Sarah Jane & Maria Jackson Stories (original) (raw)
Title: The Worst Embarrassment Ever
Fandom: The Sarah Jane Adventures
Pairings: Sarah Jane/Maria?
Spoilers: None
Rating: PG 13 a tame starter but the next part is stronger.
Summary: Maria is returning to Ealing to stay with Sarah Jane while she attends Ealing University. But in the recent weeks their email exchanges have seemed to Maria to be about more than just how much rent she'll be paying or what alien threats their have been. But when Sarah Jane fails to collect her she begins to wonder has she got it wrong.
Maria’s plane approached Heathrow airport in clear sunny weather.lj-cut text="Read more"> Over the three years that she had been in America she and Sarah Jane had been swapping emails about twice a month. But for some reason their exchanges in the last two months had become at least daily. Maria had been thinking that somewhere hidden within those messages was some meaning that Sarah Jane wanted her to know but couldn’t or wouldn’t tell her. Or maybe it was there for everyone but her to see. Maybe she was just too thick to understand.
This last week though she had begun to understand as Sarah Jane had opened up more to her. At least she thought she understood now what Sarah Jane had been subtly saying. But even so she was still nervous about what Sarah Jane was after. It wasn’t as if Maria had much experience, especially not that sort of experience. But before she had left Washington she had hit on a plan, a not very subtle plan that amounted to her saying yes, but without her uttering a word.
Maria had put her plan into action before she left home. First she had placed all her bras from her luggage into the bottom of her suitcase and after she had left her father at the airport had removed the old one she was wearing and ditched it in the ladies toilet. If Sarah Jane had really meant what Maria thought she was saying in her emails then the moment they met at the airport would be the most romantic moment in Maria’s life, or the most embarrassing.
The journey through customs took longer than it ought to have done but they had insisted on searching her luggage. She knew the real reason. They wanted to ogle her because she was braless, had unbuttoned her blouse to show off her cleavage and she was wearing a tiny miniskirt. She missed the two reasons for which they had really stopped her. First she was wearing high heels that accentuated her bust and buttocks second she was wearing a blouse that with the bright lighting in customs revealed her aureole in much too much detail.
She walked out of customs and looked round for Sarah Jane, but she wasn’t there. Suddenly she heard her name being called and turned round and found herself face to face with Rani who was pointing the lens of her mobile at her.
“Hi Rani where’s Sarah Jane?”
“Sorry she got held up. Torchwood needed her.” Rani looked Maria up and down and for the first time realised what she was wearing. “You don’t mind me sending my movie of you arriving to Sarah Jane do you? It’s just she asked if I could.”
Maria wondered if she had got it wrong, “No I don’t mind.” Hopefully she thought.
“Right, want to grab some lunch. It’s just she said she’d try to get here if it finished early enough.”
“So what’s wrong with going to the house. Would it be quicker?”
“She insisted we stay here until she arrives or gets in touch.”
Sarah Jane’s day had begun well. Apart from having Maria’s arrival to look forward to, Rani had good news in that she had her first article published in a mainstream magazine. They were just settling down to a celebratory cup of coffee in the kitchen when Sarah Jane’s mobile rang.
Sarah Jane glanced at the screen thought for a moment then answered, “So Jack Harkness what does Torchwood want with me?”
“OK so how come you know it’s me. Do you have all our phone numbers on your mobile, and if so where did you get them from?”
“I must have looked them up in the phone book. Are you avoiding answering my question Jack? If so I’m going to finish this call right now.”
“Question? Oh right. We need to get into Torchwood’s Ealing Archives, and according to UNIT you were on their inspection team that checked it over after Torchwood One was destroyed. It seems they got you to lock up the place after they left.”
“True but I only know some of the codes to get in. Mr Harkness can this wait until tomorrow. It’s just that I have an important meeting today.”
“It’s Captain and no it can’t wait.”
“Fair enough Mr Harkness, or would you rather I used your real name from when you lived in the Boeshane Peninsula.”
“How do you know that?”
“The Doctor and I visited the Boeshane Peninsula once. You may remember me, bright orange minidress.”
“… and purple tights and green platforms. You really had great way of merging into the background. So you remember me?”
“Well after seeing you during that Dalek incident I thought I recognised the face so I ran a facial match on some pictures I had and found you, anyway nice talking to you, goodbye.” Sarah Jane turned off her phone. “Well he can wait Maria comes first. Rani we have to get out of here quickly.”
As they rushed to the door the bell began to ring, insistently. Sarah Jane and Rani turned to the kitchen and as they approached it they saw a tall young man dressed in a well pressed suit. Standing alongside him was Martha Jones. Sarah Jane opened the window.
“Would you tell that idiot to stop leaning on my doorbell we’ll be out in ten minutes. Rani upstairs we need to talk.”
Behind her on the stairs Sarah Jane dialled a number on her mobile then without even speaking she placed the phone in her pocket.
In the attic Sarah Jane dug through the books on the shelves until she found it. One book that anyone who knew her was a book she had no need to buy. ‘Be Fit, Be Slim’ wasn’t a book she bought for its diet tips but one she bought because she’d never read it. Walking over to Mr Smith she flipped through till she found the right page.
“Mr Smith I need you.”
Mr Smith slid out of the wall amid blasts of gas and noise. Rani’s hair was blown across her face. She shook her head, and then watched as Sarah Jane placed the book to be scanned.
“Mr Smith, could you display the marked text on this page please.”
“I take it you mean the text marked with dots of trisilicate.”
“Yes I do.”
Mr Smith displayed ‘Red 2ne 14B Level 6’ on his screen.
Rani looked at the screen, “Red 2ne. What’s 2ne?”
Sarah Jane shook her head, “Simple Rani there wasn’t a ‘z’ on the page, hence 2, and there was no ‘o’ between it and the ‘n’.”
“Right I get it now, but what does it mean?”
“You’ll find out later on. Now I want you to take my car and meet Maria at the airport. You know the flight, and here are the keys, and Rani don’t forget to take your driving licence. Oh and could you send me a video of her when she arrives. I want the two of you to stay at the airport and I’ll meet you there as soon as I can.”
“Why a video?”
Sarah Jane paused, “I want to see how she is. Now let’s go or else Mr Harkness will be kicking down the door and dragging me off to Torchwood’s Ealing Archives.”
Rani thought about what Sarah Jane had just said and realised that there were times when Sarah Jane was no good at lying and this was one of them. So why did she want a video of Maria?
As they walked down the stairs Sarah Jane ended the call.
The Torchwood SUV pulled up outside a lockup. Sarah Jane stepped out the back of the car and walked over to the door. She pointed her sonic lipstick at the lock and a few seconds later the armoured door lifted up and she walked in closely followed by the SUV. When they were in she pressed a button on the wall and the door closed. Sarah Jane noticed something wasp sized and buzzing fly in just as the door closed.
As the lights came on Jack Harkness stepped out of the car and after locating a control panel concealed in the wall punched several buttons. A moment later the floor began to slowly descend.
“Everybody now shuts up, no talking, screaming, whatever when we get to the bottom of this shaft.” Sarah Jane pointed her forefinger upward and then touched it to her lips. “Shush.” The wasp-like buzzing stopped.
The floor stopped descending. In front of them was double door. “Sesame seed bun.” Sarah Jane’s forefinger wiggled in warning.
“Incorrect codeword, gas will be discharged in 15, 14,” Sarah Jane shook her head in warning. “13, 12, 11, 10, 9,”
“Rattlesnake.”
Sarah Jane smiled as she watched the Torchwood team silently panic.
“8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, a buzzer sounded. Correct code words given at correct interval. Access granted.” Sarah Jane smirked as she looked at Jack.
“Sesame seed bun. What sort of idiot uses that as a password into anywhere?”
“The same idiot who rigged the system so that saying anything else gets you killed with no countdown.”
Jack walked over to the doors, “Captain Jack Harkness.”
“Voiceprint identified as Torchwood Officer Harkness, Jack.”
Jack pressed his hands against the blue fingerprint scanning panels on the doors and pushed them open. Sarah Jane, Martha, Ianto, and the buzzing noise followed him. As they walked along Sarah Jane waited for her opportunity. They reached a junction and Jack turned to face Sarah Jane.
“Miss Smith we need a little privacy if you don’t mind.”
“Where will you be and for how long?”
“White Zone and it won’t take us more than two hours.”
“Well in that case I’ll occupy myself by doing an inspection tour of Red Zone.”
“I was thinking more of locking you in that room there and we take your sonic screwdriver so you don’t let yourself out.”
“Mr Harkness no, first it’s not a sonic screwdriver it’s a sonic lipstick, second no way am I giving it to you and third have you seen the alien artefact detection equipment this base is fitted with. If you think I’m going to try to steal something then you must think I’m stupid.”
Jack looked at Martha and Ianto. He wondered if he could do this job without either of them, and realised he couldn’t.
“Fair enough Miss Smith. But be back here in two hours or we leave without you.”
“Fine by me, bye.” Sarah Jane turned and walked away.
Martha spoke, “Jack we can’t just let her wander around what if she gets hurt.”
Sarah Jane asked, “How many different versions of the Doctor have you met Martha?”
“Just one. Why?”
“Three so I think I can look after myself.” Sarah Jane turned and walked down the corridor following the red line painted on the floor. “Oh and I’ve seen him regenerate. Best thing to do if that happens is make a pot of tea.” Sarah Jane waved at them and then turned and carried on walking.
Martha turned to Jack and said “Three! Don’t worry about her Jack she’s safe. Come on.”
As the three of them turned to follow the white line on the floor a buzzing sound could be heard, but it quickly faded as it followed the red line.
Sarah Jane pressed a button next to a door and it slid back. Resting her shoulder on the edge of the door she waited till the buzzing noise passed through before she stepped through herself.
“OK Dlonde I think you’ll find we’re safe now.” A young woman suddenly appeared just as the buzzing stopped.
“Nourika Dlonde at your service ma’am, so what do you want to steal?”
“Just some comms equipment.”
“Hmm, what do you want with comms equipment I thought you people had those wireless phones these days.”
“Mobiles Dlonde, and yes we do but they are not always reliable nor do they work underground or in space.”
“Fine where do we find your comms equipment?”
“Level 6.”
“Well lead on to Level 6.”
Sarah Jane could have sworn that she heard Dlonde mutter something about galoshes.
Maria paid at the till, picked up her tray and turned away from the counter. She caught a reflection of herself in a mirrored pillar that someone had placed in just the wrong spot. She saw her breasts wobble as she turned. Her first thought was to not turn quite so quickly. Her second was that when she turned to face Rani after customs that she had turned a lot faster. She was going to have a look at that video. But not with Rani there, she couldn’t face the embarrassment of having someone watch her looking at that video.
“First thing I’ve got to do now I’m over here is get a new mobile. What’s yours like is it new?”
“Brand new, my parents got it for me for getting into university. It’s the latest Magpie. Picture quality you wouldn’t believe. They reckon it is movie quality.”
Just what I didn’t want to know, thanks Rani, “I’ll have to see if I can get one. What university are you going to?”
“Ealing Uni, I’m studying journalism. What about you?”
Oh no please can this get worse, “Yes same. I suppose you’re doing it because of Sarah Jane.”
“Well I’ve always wanted to be a journalist. I’m lucky really because the university prefer you to get experience working with a journalist while you’re doing the course and Sarah Jane has agreed to let me carry on working with her. Apparently there is going to be another student … You’re the other student.”
It can get worse. “Yes it’s me. Well I’m staying with Sarah Jane so it just seemed sensible.”
“So am I.”
“What?”
“Staying with Sarah Jane. As long as mum can convince dad that is. He thinks that going to University means I should become more independent and move out.”
“But he might think you living across the road isn’t independent enough.”
“That’s it.”
They were passing through level 5 when they heard a noise. At first with the distortions and echoes that being this deep underground added to the slightest sound it seemed unearthly. But as they got nearer and the original sound became clearer they realised that what they were hearing was something worse that all the monsters they had imagined. There was a water leak somewhere. They found the leak and immediately realised that only a qualified plumber would fix the cracked pipe above them.
The water on the floor wasn’t too deep which meant that either the drains were working or it was flowing elsewhere. On reached the ladder down to level 6 they found it was the latter.
The water was above ankle deep on level 6. Fortunately for Sarah Jane her boots would keep it out but Dlonde had been in a rush to meet up with her and was only wearing court shoes.
“Looks like I’ll be flying the rest of the way.”
Sarah Jane climbed down and began wading through the water to alcove 14B. Dlonde meanwhile dropped partway before sprouting fairy wings and following along in the air.
On reaching 14B Sarah Jane found she had another problem. One she hadn’t counted on.
“It is deadlock sealed, and not just that it is quadruple deadlocked.”
“Half a kilo of Semtex should do it.”
Sarah Jane looked at Dlonde. “I’d rather not. Just do what you do without demolishing anything.”
Dlonde unbuttoned her sleeve and revealed a metal vambrace covered in teeth and gemstones. After tapping her hand against a cylinder set into the metalwork it popped free and fell into her hand. She ran it over the locked door and then did a quick scan around the alcove they were in.
“No problems my gravitic screwdriver will get your deadlocks cancelled.”
“Good.”
Dlonde set to work, “Number one is easy, but I think it may be the easiest. Got it. Now number two has got an awkward setting. Ah there it is. Just a twist and it’s done. Now number three ah ha yep just what I didn’t want this one is a little sensitive, just a little pull back tiny and done. Phew. Now number four so why is this one feel too easy hmm. Pop and it’s gone. Back it up Sarah.”
“What’s up?”
“I think our lock has a booby trap, and today is not my day for being a booby.”
They retreated outside the alcove. Dlonde adjusted the pulse width on her gravitic screwdriver and slid the panel steadily open. When it was almost fully open she could see the box that Sarah Jane was after.
“Sarah Jane can you see the flashing red light at the back of the drawer, just above your package.”
“Yes I can.”
“Right I need you to lock it down with your sonic while get the package out. OK.
“OK.”
Sarah Jane aimed her sonic at the light and watched as the flashing red light became a steady green.
“Good Sarah Jane just hold it there.”
A change in Dlonde’s aim and the box lifted up and then slowly drifted across the gap and out of the alcove. She grabbed it out of the beam and in a moments lose of concentration nudged the panel fully open. A force field formed over the entrance and a high energy discharge sufficient to vaporise a Dalek fired diagonally across the alcove. When their vision returned from the glare they saw that the panel had closed back up and the light on it showed that it and its contents were secure.
Sarah Jane had her eyes closed “Oh no.”
“Are you OK Sarah Jane?”
“No problem apart from all the alarms we set off.”
Dlonde smiled, “Taken care off.”
“How?”
“SamanthAnnabelle and I have broken into this place plenty of times before to recovery fairy artefacts that Torchwood stole. It got to be we were making such regular visits we rebuilt the security alarm circuits so we could shut them off when we entered an area.”
“So if we had put Semtex on the door and blown it off no one would have noticed.”
“Done it before. All we do is clean up the debris and fit a new door. Though a couple of times we have done an Italian Job on a door and had to replace a wall, though generally Torchwood fixes those.”
Sarah Jane burst out laughing.
Maria had finished her meal and sat back in her chair. She carried on chatting to Rani about Sarah Jane. When Rani finished eating they stood up to leave and Maria caught sight of herself in another pillar and it suddenly occurred to her that with Rani being taller than her she must have caught an eyeful of her cleavage all through the meal.
The thought had occurred to her that she could get herself out of this by either buying a bra, and Gatwick had a couple of shops she could buy one at, or digging into the depths of her case but she had decided that having gone so far she might as well carry on.
Rani glanced at the screen of her mobile again and saw there was still no word from Sarah Jane. She could take Maria to Sarah Jane’s but Sarah Jane had said she would meet them here. Ringing Sarah Jane’s number again she still didn’t get a reply. What was keeping her and why wasn’t she answering?
Martha, Jack and Ianto carried the box between them. It hadn’t taken them as long as they thought to get it out of White Zone. It had taken a whole half hour longer. So Jack wasn’t too surprised to see a rather prim Sarah Jane waiting to meet them.
Jack was exhausted but he wanted out of here now so still puffing he walked over to a control panel and waved Sarah Jane to stand between two metal panels. Alarms went off.
“Right Miss Smith this says you’re carrying contraband. So where did you steal those from and how?”
“The watch and the sonic lipstick are from the Doctor.”
Jack looked at Martha. She nodded, “He told me he had given them to her.”
“There are also traces of contact with an alien life form.”
“So just normal run of the day me then.”
Jack moved himself and his team with their package through the panels next. Even the Torchwood members were showing traces of contact with alien life forms.
They waited while Jack got to work opening the deadlock sealed doors that would give them access to the car and the lift. When he gave the last release code the doors swung back and revealed an empty lift. The four of them walked into the lift Sarah Jane stood smiling in the centre as she watched the others cuss at the loss of their vehicle. Jack gave her a glance. He was wondering how she did it.
“It hasn’t occurred to any of you that it may have been moved just outside.”
Needless to say when they got to the surface with their package it wasn’t there. Sarah Jane’s mobile rang with a couple of texts from Rani and the video. A glance at the video bought a smile to her face. This didn’t make Jack happy.
“What’s so funny?”
“Just a package arrived successfully. Anyway have to get going. I would offer you a lift but my car is at the airport.”
Ianto said, “Jack, according to Mickey the SUV is at Heathrow.”
“Hold it Miss Smith, which airport?”
“Find out. Bye.”
“Mickey I want a run down on Sarah Jane Smith’s car and every member of her team.”
Ianto looked at Jack, “Want me to run after her?”
Back at Torchwood Mickey was punching buttons, “Her car’s at Gatwick and has been there for over an hour. As for her team the girl Rani is at Gatwick with what looks like a very hot girlfriend and Luke Smith and Clyde Langer are in Trieste, anything else?”
“No thanks Mickey. Ianto I need a van, now.”
“On it.”
Sarah Jane walked round the corner and only then took out her mobile. A quick glance behind to make certain and she dialled Rani’s number.
“Rani hi, sorry about the delay, it took longer than I thought it would. You can bring Maria back to my place now.”
“What they aren’t even going to give you a lift out here?”
“It’s not their fault Rani. Somebody stole their car.”
It took Sarah Jane 20 minutes to get back home and the first thing she did was run up to her bedroom and open her bedside cabinet. Inside was the package she had removed from the Ealing Archive unopened though she didn’t doubt that Dlonde had scanned the contents. She was for all her reputation for theft and skulduggery a moral person. If Dlonde had considered the contents of the box too dangerous for Sarah Jane to possess then all she’d have now would be a curt note explaining why.
After leaving the contents with Mr Smith to examine she got him to check on Rani’s location and driving. Once before Rani had driven a car carelessly and her father had found the family’s prized vehicle with a long scratch down the side. Satisfied that all was well and she had plenty of time Sarah Jane went down for a soak in the bath.
Five minutes before they were due back Sarah Jane was hurriedly dressing. As she came down the stairs she saw Rani and Maria entering the house.
“I used my key Sarah Jane.”
“Well that’s what it’s for. I’ve got one for you too Maria.” Sarah Jane hugged Maria but as Sarah Jane stepped back to look at her one of her hands held onto Maria’s left breast before it suddenly let it go.
“Well I’ve got to get going tonight’s the night we try to convince dad that me moving over the road is me being independent.”
“OK Rani we’ll see you tomorrow then, hopefully with your suitcases.”
“After he throws me out for not being independent enough.”
The three laughed. After Rani left Sarah Jane turned to Maria and smiled. “I’ve got something to show you some communications equipment that I liberated from Torchwood today. But first you probably need a bath after your flight. After which I want to see you up in the attic.”
“So getting that equipment was what you were doing this afternoon.”
“Yes. See you in half an hour, but first your room. It’s up here.”
Sarah Jane guided Maria toward the stairs by placing a hand on her bum. As they went up Maria realised that Sarah Jane was lagging behind on the stairs. Her first thought was that she was just getting old, but after glancing back she realised that Sarah Jane could see right up her skirt. Not that her skirt was long enough to conceal anything really.
She showed Maria to her bedroom. It was the one next to the staircase to the attic. Maria had the spare room with the single bed. Sarah Jane was next to her and on the opposite side was Luke’s then finally Rani’s who had the other double bed.
“I had always intended turning this room into a walk in wardrobe because it has a door that connects into my room. But it just became a junk room for a while. The good thing about is that like mine you get sunshine first thing in the morning but Luke and Rani have only sunsets to watch.”
“So Luke’s a sunset person is he?”
“I never really asked him. He was given that room because it just seemed the right room for him to have.”
“So it never occurred to you to give him Rani’s room?”
“It’s the room I keep for visitors, and it has the bathroom next to it, which will make it very noisy especially now you two have moved in.”
“You won’t mind a bit of extra noise around the house will you?”
“Not really with Luke and Clyde going away to university I was worried it would get too quiet. Anyway you probably need to freshen up after a long flight so I’ll leave you to it.”