Sparrow Saga: Book 1 - Time Lady Sparrow

Chapter 3: Echoes of Deception

London was still sleeping when Mickey looked out at the city skyline, his thoughts racing. The familiar hum of the TARDIS echoed faintly in his mind, like the pulse of time itself, but today was different. He had been preparing for this moment for twelve long months. He could feel it—the Doctor and Rose were about to return.

Over the past year, Mickey had been careful, meticulous even. He spent hours with Jackie, comforting her as best he could while carefully helping her put up missing posters for Rose. It was exhausting work—both the physical labor of pretending to search and the mental strain of maintaining his cover. The world still believed that Mickey was the one responsible for Rose's disappearance. It hadn't helped that he had been the last to see her before she vanished. But today, that was about to change.

Mickey could feel the TARDIS getting closer. Time shifted around him in the smallest of ways, like a light breeze that carried whispers from far-off places. They were coming. He had prepared for this moment—he knew what to say, what to do. Rose would return with the Doctor, and Mickey had a perfect excuse ready.

As soon as the Doctor's blue box materialized in front of him, Mickey stepped forward. The sight of Rose stepping out first hit him like a wave of bitterness—she looked at him like nothing had changed, like she hadn't just vanished for a whole year.

"Oi! Where have you been?" Rose exclaimed, her usual fire igniting instantly.

But Mickey didn't flinch. He knew exactly how to handle this. He gestured toward the Doctor, who was just a step behind her.

"You two are lucky I found a way to explain all this," Mickey said, his voice calm, steady. He turned to the Doctor, ignoring the way Rose's expression twisted in confusion. "You're going to have to tell people you're a doctor who travels the world helping the needy. It's the only way they'll believe it. Rose? You were with him as his assistant. He sorted out your travel and paperwork. Easy."

Rose blinked, clearly taken aback, but Mickey didn't give her time to react. He reached into his jacket and pulled out a stack of bills, handing them to her. "Take this. It'll make the story more plausible. Say you've been paid for your work."

The Doctor raised an eyebrow, glancing between the two of them. "You've been busy."

"Had to be," Mickey replied, his voice laced with an edge of bitterness that he didn't bother to hide. "You left me with no choice."

As he turned to walk past them, his fob watch slipped from his pocket, clattering to the ground. Both Rose and the Doctor's heads snapped toward the sound. Mickey bent down to pick it up, but not before the Doctor got a good look.

"What's that?" the Doctor asked, eyes narrowing on the watch.

Mickey shrugged, playing the part of someone who didn't quite understand its significance. "Dunno. I've had it for as long as I can remember. Feels important though. I always keep it with me."

The Doctor's gaze lingered on the fob watch for a moment longer than Mickey was comfortable with, but he didn't press the issue. Mickey slipped it back into his jacket, feigning nonchalance. Let him wonder. He'll figure it out when the time is right.

Later, as the alien ship crashed through the sky and slammed into the Thames, Mickey stayed close to the Doctor. This time, things would be different. He wouldn't be left behind like some useless idiot.

"Mickey, you're with me," the Doctor said suddenly, his eyes locking with Mickey's as though he had already made up his mind. Rose opened her mouth to protest, but Mickey could see the Doctor wasn't in the mood for debate.

"Let's go," Mickey nodded, suppressing the smirk tugging at his lips. Exactly as planned.

The Doctor led him toward the crash site, leaving Rose behind to stew with her mother. Mickey couldn't help but glance back, seeing the mixture of confusion and jealousy flicker across her face. Good. She had been more than happy to abandon him once; now, she could deal with being left behind.

When they reached the alien crash site, Mickey used every ounce of his knowledge and foresight to make sure things didn't spiral into chaos. They found the "alien" in the morgue—an innocent pig transformed into an unwilling pawn in a deadly game.

This time, Mickey intervened. As the Doctor prepared to give up on the pig, assuming it was beyond saving, Mickey stepped forward.

"Wait!" Mickey shouted. "It's still alive! We don't have to let it die."

With a few quick steps, Mickey reached the poor creature, already formulating a plan. Using a combination of medical supplies and what little tech they had at their disposal, he managed to stabilize the pig's vital signs. It wasn't much, but it was enough to keep the creature from dying in agony.

The Doctor watched him, clearly impressed. "Good work, Mickey."

But Mickey didn't bask in the praise. He simply nodded, knowing this was just the first of many changes he would make.

When they returned to Rose and Jackie, the tension was palpable. Rose stormed over to Mickey, her voice sharp and accusatory.

"Why did you leave me behind? You just ran off with the Doctor without saying a word!"

Mickey, still brimming with frustration from everything she had put him through, glared at her. His voice was low, controlled, but laced with venom. "You're one to talk, Rose. You didn't think twice about leaving me after I was kidnapped by the Autons. You just ran off with him without even looking back."

Rose flinched at the accusation, but Mickey didn't stop there. "You want to know why I don't want to be near you? Because you left me. You didn't care what happened to me. And now you expect me to stick around like nothing's changed? Think again."

He stepped back, the fob watch in his pocket a constant reminder of who he truly was. Rose seemed stunned, her usual sharp retorts dying in her throat as Mickey's words hit home.

Before the final confrontation with the Slitheen, Mickey took a moment to send a discreet message to Jackie. "Stay at home, lock all the doors. And whatever you do, have some vinegar ready. Don't ask why, just trust me."

Jackie, confused but trusting Mickey, followed his instructions to the letter.

As the Slitheen began their plan, Mickey's hacking skills and knowledge of future events came into play. He managed to outwit their systems, using his knowledge of human technology and his subtle connection to the TARDIS to make sure no one died this time. By the time he, the Doctor, and Rose were captured, Mickey had already neutralized the major threats, leaving the Slitheen with far fewer options than they had in the original timeline.

In the end, as they stood together, locked in the room with the threat of nuclear disaster looming, Mickey knew he had done everything he could. He had saved lives, altered the course of events, and made sure things played out more in his favor.

And yet, he couldn't shake the feeling that things were only just beginning to change. The Doctor had noticed the fob watch. Rose was growing more distant, more suspicious of him. But Mickey? Mickey was ready for whatever came next.

Because this time, he wasn't just Mickey Smith. He was something more.