"This is impossible," Sage whispered to herself. She slumped down against the wall, fan lax in her grip. She shoved it into her pocket before anxiously raking a hand through her hair. There was distant noise coming from the Daleks, a sort of white noise that was filtered out of her mind.
"What is?" Damien asked, the frustration finally taking seed in his tone. He put his hand on her shoulder.
"These- these robots!" she huffed. "They shouldn't exist. They went extinct for years. How in the world are they here, now?"
Sage felt, rather than saw, Damien freeze, but she paid it no mind. Her brain was racing to understand how they were here.
It made no sense, the Doctor had eradicated their existence along with his own people, with painful reluctance.
If they were here now, still alive, then the Doctor's sacrifice was obsolete. He killed them for nothing! That made her choke, the Doctor had to live with this guilt with his worst enemies still wandering the universe.
It just didn't make any sense. Did the Doctor miss one fleet? But she had assumed that all the ships were together fighting the Time Lords, apparently not if her sonic was correct. Then why was one of them raised upon a pillar like a god?
Actually, why was it out of its shell? That meagre layer of protection, its casing, seemed to be fragile enough to blow in the wind.
"Sage?" Damien asked, hand tightening on her shoulder. "What do you mean? What are those things?"
"They're Daleks," she explained distractedly, mind racing to comprehend. "A species hell-bent on eradicating any other species unlike them. They enjoy taking over planets and the like, always exterminating the natives."
"But what did you mean when you said that they were extinct? Clearly not, if their presence here is any indication." He said flippantly.
"I-I don't know, I need to tell the Doctor," she said absently. "I need to tell him-"
"Tell whom?"
"The Doctor, my friend," Sage said. "I need to-"
"I don't think I can let you do that, Sage," Damien said.
"What? Damien-" Sage said, confused and felt the tight, almost painful, squeeze on her shoulder.
She froze, terror building up inside her, "I never told you my name. I told you it was Queenie. How-?"
Looking up, Sage was entranced by the unnatural, piercing blue gaze from his eyes. Once a deep brown, it was now an intense, electronic blue hue, looking intently into her own fearful brown.
"You don't know how much you can find with a simple DNA scan." Damien said simply.
Sage's mind flashed back to all the casual touches they shared, the easy way he could have taken a piece of her hair and scanned it.
"Sage K. Tran. Twenty-seven years of age, occupation: former history teacher, currently full-time companion of the Doctor. Family status deceased. Need I go on?" he taunted.
"I should've known," she spat, disgusted with herself. "Damien, the tamer, the asshole, the demon. You must be an android, then."
"Droid 04M-13N, version 4.55, up to date."
He tightened his grip on her shoulder, dragging her forward. Sage clenched her jaw, scolding herself for not realizing sooner, for not trusting her intuition.
Damien dragged Sage reluctantly forward into the abyss of Daleks. The hoard quieted down.
"Droid 04M-13N, what have you brought to me?" The one on the platform said robotically.
Damien shoved her forward, she deliberately fell down, using the momentum to shift the fall away from her face. She curled up defensively, making sure that they couldn't see her hands.
"Emperor," Damien said reverently. Sage gagged at his tone, she shifted, hoping that she could just manage to get her hands into her pocket….
"...was the Doctor's companion," Damien said.
Sage tensed, ready for a fight, death, anything. She had managed to hide her fan deep in her pockets, another one closer at hand for a decoy, if need be.
She thanked the TARDIS for giving all her clothes transdimensional pockets, and her telepathic abilities.
"The Doctor is alive," the Emperor croaked. "He and his companions will be stopped."
"Yes, Emperor," the Daleks echoed.
"Make sure that we are not to be detected. The Doctor cannot find out that we are here, not when we are so close to success," the Emperor commanded. "Droid 04M-13N, bring that one here."
Damien roughly grabbed her, picking her up and setting her on her feet. She staggered precariously, balance wavering.
"Who are you?" The Emperor demanded.
Sage stared up, defiant, at the alien. "Didn't your droid already tell you?" she spat.
Damien slapped the back of her head, hissing, "Treat the Emperor with respect, you wench."
"How did the Doctor find out about us?" The Emperor asked again.
Sage hid her confusion, clenching her jaw. She had thought that the Daleks had detected them, not the other way around. "He's a Time Lord, your highness," deliberately using a lesser title, "how do you think he found out?"
"What do we do, Emperor?" one Dalek said.
The Emperor deliberated for a moment, "We shall commence with the plan, the Dalek Stratagem is near its completion, make sure that the Doctor never finds us here."
"Emperor!" Another Dalek called, rolling into the grand room, a prisoner in tow. Sage turned around, staring in shock.
"Rose?"
That woman had masters that had total control of Satellite Five, a solar flare gone and was not going to come in time, the TARDIS was gone, and Sage was still missing.
The terror as he remembered that they hadn't found Sage yet seized his hearts. He could only hope that she was safe with the TARDIS.
Even the connection he had with the TARDIS had dimmed, the only reassurance of a faint hum in the back of his mind.
But he couldn't focus on that now, he had to find out what the hell was happening to make that woman so scared of her masters.
"Found the TARDIS," Jack called.
"We're not leaving now," he replied. Even after several adventures with the man, the Doctor still had his reserves about him.
There was no denying that he was intelligent or brave, it was the loyalties that had him doubting. Which, if Sage was here, she'd be pointing out all the loyal things he had done for them.
They had started off on the wrong foot, and he didn't know if they could fix that. They were friendly, but the Doctor could feel the tension, that he had undoubtedly caused every time, between them as the Captain tried to release it with his flirtations.
"No, but the TARDIS worked it out," Jack said. He motioned to the Doctor, "You'll wanna watch this."
Turning to Lynda, he beckoned her forward, "Lynda, could you stand over there for me please?"
The blonde hesitated, "I-I just wanna go home."
With a fixed smile on his face, Jack said, "It'll only take a second. Could you stand in that spot, quick as you can?"
Reluctantly, Lynda complied, standing in an empty area of floor.
"Everybody watching? Okay… three, two, one…." Jack pressed a button and a beam shot down from the ceiling, hitting Lynda. There was only a billow of smoke as the last pieces of Lynda.
"You killed her!" the male programmer gasped. The Doctor had almost forgotten that there were others there.
He bit back his shock and a scalding reply, hearing the chastising tone that Sage would employ if he did. Instead he asked, "How does that prove that the TARDIS figured anything out?"
Jack smirked, "You would think that she'd be gone, right? But, watch." He pressed another few buttons.
With a gasp and another bright beam, Lynda appeared, gasping and in shock.
"What the hell was that?" she asked, indignant and surprised. "What did you do to me?"
The Doctor looked to Jack, slowly putting the pieces together. "Does that mean…?"
"I hope you're thinking that it's a second transmat beam, and not just about Rosie," Jack teased, eyes lighting up with unbridled joy.
The Doctor attempted a weak glare, the joy of realisation weakening it further. In truth, he was thinking about how that made everything so much easier, so much better.
The fact that Rose was alive gave him motivation to save her, to save all the others. The fact that he hadn't murdered another person, the guilt sitting in his hearts lessened.
"Wait, hold on," Lynda said, hands up in a stop gesture. "Does that mean that people don't get killed in the games?"
"Exactly!" Jack cried happily. "They're transported across space!"
"She and Sage are still out there somewhere!" The Doctor said happily.
"Doctor!" the pale woman cried out in pain.
He turned around, the woman was arching up in pain, thrashing this way and that.
"Co-ordinates five point six point one," she panted out, determined to help the Doctor.
His hearts constricted in guilt at hearing her pain and fruitlessly tried to stop her, "Don't! The solar flare's gone, they'll hear you."
Despite that, he typed them in, grateful for a little help in finding Sage and Rose.
He knew that she'd continue, at the end of her rope and desperate for a little freedom. He supposed he was like that once before….
"Point four three four…" she hissed out, "no my masters, no! I defy you! Stigma seven seven…"
She screamed, an agonized roar, and the Doctor looked up to see her body twisting up. The wires rose before they vanished, and she was gone without a trace.
The Controller reappeared on on the floor of the spaceship, gathered around dozens of Daleks.
The Emperor croaked out, "Exterminate her."
She stood defiant and proud, "Oh my masters," she said gleefully.
"You can kill me, for I have brought your destruction."
A ray-gun powered up before its beam shot at, directly hitting her square in the chest. Her body lit up, showing her skeleton, before she slumped down, dead.
"No…."
The Doctor typed furiously on the computer, the guilt of losing that woman trying to worm its way into his chest.
Distantly he heard Jack flirting with the male programmer. Internally, he sighed before absently calling out, "Time and place, Jack."
The female programmer hadn't said a word since the death of the woman, but she curiously looked over his shoulder as he worked.
"Did you want to ask something?" he asked, trying not to sound agitated. It wasn't their fault that he was in this mess, they were victims of a bigger plot.
She bit her lip, "So you're saying that this entire setup's been a disguise all along?"
The Doctor nodded in affirmative, "Going way back. Installing the Jagrafess a hundred years ago. Someone's been playing a long game. Controlling the Human Race from behind the scenes for generations."
Jack handed a small device to the Doctor, "Click on this."
The Doctor took it, pointing it upwards and clicked. An image of an empty expanse of space materialized above their heads.
Jack said, "The transmat delivers to that point. Right on the edge of the solar system."
The female programmer looked confused, "There's nothing there.
The Doctor scanned the expanse in front of him, "It looks like nothing. 'Cause that's what this satellite does. Underneath the transmission, there's another signal…"
"Doing what?" the male programmer asked.
"Hiding whatever's out there. Hiding it from sonar, radar, scanner…"
"There's something sitting right on top of Planet Earth... but it's completely invisible," the Doctor continued.
"If I cancel the signal…" He pressed a few buttons, and when he looked back at the screen, the expanse of space was no longer empty. Right in front of them was a spaceship, revolving slowly. The Doctor stared at it, eyes wide.
Jack's eyes blew wide open, "That's impossible. I know those ships... they were destroyed."
"Obviously, they survived," The Doctor croaked out, voice hushed.
"Who did? Who are they?" Lynda asked.
"Two hundred ships. More than two thousand on board each one. That's just about half a million of them," the Doctor said, a tremble in his voice.
"Half a million what?" asked the male programmer.
"Daleks."
"Rose!" Sage cried in surprise. Rose stared in shock at Sage, frozen before running toward her. The Daleks were crying out about a traitor, but she paid it no mind, wanting to get comfort from her sister.
Sage was stopped by a tall man with piercing blue eyes, and Rose staggered back in fear. Sage didn't even flinch, twisting the man's arms and pinning it to his back. He was bent at the waist and his face was scrunched up in pain.
Sage hissed something into his ear, and he paled before slumping down, eyes closed.
She ran to her and hugged Sage tightly, burrowing her head into her shoulders. Tears leaked from her eyes as she suppressed sobs, the events from today catching up to her.
Sage soothingly rubbed her back, arms tightening protectively around her.
"How did you get here?" she asked in a low voice.
"I don't know," Rose whispered. "I was on a game show, The Weakest Link, before I had lost the game. When you lose, you get blasted with this beam. The Doctor came running in, but I was too slow."
Sage's hold tightened impossibly more, and Rose could feel the terror and relief strung in her body.
She soothingly nuzzled her neck, "Hey, it's okay. I'm still here."
Sage cleared her throat, letting out a wet, "Right."
Distantly, she heard another woman, and her curiosity rose before the need to be comforted won out. She heard the tell-tale sound of a Dalek's ray beam powering up and its infamous word "Exterminate!"
There was a blast, and Rose flinched, burrowing impossibly further into Sage's comforting grip. She had felt Sage flinch, but stayed solidly still, making no noise at the death, other than a whispered No. Rose tried as hard as she could to comfort the woman who had just witnessed another death.
"Open communications channel!" a robotic voice broke them out of their moment.
Sage stiffened and Rose reluctantly let her go, standing by her side and a hand tightly gripping hers.
Three Daleks flanked their side, and a hologram of the Doctor, Jack and three others appeared, and a small grin spread on Rose's face.
One Dalek rolled up, "I will speak to the Doctor."
He grins mockingly with a wave, "Oh, will you now?"
"The Dalek Stratagem nears completion. The Fleet is almost ready. You will not intervene." it said.
"Oh, really? Why's that then?" he asked, his fake grin sliding off his face.
"We have your associates. You will obey or they will be exterminated."
Rose looked at the Doctor, pale but calm. She had no doubt that he would save them, but her hand tightened in Sage's grip in uncertainty.
The Doctor's eyes flashed, going cold blue. Rose felt fear creep down her spine. The Doctor was terrifying when he wanted to be.
"No."
Rose stared at him, her mouth a thin line and eyes narrowing. What was he playing at?
The Dalek reeled back, not anticipating that answer, "Explain yourself."
"I said: no."
"What is the meaning of this negative?"
"It means: no."
"But they will be destroyed."
"No!" he refuted with a fiery passion. "'Cos this is what I'm gonna do, I'm gonna rescue them."
"Not that they need rescuin'. I'm sure with a little time, the two of 'em could save themselves. But I'm gonna save Sage and Rose from the middle of the Dalek Fleet, and then I'm gonna save the Earth, and then just to finish off, I'm gonna wipe every. Last. Stinking Dalek outta the sky!"
"But you have no weapons!" the Dalek started to splutter. "No defences! No plan!"
The Doctor grinned, "Yeah. And doesn't that scare you to death? Rose, Sage?
"Yes, Doctor?" Rose answered on Sage's behalf, pride in her tone.
"I'm coming to get you." With that, he closed the communications, the hologram cutting off with a flash.
"The Doctor is initiating hostile action!" the Dalek exclaimed.
"The Stratagem must advance. Begin the invasion of Earth!" Another voice, deeper than its Dalek companions said.
They spun around wildly. Rose gasped but they take no notice of her. She stepped out of their way, taking an unusually quiet Sage with her.
"The Doctor will be exterminated!"
In tandem, all the other Daleks followed the first's cry, echoing "Exterminate!" cheerfully. Rose shook at Sage's side, and that was all she had needed before being crushed into another comforting hug.
A Dalek appeared before them, "You know the Doctor! You understand him! You will predict his actions!"
Rose trembled at its words, "I don't know!"
"Fuck off, you metallic piece of shit!" Sage hissed. Rose prayed that her anger wouldn't get them all killed.
The Dalek glided dangerously closer, and Rose took a few steps back. Sage remained in front of her, and Rose half-hid herself behind her.
"Predict! Predict! Predict!" the Dalek said slightly hysterical.
Bolstered by Sage's bravery, Rose retorted, "Even if we did, we wouldn't tell ya!"
"TARDIS detected," another Dalek distracted the first, "In flight."
"Launch missiles! Exterminate!"
Rose gasped, "You can't! The TARDIS hasn't got any defenses, you're gonna kill 'em!"
"You have predicted correctly."
Rose trembled behind Sage who quickly gathered her into her arms. "Don't worry, braveheart. That Doctor may be oblivious, but when it comes to rescues, I'm positive he has a plan."
As she finished her sentence, a familiar sound echoed in her ears. Rose gasped before grinning, twisting out of Sage's hold.
The faint outline of the TARDIS could be seen, every Dalek turned its head to the noise. The walls surrounded them, and the TARDIS's comforting presence enveloped her.
"Get down!" he cried.
Rose hesitated but Sage pulled her down quickly, and the Dalek behind them had exploded into pieces with a final cry.
They struggled to their feet, and Rose launched herself into the Doctor's arms. She giggled in slight hysteria, "You did it!"
"Told ya I'd come and get you two."
The Doctor set her down gently, and she smiled warmly up at him, "Never doubted ya!"
He laughed, "I did! You alright?"
"Yeah, thanks to Sage," Rose turned toward her who had drifted to Jack, finishing up their own hug.
"Hey! Don't I get a hug?" Jack whined. Sage swatted at his shoulder, a teasing grin on her face. She pushed Jack toward Rose.
He tumbled but laughed, "I meant from him."
Rose rolled her eyes before enveloping him in a hug. They let go and turned to see Sage and the Doctor examining the pieces of the Dalek.
Its exterior exploded into dozens of pieces and they could clearly see the mutant squid-like alien. The Doctor was bent over it, scanning it with his sonic. Sage followed his example, peering over it with a curious gleam. Her hand was clutched tight in his grip.
The display should have made her heart clench in sorrow or jealousy, but all she felt was relief and fondness for the two.
Rose idly shook her head, she supposed her small crush on the Doctor was over now. There wasn't much in common between them anyway, besides for the longing for adventure and the compassion, all they really had in common was their love for the things they were passionate about. She supposed that that was why she wasn't upset with Sage.
The two complemented each other in ways she couldn't with the Doctor, Sage's kindness with others against his abrasiveness or obliviousness at times, his need for a kindred spirit or validation that she was able to provide.
Even Sage's ability to completely calm him or explain things that he couldn't word right. Rose supposed with time and if Sage wasn't here, she would grow into that as well, being that person for him. But she was half glad that she wasn't, the weight of the Doctor's guilt was something even she could see.
Yet, she doubted she had the strength to continuously help him with it when she still struggled with hers sometimes. Rose shook her head, trying to expel those thoughts focusing instead of the situation at hand.
Jack and Rose walked over to the other two, Rose stared cautiously at the remains of the Dalek still smoking.
"I thought these guys were extinct," Jack asked, breaking her out of her stare. "One minute they're the greatest threat in the universe, the next minute they vanished out of time and space."
Rose came closer to them, the enlarged sight of the wrecked pieces making her stomach roll.
"They went off to fight a bigger war…" the Doctor said, still examining the pieces, "the Time War."
Sage sucked in a breath, and Rose glanced at her with concern. She was pale, and her frame was trembling minutely.
"I thought that was just a legend," Jack said, surprised.
"I was there. The war between the Daleks and the Time Lords. With the whole of creation at stake. My people were destroyed, but they took the Daleks with them."
The Dalek's remains billowed, glaring accusingly at them.
"I almost thought it was worth it," the Doctor said quietly. "Now it turns out they died for nothing."
A constrained noise made them all look at Sage in concern. The woman was breathing heavily, eyes closed and mouthing something.
In almost the next second, she opened them and was once more calm and collected.
"So what're we gonna do about it?" she asked, an almost imperceptible tremor in her voice.
"No good stood round here chin-wagging!" he said cheerfully, bounding down the ramp and dragging Sage with him. "Human race, you'd gossip all day. The Daleks have got the answers, let's go and meet the neighbours."
"Be careful!" Rose called, trusting that the Doctor wasn't that stupid to not have protection.
"I'll be fine," he said, waving off her concern and opened the doors, rushing out.
"Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate!" The Daleks screamed and fired their bolts of energy, but to no avail.
The rays reflected off the force field of the TARDIS, keeping the Doctor safe, as well as Jack and Rose who cautiously popped their heads out behind him.
The Daleks gave up, and the sound of their guns fades into silence. The Doctor raised a hand mockingly, "Is that it? Useless! Null points."
He leant against the TARDIS and motioned to Jack and Rose, "It's all right, come on out. That force field can hold back anything."
Jack opened his mouth, but Sage interrupted him, "Jack Harkness, if you open your mouth and say something absolutely stupid right now, a Dalek won't be the one to kill you."
Jack obediently closed his mouth, and Rose suppressed her giggles at the pout on his face.
The Doctor rolled his eyes at the small sibling spat before addressing the quiet Daleks in front of him, "D'you know what they call me in the ancient legends of the Dalek Homeworld? The Oncoming Storm. You might've removed all your emotions... but I reckon that right down deep in your DNA, there's one little spark left. And that's fear."
The Daleks' eyepieces twitched nervously.
"Doesn't it just burn when you face me? So, tell me, how did you survive the Time War?"
"They survived through me."
"They survived through their Emperor," Sage and another deep voice said together.
The Doctor startled, taking a few steps toward the Emperor. The Dalek Emperor was illuminated, towering above all of them. The Doctor stared up at him in open-mouthed awe.
"Sage, Rose, Captain, this is the Emperor of the Daleks."
"We've met," Sage said coldly.
Rose looked at her in concern, Sage's posture was upright and tight with tension. Her hand was free from the Doctor's now, and was tapping patterns into her crossed arms.
She sidled up to her, prying gently to unclench her fists. Rose carefully intertwined their fingers, rubbing soothing circles in her wrist.
"You okay?" she whispered, watching the Doctor work himself up to the point of yelling at the Daleks.
Sage tensed at the question before subtly shaking her head, "Could be better, but I need to tell you something. When we leave here, I have to tell you something important."
Rose frowned at the intensity if her words, but nodded her head in agreement. If Sage was this wound up about it, then it must be important.
She'd rarely use a serious tone if it wasn't. Rose felt her anxiety rise at the implications.
She pushed them aside before listening to the Doctor once more.
"So, you created an army of Daleks out of the dead," he had concluded.
Rose furrowed her brows, half in disgust and horror, "That makes you… half-human."
The Emperor's voice rose in outrage, "Those words are blaspheme!"
His voice caused three others to repeat the denial and Rose flinched back, held in the safety behind the force field.
"Everything human has been purged." The Emperor said more calmly, "I cultivated pure and blessed Dalek."
The Doctor was looking around at them all, clearly disturbed, "Since when did the Daleks have a concept of blasphemy?"
"I reached into the dirt and made new life. I am the God of all Daleks!"
Three more Daleks cried "Worship him!" in tandem.
"They're insane!" the Doctor said to them all. "A hundred years hiding in silence, that's enough to drive anyone mad."
He stared intently at the Daleks, walking towards them, with a small look of pity for them.
"But it's worse than that. Driven mad by your own flesh. The stink of humanity." He shook his head, sad. "You hate your own existence. And that makes them more deadly than ever."
He said to the Emperor Dalek, "We're going."
"You may not leave my presence!" the Emperor denied.
But they were already halfway towards the TARDIS, none of the Daleks with any power to stop them.
"Stay where you are!" one tried fruitlessly.
The Doctor grinned at them mockingly before closing the door on them.
The Daleks tried once more, "Exterminate!" but the rays reflected off the force field again.
Inside the TARDIS, the Doctor strode to the controls, taking them back to the Game Station.
When the TARDIS stopped, he marched out with the other three in tow, crying, "Turn everything up. All transmissions, wide open, full power. Now! Do it!"
The unknown man Rose didn't know obeyed, "What does that do?"
"Stops the Daleks from transmatting on board," he answered. "How did you get on? Did you contact Earth?"
"Well, we tried to warn them, but all they did was suspend our license because we stopped the programmes."
He shook his head, "And the planet's just sitting there, defenceless. Lynda, what're you still doing on board?" he rounded up on the other man, "I told you to evacuate everyone."
"She wouldn't go."
"Didn't wanna leave ya." Lynda smiled at him before noticing Rose and Sage.
She bounded up to then with a smile, "Rose! I'm glad you're safe, those two were really concerned for you. And you must be Queenie?"
Sage smiled awkwardly, "Oh, uh- it's actually Sage, but if you want you can call me Queenie."
Lynda beamed and nodded her head in acquiesce. Rose noticed the awkward air between the two and pulled Sage away with a slight apology to Lynda.
She pulled Sage near the TARDIS, close enough to see the others but far enough that they wouldn't be overheard.
"You said you wanted to tell me something?" she asked gently.
Rise saw the indecision on Sage's face before smoothing out into determination.
"You know how the Doctor's alien, yeah? How he's got two hearts instead of one and all?"
Rose nodded, not understanding what that had to do with anything.
"Well for him and his people, they have this ability to cheat death if they wanted or had to."
"What?" Rose was reeling from this information. "You- you knew about this?"
Sage nodded guiltily, "Yeah, and I didn't tell you cuz it wasn't my secret to tell. But I feel a storm coming, and I need to tell you just in case something happens to me. Lord knows that man wouldn't tell you until the absolute last second."
Rose looked contemplative at the Doctor, watching as he ripped wires out frantically. She turned to Sage who had a fond smile at the Doctor's actions.
The Doctor was an alien, that much was true. But they had gone through so much together, they had saved lives, ran for their lives and changed lives. He had his quirks, insulting species and humans, his Northern accent and obvious love of adventure.
Rose had made up her mind, this wouldn't change her opinion of him.
"So how's he cheat death?" she asked.
Sage startled, looking at Rose with small surprise before a grin took over her face.
"He has this thing called regeneration, and it's when the molecules in his body and the time vortex in their DNA work together simultaneously to repair the damage while changing their appearance and genetic code."
"So basically, they just have a reset button?" Rose asked with a tilt of her head.
Sage gave a little startled laugh, "Yeah, basically. There's this golden glow that surrounds them before they shapeshift into another person, but they still keep the memories and feelings. The only difference is that their personality, at their core they're still the same person."
Rose nodded before jolting in surprise at the Doctor's exclamation, "Give the man a medal!"
The two exchanged amused looks before wandering back towards the group.
Jack shook his head in incredulously, "A Delta Wave?"
"A Delta Wave!" he replied excitedly.
"What's a Delta Wave?" Rose asked, looking towards Sage.
Sage shrugged helplessly, "I'm a history teacher, not a science teacher."
"A wave of Van Cassadine energy. Fries your brain, stand in the way of a Delta Wave and your head gets barbecued!" Jack explained.
"And this place can transmit a massive wave!" the Doctor finished. "Wipe out the Daleks!"
"Well, then what're you waiting for?" asked Lynda. "Let's get to it!"
Sage could feel the underlying panic attack that was trying to worm its way out. She closed her eyes, breathing in and out deeply, counting in her mind.
The terror had been building up since Rose had appeared on the Dalek ship. Watching that woman's death hadn't helped matters either.
She watched as Rose stripped the wires, as Jack talked and decided to go and round up volunteers with Lynda and the other two.
Jack approached them, "It's been fun!" trying to keep the air light.
They all smiled at him before his tone turned serious, "But I guess this is goodbye."
"Don't talk like that," Rose pleaded. "The Doctor's gonna do it. You just watch him."
He smiled at her, "Rose…" he cupped her face in both his hands and looked her intensely in the eyes. "You are worth fighting for."
He places a brief kiss on her lips before turning to Sage.
He smirked, "Guess it's the end of the line, you wouldn't mind if…."
Sage coughed out a watery laugh, "You're an asshole, Captain Jack Harkness."
She launched herself into his arms, gripping him tightly and slipping something into his pocket before releasing him with a kiss to his cheek.
"You were always my favourite." he smiled.
Jack turned to the Doctor, "Wish I'd never met you, Doctor!" He cupped his face in both hands. "I was much better off as a coward." He kissed him in exactly the same way as he kissed Rose.
He pointed forward to the exit, "See ya in hell." before he ran off.
They watched him leave, before Rose turned to the Doctor.
Rose asked nervously, "He's gonna be alright… isn't he?"
The Doctor doesn't reply. She looked over at Sage who just stared back with a hopeless look before an encouraging one took over.
"Let's work on that Delta Wave."
Rose nodded uncertainly, and the trio set to work.
Sage's mind raced with anxiety, the memory of the Dalek Emperor, the betrayal of Damien. She was on the verge of hyperventilating before Rose broke her out of her panicked state.
"Suppose…."
Sage stopped listening. She needed to focus, she needed to focus, focus, focus, focus!
She continuously ripped at the wires, hands working on autopilot. Ripping and ripping and ripping until her hands were raw.
Another pair of hands gently stopped hers and she looked up to see the Doctor's gentle smile. Sage looked around, Rose was nowhere in sight.
"You're sending us away," she stated quietly. The exhaustion from the events was creeping up on her, she shook it off.
The Doctor stared at her with an empty and sad expression and took the wires out of her hand, gently steering her toward the TARDIS.
"Wait," she said weakly.
Sage struggled to unclasp her necklace before managing to do it.
"Take this and tell Jack to check his pocket," she said, handing it over. Sage looked up into his sad, blue eyes, "Because Doctor, you are worth fighting for."
She gave him a small kiss on his cheek before walking into the TARDIS doors with no protest.
The doors closed with a snap and she saw Rose with her hand on a lever.
Walking over to the jump seat, she said wearily, "Rose, let go. He's sending us away."
Rose spun to meet her gaze and with a screech, "What?"
The engine and rotor started to move up and down. Rose abandoned her lever, running to the closed doors.
She threw herself onto the doors, screaming panicked, "Doctor! Let us out!"
"Sage! Help me! You're the only one who can make him see reason, Sage, help!"
Sage hissed in pain at the volume, a pounding in her head building up.
A hologram of the Doctor appeared and Rose stopped her cries, looking up teary-eyed at him.
"This is Emergency Programme One," he said. "Now Sage, Rose, listen, this is important. If this message is activated, then it can only mean one thing."
Rose stared wide-eyed at his hologram, "We must be in danger. And I mean fatal. I'm dead or about to die any second with no chance of escape."
"No!"
Rose rushed to Sage's side, "He- he- has that cheat, right? He could make it out of this right? Just- just regenerate and come back?"
Hysterical tears started to leak out of eyes as she stared helplessly at Sage. Sage didn't speak, opening up her arms instead.
Rose fell, sobbing into Sage's arms, not wanting to accept the truth. Not wanting to admit that the Doctor had left them, disappeared on them.
Sage held her tighter, burrowing her face into her hair and Rose could feel a few tears drip into her hair.
They listened together to the Doctor's request of letting the TARDIS die and just gather dust. With a silent hope, Rose prayed that they would find a way back to that stubborn man.
"And if you want to remember me, then you can do one thing. That's all. One thing. Have a good life. Do that for me, Rose, Sage. Have a fantastic life." His form flickered out of existence.
Rose felt a burst of anger, rage, pour out of her. She shoved herself out of Sage's arms.
"You can't do this to me," she strode over to the console. "You can't." She raged at the TARDIS, slamming down every available button and lever, yelling in desperation.
"Take me back! Take me back!"
Rose rounded on Sage, who was sitting there lifeless, staring at nothing ahead of her.
"You knew he was sending us away! You knew, and yet you did nothing!" she screamed at Sage.
Sage didn't respond, choosing to screw her eyes shut in pain.
"Why didn't you stop him? Why did you let him do this? Why did you have to be so stupid?"
The TARDIS ground to a halt and Rose ran out, flinging the doors open. She stared in disbelief at the grey walls and buildings in front of her.
Running back inside, she sobbed enraged, pressing and twisting even button and lever, "Come on, fly. How do you fly? Come on, help me!"
She sunk down, a small sob escaping, "Please."
Jack's voice broke through the intercom, "Rose, I've called up the internal laser codes. There should be a different number on every screen, can you read them out to me?"
"She's not here." the Doctor grunted.
"Of all the times to take a leak!" Jack said jokingly. "Well Sage-"
"She's not here either. An' they're not coming back."
"What d'you mean?" Jack's voice dropped in concern. "Where'd they go?"
"Just get on with your work," the Doctor dismissed.
"You took them home, didn't you?' Jack said with realization.
"Yeah, Sage said to check your pocket."
"The Delta Wave…" he started after a moment, "is it ever gonna be ready?"
"Tell him the truth, Doctor," the Emperor said.
The Doctor looked up to see an image of the Emperor Dalek projected onto the screen.
"There is every possibility that the Delta Wave could be complete, but no possibility of refining it. The Delta Wave must kill every living thing in its path, with no distinction between Human and Dalek. All things will die. By your hand," the Emperor continued.
The Doctor didn't answer, unwanted memories surging up.
"Doctor…" Jack warned, "the range of this transmitter covers the entire Earth."
"You would destroy Daleks and Humans together," the Emperor concluded for Jack. 'If I am God, the creator of all things, then what does that make you, Doctor?"
"There are colonies out there," the Doctor said tonelessly. "The Human Race would survive in some shape or form, but you're the only Daleks in existence. The whole universe is in danger if I let you live."
The Doctor looked back at Jack on the other screen.
"Do you see, Jack?" trying to make him understand. "That's the decision I've got to make for every living thing. Die as a Human or live as a Dalek. What would you do?"
"You sent them home. They're safe. Keep working."
"But he will exterminate you!" The Emperor said.
"Never doubted him," Jack grinned, "never will."
The Doctor grinned back and leapt to his feet, energised by Jack's trust. He strode across the room to the screen.
"Now, you tell me, "God of all Daleks", 'cos there's one thing I never worked out. The words Bad Wolf, spread across time and space. Everywhere, drawing me in. How'd you manage that?"
"I did nothing," he replied.
"Oh, come on," the Doctor said skeptical. "There's no secrets now, your worship."
"They are not part of my design."
The Doctor stared at him, baffled.
"This is the Truth of God."
The Doctor raised his eyes to where Bad Wolf Corporation was written in huge letters high on the wall.
Sage had long since learned to tune out Jackie's attempts at normality at the fifteen minute mark.
Her head rested on her crossed arms, glasses folded out in front of her.
Sage sat on Rose's right, the blonde staring out the window.
"Rose… please eat something," Jackie pleaded.
"Two hundred thousand years in the future," her voice trembled, eyes not leaving the window. "He's dying, and there's nothing I can do."
"Well, like you said, two hundred thousand years, it's way off!" Jackie tried.
"But it's not!" Rose's voice raised, looking at her. Sage raised her head in concern, head throbbing slightly. "It's now! That fight is happening right now, and he's fighting for us! For the whole planet, and I'm just sitting here eating chips!"
"Rose, listen to me," Jackie said.
Reluctantly, Rose turned to look at her.
"God knows I have hated that man, but right now, I love him, and d'you know why? Because he did the right thing. He sent you back to me."
Rose opened her mouth, but Sage cut her off, "Jackie, you know that's not what she meant."
Jackie looked away guiltily, and Sage softened her tone, "The Doctor is many things, but the thing that's making Rose want to go back to him isn't just the adventure, it's his want to save everyone."
"It draws everyone in like moths to a flame. Don't," Sage stopped Jackie's retort. "I know what you're going to say, but for once in your life, Jackie Tyler, you are going to listen to me. You too Mickey Smith."
Sage looked between the two of them, finger pointing, "You two are bitter and so stuck on this earth that you don't open yourself to new things. That's why you don't like the Doctor, you don't like the point of change or are just okay with settling for second best."
"The thing is, Rose your daughter and best friend, this isn't just loyalty for her. It's justice and her inner want of doing the right thing, which is something I hope the two of you still have," Sage stared intently at the two blurry figures in front of her.
"And you should be proud that she's standing up for what's right," Sage stood up, "Excuse me."
They watched as Sage walked out, arms hugging herself in comfort.
Rose looked toward the two people who had been there for all her life, the two who had comforted her when she had left Jimmy Stone, the two who had hugged her when she was sad, the two people who were her family.
"She's right," Rose said gently. "But, I'm not trying to guilt you or make you feel sorry. I just wanted to help my other family because I love you two so, so much. But I can't live with the knowledge that I could have done something and didn't. I don't want that guilt living with me forever.
"The Doctor… he's like a sun, gigantic, fiery, and drawing everyone in with his gravitational pull. The Doctor showed me a better way of living your life."
She met their eyes, speaking earnestly, passionately, "That you don't just give up. You don't just let things happen. You make a stand. You say no. You have the guts to do what's right when everyone else just runs away, and I just can't…"
She broke off and followed after Sage. Jackie and Mickey exchanged guilty looks.
"What do we do, Jacks? Do we help them? Do we stop them?"
Jackie shook her head, "I thought she was doing this because she loved him. I thought this was some kind of weird loyalty to him cuz he showed her alien planets or that she was just stubborn. But…."
She looked over to where Rose had left them, a sad look on her face, "It looks like I'm the stubborn one."
"What do you mean? Rose seemed plenty stubborn to me."
Jackie smiled ruefully, "I've been keeping this mindset that she still needs coddling, that she's still a child."
"She's barely twenty," Mickey pointed out.
"And you're barely twenty-two," Jackie retorted. "She's an adult whether I like it or not. And I had been treating her like I did when she first left that Stone boy."
Mickey's gaze had darkened at that name, "She was a mess after that."
She nodded, "And I keep thinking that she's still that fragile, naive little girl, but it's been years and she's practically grown up."
"You're still her mum, Jacks," Mickey consoled.
"Yeah, and at all points in a mother's life, there comes a point where I have to let her go and be herself. Right now herself is so, so brilliant; Sage was right. I am so, so proud of her," Jackie said. "But I can't keep doing this Mickey, I'll suffocate her otherwise."
Mickey nodded reluctantly, "Alright, not that I'm disagreeing with you, but what're you gonna do?"
Jackie looked out the window for a moment before nodding her head decisively, "I'm gonna call in a favour."
Jackie stood up and left Mickey to his own thoughts.
Mickey sighed, looking back at the box of half-eaten chips.
Rose and he had drifted apart since that Doctor had come into his life.
Or rather, they already had, the two of them had merely settled for each other, never really looking for anyone.
He had always admired her, loved her. Ever since the two were kids and were sent on numerous play dates.
Her passion, conviction, even her stubbornness made her so beautiful. Then that Jimmy Stone, liar extraordinaire, came swanning into her life and damaged her in ways he tried to repair.
But he knew, felt, how they weren't compatible, weren't the ones meant for each other.
That didn't mean it didn't hurt, didn't mean that the sting and ache wasn't there.
Lost her again to another travelling man. The only difference was that the Doctor was a good egg, he genuinely cared about Rose, Sage, and everything else.
They had had their rough patches, arguments and the like, but that didn't stop him from admiring the man.
With another sigh, he threw a few pounds on the table, scooping up Sage's half-forgotten glasses and walked out with a dejected demeanor but a resolute decision.
Mickey walked over to Rose who was staring at graffiti on the wall, Sage nowhere in sight.
"That's been there forever, Rose, how's that gonna help us get you and Sage to the Doctor?"
"So you're gonna help us?"
Mickey nodded reluctantly and with a rueful smile, "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em, right?"
Rose beamed at him, and he ducked his head, "So why were you looking at this?"
"These words," Rose said with a wave of her hands, "They've been following me around ever since I started adventurin' with him. Everywhere I went, there they were."
"So what does that mean?"
"I'm thinking that it's a message, something to motivate me maybe, that we'll get back to him or at least give him an escape."
Mickey nodded, skeptical, but figuring that his life had had weirder things to happen.
"How will that help us though?"
"No clue," she shrugged. "But the TARDIS is sentient. Remember Margaret the Slitheen? There was this glowing thing from her. Sage called it her heart apparently."
"Okay," he drew out in confusion, "But that doesn't answer my question."
Rose huffed, "So if it's a message to get us back, then we'll need to break into her heart."
Mickey nodded again, "Alright but how?"
A honk interrupted them, and they turned to see a tow truck coming their way. Rose and Mickey exchanged glances before going up to the truck.
The truck slowed to a stop and Rose let out a gasp, "Mum?"
Jackie climbed out, striding toward them, "Right. You've only got this 'til six o'clock, so get on with it."
"Mum, where the hell did you get this?" Rose asked, astonished.
Sage poked her head out the doors, "Did you finally cash in that favour from Rodrigo?"
"Yeah," she said before shaking her head. "You were right, Rose. All this time, I've been thinking of your safety and physical wellbeing that I never stopped to ask if you were happy here."
Jackie looked intently into Rose's eyes, cupping her hands with her own, "Tell me, Rose, does this make you happy? Are you happy?"
Rose nodded with a watery look in her eyes, "Yeah, mum, I'm the happiest I've ever been."
Jackie nodded, "Alright then," tossing the keys to Mickey, "Get on with it before I change my mind."
They hooked the chain up to the TARDIS's grate. Mickey stepped on the gas pedal.
The truck roared to life, pulling onto the TARDIS.
"Give it some more!" Jackie called.
"Put your foot on it!" Rose urged.
Sage watched the whole thing from behind the other side of the console, hiding herself.
Her head pounded in pain before she pushed it away again. "I know you can hear me," she whispered to the TARDIS. "I think it's time for you to open your heart again."
Immediately the chain pulled off the panel and it flew open. The doors slammed shut, Mickey's distant "Rose!" barely heard.
Rose looked into the soft golden glow, transfixed by it. The light flows into her eyes, and Sage watched as another tendril floated towards her.
Preparing herself again, she closed her eyes and opened her mind, finally relaxing.
The Queen opened her golden eyes and looked down at her clothing, clicking her tongue she said, "Well now, that just won't do."
The Doctor heard Lynda scream, head shooting up in shock.
Guilt coursed through the Doctor before he shook his head, continuing to work.
"Last man standing! For God's sake, Doctor, finish that thing and kill them!" Jack yelled.
"Finish that," the Emperor said, "and kill mankind."
The Doctor paused before frantically finishing it faster.
"I kinda figured that." There was a loud blast and the Doctor heard Captain Jack slump down, dead.
His hearts constricted at the resigned tone in Jack's voice, hurrying to complete his task.
"It's ready!" He cried surprised and looked up as the Daleks began to file into the room, surrounding him.
"You really wanna think about this. 'Cos if I activate the signal, every living creature dies."
"I am immortal," the Emperor said flippantly.
"D'you wanna put that to the test?" he challenged.
"I want to see you become like me. Hail the Doctor, the Great Exterminator!"
The Doctor, angry, placed his hands on the lever and threatened, "I'll do it!"
"Then prove yourself, Doctor. What are you: coward or killer?" The Emperor taunted.
The Doctor's hands tensed on the lever. He shook, his face screwed up in pain before he let go.
"Coward. Any day."
"Mankind will be harvested because of your weakness," the Emperor said, disgusted.
"And what about me? Am I becoming one of your angels?"
"You are the Heathen. You will be exterminated."
The Doctor didn't resist, "Maybe it's time."
He clutched Sage's necklace in one hand as the Daleks surrounded him before a familiar sound echoed across the room.
"Alert! TARDIS materializing!" one Dalek exclaimed.
The TARDIS fully materialized, golden light surrounding it. The Doctor threw an arm over his eyes, shielding himself from the bright light, sonic clattering to the ground.
He fell backwards from the intensity, his head pounding.
The doors swung open and Rose floated out of the doorway, as if she was a vengeful angel.
"Rose, what have you done?" he asked, fearful.
"Found a way to help you," her London accent was gone, replaced with something more ethereal.
She floated a few feet away from the TARDIS, before an odd glitch-like event happened.
"This is the abomination!" the Emperor cried.
Rose snapped at him, "No! You are, playing at god." Her voice voice echoed in and out as her fury rose.
"I am the protector of the Queen and her consort! The only abomination I see is this false god playing at true god."
She raised her hand, the words floating away, "I am the Bad Wolf, loyal protector and messenger for the Queen of Creation. I take the words and scatter them as a warning and message."
She started to sink down lower with exertion.
"Exterminate!" a Dalek cried, firing its blast at her. Rose held out a hand, and the blast inverted itself back into the gun, destroying the Dalek.
Rose sunk further down, feet nearly touching the floor, the power consuming her in pain.
"It hurts! It hurts!"
"Rose! You've got to let go! The whole of time and space is running through your head, no human can survive that!" the Doctor tried to warn her, urgency bleeding into his words.
"Well, I don't know about that," another voice broke through. The Doctor turned to see Sage standing in the open doorway.
She had changed her clothes. The pajamas from before were swapped for a more regal look.
Her TARDIS blue dress flowed regally around her, a pattern of flowers stitched onto it and picking up a slight breeze nowhere else to be found.
Her arms were crossed together and hidden by long blue sleeves and her hair was pinned in an updo style again.
A small circlet rested atop of her head, a small crystal gem embedded in it.
The biggest difference, though, was her eyes, her glasses were gone and the warm brown had disappeared to make way for a piercing gold, wisps of the Time Vortex surrounding them and making them seem more wild.
"Sage?"
She smirked, "Almost, is it too late for me to join the party?"
"Your majesty!" Rose called, a smile brighter than the sun.
Sage's expression softened as she turned to Rose, "Hello, my loyal protector."
Rose floated forward, form flickering in and out.
"Come here," Sage beckoned, opening her arms. Rose glided into her arms and Sage pecked a kiss onto the top of her head. "Thank you, my Wolf, rest now."
The anger and fight seemed to rush out of Rose as she slumped forward. The golden light rushing back into Sage until Rose was back to her normal self.
Rose floated, unconscious, back into the TARDIS.
"Sage, what did you do?" The Doctor asked carefully, standing up and walking towards her.
"Who?" Sage looked confused before her eyes widened. "Oh, yes. I'm Sage, terribly sorry I'm so used to calling myself the Queen that I've nearly forgotten."
"Enough!" the Emperor commanded. "Enough of this nonsense!"
Anger flashed into Sage's eyes and her hair whipped lightly, responding to her anger.
"Who are you to tell me what to do?" Sage demanded. "An abomination playing at god. You are nothing."
"I am immortal. You cannot hurt me," the Emperor said.
"Falsehood." Sage snapped out, golden pools of light in her eyes. "You are mere atoms, dancing around in time and space. You can do nothing."
"I am immortal! I cannot die," the Emperor cried, fearful. "I will not die."
"Everything comes to an end," Sage said solemnly. "But I shall grant you your last wish, I suppose, if that's what you truly want."
Raising her hand, a tendril of golden light streamed to the Emperor, and the Emperor broke into pieces of atoms.
"As everything ends, so too shall it start anew," Sage said solemnly. "Return to the form that the universe first gave back then, and learn to start again."
"Alright, Sage," the Doctor said carefully, reaching out to her, "You've done it, you can let go now."
"Not yet, dearest," she waved away his concern.
"First, I need to do this," with another wave of her hand, the Daleks transformed back into humans. They were on the floor, unconscious and in heaps next to each other.
"A new chapter to begin," she said with a smile, lifting up another hand. "A little help here and there, and rewriting wrongs that were almost sins."
"With this act, marks the end of this war and the start of new life."
"Sage, you can let go now, you've done it," the Doctor tried again.
Sage turned to him, tears shining in her eyes, they were flickering back from from her warm brown to the piercing gold.
"I-I- don't understand, I don't understand, I did everything right, I rewrote the bad, I saved them," she cried.
"Why does it still hurt?" she asked him, "I see all of time and space. I can see everything and it hurts so much."
Tears were shining in Sage's eyes, bright and earnest unhindered by her glasses and with the eternal conflict of brown and gold, as the Doctor stared helplessly at her.
"All that is, all that was, and all that every could be," she sobbed.
The Doctor straightened, a determined look on his face, "That's what I see. All the time. Doesn't it drive you mad?"
Sage had tears pouring down her face, "I'm sorry."
The Doctor smiled ruefully, "Aw, it's okay. It's not that bad."
Sage shook her head wildy, "Not just that, I'm not just sorry for that."
"Then what?"
"For what you're about to do," she sniffled. "But I just wanted to tell you thank you."
The Doctor quirked a smile, not surprised that Sage had figured it out. "Come here."
He pulled her in closer, just like she did for Rose. But instead of a peck on the forehead, he kissed her sweetly on the mouth, expelling all of the Time Vortex inside her into him.
Sage slumped in his arms and the golden light transferred to him. He opened the TARDIS doors, a small twinge of regret for abandoning the Captain as the doors closed gently.
He laid her down gently before leaning over the railing, the Time Vortex streaming back into the TARDIS.
"What's going on?" a new voice asked.
"Rose! You're awake," the Doctor said, surprised.
She raised her eyebrows, "Yeah, I am."
"What happened?"
"Do you remember?" he asked cautiously.
"Don't try me," she snapped. "What happened to Sage?"
The Doctor looked down at the woman sleeping peacefully on the floor, "She saved me, saved us."
"Oh, thank god. I hoped that that would work," Rose breathed out in relief. "But what happened to me?"
"You helped in the beginning, but Sage sent you back when you were weakening," he vaguely explained.
She nodded in understanding before a curious look crossed over her face. "Are you hurt?"
"Rose Tyler." he gave a small laugh, ignoring her question. "I was gonna take you two to so many places. Barcelona, not the city Barcelona, the planet. You'd love it. Fantastic place, they've got dogs with no noses."
Rose rolled her eyes, "Doctor…."
"Imagine how many times a day you end up telling that joke, and it's still funny!" The Doctor deliberately cut her off again
"Then, why can't we go?" Rose asked, playing along.
"Maybe you will," he admitted, "And maybe I will. But not like this."
"Wait," Rose said, a dawning look of clarity on her face, "is this that- that regeneration thing Sage told me about?"
"She told you?" The Doctor asked, surprised. How did Sage know about that? He was sure that he never told her.
Rose nodded, "She told me that just in case because she felt that there was something bad coming and wanted me to be prepared."
She looked at him with a flat expression, "She also said that you wouldn't tell me until the absolute last second."
The Doctor quirked a smile, "She was right about that, maybe I need to tell my companions-" he faltered in pain, the regeneration energy escaping him.
"Stay back!" two voices warned.
They turned to see Sage leaning against the railing, panting heavily and pale.
"The regeneration's starting," she gasped out.
"Remember that gold light I told you, Rose? Well, that energy can be pretty fucking destructive."
Rose took a few healthy steps back to Sage when she said that. The Doctor keeled over the railing, "It's starting," he managed to get out.
Straightening, he turned toward the two women, "Before I go, I just wanna tell you, you two were fantastic." He smiled at them, proud. "Absolutely fantastic."
"And d'you know what?" They shake their head.
The Doctor grins, "So was I."
With a burst of energy, the Doctor threw out his arms, letting the regeneration take place.
Rose and Sage gripped each other tight, blinded by the searing gold-white light.
The regeneration lasted seconds before it snapped back onto the Doctor.
The two warily let each other go and turned to the new Doctor.
He smiled brilliantly at them, "How do I look?"
Sage flung herself into his arms, "Like a fucking asshole. You're a fucking asshole, you know that?" muffled in his shoulder.
"Why's that?" he asked, amused, carefully holding her tight.
He inhaled the smell of her honey shampoo, squeezing tightly.
"You're not supposed to fucking die on me like that! Giving yourself up for me, why are you so fucking reckless?" she said, exasperated. Sage lifted up her head, her beautiful brown eyes warmed as he remembered glowed back at him.
"Next time I'll try my best to warn you when I'll die, okay?" he jested, glad that the regeneration hadn't put her off. The Doctor loved the way she fit in his arms, just right, as if she was made to be held by him.
"I'd rather you not die at all, you know," Sage muttered. "I'm sorry for this," she said.
"For what?" he asked, confused.
Sage didn't respond, cupping his face and bringing his forehead to her lips, pecking it. He felt a warmth from her lips before a small feeling of emptiness overtook him. He pushed it away when he heard her next words.
"For passing out on you," she said before slumping in his arms, limbs cut like a stringless marionette.
"Sage!"
Hello, hello, hello!
HA! Who thought that I would take another three months before uploading? It was me, but I was so excited with this that I wrote it out as fast as I could and uploaded without really editing as much. So there might be a few mistakes here or there, but there are always mistakes in my chapters. This is by far my longest chapter to date, over 10,000 words. Is it something to be proud of? I have no idea, but that was The Parting of the Ways. Who's sad that Nine is gone? Me. But I'm always sad when a Doctor's gone, but this means that Ten is here. I am so excited for The Christmas Invasion, you guys have no idea. I also have no idea when it will be out, so again don't expect it to be out tomorrow or anything. I can't give you guys a definite answer, so just thanks for being patient. I explored a lot into other people's thoughts instead of Sage's this time, as much as I love Sage, this was a very people-dominated episode. So I'm sorry if you didn't like that. One last thing before I end this note, I love all your reviews even the short ones, but continuously asking me to just update instead of telling me why does the opposite. I'll never abandon this, but those reviews can leave me a little unmotivated. I'm not pointing any fingers! I'm just explaining why I might go MIA after a chapter or anything. I love all my invisible fans, but the ones who want to review, please tell me why you loved this instead of just telling me to update.
Oof, this was a long note. Sorry about that guys, the ones who actually read this whole thing. Anyway, once again thank you so much reading. Please tell me your thoughts on this piece and I will see you in the next chapter!
Goodbye, bye, bye!