Ties Between Time and Space

✦27✦

Chapter Twenty-Seven
Head But No Heart

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Inside the Tyler's mansion, the Doctor was dressed in a black suit and a bowtie. He was a waiter. Emma and Rose were dressed in black dresses with white collars and a white apron around their waists. They were waitresses. Needless to say, neither girl was happy about this as they carried a tray of finger foods and champagne glasses for the many guests all around them.

"We could have been anyone," Emma sighed.

"Got us in, didn't it?" the Doctor remarked under his breath.

"You're in charge of the psychic paper," Rose reminded him. "We could've been guests. Celebrities."

"Sir Doctor, Dame Emma," Emma added.

"Instead we end up serving," Rose continued to complain. "Did enough of this back home."

The three stopped in the middle of the room, letting the guests take their pick of alcohol or bite-sized snacks.

"If you want to know what's going on, work in the kitchens," the Doctor said through clenched teeth and a fake smile. "According to Lucy, that man over there-"

"Who's Lucy?" Emma asked, frowning in confusion.

The Doctor made eye contact with his girlfriend before shifting his gaze across the room. "She's carrying the salmon pinwheels."

"Oh, that's Lucy," Emma said. "I talked to her but I thought her name was Lily."

"Yeah, no, Lucy," the Doctor nodded. "Lucy says, that is the President of Great Britain."

Emma looked at a man in a suit, his hair almost nonexistent but going gray. Just like everyone else, he was wearing an earpiece too.

"What? There's a president and not a prime minister?" Rose asked in surprise.

"Seems so," the Doctor murmured.

He and Emma walked away, each heading in opposite directions as they handed out more champagne. Rose sighed as she glanced around, holding the tray in her hands a bit lower so people could take the finger foods as they pleased.

"Or maybe Lucy's just a bit thick," she muttered.

"Excuse me!" a voice caught everyone's attention. "Thank you very much. Thank you if I could just have your attention, please?"

The three found each other again in the main room of the mansion where Pete Tyler was standing on the staircase. He was trying to get everyone's attention and announce something.

Emma noticed Rose's behavior. She had wide eyes, she was trembling a bit, and she swallowed thickly as she stared up at her dad. Not really her dad but this world, this reality's Pete Tyler. Emma rubbed a hand soothingly at her back, hoping it calmed Rose down and comforted her at the same time.

"Um, I'd just like to say thank you to you all, for coming on this, this very special occasion. My wife's thirty-ninth," Pete smiled.

"Don't believe that one," a random guest commented.

"Trust me on this," Pete said, doing his and his partner's slogan. Everyone chuckled. "And so, without any further ado, here she is, the birthday girl. My lovely wife, Jackie Tyler," he gestured to the opposite staircase leading upward. He then applauded with a big smile as Jackie Tyler herself descended the steps. Cameras flashed and the guests clapped happily.

Jackie stopped beside Pete, a smile on her face. "Now, I'm not giving a speech. That's what my parties are famous for. No work, no politics, just a few good mates and plenty of black market whiskey." Jackie and Pete laughed, and so did their guests. "Pardon me, Mr President," Jackie apologized half-heartedly. "So, yeah, get on with it. Enjoy, enjoy," she waved everyone off as Pete took her hand in his and the two disappeared into the crowd of people.