Chapter Six-
Rose didn't know what happened, honestly. One second she was dancing and having the time of her life with the Doctor and the next him and her were yelling at each other in the private observation room they landed in. Rose huffed out angrily as she stood glaring out the window her back facing the angry and pacing Doctor. Her mind raced to figure out what had happened.
She remembered the Curator coming to ask for a dance with the Doctor, and dragging the man away from Rose before either of them could say anything. And then Jabe had taken the time it took for the Doctor to get away from the Curator to scan her with some strange device. And then, suddenly and shockingly, she had had what seemed to be a minor panic attack and had run from the room.
What Rose couldn't understand was the minor panic attack she had had. It was almost as if, for that split-second, her younger mind had taken over. Rose sighed and ran a hand down her face. She remembered suddenly feeling overwhelmed by everything, just as she had the first time. And, just as he had done the first time, the Doctor had run after her, though a lot quicker this time. And then they had gotten into a fight because she had refused to tell him what had happened to her. But how could she tell him something she didn't know! But she had to tell him something, had to make up a reason.
"They're just so alien!" Rose suddenly found herself saying. The sound of the Doctor stopping his pacing got her to look at him, he was giving her a confused look. "The aliens are so alien." He now had a slightly hurt look in his eyes. "I mean, I knew they would, but at the same time I didn't. And I thought I was okay, I really did or I would have told you. But then, I don't know." Rose told him with a sigh and hugged herself. They stood there for half a second like that before the Doctor reacted.
"Oh, Rose." He breathed out before striding over to her and pulled her into a hug. Rose relaxed and hugged him back, and smiled when she felt his tense muscles relax as well. "Good thing I didn't take you to the deep south." He joked causing her to laugh. "We can leave if you want. I can take you some where less Alien-y."
"We're already here though, might as well ride it out." Rose told him with a sigh, she wasn't going to run off and let all these innocent people die.
"I don't want you to have to force yourself to be fine around these people when they unnerve you." The Doctor said tightening his hold on her.
"They don't unnerve me." Rose tried to argue.
"You just had a panic attack Rose!" The Doctor shot back.
"Not because of them!" She responded without thought.
"Then by what? If it's not them that has unnerved you then what, or should I ask who?" The Doctor demanded, his arms dropping from her as if she had just burned him before taking a half step away from her. His blue eyes hard and cold as he glared at her. But Rose knew that his anger was just a mask to hide the hurt he was feeling.
"You don't unnerve me, Doctor! Never have! Never will!" She cried to him reaching for him, only to have him back away again.
"Then what, Rose, is unnerving you if not me or the guests." The Doctor growled out.
"Many things! I know we joked about the Earth revolving around you, Doctor, but not everything that is happening is because of you! I'm tired and I had a small panic attack as everything that has happened finally sank in. I left my mum and my best mate to travel with the most frustratingly annoying man in the universe. And you know what Doctor! I don't regret it!" Rose yelled at him, tears in her eyes by the end of her rant. She took a few deep breaths, she needed to calm not only herself down but also the Doctor.
"All right." She continued calmer now, cutting the Doctor off before he could say whatever he had been about to say, and Rose knew that whatever it had been would have most definitely continued the argument. "As my mate Shireen says, 'Don't argue with the designated driver.'" The Doctor rolled his eyes and fought off a small smile. "Can't exactly call for a taxi. There's no signal." Rose joked pulling out her mobile from her back pocket to look at it. "We're out of range. Just a bit." That got the Doctor laughing.
"Tell you what," The Doctor said stepping back up to her and gently took the phone from her, "with a little bit of jiggery-pokery." He popped off the back of her mobile and pulled out the battery.
"Is that a technical term, 'jiggery-pokery'?" Rose teased with a laugh.
"Yeah, I came first in jiggery-pokery. What about you?" The Doctor joked as he put the battery in his pocket.
"Nah, I failed that class. Did come second in hullabaloo, though." Rose told him with a smirk as he placed a different battery in the mobile before putting the back on and handed the mobile back to her.
"There you go." The Doctor said smiling at her, Rose smiled back happy that they were alright again. She hated whenever her and the Doctor fought, but she wouldn't stand down if she thought the Doctor was wrong (not that that happened very often) or when she was tired of him trying to do everything himself and not rely on her. Rose focused her attention back to her phone, knowing she needed to call her mother.
"Hello?" Jackie asked answering the phone, and Rose couldn't help the smile that found its way onto her face. No matter how much she loved traveling with the Doctor, she would always miss her mother.
"Mum?" Rose asked causing the Doctor to give her a small chuckle, in retaliation, Rose stuck her tongue out at him. She couldn't help the swell in her chest when she noticed the Doctor's eyes dilating while staring at her mouth. She wondered what he was thinking about.
"Oh, what is it? What's wrong? What have I done now?" Jackie asked snapping Rose out of her thoughts. "Ooh, this red top's falling to bits! You should get your money back." Rose laughed at that. "Go on, there must be something. You never phone in the middle of the day." Rose continued laughing cutting into her mother's rambling. "What's so funny?"
"Nothing, just miss you. Did you get my letter?" Rose asked confusing the Doctor.
"Yeah, Mickey gave it to me. What'd you mean when you said you got a job helping a doctor? Doctor who? What's he do? How are you helping him? How'd you meet him?" Jackie asked.
"Just bumped into him. Helped him out in a tough spot. And I do whatever I can to help him." Rose informed her mother locking eyes with the Doctor.
"He's not making you do anything you don't want to, is he?" The Doctor tensed up as Jackie asked that.
"No, Mum, he'd never make me do anything that I'm not comfortable with. He's not Jimmy." Rose told her and heard her mother's sigh of relief.
"Are you sure you're alright, Rose? Because, I'd come get you." Jackie said and Rose chuckled at that. "I would Rose, I'd get Mickey to help me and we'd come get you."
"I know you would Mum, but trust me, the Doctor would never let any harm come to me." Rose told her smiling when the Doctor smiled at her before pulling her into a hug. Jackie was silent for a long minute.
"Alright, luv, I trust you. But that don't mean I trust this doctor man. I mean you still haven't told me his name! When you two get back from whatever it is you're doing, we're gonna have a sit down and talk. You hear me?" Jackie told her.
"I hear you, Mum." Rose said biting her lip, wondering if the Doctor was actually going to sit and talk with her mother this time around.
"Is there something wrong?" Jackie asked in concerns.
"No, everything's find. Top of the world!" Rose joked causing the Doctor to laugh and tighten his hold on her.
"He's there, isn't he?" Jackie asked.
"He is, but he's not making me say anything I don't want to." Rose told her and shook her head at the Doctor's questioning look. "Look Mum, I gotta go. I'll call you whenever I can find the time. I promise." Rose said before hanging up with a heavy sigh.
"If you think that's amazing, you wanna see the bill." The Doctor joked tightly, obviously trying to keep from demanded her to explain that conversation.
"That was five billion years ago." Rose told him, knowing it would be too suspicious if she didn't comment on it. "She offered to come pick me up, but, she's dead now."
"Bundle of laughs, you are." The Doctor told her sarcastically.
"Right, you have questions." Rose said and the Doctor opened his mouth to ask them when the station rumbled and shook harshly. Rose's eyes flew over to where the metal ball had been tossed during their argument, and silently cursed when she found it open. She had completely forgotten about it!
"That's not supposed to happen." The Doctor told her giving her a look that she knew meant that his mind was racing to try and figure everything out. Rose took his hand getting ready to run.
"Honored guests may be reassured that gravity pockets may cause slight turbulence. Thanking you." The Stewards announced over the PA as the Doctor and her took off to the Main Observation gallery to the litany of voices, all talking at once. Panicked and hushed, but added together to become a dull roar. Groups had moved and were intermingled now, except for the Adherents of the Repeated Meme.
"Indubitably this is the Bad Wolf scenario." The Moxx of Balhoon muttered to the Face of Boe and the Curator, who had locked eyes with her the second she had entered the room.
"She did warn me this might happen." The Curator said with a troubled sigh looking away from Rose to look at the Face of Boe who was nodding.
"That wasn't a gravity pocket. I know gravity pockets, and they don't feel like that." The Doctor said pulling out his screwdriver before beginning to scan the interface next to the door. Rose caught Jabe walking over to them, the look in her eyes made Rose shutter. She couldn't tell if it was a good look or a bad look. Feeling her shutter, the Doctor looked around and saw the look Jabe was giving her. "What do you think, Jabe?" The Doctor growled out causing the tree to look at him. "Listen to the engines they're pitched up about 30 Hertz. That dodgy or what?"
"It's the sound of metal, that doesn't make any sense to me." Jabe told him her eyes making their way back to Rose.
"Where's the engine room?" The Doctor demanded causing Jabe's eyes to fly back to him. It was then that Rose realized what the Doctor was doing, he was keeping Jabe's attention on him and away from her. He had sensed her discomfort at the look Jabe had given her and was trying to protect her from it. Rose felt her heart swell with love for the man next to her.
"I don't know." Jabe said. "But the maintenance duct is just behind our guests' suite, I could show you." She finished her eyes drifting back to Rose, making her feel as if the invite was for her alone and not for the Doctor, but at the Doctor's growl Jabe's eyes flew away from her and back to the Doctor. "And your wife."
"Oh, I'm not his wife." Rose found herself saying before she could stop herself, a habit carried over from the last time. The Doctor's eyes flew over to hers, hurt in his eyes. And Rose realized that this was going to be a habit she would be happy to break.
"Partner?" Jabe asked eyes raking her up and down.
"Look, whatever I am, it must be invisible! Do you mind?" Rose snapped. She didn't know this tree well enough to be comfortable being looked at like that. That calming presence was in her mind once more and for a reason she didn't know, her eyes locked with the Curator's. "Tell you what, you two go and pollinate. I'll stay here." Rose growled out. The Doctor's face hardened at that, his eyes flying between Rose and Jabe as if trying to decide if he wanted to leave her here alone or take her with him and Jabe.
"Sounds like a plan." The Doctor said tightly, his mind made up and obviously he didn't like it.
"I'm just going to catch up with the Family. Quick word with Micheal Jackson." Rose joked nodded over to Casandra, glancing at the Curator when he snorted out a laugh again.
"Don't start a fight." The Doctor told her as she began to make her way to the Curator who was now standing in between her and the flap of skin. "Seems I'm all yours." He told Jabe.
"And I want you home by midnight." Rose called out to the Doctor, Jabe and the Curator snickering at that.
"Your mate is possessive." The Curator said shocking Rose as she spun around to look at him. "Surprised he even let you out of his sight with me around." He added before pulling her into an embrace that turned into a dance as Glenn Miller's 'Moonlight Serenade' began to play from the 'iPod'.
"Oh, you don't seem all that dangerous." Rose found herself saying in a slightly teasing flirt, there was something about him that made it almost natural for her to flirt with him, something almost Doctor-y. She looked at the Curator in surprise when he gave her a growl that reminded her of the Doctor's growl as he dipped her and kissed her throat .
"I'll have you know, Rose Tyler, I am more dangerous that you know. Most dangerous man in the universe, I am." The Curator said, his lips against her throat. He gave her throat a soft nip before he pulled her up from the dip. "I've been known to topple empires, save multiple worlds from war, and even send armies of millions running in terror with just a look." Rose blinked at him in surprise, a slight fear of the man rising in her. "Oh, but you have nothing to fear, my dear, I only do what I must to protect the innocent, my wife wouldn't be happy if I went off for no reason."
"You're wife?" Rose asked in confusion looking around to room to see if she could find this mysterious wife of his. "Is she here?"
"I'm afraid not, my dear wife had to stay at home with our twins. I told her I was popping out to grab some more nappies." The Curator told her with a smirk, his eyes twinkling in hidden laughter.
"You seem to have missed a turn, my dear sir, the nappies are to the left of the solar system, not right." Rose told him with a laugh and a small shake of her head.
"My wife always said I was bad with directions, I mean, if it weren't for her I'd never get to where I'm needed to be." The Curator joked.
"Don't worry, I'm sure if you're quick enough, once you leave here and pick up those nappies, you're wife will never know you made a wrong turn. It'll be our little secret." Rose whispered to him causing him to laugh.
"Oh, I'm sure my wife already knows I'm here, in fact I'm quite positive she knew I would be here even before I, myself, knew." The Curator told her with a wink as the song came to an end. "Have you met my dear friend the Face of Boe? I owe him not only my life but also my marriage, without him I don't think I'd have pulled my head out of my arse long enough to propose to the love of my lives." He told her with a loving sigh as he led her over to the Face of Boe.
Hello. Rose instinctively called out to the Face of Boe with her mind while smiling at him.
"I do believe you'll be in good company, but I must sadly leave you for now, my dear. Things to see, people to do, as I'm sure you know." The Curator told her with a smirk and a wink before taking her hand in his and bringing it to his lips before leaving her with the laughing Face of Boe.
I see it is finally my turn to bask in your light, My Lady. The Face of Boe told her, once he had calmed from his laughing, with a wink causing Rose to laugh at his blatant flirting, instantly reminding her of Jack. I would ask you to dance with me, but I fear our song has already played. Rose looked at him in confusion, they had a song? But then I would need arms to hold you again, wouldn't I, Rosie? Rose's eyes widened at that, there was only one person who called her that.
"Jack?" Rose whispered in shock.
Hello, Rosie, it is so good to see you. I've missed you. Jack told her as she gasped at him. Her eyes taking in everything about him.
What happened? How did you... when did... Bad Wolf shifted in the back of her mind pulling up the memory of her reviving him. Did I do this?
Rosie, please calm down. I've been like this a long, long time now. Jack confirmed. Yes, this is a result of that. But not like you think. From what I know, what I remember you telling me, what will be will happen as it is meant to. Don't worry. I've come to terms with this eons ago, my beautiful Rosie.
"Earth-death in ten minutes." The computerized female voice announced. Rose and Jack ignored it and continued to enjoy each other's presence for the next five or so minutes until Cassandra called out over the dull roar that filled the room interrupting them. Rose rolled her eyes and turned to look at Cassandra, wondering what the trampoline had to say now.
"The Planet's end." Cassandra called. "Come gather, come gather. Let us bid farewell to the cradle of civilization." Rose could have sworn she heard the Curator snort once more but couldn't find him in the crowd when she looked for him. "Let us mourn her passing with a traditional ballad." Rose shook her head wondering how 'Toxic' by the now long dead Brittany Spears was a traditional ballad for anything and mentally asked Jack that.
It's because it's not, Rosie. Jack told her and Rose nodded. If she were truly human then she would know that the traditional ballad for anything is 'Barbie Girl'. Rose nearly bit her tongue trying not to bust out laughing as she remembered the time when she tricked Jack into believing that 'Barbie Girl' was the national anthem for humans. He spent hours dancing around the TARDIS singing that song so proudly until the Doctor spilled the beans after getting annoyed by the song.
She shook her head at Jack as he began to sing 'Barbie Girl' in his head as she looked around. This was all new to her. By this point last time she had been locked in a sun scorched room and had no idea what had been happening. The doors to the main observation room opened as the Doctor and Jabe walked in.
Your Doctor has returned, Rosie. Jack told her, cutting into his song. Go to him, I'll be fine. I have the Curator here with me after all.
Who is the Curator, Jack? He knew me, how does he know me? I've never met him. Rose said and Jack shook his head.
That's the Curator's secret to tell, Rosie. Jack told her causing her to sigh before she turned and made her way to the Doctor, he met her half-way and took her hand in his before leading her and Jabe to the center of the room. Once at the center of the room, Jabe got everyone's attention and showed them the metal spider in her hand.
"The metal machine confirms, the spider devices have infiltrated the whole of Platform One." Jabe announced causing a shocked gasp to travel around the room.
"How's that possible? Our private rooms are protected by a code-wall." Cassandra gasped out and Rose couldn't stop herself from rolling her eyes, she hoped the truth about Cassandra would come out soon, she really wanted to lay into the flap of skin. "Moisturize me, moisturize me."
"Summon the steward!" The Moxx of Balhoon cried.
"He's dead." The Curator informed him receiving a suspicious glare from the Doctor as he took the spider from Jabe.
"Who killed him?" The Moxx of Balhoon asked.
"This whole event was sponsored but the Face of Boe! He invited us." Cassandra falsely accused.
"The Face of Boe would never endanger anyone like this!" Rose defended glaring at her, dropping the Doctor's hand and began to make her way towards the woman ready to throw down with her. She would not stand for this flap of skin to deface her friend like that. But she was stopped by the Curator grabbing her arm.
"Easy way of finding out." The Doctor growled out. "Someone brought their little pet on board." He said holding the spider up for everyone to see before setting it on the ground. "Let's send him back to master." The Spider slowly made its way around the room, stopping at Cassandra to scan her before going to Rose and stopped in front of her, one of its legs pawing at her like a dog would its master.
"Stop lying." The Curator growled at it. The spider beeped at him angrily before making its way behind Rose to the robed robots that Rose just noticed was way too close to her for her liking. How had she not noticed them coming up behind her? How had the Doctor not noticed? Or even the Curator?
"The Adherents of the Repeated Meme! J'accuse!" Cassandra cried out.
"That's all very well and really kinda obvious." The Doctor growled as he made his way to the robots, glaring that the Curator as he did so. The suspicious look in the Doctor's eyes alerted Rose that he believed that it was the Curator who was doing this. "But if you stop and think about it..." Before the Doctor could even get to the robots, the one closest to her swung. Rose cried out in pain as she was hit, knocking her to the ground, before the Doctor or Curator could react. "Rose!" The Doctor yelled as the Curator caught the robot's arm as it swung to hit her once more and ripped the arm off.
"A Repeated Meme is just an idea." The Curator growled as the Doctor fell to his knees beside Rose and gently touched her head causing Rose to hiss in pain. Why was she supposed to get hit by these robots every time? At least this time she hadn't been knocked out and dragged into a room to be fried to death. "And that's all they are, an idea." The Curator continued as he powered the robots down.
"Remote-control droids. Nice little cover for the real troublemaker." The Doctor said as he helped her stand up. "Go on, Jumbo. Go home." The Doctor ordered the spider while the Curator gently nudged the spider. The spider looked at the Curator and Rose felt the Doctor's grip on her tighten before the spider turned and made its way back to Cassandra, shocking not only the other guest but the Doctor as well. Rose shook her head at that, apparently the Doctor had been so sure that it was the Curator.
"I bet you were the school swot and never got kissed." Cassandra hissed out. "At arms!"
"What you gonna do, moisturize me?" The Doctor asked tauntingly but still placed himself between her and Cassandra.
"With acid." Cassandra told him causing Rose to gasp. "Oh, you're too late anyway. My spiders have control of the main frame. Oh, you all carried them as gifts, tax-free, past every code-wall. I'm not just a pretty face."
"You're not even a face." Rose snapped out causing the Curator to laugh.
"Sabotaging a ship while you're still inside it, how stupid is that?" The Doctor growled out glaring at her.
"I'd hope to manufacture a hostage situation. With myself as one of the victims. The compensation would've been enormous." Cassandra said and Rose rolled her eyes.
"Five billion years, and it still comes down to money." Rose said shaking her head.
"Do you think it's cheap, looking like this?" Cassandra asked her. "Flatness costs a fortune, you abomination!" Rose blinked in shock when both the Doctor and the Curator loudly, and darkly, growled at Cassandra.
"Arrest her! The infidel!" The Moxx of Balhoon cried.
"Oh, shut it, pixie! I've still got my final option." Cassandra announce.
"Earth-death in three minutes." The Automated voice alerted.
"And here it comes. You're just as useful dead, all of you. I have shares in your rival companies. And they'll triple in price as soon as you're dead. My spiders are primed and ready to destroy the safety systems. How did that old Earth song go? 'Burn baby, burn.'" Cassandra monologued.
Why do they always monologue? Rose asked Jack.
To give us away to stop them. The Curator replied back, shocking Rose having not expected his voice in her head.
"Then you'll burn with us!" Jabe told her.
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Cassandra told her feigning apologetic. "I know the use of teleportation is strictly forbidden, but...I'm such a naughty thing. Spiders, activate!" And with that Platform One shook and sparked. "Force-fields gone, with the planet about to explode... At least it'll be quick. Just like my fifth husband..." Cassandra said with a laugh. "Oh, shame on me! Bye-bye, darlings." And with that she and he henchmen teleported away.
"Safety systems failing. Heat levels rising." The Automated voice announced sending the room into a panic.
"Reset the computer!" The Moxx of Balhoon cried.
"Only the steward would know how." Jabe told him.
"No, we can do it by hand." Both the Doctor and the Curator announced at the same time.
"Rose, stay here and help the Face of Boe." The Curator ordered and Rose opened her mouth to argue. "You'll be safer here and that will allow me and your Doctor to be able to focus on saving everyone." The desperate look he gave her had her arguments dying on her lips.
"Who are you?" Rose asked.
"We don't have time for me to answer that question now, Rose. But I promise I will answer your question once we save everyone." The Curator told her softly before spinning around and raced to the door. "Doctor, with me! You lot, listen to Rose!" He ordered and the Doctor shot her a look before leaving her to race after the Curator.