Again, thanks for the reviews. Sorry I've taken a couple of days to update, but I've had a bit of writers block.
Never Leave Me
Chapter three
Disclaimer: Doctor Who isn't mine.
Summary: The Doctor thinks he can protect Rose form anything. But some things he just can't control.
Carrying Rose again, the Doctor stepped into 23rd Century Austria. It wasn't one of his favourite times, nothing particularly significant happened; the music hit a new low; it was really a terribly disinteresting century devoted to long speeches and very few quirks of the human race.
But as much as he hated this time, he had made a couple of acquaintances on the few occasions he'd visited. One of them was a Mr. Roger Muir, retired Medical Scientist and expert on diseases and poisons of the major planets in this arm of the Milky Way. And it was the same Roger Muir whose home he was standing outside at that exact moment.
"Just a minute," came a shout from inside. The Doctor growled irritably. He did not have time for delays. He looked down at Rose and saw no improvement, if anything she was paler than ever. After what seemed like and age, the door opened and the elderly man peered out at him. "Yes, who is it?" he asked, frowning short sightedly, he had been unable to find his glasses.
"It's the Doctor," came the reply. The aged scientist frowned and blinked. He only knew one person who he'd be expected to recognise as "The Doctor". But that was a much different and much older person to the young man standing on his doorstep now. "The doctor who?" he asked, suspiciously.
"Just the Doctor. The same Doctor. Big blue police box?" He hoped the old man would recognise him, Rose needed help. Now.
"But you aren't the Doctor. You can't be. You're completely different!" Roger shook his head. "I'm not sure I understand".
"It's a long story, and frankly I don't have time," The doctor gestured to the small pale figure of Rose in his arms. "I need help".
Roger nodded. "Well come in, my man, come in," it didn't matter who this man was; Roger didn't need to be a Doctor to know that that girl was in desperate need of medical attention. He held the door open to let the Doctor in and closed it carefully behind him.
Carrying Rose into the front room, the Doctor laid her carefully on the couch, before turning to Roger. "What's wrong with her?" he got straight to the point.
Muir just stared at him, bewildered. "I don't know. I need to have a look at her first".
"Well she's there. Find out what's wrong, tell me, and I'll fix it," Doctor commanded in a voice that was not to be argued with. Roger sighed, kneeling down next to Rose; he first checked her temperature (103), her pupils (Unfocused) her heartbeat (Weaker than should be) and finally the mark on her hand. His face became grave as he inspected it.
The Doctor, who couldn't stand not waiting any longer, was even less pleased at Rogers silence whilst not appearing to do anything. "Well?" he asked, impatiently. "What's the matter with her?"
"She has…" Roger stopped, unsure how to finish. "She appears to have been poisoned".
"Yes, I know that," he shot back, irritated. "What poisoned her and how do I sure it?"
Roger, who had found his glasses on the side table, took the off to clean them. "Well, you see, there is a cure for this type of poison. But it's not been developing for long and there's only a very, very small chance of her pulling through".
The Doctor swallowed, but didn't say anything. Roger went on; "Now, for this particular poison, she is doing rather well, but without immediate treatment her condition will worsen. I'm afraid Doctor, that her chances of survival are slim. We can still try though, I know of some very…"
But The Doctor wasn't listening. Rose was in danger. Rose could die. And it didn't see that he could do anything about it. A sudden wave of anger coursed through him.
"How did it happen?" he interrupted Rogers musings. The old man scowled at him for a second, thoroughly annoyed at being treating in the way, before saying "Now look, I don't know who you are for sure, you say you are the Doctor but all evidence suggests otherwise, and now you expect me to just accept everything you've said without question, you come into my house, the very least you can do is show some respect!"
The Doctor scowled right back. "You don't want to believe I really am the doctor you met 7 years ago, Muir, fine. You want me to show respect. Ok. But when I ask you a question you answer it, do you understand?" It was all said in a deadly whisper which sent chills about Muir's spine. He drew himself up. "Alright". He said. "The poison has been secreted from an insect bite, this particular breed of insect is found in many parts of our Galaxy, including planets such as Keithka, Barcelona, Kaela, Dansetis-"
"No!"
The Doctor stood, as if in shock. If anything could make the situation worse, it was this. Because if Rose was hurt by something as normal as an insect, something he couldn't protect her from, instead of by an enemy threat or as some deliberate plot, then there was truly nothing he could do. He was helpless. Rose could die, and there was nothing he could do to protect her but hope, and wait.
And if he couldn't protect her, then that was the worst thing possible.
A/N Sorry, I've had lots of w/b and I don't think I even like this last chapter. Still, please R&R and tell me what you think.
