Disclaimer: I don't own the Doctor, the TARDIS, Rose or any of the characters, planets, technology etc that appear in Doctor Who. I am only borrowing them and they will be returned to the BBC undamaged and in their original packaging.

Chapter Thirteen: Epilogue

Xan opened his eyes. His head was aching. He tried to sit up, failed and collapsed back again with a groan.

'Awake, I see.'

He blinked, clearing his eyes and this time sat up slowly, taking a look around. He was lying on a sofa in one of the caves. Someone had thrown a blanket over him. The Doctor was stood beside the door, his arms folded and his expression unreadable.

'It would appear so,' Xan said carefully, touching his head cautiously as if he was afraid it would explode. 'Is that a problem?' he asked with a touch of sarcasm.

'Back to normal, I see,' the Doctor muttered, referring to the sarcasm. 'So what was that? A gesture of heroism, worthy but ultimately bloody stupid? Or did you just forget you were poisoned too? Maybe your memory is as flawed as your thinking? Maybe an act of bravery, you thought?'

Xan blinked. 'What?'

'You almost died,' the Doctor said conversationally. 'Had Rose in a fearful state, you did. We were all running around, expecting you to drop dead at any moment. So? An act of stupidity, forgetfulness, bravery or all the above?'

'None,' Xan replied irritably. 'It was an act of self-preservation, actually.'

Now it was the Doctor's turn to be confused. 'What?'

Xan gave him a lopsided grin. 'You're not mad at me at all. You're just telling me off to make Rose feel better.'

'What's that supposed to mean? And what are you on about self-preservation for?'

'Rose feels bad because I gave her the antidote Solia gave me. Solia only gave me enough to cure me, and she didn't realise I got that out of her head. But Rose feels awful and you're shouting at me so she doesn't feel quite so guilty because then it's all my fault. But you're actually relieved I did what I did, because you're not sure Rose would have survived as long as I did.'

'And the self-preservation?'

'You would have probably killed me yourself if I had saved myself and let her die.'

The Doctor didn't answer that for some time. Then he said, 'Damn you, telepath.'

Xan stood up slowly. 'Oh, that had nothing to do with telepathy,' he said easily.

The Doctor raised his eyebrows.

'It had everything to do with observation.' He grinned. 'I don't rely solely on telepathy to understand people, you know.'

The Doctor was saved from answering by Rose walking in.

'You're awake!' she said delightedly, giving Xan a hug. 'You're an idiot, you know that!' she added with a touch of anger.

'Yeah, I am,' he said cheerfully.

'Did you shout at him?' she asked the Doctor sharply.

'He did,' Xan interrupted. 'Please spare me another lecture, Rose, I don't think I could cope with it.'

'All right.' She gave him another hug. 'I'm glad you didn't die, though.'

'So am I,' Xan replied. He gave the Doctor a meaningful look. So we understand each other, do we?

The Doctor smiled slightly and nodded, indicating that yes, at this moment, they did understand each other.

'Are we ready to go?' Rose asked.

'Yes, I think so,' the Doctor said. 'I'm a little tired of caves, myself.'

'Oh, definitely,' Rose said.

'Then the feeling is unanimous,' Xan said. 'Let's go to an open-air bar and get blind drunk.'

'I'm up for that,' Rose said. 'Doctor?'

'Me too,' he said. 'Come on, children. The people have decided to leave us alone, so they dropped us off in a cave near the surface, so we'll be able to find the way out by ourselves.'

'Are they just leaving us to go?' Xan said, surprised. 'What happened to gratitude?'

'Died a long and painful death,' the Doctor said morbidly. 'Don't let it bother you, let's just go and find that bar, shall we?'

They made their way through the caves, finding their way quickly to the surface. There they were met with a huge surprise. There were plants springing up on the planet's previously barren and acrid surface. Small plants, some no more than the merest shoots of green, but alive and growing. There were some insects as well, a few butterflies and some flies floating around the air and ants creeping over the ground.

'It's living again,' the Doctor said, smiling. 'The damage will take years to repairs, but Solenistra is living again, not dying any longer.' His smile widened. 'Seems it wasn't dying of old age after all. You have no idea how happy that makes me.'

'You were wrong, then,' Rose said slyly. 'You were wrong.'

He scowled. 'Don't push it.'

She grinned.

'What did you do?' Xan asked him.

'I imprisoned it,' he replied. 'Back inside the depths of the planet. I warned the people not go there again, because it feeds upon them. Maybe it'll starve down there.'

'The prophecy came true, in the end,' Rose said.

'Not entirely,' the Doctor replied, his smile fading. 'I don't think this is all over. I think it was just a prelude to the real storm and the real challenge. The storm still comes.'

Rose and Xan looked at each other.

'I think you're right,' she said quietly.

Xan nodded. 'Me too.'

The Doctor smiled at them. 'Yes.' They all stood together for a moment, silently considering the possible future.

Then the Doctor brightened and said, 'But that's another job for another day. Where shall we go next?'

'That bar,' Xan said decidedly. 'After all that excitement, I need a drink. Several drinks.'

'Drinks it is,' the Doctor said. 'Let's go!'

Note: Watch this space for the next instalment of The Storm Trilogy! I'm working on it right now!