Chapter 7
I feel… warm. There are quiet voices in the darkness. One is the Doctor. I can feel a hand holding mine. I think there is a blanket over me. I don't open my eyes but I listen intently to the quiet conversation being held.
"How is she Doctor?" It's Rose. I feel something damp brush against my forehead.
"She's worse. Much worse. She's got fever and her heart rate has slowed so it's the equivalent of just one heart" I'm dying?
"What's causing it? What's wrong with her?" It's Jade. She sounds as if she's been crying.
The Doctor sighs and I hear the others move closer and sit down.
"Sophie is part Time Lord. She is half human, half Time Lord and she's been like this for a year and a few months. And over this time, her body has been merging the two sets of DNA together. But it's gone wrong. Her human DNA is mutating… and it's killing her" the Doctor explains, his voice wavering at the end.
I think I have been shattered into a million pieces.
The door opens and heavy footsteps that could only belong to Shipman walk in.
"Can anyone do engineering? We need a hand fixing the door" he barks.
"I can" came Jade's reply.
"I'll come with you" Jack says and they both leave.
The damp thing brushes against my temple and I feel someone brush my hair off my forehead. The Doctor sighs.
"She'll be fine Doctor. She can regenerate, remember?" Rose says in an attempt to lift the Doctor's spirits.
"Not properly and a regeneration would only speed up the process" the Doctor mutters.
"Well… why don't you go for a walk? Clear your head. You've been sitting here for three hours straight. Go on. I'll look after Sophie"
The Doctor tightens his grip on my hand.
"I'm not leaving her. It's my fault this has happened so it's my responsibility to help her" he mutters. Rose shuffles closer and I open my eyes a fraction. Rose is resting her head on the Doctor's shoulder.
"It's not your fault," she murmurs. "You couldn't help what happened"
"But I'm going to fix it. There's a way I can make Sophie a proper Time Lord. But it's painful" The Doctor rests his fist against his cheek and frowns.
"But it'll save her, yeah?" Rose asks in a hopeful voice.
"Yes. I'll basically take a concentrated form of my DNA, put it in this special watch and attach it to this machine that completely rewrites your biology. Sophie wears the machine and becomes a proper Time Lord. She'll also regenerate so that the process can complete. But it does mean that…" the Doctor trails off, his brow furrowed.
"Mean what?" Rose asks.
My head is reeling with information.
"It means that her genes would have information from mine. Sophie wouldn't be my sister anymore… she'd be my daughter" the Doctor murmurs.
Rose gasps. "But that's not so bad, is it?"
The Doctor looks at her and smiles. "No, not at all"
I sigh and open my eyes properly, bringing the Doctor's attention back to me.
"Sophie!" he cries, his eyes alight with relief and happiness.
"Hey" I whisper.
"How are you feeling?" he asks, brushing the damp thing, which turns out to be a cloth, over my forehead again.
"I'm fine, much better" I say, managing a smile. The Doctor smiles back but then frowns.
"Wait, did you hear any of our conversation?" he asks.
"Yes" I whisper. He takes my hand again.
"Ok. I was just wondering. How much?"
"Pretty much all of it… and if it's the only option other than dying, I'll do it" I say, sitting up awkwardly.
The Doctor looks at me, stunned. Then, he beams at me and hugs me gently. Rose places something on my lap.
"Michelle gave me these. They're spare clothes. They should fit" she says. I wonder why she's done this but then I realise I'm still in my pyjamas.
"Oh, um, thanks Rose" I smile at her. I then look around. I'm in a small room that contains a round table with four chairs, two arm chairs that look old and worn down and I'm sitting on a sofa that's in the same condition.
"This is the ships sitting area. They put Adam's body in the medical bay" the Doctor mumbles apologetically.
"It's fine" I say and I swing my legs off and get up to go get changed.