Chapter 10
"Who's the Master?" Pete asked.
" He's... He WAS a Time Lord," the Doctor explained. " An insane megalomaniac from back home."
"I thought you were the last one?"
"I am now. I didn't know he was still alive. I'd assumed he'd died long ago. I was wrong."
"I'll get the gang to send you the case file and report," Jack assured Pete, saving the Doctor having to relive the episode.
Rose looked over at Jack with a grateful half smile as the Doctor continued to puzzle over the box. "What's wrong?" she asked turning back to him. "There's something you're not saying."
"If Koschei brought this to our last meeting, it's important."
"What was it he wanted from you?" Mickey asked.
"He wanted me to take him to our twin planet and rebuild Gallifrey."
"Pretty standard. So what's this?"
"No idea."
"So, what? We take it to the TARDIS and let the old girl take a look?" Jack suggested.
"No. This thing stays here. Until I know what it is, I don't want it anywhere near Gallifreyan technology."
XxXxX
Rose watched the Doctor pace round the control room, fiddling with the control panel, he looked tired and there was a pinched look to his eyes. She looked up at Jack, who shrugged helplessly.
"Doctor. Talk," Jack demanded quietly.
"Hmm? Oh, sorry. Lost in my head. So where to?"
"What? Doctor, we're not going anywhere."
"Why not?"
"Because we need to find out what that box is for!" Rose told him.
"Why?"
"Because you are trying to run away from it. And if you are trying to run from it then it's bad."
The Doctor sighed. "No fooling either of you anymore is there?"
"Nope," Jack smiled softly. "So where do we start?"
Sitting heavily on television jump seat, the time lord rubbed his eyes. "I don't know. I can't think straight at the moment."
"Is something else wrong?" Rose asked sitting next to him and taking his hand.
"Just so tired. I'm never tired, but my brain is practically screaming to shut down."
"So let it. Come on." Grabbing his hand she gently pulled him to his feet and guided him down the corridor to their bedroom.
By the time he stepped through the door he was almost tripping over his own feet, his eyes struggling to stay open.
Guiding him to sit on the bed, Rose removed his shoes and coats before turning the duvet down. "Theta," she whispered.
He gave a sleeping moan in response as his body swayed.
I'Theta. Come on love. In to bed'/I, she whispered in his mind.
Cracking one eye open he gave a sleepy half smile and groaned as he dragged himself up the mattress.
She kissed him on the forehead and sat on the edge of the bed, watching as he drifted into sleep. He looked pale, even in the dim light of his room. His freckles and the dark smudges under his eyes were a stark contrast to his skin and seemed to be getting darker by the minute.
"Rose?" Jack whispered, peering round the doorway.
"He's out," she assured him.
"Did he say anything?"
"He barely made it to the bed upright."
"You're worried."
"Aren't you?"
"Maybe you've finally worn him out? I mean, things got pretty... exciting for you guys yesterday." He looked Rose square in the eye, lacking the usual twinkle that would accompany such a comment. "Yeah, yeah I know. Something's wrong."
Rose nodded and looked back at the Time Lord. He looked pale and drawn. "I just can't help feeling like it's something to do with that box."
"Well, I think that's pretty much a given. I mean the Doc was actually trying to run away from it. Maybe we should have let him."
"If we'd have done that and something happened, he'd never forgive himself."
"So what do we do?"
"The only thing we can do. Wait for the Doctor to come back round and hope he has a brilliant idea."
XxXxX
When the Doctor woke, the first thing he noticed was the dull ache at the top of his head and the urge to remain in bed. He felt a shift in the Earth's turn. Something was changing. Something was coming. He forced himself to sit up and groaned as his head swam.
"Doctor?" Rose's voice came from beside him. "How are you feeling?"
"Like I have a massive hangover." He looked round at her. "What is it? What's happened?"
Rose bit her lip.
"Rose? What's happened?" he asked again, his tone more stern.
"Can you get up?"
"Of course I can." He frowned at her.
"Then you should probably come and see for yourself."
Gingerly he stood, waiting for his head to stop swimming and followed Rose to the control room.
Jack was stood at the doors, his shoulders tense under his shirt as he surveyed the outside. He turned at the sound of their footsteps. "You OK?" he asked as the Doctor neared him.
"What's going on?"
Jack hesitated then, with a glance at Rose, stepped back allowing the Doctor to see.
The Time Lord searched his friend's faces with trepidation, not sure he wanted look. Rose grasped his hand and pressed a kiss to his shoulder, following him forward.
"It can't be..." The Doctor's knees almost buckled under him and he leant heavily against the door frame as the pain in his head pulsed.
Jack was behind him in an instant ready to catch him. "I guess now we know what that box was for," he said grimly.
"BUT. IT. CAN'T. BE."
XxXxX
A/n; Is anyone still out there? Let me know what you're thinking. Xx