Rose and the Doctor peered out from behind the TARDIS door.
"So, what world is this then Doctor?"
"Oh, that's no good." Rose looked at the Doctor and waited for him to continue. "We are on Raxacoricofallapatorius. The home of the Raxacoricofallapatorians. We should leave, now."
"Right don't want some Slitheen to show up do we?" The Doctor turned to look at her.
"Don't be daft, they've all been exiled." Rose rolled her eyes.
"Well let's go then." Rose turned and went back into the TARDIS. The Doctor almost joined her, but something, and he wasn't quite sure what, was stopping him. He stepped outside the TARDIS and looked around.
"Nothing, it really is nothing, and yet..." The Doctor frowned uneasily, but he did eventually go back into the TARDIS. Rose was sitting on the steps staring at something.
"Rose?" He asked but she was unresponsive. "Rose, what are you looking at?" Rose continued to stare blankly at the creature. He furrowed his eyebrows in concern. The thing was small, about the size of a basketball. Now here was something interesting, the beast was covered in bright purple spines. The Doctor took a step towards Rose very quietly.
"Rose can you hear me?" Rose did not respond. "If you can I need you to back away from that thing. It's probably poisonous. Rose it's purple, bright purple and spiny. Bright is dangerous, Rose, bright means it isn't afraid." Something clicked inside of his head. The Doctor shouted in surprise. "Rose get away from that now! That's a Tenax, very dangerous and..." His voice trailed off for a moment, "very hypnotic." Rose reached out a hand and the Doctor stared in horror as her hand got closer and closer to the creature. "No,no,no,no, NO! Rose stop right now!" The Doctor took another step towards the Tenax and Rose. The Tenax jumped forward his spines jamming into Rose's hand. Rose pulled back and a current of electricity flowed between her hand and the spines. The Tenax broke contact and Rose was thrown forcefully against the wall. The Tenax scuttled off, but the Doctor didn't notice.
He ran to Rose's side and crouched down. She was unconscious and her hand was badly burned. Three of the creatures spikes were still stuck in her hand. He cupped her face in one of his hands. Rose blinked and opened her eyes.
"Doctor," she began feebly "Doctor it hurts." There were tears on her face and he couldn't have that, couldn't bear to see her cry. He wiped at her tears with his thumb.
"It's all right Rose. Where does it hurt?"
"Every where." He felt his chest constrict. He stroked Rose's hair with his hand.
"Ok Rose, I've got you. I need to move you though. This is going to hurt but please hold on."
Rose nodded weakly and he scooped her up into his arms. She yelled in pain and he closed his eyes for a moment. The Doctor raced to the infirmary. He could feel that her pulse was very weak and he breathing was shallow.
"Doctor," the sound was no more than a whisper, but he heard it. "Doctor I... I..." She drew a rattling breath "I can't breathe." Then she was unconscious again and he was running, cradling her body and she was dying right here, in his arms. The Doctor burst through the infirmary doors and deposited Rose carefully onto a bed. He placed two of his fingers gently on her neck. Her pulse was weak, barely there. He bent over with his ear over her mouth. She wasn't breathing.
"Rose," he yelled. She was unresponsive so he began chest compressions. He looked at her for just a moment considering his options and then he made his choice. Strictly medical he reminded himself. He tilted her chin back, closed his mouth over hers and gave her the air from his lungs, breathing his life into her. After a time he noticed that she had started breathing again. He wanted to collapse from relief, but his work was far from over. Rose's eyelids fluttered and opened.
"Rose can you hear me?" She nodded, "Rose what hurts? And don't say everything, that's not an answer." She smiled faintly, that was a good sign.
"My head, an' my arm is numb. Don't make me go Doctor I won't get hurt again, I'm sorry." His eyes hardened and he placed his hands on Rose's face with two fingers on her temples.
"Don't ever think that Rose. I would never do that to you. Now Rose, I want you to listen to me. I need you to sleep now. Sleep until I call you back." That faint smile crossed her lips again and her eyes shut.
"Mmm 'k Doctor, my doctor." And then she had slipped into the void of sleep. He picked up her hand. The spines were embedded firmly into her palm. He walked over to one of the cabinets and began rummaging through it quickly. He pulled out a pair of tweezers and walked back over to her bed. He took a deep breath before he grabbed her hand and tried not to think about how much this would hurt her. He pinched a spine with the tweezers and carefully drew it out. Rose groaned and tried to pull away. She was sleeping though and wouldn't waken until he told her to. Blood flowed from the wound and he quickly finished his work on her hand. He placed his hands back on the sides of her face.
"You can wake up now." And for what felt like the millionth time that day he watched her eyes open. He stroked the side of her face gently.
"What's going on?" The Doctor frowned, she should be fine now. He looked in her eyes carefully.
"What's your name?" She looked at him for a second, confused.
"Uh... I'm not sure." The Doctor was incredibly concerned.
"Your name is Rose Tyler and I'm the Doctor and we are on the TARDIS. Do you remember now?" Her face cleared and she nodded. "Ok, tell me what's wrong."
"My head hurts." The Doctor passed his hand over his face. He had been so stupid not to see it. She had already told him that before.
"I'm so sorry I forgot about that. Here, let me help you sit." His hands were gentle as he guided her into a sitting position. The Doctor looked at the back of Rose's head thoroughly, even pausing to put on his glasses. "Well you look alright. The concussion appears to be relatively minor. You're head's not bleeding, just a few bumps and bruises." He let Rose sink back onto the pillows and folded his glasses into his pocket. "You, Rose Tyler, are going to be fine."
"Oh good," she breathed. She was asleep a few minutes later and the Doctor sighed with relief. He touched her neck again. Her pulse was almost back to normal. Then he kissed her forehead, pulled up a chair and waited for her to wake again.