Prologue
Where am I?
The last thing I remember was being in the TARDIS laughing and joking with the Doctor and then the TARDIS went crazy and as I was watching the Doctor, everything went black and now…
I'm lying in a hospital bed in some room I've never seen before. The walls are bare and painted an off white color. There's a little nightstand beside me with a water pitcher and a plastic cup beside it. Other than that, the room is…
Oh God, there are huge leather restraints on the bedrails. That can't be good. The Doctor, where is he? Where is the TARDIS? I have to find out where I'm at and get back to him. And the best way to find out is to get up and look. So, here goes.
Rose lowered the bed rail and slid out of bed. Her bare feet hit the floor and she looked down at the white cotton hospital gown she was wearing. Tentatively, she walked over to the window and looked out. She saw that the building she was in had several wings that surrounded a courtyard and she was up several stories above the ground. She looked down and noticed a couple of people dressed in white scrubs walking around the courtyard or lounging by a tree directly in the center of the grassy area.
She jerked her head around when she heard the door to her room unlocking. She looked around for a weapon, but saw only the pitcher. She grabbed it and took the lid off preparing to fling the icy cold water in the intruder's face.
The man stopped and stared at her.
"Miss Tyler?" he said.
Rose lowered the pitcher.
"How do you know my name?" she said warily.
The man stared at her in confusion.
"You're a patient here." He said.
"Patient? What? Where is here?" Rose demanded.
"Bethlem Royal Hospital." The man said.
"Hospital? But I'm not sick." Rose said. "Why am I in hospital?"
"Because you had a psychotic breakdown, Miss Tyler. This is a hospital for the mentally ill."
"What? I'm not mentally ill!" she protested.
"I'm afraid you are, Miss Tyler. You've been confined here for almost two years now."
"No, I haven't. I've been traveling with the Doctor for almost two years." Rose said.
"Come with me, Miss Tyler, it's time for your therapy session." The man said.
"What? Wait, if I've been here for two years, then how come I don't remember it?" Rose said putting her hands on her hips.
"You've been heavily sedated to prevent you harming yourself and others. Doctor Foster has just ordered you taken off the meds which is why you are lucid enough to remember where you are."
"You're lying. I've been traveling with the Doctor. Where is he? Where have you taken him?" she demanded.
"Miss Tyler, if you just come with me, Doctor Foster is waiting to talk to you. I'm sure he can explain everything to you."
Rose stared at him warily.
"Okay, I'll go see this Doctor Foster then." She said hesitantly. "But he better give me some answers."
"I believe he will give you all the answers you need about your current situation, Miss Tyler, now if you'll just follow me?"
Rose put the water pitcher back on the nightstand and walked up to the man.
"This way, Miss Tyler."
"R…rose."
The man nodded.
"This way, Rose."
Wondering what in the world was going on; Rose followed the man out into the hallway. He shut the door behind her and led her down the corridor towards Doctor Foster's office.