Thank you for all the reviews so far!
A/N
This chapter may seem a bit disjointed, but hopefully it isn't.
References: From The Runaway Bride (Xmas Episode), and Red Dragon (my story).
Overstepping the Boundaries
Chapter Three: Powerful Memories
When Rose woke the following morning she was startled to find the Doctor's arms wrapped round her. They had fallen asleep together on the sofa in the TARDIS' living room after the Doctor had persuaded Rose to leave her room and come and watch a feel good movie. Picked out by Martha, the film documented the story of a young human girl coming to terms that she was falling in love with someone of a different race. The film had been made in the year 2022 and had won several Oscars. The film mirrored the Doctor's and Rose's relationship and showed how a human girl could fall in love with an alien from Mars, who had antenna sticking out of his head.
Unlike the Doctor, Rose thought, he didn't look human.
She moved only slightly but it was enough to wake him. He stirred, blinking his eyes rapidly as he wondered where he was. Then he turned his head to see Rose, smiling up at him. She whispered in his ear. "Thank you."
He didn't know what she was talking about, but he responded as if he did, hoping it would fool her. "It was my pleasure."
However Rose did notice. "You have no clue what I'm talking about do you?"
"Um, not really. I'm still tired." The Doctor replied.
Rose laughed. "I thought you never sleep."
The Doctor frowned. "Not strictly true. I do sleep; I've just been sleeping more then usual."
"Why?" She was quite suspicious. It was very rare that he slept and when he did it was only for a few hours at least.
"No reason." The Doctor shrugged the question off quickly. He couldn't tell her - not yet.
"You're keeping secrets from me." She announced.
Silence reigned between them.
What are you hiding from me? Rose wondered.
Finally he responded. "I've been thinking a lot lately. I've lost everyone. My whole family, my home and I nearly lost you. I'm afraid that I'm never going to see you again."
"You got on all right before when I left," Rose replied, wrapping her arms round him, "You found Martha."
"You don't know how long I spent trying to find a way through the Void to get to you before Martha walked into my life."
Rose was silent. She didn't know. She had assumed that he had just found her immediately, but when she considered it, Martha hadn't known much about travelling with the Doctor.
"I had no one for a year and a half. Well," the Doctor looked up, gazing at the ceiling, "that is if you don't count Donna in a wedding dress."
"Donna?" Rose quizzed.
"Oh, some woman who was walking down the aisle when she suddenly appeared in my TARDIS."
"She did what?"
"Appeared in the TARDIS."
"You hadn't left the doors open by any chance?" Rose teased.
"I was orbiting a super-nova at the time. I'd just said goodbye to you. It would be a bit impossible for a human woman to wander into the TARDIS when it wasn't on Earth in the first place."
"Didn't stop me."
"You were with me then, Donna wasn't. I'm telling the truth! She just literally appeared in the TARDIS seconds after I'd said goodbye to you!"
Rose sniggered, raising her eyebrows. "I'll forgive you this time for cheating on me." She smiled and then leaned into kiss him. "You know I'm only teasing you." She whispered against his lips.
"Didn't sound like it." He was just playing along. As Rose pulled away from him, the Doctor shifted his position, leaning into her again, pressing his lips firmly against hers; his arms wrapping round her body as he pushed her back onto the sofa. Rose was vaguely aware that his tongue was in her mouth, but then he pulled back suddenly, worry in his eyes.
"What's wrong?"
"I went too far." The Doctor lowered his head.
He was ashamed? Rose thought. How could he be ashamed? But then, as she considered, she had nearly gone too far in her decision yesterday before the Doctor had talked her out of leaving. She couldn't blame him, but if he loved her as he said he did, why would he say he had gone too far? A gut feeling settled in her stomach. Maybe this was all an act. Maybe he's toying with my emotions.
"I know what you are thinking."
Rose's head snapped up. "What?"
"You can't hear my thoughts yet. I only catch your thoughts every so often."
"The link, then." Rose remembered. Ever since they had been reunited they had both been aware of a link that had formed between them. Every so often they could connect their minds together and speak to each other. Rose had a feeling that this communication would open itself entirely, but she didn't want it to. It was another way for the Bad Wolf to hurt the Doctor. But the problem with that was he could still read what she was thinking yet it didn't work vice-versa. She had no clue how to prevent him from doing that either and she was afraid to ask him to.
But then a thought invaded her mind.
I love you Rose Tyler.
Rose focused her eyes upon the Doctor and smiled lightly. "I know."
The lightened feeling that Rose had felt only moments before had darkened. The Doctor knew what she was thinking.
"You want to leave because you fear harming me."
"Yes." It was the truth.
Placing his hands firmly on her shoulders, he held her, his brown eyes boring into hers. "Listen to me Rose Tyler. You control the Bad Wolf now. It is not an evil entity now. It once was but you defeated it. When you defied it at Derol Flynn's lab it went, because it knew you were too strong. It will always be a part of you, but you can use it for the right purposes this time. Even if you feel angry and something happens it will not reawaken the bad entity. The Bad Wolf can never harm me again, it won't affect you either. If it did I would have asked you to leave, no matter how I feel about you. Alright?"
She nodded, feeling ashamed. "I'm sorry, but I can't forget what I've done."
"Then I'm going to make sure you come to terms with that."
However the Doctor didn't even have a chance to help Rose come to terms with her worries, since memories of his captivity began to assault his thoughts and dreams.
He was hauled into a chamber, one that was dark and a horrid stench reached his nose and he gagged, coughing. He felt sick. He hadn't felt like this before, not in a long time. The three Desdins hauled him onto a metallic table. Rough hands pulled his shirt off. He began to shiver immediately as very cold air attacked his skin. By rights he shouldn't even feel affected, but Derol Flynn was making sure he was suffering. Two of the Desdins held him down; one holding his hands above his head in a tight grip while the other kept a firm grip on his ankles. His eyes glanced around the gloomy chamber and spotted the other Desdin sharpening a cruel knife, before turning round and focusing its eyes upon him.
Returning to his side, with the knife in its hand, the Desdin began to cut his skin; blood began to pour from the wounds created but he would not yield to their demands. They wanted to hear him scream. But he couldn't give them that satisfaction. He had to be strong for Rose.
For Rose, his mind thought again.
He could barely breathe as a wash of panic spread into his system. His breathing became laboured. He was panicking. Mists began to cloud his mind but he could still hear the excited tones of the Desdins. Every inch of his body was on fire. And then, abruptly, the sharp pain stopped.
"Have you had enough now Time-Lord?" the one holding the knife asked. "Go on, give us the satisfaction we need."
Another slice of his skin. He bit his lip determined not to yell out. Finally he said: "No."
Defiance was not what they wanted. Obedience - he wouldn't give them that.
"Then you will suffer more until you obey." One said.
Abandoning the knife to the floor, the Desdin stalked over to a cauldron which held hot liquid inside. Scooping it up in ten goblets, he carried them over to a small table beside the metallic one. Holding one of the goblets up, the Desdin tilted it slightly. Hot, orange liquid fell onto his skin, burning his body even as the liquid burnt the wounds together.
His head was spinning. Immense agony. Fire running through his soul. So much pain.
The second goblet, the third, the fourth, and then the fifth.
It was too much at once. He couldn't hold it any longer.
He screamed. The Desdins began to laugh. One released its hold on his ankles and picked up the knife. Returning to the table the Desdin slid the sharp edge along his cheeks, cutting the skin, before the other one poured the burning liquid onto the freshly made wounds. Once more he screamed. Why weren't they stopping? He had submitted. Why continue?
A sharp hand grasped his head, its cruel dark eyes boring into his. "You punishment lasts longer. You got off easy the first time; this time you won't."
"Please…" Perhaps politeness would help his situation.
"Oh look Riaj, it's trying to talk."
The others chuckled. Retrieving a dirty rag, the one named Riaj stuffed it into his mouth. He nearly gagged but stopped himself.
They pushed him off the metallic table and he fell with a crunch to the floor. Laughter. Within minutes his hands and feet were bound into the cold floor. All three of them picked up a whip each. Three cracks and then immense pain as all three of the whips barrelled into his back at once. Even with his mouth gagged he could still scream.
And he did.
Laughter.
"That's it. Let's hear that voice again."
Again, again and again. They didn't stop until he began to fade.
Blackness eventually overcame him.
The Doctor woke. He had been resting and had not expected to fall asleep. He shook his head trying to clear it, but the images kept invading his mind.
"Doctor? Are you alright?"
Rose was standing there. "You were screaming."
"Was I?"
Rose nodded in affirm nation. "Please tell me. I told you what I was afraid for you. Now it's your turn."
She was right. He could not avoid telling her what had happened to him during his three month captivity. She had always known something was up with him. And he thought he had hidden it better from her. Obviously, he had failed.
His eyes met hers and he began to speak.
To Be Continued…
Please let me know what you think!
In the next chapter the Doctor and Rose have a heart-to-heart and really discuss things, but the question is, will Rose stay? Will probably include a few references to the first two series.
I hope everyone is having/or had a good Easter!
Until next time,
Leila-Rose-Bell
