"Alright, Doctor. I'm not saying I trust you, but there must be something you can do," Jackie said over the phone
"If we ferment the porch, we could make acetic acid," Harriet inputted
"Mickey, any luck?" Rose voiced
"There's loads of emergency numbers," he informed "they're all on voicemail," Tiaalen watched the Doctor as he stood there quietly with his arms folded, leaning against the wall. She knew what he was thinking about, because she was as well.
"If we could just get out of here..." Rose mumbled
The Doctor looked over at Tia as if asking for her permission, she nodded "There's a way out,"
"What?"
"There's always been a way out,"
"Then why don't we use it?"
The Doctor strode over to the table and leaned over to speak into the phone "Because I can't guarantee your daughter will be safe," he informed
"Don't you dare. Whatever it is, don't you dare,"
"That's the thing, if I don't dare, everyone dies,"
Rose looked at the Doctor "Do it,"
The Doctor looked up at the two girls "You don't even know what it is, you'd just let me?"
"Yeah,"
"Please, Doctor. Please!" Jackie pleaded "She's my daughter, she's just a kid!"
"Do you think I don't know that?" he shouted "Because it's not just Rose's life at stake it's Tiaalen's. This is my life, Jackie, it's not fun, it's not smart, it's just standing up and making a decision because nobody else will,"
"The what're you waiting for?" Tia said softly
The Doctor looked up at her "I could save the world but lose you,"
"Except it's not your decision, Doctor." Harriet inputted "It's mine,"
"And who the hell are you?" Jackie said angrily
"Harriet Jones, MP for Flydale North. The only elected representative in this room, chosen by the people, for the people, and on behalf of the people I command you. Do it,"
"How do we get out?" Rose asked
The Doctor opened the briefcase containing the emergency protocols "We don't." he admitted "We stay here," The Doctor shuffled through the protocols and then turned to the phone "Use the buffalo password, it overrides everything,"
"What're you doing?" Jackie questioned
"Hacking into the Royal Navy." Mickey voiced "We're in. Here it is, uh...H.M.S. Taurean, Trafalgar Class Submarine, 10 miles off the coast of Plymouth,"
"Right, we need to select a missile," The Doctor told him
"We can't go nuclear, we don't have the defense codes,"
"We don't need it, all we need is an ordinary missile. What's the first category?"
"Sub Haffoon, UGMA4A,"
"That's the one. Select,"
"I could stop you," Jackie said to Mickey
"Do it, then,"
"Ready for this?" The Doctor asked
"Yeah,"
"Mickey the Idiot." The Doctor addressed "The world is in your hands. Fire,"
"Oh, my God," Jackie breathed
"How solid are these?" Harriet voiced as she tapped the steel shutters
"Not solid enough," The Doctor told her "built for short range attack, nothing this big,"
"I could..." Tiaalen started
"You're not strong enough to withhold the impact,"
"Alright." Rose stated "Now I'm making the decision. I'm not gonna die, we're gonna ride this one out." she opened the cupboard door "It's like what they say about earthquakes, you can survive 'em by standing under a door frame. Now this cupboard's small so it's strong. Come and help me! Come on!"
"It's on radar. Counter-defense 556," Mickey claimed
"Stop them intercepting it," The Doctor ordered
"I'm doing it now,"
"Good boy,"
"556 neutralized," The Doctor ripped the mobile off the speaker phone and dragged Tia into the cupboard with everyone else. The Doctor watched as Tiaalen closed her eyes, her face calm as she began muttering to herself.
"Nice knowing you three. Hannibal!" Harriet shouted as they braced themselves for the impact. They all began to shake around the cupboard, until it all stopped. Tia was the first to rise, using the Force to push some of the wreckage away so they could get out. "Made in Britain,"
A Sergeant hurried over to the group "Are you alright?"
Harriet flashed her ID card at him "Harriet Jones. MP, Flydale North. I want you to contact UN immediately, tell the ambassadors the crisis is over and they can step down. Go on, tell the news!"
"Yes, ma'am." He hurried away
"Someone's got a hell of a job sorting this lot out. Oh, Lord! We haven't even got a Prime Minister!"
"Well, maybe you should have a go," The Doctor told her
"Me?" Harriet laughed "I'm only a back-bencher,"
"I'd vote for ya!" Rose told her
"Now, don't be silly. Look, I'd better go and see if I can help," Harriet climbed over the rubble towards the crowd of people. "Hang on! The Earth is safe! Sergeant!"
"I thought I knew the name." The Doctor murmured "Harriet Jones, future Prime Minister. Elected for three successive terms, the architect of Britain's Golden Age," The Doctor looked over at Tia who was surveying the wreckage. He walked over to her and hugged her "It's over,"
Tiaalen sighed and pushed away "It's just the beginning,"
.............................................................................................................................
Rose and Jackie were watching the TV in their flat "Harriet Jones." Jackie huffed "Who does she think she is? Look at her! Taking all the credit. Should be you on there. My daughter saved the world!"
"I think Tia and the Doctor helped a bit..."
Jackie sat down "Oh, alright then. Them too. You should be given knighthoods,"
"That's not the way they do things. No fuss, they just...move on. They're not that bad if you gave them a chance,"
"He's good in a crisis, I'll give him that,"
"Oh! Now the world has changed, you're saying nice things about him,"
"Well, I reckon I've got no choice! There's no getting rid of him since you're infatuated,"
"I'm not infatuated..."
"What do they eat?"
"How do you mean?"
"I was gonna do shepherds pie," Rose sniggered "All of us." Jackie argued "A proper sit down. 'Cause...I'm ready to listen. I wanna learn about you and them and that life you lead. Only, I dunno, they're aliens. For all I know, they eat grass and safety pins and things,"
"They'll have shepherd pie. You're gonna cook for them?"
"What's wrong with that?"
"He's finally met his match,"
"You're not too old for a slap, you know." Rose giggled as Jackie got up and went to the kitchen "You can go and visit your gran tomorrow." Rose's mobile began to ring "You'd better learn some French. I told her you were in France. I said you were au-pairing,"
Rose looked at the caller ID and read 'TARDIS calling' "Hello?"
.............................................................................................................................
"Right, I'll be a couple hours, then we can go," The Doctor told her from inside the TARDIS
"You've got a phone?"
"You think I can travel through space and time and I haven't got a phone?" he laughed "Like I said, couple of hours...I've just got to send out this dispersal..." he pressed a button "There you go. That's cancelling out the Slitheen's advert in case any bargain hunters turn up," he glanced over at Tiaalen, but she only shook her head and walked away.
.............................................................................................................................
Rose heard the Doctor sigh from the other end and decided to change the subject "My mother's cooking,"
"Good! Put her on a slow heat and let her simmer,"
"That's cannibalism!" Tia shouted at him
Rose rolled her eyes "She's cooking tea. For us,"
"I don't do that," The Doctor said
"She wants to get to know you,"
"Tough! I've got better things to do!"
"It's just tea,"
"Not to me it isn't,"
"She's my mother,"
"Well, she's not mine!"
"That's not fair!"
"Well, you can stay there if you want!"
.............................................................................................................................
The Doctor turned his gaze to Tiaalen as he continued talking "But right now there's this plasma storm brewing in the hors head nebula. Fires are burning 10 million miles wide. I could fly the TARDIS right into the heart of it then ride the shock wave all the way out-hurtle right across the sky and end up anywhere. Your choice," he hung up and looked at Tia who only crossed her arms.
"You're not going to leave her,"
"Earth's dangerous too dangerous now..."
"Wherever we go will be dangerous." she pointed out "Besides you might want to head back,"
"Why's that?"
"Because some boy graffitied the side of the TARDIS," Tiaalen smirked as the Doctor headed back towards the console.
.............................................................................................................................
Mickey sat on a bin outside the TARDIS, reading a newspaper. The small boy who graffitied the TARDIS was busy cleaning it off again. The Doctor poked his around the door Good lad. Graffiti that again and I'll 'ave ya. Now, beat it,"
The little boy scurried off. The Doctor grinned. Tia shook her head "The fact the Jedi trusted you as my guardian, I'll never understand."
"I just went down the shop. And I was thinking, you know, like the whole world's changed. Aliens and spaceships all in public. And here it is," Mickey showed the duo the front page of the newspaper, headlined 'Alien Hoax?'. "How could they do that? They saw it!"
Tiaalen only shrugged "They're just not ready. You're happy to believe in something that's invisible, but if it's staring you in the face, nope! Can't see it!
"There's a scientific explanation for that." The Doctor said "You're thick,"
Mickey laughed "We're just idiots,"
Tia nudged the Doctor "Well, not all of you," he corrected
"Yeah?"
"Present for you, Mickey." The Doctor handed him a disc "That's a virus. Put it online, it'll destroy every mention of me. I'll cease to exist,"
"What do you want to do that for?"
The Doctor wrapped an arm around Tiaalen "'Cos you're right. I am dangerous. I don't want anybody following me,"
They watched as Jackie and Rose emerged from the flats "How can you say that, and then take her with you?" Mickey gestured towards Rose.
"You could look after her." Tia suggested "Come with us,"
Mickey looked at the girl shocked but shook his head "I can't. This life of yours...it's just too much, I...I couldn't do it. Don't tell her I said that,"
Jackie was pleading with Rose to make her stay "I'll get a proper job. I'll work weekends, I'll pass my test and if Jim comes round again,I'll say no. I really will,"
"I'm not leaving 'cos of you." Rose told her "I'm travelling, that's all. And then I'll come back!"
"And this time in the right time period," Tia explained. The Doctor roughly nudging her "Hopefully..."
"But it's not safe," Jackie warned
"Mum...if you saw it out there...you'd never stay home,"
"Got enough stuff?" The Doctor questioned as Rose took the backpack off her shoulders.
"Last time I stepped in there, it was a spur of the moment," she threw the bag into the Doctor's arms "Now I'm signing up. You're stuck with me. Haha," Rose went over to Mickey, as Jackie looked the Doctor up and down. Tiaalen crossing her arms and returned the gaze, causing the woman to back off. "Come with us." Rose told Mickey "There's plenty of room,"
"No chance," The Doctor explained "He's ah, a liability, I'm not having him on board,"
"We'd be dead without him," Rose countered
"My decision is final,"
Rose turned back to Mickey "Sorry," they kissed briefly.
"Good luck, then," Mickey told her
"You still can't promise me." Jackie rounded on the Doctor "What if she gets lost? What if something happens to you," Tia tensed up next to him causing the Doctor to put a reassuring arm around her shoulder "Doctor, and she's left all alone standing on some moon a million light years away-how long do I wait then?"
"Mum..." Rose interrupted "You're forgetting, it's a time machine. I could go travelling around suns and planets and all the way out to the edge of the universe and by the time I get back, yeah, ten seconds would have passed. Just ten seconds." Rose put a hand on Jackie's shoulder and smiled "So stop worrying. See you in ten seconds time. Hmm?" Rose hugged her as the Doctor led Tiaalen into the TARDIS. Rose shortly following after them. Mickey gave a small wave and Rose shut the door, leaving Mickey and Jackie alone outside. Jackie kept her eyes on the TARDIS as it dematerialized.
"Ten seconds," she sighed as she walked back to the flats. Mickey settling himself back on top of the dustbin with the newspaper.
***
Blon Fel-Fotch Passameer-Day Slitheen, looked around the Isle of Dogs in disgust, but smiled as she already began plotting her revenge on the measly Doctor and his pet jedi. She took out a communicator and smirked. "I would like to report a Jedi sighting,"