Hally turned to Mickey. "The Cybermen upstairs, they're the ones from your world right?"
He nodded. "Yeah, we tried to keep them contained but one day, they just vanished."
"Made their way across the void to here." She guessed.
He nodded again.
In front of them, the Daleks disconnected from the Ark. Which seemed to have taken on a slight glow.
"Final stage of awakening."
"Your handprint will open the Ark." The black Dalek approached the three of them. Eye scanning over each one slowly.
"Yeah, we did think you were going to ask." Hally sighed.
Rose crossed her arms now. "Well tough, because it's not happening."
The Dalek pointed its blaster at Mickey in response. "Obey or the male will die."
Hally pushed an extra wave of energy into the shield, making it flash. The Dalek scooted back slightly.
"Oh really? And how are you going to achieve that?" She shot back at it. Her voice laced with threat.
It might have worked. It probably would have done. But for some unknown reason, Rose stepped in front of her, through her shield.
Hally leapt forward, trying to grab at her hand. "What the fuck are you doing?" She whispered at the blond human.
Rose moved away from the both of them swiftly, addressing the black Dalek. "All right! You're going to kill us anyway, so what the hell? If you escaped the Time War, don't you want to know what happened?"
Hally had no idea what the human was trying to do.
"What happened to the Emperor?" Rose continued. Taunting the Dalek.
"The Emperor survived?" It asked, rolling backwards an inch.
Rose grinned.
Oh fuck.
"Till he met me. Because if these are going to be my last words, then you're going to listen. I met the Emperor, and I took the Time Vortex and I pulled it into his head and turned him into dust. Do you get that? The God of all Daleks and I destroyed him!" Rose finished, grinning down at the evidently raging tin can.
Hally inwardly groaned. Quickly dropping the shield and taking a step forward, preparing to attempt to destroy the Daleks before the inevitable.
"You will be exterminated!" The black Dalek screeched madly.
There it was…
"Oh now, hold on, wait a minute." The Doctor's voice rang from the back of the room. Everyone turned to him. The Daleks fanned out, shaking with rage in their cages.
"Alert, alert. You are the Doctor!" The black Dalek stuttered.
The Doctor made his way over to the humans, checking in on them quickly. He shot Hally a grin and she smiled back. Everyone was fine.
"Social interaction will cease!" One of the Daleks demanded. Its high-pitched whine making it sound like a child.
The black Dalek turned back to The Doctor. "How did you survive the Time War?"
The Doctor humoured the Daleks question. "By fighting. On the front line. I was there at the fall of Arcadia. Someday I might even come to terms with that. But you lot ran away!" He cried, mocking them.
The Dalek bristled, the lights atop its head flashing angrily. "We had to survive."
"Why? What's so special about you four?" Hally asked. "You have names?"
The four Daleks turned back to her and in turn, they each introduced themselves to the room.
"I am Dalek Thay."
"Dalek Sek." Said the black Dalek.
"Dalek Jast."
"Dalek Caan."
The Doctor seemed to bounce on the spot. "So that's it! At last. The Cult of Skaro. I thought you were just a legend."
"Who are they?" Rose asked.
"A secret order above and beyond the Emperor himself. Their job was to imagine, think as the enemy thinks. Even dared to have names. All to find new ways of killing." The Doctor scowled, eyes flickering over each Dalek.
"Time Lord science will restore Dalek supremacy." Sek turned back to the Ark.
The Dalek had seemingly decided that explanation time was over. "The Doctor will open the Ark!"
The Doctor giggled "The Doctor will not."
Hally watched him. It seemed like he was bidding his time, waiting for something. Finally, he revealed his Sonic Screwdriver and in a very overdramatic fashion, blew open all the laboratory doors.
Through multiple doors stomped in the Cybermen. Weapons at the ready.
"Everyone out!" Doctor yelled.
It was chaos. Daleks and Cybermen shooting at one another. There were other humans too, grabbing them and pulling them out. Rose grabbed hold of Hally's hand and pulled her out of the room, The Doctor following close behind them. As Hally looked back, she saw Mickey pushing himself up off the Ark. A handprint burnt into its metal casing.
Whatever was inside was waking up.
Once everyone was through the door they ran as fast as they could away from the commotion. The Doctor leading the way. Their progress was paused for a few minutes when the group found Jackie and Hally realised one of the other humans who had helped them was in fact Pete Tyler. Rose's father from the parallel earth. It was a beautiful moment really, the humans ran into each other's arms. Not minding the sounds of guns firing from further up the corridor. Hally smiled, looking over to Rose who had tears in her eyes. Her hands clasped in front of her.
Now all reunited, the group continued along the corridor. Hally recognised where they were headed, back to the warehouse. Quickly and as stealthily as possible the Doctor peered inside. Crawling away from the door and returning moments later with a pair of the Magnaclamps Yvonne had shown them proudly earlier.
Hidden safely behind the door, they watched as Dalek Sek wheeled out with the Ark. They both began levitating upwards, through the ceiling doors and up and out into the sky outside.
The Doctor, watching as the Ark elevated out of view, moved them all towards the stairs and they all made their way up to the highest level of the building. Hally recognised it as the room that The Doctor had been in earlier. White walls, glass panels and two giant levers lining the walls. From up here, they could see out onto Dalek Sek and the Ark. It spun in the air, one of the Ark walls sliding back. From inside spat out a new Dalek, then another and another.
"Time Lord science. It's bigger on the inside." The Doctor muttered in horror.
"It's a prison ship." Hally gasped.
"How many Daleks?" Rose looked between the two of them, her face pale.
"Millions." The Doctor answered gravely, looking back out to see the Ark releasing hundreds of Daleks in every direction. Within seconds the Daleks had descended onto the streets of London. Attacking both humans and Cybermen with no mercy. Hally stepped back from the window. The sharp flash of the Dalek and Cybermen lasers lighting up the sky.
Pete spoke first. "I'm sorry, but you've had it." The Doctor and Rose turned to him. He continued. "This world's going to crash and burn. There's nothing we can do. We're going home."
He grabbed a yellow medallion device from a nearby soldier, placing it onto Jackie's neck. She started to argue back at the same time as Rose.
Hally looked to The Doctor, hoping he'd somehow know what to do. Because she was lost. He'd put on his ridiculous glasses again. He gave her a confident grin.
Pete was still fighting with Jackie. "I'd forgotten you could argue. It's not just London, it's the whole world. But there's another world just waiting for you, Jacks. And it's safe as long as the Doctor closes the breach." He turned to The Doctor "Doctor?"
"Oh, I'm ready. I've got the equipment right here. Thank you, Torchwood!" The Doctor cried, jumping around the desks and quickly typing away on one of the computers.
"Slam it down and close off both universes."
"Reboot systems." The computer announced.
Rose walked over to him, not following his train of thought. "But we can't just leave. What about the Daleks? And the Cybermen?"
He smiled at her kindly. "They're part of the problem, and that makes them part of the solution. Oh yes! Well? Isn't anyone going to ask what is it with the glasses?"
"Yeah, please explain. What IS with the glasses?" Hally raised her eyebrows, motioning to his face.
"I can see, that's what." He grinned stupidly. "Because we've got two separate worlds, but in between the two separate worlds, we've got the Void. That's where the Daleks were hiding. And the Cybermen travelled through the Void to get here. And you lot, one world to another, via the Void. Oh, I like that. Via the Void. Look."
He gave the glasses to Rose, showing her. "But the Daleks lived inside the Void. They're bristling with it. Cybermen, all of them. I just open the Void and reverse. The Void stuff gets sucked back inside."
Rose nodded, a smile on her lips. "Pulling them all in!"
He grinned happily. "Pulling them all in!"
Her smile dropped for a second. "But it's like you said. We've all got Void stuff. Me too, because we went to that parallel world. We're all contaminated. We'll get pulled in."
The Doctor's eyes never left Rose's. "That's why you've got to go."
"Reboot in two minutes." The mechanical voice of the computer informed them
"Back to Pete's world. Hey, we should call it that. Pete's World. I'm opening the Void, but only on this side. You'll be safe on that side." His voice had softened. Hally took a step forward. He wasn't suggesting they leave Rose behind…?
"But you stay on this side?" Rose frowned, looking up at The Doctor and then back to Hally. "Both of you?"
"But you'll get pulled in." Mickey quipped, not convinced.
The Doctor had obviously been waiting for this question, he grabbed the Magnaclamps, showing them off to the group.
Rose hadn't moved. "I'm supposed to go." Her voice was small.
"Yeah." The Doctor said simply.
"Doctor…" Hally began, but Rose cut her off.
"To another world, and then it gets sealed off?"
"Yeah." He repeated.
"Forever." She shook her head defiantly. "That's not going to happen."
Hally moved to The Doctor's side. "…you can't?"
The Doctor looked down sadly at his daughter.
Again, it was Pete who took control. "We haven't got time to argue. The plan works. We're going. You too. All of us." But it was going to take more than that to convince the Tyler women.
Rose was refusing to leave and then Jackie was refusing to leave without her. With poor Pete insisting they all needed to go and fast.
"Reboot in one minute." The computer reminded them.
Rose pulled away from her mother, who was desperately clinging to her daughter. "Mum please, I've had a life with you for nineteen years, but then I met the Doctor, and everything changed. Because you're right mum, I am different now. I've seen so much and done so much and I can't leave. I can't leave them behind…"
Rose looked up at Hally, tears in her eyes.
The hairs on the back of Hally's neck stood up. She recognised that look. Rose had looked at her like that before… on the TARDIS.
She saw the blur of The Doctor move across her vision. He silently placed a medallion around Rose's neck and before she'd had another chance to protest, Pete Tyler had pressed down on it.
They'd all disappeared. The room was empty. It was just the two of them now.
It had all happened too fast. Hally frowned, looking up at The Doctor. He looked sadly back at her. Opened his mouth to say something before closing it again.
"Come on." He moved over to the clamps.
It had only been around 15 seconds, when with a thump, Rose reappeared. Her hand on the medallion. The Doctor's face darkened.
"Once the breach collapses, that's it. You will never be able to see her again. Your own mother!"
Rose pulled a face at him. "How can you say that?! When you know… Doctor, I made my choice a long time ago, and I'm never going to leave you. Either of you."
Hally felt very much like this was an interaction that she shouldn't have been watching. Rose and The Doctor were staring at each other intently. Then, slowly, after a moment, they both turned their heads to look at her. The way they were looking at her. Both of them. It made her stomach drop.
"Dad?" She asked quietly.
The computer interrupted. "Systems rebooted. Open access."
The Doctor moved back over to the computer. "Those coordinates over there, set them all at six. And hurry up." He said sharply. Rose look her teleportation device off, hurrying over to the terminal and doing as he'd said. In silence, the trio grabbed the magnaclamps and secured them to the walls next to the levers. One on either side.
"Press the red button." The Doctor ordered. "When it starts, just hold on tight. Shouldn't be too bad for us but the Daleks and the Cybermen are steeped in Void stuff." He looked at the both of them. "Are you ready?"
They both nodded.
"Let's do it!"
The Doctor pushed his lever and Hally and Rose grabbed the other one. As soon as the levers were in place they grabbed hold of the Magnaclamps. The effect was instant. The breach opened, a white light cascading into the room. As it did Hally felt the pull of the Void try to grab at her. She watched as Daleks and Cybermen were pulled through the breach by an invisible force.
"The breach is open! Into the Void! Ha!" The Doctor cried happily. Rose laughed next to her.
It was Hally who noticed that the lever closest to them had jolted out of place.
"Offline." The computer announced.
Hally felt the pull lessen as she watched the force dragging the Daleks and Cybermen slow to an almost halt. They had to do something.
She stretched out towards the lever, being the closest to it out of the two women. She was close, her fingers just brushing the rubber handle. Her heart leapt up into her mouth when she felt her arm slip slightly from the clamp.
Rose grabbed her and pulled her back. "No!"
Before Hally could try again, Rose had climbed around her, making herself closer to the lever.
"I'll do it!" The human yelled. Hally tried to grab her hand but it was already too late. Rose had let go of the clamp and was instead holding onto the lever. Somehow, Hally wasn't sure how, she pushed it back into place. The computer confirming her success.
"Online and locked."
The force pulling them into the void picked up again instantly.
"Rose, hold on! Hold on!" The Doctor called, his eyes wide in panic.
Hally kept one arm linked around the clamp, reaching out her other arm towards Rose. They were too far away still. So instead, Hally reached out with her mind. She could feel the force of the Void pulling Rose. Her grip was slipping.
With all the energy she could muster, Hally focused on holding Rose in place. Fighting the Void, she pulled on the human as the thousands of Daleks and Cybermen were sucked inside.
Perhaps it was because she was so close, or perhaps the Void had locked onto Rose but the force Hally was fighting seemed to get stronger and stronger as time went on. She let out a primal scream, her vision clouding over for a second.
"Rose!" Hally shouted out. Again trying to reach her with her hand.
Rose looked up into Hally's eyes. A moment passed between the two. Hally screaming, weakening fast. Rose smiled slightly, her face set in determination.
Rose let go of the lever and Hally felt her focus snap.
"No!" She screamed. Watching as Rose was pulled closer and closer towards the breach. At the last moment, Pete appeared behind his daughter. He grabbed her and within an instant, they were gone.
"Systems closed." The computer announced as the breach folded in on itself, closing with a flicker of light.
Hally dropped from the clamp, dragging herself over to the now empty wall where the breach had been. "No, no, no." She muttered.
Her face was wet. She wiped at her face angrily. Pulling her hand away she saw blood. Her nose was bleeding.
She heard the soft footsteps of The Doctor and felt him stand at the wall beside her.
She opened her mouth to say something, but nothing would come out. Instead, she turned and ran over to the computer. Trying anything to unlock the breach again.
The Doctor just stood there, his hand pressed against the wall.
After a few moments, he turned back to his daughter. "We can't."
Hally looked up at him. "Why? Why not?!" Her voice cracked with emotion. Tears already falling down her face.
The Doctor moved closer, pulling his daughter into a tight hug. She could feel him shaking, his body stiff.
Finally, after Hally had cried all the tears she could, the pair made their way silently back to the TARDIS. It was eerie. Walking through the now abandoned Torchwood building. No Daleks. No Cybermen. No Torchwood. No Rose.
The Doctor unlocked the TARDIS door, stepping back to let her in first. She walked into the console room, collapsing to her knees as he closed the door behind them.
Silence.
"I might…" The Doctor tried to speak. His voice was void of any happiness. "There's the smallest gap… not enough… just enough to say goodbye." He was leaning on the console, looking down at her sadly.
"You could say goodbye…"
Hally frowned, looking up at him. "We could?"
He shook his head slightly. "Just one of us. The energy it'll require even for one of us… it won't be long. Maybe 3 minutes maximum."
Hally shook her head, pushing on the console, forcing herself back to her feet. "If just one of us can say goodbye, then it should be you, Doctor."
He sighed, his eyes slid to the floor. He didn't say anything for a moment. Then he shook his head.
"No. It should be you. She'll want to talk to you."
Hally frowned. "What the hell are you talking about? It's you she's in love with." Hally pointed to him.
He was quiet.
"You say goodbye. Please." Hally straightened up and wiped her face. "I know…" She started. "I know that you love her. That you're… in love with her. And she's in love with you. I know I pretended to not notice… but I'm not stupid. I know what love looks like." The side of her mouth twitched into a small smile.
The Doctor just stared at her. His cheeks going slightly pink.
"I'm not going to take away your goodbye, Dad." Hally smiled sadly.
The Doctor nodded slowly, letting out a long breath. He pulled his daughter into another long hug. Then, when he was ready he got to work.
A few moments later, he stood in the middle of the console room. Hally sat herself down on the small couch and watched.
The Doctor stood, stiffly. Waiting for a few moments. Finally, his face broke into a smile and Hally assumed he must be able to see her. Only able to hear one side of the conversation, Hally sat quietly as he spoke.
"Inside the Tardis."
"There's one tiny little gap in the Universe left, just about to close, and it takes a lot of power to send this projection. I'm in orbit around a supernova. I'm burning up a sun just to say goodbye…"
"Hold on…" The Doctor messed with the Sonic Screwdriver for a moment.
"I'm still just an image. No touch."
He went on to gently explain to Rose that the gap was closing quickly, and that he couldn't come back for her.
"About two minutes."
"You've still got Mister Mickey, then?"
"You're not?"
"And what about you? Are you…?"
"Rose Tyler, Defender of the Earth. You're dead, officially, back home. So many people died that day and you've gone missing. You're on a list of the dead. Here you are, living a life day after day. The one adventure I can never have." The Doctor smiled sadly. Hally wiped a tear from her cheek.
"You can't." He continued.
"I know, I will. I'll tell her. I promise." The Doctor's eyes flickered over to Hally, before moving back to Rose.
"Quite right, too." He laughed gently. "And I suppose, if it's one last chance to say it…" His voice broke with emotion. "Rose Tyler… I…"
His forehead creased into a frown and he closed his eyes, letting out a long breath. He visibly deflated.
Hally stood up. "She's gone?"
His head twitched down in a small nod.
Hally's eyes welled up with fresh tears. She made the short journey over to her father. Wrapping him in her arms. Holding him.
"There's something…" He tried to speak but Hally shushed him.
"It's ok… it'll be ok." Hally squeezed him as tight as she could. "I love you, Dad." She whispered.
"I love you too." He whispered back, holding onto her.
28th January 2008
Hally was bored. This place was mind-numbingly boring without Saxon.
Wait.
Hally shook her head.
No.
This place was boring, full stop.
She was currently sat in a workshop room. She guessed one could describe it as a classroom, except there was nothing really in it apart from more plastic chairs.
You see, sometimes the inmates (perhaps inmates was the word?) would be 'encouraged' to attend workshops by guest speakers. All with the aim of helping them adjust to what life could be like in the outside world.
At least they weren't trying to make her do yoga again. That hadn't gone well.
Hally stared forward at the guest speaker, not really listening to what they were saying. However, she was trying her hardest to drown out Courtney's voice, which was muttering next to her ear.
"Oh look at you. So well behaved." Hally didn't have to imagine the smirk Courtney was wearing. She could hear it in her voice.
"You know, it's almost a shame. I was having so much fun."
Hally sighed softly, leaning back in her chair. Mouth firmly closed.
"Completely powerless now." Courtney sniggered darkly.
Hally looked pointedly over towards her guard, who was stood near the door, staring at her as usual.
He simply raised an eyebrow.
Courtney followed her gaze. "Oh dear, I don't think dark and brooding over there is going to help you."
Hally sighed softly.
"Don't worry. I'll put you out of your misery soon enough." Courtney grinned.
Hally frowned, shooting her a look out of the corner of her eye. Before remembering she was trying to ignore her, looking back at the speaker at the front.
"I'm coming for you." Courtney growled lowly. Hally grit her teeth together to stop herself from speaking.
Courtney made a noise of amusement, then sank back into her chair. She didn't say another word for the rest of the workshop.
At the end, Hally let the guard escort her out. His hand was wrapped firmly around her upper arm, guiding her firmly but not painfully down a corridor towards her cell.
"Don't you get bored of just staring at me all the time?" She quipped.
He didn't reply.
No matter. Hally was feeling particularly chatty after forcing herself to sit in silence for 3 hours.
"What's your name?"
One of his eyebrows twitched. She rolled her eyes.
"Surely you can tell me your name?"
More silence.
"Really though, I promise it can't be half as bad as what I call you in my head." She grinned childishly.
He pulled on her arm roughly, turning the corner.
"Armitage." He said gruffly. They'd reached her cell now and he removed the keys from his belt, unlocking the door.
Hally pulled a face. "Oh, I am sorry." She smirked.
He didn't seem bothered by her childish taunts. Once the door was open, he pushed her inside. Probably harder than necessary. Then he locked the door and turned to leave.
"Where has Saxon been?" Hally blurted out suddenly.
Armitage paused, turning back to look at her through the gap in the door. He raised an eyebrow.
"He'll be back tomorrow." He stated, matter of fact.
Hally bit the inside of her mouth. Not sure what to say next, but certain that she didn't want Armitage to leave just yet.
"He's been away for ages." She added quietly.
There was rustling, from what Hally could see it looked like the guard had crossed his arms. "Mr Saxon is a busy man. He has many 'projects' to work on."
Armitage's face was fairly stoic, but Hally could hear a slightly teasing tone to his voice.
Hally clicked her tongue, feigning nonchalance. "You would think he wouldn't have the time." Then she added, generally curious. "In fact, if he's away so often how does he fit in all the other people?"
Armitage frowned slightly. "What do you mean?"
Hally waved her hand in the air, as if that made it obvious. "You know… doesn't he talk to all the others?"
Armitage smiled. Shaking his head slightly.
"Mr Saxon has been away because sometimes his other projects have to take priority." He spoke to her like he was speaking to a small child. "However, I'll let him know you've been asking after him." He smiled unkindly.
Hally scowled. "That's not what I was doing."
She paused. "I thought it was 'Dr' Saxon?"
The guard let out a short laugh, before turning his back on her and walking away.