The Story of Bad Wolf
Bad Wolf showed him images of his home planet, the place he lived until everything fell apart. Around them swirled an illusion of Gallifrey before it was destroyed in the Time War. Albeit it was rather beautiful, but an illusion nonetheless. The Doctor saw his planet, the way he knew it when he was young. Golden and full of life. The words echoed over in his mind, "Gallifrey falls no more."
He looked at Bad Wolf standing before him. "It wasn't all in my head, was it? It was you."
All she did was nod silently. He saw images of the Time War and River Song.
Bad Wolf stepped away and the images faded away.
"Are you still her? Rose, I mean."
She faltered for a moment, "I guess so. I don't really know anymore. Sometimes I can hear her in my mind. The Rose Tyler girl speaking to me."
"What does she say?"
"She talks to me. She asks about you and her mum. Wants me to make sure that everyone's alright,"
"Can she hear me? Can I talk to her?" The Doctor asked.
"I can try, but it isn't her,"
"I don't care."
Bad Wolf stared into his eyes and listen to the voice within her. The voice of Rose Tyler.
"Rose?"
Bad Wolf spoke what Rose told her. She could hear Rose in the back of her mind, wanting to talk to The Doctor.
"Doctor," Bad Wolf said.
"I've missed you."
Bad Wolf felt the voice of Rose take over. "How long has it been? How many others have there been?" Rose asked.
"About 300 years. I've traveled with the Ponds."
"300 years. And how many times have you forgotten my name?"
"I've been here for a thousand years. I've been a thousand people and lived a thousand lives. And never, not in one of them, have I forgotten you, Rose Tyler."
She felt Rose smiling, but the smile faltered. "What is it?" The Doctor asked.
"I'm sorry. I never should have come here. It was unfair to both of us?"
"How? Why?"
"Because I'm not real. None of this is."
Rose stepped away and the illusion faded.
"What are you talking about? What was that?" The Doctor asked.
"Your memories. A reminder. A dark time is coming and you'll need to be prepared."
She gently stroked his cheek, "Goodbye, my love."
Her hand fell and The Doctor looked frantically. "Rose? Rose? Bad Wolf?"
The Doctor ran outside the TARDIS and the doors closed behind him. He thought he saw a glimpse of Bad Wolf, but the image quickly vanished. A flyer fell to the ground and The Doctor picked it up. Only two words were written on the page, but it was enough to tell him that it wasn't a dream. BAD WOLF
Rose Tyler came home from work that day to find an envelope with her name scrawled on it. "Mum?"
A voice came from the kitchen, "The letter's for you, sweetie!"
"But who's it from?"
"I don't know. Open it!" Jackie said.
Rose went to her room and sat down on her bed. She opened the envelope and unfolded the piece of paper.
"Dear Rose,
I'm sorry for everything I've done. Or everything I'm about to do. Just know that it'll all make sense someday. I'm sorry for not saying those three words. I'm sorry for leaving you, I'm sorry for abandoning you when you needed me most. Things are going to get complicated for you, soon. Just have a good life and be happy. That's all I want for you. Even if I may never see you again, just be safe. Goodbye, Bad Wolf."
Rose didn't know what the letter meant and she wasn't supposed to. Not yet. The Doctor couldn't explain it to her.
But Bad Wolf was right. Everyone needed to be prepared.
It was inevitable. Eventually, the day would come when Gallifrey would fall once more.
Author's Note: Thank you all for your positive feedback! Comments and reviews are appreciated :)
