A/N: Sooo it's been a while. But I have an awesome excuse. I was in Cardiff at the DW exhibition, posing sexily with Daleks...
Chapter 12 - 10th June 2013, 18:03:21
"Rose!" Brax yelled, diving to his brother.
"I'll look after 'er," Jackie said quickly, and rushed after Rose with Sarah in tow as Brax leant over his brother.
"Does… Does this m-make you h-happy, Brax?" the Doctor grated through gritted teeth.
"Why on Gallifrey would this make me happy, Theta?" Brax asked, genuinely confused as he pillowed his brother's head.
"I… c-can't even… even argue and I… I c-collapse. G-gotta look… a-aft-ter me…"
"I am going to ignore that and put it down to stress," Brax told him seriously, pulling off the Doctor's shoes and unbuttoning his shirt as he looked up at the group. "I need oxygen and a blanket. Quick!" he added on the end as Mickey, Martha and Gwen just stood there, transfixed. After a brief couple of seconds, Mickey and Gwen ran off, leaving Martha standing there.
"It's all right, I've got you, Thete," Brax said quickly, bunching up his sleeve to wipe at the sweat on his brother's brow.
The Doctor suddenly laughed, stilted in hiccups. "Oh B-Brax… y-you real-ly c-c… care ab-bout m-me… dontcha?"
"This is serious, Theta!" Brax shouted, resting a hand on the Doctor's chest to check his hearts. They were slowing down…
"G-giv-ving m-me illeg-gal dr-drugs…" the Doctor continued, his words becoming more and more stilted before he laughed again - coming out in a choking sound. "I'm a-addic-t-ted t-to a d-drug… M-Martha… h-he's g-given m-me an… an addict-tion j-just t-to s-save m-my… m-my l-life…"
"Brax, tell me what's going on!" Martha suddenly cut in, pushing Brax back from the Doctor. "What have you been doing to him!?"
"Helping him!" Brax responded, diving back to his brother to grab his head between his hands.
"What's happening!?" she demanded to know.
Brax ignored her. "His pupils are dilated…"
"G-go o-on… B-B-Brax… t-tell h-her…" - the Doctor gasped in a desperate breath and forced his last word out - "... e-everyth-thing!"
"Get away from him!" Martha yelled, grabbing Brax's shoulder and pushing him forcefully away.
"No, I'm helping!" Brax said desperately, begging her to believe him.
"It doesn't look like it from here!" Martha snapped back.
The Doctor suddenly stopped making any noise, his shaking ceasing. Martha and Brax immediately stopped arguing and looked over just in time to find the Doctor beginning to have a seizure.
"What the hell is happenin'?" Mickey demanded to know, having returned with an oxygen tank and Gwen holding a blanket.
Martha took the reins, stepping forward and putting her arms out as a barrier. "Stay back, don't touch him, anyone!"
"Daddy?" suddenly came a voice from across the Hub. They all looked up, panicking at the sight of Leah standing there, staring transfixed at her father.
"Leah, let's go inside the Tardis," Gwen said quickly, shoving the blanket in Mickey's arms and jogging to the girl.
Leah completed ignored her, running down to her dad instead. "Daddy!" she wailed at the sight of him.
Brax quickly moved to her, dropping to her height and stopping her from getting near. "You know how Daddy's sick?"
Leah looked at her uncle, tears in her eyes. "Yeah?"
"This is part of that," he told her gently.
"It looks scary but he's absolutely fine," Martha continued, trying desperately to ignore the flailing man beside her and offered Leah a calm, collected smile.
Leah attempted to move forward, but Brax quickly stopped her.
"Don't go near him, he can't control his limbs and he might accidentally hit you," he warned.
For a moment Leah just stared at her daddy, transfixed. He continued to flail, making horrific noises.
"Make it stop, Uncle Brax," she begged, her eyes filling up.
"I can't, he'll stop soon," he answered.
"I don't like it."
"And you shouldn't," Martha said quietly, pulling the girl into a hug.
"Daddy," she whined, crying in her aunt's arms.
Finally the Doctor stopped, and Brax pounced on him with the oxygen and the blanket. Leah ran forward immediately, kneeling down beside his head.
"Poh'a, poh'a, alee," she implored. "E'i mina eon, poh'a."
Brax checked his hearts, and immediately his eyes shot wide open. "Martha, get a defibrillator!" he said urgently, hovering his cheek over his brother's mouth.
"Uncle Brax?" Leah whined.
"Gwen, please take Leah out of here," Brax ordered him.
"No!" Leah wailed, hugging her Dad's head protectively.
"Gwen!" Brax urged, pulling Leah away. Leah immediately burst into tears, struggling against Gwen's hold, but Gwen managed to get her away just in time for Martha to arrive with the defibrillator. Brax practically ripped the bag in two to get at it as Martha opened the Doctor's shirt. His chest was riddled with strange black lines.
"Martha, I can't use this human technology!" Brax said urgently, shoving the now destroyed defibrillator bag to her. Within moments she had activated it, had the paddles in her hands and determined look on her face.
"Clear!"
Brax got out of the way as Martha lowered the paddles and shocked the Doctor over his left heart. He jolted, and in quick succession she jolted his right heart. Immediately the Doctor gasped, sucking in breath, but his eyes remained closed.
"Get him to a bed," Martha urged and Mickey ran off to get a stretcher.
It was already 11pm, and Sarah was sat beside the Doctor in the infirmary, holding his hand.
Braxiatel had been forced to tell the others everything. Everyone knew about the alere flamman now - there was no hiding it. Everyone had taken the news as badly as expected, and had each in turn come to visit the Doctor. He hadn't been conscious, but nobody seemed to care.
Sarah knew she shouldn't have, but she'd listened from the door to some of their laments. Nobody was more distressed than Martha, who had been chastising herself for obsessing over the birth plan when he clearly had been reluctant.
"I should've noticed, should've guessed…" she had said between sobs.
Mickey hadn't been much better. He was clearly trying to be the strong one as his wife was so broken up.
"I'll help raise your kids, I swear, treat 'em like my own…" he'd said.
Gwen and Rhys had come together. Always the optimist, Sarah couldn't help but think. They had sat there proclaiming that they'd help in any way they could with the memory.
"And of course we'll look after Kiana while you're finding it, she and Anwen really get on…"
Then there was just the quiet. The TARDIS, despite filled with many chatty adults and children who over the past few days had created a jovial atmosphere, was now in pure silence. She'd only seen Rose briefly for about two minutes, being given updates by Brax. She'd left very quickly after. Sarah didn't blame her, because she knew Rose was blaming herself. Since then, just the silence. But no more so than from the Doctor.
Sarah had always found it strange, especially with this new Doctor. He was always so full of energy - a kid with too many E numbers - running around saving planets and dazzling every person in range with that 100-watt smile. He could talk until the cows came home and save a planet quicker than the inhabitants could pick their nose.
Now here he was, terminally ill. Lying in a bed silent to the world, linked up to several monitors with a nose cannula.
When he was like this, it didn't feel right.
"Why does Daddy sleep so much when he's ill?" Leah suddenly asked.
It had been so quiet Sarah had almost forgotten she was there. She had refused to go to bed.
"Sleep is very healing," she replied gently to the four-year-old. "Everyone heals faster when they sleep. Sleep is magic."
"Like chicken soup? Daddy said chicken soup is magic."
Sarah couldn't help but smile. "Yes, exactly like chicken soup."
"I wish he wasn't ill so much," Leah whined.
"Your Daddy is an extraordinary man who takes many risks," Sarah answered. "Being ill is part of that."
"What does extraordinary mean?"
"It means he's very, very special."
"Yeah," Leah agreed. "Mummy says he's like Superman 'cept he doesn't wear his underpants over his trousers."
Sarah laughed again. "She is very right. But remember, even Superman needs someone to save him sometimes."
Leah nodded, just staring at her father for a moment before someone entered the infirmary behind them.
Sarah looked up to see Rose standing there, staring at the Doctor with tears in her eyes. Sarah quickly got up, taking Leah's hand to help her down from the bed.
"Come on, let's give your mummy and daddy some privacy, and get you to bed," she said. For once Leah didn't argue, only stopping to hug her mum.
"It's not your fault," Sarah told Rose quietly, seriously. "Remember that."
Rose didn't reply to that, just dropping to hug her daughter in return, kissing her.
"Love you," she told the girl.
"I love you too, mummy," Leah responded, before she and Sarah left together.
Rose looked up at the Doctor again, taking a deep breath before moving forward to sit in the chair Sarah had vacated next to him.
She took his hand, feeling it in her fingers.
"Hey," she whispered to him. "I'm so, so sorry. Oh god, I don't know what I was doin', I just exploded. And it nearly killed you. I'm sorry, please, please forgive me. I didn't mean it, I know you care, I know you were just doin' what you could protect them. It's not your fault. I'm sorry. And I'm sorry I've been so distant. I'm just a mess. We both are. But I know what I need to do and you're gonna hate me. Or think I'm mad at you. I'm not mad at you - God, how could I ever be mad at you? - this is just what I have to do and please just... get it. Get what I'm sayin'. Trust me, like I trust you. I'm not abandonin' you I swear, I'm just doin' the right thing. So don't be sad, or angry, or pull that face like you're about to blow up a planet, just let it happen. Cos I love you and I don't think I say it enough. I really love you. Please know that. I'm sorry I'm doin' this to you. But it's gotta be done. Else they'll kill him."
She paused, just staring at his impassive face for a few moments as she continued to run her fingers down his hand.
"That's kinda it. Better do it, I guess. God, I'm scared. Got pretty used to relyin' on you, I guess. I'll just do what you'd do. But I reckon I know your head better than you do now. Except all the rants you do. I can't do those."
She paused again, swallowed, and closed her eyes as she started again.
"Actually there is somethin' else. I wouldn't say if you were awake... But... Look, I'm not an idiot. I know you don't sleep. I figured out why ages ago. Just feel okay to talk to me about it, yeah? I'll listen. We've been through too much. If Volag-Noc hurt you that bad in your head then please lemme help. Don't be ashamed. Leah had PTSD for so long, but we got through it, didn't we? So we can get you through it too. Cos you're not impervious. Actually, you got it dead on at our weddin'. You always try to be this rock, lettin' everything wash over your head, but I know it doesn't really. You hurt, just like everyone else. I know it hurts really bad right now but I'll make it better, I swear. Don't be scared. I'm not gonna judge you. You've cried so much into me and I've cried so much into you it's impossible for me to. So just tell me, okay? That's what makes us great together. We share our pain, and please just... Feel okay to share yours with me. I hate seein' you like this."
He remained very still. For another couple of seconds she just gazed at him, before leaning forward to kiss his unresponsive lips.
"Really goin' this time. Can't put it off anymore. I'll call you. I'm sorry again. I really am. I messed up so bad. Please be okay. Love you."
And with that, she walked out of the infirmary, into their bedroom, picked up the backpack she'd prepared, slung it over her shoulder and stepped out into the corridor. She met no one as she walked down to the console room, straight to the monitor.
She brought up the biorhythms, and clicked on Passenger #2.
Rose Tyler (registered passenger #2) biorhythms checklist
Species: Human
Heart rate: (1) OK | Blood pressure: OK | Blood sugar: OK | Breathing: OK | Central Nervous System: OK | Body Temp.: OK | Electrocerebral activity: Good
Infections: None
Foreign substances: General sustenance
Warnings: Pregnancy positive less than 4 weeks
Location: Console Room, TARDIS Type 40, on Sol 3, 51.4630° N, 3.1640° W
-END-
Further information? Y/N
Rose's heart missed a beat.
Warnings: Pregnancy positive less than 4 weeks
"Oh God," she whispered under her breath, her head snapping down to her belly. she rested a hand just below her naval, her face etched with a combination of horror, fear and confusion.
She looked back at the monitor, and went for further information.
Warnings: Pregnancy positive less than 4 weeks
Genetic father: Theta Sigma (registered passenger #1)
Chromosome: XY
Status: Healthy
Further information unavailable - mediscan recommended
Back? Y/N
"No, no, no," she muttered, hitting back twice to get back to the passenger list. She clicked on herself, and hit delete.
With nothing but a low buzz, her entry vanished. She did the same to Alex's. Almost immediately the TARDIS made a squeaking noise, as if she was whining.
She rested a hand on the console. It was strange how normal it felt now to talk to the time machine. "We're gonna be fine," she said aloud. "Me and the baby. You just take good care of him, yeah? I can't stay here. Everyone'll be in danger. And don't you dare tell him I'm pregnant. You know what he's like - he'll freak out. He's got enough to think about as it is."
The TARDIS made a noise not unlike a defeated sigh.
"Thanks," Rose told her, and let go of the console. She then picked up her bag, slung it over her shoulders, checking the coast was clear before moving to the lift. She then broke the ground above to find the hordes of press were still there in vans, and lots of people in tents who were out for her husband's alien blood. She pulled up her hood and quickly and quietly made her way towards the train station.
A/N: Next time...
"She's gone to get him!" the Doctor realised, disconnecting himself from the machines and hauling himself out of the bed. Martha tried to stop him but he quickly pulled away, grabbing his shirt and pulling it on.
"No, Thete!" Brax said quickly, moving to rest a hand on his arm.
"You have no right to talk to me!" the Doctor yelled back, shoving his brother with his arm before resuming doing up his shirt, his head down and eyes closed, breathing rapidly.
"I'm sorry, calm down, I was trying to help…"
"Don't you dare tell me to calm down!" the Doctor spat, visibly trembling but managing to hold himself together.
"I was just…"
"Just what, Brax!?" the Doctor spat.
Brax stopped, his jaw opening and closing like a fish. He didn't have an answer for his brother.