Future Echoes

Chapter Two

"I know you said no strays but-" Rose began to explain hastily as the Doctor starred blankly over the limp body lying on the floor.

"- That doesn't matter." He muttered absently, scared to touch her in case it created a paradox.

"Not to anger you even more Doc, but we got company. Can I suggest we get moving?" Jack remained firmly at the door. The Doctor didn't make any movement; he didn't even seem to hear Jack. There was no time to waste; with an enquiring look to Rose he locked the door to the Tardis.

"Doctor?" Rose pulled on his arm. "What's wrong? She needs your help and we need to leave." He turned slowly to her, looking dumbfounded. "Doctor, what is it?"

"Nothing, get us moving Jack; Anywhere far from here." The Doctor snapped out of his daze. "Rose, follow me." After a moment's hesitation, he scooped the body from the floor and escorted Rose to a secondary room, with a table in which he could lay the body.

"Is she gonna be ok?" Rose asked as he pulled off her coat and blouse inspected the wound on her back. For a phaser blast it was pretty deep. "Doctor!" She shouted impatiently; he had zoned out again.

"Rose, will you just be quiet. I'm thinking, and you're not helping." He snapped, searching his memory. A scar, the Andromeda he knew had a scar on her back where the phaser burn was. He was meant to save her, this was always meant to be. "Of course, I am a genius. Rose, I'm going to save this woman. Want to watch me work?"

"Are you going to snap again?" Rose questioned, the Doctor looked up apologetically. "Then yes, I would like to stay."

"Ok, well this phaser burn is nothing like I've ever seen before; she is still alive though." The Doctor's hand skirted Andromeda's throat. "Will you get my spanner Rose." Once Rose had left the room the Doctor plunged his hand at the burn. His hand went straight through the skin. He found the true phaser blast; a magnesium-like compound had hardened over her heart. She started convulsing and the presence of his hand. "It's ok Ann, I'm saving you."

"Doctor! What the hell are you doing to her?" It was Jack; apparently Rose was staying outside. He moved swiftly the table and held the girl down. "Are you crazy? You're killing her." His hand was now firmly on the Doctor's arm.

"If I don't do this she's going to die Jack." The Doctor growled. "Do me a favour-" With his free hand he undid the buttons on his shirt. "Come over here, and grab her heart." He removed his hand and wiped it clean with a towel.

"Excuse me?" Jack looked completely disgusted.

"Oh Just do it Jack," The Doctor didn't have time for him to argue. Jack reluctantly complied and reached into Andromeda's body. "Now when I tell you, grab hold of her heart real tight and rip it out. Move out the way quickly because I won't have much time."

"What are you going to do doc?" Jack couldn't see what the Doctor was doing because he had his back to him.

"I'm giving her one of my heart." He explained as if he was simply giving her a tissue.

"You're wha- what? Doc, have you gone insane?" Jack's fingers twitched which made her body convulse again. "Is this even gonna work?"

"Yes." He replied cheerfully.

"Doc, no offence but it's not as if you've done this before; well unless you've got a stock-pile of heart lying around you're body that you've not told us about."

"It's been done." Was all the Doctor would say on the matter. He had his hand clasped around one of his own hearts. "You ready Jack? We have to move quickly."

"Ready as I'll ever be." Jack answered weakly; his own heart was beating extremely fast.

"Ok, go now." With this order Jack removed the woman's dying heart and stepped away as soon as he could. Stepping towards the woman, the Doctor removed his heart, as quickly as it had been taken from him it had been plunged into her body. Sealing the wound, the Doctor moved away and slumped upon the next table, feeling extremely light headed. "Keep an eye on us. We will both be asleep for a while. You're priority however, is Andromeda." With his final words the Doctor drifted into a painful sleep.

……………………………………

"Everything ok?" Rose questioned as Jack joined her. "where's the Doctor?"

"He's sleeping." Jack stepped towards her, dumbfounded. "They both are. Rose, he- well he just gave her his heart." He looked at her with clear pain in his eyes. "He gave a stranger his heart."

"He – wow, that's – wow. That would have been so cool to watch." Rose was intrigued. "Wonder if he would have given me his heart if I had needed it." Rose mused.

"I went to get her so I could save her, now he's gone an' done it ten times better than I ever could." Jack grunted. "I'll have you know that I'd give her my heart-well, if I had two of course."

"Stop it Jack." Rose couldn't help but laugh. "The Doctor has saved her life it the best way he knew how; it's not something to be jealous about."

"But she's my girl-"

"Thought no matter what happened I was still your girl Jack-" Rose punched him playfully.

"-That was before the Doc moved in on my Randi-" It suddenly dawned on Jack, "He knew her name."

"So," Rose replied. "You probably told him."

"I didn't, and if I did I would have called her Randi, not Andromeda."

"Don't worry Jack, I'm sure it's nothing." Rose pulled him to her. "Just a guess, nothing more. How long are they going to be out?"

"Few hours I think." Jack mused.

"Where do you want to go then?" Rose asked him. "We can do what ever we want-"

"Rose, you're a genius. I know exactly where to go." He went back to the room that Randi and the Doctor where sleeping. He brought back her heart. "I can save her in another way." He programme the co-ordinates. "Hold on tight doll."