Chapter Seven-
"Earth-death in two minutes. Earth-death in two minutes. Heat levels critical. Heat levels critical." The Automated voice alerted as Rose, with the help of Jabe, moved everyone as far away from the window as they could, crowding into the corridor. Rose knew that this wouldn't stop the heat from taking people's lives, but she hoped it would help save more people from that terrible fate.
They will be alright, Rosie. Jack told her when he caught her worrying her bottom lip while looking down the corridor that the Doctor and Curator had run down.
I know. Rose told him wiping the sweat off her brow.
"Heat levels rising. Heat levels rising." The Automated voice announced. And though Rose knew from experience that the Doctor would save them in time, she couldn't stop her tears.
"Your mate will save us." Jabe told her calmly as she wrapped a calming arm around her.
"I know. I just wish this didn't have to happen." Rose told her.
"I think we all wish that." Jabe told her.
"External temperature 5,000 degrees." The Automated voice alerted and Rose growled inwardly wishing that damn thing would shut up! "Heat levels rising. Heat levels rising."
We know already! Rose growled in her mind.
It's just doing it's job, Rosie. Jack told her calmly and she sighed.
"Heat levels hazardous." The Automated voice announced.
"We're going to die!" The Moxx of Balhoon cried and Rose wanted to reassure all of them that no they were not, but the Bad Wolf was keeping her from telling them that, because not all of them here were going to make it.
"Heat levels hazardous." The Automated voice said and Rose felt helpless. She wanted to help but she couldn't do anything! She was stuck here watching as the heat began to take people. Rose dislodged herself from Jabe and ran around a corner to curl up and cry. She couldn't do this! She couldn't watch these people die! "Shields malfunction. Shields malfunction. Shields malfunction." She could hear the glass in every room start to crack in the heat and she curled in on herself even more as the heat began to rise even more. What was taking the Doctor and the Curator so long! At this rate everyone was going to die!
"Heat levels critical. Heat levels critical." The screaming began and Rose covered her ears and cried as Bad Wolf confirmed her fears. There was nothing she could do. "Heat levels rising. Heat levels rising. Planet explodes in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one." Rose squeezed her eyes shut as the count down began. "Shields raised." The Automated voiced announced and Rose let out a sigh of relief, they had done it.
"Exoglass repair. Exoglass repair." The Automated voice alerted.
Jack, are you alive? Please tell me you're still alive. Rose cried out.
You can't get rid of me that easily, Rosie. Jack whispered back to her, his voice strained and guilt hit her hard.
I'm sorry I ran, I just couldn't...
You have nothing to apologize for, Rosie, hell if I could have, I would have run with you. Jack told her as she stood up and walked around the corner to see the damage. The Moxx of Balhoon was dead, along with a good portion of the workers as their friends and family mourned over the piles of ashes and bodies. Thankfully Jabe, Lute, and Coffa were still alive. Rose looked towards Jack to see that most of the liquid in his jar had evaporated. Foot steps caught Rose's attention and she spun around in time to see both the Doctor and the Curator storming down the hall angrily. Rose's breath caught in her throat as she caught sight of the Curator's bandaged hands.
I'm fine Rose, I heal quickly. The Curator sent her mentally. But he needs you. He added and Rose didn't need to know who he was talking about as she rushed to the Doctor and quickly took his hand. He led her and the rest of the living back into the main observation hall.
"You all right?" Rose asked him quietly.
"Yeah, I'm fine." The Doctor told her, his tone letting her know that no, he was not all right. Rose bit the inside of her cheek to keep from arguing with him, there was still something left to do. "I'm full of ideas. I'm bristling with 'em! Idea number one, teleportation through 5,000 degrees needs some kind of feed. Idea number two. This feed must be hidden nearby." He said leading her over to the ostrich egg, taking it one handedly and cracked it open taking the device that was inside it.
"Idea number three." He continued leading her to the center of the room. "If you're as clever as me, then a teleportation-feed can be reversed." He said as he reversed the feed and brought Cassandra back, alone.
"Oh, you should've seen their little alien faces..." Cassandra bragged as she appeared back on Platform One, alone. "Oh." She cried out in shock.
"The last human." The Doctor growled.
"So, you passed my little test. Bravo!" Cassandra said. "This makes you eligible to join the... the Human Club."
"People have died Cassandra, you murdered them." The Curator growled at her.
"It depends on your definition of people!" Cassandra snarled at him. "And that's enough of a technicality to keep your lawyers dizzy for centuries! Take me to court then, Curator, and watch me smile and cry and flutter."
"And creak?" The Doctor asked pulling Cassandra's attention away from the Curator towards him.
"And what?" Cassandra asked in confusion.
"Creak! You're creaking." The Doctor told her with a smirk.
"What? I'm drying out! Oh, sweet heavens! Moisturize me, moisturize me!" Cassandra moaned in pain and Rose's heart hurt for her. Enough people had suffered and died today. "Where are my surgeons? My lovely boys! It's too hot!"
"You raised the temperature." The Doctor told her darkly.
"Have pity! Moisturize me!" Cassandra begged.
"Help her." Rose begged the Doctor receiving a confused yet slightly proud stare from the Doctor while the Curator sent her a proud smile as if she had passed a test he had hoped she would.
"Everything has its time and everything dies." The Doctor told her turning to glare back at Cassandra and Rose had to stop herself from telling him that Cassandra wouldn't die here.
"I'm too young!" Cassandra screamed just before her flap of skin exploded. The Doctor tightened his grip on her hand before turning to lead her out of the room, only to be stopped by the Curator.
"I believe you promised that I could talk with Rose after you had dealt with Cassandra." The Curator said and ignored the Doctor's growl. "She asked me a question earlier that I intend to answer."
"You can answer her here and now, with me present." The Doctor told him and the Curator shook his head.
"No, this is a question that needs answering in private, away from you." The Curator told him softly.
"Then she doesn't need it answered!" The Doctor growled as the guests began to leave one by one.
"I believe that decision is Rose's to make." The Curator said and soon both of them were looking at her. Rose fought the urge to stay with the Doctor knowing that this was a question that needed to be answered. It was the reason he was here this time around.
"It'll only take a minute, Doctor." Rose told him and had to fight the guilt that threatened to consume her at the hurt and betrayed look he was giving her before he ripped his hand from hers and stormed out of the room with the Face of Boe being wheeled out behind him as the last guest.
"He'll be back. He will always come back for you. Once he cools off he'll be back." The Curator told her holding out his hand for her to take, and she couldn't find the strength to take it. Sensing this, the Curator dropped his hand and gave her an understanding smile before silently mentioning her to walk with him. "Earlier you asked me a question, you asked who I was."
"And you promised to answer me after everything was done." Rose said as they slowly walked over to the window.
"And I intend to keep that promise." The Curator told her.
"Who are you?" Rose asked.
"I am the Doctor." He told her, shocking. "Well, I am a future version of the Doctor. I am also a promise, a glimpse at a future that you could have. We could have this, if you want." He told her as they locked eyes.
"And what do I have to do to get this future?" Rose asked in barely a whisper.
"Don't let pinstripe me catch you." He told her. "He's going to figure out what you are doing once his memories start to change, he won't realize it right off the bat. But when he does he'll begin to hunt for what is changing his past, and his hunt will lead to you. And he'll do everything in his power to stop you and set everything to the way he believes is right. And if he catches you, if he gets his hands on you, he will succeed. And it will kill him, literally." Rose gasped at that. "But, if you can be strong and faster than him, you will save not only me but also the universe. I know you can do this Rose."
"How do you know this?" Rose asked him.
"Because I would not be here talking to you." He told her before kissing her on her cheek. "I know this is a lot to ask of you, but if me and the TARDIS did not believe you could do this we would not have asked you to do this, my Pink and Yellow Rosebud." And with that, he turned and left her alone in the observation room. Rose turned and looked out the window, mind already made up. She would do this, she would save her Doctor and the universe.
Minutes later the Doctor found her staring at the ball of molten rock that used to be the Earth. Rose turned to look at him with a loving smile as he made his way to her, happy to note that he was calmer now. When he was close enough, Rose held out her hand to him and was pleased when he took it as he settled next to her. Where he belonged. Next to her with her hand in his.
"The end of the Earth." Rose told him before he could ask her what the Curator said to her. "It's gone. We were too busy saving ourselves. No one saw it go." It was silent between them as the Doctor turned his head to watch her instead of the planet in front of them. "All those years, all that history, and no one was even looking! It's just..."
"Come with me." The Doctor said softly before he gently led her back to the TARDIS. Without a word the Doctor quickly set in some coordinates before flipping the dematerialization. The trip was a lot less rocky and they landed with a soft bump instead of the normal bounce that she had grown so used to. And, without the TARDIS having to tell her anything, Rose knew that this was the TARDIS's way of apologizing for everything that Rose was going to have to face in order to keep herself with the Doctor.
Once landed, the Doctor gently took her hand and led her out of the TARDIS and into the busy street of central London. Rose knew the Doctor was trying to make up for everything that had happened, to apologize for forcing her through that. But the Doctor had nothing to apologize for.
"You think it'll last forever, people and cars and concrete." The Doctor started as she took everything in. All the sights, all the sounds, all the smells. This was Earth, this was London, this was where she was born and raised, but this was not her home. It hadn't been home since she ran into the TARDIS that first time around. Yes, she still loved this place. Yes, she would defend this place. But her home and heart belonged to the Doctor and his TARDIS. "But it won't. One day, it's all gone. Even the sky." Rose knew that he was thinking of his home, of what he had to do.
It was only then that it dawned on her why the Doctor had taken her to the end of the Earth, he was trying to get her to understand him on a level no one else could. To understand how it feels to loose one's home. But, unlike with her, he would never be able to pop back in time for a quick visit because Gallyfrey no longer existed in any time.
"My planet's gone. It's dead. It burned, like the Earth. It's just rocks and dust. Before its time." The Doctor told her releasing her hand to pull her into a hug.
"The war took it, didn't it, Doctor?" Rose asked knowing the answer.
"I'm all alone, Rose, they're all gone. I've got no one, it's why I travel on my own now." The Doctor told her, his broken tone causing her heart to hurt for him.
"There's me." Rose told him.
"You've seen how dangerous it is. Do you wanna go home?" The Doctor asked and knew he was asking about the flat that she shared with her mother because he didn't know, couldn't know, that her home was with him in the TARDIS hand in hand. Rose shook her head, answering him.
"I want..." Rose started but stopped herself from continuing, she couldn't tell him that she wanted to be with him, wanted to save him, wanted him to love her the way she loved him, wanted forever with him. The delicious smell of chips filled her nose. "Can you smell chips?" Rose asked causing the Doctor to laugh.
"Yeah! Yeah." The Doctor told her.
"I want chips." Rose told him.
"Me too!" The Doctor said as he continued to laugh.
"Right then, before you get me back in the TARDIS, chips it is and you can pay." Rose told him with a smile.
"No money." The Doctor informed her and Rose laughed remembering that it was only after this that the Doctor started carrying around money with him.
"What sort of date are you?" Rose joked with a light laugh. "Come on then, tightwad. Chips are on me. We've only got five billion years till the shops close." That caused the Doctor to laugh before pulling her into a kiss.