Fires of Pompeii Part 3
Ok guys, so sorry about the long update, its been a very busy week so I give you a very long chapter as an apology
Once again Rose wasn't surprised when she found herself running for her life with the Doctor sprinting next to her. Both of them cautiously sneaking glances behind them, hoping they were not in pursuit, but to make sure Quintus was also with them. They found themselves bolting down the streets where the stalls had been set up but as they came towards one of the junctions Quintus carried on going before he collapsed into a pile of wood and other bits and pieces. The Doctor had his hands out at his sides, his arms falling from his body, eyes and head darting around at his surroundings, scouting the area in fear of pursuit, while Rose was watching the pair of them, her chest heaving as she brought in required air.
"No sign of 'em. Nice little bit of allons-y. I think we're all right." The Doctor chimed happily before leaning on the materials Quintus had found. His own breathing increased while Rose looked behind them. Quintus was pretty much lying on it when the Doctor placed his arms together, the younger mans face neutral while the Doctor had his eyebrows raised, mouth hanging open as he spoke to them
"But his arm, Doctor. Is that what's happening to Evelina?" Quintus panicked before all three of them snapped their heads towards the sound of booming echoes. The noise getting closer and closer. Louder and louder.
"What's that?" The Doctor whispered as he moved his head away from his spot, his body moving to its fall height as he walked over to Rose, grasping her hand. She had not noticed him but when she felt his hand in hers she smiled slightly and squeezed it in comfort. The Doctor's face not changing from earlier but Rose's eyebrows were in a frown, a look of intense listening on her face as she concentrated one of her senses on the task.
"The mountain?" Quintus enquired as he looked up at the mountain, his own mouth hanging open, the Doctor simply started to guide Rose away as he went to investigate.
"No, it's closer." He whispered again, signalling out the noise. Rose couldn't help but listen as the thudding continued, her eyes snapping towards the falling of baskets from their homes on the stalls. Her hearts beating quickly as she watched them falling, nothing there to cause it. But that's when a thought dawned on her. The synchronised timing of the noises.
"They're footsteps." Rose whispered, Quintus simply looked at her shocked, his fear starting to bubble
"It can't be." He bellowed, shrieking back in fear slightly
"Footsteps underground!" Rose voiced again, all the while Quintus's fear and panic was rising, causing him to visibly shake, his own eyebrows in a frown, the Doctor's face not once having changed.
"What is it? What is it?" Quintus bellowed worried when the Doctor had suddenly grasped hold of Rose's waist and pulled her from their spot, all the while he had pushed Quintus in the direction of his house, the Doctor's own panic starting to build. But as they continued to run the vents started to explode around them, Rose shielding her body slightly from the boiling steam, Quintus and the Doctor leaning down slightly in shock as the steam was blown like geysers.
But as soon as the three of them had made it into the villa's front room the footsteps had already caused a crowd. Metella holding a frown as she continued to watch the ripples on the ponds water, Caecilius was simply looking at the fear ridden trio as their breathing was erratic.
"Caecilius! All of you, get out!" The Doctor yelled, his form being flung in the direction towards Donna who was still wearing her purple tunic next to Evelina. Her eyebrows raised as she watched the Doctor dragging Rose over to her, before he placed his hands to her shoulders, his eyebrows raised chest heaving.
"Doctor, what is it?" Donna raise in alarm, her hands going to the bottom of his arms which were rested on her shoulders, Rose was simply trying to coax everyone out of the building.
"I think we're being followed." He said to her sadly before everyone in the room snapped their heads towards the grille over the hypocaust as it was blown into the air. Donna stepping back as she tried to help Evelina calm down, Metella looking on in horror while the Doctor stepped over to Rose and took hold of her hand again. Both of them frozen in terror.
"Just get out!" The Doctor yelled after he had pulled himself from his trance, everyone of them jumping at his voice as he tried to herd everyone out of the door as the ground beneath the hypocaust began to crack. Rose grimaced and moved her body slightly when she heard the loud growling noise. Not one of them moving. Not even when a creature made of stone and magma forced its way through the floor. Each one of them transfixed as there eyes fell upon the jiggered rock. Taking in the sight of stone arms and legs, two eyes blazing orange, its mouth barely moving as it advanced on them. Its core made entirely of magma.
"The gods are with us." Evelina cried as she took a few steps forward, the Doctor looking at her with a frown. While Rose looked at the reflection of the monster in the water. The ripples moving at its vibrations. That's when she had an idea.
"Water! We need water! Quintus, all of you, get water! Donna!" Rose yelled as she bolted from her spot, around her husband and towards the back as she shoved men out of her way as she went to find something to hold the water, all the while Donna was behind her. The Doctor all the while watching his wife keep her cool as he tried to talk to the monster, Evelina still standing next to him, his arms out at his sides
"Blessed are we to see the gods." One of the servants stated before the creature breathed fire. The man was nothing more than ash. The Doctor moving his body back, his eyebrows raised, mouth open as he scrunched up his face and closed his eyes to slits as he tried to protect his eyes.
"Talk to me! That's all I want! Talk to me." The Doctor cried as he walked over to the creature, his arms out, palms facing the rock. Metella and Caecilius were in the corner, the man holding his wife as she turned away from the monster as they breathed heavily as they watched the Doctor "Tell me who you are. Don't hurt these people." He cried. But on her way back with the water Rose found herself surrounded by the sisterhood. They snatched away the water and grabbed hold of her arms. Evelina all the while watching
"Doctor! Doctor!" Rose cried, but a cloth had been placed to her mouth causing her screams to become muffled. Her eyes became heavy; her sight was blurry as she slowly faded into unconsciousness.
"Talk to me. I'm the Doctor. Tell me who you are." The Doctor continued to yell, taking cautious steps towards him. The monster growling and snarling, the fire in his mouth and eyes becoming such intensity as it prepared itself to breathe on the Doctor. But the Time Lord snapped his eyes and face towards Quintus who had walked over to the pool with a bucket as he began to collect the water. A servant returning with an urn.
"Doctor!" Quintus yelled before shoving the Doctor out of the way and flinging the bucket of water at the creature. It seemed to freeze slightly as it looked down at his hand. The Doctor moving Quintus back behind him, his hands on the young lads arm as the monster crumbled into pieces. The Doctors eyes wide, mouth hanging open as his chest heaved. Quintus had his arm up to protect his face as he removed it too look down at the crumbled rock, his own breathing erratic. Metella and her husband slowly standing and removing themselves from their grasps on each other as they watched the Doctor moving forward towards the debris, his tongue touching the top of his mouth. Donna suddenly return to the room, her own breathing heavy, eyebrows raised as she took in the sight in front of her. Her eyes littering around the room as she tried to look for Rose.
"What was it?" Caecilius asked, his breathing slow, face in a frown of frustration
"Carapace of stone... held together by internal magma." The Doctor said slowly. His voice neutral, his eyebrows in a frown, hair falling over his forehead, tongue resting on his teeth as he looked up, lost in thought "Not too difficult to stop. But I reckon that's just a foot soldier." He continued
"Doctor... or whatever your name is... you bring bad luck in this house." Metella cried while the Doctor turned around and looked at her
"I thought your son was brilliant. Aren't you going to thank him?"The Doctor enquired happily, hands now in his pockets, eyebrows raised as his eyes fell upon Donna. Smiling slightly at the amazed look on Quintus's face as he looked at him. Astonished anyone would say something like that. That's when he turned around and Metella hugged her son in relief. The Doctor's hand coming up to rub one of his earlobes as he muttered to himself. Eyebrows raised slightly
"Still... guess there are aliens at work in Pompeii and it's a good thing we stayed." He muttered before he sniffed and turned around yelling for his wife "Rose!" he shouted as he turned around. But when he realised she was nowhere to be seen that's when he started to worry "Rose?" He yelled, moving from his spot, ignoring the family huddled together. "Rose!" He shouted before looking over to Donna who was looking at him concerned, the pair of them walking over to each other. The Doctor's eyes boring down to Donna's as she looked up at him, her mouth open.
"Where is she?" He asked her quietly, trying not to alarm the family. Donna simply looked down, shaking her head
"She left with the rest of us to grab some water, she must not have returned" She said to him. But the Doctor had placed his hand behind his neck and closed his eyes in fear. Donna picking up on this and placed her hand on his shoulder which made him look at her
"Don't get so worked up about this" Donna started, smiling slightly "Rose can look after herself" Donna finished, her voice soft and comfortingly. Trying to show the Doctor Rose could handle herself. The Doctor simply smiled slightly before removing his hand from his neck and looking down at Donna
"I know Donna" He managed to say before looking around his surroundings "Where is she?" He whispered to himself. That's when he placed his hands to his forehead, closed his eyes and started to call out for her telepathically.
"Rose?" He whispered, his mind stretching out towards her just for him to come up with nothing. He tried once more just to get back with an empty link. His hearts where beginning to beat quicker in his chest. Adrenaline coursing its way around his body as his fear for his Wife's safety was becoming an increasing concern. If he lost her now after only spending a few weeks with her was something he wished not to think about. The Doctor would cease to be who he was today, moping around the TARDIS, not having anything to live for, nothing to strive for. Of course Donna was right, she always was, and Rose was just as strong and just as clever as he was. She wasn't some weak human anymore, but deep down. The Doctor wasn't able to let that go. So he concentrated on the golden glow in his mind to see it still pulsating, showing him where his wife was being held. He knew that place. His eyes snapped open to show a concerned looking Donna in front of him. She just frowned.
"The Sisterhood have her" He muttered towards her. Donna simply looked at him panicked. The Doctor simply smiled at her gently before grasping hold of her hand and the pair of them bolted from their spot.
Rose's mind was beginning to clear. The intoxicating smell which had caused her to become unconscious was making its way out of his system causing her to stir and become aware of her surroundings. Her left cheek was pressed to something cold, her eyes still closed while her hair was fanned out around her, her small pony tail still present causing her fringe to stay away from her face.
Rose brought in a huge lungful of air as she moved her head and she slowly flickered her eyes open just so she could be greeted with a dim light. She closed her eyes again before opening again just so her eyes could get used to the light. Her head was throbbing slightly at the sudden movement of her body. But as she tried to sit up she found her wrists had been shackled above her head. She moved her head so she looked up at them and pulled, her hearts sinking in her chest slightly. She simply rolled her eyes in frustration at the situation she had once again got herself into.
"Oh you have got to be kidding me" Rose muttered to herself, her wrist continuously moving as she tugged at the shackles. She looked around her to see she was placed on a cold stone pedestal. Curtains surrounding her, a soft burning of incense as if she was a sacrifice. But she was pulled from her thoughts when a group of woman dressed in blood red robes, painted white faces and eyes on the back of their hands walked around her, surrounding her. There hands beginning to link them in a circle. But a single woman was walking towards her, her hood still up while she held a knife in her hands.
"The Lady linked to time threatens are existence she will surrender both her blood and her breath." Spurrina the lead sister commented as she began to talk to her family. The knife still in her hands, moving it slightly as she watched the light dance over the cool metal
"Stop! Please! Listen to me! I can help" Rose snapped, her torso moving from her position on the pedestal, her large brain thinking of things to say. Of ways to get out of this situation. She was worried that BAD WOLF would not be able to save her from a direct wound to her heard.
"You will be silent." She snapped back towards her
"I'm telling the truth" Rose cried confidently "Look, you might have eyes on the back of your hands but you can't prevent turning to stone, let me go and I can help" Rose said to them. The sisters beginning to look at each other as she said this. Each one of them having skin irritations like Evelina, some of them beginning to believe in Rose. Even though she was facing her murders she was keeping her cool, keeping her mind intact as she tried to help someone. Even in death she was going to try and help save people.
"This prattling will cease... forever." Spurrina cried before raising the dagger above her head in preparation to strike. Rose simply brought in an unnecessary lungful of air as she cringed away from the knife, her body moving slightly. But before anything could happen, she heard a voice she thought she would never hear again.
"Oh I would listen to her if I were you" The Doctor chimed. Rose snapped her eyes at the sudden voice of her husband, lifting her head to get a better look at him. She smiled over at him gently as she took in his arms folded over his chest, his body resting on a stone pillar as he looked over at her. The Sisterhood all gasping in sacrilege as they turned to look over at the man she loved. Donna standing in the shadows. "She really can help you" The Doctor smiled as he pushed himself from his position and walked towards them, giving Rose a reassuring wink in the process.
"No man is allowed to enter the Temple of Sybil."
"Oh, that's all right, just us girls." The Doctor chimed happily, his hands moving into his pockets, a smile playing on his lips, one of his legs going out in front of him as he put emphasis on the last part. Rose simply smiled over at him. "Do you know, I met the Sibyl once. Hell of a woman. Blimey, she could dance a tarantella." The Doctor emphasised, his word coming out of his teeth, face in a frown as the sisters looked at him as he continued to walk forward, hands in pockets "Truth be told, I think she had a bit of a thing for me. I said it would never last. She said, "I know". Well, she would." The Doctor babbled happily as he walked to the top of the pedestal. "Got nothing on Rose truth be told" He continued to babble a smile on his face even as he sustained eye contact with them "Even if she does like Oranges" He chimed, beaming a large beautiful crooked smile before he looked down at his Wife who was looking up at him, her eyes twinkling with amusement
"You all right there?"The Doctor cheered
"I've been better" Rose stated, a small smile playing on her lips. Donna all the while was still standing just off from the group.
"Oh just like that time you were dressed up for Charles Dickens. Blimey you looked good. I liked you in that" The Doctor babbled again as he leant down towards her slightly. A huge smile on his face as the rest of them looked at him confused
"Thank you" Rose simply stated "How about the ropes?" Rose asked as she cocked her hands towards him.
"Eh" The Doctor complained in a high pitched voice, his face scrunched up as he pulled out his sonic screwdriver and switched it on "not so much." He continued as the ropes suddenly ripped and Rose could move her hands again. The Doctor simply smiled at himself as he flipped his screwdriver in his hands and then back into his pockets. He then moved around to the other side of the table, leant down and moved his hands underneath Rose's knees and just under her torso and lifted his wife from the table. Her arms automatically going around his neck as she smiled at him.
"What's this for?" She whispered to him so know one else could hear. A smile forever present on her face. The Doctor simply smiled, his eyes going to hers as he took her in.
"Think of it as an apology for almost getting you killed" He said to her gently. Rose simply looked down at her lap, a very small content smile on her lips as she felt the Doctor moving to put her down. She turned around and pressed a small kiss to his lips before whispering into his ear
"Apology accepted"
"What magic is this?" Spurrina cried, shaking with confusion as this man threw all their rules out of the window.
"Let me tell you about the Sibyl... the founder of this religion. She would be ashamed of you. All her wisdom and insight turned sour. Is that how you spread the word, eh? On the blade of a knife?" The Doctor complained and argued darkly. His wife being threatened had caused any hope of trust between him and these people to disappear. Some of the sisterhood had looked down and avoided his gaze as he argued with them
"Yes... a knife that now welcomes you!" Spurrina bellowed before she once again raised the knife, this time towards the Doctor, who was now standing in front of Rose who was looking around his shoulder. One of her hands massaging the damaged skin around her wrist from where the ropes had cut into her.
"Show me this man." Were words said by a voice we had not yet heard. The voice of someone who was wise and seen so much. The entire company of sisters suddenly snapped their eyes from the Doctor and rested onto their knees. Rose and the Doctor looked up at each other in curiosity while Donna walked over to their sides.
"High Priestess, the stranger would defy us!" The lead sister chanted angrily
"Let me see. This one is different. He carries starlight in his wake." The voice sounded again which made the Doctor's eyebrows move to their neutral position while Rose continued to look up at him with a motherly and comforting manner as they approached the other curtain.
"Ah, very perceptive. Where do these words of wisdom come from?" The Doctor enquired, his eyebrows moving into a frown his mouth hanging open. Donna's features mirroring her friends.
"The gods whisper to me."
"Oh, they've done far more than that." The Doctor voiced quietly, looking down slightly but his eyes still trying to infiltrate the curtain "Ah, might I beg audience, look upon the High Priestess?" The Doctor chimed loudly, spinning around to look at the sisters before spinning towards the curtain and cocking his head in the direction of the curtain and much to his pleasure the curtain parted.
"Oh my God! What's happened to you?" Rose gasped in concern. Her mouth hanging open in sadness while the Doctor had his eyebrows raised as he took in the sight of the high priestess. A woman who was sitting upon a bed, her body nearly converted completely to stone.
"The heavens have blessed me." She whispered
"If I might..." The Doctor whispered, his eyebrows still raised, eyes wide with curiosity, his hand raised as he motioned that he'd liked to step closer. The Priestess simply raised her arm and the Doctor strode over to her and kneeled down as he touched her arm. Rose taking a few cautious steps towards her. "Does it hurt?"
"It is necessary."
"Who told you that?" The Doctor cried in misbelieve, his eyebrows in a frown while his tongue rested on the top of his mouth.
"The voices."
"Is that what's happening to Evelina?" Donna asked loudly before turning towards the sisters "Is this what's gonna happen to all of you?" Spurrina simply looked at her and approached Donna, her sleeve pulled back to show Donna her arm
"The blessings are manifold." She said while Donna held the young woman's arm, the Doctor still studying the Priestess while Rose watched the pair of them
"They're stone." Donna whispered
"Exactly." The Doctor confirmed before standing up, placing his hand in his pocket before placing his hand to the bottom of Rose's back and guiding her over to Donna. "The people of Pompeii are turning to stone before the volcano erupts." He said gently before turning back to the High Priestess "But why?"
"This word... this image in your mind, this "volcano", what is that?" She asked, trying to change the topic. Rose simply looked at her and then back to her companion.
"More to the point, why don't you know about it? Who are you?" The Doctor asked. His eyebrows still in a frown but his body was angled to the side, his wife standing in front of him while they talked to the stone woman
"High Priestess of the Sibyline."
"No, no, no, no. I'm talking to the creature inside you. The thing that's seeding itself into a human body, in the dust in the lungs... taking over the flesh and turning it into... what?"The Doctor argued, his head shaking in parts, eyebrows rising and falling as he spoke over to her
"Your knowledge is impossible." She stuttered unable to believe his extensive knowledge, Rose simply smiled over at her
"But you can read his mind, you know its not" Rose smiled over to her, her features soft and comforting as she spoke to her "It's important you tell us who you are" Rose finished, her eyebrows raised as she motioned her head towards her slightly
"We... are... awakening!" She bellowed her voice echoing.
"The voice of the gods!" the lead sister cried as she too went to her knees.
"Words of wisdom, words of power. Words of wisdom, words of power." The sisters chanted. The three of them watching as the Sister chanted to the gods. But the Doctor suddenly turned back towards the High priestess his eyebrows in a frown, hands held out to his sides while Rose watched him at his side.
"Name yourself! Planet of origin, galactic coordinates, species designation according to the universal ratification of the Shadow Proclamation." The Doctor yelled, while Rose continued to look around at her environment
"We... are... rising!"
"Tell me your name!" The Doctor yelled, his words dragging out, his body lowering slightly as his hands were held at his side, his eyebrows in a frown and his jaw guttering out as he yelled at the woman who was withering as the gods spoke through her
"Pyrovile!"She bellowed as she pulled back her hood. So that was how Donna walked over to the frozen forms of her friends while the sisters started to chant the species of alien. The Doctor having his eyes wide, eyebrows raised and a creased forehead and Rose having her mouth open in horror.
"What's a Pyrovile?" Donna whispered as she leant up against the Doctor, her eyes never leaving the Priestess, her mouth hanging open in confusion.
"Well, that's a Pyrovile... growing inside her. She's at the halfway stage." The Doctor informed quickly, his face never changing
"Well, and that turns into?" Donna questioned
"That thing in the villa, that was an adult Pyrovile." Rose stated, same tone as the Doctor.
"And the breath of a Pyrovile will incinerate you, Doctor." The Priestess cried, her stony hand pointing out towards the Time Beings and their companion.
"I warn you..." The Doctor snarled as he reached into his suit jacket for something "I'm armed. "He finished as he pulled out a large yellow water pistol. Donna looking at him in confusion, doing a double take while Rose simply smiled to herself. Trust her husband to pull a stunt like this "Donna get that grille open." He commanded, cocking his head in the direction of the vent.
"What are...?" Donna cried in misbelieve, and rather grumpily
"Just..." The Doctor said in a high pitched voice as he jerked his head in the right direction and Donna begrudgingly walked to the hypocaust, the Doctor having his eyebrows frowned while his mouth was slightly open, Rose hanging back behind her husband, her hands placed on his waist as she looked around him. "What are the Pyrovile doing here?"The Doctor asked, the pistol falling from the sisters and then back to the Priestess
"We fell from the heavens. We fell so far and so fast we were rendered into dust."
"Right. Creatures of stone shatter on impact. When was that, seventeen years ago?" The Doctor asked again quickly
"We have slept beneath for thousands of years."
"Okay, so seventeen years ago woke you up. But why are you using psychic powers within human bodies? Is it to reconstitute yourself?" Rose inquired as she leant around her husband, her eyes soft as she spoke to the woman, trying to get a handle on the situation, all the while Donna was working on the grid.
"We opened their minds and found such gifts."
"Yeah, okay, fine. You force yourself inside a human brain, use the latent psychic talent to bond. I get that. I get that. Yeah, but... seeing the future, that is way beyond psychic, you can see through time. Where does the gift of prophecy come from?" The Doctor asked his eyes narrowing into slits, eyebrows in a frown, while they watched as the High Priestess started to moan in agony.
"I got it!" Donna chimed once she moved the grid
"Now get down." The Doctor ordered, his hand pushing Rose towards her, his water pistol still aimed at the High Priestess.
"What, down there?" Donna complained, her mouth falling while she looked over to the Doctor
"Yes, down there!" the Doctor voice. Rose simply rolled her eyes as she ran over to Donna helping her through the tunnel while the Doctor continued to talk to the Sisters "Why can't this lot predict the volcano? Why is it being hidden?" But suddenly Rose noticed Spurrina lifting her head and hands out to her sides as if she was taken into a vision. Rose simply muttered to herself about bad luck before running over to the Doctor's side to try and grab him and his attention while she yelled to her friends.
"Sisters, I see into his mind. The weapon is harmless."
"Yeah, but it's got a sting!" he said as he shook his head, the feeling of Rose's hands on his arm, tugging him in her direction while he began to shoot the water at the High Priestess who was moaning in agony. The Doctor finally went with Rose, his hands on her waist as he guided her in the right direction as the pair of them bolted to the hypocaust. The Doctor grasped the side of the tunnel and flung his body down the vent, landing somewhere next to Donna who was looking around in confusion as the heat and the orange glow made it difficult for her to breath. But before the Doctor knew what was happening Rose had dropped through the opening and she landed on top of the Doctor. Both of them grunting on impact. Rose was lying on top of the Doctor, her long hair falling over her shoulder and on to the Doctor while the time lord had his hands on her waist as she fell, their bodies pressed together
"Oh I'm sorry" Rose apologised as she moved off the Doctor
"Yeah, it's ok" The Doctor said breathlessly as he tried to regain the oxygen he had been deprived off. His body moving to the side as he grasped his sides, Rose holding out her hands once she had stood and helped him to his feet, the pair of them beginning to feel the heat and humidity as they looked around at the rocky terrain. Donna was still sitting on her arms and legs as she faced away, not seeing the interaction between the couple.
"You fought her off with a water pistol. I bloody love you." Donna joked with a huge smile on her face. The Doctor simply looked down at her as the two of them pulled away a small smile playing on his lips while Rose walked in the opposite direction
"I think it's this way" She said over her shoulder, her hair beginning to stick to her hot skin. So she pulled a small hair band out of her pocket and began to pull her hair into a high pony tail, keeping her hair away from her form
"Where are we going now?" Donna asked as she slowly got to her feet and followed the two people
"Into the volcano."Rose said over her shoulder again, a smile on her face as she removed her hands from her hair
"No way." Donna said bewildered, her mouth hanging open, her head pulled away from them. The pair of them smiled over at her before the Doctor started to speak to her
"Yes way." The Doctor chimed while twirling the pistol in his hands "Appian way." He finished while he started to climb through the rocky terrain his wife had just started climbing. Their hands and feet helping them through the tight passageways.
The three of them must have been walking through the tunnels towards Vesuvius for no more than 10 minutes when Donna had brought her old argument back to life.
"But if it's aliens setting off the volcano, doesn't that make it all right? For you to stop it?" Donna asked her hands out to her sides as they walked down a steep rocky hill. The Doctor frowning, his eyes dark as he continued forward, Rose was simply looking down sadly.
"Still part of history." The Doctor voiced
"Well, I'm history too. You saved me in 2008. You saved us all. Why is that different?" Donna questioned again
"It's hard to explain Donna" Rose started as she looked over at the woman she was walking next to, her husbands silhouette was in front of them. Donna was simply looking over at Rose curious "Events in history are fixed, some things are in flux, events you can change. Pompeii is fixed" Rose explained, using her hands in gestures to try and explain to Donna why they couldn't change history.
"How do you know which is which?" Donna asked, her question not aimed at either of them but the Doctor stopped abruptly on a hill and looked down at Donna. His eyes voided of all emotion, his eyes hard as he tried to hide his emotions. Rose simply looked down, knowing how hard this was for him. Rose having gone through the same thing as Donna was now. His eyebrows were in a frown, his mouth in a hard line. His words coming out through his teeth.
"Because that's how I see the universe. Every waking second, I can see what is, what was... what could be, what must not. That's the burden of the Time Lords, Donna. Were the only ones left." The Doctor said to her, motioning his head towards Rose at the last part. Donna looking over at Rose who was smiling a very sad smile on her lips. The Doctor simply turned his back on them as he continued forward, Rose moving to follow him. Donna staying in the same place.
"How many people died?" Donna asked
"Stop it!" The Doctor snapped, his head still looking down
"Doctor!" Donna yelled causing him to stop and turn around to look at her. Such pure emotion filling his eyes. Rose was finding it difficult to control her own emotions. Everything the Doctor could see was something she could too. The pair of them suffering with the burden of letting events run there course. Not being able to save a single being. Rose had placed her hand to her mouth slightly, her eyes watering from unshed tears and emotion as she looked at the weakened form of her husband and the distraught figure of her best friend.
"How many people died?" Donna asked
"Twenty thousand."
"Is that what you can see, Doctor? All twenty thousand? And you think that's all right, do you?" Donna asked, her body becoming sweaty from the heat, but the three of them snapped their head in the direction of a screeching noise. The Screech of a Pyroville
"They know we're here! Come on." The Doctor yelled when he moved his hand to Donna's shoulder and pulled her up the hill. His hand stayed out as he motioned for his wife. She grasped his hand and the pair of them ran to keep up with Donna. The three of them continuing to run through the tunnels avoiding pockets of flames. The sound of screeching ringing out in their ears. Their heartbeat quickening, adrenaline streaming through their bodies as they tried to escape the Pyroville but suddenly the three of them stopped dead in their tracks as they arrived at a great cavern in front of them. They had crawled into a pit where rocks were hiding their forms from the walking Pyroviles. Them all sitting on their knees while Rose looked above her
"It's the heart of Vesuvius." She whispered, Donna having her mouth open, the Doctor holding a frown as the three of them took in the astonishing sight in front of them "We're right inside the mountain." Rose whispered again just for the Doctor to place his hand over hers. Rose looked down at his gestures and then towards him to see him smiling a very sad smile. She simply moved her hand so she was clutching his.
"There's tons of 'em." Donna chimed hopelessly. Her hair sticking to her head, the Doctor's falling loosely over his head, his hair finally falling lifelessly, loosing its bounciness and height. Rose's was simply tattered and frizzy.
"What's that thing?" The Doctor asked before taking out a small collapsible telescope with his free hand and looked across the tavern
"Well, you'd better hurry up and think of something. Rocky IV's on its way." Donna voiced concerned.
"That's how they arrived... or what's left of it. Escape pod? Prison ship? Gene bank?" The Doctor chimed as he looked on at the interior of the ship. When he pulled the scope from his eye he had moved his lips into a pout as he looked over at it, his hand all the while collapsing the telescope
"But why do they need a volcano? Maybe... it erupts and they launch themselves back in space or something." Donna asked but suddenly Rose had a terrible thought. Her hearts sinking in her chest, her stomach running cold. Her face holding no emotion.
"No, it's worse that that." Rose said lifelessly, the Doctor and Donna simply looking at her worried, a frown on both their faces.
"How can it be worse?" Donna asked just as a Pyrovile roared over at them. All of them snapping their heads in the direction of the stone monsters. "Doctor, it's getting closer." Donna cried.
"Heathens!" A voice sounded and the time travellers all snapped their head towards Lucius who was crying his curses from the top of the cavern. Rose simply rolled her eyes
"Oh for goodness sake" She snapped as she muttered to herself
"Defilers! They would desecrate your temple, my lord gods!"
"Come on!" The Doctor complained as he moved from his spot and helping his friends down the steep hill, them all running across the cavern floor
"We can't go in!" Donna complained in a high pitched voice
"We can't go back!" the Doctor stated
"Crush them! Burn them!"
But suddenly they all had to skid to a stop as a Pyrovile started to rise up in front of them. The Doctor frowning once again took out his water pistol and used it against the Pyrovile who shied away from the measly stream of water. With a look up at Lucius The Doctor grabbed Rose's hand once again and they continued running.
"There is nowhere to run, Doctor...BAD WOLF and Daughter of London."
"Now then, Lucius. My lord Pyrovillian..." The Doctor cried as he stood in front of the pod, his water pistol still at hand, his wife and friend standing behind him, all of them breathing heavily "don't get yourselves in a lava. " The Doctor finished as he looked down and behind towards his wife "In a lava... no?"
"No." Rose said as she closed her eyes and shook her head softly
"No. But if I might beg the wisdom of the gods before we perish... once this new race of creatures is complete... then what?" The Doctor asked, his eyebrows in a frown and then into a raised position. Rose shuffling back slightly as a Pyrovile stalked towards them, crushing boulders in it path.
"My masters will follow the example of Rome itself, an almighty empire, bestriding the whole of civilization."
"But if you've crashed... and you've got all this technology, why don't you just go home?" Donna yelled, her eyebrows now in a frown, one out of confusion
"The heaven of Pyrovillia is gone."
"What do you mean "gone"? Where's it gone?" The Doctor asked frowning, his face scrunched up as he shook his head. Rose still breathing heavily as she looked around her, her hand massaging her bruised wrists again as the heat began to aggravate the damaged skin.
"It was taken. Pyrovillia is lost. But there is heat enough in this world for our new species to rise."
"Yeah, I should warn you, it's 70% water out there." Rose chimed, her face in a frown, her left hand holding out a thumb as she cocked it towards the wall of the volcano.
"Water can boil and everything will burn, Doctor!"
"Then the whole planet is at stake. Thank you, that's all I needed to know." The Doctor confirmed while he placed his pistol back into his pocket. He pushed Donna and Rose into the pod and then followed suit, using the sonic screwdriver on the door.
"You have them, my lords."
"Could we be any more trapped?" Donna complained as they stood in the pod. One of the carvings in front of them as both the Time Beings looked at it. The Doctor placing one of his hands on the ceiling, his body sweating, his suit making him hot whole Rose leant down, hand pressed to her chin as she looked at the carvings, her own hair sticking to her forehead, Donna's eyes holding large purple bags from her tiredness.
"Little bit hot." Donna breathed breathlessly.
"See, the energy converted takes the lava, uses the power to create a fusion matrix which wields Pyrovile to human. Now it's complete, they can convert millions." The Doctor said with one of his eyebrows raised, words coming out of his teeth as the two of them leant over each other, pressing switches, moving dials as they worked. Donna's eyes were simply flickering between the two of them as she watched them
"Well, can you change it... with these controls?" Donna asked.
"'Course we can, but don't you see? That's why the soothsayers can't see the volcano. There is no volcano. Vesuvius is never going to erupt. The Pyrovile are stealing all its power. They're gonna use it to take over the world." Rose stated distraught. Her idea finally coming to life. It was worst than they thought. Her hands moving in gestures as she looked over at Donna sadly, her eyes watering with tears as she realised what this meant. The Doctor simply looking over at her. His own emotions being shown to her via their link. And for once the pair of them could not even comfort each other. They could only suffer on their own as the curse of the Time Lords affected both of them
"But you can change it back." Donna begged , tears in her eyes.
"Well, we can avert the system, so the volcano will blow them up, yes, but... that's the choice, Donna. It's Pompeii or the world."The Doctor stated shaking his head, his eyes wide full of sadness, hands moving as he looked over at her. Rose looked down, hand over her mouth as she tried to compose herself.
"Oh my God." Donna voiced in shock
"If Pompeii is destroyed, then it's not just history, it's me. I make it happen." The Doctor said breathlessly, his eyes wide, eyebrows raised as he stared off into space.
"But the Pyrovile are made of rock. Maybe they can't be blown up." Donna argued
"Vesuvius explodes with the force of 24 nuclear bombs. Nothing can survive it. Certainly not us." He said as she worked on the controls, looking down at Rose who had taken that moment to look at her.
"Never mind us." She said to him softly as she watched her husband put his hand on the lever
"Push this lever and it's all over. Twenty thousand people." He stated, he was unwilling to be responsible for so many deaths even in the course of saving the planet. Rose simply looked at him sadly. Her husbands face was down cast, facing away from them. Donna was looking at them, not finding the words to say so Rose moved her hand and placed it to the Doctor's cheek. Her hot sweaty palm finding the Doctor's cheek clammy and moist.
"Look at me Doctor" Rose said as she moved the Doctor's head slightly. What she saw made her body run cold. So much torment, distress and weakness. She knew exactly what was running through his head. The same situation he had been in during the time war. Save the universe but lose his home and own people. She just smiled at him gently. "Never once have I doubted you. You have done so much good to the universe Doctor. Saving it from false gods, terrifying enemies, saving the universe from itself and never once do you complain. But Pompeii is a fixed point in time. It has too happen. If not, it could have disastrous effects in the long run. The whole future of the human race could be altered and we can't let this happen. But the good thing it Doctor" Rose stated, a small sad smile on her face as she placed her hand over the Doctor's which was placed on the lever "You won't be doing this alone" Rose finished, the Doctor smiling slightly. The Doctor and Rose looking up at Donna who had walked over to them and placed her own hand on top of theirs. They all looked at each other as they pressed down on the lever causing the deaths of 20,000 people.
But with such a force the pod was suddenly thrown from its position in the mountain, causing the occupants to be flung in any and every direction, not one of them able to keep themselves upright. The volcano erupting. The sky filling up with smoke, lava and magma falling from the top of Vesuvius, people panicking and screaming with terror. The Sisters and Evelina seeing the new prophecy, the new future. But suddenly they landed, the door opened and the Doctor rolled out into the new world. Donna and Rose falling. Looking around at their surroundings a little shaken. The Doctor was trying to regain his breath, his eyebrows in a frown, mouth hanging open causing his face to be scrunched up as he looked around at him
"It was an escape pod." He stated before he turned to look behind him and seeing the volcano. The magma travelling towards him. He grabbed Rose's hand and propelled Donna forward as they ran. But as they arrived at the village ash was beginning to fall while the three of them continued to run through the streets. They were trying to make their way back to the TARDIS amidst the chaos in the streets. All the while Donna was trying to help whoever would listen. Rose looking on devastated, a single tear falling down her cheek while the Doctor was frowning, knowing he had caused this, having to relive a terrible piece of history.
"Don't! Don't go to the beach! Don't go to the beach, go to the hills! Listen to me! Don't go to the beach, it's not safe! Listen to me...!" She yelled before she saw a little boy crying alone. She walked over to him comfortingly "Come here." She said gently before the boy was snatched from her grasp. Donna could do nothing more than stand their crying, absolutely devastated. Rose just walked up to her and placed her hand in hers. Knowing Donna just needed some comfort, she smiled at her gently before pulling her forwards slightly
"Come on" Rose said to Donna gently and comfortingly as they made their way over to the Doctor, running towards Caecilius's villa.
The whole ground was shaking, explosions were sounding as the magma fell from the sky. But when they arrived they could see the whole family huddled together. The Doctor grabbed his coat and looked over at the family. Rose looking on sad. She knew what the Doctor was thinking, she could hear his troubled thoughts swimming around her head as he contemplated taking them with him
"Gods save us, Doctor!" Caecilius cried as he clung onto his family, hoping to save them, but the Doctor simply turned away from them and walked into the TARDIS. Rose following. All the while Donna was yelling at them distraught.
"You can't! Doctor, you can't!" She yelled as she followed him inside the TARDIS. Rose had tears streaming down her face as she worked at the console. The TARDIS leaping at the opportunity to help and comfort both the Doctor and his wife as she realised what they were going through, what their emotions were like as they prepared her for dematerialisation. Donna simply stood at the door yelling at the two of them.
"You can't just leave them!" She yelled, the Doctor simply looked over his shoulder before walking around the console and continuing to work. Rose had stopped, her emotions everywhere, she simply stared at the piece of console. Not able to comprehend what was going on, not knowing how to feel or what to think. Donna had stomped up the grating towards the Doctor.
"Don't you think I've done enough? History's back in place and everyone dies." The Doctor snapped
"You've got to go back! Doctor, I am telling you, take this thing back!" She yelled but the Doctor simply released the brake and the TARDIS started to dematerialise. His face showing no emotion, trying to hide just how hurt he was while Donna had tears streaming down her cheeks.
"It's not fair."
"No, it's not."
"But your own planet, it burned."
"That's just it. Don't you see, Donna? Can't you understand?" The Doctor snapped looking at her, Rose snapping her head towards her husband, her hearts breaking at the emptiness of his eyes. She just walked over to him, trying to send him a tiny amount of comfort " If I could go back and save them then I would, but I can't. I can never go back! I can't! I just... can't!" The Doctor snapped, his eyes wide, eyebrows raised, hair covered with ash. "I can't." He said softer, looking away and back to the controls. But in that single sentence Rose walked over to him, placed her hand on his and he looked up at her. Both of them sharing a moment, both lost in their own emotions, both distraught at the feeling of such helplessness, of such vulnerability it scared them.
"Just someone. Please. Not the whole town. Just save someone." Rose said to him softly. Her hearts leaping out to her husband, trying to make him see. But he just looked at her, their eyes finally softening slightly
Caecilius and his family were huddled together as the ash continued to fall. But they were all pulled from their thoughts when they could hear the sound of the TARDIS's engines and a bright light was filling the room as it began to materialise. The door opened and the figure of the Doctor was silhouetted against the white light as he reached out his hand, his face in a frown. The family simply looking at him
"Come with me." The Doctor said before Caecilius reached out his hand and grasped the time lords.
A cloud of ash and smoke was flowing over the town, the screams and cried of people dying filled their ears as the group watched from the hills. Donna standing behind Evelina and Quintus, Rose standing just by the other side of the TARDIS, watching on sadly while the Doctor was next to Caecilius and Metella. His trench coat back on, his hands in his pockets as he spoke to them.
"It is never forgotten, Caecilius. Oh time will pass, men will move on, and stories will fade, but one day... Pompeii will be found again... in thousands of years... and everyone will remember you." The Doctor said, his eyebrows moving
"What about you, Evelina? Can you see anything?" Donna asked, stepping forward slightly. Evelina simply looked down, shaking her head
"The visions have gone."
"The explosion was so powerful, it cracked open a rift in time. Just for a second. That's what gave you the gift of prophecy. It echoed back into the Pyrovillian alternative. But not anymore. You're free." Rose informed, speaking gently while they all looked around towards her, her face neutral, her voice soft and gentle.
"But tell me... who are you, Doctor... with your words... and your temple containing such size within?" Metella cried, her eyes never leaving the destruction
"Oh, I was never here. Don't tell anyone." The Doctor said as he moved about on his feet. He looked over at his Wife whose own eyes were watching the devastation and walked over to her. She watched him walk over to her and she smiled a very weak smile. The Doctor returned it before he opened his arms and let his wife fall into them. Providing the comfort both of them needed as they engulfed each other into a comforting hug, arms wrapping around each other.
"The great go Vulcan must be enraged. It's so volcanic. It's like some sort of... Volcano. " He said as his voice started to break "All those people..." He managed to say before Caecilius hugged his wife. Quintus simply walked over to his sister and grasped hold of his hand. Rose smiled gently before pulling the Doctor back in to the TARDIS, and Donna slipping back towards the machine behind them.
The Doctor once again had his hand in his pocket as he walked around the console, flicking switches and buttons as drove the TARDIS. Rose had leant herself up against the railings of the TARDIS as she allowed her lover and her friend speak on their own.
"Thank you." Donna said kindly
"Yeah." The Doctor said as he continued to look up at Donna, pausing slightly "You were right. Sometimes I need someone. Welcome aboard." The Doctor said with a smile
"Yeah." Donna smiled, the Doctor smiling over at her before she jumped on her spot "Right, bed time me thinks" She voiced before striding from the room, leaving the Doctor and Rose alone. Rose was smiling as she watched Donna bounce from the room, her hands pressed over her chest while the Doctor continued to place the TARDIS is the time vortex.
"You sure your ok hun?" Rose asked from her spot of the TARDIS, the Doctor looking up at her
"Course I am" He said before absentmindedly going back to the TARDIS.
"You don't have to keep it all locked up, your not on your own anymore Doctor" Rose stated as she pushed herself from her spot and moved over to the Doctor's side
"I know" The Doctor said again, still tinkering with the TARDIS, Rose simply smiled and looked down before pressing her hand to the Doctor's, making him stop from what he was doing and looking over at her, his face full of sadness.
"Tell me" She said gently, the Doctor simply nodded defeated before pulling Rose closer, placing his fingers to her temple, both of them closing their eyes as they got lost in their connection, showing each other everything they were feeling and thought.
There we go guys, so sorry about the long update but its gunna be longer now as I'm started to revise for my exams again so ill try to update as much as possible but I cant promise anything I hope you liked it and PLEASE REVIEW :D xx
Suttling