THIS STORY IS MARY SUE! IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, DON'T READ IT!
About the Story: This story is very, very loosely based on a dream I had, according to the diary I kept at the time, on July 24, 2001. The dream involved the Fifth Doctor being unable to see or sense me but he was able to physically feel me. I changed things around, obviously, but the basic idea is the same.
This story was also inspired by the song Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls. Or City of Angels, but the song (or maybe the video ^^); the whole being there but not sensing them in any way) is really what I had in mind and I used an acronym generator to come up with the Infrared Interferometer Spectrometer. This story also draws inspiration from the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Next Phase" and the Space Cases episode "Nowhere Man".
I chose to use the Eleventh Doctor instead of the Fifth because, as of this writing, Season Six is a month and some change away so Eleven is in my head now. This story takes place between The Sarah Jane Adventures episode "Death of the Doctor" and the Doctor Who Christmas special "A Christmas Carol". And, as of this writing, I'm waiting for a start date for Season Seven. And, as of this writing, we've had the mid-season finale (*sob*) and are now awaiting the Christmas special. I suck. And I really suck, because as of this writing the Christmas special has passed and we're waiting for the start of the new season. And I extremely suck, because as of THIS writing, Series 7.2 has started. :/ And now we've had the Series 7 finale (OMG!) and are now awaiting the 50th anniversary special. Do you think I'll get this thing finished before the show turns 50? And NOW we know who is going to play Twelve and I am completely and hopelessly in love.
This story originally started with AL asking the Doctor if he was okay after seeing Jo and Sarah Jane again but then I remembered the line about regeneration. Since this story was inspired by a song, I thought I'd challenge myself and make every chapter title a song lyric. Also, I'm trying to give AL and the Doctor an equal amount of chapters. Gee, it only took me TWO YEARS to finish this sucker, lol.
Trivia and In-Jokes: IRIS: Named for the source of inspiration. You'll Have to Face the Future when the Truth Comes Out: A lyric from the Scrubs episode "My Musical". The telepathy: I feel the need to mention this again. In a story my friend Ashley (MISS YOU!) wrote starring AL with the Fifth Doctor, they were constantly speaking telepathically instead of verbally. I liked the concept and decided to use it. those three words: In "Death of the Doctor", Sarah Jane asks the Doctor if the regeneration hurt, to which he responds, "It always hurts". This would not sit well with AL but sensing he doesn't want to talk about it, she waits 'til they're alone to start giving him the third degree. after all he'd been through: Consists of all of the events of Season 5 including but not limited to the regeneration ("The Eleventh Hour"), the Daleks coming back ("Victory of the Daleks"), meeting River again, almost losing Amy to the Weeping Angels ("The Time of Angels" / "Flesh and Stone"), losing Rory ("Cold Blood"), being locked in the Pandorica and being erased from existence ("The Pandorica Opens" / "The Big Bang"). Special occasions: Or, rather, "When Lisa only wants to write for AL and the Doctor alone, which is most of the time". Amy and Rory are still on their honeymoon. …it was even weaker than it had been when he'd regenerated into his Sixth persona.: When the Doctor regenerated from Five to Six (and due to the fact that at first I didn't like the Sixth Doctor all that much), the link between him and AL was considerably weakened. After being separated from him and then reunited, she realizes that yes he's a little unstable but he is still the Doctor and she does still care for him (after I decided that Six wasn't so bad after all). My story, Transitions, deals with this.
Chapter One: You'll Have to Face the Future when the Truth Comes Out
Does it really?
Lisa had wanted to ask him about this since he'd said those three words to Sarah Jane on the Crimson Heart's wasteland. She knew he didn't want to talk about it but she also knew that he knew that she wouldn't let something like that go easily. She had waited until they were alone, however, to mention it.
The Doctor glanced up from twiddling the TARDIS controls to look at her. She simply stood there leaning on the console, wings twitching, awaiting an answer. He shifted uncomfortably and cast his eyes back downward.
You've been there, he said. You've felt it.
She shook her head. I go numb when you regenerate. I've only felt up to the initial change, then nothing. Why didn't you tell me that it always hurts?
He pressed a button absently. I never thought about it. I always assumed…
Lisa sensed this was true, just as she'd never asked what it felt like because she'd assumed he felt what she did. She didn't blame him, nor was she angry. She knew he didn't want to discuss it – and, after all he'd been through, that was a good enough answer for her – so she changed the subject. It was nice to see Jo again, though, huh?
Yep. He still wouldn't look up.
She pursed her lips and tried again. So are we going to go pick up Amy and Rory?
At last he met her gaze again and smiled. Nah, let's go on our own adventure, just the two of us. Like old times.
She returned his smile and decided not to remind him that they only ever traveled by themselves without any other companions on special occasions. Sidling up next to him, she asked, So when are we going?
The Doctor shrugged and started pressing buttons, flipping switches and pulling levers. Who knows? Let's find out. He yanked on a control and they both held on as the TARDIS pitched and rolled.
After a few moments, the time machine steadied herself and the Doctor and Lisa could freely walk around the console room again. The time rotor slowed and then stopped, indicating the ship had materialized somewhere. Lisa and the Doctor peered at the readouts.
"Year 2375," said the Doctor aloud. "Planet Augur. Interesting."
"A planetful of telepaths along with a settlement of humans," responded Lisa in kind; speaking telepathically was their most intimate way of communicating, but they weren't opposed to speaking verbally. She looked closer at the computer. "Human scientists," she amended.
"Mm," the Doctor murmured. "Well, let's go see what the scientists are up to, shall we?" He grinned and offered Lisa his arm. Off we go! he said telepathically, linking his arm with hers and together they set off down the stairs to exit the TARDIS.
The moment they opened the doors they sensed something was wrong. It was as if a cold, wet blanket had settled over the both of them. Lisa's link with the Doctor was the strongest she's ever had with anyone. Normally, no matter the situation, they were able to sense each other and hear each others' thoughts easily. Now, for some reason, the Doctor's sense through the link wasn't coming through as strong as it should be; in fact, it was even weaker than it had been when he'd regenerated into his Sixth persona. His thoughts seemed to be coming in through bad static and she couldn't get a sense of anyone else in the building they were in, either.
Frowning, the Doctor slammed the doors – the feeling lifted instantly and his thoughts filled her mind once again – turned to Lisa and telepathically spoke her name.
I hear you now, she replied. What was that?
I don't know. The Doctor was still frowning. Let's find out.
He reached for the door, but Lisa caught his hand. Wait…I don't like it.
Squeezing her hand reassuringly, he said, I know. Neither do I, but I think we should investigate.
She bit her lip, nodded and braced herself as the Doctor opened the doors and that wet-blanket feeling enveloped them again. She shivered as hand-in-hand they both stepped out of the TARDIS, closing the doors behind them.
End chapter one.