Chapter 4: TARDIS, Outside of Time and Space
Author's Notes: Hurray for Wikipedia. Thanks to Rambling Rose for the idea.
A sprained ankle hardly called for an emergency Christmas intervention. Despite that, until it healed (which would be a lot faster if she'd let him look at it) they were stuck, sitting around the TARDIS. It was Rose who suggested something to keep them occupied, though she hadn't had Christmas in mind exactly when she said it.
"Can we do that Otherstide thing you told me about instead?"
The Doctor stared at her, awestruck for a moment. He hadn't expected her to remember that, and given her past history, he certainly didn't expect her to get the name right. More than anything though, he was shocked that she had even asked. He thought he'd made it pretty clear that his past was not something he wanted to talk about, but there she was, all hopefully eyes and a smile full of tooth and tongue. How could he say no to that?
With a sigh he slumped back onto a sofa in the TARDIS library.
"Not much to it really. Basically everyone stays home and children are given presents. And before you ask, you don't qualify."
"Hmm. Right. 19 versus 900. Can see how I don't fit into the children category."
"Oh, you're a kid alright. Just not one getting a present."
He couldn't help smiling as she sneered at him teasingly.
"Alright then," she said. "Just... Tell me about this Other... side... stade..."
"And here I thought you were getting better. Got it right the first time. It's Otherstide."
"Right. Otherstide. What's it all about?"
"About?"
"Yeah. Like Christmas is about Mary and Jesus and Santa and all that."
The Doctor sat forward, arms resting on his knees, and stared at the floor for what seemed like hours. Rose remained perched on the arm of the couch facing him, waiting with bated breath. She wouldn't put it past him to close her off and walk away but something told her he wouldn't. A softness in his eyes that made her think he was remembering something.
"The Other," he said finally. "The Other was a member of the Triumvirate, along with Rassilon and Omega."
Rose stared, doing her best to catalogue the names he was throwing at her so she could follow along.
"Cult of Pythia is overthrown, and these three come about. Essentially founded the Time Lord society."
"Why call him The Other?" Rose asked, throwing in an ominous tone for humor and good measure. "The other two had names..."
"Right. Don't know." He flashed her a quick smile.
"What do you mean you don't know? Fall asleep during history much?"
"Oi! I was an excellent student. Last thing I need is another woman around here saying otherwise." He muttered something, more to himself than Rose, then continued. "Anyway, I don't know because no one knows. Say his name was lost to time. Don't even know where he came from. Where he was born. Not even sure he was Gallifreyan."
"Wa's that?"
"What's what?"
"Gallifreyan."
The Doctor scoffed. "My race."
"But, I thought you were a Time Lord?"
"I am."
"But you're Gallifreyan?"
"Yep."
Rose shook her head. "That makes no sense. How can you be both?"
"It's simple. You're a human. And you're- well you were, a shop girl too. Easy to be two things at the same time, see?"
"So a Time Lord's like a sort of job?"
"Not exactly. But yeah, that's fine." He paused, then looked at her contemplatively. "You really thought the name of my race was Time Lord?"
Rose looked down at him sheepishly. "Well, how was I supposed to know? I mean, your name is 'The Doctor.' What kind of name is that? Wouldn't be that strange to have a weird name for your race too. Anyway, get on with the story." She nudged him with her uninjured foot.
"Oh, is it story time then?"
"Well, you've already decided there are no presents involved. So unless you want to 'stay home' and do nothing, continue."
The Doctor cleared his throat. "Right, So Omega dies while creating a black hole that Rassilon then uses to create the Eye of Harmony and basically becomes the ruler of Gallifrey. The Other believed that Rassilon tricked Omega to his death and knew he was next. Rather than waiting for it to happen, he threw himself into the looms and killed himself."
"So this whole holiday is for some bloke who offed himself? And what the heck's a loom?"
The Doctor sighed. "Do you want me to tell the story or not?"
"Not if you're gonna leave important parts out."
"Fine. Looms. When Pythia was overthrown- You do remember Pythia, right?"
Rose rolled her eyes. "Yes. That was like a minute ago."
"Three minutes twenty-seven seconds," he corrected. "Pythia, well, she sort of placed a curse on the planet, if you can call it that. Made the entire population sterile. So Rassilon created the looms which basically weave genetic material together to form a living being."
"So what happened when The Other threw himself in? Did they break or something? Wouldn't that be dooming his own race?"
"True. If they had been destroyed it would have been a set back. More could always be rebuilt but it would have been a nice kick to Rassilon just the same. But that's not what happened."
"So what did it do?"
"Basically he threw himself into the mix. His genetic material was added in. Now some believe... believed, that it was so widespread that his genetic material was mixed in with every loomling created. Bit of The Other in all of us, as they say."
Rose smiled. "'s a good story. I like it. Doesn't explain the presents but..."
"People like presents. Can't expect kids to celebrate 'some bloke who offed himself'' as you so delicately put it, without getting something out of it."
"Ah. The meaning of Christmas. Guess it works the same no matter where you are in the universe."
"Yep." The Doctor stood and stretched lightly. "Now then Rose Tyler. I am thoroughly bored and I'm going to fix that ankle whether you like it or not."
Rose lifted her ankle in his direction and smiled. "That's fine. I got my story."
"You what?"
"Oh, I dunno. Felt like finding out a bit more about you but I knew you'd never tell me unless I tortured it out of you. And what could me more torture than being forced to sit around with absolutely nothing to do?"
"You- are going to pay for that." With a wicked grin on his face, the Doctor leapt towards Rose, pulling her from the arm of the couch and hoisting her up. She screamed but found herself laughing just the same as he carried her off to the medlab. Her plan had worked. Getting carried off in the Doctor's arms was just an added bonus.