Hi all! I gotta say, I love this story. It's got a lot of twists up ahead, so keep on reading. BTW sorry it's taking me a while to update but I only just discovered facebook, and it's a bit… distracting. Anyway big thanks for all your reviews and on with part five.
Chapter 5: Stolen GlancesRose lay on the hard, metal bed in the Medical Bay. She was still unconscious. The Doctor sat perched on the corner of the bed, her hand clasped between his, his eyes never leaving her pale, drawn face. He had nothing else to look at: the room was blank and sterile, and, to him, even when she was unconscious she still lit up the room. The sound of a heart monitor drummed into his ears, and it took him a while to realise his own heart beats had slowed to match hers, almost in uncontrolled sympathy for her.
He leaned over to move some golden hair from her face, and, as his fingers touched her temples, he was tempted to enter her mind, just for a moment, to see what she was thinking. If nothing else, to give her comfort. After all, wasn't this whole situation his fault? Hadn't he brought her here? Hadn't he left her alone to wander, again? Hadn't he ignored her tired eyes and pale skin for the last few hours?
He tentatively moved his hand away. He knew it could be dangerous to risk a link, especially as there was another telepathic being involved. He just hoped she knew he was there for her, holding her hand, like every day. And for some reason, he knew she knew. There was something about her at that very moment that made him curious: a strange vibe emanating from her. Just what was going on in her head…?
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Rose shook her head to rid it of the driving pain throbbing around her brain. She put her hand up to her forehead and groaned. It was weird: so different from any hangover she'd experienced, but worse than her worst migraine.
As she sat and rubbed at her temples, the throbbing feeling seemed to leave her with little effort, and she managed to open her eyes. She was not where she expected to be.
She looked all around. She was sitting in a field where the grass glistened like emeralds, sparkling and glinting in the light. But as she regained her focus, she saw that the grass was this place's only redeeming feature. The trees all around her seemed to be burned, the bark black and singed. She could hear a crow calling somewhere, but could not see it. Above her, the sky loomed like space itself, no calm sunny blue or even a cool blanket of night, but open space, the stars shining harshly down on her, the sun and moon nowhere to be seen.
Rose stood up and shivered, glancing around her for anything resembling familiarity. She found nothing. But something caught her eye. Far in the distance, something she could see, but not with her eyes, really, but with her mind, something calling to her.
Rose Tyler, follow your path…Rose had no choice but to follow it, her body and mind compelled her. She took one slow step after another, but found she was already stepping onto the horizon. She looked down as she felt her feet fall on something harder than the grass. A path. A path that wasn't exactly there, that shimmered silvery blue. She peered into the distance to see where it led, but it seemed to fade form her vision. The familiar voice spoke to her again.
To see the destination, you must start your journey.
Rose almost giggled at the voice, which was sounding more and more like a fortune cookie. Still, she couldn't do anything else. So she put one foot in front of the other, taking her first progressive step.
Suddenly her head was bombarded with images, sounds, smells, textures, voices, emotions. Memories, she thought.
But these memories kept whizzing around her, zooming this way and that and refusing to keep still. They were… unfamiliar. And that's when Rose realised: these were someone else's memories. And she was seeing them through their eyes.
So why could she see herself? All around her, images of herself. But who had been looking at her?
The memories settled, and formed auras of their own. It was a bizarre experience, and Rose found herself compelled to understand. So she waded in amongst them.
The ones that caught her attention first were all surrounded in a thick, grey presence. She stared into each one, and found herself with the answer to her question.
These were his memories.
She saw the look of hurt and shame on her own face. "I did it again, I picked another stupid ape."
She saw the tears in her eyes mixed with pain and sorrow. "You can spend the rest of your life with me. But I can't spend the rest of mine with you. That's the curse of the Time Lords."
She felt the heartache he felt. "I could save the world but lose you…"
Rose tore herself away from the images, hot tears steaming from her eyes.
"What's the point in all this?!" she said aloud to no one.
But she got a response.
The strange voice in her head repeated the words of the Dreamcaster: This path is littered with the negativity of another, someone who shares your destination but also shares your doubts.
Rose shivered, but continued her exploration. Some memories made her laugh, some almost made her cry. They were all about her.
She saw something partially hidden and overcrowded, a group of memories that were obviously not meant to be seen. She peered over with curiosity, and her heart leapt into her throat at what she saw.
Stolen glances. Every time he'd glanced at her from the corner of his eye, every time she'd almost caught him staring, every time he thought he'd lost her and he had to gaze into her eyes just to assure himself that she was really there. These memories shone like the sun, and warmed her whole shivering body.
His path converges with your, Rose Tyler.
She looked up, and sighed. What did all this mean? Why had she been shown this?
"Are you the Dreamcaster?" she asked the voice.
It did not answer her question.
"What do I do?" she asked angrily. This was all too much.
You will find your answer, if you cast off your fears. And you must convince the other to do likewise.
Suddenly, at the end of the path, Rose could see something, only in silhouette, but a silhouette that was so familiar. Him. The Doctor. Her Doctor. And she smiled.
"Doctor."
"Rose."
"Doctor, where am I?"
"Rose."
"Doctor, tell me what to do!"
She ran towards him, but he started to disappear into the devilish sky, only a whisper of his voice left on the wind.
"Wake up, Rose. Please wake up…"
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I was gonna call this chapter Through His Eyes, but I'm saving that for the title of my next story. Anyway hope you enjoyed. Reviews are always squealed over, and thank you for all the positive feedback xx
