Welcome back, lovely readers!
Sorry it's been so long since the last update. Never got a chance to do so. Been far too busy and life kept biting at my arse. lol Anyway, onto the new chapter! I hope everyone enjoys. :)
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Chapter 26: Nuclear Plans
They all stood in silence for a few moments as the sobs of Wanda came muffled from the cupboard. The Doctor's eyes remained wide in shock as he felt disbelief at what happened. Then, slowly, heavy guilt started to creep and set in within him. Did . . . did he make her cry? He . . . he did not mean to. He never wanted to make her cry. At least, not his Wanda.
"I've had about enough of you," Rose spat at the Doctor. The blonde girl stormed over to the Doctor in rage, jabbing her finger harshly into his chest. "This is the third time you've made her cry now. You always treat her like dirt. What has she ever done to you? Huh? Nothing."
"I . . . I didn't think . . . ," he trailed off, feeling his anger finally recede after seeing Wanda cry. His Wanda cry. He had never seen her cry before. Seeing her become upset like that, her tears running down her face . . . it made his hearts twist at the sight. He grabbed at his chest, wondering why they felt like that.
"That's your problem. You never think," Rose bit back. "You just say whatever and don't think of other's feelings. You just let your temper do the talking. Now look at what you've done." She pointed to the cupboard to where the sobbing continued to come from.
"Do you have any idea how much she misses her family? Her friends? Do you have any idea how much this universe scares her?" Rose said harshly at him. "And what does she do? She fights through it and pushes on. She keeps helping others and doesn't even take the time to think for herself. She even risked her life today saving a man from the Slitheen. That's why she was hurt. Because she saved someone. Someone she didn't even know and she jumped right in front of him and saved him."
"She saved someone?" the Doctor asked in puzzlement.
"Yes," Harriet said, adding in her own words. "She acted without even hesitating. She jumped right into the danger, willing to risk it all. She acted valiantly, saving a man, a mere stranger. Someone who isn't her own race." She frowned in disproval to the Doctor. "And I do not appreciate the way you spoke to her. I don't know you or her, but I can tell what you've said was nothing kind."
"I'd say," they heard Jackie say over the speaker. The Doctor looked at it in surprise, having forgotten that Mickey and Jackie were still on the line.
He really did not mean to be so cruel to Wanda. He only felt resentment for her being a Time Lord. Not towards her directly, but to the whole situation at hand. For one, humans always seemed to take things for granted. Always wanting to have more power, and be the strongest and the most special out of the bunch. His anger had assumed the same could be said for Wanda in some ways, even if she did not act like such.
Two, he felt angry that whatever power of the universe could give someone the ability to become a Time Lord, just like that, then it should have helped him. Helped him save his own people. Save the natural-born Time Lords that really needed to be saved. To save his lost family and friends. To be kept alive. And yet, it did not. The universe instead just gave away his race's power to another small and insignificant human being.
But yet . . . to him. . . she was not insignificant. In fact, she never had been anywhere close to insignificant. She was different from other humans. She did not see things just inside the box like they did. She saw beyond that. She saw the universe and life for what it truly was. Even the chestnut incarnation seemed to see things differently than other humans. He had watched the way she gazed onto the dying Earth on Platform One. Instead of having sadness and finding the sight horrendous to watch, such as what Rose had gone through, he had seen a calm and peaceful look coming from the younger Wanda. She saw beauty in it like that way he did. Not something dying, but something changing and moving on. Something being born.
Wanda did not want to have power. She was happy with just living in his TARDIS and travelling. No wants to change time. No wants to be rich. No wanting anything more than just his friendship and to be able to travel with him. And she had always been there for him when he needed it during those rough eight months. She had helped him move on so much. Yet . . . why could he not just want to help her as well? She had lost a home, too. She had lost all her friends and family. Why did he never even think of that?
He had never once stopped to think about this. Never once bothered to even ask her much on her thoughts or feelings were in losing her home. Of course, at the time, he had merely thought it was all in her head. But still, thinking on it now, he should have at least asked her. Perhaps even comforted her on the subject, much in the same way she had always consoled him through the loss of his own home world. They had both lost a home, friends, and family. Why had he never even taken a moment to give her the same consolation as she had given him? His guilt built up, weighing him down as it hit him in realization. He truly was an idiot.
His eyes shifted over to the cupboard, wincing as he heard the soft crying coming from within. What had he done? Why could he never think before speaking? He . . . he did not truly mean all those words. He had not even realized what he had been saying had been effecting Wanda so badly. He had just been . . . blowing off steam. Now . . . had he ruined his friendship with his most trusted companion? Should he go to her, comfort her and tell her how truly sorry he was for treating her in such a way? No . . . she would never forgive him. He had been too idiotic and foolish in allowing his temper to get the best of him. To have let such words be thrown at her so viciously in the first place. How could she ever forgive him?
He walked over, sitting down at the table and looking regretful and guilty. Rose shook her head, wishing he would just go and apologize to Wanda. The blonde girl stared over to the cupboard, hearing the silence from within.
"Here, let me go talk to her," Harriet said quietly to Rose. Rose nodded, knowing she needed to talk with the Doctor some more.
Harriet walked over to the cupboard, opening it and closing it gently behind her. She saw the woman in the corner, curled up sadly. Harriet walked over, sitting down next to the Time Lady.
"Wanderer, it's all right," Harriet spoke kindly, gently touching the woman's shoulder in comfort. "You don't have to be upset just because of someone's ignorance. I've been through that myself most of my life."
Wanda sniffled, wiping at her eyes. She felt foolish for allowing herself to become over emotional. She knew how Nine was. He always said these sorts of things. She just needed to let him go through his temper like usual. But . . . he had made her so angry and upset.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to drag you into this, Harriet," Wanda whispered with a thick voice, hoarse from the sobbing she had done. "I just . . . became overemotional I guess."
"No, he was being cruel to you," Harriet replied, shaking her head slightly.
"He doesn't mean it. He just has a temper, that's all," Wanda countered, wanting to defend him. She did not wish for Harriet to see him as cruel when truly the Doctor really was kind. "He goes through these moods, not really thinking. He lets his hate for the universe get the best of him, which he really does not mean to in the first place. Give him awhile and he'll be back to normal. Happy and laughing like usual."
"It still did not give him the right to say that," Harriet disputed. She paused, thinking. "I'm not all quite sure what was said. I did hear right that you were human once?"
Wanda nodded. "Yes."
"And that you're from another universe?" Harriet saw the nod from Wanda. The older woman blinked in surprise to this, astonished. "There are such things as other universes?"
"Yes. I'm from a parallel universe to this one."
"My word . . . that is astounding." Harriet looked at her in amazement. Then, bright curiosity set in. "And how is this universe compare to ours? What is your world like?"
"Well . . . it's a lot different from this one." Wanda paused, trying to remember all she could of her world without having memory blocks or headaches. "No real violence. No killings. Everyone was always friendly to each other. Everyone would always help out each other whenever they can. Everything was just . . . peaceful."
Harriet nodded some, trying to picture a world such as that. "I like this universe of yours. I would rather like this world to be more like that."
Wanda smiled kindly to the future Prime Minister. "Well, if anyone can make a world of peace, it'd be you, Harriet."
Wanda thought on this, sadly remembering the poor choice the future Prime Minister was going to make. Wanda always did love Harriet Jones. The woman really was amazing and wonderful. But . . . had made a wrong choice in actions for that one brief moment. Even if there were good intentions involved. The Time Lady shook her head, trying to stay thinking on the current Harriet next to her.
"I tell you what, though. This world, this universe . . . it feels much more alive than my old home," Wanda explained. "Everything here is more vibrate and sharper. Everything is just so . . . wonderful with the more heartfelt emotions and feelings it gives a person. It's truly magnificent in its own way."
Harriet pondered over this, wondering how a world could seem so magnificent if it did not have a truly peaceful state. She glanced to the door when it opened, seeing Rose poke her head in. The girl walked into the room, leaving the door cracked behind her.
"Hey, Wanda," Rose said softly. "Don't mind the Doctor. He's just being an arse again."
"Yeah, I know," Wanda smiled at her. "Don't mind me, either. I don't want you thinking I don't want to be here with you, Rose."
"I know," the girl smiled back to her. "You just miss your home. I know I would. That . . . and I really don't think I could handle being a Time Lord, either. It seems rather . . . I don't know. Too heartbreaking, I guess."
"It is, in a way," Wanda replied softly. She stared distantly to nothing, letting her mind wander over the new role she held within this universe. The same role and burden of which the Doctor carried as well. "It hurts all the time. You can hear the universe crying out in pain. You see how everything is alive and dead all at the same time. It's an overwhelming sorrow that is always eating at your hearts." She sighed, leaning against the wall. "It's why I was so scared when I found out I was a Time Lord. I knew what cost comes in being one. I would never wish that for anyone. Especially . . . not the Doctor."
They all remained silent after that. Each lost in their one mind in thinking on Wanda's words. Harriet sighed, shaking her head. They needed to get back on task. Who knew what the Slitheen were going to do next.
"Come on. We better get back to work," Harriet said quietly. "We need to think of a solution to stopping the Slitheen."
"Yeah, sorry," Wanda spoke to them. "I've been holding you all up. Why don't you guys go ahead and work with the Doctor. He'll think of something. I'll just . . . stay out of the way."
"You're not in the way," Rose said firmly. She walked over to the Time Lady, pulling her uninjured arm to help her up. "You're going to help us, too. We need you just as much as the Doctor." She tried getting the woman to stand, but Wanda remained sitting. The Time Lady even looked guilty about something as she stared meekly down of the ground.
"Sorry, but . . . I can't feel my legs," Wanda whispered. Harriet and Rose both blinked in surprise. Confused by what the Time Lady was saying.
"What?" Rose asked in bewilderment.
"I lost feeling in my legs a few minutes ago," Wanda explained quietly. "I think . . . I think the poison has shut down the muscles within my legs."
"Poison?" Harriet blurted out. "What poison?"
"The poison the Slitheen injected me with when she hit me," Wanda said. Both Harriet and Rose gasped, looking horrified.
"Wanda, why didn't you tell us you were poisoned?!" Rose exclaimed in horror. Especially in realizing her friend had slowly been dying all this time and had not said a sling word about it.
"I didn't want you to worry," Wanda told the panicked companion, keeping her gaze down in guilt. "We have other things to worry about besides me. I wanted us to focus on saving Earth first."
"Oh, that is no excuse," Rose scolded her. The companion rushed over to the door, opening it quickly. She was surprised to see the Doctor standing right by the doorway. He must have been listening in on them. He seemed to be in his own world, however, staring off distantly to the ceiling. Rose shook his shoulder quickly to snap him out of it. "Doctor!"
"Hmm? what?" he asked, snapping out of his daze.
"It's Wanda. She was hurt worse than we thought," Rose told him. "She's been poisoned."
"What?!" he exclaimed, quickly pushing past Rose to go into the small room. He glared at the Time Lady, feeling angry that she had been foolish enough to leave this important information out. He could see it now. The clear signs of poisoning. The dilated eyes, sweaty and clammy skin, discoloration in the pigmentation, and the way she kept shaking. He felt a great spike of worriment and fear go through him. "You've been poisoned and didn't bother to tell me?"
"I just . . . I just didn't want you to hate me anymore than you already do," Wanda whispered, looking down to the ground sadly. The Doctor's anger deflated immediately. His eyes stared at her in shock.
"I don't hate you, Wanda," he spoke gently, walking over to crouch beside her. He kindly laid a hand on her shoulder, wishing to show her comfort, a way to tell her sorry for what he had said. "I could never hate you."
"It's not what Young Wanda thought," Wanda replied, staring up to him. "She truly believes you hate her. She hates herself because of it."
The Doctor felt his breath leave him. As if someone punched him in the gut. He could see it now. The young chestnut staring back at him through those gray eyes of his Wanda. The sadness and timid nature of the girl he had met . . . . . the Young Wanda. First Wanda. She had been Wanda. An earlier Wanda, and he had been so . . . hateful. Just as he had been hateful to his Wanda.
"I don't hate her, either," he spoke quietly. "I'm sorry for what I've done. I've never meant to make you upset. Or any incarnation of you hurt or sad. I was stupid and idiotic."
"But you were right. I am worthless," Wanda breathed out dejectedly. The Doctor sucked in a sharp breath. Had . . . had he truly made her feel that way? He certainly never intended nor meant to do so.
"You're not worthless. Never have been or will be," the Doctor assured her. "And . . . I'm sorry to have ever made you feel that way. I never meant to make you doubt yourself." He watched as Wanda still looked uncertain about herself. But seemed to feel slightly more calm and at ease by his words. He was glad. He never realized until now how insecure Wanda was about herself. If he had known, he would have helped her gain more self-worth and make her see how truly fantastic she was. He gave her a small smile and patted her shoulder. "Come on; let's get a look at you."
He gently bent down and scoped her up into his arms. He felt awkward carrying her, but he knew that by now her muscles would be shutting down. It was no use trying to get her to walk. He sat her down on a chair, beginning to look over her. Rose and Harriet stood behind, both gazing anxiously to the Time Lady.
"Where did the Slitheen hit you with the poison?" the Doctor questioned carefully.
"In my arm," Wanda said, pointing to the spot. He pulled back the red bandages to see a greenish spot on her skin. It had vein like trails forming around the area with the area red and inflamed. The poison having already worked its way steadily into her body. He sighed heavily.
"You should have told me sooner," he whispered. "I could have figured out a way to heal you."
"You and I both know we needed the TARDIS for that," she whispered back. "We were stuck in here. Why bother telling you when there was no curing me."
His gazed hardened staring at the green infected area. She was right of course. Telling him would not have done good either way. She was in trouble from the start. He placed the bandaged back around her arm and moved away, sighing in frustration for his lacking in saving his friend. He walked over, grabbing some alcohol and going back over to Wanda. He moved the bandage back, pouring some of the liquid on the spot. She winced and hissed loudly at the stinging.
"That might help some," he said, ripping up some more strips from a dress shirt from the cupboard, making new bandages for her. He wrapped the strips around her arm as gentle as possible. "How did the Slitheen poison you?"
"With this," Wanda replied, pulling out the dart from her pocket. He grabbed it, giving it a sniff. He analyzed the chemical compounds quickly through his mind. He noted how it was not a specifically deadly poison. At least, not to Time Lords, and only if it were cured in the first few hours. But they had been locked in the Cabinet Room for many hours now. It was past the point he could have cured her. Now . . .
"Well, we'll just have to get you to the medical bay after this is all done," he said cheerfully. "You'll be fine." He gave her a strained smile. She smiled at him, patting his arm gently.
"Liar," she whispered. He winced, dropping his smile. She squeezed his arm softly. "Don't worry about me. Focus on saving everyone else. Stop the Slitheen and put an end to this, making sure everyone else lives. Other people come first before little-old me."
The Doctor did not this, but he knew Wanda was right. There was nothing more he could do for her. But there was plenty more he could do for Earth. And it started with confronting the Sliteen, making certain he understood everything they were planning with the nukes and the spaceship's signal from UNIT's computer. He nodded curtly, hating how there was nothing more he could do for his Wanda, his friend. He stood up angrily, going over to the door where he knew the Slitheen were waiting. He slammed the button, opening the steel door to see a group of Slitheen standing there. He glared darkly at them.
"You get the codes, release the missiles," the Doctor growled at them. "But not into space, 'cause there's nothing there. You attack every other country on Earth, they retaliate, fight back. The whole planet gets nuked." He watched as the Slitheen Margaret, now dressed in her human suit again, walked over towards him, looking very smug and victorious.
"And we can sit through it safe in our spaceship waiting in the Thames," she spoke proudly. "Not crashed, just parked. Barely two minutes away."
"But you'll destroy the planet, this beautiful place, what for?" Harriet asked over the Doctor's shoulder. He noticed how both she and Rose had come up beside him to confront the Slitheen as well.
"Profit," the Doctor bit out darkly. "That's what the signal is, beaming into space, ad advert."
"Sale of the century," Margaret told them smugly. "We reduce the Earth to molten slag, then sell it, piece by piece. Radioactive chunks capable of powering every cut-price star liner and budget cargo ship. There's a recession out there, Doctor. People are buying cheap. This rock becomes raw fuel."
"At the cost of five billion lives," the Doctor said in a hard tone.
"Hmm. Bargain," Margaret replied. The Doctor glared harshly at her as his eyes held a brief dark flash. The Slitheen held no sympathy. Not for the five billion lives, and especially not for Wanda who was slowly dying behind them.
"Then I give you a choice: leave this planet, or I'll stop you," he told Margaret. Both she and the other Slitheen laughed at his words. Unbelieving to his abilities he held to saving the planet.
"What, you . . . trapped in your box?" she retorted while the other Slitheen continued to laugh mockingly.
He gave her a menacing stare. "Yes. Me." He slowly lifted a hand, pushing the button again. The steel doors slid shut. Not before Margaret gave a worried expression at the dark and frightening eyes of the Time Lord. The Oncoming Storm had arrived.
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Morning came slowly as they waited inside the room. All looked tired as they worried over what was to happen to both the planet and Wanda. Rose glanced over to said Time Lady lying on the floor. They had moved her a while back onto the floor with the Doctor's jacket under her head as a pillow. The woman had fallen asleep some hours ago.
The Doctor had tried to keep her awake, wanting to make certain she stayed with them for as long as possible before . . . well, before the end came. But Wanda had kept saying how tired she was and she really thought she should just take a nap. Before he knew it, the Time Lady had simply passed out in the chair next to him. She had been panting with wheezing breathes, sweat covering her body, and running a high fever when at first she fell asleep. But the Doctor noted strangely how as soon as she did fall into slumber, her symptoms seemed to slowly fade away. In fact, now, Wanda's breathing had even out some and she did not look as pale. But the fever and cold sweat still remained, and when he had checked over her earlier, he noted how her hearts had slowed down dramatically, beating at a unusually slow pace for a Time Lord. He grew even more fearful then, knowing that it must be a sign that she was dying. Even if she did indeed look . . . slightly better, it was still a bad sign for her hearts to be beating so slowly.
"Doctor, is she going to be all right?" Rose asked the Time Lord once again. She had been repeating the same question worriedly over and over. She knew the answer every time, but still . . . she held onto her hope.
"No. I've told you this," the Doctor replied sadly. "There's nothing we can do." He knew Rose was just in denial. He wanted to be as well. But there was no denying it. The poison was going to be too much for the Time Lady. He was not even sure if regeneration would happen. Even if it did . . . his Wanda would still die. Replaced by the blonde girl from before. He was not sure if he could handle that.
Rose started to cry once again when she received the same answer. She walked over to the Time Lady, kneeling beside her to stroke her head. She was going to lose her best friend. Even though she did not know Wanda for very long, only a few short days, she felt as though she had known the woman her whole life. Even the other two Wandas. They all had been so wonderful to her. Wanda truly had been the best friend Rose ever had. Even if others may think of her as silly to see it that way. A still stranger to her in many ways. Rose could not help but see the woman that way. She knew Wanda always did see her as a best friend as well.
The Doctor glanced over to Rose, seeing how the girl tended over Wanda. He had been watching the way the girl seemed to care greatly over his Wanda's wellbeing. He actually found himself glad that the human girl was here with them. That she was their companion. Maybe Wanda had been right after all. They did need a nice companion like Rose. Even if she still was annoying at times.
He looked over in surprise when he saw Wanda begin to stir. He had actually been rather shocked that the Time Lady was not already dead, or even regenerated. She should have hours ago. But yet . . . she still struggled through the poison, pushing her body to the limits. How? Even at Time Lord standards it seemed impossible. Yet she was still there and looking much better.
He walked over beside Rose, kneeling down next to Wanda as she slowly woke up.
"How are you feeling?" he asked.
"Much better, actually," Wanda replied tiredly. She blinked away the sleep from her eyes and yawned loudly. "I think I just needed a nap. Rest always does help heal." She smiled at them, then it dropped some when she saw the worried looks from Rose and surprised ones from the Doctor. "What is it? Is something wrong? Did I turn all green in my sleep or something?"
"No, it's just . . .," Rose said quietly. She glanced over to the Doctor, frowning at him. "I thought you said—."
"I know what I said," the Doctor said quickly, getting the girl to shut up. He helped Wanda sit up, checking the mark on her arm. The gashes were still here and just as nasty as before (which should have been healed by now with her genetics). But . . . the poison area . . . it was gone. The injury from where the dart that had hit her was present, a small round hole with dried blood around it. But all the green discoloration and vein marks had vanished. He placed a hand on her forehead, feeling the sweat still there, but it was drying up. Her fever was gone. Her skin was even starting to look healthy again.
"Looks like it passed through your system better than we thought it would," the Doctor stated, smiling at Wanda. "You're going to be fine."
"That's good to hear," Wanda replied with a smile. "Sorry if I worried you guys for nothing."
"Oh, I'm just so glad you're all right," Rose said cheerfully. She threw her arms around Wanda, giving the woman a happy and warm hug. Wanda laughed, hugging the girl back in delight. The Doctor stood up, frowning as he walked away. It was still . . . impossible.
Rose's mobile started to go off again. The Doctor answered it on the speaker. They could here Jackie on the other end, explaining what the news reporters were discussing. The U.N. had still not come to a conclusion on the nuclear codes. But it was imminent that the codes would be released with the whole world filled with dread over the 'alien threat.'
"All right, Doctor, I'm not saying I trust you, but there must be something you can do," Jackie finally spoke after explaining the news reports.
"Mickey, any luck?" asked Rose, leaning the table closer to the speaker.
"There's loads of emergency numbers. They're all on voicemail," said Mickey over the speaker.
"Voicemail dooms us all," Harriet responded sadly. Wanda looked over to the Doctor, seeing the distant and remorse gaze. She had seen that look before many times. She stood up from the floor, walking over to him
"You shouldn't be up. You need the rest," he said quietly, glancing at her.
"I'm fine," she said evenly. She touched his arm, looking carefully into his eyes. "I know what you're thinking. It's all right. Go ahead and tell them."
"Tell us what?" Harriet asked, looking over to them curiously. Rose stared at them as well, seeing the plan forming in the Doctor's eyes.
"There's a way out," the Doctor told them, sounding grave. "There's always been a way out."
"Then why don't we use it?" Rose asked him. The Doctor stared at her for a moment, then walked over to the table to talk to the speaker.
"Because I can't guarantee your daughter will be safe," the Doctor told Jackie over the mobile.
"Don't you dare," Jackie replied immediately. "Whatever it is, don't you dare."
"That's the thing . . . if I don't dare, everyone dies," the Doctor stated. Wanda walked over to the speaker to speak with the worried mother.
"Hey, Jackie, I made you a promise, remember?" Wanda said in reassurance. "I'm not about to break it now. Your daughter will be fine. We'll keep her safe."
"I can't guarantee any of us will make it out of here, Wanda," the Doctor said sternly. She stared steadily at him.
"Well, I can," she replied. She stared at him squarely, keeping her gaze even with his. "You need to learn to trust me, Doctor. I trust you more than anyone else in the universe. All I ask is that you give me a chance and learn to trust me as well." He stared at her for a few seconds, feeling stunned that she trusted him that greatly. Even after the way he had been treating her.
"You really trust me that much?" he asked in bewilderment.
"Yes. More than anything," she replied with a smile. He smiled back, nodding.
"All right, then, I trust you," he said.
"I trust you, too," Rose added, nodding to them both. "Do it. Whatever it is, do it. I trust you both with my life."
"You'd trust us? Just like that?" the Doctor asked, looking at her in disbelief. The girl nodded firmly.
"Yeah," she responded, sounding as though it would be something obvious. The Doctor looked at the blonde companion, stunned for a moment, then smiled. Maybe she was a good companion after all. He grabbed the Emergency Protocols suitcases off the table, and placed them in front of him. Harriet and Wanda stood behind him while Rose sat on the table.
"So how do we get out?" Rose asked.
"We don't. We stay here," the Doctor told her, opening the suitcase. He pulled out the protocols, flipping through them quickly. He leaned back close to the speaker. "Use the 'buffalo' password. It overrides everything."
"We're in," Mickey told them after a few moments of typing. "Here it is, uh . . . HMS Taurean, Trafalgar Class submarine, ten miles off the coast of Plymouth."
"Right, we need to select a missile," the Doctor instructed him.
Mickey worked out which missile to select, making it aim at Downing Street. The Doctor ordered him to fire. They could tell Mickey hesitated for a moment before doing as the Doctor told him. Jackie could be heard panicking in the background, stricken with worry over her daughter's wellbeing. Even with Wanda's promise, the mother still felt that her daughter's safety was on the line.
"Right, you lot, come and help me," Wanda told them, hurriedly going over to the cupboard. "We need to get everything out. It's going to be the only place safe for us."
"Will this work?" Harriet asked.
"Yep. I made a promise didn't I?" Wanda replied, throwing out different boxes. Harriet and Rose helped her, rapidly tossing out the supplies from the cupboard. The Doctor rushed over to help as well, knowing it might just work.
Mickey kept them informed of the missile's tracking. He stopped any other defense missiles that tried to stop it. Making sure it stayed locked on target and heading straight for them. The Doctor unplugged the mobile from the speaker, keeping it with him as he walked around helping the others empty the cupboard. Mickey told him that the missile was incoming, right at their doorstep. They all rushed into the cupboard, slamming the door closed behind them. Crouching down under a shelf, they held onto each other's hands tightly, waiting for impact.
It hit violently. The whole place shook and exploded around them. The cupboard tossed them around, spinning over and over again as the building around them fell apart. It finally came to a stop with them all thrown around on top of each other. Wanda had landed right on the Doctor with her face pressed against his chest. She could hear his hearts pounded away in alarm to what had happened. She sat up her head, smiling down to him.
"That was fun. Can we do it again?" she asked brightly.
"No," he grumbled. He blinked, noticing how close they were. Frowning with a red tint forming on his face, he pushed at her. "Get off would you?"
"Sorry," she chuckled. She hopped off him, looking over for Rose and Harriet. Both seemed rather frazzled, but okay. Rose sat up, her hair sticking wildly around her. Wanda laughed on how funny the girl looked. "Nice hair."
"Yours, too," Rose laughed, loving the way Wanda's looked frizzed out around her head. Wanda laughed, brushing her hair down.
"You really did know that everything would be all right," Harriet spoke to Wanda, standing up in the small space. "How did you know that would work?"
"Like I said, I know things," Wanda stated, going over to the steel door of the cupboard. She helped the Doctor, who had been trying to push it over. It fell at their feet, letting them see out into a destroyed and shattered building. All that was left was rubble and splinters of wood all around. Some spots were still on fire from the missile's impact.
"Made in Britain," Harriet said fondly, patting the side of the steel cupboard as they stepped out onto the rubble. A guard quickly came over to them, asking if they were all right. Harriet straightened up, whipping out her ID for the guard.
"Harriet Jones, MP, Flydale North," she spoke with authority to the guard. "I want you to contact the U.N. immediately, tell the ambassadors the crisis is over. They can step down." The guard seemed to hesitate, clearly confused as to how the group could have possibly survived the missile. Harriet waved him along. "Go on, tell the news."
"Yes, ma'am," the guard said, quickly turning to do as he was ordered. Harriet turned her attention back to the trio behind her.
"Someone's got a hell of a job sorting this lot out," the woman said to them.
"Like I said before, you'd make one great leader. One hell of a Prime Minister, I'd say," Wanda said with a smile. Harriet merely laughed again to such a silly notion, shaking her head. She went to go off and see where she could help with the emergency crew, and possibly calm the citizens down. Wanda stared solemnly at her.
"Harriet," she called out, making the woman stop for a moment. Harriet turned to Wanda curiously while Wanda gave her sort of a sad gaze. "Be careful on the choices you make. You never know where they could lead you." Harriet nodded, walking off to continue her task.
"I thought I knew the name," the Doctor said as they walked through the rubble. They stared down the street, watching Harriet address the news reporters graciously. "Harriet Jones—future Prime Minister, elected for three successive terms, the architect of Britain's Golden Age."
"Yep," Wanda nodded. The Doctor looked over to her, feeling the same guilt from before.
"I'm sorry about . . . everything I said to you," he told her. "I shouldn't have been so angry with you. Especially over something you can't control." She smiled to him, seeming to feel guilty on something as well.
"It's fine. Really," she replied. "I'm sorry, too, about what I said. I truly didn't mean it. I was just . . . upset."
"We tend to say things when we're upset. Things we don't mean," he said softly. He stared sadly to her. "Do you really wish to go home and be human again? I could try to figure out a way somehow, if that's what you want."
Wanda shook her head. "No. This is who I am now, and this universe is my new home. I wouldn't want to change that for anything." She hugged his arm happily. "I really am glad being here with you. You, Rose, Jackie, and Mickey. You're my new family, and I always want to be here with you all." She glanced between Rose and the Doctor who stood on each side of her. She cleared her throat loudly, giving the Time Lord a stern look. "Now, I think it's time for someone to get a TARDIS key. Don't you think so, Doctor?" He smiled, digging through his pockets.
"Yeah, I think so, too," he agreed, pulling out the key on a silver chain. He handed it to Rose. "Here. You've earned it. I'm glad to have you on board with us." Rose beamed at him, feeling elated to have finally earned his approval.
"Glad to be on board, too," she said cheerfully, giving him a big hug. The Doctor stiffened, looking awkward and glancing to Wanda as if pleading for help from the clinging girl. Wanda merely laughed, finding his expression hilarious.
XxXxXxXx
Wanda sat in the medical bay while the Doctor looked over the scanners and analyzing the diagnostics. He had dragged her there the moment they arrived back to the TARDIS. Wanting to check her over and patch up her wounds. Rose had gone off to see her mother and Mickey. Letting them both know that they were okay and had made it out. Crisis all gone. Nothing more to worry about.
"How long are you going to keep me here?" Wanda asked the Doctor. He had been examining and looking her over for hours now. He simply refused to believe that all the poison was gone and that she was fine now. He seemed to think something was still wrong with her.
Truthfully, she was just as bewildered by her still being alive. The poison should have killed her, especially with her lacking of her regeneration energy in being able to heal herself in the first place. But, somehow, she lived. The poison seemed to have disappeared after the slumber she had within the Cabinet room. How and why? She and the Doctor both did not have the slightest clue. It made her slightly worried by the fact that she still lived. It only seemed to point more in the direction of something being completely wrong with her. But what exactly made her so different and caused her to be such an anomaly?
"Until I can figure out why you didn't die," the Doctor stated to her earlier statement, studying the readings on the scanner. He had taken a sample of blood from her, running it through the computers for a diagnostic. He narrowed his eyes as he watched the blood cells with new antibodies floating around within her blood stream. Nothing to which he had ever seen in a Time Lord.
It had almost seemed as though her body had cured itself. It had created antibodies specifically designed to fight off the Raxacoricofallapatorian poison. It was unbelievable. A Time Lord could fight off dangerous chemicals and such, but the antibodies already needed to be a part of the genetics. There were no creating brand new immune systems to fight off poisons a Time Lord had not already adapted to. This . . . was impossible. Wanda was impossible. She defied logic and normal standards, even for a Time Lord. It was like the first few samples he had taken from her. The helix strands all wrong and the chromosomes that made no sense. All of her blood cells held a different make up. . . . . What was she?
"I'm alive, isn't that something? Can't we just accept that I'm okay and be happy about it?" she teased him lightly. "Or are you just mad that something else happened that you can't figure out?" She poked him in the side. He sighed, shutting off the scanners.
"Right," he mumbled. He would simply have to study her results later. He turned, smiling to her. "So, I saw from the TARDIS scanner that there's this plasma storm brewing. Care to fly the TARDIS right into the heart of it?"
"With Rose, too?" she asked as they walked out of the medical bay and down the corridor. The Doctor smiled brightly to her.
"With Rose, too," he confirmed, happy to have the girl traveling along with them.
"Promise not to be such a prat to her from now on?" Wanda teased him, bumping him lightly with her hip. The Doctor rolled his eyes.
"I promise not to be a prat," he responded, giving her a smile. "To both Rose and you."
Wanda raised a brow at him. "To all mes?"
"All Wandas. Promise." He gave Wanda a sassy grin. "No more angry me from now on. Only smooth sailing between us." He paused, having a guilty look on his face. "I . . . I really am sorry for being such an arse back there. Sort of let my temper get the better of me again."
Wanda smiled kindly, patting him on the shoulder. "It's fine, Theta. All of us tend to let our emotions get the better of us during times of turmoil. I let my own anger get the best of me as well, to which I'm sorry for making you worried that I wished to leave."
He shook his head, dismissing her worriment of him being upset over what she had said. She had every right to angry with him. "Nah, I'm more of the bad guy here. You forgive me, right?" The Doctor gave her a hopeful look, almost having the same puppy-eyed expression as Eleven would have in the future.
Wanda chuckled and smiled some at his expression. Eleven did pull off the puppy-eyed look better. But . . . Nine was just as cute in her opinion with the expression. "I'll always forgive you, Theta. No matter what."
XxXxXxXx
Well, it looks like things are better between the two of them. For now anyway. Hope everyone enjoyed the chapter. :) Let me know in a review if you did or not. I'm always happy to see from all you wonderful and amazing readers! :D
Reviewers:
FallenArcAngel16: Yeah, she finally just had quite enough of Nine. But at least things are back to normal now for them both. :) Both of them good friends like it should be. Yay! I'm so happy you are enjoying the story. :D Hope you will continue to find enjoyment into the future with the new chapters to come.
Sophia: Yay! I'm glad it was good. :) Hope to see you later and that you will enjoy this new chapter as well. :)
bored411: Well, he finally snapped out of it. And it seems something within Wanda might have helped with that poison. ;) Spoilers for now, though. But her other injuries still heal slowly as usual with her. At least Nine cares now. :) Thanks for the review and support. :) Hope the update was not too late coming out, and that you will like the new chapter.
ElysiumPhoenix: Hey! It feels like it's been forever since I've seen you! :D Hope things have been doing good for you. :) Yeah, Wanda finally reached that boiling point. Second Wanda is one of those who holds her anger in for a long time and finally snaps when she's had enough. I'm so happy you liked the last chapter. Hope you enjoyed this one as well, and the Doctor's reaction as well. :)
Aka-Baka Hoshi: Nah, she's fine from the poison. But the only question is now: How is it she lived? Guess it's just more spoilers for the future. ;) But at least Nine snapped out of it. For now, anyway. Hope you enjoyed the new chapter! :D
Snowy702: Glad you're liking the craziness going on between them all. I agree. I've always seen words as far more effective than physical altercations. Aww, I'm sorry last week did not go so well for you. :( I hope this week will be much better. :) I'm so glad the story is making you happy. I hope you continue to find happiness with it in the future. :) Thank you for being such a lovely reviewer and supporter of the story.
AxidentlGoddess: Lol Yeah, I think everyone wanted to give Nine a good smacking. Yep, he finally got the hint and realized his mistake. Things might be smooth sailing for them ahead, at least somewhat. Oh, and I've been doing the regrets on purpose for the most part. It will make more sense why the story has been flowing that way in the future within part three. And Wanda's self-worth should be getting better in the future. It just takes time, especially when she still has some First Wanda in here. Plus, you are right, there was some events to cause some of those issues to carry over to Second Wanda. It's something I like to do with each new incarnation of Wanda. Sort of build up their traits through the situations their last incarnation had gone through, making them into what they are. I kind of always seen the Doctor going through the same things, being born into his new self through the trials and turmoil of his previous regeneration. Oh, and here's to hoping that this chapter helped reveal some of that ache. :)
Kylie Winchester: Glad it was a good cry and not a bad one. Aww, thanks. I hope to be a good writer, but I don't think I'll ever truly be amazing. Glad you think I am though. It just makes me so happy in bringing others joy with the story. Hope the story does indeed bring you joy now and throughout the future. :)
Jesuslovesmarina: Oh, I hope it wasn't a bad cry. Hopefully this chapter makes up for that, and that it will bring you more joy than sadness. :)
grapejuice101: Yep, definitely worse for that moment. But it seems things have gotten better now. :) Hope you enjoyed the new chapter. :)
Justus80: Yeah, agreed, and on top of all that, suddenly becoming a totally different species all together. It would just be way too much for me. I agree though, Wanda definitely needs a nice break. Maybe even a nice date with the Doctor. ;)
Rumbleroar13: Yay! I'm so glad you are enjoying the story! :D Yeah, I think losing her family and friends, plus her home world, will always be a heartache within Wanda that will never truly go away. Hope you enjoyed the new chapter. :)
Lady Artimes Blaine: Yeah, pretty bad. But at least things are better now. :) However, can't really see Nine not ever losing that darn temper of his. He really just can't keep calm and cool when it comes to his temper. Oh, well, at least there will be someone in the future to give him a good punch to knock some sense into him. lol
little101: It really does show you the differences in not only personality of each Doctor, but with the relationship they how with Wanda as well. Nine really is nothing but sort of a ill-tempered, but close friend. While Ten and Eleven are very much the lovers of Wanda's life. But you're right, Ten and Eleven would totally slap Nine around for being so temperamental. ;)
Glado89: Lol Sorry for the cliffhanger there. The round scars were from the tubes placed within her when the Silence were trying to steal energy from her. Maybe no physical smacking, but Rose's words hit just as hard. ;) Nine doesn't really see himself as superior, just his species. I think it's just a Time Lord thing. Well, I hope it's shocking for the final reveal of Wanda. But I don't think I have it as good as River's shocking reveal. That was just too priceless and unbeatable in my opinion, I mean wow. lol Glad you enjoyed the chapter. :)
Sonny13: Yeah, Nine's just a temperamental git sometimes. But at least he's learn not to be such an arse anymore. For the time being, anyway. lol
thetasigma: Thanks! I'm glad you're enjoying the story. :) And all things are now good between Nine and Wanda, for now at least. lol
Sah: I'm proud of her, too. Nine definitely needed that smacking on him. I think Wanda would greatly appreciate a hug. :) Glad I was able to make the adventure better. I know how those moments within the show were not the best, so I tried working with them the best I could. I'm so happy you enjoyed them. :) Sorry for such a long wait for this update. I've been dealing with a load of stress lately. Barely have time to sleep, let alone try to edit on the story. Hopefully I can get a better schedule of the story going. Oh, that's so sweet of you. You don't have to do that for me. :) Actually, I photoshop as well. Me and a good friend of mine have that as a hobby together. That's what we did with the two covers for the story. And, sorry to say, but my friend already made up the covers for the third part of the trilogy and one even for the special story coming up in the future. I would take you up on that offer, but I'd hate not to use the covers my friend worked so hard on. :( But if you'd like, you can still make covers for the story. I'd love to see them. :) Oh, and thanks! You have a totally fantastic day as well! :D
LovableAmethyst129: Sorry for the tearing up there. Hope that wasn't a bad thing, and that this chapter will make up for that. :)
Guest: lol Oops, my bad. I'll try not to end chapters like that in the future. Hopefully this chapter made up for the cliffhanger from the last one. I'm so happy you enjoyed the last chapter so much. Hope you like it as well. :)
MinecraftLover00: Yep, agreed. Definitely an arse. You got to remember though, this Nine (and the other Doctors as well) holds a different personality than the Doctor we know from the show. Alternate universes at play and such. So this Nine is going to seem rather stupid and beyond rude compared to the Doctor we know and love. Glad it's entertaining. :) I hope this doesn't mean the first part of the story was boring, though. Hope you will also continue to find enjoyment through the rest of the story into the future. :)
Squidtastik: Yep, agreed. Big-old prat. lol Yeah, the dart really was not good. But at least things turned out all right in the end. And if you're wondering how exactly, let's just say spoilers for the future. ;)
thewholocklover: Yay! I'm so glad you are enjoying the story! :D Hope you continue to enjoy the future chapters to come. :) I'll try my best to keep up good work.
orlha: No, she's not lying. It was mentioned briefly how she spent a few months with him after the Cold War situation in trying to find the TARDIS with Clara from the south pole. Older Eleven sort of said this very briefly with her. It will be explained more and made more clear in the future. Sorry if I did not convey this well enough in the past and made you confused. There's sort of a twist in why the Doctor can't tell her, but that will be coming up within part three. Hope you don't mind the wait. :)
SonicScrewdriver: Yay! I'm so happy you enjoyed it! :) Hope this was not too much of a wait for the new chapter.
otakuchamasherlockluvr: Glad you enjoyed the chapter, and the bit of drama going on with the mix. ;) lol Yeah, I did work pretty hard in making certain to lead up to this point with Wanda finally snapping. It needed to be done in mostly to get her and the Doctor to both move on into the future of sorts. Oh, you and me both. I've been hoping for a normal schedule for a while now. But life (plus major stress) hardly even give me time to even sleep anymore. Ugh! I'm sorry this update came out so late. I hope to get more out in the future without such a long wait. You have a awesome day/night, too! :D
BeCent: Hello! And welcome to the story! :D I'm so happy you are enjoying it so far. :) I hope to make more like this in the future. I am even working on a special story to tie in with the Wanderer of Time trilogy once its all done. Aww, thank you. I'm just so happy you are enjoying the story so much. :) I hope to keep up in writing well in the future. Don't worry, Wanda will be finding out her past completely within part three of the trilogy. Hope that is not too long of a wait for the solution to the mystery. Oh, and don't worry about the rambling. I have a habit of that, too. ;) Hope to see you in the future! :D
Thanks to everyone who reviewed. And thanks to everyone who just gives the story a chance and gives it a quick read. I really appreciate that so much! Cookies and sparkles for all! :D
Have a fantastic day, everyone!
~Tinker~