Storm: Time Jump

Tooth and Claw

Teresa landed more gracefully, starting to get the hang of this time jumping even though it didn't seem like the killer headaches lessened with her improved balance. She glanced around, frowning as she found herself on a hill in the middle of nowhere.

She sniffed, wiping away the last of her tears and wondering what she was supposed to do. Should she just wait for the Doctor to appear or go looking for him? The problem with looking for him was that she wasn't even sure where she was, let alone where to find the Doctor.

The idea of just sitting around and waiting did not appeal to her, however, so she wandered off around the grassy hills. The breeze was a little chilly but it helped her to calm down after what had happened with Rory. She'd finally come to terms with the loss, well for now, of her friend and was just starting to wonder where the Doctor was when she reached the crest of a hill and spotted a procession a little further down the road, heading towards her.

She blinked as she saw the black carriage surrounded by Redcoats and suddenly had a sneaking suspicion she knew exactly where she was. The guards had spotted her immediately and stopped the procession, although given that she was in a leather jacket and jeans in what she suspected was 1989 Scotland, that much was to be expected.

She wasn't sure how to react- raise her hands in surrender?- when the Doctor called happily from one side: "Terry! I was wondering where you'd got to." The Captain glanced at him and then examined the girl again, as she sent a small smile at the Doctor. He grinned back cheerily and Rose smiled tightly at her blonde friend, making Teresa frown a little.

What did I do? She wondered, when Captain Reynolds called sharply: "You know this girl, too?" "Oh, aye. She's sisters with this wee naked child." He nodded at Rose, and both girls quickly smiled and nodded, pretending this wasn't the first time they'd heard that.

"Er, she's not dangerous, except maybe a little wild. If that's okay?" He asked and the Captain raised his brows but conceded when Queen Victoria called from her carriage: "Let them be. We will need to make haste to reach Torchwood before nightfall."

Captain Reynolds nodded at her, and Teresa fell into step with the Doctor and Rose as the procession moved forward again. "Hi, Rose." She greeted and again felt the slightly cold air as the other girl just gave a strained smile. The Doctor didn't seem to notice as he asked cheerily, although keeping his voice low: "So, where've you come from?"

"Your future." Teresa replied and he nodded, chuckling a little before he commented as he glanced over her: "Must've been quite an adventure. You look like you've been through a war." Teresa shrugged sheepishly, well aware of how messy she looked.

Her hair was falling out wildly from the elegant bun Reinette had piled it into what felt like ages ago, and her clothes were somewhat covered in dirt from being pulled through the Earth in her previous journey.

"Well, it's been about two, maybe three days." She admitted to him. "I haven't had time to change... or sleep, now that I think about it. I'm probably only still functioning cause I was knocked out for a while just before this."

He raised his brows as he looked her over again, before he asked abruptly: "How long have you been travelling?" "I told you, about two, three days." She told him confusedly and he examined her again.

"Oh... you mean literally only two, three days." He murmured in realization as he took in the young, almost nervous look in her eyes. It must be before she even met his Ninth self... and he cringed to think about it. Not long now until that day then.

Teresa meanwhile had turned to Rose, asking carefully: "Rose? You all right?" "Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" Rose returned, still a little cold and the Doctor tensed. The hurt must've shown on Teresa's face because Rose sighed and then smiled softly.