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

Army of Ghosts

"Oh, well, there goes the advantage of surprise. Still, cuts to the chase. Rose, stay in here, look after Jackie. Come on Rita"

"I'm not looking after my mum." Rose protested standing in front of the TARDIS doors.

"Well, you brought her."

"Why does Rita get to go?"

"I was kidnapped!" Jackie shouted.

"Doctor, they've got guns." Rose told him.

"And I haven't. Which makes me the better person, don't you think? They can shoot me dead, but the moral high ground is mine." He grinned. "Plus, Rita said they wouldn't shoot so she gets to go," he walked out Rita following and then shut the TARDIS door so they couldn't look inside. The Doctor held up his hands and Rita stood just behind him a little diagonally. A woman on high heels obviously the leader of the operation ran in beaming. "Oh! Oh, how marvellous. Oh, very good. Superb. Happy day." She began to clap and the Doctor frowned slightly not expecting the reaction even when Rita told him he wasn't getting shot.

"Told you" she muttered. The soldiers then joined it clapping along with their leader.

The Doctor signalled for them to stop forcing on a smile. "Er, thanks. Nice to meet you. I'm the Doctor, this is Rita" she nodded after being introduced.

"Oh, I should say. Hurray!" She started to clap again.

"You, you've heard of me, then?" He asked.

"Well of course we have. And I have to say, if it wasn't for you, none of us would be here. The Doctor, Rita Stone and the Tardis." Rita frowned a little. How do they know of me? They started to applause the two again and the Doctor signalled for it to stop yet again after blinking at what thy just said.

"And you are?" He asked her.

"Oh, plenty of time for that." She waved her hand.

"Yvonne Hartman" Rita spat her name. "Head of this place, never liked her or it, except for a friend who I know." Yvonne looked a little shocked that Rita knew her name. "Sorry me knowing that not on your precious records?" She shot a smug grin.

"No it's not" she admitted then turned to the Doctor. "But according to the records, you're not one for travelling alone. The Doctor and his companion. That's a pattern, isn't it, right? There's no point hiding anything. Not from us. So where is she?"

"But there is Rita?" He frowned gesturing to the brunette beside him.

"But she's not your companion though" the woman laughed and Rita raised a brow. 

"Yes. Sorry. Good point." The Doctor nodded not wanting to argue. They did have guns. "She's just a bit shy, that's all." The Doctor played along then reached inside the TARDIS after slightly opening the door and grabbed the first person there.

"But here she is, Rose Tyler." He pulled out Jackie instead and he sighed a little not trying to show it. "Hmm. She's not the best I've ever had. Bit too blonde. Not too steady on her pins. A lot of that." He moved his hands about gesturing to a mouth opening and closing meaning that she talked too much. "Mind you not as much as Rita"

"Watch it" Rita narrowed her eyes.

"And just last week Rose Tyler here, she stared into the heart of the Time Vortex and aged fifty-seven years. But she'll do." He sighed again.

"I'm forty." Jackie protested.

"That was also ages ago" Rita pipped up. "Before you met me"

"Deluded. Bless." He put on a sad smiled. "Not Rita she's telling the truth." He added. "I'll have to trade her in. Do you need anyone?" He asked. "She's very good at tea. Well, I say very good, I mean not bad. Well, I say not bad." He made a disgusted face. "Anyway, lead on. Allons-y. But not too fast. Her ankle's going."