RIP Art Bell 1945-2018
Pahrump, Nevada August 2004
The Doctor was pissed. So pissed off he had that quiet type of anger that made whole armies turn and run. He had come to have a bit of fun and call into the Coast to Coast AM Time Travel Open Lines tonight. Of course things went south when some sort of detection device from Area 51 detected three aliens in the vicinity. They didn't try to go after the Doctor once he identified himself, he was protected by international treaty. Rose was safe because she spent the entire time with him. What they did do was grab Rossadelaser who thought it would be funny and came along to watch.
UNIT was working on getting him back and they had been assured he hadn't been harmed. The Doctor though gave them an ultimatum, they had until midnight to return him unharmed and in the same condition he had last seen him or he'd take matters into his own hands.
He spent all day pretending to be from the company that provides Art Bell's satellite communication for his radio show. The whole time he was actually secretly upgrading his setup beyond normal earth tech. Nothing the likes of Unit or Area 51 themselves wouldn't have but was up there enough they don't have a counter to it.
Midnight came and no sign of Ross. It was show time. The Doctor rigged up the phone on the outside of the TARDIS so he could watch the show. Him and Rose sat and listened to the normal opening spiel, quick read of the news, introduction to the topic and finally ready to take the first call.
The doctor used his sonic and triggered a device he set up earlier to make sure he would be the picked up caller and a little grateful Art didn't screen his calls.
'Hello caller you're on the air!' Came through the telephone.
"Hello Art! It's so great to be talking to you it really is! Big fan! This planet needs more people like you, willing to listen to people's truths no matter how crazy they might sound."
'Wait, aren't you the guy who showed up to fix my satellite transmitter earlier?'
"Oh yes, that was me. Sorry for the subterfuge. Had to make sure your friends over at Area 51 can't interrupt your signal. It was so rude the last time they did that. I mean a satellite that loses Earth-lock and only takes your station off air? Seriously guys satellites don't work that way, they lose Earth-lock the footprint shifts and you're well within the footprint so you'd be one of the last ones to go. Oh by the way you should say hi to all your surprised to be listening to this instead of their normal programming listeners. You're broadcasting off of every satellite around the planet right now."
'Wait, what?'
"Oh don't bother trying to take me for a crazy person and hanging up on me, you can't. I'd also like to state for the record since this will be very much on the record Art had no part of this, that was all me."
'And who's me?'
"Oh sorry I do get lost in a ramble sometimes. I'm the Doctor. That's code 9 for all the different agencies listening to this."
'The Doctor? As in the mysterious guy who shows up from time to time when we're in trouble and stops alien invasions?'
"Oh! You've heard of me! Yea that's right, I'm that Doctor and no I'm not a myth."
'I've been hosting a show about the paranormal since the 70s, it's hard not to have heard of you. So why did you feel the need to hijack my show tonight?'
"Well Art, I heard you wanted to hear from a time traveler, you listeners are also interested in aliens. So two for one special. My name is the Doctor, just the Doctor. My planet was named Gallifrey and was in the constellation of Kasterborous. I am a Time Lord and travel through both time and space. I've been saving this planet for what seems like half of my life. That's a pretty long time mind you, I'm nine-hundred years old. I mean originally I was just going to have some fun and call in and tell some vague and unbelievable facts about the year 2020. Honestly there's so much in that year. Murder hornets, the toilet paper shortage, Donald Trump as president. Always great fodder of a year for these shows."
'You're right that doesn't sound believable.'
"Just make sure you don't take ANY pain meds on 13th April, 2018 and you'll probably live to see it for yourself."
There was a colourful flood of lights that ballooned out from outside where Art was broadcasting and briefly rippled across the sky like the Aurora Borealis.
'What the hell was that!'
"That would be the magnetic shielding I put over your radio tower this evening. It just deflected the normally invisible electromagnetic pulse they sent at it to shut the show down. Nope sorry guys, you'll have to do better than that."
There was the sound of a wolf howling as Rose changed and ran off to go around his house.
'You're saying they just tried to take out my signal.'
"Yup. Didn't work out for them this time. Also a word of warning to the US government, if what that last guy was saying about trans dimensional beings was true the last time you did that. Well let's just say you can't trust those guys, they're trying to trick you."
There was a loud yelp that sounded like it was from a man.
'And what was that? I don't know if you heard it folks but there was someone making a yelping noise from outside.'
"Oh that would be the special forces team the Air Force sent in from Area 51 to cut the cables going from your house to the tower outside since the EMP didn't work. It's ok. Anti-kinetic shielding, it stops their guns from working. Right now my….er… dog, has treed them."
Rose let out another loud howl in protest at being called his dog that could be heard over the broadcast.
"Don't worry folks I set up cameras to capture all of the action. Will make sure Art has it when we're done. Oh wait. We're getting another call. Hello caller. You're on the air. Welcome to coat to coast AM, sorry Art. I've always wanted to say that."
'Really Doctor, is all of this necessary?' A familiar voice cut in.
"Brigadier Sir Alistair Gordon Left-Bridge Stewart. It's so good to hear from you. Just remember no swearing, you're live. What can I do for UNIT tonight? Or is it morning or evening where you are?"
'Doctor, stop playing around. You're not helping the negotiations with dreamland.' The brigadier replied exasperatedly. 'They pretty much want your head on a stick right now over there.'
"We both know they won't actually do anything, or I won't pull them out from whatever stupid fire they cause next time. They were expecting me to storm the base, that's American military for you always thinking about the most violent option. I'd much rather use words. You know me. I hate guns." The Doctor stated cheerfully.
'Really the CO and XO of the base are fuming mad right now,' The Brigadier implored to his old friend.
"Who's president right now? Is it Bush or still Clinton? Oh well either way remember that party I broke up in Little Saint James Island? Where the girls turned out to actually be Zygons. That was one heck of a party I accidentally stumbled into. Still have a nice home video of the whole thing." The Doctor was as cheerful as ever.
'What do you want, Doctor?' Alister sounded tired.
"I want the people in Area 51 I'd give me back my friend they captured for the crime of being an alien and sitting in a café. He looks human… most of the time in case anyone is wondering. And if the Base Commander and his XO don't personally deliver him and do a great rendition of 'I'm a little teapot' right in front of the cameras I have set up in front of Art's house I'll start telling state secrets you don't think I know, but I do. For example, Art, do you know everything Bob Lazier said about his work in Area 51 is true?"
'I've always expected as much.' Art replied.
"Yes they now have a working prototype. It's triangular in shape and actually runs off of electromagnetic energy to keep it afloat. They've yet to get it to work outside the earth's atmosphere though." The Doctor added.
'Really?' Art asked.
"Oh yes, and they use them to make people think they're seeing aliens. Aliens is a great cover for them after all because sometimes it really is aliens. They're also responsible for some of the cattle mutilations. Not all but some. They're basically using aliens as a cover to test cattle across the US for mad cow disease. You'd be surprised how much of things attributed to aliens is just them messing with people. Implants for example, I don't know of any alien race who are tagging and releasing humans. Oh and not all aliens are bad, not all are good, even within most species. They're just like people that way. Some come to earth to hide and take refuge and even are productive members of society. Others come to trade, and yes there are some who come to invade. Like I said just like people." The Doctor explained.
'Well it is true that people are capable of all of that. I don't understand though why the government would put implants in people?' Art asked
"Mostly it's a test, testing out new technology to track people with." The Doctor replied cheerily.
A convoy of military vehicles pulled up to the house and an exasperated general and annoyed cornel got out, followed by a bunch of other military personnel. They then let out a grinning Ross from the back of a truck along with an assortment of about five other aliens, some looking worse for wear and blocked from view of the Doctor's cameras as they walked into the TARDIS.
"Oh look Art! It's show time! Well this has been fun. Time to switch you back to just your regular audience. But before I go, I just want to make it clear. Art Bell is under my protection. Any of you try to shut him down just remember how well I managed to humiliate that general and his xo. Oh and no messing with the upgrades I made to his equipment. It's nothing you don't have already anyway."
The Doctor hanged up just in time for the most regimented rendition of 'I'm a little teapot' ever was performed. The General and his XO performed along with all their men they brought as well as the ones Rose treed, at the Doctor's insistence and under presidential order to do as the Doctor commands.
"Makes you think, people. If they're willing to be humiliated like fresh recruits in boot camp, what are they hiding?" The Doctor said to the camera before cutting off the signal so only the normal audience would hear the show. Used a prearranged signal on his sonic to email the footage to Art and a few other places as backups. Then he got into his TARDIS and left. Ross had managed to negotiate the release of some other 'inmates' by refusing to leave without them, so he also took them home.
-x-x-x-x-x
Luna University 42nd Century…
Benny made her way into Mile's apartment, she'd gotten a text message that asked for help. As she searched through the apartment she eventually found him practically naked curled up on himself with ears and eyes covered hiding in the closet. She tried her best to be quiet and not touch him. "Miles can you concentrate on my voice?"
He nodded.
"Ok, I'm going to find the potion Lilly made to temporarily dull your senses when in overload. Do you think you can try and concentrate only on some music to block everything out while I find it?"
He nodded and Benny put on one of his favourites on a loop as she called out the request softly to the apartment AI. She rummaged around as best she could in the closet and tried her best not to touch Miles because she knew that could make him worse in this state. She found it in a box of knick-knacks filled with mostly broken things for some reason. One thing did catch her eye though, a fob watch.
Things crashed down around her as she realised what the watch was. She'd seen one of these before. The Doctor had turned himself human once and stored the time lord part of him in a watch just like this one. She realised what it was she had been missing and why Miles reminded her of Brax so much at times. Heck, even the name Miles Richardson, that was the name the Epoch gave him when they tried to convince them they were all actors recording an audio drama. At least that told her it was the one from legion and not the one who went crazy.
She picked up the watch and it whispered to her telepathically, 'Bernice.'
'Brax?'
'Benny,' it replied with a hint of sarcastic humour. Although the love and fondness underneath it all directed her way nearly made her drop it in surprise. 'Oh don't be so shocked. I am him and he is me, undignified, autism induced meltdown and all. No personality rewrite. You're holding the majority of my soul in your hands Bernice. I can't shield my emotions in this state.'
She could feel Brax's embarrassment at being caught in such a state. Something clicked then. 'The autism is not just a quirk of the chameleon arch is it?'
'I don't meltdown like this often as a time lord, but I will confess to at times needing you because you remind me quite loudly I am supposed to care about people I don't know. I have the same trouble at times, especially with emotions. It's not that I don't care or have them, just I have problems dealing with them and expressing myself. Expert at mimicking being 'normal' though.' Brax was being unusually honest despite being embarrassed.
'You don't do this often as a human either. Never seen you quite so bad. Also with the ridged way time lord society deals with things, it kind of explains a lot about you. And your brother. I'm guessing since in humans these things run in families, and from knowing him, he's got similar problems. Oh bloody hell.' Benny took a deep breath and let it out slowly. 'So what do I do?'
'What you normally do to help. I need to stay hidden until the Doctor shows up, and I mean this universe's one, not the one that keeps showing up every so often from a different one. He has to be from after the war as well or we could still get stuck on the wrong end of the time lock.'
She had more questions than answers but put the watch in her pocket. She could interrogate Brax later. His human self needed her help right now. Luckily for her telepathic communication happened as fast as the speed of thought so she hadn't just frozen for long. Bernice helped coax Miles into drinking the potion.
The relief was instant for Miles as his senses dulled and he could no longer hear every little sound unable to ignore them. His peripheral vision wasn't as acute and his sense of touch that had driven him into taking most of his clothes off dulled to a bearable level. His mind was more focused and no longer under assault from the world around him. "I'm sorry you had to drop everything to help me with that."
"Miles, I'm here for you. You needed help and asked for it, there's nothing wrong with that. You've not had a complete meltdown overload like that in months. What happened?"
He held his arms out like a small child looking for a hug and Benny obliged. Then settled them comfortably. She could feel his embarrassment, self loathing, upset, and yet some relief. Bernice concentrated on the relief and helped amplify it while running one hand through his hair as she lay on her side and spooned up to him. The contact and weight of someone holding him helped when he wasn't in sensory overload. "It's ok. You don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to."
"It's stupid really, but it got to me and I couldn't stop thinking about it and spiralling."
"Then you went into sensory overload because you were so upset about it and couldn't calm down."
"That and the scent of the lemon scented cleaning product the cleaning robots use of all things. Like I said it was stupid. Just got annoyed at one of the social justice warrior types around here. They were berating someone for using a term about autism that really isn't offensive. I get really annoyed at people who decide these things for everyone else. They even accused me of not having autism and are just pretending because I didn't agree with them. Kept going on about how I am taking away agency from real autistic people. As soon as they settle on a non-offensive term for something one person will find that offensive so they need to find a different one, and the cycle goes on. It's gotten that bad it's hard to explain high functioning autism like mine. As you know I still get episodes like this, I still have trouble interpreting the emotions of others. Take things too literally. Get suddenly drained of energy when in highly social situations like playing with the band at the bar. Just I'm better at dealing with it most of the time so I seem normal."
"As much as I want to go smack some sense into that person right now, everyone knows you can't argue with an extremist SJW. They live in a culture that's about who is more oppressed, and if you shut them down it just makes them be more validated. No one is saying go do something horrible to someone because of some perceived difference or go out deliberately offending people. Just that you're really not helping and anyone that tries to tell them so is some sort of infiltrator from a hate group. I don't like the extremists much either. Just remember they're the ones with a problem not you. Easier said I know. Come on, you got a nice large bathtub with our name on it. That helps you relax."
That was the one advantage of living in an era that can produce water from nothing. All you had to do was tell the house AI to fill the tub and what temperature and the water will just appear in the tub. Also deep tubs that could easily fit four people in it was in style. Benny put her hand on the watch unsure. 'Are you okay with this? I'm kind of conflicted right now.'
'Oh I'm very much okay with this,' Brax replied and a few images of really racey imagined scenarios flirted through Benny's head that came from the watch. Then embarrassment. 'Sorry I don't have a filter while in here. I can't lie, I can't put up walls, I can't pretend not to care, or love, or any of it.'
'You can't be the icicle. That's good because it's bad for your mental health. I failed you before. The other you was cracking and pulling away. He did a lot to try and make us feel better after the occupation, but we all neglected you and your needs. I know your façade is bull shit and that inside you're one of the most insecure but caring people I know and yet I didn't try to get through to you to help. I am sorry for that Brax.'
'Human me is me without all of those shields and personas hidden inside personas. I'm tired Benny. So very tired. I don't want to play that act anymore. I just want to be me, whoever that may be. Miles is my dream, the one I want so badly when awake.'
'Then try to drop the act, let me in.'
'I'll try. I love you Benny. Don't doubt that the habits of a lifetime means you may need to bash me over the head repeatedly when I'm doing it again.'
She couldn't deny it, she could feel it coming off of him in waves. 'I… I love you too. Human and Time Lord. I've come to realise that. You might have to do the same for me sometimes. I guess since you don't have a problem with it, I have a boyfriend to help relax so he doesn't go back into a meltdown again when the potion wears off, and really some of those scenarios you thought of sounds like fun.'
So she followed Miles into the bathroom, stripped naked and got into the bath with him. The water wasn't too hot or too cold, just a nice sort of warm, just in case. She moved over and sat next to where he lay floating on his back in the water. "Feeling more relaxed?"
"Yes. Thanks Benny. You're so good to me. I don't know what I'd do without you. I love you."
"I love you too. Besides it's not like you haven't helped me with some of my own more self destructive problems."
Miles let himself settle down next to Benny then pulled her into a deep and passionate kiss. Before anything more could happen however there was a grinding wheezing noise. They broke apart as the TARDIS appeared in his bathroom. "Now what?" Miles sighed.
The door opened and an oblivious alternative universe version of the Doctor came out of the TARDIS. "Summerfield, you won't believe this but Gallifrey and Skaro both have disappeared without a trace."
"Doctor!" Benny yelled and threw the nearest thing she could find at his head.
"Summerfield, why has this rubber duck got the seal of the house of Lungbarrow on it?"
"Never mind that you bloody idiot! We're in the bath here!"
"Yes I can see that, nudity is hardly something to be embarrassed about."
Benny looked to Miles for help but he was just holding back laughter, not in the slightest bit embarrassed. Right now is one of those times that really shows that they are brothers. Even if Miles didn't currently know that, and the alternative Doctor never had a brother. She just let out a frustrated, angry groan and chucked the next nearest thing she could get her hands on at him.
Unfortunately this time it was her trousers and the watch fell out of the pocket and the Doctor caught it. "What's this? Is this a Time Lord biodata container?" He glared at the watch. "Hey, who are you calling an irresponsible womp-rat?"
"Doctor, don't op—" it was too late, the Doctor opened the catch and the energy poured out and into Miles who let out a loud cry of agony as he was surrounded by it. He sank under the water during the transformation and came back up spluttering up water after. "Are you okay Brax?"
"Yes. I'm fine. Would have been better waking up with you in the bath naked if my womp-rat little brother wasn't also in here. I told you not to open it, but oh no, you have to go and open it anyway."
"I don't have a brother," the Doctor protested.
"Maybe not in your universe, but this one you have. And quite frankly I don't care if you're my brother or not, you're still a womp-rat. I just hope that Gallifrey and Skaro being gone means we're on the other side of the time lock."
There was another wheezing groaning sound as another TARDIS materialised and this universe's Doctor came running out. "Brax! I felt your distress all the way from…." He trailed off as he took in the scene and Benny just wished she could turn invisible right then. Rose took one look out of the TARDIS and wisely decided to turn around abruptly and head back inside. "I'm sorry… am I interrupting something."
"Yes, you both are you womp-rats. No matter what universe you happen to be from. Now if you don't mind just turning around getting back in your capsules and going somewhere else until later and we finish what Benny and I started here."
"Why what had you started?" the alternate Doctor asked confused.
"He means they were going to mate," the other Doctor filled in helpfully.
"Oh! So that's why Summerfield was throwing things at me," the alternate replied.
Benny just got more and more angry and before she knew it she had lunged out of the tub and had knocked down the alternate Doctor and was growling at him. Wait… growling? She looked around confused, she had four legs and yep that was definitely a tail.
"How in heaven's name did that happen?" The alternate Doctor asked confused.
"I'm guessing the universe you came from isn't as susceptible to psionic energy as this one," this universe's Doctor replied.
Benny who had looked in a mirror to find she was now a large wolf-like creature with pure snow white fur and ice blue eyes and was panicking. She was shaking and really just wanted to know what was going on.
"Look at her, such a magnificent coat. I'm sorry I did not get to explain any of this Bernice. You've been going through changes as long as I've known you, this is just one of them, just like not ageing. Come on let's get somewhere more comfortable than here. You'll be stuck like that until you can calm down," Braxiatel explained, as he looked around and found his trousers and pulled them on.
She was scared and angry and really didn't know why but somehow him knowing what had been going on and had done for quite a while angered her. Before she really knew what she was doing she lunged at him, but he just turned into a slightly larger wolf with a white and blue coat and ducked down making her overshoot and hit the wall.
Brax took his chance to pounce and hit her square in the shoulder knocking her down and pinned her under him. He looked her in the eyes until she instinctively submitted and looked away exposing her jugular. She was also a little embarrassed that she felt herself responding sexually to it. Seeing he'd managed to calm the inner dahrama in Benny he ended up wagging his tail and licking her muzzle. 'Got to do better than that if you want to take a bite out of me darling,' he sent playfully just to her and got up. 'Don't be so embarrassed, it's not bestiality if we're both wolves. Not that it would be anyway since we're both sentient adults who can make our own decisions. Or any more than Peter would be a result of bestiality for being half Killoran. You're just responding instinctually because you're also in a dahrama's body. You're acting a lot on instinct right now. I don't remember my first time changing because I was just a pup, but my mother was like you. She was much older her first time changing and always talked about how the first time was the worst when it came to unpredictable instincts taking over.'
Benny tried to talk but made a barking noise instead and shut her mouth even more surprised. 'Pull yourself together Benny, this is nothing. You've been turned into a cat before, or being stuck without a body, and worse later having to be in the body of a man for a while,' she thought she was thinking to herself but actually ended up sending out telepathically to everyone inside the room.
'I don't know if I should feel amused or insulted that you think being a man was worse than being without a body,' Brax replied, still in dahrama form. He nuzzled up to her trying to send her comfort. 'You've done admirably learning to control the touch telepathy, but you've progressed to full telepathy with touch enhancement now. That normally coincides with the ability to shift within people like yourself. Don't worry you will get used to it and I'm here now. I can help you.'
'Why here? Why now? What do you mean people like me? Your mother was like me?' Benny was so confused although calming down thanks to waves of calm and love Brax was sending her. She looked over to the Doctors where she could see the alternate one was confused while this universe's, she was really going to need to come up with names for them because it was getting confusing even in her own head, was also a wolf much like his brother only with a flame coloured coat.
'How about womp-rat and flaming dahrama poo,' Brax suggested making sure both in question could hear him. He looked over at her with a wolfish look of amusement on his face. 'You were thinking too loudly. We need to work on your shield—'
Brax was suddenly interrupted by a flaming ginger coloured wolf barrelling into him from the side. The two brothers rolled around play fighting for a bit until Benny instincts kicked in again, even though it was obvious the pair of them were just playing. She bit down hard on the Doctor's left front shoulder as she knocked him off of Brax.
He limped away and got as far back as possible from them both. 'Easy Benny, I'm not going to harm your mate.'
'Sorry. I really don't know what came over me. I knew logically you two were only playing… it's just—'
'That I was being a stupid idiot that should have thought about what your instinctual reaction would be. Your instinct saw danger to your mate and you just acted. I deserved it. Especially since it turns out your animal spirit is a dahrama to match up with that of your mate… We're known for being one of the most volatile and instinct driven animals as it is.'
'You know that's something I've always noticed about you two, you're always somehow more yourselves and more relaxed when in that form.' Benny remarked. She had seen both of them transform many times, especially Brax after she had worked for a version of him for over a decade. She decided during that time she might be getting older but was going to keep in shape by going on runs around the collection as well as back on Dellah. He would always join her running alongside Benny as a wolf. Even on Legion this Irving Braxiatel did the same.
'Cultural thing. As Time Lords we're taught from an early age to have control over ourselves completely. Our animal forms are from long, long, before we ever even left our own planet yet alone became Time Lords. The culture from back then is much more relaxed and instinct driven. Rassilon never could get rid of that part of us and believe me he tried. As a result it became culturally akin to the other side of a coin to that of the aloof and distinguished time lords we're supposed to be,' the Doctor explained.
"Interesting. In my universe Rassilon managed to get rid of all of that using the looms," Alt Doctor remarked.
"We only use looms if you get matched up with someone you don't like or can't procreate for some other reason," Ten changed back and added. He then started stripping off all his top layers to check the bite wound in his shoulder.
"You mean you can still procreate naturally? What about Pythia's curse?" The alternate Doctor asked and got looked at by everyone like he just asked if a chicken could open a jar of pickles.
"Pythia's what? Don't really know much about that subject. If you want to know anything historical about the Pythia you should ask Rose since she was once one of them when she was still in the Sisterhood of Karn. Never heard of a curse though. And of course we can still procreate naturally. My first two where loomed because I didn't get along with the time lady my family made me marry. My youngest though, he came about naturally." The Doctor rubbed the back of his neck embarrassed. "Actually I have no idea who his mother is."
"How can you not know something like that?!" The alternate asked him incredulously.
"Well you see I was young and stupid. I should have taken a contraceptive shot before I participated in the annual fertility rights—"
"The what?!" The alternate Doctor really wasn't sure what he was hearing. Clearly this universe was much different than his own.
"Fertility rights? The only time of year the Pythia leave Karn and come to Gallifrey was during those once a year. It was mostly the common people who took part in them but you'd get the occasional person being rebellious from the houses like myself. Anyway they're basically a massive orgy done to spite Rassilon more or less because he hated them and outlawed them when he was alive. A decision soon overturned as soon as our people got rid of him the first time. Anyway there were so many women and a few men that day and I didn't know the identities of any of them really. The only one I was with I could identify was the sister in charge and even then I didn't know who she was. There is a telepathic field up that will stop you recognising anyone unless you're closely related, or recognise them by what they look like. Everyone who doesn't want to reproduce just needs to get a contraceptive shot beforehand, they give them out at the festival. I just got distracted and forgot to get mine. If uh… a child results the parents both can be identified later if needed. Anyway the mother dropped the baby off at the chapter house and abandoned him. Guess she thought he'd have a better life there. I was identified as the father and told to raise him. Honestly at that point I think the only reason I wasn't disowned from the house and my son with me was because all early tests showed him to be quite gifted. Why am I even telling you all this?"
"Because I'm way too curious for my own good, but it's a good heads up reminder that you have relatives here that I don't and should probably watch out in case I get mistaken for you by one of them. Now as curious as I am about all of this, there's just too much information to process right now. Where I'm from the very notion of magic is simply ridiculous. I guess I'll leave Summerfield and her situation in your capable hands because quite frankly it's one I know nothing about," the alternate Doctor walked briskly into his TARDIS and left.
"Don't worry Benny he'll be back, and with a lot of questions. You know me, always run away from uncomfortable situations. I'd be willing to bet he's still enough like me to not let curiosity fail him." The Doctor looked over to the two wolves from where he had watched the other TARDIS disappear. "Are there any other time lords with you that I should be waking up Brax?"
'Two at the university. Naomi and Narvin. A few hundred in a nearby settlement.'
"Naomi is here? Ross has been beside himself thinking she's dead after playing the part of Lily Potter."
'Ah. Yes that was unfortunate but the only way to keep the timelines intact. Ross isn't thinking straight obviously. She's fine the killing curse didn't affect her watch, so of course we brought her back. Couldn't leave her back in that time stream though in case anyone saw her. She's a potion professor in the magical side of the university. Narvin thinks his name is Marvin and is from Mars and running a bar just off of campus.'
"Marvin the Martian? I'm guessing he either didn't get the reference or that you set that bit up after," the Doctor replied and laughed. "Do you think you can handle things by yourself? No offence Benny but you're a little jumpy. You'd probably feel more comfortable if I move the TARDIS and go with Rose to wake her brother."
'Look Doctor I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bite you.'
"It's okay. Like I said it was completely my fault you instinctively went to protect your mate. Besides it's mostly healed already. A quick once over with a dermal regenerator and no one would ever know. Not even a scar."
'Why do you keep calling him my mate?' Benny asked, a little annoyed.
"Isn't that obvious? I mean I could feel the tension from just walking in the room earlier. Then your soul chose a form to match his. You have no genetic predisposition so it would be whatever your patronus is and I doubt since you were born human, it started out as a dahrama. There's only one reason a patronus changes. There's also already a light bond between the two of you. That other Doctor might be oblivious, but I'm not. Anyway I'd better leave the two of you to sort this out. I'll just move the TARDIS and go get Rose and tell Narvin the great news that there's another one of me running around, he'd just love that."
'I thought Marvin looked familiar. He knows. Long story that ended with me punching him in the face,' Benny replied and surprised a laugh out of both brothers. Although in Brax's case it came out in an unnatural sounding huffing, hiccuping, barking noise as he shook with laughter. 'Are you ok?'
'Fine, fine. I probably don't want to know what he did, but knowing him he deserved it. I can't stop imagining the shocked look that he probably had on his face afterwards. It's okay Doctor she seems to have a handle on her instincts, we'll work on her shapeshifting while you annoy Narvin.'
They waited until the Doctor was gone before Benny couldn't help but ask, 'I'm your mate?'
'Not quite yet. I've been human all these months and haven't been able to complete the bond you initiated by using your telepathy on me so much. And honestly I was starting to think those two would never leave so I can complete my part of it.'
'I didn't even know I was initiating a bond. I don't even know what it means.'
'It's just a telepathic connection to those you love. Can be platonic between family and friends, or romantic with a partner. For example I have a very strong sibling bond with all of my siblings. It's how the Doctor picked up on my distress as I woke up so abruptly and was able to get here knowing where I was by instinct. The bond is purely platonic because of obvious reasons. Ours would be romantic making you my mate and get strong very quick because we have those intentions toward each other. It can shift to platonic if that ever changes, even lose strength with lack of use. It can be broken but as it deepens over time and use will become harder to break until the only way is the permanent death of one of us. When the connection is open we will always feel each other, know where we are in our relative time lines, know how the other is feeling, and can send thoughts at great distance. You'll also know if I'm lying to you or being evasive. You asked me to let you in, that's what I am offering you Bernice.'
'You're serious about this.' Bernice was actually surprised.
'Very. I'll even give you my name, my true name, if you want it. Quite frankly I trust you more than I trust myself. I want to change. I told you I'm tired. Every time I try the universe throws a spanner in the works and I fall back into those patterns and isolate myself from those I love. You're one of the most stubborn minded people I know, more than a match for me in that department. Most importantly though, I've been attracted to you since we first met. I fell in love with you. I don't deserve you, but I'm selfish enough to take what is offered. I should also warn you, it wasn't me who was with you at the collection, or any of that. I didn't really get to know you until Legion, but because time lords are complex and that whole timeline no longer exists. Well I have memories of being him.'
Benny thought her heart would sink and she'd want to tare that Braxiatel apart. But apparently she's healed enough to move on from that. 'So how do we start this bond. I really shouldn't but I want to trust you.'
He wagged his tail and nuzzled up to her. 'If we do this, I'm going to want us to have children someday, but not right away or anything. Got a species to help repopulate, so more than one of them.'
'Are you trying to get me to run away? Not going to work. I was at the stage in my relationship with Miles that I really wanted to get married, but would have wanted to skip the children part because I'm not sure I could watch another child grow old and die. I'm guessing that won't be a problem if we have children together though.'
'Our children will most likely be Gallifreyan, so they will age a lot more slowly. A Gallifreyan year is roughly five Earth years. As a human I was planning on proposing before you changed your mind and ran away. You're probably going to be mad at me and the Doctor when I explain what's going on.'
'Infuriating men are my type apparently. You're really trying to talk me out of this, are you sure it's what you want?'
'I'm sure. Absolutely.'
'Good so what do we do next?'
'Well first we need to get you to shift out of that form. I'm going to connect you deep into my mind. Not just surface thoughts and feelings but to my entire being.'
'You really know how to get a girl hot and bothered,' Benny joked.
'Actually, it's the telepathic equivalent of full penetrative sex.'
'Really?' Benny was curious now. 'I'm guessing that's one reason the Doctor was so insistent he go do something else.'
'He isn't a complete idiot after all. I'm going to lower my shields completely and need you to connect to me like you normally would, I'll do the rest.'
Benny did so as she made sure to be touching him. She wasn't sure how to describe it. She could see him. Everything he is, was, or could be. The darkness and the light and something in her very being ached to try and chase away some of that dark by adding her own light. Before she really knew what she was doing she did. It was strange because she could feel what it was like to be in his body right then and the intense pleasure that act had brought them both as well as a lot of relief on his part. He then reciprocated by doing the same back to her and it was her turn to be in complete bliss. Brax then proceeded to shift out of his animal body and into his time lord body, and back again, then again, and again, and again, until Bernice grasped the concept of what he was doing and how and instantly knew how to do the same with her own form. Benny did so and they reluctantly parted their very beings again, but left a crack open between them so they would always be linked.
Bernice Summerfield stood naked in the bathroom and remembered another good reason to have no one else there. She hurt a lot, every joint, muscle, and bone in her body ached.
Brax put his arms around her from behind and she gratefully sank back into the embrace. "It won't hurt you as much once your body gets more used to it. At least we completed our bond now, probably a lot more deep than is strictly necessary but I'm not complaining. Come on I've changed the water to make it hot and added some muscle soak to help with the pain. Not got much else for pain that won't kill one or both of us left in the flat."
Benny decided hot water and some muscle soak potion/bubble bath was a great idea and turned around and got into the tub again and felt some relief. "If the Doctor. Any of them. Interrupt this time I might actually try to drown him in the tub, respiratory bypass be damned. Even then he will need to breathe sometime. Granted it will be a while, but still sometime."
Irving removed his trousers again and got into the tub with her. "You're turning into a time lord."
"What?" Benny asked incredulously.
"It's true,"Brax defended.
"How?" He was right about knowing if he was lying. Benny could sense him telling the truth.
"Ancient Time Lords being unethical and experimenting on your ancient ancestors. As a result there are a very small percentage of humans with the genetic disposition to change into a time lord with enough exposure to the energies of the time vortex like artron energy and such. Just like Gallifreyans."
"I've had plenty of that, between the time rings, other you deliberately using my time ring to syphon artron energy into me, all the changes to my timeline."
"The Epoch was the biggest triggering factor that made it from a possibility to an inevitability. Their meddling helped things along but what tipped the scale was their remapping technology. When they showed off their technology and where they were filtering through it, you looked into time. Just like we do as children back on Gallifrey when we look into the untempered schism. It affected both you and Peter the same way. Peter was a surprise, I thought his Killoran genes would counteract any of those genes he got from you. It's why your mind expanded and you developed touch telepathy."
"Peter is also going through this?"
"Yes but how close to time lord he will get I'm not sure. You've made the final leap because of the exposure to that other universe, that universe's Doctor, then finally being too close to me when I changed back. Then that idiot had to upset you to the point it triggered you changing shape, which was why that happened then. The pain you're in it's not all because of the shapeshifting, although it didn't help. We call it generation sickness, all time lords go through it at some stage in their lives, when our physiology changes from Gallifreyan to Time Lord. Not sure how long it will take you but not long now. A few weeks, maybe a month."
"And I'd be a full time lord?"
"Yes, regenerations and all. Although you'll probably not develop a second heart or respiratory bypass and such until after your first regeneration. I am sorry I didn't tell you any of this sooner, I was pretty much under orders not to say anything until it's clear you are going to change. I would have told you anyway but the Time Lords were watching."
"I should say I'm surprised about that part but I'm really not. They always liked their secrets." Benny lay back in the bath and just tried to relax as she mulled over the revelations. It had been one hell of a day. It started out with her helping her boyfriend and ended up with her changing into a wolf, being told she's changing into a time lord, and even mated to Brax. She moved over to the man in question and looked him over. He was still handsome in this new body, and she had the urge to run her hands though that silky smooth hair. She sat on his lap and reached a hand around to do just that as he leaned in and kissed her. She noted how more silky his fair felt, it had more of a soft fur like quality to it.
He broke the kiss to let her breathe and they could feel the heat of arousal flowing through each other. "Not that I'm complaining, but I was expecting you to get upset and kick me out of the bathtub."
"Well technically it is your bathtub. Besides we never got to finish what we started earlier."
"Well I won't let it be said I'm a neglectful mate," Brax replied and initiated another kiss.
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A/N: thanks for reading and to those who took the time to review.