"Woo hoo!" Mickey whooped as he bounded into the TARDIS "that was so fun".
The Phoenix laughed "glad you had fun", she said and set the TARDIS into the time vortex with her companion's help. As soon as she'd done that, she heard a ringing. The Time Lady picked it up, smiling when she saw the ID. "Hey honey", she greeted as she answered it "miss me?"
"I always miss you", Jack answered. Mickey left the console room deciding to give her some privacy. "Do you think I could see you soon? Like in 5 minutes?"
"You really, really miss me, huh?" she remarked, leaning against the console.
"Rose is driving me around the bend. Please save me, Nix", Jack pleaded.
"Of course I'll…" the Phoenix trailed off, glancing upwards and frowning "oh my god…" she breathed when a swirling red mist appeared. Her nose caught a scent, which sent alarm bells ringing.
"Nix, what's wrong?" Jack asked.
"I'll have to call you back", the Phoenix replied and hastily hung up, tossing the phone to the floor. She raced across the carpet towards the doorway to the rest of her ship, shouting
"Mickey! We got trouble!"
The Phoenix barely reached the threshold when everything exploded!
Mickey groaned as he came to. He rubbed his head and blinked, frowning at his surroundings. It looked like he was in a cupboard of some sort. He gave the door a push, shoving it harder when it wouldn't budge. Mickey stumbled out into the TARDIS corridor, the lights flickering and bits sparking. "Nix!" he shouted and took off "Nix!" he shouted again when he came across the Time Lady, unconscious and pinned beneath a beam. Goose was lying next to her mistress, looking at her worriedly. Mickey grabbed the wooden beam and heaved it off her. "Oh god", he breathed seeing the extent of her injuries.
"Mickey", the Phoenix groaned.
"Don't move, you're badly hurt", Mickey said, stopping her from sitting up.
"Believe it or not, I have much worse", the Time Lady gritted out as she pushed herself to her feet. Mickey grabbed her to arm steady her when her legs buckled. "Stay here", she ordered, noticing the red mist hovering in the air "that thing is mine". Mickey watched her limp after the substance.
"I guess we'll stay here then", he said to Goose, sitting down on the ground.
The Phoenix chased after the red mist on two feet, not quite trusting herself to change into her bird form with the injuries she was sporting. "If you wanna help, now's the time", she said to the TARDIS. The ship let out a pained hum and a door appeared with a button next to it. The Phoenix slapped the button and the mist was sucked out of the TARDIS. "And stay out!" she shouted shutting the door. The Phoenix sank to the floor, groaning, in a lot of pain.
"Oh the was not fun", Jack mumbled as he came around. He opened his eyes to find himself an examination sofa in a white, clinical style room. In front of him were two female droids. "Sorry…nice to meet you, ladies, but where exactly…" he broke off jumping off the piece of furniture when he noticed the Phoenix lying on the floor behind the droids "Nix!"
He dropped to the floor next to her, his hands hovering over her injured body. "What the hell did you do to her?!"
"We didn't do anything", Trin-e told him.
"She arrived like that", Zu-Zana added.
"I don't believe you", Jack said, standing up, glowering at the bots "what did you do!"
"We didn't do anything", Trin-e repeated "now hold still, we're giving you a brand new image".
"No!" Jack shouted "I don't want a new image!"
"Well, tough you're about to get one", Zu-Zana retorted "Just stand still and let the Defabricator work its magic".
Jack opened his mouth to argue when a beam was fired at him, removing all his clothing. "Hey! I said I didn't want it!"
The droids ignored his protests and with another flash, he was wearing white shirt and dark trousers. "Once we've got an outfit, we can look at the face. Ever thought about cosmetic surgery?" Trin-e asked.
"I don't need any cosmetic surgery", Jack answered, crossly "I'm quite happy with the way I look". Pre-Phoenix him would've been quite happy to have a flirt with anything but now…now it was all different. He didn't flirt like he used to with anyone besides the Time Lady.
"I think you do", Zu-Zana insisted and Trin-e started up the chainsaw on her arm "I think you'd look good with a dog's head". A large pair of scissors start up and Jack eyed them both, warily.
"Or maybe no head at all. That would be so outrageous", Trin-e added.
"And we could stitch your legs to the middle of your chest", Zu-Zana put in.
"Nothing is too extreme. It's to die for", Trin-e finished. Suddenly her head was blasted off!
"No one lays a finger on my boyfriend", the Phoenix growled, standing up angrily. She destroyed Zu-Zana with a blast of phoenix fire too. She lowered her hand and collapsed, Jack managing to catch her before she hit the floor. "Nice catch", she commented, tiredly.
"What did they do to you?" Jack asked.
"They didn't do anything", the Phoenix answered "it was this…red mist. It-it made the TARDIS explode and Mickey…" her eyes widened "Mickey!" she cried jumping up and promptly fell back into Jack's arms "I have to find him and Goose! If I were brought here then they must be too".
"And we'll find them, I promise but first you need to rest", Jack said.
"But I…"
"No, you rest", Jack repeated, firmly. He picked her up and carried her over to the sofa that he'd woken up on. "Sorry", he said with a somewhat apologetic expression when she let out noise in pain when he laid her down on it.
"It's ok", the Phoenix mumbled "it'll just take a while to heal that's all. Maybe we can go back to Hawaii once this is all over. I could do with another vacation".
"You and me both", Jack agreed "Now you, stay", he said sternly "please", he added in a softer tone.
"Ok, I will", the Phoenix promised, closing her eyes.
Jack walked over to the Defabricator and started to pull it apart. Every so often he'd glance at the Phoenix as he worked. There was a beep and he looked back at the weapon his hands "Compatible systems. Just align the wave signature. Attaboy! Got myself a gun", he declared with a grin. Now that he had a way to defend not only himself but the Phoenix too which was the only thing that mattered, especially in her injured state. Jack went back to the Time Lady, setting the weapon down on the floor and slipped her hand into his.
Eventually she stirred "Jack", she whispered, tightening her hand around his.
"How are you feeling?" he asked, rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand.
"Like I had a beam dropped on top of me and was almost blown up", The Time Lady replied, sitting up "but I'll be fine". Jack stood up, helping her to her feet "nice gun", she remarked.
"Thanks. Figured it might come in handy", Jack said.
"It definitely will be", the Phoenix agreed "I'm not up to full strength and I doubt I will be for some time". Jack picked up with gun with one hand and wrapped his free arm around her waist, leading her to the door he'd spotted.
"No doorhandle. Great", the man complained.
"That's no problem", the Phoenix said "just keep walking".
"Uh…ok", Jack said and proceeded to do just that. He was surprised that they were able to walk through the door. "You can walk through stuff?" he asked.
"You know this already, didn't you?" the Phoenix counter questioned.
"Maybe, I don't recall", Jack admitted "might be in the two years I cannot remember".
"All the more reason to get them back", the Phoenix stated.
"Definitely", Jack agreed. The pair headed toward the lift and entered it. The Phoenix leant against the wall, closing her eyes again. "Looks like the Doctor is several floors up", Jack stated, checking his wrist device.
"Good, that's good", the Time Lady said before she slid down to the floor, passed out.
"Nix!" Jack exclaimed, dropping down beside her. He touched his fingers to her neck, biting his lip worriedly when it felt rather faint. "Stay with me, Nix. Please", he pleaded "I cant lose you".
"Nix! Nix wake up!" Mickey shouted, shaking her shoulder.
"Mickey?" the Time Lady said, blearily, opening her eyes.
"Oh, thank god!" Mickey cried, relieved that she was awake "you've got to stop Rose, she's trying to open the heart of the TARDIS!"
"What?!" the brunette exclaimed, jumping to her feet, Mickey hurrying to steady her when she wobbled "that girl is so dead!"
The Phoenix rushed out of the room she'd woken up in, which appeared to be the med bay. She ran down the corridors, the Doctor's TARDIS shifting them about so she had a straight line to the console room. She shoved Rose away from the console just as the panel containing the heart of the ship flung open. The Time Lady moved in front of it and a golden light streamed out. Mickey and Rose had to cover their eyes as the light grew brighter. Even Goose scarpered.
On floor 500 of the Game Station, the Doctor braced himself for his death. Then something made him look up at the BAD WOLF CORPORATION sign. His eyes widened when he saw that it now said FIREBIRD CORPORATION. "No…", he breathed. Firebird…the only person he would associate with that was the Phoenix.
Suddenly there was the sound of his TARDIS and he spun around, watching the police box appear. "You will not escape!" the Emperor exclaimed on the screen. The TARDIS' doors flung open, revealing the Phoenix, her eyes shining gold with the time vortex. Around her was the flaming outline of mythical bird of her namesake. She stepped forward and the Doctor stumbled back, falling to the ground.
"Phoenix…what have you done?" the Time Lord asked, scared.
"I looked into the TARDIS and she looked into me", the Phoenix replied. Before the Doctor could question why, the Emperor Dalek spoke up.
"This is the abomination!" he cried.
"Exterminate!" one of the Daleks exclaimed and fired at the Time Lady.
"No!" the Doctor shouted. The Phoenix calmly raised a hand and the energy bolt froze in mid-air. The Doctor watched in amazement as the energy bolt reversed back into the gun.
"I am the Firebird", the Time Lady said "I created myself with the help of the Bad Wolf. I take the words…" she waved her hand and the stamped lettering on the wall rise up and float away "and scatter them in time and space as a message to lead myself here".
"Phoenix please you need to stop", the Doctor pleaded. No one was supposed to take in all the energy from the Time Vortex, least of all their people. And given the Phoenix's previously injured state, he was terrified that this was going to cause her to regenerate. "You're gonna burn…"
"It's worth it", the Phoenix cut in, glancing down at him "it keeps my loved ones safe" a tear rolled down her cheek "Protected from the false god".
"You cannot hurt me", the Emperor Dalek stated "I am immortal".
The Phoenix looked up at the large screen he was on, glowing eyes narrowing "You are tiny", she retorted "pathetic. And you'll be sorry you tried to destroy the person and planet I hold most dear". She lifted her arms up and the phoenix surrounding her sored flew out, swooping through the Daleks present and burning them into ash.
As the bird dove out the window and destroyed the mother ship, the Doctor's eyes widened as a secondary phoenix, made up of golden energy separated from the Time Lady. Without the brunette knowing, the other bird flew down to where Jack was laying and dived towards the man. The moment it passed through him, Jack gasped awake and looked around in confusion. The TARDIS knew that if the Time Lady ever lost the man, she would lose herself and that wouldn't be good for anyone.
Back on Floor 500, the Doctor frowned as he felt what the second bird had done as the first flew back and hovered around the Time Lady. "The Time War ends", she whispered.
"Ok, you've done it. Now let it go", the Doctor urged.
"I can't…" the Phoenix said, voice trembling "it won't go…." the Doctor got to his feet, looking at her concerned "why won't it go!"
"Maybe you need a Doctor," the Time Lord said quietly as he cupped her face and coaxed the time vortex out of her by running his thumb over her bottom lip, her mouth parting slightly. The golden light flowed out of her mouth and into the Doctor. Once it was all gone from the Phoenix, she collapsed in his arms.
The Time Lord carefully laid her down on the ground before he released the time vortex back into the TARDIS. He then knelt down beside the unconscious Time Lady, brushing some of her hair away from her face, stroking her cheek tenderly. He held a lot of affection for her, more than you would if you were just best friends. The Doctor never wanted to admit it, but he was in love with her. He was in love with her for centuries and he never said a word. And when he should have done, it was too late. The Phoenix's hearts belonged to another.
He gently picked her up and carried her into the TARDIS. "Is she going to be ok?" Mickey asked as the Time Lord set the Time Lady down on the grating.
"She'll be fine", the Doctor assured him, moving over to the console and started the TARDIS up.
"What about you?" Mickey questioned eyeing him "are you alright?"
"I'm fine", the Doctor replied, waving off his concern, wincing a little bit. Mickey raised a brow at that. In the short time that he'd been her companion, the Phoenix had taught him to 'use your eyes and notice everything'. He was very grateful for it otherwise he wouldn't have noticed the wince.
The Time Lady groaned, gaining their attention. Mickey went over to her, the Doctor hanging back as he started to feel the pain of his body telling him to regenerate. But he was going to hold it off as long as he could. Rose stayed back as well. She didn't care for the Time Lady's welfare especially since the Phoenix had gotten in the way of her saving the Doctor. "Mickey, remind me never to do that again", the Phoenix groaned, rubbing her head.
"You got it Nix", Mickey said. He leant in close to her ear "I think the Doctor is going to regenerate", he whispered "I saw him wince".
The Phoenix nodded and got to her feet. Mickey rose quickly, steadying her as she wobbled. "Thanks", she said. She then made her way over to the Doctor, touching the hand that rested on the console "It's ok. You're going to be ok", she said softly "I'm going to be with you, throughout it all, I promise. Just let go".
The Doctor looked at her, tears in his eyes. He leant forward, resting her forehead against hers "thank you", he said so quietly that if they hadn't been that close together, the Phoenix would never have heard it. The Doctor took a couple of steps back and with one last smile, he regenerated.
"Vale Novem", the Time Lady murmured sadly. Mickey and Rose shielded their eyes while the Phoenix watched. Through the glow of the regeneration energy pouring out of the Doctor, she could see his hair lengthen, his face changing and as well as his body.
The light died away, revealing a completely different man wearing the Doctor's clothes. Mickey stared at him in surprise. Though he'd been told about regeneration, nothing could really prepare him for the actual thing. Rose openly gaped at the newly changed Time Lord. The Time Lady was the only one regarding him with curiosity.
The Doctor blinked several times before his eyes sought out the Phoenix "Hello! He greeted "Okay… Ooo" he stopped and frowned, running his tongue over his teeth "new teeth. That's weird".
"Always is", the Phoenix remarked.
Are you alright?" the Doctor asked moving closer to her, touching her cheek. She still looked rather pale even though she didn't look visibly injured anymore.
"I should be asking you that", the Phoenix said "since you're the one who's just regenerated".
"I'm fine", the Doctor assured her. The Phoenix gave him a look "I'm fine, I promise!" he insisted "Look…two legs, two arms, two hands..." he wiggled his limbs comically making the Phoenix giggle. Even Mickey snorted at his silliness. Rose on the other hand was too shocked to do anything. The Doctor rotated his wrist "Slight weakness in the dorsal tubercle" his hands fly to his head "Hair! I'm not bald!" he said happily running his hands through it "Oh, Oh! Big hair!"
That had the Phoenix in fits of laughter and the Time Lord grinned, happy that his silliness was making her laugh. He touched his face "Sideburns, I've got sideburns! Or really bad skin".
"It's sideburns", the Phoenix clarified.
"Thanks", the Doctor said "I'm a little bit thinner..." he slapped his stomach "That's weird. Give me time, I'll get used to it. I…have got… a mole. I can feel it. Between my shoulder blades" he rotated his shoulder "love that mole!"
Rose's breathing quickened as she stared at the Time Lord. She didn't understand what was going on but she wanted the Doctor back! "Where's the Doctor?" she demanded before the Doctor could ask the Phoenix what she thought of his new look. The Time Lord turned around "what have you done with him?" Rose asked, voice rising.
"You saw me, I, I changed...right in front of you", the Doctor replied gesturing to where he was standing.
Rose shook her head "I saw him sort of explode, and then you replaced him, like a... a teleport or a transmat or a body swap or something", she said.
"It wasn't either of those things. The Doctor went through this thing…"Mickey tried to explain.
"You're not fooling me", Rose continued as if he hadn't spoken. She walked towards the Doctor, poking him in the chest "I've seen all sorts of things. Nano genes... Gelth..." the blonde's eyes darkened "Slitheen..."
The Doctor glanced at the Phoenix and Mickey, silently asking for help. "Rose he's not a Slitheen", Time Lady said "he's the Doctor".
Rose shook her head again "No. No! He isn't!" she insisted "Send him back. I'm warning you; send the Doctor back right now!"
"God I need a drink of rum", Mickey muttered, rolling his eyes at her stubbornness.
"You and me both", the Doctor agreed "Rose, it IS me. Honestly its me".
"No, you're not him", Rose said, refusing to acknowledge that this man was the Doctor. The Time Lord rolled his eyes.
"God I really have picked a stupid ape", he stated and Rose was rather taken aback by his insult. The Doctor turned to Mickey and the Phoenix "You know I'm the Doctor, right?" he asked the human male.
Mickey nodded "course I do", he said.
"I wish I'd found you sooner Phoenix…" the Doctor frowned. Her full name sounded weird coming from his new mouth "Nix", he tried and nodded. Yes, that sounded better "I wish I'd found you sooner Nix, you could've helped me choose a better companion. Like Mickey here".
"Thanks", Mickey said "though you've got Jack", he pointed out "where is he by the way?"
"He's fine", the Doctor replied "he's alive and well. He's decided to stay behind and help rebuild the earth, that's good of him isn't it?"
The Phoenix just stared at him as he moved over to the console, flicking switches. There was something he wasn't telling her. "So just he chose to stay?" she asked "my boyfriend willingly chose to stay behind. I don't believe you".
"Nix, it was his choice. He wanted to stay", the Doctor insisted.
"No, he wouldn't not without…" the Phoenix trailed off when the Time Lord suddenly gagged.
"Uh oh", he muttered.
"It's going a bit wrong, isn't it", the Phoenix stated, a worried look on her face. The Doctor nodded, not trusting himself to say anything. "Ok, lets get you to the med bay", she said "and get you checked out. The Time Lady took his arm and tried to lead him out of the console room when he gagged again, more violently this time. "Mickey, give me a hand", the Phoenix said and the man nodded. He started towards the pair when the Doctor suddenly pulled his arm out of the Time Lady's grip.
"It's you…" he breathed staring at the Phoenix as if he hadn't seen her for a very long time.
"Yes, it's me", the Time Lady said, signalling Mickey to stay put. As the Doctor's change was going a bit wrong, there was no telling what he would do or how he would act.
"I thought I'd lost you", the Time Lord touched her face, affectionately "Enya…" the Phoenix froze at his use of her childhood name, in Gallifreyan no less "I love you. I have been for a very long time".
"Uh…" the Phoenix started when the Doctor darted to the console.
"I haven't used this one in years!" he cried pulling a lever making the TARDIS to shudder violently, knocking the Phoenix, Rose and Mickey to the floor.
"What're you doing?!" Rose shrieked.
"Putting on a bit of speed! That's it!" the Doctor shouted, a manic look in his eyes. The Phoenix struggled to her feet, stumbling over to Mickey, helping him up. "Wanna to break the time limit?!" the Time Lord asked.
"No we kinda don't", the Phoenix replied leading Mickey to the console which wasn't so easy when the ship was shaking like crazy.
"Ah, don't be so dull... let's have a bit of fun! Let's rip through that vortex!" the Doctor shouted. The Phoenix pushed him aside and tried to slow the ship down but it wasn't easy when she had a crazed Time Lord pressing random buttons.
The Time Lady cursed under her breath when a bell suddenly sounded "what the hell is that?" Mickey asked.
"We're gonna crash land!" the Doctor said, delighted and laughed manically.
"Phoenix do something!" Rose demanded.
"I'm trying!" the Time Lady shot back.
"Too late! Out of control!" the Doctor hollered, starting to run around the console while the Phoenix desperately tried to regain control "Oh, I love it! Hot dawg!"
"NIX!" Rose screamed.
"Just hold on!" the Phoenix shouted. There was a loud thud and they were all thrown to the floor.
"God I wish we had carpet", Rose grumbled. Her back was definitely going to be sore later. The Phoenix pulled herself up, using the console to do it. She squinted at the scanner.
"We're in the Powell Estate. Christmas 2006", she reported.
"Oh goodie!" the Doctor said, excitedly, running for the door.
"Doctor wait!" the Phoenix called, hurrying after him. She just about managed to get to him before he faceplanted in front of a rather shocked Jackie. "Hi, Mrs Tyler", she greeted "sorry about him, he's a bit under the weather".
"Who are you?" Jackie asked.
"I'm the Phoenix", the Time Lady answered.
"Oh, you're Mickey's new friend!" Jackie said, recalling the many phone calls where the man had told her about his adventures with the Time Lady.
"That's me", the brunette confirmed "and this is the Doctor".
"But he looks different", Jackie frowned.
"He's… had a bit of work done", the Phoenix offered "Do you mind if I get him inside? Preferably before I keel over too".
"Oh! Of course!" Jackie said "it's this way". She gestured towards the block of flats.