Chapter 12

"Will you defeat them,
your demons, and all the non-believers,
the plans that they have made?
Because one day I'll leave you,
A phantom to lead you in the summer,
To join The Black Parade..."

- Welcome to the Black Parade, My Chemical Romance.

The Tardis was hurtling through space and time at top speed.

Carla took a confused look back at Rebel's body and then Riley grabbed her by the hand and they ran out of the lab and down the corridor and the Doctor followed, heading for the console room.

"I don't get it," Riley said, seeing the blank star map on the console.

"How it the Tardis flying itself?" Carla wondered as lights flashed and the usually broken accelerator stayed down at full speed without the aid of the house brick.

And the Seventh Doctor just stood there watching thoughtfully as the accelerator shifted gear and slowed the Tardis to a peaceful orbit. Through the viewing screen, there was nothing to see but dark, starless space...

"What do we do now?" Riley said as he looked to the Doctor.

"We wait," he replied, "That's what we do, Riley, we just wait..."

And Rebel stood unseen at the console, looking out at the view of a planet that glowed ghostly against the blackness of space.

"You can see it now," Bella said to him, and she took him by the hand and led him over to the viewing screen.

He looked back at Riley and Carla and the Doctor and shook his head in disbelief.

"They can't see me?"

"Time to leave," she told him.

"But I have to land the Tardis."

She smiled.

"Ships can't land on Stellar Eternus."

He looked into her eyes.

"Tell me how to get there.

She grabbed both his hands and held on tightly.

"We fly!" she said, and then she stepped back, and he tumbled forward, and they passed through the wall of the Tardis and out into the blackness of space as they rushed at speed towards the ghostly planet of the dead.

As mist covered them and sped by, they continued to fly as if carried on the wind, and suddenly the falling stopped and they were on solid ground once more.

Rebel looked around, saw green fields and far in the distance houses he recalled from long ago...this was the planet they used to live on, in the days before the solar shield failed and the world burned...

"Welcome home," said Bella.

Rebel stared at her.

"How can everything still be here?"

"Because we bring everything in our hearts with us," she told him, "And our world – our lives – go on, here on Stellar Eternus."

And then a sudden thought hit him and he blinked away tears as he started to smile.

"I can touch you!"

And her eyes sparkled as sunlight made her hair shine.

"Come here," she said softly, and held out her arms.

He embraced her tightly and as she looked into his eyes she explained some more:

"The other Doctor was right – only the valiant can reach Stellar Eternus. The dead – and those who die before their time...if they're lucky enough and brave enough."

"What do you mean? He asked her.

Bella's eyes sparkled again.

"You have to let us go," she said softly, "One day we will meet again, but not yet...it was our time to go, and we are happy here. And you must also be happy now. No more mourning for our loss because there is no loss, Doctor. Life never truly ends. We are proof of that."

"We?" he said in a hushed voice.

Bella let go of him and turned to the field.

"Kids!" she called out, "Daddy's here!"

And his eyes blurred with tears as his two children ran to him and he held them in his arms tightly and wept with joy.

"We've missed you," said his daughter. "

But we're okay," said his son, "We're all happy again."

Then Bella grabbed the sleeve of his jacket and gave it a tug, and he turned to face her.

"There's no time," she said to him, "One more kiss, lover – and then goodbye."

His eyes clouded with confusion.

"Goodbye?"

Her eyes shone with love as she put her arms around him again.

"This planet of the dead is also the planet of miracles. For those who die before their time, who are brave enough to cross over...now kiss me goodbye, and let go of the sorrow in your heart. Your story is not over. You must carry on and start again, and when you think of us, remember us with joy in your hearts, as we think of you always."

He clung to her tightly as he pulled her closer and kissed her.

Then she pulled back from him and turned to the children.

"Hurry up!" she said, "Come here, we all have to cuddle Daddy because he needs our help...do it quickly..." and joy shone in her eyes as she smiled, adding, "He can't stay – he's got to be somewhere..."

And as she held him and his children hugged him tightly, sparks of light shimmered about them, glowing brighter and brighter as all pain was lifted away from his soul forever.

In the Tardis, the Doctor was still watching the screen thoughtfully, seeing nothing but a black void in space.

Then suddenly the screen on the console flickered, and the star map disappeared, replaced by an ordinary map of the twelve known galaxies.

Riley stared at the screen and then looked back at the Doctor.

"What's going on?"

Then the console burst into life, lights flashed and with the sound of rushing wind, the Tardis took off, the accelerator slammed down and the ship set off on a new course.

"Doctor?" Carla said, "Where are we going now?"

He glanced down at the flight plan and then looked up at her.

"Back to Sabra. I'd say we are all going back to Sabra."

She looked at him in confusion, and then he smiled.

"All of us, Carla," he said warmly.

She stared at him for a moment, and then she suddenly understood, even though it seemed to make no sense.

"Rebel!" she gasped, and she turned and ran from the console room, heading for the lab.

"I don't get none of this," Riley said, but all the same he hurried after her.

The Doctor paused to look up at the ceiling of the console room as he spoke to the Tardis in a low voice.

"Oh but I do," he said knowingly, "I get it...the legends about Stellar Eternus...it's all true."

And then he walked out of the console room, went down the corridor and headed for the lab.

"Carla, wait for me – what's going on?"

Riley's voice had echoed down the corridor but she ran on, turning sharply into the lab as she hoped with every beat of her racing heart that she had understood the Doctor correctly.

But Rebel was still on the bed, pale and motionless.

She went over to him and sat beside his body, ran her hand over his hair and said his name softly.

And then as she placed her hand on his cheek, she realised he was warm...

"Rebel?" her voice trembled as she said his name again, then her gaze shifted to his tattooed chest, and tears of joy sprang to her eyes as she saw the rise and fall of his breathing, faintly at first, and then getting stronger...

"Rebel?" she said again.

And he gave a gasp and opened his eyes and looked up at her.

"Carla..." he said, sounding strangely alert all of a sudden, "What was I saying about death...Oh yes..."

And his eyes sparkled as he smiled.

"I do believe death blinked first! Here I am. Still alive."

And he sat up, looked intently at Carla and then he rubbed the side of his head, feeling a fading scar but no pain.

"And I feel absolutely fine. I think that graft worked after all."

She gave a sob as tears of joy fell from her eyes and she flung her arms around him.

Riley stood in the lab with his mouth open as he stared in disbelief, and then his eyes filled with tears.

"He's alive," he said as his voice choked with emotion, "Rebel's alive, Doctor!"

And the Doctor stood in the doorway and watched as Carla embraced the man she loved, then she pulled back and looked into his eyes again as if she could scarcely believe it was true.

"Yes," the Doctor said as he smiled, "So he is. I do love a happy ending."

And with the sound of rushing wind, the Tardis landed back on the planet of Sabra.

Two days later, Ace was rested and recovered enough to leave with the Doctor.

They were planning to spend some time in Perivale – Audrey was yet to find out she had just become a grandmother.

As Ace sat on the sofa in the guest apartment, she cradled her daughter in her arms and looked thoughtfully at the Doctor.

"So Rebel was actually dead - and then he wasn't?"

"That's right," the Doctor said as he put on his hat and picked up his umbrella, "That's why I didn't explain everything – I wasn't holding back from you, Ace – I just wasn't sure if the legend was true."

Ace got up from the chair and as she carried their child, the Doctor picked up her rucksack and they headed for the door.

"What is the legend?" she asked him as they walked up the corridor.

"That the planet of Stellar Eternus holds the power to restore life to those who die before their time is up," he replied, "And it's clearly more than a legend, or Rebel wouldn't have come back from the dead."

And as they reached the lift they saw Rebel, Carla and Riley waiting there.

"I hope we meet again soon," Rebel said, and shook the Doctor's hand. Then he turned to Ace and as he looked at the child in her arms he felt a glow in his hearts.

"Safe journey," he said to her, "And be sure to tell this little one all about her Uncle Rebel."

Ace smiled.

"As if I could ever forget him," she said softly.

"Bye, Doctor," said Carla, and he nodded to her, said goodbye to Riley and stepped into the lift. Ace turned her head, took one last look at Rebel and smiled, then she looked to Carla, then past Carla.

"Bye Riley," she said fondly, and then she got into the lift and the doors closed.

Then Ace turned to the Doctor, who eyed her suspiciously.

"No goodbye to Carla?"

"No," she replied.

The lift stopped and the doors opened and they got out and headed for the door.

Lexi and Venx were out by the pool and Lexi giggled as he splashed into the water and the sound carried through the house.

"Shall we pop out to the patio and say goodbye to Lexi and Venx?" the Doctor asked as amusement sparkled in his eyes.

"No thanks!" Ace exclaimed, "I don't want to see a skinny dipping Sontaran, I've just had my breakfast!"

And the Doctor laughed, and then they walked out of the house and across the field, heading for the Tardis.

As the Doctor and Ace walked towards the police box they both thought of as home, Ace glanced at the Doctor.

"This is going to sound really weird after everything that's happened here, but I'm going to miss this planet, Professor!"

They had reached the Tardis. He drew his key from his pocket and unlocked the door.

"I don't think it's forever," he replied, "We'll come back here one day."

"When?" Ace asked him as they stood by the open door.

He smiled at the baby in her arms.

"When Alice gets married. It will be a lovely place to hold the wedding service."

Her eyes widened.

"Married? Who is she going to marry, Professor?"

He went inside and she followed.

"Who? Oh, I don't know..."

"You'd better not be keeping secrets!"

He replied with warmth in his voice.

"As if I'd do that..."

And then the Tardis door closed and moments later, with a wheeze and a whoosh, the police box faded in and out of sight, and then it disappeared.

As the sun dipped lower in the sky on the planet of Sabra, Carla packed up the last of her lab equipment and headed back to the dark blue Tardis with the stained glass windows.

When she got there Riley was standing by the open doorway.

"Trust me," he said, "You do NOT want to disturb Rebel. Just don't go in his bedroom. He's busy."

"Doing what?" she wondered, and she went into the Tardis, Riley followed and then he closed the door.

As they stood together in the console room and the Tardis gave off its familiar hum, Riley spoke again.

"Since he...came back...he's been a bit different. He's doing things a bit different."

"Like what?"

Carla looked around the console room. The communications screen was still cracked and the house brick was on the floor near the accelerator.

"I don't see anything different in here."

"No, he's a bit different," Riley said, "He went into the lab, threw out most of the illegal substances – kept a little bit back but most of it is gone – he said he doesn't want to mess his head up any more. But I'm pleased and relieved to report that he's keeping the Tardis bar and all the alcohol."

"Sounds like he wants to make a new start."

"He certainly does!" he said, "Just don't go in his room – he wants to be left alone, he said he had something important to do."

"Okay, I'll remember that," Carla said, and then she left the console room.

Carla went down the corridor, left the equipment in the lab and hurried back towards Rebel's closed bedroom door.

"Rebel?" she called out, "Can I come in?"

"Just a minute!" he called back, "I'm busy!"

Now curiosity had really got to her.

"Doing what?" she wondered.

"I'll be with you in a minute...just wait there, it's a surprise."

And Carla smiled.

"Okay, I'm waiting..."

"One minute..or maybe two...just wait..."

"Okay."

Carla waited.

The door opened sharply.

Her eyes widened, and Rebel smiled.

"What do you think?"

She was still looking at him in surprise:

Rebel was no longer dressed in black. He wore dark jeans with a white shirt patterned with gold roses that was partly unbuttoned, a scarlet waist coat embroidered with gold and a grey jacket with matching roses on the lapels. There was not a shade of black about anything he wore...

He smiled.

"Do you like it?" he asked her.

She smiled too.

"You look very handsome," she said honestly.

"Good, I'm glad you like it. Now that's sorted out, let's get out of here!"

And he grabbed her by the hand and ran, and she laughed as she half-tripped keeping up with him as they raced into the console room.

"Blimey you look different!" Riley exclaimed, "I like it!"

Rebel let go of Carla's hand and turned to the console and tapped in a sequence, and as the sound of rushing wind filled the air, the Tardis vanished from Sabra and suddenly the viewing port showed nothing but inky black space punctured by stars.

He turned to his companions.

"So where shall we go first?" he said, "Past, or future, backwards or forwards? Or shall I just take her for a spin around the galaxy?"

"I really don't mind as long as I can sit in the bar and crack open a cold beer," Riley replied.

"Then go and do it," Rebel said, "I'll join you later."

Riley turned to leave the console room, but then a sudden thought hit him and he turned back again.

"Rebel...you know that entity..."

Rebel thought for a moment.

"What? Oh, that entity, the one we got rid of...what about it?"

Riley hesitated.

"Well there was one thing bothering me and I was hoping you could clear it up...was it a female entity or a male entity?"

Rebel blinked.

"What?"

"I really need to know, mate."

Rebel leaned on the console and paused for thought.

"Well I suppose the correct answer would be, neither – it was simply a shapeless mass capable of assuming any form it chose, any species or gender."

"But I kissed it. I thought it was a girl and I kissed it, and I enjoyed it and now I'm a bit worried..."

"What?" said Carla.

Rebel looked at him in confusion.

"Riley, it was simply an entity. No gender. You believed it was female, so therefore you believed you kissed a woman. I can't really explain it any clearer..."

Carla smiled as she looked away towards the view of space beyond the Tardis.

"I think I get it," Riley said, "But I'm never kissing anything ever again until I'm sure, know what I mean? If I'm not sure, I'll keep well away from it...and now I think I'll go and get that cold beer."

Rebel smiled.

"You do that," he said, and as Riley walked away, Carla giggled.

Rebel smiled too and as their eyes met, she knew there was a question that had to be asked now, while they were alone.

"When you were dying you said there was something you wanted to say, but then you said there was no time. What was it, Rebel? What did you want to say to me?"

"I wanted to say a lot of things," he replied, and then he turned his attention to the console, and she turned back to the view of space, and he said no more as she wondered if she ever should have raised the question.

"Sorry," she said quietly, "Maybe I shouldn't be asking...it's been a difficult time for you and -"

She fell silent as she felt his hands resting gently on her shoulders as he stood behind her.

"I wanted to say," Rebel began softly, "That I'm far from perfect. I've made a lot of mistakes, my life has been in a real mess and nothing may ever be perfect. But I do love you. I love you with both my hearts and as deeply as that space out there stretches on to forever. I love you, Carla Bailey, that's what I wanted to say. I love you."

She turned around and looked up at him and as their eyes met he smiled.

"And now I want to kiss you," he said, "And then take you off to bed and stay there for a very long time. How does that sound?"

Carla slid her arms around him and pulled him close and as their lips touched and their kiss deepened, no more words were needed.

As the Seventh Doctor's Tardis landed in Perivale, Ace came into the console room and smiled as her eyes sparkled with joy.

"She must love being in here, Professor! She's still asleep in the nursery."

"Of course she loves the Tardis," the Doctor replied, "She's part Time Lord!"

Ace suddenly thought of the other Doctor who was now so far away.

"I hope things worked out for Rebel," she said.

"But not for Carla."

"What?"

The Doctor turned off the Tardis controls.

"Please don't hate her, Ace – you don't know what may lie ahead for her. We all have lives to lead and futures to unfold. She doesn't deserve your hatred."

"I can't help it. I just think of her and you and -"

"Now she's with Rebel," he reminded her.

Ace smiled again.

"I'm so glad you asked me to get close to him. I made good memories for you and him, for you in your future life one day."

The Doctor looked at her knowingly.

"There is another way to look at it," he remarked, "Haven't you thought of it yet?"

Ace shook her head.

"What other way can I look at it, Professor?"

He smiled and she caught a rather sneaky look flash in his eyes.

"Well, " he said, "It's like this, Ace – I slept with Carla, and you slept with her boyfriend. I'd say that evens up the score."

She stared at him.

"The score?"

Then the sound of Alice waking carried down the corridor.

"Baby's awake," he remarked, "You'd better go and get her, Ace – we're off to your mother's for tea."

"It was about evening up the score?" she said again.

"As well as making good memories," he replied, "So don't hate Carla Bailey, there's no need, you're even now."

Ace looked at him and wondered if the Professor had been joking or if he really meant what he had said about scores. Then she heard Alice cry again.

"I'll go and get her," she said.

And Ace left the console room.

The Doctor looked around the Tardis and his crafty smile returned as he thought about what he had said to Ace.

"Oh yes indeed," he murmured as he smiled, "It certainly evens up the score, Ace...it evens it up very nicely indeed..."

And then Ace returned with baby Alice.

"Shall we go?" he said cheerfully, and she smiled and nodded.

He went over to the door and opened it, and Ace and the baby went out first.

Then the Doctor paused, looked back and smiled as that crafty gleam appeared in his eyes again as he shared a silent moment with the Tardis as he thought about his real reason for asking Ace to get close to his future self, and then he locked up the police box, put his arm around his wife and they set off down the street towards her mother's house, where a family reunion, and hot tea, awaited them.

End

Author Note:

Hope this read has been enjoyed.

And...Book 4 in this series of fics will be coming along shortly, and will be called 'Legion of Steel'.

Yes, there's more of 7/Ace, more of Rebel and his companions, and there will be Cybermen too...

Book 4 will be coming soon ~ Aline Riva