#Doors and windows Cardiff

[type-40-nightingales]

you ever think about the rtd1? it's rusting spaceships and tangles wires. Cardiff Warf. that warm glow. Overcoats. cluttered apartments and 2000s fashion. its mascara and camp in just the right way for people to forget it. it's roses smile and donna's hoop earings. it's all the different shades of brown and that one shade of blue. it's watching the stars in the backyard with a thermos of tea. its the practical effect aliens. the coral tardis bathed in green light. its vworping/ its the history in the doctor's eyes and the way you know this man has a family. he's your best friend and your dad and you know the doctor is going to protect you. it's snow on Christmas eve. it's about being a solider in a war, any war, because it's always the same. it's downing street and those london houses layouts in every era they go to with the doors with windows at the top and staircase being the first thing on the right. it's the desperation in the doctors voice when he talks to the daleks. it's old, not ancient, but old and cobbled together. it is hope. it Is always hope.

[hope-ur-ok]

Surprise Song Master post ~ European Leg

5/9 Paris, FR: Paris + LOML

5/10 Paris, FR: Is It Over Now?/OOTW + My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys

5/11 Paris, FR: Hey Stephen + Maroon

5/12 Paris, FR: The Alchemy / Treacherous + Begin Again / Paris

5/17 Stockholm, SE: I Think He Knows / Gorgeous + Peter

5/18 Stockholm, SE: Guilty As Sin? + Say Don't Go / Welcome to New York / Clean

5/19 Stockholm, SE: Message In A Bottle / How You Get The Girl / New Romantics + How Did It End?

5/24 Lisbon, PT: Come Back... Be Here / The Way I Loved You / The Other Side of the Door + Fresh Out the Slammer / High Infidelity

5/25 Lisbon, PT: The Tortured Poets Department / Now That We Don't Talk + You're On Your Own Kid / Long Live

5/29 Madrid, ES: Sparks Fly / I Can Fix Him (No Really Can) + I Look In People's Windows / Snow On the Beach

5/30 Madrid, ES: Our Song / Jump Then Fall + King of My Heart

6/2 Lyon, FR: The Prophecy / Long Story Short + Fifteen / You're On Your Own Kid

6/3 Lyon, FR: Glitch / Everything Has Changed + Chloe Or Sam Or Sophia Or Marcus

6/7 Edinburgh, Scotland UK: Would've Could've Should've / I Know Places + 'Tis the Damn Season / Daylight

6/8 Edinburgh, Scotland UK: The Bolter / Getaway Car + All of the Girls You Loved Before / Crazier

6/9 Edinburgh, Scotland UK: It's Nice To Have A Friend / Dorothea + Haunted / Exile

6/13 Liverpool, England UK: I Can See You / Mine + Cornelia Street / Maroon

6/14 Liverpool, England UK: This Is What You Came For / Gold Rush + The Great War / You're Losing Me

6/15 Liverpool, England UK: Carolina / No Body No Crime + The Manuscript / Red

6/18 Cardiff, Wales UK: I Forgot That You Existed / This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things + I Hate It Here / The Lakes

6/21 London, England UK: Hits Different / Death By A Thousand Cuts + The Black Dog / Come Back Be Here / Maroon

6/22 London, England UK: thanK you aIMee / Mean + Castles Crumbling w/ Hayley Williams

6/23 London, England UK: Us w/ Gracie Abrams + Out Of The Woods / Is It Over Now? / Clean

6/28 Dublin, IE: State of Grace / You're On Your Own Kid + Sweet Nothing / Hoax

6/29 Dublin, IE: The Albatross / Dancing With Our Hands Tied + This Love / Ours

6/30 Dublin, IE: Clara Bow / The Lucky One + You’re On Your Own Kid

7/4 Amsterdam, NL: Guilty as Sin? / Untouchable + The Archer / Question...?

7/5 Amsterdam, NL: imgonnagetyouback / Dress + You Are In Love / Cowboy Like Me

7/6 Amsterdam, NL: Sweeter than fiction / Holy Ground + Mary's Song / So High School / Everything Has Changed

7/9 Zürich, CH: Right Where You Left Me / All You Had To Do Was Stay + Last Kiss / Sad Beautiful Tragic

7/10 Zürich, CH: Closure / A Perfectly Good Heart + Robin / Never Grow Up

7/13 Milan, IT: The 1 / Wonderland + I Almost Do / The Moment I Knew

7/14 Milan, IT: Mr. Perfectly Fine / Red + Getaway Car / Out Of The Woods

7/17 Gelsenkirchen, DE: Superstar / Invisible String + "Slut!" / False God

7/18 Gelsenkirchen, DE: Speak Now / Hey Stephen + This Is Me Trying / Labyrinth

7/19 Gelsenkirchen, DE: Paper Rings / Stay Stay Stay + It's Time To Go / Better Man

7/23 Hamburg, DE: Teardrops On My Guitar / The Last Time + We Were Happy / Happiness

7/24 Hamburg, DE: The Last Great American Dynasty / Run + Nothing New / Dear Reader

7/27 Munich, DE: Fresh Out The Slammer / You Are In Love + Ivy / Call It What You Want

7/28 Munich, DE: I Don't Wanna Live Forever / Imgonnagetyouback + LOML / Don't You

8/1 Warsaw, PL: Mirrorball / Clara Bow + Suburban Legends / New Years Day

8/2 Warsaw, PL: I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can) / I Can See You + Red / Maroon

8/3 Warsaw, PL: Today Was A Fairytale / I Think He Knows + The Black Dog / Exile

8/15 London, England UK: Everything Has Changed / End Game / Thinking Out Loud w/Ed Sheeran + King Of My Heart / The Alchemy

8/16 London, England UK: London Boy + Dear John / Sad Beautiful Tragic

8/17 London, England UK: I Did Something Bad + My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys / Coney Island

8/19 London, England UK: Long Live / Change + The Archer / You're On Your Own Kid

8/20 London, England UK: Death By A Thousand Cut / Getaway Car w/Jack Antonoff + So Long, London

[stephensmithuk]

The Hound of the Baskervilles: Baskerville Hall

CW injury discussion, discussion of violent crime including torture, whaling and capital punishment:

There were three classes of travel on British railways at this point, althought second-class travel was on its way out:

Paddington station, designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel and today and a Grade I listed building, still has a big platform where it is possible to see someone directly onto a train without going through a ticket barrier. This is Platform 1 with access to the taxi rank and Elizabeth line station. It is also home to the GWR warm memorial and Paddington Bear statue, with a shop dedicated to the ursine Peruvian immigrant in the retail area at the south-eastern side.

The Museum of the College of Surgeons is now called the Hunterian Museum and is located near Holborn tube station. Admission is free, but they recommend advanced booking. It is closed on Sundays and Mondays.

It would be rather harder on a modern train to conduct a conversation as the vehicle was pulling out due to the elimination of most rolling stock with "droplights" i.e. manually lowerable windows, usually so you could open the door. The High Speed Trains which had at their end doors, them were withdrawn in 2019, the surviving "Castle Class" examples had their doors replaced with sliding ones and the Mark 3 carriages used on the Night Rivieria sleeper service now have them set to automatic locking during train movement. This was due to an enthusiast who stuck his head out of a window on a train with similar provision, resulting in a fatal encounter with a signal gantry.

The route taken is today electrified as far as Bristol (to Cardiff in fact) and is operated by the Class 802 Intercity Express train, although these mostly divert off that route at Reading. These are bi-mode units, capable of running both off 25kV overhead wire and on their underfloor diesel engines, both at 125mph like their High Speed Train predecessors, although much of SW England does not allow them to go near that speed. The main difference between the similar Class 800 is that they have larger diesel tanks for extended operations away from the wires; Devon does not have electrified railways.

The IETs come in five-car (802/0) and nine-car (802/1) on GWR. Not sure of these are 800s or 802s, but you can see why they are dubbed "Cucumbers" by enthusiasts when they are not complaining about the seats, which are a bit hard.

Spaniels were originally bred to be "gun dogs" to flush out animals and retrieve the corpses for the hunter. There are a wide variety of breeds, including the smaller ones like the King Charles Spaniel, which mainly serve as companion or lap dogs.

Dartmoor is home to the Dartmoor Intrusion, a large section of granite bedrock formed around 300 million years ago. London is on a clay bedrock, which is much younger:

Granite quarrying was widely done on Dartmoor, including by prisoners doing hard labour sentences. Today, it is no longer done as the area is now a national park, but you can get reclaimed granite from the area.

Nearly every station bar the smallest one would have a resident stationmaster and porters; these days, staffing is a lot less common in many areas and the station building may see other uses.

A wagonette is a four-wheeled carriage with longitudinal seats i.e the passengers sit on the sides facing each other. They are common on the Channel Island of Sark, where cars are banned.

Cobs are large ponies used mainly for driving carts or recreational riding:

The UK does not have an equivalent of the Posse Comitatus Act that the United States does to restrict the use of the military for law enforcement. While the use of them to deal with riots largely ended with the creation of civilian police forces, they can be still called on for "Military Aid to the Civil Authorities".

Not counting their use in Northern Ireland as part of Operation Banner from 1969 to 2007. This typically involves things like:

Civil engineering after disasters, like repairing flood defences;

Search and rescue;

Bomb disposal, such as when someone finds a German bomb during construction work;

Counter-terrorism, which mainly consists of standing around possible targets with their rifles or in 2012, sticking short-range SAMs on tower block roofs to protect the Olympics and Paralympics from aerial attack. The SAS would famously be used to end a siege at the Iranian Embassy in 1980, but this sort of thing would now be done by armed police officers today.

Selden's commutation of his death sentence due to questions over his sanity wouldn't have been uncommon, 534 of the 988 death sentences handed down were commuted between 1868 and 1899. 1889 saw 15 executions, all for murder:

****

HMP Dartmoor, on land leased from the Duchy from Cornwall, is located in a pretty remote location. It is six miles over open countryside before you reach the next town at Tavistock (which had two railway stations, both closed in the 1960s) and around ten before you'd reach Plymouth, with a further 4 1/2 before you could get to the coast. Also, you'd be doing this in a distinctive uniform with black arrows on, not exactly suited for the conditions.

This is not to say that people didn't try to escape and indeed succeed - 24 American POWs would do so during the prison's first incarnation.

It would be easier to do so when outside the prison on a work party rather than it, like Frank Mitchell, a gangster who in 1966 asked a guard if he could feed some ponies. He in fact walked to a nearby road, got into a waiting car driven by associates of the Kray twins and was driven to London. The escape (which involved soldiers in the manhunt) was a major political embarrassment, especially when Mitchell managed to get letters published in two newspapers asking for a parole date:

However, Mitchell becaming an increasing liability for the Krays; he then disappeared, generally believed to have killed and dumped at sea. They and an associate called Freddie Foreman, known as "Brown Bread [dead] Fred" for his ability to dispose of bodies, were tried for this murder and others at the Old Bailey; they were acquitted of this particular charge. Foreman admitted to the crime in 1996 and again in 2000; the CPS decided "double jeopardy" meant they could not bring new charges.

Because of its remoteness, Dartmoor ended up becoming a place for the worst of the worst in the British prison system. Mitchell, known as the "Mad Axeman". had a string of violent offences to his name, including an escape from Broadmoor that had seen him hold a married couple hostage with an an axe. He would not be the only London gangster of the period to spend time there:

It also held more "political prisoners", like Éamon de Valera. During the First World War, with other prisoners moved elsewhere, it became a Home Office Work Centre for conscientious objectors who agreed to do non-combatant work; the locks were removed, they could wear their own clothes and could even move around freely locally, although they were not very popular there.

The place was bleak too; no flushing toilets (so you had to spend each morning "slopping out", being cold and damp. Tampered-with porridge led to a riot in 1932:

A further riot in 1990 was part of a string of copycat riots in prisons following one at Strangeways in Manchester; D Wing was wrecked by fire and a prisoner was found dead in a burnt-out cell; this may have been an accident or murder.

In the aftermath, an inquiry was held by Lord Justic Woolf. A summary of the findings of the 600-page report can be found here:

Notably he recommended major improvements to Dartmoor if it was to continue operating.

In 2001, Dartmoor became a Category C prison for non-violent offenders, although concerns remained about its condition. Discussions about closure began in the 2010s with consideration being given to ending the lease and closing it down in 2023.

This did not happen, but other events are now looking like closing it anyway. Concerns over radon gas levels have now seen all the prisoners relocated as of time of writing; it may not reopen.

****

Electric lighting was of course becoming more common. Candlepower was a measurement for the intensity of a light, 1 candlepower being defined as the light from a spermaceti candle. Spermaceti is a wax found in the heads of sperm whales; it was mistakenly thought that spermaceti was whale semen because it looked like that when fresh. This was a major reason they were hunted, like in Moby Dick - today they remain at "Vulnerable" status.

The SI (metric, basically) unit is called the candela - one candlepower is 0.981 candela. The lumen is another measure, used for lightbulbs.

A billiard-room is where one plays billiards. It was also acceptable to smoke there. Women played billiards too; Queen Victoria was a fan, but I am not sure of the etiquette on mixed games. Especially if evening dress was involved, it would be seen as saucy by today's standards and positively scandalous in 1889!

[witchofthemidlands]

HAPPY 60TH ANNIVERSARY DOCTOR WHO

My love for Doctor Who & the Whoniverse, the impact it has had on me & how it has shaped me as a person- An Unhinged Essay by witchofthemidlands

I can definitely say in all honesty that Doctor Who has changed my life, it is my favourite television series of all time. There’s nothing quite like Doctor Who & it's spin offs & there’s not enough words in any language to describe just how much I love this show. It has had such an impact on me. Both of my parents are Whovians, my dad has seen it since Patrick Troughton & my mum started watching it when Jon Pertwee was the Doctor, we have Doctor Who coasters & for a long time, my dad even had a framed card collection of the Doctors 1-8 & aliens just around the downstairs bathroom (imagine going to the bathroom & having pictures of all eight Doctors, Davros, a Dalek, The Master, a Cybermen, an Ice Warrior & more staring down upon you 😂)

Through my love for Doctor Who, I have met two of my best friends in the world, my friend from college & my fantastic housemate from uni. It birthed this channel when I became hyper-fixated on series 10, It has helped me through depression, anxiety & has taught me to accept myself. It has also shown me so many beautiful places, I’ve been to three Doctor Who exhibitions, walked down to Durdle Door & I’ve been to Cardiff five times. I was in Cardiff last weekend & saw the place they filmed scenes from Eye of the Gorgon for the first time & it was BEAUTIFUL 🤩 I am so grateful for the existence of Doctor Who, I would not be the same person without it. I’d like to now share a couple of anecdotes from my personal life about the way in which I came to discover this fantastic show.

My first exposure to Doctor Who, was not in fact, to Doctor Who itself. The year was 2007, I was seven years old & I was just at home, after school, watching CBBC when a beautiful program called The Sarah Jane Adventures started to play. It was the episode Warriors of Kudlak & was it the incredible & wonderful Sarah Jane Smith? The fantastic & lovely Maria Jackson, the brilliant & hilarious Clyde Langer? The socially awkward Luke Smith? I’m not sure what it was about this show that made me become instantly attached but I did & from that day on I watched series one of The Sarah Jane Adventures RELIGIOUSLY. I watched it over & over again. Sarah Jane Smith was my hero & I loved her so much, she was clever, fun, looked amazing & I can just remember thinking she was so cool, I just really loved that character, I still do even now, I will always love Sarah Jane. I watched series one of that show until my parents, got sick of seeing it & decided that it was time that I started watching the show that started it all, Doctor Who.

The exact date I started watching Doctor Who was the 5th of April 2008. I was eight years old & my parents had decided that I would be watching the new season of Doctor Who with them. I did not know what to expect, I was used to Sarah Jane. I’d heard of this Doctor of course but I had no idea what I was in store for but all I can say was that eight year old me's mind was BLOWN & I’ve never looked back. I’ve watched Doctor Who ever since. I saw my first Doctor, the Tenth Doctor played by David Tennant & my first companion, Donna Noble played by Catherine Tate & I just loved them. Their energy, their humour, they were fantastic. The scene where they find each other again at the window is just brilliant. There was so much in that episode, every time I rewatch it I keep thinking to myself, no wonder I became the Whovian i am today after witnessing that masterpiece & IT ONLY GOT BETTER FROM THERE!

Of course, I do have to take a moment to talk about my favourite scene in Partners in Crime which is where Wilfred Mott waves Donna & The Doctor off at the end of the episode. Wilfred Mott reminds me of my own grandad in the way he was so kind, how he supported his granddaughter & was just a really beautiful soul. That moment where Wilfred is cheering is so euphoric, it is pure happiness & is what made me fall in love with Doctor Who. It is one of my favourite moments in the entire Whoniverse.

I would have to say that my favourite scene in the Whoniverse of all time is in my favourite episodes of Doctor Who, The Stolen Earth & Journey's End. Nothing has ever quite captured the joy of Doctor Who for me like that scene where The Doctor, Donna Noble, Metacrisis Tenth Doctor, Rose Tyler, Captain Jack Harkness, Mickey Smith, Sarah Jane Smith, Martha Jones & Jackie Tyler (well, not really 😂) are flying the Tardis, bringing the Earth home, Song of Freedom is playing & on Earth Luke Smith is holding onto K9 & cheering, Gwen Cooper & Ianto Jones are holding on for dear life, Wilfred Mott & Sylvia Noble are watching their house shake & Francine Jones, smartest of them all, has got under the table. & then in the most beautiful, happy moment, everyone on the Tardis is embracing at the end of it. Nothing will ever quite match the joy I felt watching that for the first time & the emotions it makes me feel now.

I got my first exposure to Classic Who when I was nine years old & it had been announced that David Tennant would be stepping down as the Tenth Doctor & Matt Smith would be taking his place. Now, I’d seen the transition between Nine & Ten, I knew other people had played the Doctor & I loved Christopher Ecclestone as the Doctor but I just remember being very negative about the Tenth Doctor regenerating & I went through a phase where I didn’t want to watch Doctor Who & went back to just exclusively watching The Sarah Jane Adventures, of course now, I welcome new regenerations, I’m so excited to see what Ncuti Gatwa brings to the table because I loved him as Eric Effiong but back when I was a kid, regeneration was just not something I was keen on at all.

Now my nana had watched it since William Hartnell was the Doctor, my dad had watched the Doctor since he was Two & my mum, since he was Three so they were determined to show me that other versions of the Doctor have been fantastic in the past & they decided on this random Saturday night that I should be exposed to Doctor Who The Movie.

I loved that film, I really did. I haven’t seen it in a long time & I always think that I must have dreamt up some elements of the plot but NO, the plot of that film is something else, it really is. It’s camp, it’s funny, it has the best Tardis interior ever, it’s absolutely balls to the wall unhinged but IT HAS HEART, Paul McGann is THE Doctor & the fact he didn’t get a season after this I don’t know because he was brilliant. Honestly The Night of the Doctor changed me fundamentally as a person when that aired. If the rumours are true about the Eight Doctor coming back for a show, I am going to be the most annoying person on this site. I am going to lose my mind.

Now I genuinely think the reason I have such love for the Seventh Doctor is because my first real impression of this Doctor & Classic Who was Seven getting shot by a gang outside his Tardis 😭 which is I think why in my teens when I went into my local HMV the first Classic Who DVD's I picked up were Third & Seventh Doctor era serials. The Seventh Doctor is a brilliant, Machiavellian scheming little gremlin & I love him more than anything & I just fell in love with Classic Who, I really did because I’d seen the Third Doctor appear in a flashback in The Sarah Jane Adventures, he was also my mum’s first Doctor & I knew I had to see a full episode of his & he was a wonderful, the first time I saw a serial of his properly, he reminded me of Twelve.

Another story I would like to share is a Doctor Who related moment that brought me & my uni housemate to our knees at 2 O’clock in the morning on 27th of January 2020 when I was twenty year old.

I was just getting ready for bed, casually scrolling through tumblr when I saw a post. Now, I will admit I’d sort of taken a short break from Doctor Who in its 12th season after Spyfall because I was busy with uni so I wasn’t exactly up to date but Fugitive of the Judoon had just aired & I was reading that apparently one of my favourite Doctor Who characters of all time, Captain Jack Harkness had returned to the show now this is the first lgbtq+ character both me & my uni housemate had ever seen on tv, Captain Jack Harkness & Torchwood helped both me & my housemate accept our identities & taught us to not be afraid of who we are & that there’s nothing wrong with us. Captain Jack Harkness & Torchwood were the first positive representation we’d been given in our youth. I knew my friend was doing the bins at the time so I just opened the window & screamed down to him CAPTAIN JACK'S BACK ON DOCTOR WHO!

Both me & my uni friend are still apologising to our other housemate to this day for what conspired next. My friend dropped the bags, ran back inside the house & got the episode going. We recruited another friend of his that loved Doctor Who & the three of us sat & watched Fugitive of the Judoon together & oh my god when Captain Jack showed up, the three of us at half past two in the morning were screaming like it was a sports match, we were cheering, throwing things around the living room, hugging & all in all, losing our minds. Yes, we did wake up our non-Whovian housemate who was not happy but it is a core memory for me & really showed to me just how Doctor Who had brought me & my friends together.

On another note, I will always be so grateful to Torchwood because of that, no it wasn’t perfect & no neither was Doctor Who in terms of representation but it mattered to me, it mattered to my friend, it was important for us to see Captain Jack Harkness kiss a man (alien) on our screens when we were growing up, for Ianto Jones & Captain Jack Harkness's relationship to exist, for me to see Gwen Cooper kiss a alien presenting as a woman & to also see Toshiko Sato also kiss an alien presenting as a woman.

When it comes to favourite Whoniverse characters, I love every Doctor there is no version of the Doctor that I don’t love. I’d have to say that the Tenth Doctor is my favourite version of the Doctor & that Donna Noble is my favourite companion because of their significance to me but all in all if I had to choose, I’d say my favourite Doctor is The Ninth & the Tenth, the transitions between the two are so seamless. The fantastic Christopher Ecclestone & brilliant David Tennant will always be my favourite versions of the Doctor. The same way that Catherine Tate as Donna Noble, Billie Piper as Rose Tyler & Freema Agyeman as Martha Jones are my favourite companions. I have a definite soft spot for Rose Tyler because she was my nana's favourite as well, Martha Jones because she’s so brave, clever & beautiful and of course, Donna Noble because she is brilliant.

I have to mention the spin offs because it’s The Sarah Jane Adventures that began my adventures as a Whovian, other than Sarah Jane Smith herself my favourite character was always Maria Jackson. That girl meant the world to me when I was seven, I loved her, oh I loved her so much she was fantastic, kind, clever, amazing & I was DEVASTATED when she & her brilliant dad, the best tv dad to tv dad ever, Mr. Alan Jackson, went to America at the start of series 2. I’ve always liked to imagine that Maria turned out to be a lesbian like I did because I, very much like Maria was also ✨attached✨ to Sarah Jane Smith.

Clyde Langer, Clyde Langer is getting his own paragraph because of how much he means to me. I think I’d had to say that Clyde is my favourite over all because apart from Invasion of the Bane, Clyde was there from the start to the end of The Sarah Jane Adventures & I loved him, he was the funniest character around the stuff he came out with was comedy gold, he was resourceful, sweet & one of the most incredible characters in the entire Whoniverse. He may be my favourite male character in the entirety of the Whoniverse.

Seeing Daniel Anthony as Clyde Langer again in Tales of the Tardis has made the 60th for me, out of everything we’ve been given for the 60th anniversary of Doctor Who, David Tennant & Catherine Tate, new Murray Gold music & RTD back as showrunner, everything I’ve ever wanted & more and yet none of that means as much to me as seeing Clyde Langer again did.

Talking of Whoniverse spin off characters that have my heart in a choke hold I have to talk about my favourite CLASS character. I have to talk to you all about Ram Singh, my SON, my lad who can do no wrong. The sweet boy who loved his girlfriend so much, who suffered more tragedies & pain than any other character in the entire Whoniverse other than the Doctor did in only eight episodes. My guy lost his leg, watched his girlfriend get butchered in front of him, watched another woman get torn apart by an alien in front of him, watched his loving, wonderful dad (who was also one of the tv dads of all time) get killed by an alien & then had to watch his friend kill his new girlfriend who had just professed her love to him. I just love him, I really do, he started off rather mean but he grew as a person over the course of the series.

Now I love EVERYONE in the Torchwood Three team equally, they are fantastic characters who mean the world to me but there’s always that one character who just has something about them that makes me love them the most & that character is Dr. Owen Harper.

I mean this when I say this with my whole chest that Burn Gorman is one of the best actors in the Whoniverse. I mean, I came to Torchwood when I was fourteen for Captain Jack Harkness because I loved him so much & I was so happy to FINALLY get to watch his show but as it turns out, Owen Harper became my favourite character even over Jack who I love more than anything because Owen was just so good. The Dead Man Walking / A Day in the Death storyline is potentially a showcase of the best acting in the Whoniverse. Owen Harper is brilliant, he’s sarcastic, funny, morally questionable here & there, the reason I got into Big Finish, a genuinely good person who did care even if he pretended not to, whose story tore my heart out thew it into oncoming traffic & stamped on it like a herd of wildebeests to the power of mufasa dying in the lion king because oh my GOD the character that Owen Harper was but ABOVE ALL OWEN HARPER IS & ALWAYS WILL BE my favourite ratman. He’s the reason that I met one of the kindest most brilliant people on this site, my mutual, my friend who is so wonderful & WHO UNDERSTANDS the level of feral I reach for Owen Harper & the fact they scrapped his action figure is both of our villain origin stories. @kirstyth you are fantastic, I am so grateful that we started talking, you have shown me some incredible Owen audios & I am on my way to respond to your message now because I haven't done that & I am so sorry but I just wanted to say that I am so grateful that the Whoniverse introduced me to you.

Out of the Classics I would have to say that Sylvester McCoy as the Seventh Doctor & Paul McGann as the Eighth Doctor own my heart because they were my first Classic Doctors but in this past year I have grown to love the Second Doctor so much, oh he’s just wonderful & so is his companion, Jamie McCrimmon, I mean I’ve only known of this character for a year & I was crying my eyes out during Tales of the Tardis so I can’t even imagine how my dad was feeling watching that when he’d actually seen The War Games when it aired & talking of companions, Ace, Ace McShane, my love. I was still mostly in the closet when I was sixteen & first encountered her but it is undeniable now how much I was attracted to her & I STILL AM! She’s absolutely gorgeous 😍

Of course Elisabeth Sladen as Sarah Jane Smith is my favourite Classic Who companion because she was my first Whoniverse character I ever saw, she was my hero when I was a young kid & quite potentially the reason why I am the deranged lesbian that I am today. I still remember that morning, I was eating breakfast & rewatching The Lost Boy for the millionth time when my mum came in & told me that Elisabeth Sladen had passed away. My mum was devastated too because Sarah Jane Smith was her first companion she ever saw, she’d grown up with her like I had & she’d meant so much to both of us. We were both crying through Clyde & Jo's segment of Tales in the Tardis when they mentioned her. I still haven’t watched Farewell, Sarah Jane Smith in full yet, one day I will.

I can’t finish this essay without thanking Doctor Who for introducing to me to a fellow TimePetals shipper because it is & will always be my favourite Whoniverse ship, the loveliest most wonderful mutual a person could ask for @sallysellsseashellssundays You are brilliant, I am so grateful that Doctor Who brought us together. I love talking to you about Doctor Who & the Whoniverse, it’s one of the highlight of my weeks seeing your messages, they really are fantastic, absolutely fantastic, they are supportive & so kind about my own writing & they are currently writing a fantastic TimePetals fan fiction which has got to be one of the best fanfics I have read in a long time, it’s a masterpiece, they are a genius & one of the greatest writers I know, the way they write the characters & craft the stories are inspired, it’s like watching actual episodes of the show.

Thank you, Doctor Who, I am so grateful that Partners in Crime was the first Doctor Who episode I ever saw & for that (and many other reasons) series 4 will always be my favourite season of Doctor Who, The Tenth Doctor & Donna Noble will always be my favourite Doctor & companion because they were the first & I can’t even begin to explain what it means to me that David Tennant & Catherine Tate are reprising their characters in THREE DAYS TIME 🤩

With all my love to The Sarah Jane Adventures, Doctor Who & Torchwood. I love you so much, thank you for making my life better.

[thefrontofmymind]

Might As Well 4; Watch Him As He Finds Us

matty healy x videographer!reader

WC: 4254

masterlist

You’d always loved Christmas growing up. Coming down the stairs to see the three small piles of presents under the tree, Christmas lunch donned in paper crowns at your grandparents’ house with all of your cousins, and the one year–when Luke was just getting old enough to comprehend Christmas–when your stepdad dressed up like Santa Claus and delivered you all your presents, himself. But nothing could top this year.

Taking the train down to Cardiff with Chris on the twenty-third of December, you were completely elated. You’d brought up the idea of spending Christmas with your dad in early November, your mum and stepdad didn’t mind it and your dad was almost just as happy as you were. Chris was…not as merry as you were. 

He hadn’t so much as smiled in your presence since ‘the incident’. The incident that ceased all contact between you and the four boys you thought were your friends. You tried not to dwell on it, it wasn’t all you to blame. You couldn’t help but think more and more about what Matty said. You tried not to let it get to you, but here you were–thinking about how great it’d be to be in Wales so you could keep an eye on Dylan. Maybe you could meet some of his friends, his family, and you could just spend time together without worry. For once.

It was rainy in Cardiff, very rainy indeed. You and Chris had to sprint–as best you could while carrying a week's worth of luggage–to your dad’s car. You two raced for the front seat in the rain, though you didn’t mind when Chris got there first, it made it all feel so normal. Sibling arguments with a mediating dad, just like you’d hoped.

It was strange having to adjust to new traditions–Christmas Eve dinner with your dad’s co-workers and their families, going to the little holiday fair down the street at the local park, a Christmas dinner of the biggest roast goose you’d ever seen–but you liked it. It made the holiday just all the more special, it was different because you were different.

You were even more grateful on Christmas Eve when your dad allowed you to invite Dylan over for dinner. You were glad you could spend time with him. Especially now.

The three of you quietly crept into your house. It was late–early hours of the morning–and you didn’t want to wake the entire house.

You slipped off your boots at the door and hung up your coat on its resident hook. Chris went straight up the stairs to his room with loud footsteps, he was still mad. He gave you an earful in the car; “what were you thinking?” and “why?”. If you were honest, it was just pure anger, rage. You tried to walk away, get away from him, but he just wouldn’t relent. You just tried to ignore Chris as best you could.

“Okay…well,” Dylan started. “Goodnight, I guess.”

Dylan tiptoed to the living room. Your mum had set him up on the sofa for the two nights he was staying over. Your mind kept racing about what Matty said to you, you didn’t want him to be right. You grabbed Dylan’s arm before he could walk too far. He turned to look at you, confused. You smiled.

“Come up with me,” you whispered.

It hurt. A lot. But Dylan seemed to like it. He was a gentleman though, he had a condom in his wallet prepared. As he left your room and crept to his “bed” on the sofa, you couldn’t help but think of Matty–he had no idea what he was saying, you could almost laugh at how wrong he was. It was real. He did like you.

He drove to your dad’s house, and brought a box of festive chocolates. He was a gentleman to your dad and his coworkers, and answered all the questions they had for him perfectly. He even stayed late to help the three of you to tidy up afterwards.

You walked him to his car when he was leaving. You leaned into his window as he was about to drive off, until almost like a lightbulb turned on in his head.

“I forgot, I have your present,” he said, turning to lean into the backseat with a strain.

“We said no presents!” You protested, earning a tut from him as he returned to face you with a small box in green wrapping. You opened it, peering inside. It was a small usb drive.

“It’s a playlist!” He said, excitedly.

“Thank you!” You answered, giving him a chaste kiss. “You didn’t have to do that!”

“I wanted to! It’s better than all that screamo crap you have to listen to,” he said with a laugh. A stab jumped through your heart but you tried to ignore it. “Just some recommendations for you.”

You smiled as he pulled out of the drive, and waved when he drove away. There was something almost like…relief as you slipped into bed that night and you knew you wouldn’t be plagued by Dylan for the night.

You felt horribly guilty. You liked Dylan. Why were you feeling like this? It had to just be a passing phase. You’d get through it to the other side and you would be happy. You had to be.

With January, came a lot of dark, winter-y days. And you loved to get cosy with a warm cuppa and a good movie. If you could live in your pyjamas all day, you would. So when the opportunity presented itself on a particularly gloomy Thursday that you were lucky enough to have off, you took it.

You didn’t take your eyes off your small television that was sitting on your dresser all morning. All of your favourite movies had been in rotation, you were in the zone.

As you were standing near your door to change the DVD, you heard a knock. You assumed it was your Mum letting you know she was home from work early, or Chris with some kind of query, as he was home for the day too.

But as you opened your door, you were met with a pair of horn-rimmed glasses and a scruffy head of dark hair. Matty. 

You’d not spoken to him since the party over a month prior. You tried not to think about it too much, it only made you regret what you did even more.

“Hi…” crept out of your mouth.

“Hi,” he laughed. “Chris let me in.”

You nodded. Obviously, you wouldn’t have a key.

“I just…” He hesitated. “I wanted to say that I’m sorry about what I said. It was out of line, shouldn’t have gone there.”

“Thanks…” You answered. “I shouldn’t have pushed you into the lake…”

“Yeah you’re right.” You both laughed. “Was fucking freezing. Thought my nipples were gonna fall off.”

“Oh god! I’m so sorry!”

“I deserved it…”

You took a step towards him. And hugged him. You could hear him gasp before he wrapped his arms around you.

It felt…comfortable. Your heights fit perfectly together, your arms were the perfect length to extend around his waist without any fumbling. He smelled like cigarettes, a smell you’d grown to love, equating it with memories of gigs with the guys.

After a final, quick squeeze, he let go. You felt cold.

“Are you…Do you wanna watch some movies? I have Scarface?” You asked. “If you’re not busy…”

Matty smiled. “Yeah! Yeah…”

He happily trotted into your room and took your wheely chair that was sitting neatly in front of your desk. You found the case among your bookshelf of DVDs and put it into the player. You got back into bed, comfy with your duvet and mountain of pillows.

“Oh! I forgot something!” He said as the opening credits began. You were worried he forgot he had somewhere to be. He pulled a small handheld camera out of his hoodie’s pocket. “We–the guys and me–have been filming all little bits of like our gigs, and just like messing around and stuff. Like with the video, you put in all the candid bits? We’ve been getting a little collection.”

“To make another video?”

“One day, maybe…Or when we’re all famous and that we can make a documentary or somethin’”

“When you’re famous?” You laughed.

“Of course! Only a matter of time darlin’! And you’ll be there with us! Our videographer!”

“If you say so…” You joked. “Now pipe down and watch!”

And just like that, things felt like they were back to normal. You went back to going to all of the band’s gigs–now sans Missy, you didn’t want to ask–though now you’d join them in their usual debrief in the shed, nights of just fucking about and wasting time. And you couldn’t be happier.

Matty had become your number one confidante. He was the first person you’d tell, well, anything to. Your schoolwork, your dad, new music you’d been listening to, and of course your favourite films. The one thing that was a no-go was relationships. You didn’t want to tempt fate, and neither did Matty, it seemed. Anytime your conversations even veered close to the topic, you both were sure to steer away as quickly as possible, so as to not have another lake incident.

“Hey,” you said, climbing into the passenger seat of the van. Matty had become somewhat of a chauffeur to you, driving you to and from gigs, hangouts, and anything in between–the only form of payment required was a hand when setting up and packing away all their equipment before and after gigs. You got comfortable in the seat and buckled up. Matty didn’t reverse out of your drive right away. You were confused. “So Ross’ then?”

“Well,” Matty smirked. “Was wondering if you wanted to…y’know…get a little loose first? They all can wait.”

You knew what that meant. Over the couple weeks since your reconciliation, Matty had supplied you with a lot of weed. He enjoyed it; he liked taking care of you, and thought you were funny when you were stoned. Occasionally, you’d spend nights just in his van–with the heating turned up as high as it’d go to combat the winter chill outside–chain smoking cigarettes intercut with a joint, or a few–your tolerance was quickly building.

“Well if you’re offering…” You jokingly batted your eyelids at him, he laughed and began the drive to the little park down the street–your usual parking space was empty and he pulled right in.

He paused for a second. The cogs were turning, he did look genuinely worried for just a split second while you were watching him.

“I-um…” He began. His fingers were drumming against the steering wheel with anxiety. “I…have something else if you want to try it?”

You raised your eyebrows, urging him to go on.

“I don’t do it a lot…” He pulled a small ziplock baggie out of his jacket pocket. White powder. The first emotion that hit you was intrigue. 

“It’s coke?” You asked.

“Yeah.”

“I’ll try it.”

“Really?” He asked, still with one hand drumming on the steering wheel. “You don’t have to…I’m not tryna pressure you or anything.”

“No, I'd like to try it!” You answered, jumping with enthusiasm and turning more to face him.

“Right, well, um…” He gently opened the bag. “How about you just have a little to start with? Just on your gums.”

You could tell he was tentative. Worried, even. You took the initiative and dipped your middle finger into the bag, before rubbing it on your gums, just like you’d seen in the movies.

Your vision felt like it widened, your lungs felt bigger. You couldn’t help but look around at your surroundings, as if they were in a new light. You heard a sniff from beside you, you turned and saw Matty, baggie in one hand and his house key in the other.

“You doing alright there?” He asked.

“Yeah! Yeah, great!” You felt giddy. You understood why all those movies go on and on about cocaine now.

You spent a couple minutes adjusting to everything again. You eventually calmed down enough to think coherently again.

“Can I do a key like you?” You asked while Matty was just fiddling with the radio.

He let out a chuckle. “If you want.”

You took the bag out of the centre console and Matty handed you his key. You delicately scooped a small pile of the dust onto the key.

“And I just…” You mimed snorting it.

“Yep. Just don’t forget to breathe after…” He said. “And it’ll taste kinda funny and you might get a bit of a numb throat.”

“Okay…” You whispered, mostly for yourself.

And you did it. Matty was right, it tasted like what you could only imagine as burnt plastic. Your body immediately felt hot, and–again–you felt like your field of vision just about doubled. In a word, it was euphoric.

“Good?” He asked.

“Great.”

“On to Ross’ then?” He began to put the car key in the ignition.

“No!” You yelled, he jumped. “No, I can’t…I can’t have the guys see me like this.”

You knew Chris would be there, you couldn’t take a chance that he’d know what you’d done.

“Yeah?” You nodded, receiving a sigh from Matty. “Shall we just sit here for a while?”

“Please.”

And so you did sit. And you chatted about everything under the sun. But there was one topic that was out of bounds, but you were itching to talk about it–you didn’t know why.

“So what happened with Missy?”

Matty gave you a cautioned look, a look that read ‘you know we shouldn’t talk about this’, but you kept his eye contact, eventually winning the battle.

“We just…got tired of each other…” He answered. “It wasn't going anywhere, anyway.”

“So you want something that would go somewhere?”

“Yeah, I think so…” He said, breaking eye contact to play with the end of the zipper of his jacket. “Missy was just…a distraction.”

You nodded, you caught him watching you from the corner of his eye.

“What about you and Dylan?” He asked. “Assume you saw him when you went down for Christmas.”

“Yeah! He-uh-made me a playlist for Christmas even though we said ‘no gifts’...It was sweet.”

“More than I’ve ever done for a girl.”

It was sweet. It was sweet. You kept trying to tell yourself it was a nice gesture, and to disregard what he said about your music taste. It was chock full of classical, orchestral pieces–that were nice, but you couldn’t live off of it.

“I…” You started, rethinking your next thought after it was already part-way out of your mouth. “Me and Dylan…we…slept together.”

The silence between you had never been so loud. Matty was gripping the steering wheel with both hands, his knuckles were as white as anything.

“You fucked?”

“Yeah.”

“When you were there for Christmas.”

“No…before that.”

“The party?”

“Yeah.”

“For fuck’s sake!” Matty yelled, not particularly at you but just generally. “You’re so…” He silenced himself, shaking his head.

“So I think it’s fair to say he’s not getting it from anyone else.” You knew it was wrong to poke the bear, but in your defence, you weren’t totally in control of yourself.

Matty sighed. “You just don’t get it, do you?”

“Get what?”

“That the people around you have feelings! Your actions have consequences!”

“What the fuck does that mean?” You were just as loud as he was now–loud.

“What would make you think I would want to hear about you and Dylan fucking?”

Because you had something to prove to Matty. You didn’t say anything.

“Do you not think it’d kill me to hear that?”

“Why would it kill you?” You asked.

“Fuck! Because I wish it was me! Do you not see that I have genuine feelings for you?”

You were at a loss for words. But it looked like Matty wasn’t done talking any time soon.

“I was going to tell you when you came back from Wales for the summer! I didn’t realise how much I’d miss you! And then you had to go and get a perfect boyfriend and be so happy without me!”

Oh. He’s jealous.

“I tried to distract myself with Missy but it just wasn’t you. And I’m trying to be supportive, I promise, but I can’t help but think that Welsh prick is just out to hurt you and I don’t want that for you!”

“It’s not your responsibility to worry about me,” you said in a calm, even voice.

“Well I’d like it to be!”

Between all the information that had entered your head in such a short time, along with your comedown, it felt like your brain was shattering.

“I can’t do this right now.” You could feel the tears begin to well up, you couldn’t bring yourself to look at Matty for fear they’d all fall. “Just drive me home.”

He did. And you said a quick ‘bye’ before running up to your bedroom–bypassing your mum and step dad, confused about why you were home so early. You collapsed onto your bed and you just cried. It could’ve been a couple of minutes or even hours–you couldn’t tell. You cried for so long you had a headache, and your entire face and neck was covered in a sheen of a multitude of bodily fluids.

You’d never felt this kind of…loss? Your heart felt so, so empty.

When you finally began to recover–slightly–you looked at the time. Two o’clock in the morning. You quietly crept to the kitchen and made yourself a cup of tea and a small bowl of Frosties. The only way you could describe your state of mind was as if you were watching yourself from three feet above your actual eyeline. And when you moved your head it felt like your brain would stay still–trying to play catch-up but instead being smashed into every side of your skull.

You were so out of it, you didn’t hear a car pull up outside, and then your drunk brother trudging through the entryway and curiously looking for the reason the big light in the kitchen was on.

“What happened to you? Where were you?” He asked, slurring through half of the words.

“Didn’t Matty tell you?”

“Nah, he just got all quiet and weird–what happened?”

“We…got into a fight.” You saw Chris rolled his eyes–he was trying to be covert, but that was hardly possible in his state. “Don’t really wanna talk about it.”

Without another word, you walked past him, up the stairs, and to the safe haven of your bedroom–that was now tainted with the memory of Matty’s apology, soured now knowing that it was all just for show.

It felt like you were stuck in a vicious little game played by whoever was in charge up there. You just tried to avoid Matty at all costs, if you knew he was coming over to hang out with Chris, you’d go on a walk, you stopped going to gigs, you even deleted him off your contact list–not like he had much to say to you, nor you to him.

But still, his presence persisted. For Chris’ 21st birthday, he decided he was going to have a get together and invite practically everybody he knew–including Matty.

You thought about it all a lot leading up to it–probably a bit too much than necessary–and you decided the best course of action was, well, no action. You decided to hole up in your bedroom until the crowd dispersed. You asked Chris if he had a problem with it;

“Do what you need to,” he told you with a hug.

And so you did. You heard the music and the laughter and the speeches going on downstairs, while you sat in your room and worked on your schoolwork. The whole ordeal put a lump in your throat. He was there, downstairs, talking to your mum and pretending everything was okay. You tried to call Dylan but he wasn’t picking up–you weren’t shocked, he told you he didn’t like talking on the phone but sometimes you wished he would budge just a little, especially in your current state.

You desperately needed a smoke, but you couldn’t go downstairs and sneak a fag all the while praying your mum or Vern wouldn’t catch you like you normally did. Should you do it? You had no other option. You quietly crept onto the landing and to the window–closing your bedroom door as gently as you could–opening it and climbing onto a small flat section of the roof of the house. Your secret little hangout, barely four feet across and three feet back. You leaned against the sill of the open window, lighting a cigarette between your lips and relishing in the calm that followed it. 

It was cold outside, but in your most comfortable pyjamas and fuzzy slippers, it was bearable. There was almost no wind and the night was just still.

You jumped as a pair of hands grabbed your waist through the window. You thought for sure you’d been caught, finally your mum and Vern would know that you smoked. You turned your head almost instinctively–after a small, scared squeak–but you were met with a head of dark, curly hair. For a split second you thought you’d take your chances with jumping off the roof and running into the night.

“Sorry! Sorry! Was looking for the bathroom and I…saw you,” he said.

“That door there.” You pointed inside.

“You alright there?”

You rolled your eyes so far, it actually gave you a brief headache. “Why can’t you just leave me alone?”

He didn’t answer right away, instead climbing through the window and assuming the same position as you–leaning against the sill and looking out into the night. You shuffled over a little to give him some comfortable room, he deserved to at least feel like he wouldn’t fall off the roof.

“I don’t think…I could ever be apart from you for very long. You just have this magnetism, you know?”

You shook your head. “I can’t be friends with someone who doesn’t think of me the right way.”

“So be more.”

You scoffed.

“I’m serious!”

“I can’t do that!”

“Look…” Matty turned to face you–as best he could. “Your work is…amazing. And I’ll kick myself when you get all famous doing what you’re doing and we–the band–aren’t a part of that with you. Please just give us that much–if not for me, for the rest of the guys.”

You thought for a moment. You’d never had as much inspiration as you did when it came to Drive Like I Do. Listening to their songs, you came up with a treatment for a video for every single song of theirs. 

“I can’t be your friend.” You heard Matty sigh. “But I don’t want to stop making videos for you all.”

“Like some kind of professional partnership?”

“If you want to call it that.”

“And could you come to gigs? We all miss having our biggest cheerleader there.”

“I’ll see.”

You heard cheering through the window downstairs. Matty laughed. “Okay…okay…”

You didn’t quite know what to say.

“I guess this is like saying goodbye to a friend?”

“I guess…” You answered.

“Can I…” He started.

“What?”

“Sorry…can I get a ‘goodbye hug’? God that sounded cheesy.”

You laughed and put an arm around his shoulder, leaning into him. He returned the favour. You both sat there for a few minutes. It all felt kind of sad. Like when you meet a kid at the park and instantly make friends, only have to bid farewells when their parents decide it's time for them to head home, never to play together again. He smelled like weed, a scent you’d been missing a great deal.

You pulled away, put out the end of your cigarette on the brick wall and climbed back into the warm house.

Your door was open. You thought for a second. I definitely closed it, so anyone that came up would think I was in my room. You hesitantly stepped inside.

“Baby!” Dylan said excitedly, casually lounging in your bed, practically sinking into the pile of pillows and blankets you had.

“Wh-what?” You stuttered.

“Chris texted me telling me you were feeling too great, thought I could come cheer you up a little.”

You gave him a quick peck. “I’m glad you’re here.”

You both settled on your bed, you decided it was best to forego your work for the night, you’d much rather cuddle with Dylan and watch all the movies you love that he’s never seen.

“How’s…the band?” He asked, breaking the concentration you had on the current film on–Silence Of The Lambs.

“They’re good…I’ve been busy with school so I haven’t been hanging out with them that much lately.”

“Well it’s not like you haven’t seen them at all?”

You didn’t know what he was trying to get at. “Not in a while, been working on my portfolio.”

“Well you’re lying!” His voice raised just a little, anxiety crept down your spine. “I saw you out there all loved up to Matt!”

You scoffed. “It’s not like that, we’re friends!”

“If you say so,” he answered.

“I-I don’t…Nothing would ever go on with me and Matty.”

He sat up, and looked you right in the eyes. “Promise me.”

“I promise, I would never do anything with Matty, I only want you.”

“Good.”

[conradscrime]

The Canonical Five: Mary Jane Kelly

April 02, 2023

Mary Jane Kelly is who is known as Jack the Ripper’s 5th and final canonical five victim, however, there is much less information known about her upbringing compared to the other four women. 

It is believed by many that the information we do know about Mary Kelly is embellished, with her having fabricated details that are known about her early life. 

The man Mary Kelly had most recently been living with before her murder was named Joseph Barnett, and he later claimed Mary had told him she was born in Limerick, Ireland around 1863 and her family had moved to Wales when she was a child. 

Supposedly Mary Kelly had told an acquaintance that she had been disowned by her parents, but she was close with her sister. It was said from Joseph and Mary’s landlady that she had come from a somewhat wealthy, good family. Joseph also claimed Mary confirmed she had seven brothers and at least one sister. 

Mary’s landlord, a man named John McCarthy claimed she had received mail from Ireland, but not regularly. It was also believed that Mary was illiterate, as Joseph claimed she would ask him to read her the newspaper reports of the Jack the Ripper killings. 

Though it’s been reported Mary had blonde or red hair, she went by the nickname of “Black Mary” suggesting she actually had quite dark hair. She also had blue eyes and some claimed to have known her as “Fair Emma.” It is estimated that Mary stood at about 5′7″ tall, and some said she was quite attractive. 

On November 10, 1888, the day after her murder,

the Daily Telegraph

described Mary as “tall, slim, fair of fresh complexion, and of attractive appearance.” 

In 1879, at around the age of 16, Mary married a coal miner named Davis or Davies who ended up getting killed 2-3 years later in a mining explosion. After this, Mary lived with a cousin in Cardiff, and this is where it is believed she started being involved in sex work. 

In 1884, Mary left Cardiff and moved to London, where she worked as a domestic servant while lodging in Crispin Street, Spitalfields. In 1885, it’s believed she moved to the district of Fitzrovia. 

Mary eventually began working in a high class brothel in the West End of London, becoming one of the most popular girls. She did quite well for herself and bought expensive clothes and hired a carriage at this time. Supposedly Mary had met a client named Francis Craig who took her to France, but she returned to London two weeks later, not having liked the France life. 

It is believed that in 1885 Mary Kelly began drinking heavily. She moved around quite a bit lodging with different women and different men around this time. 

It was on April 8, 1887, that Mary Kelly met Joseph Barnett, with the pair agreeing to live with each other after only knowing one another for a day. They lived in George Street, and soon a place called Little Paternoster Row, but were evicted for not paying rent and of drunk and disorderly conduct. 

In early 1888, the two moved into 13 Miller’s Court, a single room a the back of 26 Dorset Street, Spitalfields. Mary had lost her key to the door, so she would bolt and unbolt the door from outside, putting her hand through a broken window by the door. A neighbour claimed Mary had broken the window when she was drunk, and a man’s coat often was used to act as a curtain. 

It was said by Mary’s friend Lizzie Albrook, that Mary was sick of how she was living in 1888 and wanted to go back to Ireland. Her landlord said that she was a quiet woman when she was sober but very noisy when drunk. When Mary was drunk she often could be abusive to people, and was nicknamed “Dark Mary.” 

Joseph lost his job as a fish porter in July 1888 due to committing theft, and because of this, Mary turned back to sex work. Mary would often let other sex workers sleep in their room at night when it was really cold because she did not have it in her to refuse them shelter. 

It is believed that on October 30, 1888, Joseph moved out as him and Mary got into a fight about a sex worker named Julia sharing their room with them. Between November 1 and November 8, Joseph visited Mary almost everyday, sometimes giving her money. 

The last time Joseph visited Mary was between 7-8 pm on November 8, 1888. Joseph claimed Mary was with her friend, Maria Harvey and that he did not stay long. He also apologized to Mary for not having any money to give. It is reported that both Joseph and Maria left Miller’s Court at the same time. 

Joseph went back to his lodging house and played cards, falling asleep around 12:30 am. Before Joseph left Mary that night, her friend Lizzie Albrook also visited. Lizzie claimed Mary was sober. 

In the evening, Mary reportedly had one drink in the Ten Bells public house with a woman named Elizabeth Foster. Later on, Mary was seen drinking with two other people at the Horn of Plenty pub on Dorset Street. 

A sex worker named Mary Ann Cox, who also was a resident of Miller’s Court claimed to have seen Mary going home drunk with a stout, ginger haired man, around the age of 36 at 11:45 pm. The man was wearing a black bowler felt hat, had a thick moustache, had blotches on his face and was holding a can of beer.

Mary Ann actually had spoken to Mary Kelly, they both said goodnight. Mary Kelly then entered the room with the man. Mary Ann heard her singing the song, “A Violet from Mother’s Grave.” She was still singing when Mary Ann left her place at midnight, and when she returned an hour later around 1 am. 

Elizabeth Prater lived in the room directly above Mary Kelly. She reportedly went to bed at 1:30 am, and the singing had stopped. 

A man named George Hutchinson who knew Mary, claimed he had met up with her around 2 am on November 9, 1888 on Flower and Dean Street. Mary had asked George for a loan of sixpence, though he claimed to be broke. George said Mary Kelly walked toward the direction Thrawl Street when she was approached by a man of “Jewish appearance.” 

The man was looked to be about 34-35 years old and George said he was suspicious of him because while it did seem like Mary knew him, his appearance made him look suspicious in that particular part of town. It was also said that this man made an obvious effort to disguise his looks from George, having his hat covering over his eyes as he passed. 

George provided police with a very detailed description of said man, and told them he had overheard Mary talking with the man, complaining she had lost her handkerchief, and the mysterious man gave her a red one that he had. George heard Mary say to the man, “Alright my dear, come along. You will be comfortable.” And then the two walked into 13 Miller’s Court with George following them, though George never saw either one of them again. 

A laundress named Sarah Lewis also claimed she had been walking in the area to meet up with friends around 2:30 am, when she noticed two or three people standing near the Britannia pub, among the people was a nicely dressed young man with a dark moustache and he was talking to a woman. 

Both the man and woman appeared to be drunk and there was a poorly dressed woman standing near them. Opposite from Miller’s Court, Sarah said she saw a stout looking shorter man standing at the entrance to the courtyard. Sarah also saw an obviously drunk woman with a man further up the courtyard. 

Mary Ann returned to her room around 3 am that morning and claimed she did not hear or see any light coming from Mary Kelly’s room at the time. She did think she heard someone leaving at around 5:45 am. 

Elizabeth Prater who lived in the room above Mary Kelly and Sarah Lewis who was sleeping at 2 Miller’s Court that night both reported hearing a faint cry that said “Murder!” between 3:30 and 4 am, but didn’t do anything about it because this was common to hear cries in the area. Sarah Lewis said it was only one scream so she did not think much of it. She also claimed she did not sleep that night and heard people coming and going out of the court throughout the night. 

Elizabeth Prater said she left her room at 5:30 am to walk to the pub for a drink, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. 

On the morning of November 9, 1888, Mary’s landlord sent his assistant to collect the rent. Mary herself was 6 weeks behind, owing 29 shillings. Shortly after 10:45 am, the assistant knocked on her door but got no response. He tried to then turn the handle, but the door was locked. He looked through the keyhole but did not see anyone in the room. 

Using the broken window, he peered inside the room and found Mary Kelly, completely mutilated lying on the bed. She was estimated to have died 3-9 hours before she was discovered. 

The assistant ran to tell the landlord, and then went to inform the police. The assistant immediately told the police it was the work of Jack the Ripper. A surgeon came to look at the body, and police gave orders to prevent anyone from entering or exiting the yard (I know, impressive for 1888 police work.) 

Bloodhounds were sent in, but it appeared to be impractical. It appeared that women’s clothing had been burning, and authorities believed Mary Kelly’s clothes were burnt by the murderer to provide light so they could see what they were doing. 

Joseph Barnett identified Mary Kelly’s body, he could only identify her by the ear and her eyes due to the severe mutilation. 

The mutilation done to Mary Kelly was the most extensive of all of the Whitechapel murders, with many believing it’s due to the fact that the Ripper had more time to commit this one in a private setting. 

During the autopsy it was noted that it most likely took 2 hours to perform all of the mutilations on Mary’s body, the death was further estimated to have occurred between 2 to 8 am. 

Her body was found lying naked in the bed, her head turned on the left cheek. Her legs were left wide apart, the whole surface of the abdomen and thighs were removed and her abdominal cavity was emptied (but later said there was food found in it). Her breasts were cut off, her face was hacked beyond recognition, gashes occurring in all directions. Her ears were partly removed. 

Her neck was cut through the skin and her other tissues were cut down to the vertebrae. Her air passage was cut at the lower part of the larynx. Her heart was taken. There was also blood splatters on the wall, lining up with her cut throat.

She had a superficial cut on her thumb, which some believe was caused while she tried to defend herself from her attacker. 

It was believed during the autopsy that Mary Kelly had been killed from a slash to her throat, and the mutilations were performed after she had died. It was not believed that the murderer had any medical knowledge. 

The inquest into Mary’s death began on November 12, 1888. After testimony, the jury had a short deliberation and the verdict was that Mary Kelly had been murdered by a person or persons unknown. 

Police did house to house questioning trying to get answers as to who murdered Mary Kelly. A few people claimed to have seen Mary on the morning of November 9, after she had supposedly been murdered, though police could not find anyone to corroborate those sightings, as well as the descriptions of Mary didn’t match. 

On November 10, 1888, Mary’s murder was linked to four other murders: Mary Ann Nicholas, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, and Catherine Eddowes. There was also an offender profile made, which stated the killer was an eccentric person, who was in an extreme state of satyriasis while performing the mutilations on Mary and the four previous victims. 

There were no other similar murders after Mary Kelly’s and a lot of people believe she was the final victim of Jack the Ripper. Most believe these Whitechapel murders ended due to the killer dying or going to prison. 

Over 100 years after the Whitechapel murders, two authors named Paul Harrison and Bruce Paley theorized that Joseph Barnett, Mary’s partner, had actually murdered her during a jealous rage. They took the theory farther, stating that perhaps Joseph also murdered the other 4 canonical five, trying to scare Mary from engaging in sex work. 

Others believe Joseph did kill Mary, but only Mary and had tried to make it look like a Jack the Ripper killing to avoid being captured. The fact that Mary was found lying naked on her bed, with her clothes folded on a chair leads many to believe that her killer was someone she knew or who she thought was a client. 

Some people do not believe Mary Kelly was a victim of Jack the Ripper at all. Mary was assumed to be around 25 years old, much younger than the other victims who had all been in their 40′s. Also, her mutilations were more extensive than the other four, she was killed in a private location and her murder occurred 5 weeks from the previous killings which had all occurred within a month. 

In 1939, author William Stewart theorized that Mary might have been killed by a midwife, “Jill the Ripper” in which Mary was going to have an abortion. Stewart believed perhaps the midwife had burned her own clothes, putting on Mary’s and that’s why people the next morning believed they saw Mary after she had been killed. 

Mary Kelly was buried on November 19, 1888 in St Patrick’s Roman Catholic Cemetery in Leytonstone. None of her family members could be found to attend her funeral. The inscription on her grave reads, “In loving memory of Marie Jeanette Kelly. None but the lonely hearts can know my sadness. Love lives forever.” 

[theerastoursurprisesongs]

The Eras Tour Surprise Song 2024

Surprise songs in Tokyo, Japan

Night 1

• Guitar: Dear Reader

• Piano: Holy Ground

Night 2

• Guitar: Eyes Open

• Piano: Electric Touch

Night 3

• Guitar: Superman

• Piano: The Outside

Night 4

• Guitar: Come With The Rain

• Piano: You’re on Your Own, Kid

Surprise Songs in Melbourne, Australia

Night 1

• Guitar: Red

- announces "The Bolter"

• Piano: You're Losing Me

Night 2

• Guitar: Getaway Car × august × The Other Side of the Door

• Piano: this is me trying

Night 3

• Guitar: Come Back...Be Here × Daylight

• Piano: Teardrops On My Guitar

Surprise Songs in Sydney, Australia

Night 1

• Guitar: How You Get the Girl

- The Albatross

• Piano: White Horse × Coney Island with Sabrina Carpenter

Night 2

• Guitar: Should've Said No × You’re Not Sorry

• Piano: New Year’s Day × peace

Night 3

• Guitar: Is It Over Now? × I Wish You Would

• Piano: Haunted × exile

Night 4

• Guitar: Would've, Could've, Should've × ivy

• Piano: Forever & Always × Maroon

Surprise Songs in Singapore

Night 1

• Guitar: Mine × Starlight

• Piano: I Don’t Wanna Live Forever × Dress

Night 2

• Guitar: long story short × The Story Of Us

- announces "The Black Dog"

• Piano: Clean × evermore

Night 3

• Guitar: Foolish One × Tell Me Why

• Piano: This Love × Call It What You Want

Night 4

• Guitar: Death By A Thousand Cuts × Babe

• Piano: Fifteen × You’re on Your Own, Kid

Night 5

• Guitar: Sparks Fly × gold rush

• Piano: False God × "Slut!"

Night 6

• Guitar: Tim McGraw × cowboy like me

• Piano: mirrorball × epiphany

Surprise Songs in Paris, France

Night 1

• Guitar: Paris

• Piano: lolm

- Added TTPD on setlist

Night 2

• Guitar: Is It Over Now? × Out of the Woods

• Piano: My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys

Night 3

• Guitar: Hey Stephen

• Piano: Maroon

Night 4

• Guitar: The Alchemy × Treacherous

• Piano: Begin Again × Paris

Surprise Songs in Stockholm, Sweden

Night 1

• Guitar: I Think He Knows × Gorgeous

• Piano: Peter

Night 2

• Guitar: Guilty as Sin?

• Piano: Say Don't Go × Welcome To New York × Clean

Night 3

• Guitar: Message In A Bottle × How You Get The Girl × New Romantics

• Piano: How Did It End?

Surprise Songs in Lisbon, Portugal

Night 1

• Guitar:

• Piano: Fresh Out The Slammer × High Infidelity

Night 2

• Guitar: The Tortured Poets Department × Now That We Don't Talk

• Piano: Your On Your Own Kid × Long Live

Surprise Songs in Madrid, Spain

Night 1

• Guitar: Sparks Fly × I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)

• Piano: I Look in People's Windows × Snow On The Beach

Night 2

• Guitar: Our Song × Jump Then Fall

• Piano: King Of My Heart

Surprise Songs in Lyon, France

Night 1

• Guitar: The Prophecy × long story short

• Piano: Fifteen × You’re on Your Own, Kid

Night 2

• Guitar: Glitch × Everything Has Changed

• Piano: Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus

Surprise Songs in Edinburgh, Scotland

Night 1

• Guitar: Would've, Could've, Should've × I Know Places

• Piano: 'tis the damn season × Daylight

Night 2

• Guitar: The Bolter × Getaway Car

• Piano: All Of The Girls You Loved Before × Crazier

Night 3

• Guitar: It's Nice To Have A Friend × dorothea

• Piano: Haunted × exile

Surprise Songs in Liverpool, England

Night 1

• Guitar: I Can See You × Mine

• Piano: Cornelia Street × Maroon

Night 2

• Guitar: This Is What You Came For × gold rush

• Piano: The Great War × You're Losing Me

Night 3

• Guitar: Carolina × no body, no crime

• Piano: The Manuscript × Red

Surprise Songs in Cardiff, Wales

Night 1

• Guitar: I Forgot That You Existed × This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things

• Piano: I Hate It Here × the lakes

Surprise Songs in London, England

Night 1

• Guitar: Hits Different × Death By A Thousand Cuts

• Piano: The Black Dog × Come Back...Be Here × Maroon

Night 2

• Guitar: thanK you aIMee × Mean

• Piano: Castles Crumbling with Hayley Williams

Night 3

• Guitar: us with Gracie Abrams on the piano

• Piano: Out Of The Woods × Is It Over Now? × Clean

Surprise Songs in Dublin, Ireland

Night 1

• Guitar: State Of Grace × You’re on Your Own, Kid

• Piano: Sweet Nothing × hoax

Night 2

• Guitar: The Albatross × Dancing With Our Hands Tied

• Piano: This Love × Ours

Night 3

• Guitar: Clara Bow × The Lucky One

• Piano: You’re on Your Own, Kid

Surprise Songs in Amsterdam, Netherlands

Night 1

• Guitar: Guilty as Sin? × Untouchable

• Piano: The Archer × Question...?

Night 2

• Guitar: imgonnagetyouback × Dress

• Piano: You Are In Love × cowboy like me

Night 3

• Guitar: Sweeter Than Fiction × Holy Ground

• Piano: Mary's Song (Oh My My My) × So High School × Everything Has Changed

Surprise Songs in Zürich, Switzerland

Night 1

• Guitar: right where you left me × All You Had To Do Was Stay

• Piano: Last Kiss × Sad Beautiful Tragic

Night 2

• Guitar: closure × A Perfectly Good Heart

• Piano: Robin × Never Grow Up

Surprise Songs in Milan, Italy

Night 1

• Guitar: the 1 × Wonderland

• Piano: I Almost Do × The Moment I Knew

Night 2

• Guitar: Mr. Perfectly Fine × Red

• Piano: Getaway Car × Out Of The Woods

Surprise Songs in Gelsenkirchen, Germany

Night 1

• Guitar: Superstar × invisible string

• Piano: "Slut!" × False God

Night 2

• Guitar: Speak Now × Hey Stephen

• Piano: this is me trying × Labyrinth

Night 3

• Guitar: Paper Rings × Stay Stay Stay

• Piano: it's time to go × Better Man

Surprise Songs in Hamburg, Germany

Night 1

• Guitar: Teardrops On My Guitar × The Last Time

• Piano: We Were Happy × happiness

Night 2

• Guitar: the last great american dynasty × Run

• Piano: Nothing New × Dear Reader

Surprise Songs in Munich, Germany

Night 1

• Guitar: Fresh Out The Slammer × You Are In Love

• Piano: ivy × Call It What You Want

Night 2

• Guitar: I Don't Wanna Live Forever × imgonnagetyouback

• Piano: loml × Don't You

Surprise Songs in Warsaw, Poland

Night 1

• Guitar: mirrorball × Clara Bow

• Piano: Suburban Legends × New Year's Day

Night 2

• Guitar: I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can) × I Can See You

• Piano: Red × Maroon

Night 3

• Guitar: Today Was A Fairytale × I Think He Knows

• Piano: The Black Dog × exile

Surprise Songs in London, England

Night 4

• Guitar: Everything Has Changed × End Game × Thinking out Loud with Ed Sheeran

• Piano: King Of My Heart × The Alchemy

Night 5

• Guitar: London Boy

• Piano: Dear John × Sad Beautiful Tragic

Night 6

• Guitar: I Did Something Bad

• Piano: My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys × coney island

Night 7

• Guitar: Long Live × Change

• Piano: The Archer × You're On Your Own, Kid

Night 8

• Guitar: Death By A Thousand Cuts × Getaway Car with Jack Antonoff

• Piano: So Long London

[ventrue-in-control]

Jackie but he finally gets home and spends it bein sad, a drabble

He had been home for a several hours now but he hadn’t had time to relax. He knew Fish had gone through all of his stuff which meant everything now was wrong. No way in hell he could relax and be at ease in his own home with things out of place and out of order. or even worse, dirty. since he didn’t know what danny had and hadn’t touched he had decided to wash all of his clothes and clean the entire apartment. First everything had to be removed from its place so the dust could be cleaned of it and then when it was spotless he could place his trinkets lamps, books and sketches back where they belonged. Carefully measured of course as to not mess up the flow of the house. Everything had to be perfect till the milimeter. In the mean time as small breaks from cleaning he would switch out his clothes in the washing machine whenever it ringed. It took him forever to make any progress and even when the sun was slowly creeping up he still hadnt even finished yet. Maybe he had gotten half way through the apartment? Only a 4th of the way with his clothes. There was a lot after all. It was only when the sky started to lighten up he shut all his window blinds and curtains and sat on his bed. It had been a long day. A too long day if it had been up to him. After he changed from his evening wear to his pjs he sat on his bed. Legs pulled up to his chin. Alone once more. He hated it. the family photo on his night stand was there just to mock him with their fake smiles. God. He missed his brother.

He shouldn’t have just left the young’uns. He should’ve manned up and said goodbye. Declan had called him a coward and well… he wasn’t wrong. He had stood infront of chez’ door hand hovering over the handle but he never did turn it. he simply couldn’t. with how sad Declan had been when the kid realized he had to leave it broke him. So he stayed for another day. Just like he had done to his little brother when he had begged for him to stay. But he hadn’t even give him the courtesy of leaving a little note. Jackie had just left. One day he was there in their room and the other day he was gone. Never to come back again. Of course, that hadn’t been his intention. He was gonna get back for him! When he had a house and some money for food. When he had a place worthy of being called home, something safe and loving just like his lil bro deserved. But what was an 8 year old kid gonna do on his own. It was silly. It was beyond stupid. But he wanted to make something better for the both of them! But he never did get that house. And by the time he did well.. his brother already hated him. despised him for leaving him in a house like a war zone. All of the rage from their father now was no longer divided by the two of them. It had been aimed at the youngest, the one that was innocent. Years of abuse… When Jackie finally had the money his little brother was already grown. Finishing up his college degree. And what was Jackie doing? Following his dreams? Get stuck in prison? Protest? His brother had called him a childish fool. And perhaps he was right. But Jackie had tried. And he had never forgotten about his brother either. he was never gonna be able to forget their final conversation. He was never gonna forgive himself for the hatred he had seen in his brothers eyes.

And yet here he was. Doing it all over again wasn’t he? Running off. Abandoning the ones he loved. Well he was leaving the fledgelings with Aiden. Even though he was questionable. He certainly had knowledge if only from his age not to mention the social standing. Jackie did not have any of those things. He couldn’t even promise safety. How was he suppose to compete. Course theyd choose fuckin Cardiff over him. he couldn’t even blame them. He just wished… that things were different. That he could’ve stayed with henry, that he could have fun and teatch folk, improve lifes rather now than later. But the world didn’t work like that.

[misericorsalvator]

an abandoned church where the choir continue their song ; i had no choice but to send this in for orion

10. An abandoned church where the choir continues their song.

Past the borders of Cardiff, deep in the Welsh woods, there lies a church under a canopy of dog roses and thorns. They cast their shade upon its ancient stone, where climbing plants have taken root and stretch out above its doors to shield it from the garish sun. Only some nights do they let some moonlight through to bathe the pews in its silver glow.

It is one such night when Henry finds his way to it, following the trailing spots of blood from the RV by the road.

He crosses the overgrown yard, the stone path buried under bleeding hearts and hosta, and pushes open the heavy doors engraved with saints and angels. They watch him through their wooden gaze as he crosses the threshold, but his gaze is focused elsewhere, eyes scanning the aisles until they land on a head of messy hair at the far front. There, the blood trail ends. 

He’s painted in the forms of angels, cast upon him by the stained windows, and Henry slips into the aisle behind him, quietly to not break the reverence of this forgotten place. 

He is at a loss; for words, for thoughts, for feelings. Here, in this house of God, a God neither of them sees clearly, what is there to say? 

In the crumbling channel, between the nave and the altar, stand the remnants of the choir. No one sings there anymore, the dust has gathered for decades, but here, in the quiet of the night, the echoes of their songs linger.

Toward heaven, my Father’s home, I steer,

Tossed on the billowy flood:

A man that hath no purpose here

Save seeking for his God.

Beneath the aisles, the blood begins to pool, forming a slow river which trails toward the altar. The gun on Henry’s back feels heavy, as do the stakes within his coat, and the dagger sheathed above his heart. With a shaking sense of reverence, he takes them off one by one and leaves them on the seat next to him. At once, his shoulders grow lighter, and his lungs let go of a sigh he hadn’t realised he was holding back. He looks at the bleeding priest, Orion, all too aware that if he decided to attack, there would be no time to reach for a weapon, but he seems as transfixed as Henry is by the moonlight above the altar and the singing of the choir.  

Let me not swerve to right or left,

Or of thy guidance tire;

Kept in the course that heavenward leads,

Through gulphs of flood and fire.

He can see the priest’s mouth moving in a prayer he can’t hear, his eyes wide as they shed crimson tears, and on the Gospel side of the church, where stands the marble statue of Holy Mary, two streaks form upon her cheeks, trailing down from her eyes as if she weeps with him. Or for him. Or, maybe, for them both. 

Opposing tempests beat me back,

And I have strength no more;

O take me, Jesus, in thine arms,

And bear to yonder shore.

Past the borders of Cardiff, deep in the Welsh woods, there lies a church under a canopy of dog roses and thorns. Within its marble halls, where glass angels cast their light, echo the hymns of a forgotten choir, and in the stillness of the night, a priest who is not a priest and a hunter who is not a hunter sit in its abandoned aisles, and listen.

[saiilorstars]

Chapter 20: The Stolen Earth

Fandom: Doctor Who

Current Masterlist || Previous Story

Taglist: @ocappreciationtag​​​ @arrthurpendragon​​​​​​​​ @anotherunreadblog​​​​​​​​ @maaaaarveeeeel​​​​​​​​ @stareyedplanet​​​​​​​​ ​​​ @foxesandmagic​​​​​​​​​​​

If you’d like to be a part of this OC’s work/edits, let me know!

The TARDIS materialized in the corner of a perfectly normal suburban, London street. The Doctor bolted out from the doors with a panicked expression. Donna and Minerva followed out, both looking around with the Doctor. Everything seemed to be running normally...

"It's fine... everything's fine," the Doctor breathed. If everything was so right then why did he still feel so panicked and not relaxed at all?

"Nothing looks wrong, Doctor," Minerva sighed, "It looks okay to me."

But the Doctor hadn't heard as he was watching a milk-cart trundle down the road, "Excuse me? What day is it?" he called to the man in charge, unaware of the deep sigh Minerva gave behind him.

"Saturday," the milk man called.

"Saturday, good!" he looked back at the women, "Good, I like Saturdays."

"So...I just met Rose Tyler?" Donna looked directly at Minerva, knowing what that meant for the poor brunette. Even now, Minerva was playing the strong facade.

"Yeah," the Doctor was still casting looks everywhere, trying to find at least one thing that was wrong.

"Doctor, you said parallel worlds are sealed off," Minerva spoke up quietly, "Rose is locked away in one of them..."

"So if she can cross from her parallel world to Donna's parallel world, then that means the walls of the universe are breaking down, which puts everything in danger," the Doctor unknowingly finished Minerva's grim thoughts. "Everything. But how?" He hurried back into the TARDIS.

Minerva sighed again and looked at Donna, "Did she say anything about me? Anything bad?"

Donna shook her head, "Not that I remember."

"Well I'm sure she'll have plenty to say when she sees I've taken her love..." Minerva mumbled and stepped inside the TARDIS, mentally preparing herself for that lovely conversation — argument.

Donna followed her in with a sad look cast at the brunette. Inside the TARDIS, the Doctor made a round around the console. Not a moment had passed when the TARDIS suddenly shook and sent the trio to the floor.

"What the hell was that!?" Donna lifted her head up, completely alarmed.

"It came from outside," Minerva pulled herself up while the Doctor dashed for the doors.

The Doctor's eyes widened at the sight beyond the doors. Donna and Minerva hurried up to be on either side of him, also bewildered. There was space beyond the doors with a couple rocks floating here and there.

"We're in space...how did that happen?" Donna raised an eyebrow, "What did you do!?" she then shouted at the Doctor with fear.

The Doctor ignored her and ran back to the console to look at the monitor, his face growing into further confusion, "We haven't moved. We're fixed. It can't have... no," he rushed back to the door to look out again, stunned, "The TARDIS is still in the same place, but the Earth is gone. The entire planet... it's gone!"

~ 0 ~

New York: UNIT Headquarters

Martha Jones laid on the floor, unconscious, surrounded by utter chaos. There were smoking wires, sparks and the shouts of terrified people. Slowly, Martha opened her eyes and lifted her head, "What was that?" she sat up, "Was there some sort of earthquake or...?" she stood up, looking around, "Jalandra, are you all right?"

A fellow employee was taking a breath in at the chaos, "Yeah, I'm okay."

"Is anyone hurt?" Martha called around the room. A woman, Suzanne, crossed over to the windows and pulled up the blinds, "We've lost power, someone get the lights back on - DaCosta, see to it right now," Martha was ordering when she spotted Suzanne, "Suzanne? Are you okay?"

"Martha, look at the sky..." the woman replied shakily, her gaze stuck on what laid on the other side of the windows.

"Why, what is it?" Martha raised an eyebrow.

"Just look at the sky!"

~ 0 ~

Cardiff: Torchwood Hub.

Torchwood was thrown into the same type of chaos as UNIT had, its inhabitants thrown onto the floor.

Jack was clambering to his feet while calling out to the others, "Whoa! What happened? Must be the rift..." he ran out from his office, "Gwen? Ianto? Are you okay?"

Gwen and Ianto were just barely picking their selves up from the floor while taking collection of what had just happened.

"No broken bones... slight loss of dignity. No change there, then," Ianto dusted himself off.

"The whole city must've felt that! The whole of South Wales!" Gwen exclaimed.

"I'm gonna take a look outside..." Jack offered and went to do just that.

As the alarms blared, Jack ran for the doors while Gwen and Ianto went to the computers. Ianto pressed a couple buttons and stared at the screen in disbelief, "Uh, little bit bigger than South Wales," he announced.

~ 0 ~

Ealing, London.

Sarah Jane Smith scrambled to her feet inside her attic, which was completely in chaos as well, "Luke!? Are you alright!?" she ran to where her son Luke was crouched in a corner and pulled him to his feet.

"Felt like some sort of cross-dimensional spatial transference," the boy rambled, still a bit dizzy from the shake.

Sarah Jane noticed the darkness that was coming through the window, "It's night. It wasn't night! It was eight o'clock in the morning! Mr Smith, I need you!" she called and the chimney breast opened up with some fancy introduction music to reveal the computer, Mr. Smith, was, "I wish you'd stop giving me that fanfare and just tell me what happened!"

"Sarah Jane, I think you should look outside. I think you'll find the visual evidence most conclusive."

Sarah Jane rushed to the window and opened up the blinds, her eyes widening at the sight that laid above.

~ 0 ~

Chiswick, London.

Wilf was standing outside the Noble's house, holding a rounders bat, "It's gone dark... it's them aliens, I'll bet my pension," he then shouted at no one in particular, "What do you want this time, you green swine?"

Sylvia had stepped outside and was perturbed by the sight above them, "Dad..."

"You get back inside, Sylvia. They always want the women!"

"No, Dad, just look... oh, my God! Look at the sky!" Sylvia shook her father until he looked up, he immediately clutched her hand in horror.

~ 0 ~

London.

The milkman that had been greeted by the Doctor stood in the street in complete darkness. He was frozen as he stared up at the sky. A wind billowed behind him followed by a buzzing of electricity and a blue flash of light. The milkman looked back to see Rose Tyler appear holding an enormous gun.

Rose looked up at the sky, unperturbed, more like ready, "Right, now we're in trouble," she released the safety latch of her gun, "It's only just beginning..."

The sky contained sinister shades of colors with overlapping planets that were just a bit far too close to Earth.

~ 0 ~

Donna was slowly making a realization while the Doctor worked on the console, "But... if the Earth's been moved... they've lost the sun. "

"Doctor, what about our families?" Minerva moved over to him, "My grandmother, my father...my uncle, Stacey, Cody...are they all dead?"

"I don't know, Minerva. I just don't know. I'm sorry. I don't know," the Doctor helplessly looked at her, seeing Donna wore the same terrified face Minerva did, "I'm really sorry."

"That's our families...our whole world," Donna whispered, heartbroken.

"There's no readings, nothing. Not a trace. Not even a whisper. Oh, that is... fearsome technology," the Doctor scratched the side of his neck, completely stumped.

"So what do we do?" Minerva asked, "We're not going to sit here, are we?"

"We've got to get help."

"From where?" Donna asked.

"Donna, Minerva... I'm taking you to the Shadow Proclamation. Hold tight," he pulled a lever, making the rota rise and fall.

~ 0 ~

Out in the streets of Earth, there was complete anarchy. People ran, screamed, places were thrashed with alarms blaring. Drunk people drove their cars, one with a man hanging out while clutching a bear and shouting to the people they passed. Rose emerged from an alleyway, still holding to her gun, and made her way onto the street.

A drunken man spotted her and opened his arms wide, "The end of the world, darlin'! The end of the stinkin' world!" he cried of drunken delight.

"Have one on me, mate," Rose half-smiled and the man continued on his way. She flinched when she heard a window smash behind her followed by another alarm going off.

She hurried into an electronics shop where she saw two young teens looting everything they could, "Right! You two! You can put that stuff down, or run for your lives," she released the safety catch on her gun once more, the teens eyes widening at the sight, "Do you like my gun?" the teens ran for it and Rose went for a computer, sitting down in front of it with a worried look as she watched the spaceships surround the earth.

~ 0 ~

In Torchwood, Gwen and Ianto watched the spaceships their tech had picked up on loom closer on the model on their computer screen, "Three-thousand miles and closing," Gwen mumbled, agitated, "But who are they?!"

Jack's phone rung and he quickly pulled it out, seeing the caller ID and answered, "Martha Jones! Voice of a nightingale. Tell me you put something in my drink."

Martha was at her desk, a bit breathless after all the work, "No such luck. Have you heard from the Doctor or Minerva?"

"Not a word. Where are you?"

"New York."

"Hm, nice for some."

"Yeah, well, right now I pretty much wish I was back in San Diego..." Martha mumbled, knowing just how Minerva's family must be with concern, especially if they couldn't get ahold of her or the Doctor, "I was promoted, finally, Medical Director on Project Indigo."

Jack's cheerful face faltered at those words, "Did you get that thing working?"

"Indigo's top secret. No-one's supposed to know about it," Martha frowned.

"Oh, I met a soldier in a bar. Long story," Jack shrugged.

"When was that?" Ianto interjected suspiciously, already eyeing Jack.

"Strictly professional," Jack assured.

"Fifteen-hundred miles, boys, and accelerating. They're almost here," Gwen called.

~ 0 ~

"I'm receiving communication from the Earthbound ships. A message for the human race," Mr. Smith announced for Sarah Jane.

"Put it through. Let's hear it," Sarah Jane stood forwards.

"Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate!"

And then she took a step back...

~ 0 ~

Jack opened his mouth to remark when he heard the message too...

"Exterminate!"

Martha turned at the voices, her eyes widening.

"Exterminate!"

"No," Jack mumbled.

"Exterminate! Exterminate!"

He trembled, "Oh, no..."

"What is it? Who are they? Do you know them, Jack?" Gwen asked, but received no answer.

Instead, Jack pulled both Gwen and Ianto into a hug, kissing both of their heads as they listened tot he awful voices.

"Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate!"

~ 0 ~

"Exterminate! Exterminate!"

Luke stood in confusion while Sarah Jane shook with terror and with tears on her face.

"Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate!"

"No..." she whispered.

~ 0 ~

Jack's eyes riveted at the monitor, holding onto Ianto and Gwen tight, no hope anymore, "There's nothing I can do. I'm sorry, but we're dead."

~ 0 ~

"Exterminate! Exterminate!"

Sarah Jane clutched Luke while she sobbed, "Oh, God you're- you're so young."

~ 0 ~

Rose had also picked up on the transmission of the Daleks and shivered only slightly, fear spurring inside but not with shock. She stood up and left the store. Outside, there was a Dalek ship that flew so low it was practically skimmed the rooftops, its missiles firing down to the streets. Rose turned away just as a missile struck behind her which caused an enormous explosion...and yet she did not show an ounce of emotion at it.

~ 0 ~

The TARDIS shook violently, even more than usual, making Donna and Minerva cling onto the console for dear life while the Doctor tried to operate the controls with one hand.

"So, go on then - what is the Shadow Proclamation, anyway?" Donna called.

"It's a stupid way of saying 'police'," Minerva rolled her eyes, "An outer space police."

"Here we go!" the Doctor exclaimed.

The TARDIS gave one last lurch which sent the Doctor to the floor on his back. Minerva sighed and peered over, "You okay, Martian?"

"Just...fine," he sat up and with the help of her, stood up.

Cautiously, the Doctor emerged out of the TARDIS first, Donna and Minerva following slowly. They were greeted by a group of Judoon with pointed guns at them, the trio immediately raised their hands in surrender.

"Sco po tro no flow jo ko fo to to," one of the Judoon spoke.

"No bo ho so ko ro toe so," the Doctor replied.

Donna blinked and looked at Minerva for some kind of explanation. Minerva just made a tired face and shook her head. There were plenty of things Minerva had on her mind and learning the Judoon language was not one of those things.

"Bo-ko-do-zo-go-bo-fo-po-jo!" the Doctor finished up, and the guns were lowered, "Ma ho."

~ 0 ~

The trio now spoke to the Shadow Architect in a room guarded with Judoon, "Time Lords are the stuff of legend. They belong in the myths and whispers of the Higher Species. You cannot possibly exist," the architect studied the Doctor.

"Can we please get onto the fact that we have a planet missing?" Minerva asked, well more demanded. She had zero patience of the usual nosnense strangers threw at them.

"Who is the female?" the architect's eyes narrowed at the brunette.

But Minerva was frankly in no mood for a condescending look. Her grandmother, her father, her uncle, her friends, were on Earth which was currently missing and this woman was asking who the hell she was? "I am Minerva, also known as, Kaeya, princess of the Silver Monsoon now let's get to business!"

The architect did her best not to show her surprise of the attitude she received from the woman. "The Moontsays are an extinct species."

"You might want to check your records again, lady," a different voice called from the end of the room, making everyone look back, "Because we are more than alive, we are outraged," Zohar strolled inside the room with a young man behind her.

"What the hell are you doing here?" the Doctor asked the black-haired woman with confusion, "And who the hell is he?" he pointed to the man behind her.

"How'd you get past the rhinos?" Donna was curious and just had to ask.

"I speak Judoon," Zohar flashed a grin, looking at the architect, "There was a lot of time we Moontsays had on our hands after we survived the war."

"Zohar, to business, please," the young man reminded in a hushed tone.

"Oh yes," Zohar clapped her hands together and leaned forwards, "We have a missing planet on our hands, where is it?" Her smile had exchanged for a demanding scowl at her demand.

"You mean Earth?" Minerva raised an eyebrow.

"No, she means my planet," the young man corrected, serious, "Nix Terra has gone missing and I'd like to know where it is."

"Nix Terra is where the Moontsays reside," Zohar explained calmly, "Prince Nerio and I were just above the planet, getting ready to return home after a meeting when the planet just...moved."

The architect looked from one another, seeing no point in delaying the story, "The picture is far bigger than any of you imagine. The whole universe is in outrage: twenty-four worlds have been taken from the sky."

"How many?" the Doctor incredulously looked at her, "Which ones? Show me!" he ran over to the computer and quickly put his glasses on.

"The locations range far and wide. They all disappeared at the exact same moment, leaving no trace," the architect showed him.

The Doctor frowned as he read off the different planets that had been stolen, "Callufrax Minor, Jahoo, Shallacatop, Woman Wept, Clom - Clom's gone?! Who'd want Clom?"

"Don't think this is the time to insult planets, dear," Minerva crossed her arms and gave him a look.

"Sorry," he quickly returned to business.

"The planets are different sizes," Minerva took notice of the hologram's details, "Are all of these populated?"

"No," the architect shook her head.

"Connected species?"

"No."

"They're all unconnected."

"What about Pyrovilia?" Donna suddenly asked.

"And who are you?" the architect asked, tired of the newcomers in general.

"Donna. I'm a Human Being. Maybe not the stuff of legend, but every bit as important as Time Lords, Moontsays, and..." the ginger cast a look to the prince, "Sorry I don't know what you're called," she looked back at the architect, "But my point stands, thank you very much."

"That's my ginger sister," Minerva whispered, smiling proudly at her.

"Way back when we were in Pompeii, Lucius said Pyrovillia had gone missing," Donna turned to the Doctor.

"Pyrovillia is cold case. Not relevant," a Judoon said.

"How do you mean, 'cold case'?" she insisted.

"The planet Pyrovilia cannot be part of this, it disappeared over two-thousand years ago."

"Yes, but there was also the Adipose breeding planet," Minerva reminded, "Miss Foster said it was also lost, but it was also a long time ago..."

"That's it! Donna, Minerva, brilliant as ever! Truly sisters! The planets have been taken out of time as well as space," the Doctor tampered with the computer, "Let's put this into 3D," a hologram of the missing planets appeared throughout the room, "Now, if we add Pyrovilia..." he added the planet which then appeared on the hologram, "And Adipose 3..." the second planet was added, "There's something missing. Where else, where else, where else, lost, lost, lost, lost...?"

"The Lost Moon of Poosh," Minerva stated.

"Clever Girl," he pointed at her then quickly added the planet.

"I knew planets couldn't just be lost," she sighed, "I mean, how do you misplace something the size of a...well, planet?"

The Doctor walked among the planets which then rearranged themselves.

"What did you do?" the architect asked, startled.

"Nothing. The planets rearranged themselves into the optimum pattern," the Doctor looked at the new arrangement with appreciation, "Oh... look at that. Twenty-seven planets in perfect balance. Come on, that is gorgeous!"

Minerva moved over to him, a sad smile on her face, "Can we please focus though? Not only is my human family gone but my species too."

"Sorry," he made a face and focused again, "All those worlds fit together like pieces of an engine. It's like a power house. But what for?"

"Who would design such a thing?" the prince asked, reminding them all that he and Zohar still stood with them.

"Someone tried to move the Earth once before. A long time ago..." the Doctor trailed off, getting lost in thoughts, "Can't be..."

~ 0 ~

Jack rushed to a computer as an alarm blared, a voice filtering through the communications.

"The shields are down! There's so many of them! Abandon ship!"

"The Valiant's down!" Jack stared in horror.

"Airforce retreating over North Africa! Daleks landing in Japan," Ianto called.

"We've lost contact with the Prime Minister's plane," Gwen added, "Jack, Manhattan!"

Jack quickly grabbed his phone which still held open the line with Martha, "Martha, get out of there."

Martha was wrapping a bandage around an employee's head when Jack's message came in. "I can't, Jack, I've got a job to do."

"They're targeting military bases, and you're next on the list."

General Sanchez stood behind Martha when he called for her, "Doctor Jones - you will come with me. Project Indigo is being activated," Martha stood up, stunned, "Quick march."

Martha and the general, along with a soldier, walked through a set of double doors and down a corridor in a brisk walk.

"But we can't use Project Indigo. It hasn't been tested, sir, we don't even know if it works!" Martha tried to reason, she knew the panic was up to a maximum but this was something big, something dangerous.

A soldier turned a wheel on a door which opened up to a secure storage safe. General Sanchez gestured to a body pack that hung on the wall, "Put it on. Fast as you can."

Martha moved over to it but stopped when she heard Jack's voice on her phone, "Martha, I'm telling you - don't use Project Indigo, it's not safe!"

"You take your orders from UNIT, Doctor Jones, not from Torchwood," the general snapped.

"But why me?" she had to ask as she put the bodypack on.

"You are our only hope of finding the Doctor. But failing that... if no help is coming... then by the power invested in me by the Unified Intelligence Taskforce, I authorize you to take this," he held to Martha digital microchip encased in plastic, "The Osterhagen Key."

"I can't take that, sir," she shook her head, fearfully staring at the key.

"You know what to do. For the sake of the Human Race," he brandished it on her anyways. He closed Martha's fingers around it and gave her a nod.

"Daleks one five breaching north corridor. Exterminate! Exterminate, exterminate!"

"Doctor Jones..." the general saluted to her, "Good luck," and he and the soldier turned to face the approaching the Dalek.

"Bye, Jack," Martha called weakly.

"Martha, don't do it!" he shouted.

Martha shut her eyes tightly and pulled the chords on the sides of her bodypack and disappeared with a blue light.

~ 0 ~

Donna sat on the stairs and wiped a tear off her face. Everyone except for her were across the room looking into a computer, seemingly lost. Donna wiped another loose tear from her face then stared straight ahead for some reason...the noises around her fading away...and a beating of a heart rising...

A small wind billowed in front of her, making her flinch but smiled when she saw the blue light floating in front of her.

"I see you've made friends with her," Zohar walked over, surprising Donna.

"Sort of...it's been following me for a while, now."

"You know, I think it's chosen you, then," Zohar looked said, a small knowing-smile on her face that Donna wasn't aware of.

"Chosen? For what?"

Zohar shrugged, "Don't know. She won't say. But she's chosen you for something."

Donna looked at the light for a second, tilting her head. What could this light possibly want from her?

"Can I please have a cup of water?" Minerva asked a nearby servant, "I'm really thirsty."

"Minerva?" the Doctor called, holding her water bottle, "Here!"

She caught the bottle as it was thrown and nodded her thanks before heading over to Donna and Zohar. She removed the cap off and proceeded to drink a large amount of water.

Zohar watched with a slight pride, "You know, if you're drinking a lot of water it's because you're almost done now," Minerva made a face as she swallowed and put the lid back on her bottle, "Moontsays need a lot of water in their bodies as part of our biological code and abilities."

"You mean that stupid chipped ice on my nails? That's not fun," Minerva shook her head.

"You'll get used to it, when you learn to control your abilities again it'll be no problem."

"Yeah, I'd really rather not talk about a future where both my human family and actual species are missing."

"You really care for us, don't you?" Zohar asked, her proud smile spreading.

"Of course," Minerva shrugged, "Why wouldn't I? I'm lucky that there were survivors of my home. Of course I'll care. But you know what I don't care for? Your friend that keeps staring at me," she nodded discreetly back to the men and the architect.

"He's a prince," Zohar corrected, "He and his family know all about you and they're quite interested in you."

"That can't lead to good things," Donna scoffed as she looked at the prince and the Doctor, seeing the tension that could mount if the Doctor found out about this 'interest' the prince had for Minerva.

"Yeah, okay, but that doesn't mean I like him staring," Minerva mumbled to Zohar.

"Minerva, c'mon," Zohar nudged her, "I mean, you're practically the bloody queen of the Silver Monsoon who's also human who's also changing who's also a time traveler. You kinda have a lot going on."

"Still, I'll slap him if he gets funny ideas," Donna declared.

Minerva smiled, "Thanks, Donna."

"Of course," the ginger nodded.

"Please don't," Zohar sighed lightly, "Eventually, Minerva will have to make formal relationships with him and his father and his sisters. It's best not to spark war."

"So much diplomacy," Donna mumbled.

"It's what awaits her royal highness when she returns," Zohar smiled.

Minerva wasn't too pleased with that and so turned away. She didn't like to think of the life she'd have to lead stuck on the Monsoon. She liked the idea of retaking her old title and the job that came with it. But that didn't mean she wanted people waiting on her. She didn't want to fake a relation with any family, if they were to know each other it should be because they wanted to, not because of their planets or titles.

"Donna, come on, think. Earth. There must've been some sort of warning. Was there anything happening back in your day, like... electrical storms, freak weather, patterns in the sky?" the Doctor called over, leaning on a banister.

"Well, how should I know? Um... no. I don't think so, no."

"Oh, okay, never mind," he sighed and straightened up.

"Although... there were the bees disappearing."

"The bees disappearing. The bees disappearing," the Doctor sarcastically said.

"Oi, don't be rude!" Minerva scolded, "She's trying."

But the Doctor blinked in realization, "The bees disappearing!" he yelled and ran to the computer again.

"How is this significant to the problem?" the prince asked, watching the Doctor work.

"On Earth, we have these insects. Some people said it was pollution or mobile phone signals," Donna rushed over, Zohar and Minerva following.

"Or... they were going back home," the Doctor said.

"Back home where?" Donna and Minerva asked, confused.

"The planet Melissa Majoria."

"Please don't tell me bees are actually aliens..." Minerva looked at him curiously.

"Don't be so daft—"

"Excuse me?"

"I mean that you can't stop being so lovely..." the Doctor made a face of error, "And it's not all of them. But, if the migrant bees felt something, some sort of danger, and escaped... Tandocca!"

"The Tandocca Scale," the architect nodded in agreement.

"The Tandocca Scale is a series of wavelengths used as carrier signals by migrant bees. Infinitely small, no wonder we didn't see it. It's like looking for a speck of cinnamon in the Sahara. But look!" the Doctor pointed at the screen excitedly, "There it is! The Tandocca trail," the screen wore a trail of blue light, "The transmat that moved that planets was using the same wavelength! We can follow the path!"

"And that means we can find the Earth!" Minerva exclaimed, Donna already halfway to the TARDIS.

"Well, stop talking and do it!" Donna called.

"I am!" he yanked Minerva after him and followed Donna. He ran himself and Minerva up to console, "We're a bit late. The signal's scattered, but it's a start!" he ran out the door and poked his head out, seeing the awaiting trio, Zohar just a little closer, "I've got a blip! It's just a blip, but it's definitely a blip."

"Then according to the strictures of the Shadow Proclamation, I will have to seize your transport and your technology," the architect declared.

"Oh, really? What for?" he frowned, taken aback.

"If I am correct," the prince raised a finger for the architect who nodded and let him proceed, "The planets were stolen with hostile intent, including mine, and so there is war to be declared."

The Doctor frowned, yes he did not like the prince anymore. Plus, he saw the looks the prince had been giving his Clever Girl. Yes, yes, dislike enacted.

"My home may be gone but we have allies, and you will lead us into battle!" the prince practically ordered, something else the Doctor disliked.

"Right. Yes. Course I will. Just go and... get you a key," the Doctor started sliding into the TARDIS again.

"Can I make sure you go and get it?" Zohar suddenly asked, smiling a bit, "Please?"

He sighed, "Yes, fine."

She beamed and hurried on inside, shut the doors after them. The Doctor flung his coat over one of the railings and ran back to the console, joining Minerva with a soft smile, "Off we are?"

"Oh yes," she nodded and he pulled the lever.

Past them, they didn't see how Zohar was looking around the box in complete gawk as she held onto the rails.

~ 0 ~

Rose had found her way to the Nobles' house and immediately got herself situated with Sylvia and Wilf.

"I tried calling her, but I can't get through. She's still with Minerva and the Doctor, I know that much, and the- and the last time she phoned, it- it was from a planet called Midnight, made of diamonds," Wilf explained to Rose as they sat in the kitchen of their home.

Sylvia held a pot of tea for them, "What the hell are you two on about?"

"Look, she's out there, sweetheart! Your daughter! She's travelling the stars with that Doctor and Minerva," Wilf said, "She always has been."

"Don't be ridiculous," Sylvia shook her head.

Wilf's eyes narrowed, "Oh, come on, open your eyes. Look at the sky. Look at the- look at the Daleks! You can't start denying things now!"

Dejectedly, Rose sighed, "You're my last hope. If we can't find Donna... we can't find the Doctor. "

"But what about Minerva? She has to have a family too," Wilf offered, "In America."

"She does, but they're not answering anymore..." Rose sighed again, "...Donna was truly the last person..." she buried her head in her hands, "...where is he?"

~ 0 ~

The Doctor, Donna, and Minerva held onto the console for support while Zohar continued back at the rails, still not quite over the enormous size of the blue box! Suddenly, everything stopped...dead.

"It's stopped..." the Doctor let go of the console, a bit confused.

"Well, is that good or bad?" Minerva raised an eyebrow.

"Where are we?" Donna asked.

He looked over on the monitor, "The Medusa Cascade..." he stared at the screen, thinking, "...I came here when I was just a kid. Ninety years old. It was the center of a rift in time and space."

"So... where are the twenty-seven planets?" Minerva asked softly, liking the beautiful image on the screen, but...she'd much rather see her Earth.

"Nowhere. The Tandocca Trail stops dead," he answered quietly, "End of the line."

"So, what do we do? Doctor? What do we do?" Donna awaited for something, it couldn't just be the end. But the Doctor continued to stare at the screen with nothing more, complete defeated.

"You can't do that..." Minerva breathed, shakily, "...don't you dare," she pointed, even her finger shaky, "Tell us what we're going to do right now!"

"You never give up," Donna added, just as worked up as Minerva.

Zohar quietly walked over, her own face grim but completely silent.

"Doctor, please..." Minerva begged, her tears streaming. All he did was reach out for her and pulled her for a hug, a very tight hug where she began sniffling.

~ 0 ~

Wilf sat with his arm around Sylvia, both huddled together in an armchair. He kissed her forehead as she cried quietly. The Daleks were destroying everything outside, taking people for God knew what, and it was only a matter of time until they arrived on their street.

"You will obey Dalek instruction without question. You will obey your Dalek ma-" the Dalek's voice outside was cut off by a loud beeping sound.

Wilf and Rose looked around to see what was making the sound and saw the laptop had sprung to life, showing a white noise while a familiar voice strained to get through.

"Can anyone hear me? The subwave network is open, you should be able to hear my voice..."

Rose hurried to the laptop in surprise.

"Is there anyone there?"

"I know that voice...!" Rose exclaimed, kneeling in front of the laptop.

~ 0 ~

"Who's that?" Luke asked as he and Sarah Jane also heard the voice calling through.

"Some poor soul calling for help," Sarah Jane helplessly said, "There's nothing we can do."

"But look at Mr Smith!" he pointed.

"Processing incoming subwave."

The screen displayed a vague outline of a person, buried in white noise.

~ 0 ~

Back in Torchwood, the same voice was calling through. Gwen jumped to her feet at the sounds and dashed for the computer.

"This message is of the utmost importance. We haven't much time. Can anyone hear me?"

"Someone's trying to get in touch," Gwen stood in front of the computer.

"The whole world's crying out. Just leave it," Jack quietly said.

"Captain Jack Harkness, shame on you!" Harriet Jones reprimanded from the screen, "Now, stand to attention, sir!"

Jack ran to the computer, while Ianto hurriedly followed, "What?! Who is that?" Jack demanded.

The image on the screen finally cleared up and revealed Harriet Jones sitting in front of her computer in her house, flashing an ID card at the screen, "Harriet Jones, former Prime Minister."

"Yeah, I know who you are," Jack nodded.

~ 0 ~

Rose was yelling at the screen in excitement, "Harriet! It's me, it's me! Oh, she can't hear me -" she looked back to Wilf, "Have you got a webcam?"

"No," he pointed at Sylvia, "She wouldn't let me. She said they're naughty."

Rose sighed and looked back to the laptop screen, "Well, I can't speak to her then, can I?"

~ o ~

"Sarah Jane Smith, 13 Bannerman Road. Are you there?" Harriet Jones asked.

Sarah Jane jumped to her feet, "Yeah! Yeah, I'm here! It's me!"

~ 0 ~

"Good! Now, let's see if we can talk to each other," Harriet pressed a few buttons around her.

The screens divided into four squares, the first one taken by her, the second by Jack, the third by Sarah Jane and the fourth was still in white noise.

"The fourth contact seems to be having some trouble getting through," Harriet Remarked.

~ 0 ~

"That's me! Harriet, that's me!" Rose pointed at herself, sighing.

"I'll just boost the signal," Harriet had said.

Suddenly, Martha's face appeared in the fourth square, "Hello?"

~ 0 ~

The Torchwood team laughed with relief at the sound of her voice.

"Martha Jones!" Jack cried happily.

~ 0 ~

"Who's she?" Rose frowned in annoyance, "I want to get through!"

"Martha, where are you?" Jack asked.

"I guess Project Indigo was more clever than we thought," Martha smiled, "One second I was in Manhattan, next second I was at home. Maybe Indigo tapped into my mind, because I ended up in the one place that I wanted to be," the screen showed Francine beside her.

Francine looked at her daughter, "You came home. At the end of the world, you came back to me."

"But all of a sudden, it's like... the laptop turned itself on?" Martha asked.

"It did," Harriet Jones nodded, "That was me," she flashed her ID to the screen again, "Harriet Jones, former Prime Minister."

"Yes, I know who you are," Martha smiled.

~ 0 ~

"I thought it was about time we all met, given the current crisis. Torchwood - this is Sarah Jane Smith," Harriet introduced.

"I've been following your work. Nice job with the Slitheen..." Jack said to Sarah Jane.

"Yeah, well, I've been staying away from you lot. Too many guns," Sarah Jane nodded to Luke's direction.

"All the same... might I say, looking good, ma'am."

"Really? Oh!" Sarah Jane said in a pleased manner.

"Not now, Captain," Harriet Jones cut in, "And Martha Jones, former companion to the Doctor."

~ 0 ~

"Oi! So was I!" Rose indignantly cried to the screen.

~ 0 ~

"And Minerva," Martha made sure to add, not about to let her best friend be forgotten, "But how did you find me?"

"This, ladies and gentlemen, this is a subwave network," Harriet explained, "A sentient piece of software programmed to seek out anyone and everyone who can help to contact the Doctor."

"What if the Daleks can hear us?"

"No! That's the beauty of the subwave. It's undetectable."

"And...you invented it?" Sarah Jane was impressed.

"I developed it. It was created by the Copper-Peth Foundation."

"Yeah, but what we need right now is a weapon," Jack cut in, "Martha, back there at UNIT, what did they give you? What was that key thing?"

Martha showed them the key in her hand, "The Osterhagen Key."

"That key is not to be used, Doctor Jones. Not under any circumstances," Harriet used a serious tone, like she knew exactly what that key was used for.

"But what is an Osterhagen Key?" Jack asked, still confused.

"Forget about the key! And that's an order. All we need is the Doctor."

"Oh, excuse me, Harriet, but well, the thing is... if you're looking for the Doctor, didn't he depose you?" Sarah Jane felt a bit bad of reminding the woman of that small detail.

"He did. And I've wondered about that for a long time, whether I was wrong. But I stand by my actions to this day, because I knew - I knew that one day, the Earth would be in danger and the Doctor would fail to appear. I told him so myself, and he didn't listen."

"But I've been trying to find him. Minerva, she's got my phone in the TARDIS but I can't get through," Martha said, "And Minerva always answers."

~ 0 ~

"Nor me, and I was here first," Rose remarked, still peeved. Why was no one mentioning her? She went to another dimension, not disappeared into thin air!

~ 0 ~

"That's why we need the subwave - to bring us all together. Combined forces. The Doctor's secret army," Harriet said.

"Wait a minute," Jack thought, "We boost the signal - that's it! We transmit that telephone number through Torchwood itself, using all the power of the rift..."

"And we've got Mr Smith!" Luke called, " He can link up with every telephone exchange on the Earth. He can get the whole world to call the same number, all at the same time. Billions of phones calling out, all at once!"

"Haha, brilliant!" Jack exclaimed, "Who's the kid?" he asked, nonetheless still smiling.

"That's my son!" Sarah Jane proudly said.

Ianto was shuffling through in front of the screen, "Excuse me, sorry," he said to Jack and Gwen before he stood in front now, "Sorry. Hello. Ianto Jones. Um, if we start transmitting, then the subwave network is going to become... visible. I mean, to the... Daleks."

"Yes, and they'll trace it back to me, but my life doesn't matter. Not if it saves the Earth," Harriet said, serious.

Jack stood to attention and saluted, "Ma'am."

"Thank you, Captain. But there are people out there, dying. On the streets. Now, enough of words. Let's begin," she started typing on the key board.

The Torchwood team dashed from terminal to terminal, aiding Harriet.

"Rift power activated," Jack called.

"All terminals co-ordinated," Gwen helped Ianto with a bunch of wires.

Ianto connected them to a column that rose up into the water feature outside the Millenium Center, "National Grid online - giving you everything we've got!" he declared and the machinery whirred with power.

Sarah Jane and Luke were busy up with the controls of Mr. Smith.

"Connecting you to Mr Smith!" Sarah Jane called.

"All telephone networks combined!" Luke added.

The screen now displayed a map of the UK with red spots indicating the networks.

Martha picked up her phone, "Sending you the number... now!" she pressed enter and the number dialed.

"Opening subwave network to maximum," Harriet said.

Sarah Jane and Luke stepped back, ready to let Mr. Smith take over.

"Mr Smith... make that call," Sarah Jane saud.

The number was displayed on the screen, "Calling... the Doctor."

~ 0 ~

Rose had her own cellphone and was also aiding, "So am I."

~ 0 ~

"And... sending!" Jack pushed a lever and stood back as a ring of electric blue light traveled slowly up the column...up and out...

~ 0 ~

Inside the TARDIS, Martha's cellphone began ringing out of nowhere.

Minerva lifted her head and looked up at the Doctor, "That's a phone..." she shuffled out of his arms, "PHONE!" she cried and hurried over.

"Oh my god, a phone?" Zohar looked at Donna, wasn't the entire box a phone?

"Martha, Martha, Martha! Is that you!? That's you right!?" Minerva had already answered the phone, the Doctor right beside her.

"It's a signal," the Doctor took the phone from her.

"Can we follow it?" Donna asked.

"Oh, just watch me," he pulled out a stethoscope and handed the phone back to Minerva to hold while he pressed the end of the stethoscope to it

~ 0 ~

Equipment in Torchwood exploded, let sparks fly and was in chaos...

Jack stood at the computer, shouting above the noise, "I think we've got a fix!"

"Mr Smith now at two-hundred percent!" Sarah Jane exclaimed, "Oh, come on, Doctor! Minerva!"

~ 0 ~

Rose, Sylvia, and Wilf stood together in the living room, each dialing the number on their phones. Rose held hers high above her head, whispering, "Find me, Doctor," she closed her eyes, "Find me."

~ 0 ~

"Got it! Locking on!" the Doctor called, pulling the lever of the console. It sent a shuddering nose that made everyone fall all over the place again, sparks flying from the console.

~ 0 ~

Jack motioned Ianto to take his place at the terminal, "Harriet, a source has locked onto your location. They've found you."

"I know, I'm using the network to mask your transmission. Keep going!" Harriet continued her work, even through the big blast a Dalek made on the side of her house. She didn't care, she had to finish her job.

~ 0 ~

The whole console had gone into flames as the TARDIS shook violently to get to wherever it was they needed to.

"It's hot, it's very, very hot!" Minerva whimpered, having trouble breathing. She really did not have time for these things right now.

"We're travelling through time! One second in the future! The phone call's pulling us through!" the Doctor exclaimed, unable to hear her as he stood on another side of the console.

Zohar forcefully crawled closer to Minerva, putting an arm around her shoulders, "Breathe," she instructed, her hand raising a little.

Minerva felt the cold wind hit her face, feeling it like a blessing. She closed her eyes and simply let it take over her for the moment.

~ 0 ~

Harriet pressed one last button then looked at the screen, "Captain, I'm transferring the subwave network to Torchwood. You're in charge, now. And tell the Doctor from me: he chose his companions well," Jack nodded with a sad smile, "It's been an honor."

Three Daleks smashed through her window and so she stood to meet them face to face. She strode forward and flashed her ID card at them one last time, "Harriet Jones, former Prime Minister."

"Yes, we know who you are," a Dalek said.

"Oh, you know nothing of any human. And that will be your downfall."

"Exterminate!"

~ 0 ~

"THREE! TWO! ONE!" the Doctor shouted at the top of his lungs.

The TARDIS hurdled towards the now visible Earth through the transmission, the rest of the planets becoming visible one by one. Inside the box, the fire had died down and it was completely still.

"Did we find them?" Minerva asked, Zohar helping her to her feet. She felt a lot better now thanks to Zohar, she just hoped nothing like that would happen again.

"The twenty-seven planets!" the Doctor hurried over to her and took her to the monitor.

"But why couldn't we see them?"

"The entire Medusa Cascade has been put a second out of sync with the rest of the universe. Perfect hiding place, tiny little pocket of time. But we found them!" a whirring sound began up, the monitor screen blurred out slightly, "Oh, oh... what's that? Hold on, hold on..." he turned a knob and peered into the monitor, "Some sort of... subwave network."

The image cleared up and everyone saw the grid of webcams appear on the screen, only now the TARDIS group replaced Harriet Jones' square.

~ 0 ~

Jack laughed at the sight of them, and then grew angry, "Where the hell have you been?!" he exclaimed then returned to his normal voice "Doctor, it's the Daleks!"

"Ooh, he's a bit nice. I thought he'd be older," Gwen remarked of the Doctor.

"He's not that young," Ianto added.

"It's the Daleks! They're taking people to their spaceship!" Sarah Jane exclaimed, hers and Martha's voice jabbered over one another.

"They sound like you," Minerva whispered to the Doctor, amused.

"But it's not just Dalek Caan!" Martha had said almost at the same time.

~ 0 ~

"That's Donna!" Sylvia spotted the ginger woman that was her daughter.

"That's my girl!" Wilf proudly said.

Rose had said nothing, she was just overly impacted to see the Doctor again. She was so close to seeing him again, so close!

~ 0 ~

"Sarah Jane! Who's that boy? That must be Torchwood. Aren't they brilliant?" the Doctor looked at Minerva who just nodded, "Look at you all, you clever people!"

"Oh Martha, there you are, how's the job going?" Minerva had to ask, she really hadn't heard much from Martha for a while now.

"Wait, who's..." Donna had a mischievous face as she pointed to Jack on the screen, "...he?"

Zohar peered over and nodded in agreement, "Oh, yes, please tell."

"Jack don't you dare," Minerva immediately pointed, "That's my ginger sister and friend."

~ 0 ~

"Doctor, it's me. I came back," Rose whispered from her side, knowing of course she wouldn't be heard.

~ 0 ~

"It's like... an outer-space Facebook!" Donna exclaimed.

"What's a Facebook?" Zohar curiously asked.

"Everyone except Rose," the Doctor mumbled.

Minerva looked to the side, having heard that little mumble. She couldn't be upset by his wish to see her again. To him, Rose was still untainted and a good friend...she just hoped Rose wouldn't ruin it or she herself do something.

The TARDIS monitor turned to white noise again, making the four squares disappear.

"Oh, what happened?" Zohar asked.

The Doctor turned a knob, "No, no, no, no, no! There's another signal coming through, there's someone else out there," he bashed the top of the monitor, " Hello? Can you hear me? Hm, could be Rose?" he watched the monitor for a moment.

"Your voice is different, and yet, its arrogance is unchanged," Davros voice emerged instead.

Minerva noticed how the Doctor immediately froze, like terror.

Davros allowed himself to be seen through the screens, "Welcome... to my new Empire, Doctor."

"Oh..." Donna stepped back in revulsion.

Minerva was also a bit uneasy, but the Doctor was still frozen with fear, while Zohar looked at the screen with a hard, glaring look.

"It is only fitting that you should bear witness to the resurrection and the triumph of Davros, Lord and Creator of the Dalek Race."

"Doctor?" Minerva looked at her Martian.

"Have you nothing to say?" Davros asked, a hint of pride in the tone used.

"Doctor, it's all right. We're... we're in the TARDIS. We're safe," Donna tried reminding him.

"But you were destroyed..." the Doctor shook a bit as he looked at the screen, "In the very first year of the Time War, at the Gates of Elysiem. I saw your command ship flying into the jaws of the Nightmare Child. I tried to save you..."

"But it took one stronger than you. Dalek Caan himself."

Dalek Caan's voice emerged from the background, in an insane singsong from his place on a plinth, looking deformed and mutated, "I flew into the wild and fire. I danced and died a thousand times!"

"Emergency temporal shift took him back into the Time War itself," Davros explained.

"But that's impossible, the entire War is time-locked," the Doctor frowned.

"And yet, he succeeded. Oh, it cost him his mind, but imagine - a single, simple Dalek succeeded where Emperors and Time Lords have failed. A testament, don't you think, to my remarkable creations?"

"And you made a new race of Daleks."

Minerva felt a queer feeling in her stomach, unable to tell what it meant. She felt nervous, but she felt afraid, but she also felt...angry? Shouldn't she be more terrified than anything?

"I gave myself to them. Quite literally. Each one grown from a cell of my own body," Davros pulled his leather suit open to reveal his rotten, emaciate form, his ribs and heart visible, "New Daleks. True Daleks. I have my children, Doctor. What do you have, now?"

"After all this time... everything we saw, everything we lost... I have only one thing to say to you. BYE!" the Doctor pulled a lever down and cut the creature off. And it wasn't just him taking off, his companions on Earth were about to do the same thing.

~ 0 ~

The TARDIS materialized outside a church. The road was completely solitary save all its chaotic objects sprawled around. There were cars crashed left everywhere, alone. The streets had sprawled trash and an uncanny silence except the bark of a lone dog.

"No one's answering home," Minerva trembled as she stepped out of the TARDIS after the Doctor and Donna, "No one..."

"Maybe they're hiding," Zohar offered to ease Minerva's nerves.

But Minerva nearly scoffed, there was no point in acting like nothing would happen, "Yeah...hiding. Look at this place!"

"It's like a ghost town," Donna breathed at the sight of the street.

"Sarah Jane said that they were taking the people. But what for?" the Doctor turned to Donna, urgently, "Think, Donna. When you met Rose in that parallel world, what did she say?"

"Just... the darkness is coming," the ginger lightly shrugged.

"Anything else?"

Donna thought for a minute more when something behind him caught her eye, making her bite her lip in an uneasy way, "You can ask her yourself, you know..."

The Doctor looked at her confused then followed her gaze behind him...to see Rose at the far end of the street. The blonde was smiling brightly as ever, utterly joyous. Minerva peered around the Doctor, curious herself and breathed shakily at the sight.

"M-Minerva look," the Doctor reached back for her arm, "It's Rose, it's Rose..." he trembled with joy and disbelief.

"Yup, it's her..." Minerva looked up at him and sighed, "...you should go see her first," she whispered, forgetting all her fear and nervousness when she saw how happy he was, "Go on, I'll go second..."

As if on cue, Rose broke into a run towards them, and a couple seconds later went the Doctor.

"Why did you do that?" Zohar frowned, misunderstanding why her princess would purposefully put herself in pain?

"Look at him," Minerva gestured ahead, her gaze stuck on the running Martian, "He's so happy..."

But her happiness didn't last very long when she saw something coming out of the shadows...

"Exterminate!" a Dalek glided out.

Rose gasped in horror while the Doctor barely had time to turn around when he was shot by the Dalek. It skimmed his chest and made him fall flat on the ground.

"NO!" Minerva screamed and dashed for her fallen Martian.

Jack appeared in a flash of blue light and with an impressively quick surmise of the situation used his gun on the Dalek and blew it's top of.

Rose dumped her gun aside and fell to her knees beside the Doctor, cradling his head in her hands, "I've got you. It missed you. Look!" she smiled shakily, "It's me, Doctor."

The Doctor, barely conscious, was able to smile at her, "Rose."

"Hi," she whispered.

"Long time no see," he weakly remarked.

"Yeah. Been busy, you know," she joked but the Doctor started convulsing, "Don't die. Oh, my God, don't die. Oh, my God, don't die!"

"Martian, no!" Minerva had dropped beside him, barely able to retain her trembles.

"Get him into the TARDIS, quick. Move!" Jack called as he, Donna, and Zohar reached them.

Zohar pulled Minerva to her feet while Jack and Donna helped the Doctor. Jack picked up Rose's gun and looked around for anything else that might pop up.

Rose and Donna laid the Doctor on the TARDIS grill where he twice and moaned in pain. Minerva wrestled out of Zohar's arms and rushed up to him. But it was Rose who held him with tears in her eyes.

"What- what do we do? There must be some medicine or something!" she looked around for anything.

"Just step back," Jack called as he threw the guns on the chairs beside the console, "Rose, Minerva, do as I say, and get back!" but neither women moved, "He's dying, and you know what happens next.

"What do you mean?" Donna stood, confused.

"He's going to regenerate," Minerva swallowed, staring at her Martian.

"But you can't... not now, I came all this way," Rose whispered to him.

The Doctor held his hand, all staring including him as it glowed with the orange light. "It's starting," he said as his whole body started glowing.

"No," Minerva practically pulled Rose off him and clung onto him like her life depended on it.

"C'mon, Minerva," Zohar tried pulling the brunette away from the Doctor. It seemed her human strength had been exchanged with that of a Moontsay, making it even harder to get her up.

Jack, however, pulled Rose away with ease over to a safe distance along with Donna, "Here we go! Good luck, Doctor!" he called.

"Minerva — Kaeya, LISTEN!" Zohar nearly broke into shouts, startling Minerva with the use of her birth name, "You may not remember how this goes but we can't be near when a regeneration happens. C'MON!"

Minerva looked between Zohar and the Doctor with tears in her eyes. "I'll be waiting for you," she whispered to the Doctor before she allowed Zohar to pull her back with the rest.

"Will someone please tell me what is going on?" Donna asked.

"We talked about this, Donna, remember?" Minerva tried speaking calmly but her voice was still shaking, "Regeneration? The changing of the face? This is why it happens, because he's dying and his body is trying to repair itself."

"He's gonna change right now?" Donna blinked.

"But you can't," Rose called, in tears.

"I'm sorry. It's too late. I'm regenerating!" the Doctor stood up with just enough time to give them all a quick glance. His arms flung wide open and the orange energy erupted from his skin, emerging through his neck and sleeves.

Zohar raised her hand and made a soft, blue wall appear in front of the group and herself for protection. Rose squinted through the blaze and wall to see what would emerge next.

The Doctor suddenly directed his energy towards his hand in the jar. The jar bubbled and glowed as the energy flowed inside of it. The Doctor stopped regenerating and stumbled back, breathless...and still the same man.

Everyone just gaped.

"Now, then. Where were we?" he darted to the console, unaware of the stunned looks he received.

"Oh, you have got to be kidding me." It was Zohar who had broken the silence in the room, utterly frazzled with the Doctor. "This guy!?" She looked at Minerva, gesturing at the Time Lord. "He's the one!?"

All Minerva could do in that situation was shrug helplessly. She had no idea how the Doctor managed to do what he did and look completely normal about it too.

The Doctor had gotten on his hands and knees before his jar with his hand inside, still bubbling and glowing away. "There, now," he blew on it gently, the jar calming down and stopping it's glow and bubbling. He smiled delightedly and sat up, "You see? Used the regeneration energy to heal myself, but as soon as that was done, I didn't need to change. I didn't want to, why would I?" he tweaked his tie, "Look at me! So, to stop the energy going all the way, I siphoned off the rest into a handy bio-matching receptacle - namely, my hand. My hand, there. My handy spare hand," he stood up completely and looked at Minerva and Rose, "Remember? Christmas Day? Sycorax? Lost my hand in a sword fight? That's my hand!" Rose looked from the Doctor to his hand, back and forth with uncertainty, "What do you think?" the Doctor focused on Minerva for that part.

While they'd of course discussed regeneration, it didn't stop him from being nervous of how his Clever Girl would react the day he turned into a new man. He supposed now he could understand what she had been feeling this whole time with the process. And while he had always assured he'd love every last new detail of her, he couldn't help wonder if she would love all his new details when the time came to change again. Even know, still the same man, he was nervous of what she might do or say...

"I don't — I have no idea what all that was but..." Minerva broke into a laugh, "You're alive!" And she rushed up to him, crying.

He picked her up in a tight hug and was greeted by an urgent kiss. To him, it meant the world to know she wasn't rejecting him...but to Rose...well...

"Hold on..." the blonde breathed, her eyes wide.

The pair pulled away, both wearing small smiles. As usual, the Doctor finished it up with an Eskimo kiss that made Minerva giggle.

"You're alive, you're here," Minerva whispered, her eyes teary, her hands on either side of his face. "You're really crazy, you know that?"

Behind them, Zohar snorted. "That's an understatement." Beside her, Jack nodded in agreement.

"Of course, I couldn't go anywhere, I have a Clever Girl to attend to," the Doctor smiled and set Minerva on her feet. He looked up and saw the soft smiles on Donna and Zohar, the formal nod of Captain Jack...and then the utter confused face of Rose.

"Rose," he grinned, absolute joyful that he could really see her again in the flesh.

Minerva quietly gasped when she recalled that small detail. She turned around, feeling so truly awful of what she had just done. That...that was not the way Rose needed to find out. She deserved to be sat down and explained...not give her the spectacle she'd just seen.

But the Doctor really was quite oblivious that he just went ahead and took Rose for a hug, entirely missing the contorted face of pain Rose wore, "It's really, really, really, good to see you again!" he exclaimed, gripping her tight, "What am I saying good? It's fantastic!" he laughed.

Rose, despite her confusion, gripped back and buried her head in his shoulder, eyes screwed shut. This was what she had returned for, for what she had worked so much to achieve. She was back with the Doctor, back in her real universe...

"Rose, I..." Minerva didn't even know how to form words anymore. Rose's eyes snapped open and immediately took the form of a glare that made Minerva shut down and step back.

"You know, you can hug me, if you want," Donna had turned to Jack who just laughed. Donna was more than serious though, "No, really, you can hug me."

Zohar quickly walked over to Minerva's side and gave her a side hug while the brunette just looked down in an attempt to avoid Rose's glare. However, she missed the dark glare of daggers Zohar shot Rose that made the blonde a bit uneasy. Zohar didn't know how Minerva's life had been for the past 19 years and with that blonde but she was no longer alone.

~ 0 ~

Four Daleks surrounded the TARDIS outside.

"Report: TARDIS has been located," one of them said.

"Bring it here. Bring the Doctor to me. Initiate temporal prison!" the Supreme Dalek ordered.

Each Dalek stood at each corner of the TARDIS and surrounded it in a thin hoop of spinning blue light.

"Temporal prison initiated."

The blue light swarmed inside the box...

~ 0 ~

The group was gathered around the console when the power cut out.

The Doctor shuffled around the console as he tried several buttons, "They've got us. Power's gone... some kind of chronon loop!" There was a great crash which made the TARDIS tilt dangerously to one side.

Eventually, the TARDIS, meanwhile, glided inexorably towards the Dalek ship.

"There's a massive Dalek ship at the center of the planets," Jack was saying to the group, "They're calling it the Crucible. Guess that's our destination."

"If you said those planets were like an engine..." Minerva looked at the Doctor, "...what exactly would it be used for?"

He quickly remembered and looked at Rose, "Rose! You've been in a parallel world, that world's running ahead of this universe - you've seen the future, what was it?"

Rose flinched as she heard her name being called, her focus having been on Minerva ever since the TARDIS had started moving. She just could not believe that she ever felt sorry for her behavior before being sent off into the parallel world. She truly had come with the intention of apologizing to Minerva for blaming her for something that wasn't her fault plus her attitude when she believed Minerva may have had some feelings for the Doctor (which, after Mickey had told her Minerva's actual intentions, had made her laugh at herself for being so stupid). And now, she'd witnessed the brunette go ahead and jump on the Doctor and kiss him! It really put some things in perspective for Rose. She had been right, she had always been right! Poor Mickey had been fooled by that clever woman, same thing for her mum. Minerva played to be the innocent, poor abandoned woman and when in reality she was a deceiving, manipulative woman! How could she have been so...stupid, to believe Mickey? She'd spent all that time in the parallel world thinking of the perfect apology for Minerva, coming up with ways that she could make up for such awful treatment...while in the meantime Minerva had wiggled her way into the Doctor's life.

"Rose?" the Doctor called again.

"Huh?" the blonde shook her head quickly, remembering she'd been called, "Oh, um, it's the darkness."

"The stars were going out," Donna remarked.

"One by one. We looked up at the sky and they were just dying," Rose said then looked at the Doctor, a small smile spreading on her face, "Basically, we've been building this um... this travel machine, this... uh... Dimension Cannon, so I could... well, so I could..."

"What?" the Doctor raised his eyebrows.

"So I could come back!" she explained, blushing as the Doctor smiled, "Anyway, suddenly, it started to work. And the dimensions started to collapse. Not just in our world - not just in yours - but the whole of reality, even the Void was dead. Something is... destroying everything."

"In that parallel world..." Donna spoke again, making Rose turned to her, "...you said something about me. You and Kaeya..."

"The Dimension Cannon could measure timelines, and it's... it's weird, Donna, but they all seem to converge on you."

"But why me? I mean... what have I ever done? I'm a temp from Chiswick!" Donna exclaimed, bemused at such an idea.

The computer bleeped which made the Doctor hurry over and see, "The Dalek Crucible. All aboard..."

~ 0 ~

Inside the Crucible, several Daleks moved forwards where the TARDIS had arrived.

"The TARDIS is secured!" one of them announced.

"Doctor! You will step forth or die!" the supreme Dalek called.

~ 0 ~

The Doctor was watching the door cautiously, "We'll have to go out. 'Cos if we don't, they'll get in..."

Minerva put a hand over her stomach, having that uneasy feeling forming in the pit of it, "But...you said nothing can get through those doors..."

"You've got extrapolator shielding," Jack reminded.

The Doctor turned to them all, "Last time we fought the Daleks, they were scavengers and hybrids and mad. But this is a fully fledged Dalek Empire... at the height of its power. Experts at fighting TARDISes, they can do anything. Right now, that wooden door... is just wood."

Donna stood apart from the group, staring ahead again. She couldn't quite listen to them as everything started fading again, all she was hearing instead a heart beating...louder and louder...

"What about your Dimension Jump?" Jack turned to Rose.

"It needs another twenty minutes, and anyway, I'm not leaving," she said firmly, looking at Minerva for that last part, not that the brunette had noticed.

Minerva was too focused on her own feelings. She felt like she could tremble, and it wasn't from fear. That's what made her confused. She knew there were millions of Daleks waiting outside, waiting to kill her...and she wasn't afraid. She was...she didn't even know. That was a huge difference from the last time she'd seen Daleks in New York.

"What about your teleport?" the Doctor looked at Jack.

"Went down with the power-loss," Jack answered.

"Right then. All of us together... yeah," the Doctor looked at Minerva and Donna, both out of tune with the conversation, "Oi, Minerva? Donna?" Minerva snapped out of her trance for a bit, just enough to give a nod that she'd listen, even if she hadn't, "Are you alright?" he moved over to her.

"Mhm," she nodded and looked back to Donna, noticing how bad the ginger was unlike her, "But I don't think Donna is."

The Doctor nodded and headed to Donna. Donna was still staring straight ahead with her eyes moist, mouth open, and her head full of that heartbeat, "Donna?" the Doctor set his hands on her shoulder, succeeding and snapping her out of the trance as well.

"Yeah," she whispered, even if she had no idea what he was saying.

"I'm sorry, there's nothing else we can do."

"No, I know," she nodded.

The Doctor returned, stopping by Minerva's side and giving her a kiss on the head.

"Daleks," Rose nervously laughed as she looked at around, "Hah..."

"Oh, God!" Jack joined in on the laugh, both watching the Doctor.

The Doctor looked at everyone and gave a slight nod, "It's been good, though, hasn't it? All of us... all of it... everything we did..." he looked at Donna, "You were brilliant," the ginger smiled and he moved on to Jack, "And you were brilliant," he then looked to Rose, "And you were brilliant," the blonde sadly smiled and he looked down at Minerva, "You were absolutely brilliantly clever."

Minerva gave a small smile, "Only because of you, Martian," she sighed.

He took her hand and tried to lead her to the door but she stepped back. He just half-smiled, understanding she was probably overly terrified and wanted to be in the back. He could understand. He turned to the door and opened them up, stepping out with Rose and Jack.

"Daleks reign supreme! All hail the Daleks!" the supreme Dalek chanted.

~ 0 ~

Inside, Donna slowly walked for the doors, thinking of going out with Minerva and Zohar but she paused when she heard that heartbeat again.

"You feel something awful in your stomach, don't you?" Zohar made to go out the door but suddenly turned to Minerva, Minerva surprised she'd figured it out, "I know, I have that too," she said sadly, her hands over her stomach.

"Why is that? It's like...I know I'm supposed to be terrified, but..."

"You're sad?"

Minerva titled her head in confusion, how could she know that?

~ 0 ~

The Doctor, Rose, and Jack looked around at the enormous ship, filled with chanting Daleks, "Daleks reign supreme! All hail the Daleks! Daleks reign supreme! All hail the Daleks!"

"Behold, Doctor. Behold the might of the true Dalek Race," the supreme Dalek said.

~ 0 ~

Donna turned back to the console, her brow furrowed. She looked up and saw the blue light making circles above the console.

"How do you know that?" Minerva asked Zohar, "I've never felt that before. Last time, I was really terrified..."

"Because you were just a human," Zohar stepped forwards, looking her dead in the eye, "The Daleks killed my parents...and they killed yours too."

Minerva's eyes widened, "Wh-what?"

"What you feel right now, is because your subconscious remembers that those monsters murdered our parents. You're not afraid, you're angry."

Minerva remained in place, taking her words in, blinking rapidly as she tried truly hard to remember that.

"I'm sorry," Zohar turned and headed for the doors.

~ 0 ~

"Minerva? Zohar? Donna? It's no safer in there..." the Doctor called, a bit tensed that Minerva still hadn't stepped out.

Zohar stepped out, face full of dagger glares as she stared at the Daleks, "I'm not afraid," she declared and joined the group.

~ 0 ~

Donna shook herself a bit and turned back for the door, "Let's go Minerva."

But Minerva remained still, a single tear strolling down her cheek.

When Donna linked arms with her, the doors of the TARDIS shut...

~ 0 ~

The Doctor spun around at the sound of the doors slamming and hurried back.

~ 0 ~

Donna was already banging on the doors, "Doctor!?" she rattled the handle, "What've you done!?"

~ 0 ~

"It wasn't me, I didn't do anything!" he called from the other side, also struggling with the door.

"Oi! Oi, We're not staying behind!" Donna shouted, looking back at Minerva, "And...and something's wrong with Minerva! What's going on!?"

~ 0 ~

The Doctor angrily glanced back at the supreme Dalek with one hand on the door and handled, "What did you do? Let them out!"

Zohar quickly ran back to the TARDIS, trying to jiggle it open as well, "Minerva?" she called.

"This is not of Dalek origin," the supreme Dalek answered back.

"Doctor!" Donna shouted from the other side, banging on the door.

"Stop it! My girlfriend and friend are in there! Now, open the door and let them out!" the Doctor furiously ordered.

"This is Time Lord treachery!" the supreme Dalek came out with instead.

"Me!?" the Doctor frowned, "Me?! The door just closed on its own!"

"Nevertheless: the TARDIS is a weapon and it will be destroyed."

And promptly, the TARDIS fell through a trapdoor that opened underneath it.

~ 0 ~

Inside the box, Donna and Minerva stumbled about as they plummeted through a long tunnel. But even then Minerva wouldn't utter one yell. It seemed to Donna like the woman was in...shock?

~ 0 ~

The Doctor and Zohar stared down the trapdoor in horror, "What're you doing?! Bring it back!" the Doctor shouted at the Daleks.

~ 0 ~

Donna hung onto the railings for support, "Doctor!" she yelled, Minerva fell forwards.

~ 0 ~

"What've you done!? Where's it going!?" the Doctor entered a state of panic and urgency. His Clever Girl and her ginger sister were down there!

"The Crucible has a heart of Z-Neutrino Energy. The TARDIS will be deposited into the core," the supreme Dalek said.

"But you can't," Zohar's voice broke, dropping to her knees as she stared down the dark pit the trap door had, "...there's no defenses anymore..."

The Doctor was now in horror, "It'll be torn apart!"

~ 0 ~

The TARDIS landed into the core that was more like a burning ball of fire...

Inside, the lights of the console smashed while small fires were springing up around the grilling, making both women scream.

"Hot..." Minerva breathed, more like gasped as she felt her air begin to thin around her.

~ 0 ~

"But Donna and Minerva are still in there!" Rose moved towards the supreme Dalek.

All feelings set aside, Minerva...didn't deserve to die. After all, Minerva had once risked her life for her in Torchwood. Rose was angry not evil.

"Let them go!" Jack angrily yelled.

~ 0 ~

Minerva yelped and landed against the side of the console chairs while Donna crouched down by the console, also giving small screams and shielding herself from the small explosions. She looked up and saw the blue light was still with them, "Help us, friend," she tried calling, only coughing in the end.

But the light continued to make circles up above.

~ 0 ~

"The females and the TARDIS will perish together! Observe," the supreme Dalek declared.

A holographic screen appeared above the group that showed the TARDIS simply bobbing in the energy. The Doctor moved forwards, his face full of dread. He had once again failed, he simply could not keep his Clever Girl safe at all could he?

"The last child of Gallifrey is powerless," the supreme Dalek said.

~ 0 ~

Minerva coughed violently as smoke took over the air, "It's too hot..." she tried breathing but it was of no use anymore, there was nothing left to breathe that wasn't hot.

A little ahead of her, Donna choked on the smoke as well even while she tried her best to cover her mouth and nose.

~ 0 ~

"Please. I'm begging you, I'll do anything!" the Doctor implored to the supreme Dalek, "Put me in their places! You can do anything to me, I don't care, just get them out of there!" he shook in fury in frustration and fear.

He couldn't watch Minerva once again die in the pits of fire, and now she'd die with Donna too?

~ 0 ~

Donna was beside the Doctor's hand in the jar, still coughing and panting from the awful air. She couldn't look back anymore to see what happened to Minerva, but she knew that the air was turning extremely, viably, hot that she just...wouldn't be able to resist for much longer. Suddenly, Donna stopped at the sound of that pesky heartbeat again. An ethereal glow from the Doctor's hand reflected onto her face.

Minerva could see Donna begin to reach for the jar, "No, Donna..." she breathed lightly, using all her remaining force to push herself away from the chair and towards her ginger sister, "Meta-crisis..." she whispered, reaching for Donna, "...no..." she put a hand on Donna's arm just as the ginger had touched the jar.

The orange regeneration energy engulfed the women but blasted Minerva to the wall. There was a cracking sound from her necklace as she landed on her knees. She fell to the floor on her side, her necklace breaking open at the second blow from the ground.

~ 0 ~

The Doctor watched the screen through gritted teeth, seeing no possible way Minerva or Donna could survive this. Minerva had managed to escape death twice and this...this was just impossible. He'd lost her forever and it was his fault again.

"You are connected to the TARDIS. Now, feel it die," the supreme Dalek said.

Zohar moved up, her eyes watery as she stared at the screen.

~ 0 ~

Donna found herself almost immune to the destruction of the TARDIS and so hurriedly crawled over to Minerva who laid on the floor with her eyes closed. Donna lifted Minerva's hand and felt no pulse, making her eyes widen. But then she saw small waves of a darker blue color and silver light coming up from Minerva's broken necklace.

"What the..." Donna followed the light up, and saw the regular blue light rushing down.

The two lights swirled together morphing into one...and then rushed inside Minerva's body.

"No!" Donna shouted, knowing what that could mean to her clever sister, "You get out of there!" she gripped Minerva's hand as she waved her other hand over Minerva as if fanning the light out. It was too early for any of that to be happening! Who knows what it could do to Minerva!

Instead, Donna saw how the blue light started making its way over to her hand...her arm, "Wh-what are you doing?" she trembled as she felt a prickly cold ice start at her hand.

Behind her, unaware, the Doctor's hand was completely engulfed with the orange energy. Its fingers twitched for a second or two before the energy spread outwards from the hand and into the shape of a man.

"St-stop..." Donna's voice broke as the light engulfed her entirely.

When the orange energy's shape was fully formed it sat up abruptly. The energy shook off from it and revealed a second Doctor with wide eyes and completely naked. At the same time, Donna dropped on her side on the floor, opposite of Minerva.

"Oh...no," the new Doctor blinked at the sight.

[yesterdaysnewts]

listen to me go on about my head canons for Owens family

I feel Owen wouldve come from a decent home. Not perfect but what youd expect from a middle class family during ww2 London.

His father was easily one of the more understanding people in his life, he knew Owen was struggling with having moved from bumfuck nowhere Wales to London, whenever he was home he'd take Owen out of 'adventures' as he'd call them, they'd explore the city together, finding new places to eat and have fun, but he was never fucking home. He worked long hours so despite living in the same house they only really saw eachother near the holidays and that wasn't always guaranteed. As Owen got older he started holding this resentment towards his dad, it was his job that got them moved away from Wales, it was his job that made him constantly indisposable. By the time he died Owen didn't know how he should've felt over the man.

His mother on the other hand was very dismissive, something that definitely rubbed off on one of his sisters. The move made her sad, all the time, she carried this air of emptiness along with her. Owen could see it in her eyes how she didn't love him, how she didn't love his sisters and how she no longer loved his dad, Owen could see how she always got out of actually caring for him and her grandkids. One night, early on in the war, he overheard an argument between his parents when he should've been in bed. He overheard his mum calling his dad a selfish bastard and that she wished he was dead and that she'd never had met him that now she wished she had starved to death on the streets of Cardiff, having not been taken in by the kind man with a warm smile. Looking back, theres a part of him that glad she died not long after.

Owen was the youngest of three, by a lot. His sisters were 9 & 14 years older than him and a couple weeks after his third birthday he already had a niece. Infact both of them had all the kids they wanted by the time he was 16. His oldest sister, Afanan, was sweet. She had a love for the world he'd seen in no other person, her husband wasn't half bad either. After their parents had died, she'd taken custody of him, constantly worrying over him yet letting him have independance. She was one of the few people that knew he was gay, she'd caught him sneeking into the public shelter one night after having been to a gay club, that night Owen had broken down in the corner, insisting he was dirty. She'd taken him into her arms, rocking him back and forth telling him that she loved him but by God did he have to be careful.

His other sister on the other hand was horrible. Bronwyn blamed Afanan for the fact she had her first kid at 18 despite the fact that Af applied no pressure on her to have kids. Bronwyn blamed everyone but herself for the fact that by 26 she had 4 kids she did not want. From the beginning she tried to pie them off on other people and because of it Owen and his friend Talia and his eldest niece Nancy were often left taking small children on the tube and around London. Owen tried to give her kids everything his dad had tried to give him, he'd taken them out for food that he'd steal, he'd show them around London, show them what happened in the mornings after bombings and during the nights where the German's lit up the sky he'd hold them close in the public shelter which was essentially his home at this point because Bronwyn hadn't answered the door even though Owen could see her through the window.

Owen took on a brotherly role to all his nieces and nephews. He taught them how to survive the streets of London, he taught them how to steal, he taught them how to trick the police long enough to get away. He also taught them how to play football, and rugby and how to get cracking aim when throwing stones at beer bottles. He taught them that it was okay to love who they wanted even though he felt broken inside because of it.

The only friend he had who wasn't in his family was Talia. She lived next door to him when his family had first moved to London and was 4 years older than him. Their friendship didn't start out mutual, it was more so Talia dragging him around and using him to distract shop keepers while she stole sweets and chocolate. At first she didn't share them with him but somehow the weird neighbour who could barely speak english wormed his way into her heart and by the time Owen was 9 he was helping her steal alcohol and cigs. Owen was there when her dad died, watched her dig through the rubble of her house, screaming and crying as the police pulled out his body. Owen was there when she accidentally pushed a man onto the tracks at a tube station, Owen was there when she very purposely pushed a man onto the tracks at a different tube station. Owen watched as she joined MI6, he listened to her as she described the world and who she worked with and the pair had gotten so drunk on the night when Talia hadn't gotten Owen into MI6 a whole year before he was legally old enough to actually work for them that the next morning the pair woke up on a beach about an hour away by train.

[celestial-thoughts]

movie night // coupon book chronicles part 4

coupon book chronicles part 4 (Bayley x Dakota x Shayna)

Summary: date night featuring some comfort and reassurance, a fun little game, and a coupon that opens the door for all kinds of possibilities.

Word count: 5.6k (I got a little carried away writing this but it’s fine because I’m excited about it)

General series warning: NSFW content, minors proceed with caution. Content warning(s) specific to this chapter: sexual content, teasing, fluff, tickling, non-verbal safeword use.

"How do you feel about staying in tonight?" Shayna asks as she and Bayley enter the office. It's Wednesday, the one day when all three of them are always home, and usually Wednesday night is their date night. They normally go out for date night, but occasionally they stay home.

Dakota looks up from her spot on the window seat where she's curled up under a blanket, reading a book. "Sure," she says, smiling at her girls as they sit down on either side of her. "Did you have anything in particular in mind?" she asks.

Bayley shrugs, not answering Dakota's question. Instead, she leans over to look at the book in her hands. "What are you reading baby?" she asks. Dakota's eyes light up. There's nothing that makes her happier than talking about her books.

She launches into an explanation of the story, and Bayley smiles fondly at her. Dakota sees the way that Bayley is looking at her and pauses. "Why are you looking at me like that?" she asks.

"You're so cute when you get excited," Bayley says, giving Dakota a quick kiss.

Dakota’s cheeks flush pink as she looks down at the book in her hands. And it’s at that exact moment that Shayna brushes something soft and fluffy down her neck. “Shayna!” Dakota shrieks, flinching away from her. She turns to see Shayna holding a feather duster in her hands, a smirk on her face.

“Yes Dakota?” Shayna asks, feigning innocence.

“What was that for?” Dakota asks, glancing nervously between her girlfriends.

Shayna and Bayley exchange a smile. “You wanted to know if we had anything particular in mind for tonight, didn’t you?” she asks.

“That wasn’t exactly what I was expecting,” Dakota stammers, watching as Shayna twirls the duster in her hands.

Shayna starts to move towards her, and Dakota instinctively jumps up and tries to make a break for it. “Oh no you don’t,” Bayley says, wrapping her arms around Dakota’s waist and pulling her back to the window seat, where she holds the smaller girl in place. She tilts Dakota’s chin up to look at her. “What’s your safeword?” she asks.

“Cardiff,” Dakota replies.

“Good girl,” Bayley says, giving her a kiss on the tip of her nose. “Now, here’s what is going to happen. I’m going to let go of you, and leave you with Shayna while I go get some things. While I’m gone, you’re going to be a good girl and not run away from Shayna. If I come back and find out you weren't good for her, you’re going over my knee. Understand?”

Dakota’s heart rate picks up, and she feels her stomach flutter with excitement. She loves being submissive to her girlfriends, and they know what it does to her. “Yes Bayley, I understand,” she says.

Bayley smiles, moving Dakota so she’s next to Shayna. “Good girl,” she praises. She looks at Shayna, the two of them exchanging a smile and a nod.

Bayley leaves the office, and Shayna turns to Dakota. “Can I move you baby?” she asks. Dakota nods, and Shayna gives her a stern look. “Use your words,” she says.

“Yes, you can move me Shayna,” Dakota says.

Shayna gives her a kiss. “Good girl,” she says. She picks Dakota up and sets her down on the end of the window seat, so the smaller girl is next to the wall. Shayna settles on the other side of her, effectively trapping Dakota in place. “Now, where was I?” She smiles mischievously, slowly running the feather duster along Dakota’s neck and under her chin.

Immediately, Dakota bursts into giggles, squirming as Shayna teases her skin with the soft duster. “Shayna!” she manages to squeak out through her laughter.

“What is it love?” Shayna asks, a teasing smirk on her face. “Does this tickle?” She moves the feathers down to tease at her collarbone and upper chest.

Dakota lets out a squeal, cheeks going from pink to red. “Yes!” she shrieks, unable to escape the feathers while she’s trapped in the corner.

"You know, of all the things I thought you would ever hide from us, I didn't guess this," Shayna continues as she flutters the duster over Dakota's skin. "Why didn't you tell us that you had this?" She slows down the feathers just enough for Dakota to be able to answer.

Dakota squirms a little. "I was worried that you guys were going to think it was weird," she admits, her voice shy. Shayna stops tickling Dakota all together as Dakota looks down at her hands. "I didn't want you and Bayley to judge me," she whispers.

"Oh baby," Shayna says, her voice quiet. She sets the duster aside and strokes Dakota's hair. "You thought we would judge you because you like when we do this?" she asks. Dakota nods, leaning into Shayna and burying her head in her girlfriend's chest. Shayna doesn't say anything else, just continues running her fingers through Dakota's hair.

Bayley returns a couple of minutes later with a bag in her hands. But the moment she sees her girls, she sets the bag next to the door and crouches down by the window seat. "Hey, is everything alright?" she asks, her voice full of concern.

Dakota lifts her head up and immediately shrinks back into the corner of the window seat. "It's fine," she says quietly.

"Is it?" Bayley asks, looking at Shayna who shakes her head. Bayley turns her attention back to Dakota. "Love, what's wrong?" she asks.

Dakota doesn’t say anything, so Shayna leans close, her lips next to Dakota’s ear. “Can I tell her baby?” she asks. “It’s okay, you don’t have to say anything. But I think we need to have a conversation about this, okay?” Dakota looks up and nods. Shayna smiles, kissing her forehead.

Continuing to stroke Dakota’s hair, Shayna turns to Bayley. "Dakota thought we would judge her because she likes it when we tickle her," she explains.

Bayley starts to reach towards Dakota, but pauses. "Can I hold your hand baby?" she asks. Dakota nods, and Bayley gently takes her hands. “Kota, we will never, ever judge you for liking something. No matter what it is. Okay?”

Dakota looks up with a shy expression on her face. “Okay,” she says quietly. “I’m sorry, I know you guys have had this conversation with me before.”

“Hey, you have nothing to apologize for,” Shayna reassures her. “We know it will take a little time for you to change your thinking patterns. And we’ll keep telling you as many times as it takes.”

Dakota looks down at the window seat, a shy smile on her face. “So, you guys really don’t think it’s weird?” she asks.

“Not at all,” Bayley says. “Baby, if we thought it was weird do you really think we would keep doing it?” Dakota shakes her head. “Exactly. We absolutely like it, don’t you worry.”

“And if there’s one thing we love more than anything, it’s seeing you happy,” Shayna adds. “So if there’s something that makes you happy, why wouldn’t we like it?” She lifts Dakota’s head up. “Baby, you know we’ll never pass up an opportunity to see your beautiful smile or hear that adorable laugh of yours. There is absolutely nothing about this that we don’t like, okay?”

“Okay,” Dakota whispers, blushing.

“Can I ask you something?” Bayley asks, and Dakota nods. “You don’t have to answer if it’s too hard to talk about. If you’d rather write it in your journal, you can absolutely do that. I’m just curious, why do you like it?”

The pink flush in Dakota's cheeks deepens slightly as her girlfriends wait for her to respond. Both are half expecting Dakota not to answer, but then she takes a deep breath and opens her mouth.

"I think," Dakota begins, her voice a little hesitant. "I think I like the feeling of letting you guys have control. There's something about knowing that you guys are going to make me smile and laugh, that you're going to completely wreck me, and knowing that I just have to take it." She pauses, trying to find the right words. "And I like the physical contact with you guys. I think it's a way of reminding myself that I trust you enough to let you do this."

Bayley gives Dakota's hand a squeeze. "We know how scary that can be," she says. "And we're so glad that you trust us with this stuff."

Dakota looks up, a tentative smile creeping onto her face. "I think part of it also has something to do with being submissive to you guys. I like the comfort of knowing that I don't have to make decisions, that I can let you take care of me while at the same time being helpless to whatever you guys want to do to me."

Shayna wraps her arms around Dakota, holding the smaller girl close to her chest. "Thank you for telling us. We know it can be hard for you to talk about these things." She gives Dakota a kiss on the cheek. “We’re so proud of you for being honest with us. And you know you can always talk to us, right?”

“I know,” Dakota says, her voice quiet. “Thank you.”

Bayley reaches up and tucks a pink strand of Dakota’s hair behind her ear. “We love you so much Dakota,” she says.

“I love you too,” Dakota replies. She climbs onto Shayna’s lap and pats the spot where she had been sitting. “Come sit with us,” she tells Bayley, who smiles and joins them on the window seat.

Shayna picks up Dakota’s book and holds it out. “Do you want to keep reading Kota?” she asks.

Dakota shakes her head. “I want to know what you guys have planned for tonight,” she says, her eyes shining with excitement.

Shayna and Bayley exchange a look. “Are you sure love? If you’re not up for it, we don’t have to do anything,” Bayley says.

“Please,” Dakota insists. “I want to know.”

“Okay,” Bayley says. “But if you think it sounds like too much for tonight, we can save it for another night.” Bayley stands up and retrieves the bag that she left by the door. Returning to her spot, she reaches into the bag and pulls out her coupon book, already open to the page that she wants. Bayley hands it to Dakota, who reads it and bites her lip, holding back an excited smile.

Dakota looks up to find her girlfriends watching her expectantly. She looks back down at the coupon book and reads the words on the paper out loud. "Movie night: pick a movie for us to watch, during which I must be fully naked and at your mercy. You can decide how you want me (under the blanket, in your lap, bent over your knee, etc.), and you are welcome to play with me during the duration of the movie."

"Do you like that baby?" Shayna asks gently, still holding Dakota on her lap.

Dakota looks up at her and nods. "Yes," she says, her cheeks flushed pink. She looks back down at her hands, unsure if she wants to say what she's thinking.

Bayley gently strokes her cheek. "Hey, what's going on in that brilliant mind of yours?" she asks.

Dakota squirms nervously on Shayna's lap. "Nothing," she says softly, just loud enough for her girls to hear. Bayley gives her a questioning look, clearly not buying Dakota's answer. The smaller girl lets out a sigh. "I had an idea but I'm not sure I can explain it out loud."

"Do you want to go write it in the journal?" Bayley suggests.

Dakota looks up at her. "I already did," she admits. "I came up with it a while ago, I just wrote it down so I wouldn't forget it."

Shayna turns Dakota's head towards her. "Why don't you go grab it for us baby?" she suggests. "And then we'll take a look at your idea."

"Okay," Dakota says. She climbs off Shayna's lap and leaves the office. She ducks into their bedroom and grabs the journal from inside the nightstand drawer. Finding the page she's looking for, she bookmarks it and returns to the office. "Here," she says, handing them the journal. "It's the bookmarked page."

Then she picks up her book and retreats to the opposite end of the window seat while Shayna and Bayley read what she has written.

I want to be at your mercy in the lead up to completely submitting to you. I want you to take advantage of the anticipation as you get me ready to play with. I want to already be a flustered mess when we get started.

My idea is a take on a game of hide-and-seek, where I have to hide and you come and find me. The catch is this: when you find me, I lose an item of clothing. Then we repeat this process until I'm fully naked, and have no choice but to submit to whatever you have planned.

When they finish reading, Bayley and Shayna exchange a knowing smile. They stand up and join Dakota on the other end of the window seat. Dakota looks up from her book, a nervous expression on her face. "What did you think?" she asks.

"It sounds amazing Kota," Bayley says. "And if you want to do it before we watch our movie tonight, we can absolutely make that happen."

"Okay," Dakota says, her eyes bright with excited anticipation. She notices the bag is still sitting on the opposite end of the window seat. "What else do you have in there?" she asks, nodding towards it.

Bayley and Shayna exchange a look. "Should we show her?" Shayna asks. "Or should we keep it a surprise?"

Dakota lets out an impatient whine. "Please?" she asks. "I want to know."

Bayley smirks. "Let's show her now, so she knows just how much we can do with her at our mercy tonight. Plus, it's fun to watch her squirm in anticipation, knowing she has to wait to get what she really wants."

Dakota blushes, but she's not bothering to hide the excited smile forming on her lips. "Please," she says, her voice dripping with need.

"Okay darling, since you asked us so nicely," Shayna says, kissing her lips softly. Bayley stands up and retrieves the bag while Shayna lifts Dakota's chin, looking into her eyes. "What's your safeword?" she asks.

"Cardiff," Dakota says obediently. No matter how many times they've done this, Shayna and Bayley never do anything without asking Dakota for her safeword first. It's part of the routine at this point.

"Good girl," Shayna praises as Bayley rejoins them with the bag in her hands.

Bayley opens the bag and looks inside it, a mischievous smile on her face. "Let's see, what do we have here?" she asks. She reaches in and pulls out two large feathers, one purple and one red. Dakota's eyes widen as Bayley passes the purple one to Shayna. "You like what you see, baby?" Bayley asks.

"Yes," Dakota manages to say, unable to take her eyes away from the plumes of the feathers in the hands of her girlfriends.

Shayna twirls her feather in her hand. "Do you want to know what it feels like?" she asks. Dakota nods eagerly, and Shayna smirks. "Then ask for it nicely," she says.

Dakota swallows hard. "Can you please show me what it feels like?" she asks.

Shayna smiles. "Such a good girl, asking so politely," she coos as she gently brushes Dakota's hair aside. Then, Shayna guides her girlfriend to tilt her head to the side slightly as she lifts Dakota's chin up.

Slowly, Shayna drags the feather down the right side of Dakota's neck. Dakota lets out a small gasp, before biting her lip to keep the rest of her reactions at bay.

"Oh no baby, we want to hear all those adorable sounds you make for us," Bayley teases.

Shayna flicks the feather back and forth over Dakota's collarbone, causing Dakota to let out a squeal much to the delight of her girlfriends. Shayna moves the feather under her chin, causing the squeal to turn into giggles.

Shayna pulls the feather back as Dakota curls into the corner with a smile. "Did you like that baby?" she asks.

"Yes," Dakota says.

Bayley smiles. "Good. Now there's one more thing we have to show you." She reaches into the bag again, and pulls out two more items. Each one is a collection of small, light pink feathers arranged to almost look like a starburst. Bayley holds them up in front of Dakota's face, spinning them between her fingers. "Imagine what these would feel like on those beautiful nipples of yours," she says.

Dakota feels her face getting warm and Shayna grins. "Aww look at that! The feathers match her adorable blush," she teases, running a finger over Dakota's cheek.

"You like the sound of that?" Bayley asks, and Dakota nods eagerly. "We'll keep that in mind," she says, exchanging a smile with Shayna.

Dakota's cheeks go from pink to red in an instant, as a desperate whine escapes her lips. "Please," she whimpers.

"Patience baby," Bayley says, collecting the toys and placing them back in the bag. "I promise you'll get all of this and more. But not right now."

Shayna stands up. "I'm going to start dinner," she says.

"I'll help," Bayley chimes in, placing Dakota's book back in her hands. The two of them each give Dakota a kiss before leaving her alone on the window seat, still flustered and blushing.

After they finish dinner and the kitchen is cleaned up, Shayna and Bayley corner Dakota against the counter where she's putting away the last dishes. "So, you wanted to play a game?" Shayna asks, a teasing lilt to her voice.

Dakota squirms a little from where she's trapped, but nods. "Yes," she manages to say.

Bayley smiles. "Alright then. How long should we give you to hide?" she asks.

Dakota thinks about it for a moment. "45 seconds?" she suggests.

Shayna and Bayley exchange a look, nodding at each other before turning back to Dakota. "Sounds good," Shayna says. "Ready?" Dakota nods eagerly, and Shayna smiles. "Go."

The two of them step aside so Dakota isn't trapped against the counter, closing their eyes as Shayna begins to count. Dakota quickly scrambles out of the kitchen and rushes down the hallway into the guest bathroom. Without turning on the lights, she carefully finds her way into the shower and slips behind the dark blue curtain. She sits down with her back pressed against the wall and waits.

The sound of footsteps fills the air, but they seem to be getting further away. Until a minute later, when they suddenly become much clearer. If Dakota had to guess, she would say they were coming down the hallway. Still, they don't enter the bathroom right away. Instead she hears them looking in the guest bedroom across the hall, the sound muffled but still audible.

Suddenly, the lights in the bathroom are turned on. Dakota freezes, trying not to move or breathe as she braces herself for the inevitable. A moment later, the shower curtain is pulled back and she looks up to see Shayna grinning down at her.

"Found her!" Shayna calls over her shoulder to where Bayley is leaning against the hallway wall. Shayna holds out a hand, helping Dakota stand up. "Nice hiding spot Kota," she says, ruffling the smaller girl's hair. "But we found you, so you know what that means?" The words sound like a question, but it's clearly not intended to be one. "It means these," she says, hooking a finger through the loop of Dakota's black ripped jeans. "Are coming off."

Dakota blushes, but nods. "Am I taking them off?" she asks. "Or are you doing it for me?"

Shayna turns to look at Bayley. "What do you think, Bay?" she asks as Bayley joins them in the bathroom.

Bayley thinks it over for a moment, before a teasing smile finds its way onto her lips. "No, I think you can do it yourself baby," she says. "You'll just have to be patient if you want our hands on you."

Despite how flustered she is, Dakota nods. "Okay," she manages to say. Slowly, she unzips her jeans, sliding them over her hips and down her legs. Pulling the pants off, she places them in Shayna's outstretched hand.

"Good girl," Shayna praises. Dakota blushes as her girlfriends look her up and down. She's regretting wearing a crop top, since there's nothing left to cover her underwear. Shayna smiles at the sight of the pale pink lace underwear that Dakota is wearing. "Alright, ready for the next round?" she asks.

Dakota nods. "Yes," she replies.

"Okay," Bayley says, as she and Shayna step aside, giving Dakota a path to the door. "Go."

As soon as both have closed their eyes, Dakota takes off. She rushes down the stairs to the basement and ducks into the laundry room. Quietly, she manages to slide into the space between the dryer and the wall.

A few minutes pass before she hears the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs. Less than a minute later, the light in the laundry room turns on. Dakota holds her breath, waiting. It takes a good 30 seconds before Bayley pokes her head behind the dryer. "How did you get back here?" she asks, laughing as she helps Dakota out of her hiding spot.

"I'm flexible," Dakota says, sliding out from behind the dryer.

Shayna smirks. "Yeah, we know."

Dakota blushes, but she's laughing. "Alright, let's get this over with," she says. "What this time?"

Bayley runs a hand down Dakota's side. "I think we should get this shirt of yours out of the way," she says. "And by we, I mean you," she adds with a wink.

Dakota's cheeks flush brighter, but she nods. Slowly, she peels her black crop top over her head and hands it to Shayna. She squirms a little as her girlfriend's gaze at her body as she stands there in nothing but pink lace.

"Baby, you're gorgeous," Bayley says.

Shayna bites her lip. "If I wasn't so committed to making you as desperate for us as possible before we absolutely wreck you, I would be all over you right now." She sees the hopeful spark in Dakota's eyes and smirks. "But I'm very committed to this so I'll resist."

"Mean," Dakota whines.

Bayley kisses the top of her head. "You love it," she says. "Now come on, let's keep going."

As soon as the counting starts again, Dakota runs. She sprints up the two flights of stairs to the top floor, and quietly slips into the storage closet at the end of the hallway. She hears footsteps and muffled voices from the floor below her, followed almost immediately by the sound of people coming up the stairs.

For a few minutes, Dakota hears Shayna and Bayley looking around in the other rooms on the floor. Suddenly, the door to the storage closet swings open and Shayna pulls her out into the hallway. "Nice try love," she says, hooking her finger under one of Dakota's bra straps. "But it's time for this to come off."

Dakota feels her cheeks turn bright red. "Fine," she says, reaching behind her back to unclasp the bra. Sliding the straps down her arms, she lets the pink lace fall away from her chest, handing the garment to Shayna.

"So pretty," Bayley says, gazing at Dakota's body. "Such a pretty girl."

Dakota squirms, letting out a little whine. "Am not," she protests.

"Yes you are," Bayley says firmly. "And if I hear you say that you're not one more time, you won't be allowed to cum tonight. Understand?"

A shiver runs down Dakota's spine, but she nods. "I understand," she says.

Bayley smiles. "Good. Now, ready to hide one more time?" she asks. Dakota nods, and Shayna and Bayley exchange a look. "Okay then. Go."

Dakota takes off once again, but instead of trying to find somewhere to hide where her girlfriends will have a hard time finding her, she ducks into the bedroom and slides under the bed, knowing they'll look there quickly.

Sure enough, she's under there for less than a minute when she's met with Bayley's smirking face looking under the bed at her. "Found you," Bayley teases, helping Dakota out.

Shayna gives Dakota a knowing smile. "You really thought we wouldn't find you there?" she asks.

"Who said I didn't want to be caught?" Dakota fires back.

Bayley grins. "Oh, so you want us to absolutely wreck you? You want to be at our mercy tonight?" Dakota nods, and Bayley's smile grows. "Well then, it seems like these are in the way of that," she says, running a finger over the waistband of Dakota's underwear.

Dakota blushes bright red, but she nods again, slowly pulling her underwear over her hips and down her legs. She kicks the pink lace aside, leaving her standing in front of her girlfriends completely naked. "Now what?" she asks, looking up at Shayna and Bayley.

The two of them exchange a look and a nod. Suddenly, Shayna reaches out and scoops Dakota up into her arms. "Now we go watch a movie together," Shayna says.

"Oh, and we do everything we said we would do with you," Bayley adds. They bring Dakota downstairs to the living room where the couch is set up with pillows and blankets. "Let us know if you get cold baby," Bayley says.

"Okay," Dakota says. "I'm okay right now."

Shayna gives her a kiss. "Good, because we don't want you hiding your gorgeous body under the blankets," she says.

Dakota blushes as Shayna settles her on the couch. Bayley sits down on her right, and Shayna sits on her left. Bayley turns on "Lilo and Stitch," a date night favorite among the three of them. "I figured I should pick something we've seen before," Bayley says, running a hand down Dakota's side. "Since I have a feeling you won't be able to focus on the movie for long."

Dakota opens her mouth to respond, but she's cut off by Shayna's lips pressing against hers. The next few minutes are a blur of sensations: Shayna kissing her long and hard, one hand tangled in Dakota's hair while the other one plays with her left breast. Meanwhile, Bayley is kissing Dakota's neck as she plays with her right nipple. When they finally pause, Dakota closes her eyes as she takes a shuddering breath.

"That was," she starts, trying to find the words to describe how any of that felt. "Wow," is all she manages to say.

"You liked that baby?" Shayna asks, and Dakota nods. "Good. Because that was just a warm up. Now we get to start doing what you really want from us."

Bayley reaches down and pulls out the two starbursts of pink feathers, handing one to Shayna. She holds the other one in front of Dakota's face, showing it to her. Dakota's eyes widen, silently pleading for her girlfriends not to keep her waiting any longer. "Please," she whimpers barely loud enough for them to hear.

Bayley smiles. "Such a polite girl for us," she says. "Now, watch the movie while we give you what you've been waiting so patiently for."

Dakota tries to focus on the movie, she really does. But the second those fluffy pink feathers touch her round nipples, all she can think about is how much it tickles. Shayna and Bayley waste no time in twirling the plumes over her nipple, and Dakota immediately begins squealing. "Shayna!" she shrieks, giggling helplessly.

"Yes baby?" Shayna asks, smirking at Bayley.

Dakota tries to answer, but suddenly Bayley begins flicking her feather back and forth over Dakota's hardened nipple. "Oh god no!" Dakota squeals, squirming as Bayley speeds up the motion. "Bayley please!" she manages to plead through her laughter.

Bayley leans in close to Dakota's ear. "What's wrong, love?" she whispers, her breath teasing Dakota's neck. "Does it tickle?"

Dakota cheeks flush the same color as the feathers currently teasing her. "Yes!" she cries out, hiding her face in one of the pillows.

Shayna pulls the pillow away from her. "Baby, you can't watch the movie if you're doing that," she says. Dakota is giggling too hard to answer, writhing and squirming on the couch between her girls.

Suddenly they both stop, setting the feathers aside. Dakota gasps for air, bracing herself for the tickles to resume. But instead, Shayna and Bayley each put an arm around her shoulders, turning their attention back to the movie.

For a while, things are fairly calm. There's an occasional poke to the side that makes Dakota jump, and at one point Shayna squeezes her hip, making her flinch and let out a squeal. But other than that, they don't do much to her.

Of course, it wasn't going to stay like that. Dakota's focus is on the movie, and she doesn't notice Bayley pulling out the two large feathers and the white duster. She misses Shayna being handed the purple feather and the duster. She doesn't see the red feather in Bayley's hands.

In an instant, they're all over her. They push her knees apart, spreading her legs open. Bayley grabs Dakota's wrists, holding them with one hand above her head. "What's happening?" Dakota asks, caught off guard by the sudden turn of events.

Bayley smirks at her. "Oh, I think you know what's happening," she teases. She leans in close, lips right next to Dakota's right ear as Shayna does the same on the left. Bayley kisses the side of Dakota's neck before whispering in her ear. "Five."

Dakota doesn't register what is happening at first. But then Shayna whispers in her other ear and it all makes sense. "Four."

Immediately, Dakota starts squirming. "Please no, please not this, anything but this!" she begs, cheeks flushing bright red.

"Shhh. Be a good girl now," Bayley whispers. "Three."

Dakota is already giggling in anticipation of what's to come. "Please, I can't take it," she pleads.

Shayna smirks. "Oh, I think we all know how you can take it," she teases. "Two."

Dakota squirms, biting her lip as she waits. Shayna and Bayley both press their lips to her ears, whispering together.

"One."

Suddenly, the feathers are all over her. Shayna flutters the duster along her neck, her chin, her collarbone, making Dakota giggle helplessly. Bayley drags the red plume along Dakota's legs, from her ankles up to her inner thighs. Shayna uses the purple feather to tickle across Dakota's stomach and sides.

Dakota breaks down in laughter, giggling and squealing as the feathers tease every inch of her skin. "Please! Not that! It tickles!" she babbles, her words barely coherent. Sure enough, she is quickly reduced to no words at all, only able to laugh and squirm as her girlfriends go to work on her. At one point, Bayley lets go of her wrists, using the now free hand to pinch and tease Dakota's nipples, making Dakota squeal with delight as her girls have their way with her.

Eventually though, it starts to become too much. Tears are rolling down Dakota's cheeks as she struggles to breathe between waves of laughter. Knowing she's not able to coherently safeword, she reaches out for Shayna's arm, tapping 3 times.

Immediately, Shayna and Bayley stop, setting the feathers aside and turning their attention to calming Dakota back down. Shayna wipes the tears from Dakota's cheeks. "Such a good girl," she murmurs. "You did so good for us, tapping out when you needed to."

Bayle gently rubs circles on Dakota's back. "There we go, just breathe for us baby," she coaxes. "In and out, nice and easy." It takes a moment, but Dakota manages to inhale, her breath shuddering on the way out. "Just like that," Bayley says.

"Now you just relax, and we'll watch the rest of the movie," Shayna says.

Dakota nods, shivering. "I'm cold," she whimpers, looking up at Bayley.

Bayley smiles fondly at her, covering Dakota with a fluffy blanket. "There you go love," she says, kissing the top of her head.

They finish watching the movie, Bayley and Shayna holding Dakota close between them. When it ends, Shayna turns to Dakota. "Ready for bed?" she asks. Dakota nods, and Shayna scoops her up in her arms.

Dakota is barely awake as her girlfriend's dress her in clean pajamas. Shayna manages to coax her awake just long enough for Dakota to brush her teeth before she climbs into bed under the covers.

"I love you," she whispers, closing her eyes.

"We love you too baby," Bayley replies, kissing the top of her head as she turns out the lights.

Shayna slides into bed with the two of them. "We love you so much Kota," she says.

The last thing she registers before she falls asleep is being wrapped up in the arms of her girlfriends, as she falls asleep with a smile on her face.

[sociologyonthemove]

The Close Proximity of Cardiff’s Class and Culture Contrast by Sadie Mullis

It is 11.34am when I approach the four-way junction at the top of Albany Road. My attention is immediately drawn to the flashing blue lights coming from a parked ambulance on my left. The driver is sat on his phone in the front seat, seemingly unfazed by what could be unfolding in the back. It is just another day at the office for him, after all. It is a Sunday in April, and the sun is restrained by the grey clouds, occasionally peeking through to tease us with the hope of summertime in Cardiff. At least it’s not raining. A group of four lads surge past me, breathing heavily but still able to gossip. Clearly in the middle of their ‘Sunday long run’, which will inevitably end with a pint at the pub. The aggressive beeping of the traffic lights brings me back to reality, and I cross the road. Hearing this prompted my human sensory perception and reminded me why so many researchers choose to use ‘listening walks’ (Gallagher and Prior, 2017). I walk down the left-hand side of the street, as I normally would, on a mission or with a particular goal in mind. But this walk is different. I feel mixed emotions; more present, but also more conscious of my surroundings. Eager to explore and note the close proximity of class and culture differences present. 

People are all around, some walking at a leisurely pace matching mine, others clearly with an end destination in mind. I notice I am one of the only young girls around, which makes me slightly more vigilant than usual. A middle-aged woman in a khaki tracksuit exits Savers on my left, toilet roll in hand. On my right, an elderly couple board the bus, both wearing smart attire. On reflection this is the first contrast which emphasises the sociological focus of my walk. Classes and cultures can be significantly different yet be in such a close proximity to one another. The clothing these individuals chose to wear on Albany Road in some ways provide a visible process of distinction between these classes (Bourdieu, 1984). What might their typical Sunday look like? And would it differ considerably? I find myself wondering. My stomach rumbles, an automatic response to the smell of Indian cuisine emanating from Pooja Sweets & Savouries. The window of the independent store is filled with spring rolls and samosas, bhajis and pastries, offering a cultural alternative to the mass produced but perhaps unimaginative Tesco meal deal that is available only a few metres down the road. I stop to look through the window at the impressive array of treats. Regular consumers perhaps wouldn’t think twice about this mix of cultural options on the street (Macklin, 2007). I pass by a slightly run down looking dry cleaners and dodge the shards of broken glass on the street. Litter and what I assume (and hope) to be a spilt chocolate milkshake surround the overflowing bins, seagulls lurking around hoping for any leftovers. I dodge three drains on the pavement. An Eastern European looking man, whom I presume to be the owner, unlocks the door of Pookie Delicacy. He mutters on the phone in a language I am unfamiliar with. He embodies the ‘assimilationist hero’ (Rhys-Taylor, 2013). I become aware of a chill in the air when a gust of wind emerges, regretting the thin sweater I chose to wear. My attention is drawn to the large, yellow poster presented inside one of the many Iceland chain stores that can be accessed around Cardiff. ‘HUGE HALF PRICE REDUCTIONS!’, it seemingly screamed. The advertising team had earnt their wages; it certainly caught my attention (Lange et al. 2016). I move beyond the first of many charity shops, before dodging a group of male teens all dressed in black, sporting large chains around some of their necks. I cough, trying not to inhale the sickeningly sweet strawberry second hand vape smoke that clouds behind two of them. 

I near the halfway point of the first part of my walk down Albany Road, passing the infamous Andrew Buchanan pub. The smell of cigarette smoke immediately transports me back to summer evenings abroad (Verbeek and van Campen, 2013). I am filled with excitement at the thought of my post exam period getaway. This excitement is quickly surpassed by reality as the two elderly males standing outside, clutching half empty pints of Guinness, stare at me walking by. I move on towards the post office, and flinch at the flock of pigeons at my feet. They are always here; I don’t know why I am surprised. The clunk of a bicycle changing gear can be heard over my right shoulder, and the line of cars waiting for that green light surge past. On my left I notice the break in shops, replaced by lines of terraced houses visible far into the horizon. I open the maps app on my phone, and discover that these slightly run down, sandwiched houses lead onto those surrounding Roath Recreational Ground which boast large gardens and grand front porches. One may wonder where the boundary is that signals the difference between residents, and whether this is individually subjective to them (Barth, 1969). Speaking of boundaries, the prominent metal gate to my right creates a distinct physical one. It separates Albany Road Primary School from the potential dangers of a busy road and popular street. 

Despite being aware of my dawdling, I remember I am to try and embrace Walter Benjamin’s concept of ‘flâneur’ throughout the duration of my walk (Bates and Rhys-Taylor, 2017), so I continue at a leisurely pace. Walkers are the practitioners of the city, after all (Solnit, 2001). I take a left turning onto Wellfield Road. The time is now 11.46. Loud music erupts from a trailer parked outside a slightly run down but grand old building labelled ‘Rainbow Bargains’. Its advertising boasts an impressive array of different e-cigarette and disposable vape flavours. The combination of catchy tunes and colourful flashing lights glamourising the unhealthy habit. I stroll on, the sound of the music dulling behind me. The area already seems less crowded and quieter. Perhaps because the road is one way, halving the number of cars, I note. A fresh fruit and vegetable stall is closed beside me. It is positioned next to an in-bloom cherry blossom tree which sways lightly in the breeze. I stop and stand for a moment. Behind me is a noisy street, packed with everything a consumer could want. Its occupants ranging in age and culture, most seemingly in a rush. In front of me is much more picturesque. The selection of shops is perhaps more limited, but much less cramped. Couples sit leisurely outside of cafes and coffee shops. The average age is higher, and predominantly white. 

“Oooh, they’ve got loads of iced buns”, a man exclaims to his female acquaintance as we cross paths next to Parsons bakery. They are both dressed in athletic wear, like a few others around, takeaway coffees in hand. I presume they have been for a run around the nearby lake, now seeking their reward. Dainty outside tables and chairs are all occupied by laughing customers, clearly comfortable with their surroundings despite being sat next to a road and on a pavement. They have claimed and chosen this area, manifesting their sense of elective belonging (Savage et al. 2005). I can’t help but wonder if a mere half a mile behind them they would feel so at ease. Whereas most of the food outlets on Albany Road were takeaway, Wellfield Road boasts many restaurants with waiters lurking eagerly to serve. Flats above the shops have intricate balconies and I imagine residents relaxing with a drink in the summertime. I continue at my unhurried speed and acknowledge the luxury of wandering I am able to experience (Shortell, 2015). The wind has dropped slightly, and the sun is straining to get through the clouds. I feel at ease. But this ease is quickly replaced with guilt as I pass a homeless man outside of Tesco Express, unable to offer any loose change. Unknowingly, he is an obstacle in a regular shopper’s guilt-free experience (Rhys-Taylor, 2017). This physical juxtaposition of poverty and wealth emphasizes just how flawed society is. A seemingly wealthy and more exclusive area still homes those with nothing.

An independent boutique store, homing exclusive garments that clearly only appeal to both the middle class and middle-aged woman, neighbours another bakery. The church on the other side of the road looks quiet, despite it being a Sunday. Rubbish bags pile up its fence, which also holds a Slimming World banner. The sound of a child’s scooter trails the tarmac. The four-way crossing I need to use is surrounded by road works and barriers. I don’t change my tracks and chance that I can cross the road further down, following the narrow path obstructed by large red boulders. I cannot! Turning back around humbly, I follow a woman who had made the same mistake. She acknowledges a man waiting so she had room to pass by with a genuine thanks. I retrace my steps back to the crossing and wait for the familiar beeping of the green man. I overhear a friendly looking elderly woman with a young child on a bike, tassels swinging from the handlebars, wonder if they too can cross by the roadworks. An elderly gentleman overhears and politely explains that they in fact cannot. A car horn blasts: maybe they too are frustrated with the building works. I cross the road and we all go our separate ways, and I think about how in the space of a minute I had witnessed two exchanges compared to the none on Albany Road. Could it be that these people had subconsciously recognised one another as members of the area’s collective group identity (Cohen, 1985) and consequently been friendly?

I progress off Wellfield Road and approach the vicinity of Roath Recreational Ground. Building works veer me away from my planned route yet again, so I am forced to take the path adjacent to the grass area. The dump trucks and piles of materials are deserted, workers nowhere to be seen. To my left, tall, grand houses occupy the space, front gardens perfectly groomed and full of greenery. They all boast front room views of the park and pleasure gardens. A man sporting a fluorescent yellow quarter zip exits the front gate of one of these houses and proceeds to cross the road and start jogging around the park, presenting a real-life example of how the middle class choose their place of residence in order to fit their habitus (Jackson and Benson, 2014). The building works tapering, I decide to head onto the grass area, embodying both rural and urban identities (Moles, 2008). My feet sink into the wet and muddy forage underfoot, and I quickly hop back to the path. A harsh reminder of the copious amounts of rainfall Cardiff has experienced lately. The blue sky can be deceiving. Clearly, as some people are wearing shorts, others woolly hats and puffer coats. The time is now 12.04 and the sun is out. I hear a dog barking, followed by laughter. An aeroplane echoes faintly overhead. More runners overtake me, both male and female, some in groups trying to chat, others solo and focused. With running being a highly gendered practise in general, I feel a sense of relief that women feel comfortable enough to run in this area (Cook and Larsen, 2022). The end of my route nearing, I wander into Roath Pleasure Gardens. There is no litter to be seen. The river flows unassumingly, it’s many uses often overlooked by the average eye (Bates and Moles, 2023). Wet pawprints dot along the dry path and an elderly couple soak up the sun on one of the benches. An idyllic scene set in front of me, I reflect how in the space of an hour I have experienced vast cultural and class differences provided by the city of Cardiff. 

Methodological Note

I used a literary sociology approach to my walk through Cardiff, in order to demonstrate and capture the creative and imaginative spirit of the walk itself (Back, 2007). Small details the regular walker would perhaps miss were of high importance to me in order to sustain the bigger picture and sociological focus of my walk. These small details can be used to both make connections and recognise differences, which is necessary in order for me to explore the class and culture contrasts presented. I recorded my sensory experiences in the form of taking rough notes and pictures of my surroundings, which helped to prompt my memory when it came to writing this essay. I recorded my thoughts and feelings along with the physical sights presented throughout my walk, which emphasised some of the social structures I had predicted. Walking as a method has become hugely popular with researchers as it enables them to personify the transient, embodied and multi sensual aspects of walking (Bates and Rhys-Taylor, 2017). Further, listening walks have become appealing as they can be used to understand peoples in situ experiences of different sound environments (Gallagher and Prior, 2017), which in turn helps to feed the researchers sociological imagination (Mills, 1959). 

The aim of my walk was to explore the class and culture differences present in the short distance between Albany Road and Roath Pleasure Gardens. A key piece of literature relating to the focus of this walking essay was Jackson and Benson’s (2014) article based on the middle classes and how they often perceive people as ‘others’, despite inhabiting the same neighbourhood. Separate group identities are formed which thrive off of the recognition of similarities between members and the distinction of differences between others (Cohen, 1895). Using the combination of my senses enabled me to pick up on some of the distinctions invisible to the regular walkers untrained eye, and I found embracing the sensory walk to be an efficient technique. The use of our senses, particularly smell, play a significant role in the transmission of culture through different areas (Seremetakis, 1996). In addition, the art of really listening can unlock hidden and deeper meanings (Back, 2007). The fusion of being familiar with the area and being alone also contributed to the success of my walk and gathering of ideas to compile this essay. Despite my physicality being opposite to that of the traditional ‘flâneur’ occupier, I was able to embody this concept which was a welcome break from the usual pressures of everyday life (Bates and Rhys-Taylor, 2017). The act and freedom of wandering, with no time constraints or particular goal in mind, can therefore be viewed as a privilege when compared to the pressures and stresses of my third-year student reality. 

References 

Back, L. 2007. The Art of Listening. Oxford: Berg.

Barth, F. 1969. Ethnic groups and boundaries. Boston, MA: Little Brown and Co. 

Bates, C. and Rhys-Taylor, A. 2017. Walking through social research. New York; London: Routledge.

Bates, C. and Moles, K. 2023. Living with Water: Everyday Encounters and Liquid Connections. Manchester: Manchester University Press.

Bourdieu, P. 1984. Distinction: a social critique of the judgement of taste. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.

Cohen, A. 1985. The symbolic construction of community. London: Routledge.

Cook, S. and Larsen, J. 2022. Geographies of running cultures and practices. Geography Compass 16(10).

Gallagher, M. and Prior, J. 2017. Listening Walks: A Method of Multiplicity. In: Bates, C. and Rhys-Taylor, A. eds. Walking through social research. New York: Routledge, pp. 163-177. 

Jackson, E. and Benson, M. 2014. Neither ‘Deepest, Darkest Peckham’ nor ‘Run-of-the-Mill’ East Dulwich: The Middle Classes and their ‘Others’ in an Inner-London Neighbourhood. International Journal of Urban and Regional Research38(4), p. 1195-1210.

Lange, F., Rosengren, S. and Blom, A. 2016. Store-window creativity’s impact on shopper behaviour. Journal of Business Research 69(3), pp. 1014-1021.

Macklin, G. 2007. Very Deeply Dyed in Black: Sir Oswald Mosley and the Postwar Reconstruction of British Fascism. London; New York: I. B. Tauris. 

Mills, C. 1959. The sociological imagination. New York: Oxford University Press.

Moles, K. 2008. ‘A Walk in Thirdspace: Place, Methods and Walking’. Sociological Research Online 13(4), pp. 31-39.

Rhys-Taylor, A. 2013. The essences of multiculture: a sensory exploration of an inner-city street market. Identities 20(4), pp. 393-406.

Rhys-Taylor, A. 2017. Westfield Stratford City: A walk through millennial urbanism. In: Bates, C. and Rhys-Taylor, A. eds. Walking through social research. New York: Routledge, pp. 105-128

Savage, M., Bagnall, G. and Longhurst, B. 2005. Globalisation and belonging. London: SAGE. 

Seremetakis, C.N. 1996. The senses still. Chicago: University of Chicago Press

Shortell, T. 2015. Walking in Cities: Quotidian Mobility as Urban Theory, Method, and Practice. Philadelphia: Temple University Press

Solnit, R. 2001. Wanderlust: a history of walking. London: Verso

Verbeek, C. and van Campen, C. 2013. Inhaling Memories: Smell and Taste Memories in Art, Science, and Practice. The Senses and Society 8(2), pp. 133-148.

[martynrw]

Homework for my writing class

This is my second piece of homework for my last course of the academic year. I had to write the inciting incident for a proposed novel. The plan is we'll map out the full story as the course goes on. I'd appreciate constructive criticism.

Working title: The Strings of the Puppeteer.

Chapter 1: The man on the train.

Training saves lives, thought DS Alun Jack as he picked himself off the floor and took in the devastation wrought on his train carriage.

This was his third thought. The preceding two were wordlessly exclamatory, one registering his impending peril, and the other a flash of pain in his lower back he knew would burst into piriformis hell in his near future.

His training, a product of years as a Welsh Guardsman in trouble-spots around the world, taught him to recognise the flash of light near the barrier for what it was, the fact he had less than a second before the blast wave smashed into his carriage a hundred metres away, and the reflexes to throw himself to the floor before the concussive discharge and heat turned the windows into a glazed claymore.

Lumps of tarmac, concrete, and wood, together with flying bullets of glass, rained down on him. The carriage heaved as the roar of the explosion engulfed it, and he felt the thud of something heavy striking his right shoulder. He waited for a few seconds, then, just as the screams started, he leapt to his feet and sprinted for the open door.

***

Earlier that afternoon, Jack was on a platform in Cardiff Central waiting for the train to take him to his newly bought retirement cottage in Gowerton. He had three weeks’ compulsory leave before handing in his warrant card. Time he felt was better spent working his garden than twiddling his thumbs in his Cardiff bedsit.

Hopes of contemplative solitude were dashed by the packed carriages, but he spied an empty seat next to a tall, elderly man clutching a rucksack on his lap.

“Do you mind?” he enquired, patting the seat.

The man looked up, a startled expression crossing his face.

“No, please,” he responded.

Out of habit, Jack ran a policeman’s eye over him: white hair trimmed to stubble at the sides, head held high, back straight, an expensive raincoat, and an alma mater tie he failed to recognise but suggested somewhere expensively elite. He reeked of officer class to Jack.

“Are you travelling to Swansea?” the man asked. His voice was plummy and precise, but with an unidentifiable regional quality.

“Gowerton,” Jack said.

“Is that after Swansea?”

“The next stop after.”

“Do you know how many stops before we get there?” the man asked. “We’re late, you see, and I have to get back to Crewe.”

The conversation continued to unfold in this manner, and the old man mentioned he had to despatch a “Recorded Delivery package” from Swansea. He didn’t say to where, and Jack, cautioning himself he was in the escape lane to retirement, didn’t enquire. He checked his train app, though; it revealed the train they were on passed through Crewe before reaching Cardiff and he raised a mental eyebrow.

Something’s not right here, Jack thought.

“Why do you have to get to Crewe?” Jack asked. “You’ll only have about an hour before your train leaves.”

“Is that all? I had hoped to view the seaside,” he said, his voice filled with disappointment. “My connecting train to Edinburgh leaves Crewe this evening, and it’s essential I get back.”

“Have you come all the way from Edinburgh today?”

“Yes, I left this morning from Waverley.”

“That’s a hell of a trip just to post a letter.”

“It’s just a little task I have to do…” He left the words trailing as if there was more to the story, but said no more until they reached Swansea. When the train pulled into the station, they both rose. He hefted his bag with effort, slung it over one shoulder, stuck out his hand to Jack and said, “Thank you for your help with the train times. My name is Guy… Guy Strachan.”

“Alun Jack.”

With that, he turned and, with a surprisingly sprightly turn of foot, disappeared into the crowd as he hurried down the platform.

***

Even though it was outside the confines of the station, the second blast felt much stronger and, as Jack raced down the platform through thick clouds of billowing smoke from the first detonation, it crashed through the station windows, sending him sprawling to the ground, and snatching the air from his lungs as the compression wave struck. Before he passed out, he caught sight of a shredded brown raincoat hanging from a still standing stanchion.

The Swansea atrocity was only the first of many that winter.

*

[randrspaces]

5 Unbelievable Benefits of Having a Garden Gym in the UK!

Ever glanced out your window and thought, "What if I could escape there for a workout?" Imagine transforming a corner of your garden into a personalized fitness retreat.

Garden gyms UK is flipping the script on traditional home workouts, offering a slew of benefits that might just have you reaching for your workout gear. Let's dive into these perks, shall we?

A Perfectly Tailored Fitness Haven

First off, the customization options are endless. Whether you're into yoga, weightlifting, or spinning, you can design a space that fits your workout preferences like a glove.

No more rearranging the living room to make space for a yoga mat or dodging furniture while following an online HIIT class. Your garden gym is your sanctuary, tailored to your fitness journey.

Personalize with equipment of your choice

Design a layout that flows with your workout routine

Decorate in a way that boosts your motivation

An Unbeatable Atmosphere for Focus

Ever noticed how a change of scenery can reboot your focus? Your gym offers an escape from the distractions of home life.

Here, you're not the person with a to-do list that stretches into next week. You're just you, focusing on your health and well-being.

Distraction-free zone means more productive workouts

Natural setting enhances mental health

Privacy to try new exercises without self-consciousness

Year-Round Accessibility

Another game-changer is having the freedom to work out whenever the mood strikes – rain or shine. Thanks to modern insulation and heating solutions, garden rooms UK wide are becoming year-round sanctuaries.

Whether the sun's out in full glory or it's a typical rainy day, your gym is just a few steps away.

No weather excuses to skip your workout

24/7 access to your fitness space

Save time without the commute to a local gym

Boosting Your Property Value

Yes, you read that right. Installing a gym can actually make your property more attractive to potential buyers.

It's a unique feature that sets your home apart in the competitive real estate market. Think of it as an investment in your property's future as much as it is in your physical health.

Unique selling point in the real estate market

Appealing feature for fitness enthusiasts

Potential for other uses increases versatility

Sustainable Options for the Eco-conscious

Further, choosing a garden gym UK-made, especially one designed from repurposed materials like shipping containers, can satisfy your fitness goals and your green conscience.

It's a win-win situation, getting you in shape while keeping your carbon footprint in check.

Eco-friendly materials and designs available

Energy-efficient solutions for heating and cooling

Low impact on your garden's ecosystem

Wrap Up

Garden Office in Cardiff installations also highlight the increasing desire for multipurpose garden spaces. Whether it's a place to pump iron, downward dog your way to serenity, or crunch numbers for work, these versatile sanctuaries are reshaping how Brits view their home's potential.

So, there you have it. From tailor-made workout environments and tranquil settings to enhancing your home's value and embracing sustainability, the benefits of owning a gym are compelling. It seems the future of home fitness has a fresh and exciting blueprint, and it's right outside your back door.

[skybluewindowcompany]

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