Title: "Planning of the Wolf"
Author: Wish Wielder
Fandom: Doctor Who
Pairing / Character Focus: Bad Wolf, Ninth Doctor, Rose Tyler / Doctor x Rose
Challenge: 15 Minute Fic
Theme / Prompt: #41
Word Count: 520
Rating: K Plus / PG
Summary: Time Lords live in split seconds, but Bad Wolfs live shorter. And while she saves her Storm and removes the False God, there's yet another plan she's putting into motion.
Notes: Set during "The Parting of the Ways" with hints towards (post-)S2. Additional note at the end.
Disclaimer: "Doctor Who" and all respective properties are © the BBC. Megan D. (Wish Wielder) does not, has never, nor will ever own "Doctor Who".
"Planning of the Wolf"
They don't understand her, not even the human girl that is her. She creates herself, and as such is a living paradox – but she transcends time. She's an impossibility – the human girl, her host, her – just like the Captain. But the Oncoming Storm will not run from her, not like he will the Captain. She is his, as he is hers – the Storm and the Wolf, the children of Time.
She moves, thinks, and a change occurs. Back in the 1980s, and two ordinary humans meet. They meet, and they love, and she is born. Human, because like him she would burn. But she'll give him forever, so another move in this dance of time and life and impossibility and she is changed – bare enough that he won't yet notice, but strong enough to make it real. Forever, and the next time she tells him she'll be sure. She can mean it, because she controls time and is human-but-not and impossible – like their Captain.
But the body is still a child, and as she removes the False God she works her plan. She hides away the five and their billions, tucked into the Void for when his priests can best do her bidding. Through the Void, to a parallel where she does not exist and her human father still lives – she breathes and the plans for the metal men enter the one who fears to die. Their war, her path – she arranges it all. A nudge to her father – when to come for her, when she will fall. A ghost over the coming Storm – seal the Void, trap her away. No. Yes, because it's needed, and she must go. She must grow. Don't take you away from me. Not there, not through the Void – not where I'll never get you back. Not where it's impossible.
But she is the Bad Wolf, and he is the Oncoming Storm. What is impossible to them?
One more glance, over the Child – to rush the lever, to hear his lock and think it her own. To think it a malfunction when it slips, or one of the hordes crashing into it – to not remember her orchestration until years later, when the Child is fully the Wolf and grown. When the memories won't break her.
But the Storm is removing her, and in that moment between leaving her body and returning to Time she completes her plans. Again she reaches through the Void, and through him her message is laced throughout her coming history. Bad Wolf Bay, to offer them the comfort and promise until she works through the Void.
And the Storm gasps, and instead of the gentle release he's shoving at her, screaming at her.
No no no no no no no – not my Rose!
But her work is done, for now, and she leaves for Time. He cannot change what will be, just as he cannot change what is and was. She leaves him to change and her to grow before she can return again.
He thinks she's gone back to the TARDIS's heart. He doesn't see she's waiting on the Bay.
A.n.: I blame 11R (which I really need to update…) and the playing 'round with Bad Wolf I did at the end of ch4. And "Grow". Word was "impose". And because I know someone's gonna say something…
NOTE: "One more glance, over the Child – to rush the lever, to hear his lock and think it her own." It took me a while to realize this, and for the longest time I was believing that whole "a Dalek crashes into it and makes the lever slip" story. But guys,listen to the sounds. Only one of those levers clicks into place, and I've got a pretty good feeling it wasn't the one the Doctor was operating.