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Fic: Dating the Cleverest Boy in the World. Chapter 21.
I can't believe I'm actually posting this chapter. It's been one of those I've had in my head since... forever. A lot of story has appeared as I wrote, but this was part of the plan from the beginning.
I shall dedicate it to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
the_redjay however, as one of her stories helped fix a plot-issue. Enjoy everyone, this one should make you happy! The music is a clue... (The music is always a clue, incidentally.)
Fic index here if anyone wants to catch up, or just follow the tags. Also on AO3 and The Teaspoon.
Summary: Allison had always thought that university would be an adventure. But she'd not imagined that she'd end up dating Harold Saxon's son.
Setting: Summer 2028
Characters (this chapter): Alex, Allison, Matt, Jack.
Rating: PG
Wordcount: 5600 words approx.
Feedback: Invaluable.
Chapter 21
The bleeping of her phone woke her, and Allison glanced round the bedroom groggily, before locating the sound and attempting to read the new message that was flashing - and then rereading it several times as her brain began rebooting.
Allie
I wrote you a letter. It was a beautiful letter, terribly clever and with subheadings and everything. But then (due to complicated circumstances, you can blame Robin Hood if you like) (indirectly, obviously) I realised that truly I am a fantastically privileged spoiled arrogant entitled jerk (something I do believe you’re aware of) and that just because the wonders of the universe happen to be at my fingertips doesn’t mean that I have a right to them.
So, in short, I am sorry.
I feel I need to add the caveat that it's not easy to be sorry that it happened at all (because it was wonderful), but basically you were right and I was wrong and please forgive me?
Yours,
S.
It was four o’clock in the morning (he really had a thing for stupidly timed stuff), and she half-suspected that this was a dream. Robin Hood? Honest to God apologies?
Because it was without a doubt a proper apology. Mr I’m-the-stubbornest-of-them-all had capitulated, lock, stock and barrel.
As this sank in, she found herself calling him. Just to make sure that it was really real and not a dream.
“Allie!” he replied after a moment. “I didn’t think you were awake. It’s... early. I think?”
"Four am to be precise. I just... what happened?” she asked, and he hesitated momentarily.
“Someone... helped me to... gain perspective?”
He stopped, and she could faintly hear voices in the background, before he spoke again, the words obviously not meant for her ears only.
“Although if that certain someone doesn’t stop referring to me as a ‘Tot’ I’m- Oh great, now she’s laughing! Why do I have a feeling she’ll be thinking up far worse monikers in no time at all...”
“She who?” Allison asked, curious, and he chuckled.
“Very distant relation. Hates my father - and with good reason - so never thought she’d take to me. Especially considering the waffle incident...”
”Alex - I’m not awake enough for this. I just wanted to say that if you’re properly genuine, then I’d like to see you and talk through it.”
***
After that everything turned lovely. They celebrated his birthday and went back to uni and everything was fine. Better than fine, even. There was sunshine and studying for exams, and Alex was clearly going out of his way to make everything as perfect as possible. Some days they’d hire a punt, load it up with books (both the paper variety and the electronic kind), blankets, parasols, and a big hamper, and go up or down the river, passing the day in blissful idyll.
The only issue was Alex’s unwillingness to discuss his future plans, although he encouraged her to go for an ‘Astronomy and Astrophysics MSc by research’ in Manchester. This had several things going for it, including Manchester being the largest university in the country, with outstanding facilities (as well as Professor Brian Cox, of course) plus the family factor, as Toby had lived there for several years by now and said he knew people who could find a her - or them, if Alex tagged along - a good flat.
But then came The Longest Day - and the aftermath.
Looking back, later, it was a clear turning point. The doors that she’d suspected to be there had been thrown wide open for a moment, and it had been her own choice not to open them again...
Yet at the time she had been too plain unsettled to do anything else - and it wouldn’t have changed the eventual outcome anyway.
However the most immediate effect had been to embrace life. She had never thought how anything other than everyday issues - or Alex’s peculiarities - could ever threaten their life, or their future... The Longest Day taught her differently, even though some of the lessons didn't sink in until much later.
***
Saturday, 3rd of June 2028
It began at dawn, when Alex sat bolt upright in their bed, shaking.
“Alex?” she asked, and lifted herself up on her elbow when he didn’t answer.
“Something’s here,” he said, staring into space, looking as if he’d had a proper nightmare.
“In the flat?” she said, suddenly feeling a chill going through her, but he only shook his head. “No... Much bigger. I felt... I need to talk to the Doctor.”
Reaching for his phone, it yielded no response when he tried dialling the Doctor’s number, after which he tried Jack, and still got no response.
“This is bad, this is very very bad...” he whispered, and although she wanted to say something comforting she was stopped by the look in his eyes.
Jumping out of bed he went into the sitting room, switching on the main screen, trying for the 24 hour news. But the screen only flickered with a message that an emergency service would soon be up and running and not to worry.
Retrieving the seldom used keyboard, Alex sat himself down on the sofa and with utmost concentration began typing - and as Allison watched the screen split into several factions... Not unusual in itself, except for the symbols that started appearing.
First came UNIT and Torchwood - the latter seemingly frozen and swiftly discarded, whilst Alex tapped in some code or other which apparently allowed him access to UNIT’s top secret unfolding news.
At the same time he opened up windows for the FBI, CIA, NATO, and various other army sites... information - or lack thereof - scrolling past too fast to follow.
Too fast for her at least - Alex seemed to be reading them all simultaneously, muttering to himself unhappily.
“Not enough...” he said after a few minutes, clearing them all away, except for one dark and unexplained corner that he left open.
Before she could ask, Allison’s attention was stolen by the appearance across the remainder of the screen of a symbol that looked like an A with a head and odd spindly wings... It was vaguely familiar, and without moving he answered her unspoken question.
“The Archangel Network. I was hoping it wouldn’t come to this because it’s just so darn fiddly. I’ve got all of Dad’s security to crack, not to mention I’ve got to do it without tripping up any of the Doctor’s booby traps... At least I’ve already made a start adding my own stuff. Although not enough. I thought I had time...”
His voice drifted off, as he concentrated on the cryptic symbols that were now filling the screen, and Allison pulled her dressing gown closer around her, staring at the boy on the sofa as if she’d never seen him before.
“Alex... What- No how-”
“Cleverest boy in the world,” he replied, not taking his eyes off the screen, hands flying over the keys.
“I could hack into anything by the time I was five. And this-” he added with an oddly dismissive wave of his hand, “-is my inheritance. Although Dad would not be pleased if he knew what I was doing...”
Too many questions still unanswered Allison opened her mouth, only to stop, speechless, as the screen transformed itself from unintelligible code to a map of the world.
The view made Alex lift a hand to his mouth in shock.
“Oh no...”
Swiftly hitting the keys a few more times the view jumped around, and with a slow, sickening realisation Allison began to grasp what she was seeing.
Every major city in the world appeared to be covered in some sort of dome, see-through but shimmering like glass.
“What is it? What’s happening?” she asked, and he shook his head.
“I don’t know. I don’t know.”
Slowly turning his head, he looked at her with actual fear in his eyes.
“It’s like Christmas all over again. I... I don’t know what to do! Except this is... So much bigger. And I might be clever but this is far, far beyond me.”
His hand was wrapped around something (his pendant? He had a pendant she seemed to remember. Had he been wearing it last night?) so tightly his knuckles were going white, and she didn’t know what to say when the small black rectangle in the corner chose that moment to pop up and fill the screen, the words ‘Subwave Network Active’ unfurling in a corner.
A second later Jack’s face appeared, his surroundings in darkness and his face so grim Allison couldn’t quite reconcile it with the flirtatious man she’d met previously.
Before Alex could say a word, Jack pointed a finger straight at him.
“Stay!”
“But-”
“I have less than a minute, so listen. You stay where you are. Don’t try to help, don’t attempt to access anything, don’t move unless told so by me or the Doctor. However if you get the signal, get yourself the hell to safety. No heroics, understood?”
Alex had gone very pale, but he nodded.
“Understood.”
Jack’s face softened a little, although his voice was still harsh and commanding:
“Whatever happens... Afterwards I will come to you. On no account try to find me. However long it takes - I’ll get back to you. We need you safe, OK?”
Alex nodded again, but this time when he replied his voice was barely above a whisper.
“See you on the other side Big Brother.”
“See you,” Jack replied, before a woman’s face appeared, mostly in shadow but eyes bright and vivid.
“Stay safe Tot!”
“Thanks Redjay,” he replied quietly, the ghost of a smile appearing on his face. “And Good Hunting.”
She bared her teeth in a feral smile (it looked like she had feathers in her hair and what Allison would normally have called ‘tribal painting’ on her face, but it was probably just the light), and then the connection cut out.
Allison stared for the longest time, then turned to Alex.
“What now?”
“Now... we wait. And try to stop people panicking.”
The Archangel symbol returned to the screen, slowly swirling, and he looked at with an expression she couldn’t quite understand.
“Alex. Please-”
“End of the world,” he said slowly. “Maybe. Possibly. Probably. Although if they - whoever ‘they’ are - have domed the towns rather than just blasted them I’m guessing it’s a hostage situation rather than a straightforward invasion. Wish I-”
He swallowed and turned to her.
“You know how I’ve been talking about my own projects... One of them was attempting to use the Archangel network as an early warning system for situations like this. But it would need both NASA and UNIT on board and I kept putting it off. Don’t know if it would have helped today of course, but it might...”
She didn’t know what to say, and her feelings clearly showed on her face. He smiled joylessly.
“’And with these things on thy mind, dost thou lie down and rise again among all the sahibs’ little sons at the madrissah and meekly take instruction from thy teachers?’”
“What?” she asked, so utterly thrown that if gravity had suddenly been suspended it couldn’t have made her more disoriented.
“Told you to read Kim... Although that’s not important now. Suppose we best get dressed as there’ll still be plenty to do. Local government level mind you, so it’ll be more like purgatory, but that’s probably what I need.”
He stood up, then seemed to notice her properly for the first time. She wasn’t sure why, but she seemed to be shaking.
“Allie,” he said softly, covering the distance between them in two steps and wrapping her up in a hug. “I’m sorry.”
“Amanda and her family are in London,” she said, fighting against tears. “What’s going to happen to them?”
“If we’re lucky they’ll be fine.”
“And if not...”
Holding her arms he looked at her calmly, his voice perfectly level when he replied.
“The whole planet could be destroyed.”
Pulling away she almost screamed at him, because he was just... unnatural.
“How can you be so calm? How can you just-”
She wanted to shake him - force some kind of emotion to the surface. The lack of reaction was so abnormal that it made her want to run - except there was nowhere to run to, because the planet was being taken over by aliens and somewhere she could feel that knowledge slowly sinking in with a terrifying reality that she wasn’t sure how to cope with.
He didn’t move.
“Because I’m different and I’m damaged. Because I learned that everything ends and everything dies when I was eight years old. Because I look at you every single day and remember that in a hundred years time you’ll be gone and it hurts more than I can explain... This stupid planet is my home and all I want to do is just to go out there and destroy whoever is threatening us and make sure everyone is safe! And I can’t.”
She opened her mouth, but he shook his head.
“Before you say anything - it's nothing to do with being a hero, it's about having a goddamn lunatic for a father and being brought up to look at everything as rightfully mine. And it’s-”
Swallowing he held up a hand, before taking a deep breath.
“So I’m going to go do what I can to help out right here, and try not to go crazy.”
“OK...”
“And I think I can probably rig the Subwave Network so you can speak to the rest of your family.”
She’d have hugged him, except she still felt paralysed - a feeling that didn’t leave her all day. It was an awful, sick feeling, and she was almost grateful for Alex dragging her along to help out, as trying to help at least kept her from just curling up in a corner, crying.
Alex himself was everywhere - organising, helping, reassuring - an oasis of calm that seemed to know everyone in the whole of Cambridge (“I spent two years learning every trade I could - I do know all of this town,” was his nonplussed answer when she brought it up), and who could rally the most dejected and despairing of people. (“Have seen the Doctor do this more times than I can count - it’s easy when you know how...”)
Still, it was The Longest Day, and sometimes Allison could see Alex’s facade fracture... It would only last for a moment, but the naked frustration and fear would shine through, reassuring her that he still had normal, human feelings beneath the mask. (His mother was in London, she knew. He didn't mention this once.) She never stopped to consider what suppressing it all might do. Not until the message of all-clear came in the falling darkness.
The Council Hall where she was erupted in joy and for endless minutes she was swept up in the ecstasy, before trying to get in touch with Amanda and making sure everyone was OK.
It had been at least ten minutes before she even began wondering where Alex could be... And another five before she began worrying when he didn’t answer his phone.
Eventually she got hold of Matt - someone who had of course taken to the crisis-work as a duck to water, happy to put his medical-student skills to good use.
“Allison - thank god you’re there. Alex is... Just come down to the Red Lion and you’ll see,” he said, the urgency in his voice such that she didn’t ask more questions, just set off immediately.
The Red Lion was a large lion statue that had originally been situated in a shopping mall (called Lion Yard apparently) but had - after some years out of the public eye - been put up in the main square by Great St Mary’s Church, on a very tall plinth to stop students climbing it.
When she reached the square, she realised that Alex had once again defied the rules, and her heart sank.
He was sitting astride the Red Lion itself, a bright orange traffic cone on his head, leading the crowded square in a rousing rendition of Jerusalem - she’d heard the singing from afar, and when she reached the square the crowd had reached the second verse.
Thankfully she managed to find Matt quickly, although the look of relief on his face didn’t exactly help.
“Matt - why is he up there?”
Matt pulled a face.
“I believe the technical term is ‘high as a kite’. Quite literally.”
“I’m sorry?”
“From what I gathered talking to the lads he was with, they decided to celebrate. And not by getting drunk.”
“You mean drugs?”
He pulled a face again.
“I wasn’t there. But as you can see, he’s...” he waved a hand. “Very exuberant.”
Taking a deep breath she tried to gather herself. She wished she could say that this came as a surprise, but she could almost hear him going ‘Why not?’
“I don’t suppose you know what he took?” she asked, and Matt shook his head.
“Sorry...”
Worry began shining out of him and Allison nodded, trying to gather her thoughts. Even if Matt couldn’t help, he’d know which people to call at the hospital if worst came to the worst. Now all she needed was to get Alex...
Determinedly working her way through the throng, she called to him once the singing stopped.
“Allison!” he laughed when he noticed her, and she clamped down on the urge to yell at him for being stupid. There would be plenty of time...
“Come down!” she shouted instead, and thankfully he nodded acquiescence.
Tossing his cone down to the crowd, he then asked them to move, which they did with loud cheers as they saw him carefully climb up onto the Lion’s back, standing as straight as an arrow, arms outstretched to keep his balance.
Allison felt her heart plummet. She’d had enough terror for one day, and her cries off “Stop! What are you doing?” didn’t carry over the shouts of the crowd to jump...
Moving to the side of the clear space she watched him (as she had so many times in the circus), the way he concentrated and measured... Except here there was no safety net, no sawdust, no trained professionals... And he was very far from sober.
Then he tilted his head, a wide grin breaking out - so Saxon she almost froze.
“New song!” he declared and began singing, the crowd eagerly joining in, Take That clearly being popular enough still for people to remember the words.
He was watching her carefully, gauging her reaction, but she found herself unable to concentrate on anything except the leap itself. The perfect elegance of the jump (with added spin and flourish, of course) drew huge cheers, and he landed on the ground with utmost grace, bowing that perfect circus bow towards the now ecstatic crowds, before encouraging them to keep singing.
Allison however felt like she was ready to faint, before running forwards, nearly shaking him.
“Alex! What the hell are you doing?”
He didn’t reply. Instead he dropped to one knee... and sang. As the whole square was singing lustily it caught her off balance how personal his song was. Like he was making them all sing just for her. Hundreds of people singing with one voice - his voice. It was unsettling in a way she was unable to articulate, especially as the significance of the words sank in.
All she could do was stare, speechless, and he looked up at her expectantly, the crowd carrying on happily, as he tilted his head.
“Well - what do you say?”
“What do I say to what? Alex-”
“Do you want to rule world with me? I waited for you. Although I made them sing in anticipation... Jerusalem is a great, great song. I will build Jerusalem in England’s green and pleasant land, but I need you by my side! Don’t leave me now..." (for a moment he joined back in with the singing and she took a sharp breath) "Oooh I could make you a crown to go with the necklace!”
His eyes were shining and his smile wide and eager, and she wowed to go personally break the legs of whoever had given him illegal substances. Clearly this was the price for being so in control - he’d completely lost it. She’d always expected that he might, but this...
“Alex... I don’t want to rule the world.”
“Oh.”
His face fell, and then he stood up, pulling out his phone.
“I’m not being crazy, Allie. I know you’re thinking it’s the drugs talking, but it really isn’t. You see I found something. Quite by accident... Turns out the Doctor didn’t quite confiscate all of Daddy’s toys. He’s been ever so naughty, but I can use it all for good! Let me explain-”
He held up the phone where the Archangel symbol was slowly turning and she shook her head, grabbing hold of his arm, forcing him to look at her properly.
“Alex, I don’t care! What I want to know is why you took drugs, and what on earth possessed you to jump off that lion. You could have been killed!”
He pulled back, a deeply affronted look on his face.
“I can kill myself if I want to! In any. way. I. like! You’re not the boss of me.”
She could feel her jaw drop, which caused him to tilt his head, a thought slowly making its way across his face.
“Oh. You think I would have died. Don’t worry - I have more lives than a cat!”
Then he leaned forwards conspiratorially, voice dropping to a whisper.
“Although the whole nine lives thing? Is just a myth. But don’t tell the cats. They get very touchy!”
He tapped his nose, shooting her a significant look, and it was all she could do not to find a wall to bang her head against.
“I promise I won’t tell the cats,” she said eventually - as he seemed to be waiting for her to say something - and then Matt found them, as the singing (to Allison’s immense relief) began winding down.
“Alex. What did you take? Please at least give me an idea-”
“A little of everything,” Alex replied breezily, waving his hand and then stopping, watching it, before slowly passing it in from of his face.
“Oh that’s amazing. Have you seen Donnie Darko?”
“That’s it, we’re going home!” Allison said, taking hold of his other hand and setting off walking.
The Longest Day just got longer.
Somehow she managed to get Alex into bed (Matt was invaluable, she could have kissed him), but she only got him to sleep by telling him that he could perfectly easily take over the world tomorrow.
Once he was settled, Matt insisted on making them both some food (“When did you last eat?” he asked, and she shook head) and some tea, and despite being sure that she couldn’t eat a thing she discovered that she was starving.
“Thank you,” she said, as she eventually drained her cup, and then realised her hands were shaking and carefully set the cup down on the table. “I don’t...”
“Hey, it’s OK,” Matt replied, laying a hand on top of hers. “There was an alien invasion. And with Alex on top of everything else... You’re allowed to lose it, OK?”
She nodded, grateful. There were times when she wondered at Alex’s friendship with Josh - the strange friction, all the issues they wouldn’t tell her about - but Matt was the opposite. Quiet and down-to-earth, he just accepted Alex along with all his peculiarities.
“I think... I think I need to go to bed,” she said slowly. “My head seems... I can’t really think straight anymore.”
“Good idea,” Matt agreed, then added: “If you need me, just call.”
“Will do. And thank you again. Don’t know what I’d have done without you. I’ve never seen him like this...”
Matt hesitated.
“I’ve seen something... vaguely similar, but it’s a long time ago now. He... reacts badly to being powerless. But that’s a discussion for another day. Sleep well.”
***
The next day she was woken once again by Alex sitting bolt upright, although judging by the light it was closer to midday than early morning.
For a second she had a terrible feeling of deja vu (in as much as she could feel anything through the sleepy fog in her head), then he turned to her, eyes wide and terrified.
“Did I take over the world?”
“What?”
“Allie, please answer me. Did I take over the world?”
Sitting up she took his hand and spoke slowly and carefully.
“You took a lot of drugs, then sat atop the Red Lion making everyone sing. And then you jumped off, nearly giving me a heart attack-”
“Where is my phone?” he interrupted, then swept it from the bedside table and studied it, relief flooding his features.
In the stillness they heard a soft knock on the door, and the relief increased tenfold.
“Jack,” he breathed, attempting to get out of bed, except his legs obviously didn’t quite work, and Allison pulled on her dressing gown and went instead.
It was Jack.
He smiled, but looked so exhausted that Allison felt like asking him if he wanted a lie down - instead she offered to make some fresh tea. He nodded gratefully, and went to see Alex.
When she turned up in the bedroom doorway a few minutes later, she could tell that Alex had obviously filled Jack in on the night’s happenings - going by the look on his face at least.
He was staring at Alex, incredulous. “See-” he began, then stopped as he saw her, carefully helping himself to a cup of tea before shaking his head.
“Alex. You don’t know what you’re asking.”
“Jack please. I can’t tell the Doctor, you know what he’s like - everything is all black and white. And the stuff I found is embedded at the very core of everything, there’s no way to remove it. If I’m ever going to use those satellites for anything useful, that programming needs to stay.”
He held up the phone, but Jack didn’t seem willing to budge.
“You are asking me to keep your father’s secrets. This is not a screwdriver, this is-”
He stopped, closing his eyes momentarily, and Alex bit his lip, eyes turning mercurial and calculating as he studied the older man.
“Well... You are keeping a secret for me. Daddy doesn’t know. We can keep tabs on him... Even use it as leverage, or blackmail, if need be.”
There was a moment where they looked at each other, silently, then Jack sighed.
“I don’t like how your mind works kid, but I’ve got to hand it to you...”
“I’m my father’s son?”
Jack didn’t reply, instead taking a sip of his tea, and when he spoke again he changed the subject.
“So, apparently a lot of the mess is due to you messing around with illegal substances. What exactly did you take?”
Alex’s response wasn’t what Allison had expected. He looked bashful, yet as if they were sharing some sort of private joke.
“Sort of... everything?” he replied, and Jack’s face registered a combination of fondness and exasperation that was somehow very reassuring.
“You truly are an idiot, you know that right?” he replied, and Alex smiled ruefully.
“At least I’m consistent?”
At which Jack started chuckling, and then laughing, to such an extent that Allison began to worry that he would spill his tea. Eventually he managed to catch his breath and studied her boyfriend with such affection that Allison felt a great deal of the worries of the last 24 hours fade away.
“Please tell me that at least you’ve learned something from all this?”
Alex nodded solemnly.
“Drugs are baaaaaaad.”
“Good. I am now going to go get some sleep, little brother - and I will keep your secrets even though you don’t deserve it!”
After Jack had left, Alex sat in silence looking into the distance until Allison waved a hand in front of his face.
“Hello? Anyone there?”
Slowly he looked up at her, like he wasn’t sure she was real.
“I can’t believe you’re still here. After last night...”
“Well, you’re not about to take drugs again, so that’s good. And as long as there aren’t any more alien invasions...”
“But you’re staying? Or rather, you don’t want me to leave? I was...”
“High as a kite, to use Matt’s words. I’ll give you a pass.”
“You shouldn’t,” he said, and she sat down on the bed, taking his hand. She understood him well enough by now to know what to say.
“Do you want to rule the world?”
He shook his head, horrified, and she kissed his nose.
“See, we’re good.”
(The world had nearly ended the day before. His issues were suddenly... less of an issue.)
Reaching up, he cradled her cheek, wonder in his eyes.
“Travel with me?” he asked softly. “I was thinking we could go round the world in 80 days? Once the exams are over. A Grand Tour, before... Before we have to grow up and face life properly.”
“Sounds wonderful.”
He was still stalling, but at least he had admitted as much.
***
Exams came and went, oddly underwhelming after the nightmare of the invasion, although Alex managed to briefly become the talk of the whole of Cambridge, her own First class honours overshadowed completely.
“But what did you do?” she asked him, and he grinned. “I took the natural sciences and turned them upside down and inside out. And then I made them dance a jig.”
“Alex...”
“No really. A jig.”
Of course he had. It was almost enough to make her think that... Except she wouldn’t. Not now.
Instead she focussed on making sure she had a flat in Manchester for September, and packing for a round-the-world trip.
As an antidote to the trauma of an alien invasion, travel turned out to be perfect. New sights, new people, new destinations, new smells, new tastes and new experiences every day. Alex was of course a wonderful guide, whether they were halfway up the Himalayas, or trying to find a Mayan temple. She did her best to keep a vague diary, to remember it for later when they were old and could reminisce... She knew he was worried that the end of university would spell the end of them - that they wouldn’t make the transition - but she was determined to prove him wrong. Yes there would be changes, especially if he wandered off to work on his own projects, but she was sure they could weather even a long-distance relationship.
And travel was marvellous for living in the moment and not worrying about the future.
Except all of a sudden summer was over, 80 days were gone, and they were back home - a little late, but still in time for Josh and Jamie’s wedding. It was a beautiful day, no one forgot the rings or anything else, and the couple looked beyond stunning and were so happy that there wasn’t a dry eye in the Synagogue.
Still, Allison felt oddly out of sorts. Her own future was in many ways a mystery, and Alex’s doubly so.
Where did they go from here?
The next day was their last in Cambridge. The morning after a van would come for all her stuff and take it to Manchester (Alex had of course boxed everything up in his own, very efficient manner), and she decided that she couldn’t wait any longer.
“Alex - please just tell me. What are your plans? Are you coming with me or not?”
He looked up from the list he was going over, then closed his eyes in something like resignation, except she could swear he went paler.
Then he put down the paper, before pulling the necklace with the pendant over his head and laying it down on the table. (Had he been wearing that before? Maybe he’d put it on when he’d gotten dressed, she was sure she’d not seen it that morning.)
Standing up, he walked over to her.
“Give me your hands,” he said, and for one (terrifying, exhilarating) moment she thought he was going to propose.
Instead he placed her hands on his chest. This was puzzling, until she with dawning shock realised that she could feel two heartbeats. She couldn't count the number of times she’d fallen asleep on his chest, this was not... possible.
Slowly lifting her eyes, she felt like she’d never seen him before as he spoke again:
“I’m not human.”
Chapter 22.
(If you're wondering what Alex discovered about the Archangel network, this short fic bythe_redjay - set around 2011 - gives an idea: Waffles. By which I mean I totally stole it, because it's perfect.)
I shall dedicate it to
the_redjay however, as one of her stories helped fix a plot-issue. Enjoy everyone, this one should make you happy! The music is a clue... (The music is always a clue, incidentally.)Fic index here if anyone wants to catch up, or just follow the tags. Also on AO3 and The Teaspoon.
Summary: Allison had always thought that university would be an adventure. But she'd not imagined that she'd end up dating Harold Saxon's son.
Setting: Summer 2028
Characters (this chapter): Alex, Allison, Matt, Jack.
Rating: PG
Wordcount: 5600 words approx.
Feedback: Invaluable.
Chapter 21
The bleeping of her phone woke her, and Allison glanced round the bedroom groggily, before locating the sound and attempting to read the new message that was flashing - and then rereading it several times as her brain began rebooting.
Allie
I wrote you a letter. It was a beautiful letter, terribly clever and with subheadings and everything. But then (due to complicated circumstances, you can blame Robin Hood if you like) (indirectly, obviously) I realised that truly I am a fantastically privileged spoiled arrogant entitled jerk (something I do believe you’re aware of) and that just because the wonders of the universe happen to be at my fingertips doesn’t mean that I have a right to them.
So, in short, I am sorry.
I feel I need to add the caveat that it's not easy to be sorry that it happened at all (because it was wonderful), but basically you were right and I was wrong and please forgive me?
Yours,
S.
It was four o’clock in the morning (he really had a thing for stupidly timed stuff), and she half-suspected that this was a dream. Robin Hood? Honest to God apologies?
Because it was without a doubt a proper apology. Mr I’m-the-stubbornest-of-them-all had capitulated, lock, stock and barrel.
As this sank in, she found herself calling him. Just to make sure that it was really real and not a dream.
“Allie!” he replied after a moment. “I didn’t think you were awake. It’s... early. I think?”
"Four am to be precise. I just... what happened?” she asked, and he hesitated momentarily.
“Someone... helped me to... gain perspective?”
He stopped, and she could faintly hear voices in the background, before he spoke again, the words obviously not meant for her ears only.
“Although if that certain someone doesn’t stop referring to me as a ‘Tot’ I’m- Oh great, now she’s laughing! Why do I have a feeling she’ll be thinking up far worse monikers in no time at all...”
“She who?” Allison asked, curious, and he chuckled.
“Very distant relation. Hates my father - and with good reason - so never thought she’d take to me. Especially considering the waffle incident...”
”Alex - I’m not awake enough for this. I just wanted to say that if you’re properly genuine, then I’d like to see you and talk through it.”
After that everything turned lovely. They celebrated his birthday and went back to uni and everything was fine. Better than fine, even. There was sunshine and studying for exams, and Alex was clearly going out of his way to make everything as perfect as possible. Some days they’d hire a punt, load it up with books (both the paper variety and the electronic kind), blankets, parasols, and a big hamper, and go up or down the river, passing the day in blissful idyll.
The only issue was Alex’s unwillingness to discuss his future plans, although he encouraged her to go for an ‘Astronomy and Astrophysics MSc by research’ in Manchester. This had several things going for it, including Manchester being the largest university in the country, with outstanding facilities (as well as Professor Brian Cox, of course) plus the family factor, as Toby had lived there for several years by now and said he knew people who could find a her - or them, if Alex tagged along - a good flat.
But then came The Longest Day - and the aftermath.
Looking back, later, it was a clear turning point. The doors that she’d suspected to be there had been thrown wide open for a moment, and it had been her own choice not to open them again...
Yet at the time she had been too plain unsettled to do anything else - and it wouldn’t have changed the eventual outcome anyway.
However the most immediate effect had been to embrace life. She had never thought how anything other than everyday issues - or Alex’s peculiarities - could ever threaten their life, or their future... The Longest Day taught her differently, even though some of the lessons didn't sink in until much later.
Saturday, 3rd of June 2028
It began at dawn, when Alex sat bolt upright in their bed, shaking.
“Alex?” she asked, and lifted herself up on her elbow when he didn’t answer.
“Something’s here,” he said, staring into space, looking as if he’d had a proper nightmare.
“In the flat?” she said, suddenly feeling a chill going through her, but he only shook his head. “No... Much bigger. I felt... I need to talk to the Doctor.”
Reaching for his phone, it yielded no response when he tried dialling the Doctor’s number, after which he tried Jack, and still got no response.
“This is bad, this is very very bad...” he whispered, and although she wanted to say something comforting she was stopped by the look in his eyes.
Jumping out of bed he went into the sitting room, switching on the main screen, trying for the 24 hour news. But the screen only flickered with a message that an emergency service would soon be up and running and not to worry.
Retrieving the seldom used keyboard, Alex sat himself down on the sofa and with utmost concentration began typing - and as Allison watched the screen split into several factions... Not unusual in itself, except for the symbols that started appearing.
First came UNIT and Torchwood - the latter seemingly frozen and swiftly discarded, whilst Alex tapped in some code or other which apparently allowed him access to UNIT’s top secret unfolding news.
At the same time he opened up windows for the FBI, CIA, NATO, and various other army sites... information - or lack thereof - scrolling past too fast to follow.
Too fast for her at least - Alex seemed to be reading them all simultaneously, muttering to himself unhappily.
“Not enough...” he said after a few minutes, clearing them all away, except for one dark and unexplained corner that he left open.
Before she could ask, Allison’s attention was stolen by the appearance across the remainder of the screen of a symbol that looked like an A with a head and odd spindly wings... It was vaguely familiar, and without moving he answered her unspoken question.
“The Archangel Network. I was hoping it wouldn’t come to this because it’s just so darn fiddly. I’ve got all of Dad’s security to crack, not to mention I’ve got to do it without tripping up any of the Doctor’s booby traps... At least I’ve already made a start adding my own stuff. Although not enough. I thought I had time...”
His voice drifted off, as he concentrated on the cryptic symbols that were now filling the screen, and Allison pulled her dressing gown closer around her, staring at the boy on the sofa as if she’d never seen him before.
“Alex... What- No how-”
“Cleverest boy in the world,” he replied, not taking his eyes off the screen, hands flying over the keys.
“I could hack into anything by the time I was five. And this-” he added with an oddly dismissive wave of his hand, “-is my inheritance. Although Dad would not be pleased if he knew what I was doing...”
Too many questions still unanswered Allison opened her mouth, only to stop, speechless, as the screen transformed itself from unintelligible code to a map of the world.
The view made Alex lift a hand to his mouth in shock.
“Oh no...”
Swiftly hitting the keys a few more times the view jumped around, and with a slow, sickening realisation Allison began to grasp what she was seeing.
Every major city in the world appeared to be covered in some sort of dome, see-through but shimmering like glass.
“What is it? What’s happening?” she asked, and he shook his head.
“I don’t know. I don’t know.”
Slowly turning his head, he looked at her with actual fear in his eyes.
“It’s like Christmas all over again. I... I don’t know what to do! Except this is... So much bigger. And I might be clever but this is far, far beyond me.”
His hand was wrapped around something (his pendant? He had a pendant she seemed to remember. Had he been wearing it last night?) so tightly his knuckles were going white, and she didn’t know what to say when the small black rectangle in the corner chose that moment to pop up and fill the screen, the words ‘Subwave Network Active’ unfurling in a corner.
A second later Jack’s face appeared, his surroundings in darkness and his face so grim Allison couldn’t quite reconcile it with the flirtatious man she’d met previously.
Before Alex could say a word, Jack pointed a finger straight at him.
“Stay!”
“But-”
“I have less than a minute, so listen. You stay where you are. Don’t try to help, don’t attempt to access anything, don’t move unless told so by me or the Doctor. However if you get the signal, get yourself the hell to safety. No heroics, understood?”
Alex had gone very pale, but he nodded.
“Understood.”
Jack’s face softened a little, although his voice was still harsh and commanding:
“Whatever happens... Afterwards I will come to you. On no account try to find me. However long it takes - I’ll get back to you. We need you safe, OK?”
Alex nodded again, but this time when he replied his voice was barely above a whisper.
“See you on the other side Big Brother.”
“See you,” Jack replied, before a woman’s face appeared, mostly in shadow but eyes bright and vivid.
“Stay safe Tot!”
“Thanks Redjay,” he replied quietly, the ghost of a smile appearing on his face. “And Good Hunting.”
She bared her teeth in a feral smile (it looked like she had feathers in her hair and what Allison would normally have called ‘tribal painting’ on her face, but it was probably just the light), and then the connection cut out.
Allison stared for the longest time, then turned to Alex.
“What now?”
“Now... we wait. And try to stop people panicking.”
The Archangel symbol returned to the screen, slowly swirling, and he looked at with an expression she couldn’t quite understand.
“Alex. Please-”
“End of the world,” he said slowly. “Maybe. Possibly. Probably. Although if they - whoever ‘they’ are - have domed the towns rather than just blasted them I’m guessing it’s a hostage situation rather than a straightforward invasion. Wish I-”
He swallowed and turned to her.
“You know how I’ve been talking about my own projects... One of them was attempting to use the Archangel network as an early warning system for situations like this. But it would need both NASA and UNIT on board and I kept putting it off. Don’t know if it would have helped today of course, but it might...”
She didn’t know what to say, and her feelings clearly showed on her face. He smiled joylessly.
“’And with these things on thy mind, dost thou lie down and rise again among all the sahibs’ little sons at the madrissah and meekly take instruction from thy teachers?’”
“What?” she asked, so utterly thrown that if gravity had suddenly been suspended it couldn’t have made her more disoriented.
“Told you to read Kim... Although that’s not important now. Suppose we best get dressed as there’ll still be plenty to do. Local government level mind you, so it’ll be more like purgatory, but that’s probably what I need.”
He stood up, then seemed to notice her properly for the first time. She wasn’t sure why, but she seemed to be shaking.
“Allie,” he said softly, covering the distance between them in two steps and wrapping her up in a hug. “I’m sorry.”
“Amanda and her family are in London,” she said, fighting against tears. “What’s going to happen to them?”
“If we’re lucky they’ll be fine.”
“And if not...”
Holding her arms he looked at her calmly, his voice perfectly level when he replied.
“The whole planet could be destroyed.”
Pulling away she almost screamed at him, because he was just... unnatural.
“How can you be so calm? How can you just-”
She wanted to shake him - force some kind of emotion to the surface. The lack of reaction was so abnormal that it made her want to run - except there was nowhere to run to, because the planet was being taken over by aliens and somewhere she could feel that knowledge slowly sinking in with a terrifying reality that she wasn’t sure how to cope with.
He didn’t move.
“Because I’m different and I’m damaged. Because I learned that everything ends and everything dies when I was eight years old. Because I look at you every single day and remember that in a hundred years time you’ll be gone and it hurts more than I can explain... This stupid planet is my home and all I want to do is just to go out there and destroy whoever is threatening us and make sure everyone is safe! And I can’t.”
She opened her mouth, but he shook his head.
“Before you say anything - it's nothing to do with being a hero, it's about having a goddamn lunatic for a father and being brought up to look at everything as rightfully mine. And it’s-”
Swallowing he held up a hand, before taking a deep breath.
“So I’m going to go do what I can to help out right here, and try not to go crazy.”
“OK...”
“And I think I can probably rig the Subwave Network so you can speak to the rest of your family.”
She’d have hugged him, except she still felt paralysed - a feeling that didn’t leave her all day. It was an awful, sick feeling, and she was almost grateful for Alex dragging her along to help out, as trying to help at least kept her from just curling up in a corner, crying.
Alex himself was everywhere - organising, helping, reassuring - an oasis of calm that seemed to know everyone in the whole of Cambridge (“I spent two years learning every trade I could - I do know all of this town,” was his nonplussed answer when she brought it up), and who could rally the most dejected and despairing of people. (“Have seen the Doctor do this more times than I can count - it’s easy when you know how...”)
Still, it was The Longest Day, and sometimes Allison could see Alex’s facade fracture... It would only last for a moment, but the naked frustration and fear would shine through, reassuring her that he still had normal, human feelings beneath the mask. (His mother was in London, she knew. He didn't mention this once.) She never stopped to consider what suppressing it all might do. Not until the message of all-clear came in the falling darkness.
The Council Hall where she was erupted in joy and for endless minutes she was swept up in the ecstasy, before trying to get in touch with Amanda and making sure everyone was OK.
It had been at least ten minutes before she even began wondering where Alex could be... And another five before she began worrying when he didn’t answer his phone.
Eventually she got hold of Matt - someone who had of course taken to the crisis-work as a duck to water, happy to put his medical-student skills to good use.
“Allison - thank god you’re there. Alex is... Just come down to the Red Lion and you’ll see,” he said, the urgency in his voice such that she didn’t ask more questions, just set off immediately.
The Red Lion was a large lion statue that had originally been situated in a shopping mall (called Lion Yard apparently) but had - after some years out of the public eye - been put up in the main square by Great St Mary’s Church, on a very tall plinth to stop students climbing it.
When she reached the square, she realised that Alex had once again defied the rules, and her heart sank.
He was sitting astride the Red Lion itself, a bright orange traffic cone on his head, leading the crowded square in a rousing rendition of Jerusalem - she’d heard the singing from afar, and when she reached the square the crowd had reached the second verse.
Bring me my Bow of burning gold;
Bring me my Arrows of desire:
Bring me my Spear: O clouds unfold!
Bring me my Chariot of fire!
I will not cease from Mental Fight,
Nor shall my Sword sleep in my hand:
Till we have built Jerusalem,
In England's green & pleasant Land
Thankfully she managed to find Matt quickly, although the look of relief on his face didn’t exactly help.
“Matt - why is he up there?”
Matt pulled a face.
“I believe the technical term is ‘high as a kite’. Quite literally.”
“I’m sorry?”
“From what I gathered talking to the lads he was with, they decided to celebrate. And not by getting drunk.”
“You mean drugs?”
He pulled a face again.
“I wasn’t there. But as you can see, he’s...” he waved a hand. “Very exuberant.”
Taking a deep breath she tried to gather herself. She wished she could say that this came as a surprise, but she could almost hear him going ‘Why not?’
“I don’t suppose you know what he took?” she asked, and Matt shook his head.
“Sorry...”
Worry began shining out of him and Allison nodded, trying to gather her thoughts. Even if Matt couldn’t help, he’d know which people to call at the hospital if worst came to the worst. Now all she needed was to get Alex...
Determinedly working her way through the throng, she called to him once the singing stopped.
“Allison!” he laughed when he noticed her, and she clamped down on the urge to yell at him for being stupid. There would be plenty of time...
“Come down!” she shouted instead, and thankfully he nodded acquiescence.
Tossing his cone down to the crowd, he then asked them to move, which they did with loud cheers as they saw him carefully climb up onto the Lion’s back, standing as straight as an arrow, arms outstretched to keep his balance.
Allison felt her heart plummet. She’d had enough terror for one day, and her cries off “Stop! What are you doing?” didn’t carry over the shouts of the crowd to jump...
Moving to the side of the clear space she watched him (as she had so many times in the circus), the way he concentrated and measured... Except here there was no safety net, no sawdust, no trained professionals... And he was very far from sober.
Then he tilted his head, a wide grin breaking out - so Saxon she almost froze.
“New song!” he declared and began singing, the crowd eagerly joining in, Take That clearly being popular enough still for people to remember the words.
You light the skies up above me
A star, so bright you blind me...
He was watching her carefully, gauging her reaction, but she found herself unable to concentrate on anything except the leap itself. The perfect elegance of the jump (with added spin and flourish, of course) drew huge cheers, and he landed on the ground with utmost grace, bowing that perfect circus bow towards the now ecstatic crowds, before encouraging them to keep singing.
Allison however felt like she was ready to faint, before running forwards, nearly shaking him.
“Alex! What the hell are you doing?”
He didn’t reply. Instead he dropped to one knee... and sang. As the whole square was singing lustily it caught her off balance how personal his song was. Like he was making them all sing just for her. Hundreds of people singing with one voice - his voice. It was unsettling in a way she was unable to articulate, especially as the significance of the words sank in.
Yeah you and me we can ride on a star
If you stay with me girl, we can rule the world
Yeah you and me we can light up the sky
If you stay by my side, we can rule the world.
All she could do was stare, speechless, and he looked up at her expectantly, the crowd carrying on happily, as he tilted his head.
“Well - what do you say?”
“What do I say to what? Alex-”
“Do you want to rule world with me? I waited for you. Although I made them sing in anticipation... Jerusalem is a great, great song. I will build Jerusalem in England’s green and pleasant land, but I need you by my side! Don’t leave me now..." (for a moment he joined back in with the singing and she took a sharp breath) "Oooh I could make you a crown to go with the necklace!”
His eyes were shining and his smile wide and eager, and she wowed to go personally break the legs of whoever had given him illegal substances. Clearly this was the price for being so in control - he’d completely lost it. She’d always expected that he might, but this...
“Alex... I don’t want to rule the world.”
“Oh.”
His face fell, and then he stood up, pulling out his phone.
“I’m not being crazy, Allie. I know you’re thinking it’s the drugs talking, but it really isn’t. You see I found something. Quite by accident... Turns out the Doctor didn’t quite confiscate all of Daddy’s toys. He’s been ever so naughty, but I can use it all for good! Let me explain-”
He held up the phone where the Archangel symbol was slowly turning and she shook her head, grabbing hold of his arm, forcing him to look at her properly.
“Alex, I don’t care! What I want to know is why you took drugs, and what on earth possessed you to jump off that lion. You could have been killed!”
He pulled back, a deeply affronted look on his face.
“I can kill myself if I want to! In any. way. I. like! You’re not the boss of me.”
She could feel her jaw drop, which caused him to tilt his head, a thought slowly making its way across his face.
“Oh. You think I would have died. Don’t worry - I have more lives than a cat!”
Then he leaned forwards conspiratorially, voice dropping to a whisper.
“Although the whole nine lives thing? Is just a myth. But don’t tell the cats. They get very touchy!”
He tapped his nose, shooting her a significant look, and it was all she could do not to find a wall to bang her head against.
“I promise I won’t tell the cats,” she said eventually - as he seemed to be waiting for her to say something - and then Matt found them, as the singing (to Allison’s immense relief) began winding down.
“Alex. What did you take? Please at least give me an idea-”
“A little of everything,” Alex replied breezily, waving his hand and then stopping, watching it, before slowly passing it in from of his face.
“Oh that’s amazing. Have you seen Donnie Darko?”
“That’s it, we’re going home!” Allison said, taking hold of his other hand and setting off walking.
The Longest Day just got longer.
Somehow she managed to get Alex into bed (Matt was invaluable, she could have kissed him), but she only got him to sleep by telling him that he could perfectly easily take over the world tomorrow.
Once he was settled, Matt insisted on making them both some food (“When did you last eat?” he asked, and she shook head) and some tea, and despite being sure that she couldn’t eat a thing she discovered that she was starving.
“Thank you,” she said, as she eventually drained her cup, and then realised her hands were shaking and carefully set the cup down on the table. “I don’t...”
“Hey, it’s OK,” Matt replied, laying a hand on top of hers. “There was an alien invasion. And with Alex on top of everything else... You’re allowed to lose it, OK?”
She nodded, grateful. There were times when she wondered at Alex’s friendship with Josh - the strange friction, all the issues they wouldn’t tell her about - but Matt was the opposite. Quiet and down-to-earth, he just accepted Alex along with all his peculiarities.
“I think... I think I need to go to bed,” she said slowly. “My head seems... I can’t really think straight anymore.”
“Good idea,” Matt agreed, then added: “If you need me, just call.”
“Will do. And thank you again. Don’t know what I’d have done without you. I’ve never seen him like this...”
Matt hesitated.
“I’ve seen something... vaguely similar, but it’s a long time ago now. He... reacts badly to being powerless. But that’s a discussion for another day. Sleep well.”
The next day she was woken once again by Alex sitting bolt upright, although judging by the light it was closer to midday than early morning.
For a second she had a terrible feeling of deja vu (in as much as she could feel anything through the sleepy fog in her head), then he turned to her, eyes wide and terrified.
“Did I take over the world?”
“What?”
“Allie, please answer me. Did I take over the world?”
Sitting up she took his hand and spoke slowly and carefully.
“You took a lot of drugs, then sat atop the Red Lion making everyone sing. And then you jumped off, nearly giving me a heart attack-”
“Where is my phone?” he interrupted, then swept it from the bedside table and studied it, relief flooding his features.
In the stillness they heard a soft knock on the door, and the relief increased tenfold.
“Jack,” he breathed, attempting to get out of bed, except his legs obviously didn’t quite work, and Allison pulled on her dressing gown and went instead.
It was Jack.
He smiled, but looked so exhausted that Allison felt like asking him if he wanted a lie down - instead she offered to make some fresh tea. He nodded gratefully, and went to see Alex.
When she turned up in the bedroom doorway a few minutes later, she could tell that Alex had obviously filled Jack in on the night’s happenings - going by the look on his face at least.
He was staring at Alex, incredulous. “See-” he began, then stopped as he saw her, carefully helping himself to a cup of tea before shaking his head.
“Alex. You don’t know what you’re asking.”
“Jack please. I can’t tell the Doctor, you know what he’s like - everything is all black and white. And the stuff I found is embedded at the very core of everything, there’s no way to remove it. If I’m ever going to use those satellites for anything useful, that programming needs to stay.”
He held up the phone, but Jack didn’t seem willing to budge.
“You are asking me to keep your father’s secrets. This is not a screwdriver, this is-”
He stopped, closing his eyes momentarily, and Alex bit his lip, eyes turning mercurial and calculating as he studied the older man.
“Well... You are keeping a secret for me. Daddy doesn’t know. We can keep tabs on him... Even use it as leverage, or blackmail, if need be.”
There was a moment where they looked at each other, silently, then Jack sighed.
“I don’t like how your mind works kid, but I’ve got to hand it to you...”
“I’m my father’s son?”
Jack didn’t reply, instead taking a sip of his tea, and when he spoke again he changed the subject.
“So, apparently a lot of the mess is due to you messing around with illegal substances. What exactly did you take?”
Alex’s response wasn’t what Allison had expected. He looked bashful, yet as if they were sharing some sort of private joke.
“Sort of... everything?” he replied, and Jack’s face registered a combination of fondness and exasperation that was somehow very reassuring.
“You truly are an idiot, you know that right?” he replied, and Alex smiled ruefully.
“At least I’m consistent?”
At which Jack started chuckling, and then laughing, to such an extent that Allison began to worry that he would spill his tea. Eventually he managed to catch his breath and studied her boyfriend with such affection that Allison felt a great deal of the worries of the last 24 hours fade away.
“Please tell me that at least you’ve learned something from all this?”
Alex nodded solemnly.
“Drugs are baaaaaaad.”
“Good. I am now going to go get some sleep, little brother - and I will keep your secrets even though you don’t deserve it!”
After Jack had left, Alex sat in silence looking into the distance until Allison waved a hand in front of his face.
“Hello? Anyone there?”
Slowly he looked up at her, like he wasn’t sure she was real.
“I can’t believe you’re still here. After last night...”
“Well, you’re not about to take drugs again, so that’s good. And as long as there aren’t any more alien invasions...”
“But you’re staying? Or rather, you don’t want me to leave? I was...”
“High as a kite, to use Matt’s words. I’ll give you a pass.”
“You shouldn’t,” he said, and she sat down on the bed, taking his hand. She understood him well enough by now to know what to say.
“Do you want to rule the world?”
He shook his head, horrified, and she kissed his nose.
“See, we’re good.”
(The world had nearly ended the day before. His issues were suddenly... less of an issue.)
Reaching up, he cradled her cheek, wonder in his eyes.
“Travel with me?” he asked softly. “I was thinking we could go round the world in 80 days? Once the exams are over. A Grand Tour, before... Before we have to grow up and face life properly.”
“Sounds wonderful.”
He was still stalling, but at least he had admitted as much.
Exams came and went, oddly underwhelming after the nightmare of the invasion, although Alex managed to briefly become the talk of the whole of Cambridge, her own First class honours overshadowed completely.
“But what did you do?” she asked him, and he grinned. “I took the natural sciences and turned them upside down and inside out. And then I made them dance a jig.”
“Alex...”
“No really. A jig.”
Of course he had. It was almost enough to make her think that... Except she wouldn’t. Not now.
Instead she focussed on making sure she had a flat in Manchester for September, and packing for a round-the-world trip.
As an antidote to the trauma of an alien invasion, travel turned out to be perfect. New sights, new people, new destinations, new smells, new tastes and new experiences every day. Alex was of course a wonderful guide, whether they were halfway up the Himalayas, or trying to find a Mayan temple. She did her best to keep a vague diary, to remember it for later when they were old and could reminisce... She knew he was worried that the end of university would spell the end of them - that they wouldn’t make the transition - but she was determined to prove him wrong. Yes there would be changes, especially if he wandered off to work on his own projects, but she was sure they could weather even a long-distance relationship.
And travel was marvellous for living in the moment and not worrying about the future.
Except all of a sudden summer was over, 80 days were gone, and they were back home - a little late, but still in time for Josh and Jamie’s wedding. It was a beautiful day, no one forgot the rings or anything else, and the couple looked beyond stunning and were so happy that there wasn’t a dry eye in the Synagogue.
Still, Allison felt oddly out of sorts. Her own future was in many ways a mystery, and Alex’s doubly so.
Where did they go from here?
The next day was their last in Cambridge. The morning after a van would come for all her stuff and take it to Manchester (Alex had of course boxed everything up in his own, very efficient manner), and she decided that she couldn’t wait any longer.
“Alex - please just tell me. What are your plans? Are you coming with me or not?”
He looked up from the list he was going over, then closed his eyes in something like resignation, except she could swear he went paler.
Then he put down the paper, before pulling the necklace with the pendant over his head and laying it down on the table. (Had he been wearing that before? Maybe he’d put it on when he’d gotten dressed, she was sure she’d not seen it that morning.)
Standing up, he walked over to her.
“Give me your hands,” he said, and for one (terrifying, exhilarating) moment she thought he was going to propose.
Instead he placed her hands on his chest. This was puzzling, until she with dawning shock realised that she could feel two heartbeats. She couldn't count the number of times she’d fallen asleep on his chest, this was not... possible.
Slowly lifting her eyes, she felt like she’d never seen him before as he spoke again:
“I’m not human.”
Chapter 22.
(If you're wondering what Alex discovered about the Archangel network, this short fic by
the_redjay - set around 2011 - gives an idea: Waffles. By which I mean I totally stole it, because it's perfect.)
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(Anonymous) 2013-06-10 02:25 am (UTC)(link)no subject
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And thanks for commenting anonymous person! <3
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There was far too much to cram into this chapter, but I didn't want to leave the reveal any longer... And of course it had to be a cliffhanger! Don't you know that writers are evil?
*sends hugs and puppies and happy thoughts*
ETA: And here is the Kissing In The Snow icon. <3
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But if you can end of a cliffhanger, you have to. I believe that is one of the most fundamental rules of writing?
Proper Commentary 1/2
Oh, NOW I see what you mean! :D Glad to be of assistance... I may need to talk to you about aspects of this chapter so I can continue the Seekjay arc, actually...
I wrote you a letter. It was a beautiful letter, terribly clever and with subheadings and everything.
So basically, a Seeker letter. *g*
you can blame Robin Hood if you like) (indirectly, obviously)
GLEE!
Mr I’m-the-stubbornest-of-them-all had capitulated, lock, stock and barrel.
Whether he likes it or not, Alex really does know how to manipulate every situation, doesn't he.
Yours,
S.
I can't remember, does he call himself Seeker around Allie often, or...?
“Although if that certain someone doesn’t stop referring to me as a ‘Tot’ I’m- Oh great, now she’s laughing! Why do I have a feeling she’ll be thinking up far worse monikers in no time at all...”
Saxon-let, kid, kiddo, champ... She'd do it for a while or so just to wind him up, I reckon. ;)
(as well as Professor Brian Cox, of course)
Ooh, perfect little detail, there! That'd be kind of awesome.
But then came The Longest Day - and the aftermath.
*drumroll* Are we going to find out, some day, what actually happened?
The Longest Day taught her differently, even though some of the lessons didn't sink in until much later.
Lovely foreshadowing!
he whispered, and although she wanted to say something comforting she was stopped by the look in his eyes.
Oh, poor Allie... it's hard to comfort someone you can't properly 'get'.
the latter seemingly frozen and swiftly discarded
?????
At least I’ve already made a start adding my own stuff.
Ooh, this could be intriguing!
“Cleverest boy in the world,” he replied
*smirks*
his pendant? He had a pendant she seemed to remember. Had he been wearing it last night?
Now, all these mentions of pendants are CERTAINLY intriguing. another question to be answered another day, I assume?
We need you safe, OK?”
This, too, makes me wonder what's going on. Obviously something alien if they feel the need to keep Alex out of the action (or is it just over-protection?).
“Thanks Redjay,” he replied quietly, the ghost of a smile appearing on his face. “And Good Hunting.”
Delightful cameo is delightful!
“’And with these things on thy mind, dost thou lie down and rise again among all the sahibs’ little sons at the madrissah and meekly take instruction from thy teachers?’”
Kim! I knew this one immediately, of course. FANTASTIC addition of Kipling, as always. And yes, Allison should read it. If nothing else it'd help her get a grip on Alex, yes yes?
Because I look at you every single day and remember that in a hundred years time you’ll be gone and it hurts more than I can explain...
*lip wibble*
it's about having a goddamn lunatic for a father and being brought up to look at everything as rightfully mine.
He never does sugarcoat things... Not worked out if this is an asset or not.
“And I think I can probably rig the Subwave Network so you can speak to the rest of your family.”
He's starting to pick up human sentiments again, methinks. Overexposure? :P But seriously, sweet little touch. And a world of help for Allie, I assume.
His mother was in London, she knew. He didn't mention this once.
And not the Master? Maybe that helped keep him from taking advantage? *a wild theory has appeared!*
Alex is... Just come down to the Red Lion and you’ll see,” he said, the urgency in his voice
Oh god, I was so worried he was hurt here, I started panicking.
she’d heard the singing from afar
I think I see the connection now!
Proper Commentary 2/2
LOL.
Tossing his cone down to the crowd, he then asked them to move, which they did with loud cheers as they saw him carefully climb up onto the Lion’s back, standing as straight as an arrow, arms outstretched to keep his balance.
DON'T DO ANYTHING STUPID ALEX. /o\
“New song!” he declared and began singing, the crowd eagerly joining in
Is he being clever to get them all to sing here, or is it just mob mentality?
It was unsettling in a way she was unable to articulate
Ooh. I like how you put that.
“Do you want to rule world with me? I waited for you.
It's actually *terrifying* that Alex says something like this, knowing that it's his own personal level of hell. The idea that he has to actively work to stop himself from giving in, but when he lowers his inhibitions he might actually have done it, if Allie had said the wrong thing... *shivers* Very 'Saxon', indeed.
so Saxon she almost froze.
PERFECT.
He held up the phone where the Archangel symbol was slowly turning
Ah, yes. So he was being clever?
“I can kill myself if I want to! In any. way. I. like! You’re not the boss of me.”
TT___TT no baby.
“Although the whole nine lives thing? Is just a myth. But don’t tell the cats. They get very touchy!”
Ok, I absolutely cracked up at this. Perfect. A*.
Matt was invaluable, she could have kissed him
Threesome!“If you need me, just call.”
Good to see old Matt can keep his head.
“Jack,” he breathed, attempting to get out of bed
Foursome!instead she offered to make some fresh tea
That is so very... British.
that programming needs to stay.”
It is humbling and brilliant that I managed to help out here. It's only on the second read-through that I understand how!
“Drugs are baaaaaaad.”
*giggle*
Of course he had. It was almost enough to make her think that... Except she wouldn’t. Not now.
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh dear.
And travel was marvellous for living in the moment and not worrying about the future.
Amen.
It was a beautiful day, no one forgot the rings or anything else, and the couple looked beyond stunning and were so happy that there wasn’t a dry eye in the Synagogue.
dffghyjgufdl;ls;lfkjv yes yes yes
This was puzzling, until she with dawning shock realised that she could feel two heartbeats. She couldn't count the number of times she’d fallen asleep on his chest, this was not... possible.
Is that what the pendant did?
“I’m not human.”
NEXT CHAPTER NOW PLEASE AND THANK YOU
Re: Proper Commentary 1/2
Oh, NOW I see what you mean! :D Glad to be of assistance... I may need to talk to you about aspects of this chapter so I can continue the Seekjay arc, actually...
Do! Do! (Email might be best, since we don't tend to be around at the same time.) I always knew that there would be an alien invasion & that he would lose it and somehow attempt to take over the world (not actually *do* it, but plan to) and your creepy little scenario provided the perfect thing. Thank you again!
So basically, a Seeker letter. *g*
Indeed. I have it if you're curious.
GLEE!
*grins*
Whether he likes it or not, Alex really does know how to manipulate every situation, doesn't he.
It's totally unconscious this time (I hadn't even considered it before you pointed it out), but yes. It's... just a part of him.
I can't remember, does he call himself Seeker around Allie often, or...?
Ooooh no. Never. (As far as she's aware it stands for 'Saxon' - this was mentioned in... the first Christmas chapter.) The whole name thing is actually very apt considering what the show is doing, as his names & identities are closely linked. But you'll see where I go with that soon enough. :)
Saxon-let, kid, kiddo, champ... She'd do it for a while or so just to wind him up, I reckon. ;)
Good for her! *g*
Ooh, perfect little detail, there! That'd be kind of awesome.
It's lovely to be able to drag in RL stuff just to make it a bit more 'real'.
*drumroll* Are we going to find out, some day, what actually happened?
Sort of? It's not really important - big alien invasion, the day eventually saved by your standard Doctor-y heroics. The point of it is mostly the effect it has on Alex & Allison respectively.
Lovely foreshadowing!
I couldn't help myself...
the latter seemingly frozen and swiftly discarded
?????
I'm thinking the aliens were aware of Torchwood and targeted them/their operating systems specifically. And since they're such a small operation, it worked, more or less.
Ooh, this could be intriguing!
He wants to create an early warning system, as that would put them to good use!
Now, all these mentions of pendants are CERTAINLY intriguing. another question to be answered another day, I assume?
Next chapter!
This, too, makes me wonder what's going on. Obviously something alien if they feel the need to keep Alex out of the action (or is it just over-protection?).
Both. Also just wanted to highlight the fact that it's properly dangerous.
Delightful cameo is delightful!
*grins* And 'Good Hunting' is from The Jungle Book.
Kim! I knew this one immediately, of course. FANTASTIC addition of Kipling, as always. And yes, Allison should read it. If nothing else it'd help her get a grip on Alex, yes yes?
I have been waiting SO LONG to use that quote omg. And it's so, so perfect. (Yes she should read it. She just keeps putting it off because there's so many other things to do...)
*lip wibble*
Everything is beginning to bleed through... And he knows their love is doomed [eventually].
He never does sugarcoat things... Not worked out if this is an asset or not.
Depends on the situation, I guess (whether it's an asset.) But yeah - he'll lie till Kingdom come, yet be as blunt as can be.
He's starting to pick up human sentiments again, methinks. Overexposure? :P But seriously, sweet little touch. And a world of help for Allie, I assume.
Oh totally.
And not the Master? Maybe that helped keep him from taking advantage? *a wild theory has appeared!*
You know, I'm not sure where the Master was. Mostly then Alex didn't talk about his mum, because he was worried. And he just pushed it all down, because he knew there was nothing he could do.
Oh god, I was so worried he was hurt here, I started panicking.
Really? That... never occurred to me. Huh. (Although the mislead is pleasing.)
I think I see the connection now!
Bring me my chariot of fire... It's all about taking charge and bringing about a new world order.
Re: Proper Commentary 2/2
Glad that worked as planned. >:)
Is he being clever to get them all to sing here, or is it just mob mentality?
I;m going back and forth on that, to be honest. He doesn't need to do anything, because they're happy and exuberant, but he might just have... nudged them a little. (Seriously, your idea is too perfect for words!)
Ooh. I like how you put that.
*beams* On the surface it's just people singing. It's the way he uses it - she doesn't understand what's happening, but it still unsettles her greatly.
It's actually *terrifying* that Alex says something like this, knowing that it's his own personal level of hell. The idea that he has to actively work to stop himself from giving in, but when he lowers his inhibitions he might actually have done it, if Allie had said the wrong thing... *shivers* Very 'Saxon', indeed.
Well, yes, it's not something he'd *enjoy*... Yet on the other hand he has both his father's continued reminders that he was born to rule the world and also the knowledge of how rubbish humanity is in looking after itself. He just wants to take care of people. (There's a whole conversation about this in chapter 4.) And at this point he's spent the whole day calming terrified and panicking humans and has pretty much been taken to breaking point thanks to not being able to *do* anything. [In a town he has spent 3 years living in and getting to know intimately - you can almost blame the Doctor for giving him a strong enough attachment to these particular people to need to do *more* for them.] So when he a) stumbles upon his father's 'tools' and b) has his inhibitions lowered... This is the only possible outcome really. Plus he's just very, very young. A lot of this story is just about how all his experiences shape him and help him become who he grows up to be. A lot of this is like a continuous baptism of fire.
PERFECT.
That Saxon grin is the single most unsettling thing...
Ah, yes. So he was being clever?
Oooh yes. He found what-ever-it-is his father can tap into. Must have been like a god-send.
TT___TT no baby.
Once you know the details behind that particular reaction you'll laugh. Trust me. (But I'm glad it stood out. It was supposed to. But it's yet another case of the two of them coming from completely opposite sides, and Alex not telling her the whole story. Or, any of the story, really.)
Ok, I absolutely cracked up at this. Perfect. A*.
Yay! Also it was a line that would help Allison to dismiss anything he said as nonsense...
Good to see old Matt can keep his head.
He's training to be a doctor, and he's known Alex a long time. He's a good, sensible sort. (Whereas Josh is brilliant, but volatile, and takes things personally.)
That is so very... British.
Tea makes everything better. *firm nod* Also it's a way of doing something.
It is humbling and brilliant that I managed to help out here. It's only on the second read-through that I understand how!
It is so perfect I have been full of glee ever since I thought of using it.
*giggle*
It was all I could do to stop myself from Jack using the line, with added 'Mmmm'kay?' :)
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh dear.
Deliberately putting her blinders on. Yet I hope it's understandable why.
Amen.
Alex quite deliberately adopts the Doctor's approach to things, here.
dffghyjgufdl;ls;lfkjv yes yes yes
I'm sad to have skipped the wedding, although really - everything went beautifully. They'll show up again though, Mr and M Levin. (I've no idea what Jamie calls hirself.)
Is that what the pendant did?
Amongst other things. (All will be explained next chapter, like I said.)
NEXT CHAPTER NOW PLEASE AND THANK YOU
GO TO WORK FOR ME AND I SHALL COMPLY!
Question
(Anonymous) 2013-06-14 05:31 pm (UTC)(link)Who is he talking about here?
Re: Question
You can find all the stories about her here.
ETA: Basic description:
When Rodageitmososa looked into the Time Vortex at the age of eight, a series of events were set in motion that would lead to the survival of one more renegade at the end of the Time War, a self-proclaimed Robin Hood-esque Time Lady called the Redjay.
Also thank you lots for commenting! <3
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*HUGS*
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Bless you. I can easily see all the imperfections, but if people enjoyed it, then that's good enough for me! ♥
This excited and saddened me all at once and I'm very much looking forward to the next part...
I am diligently working on the next part every moment I have. (ETA: To the extent of creating a new banner & icon...) Hoping it'll be everything everyone ever wanted... This chapter was the last piece before it all went down - and a very necessary piece I must add. You'll see why. :)
*MANY HUGS BACK*
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and for some reason I keep imagining Alex meeting Sherlock and John. . . or Mycroft.
What happened? I'm curious now!
Can you tell your OC to please stop invading my head? :)
No, he never listens.