Unto the Universe
Chapter Fifty: Torn in Twain: Waiting
By Lumendea
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any spinoff material, and I gain no income from this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.
AN: I'm posting this chapter early as I'm having a procedure done today and I don't want to risk loopy me on pain killers being in charge of posting this weekend as I don't trust her. Have an awesome weekend! Also, if you're on tumblr go and check out shandy_and_champagne! They made some amazing fanart of the series! My joy from their fanart will fuel all of next season alone!
….
Three hours into their four hours deadline and things were going smoothly. The heaters that had been put into the room to help speed up the construction of the wall were thrumming as the head as the cement dried. Rose had been pleasantly surprised when a work crew had arrived with the windows and doors. To the protests of both Doctors, Rose had stepped into the room while the doorframe was bolted into place and the door installed. As soon as they were done, she'd made them happy by returning to the outside.
Rose liked it when things went according to plan. The windows were being installed as she studied the heavy metal door. The extra layer of materials helped drown out the screaming which made everyone relax a little. She appreciated calm and predictability, but it also made her suspicious. UNIT had managed to construct the room around the rift. There was a line of defences to keep anything that came through in check.
Sharon and Shareen were upstairs as part of the medical crew and had slipped down for a visit. Peri had been fascinated by Rose having so many friends in UNIT while Rose didn't know how to even begin to summarize her life. All the while, Rose was aware of lingering looks from both Doctors as they checked on her again and again. The protectiveness was both sweet and annoying, especially from her Doctor that knew what she was capable of.
Things were going too well. Rose kept watch on the rift through the first of the finished windows which was right beside the door. They were narrow but were designed to open just enough so that the troops could fire into the space if necessary. She turned to glance at the Doctors.
They were each working on their projects with only the occasional remark to each other. Jack was with their Doctor, speaking with him and Malcolm and making adjustments to the instruments as the Doctor told them to. Rose's Doctor paused what he was doing and looked at Rose. Their eyes met and she offered him a soft smile. Malcolm drew his attention back to him and Rose looked at the younger Doctor. Now it was his turn to pause in his work and look up at Rose. His cheeks reddened and his eyes widened. That was more than a little flattering.
"We need to put this inside the room," the older Doctor said loudly, drawing everyone's attention.
He was holding a metal box with several odd bits and pieces sticking out of it. A long cable connected it to the computers and Rose eyed the distance doubtfully. But the Doctor looked pleased with himself. His counterpart eyed the device and snorted, but glanced at Rose and said nothing. The older Doctor eyed him suspiciously and Rose held back a sigh. Even when getting along by not fighting, they didn't accept the notion that they didn't need to fight.
"And this will help you pinpoint the source?" Malcolm asked eagerly. He was the only person here having any fun. "Really?"
"It'll still take a little time," the Doctor said. "But think of it as carbon dating. There's a certain energy decay that can give away the age of an object based on the rate of decay. Your system is now set up to record some other energy variations that will let me pinpoint a window of time and potentially a place on the other side of this rift. We don't even have to chuck anything in."
"That sounds pretty impressive," Peri said. She was smiling from beside her Doctor. "What about yours, is it finished yet?"
"Huh? Oh yes," the Doctor tapped the familiar tube-shaped temporal stabilizer. "It'll do the job when we're ready. I'm just refining it a little. The faster it works, the safer all of us will be."
"This is going very well," Peri said. She was smiling, but everyone else in the room grimaced. Peri herself seemed to realize what she's just said and sighed. "Sorry. Best not jinx it." She looked back at her Doctor who snorted a little. "Can I help with anything else?"
"At the moment, no." He straightened up and studied the object on the worktable. "It's ready. We're just waiting for the all-clear to use it."
"Soon," Rose's Doctor huffed. "Jack, what's the fluctuation level?"
Jack read off a series of numbers dutifully. He glanced at Rose and winked at her once he was done, nodding towards the two Doctors. Narrowing her eyes at him, Rose shook her head, but couldn't help but smile a little. Jack was behaving so well. Ever since he'd learned about the neverwere did to him, he was always cautious around them. It was probably the only reason that Rose wasn't getting hit with all sorts of jokes regarding two versions of the Doctor being present.
Peri walked over to join Rose. She held out a cup of water which Rose took and drained gratefully. For a moment neither of them said anything and Peri stepped closer to the wall, peering through the window.
"Does this happen often to you?" Peri asked. She eyed the rift through the window, nibbling on her lower lip nervously. "Holes in time and space."
"A worryingly amount lately," Rose answered. Turning just enough to look at Peri, Rose smiled at her and was pleased when Peri smiled in return. "I hope Jack didn't drive you over here."
"Huh?" Peri reddened a little. "No, he was very friendly but polite." She sighed softly. "The Doctor is so agitated at seeing another incarnation of himself. And UNIT seems to all know more than I do. Not sure what to do with myself. I mean Jack is keeping up with the Doctors. He seems to know a lot about time travel. Said something about the Time Agency. My Doctor wasn't too impressed by that."
"Yeah, Jack's an experienced time traveller on his own," Rose said gently. "As for what to do, I'm afraid that we're in hurry and wait mode right now."
Peri shivered and stepped closer to Rose while eyeing the rip through the window. "I feel better with the wall finished, but I wish that screaming would stop."
Rose nodded. They'd heard it before and that really worried Rose because it probably meant that all the rips were connected, at least in part, to the same location. There was evidence that it was a simple tunnel with only two openings. Instead, it could be a network of different rips all connected. But all of them were at least connected to where ever and whenever that woman was screaming.
"Yeah." Rose eyed the windows that were being installed in the wall. It wasn't perfect. The cement wouldn't dry immediately, not even with how high the heat was turned up down here, but it was something. Just in case neverweres came through. "We'll get it sorted out."
"I hope you aren't just saying that to make me feel better," Peri murmured.
"I'm not. I mean that is the sort of thing that I do," Rose admitted. "But two Doctors and UNIT, we'll be fine."
Peri smiled but still didn't look completely convinced. Rose glanced over at the Doctors. They had separated with the younger Doctor working on a temporal stabilizer that was already looking very familiar. Given recent events, Rose was starting to think that they should keep a couple of those on hand. They had bad luck with burning them out. Her Doctor was with Malcolm at the computers. Well, he was using the computer and linking it to some sort of cobbled-together device that was balancing on the edge of the workstation while Malcolm peered over his shoulder with wide eyes.
Then a familiar figure came down the stairs with the relief soldiers. Mickey Smith was in his uniform and Rose gave him a few moments of peace to officially change the guards in the room before approaching.
"Mickey!" Rose ignored all military decorum and threw her arms around her friend. "Good to see you." Mickey could handle any teasing that anyone sent his way.
He laughed and returned the hug and laughed. "Sorry I'm late, babe. Was stuck at proper HQ for a bit."
"I'm just glad to see you." Rose let him go and stepped back. She gave him a quick visual inspection. "You look good. Glad to see you're taking care of yourself."
"Yeah, well let's not pretend that Jackie doesn't have me over once a week and insist on feeding me." He paused and shrugged. "Her roasts are improving. They aren't instant death by dryness."
"Good to know," Rose remembered Peri was behind her. She turned and grinned at Peri who approached them. "Peri, this is Captain Mickey Smith. We grew up together."
"Nice to meet you," Peri said quickly. "I'm Peri Brown. I, uh, I'm travelling with that Doctor." She nodded towards her Doctor who was watching them with open interest.
"Nice to meet you as well," Mickey replied politely. He shook Peri's hand and then gave Rose one more quick hug. "Better check in with your Doctor."
Rose glanced at the door between them and the rip. She should stay near it, but… there was a room now. A proper room and soldiers were standing along the wall at the windows to keep watch. It was safe enough that she followed Mickey across the large room to join the Doctor. He brightened when she stepped beside him and took her hand, almost on reflex.
"Hello, Captain Smith," Jack greeted with a wide smile and hooded eyes.
"Don't," Mickey sighed. "None of that. Do not flirt with me. It's never gonna happen Captain Flash."
"You just keep breaking my heart," Jack whined. "I was just saying hello."
"For you that is flirting," the Doctor chuckled. He was smiling a little. "Good to see you, Mickey."
"Good to see you, boss." Mickey nodded to Malcolm. "Doctor Taylor. Any changes since the last report to HQ? I checked in with the General, but he said that the Doctor was in charge down here."
"Uh, no. I don't think so." Malcolm shook his head. "The General gave us a go-ahead to do what the Doctor wants so he's scanning to find the source of these rips." He nodded to the younger Doctor who was inching closer to their group with an interested expression. "The other Doctor has a device built that will allow us to close it once he- uh, the older Doctor finds the source."
Mickey forced his expression into neutral as he turned to the younger Doctor. The pair took each other in quickly and Mickey thankfully said nothing about the coat. Rose would hate to have to kick him.
"Good to meet you, sir," Mickey said as a greeting. "To your perspective I suppose."
"Indeed," the younger Doctor said. He glanced at Rose, his eyes dropping to her hand that was holding the Doctor's. "And correctly stated to. You've never travelled with me, have you?"
"No." Mickey chuckled and shook his head. "I just grew up with that one." He nodded in Rose's direction. "You pick up a lot of odd language spending time with her."
"Careful, Mickey," Rose murmured.
"Oh, I haven't even started. You and I both know that I have so much blackmail-"
"Someday you'll meet someone that you really like and I will return the favour," Rose countered. "So chose what favour that will be very wisely."
"I suspect that you were a troublesome one, Rose Tyler," the younger Doctor said. He was watching her intently, a small smile on his face. Peri was staring at him in open surprise.
"She was feral," Mickey replied. He was enjoying this far too much and Rose did not approve.
"That's too harsh a word!" Rose protested.
"You literally scolded a general when you were eighteen," Mickey countered. "Feral."
"Like all of us from that area don't have issues with authority." Rose rolled her eyes and glanced pointedly at Mickey's uniform. "Except for you, maybe."
He shrugged. "I was summoned by Sharon and Shareen to help save you from a UNIT traitor who literally locked you unconscious in a spaceship."
"What happened?" both Doctors asked in alarm.
"That was the thing with Horath and Colonel Adams," Rose said dismissively. "Not important, especially not right now." She fixed Mickey with a look. "Behave or I'll encourage Jack to flirt with you." Jack had his phone out and was grinning. Rose narrowed her eyes at him. "You'd better not be recording, Jack Harkness."
"No!" Jack gasped as if offended.
"Don't text the companions," Rose's Doctor huffed. He nodded to the screens. "Monitor."
"You never let me have any fun," Jack pouted. But he returned to the screens and watched them as Malcolm was staring at the Doctors with interest.
"This is an interesting look into the future," the younger Doctor remarked. He was smirking and Rose's Doctor bristled. He released Rose's hand and his younger self rolled his eyes. "Bit late to try and hide that. Alistair had a point in telling me after all it seems, you are not subtle."
"What?" the Doctor barked. "What did he do?"
Rose sighed and touched her Doctor's arm. "He didn't think that UNIT forces would be subtle about our relationship," she explained gently. "So, he told your younger self about us."
"Wait, what?" Peri's eyes went wide. Her mouth dropped open and she appeared torn between shock and glee as she looked between Rose and the older Doctor. "Really?"
"No need to sound so surprised, Peri." The younger Doctor scowled at Peri looking offended, but Peri merely smiled.
Rose hadn't expected that. She'd…. well, maybe not him to stay quiet, but not make it so clear that he knew. Her Doctor seemed more resigned than anything else, but his body language had shifted, becoming a bit more protective.
A beep from the computers made everyone stop. Rose's Doctor and Malcolm spun around to check on them while Jack strode towards the room, placing himself between the door and the rest of them. Rose hated it and released the Doctor's hand to join him. Jack was glaring at the door, his jaw tight and his hand was moving for the back of his jacket where Rose knew he had a weapon.
"Easy," Rose whispered. "We're okay. Everyone is alright."
"For now." Jack swallowed. "My training tells me this is impossibly dangerous and what you told me about what happened to me…" he trailed off and shivered. "Never know how to feel around these rips."
"Me neither." Rose shivered but stepped closer as the guards at the windows shifted nervously. "Doctor?" she turned back to look towards the Doctor.
"Rift is growing. Fast," he snarled. "Not sure why."
"Sirs!" one of the guards shouted.
Rose rushed to the window beside the door. A neverwere fell from the rift, this one larger than the average human and stumbling as it started to stand. Summoning her sword, Rose carefully shifted the latch of the window and began to ease it open. She shivered as cold rushed down her spine even though she knew it wasn't really cold.
"Do we open fire, sir?"
"Hold your fire," Mickey ordered. "Rose, it's your call."
"Let it get in range of me," Rose answered. "I can stab it through the window."
"For Rassilon's sake, be careful!" the younger Doctor shouted. "That's a neverwere!"
"I know what it is," Rose answered.
The door rattled as the neverwere threw itself against it. The wall held, but some of the heavy bricks shifted slightly at the impact. Everything was too wet to hold firm. Soldiers were positioning themselves at the windows, but Rose knew that guns wouldn't be of much use. Rose pressed herself against the wall and thrust the sword through the narrow opening of the window. The blade sliced through the shadowy form of the creature. It shrieked, the sound overwhelming the screaming from the rift. Stumbling back, it twisted and clawed at itself as its body dissolved away. But it turned to look at Rose, its pale eyes boring through the glass.
"That was… good lord," one of the soldiers murmured.
The sky had been a deep purple colour. The stars were always visible day or night though they were brighter when the distant sun was set. Geothermal springs warmed the planet and they lived in homes along the shores. Terraces of hot water grew their crops and small goat-like creatures were herded down from the mountains at the warmest time of the year. Children played on the banks of the springs, dressed in woven fabrics decorated with stone beads. Grief exploded in her chest as the sky turned red and ships appeared over their village. The war came and everything never was.
"Are you alright?" the younger Doctor caught Rose's arm and helped her stay upright. "Rose?"
"I'm alright." She shook her head, clearing the haze. "Really, I'm fine."
"You stumbled back," the Doctor protested. He stepped closer to her, open concern in his eyes. "That isn't fine."
"I just didn't brace myself enough." Rose held back a shiver at the memory of their world. She didn't really want to discuss seeing that with UNIT present, but she might not have a choice.
"Rose." Her Doctor was beside her and pulled her into a hug that Rose happily returned as his younger self released her arm. "What happened? You seemed faint."
"Doctor, honestly… I feel completely fine." She shivered. "I saw… I saw their homes again and that's unpleasant, but I'm not sure if they can hurt me otherwise."
"Let's not test that." The Doctor cupped her face, staring at her intently. "Rose, please."
"I'll be careful," Rose repeated in a softer voice. Ignoring their audience, she leaned up and pressed a soft kiss to the Doctor's lips. "Do what you need to do, I'll keep an eye over here."
"Rose?" Mickey had joined them. "Are you sure?"
"Yes. I'm fine," Rose promised. She was already getting tired of saying that. "Besides, my sword is the best weapon we've got." Forcing a smile, Rose gave a look to the Doctors and stepped to the doorway window. "Do you what you need to do."
The pair of Doctors exchanged a look before both hurried back to their workstations. There were no insults or snide remarks. Just a sudden understanding and determination. Rose was a bit flattered that she was worth putting aside their differences for and smiled. Summoning her sword again, Rose relaxed her stance and focused on guarding the rip to give the Time Lords a little more time.