Touch The Sky: Doctor Who/Studio C [Book 3]

No Such Thing as a Normal Day

No Such Thing as a Normal Day

(Original Story: Part 3)

"How did you know my name? And about my grandfather?"

Cyndi gave Donna a sidelong glance as they slipped past the guards and into the castle with surprising ease. "Would you believe me if I said I'm psychic?"

Donna stopped in her tracks. "There's not a volcano here I need to be worried about, is there?"

Cyndi raised a brow. "What's that got to do with anything?"

"Is there?"

"No." Cyndi tossed a glance over her shoulder. "And keep it down."

"Oi, don't tell me to—"

"We're sneaking into the summer palace on a prison break, so if I tell you to be quiet you need to bloody well be quiet," Cyndi hissed.

"All right, General," Donna muttered. "What about a prison break?"

"See, funnily enough, you left your friends alone for five minutes and they managed to get themselves arrested."

"Sounds like the Doctor."

"I don't mean the Doctor."

"...Matt and Mallory?"

"Mmhmm." Cyndi gestured for her to stay put, peering around the corner to see if there was a clear coast, then waved her over.

"What for?"

"Ask them later."

They worked their way upwards, into one of the towers, and Cyndi tried to ignore the niggling future dancing in her peripheral vision. It was not a pleasant one, and until she examined it more closely she had no idea how likely it was.

But whatever it was, the timelines all bent around Donna. She was the key.

"This way," Cyndi said, striding ahead with certainty.

"How do you know?"

"Let's just say I'm familiar with the castle."

Donna made a face. "You're not the long-lost princess or something, are you?"

"My word, what sort of fairytales are they telling you in the twenty-first century?" They were finally near where they wanted to be, and Cyndi took another cautious look ahead. "Stay here. Don't move and don't be seen."

~~~

Matt and Mallory had finally lapsed into silence, the latter with her eyes closed and the former scratching behind his ear every few seconds.

"You all right?" she asked drowsily.

"Bug bite," he grumbled. "It's annoying."

She hummed in agreement, but was cut off by the clank of the door.

"Cyndi," he said with surprise as she poked her head in.

Cyndi held her finger to her lips, gesturing for them to come over. "Come with me," she said when they were within a few feet, before nodding in greeting. "Hello again, Mallory."

"Hi," she answered breathlessly. "Good to see you again."

"Likewise."

"How'd you get us out?" Matt whispered.

"With the key," she answered, jangling a something in her pocket. Before they could inquire on how she'd acquired said keys, they turned a corner and found an unconscious guard laying in the hallway.