Chapter Sixteen
Triton stood on the deck of his ship, his hands behind his back as he looked down at the war-torn planet below him.
"My brother, is it done?"
He turned and looked at Pelios behind him.
"It is done. The amulet is around Rose Tyler's neck. Vengeance is at last ours." He said to him.
"I see." Pelios said softly as he lowered his head to the floor.
Triton walked towards him.
"Is something wrong, my brother, you seem troubled." He said.
Pelios looked at him.
"Did we do the right thing, Triton?" he said to him.
Triton frowned.
"Yes, we have punished the Doctor for what he did to our world."
"But, we have involved a human girl who had nothing to do with it in the first place." Pelios said.
Triton shifted uneasily. For the past half hour, he had been trying to push the Doctor's words about Rose from his mind.
"It is unfortunate what happened to her, but that is what comes of siding with the Doctor. Sometimes, you must pay the price for his sins." He said.
"And how is that right?" Pelios said walking up to him. "You heard the Doctor, she wasn't even there. If guilt by association is reason enough to condemn her, why did you not turn the other two females to stone as well?"
Triton was silent.
"Rose Tyler is not the enemy, brother. She wasn't the one who destroyed Arcadia. How is turning her into a crystal statue bringing justice to us? What you did to her is no better than what the Doctor did to our families and friends. In fact, it's worse. An innocent girl is frozen for all eternity and will never die. At least our loved ones have peace on the other side, what will she have? All you have done is made the Doctor angry and now he will not stop until Rose is freed or he exacts vengeance upon us. You have just caused the destroyer to come after us again. So, you tell me, was turning an innocent human girl into a statue really worth it?"
Triton stared at him.
"I did what I thought was right for the good of our people." He said softly. "I am the leader now so it is my responsibility to make the Time Lord pay for his crimes."
"I repeat, brother, how is punishing a human girl making the Time Lord pay for his crimes? How does that make us better than him? We have done the exact thing to him that he did to us. So, how are we superior? You have lowered yourself to his level now. We Arcadians always thought ourselves better than the Time Lords. More superior than those ancient, arrogant senators who thought themselves near gods. With one fell swoop, you have just proven that wrong."
"Funny, brother, I did not hear any of this when I was explaining my plan to you." Triton said angrily. "You seemed to be in favor of using Rose Tyler to get back at him."
"And I was, at first, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized how wrong it was to do this." Pelios replied. "Vengeance never solves anything. It only begets more vengeance. The Time Lord will come after us now and if he exacts his revenge, will that mean we will seek revenge in return? And on and on it goes until he or us and our people are dead? Is that what you want? Look down at that planet beneath us, my brother, and you shall see what holding onto grudges brings. Two races down there have been warring for 175 years and destroying the planet because neither side is willing to back down. Is this going to be our fate as well? If we find another planet, will we have to move again because the destroyer annihilates it in his quest for vengeance? And then again and again until peace is unknown to our people? Is this justice, brother?"
Triton stared at him silently.
"I only did what I thought was best. You're right, my brother, I let thoughts of revenge blind me to my actions. I made an innocent woman suffer because I wanted our enemy to suffer. What you speak of really might come to pass and it is all my fault."
"Then, why not make things right before it goes any further? Change the human back and apologize to the Time Lord before he comes after us." Pelios said.
Triton thought a moment and then nodded.
"Yes, I will make amends. Send me down to the surface. I only hope I can undo the damage I did before it is too late." He said.
Pelios nodded. He turned and followed his brother as he walked out of the room.
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Donna and Martha sat side by side on the captain's chair and watched the Doctor while he worked the controls on the console. They were now back in the vortex and heading towards Cocoleus Droxeminus. The Doctor figured that they should at least use the rooms to rest in while they were figuring out what to do next. He had been silent ever since they had left Gargumenta and neither woman was willing to break the silence first.
Suddenly, they heard a beeping coming from the monitor. They looked over and saw a Gallifreyan symbol flashing on and off on the screen. The Doctor ran over and stared at it.
"What?" he said in a high-pitched voice.
"What, Doctor, what is it?" Martha asked him.
He didn't answer her. He looked up at the TARDIS ceiling.
"Where? Where is the intruder?" he asked her.
The color drained from his face when the TARDIS rumbled out an answer.
"No." he said in a hushed voice.
"What, Doctor?" Martha said.
"Follow me! There's an intruder in Rose's room!" he yelled as he ran towards the back door.
Martha and Donna looked at each other and then, leaping up, followed him out the door.
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There was a flash of light and Triton reached the surface of Gargumenta.
He looked around when he didn't see the TARDIS. He paused making sure it was the right place and when he determined it was, he cursed loudly.
He pulled a little transmitter out of his robes.
"Take me back up, the Time Lord is gone. He might be headed for us even now!"
He waited a moment and then the tractor beam came down. A moment later, it faded away and Triton was gone.
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The Doctor tore down the hall towards Rose's room, his hearts thumping in his chest. If Triton had someone gotten himself onto the TARDIS and was hurting Rose, he would tear him limb from limb. He reached her room and threw open the door fully prepared to fight whoever was in there. What he saw threw him completely off guard and he could only stand at the door and stare into the room in stunned silence. Donna and Martha ran up to him and stopped.
"Doctor, what is it. Who's in the room?" Martha asked.
"It can't be." The Doctor murmured as he kept his eyes focused on the intruder.
Martha and Donna looked at each other. They walked around the Doctor until they both could see into the room. Then, they too stopped short. Rose was standing by the bed fully alive and conscious. The ropes that had held her to the bed were lying on the floor. All of them had been burned in the middle. They looked at her and their eyes bugged out of their heads. She was glowing with a golden aura and her eyes held the same eerie golden glow. The sight took both of them aback.
"What the hell is this?" Donna muttered to Martha.
"Search me, I've never seen anything like it before."
They looked at the Doctor.
"Doctor, what's going on? Is this the Arcadian's doing?" Martha asked him.
The Doctor ignored her. He slowly stepped into the room.
"You can't be here." He said. "I drew the power out of you."
"You drew the vortex out. I have always been inside Rose. The vortex only gave me the means to defeat the Daleks and save you from death. I have existed within Rose Tyler since the moment of her birth."
Donna and Martha finally got over their shock and came into the room beside the Doctor.
"Rose?" Martha said hesitantly.
"No, I am the Bad Wolf." She said looking at Martha.
"The what?" Donna said. "Bad Wolf? What the hell are you?"
"I am the protector of Rose Tyler." The Bad Wolf said looking at her. "I am a guardian of the universe and its creatures. Ever since the universe was formed, I watched over it along with the other guardians and tried to keep the forces of evil from gaining the upper hand. I have kept a special eye on the Doctor ever since he started his mission and I have tried to help him whenever he needed it by orchestrating events and people and leading his companions to his side through subtle telepathy. His mission is extremely important to those guardians who wish good to rein in the universe and I made it my personal mission to see that he succeeded. But, the Time War threw the universe into chaos and the darkness it brought threatened the harmony and balance that the Doctor was trying to keep going. It was then that I went searching for a corporeal host to inhabit so I could work more closely with him to restore the balance. I searched the universe to find one who was worthy and then I found Rose Tyler. Although she looks like a simple human girl from the outside, inside there beats the courageous heart of a warrior. When I saw her emerging from the birth canal, I knew that this was the one who was worthy enough to help the Doctor in his mission. I then entered her brain and became one with her. As she grew, I helped influence her and others around her to give her the necessary tools to become the warrior I knew her to be. I influenced her mother to enroll her in gymnastics so she would have some physical training. I instilled in her a voracious love of learning and an open mind so she would be prepared to travel with you. I also taught her to be compassionate and care about others deeply so she could be empathetic to those around her and want to help them. All this was in anticipation of the day she would become your companion. And when that day came and Rose Tyler refused at first to go along with you, it was I who influenced you to come back for her and convinced her to go. All that I have done to prepare Rose has made her into an ideal companion for you, Doctor and it was those traits I instilled in her that made you fall deeply in love with her."
She smiled.
"A relationship I wholeheartedly encouraged." She added. "You have referred to her in the past as your perfect Rose and that is what she is. Not perfect in the sense that she is infallible, but perfect for you, Doctor. She was born to be your equal and so she is."
She looked at Donna and Martha.
"I am not slighting either of you in either way. You also have your part to play in balancing the universe; it is no accident that the Doctor met you or any of his companions. All were chosen because we guardians of light knew you could assist him in his mission. But Rose is the one who is most like the Doctor, she was molded to be his helpmate in every way because the Doctor needs one like himself to fulfill his mission. And so I have kept watch over you and all you care about, Doctor, and I have tried to keep you and your companions from dying. Although," she said smiling. "There were, of course, times when I had to step back and let nature take its course, both with you and the companions you lost. As Sarah Jane so eloquently put it, everything has its time and everything must come to an end. But, until that time, I have been guarding over all of you. That is why I am here now. I have freed Rose Tyler from the enchantment placed on her and destroyed the amulet so it can no longer hurt her. She is far too important to you and the universe to be frozen forever as a statue."
The Doctor smiled.
"Then, you have my deepest gratitude." He said. "I am in your debt for this."
"There is no need to repay me for this. It is my duty to watch over Rose and keep her safe. You have done more than enough for me and the other guardians of light by trying to keep the universe in balance."
She smiled.
"Now, before you start worrying about Rose's brain frying and having to draw me out of her, I can assure you she is in no danger. I have only come forward to free her from the spell and then I will retreat back into her mind to keep my silent watch over you and all who help you."
She grinned.
"Of course if you want to kiss her like you did the last time, be my guest. I'm sure Rose will not mind it one bit." She said winking.
The Doctor laughed.
"And now, my dear Doctor, I will go now. Please know that you are not alone in the universe. There are those who do know what you and your friends are doing and are making every effort to help you any way we can. Even Rose's return to this universe was orchestrated by us so that she would be at your side once more where she belongs."
"Then again, I am in your debt for that." The Doctor replied.
The Bad Wolf nodded.
"And, because Rose is worried about her mother not knowing, I will go to her tonight in a dream and let her know her daughter is safe and with you. That way, you can concentrate on what you need to do. That universe is being watched over by others, it does not need your protection. You are needed here."
"Again, thank you, I know Rose will rest easier knowing her mum knows where she is." The Doctor said.
"And now, my valiant warrior, I will bid you goodbye for now. Once I have retreated back into Rose's mind, you will find that she will not remember what has just occurred just like she was unaware of what she did the last time until you told her. Just keep that in mind when she wonders why she has been restored."
The Doctor nodded. He watched as the Bad Wolf shut her eyes and the aura faded away. A moment later, Rose opened her eyes and blinked as she looked around in confusion.
"What? What happened?"
She paused.
"Did…did I just say that out loud?" she said.
The Doctor grinned.
"Yes, you did. You're back, Rose. You've been restored to normal."
Rose let out a cry of joy and flew into the Doctor's arms. He wrapped his arms tight around her and kissed her temple. Martha and Donna looked at each other and laughing, they ran around and hugged her from both sides the four of them stood together holding each other and laughing.
"But, how? How did you free me?" Rose said looking up at the Doctor.
"I didn't. the Bad Wolf did."
Rose stared at him.
"But…that left when you took the vortex---"
"No, Rose, the Bad Wolf part is still inside you." The Doctor said.
He smiled when Rose stared at him confused.
"Here, why don't we go into the kitchen? I'll make us some tea and I'll explain everything that just happened."
Rose nodded. She hugged the Doctor tightly and he put his head in her hair breathing in her scent and loving it. After a moment, the four of them broke apart and the Doctor took Rose's hand as all of them walked out of the room towards the kitchen.