Well third chapter here we are. For disclaimer see chapter one. Now that that is out of the way I'll just shut up and let you read.
The Time Vortex
The Doctor knew he couldn't destroy Torchwood completely without affecting the timelines but taking out that base and all its information on Time lords it had gathered was just fine. The Doctor pushed the guilty thoughts from his head about leaving the Ponds behind but he couldn't let them see him like this, as the oncoming storm. He landed the Tardis just outside the junction to section 12. Rounding the corner he saw the same team of men and women working just as furiously as they had before. Jonathan saw him and came running over.
"Thank God you're alright. We thought we had lost you in the surge except for the red head who returned earlier, but how did you manage to get out?" he asked curiously casting a glance at the door. The Doctor ignored him.
"Listen to me and I want you to answer me truthfully," he spat, "What exactly do you know about the girl they were keeping prisoner down there"
"Only what the reports says," Jonathan spluttered cowering under the Doctor's gaze, "the keepers are the only ones exposed to her. They say she turned up injured, and as an alien it was our duty to contain her. Because of her injuries after she was consider to be docile the keeper's went about trying to get her better. They also said in the process they would find out as much as they could about her species," he rushed through his explanation shooting fearful glances back to the oblivious team.
"She's the last one of her species, you ignorant ape," The Doctor hissed "and those keepers weren't helping her, they were torturing her. They did their experiments on her until she was coughing up blood,"
"Oh god, they couldn't have…they can't, oh god," Jonathan covered his mouth in shock, "what have we done," the Doctor stepped closer and loomed over Jonathan.
"Tell all staff to run. Tell them to just run, because for what you did, even without your knowledge. I will destroy this place. And tell them if one shred of information leaves this place, even if one post it note is gone, all hell will pay, you know why?," Jonathan shook his head numbly.
"Because I'm the Doctor," he said barely raising his voice but Jonathan quaked before him. Running back to his team he frantically told them to abandon everything and run. The Doctor watched them go with cold eyes walking back to the Tardis he scanned the complex for forms of life in barely ten minutes the base was empty. Walking over to the typewriter he typed in the codes to remotely activate the self-destruct sequence.
"Now all that was going to be left of that place was memories" he thought crossing his arms. Feeling the rage subside within him, it left behind a dull feeling of disgust at the pit of his stomach. He sighed as he went and entered the co-ordinates to return to Leadworth, opening the door only to reveal a very annoyed Amy Pond.
"What the hell was that for," she shouted pushing past him. The Doctor rubbed his head sheepishly under the glare of the fiery ginger.
"Oh the Tardis picked up an emergency protocol signal. A neutral member was needed to authenticate the placement of a new prime minister. So old sexy here whisked me off to go sort out the parliamentary issue. You wouldn't believe how violent some politicians are on Chromos 9," he rambled quickly.
"Good, I thought you might have gone and gotten revenge on those sick people who were holding her captive," Amy said waving her arms dramatically, "Oh by the way did you get her name I kind of want to stop calling her 'her'," she added off hand.
"She's called the Wanderer, and no I didn't go get revenge," he lied adding a imitation of Amy to throw her off, "Torchwood, that facility that we found her in, well they play a part in my past, their future, so despite how much I wanted to, I had to keep to the time lines," he added bitterly. He felt Rory's hand on his shoulder lending him strength in the awkward manner that only Rory could achieve.
"It's fine. I'm sorry you had to see me like this but what she went through was so inhuman I surprised she didn't die," he turned around and was hit with the full force of Amy's hug.
"Don't worry Doctor. If anyone can help her you can," she stepped back, breaking the embrace with the Doctor. Smiling sadly he made his way over to the infirmary leaving the console room behind.
Infirmary
The Wanderer woke up feeling much better, the pain that had been almost a constant companion had left her. She opened her eyes and stared at the unfamiliar surroundings. Panicking she sat up and got off the strange bed. She tried to remember what had happened but her memories were hazy and half formed. Swaying with vertigo from the sudden movement she struggled to walk but the blood she had lost was too much and was yet to be replenished. Settling for a crawl she made her way over to a darkened corner behind a cabinet containing various medicines. Curling up her knees against her chest she sorted through the jumble of memories trying to remember how she had come to be here. Pain tainted them red as she recalled voices talking and saying so many things, bringing her hope. And a man wearing a ridiculous bowtie, what had happened to them? Wondering if it had just been a hallucination she stiffened and curled up tighter when the sound of footsteps approaching broke through her wonderings. When she estimated that they were at the door they sped up and stopped beside the bed she had woken up on.
"Only the keepers would be this worried by her escape, only they would want her this badly," she thought. The footsteps started getting closer methodically searching for her, a traitorous whimper escaped her lips alerting her searcher. Suddenly the man with the bowtie came into view. Seeing her huddled shape the Doctor raised his arms slowly showing he wasn't armed.
"Wanderer, listen," he said soothingly, "you aren't in section 12 anymore. We escaped, and no one's going to hurt you here," he approached slowly and carefully. The Wanderer's eyes were wide and she struggled to push herself deeper into the corner. Her eyes flickered with hope, fear and confusion.
"I'm the Doctor and just going to check your condition, it won't hurt but I need to know if you're going to be alright," The Doctor said quietly. The Tardis sang comfortingly to the Wanderer soothing her and backing up the Doctor's claim. Reaching forward he placed a hand on her wrist and measured her pulse.
"Your hearts seem to be back in sync now if you come with me I can scan for any internal injuries. Can you managed to walk there yourself or do you need help?"
"Can you help me? I can't walk yet," she replied quietly. He nodded, and gently scooped her up and carried her to the bed. Scared at how light she was.
"Ok the Tardis will scan you now and we can see what we can do," he said calmly as he looked over at a monitor nearby. Gallifreyian symbols appeared on the screen stating the diagnostics.
"Ok you've completely healed you just need a few hours to replenish your blood supply, until then take it easy you'll be lighted head and weak for a while longer and the bones are still tender so be careful not to re-break them. They should be strong enough in a couple of hours," he sat down beside her and put his arm around her she flinched away then cautiously lent into him, accepting the comfort of his presence. She felt him rubbing her arm warming her pale skin.
"I promise not to let anyone hurt you anymore," he murmured. Feeling her drop asleep against him he laid her down again on the bed and pulled up a chair, waiting until she woke up once more.
The Wanderer woke and was greeted by the sight of the Doctor reading in a chair beside her. The Doctor, noticing she was now awake placed his book down on a trolley covered in the alien equivalent of alcohol swabs and gauze bandages.
"How are you feeling, any more light-headedness?"
"No I'm all good I think," She replied hesitantly.
"Good, so are you up for something to eat?" He said half cheerfully easing into familiarity. Wanderer shrugged not trusting her opinion.
"Uh…can I have a shower first," she asked hoping she hadn't stepped over the line.
"Oh coarse, just through there, I'm the Tardis will provide you with some clothes as well," Hopping up the Doctor helped her off the bed. She walked over to the small bathroom to the side. Hearing the sound of rushing water he waited until she had finished washing. Finally she emerged and thanks to several alien conditioning agents her matted black hair now lay smooth and sleek ending at the small of her back. She was wearing a black singlet with cream cardigan. She also wore a long brown skirt decorated with several different designs and patterns. A pair a tan leather gladiator sandals supported her feet
"Right I should say a good meal is in order, your barely skin and bones," He said wincing internally at of thin she really was clad in the clothing. Walking out the door the Doctor lead her to the nearest kitchen and found it already occupied with Amy and Rory. Leading the Wanderer over to a comfortable booth he sat down beside her and gestured to Amy and Rory to come join them.
"Wanderer this is Amy and Rory. They helped get you out of that cell and I wanted you to meet them," Amy waved in response while Rory smile awkwardly.
"So your names the Wanderer, right?" Amy asked, "What is it with you Time lords and your weird names?"
"Wait," The Wanderer started looking at the Doctor, "You're really a Time lord?"
"Of course, can't you tell?" Wanderer nodded her head in response.
"I can but one day about twenty years after I was captured all the Time lord conscious suddenly disappeared. I almost went insane from the emptiness and darkness. When you entered my mind that first time you found me, I thought that you might have been but I didn't want to hope and I thought I might just be creating an illusion, I had to be sure," She shuddered remembering the day. The Doctor looked at her sadly.
"That was the end of the Time war everyone died except for me. There was another, for a time, the Master, but he's gone as well. I'm sorry but we're the only ones left," The Doctor got up and went over to the kitchen and started cooking. Soon Rory got up and left leaving Amy and Wanderer alone.
"I'm sorry," began Amy, "I can't even imagine how you must feel," The Wanderer barely heard her as tears streamed down her face. Amy unsure on what to do went with her instincts and slid over and wrapped her in a hug comforting the young Time lady the only way she could. She cried into Amy's shoulder for several minutes until the Doctor came over with a bowl of beef stew.
"Here, eat this you need the iron," he said. She took the spoon gingerly as though unsure on how to use it. Taking a mouth full she was soon devouring the savoury stew hungrily. Taking out a napkin the Doctor wiped the flecks of stew away from her mouth cleaning her face. She was so childlike he was afraid of how much damage was done to her mind. Then again she was trapped for a vast period of time. Taking her bowl returned with another this time accompanied with a bread roll.
"Slowly this time ok," he warned as she picked up her spoon. Hesitantly she started again making sure to slow down. Taking the roll in hand she started tearing small pieces off, dipping them in the stew and nibbling on them.
"So Wanderer," Amy said, "what's the deal with the name. I can sort of see from what the Doctors told me that it usually reflects upon your personality or what you aspire to be," the Wanderer looked up briefly then paid her attention to the roll before speaking.
"I always wanted to travel, ever since I joined the Academy. I wanted see the stars. I used to let by Tardis drift on the currents of reality until I ended up someplace new and interesting. Basically a wanderer, who never stays, just travels,"
"That sounds just like our Doctor here except he doesn't mean to drift aimlessly it just happens. But between you and me, and I don't want to seem rude, but you don't mind if I called you Wanda, after all the Wanderer is a bit of a mouthful," The Wanderer thought briefly.
"Yes, I'd like that," she said smiling a little, breaking the sad distant look she had worn ever since she arrived on the Tardis. Amy patted her hand tenderly glad that she had made a breakthrough and left her in peace to finish her stew. After she had finished her second bowl The Doctor led her down the Tardis corridors until they reached the door he wanted.
"Since you'll be staying in the Tardis indefinitely I had the Tardis build you a room," Wanda walked into a Tardis blue room (though she didn't know it at the time). A carved maple bed with a canopy and sheets matching the walls stood in the middle of the room. Silver tree line drawings decorated the walls and every now and then the braches and leaves would sway as a non-existent breeze blew through them. A bookshelf was tucked in one corner accompanied with two dark brown leather armchairs and a matching coffee table. A door leading to a massive wardrobe stood in one corner and a window seat was hidden behind a pair of curtains, artificial moonlight streamed through the glass lighting the flowerbeds of the Tardis garden. Another door led to a rustic bathroom with a wooden vanity, brass plumbing and decorative tiles.
"I wasn't sure what you liked as I don't really know you, so I let the Tardis decide," he murmured quietly as though unsure what to say. Running a hand over the furnishings Wanda turned around eyes sparkling.
"This is mine? All this, just for me?" she asked, "Oh thank you, thank you so much. I've never seen any so beautiful in all my 176 years," she leapt forward and hugged the Doctor a tear sliding down her cheek. The Doctor patted her back awkwardly surprised by her sudden change. But almost stopped his thought process, 176 years, she was barely an adolescent and she had obviously suffered. Realising that he still hadn't replied the Doctor focused once more on Wanda.
"Thank the Tardis, but right now you need to sleep and get back your strength. A Time lady of your age needs her beauty sleep," he turned and left her to marvel at her new home.
"Thank you," she whispered to the Tardis. The Tardis hummed softly in return.
I feel I finished on a nicer tone here. I hoped you liked it. More to come and I hope you like them as well. So as a writer I am desperate for reviews, so please do. Also because my friend, Marisa, (who I dedicate this chapter to) and I tend to debate in biology, I would like to know. Which is a better name for a chicken and duck hybrid? A chuck or a ducken? Any way that's your daily dose of randomness. Chieko out
