A/N: Hehe...he... hi. Well. It's been what? A month? I'M SORRY! Let me tell you a little story about a fanfiction writer who kept getting sick, got writers block, finally got the next chapter finished, then got bombarded with tests and projects that kept her from updating her fanfiction...But now I'm back, thanks to listening to Fall Out Boy. :) I think. I might have to post every two weeks for the next month and a half until school is over, unless I somehow find some magical free time like right now. Anyway, finally here is chapter 14!
Disclaimer: Still gotta do these :( I do not own Doctor Who or any part of it and stuff.
The Doctor had just blacked and left me in charge of one passed out Time Lord, one passed out random woman, my mother, and my ex. Oh, and a possible alien invasion that I had no clue how to stop. Terrific. Basically, I had to save the Earth. I did that everyday. No problem, right?
My consciousness thought otherwise.
"But the Doctor was always there to guide you," the logical part of me whispered.
"I'm a big girl, bloody git. I can take care of myself," my adventure side retorted.
"Face it Rose, you're a normal shop girl who just happened to get in the way of a handsome man who turns out to be a Time Lord. You're nothing special," logic replied.
"First of all, I do not think the Doctor is handsome, no matter how great his hair is and-"
"I never said anything about hair. You did."
"Oh shut up!" My adventurous side mentally slapped logic. "And the Doctor wouldn't have brought me along if I wasn't useful!"
"Maybe he only thinks you are cute. Boys do that all the time, bringing girls along just cause they look nice," the romantic part of me chimed in.
"All of you shut the bloody hell up!" roared my instincts. "Arguing with yourself isn't going to get you anywhere Rose," it- I said.
"Hey, making sense is my job," logic complained.
"Um, Rose? Are you Ok?" Mickey asked, tapping me on the shoulder. I blinked, and snapped out of it.
"Oh yeah sorry, just arguing- I mean thinking to myself," I said. I let my impulse and instincts take over, seeing as the rest of me were arguing over the state of the Doctor's hair.
"Its hotter when its ruffled!" insisted Romance.
"No, Its better when its brushed up!" adventure argued.
"You're all idiots. He would be better off with no hair, its more aerodynamic," logic said. Romance and adventure mentally slapped her.
"You're forgetting that I'm just part of your consciousness, and can't feel pain, but, seriously, it's good battle strategy!," logic insisted.
"He has great hair! It goes perfectly with his eyes!" Romance growled, and they started to bickering about the color of the Doctor's eyes.
I tried to think back to what the Doctor has said just before he went about reviving the woman- with tea?
"Hey mum, can you fill the cup and take it to the girl?" I asked her. Mum nodded and carefully picked up the kettle. "Mickey, help me get the Doctor out of the kitchen and back into bed," I added, and without a word of complaint, Mickey reached over and grabbed the Doctors feet while I took the shoulders. With a bit of difficulty- the Time Lord was heavy! - we managed to get him back into the bedroom.
"I'll look up pilot-fish and see if anything's going on on the telly," my old boyfriend said, and I nodded, carefully dabbing the Doctor's sweaty head with a wet towel. It stayed quiet for a while, with the Doctor knocked out, Mickey researching and Mum trying to revive the woman. Putting the cloth away, I thought about the past couple of days. My whole life had changed when the Doctor had taken me with him-was that over now? He just had to go changin' his face-right when I thought something was happening between the two of us!
"Ha! CALLED IT!" screamed romance, pumping an imaginary fist in the air.
"Rose! The tea worked! She's wakin' up!" called my mom, interrupting romance's victory dance. "I'll go fill another," she called. I did not want to leave the Doctor alone, but he had told me this girl was the key to- whatever the heck was going on. I went to the living room, where Mum had put the girl on the couch.
At first glance she looked like she was simply sleeping, but when I looked a little closer, I saw a pool of blood around her. I swore. I had totally forgotten she was injured! Mum must not have seen it. I knew she should have gone to get her eyes checked last month! Running to the bathroom, I grabbed some bandages and filled a cup of water, as well as a cloth.
Returning to the living room, I panicked. I had never treated a cut before, let alone one this big.
I sat down next to the couch and dipped the cloth into the water, then gently pressed it to the bleeding gash. Blood quickly covered the cloth, and I returned it to the water, which turned an ugly shade of red. I groaned. Too much blood was coming out of the wound to clean it enough to bandage it. I would have to just wrap it raw. I tried to carefully cover her waist with the gauze, but my finger accidentally brushed her wound, and she let out a little squeak. Hey on the bright side she's waking up, I thought. My mom came back with a cup of tea and opened the girl's mouth so that the tea dribbled through it. Finally Mum finished giving the girl the drink. She didn't move.
"Must have been a false alarm," sighed Mum. "This is the fourth cup I've given her, an' nothings happened." She left to go get some more tea from the kitchen. I kneeled down in front of the girl. She seemed peaceful, her eyes closed, her lips parted in a slight smile.
"Honestly, just one cup of tea would have been plenty, you know," the girl said, startling me. Her eyes flickered open. "One more cup and I think I would've lost it. What took you so long? I've been waiting FOREVER for you to come save me from this hole," she groaned.
"Oi! This is my mum's flat!" I hissed.
"Wait- I'm not a prisoner of Sontaran war?" The woman's eyes widened as she recollected her thoughts- sort of. " Ah yes, I remember now. We're in London right? Sycorax invasion?"
"Son- Sontaran?" I asked cautiously.
"Oh that's right. You haven't met them yet. Was it Sarah Jane who saw them? No, I'm being silly. It was Vicky when I met them..." the girl trailed off, then let out a maniacal laugh.
"I must have really lost it. Have I died an' gone to Time Lord heaven? Or am I stuck on the prisons of Trenzalore? Or wait no, maybe the big bad wolf has come an' gobbled me up!" She roared with frantic laughter. I decided that the woman was still in shock from getting her wound. If she didn't become comprehensive in the next few minutes, I would just knock her out again. No use wasting time on her.
"There is English coming out of your mouth, but I understand nothing," I said, puzzled. "Who are these people you mentioned?" The girl grinned.
"Maybe it isn't English I'm speaking! Maybe I'm speaking mongeese, or maybe puppernautical. Now that's a weird language, filled with whale clicks and calls." I smacked her. She pressed a hand to her cheek and grimaced.
"Now what was that for?" she asked innocently. I glared at her.
"Snap out of it! You are the only person who can help stop the invasion and save the Doctor. I need you clear and awake!" I said.
"Ooh the Doctor, yes yes, he is always in trouble, now isn't he?" she chuckled. "Hehe- I've saved him hundreds of times over without him realizing it!" I had had enough.
"STOP!" I yelled. She did. "If you don't shut up and concentrate, answer my questions, and SAVE BLOODY EARTH, I will literally throw you out the window!" The woman shrank back, then muttered, "It's only one story high. I'd liv-sorry." I stared her down.
"Now, explain yourself," I muttered. The woman gave a sigh. Maybe now I could learn something clearly.
"If you must know," she started, "The Doctor brings companions along with him everywhere he goes- you aren't the first. Think of me as the companion he never knew about, the one following his every move to make sure he doesn't get himself killed permanently like he almost did today. You asked about Sontarans too, yes?" I rolled my eyes at the sudden change of topic, but nodded.
"Basically imagine an over sized potato with a body. There ya go," she said. The girl started to roll over onto her side, as if thinking our conversation was over, but I was still confused.
"Yeah, yeah. I get most of that- but I still don't get you. Where's your proof? How can I know you aren't a creepy stalker lady?" I asked her suspiciously.
"Oh for Gallifrey's sake!" cried the woman, throwing her hands in the air. "I'm the Nightingale, Daughter of Time, Time Lady, Protector of the Doctor, killer of the daleks, Guardian of Gallifrey, Warrior of Time, space traveler, time traveler- would you like me to continue?" she asked. Without waiting for me to answer, she went on.
"I can tell you that I have two hearts, this is my second body- from regeneration, like you saw with the Doctor - and that the Doctor likes vegetables. Time Lords knows- one lifetime he wore a stick of celery on his shirt everyday- good grief! I follow the Doctor wherever he goes so that he doesn't get himself unnecessarily killed. It's my duty as a sister."
The Nightingale-that was her "name" apparently- stopped to take a breath and I stared. She seemed to know a lot about the Doctor, and she really did seem to believe she was his sibling, but it still wasn't concrete evidence. Anyone could figure out simple details like that easily with time. There was one way I could find out whether she was telling the truth though. I picked up a pair of stethoscopes and looked at her questioningly.
"If you need more finale proof, then I shall oblige," she said. "Since when did my brother's companions become so untrusting?" I ignored her, and touched the stethoscope to the one side of the her chest. Nightingale winced as pain rocked through her body, and I muttered a quick apology. It was stunning how she wasn't howling with all the blood she was losing. She seemed almost...used to getting hurt. Thump-thump thump thump. I gently shifted it to the other side as she looked on, smirking. Thump-thump thump thump. I gasped, backing away.
"You- you're telling the truth!" I said, astonished. "You're a Time Lord!"
"Time Lady," she corrected. "Now do you believe me when I tell the truth in everything that I say, even that the Doctor is my brother?" The Nightingale looked at me sternly, and I finally could see that even though he body was young, her eyes were ancient and all seeing, twinkling and dull at the same time- the eyes of one who has seen death. The eyes of the Doctor. I supposed this was the proof I had needed- for now. As long as she could be trusted to save the Doctor, I could deal with her.
"Yes," I said. "I can't believe anything else, I guess." The Nightingale grinned.
"Excellent. Now, I'm sending a bit of regeneration energy down into the wound as we speak, and it'll tire me out, but my side will be good as new in about an hour as long as I don't stress it- which unfortunately I tend to do. At any rate, I'm the best bet we have at doing whatever it is we need to do. Unfortunately, my memory of the past hour is kind of blurry. I remember vaulting a spinning tree- that couldn't possibly be real could it?" Nightingale started to laugh when she noticed the tree-sized cutout in the wall. Her eyes widened.
"Oh. Well, that makes my memory ten times more confusing." She tilted her head. "But that suggests that, I vaulted the tree, got the wound that's causing me such annoyance, heroically saved my brother, and told him to tell you something. Everything I know after that includes bouncing teddy bears, which I know for a fact isn't real...right?" For a moment she looked panicked, as if not sure what was reality anymore. I nodded, and she let out a sigh of relief- did she have something against the stuffed things?
Then I caught her up on the past few events, retelling the spinning tree, everyone blacking out, the Doctor telling me what to do, his fears, and the Sycoraxic invasion.
"Poor girl," said Nightingale sympathetically. "I'd say you've been through more then Sarah-Jane herself. Now that's an accomplishment. What we have to do is- what's that?" The Time Lady interrupted herself, looking at the telly. It was a broadcast on the Mars landing.
"Oh, not much. There's this space ship called Guinevere 1 that lands on Mars today," I said, shrugging. "Not that big of a deal." Nightingale shook her head.
"That's where you're wrong Rose. This is a big deal. A very, very big deal."
"Rose, I've got another cup of tea for the girl and- oh my!" Mum came in to see me and Nightingale sitting side by side. "Oh, good, you are um, awake!" she said, grinning at the Nightingale. Mum looked over at me. "Can we trust her?" her eyes asked, and I nodded.
"Um- Mum, this is-"
"The Nightingale, Time Lady of Gallifrey and the Doctor's sister. Pleased to meet you Jackie. Well, for you to meet me, technically. I can call you that, can't I?" Nightingale interrupted, holding out a hand to shake. Mum looked at the hand as if it were one of the seven wonders of the world.
"Another Time Lord? Please tell me she isn't as annoying as the other one," Mum moaned.
"Oi!" protested the Nightingale. "And for the last time, its NOT Time Lord, it's Time LADY!"
"Time what now?" asked Mickey, entering the room.
"UGHHH!" screamed the Nightingale, banging her head against the wall. Mickey paused.
"Is she- um- ok?" he asked cautiously.
"No idea. I think you broke her. Apparently she's the Doctor's sister. Who knows what goes on in her head," Mum muttered. Mickey shook his head.
"Maniacs, them Time Lords."
"Time Lady," came Night's muffled voice from the wall. "And who're you calling a maniac?" Mickey gave a little smirk.
"Well, I found out what pilot-fish are. They swim next to bigger fish- like sharks. The pilot-fish come first and are harmless. Then come the sharks, which obviously, are not exactly safe," he said.
"Something is coming," I murmured. "Just like the Doctor said." With me and my mum crowded around Mickey, only the Nightingale was focused on the tv, and only she saw what happened next.
"Oh daleks. Sweet mother of Gallifrey, we're in trouble. Big trouble," she said, followed by a string of highly descriptive and colorful curses I would not care to repeat. I immediately looked up.
"What?" I asked nervously.
"See that image of rocks from mars on the TV?" she asked, pointing at the flickering image. The rest of us nodded. "Those aren't rocks," she whispered. All of a sudden the image solidified and a picture of a strange creature with red eyes and wrinkled skin roared. I jumped back.
"What is that?" Mum shrieked. The Nightingale's eyes were terrified, and she went pale as a sheet.
"I was right. Its one of the Sycorax ship-pods. But this is not just any Sycorax ship. I've had the pleasure to come across this ship once before- and had to kill their entire Elite Guard to keep the Doctor safe from an ambush. One of the guards was in favor of the ruler of the Sycorax ship, and when a Sycorax gains a grudge, the only thing to do is run." I internally moaned. We had to get invaded by the one ship of Sycorax that had a special hate for Night?
"I barely escaped the ship with my life, and my head is in rather great demand by them. Basically, if I show my face, I'm a dead Time Lady," she muttered.
"Let's just blast them out of the sky," I suggested. She shook her head.
"That would be genocide. And technically, we have no full proof they're invading. They might just be here for a visit," said Night, but she sounded uncertain.
"Sorry to interrupt, but, why didn't the TARDIS translate what the Sycorax said?" Mickey cut in. The Nightingale winced.
"How do I explain this.. you are friends of the Doctor, right? The TARDIS translates alien languages for those in favor of him, as you know. And the Doctor controls the TARDIS. Currently he is dying, and his link to the TARDIS is fading. And because the link is cut off, you can't understand anything. Translation for you all will be off since you aren't directly connected to the TARDIS, like the internet, maybe. I on the other hand, have gained the ship's trust, and have my own link.," Nightingale explained.
"So.. what did they say?" asked Mum. Night cleared her throat.
"Warrior of Shadows-that would probably be me, since I stick to the shadows-, bare heed, for your end is near. Prepare to face utter obliteration of this planet, and those upon it within twenty-four hours unless you sacrifice yourself and your accomplices to the Sycoraxic Union," said the Nightingale.
"In other words, all hell is about to break loose."
Until whenever I find time to post again... Allon-sy!