DISCLAIM

an: HERE WE GO!


Chapter 8

The TARDIS landed with it's usual quiet shudder and slow materialization, After a moment Rose stepped out with the doctor quickly behind.

"I believe your apartment has been left alone since you left."

"You believe?"

"Well," he stopped and smiled guiltily, "I sort of made sure . . . anyway, Everything is just the way you left it, if you need anything? Clothes, books, diary . . "

"You-"

"I didn't."

"It doesn't matter I hardly keep a journal," rose said, but her cheeks were tinged with pink. They rounded the corner to where her apartment should be, but rose took several steps before noticing the doctor walked the wrong way, She was about to retort about his sense of direction, but upon turning around she noticed the same scenery featured on both sides of the street.

Her building was mirrored, across the street.

"Rose," the doctor said, a few paces in front of her. A hint of worry tinged his voice, "How did you get back from Pete's universe?"

"Er-" Rose momentarily forgot the word, "A gap closer?"

Rose watched the Doctor's head fall forward, and he ran his hand backward through his hair before turning to face rose, and walking slowly past her.

Rose followed him silently and swiftly back into the TARDIS. He looked distracted and worried, as he read words that rapidly scrolled across the monitor on the consol.

"What's happened," Rose asked, trying not to interrupt.

But he replied without missing a line; "Pete's universe and this universe are colliding. A Gap Closer," he over-pronounced maliciously, "Is a one use per universe sort of thing. That's exactly what was used when closing the previous gap, and now, when used from the other universe, caused the Gap to close but not the holes in the universes, and since the Gap is closed but the holes are not, the universes are being sucked through the holes into one universe."

"Oh," rose said quietly, feeling partially at fault.

"Now," the doctor clicked a button and the monitor turned off, " The two worlds should fit together into one and all the differences will balance out, in one way or another," He looked side ways at rose.

"Will I stop existing?"

"Well," he rubbed his chin, "Seeing as you existed in both worlds, and- you did see both of the apartments, right-" she nodded, "You will remain existent. So, will your Mother, Pete, Me, the other me, and Mickey!" He smiled. "However, anyone who might not of existed in both, which is unlikely, unless you've prompted someone into existence, then they have a fifty percent chance of existing. And anyone who has not been through the Gap cannot see the worlds colliding, and won't even notice it."

"Well, that's convenient." Rose said.

"Yes, or it they could be so very different that both universes will collapse." said the Doctor, avoiding her eye, after a moment he said, "didn't you say, before, that your mother was. . ."

"Pregnant?" Rose prompted, "Yes," she smiled, "But she's had the baby, now. His name's Jack, he's three months old."

The Doctor nodded, "So, He's never been to this universe."

Rose's throat closed up, and she couldn't even nod in answer.

The doctor grabbed her hand, "We've got to find them."


Oh no! that escalated quickly. . .