Doctor Who

Memory Lane

Everything was quiet. Fitz was unconscious with a cut on his forehead. Smoke hissed from the TARDIS console and, every now and then, gave off a spark. As usual, the oxygen-masks had dropped down after the TARDIS had crashed.

" Uh..." Moaned Fitz. He slowly made his way to the console and released a catch and out dropped a first aid kit. Gently, and occasionally giving a wince, Fitz wrapped a bandage around his wound. It was only now that he noticed that The Doctor had not woken up. He edged himself around the console and knelt down at The Doctor's body. " Doctor? Doctor! What do I do? Ah, resuscitation!"

And, placing both hands on The Doctor's chest, Fitz pressed down before moving to The Doctor's other heart. " Come on, Doc."

He looked to see if there was any reaction. The Doctor still wasn't responding. Fitz gave out a exasperated sigh.

He knew exactly what had caused this...and what lead to this. He also knew that, if The Doctor's injuries were serious, he might have to change his appearance.

And Fitz knew what it was like to wake up to that

15/6/ 2009. Blackpool Beach, Blackpool.

The TARDIS materialized, on purpose, in the middle of the 'sea' of Blackpool, except there was one problem: there was no sea-water anywhere. The entire Earth was devoid of water. The only source was those in thousands of bottles of Evian and Buxton, amongst numerous other makes of bottled water.

The Doctor and Donna emerged from the TARDIS and looked at their surroundings. There was slight traces of puddles of water.

" I mean, yeah, big trouble on an epic scale. Very limited amount of use of water, if any, and you can only live without some sort of liquid until it starts to take it's toll. But...well, look around you."

The Doctor and Donna viewed the horizon. OK, every now and then, there were shopping trollies strewn about the place but they also noticed downed WWII planes and a sunken ship or two.

" The other good thing." Replied Donna. " People won't have to spend death-defying trips to find remnants of the Titanic or any other sunken treasures. It just feels weird, though, you know. Not seeing waves crash upon the shore or hearing it either. And what of the aquatic species? I wanna know who's behind this."

" That's the spirit, Donna." The Doctor looked down at Donna. " That's what I like to see in your species: that sense of adventure. Come on."

As The Doctor and Donna walked away from the TARDIS – wanting to find any information from the locals - , a figure came out from behind the pillar of Blackpool pier: Fitz Kreiner.

Waiting until they had reached a safe distance, Fitz walked over to the familiar police box and patted the side of the time-travel machine.

" Hello, old girl."

Upon entering the TARDIS, Fitz's mouth opened up in amazement. Obviously, The Doctor still hadn't got round to changing the interior since the last time Fitz had been a companion. He leaned against one of the support posts and took in the familiarness of it all.

He walked around the console and placed an object underneath the scanner. The result didn't ease his mind.

The object was Gallifreyan in origin and it was a circular symbol with a line down the middle. Residing in the middle was a green stone, which was also Gallifreyan.

" There's three obvious, not to mention devious, culprits. The Master has returned, Mortimus – the Meddling Monk, or..."

He stopped as he turned and noticed a female figure standing there. She was wearing clothes of the current era – to avoid suspiscion – and her fingernail were nail-varnished red. What Fitz noticed more was the fact that she had regenerated into a younger woman.

It was The Rani.

" Ah, Mr. Kreiner." She smiled, which sent a shiver down Fitz's spine. " I would be careful with that." Her eyes squinted into a glare. " VERY careful."

" I...impossible." Stuttered Fitz. " Gallifrey was destroyed. Wiped out. And that goes along with the residents. And, really, The Doctor should be back 'cause Time-Lords can tell if there's another Time-Lord around."

" You're very good with Gallifreyan lore, Mr. Kreiner. But there's still some info missing here and there. What makes you think I was on Gallifrey when it was destroyed. Like these prehistoric men in the 1950s, they believed the woman should stay at home and not get involved in the war. My involvement sent me back to 1980's London with a semi-working TARDIS and a new regeneration.What d'ya think?"

She posed like a supermodel. Her hair was fashioned into a shoulder length bob and, despite her age, she looked like she was only in her early 20's. She had decided to ditch the nose-stud, replacing it with a nose-ring, which seemed to be the fashion these days.

" Now, I have to press on. So..." She held out her hand. " The device, Mr. Kreiner, or do I have to use a little persuasion."

And, raising her right hand, revealed a device that she had had on her person all along. It, like the device Fitz had, was Gallifreyan in origin but looked slightly more menacing.

" A...and what d'ya call that, then?" Stuttered Fitz, once again. He silently cursed himself for his slight cowardess. " Will it turn me into a tree? Or trap me in a bubble and send me crashing into a cliff, somewhere."

" Oh, now, you're just being silly." Came a sudden voice from behind them.

Fitz and The Rani looked in the direction of the entrance to the TARDIS. Standing in the entrance of the TARDIS stood a figure wearing what Fitz learnt to be geek chic. And, standing next to him was a ginger-haired female. From the looks of her, she looked like she didn't take any guff from anyone.

And he would be right.

" Oh, they're all coming out now, aren't they?" Huffed Donna. " So, who's she, then?"

" Donna, may I introduce you to The Rani?" He looked at her. " She's a Time-Lady. She's from Gallifrey."

" And what about 'im?" Replied Donna.

The Doctor had to have a little more time with Fitz. After a time, he smiled and, ignoring The Raini with her threatening device, walked up and placed his arm around Fitz.

" Ah, Mr. Kreiner!" Beamed The Doctor. " Donna, I would like you to meet Fitzgerald Michael Kreiner or Fitz for short. So, Fitz, how long has it been?"

A cough came from in front of him. The Doctor took his arm from around Fitz and gave his attention to The Rani.

" I take it that the water disappearing from the Earth is your doing, eh?"

" I don't like to brag." Said The Rani with a wicked smile. " Well, it wasn't all me. The Master, or Mr. Saxon, gave me a hand while you were marooned for that brief time. A lot can happen in five minutes." She gave a fleeting, and disgusted glace, to Donna. " And don't worry, the dolphins are safe. As are the seals, the turtles and all manners of aquatic life."

" So, where's the water, then?" Asked Fitz.

" Do you mind?" Said The Doctor. He then repeated Fitz's question. " So, where's the water, then?"

" Why, in Mr. Kreiner's digits, of course." Replied The Rani. " Oh, by the way, that reminds me."

And, before anyone could stop her, she raised the device and pressed a button. The Doctor managed to deflect most of the energy but most of it did hit Fitz.

" You stole that from the Time-Lords." Said The Doctor, who was holding his arm whilst kneeling near Fitz's body. An aura was already covering him.

" Not exactly." Retorted The Rani. " I mean, how could you steal something from someone...when they're already dead. Remember when they had to force a regeneration on you, Doctor?"

The Doctor cottoned on and looked down at Fitz. Sure enough, Fitz's features were morphing into a new form.

" Luckily, he's spent most of this time travelling with you in the TARDIS. Somehow, the Arton energy seems to be keeping him alive. Now, give me the device, Doctor..."

This time, she focused her attention on Donna and looked her up and down.

" I can just tell that your young friend here hasn't spent that much time in the TARDIS." Aiming the device at Donna, she raised an eyebrow. " Would you like me to test this out on the virgin redhead?"

" Eh. Who're you callin' a virgin?" Hissed Donna, only to get a shake from the head from The Doctor and a glare from The Rani.

The Doctor took the device from Fitz's fingers, which were turning slightly chunky and grugingly threw the device at The Rani.

" Now, isn't that better? Don't you just feel so good?" She looked at the device she had shot Fitz with and chucked it away. " Only had use for one more forced regeneration. Have a nice day."

And giving Donna another scathing look, The Rani left the TARDIS.

" I don't like her." Said Donna, once The Rani had left and slowly made her way towards The Doctor and the unconscious Fitz. " Is he alright?"

The Doctor looked back at Fitz and no longer recognized the unconscious figure. Once, in Gallifreyan past, they had said it was impossible to add the regeneration genome to humans. But, stranger things had happened. Rose had absorbed the Time Vortex, another companion had actually turned into a TARDIS and most of his human companions were very unique indeed.

He placed a hand in the middle of Fitz's chest and gave a sigh of relief.

" He's still alive. Oh, and he's still got one heart."

" What d'ya mean - ' he's still got one heart.' How many hearts do Time-people usually have?"

" Didn't I tell you? Once Time-Lords use their first regeneration, they grow another heart. Make sure you remember that if I'm ever near-death." And he gave a sneering look. " And don't ask if I've got two of anything else."

Fitz suddenly shot bolt upright and gave a huge gasp of breath. He looked around the TARDIS before looking at The Doctor and Donna.

" What'd that cow do to me?" He said, fuming. " She better not have damaged my good looks, 'cause... what?"

" Fitz, I couldn't stop her in time but, luckily I managed to deflect most of it into myself. It'd take a lot to knock me down. The device she used on you is a forced regeneration device. She's changed your appearance...like I do, remember."

" Mirror, please." Muttered Fitz. " Could you pass me a mirror, please? I'm one tough cookie, Doc. It'll take a lot more than a changed...face...to..."

The reason he had cut off in the middle was because Donna had passed him a make-up mirror. His features were slightly rounder, as were his fingers and, most probably, his toes.

" Listen, you'll get used to it." Ressured The Doctor. " I know it might seem weird but The Rani assured me that it had only worked once. Although, how well I trust that statement..."

" Doctor." Cut-in Donna. " Are we moving?"

Sure enough, they realized that they were gently rocking. Fitz was starting to feel a little iffy.

" You need a lie-down. Donna, I'm sure I can trust you to take our friend to the Zero-Room, can't we? Go past the library, up the spiral staircase, down the corridor, past the classroom and half-way across the gantry and turn left."

Donna nodded and escorted Fitz through the door leading to the rest of the TARDIS. Once they had left, The Doctor turned the screen on and rubbed his neck.

" We're deep in it."

Back in the present, Fitz was still trying revive The Doctor. At the moment, he had managed to get The Doctor into an upright position and had placed a breathing mask around his mouth.

He looked around the interior of the spaceship and sighed. It used to be so full, like a dinner party. Donna, Martha, Sarah-Jane Smith, Captain Jack and Rose.

Now, it was just him and The Doctor. Martha didn't want to return to that same old routine, Sarah-Jane and Captain Jack had their friends to work with. Even ballsy-Donna left after a couple of years (give or take). Most of them had flitted in and out of The Doctor's life (Jack more than most) and, once The Doctor had met up with his seventh incarnation, Ace and Hex. The good old days, however, had been when it had been him, The Doctor and Rose.

Suddenly, with a huge gasp, The Doctor sat bolt upright and took huge lungfuls of air. He looked around before focusing his attention on Fitz.

" You just relax, Doctor." Said Fitz, calming the agitated, yet revived, figure down. " That must have been some force to knock the power."

The Doctor groaned as he sat in a more comfortable postion.

" Did you get the number?" He joked and noticed, as he laughed, his side hurt. " You did good work, Fitz, thank-you. What would I do without you, eh?"

" Friends stick together, don't they?"

Lexicano. Fima Four Solar System.

" Alright, Rose, I think we've embarrassed Mr. Kreiner for long enough now. Now, let's give him his clothes back now."

Fitz, Rose and The Doctor had been relaxing in and near the pools of Lexicano for three days now. Lexicano was a warm-watered lake, due to the sun sending down a lush beam. It was surrounded by trees and winding paths-ways, which lead to a friendly village. The locals knew The Doctor of old and, any friend of The Doctor's, was a friend of theirs, which Rose hadn't heard about in ages. However, according to The Doctor, an ill wind was about to blow their way. But, at the moment, Rose was taking advantage of Fitz's embarrassing situation.

" Alright then, but only if he admits that I can probably fly the TARDIS better than him." Replied Rose, keeping Fitz's clothes out of his reach. She turned to The Doctor and innocently added. " Well, when you say it's OK, that is."

" Oh, alright then." Moaned Fitz. " You're a much better driver at flying the TARDIS than me. Now, please could I have my clothes back, Rose."

Finally, Rose relented and, turning away, let Fitz get dressed in peace. As Fitz was getting his Bad Wolf t-shirt on, all three of them heard a rustling coming from the bushes.

" As long as it's not a huge wasp-type thing, I'm fine." Said Fitz, as he took a deep breath before adding. " Or a Slitheen. Or a werewolf."

" So, pretty much anything we've come into contact with, then." Replied Rose, indicating herself and The Doctor. " Although, the wasp-type creatures were more you and Donna, weren't they?"

"They weren't wasps." Sighed The Doctor, who was still keeping a look-out. " They were called Vernoids. Alright, I guess in shape and colour, yeah, they did look like wasps."

" Time-Lord!" Hissed a voice. " Finally, we get to inhabit a Time-Lord's essence. You don't mind, do you?"

" Pretty much so, yeah." Retorted The Doctor. " Try getting in contact with your fellow species. One of them is trapped in unbreakable chains made from the material of a dwarf-star. Another one is trapped in the event horizon of a dying star, I've trapped another in every mirror in existence and I've made another one protect the fields of England, forever. Now, me and my companions just wish for some peace and quiet. And you've got, what, six more minutes left before you vanish into nothing. So, spend those last six minutes or so, floating around the cosmos."

As a last ditch effort, the aura charged straight for Rose. However, The Doctor chucked a device at the floor, which raised a force-field.

" Thank-you, Jack." Said The Doctor to no-one in particular.

He watched as Rose lifted up a hand and placed it against the force-field and, using the last of it's energy, the aura quickly turned into a faint outline of Rose's body before turning into sparkly dust.

" We done, then?" Asked Fitz. " Rose, are you ready to go through time and space?"

He held up his hand, ready for a high-five. The Doctor was more than willing to comply, which Rose did soon after.

As they took their journey to the TARDIS, they started talking about 'The Family of Blood'.

" So, how long does the FoB live for?"

" No-one knows, really." Replied The Doctor. " Once, they ran on until the end of one reality and carried on to the next. The last I saw of them, they were trying to steal my body. I used a chameleon-arc to turn myself into a human for a period of time 'til The Family died out. 'The Family', sounds a bit like EastEnders, don't it?"

And, from there to the TARDIS, they did EastEnders catchphrases.

" I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

The Doctor looked weakly into Fitz's eyes. The power was still out and The Doctor, despite regaining consciousness, still looked a little weak.

" Hey, there's no need for you to apologize, Doc." Replied Fitz. " I mean, you could say it's a painless way of gettin' plastic surgery."

They both laughed at the joke but simmered down slightly when The Doctor started to hold his side.

" So, how'd ya know it was me?" Asked The Doctor, after a while. " 'Cause, if you remember, I had a penchant for dressing victorian and I had a slight scouse accent. Mind you, that was two incarnation ago. You know, counting that one and my ninth."

" Well, the police telephone call-box gave it away. And then, there was the girl on your arm."

" I don't always have just female companions. There was Adric, Jack, Jamie, you, Hex..."

" Alright, I get your point." Fitz thought for a moment before adding. " And the last thing: that aura of grace and adventure you always have, or are looking forward to."

" True." The Doctor looked around the console room. " This place isn't making me feel any better. Fitz, could you guide me to the Zero Room, please?"