Fighting Against Fire [One] (The Protector Chronicles)

The Unquiet Dead - II

Guess who is having a promotion at work soon...

ME!

I'm starting to shadow in about two weeks and then I'll be fully into my management training which is pretty cool so I do apologise if the updates on my books slow down a bit, so far I am ahead in my writing so hopefully I keep that going.

I still don't know how I feel about this episode but we do get some funny Protector moments so at least we have that to enjoy I guess?

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The Protector stood by a fireplace with the Doctor in a small living room. The man the Protector had almost bumped into, Sneed, the undertaker sat in his oversized chair as Rose walked back and forth, fire iron in hand as she snapped at the old man. "First of all you drug me, then you kidnap me," she hissed at him while the young woman who had tried to stop the Time Lords from entering the building poured tea into cups, "and don't think I didn't feel your hands having a quick wander, you dirty old man."

The Doctor smiled and the Protector elbowed him, giving him a disapproving look which he glared at in return. "I won't be spoken to like this!" Sneed exclaimed.

"Then you stuck me in a room full of zombies!" She continued as Sneed began to look up at her like a kicked little puppy. "And if that ain't enough, you swan off and leave me to die! So come on, talk!"

"It's not my fault." Sneed helplessly replied. "It's this house. It always had a reputation. Haunted. But I never had much bother until a few months back, and then the stiffs," Charles looked at him grimly, "the er, dear departed," Sneed corrected, "started getting restless."

"Tommyrot." Charles scoffed at the man.

Sneed shook his head. "You witnessed it. Can't keep the beggars down, sir. They walk. And it's the queerest thing, but they hang on to scraps."

The young woman walked up to the Doctor and the Protector, placing a cup onto the mantle piece. "Two sugars, sir, just how you like it."

The Doctor frowned slightly at her before he looked towards the Time Lady who also looked just as confused. "Do you know her?" She Telepathically asked him.

"Never met her before in my life."

"One old fellow who used to be a sexton almost walked into his own memorial service. Just like the old lady going to your performance, sir, just as she planned."

"Morbid fancy." Charles continued to dismiss what he saw.

"Oh, Charles," the Doctor rolled his eyes at the man, "you were there."

"I saw nothing but an illusion." He shook his head. "If you're going to deny it, don't waste my- Ow!" The Doctor glared at the Protector as she moved her hand away from the back of his head, having just slapped the back of it. "What was that for?!"

"Unnecessary rudeness towards Charles Dickens." The Time Lady casually replied.

The Doctor huffed, continuing to glare and now narrow his eyes at her as she looked to Sneed. "What about the gas?"

"That's new, ma'am." He nodded. "Never seen anything like that."

"Means it's getting stronger," the Doctor said, now looking at the Protector, still slightly glaring at her, "the rift's getting wider and something's sneaking through."

Rose looked between the Time Lords. "What's the rift?"

"A weak point in time and space." The Doctor stated. "A connection between this place and another. That's the cause of ghost stories, most of the time."