Just One Second
Summary: What if in Doomsday, the leaver on the Doctor's side turned off? Now that the Doctor is in Pete's World, Rose Tyler must continue to save the universe without him along with her newest companion, Martha Jones. AU of Series 3 with Rose.
Disclaimer: Again; I do not own Doctor Who...
Songs:
- Battle at Aslan's How (Narnia Prince Caspian: Soundtrack)
- The Carrionite Swarm (Doctor Who: series 3 soundtrack)
- Yoda and the Younglings (Star wars: Attack of the Clones soundtrack)
Chapter 6: The Shakespeare Code: Part 2
Dawn came, people were waking up to a brand new day but Rose, Martha and Shakespeare were in Shakespeare's room, still shaken by the events of last night.
Shakespeare sighed. "Oh, sweet Dolly Bailey," Shakespeare said softly as he sat down. "She sat out three bouts of the plague in this place. We all ran like rats. But what could have scared her so? She had such enormous spirit," he added with a small frown on his face.
Rose took a deep breath. "'Rage, rage against the dying of the light'," she said.
Shakespeare pursed his lips. "I might use that," he mused.
Rose shook her head. "You can't it's someone else's," she replied and Shakespeare sighed in disappointment.
Martha leaned forward in her chair. "But the thing is; Lynley drowned on dry land, Dolly died of fright and they were both connected to you," she pointed out, looking at Shakespeare.
Shakespeare glared at her. "You're accusing me?" he asked.
Martha shook her head. "No, but I saw a witch, big as you like, flying, cackling away, and you've written about witches," she replied, not knowing that she blurted out a bit from the future.
Shakespeare raised an eyebrow. "I have? When was that?"
Rose winced and glanced at Martha. "Not yet," she hissed and Martha's eyes widened.
"Peter Streete spoke of witches," Shakespeare recalled with a frown on his face.
Martha looked confused. "Who's Peter Streete?" she asked.
"Our builder. He sketched the plans to the Globe," Shakespeare replied.
Rose blinked as a thought came to her. "The architect! We need to go to the Globe," she said as she ran out, Martha and Shakespeare running after her, confused.
...
While Shakespeare and Martha were on stage, Rose was pacing in the pit, looking around the Globe.
"Fourteen sides. You know, my friend often blabbed about the Globe, but I never asked him. Will, why is there fourteen sides?" Rose asked.
Shakespeare shrugged. "It was the shape Peter Streete thought best, that's all. Said it carried the sound well."
Rose frowned in thought. "Why does fourteen ring a bell? I wish I paid attention in school," she muttered.
"There are fourteen lines in a sonnet," Martha suggested.
Rose nodded. "Good point, Martha. Words and shapes following the same design," she said.
Shakespeare looked at Rose, confused. "This is just a theatre," he pointed out, bluntly.
Rose walked up to the stage and smiled at Shakespeare. "Yes, but this is where the magic happens! After all, you should know. You stand on this stage, saying the right words at the right time. You can make people cry, smile, cheer and whatever kind of emotion there is! You can change people's minds with words," she said, frowning.
Martha smirked. "It's like your police box. Small wooden box with all that power inside."
Rose chuckled. "Oh The Doctor would've loved you, Martha," she said and Martha raised an eyebrow. "Can I talk to this Peter Streete?" she asked Shakespeare.
Shakespeare shook his head. "You won't get an answer. A month after finishing this place... he lost his mind."
Martha turned to look at him. "Why? What happened?"
"Started raving about witches, hearing voices, babbling. His mind was addled," Shakespeare replied.
Rose pursed her lips. "Where is he now?" she asked with her hands in the pockets of her jacket.
"Bedlam."
Martha looked confused. "What's Bedlam?"
"Bethlem Hospital. The madhouse."
Rose started to walk to the entrance. "Then that's where we need to be," she called over her shoulder and Martha followed her.
"Wait!" They heard Shakespeare say. "I'm coming with you. I want to witness this at first hand!" he added and followed them.
...
Rose walked on ahead, hearing Shakespeare flirting with Martha. She rolled her eyes. Honestly! People are dying from mysterious deaths, and Shakespeare wants to flirt!
"Whoa, Nelly! I know for a fact you've got a wife in the country," Martha said after a comment made by Shakespeare put her off the edge.
Shakespeare shrugged. "But Martha, this is Town," he replied.
Rose sighed as she walked back to them. "Come on you two. We've got a mystery to solve and we need to look for clues, you two can flirt with each other later," she said as she walked off.
Martha smirked. "Whatever you say, Daphne," she teased while Shakespeare became confused and Rose rolled her eyes.
"Who're you then? Velma?" Rose teased back and Martha laughed.
...
It turns out that Bethlem Hospital was more than a madhouse. As Rose introduce herself as Dame Rose and Martha as her assistance, the guard walked them through several corridors when men were screaming and moaning in pain.
"Does my lord, Shakespeare and Dame Rose wish some entertainment while they wait? I'd whip these madmen. They'll put on a good show for ya. Bandog and Bedlam!" The Guard asked.
Rose glared at the pathetic excuse for a man. "No, thank you," she growled.
The guard shuffled away and Martha decided to speak up.
"So this is what you call a hospital, yeah? Where the patients are whipped to entertain the gentry? And you put your friend in here?" she asked shocked, glaring at Shakespeare.
Shakespeare glared back. "Oh, and it's all so different in Freedonia" he retorted.
"But you're clever! Do you honestly think this place is any good?" Martha continued to ask.
Shakespeare frowned a little. "I've been mad. I've lost my mind. Fear of this place set me right again. It serves its purpose," he said softly.
Martha's eyes softened a little. "Mad in what way?"
Rose bit her lip as she leaned against the wall, thankful that she'd listened to The Doctor's ramblings. "You lost your son," she said, knowingly.
Shakespeare nodded. "My only boy. The Black Death took him. I wasn't even there."
Martha looked down, ashamed of herself. "I didn't know. I'm sorry," she said, sadly.
Shakespeare looked at her. "It made me question everything. The futility of this fleeting existence. To be or not to be... oh, that's quite good," he mused.
Rose smirked a little. "You should write that down," she suggested.
Shakespeare grimaced a little. "Hm, maybe not. A bit pretentious?" he asked and Rose shrugged when the guard came back.
"This way, My lord and Dame Rose," he said and they followed the guard to Peter Streete's cell.
As Rose, Martha and Shakespeare arrived at the door, the guard opened it and the three of them stepped inside.
"They can be dangerous, my lord. Don't know their own strength," The guard said.
Rose glared. "I think it helps if you don't whip them! Now get out!" Rose snapped and the guard left the cell, locking the door behind him. Rose bit her lip and walked forward to the man who was crouching on the floor. "Peter? Peter Streete?" she asked softly.
"He's the same as he was. You'll get nothing out of him," Shakespeare told her.
Rose crouched down in front of Peter and laid a hand on his shoulder. Peter's head snapped up and looked at Rose with wild, glassy eyes. "Peter, I'm Rose. I need you to tell me what happened. I need you to go back a year ago and tell me about the witches," she said quietly.
Peter gasped. "Witches spoke to Peter. In the night, they whispered. Got Peter to build the Globe to their design. Their design. The 14 walls — always 14. When the work was done," he laughed. "They sapped poor Peter's wits."
Rose bit her lip. "Where did Peter see the witches?" Rose asked. "You've got to tell me Peter," she added.
"All Hallows Street," Peter replied softly.
"Too many words," a voice said and Rose stepped back next to Martha. A female with long dirty grey hair and warts all over her face.
Martha gasped in shock. "What the hell?" she asked in shock.
"Just one touch of the heart," the thing said and touched Peter's heart. Peter dies and Rose pursed her lips.
"A witch! I'm seeing a witch!" Shakespeare said.
The female witch looked towards Rose, Martha and Shakespeare. "Who would be next, hmm? Just one touch," she said. "Oh, oh, I'll stop your frantic hearts. Poor, fragile mortals."
Martha went to the door. "Let us out!" she shouted.
Rose sighed. "Martha, that's not gonna work. The whole building's shouting that," she said.
"Who will die first, hmm?" the witch asked.
Rose shrugged and stepped forward. "Well, if you're looking for volunteers," she replied.
Martha grabbed Rose's hand. "No! Don't!" she yelled.
Shakespeare frowned. "Rose, can you stop her?" he asked.
The witch cackled. "No mortal has power over me!" she shouted.
Rose smirked. "But they're power in words," she pointed out. "If I can just know you," she added with a frown as she thought.
"None on Earth has knowledge of us!" the witch said.
Rose continued to frown in thought. "Well, it's a good thing that I'm here then. Now let's see, you're a female humanoid use the number fourteen and words to create energy. Hang on! That's it, the fourteen star of the Rexel planetary configuration!" she recalled, remembering what The Doctor told her."I name you Carrionite!" she yelled and the witch wailed and disappeared.
Martha gaped at her in shock. "What did you do?" she asked.
Rose shrugged. "Named her. That's old magic," she replied.
Martha raised an eyebrow. "But there's no such thing as magic," she pointed out.
Rose shook her head. "Well, you know that if you have an equation, you can split an atom? Carrionites use words instead," Rose explained.
Shakespeare frowned. "Use them for what?" he asked.
Rose looked at him seriously. "The end of the world."
...
It was morning and while Shakespeare was washing his face, Rose was pacing around the room, lost in thought.
"According to what I read, and what my friend said, The Carrionites disappeared way back at the dawn of the universe. Nobody was sure if they were real or legend," she said, running a hand through her hair.
Shakespeare dried his face and turned to her. "Well, I'm going for real."
Martha bit her lip. "But what do they want?" she asked.
Rose sighed. "A new empire on Earth. A world full of blood, bones and witchcraft," she answered.
"But how?" Martha asked.
Rose turned to look at Shakespeare. "I'm looking at the man with the words," she replied.
Shakespeare looked shocked. "Me? But I've done nothing," he said.
Martha frowned. "Hold on, though. What were you doing last night, when that Carrionite was in the room?" she asked, curiously.
"Finishing the play," Shakespeare answered, somewhat defensively.
Rose frowned as well. "What happens in the last scene?" she asked.
"The boys get the girls. They have a bit of a dance. It's all as funny and thought provoking as usual — except those last few lines. Funny thing is... I don't actually remember writing them," Shakespeare replied, thoughtfully.
Rose's eyes widened. "That's it! They used your play as a weapon and the Globe as an energy converter. 'The play's the thing!' and yes, you can use that!" Rose said to Shakespeare.
Shakespeare got out a map on the table and he, Martha and Rose looked at it.
"Okay, there's All Hallows Street. Martha, you and I will track them down. Will, get to the Globe. Whatever you do, you have to stop that play," Rose said, seriously.
Shakespeare nodded. "I'll do it," he replied and shook Rose's hand. "All these years I've been the cleverest man around. Next to you, I know nothing."
Martha smiled. "Oh, don't complain."
Shakespeare looked at her. "I'm not," he assured her. "It's marvellous. Good luck, Rose."
Rose smiled. "And to you, Shakespeare," she said and walked to the door with Martha following her. "Once more unto the breach!" she added with a smirk on her face as she walked out.
Shakespeare frowned. "I like that. Wait a minute... that's one of mine!" he said, shocked as he ran out of the room.
...
Rose and Martha were walking until they found All Hallows Street.
Rose pursed her lips and looked at the houses. "Okay, this is All Hallows Street, but which house holds the witch," she whispered to Martha.
Martha bit her lip. "But, I'm missing something. The world didn't end in 1599, I mean I'm proof of that," she pointed out.
Rose sighed. "How do I explain this? You know the movie, 'Back to the Future'? Marty McFly goes back in time and changes history," she said.
Martha nodded. "Yeah, and then he starts to fade away," she added and her eyes widened. "Oh my God, am I gonna fade away?" she asked.
Rose nodded. "Yeah, you and I along with the future will fade away if we don't stop this. But which house?"
Then a door opened slowly and creaked. Rose had to raise an eyebrow at that. "Okay. That makes it the witch house," she said to Martha as they both walked inside.
When they walked inside, the house looked nothing like a witch's house. The only person inside, apart from them was a woman that Rose looked familiar. She was that maid that assisted Dolly, Lilith.
Rose glanced at Martha. "I think that we were expected," she said and Martha couldn't help but snort.
Lilith wasn't impressed. "Oh, I think Death has been waiting for you a very long time," she said cryptically. "I gaze upon this bag of bones and now I name thee Martha Jones," she added and Martha collapsed to the ground.
"What did you do?" Rose snapped.
Lilith frowned. "Only sleeping, alas. Curious, the name has less impact. She's somehow out of her time as are you. It seems that there's no name that cannot affect you, not even your own. There is one name that makes your heart ache," she said.
Rose glared. "Don't you dare," she growled.
"Someone called Doctor," Lilith continued.
Rose stood up. "That was a bad mistake cause that name keeps me fighting. The one thing that got me confused is that the Carrionites vanished. Where did you go?" she asked.
Lilith pursed her lips. "The Eternals found the right word to banish us into deep darkness," she replied.
Rose raised an eyebrow. "And how did you escape?"
"New words. New and glittering from a mind like no other."
Rose's eyes widened. "Shakespeare," she whispered.
Lilith nodded. "His son perished. The grief of a genius. Grief without measure. Madness enough to allow us entrance," she added.
"Just three, but after tonight there will be more," she said with malice in her eyes.
Rose snorted. "Well, you have to get through me first, and trust me, that's hard to do," she said bravely.
Lilith snapped a piece of blonde hair from Rose who stared at her in confusion. Lilith flew, literally flew, out of the window, still carrying Rose's snip of hair.
"What are you doing?" Rose asked as Lilith pulled out a doll and wrapped the hair around it.
Lilith cackled. "Behold, Rose. Men to Carrionites are nothing but puppets," she laughed as she stabbed the doll, but nothing happened.
Rose snorted again. "That's what you call magic?" she asked and Lilith disappeared as Martha woke up. Rose turned to her. "Are you alright?"
Martha nodded. "Yeah," she replied.
Rose pursed her lips and ran out of the room. "Come on. We have to go to the Globe."
...
"I thought I told you to stop that play!" Rose snapped as she and Martha found Shakespeare nursing his head.
Shakespeare groaned. "I hit my head," he replied.
Rose rolled her eyes. "Well, don't rub it or you'll go bald," she said as screams were heard. "I think that's my cue," she added and ran out, Shakespeare and Martha following her.
As they ran out on stage, they found other Carrionites flying around the room and people trying to get out.
Rose's eyes widened as she thought of a solution. "Will, you can stop this!" she yelled over the noise.
Shakespeare looked shocked. "What can I do?" he asked.
"Reverse it!" Rose replied.
Shakespeare look turned to confusion. "How am I supposed to do that?" he asked.
"The Globe has the power, but you've got the words! Trust your instincts! You're the only genius in the universe who can save us!" she shouted.
Shakespeare bit his lip. "But I have no words!"
Rose sighed. "You're William Shakespeare!"
"But these Carrionite phrases, the need such precision!"
Rose rolled her eyes. "Then improvise!" she shouted.
Shakespeare took a deep breath, stepped forward and started to speak. "Close up this den of hateful, dire decay! Decomposition of your witches' plot! You thieve my brains, consider me your toy. My Darling Rose tells me I am not!" he yelled "Foul Carrionite spectres cease your show! Between the points..." he trailed off and looked at Rose for help.
Rose bit her lip. "761390!" she yelled.
"761390!" Shakespeare repeated. "And banished like a tinker's cuss, I say to thee..." he then looked to Rose once again. But Rose's mind was blank.
Rose looked at Martha. "Expelliarmus!" Martha shouted.
"Expelliarmus!" Rose shouted to Shakespeare.
"Expelliarmus!" Shakespeare yelled.
The Carrionites got sucked up in the blood tornado and the stage doors burst opened and pages of Love Labours Won got suck up in the sky along with the Carrionites. After the chaos finished, people started to applause and Rose ducked out as the actors took their bows.
Martha raised an eyebrow. "They think it was all special effects!" Martha said incredulously.
Shakespeare smirked at her. "Your effect is special indeed," he said flirtingly.
Martha rolled her eyes. "That's not your best line," she teased him.
Rose walked up to the box and saw a crystal ball with the Carrionites yelling and screaming inside. She picked it up and went back stage.
...
The next morning, while Shakespeare and Martha were talking, Rose was looking though the props while holding the crystal ball with the screaming witches.
As Rose walked out she heard Martha saying, "I don't know how to tell you this, oh great genius, but your breath doesn't half stink."
"I like what's back there," Rose said and Martha and Shakespeare turned to her. She was wearing a frilly neck brace and holding a skull of something. "Except for this. It reminds me of the Sycorax," she added with a grimace.
Shakespeare looked thoughtful. "Sycorax," he repeated. "I might use that."
Rose grinned at him. "You can have it. How's your head?" she asked.
Shakespeare sighed. "Still sore," he groaned.
Rose took of the neck brace and wrapped it around his neck. "This should help. Although, you might wanna keep it. It suits you," she said, winking at Martha who grinned.
"What about the play?" Martha asked.
Rose shrugged. "It's gone, although, you might not want to write it up again. Still power in those words," she said to Shakespeare.
Shakespeare smiled. "Oh but I got new ideas. Perhaps it's time I wrote about fathers and sons; in memory of my boy: my precious Hamnet," he said.
Martha raised her eyebrow. "Hamnet?" she asked.
Shakespeare nodded. "That's him."
"Hamnet..." Martha repeated.
Shakespeare turned her. "What's wrong with that?" he asked.
"Anyway!" Rose said loudly, gaining their attention. "It was probably time Martha and I were off. I've got a nice attic in the Tardis for this lot to scream for eternity and I gotta take Martha home," she added and Martha frowned slightly.
Shakespeare smiled at Rose. "You mean travel on through time and space," he interrupted.
Rose raised an eyebrow. "What?" she asked, slightly off guard.
"You and Martha are from the future and your mysterious friend is from a different world like those Carrionites. It's not hard to figure out," he said.
Rose chuckled. "You are a genius," she laughed.
"We are alike in so many ways Dame Rose," he said before turning to Martha. "Martha, let me say goodbye to you in a new verse. A sonnet for my Dark Lady. Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate..." he trailed off as two men entered the Globe, panting.
"Will! Will! You'll never believe it! She's here! She's turned up!" one of them shouted.
A man called Dick nodded in agreement. "We're the talk of the town. She heard about last night! She wants us to perform it again," he added.
Martha looked confused. "Who?" she asked.
"Her Majesty! She's here!" he replied.
A fanfare blew and an elegant woman dressed in royal clothing entered.
Rose grinned. "It's Queen Elizabeth I!" she exclaimed
"Rose Tyler!"
Rose raised an eyebrow. "What?" she asked.
"My sworn enemy!"
"What?" Rose repeated, shocked.
"Off with her head!"
"WHAT!"
Martha grabbed her hand. "Never mind what. Just run!" she snapped and ran with Rose following her. Rose heard Shakespeare laughing before she left the Globe and ran towards the Tardis.
Martha gasped. "What have you done to upset her!" Martha yelled.
Rose shrugged as she got out the key and opened the door. "No idea. Something to look forward to I suppose," she said grinning before she quickly closed the door as one of the guards fired an arrow at her, which hit the door.
First it was Queen Victoria, and now its Queen Elizabeth I. What did she do?