Disclaimer etc.: see Prologue.

Once more, sorry for the delay. My Doctor Who muse took a looooong holiday...

And I've got a bone to pick with you lot! This story is on thirty-eight alerts, nineteen favourites and in six C2s. And I got SIX reviews for the last chapter. Reviews seriously do encourage the muse, and I'm beginning to think that you guys don't want this finished... Please review. A last plea, 'cause I only have an epilogue left to do, and it'll probably be up in early January. I'll love you all forever and ever, and I will send you all cookies. Please?

Enjoy! (And review!)

Golden Death

­10 - Finally Fixing

It was night in the Powell Estate. Curtains were pulled shut and a few hardy stars twinkled overhead, half-hidden by the smog of London town.

The TARDIS faded into existence slowly, almost as if the ancient time machine was reluctant to appear. As if it knew something that its inhabitants didn't and it didn't want them hurt.

Maybe they should have paid attention: they might have been better prepared.

As it was, the Doctor and his Rose cracked open the door and spilled out, laughing, in constant contact. He wouldn't let her go. Not now. Not ever again. Losing her twice had been two times to many.

The Time Lord wrinkled his nose up in the direction of Jackie Tyler's flat. "Do I have to go up there?" he moaned.

"Yup." Rose squeezed his fingers lightly and laughed softly at his recalcitrance. "That gonna be a problem, Doctor?"

But he didn't reply, and his forehead crinkled into a frown.

Rose's smile vanished. "Doctor?"

His free hand lifted up slowly and pointed at Jackie's brightly-lit flat. "I think something's wrong with your Mum."

---------

The door was still in a mangled mess of wood shavings and metal hinges on the floor. The carpet was still vaguely burnt from the wave of golden death that had blasted off the Angels. The faint smell of sulphur still permeated the undeniably-shabby rooms. Nothing was tidied – nothing had been fixed.

Something was definitely wrong.

Rose's eyes were wide. "Mum?" she called, her voice quavering oh-so-slightly.

"Rose…" the Doctor murmured.

She released his long fingers and stepped forward, panic creeping into her heart. "Mum?!"

"In here!" came Jackie's strangely chirpy tone.

The Doctor blinked, and followed Rose through to the living room. He stopped in the doorway, startled. Rose was just in front of him and she turned back to face him, tears shining in the eyes that had sparkled with life and love just minutes before. "What's wrong with her?" she whispered hoarsely.

His gaze fell on Jackie.

Rose's mother was rocking back and forth in a distinctly over-full armchair, long nails digging ferociously into the arms. Blonde hair was splayed all over the place, uncombed and filthy. There was a disturbing smile on her face, serenely happy and strangely crazed all at once.

Lips that were slashed across with crimson lipsticks opened, and Jackie's twisted happy-go-lucky voice came out. "Did you bring him back with you?" Her eyes were bright; focused and glazed at once.

A tear slipped free from Rose's eye and began to trace a path down her palely-golden cheek. "Bring who?" she asked in a whisper. The Doctor interlaced his fingers with hers once more – it was too much for her; she was breaking.

Faint confusion traced Jackie's face. "I never asked his name," she said calmly, "but he didn't know what tea was. Imagine that! Not knowing about tea!"

"Mum…"

Jackie's head cocked slightly to one side. Her expression became mildly inquisitive. "Yes?"

Rose closed her eyes and turned back to the Doctor. "What's wrong with her?" she breathed, pressing her forehead into his shoulder.

He pulled her closer, his arms around her. Long-fingered hands rubbed absent circles on her back, still clad in nothing but his coat. "It must have been the Angels," he said softly. "One last act of cruelty."

A strangled sob escaped Rose's lips. "Can you fix her?"

"Maybe." He lightly kissed the top of her head. "Maybe." A sigh. "I can try."

Rose sobbed again.

And the empty shell of Jackie Tyler merely watched, and smiled, and rocked.

---------

The Doctor cradled Jackie's face between his palms, his eyes closed, his thoughts lightly brushing hers. He frowned, just a light crinkle of pale skin.

"Doctor?" Rose was knelt by his side, her fingers on his shoulder, tears drying on her face. "What is it?"

"Someone else has been inside her head," he murmured. "Someone beside the Angels."

"Can you…"

He smiled, without opening his eyes. "I think so."

She let out a long, shuddering breath of relief, and he could feel her smile. His heart swelled, and, riding on the buoyancy of her love, delved gently into the Tyler matriarch's mind.

He brushed gently over shattered neurons and broken connections, and, with his soft touch, the pathways reconnected, fixed, healed. He put her brain right, but she was still silent. She still smiled with the expression of the half-dead.

He bit his lip and went deeper.

Jackie? he called. Jackie, are you in here?

No words came back to him, but he felt… something. A stirring. A resurrection. His breath hitched. Hey! Jackie!

Doctor?

Yes! He rejoiced silently, and a smile spread across his physical lips.

What are you doing inside my head?!

He chewed his lip. Saving your sanity maybe? Not that there was much of it to start off with…

Saving my sanity? There's nothing wrong with my sanity, and I am saner than you! You're nuts!

And that's a bad thing?

Yes! He almost heard her huff. Don't know what Rose sees in you…

He smiled. Jackie's comment brought up memories, very good memories. No pain, no loss. Joy.

Well.

Joy and… happiness of a more physical kind.

And then he felt Jackie Tyler's inquisitive mind nosing around in his thoughts. Some very personal thoughts. Damnit damnit damnit! he hissed and desperately tried to backtrack – to get her out of his head.

Too late.

Indignance and maternal rage poured through him, along with a slightly scary speculative air. But, predictably, the rage won out and she exploded inside his head. You are sleeping with my daughter?!

Erm… He flailed for words. It's consensual?

And that comment didn't exactly help.

---------

Rose paced the muddled floor of her mother's flat, hugging the Doctor's long coat around her. They'd been in that strange mind-meld-thing for about half an hour now, and she was getting worried.

And then the Doctor squeaked.

She stopped and stared at him. No, she wasn't imagining things. He just squeaked. And then he did it again.

Rose took a step closer, worried. "Doctor?" she asked, half-aware that he wouldn't be able to hear her.

Squeak.

And then, before she could say anything else, the Doctor's eyes flew open, closely followed by Jackie's. Rose looked between them, confused.

And then Jackie slapped him. Hard.

He jumped backwards, nursing his cheek, watching Jackie warily.

And then she did it again. And again.

Jackie Tyler, blonde shopaholic and single mother, chased the Doctor, time traveller and last of the Time Lords, out of the flat, slapping him as she went.

Rose's mouth hung open. She followed the sounds of her Doctor's yelps and watched, in utter amazement, as her mother chased her lover around the courtyard outside the flat.

"That will teach you to sleep with my daughter!" came Jackie's shrill shout.

"It's consensual!" came the Doctor's protests.

And Rose Tyler, recently possessed, abused, brutalised and tortured, burst out laughing.

---------