Disclaimer: I don't in any way own the series Doctor Who . Those are the sole property of the BBC.
Return to Satellite 5 AU: "Bad Wolf", "The Parting of the Ways" and "Born Again".
Chapter Twenty-One: Apart But Not Separate
The TARDIS tossed and spun in apparent agitation. The time tunnel twisted and rocked in a storm of kaleidoscoping clouds and lightning as if effected by the time machine's internal upset.
Inside, the Doctor stood rooted in front of the console; he actively avoided looking in Jack's general direction. He knew that in the near future explanations were needed but they would have to wait. The blue eyed alien's skin still crawled at the ex-time agent's mere presence.
The Time Lord's gaze drifted instead from the monitor to the time rotor before finally coming to rest on the unconscious form of Rose Tyler. The blonde estate girl lay on the jump seat where he had unceremoniously deposited her after the destruction of the Daleks. A myriad of emotions fought to be in the forefront: pride, joy, horror and relief were but a few. His companion had risked so much in returning to him.
Lynda stood, arm cradled, next to the jump seat, guarding Rose from rolling off as the Doctor's ship shook and shuddered. She released her injured arm to clutch onto the leather upholstered chair as TARDIS shuddered violently. A soft moan, gave the newest companion the first indication that the blonde Londoner appeared to be awaking. "Easy there."
"Ah, What?" Rose croaked, pushing up into a sitting position, she blinked looking around. Her expression went from a pained blank confusion to dawning comprehension as the memories and awareness rushed back.
Jack moved to stand gazing at the impossible young woman; he had a feeling she'd had something to do with why they were alive and traveling in the TARDIS. "So Sleeping Beauty finally awakes," Jack teased with forced joviality.
The Doctor's gaze fell fully on Rose, an overwhelming psychic connection enveloped him, then suddenly it diminished to a warm impression from that of time tots and… strangely enough Rose herself. The Doctor still couldn't fathom how Rose could speak his long forgotten language, and so fluently whisper a name in High Gallifreyan when the Vortex energy had already left her fragile human body. It was a mystery that he would have to solve.
"Rose, what do you remember?" The Doctor questioned, approaching the jump seat.
The blonde woman's shifting gaze finally took in the trio, going from Lynda, swiftly darting past Jack, before resting on the Doctor. Rose surged off her perch, advancing on the Doctor. Her right hand cracked across the unsuspecting Time Lord's face.
The Doctor reeled back from the well placed slap. He immediately covered the abused area, shocked at Rose's attack. Any doubts that he'd entertained were effectively squashed: whatever changes happened to Rose, she remained Jackie Tyler's daughter.
"You arrogant git! Who gave you the right to send me home or mess about with my memories?!" Rose screamed angrily not giving the Doctor a chance to interrupt. "Oh, Yeah I remember that and what just happened on the space station. You're very lucky that me and the TARDIS care so much ya."
Jack watched with awe and no small amount of caution. "Rose, you know the Doctor usually has a very good reason."
"Oh, ya stay out of this Jack Harkness, you're not much better letting him." Rose turned her wrath on the former time-agent, which quickly vanished as her brown eyes landed fully on the Captain. "Oh… Oh… Jack. I'm so… so… sorry."
Rose closed her eyes backing away, as a wave of nausea hit her, taking a few deep breaths the feeling slowly went away. Just when Rose thought she could continue berating the Doctor a different sensation replaced it, a painful tingling began to spread out from under her skin.
The Doctor, Jack and Lynda stood looking at Rose as the blonde woman had gone very pale. A light glow began to emanate from her; a sheen of silver-gold shone over her exposed skin..
"Doc, what's going on?" Jack didn't comprehend why Rose apologized but at that second it didn't really matter because the woman, who had taken a chance on him, appeared to be in jeopardy.
"No… No… This is impossible. The Vortex energy couldn't… shouldn't be able to do that!" The Doctor exclaimed even as he took out his sonic screwdriver to find a setting that would give the Time Lord some idea if his theory was correct.
"Doctor… um she's getting brighter." Lynda screeched in fright; she clutched her arm tight, wincing at the pain. She seemed to be in a never ending stream of bizarre events since she met these people.
"Got it." The Doctor yelled.
At the same instant Rose began to whimper. "Doctor… ow… Doctor help."
He hurriedly gave Rose a once over scan, checking the readings, the Doctor frowned and gave a low moan. "It's going to be all right Rose, just let it happen."
"Let what happen, Doctor." Jack growled, tired of being ignored, he pulled the Time Lord around to face him.
The Doctor tensed under the Captain's grip, but forced himself to look into the man's blue eyes. "She's regenerating."
"Regenerating?" Jack asked confusion lining his usually smooth face. "Um… Doc, you want to explain?"
"Yeah, I don't think humans can do that." Lynda stepped back until she was peeking around the console as Rose became even brighter.
The Doctor sighed in frustration; taking Jack's forearm he tugged the Captain back with Lynda. "It's a Time Lord trick, a way of cheating death. When a Time Lord is mortally injured, they can change their biological cells. The thing is… it doesn't just change the injury but the whole body every single tiny cell from the inside out. The size, sharp, looks all of it will be different even their personality. Just their memories remain."
"It still begs the question, Rose didn't appear injured and she's still a human. How can she be regenerating?" Jack cried still baffled about everything that had happened since he'd woken up.
The Doctor grimaced as he didn't know how Rose could be regenerating like a Time Lord. The Vortex energy could change a person's cellular structure. "I don't know Jack. It's has something to do with Rose absorbing the Vortex energy from the TARDIS's heart."
"You told us not to look into the TARDIS." Jack blue gaze went from Rose to the Doctor in mounting apprehension.
"Yeah… Some of you just can't seem to listen." The Doctor grumbled testilly.
Standing well away from the TARDIS's console Rose gritted her teeth as her skin painfully tingled and itched. Over the persistent buzzing in her ears, she could hear the Doctor's explanation. In the Doctor's whole lecture he hadn't once mention if the process would harm the children she carried. A fleeting memory or feeling of a different conversation eased her worries. Rose felt mildly sad that her appearance wouldn't be the same, but then the Doctor wasn't bothered about other's looks. Her voice she kind of hoped would sound a bit more posh. Taking the Doctor's earlier advice Rose let the transformation flow.
Rose's body pulsed with the regenerative energy; the silver-gold exploded out. The power of the eruption stole Rose's capacity to breathe, hear and even to think. In a matter of seconds, Rose Tyler had transformed: her hair length and weight shifted.
The Doctor's two companions watched in fascinated concern as the young woman before them literally exploded with silver-gold light. Lynda clutched the Captain's shoulder with her good hand, to keep from fainting.
Jack prayed to every deity he knew. The former time-agent had seen the Doctor would never let anything really harmful happen to Rose if he could prevent it. Jack hoped with a heavy heart that the faith he had in the Doctor wasn't misplaced. Jack tended not to doubt the alien man but occasionally the Doctor's plans or actions didn't work out.
The Doctor let out a long breath; it was a good thing he had a bypass or he would have passed out from the lack of oxygen he'd been holding. There on the other side of the console stood an altered Rose Tyler. Her clothes sagging on her form, the shape of her body having changed severely.
"Oh, blimey tha..." Rose started to say then clamped a hand over her mouth. She looked up and over to the trio, her now blue eyes wide in surprise.
TBC...
Author Note: One more chapter and this story is done. It has been a long time coming but I truly hope everyone enjoyed the ride. I thank everyone single person who took the time to read and a special thanks to those who went the extra bit to review, favorite or put this story on for an alert. An extra... extra thank you to those out there that decide to make me an alert or favorite author as the ninth Doctor would say "Fantastic."