Starman [ Life on Mars / Doctor Who Crossover ]

Chapter 7 Iron Man

nobody wants him 
they just turn their heads 
nobody needs him 
now he has his revenge

---

The Doctor stumbled through the front door with the force of Gene's shove.

"Oh, come now!" he complained.

Sam followed, mere footsteps behind, fists balled and gait furious, anxious. "Guv, he's right. You've no idea what you're dealing with--"

"Too right I don't." Gene clenched his fingers into the Doctor's collar. "I'm getting to the bottom of this unholy mess if it's the last thing I do."

He turned in the doorway to face Ray, standing near the building's front steps. Nearby, Chris was grabbing equipment from the Cortina at Gene's behest. "Lads, call back-up and get a move on -- we'll not be waiting for 'em."

"Aye, Guv!" Chris closed the car door and strode up from the pavement as he brought his radio to his mouth. "Base, this is 690, requestin' back-up, over..."

Annie followed behind them, purse pulled tight against her side. She avoided Sam's eyes when he tried to meet hers, and would have passed him altogether if not for Gene getting in her way.

"You'll be staying," he said.

Annie halted, aghast. "Guv--"

"With this excuse for one of her majesty's finest."

For a moment, Sam didn't register Gene's gesture in his direction, so firm was his resolution, so righteous was his need. Inside this heap of bricks was the only thing left that he knew to have any claim to. It hadn't occurred to him he might be robbed of it too.

"What?" he said, small. "No -- no, Guv--"

"You'll stay here," Gene said. He tossed the Doctor in Ray's general direction, then reached for the front of Sam's shirt. "You will not move from this spot or so help me god I will tear you a new hole from which to spew your shit."

Words rose up Sam's throat, pure and raw. You bastard, you idiot, you don't understand, I need to know, I need to--

"Get in the car, Sam," Gene said.

The words stopped. Replaced by them were images -- a pistol, a blue box, a plan gone wrong. A cold night like this one when he'd thrown everything away.

After a moment, Annie's hand grasped his shoulder. It guided him round and down the uneven steps, out of his own idiot grief. He didn't stop her.

"Yes, Sam," said the Doctor's voice behind him, strained but overcome with relief despite it all. "Stay right here -- that's what's safest for everyone."

"You say that now," Sam mumbled.

Annie's grip tightened and her pace hurried. The Doctor let out a grunt, no doubt from Ray twisting his arm, as he and the others stormed their way in through the building's dilapidated facade.

Sam didn't look back. He followed Annie's lead as she opened the Cortina's rear door. He sunk into the tobacco-stinking seat like something of the sea, descending back into the familiar deep from which it came.