A Single Rose Can Be My Garden... A Single Friend, My World
A/N: Well, here it is. I Worship Steven Moffat, I'm not sure if this is what you were looking for. I'm also fully aware that I said "five thousand words or less", and I wrote over 7K. Ah well. This is HP&tT Episode 5, Chapter 3 from 10.2's POV. I suppose, technically it's still a HP/DW crossover, but there's absolutely no Harry Potter in here, so I'm just listing it under DW.
"Rose!"
Drat the woman, where was she? He poked the eggs gingerly, jerking back as the sizzling fluid in the pan burnt him.
"Rose!"
She came running in from the TARDIS console, screwdriver out, eyes wide, ready to defend him from anything.
Petulantly he stabbed the spatula at the eggs again, giving her a look from under half-lidded eyes. "Make it work."
Rose, to his everlasting annoyance, looked at the eggs, looked at him, looked at the eggs again, and burst out laughing.
He scowled at her, and then pain ripped through him. Blazing burning searing pain coming from the back of his mind, where there was a link he'd never explored too closely. He knew what it was, of course, but it came as a surprise all the same.
He fell to his knees, hands wound in his hair, trying not to cry out. His synapses were reworking, adjusting everything to accommodate a psychic link from another universe, and damnit it hurt!
Rose bent down beside him, looking worried. He ignored her. There wasn't anything she could do. There wasn't anything he could do, but wait for the pain to stop.
When it faded, he reached out along the newly formed link, settling part of his psyche inside the other's mind. This hurt as well, his synapses stretching in ways they weren't accustomed to. Ow! Did it ever occur to you that I might be busy? He shoved all his annoyance at the link to his other self.
Yes, but this is more important. Wait - If it involved you and Rose, I don't wanna know.
His casual arrogance was blinding from this side of the discussion. That, and apparently no one had gotten around to dealing with his other self's prudishness. He snickered through the link. Would serve you right. No, it's morning here and I was making breakfast. Well, trying to. He'd been trying to make scrambled eggs.
Very domestic, came the immediate response, a bit of sarcasm mixed in.
He bristled, annoyed enough to not hold back. Did you have something to say or were you just planning to make snarky comments while I'm cooking for my wife?
A flash of pain down the link, carefully controlled and quickly shut down. Congratulations.
Rose knelt down beside him, placing a hand on one shoulder. "Doctor? Are you all right?"
He forced out a smile up at her from his position on the floor, focusing more on the link. I really am busy.
I know, came back, trembling and full of hurt and fear. I – I'm dying.
He flinched, jerking out of Rose's grasp. What! Gasping a breath in, his eyes widened. Smoke. Something was on fire! No – hold on a minute, I just burnt the eggs. He leaped up, staring in panic at the flaming pan.
Rose joined him, focusing on the most immediate crisis. "You left the burner on? Why did you leave the burner on?"
He glared at her, waving a hand over the flames. "I was a bit busy at the time."
"Care to explain what's goin' on?" Rose asked, turning off the burner. "Leave it, the flames'll – what the hell?"
The Doctor stared in bemusement as the flames subsided leaving behind a mess of charred – and blue – eggs. "I – ah – I dunno. They're not supposed to do that?"
Rose laughed shakily. "I'm never gonna get used to this. You – you – you." She shook her head. "Sometimes you act so alien. I – I don' even know how you managed to turn eggs blue." At his still confused look, she pulled him into a hug. "No, you idiot," she whispered fondly into his ear. "They're not supposed to be blue."
Freezing – he still wasn't used to Rose's random displays of affection – he turned inward again. If his other self was dying, he at least owed the Time Lord a moment's hearing. Sorry. Well, they weren't really burnt, but Rose says they weren't supposed to turn blue, either.
Laughter burst through the link, laughter that turned to pain far too quickly. He extended his mind slightly, searching for the source. All he could tell was that the other Doctor was in a lot of pain, injured beyond belief.
You don't feel good, he sent gently.
"Doctor? What is it?" Rose, still wrapped around him, looked up into his face.
He focused shakily on Rose, on her brown eyes. "The – the other me. The first one. In my head. Psychic link."
No. I told you, I'm dying.
And what? You're worried it's going to affect me, too? He paused, considering that his probably wasn't the politest thing to say. Rose had given him enough lectures on 'unfeeling bastards' that he quickly amended this. It's not that I don't care – It's just that we never went to anyone before. We never needed to. And then, yes, there was the problem with talking to yourself – pronouns could be a problem.
Rose paled, tensing. "Oh. Oh. Him. Alright. I – I'll just – ah – you want privacy?"
No – no, you're fine. You're completely separate from me. No, I'm dying – but I think there's a way for you to help.
He ignored the voice in his head, focusing on the girl in front of him. He'd brought up – drat it, he knew about her emotional problems with his other self, he shouldn't have done that, it was going to hurt her and he'd sworn he was never going to get into that again. "No, oh gods, no, Rose, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up, I'm an insensitive –"
"Unfeeling prat," Rose finished, smiling up at him, "We've had this particular pity party before. We've been over this. You've had nine hundred years of experience without me, some things are bound to come up. So what's he doing in your head?"
The portion of him that was possessive of Rose relaxed slightly. The distaste – anger/disappointment/sorrow/rejection – in her voice when she spoke of the other Doctor unclenched a knot inside his chest. "Dunno yet. Working on it." Dangerous? he asked along the link.
Probably.
"It'll be dangerous," he whispered.
Rose's eyes hardened.
No, he sent instantly. He wasn't going to hurt her again. He couldn't risk that happening.
The flinch from the other Doctor burned down the link. What? Why not? There was panic in his other self's voice, panic and desperation.
Eyes locked with Rose's, he smiled down at her. "Don't worry, I won't leave you." What happens if I die instead? How could you even think of doing that to Rose again? I won't regenerate. I'll just leave her, alone, again.
Pain blazed through the link, pain from his other self, pain that lit up the back of his mind before dying back down again. I – I didn't think.
You never do, he sent back bitterly. Were you even thinking when you left us in Norway? He raised a hand and stroked Rose's cheek, trying to focus on her. He travelled through time and space, saving the universe every other week, and she was the most important thing in his life. In any of his lives. And his other self – former self, whatever – had metaphorically torn her heart out. Twice.
Yes, came the inevitable response from the cocky bastard. Think about it as a Time Lord, not as a human. What would have happened if I let myself get attached to you and to – to her? Because eventually the two of you will die, and I'll be left to go onward, and if I ever admit how I feel – how would I be able to go onward? And I have to continue, you know that, you know it better than anyone else.
He winced, causing Rose to gasp quietly. "What'd he say now? What'd that bastard say now?"
The Doctor tried not to feel smug at the sight of Rose defending him against his former self. He failed, of course, but he did try. "That if he'd stayed with us, it'd have hurt him too much when – when we – got old. And he wouldn't have been able to continue after we – we died."
Rose gulped at this admission, pressing herself against his body. "'at's a bit selfish of him. Hurting us like that to protect hisself."
He smiled slightly. Because she was right, of course, and because she was so thoroughly rejecting his other half. She says that's very selfish.
There was a spike of pain through the link as the other Doctor's voice became more and more desperate. There was another reason, too – that universe – it needed someone to guide and protect it. And the two of you – you're the best guardians there could ever be.
He froze, silently cursing the bastard in his head. The other Doctor would compliment him. That was always his style. Make him feel good about whatever awful task the other bugger got stuck with because as horrid as the job was, someone had to do it.
"What?" Rose, eyes wide, touched his temples. "Can I join?" She hesitated, but this was Rose – the words tumbled out of her regardless. "Doctor, please, no, don't close up on me, I hate it when you do that, what'd he tell you?"
He looked down, swallowing. "He sent us here because we were the only ones who could guard this universe like he can."
Something utterly dark and painful flashed across her face. "Is that it? Is that the reason he gave us a piece of the TARDIS?"
His eyes widened. That would be callous, even for him, but it would make so much sense. Is that why you gave us a piece of the TARDIS?
Yes. And no. A lot of it was because I wanted you to be happy. And her – that was all I ever wanted, was for her to be happy.
The Doctor forced out a smile, for her. "He wanted you to be happy."
She stiffened, breath catching. "No," she breathed out quietly, wrapping her arms around him and burrowing her face into his chest. "No. I don' care what he wants. I'm not goin' back. He left me. You didn't."
He pulled her closer, proving the safety she was so desperately looking for. If he thought about it for too long, it started to hurt: that even thoughts of the man he used to be hurt her this badly. "He's dying."
Rose tensed again, pulling away from him slightly. "Tell – tell 'im to jus' regenerate."
The thing that hurt the most about this, he thought absently, was that he could understand perfectly what was going through his other self's head. "He's – he's scared. He's dying and he's scared because even though he'll come back, he'll be changed forever and he'll never look at things the same way again. He'll never think of you the same way again."
Her breath caught in a sob as she tried to turn away from him.
"No, Rose, just listen to me, please, I'm trying to explain but it's hard, because I used to be him but I changed, Rose, just give me a minute."
She sobbed once and then laughed shakily, facing him again. "You're cute when you're pleading," she whispered.
He laughed back, just as shakily. "He still loves you," he said, wishing that he could wiggle out of this one, but knowing it had to be said at some point. "He won't admit it to himself, because he's scared of what it means, that he can fall in love with humans, but he does. That – that's why he set us up like this – you, me, TARDIS, a whole universe to play in – because he wanted you to be happy and to have some – someone who could love you unconditionally. He – he can't do that, and it hurts him, every second of every day, but if he could get you back, he wouldn't, because he knows you're better off with me."
Rose made a noise that could have been either a laugh or a sob. "Wha' – what am I suppose' to say to that?"
He held on to her tightly, as if to prevent the other Doctor – the real Doctor, a traitorous portion of his mind whispered; he ignored it – from reaching through the universes and taking her away from him. "I won't let you go. I'm done with that."
This was definitely a laugh, muffled by his chest. "You'd better be."
"He wants my help," he said quietly. "He's dying but he thinks he has a plan –"
"Oh good," Rose snorted, "I've seen your plans before."
He grinned, placing a hand on her cheek. "I don't know what it is, but he thinks it'll be dangerous."
She scowled at him, still sniffling slightly. "No. You jus' said you'd never leave me. Don't you dare do it for him."
He smiled, swallowing, sending another message down the link. No. Not if I could die. "There," he said aloud. "Told him so." Methodically, he began to close the link from his end. He wasn't going to let this happen again. The conversation had hurt Rose and he wasn't going to let that happen, not even from his former self.
Panic raced down from the other end, accompanied by a message sent so strongly that he winced. There's something else! The Master – he's back and he's got a vortex manipulator.
That was possibly the one sentence that could have gotten his attention at that point. Show me, he sent, eyes wide.
The link opened, taking over the back corners of his mind as the other Doctor showed him memories.
Radiation pain Wilfred regenerating plan send energy divert regeneration again like with hand but with you talk to you say goodbye first Rose! the Master snow hot cold pain pain pain "This – in one computer – destroy the Earth." I'm dying "Leave the Earth. Don't return. Give – give me a chase. You're always findin' me. 'S my turn." He's dying pain skulls keys TARDIS burning falling freezing going to change can't change he'll find me I'll die he's chasing me the TARDIS can hold him off but he's following me and I can't die yet!
His arms clenched around Rose as he assimilated this. If you regenerate now –
He'll catch up. And if he catches me –
Who knows what will happen.
Nothing good.
Agreed. I need to talk to Rose. That was the first thing on his mind, talking to Rose about what was going on. Danger for him, yes, but if the Master ever really got control of him, the multiverse was in danger.
Humour and pain washed down the link. You're hen-pecked.
You bet I am. He made sure that his smugness got to his other self before closing down the link, leaving just the tiniest thread open.
Tears done, Rose looked at him in concern. "What is it? What's goin' on o'er there?"
It was at times like this that he wished he'd spent more time talking about his past with Rose. "There's – there's another Time Lord."
The hope shining in her eyes was painful. "That's wonderful, innit?"
"No," the Doctor said quietly, forcing himself not to turn away. "He hates me. He wants to destroy everything I care about, and right now, that includes the Earth. The other me is running away from him, to keep him distracted, but he's dying. If he stops to regenerate, the Master'll catch up."
Rose managed to look scared and contemptuous at the same time. "That's his name? Like you're the Doctor and he's the – the Master? Why?"
He smiled. "That's what he chose."
"Fine," she said, moving on. "So the Master's chasing after the other you, but the other you's dying and is worried the Master'll catch up if he regenerates now. What happens if the Master catches you?"
That was something he didn't want to think about for too long. Hating that he had to say this, he turned away and fiddled with the saucepan. "He sent us here to protect this universe. If the Master gets him, there'll be no one to protect the other."
She put a hand on his shoulder. "Go ahead. It's bigger than us."
He could have kissed her for that. No – he did kiss her for that, trying to express all his love and gratitude that she would do this for him in one drawn out gesture.
It was Rose who pulled away first, smiling up at him. "What's his plan?"
"'S not much of a plan," he muttered, making a delusory attempt at getting his brain back together again.
She laughed. "It never is."
He grinned, some small part of his brain dancing around in glee because he had made her laugh! "He wants to vent the regeneration energy to me. Like he did to create me in the first place, only this time most of the energy'll be siphoned off because it has to cross universes."
"Is that even possible?" Rose said, shaking her head. "Will we ever be done with the secrets?" Her gentle brown eyes bored into his.
He tried not to flinch too noticeably. "Yes. Yes, Rose, I'm trying, I swear I am, it's just sometimes I forget, there's so much – nine hundred years before you, how am I supposed to tell you all of it in just one –"
"Stop." Rose smiled, touching a finger to his lips. "So he can do this because you're still linked, 'cause in some way you're still part of him."
He nodded, not dislodging the finger from his lip.
Rose lowered her hand and quirked an eyebrow, a habit she had to have picked up from him. "So why can't he ask Donna as well?"
All the blood drained from his face. He had already told Rose. He had to have already told Rose, it was too important not to have come up before, what if he had forgotten, how many more shocks could she take today, what if she decided she was done with his secrets, what if she left him, how would he continue, he'd built himself around Rose because he'd known that she'd always been there for him, but what if she left?
"Doctor," Rose said quietly. "Stop it. I know that Donna can't remember anything, but couldn't you go in when she's asleep and just wake up that portion of her brain? Wouldn't that be safe, 'cause now it's just part of a Time Lord in a whole human brain, instead of part of a Time Lord and all of a human in a human brain?"
He blinked, the panic dying down. "That – that might – can I talk to him?"
She laughed at him, touching his face again. "Of course. 'Sides, when have I ever kept you from doing anything you wanted?"
Letting one hand rest on hers, he reopened the link. She says yes.
Thank you, his other self sent, sounding exhausted and in pain.
Excited now – if it worked, he would get to talk to Donna again and he'd missed Donna – he sent the rest of the plan across. She had an interesting idea, though – is there another link in your mind? There is in mine, but she's one more step removed from you and so we're not sure if –
Who?
Donna. Alright, so maybe he was a little too excited. Usually he didn't have that much trouble with his pronouns, but the idea – talking to Donna again, with his other self and Rose on either side of his mind and it would almost be like he had a family – it was like someone had created the scenario most likely to send him headlong into enthusiastic hysteria.
The reaction from his other half was not so favourable. No! We're not putting her in danger as well!
Ro– He stopped himself, realizing that the name probably would only distract his other self. She doesn't think it will be a danger. If we get her when she's asleep, we can wake that part up and leave the rest alone. She'll be perfectly safe.
But you can't know that.
Oh, why did he have to be so pessimistic? Especially now, because it really was a good idea, and it'd give them another eye on things – well, two, actually – and he'd get to talk to Donna – and none of these were useful arguments when it came to his other self. And you can't know that I'll be safe, and yet I'm willing to take the risk. She would be too.
You can't know that either.
Pessimistic bastard. Can too. Half Donna, remember? He grinned, thinking about all the odd ways that had manifested itself. He had a Time Lord mind, but half his body – and random chunks of his personality – came from Donna. Among other things, he'd acquired a taste for pears.
Fine, the other him conceded. I'll open the link.
Rose looked at him. "He doing it?"
He nodded, still smiling. The times when the universe – well, universes, technically – decided to cooperate with him – both of him – were so rare he just had to revel in this one.
Pain shattered across his mind, but he wasn't the one doing all the work. It didn't take long for another segment to appear in his brain. If the link itself was a Tube station, the new segment was the Blue line – or maybe the Green, he could never keep them straight, especially since the Tube was the one area of London that appeared on every human settled planet.
Doctor? The long awaited voice burst into his mind, scattering across his synapses.
Yes.
Yes.
Oh. Both of you.
He grinned gleefully, trying – admittedly not very hard – not to fidget. Donna was him and he was Donna and they were more closely and intricately bound than him and the other Doctor. Also, he could remember what Donna looked like half asleep – relaxed, she lost all of her hostility at the world. He found it adorable. She'd been rather upset when he pointed this out.
Are you asleep? the other Doctor sent.
Yes. Most of me is. This really is dangerous, you know. Donna mentally stretched, extending tendrils into his mind.
He reciprocated eagerly, weaving his way through her psyche. We know. It's necessary, though. Isolating the line to Donna, he sent through all the information he had. Master back he's dying Master'll catch him if he regenerates vent energy to me use your eyes to check? How're you doing?
Donna shrugged. Good. Wish I could remember all this later. You and Rose?
Married, he sent smugly, and travelling about in our own TARDIS.
Good for you. Why should I help him after he did that to us?
Yes, there was a part of him that found it hard too. A large part – and he wanted to blame it on the human bits, but it wasn't just that either – wanted only to make the other Doctor pay for abandoning him and Rose. If the Master catches up, the universe could be destroyed. The Master might not do it himself, but someone will and I won't be able to stop them.
Donna sent a grunt back in place of a snarky comment. I'll do it.
What? Shock and confusion rippled back from the other side of the link.
He frowned, wondering what Donna had seen that he missed. Earth girl, there's nothing you can do. I'll take the energy, but someone needs to keep an eye on us.
Donna laughed. Boys.
Oi! Rose had found that odd at first, but now they were both used to the occasional humanoid expressions that left his mouth.
The two of you, biggest brains in the universe, and still both morons.
The other Doctor groaned, pain flooding his third of the link. What am I missing?
We, he corrected. He didn't have any more idea what Donna was up to than the other him did.
Fine, then, his former self corrected. What are we missing?
You've got a connection to both of us. Why can't you use both sides and split the energy in half?
His jaw dropped, wondering how he could have been so completely clueless as to miss that.
"What is it?" Rose asked. "What'd Donna come up with?"
Donna Noble, you are brilliant! That might work, the other Doctor sent.
He grinned broadly. "Split the energy to both of us. It's still dangerous, but much less so."
Of course it'll work, Donna sent back, amusement rippling down the link.
"And if it goes wrong?" Rose tried to keep her voice steady but failed; her hand on his arm clenched.
If it doesn't, the other Doctor said grimly.
"All three of us'll die," he said aloud. We'll both die, he sent across the links. We know. And Rose knows too. But – this is worth it.
Rose nodded. "Go ahead."
Donna snorted, sending amusement and control through his mind. What he doesn't want to say, because he still hasn't forgiven you for leaving Rose on that beach – twice – is that you're worth it.
No I'm not.
The rebellious portion of his mind agreed with that – the risk of leaving Rose alone not worth the risk of losing the universe. He ignored it, though and focused on what Donna was saying.
If it was you in this situation, would you say the same? This was focused, sent just to him and not the other him as well.
He made sure to respond in kind. No. I've got Rose.
Who does he have?
No one, I think. He's travelling alone again.
That's not good.
No it's not. And it's feeding back on the guilt we both feel. He doesn't take companions all the time because it ruins your lives, and sometimes he allows that to override everything else.
Donna sighed, opening back up the other side of the link. Your inferiority complex is worse than mine.
Weren't you the one complaining about my ego? the other Doctor sent back, pain wrapping around his words.
Not in everything, she sent. But in some things. Like this one. If I am the most important woman in the universe, then how important must you be?
Not worth risking your lives over.
You were the one who started this, he pointed out gleefully, happy he got to pull one over on his other half.
Their minds were connected, although none of them had really exploited this yet. The Doctor took the opportunity to delve further into his former self's head, looking at his reasoning.
I don't really need saving.
Yes you do, Donna said. She'd had the same thought that he did – well, of course she did, they were the same person, sort of.
The other him frowned – it changed the shape of his mind. You heard that?
We're in your head, space man, Donna told him. Of course we heard it. And it's not like you're asking utter strangers. We're half you, after all.
He stayed quiet – this was something that Donna was best suited for, honestly. "Rose," he said, dealing with the other part of this. "I – it'll be like I'm regenerating again, 'cept it won't go all the way. Not here – I – help?" It still shocked him how hard it was to ask for help sometimes, even times like this when he could not do it all on his own.
No. I'll deal with it on my own. Try to build up enough space –
Stupid self-sacrificing idiot! Donna's rant blasted into the other Doctor's mind. He was glad that she wasn't yelling at him like that – Donna could be loud. We're in your head. We can feel your pain.
He watched in some discomfort as his former self began trying to shut down all of his nerve centres.
"The console room'd be best, wouldn't it, Doctor?" Rose began leading him along the TARDIS's twisted, winding corridors. He couldn't quite focus on walking – having your mind divided three ways did that.
He nodded, trying not to stumble into the walls. "Yeah. She'll help with the energy. Stay with me?"
Rose stopped so suddenly he almost fell over. "Yes, you idiot. Of course I will."
"Sorry," he muttered, not sure what he did wrong now. Turning inwards again, he said, Stop it. Just let the regeneration start and then vent the energy to us. There'll be little enough at that point that all that should happen is we'll lose a few years and glow for a bit. Donna'll remain asleep through all of it, and Rose is already helping with my body.
Fine.
You sound so enthusiastic.
Don't discourage him, Donna! he pointed out, grinning as Rose helped him into the pilot's chair.
The comments certainly aren't helping, the other Doctor sent.
Hurry up then. Donna was definitely grinning, he could feel her amusement rippling through him and feeding off his own.
The energy that came through the link first was bearable – painful, yes, but he was able to channel and control it to the point that Rose probably couldn't notice it. Except that that was just the beginning, a trickle to pave the way for the wave that followed. Pain raced through him, burning and tearing and drowning him.
He seized up, arching off the chair, hands out. Light burst from his hands. "No, no, no, no, no!" The energy tried but he shoved it back down again, tamping down the urge. He couldn't regenerate, his body was trying but there was no other life that his cells could turn to.
Finally the flow of energy slowed and stopped. The fires from his hands died down. He collapsed back into the chair, wishing for a few more senses so that he could tell precisely what was hurt now. Ow.
"You alright?" Rose stepped closer to him, not quite daring to touch.
Agreed, Donna said dryly. And you were holding twice this much?
He nodded weakly. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine."
More than that, the other Doctor said faintly, sounding weaker than ever. A lot went into establishing the link, and more into crossing time streams.
And a universe, he sent, starting to smile again. It had worked. It hurt, but it had worked!
You are insane. Donna mentally thumped his other self.
Agreed, he sent, reaching out for Rose. She helped him up, pulling him into a hug as soon as he was standing.
Shove off, the pair of you. Pain and exhaustion radiated down the link.
You need to use a coma, he sent, holding onto Rose. You've got brain damage. He could see what was wrong with the other Doctor, it really wasn't that hard from the outside – he had multiple collapsing systems and his long term memory centre was fried.
I'll live. That's all that matters.
No, it's not. You're injured and it's getting worse; go into a coma, now, while he's still trying to find you. He looked into Rose's eyes, smiling slightly. "Prat. Won't go into a coma even though it's what he needs. I didn't go through all that just so he could suicide by stupidity."
No! He'll catch up to me if I do that.
Idiots, Donna sent. I wasn't there, but I have your memories. Use the watch.
He blinked. That – that hadn't come to him, he wasn't sure why.
"What is it?"
He grinned, pulling away. "Donna had an idea. Should have thought of it myself, honestly, but it's probably those human bits again." Brain damage, I told you, he sent across the link. You're not thinking properly. And the watch would be the second best solution.
Who will open it? And there went the pessimism again.
Donna shrugged. Find someone. Hell, give it to Martha again.
He'll be watching all of them – you too, the other him said.
He'll be keeping an eye on her, he sent at the same moment.
Donna laughed. Two of you is too much.
Jack would have an opinion on that. He grinned at the idea.
Oi! Cool it, alien boy! You're married.
I'm not so sure Rose would protest. In fact, given Rose's reaction several times with his ninth regeneration, she'd probably encourage it.
That just sounds complicated.
Fair point there. Him and the other him and Rose and Jack – not to mention the accommodation of various egos and morals and degrees of possessiveness – he wasn't sure the four of them would fit in the TARDIS, let alone in one bed.
The watch it is, then. It'll help me shut down areas that need it, leaving them alone to repair and regrow. The words had a faint distant echo – the other Doctor probably didn't mean to send them, then, they were just getting the aftershocks of his thoughts
Good, he said. Have you heard anything?
Confusion from the other ends of the link. About?
Locks.
More confusion, although Donna seemed to be remaining quiet for now. No. Why?
Rose has been listening to people. She's good at that. He grinned at her. "I'm asking them 'bout the locks."
She nodded. "Good. Been gettin' worried."
I know.
Oi! You – stop it, you know that's got to hurt. And you – she's not yours any more, and yes it is your fault, so quit blaming the rest of us.
He laughed, throwing his head back. "Good ol' Donna, always ready to deflate my ego."
Donna, you haven't changed a bit, the other him sent.
Good. So, space man, she sent, turning her attention to the other him. What's this about locks?
He shared a look with Rose, wondering how to warn them about something that might not exist. Nothing, that's what's odd. Just scraps of conversation, where a lock is weakening or open or broken. Ro – she thinks it's like Bad Wolf all over again, but we can't figure out what it's referring to. He had to keep the other Doctor focused on the warning, not on Rose.
That's the thing about Bad Wolf. No one could know what it meant until it happened. But I don't know – there isn't anyone left who would do that. Sorrow tinged his area of the link, sorrow and a bone-deep fear.
No companions? he asked, wondering what had been happening to his other half. Who could leave messages across time and space? Time Lords, for one, but the Master would never leave a warning for anyone, let alone the Doctor. Or the Doctor's companions, but only those with access to the TARDIS – or, apparently, temperamental and risky dimension cannons, as Rose had.
It's not safe, the other Doctor sent warningly. That meant 'no, and I don't want any anymore.'
Donna scoffed. If you're right, it sounds more like disappearing planets. Seen any Daleks recently?
If? If? He grinned. I'll have you know, I am always right.
Uh-huh. Answer the question.
No. No Daleks. Thank goodness for that; he wasn't sure how he and Rose would cope with another lot of the salt and pepper shakers. No, this universe was one without Time Lords, Daleks, wars that attempted to destroy reality, or various other unpleasantries. Not that it was boring per se, it was just that most of the threats tended to be on the scale of a planet or so at a time, not whole galaxies.
No Daleks here either. Just the Master, the other him said dryly, as if the Master was all the disasters he needed.
He grunted, turning the idea over in his head. Could be him.
What could he do that would threaten all the universes?
If the Daleks could – He didn't need to finish the sentence.
But he wouldn't, the other him sent. This was possibly true – the Master had always been far more preoccupied with attacking him than attacking the multiverse at large – but it still wasn't a possibility to completely discard.
Maybe you're wrong, Donna said. You've been wrong before.
It could be something else. It could be nothing at all. It could only be relevant over there – that's the most likely, really. How many warnings have I gotten that crossed universes?
One was more than enough, Donna sent dryly.
Negative impressions travelled across the link – the other Doctor was probably shaking his head. And really, knowing my luck, I won't hear about it until it's too late anyway. What sense in worrying about it now?
Because you might find something out, he sent, looking down at Rose. "He's not listening."
"Course he isn't," Rose said. "Why would the Lonely God waste time listening to warnings?"
He smirked broadly – he had ignored a warning from Rose once, which had resulted in a rather graphic demonstration of the differences between human and Gallifreyan physiology.
Since when were we cautious? his other half shot back, annoyed.
Since I only had one life and couldn't afford to waste it.
I'm glad the two of you are in different universes, Donna said casually, the testosterone would kill otherwise.
I would like to point out now, the other Doctor sent, anger lining the edges of his thoughts, that I am about to spend an indeterminate amount of time human and am not really in a position to be remembering anything.
He mentally shrugged, grinning. It wasn't that he hated his other self, it was just that he was finally getting to taunt the other for leaving them at Bad Wolf Bay - again. Thought you'd wanna know.
Be polite and say thank you, Doctor, Donna sent.
A fascinating array of possible responses spun through his head, each with the tinge that meant they were coming over uncontrolled from the other Doctor.
We can hear all of that, you know, he sent dryly.
Oh, piss off! No humour in that one, just annoyance and pain and exhaustion. And thanks, his other self added, more quietly. A wash of pain spread through the link. It's getting worse.
We'll leave you be, then. Don't use the link unless you have to. He couldn't resist one last opportunity to lecture his other half.
Agreed, Donna sent. You can't know if I'm awake or not until you try and if I am – There wasn't any need to spell it out.
The other Doctor nodded. Thank you. It even sounded sincere, which was new.
You're not as bad as you think you are, Donna said. Think on that. And then she was gone again, shutting down the link. In the morning, it would just be another odd, half remembered dream.
"Doctor? Can you give 'im a message? From me?"
He nodded, really really hoping that this wasn't going to go anywhere bad.
She touched his cheek gently. "Don't worry. Jus' – just tell him that I still love him –"
Rose says that she still loves you, the Doctor sent, ignoring the pain in his heart.
"Tha' I know why he left m – us, but I can't forgive him jus' yet, an' –" She hesitated.
That she understands why you left us but that she can't forgive you yet –
"An' that I want to name our baby after him."
And that – what? He closed off the link, not wanting the other to hear whatever this was. "What?"
She smiled crookedly. "I – I'm pregnant."
"What?"
Rose laughed, sort of, more of a sound part way between laughter and tears. "Three weeks. I – I've just been checkin', every so often, be – because you're human now, an' – and I was worried – I jus' found out yesterday but I didn't know how to tell you and – and since he's here, and it's his grandchild – sort of – I thought – Sorry."
It took him a moment to pull his scrambled brain back together. A child. He was having a child. Again. Except no Time Lords, no Daleks, no damned war to tear him from them again. How very odd. And Rose. It was her child. Very, very odd. "Mine?"
She sniffled. "Yeah. Course."
"Oh. I – I didn't – never thought about it, actually." He blinked. "Suppose it's cause human-Time Lord crossbreeds are very rare. Not honestly likely at all, takes a lot of effort and special situations. But I'm human – odd."
Rose frowned, looking up at him. "Do – I didn't think – do you want a child?"
A thousand answers flew through his head. Finally he stepped forward, touching her gently on the cheek. "Yes. Course I do. I just – didn't think." Still looking into her eyes – vaguely aware that this was probably the point where he should kiss her – he swallowed. "Right. I'll ask him, then." He still wasn't entirely focused as he opened up the link again. She wants to name our baby after you but doesn't know what to use – I could tell her that. Could I tell her that? It's in my head, after all. It was – his name was in there, all of it, all of the meanings and permutations and versions.
Too dangerous, the other him sent. What name are you using?
I'm the Doctor. He grinned – he loved using that line. Torchwood called me John Smith, but I wasn't there long. Nothing really seemed to fit, you know? Of course you do – you're me. He'd only worked for Torchwood until his TARDIS was grown, but it had been a very odd few weeks. For many reasons, not the least of which was he kept expecting Jack to show up.
John Tyler has a nice ring to it. Jane if it's a girl. And – There was sudden silence from the other end of the link.
What?
John Theta Tyler.
He blinked. He hadn't even considered using that name. I like it. Thank you. And, Doctor? he sent, using his name for the first time.
The link was beginning to close down. What?
Get a companion. You're dangerous alone.
I'm dangerous to them.
Danger to one person or danger to whole planets. Take your pick.
There was a nod of acknowledgement from the other end, and then the link was gone. He wasn't really a Time Lord, he couldn't open it again or access it in any way unless the other him started it.
"He's gone," he said quietly.
Rose sighed, pulling him into a hug. "You alright?"
He looked down, letting his nose rest in her hair – currently dyed ginger, as if to spite him. "I should be asking you that."
"You didn't answer."
"No."
She pressed her face against his chest. "I know. He's – he's like a car crash. You can't look away until you're past it. Too irresistible. Like flies to honey."
"You catch more with vinegar."
She laughed shakily. "Not the point, Doctor. Any time he's there, you – you and me both – we just forget about everything else. He becomes the centre of the universe, most important person there. And then he's gone again and you have to reset."
"Thanks," he muttered into her hair. "Thought I was the Doctor." He was pretending at more annoyance than he actually felt – this wasn't a conversation he wanted to have.
"You're my Doctor. And I'm never gonna leave you." She pulled back from his chest so she could look into his eyes.
He smiled, trying to figure out how he had so successfully denied reality for so long. "I'm never gonna let you. An' since I can say it: Rose Tyler," he said, cupping both hands around her face, preparing to say the words that he would never, ever get tired of saying, no matter how many times he did so. "I love you."