Doctor Who
Awaken
A/N: This is a fic I wrote a few years ago for a creative writing course I was in. I don't think it's my best work but I wanted to post it anyway. I hope I do the series justice as it's my absolute favorite show. Enjoy and R&R. No flames though, please?
He woke up in a pool of blood. A million questions started to teem through his head at once.
I have a headache, he thought. He got up and when he turned around, he saw that he was also lying where he had just gotten up from. It was certainly him. The body had wind swept brown hair (he was again disappointed that he wasn't ginger), plain grey shirt with an unzipped vest and navy blue jacket. He recoiled in fear and when he mustered up the courage to investigate, he found that his hand went right through the body. That's when he heard sirens and two police cars pulled up.
"We've got a body at Fifth and Main," one officer said into her mike.
"The ID says he's John Smith," the other officer said as he went through the dead man's pockets.
I don't understand how this is possible. I should have regenerated!
"Finally, here's the ambulance. Let's get this guy to Emanuel Hospital, his pulse is extremely weak."
That's it! I haven't regenerated because I'm not dead yet. My hearts are still beating! But then how do I account for this? I can't be here and there at the same time. My body also has serious injuries. That should have been enough to trigger the regeneration. Oh no, a horrible thought has just occurred to me. What if they do an autopsy on my body? What would happen to me then? They'd discover my alien physiology! I've got to stop them!
"Excuse me, but could you kindly stop what you're doing for a minute?"
The people carried on with their work and ignored him as though he wasn't even there.
"EXCUSE ME, BUT I NEED TO TALK TO YOU!" He ended up yelling. But the paramedics simply finished putting the body on a stretcher and drove off.
Great, just great, here I am on an alien planet, my spirit separated from my body and I don't know what to do. Maybe if I'm lucky, I can find someone in the area that can communicate with me. He turned around and came face to face with another spirit who had a body like an ox.
"You're new to the spirit world aren't you?" He asked.
"Y-yes," he stammered eventually.
"Excellent! It's been a few weeks since we've had a new spirit join us! Come, and I will show you around. I'm Dex by the way, what's your name?"
"The Doctor."
"Medical profession eh? So, Doctor what?
"Just the Doctor."
"Just that?"
"Simply the Doctor, Dex. And I'm not a medical doctor. I'm more of a doctor of science."
"Science! That was one of my favorite subjects in high school! Not that it's prepared me much for this afterlife thing. I still can't explain it."
"Neither can I. This is the most peculiar thing that's ever happened to me, and that's saying something because I'm over 900 years old."
"900 years old?" Dex exclaimed "You don't look a year over 30!"
"That's one of the problems with being a Time Lord; you have an extremely long life. Well, I should probably say lives. Thanks to a rather adventurous lifestyle, I'm going through my regenerations at a quicker pace than others of my race."
"You're not making sense mate, you sure something's not happened to your head? How'd you die?"
"I'm not sure. I can't seem to recall. If I try, I just end up getting a headache." His eyes searched the street they were walking down and he saw a young woman walking on the opposite side of the street.
"That woman, I know her! She was one of my companions a while back. She had an unusual psychic ability and she claimed she could make contact with the spirit world. I never believed it but now is when I'm depending on it being true!" The Doctor approached her and suddenly became aware that she would not be able to see him. "Dex, is there something I can do to make myself visible to her?"
"Yes, but you might not be able to do it yet since you're new to the spirit world."
"I have to try, she may be my only hope of finding out what happened and getting my body back before they dissect it!"
"Alright Doctor, you just have to will yourself to be visible to them. If you do it properly, then you should seem just like a normal human to her. But don't be disappointed if it doesn't work."
The Doctor concentrated with all his mental strength and slowly became visible. The process was mentally draining and he wasn't sure how much longer he could keep it up.
Please let this work! He thought.
"Doctor? Is that you?"
"Yes, Laura, it's me."
She ran towards the Doctor to embrace him in a hug but passed right through him.
"What's going on? Are you just a hologram being sent from the TARDIS?"
"No, I'm not in the TARDIS. I can't really explain what's going on because I don't remember what happened to me. All I know as of right now is that I'm a ghost."
"A ghost? That would explain why you're translucent. I didn't notice that before."
"Laura, I'm in trouble and I need your help. My body has been taken to Emanuel Hospital and I need your help to get it back and bring it to the TARDIS."
"Do you remember where you landed the TARDIS Doctor
"I think I do, why?"
"Because we're going to have to use the TARDIS if you want to get to Emanuel Hospital. My car has been impounded and I'm not about to walk all the way to Emanuel."
"Alright then, we'll go to the TARDIS. Dex, would you care to see my ship?"
"You bet I would Doctor. I just gotta see this!"
"You've got another ghost with you?" Laura asked.
"Yes, sorry, I should have introduced the two of you earlier. There'll be time for that in the TARDIS. It should be this way." They walked down a few blocks and finally turned into an alley. There was the usual collection of trash cans and unwanted bric-a-brac. There, situated among the refuse, stood an old-fashioned British metropolitan Police Public Call Box. The blue paint work looked weathered and beaten. If you listened closely enough, you could just hear a faint hum emanating from the oddly placed Police Box.
"Here she is," the Doctor beamed as he approached the blue box.
"A blue box? You've got to be pulling my leg Doctor," Dex laughed.
"Don't let the external shell fool you Dex."
"Then why does it look like that?"
"The cloaking device got jammed on a previous misadventure, I like it like this. Don't you?"
"I love it," Laura contributed.
"Do they still have Police Boxes, Doctor?" Dex inquired.
"Not any more. They got phased out with the invention of the personal radio, also known as the walkie-talkie. Oh, that's a problem."
"What's wrong?" Laura asked a concerned expression on her face.
"I didn't think about the ramifications of being a ghost. The key won't work anymore."
"But don't you have another one in a compartment above the door?"
"As a matter of fact, I do. Dex, is it possible for me to give a hand up?"
"Best let me do that doctor. Getting the hang of that is a lot trickier than making yourself visible. It requires more than force of mind." Dex made himself visible and proceeded to give Laura a hand up to get the key.
"Got it," She said as Dex lowered her back down.
"You'd better turn the key," the Doctor said. Laura did so and they walked in.
"What the heck?" Dex muttered when he stepped in. Inside was a room vastly bigger than the box that contained it. There were pieces of furniture here and there from different parts of time. But what dominated the room was large hexagonal console at the center of the room.
"Let's see, Emanuel Hospital. Laura, could you look up the coordinates? I keep forgetting that I'm a spirit."
"Gladly, Doctor. Here we are, feeding the coordinates into the navicomputer, and here we go!" Laura said as she pulled the dematerialization lever. The insides of the glass column in the center of the console started to rise and fall and a noise like metal grinding on metal was heard as the TARDIS started to fade.
"The ride's a bit on the bumpy side isn't it?" Dex asked.
"You should have been with me when I first got the TARDIS. I'll admit that I couldn't control it. Not only that, it didn't even function properly because it had a lot of technical faults."
"Technical faults? Did it come off the assembly line that way?"
"No, I stole it when it was in for repairs."
"You stole this?" Laura asked, clearly surprised.
"Yes, and watch it, we're landing."
The TARDIS gave a thud sound that signaled that the craft had solidified. The doors opened and the three occupants walked out. It had begun to rain and it looked like thunder and lightning was on the way. They ran into the hospital and attempted to find the Doctor's body.
"Where should we start looking?" Laura asked.
"Let's start by asking that receptionist. They should have me under the alias 'John Smith.'"
Laura walked up to the receptionist and asked if they had a John Smith in the hospital. The receptionist looked at her for a second, said that they did, and she'd have to be under guard.
"Under guard, what for?" Laura asked.
"I don't know sweetie, all I know is that I was told to call a guard for anyone who came to see this patient," she replied. "Here they come now."
"Definitely not your average guards," Laura commented when she saw the escort. The two guards looked more like military men with their vests and sub machine guns. They were wearing caps that had a globe with wings on them at an angle.
"I recognize them, they're UNIT soldiers. Unified Intelligence Taskforce. Good people, I used to work for them," the Doctor remarked.
"If you'll come with us ma'am," one of the soldiers said. Laura went with them to a floor that was sealed off with soldiers standing guard. Only the soldiers weren't conscious.
"Private Reid to control, we've got a break in on floor two, possible code red. Seal the building," one of the soldiers said into a mike as he ran forward a bit. They progressed further into the building and eventually reached the comma ward. The patient's in here, one of them said and gestured to an area of the ward which was sealed off with translucent plastic. That's when they were attacked. A figure dropped seemingly out of nowhere and knocked the soldier unconscious with one blow.
"Out of my way!" He said as he pushed Laura aside. That's when the Doctor made himself visible again in the door way. The assailant skidded to a halt and stood flabbergasted.
"You?" he yelled. "That's impossible! You're supposed to be dead!"
"Obviously I'm not, now who are you?"
"My dear Doctor, don't you recognize me?"
It took a second but the face finally clicked in the Doctor's memory.
"No, not you. You're supposed to be dead; you were pulled into the Time War with Rassilon at the Naismith mansion! I saw it happen!"
"Who is he Doctor?" Dex asked.
"My name… is the Master. As for an explanation, Doctor, time passes slower on the other side of the time lock. I was able to steal a TARDIS and pilot it back before the link was severed."
"Then what do you want with my body?"
"I need a new body to inhabit, Doctor. Has my little trap affected your memory too much? If you remember, my resurrection went wrong and I ended up burning up my own life force to survive. I can't regenerate anymore so I plan to steal your remaining lives with the help of the Eye of Harmony in your TARDIS."
"I heard this before, back when you had been executed by the Daleks. You planned on stealing my remaining regenerations after I had regenerated into my eighth body. It was rubbish then too, Master."
"But this time, Doctor, you won't be able to stop me. That's because you're going to be completely dead."
"And how are you going to do that? I'm just a ghost."
"I intend to destroy you with this," the Master said as he raised his arm. The Doctor had failed to notice a gun device strapped to the Master's forearm.
"It's called a neutron pack. I've tested it and it has proven itself more than capable of destroying ghosts."
"Well that's not your only problem," Laura said.
"What do you mean by that?"
"There are UNIT soldiers guarding every exit in this hospital. You won't get out."
"I needn't worry about that, I can do this!" The Master raised his hand and a jet of energy shot from the palm of his hand and hit Laura right in the chest. "These proved capable of stopping the Doctor in his tracks for a while; now let's see what they'll do to a human!" He fired the beam again Laura collapsed on the floor.
"NO! LAURA!"
"Sorry Doctor, it's time for me to say good-bye to your company. Don't try turning yourself invisible, this device can track you. It seems rather fitting though, that the weapon that started all of this also end it. I'm the one who attacked you when you landed on this pathetic excuse of a planet. It gave serious injury to your body, ripped your spirit from it, and I suspended your ability to regenerate with this!" He reached into a pocket and pulled out his laser screwdriver.
"Not that, that was on the Valiant when I over powered you and undid the damage you caused by reversing time."
"But it wasn't destroyed. I recovered it before it was dismantled by UNIT. Now say good-bye to your existence Doctor." The Master raised his arm and pointed the neutron gun at the Doctor. Before the Master could fire though, he heard the sound of running footsteps and turned in time to fire on the invading UNIT forces who had tracked his position. Laura was stirring but the Doctor was too distracted to notice.
"I will not let this stop me. But the forces here are too great for me even with my technology. I need a hostage. You're coming with me!" He said when he noticed Laura.
"I refuse to help you," she said as she attempted to get up.
"It wasn't a request."
"Leave her alone!" Dex exclaimed as he charged the Master,
"Dex, NO!" The Doctor was too late, the Master fired as UNIT forces broke down the door to the ward.
"Everybody stays where they are or the girl kicks the bucket. And I mean everyone, Doctor." The Master inched his way to the bed occupied by the Doctor's body and placed a disk on it. "Now I'm afraid that I have to take my leave of you gentlemen. Doctor, I want you to have this before I go."
The Master turned to face the Doctor, shoved Laura out of his way, and fired a bolt at the Doctor. He took a device from his pocket and teleported the Doctor's body and then himself. He never stopped laughing while he did this.
"Doctor! Are you alright?" Laura asked as she knelt down beside him.
"Surprisingly, yes. I was expecting that neutron pack to have more of a bite than that."
"The Master, do you think you can stop him?"
"We won't know unless I try. Allons-y!" The Doctor got up and wasted no time in getting back to his TARDIS. He ran all the way right through walls, upsetting patients and staff alike in his mad dash to stop the Master. He reached the TARDIS and went straight through the doors to the cloister room. The Master was there, getting ready to transplant his spirit into the Doctor's body.
"Stop this now Master, before it's too late!"
"It's already too late, Doctor, even if you did survive my neutron blast. Once I'm in my new body, I'll proceed to execute everyone on this planet who dares to oppose me, starting with your precious companion, Laura!"
"I won't let you!" the Doctor exclaimed and lunged at the Master. He went right through him and the Master just laughed.
"Is that how you intend to stop me? Well it won't work! My spirit will be transferred to your body in a matter of seconds! You can't stop me. At last you're powerless!" he taunted.
The Doctor just got back up and with a determined glint his eyes, marched towards the Master. For perhaps the first time, the sneer on the Master's face wavered just a bit. When the Doctor reached the Master, he produced a jaw splintering blow that toppled his opponent.
"I thought you were a ghost!"
"I am. But I now know how to touch you. I can use the full extent of my powers." A golden glow started to surround the Doctor and he rose a few feet into the air. "It's over Master. This ends here." The Master fired another neutron blast at the Doctor and the blast was absorbed. He fired three more times before he realized it was useless.
"If you don't stop this now I'll destroy your body!" He yelled as he raised his laser screwdriver. The Doctor merely raised his hand the weapon flew out of the Master's hand and skidded to a stop a few dozen feet away. "No, you can't do this to me! No! No! NO!"
"Transplant will begin in ten seconds. Nine… eight… seven…"
The Doctor had to run to reach the place where he needed to be to have his spirit reunited with his body. The countdown reached zero and his soul was back in its rightful place in a flash of light. He got to his feet and turned to face the Master who was backing up towards the Eye of Harmony.
The Master continued to back up and before he realized it, he had walked right into the open Eye of Harmony. He grabbed one of the reflector rods that surrounded the Eye and was barely hanging on as the Doctor returned to normal.
"Take my hand," the Doctor said as he extended his hand. "We're the only two Time Lords left in the universe, there's no one else. Master, let me help you."
The Master stared at the Doctor for a few seconds longer and let go of the rod. He floated above the Eye, caught inside the beam of light radiating from it until he was dissolved.
"De ja vu, in more ways then one," the Doctor muttered.
"DOCTOR!" Laura and Dex came running into the cloister room just as the Eye was closing. "Are you alright?"
"Yes, Laura, I'm fine." Even though he had succeeded, there was something wrong about the Doctor's face. He took a few steps towards them and suddenly collapsed.
"Doctor, what's wrong?" Dex asked.
"It's the end, Dex."
"What do you mean?" Laura asked.
"I'm dying. The extent of my injuries is finally taking effect. I was able to hold it off while fighting the Master, but now it's time to let nature take its course. Just so you know erratic behavior, confusion, and memory loss are to be expected."
"What do you mean they're to be expected? You're dying."
"I'm talking about regeneration Laura. See?" The Doctor raised his hand for them to see. It had become enveloped in a calm golden glow. "My life is like a book. It has its beginning and it most certainly will have its end. But this is not the end of the book, it's just then end of a chapter. Now get back," he said as he attempted to get to his feet. The same glow began to cover his face and suddenly took full force. The energy shot from his arms and head and you could just see his facial features change as the energy dissipated.
"Doctor?" Laura asked as she gingerly approached this new man.
"You were expecting someone else?"
"Doctor, what happened?" Dex asked.
"Change my friend. And it seems just in time. Now what do I look like this time?"
"Well, your ginger," Laura started.
"I'm what?"
"Ginger."
"YES! Finally! Ginger hair! Just what the doctor ordered! Oh, new voice. Let's see. Doh, rey, me, fah, soh, lah, ti, doh. OK, there we go. Just breaking in the new voice, always have to do that. It's like breaking in a new pair of shoes. You get them and you never want to wear them because they're uncomfortable and once they're broken in they're really comfortable and you're like why did I never want to wear these shoes? Why can't I stop talking about shoes? Shoes... shoes... I know! There's a great shoe store on the planet of Cordon Minor. They have shoes everywhere! On the shelves, desks, ceiling, even on the floor! Well that's mainly because people are walking around in them but that's beside the point... wait, that's shoes again. You know what I need? A new jacket! Bow ties are also cool. Wait, that's a past regeneration. Forget that remark. Let's... let's... let's... I know! Pandora! What do you think Nyssa?"
"I'm Laura, Doctor. Are you sure you're alright?"
"Of course I'm alright! Never felt better in my life! And did I just call you Nyssa?"
"Yes."
"Sorry about that, memory slip. Now.. OH! UGH! Whatever am I wearing? I need to get out of these horrid clothes! Now where did the wardrobe get off to this time?"
Dex hit the Doctor on the jaw and he fell to the floor.
"What was that for?" exclaimed Laura as she knelt down to check the Doctor's pulse.
"He was starting to get on my nerves."
"He was getting on mine too but that's no reason to hit him!"
The Doctor shot back up and scared both of them. "Of course I was getting on your nerves. I get on a lot of people's nerves. It's like a hobby of mine and did you notice how I said all that really fast without stopping for air?"
This time Laura hit him.
15 Hours later
"Are you sure you're alright now Doctor?"
"Yes Laura, the regeneration cycle lasts fifteen hours. No more, no less. But I assume that you and Dex want to go back home now. I'll take the TARDIS out of orbit." The Doctor walked to the console and with the flip of a few switches, landed the TARDIS near the spot where he had met Dex.
The Doctor was now dressed in a blue button up collared shirt with a tie and tan dress pants. He had selected a pair of shoes that actually looked like they went with his selection of clothes but the shoes were Gravity Defyers. They were a special shoe that had springs in the heels for maximum energy return when running. And they were incredibly comfortable. A trench coat reminiscent of his tenth life completed the ensemble.
"Are you sure you don't want to stay Dex?"
"Thanks, but no Doctor. Your lifestyle is a bit too much me. But who knows, we may see each other again. Take care of yourself Doctor, and good luck."
"You do the same Dex. Have a good afterlife. Now Laura, I take it that you want me to drop you off at home."
"Actually Doctor, I was wondering if I could come with you. I've hit a pretty rough time in my life. My car has been impounded, I've broken up with my boy friend and I'm facing eviction from my apartment because I can't pay the rent. I guess I just need something to take my off it for awhile."
"Laura, you're more than welcome to come with me. Now, where do you want to go?"
"How about another planet?"
"I know just the one. Here we go!" The Doctor programmed the coordinates and with the pull of the de-mat lever, sent them whirling into a world of infinite possibilities.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Doctor Who. The Doctor, the TARDIS, the Master, the Laser Screwdriver and UNIT are all trademarks of the BBC. No copyright intended.
N/A: And that is my first and so far only Doctor Who fic. I hope it didn't suck too much. I may or may not write more if I get any ideas. And they will most likely feature my own Doctor. And they will be better than this if this one kind of sucked. Until then...
Knight Writer 95 out