Just a few words of thanks everyone that took the time to read, review, and favorite my story.
I watched Doctor Who since I was a kid, hiding behind my hands during the scary parts.
I didn't watch it for many years until I happened to catch a old rerun of the 9th Doctor. Rose, the Doctor and Jack, hooked me in and didn't let go until that terrible moment where he left her on the beach with his clone. Broke my heart.
Couldn't watch another episode for years. Now with all the Doctor Who 50th anniversary at hand and Doctor Who everywhere, it started me thinking about this story.
I hope you enjoy.
I don't think this needs saying but I don't own Doctor Who, BBC does. If I owned it I would have pawned off the Crown Jewels in order to pay to keep Billie Piper as Rose and the 9th Doctor around much longer.
Chapter 2
Doctor
It was night, well it was night somewhere, he supposed, not on his wonderful ship but somewhere.
He had been traveling around by himself for a long spot of time, when Martha had called him asking if he minded taking her to that bazaar on New Earth, she remembered seeing a something that would be perfect for Mickey there for his birthday. She wanted it to be a surprise.
Not having anything pressing to do he picked her up and then proceeded to get them almost killed by landing in the middle of a pitched battle during the American Civil War
Afterward, Martha had not been happy with him. But after managing to not kill her and taking her to the bazaar and paying for the thing that she wanted to give Mickey, her attitude improved.
She decided to take a nap and try healing up a bit before having him drop her off at home just 20 minutes after she left.
The Doctor never understood why all his human friends kept sleeping their lives away. He didn't need more then an hour a two a week and he was in top condition.
"Liar" the TARDIS whispered into his mind.
"I am not" he thought to her, "I am okay with just a few hours of sleep a week or two."
"You don't sleep, because you don't want to dream."
The Doctor shifted uncomfortable in the jump chair. He didn't want to talk about dreams. He hated dreaming. They were never pleasant. They were always of things he couldn't change, people he had killed himself or had been killed because of him, and her. His pink and yellow girl, his one true….no must not think of it. Maybe he should try fixing the TARDIS and seeing if he pounded on the something he could get it to go faster.
"No, Thief no pounding now I am busy."
The Doctor was astounded and lets face it that didn't happen to a Time Lord often anymore and he jumped to his feet in shock.
Martha Jones came flying out of her room, pulling on her jacket.
"Doctor, did you hear that?" she asked looking at the center consol of the TARDIS.
"Depends, what did you hear?"
"No, Thief no pounding now I am busy."
The Doctor shook his head up and down and said "then yes, I heard that."
Martha rolled her eyes in frustration "well then who said it?"
"Well if it wasn't you and it wasn't me then it must be the only other being here."
"Who?"
"You know Martha for a doctor you are surprisingly dense sometimes."
Martha counted to five before answering "and you Doctor for a 2000 year old Time Lord are a rude bugger."
"Oi only 912 thank you very much. Not even middle aged for a Time Lord and I might add I am really something to look at in this body." he said preening and running his hand though his fabulous hair.
Martha couldn't hold her temper in and she shouted at him to stop changing the subject and tell her who else was in the ship.
"Nobody"
"Then who said that?"
"The TARDIS of course." he said as it was as plain as the nose on her face.
"Have you gone mad? Or have you been tinkering on the ship and added a voice?"
The Doctor sighed 'really Martha how many times do I have to explain that the TARDIS is more then a ship, she is a being, alive with her own mind. Although until now she has always chosen to speak to me in my mind rather then a voice. Very interesting".
Suddenly the TARDIS began to shake violently hurling them both to the floor. Wrenching sounds of gears groaning under the grates filled the control room as the TARDIS seemed to spin out of control.
As suddenly as it began it stopped and all was silent.
"You, alright?" he asked as he got to his feet. He held his hand out to Martha expecting help her up but she was ignoring him completely and was instead looking behind him.
"I say, are you okay?" the Doctor said getting concerned as she kept ignoring him.
"Um, Doctor we aren't alone here anymore."
"What?"
"Look behind you." she said pointing.
The Doctor turned around and he saw but he didn't believe his eyes, so he closed them and opened them again.
There in the control room stood his past.
Captain Jack spoke first.
"Doctor, you know I love coming with you on these little trips but you know you should ask before you just pull me aboard, I was just getting ready to have a little fun with a beautiful something." he said with a little wink.
"Oi Martha, watcha doing with him again? I thought you said you were going shopping." Mickey said
"Um, I did go shopping. I needed something from a market far away he gave me a lift." she said with a little smile "don't be mad, I wanted to get you something nice for your birthday.' She made her way over to him and took his hand. "You're not mad are you?"
"No, not really but you shouldn't go jumping around with him, he tends to try steal my best girl and then go misplacing them."
Martha kissed his cheek, "don't worry about that babe, not this girl.'
The two of them made goggle eyes at each other until there was a snicker from the redheaded woman.
"You two need to get a room" Donna said arms folded across her chest, "and you Doctor you can't just jerk me around like this. First you say you need some time to yourself and drop me off to visit my family and before I even get to drink a decent cup of tea, you pull me back on this ship. You really need to make up your mind."
"I would have to agree with her, Doctor, you used to at least ask people to join you not just jerk them though space."
"I assure you Sarah Jane that I had nothing to do with this." the Doctor in the brown coat said.
"Then how did this happen?" Mickey asked.
A thick northern accent cut in "You're the Doctor? A pretty boy? I regenerate at some point into a pretty boy? Rose must love that."
Every head turned to the man that had stood silent in the shadows as he walked into the light there were gasps of confusion.
He wore a black leather jacket and his eyes were blue and full of regret and pain.
Jack looked from one Doctor to the other. Holy crap, how does this happen and what does it mean.
The 10th Doctor looked at his old self and wondered again how she had ever decided to come along on adventures with a man that looked that scarred and sad. How had she broken down the walls? Even as the thoughts formed he shut them down, it doesn't do to think about her.
The 9th Doctor looked at his future and wondered what Rose thought of him. Did he make her happy? He was after all a pretty boy and his girl liked them pretty. He wasn't sure how he felt about the hair though. He figured that since Mickey seemed to know this Doctor that it must be his next regeneration and he hoped that it hadn't scared Rose too much.
"So, where is Rose? Sleeping? Girl sleeps her life away if you let her.' he said looking around with a grin.
The redheaded lady drew in a shocked breath and the girl Mickey was holding looked at the other Doctor anxiously. And no one said a word.
Something was not right, everyone was looking at his future self with concern and sorrow. Only Mickey looked at the other Doctor with a touch of anger on his face.
"Jack" the 9th Doctor said his voice low and menacing "do you know where Rose is?"
"Um, Doctor" Jack began as both Doctors turned to look at him. "Ugh, Leather Coat Doctor, you need to remain calm."
"Where is ROSE!" the 9th Doctor exploded. His eyes were wild and his hands were shaking.
He took a step towards the 10th Doctor, hands outstretched as if to grab him when the TARDIS spoke again.
"Rose Tyler is dying"
The 9th Doctor spun around to stare at the center console of the TARDIS, shock and pain on his face.
"Rose Tyler is dying" repeated the TARDIS
The words brought him to his knees, tears rolled down his face.
"No, no, where is SHE." he shouted at the TARDIS
Jack had lived so long and had felt pain and heartbreak before so many times but nothing he had felt or seen could compare to the rawness of the pain in the voice of the Doctor kneeling on the floor. He glanced over at the current Doctor and he had to look away from the naked pain in the Time Lord's face.
Jack knew better then anyone what Rose truly meant to the Doctor on his knees. He had witnessed her sweet smile tear down walls of pain. Rose's easy acceptance of his mood swings and manic energy, and her ability to soothe with the simple act of holding his hand, Jack knew without a doubt that they were meant to be. He had been a witness to their sweet dance and had hoped that they would have their happiness as a reward for all the Doctor had done for the universe. When the other Doctor and he had met again and he found out what had happened to Rose, Jack came to the conclusion that sometimes the universe was a real bitch.
The 9th Doctor's mind was in chaos. He had just had a fight with Rose, one of their many. He was mad that she had wondered off again and almost gotten herself killed. Didn't she know how fragile she was, his pink and yellow girl? His whole being was tied in her if something happened to her; he knew he would lose what sanity that she had brought back to his life. She ran to her room after he had called her a stupid ape. Jack had looked at him like he had lost his mind and told him he was real lady killer and walked down the hall to his own room.
The Doctor regretted his harshness as soon as the words fell out of his mouth. He wondered if this time would be the time she would come out of her room with her bag and demand to be taken back home. He sat in the jump chair and waited for what seemed like eternity before she came back. She had a shower and changed into her pajamas. She smelled like her namesake and strawberries. He did not speak but just opened his arms and she had willingly walked into them. As they hugged, she whispered she was sorry. He told her she wasn't a stupid ape at all, just jeopardy prone. She had laughed, giving him one of her tongue in teeth smiles that never failed to make both his hearts skip a beat, and said he was most likely right, he agreed since he was after all, a genius Time Lord. He held her and marveled that this young woman would even let him touch her, much less snuggle deeply in his arms. He had committed genocide on his own people, and even knowing that she embraced him. He was humbled by her. Rose was exhausted and she fell asleep in his arms. He held her for a long time before taking her to her room and tucking her into bed. He lightly brushed his lips across her cheek before going back to the control room to wait for his girl to wake up for the next adventure.
Now he was here. In the hell that he had feared would happen. Rose dying, Rose in danger, Rose somewhere he couldn't find her. Anger rose in him anger towards himself and at the other Doctor in the room. He had heard Mickey saying that that Doctor left his best girl somewhere. He would kill him. After he found where he left her he would kill him and he would tear this timeline apart looking for her.
The Oncoming Storm rose from the floor. He was soldier in this body, he was a man made in the fires of battle and blood. He would find his girl and he would protect the last thing he truly cared about even if it cost the universe.
