Part 31 (1/2)

It was the first time that Benny had seen the outline of the plane. The scene reminded her almost of a Viking funeral pyre. Then, every pound of explosive in the bomb bay detonated simultaneously. There was a hammer-blow deep inside the Earth, a sound so loud it lifted them off their feet and shattered every pane of gla.s.s for two miles in every direction. A column of fire hurtled five hundred feet in the air, and scooped a crater twenty feet deep in the soft soil of St James's Park. The lake was seething and boiling and tiny chunks of metal and earth began clattering back down to the ground like rain. A fragment of the wing sliced into the ground where Chris had just been standing. There were shouts from across the park. Fire-watchers.

The Doctor smiled rather smugly.

'We have to be going.' He checked his watch. 'Where's Roz got to?'

'She's got her own unfinished business,' Chris whispered.

'I'll go and collect her. You've got a key to the TARDIS, let Benny in.'

On the other side of the park, George Reed held Roz close.

Together they watched the fire-fighters as they milled around the burning wreckage. It was as bright as day here, brighter. In the firelight, Roz's skin was the colour of burnt amber.

The Doctor announced his presence by clearing his throat. Reed turned to see who it was. The Doctor kept a little way back.

'We won,' Reed said simply. There were tears in his eyes. 'Doctor, Roz has told me who you are, told me that you aren't von Wer. Thank you for what you did tonight.'

The Doctor bowed his head to accept Reed's appreciation. It's time to get going, Roz.' He looked her straight in the eye. 'Or do you want to stay?'

Reed broke his embrace and stepped back, but Roz caught the officer's hand. 'Yes.'

The Doctor smiled. 'That simple?'

'No.' She hesitated and turned to Reed who, outwardly at least, remained impa.s.sive. 'It's so beautiful here. If it wasn't for the war, it would be so peaceful.'

The Doctor chuckled. Roz squeezed Reed's hand.

'You know what I mean,' she snapped.

'Of course I do. I remember the very first time I visited Earth: Paris during the French Revolution. There was so much promise there, a sense that anything and everything was possible. I walked the dirty, wine-soaked streets with my granddaughter, and I realized that the old order could be swept away, that people could be happy. It was a feeling I'd never had before: elation at the sound of empires falling.'

'The French Revolution ended in chaos, Doctor; thousands died,' Reed noted. He took the little man and his story in his stride.

'Would you like to come with us, George? There's always room for one more. You could see the sights, fight epic battles.'

No, Doctor. There's a war to be fought and won here.'

The little man nodded, as if it was the answer he had expected. 'Is it your war, too, Roz?' the Doctor asked. 'It's your decision. I'll be back at the TARDIS.' He disappeared into the night. Roz looked up at the clouds again, saw them as flying cities, ablaze. Around her she could hear shouting and the distinctive pulsing chirp of energy hand-guns. Elation.

Chaos.

'I'm sorry, George.'

Reed managed a smile. 'I know you are. I'll try to keep a stiff upper lip, though, yes?'

'We might meet again. It is possible.'

'We'll meet again some sunny day?'

Roz glanced up at the clouds. 'Then it won't be in England.'

George chuckled, then a thought struck him. 'I almost forgot.' He held out the green bag he was carrying. Roz peered inside, and George continued, 'It's a fur coat. Silver fox, to match your hair. It cost me quite a few coupons, not to mention a few favours, but you were always complaining about how cold it was and -'

Roz kissed him.

'You'll still wear the ring, won't you?'

Roz nodded, holding up the emerald for his inspection.

'Of course, if that's what you want.'

George kissed her cheek, tasting a salty tear there. Roz grabbed the scruff of his neck and pulled him even closer.

Finally, she drew back. 'I better get going.' Roz straightened, tugging her uniform jacket back into shape.

'Goodbye.'

The Doctor's hand hovered over the dematerialization control.

Benny tapped him on the shoulder. He turned. She shook her head. The Doctor withdrew his hand.

The door swung open and Forrester stepped inside. The door closed behind her and she handed the Doctor back his TARDIS key. Chris was grinning, so was Benny. Wolsey brushed against Roz's leg.

The Doctor's hand tapped once at the console and the crystalline column at the centre began rising and falling.

Once he was sure they were in flight, he turned to Benny.

'I'm sorry.'

Benny stood impa.s.sively. The Doctor looked down sadly, and shuffled out of the control room.

When he was gone, she smiled. 'That's all I wanted to hear.'

Roz glanced nervously between Chris and the console.