Walk The Earth: Doctor Who/Studio C [Book 2]

Vive La Resistance

Vive La Resistance

"Vive La Resistance!" -French rallying cry, roughly 'Long live the resistance!'

A/N: The muse has finally decided to cooperate again and I'm once more making progress on this story. No guarantees for daily updates again yet but you can have this one. Also, quick note: I don't speak French, which means I had to use *gasp* Google Translate for the brief French passages below. If anyone DOES speak French and wants to correct anything I may have gotten wrong, feel free.

Dawn was reaching over the horizon as they stowed their 'borrowed' boat and set feet on dry land. As the sky went from navy to orange to pink, the utter devastation became clear. Once pristine white beaches were scattered with garbage, muddy towels and clothes that had been left behind to rot when the Toclafane moved in. Every so often the sand was marred with patches of deep brown-red that Mallory tried hard not to think about. In the distance, expensive hotels and penthouses were toppled, burnt, and shattered.

"I didn't realize how bad it was," Sally said softly. "We were far enough out from the cities..."

Mallory glanced back out to sea, the way they had come. "I've heard rumors London's still burning. No one's been able to travel far enough to get word from the rest of the world."

"What I wouldn't give for a phone right now."

"Yeah," Mallory echoed dimly, watching a bright yellow umbrella tumble across the sand in the wind.

If the movement hadn't caught her eye, she might have missed the three Toclafane, skimming low over the sand, far too close for comfort.

"Down!" she hissed to the other woman, dropping into the wet sand and ignoring the way it dug and clung to her.

A moment later, Sally was laying beside her. She didn't have time to worry about the intent, or gauge how much she trusted the other woman—if the Toclafane saw one of them, they'd see the other.

"Put this on," she hissed, tugging the spare perception filter from her neck. "Don't move and don't say a word."

Sally drew in a shuddering breath and dropped the twine around her neck.

They stayed long after the spheres had disappeared over the horizon. Finally, they got to their feet, creeping across the beach and into the cover of the line of buildings.

"What was that?"

"It's a perception filter," Mallory said softly. "Makes you... not invisible, just unnoteworthy." She hadn't realized she was echoing the Doctor's words until they came out of her mouth. "Yesterday, I was standing in plain sight but you didn't notice me until I spoke."

Sally glanced at her for a moment. "Oh."

"Yeah." Mallory shifted the backpack on her shoulders and peered down the row of buildings.

"So what now?"

She paused, thinking. "I'll probably head down toward Paris. There's more likely to be resistance groups toward the bigger cities. From there, down through Spain, maybe Portugal, then over the Atlantic."

Sally hesitated for a moment, before saying, "Mind if I keep you company for a while?"

Mallory glanced at her sharply. "You're not going to head back across the Channel?"

"Nothing back there for me," she said with a shrug. "Just...memories. But here, I can do some good."

A smile twitched at Mallory's lips. "Yeah. I'd like that."