The Other Tyler - Book 2

Christmas Eve

And we are off !!! chapter one is only a short piece just to get started :P

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Rose Tyler tousled in bed, letting out small trembling whimpers, her forehead sticky with sweat. Her memory-like dreams were quickly changing into nightmares, emotionless tin voices chanting 'EXTERMINATE!' followed by flashes of her sister and the Doctor and Jack blurring together only to be shattered by a dreadful scream.

"Mei!" she cried, jerking upright.

Panting heavily, Rose glanced around her room as Jackie appeared in the doorway with a knowing look. The younger blonde slumped, dropping her head into her hand and took shaking breaths to calm down.

"It's alright darling," Jackie cooed, climbing into bed next to her, rubbing the girl's back, "It's alright."

"Where is she, mum?" Rose sniffed, "Why isn't she back yet? She said she'd be home for Christmas, it's Christmas eve tomorrow! What if she doesn't come back?!"

Jackie couldn't answer, instead she pulled her daughter into a hug and ran her fingers through her hair. She didn't want to think that she may have lost her eldest, that the last memory she would have of Mei was of them arguing. Eventually the two women dozed off again, their dreams not quite peaceful, but not as fear-inducing either.

The next morning, Jackie and Rose carried on like nothing had happened – it had become quite a regular occurrence. They had breakfast and got ready for the day, Jackie digging the old Christmas tree out of the back of her wardrobe while Rose found the box of decorations tucked away under her bed.

It wasn't much, in fact it was the same tiny white plastic tree they'd had since Rose was a little girl. Even the decorations were the same, quite a few of them hand-made and Jackie hummed Christmas tunes under her breath as she put them up. Rose busied herself with covering the table with a cloth and setting neatly wrapped presents around the base of the tree.

She looked longingly at the teal and silver wrapping paper on one, biting her lip as thoughts of her big sister and her pseudo big brother came to mind. It had been a few months since Mei had left to save the Doctor, a few months of nightmares because of not knowing anything. She was too lost in thought to notice her mother still, eyes darting to the window.

The older Tyler's eyes widened, hurrying over to push the window open some more and she almost squealed at the familiar whooshing noise.

"Rose, do you hear that?" Jackie asked, turning to her daughter.

"Hmm?" Rose mumbled, still distracted.

"Listen!"

Rose did as she was told, eyes lighting up at the sound of the Tardis engines somewhere nearby. She jumped to her feet, still gaping at the window.

"It's them," she breathed, turning to grin at her mother, "It's them!"

They scrambled about, throwing on shoes and jackets as they made for the door out of the flat. Standing in the courtyard outside their building, the two women looked around the estate, hoping to see the blue box materialise somewhere close.

"Well, where is it then?" Jackie huffed.

As if to answer her, the Tardis suddenly appeared in mid-air, a rip in the vortex closing behind it. Rose jumped as the blue box collided with a block of flats, sending it spinning away again and she grabbed her mother's hand as it bounced off from one block to another. They then had to duck as it flew over the top of them and finally came to a halt by the rubbish bins.

"He's not THAT bad a driver," Rose commented, "What the blood hell happened?"

There was a loud thud before the Tardis door swung inward, and Rose gaped at the man who stepped out. Jackie tilted her head, also watching as he looked at the sky with a massive grin. He was somewhat taller than the Doctor, with a head of hair that gave the impression he'd stuck his hand in a plug socket.

"Who is HE then?" Jackie asked, tugging lightly on Rose's hand.

Rose could only shake her head, not recognising his face, but knowing for sure that he was wearing the Doctor's leather jacket.

"Here we are then, London," he cheered in a South London accent, "Earth. The Solar System. We did it!"

Mei Tyler popped her head over his shoulder to look, not noticing her mother and sister just yet. She examined the bins they'd flown into with a frown, and then tugged on the man's ear.

"Oh, nice one, you crashed the poor girl into the bins!"

"That hurts," he yelped twisting out of her grip. He stuck his tongue out at her with a huff, shoved her backwards and, ignoring her squawk of surprise, closed the Tardis doors. He then spun on his toes with a bright and cheeky smile, "Jackie, Rosie-Posie!"

Rose and Jackie kept their wide eyes on him as he meandered over to stand behind them with his arms around their shoulders. Rose blinked a couple of times, looking back to the Tardis as her sister slinked out, a pout on her lips as she glared at the man. The brunette was still wearing the black vest and denim shorts she'd been in the last time Rose had seen her, and yet this man . . . The Doctor had yet to follow them out, which only assured Rose she was thinking along the right track. This WAS the Doctor.

"Blimey!" the Doctor – Rose was almost positive now – exclaimed, causing Jackie to jump, "No, no, no, no, hold on. Wait there. I've got something to say. There was something I had to tell you, something important. What was it? No, hold on, hold on. Hold on, shush, shush, shush, shush." He grinned widely at his own ramblings, "Oh, I know! Merry Christmas!"

And proceeded to pass out. Rose yelped as she tried to catch him, struggling under his weight, even with her mother trying to help. Mei snickered as she hurried over, crouching down at the man's ankles.

"Here, you two get his arms, I've got his legs," she said, before winking at Rose, "Told you we'd be back in time for Christmas."

Despite the absurdity of it all, Rose laughed.