Chapter 5:

He knew he was dreaming, but he couldn't wake up. He never could seem to shake the shackles of his dreams no matter how bad they got, or how aware he was that it was all in his head. This dream was just a new addition to his many death sentences. This time his twin stood in front of him. He was not alone though. Behind him stood all of his past lives. They all stared at him with indifference.

"You are not a Time Lord," one spoke to his left. The Doctor turned his gaze to look at his fourth regeneration. He wore his long scarf and funny hat, but there was none of the usual mischievous laughter in his eyes as he said those words.

"You are not one of us," another spoke. It was his ninth regeneration this time. Despair filled his heart as more of his regenerations cried out against him.

"You must be exterminated," his doppelganger screamed about the rest.

The Doctor saw a glint in the corner of his eye before he felt red hot pain rip through his side. He jolted up in his bed breathing heavily and struggling to untangle the sheets from his body. He managed to throw them off and quickly leap from the bed to the middle of the room where he froze, clutching his side. The phantom pain paralyzed his feet to the floor as he tightened his grip around his waist and waited for it to pass. Relief came minutes later as the pain ebbed away. All that was left was a hollow sense of despair. He knew sleep was no longer an option.

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The Tyler family gathered excitedly at the bottom of the grand staircase for a family photo. Several party servers were already milling around with trays waiting for guests to show up. Rose stood, impatiently tapping her heeled foot, as her mother fussed with tony's tiny black bow tie and shifted him from hip to hip trying to decided which side would be more appropriate for the family photo.

"Mum come on!" Rose cried impatiently.

"Rose!" Jackie cried. "I don't see why your so eager to get this over with. Do you have somewhere to be?"

Rose ignored her moms questioning look and continued glaring at her. Jackie rolled her eyes and said, "Alright all in together now. Smile!" A couple blinding flashes later and Rose was free. She wandered out of the entrée way and up the stairs as the first ring of the doorbell sounded, announcing the arrival of one of her mum or dads exotic rich friends. She sighed knowing she only had a few moments to escape before her mom dragged her back downstairs to show her off to all of her party guests.

"Rose! Rose!" the Doctors muffled cries caught her by surprise as she passed his door.

"Yes Doctor?" she asked walking back to his door and pushing it open.

He was standing in front of the small mirror beside the dresser and eying himself oddly. A familiar black tux adorned his tall frame. An image of the first time the two of them had come to this parallel universe flashed through her mind. He has worn a tux then too for her mothers birthday party. Rose blushed as she recalled how handsome he had looked then, and how handsome he looked now in a tux. She quickly composed herself as she remembered her former anger at the him from the night before.

"Rose I can't seem to tie it," the Doctor said as he pulled the untied bow tie off from around his neck in frustration.

"Oh is that all?" Rose said. "Well then come here and let me help you."

The Doctor hung his head in embarrassment as Rose took the tie from his hands and placed it back around his neck. She quickly tied it and moved away. He sheepishly smiled at her. Rose softened as she watched him turn back and admire himself in the mirror. She opened her mouth to apologize for the night before but before she could say anything the Doctor caught her eye and blurted out, "Well guess we should join the party don't ya think Rose?" Rose sighed and nodded.

Rose hung back warily as they approached the stairs. Party noises could already be heard drifting up the stairs.

"What's wrong?" the Doctor questioned as he observed Rose's eyebrows knit together in displeasure.

"Oh nothing," she said pausing, "I just don't really enjoy mom's lavish parties that's all."

"But Rose there's going to be dancing," he replied cocking an eyebrow at her. "You know how good at dancing I am."

This elicited a grin from Rose. The Doctor held out his arm and she took it without a moments hesitation. Apologies would have to wait. For now they had a party to attend.

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The Doctor sat at a small table on the patio as he watched Rose who was in conversation with two young men around her age. The table was adorned with a beautiful golden table cloth, and an elegant candle in a glass jar. Blue flower petals were scattered across the tables surface to accent the gold, but the Doctor, who usually could appreciate any detail put into a party, didn't care about any of it. He was busy grinding one of the petals between a thumb and forefinger as he watched one of the men lead Rose away to dance on the open floor beneath the luminescent party lights.

Not wanting to sit there and agonize anymore the Doctor stood and made his way into the house. He wandered through several crowded rooms picking up snippets of juicy gossip along the way till he finally made it to the drink table. Just as he was about to retrieve a glass with some kind of sparkling gold liquid; Jackie caught him by the shoulder.

"Can you watch Tony, darling? Thanks!"

Before he had a chance to reply she thrust the little ginger haired boy into his arms and melted back into the crowed. Tony stared up at him, his little face mirroring the shock he knew must be filling his own face.

He sighed and began talking to Tony as he made his way back outside. "You know your mum is crazy!" Tony cooed in response as if to agree. "When I first met her she slapped me. Slapped me right across the face! First time in 900 years of living that i've ever been slapped by someones mother."

As they stood out on the first floor balcony that over looked the party below; the Doctor went on to tell the little boy a number of his favorite adventures from the time when he and Rose had traveled the stars together. Soft music floated up, and just for a second he became lost in the past, and in the stars above. Just for a second he forgot about Rose, his dreams, and his overwhelming new life as a half human…

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Rose sighed in relief. She had finally managed to break away from the crowd of men who had been pestering her all evening. Every single one of them would argue over who would dance with her next until finally one of them would simply grab her by the arm and escort her to the dance floor. It was only made more uncomfortable by the fact that while she was dancing with one man the rest of the group would shoot him cold glares till the dance was over, and they could begin arguing all over again. Rose had longer for the Doctor to intervene, but he had disappeared thirty minutes into the festivities.

She sought him now as she pushed her way, not to politely, through the crowed of lingering guests. It was around midnight, and the party grander was fading quickly. Most of the laughing had died down, and been replaces with hushed conversations. It wouldn't be long until the last of the guests made their way back to their cars. Rose finally found him on the balcony holding a fast asleep Tony in his arms as he gazed up at the stars. She hung back in the doorway suddenly afraid to approach him. The Doctor began talking again, and she jumped a little till she realized he wasn't talking to her.

"You know Tony theres a great big universe right above our head with numerous amounts of people. Not just people people, but all sorts of species, and here you are. A tiny little human living on this parallel earth, that's what you are, and when you grow up you can be anything you want. You could be one of the greatest humans that ever lived. You know how I know that? Because I've never met a human that wasn't."

Rose reached up and wiped a tear off her cheek. When had she started crying? She wasn't sure, but as she listened she grew more ashamed that she had doubted him. He was truly the Doctor. Her Doctor, and he would always be her Doctor.

"Sweetie?" Jackie came to stand behind her as she continued to watch the Doctor rock Tony in his arms. "I think it's time that you two made up. For good."

Without saying another word Jackie walked out onto the balcony, and thanked the Doctor as she took Tony out of his arms before going back inside. Rose caught his eye and could have sworn she saw a flicker of hope there. It quickly died as she approached, and he turned his back on her.

"Um… Doctor? I-I just wanted to apologize for yesterday. I shouldn't have gotten so mad at you," she began.

"It's alright Rose Tyler," he replied curtly.

Rose was taken aback by his tone. She studied his face trying to gather what might be troubling him. Dark circles had formed around his eyes, and his usual smiling face was replaced with a bitter frown. How had she not noticed before? More guilt washed over her as she realized she had been to busy wrapped up in her own feelings to notice that he was suffering too.

"Doctor is something wrong-"

"Nothing's wrong," he said sharply turning to glare at her.

She flinched. Sorrow replaced the anger in his brown eyes as he realized how he had spoken to her.

"I… just can't talk right now Rose," he finished before turning away from her and walking back inside without another word.

She remained on the balcony as more tears slid down her cheeks. Her pain of rejection was numbed only by the fact that something was wrong with her Doctor. Something was hurting him, and she couldn't give up on him again. This time she would help. She resolved to try again tomorrow. Wiping away the rest of her tears, she straightened her dress and went back inside.