The Doctor's Mistress
Author Note: This story is the sequel to "Terminal Orbit"
Summary
With the Master gone along with the antidote to the toxin that threatens his life, the Doctor has no regrets about sparing the life of Dr Carla Bailey in the moments before the destruction of the Cassandra-Aurora. As he places his trust in Carla to create a formula that will enable him to live with the toxin that has poisoned his blood, the Doctor begins to feel much closer to her than he first expected. Determined to fight his attraction to her, he concentrates on his recent marriage to his long-term companion Ace, and when he lands the Tardis on the peaceful planet of Sabra, this seems like the perfect place to begin the treatment that he hopes will enable him to live with the result of the Master's attempt to kill him.
But the treatment proves to be a harsh ordeal and when his fears are proven right – that Ace finds watching his pain too much to bear – he persuades her to return to earth for a short while, promising he will return when the treatment is completed.
While Ace goes back to earth for a difficult reunion with her mother, the Doctor undergoes the rest of his treatment – a harrowing experience that brings about the realisation that he truly does have feelings for Carla, the woman who has worked so hard to keep him alive.
On hearing the news that the toxin is finally under control – for a brief time – the Doctor decides to go back into the past, to a time before he knew Ace, when Carla Bailey was a young medical student based in London. He meets with her and after a brief encounter, returns to the Tardis and travels back to his own reality – but reality is often distorted thanks to the cocktail of strong drugs in his bloodstream, and he soon finds out a shocking truth – and concludes that the beautiful moments he shared with her in a dream state were not enough.
Against his better judgement, the Doctor begins an affair with Carla and after returning to earth for a reunion with Ace, suggests they stay a while in Perivale, setting Carla up in a nearby flat while he and Ace remain in the Tardis. Ace remains oblivious to the Doctor's guilty secret, but then Carla gives him the shattering news that the toxin levels have raised once again, and he faces more painful treatment in order to survive.
But the Master has followed the Doctor's Tardis to earth and has discovered his plan to lead a double life, and then he seizes what he believes is the perfect opportunity to defeat the Doctor once and for all, by offering him a bargain – another vial of antidote, in exchange for a promise never to cross his path again - but the Doctor has yet to learn exactly what the ultimate price will be for this terrible bargain …
Rated T
Warnings: Deals with adult subjects, including intimacy and mortality, and contains heavily emotional subject matter.
Disclaimer: I own nothing, this is a work of fan fiction.
Chapter 1
They were headed for the planet Sabra, and it looked much like earth as the Tardis drifted closer.
Ace stood beside Carla and they watched as the planet loomed nearer, and then Ace turned to Dr Bailey and noticed the far off look in her eyes. She knew she wasn't thinking about the home planet they shared in common, albeit a few centuries apart – Carla was thinking about the death of her colleagues again.
"I still see it," she said quietly, "Every time I look out to the blackness of space. I think of everyone I knew and I wonder what went through each of their minds in the split second before the ship blew up."
"Probably nothing," Ace said quietly, "It would have happened in the blink of an eye."
"I still don't believe they didn't suffer," she replied, "Or maybe it's just the living that suffer. I'm here to remember they are gone. I'm the only one left."
And the Doctor looked up from the console, watching as Carla turned back to the viewing screen with a haunted look in her eyes.
She had not lost that haunted look since the Cassandra-Aurora had exploded. She had spent the time after that sleeping, and then setting up her lab as she worked long hours to develop the formula that was now his only hope of survival.
The Doctor wondered how long she would have that haunted look in her eyes, and if it would ever truly fade. Then he thought about Survivor Syndrome and how many of the symptoms Carla was already displaying. Those thoughts reminded him of suicide statistics that he did not care to dwell upon…
"You can forget all about space for a while," he said as he prepared the Tardis for landing, "Sabra is a beautiful place, uninhabited, peaceful, warm... it has natural hot springs that have rejuvenating qualities… maybe it could help me."
"You need more than a mildly healing tonic, Doctor," Carla replied, "Although it could help you with the side effects of the treatment. I won't dismiss any chance of natural remedies being used alongside conventional medicine."
"When are you thinking of starting the anti toxin?" Ace asked her, and the Doctor looked back down at the Tardis controls, not wanting to think about all he had to face in the very near future.
"I'll get the formula set up as soon as we've landed," Carla replied, "But I'll have to talk to you both first before we go any further. This is going to be very difficult."
Ace frowned.
"I know that," she replied quietly.
Suddenly the Tardis was too silent, the mood too sombre.
"So," the Doctor said, "Shall I take us in? You'll love the coastline on this planet, Ace – it's beautiful. And the hot springs will make you feel wonderful. Maybe we could go for a swim together, don't pack your bikini – it's uninhabited!"
Ace turned and smiled and the Doctor's eyes sparkled playfully.
"This isn't a holiday," Carla reminded him, "You sound so optimistic. I'm not sure you're ready to do this."
The Doctor ran his hand over the controls and hit some buttons and pushed a lever.
"Of course I am," he replied, faking a light mood as his hearts felt heavy, "I can't wait to get these implants off my skin. I won't need them once I've had the anti toxin."
"That could take some time," Carla reminded him, "It's going to be at least two weeks before I know if the dose is right, before I can be certain you can manage without the implants –"
"I'll be fine," he said and then he smiled, purely because he saw such worry in the eyes of Ace, and he wanted her to smile again, too.
Then the crystal column rose and fell and the Tardis faded out from space, landing easily on the planet of Sabra.
The Doctor opened the Tardis door and stepped out, and Ace followed.
"I dreamed about this place," she murmured, looking around at the lush green fields and a then up above at a sky that seemed impossibly blue. The Doctor turned his head and gave her a knowing look.
"Yes..." he said thoughtfully, and then he walked on a short distance and stopped, pausing to look across the field where trees dotted the landscape. Far beyond a tide rolled to a golden shore and sunlight danced on the water.
"You're not surprised I recognise this place?"
Ace had caught up with him, and she wasn't going to let that question go.
"I expected you to," he replied, "This planet will be significant, I can feel it."
"Or do you already know it?"
She sounded suspicious. He shook his head.
"I'm not hiding anything, Ace."
He put his arm around her shoulder and as she looked into his eyes and remembered how weak he was, her suspicion faded.
"I wish you didn't have to start the treatment so soon. I wish this was just a holiday."
"Me too. What's that?"
He had taken his arm off her shoulder now and his tone of voice had changed as he looked across to the trees, noticing a building set in a clearing, it was two storeys high and square and wide, with metal and glass reflecting sun.
"I thought you said this planet was uninhabited?" Ace said.
"I thought it was!" he exclaimed, "No buildings were meant to be constructed here for another fifty years…what's going on?"
"Is there a problem?"
He turned to see Carla Bailey standing beside him.
"Possibly – I have no idea why there's a building on this planet. It's meant to be uninhabited. Earth sent a research team to assess the place but that was three years ago and they packed up and left within six months and took everything with them. There shouldn't be a building anywhere on this planet."
"And I'm sure you want to find answers," Carla replied, "But you do have other priorities."
"This won't take long," he told her, "I just want to find out who lives there, because they shouldn't be here according to history."
And then he walked on, and Ace noticed he suddenly seemed a little more energised. She followed on with Carla, smiling as she glanced at her.
"This is good for him. I know he needs to take the formula, but he also needs to do what he does best – he's just being the Doctor, he can't leave a mystery alone."
"Let's hope he keeps it brief," she replied, "He's sick, Ace. He can't put this off much longer."
"Right…" Ace said quietly, and then she quickened her pace, leaving Carla behind as she hurried to catch up with the Doctor.
As they reached the building set in a wooded area, Ace looked up at the wide windows.
"This looks like a major construction. Why would someone build on an empty planet, I mean, just one building?"
And the Doctor stepped back from the doorway and took his finger off an illuminated button.
Ace stared at him.
"You can't do that!"
"I can't ring a doorbell?" he said as amusement danced in his eyes, "Really Ace, I know you're my wife now but I'm still in charge! Less of the orders, please!"
And he winked. Ace wanted to laugh, recalling warm embraces in the dark when he had teased her about how he made all the rules and then grabbed her playfully and rolled her on her back, but this place was still and quiet and the thought that the building should not be here gave her the creeps.
"You don't know who might be here!"
"That's why I rang the bell. Why do they have a doorbell if they don't expect visitors?"
That question got her thinking, and worrying even more.
Static crackled, and then a screen jumped to life below the call button.
"I didn't order a delivery for another six months. Why are you here?" The voice was female, and sounded tense.
The Doctor leaned closer to the screen.
"We're not here about a delivery. My name is the Doctor, and I'm here with my wife Ace and a medical professional named Carla Bailey. I'm a traveller. If you turn on your visuals you might not feel so uneasy…I'm sorry if we're trespassing, I was lead to believe this planet was uninhabited."
There was a pause and the static vanished, replaced by a clear view of a blank wall.
"That's better!" he said brightly, and looked into the camera above the door and smiled as he raised his hat.
"Hello, I'm the Doctor!"
Then a woman peered back at him through the screen, she was no older than thirty with dark blonde shoulder length hair, and her blue eyes were filled with confusion as she shook her head.
"I don't understand how you found me."
"By accident," he said, "You've nothing to fear from us. But I would like to know why you're here, when this planet is listed as uninhabited."
She gave a sigh.
"Fine…okay, I'll come down and let you in…"
The screen went dark.
"She doesn't seem happy to have visitors," he remarked, "Surprising, considering she's so alone here."
"Maybe she's got something to hide –"
Ace fell silent as the door opened.
"What do you want?" asked the woman standing in the doorway.
The Doctor smiled.
"I just wondered why you're here, that's all. As I said, I'm just a traveller."
She stepped back, folding her arms against the thin, pale material of her summer dress.
"Well come in, then! And hurry up, I'm busy!"
The Doctor went inside, and Ace and Carla followed.
The woman shut the door and fixed the Doctor with an impatient look.
"I'm not in the habit of inviting strangers into my facility."
The Doctor looked at her with interest.
"What kind of facility is this?"
She looked down at the polished floor, and then she gathered her thoughts and spoke quickly, rattling off an explanation.
"I'm Lexi Dixon. Soon I'll be THE Lexi Dixon, responsible for discovering and researching something the earth research team didn't find! I've got a grant, a big one – it paid for this place."
"Where from?" he asked her.
"The inter galactic environmental board. And I do have a permit and all the necessary paperwork… somewhere. I can't find it at short notice, so don't expect me to show it to you."
And she paused, nervously inspecting her manicured fingernails, and then she ran her fingers through her hair.
"I am genuine," she said, and the Doctor resisted the urge to smile.
"And what exactly have you discovered here?"
"Giant electric eels, I brought one of them from the sea and set it up in a tank at the back of the facility."
He briefly smiled.
"Really? And here I was thinking large electric eels are found on Eden Earth only, and perhaps you imported one… would be an easy way to land yourself a fat salary…and pull off a get rich quick scam…"
She glared at him and her face turned scarlet.
"I can assure you I'm genuine!"
The Doctor smiled again.
"Of course you are. So why is this place so large? How did you manage a scam – I mean venture – on this scale? Do you have a partner in crime - sorry, I meant, business?"
She was still blushing furiously.
"No partner…just me. But this facility is big enough for me to employ another twenty staff, I've already had this place fitted out to house them, and I have living quarters and a medical centre in case of emergencies. All I'm waiting for is confirmation that this place is properly set out –I get the survey done in eight month's time. And then –"
"You'll sell it off to the earth based colonization research program for a fat fee, and disappear with the cash before they realise it's a scam?" he suggested.
Anger flashed in her eyes.
"That's not true –"
"There are no large electric eels on this planet. And I've heard your name through the space-time grapevine, Miss Dixon. You're a con artist."
She stared at him.
"No…no I'm not –"
"But that's none of our concern."
Ace caught a flicker of anger in the Doctor's eyes as he looked sharply to Carla, but she ignored him and continued to speak.
"You said you have a medical facility here? Is it already fitted out?"
"Yes, but I don't have any medical staff yet –"
"Do you have a treatment room, do you have resuscitation equipment and general medical supplies?"
"Yes, but why are you asking me about that?"
"Because the Doctor needs a place to stay while he undergoes some medical treatment and I'd be much more comfortable about treating him in a fully stocked, proper medical facility than on his ship."
"Why?" Ace sounded scared.
The Doctor looked from his wife to Carla Bailey, and suddenly felt powerless to object to Carla taking over the conversation, because he knew she had a valid point.
"Because the chemicals in the anti toxin are very powerful," she said, and then she turned back to Lexi.
"Miss Dixon, we don't care what you're up to here. But we would appreciate being allowed to stay here to use your medical facilities."
The Doctor looked at Lexi, and as she studied his face she noticed he was pale, saw shadows beneath his eyes and knew at once their request was genuine.
"You have no where else to go?" Lexi asked.
A smile flickered about Carla's lips.
"Only the intergalactic environmental board," she replied, "If you turn us away. We've got you figured out, but we wont say anything if you show us some kindness. It's not much to ask, is it?"
Annoyance flickered in Lexi's eyes, and then she gave a sigh.
"Fine. I can see you need to use my facility, and I hope you know what you're doing, because I have no medical training and like I said there are no staff arriving for months…and it's a small area, so don't complain about lack of space."
And she walked over to a board on the wall where keys were hung, snatched off a set and shoved them into Carla's hand. Her eyes were like ice as she forced a smile.
"Congratulations on the use of my sick bay, rent free! Enjoy your stay. And keep out of my way, I'm busy."
Then she turned and walked away in the direction of a door at the end of the corridor.
"Which floor is it?" Ace called out.
"Read the signs!" Lexi replied, and then she went into the room at the end of the passage and shut it loudly behind her.
Ace exchanged a glance with Carla and then looked to the Doctor.
"I'm not sure this is such a good idea."
"No," he replied, "This will be ideal – I've heard of Miss Dixon, she's a con artist. She's trying to rip off the environmental board, but it seems a bit ambitious, for her to be doing this alone…"
He frowned, pausing deep in thought.
"I wonder why she's going intergalactic instead of milking earth for more cash for her fake research?"
"It doesn't matter," Carla said, indicating to a sign next to a nearby lift, "Sick bay's on the first floor."
And she walked over to the lift and hit the call button.
The Doctor turned to follow, and as he did so Ace lowered her voice.
"I wasn't expecting her to take over like that."
"But she's got a good point," he replied, "If this place is properly equipped I'll be better off here than taking my chances elsewhere."
They walked towards the open lift and Ace fell silent. She thought of all her Professor had been through since falling victim to the Master's toxin, and suddenly as the lift doors closed she felt trapped, in a way that made her draw in a sharp breath as it seemed the walls were closing in.
"Ace?"
He looked worried now, and she felt guilty for causing even a moments concern.
"I'm okay," she said quietly.
The doors opened on the first floor, and they stepped out into a pale corridor and Carla led the way, following signs that led to double doors that had a sign above that said Medical Facility.
Ace stood beside the Doctor as Carla unlocked the doors, and as she stood there she wondered how much more of this day she could take, because suddenly the time was arriving for the man she loved to go through more pain, and she wasn't sure if she could cope with watching him do that…
Lexi Dixon was in her lab, over in a corner where she was sat at a desk looking into a communications screen. It was a poor connection due to distance and the screen was rolling with lines and static.
"What visitors?" demanded an angry voice, "No one must interfere in your scheme to turn the project into a financially profitable venture! You must eliminate them!"
She ran her fingers through her hair and took in a deep breath.
"No, I can't kill them! They're not the authorities investigating this place, they're just travellers – they don't care about us ripping off the intergalactic environmental board, they just need to stay here for a while because one of them needs use of the medical facility. I couldn't say no. He looks really sick - I believe their story. And he knows who I am, I don't know how he's heard of me but he has - and they won't say anything about me if I let them stay!"
"Blackmail?" he raged, "You can not allow this to happen! We are so close to our goal! Kill them all!"
She gave another sigh of despair as she paused to gather thoughts that would make sense to him.
"They are not the enemy! And as much as I hate to admit this, I feel sorry for him. He looks as if he's dying."
"Who is he?"
"I don't know," she replied, "Some guy called the Doctor –"
"The Doctor?" he raged, "He is on Sabra? You have allowed him to stay at the facility?"
"What's so special about him?"
"He is a Timelord. And known to my people."
"As a friend?"
"No! As a meddling enemy! I shall set a course for Sabra at once…"
She stared at the obscured screen.
"No, Venx…you can't do this! Think of our plans, think of the money!"
There was a pause.
"Our plans, yes," he said, and his voice softened. "I do so admire your fine attributes," he added warmly, "Your selfishness and cold-hearted scheming…your ability to lie and steal… it makes me see past your revolting human appearance."
She smiled.
"Other humans find me attractive."
"If another human found you desirable I would be forced to eliminate them!"
And he thumped something on his side of the screen, and the screen cleared, the lines stopped rolling and the static vanished.
"That's better," he said, and then he smiled, and greeted by the sight of her Sontaran lover, Lexi smiled too.
"I've missed you so much. I'm counting the days until I can sell this place!"
"You will not have to miss me much longer," he replied, "I am on my way back. Do not worry about our money making scheme – it will not be affected by my intention to kill the Doctor."
"Do you have to kill him? I think he's not going to last much longer any way – he looks very sick. And…" she paused, nervously twisting a gold bracelet around her wrist, "…And I'm not sure it's a good idea for you and me to be seen together, not in front of these people… he's not on his own, he's with a woman called Ace and this other woman called Carla Bailey. You can't kill all of them!"
He looked back at her, weighing up all she had said.
"Perhaps I will just kill the Doctor."
Her eyes widened.
"I don't want you to kill anyone! I just want us to get enough interest in this place as a research facility, pick up the money and run!"
He smiled brightly as his small eyes glittered excitedly.
"Oh yes! The money…we shall run away together my love! And then I will be free to find a new home, with you..."
Her eyes glowed with warmth.
"I love you so much, you sexy Sontaran!" she said fondly, "You're literally one in a million, just one in batch of a million clones who turned out different to the rest, you're not a reject to me, Venx…you're my special guy and together we can make wonderful schemes and plans!"
Venx looked at her proudly through the screen.
"I will see you in a few days, my love. I'm coming to cover you with kisses!"
And then the excitement that glittered in his eyes cooled to ice.
"And I'm going to kill the Doctor," he added, "See you soon, I blow a kiss."
And she raised her hand and closed it, making out to catch his kiss and forcing a smile as the screen faded to black.
Then she turned from the screen with a look of panic in her eyes.
"You can't kill him!" she said in a hushed voice, "You idiot, Venx… you'll ruin everything!"
Ace had walked with the Doctor and Carla down a corridor, and Carla had found a treatment room, an operating room and a pharmacy.
"It looks good so far," she said, "I think this place will be ideal."
And as the Doctor opened a door and stepped into a room with a wide window that gave a stunning view of the green fields and the coastline beyond, he agreed with her.
"Yes, I think so too," he said quietly, and then he glanced at the bed by the window and the switched off monitors beside it. This was clearly a patient's room, and he knew it would be the place where he would have to stay for some time while he received the treatment to wipe most of the toxin from his body.
"It's not bad in here," he said, taking Ace by the hand and leading her over to the window, "Nice view…"
And then he sat down on the bed and gave a gentle tug on her hand, and she sat beside him.
"Ace?"
She was looking down at the floor, lost in thoughts that made her heart ache.
He reached out and swept her hair off her shoulder and said her name again, she turned her head and he saw tears in her eyes.
"There's another bed over there, it folds down from the wall. You can stay in here with me. We don't have to be apart."
"That's good," she replied, and her voice sounded choked with emotion.
"I can do this," he reminded her, "I can handle it. Don't worry so much."
"It's easier said than done."
Ace still looked tearful, and he hated to see her so unhappy.
Then Carla spoke up.
"I'm going back to the Tardis to fetch the formula and some other equipment, and as soon as it's set up I'll be ready to start the treatment. Doctor, do you fully understand what this means?"
As Carla walked over to join them he felt Ace tighten her grip on his hand.
"Not entirely," he said, flashing her a nervous smile, "But I'm sure it's not going to be easy."
Carla looked into his eyes. She noticed he seemed apprehensive, and guessed he had every right to be. Ace looked on the brink of tears and she knew what she was about to say would make her feel worse, but she had to be sure they were fully informed about the process before she began…
"Doctor, the chemicals involved are very powerful. I have to split the formula into two treatments – the first will last for two days when I introduce the first three drugs into your bloodstream. This will allow your body to accept the rest of the formula later on. And it's going to be very painful. The whole process will be painful, but the first phase will hit you hardest. It will be a few days before I can accurately assess its effectiveness, and only then can I add pain relief to your medication. There will be side effects, some are certain others are possible, among them, fever, delirium, nausea, weakness, skin rashes – the list is almost endless. There could be complications; you could need emergency procedures – your twin hearts could beat out of unison, you could go into cardiac arrest, or the open wounds from the implants could refuse to heal due to the high levels of toxins fighting for control in your body and you could bleed heavily - but possibly, not definitely. The only thing I can be sure of is this will be very difficult for both of you."
The Doctor glanced at Ace, and then looked back at the view of the landscape beyond the window as he replied.
"I think you've painted an accurate picture of how I was expecting it to be. And I'm ready to start this treatment, Dr Bailey."
"Then I'll go back to the Tardis and fetch everything I need to set up my lab here," she told him, "I should be ready to begin by this afternoon. Is that too soon, or would you prefer to wait until morning?"
"Let's get started today, I'd rather get this over with," he replied, still fixing his gaze on the rolling surf beyond the green fields.
Ace said no more until Carla had left the room. Then she looked at him with tearful eyes.
"I'm scared. I don't want to lose you."
"I don't want to lose me either!" he exclaimed, "Don't worry Ace, I can handle this – I have to, I've got no choice in the matter."
And then he put his arm around her and she rested her head against his shoulder and they both fell silent, looking out of the wide window at a beautiful landscape as neither said another word, both keeping their fears for the future silent…