The Ultimate Solution - Part 2 (incomplete)

Ben drove recklessly all the way back to Cambridge. He knew Katie and Kyle would be back at the apartment, but he didn’t want to have to explain about Craig and the inheritance. He suddenly realised that technically, Craig owned the apartment, it had been in his parents name. He regretted fighting with him, and wanted to apologise, but he knew Isobel would be there, and he didn’t know if she would be able to resist attacking him again. Maybe a phonecall to Torchwood would get her out of the way, he thought...
He pulled up outside the apartment block, and saw Katie’s land rover parked outside. At least he could release some tension, even if it was with her.
He opened the door, and heard a commotion from the lounge area. He went in, and saw Katie and Kyle sitting on different sides of the room, making a bad attempt at looking innocent. Ben missed it completely.
“Alright mate,” Kyle said “’ow’d the reading of the will go? Ya get much?”
Ben mumbled. Katie and Kyle shared a glance. Obviously things had not gone well...
“Look, mate, I know you’re feeling bad at the mo, what with your parents and Anselm...”
“And which of you two told him about Nathaniel?” he said angrily.
“You never said it was a secret!” Kyle said.
Ben glared at him. “Surely it must have penetrated your simple chav-brain that I was trying to rescue Anselm and mine’s relationship!”
“What, by shagging the first person who shows you to your room?”
“Kyle, who told you you could have an opinion?”
“Steady on Ben...” Katie said, standing.
“And you can shut up!” Ben shouted at her. “Now Anselm’s gone, you’ve won, you get me again!” He pointed at his bedroom door. “Go on, in you go, I’ll join you when Kyle’s gone!”
“Like fuck you will!” Kyle said.
“What the hell has it got to do with you?” Ben shouted.
“Katie’s not your doormat any more!” Kyle shouted back.
“He’s right, Ben.” Katie said. “I’m over you. I refuse to be treated like shit by you any more. I’ve moved on.”
Ben laughed. “Are you insane, woman? Who’d want you?”
Kyle moved over to Katie, and took her hand. “Me.” He said.
Ben was stunned. No, he was more than stunned, he was flabbergasted.
“WHAT!?!” he cried. “You’ve chosen that chav over me?”
“Yep.” Katie said.
“What’s he got that I haven’t?” Ben asked.
“Compassion, bravery, loyalty, not to mention a massive...”
“That’s enough of that!” Ben interrupted. He stared at them. “How long has this been going on under my roof?”
“About a month.” Katie said.
Ben was horrified. This had been going on behind his back, in his own home. “Get out.”
He pointed at the door. “GET OUT!!!”
Kyle went to his room, but Ben stopped him. “You can collect your things later. Leave your keys, and get out!”
Kyle removed a bronze Yale key from his keyring, and threw it onto the coffee table. Katie did the same, and they both left.
Ben followed them, slamming the door behind them. “And if I never see you again, it’ll be too soon!” He shouted. He noticed one of his neighbours, an old woman, looking at him through a gap in the door. “What do you think you’re looking at?” he shouted, and she closed the door.
He returned to the flat, and collapsed onto the sofa. In the last twenty four hours, he’s lost his boyfriend, his nephew and his best friends. He curled up, and started to sob.


The next day Ben was woken by a knock on the door. He looked through the security peep-hole, and saw it was Jake. He opened the door, and was almost overcome by a sweet sickly smell. “Hey, Ben, sorry to be a downer, man, but I’m here for Kyle’s stuff.”
Ben squinted at him. “Why isn’t he here himself?” he asked.
“He said that it was too heavy for him here, so he’s made his digs with that Katie doll.”
“I thought as much.” Ben muttered. “You’d better come in.”
Jake went through, and made his way towards Kyles room. “Do you have any binbags, man? I forgot to bring boxes.”
Ben pulled a roll of binbags out of a drawer, and threw them to him. “Here you go.”
Jake went into Kyle’s room, and Ben followed.
Kyle’s room was a mess. There was stuff everywhere, posters on the walls and clothes on every available surface. Jake started shovelling them into a binbag, while Ben watched.
“Jake,” Ben said.
“Yeah?” Jake replied, not stopping his work.
“Am I a good person?”
“Yeah, you’re groovy, man!” Jake replied.
Ben smiled. This made him feel better. At least someone appreciated him, even if it was a smelly hippy like Jake. “Have we had any calls for Operation Delta?”
“Nothing. It’s almost as if the government is ignoring us”
Ben nodded. In the last few weeks, they hadn’t heard from anybody, not Torchwood, not UNIT. Even the Prime Minister hadn’t been in contact for a while, and he’d taken a special interest in Operation Delta’s activities over the last six months.
Ben put his hands in his pockets, and realised he was still wearing his suit from the funeral. He found a small card in his pocket, and read it. It was Chiara’s contact details.
Ben smiled. He’d had fun with Chiara, she had no preconceptions about Ben, she hadn’t judged him, and had been the perfect friend. She’d vanished from his life suddenly about a year ago, around the time the stars had started disappearing, then suddenly reappeared.
He looked at Jake, still stuffing clothes into the black bag. “Let me know when you’ve finished.” He said, and started to leave the room. He stopped, and turned around. “The alarm clock’s mine, so leave it!” he added, then left.
He walked over to the phone, and dialled the number on the card. “Hi, Chiara here!” came a cheery voice.
“Hi, it’s Ben.” He said. “Do you fancy coming over to the flat for a chat?”
“Sure, when do you want me over?” She asked
“About Five?” Ben suggested.
“Sure. See you at your flat.” She hung up. Ben sat on the sofa, and watched Jake carry the black bag to the door. “That’s, like everything!” he said, “Is there anything else?” he asked.
Ben looked round the flat. “No, that’s it.” He said.
Jake opened the door, and left, closing it behind him.

It was ten to five, and Ben was immaculately dressed. He’d spent a good hour in the shower, and had moisturised his skin, styled his hair and given himself a manicure. He had the apartment to himself again, just like it had been after he’d left the Doctor the first time, and it was just how he liked it. Chiara would come over, they would chat, have a lot to drink and probably end up in bed. Well, probably not the last bit, despite Chiara’s obvious intelligence, she’d never fallen for Ben’s charms, but it would be nice to talk to someone intelligent for a change.
Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Ben looked at his watch; she was early!
He went into the kitchen, and pulled a bottle of wine from the fridge. Placing it on the counter, he went to the front door, brushed his hair from his eyes and opened the door.
Chiara was stood in the door, holding a bottle of wine. She was wearing jeans and a t-shirt bearing the legend ‘The Angels Have the Phone Box’
“Hiya!” she said, “I brought wine!” she added, holding up the bottle. It was an inferior brand, Ben noticed, but he didn’t say anything. “Come in!” he said, and she did.
She looked round the flat. “You’ve redecorated!” she said “I like it!”
“Thanks!” Ben smiled. He’d got Kyle to do it a few months back, and he had to admit, he’d done a good job.
Chiara placed the bottle on the table, and fell onto the sofa. “So,” she said. “How are you?”
“My parents have died, my boyfriend has left me, my nephew wants noting to do with me, and...”

And that's where it ends, I'm afraid, due to spara's ignoring my, by his own description, Chatham canon storylines. This story was going somewhere, but that can wait a bit, I think...