Katy groaned as she attempted to redo her eyeliner for the fifth time that morning. She needed something to distract from the dark circles under her eyes that never seemed to go away. She supposed it was no surprise since even when she had the rare opportunity to lay in her bed, sleep evaded her. She had spent the best half of that morning staring up at her ceiling, willing herself to fall asleep, but every time she closed her eyes, bad memories came to the surface. The Doctor's death, losing her sister, and now Jenny...
She spun around on her chair when she heard her door sliding open, accompanied by a groan from the Time Machine. She had grown to understand the strange, little sounds the TARDIS made. This one was something along the lines of 'hurry the hell up'. With a roll of her eyes, she set the eyeliner down and grabbed her favourite leather jacket.
"Alright, alright," Katy sighed, heading toward her door, shoving her feet into some trainers. She stopped in the doorway, tapping on the frame. "You're very bossy, you know that?" Katy huffed, as the lights in her bedroom switched off immediately.
It was clear that there was somewhere the TARDIS wanted her to be. As she walked down the winding corridors, she realised that she must have jumped since collapsing into her bed the previous night. Weeks had passed since Jenny's death, and despite only knowing her for a day, it hurt. She found herself missing something she never really had. And she couldn't talk to anyone about it. Not even the Doctor, not when she knew he might not have even met Jenny yet. And even if he had, would he remember her? She had been such a small part of his life. Katy supposed she would be soon too. Glancing down, she pulled back her sleeve to reveal her vortex manipulator, pressing a few buttons.
"Biological age," She mumbled, as the device scanned her for a few seconds.
"Twenty-five years. Eleven months. Twenty-six days," The mechanical voice replied, as Katy felt despair claw at her.
She had days left. There were still so many people she hadn't got the chance to say goodbye to. She had hardly seen the Doctor's future regeneration in months. And Amy and Rory...what would the TARDIS be like without her? The time machine appeared to read her thoughts, letting out a comforting humming sound just as she reached the doors to the console room. She could hear something from up the stairs, and began to trail upwards, expecting to find the Doctor racing around the console. She hadn't been expecting to see the Time Lord kissing a familiar blonde on the jump seats, neither appearing to have a care in the world.
A hundred different emotions ran through her in an instant, as she was forced to compose herself before she did something she'd regret. This was before he knew her. Really knew her. She had always known about his feelings for Rose, she had just hoped she'd never have it thrown so brutally in her face. Storming forward, she grabbed the main lever on the console, causing the TARDIS to slow its journey through the time vortex. The pair were almost thrown off the seats from the sudden halt, as Katy let out a loud cough, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Sorry to interrupt," She muttered, the sarcasm clear as day in her tone.
The Doctor had the sense to remove his hands from where they had been holding onto his companion's waist and pushed himself up from the seats. Scratching the back of his neck, he shot Katy a guilty look, as Rose smoothed out her shirt. Tense silence stretched on for some time, as Rose kept her gaze firmly on the ground.
"We, uh...didn't realise you were here," The Doctor exclaimed.
"Clearly," Katy retorted, cocking her head to one side.
"I'll just," Rose began, grabbing a colourful box from the floor, which rattled as she picked it up. A blush had grown on her cheeks now. "Take this back to my room," Rose mumbled, rushing past Katy without so much as a look.
"So, you and Rose?" Katy exclaimed; her lips pressed firmly together.
"Not a problem, is it?" The Doctor asked.
"No. No, of course not. It's great. Yeah, really...great," Katy ranted, forcing a smile on her face which turned into more of a grimace.
She could see why the TARDIS was so insistent on her interrupting the pair now. Nothing good was going to come from their relationship, but neither was her own relationship with the Doctor. She'd be dead in days. And he was at least happy for now. She couldn't get in the way of that.
"Requests?" The Doctor questioned, gesturing to the console, avoiding a difficult conversation as usual.
"London. I haven't seen Jackie in a while, time for a visit," Katy replied. That would be one more person to tick off her goodbye list. Jackie had been good to her. Taken her in when no one else would, the least she could do was thank her.
"You want to see my mum?" Rose called out, rushing up the stairs, as Katy gave a half-shrug.
"Don't you?" Katy muttered.
"Well, yeah. But I can see her anytime and me and the Doctor were planning on—" Rose started, but Katy was quick to interject.
"Your mum's not getting any younger, Rose. You think she'll always be around waiting for you? Cause she won't. You really want to leave it so long that one day all you have is a gravesite to visit?" Katy snapped, as Rose's eyes widened at her harsh words. Both she and the Doctor were surprised by her outburst. "Look, I just...think you ought to spend some more time with her. She's all the family you've got, right?" Katy pushed, as Rose slowly nodded.
"I guess I do have some laundry for her to do," Rose mumbled.
Katy leaned back on the jump seats, waiting for Rose to finish grabbing her washing and present for her mum. Katy ran a finger over her mobile, bringing up her contacts, stopping the scroll button when she got to the name Saxon. There was still someone she had been avoiding. She knew the Master would not take her imminent demise well. Hell, she wouldn't be surprised if he blew up Downing Street in an overdramatic tantrum with just the suggestion that she'd soon be dead.
"You mind carrying my laundry?" Rose inquired, as Katy didn't look up from her phone.
"Sure," She replied, not paying attention.
A massive rucksack was then thrown onto her lap, none too gently. Rose gave her an overly sweet smile before wandering over to the Doctor and taking him by the hand. Katy frowned at her actions, watching on as the blonde dragged the Doctor out of the TARDIS. With a sigh, she threw the rucksack over her shoulder and went to follow, wondering what she had done to piss Rose off.
She was starting to regret her suggestion to visit Jackie, as it meant she would have to spend the day with the lovesick pair. Rose was all but skipping alongside the Doctor, both grinning from ear to ear, laughing about some inside joke she wasn't a part of. The Doctor opened the door to the council estate for Rose, ever the gentleman, but when he appeared to be waiting for Katy, Rose gave a hard tug on his hand and the door slammed closed.
"Be the bigger person. Do not rise to the twenty-year-old making out with your future boyfriend," Katy murmured, under her breath. She reached out to grab the handle of the door, eyes growing wide when she realised she had immediately left a dent in the metal. "Never thought those words would be leaving my mouth," Katy scoffed, before starting the trek up to Jackie's flat.
"Mum, it's us! We're back!" Rose exclaimed, hurriedly unlocking the front door.
"Oh, I don't know why you bother with that phone. You never use it!" Jackie called back, beaming at the sight of her daughter.
"Shut up, come here," Rose grinned, as the pair embraced, with Katy and the Doctor still remaining in the doorway.
They continued hugging for a few moments, swaying back and forth, until Jackie spotted Katy. She was immediately throwing her arms out, pulling the younger woman into a tight embrace before Katy had the chance to stop her. Not that she really wanted to. Jackie's forehead wrinkled as she felt how Katy clutched onto her shoulders. Her concern only grew when she spotted the unshed tears growing in Katy's eyes as they parted.
"Oh no, you don't. Come here!" Jackie cried, as the Doctor tried to squeeze past the pair undetected.
She then grabbed him by the tie, smacking a wet kiss against the Doctor's, before drawing him into a hug. The Doctor's hands stayed limp at his sides, allowing the onslaught. It was Rose's mum after all. Some exceptions had to be made.
"Oh, you lovely big fella! Oh, you're all mine," Jackie cooed, raising an eyebrow at Rose, obviously teasing her.
"Just...just put me down!" The Doctor complained, as Jackie pressed one more kiss to his lips, finally releasing him.
The Doctor rubbed at his mouth with the sleeve of his coat, face contorted in disgust, as Katy tried to hold back a laugh. Jackie and Rose started up a conversation, the latter ranting about the most recent planet they travelled to. The Doctor came to stand by Katy's side, his mouth still glistening with Jackie's lip gloss.
"Well, I never thought I'd see the day the Doctor would go domestic," Katy teased.
"I have not!" He retorted, as she shrugged.
"It'll be Christmas dinners next. Awkward double dates, and you haven't even met Rose's cousin yet. I hear she's a real firecracker," Katy mocked, as the Doctor let out a groan. Without a thought, Katy reached up to run her thumb over his bottom lip, wiping away the last remnants of the gloss. When her eyes met his intense, half-lidded gaze, she was quick to pull her hand away. "Sorry," She mumbled, still able to feel his eyes on her.
"She's gone mad," Rose exclaimed, approaching the pair, breaking through the sudden tension.
"Tell me something new," The Doctor retorted, guessing they were talking about her mother.
"Granddad Prentice, that's her dad. But he died, like, ten years ago. She thinks he's coming for a visit. Oh, my God. She's lost it," Rose informed them, as Katy's brow furrowed. It had been a little while since she had seen Jackie, but she had always been sharper than people gave her credit. Katy was sure there would be more to the story. "Mum? What you just said about granddad?" Rose addressed.
"Any second now."
"But he passed away. His heart gave out. Do you remember that?" Rose said, in a slightly condescending tone.
"Of Course I do," Jackie nodded, a smile still on her face.
"Then how can he come back?" Rose pointed out.
"Why don't you ask him yourself? Ten past. Here he comes," Jackie exclaimed, excitedly.
An ethereal humanoid shape walked through the outside wall, the vague silhouette of a person, a strange grey light reflecting from it. It went to stand beside Jackie, half a foot taller than her. It made no sound, only staring at them in silence.
"Here we are, then. Dad, say hello to Rose. Ain't she grown?" Jackie grinned, as the three remained too speechless to reply.
Katy was the first to overcome her stupor, immediately grabbing a magnet from the fridge and hurling it at the strange creature. It passed through the figure like it wasn't really there. But there was no disturbance like she would expect from a hologram.
"Brand new life form and you throw a magnet at it?" The Doctor mumbled, his jaw still hanging open.
"The toaster seemed like overkill," Katy replied.
The 'ghosts' weren't just isolated to England. According to the news reports the Doctor flicked through, there were millions popping up all over the world. People appeared to have just...accepted them. Even began marketing them. With every new television channel, Katy's hope for the human race dimmed a little further.
"Humans still have the self-preservation instinct of a goldfish I see," Katy huffed, as Jackie threw a cushion at the back of her head. A scene from Eastenders popped up on the screen, as Jackie raised her hand up for the Doctor to stay on it.
"Listen to me, Den Watts. I don't care if you have come back from the grave. Get out of my pub! The only spirits I'm serving in this place are gin, whisky and vodka. So, you heard me. Get out!" Peggy Mitchell, one of the long-serving characters, yelled at a 'ghost'.
"When did it start?" The Doctor asked, switching the TV off.
"Well, first of all, Peggy heard this noise in the cellar, so she goes down—" Jackie began, as Katy cut her off.
"I think he meant the whole ghost thing," Katy clarified.
"Oh. That was about two months ago. Just happened. Woke up one morning, and there they all were. Ghosts, everywhere. We all ran round screaming and that. Whole planet was panicking. No sign of you, thank you very much," Jackie told them, as Rose felt a slither of guilt, turning to Katy, realising there had been more truth in her earlier words than she had thought. Her mother could have been killed months ago, and she wouldn't have even known. "Then it sort of sank in. It took us time to realise that we're lucky," Jackie continued.
"What makes you think it's granddad?" Rose inquired.
"It just feels like him. There's that smell, those old cigarettes. Can't you smell it?" Jackie pushed, as Rose slowly shook her head.
"I wish I could, Mum, but I can't."
"You've got to make an effort. You've got to want it, sweetheart," Jackie suggested, as Katy reached out for Jackie's shoulder.
"Jackie, I get it. Trust me, there are people I wish I could see again," Katy admitted, her mind immediately going to Jenny. She'd do almost anything to bring her daughter back. "But if something seems too good to be true...it always is. You said this...ghost, he's not here all the time when these shifts happen, is he? Just occasionally he'll come to your flat. You really think if it was your dad he'd want to be anywhere but your side?" Katy urged, as her words sunk in.
"But if they're not ghosts, what are they then?" Rose frowned.
"Yeah, but they're human! You can see them. They look human," Jackie insisted, still hopeful.
"She's got a point. I mean, they're all sort of blurred, but they're definitely people," Rose added.
"The Doctor and I look human, but we're certainly not. Could be the same for whatever these things are," Katy pointed out.
"They're pressing themselves into the surface of the world. But a footprint doesn't look like a boot," The Doctor mumbled, jumping to his feet, a plan instantly coming to mind. Jackie looked less than pleased with both their suspicions. "Right, to the TARDIS. We need to find out what's really going on," The Doctor explained.
"I'll put the kettle on then," Jackie huffed, expecting to be left behind as usual.
"Doctor, if these ghosts really are dangerous, we can't just leave my mum here," Rose insisted, as the Doctor's face fell.
"The TARDIS isn't exactly mother-friendly," The Doctor retorted, as Rose blinked up at him with her wide, brown eyes, knowing he would instantly give into her. Letting out a loud sigh, he gave a reluctant nod. Rose gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before running off to tell Jackie the good news.
Katy gave him a thumbs up, mouthing the words 'domestic', as the Doctor rolled his eyes. He wasn't sure how he ended up agreeing to share his TARDIS with the Tyler women. The sound of a phone ringing came from the kitchen, as Katy patted down her pockets, realising it was likely her mobile. She had left it with the rest of Rose's stuff when they had rushed to the balcony to look at more of the ghosts.
"So, what do you think? Trouble?" The Doctor asked her.
"When is it not when it comes to us," Katy stated, as he gave a nod of agreement.
"About Rose," The Doctor began, now speaking in a hushed voice, eyes darting to the kitchen to make sure the blonde wasn't listening. He leant down close to Katy. "She's just upset about what happened at the Olympics," He told her.
"What happened at the Olympics?" Katy frowned, as the Doctor's mouth went slack.
"...Ah. Right, that hasn't...of course it hasn't. Forget it. It's...it's nothing," He stuttered, only adding to Katy's curiosity.
"Really? Cause it sure sounds like—" Katy began, but was cut off by Jackie calling out her name.
"Mr Saxon calling. Says it's urgent," Jackie exclaimed, as Katy's eyebrows shot up.
She was rushing across the room in an instant, snatching the phone from Jackie's hand. What the hell was the Master playing at, calling her when he likely knew she was with the Doctor? She hung up the accepted call, giving Jackie an unimpressed look.
"Who's this Saxon?" The Doctor inquired, as Katy tried to come up with a response.
"Her boyfriend," Jackie answered for her, causing Katy's cheeks to immediately redden.
"He's not my boyfriend," Katy retorted.
"He certainly thinks he is. Told me it was your boyfriend calling, recognised his voice from the news," Jackie went on, as Katy shot her a look.
"Of course he did," Katy grumbled, with a shake of her head.
"You've never mentioned him before," The Doctor pushed, suddenly seeming very interested.
Katy opened and closed her mouth a few times, beginning to freak out. This would be the worst time possible for the Master's identity to be revealed, what with the Doctor and Rose's new relationship. The Doctor would see it as a betrayal. He had Rose now. He'd hardly need her to stick around.
"Well, I do have a life outside of you," Katy responded, making the Doctor frown.
"She was always hanging out with him when she lived with me months back," Jackie added, as Katy pinched at the bridge of her nose. Jackie was putting her in some seriously hot water. "Do people still say that? Hanging out?" Jackie asked Rose.
"I think they sayhooking up now, mum," Rose snorted.
"Right. And that's what you two do when you're not travelling in the TARDIS?" The Doctor accused, crossing his arms over his chest. The bitterness was clear as day in his voice, whether he liked it or not.
"Not exactly any of your business, Doc," Katy pointed out, as the pair stared at each other, neither budging from the subject.
"Anyone for a cuppa?" Jackie announced, holding up an array of mugs, hoping to diffuse the tension in the room.
An hour later, Katy and Jackie stood side by side in the playground the TARDIS had landed, watching the Doctor race around, setting up cones in a triangle shape. He wore a pack on his back, using it to calibrate the cones, hoping to triangulate the origin of the 'ghosts'. He and Katy had barely uttered a word to each other since their argument in Jackie's flat. Katy remained silent as he ran back into the TARDIS, ushering Rose to follow him.
"So, what was that about earlier?" Katy inquired, as Jackie gave her an innocent look.
"I was just trying to be helpful answering your phone," Jackie shrugged, as Katy quirked an eyebrow.
"Uh-uh. You saw who was calling. Why are you stirring shit?" Katy pushed.
"Because," Jackie started, reaching out to link her arm with Katy's, a small smile growing on her lips. "You like Saxon. And from that time I saw you two walking down around the estate, he likes you too," Jackie explained.
"Oh, spying on me, were you? Nosy cow," Katy teased, as Jackie nudged her with her elbow.
"I'm serious. I might be old, but I have eyes. Don't think I didn't realise you were talking to some boy you liked when you'd rush off to answer a call," Jackie went on.
"You make me sound like a teenage girl," Katy snorted.
"It's the way people act when they're in love," Jackie pointed out, as Katy's face fell.
"Love? No, that's...I'm not in love with him," Katy insisted.
"...And the Doctor?" Jackie mumbled, as Katy let out a sigh. It wasn't the right time to be inspecting her jumbled-up feelings. "Even Rose sees it."
"That's why you're pushing me and...and Saxon together?" Katy inquired.
"No. I wasn't trying to get you to choose," Jackie admitted, her eyes flickering over to the Doctor, who was rushing back over to the devices he had laid out.
"Oh," Katy murmured, with a slight wince.
She supposed Jackie did have a point. The Doctor was playing with them to some degree, though she knew it wasn't vindictive. But Katy had already accepted who'd win if the Doctor truly had to choose. Maybe Jackie was right. She had more options than she used to.
"I'll go help Rose out," Jackie exclaimed, wandering back over to the TARDIS.
"Don't touch anything," The Doctor replied, not noticing the sneer Jackie sent her way.
"The scanner's working. It says Delta One Six," Rose shouted, as the Doctor stood excitedly by the cones, awaiting the ghost shift to arrive.
"You realise these 'ghosts' aren't gonna' be happy about us messing with them like this?" Katy pointed out.
"Better get our running shoes on then," The Doctor grinned at her, as the blurred figure of a 'ghost' emerged from inside the electrified field.
The Doctor placed some 3D glasses on his face, spotting something interesting from the way his mouth went slack. Katy crouched down to begin increasing the power to the devices, watching as the 'ghost' began to writhe from inside the field.
"Don't like that much, do you? Who are you? Where are you coming from?" The Doctor goaded, as the creature continued squirming.
Suddenly, his hand was on Katy's shoulder, pulling her back as she collided with his chest. She looked up at him in confusion, when she saw the 'ghost' swipe out with its arm, and would have struck her if she remained where she was. The Doctor straightened up and went to stand in front of Katy, keeping her out of harm's way.
"That's more like it! Not so friendly now, are you?" The Doctor mocked, as the 'ghost' suddenly dematerialised.
Immediately, he and Katy raced around to pick up the cones and headed back to the TARDIS, knowing they would have caught someone's attention. It was time to find out who their new enemy was. The Doctor was soon sending the TARDIS hurtling toward their new destination, grinning at Rose.
"I said so! Those ghosts have been forced into existence from one specific point, and I can track down the source. Allons-y!" He said,as Rose stayed silent, waiting for the other shoe to drop."I like that. Allons-y. I should say allons-y more often. Allons-y. Watch out, Rose Tyler. Allons-y. And then, it would be really brilliant if I met someone called Alonso, because then I could say, Allons-y, Alonso, every time," The Doctor ranted, as Katy bit her lip.
"You might just get that wish," Katy mumbled, remembering Midshipmen Frame well.
"You're staring at me," The Doctor realised, finally noticing the odd look Rose was sending his way.
"My mum's still on board," Rose whispered, as the Doctor's horrified gaze snapped up to Jackie, who was sitting on the upper walkway.
"If we end up on Mars, I'm going to kill you," Jackie huffed, crossing her arms, with an indignant expression.
"Well, what are you up there for?" The Doctor complained.
"Not enough seats in here. And it's dirty. I've seen five cobwebs just in this room," Jackie went on, as the Doctor ran a hand over his face, as the TARDIS lurched to the side, indicating they had landed.
"You know what, Jackie? The Doctor was just saying how he wants to change things around here. Make it a little more..." Katy began, slapping the Doctor on the back, her eyes brimming with mischievousness. He mouthed the word 'don't' to her, knowing exactly what she was about to say. "Domestic," She teased, as the Doctor dropped his head against the console, causing even Rose to giggle at their antics.
All the humour drained from their faces as the TARDIS materialised in a loading bayand was immediately surrounded by armed troops. Katy counted at least a dozen on the scanner, knowing that while the Doctor and she could take a few hits, their human companions couldn't. Things were quickly becoming too dangerous to have them around.
"Oh well, there goes the advantage of surprise. Still, cuts to the chase. Stay in here, look after Jackie," The Doctor advised, walking toward the doors as if he hadn't noticed the danger.
"You can't just go out there and hope for the best!" Katy cried.
"And I'm not staying here and looking after my mum," Rose added, as the women followed him to the door.
"Well, you brought her," The Doctor pointed out.
"I was kidnapped!"
"Doctor, they've got guns," Rose insisted, rushing forward to barricade the doors with her body.
"And I haven't. Which makes me the better person, don't you think?" The Doctor stated, reaching out to grab her by the waist and gently moved her away from the doors. He then pressed a quick kiss to her lips, immediately silencing any further protests. "They can shoot me dead, but the moral high ground is mine," He huffed, reaching for the door, but Katy beat him to it.
Before anyone had a chance to stop her she had stepped outside, fully expecting to be hit by a bullet in a matter of seconds. The Doctor rushed out after her, a shocked expression on his face, as she made sure to keep him behind her, reluctantly raising her hands up.
"What're you doing?" He hissed.
"What, you don't like me being the one doing stupid heroics for once?" Katy scoffed, as he grabbed her shoulder, attempting to force her behind him, just like he had done earlier, but she stood firm. "Uh-uh. I'm the body shield," Katy insisted.
"No. That's my job," The Doctor retorted, as the soldiers watched in confusion as the pair continued wrestling for who should be the one to put their life on the line.
"Oh! Oh, how marvellous. Oh, very good. Superb. Happy day," A woman with big, bouncy hair cried, sprinting over to them in her high heels. She started clapping then, gesturing for the soldiers to follow, as they dropped their weapons.
"Uh, thanks. Nice to meet you. I'm the Doctor. This is Katy," The Doctor greeted, as the pair untangled themselves, frowning as the soldiers continued clapping.
"Oh, I should say. Hurray!" The woman exclaimed.
"You...you've heard of me, then?" The Doctor guessed.
"Well, of course we have. And I have to say, if it wasn't for you, none of us would be here. The Doctor and the Nurse!" She beamed, setting off another round of applause.
The Doctor raised his hands up, making a gesture for them to finally stop clapping. He liked having his ego inflated, but it was a little much even for him. Katy glanced back toward the TARDIS doors, seeing Jackie and Rose listening intently.
"And you are?" The Doctor inquired.
"Yvonne Hartman. But there'splenty of time for that. Now, according to the records, you two rarely travel alone. That's a pattern, isn't it?There's no point hiding anything. Not from us. So where is she?" Yvonne pushed, as the Doctor glared at her for a few moments, not liking the change in her tone.
"...Yes. Sorry. Good point. She's just a bit shy, that's all," The Doctor informed them, plastering on a fake smile and reaching back through the TARDIS doors. It just wasn't Rose who his hand found. "But here she is, Rose Tyler," He announced, as Jackie came stumbling forward.
"She's not the best I've ever had. Bit too blonde. Not too steady on her pins. A lot of that," The Doctor added, gesturing that she talked too much.
"Oh my God, she's so gonna' kill you later," Katy mumbled, under her breath.
"And just last week, she stared into the heart of the Time Vortex and aged fifty-seven years. But she'll do," The Doctor went on.
"I'm forty!"
"Deluded. Bless. I'll have to trade her in. Do you need anyone? She's very good at tea. Well, I say very good, I mean not bad. Well, I say not bad...anyway, lead on. Allons-y. But not too fast. Her ankle's going," The Doctor mocked, as Yvonne began to lead them away.
"I'll show you where my ankle's going!" Jackie hissed, looking ready to slap them.
"I think that's payback for the kiss earlier," Katy snorted.
They were then led through a few corridors; all painted a startling white and filled with soldiers. Dread coursed through Katy, having an uneasy feeling of Deja-vu. Had she been to the base before? She swallowed hard, wondering if this was it. Perhaps Martha had got her dates wrong. Was she already walking to her death?
"It was only a matter of time until you found us, and at last you've made it. I'd like to welcome you, both," Yvonne grinned, as she pushed the door open to reveal a large warehouse, with perhaps a hundred boxes being loaded and deposited God only knew where. Slap bang in the middle of the cavernous room stood a large ship, certainly not from Earth. Soldiers and men in white jackets raced around, all seeming on high alert.
"Welcome to Torchwood."
Katy's feet faltered, a cold chill running through her as she realised she had been wrong. It wasn't her death she should have been worrying about.
It was Rose's.
Whatever happened to Rose, how the Doctor lost her...it was happening right in front of her. Fuck. Rose wasn't even with them, she was still locked up in the TARDIS. And Jackie...she never found out what had happened to Rose's mother. But she knew the older woman well enough to know she'd never stand idly by as something awful happened to her daughter. Katy let out a shaky breath as Yvonne led them further into the warehouse, but Katy's feet wouldn't move. She felt sick. She couldn't do this anymore. Losing Rose and Jackie...it was too much.
"Are you okay?" The Doctor exclaimed, by her side all of a sudden, reaching for her arm.
"We need to leave," Katy whispered.
"We can't. The ghosts, it's all leading back to this place," The Doctor pointed out.
"Doctor," Katy cried, reaching for his arms, holding on tightly. The Doctor's eyes widened when he finally seemed to notice the stricken expression she wore. "Please. Just trust me on this. Let's go," Katy pleaded.
"Well, I'm afraid that won't be happening. You're both enemies of the state, after all," Yvonne interjected, as Katy glared at her.
"And who the fuck is going to stop me?" Katy snapped, as Yvonne had the sense to back up a pace.
"We can't leave without Rose. My TARDIS, where is she?" The Doctor questioned, as Yvonne pursed her lips.
"You'll have your ship back...after you look at something for us. Is that a deal?" Yvonne suggested, holding her hand out to the Time Lord, who looked at her in contempt. When she realised he wasn't going to shake her hand, Yvonne ushered him to the right. "This way, Doctor."
"I need to make a call," Katy announced, as the Doctor raised an eyebrow.
"Right now?" He huffed.
"Yes. Look, I'll be five minutes and then we leave," Katy told him, as he gave a reluctant nod.
"Watch yourself round here," Jackie warned, before the pair were led away.
With gritted teeth, Katy pulled out her phone, instantly calling the Master. He had broken his promise to her. Though, she supposed she shouldn't have been surprised. Her impatience grew as the call continued to ring, and then, just as she was about to give up, he finally answered.
"Oh, so now you want to talk?" The Master exclaimed.
"Don't even try it. I'd tell you where I am, but I've got a feeling you already know, right?" Katy muttered.
"Torchwood. That Yvonne is a little much, isn't she? Can't say I'll be sad to see her go," The Master retorted, as Katy gripped her phone a little harder.
"You told me you'd put an end to this place. That you'd make sure no new director was appointed," Katy insisted.
"I did, didn't I? I suppose I must have lied," The Master mumbled, as Katy scrunched her eyes shut.
"Rose is going to die. And you could have stopped it. I'll never fucking forgive you for this," Katy snapped.
"Oh, I think you will. Because let's face it, this is what you really want. Now, you'll have the Doctor all to yourself," He suggested.
"This isn't a game," Katy argued, hearing him laugh from the other end of the line.
"Isn't it? Watching the Doctor fall for yet another useless human, just to lose her? It's the entertainment of the century," He sneered.
"And what about me? I know this might be an impossible concept for you, but I care about Rose. And her mother. You know that," Katy pointed out, receiving a moment of silence.
"I care. Just not about some stupid humans," He retorted, as Katy shook her head.
"Well, clearly not about me either, or you wouldn't be doing this," Katy told him. She could only hope her words weren't true. Because the Master was likely the only chance Rose had left. "Look, it's not too late. Rose is in the TARDIS. You could have it taken away from him. Out of harm's way," Katy urged.
"And why would I do that?" The Master scoffed.
"Because I'm the one asking," Katy stated, in a softer tone. Sucking in a deep breath, she knew it was the time to get some things off her chest. To help save Rose. "I know that I've been...I don't know, leading you on. And even though you're a real asshole...you've helped me. And maybe it's time that I..." She trailed off, a sad laugh leaving her lips.
"What?" He pushed.
"If we do this, if we save Rose, I'm gonna' have to let the Doctor go. So, I guess what I'm saying is...you can pick up the pieces," Katy continued.
"Or your shattered heart?" He teased, making her snort.
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever's left of it, prick. Just help me, Master," Katy pleaded, as a few moments of silence ticked by.
"Say my name again and you have a deal," The Master replied, as she could all but hear his smirk.
"You're so fucking conceited," She muttered, though her own lips had pulled back into a slight smile, despite the urgency of the situation. "Please, Master," She exclaimed.
"My men will be there in twenty minutes," He responded, before the call disconnected.
"A Void ship? You're sure?" Katy inquired, after the Doctor had informed her of what Yvonne was so desperate for them to see in the vaults of Torchwood.
"Definitely. Should have just been a theory but...there it was," The Doctor mumbled, from where he was leaning against the wall.
"The Void Ship is what came through the breach. That's what opened it in the first place," Katy realised, remembering what the last Torchwood director had told her when she visited with the Master.
"Ah, yes. I was wondering when you were going to mention this isn't the first time you've come to Torchwood," Yvonne stated, as the Doctor's eyes darted between the pair.
"It isn't?" He frowned.
"She visited with the Ministery of Defence. Mr Saxon," Yvonne explained, as the Doctor pursed his lips.
"Did she now?" He huffed, as Katy rolled her eyes.
"We...well, I was trying to help. To stop you idiots from playing around with shit you clearly don't understand," Katy muttered.
"By murdering the last Director?" Yvonne accused, causing Katy to wince.
"Murder? Yes, your new boyfriend seems like a real catch," The Doctor scoffed.
"Can we stay on task here? That breach," Katy exclaimed, pointing to the large white wall on the other side of the room. She could practically feel the energy that reverberated from the breach, the hair on the back of her neck standing on end. "Is about to blow."
"She has a point. You find the breach, probe it, the sphere comes through six hundred feet above London, bam. It leaves a hole in the fabric of reality. And that hole, you think, oh, shall we leave it alone? Shall we back off? Shall we play it safe? Nah, you think let's make it bigger!" The Doctor mocked.
"It's a massive source of energy. If we can harness that power, we need never depend on the Middle East again. Britain will become truly independent. Look, you can see for yourself. Next Ghost Shift's in two minutes," Yvonne mumbled, her heels clicking as she wandered back into the lever from where they had crowded into her office.
"Cancel it."
"I don't think so," Yvonne retorted.
"I'm warning you, cancel it!" The Doctor shouted, growing impatient.
"Oh, exactly as the legends would have it. The Doctor, lording it over us. Assuming alien authority over the Rights of Man," Yvonne muttered, spinning around to face him.
"Have you even heard yourself? Have you spent half a second thinking about what you're doing? You're inviting a race you have no idea about to come around for bloody tea!" Katy accused, as the Doctor pulled his sonic screwdriver out of his pocket.
"Let me show you. Sphere comes through," The Doctor began, pointing his sonic screwdriver toward a large glass window with Torchwood's logo. The glass immediately cracked. "But when it made the hole, it cracked the world around it. The entire surface of this dimension splintered. And that's how the ghosts get through. That's how they get everywhere. They're bleeding through the fault lines. Walking from their world, across the Void, and into yours, with the human race hoping and wishing and helping them along. But too many ghosts, and..." He trailed off, gently taping on the glass which shattered in an instant, the shards following to the ground.
"Well, in that case, we'll have to be more careful. Positions! Ghost Shift in one minute," Yvonne announced, as if she hadn't heard a word he had said.
"Miss Hartman, I am asking you, please don't do it," The Doctor insisted, storming forward.
"We have done this a thousand times," Yvonne pointed out.
"Then stop at a thousand!" He pleaded.
"We're in control of the ghosts. The levers can open the breach, but equally, they can close it," Yvonne argued.
Though the Doctor and Katy shared no psychic link, the moment he saw her step forward out of the corner of his eye, he knew what she planned. The whole planet was at stake, and Katy had no issue with forcing Yvonne to stop. He reached out for her hand suddenly, stopping Katy in her tracks.
"Okay."
Even Katy was lost as the Doctor led her by the hand back to Yvonne's office, grabbing two chairs and gesturing for her to sit down. She did as she was told, following whatever his plan was without question.
"Sorry?" Yvonne gaped.
"Never mind. As you were," He nodded, as he sat down in the chair next to her.
"What, is that it?" Yvonne scoffed.
"No, fair enough. Said my bit. Don't mind me. Any chance of a cup of tea?" The Doctor shrugged, leaning back on his chair, acting as if he didn't have a care in the world.
"You can't stop us, Doctor," Yvonne told him, firmly.
"No, absolutely not. Pull up a chair, Rose. Come and watch the fireworks," The Doctor insisted, staring back at Yvonne with a confident smile.
If there was one thing the Doctor was good at it, it was calling someone's bluff.
"Ghost Shift in ten seconds," A familiar voice announced, as Katy's head snapped to the left. Her jaw dropped open as she saw Martha sitting by one of the nearby desks, an earpiece in one ear. She was stumbling to her feet in an instant, approaching who she thought was her friend. "Nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two—" She continued, when Yvonne suddenly cut her off.
"Stop the shift. I said stop," Yvonne ordered, as the lights in the room dimmed.
"Thank you," The Doctor replied, as Katy reached for her friend's shoulder.
"Martha?" Katy exclaimed, with a gladdened smile.
She had no idea how she could be there, but it gave her a little hope. Martha would be able to help them. But her smile faltered when Martha stared up at her blankly, not a hint of recognition on her face. Worse than that, her eyes were so...empty.
"Her name's Adeola," Yvonne mumbled, passing by the pair, with the Doctor following close on her heels.
Katy slowly put two and two together, remembering a time when Martha had mentioned a cousin who could have passed for a twin. But...Martha had spoken about her cousin in the past tense. The woman beside her had barely moved, only tilting her head to one side, as if she was studying her. There was something so wrong about the woman's eyes.
"Sorry, I, uh...I know your cousin. Martha," Katy admitted, as the woman gave her something akin to a smile.
"Martha. Yes. She's my cousin," Adeola agreed, in a tone devoid of any emotion.
"Well, I'll be sure to tell her hello from you next time I see her," Katy mumbled.
"You do that," Adeola nodded, with a smile far too tight.
Katy listened closely and waited. For a heartbeat. But it never came. Adeola's heart wasn't beating. With her own tense smile, she turned around, glancing at the two other men at computers, her heart dropping when she heard nothing from them either.
They were already dead.
"So these ghosts, whatever they are, did they build the sphere?" Yvonne's voice broke through her thoughts, as she continued walking toward the woman's office.
"Must have. Aimed it at this dimension like a cannonball," The Doctor suggested, as Yvonne shot him an irritated look when he raised his feet up on her shiny glass table.
"Yvonne? I think you should see this. We've got a visitor. We don't know who she is, but funnily enough, she arrived at the same time as the Doctor," A man's voice could be heard from Yvonne's laptop, as Katy came to stand by the Doctor's side, keeping an eye on Adeola.
"She one of yours?" Yvonne inquired, twisting the computer around to show Rose.
Katy hung her head in despair, realising how much harder her plan to get Rose out of harm's way would be now that she had left the TARDIS. Glancing again at Adeola, she found the woman was peering back at her.
"Never seen her before in my life," The Doctor shrugged.
"Good. Then we can have her shot," Yvonne smirked, quick to call his bluff, as he had done to her.
"Oh, all right then. It was worth a try. That's, that's Rose Tyler," The Doctor confessed, dropping his feet back to the ground.
"Sorry. Hello," Rose said, giving them an awkward little wave.
"Well, if that's Rose Tyler, who's she?"
"I'm her mother," Jackie exclaimed, as Yvonne's eyes lit up in amusement.
"Oh, you travel with her mother?" Yvonne mocked, as the Doctor groaned.
"Don't say it..." He trailed off, gazing up at Katy, finding her attention was elsewhere. Following her eyeline, he could see the three people at computer desks were all but glaring at them now. "Everything okay?" He questioned.
"And your definition of okay is?" She inquired.
"Not a situation where we're about to die," He responded.
"We are very much not okay then," Katy whispered.
"What's going on?" Yvonne asked.
"I'm coming down to get you Rose," Katy exclaimed, as the blonde rolled her eyes.
"I don't need a babysitter!" Rose complained, as Yvonne pressed the laptop lid down, not interested in Rose's argument.
"Get them away from the computers," Katy hissed, leaning down low to utter into the Doctor's ear. Without another word, she turned on her heel and went to march out of the room. The Doctor jumped to his feet, a panicked expression flashing over his features, following her out into the corridor.
"Hey, hey. Wait," He called after her, rushing forward to reach for her wrist, stopping her in her tracks. He had rarely seen her look as worried as she now appeared. And that was enough to terrify him. "Talk to me."
"Rose is in trouble," Katy replied.
"We seem to be in a bit of trouble up here too," He pointed out, as she reluctantly turned to face him.
"I need to save her," Katy exclaimed, as their eyes met.
"No, no. If it's that bad, I'll go then," He insisted, as she reached up to clamp her hand around his other wrist.
"You need to stop this," Katy urged, as his forehead wrinkled. She wasn't sure if she could save Rose, but she sure wasn't going to let the Doctor get caught in the crossfire. "You need to stop pretending my life matters as much as Rose's," Katy told him, as he gave her a look of disbelief.
"Of course, it does—" He started, when she cut him off.
"To you," She clarified, as his hand dropped from her wrist, his face a shade paler than a moment before. With a clenched jaw, she forced a sad smile onto her lips, backing up a step. "It's always gonna' be Rose," She mumbled.
The Doctor opened his mouth to argue, to say anything, but nothing came out. With a clenched jaw, Katy twisted around and started racing down the corridor, trying to ignore the crushing feeling in her chest. She had a job to do. She didn't stop running until she finally reached the vaults, where she was glad to see the doors were now wide open. The Doctor must have told Yvonne to allow her to enter. Though they weren't in the best place, Rose still couldn't help a small smile growing on her face when she saw Katy approaching her. She always felt safer with Katy around.
"Someone call for a dashing rescue?" Katy called out.
"Think I've got that covered," A surprising voice answered, as Katy turned to the side of the room.
Mickey Smith was grinning back at her.
Upstairs, the Doctor was pacing around Yvonne's office, Katy's words echoing in his head. Running a hand through his messy hair, he tried to concentrate on the task at hand. Soon, he had no choice, as the lights began to light up from the breach. Yvonne was the first to rush out of her office, confusion etched over her features.
"Excuse me? Everyone? I thought I said stop the Ghost Shift. Who started the programme? But I ordered you to stop! Who's doing that?" Yvonne cried, as they watched in horror as the levers moved upward. None of the workers at the computer desks replied. "Right, step away from the monitors, everyone. Gareth, Adeola, stop what you're doing, right now. Matt, step away from your desk. That's an order! Stop the levers!" Yvonne insisted, panic growing in her voice, as one of the scientists attempted to grab onto a lever, but it was no good.
"What's she doing? Katy spoke to her. Looked like she knew her," The Doctor muttered, hurrying over to the woman who appeared to be in a trance.
"Addy, step away from the desk. Listen to me. Step away from the desk," Yvonne all but begged, as the Doctor clicked his fingers in her face, but she didn't even blink.
"She can't hear you. They're overriding the system. We're going into Ghost Shift," He exclaimed, fearfully.
Suddenly, a figure was racing past them, shoving the scientist away who was still attempting to grip onto the lever. The group watched as Katy grabbed onto the lever with both hands and with a strained cry, began to push it back down, causing the bright lights to dim. She then raised her leg up, whilst still holding onto the lever, and with a hard kick, ripped the lever from the column below. Chucking the lever across the room, she turned to the surprised group, nodding in their direction.
"You're welcome," She murmured, a little out of breath.
"I thought you were going down to the vaults," The Doctor stated, as she gave him a half shrug.
"Sounds boring. I want to be where the action is," She grinned, marching over to Adeola's desk, spotting the earpiece she wore. Adeola continued typing away at her desk, as the other lever raised to full power. "Now, that just won't do," Katy tutted, moving to stand behind Adeola.
Reaching up to her ear, and with one sharp tug, she pulled the earpiece away and with a trail of brain matter and synthetic central nervous system. The two workers on the other side of the room let out a blood-curdling cry before they all slumped forward, their heads hitting the desk. Jackie's hand flew up to her mouth in horror.
"You killed them," Jackie cried, as Katy turned to face her, seeming to mull over it for a moment.
"Collateral damage," Katy huffed, in a dismissive tone, as Jackie's jaw dropped open. The Doctor's eyes narrowed a bad feeling settling in his gut. Katy stopped in her tracks in front of Yvonne, who was still staring at Adeola's dead body. "Oh, right. I'm, uh...sorry for your loss and all. They'll be missed," Katy murmured, patting Yvonne on the shoulder as she passed her.
"What are you doing?" The Doctor exclaimed, watching as Katy headed toward the doorway, opening up the control panel.
"I'm locking us in. Just a sec," She replied, as the large white doors slid shut.
"With the breach about to open?" Yvonne insisted, as Katy slammed her fist against the door panel, which sparked, meaning it couldn't be overridden.
"Not without two levers it won't," Katy retorted, as her gaze fell on the two soldiers who were in the room, looking at each other with unease. Katy gestured for them to come forward. "You mind if I have one of your guns?" She inquired.
"Why?" The closest soldier frowned.
"Too many bleeding hearts in the room for my liking," Katy explained, before lunging forward and grabbing a rifle before they could argue.
"Katy, what the hell are you doing?" Jackie gasped, as she raised the gun in their direction.
"Just lining up my target. Mind stepping to the left," Katy replied, looking past the blonde toward the computer monitors.
The Doctor grabbed Jackie by the shoulders, forcibly moving her out of the way. Katy gave him a mocking bow of thanks, holding up her rifle, finger on the trigger. She'd like to see how they managed to open up the breach without the help of their—
A loud gunshot rang out in the room, as Katy went staggering backwards, a pained cry leaving her lips. Instinctively, she turned her weapon to the soldier who was still armed, her brow furrowing when she found his rifle at his side. The sound of a scuffle had her whipping around to find Yvonne with an old-fashioned revolver in her hand.
"Well, that was just rude," Katy scoffed, the hand that wasn't holding onto her gun reaching up to stem the bleeding running down her shoulder.
"Don't move," Yvonne warned, her revolver still raised.
"Miss Hartman, what are you doing?" The Doctor urged, when he noticed a blue blinking light in her ear, hidden by her hair.
An earpiece.
"You should not have come here, Cyber-controller," Yvonne exclaimed, her voice now devoid of any emotion, as the Doctor's eyes widened.
"Oh man, they killed the Yvonne on this side too? You have some seriously bad luck, lady," Katy muttered.
"What the hell is happening right now?" Jackie cried, as confused as ever.
"She's being controlled. Just like they were. This whole time," The Doctor sighed, angry that he had missed it.
"I had orders to allow you to stop the Ghost Shift earlier. We wanted to see if you had any more weapons than just words. We have the answer now," Yvonne replied.
"Not quite. The conversions don't always work. She's still holding on, isn't she?" Katy suggested, watching as Yvonne's hand shook. Katy took a shaky step forward, dripping blood on her way. "Memories are a powerful thing even when the person is dead. Some things can't just be forgotten. And that's why you're gonna' lose," Katy insisted.
"You will fix the lever or he dies," Yvonne warned, turning her gun toward the Doctor, as she reloaded the revolver in a matter of seconds.
"Fire away then," Katy shrugged, as Jackie's mouth went slack.
"What's wrong with you?" Jackie cried, rushing to the Doctor's side, as Katy cocked her head to the side.
"That's not Katy."
"Admit it, Doctor. You missed. Just a little," Kate smirked back at him.