Rainfall In The Silent Night (Doctor Who/Wings of Fire)

The Ghosts of Christmas, Part 3

The Doctor stood next to Rain at the fireplace mantel, unwrapping and examining her hands which were still throbbing. She'd explained how she'd landed on them when getting out of the coffin they'd put her in and the Doctor had insisted he check them over. Rose, however, was stomping over to where Mr. Sneed had seated himself in a large cushioned chair. A look of fury cast over her countenance.

"First of all," Rose hissed, gaining the attention of everyone present. "You drug Rain, then you kidnap her! And don't think she didn't tell us about you having a quick wander! You dirty old man!" Venom dripped from Rose's words as Mr. Sneed shrank away from her. The Doctor watched with a smirk and a slightly raised eyebrow as he guided Rain over to a couch and sat her down before seating himself next to her.

"I won't be spoken to like this!" Mr. Sneed snapped weakly in an attempt to salvage his pride. But Rose was having none of it, snatching his cane from him and smacking his leg with it harshly.

"Oh yes you will be!" She hissed again. "Then you stuff her in a coffin of all things and stick her in a room full of zombies! And if that's ain't enough, you swan off and leave her there to die! So come on, talk!"

"It's not my fault! It's this house!" Mr. Sneed finally conceded. Rose huffed going over to sit on Rain's other side. "It's always had a reputation, haunted. But I never had too much bother until a few months back, and then the stiffs-" Charles Dickens, who was pacing around the room, cleared his throat and glared pointedly at Mr. Sneed. "Er, the dear departed started getting restless." Dickens scoffed in denial.

"Tommyrot." He muttered, shaking his head and turning away. Mr. Sneed frowned at the man.

"You witnessed it! Can't keep the beggars down Sir!" Sneed stressed. "They walk, it's the queerest thing they hold onto scraps." Gwyneth, the servant girl, returned to the room with a tray of steaming teacups. She approached the three on the couch first.

"Two sugars," She handed a teacup to the Doctor. "Three sugars, Miss Rose, and banana cinnamon for you, Miss Rain." Gwyneth smiled softly at them before moving towards the other two men. The three time travelers watched the servant girl in shock. None of them had told her how they liked their tea.

"One old fella who used to be a sexton almost walked in on his own memorial service!" Mr. Sneed had begun to ramble, spewing out facts almost desperately. "Just like the old lady going to your performance, just as she'd planned!" But Dickens only scoffed again. Refusing to accept what was being lain out before him.

"Morbid fantasy!" He insisted and the Doctor sighed.

"Oh Charles, you were there!" The Time Lord pressed, hoping to get through the writer's thick skull.

"I saw nothing but an illusion!" Dickens snapped back. The Doctor gave up on wasting any more time on the stubborn man.

"If you're going to deny it then don't waste my time, just shut up!" The Doctor retorted sharply and Dickens jerked back in shock. He turned back to Mr. Sneed. "What about the gas?"

The old man sighed. "That's new Sir, never seen anything like that." The Doctor nodded thoughtfully.

"Means it's getting stronger." He hummed. "The Rift's getting wider and something's sneaking through." Both girls frowned at the mention of the Rift.

"What's the Rift?" Rose asked the Doctor, but it was Rain who answered.

"I believe it's a weak point in space and time. A connection between this place and another. Like a vent, or even a door. Usually the source of ghost stories." Rain murmured and the Doctor grinned.

"You're right, that's exactly what it is!" He praised her, drawing a blush to the young woman's cheeks as she ducked her head a bit at the attention.