The Fall of Arcadia (Book ONE)

Chapter 13: Part Two

Alice:

They paused in front of me, blocking my view of down the corridor. I covered my face with my hands, knowing I was about to die.

Then something amazing happened. The Burning were suddenly coated in masses of foam, making them smoke and shrink until they weren't there anymore. A fire extinguisher was dropped into the bubbling liquid and I looked up at my saviour.

Then had to double take.

"River?" I gasped, not expecting my dead daughter to suddenly walk in and save me.

"Hello, Sweetie. Come on, where's Jack?" She pulled me to my feet and it took all I had not to hug her. That would get her suspicious.

"Dead, a Burning got him, but he'll wake up any minute now. What are you doing here?" I asked, trying to keep up with the woman who was grabbing another fire extinguisher off of the wall.

She gave me a look. "Freezing cold temperatures in August. In Cardiff, so I can see my friends. Sounds like an ideal adventure."

"I know about you and Jack so you can just say it. And no, he didn't tell me, he has the matching ring to the second one on your left hand." I grinned, grabbing one for myself. If it worked, then it was useful.

"Very clever. That's a spoiler though. Where's the Doctor, and what are we up to?"

"Downstairs, and very early for us. Second time we've met you."

"Very very early. So you have no idea who I am yet? Fantastic, this is going to be difficult." I showed her where Jack was lead, his face still half charred, but he was breathing. "Hello, Sweetie. Want a pain shot?"

"River? Babe, what are you doing here?" Jack wheezed, then started coughing. She rested a hand gently on his chest then injected him in the side of his neck. "Thank you."

"You can make it up to me later. How long til you'll be healed enough to move?"

"About 10 minutes. Sooner, but they hit me full on and I'd rather no one saw me disfigured. Bit late though."

River laughed at this and gently pressed her lips to his. "I love you anyway, Sweetie. Writer, call the Doctor and get him up here, their base is on the roof, they've set up a direct line through the Rift to their sun. They can drag it out, get a few millenia of heat out of the Earth."

"I go by Alice, River. I spent 10 years being called it and I got attached." But I reached out my mind for my Doctor and found him waiting outside. Baby, we need you on floor 9. Bring the others, but be warned, River's here.

River? But she... This is before she goes to the Library, her past is our future. Coming, be careful Princess!

"He's on his way, bringing Donna, Ianto and Gwen."

"What about Owen and Toshiko? Are they back at the Hub?" I gave her a look that said, who? "Jack, where's Owen and Tosh?"

"Dead. Gray killed them, didn't know how to get hold of you. I'm sorry, River."

Rivers silvery eyes filled with tears, something that hadn't happened when her friends died in the Library. "Gray, as in your brother Gray? But... You told me he died back on Boeshane. How did he survive?"

"Can we do this after we're not likely to be burnt to death? Because my hair is firey enough thanks!" I pointed out, hearing the Doctor start to call my name. "Nice one Doc, alert all the Burning to your presence."

His head appeared in the door way, a sheepish grin on his face. "Oops, right yeah. River." He nodded to the woman who had looked up at his arrival.