A/N: This is it folks. The End. The Last Chapter! It's been a long time coming but I can't drag it out anymore. A HUGE thank you to everyone who has followed my series so far and continued to read and review, love you all to little bits an' pieces.

I hope to hear from you all soon!

Chapter 21

Machinery hissed as the cage released its grip on his head and he began to choke on the oxygen tube that was previously keeping him alive. Filling his lungs he breathed out pulling on the tube as he did.

He blinked a few times against the light before awkwardly pressing the heels of his hands into his eyes and carefully sitting upright. The world shifted slightly and he reached out to grip the sides of the bed.

Taking a deep breath and with great effort, he removed the drip from his hand and looked down, dreading the removal of the other tube that entered his body. He was glad Rose and Jack weren't around, it meant he could yell out as loud as he liked.

"Rassilion," he rasped, his eyes watering as he dropped the catheter tube into the bin beside the bed. He cursed again as he pulled his underwear and trousers on, realising how uncoordinated his muscles were.

The Doctor staggered from the med-bay to the control room, time to find help and civilisation.

Flicking switches and pulling levers like a puppet with only half its strings intact, he lurched round the control panel before stumbling to the doors.

"Hello," he said, practically falling out of the TARDIS as his foot got caught on the doorframe.

"Blimey! You alright?" Mickey asked, jumping up from the sofa, catching him and propping him upright.

"What are you doing up here?" Jackie asked, running into the living room from the kitchen. "I've barely been gone ten minutes!"

"Don't suppose you could help me over to the sofa?" the Doctor asked.

"Sure. You sure you're okay?" Mickey asked again, uncertain of how much of this was normal.

"I could use some help. I seem to be having trouble getting my muscles to work in the right order." He looked up at Jackie. "Don't suppose I could scrounge a cup of tea?"

Jackie rolled her eyes, typical Doctor. "Only if you do yourself up. Don't want you walking around and exposing yourself to all and sundry." She pointed to his shirt and trousers.

"Absolutely, quite right." He nodded as she left. "Where is everybody?"

"Pete's taken Tom out, Jack and Rose aren't back yet."

"They should have taken the TARDIS. Mickey, I'm really sorry but I need you to do me a favour."

"What's that?"

"Dress me."

"What?"

"I can't work buttons and zips. I've tried. I wouldn't ask but…."

Mickey raised his hands. "Fine. Just never talk about it."

"Trust me, after being prodded and poked, you doing up my fly is the least embarrassing thing that's happened over the last few days."

"It's good to see you up and about, Boss. Well, about anyway."

"Thank you. For everything."

Mickey shrugged and blushed slightly as he finished buttoning the Doctor's shirt. "Easy when you know where to look. Right, zipper time."

The front door banged open as frantic voices filled the hall.

"Looks like they noticed you weren't downstairs," Mickey chuckled as he heard Jack swear that he was going to kill the Doctor.

"Are you trying to give me a heart attack?!" Rose yelled as she burst into the living room.

"Hello sweetheart," the Doctor grinned.

"Don't you 'hello sweetheart' me! You scared the life out of me!"

"Oi! The front door is still on its hinges, did you want to go out and give it another go?!" Jackie yelled appearing with a cup of tea.

"Sorry, Jackie," Jack muttered, glaring at the Time Lord.

She held out the cup to the Doctor who lifted wobbly arms.

"Don't suppose you've got a straw?" he asked sheepishly.

"What's wrong?" Rose asked, all annoyance suddenly gone.

"My muscles aren't working properly. They've spent too long disconnected to the rest of me, so they're a little confused. It's a bit like when you've slept on your arm and you can move it but not for anything useful."

Rose took the mug from her mother and wrapped his hands around it, lifting it to his lips.

Taking a sip, he rested his head back against the sofa and his lips twitched. Rose guessed it was meant to be a smile.

"Best tea in London," she grinned.

"Can't argue there," the Doctor sighed.

"Blimey, a compliment coming from him!" Jackie exclaimed. "Quick, Mickey, note the date and time!" She smirked at the Doctor for a moment before giving him a full smile. "How are you feeling anyway?"

"Careful, Jackie. That sounded suspiciously like you care about me, in front of people too! Dangerous business that."

"You're feeling better then?" She folded her arms across her chest and gave him a half-hearted glare. He had heard what she'd said to him earlier, she could see it in his

Eyes; but things were going to carry on as normal, always teasing each other, and that was fine with her

"You look tired," Jack observed, moving to sit on the coffee table in front of him.

"And you're all fussing," the Doctor told them.

"Well what else are we supposed to do?" Jackie asked. "It's not like you were struck down with a cold or anything normal. Or that you're normal come to that."

The Doctor rolled his head to look at Rose. "Who was it?"

"Adam," she told him, wiping away the trickle of blood that was running from one of the needle wounds on his head.

His brow furrowed. "Adam? Why is that name familiar?"

"We picked him up in Van Statten's museum."

"Ah the pretentious, calculating, over-ambitious little…."

"Yes!" Rose cut him off. "He was actually trying to pull you through completely but managed to mess it up."

"Dragging only part of me through. So much for the boy genius," the Doctor rolled his eyes.

"You should have seen our girl, Doc. She was magnificent. I mean she strolled in there and showed him who was boss. I've never seen a man cower before anyone the way he did in front of Rose. Think the glowing amber eyes might have had something to do with it."

The Doctor went rigid for a moment. "Glowing amber?"

"I controlled it. I kept control the whole time. I knew exactly what I was doing," Rose grinned at him.

"You used Bad Wolf?"

Rose's smiled faltered. "Its okay, no one got hurt," she assured him.

"What's all this about now?" Jackie asked, looking at Mickey who shrugged.

"Oh god, there's so much you need to catch up on," Rose moaned. "Tell ya what. How about tomorrow I come and explain everything?"

"Why tomorrow? Why not now?"

"Because there's a load to tell you and I'm knackered. Tell ya what, how about we go shopping ooh, and I could get my hair done, it's been ages! That's alright isn't it?" Rose looked at the Doctor.

"As long as you're not expecting me to come and carry the bags," he told her with a smirk.

"But you love shops. You always say there should be a little shop everywhere."

"That's one shop in a hospital. Your shopping centres are a whole different matter."

"Wimp," Rose grinned.

"It's called being a bloke," Mickey told her.

XxXxX

The Doctor carefully made his way through the TARDIS, as Rose giggled at his side.

"It's like watching Bambi take his first steps," she laughed.

"Feels like it too. How'd he manage it? That's what I don't understand."

"According to Mickey he stole the plans for the teleporter from UNIT but they weren't finished."

"Mickey didn't say anything, how did he get back before you?"

"Not this Mickey, future Mickey. If it wasn't for him we would probably still be there, trying to get you home."

"Mickey the not-such-an-idiot saves the day. Wouldn't be the first time." The Doctor leant back against the wall for a moment and pulled her into his arms.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" she asked.

He frowned at her for a moment before giving her a smile. "It'll have to be a quick one; my legs are going to give way if they stay here much longer." He cupped her face and pressed a lingering kiss to her lips.

Rose grinned against his mouth and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Come on; let's get you in that bath."

"Are you trying to tell me something Miss Tyler?" he asked sniffing.

"Yes, there's blood caked in your hair and I don't like it," she told him honestly.

He nodded. "Lead on."

XxXxX

"Do you think she's going to be alright on her own with him?" Jackie asked.

"Who, Rose? Trust me, if anyone can look after that man it's her," Jack assured her. "He's too stubborn not to try and walk it and she's too stubborn to let him do it on his own. They'll be fine."

"What are you going to do?"

"I'll give them a half hour to get through the corridors then sneak in. I could actually use the rest which is different for me."
"You don't rest normally?" Mickey asked. "You're human though."

"Ah, yeah about that," Jack took a deep breath and began his long story.

XxXxX

The Doctor rested back against Rose's chest as she soaped up his hair, gently removing all trace of the last few days.

"You're going to have little scars around your head where those needles were."

"Probably. Still. I'm here in once piece."

"Yeah," Rose agreed quietly.

He didn't miss the slight crack in her voice or the fact that she was holding her breath. He waited a few moments to feel her breathe out but when she didn't he twisted round to look at her. Her eyes were shining as she tried not to look at him.

He ducked his head down to look at her properly.

"Sorry, I'm just being silly," she told him, wiping her eyes. "It's just relief that you're back."

The Doctor didn't really know what to say to her, nothing that came to mind was enough. He reached up and stroked her cheek with his thumb.

"The soap's going to dry if we don't rinse your hair," she reminded him.

He leant forward and turned on the taps, ducking his head beneath them as Rose gently rubbed his scalp.

For a moment she was sure she'd heard him purr or groan and she couldn't help but smile.

Satisfied that he was soap free the Doctor sat up and ruffled his wet hair, flicking water everywhere. Then he manoeuvred himself behind Rose and pulled her against him so she could rest her head on his chest.

She sighed contentedly as his double heartbeat soothed her the way it always did. It was the one sound she could always count on.

"I missed this," she told him.

"I know. So did I. I missed you."

Rose nodded against his chest and kissed his collar bone.

"So shopping with your mother. How much should I put on that card then?"

She looked up at him and frowned. "What card?"

"My card."'

"I don't understand."

"Well, you don't have any money in this universe so you're going to need something to spend."

"You mean a credit card?!"

The Doctor chuckled as he saw the sparkle in her eyes. "Well, not quite. More like a debit card."

"You're giving me a debit card?"

"Loaning, I'm loaning you a debit card."

"Have I told you lately that you are the best?" Rose grinned at him.

"I always new you only wanted me for my wallet."

She scoffed. "Your wallet? Usually you don't carry one! I distinctly remember me buying the chips on our first date."

"That was the old me, not the new and improved." He grinned at her and Rose decided that it was definitely one of the best sights in the world.

"Can I buy new clothes?"

"Yes."

Rose's smile got bigger. "And shoes?"

"Yes."

"And can I use it to get my hair done?"

"I have no idea what that means but I suppose the answer should be yes."

"Are you wrapped round my little finger?"

"I like to think of it as being comfortably influenced."

Rose raised her eyebrow.

"Yes, I am completely wrapped around your little finger, under your thumb, caught by the old ball and chain. What ever you want to call it."

She giggled and ruffled his hair. "If you're good I might even by you some jelly babies."

"I should think so too!" he exclaimed, dropping a kiss to her nose.

"Wow, an actual shopping trip in my real universe, with my mum! I never thought I'd get to do that again. Mind you, there are lots of things I never thought I'd get to do, ever."

"I know the feeling."

"Just goes to show. No one can resist me!" Rose giggled and sat up quickly before the Doctor dunked her under the bath water.

"Minx."

"It's true though."

"You still want use of that card?"

Rose gave a mock pout and nodded her head.

"Right, then help me out of this bath will you? The water's getting cold."

With an over dramatic sigh Rose stood and held out her hands to him. "The things I do for the life of luxury."

XxXxX

A/N: That's it folks. That's all there is for this story, well sort of. The next one follows on from this one. Hmm let's see what can I tell you about the next one?...

Hunter, Hunted

He knew he couldn't save Jack but he hoped that he could speed up the process.

Eventually Jack's lifeless body fell to the ground with a dull thud as the Doctor and Rose watched.

The boy ran forward and checked for signs of life. "It killed him! He's dead." He looked up at the Doctor and Rose, unnerved by their lack of reaction. "Do you understand? He's dead!"

The Doctor nodded and continued to scan the room with the Sonic Screwdriver.

"I thought he was your friend!"

"He is. He'll be fine," the Doctor assured him.

"You're unbelievable! You watch your friend get attacked, I tell you that he's dead and all you can say is 'he'll be fine'?! What planet are you from?! "

"One far far away and long gone," the Doctor answered without thinking.

Suddenly Jack gasped back into life causing the boy to yell out and back away.

"But, but, you were dead!"

"You okay Jack?" Rose asked.

"You know, you'd think it would get easier after the first hundred times but it still hurts. Everyone else okay?"

"Everyone except him. He thought you were dead," the Doctor told him, helping him up from the floor.

"Well I was."

"True."

"So what have we got, apart from trouble?"

"We've always got trouble, that's nothing new," Rose grinned.

"What are you? Are you one of them? Oh god you are, you're going to kill me aren't you?!"

"Oh please. If I was going to kill you I'd have done it before they killed Jack."

"Then what are you?"

"Jack's human, he just….can't die, well, not for long anyway," the Doctor explained as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"That's impossible!"

"And yet you just saw it."

There you are a sneak that tells you very little about what's going on but hopefully enough to get you interested. It's still called "Hunter, Hunted" at the moment and probably will stay that way, so keep your eyes peeled if anyone's interested.

Thank you again to all of you. You're all the loveliest people on fanfic by miles! Thank you for all the support and reviews you've sent. I promise to all who review this chapter I will reply! Honest. Have a fantastic weekend, for those who have BBC4 keep your eyes open for more of "Takin' over the Asylum" and "The Quatermass Expreiment." (Just remember that one was done live, believe it or not! Brilliantly done though. Bless them all.) Until next time, take care everyone and I hope to see your names again!

Becks aka rosie-bec