30The Pink Orchid
"There's no place like home," laughed Miranda, as she collapsed on the sofa in the living room.
Rose laughed as well and finished her glass of wine. "We have been back in London for almost two weeks already," she said.
"I know!" exclaimed Miranda, cheeks flushed because of the alcohol. "It seemed like it was Christmas a week ago but we are almost at the end of March. I don't even seem to remember the Hilary Term."
Rose didn't blame her; compared to the Michaelmas Term, the Hilary Term had been almost boring in that nothing really happened. Rose went to her classes and did lab work, had weekly dinners with the Butterflies, and spent time with friends. None of the odd and unexplained crossed her path, and Rose didn't want to admit it, but she kind of missed it a bit.
"So, what are we doing tomorrow?" asked Miranda, looking at Rose.
"Lunch with River," said Rose. "And then out to dinner with Mum, Shareen and Mickey. And knowing Shareen, she will drag us out dancing after that."
"Sounds like fun," laughed Miranda. "I can't wait for you to see your gift," she added, and then glanced at the clock on the wall. "Actually, it's only ten minutes to midnight. You should open it now."
Rose smiled indulgently and picked up the gift that was sitting on the dining table. It was a sizable box wrapped in bright pink wrapping paper that had the words 'Happy Birthday' written on it in cheerful, bubbly letters. Rose unwrapped the gift carefully and opened the box to find a pair of black knee-length leather boots with a block heel.
"They're gorgeous," said Rose, her eyes lighting up.
"I'm glad," beamed Miranda. "They were on sale last week."
Rose set the box down and gave Miranda a hug. "Thank you, I love them."
"I like going shopping," said Miranda. "Your mum helped me pick them."
"Thanks," said Rose. "And thanks for indulging my mum. I know she appreciates it too."
Miranda smiled wistfully. "I'm not just doing it to be nice," she admitted. "I like your mum. She's a good person."
"Oh, I know that," said Rose, easily. "But she can be a bit overbearing at times." She paused and chose her next words carefully. "What was your mum like?"
Miranda's smile dimmed but then it grew again, tinged with melancholy. "My mum...was brilliant. Everyone always said my dad was the smart one, but they had it wrong. She could do anything, and my Dad said she could rule the universe, if she wanted." Miranda glanced briefly at Rose, who was paying rapt attention. "She always had my back. Anything I wanted to do...I knew she would be right there. I never thought there would be a day when I wouldn't have her."
"I'm sorry," said Rose.
Miranda shrugged. "It's stupid, I know. I mean, everyone has to live without their parents at one point or another. I guess...I just wasn't ready to say goodbye to them," she said, and finished the last bit of wine from her glass. "I should go to bed."
Rose nodded, unable to think of anything to say as Miranda stumbled upstairs to bed. Rose was not all that drunk, so she set about clearing the empty wine bottles and putting the glasses in the dishwasher. She threw away the wrapping paper and put the new boots away in the shoe cupboard. Satisfied that the living room looked clean enough, Rose was about to head up to bed herself when she heard a knock on the front door.
Frowning deeply, Rose glanced at the time. It had just struck midnight and she was a bit wary as she went to the door. The street which housed Miranda's townhouse was in a safe neighbourhood, and she and Miranda had come home at all times of the night, with only a hint of trepidation, rather than the all-out vigilance that any other part of London would elicit.
Rose looked out through the glass next to the door and saw there was no one waiting outside. However, sitting on the welcome mat, was a bouquet of flowers. Relaxing slightly, Rose opened the door and double checked to make sure there was no one around before she picked up the bouquet, noticing it was a bouquet of pink orchids. She waited to close and lock the door before she set the bouquet down on the coffee table and pulled out the little card stuck in the flowers.
Happy 19th birthday, Rose. I hope you like the flowers, I grew them myself - Etain
"Of course," muttered Rose, amused. No wonder she hadn't seen anyone and the flowers had seemingly materialised out of nowhere. Shaking her head at Etain's antics but grateful just the same, Rose turned off the lights downstairs and carried the bouquet to her room.
Her room in Miranda's townhouse was quite spacious, and apart from her bed, dresser and vanity, there was room for a desk and a chair as well. Rose set the card and the bouquet on her desk and then proceeded to get ready for bed.
Teeth brushed, hair combed and skin moisturised, Rose changed into her favourite fleece pyjamas and eased into bed. She could see the pink orchids from where she was lying down and she smiled to herself and closed her eyes.
River was busy writing in her journal when her phone rang. She clicked her tongue in irritation and answered it without looking.
"Hello?"
"She won't wake!"
River sat up at the frantic voice, nearly unrecognisable because River had never heard such fear in it.
"Slow down, what happened?" asked River. There was frantic muttering on the other end of the line, which River could not understand. "Miranda!" she added, sharply.
"She won't wake up," said Miranda.
"Who won't?" asked River, as dread filled her being. "Miranda? Is it Rose? Has something happened to her?"
"Please get here," said Miranda. "I don't know what to do."
River sprang to her feet. "I'm on my way," she said, picking up her keys and rushing out. The drive to Dulwich was quick, and the door to Miranda's townhouse sprang open before River could even knock.
Miranda stood in the doorway, still in her pyjamas, messy hair stood on end, and an expression of fear and panic on her face.
The sense of dread grew worse in River's stomach. "What happened?" she asked.
"Come with me," said Miranda, turning around and making her way upstairs.
River closed the door behind her and followed Miranda to one of the bedrooms. It was a nicely decorated room but what held River's attention was Rose on the bed. Asleep.
Miranda had tears in her eyes and she was worrying her fingers agitatedly, as she looked between Rose and River.
Knowing there would be more to it, River slowly walked toward the bed and then realised how intensely still Rose appeared to be. Terrified, River slowly placed her fingers on Rose's pulse and nearly sagged in relief.
"She's breathing," said Miranda. "But she won't wake."
River nodded and then shook her shoulder lightly. Rose stayed resolutely asleep, which made River worry. Rose wasn't a deep sleeper, not in the slightest. With numb fingers, River reached into her pockets and pulled out a medical scanner.
She quickly ran a scan on Rose, even as her hands shook with tension.
"What's wrong with her?" asked Miranda.
The scanner beeped and finished its job. "Nothing," said River, reading the results with disbelief. "She's completely fine. Asleep, but completely fine."
"That's clearly not true!" said Miranda, her voice raising angrily.
"Miranda, please calm down," said River, trying not to let her own fear show.
"Do not tell me to calm down!" shouted Miranda, and River flinched at the authority in her tone.
River held up her hands. "Miranda, we need to run more tests to see what's wrong with her. Unfortunately, I don't really have the resources here that would be able to help."
"I don't either," said Miranda, the fight draining out of her apparently. "When I came to Earth in this time, I didn't come with anything at all."
River nodded; having known that. Miranda looked slightly irritated that River seemed to know about the circumstances in which she had arrived on Earth, but River's attention was back on Rose.
"We need help," said River. "Usually I would call Jack, but he and his team are in Scotland on a mission."
"This Jack, Rose told me he's a time traveller," said Miranda, and River realised that Miranda had never met Jack.
"Yes," said River. "He's a Time Agent from the 51st century and currently leads Torchwood Three." She paused and looked at Miranda. "All of this…"
"...is to be kept from Rose, I know," nodded Miranda, without missing a beat. "Who else do you have?"
River weighed up her options and glanced at Rose before looking at Miranda. "Let me make a call."
Miranda Dawkins was not a nervous person by habit. If anything, she was ridiculously confident, a trait her parents nurtured deeply. She always thought she took after them in that regard, but her mother would always assure her that Miranda had surpassed her parents when it came to that particular trait.
But even as confident as she could usually be, she still had her weaknesses. As River went downstairs to make the phone call and left Miranda alone with Rose, Miranda paced back and forth nervously, eyes fixed on Rose's sleeping form on the bed. A sudden thought occurred to her and she stopped and stared at Rose.
Maybe she could...it was worth a try…
Miranda had already taken a few steps toward Rose and was leaning over her before she realised.
"What are you doing?"
Miranda jumped and turned around when she heard River. Miranda realised she had raised her hands toward Rose's temple and hastily pulled them away.
"You know you can't do that," said River, sternly.
"I know," said Miranda, exhaling heavily. "I'm sorry...I just…"
River's eyes softened in understanding. "Help is on its way. In fact…" Her words were cut off as the townhouse was filled with the sound of a familiar wheezing and groaning sound. "He's already here."
Miranda took a deep breath and wiped her tears. It wouldn't do for her to look as distraught as she felt. It didn't occur to her in that moment that River would not have been able to contact the Doctor; the one that Rose knew anyway.
The man that walked in was young, with floppy brown hair, a wide chin and brilliant green eyes. He was wearing a tweed suit of purple, and a matching bow tie around his neck.
Miranda felt the ground under her feet vanish and she nearly stumbled to the floor. The Doctor, because who else would it be really, smiled softly at Miranda.
"Hello, my love," he said, voice gentle as ever.
Miranda let out a sob and ran straight into his arms. He caught her without issue and hugged her tightly, stroking the back of her head as she cried into his shoulder. She felt his grip on her tighten and Miranda could not have stopped her tears if she tried.
"Oh, dearest, I am so sorry," he murmured and pressed a kiss to her temple. "You must have been so frightened."
Miranda pulled away and met his gaze. "I…"
"I know, I know," he said, cupping her face with both his hands.
Miranda chuckled, of course he knew. "I missed you," she said, anyway.
"I missed you too, my love," he said, with a bright smile. "I know you have a lot of questions and I will answer all of them, but first…"
Miranda remembered Rose and quickly turned around. "Of course," she said, releasing the Doctor. The Doctor pressed a kiss to her forehead before he strode over to Rose, pulling out a sonic screwdriver which he then used to scan her.
"She was fine yesterday," said Miranda. "But then she didn't come down for breakfast this morning so I came in to wake her up...and she wouldn't wake up."
"She's in a deep sleep," said the Doctor, looking at the results on his sonic screwdriver. "It's certainly been brought on by something." He glanced around the room and then inclined his head at the flowers on Rose's desk. "Huh," he frowned as he walked over to them, and then plucked a petal and put it into his mouth.
"Doctor," admonished River, as he made a face and spit it out.
"That tastes foul," he declared, pointing an accusing finger at the orchids. "Who sent these to her?"
"I-I don't know," said Miranda. "She didn't have them yesterday."
The Doctor glanced around and then frowned. "There's no card," he said.
"Is there something wrong with the flowers?" asked River. The Doctor plucked another petal and handed it to her. River took it cautiously and gave it a sniff before rearing back. "What the hell?" she asked.
"What?" asked Miranda, as River looked bewildered.
"The flowers are fake," said the Doctor. "Well, more precisely, these are artificial orchids."
River passed her the petal and Miranda rubbed it gently between her fingers. "But it feels real," said Miranda.
"It does," he said. "Try tearing it."
Miranda tore the petal slightly and jumped back as a fine pink mist dissipated from the tear. She felt the soporific take effect but then her respiratory bypass kicked in and she shook away the drowsiness before she could lose her footing. "What do we do?" she asked, realising someone had deliberately sent them to Rose. While the petal needed to be torn for the effect to kick in immediately, Miranda had no doubt the flowers had been leaching mist through the night which explained the deep sleep Rose had fallen into.
"Remove the flowers for one," said the Doctor. "The effect should wear off gradually once the source is gone. There is a faster way, of course."
"Then do that one," said Miranda, immediately feeling relieved.
"He can't," said River. "Not yet."
"Why not?" demanded Miranda. "Dad?"
The Doctor, who had been staring at Rose, looked at her. "Miranda…"
"No! Tell me why you can't wake Mum right now," said Miranda, forgetting to even keep up appearances, though she vaguely supposed it wouldn't matter to anyone in the room who could currently hear her.
"I will, I promise you I will, my love," he said, placing his hands on her shoulders. "But first, I must find out who was behind this. And I cannot investigate while Rose is awake. This is too early in her timeline to see me." Miranda swallowed roughly but nodded. "Why don't you get dressed? River can stay and keep an eye on Rose, and you can help me investigate."
Miranda agreed and hurried away to her room. She heard her father and River speaking in quiet tones but she couldn't hear what was being said, even with her part Time Lord hearing. She quickly changed out of her pyjamas and into a pair of jeans and t-shirt, and brushed her hair into a ponytail. She grabbed her denim jacket on the way out and returned to Rose's room.
"I'm ready," she said.
The Doctor nodded and glanced at River.
"I'll watch over Rose," she assured the Doctor. Or both of them, maybe.
"Thank you, River," said the Doctor, as he gathered the pink orchids. "Come along, Miranda."
Miranda followed after him, and was surprised when she saw the TARDIS sitting in the middle of the living room. The sight of the familiar ship which had been more of a home to her than the planet she'd been born on, lifted Miranda's spirits despite the circumstances. The Doctor smiled at her as he unlocked the door and held his hand out gallantly toward her.
She couldn't help but giggle as she placed her hand in his and let him lead her inside like a proper lady. The momentary bit of amusement left her as she saw the unfamiliar interior of the TARDIS, which abruptly reminded her that while this was her father, it wasn't quite the right version.
"How long has it been?" she asked, as he let go of her hand before setting the flowers down on the console and fiddling with the controls.
He paused and glanced at her briefly. "A long time," he said, and then set the diagnostic systems into action before turning to her. "Ask your questions."
Miranda slowly stepped deeper into the TARDIS. "Where's Mum?"
"When River called, she knew she couldn't be here. The web of time is not as stable as it used to be, so she wanted to be as far away as possible to avoid a paradox," he explained.
Miranda nodded, having suspected that. She thought about his words and took a deep breath before asking the next question. "The web of time destabilising...does it…" She took another breath and kept his gaze locked on his. "What happened? With the War?"
She saw the heartbroken look on her father's face but he didn't speak. Miranda took another deep breath.
"When I woke up on Earth, I could no longer hear them. Or you and Mum, for that matter," she said. "What happened? Did the Daleks win?"
"No," he said, finally. "No, the Daleks did not win. But neither did we."
Miranda nodded slowly, fighting back tears at the look of abject sorrow and regret on his face. She knew he must be blocking his telepathic signature (or perhaps her ring was obscuring the familial bond) but she didn't need the telepathic connection to know how he was feeling, even on an unfamiliar face.
"We ended the Time War, your mother and I," he said, his voice grave. "With help from some allies. And in the end, Rose and I were all that remained standing. It's all gone now...Gallifrey, Time Lords, all of it."
Horror filled Miranda's being at the picture it painted. She could not imagine what it must have been like...could not even comprehend. Regardless of her feelings, Gallifrey had still been home. She had still been one of the Time Lords. There had been family; people who had loved her, without giving in to the prejudice.
"I should have been there," said Miranda, in a low voice. "I could have helped."
"No, you could not have," said the Doctor, seriously. "No one could have helped."
"You don't know that," argued Miranda.
"Yes, I do!" he thundered, and Miranda immediately shut her mouth.
Her father rarely raised his voice, and she could honestly say there was only one other occasion when he'd raised his voice at her specifically.
"What we did, what I did," he said, slowly. "It was the last option, the only option. And trust me, my love, if your mother hadn't sent you away, I would not have been able to walk into that war. I would not have had the courage to do what I did."
Miranda just stared at him in stunned silence, but the Doctor turned away when the console beeped.
"That's odd," he said, frowning at one of the screens. Miranda joined him slowly and read the results as well.
"Fae?" she asked, surprised.
"I did a scan of the surroundings and this was the only anomalous signature that the TARDIS detected," he said. "You didn't have one of them drop by, did you?"
"No," said Miranda. "But Mum's friendly with them."
"Yes, despite everything I keep telling her," he sighed, and the familiar exasperation cheered her up a little despite their previous conversation. "Let's see...2005 and it's March, so who does she know at this point?"
"Etain and Violet, as far as she's told me," said Miranda.
"Violet's harmless," said the Doctor. "And while Etain is a nuisance, she holds Rose in high regard. I doubt she would have harmed her."
"Well, Etain had mentioned to Mum previously that she could not remain in one place for a long time since she was in danger," said Miranda, thoughtfully. "Could it have been Midir?"
The Doctor tilted his head and then narrowed his eyes. "It's certainly possible," he said. "I'm not sure how he would have found Rose, though."
Miranda's brow wrinkled. "She's shielded?" she asked, confused. "Even at such an early point in her timeline?"
"She has always been shielded," said the Doctor. "By her own design."
Miranda nodded, having long been used to learning these things about her mother. "But since when do fae use artificial flowers?" she asked.
"Good point," said the Doctor. "Let's ask them, shall we?" The Doctor began the dematerialisation sequence, and Miranda relished in the familiar pull of the vortex as the TARDIS glided through space and time toward their destination.
"So, who is River, exactly?" asked Miranda, after a few moments of comfortable silence.
The Doctor smiled. "She is a dear friend of mine," he said.
"And you trust her?" asked Miranda.
"With my life," he said, without missing a beat.
Miranda nodded, heartened. "I don't think I was very nice to her," she admitted. "Mum would be disappointed."
The Doctor chuckled. "Yes, she would," she said. "Rose is very fond of River."
"I've noticed," said Miranda.
The TARDIS landed and Miranda opened the doors. The TARDIS had landed in a field of rolling green grass, where a cool, steady breeze blew around them.
"Where are we?" asked Miranda, as she stepped out.
"A little outside of Ardagh in County Longford," said the Doctor, closing the TARDIS doors behind himself.
"In Ireland?" asked Miranda.
"Yes," he said, and then gave her an encouraging look. "Go on."
"What?" asked Miranda, confused. He smiled at her and the penny dropped. "Here?"
He spread his arms wide, indicating the empty expanse. "No one around," he pointed out. "It's perfectly safe."
Miranda smiled back at him and closed her eyes. It took a moment but then her mind engaged, and a series of images flashed behind her closed eyelids. She saw a golden-haired woman turn into a scarlet fly and rest on the shoulder of a man on a brown horse. The fly flew away and the man kicked the horse into a gallop and rode through the very field they were in before circling a small area of the field nearby and vanishing into thin air.
"Found it," she said, and opened her eyes.
"Lead the way," said the Doctor.
Miranda started walking toward the part of the field where she had seen the man on the horse disappear, aware that the Doctor was right behind her.
"Here," she said, coming to a stop.
"Don't stop on my account," said the Doctor.
"Wouldn't the sonic screwdriver make this easier?" she asked, amused.
"Yes, it would," he admitted. "But, this is good practice for you."
Miranda gave him an annoyed look, but nodded in agreement. Extending her right hand in front of her, palm spread wide, she focused on what she had been taught. It took longer for the connection to engage, and Miranda felt sweat erupt on her brow despite the cool breeze.
"Don't push it," she heard the Doctor murmur. "This is a part of you, and you command it."
Miranda felt herself relax as a familiar golden warmth surrounded her and brought a smile to her face. She opened her eyes as a doorway materialised in the veil between the human and the fae world.
"Well done," she heard the Doctor praise.
The warmth around her slowly dissipated and Miranda's smile turned into a full-blown grin. "It worked," she said.
The Doctor squeezed her shoulder. "Of course it did," he said, as if he'd never doubted it.
"I'm struggling, still," she admitted.
"I know, my love," he said. "It is a difficult thing to channel the vortex through your being. For you, it's even harder because the Time Lord half of you struggles against the unnatural power of the vortex."
"I never understood that," said Miranda, as the Doctor raised his fist and knocked twice on the door. "Uncle Brax used to say Time Lords and the vortex are two sides of the same aberrant coin, but that makes no sense."
The Doctor chuckled. "Time Lords are bound to the vortex, no matter how much they claimed it was the other way around," he said. "Do you remember what it was like?" She looked at him questioningly. "Gallifrey," he clarified. "Before the War."
Before she could answer, the door swung open and a young male fairy in a red tunic looked at them with surprise. "Unearthly," he hissed, his face curling in disgust.
Miranda bristled, but the Doctor seemed unperturbed. "Take us to Midir," he ordered, and Miranda shivered at the power of the Oncoming Storm.
He had managed to appear very calm from the moment he had arrived at the townhouse, she realised suddenly, but he had to have been furious. Her mother had been hurt; a fact that would see anyone foolish enough to have a part in such an endeavour face the unbridled wrath of the Oncoming Storm. Subconsciously, she moved a little behind him, letting him take the lead as the fairy led them past the doorway into Midir's kingdom.
Miranda had never been inside a fairy kingdom before and she was woefully unimpressed with Midir's. A few fairies lounged here and there around the plain green meadow of Midir's court while a nude, golden-haired male fairy sat atop a throne of scarlet flowers with a canopy of pink orchids overhead. Several servants surrounded him, catering to his whims, with slightly frightened looks on their faces.
The sight of the familiar flowers made Miranda glare at Midir, who looked amused at her anger.
"What brings you to my kingdom, unearthly ones?" he asked, his voice sharp as a whistle.
The Doctor chuckled, and the sound was without humour. Miranda shivered as the air around them grew colder. If she hadn't seen the alarmed looks on the faces of the fairies, she would have thought they were the ones responsible for the change.
Midir looked unmoved as he raised a hand and the temperature returned to normal.
"Impressive," said the Doctor, sounding genuine in his praise. "I always found the technology of your kind fascinating."
"Magic," hissed Midir. "Not technology."
"Magic, yes," agreed the Doctor. He stepped toward Midir deliberately, even as a few fairies around tensed defensively. "Tell me, Midir, what magic was it that you used to cast Rose Tyler into a deep sleep?"
"I have no knowledge of what you speak of," said Midir, turning his nose up slightly.
The Doctor didn't stop until he had reached Midir's throne and without taking his eyes off Midir, he reached up and plucked a petal from the canopy of orchids, which he then promptly put in his mouth.
"Yuck," he declared, spitting it back out, either ignorant of the appalled looks on everyone's faces or just not caring for them. "Those are the real deal."
"The orchids aren't artificial?" asked Miranda, surprised. She walked up to the Doctor and plucked a petal for herself.
"Natural as they come!" he declared and looked at Midir, who still looked a bit amused but his features had grown sharper. "But...you know more than you are letting on as well."
Midir chuckled and stood up. Miranda averted her eyes quickly, cheeks turning pink. Her mother would have found it amusing, she realised with mortification. But it seemed like her Time Lord sensibilities ran deep, and having a nude fairy in front of her was a bit too much for her composure. She shuffled a bit behind her father, who seemed unperturbed.
"I told him you would find your way here," said Midir. "He seemed confident you wouldn't make the connection, but he was a rather short-sighted one."
"Who are you talking about?" asked Miranda.
"An unearthly," said Midir. "He came to my Court to acquire some of my orchids and replicate them in an artificial form that he could embed with our poison."
"Poison?" asked Miranda. "Designed to kill?"
"Of course, child," he said, like she was particularly dense which made her grit her teeth in anger. He tilted his head. "But I assume your Rose is not dead."
"She's in a deep sleep," said the Doctor.
Midir nodded. "The flowers must not have been too close," he said. "Usually, people place them on their bedside tables."
Miranda was never more grateful for her mother's messy habits and the fact that her bedside table had virtually no free space.
"If you knew he was going to poison someone, why did you help him?" demanded Miranda.
Midir sighed. "The fairies you see around you are all that remain of my kingdom," he said. "My kind is dying. Slowly, but surely. This planet is outgrowing us and reaching toward the stars, pushing us further and further behind the veil until we eventually disappear."
Miranda blinked in surprise. "What did he offer you?"
Midir hesitated but glanced around his court, at the fairies who looked frightened. "I invited unearthly technology into my kingdom to protect what is left," he admitted finally.
"You fortified the boundary between your world and the human world," said the Doctor, with a tone of realisation.
"That explains why it was harder to open the door," said Miranda.
"Yes, I was surprised you managed it," said Midir, narrowing his eyes at Miranda. "I expected the Time Lord would have the technology but it wasn't technology that opened the door in the veil. It was magic."
"It was hardly magic," argued Miranda.
Midir suddenly lunged toward her but the Doctor stepped in front of her protectively, without missing a beat. Midir seemed unperturbed as he inhaled deeply. "You have the scent of the wolf about you, little one," he said, looking at Miranda. "It's not you, of course," he added, and then glanced at the Doctor quickly before looking back at her. "Family, perhaps."
"Enough," said the Doctor, unamused. "Answer the question."
Midir leaned away. "And what question would that be?"
"Who was the unearthly?" asked the Doctor. "And why did he want to harm Rose?"
"I'll tell you, but I require something in return," he said.
"I am not making a deal with you," said the Doctor.
"Then you can seek your answers elsewhere," said Midir.
"Or I trap you in an eternal loop of monotony," said the Doctor, as the fairies hissed in fear at the mention of the most tortuous form of punishment for their kind.
Midir's nostrils flared in anger but he nodded. "Fine, not a deal then," he said. "A favour. I...will owe you a favour if you do this."
Miranda's eyebrows shot up, and she glanced at the Doctor, who nodded back.
"You will tell Etain...that I will not pursue her any longer," he said. "She needn't continue uprooting her life. I give my word as a king to all who hear it, that I will let her go."
Whatever the favour, Miranda had figured it would have to do with Etain, but she was still surprised.
"Fine," said the Doctor. "You have my word that I will inform Etain about this."
Midir nodded. "The unearthly you look for is named Troiton," he said, and Miranda noticed that the Doctor tensed. "He claimed you and your Rose had been responsible for imprisoning him and he wished revenge."
"Even if he gave you what you wanted, why did you help him, knowing we will trace the poison and the flowers back to you?" asked Miranda.
"I have heard of the Time Lord's reputation," said Midir, looking at the Doctor. "I have heard that he is a being of kindness and rationality. I gambled on his kindness."
"How very reckless of you. I am not as kind as I used to be," said the Doctor. "Come along, Miranda, time we left."
"Do you know where Troiton is now?" asked Miranda, looking back at Midir.
"No, but I expect the Time Lord does," said Midir, and raised his hand in farewell.
The Doctor turned around and started leaving, and Miranda followed him after a moment. As they reached the door, the Doctor turned around and looked at Midir.
"If I hear you are aiding in harming any other humans, I will come back," he warned.
Without waiting for Midir's response, the Doctor let the threat hang in his wake as he and Miranda emerged back into the human realm.
The TARDIS materialised slowly on the secure asteroid of Swanbrook which housed the Glassheart Collective's maximum security prison.
The Glassheart Collective was a collection of twenty six planets, three hundred and two natural and artificial satellites, and two hundred and twelve individual asteroids toward the centre of the Milky Way. The Collective was governed by a Supreme Leader and a Council with representatives from each of the intelligent species residing within the Collective.
It was a diverse, rich civilisation with advanced technology, a thriving social and cultural scene, and an engaged political climate. Even their maximum security prison was focused less on detention and more on rehabilitation.
When the TARDIS arrived on Swanbrook, it did not set off any apparent blaring alarms, but there were two armour-clad automated guards waiting outside the doors. The Doctor and Miranda stepped out, and one of the guards stepped forward with a scanner in their hand.
"Scanning," said the mechanised voice, holding the scanner toward the Doctor. "Complete. Name: Doctor. Species: Time Lord. Affiliation: Ally."
"Sounds about right," smiled the Doctor, as the guard moved toward Miranda.
"Scanning," said the mechanised voice and Miranda tried not to fidget. "Complete. Name: Mirandarosemarion Blyledge. Species: Time Lord. Affiliation: Ally."
Miranda was unsurprised that their scanner had registered her species as Time Lord because despite their advancement, the Collective was still relatively young with their technology which wasn't advanced enough to pick up the nuances in her genetic makeup. She was impressed that they had picked up her name though, and she realised it hadn't been since Gallifrey that anyone had used her full name.
The first guard stepped back and the second one approached them. "Welcome to Swanbrook," they greeted. "Please state the purpose of your visit."
"I understand you are missing a prisoner," said the Doctor. "Troiton Belleur."
"Correction, Troiton Belleur is no longer a prisoner," said the guard. "Troiton Belleur has been rehabilitated."
"Clearly not," muttered Miranda.
"Completely rehabilitated, or just conditionally released?" asked the Doctor.
There was obvious hesitation. "Conditionally released," admitted the guard.
"Yes, well, how long has he been out?" asked the Doctor.
"Two days," said the guard, and then seemed to arrive at a decision. "Summoning Warden Pule."
The Doctor and Miranda waited as the guard sent a message to the warden, who arrived a few moments later. Warden Pule was humanoid in appearance with deep pink skin, black eyes with no discernable sclera, and no obvious hair on their head. They were wearing neatly pressed dark grey trousers and a plain white tunic top with long sleeves.
"Welcome to Swanbrook," said Warden Pule. "I understand you are here about Troiton Belleur."
"Yes," said the Doctor. "There is reason to believe he means to harm me and my...friend."
"Troiton Belleur has been successfully rehabilitated," said Warden Pule. "However, you and your friend were responsible for his capture, the records tell me." She glanced at Miranda. "You were not the one mentioned in the records, though you appear similar."
"Yes," said Miranda, not offering anything else. The Collective already gathered enough information about everyone in the galaxy that she did not want to add to their database.
"It is not outside the realm of possibility that he is now seeking revenge," said Warden Pule, speculatively. "We will take note of this and investigate. Thank you for bringing this to our attention."
The Doctor chuckled. "Not good enough," he said, his voice perfectly pleasant but it made Miranda shiver at the suppressed rage in his words. "He came after Rose and it is only by sheer coincidence that she isn't dead. I want this dealt with."
Warden Pule narrowed their eyes. "And what would you have us do?" they asked.
The Doctor smirked as he walked right up to Warden Pule. "I know that all Swanbrook inmates, rehabilitated or otherwise, have that little tracking chip embedded in their spine," he said.
Warden Pule's deep pink face grew pale enough to look almost human. "I do not know what you mean," they said. "You appear to be misinformed. There is no such chip that you speak of."
"That is what you would want everyone to think, especially the inmates themselves. But I know the truth," he said. "So, I suggest you tell me where he is. NOW."
Miranda jumped at his raised voice and felt a spike of fear. There had been something bothering her the entire time and it clicked in that moment that the years had not been kind to her father. He was inherently angry; furious in a way he had never been before, and she couldn't tell whether it was because of the War or whatever had happened after it that had broken him in such a way.
She remembered when the Time War was a mere wisp of a possibility, and there were whispers of Dalek conquests moving closer and closer through Kasterborous. The whispers had turned into bells of War before they knew it. And then her mother had done the impossible; she had sent her away from the whole thing to Rose's own past. Miranda still had no idea how she had done it.
Warden Pule, still pale with fear, nodded and one of the guards rattled off a set of coordinates. "The coordinates will not be helpful, though," Warden Pule added. "The time coordinates are...inconsistent."
Without another word, the Doctor turned around and walked back into the TARDIS.
"Thank you," said Miranda, and then hurried after him. She found him furiously entering the coordinates into the console, and she walked up to him as the TARDIS began to dematerialise. She waited until the TARDIS was in the vortex to place a hand on his arm. "What do you plan on doing when you find Troiton?"
He gave her a look, and Miranda inhaled sharply. The TARDIS landed and he shook Miranda's grip off of himself. "Stay here," he ordered as he started to leave.
Miranda rushed past him and blocked the door. "No," she said. "Whatever you are planning to do...I won't let you do it."
He closed his eyes briefly and fixed her with a cold look. "Miranda," he growled.
"No," she repeated.
"You know what he did," said the Doctor. "Rose could have died."
"But she didn't," said Miranda. "She will be fine, you told me that. What she won't be fine with, is you hurting someone in retaliation. We need to take him back to Swanbrook and let them handle it."
He gritted his teeth but Miranda kept her gaze unwavering. Eventually, he sighed and gave a nod. "We will take him back to Swanbrook."
She nodded back and then wrapped her arms around him in a hug. She felt him relax as he hugged her back and kissed her temple.
"Sorry if I scared you, little Sarlain," he said, which made her smile as she thought of the little yellow flowers on Gallifrey which grew around their cottage on Mount Cadon.
"It's alright," she told him. "I know how you get when Mum or I are in danger."
"Yes," he said, and pulled away slowly. "I won't apologise for that, though."
"I wouldn't expect you to," said Miranda. She paused as something else occurred to her. "Is it...just me and Mum?"
The Doctor gave her a confused look. "What?" he asked.
Miranda shrugged. "I mean I always wanted siblings…" she trailed off.
The Doctor laughed and bopped her on the nose. "Stop trying to ask questions I can't answer," he said.
"Does that mean there is an answer there that would potentially be a spoiler?" asked Miranda, picking up on it immediately.
He just gave her a look and reached past her to open the doors. The coordinates had landed them on a landing dock of a bar full of different species and Miranda could not have pinpointed the location or the time period, if asked.
"51st century," said the Doctor, as they stepped out of the TARDIS. "One of the numerous establishments around Earth. The time coordinates weren't inconsistent...they were just not in the same time period, which confused the Collective."
"So we've time travelled?" asked Miranda, confused, as they went into the bar. "This man can time travel?"
"No, that is a new one. When Rose and I ran into him the last time, he was trying to steal my TARDIS," said the Doctor, as he glanced around the busy bar. The bar had a padded blue velvet ceiling, large glass walls overlooking the vast open void of space, and several patrons sitting around various tables and booths. The main bar itself was made entirely of glass, and five bartenders were catering to various customers.
"Do you think he has a TARDIS?" asked Miranda, as she glanced around.
"No," said the Doctor, without hesitation. "There he is."
Miranda followed his gaze and saw a bald man with tattoos covering his head, sitting at a table by the window by himself, fiddling with a device on his wrist. "What's the plan?" she asked.
"See that device on his wrist? It's a vortex manipulator," said the Doctor, handing her his sonic screwdriver. "Can you disable it?"
Miranda nodded. "What are you going to do?" she asked.
"I'm going to go and have a chat with him," he said, and left before Miranda could stop him. She just watched incredulously as he sauntered over to Troiton's table and eased himself into the seat in front of him, with a beaming smile on his face.
Miranda saw the panic on Troiton's face and the way he started typing furiously into the vortex manipulator. Without wasting a moment, Miranda made her way toward him, making sure to go around the other way so she came up to him from behind.
The Doctor was saying something about Midir and even though the sonic screwdriver had a lot more settings than the ones she remembered, Miranda got the right one, and pointed it at the vortex manipulator, powering it down to nothing.
Troiton jumped in shock and whirled around to glare at her, but before he could do more than that, Miranda flicked to the next setting and pointed the sonic screwdriver at his forehead. Troiton's eyes rolled into the back of his head and the Doctor jumped up and caught him easily.
"Too much to drink," Miranda told the nearby patrons, who nodded and returned to their business.
She helped the Doctor haul an unconscious Troiton to his feet and between the two of them, they managed to take him back to the TARDIS.
"Well done," said the Doctor, once Troiton was laid down on the floor of the TARDIS.
"What did you say to him?" asked Miranda, leaning against the console to catch her breath.
"I asked him why he went to Midir of all people," said the Doctor. "He said it was to avoid the trail leading back to him."
"I suppose he was counting on Midir's silence," said Miranda, as the Doctor removed the vortex manipulator from Troiton's wrist. She handed him the sonic screwdriver back without him having to ask, and he smiled gratefully as he began prodding the vortex manipulator with it.
"Well, a lesson to be learned there," said the Doctor. "Do you mind piloting us back to Swanbrook?"
Miranda nodded and stepped past Troiton's unconscious form. The controls were in an unfamiliar place and several components were missing or substituted with incompatible technology forced to be compatible, but she began piloting the TARDIS back to Swanbrook. The flight was shakier than she remembered, and she smiled apologetically at the Doctor as they landed.
She waited in the TARDIS, while the Doctor delivered Troiton back to Warden Pule. Her eye caught on a photograph tucked behind the monitor and she reached over and pulled it out. It was folded in half and as she unfolded it, she was shocked to see that it was a photograph of Rose with an unfamiliar man in a leather jacket.
Based on the way he had his arm wrapped around her, Miranda knew it had to be the Doctor. What surprised her though, was that he had his other arm wrapped around Miranda herself. The Miranda in the photo looked a bit older than she did now, had longer hair, and a wide, beaming smile on her face.
She heard the TARDIS doors open and she hastily shoved the photograph back in its hiding place behind the monitor. The Doctor looked a bit irritated as he walked in, and Miranda gave him a concerned glance.
"It's nothing," he said, waving her concern away. "Back to Rose?"
Miranda nodded, and the Doctor ambled over to the console and began piloting the TARDIS back to Miranda's townhouse.
"How will you wake Mum?" asked Miranda. "The bond isn't there now, is it?"
"No," he answered. "I should have something in the TARDIS medbay that will wake her."
Miranda nodded, and as the TARDIS landed, the Doctor ducked into the TARDIS medbay for a moment before they returned to Rose's room. River gave them a smile when they entered, and a glance at the clock told Miranda they had only been gone for an hour.
"I take it you found the one responsible," said River.
"We did," answered Miranda.
The Doctor moved to Rose's bedside and smiled softly before placing a clear plastic square the size of a postage stamp on her forehead. "Don't remove this until after I leave," he said, looking back at Miranda and River.
"What should we tell her?" asked Miranda.
"That she overslept," said the Doctor.
"She will notice the missing flowers," said Miranda.
"I'll go out and buy some," said River. She turned to the Doctor and gave him a hug. "Nice to see you."
"Nice to see you too, River," he said. "Thank you."
She smiled at him, and left. Miranda turned to the Doctor, but he nodded at her to follow him downstairs to the TARDIS.
"I want to come with you," blurted out Miranda.
He smiled, as if he had expected it. "Wait here," he said, and ducked inside the TARDIS. He emerged a moment later and held out the vortex manipulator. "For you," he added. "It's functioning again, and you are free to leave whenever you like."
"That's not what I meant," said Miranda.
"I know, my love," he said. "But I remember that your mother and I came to find you here." She had suspected as much and nodded as she accepted the vortex manipulator. "Remember, you always have a choice."
Miranda smiled. "I'll stay here," she said. "I may go on a few field trips," she added. "But I'll wait here."
The Doctor beamed and pulled her into a hug. "I'll see you soon, my love," he said.
"You better," she said, hugging him back.
"This won't be the face that you will see," he added, as he pulled away. "Just so you know."
Miranda nodded, and then asked the other question which had been niggling at her. "Why did she send me here?" asked Miranda. "Here, to her own past, of all places."
"Isn't it obvious, my love?" asked the Doctor, smiling softly as he cradled her cheek in his palm.
Miranda gave him a confused look, and he kissed her forehead before releasing her.
"Because there is no one," he said. "No one else apart from herself, that she would trust to keep you safe."
Miranda's eyes filled with tears and the Doctor stepped back into the TARDIS. "It was nice seeing you, little sarlain. Take care of yourself."