Rising From The Ashes (Book Five of the Bad Wolf Chronicles)

The Pandorica Opens

Not my best screenshot for the episode, but I'm pretty proud of it. :) Also, if this cuts off in any place before the end of the story, PLEASE TELL ME!!!! IT'S DRIVING ME INSANE!

Ahem . . . anyway. ;) In "The Pandorica Opens," it's not just one familiar face that pops up, and what happens when you put an Asgardian and a wannabe Cleopatra together?

Enjoy!

***

In the rain falling down upon Vincent Van Gogh's house, a young woman with dark hair pulled into a ponytail silently stepped through the mud, never making a single footprint. She poked her head into one of the windows, watching Vincent turn into a sobbing mess in front of one of his paintings. "Vincent, can you hear me?" his doctor asked. "Please!"

"It's not enough he goes drinking all round the town," Madame Vernet huffed, and the girl narrowed her eyes. "Now the whole neighborhood has to listen to his screaming!"

"He's very ill, Madame Vernet!"

Vernet just huffed and turned to the completed painting, and the girl's eyes widened upon seeing it. "Look at this. Even worse than his usual rubbish! What's it supposed to be?"

The girl just narrowed her eyes, a gold gleam in them . . .

***

"It was found behind the wall, in an attic in France," Bracewell was saying as he showed the painting to Winston Churchill, the same dark-haired girl observing from where she leaned against the wall, arms folded, her head tilted, obviously curious about what their next action would be. "It's genuine. It's a Van Gogh."

"Why bring it to me?" Churchill asked.

"Because it's obviously a message, and you can see who it's for."

"Can't say I understand it."

"You're not supposed to understand it, Prime Minister. You're supposed to deliver it."

The girl's lips curled upwards into a smile as the Prime Minister reached for his phone . . .

***

"Cell four two six . . . the Doctor? Do you mean Doctor Song?"

In her cell, River Song shot from where she sat and looked through the bars. "Give me that," she ordered. The guard just gave her a look. "Seriously, just give it to me! I'm entitled to phone calls!" The guard handed her the phone, and she took it, turning away. "Doctor?"

"No, and neither are you," Churchill answered. "Where is he?"

"You're phoning the Time Vortex. It doesn't always work, but the TARDIS is smart. She's rerouted the call. Talk quickly. This connection will last less than a minute."

River listened intently, her eyes widening slowly as she listened. "Doctor Song, are you finished with that?" the guard asked impatiently.

She slowly turned, a seductive smile on her face. "You're new here, aren't you?"

"First day," he nodded.

"Then I'm very sorry."

***

The same dark-haired girl was giggling into her hand as she watched more guards swarm the cell, the guard who had been watching River aiming his gun at a wall, lipstick smeared on his face . . . and his gun was aimed at a stick figure drawing with "Bye!" in a bubble.

***

River climbed up staircases in the Royal Collection, looking around for the one thing she was looking for. She found it with a smile, and she pulled the picture out of its frame. She turned to go, when the lights came on and she found herself staring at the barrel of a futuristic gun. "This is the Royal Collection, and I'm the bloody Queen," Liz 10 sneered. "What are you doing here?"