Warning for assault, angst and angry Doctor.
A/N: I just want to apologise in advance for this chapter. I don't know what I think of it but it just sort of happened and then… Well, I'll let you judge for yourselves. Let me know what you think!
Rose took a shaky step backwards, her breath hitching in her throat as she studied the scene in front of her. Her eyes flicked wildly all around the room, and she wished like crazy that the Doctor was here to explain everything to her and offer reassurance that everything was okay.
She still clutched the rock from outside in one hand, and she turned now to place it in the open doorway that led back into the baker's shop in case the door decided to swing shut and trap in here in this mysterious room full of doors. It was times like this she wished that the Doctor carried a phone on him so she could call him and ask him to come. Actually, it was at times like this that she wished she had listened to him and not gone wandering off. But still, she thought, there was nothing to say she couldn't do things on her own. She was entirely capable of working out this mystery without the Doctor there to prompt her.
She walked to the middle of the open space, only now realising that the floor was made of expensive marble and yet it shimmered as though it was liquid. She looked up to study the ceiling, only to find it pitch black far above her head and pinpricked with tiny silver stars that shone as brightly as they did in space. It looked beautiful.
A smile spread across her face as she looked back down at more temporal objects and swung her gaze over the myriad of doors that surrounded her. She didn't know what this place was, but she would have bet a hell of a lot that it could help them get back to Earth once they'd finished revolutionising and saving the planet. Rose walked over to one of the doors on the far side of the vast room, stopping a few metres in front of it.
It was a big door, and more modern than a lot of the others that surrounded it. Its frame was made of a mesmerising jet black wood that shimmered like the floor of the room and the door itself was made of a golden version of the same material. She reached out hesitantly and ran her hand over it; the surface was smooth and cold like glass but the sparkling particles inside it moved beneath her hand as she pressed down more firmly. Rose moved her hand to the door's handle, holding it lightly and daring herself to open it. She knew that she should turn back now, go and find the Doctor and leave this place alone until she could come with him, but something stopped her from leaving. She wasn't sure if it was still annoyance at his leaving her, the desire to do this on her own without his help or if it was just pure temptation. She supposed that it was probably all three. She turned the handle and the door opened easily.
Inside the open door's frame was dark, but it was obvious that there was something there. A sort of grey light was shimmering, and shouts and laughter could be heard spilling out of the entrance. Something darted past the open frame but it was too quick for Rose to be able to tell what it was. The whole effect reminded her of the carnival in France, when everything had gone blurry and it had been there but yet it hadn't at the same time. She took a breath to calm her nerves and her racing heart and then, with a quick glance back at the way she had come, she stepped over the threshold of the door. It quietly clicked shut behind her.
The Doctor couldn't decide whether he should feel relieved or agitated as he neared Bitsy's Café once more. He was almost back with Rose now, but he couldn't help the nagging feeling in his chest that all was not as it should be. He quickened his pace as he walked up the road, suddenly all too aware that the sky was darkening and the streets were beginning to empty. A quick consultation of a shop sign told him that everything would be closing up in just over half an hour so that everybody had time to get home before the curfew began for the night.
He was breathing hard- partly from exertion and partly from stress and worry- as he reached the café. He gratefully pushed the door open and scanned the room. Sadie was alone behind the counter, just as she had been earlier in the day when he and Rose had first arrived.
Sadie looked up as the Doctor entered. 'Hello, sweetheart,' she said. 'How did it go?'
'All right,' he replied distractedly. He walked over and rested his palms on the countertop, leaning over and fixing Sadie with a stare he knew made people give him what he wanted. 'Sadie, where's Rose?' He berated himself for not being able to keep the slight tinge of panic out of his voice.
'I don't know, love,' she replied. 'She left earlier, went over to the clothes shop for a while but when I looked over again she was gone. Haven't seen her since.'
The Doctor had to make a conscious effort to keep his breathing normal. He should have realised that if Sadie would have been no trouble for Rose to take down if she needed to, she would also be relatively easy to escape from. 'When was this?' he demanded.
She shrugged. 'Around an hour ago, I suppose. But don't worry sweetheart, I'm sure she'll turn up! Do you want some coffee?'
'No,' he replied shortly. 'I have to find her. She's not safe out there on her own. Are you sure you have no idea where she is?'
'None at all,' Sadie replied, sympathy in her eyes for this man who had obviously lost something very precious to him. 'Perhaps she went back to where you're staying?'
The Doctor spun round and leant against the counter. It was possible that Rose would have headed back to Ganjud's bar when it started to get dark. She might have thought the curfew was starting, he reasoned. She wouldn't have understood the length of Eustance's orbit and the fact that it took a lot longer to get dark here than on Earth. But, he thought, she would have left a message with Sadie if she was going anywhere. Wouldn't she? He turned back to Sadie. 'I'm going to try and find her,' he said. 'If she shows up, make her stay here. Give her coffee, give her cake. Anything to make her stay put, okay?'
The old woman nodded. 'Of course. But I'm sure she'll be fine.'
He nodded in reply. 'Probably.' He pulled a bank note out of his pocket and placed it on the counter before saying a distracted 'Good bye' to Sadie and stalking out of the café, not caring when the door banged shut loudly.
He shivered in the cold night breeze, spinning in a full circle as he searched for any sign of Rose. In his haste, he missed the newly disturbed rubble by the side of the derelict bakers' premises and didn't even notice the stench that had drifted out when Rose had opened the door earlier. Sighing, he reluctantly turned and started on the walk back to Ganjud's bar, knowing that if he didn't find her there he would more than likely go insane. He cursed the curfew, knowing that it would be that which prevented him from finding Rose, limiting the time he could spend searching for her tonight. For good measure, he called out for her twice before he was out of sight of the café, but there was no sign of her. He told himself that the tightening in chest was due to the cold chill in the air rather than the onset of panic and loss.
Damien has finally told Airlia about his plan to take her away from Eustance and start afresh with her somewhere safe and warm and clean and homely. She listened to all of his plans in silence, before studying him carefully and asking, 'Are you sure you want to do that?'
After much reassurance that it is indeed what he definitely wants to do, she smiled at him and jumped on top of him, wrapping him up in a big bear hug. They laughed and rejoiced together for a while before the news came of another staged attack.
This time, it is protestors rather than the government who have acted in their cause. The scenes on the television show members of the Liberal Rights Alliance blockading Hansley Bridge, stretched out in a line across its centre and blocking the flow of traffic. However, whilst this is the story that dominates the news headlines, the view from Damien's apartment tells a different story.
He can see the carnage from his living room window, an exploded car blocking a road that is less than a mile from his apartment building. He will later discover that the dead man is the Minister for the Military and Defence, a key ally of President Camdon's. He cannot bring himself to be upset about it.
Meanwhile, Airlia is laughing at the television as the Liberal Rights Alliance continue their vigil on Hansley Bridge, shouting abuse at a television news cameraman as he attempts to push through their line to get a shot from the other side of the bridge. One protestor tells the cameraman he'll have to take the long way round. Damien is glad that there is at least still some humour in the world, even if it does have horrendously dark overtones. Chalk one up for the opposition, he thinks
This is the day Damien realises that everything could potentially be okay. Everything will change in two months, twelve days and seven hours.
Rose pressed her back up against the rough brick wall, wishing she could just melt away and re-materialise safe in the Doctor's arms. The door had vanished as soon as she had stepped through it, and now she had to make a conscious effort to keep herself from hyperventilating. It was broad daylight in front of her as opposed to the dimming grey skies she had just left behind, and she didn't have to ask anyone to know that she wasn't on Eustance anymore.
The weather was warm, although not as warm as it had been back at the carnival on Earth, and there was no need for her to be wearing the big black coat anymore but she still kept it buttoned up, clutching at the lapels like a security blanket.
She appeared to be standing outside a museum, facing into what she guessed was a tourist-filled square. The people here were mostly human, but many of them looked exotic enough to have other species thrown into their gene pool as well. Many people held guide books, but they were too far away for Rose to read the titles. She started to panic, a myriad of thoughts flying through her mind but none of them sticking or making any sense. She didn't notice the two men staring at her from across the square as she turned and dashed down the side of the museum.
Not caring about the strange looks she was getting from passers-by, Rose ran her hands over the wall of the museum. She didn't know what she was looking for, but she knew enough to know that she was well and truly on her own out here, that the Doctor wasn't coming for her because he didn't know where she was. Even if he found the room of doors and guessed that she'd gone through one of them, how would he be able to tell which one? There were hundreds of them there and chances were he'd never find her, especially if he managed to get himself trapped on some random alien planet as well.
Her mind was reeling. She truly didn't understand this situation. First they were on Earth, in France at a carnival, in the House of Mirrors. And then suddenly they were on another planet that seemingly had no way out. But then she had found a room of doors that apparently led to hundreds of different planets. She was sure it was all connected, and was tempted to bet that one of the doors in the vast room would lead them back to where they had come from originally, but she couldn't focus long enough to stop and work it all out. Besides, even if she did manage to rationalise it and work it all out- which she knew she could if she really tried; the Doctor had taught her that she could do anything she wanted to- it wasn't going to be much use when she was still stuck on a random rock somewhere, somewhen in the universe.
She took a calming breath, deciding to push all the confusing facts to one side for a while so that she could concentrate on getting back to the Doctor. She gripped her TARDIS key for a moment, the cool metal soothing her as she walked along the length of the side of the museum, running her free hand over the rough brick and feeling for any fissures or anything out of the ordinary. She wished she had the sonic screwdriver or something similar with her so that she could tell if anything was actually different or if it was all in her head. Actually, if she was wishing for stuff, she wished that she had never been stupid enough to wander off on her own and get herself lost not just on an alien planet, but on a completely separate alien planet to the one the Doctor was currently on.
The shadows of the wall prevented her from noticing the two men from the square come up behind her. 'Hey, Blondie,' one of them said.
She spun around, her heart beating madly in her chest as she came face to face with the two men standing less than a foot away from her. She consciously stopped herself from taking a step back.
'Watchya doing?' the other man asked.
'Umm,' she fumbled for some words- any words- to say in response. She wished now that she'd kept that rock with her so that she'd have something to throw at them.
The first man- the one with the greasy hair- lunged for her and she ducked out of the way, throwing herself down to the ground and hardly noticing as the grazes on her hands started bleeding again and she gained a new wound on her cheek.
'Oi!' she yelled, kicking out as the man grabbed her and pulled her up, shoving her hard against the wall. Rose flattened her palms against the bricks, intending to gain some leverage so she could pull up and kick him where it hurt.
The second man leaned in close, his hot breath on her ear as he said, 'I asked what you were doing, Blondie.'
She forced a casual smile onto her face. 'Well,' she said. 'Whatever it is, I'm sure it doesn't concern you two, so you can just go now, yeah?'
The men laughed at her. 'Yeah, right,' said the one with the greasy hair. 'I think we're going to be sticking around a little bit longer, Blondie, whether you like it or not. Now, you gonna come with us quietly, or are we gonna have to drag ya?'
The smile fell from Rose's face as both the men pressed against her, blocking any chance of breaking away and making a run for it. The Doctor really was right when he said that she was jeopardy friendly, she thought. Five minutes on a new planet and she was already getting roughed up by the locals. Her head started to throb slightly where she'd cracked it against the wall.
Her fingers dug in harder to the wall at her back as the men watched her carefully, seemingly actually expecting her to answer their question. She tried to think up some witty response as she ran an index finger over a small dent in the cement, tearing the skin on a sharp edge. 'Umm,' she started, shifting her weight to her right. Her concentration slipped as she felt the greasy haired man's hand inching up from her waist, starting to stray higher than she was really comfortable with it being. She leaned further to the right so that she was bent over at an angle, her hand slipping over onto a bump in the wall.
The second man leaned in to prevent her from uprighting herself. 'Yes, Blondie?' he prompted her. His hand moved to mirror the greasy haired man's on the opposite side of her body and she fought the urge to be sick with fear and disgust. The smell radiating off the men didn't help matters either.
She slid her foot to the right. The men moved in closer, crowding her and playing with her hair, smiling grotesquely. One of them- she couldn't say which- slipped a leg in between hers and she felt bile build up in her throat. She leaned further sideways. Her hand gripped at the bump in the wall more tightly. She wished the Doctor was there to help her. She wished she was back with him on Eustance. One of the men unbuttoned her coat. She wished she was away from here. She gripped the wall tighter. Everything went hazy for a minute, the light dimming down low before glaring back up and flashing brilliant white. Her world exploded around her and the bump in the wall gave way behind her.
The men disappeared, their filthy grip finally removed from her body. The museum wall at her back disappeared, the whole planet disappearing with it. She floated through nothingness for a moment before crashing back down into reality. She appeared back in the room of doors, lying in a heap in front of the door she had walked through only fifteen minutes before. It crashed shut, echoing loudly. She curled into a ball on the floor, safe now, unable to stop the tears that poured down her cheeks or the sobs that wracked her body as she rocked slowly back and forth.
'Where is she?' the Doctor yelled, pacing up and down the length of Ganjud's empty bar. Worry and distress had been replaced by anger, which he had found was a much more acceptable and easy emotion to deal with. He banged his fist against a wall. 'Where is she?'
Ganjud shifted nervously behind the bar. 'I don't know, mate. I've already told you she's not here. I'd know if she was.'
'Well, where is she if she's not here?' The Doctor leaned against the bar, every muscle in his body tense as he stared at Ganjud. Stress and anger was in every line of his body.
'I'm sure she's fine,' Heather said as she came to stand next to Ganjud.
'I told her!' he exclaimed. 'I told her not to go wandering off on her own. She always gets herself into trouble.' He marched to the door of the bar. 'I have to look for her.'
'You can't,' Ganjud said.
The Doctor spun round, a wild look in his eyes. 'Give me one good reason why I shouldn't.'
'The curfew,' Heather told him. The murderous look on the Doctor's face was enough to send her shuffling quietly out of the room, waving off the look of annoyance from Ganjud as he was left alone with the angry man.
The Doctor marched back to stand in the centre of the room, staring at Ganjud until the other man turned away and started fiddling with the coffee machine, his eyes flicking to the door his fiancée had just left through. It was clear he would much rather be with her than with this mad man right now. 'I can't just sit here all night,' the Doctor said. 'I can't not know where she is for the entire night! Your stupid curfew! What if something's happened to her? How will I know when I can't go and find her? Tell me!'
Ganjud turned and looked at him once more. 'I never said I liked the curfew, Mr Smith. It's no one's idea of a good time, believe me.'
The Doctor sighed and collapsed into the nearest chair, all the energy draining out of him. 'Sorry,' he said. His voice dropped to a whisper. 'I'm gonna kill her when she gets back.'
'I wouldn't, if I were you,' Ganjud said as he came to sit next to him, placing a plate of pastries in between them. 'You'd only regret it,' he deadpanned.
The Doctor chuffed out a laugh in spite of himself. 'Yeah,' he said. 'I'd hate to think what her mother would do to me if I did that. She'd certainly make me live to regret it.' He picked up a pastry and started eating, endless seconds ticking by loudly inside his head. Time was dragging on and on, and his hearts were pounding madly in his chest. He felt a pang of dread and worry as he wondered if Rose was all right. 'You should go and be with Heather,' he told Ganjud.
The other man laughed. 'Yeah, and leave you here alone? You'd be sneaking off outside before I could stop you!'
'What you don't know won't hurt you,' he retorted. He nodded towards the door at the back of the bar. 'Go on, go and spend the night with your fiancée. I promise I'll be good.'
'Really?' Ganjud looked sceptical. 'Are you sure you won't just—'
He was cut off by the door to the bar banging open and Rose stumbling through it, blood and tears streaking her face. The Doctor was instantly on his feet, knocking his chair over in the process as he dashed towards her. 'Where the hell have you been?' he yelled, anger evident in his voice. 'Rose!'
'Doctor,' she whispered, and immediately he felt all annoyance at her mysterious disappearance fade away as he took in the state of her.
He pulled her further into the warm of the room and leaned down to study her face, his eyes widening at the long, thin gash that ran down her cheek. 'Rose, what happened?' he asked softly.
There was a quiet shuffling behind them as Ganjud pulled out the First Aid kit and placed it on the edge of the bar before respectfully disappearing off through the door at the back of the room.
'Rose?' the Doctor repeated.
She shivered despite the warmth of indoors, her eyes welling up with tears as they fixed on his face. 'Can we go upstairs?' she asked quietly.
He didn't hesitate. 'Of course.' He picked up the medical kit and then started on the short walk up to their room, gently propelling Rose along in front of him. She was trembling beneath his touch, and he had to fight the urge to stop and pull her into his arms where they stood. He knew he shouldn't rush her, especially when something bad had so obviously happened whilst they'd been apart.
She tripped on the stairs on the way up to their room, the Doctor's quick reflexes kicking in straight away and he gripped her rib cage to prevent her from tumbling backwards. 'All right?' he asked.
Rose paused on the stairs and after a moment, shook her head. 'No,' she said almost inaudibly. 'Not really.'
The Doctor's eyes slipped shut momentarily as they continued walking again, wondering where his vibrant Rose had gone since he'd left the café earlier this afternoon. He berated himself for leaving her alone, and promised himself that he wouldn't be annoyed with her for so obviously getting herself into trouble once more. All he wanted to do was hold her, but he knew he needed to check her over first and find out what had happened.
They reached the room, entering in silence. The Doctor stopped to lock the door behind them as Rose pulled off her coat and dumped it unceremoniously on a chair. She kicked off her shoes and went and sat in the centre of the large bed, holding out her hand. 'Doctor,' she said.
He crossed the room, tugging off his own coat and shoes before sitting close to her, Ganjud's First Aid kit still in his hand. He spread the equipment out on the bed in front of them, before reaching up to carefully tuck Rose's hair behind her ear so he could see the bleeding scratch on her cheek. She shivered and tears welled up in her eyes as he scrutinised the wound. He took her hand in his and frowned when she flinched, before turning her hand so that he could see the grazed skin and the droplets of blood that oozed from the numerous small cuts. He studied her face. 'Rose,' he said quietly. 'Tell me what happened.'