Winter Nova was floating aimlessly around space. She didn't really need to breathe, just inhale star particles, which is nearly everything in the universe She enjoyed just floating here, but it was soon time to leave. A large ship was coming her way, and she couldn't be caught floating in space. Winter looked human she supposed. She had white hair down to her knees and nearly white skin. Her eyes were gold though, shining with the energy from stars. There were differences inside though. The thinking part of her brain was larger, as was the sensing part. She had an extra part of her brain for telepathy as well. The feeling part was smaller though, almost half as much. Winter had no hearts, but three cores above her belly button. They pumped star energy instead of blood. Because of this, heart rate slowing medicine from anywhere in the galaxy was deadly. She had four extra ribs, an optional pair of lungs, a respiratory bypass system, pointed ears and well, and was immortal. The star particles that made up Winter never decayed, meaning she never aged. If she was injured, she could use star particles from surrounding nature to heal herself.
Thinking about her creation had Winter thinking of her past. You see, Winter was created when a sentient cold star imploded and exploded at the same time. The core exploded and the outside imploded, causing a black hole that was blown up from the inside. Since the star was sentient the particles of this explosion gathered into the shape of a humanoid, an alien. Nearby sentient stars taught her for 500 years. They taught her all languages and cultures, all species and customs. They taught her math and science beyond belief as well as reading and writing. And so, she learned amoung the stars for 500 years until they have her a special pen and let her loose. Winter knew more than any species in the universe and was smarter than all of them. Despite this, Winter loved the 'primitive' species with all her cores. She enjoyed walking amoung them, her favorites being Time Lords and humans. Even though she loved all of these species she had ended many of them, whether in rage, self defense of protection of others, genocide was ripe on her hands. She had destroyed many races and that, in turn destroyed herself. A sword of sorrow was driven deeply into her cores and it was immobile, never changing, ever damaging. For 2000 years she travelled around the galaxy. She watched, and participated in, many wars, saw and saw to the destruction of races, and earned the title of Blazing Blizzard and White Star. There were species that worshipped her, and those that were devoted to killing her. Everywhere she went she collected a book. She had zillions and had read them all multiple times. All she owned was carried in a bag. The time Lords had given it as a gift of thanks. It was a black quiver like bag. It was shorter than a quiver, and almost looked like an earth back pack, except it was more intricate and went one shoulder. Inside this bag was very little. Besides the zillions of books, there were three items. One was a small circular band for her head. It blocked her telepathy when she needed a break from hearing everyone's thoughts. It was given to her by a race of telepathic creatures. Another item was her psychic lanyard. It was like psychic paper, but a lanyard. The last, and most important item was her star pen. It was bronze and covered in gears and carvings. It looked like an old fashioned fountain pen and instead of ink used star energy. By writing in the air she, in the human term, codes the universe. She can manipulate all energy and objects with this pen, and only she can use it. Of course, this pen acts only as a foci for star energy. Theoretically Winter could manipulate energy by herself, but it was taxing.
Winter felt the ship careening towards her. '307 lifeforms on board' she thought. She began to focus and pictured an empty planet somewhere in the universe. The particles in her body started to separate and She felt the usual tugging sensation. She was about to transport to the planet when she saw white and blacked out.
A thud sounded outside the door of a certain Rose Tyler. It wasn't a loud thud, but a dull one. Nobody in the house heard this noise, so nobody moved to check it out. Rose Tyler certainly didn't hear the noise. Rose was across the apartment, enveloped in her own world. She was sitting at the bedside of the Doctor, praying that he would get better, despite the evidence that he would not. The Doctor was sweating and shaking, his hearts slowing, and that scared Rose out of her mind. She decided to step out of the tense atmosphere, leaving Mickey and Jackie in the house. Rose just needed some air, just to calm her jittery nerves. At least, that's what She told herself. She was uncertain about this new Doctor and felt abandoned by him. why hadn't he told her about this? She thought he told her everything.
Rose approached the door of the apartment that would lead her to freedom. It wasn't a far walk to the door, but it felt like forever escaping the tense environment. Rose opened the door and stepped out effectively hitting something on the door step. She looked down, slowly. A scream caught in her throat and threatened to rise. Laying in her doorstep was the body of a girl, just laying there, lifeless. "Mickey" she screamed frantically, trying to calm herself down. Her ex-boyfriend came running at stop speed to see the problem. He too, nearly shouted in alarm. On the doorstep was what looked like a teenage girl, carrying a black bag. Mickey and Rose stood startled for a moment. What they didn't expect, and what startled them senseless, was that she stood up and started to speak.
Winter's POV
Winter only remembered a flash of red. She stood up, unaware of her surroundings. She was on the door step of an apartment. Her apartment? No. Inside were two oddly familiar people staring at her fearfully. "Hi. I'm Whit... No thats not right. I'm Winter" she said, pausing at the name for no reason. "Ooh, nasty jump this time. Well, that one wasn't a jump, I practically fell through the Scarlett System" She rambled on. That struck her as odd. "How did I fall though?" She asked nobody, receiving no answer. A warmth started spreading through Her body, steadily becoming a burning sensation throughout Her body. Her head started to pound and her vision blurred. "Ah. Information overload, sorry again got to get used to my fall" she said as she began swaying, then she fell forward, out cold, her previous thoughts forgotten.
General POV
Rose and Mickey stood there, dazed. Finally Rose spoke up. "What do we do with her?" Rose asked Mickey. Not the best idea, Mickey was just getting used to the Doctor. He looked freaked out completely, and not quite all there. "Mickey? Hello? We've got to help her" She said. Her time with the Doctor had made her into a compassionate person, to a fault. Mickey numbly nodded. "C'mon, we'll put 'er next to the Doctor" she said, waving her hand in front of Mickey. He seemed to snap out of his daze.
"Er yeah okay" he said as he took the girls legs. Rose and Mickey stumbled into the apartment, successfully scaring Jackie half to death. Jackie tried to ask, but Rose just grunted. Winter was banged against the wall multiple times, earning a tense pause, seeing if she would wake up. They finally made it to the back room and laid her down on the bed, right next to the Doctor, still dressed completely. Neither people showed signs of waking up soon, and both looked sick. Rose picked up the bag belonging to Winter, a black backpack. She just sighed and closed the door, never seeing Winter and the Doctor move closer in the bed, subconsciously. Rose plopped into the couch and turned on the television. Jackie sat down next to her.
"Is that Harriet Jones? Why's she on the telly?" She asked her mother, as Harriet Jones' face appeared on the television. She looked like she was at a press conference .
"She's Prime Minister now. I'm eighteen quid a week better off. They're calling it Britain's Golden Age. I keep on saying my Rose has met her." her mother said. Rose smiled fondly at the memory, back when the Doctor was the Doctor.
"Did more than that. Stopped World War Three with her. Harriet Jones" she laughed slightly. They both focused back on the TV, listening to Harriet speak. A man was speaking now, asking Harriet a question,
"Prime Minister, what about those calling the Guinevere One Space Probe a waste of money?" He asked. Harriet looked offended and Rose smiled.
"Now, that's where you're wrong. I completely disagree if you don't mind. The Guinevere One Space Probe represents this country's limitless ambition" she paused and faced the the camera, smiling. "British workmanship sailing up there among the stars." Harriet finished speaking and a few people clapped. The anchor woman flashed back onto the screen a headline underneath reading ' Guinevere One launching'. The anchor woman looked up, at the cue behind the camera,
"This is the spirit of Christmas, birth and rejoicing, and the dawn of a new age, and that is what we're achieving fifteen million miles away. Our very own miracle." She smiled a little too widely, but Rose smiled as well, she didn't need the Doctor to see the stars. "The unmanned probe Guinevere One is about to make it's final descent. Photographs of the Martian Landscape should be received by midnight tonight." The anchor woman spoke again. It seemed she was doing a play by play of the Guinevere One. Rose shut off the TV and flopped down. God, she needed sleep.
A day had passed and Mickey and Rose went out Christmas shopping. Rose needed to get away from the apartment. She had walked into the room housing the Doctor and the strange girl, to see them close together and clutching onto eachother for dear life. It made her feel hurt, jealous, scared and confused all at once. She wanted to shout at the Doctor for not telling her about regeneration, she wanted to abandon him, just like he abandoned her. But she couldn't bring herself to do that. He still was the Doctor, the same one... At least she hoped he was. They watched as a band played God Rest Ye Merry Gentle Men.
"So what do you need? Twenty quid?" Mickey asked, taking Rose's mind off the Doctor. Rose seemed to visibly brighten as she turned to look at Mickey, effectively stopped brooding.
"Do you mind? I'll pay you back." She asked. She felt a bit bad about taking money from Mickey, after leaving for so long. She even made him a suspect in her missing persons case on accident. He grinned.
"Call it a Christmas present." he laughed. Rose smiled back, then stopped walking, realizing something.
"God, I'm all out of synch. You just forget about Christmas and things in the Tardis. They don't exist. You get sort of timeless. " she said, dreamily, thinking about her adventures. Mickey rolled his eyes and looked at her. He was a bit annoyed by the Doctor taking Rose away, but Mickey stilled loved her.
"Oh, yeah, that's fascinating, because I love hearing stories about the Tardis. Oh, go on Rose, tell us another one because I swear I could listen to it all day. Tardis this, Tardis that" he said, mostly joking. He and Rose laughed a little and Rose playfully punched his arm.
"Shut up" she giggled, walking crookedly. Mickey wasnt yet done teasing her though.
"Oh, and one time the Tardis landed in a big yellow garden full of balloons" he sarcastically said, laughing along with Rose.
"I'm not like that!" She protested, feeling a little guilty about ignoring Mickey and her Mother since she returned.
"Oh, you so are" he insisted. He thought back to all the times she had talked about her adventures. He honestly didn't mind, hearing about all the crazy things she had done, he just wished he'd done it with her.
"Mmm, must drive you mad. I'm surprised you don't give up on me." she said jokingly. He laughed, but that quickly turned into a frown. Rose's face went dead serious.
"Oh, that's the thing, isn't it? You can rely on me. I don't go changing my face." He said, half heartedly. He wanted Rose to stay, he wanted her to stay Badly, but travelling with the Doctor made her happy. He couldn't stop her from being happy. Rose now looked distraught and torn.
"Yeah" she conceded. She hated talking about the Doctor like this "What if he's dying? And what about that girl, what if she's evil?" She asked, worried. Mickey frowned. He hated to make her feel this way, but he rolled his eyes and have her a pointed look.
"Okay" he sighed, sarcastically. Rose realized what she was doing and looked up at Mickey.
"Sorry" she said quickly. Rose really was sorry. She wanted to spend time with Mickey, REAL time, not five minutes talking about her adventures. She wanted to hear about him for a bit. Mickey looked desperate, to get her happy again, and to deflect the topic.
"Just let it be Christmas. Can you do that? Just for a bit. You and me and Christmas. No Doctor, no bog monsters, no strange girls, no life or death" he pleaded. He wanted it to be like old times, spending hours just talking about anything. Rose looked up and sighed.
"Okay" she conceded.
"Promise?"
"Yes!" They both smiled when they said this, walking along the road. Mickey looked up, seeing they were in a market. He changed the topic quickly.
"Right! What're you going to get for your mum?" He asked playfully. She didn't answer, but they walked around the market, looking at different stalls. "I'm round there all the time now, you know. She does my dinner on a Sunday, talks about you all afternoon, yap yap yap" he continues on, oblivious to his surroundings. Rose, who was watching the market, saw the brass band start following them. She tapped Mickey on the shoulder, but he didn't turn around. Suddenly, the trumpet player sprayed flames from his instrument. Mickey spun around to face the band.
"It's us! They're after us!" She shouts over The screams of the surrounding pedestrians. The tuba played shoots a large projectile from its tuba. The large Christmas tree in the center of the market is knocked over by it. The tree crushes the band, allowing Mickey and Rose to escape. The market is in chaos. People are screaming and running for their lives, knocking over stalls and calling the police. Rose and Mickey get a taxi and quickly climb inside, telling the driver their address. Mickey looks spooked, completely scared.
"What's going on? What've we done? Why are they after us?" He asks fearfully. He looks to ROSE for answers.
"They're after the Doctor" she says, confident that it's true. He was making trouble for her, even in his slumber. By his face Mickey seemed to be in the same page.
"I can't even go shopping with you. We get attacked by a brass band" he says exasperatedly. Rose opens her mobile and types in a number. "Who're you phoning?" Mickey asks.
"My mum" she distractedly answers. The phone rings for a bit and stops, beeping loudly. The line was full and Jackie was on the phone with somebody else. "Get off the phone" Rose shouts at her mother, though she can't hear her. Mickey looks a little confused.
"Who were those Santa things?" He asks meekly. Rose looks up.
"I don't know. But think about it. They were after us. What's important about us? Well, nothing, except the one thing we've got tucked up in bed. The Doctor." She says convinced. The taxi driver drops them off at the apartment and they burst in to see Jackie talking on the phone, unfazed. "Get off the phone" Rose shouts. She is frantic, trying to think straight. Jackie looks concerned.
"It's only Bev. She says hello" she says. Rose takes the phone as Jackie holds it out.
"Bev? Yeah. Look, it'll have to wait" she says. He didn't have a chance to speak before Rose hung up. She turned to her mother. "Right, it's not safe. We've got to get out. Where can we go?" She asks quickly.
"My mate Stan, he'll put us up" Mickey says, trying to contribute. Rose thinks for a moment before saying no.
"That's only two streets away. What about Mo? Where's she living now?" she fires off rapid questions. Jackie spoke quickly in an attempt to keep up.
"I don't know. Peak District."
"Well, we'll go to cousin Mo's then" she says. Now that she has a plan she moves around to gather items. There is a black bag on the floor and she picks it up before Jackie put her foot down.
"No, it's Christmas Eve! We're not going anywhere! What're you babbling about?" She scolds Rose. It's her first Christmas with Rose after losing her, she'll be damned if she lets that go. Rose doesn't answer, but is staring at the tree in the corner.
"Mum. Where'd you get that tree?" She asks quietly. The tree used to be white, but now it's a natural green. "That's a new tree. Where'd you get it?" She says again. Jackie looks bewildered.
"I thought it was you" she answers. The tree had just appeared on her door, she assumed Rose had sent it.
"How can it be me?" Rose nearly shouts. Jackie is indignant .
"Well, you went shopping. There was a ring at the door, and there it was!" . She was trying to defend her logic now.
"No, that wasn't me." Rose insists.
"Then who was it ?" They all spun around to look at The tree, just as it lit up and started playing Jingle Bells.
"Oh, you're kidding me." Rose exclaims. The tree splits off into three sections and starts spinning. It keeps accelerating our until it creates a wind current and blows paper off the table. The tree slowly starts moving forward destroying the table in the process.
"Get out! Go, go! Get out!" Mickey shouted. He picked up a chair to fend off the tree.
"We've got to save the Doctor." Rose said.
"What're you doing?" Jackie demanded, angrily.
"We can't just leave him"
"Mickey!" Jackie yelled as The tree shredded The chair. "Leave it! Get out! Get out!"
"Mickey!" Rose shouted as well.
"Get out of there!" Jackie called to him. They all ran into the bedroom and Rose walks over to the bed. "No, leave them. Just leave him!" Jackie pleaded. Rose and Mickey didn't listen and just barricaded the door with a dresser. Rose was shaking the Doctor, begging him to wake up. Suddenly, the strange girl woke up and looked around.
Winter's third person POV
Winter awoke suddenly and attempted to move. Attempted is the word, because something was blocking her way. She looked down to see she was in a bed, and... Someone else was beside her. Did she...? No, she was fully clothed. Winter quickly jerked her hands away, as she realized they'd been holding onto this person. He groaned slightly when she pulled away, almost protesting. He seemed sick. Around her was a small room with blue walls. Three people were there staring at her. Why was she here? What happened? She noticed the dresser blocking the door after a moment. It was splintering, something was breaking through. She reached behind her and felt... Nothing. Where was her bag? Did someone take it? Was she kidnapped? The people in the room looked scared. Not them, clearly. The man then? No, he was too sick. "Where is my bag" she demanded as the dresser splintered more and a spinning Christmas tree broke through.
"It's in the sitting room" the younger blonde said.
"What'd you do that for? My star pen is in there. So's my psychic lanyard. Now I'm in a bind" Winter rambled. The blonde looked angry for a moment before the dresser splintered more and she snapped her head up. She walked over to the sick man and whispered something in his ear. what good was that? There was enough noise around them to crack windows. Winter wasn't expecting the man to shoot up and point his instrument at the tree... A sonic screwdriver? Winter was relieved, at least, that she didn't have to use her particle manipulation.
"Remote control, but what's controlling it?" He asked as he ran outside. He grabbed a dressing gown on the way out and came to a stop on the balcony. As, he pointed his instrument at them they teleported away.
"That's them" the other boy said. The first man nodded... Wow she really needed some names for these faces. "What are they?" The boy asked. Winter shushed everyone for a moment.
"Wait a minute... Just one. who are you?" She asked. That was rude. Since when was She so rude. Winter just wasn't used to interaction, she supposed. The young blonde looked furious.
"That's what we should be asking you" she practically yelled. The man looked bewildered.
"Hang on. Rose is right who are you? No wait pilot fish first" he said, turning attention back to the pilot fish. She silently cursed. Another alien here. Great.
"Not very good are they... I mean they ran away from a screwdriver" the younger boy said. So it was a sonic screwdriver. The man suddenly winced. He backed against the wall in pain. It was a perfect distraction, so she dashed inside and looked around for her black backpack. It was laying on the floor amiss a broken table. Winter quickly navigated the broken glass and picked it up. She felt around the top, praising the transdimensional and layered dimensions bag. She just needed to think of what she needed from the bag and it appeared in her hand.
A strange pen suddenly appeared in her hand after thinking of it. It was a bronze pen, the old fashioned fountain kind. It was covered in gears and complicated carvings on it. It was elegant yet powerful looking. She loved her pen. See, her pen had no ink, no. It used star energy and only one who could harness it, herself being the only one, could use it. She used words similar to the carrionites except she used the language of the stars to write whatever she wants and She just needs to think about the item she performing on. The energy of the stars converted into energy needed to perform the action. She tested it to make sure it worked. Intricate words started appearing as she wrote in mid air. She thought of the shards of glass and suddenly they were all floating. It wasn't a harsh floating, but a soft, lazy floating. Winter was pleased that her pen still worked. It was the only memoir of her 'family' of stars. She supposed she should go thank 'Rose' and the others for helping her out. She still didn't know why she collapsed.
Outside was a mess. The man was out cold on the floor. The others were trying to lift him comfortably, both to no avail. She sighed and supposed she should help them. "Need some assistance?" She asked loudly, if a little arrogantly. God, she needed social skills.
"I'm not sure what an extra person would do... It's too cramped" the older blonde said. Winter faught the urge to facepalm.
"I'm not going to lift him, I can make him hover though" she said, earning skeptical looks from everyone. She just took out her pen and began writing. It took her less than a second to complete the words and as soon as she thought of the man, he slowly rose into the air. The three people stared gaping at her as the man continued to float. She gestured towards the man and the three people sprang into action, bringing him into the bedroom. Winter just cancelled the energy and he fell softly into the bed. Not many words were said but Winter could tell they were bursting with questions.
They all finally sat down at the table, and Winter could tell they were barely keeping silent. Finally, Rose broke. "Who are you? Human? Whats your name? Where are you from? What was that pen?" She started spewing off questions. She could tell that the other two were curious as well.
"now I'd love to answer your questions, but I cant just give out that info. What's your names?" She asked. It was true. She couldn't just tell people what she was. The older blonde looked indignant, but they caved and answered.
" Rose"
"Jackie"
" Mickey." Winter nodded.
"whose that man in bed?" She asked. Rose have a look to everyone at the table, cutting them off.
" John Smith" she said. Right. What motive would they have to lie? Protecting him? Protecting themselves? She just mentally shrugged.
"Alrighty I can answer your questions now, but I have the right to choose not to" She explained. The older blonde, now dubbed Jackie looked annoyed, but eventually nodded. "Okie Dokie Artichokie... My name is Winter. I'm not human... and no, I can't tell you what I am." She said, cutting off Mickey. She didn't exactly trust these people. " I'm from space.obviously, and as for my pen, it is like the screwdriver of your friend in there" she explained. They all nodded. "Anything else?" She asked everyone.
"What are you doing in Earth?" Rose asked. I pondered this for a moment.
"not sure, I mean I was in the Scarlett System one moment and the next I was on your doorstep. Not sure how I came to be there. I don't like being 'not sure'" she rambled on. Jackie took in her appearance for a moment before deciding to speak.
"Why are you wearing that?" She asked. Winter looked confused for a moment until Jackie gestured to her face, more importantly that black mask covering her face from the nose down. Winter just shrugged.
"I don't show my face to people I don't trust" she said plainly, as if talking about the weather. They looked slightly offended, then Rose shrugged.
"Alright, since ya don't know why your 'ere I guess ya can stay" she said hesitantly. Mickey and Jackie looked surprised. Winter herself was taken aback. She'd had a feeling that ROSE held no liking for her. Winter just mentally shrugged
[A.N.: It's been a while since I've read these stories, and I've had a ball. Feel free to hate or w/e, as I literally cannot read these without cringing. I don't want to rain on anyone's parade, however, so, if you really like the premise of a story here, you can use the idea, continue the story, or even ask for a continuation/rewrite. I will be glad to oblige, and then subsequently link the new story. Anyways, thanks for putting up with/reading my prepubescent ramblings masquerading as stories.]