"They break my heart." The Doctor looked back at Jackson, stating the truth aloud. The words stung as he spoke about being left alone, but it was always meant to be and would always end that way. Mr. Lake offered a feast in their honor of those lost to them once again, in which the Doctor rethought his previous intent. "You've changed my mind, Jackson Lake, not many people can do that." He closed the door to the Tardis and walked along side the fake doctor towards the Inn where Christmas dinner would be had. As they walked down the snow laden street a familiar voice drifted past the doctor. An impossible voice, one that could not exist after everything that had happened.
"Oh, Rosita? What a great name! My n- er, Nan was named Rose! Close enough, yeah?" She smiled a familiar smile and laughed politely with Rosita Farisi, the companion to Jackson and new nurse-mate for Frederic Lake. The woman was blonde and wore a dress from the time period, one of dull red with a brown leather middle piece. It was a unique getup, but seemed to be real fabric from the time despite the woman being from a land so far away not even the Doctor could touch there himself anymore.
"Rose?" The Doctor said in a neutral tone, more scared and frustrated than hopeful and relieved. She began to turn around to face the voice, but remained with her back turned as if she didn't hear him. "Rose?!" He said louder, walking faster over to the lady. Jackson was confused, recalling the same slightly from the memories blasted into his head however he even had the feeling that she was impossible to exist currently. He ran after The Doctor who was closing in on where Rosita and Frederic talked to this mysterious woman.
She pulled out a pocket watch and bowed her head quickly to Rosita, "I must be on my way, happy Christmas to you and Fredric." She lifted her dress slightly as she began to walk hurriedly away which turned into a sprint when the Doctor called out her name a third time.
Jackson Lake picked his boy up and held Rosita's hand, looking after the two running. "The Doctor will figure it out, he's brilliant you know." He smiled at his son and companion. "I doubt the woman is the real Dame Rose anyways. She is very, very far away. Anyways, he will be joining us for our Christmas Feast in the Inn so we might as well have it prepared! Allons-y!" He mocked his fake memories, making Rosita laugh. They made their way through the Inn's doors that erupted the loud celebrating that took place inside.
Meanwhile in the contrasting and blistering cold of the outside world, The Doctor chased after the suspicious woman, quickly gaining speed from sheer might of the possibilities. She tried her best to out-run him, dodging behind a building into an alleyway as fast as she could. All that running really paid off- but I'll never be able to outrun him! I need to think of something, and fast! Golden swirls started to waft around the woman, making the Doctor even more curious as to who this was; something started to feel off about his first conclusion. Suddenly she stopped running, started slowing down and panting, cowering away. "Please don't hurt me!"
"Hurt you? No! No no no, Don't worry I won't hurt you, I just want to know why you're running," The Doctor stepped over to the woman, reaching his hand out to rest on her shoulder. She turned to face him finally for the first time before his hand could meet its mark. Her face was identical to Rose, it had to be her. As impossible as it was, as dangerous as it was, the Doctor smiled at her. She couldn't help a small tug at her lips, but pressed down the feeling bubbling up inside her chest. "Please, I saw those metal creatures, the large mechanical building in the sky! You're one of 'em aren't you?" She looked to his ears but saw no trace. The Doctor furrowed his brows, now slightly at a loss, "You're either a liar or a stranger… or something more so improbable."
"Oi! I'll have you know I'm a lady, sir! Do you always go around calling ladies liars?" Some sort of teasing emotion flickered in her copper eyes, but her face only held that of insult.
"Uh- Good point, sorry. But you look so much like an old friend of mine.. Does the name Rose mean anything to you?"
"Well my Nan was named Rose, and I do hold much of her appearance. Perhaps you mean her?"
"Perhaps.." He looked at her deeply, studying everything he knew about Rose in this person. She was her, she had to be her. But how is that possible?! "Well since I've insulted the Lady, perhaps you would accept my invite to a Christmas feast?" No way I'm letting her out of my sight, something is happening here and with my luck it's something terrible.
"Ah.. well.. I, um, Oh! I have my own family to be getting back to, for Christmas, you know. It's a time to be with family, not strangers Doctor."
"Doctor?" He raised an eyebrow, smiling just slightly. Her face gave nothing away, "I heard a man calling after you, yelling Doctor. Though, would you like to offer me your full title, sir?"
"Just the Doctor." He smiled fully, his hands in his pockets. "As you should already know." He said under his breath.
"What?" She turned her head slightly, trying to catch what he said. "Nothing," he grinned at her, "but if you have a dinner to get to, allow me to escort you home so you'll be safe from the Cybermen."
"Oh that won't be necessary, thank you Sir Doctor."
"I insist! Never know what you will find in these streets."
"Don't you have a dinner to be attending as well?"
"Well, yes but they won't mind me being a few minutes late." The woman stood there, struggling for options in her head. He was clearly on to her, and she had no place to fake a family residency. "Well why don't we go to your dinner first, I'll have a carriage take me home afterwards." She linked her arm with his and they began to stroll to the Inn.
"Won't your family miss you?" She stayed silent, the grip on his arm tightening very slightly. "No, it has been a busy night. I'm sure missing some guests will be expected." The Doctor wondered for a moment on all the family dinners where guests would be missing because of the Cybermen. His happy reflection on his face dropped. There they were, a pair walking in the quiet snow to an Inn for a happy meal, showing nothing but remorse for very different reasons.
The door to the Inn swung open easily, bringing the two in with warm open arms and the delicious smell of freshly cooked roast. "Ah, there you are Doctor! Over here!" Mr. Lake waved them over to a table in the corner of the downstairs eating area, the stairs to the left of the door leading up to what could be assumed was the rooms. They sauntered over to the table, the Doctor smiling to the others, "Jackson Lake, his son Frederic Lake, and the lovely Rosita Farisi, this is .." He was about to introduce to them Rose Tyler, but speaking that name at this exact moment might be detrimental to finding out what was going on, ".. my friend I met on the street just now."
She looked at the Doctor with disbelief, then looked back to the group, "Nice to see you again Rosita and Fredric, and to make your acquaintance Mr. Lake, I am Lady Tibby. I hope I am not intruding on your evening," She took a seat at the table as Jackson gestured for her to do so. The Doctor looked at her with his usual grin he held for all new people he met, then sat at the table as well.
"It's very nice to meet you, Lady Tibby." Jackson said, reaching out and kissing her hand in respect for her higher class. "You are very welcomed to join us, m'lady. What brings you to this part of the town with such danger just over with?"
"Oh, just curiosity I suppose. I saw the large machine disappear and I had to come and see what happened."
"Curiosity killed the cat, you know." The Doctor spoke up, looking at her.
"And satisfaction brought it back. This is a lovely Inn, I'm so glad it was not destroyed like some other buildings in this town."
"You can thank the Doctor for that, he used a dimension bolt to transport the Cyber King into the Time Vortex." He snapped his fingers, "Gone without collapsing onto this great city." She seemed to not be phased by these foreign words for a moment, ones that even Rosita rolled her eyes at in lack of full understanding to the gibberish, but commented on his explanation with an outsider's thought, "So that is what must of caused those strange blue lights in the sky. Fascinating.." The rest of the dinner was harmless, nothing lost nothing gained in their exchange of words. The Doctor and the false doctor exchanged some stories, though it was mostly Mr. Lake inquiring about a memory that belonged to the correct doctor and The Doctor retelling the story correctly. Soon the night came to a close and Fredric slumped in his seat, tired with the extreme events of the day and the late time of night.
"The child needs some sleep, Mr. Lake." Rosita looked at her companion, then reached over and picked up Frederic. She stood up and walked up the Inn's stairs, presumably on her way to the room Jackson paid for the night. The Lake's house was destroyed by the Cybermen and the rise of the Cyber King, so for the night they would have to take shelter in the Inn.
"Thank you for joining us, Doctor. It's been an honor sir." He reached out his hand to shake the Doctor's hand, which he obliged to.
"Thank you for being the Doctor with me today, Jackson Lake." Mr. Lake nodded respectfully to this marvelous man, so full of wonder and spirit yet was drenched in loss and anguish.
"Take care, Doctor; and you as well Lady Tibby." The blonde woman stood from the seat, going to shake the man's hand in an unladylike fashion for the time period. Instead, Jackson took her hand and kissed the back of it, nodded with a smile, and left the table to go after Rosita and his son. The Doctor and Tibby walked to the front entrance and back out into the unwelcoming cold of Christmas Eve's weather.
"I have to say the name Tibby does not fit you at all." The Doctor laughed a little, putting his hands in his pockets.
"Take it up with my mother then, Sir Doctor."
"Jackie Tyler would have my head if I ever took anything up with her." He ruffled his hair a little, slightly frightened to even think of saying such a thing to that woman.
"Jackie Tyler?" Tibby turned to look at him, raising an eyebrow, "I've never heard such a name." Though she seemed to be keeping light heartened banter, a deep sorrow coated her eyes at the mention of the name.
"I don't understand why you won't tell me what's wrong, Rose. I left you in a parallel world, you can't be here. Unless you've gone shooting holes through the dimension's walls again, in which that is irresponsible young lady." He wiggled his finger in the way a parent scolds a child, though there was no actual hostility towards her. There never could be. Tears seemed to form in the corners of her eyes, eyes that shone a color more golden than brown.
"Hah… young lady." She said quietly, an inside joke with herself, "You talk of such strange things, Doctor. Though from everything I have heard tonight is it nothing new to you. My family.. will be worried about me by now. I'll see you soon, Doctor."
"Ah, no you won't, you'll see me now- come along Ms. Tyler." He grabbed her hand and began walking down the street. She followed along, curious as to what would happen next, but started to slow down and pull away when she saw the blue box under an archway.
"Oh, what a strange little.. thing." She said with a worried tone.
"You've seen it before, come on Rose, drop the act. If something is wrong you know I can help. You're also a terrible liar you know."
"Oi I'm not that bad!" She tugged her hand out of his grip. He turned to look at her, really look at her now that he knew for absolute certain she was Rose.
"Rose… What are you doing here, you need to tell me what's going on." He stepped closer to her. She still seemed so sad and frightened, the look made both of his hearts ache. He had to know what was happening to her, he had to help her.
"I can't tell you, I just can't- It hurts too much." She looked up at him, her eye color now fully golden and glowing. "I said I'll see you soon, and I mean it. Goodbye, Doctor." A tear now ran down her face, a gold essence inside the liquid. She turned from him and ran away, then directly down into an alleyway out of sight. There was a small glow of golden light pouring from the space between the buildings. The Doctor shouted for her to come back and ran after, but when he turned the corner there was nothing there, not even the glow.
"Oh Rose, what's happened to you now?" He sighed, defeated, then turned back to the Tardis. The whirring and buzzing noises flooded around as the door closed with a single click. He strolled over to the control panel and fell onto the suspended couch, propping his crossed legs up on the dashboard. "Gold glow.. her eyes were a different color and she vanished. The look in her eyes almost reminded me of..." He stopped talking, his eyes widening, "No, I took it all from her, that's impossible. Not improbable, Impossible!" He yelled, frustration taking over his worried state of mind. He jumped up and began running hypothetical tests and searched for explanations, but none nothing could prove his early theories. A small beeping sounded from the monitor, one of alarm but now as loud as a fatal emergency would usually be in the Tardis. He rushed over, hoping for an answer but instead found more questions. There was an unusual reading coming from a place in London.
"London?! Not that I don't like the place but can't it be someplace new?... No? No one is here." He looked up, then back down shamefully and started putting in the coordinates to the spot of his next adventure.