"ROWENA!" The Doctor screamed. No, this couldn't be happening. First Rose, then Rowena. His hearts couldn't take it, they couldn't take the intense pain he was feeling as he saw his child about to die. The beam was drawing closer; Rowena and the others with her would be the first to die at the hands of the Cybermen. It was like being back in his ninth incarnation, seeing Rose disappear in a ray blast from the Anne-bot on Satellite 5. Then add to that seeing the one you love give her life for you and for the child she brought into the universe. No, no living being could take this pain.
But the beam never hit, it rippled across some sort of bubble of shield. He lost sight of Rowena, but only for a moment in the white flash of light. When his sight cleared he could see Rowena alive and standing with the others, around them a gold shield glimmered in its protective triumph.
There standing before them, growling in menace was a golden wolf, it snarled and snapped at the Cybermen. Then with a flash it and the children were gone.
"Run!" a voice spoke in his ear.
"Fall back!" The Doctor shouted to the others, the Cybermen had started firing. The guards started falling, their guns having little effect on the Cybermen: Just slowing them down somewhat.
Those that were left ran back into the citadel, once inside they rush back to the control room.
"Rowena?" Romana asked.
"I don't know. The Cybermen were about to kill her and a few other children. Then some kind of gold wolf appeared in front of them and a shield stopped the shot from their guns."
"The Lady," Peledon said in reverence. "She will protect us"
"The Lady?" Romana asked.
"Yes the lady. Do not fear my old friend. Rowena will be safe, she will have been taken to the tower of Rassilon"
"How do you know?" asked the Doctor.
"Because the Lady is in service to Rassilon. Look, she comes"
All gathered to the window once more. There upon the tower stood the gold wolf, it howled to the skies then jumped the 100-story height. It landed amongst the roses with perfect grace and began to run towards the Cybermen. The lights came back on as the power was restored: They brought the wolf up on the main screen. You could see its lithe form ripple as the muscles propelled it forward. The flash of white as the light glinted of the creatures bared teeth as it snarled.
The Cybermen began to fire at it, but it never slowed, and with another snarling howl. It split up into hundreds of wolves, they ran on towards the Cybermen. Then inches from the Cybermen they all exploded into gold dust, the wave of gold flew towards the Cybermen. They gargled and screamed in their metal voices as they died. Writhing in death, trying to hold on to life. The dust reformed into the gold wolf, it looked to the red sky and howled in triumph, and then it looked straight at the control room.
The Doctor stood transfixed a moment, until finally the wolf disappeared as dust floating on a breeze towards the tower.
In the sky, just for a moment burned the seal of Rassilon, with a rose growing through it.
"What the?" The Doctor said, finally finding his voice as he ran his hand through his hair.
"I told you the Lady would act."
Other Time Lords stood still in awe or disbelief. In the streets of the citadel you could hear the people, crying in joy and grief.
"I'm going to the tower, I have to find Rowena." The Doctor walked from the room walking to where he left the TARDIS….
One minute they had been outside, the Cybermen shooting at them. Then that wolf from before had appeared to save them. Now they were in the tower of Rassilon. Right next to the greatest Time Lord's resting-place.
In the centre of the room was a stone box, which could only be his coffin. Around the side were the carved effigies of different Time Lords, she had been told the tales that Rassilon would grant you immortality by turning you into one of these effigies. To the side was a great window that lead to ramp that stuck out of the tower: The red sun clear in front of it. She looked out, seeing the numerous Cyber-craft, and the glints of silver that could only be the Cybermen. They were now in the streets of the citadel, she could see the flashes of their guns as they shot at people. Then there was a flash of Gold as the wolf jumped from the top of the tower, it landed and sped towards the Cybermen.
She saw it then multiply and explode into gold dust, from this height she could see it start to move through the streets. It looked like a Wolf head, its jaws opening to claim the Cybermen just a second before it struck each one. Then it was over. The wolf disappeared. There was one final flash and all the remains vanished, the Cybermen, the ships. Even the burnt roses: It was like it never happened.
Rowena turned as she heard a gasp from the others. The wolf was standing by the stone coffin, it snarled as Inada briefly before it looked to Rowena.
"You," Rowena said quietly. It nodded at her then padded past, it walked toward something she had yet to notice.
It was a large statue. There was what looked to be a throne with Rassilon sitting upon it. Behind him was his seal in gold. With a vibrant red rose growing between the ribbons of the symbol
At Rassilon's feet sat a women: The material it was made of making her look so life like Rowena could almost believe she was just pretending. She looked beautiful.
"Who's that?" Inada asked in awe at being here
"I think its my mother" Rowena said quietly as she walked towards the statue. It was then she saw her mother had her hand on the statue of a gold wolf: It was made out of pure gold, curled beside her mother. Her mother was actually leaning against the throne by the side, her legs curled beneath her and the wolf curled next to her. As if she and it were protecting Rassilon.
The wolf walked forward and passed though the gold wolf like a ghost: Lying down and disappearing in its figure. Then there was a flash and the woman appeared from her statue. Her hair blonde, she was wearing what looked to be 20th century clothing: A hoody and jeans. She looked at the children.
"Do not fear young ones you are safe."
"Mother?" Rowena asked gently.
"No, I am sorry child. I am not the mother you seek. I merely took her form."
"Ha, to think you thought this great being was your mother, Rowena" Inada laughed.
"Silence! You know not of what you speak, young one. It is time you learn. I am the shadow of Rose Tyler. I am the Bad wolf, servant to Rassilon. Now you will take the others to the entrance of this room. They will come soon," the Bad Wolf commanded, and Inada quivered before her, under her golden gaze of the Time-Vortex.
Rowena waited until the others had left before she turned back to the visage of her mother.
"But, if you are not my mother. Why did you help me?" Rowena was crying now.
"Oh child, come here." Rowena accepted the embrace; they sat upon the steps leading to Rassilon's Coffin. "I am the echo of your mother, a shadow. How could I not help her child? I have her memories up to her death, you are like a child to me. But I am not your mother: She died that day to save you and your father."
"B…but why you, why this form?"
"I didn't do it to hurt you, but Rassilon deemed it a worthy form. For she gave her life willingly and in doing so saved not only you and your father, but the whole of Gallifrey. He needed a new defence to watch while he rested, the Time War had weakened him. So I, the Bad wolf was re-born," Bad Wolf replied, wiping the tears from Rowena's face.
"Reborn?"
"I have been the Bad Wolf two times before: The first was when your father was about to die at the hands of the Daleks. He had sent your mother away to save her, but she did not want to leave him. So, she opened the heart of the TARDIS, looked deep into the vortex: And I knew life. She created herself, sending the words Bad Wolf through time and space to lead her to that moment. She destroyed the Dalek's there. Ending the Time War." Rowena looked shocked, so her mother had not only saved Gallifrey, but also stopped the very Time War?
"The vortex, however, was never meant to be seen by anyone, lest of all a human. It was killing her, your father in his ninth incarnation kissed her to take it from her. Causing his regeneration into the form you know."
"They must have loved each other." Rowena replied, looking out over the setting sun.
"Oh yes, they were soul mates. Still are in fact."
"Is this the second time becoming Bad Wolf?"
"No, the second time I knew life was when your mother died. Rassilon then summoned me, to use the shell of Rose Tyler. I have her memories, but that is all. I can never leave Gallifrey; in this form I cannot even leave the tower. In my wolf form I can only move around the planet, to protect it if need be. I can never be her." The Bad Wolf finished, seeming sad.
"Wish father could see you."
"No! It is best she remains dead; she waits for your father. Has never left his side, silent whispers in his sleep and waking moments. But if he sees me, his love for her may blind him to the truth."
"I understand."
"But child, if you ever want to ask about your mother, I will answer your questions."
"Thank you." Rowena embraced the Bad Wolf.
"Rose!" both looked round at the form of the Doctor, standing wide eyed in the doorway.
"Oh dear," was all the Bad Wolf could say
The TARDIS had dematerialised in the tower. Normally there would be some defence, but he seemed to be granted passage. He walked a little way before he saw some of the children, the young ones looked up and smiled, running to him.
"Champion!" they basically glomped him, he laughed.
"Hello, young ones. Where is Rowena?"
"Talking to the pretty lady!" The young girl replied.
"Pretty lady?"
"Yeah, says she her mother."
"Mother…..? Inada take them into the TARDIS. Don't. Touch. Anything." He knew Inada, being one of the councils member's daughter. Then he walked to the chamber of Rassilon, he immediately gasped at what he saw. His daughter talking with the other half of his soul.
"Rose!"
"Oh dear," the voice was even like Rose, except it had a strange lilt, like it was timeless.
"Rowena, go to the TARDIS, your friends are there," he said without even looking at her. She looked to the Bad wolf, which nodded and she left the room.
"Hello, Doctor."
"Rose…." It was but a whisper as he moved forward.
"No Doctor, I am the Bad Wolf. Rose is dead. You know this."
"No, the body left, turned to gold dust. Just like you can," he was now cupping her face.
"Yes, Rassilon took her shell for me to inhabit. I am not her. You know this, you felt her last breath," she touched the hand on her face; he closed his eyes against the pain as tears fell.
"But, you act and sound just like her!" He almost sobbed.
"Oh, Doctor." She pulled him into a hug, and he held her in a bone-breaking embrace. He began to cry then into her neck, incoherent words leaving his mouth. "Shh, love it's okay," she stroked his hair.
"How?"
"I have her memories until her death, but I am the Bad Wolf. She died Doctor, but she waits for you, though you already knew that."
"There was so much I wanted to say to her, to show her."
"She knew how you felt Doctor. And I hold that, but I can never be more than I am. I am a tool, a defence. The one you love, your soul mate still waits for you, is still standing by your side. You can't say you haven't felt her, for I have," she replied, still holding the crying Doctor.
"I know, I didn't for a while. But recently while I have been away, trapped and nearly giving up hope. It was like I could feel her hand in mine, and her voice telling me to hold on. Or telling me off." He gave a snotty laugh at the last bit.
"You see. Just like Rowena, if you want to talk about her. Then I will listen, it does get lonely up here. Now go to your daughter, you silly git. She has just survived Cybermen and you just sent her off without a hug!" She poked him, her tongue between her teeth.
"Thank you," he kissed her on the cheek.
"You're welcome, Champion."
"I hate that."
"I know, that's why I said it!" She replied as she merged with her statue.
"Cheeky!"
"Always," came the faint whisper, and the Doctor knew it wasn't the Bad wolf that had spoken.
Rowena looked up as her father walked into the TARDIS. She could see he had been crying, but only she could tell.
"Come here, you!" She ran to him as he opened his arms for a hug. The large brown trench coat covering her, she buried her face in his chest as she cried. She felt him kiss her on the top of her head.
"I thought I was never going to see you again dad."
"And I thought I was going to lose you," he replied, his voice thick. Then as if a switch had been flicked he was all energy. "Come on then, let's get you lot home." He started flicking switches as the TARDIS dematerialised with its traditional groan.
They arrived back at the citadel, the children leaving to go to their homes. Inada held back a moment.
"Rowena."
"Yes, Inada?" Rowena replied, expecting some kind of cruel comment.
"I'm sorry for what I said, about your mom. You were right about your mum, she was…..I can't think of a word good enough." Inada look like she meant what she said.
"I forgive you. Friends?"
"Friends." They shook hands and walked from the TARDIS, to be met with loads of Time Lords.
"What's going on, Father?" She asked of the Doctor.
"The arrogant fops are arguing over what saved us," they stood side by side as they listened.
"It was Rassilon who saved us!"
"No, it was the Lady!" Peledon shouted back.
"It was neither." Rowena looked up at her father.
"Then who was it Doctor?"
"It was the Bad Wolf. Who serves Rassilon; she has the form of Rose Tyler. She is alive and one with Vortex," he replied.
"Oh, come on. You expect us to believe that?" One Time Lord mocked, "just like you expect us to believe that primitive ape you were infatuated with, saved us from being stuck in time!" Some laughed at this.
"Shut up!"
"ENOUGH!" Came a deep booming voice, and there in the centre of the room, Rassilon shimmered into existence. Beside him was a gold wolf. "I have had enough of this, we are Time Lords. But you squabble like primates over a banana! What the Doctor says is true, you were saved by the human know as Rose Tyler. Now you were saved by the Bad Wolf, my servant." He indicted the wolf. Who then turned into the image of Rose.
"At this point in time I am ashamed to be known as a Time Lord. That you would belittle such a sacrifice, and even squabble when I decide to honour her by adding her namesake to my symbol. The Bad Wolf will protect Gallifrey from this moment on." Bad wolf turned back into her wolf form, then the two disappeared.
After that the arguing died down somewhat, after all, who wanted the wrath of Rassilon after them, knowing it would involve being on the receiving end of sharp teeth and powerful jaws.
Rowena stood on the threshold of the TARDIS. All her stuff was in her room; between her and her father they had installed all the new components to the TARDIS, she sounded better than she had in years.
"So, we said chips right?"
"Yes, please!"
"Chips it is."
The TARDIS dematerialised, leaving the field of Roses. Rowena's adventures had only just begun…
KITG: Epilogue to follow