!EDITED!

A/N: was 7121 words, is now 8770! :D

As fast as the pain had come, it goes away. I get to my feet shakily, Rose helping me, and I breathe out. I look to see the alien with electricity covering it's body and frown as my body shudders from the aftereffects of the pain. What the bloody hell is going on!?

"Lizzie, what the hell was that?" Rose demands, supporting me as I lean against her.

"I-I-I... I don't know..." I mutter, still feeling a slight tingling and Rose goes to say more, but I hold my hand up to stop her, "have we really got the time?" I ask weakly, gesturing to the still electrified alien.

Rose, Harriet, and I grab hands and make a run for it past the alien Margaret. My heart was beating like mad as we run through the corridors, Rose and Harriet clutching onto my hands. "No, wait!" Harriet shouts, pulling us to a stop. "They're still in there! The emergency protocols! We need them!" she runs back to the cabinet room.

"Seriously?" I gape after her, Rose and me sharing a look before we both huff, following after her.

Before we even get to the doors, though, we change direction. Margaret had come bolting out of the doors like a bat out of hell and we hurry back through the corridors. As Margaret chases us through the corridors of Downing Street, she smashes the doors to pieces. I vaguely think about how none of the soldiers have come to see what's going on; I mean, we aren't exactly being quiet. I run over to a door, trying to get it open, but finding it locked. The three of us turn when a lift pings open and I slump in relief at the Doctor standing there. The Doctor looks around at the situation and then grins at the alien, "hello," he waves cheerily.

Rose, Harriet and I use the distraction to slip away into an adjacent room unnoticed. The room looks to be some sort of large office, but it's a dead end. "Hide," Rose hisses.

Harriet hurries behind a changing screen and I pull Rose down behind the large desk. The door opens and I see Magaret's feet from under the desk moving into the room. "Oh, such fun!" she laughs. "Little Human children... where are you?" she coos and I grip Rose's hand, my breathing slightly erratic. "Sweet little humeykins... come to me... let me kiss you better," she goes on and I wrinkle my nose before pulling Rose up and behind a thick curtain when she has her back to us. "Kiss you with my big green lips," she hisses. "My brothers!" she exclaims suddenly.

I peer out of the curtain to see two more of the same aliens had come in. "Happy hunting?" one asks and he sounds familiar... Joseph Green? That sugar bloke?

"It's wonderful! The more you prolong it, the more they stink," Margaret laughs happily.

I frown, smelling my shirt. I blush when I see Rose giving me an incredulous look, though. "Shut up," I mouth to her and her lips twitch up slightly.

"Sweat... and fear," another male sneers, and he sounds like... oh, what's his name? From the news earlier?

"I can smell an old girl... stale bird... brittle bones," Joseph sniffs the air.

"And two ripe youngsters," Margaret coos. "All hormones and adrenaline, fresh enough to bend before they snap!" she pulls the curtain away from Rose and me, making us clutch onto each other as we scream.

"No!" Harriet screams, jumping out of her hiding spot and raising her hands. "Take me first! Take me!"

That second, the Doctor decides to crash into the room and attack the aliens with a... a fire extinguisher? "Out with me!" he shouts to us.

God, this man is mental, I shake my head with a small smile. I pull the curtain over Margaret's head and pull Rose over and behind the Doctor, Harriet right beside us. "Who the hell are you?" the Doctor looks down at Harriet.

"Harriet Jones, MP for Flydale North," she introduces.

"Nice to meet you," the Doctor smiles.

"Likewise," she nods.

The Doctor blasts the fire extinguisher again and the four of us make a run for it. "We need to get to the cabinet room!" the Doctor yells as we run down the corridors, the aliens not far behind us.

"The emergency protocols are in there! They give instructions on aliens!"

"Harriet Jones, I like you," the Doctor smiles.

"I think I like you too," she smiles back.

***

Rushing back into the cabinet room, the Doctor uses his sonic on the door we come through. Then he rushes over to the other one that the aliens were at, us girls following, and he grabs a decanter of port, holding his sonic up to it, "one more move and my sonic device will triplicate the flammability of this alcohol! Whoof! We all go up! So back off!" he warns and they back off slightly in the outer office. "Right then: question time!" he smiles politely. "Who exactly are the Slitheen?"

"They're aliens," Harriet points out the obvious.

"Yes, I got that, thanks," the Doctor rolls his eyes.

"Who are you, if not Human?" Joseph demands.

"Who's not Human?" Harriet frowns.

"He's not Human," Rose points to the Doctor.

"He's not Human?" Harriet gapes at the Doctor's back.

"Can I have a bit of hush?" the Doctor sighs, making me cover up a small laugh with my hand and he narrows his eyes at me.

"Sorry..." Harriet mutters sheepishly.

"So, what's the plan?" the Doctor asks the Slitheen but is once again interrupted by Harriet.

"But he's got a northern accent!"

"Lots of planets have a north," Rose defends.

"I said: hush!" the Doctor hisses and they quiet down, me silently snickering. "Come on!" he waves the port threateningly at the Slitheen. "You've got a spaceship hiding in the North Sea; it's transmitting a signal and you've murdered your way to the top of government... what for? Invasion?"

"Why would we invade this God-forsaken rock?" news alien asks.

"Then something's brought the Slitheen race here, what is it?" I ask, folding my arms.

"The Slitheen race?" newsie scoffs, making me falter and look at the Doctor, who just shrugs.

"Slitheen is not our species," Joseph cuts in. "Slitheen is our surname! Jocrassa Fel Fotch Pasameer Day Slitheen at your service," he bows mockingly.

"So, you're family," the Doctor sums up.

"It's a family business," Joseph retorts.

"Then you're out to make a profit," I put in. "You said this was a 'God-forsaken rock', how can you make money off it?" I ask, frowning slightly.

"Ahhh... excuse me? Your device will do what? Triplicate the flammability...?" newsie cuts in.

"Is that what I said?" the Doctor asks lightly, making me groan under my breath.

"You're making it up!" newsie accuses.

"Ah, well, nice try," the Doctor shrugs. "Harriet, have a drink; I think you're going to need it," he holds out the port to her.

Harriet, however, was clutching the red suitcase with the protocols, so her hands we sort of full, "pass it to the left first," she nods to me.

"Sorry," the Doctor hands the port to me.

"Thanks," I lift it up before taking a swig, grimacing slightly as it burns my throat and then passing it to Rose, who also takes a swig.

"Now we can end this hunt... with a slaughter," newsie smirks as he and the other Slitheen move toward us slowly.

The Doctor just folds his arms, though, looking completely at ease.

"Don't you think we should run?" Rose asks incredulously.

"Fascinating history, Downing Street," the Doctor grins. "Two-thousand years ago, this was marshland... 1739 it was occupied by a Mr. Chicken... he was a nice man," he shakes his head with a small chuckle, making me smile. "1796, this was the cabinet room; if the cabinet's in session and in danger, these are about the four most safest walls in the whole of Great Britain," he presses a switch right by the door. "End of lesson," he beams.

Metal shutters crash down around the entire room, including the walls. The Doctor turns to the three of us, looking extremely pleased with himself, "installed in 1991! Three inches of steel lining every wall; they'll never get in!" he beams.

"Yeah, that's brilliant... just one problem," I point out and he looks at me questioningly. "How are we supposed to get out?"

The Doctor's smile fades, "ah..." he deflates, Rose snickering behind me.

"Idiot," I roll my eyes, but they widen when I'm pulled into a tight hug.

I sigh and wrap my arms around the Doctor's waist, leaning my ear on his chest and letting his twin hearts calm me down. "You alright?" he asks, tightening his hold a bit.

I nod against his chest, breathing out slowly, "are you?" I pull away so I could look up at him. "I felt that earlier... it was so painful," I whisper.

"They had the ID cards linked up; it ran electricity through them... enough to kill Humans," the Doctor explains softly. "I tried to get it off as quick as I could," he murmurs.

I bite my and pull the Doctor back into a hug, "I've never been happier that you're an alien," I mutter, making him chuckle and pat my head.

The Doctor pulls away and sends me a heartachingly gorgeous smile before he goes and pulls Rose into a tight hug, checking her over and making sure she was alright. I smile between them; it was nice that Rose has found someone besides family and Mickey that she cares so much about and trusts. I shake my head and pull Harriet into a hug as well, surprising her, I think before she wraps her arms around me. "I'm glad you're alright," I pull back, smiling up at her.

"And you as well," she smiles.

***

The Doctor was moving the bodies of the Prime Minister and Indra into the cupboard. "What was his name?" he calls.

"Which one?" Harriet goes over, poking her head in.

"This one, the secretary or whatever he was called..."

I go over and lean against the door, folding my arms, "his ID said his name was Indra Ganesh," I tell him.

The Doctor nods and crosses Indra's hands over his body, "sorry, Indra," he whispers, making me smile softly. "Right," he hops up and comes back into the room. "What have we got? Any terminals? Anything?"

"No, this place is antique," I sigh, coming up beside him.

"What I don't get is: when they killed the Prime Minister, why didn't they use him as a disguise?" Rose asks.

"He'd have been too small," I shake my head.

"They're big old beasts, they need to fit inside big Humans," the Doctor agrees.

"But the Slitheen are about eight feet... how do they squeeze inside?" Rose frowns.

"That'd be the device around their neck; compression field, literally shrinks-" I cover my mouth, making Rose frown and Harriet furrows her eyebrows while I turn away from them, wrapping my arms around myself. "S-sorry..." I whisper, tears welling up.

This is why I hated Amber. Every time she'd send me on one of my rambling episodes, I get insecure around people I don't know; sometimes people I do know. It was awful and took away any pride I could possibly ever have of my knowledge.

"It shrinks them down a bit," the Doctor finishes explaining, coming over to take my hand, squeezing it. "That's why there's all that gas... it's a big exchange."

"Wish I had a compression field," Rose cuts in. "I could fit a size smaller," she jokes, making me smile slightly at her attempt to lighten my mood.

"Excuse me, people are dead!" Harriet snaps. "This is not the time for making jokes!"

"Sorry..." Rose mutters awkwardly, sticking her tongue out at me when I snort quietly. "You get used to this stuff when you're friends with him," she accuses the Doctor teasingly, narrowing her eyes and he scoffs, rolling his eyes.

Harriet blinks, looking at the three of us, "well... that's a strange friendship," she murmurs.

"You've no idea," I shake my head.

"Harriet Jones, I've heard that name before... Harriet Jones," the Doctor muses with a slight frown. "You're not famous for anything, are you?" he asks.

"Huh! Hardly," she scoffs.

"Rings a bell, Harriet Jones..." he murmurs, looking deep in thought before he shakes his head and starts to sonic the room.

I yelp quietly when I'm dragged with him. I look down, realizing he'd never released my hand and I blush madly, pulling it away and shoving my hands in my pockets. I watch as the Doctor buzzes his sonic at the wall. "Do you want to try?" he asks, not looking at me, but with a smirk playing on his lips.

"Yes!" I squeal quietly, making him chuckle.

"Alright," he moves me in front of him and holds out the sonic. "It's got a psychic link, so you can just point and think," he tells me, putting it in my hand.

I smile widely, taking it and scanning the fireplace with it, blinking when results pop in my mind. "This is so weird," I giggle, looking at all the information on the fireplace.

The Doctor snorts loudly, telling me about a few of the apparently thousands of settings the sonic has.

"Lifelong backbencher, I'm afraid," Harriet's voice makes me jump slightly and I slap the Doctor's chest, my cheeks pink when he laughs. "A fat lot of use I'm being now..." she sighs, ignoring us, but Rose sends me a sly smirk. "The protocols are redundant; they list the people who can help and they're all dead downstairs," she shakes her head.

"Hasn't it got like, defense codes and things?" Rose asks. "Can we just launch a nuclear bomb at 'em?"

"You're a very violent young woman..." Harriet stares at her, making the Doctor and me snort loudly.

"I'm serious! We could!" Rose insists.

"Well, there's nothing like that in here," Harriet shakes her head. "Nuclear strikes do need a release code, yes, but it's kept secret by the United Nations."

"Say that again," the Doctor cuts in, making me stop messing with the sonic so I can listen better.

"What, about the codes?" Harriet asks, frowning up at him.

"Anything... all of it," the Doctor orders with a thoughtful expression, making me frown slightly.

"Um, well... the British Isles can't gain access to atomic weapons without a special resolution form the UN," Harriet explains.

"Like that's ever stopped 'em," I roll my eyes, flipping the sonic in my hand.

"Exactly!" Harriet exclaims. "Give our past record, and I voted against that, thank you very much," she holds her hands over her chest. "The codes have been taken out of the government's hands and given to the UN," she explains before looking up at the Doctor with a slight frown. "Is it important?"

"Everything's important," the Doctor replies absently.

"What is it?" I whisper, poking his side and he just shakes his head, watching Harriet as she talks.

"If only we knew what the Slitheen wanted," she sighs and then pauses, her eyes widening. "Listen to me! I'm saying 'Slitheen' as if it's normal!" she gasps.

"What do they want, though?" Rose frowns.

"Well... it's just one family so it's not an invasion," I mutter, my eyebrows furrowing. "They don't want Slitheen world," I shake my head, handing the Doctor his sonic back.

"They're out to make money, which means they want to use something," the Doctor frowns, folding his arms. "Something here on earth, some kind of asset..."

"Like what? Gold? Oil? Water?" Harriet offers.

"You're very good at this," the Doctor smiles down at her.

"Thank you," Harriet smiles back, pleased with herself and the praise.

"Harriet Jones, why do I know that name?" the Doctor asks, a pang of annoyance hitting me.

"Look it up later," I roll my eyes, frowning when Rose and my phones go off.

"Oh, that's us," Rose mutters, pulling her own out.

"But we're sealed off! How did you get a signal?" Harriet asks.

"He zapped 'em," I smile. "Super-phones!" I wave it about.

"Then we can phone for help!" Harriet smiles. "You must have contacts," she turns to the Doctor.

"Dead downstairs, yeah," he sighs.

I freeze when I open up the message from Mouse to see a Slitheen being electrocuted. "Doctor..." I whisper.

"It's Mickey..." Rose murmurs, staring at her phone in horror.

"Oh, tell your stupid boyfriend we're busy!" the Doctor whines.

"Yeah... he's not stupid," I breathe out, showing him my phone.

***

I phone Mouse up and he immediately starts shouting about the alien, "no, no, no, no, no, not just alien, but like proper alien! All stinking and wet and disgusting!" he shouts and I hear the Doctor scoff right behind me, making me roll my eyes; oh, he can jab at Humans all he likes, but no one can take a shot at aliens? "More to the point, it wanted to kill us!"

"I could've died!" mum calls over the phone.

"Is she alright, though?" I ask worriedly.

"Don't put her one," Rose mutters quickly. "Just tell us!"

The Doctor snatches my mobile, making me roll my eyes and Rose scowl up at him. The Doctor just sends us a cheeky grin, "is that Ricky?" he asks. "Don't talk, just shut up and go to your computer," he orders. "Mickey the Idiot... I might just choke before I finish this sentence, but um... I need you," he admits with a heavy sigh, making Rose and I both smirk.

I take the phone back from the Doctor, ignoring his protest as I plug it into the conference speaker on the table. The Doctor rolls his eyes, folding his arms, "say again," he tells Mouse.

"It's asking for the password!"

"Buffalo, two Fs, one L," the Doctor informs him.

"So, what's that website?" mum asks.

"All the secret information known to mankind," Mouse says dramatically, making Rose and I both roll our eyes with smiles. "See, they've known about aliens for years, they just kept us in the dark-"

"Mickey, you were born in the dark," the Doctor scoffs.

"Oh, leave him alone," Rose and I glare.

"Thank you," Mouse says and I can just picture his smug smirk. "Password again!"

"Just repeat it, every time," the Doctor orders. "Big Ben, why did the Slitheen hit Big Ben?"

"You said to gather the experts, to kill them," Harriet reminds him.

"That lot would've gathered for a weather balloon," I snort.

"You don't need to crash land in the middle of London," the Doctor agrees.

"The Slitheen were hiding, and then they put the entire planet on red alert, what would they do that for?" Rose asks.

"Oh, listen to them," mum scoffs.

"Oi, at least we're trying!" Rose defends, glaring at the speaker.

"Well, I've got a question if you don't mind," mum snaps back. "Because since that man walked into our lives, I have been attacked in the streets! I have had creatures from the pits of hell in my own living room, and my daughters disappear off the face of the Earth!"

"We told you what happened," Rose sighs.

"I'm talking to him!" she shouts. "Cause I've seen this life of yours, Doctor, and maybe you get off on it and maybe you think it's all clever and smart, but you tell me... just answer me this: are my daughters safe?" she asks.

The Doctor looks down at the phone and I wince slightly at the mix of emotions sent to me. "We're fine..." I mutter.

"Are they safe?" mum ignores me. "Will they always be safe? Can you promise me that?"

The Doctor glances at Rose and then looks at me, making my breath hitch at the vulnerability in his eyes. I glare down at the phone, anger bubbling inside me, "that's not fair, mum, no one can promise that!" I snap.

"I want an answer!" mum shouts.

"We're in!" Mouse cuts in and the Doctor visibly slumps in relief.

The Doctor jumps back into action, his face void of any emotion. I watch sadly, though, knowing exactly how mum's words had affected him. I move over and place my hand over his and he freezes for a moment before grabbing my hand and clutching onto it. "Right, then," he nods. "On the left, there's a tab, an icon, little concentric circles... click on that," he orders Mouse.

"What is it?" Mouse asks when a bleeping comes over the speaker.

"He'll have to answer me one day," mum grumbles.

"Hush!" Mouse hisses.

"It's some sort of message," the Doctor frowns.

"What's it say?" Rose asks, sitting on the table.

"Don't know," the Doctor shakes his head. "It's on a loop, keeps repeating... hush!" he snaps when there's a ring through the speaker.

"That's not me!" Mouse protests. "Go and see who that is."

"It's three o'clock in the morning," mum argues.

"Well, go and tell them that," Mouse snaps.

"Could it be an advert?" I ask, making the Doctor look down at me. "They run a business, yeah? If they want to make a profit, then they've got to get word out," I shrug.

"Could be..." the Doctor nods, listening to the sound intently.

"It's him!" mum screams suddenly. "It's the thing! It's the Slikeen!" she screams and my hand tightens around the Doctor's.

"They've found us," Mouse tells us.

"Mickey, I need that signal!"

"Screw your bloody signal," I pull my hand from his, sending him a glare. "Mum, Mouse, get out of there right now!"

"Mum, just get out!" Rose shouts. "Get out, Mickey! Get out!"

"We can't it's by the front door," Mouse sighs and I pull Rose into a side hug, rubbing her arm. "Oh, my God... it's unmasking! It's gonna kill us!"

"There's got to be some way of stopping them!" Harriet shouts, looking at the Doctor as Rose wraps her arms around me tightly. "You're supposed to be the expert, think of something!"

"I'm trying!" the Doctor defends.

"I'll take it on, Jackie, you just run," Mouse says over the speaker and my stomach knots up.

There's a loud crash through the speaker and Rose jumps, tightening her hold on me. I look up at the Doctor, a lump in my throat as my heart races, "that's our mother..."

The Doctor looks between Rose and me, straightening, "right!" he goes to the head of the table, leaning on the back of a chair. "If we're going to find their weakness, we need to find out where they're from; which planet... so, judging by their face and shape, that narrows it down to five-thousand planets within traveling distance," he spouts off quickly. "What else do we know about them? Information!"

"They're green," Rose points out.

"Yep, narrows it down," the Doctor nods.

"They have a really good sense of smell," I put in.

"Narrows it down!"

"They can smell adrenaline," I add.

"Narrows it down!"

"The pig technology," Harriet says.

"Narrows it down!"

"The spaceship in the Thames; Lizzie said it had a slipstream engine?" Rose asks.

"Narrows it down!"

"It's getting in!" Mouse yells.

"Oh! They hunt like it's a ritual," I click my fingers.

"Narrows it down!"

"Wait a minute!" Harriet holds out her hand. "Did you notice, when they fart, if you'll pardon the word, it doesn't just smell like a fart, if you'll pardon the word, it's something else, what is it, it's more like uh... um..." she trails off, her eyebrows furrowing.

"Bad breath!" Rose and I shout.

"That's it!" Harriet points to us.

"Calcium decay!" the Doctor grins. "Now that narrows it down!" he begins to pace.

"We're getting there, guys!" Rose yells.

"Too late!" Mouse shouts back.

"Calcium phosphate, organic calcium, living calcium, creatures made out of living calcium," the Doctor mutters. "What else? What else? ... hyphenated surname, yes! That narrows it down to one planet!" he cheers. "Raxacoricofallapatorius!" he exclaims and I blink a few times at the name... seriously?

"Oh, yeah, great," Mouse scoffs. "We could write 'em a letter!"

"Get into the kitchen!" the Doctor orders, moving over to the speaker.

"My God, it's going to rip us apart!" mum squeals.

"Calcium recombined with compression field, acetic acid-"

"Vinegar!" I finish at the same time, blushing when the Doctor sends me a dorky grin and wink.

"Just like Hannibal!" Harriet cheers.

"Just like Hannibal," the Doctor laughs. "Mickey, have you got any vinegar?" he asks.

"How should I know?" Mouse yells.

"It's your kitchen," the Doctor looks at the speaker incredulously.

"Cupboard by the sink, middle shelf," Rose and I sigh at the same time, making the Doctor raise an eyebrow at me in question.

"I spend as much time there as at home," I shrug, ignoring the tiny pang of anger I get.

"Give it here, what do you need?" mum asks.

"Anything with vinegar!" the Doctor orders quickly.

"Gherkins!" she says happily as we hear sloshing over the speaker. "Yeah! Pickled onions! Picked eggs!"

"You kiss this man?" the Doctor asks Rose, his nose wrinkling in disgust and she rolls her eyes.

I decide not to mention the fact that when we were kids, Mouse and I were each other's first kiss... probably not a good idea at the moment. There's an explosion and loud fart sound from the speaker and Rose and I slump against each other in relief. "It worked!" I cheer, Rose and I jumping up and down.

"We did it!" Rose squeals before stopping and looking thoughtful. "Hannibal?" she asks, pulling away from me.

"Hannibal crossed the Alps by dissolving boulders with vinegar," I answer, messing with my jumper strings.

"Oh," she nods. "Well, there you go then," she smiles, nudging me with her hip.

The Doctor hands out glasses of port and the four of us toast. I set my glass down, snorting loudly at the Doctor's face when he takes a sip. He spits his port back into his glass, narrowing his eyes at Rose and me as we snicker.

***

I was sitting in a chair, my feet up on the table and my sketch-book in my lap. I was putting the finishing touches on my Rutan sketch when the Doctor sits beside me. "You're very good," he notes, watching me as I smudge the edge a little with my thumb.

"Thanks..." I mutter quietly, glancing at him with my bottom lip between my teeth.

"Listen to this," Mouse calls over the speaker and I breathe out slightly in relief when the Doctor's attention is drawn away from me to some announcement 'Joseph Green' was making.

Green - Our inspectors have searched the sky above our heads and they have found massive weapons of destruction, capable of being deployed within forty-five seconds.

"What?" the Doctor asks incredulously.

Green - Our technicians can, baffle, the alien probes. But not for long. We are facing extinction. Unless we strike first. The United Kingdom stands directly beneath the belly of the mother ship. I beg the United Nations; pass an emergency resolution. Give us the access codes! A nuclear strike at the heart of the ship is our only chance of survival. Because... from this moment on... it is my solemn duty to inform you... planet earth is at war.

"He's making it up!" the Doctor glares at the speaker. "There's no weapons up there, there's no threat; he just invented it," he grinds out.

"Do you think they'll believe him?" Harriet asks hesitantly.

"They did last time," Rose sighs.

"He's acting Prime Minister and no one knows he's an alien... they've got no reason not to trust him," I shake my head, slipping my sketch-book back into my bag.

"That's why the Slitheen went for spectacle," the Doctor realizes, slight horror washing over me. "They want the whole world panicking, because you lot, you get scared, you lash out-"

"-they release the defense codes..." Rose trails off.

"-and the Slitheen go nuclear," the Doctor nods.

"But why?" Harriet asks.

"Let's find out," I shrug as the Doctor goes over and opens the metal shutters.

"You get the codes, release the missiles," the Doctor folds his arms, glaring at 'Margaret', who was back in her skin suit and flanked by two other Slitheen. "But not into space because there's nothing there; you attack every other country on Earth, they retaliate, fight back, World War III, whole planet gets nuked," he sneers, anger and disgust washing over me.

"And we can sit through it in our spaceship waiting in the Thames," 'Margaret' smirks. "Not crashed, just parked; two minutes away," she gloats.

"But you'll destroy the planet, this beautiful place!" Harriet exclaims, appalled. "What for?"

"Profit," the Doctor grinds out. "Lizzie was right, that's what the signal is beaming into space: an advert."

"Sale of the century," Margaret smirks. "We reduce the Earth to molten slag, then sell it piece by piece. Radioactive chunks capable of powering every cut-price starliner and budget cargo ship," she explains. "There's a recession out there, Doctor, people are buying cheap; this rock becomes raw fuel.

"At the cost of five billion lives," I glare, my fists clenched; the Doctor's anger was blending with my own, amplifying it, and I wanted to throttle the woman.

"Bargain," she retorts with a nasty smirk.

The Doctor grabs my arm and pulls me behind him slightly as he levels a glare at Margaret, "then I give you a choice: leave this planet or I'll stop you," he offers.

The Slitheen all burst out laughing and Margaret raises her eyebrows, "what? You? Trapped in your box?" she taunts.

"Yes, me," the Doctor stares her down, completely unwavering.

Magaret laughs more, albeit a little nervously now. The Doctor simply shuts off the cabinet room once more, Margaret's smile wavering before the doors seal.

***

Rose was leaning against the long table, Harriet sitting down beside her, the Doctor leaning against the wall by the fireplace, and I was laying on the table on my stomach, drawing in my sketch-book.

"Alright, Doctor," mum sighs through the speaker. "I'm not saying I trust you, but there must be something you can do."

"If we ferment the port, we could make acetic acid," Harriet suggests.

"Not enough for all the Slitheen, though," I shake my head.

"Mickey, any luck?" Rose asks.

"There's loads of emergency numbers... they're all on voicemail," he mutters.

"Voicemail dooms us all," Harriet groans.

"If we could just get out of here," I sit up, feeling utterly useless.

"There's a way out," the Doctor shrugs, making me look at him sharply.

"What?" Rose asks incredulously.

"There's always been a way out," he states simply.

"You're just now saying something about this?" I ask with my arms folded, hopping off the table.

"Didn't need to earlier, we were figuring out what they wanted," he shrugs.

"Well, why don't we use whatever is it is now?" Rose asks.

The Doctor, not making eye contact with Rose or me, strides over to the speaker, "because I can't guarantee your daughters will be safe..."

"Don't you dare!" mum shouts. "Whatever it is, don't you dare!"

"So we're just supposed to sit in here, safe, while they destroy the world!?" I stare at the speaker.

"If I don't dare... everyone dies," the Doctor agrees.

"Do it," I tell him.

The Doctor's eyes snap to me, "you don't even know what it is," he stares at me in shock. "You'd just let me?"

"Of course, I would," I reply and the Doctor just stands there, frozen in place.

"Please, Doctor!" mum cuts in. "They're my daughters! They're just kids!"

"Do you think I don't know that?" the Doctor snaps, not taking his eyes off me. "Because this is my life, Jackie! It's not fun, it's not smart! It's just standing up and making a decision because nobody else will!"

"Then what are you waiting for?" Rose asks softly from beside me.

The Doctor's face contorts slightly as he looks between us, "I could save the world but lose you two," he murmurs.

"But... we're not more important than the entire world," I frown, my eyebrows furrowed with Rose nodding in agreement.

The Doctor cups my cheek in his hand, running his thumb over the skin gently. I watch as he studies me carefully, my cheeks heating up and my heart rate quickening. "You are to me... I can't lose you..." he admits quietly.

My breath hitches in his throat, my voice completely leaving me at the emphasis of just me and I see Rose's growing smirk out of the corner of my eye. I bite my lip, my face burning even more as he just stares down at me intently. I look down, the intensity of his gaze becoming too much as my heart feels like it's trying to hammer its way out of my chest. The Doctor forces me to look back up at him gently and I feel like all the air was taken from my lungs

"Except it's not your decision, Doctor, it's mine," Harriet cuts in, but I still feel as if I can't breathe as the Doctor refuses to break eye contact.

"And who the hell are you!?" mum snaps.

"Harriet Jones, MP for Flydale North," she answers curtly. "The only elected representative in this room chosen by the people for the people, and on behalf of the people I command you: do it," she orders.

The Doctor breaks out into a huge grin and I stumble back into Rose a bit when he finally breaks eye contact. I take in a deep breath, trying to calm my heart and cool my face while Rose just snickers at my thoroughly dazed state. What the hell was that? Rose helps me lean against the table before she hops up on it beside me. "How do we get out?" she asks the Doctor.

"We don't, we stay here," he replies, flipping through the emergency protocols.

***

The Doctor was relaying to Mouse what he had to do and I felt like I was a bit back to normal. Oh, God... Rose will never let whatever that was between him and me go. I groan internally at the thought.

"Use the buffalo password, it overrides everything," the Doctor's voice snaps me from my own thoughts.

"What're you doing?" mum asks.

"Hacking into the Royal Navy," Mouse breathes in awe, not believing it himself. "We're in..." he informs us. "Here it is, uh... H.M.S. Taurean, Trafalgar Class Submarine; ten miles off the coast of Plymouth."

"Right, we need to select a missile," the Doctor mutters.

"We can't go nuclear, we don't have the defense codes," Mouse argues.

"We don't need it, all we need is an ordinary missile," the Doctor retorts and my eyes widen as I realize exactly what his plan is.

"Oh, God..." I breathe.

"What's the first category?" the Doctor asks, not looking at me but reaching over to grip my hand.

"Sub Haffoon, UGMA4A," Mouse tells him.

"That's the one! Select," the Doctor orders.

"I could stop you," mum threatens quietly.

"Do it, then," Mouse challenges.

"Ready for this?" the Doctor asks, running his thumb over my knuckles.

After a moment of tense silence in which Rose grips my other hand tightly, Mouse replies with a firm 'yeah'.

"Mickey the Idiot," the Doctor sighs. "The world is in your hands: fire," he orders.

"Oh, my God," mum whispers in horror.

Harriet goes over to one of the windows, "how solid are these?" she asks, tapping the steel.

"Not solid enough," the Doctor shakes his head. "Built for short range attack... nothing like this."

"Alright," I pull my hands from the Doctor and Rose, coming to a decision. "There's no way in hell I'm just giving up or letting my baby sister die, so! We're going to ride this one out," I announce.

Rose's eyes light up in understanding, "it's like what they say about earthquakes! You can survive 'em by standing under a doorframe," she smiles.

"Brilliant, you are," I nudge her with my hip, smiling. "Now..." I go over to the cupboard. "This cupboard's small, so it's strong... come and help me! Come on!" I call to Rose and Harriet.

***

Rose, Harriet, and I were working frantically to get the cupboard empty. The hardest part was moving the bodies of the Prime Minister and Indra.

"It's on radar," Mouse calls. "Counter defense 556!"

"Stop them intercepting it!" the Doctor orders.

"I'm doing it now," Mouse replies.

"Good boy," the Doctor praises, being honest this time.

"556 neutralized," Mouse announces.

I poke my head out of the cupboard as Rose and Harriet hunker down, "get your arse in here, Doctor!" I call.

"Language," the Doctor scolds as he rips my mobile from the speaker and rushes in.

"Oh, we're about to get blown up and you're getting on me about my language?" I scoff, rolling my eyes as I sit in between him and Rose. "Really?"

"Cheeky," he smirks, nudging me with his shoulder.

"Old man," I retort, my lips twitching up.

"Tiny," he bites his lip, trying to laugh as I squeak indignantly.

"God," Rose groans. "Maybe flirt when we aren't about to be blown up!"

I immediately look down, my face turning beet red as the Doctor clears his throat awkwardly. Harriet snorts loudly, covering it with a cough when I narrow my eyes at her. She coughs a bit more before composing herself, "nice knowing you three," she smiles and we all grip hands, the Doctor intertwining his and my fingers. "Hannibal!" she cheers.

The four of us brace ourselves as the room suddenly begins to shake violently. Rose and I scream as we're thrown about the small cupboard. Sooner than I thought, it was over and I lay on my back, breathing out that we were still alive. The Doctor laughs gleefully, helping us girls to our feet and checking to make sure we were ok. I was sore from me and the Doctor and I'm pretty sure I'll be getting bruises on top of bruises. The Doctor kicks the door open and we climb out of the cabinet room. I raise my hand, wincing at the sunlight. My eyes widen a bit as I look around at the burning rubble that used to be Downing Street.

"Made in Britain," Harriet smiles, patting the side of the metal room, making me snort.

A soldier rushes over to us, gaping, "are you alright?"

"Harriet Jones, MP for Flydale North," she flashes her ID. "I want you to contact the UN immediately; tell the ambassadors the crisis is over and they can step down," she orders. "Go on, tell the news!"

"Yes, ma'am," he nods before hurrying off.

"Someone's got a hell of a job sorting this lot out," Harriet shakes her head, gesturing around before her eyes widen. "Oh, Lord! We haven't even got a Prime Minister!" she gasps.

"Well, maybe you should have a go," the Doctor smirks, folding his arms.

"Me?" she laughs. "I'm only a backbencher," she denies.

"I'd vote for you," Rose smiles.

"Me too," I smile, wrapping an arm around Rose's waist and hers goes around my shoulders.

"Now, don't be silly," Harriet shakes her head, blushing faintly. "Look... I'd better go and see if I can help," she starts to climb over the rubble and toward a crowd of people down the street.

The Doctor beams, helping Rose and me as we climb down as well. I watch with a smile as Harriet raises her arms in the air, shouting to get the attention of the soldier, "hang on! The earth is safe! Sergeant!"

"I thought I knew the name," the Doctor grins happily. "Harriet Jones! Future Prime Minister! Elected for three successive terms; the architect of Britain's Golden Age!"

"The crisis has landed! Ladies and Gentlemen, I have something to say to you all!"

***

Rose and I were sat in the living room, mum pacing around as she glares at the telly.

Harriet Jones - Mankind stands tall, proud.

"Harriet Jones," mum scoffs, narrowing her eyes. "Who does she think she is? Look at her! Taking all the credit! Should be you girls on there!" she shouts. "My daughters saved the world!"

"I think the Doctor helped a bit," Rose puts in, trying not to laugh.

"Oh, alright then, him too," mum concedes, rolling her eyes. "You three should be given knighthoods," she insists.

"That's not the way he does things," Rose shakes her head. "No fuss, he just... moves on; he's not that bad if you gave him a chance," she looks up at mum.

"He's good in a crisis, I'll give him that," mum huffs, sitting down in one of the armchairs.

"Oh!" I laugh. "Now the world has changed! You're saying nice things about him," I tease.

"Well, I reckon I've got no choice!" she retorts. "There's no getting rid of him since you're infatuated," she looks at me pointedly.

"I-I am n-not infatuated!" I squeak, blushing madly as Rose snicker, making me kick at her.

Mum just rolls her eyes, giving me a knowing look, "what does he eat?" she changes the subject, making me sigh in relief.

"How do you mean?" Rose frowns.

"I was gonna do shepherds pie..." mum looks off thoughtfully. "All of us, a proper sit-down," she tells us. "Cause... I'm ready to listen... I want to learn about you girls and him and that life you lead," she smiles between us. "Only, I don't know, he's an alien! For all I know, he eats grass and safety pins and things!"

"He'll have shepherd pie," I giggle, shaking my head. "You gonna cook for him?" I raise an eyebrow.

"What's wrong with that?" mum asks indignantly.

"He's finally met his match," Rose smirks.

"Neither of you is too old for a slap, you know," mum narrows her eyes, making Rose and me giggle. "You can go and visit your gran tomorrow," she gets up and heads to the kitchen.

I tune out the rest of what she says when my phone rings. I fish it out of my pocket and frown when I see 'TARDIS' and a little photo of the box herself underneath it. I get up and plop down on Rose's lap. "Oomf... Lizzie!" she groans.

"Look," I show her my mobile before answering. "Hello?" I frown and Rose leans over to listen as well.

"Right, I'll be a couple hours, then we can go," the Doctor tells me.

"You've got a phone?" Rose asks incredulously.

"Oh, good, Rose is there as well! You think I can travel through space and time and I haven't got a phone? Ha!" he laughs.

"When did you put your number in my mobile?" I ask, Rose and I giggling when I get silence in return.

The Doctor clears his throat, "not the point! Like I said: couple of hours! I've just got send out the dispersal... there you go! That's canceling out the Slitheen's advert in case any bargain hunters turn up," he tells us.

"... our mother's cooking," Rose informs him awkwardly.

"Good! Put her on a slow heat and let her simmer," the Doctor jokes, making Rose and me snicker.

"She's cooking tea! For us," I roll my eyes with a smile.

"I don't do that," the Doctor turns us down immediately and I get a strong wave of a range of emotions, making me wince slightly.

"She wants to get to know you," Rose tries.

"Tough! I've got better things to do!" the Doctor snaps.

"It's just tea," Rose rolls her eyes, not seeing the problem.

"Not to me, it isn't!"

"She's our mother," I try.

"Well, she's not mine!" the Doctor scoffs. "I told you: I don't do families!"

"Rose and me are sisters!"

"That's different!"

"That's not fair!" Rose shouts.

"Well, you can both stay if you want," the Doctor retorts, making me pause as just the thought makes my heart ache and my stomach knot up. "But right now..." he goes on in a softer tone. "There's a plasma storm brewing in the Horsehead Nebula... fires are burning ten million miles wide. I could fly the TARDIS right into the heart of it then ride the shock wave all the out; hurtle right across the sky and end up... anywhere," he tells us and my heart picks up in anticipation as I bite my lip. "Your choice, girls," he hangs up.

I clutch the phone in my hand, chewing on my bottom lip. Ignoring Rose, I jump up and run to my bedroom, grabbing the rucksack that I had packed up yesterday.

"Don't go, sweetheart," mum's soft voice makes me turn to see her in the doorway.

"You don't understand," I shake my head, pulling my rucksack on.

"Then help me," she moves forward, putting her hands on my shoulders. "I deserve that much..."

"The Doctor... you wouldn't believe the things I've seen already cause of him," I smile softly. "Mum... my dreams are real; everything I see and hear in my head... it's real," I tell her as tears well in my eyes. "I have to," I look at her pleadingly, begging with my eyes for her to get it.

"I raised you girls all by myself and it hurts to have you run off... you're my first child, my clever girl," mum sighs, brushing my hair from my face. "But seeing you this happy? Seeing how much this Doctor and traveling means to you," she raises an eyebrow, wiping a tear away as I blush. "How could I ever want to take that away?" she smiles softly.

I smile widely, launching forward and wrapping my arms around mum's neck, "thank you," I whisper, squeezing her tightly.

3rd Person POV:

Outside the Powell Estate, there was a boy washing off the words 'Bad Wolf' that he'd graffitied on the TARDIS. Mickey was sitting on an upside-down dustbin, waiting to talk to the Doctor without Rose and Lizzie around. The Doctor steps out of the TARDIS and looks down at the boy, "good lad," he smiles. "Graffiti that again and I'll have you; now beat it," he tells him sternly.

The kid grabs his wash bucket and runs off quickly. The Doctor grins after him, Mickey watching the kid. "I just went down the shop," he tells the Doctor, hopping down from the dustbin. "And I was thinking, you know... like the whole world's changed? Aliens and spaceships all in public, and here it is," he lifts up a newspaper.

Alien Hoax? was the headline on the front page and the Doctor smiles, shaking his head.

"How could they do that?" Mickey demands. "They saw it!"

"They're just not ready," the Doctor shrugs. "You're happy to believe in something that's invisible but if it's staring you in the face, nope! Can't see it! There's a scientific explanation for that: you're thick," he smirks.

"We're just idiots," Mickey laughs.

"Well, not all of you," the Doctor smiles, a certain tiny brunette popping into his head.

"Yeah?" Mickey asks.

The Doctor snaps out of his thoughts of his companion, his ears turning light pink, "present for you, Mickey," he clears his throat and hands him a disc. "That's a virus... put it online, it'll destroy every mention of me; I'll cease to exist," he explains.

"What do you want to do that for?" Mickey frowns up at the Time Lord.

"Cause you're right... I am dangerous," the Doctor admits. "I don't want anybody following me," he says firmly.

"How can you say that, and then take them with you?" Mickey demands, gesturing to the Powell Estate.

"Do you really think I could get Lizzie to leave if she doesn't want to?" the Doctor raises an eyebrow, making Mickey smile slightly in agreement; his Bird was stubborn as all hell. "Besides, you could come with us, look after 'em," he offers.

"I can't..." Mickey admits quietly, shifting on his feet. "This life of yours... it's just too much, I... I couldn't do it," he shakes his head. "Don't tell them I said that," he says quickly, making the Doctor smirk slightly.

Mickey takes a deep breath, steeling himself, "you watch after Bird-"

"Course I will," the Doctor cuts him off, folding his arms.

"No, you don't get it," Mickey shakes his head, making the Doctor frown. "She... she's never thought she was worth anything... but she means the world to me, my Bird; the best friend I've ever had and... I see the way you look at her," he gives the Doctor a pointed look when he opens his mouth to deny knowing what he was talking about. "So don't be just another bloke that tells her she's too mad and too different to love," he tells him firmly. "She's had enough of them and if you hurt her, you've got me to deal with."

The Doctor stares at Mickey for a few moments, looking a bit like a fish out of water before he clears his throat, straightening, "I won't, you have my word," he promises.

Mickey eyes the man with narrowed eyes and then nods, satisfied with the sincerity that he sees. He knew for a fact that Lizzie would kill him if she knew he'd interfered, but he wasn't about to let her run off with some alien and not give him the 'big brother talk'.

1st Person POV:

Mum may have been sort of alright with me leaving, but it was a whole other story when she found out Rose was leaving as well. I felt bad... but I couldn't stay; not with this connection I feel with the Doctor or the rush I feel traveling with him. I also wasn't going to force Rose to stay as long as she was happy going.

"I'll get a proper job," mum tells Rose, following us out of the estate. "I'll work weekends! I'll pass my test and if Jim comes round again, I'll say no! I really will!"

"I'm not leaving cause of you," Rose shakes her head. "I'm traveling with my big sister and best mate, that's all! Then I'm coming back!"

"But it's not safe!" mum argues.

"I'll be there to look after her, mum," I assure her.

"If you saw it out there... you'd never stay home," Rose smiles before turning to the Doctor, slipping her own rucksack off.

"Got enough stuff?" the Doctor eyes Rose and my bags with raised eyebrows.

"Last time we stepped in there, it was spur of the moment," Rose grins, shoving her bag in the Doctor's arm and rolls his eyes.

"Now we're signing up," I smile, taking my rucksack off and setting it by the TARDIS. "You're stuck with us, ha!" I point up at the Doctor.

"I can take back the offer," he raises his eyebrows.

"But you won't; you'd be dead bored without us," I smirk, folding my arms and the Doctor sighs, shaking his head in exasperation. "See! You know I'm right!" I smile widely, doing a little victory dance.

"Come with us," Rose smiles up a Mouse. "There's plenty of room..."

I raise an eyebrow when Mouse stays silent, pointing to the Doctor. "No chance," the Doctor shakes his head quickly. "He's ah... a liability; I'm not having him on board," he refuses.

"We'd be dead without him!" Rose snaps, glaring at the Doctor.

"My decision is final," the Doctor says firmly.

Rose huffs and turns back to Mouse, "sorry..." she mutters sadly.

I narrow my eyes at the Doctor and he just shrugs innocently with a grin. I roll my eyes, turning away from him, only to wrinkle my nose when I see Rose and Mouse kissing. "It's like you two wanna make me blind!" I squeak dramatically, covering my poor burning eyes as the Doctor laughs.

Mouse flips me off, pulling away from Rose, "good luck, then," he smiles.

"You still can't promise me," mum rounds on the Doctor. "What if they get lost? What if something happens to you, Doctor, and my girls are left all alone standing on some moon a million lightyears away? How long do I wait then?"

The Doctor hugs Rose's rucksack closer to his chest, not having an answer as a mix of emotions rushes over me. I turn to mum, putting my hands on her upper arms, "mum... you're forgetting that she's a time machine," I remind her. "We could go traveling round suns and planets and all the way out to the edge of the universe and by the time we get back? Ten seconds would have passed," I smile, rubbing her arms soothingly.

"Just ten seconds," Rose smiles, the three of us hugging each other tightly. "So, stop worrying," she sways us from side to side. "We'll see you in ten seconds time, yeah?" she pulls away.

"I love you, mum," I squeeze her tightly, kissing her cheek.

"Love you, mum," Rose smiles, kissing her other cheeks.

"I love you, sweethearts," mum smiles sadly between us.

Rose goes over to Mouse and wraps her arms around his neck, "I love you," she smiles, kissing him softly.

"I love you," he replies when they pull away, leaning his forehead against hers.

I bite my lip, waiting for them to pull apart before launching at Mouse. He grunts softly at the impact before wrapping his arms around my shoulders tightly, mine around his waist. "Are we good?" I ask quietly, nuzzling his shoulder.

"Yeah... we're good," he kisses the top of my head, squeezing me.

"Yay! I've got my Mouse back!" I squeal, jumping up and wrapping my legs around his waist and Mouse laughs, spinning us around. "I really am sorry, I never for a second wanted to hurt you," I tell him seriously when he sets me down.

"I know," he smiles, pulling me into another hug. "Love you," he squeezes me.

"Love you, too," I lean up, kissing his cheek. "I won't tell Rose," I whisper in his ear.

Mouse pulls away, looking down at me with a frown. I just raise an eyebrow, folding my arms as I give him a pointed look. Mouse laughs a little sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. I give mum one last hug and then head into the TARDIS behind Rose. I set my rucksack down and eye the Doctor as he starts the engines. "You're not going to get us back in ten seconds, are you?"

"Sorry," he smiles, completely not at all sorry.

"So... Horsehead Nebula?" I smirk. "That's a pretty cheap shot, big-ears," I walk up to the console, running my fingers along it.

"Totally cheating," Rose agrees, plopping down on the jump-seat.

Rose and I both yelp as the TARDIS jolts and we're both thrown to the ground, the Doctor laughing hysterically as he rushes around the console, piloting us away.

A/N: Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think; drop a comment or vote or just be your ghost-reader self and enjoy! :*