Chapter 9
Drunken Depression/Boom Town
By: Izzy
Rhiannon woke up early and felt like dressing up today. So she went to her wardrobe and picked out a short, form fitting, TARDIS blue, halter top, cocktail dress from the 21st century. It didn't even come to her knees. She also found a pair of glossy black flats. When she turned around to use her vanity mirror, she saw the make-up laying there and decided to put some on. Lip gloss, silver eyeliner, a light dusting of silver eyeshadow and blush. "Rhee," Jess said.
"Yes, Jess?" Rhiannon asked. For once Jess didn't scare Rhiannon when Jess appeared.
"There is a necklace in the wardrobe that will be perfect to go with that outfit," Jess said. "It's in the far back you may have to dig for the box it's in."
"OK, thanks," Rhiannon said as she braided her hair. She dashed off to the wardrobe and search for a bit but she finally found a necklace box. She opened the box and was blown away by the beauty of it. It was a elegant woven silver chain with a small diamond hanging from it. As she studied the diamond she recognized it as a White-Point Star, a diamond only found on Gallifrey. "Jess, I can't wear this." She closed the box and put it back. She ran out of the room, before Jess could argue..
Rhiannon ventured into the kitchen, made herself a cup of coffee, and sat down to wait for everyone to come in. The first on in was Jack. "Morning," he said grinning. "You look nice." He made himself a cup coffee too.
"Thanks, and a good morning to you," Rhiannon said.
"Not that I mind," he said as he sat down across from her. "But why 'd you get all fancy?"
"No, real reason," she said. "Just felt like it." She sipped her tea. She heard grumbling in the hall. "Sounds like Rose's up." They laughed.
"What's so funny?" Rose grumbled as she entered the kitchen.
"You're not a morning person." Rhiannon said.
"Yeah," Rose said. "You don't have to be so sunny every morning."
"Then I wouldn't be me," Rhiannon said. "But to let you know I'm not really a morning person either." She watched Rose make her coffee.
"Bull," he said. "You are the sunniest person in the morning."
"That's after I've woken up," Rhiannon said. "I don't leave the bed until I'm fully awake." She laughed. "I feel sorry for people that have slept in the same bed as me on a bad morning."
"A bad morning?" Rose asked.
"People you've slept with?" he asked.
"Of course you'd hear that Jack," Rhiannon laughed. "Yes, I know you still find it hard to believe Rose but I am not a morning person. And Jack I have slept beside many people. Like my brother-in-law, before he was my brother-in-law, because he was having nightmares. My friend Chibs, she broke her leg and was stuck at my apartment, we only had one bed so Matt gave us women the bed. My sister when she was little."
"I get your point," he said.
"I'm going to go see the Doctor," Rhiannon said as she stood. She went to walk out of the room but turned back. "By the way Jack." He looked at her. "I'm not a saint." She winked at him and walked out of the room. She found the Doctor snoozing in the jump seat again. As she got closer she noticed that he was having a nightmare. "Doctor wake up." She tried to keep her voice calm. He didn't respond instead it seemed like the nightmare was getting worse. He started to shake. "Doctor please wake up!" He thrash about and hit her in the mouth, as he fell out of the jump seat. He woke up as he hit the grating.
"Rhee?" he asked. His eyes shot open and he shot up as he saw blood ooze from a small cut on her lip. "You're bleeding."
"It's OK," she smiled. "Are you OK? You looked like you were having a nightmare."
"I'm fine," he said gruffly. "Let me heal that." He pulled out his Sonic, set the proper setting and healed her cut. "There all better and so beautiful." He took a better look at her. And if the fact she was wearing make-up had amazed him, that dress would have. "Wow."
"Thanks," she said. She was happy that a smile was once again forming on his face.
"Hold on a tick," he said as he swiftly retreated from the room. She turned to give his retreating form a puzzled look. He came back with the same box she had found on her own. "I want you to wear this." He handed the box to her, she took the box and opened it.
"It's so beautiful," she said, pretending she had never seen it before.
"May I?" he asked. She nodded, so he took the necklace. He stepped behind her and she moved her hair out of the way. He put the necklace around her neck and used the Sonic on the clasp. "There now only I can take it off."
"Wait," she said as she spun around letting her hair fall back in place. "You're giving this to me?"
"Yeah," he said. "It was my mother's"
"Oh," she said. "But that means that this means a lot to you."
"Yeah, it does." he said softly. "But it looks so much better on you then rotting away in that dusty old box." She blushed.
"Thank you, Doctor." she said as she lightly pulled him in for a kiss. He leaned down into the kiss, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck. The kiss was passionate and loving, but she was fighting with herself about letting the kiss become more than what it is. She knew that was her hormones talking so she pulled away before she lost control of her body.
"We'll be in Cardiff the day after tomorrow," he said breathlessly. "Want to watch a movie or maybe I could help you with the physics."
"Physics would be good," she said still trying to rein in her hormones still. It had been so long since she had let herself get close to a man, or woman for that matter, that her body was craving the contact. She let go of he so he let go of her.
"Library? Or your room?" he winked at her. He knew what effect he was having on her and he was loving it.
"Library would be best," she said. "But first I need to get my notes from my room, it may take me a minute to find them." She didn't wait for him to answer she just ran to her room. She knew where her notes were she just needed sometime to get her body under control. The thought of masturbation crossed her mind, however that usually made it worse not better. She sighed as she entered her room.
She sat down in the center of the room Indian style. She closed her eyes trying to ground herself. (It's a Wiccan type of meditation) It wasn't helping, mostly because her body was making it very hard to clear her mind. Each time she tried to focus her thoughts strayed to the man in the console room, and how his muscles felt under his jumper. How his lips felt on hers. She shouted in frustration.
"Something wrong?" Jess asked. Rhiannon opened her eyes and glared at Jess.
"Doesn't this burn up energy?" Rhiannon asked rudely.
"Yes," Jess said. "My thief is going promised to take me to Cardiff so I'll be fine." Rhiannon sighed.
"You're enjoying watching me squirm aren't you?" she said.
"Maybe a little," Jess teased.
"I think you got a little bit of my real sister in ya," Rhiannon said with anger lacing her voice.
"Getting angry at me?" Jess asked.
"I'm frustrated!" Rhiannon shouted as she stood up quickly. "Because my thoughts are invaded by the Doctor!" She walked over to her shelf and pulled out the notes for the physics she's been studying.
"Oh quit your whining," Jess said.
"Now you really do sound like my sister!" Rhiannon shouted as stormed out of the room. She calmed down by the time she got to the Library. She entered the Library to see the Doctor waiting for her on a loveseat by the fireplace in the back. "Hey."
"Hello," he said as he turned to watch her enter. "Let's see these notes." She handed him the notes.
They spent hours going over the notes and him teaching her all he new about physics. He was so surprised by her, she soaked up the knowledge like a sponge and was still asking for more. After they were done with physics she was still wanting to know more so she grabbed books on chemistry. He was happy to teach her more. Rose brought lunch in for them while they studied.
"How's it going?" Rose asked.
"Brilliant," Rhiannon responded happily. "I've learned all I can from the physics books he has, and I've started chem." She laughed. "You know I never liked school much, but now I can't learn enough."
"Probably the teacher," Rose winked at them.
"I only teach the great," he said. Rhiannon blushed like a teenage. He had that effect on her, like she could do anything, like she was still a young girl. She now wanted him even more, she sighed loudly.
"Something wrong Rhee?" Rose asked.
"No," Rhiannon said a little faster than she had intended. "I'm gonna go to my thinking spot." Rhiannon got up and ran from the room.
"Wow, that is the fastest I have seen her move when she's not running for her life," Jack said as he came into the room.
"She avoiding sleeping with the Doctor," Rose said, as the Doctor tried to avoid the conversion entirely.
"I don't know why," Jack said. "I mean know it's been a long time for her."
"And how would you know that?" the Doctor said gruffly.
"I can tell by the way she acts around you," Jack said. "She stares at your body a lot." He laughed a bit. "I can tell you that she likes your chest and lips best."
"Do you know where her thinking spot is?" the Doctor asked.
"No," Jack said.
"Don't look at me." Rose said. "She is private about a lot of things. She only tells me things that will help me coupe with what's happening in my life."
"And we have talked a lot but not much about her beyond whats common knowledge," Jack said.
"Common knowledge?" the Doctor asked.
"Yeah," Jack said. "Her family died in a fire, which scared her hands, and that she had two cheating exs." The Doctor's eyes brightened as he realized that he knew more than they did. He got up and walked swiftly to the hallway. Jack and Rose followed him.
"Are you gonna look for her?" she asked.
"'Course not," the Doctor said as he went to the console room.
Meanwhile in the anti-gravity room, also known as Rhiannon's thinking spot, she was floating about trying to clear her mind, which was no easy feet. The reason she had made this room her thinking spot is because she could float without worrying about drowning if she fell asleep. She could have any view she wanted. Which most of the time it was water, but today she wanted a different view. She wanted stars so the TARDIS choose the Medusa Cascade.
She floated, still wearing her dress, and as she did she thought of unattractive things. Slitheen, Daleks, and sadly both things led her back to thinking of the Doctor. She growled in frustration. She knew if she thought of her past it would help but it would hurt too. So her options are be so aroused that she could jump the Doctor any minute or hurt. Her mind choose for her. Her thoughts drifted to her past, the abuse of her father, then her ex-husband, and finally the death of Matt and Jenny. She sighed heavily. Well her purpose for being in the room worked, but now she wanted to cry. She curled into the fetal position, trying to guard herself from her thoughts. She slipped into a nightmare filled sleep.
She stood in her old house on first street. She looked around and memories began to flood her. First good ones, Bry and his girl embarrassing her, Steven and Bry playing Halo, Rhiannon's Halloween parties, and other little memories that were good. But then things turned dark, she remembered how her ex-husband called her a hoe and told her she was worthless, how he demanded that she continue her housework and tend to all his friends after her surgery, and how he left her alone while her little sister was having life threatening surgery.
She screamed. She ran out of the house and down the street. Then the area she was in changed to the house she grew up in. She watched a young version of herself get berated by her father for having stood up to him. Then an even younger version of herself getting berated for not knowing how to drive the tractor without him explaining. Every moment he told her she was worthless and useless. She screamed again.
"Rhee!" the Doctor shouted panic filling his voice. "Wake up, please!" She opened her eyes to find herself in her room with three concerned people surrounding her bed.
"Wha-" she tried to talk but her throat hurt and her voice sounded horse.
"Don't try talking," the Doctor said. "Here is some water." He handed her a glass of water from her nightstand. She sipped on it, as the liquid coated her throat she sighed in relief. "Feeling better?" She nodded then took another sip.
"What happened?" Rose asked. Rhiannon gave Rose a puzzled look. "We found you screaming in the hall." Rhiannon took a drink of the water.
"I had a nightmare," she replied. They waited for her to tell them more but she stayed quiet.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Jack asked. "I mean those screams were horrifying."
"I don't want to talk about it," she said. "Could you guys leave me?" Everyone started to leave the room. "Doctor," The Doctor turned back around to face her. "Please stay, but please don't ask me to explain."
"I won't push you," he said as he nodded.
"Hold me please," she pleaded. He nodded again as he took off his jacket and shoes. He climbed on the bed with her, he laid beside her and she curled up beside him. He wrapped his arm around her. "Thank you." She fell asleep fairly quickly, and surprisingly he fell asleep too.
He woke up to an empty bed, which surprised him on two counts. That fact he had fallen asleep and the fact that she was gone. He wondered where she was, he put on his shoes and jacket in order to go look for her, because he could feel that she needed him. He could feel something was very wrong. He got to the hall when Jack ran into him. "Doc, it's Rhee!" he exclaimed.
"What's wrong with Rhee?" the Doctor yelled.
"Come," Jack commanded as he grabbed the Doctor's arm and pulled him to the console room.
"Rhee, calm down," Rose said as the men hear a glass bottle shatter.
"Don't fucking tell me what to do!" a very pissed sounding Rhiannon said. The Doctor got his arm free from Jack and sped up so he could look in the room. Rhiannon looked like death warmed over, her eyes were dark red and puffy as if she had been crying a lot, her outfit was a ripped t-shirt and jeans, with a very messy bun.
"What's the matter Rhee?" the Doctor asked trying not to panic as he noticed the empty bottles around her.
"My life sucks monkey balls!" Rhiannon shouted as she chugged a bottle of alcohol. "And this is a dream!" She pointed to and spun her finger around then finally letting it land on the Doctor. "Because I'm a worthless dead beat widow! There is NO way THE Doctor would be remotely interested in me!" He tried not to look hurt as the words came from her mouth. He loved her and she was destroying herself.
"How'd she get like his?" the Doctor asked Jack as he entered the room.
"Well, we both woke up with her like this," Jack said pointing to himself and then to Rose.
"The Doctor is suppose to love Rose not me!" Rhiannon shouted. Rose and the Doctor shared a questioning look.
"Why do you say that?" he asked still trying not to look hurt by her words. He moved a little closer but dared not to move beyond the console.
"'Cause that the way it is!" Rhiannon shouted. "And I'm meant to be miserable so this is a dream! And I'm gonna wake up and my life will be hell again! Which is Fucking Fantastic!"
"Rhee. This is your life now!" he shouted.
"What I wanna know is how is she still conscious I know she took my 8 bottles of hyper-vodka and drank it all," Jack said. "And that is not including what she already drank out of the kitchen."
"Wait how much?" the Doctor asked.
"Yeah," Rose said. "She drank everything in the kitchen and then moved on the his hyper-vodka. That bottle she has now is his last bottle." His eyes grew wide. He could see that the alcohol was effecting her, because she was weaving but it was not subduing her at all.
"Rose," he said quietly. Rose looked to him. "I have an idea. You've got to distract her." She nodded
"Hey, Rhee!" Rose shouted. "Maybe I should sleep with the Doctor." Rhiannon screamed as she threw a bottle at Rose's head and barely missed. The Doctor got behind Rhiannon while she kept throwing bottles at Rose's head. He grabbed a hold of her as the TARDIS wheezed and groaned letting everyone know that they had arrived in Cardiff. The doors open and Rhiannon goes limp. He looked at the doors to see a black headed woman decked out in leather standing in the door. Black leather jacket, black leather pants and even leather combat boots. One of the first things anyone would notice about her was her eyes one was blue and one was brown.
"Hey there Doctor!" the woman said happily with an American accent. "Sorry had to trank her."
"Who the hell are you?" he demanded angrily. "And how the hell did you get in here?" The woman sighed.
"So never met me then?" she sounded disappointed. "Lady never did tell me when was the beginning for you and now I know why."
"Jack take Rhee," the Doctor commanded and Jack nodded. "So you know me in the future?"
"Yup," she said popping her 'p'. "I'm Ai."
"You don't look or sound Japanese," Rose said. The only reason she knew that Ai was a Japanese name is because Rhiannon had shown Rose some Manga that Rhiannon liked.
"I'm not," Ai said. "I just can't give you my real name yet. It's a- oh, what does Riv call it." She got lost in thought a minute mumbling to herself. "A spoiler! That's it!" She snapped her fingers much as Rhiannon does when she is thinking of something then remembers.
"So your from our future?" Rose asked.
"Yeah," Ai said sadly. "My past is your future, and visa-versa. Sadly we never meet in the right order."
"Why are you here?" he almost growled.
"Oh, keep your shorts on," she said. "Lady sent me to give you this." She handed him a bottle of medication. "They're anti-depressants, Lady is going to have a rough time." He still didn't take the bottle. "She is stuck in a rut, and only anti-depressants will help her out of said rut."
"How can we trust you?" he asked. Ai sighed she knew this was coming.
"Lady sent me," she said.
"So Rhee from the future sent you to give me the anti-depressants for Rhee," he said still not 100% convinced.
"Why do you act so much like Rhee?" Rose asked, suddenly.
"S'pose it's OK to tell you, since you always knew," Ai said sadly. "Lady raised me." The Doctor's face went white. Ai noticed it. "Before you ask, no she is not my biological mother."
"Who is?" Rose asked. Ai shrugged and the Doctor relaxed a bit.
"I don't know," Ai said. "Lady found me when I was two. Took me in and raised me like I was hers." She sighed. "Lady told me that she found me by a dead researcher from Torchwood."
"Torchwood?" Rose asked.
"It's a place that does research," Ai said. "I don't know much more about it, other than Lady thinks they made me."
"Made you?" the Doctor asked as he pulled out his Sonic and scanned her. He pulled the Sonic back, his face went white again. "You have two hearts."
"Yeah," she said sadly. "But I'm not a Time Lady, officially."
"No your not," he said as the color returned but a frown formed on his face. "You are half Time Lady, half something else." He sighed, no wonder he couldn't feel her she was not a full Time Lady. But an experiment.
"Lady still cared for me," she said. "She estimated that I can regenerate only a hand full of times. Since I already did it once." He nodded. "I have to be off now." She walked farther in and set the bottle on the console.
"Aren't you gonna stay and meet Rhee?" Rose asked.
"No," Ai said as she walked back to the doors. "Lady doesn't meet me until she calls herself Lady. Which is a while from now." She turned back and looked the Doctor in the eyes. "She loves you but isn't ready for you and is fighting with herself about that." She sighed. "She will be fighting with herself for a while. Be there for her, she may not tell you all that's wrong but she will in time. She'll always bottle things up and let them bust." He nodded. "And I need to warn you Lady said things got worse before they got better." He shallowed hard and nodded. "Well off to meet with Lady, its the anniversary of the day she found me." She smiled widely, turned back to the doors and bounced away.
"Well that was interesting," Rose said. Jack came back to the console room.
"She's resting," he said. "Who was that?"
"Lady's adopted daughter," the Doctor said. "She gave me these." He lifted the anti-depressants.
"Ai thinks she's depressed?" Jack asked. "I know she's hurting but I don't think medicating her will help."
"Ai said that Lady gave them to give you us for Rhee," Rose said.
"But the nanogenes should have fixed the depression if there was any!" Jack shouted. "Don't tell me you're honestly listening to someone you just met!" The Doctor's eyes met Jack's with anger in them.
"She's my woman and you," the Doctor's voice cracked as he spoke. "You think that I'm going to give her something that I have no idea about! I love her and you think I would just give her these for all I know they are poison!" He knew that Ai would never do anything to hurt Lady but Rhiannon wasn't Lady yet.
"I'm sorry," Jack said. "I'm just scared for her, she's my best friend." Rose walked up and put a comforting hand on his back.
"I know what you mean," she said. "But you also know that Rhee trust the Doctor with blind loyalty." She looked at the Doctor with a smile. "The blind loyalty of love." He gave her a small smile.
"That she does," Jack said. The Doctor swiftly went to the Med Bay to test the medication.
Rhiannon woke up with a pounding headache, at first she was unsure of he surroundings but then she realized she woke up where she had been waking up for 4 months. She felt stupid for all the things she said to the Doctor. Even Rose and Jack. She had made a fool of herself again. She sighed, this wasn't healthy. Then fear gripped her, she had told them things she couldn't explain to them. Oh, Goddess what had she done!
She swung her legs off the side of the bed. She noticed a cup of tea and a pill on her nightstand, with a note under it. 'Take this for hangovers. Love Jack.' She giggled but took the pill and drank all of the tea. The headache was gone in a matter of minutes. She smiled and knew she owed the hold crew of the TARDIS an apology, one she would give after showering and changing out of the torn clothes she had worn while drunk. While in the shower she started to sing a song that she knew would put her in a good mood. 'Real Emotion' from Final Fantasy X-2.
She finished her shower before the song, so she continued to sing while she dressed in a TARDIS blue halter, top a pair of black shorts, and a pair of black flats. As she dressed she realized that the White-Pointed Star was still there. That made her smile as she sang. As she finish dressing and the song she posed as Yuna did in the video game. She had always loved that character, naive in the beginning but by Final Fantasy X-2 she was strong enough to go on an adventure to look for Tidus. She had a lot of Video game couples she liked but Yuna and Tidus was up in the top 10. She felt like Tidus, like once she was done doing what had to be done she was just going to disappear.
She sighed knowing that this train of thought was going to land her no where. She stepped out of her room and the TARDIS began to play music, 'You're Not Alone' from Final Fantasy IX. Her favorite Final Fantasy. She sighed, she was still such a Dork and Fan Girl. She moved through the TARDIS to the console room which for some unforeseen reason took longer than usual, because the song finished as she entered the console room. She saw Jack under a but load of cables, but he was alone. "Um.. Hi," she said unsure of herself. "Thanks for the hangover meds."
"Hey Rhee," he said in his usual chipper voice. "You're welcome." He connected a few more wires and Rhiannon just stood in the door way watching not knowing what to say really."So, wanna talk?"
"Not sure I should," she said softly.
"If you're afraid I'll tell the Doc," he said. "Don't be, because I know that you need a friend right now."
"Thanks Jack," she said just as softly. He could tell she was upset and clamming up. He got up and let the wires hit the grating. He walked over and hugged her.
"I promise whatever is bothering you can be solved with help," he said as she buried herself in his chest.
"You're not mad at me of saying though awful things?" she asked as tears threatened to fall from her.
"Not mad at all," he said holding her close. "If I was I'd be a hypocrite. I've gotten drunk my fare share. Done and said somethings I will never live down or forgive myself for." She started to silently cry. "I know you, you don't just randomly drink. What's the matter?"
"I'm scared Jack," she said as she shook in his arms. "I'm scared he'll leave me or I'll wake up one day and this will all be a dream." He pinched her. "Ow! What was that for?" She moved from his hug and looked him in the face.
"See not a dream," he said. "If it was a dream the pain would have woke you."
"That logic only works in movies," she teased him. Her face turned serious. "Where is everyone?"
"Rose went with Mickey to have fun," he said. "And we have Margret as a prisoner."
"Blon Slitheen?" she asked.
"Is that her real name?" he asked and she nodded. He continued. "Well the Doctor is with Blon, treating her to her last meal."
"Ahh," she said.
"They won't be back for awhile," he said trying not to push too hard.
"Jack," she said, as blue eyes met sapphire eyes. "What I'm about to tell you is between you and me." He nodded but said nothing. "As you already know I am from another universe." He again nodded. "Well in my universe there is a TV show that is the Doctor's life."
"Wait a minute," he said. "You mean people in your universe watch the Doctor's life?"
"Yes," she said. "And I'm one of those people." He nodded to let her know he was listening. "I know more than I should about the Doctor's life."
"Wait more than you should as in future knowledge or past knowledge?" he asked.
"Yes," she said. He looked at her baffled.
"Wait so you have both future and past knowledge of the Doctor?" he asked. She nodded. "So no wonder you never said the usual line."
"Yeah," she said. "I knew it was bigger on the inside."
"And how when I met you as this you," he said. "You weren't surprised."
"Yup," she said popping her 'p'. "I already knew. But there are differences, major differences."
"Differences?" he asked.
"Like if I wasn't here he would have loved-" she started.
"Rose," he finished. "You said that while you were in your drunken depression."
"Yeah," she said shallowing hard.
"Now I see why your afraid," he said. "That much knowledge running through your head would make anybody afraid. I mean look at the Doctor." She nodded as teared flowed a new. "Oh Rhee, I'm sorry. I know you can't tell me what you know because that would be damaging time lines." She nodded again. "But don't be afraid to tell me anything, you're like a sister to me." He laughed. "I mean you're the only one that I can be myself around." She smiled as the tears stopped flowing.
"I'm glad you feel that way but maybe one day you'll meet someone who will turn your world upside down." she said.
"But I also know there is more bothering you than just your knowledge," he said.
"Yes," she said sadly. "But I want the Doctor to be the first to know this."
"I understand," he said. "He would want to be the first to know. Just trust his with your heart Rhee, all of it."
"You know another friend of mine once gave me similar advise," she said.
"Smart-" he was cut off by the TARDIS shaking.
"What's going on?" she yelled.
"I don't know!" he yelled back. She fell and rolled a bit so she was close to the door. The Doctor burst in just after she sat up.
"What the hell are you doing?" he asked with great anger.
"It just went crazy!" Jack defended.
"It's the rift." the Doctor said. "Time and space are ripping apart. The whole city's going to disappear!" Blon finally caught up with him.
"It's the extrapolator." Jack said. "I've disconnected it but it's still feeding off the engine! It's using the TARDIS. I can't stop it!"
"Never mind Cardiff, it's going to rip open the planet." the Doctor said, as Rhiannon stood up finally and braced herself for Blon's attack.
"Why 's it doing that?" Rhiannon asked.
"Oh, just little me." Blon said, as she took an arm out of the body suit and grabbed Rhiannon around the throat. "One wrong move and she snaps like a promise."
"I might 've known." the Doctor said with a mix of fear and anger coming off him in waves.
"I've had you bleating all night, poor baby, now shut it." Blon said. "You, fly boy, put the extrapolator at my feet." Blon tighten her grip which caused Rhiannon to cry out. Jack took the extrapolator and did as she demanded. "Thank you. Just as I planned."
"You," Rhiannon said as she gasped for air. "Have. No. Idea. What you've done."
"I thought you needed the nuclear plant to blow," Jack said.
"Failing that, if I were to be arrested, then anyone capable of tracking me down would have considerable technology of their own." Blon explained. "Therefore, they would be captivated by the extrapolator. Especially a magpie mind like yours, Doctor. So the extrapolator was programmed to go to plan B. To lock onto the nearest alien power source and open the rift. And what a power source it found. I'm back on schedule, thanks to you."
"The rift's going to convulse." he said. "You'll destroy the whole planet."
"And you with it!" she said as she jumped on to the extrapolator. "While I ride this board over the crest of the inferno all the way to freedom. Stand back, boys. Surf's up."
"I told you," Rhiannon whispered to Blon as the TARDIS's control panel started to crack open and golden rays of light spilled out from the opening panel.
"Of course, opening the rift means you'll pull this ship apart." the Doctor said.
"So sue me." Blon said.
"It's not just any old power source." he said. "It's the TARDIS. My TARDIS. The best ship in the universe."
"It'll make wonderful scrap." she said with great disgust. "What's that light?" She noticed the light and stared at it.
"The heart of the TARDIS." he said. "This ship's alive. You've opened its soul."
"It's so bright." she said mesmerized by the light.
"Look at it, Margaret." he said.
"Beautiful." she said.
"Look inside, Blon Fel Fotch." he said. "Look at the light." He doesn't notice, that the light was surrounding Rhiannon as well as Blon. Rhiannon felt the TARDIS, it was amazing. She wasn't looking at the heart but somehow or another the heart was reaching out to her. She took a sharp breath in as she felt the TARDIS in her mind. She thought it felt wonderful, like home. Rhiannon didn't even notice that Blon had let go of Rhiannon. "Thank you." Blon said as a light took over her body and the body suit fell to the ground.
"Don't look." he said as he pointed at Rhiannon. "Stay there. Close your eyes!" But the light had left Rhiannon by this time but the feeling of the TARDIS in her mind hadn't. She didn't want it to leave her. She regained her senses at the Doctor closes the panel that the heart was spilling from. "Now, Jack, come on, shut it all down. Shut down! Rhee, that panel over there, turn all the switches to the right." The rift closes and the remaining energy from it is taken in by the TARDIS. "Nicely done. Thank you, all."
"What happened to Margaret?" Jack asked as he walked around to see the discarded body suit.
"She looked into the heart of the TARDIS." the Doctor said. "Even I don't know how strong that is. And the ship's telepathic, like I told you, Jack. Gets inside your head. Translates alien languages. Maybe the raw energy can translate all sorts of thoughts." He lifted an alien looking egg. "Here she is."
"She's an egg?" Jack asked.
"Regressed to her childhood." the Doctor said.
"She's an egg?" Jack repeated. Meanwhile Rhiannon was trying to get used to the feeling of the TARDIS in her mind more than to just translate things. She could feel the TARDIS, not just her being but her emotions and her thoughts.
"She can start again." the Doctor said. "Live her life from scratch. If we take her home, give her to a different family, tell them to bring her up properly, she might be all right!"
"Or she might be worse." Jack said.
"That's her choice." the Doctor said.
"You should call Rose, Rhee." Jack said as he watched her staring off into space. "Rhee?" He was growing concerned.
"What?" she said a little out of it. "Oh, yea Rose." She pulled out her phone and called Rose. "Hey, Rose."
"Rhee!" Rose exclaimed. "I'm so glad you're OK."
"Yeah," Rhiannon said still out of it. "Coming back?"
"I think I'm gonna stay with Mickey for awhile," Rose said. "But take care of them for me please."
"No worries." Rhiannon said. "Bye, Rose."
"Bye Rhee," Rose said as they hung up the phone. "Rose is staying behind." Rhiannon walked to the jump seat and sat down. Rhiannon's phone beeped and she looked at it. It was a text from Rose saying. 'It's not your fault I wanted to leave. I'm not mad at what you said. But you better apologize to the Doctor!'
"We're all powered up." the Doctor said. "We can leave. Opening the rift filled us up with energy. We can go, if that's all right." He looked over to Rhiannon with great concern.
"Yeah, fine." she said blankly.
"Off we go, then." he said. "Always moving on."
"Next stop, Raxacoricofallapatorius." Jack said excitedly. "Now you don't often get to say that."
"We'll just stop by and pop her in the hatchery." the Doctor said. "Margaret the Slitheen can live her life again. A second chance."
"That'd be nice." Rhiannon said not really paying attention to what was being said. That concerned the Doctor she was not herself and he could see that. But for now he would leave it. Like Ai said this was going to take time, and it would get worse before it gets better.
Notes: I'm glad you all are enjoying my story. Sorry for the late update I was having a hard time getting this chapter the way i wanted it and I'm still not 100% sure it is the way i wanted it. So let me know my fateful viewers what you think.