House Call
Chapter 3
"Oh my god, I love it," shouted Rose enthusiastically.
She immediately ran out the door and took a look around. The city in the distance appeared to have a sizeable nightlife and the air smelled familiar of apple grass and a light sea breeze. It had been forever since Rose last set foot on another world in another place. It felt amazing to at last experience a new world unfolding under her feet.
Amused, Nine—or Joe Noble watched from the doorframe of the TARDIS. His arms were crossed over his chest and nostalgically he drank in her joy. It was like seeing her fresh and new again. He remembered why he first asked her to come along. He liked—as he did all his companions—watching them experience the galaxy with new eyes. It reminded him why he loved the human race. He reminded him why he loved Rose.
Meanwhile, the three other time-travelers looked on and watched as Rose playfully hopped and began to spin. Amy laughed at the sight and quickly stepped out to join her under the night sky, but Rory and Eleven stood by still in the time-ship.
Critically, Rory was half torn between jumping in or wondering if this other woman was mad. Hesitate, he turned to the bow-tied Doctor and said, "Um, Doctor. What's going on? Why is she spinning?"
Eleven affectionately patted him on the back and replied, "She's just happy, Rory. I suspect it's been a while for Rose."
"Yeah, new planet, new stars…it's fantastic," uttered Nine. "This is what I miss most about traveling with Rose. But, you and the couple…that's different. We hadn't done that before."
"Yes," answered Eleven absently. He pulled out his sonic screwdriver and began messing with the settling before stating, "It appears there's an energy beam that's been pulling on our TARDIS-es or specially yours and mine. It seems to be coming from that city. Why don't we go pop in and have ourselves a look-see? A bit of sightseeing. A bit of mayhem. It should be fun."
The bow-tied man then exited the TARDIS and closed the door and began to walk. Amy and Rory followed close behind while Nine and Rose linked arms and took up the rear. Eleven was a bit uncomfortable with all the touching going on between his second alternate-self and Rose Tyler. It reminded him of how things used to be and at the same time it wasn't. It weird.
"So, Doctor…where are we?" asked Rose.
Nine replied, "Well, judging by the apple grass and architecture I'd say on a human colony sometime around the 51st century. You lot were just about everywhere by then. I'd say three moons, earth-like orbit, probably New, New Paris or Paris-4 since this is actually the fourth planet named after the city."
"Oh, that's just like when Ten and me went to new, new, new, new, New York. I just hope they haven't got any cats."
Puzzled, Nine asked, "Cats? You mean like the kind you need door flaps for?"
She shook her head and said, "No, the kind that work as nurses, nun cats, which are so weird. Ten and me we ran into Cassandra again and she wanted to take over my body, but these nun cats were making people sick on purpose so they could find cures. Though, in the end the Doctor squared it away and I got back my body."
Unhappy, Nine said, "Right, we don't like cats. But I mean it this time Rose. No wondering off."
Rose exasperatedly said, "But you don't even listen to your own rule. You always go wondering off all the time."
"I do not."
"Do too."
"Do not."
"Oi! Would you stop it already," said Amy. "You two argue like a couple of kids."
"Or an old married couple," added Rory.
"Do not!" shouted Nine and Rose at the same time. However, a second later the two broke out into laughs and left Amy and Rory in the dust. Bewildered, the couple watched as the pair continued to giggle on and make their way towards the street.
"What the hell just happened? Doctor?"
Eleven replied, "Oh, just drop it, Amy. Those two are just winding you up. Rose and I used to do it all the time."
Amy skipped closer to her Doctor and said, "Yeah, about that, you said that man is like your copy, like a clone or some kind of complicated brother."
"Yes."
"So, if he was you, he doesn't look like you. Why is that?"
"It's a Time Lord thing, Amy. It's rather complicated, but he was me before I regenerated 2 life times ago. Though, he happens to have my 10th self's face, which is odd."
"Ok, I think I sort of got that, but that woman. Who is she? She seems to be pretty close to her Doctor and you looked like you know her too."
"That's because I do. She's Rose, Rose Tyler. She's a defender of earth. She used to travel with me and under even more complicated circumstances we had to part ways."
Rory jumped into the conversation and said, "So, is she like you're old girlfriend? Cause she seems close to that other Doctor."
Startled, Eleven said, "What? No, we were never like that."
Deflated, Rory stated, "Oh…it's just that they seem to really hit it off."
The bow-tied man paused for a moment and watched on as Rose playfully poked at alien market stands while she whispered little things into her Doctor's ear. He had to admit she looked happy. And once upon a time he would have wanted nothing more than to be the person to make her happy. In fact a small part of his still did, but that was literally another lifetime ago and he wasn't the most important man in her life anymore. She now belonged with the other him, she belonged with Joseph Noble, the man he used to be.
"Yes, yes they do…" he answered with a voice full of regret and longing. "But, let's get back to the task at hand. We need to find that energy beam. It should be around here. Probably somewhere really high."
"Like that," pointed Rose.
The group followed her out stretched hand and saw that she was pointed to a castle seated onto of a large hill.
"Oh yes, that'll do. Well, come on Ponds! Let's go see about that power drain."
XXX
TBC
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I really appreciate the reviews I've gotten so far. And sorry for the wait, but I wanted to think more about the plot before I dove back in. I think I've got it, but I won't give it away just yet. You'll just have to wait and see who is draining the TARDIS.
Please keep reading and review. Thank you.