Thanks! Here's another quick post, written out late last night and early this morning. Hope it's OK!

PART VI

It was soon clear that Lollia knew the layout of Gaius's house as if it were her own. Carefully avoiding the torchlight, she led Rose and the Doctor past the laughing crowds and through a small side entrance—probably used by the servants. After a tricky trip down several narrow, lamp lit corridors, they finally reached the door to the young man's bedchamber.

Knocking softly, Lollia crept into the dimly lit room, her tense expression brightening the instant her eyes fell upon the figure lying prone on the bed.

"Gaius?" she whispered, tenderly brushing a stray lock of hair from his forehead as she sat on the bed beside him. "Gaius, it's me. Are you awake?"

Gaius slowly opened his eyes, the lingering effects of the sleeping drafts he'd taken leaving him very groggy. Even so, he managed a tender smile when he saw Lollia. Taking his hand, she pressed it to her cheek, nuzzling her face in his palm.

"I thought," he whispered hoarsely, then tried again. "I thought my father had forbidden you to see me."

"Your father doesn't know I'm here," she retorted with a conspiratorial smile. "How are you feeling?"

"My leg," he sighed, briefly closing his eyes. "It throbs. It feels so hot…"

"D'you mind if I take a look?"

Gaius frowned at the unfamiliar voice, noticing the two strangers for the first time. "Who…?"

"'S all right, he's the Doctor," Rose said kindly. "And I'm Rose. Rose Tyler. We've come to give you a hand with that leg." It wasn't until the Doctor rolled his eyes that she realized what she'd said. "You know what I mean!"

"I take it this is to help you sleep?" the Doctor asked, sniffing the contents of the bottle the doctor had left by Gaius's bedside. "Must taste terrible. My sympathies. You wouldn't happen to have any lemons lying about, would you?"

"They may have some at the feast," Lollia told him. "Why, would a lemon help—?"

"Not a bit," the Doctor said lightly, pointedly ignoring the incredulous look Rose shot him as he strode back to the bed. "Just curious. Now then, let's take a look at that leg, shall we?"

"No, wait. Lollia," Gaius frowned, struggling to sit up. "Who are these strange people? Why have you brought them here? You must know I already have a doctor."

Lollia pursed her lips and glanced at the two foreigners. "They're friends of my father, Gaius," she told him at last. "He told them about the monster. They're here to track it down." She lowered her eyes. "And I've been helping them."

"What!" the young man exclaimed. "Lollia, you mustn't go hunting that thing! It's dangerous, bloodthirsty! Lollia," he said, gently taking her head between his hands as he forced her to meet his eyes. "That creature is not of this world."

"Now, let's not get all melodramatic," the Doctor tutted, taking the opportunity to lift the bed covers from Gaius's legs. "I'm the Doctor, and I'll say whether the thing that attacked you is of this world or not." Gingerly, he peeled back the dressing over the wound so he could peer underneath. "Well, well, what do we have here…"

Pulling out his sonic screwdriver, he took a moment to adjust the setting, then used it to perform a quick scan. Lollia and Gaius watched in uncertain amazement, marveling at the slender instrument's strange, shrill sound and impossibly glowing tip.

"It's like a swarm of insects," Gaius winced. "All buzzing at once in my head. Doctor, just what manner of device is that? What's its purpose?"

"So you're curious?" the Doctor said with a small, distracted smile. "Good for you. First sign of an open mind." Tucking the tool away again, he turned on the nervous couple with a beaming grin. "Well, you'll be happy to know the wound is not infected. Young Gaius here should be up and about in less than a week. Only, you should remember to go easy on the stairs at first and I'd strongly advise you to avoid any unnecessary hopping for at least another month."

Rose frowned. "So, what, that's it? No hopping? Didn't the bite marks tell you anythin'?"

Shooting another smile at the befuddled young Romans, the Doctor took Rose gently by the arm and pulled her to the side. "Rose," he said through unmoving lips, "I didn't want to alarm those two, but…"

"But what, Doctor?" she pressed. "Is it an alien?"

"See, that's the thing," he said. "I don't think it is. But that bite pattern on the boy's leg is…well, it's not what I was expecting. In fact, I have to say I've never seen anything quite like it."

Rose jutted her lip. "That is saying something."

"Yeah." The Doctor scratched at the back of his neck. "It's bizarre. An impossible mix of canine and—I think—human."

"Then it is a werewolf!"

"No!" The Doctor sighed deeply, scrubbing a hand through his unruly hair. "I thought I had it sussed before—this was just to confirm. But now something isn't adding up. Rose, we have to find that creature. There has to be some kind of—"

"Doctor?" Lollia spoke up, very concerned. "Doctor, is there something wrong?"

"No, no, everything's fine. Like I said, Gaius's leg will heal with no trouble."

"But it's clear you're upset about something," Gaius frowned. "If it isn't me, then…wait..." He trailed off, his head tilted and his eyes sharp. Something in the distance was calling out; an eerie, mournful sound. "Did any of you just hear that?"

"It's the monster," Lollia gasped. "That howl…the howl that's almost a scream…"

A moment later, the shrill sounds of panic erupted among the partygoers outside. Rose's eyebrows went up, but before she could say anything, the Doctor had her hand in his and they were racing for the door.

"Lollia, stay with Gaius," he shouted over his shoulder. "Gaius, you stay where you are. Come on, Rose, we've got to get out there before it's too late!"

"Too late for what?"

"Just come on!"

Together, they raced through room after room of marble pillars, mosaic floors and frescoed walls before bursting out right into the heart of pandemonium. People were screaming, running, most of them too drunk to watch where they were going. A few of the women were praying, gathered in terrified huddles amidst the ruins of the feast. Others were sobbing about demons and retribution, ancient spirits and angry gods. The Doctor took one look at the chaotic scene and dashed to the side, recognizing that any thought of reestablishing order there was hopeless.

"Where are we going?" Rose demanded, shouting to be heard over the noise.

"The creature's out there, I want to see it. Here, hold this," the Doctor replied, throwing her his coat so he could scramble up onto a rocky outcropping without its length tripping him in the wind. He stood there on the narrow ledge frowning, his dark eyes scanning the dimness beyond the torchlight.

"Where is it? It's got to be around here somewhere, all those people wouldn't be carrying on like that over nothing…"

Just then, Rose screamed, the sound of her terror nearly causing his hearts to stop. But her fear wasn't for herself. She was screaming for him.

"Doctor! Look out!"

And then he realized. The monster he was looking for? It was looming directly above him.

"Ah," he said, turning slowly with a weak smile. "Hello. I've been hoping to meet up with you. You know, you're in quite a lot of danger, actually. Not from me, no. But perhaps something you found? Or…" he said, his expression brightening with sudden inspiration. "Something you ate! Yes. Yes, that could explain it! You were probably nosin' around in the grass, spotted something shiny... If you swallowed a thing like that, who knows how it would react!"

The monster sniffed loudly, fixing the Doctor with a cold, golden glare. "No, no, I wasn't making any suggestions just then," he said, quickly, raising his hands in defense. "You wouldn't want to eat me anyway. Just skin and bones, me, all tough and stringy—like a beanpole, really, and you wouldn't eat a beanpole would you? No?"

The creature took a threatening step closer, forcing the Doctor to back nearer to the cliff's edge. "…heh… I'd say we could talk this out...but, if I'm right, you can't understand a word I'm saying, can you."

As if in response, the monster bared its fangs, its rough, panting snarls filling the Time Lord's ears. And then, with a horrible, garbled roar, it pounced.


To Be Continued…

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