Title: Alternates (1/?)
Author: walkwithheroes, May, Nichole
Rating: PG-13 for language.
Spoilers: Up to "Doomsday"
Word Count: 2,280
Disclaimers: Everything belongs to the BBC. Two of the scenes are pretty much taken from series one's "Parting of the Ways".
Pairings: Ten/Rose. Other Doctors/Other Companions. Slight Jack/?
A/N: Another post-Doomsday fic. Only, not so much. The Doctor discovers millions of rips in time. Millions of rips that could cause several alternate time-lines to run into one another, causing the end of all things. I began this series in July of 2006. So, some things in regard to Torchwood are wrong, I know that. This chapter is unbeta'ed.
Summary: The last five huge, or not so huge, events right before the big moment.

Alternate Earth
April 5, 2007

The baby had been born a month before. She looked remarkably like Rose Tyler had as a baby, which was why Pete Tyler had suggested the name 'Rosemary' or Mary for short. Between Mary, Torchwood, and being best mates with Mickey Smith and Jake, Rose had very little time to actually let herself think about the Doctor.

Being Rose Tyler: Defender of Earth, left little time to worry about the love of your life. Somewhere deep inside, Rose thought she liked it best that way. It hurt too much to think about him all the time, even if somewhere deep inside that was all Rose wanted to do.

"What's a four little word for 'house'?" Jake chewed on his lower lip in thought for a moment. "It's 'home', right?"

Mickey looked over Jake's shoulder and at the crossword puzzle. "Yeah." He glanced behind the sofa, where Rose was walking back and forth with a sleepy Mary. "'Home', that's it." He offered his ex-girlfriend a warm smile. "Rose?"

"That's an awfully easy one." She commented with a wry grin. "You doin' the kid's puzzle, Jake?"

Jake made a face. "Like to see you do one." He muttered under his breath. Rose and Mickey shared a quiet laugh, which made Jake groan in annoyance. "You two are going to wake Mary."

Rose carefully placed her baby sister down in the cradle. "I don't know why I invite you two over. All you do is crosswords and watch telly. It's like having two old ladies for friends." She made sure Mary was all right before joining Mickey and Jake on the sofa. "My parents are out on the town, we're off, and we're babysitting and watching television." Rose let out a small sigh. "It just doesn't seem fair, does it?"

Mickey yawned. "It's all right, we'll fight aliens tomorrow. Consider tonight a rest."

Jake nodded, though he didn't really appear to be listening. "Hey guys, what's a nine letter word for 'change'?"

The TARDIS - Somewhere in Space and Time

Tess Hartnell stood frozen in fear. There were a million thoughts running through her head, but very few of them actually made sense. The Doctor, all brilliant and lovely, was leaving her - again. His pinstriped suit was covered in dirt and ooze. He stood by the console, a tight hold on his stomach.

"Never thought it would happen this way." His voice sounded so strained. "Oh, I wasn't always the best traveling partner, was I? You got the angry old Doctor for the first few weeks, but you stayed with me." He smiled, the look of pride clear on his face. "You've grown up so much. There was so much I wanted to show you. So much I wanted you to see. But now...now it's over."

"Can't you do something? You're the Doctor!" Her voice was starting to shake, but she didn't care.

The Doctor gave her a weak smile. "I'm doing it now! Every part, every cell, it's all changing. Time Lords have this little trick, it's...sort of a way of cheating death. Except..." He looked into her eyes. "I'm going to change, Tess." Tess shook her head slightly, not fully understanding the gravity of the situation. "I'm not going to see you again. Not like this. But, you know that. It's worse when you see it, isn't it?"

Tess could feel her eyes starting to burn, could feel the hot tears starting to fall. "Stop it!" Tess nervously moved forward. "Doctor," Her voice was hardly above that of a whisper. "Don't talk like this."

His handsome face fell ever so slightly. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry it has to happen this way." The Doctor gave her a cheeky smile. "There's just one last thing before I go...Tess Hartnell, you were wonderful. Brilliantly wonderful." He paused for a moment, an expression of pure seriousness crossed his face. "So bloody wonderful. My beautiful little Tess..."

Tess smiled, nodded. "Doctor...you're...bloody brilliant."

The Doctor smiled widely back at her for the last few moments before suddenly, he convulsed and orange energy exploded from his skin, blasting out of his arm, leg and head holes in his clothes. Tess staggered backward, shielding her eyes from the beautiful light-but, she did not-could not-look away. She stared, unable to move, as the Doctor slowly changed in front of her. His hair shortened, his face changed...until the energy died away and a completely new man stood in front of her.

He looked surprised for only a moment, before he turned to her. "Hello. Right...Oo..." He gulped, cleared his throat. Tess stared at him with a mix of fascination and fear. "Oh..." He ran his tongue over his teeth, brow furrowed. "New ones, again? Now it's just getting silly." He paused, before giving her a serious look. "Now, am I ginger?"

Tess just stared at him in shock. She opened her mouth, then closed it again.

The Doctor stared at her impatiently. He studied her face, sighed, and stated sadly. "I'm not, am I?" He shook his fist in mock anger. "I never get to be ginger!"

Half hidden behind a pillar, Tess simply blinked in reply. She moved backward, apparently trying to get away from him.

"Tess?" The Doctor slowly moved toward her, and held out a hand. "You all right?"

"You're all..." she swallowed hard. "all different."

He raised an eyebrow. "Good different? I haven't got two heads or anything, have I?" His hands flew to his head. "Oh, brilliant! One head! Hair, too. I'm not bald!"

"You're so different." Her voice was a whisper, and she still sounded like she might cry.

The Doctor gave her a teasing look. "She speaks oh so softly, now." The Doctor took a few steps closer to her. "Go on, tell me. Am I still devilishly good-looking?" He gave her a loop-sided grin. "Come on, then." With a slightly angry sigh, the Doctor shook his head. "You need anything?"

"I just," Tess swallowed again. "need a mo." She stared at him intensely, taking in his new appearance. He looked older then before, was even taller. Shorter and lighter hair, too. Facial hair, even. "All right. Yeah, all right." She sniffed.

The two shared a wide smile. The Doctor rushed over to the console. "Right, then. Where to, Tess Hartnell?" He glanced back to her, a mischievous look in his eyes. "Anywhere you want."

"Um, oh! April fifth, just outside me and Dad's flat." Tess grinned widely. "It's Dad's birthday. He'll be home and I can re-introduce you two."

The Doctor nodded. "Birthday party with Michael. All cakes, balloons, and ice cream." He paused in thought. "More like drinks at the pub, cake, strippers, and then going missing for weeks." The Doctor winked at Tess, who smiled despite herself. "Hold on, April fifth here we come!" He began flicking switches. "London... the Powell Estate...fifth of April." Their eyes met across the console. "Just in time."

The doors of the TARDIS flew open, causing The Doctor to think only one thought: 'Lily.' He had left her in there. She had been...oh God, not again! He covered his eyes from the blinding light, which was coming from the TARDIS' doorway. Around him, millions of alien soldiers stood in silent shock. There, in the doorway of the TARDIS was Lily. All glowing and beautiful, the light of the Time-Vortex moving around her.

"It has awoken." Lily spoke with all the wisdom and grace of a Goddess.

The Doctor stumbled backward. "Lily, you...you can't have." He could feel the lump sinking to the pit of his stomach. "You...the Time-Vortex? It'll kill you!"

"No, it protects me." Lily let her gaze fall over the alien army. "You are all abominations." She held up her hand, waved it. The aliens nearest her separated into golden, liquid-like particles.

"Lily, stop it!" The Doctor spoke urgently. "Lily! You're gonna burn!"

She appeared not to hear him, as she locked eyes with the leader of the alien army. It was the leader of the alien army that spoke: "You would dare destroy my army? An abomination with no race. You cannot hurt me, you cannot destroy me! I'm in your head, now. My army shall rise from the pits and march on Heaven."

"No," Lily's body began to shake. "you are tiny and false. I am the true God." She looked toward where the aliens that she had killed had stood. "I bring life." The aliens suddenly reformed, and took huge intakes of breath. "And death." She looked around the room, and all the aliens there were reduced to golden particles. "Everything has its time...everything dies."

The leader stood proudly. "I am immortal, and you are nothing. That is not your power, it is stolen."

"No. I can see the whole of space and time-every single atom of existence, and I can create and divide them. I can see everything. Everything that was...everything that is...everything that will and could be. Everything is inside me. Everything...hurts." Golden tears began to fall from her eyes. "It always hurts." Again, Lily locked eyes with the leader. "It must end. False gods must not be allowed to corrupt."

The leader barely had time to blink. The entire mother ship, the entire fleet, was reduced to the liquid-like golden particles, dissolving away into oblivion. Lily stood shaking, tears falling from her eyes.

The Doctor slowly stood. "Lily...it's over now." He reached out for her. "You did well. Now, stop it. Let it go."

She gazed at him lovingly. Hushed, blissful, she spoke. "It's been in me for so long. Such a very long time. I cannot let it leave. I need it, as you need me."

He nodded, as calmly as he could. "Then, let it go to sleep again." He spoke as calmly as he could, but he knew the desperation was clear in his voice. "Please, Lily."

Lily's eyes fluttered closed and she fell into his arms, unconscious. The Doctor carefully picked up her, cradled her in his arms, and walked back into the TARDIS.

The president, whom the Doctor was sure was a decedent of Harriet Jones, stood firm. "It has to be done, Doctor. Do you honestly think I wasn't prepared for this?" The man held up a laser-gun. "Now, you'll do as I say and leave this office. Forget about everything you've witnessed here."

"Oh!" The Doctor rolled his eyes. Suddenly, back to his casual and fun-loving self. "A laser-gun? That's your big threat? I'm The Doctor, you bloody moron."

The president looked as if he might speak, but that was when the door came flying open and Leven Campbell came running in. "Doctor, I---"

"She's not." The president spun, and fired.

Leven stepped backward, puzzled. Her eyes widened ever so slightly. The Doctor stared at her, as she placed a hand on her belly. Blood ran over her fingers, staining her pink blouse.

The young girl slumped to the ground, eyes still wide. "Doc...Doctor?"

The Doctor turned, stone faced. "Do you have any idea what you've done?" Faster then the president would have thought possible, the Doctor grabbed the laser-gun. He took a deep breath and fired it into the president's head.

Dropping the laser-gun in disgust, he moved to Leven, carefully laying her down and cradling her head in his hand. "Hello." He spoke comfortingly. "Always in the wrong place, you are."

"Why...I wasn't doin' anything." Leven whispered.

The Doctor smiled lovingly at her. "I know." He ripped her blouse open, examined the wound. It wasn't pretty. "Oh, that'll be easy to fix, Leven Campbell."

Leven reached a bloody hand up to his face. "Doctor..." She sounded terrified.

Her eyes rolled back. The Doctor pushed onto her stomach, and she screamed. She looked so helpless and sweet. She was helpless and sweet. It was why he liked her so much. God, he couldn't lose her too. He scooped Leven up, and walked out the door.

They'd fix Leven and she'd live. Or he'd let them burn their world into ash.

Checking the console, the Doctor noticed the power surges going on throughout space. Yes, something was differently wrong. Was Torchwood messing about? Was there another...

He switched a few switches. Oh God...there were millions of tiny rips in space. Without another thought, the Doctor set the TARDIS' controls for Torchwood's base of operations.