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Chapter Six:
With her arms on Yaz and Ryan the Doctor slowly walked to the main console room. She saw Martha and Jack checking their phones, River watching the console, Strax cleaning his weapons, and Jenny and Vastra talking quietly. They all looked up when she entered.
"Hello, everybody," she said weakly. "I don't think the TARDIS has ever been this crowded."
"Darling," River said and rushed to her.
The Doctor let go of Yaz and Ryan and hugged her.
"Staying out of trouble dear?" she asked.
"Never," she said.
"I assume you're the one who overwrote my 'Do Not Rescue' protocols?"
"It saved your life didn't it?"
"Don't do it again."
"No promises."
The Doctor sighed.
"Can I do something for you?"
"Nothing illegal."
River laughed and began to massage her head. It felt good. It felt so good her head began to feel fuzzy. A minute later her hair was back to just above the shoulders.
"You're beautiful as a blond," she said.
The Doctor kissed her on the lips as tears fell. She quickly wiped them away and turned to the rest of the crew.
"How's Mickey, Martha?" she asked.
"I want to examine you further," she said. "I don't know what else they did to you."
"I have thought about that and as much I like the idea of a friend touching me, I'd rather a stranger see me vulnerable. You've seen enough of me. We made friends with people on a hospital ship recently. I intend to go back there."
"Just promise you'll take care of yourself, alright?" Martha said.
The Doctor gave her a quick hug and turned to Jack.
"How's immortality treating you these days?"
"Not to bad," he said. "Me is keeping me on my toes, which is good thing."
"Give her my best," she said.
"And give me a hug," he said.
They embraced briefly and then she turned to Jenny, Vastra, and Strax.
"Still keeping Victorian London safe for me?"
"To the best of our abilities Ma'am," Jenny said.
"You're always welcome to visit," Vastra said.
"If you need us to come and annihilate in another enemy, it would be an honor and a pleasure!" Strax said.
"Speaking of annihilation," the Doctor said and turned to face the group. "Martha you proposed blowing up the Biluan planet and none of you tried to stop Strax from doing so."
"I'd allow again in a heartbeat," River said.
"No regrets," Jack said.
"Clean conscience," Martha said.
"It was a glorious victory!" Strax said.
"I didn't get a vote in the matter and I was the one subjected to the torture," the Doctor said.
No one spoke.
"It is a slippery slope from here," the Doctor said. "When you play god once, you can grow addicted to it. I have and I've seen it others, particularly the Master. Be careful of your choices in life from now and try not to get too emotional. That is all I will say."
No one spoke.
The Doctor turned away from the console.
"River, get everyone but Yaz, Ryan, and Graham home. I'm in need of a good kip."
"But darling don't you want me around to hold you through the nightmares?" she asked.
"River, I need a slight return to normalcy in my life," she said. "Having you around is a breathless adventure I'm too tired for right now. Get everyone home and send whatever you stole to a museum."
"Promise we'll meet again?" River said.
The Doctor kissed her lightly on the cheek.
"Always."
…
The Doctor breathed a sigh of relief when everyone was gone, and she was left alone in her own room. It felt good to be home.
Stripping off the nightgown, the Doctor looked at her body. Martha has obviously done a good job sealing her chest and there were no other visible injuries.
"I am in your mind."
The Doctor jumped and saw a Beluan in her room at the foot of her bed.
"You think something as simple as a bomb could get rid of me? I am in your mind and I will drive you to kill everyone you love and then yourself."
"No!" she said. "I'm stronger!"
"You are not. You are the most pathetic timelord we've ever tortured. Your screams were the loudest of any of them."
"Leave me alone!" she screamed.
"Doctor!" Yaz shouted
The Doctor quickly put on a robe and opened the door. She pulled Yaz into her embrace.
"It still isn't over," she sobbed.
The Beluan was watching her.