CHAPTER 26

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WAR OF THE MACHINES PART 1

Rose was alone in the Console Room listening to the sounds of the TARDIS with a smile on her face when the Doctor walked in and looked at her with a scrutinizing gaze that showed no trace of emotion whatsoever. That didn't surprise her really since this new Doctor rarely if ever showed any emotion even to her which had admittedly bothered her greatly at first, but now she was getting used to it because she knew that he still cared about her just as much as he ever had even if he didn't show it as much these days.

She then began to scrutinize him too as she looked him up and down with an appraising look as she tried to figure out exactly what was going through his mind at that moment without using her link to him. Then she smiled mischievously because she could tell just by his expression exactly what he was about to say.

Apparently he was in a playful mood today even if his expression showed none of that to anyone who didn't know him as well as she did. He was about to show that by going into one of their little games that they sometimes liked to play with one another.

"Oh, it's you. What're you doing here?" The Doctor finally asked with a completely serious look on his face.

"I live here," Rose said with a smile as she played along.

"Well, what do you do that for?" The Doctor asked with what Rose could swear was a Northern instead of a Scottish accent for a very brief moment.

"Because I do. I'm only here because somebody married me," Rose said as her smile traveled from ear to ear now.

"And how long are you going to stay with me again?" The Doctor asked.

The smile immediately faded from Rose's face and she became completely serious now as she said, "Forever."

"Well, if you must," The Doctor said with just a trace of a smile on his face.

Rose began to smile again as she said, "You'd better watch it, Mister, or I might just change my mind and then where would you be?"

The Doctor gave her a mournful look that she knew wasn't acting as he said, "I'd probably go on top of a cloud somewhere and never leave it again."

"I was just kidding. You know that, right?" Rose said as she wrapped her arms around with a worried look on her face.

"I know but I wasn't," The Doctor said as he looked at her with sad eyes.

That was when she began to give him a long passionate kiss to let him know that she wasn't going anywhere. She could feel him stiffen at first since he hated displays of affection in this new incarnation, but then he immediately relaxed in a way that he only did with her now while he eagerly returned her kiss.

As soon as they separated from the kiss, the Doctor said, "Ari, you know that I . . . Well, you know, right?"

Rose smiled as she said, "Yes, I know and I love you too."

Then she kissed him again as a groan came from behind them.

"Why can't you just tell her that you love her already, Old Man? You used to do it all the time as Chin Boy," Clara said with a frown as she entered the Console Room along with Mikaela, Shareen, and Polly.

"He's regenerated now, Clara. Of course he's not going to act the same. It's a little jarring at first, but you'll soon get used to it. I did," Polly said.

"With all due respect, Polly, I don't need to have any lessons about regeneration. I've known every one of the Doctor's incarnations even if he didn't know me at the time, and I know exactly what regeneration does to him. I'm not at all surprised about that. What I can't understand is why all of a sudden he can't tell the most important person in his life that he loves her. Just tell her already. She deserves to hear that," Clara said in an angry voice.

"Someone sounds like they're angry about not being told that themselves," Mikaela whispered to Shareen who nodded.

Clara obviously heard her as she turned to glare at Mikaela. Then she sighed and said, "Sorry, Doctor, Polly. It's just that I still can't quite get over losing Chinny."

Rose looked at the Doctor intently now as she said, "Hug her."

"I don't do hugs anymore. I'm not a fan of the hugging in this incarnation. You know why, Ari," The Doctor said.

"Yes, yes. It hides people's faces. I've always thought that was one of the points of it though, Doctor. It's supposed to show that you trust the other person. After all, they're not only getting to hide their face from you, but you're also exposing your back to them. You're making yourself completely vulnerable to them in an open display of trust or maybe that's just only how I look at it, yeah?" Rose said with a smile.

"Do you trust me, Doctor?" Clara asked seriously.

Rose gave the Doctor an intense look that told him that he'd better hug Clara right now.

"Always," The Doctor said as he reluctantly opened his arms with an anxious look on his face that made it look like Clara was about to shoot him instead of show him some affection.

Clara smiled as she launched herself into his arms and hugged him tightly. Most people would have seen no emotion at all on the Doctor's face as he stood there with an almost blank look on his face as his best friend hugged him. Rose, however, saw the briefest beginnings of a smile at the corners of his mouth and a light in his eyes that told her everything that she needed to know. This Doctor wasn't exactly Mr. Emotional, but he did still love Clara deeply even if he had a much harder time showing it now.

Clara looked at Rose even while she hugged the Doctor and said, "I'm sorry, Rose. I know he loves you. I guess I'm just not used to this new him yet even though I of all people should have adapted to him quickly."

Clara then pulled away from the Doctor and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek that made him stiffen and caused her to laugh.

"Okay, I'm going to try not to be offended by that, Old Man," Clara said as smiled warmly at him.

"Why did you ask me if I trusted you?" The Doctor suddenly asked Clara.

Clara became completely serious now as she said, "I just needed to know especially after what The Matriarch did. She's my dark side, Doctor, and she helped to kill Chinny. Maybe that's really why I'm so upset at losing him. I feel like it's my fault somehow."

Rose now hugged Clara tightly as she said, "It wasn't you, Sweetie. You had nothing to do with it, alright?"

"You trust me don't you, Rose?" Clara asked in a hopeful voice.

Rose stroked the top of Clara's head in a familial way as she finally realized for the first time exactly just how much guilt that Clara had been carrying around with her over Eleven's death. She knew that Clara desperately needed to hear that the two of them still trusted her in order to start to forgive herself for the Matriarch's role in that even though that was in no way her fault.

An image of what would have been if she hadn't returned flashed through Rose's mind as she saw an angry, heartbroken Clara holding a TARDIS key over a lake of molten lava while saying, "Do I have your attention?" She knew why that version of Clara had done it though, and she completely understood. If anyone could understand what depths that the despair of a broken heart could make a person go to in order to get the person that they loved back again, she certainly could.

Rose smiled and chastely kissed Clara's cheek as she said, "Of course I do. No matter what happens you always come through for us and you always will."

Clara began to tear up as she said, "Thank you. I love you."

"I love you too. It's so nice that someone can still say that to me," Rose said even as she winked at the Doctor to let him know that she was just winding him up.

The Doctor still looked bothered despite that though which instantly made Rose feel guilty for even bringing it up.

Doctor, I was just mucking about. Rose said telepathically.

I know. The Doctor answered.

It doesn't matter to me. I can feel it in your hearts, Doctor, and I can still see it in your eyes. That's all I care about. Rose responded.

It matters to me though. The Doctor answered in a bothered tone.

Rose started to kiss him again when suddenly the TARDIS began to shake violently. They would have all been thrown across the Console Room at incredible speed and possibly killed if Rose hadn't held them all in place telekinetically the entire time.

"W – What's going on?" Clara asked in confusion.

"That's what I'd like to know. Shawn was almost killed. What are you doing up here, Dad?" Cassiopeia said as she teleported into the Console Room along with Shawn who had a shell-shocked look on his face.

"It's okay. You're safe as long as I'm around," Cassiopeia said to him in a sweet voice that made Rose smile.

Shawn briefly smiled at her but continued to look completely out of it as he said, "To be honest, you're the only thing keeping me from screaming right now."

The Doctor rolled his eyes as he said, "Please don't tell me that the pudding brain is going to start acting all hysterical now. That's exactly why I hate to have most humans on my ship."

Rose, Clara, and Shareen all glared at him which caused him to say, "I said most humans. Not all humans. Some pudding brains are alright once you get to know them."

"Thanks so much, Doctor," Clara said with a frown.

"I didn't mean you of course, Clara. You've never been a pudding brain," The Doctor said.

"I think that was a compliment," Clara said with a grin.

"It's the closest that you'll ever get to one from him probably," Mikaela said with a chuckle.

"Dad, Shawn is not a pudding brain," Cassiopeia said in an angry voice.

"If you say so," The Doctor said in a tone that clearly said that he didn't believe that.

"He called me a pudding brain," Shawn said happily.

"Why on Earth are you happy about that for?" Cassiopeia said in a disbelieving tone.

"Well, it's kind of an honor to be insulted by the Doctor, isn't it?" Shawn said with a smile.

"I must be the most honored person in the universe then," Clara said with a giggle.

"You're a very, very strange boy," Cassiopeia said to Shawn with a frown.

Then she smiled and kissed his cheek causing his eyes to go wide while her own face filled with horror. She began to shake while he looked at her with a face filled with uncertainly, hope, and fear.

"That . . . was just a sign of friendship, okay?" Cassiopeia said in a worried voice.

Shawn smiled nervously as he said, "Yeah, of course. Don't worry about it."

Cassiopeia smiled and let out a deep breath even as she put her arm around him. Rose couldn't help but chuckle a little at their behavior.

She's your daughter alright. She's completely terrified to tell him how she feels about him. Rose said telepathically to the Doctor.

How could she feel anything for him? She only just met him. Besides that he's an idiot. The Doctor replied in an indignant tone.

Maybe he's her idiot just like you're mine, Doctor. Who knows? Rose replied with a grin as she kissed him.

Then the TARDIS began to shake even more violently as Victoria, Jamie, and Zoe teleported into the Console Room next. Victoria looked extremely worried, and Rose knew that she was sensing exactly what she and the Doctor already were.

"Okay, Victoria, will you tell us what's going on now because I can tell by the look on your face that you know exactly what it is. You used to hate it whenever the Doctor kept things from us, and now you're doing it to me," Jamie said.

"I'm sure she'll tell us eventually, Jamie. She always does. Well, she does when you give her a little bit of a reminder to anyway," Zoe said with a pointed look at Victoria.

Victoria smiled and gave Jamie a tender kiss as she said, "Sorry, Jamie. I forget sometimes that you and Zoe don't have the same senses that I do now. The TARDIS has been caught in the middle of a war between . . ."

"The Symmetry and the Half-Face Man," Mikaela finished for her causing the others to look at her in surprise.

"You knew then?" The Doctor asked not looking too surprised by that.

"Yes, I know exactly what they're doing. I've known for a while now that they're fighting with one another. I can hear them in my mind. The Symmetry are calling to me. They want me to help them. In fact, they've been pleading for my help. I just . . . I didn't want to get involved in it. Let them destroy each other for all I care!" Mikaela said in an emotional voice.

Clara held her as she said, "It's alright. You don't have to do anything, okay?"

Then she looked pointedly at the Doctor and Rose as she said, "No one's going to force you to do anything."

Rose smiled at Clara's bossiness as she said, "No, none of us will force Mikaela to do anything."

Something about the way that Rose said that made Mikaela's head snap up. Rose definitely knew something that she wasn't telling her. Mikaela desperately searched Rose's face for clues as to what that was. Rose however only looked at her with eyes filled with warmth and reassurance that betrayed nothing to her. Rose had played this game for far too long to let her know anything now.

It did make Mikaela feel better however when Rose immediately wrapped her arms around her and whispered, "It's going to be alright, okay? You'll see."

"Thank you," Mikaela said in an upset voice.

Rose lightly stroked her hair in order to calm her down even as the TARDIS began to shake more and more by the moment. The Doctor sighed now as he tried over and over again to dematerialize but couldn't.

"Where are we anyway? Did we materialize in the middle of deep space?" Polly asked in curiosity.

"We must have. The TARDIS must have taken us there so that the Doctor could put a stop to their war. Isn't that usually how it works?" Shareen asked.

"No, we're not in deep space. We've materialized on Earth. We're right in the middle of London," The Doctor finally said.

"What? Why aren't you out there stopping this then?" Clara said in shock while Mikaela began to look horrified.

"If any of us stepped out there, we'd soon wind up being incinerated, Clara. There's too much firepower being thrown about right now. Even the TARDIS' shields can barely protect us from it as it is. I've been trying to dematerialize and get us out of the line of fire so that I could try to attack them from a position of safety, but the Old Girl refuses to budge," The Doctor said as he tried one more time but failed to make the TARDIS move yet again.

"What about you, Rose, Victoria? Can't you two do something? They're killing people out there!" Clara said in a passionate voice.

Rose smiled as she said, "No, no one's dead yet. The second that they appeared UNIT and Torchwood quickly worked together to cordon off that area and evacuate everyone there."

"And how would they know to do that? Someone had to tell them about what was coming for them to work so quickly," The Doctor asked.

Rose smiled as she said, "I don't know, Doctor, maybe a little bird told them."

"Or a wolf," The Doctor said as he shook his head at her.

"It isn't just Earth either. The Symmetry and the Half-Face Man's forces are fighting all throughout the universe. Wherever they come across one another, they automatically start attacking each other. It's been going on for almost a day now," Victoria said.

"Why though? I mean I thought that the Symmetry had been stopped for now and wouldn't come back again until sometime in the far future. Why have they suddenly returned now for and why are they attacking the Half-Face Man?" Polly asked.

"I think that it has something to do with the Half-Face Man and his followers looking for the Promised Land along with his suddenly disappearing like he did when I defeated him. Maybe he finally found his Promised Land after all or at least thinks that he has anyway and wants to lead the rest of his group there. The Symmetry may not take too kindly to that since they have a Promised One that they believe in instead who is supposed to lead them to greatness. They may not fancy leaving the universe behind if they believe that they could rule over it instead. It's one bunch of idiots trying to kill another bunch just for having different beliefs from them. That seems to happen a lot in history, and surprisingly enough it's not just a human thing either. That kind of stupidity seems to be universal," The Doctor said with a frown.

"This is my fault then," Mikaela said as the full truth of what was happening and her role in it finally hit her at last like a thunderbolt.

"No, I never said that. I doubt that whatever you said or did could or would make any difference to the Symmetry now, Mikaela. They believe in you far too much to ever stop now," The Doctor said.

"I could try to stop it though. Maybe I could stop them and get them to stop attacking one another if I really tried talking to them instead of hiding from them," Mikaela said.

"No, you're not going anywhere! If you go out there, you'll just be killed or they'll suck you into their war too. You just stay in the TARDIS where you'll be safe," Clara said as she put her arm around her protectively.

"If I don't go out there and stop them then anything that happens next will be my fault. That's what you meant isn't it, Rose? I'll go out there willingly in order to stop the fighting and save everyone," Mikaela said.

Rose couldn't say anything though or she might alter what was supposed to happen next. Even though everything in her wanted to tell Mikaela exactly what she needed to do.

"No, you're not doing it I said!" Clara shouted.

"Clara, you're not her mother so stop acting like it," The Doctor said.

Clara looked at him with a wounded expression as she said, "No, I'm not but I am her friend, and I don't want anything to happen to her."

Mikaela smiled at her as she said, "I have to admit that part of me desperately wants to listen to you right now, Clara. In fact, that part of me is terrified I don't mind telling you. I don't want to do this. I'm afraid. I'm even more afraid of anyone dying because I failed to act though."

"The fighting is getting worse by the moment. Even the Sontarans and the Rutans have had to stop fighting in order to drive the clockwork robots off because their fight is disrupting theirs!" Victoria said.

As if to emphasize her words, the TARDIS began to rock ever more violently now as Mikaela said, "Let me see what's going on out there. I have to see."

The Doctor exchanged a brief look with Rose who nodded. Then he turned the monitor on to show a terrifying scene of carnage outside as they looked on a scene straight out of a post-apocalyptic nightmare. The entire area was in ruins and completely devastated while the Symmetry continued to fight on against the Half-Face Man's human looking soldiers.

Mikaela looked on the ground to see bits and pieces of robots from both sides lying everywhere along with unmoving bodies that were splayed across the landscape in horrifying poses of death that sickened her to the bottom of her stomach. She may not have particularly liked the Symmetry, but it still bothered her to see any being die especially as horribly as many of them had.

"I have to stop this," Mikaela said in a devastated voice.

"That's not all that's going on either I'm afraid," The Doctor said.

He pointed to multiple cracks in time everywhere that had either Symmetry forces or human looking clockwork androids pouring out of them in droves as they too now joined the battle. Even several of the Cybermen, the Movellans, and other forms of cyborg or android life were joining in on the fight now on either one side or another.

"What's happening?" Clara asked as more and more cracks kept opening up by the moment.

"Both sides are gathering recruits from all throughout time and space including other universes. UNIT and Torchwood are not going to be able to contain this for much longer. It's starting to become a full-fledged war, Clara. If this is happening everywhere else too, then it could lead to another Time War if it's not stopped right now. The entire universe killed through sheer stupidity!" The Doctor said in a voice filled with anger.

"I have to do something," Mikaela said.

"What could you possibly do to stop this though?" Clara said.

"I don't know. I honestly have no idea whatsoever of what to do, but I can't just stand by and do nothing," Mikaela said with determination.

Then unbelievably they heard mocking laughter coming from the console as a voice said, "Yes, come on out, Doctor. Let's see if you can stop this Time War better then you did the last one. Personally I'm rooting for the Half-Face Man, but then again I may be just a bit biased for the home team."

"So you are behind all of this. I thought so. This whole Promised Land thing sounded just like something that you would do," The Doctor said.

He had felt Missy's hand in these events right from the start. The Master's plans always had a certain signature to them that usually alerted him right away to her presence behind something.

"Yes, it is quite brilliant isn't it? So why don't you come out and try to stop me then, Doctor? I'd love to see it. By the way, you like two lumps of sugar in your tea right? I'm trying to make sure for when I meet up with you later," Missy said with mocking laughter.

"Don't count on it, mate. You'd better hope that I don't come over there to your little slice of the afterlife again anyway or I'm going to make the last time look like a schoolyard brawl," Rose threatened.

"We'll see, Rose Tyler. We'll see. Maybe I'll have a surprise or two waiting for you yet that even you won't see coming this time," Missy said as she began to laugh louder and louder.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Rose asked genuinely surprised by this.

"You'll see soon enough and when you do you'll find out exactly why I am the true Master not that pitiful excuse for one that your universe has. I so look forward to seeing what you do next. Hope I'll be seeing you here very, very soon! Until then, think about something nice," Missy said as she signed off.

"That's it then. If that nutcase is the one behind all of this then I definitely have to do this. She'll never let it end," Mikaela said.

She took a deep breath and then opened the TARDIS doors. She walked to the now open doorway and hesitated for a brief moment.

She looked back at the others as she said, "I really am so scared right now. What if this is what leads to me becoming the leader of the Symmetry?"

Then she looked at the devastation outside and knew what she had to do. No matter what happened to her she had to try to do something about this.

"If I don't make it, tell my Mum and Dad that I love them," Mikaela said.

"Wait. Just take a minute to think about this," Clara said.

"I already have. I have to do this. Goodbye, Clara," Mikaela said as she rushed to her to hug her.

Then she hugged all of the others as well except for the Doctor who she saved for last. She silently stood in front of him with a warm smile that masked her utter terror as she waited for him to do something.

"Well, Old Man, are you really going to let me possibly go off to my doom without hugging me good bye?" Mikaela asked.

The Doctor hesitated for a moment and then he suddenly pulled Mikaela to him in a crushing hug completely surprising her and everyone else there except for Rose who smiled at him. It was only for a brief moment but to Mikaela it would always be one of the most treasured moments of her life.

As she finally left the TARDIS to go confront the Symmetry at last, she wondered about just how long that would be.

Meanwhile back at Missy's TARDIS she smiled to herself as she twirled her umbrella around playfully while another voice said to her in anger," You shouldn't have told her about me. I didn't want her to know that I was still alive. Not yet. I want it to come as a complete surprise when I finally do reveal myself to her. I was about to do so just as the Ravenous were about to kill her until that meddlesome new Guardian interrupted them and saved her life. I wanted her to know that I was the one who found the Ravenous and sent them to destroy her.* I want her to know that it was me that finally killed her when the time does come."

"I didn't reveal anything really, dear. It was just enough to get her scared which is what I wanted. Sometimes fear, especially of the unknown, can even cause the best of us to make mistakes after all. I don't want to ruin your surprise either when it comes. It's going to be so satisfying to see Commander Tyler's face when her past finally comes back to haunt her at last," Missy said with an evil grin.

*Time and Space Chapter 42.

Next: Can Mikaela stop the war between the clockwork androids or will she just wind up becoming another casualty of it in the end? Can anything stop it from developing into an all-out Time War now? Next time reveals the final fate of Mikaela at last. Will she wind up having her greatest fears come true after all?

Oh and rest assured that we'll see more of Rose's mysterious new enemy in the weeks to come in this and other stories.