Melanie watched the newly regenerated Doctor run around the console, flicking various switches. She was a little bit in shock because she'd never expected regeneration to be like that. Actually she didn't know what to expect but… to see him explode like with an orangey light? Never expected that at all.
"6pm…Tuesday..." Doctor muttered turning a knob "October... 2006... On the way to Barcelona!" the Doctor straightens up and faces Melanie grinning as if he was pleased with himself. "Now then... what do I look like?" Melanie just stared at him, unable to form any words in her shock "No, no no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. No. Don't tell me" the Doctor checked himself over "Let's see... two legs, two arms, two hands..." the Doctor rotates 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!" the Doctor touched his face "Sideburns, I've got sideburns! Or really bad skin. Little bit thinner..." the Doctor slaps 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!" the Doctor turned his attention back to the still shocked brunette "go on then, tell me. What do you think?" he asked wanting to get her opinion.
"I….I…" Melanie swallowed and tried again "is regeneration always like that?" she managed to ask.
The Doctor was a bit surprised by her question. That wasn't the answer he was expecting. "Unfortunately it is always like that", he replied.
"I'm sorry", Melanie said quietly "I never meant for you to go through that. I only wanted to save you". She turned away when she felt herself tear up.
The Doctor walked around so he could look at her in the face. "You did save me Elle", he told her.
"How? I took in the Time Vortex to save you! And because of that you had to save me! The old you essentially died to save my life!" Melanie cried "I'm such a stupid, thick, idiotic human!" she exclaimed hitting the sides of her head.
The Doctor grabbed Melanie's hands to stop her from hurting herself. "No you're not. You're a kind, caring, brilliant and beautiful human", he said.
Melanie shook her head "No I'm not", she said, tears starting to run down her face.
"Yes you are"
"No, I'm not", Melanie insisted.
"Yes, you are", the Doctor repeated "and yes I have regenerated but I don't hold it against you. I would rather regenerate a hundred times than lose you" he cupped her tear stained face "you're my Bonded Elle, I cannot lose you".
"Ok", Melanie sniffled. The Doctor pulled her into a hug. "God you're so skinny now", Melanie mumbled earning laugh from the Time Lord.
The Doctor took a step back "so what do you think?" he asked, honestly wanting her opinion about this new him.
Melanie looked him over, having not really done so earlier as she was too caught up in the shock of him changing right in front of her "it's different", she replied.
"Good different or bad different?" the Doctor asked.
"Good different without a doubt", Melanie said without hesitation.
"Am I… ginger?" he asked seriously, really, really hoping he was. He'd always wanted to be ginger and out of all the bodies he's had so far, none of them had been ginger.
"Nope. You're a brunette", Melanie replied.
"Aw I wanted to be ginger", the Doctor whined "I've never been ginger".
"If it's any consolation, I think you still look good" that made the Doctor feel a little bit better even though he was a bit putout that he still wasn't ginger.
"Right!" he clapped his hands and dashed to the console "Barcelona. Dogs with no noses and lots of running guaranteed. We did lots of running didn't we? All across the universe" he flicked some switches "And that one time we had to hop", he added hopping on the spot.
"Yeah we did look rather ridiculous", Melanie said with a laugh remembering that particular adventure.
"Oh and don't forget dancing" the Doctor went over to Melanie, grabbed her hands and spun her on the spot. She giggled when the Time Lord dipped her, getting a smile out of him.
"I wonder if you know more moves than you did before", Melanie said as he pulled her back up.
"Let's find out", the Doctor said eagerly.
"But first we need music", Melanie pointed out "Can't really dance without it".
"You're right Elle", the Doctor agreed. He dashed back over to the console and ran around it trying to find the controls to play music like he did last time after their trip to WW2. The Doctor stopped what he was doing when he felt rather strange all of a sudden.
"Are you ok?" Melanie asked concerned by the look on his face.
"Yeah I'm f-" he broke off gagging.
"Doctor?"
He tried to talk but ended up gagging again a bit more violently this time "uh oh", he muttered.
"Whats is it?" Melanie asked worriedly.
"The change is going a bit wrong", he replied before gagging again, falling to his knees. Melanie crouched in front of him very, very concerned for him.
"Is there anything I can do?" she asked hating to see him this way. The Doctor opened his mouth to say something when a lever on the console caught his eye.
"I haven't used this one in years", he said jumping to his feet. He pulled the lever causing the TARDIS to shudder violently, nearly knocking him off his feet.
"What're you doing?!" Melanie shouted as she fell backwards onto her bum.
"Putting on a bit of speed!" the Doctor said sounding crazed "That's it!"
With some effort, Melanie managed to get to her feet. She grabbed onto the console and the Doctor ran around it turning knobs. "My beautiful ship!" the Time Lord shouted racing around flicking all the switches he could "Come on, faster! That's a girl!" he said urging his ship on. Melanie stared at him slightly worried about the way he was acting and also being a little afraid of it too. "Faster! Wanna to break the time limit?!"
"Stop it!" Melanie yelled at him just wanting him to calm down.
"Ah, don't be so dull Elle…where's your sense of adventure? Let's rip through that vortex!" he hollered not even noticing Melanie making her way around to him. The Doctor felt a hand on his arm and glanced to his left at the brunette. He found himself calming a little from her touch "The regeneration's going wrong. I can't stop myself", he admitted. The Doctor grimaced in pain "Ah, my head..." he groaned before he violently jerked away from her, turning crazed once more "Faster! Let's open those engines!" he shouted darting around the console to pull a random lever.
"What's that?" Melanie asked as a bell started to ring.
"We're gonna crash land!" the Doctor replied laughing manically.
"Well then, do something Doctor!"
"Too late! Out of control!" the Doctor said, his voice rising hysterically "Oh, I love it! Hot dawg!" he hopped on the spot excitedly. Melanie clung onto the console tightly terrified about what was going to happen. "Hold on tight, here we go!"
"Mum do you see it?" Rose asked as she and her mother ran out of their block of flats the moment they heard the sound of the TARDIS.
"No I don't", Jackie replied looking around.
"Jackie! Rose!" Mickey shouted running over to them "it's the TARDIS!"
"We know!" Rose said looking around for the blue box.
Suddenly the TARDIS appeared out of thin air, 20 feet above their heads. Mickey ducked down Rose pulled her mother to the floor as the box crashed against the buildings until it came down, skidding into a Post Office van and knocking a few dustbins out of the way.
Mickey, Rose and Jackie slowly stood up as the door opened and an unrecognisable man wearing the Doctor's clothes stumbled out. He noticed them straight away "Jackie! Mickey! Rose! Blimey!" he exclaimed going over to them "No, no, no, no, hold on" he took a couple of steps back "Wait there. I've got something to say. There was something I had to tell you, something important. What was it? No, hold on…" the man walked over, placing his hands on Jackie and Mickey's shoulders, thinking hard "hold on. Hold on, shush, shush, shush, shush… oh!" Jackie, Mickey and Rose jumped in alarm at his outburst "I know!" the man looked from one to the other, panting and beaming "Merry Christmas!"
He then promptly collapsed. A moment later, Melanie stepped out of the TARDIS. "Oh god is he ok?" she asked worriedly.
"I don't know, he just keeled over", Mickey replied.
"But who is he? Where's the Doctor?" Rose asked looking down at the unconscious man.
"That is the Doctor", Melanie said nodding down at him.
"What do you mean, that's the Doctor?" Jackie questioned looking confused "Doctor who?"
The Doctor was now tucked up in bed, now dressed in striped pyjamas. Melanie sat on the edge of the bed while Rose and Mickey hung back. Jackie hurrying into the room holding a stethoscope "Here we go" she handed it over to Melanie "Tina the cleaner's got this lodger, a medical student, and she was fast asleep, so I just took it", Jackie explained "Though I still say we should take him to hospital".
"We can't. They'd lock him up. They'd dissect him. One bottle of his blood could change the future of the human race", Rose told her mother as Melanie put the stethoscope in her ears. Jackie opened her mouth to say something and Rose just shushed her. They watched as the brunette placed the stethoscope either side of the Time Lord's chest.
Melanie was relieved to hear that both hearts were beating steadily. "Both are working", she said taking the stethoscope out of her ears.
"What do you mean, 'both'?" Jackie asked confused.
"He's got 2 hearts", Melanie replied.
"Oh, don't be stupid", Jackie said clearly not believing her. Melanie just gave her a look telling her that she wasn't joking.
"Elle you would mind explaining how this happened?" Rose asked wanting to know what had occurred for the Doctor to have completely changed into the man currently laying in their spare bed. Melanie nodded in agreement.
In the living room Jackie, Mickey and Rose listened as Melanie told them what happened. It wasn't easy as she couldn't really remember parts of it. She remembered playing the Weakest Link and being beamed on-board the Dalek ship. She also could recall making her decision to leave but after that point it was a blur. The last thing she knew prior to the Doctor regenerating was waking up in the TARDIS with a slight head ache. Rose was rather shocked to learn that the Doctor, the previous Doctor that is, had sacrificed himself to save Melanie. "So he can't change back?" she asked slightly hoping that he could as it was the previous Doctor's trust she'd been trying to win back. She had no idea whether this new Doctor would forgive her or want nothing to do with her.
"I'm afraid not", Melanie said apologetically "but he is still the Doctor, Rose" she added quickly.
"How do you know?" Rose asked "He looks completely different".
"He's not the first Doctor I've met. When I was a kid a met his fifth self and he looked very different. His clothes were… a little on the quirky side. Then I met his ninth self, the one we both met Rose. While he didn't look like the Doctor I knew, he was still the same man. Sometimes he would do things, just little things that reminded me of the Fifth Doctor. And there's one more thing…." Melanie got up, went into the spare room and over to the Doctor's leather jacket. She reached into his pocket and took out the hourglass charm. She then went back into the living room and sat down. "I gave this to the Doctor when I met him", Melanie said showing the charm to the others "he's had this with him through a number of regenerations. That's how I know he's still the Doctor" when Rose still didn't look convinced, she added "Rose I promise you, despite his new appearance, he is still the Doctor". Melanie reached across and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, trying to tell her to trust what she was saying. Rose nodded although she still wasn't completely convinced, despite Melanie's assurances.
As it seemed to Mickey like both women could do with a break from aliens and the Doctor, he suggested that they go out and do some last minute shopping.
~Street~
"This feels really weird", Melanie remarked as they walked down the street.
"How so?" Rose asked.
"The last time I was on Earth, it was September. That was only a few days ago. Now its Christmas", Melanie replied. Must make sure to give my parents a call she thought, making a mental note to do so.
"That's what life is like in the TARDIS, you forget all about Christmas and things. You get sort of…timeless", Rose said understanding where Melanie was coming from. After all she had missed 12 months instead of just a few hours.
"Oh, yeah, that's fascinating, cos I love hearing stories about the TARDIS", Mickey said sarcastically. Go on, tell me another one because I swear I could listen to it all day. TARDIS this, TARDIS that…"
"Shut up", Rose said although she knew he was only teasing, trying to get Melanie to laugh or at least smile.
"Oh, and one time the TARDIS landed in a big yellow garden full of balloons…" Mickey continued.
"Actually we did go to a garden full of balloons", Melanie told them getting looks of surprise from both Mickey and Rose.
"Well don't leave us in suspense" Rose linked her arm with Melanie's "tell us all about it", she lightly ordered.
"All right" the teenager then launched into a tale about that particular adventure which soon had both Mickey and Rose laughing.
"I can't believe he did that!" Mickey laughed.
"I can", Rose giggled. She wished that she'd been there, it sounded like they had a lot of fun "Elle tell us another one", she said wanting to hear more about what she'd missed out on. Melanie opened her mouth to tell them another story when she noticed the brass band of masked Santa's a little ways away. She didn't know why but she got a bad feeling about them "Elle what is it?" Rose asked seeing her staring at the brass band.
"Something's not right about them", she replied as the Santa's slowly lowered their instruments. Rose, Melanie and Mickey watched them for a moment and then all of a sudden the Santa's started firing blue flame out of their instruments.
The trio quickly ducked down behind a stall as chaos started up with people running around, screaming. "It's us! They're after us!" Rose exclaimed.
"You don't say!" Melanie said with absolute sarcasm.
"We need to get out of here", Mickey said as the Santa's blasted their stall.
"Agreed", Melanie nodded "Run!" she ordered. The trio darted out from behind the stall and ran as fast as they could down the street.
"What's going on? What've we done? Why are they after us?" Mickey asked frantically as they ran.
"Taxi!" Rose shouted as one pulled up and the 3 of them clambered in.
"They must be after the Doctor", Melanie said sitting back in her seat. It was the only thing that made sense. Why else would a bunch of Santas attack them? Well they're not going to get him Melanie thought firmly. There was no way they'd get her Bonded. Not on her watch.
"I can't even go shopping with you", Mickey grumbled "We get attacked by a brass band" the taxi drove off, Rose pulling out her phone "Who're you phoning?"
"My mum", she replied putting her phone to her ear. Rose listened for a couple of minutes before she said, exasperatedly "Get off the phone!"
"Who were…those Santa things?" Mickey asked.
"No idea", Melanie replied as Rose hung up.
The moment the taxi pulled up outside the Powell Estate, the trio jump out and race towards the Tyler flat. "Get off the phone!" Rose shouted as she burst into her flat seeing her mother chatting away on the phone.
"It's only Bev! She says hello"
Rose grabbed the phone "Bev? Yeah. Look, it'll have to wait". She hangs it up and looks at Mickey and Jackie. Melanie had made a bee line for the Doctor's room to make sure he was ok "Right, it's not safe. We've got to get out. Where can we go?"
"My mate Stan, he'll put us up", Mickey offered.
"That's only two streets away" Rose turned to her mother "What about Mo? Where's she living now?"
"I don't know! Peak District!" Jackie replied.
"Oh, we'll go to cousin Mo's then", Rose said.
"No, it's Christmas Eve! We're not going anywhere! What're you babbling about?" Jackie asked thoroughly confused as to why Rose wanted to go to cousin Mo's on Christmas Eve.
Rose then noticed the tree in the corner of the room. It wasn't the white tree they had earlier, it was green "Mum….where'd you get that tree?" she asked.
"I thought it was you", Jackie answered as Melanie stepped out of the spare room.
"How can it be me?" Rose asked. They'd both decided to use their old white tree this year instead of getting a new one. So why did she think the new tree was from her?
"Well, you went shopping. There was a ring at the door, and there it was!" Jackie answered.
"No, that wasn't me", Rose insisted.
"Then who…" Jackie trailed off as the tree lights up on its own.
"Oh, you're kidding me", Rose said staring wide eyed at it.
They all watched as sections of the tree began to spin, slowly at first and then very fast all the while playing a demented version of 'Jingle Bells'. Jackie screams as it decimates the coffee table in a matter of seconds.
"Go, go! Get out!" Mickey shouted at the females as he picked up a chair fend off the tree. Jackie made for the front door whereas Rose and Melanie heads for the spare bedroom.
"We've got to save the Doctor!" Rose cried.
"What're you doing?" Jackie asked them wondering why they weren't trying to make a run for it.
"We can't just leave him Jackie!" Melanie shouted at her.
"Mickey!" Jackie called to the black man who was still fending off the tree "Leave it! Get out! Get out!"
Mickey stood his ground for a little longer before giving up and going into the spare room "No, leave him. Just leave him!" the older Tyler urged them.
"Get in here!" Mickey shouted. Frustrated, Jackie did as she was told, slamming the door behind her. She, Mickey and Melanie drag the wardrobe across the floor and prop it against the door, pressing themselves against it to try and keep the tree at bay.
Rose on the other hand rushed over to the bed and tried to wake the Doctor up "Doctor, wake up!"
That didn't work. So she tried a different approach by putting the sonic in his hand. Still the Doctor remained lifeless. Jackie, Melanie and Mickey were thrown backwards as the Christmas tree finally smashed through the wardrobe.
"I'm going to get killed by a Christmas tree!" Jackie shrieked as she cowered against the wall. Melanie scrabbled backwards to get away from the advancing tree, absolutely terrified.
Doctor help us! She thought as the same time as Rose murmured, desperately into the Time Lord's ear "Help Elle". The blonde quickly drew back as the Doctor suddenly sat up, pointing the sonic at the tree causing it to explode.
"Remote control" the Doctor lowered the sonic "But who's controlling it?" he got off the bed, went over to where Melanie was and helped her up "are you ok?" he asked her, checking her over for injuries.
"I will be", Melanie told him honestly. The Doctor nodded, taking her hand and led her out of the room, grabbing a dressing gown along the way.
The group filed out of the flat, looking over the balcony. Down on the ground 3 Santas stared up at the 4 humans and the Time Lord. "That's them" Mickey said "What are they?"
"Shush!" Rose shushed him.
The Doctor aimed his sonic at the Santas in a threatening manner, his hand tightening on Melanie's. They dared to attack his Bonded and that was something he wasn't going to let pass. The trio of Santas backed away, standing closer together before vanishing in a flash.
"They've just gone!" Mickey laughed "What kind of rubbish were they? I mean, no offence, but they're not much cop if a sonic screwdriver's going to scare them off".
"Pilot fish", the Doctor said making them all look at him.
"What?" Rose asked.
"They were just pilot fish", the Doctor repeated before coughing and throwing himself back against the wall, clearly in pain. He reached out and grabbed Melanie's hand when she knelt beside him.
"What's wrong?" she asked worried.
"I was woken too soon", he panted "I'm still regenerating. I'm bursting with energy". Vortex energy escaped from his mouth as he exhaled. "You see? The pilot fish could smell it a million miles away. So they eliminate the defence, that's you lot, and they carry me off. They could run their batteries on me for a couple of year… he lurched forward groaning, pulling Melanie with him as he still had a tight grip on her hand. She winced at the sharp pain she got in her head.
"My head! I'm having a neuron implosion. I need…"
"What do you need?" Jackie asked frantically going over to his other side to help Melanie in supporting him.
"I need…"
"Say it, tell me, tell me, tell me…"
"I need…"
"Painkillers?" Jackie asked.
"I need…" the Doctor gasped.
"Do you need aspirin?"
"I…"
"Codeine? Paracetamol? Oh, I dunno, Pepto-Bismol?"
"I need..."
"Liquid paraffin. Vitamin C? Vitamin D? Vitamin E?"
"I need…"
"Is it food?" Jackie asked, her voice rising hysterically which was not helping either the Doctor or Melanie "Something simple? Uh…a bowl soup? A nice bowl of soup? Soup and a sandwich? Soup and a little ham sandwich?"
"Jackie shut up!" Melanie snapped, her head now throbbing as if she had a serious migraine. And if this was due to her being bonded to the Doctor, he must be in more pain than she was. The Time Lord lurches forward again, pulling his hand out of Melanie's. The brunette stayed where she was, trying to shake off this awful headache of hers.
"Haven't got much time" the Doctor panted, knowing he had to tell them…had to warn them of what was coming before he passed out "If there's pilot fish, then…" he pulled an apple out of his dressing gown pocket "Why's there an apple in my dressing gown?"
"Oh, that's Howard. Sorry", Jackie said apologetically.
"He keeps apples in his dressing gown?" the Doctor questioned.
"He gets hungry", Jackie replied.
"What, he gets hungry in his sleep?" the Doctor asked looking at the apple confused.
"Sometimes"
The Doctor suddenly shouts with pain and sinks to the floor. Melanie goes to his side, ignoring her headache. "Brain…collapsing…" the Doctor grabs hold of Melanie's upper arms tightly. Staring into her green eyes, he struggled to get out his next sentence "P…the Pilot Fish mean that something, something…" he took several deep breaths, his eyes never leaving Melanie's "something is coming Elle" the Doctor then collapsed into the young woman's lap.
Rose and Mickey carried the Doctor back inside while Jackie helped Melanie back in as she wasn't looking at all steady on her feet. The older Tyler woman had barely got her inside before Melanie collapsed, worrying the heck out of Jackie. "What happened?" Rose asked as she rushed out into hallway when her mother called her, sounding very worried.
"She just collapsed!" Jackie cried.
She must've felt the Doctor's pain Rose thought. The Doctor and Melanie had told her about this link between them, what they call a 'bond'. The Time Lord mentioned that bonded couples can feel what the other is feeling, though neither of them had experienced it yet. Maybe its because she took in the Time Vortex? Of course Rose couldn't be sure that was the case as both Melanie and the Doctor were unconscious.
"We need to move her to my room", Rose said to Mickey. The black man nodded, went over and carefully gathered the young woman up in his arms. He carried Melanie to Rose's room and gently laid her down on the bed.
Hours later…
"Any change?" Jackie asked Rose as she walked in.
"Elle hasn't woken", she replied "and the Doctor…he's worse. Just one heart beating". Rose sighed sitting down on the arm of the chair. She was at a loss as to what to do. In one room they had an unconscious Time Lord and in another, they had an unconscious brunette.
Jackie and Rose watched the TV in silence before Mickey called for their attention. "I've just found out about Pilot fish" Rose got up to have a look at the laptop screen "Scavengers, like the Doctor said. Harmless. They're tiny. But the point is, the little fish swim alongside the big fish", Mickey explained.
"Do you mean like sharks?" Rose asked.
"Great big sharks. So, what the Doctor means is, we had them… now we get that" the animation of a shark on the screen snaps viciously.
"Something is coming…" unknown to everyone except Jackie, the TV screen goes slightly static "How close?" Rose questioned.
"There's no way of telling, but the pilot fish don't swim far from their daddy", Mickey explained.
Jackie watches as a distorted image appears of the television screen "So, it's close?" Rose asked Mickey.
"Funny sort of rocks", Jackie remarked.
Rose turned her attention to the screen "that's not rocks…" as the image becomes clearer, she edges closer to the TV.
"….coming live from the depths of space on Christmas morning"
The image suddenly becomes clear revealing an alien. It roared at them making all three humans gasp and jump backwards. "The face of an alien life form was transmitted live tonight on BBC1"
Mickey called Rose back over when he managed to access to the military "They're tracking a spaceship. It's big, it's fast, and it's coming this way", he told Rose as she came over to have a look.
"Coming for what, though? The Doctor?" Rose questioned.
"I don't know" Mickey shrugged "Maybe it's coming for all of us". They watched as an image a four of the aliens popped up on the screen "Have you seen them before?"
Rose shook her head "No", she said.
The pair watched, listening to the aliens as they spoke, Rose surprised that she couldn't understand them at all. "Seriously? Sycorax Rock?" Melanie's voice spoke quietly. Rose and Mickey looked over to see her standing there.
"You understand them?" Rose asked.
"Yeah", she replied walking towards them, still a little unsteady on her feet "don't know why though". Mickey stood up, allowing Melanie to have his seat.
"Do you think you could tell us what they said?" Mickey asked.
"If you're feeling up to it", Rose added.
"I'm up to it Rose", Melanie told her. She took a breath and repeated what the aliens had just said "People. You belong to us. To the Sycorax. We own you. We now possess your land, your minerals, your precious stones. You will surrender or they will die. Sycorax strong, Sycorax mighty, Sycorax rock"
"'They will die?' who's they?" Rose questioned.
"Don't know but it sounds like they're threatening us. Or at least some of us", Melanie rubbed her head "but I haven't got a clue as to who they're talking about".
"Well it's a start at least", Rose said.
"How's the Doctor doing?" the brunette asked looking at them. Mickey and Rose exchanged looks before the latter answered her question.
"He's not doing well, only 1 of his hearts is beating"
At that Melanie got up and walked quickly over to the spare bedroom where Jackie was sitting at the bedside of a rather restless Time Lord. "How are you feeling?" Jackie asked when she noticed Melanie in the doorway.
"So-so Jackie", Melanie replied "but I'll live. Sorry for giving you a scare, that wasn't my intention"
"That's quite alright Elle. As long as you're ok now", Jackie said understandingly.
Melanie looked at the Doctor "I'll feel better once he wakes up", she replied honestly.
Jackie nodded in understanding. "Would you like a cup of tea?" she asked standing up.
"That sounds nice. Thanks Jackie", Melanie replied. Jackie nodded again and left the room. The brunette entered the room, sitting down on the edge of the bed and took his hand. She sat there for a moment in silence before she started to hum Hush-a-bye Mountain, running her other hand through the Doctor's hair. It seemed to work as it appeared to Melanie as if he looked a little more relaxed.
She bit her lip in worry when she rested her head on his chest and heart only 1 heart still beating. "Come on Doctor, please pull through", Melanie pleaded rubbing her thumb over the back of his hand.
When Rose checked in on the Doctor, she found Melanie still sitting in the chair holding on to his hand fast asleep. "The Doctor wouldn't do this", she said to Mickey "her voice shaking slightly "The old Doctor. The proper Doctor. He'd wake up. Not for us but for her" Rose nodded at Melanie "he'd wake up to save her".
"He must care for her a lot", Mickey remarked remembering what Rose had told him.
"More than you and I could possibly imagine", Rose said. Though the Doctor and Melanie had told her about them being bonded, she didn't fully understand what it meant. However, she did know that the Doctor cared about Melanie, a lot. Mickey took Rose's hand and gave it a squeeze.
The sun had barely started to rise when there was a commotion from outside the flat. "What is wrong with you?" a woman shouted "Jason? Jason?"
Rose and Mickey hurried out the flat "Sandra?" Rose called.
"He won't listen" Sandra gestured to the man before her, walking in a daze "He's just walking. He won't stop walking! There's this sort of…light, thing. Jason? Stop it! Right now!" Sandra turned and chased after him.
Rose and Mickey looked over the balcony to see numerous people walking, a blue light flashing every so often around their heads as they made their way to the stairs. They followed the crowd of people up to the roof, their loved ones trying but failing to persuade them to get away from the edge. They all seemed like they were…hypnotised.
"What do we do?" Mickey asked eyeing all the people lined up along the roofs edge.
"Nothing. There's no one to save us. Not anymore", Rose replied sadly. With the Doctor currently out of commission and not looking like he was going to wake up any time soon, there was no hope for them now.
~bedroom~
Melanie was jerked awake when the ground shook violently. She sat up, eyes widening at the shattered glass. "Rose what's going on?" Melanie called reaching the door as Rose, Mickey and Jackie rushed past.
"I don't know!" Rose called back. Melanie glanced back at the Doctor before deciding to go see what was going on. She, Rose, Mickey and Jackie looked up gaping at the huge ship that came into view, obscuring the sun. Rose and Melanie stared up at the ship for a moment longer before darting back inside.
"TARDIS?" Rose asked as they hurried into the Doctor's room.
"TARDIS", Melanie confirmed. The blonde nodded and got her mother to help her pack up some supplies while Melanie and Mickey got the Doctor ready to move. Minutes later they were out of the door, Melanie and Mickey carrying the Doctor between them while the Tyler women carried several plastic bags of shopping each.
Melanie didn't even have to use her key to get into the box as the door opened all on its own as she and Mickey approached. "I suppose you don't know how the fly this thing?" Rose asked Melanie hopefully as the brunette and Mickey carefully set the Doctor down onto the grilled floor.
"I'm afraid not", Melanie said reluctantly.
"So, what do we do? Just sit here?" Mickey asked hoping they had a better plan other than hiding out in the TARDIS.
"That's as good as it gets", Rose said clearly frustrated. Melanie looked up from where she sat beside the Doctor, hearing the tone in her voice. She wanted to assure her that it was going to be ok but even she didn't know what to do.
"How about a nice cup of tea?" Jackie suggested getting out a thermos flask.
"Mmm, the solution to everything", Rose said a little sarcastically.
"Now, stop your moaning. I'll get the rest of the food", Jackie said setting the flask down before leaving.
"Tea. Like we're having a picnic while the world comes to an end. Very British" Rose doesn't answer Mickey, she just watched Melanie sitting beside the Doctor, holding his hand "How does this thing work?" Mickey asked looking at the TARDIS's scanner "If it picks up TV, maybe we could see what's going on out there. Maybe we've surrendered" he pressed a few buttons "What do you do to it?"
"I don't know. It sort of tunes itself", Rose replied in a tone that made Melanie look up at her concerned. But as the blonde had her back to her, she didn't see her look.
Outside Jackie was coming out of the block of flats with yet more bags, in time to see the TARDIS being teleported away in a flash of light "Rose!" she cried. She looked up at the spaceship hovering in the sky, scared.
Melanie looked up when she heard a bleeping sound from the console. "Maybe it's a distress signal", Mickey suggested as he listened to it.
"A fat lot of good that's going to do", Rose muttered.
"I wonder whats taking Jackie so long?" Melanie asked wanting to get Rose thinking about something else other than the situation they were currently in.
"I dunno", Rose replied "I'd better give her a hand. It might start raining missiles out there".
"I'll give you a hand", Melanie said getting up.
"Tell her anything from a tin, that's fine", Mickey called after the two of them as they headed for the door.
"Why don't you tell her yourself?" Rose asked with her hand on the door.
"I'm not that brave", Mickey admitted.
"Oh, I don't know…" Rose said with a smile and opened the door. She and Melanie were promptly grabbed and roughly pulled out of the box causing them to scream.
Mickey rushed after them, knocking over the open thermal flask as he went. "Close the door!" Melanie shouted at him as she struggled in the Sycorax's grip. The black managed to shut the door before he too was grabbed by a Sycorax. The Sycorax that had grabbed Melanie walked over to his leader and spoke quietly to him.
"What are they talking about?" Rose asked Melanie quietly.
"I don't know. I can't hear them", she replied.
Whatever the Sycorax had said to the leader, the alien nodded before looking straight at the group of humans. He raised his hand and pointed at Melanie and said "That girl. She has the key to the clever blue box" Melanie glanced down at her key hanging around her neck. "She owns the blue box. Therefore, she speaks for your planet".
Melanie looked up at him eyes wide. "But she can't, she's just a kid", Harriet protested.
"I'm not a kid Harriet. I'm 19", Melanie corrected her "and if they want me to speak for the planet, then I'll speak for the planet".
Rose caught her by the arm as she stepped forward "Think you can do this?" Rose asked quietly.
"Honestly? No. But I don't have a choice", Melanie replied honestly.
"Good luck", Mickey said giving her an encouraging smile. Melanie took a deep breath and composed herself the best she could before she turned to address the Sycorax Leader.
"I address the leader of the Sycorax under the contract laid out in convention 15 of the Shadow Proclamation. You think you can just swan with your big ship and army, take our loved ones hostage and expect the rest of us to surrender? In what universe would anyone just surrender when the people we love are in danger? Answer: none. You know what we would do? Fight back" as Melanie spoke she felt this sudden surge of courage within her "And we'd win. Wanna know why? Because we have something worth fighting for and you don't. So I'm giving you this one chance. Release the hostages then take yourself, your army and get off our planet. Leave and don't ever come back. Because I guarantee you that if you stay, it won't end well for you".
There was a moment of silence before all the Sycorax burst into laughter. "You are very, very funny", the Sycorax leader told Melanie "And now you're going to die", he added a little more angrily.
"Leave her alone!" Harriet and Rose shouted at the same time Mickey said
"Don't touch her!"
The trio tried to run forward to come to Melanie's aid but they were restrained by Sycorax. The Sycorax leader continues to speak, circling the young woman as he did so. "Did you think you were clever to threaten us?" the leader raised his arms "We are the Sycorax, we stride the darkness" the alien hissed at Melanie who flinched, the courage she had when she spoke was no gone, leaving her feeling rather afraid "Next to us you are but a wailing child. If you are the best your planet can offer as a champion, then your world will be gutted and your people enslaved. And I'll take great pleasure in killing you slowly".
"Hold on, that's English", Alex, the man who'd been translating what the Sycorax leader had been saying.
"He's talking English", Harriet repeated.
"I would never dirty my tongue with your primitive bile!" the leader spat.
"You can definitely here English, right?" Melanie asked Alex, Harriet, Rose and Mickey. She understood the Sycorax Leader when he spoke so she couldn't tell if he'd suddenly started to speak English but she knew if the others could hear it then tha meant the TARDIS was translating. If the box was translating for them it meant only one thing. The Doctor was awake. That thought made her heart soar. She had been really worried when he collapsed on the balcony.
"Yes", Rose replied a smile growing on her face. She'd reached the same conclusion that Melanie had.
"Absolutely", Mickey agreed.
Melanie turned back to the Sycorax leader "see? They can definitely hear English", she said.
"I only speak Sycoraxic!" the Sycorax Leader declared.
"I know you do but I think you're missing the point. If they can hear English that means it's being translated…which means…" she broke off to turn towards the TARDIS. Mickey, Alex, Harriet and Rose followed suit. The doors to the TARDIS open and there stood the Doctor looking much better than he did before.
"Did you miss me?" he asked with a grin, his eyes fixed on Melanie.
The Sycorax leader roared in fury and lashes his whip at the Doctor who catches it easily. He yanks it out of the alien's hands and tosses it away. The Sycorax tried to attack him with his staff and again the Doctor disarmed him. This time he snapped the staff in half and tossed he pieces away. "You threatened my Bonded. That was a bad move. It makes me decidedly less merciful", the Doctor warned. The Sycorax was lucky that he'd only threatened Melanie, if he'd hurt her in anyway… then the Leader would learn why he's sometimes called the Oncoming Storm.
He turned to the humans, greeting them all as he passed until he got to Melanie. "Hello", he said smiling softly at her.
"Hi", Melanie said responding with her own smile "How are you feeling?" she asked.
"Much better. My head's nice and clear. All I needed was a good cup of tea", the Doctor replied. The pair looked at each other for a moment before Melanie flung her arms around him. The Doctor immediately wound his arms around her.
"Good", she said "no, more than good…fantastic". That gets a laugh out the Doctor for the use of his previous self's catchphrase.
"I'm sorry. Who is this?" Harriet asked interrupting their moment. The Doctor let go of Melanie and turned to Harriet.
"I'm the Doctor", he replied.
"He's the Doctor", Melanie repeated.
"But what happened to my Doctor? Or is it a title that's just passed on?" Harriet questioned.
"I'm him. I'm literally him", the Doctor assured her "Same man, new face. Well, new everything".
"But you can't be", Harriet insisted. How could he be? He looked completely different.
The Doctor knew he was going to have to persuade her that he was still the Doctor the same way he did with Melanie. "Harriet Jones, we were trapped in Downing Street and the one thing that scared you wasn't the aliens…it wasn't the war…it was the thought of your mother being on her own".
"Oh, my God", Harriet breathed realising that this man in front of her was indeed the Doctor.
"Did you win the election?" the Doctor asked.
"Landslide majority", Harriet said smiling, rather pleased.
"If I might interrupt!" the Sycorax Leader shouted.
They all spin around having completely forgotten all about him. "Yes! Sorry! Hello, big fella!" the Doctor said cheerily although his stance had turned defensive as he face the Sycorax Leader.
"Who exactly are you?" the alien asked.
"Well, that's the question", the Doctor answered with a grin.
"I demand to know who you are!" the Sycorax Leader demanded.
"I DON'T KNOW!" the Doctor bellowed back mimicking the leader's roar. He then relaxed "See, there's the thing. I'm the Doctor, but beyond that I…I just don't know. I literally do not know who I am. It's all untested. Am I funny? Am I sarcastic?" he looks at Melanie "Sexy?" he gave her a cheeky wink and she smiles back shyly "Right old misery? Life and soul? Right handed? Left handed? A gambler? A fighter? A coward? A traitor? A liar? A nervous wreck? I mean, judging by the evidence, I've certainly got a gob" The Doctor noticed a button "And how am I going to react when I see this" he points at it with an insane smile "a great big threatening button" he runs up the stairs laughing A Great Big Threatening Button Which Must Not Be Pressed Under Any Circumstances. Am I right? Let me guess. It's some sort of control matrix? Hmm? Hold on, what's feeding it?"
The Doctor crouched down and opens the door in the base of the pillar supporting the button "And what've we got here? Blood?" he dips a finger in and tastes it "Yeah, definitely blood. Human blood. A Positive, with just a dash of iron" he waggles his tongue around at the nasty taste and wipes his finger on his dressing gown "Ah, but that means…blood control…" the Doctor become delighted at that "Blood control! Oh, I haven't seen blood control for years. You're controlling all the A Positives. Which leaves us with a great big stinking problem. Because I really don't know who I am. I don't know when to stop. So if I see a Great Big Threatening Button Which Should Never Ever Be Pressed…then I just want to do this"
He whacks the button hard "No!" Harriet and Rose shouted. Melanie didn't think he'd just press the button if he wasn't sure that the people under the Sycorax's control where safe.
"You killed them!" Alex exclaimed.
"What do you think, big fellow? Are they dead?" the Doctor asked.
"We allow them to live", the Sycorax replied.
"Allow? You've no choice! I mean, that's all blood control is. A cheap bit of voodoo. Scares the pants off you, but that's as far as it goes" the Doctor explained "It's like hypnosis…you can hypnotise someone to walk like a chicken or sing like Elvis. You can't hypnotise them to death. Survival instinct's too strong".
"Blood control was just one form of conquest. I can summon the armada and take this world by force", the Sycorax Leader said.
"Well, yeah, you could, yeah, you could do that, of course you could. But why? Look at these people" the Doctor gestured to the humans "These human beings. Consider their potential. From the day they arrive on the planet and blinking step into the sun, there is more to see than can ever be seen. More to do than…"
"Um….that's the Lion King", Melanie pointed out. A couple of days after Rose left, she'd decided to have a movie marathon as she wanted some light hearted Disney fun to cheer herself up. Part way through the Little Mermaid, the Doctor joined her. Pretty soon they were watching another and another. The Lion King was amongst one of the movies they'd watched.
"Is it? Well the point still stands. Leave them alone!" the Doctor demanded.
"Or what?" the Sycorax leader challenged.
"Or…" the Doctor grabs a sword from one of the Sycorax guarding the humans, runs down the steps and comes to a stop in front of the TARDIS "I challenge you"
The leader and the other Sycorax burst out in laughter "Oh, that struck a chord. Am I right that the sanctified rules of combat still apply?"
"You stand as this world's champion", the Sycorax leader said unsheathing his sword and walking down the steps.
The Doctor shrugged off his dressing gown "Thank you. I've no idea who I am, but you just summed me up" he tossed the dressing gown over to Melanie who just about catches it. "So…you accept my challenge? Or are you just a cranak pel casacree salvak?"
The Sycorax hisses at the insult. The two kneel by their swords. "For the planet?"
"For the planet"
The humans watch as the Doctor and the Sycorax leader clashed swords. Melanie gripped the dressing gown tightly in her hands as she watched really hoping the Doctor could win this. Her grip tightened even more on the dressing gown when the Doctor got knocked to the side. Come on Doctor, you can do this she thought as he got to his feet. Their swords clashed again.
"Look out!" Rose shouted as the Sycorax Leader swung his sword at the Time Lord who just managed to dodge it.
"Oh yeah, that helped. Wouldn't have thought of that otherwise, thanks", the Doctor said sarcastically. He led the fight up the stairs and onto a platform on the outside of the spaceship. Melanie winced when the Doctor got elbowed in the nose by the Sycorax Leader.
The Doctor groaned, stumbling back a few steps clutching his nose. His gaze drifted over to Melanie. He couldn't afford to lose. Not with her life on the line. Along with everyone else on Earth. Much more determined, he lifted his sword and ran at the Sycorax Leader. The Sycorax leader ran at him and they clashed swords once more. The pair both grimace with effort that is until the Sycorax Leader managed to knock the Doctor backwards to the ground. The alien slashed at the Doctor's wrist cutting his hand off. Melanie gasped when she saw this.
The Doctor watched his hand fall to Earth "You cut my hand off", he stated both stunned and annoyed.
"Ya! Sycorax!" the leader said triumphantly.
The Doctor got to his feet "And now I know what sort of man I am. I'm lucky. 'Cos quite by chance I'm still within the first fifteen hours of my regeneration cycle, which means I've got just enough residual cellular energy…to do this" he holds up his stump of an arm and before the eyes of everyone, his hand grew back.
"Witchcraft", the Sycorax leader snarled.
"Time Lord", the Doctor retorted.
Melanie snatched a sword from a nearby Sycorax "Doctor!" she called and he turned to her. She tossed him the sword.
"Thanks Elle!" the Doctor said as he caught the sword. He turned back to the Sycorax Leader "Want to know the best bit? This new hand…" he dropped into a Texan accent "It's a fightin' hand!" The Doctor runs at the Sycorax leader and the fighting resumes.
This time it's the Doctor who seems to have the upper hand. He whacked the Sycorax leader hard in the stomach with the hilt of his sword and the alien groans. The Doctor does it twice causing the Sycorax leader to fall to the ground. "I win", the Doctor said pointing his sword at the alien's throat.
"Then kill me"
"I'll spare your life if you'll take this Champion's command: Leave this planet, and never return. What do you say?" The Doctor had been very tempted to do what the Sycorax said but he stopped himself because he didn't want Melanie to see this new him as a killer. He wanted to be a good man, for her.
"Yes", the Sycorax leader said agreeing with the Doctor's terms.
The Doctor jabbed his sword closer "Swear on the blood of your species", he ordered in a far more angry tone than before.
"I swear"
The Doctor grinned, his anger now gone "There we are, then! Thanks for that! Cheers, big fella!" he jabs his sword into the ground.
Melanie ran over with the dressing gown and gave the Doctor a hug "not bad for a man in his jim-jams", she said.
The Doctor smiled down at her "Very Arthur Dent", Melanie helped him into the dressing gown "Now, there was a nice man" the Doctor put his hand into the dressing gown pocket "Hold on, what have I got in here?" he produced a satsuma making Melanie giggle.
"Doesn't that just sum up Christmas?" she asked as they started to walk back to the others.
"Yep" the Doctor tossed the satsuma up in the air and catches it "You go through all those presents and right at the end, tucked away at the bottom, there's always one stupid old satsuma. Who wants a satsuma?"
Behind them the Sycorax leader get to his feet. He picks up his sword, roaring as he charged at them. Without even turning around, the Doctor threw the satsuma at a button on the side of the ship causing the ground underneath the Sycorax leader to open. He tumbles to the Earth screaming. "No second chances. I'm that sort of a man", the Doctor said seriously glaring at the other Sycorax as he wound his arm around a rather shocked Melanie.
The last thing he wanted was for her to see this new him kill something or someone. But the leader had gone too far. He'd tried to attack her. That was the one thing he wouldn't stand for, anyone or anything threatening or harming his Bonded.
The Doctor stands in front of the TARDIS with Melanie and the others "By the ancient rites of combat, I forbid you to scavenge here for the rest of time" the Doctor said looking at all the Sycorax seriously "And when go you back to the stars and tell others of this planet…when you tell them of its riches, its people, its potential. When you talk of the Earth, then make sure that you tell them this. It is defended".
After that they were teleported back to Earth. "Where are we?" Rose asked looking around.
"We're just off Bloxom Road. We're just round the corner, we did it!" Mickey laughed and jumps up and down with glee. The Doctor holds up his hand as the spaceship's engines started up.
"Wait a minute…wait a minute…", the Time Lord said as the ship takes flight, back into the skies and the Doctor grins.
"Go on, my son! Oh, yeah!" Mickey cheered gleefully.
Rose jumped onto Mickey's back laughing "Yeah! Don't come back!"
"It is defended!" Mickey cheered.
Melanie turned to the Doctor and kissed him. "What's wrong?" she asked seeing the look on his face when she pulled back.
"Nothing, its just…new lips", the Doctor replied.
"Would you like me help you to break them in?" Melanie asked with a smile.
"I would appreciate it", the Doctor replied.
"All right then", Melanie said and pressed her lips against his. As they kissed, the Doctor's hands placed themselves on her waist, pulling the brunette closer to himself. Melanie's arms went around his neck as the kiss deepened. It lasted for a full 5 minutes before they parted, faces flushed but smiling. "My Doctor", Melanie said.
"My Elle", the Doctor countered.
"I think someone wants to give you a hug", Melanie remarked noticing Harriet standing there, sort of watching them. The Doctor nodded and went over to the woman.
"Doctor", Harriet said happily.
"Prime Minister", the Doctor said smiling at her.
The two of them hugged as they did so Rose and Melanie hugged. Both rather happy that the Sycorax were leaving.
"Rose!" Jackie called getting the attention of her daughter.
"Mum!" Rose called back running over to her mother.
"Oh, talking of trouble", the Doctor muttered causing Melanie to lightly whack him on the arm.
"Rude", she scolded him.
"Well I'm not ginger", The Doctor lightly retorted.
"You, know if you really want ginger hair, you could dye it", she suggested. The Doctor looked at her as if she'd just suggested that he go poke a sleeping bear.
"Dye my hair? Are you serious?" he asked staring at her in disbelief.
"Well you're the one-" she broke off when all of a sudden a green beam of light shoots out from the round nearby. They all looked up and watch as four more beams of light shoot up to join the first one. The combined beams destroyed the Sycorax spaceship much to the shock of everyone.
The Doctor stormed up to Harriet angrily with Melanie following him. "That was murder", the Doctor stated angrily.
"That was defence. It's adapted from alien technology. A ship that fell to Earth ten years ago", Harriet explained.
"But they were leaving", Melanie said shocked that Harriet would do something like that.
"You said yourself, Doctor, they'd go back to the stars and tell others about the Earth. I'm sorry, Doctor, but you're not here all the time. You come and go. It happened today. Mister Llewellyn and the Major, they were murdered. They died right in front of me while you were sleeping. In which case we have to defend ourselves", Harriet said trying to defend herself and her actions.
"Britain's Golden Age", the Doctor disdainfully.
"It comes with a price", Harriet countered.
"I gave them the wrong warning. I should've told them to run as fast as they can, run and hide because the monsters are coming. The human race"
Melanie tried not to feel offended by what he said, she knew that he didn't mean her. Only the small number of people who'd rather shoot first ask questions later. "Those are the people I represent. I did it on their behalf"
"Not mine", Melanie said quietly trying not to lash out at the woman. She couldn't be completely sure but she could feel this anger burning in the pit of her stomach. She was shocked and a little angry… so where is that anger coming from? Was it the Doctor? He was pretty angry at Harriet. If it was the case then perhaps their bond will be the same as other bonded couples despite the species difference.
"Excuse me?" Harriet asked looking at her surprised.
"You didn't do it on my behalf. You did it for yourself. It was selfish. And it was murder", Melanie told her calmly, clenching her fists. I'm not going to lash out. I'm not going to lash out she thought repeatedly.
"And I should have stopped you", the Doctor added.
"What does that make you, Doctor? Another alien threat?" Harriet asked.
"Don't challenge me, Harriet Jones, because I'm a completely new man. I could bring down your Government with a single word", the Doctor threatened.
"You're the most remarkable man I've ever met, but I don't think you're quite capable of that", Harriet said not believing him.
"No, you're right. Not a single word. Just six", the Doctor said correcting himself.
"I don't think so", Harriet shook her head.
"Six words", the Doctor repeated.
"Stop it!" Harriet shouted.
"Six". The Doctor and Harriet stare at each other in a battle of wills. Melanie stood back and watched feeling the tension from both of them. A moment later the Doctor walked around Harriet and went over to Alex. He removed the man's earpiece and spoke quietly to him.
Once he was done, Melanie went over. The two of them re-joined Jackie, Mickey and Rose and the group walked away completely ignored Harriet's calls.
Melanie leant against the console humming a Christmas song under her breath as she waited for the Doctor. "Sorry I took so long Elle", she heard the Doctor say from behind her. Melanie pushed off from the console and turned around to find the Time Lord wearing a long light brown coat with a brown pinstripe suit. "What do you think?" he asked wanting her honest opinion.
"I like it", Melanie replied "very handsome".
"Thanks", the Doctor said pleased. He held out his hand and Melanie took it. They then walked out of the TARDIS hand-in-hand.
Rose looked up from where she was setting the table when she heard the front door open. She smiled when she saw the Doctor and Melanie standing there. Now they had two extra pairs of hands, it didn't take the Tyler's and Mickey long to get everything set up. Soon they were all sitting down, tucking into the dinner Jackie had prepared.
After dinner came the pulling of crackers. Rose screamed as hers banged when she pulled it with the Doctor. "I think this is yours", he said handing over a pink paper hat.
"It's pink!" Rose laughed putting it on her head "mum, it should be yours!"
The Doctor turned to Melanie who was holding out her cracker to him. He took hold of the other end and pulled. He won for the second time and like with Rose, he gave Melanie the paper hat. Her one was blue "beautiful", the Doctor remarked as she put it on. The brunette blushed from his compliment.
"Oh hey it's Harriet Jones!" Rose exclaimed suddenly spotting the woman on the TV that had been playing while they'd been eating. They all turned to look at the TV, the Doctor pulling out a pair of black square framed glasses from his pocket.
"Prime Minister, is it true that you are no longer fit to be in position?" a man asked.
"No. Now, can we talk about other things?" Harriet asked looking rather flustered to the group.
The Doctor stood up and put on the glasses and looked sternly at the TV. "Is it true you're unfit for office?" the man on the TV pressed.
"Look, there is nothing wrong with my health!" Harriet insisted "I don't know where these stories are coming from! And vote of no confidence… is completely unjustified".
"What exactly where those 6 words you said to that man?" Melanie asked the Doctor.
"'Don't you think she looks tired?'" the Doctor said repeating it from earlier.
"And that brought on a vote of no confidence in Harriet Jones. Just goes to show you never underestimate the power of words", Melanie said.
The phone rang in the kitchen and Jackie went off to answer it. She came back after a moment and said "It's Beth. She says go and look outside".
"Why?" Rose asked.
"I don't know, just go outside and look" Jackie replied "Come on, shift!"
All five of them exited the block of flats to see what appears to be snow falling from the black sky, the occasional light steaking across it. "Oh, it's beautiful. What are they, meteors?" Rose questioned looking up the sky in awe.
"It's the spaceship breaking up in the atmosphere. This isn't snow, it's ash", the Doctor corrected her.
"Okay, not so beautiful", Rose amended.
"This is a brand new planet Earth" the Doctor said still looking up at the sky "No denying the existence of aliens now. Everyone saw it. Everything's new", the Doctor said glancing at Melanie who was still looking up at the sky. He didn't know why but he had a feeling that his relationship with Melanie was going to get even better.
"And what about you?" Rose asked hesitantly "what are you going to do next?"
"Back to the TARDIS, same old life. Well…slightly different life", the Doctor replied putting his arm around Melanie's waist.
"Just you two?" Rose asked tentatively. She had kinda hoped the Doctor would allow her to travel with them again. Maybe not long term but for a little while at least.
"You're welcome to come if you like", the Doctor said looking over at her.
"Really?" Rose asked.
"Yes", the Doctor replied. He let go of Melanie and walked over to the blonde "But on one condition: you don't ever do anything that could hurt Elle in any way because if you do, I'm sending you home for good" the Doctor said seriously "This is your second and last chance Rose. There won't be a third".
Rose looked past the Doctor at Melanie who was watching them "I promise Doctor I won't ever do that again", she promised. She'd do anything, agree to anything if it meant that she could travel with them again.
"You're never are going to stay, are you?" Mickey asked catching the trio's attention.
"There's just so much out there. So much to see. I've got to", Rose told him.
Mickey smiles understanding that Rose wanted to continue travelling with the Doctor and Melanie "Yeah"
"Well, I reckon you're mad", Jackie commented "The three of you. It's like you go looking for trouble"
The Doctor goes up to her "Trouble's just the bits in-between" he puts an arm around Jackie "It's all waiting out there, Jackie, and it's brand new to me". The Doctor goes back to Melanie and Rose "All those planets…and creatures and horizons…. I haven't seen them yet! Not with these eyes. And it is going to be…fantastic"
Both Melanie and Rose smile at the use of his former catchphrase. The Doctor held out his hand to Melanie who took it with no hesitation "so where are we going to go first?" she asked him.
"Um…that way" the Doctor said pointing to a random spot in the sky "No, hold on. That way" he points slightly to the right of where he first pointed.
"Sounds good to me", Melanie agreed. She and the Doctor looked at each other for a moment before looking up at the star studded sky.
~Boxing Day~
"Thank you for today", Melanie said after a moment of watching the movie in silence "it meant a lot to me". As a surprise, the Doctor took Melanie to America so she could spend Boxing Day with her family. The brunette had been delighted as did her parents who seemed to take a shine to the Doctor straight away. They also were pretty happy when Melanie announced that she and the Doctor were together. Though her father had taken the Time Lord aside later on to have a serious discussion with him about their relationship. The Doctor put the man's fears to rest, assuring him that he would never, ever hurt Melanie.
"You're welcome Elle", the Doctor said kissing the top of her head as she was currently snuggled up next to him on the sofa. "Actually I have something I need to tell you", he added.
"What is it?" Melanie asked sitting up.
"Elle, I care about you. More than words could possibly express. You are my Bonded and I love you, so much", the Doctor said softly "and to show you how much I love you, I got you a little something". He reached into his pocket and brought out a small wrapped package. He handed it over to Melanie who unwrapped it. Inside was a ring box. She opened it to reveal a beautiful white gold promise ring set with three heart shaped sapphires.
"It's beautiful, I love it", Melanie breathed. The Doctor took it out of the box and slipped it onto her finger. "I love you too, my Doctor", she added and gave him a loving kiss.