Ties Between Freedom and Love

✦12✦

Chapter Twelve
Accused Of The Truth

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The door swung open and everyone in the Tyler's apartment immediately went quiet. Emma looked up from where she had her head down in her dad's lap, his fingers running through her hair.

"Rose?" she whispered and Rose looked away from the trinket she was playing with and to Emma, who nodded her toward the door.

"I was going to come and see you," Rose quickly straightened up in her chair.

"Someone owes Mickey an apology," Jackie's friend pointed out.

"I'm sorry."

"Not you," the woman reassured and looked behind her at Jackie.

"Well, it's not my fault," she defended. "Be fair, what was I supposed to think," she said looking from Rose to Emma and then back to Mickey before she left for the kitchen.

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"You two disappear, who do they turn to?" Mickey began ranting off as soon as Rose and Emma walked into the kitchen. "Your boyfriend," he said looking at Rose, "five times I was taken in for questioning. Five times. No evidence!" he shrugged. "Of course there couldn't be, could there? And then I get her," he pointed at Jackie accusingly. "Your mother, whispering around the estate, pointing the finger. Stuff through my letterbox. And all because of you."

"I'm sorry," Rose apologized, "I didn't think we'd be gone so long," she said honestly.

Dean leaned an arm against the kitchen doorframe as he watched the scene unfold in front of him, Cas right behind him.

"Oh, yes," Mickey said, "and him. Your father," he gestured to Dean. "Almost skinned me alive, held a damn knife to my throat, and wouldn't leave me alone for a week. Accusing me, blaming me, questioning me."

"Dad!" Emma's eyes widened.

"Yeah, sorry, kid," Dean apologized with a shrug.

"And I waited for you, Rose!" Mickey started up again as he paced the tiny kitchen. "Twelve months, waiting for you, Emma, and the Doctor to come back."

Jackie unfolded her arms as she leaned forward in her chair, "You knew about the Doctor? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Yeah," Dean agreed. "Would have saved you a lot of trouble."

Mickey stuttered as he glanced around, he quickly shut the kitchen counter window. "Yeah, yeah, why not?" he asked grabbing the door handle and all but shoving Dean and Cas into the cramped kitchen as he shut the door. "How can I tell them where you went?"

"Tell me now," Jackie demanded.

"I might as well 'cause you two are stuck here," Mickey just about gloated. "The Doctor's gone. Just now that box thing faded away."

Emma took a step forward, "What do you mean?"

"He's left you!" he said in 'I told you so' tone, "some boyfriend he turned out to be!"

"Boyfriend?!" Dean exclaimed, but Emma was already pushing past Mickey and running out of the door, Rose right on her heels.

"Emma, wait!" she called out.

"Emma!" Dean scolded as he also ran after her, and Cas just followed at a normal, easy pace.

Jackie, on the other hand, just stayed where she was, sitting there in complete shock.

Emma ran out of the apartment, down the stairs, and across the two streets into the alleyway, where the TARDIS was parked. But it was gone and she felt her heart sink to her stomach. "He wouldn't just go. He promised me."