Guess who's back.. back again... ME. Anyway, this chapter is like one of the longest I've posted on here... whoops... Anyway, enjoy, allons-y!
The Doctor had just gotten inside and tossed his coat on one of the coral supports when Alex rushed in, closing the door behind her. She let out a heavy breath before slipping her coat off and tossing it on top of his.
"Finally escape?" He asked, grinning cheekily at her.
"Shut up, idiot" She snapped, trying to hide her smile. He laughed. "You honestly have no idea" She continued, walking up to stand beside him. "Jackie Tyler is the mother of all mothers. I'd understand her doing this to me if I was around when Rose went travelling, but we're gone and there at the same time. Isn't one enough for her?"
"She likes you" The Doctor shrugged. "More than I can say"
"Well she likes this you" Alex corrected. He gave a small shrug that Alex took as him agreeing. He pulled a lever and the rotor started moving, making the two grin proudly at the machine. Alex moved to the other side of the console, flicking a couple smaller switches ready to take off. The door opened and swung shut and they looked up to see Rose standing in the doorway, smiling at them. They both grinned in return, starting up the Tardis and taking off now that their last passenger was on board.
Rose began to help them along, knowing some of the controls from each of them. Of course, with a whole new set of memories, Alex now knew how to operate everything on the Tardis. Along with the fact that she had, in fact, passed her flying test.
"Where are we going?" Rose asked, looking between the two.
"Further than we've ever gone before" They answered together. They glanced over the console at each other, meeting the other's gaze with a smile before going back to flying. With the three of them all working it was a rather smooth ride and they landed rather soon. Alex ran straight from the console to grab her coat, slipping it on and rushing outside before the Doctor had even reached his. Rose followed her soon after and the Doctor after her, his coat back on.
"It's the year five billion and twenty three" Alex told Rose.
"We're in the galaxy M87" The Doctor continued. "And this"
"This is new Earth" They finished together, grinning at the girl who stared around her in awe. Alex looked around herself, smiling at the hover cars zooming by over the grass covered hill.
"That's just… that's…" Rose burst out laughing suddenly, not finishing her sentence.
"Not bad. Not bad at all" The Doctor finished for her, nodding.
"I'd say more 'bloody brilliant'" Alex corrected.
"That's amazing" Rose spoke up again. "I'll never get used to this. Never. Different ground beneath my feet" She jumped up and down a couple times, looking around again. "Different sky… What's that smell?" The Doctor reached down and pulled out a couple blades of grass, showing them to her.
"Apple grass" He told her.
"Apple grass!"
"Yeah, yeah"
"That's beautiful!"
Alex nodded in agreement, pulling up a couple blades of grass herself, sniffing them before popping them in her mouth. Rose and the Doctor made disgusted faces at her and she copied a moment later, pulling the pieces of grass from her mouth.
"Well, doesn't taste like apples" She declared, flicking the pieces away as she tried to get rid of the taste.
"Never… actually thought to try that" The Doctor admitted. Alex simply shrugged.
"So, did the humans make it or…?"
"No, it was already here, humans aren't that creative" The Doctor shook his head. Alex snorted in amusement, rolling her eyes.
"Oh, I love this. Can I just say" Rose linked their arms with hers, grinning at them both. "Travelling with you. I love it"
"Ditto" Alex grinned in return.
"Me too" The Doctor agreed. "Come on!" He said suddenly, pulling Rose along as he grabbed Alex's hand on the way. The three of them ran off down the hill, laughing as they went. They stopped a bit lower and the Doctor took off his coat, laying it down and plopping himself down on one side of it. Alex frowned slightly.
"Is there enough room for three on that?" She asked incredulously. The Doctor glanced at the empty space beside him before looking back up at her.
"We'll manage, come on" He grabbed her hand and pulled her down beside him, making her squeak in surprise. He then pulled her right against his side so there was room enough left for Rose. Alex laughed, lying down flat on her back beside him as he sat up slightly on his elbows. Rose sat on her other side, leaning back on her hands. The other two watched the city and the cars while Alex watched the sky and the Doctor told them about the planet they were on.
"So, the year five billion, the sun expands, the planet gets roasted"
"That was your first date" Rose teased the two. Alex laughed and glanced over at the Doctor who was grinning at her.
"We had chips" He remembered.
"Chips are good" She nodded. Unknown to the two, Rose looked between them and mentally patted herself on the back, if purely for the fact that neither of them denied it.
"So anyway, planet gone, all rocks and dust, but the human race lives on, all spread out amongst the stars" The Doctor continued.
"Of course, planet blows up, being humans they get all nostalgic" Alex added in.
"Big revival moment, but then they find this place!"
The two sat up for a better look at the landscape.
"Same size as Earth, same air, same orbit, really a wonderful find" Alex elaborated.
"Call goes out, humans move in" The Doctor finished, sharing a smile with Alex as she leaned against him.
"What's the city called?" Rose asked out of curiosity.
"New New York" The Doctor told her.
"Oh, come on" She scoffed, not believing them at all.
"It is! It's the city of New New York!" He insisted.
"Well, technically it's the fifteenth New York from the original" Alex pointed out. "So it's actually New New New New New New New New New New New New New New New York" Rose stared at the two a moment and they both seemed to notice at once.
"What?" They asked together, both a mix of confused and worried.
"You're both so different" She told them, still watching them. They grinned at each other before looking back at her.
"New New Doctor"
"New New Alex"
Rose laughed and the other two joined in a moment later.
"Can we go and visit New New York?" Rose asked, getting to her feet. "So good they named it twice?" Alex grinned in amusement as she stood.
"Well, I thought we might go there first" The Doctor corrected, nodding at another building on one of the hills.
"A hospital?" Alex frowned, turning to him. She snorted in amusement when she realised he couldn't get his coat on because of the wind, helping him pull it on.
"Green moon on the side, that's the universal symbol for hospitals" The Doctor elaborated for Rose "I got this" He pulled out the psychic paper, flipping it open to show them. "A message on the psychic paper" The message scrawled itself across the paper as they watched. Ward 26. Please come. "Someone wants to see me" He tucked the paper back in his pocket.
"And I thought we were just sightseeing" Rose commented, but not sounding too put out. "Come on then! Let's go and buy some grapes" The Doctor took Alex's hand and Rose followed as they started down the hill towards the hospital. Alex became quieter after a moment, not even paying much attention to what the other two were talking about. She had tried to stop the memories from coming back when they did, but she couldn't keep them away. Everything that she knew must have been so long ago but felt like just yesterday. The memories she didn't have a few days ago. The Doctor seemed to have completely forgiven her for what happened in the war, but how could she? The last day of the Time War, the day he finished what she had started. The day she-
"Alex? You alright?" The Doctor's voice pulled her from her thoughts and her gaze snapped to his, her eyes wide.
"What? Oh, yeah, fine" She stumbled slightly, shaking her head. "I'm fine" He frowned
"Alex, if you're not up to this today, we could-"
"No, I'm fine. Someone needs to see you" She told him. "I'll be completely fine" The Doctor nodded, although he still seemed unconvinced.
"Mind you, we're going to a hospital right now. Don't like hospitals" He told the two, making a face as they reached the doors.
"Bit rich coming from you" Rose scoffed. They walked in to the large blindingly white reception room, glancing around as the Doctor made a displeased face and Alex made a similar one at the lack of color.
"I can't help it! I just don't like hospitals, they give me the creeps" The Doctor protested. Alex shook her head, glancing around. There was an announcement over the speakers and the three fell quiet for the moment until it stopped.
"Dunno why, I always liked them" Alex told them before correcting herself. "Not the emergency room, that part's rubbish. Not the white either, hate the white. More like early 21st century ones. With carpet. Something about the quietness of the empty halls I think"
"Understandable" The Doctor nodded.
"Very smart" Rose commented, looking around. "Not exactly NHS"
"No shop, I like the little shop!" The Doctor complained. Alex glanced around with a frown to find there was, in fact, no little shop.
"Rubbish" She muttered, standing on her toes as she looked around once more, as if it would help.
"I thought this far in the future they'd have cured everything" Rose commented, her confusion clear.
"The human race goes on, but so do the viruses" The Doctor told her. "It's an ongoing war" A human sized cat nurse walked past them, nodding politely at the trio. Alex nodded in reply and the Doctor smiled at her but Rose just stared as she passed.
"They're cats" Rose said simply, pointing after her.
"Well, don't stare" Alex admonished.
"Think what you look like to them all… pink and yellow" The Doctor pointed out. He suddenly pointed over Alex's shoulder. "That's where I'd put the shop! Right there!" Alex looked over the empty wall he was referring to, following him as he wandered over to the lifts. They walked in as the Doctor spoke where they wanted to go.
"Hold on! Hold on!" Rose called, rushing over as she'd realised they were gone. Alex tried to take a step forward, frowning as the doors closed quickly. The Doctor pulled her back, giving her a look for almost stepping between the closing doors.
"Too late, we're going up" He called through the doors.
"It's alright, there's another lift" Rose's voice came back.
"Ward 26, and watch out for the disinfectant"
"Watch out for the what?"
"The disinfectant"
"The what?"
"The di- Oh, you'll find out"
Alex shot him an amused look before water turned on suddenly, showing down on the two. The Doctor didn't seem to mind at all but Alex squeaked in surprise. She laughed however when he started ruffling his wet hair like he was having a shower. It stopped after a bit and the two were suddenly covered in a puff of white powder. Alex huffed and blew it away from her mouth as much as she could, missing the Doctor watching her amusedly. Something akin to a blow dryer started up last, dying the two off with warm air.
Alex smiled, actually finding it quite pleasant and one glance told her the Doctor thought the same. He held his coat open to let it dry properly and Alex copied him a moment before turning her attention to her hair. She was satisfied with the results by the time the air stopped and the lift doors opened. The Doctor took her hand as he stepped out and she followed without complaint. It wasn't long before they were found by one of the nurses and led into the ward.
"Nice place" The Doctor told her, Alex nodding in agreement. "No shop downstairs, I'd have a shop. Not a big one… just a shop, so people can shop" Alex shook her head with an amused smile having to bite her lip to keep from laughing at the surprised look on the nurse's face.
"The hospital is a place of healing" The nurse told him, almost seeming offended.
"A shop does some people the world of good" The Doctor argued. "Not me… other people"
"Jackie Tyler for instance" Alex suggested.
"Yeah, there you go" The Doctor nodded, grinning at her. Alex couldn't help but grin in response.
"The Sisters of Plenitude take a lifelong vow to help, and to mend" The nurse told them, handling the two strange people quite well in Alex's opinion. That was one of the reasons she like a lot of the side characters and companions on the show, the way they managed to deal with the Doctor. Clara for instance, was one of her favourites. Then again, there weren't two of them on the show.
"Excuse me" Someone snapped annoyedly, catching Alex's attention as a very prim looking woman scowled at the Doctor. "Members of the public may only gaze upon the Duke of Manhattan with written permission from the senate of New New York" She recited, glaring at the two. Alex stepped forward with a scowl of her own at the woman's tone.
"That's petrifold regression, right?" The Doctor asked slowly, drawing Alex's attention to the rather large man lying in bed, who looked to be half stone. She blinked in surprise, suddenly guilty that she could be angry enough with this woman to not notice the dying man.
"I'm dying, sir" The man spoke weakly, confirming her thoughts. "A lifetime of charity and abstinence and it ends like this"
"I'm sorry" Alex spoke softly, regarding him sadly.
"Not your fault dear" The Duke told her in return.
"Any statements made by the Duke of Manhattan may not be made public without official clearance" The woman spoke up again. The Duke called her back over and she almost yelled about privacy to the nurse beside them before she led the two away.
"He'll be up and about in no time" The nurse assured them.
"I wouldn't think so" Alex frowned, glancing at the Doctor for confirmation.
"That's petrifold regression, he's turning to stone" he agreed. "There won't be a cure for… oh… another thousand years? He might be up and about but only as a statue"
"Have faith in the sisterhood" Was the nurse's only answer. Alex went back to glancing around the room, pausing as she recognised the very person who must've called them here. "But is there no one here you recognise? It's rather unusual to visit without knowing the patient"
"No, I- I think we found him" Alex told her, her hand moving of its own accord to tap the Doctor's arm incessantly for a moment. He looked down at her and followed her gaze, his mouth falling open slightly in shock. Alex grabbed his sleeve and tugged him over with her to the corner where the face of Boe was sat in his glass jar
"Novice Hame, If I can leave this couple in your care?" The nurse currently with them asked the younger nurse politely.
"Oh, I think our friend got lost. Uh… Rose Tyler. Could you ask at reception?" The Doctor asked as she was leaving.
"Certainly, Sir" She nodded, continuing on her way.
"I'm afraid the Face of Boe's asleep" Novice Hame told them. "That's all he tends to do these days. Are you two friends or…?" The Doctor glanced down at Alex as she settled herself cross-legged on the floor in front of the Face of Boe, placing a hand gingerly on the glass.
"We met just the once on Platform One" The Doctor told her, still watching Alex. "What's wrong with him?"
"I'm so sorry" Novice Hame told them, seeming honestly apologetic about it. "I thought you knew. The face of Boe is dying" The Doctor's gaze on Alex suddenly became worried. It was obvious she knew him better than he'd thought at first. Either he was important in his future, someone she knew from that show of hers, or he was someone she'd met before in her newly restored memories.
"Of what?" He asked, still wary of any response from Alex.
"Old age. The one thing we can't cure. He's thousands of years old. Some people say millions, although that's impossible"
"Oh, no" The Doctor smiled, crouching down beside Alex. "I like impossible. I'm here. I look a bit different, but it's me… It's the Doctor…" He placed a hand on the glass beside Alex's and the Face of Boe let out a sigh. He didn't miss the way Alex smiled, like she was looking at an old friend she had missed dearly. He excused himself a minute later to leave her with her friend. Alex smiled once he was gone.
"He doesn't know" She spoke softly. "Doesn't know who you are. This one's already met young you, last time he hadn't, but it'll be a while yet before he connects the dots" The Face of Boe smiled softly. There was another moment or two until the Doctor returned, holding a small futuristic looking paper cup down into her line of sight. She gave him a smile of thanks as she accepted it, taking a sip as he handed another one to Novice Hame.
"That's very kind, but there's no need" She told him, taking his offering nonetheless.
"You're the one working" He pointed out, moving to look out the large window.
"There's not much to do" She shrugged. "Just maintain his smoke. And I suppose I'm company. I can hear him singing sometimes. In my mind, such ancient songs"
"Are we the only visitors?" The Doctor asked, Alex leaning forward with her elbows on her knees as she was interested to know too.
"The last of Boe-kind became extinct, long ago" Novice Hame old them in answer. "He's the only one left. Legend says the Face of Boe watched the universe grow old" Alex and the Doctor smiled at the thought. "There's all sorts of superstitions around him. One story says that just before his death, the Face of Boe will impart his greatest secret. That he will speak those words only to a pair like himself"
Alex looked up, frowning slightly. She didn't remember much of this episode, sure. It wasn't one of her favourites. But the Face of Boe's secret was much more than a detail in one episode. And she knew for certain he was to tell only the Doctor. What could she mean, a pair? It couldn't be…
"What does that mean?" The Doctor asked curiously.
"It's just a story" Novice Hame brushed off.
"Tell us the rest" Alex requested.
"It's said he'll talk to two wanderers. The ones without a home. The Lonely God and his Angel"
The Doctor's gaze snapped to Alex and she looked back at him, neither saying a word.
Alex watched as the Doctor borrowed her phone to call Rose, frowning slightly at the little she could hear from the other end. Something clicked in her mind and she turned away from the Doctor as her expression fell into an 'oh' of realization. But it was likely she couldn't do anything about it at the moment, so she simply waited for him to finish on the phone. She frowned again when her gaze fell on the Duke of Manhattan, now completely free of stone and laughing with a champagne glass in hand. She took a step back to stand beside the Doctor.
"Doctor…" She called slowly. He waved her off, muttering about interrupting him while he was on the phone. Alex huffed, shooting another glance at the Duke before starting to tug at the Doctor's sleeve like an impatient child. He glanced at her, shooting her a look until she gestured to what she was looking at and his face fell slack in shock.
"I'd better go, see you in a minute" He spoke into the phone, hanging up before handing it back to Alex as he walked past her. She pocketed her phone and followed him along to the Duke's bed, standing behind him shyly as she glanced over the small crowd of people.
"It's those two again!" The Duke cried happily, seeing them. Alex gave a small smile to mirror the Doctor's as he scratched absent-mindedly at his ear. "They're my good luck charms! Come in! Don't be shy!" The last bit seemed directed at Alex as she still stood behind the Doctor slightly.
"Any friendship expressed by the Duke of Manhattan does not constitute a form of legal contract" The woman beside him reminded them. The Doctor nodded and Alex copied the action, not being too annoyed now as the woman was more clearly simply doing her job, even smiling as she held her own glass of champagne. She pressed a button on a small remote to make the Duke's bed sit upright as he told her to.
"Ah! Look at me! No sign of infection!" The Duke proclaimed happily.
"Champagne Sir, Miss?" A man spoke up, offering a tray with a couple glasses. The Doctor politely declined even as Alex took one with a smile and an enthusiastic 'thank you'. She took a sip of her glass, silently judging the taste to herself as she listened to the Doctor speak, standing beside him now that he had all the attention.
"Uh, you had petrifold regression right?"
"'Had' being the operative word" The Duke agreed happily. "Past tense. Completely cured"
"But that's impossible" The Doctor frowned slightly.
"Primitive species would accuse us of magic. But it's really the tender application of science" One of the cats spoke up, smiling.
"How on Earth did you cure him?" The Doctor asked in disbelief.
"How on New Earth, you might say" She corrected. Alex snorted in amusement, hiding her smile behind her glass as the Doctor glanced at her.
"What's in that solution?" He asked, nodding to the drip that was still hooked up beside the bed.
"A simply remedy" The cat-woman told him elusively.
"Then tell me what it is" He challenged.
"I'm sorry, patient confidentiality. I don't believe we've met. My name is Matron Casp" She told them, giving them a soft smile as if she wasn't avoiding their questions.
"I'm the Doctor. This is A-"
"I'm Alex" Alex cut him off. Partially for the fact that she could very well introduce herself thank you very much, and also part because she almost didn't trust him not to say the wrong name. The one he was used to.
"I think you'll find that we're the doctors here" Matron Casp replied, looking to the Doctor.
"Matron Casp, you're needed in intensive care" One of the nurses told her, glancing at the other two.
"If you would excuse me" Matron Casp told them politely, leaving with the other nurse as they spoke to each other quietly. Alex and the Doctor exchanged a glance.
"Worth a look 'round?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Well worth a look 'round" She agreed. The two pulled out their glasses and slipped them on in synch, moving to look over the medicines being given to people whose illnesses should have killed them already.
It was a bit later when Alex had decided to go and sit by the Face of Boe once more and Doctor was still looking around when Rose stepped into the ward. Although, Alex noticed right away, it didn't seem to be Rose. Her jacket was unzipped halfway down and her top was showing decidedly more than before. She was walking differently and the smile she gave when the Doctor looked up was all wrong. Alex frowned from her spot across the room. This was all so wrong. She felt like an obsessive child complaining about an actor playing a character wrong. That was, of course, because Cassandra wasn't much of an actress.
The Doctor waved her over after showing 'Rose' some of the patients who'd been healed miraculously. Alex gave the Face of Boe one last glance, but he was still sleeping, so she stood and wandered over to the Doctor, following behind the two as they wandered out of the room.
"Because if they've got the best medicine in the world… why is it such a secret?" The Doctor was asking.
"I can't Adam and Eve it" 'Rose' spoke slowly. It took all Alex had to not glare at her. The voice was way wrong. It's like Cassandra wasn't even trying.
"What's… What's with the voice?" The Doctor asked, looking at her confused. Alex rolled her eyes when she knew neither of them would be able to see. Seriously, men.
"Oh, I don't know, just… larking about. New Earth, new me" Cassandra spoke slowly.
"Well I can talk, New New Doctor" The Doctor grinned.
"Mm, aren't you just?"
And before Alex could even remember what was going to happen next, it happened. Cassandra grabbed the Doctor and pulled him down for a long kiss, her hands moving through his hair as she did. The Doctor froze in shock. Alex's mouth fell open in shock as she stared, unable to think let alone do anything to stop her. It was a good ten seconds before she pulled away, staring at him.
"T- terminal's this way" She told him breathlessly, not even looking at Alex as she walked off. The Doctor looked over at Alex with wide eyes.
"I- I didn't…"
"You'd better bloody fix Rose" She said lowly, not giving away her anger to the best of her ability. She knew it wasn't his fault anyway, she was angry at Cassandra.
"Yeah, yeah, I know, I will" The Doctor nodded quickly. Alex gave one more short nod, waving her hand in the direction Cassandra had left and watching him go before following. He smoothed his hair quickly as he walked, glancing at Alex every moment or so.
"Nope, nothing odd" The Doctor told them, looking over the information the terminal was giving him. "Surgery, post-op, nanodentistry, no sign of a shop, they should have a shop"
"Worry about the damn shop later" Alex snapped, getting impatient to fix Rose. She didn't like the way Cassandra kept looking at her. She was almost glaring everytime she thought no one was looking and it was more annoying than anything.
"Right. Sorry" The Doctor apologised quickly.
"One of the nurses came around to get the Matron, something about intensive care. Where is it?" Alex asked hintingly. One of the things she remembered. Something about intensive care. She wasn't sure what, but there was something.
"You're right" The Doctor noticed, going back to work. "Well done" Even with Cassandra still scowling at her back and a cat nurse conspiracy going on, Alex smiled.
"Why would they hide a whole department?" Cassandra asked as the Doctor was pulling out the sonic screwdriver. "It's gotta be there somewhere, search the sub-frame"
"What if the sub-frame's locked?" The Doctor asked, glancing up at her. Alex knew the answer of course, but she also knew what he was doing, so she kept quiet.
"Try the installation protocol" Cassandra responded without a pause.
"Yeah, 'course" The Doctor nodded, scanning the screen with the sonic. "Sorry, hold on" He turned the screwdriver off and the whole wall slid downwards, revealing a hidden passage. Alex made a face at it as Cassandra walked right in. The Doctor glanced back at her, offering a hand when he saw she wasn't moving. She took his hand, following him in slowly.
"I don't like this, it's like Scooby-Doo, you just know someone's gonna pop out any second" She told him quietly. He smiled softly but didn't answer as they continued in.
"Intensive care, certainly looks intensive" He commented as they stepped out into the open room. They were on what looked like some kind of catwalk in an extremely large room. There was a long row of green pods down one side and a metal barrier of the other. On the other side of the room there was the same and it continued that way up and down as far as they could see. Thousands upon thousands of pods. Alex gasped softly and the Doctor's grip on her hand tightened slightly. He glanced back at her, checking that she was okay and she nodded.
He moved to one of the pods, dropping her hand to open it with the sonic. Inside was a clearly sick-looking man covered in boils and sores. Alex gasped, covering her mouth with her hand.
"That's disgusting" Cassandra made a face. "What's wrong with him?"
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry" The Doctor whispered softly, horrified. He closed the door gently before opening another right beside it.
"What disease is that?" Cassandra asked, looking at the woman inside with disgust.
"All of them" Alex responded quietly, her voice cracking slightly.
"Every single disease in the galaxy, they're been infected with everything" The Doctor finished, closing the door and turning to glance at Alex. She gave him another small nod but he watched her a moment longer.
"What about us? Are we safe?" Cassandra asked. Alex had to remind herself she was in Rose's body before she felt too inclined to punch her.
"The air's sterile, just don't touch them" The Doctor told her, moving to stand by Alex at the barrier. She turned and they all looked out at the rows upon rows of pods.
"How many patients are there?" Cassandra asked, looking out.
"They're not patients" Alex corrected.
"But they're sick" Cassandra frowned, not understanding.
"They were born sick, they exist to be sick" The Doctor spat out angrily. "Lab rats. No wonder the sisters have got a cure for everything, they've built the ultimate research factory. A human farm" Alex reached out to take his hand, hesitantly at first but when his hand grabbed hers tightly, she returned the favour.
"Why don't they just die?" Cassandra asked, unaware of both tightening their grip on each other.
"Plague carriers. The last to go" The Doctor explained shortly.
"It's for the greater cause" A voice came from behind them. The three of them turned as Novice Hame strolled in.
"Novice Hame. When you took your vows, did you agree to this?" The Doctor asked coldly.
"The sisterhood has sworn to help"
"What, by killing?" The Doctor returned in a shout.
"But they're not real people" Novice Hame tried to reason, calm as ever. "They're specially grown. They have no proper existence"
"What's the turnover, hm?" The Doctor went on, advancing dangerously. Talking, not shouting. But anyone who knew the Doctor knew that his calmness in anger was most dangerous. "Thousand a day? Thousand the next?" Alex followed silently, glaring as she let him talk, their hands still clasped together. "Thousand the next? How many thousand? For how many years? How many?"
"Mankind needed us. They came to this world with so many illnesses" Novice Hame tried to reason. "We couldn't cope. We did try, we tried everything. We tried clone-meat and bio-cattle, but the results were too slow. So the sisterhood grew it's own flesh. That's all they are. Flesh"
"So are all of us. But these people are alive" Alex pointed out.
"But think of all those humans out there… Healthy, and happy because of us" She continued.
"If they live because of this, then life is worthless" The Doctor stated bluntly.
"But who are you to decide that?" Novice Hame challenged.
"I'm the Doctor" He stepped forward. "And if you don't like it, if you want to take it to a higher authority, there's only one" Alex stepped forward, taking her place beside him.
"Me. It stops with me" She stated confidently.
"Just to confirm" Cassandra spoke up, looking over the two's shoulders. "None of the humans in the city actually know about this"
"We thought it best not…" Novice Hame admitted, seeming almost taken aback by her question.
"Hold on" The Doctor interrupted. "I can understand the bodies. I can understand your vows. But there's one thing I can't understand… What have you done to Rose?"
"I don't know what you mean" Novice Hame told him.
"And I am being very, very calm, you wanna be aware of that" The Doctor told her, deadly quiet now. "Very, very calm. And the only reason I am being so very, very calm is that the brain is a very delicate thing. Whatever you've done to Rose's head, I want it reversed"
"We haven't done anything" Novice Hame insisted.
"I'm perfectly fine" Cassandra tried to tell him.
"Doctor, I think she's telling the truth" Alex told him softly. He turned to her and she could see how worried he was for their friend and how angry he was at whoever had done this to her.
"These people are dying, and Rose would care" He pointed out. Alex gave him a look that clearly said 'I know'.
"Oh, all right, clever clogs" Cassandra relented, pulling him around to face her. "Smarty pants" She continued, pulling his tie out from his jacket. "Lady-killer" Alex glared at her from her spot beside the Doctor. Really, if Cassandra didn't have Rose's body she probably would've hit her by now.
"What's happened to you?" The Doctor asked, frowning at her.
"I knew something was going on in this hospital, but I needed this body and your mind to find it out" Cassandra explained.
"Who are you?" The Doctor asked her, watching her warily. Cassandra leant forward up on her toes to whisper in his ear.
"The Last Human"
The Doctor pulled away, surprise evident in his expression.
"Cassandra?"
"Wake up and smell the perfume" Cassandra responded, pulling a small bottle of what looked like perfume from inside Rose's jacket. She quickly sprayed it at both the Doctor and Alex and they fell immediately, unconscious.
Yeah Alex isn't fond of Cassandra... never was really. Anyway, review if you like. Hope you enjoyed :)