A/N: Ooo 'Exterminate'! never good to hear that word is it?!

Disclaimer: I own nothing and make no money, blah blah blah blah

Chapter 4

The Doctor began to run as best he could, determined to find Rose before that thing did. He ducked as he heard laser fire, its voice following him down the corridor. He grunted as his wounds stretched and he lost his footing, skidding across the floor. Looking up he saw a flight if stairs. "Thank you Rose." He muttered; contemplating taking them before realising stairs weren't the answer. Daleks had evolved, they could hover now, stairs would be nothing to it but they would definitely exhaust the Doctor. Scrabbling to his feet he made for what he hoped was the direction of the control room, shouting Rose's name at the top of his lungs.

XxXxX

"Listen!" Rose said pulling Mickey to a halt.

"Is that him? He sounds scared. No terrified."

"No listen, the other noise."

"What other noise?"

Rose strained to hear as the noise became louder. Her eyes widened as she recognised the spine tingling whine. "Daleks!" She gasped before screaming for the Doctor.

"What the hell is a Dalek?"

Mickey's question went unanswered as the Doctor skidded round the corner almost bumping into him.

"Mickey, what are you doing here? Where's Rose?"

"Right here." He held up Rose's hand but the Doctor could only see Mickey's empty hand. He grabbed the boy roughly by the shoulders and spun him round.

"Run!" He commanded taking Mickey's arm and dragging him along the corridor. "Come on, come on, come on!" He yelled throwing Mickey into the control room locking a door he never normally used. Making sure it was secure he turned back to Mickey.

"You look the same." Mickey frowned.

The Doctor's brow furrowed as he regarded the boy. "Any reason why I shouldn't?"

"Rose said you regenerated."

"Mickey, he looks nothing like he did before. He's an old man. He's got a beard and grey hair!" Rose told him incredulously.

"Rose, he looks exactly the same."

"You're talking to Rose?" The Doctor asked.

"Yeah, she's standing right beside me." He watched the Doctor flinch and step further away from the closed door. "What?"

"You can't hear it?"

"Hear what? What the hell is going on? Rose answers the phone all upset saying you can't see her and that she saw you regenerate. She says you look like an old man when you look exactly the same to me and you're running away from thin air and flinching at sounds that ain't there!"

"You mean you can't hear that at all?"

"Hear what?!" Mickey asked again, becoming increasingly frustrated.

"The Dalek."

"What the hell is a Dalek?!"

"The giant metal homicidal dustbin that was chasing me down the hall and shooting its laser while screaming 'Exterminate'!"

"Doctor, there was nothing chasing you. Looking at the state of you I'd say you were hallucinating. Would explain why you can't see Rose when she's right in front of you."

The Doctor gave the boy a tired look before stepping further away from the door. "Mickey if I was hallucinating then I'd be seeing things that weren't there not not seeing things that are."

"Then how can I see her?" Mickey challenged. "And why can't I see the Dalek and WHY does Rose keep insisting that you've changed your face again when you haven't?!"

"I don't know!" The Doctor sat himself in the captain's chair and rubbed his face with his hands.

"Rose says you were telling ghost stories and it all came to life."

The Doctor looked up at Mickey. "You really can see her."

"Yeah, I told you."

"So I haven't lost her?"

"No she's sitting right next to you trying to flick your ear. Said it drives you mad."

"Yeah it does. Hang on." He stood and started to peel back the tape on his bandages. "Can you see those?"

"Looks like you went ten rounds with Wolverine."

"Who?"

"Wolverine, character from X-men comics. He's a mutant with blades that shoot out of his hands."

"So you can see that?"

"Yeah and the black eye and bloody nose."

"But you can't see the things Rose and I see? Well that puts paid to that theory."

"What theory?"

"Rose and I thought maybe something blew in during the storm that was feeding off our thoughts and stories, bringing them to life. Like the ghost of a nun and Spring-heeled Jack. It even turned the TARDIS into a big haunted country house with staircases, old musty furniture and ringing bells."

"Ok. So if this thing is feeding off thoughts then why didn't wolverine appear when I thought about him? And where does your regeneration, Rose becoming invisible and a Dalek come into it? Were they in your stories?"

"No." the Doctor said quietly, a frown marring his features even more. "You're right. What has all that to do with ghost stories? Mickety Mick I love you!" The Doctor threw his arms around the boy for a hug then rummaged in his pocket for his sonic screwdriver.

"What did I do?"

"Opened the flood gates my boy! Opened the floodgates. It's only feeding off me and Rose. What links me and Rose more than it links either of us and you?"

Mickey fought the urge to pout and say something about them being together doing all the time stuff all the time.

"The TARDIS!" Rose shouted triumphantly.

"The TARDIS?" Mickey asked.

"Rose gave you that one didn't she?" The Doctor gave him a crooked smile.

"Yeah."

"Well my brilliant girl is right! I'm part of the circuit in the TARDIS and Rose has looked into the heart of the TARDIS thereby making her a part of the TARDIS too! You've never travelled with us; you've never been part of it so it's not affecting you." He pointed the screwdriver at the control panel. "Which means we're not looking for a malevolent being. We are looking at a case of…….. a sick TARDIS."

"I'm sorry a what?"

"The TARDIS is sick. When we opened to doors the storm blew in lots of rain. The control panel was soaked and the TARDIS went into back-up power. I assumed she needed to dry out but she in actual fact she got sick, like you do when you're out in the cold rain too long."

"You're having a laugh!" Rose piped up form her seat moving beside the Doctor.

"Rose says 'you're having a laugh'."

"'Fraid not. My old girl isn't well. She's a living being and as such is susceptible to getting ill just like every other being in the universe. She just doesn't do it as often. Every thing that's happened is real to Rose and I because the TARDIS is the one hallucinating and we are connected to her. Her hallucinations were spawned from our thoughts because she is linked to our memories."

"This is nuts." Mickey complained.

"No, this is time travel!" The Doctor grinned. "Once we leave the TARDIS everything will be normal for us and she'll get well sooner. Rose go and get dressed, we're off to see your mother while the TARDIS gets herself back in shape."

"What about all the Dalek and stuff?" Mickey asked.

"Well if it's a hallucination then it's not really there and I can do this…." He opened the door and stared at the Dalek for a moment before speaking again. "Ner ner nee ner ner, you can't touch me!" and with that the Doctor darted down the corridor chuckling to himself.

XxXxX

"Oh am I glad to see you!" Rose exclaimed as the Doctor walked through the front door looking completely normal, throwing her arms around him.

"Hello." He grinned into her hair, loving the fact he could see and feel her. "Uh Rose. As glad as I am to be able to hug you, I can also feel my stitches splitting."

"What?" Rose pulled back and looked at his shirt; she could see the dark stain on the bandage underneath looking up at his face she saw the dark purple bruises. "But isn't that part of the hallucination?"

"Apparently not. The creature was but it seems the injuries are real enough."

Rose frowned and led him to the living room. "How does that work?"

"I have no idea." The Doctor smiled, easing himself onto the sofa.

"Right come on, let me look." Rose said, immediately tugging his coat and jacket off.

"At what?"

"Your stitching. Took you long enough to do it. I've been up here for an hour." She grumbled as she began to unbutton his shirt, batting his hands away as he tried to stop her.

"Uh Rose?" The Doctor shifted uncomfortably as he heard someone come out of the bathroom.

"Don't be such a baby!" She ripped off the tape holding the bandage away and peeled back the cloth. "Ouch." She said as she took a closer look. "How far down do they go?"

"Lower than I want them too! My waistband's murder."

"What the bleedin' 'ell's going on 'ere?" Jackie's voice thundered from the doorway as she walked in on what looked like her daughter with her head in the Doctor's lap and him hissing at the ceiling with his eyes closed.

She watched with some satisfaction as the Doctor jumped almost knocking Rose off the sofa.

"God mum! You nearly gave us a heart attack."

"Guilty conscience?" Jackie glared at the Doctor.

"She started it!" He told her pointing at Rose.

"Mum, he's hurt. I was looking to see if they were ok. Although now thanks to you a couple more stitches popped." She turned back to the Doctor. "Lay down I'll get the first aid kit."

"Not in here you don't. I don't want blood all over my sofa. Besides Howard's coming round what will he say if he finds a half naked man on my sofa?"

"'Lucky you?'" The Doctor couldn't help it. It just slipped out.

"Fine, we'll do it in my room." Rose sighed reaching down to help the Doctor to his feet.

"And you leave that door open my girl!" Jackie called after them.

Rose retrieved the first aid box and slammed the door with a smirk.

"You know she's just going to come and open it again." The Doctor told her, leaning back against her pillows.

"Probably. Just makes me laugh. I go off with you for months on our own, no one to tell us what to do. I step foot in the flat and suddenly I'm up to no good!" Rose took out some cotton wool and soaked it with antiseptic.

"I think it's me she objects to."

"You? You're as straight laced as it comes when it comes to us."

The Doctor thought he detected a tone of disappointment but decided to shrug it off. Now was not the time to start thinking those kinds of thoughts, half naked on a girl's bed.

"She doesn't know that though does she? All she sees is an older man. Actually no, worse than that, a 900 year old male alien who whisks her daughter to god knows where!" He flinched slightly when his wounds began to sting.

"Sorry." Rose said blowing gently on them to calm them down, wasn't doing much to calm the Doctor down though. He felt his skin prickle at the lukewarm breeze. "I think they've stopped bleeding again." Rose sat staring at them for a few moments. The Doctor almost laughed at the defiant look on her face, it was as though she was daring them to start bleeding again.

"I'm going to need to stitch them again." He told looking down at his ribs with a grimace.

"With what?"

"It's in my coat pocket."

Rose nodded and opened her door causing Jackie to fall into the room.

"Please tell me you haven't been listening at the door!" She grumbled.

Jackie peered over at the semi naked Doctor and he gave her a cheeky wave causing Rose to giggle.

"What happened here then?" She asked, pushing past her daughter.

"Oh Rose forgot to file her nails." He told her, trying to keep a straight face as Rose clamped her hand over her mouth to hide her laughter.

Jackie gave him an impatient look.

"What?!" He asked as innocently as possible.

"What really happened?" She picked up some cotton wool and caught a stray trickle of blood as it rolled down his side.

"The TARDIS is sick and she's having hallucinations. One of which had huge claws for hands."

"And you got in the way?"

"Had to stop him getting to Rose." He shrugged.

Jackie stared at him for a while, her eyes softening. "You really care about my girl don't you?"

"Won't catch me jumping in front of a homicidal claw wielding creature again." He was avoiding the real answer and was suddenly even more aware that he was naked from the waist up and that the button of his trousers was un-done. Not a good position to be in sitting with a girl's mother!

"You would if it was Rose it was after." It wasn't a question, it wasn't even a demand.

"I died for her once Jackie and I'd do it again."

"Which pocket?" Rose asked dangling his coat in front of him before Jackie could ask him any more questions. He reached out and started to rummage, pulling out various weird and wonderful gadgets, most if which seemed miles to big to fit in.

"Ah-ha!" He cheered pulling out a small box. "I'm going to need my glasses."

"Here you are old man." Rose winked as she pulled his glasses from her own pocket.

"That's my girl." He grinned at her before focussing his attention on threading the ridiculously small needle, his tongue curving over his lips in concentration.

"What's that for?" Jackie asked.

"Are you squeamish?" He raised a playful eyebrow at her before lowering the needle to his wound.

"Oh my god!" She squealed scrambling from the bed and running to the door. "That is not normal!"

Rose however watched with fascinated curiosity as he expertly stitched his own skin. It didn't take him long and he was soon rummaging through his pockets for a pair or scissors.

"Here." Rose held a pair out to him as she perched on the edge of the bed. "So why did we see what we saw?"

"How did you feel when you thought I'd regenerated?"

She regarded him for a moment, chewing on her lip. "I…it was like my worst nightmare."

He hadn't been expecting quite such a strong reaction. "Right. Well. There you are. Very few people hallucinate about nice things when they're ill, they tend to hallucinate about the things that scare them the most."

"Ok then I get the Dalek but why couldn't you see me?"

The Doctor froze.

The Dalek! If Springheeled Jack could hurt him then that meant the Dalek could have killed him!

"I just ner ner nee ner nerred a Dalek."

"But it couldn't hurt you, it wasn't real."

"Neither was Jack!"

"Oh." A silence descended. "So…. Why couldn't you see me?"

He busied himself snipping the thread, determined not to look at her. "Because it scares me."

"I don't understand."

He sighed and laid the scissors on the bedside table reaching for a fresh bandage. Rose stilled his hands taking the bandages from him. His breath caught slightly as she placed the bandages on his ribs, her fingers brushing against his skin.

"Losing you."

Rose looked up at him but his gaze was firmly on her hands. "What?"

"Losing you scares me."

Silence descended as the words hung in the air. Finally he looked up at her and shrugged.

"I know what you mean." She said finally. "I'm scared of losing you too."

"At least I come back. Once you're gone you're gone."

"But I don't want you too. I kinda like you the way you are now."

"I thought you liked me the way I was before."

"I did," She reached up and nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "It's just I kinda like you more this way."

He gave her a crooked smile. "Just as well. You're stuck with me."

"No complaints here." She smiled, dropping a light kiss on his nose and leant into his open arms.

END

XxXxX

A/N: That's ya lot folks! Hope you enjoyed it. Added a little fluff for rose and Doctor fans right at the end. Love to hear what you all think.

"Catch ya on the flip flop!"