Title: Manipulation of the Mind

Author: Trustno1

Disclaimer: Doctor Who was really my idea that the BBC stole from me years ago, and they can expect a lawsuit anytime. And if you believe that, you'll know that if you say gullible slowly it sounds like banana.

Chapter XV

Darkness. Complete, utter blackness, darker than the deepest parts of Space. Neither light nor sound could penetrate this vacuum.

For a moment, Rose believed her prayers had been answered and she had finally been put out of her misery. No more excruciating pain, no more merciless, malicious Voice to torment her. She felt calmer than she thought she would do – not that she made a habit of wondering what she'd think if she were to die. But she thought she might feel the slightest bit upset, especially as she never even saw the Doctor or her mum before it happened.

'Maybe I'm not dead. Maybe I'm just asleep, and this is some weird dream.'

Give the girl a medal!

Although Rose still couldn't see or feel anything – it seemed to be that she merely existed – she imagined her face would look a picture just now. She could just envisage her face contorted with horror and disgust, like the characters in the horror movies she sometimes made Mickey watch with her. Not because they scared her, no. It was almost an experiment to her, watching horror movies, seeing what could scare her most. More often than not, very little managed to scare her properly, sometimes they failed to make her even jump. There were parts that caused her to screw her face up in disgust, obviously, but it wasn't a deep disgust, it was on the surface, there one moment, gone the next. After all, it was on a TV screen, not in front of her. She persuaded Mickey to watch them with her to see the reactions of others, see how long another person hid behind a cushion; see how sickened they were by someone being decapitated. Again, like an experiment. She also liked to think it was in preparation. For what, she didn't know. Not at the time.

But at this time, with all those hours of horror-movie-watching behind her, she could very easily imagine the protagonist's face after hearing the dreaded Voice again. This link to something human, something she was able to relate to, prevented her from feeling completely terrified and forced her to think, but the shock was still there.

You're absolutely correct, Rose. You are asleep. In a fashion. I decided you could be better… managed, shall we say, if you were unconscious – you were doing an awful lot of thrashing about, you might've hurt yourself.

The flippant tone suggested to Rose that this Voice didn't give a damn one way or another whether Rose hurt herself or not, but cared more that she was no longer listening to it, and 'behaving'.

I'm doing this for your own good, whether you believe it or not, Rose. I'm just trying to make you see what's really in front of you, because living in denial, in hope, in expectation, is not a healthy way to live, Rose.

'I'm not listening to you. I am waiting for the Doctor to get back with the cure to get rid of you!' Rose thought angrily. At least there was no pain here – she could yell and contradict the Voice all she wanted and not have to worry that it felt like she was dying.

The Voice sighed patronisingly. Rose. How can you be sure he is? And don't tell me he's done it before. Maybe he did. But did he come back for you specifically each time? Or were most of those times occasions when it was his job to rescue someone in danger, and you happened to be that person?

A sick feeling crept into Rose – and not just because the Voice described what the Doctor did as a job – but it was one that she dismissed immediately. Sure, a couple of times he'd rescued her when he didn't realise it was her. But how many times had he come back for her? She could think of half a dozen off the top of her head straight away.

And how do you know he hasn't gotten sick of you always needing rescuing, always being in trouble and making life so much more difficult for him? So much so that he has just left.

'This is his ship, his home. He wouldn't leave. That's the stupidest thing you've said so far,' Rose thought back, finally thinking she was getting somewhere.

I never said he left the ship, did I? He left you in the Medical Room, went to the control room, and as we speak is looking for somewhere to leave you. Maybe it'll be London, maybe it won't be. And besides, this ship's endless – he could live here and never have to see you again, just lock you up in a room and leave you there.

'And I told you, he wouldn't do that. It isn't like the Doctor to just abandon someone.'

Isn't it? You've never seen him let someone go, let someone die?

She faltered. They were different circumstances. He had to do it, both times. Besides, he had picked her, the best. And she was still alive, she was still here.

Maybe he regrets it. Who knows what goes on behind that mask. What he thinks.

'I'm not listening to you anymore.'

I think you are, Rose. You're going to listen to me for as long as I like.

'And if I refuse?'

You'll find out when I wake you up, won't you? Oh, you may feel perfectly fine right now, but, then again, I'm sure most coma patients do. And your mind is detached from your body in a way, but when I return you… you'll wish you had listened to me, Rose Tyler. You'll wish you used your last chance to listen to the truth, instead of wasting it, hoping the Doctor will return for you. Because he won't. And I control you now. You're mine.

End Chapter XV