Against the Universe (book 2 of The Doctor and Sloan series)

The Christmas Invasion

In the Tyler's flat, Jackie is decorating the white plastic Christmas tree and putting presents under it. Rose looks out the window looking for that brilliant blue Police Box, but sighs, as it didn't appear. Suddenly they heard a familiar sound. Rose's eyes shine with happiness. They'd come back for her.

Jackie and Rose rush out of their flat and onto the road they find Mickey on the road as well. "Sloan!" She shouted feeling relieved, Sloan had become somewhat like another daughter to her.  "Mickey!" She again exclaims as she sees the boy.

"Jackie, it's the TARDIS!" Mickey shouts feeling excited himself.

"I know, I know, I heard it. She's alive, Mickey. I said so, didn't I? She's alive!"

"Just shut up a minute."

"Well, where is it then?" Just as Jackie finished saying that, the The TARDIS comes out of the vortex in mid air and bounces off one block of flats, a second and a third before avoiding a post office van and finally crashing into a set of waste bins.

After a few moments, the TARDIS doors open up revealing the new Doctor wearing his previous regeneration's clothing baffling not only Rose but the rest of the group as well. What baffled Rose was most was the piloting. She knew the Doctor was bad at flying the TARDIS but she didn't believe he was that bad.

"Here we are then, London. Earth. The Solar System. We did it," the Doctor cheered getting close to the three. "Jackie. Mickey. Rose. Blimey! No, no, no, no, hold on. Wait there. I've got something to say. There was something I had to tell you, something important. What was it? No, hold on, hold on. Hold on, shush, shush, shush, shush," he stops for a second thinking putting his hands on Jackie's and Mickey's shoulders. "Oh, I know! Merry Christmas!" The Doctor says before promptly collapsing, Sloan exits the TARDIS just as he had collapsed and blinks in surprise.

She looked to Mickey, "What happened? Is he all right?" She questioned rapidly.

"I don't know, he just keeled over. But who is he? Where's the Doctor?"

Sloan gave a small smile, "That's him, right in front of you. That's the Doctor."

"What do you mean, that's the Doctor? Doctor who?" Jackie questioned. If the Doctor were awake he'd be wearing a huge grin. Sloan crouched down to his level trying to ignore her own pain she was feeling. It had only just dawned on the woman that Rose was being very quiet. At the moment Sloan didn't care how Rose was dealing at the new information, it didn't matter just yet. The woman's eyes narrowed the Doctor was asleep on the ground, that wasn't going to work at all. She looked to Jackie with pleading eyes and the woman instantly knew what she wanted. Jackie gave Sloan and quick nod making her sigh with relief.

Jackie and Mickey carried the Doctor to the flat Sloan and Rose trailing closely behind. Rose had yet to say a word, not that it bothered Sloan. They'd traveled together long enough for Sloan to know that Rose would eventually speak her mind.

As they entered the flat the Doctor was put in Jackie's room, and Mickey, bless him, had changed him into something more comfortable. Sloan and the Doctor may have kissed but that was to save her life and it didn't mean they were in any sort of relationship and it would have been really awkward. Mickey was at least a guy.

Sloan sat by his side on the bed waiting for Jackie to return. Sloan ran her fingers through his hair hoping that it would give him some comfort and to let him know she was still there like she had always been.

"Here we go. Tina the cleaner's got this lodger, a medical student, and she was fast asleep, so I just took it. Though I still say we should take him to hospital," Jackie said as she entered the room handing the stethoscope to Sloan.