Summary:
Notes: Still pretty short, because like I mentioned, I was a bit affected by Cryptile's vastly superior 'Hey Now Hey Now', and wasn't worrying about chapter length. I'd have just posted it as one fic, but it was pretty dang long and people tend not to bother reading long things, so...
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Welcome to the Hotel California
The control room was dark. And cold, and empty.
"Can't say I like what I've done with the place," the Doctor said lightly, looking around before he stepped lightly to the console.
"It's not usually like..."
"Yeah. I know." He pressed a few buttons, stroking the edge of the console reassuringly. "He can't have used this console for... weeks."
Rose's eyes widened. "You're kidding me. What could've kept you-- him-- oh, whatever the hell, what could've made you do that?"
"Something really, really bad," said the Doctor, flipping her a lighthearted smile that didn't reach his eyes before ducking underneath the controls. "Now. I should be able to rig this to give us some idea of where he is."
"What, like a tracking device? How come you never used that before?"
"'Cos the thing I'm talking about only works inside the TARDIS."
"Ah." Rose considered this. "Why d'you think he's here? Isn't it more likely that he's outside somewhere?"
"Well, first, we shouldn't go outside before we check in the TARDIS anyway. Also... I've got a feeling. It's about being trapped somewhere, that song is." A wire sparked. "Ow. That should do it."
A beep sounded through the console room, a little too loud and clear for Rose's taste. The sight of this room in shadows-- was that a thin layer of dust on the console?-- was scaring her on a very deep level.
"Yep! He's in here, all right." The Doctor stood up, dusting off his hands proudly.
"Great. Where?"
"...That would be the problem."
"...Oh, god..."
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