Chapter 3

The aliens showed up quickly. To Rose, it looked like the same three. As they approached the cell door, the Doctor didn't back away, though he was tense with anticipation.

As she looked up at his expression, Rose suddenly realized the Doctor didn't expect to be released.

"Doctor?" Rose asked, her hand tightening around his. He didn't look at her, his eyes focused on the aliens as they squished towards them.

The cell door opened, but the Doctor didn't move, a weapon held in one of the octopuses tentacles obviously trained on him.

The octopus burbled something, to which the Doctor immediately responded, "No."

The alien gestured towards Rose with its weapon, and the Doctor yanked her behind him, placing himself between Rose and the danger.

"I said no. We will not cooperate," the Doctor repeated, his hand clenched tightly around hers.

Before Rose could react, the octopuses moved, their tentacles lashing out to wrap themselves around the Doctor. He was jerked from her grasp and out of the cell before she could blink. She cried out in shock and terror as the cell door clanged shut, separating them.

"Doctor!" she shouted, straining to reach him through the bars as the aliens pulled him just far enough away that she couldn't reach.

"Rose!" he cried, his hands pinned behind his back, barely standing as the tentacles tightened around his legs.

The alien with the gun stood in front of him, burbling loudly. The Doctor growled in anger and frustration as he continued to struggle against sixteen impossibly strong arms.

"I said no!" he shouted, "Now let us go! This is your last warning!"

Even to Rose, the octopus' reaction sounded like a laugh.

There was a long silence, in which Rose stared at the Doctor, waiting for a miracle to occur, the Doctor stared at the alien, and the alien… well, she thought it was staring at the Doctor.

Then there was a metallic clang. Rose looked in surprise as the octopus' gun fell to the floor. For a moment, she was relieved. It had given up! It burbled something to the Doctor.

Rose looked at him, a smile forming on her face as she prepared herself for a quick getaway. Her smile fell as the Doctor looked at her, his eyes dark and hooded. He continued to stare at her as he spoke to the alien.

"No," he said firmly.

Rose jerked in surprise as the octopus began to crawl up the Doctor's body, its suckers making wet sucking sounds as it ascended.

"Doctor, what's going on?" Rose asked, her voice high.

"Whatever you do," the Doctor said, his voice hard, "Do not give in. No matter what."

"Doctor?" she asked, her voice no more than a squeak, "What are they going to do?

The Doctor didn't answer her, staring into her eyes as the octopus reached his neck and slurped over his mouth and nose. It stopped there, its tentacles wrapped firmly around the Doctor's shoulders and skull.

Rose looked blankly at the creature, wondering what in the world was going on, when she suddenly realized the implications of its maneuver.

"No!" Rose shouted, her hands wrapped tightly around the bars, "He can't breathe! He'll die!"

The alien didn't respond, and Rose looked into the Doctor's eyes, her helplessness and terror evident.

The Doctor gazed calmly back at her, his eyes steely. Rose held her breath, unconsciously mimicking his situation and trying to gauge how long he had. Long minutes later, she released her breath in a whoosh, feeling lightheaded. As she sucked in air gratefully, her eyes filled with tears. The Doctor was going to die, right in front of her, and there wasn't anything she could do about it.

No, she thought suddenly, maybe that wasn't true. She could do something.

"Please, let him go," she pleaded quietly. "We'll cooperate. Please!"

The Doctor's eyes grew wide and angry, but it didn't matter, since the aliens ignored her.

She was silent again, begging forgiveness with her eyes. The Doctor was still glaring at her, until he fell to his knees.

The movement was so abrupt that even the alien holding his legs let out a startled beep. Rose felt her legs collapse beneath her, and she too sunk to the ground, her eyes never leaving his.

He was growing weak, his eyes drooping heavily. Rose didn't know how he had made it this long, and tears poured from her eyes in silent rivulets.

"Please," she begged again, her voice barely above a whisper, "Please let him go. Don't kill him. I'll…" Rose fell silent, her unvoiced agreement echoing in her mind. I'll make him cooperate, she thought.

With sudden clarity, like a vision, Rose imagined what she'd do. The Doctor, naked and tied to a bed with his hands and feet firmly restrained. Rose herself naked, her body hovering over his, encouraging him, coaxing him… And those blue eyes looking at her with hate and revulsion and betrayal.

Rose shuddered, her eyes closed tightly in the fear that he could read her thoughts. When she opened them again, the Doctor was lying on his side, his eyes almost closed.

"No," Rose whimpered, "Doctor, don't leave me!" she shouted, her fear giving her strength, "I love you!"

The Doctor blinked up at her, his eyes focusing on her face for a moment before they slipped closed and his body relaxed completely.

"NO!" Rose screamed, her voice vibrating the bars beneath her hands, "Doctor! Doctor!" She started to sob as the aliens uncoiled their bodies from around the Doctor's pale frame.

Through the tears, Rose searched the Doctor's face for any sign, any bit of hope. His jaw was covered by circles of red that stretched down his neck. He didn't twitch, but was so still…

Rose barely flinched when the octopus reached through the bars and injected her with something.

"Doctor, I love you," she whispered through her tears. Then the sedative mercifully took effect and Rose was plunged into darkness.