Chapter 12:

Augusta's POV

Beep. Beep. Beep, went a mechanical beeping noise that was constant beeping in my ear. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

What is that...? I wondered, prying my eyes open. I was in a brightly lit room on a white bed. A black figure was lying beside me, snoring. It was the Doctor. His head rested on the side of the bed, his eyes closed and lips slightly parted. Her cheat would rise and fall steadily, in a rhythmic pattern.

I reached out a hand to hesitantly touched his head, but stopped when I noticed that my hands were bare. I didn't want to risk hurting him. I set my hand to the side, and moved over a bit, so that I wasn't touching him.

At this movement, the Doctor's eyes slowly peeled open. And then he looked at me, "... Mm... Auggie's awake..." He mumbled, his voice a bit slurred from sleep.

Then his eyes shot open, realizing his own words. "AUGGIE! YOU'RE AWAKE!!" He got up and hugged me tightly, I stiffed from the sudden contact. "Don't you ever, ever do that again! I'm never going to let you out of my sight! Do you know how worried I was?! God, I thought you died!" He started mumbling all sorts of things, squeezing me tighter.

"I... I can't... Breathe...!" I whispered, trying to push out of his iron grip for air. He was choking me! Why was he choking me!?

He heard me and pulled apart, I gasped for air loudly. I looked at the Doctor with wide eyes, what was wrong with him!? He almost killed me!!

"I'm sorry about that," he apologized, but didn't look sorry at all. In fact, he had a huge grin on his face that didn't seem to be disappearing anytime soon. "It's just... You're alive..." He exhaled. "You're actually, alive. Living and breathing... Sitting here, your small little heart beating happily..."

I gave him a wary look, "Doctor, are you okay...?" I asked, hesitantly. What was he talking about? Of course I'm alive! Why wouldn't I be?

"Do you remember what happened? In the Castiellion galaxy, on Belltrix? With the Bellians and the Trixitans? You--" he was interrupted by someone rattling on the door, and it opening.

"Hey Doctor," Rose's voice said. "I brought some tea if you--" her eyes locked onto me and her tray of tea dropped on the floor, shattering. "Auggie... You're alive...!"

Before I could answer, she raced over and engulfed me in a big, tight hug. "Don't you ever, ever, ever, do that again, you hear?! I swear, if you do something like that again, I'll kill you myself!! You had us all worried! We thought you died! I thought you died!! I'm never, ever, ever letting you out of my sight! EVER." I felt wet drops of water on my back. Was she crying? Why was Rose crying?

When she finally pulled away, she had tears falling out of her eyes, "Are you hurt?!" I exclaimed, panicking. Did I hurt her!? "Why are you crying?!"

She smiled, and I scrunched up my eyebrows. "I don't understand. If you're hurt, then why are you smiling?" I looked over to the Doctor, who was chuckling. "What's so funny? Why are you laughing?! Why are you crying!? I'm confused!"

"I'm not hurt, love," Rose smiled, "I'm just happy that you're alive."

"If you're happy, then why are you crying?"

"These are tears of joy," she explained. "I'm crying because I'm happy."

I gave her a weird look, "You're crying... Because you're happy? I-I don't understand..." I sighed, "Why are you happy that I'm alive? I was already alive."

She looked at the Doctor, who looked at her, and then looked at me. They seemed to be somehow having a silent conversation because their hands were moving and their eyes were wiggling and glaring at each other. I don't understand how they could understand each other like that, but I didn't ask.

Finally, Rose sat at the bottom of my bed, "Auggie, sweetie, we have something to tell you," she said, putting emphasis on the 'we', and looked at the Doctor.

He sighed. "It'll be best if we just start from the beginning..."

>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<

Doctor's POV (Past)

He caught Augusta, just as she had fallen to the ground. Her face was pale, and her eyes rolled back into her head. He looked at the kids, who stared at him, fearfully. "You can go," he said, and moved out of the way. Just as he did that, they raced towards the door, just like the last few groups of kids had done.

He held Augusta in his arms, bridal style. Blood trailed out of her mouth, and she seemed to be coughing subconsciously every now and then that would stain his leather jacket that he lent her. "We need to go," he told Rose and rushed out the room.

They ran down the halls, Augusta's limp body bouncing in his arms with every step. When he finally made it to the end, he saw a horde of kids being blocked at the entrance by a few guards.

"You aren't leaving!" One of them shouted, pushing a kid to the ground, again. "Get back to your cages!!"

"Let us through," he told them, pushing through the crowd of kids. He gave Augusta to Rose and stood before the guards. There were three of them, two of them were from earlier that had carried Augusta to the experimenting room.

"Listen here," he growled, "I am angry. Very, very angry. I want these kids out of this compound immediately."

"And who do you think you--" he was cut off by one of the men tapping him on the arm. He whispered something into his ear along the lines of 'alien killed' and 'Dantattili'. After a while, he sighed and moved out of the way. "Fine. Just keep that thing," he pointed to Augusta, "Away from me."

They three of them moved out of the way, and the kids ran through. Rose stayed behind, glaring at the two guards. "Just so you know, she's not a thing. She is a living, breathing, human, you hear?!" The men nodded feebly, and Rose walked away firmly. He smirked and followed her down the hall and out the underground area.

>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<

Augusta's POV

"After that, we went to Bellians and the Trixitans, explaining that the Neutrals were the one kidnapping the kids. The entire community was shut down, and the rest of the scientist were arrested, along with anyone else who helped," the Doctor said. "We also got them to talk to each other, and was able to get them to create a peace treaty between each other. They decided to combine races, despite their racial differences. Everything turned out fine in the end."

"And all the kids... Were they able to go to their families?" I asked, hesitantly.

"Most of them were," he nodded.

"'Most'?"

He sighed, "There were some who had died down there," my face fell, and I clenched the bed sheets. "But that doesn't count. What counts is that you're safe and alive."

"I never died," I argued.

Rose and the Doctor exchanged looks, "Auggie... You were asleep for two weeks," Rose said slowly. "You lost so much blood... A few days ago, your heart just... Stopped."

I blinked, "Sorry, what?"

"Your heart stopped," the Doctor said, his voice low. "Five minutes, 45.528 seconds, your heart stopped. You flat-lined. We thought you died."

My eyes fractioned, I died? I actually died!? I... I don't know what to say. What do I say? Is that why they were so worried, because I almost died? "Oh..." was my dumb answer.

"But you're fine now, and that's what matters," he said, interrupting my moment of shock. "What I want to know is how you set those men on fire and then you froze Dantattili."

I stiffened, "I don't know what you're talking about," I said, almost robotically. Shit, they found out, and they wanted answers! I'm so stupid, I used my powers in front of them! Now they're going to hate me and think that I'm a monster!

"What d'you mean, you don't know," Rose frowned, "We saw you. How'd you do that?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," I repeated, not even bringing myself to look at them. I'm a monster, I can't believe I let them see. I'm a monster, now they're going to make me leave. I'm a monster, they hate me now.

"Auggie, don't burn the blankets," the Doctor's voice said, snapping me out of my thoughts. I looked down to see the blankets steaming and slowly burning at the touch of my fingers. I jumped and let go instantly. Looking at the sheets, to the Doctor and Rose, and then back at the sheets.

"My gloves. I need my gloves," I said frantically, looking around, but the gloves were nowhere to be seen.

"What about when you almost froze Rose to death?" The Doctor demanded, "Or when you woke up, and there's ashes covering your bed? Auggie, please, we just want to help you. There's no reason to be scared."

I looked at the Doctor, my eyes pleading, "Please. I don't want to talk about it," I begged. "Don't make me tell you."

"We need to know, Auggie. And we won't think any less of you if you tell us," Rose said, her tone gentle and comforting.

"I don't want to tell you..." I murmured, trying to calm my racing heart. I didn't want to tell them. Not now, not ever. I wanted them to think I wasn't a monster, and if I told them, then they would think that I was.

"Auggie, we're not keeping secrets from you," the Doctor said, "So why keep secrets from us?"

I didn't answer, I just kept my eyes that burned with tears on the bed. I had to bit my lip to keep it from quivering. I don't want to tell them. I never want to tell them.

"Auggie, please," Rose begged. "We'll still love you if you tell us."

"... I don't want you to think I'm a monster..." My voice was small, almost inaudible, and tears fell from my eyes. "Please. I don't want to tell you."

The look of pain and sadness was evident on my face. I was scared. I was scared of them knowing, of them disowning me because of it. I was scared that they would hate me if I told them. And I was terrified that they would hurt me if I told them.

The Doctor sighed, "Fine. We won't ask, for now," he finally said. "But I want answers later." I gave him a small nod, that was fine with me. "Now," he stood up, "You've been sleeping for two weeks, three days, eight hours, and 38 minutes. Let's go get you something to eat!" He grinned, and I gave him a small smile in return, wiping away the tears in my eyes. "How do chips sound?"

"What are 'chips'?" I asked, knowing from past experiences that if I asked, I would be able to try them.

Rose grinned, "We should go out and buy some! I know a great place that sold the best chips in all of London!"

"Then what are we waiting for," the Doctor grinned, and helped me out of bed. "You go get Auggie dressed, I'll go park the TARDIS!" With that, he hurried out of the room, leaving me with the blonde.

>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<

Doctor's POV

Augusta was keeping secrets and he wanted to know what they were.

He knew that it was best to leave it as it was right now, so that she knew that they knew something was up, but he would need to know what was wrong with her eventually. He wondered if she was keeping secrets because she was being threatened?

Her words rang in his ears, "Please... I don't want you to think I'm a monster..." She had said. Think she was a monster? He would never think of her like that.

He frowned to himself, would he? Augusta seemed pretty hell-bent on keeping this secret, a secret, and would probably take it to her grave(Which, in all seriousness, almost did). If this 'secret' has something to do with her freezing Dantattili to death or disintegrated someone with a simple touch, or even admitting that she had killed hundreds of people, would he think of her as a monster?

No, he frowned, he would never. Augusta was Augusta, and no matter what, she was a just a kid, a child even. If she had been responsible for some else's death, then he would forgive her... Right?

He was being a hypocrite. He thought of all those people he's met who's been responsible for hundreds of deaths, like Dantattili! He had killed almost fifty children on the experimentation table, and had kidnapped hundreds for experimenting, including Augusta, and he would never forgive him. But was he different than Augusta?

Yes! He told himself, he had children killed so that a war would happen! That's not right, nor was it justified. He deserved to die for that!

He frowned at his thoughts, but Augusta killed him, that was different. Auggie, his Auggie, killed him, easily. He sighed and ran a hand down his face, he didn't want to admit it, but after what he had seen, Auggie could be dangerous, very dangerous, and he didn't even know the extent of it. She was like a ticking time-bomb waiting to go off at any second.

But the question is, does that mean she's a monster? She had killed those men in self-defense, right? She was trying to help herself, right? And when she had said that she had killed hundreds, she was probably exaggerating. Or maybe it was just and accident, Augusta would never kill someone in cold blood...

Right?

>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<

Augusta's POV

Rose helped me get dressed into a red shirt, jeans, and a black cozy jacket. I also wore black shoes, that apparently helped you when you were running, an new pair of black gloves, and my braids were put into a ponytail.

As we walked down the hall back to the console room, Rose's skin brushed against mines, and I flinched. It was so... Quiet when I was getting dressed. We hadn't even said anything to each other. She already hates me for being a monster, I know it. Maybe they'll just drop me off in London for someone else to find me. Or maybe give me to them.

I frowned at my thoughts, they already said that they weren't with them, so why am I still thinking that? Maybe they lied...? Maybe they always hated me and was just faking it the whole time? I don't know anymore. I don't know if they are with them, I don't know if I could still trust them. Hell, I don't even know why they would still want me around even after they saw I was a monster!

I'm so confused, I didn't know that if they found out, all this would happen. I didn't even want them to find out. Maybe I should just leave. When we get to London, I'll just go, and hide somewhere else. That way, they wouldn't have to deal with me, and find out even more.

>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<

We made it to the console room, the Doctor leaning against the console and grinning. "I like your outfit, Auggie," he complimented.

I blinked, I hadn't expected him to say something like that. "Uh... Thank you...?"

He chuckled at my awkwardness and messed up my hair. "I already parked the TARDIS in London, 2005. We can go to that chips place you wanted to go to."

Rose nodded and bounded over to the door, opening it up easily and showing the alley that we had appeared in last time. Rose skipped out, "I'm gonna go say hi to my mum, okay?" Before he could reply, she left me with him, racing around the corner.

"... Maybe I should go with her..." I started to say, but noticed the hard look the Doctor was giving me. I practically shriveled under his gaze. "What?"

"Why are you keeping secrets," the Doctor suddenly asked. "Why won't you tell us when something is wrong?"

"I just can't, Doctor," I insisted. "I can't tell you."

"Why not!?"

I glared at him, "Why do you need to know?!"

"Because you're keeping secrets, and I want to know," he retorted.

"You don't need to know. It will be fine if you just never knew," I looked away, not daring to make eye contact with those blue, soul-searching eyes.

"Augusta, do you know how worried I was when you were asleep?" He asked. "Do you know how devastated I was when you nearly died?! I want to help you, please, just tell me what's going on!"

"No!" I shouted, "I'm not going to tell you! If I do, then you'll never talk to me again. You'll think I'm a monster, and... I don't want you to think that." I glared up at him, his angry, striking blue eyes made my hazel eyes soften and tears fill them. My stomach twisted painfully, for some reason, and my hands began to shake. I was scared. Was I scared of him? Why was I scared of him?

At that moment, something made my body move, and run away from the TARDIS, and I couldn't stop it. Hot tears fell down my cheeks, and I heard the Doctor call my name after me.

I ran into a crowd of people, disappearing from his sight, but I kept pushing through, running as fast as I could, pushing my weak knees to go faster and forcing my lightheadedness to disappear.

I don't want to go back, they were better off without me, I told myself. If I left, then I wouldn't, I couldn't, hurt them. I wasn't even supposed to be there anyway, I wasn't even supposed to be here, in London, anyway! I want to go back to my world! I don't care where, I just don't want to be here anymore!

I wiped the tears from my eyes that made my vision blurry, why did I have to meet the Doctor? Why did I have to go touch that stupid, goddamn light?! This is all my fault! I should've just walked past it, and I would've been fine. Its not my job to decide what happens when and where, its not my job to make sure everyone lives!

I finally came to a halt, leaning against a building, panting. I haven't been accustomed to running since I was sleeping for two weeks. My body was weak and my throat dry. My hands gripped the brick wall, and I saw ice climb up it intricately. I gasped, and let go, looking down to see that I had also left smoking, scorned, footsteps on the concrete.

I held my hand to my chest and cursed. I began to run again, this time much slower than before. If the Doctor found the tracks, then he would follow me. I needed to make sure that the Doctor and Rose wouldn't follow me anymore. They had a life with each other, I wasn't supposed to be in it. I was a mistake and if I left, and they forgot about me, then I would be fine.

I suddenly bumped into something, making me stumble back, "Oh, I'm sorry love, are you alright," a familiar voice said. I looked up to see Jackie, who had been holding a few plastic bags in her hands, looking at me.

"Oh! You're that girl, what was your name..." She racked her mind for a few seconds trying to remember. "Auria, August... Augusta!" She snapped her fingers, "Augusta! What are you doing here? Are you alright?"

"I--" I started to say, but she gasped.

"You're crying!" She exclaimed, "What's wrong? What did that mean ol' Doctor do to you? If he did anything, I'll set 'im straight for ya!"

I blinked, what? "Um... Yeah. I'm fine, it's just... There's been this whole..." I struggled for the words, "Thing... Going on and now the Doctor and Rose might hate me..." My voice got smaller with every word, and I looked down. "But it's fine though, because I'm just going to leave. That way the Doctor and Rose can be happy with themselves." I smiled at her, but my eyes didn't seem to feel happy at all. Why was I so sad? Why was I scared? I'm making the Doctor and Rose happy, so why can't I feel happy? What's going on, I don't understand. I can't smile right. Is my smile... Broken?

"Rose? My Rose?" She scoffed, "Rose wouldn't even hurt a fly! And she practically thinks you're her kid sister, she couldn't hate you if she tried."

I ruffled my eyebrows, "'Kid sister'? What's a kid sister?"

"Ya know, your kid sister. Your sister, that's a kid," I was still confused, and she sighed. "Your... -- What do they call it in America --... Your little sister. Your sibling. She thinks of you as family, and you can't hate your family."

'Little sister'? 'Sibling'? 'Family'?! I've heard these words, but never actually thought of Rose as one. I don't understand, why would Rose be my sister? What does sister even mean? I never had a sister before. I don't know how to be this... 'sister'.

"What do you mean by 'sister'?" I asked the grown woman. "What do sisters do?"

Jackie laughed and began to walk, and I followed her by her side. "It depends on who you're talking about, love. I have a mate, Glenda her name is, she had five sisters!"

My eyes widened, "You can have more than one sister?!" The thought of having five Rose's made me shudder.

"Course ya can," she grinned, "But sometimes they aren't the nicest to each other if they have more. Even if you have one sister, you can still have arguments. She used to tell me that her sister would take her stuff all the time! It would drive her insane!" I rose an eyebrow, her friend was crazy?

"Anyways, when they were older, they began to love on each other and put those petty fights behind them," she explained. "They grew up. Yeah, they still have arguments and fights, but they also learned to enjoy one another and be happy instead of fight. You see what I'm trying to tell ya?"

"No..."

She laughed, "What I'm saying is that, you should listen to Rose and the Doctor, even if I don't like that bloke. Yeah, you're gonna have fights and arguments, but it'll all clear up eventually, and then you can be happy." She winked at me, and I stared at her. Why didn't she just say that?

"But... This thing... Its something that I can do and they can't; nobody else can," I said. "It's really dangerous too, but if I tell them, then they might get hurt. I don't want to hurt them, so I don't tell them. But if I don't, then they get mad, and I don't want them to be mad. I don't know what to do."

"Well why don't you show me, and I can help," she suggested and my eyes widened.

"I can't! If I hurt you, then Rose will hate me!" I exclaimed. "And then, you might tell them, and I would get in trouble."

"Then how about this," she crouched down to my level, which wasn't that far. "You show me this thing, and I'll help you. I can tell you what you should do, and I pinky promise I won't tell Rose or the Doctor not a single thing."

"What's a 'pink promise'?" I asked.

"Pinky promise," she corrected, "How d'ya not know what a pinky promise is?" When I didn't answer, she sighed and set down one of her bags. She held out her finger to me.

Me, not knowing what to do with her finger, I grabbed it, wiggling it a bit. Jackie laughed, "Like this," she took my finger wrapping it around hers, and shaking both our arms. "See! Pinky promise!" She let go, and I looked at her, carefully, so she shook my finger, okay, what does that mean? How is that a promise?

"Since I 'promised' you, I can't tell anyone," she explains, picking her bags back up and walking again.

"Then why did you need my pinky?"

"That's what you do when you promise," she says.

"I... Don't understand..." She laughed.

"Forget about it. I promise to never tell anyone about your thing that only you can do. Now can you show me?"

I looked at her for a second, but gave her a small nod. It was Jackie, she wouldn't tell anyone, I guess. And, for some reason, whenever I talked to her, I felt this weird feeling in my chest that made me... Want to trust her. I don't know why, but it did, so I did. I moved closer to the side, so no one could see, and made a small flame in my hands. It was a bright orange-ish yellow with flecks of blue and white near the center. Since it was small, it was easier to control, but I couldn't do it for long.

Jackie looked down and gasped, "Dear god!"

At the reaction, I dropped the flame, and looked away. Was she mad? Would she tell the others? Would she hate me too? "Can I see again?" She asked, "That was beautiful."

I looked at her, my eyes as wide as saucers, beautiful? She thought it was beautiful? Why... How... She... She thought that this curse... Was beautiful...?

I took a deep breath, and created it again, and she stared at it in awe, "That's amazing. How are you able to do this...?" She reached out a hand to touch it, but I made it disappear.

"Don't touch it," I warned, "Fire hurts people like you."

She frowned, "What about you?"

"I can't get burnt," I explain.

She nods, seemingly understanding this, "I'm sure that if you showed them, then they'd understand."

"But then they might get hurt," I argued, as she walked up a flight of steps, and I followed her. "I don't want them to get hurt. Or maybe they'll hate me because of it..."

She messed up my hair, just like Rose and the Doctor does, "If they love you, then they'll accept you as you are, sweetheart." She puts a key into the door, and opens it.

We walked down the short hall. I could hear the Doctor's and Rose's conversation. "Do you think my mum saw her on her way here?" Rose asked, as we we entered the room.

"London's a big city, it's be like finding a needle in a haystack. I don't think she would've seen-- AUGGIE!" He shouted. A second later, I was engulfed in a large hug. He picked me up, lifting my feet far off the ground, and spun me around.

"AHAAH!" I screamed, dizzily. Why was he spinning me?!

He finally stopped, and set me down, "I'm so sorry," he apologized. "I shouldn't have made you do anything, you can tell us whenever you feel ready. Don't ever run off like that again! I meant it when I said I was never going to let you out of my sight!!"

Before I could even respond, I was in Rose's chest, squeezed tightly, "I was so worried," she cried. "Don't ever do that, ever again! Can we ground her? You're so grounded!" I rose an eyebrow, 'grounded'? I was already on the ground... She sounded angry, so was grounded a bad thing?

"Well, what do you have to say for yourself," Rose demanded. She had her arms crossed and was tapping a foot impatiently. She was just like the Doctor, happy one minute, sad the next.

"What's a grounded?" I asked, she rolled her eyes, messing up my hair.

"That doesn't matter. What matters is that you're not hurt," she turned to her mom. "Thanks for bringing her back, Mum."

"Well I wasn't gonna leave her," Jackie scoffs. "You should really keep a better eye on 'er, and don't be pick on 'er too!" At this, she smacked the Doctor's arm, who looked at Jackie offensively, rubbing his arm.

"I said sorry," he muttered, and turns to me. "So Auggie, you still up for chips?" I nodded, softly, and the Doctor grinned. "Fantastic, lets go!"

He grabbed Rose's hand, and mines, although I quickly released myself, and ran out the door. Before we left, I shot Jackie a thankful glance, and she winked at me.

>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<

"Here we are," Rose announces, throwing her hands up to show a large, color sign with unknown words on it, that was under a multi-colored red stand. The stand smelt weird, but I couldn't describe it. It didn't smell good, that's for sure, and it messed with my nose.

"What's it say," I asked the Doctor.

"Why don't you try and read it," he grins slyly at me and pats my back. I look at the sign, a bit shyly. I see a 'f', 'i', 's', and 'h'. I've never seen the next letter, so I assumed that the Doctor hasn't shown me it yet. The last letters are 's', 't', 'u', and two 'f's.

I rack my brain for the sounds that they make too, "Um... The first one says fi... Fish... I don't know what that next sign to it is... And the last one says... St... Stu... Stu... Ff?" The Doctor cheered loudly, as did Rose, and grinned.

"Yay! You did it!" Rose cheered.

"I did?" I asked, I thought that I would get it completely wrong...

"Yeah, you did, silly," Rose gave me a lopsided grin, and messes up my hair, "That's my girl."

The Doctor grins as well, "As a reward for reading the sign of the shop," he steps in front of me and bows. "We shall go and eat!" He runs over, and I follow him.

"Two large chips and one small, please," Rose said, to the gray, bearded man. I saw him take a scoop, and dip it into something that sounded bubbly and smelled like it was burning. He dumped large yellow sticks into the three containers and handed them to us.

"£18.75," the man grumbles, handing Rose the food. Rose reaches into her pocket, but the Doctor hands him a sheet of greenish paper instead.

"Thanks," Rose says, as the Doctor handed her one of the bigger container of yellow sticks, and giving me the smaller one.

"Don't mention it," he replied, shoving a few of the sticks in his mouth.

I go to taste one of the yellow stick, and nibble on the end. It tastes... Weird. It's crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. Its also a bit whitish on the inside as well. "What do you think?" Rose asked.

"It tastes weird," I admit. There's some kind of greasy shielding around the stick, that doesn't taste very well, since I licked it. Super small little bumps cover it, I bring it up to my eyes, to see it. I frowned, what was that?

"Try it," the Doctor encourages again. I sigh, and reluctantly put the stick in my mouth.

It tasted very odd, and I wasn't able to actually taste it for very long since my tongue burnt it. But I was able to taste some kind of... I don't know what to call it. But it made me squeeze my eyes shut and gag.

"What's wrong?" Rose laughed, seeing the odd expression on my face.

It was sticking to my teeth, and I tried to use my tongue to get it off, but it wasn't working. "Why does it taste so... Weird?" I managed to ask.

The Doctor laughed, "What do you think it tastes like?"

I shrugged, and gave a small cough, burning a bit of whatever was stuck on my teeth. "I don't know. It just tasted... I don't know. I just..." My face was filled with confusion. What did it taste like? "Almost like... Green?"

Rose bursts out laughing and the Doctor chuckled. "You mean sour," he clarified.

"'Sour'?"

"Yep. It tastes weird, doesn't it? A bit hot and it makes you scrunch up his face like this?" He squeezes his eyes shut and stuck out his tongue for a few seconds. "That's what humans do when they taste something sour."

I nodded, half understanding. My eyes trailed to the giant white wheel-like structure with little balls on it behind them. I could see people inside the balls, waving or laughing or talking to someone else. "Hey, Doctor, what's that?" I asked, pointing to it.

Rose looked to where I was pointing, "That's the London eye," she grinned, and looked at the Doctor. "Hey Doctor, how 'bout we go explore London, eh?"

He looked at her, "Really?"

She nodded, "There's no time like the present! And we've got a little American here who would also probably be interested!"

He looked at me, with a rose eyebrow, and I looked at him, a small smile on my face. "Fine. If you want to," he agreed, and Rose punched the air.

"Yeah! C'mon Auggie, let's go!" She pulled my arm and ran towards the giant wheel.

>*<*>*<*>*<*>*<

"It's called a Ferris wheel," the Doctor informed as we entered the small ball attached to the large wheel. They had already paid for us to go on. The Doctor and Rose talked amongst themselves while I examined the structure, as we entered the ball.

The balls were small also, and had glass in the front, so you could see out of. There were a few benches inside the ball so you could sit on. Near the window, there was a metal stand that had small eye holes in it, and a small slot that said £0.50.

Suddenly, a large crank was heard, and the ball began to move. My eyes widened, and I went to go sit beside the bench, holding on tightly. I could feel the ball lifting off the ground, giving me a sense of lightheadedness. I heard every single click and twist of the metal cranks that made the ball move.

"Are you okay?" The Doctor asked, seeing my distress.

I gave him a short nod, about to answer when I saw a strange man in the corner of the room, staring at me. I narrowed my eyes. He wore a black coat and hat, a mask that went up to his nose, and black shoes and pants. I noticed a small bulge in his pocket, that was in the shape of a--

"Are you okay, Auggie?" The Doctor asked, snapping my gaze away from the man. I looked at him and blinked.

"Yeah. I'm okay. I'm okay," I nodded, my eyes trailing back, he was still there, but now he was glaring at me.

The Doctor didn't look like he believed me, because he took me by the hand and brought me over to the other end where the window was.

I suddenly realized how high up we were, every thing was so small, the cars looked like... Those toy cars in the movie we saw. The people looked as small as bugs, that were scrambling about. The buildings were huge, still, since we were kind of on eye level to them, but they too were growing smaller as well.

I awed at the sight, it was... Interesting! The river beside the Ferris wheel was glistening brightly in the daylight as ships and boats went through it. There was the large clock again, that suddenly chimed loudly, echoing through the air. I winced, and clamped my hands over my ears. It was really loud.

"What's wrong, Auggie?" Rose asked, worryingly.

"The clock thing. Its just loud," I said, as the chiming soon finished.

"Twelve chimes. It's noon," the Doctor said.

"How do you know?" I asked, curiously.

"It says it on Big Ben," he answered. "And when the clock chimes, you have to count the number of chimes it does to tell the hour."

I nodded, "Who's Big Ben?"

"Big Ben isn't a actual person," he laughed, "That's just the nickname for the clock."

"A nickname is a name for someone who you love, right?" He nodded, yes. "So... You love the clock? I thought you could only give nicknames to people."

Rose bursts out laughing at my question and the Doctor's ears turned a bit red. "How are you doing that?" I asked.

"Doing what?"

"Your ears. They're red," I pointed to his tinted red ears. "How are you doing that? Can I do that too?" Rose laughed even harder, hugging her stomach as she once did when we had rice-- ice cream for the first time.

"No, uh, Big Ben is the nickname that everyone calls it..." He answered.

"So everyone loves the clock?"

"No, well, I can't really say," he rubbed his neck a bit. "How about you look at the binoculars?" He motioned to the metal stand, changing the subject.

Before I could answer, the Doctor placed two coins in the slot, "Go on. Have a look," he grins.

I smiled and glancing at the man in the corner. I noticed that he had came a few paces closer to Rose, who didn't seem to notice. If I turned my back and look into the 'binoculars', whatever that is, I wouldn't be able to keep an eye on him, whoever he was, but I also didn't want to alarm the Doctor or Rose by announcing his presence.

I shake my head, "I'm fine," I replied, politely rejecting the offer. "I can see perfectly fine here."

"Are you sure you don't want a closer look?" The Doctor asked.

"Yep," I nodded. I walked back over to the bench, a few steps behind Rose, and sat down. I saw the man back up as well, and stand near me.

"What do you want?" I asked, my voice low, almost unable to hear. He doesn't answer. "If you're thinking of doing anything to then I will--"

"The phoenix is rising," he said, and I stiffened. "Soon, it will be caught again and get sent back into its chains."

"What are you talking about?!" I hissed. I took this chance to quickly analyze him. He had dark yellow eyes and a strand of white hair was revealed under his hood. He didn't smell like Rose, who smelled like a human, he smelled different, but I couldn't place it. I noticed that he definitely had more than one weapon on his person. There were a few more hidden pockets that held a knife or two, and a few smaller guns. If I were to take him on, I would most likely lose.

"They knows your location and will soon be taking you again," he says.

"I'm not going back."

"We have new allies, you have no choice. Rejoin soon or suffer the consequences." I saw him look at the Doctor and Rose, and my eyes narrowed.

I glared at the unnamed man, "Nobody touches them. Leave them out of this."

"Auggie," the Doctor's voice called, making me snap my gaze away. He is staring at me, a bit worryingly. "Are you okay? Who are you talking to?"

"What? I'm fine. I wasn't talking to anyone," I answer, a bit too quickly. I notice that we are nearer to the ground.

He frowns at me, but doesn't say anything else about it. "Why can't they see you?" I asked, this time much quieter.

"We all got our own little abilities from them," he says, a bit smugly. "I myself can make myself invisible from the naked eye for period of time."

"Then how can I see you?"

"Your senses are much higher than the human's and probably even the Time Lord's," he replies coolly. "You won't be able to hide from them for long. Soon you will be joining us when we are at our greatest. Our allies have seen the future and foretold this." The sound of a short 'ding' is echoed in the room, and the man stood up.

"C'mon Auggie, Doctor says we can go to this cool planet with grounds like trampolines!" Rose called, as she walked out the door.

"Okay, I'm coming!" I called back, then looked back at the man. "I'm never going to go back, and nothing you do can change that," I told him. "I'm going to keep my friends safe, and I'll make sure you never, ever hurt them."

He rose an eyebrow and pulled up his sleeve, revealing a large watch-like thing with two triangles facing each other on it. "I'm not a monster that will always put them in danger," he said, and slammed his hand on the watch, and flashed away.