Two Worlds One Family
A/N: Sorry about the long wait, I wasn't sure how I needed to split up this chapter. Thanks to everyone who adds this story to their alerts/faves ect. I appreciate it!
10Blue10: Actually, queried is the correct word, it's another way of saying "asked" Thanks for pointing it out though.
Thank you! I have a couple of chapters I'll end up re-writing and I'll be sure to do that one as well. Thank you for letting me know!
Chapter 13:
The Doctor's consciousness returned to him in gentle waves and he could have sworn that something with fur had his wrist. When he opened his eyes, the room spun viciously and it took a moment for it to clear and realize that he was laying in a hospital room-somewhere. The fact that he heard a fast set of beeps of a heart monitor, a pinch of an IV need in his forearm, and the fact that his bow tie was gone all lead him to the same conclusion. He took some slow breaths to calm himself and gauge how he'd gotten here. The TARDIS must have flown here under River's instruction. It was that moment, hearts leaping in his chest, that the Doctor suddenly understood that other than the nurse, he was alone.
Weakly rolling his head to the right, the Doctor could see Novice Hame holding his wrist and taking a reading from the bracelet. She nodded in acknowledgement and looked down at the instrument, taking a few moments to make notes on her computer tablet, then finally spoke.
"Good Morning, Doctor." She spoke gently, "How are you feeling?"
"Sleepy," He returned. It was only the half truth; he was tired, but he perceived a sense of danger that would more than likely involve this whole planet. He paused, took a deep breath as he attempted to move under the sheets, and continued. "Where are my friends?"
The nurse stared at him for a moment, then answered. "The woman called River Song is beyond our shields, meeting someone named 'Jack Harkness'."
The Time Lord's eyebrows drew together with something resembling confusion and dismay. Why had she called Captain Jack Harkness here? The American had a tendency to take action first, and talk later.
"What about the other two? The ginger and the big beaked guy?"
Nurse Hame released her grip on his wrist. "Mr. and Mrs. Williams? They are with their son, sleeping."
There was a lull in the conversation, in which the Doctor could tell that, though her professional demeanor was intact, her voice indicated she was not speaking the complete truth. She rose, shut off her medical tablet, and tucked his arm beneath the linens. "Get some some sleep now. That bracelet," she nodded to the thin disk on his right wrist "has been coded with your DNA so it keeps you from moving. Not that you should, you've been badly wounded. Best to leave whatever is out there to your friends."
That's the worse possible plan! The Doctor thought as she went to the door and shut off the light as she exited his room. The Doctor carefully counted to ten under his breath to ensure that she'd gone down the hallway far enough, then glanced to the censor on his wrist.
As soon as the anesthetic had lifted from his body, he went into a slight healing coma, but was unable to hold it as he was so emotionally charged that he could not rest. The Doctor had healed slightly, but not enough to ebb the searing pain in his stomach. He concentrated, hoping to use a mental override to disable the bracelet. He Remembered back in 1969 when he and River were investigating the girl in the NASA spacesuit, remembering her words.
She climbed out of this suit. Like she forced her way out. She must be incredibly strong!
It turned out that the little girl had been Melody Pond, his River Song. She had been a child and a partial Time Lord. He was an adult and a full Time Lord, this would be nothing.
Closing his eyes, The Doctor felt his head beginning to swim with exertion until finally, he heard a small click and looked at the medical bracelet to see it had been turned off, as well as the other monitors in the room. He couldn't help but grin at his success as he removed the various hospital paraphernalia. Tentatively, the Time Lord moved in the bed and swung his feet down to the icy tiled floor. He winced and carefully held his hand to his half healed wound with a groan. Moving was painful, but he had to find Amy and Rory, he need to get to River and Jack. Not that he didn't trust his wife, he just didn't know what the Sky Djinn would invoke in order to get the child back.
The Doctor stood and took a few steps forward before his legs gave way beneath him. Luckily, there was a visitor's chair that he managed to collapse into with a heavy sigh. At this rate, it would take him a year to get down to the Sky Djinn. It had only taken him a moment to realize that he was sitting on something. Lifting himself from the seat briefly, he pulled something from the chair's depth, noticing the perception filter that had been cleverly disguised as a get well card. What was in his hands was a large, but soft bundle. Setting it in his lap, The Doctor read the note in what was distinctively River's penmanship.
Hello Sweetie!
I hoped you'd join in on the conversation with the Sky Djinn when you're feeling better, though if I know you, you won't wait that long. I brought some clothes for you from the TARDIS.
XOXOXO
River
Grinning, the Time Lord pushed aside the high density perception filter to reveal a set of his own clothes, complete with a burgundy bow tie. "River, you beauty!" He whispered to no one, then began to dress himself.
When River Song finally reached the large open gardens away from the main hospital, she tapped the vortex manipulator on her wrist and was transported past the shields into an open field, where the grass was as high as her ankles. She stood for a moment looking at the ship that had landed in front of her, then pulled her phone from a dress pocket. She glanced out at the spaceship as she dialed, silently hoping that the aliens would not attack immediately. When the voice on the other line spoke it was a masculine voice.
"River Song, voice of an Angel!" Captain Jack Harkness spoke with enthusiasm.
"I need you here, Harkness." River said smoothly
"Glad to oblige, Ms. Song." He replied with a laugh and made her roll her eyes.
She gave her coordinates, hung up the cellphone, and inhaled sharply, awaiting the American's arrival.
River did not have to wait long before there was a sharp crack of white light that appeared and the tall, burly man appeared next to her.
"Good Mornin' " Jack greeted her cheerfully, giving her a salute. He looked about, "The Doctor's not here." He observed, looking around, then grinned,
"Means I have you all to myself."
"No, but he'll be along, I think. Married, remember?" River returned calmly.
The former Time agent turned, slightly alarmed, " 'You think?' You don't know?!"
"Jack, the Doctor was seriously wounded by these aliens." She explained, "I don't know whether or not he will even be able to join the fight." She explained carefully, glancing back at the large hospital.
The leader of Torchwood stood agape at her. "How-bad..." He crocked when he found his voice again.
"Bad enough. Shot through the stomach and third degree burns on his foot. I don't have time to go into details."
Jack frowned, "I don't think they'll make a move until the Doctor arrives, so explain."
River sighed, then patiently (and quietly) recounted how they had been forced to land on a dangerous planet where the Doctor had accidentally been shot.
"What's worse is that the boy that they're so adamant on retrieving is now dying. My parents-" She paused and Jack could see the pain in her eyes, "were going to adopt him."
Jack sobered, "I'm sorry." He expressed with an equal amount of sadness. From what she had told him, the child was an innocent victim of misfortune and distrust among his own people.
"No matter what we tell the Sky Djinn," River observed, casting her eyes towards the Scythe, "they'll try to take the boy, whether the doctor is here or not."
The Doctor carefully picked his way through the corridors of the hospital, following the signal that his sonic screwdriver was giving off. First and foremost, he had to find Amy and Rory. The pain in his stomach and foot grew increasingly worse and it took all his remaining energy for him to stay upright. The Time Lord found himself bracing himself against walls and sweeping away the sweat of his forehead, his breaths short and shallow. Half blinded with agony, he paused only a moment to sag against a wall. Gasping, the Doctor raised his arm brandishing the sonic screwdriver and pointed it down the long dull colored hallway, reading the output.
Not too far now. Only a few more meters the Doctor reassured himself, straightening his back and pushing forward to the room where his friends were residing. It had felt like it'd taken hours to reach the hospital quarters, and when he at last found himself where his sonic had directed him. Panting, the Time Lord tried to collect himself, ease his breathing, and hoped that he wouldn't be sick. This done, he finally had enough poise again to knock on the door- albeit softly.
"Come in," The masculine voice of Rory Williams called from the other side, sad but still strong.
The Doctor pushed it open, taking his two best friends by surprise. They rose suddenly from their seats, a mixture of disbelief and surprise evident on both of them.
"Doctor," Amy nearly shouted, "What are you doin' here?"
"Came to see you, obviously." The Doctor returned calmly and walked a few steps-only to nearly tumble to the ground.
Luckily, Rory was there in an instant to haul him back onto his feet, throwing his arm around the ailing Time Lord's shoulder and guiding him to the chair that was now unoccupied. Amy poured a glass of water and pushed it into his hands, which he drank gratefully. Rory had gone into nurse mode and had captured his wrist to check his pulse, followed by respiration.
"Doctor, you're in no condition to be wandering around hospital corridors. You've just come out of surgery not eight hours ago!" Rory chided.
It was only when the Doctor had drained it that he looked over to see Alex laying in the over-sized bed, attached to as many, if not more tubes and wires than he had been. A ventilator had been placed, and not to far off he could hear the slow beeps of a heart monitor. When he looked over to Amy, the Time Lord saw that she'd been crying.
"Amy," He croaked, "I am so sorry."
The red-head swept a few tears away and nodded. Amy cleared her throat, "He-he's gonna die, isn't he?"
He hesitated, but then answered carefully, "Not on my watch, Amy." He leaned over and embraced her.
"But the nurses said-"
"Trust me?" The Doctor broke in, stopping her mid-sentence.
The ginger's brows knit together, but she eventually whispered, "Yea, of course."
He glanced over to Rory now, "I have to get back to the TARDIS."
The nurse glared at his disobliging patient. "I guess there's no use telling you no or to rest, you'd just go anyway, right?"
A Cheshire-like grin spread across the Doctor's face as he nodded, causing Rory to sigh in resignation.
"Fine, but I'm not carrying you through the halls. I'm going to find a wheelchair. "
Whenang he exited the hospital room, Amy was examining him seriously, "Doctor, are you really okay?"
"I'm always okay-" The Doctor began, but winced and held his afflicted side, his breath ragged. When the pain eased, he lobbed a half-hearted smile.
"You're not, are you?" she inquired with a serious tone.
The Time Lord's smile disappeared, "I'm gonna have to be, Amy." He replied without looking at her. "Help me to the window, will you?"
Amy didn't move at first, but then threw her arm under his and guided him to the large window pane. When they looked out, the Doctor and Amy saw the small forms of River and a tall burly man next to her (who she could tell was good looking even from far away). Not far off was a massive ship that they had seen in the TARDIS, the Scythe.
"I don't understand why these Sky-whatevers haven't attacked River and that other guy yet."
"That's because they're waiting for me. I was the one who told them-"
"Doctor, " The ginger cut in, "don't even think about puttin' all the blame on yourself. Rory and I made the decision to adopt Alex. We're gonna take responsibility no matter what the consequences. But we will not give Alex over." She allowed him to see a small smile, "We've already sent a message down with River to those aliens."
The Doctor gaped at her for a moment, then chuckled. "I'm sure you gave them a piece of your mind."
TBC...
Heh, left you with a cliffhanger. I hope that this chapter wasn't too cliche. Please let me know what you think. Thanks for reading!