Flushed, Chapter 9: The Final Sanction

Flushed

I have finally finished my first multi-chapter fanfic. Thanks for staying with me for this one. I promise, I do have other things to write about (so long as I can keep the plot bunnies at bay). 

And, on to the final chapter.

Chapter 9: The Final Sanction

“Rose! Rose, where are you? Rose” Jamie pushed his way through the crowded sidewalk toward the large, damaged flat screen telly playing the final game of the World Cup in the middle of Rat London. His head bobbed above the crowd as he jumped, trying to scan the crowd for Rose and her family. Spotting Pete’s wheelchair and full body cast, he quickly changed directions and headed closer to the water.

Out of the corner of his eye, Jamie saw movement reflecting off the plastic window of one of the shops lining the street. Turning to follow it, he saw Rose tied up and dangling from a length of twine hanging from one of the upper pipes.

Thinking quickly, Jamie grabbed the latex glove balloon tied to a nearby food cart and a discarded handheld motorized fan. The balloon lifted him above the crowd and he used the fan to propel it toward Rose.

Within moments, Jamie had reached Rose and pulled her into his arms. While they were busy untying the twine, a mechanical lift rose on the other side of a nearby platform, revealing Rassilon, the Master and a large group of their subordinates.

“Get them!” Rassilon roared. Sec and Thay scurried to find a way to bring down the balloon before handing the Master a staple gun and backing away. The Master laughed in unholy glee as he rapidly shot staples at the yellow glove. A cheer ran through the assembled frogs as staples punctured the balloon, sending it careening around the pipe Rose had been tied to and flipping Rose and Jamie into the air.

They landed with a crash in the center of the platform, right at the webbed feet of Rassilon himself. Sec and Thay raced forward, pulling Rose and Jamie upright and blocking their path to the lift.

Rassilon strode forward, red robes billowing behind him. He glared at the Master, who was giggling madly, and quickly ascended the lift to a console covered with flashing buttons. The cable Rose had commandeered as a belt had been restored to its place on the panel and was crackling with electricity.

“And now, behold my genius! Prepare to witness the Final Sanction!” Rassilon slammed his slimy, green hand on a large red button, causing it to light up and the flood gate doors to creep open. “Watch as all the filthy lower life forms are flushed away! We toads will reclaim our place as the most powerful species in the sewers!”

Jamie met Rose’s eyes in horror. “My family’s down there!” Rose gasped, panicked.

“I promise, Rose. I won’t let that happen. We will stop him. Your family will be fine.” Jamie whispered in Rose’s ear, looking pointedly over his shoulder at the large tank of liquid nitrogen that Rassilon had hooked into his ice maker. Darting forward, Rose grabbed the hose, pulling it from the tank and pointed the spray at the frogs who were rushing to recapture the two rats. The liquid nitrogen froze the frogs in place, allowing Rose to drop the hose and make a run for the pipes.

Rassilon followed Rose onto the pipe, using his tongue to swing himself past Rose and block her escape.  She scampered back toward the platform only to be caught around the waist and wrenched back to Rassilon, still wrapped in coils of his tongue. He lifted her above his head and shouted out of the side of his mouth, “Master, grab the Doctor! He must not stop the Final Sanction! Where are my idiot minions? Sec! Thay! Protect the Master Cable!”

As the Master closed in on Jamie, he grabbed the incredulous frog by his waist. Jamie squeezed forcefully, causing the Master’s tongue to wrap around the pipe above Rose.

“Please let this work” Jamie muttered under his breath and jumped off the platform, swinging across the space. He grabbed Rose, using the momentum of the swing to pull her out of Rassilon’s slimy restraints.

“I have just one thing to say to you, Rassilon” Jamie shouted as they swung past the outraged toad. “See ya!”

Keeping one arm around Rose, Jamie let go of the Master. The two rats dropped to the pipe, causing it to crack at Rassilon’s feet, freezing his robe to the metal surface. The Master was propelled onto a junction in the pipe where his tongue wrapped him securely in place and froze onto the cold pipe.

Jamie jumped to his feet, loudly taunting Rassilon. “Look at you Mr. Thick! Mr. Thickety, thick, thick. From Thick-Town, Thick-sylvannia! I’ve never met anyone as thick as you!”

Enraged, Rassilon stomped forward, tugging the hem of his robe free. The pipe cracked further as he moved closer to Jamie, lining up his shot.

The distant sound of flushing echoed through the sewer. Rose turned horrified brown eyes to Jamie. Her voice cracked as she whispered “We’re too late.”

___________

In the crowd below, Pete Tyler turned away from the game, distracted by the noise of rushing water echoing over the shouts of “Go England!”

“Wave!” he yelled at the crowd, only to have the assembled fans do the wave across the sidewalk. “No! Wave!” he yelled again, this time accompanied by the roaring water.

A rat in a ‘the end is near’ sandwich board pointed at the approaching wave, yelling “I told you!” repeatedly.

“Shut it, Clive!” Captain Jack shouted back. “You’re not helping! We need to get everyone out of here!”

Jackie plunked a frightened Tony onto Pete’s lap and grabbed the back of the wheelchair, intending to push her family through the crowd and to safety, but the crush was too thick for the panicked group to move. Jackie wrapped her arms around her son and husband, determined to keep her family together, wave or no wave.

___________

Jamie danced to the side, lining his body up with the still moving, geared mechanism on top of the floodgate door. He ducked just in time as Rassilon’s tongue shot over Jamie’s head and into the gears, catapulting Rassilon back onto the pipe cracking it in half and flinging him onto the same pipe junction as the Master.

Jamie grabbed Rose’s paw, yelling “Run!” Once they reached the platform, he turned back watching the broken pipe fall lower and begin to pour liquid nitrogen into the air. “I hope this works,” he muttered as the wave hurtled down the tunnel.

Gallons of liquid nitrogen splashed onto the surface of the wave, freezing the water solid. The ice spread up the crest of the wave, stopping it in place just as it began to break over the Rat London sidewalk and the terrified crowd.

Shaking and laughing in relief, Jackie pointed to Rose and Jamie up on the platform. “They’ve saved us!”

Not to be outdone, Captain Jack Harkness shouted: “the Doctor and Rose saved the city!”

The crowd of rats celebrated, picking up the chant of “Doc-tor! Doc-tor!”

Rose turned to Jamie, pointing to the crowd. “You’re a hero. You saved everyone.”

“We saved everyone,” Jamie corrected. “Stuff of legends, that’s us.” Running a paw behind his ear, Jamie looked down shyly before meeting Rose’s eyes. “So, when you set off with the Bad Wolf II,” he started hesitantly. “Do you think you might need a first mate?”

“Come here, you!” Rose giggled pulling him into a hug. “How long you gonna stay with me?”

Jamie pulled back to look in her eyes before leaning forward and whispering “Forever” just before meeting her lips with his own.

___________

Jamie gazed out over Rat London contemplatively. Safe and sound after the World Cup and Rassilon’s madness.

“I still can’t believe England lost. I really thought we had it this time” Rose said as she wrapped her arms around him from behind. He leaned into her embrace, sighing. “You ready to set off?” she asked quietly, giving him one more squeeze before heading to the wheelhouse to get them underway.

“Oh, you’re stuck with me,” he replied, grinning at her and pulling up the anchor.

“Stuck with you? That’s not so bad. Better hang on Doctor,” Rose teased. Jamie grabbed her paw in his as she opened the throttle and gunned the Bad Wolf II down the nearest sewer tunnel. “Let’s see how far this baby can take us!” echoed off the walls as the Bad Wolf II and her crew set off on a new adventure.  

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Flushed - Chapter 8: The Oncoming Storm

Flushed

Ok, so I think there will only be 1 or 2 chapters left of this story. I promise I do have other things to share, not just fanfiction. Here we go.

Chapter 8: The Oncoming Storm

“There you are, Blondie . . .” Rose whipped her head toward the sinister voice and backed away from the frog as he stepped out of the shadows.

“I’ve been looking for you. Rassilon wants a word. Please, fight back. He didn’t say he wanted you undamaged.” The Master nodded and a pair of webbed green hands closed over Rose’s arms, holding her in place as she twisted and struggled. His unhinged laughter echoed off the sewer walls as he watched more and more of his brethren pile on top of the blonde rat before finally pinning her down and knocking her unconscious.

“Nice catch, Toclafane. Let’s take the baggage to Rassilon before she wakes up.”

Rose was lifted and thrown over the shoulder of the largest of the frogs. As they retreated down the tunnel, the Master’s giggles slowly faded with their footsteps.

___________

Jamie followed the sound of Mickey’s shouting to the den. The spotless white sofa now had black grease and orange cheese dust ground into the leather in a wide halo around the interloper. Mickey looked at him warily, waiting to see how Jamie would react now that Rose had left.

With a deep sigh, Jamie climbed onto the sofa next to Mickey and held out his hand for one of the snacks. Mickey handed him the bottle of hard cider once he’d finished chewing.

“I’d go easy on the drinks, Mate” Mickey cautioned. “Too much and you’ll never make it to half time. You’ll miss the match.”

Jamie started putting together the events of the last couple of days. Unhappy with how the puzzle was coming together, he asked Mickey “So, this a big game then? Lot of people watching today?”

Mickey looked at Jamie in disbelief before slowly answering him. “Where you been, Mate? This is the World Cup. All of London is watching right now. The whole world’s watching.”

“Oh. This is not good. This is very not good.” Jamie started pacing across the sofa cushion, tugging at the fur at the back of his head. “This is two suitcases and a bus ride from good.”

“What’s got in your knickers? What’re you on about?”

“Mickety, Mick, Mickey! Don’t you see? Half Time! Rassilon buggared the system. When everyone in the city uses the loo at half time, it’ll cause a tidal wave! Rat London will be washed away.” Jamie’s pacing came to a halt as a terrible thought occurred to him. “Rose went back there! She’ll be washed out, too! Her whole family is down there! I have to stop Rassilon!”

Seeing Mickey’s blank expression, Jamie tugged him off the sofa and back down the hall to the bathroom. Pulling them both up to stand on the toilet seat, Jamie turned to Mickey.

“There’s a little girl that lives here. Reinette. Will you promise to take care of her? Cheer her up when she’s upset? Be there for her when she has nightmares about being attacked by clockwork men?”

Knowing a good thing when he heard it, Mickey quickly agreed. 

Jamie nodded to him before jumping into the bowl as Mickey pulled the lever.

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Flushed: Chapter 7 - Home Again

Flushed

So, I decided to flex my very limited Photoshop skills, and I made a banner for this story. (It took me a week to figure each aspect out, too.) Here it is!

And without further ado . . .

Chapter 7: Home Again

“Oooff!” Rose and Jamie tumbled across the floor. Rose sprawled inelegantly across Jamie for a moment before rolling away laughing uproariously.

“You alright?” Jamie asked as he climbed to his feet, looking concerned as Rose continued giggling madly. Rose took a few deep breaths before managing to reign in her snickers.

“It’s nothing. You take me to the nicest places, is all” she teased before accepting his hand up and looking around. “Where are we?”

“This would be the upstairs guest room” he replied, turning away from the open window to gesture to the hall. “The master suite is just down the hall. That’s where all the jewels are kept.” He kept up a rambling commentary of the features of the house as they walked down the hall.

Rose smiled in amusement at his stories of grand misadventures and scandal connected to seemingly every decorative painting or vase.  They scaled the dresser and Jamie quickly lifted the lid of the wooden jewelry box.

Rose’s eyes glistened with unshed tears seeing so much wealth so casually discarded inside the box. Each piece could bring enough to feed her family for a year, and here it all was, just jumbled up together in a careless tangle. She suddenly felt very small; as though she and everyone she knew were running in pointless circles while those up above lived a life of ease and plenty.

Jamie leaned toward her, breaking Rose out of her contemplation and placing the daimond he had pooped out of an earring in her paw.

“The lady of the house won’t even notice it’s gone” he stated quietly. “That white point star is bigger than the one that broke. It’s probably worth twice what that one would have been if it was real.”

He stuck his hand back inside the box, pulling a pendant with a large rectangular sapphire off its chain and handing it to Rose. “And this one, I think, should just bout cover the Bad Wolf mark two.” 

Finally meeting her eyes, he let out a small nervous breath before continuing, “I really am sorry about the Bad Wolf. And, thank you. For helping me. For bringing me home. I just . . . I’m so glad I met you.”

Rose smiled and reached out for his paw. Interlocking their fingers, she pulled him back into the hallway. “So, which one’s your room?”

“Ah . . . you don’t want to see my room. It’s boring. It’s almost tea time. Let’s go to the kitchen and I’ll make us something, shall I?” Jamie pulled Rose down the hallway a bit faster, hoping to distract her long enough to pass Reinette’s open door without her noticing his cage under the window.

“Who lives there?” Rose pulled away to get a better look at the elaborate cage in what looked like a child’s room.

“Ahh. Well. Ah, that is my apartment. I like to have my own space. Get away from the comings and goings. The hustle and bustle, you know.” His rambling explanation trailed off at the heartbreak on her face.

“It’s just you, isn’t it? How long have you been alone, without any other rats? Without any family?”

“There’s only been me. For such a long time now,” Jamie sighed. “I mean, Reinette is lovely. She takes care of everything I need, really. But . . .”

“But you’re lonely” Rose finished. “Why didn’t you say? Why didn’t you tell me you were a pet? You don’t have to stay here. You could come back with me.”

“I can’t. I have responsibilities. Reinette depends on me. She’d be heartbroken if I wasn’t here when they return. And, I don’t have anyone down there either. I’d still be alone.”

“There’s me. I mean, I thought we were . . . I guess I got it wrong,” Rose dropped her paw back to her side.

Jamie opened his mouth, the words heavy on his tongue when a noisy shape in a football jersey barged into the room.

“Hey, you’re back” Mickey shouted. “Thought I was well rid of you.”

“Oh Rose, let me introduce you to . . . my brother. Rickey.”

“Hey Micks,” Rose waved at the darker rat. “How’s your Gran?”

“Rosie! Fancy seeing you up here. Your dad doin’ ok? Gran wants you to come round. She misses you.” Mickey glanced at Jamie before bursting into gales of laughter. “Your brother! Who would believe that, Mate? You’re not near handsome enough to be my brother.” He turned to Rose, elbowing her gently in the side and throwing his arm across her shoulders before stage whispering “You think I should tell him you used to be my girl? Oh, what a lark. I ain’t laughed like that in years.”

Rose shrugged Mickey’s arm off and stepped away from them. “I can’t stay. I have to go back. Jamie, you could come with me.” At the slight, despondent shake of his head, she turned to go.

“Rose,” Jamie gasped as she turned the corner and disappeared down the hall. A heavy weight settled in the pit of his stomach when he realized she was really gone. Even Mickey had wandered back to the telly to watch the game.

Jamie looked around at the room he had lived so long in. What had felt comfortable, extravagant even, just yesterday now felt claustrophobic. How could his world have changed so drastically in just the few short hours he’d spent in her company? He knew one thing for sure. His world had never been lonelier, now that she was gone.   

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Flushed, Chapter 6: End of the Road

Flushed

Chapter 6: End of the Road

“I can’t believe you had chips in that black hole you call a galley.” Rose shook her head in amusement at Jamie’s teasing. “No, really. How does one survive with only malt vinegar and salt packets, anyway?”

Rose giggled softly at his wild gesturing before answering quietly. “It’s been hard since Dad got run over getting that fake stone. But I make sure Mum and Tony don’t have to do without.”

Jamie looked down at his plate, wishing he hadn’t mentioned the sorry state of the Bad Wolf’s cabinets. “Well, we’ll just have to make sure to grab a bite before you leave Gallifrey, won’t we. Should be plenty in the larder if you want to take a doggy bag on your way out.”

After a moment of awkward silence, Jamie stood and collected the dishes to return them to the galley. “I will get you that real diamond, you know.” Her eyes followed him as he took their plates below as Rose fought down the first vestiges of hope she had felt since her dad’s accident. There was still too much that could go wrong, even if she did want to trust Jamie.

___________

The buzz of electric motors reverberating off the sewer walls woke Rose and Jamie the next morning.

“It’s them! We have to go. Now!” Rose pushed Jamie toward the stern to look out for Rassilon’s hench-rats before vaulting over to the wheelhouse and starting the engine. “Get that anchor pulled! Don’t just stand there!”

Jamie found a big red button next to the base of the mechanical hand and, crossing his fingers, slammed his paw on it. A winch quickly lifted the large fishing weight out of the water. As soon as it was clear, Rose gunned the engine, a rooster tail of spray marking their passage.

“They’re here” Jamie yelled over his shoulder, keeping his eyes on the rapidly approaching figures.

“Come on, Old Girl! Let’s show those boys what we’ve got” Rose shouted. “Better hang on to something, Jamie.” As she spoke Rose spun the wheel, causing the Bad Wolf to turn sharply into a small side tunnel. Pressing a button, she yelled “Up!” The mechanical hand grabbed a pipe that crossed the tunnel, and used the forward momentum to swing the Bad Wolf higher into the air, leaving Sec and Thay behind.

Jamie clung to the railing for dear life as the hand repeated its aerial stunt up a small ventilation shaft in the sewer ceiling. As the Bad Wolf climbed closer to the top of the shaft, Jamie spotted frogs dressed in black bodysuits jumping up the pipes behind them. “Frogs!” he yelled to Rose, causing her to swear colorfully before gathering her maps and shrugging a stuffed backpack onto her shoulders.

Just as the Bad Wolf cleared the top of the vent shaft, the frogs started hopping aboard. Rose grabbed Jamie, pulling him behind her as she clambered onto the railing. Throwing an arm around his narrow waist, she jumped, pulling the strap of the backpack. A thin, white grocery bag burst open, catching the wind and carrying Rose and Jamie out of reach of the frogs.

Looking down sadly as the Bad Wolf fell back into the sewer, Rose whispered goodbye. The mechanical hand waved until the Bad Wolf hit the water below, breaking apart and being carried away by the rushing current.

Wiping her eyes on her sleeve, Rose looked at Jamie. “So, where’s home?”

“That way,” he replied. Pointing quickly slightly to the left he added “Nope, hang on. That way,” as she guided them down over Kensington toward Gallifrey. 

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Flushed Chapter 5: Dirty Dealings

Flushed

Chapter 5: Dirty Dealings

“Oh, come on!” Jamie’s frustrated exclamation echoed off the tunnel walls as the Bad Wolf’s engine sputtered and died. Running his paws through the dark hair on his head, Jamie searched the hodge podge of controls, hoping for any clues to restart the engine. In his distracted state he didn’t notice the soft swish and splash of Rose’s paddling as she approached the side of her boat.

Rose tied the rubber duck to the stern of the Bad Wolf and snuck aboard. Signaling the mechanical hand, Rose whistled. When Jamie turned, the hand swooped down and lifted him clear of the deck. Rose pointed toward the water and Jamie was unceremoniously dropped overboard.

Jamie bobbed to the surface, sputtering and coughing just in time to hear the engine roar top life and watch the Bad Wolf pull away. “Rose,” he yelled. “Talk to me. I’m sorry. I’m so, sorry!”

___________

Rassilon turned from his contemplation of the candle flame. “Ah, I see you’ve arrived. I have a job for you, Master . . .”

“You only ever call on me when you don’t want to get your webbed fingers dirty. What is it this time? Fancy bauble evade you? Find someone your ridiculous rats can’t intimidate?” At Rassilon’s thunderous expression, the smaller frog laughed. “It’s true then? The great Rassilon, bested by a couple of rats! Oh, it’s too good!”

Rassilon shook his head in denial before taking a deep breath to gather his dignity. “That doesn’t matter, Master. What matters is that that blonde guttersnipe captain of the Bad Wolf stole my cable! And my White Point Star!”

“And what do you expect me to do about it? You lost the girl. Why should I get her for you?”

“I need that cable for the Final Sanction! I will cleanse the sewers of those stinking rodents once and for all. We toads shall once again be the dominant species underground!” Rassilon became increasingly frenzied as he expounded on his plan, spittle flying from his green lips.

“And me? You will keep a place in this new utopia for me and my Tocalfane brethren in exchange for the cable’s return” the Master demanded.

A look of disdain crossed Rassilon’s face before he growled out “You do not make demands of me! Bring me the cable! Bring me the White Point Start! Bring me Rose Tyler and the Doctor! Now, get out!”

The Master giggled as he walked out of the room, a small cadre of frogs silently stepping out of the shadows behind him.

___________

“Ice Cold Rose, Never did I meet a girl who's half so cruel. 

I offered her a jewel,

But she left me stuck. Stranded on a duck.

What a rotten thing to do to Jamie. 

That’s Jamie McCrimmon of Gallifrey.”

Rose flinched at the off key singing coming from behind the boat. Shaking her head, she kept hold of the wheel, determined to ignore the caterwauling behind her.

“Poor, poor Jamie, flushed down his own potty. 

Rose, can't you find it in your heart to help him . . .

How mean could one rat be? 

Ice Cold Rose, won't you be sweeter to me?”

Hiding her smile, Rose glared over her shoulder at Jamie, reclining on the rubber duck, strumming on a guitar fashioned with the spoon and some string fished from the water.

“Was that a smile? It was!” Jamie grinned, trying to meet Rose’s eye over the railing.

Ducking her head, Rose mumbled “It is not.”

“Is too! That’s a smile! Rose Tyler, you smiled! Please let me come back aboard . . . I’m sorry I stole your boat. I’ll do whatever you say the rest of the trip.”

Jamie’s grin fell when he saw the hurt and betrayal on Rose’s face before she spoke. “Why did you take the Bad Wolf? How could you do that to me? You just left me behind. I trusted you. I thought we were . . . I guess I got it wrong.”

Slowly letting out a pained breath, Jamie looked up at Rose. “I heard you and your dad talking to Jake. You were gonna turn me in for the reward money.” His voice rose, his own anger bubbling to the surface until he was standing on the back of the duck, yelling. “And you, Rose Tyler, you gave up on me!”

“That was just Jake being a plonker. No one listens to him. Like I’d really sell you out to Rassilon.” Rose waved dismissively at the idea. Turning to face Jamie, she continued “Come aboard then. We still have to get you home to Gallifrey.” With one last hard stare his direction, Rose turned her attention back to steering calling out “Oi, First Mate! Get below and make us a cuppa. It’s tea time and I want chips!”    

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Flushed Chapter 4: Meeting the Family

Flushed

Chapter 4: Meeting the Family

Jamie, footsore and still slightly damp, followed Rose from the Bad Wolf. She had tied off to a rickety jetty that swayed with every step. Directly ahead a dinghy, worn out roller skate rocked front to back, adding a slight nausea to Jamie’s trepidation about meeting Rose’s family.

Once inside, Rose took Jamie into the kitchen where she introduced him to everyone gathered at the pink plastic dollhouse table.  Rose pointed to an older rat with the same golden fur and wearing a pink track suit. “That’s me mum, Jackie. And there in the full body cast is me dad, Pete.” Easily moving with the rolling of the skate, Rose crossed to the high chair sitting next to Pete. “This little terror is Tony” Rose hid a smile at the look of alarm on Jamie’s face, “my little brother.” Jamie didn’t quite hide his relieved exhale, causing a round of quiet giggling from the group.

Pointing to a medium sized, lanky rat with a tuft of blond hair above his ears, Rose continued “this is Jake. He’s a fence for the Preachers. Dad sells things he finds topside to ‘em sometimes. Over here is Sarah Jane, she investigates any of our contacts so Rassilon and Lumic and the like don’t nab our dosh.” Sarah Jane, a lovely mature rat in red and white stripped dungarees, nodded to Jamie before returning her attention to the group.

As the rest of the table went back to their conversation, Rose and Pete shared a look before disappearing into the den, closing the door behind them. Jamie, a little overwhelmed by all the hustle and bustle, took an empty seat at the table.

“So how’d ya meet our Rose then?” Jackie asked, settling into the chair next to Tony with some mushy peas to feed him. “It’s not often she brings a bloke home, after all.”

Jamie sputtered, quickly trying to explain. “Oh no. I’m not Rose’s bloke. I mean, I am a bloke. And I did come here with Rose. But we’re not together. She’s taking me back to my home topside. It’s just a business arrangement.”

Jackie grinned at Jamie’s discomfort for a moment before narrowing her eyes and leaning threateningly in his direction. “Why do you live topside, Mister? Only pets live topside. I can’t abide the thought of ‘em. Putting on airs and graces, like they’re too good for us common rats. Alone all day, every day, in their fancy cages. Gives me shivers just to think about ‘em.”

Jamie gulped, leaning away from the incensed matriarch while trying to think up a quick escape. “What’s that, Rose” he called over his shoulder before hopping up from the table and edging towards the door Rose and Pete had withdrawn through. “Yep, be right there! Lots to discuss. Maps! And routes and . . . things. So sorry Jackie, must go” Jamie sped through his explanation and broke for the door.

As he reached for the knob, Jamie overheard “But do you even know who this guy is, Rose? Look. Rassilon is looking for him. His name isn’t even Jamie. It says right here, his name’s ‘the Doctor.’ You can’t trust him. So, I say we turn him in to Rassilon and collect the reward money ourselves. It’ll be enough to get us through while you recover, Pete.”

Jamie turned, anger and betrayal flashing in his eyes, before slipping out of the house and back onto the Bad Wolf.

In the den behind him, Rose let out an aggrieved sigh. “Jake, that is the dumbest plan I’ve ever heard. I’m not gonna turn Jamie over to Rassilon. And we both know, Rassilon won’t actually give anyone any money.”

Pete cut in “I bet he means ‘eternal reward.’ He exterminates anybody he doesn’t like. Rose, what I want to know is if we can trust Jamie.”

Dad, we can trust him. He just wants to go home. And he promised to replace that white point star with a real one.”

“He’s stealing your boat, Rose.”

“Shut up Jake. No, he’s not.”

“He just stole your boat. You gonna go after him?”

“Buggar! That plonker stole my boat! Don’t do anything stupid, Jake! See ya Dad!” Rose ran out of the roller skate, grabbing a spoon for a paddle and hopping onto Tony’s rubber duck, madly trying to catch up to her boat and the unwelcome thief that had taken her.  

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Flushed - Chapter 3: Iced

Flushed

Chapter 3: Iced

The large toad turned, his crimson and gold robes fluttering. “Ah. Miss Tyler. So good to see you again” he intoned as Rose and Jamie were pushed into the room. Sec approached carefully, the clear faceted jewel carefully extended. Placing the diamond on an upturned thimble, he took a moment to appreciate the white point star before turning back to his unwilling audience. Noticing Jamie’s expression of shock, he rumbled “Ah, Sec. I see you’ve brought me another lover of all things Torchwood House. Tell me, my boy, what part of my collection intrigues you so?”

Jamie blinked slowly before approaching the many knick knacks and collectibles displayed. Stopping in front of a shaped Queen Victoria tea mug, Jamie muttered “I don’t know if ‘intrigues’ is the right word.”

The toad inhaled harshly in anger, shouting at the cowering Sec and Thay “You dare insult me by bringing this fool into my presence! Do you think I am a joke? I once reigned as the beloved pet of the crown prince from Torchwood House. I will see you both exterminated for this!”

Sec looked at the floor while pleading “No, Rassilon. We only brought him because he was on the Bad Wolf with Rose. We don’t know who this guy is, but he knew where she hid the diamond.”

Rassilon deflated slightly and turned his stare on Jamie. “Who are you, who dares insult my priceless collection?!”

Jamie, thinking quickly sputtered “No. No, it’s a beautiful collection. Very moving. I mean, this one’s been doctored; its fake . . .”

Rassilon, dignified bearing recovered, asked again for Jamie’s name. Sec quickly jumped in “His name’s the Doctor. I heard him say it” before withdrawing out of Rassilon’s view.

Rose had been quietly waiting for her chance and jumped forward while Thay was distracted, grabbing for the white point star and bumping Jamie in the process. This pushed Jaime into a tin lunchbox featuring the Torchwood logo, knocking it into the neighboring display. Everyone looked on in horror as each piece tipped onto the next until the whole collection had been upended and the Queen Victoria mug lay shattered on the floor.

Rassilon, now the same color as his robes bellowed “Exterminate them! My collection! My beautiful collection! They will die for this! Throw Miss Tyler and the Doctor into the Ice Maker! And someone clean up this mess.” He took one last look at the remains of his prized collection and stormed out, leaving Sec and Thay to wrestle their victims under the jar of an overturned blender. A thick black hose had been run from an ice machine and taped into the base of the blender jar where the blades had been removed.

While Jamie panicked, repeatedly begging to be let out, Rose set to work climbing into the top of the jar and kicking the hose free. She shimmied out of the blender, grabbing the hose and freezing Sec and Thay before pulling Jamie to freedom. She pushed him toward the exit, snatching the white point star and grabbing a cable off a control panel as she ran by.  Jamie followed her closely as they scaled overhanging pipes. Rose flung one end of the cable over a small pipe that headed back into the main sewer, grabbed the other end and jumped, zipping away from Rassilon’s lair. At the last moment, Jamie leaped after her, gripping her legs tight and pulling Rose’s jeans down in the process.

Once they had landed, Rose pulled the cable around her hips as a makeshift belt before turning exasperated eyes to Jamie. “You plonker! You sold me out! And then you went and showed me knickers to all and sundry! I can’t believe you!”

Jamie was captivated. This beautiful, angry rat had saved him. “How did you do that?” He was awestruck, and realized he quite fancied how her eyes sparked when she was cross.

“Oh, that? Jericho Street Under Sevens Gymnastic Tournament. I got the bronze.” Rose pulled the white point star out of her pocket with a relieved laugh. “Here’s this back then. This’ll take care of everyone while Dad gets better.”

“You know that’s a fake” Jamie interjected. At Rose’s look of disbelief, he grabbed the gem from her hand and smashed it on the wall beside them. “If it was real, it wouldn’t have broken . . .” Jamie’s rambled explanation tapered off when he heard Rose sob. He watched her trying to gather the fragments from the ground in despair.

“Oh no. But that’s ok. I know where there are real ones.” At the look of hope Rose sent his way, Jamie continued quickly “Diamonds, sapphires, rubies. All sorts of gems. All real, too. You can pick one, a bigger one. You just have to take me back to Gallifrey.”

Drawing a calming breath, Rose closed her eyes for a moment. “So, if I take you home, you’ll give me a jewel, even better than the white point star? No funny business now.” At his enthusiastic nod, Rose shook her finger in warning and then smiled, the tip of her tongue curled around her teeth. Jamie felt as though he might fall over having the force of that smile turned on him.

Laughing at the dazed expression on Jamie’s face, Rose grabbed his paw and started leading him back to the dock. “Well, come on then. Back to the Bad Wolf. If you want to go topside, I need to get some maps. Oh, my mum is gonna slap you . . .”  

Chap 1 Chap 2 Chap 4 Chap 5 Chap 6 Chap 7 Chap 8 Chap 9

Flushed - Chapter 2: A New World

Ok, so here's chapter 2 of my Doctor Who/ Flushed Away mash-up. 

Flushed

A New World

Jamie coughed as he picked himself up off the cement. Still dripping and dizzy from his unexpected ride through the pipes, Jamie ran his paw through the soaked hair between his ears, pushing it back into tousled spikes. Following an echo down the tunnel he landed in, Jamie turned a corner and looked at his surroundings for the first time.

The sewer junction had been built into a miniature version of Piccadilly Square. Rats of all ages, sizes and colors shopped, worked, and lived their lives in the teeming metropolis under London’s streets. Boats made from discarded bottles and cans propelled by paddle wheels, egg beaters, and old fan blade propellers crossed the water way as rats hurried about their business. Jamie had never seen so many rats in one place before. Even before he had come to live with Reinette’s family, the pet store rarely had more than a dozen rats at one time.

Jamie was so entranced by the sight before him that he didn’t notice the food cart in his path until he collided with a tall, handsome rat with blue eyes, well groomed dark hair on his head and a long, grey military coat. 

“Careful friend, you’re pretty hot but my grill is hotter. Captain Jack Harkness, what’s your pleasure?”

Jamie jumped in surprise and embarrassment before tugging on his ear and asking for directions back topside.

“You don’t want to do that, Gorgeous” the Captain warned, “They don’t like our kind up there.”

“They like me up there just fine. I have a home and a little girl who will be heartbroken without me” Jamie responded angrily.

“Ok. Ok, I’m sure they do. I can only think of one captain brave enough to even try to take you topside. Go to the dock and look for the Bad Wolf” Jack had leaned forward across the grill while he was talking and Jamie jerked back when he noticed how close the Captain had gotten.

With a quick salute, Jamie followed Jack’s directions and headed toward the dock. As he walked away a small voice cried out: ”Don’t go, she’s crazy!” This was immediately followed by Jack’s voice loudly whispering “Hush Ianto. Silly fish.”

___________

After a brief run in with a rat wearing a sandwich board yelling that the royal family were werewolves, Jamie finally made it to the docks. He hadn’t gone far when he spotted the Bad Wolf. She was a fairly small vessel, made from an old metal washtub with half a tire tread making up the stern. Jamie couldn’t see anyone moving around above deck, so he climbed aboard calling out as he did.

As he explored, Jamie couldn’t help but feel as though he was being followed but didn’t see anyone when he turned to look. He felt a tap on his shoulder before being grabbed and lifted into the air by a large mechanical hand and dangled over the side of the boat.

Golden fur and amused brown eyes met his as a lovely rat wearing jeans and a Union Jack shirt climbed aboard the Bad Wolf.

“I said: who are you, and what are you doin’ on my ship” she repeated. Jamie had been so taken aback by her appearance that he had forgotten what he had planned to say entirely. At a motion from the blonde, the hand gently set Jamie back on the deck.

“My name is Jamie; James McCrimmon. I was looking for the Bad Wolf” he finally managed to reply, brushing off his still damp suit as he did. “Captain Jack Harkness said this was the only boat that could take me topside. I need to get home to Gallifrey; that’s my house in Kensington. It’s very important that I get back . . . “

“Well you found the Bad Wolf, Mate. I’m Rose. This is my boat. I don’t like having strangers make themselves at home without my permission. You can find a different captain, I can’t take you topside right now, I’m a bit busy.” As she turned, unhooked the ropes holding the boat to the dock and walked toward the wheel, Jamie stared in shock. With dawning horror, he realized that she was preparing to leave. He had to convince her to take him home!

Rose had started the engine, looking pointedly from Jamie to the dock with an annoyed expression when two rats jumped from electric mixers onto the deck, glaring menacingly.

“Thought you’d get away, didn’t ya Rose” the smaller rat taunted. His dark grey suit had black dots running down the legs and a shiny blue button pinned to his pocket. “Stealin’ from Rassilon wasn’t very smart, now was it?”

“Your boss stole it from me first! My dad broke every bone in his body to get that white point star” Rose yelled. Taking a breath and coming to stand in front of Jamie, she continued more calmly. “And it don’t matter anyway. It’s gone. Rassilon can’t have it ‘cause I don’t have it anymore.”

The smaller rat yelled to his large, albino counterpart “Grab her Thay. Rassilon is gonna wanna . . . talk to her.” As Rose struggled to free herself from Thay’s grip, Jamie noticed a bulge in her back pocket.

Figuring that he could at least get himself out of the mess he’d found himself in, Jamie called out “Did you notice her bum?”  Thay turned an offended eye on Jamie, while Rose glared daggers and shook her head in the hopes that he would stop speaking. The rat in the dark suit seemed to notice Jamie for the first time, turning to loom threateningly “Thay, turn her around” he shouted, still glaring at Jamie.

“But Sec,” Thay started “it’s not good manners to talk about someone’s bum. Not in front of them at least. What would your mother say!”

“Just do it” Sec yelled, staring hard at his cohort.  Thay lifted the still struggling Rose off her feet, turning her toward his broad chest, revealing the cut edge of a large white diamond peeking out of her back pocket. “Oh, you shouldn’t have tried to hide that from us, Rose” Sec gloated. Rassilon is gonna exterminate you for that.” Thay turned Rose upside down, shaking her until the gem fell from her pocket and threw her over his shoulder.

Glancing back at Jamie he asked “What do you want to do with him, Sec?” Hearing Sec tell him to “bring him along, too” Thay grabbed Jamie and threw him over his other shoulder before following Sec off the boat.

Chap 1 Chap 3 Chap 4 Chap 5 Chap 6 Chap 7 Chap 8 Chap 9