No one spoke for several minutes. Steph wasn't sure what to do. Should she mention that she had been given a private insight into the life of the man before her? Perhaps he only thought she had been lying about the languages and how she could understand them? Either way, Steph wasn't sure if she should speak, or let someone else break the silence.
Rose had no idea what to make of the situation. She had never seen the Doctor so torn. She could tell half of him wanted to interrogate Steph, find out what else she had seen inside his ship. But the other half wanted her to know. Wanted someone to see what he had been through. Someone to share it with. The only problem Rose had with that is the fact that it wasn't her. Despite all that they had been through together, the Doctor had still found it to hard to share it with her, let her be his sounding board. Rose knew it was his choice, but still, it was hard. Luckily, she didn't need to know his entire life to know that she loved him just the way he was. And nothing could ever take that away. She chuckled to herself. Not even the barriers between universes could keep them apart.
The Doctor looked up when Rose chuckled. He looked at her in wonder. Trust Rose to see the funny side. Rose noticed his look and smiled. He couldn't help but smile back. She had a habit of doing that. And he loved her so much for it.
It ended up being the Doctor who broke the silence.
"You were in the TARDIS' memory banks, and were then thrown into the translation section, before the TARDIS initiated emergency procedures and ended your…visit." The Doctor's voice was strained.
Steph could barely believe the guilt she was feeling. She knew she had invaded his privacy like no one else. By seeing all those fleeting images of his life, she had breached his space. She hung her head in shame, wishing beyond anything a giant hole would suddenly appear and she could shrink into it.
Rose's heart melted at the sight of the poor girl. She jumped over and wrapped her arms around Steph's shoulders. Rose looked up to the Doctor. There was pity in her eyes that made the Doctor realise how much she must like this girl. How much she felt sorry for her.
The Doctor was well aware that it wasn't Steph's fault. It was just a completely random event that she entered the memory banks. She couldn't control anything about the way her body works at this point. She didn't even know she was different until a few hours ago. But the Doctor couldn't help but feel like his privacy had been invaded. He felt resentment to the young girl, but at the same time, there was so many ways that she was similar. As the last of his race, he knew what it felt like to be alone.
Shaking his head, he brushed aside all his resentment towards Steph and clapped his hands together.
"No point moping about the past, when we still have the future to save!"
Steph looked up at the Doctor and smiled. She felt so relieved that he didn't feel anger towards her. Steph was suddenly filled with a desire to make it up to the Doctor, to impress him, make her look better in his eyes. She suddenly noticed all the machines had stopped making the sound they were before.
"Well, we've landed, that's for sure. But where?" Concluded Rose, reading Steph's mind.
"Fitzroy." Announced the Doctor, peering at a screen that was formally in Gallifreyan, which Steph suddenly realised she could read.
"Fitzroy?" Repeated Steph.
"Where?" Asked Rose.
The Doctor and Steph both turned to look at Rose with the exact same expression of surprise.
"Melbourne." Answered Steph.
"Australia." Added the Doctor.
Then they both turned back to the screen leaving Rose looking completely bemused. She frowned slightly then smiled, and walked behind them to have a good look at the screen herself.
"We were tracking the Ethae when Steph, er…," Rose paused for a second trying to think of the right word. "Jumped in…"
"And now we've landed in Fitzroy." Finished the Doctor.
All three looked at the door curiously in perfect synchronisation. The Doctor exchanged glances at Rose before smiling broadly. She grinned back.
"Let's go then!" The Doctor called happily, taking Rose's hand in his and bounded down the ramp, pulling her along.
He pulled open the doors and stepped out, with Rose close behind. Steph stared at them. They were like a bunch of kids opening presents at Christmas. She exhaled and tightened Rose's belt around her hips before racing after them. Just before the doors, she noticed something shiny on the ground. Just before she was about to pick it up, she heard a shrill scream.
Steph froze when she realised it was Rose who screamed. Blood pumped to her ears, and adrenaline raced through her system. Before she knew what she was doing, she had pulled open the TARDIS doors and raced out.
"Close the doors! Close them quick!" Yelled the Doctor.
Steph had barely gotten through them before she heard the Doctor. Spinning on her heels she pulled them shut before large arms caught her, and pulled her away from the safety of the police box.
Steph had her eyes closed. She didn't want to look around. She curled up into a ball and scrunched her eyes shut and refused to move. In fact, all she wanted to do was get as far away from here as possible. If only a large hole would suddenly appear, and whisk her back to home. Home.
She suddenly realised. It wasn't home. She doesn't even belong on Earth. She's an alien. All of her fourteen years had been a lie. The people she had grown up with weren't her parents. They were humans; humans who had raised her and never even told her that she were adopted.
She suddenly remembered the strong arms pinning her arms to her side. She was in trouble. Feeling a courage she had never felt before, she became determined to get out.
I need to find out what is going on, but first I need to get out of here.
She breathed deeply as her eyes flew open and she began to struggle against the hands keeping her from moving.
"Hello again."
Steph's insides suddenly went icy cold. Fear creped up her body, freezing her movements. Her breathing became shallow. Slowly she looked up to the face peering down at her with dread.
It was Mike.
"Don't touch her!"
A loud voice from behind Mike suddenly cried out. Steph's eyes lit up. It was Rose.
"Be silent!" Ordered Mike.
"Make me!" Came the angry reply.
Mike turned away from Steph, allowing her to take a look around.
She was in a large warehouse filled with people. They stood on crates, boxes and a walkway that ran midway up the wall. There were hundreds of men and women all staring at her. Some had hope in their eyes, some hunger. Steph looked at the man holding her. He was blank.
She turned away to look at where Rose's voice was coming from. Her heart leapt for joy as she recognised the Doctor and Rose both standing a short way across the room. Happiness soon plummeted when she realised they were both being held prisoner as well.
Rose was staring at Mike with defiance. She was not the slightest bit afraid of him. Steph was amazed at how she stood eye to eye with the man, thing, alien that had tried to kill her before. She stared at him, unblinking, unmoving, challenging him.
The Doctor stood to her left, and he too stood challenging Mike. Neither of them was backing down either. It amazed Steph how they could face such a dangerous person, knowing that at any second he could strike.
Mike walked over and stood inches from Rose's face. She narrowed her eyes.
"Be silent, or die." Mike raised his hand and slammed it into Rose's shoulder, snarling.
Rose gasped as she felt her very life being absorbed from her shoulder. She wobbled and tried to pull away from his touch.
"NO!" Yelled the Doctor, and wrenched his arms out of his guard.
He raced to Rose, knocking Mike off her with a force that even made Steph gasp in surprise. Mike flew to the side, while the Doctor caught Rose as she fell. Gasping and shaking uncontrollably she held onto the Doctor as he supported her. The Doctor's eyes were mad with fury as he held Rose. Steph glanced from the Doctor to Mike, and cried out in fear as she saw him advance on the Doctor while his attention was on Rose.
"NO!" She screamed. "Doctor look out!"
The Doctor whirled about when he heard Steph's scream, but it was too late. Mike thrust his hands into the Doctor's back, sending him flying forward. Rose, who had since recovered slightly, cried out in anger. She crawled over to the Doctor, who lay groaning on the ground. Steph realised Mike must have drained from the Doctor when he pushed him.
"Leave them alone! I'm the one you want, aren't I?" She suddenly found herself screaming.
Steph blinked and went silent. She had never said anything that self-less before. All of Steph's life she had been focusing on her wants, but never had she ever had courage like she had now. It was like something inside her wanted to break through, wanted to save everyone. It gave her strength. She raised her head and glared at Mike.
"Yes…I suppose you are." He grinned.
Steph narrowed her eyes.
"Wait…what do you mean?" There was something in his voice that made her even more scared then before.
"Your parents definitely weren't like you, they provided nothing like what you can."
His grin was terrifying Steph.