Chapter One: Stranger with a Familiar Face

Rose Tyler sat in the left passenger seat, staring out at the clouds as Mickey Smith drove her through the countryside for her weekly trip to Dårlig Ulv Stranden—Bad Wolf Bay. She sighed, and Mickey glanced at her, concerned. No feelings other than friendship had been resurrected after she had come to live in the parallel universe on her part. Yet perhaps something of that old relationship still lingered in Mickey's heart, though he knew better.

Rose felt both longing to visit this spot every week, though at the same time a painful apprehension. It was the last place she had spoken to the Doctor…her Doctor. Missing him never ceased and the yearning to be with him once again to travel in the TARDIS was just too great. As they arrived at the edge of the abandoned beach, a tear streamed down her face.

"I'll stay here and wait for you," Mickey said. "However long you like."

Rose nodded and got out of the little car with stiff legs. Her hair immediately whipped around her face in the area's constant state of windy weather. She pulled her jacket more tightly around her and folded her arms, walking forward across the beach. She went to stand in the same spot she knew she had stood, as if making a memorial in time and space.

She stared out at the sea, going over those few minutes at Torchwood over and over in her mind. If only she could have held on just half a minute longer… Sobs overcame her as the memory was instead replaced by her last conversation with the Doctor that had taken place right here on this beach. She had said what she needed to say. But what she wouldn't give to hear the Doctor finish that sentence before the transmission had been cut off!

Rose shut her eyes tightly, against the constant throbbing of emotional pain that surged through her head. The wind seemed to pick up, and she struggle to push her hair back in vain. A gentle whirring was heard in the distance.

Rose's eyes popped open in shock, watching as a familiar blue box began to take shape only a few feet away from her, where the Doctor had been standing. A feeling of madness rushed through her as she turned back to Mickey to check her sanity. Across the beach, he was getting gout of the car to stand there in amazement, mouth opened slightly as though he didn't quite believe it himself, either.

At last, the whirring stopped, and the TARDIS was before her in true form. She waited a moment, realizing no one was coming out. Heart pounding, she reached into her pocket to feel the outlines of her TARDIS key. Slowly, she pulled it out. With trembling fingers, she inserted it into the lock on the door and turned it. She returned the key back to her pocket, then gently pushed the door inwards, holding the edge tightly as she looked inside.

There, standing at the TARDIS controls, was the Doctor, looking down at them in scrutiny, face full of concentration. Upon realizing the door was opening, he looked up at her in surprise, not believing what he saw.

With a slight shriek of excitement and tears of pure joy, Rose ran forward across to the control area and threw her arms around the Time Lord. She paused, backing up, realizing he was not hugging her back. Instead, he was staring down at her full of confusion, recognition not even registering upon his face.

Rose took a step back, giving him a strange look. "Playing tricks on me, then?" she asked, her tone only half-kidding. "Come on, now. Joke's over." He only stared at her blankly. "Hey, this isn't funny! Didn't you even miss me?" Her joy was quickly escaping, a worried, scared look on her face.

"Who are you?" was all he asked.

Rose's jaw dropped as she finally realized what was going on. This wasn't the Doctor—her Doctor at least. Was this the Doctor from the parallel world? The thought hadn't even occurred to her before.

"Rose Tyler," she finally managed to respond, realizing he was still standing there expectantly. "And you are?"

"Why, me?" he said, taking a step towards her. "I'm the Doctor."

"Doctor…who?" she asked, just to confirm her growing apprehension.

"Just the Doctor." He stood there looking her, unsure. "But tell me this: How did you get in here?"

Rose held up her key, waving it slightly.

"Where did you get that?" he asked, reaching out for it. She pulled it back, putting it once again into her pocket.

"The Doctor gave it to me," she replied without thinking, realizing how absurd it sounded here.

"The Doctor?" he returned, a truly puzzled look on his face. "Who is this 'Doctor'?"

Rose looked down for a moment, only glancing up to him before she spoke. "I'm from…a parallel universe."

The Doctor stared at her still. "So you mean the parallel world's Doctor?" Rose nodded. "Well then," he said, raising his eyebrows and sticking his hands into his pockets, which Rose noticed immediately. She smiled slightly, though still tense. "May I ask why he would give you a key to the TARDIS?"

"'Course," Rose answered, shrugging. "I was his companion."

The Doctor looked shocked. "Companion?" he asked incredulously, shaking his head. "I've never had a companion before. I travel alone."

"Seriously?" Rose asked. He nodded.

"I'm not quite sure of you, then," he said, beginning to walk around the panel thoughtfully. He ran his hand through his hair, a look of concentration on his face. "I don't have companions. Would my parallel?"

"But things are different in parallel universes, all based on the decision the other one makes," Rose put in.

"Well, parallel worlds aren't that different. Being parallel and all," he started. "Well, maybe a bit… Well, perhaps you're right." He turned, and Rose relaxed a little at the familiarity in reasoning. "But then, how do I know you're not making all this up?"

Rose frowned at this. He was much more doubtful than her Doctor. "I know things normal humans wouldn't." He waited, wanting her to elaborate. "I've seen Slitheen on Raxacorricofallipatorius. Cybermen yelling "Delete"… Oh, and Daleks! Thousands of Daleks!"

The Doctor stiffened at their mention, his face falling. "Where do you live and work? And why are you here and not with this other Doctor?"

"I live in London and work at the Torchwood Inst-"

"See there!" he exclaimed, interrupting. "A lot more of alien life is known there than the average human."

"But, Doctor," Rose said evenly, "I know more than the facility there has discovered. And I haven't added from what I know, either. It's the human's course to self-discover it…"

"Alright then. Where is this other Doctor?"

It was Rose's turn to be saddened, and a gloom shrouded her face. "I got closed off in this world from him in a war."

The Doctor walked away, his back turned towards her, facing the central cylinder of the TARDIS. Rose knew that had set him back a step again, and she needed to mention the one thing that would convince him.

"I know about the Time War." He stayed still, very rigid. She knew she hit it right. "The Doctor in my universe killed all the Daleks during it."

The Doctor swallowed. "But he would have wiped out the entire Time Lord race in the process." He walked forward to the other side of the controls quietly.

"He had to," Rose replied slowly, though matter-of-factly. "And what about you, Doctor? What did you do in the Time War?"

He remained quiet, reaching down to push a few buttons.

"What are you doing there?" Rose asked quickly, panic rising within her. She rushed forward.

"I believe you," he only replied. The whirring started, and the cylinder began to pump up and down.

"What are you doing?" she cried. She could see Mickey running towards them in the outside monitor, but it was too late when he got there.