Parallel: From Another World [1] (The Parallel Series) ✓

The Girl in the Fireplace - Two

The Doctor opened his mouth to protest before Mickey cut in. "What's a horse doing on a spaceship?" He frowned deep in thought noticing Arthur and bringing back a dead conversation.

"Mickey, what's pre-Revolutionary France doing on a spaceship?" The Doctor questioned. Not getting a reply he answered his own question. "Get a little perspective." He shook his head. "See these?" He pointed to what looked like a window allowing the four to see France. "They're all over the place. On every deck. Gateways to history. But not just any old history."

"Wait for it" Rita held up a finger pausing. "Now" she clicked her fingers and Reinette walked in the room.

"Hers. Nice timing by the way" He nodded at Rita who smugly smiled. "Time windows deliberately arranged along the life of one particular woman. A spaceship from the fifty-first century stalking a woman from the eighteenth. Why?"

"Not even I know" Rita admitted watching Reinette move over to the mirror.

"Who is she?" Rose asked.

"Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson, known to her friends as Reinette. One of the most accomplished women who ever lived."

"Soon to be Madame de Pompadour" Rita added.

"So has she got plans of being the Queen, then?"

"No, he's already got a Queen." The Doctor nodded over to the King. "She's got plans of being his mistress."

"Oh, I get it." Rose now understood. "Camilla."

"I think this is the night they met. The night of the Yew Tree ball."

"Correct" Rita nodded at his good guess.

"In no time at flat, she'll get herself established as his official mistress, with her own rooms at the palace. Even her own title. Like Rita said, Madame de Pompadour"

"The Queen must have loved her." Rose breathed out.

"Oh, she did. They get on very well." The Doctor nodded at her.

"The King's wife and the King's girlfriend?" Mickey said like it was foreign which it ironically was but for the year? Nothing strange about it.

"France. It's a different planet."

"For you quite literally" Rita smiled up at him as he watched Reinette. "Oh, I almost forgot" Rita turned to Mickey. "Can I borrow that? Well, can he?" She pointed her thumb at the Doctor. Mickey nodded throwing the fire extinguisher to him.

The Doctor raised a brow at the brunette who shook her head at him. "Secrets" was all Rita said before Reinette turned around to a woman standing away with her back to her in the corner of the room.

"How long have you been standing there?" She asked then harshened her tone demanding the figure now. "Show yourself!"

"Come on fireplace man" Rita pulled the Doctor he flicked a switch and the mirror switched. They both jumped, though.

"Hello, Reinette. Hasn't time flown?"

"Reinette" Rita nodded at the woman.

"Fireplace people!" She shouted shocked and in joy.

"You should step away from that" Rita suggested. Reinette stepped back towards the brunette not asking any questions while the Doctor sprayed the droid throwing the extinguisher over to Mickey. "Thank you, Mickey" Rita thanked him. The droid then began to creek.

"What's it doing?" Mickey asked.

"Switching back on. Melting the ice." He replied not taking his eyes off the droid. He stepped closer to Rita a little then a little forward as if he was trying to protect her without her noticing.