AN: Hey guys! Finally on two episode 2! I was wondering if you guys wanted me to start making the chapters a little longer because obviously I don't update much and we have to get through all the seasons, anyway tell me what you think! Enjoy!
Chapter 15
I sighed a breath of relief. My first experience with the Doctor and Rose went according to plan with only small changes here and there. I smiled to myself, pleased with my participation in the beginnings of a wonderful friendship (and more) between Rose and the Doctor. "Right then," the Doctor started, interrupting my thoughts. "You already chose a destination Alice, so Rose Tyler, you tell me. Backwards or forwards in time. It's your choice, what's it going to be?" He had that grin on when he was ecstatic about everything. I thought about how his ninth regeneration never had the chance to really use that grin.
Rose was probably more excited than the Doctor was. She grinned her signature cheshire cat smile, just a hint of tongue poking out from her shiny teeth. "Forwards."
"How far?" I called as I ran to the console next to the Doctor. She contemplated for a moment, then answered, "100 years." The Tardis rumbled as the Doctor spun a dial around for 5 seconds. The Tardis settled and the Doctor looked over to Rose with an expectant look on his face. "There you go. Step outside those doors, it's the twenty second century."
Rose glanced at me for confirmation. I simply nodded while smiling wildly at her. Even though I had answered, she said, "You're kidding."
"That's a bit boring though," I countered. "Want to go further?" The Doctor shrugged as Rose replied, "Fine by me!" The Doctor repeated the spinning motion from before, however moving for a bit longer. "Ten thousand years in the future. Step outside, it's the year 12005, the new Roman Empire." Rose gaped at him, but not for long. She just smirked and remarked, "You think you're so impressive."
He looked back at her with a pout worthy enough to shame a five year old who is in time out. "I am impressive!" he said indignantly. Rose just scoffed, "You wish."
"Is that a challenge I hear?" I crowed, knowing the Doctor couldn't pass up an opportunity to boost his ego. "Fine, you asked for it, both of you." He flicked his eyes over to me before starting to turn the dial again, continuing to talk. "I know exactly where to go. Hold on!" He's been spinning the dial for at least 5 minutes now before letting the Tardis throw them around in the swirling time vortex.
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(Rose P.O.V)
The Tardis landed with an audible thunk. Both the Doctor and Alice immediately rushed out of the doors, leaving her behind. "Where are we? What's out there?" she called in vain. Sometimes, it was like the Doctor and Alice were the same person. As she rushes out, she surveys her surroundings. The walls are metal and cold to the touch. As she entered the room that Alice and the Doctor walked into earlier, she glanced at the wall as it slowly moved upwards. She was met by the most beautiful sight she has ever seen. It is the Earth, slightly brown, but still beautiful, the Sun casting a soft glow upon the planet's surface. The Doctor and Alice are staring at the image. Alice looks amazed, though slightly sad for some reason.
"You lot, you spend all your time thinking about dying, like you're going to get killed by eggs or beef or global warming or asteroids. But you never take time to imagine the impossible, that maybe you survive. This is the year five point five slash apple slash twenty six. Five billion years in your future, and this is the day," The Doctor stops and looks at his wristwatch. "Hold on," he mutters.
The Earth's surface reflects the now red glow of the expanding sun. Rose breathes out shakily. "This is the day the Sun expands," Alice breathed, speaking for the first time. "Welcome to the end of the world."
0000000
We listened as the computer rattled off about approaching spaceships and guests. I had snapped out of my little reverie as we started walking down the corridor. "So, when it says guests, does it mean people?" Rose asked.
The Doctor and I looked at each other before turning back to her and answering in unison, "Depends on what you mean by people." Rose laughed nervously. "I mean people, what do you two mean?"
"Aliens," the Doctor replied simply, never stopping to glance at his surroundings. I felt like I had lived this all before, so I followed his example. Rose was still getting used to this new afternoon and had drifted behind slightly, so I took the opportunity to talk to the Doctor. "How you holding up?" I asked, glancing at his serious, yet childish, face. He grinned slightly, answering, "Usually, I'm the one asking that."
I simply smiled. "Well, I already know how things turn out, I'm kind of like living this out for a second time." "Yea, I know," he replied with a sigh. He looked troubled. "What's on your mind?" I nudged him with my elbow.
He turned to me, suddenly glancing back at Rose who was studying the ceiling. "How long until she leaves me?" I could tell he saw how my face fell. "You know I can't tell you that. I'm sorry." He sighed, looking at his feet. "I know."
Rose caught up with us. "What are aliens doing on this spaceship. What's it all for?" I smirked a bit. "Oh Rose," I whispered under my breath. "Always asking the right questions." The Doctor looked at me, confused. He ignored me, turning back to Rose. "It's not really a spaceship," the Doctor clarified. "More like an observation deck. The great and the good are gathering to watch the planet burn." We approach a wall panel, and the Doctor whips out his sonic screwdriver, scanning the wall. "What for?" Rose pressed.
I sighed and answered, "Fun." She looked slightly sick. I raced after the Doctor.
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(Rose P.O.V)
We came into a room with a large window covering one wall. THere are display cases everywhere, displaying every type of alien artifact you could ever imagine. The Doctor and Alice bathed in the burning sunlight, there faces aglow with red and orange highlights. "Mind you, when I said the great and the good," the Doctor started. Alice finished for him. "He meant the rich." It seemed like Alice had a signature smirk. Rose took this moment to really analyze both the Doctor and Alice. The Doctor was slightly childlike with a pointed nose, cropped brown hair, tan skin, and enormous ears. Alice was more mature, with long, straight, almost black chocolate hair. Her eyes were the most startling green Rose had ever seen. They shined brightly with the promise of adventure, bright as limes.
Rose snapped out of her mode, deciding to participate in the conversation. "But, hold on. They did this once on Newsround Extra. The sun expanding, that takes hundreds of years."
"Millions," the Doctor corrected. "But the planet's now property of the National Trust. They've been keeping it preserved. See down there?" He pointed at the strange metal structures orbiting around Earth's atmosphere. "Gravity satellites holding back the Sun."
"How long's it got?" Rose finally asked the question that had been nagging her. The Doctor was about to answer when Alice interrupted. "About half an hour before the planet gets roasted like chestnuts during Christmas." Rose looked confused. The Doctor simply shrugged as if to say, It's an American thing. Rose suddenly realized why they were there. "We're going to jump in and save the Earth, right? That's what you guys do." Alice studied her feet while the Doctor answered. "We're not saving it, time's up." Alice hummed something under her breath, accompanied by a whispered, "Tick, tock." Sometimes, Rose wondered if she was mad like the character she was named after.
Rose responded, shocked, "What about the people!" Alice's head popped up, shaking her from her trance. "It's empty." She gazed longingly at the beautiful blue planet. "They're all gone, no one left."
"Just me and you, then." Rose responded. Alice looked at her, and pulled something from her deep purple trench coat. It was a polaroid camera. "Speaking of that," she continued. "I want a picture! Last two humans watching the Earth burn!" She thrust the camera into the Doctor's hands and grasped Rose's hand tightly, tugging her towards the wall-length window. The Doctor fumbled with the camera, accidentally taking a picture of himself before facing the polaroid the right way. Alice's grin was as wide as a football stadium, Rose couldn't help but laugh. As the camera flashed, Rose noticed the blue-skinned alien that occupied the room. Alice grabbed the camera like it was her baby while the newcomer stated, "Who the hell are you?"
"Oh that's nice, thanks," Alice stated with sarcasm as she pasted the photo into her journal, never looking up. The alien had royal blue skin with strange black marks around his eyes, which were bright gold with slits like cat's for pupils. His nails were long, black, and manicured. He seemed to be the manager of the space station. "But how did you get in?" the alien asked defensively. "This is a maximum hospitality zone. The guests have disembarked, they'll arrive any second now!" He seemed flustered. "That's me. I'm a guest. Look, I've got an invitation. Look. There, you see? It's fine, you see?" the Doctor held up a leather wallet with a blank piece of paper in it. "The Doctor plus two! I'm the Doctor, this is Alice Thorne and Rose Tyler." Alice politely shook the blue hand extended towards her, Rose repeated the action. "They're my plus two. Is that all right?" The Doctor shoves the wallet back into the pocket of his black leather jacket. The Steward, Rose decides to call him, returns back to his podium, tapping the microphone.
"The paper's slightly psychic," the Doctor explains. "It shows them whatever I want to see." "Saves a lot of time," Alice commented. The Doctor gave her that slightly annoyed look, like she had stolen the words out of his mouth. Rose made a mental note to ask about that later. Then, the grand moment when everything strange about this situation hit her. "He's blue," she stated slowly. "Yeah," Alice said, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. Rose's voice ascended an octave. "Okay," she squeaked. The Steward then announced, "We have in attendance the Doctor, Alice Thorne, and Rose Tyler. Thank you, all staff to their positions."
An army of small blue men emerged from many different doorways, getting into their assigned spots. The Steward called over the noise, "Hurry now! Thank you. Quick as we can. Come along, come along." He cleared his throat. "And now, might I introduce the next honored guest? Representing the Forest of Cheam, we have trees, namely Jabe, Lute and Coffa." The elevator doors opened with a puff of smoke, revealing the first of many new aliens Rose was thrilled to meet.