Chapter 14 – Super Bob!
A shrill ringing sound in his head was what snapped him out of his sleep-state.
It drilled into his brain as he jerked up to sitting position; unwittingly throwing Bob off of his chest who'd been sleeping there but second earlier, panting for air from the enthralling dream he'd just been plucked rudely out of. It had something to do with Jackie being a leprechaun in disguise…
Shaking his head to clear it, he tried to recall who and where he was. He glanced sideward at the glowing digital clock on his bedside table: 10:00am.
His eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets. His wedding to Rose was in half an hour! He looked up to the heavens of the TARDIS, whispering a 'thank you' as he realised it was her who had woken him up. He launched out from under the covers of his Rose-less double bed, legging it to the wardrobe instantly, not caring he was wearing a distinct lack of clothes – there was no one in the TARDIS apart from Bob and of course the TARDIS herself.
It was twenty-five minutes until the wedding when he'd finally finished dressing bar his shoes and socks. It took a further ten minutes to do his hair (Fluffy yet sticking up, that was how she liked it, wasn't it…?) before he tore it to his own bedside cabinet, bringing out a small velvet box in of which was concealed his own wedding ring to Rose, previously his mother's. It looked normal from a casual glance of any passer-by but up close it glowed and swirled with a little of the Time Vortex – these rings were amazingly expensive and extremely rare because of it, but it was worth it.
He took it out of the box and dropped it into his pocket, glancing at the clock – ten minutes. He opened the second bedside drawer and drew out a pair of odd socks, throwing them over his feet before dropping to the floor, searching underneath the bed for his converses.
They weren't there.
He stared for a moment, eyebrows lowering as he contemplated this new dilemma. Wardrobe. Maybe he'd missed them in his rush. They had to be the white ones, Jackie would kill his regeneration quicker than you could say 'Raxacoricofalipatorious' if he wore any of the others – they were all clammed in mud.
He was running so fast he completely missed the small blue Delorion hovering just outside the door, both mammals yelping with surprise as his foot caught the body and they both went smashing to the floor.
"Watch it, Bob!" the Doctor said loudly as he pushed himself up, looking at the Delorion scoldingly. Bob whined – but then the Doctor realised where his converses had actually disappeared.
"Bob I need that!" the Doctor cried as Bob chewed thoughtfully on the shoes he'd stolen a few minutes earlier. He reached over to the Delorion, making for the shoes…but Bob reeled, taking the converses with him.
"Yip, yip!"
"Bob, taking them would be a very bad idea…" the Doctor warned, reaching forward a little more again. Bob backed away. "Please Bob…"
He launched forward, but Bob was ready for him. The Delorion grabbed one of the shoes and darted to the right, completely evading the Doctor and pelting off down the corridor. The Doctor fell with and 'oof' to the floor, fumbling for the shoe Bob had left behind and shoving it on before running after the alien dog, yelling.
"You look beautiful Rose," her mother assured her as Rose looked into the mirror for the twenty-seventh time that morning, brushing back her hair. She glanced at her mother's watch again. 10:21am. He should be there by now. Biting her lip, she lifted her dress and started pacing once more.
Mickey rose from his chair, reaching out and resting a reassuring hand on her shoulder to stop her pacing. "Calm down Rose," he said gently, "happiest day of ya life, right?"
"Right," she muttered, not sounding entirely convinced. "What if she's got him? What if she comes back?"
"It's my fault," suddenly said a small voice of child from below, and Rose looked down at surprise to Rory standing staring at the floor by her feet. "Daddy got her from me."
Rose dropped to his height, sighing. "Nothin's your fault Rory, daddy got into this mess himself. Me and your daddy both love you, you know that, don't you?"
He nodded, but still stared at the ground. Rose drew him into a loving hug, placing a kiss on his cheek of reassurance. After a moment she drew back, straightening his bow tie and patting down his suit. She reached up to his bouncy hair and brushed a strand out of his eyes. Jackie had tried to comb his hair to its parting but Rory had wailed so much she began to think he really was the Doctor – so now his hair was just where he let it fall as always.
Rose sighed again, pushing herself to her feet. Mickey watched her carefully.
"I'll go to the TARDIS, see what's goin' on," he suddenly said, "maybe he's just a stickler for time."
Rose nodded, smiling slightly as she realised that was not in the least bit true, but was glad of his support. As Mickey disappeared Rose turned once more back to the mirror for the twenty-eighth time that morning.
"Heel! Heel! Bob! Heel!!!"
He wished it worked for the Delorion the same way it worked for Rory…
He'd been chasing the animal around the TARDIS corridors for ten minutes now – he was due at the church that very second and he was still only wearing one shoe…it was no good, he'd have to give up on Bob, back track to the wardrobe and-
He blinked, the flash of rich purple suddenly bright in his vision against the golden wall of the TARDIS interior.
She smiled at him, a beautiful enchanting smile. Her black hair swam out around her head with her hand raising once more upwards, those fingers pressed together ready to click.
"No…" the Doctor manage to call in a gasp as his head swam, limbs turned heavy and fog descended on his mind in the bucket loads. She was too strong; he couldn't do a thing but submit. He managed to raise his hand like her and stagger forward a few paces before she clicked, and he crippled unconscious to the floor.
She stepped forward towards him, kneeling down next to his sleeping form and cupping his chin, turning his head towards her. Gently and carefully, she lowered her lips to his and pressed a dab of a kiss on them.
"Sleep, my Doctor…" she whispered in his ear, resting a hand on his chest to teleport them out of the TARDIS.
"Doctor!" suddenly called a distant London accented voice, and the sound of footsteps on grating in a room close to them. "Doctor! It's ten thirty!"
She hissed disapproval, knowing she could not focus her energy without one hundred percent concentration.
"Doctor!" the voice was getting closer, "Doctor you're gonna be really late!"
She watched the doorway, waiting for the mortal to enter before she dealt with it. Seconds later Mickey Smith entered, eyes searching the corridor before he focused into the room they were currently residing in. His eyes first of all snapped to the purple clad woman, eyebrows lowering in confusion before they dropped to the Doctor on the floor – and confusion turned to horror.
He hovered between screaming like a little girl and running forward to confront her – he had to admit, the former sounded a little more profitable to his own well-being but he could hardly leave the Doctor here alone…
It didn't even matter anyway, because seconds later her hand flew out towards him and a vibrant purple beam of energy fired straight into his chest. He tried to yell out in surprise – but found he was suddenly completely paralysed into position, standing next to the doorway.
"Foolish mortal!" she spat, her voice evidently smooth and even when calm, but now it was agitated and impatient. "This does not concern you!!!"
Mickey Smith could only watch as she began to glow once more, resting a hand on the Doctor's chest.
Wake up Doctor… he pleaded inside his mind, trying I vain to move his limbs only to be met with the harsh feeling of defeat. Please wake up…
"Yip, yip!"
The sound of the barking startled both Mickey and the woman as her hand quickly drew away from him like she'd just been burnt.
"Yip, yip!"
Bob came bounding heroically into the room, still with the Doctor's second shoe grasped between his teeth. He saw the purple woman, and instantly knew the threat she posed to his master. He dropped the shoe and leapt over the Doctor's body to her side so he was between her and his master, lowering on his hind legs in a threatening protective pose, a growl of warning rumbling low in his throat with his tail waggling dangerously.
The woman managed to regain her pose as she realised what it was. A hard, evil smile broke out on her lips as she stared hard at the Delorion.
"Look at you, aren't you cute," she said without the slightest hint of softness in her tone. "I assure you, he's going to a far, far better place with me."
Bob growled once more, baring sharp, gritted teeth. She began to raise her hand to the Delorion, but he was quicker. With a flash of pink fur Bob had snapped his teeth around her leg, shaking it around like a toy. She howled in agony for her torment, her form disappearing in a purple aura of energy as her control over Mickey dissipated instantaneously. He just about caught himself before staggering immediately over to the Delorion, patting his head applaudingly.
"Good boy!"
"Yip, yip!"
Mickey's attentions turned to the Doctor as he rested a hand on his shoulder and tried to shake him awake.
"C'mon…" he muttered, first of all not noticing the Delorion stroll past him whining but then registering him as he started licking the Doctor's face. Seconds later the Doctor's eyes fluttered open, and he lay dazed and confused on the floor. His eyes travelled over to huge hunk of blue fur currently licking over his face to the man kneeling next to him, dressed in a very posh looking suit.
"M…Mickey?" he asked tiredly.
"Your dog's slobberin' all over ya face," Mickey pointed out obviously, and the Doctor nodded.
"Delorion saliva has natural healing properties," he explained, pushing himself up and trying to remember what had just taken place. Her. "Did you see her?"
"Yeah!" Mickey nodded, enthusiastic. "She was like, talkin' 'bout me being a mortal and that she was gonna take ya to a better place!"
"You heard her speak?"
"Yeah, then she was like, I dunno, teleportin' you out or somethin' then Bob came in and bit her leg then she disappeared!"
The Doctor almost sighed with relief. If Mickey had seen her too, it meant she did actually exist, and it wasn't all in his mind. He wasn't going insane. He reached out to Bob and petted him fondly, promising him a treat after…after…
"What's the time?!" he instantly asked, launching to his feet and jamming on the second shoe Bob had left abandoned, already running towards the TARDIS doors before Mickey could even open his mouth to reply. Jackie was going to castrate him for this, he knew it. What if Rose thought he'd left her at the altar? She must've been panicking to send Mickey after him – though she could hardly be blamed with what had happened yesterday…
He ran.