A Tale of Fire & Ice
After waking in the still dark hours of the morning, a long hot shower and a clean suit later the Doctor sat reading in the large armchair in the corner of the room, alternating between one of the books his twin had provided him with and staring out at the miserably cold, windy day that had begun to present itself. Even at such an early hour he could tell they would be hard pressed seeing the sun today as dark storm clouds rolled in the distance, the sounds of rumbling thunder announcing their intentions. Well, he thought, at least it wasn't Sunday. He hoped Trillexyn would have had sufficient time during the night to construct themselves suitable cover for what was to come.
He had just fetched himself a second mug of tea and settled back into the chair when he was gripped with a sudden fear and panic almost causing him to stain what looked to be a rather expensive rug, not to mention almost scalding himself in the process. He frowned as he placed his tea and book on the night stand and quickly striding the short distance to the balcony doors, throwing them open. He was positive he'd been picking up some distress from the Trillexyn's but another quick mental sweep found them both just out of his reach, safe and calm, taking residence in an old tree outside Wilf's cottage, the man himself still sleeping at this hour of the morning.
He glanced warily towards his companion asleep on the bed, it was only then that he took in her small hands clutching at the thick quilt, just visible in the darkness. He covered the short distance to the bed, scanning over her with the screwdriver as he sat down on the small space beside her. Perhaps he was out of touch, but surely she'd never affected him as such in the past, even with the metacrisis his shielding and barriers remained firmly in place, which begged the question, why was his companion now projecting through them?
"Rose?" He placed a hand gently on her shoulder and for a moment she appeared to visibly relax, a second later however when he withdrew his hand and began to move away a chilling scream split the air as tears began pouring down her temples. He was back in an instant.
"Rose, Rose - Wake Up!" The Doctor shook her shoulders as she continued to cry out, she gasped as she sat up panting and clutching at the arms of his shirt. "Come on, it's just a dream."
"Doctor?" The moment she locked eyes with him saw her scramble into his lap and cling to his suit. Only then did her breathing return to normal, the remnants of terror draining from her rigid body as the memory receded. "Is it over?" She whimpered into his shoulder. "Please tell me this is real.."
"Yes," He whispered into her hair as he held her against his chest. "You're alright now."
"I couldn't stop it an' you-you-"
"I know." He soothed pushing a piece of rumbled blonde hair behind her ear, her emotions bombarding him as his fingers lightly skimmed her temple.
"So many worlds burnt Doctor," She sniffed, "Without you, the millions of people, entire star systems, whole universes-all because you-"
"Shhh," He tutted pulling back slightly to look in her face. "I'm here, other me is where he belongs, and the multiverse lives to fight another day, well until the next lunatic tries to take it over."
"Yea?" Rose gave a small watery laugh as concerned brown orbs surveyed her face.
"Yes," He nodded, "And all because of you, Rose Tyler – Defender of the Multiverse."
"Yea well, had some help didn't I." She sniffed, wiping the back of her hand across her nose.
"That you did." He smiled ducking his head until she met his eyes again.
"Sorry," She laughed glancing away with a blush, sliding off his lap to test out the temperature of the floor with a small toe, "I must look a sight-"
"Nah," He smirked, watching from his position on the bed as she tip-toed to the bathroom door, "Sight for sore eyes you are."
"You too." She blushed again shooting him the smallest hint of the Rose Tyler he remembered so fondly. "I'm just gonna-"
"Kay." It was a start, he thought, giggling to himself as he stood and dawdled back across the room to settle himself back into his chair. The sound of running water from the en suite guaranteeing him a good half hour of reading before they'd have to venture forth in need of breakfast, then perhaps he'd be able to get Idris to run a few scans on his telepathic synapses.
Any further attempts at finishing his book however were short lived as the sound of Nelya tapping on the glass doors brought him out onto the balcony into the beginning droplets of the storm on the horizon.
"Morning." He bid her, leaning casually over the railing she had perched herself on.
"I see you've been busy." He nodded his approval as patches of grass that had appeared dead the previous day had now begun to faintly tinge green in the early light. Nelya fluttered happily beside him, the two of them watching her mate busying himself in the garden beds, tending the soil and young plants that had shot up during the night. What he didn't expect however was the small family of Eriskays grazing on the moss covering the rock walls off the lower floor landing.
"Hello," Rose appeared beside him, following his line of sight, "Wha's goin on here?"
"Blimey that was quick." He commented, earning himself a light slap on the arm.
"Yea well, l learnt the hard way, spoilt rotten by your ship," She smiled, "No endless stream of hot water in sight over ere'."
"Ah I see," He nodded with a smirk, "Well then, as for that down there, you appear to be gathering more almost extinct species Miss Tyler." The Doctor chuckled as they watched the young colt below trotting happily around its mother.
"You're tellin' me." She nudged him grinning. "Where did they come from?"
"No idea." He mused happily.
"Are they alien too?" She leant against his side, a curious expression on her face.
"No," He laughed, "Just some lost ponies drawn in by our little friends."
"If they keep bringin' stuff in like that we could start a pettin' zoo." She mused, the corner of her lip twitching in amusement.
"Indeed," He agreed narrowing his eyes at the same darkened corner of the grounds that had drawn their attention when they'd arrived, "It appears you may be right."
Rose followed his gaze just in time to catch a glimpse of something white and almost fluffy disappearing into the undergrowth.
"What was that?" She turned to follow as he dashed back inside.
"Doctor?" She called as she fastened the balcony doors before jogging after him towards the library.
"Idris." The Doctor boomed as he entered the room.
"Yes Doctor." She replied, her screen flickering to life.
"Perimeter scan?" He queried perusing the books by the fireplace. "Everything within two miles of the house."
"What are you looking for?" Rose questioned glancing up at the books he was searching through. "Wha did you see?"
"Bio-isometric scanning reveals three Equus Ferus Caballus, Two Trillexyn, One Human, One Canis Lupus, One Gal-"
"Canus Lupus?" He turned quickly approaching the monitor. "Show me."
Data spooled across the screen at a speed Rose was having trouble keeping up with even if she could read the glyphs, the Doctor however took it all in, his eyes widening further and further as he read on.
"Show me dimensions," He frowned running a hand through his already messed hair, "Three dimensional projection."
"Buggger me." Rose breathed as a projection of the animal took up almost the entire space before the hearth. "Is that what I think it is?"
"Oh you are beautiful." The Doctor rounded the image, his glasses sitting low on the bridge of his nose as he studied its form and the other information Idris had provided.
"You know it'd help if I could read that too ya know." Rose raised an eyebrow at him.
"English isn't complex enough," He replied distracted, "I'll teach you one day."
"To read it?" She frowned at him, "Really? You mean that?"
"Course." He shrugged. "Mind you-"
"Hold on what's that?" Rose interrupted pointing to a spiraling helix on the screen. "Is that human DNA?"
"That, THAT," The Doctor pointed excitedly, "Is hundreds of years of evolution."
"You what?" She replied dumbly as the screen switched back to standby and Idris appeared.
"The creature in question is not a new designation to this sector. Systems indicate occurrences of contact with perimeter scans dating back over Fifty-two solar years, Seven months and two point six days."
"It's waiting for something?" Rose gasped, glancing out the window towards the woods.
"Or someone." The Doctor mused pressing a book into her hands as he stepped back, his hands defaulting to his pockets.
She shot him a curious expression as she glanced down at it. "The Last Wolf by Jim Crumley?"
"Yes," He leant forward just a fraction, "And tell me. Who published it?"
She dropped the book as if she'd been burnt, the small print on the spine staring back at her from the floor. "That's impossible-"
"So is crossing dimensions, Rose Tyler." He raised an eyebrow. "Not to mention the ability to build a means by which to do it, which also begs the question, who else has been helping you along all these years."
"I don't know what you mea-"
"I'm a Time Lord, Rose." He reminded her gently, "Jackie's time signature tells me she's been here just over four years, which is conducive with her present age and that of one Tony Tyler judging by the images she keeps in her pockets, but you- oh my girl what have you been up to?"
"There was no time," She began slumping heavily onto the sofa, "The stars began goin' out not long after we got here, but nobody noticed. Just me. Don't ask me how, I just knew."
"One of the benefits of being a time traveler Rose, or rather prolonged exposure to one-" He flopped down beside her, resting his feet on the coffee table, "Is that you become the observer."
"I don't understand?" She frowned.
"The Time Lords had good reason to forbid interactions with lesser species," He began, "Humans especially. It wasn't just a superiority complex, you remember when I said you lot were one of the most accommodating species in the universe?"
"Yea," She snorted, "Thought you were just bein' rude. Although Jack-"
"Need I say more." He raised an eyebrow with a smirk.
"So go on then." She encouraged.
"Time Lords observe the universe Rose, what was, is and will be. Travelling in time in itself causes something called background radiation to be absorbed by the body," He continued with her nod of understanding, "It's caused by the vortex, it's not harmful by any means, quite the opposite in fact, but exposure to, well, to me and a little help from the briode nebulizer means you view the universe and time a little differently."
"You mean that little do-hickey under the console with all the little tentacles on it?"
"Exactly. Normally I wouldn't have needed to use it, TARDIS takes care of things, but when you said you'd stay forev-" He trailed off, "Well, I had to make sure that you remained you for however long you'd be with me."
"Which is why you made me use it after Krop Tor."
"Correctamundo." He cringed.
"Oh never again." Rose snorted.
"I know," He agreed, "But basically, you, Rose Tyler are infected with Time Lord TNA. You've become the observer, it's almost like a second sense. Well to you anyway, to me it's nothing new."
He watched as she absorbed this new information, taking it in her stride as he knew she would.
"Makes sense," She replied after a time, "Knew where and when to be, never really got hurt because of it most times."
"How are you feeling today?" He asked softly.
"Better actually," Her eyes widened in realization, "Better than I've felt for oh- years."
"You don't have to hide it Rose," He reached across the chair to run his fingers across the back of her knuckles, "I know how long it's been-"
"None of that matters now though," She gave him a small smile, "Cause you're here now."
"That I am." He grinned noting her attempt to lighten the mood. "And a good thing too, you might have gone barmy without me."
"Been there, done that." She replied, tongue caught in her teeth, "Bought the shirt."
"Me too," He beamed back, "Drove Martha spare I did."
"Yea poor Micks," Rose laughed, "I'm surprised he was still talkin' to me when we finally found you."
"It's lucky you did." He slipped his hand under hers and closed his eyes as the familiar feel of it, the two of them sitting together in a comfortable silence.
"You're fixing me aren't you?" She squeezed his hand thankfully.
"Well, maybe, just a little." He supplied returning the pressure on her hand.
"Lucky you're not completely human then yea?" She smirked.
"Ah, who is these days?" He replied opening his eyes to look across at her.
"Mum." She raised an eyebrow in challenge.
"That's debatable." He added dryly. "Mind you I don't think I could stand her for the next hundred years."
"A hundred-" Rose began when the sounds of Wilf coming through the front door with the smell of breakfast caused the Doctor to practically drag her into the kitchen.
"Morning." He chirped happily.
"Mornin'." Rose smiled sitting down at the table as the Doctor presented her with a steaming mug of tea.
"You're quite perky this morning Wilf, sleep well?" The Doctor grinned.
"Brilliantly actually thanks Doctor," He replied handing them both a bacon and egg sarnie. "But I couldn't believe my eyes this mornin' when I stepped out the door to find budding primrose in the gardens by the cottage. After all this time, I mean even the evergreens have never looked as green as they do today."
"Well that's brilliant isn't it Rose." The Doctor smirked from behind his breakfast.
"Yup." She agreed around her mouthful, narrowing her eyes at him.
"Can't stay long though," Wilf chattered, "Gonna pop into town for supplies."
"Do you want us-"
"No," He stopped the Doctor, "You two settle in, besides there's a foul storm brewing out, best we all don't catch our deaths."
"I hardly think-"
"Oh he finally admits it." Rose quipped effectually cutting off his protests.
"Oi." He began, something catching his eye from the window before he could launch any witty response.
"Thanks Wilf," Rose smiled at the older man as he pulled his coat back on, watching the Doctor move to stare out the kitchen windows.
"No problems," He nodded with an indulgent shake of his head, "See ya then."
"Bye." The Doctor replied absently from his place by the window.
"That was rude," Rose chastised, approaching him as Wilf disappeared out the door.
"Sorry," He mumbled watching the woods warily, "It's out there. Watching. Waiting."
"Do you really think I did all this?" She whispered following his line of vision. "Bad Wolf did this?"
"It's a definite possibility," He nodded wrapping an arm around her shoulders, "Who knows? Well," He shrugged, "Except you."
"Can't really access those memories now can I." She rolled her eyes.
"Not a chance." He agreed vehemently.
"It's more than just the vortex isn't it?" She glanced up at him knowingly after a time. "It's what you left behind."
"What?" His eyes snapped to hers.
"When you took the vortex," She spoke softly, "You left something," She tapped her temple, "Up here."
"How could you possibly-" He whispered.
"Because you were the one who helped me get back."
Hello all sorry this has taken so long to update.
Hope you're all well. Reviews = love. T85