Chapter Four: trip to hospital

I do not own nuns, cats, or cat nuns. Also, much to my chagrin I do not own

Doctor Who. Otherwise i'd be laughing maniacally with Moffat right about now.

"Doctor this would go a lot faster if you would just-"

"I DO IT!"

"Okay! Okay."

Exasperated and still fairly sticky, she went back to the bed. After she managed to clean him up with a wet washcloth, (his repeated shrieks of "NO BATH!" had her ears still ringing) the TARDIS had materialized some very nice little jumpers to choose from.

Of course, the doctor insisted on picking out his clothes and dressing himself with NO help so here she was. His mind was continuously growing younger and it was only a matter of time before he was too young to fix this. Thankfully the TARDIS didn't mind staying in one spot for awhile because-

"I tummin Wose!"

"Alright, lets see you."

Out he marched, in full TARDIS blue suit and tie with shoelaces on his white converse dragging along behind him. True, buttons on his shirt were either half undone or done up the wrong way and his hair was standing more wild than ever before but he was undoubtedly the cutest thing she had ever seen. For a moment she wondered if that's what a little one of theirs would look like but quickly pushed such thoughts aside and knelt down.

"Oh sweetie c'mere lemme look at you!" She exclaimed

Smiling shyly, he came and stood in front of her.

"I… I sweetie Wose? Look nigh?"

"Oh yes you look very nice. Just a minute, let's get this sorted out yeah?"

She redid the buttons, straightened the tiny clip on tie and laced up the shoes.

"There. Now you're my handsome doctor."

His little chest puffed out proudly in response.

"I Wose doctor!"

"You sure are."

Tugging her arm over he took her warm hand in his cool one.

"Shall we go see what your tests have come up with?"

"Uh-huh."

Once at the med bay, she was provided with the results by the TARDIS and the two looked them over carefully.

"Alright so.. doesn't look like you're sick. No unknown pathogens. But your brain is definitely…"

"Littler." He finished for her.

"Well, yes. But I mean the scans show activity to have changed. Instead of logical reasoning

its more intent on emotion and fulfilling basic needs-" When she noticed how hard he was biting his lip she stopped.

"What is it doctor?"

"I…" He shifted, eyes troubled.

Kneeling, she squeezed his hand.

"Tell me. I'm here forever, no matter what remember?"

He nodded.

"So what's bothering you?"

"I… I no know- I DON'T know what.. what that means."

"What what me- oh. Oh!"

Suddenly it occurred to her he hadn't been speaking in full sentences since breakfast earlier that morning. His mind was regressing faster than she had realized.

"I… I sowee- soRRY, sorry! Sorry wo- r-ro- rose. Wo- wo- ROSE we have to.. to.."

Her heart broke at seeing him so frustrated, knowing it had to be terrible for that big wonderful brain of his to be slowly reduced to a child's mind. She hugged him tightly and he immediately sunk into her embrace.

"We will get you back to normal. And I won't ever give up till that happens. I know this is hard but we can fix this. You and me."

"You're.. you're brilliant Wose Tyla. Brilliant."

Smiling at each other, they went back to the scans.

"Basically, these reports just mean instead of you being- well, you. Your brain thinks more about stuff a toddler would. Food, sleep, play. So we have to figure out why its doing that and how to change you back." He nodded thoughtfully and then perked up.

"Cat nuns!"

"Cat nuns?"
"Uh-huh. Cat nuns! Dey help."

"Doctor-"

"Allon-sy!" He yelled, cheerfully running back to the console room. Hot on his heels, Rose tried not to laugh as he hopped about, jumping now to reach levers and letting his little toddler hands smack down hard on the buttons. The familiar jolt of the TARDIS entering the time stream was reassuring and before she knew it they had landed.

Stepping out carefully and fully prepared to scoop the doctor up and run back inside at the first sign of trouble, Rose was more than a little relieved to see a familiar place.

"Of course, New New New New New New New York!"

"Uh-huh. Got dat whole mess all cleaned up, dey can help!"

Hands swinging between them and chewing on apple grass blades the pair made their way to the hospital.

"Wose I'm seepy."

"I know but we just gotta wait a bit."

He sighed heavily and leaned into her side once more. They had been here for at least an hour, as the feline staff had to review the Tardis reports and then do examines and tests of their own. To his credit, the time tot did not cry when they drew blood the first time, but after more than a few pokes and bumps and "another breath please" his patience was at it's limit. Finally though one of the cat nuns arrived with the results. Both sat up a little straighter on the exam table, backs to the wall and staring expectantly.

"It would see the problem itself is quite simple. The solution however, not so much."

"Okay, what's that mean then?" Rose asked.

"According to the scans and what your doctor has told us, his mind has gone back in time."

Both blinked.

"Sorry, what?!" The doctor demanded.

"Your mind and body have been sent back in time. At different rates, obviously-"

"No. No. Tell her Wose, no!"

"No what doctor?"

"I… no. TARDIS keeps me safe, there's pro-proto… proto things in place!"

The more upset the doctor grew, the younger he sounded. Shushing him, she hugged him close and turned her attention back to the nurse.

"How could this happen? And how can we reverse it?"

The nurse sat down, wiggling onto the seat with what have been her haunches if she'd had any.

"Well according to what you told us, Doctor you were tinkering with the TARDIS again, yes?"

He nodded.

"Well it looks like that 'explosion' was in fact a time flare. You may have been actually tinkering with some of those safety protocols. I think- though I can't be sure mind you- you must have been temporarily exposed to the time stream. In doing so, it took your adult self and reverted you back to this younger version of you."

"But- but I me. Sometimes." The doctor mumbled.

"Yes of course you are dear" The nun purred.

"I not little!"

"Nobody said you were. Now you really must calm down-"

"I NOT LITTLE! I ME, THE DOCTOR!" He shouted, jumping down and running out.

"Doctor!" Rose yelled, following after. His little feet took them down several hallways, around corners and finally to one of the family waiting rooms. The nurse and Rose eventually found him huddled in a window seat, staring out at the New New New New New New New York river.

"Could.. could you give us a minute?" She asked softly.

"Of course. All the time you like." The nun turned to leave before pausing a moment.

"Miss.. he'll only continue this path. Now perhaps we can help but it will take some time and more-"

"No." She ended firmly.

"I'm sorry I don't-"

"I won't let him be poked and prodded at. Don't condescend him the way you did, child or not he's still one of the smartest people I know. We know the problem and now we need to fix it. How do we do that?"

The nun sighed.

"I really don't know."

"That doesn't help us."

"I know. I.. come back tomorrow. Perhaps then we will have a cure. Or at least be on our way to one."

It wasn't at all reassuring, but it was better than nothing. And right now Rose Tyler had to convince not just herself, but the 2 and a half year old time lord currently doing his best not to cry at what could be a permanent situation.

So that's the end of this chapter! As always reviews and ideas of what you might like to see are welcome. I will do my best to update every monday and please lemme know how you feel about the chapter length. Longer? Shorter? Just right? See you next week!