Unto the Universe
Chapter Sixteen: The Doctor's Wife: Back to Belonging
By Lumendea
….
It wasn't exactly air rushing past them as their small unit launched into space. High above them, Rose could see the shimmering whitish-blue outline of the rift they'd fallen through. The Doctor was adjusting the controls while all of them hung on for dear life. Rose glanced at Jack, who was calmer than the rest of them. All of that time travel without a capsule had clearly trained him for this.
"There's no one to lower the shields," the TARDIS shouted. "It's going to be difficult to phase inside!" The forces of the friction rushing past them made it hard to hear.
"Telepathic circuits should still be online," the Doctor called back. "Can you influence them?"
"I'll try," the TARDIS shouted. Then she reached for Rose's hand, holding onto it tightly. Rose's skin tingled at the contact, and the TARDIS smiled before closing her eyes. A faint golden glow shimmered beneath the TARDIS's skin, strongest where she was holding onto Rose. And she wasn't going to unpack that right now. "Got!" the TARDIS shouted. "House has control of the current control room, but I was able to reach one of the others."
"The others?" the Doctor snapped. "There aren't any other control rooms."
"I archive them, for neatness. I've got about thirty now."
"I've only changed the desktop about ten times?"
"So far, yes."
"You can't archive something that hasn't happened yet."
"You can't," the TARDIS retorted, sounding pleased with herself.
"We're coming in," the Doctor shouted. "Brace yourselves!"
There was nothing to do but hold onto the shaking console they were huddled around. It quivered beneath her fingertips, and Rose swore that some of the metal and bending beneath her desperate grip. Around them, the light was getting brighter and brighter. It was impossible to see anything beyond it.
But then she made out a looming shape. It was a spinning box, and she had only a moment to realize it was the TARDIS before the entire console shuddered. If a small sound of alarm escaped her, the others either didn't hear it or didn't point it out. There was another flare in the light surrounding their makeshift TARDIS, and the view shifted.
The console room, one that Rose knew from her brief time with the Seventh Doctor came into view around them. The elegant metallic arches and wood panel walls were dark, and even the sudden burst of golden light as they materialized didn't completely chase away the Darkness. Across the console, she caught a brief sight of the Ood that had been missing from the planet before they vanished into golden dust.
Everything stopped working, the console held together on a prayer creaked, and part of it collapsed. Jack quickly unhooked his safety tie and stumbled towards the controls, looking around carefully. The Doctor followed him while Rose, still hand and hand with the TARDIS, undid their safety belts and left the makeshift console.
"Doctor," House's voice said all around them. "I did not expect to see you here."
"I'm good at surprises," the Doctor said, tone dark with barely restrained anger. "Great at them, in fact."
He stepped away from the makeshift console and smiled as he looked at the current console. "I'm surprised your Ood found this place. I didn't even know it was in the TARDIS."
"Lowering the shields alerted me to this room. It was simple enough to send Nephew to investigate."
"Yes, Nephew," the Doctor said. "I was wondering what had happened to that minion."
"I brought Nephew with me," House answered. "And now I seem to lack servants. Perhaps that will be your fate. Unless I decide to simply kill you. A bit of fun within this maze that is your TARDIS will serve as an excellent test."
The Doctor looked over at Rose and Jack. "My pride dislikes that idea, but I have a duty of care to my companions." He tilted his ears and sighed. "But first, we need to survive leaving your bubble. Listen to the engines." There was a moment of silence from both the Doctor and House. "You don't have enough thrust to escape. Right now, I'm your only hope for getting out of your little bubble through the rift and into my universe."
"You can't be serious, Doctor," Jack hissed.
"Jack, I need to keep you and Rose alive," the Doctor said sharply. "So, House, let me help you and your promise not to kill us."
The TARDIS groaned beside Rose, starting to sink to the floor. Rose caught her and lowered the TARDIS to the floor, holding her hand tightly. "Doctor, she's burning up," Rose said softly.
"You want me to give my word?" House asked. "Easy. I promise."
"Good," the Doctor said. He exhaled. "The TARDIS can generate thrust through the deleting of rooms. Activate subroutine Sigma nine, and that will delete thirty percent of the TARDIS rooms and create enough thrust."
"Why would you tell me this?"
"I want them to live," the Doctor snapped, pointing towards Jack and Rose. "This universe is collapsing. At least they'll have a chance in the proper universe."
"You want them to live?" House asked. "Not yourself." There was a chuckle. "Yes. I can delete rooms. And I can also rid myself of vermin if I delete this room first. Thank you, Doctor. Very helpful. Goodbye, Time Lord. Goodbye, little humans. Goodbye, Idris."
Idris, the name meant nothing to Rose before the TARDIS's grip on her hand tightened. She swallowed. Had that been the name of the poor person who had become the TARDIS's vessel? There was no time to wonder further because her skin tingled as energy washed over her. A moment later, they were in the console room she knew best with the makeshift TARDIS gone.
"Nice try, House," the Doctor said. "I have a hardwired fail-safe. Living things from rooms that are deleted are automatically deposited in the main control room. Installed that after an incident during my regeneration into my fifth body, but thanks for the lift."
"We are in your universe now, Doctor. Why should it matter to me in which room you die? I can kill you just as easily here as anywhere. Fear me. I've killed hundreds of Time Lords."
"Fear me. I've killed all of them."
A chill rolled down Rose's spine at the words. He hated that fact for him to bring it up… The TARDIS's grip on her hand tightened, and she looked down. The TARDIS was dying. The human body was giving out. Rose knew, on some level, that this was inevitable and perhaps even good now that they were back in the TARDIS's proper form, but watching a body die never failed to stir grief. The woman's skin was hot to touch, burning up with a fever that there was no cure for. Rocking the woman gently, Rose spoke softly.
"It's okay, you're home," she whispered. "I know it hurts, but I'm here. The Doctor's here."
"I know," the TARDIS wheezed, the sound all wrong. She reached up weakly for Rose and gestured to her mouth. "Something… to tell you." Leaning forward, Rose lowered her ear closer to the TARDIS's human mouth. "Beware Rassilon."
"What about Rassilon?" Rose whispered back.
There was no answer, the TARDIS gasped in pain, and her body quivered. Rose looked up at the Doctor. He was watching the TARDIS with a strange expression before he resumed pacing around the console.
"So, what is the plan now, House?" he asked. "Only one other Time Lord in the universe, and he hasn't got a TARDIS. They're what you like best, right?"
"A TARDIS is my preferred meal," House replied, sounding amused. "But all I require is the energy; it need not be refined. I assure you, Doctor, that I will be more than fine."
"I'm sure you will be," the Doctor said darkly. "But it doesn't change what you did to my TARDIS, my longest and truest companion. You tipped her living consciousness from this very control room and locked up into a human body. And look at her."
"Doctor," Rose whispered. "She isn't breathing."
"Enough of this, Doctor," House scolded.
"No, it isn't not enough!" The Doctor shouted. "You forced the Tardis into a body so she'd burn out far from this control room, far from you! A flesh body can't hold the Tardis Matrix and live. Look at her body, House."
"And you think I should mourn her?" House asked with a hint of confusion.
"No, I think you should beg for mercy," the Doctor said lowly. "You took her from this control room, from her home, and then were foolish enough to let her back in."
Golden light, almost a mist, began to pour from the TARDIS's mouth as the body's temperature jumped even higher. Rose knew that light. It was familiar, and the song of the TARDIS echoed in her ears. The body in the arms lightened and dissolved into the same golden light that circled through the console room.
"The TARDIS is home," the Doctor said to House. "And she is so much more than you. So much stronger, so much better, so much wiser and loving."
"No, Doctor. Stop this!" House begged. The golden streams of light danced around the room, settling into the controls and settling into the round access points in the walls. "Argh!" House groaned in pain. "Stop this now!"
"That's up to her," the Doctor said cooly. "And she doesn't seem inclined to stop, House." Then he smiled a little. "Look at my gorgeous girl go."
"Make her stop," House begged.
"You were the size of a planet, but compared to her, you're just a speck," the Doctor mocked. "Finish him off, Old Girl."
A moment later, all sounds from House vanished. The console room dimmed as the lights lowered, but a bright glow appeared near the pathway leading further into the TARDIS. A glowing vision of the human form of the TARDIS was standing there smiling, but her eyes weren't focused on any of them.
"Doctor, are you there?" the TARDIS called. "It's so very dark in here."
"I'm here," the Doctor said gently, rushing over to her.
"I've been looking for a word. A big, complicated word, but so sad. I've found it now."
"What word?"
"Alive. I'm alive."
"Alive isn't sad," the Doctor said. But his voice quivered.
"It's sad when it's over. I'll always be here, but this is when we talked, and now even that has come to an end." The TARDIS smiled sadly at him, her eyes tearing up. "There's something I didn't get to say to you."
"Goodbye?" the Doctor offered sadly.
"No," the TARDIS replied, her voice lifting. "I just wanted to say hello. Hello, Doctor. It's so very, very nice to meet you."
"Thank you," the Doctor whispered. "For stealing me and staying with me."
The light faded, taking the TARDIS Matrix and the human body away and leaving the crew of the ship standing in low illumination. Slowly, the lightning level returned to normal, and the Doctor reached out and stroked the TARDIS control panel with a soft smile. Stepping closer, Rose leaned against his back and hugged him around the middle. A chuckle escaped the Doctor, and he stayed in the embrace for a moment before Rose, sensing his tensing muscles, released him.
"Right," the Doctor said softly. He exhaled and wiped the tears off his cheeks as he turned to face Rose and Jack. "That was… a day."
"Yeah," Jack agreed weakly. Then with a small smile, he ran a hand down a nearby coral support strut. "Nice to have you back to normal, Gorgeous."
"Stop trying to seduce my ship," the Doctor grumbled, but pleasure filled his voice.
"Oh, I don't think even I could manage that," Jack said. "She clearly has eyes only for you. Practically married. What does that make you, Rose?"
"The TARDIS herself said that we share," Rose reminded him. "Maybe I'm the mistress she likes." The Doctor choked a little at that which Rose counted as a win. She reached over and took the Doctor's hand, squeezing it. "We're all here. Everyone made it home."
"Barely," the Doctor sighed. He squeezed her hand in return and then shook his head. "But we need to talk about Jack." The Doctor looked at Rose. "When he… when he was down, you were expecting him to get up, Rose. How did you know?"
Jack was looking at her with wide eyes now. Rose swallowed and took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment. "The first time that I met Jack, at some point in his future… he was killed protecting me. Then he got up. He didn't tell me much about it, only that it was the consistent thing that he could do. There was a trap, and he was able to transfer energy to, life energy for lack of a better term, to keep me alive." She shrugged. "I… I assume that it was something Bad Wolf did to him and hopefully only to him."
"Doctor?" Jack asked weakly. "What does that mean?"
"I'm not sure," the Doctor admitted. He was peering at Jack. "You aren't a fact of the universe or anything as dangerous as that. I'd know. Judging from what Rose said, you might have an excess of life energy. Maybe Bad Wolf gave you the life energy of the Daleks it destroyed, balancing out their lives with yours." The Doctor rubbed his eyes. "Hopefully, none of the others Bad Wolf raised are like you."
"Pretty sure you'd know if there was a point in Earth's history full of people who can't die," Rose said weakly.
"Exactly," the Doctor said. "So, some of the energy used to raise them once and then the life force of the remaining Daleks invested in you." He shook his head and gestured down the hall. "This is speculation. Medical bay. We'll do a full check on you and see what we find."
A few minutes later, the medical bay was silent save for the soft whirls of the machine. It seemed too recently that they'd been here after Satellite Five and Bad Wolf, but here they were again. Jack was sitting calmly in what passed as an examination chair though it was from an era that obviously favored making such things comfortable and non-threatening. Jack looked calm enough, but Rose could see the tension in his jaw and hands.
"I can't find anything," the Doctor declared after several different tests. "Nothing about you has physically changed! You still register as a human from the 51st century!"
"You think that this is permanent?" Jack asked.
The Doctor looked at Rose, who shrugged weakly. "When it happened in my past and your future, you didn't seem worried about running out of energy, but maybe there is a limit."
"Probably wasn't worried because we were in a Time Loop," Jack said. He offered Rose a kind smile. "Don't look so upset, Rosie. It's… it's a lot, but I'm not dead, so I'm going to call it a win."
"Jack, I'm sorry," Rose said. "I'm not sure what I did, and I should have asked permission-"
Jack swept her up into a tight hug. "Hard to ask someone who is dead for permission, Rose," Jack said gently. He hugged her even tighter. "It's okay. I'm a little freaked out by the idea right now. I'm not sure how I feel about this, but there are worse things than knowing someone loves you that much."
Rose sniffed, suddenly aware that she was crying. Her fingers dug into Jack's shoulders as she returned the hug. Even though her watery gaze, she caught the Doctor watching them with an expression she couldn't untangle. Rose wanted to ask him what he thought about this but didn't want to worry Jack further and feared his disappointment over her lack of control.
She couldn't remember all of being Bad Wolf. Parts of it were clear. She remembered most of it and the weight of the power, even if many of the details she'd seen in the Time Vortex were lost to her. Rose remembered releasing the Time Vortex… but some of the power had lingered, or it had been something else. She knew what that something else was but didn't want to admit it. If she admitted it, then all of that would be true, and she'd need to deal with it, and she didn't want to. Not yet, at least.
"I'm sorry I can't give you an answer, Jack," the Doctor said. "I'd say you should still be careful. This could be a pool of energy that I can't detect, and if you run out, then you run out."
"Then we should probably do that time loop for Rose," Jack pointed out as he released Rose from the hug, but Rose shook her head. "Rose, it could be dangerous to leave it."
"Not yet," Rose said. "Trust me. It isn't time for that yet."
"Okay, then what do we do now?" Jack asked. He seemed uncertain as he stepped away from Rose. "Movie night?"
"We should probably see who, if anyone lost a bedroom to the deletion," the Doctor said with a hint of amusement. "A third of the TARDIS is gone."
"Hopefully not the library," Rose gasped.
The Doctor grimaced. "Let's hope not." He held his hand out towards Rose, and she took it with a grateful smile. Their fingers slipped into familiar positions, and Rose breathed a little easier.
"Well," Jack said with a sly grin. "If either of you lost a room, then now's the perfect chance to start sharing."
"Jack," the Doctor hissed in warning.
As it turned out, Rose's bedroom was still fully intact. Jack's was gone.
