XxxxxXxxxxxxXxxxxxxx

Chapter 42 - The Prisoner and Rose

The Doctor walked back into his suite. The lights were dimmed and he could feel Genie was sleeping. He quietly walked into her room and tucked her in. He sat and watched her sleep for a few moments before kissing her on the forehead.

He walked out of the bedroom, across the sitting room and into his and Rose's bedroom. Rose was laying Sam down in the cot. She whispered to him, "Shhhh…. I just got him to sleep."

He put his finger on his lips and nodded. 'Rose, I need to talk to you about something.'

She took off her jeans and climbed into the bed. "Come here then, and we'll chat."

He slipped off his shoes and lay down next to her. They wrapped their arms around one another as she laid her head on his chest.

'Alright, what is it?'

He held her head and kissed her. 'I'm sorry about before.'

'Baby, that's over. We've already talked about that.'

'I know, but I really am. I shouldn't have said that.'

She rubbed his chest. 'I forgive you. You don't have to worry about it anymore. I'm not cross.'

He nodded his head. 'Alright.'

'What do you need to talk to me about?'

'Pete said something to me last night. It was…..odd. Do you think a human can see a fixed point in time?'

She shook her head. 'I really don't know. That's more your area than mine. I don't understand that stuff.'

'Well, what's not to understand?'

She rose up and looked at him, "That's just madness. How you can change some things, but not others. Why?"

"Well, somethings have to happen in order for other things to happen. It's a cause and effect thing." He told her.

"But, if the cause is so terrible, to hell with the effect."

She could feel fear growing in him. She looked at him. "Okay, I can feel that."

"Sweetheart, that's just…. "

"Sensible?" She asked.

"Terrifying."

"This is where you need to separate yourself from belief and reality."

He raised his eyebrow at her. "Oh wow. This is the maddest conversation I've ever had."

She stretched her back as she sat in front of him, "Baby, this isn't mad. Really think about it."

He rubbed her back. "You're back is sore. I owe you a massage. Lay down."

She lay down in front of him. He turned on his side and faced her. He rubbed her down her spine with his fingers as she caught his lips with hers. 'That is lovely. Thank you.' She told him as he continued to kiss her.

'No other pain?' He asked her.

She put her hand on his cheek as he looked at her. "No. I'm alright."

He continued to rub her back. "Right. Okay. Reality, not belief." He closed his eyes and sighed. "I don't think I'm up for this conversation at the moment."

"Well, we'll continue that one later." She smiled at him as she ran her fingers through his hair. She could feel how much he was enjoying it.

"Pete feels that he can see a fixed point. What do you think about that?"

"Why does Dad feel he can see this?"

"Because there is something I want to go back and change. I hate that it happened and I know I can prevent it. He feels it will damage everything that has happened since."

She looked confused as she continued to play with his hair. "You're not traveling in time. How could you change anything?"

He looked in her eyes, "I've sent Jack and Jake back already. They changed some things for me." He held his breath as she looked in his eyes and stopped playing with his hair.

"What did they change?"

He bit his lip. "It's not important."

"It is. What did they change?" She asked.

He sighed, "They went back and prevented Lenox from being kidnapped as a child."

"That's why we've never heard of him before." She realized.

"Saved Thomas Trout from being murdered-"

She looked surprised, "Really?"

He sat up and rubbed his face. She sat up next to him. "Alright. What is this? I can feel that you are so nervous."

He nodded his head.

She took both of his hands on hers. "Baby, just take a deep breath and tell me."

"Rose. There's something I know. Something I was told that happened before I got here. Something that…. I….."

She could feel his sorrow and fear. She moved closer to him. "Who told you this?"

"Pete did."

"Who is it about?" She asked.

He looked in her eyes. "You. Something terrible that happened to you."

He felt her stomach drop as she covered her mouth. She looked away and whispered. "What did he tell you?"

"He told me not to go back and change it. He said it would mess everything up. Rose, I can't believe that."

Rose wiped the tears that had welled up from her eyes. "I didn't know how to tell you. I decided to just…..ignore it?"

He held her hands tighter in his. "I don't want to upset you. I didn't want to bring it up at all-"

"How long have you known?" She asked.

He kissed her hands. "If I'm honest, I've known since the explosion. Pete only explained it recently. Badly, when we found one of the guys that attacked you."

She looked back at him. He wiped the tears that ran down her face. "No. It's not any of them. They all died on an-"

He shook his head. "This one didn't. The rest did though. I'm sure of it, Rose."

She looked in his eyes. "He's the prisoner you have here on the ship."

He nodded his head. "He is."

She looked away and tears ran down her cheeks. She turned back to him, "I want to see him. For myself. It can't be him."

He shook his head. "I really don't think that would be the best idea-"

"Well, I do! Let me see if it's really him. Then it can be settled."

"No, Rose."

"Tell me. If this had happened to you, wouldn't you want to be certain it was him?"

He dropped his head. "Alright. I don't think this is a good idea at all."

She got out of bed and slipped back on her jeans. He couldn't feel her emotions because she was so guarded at the moment. But, she seemed angry and hurt. She turned to him, "Call Legate or someone down here. Take me to him."

He stood up in front of her, "Legate is on his way. Is there anyway I can talk you out of-"

"No!" she told him. "Stop treating me like this."

"Rose, I just don't want you to get hurt."

The door beeped. She walked over to it and opened it. Legate and Logan stood there. Both with smiles on their faces. "Evening." Legate said.

Rose forced a smile. "We won't be long, boys. They are both sleeping."

The Doctor walked out of the bedroom and looked at them both. "We'll just be a bit. Cheers, guys."

They walked out into the hallway. Rose walked with determination. He caught her up and put his hand in hers, which she grabbed tightly. They didn't say anything to one another as they went to the brig. Rose kept her emotions shielded so highly that if he hadn't had her hand, he wouldn't have even been able to tell that she was there.

Finally, they arrived to the brig. The Doctor stood in front of a panel beside of the door. "Rose, this really isn't necessary."

"Shut up and open the doors."

He laid his hand on the panel and the doors opened. They walked down a hallway and he put his hand on another panel beside of a door to the left. The door opened to reveal a small room. There wasn't anything in it but the prisoner. He was encased in a cloud of blue light. He floated a meter off of the floor. As his body turned, Rose was able to see his face. She let go of the Doctor's hand and walked closer to him. He stood behind her and watched as it appeared that she was staring at him. She was still so guarded he couldn't sense her emotions.

Suddenly, the prisoner woke up and looked at her.

The Doctor was shocked. "That's not supposed to happen." He mumbled.

The prisoner looked down at Rose and was taken over in fear. He cried out, "No. Don't! I really didn't mean-"

"How many more did you hurt besides Rose?" A familiar, voice spoke with an echo.

The man's fear was obvious. "I'll do anything!"

The Doctor watched in horror as the man was crumbled up as if he was a piece of paper. His body contorted and bent in ways that made him scream in pain. His bones crushed and joints popped out of place. His screams were deafening. Then, as he was pressed into a tight ball, he faded into a glow of gold dust and disappeared.

Rose turned around and faced the Doctor. Her hair blew behind her as if the wind was blowing in her face and her eyes glowed yellow. She spoke to him, "It's been dealt with. Pete Tyler is right, it's a fixed point. I have made it so."

He put his hands on his hips and looked at her. "I could prevent it."

She shook her head. "It would destroy everything you have now. Do not do it. If you want to help her, just be there for her and love her. She loves you so much."

He nodded his head. "Does she know how much I love her?"

She smiled, "Of course. I still feel it. Don't underestimate her."

He shook his head. "I'm trying to protect her."

"She knows that. She's trying to protect you."

"I don't need protection."

"But you do. You need it from yourself." She told him.

"What does that mean?"

"Your anger. You need to get control of that before it destroys so much. There's too much at stake for you to lose your temper."

He groaned, "I'm keeping a lid on it. I really am."

"Barely. This is a lot to deal with. More than you have ever dealt with before."

He shook his head. "I've dealt with much more-"

"Nothing this important. This is so, incredibility important. More important than you can see right now."

He nodded his head. "My temper. I don't have a bad temper-"

Rose's eyes closed and she passed out. He caught her before she hit the floor. "Rose!" He held her in his arms. "Rose. Can you hear me? Rose?"

She lay unconscious in his arms.

He closed his eyes and reached out to Lance. 'Lance. I have a problem. I need you to transport me and Rose from the brig to the med bay, immediately.'

'Right. Doing it now.' Lance told him.

Within moments, they had been transported. The Doctor lay Rose on a bed and turned on the screen behind it. "Friday, I need a scan."

He ran a scan on her as the Doctor held her hand, "You're alright, Rose. You're going to be alright." He whispered to himself more than to her.

Friday spoke, "The results are consistent with fainting."

The Doctor dropped his head and sighed in relief. "See. You're alright." He took a deep breath to steady himself, then raised her hand to his mouth to kiss.

Lance ran into the room. "I came in case you needed help. I've sent three men to the brig. What happened?"

The Doctor continued to look at the screen as it displayed more results. He looked back at Lance. "Thank you, Lance. The prisoner is gone. Rose dissolved him."

Lance nodded his head. "Oh. That then. Lewis has spoken of it. Is she alright?"

He held her hand. "She's fine. She passed out. She probably needs to sleep for a while anyway."

Lance put his hands on his hips. "I've told the guys. Are you alright?"

He chuckled at Lance as he leaned on the side of the bed. "Don't I look alright?"

Lance smiled and shook his head. "Not really. I'm not a doctor, nor the Primus here, but I'd recommend that you need a strong drink."

The Doctor smiled at him and shook his hand. "I concur with your diagnosis."

Lance laughed, "She's alright, Doctor. We'll chat when you are more to your senses. Do you want me to transport you two back to your suite?"

The Doctor nodded his head. "Cheers, Lance."

Lance went to the screen on the wall and pressed a few buttons. He looked at the Doctor and nodded, "Good night."

The Doctor held Rose's hands and looked at her, "Night, Lance."

They disappeared.

XxxxxxxXxxxxxxxXxxxxxxx