Winnie Is Not Okay

1.17

They rematerialised and without ever having spared Adam a look Winnie stepped out first. The Doctor acted similarly and followed her. Rose pursed her lips and followed them. Adam waited inside for Rose as she wanted to figure everything out herself first.

"So, it's two hundred thousand, and it's a spaceship. No, wait a minute, space station, and er, go and try that gate over there. Off you go", the Doctor gave a bit of a faux smile, unhappy about what Rose was going to do with this information. Instinctively, he put an arm around Winnie's waist and pulled her back.

"Two hundred thousand?", Rosa asked, to make sure.

"Two hundred thousand", the Doctor nodded.

Winnie looked down at the Doctor's shoes as Rose went back to the Tardis door to get Adam.

"I don't like this", she whispered to him.

"Don't give him a chance", the Doctor pressed, "Give her a chance."

She nodded and swallowed the lump in her throat. Adam had spent the last few months or years dragging the stars down, not even really exploring anything about them. Or at least he really wasn't as good at it as he had told them.

"Rosie", Winnie garnered her attention one last time, "In 2005 Adam is thirteen", she smirked, "Okay, go on."

"Right", Rose opened the door, "Adam? Out you come."

His jaw dropped the instant he stepped out, "Oh my god."

"Don't worry, you'll get used to it", Rose made a brushing off motion with her hand.

"Where are we?"

Rose smiled, excited to share the newfound information as her own discoveries, "Good question. Let's see. So, er, judging by the architecture, I'd say we're around the year two hundred thousand. If you listen-"

"Yeah", Adam breathed out and Winnie snorted at the way Adam actually bought Rose's elaborate lie.

Rose glared at her sister, but quickly caught herself to continue, "Engines. We're on some sort of space station. Yeah, definitely a space station. It's a bit warm in here. They could turn the heating down. Tell you what - let's try that gate. Come on!"

Rose grabbed Adam's wrist and dragged him over. Naturally, like exasperated parents do, the Doctor and Winnie entwined their hands and followed slowly. They arrived when Rose had already opened it and then they all stood in front of a glass-wall through which they could look down onto a very different looking planet Earth.

Adam's jaw dropped, and even Winnie was impressed. She stepped closer to the Doctor and put a hand on his arm, silently asking for an explanation.

"Here we go", Rose grinned at Adam, "And this is- I'll let the Doctor describe it."

The Doctor gave Winnie a playful smile, seeing her already pursed lips.

"The Fourth Great and Bountiful Human Empire", he pulled Winnie with him to stand closer to the window, "And there it is, planet Earth at its height. Covered with mega-cities, five moons, population ninety six billion. The hub of a galactic domain stretching across a million planets, a million species, with mankind right in the middle."

Adam's jaw still hung open and when the Doctor finished he just fainted.

The Doctor grimaced at Rose, "He's your boyfriend."

Rose had a similar look on her face when she looked down at Adam, "Not anymore."

"Come on, Adam", the Doctor tried to encourage the boy when he woke up and they walked back out into the central square, "Open your mind. You're going to like this. Fantastic period of history. The human race at its most intelligent. Culture, art, politics. This era has got fine foods, good manners."