A/N: Um... hi! Anyone still there? I'm really sorry about the long wait, I've just had a crazy month in terms of work/studies, but it's over and I should be able to write more regularly from now on! That said, I hope you enjoy this chapter!
She's back on the Gamestation, just like she wanted, like they both wanted, back to save that amazing man they love. A haunting song plays in her mind as the universe unravels forward and back again in front of her eyes, space and time at transforming into everything and nothing all at once. It is chaotic, and irresistible, and – it hurts. She is burning, burning, but she must do what she can, she must save him, past, present and future, and maybe she can save herself, too. She buries what the TARDIS has offered her deep within herself, so that it remains hidden until the time comes, until this moment that she can see now. There will be pain, but it is the best option, she knows, she has seen every possibility. It has to happen this way. She must –
The chaos withdraws with the pain as his lips touch hers, his mind joins hers. The song stops and blackness threatens to engulf her, but her task is done, she knows it is, even though she can't quite remember… what… it…
Rose wakes up with a groan, trying to chase the remnants of fragmented dreams. The Gamestation… It has haunted her dreams so often. She is not surprised to have dreamt about it now, when she has just lived through those events again when she was telling the story to -
The Doctor! Rose's eyes open with a start, awareness of her situation flooding back to her. Her bafflement returns as she remembers the Drazfins, their energy weapon, her newfound telepathy… How could she get hit by that blast, and not die? How did she become telepathic, without being aware of it? What is going on?
She pushes herself off the floor, agitated, and freezes when her fingers come into contact not with the cold metal surface of the cage, but with… the Doctor's coat, laid down beneath her. Her heart swells at this gesture showing his obvious concern for her comfort. She caresses the material before bringing it up to her nose, inhaling deeply. She smiles as his scent assaults her senses, and she immediately feels immediately soothed. Everything will be fine. They just have to see this adventure through, and then they will figure it out, together.
"Rose? Are you alright?"
She turns her head to see Ariz peering at her through the bars of the cage, a look of concern on his face. She smiles at him as she puts the Doctor's coat on, wrapping herself in the warmth that still lingers there.
"Yeah, I'm fine, thanks. I was just…"
She trails off and shrugs, unsure how to explain her agitation to the Drazfin. She wonders if he knows about her getting shot, and what he thinks of it. In any case, she doesn't really want to talk about it. She scoots towards the wall, in the same spot where she fell asleep in the Doctor's arms hours before, and leans back against it.
They are alone in the room, Dzarn and the Doctor both gone. She wonders how long she has slept. She wishes she had stayed awake. There is so much they still need to talk about. But she had been exhausted, the strain of the telepathic link and of all the emotions she had gone through in such a short time taking their toll on her.
Being in his mind, connected to him so profoundly, had been… incredible. His presence was tangible in her head, warm, infinite, icy, tempestuous. And underneath it all she recognized the unchanging essence of the man she loved, the same man despite the different faces. Touching him both physically and mentally had been almost too much for her to handle. She remembers him saying that he was shielding himself from her, to avoid prying into her uncontrolled thoughts and projections. She can't begin to imagine what it would feel like to be linked to him without any barrier between them.
Shaking her head, she tries to push all thoughts of the telepathic connection away. There is no point in dwelling on it for now. It will only make her yearning for the Doctor's presence intensify. She looks around the room, her glance going to the windows on one side of the room. The way they are boarded up leaves very little light streaming through them, making it difficult to tell the passing of time. She wonders how long ago the Doctor has left, how long she has been in this cage.
It seems like lifetimes ago that she was observing an old abandoned building with her team, deciding on their best course of action. Since then, she has been shot unconscious, has had the shock of waking up to a past Doctor. She has been locked up and unconscious again. All of this has made her lose all sense of time, and she wonders how much of it has passed since it all started. She wonders what her family thinks, what Jackie has been told. Your daughter disappeared without a trace while hunting aliens we know absolutely nothing about? Her mum must be so worried. In retrospect, she regrets not contacting her team, but she knows she wasn't ready to tell them about the Doctor, then. Honestly, she's not sure she would be even now, given the chance.
But it probably doesn't matter. She's sure it won't be long until they can get out of here, until the Doctor finishes the cure. She realizes that in the turmoil of their… conversation, she forgot to ask him.
"Ariz? Do you know how the development of the cure is going?"
The Drazfin is sitting against the wall opposite her, looking bored and tired. He raises his head at her words.
"Yes, I was talking to Czif before going to sleep, she said it's going well. That Doctor of yours, he knows what he's doing. Czif kept going on about all the insights he had, she was… very impressed."
The bitter undertone in his words surprises Rose. She studies his face, noticing the tightness of his lips, the way he is avoiding her eyes. The blue of his skin deepens as she looks at him, and she realizes after a moment that this is his race's version of blushing. The pieces finally fall together and she recognizes the feeling for what it is: jealousy.
Ariz likes Czif, and feels threatened by the Doctor. The revelation astonishes her. In the whirlwind of recent events, her attention has been focused on her own feelings, and the Doctor's. The relationships between the five Drazfins in this expedition hadn't come into her thoughts. But of course in a situation such as theirs, alone on an alien planet and relying on each other, feelings are bound to develop. And from what she can tell, Ariz is young, and Czif… Well, she has had little contact with the others, and she makes an effort to remember the female scientist. She recalls a petite young woman, her skin a lovely pale blue, a spark of intelligence in strangely shaped violet eyes.
Rose shuffles forward to the bars of her cage, smiling kindly at Ariz. She doesn't know the exact nature of his relationship with Czif, but she can at least reassure him about his supposed competitor.
"Hey, look, I'm sure you took it the wrong way. Czif was just excited about the cure, that's all, not about the Doctor himself. Don't worry."
Ariz looks back at her, startled, and his blush intensifies.
"What? I don't – I didn't mean…" He scrambles for words as Rose gives him a knowing look and he finally sighs, defeated. "Alright, I admit, I like Czif. But it doesn't matter, we're not… together. I'm sure she doesn't think of me that way. She's so smart, I must look like an idiot to her."
She shakes her head with a smile. She can definitely understand the feeling. When she was a companion to the Doctor, there were certainly moments when she felt her inferiority in intelligence, no matter how many times he told her she was brilliant. But being with him also taught her that so many other qualities matter, like courage, and compassion.
"You're not an idiot, Ariz. And intelligence is not the only thing that matters. From our talk yesterday, I can tell you're passionate, kind, adventurous, full of wit… Being yourself is good enough. Does she know you like her?"
"No," he replies, blushing. "There hasn't really been a good time to tell her…"
"Look, there's never a good time until it's too late. Trust me, I know. Don't wait too long, alright?"
He smiles tentatively and nods in thanks, but stays silent otherwise, his gaze returning to the ground. He is clearly still feeling dejected, and Rose is determined to cheer him up. And what better way to do this than to get him talking?
"Now, tell me about her. Did you meet her on this mission?"
Ariz tells her the story of how he met the pretty young Drazfin for the first time a few years back, when he was assigned to protect the science complex where she worked, before the disease and the war broke out. He is shy at first, insecure and not used to expressing his feelings out loud, but after a while his enthusiasm wins over, his love and admiration of Czif becoming obvious. He tells her of midnight snacks together in the cafeteria when she they were both working late into the night, of group outings where he would watch her from a distance, too shy to dance with her. Of finally gathering the courage to ask her out for dinner, and of a meal filled with enthusiastic conversations about her work, where she would beam at him when he understood the difficult concepts she was trying to explain.
Rose is surprised by his story. He had given her the impression that life on his planet was harsh and strict, but what he is telling her could have happened to any two young adults on Earth. She tells him as much, and he gives her a sad smile.
"It didn't use to be so bad. In peaceful times, our society can be pretty relaxed. And it had been years since the last war, back then. There were tensions, sure, but mostly between the elites. Normal workers like us didn't care much about factions. There were even some people that… "
He trails off, his expression suddenly pained. She reaches between the bars with her hand, beckoning him to her in a friendly gesture.
"Ariz, what's wrong? You can tell me. We're friends, yeah?"
She can see him hesitate before he finally gets up, moves forward, and sits down again in front of her. He takes her hand in one of his and holds it silently for a moment while he stares at the ground. His hand is cool and rugged to the touch, the sapphire blue tone of Ariz's skin fading almost to translucence at the tip of his long fingers. She squeezes it lightly to give him her support. He takes a deep breath, and finally starts speaking again.
"Some people mingled with other factions, and even chose mates among them. It wasn't forbidden back then, just… frowned upon. My brother, he – he married a woman from the Trakhan faction, they had two boys. I… haven't heard from him or his family since the war started. I don't… know if they're alive… and even if he is… they won't give Trakhans the cure once we have it, they'll just… let them all die…"
He stops speaking, his voice strained, his eyes shut. Rose grasps his hand tightly, stroking his skin in soothing motions, and rests her head against the bars, feeling drained and close to tears. The more she learns about this world, the more she wants to help its people.
She's not sure what they can really do, but maybe she can give Ariz some hope, at least.
"Look," she declares in a low, urgent voice. "The Doctor and I have decided that once we're free to go, we'll replicate the cure ourselves and travel to your planet to distribute it. We won't let more than half of your population die, I promise. And… maybe we can help restore the peace at the same time, one way or another. So there's still hope, alright? There's always hope."
Ariz looks up at her words, his reptilian eyes wide and dilated.
"You really think you could do that?"
"Well, we haven't… worked out a plan yet, exactly. There hasn't been time. But we have a spaceship, we can get to your planet. And once we're there… well, maybe you could help us?"
He shifts closer to the bars of the cage and grasps her hand in both of his, hope finally shining in his eyes.
"Oh yes, I'll help you! I'll do anything I can! Thank you, Rose, thank you! You don't know how much this means to me!"
Rose beams brightly at him, her heart full. A tear escapes the corner of her eye, and she raises her free hand to wipe it.
"Don't mention it. Now, come on, you weren't done with your story. I'm dying to know, what happened after you took her out for dinner?"
The silence is deafening as they work, the occasional clinks of glass tubes and low humming of machinery the only sounds to be heard. With Dzarn sitting on the stairs, watching them like a hawk, any discussion is impossible. This suits the Doctor just fine. Still seething with the truth of their leaders' plan for the cure, he has no desire to talk to Kaf or Czif. The two Drazfins send bewildered looks his way when he answers them in short, abrupt replies, so unlike their enthusiastic exchanges of the day before, but the hurt in their eyes only fuels his annoyance. He does not want to feel bad for them. Unlike Rose, he finds it hard to believe that the two scientists might not be aware of their leaders' intentions, and if they know, it makes them almost as guilty in his eyes. Ariz, at least, had the decency to tell Rose about it.
The thought of Rose brings his mind back to the events of a few hours earlier. His period of reflection in their prison yielded very little result. The only thought that firmly implanted itself in his mind was a fervent wish for the TARDIS med bay, where he could examine Rose with every medical equipment he possessed until he was satisfied that he understood what had happened to her, and what changes it had caused. But to get there… To get there he needs to finish this wretched cure.
When Firzian came in the cage room to tell Dzarn that Kaf, Czif and Ariz were awake and waiting for his orders, the Doctor was more than ready to get started. The faster he worked, the sooner Rose and him would be free. He now felt a constant anxiety regarding her well-being that was only alleviated, for the moment, by the fact that she was fast asleep in his arms, her warmth and regular breathing reassuring him that she was alive and well. As he gently disentangled himself from her, he noticed that there was no sleeping mat or any such luxury in the cage. Reluctant to lay her down on the cold, hard metal surface, he took off his overcoat, spread it on the floor and gently set the sleeping woman on top of it.
He heard the lock of the cage open, and raised his head to see Dzarn opening the door. Now that he had to leave, the Doctor was surprised by his reluctance to leave Rose. Forcing himself to ignore the gnawing feeling in his chest, he bent down, brushed a lock of hair away from her face and, after a second of hesitation, softly kissed her forehead. The feeling of her skin lingered on his lips as he tore himself away and strode through the open door.
Even now, as he is concentrating on work, part of his mind still remains on Rose. On the warmth of her skin, the scent of her hair, the beauty of her mind. He misses their telepathic connection already. Part of him wants nothing more than to rush back to her and burrow himself deep in her mind, to be surrounded by her again.
He pauses for a moment as the urge nearly overcomes him. Why does she affect him so much? He's no mere youth of a hundred years, easily enticed by a pretty face and a pretty mind. He's known her for such a short period of time, and yet he feels as though… as though he has known her forever. As though he wants to keep her with him, forever.
He shakes himself from his reverie and resumes working. He's probably that shaken up only because of the telepathic link they shared. The experience was intense, due to her lack of mental shields, and because of the strange quality of her mind, affected by the time vortex. Her feelings were powerful as she told her tale, and they made him emotional in turn.
Yes, that's a rational explanation.
He ignores the voice in his head pointing out that his attraction and emotional attachment to the woman started well before the telepathic link. He absolutely avoids dwelling on why she was so emotional, on the fact that she saved him from death at the risk of her own life, and on what he thinks he glimpsed of her feelings for his future self. He definitely refuses to think about what her feeling for his present self could be, given enough time together.
He concentrates on work to suppress the distraction of his thoughts, and the development of the cure progresses well. Some hours into the day they experience a major breakthrough that manages to animate even him out of his stony silence, due to his belief that they will be done in a day or so. He takes careful mental note of what they have done so he can reproduce it on the TARDIS. He may be mad at those Drazfins, but he still has the responsibility to prevent the genocide of more than half of their population.
Dzarn approaches as they are all bent over a computer monitor, alerted by their sudden excitement.
"What's going on?"
"We're almost got it, Dzarn," answers Czif in an eager voice. She is bouncing on the balls of her feet, her pale skin darkened with enthusiasm. "We found a combination that almost completely eliminated the pathogen in cell culture."
"Really? Great." The Drazfin leader sounds almost happy at the news, and the Doctor wonders if anything could get this annoying creature in a good mood. "How soon do you think you will be done, then?"
"Just one of this planet's solar day, I should think. See, we still need to optimize the concentration of – "
Dzarn stops her short with a raised hand.
"Czif, please. I told you before, I don't need to hear the details. Kaf, go wake up Firzian. I need to rest, too."
The scientist hurries upstairs while Dzarn turns towards the Doctor, a scowl on his face.
"Well done, Doctor. I guess you were useful after all."
"You sound as if you are disappointed that this is the case," he replies, irritated. He has no patience for this today.
"I admit I was rather looking forward to see you and your arrogance knocked down a bit."
"My arrogance?"
"But I concede that you did help us a great deal, and to thank you we will let you go."
Before the Doctor can give any reply, Dzarn turns away from him to join Firzian, who is coming down from the top floor, Kaf trailing a few paces behind her. They exchange a few quiet words at the foot of the stairs. The Doctor strains to hear what they are saying, wary of the Drazfin leader, but Czif turns to him again to discuss the results, and he is forced to divert his attention away.
Dzarn heads upstairs a few moments later. The Doctor watches him go in mistrust, catching a parting glance between the leader and Firzian full of a meaning he can't decipher. Her face is carefully blank as she sits on a step of the staircase, and he gives up hope of finding answers through her.
Czif is talking to him again in an insisting voice, so he abandons his scrutiny to turn back towards the scientist. Maybe he is simply seeing deception where none exists. Maybe the secrecy and mistrust surrounding him are starting to rub off on him.
Their work continues in a subdued atmosphere. Czif is absorbed in precise chemical manipulations while Kaf is standing next to the microscope, observing their latest batch of cells in silence. Sometime later a low moan recalls to the Doctor's attention the man still forcefully unconscious and strapped to the examination table, which has been wheeled away from the center of the room. He had wanted to examine him before, but when he had tried, Dzarn had snapped at him that there would be enough time for that once the cure was complete. With the leader away, and knowing Firzian to be a much more lenient guard, he walks over to the young man.
His appearance immediately worries him. Whatever drugs they are using to keep him unconscious are not interacting well with his system. His face is pale and clammy, his heart rate unnaturally high. He needs medical attention, as soon as possible. But can he do something for him now? Maybe he could find out from Kaf what cocktail of chemicals they have given him, and create a temporary remedy to counter their effect.
The scientist is still alone in a corner of the room, poring over the microscope, when the Doctor walks up to him.
"Kaf, I need to know – "
The Drazfin starts and straightens up abruptly. He stares at the Doctor and his eyes show such an unexpected mix of fear, uncertainty and trepidation that he loses track of any words he was about to say.
"Kaf? Are you alright? What's the matter?" he asks, leaning closer in concern.
Kaf throws him an uneasy look before turning to glance behind him. Following his gaze, the Doctor notices that Firzian is observing them with close attention. He turns back towards the scientist in time to see his expression shift from anxious to resolute, looking back towards the microscope with a small decisive nod.
"Doctor!" he exclaims loudly – much louder than the distance between them really requires. "Here, take a look at this, tell me what you think."
He moves aside to make some space in front of the instrument, quickly shooting him a look that clearly implores him to do as he says. Puzzled, the Doctor bends down to look into the eyepiece. He can see a glass dish of one of their latest cell cultures, showing the nearly total regression of the pathogen. This is nothing he hasn't seen before, however, and he is about to ask Kaf what he is supposed to be looking for when he feels the scientist lean in close to him.
"Just play along," he whispers. "There is something I need to tell you."
The Doctor arches an eyebrow, intrigued, but manages to suppress any other indication that he has heard him.
"You're right, this is interesting!" he exclaims for the sake of their guard, pretending to manipulate the instrument. "What do you make of it?"
"This is definitely not the reaction we were expecting. Have you noticed that bigger cluster of cells?" Kaf answers loudly, before dropping his voice again. "Doctor, I heard Dzarn and Firzian talking when I was coming down the stairs. They were discussing Rose."
The Doctor stiffens at those words, a feeling of cold dread creeping up his spine.
"Yes, I see it now. Give me a minute, let me take a look." He pauses before whispering, "And?"
"Firzian must have told Dzarn about your friend's unprecedented survival to the energy blast," Kaf continues in a low, urgent voice. "I only caught a small part of their conversation, but they were talking about her military value. I think they want to study her, to see if they could replicate her capabilities."
The feeling of dread erupts in full blown anxiety. He should have seen this coming. Maybe he had, unconsciously, which is why he had been so wary of Dzarn, and so anxious about Rose's safety. He will not let them take Rose and turn her into a lab rat. They will have to go through him, first.
For the moment, at least, she is safe. Dzarn is upstairs, Firzian is guarding him. Ariz is with her, of course, but he has proved to be friendly, and he has to trust that he would not harm her. There is still time to stop whatever plan the Drazfin leader is plotting. He knows this, rationally, but it doesn't stop the urge to bolt from the room all the way back to the cage, back to Rose.
Kaf must have sensed this, as he lays a hand on his shoulder in a calming gesture, leaning in again to whisper in his ear.
"Don't react. You can't let them know you are aware of this. Do you think you can prevent them from taking Rose? I will help you if I can."
The Doctor lets out a shaky breath. Kaf is right, he has to calm down.
"Yes, I will… think of something," he replies quietly. "Thank you for telling me. I must warn her, though."
"Hmm, you were right to bring this to my attention," he adds loudly, straightening up. "I need to reflect on it."
He notices that Firzian has stepped closer to them, standing alert with a hand on her gun, but she relaxes when she sees the Doctor step away from must talk to Rose. That much is clear in his head. He doesn't think Dzarn will dare to do anything until the cure is complete, which means he probably has a little over a day to come up with a plan. Until then, he has to at least provide her with a means of helping herself.
He has given her his coat, with everything that his pockets contain, but thinking back he is not sure there is much of use in there, mostly useless kick-knacks gathered during his adventures. The weight in his breast pocket gives him another idea, however.
His sonic screwdriver. The ideal tool to get out of a situation like this. If he can give this to her, he will at least have an easier peace of mind until he can come up with a better plan.
Good. Now, he must find a way back to the cage. Hmm, should he try the same trick as the last time? Would it work again?
He continues working for a few minutes to assuage any suspicions that might have arisen from his discussion with Kaf. When enough time has passed, he yawns, straightening up to stretch his arms above his head.
"Well, I don't know about you, but I am getting pretty exhausted," he says tiredly, addressing both scientists. "What do you say we get some rest before the last stretch of work?"
Czif stops working and looks at Kaf, uncertain, before finally shrugging in agreement.
"Yes, I suppose it would be best. We're at a good place to stop, anyway. Firzian, could you escort the Doctor back to the cage?"
"Well, I… I don't know. I should ask Dzarn…"
"He's sleeping upstairs," replies Kaf. "Do you really want to wake him? Besides, you'd have to leave the Doctor without guard in order to do it. Do you think he'd be happy about that?"
Firzian hesitates for a moment before nodding in acceptance.
"Alright, fine. Doctor, walk in front of me."
Trying not to appear too exultant, he steps into the passageway, shooting Kaf a look of thanks as he passes by him.
Rose is sitting near the front bars of the cage, softly talking with Ariz when he comes into the room. Both of them fall silent, turning towards the doorway in surprise. Rose gets to her feet as Firzian opens the lock, dutifully moving back when she orders her to do so. She is wrapped up in his overcoat, looking absurdly beautiful in the overly large garment. The Doctor can only stare at her as he steps inside, absorbing every single detail of the woman as his hearts accelerate at the sight of her. His previous emotions rush back to him, the urge to take her in his arms, to taste her skin, to burrow himself into her mind taking hold of him again. She steps forward as the lock snaps shut, and he can't resist the desire any longer.
In one quick stride he reaches her and sweeps her into his arms, a wave of heat spreading inside him as he feels her responding, her hands snaking around his waist to tightly grasp his back. Unable to help himself, he lowers his lips to her temple, kissing her as he enters her mind through the contact.
He hears her gasp, at the kiss or the telepathic contact he couldn't say, but he can't bring himself to stop. He is aware of every shallow breath she takes, of each of her hammering heartbeat. His lips are on her skin, his mind is surrounded by her golden warmth, and he feels like he is on the brink of losing control. Now that he is with her again, he can't lie to himself, can't deny the effect she has on him.
Only the thought of the danger threatening her lets him keep hold of himself. He opens his eyes to see Firzian exit the room, leaving only Ariz to watch them. They could talk normally now, without any need for telepathy, but he can't bring himself to let go. Rose seems to be of the same mind, tightening her hold on him until almost no space remains between them.
"Doctor…" she whispers in his mind. Even through the link, she sounds breathless. To hear her like this makes his own breath catch.
To regain some rational thought, he forces himself to remove his lips from her skin, his hands coming up to frame her face in their place. Her eyes are closed, her cheeks flushed, and he takes a moment to drink her in.
"Rose… You need to be careful. Dzarn is plotting something, I'm not sure what, but something to do with you."
"Me? Why?"
"Because you survived their energy weapon when no one else ever has. They want to figure out how you did it, use it to their advantage."
"Oh. I hadn't thought of that, it does make sense, I guess... But you're helping them! Would they betray you like that?"
"I don't know about the others, but I have no trust in Dzarn. Just… be on your guard. I don't think they will try anything until the cure is complete, which means we have at least another day. But you should take this, just in case."
He lowers one of his hands to his breast pocket, fishes out his sonic screwdriver, and places it in her hand. Her eyes fly open as she closes her fingers around it.
"Are you sure? You might need it."
"Yes, I'm sure. I will be more at ease if I know that you are not helpless."
One of her eyebrows quirks up and an amused glint appears in her eyes.
"Me, helpless? Obviously you haven't seen me in my hand-to-hand combat class. I'm sure I could take you on and kick your arse."
Unable to help himself, he laughs out loud and is rewarded by her bright smile and teasing tongue. He is nonetheless glad to see her slip the sonic inside an inner pocket of her coat.
"Doctor, I wanted to tell you. I had a chat with Ariz earlier, he has promised that he will help us, with the distribution of the cure and everything."
Without breaking the contact between them, she turns her head towards the guard, and the Doctor follows her gaze.
"Ariz, tell the Doctor about – what?"
Dzarn and Firzian suddenly burst into the room and are advancing towards them, a weapon gripped in the right hand of the female Drazfin. The Doctor hears Rose gasp.
"That's my stunner!" she whispers faintly.
"Shoot them both, but we only take her," orders Dzarn.
The Doctor has no time to react as Firzian raises the gun and fires at Rose. The abrupt dissolution of the link between them leaves him dizzy as she slumps in his arms, unconscious. Without missing a beat, the Drazfin turns the gun on him and shoots. The blast of energy suddenly surging in his system brings him to his knees, but he remains conscious.
He hears Ariz shouting – No! What are you doing? – his voice distant to the Doctor's ears. Then Dzarn orders Firzian to fire again, and everything fades to black.
