On A Wolf And A Whim
Part 2 What You've Got to Offer
By Literary Litany
Rose was everywhere. Everywhen. But the moment she felt that somehow familiar sensation she was ripped from it. She felt a mind brush against her own, keeping her from that broad expansiveness.
Rose Tyler. You are not strong enough to face it. Not yet. But we are.
We?
I am the Bad Wolf. You are the Bad Wolf.
You're… me?
No, I am what the universe made of you. I am the Bad Wolf. I create myself.
And she suddenly understood.
"I looked into the TARDIS, and the TARDIS looked into me…" It had said. She could remember now, almost as if it were her, but still not quite in the right perspective. For her own protection, she was reminded.
"That was the Time Vortex, Rose. No one's meant to see that." Her old Doctor had said that, and he had been right. No Human could see what she had seen and not go mad. So the Doctor took it from her, helped her forget. But the memories were still there, still alive. Still the Bad Wolf.
Rose felt dizzy at the idea, or she would have if she could feel the physical sensation. That was blocked off like the rest of it. She should have been afraid. It was logical since she didn't have control of her body or, it looked like, her mind. But she could still feel at least some of that human yet alien mind, and knew without a doubt that all the Bad Wolf wanted was her safe. Her and the Doctor safe.
Safe from the Beast…
She tried not to panic, to focus on staying safe away from all the information available that would drive her insane, just like the Bad Wolf had said to do.
But the Bad Wolf was distracted now, by its confrontation with the Beast, and she sat in her own little corner of that mind with all the information of the universe floating by.
Surrounded by the universe, and yet totally alone, Rose considered that maybe for once she knew what the Doctor felt. It was a humbling feeling to say the least. She just wished she could know…
She felt a memory of the Doctor brushing by and snatched at it without thinking.
A tall man with a messy mop of curly brown hair is seated in a chair near the TARDIS console. It doesn't look like the TARDIS she knows so well, but it feels the same. It is the same, like the man in the chair is the same as the man she knows. He's fiddling with a piece of crystal or stone or glass or plastic. It changes every time it moves. The man is thinking this is fitting. Time is always changing. Alive like his TARDIS. Fitting the key be the same. She knows, somehow, that he is about to find out how true that is. How alive the Key really is. Astra is about to teach him.
She felt dizzy again as she recoiled from the memory when it threatened to tell her more than she could know at once. Rose remembered the man: The Doctor, and something about a Key… But the rest faded back into a haze. Unscathed from her first experience, or at least mostly, Rose felt a greater curiosity burn. All of the universe, just floating by…
"I am before the Universe!" The Beast's face shifted into a menacing snarl, the echoing boom of its voice running along the great cavern's walls. Rose stood, looking infinitely small in front of the looming giant, but her expression didn't waver.
"I am the Universe." Came her calm, but somehow equally demanding reply. The voice was Rose's, but more than that. A Time echo. Sound echoing not just after the event, but before as well.
The Doctor froze. That shouldn't be possible. Unless Rose still had a direct link to the Time Vortex, she wouldn't be able to manipulate time. Direct link to a Time Vortex, which would still be in the TARDIS, which would mean…
He frowned accusingly into the darkness before hazarding another look at the Beast and Rose. Neither appeared to be moving, but he could feel the psychic tension. Both were brimming with Power, and they were busily trying to sum the other up to figure what kind of damage an outright confrontation would cause.
Something like that would definitely kill Rose, and probably take this planet with her.
Which meant the Doctor had to think very, very fast if they were going to make it out of this alive. He had a bargaining chip somewhere around here, if he could find it…
Bingo!
Now, if he could tell Rose to-
He bit his lip as he eyed the rigid body of his companion. She was in no condition to listen to him, especially if she was thinking of handling this all on her own. So he turned an appraising look at the awed human-in-a-space-suit next to him. He placed a hand on her shoulder and spun her around to face him, peering through the panes of glass separating them.
"Ida. You've got to listen to me." He spoke evenly and calmly, and was glad to see the wild look left her eyes somewhat. "My ship is down here, it looks just like a strange blue box, but inside there's…" He trailed off at the look of disbelief and confusion she gave him. He bit his lower lip and gave an exasperated sigh. "Just… give Rose this if she starts talking about me. Can you do that?" He pressed a spare TARDIS key into her gloved hand and pinned her with an intense stare until she nodded.
Without another word, but one final look at Rose, he forged off into the darkness.
The Bad Wolf felt the Doctor leave and a glimmer of confusion struck. It wasn't used to not knowing things, and she certainly didn't know why the Doctor would be leaving. The Doctor was always a wild card element, but couldn't he stay put for her? Trust her? It was here to protect him. He and Rose safe was all it wanted.
Then I will leave this planet. You may keep the human girl and her Time Lord. Keep them safe. Came the Beast's whispered and much smoother mind-voice. The Wolf let out a low hiss.
And why would I trust you to do this? It sneered, but not without a considering tilt to the borrowed head. Are you not the Great Deceiver?
You do not have to trust me. Merely do not stand in my way. Its voice was coaxing, and the Bad Wolf considered.
The thing before her had an evil purpose, but destruction would occur in the universe with or without the Beast's interference. There would still be worlds for Rose and her Doctor to save if the Beast was set loose. There would still be worlds they couldn't save, even if the Beast was kept down. Bad Wolf had seen how great the universe was, after all, and the Beast, unlike the Wolf, was still confined by Time. Was the harm that great if it could protect the two that really mattered?
A/N: Well, I continued… Not sure I'm very happy with how things are going a little fast plot and flow-wise… sigh Oh, well. If you have any suggestions, I'm open to them. I think I'm pretty set on a solid update-weekly schedule, though I may be a day late next week. I have a history paper due. Reviews are very much loved, especially in the form constructive criticism.
Speaking of which, to all my reviewers so far: THANK YOU! I LOVE YOU ALL!
Special thanks to KatmuEllon for the AU suggestion. That option completely slipped my mind. Which is what I get for impulse-posting. Feel free to smack me thoroughly.