Chapter 13:
Pride/New Earth
By: Izzy
That night Rhee slept in the TARDIS, and she felt wonderful when she woke up. She stretched out like a cat, rubbed her eyes then noticed that the Doctor's leather jacket was laid on her dresser with a note sitting on it. She smiled and jumped up to read the note; 'We are still at Rose's flat. I didn't know if you wanted to stay with them for the rest of Christmas or if you wanted to go somewhere with me. Anyway Merry Christmas I know you loved this old coat so you can have it. I lied when I said it looked better on me. Your Doctor.' She smiled brightly and picked the jacket up, bringing it to her face to smell it. She sighed as the smell of time, Old Spice and grease graced her nose. She wondered if he would continue to use Old Spice in his regeneration.
She shrugged putting the jacket back on the dresser. She thought about a shower like she did every morning but she remembered that she had just taken one last night so she choose to go without this morning. She wondered if she was going to be allowed to choose her own close for once. She looked up to the ceiling waiting for an answer but the TARDIS remained quiet so she figured that her answer was 'yes'. Rhee looked around for a bit and decided to go dressy. A short sleeved button up purple blouse, a pair of black skinny jeans, with a pair of new black Converse to finish it off. She had to admit they Converse didn't scream dressy but she wanted to be able to run.
She walked out into the console room to find the Doctor tweaking the TARDIS. She smiled at him. Her Doctor, she liked the sound of that. "Hello my Doctor," she said with a bit of seduction in her voice.
"H-hello," he said not missing the sound of her voice as she said his name. He forced down all the feelings that arose with they way she said his name. He had to ask the question that had been on his mind all night. "What did you mean by you wanted to be my girlfriend? Because by 21st century Earth standards that can means a great number of things. It could mean that you want to have-" She walked up and put her finger on his mouth like she aways does when he's talking to much for her to answer his question.
"I mean," she said with a small laugh. "That I want the universe to know I love you and that I don't intend on being with anyone else but you." She removed her finger so he could speak again.
"Had you intended before?" he asked hoping he knew the answer.
"No," she said. "However I left our relationship open for you."
"For me?" he asked very confused.
"Yeah," she said. "I thought once you got to know me you wouldn't want someone as damaged as me. Not when a younger-" It was the Doctor's turn to put his finger on her mouth.
"Don't say another word," he said. "You're wonderful and just as damaged as me." He smiled warmly at her. "I love you and if I remember right I was the one who wanted this relationship in the first place." He removed his finger and leaned in to kiss her when there was a loud knock on the door.
"Rhee!" Rose shouted. "Doctor! You didn't get your presents!"
"Be right out Rose," Rhee shouted back with a slight giggle. "Guess that thought is going to have to wait." He groaned loudly from the missed chance to kiss her in his new body. Her touch was enhanced in this body so he wanted to know what her kiss would do to him. They walked out the doors where Rose, Jackie, and Mickey were standing waiting for them to come out. Rhee noticed that Rose was holding two gifts.
"Rhee, I want you to open mine," Rose said like an over grown child. She handed Rhee the thin rectangular box.
"Alright," Rhee said as she took the box. She tore it open and revealed a dairy and matching quill set. "Thanks so much Rose."
"Here Doctor," Rose said handing the Doctor a gift. The Doctor took the gift and unwrapped it to reveal a picture of Jack, Rose, Rhee, and the Doctor in his last form. The Doctor knew the day this was taken, it was taken the day after Solaria, Rose had framed it for him. He couldn't help but smile because it was one of the happiest days of his long life.
"Thank you Rose," he said. "I'm going to go in and get us ready to leave." She nodded.
"Rhee," Rose said Rhee looked back at Rose. "In the short time I have known you, you have become like a sister to me." She took a deep breath trying not to cry and continued. "Please come back and visit any chance you get."
"I will," Rhee said. "Because I feel the same." The two girls hugged.
"Thank you for looking after Rose," Mickey said.
"It was my pleasure," Rhee said as she released Rose. "But now it's your turn and I want her back in the condition I left her in." Rhee smiled at him and Rose giggled.
"You make me sound like a car," Rose said as she and Rhee laughed.
"Rhee," Jackie said. Mickey and Rose moved. "I know that your mother would be proud of you."
"You know what I know she would be," Rhee said proudly. "See ya later my dear friends!" She didn't wait for a reply she just slipped back into the TARDIS. She took a deep breath trying not to cry. The Doctor put the TARDIS on course when he heard the doors shut. She took another breath and ran up the the console with a smile on her face. "So where are we going?"
"Further than we've ever gone before." he replied with a cheeky grin that set Rhee's heart ablaze. The TARDIS lands and he pulls her out of the TARDIS. They get outside and she is overwhelmed by the site of the beautiful city of New New York. "It's the year five billion and twenty three. We're in the galaxy M87, and this? This is New Earth."
"Beautiful," she said breathlessly.
"Not bad." he said. "Not bad at all."
"That's amazing." she said. "What's that smell?"
"Apple grass." he said as he bent over and picked some up to show her.
"Apple grass." she said smiling.
"Yeah, yeah." he said laughing.
"Have I told you today that I love you?" she asked.
"I think so but I will never tire of hearing you say it," he said. "Because I love you too." He grinned at her, grabbing her hand and pulling her away from the TARDIS into a field over looking the city. "Here." He laid out his trench coat for them to lay on. She laid down, and he followed her. "So, the year five billion, the sun expands, the Earth gets roasted."
"The day we met," she said.
"Best day of my life." he said. "So anyway, planet gone, all rocks and dust, but the human race lives on, spread out across the stars. Soon as the Earth burns up, oh yeah, they get all nostalgic, big revival movement, but then find this place. Same size as the Earth, same air, same orbit. Lovely. Call goes out, the humans move in."
"What's the city called?" she asked, knowing the answer but she just wanted to hear him say it.
"New New York." he said.
"Really?" she asked.
"Yeah," he said. "It's the city of New New York. Strictly speaking, it's the fifteenth New York since the original, so that makes it New New New New New New New New New New New New New New York." She gave him a look of such love. "What?"
"You're so different." she said. "Don't get me wrong it's a good different."
"New New Doctor." he said as they both laughed. She never expected him to be this open and loving. He was loving to her in his previous form but now she felt his love for her coming off him in waves. It was almost overwhelming.
"You know I've never been to New York," she said. "Do you think we could go to New New York." She knew what awaited them inside but she also knew that it she didn't go and Cassandra didn't take over her body then she would do it to someone else. Rhee didn't want it happening to anyone.
"Well, I thought we might go there first." he said pointing to the large white building with a green moon on the side. She sighed low.
"I love the moon design." she said.
"That's the universal symbol for hospitals." he said smiling. "I got this. A message on the psychic paper. Someone wants to see me."
"Sorry," she said. "It's blank for me."
"Was it always blank for you?" he asked.
"Yeah," she said. "I forgot to mention it to you before."
"That's alright," he said. "Let's go!" He grabbed her hand and ran with her all the way to the hospital. One they got to the building he stopped to let her catch her breath. "I hate hospitals."
"Wow," she teased between breaths. "A doctor that hates hospitals."
"I can't help it." he said. "I don't like hospitals. They give me the creeps."
"Don't worry I hate hospitals too," she said. "I've spent too much time in them for my taste." She cringed as she remembered all the times she had been in the hospital back home. "I will give them this, no one waiting. Defiantly not BMH."
"No shop." he said trying to get her mind off her oraginal home. "I'd like a little shop."
"I thought by now nanogenes would have cured the universe," she said remembering how they healed her.
"The human race moves on, but so do the viruses." he explained. "It's an ongoing war. Not even nanogenes could keep up."
"Cool," she said as she slowed down to see the nurses. "They're cats!"
"Now, don't stare." he teased. "Think what you look like to them, all pink and brown. That's where I'd put the shop. Right there." He stepped into the elevator just as she snapped out of it and hurried to catch up. "Ward 26, thanks!"
"Hold on! Hold on!" she shouted as the elevator doors shut.
"Oh, too late. I'm going up." he said as he started to go up.
"It's alright," she said. "There's another one."
"Ward 26." he shouted to her.
"Ward 26," she said. "Please and thank you!" The elevator started to go down and she knew what was going to happen with both the disinfectant and with Cassandra.
"Commence stage one disinfection." it announced. Rhee giggled as the disinfectant sprayed her.
"Now I know how a car at the car wash feels." she giggled as the disinfection process continued. Once done she was all dry which she found strange but shrugged and didn't question it. She stepped out to see Chip waiting for her.
"The human is clean." Chip said.
"Hey, can ya make this thing work again?" she asked. "I'm expected by the Doctor upstairs."
"This way, Rhiannon Riwitis," Chip said. She walked behind him but stopped in the hall just before the room where Cassandra was watching a movie of her at a party.
"I mean, you never know what your life is going to be like, ever." Cassandra said on the film. "I'm bored with this drink. Anyway. Oh, hello darling! Now, don't. Stop it."
"Cassandra," Rhee said bitterly.
"Peekaboo!" Cassandra said.
"Just keep away from the Doctor," Rhee demanded.
"Why?" Cassandra said. "What do you think I'm going to do? Flap him to death?"
"You always have a plan you snake." Rhee asked. "What about Gollum?"
"Oh that's just Chip. He's my pet." Cassandra said.
"I worship the mistress." Chip said.
"Moisturize me, moisturize me." Cassandra said and Chip sprayed her. "He's not even a proper life form. He's a force grown clone. I modeled him on my favorite pattern. But he's so faithful. Chip sees to my physical needs."
"What are you doing here?" Rhee said bitterly. Rhea knew the answer but didn't want Cassandra to tell the Doctor that Rhee knew about the future. She knew Cassandra would, that is why she hoped that she could block all her memories and thoughts from Cassandra once she was inside Rhee's mind.
"Chip secreted m'lady into the hospital." Chip said proudly.
"So they don't know you're here?" Rhee asked trying to sound like she didn't know.
"Chip steals medicine." Chip said. "Helps m'lady. Soothes her, strokes her-"
"Yeah," Rhee said, "I'm gonna stop you right there, Mr. Creepy."
"But I'm so alone, hidden down here." Cassandra said. "The last Human in existence."
"We talked about this." Rhee said. "They call this planet New Earth."
"A vegetable patch." Cassandra said bitterly.
"And there are millions of Humans out there." Rhee tried to argue but knew she have better luck arguing with a brick wall.
"Mutant stock." Cassandra said bitterly. Rhee sighed loudly in frustration.
"They've evolved, Cassandra." Rhee tried again because even though she disliked this thing, Cassandra still deserved a chance to change her ways. "They just evolved, like all things do. You stayed still. You stood still and let the world pass you by, well what good it do ya?
"Oh, I remember that night." Cassandra said looking at the film again. "Drinks for the Ambassador of Thrace. That was the last time anyone told me I was beautiful. After that it all became such hard work."
"Well, you've got a knack for survival, I'll give you that." Rhee said sighing.
"But I've not been idle," Cassandra said. "Rhiannon, tucked away underneath this hospital. I've been listening. The Sisters are hiding something."
"They're cats," Rhee said. "It's in their nature to hid."
"Oh these cats have deadly secrets." Cassandra said. "Hush, let me whisper. Come close."
"I'm not going anyway near you and Mr. Creepy," Rhee said. She took a step back.
"Chip, activate the psycho-graft." Cassandra commanded. Suddenly an invisible force grabbed a hold of Rhee's body.
"Cassandra," Rhee pleaded. "You don't want to do this the Doctor is with me and he will not be happy with you if you do this. He has a different face but it's still him!" The last bit she said quickly.
"The lady's moving on." Cassandra said. "It's goodbye trampoline, and hello curvy." A flash of light and Rhee fainted.
"Mistress?" Chip asked looking at Rhee.
"Moisturize me." Cassandra said using Rhee's body. Rhee was aware of what's going on couldn't control anything. She sighed. Trapped in her own body, what a prison. "How bizarre. Arms, fingers, hair! Let me see! Let me see!" Cassandra ran to the mirror and looked over Rhee's body. "Oh my God. I'm a beautiful again! Oh, curves." Cassandra wiggled her butt and noticed that Rhee's breast were large. "Oh, baby, it's like living inside a bouncy castle!" Cassandra unbuttoned a couple buttons, then bounced up and down letting the breast bounce with her. She giggled.
"The mistress is beautiful." Chip said.
"Absolutement! Oh, but look." She said looking back at where her old body was.
"Oh, the brain lead expired. My old mistress is gone." he said sadly.
"But safe and sound in here." Cassandra said pointing to Rhee's head.
"But what of Rhiannon's mind?" he asked with a small amount of concern.
"Oh, tucked away." Cassandra said. Rhee felt Cassandra trying to gain access to Rhee's memories but Rhee locked Cassandra out. "Strange, I cant access even the surface memory. She's locking me out. But she did say that the Doctor is with her. But she said he has a new face. I could use a bit of work now. Although nice rear bumper." Rhee's phone starts to play music, 'All I ever wanted' by Bass Hunter. "Oh, it seems to be playing music. Is it meant to play this music?"
"A primitive communications device." Chip said. Cassandra pressed the answer button on the phone.
"Love, what happened? Where are you?" the Doctor asked on the other side of the phone, sounding concerned. Rhee tried to shout but since she was locked away she couldn't even get Cassandra to relay messages. Rhee sighed.
"How does she speak?" Cassandra whispered.
"Old Earth North American." Chip replied.
"Wotcha." Cassandra asked. Rhee would have rolled her eyes if she had control of them.
"Where 've you been?" the Doctor teased. "How long does it take to get to Ward 26?"
"I'm on my way, governor." she said. "I shall proceed up the apples and pears."
"You'll never guess." he said with great excitement. "I'm with the Face of Boe. Remember him?"
"Of course I do." she said bitterly. "That big old boat race."
"I'd better go." he said. "See you in a minute." She hung the phone up and smiled.
"This Doctor man is dangerous." Chip warned.
"Dangerous and clever." she said with a sinister smile. "I might need a mind like his. The Sisterhood is up to something. Remember that Old Earth saying, never trust a Nun? Never trust a Nurse. And never trust a cat. Perfume?" Chip handed her a small spray bottle. She put it in between Rhee's breast. Cassandra adjusted so the bottle set comfortably. She took off to the elevator. "Ward 26, now."
"There you are." the Doctor said as she stepped out of the elevator. "Come and look at this patient." He pulled her to show her a patient. "Marconi's Disease. Should take years to recover. Two days. I've never seen anything like it. They've invented a cell washing cascade. It's amazing. Their medical science is way advanced. And this one." He pulled her to another patient. "Pallidome Pancrosis. Kills you in ten minutes, and he's fine. I need to find a terminal. I've got to see how they do this. Because if they've got the best medicine in the world, then why is it such a secret?"
"I can't Adam and Eve it." she said with a slightly British accent. Rhee found it laughable that Cassandra was talking like an idiot.
"What's, what's. what's with the voice?" the Doctor asked. He was worried because after the Vortex, the headaches, and the feeling in the back of his mind that was her weakening, now she is acting very strange. It bothered him that she was going to take back what she said that morning.
"Oh, I don't know." Cassandra said seductively. "Just larking about. New Earth, new me." She ran her hand through her hair.
"Well, I can talk. New New Doctor." he said with cute smile.
"Mmm, aren't you just." she said. She launched herself at him, placing her lips firmly on his lips. She raked her fingernails through his hair. She broke away leaving the Doctor looking speechless. "T-T-Terminal's this way. Phew." Rhee wanted to roll her eyes again. She hoped that the Doctor could see through Cassandra's act, but knew he probably wouldn't.
"Yep, still got it." he said once his brain caught up. But then something in the back of his mind reminded him of the kisses he had shared with her when he was in his last form. It didn't feel the same. He shook his head, he figured it only felt different because of his new regeneration so he pushed the thought aside. He joined her at the terminal, scanning it with the Sonic. "Nope, nothing odd. Surgery, post-op, nano-dentistry. No sign of a shop. They should have a shop."
"No, it's missing something else." she said. "When I was downstairs, those Nurse Cat Nuns were talking about Intensive Care. Where is it?"
"You're right, love." he said with a big smile. "Well done."
"Why would they hide a whole department?" she asked. "It's got to be there somewhere. Search the sub-frame."
"What if the sub-frame's locked?" he asked.
"Try the installation protocol." she replied.
"Yeah." he said. Finding it strange that she knew so much about how this computer worked. "Of course. Sorry. Hold on." He was growing more worried about Rhee the more he was with her. He used his Sonic to search as was asked. The wall opened up a corridor. "Intensive Care. Certainly looks intensive." They walk down to a large room with lots of stasis chambers. He opened one of them to reveal a really sick man. The Doctor sighed knowing what was going on.
"That's disgusting." she said. "What's wrong with him?"
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." he whispered. He closed the door and then moved to the next one where a woman was in this one.
"What disease is that?" she asked in disgust.
"All of them." he said sadly. He sighed now knowing without a shadow of a doubt that Rhee was not really Rhee but he wanted double check. "Every single disease in the galaxy. They've been infected with everything."
"What about us? Are we safe?" Cassandra asked.
"The air's sterile. Just don't touch them." he said all emotion left his voice.
"How many patients are there?" she asked.
"They're not patients." he said still emotionless. But Rhee could feel his anger. She was surprised that Cassandra couldn't feel it.
"But they're sick." she said.
"They were born sick." he said with disgust. "They're meant to be sick. They exist to be sick. Lab rats. No wonder the Sisters have got a cure for everything. They've built the ultimate research laboratory. A human farm."
"Why don't they just die?" she said harshly.
"Plague carriers." he said. "The last to go."
"It's for the greater cause." Novice Hame said.
"Novice Hame, When you took your vows, did you agree to this?" he asked bitterly.
"The Sisterhood has sworn to help." she replied.
"What, by killing?" he said trying to remain calm.
"But they're not real people." Novice Hame replied. "They're specially grown. They have no proper existence."
"What's the turnover, hmm?" he said hastily. "Thousand a day? Thousand the next? Thousand the next? How many thousands? For how many years? How many!"
"Mankind needed us." she replied with desperation. "They came to this planet with so many illnesses. We couldn't cope. We did try. We tried everything. We tried using clone-meat and bio-cattle, but the results were too slow, so the Sisterhood grew its own flesh. That's all they are. Flesh."
"These people are alive!" he nearly shouted.
"But think of those Humans out there, healthy and happy, because of us." she tried to reason with him.
"If they live because of this, then life is worthless." he said.
"But who are you to decide that?" she said.
"I'm the Doctor." he proclaimed. "And if you don't like it, if you want to take it to a higher authority, then there isn't one. It stops with me." Cassandra put a hand on his shoulder reminding him of the other thing he was mad about.
"Just to confirm." she said poking her head over his shoulder. "None of the humans in the city actually know about this?"
"We thought it best not." Novice Hame said.
"Hold on." he said remaining as calm as his overprotective mind would let him. "I can understand the bodies. I can understand your vows. One thing I can't understand. What have you done to Rhee?"
"I don't know what you mean." she said.
"And I'm being very, very calm." he said letting his anger come out a little in his voice. "You want to be aware of that. Very, very calm. And the only reason I'm being so very, very calm is that the brain is a delicate thing. Whatever you've done to Rhee's head, I want it reversed."
"We haven't done anything." she said.
"I'm perfectly fine." Cassandra said moving away from him a few steps. He turned to look at her.
"These people are dying, and Rhee would care!" he exclaimed.
"I'm your Rhee I promise," she said. Cassandra hoped she could convince him of this because she needed more time.
"I'll believe you if you can tell me why you cut your hair," he said.
"I felt like a change," she replied simply. She walked back to him and tried to hug him but he pushed her back a bit.
"You're not Rhee," he said sternly.
"Oh, all right, clever clogs. Smarty pants. Lady-killer." she said letting her true accent shine through.
"What's happened to you?" he said still trying to remain calm.
"I knew something was going on in this hospital, but I needed this body and your mind to find it out. " she said standing a bit more provocatively than Rhee would.
"Who are you?" he asked.
"The last human." she whispered in his ear.
"Cassandra?" he asked in confusion.
"Wake up and smell the perfume." she said spraying him with the perfume that she had between her breasts. He fainted instantly, and she smirked.
"You've hurt him." Novice Hame said. "I don't understand. I'll have to fetch Matron."
"You do that, because I want to see her." Cassandra said. "Now, run along. Sound the alarm!" She laughed. Rhee fought for control but lacked the energy and strength to overpower Cassandra. She stuffed him into a empty cell. A few minutes later she heard him stirring.
"Let me out!" he shouted. "Let me out!"
"Aren't you lucky there was a spare?" she said. "Standing room only."
"You've stolen Rhee's body." he said.
"Over the years, I've thought of a thousand ways to kill you," she said. "Doctor. And now, that's exactly what I've got. One thousand diseases. They pump the patients with a top-up every ten minutes. You've got about three minutes left. Enjoy." Even though he knew it was Cassandra saying it in Rhee's body it hurt to hear those words come from her mouth.
"Just let Rhee go, Cassandra!" he half pleaded half demanded.
"I will. As soon as I've found someone younger, then I'll junk her with the waste." she said. And just when he thought he couldn't get any madder at Cassandra, she says that. He is now so mad he's shaking. But he knows that from here he can't do anything. "Now hushaby. It's showtime." Chip came up from behind her.
"Anything we can do to help?" Nurse Jatt asked.
"Straight to the point," Cassandra said. "Whiskers. I want money."
"The Sisterhood is a charity." Matron Casp said. "We don't give money. We only accept."
"The humans across the water pay you a fortune, and that's exactly what I need." Cassandra said. "A one-off payment, that's all I want. Oh, and perhaps a yacht. In return for which, I shall tell the city nothing of your institutional murder. Is that a deal?"
"I'm afraid not." Matron Casp said.
"I'd really advise you to think about this." Cassandra said. Rhee snickered in the back of her head.
"Oh, there's no need. I have to decline." Matron Casp said.
"I'll tell them, and you've no way of stopping me." Cassandra said. "You're not exactly Nuns with Guns. You're not even armed."
"Who needs arms when we have claws?" Matron Casp said as she revealed her claws.
"Well, nice try. Chip? Plan B." Cassandra called over her shoulder. Chip ran over to a near by lever and pulled it letting the Doctor and lots of sick people out. She smirked.
"What 've you done?" he shouted at her.
"Gave the system a shot of adrenaline, just to wake them up." she said. "See you!" She ran off followed by Chip.
"Don't touch them!" the Doctor shouted to the cat nurses. "Whatever you do, don't touch!" He ran after Cassandra and Chip. As they ran the locks start to blow behind them.
"Oh, my God." she said as they could stop for a moment without being touched.
"What the hell have you done?" he shouted.
"It wasn't me." she said innocently.
"One touch and you get every disease in the world, and I want that body safe, Cassandra." he said to her as they started to run again. "We've got to go down."
"But there's thousands of them!" she whined.
"Run! Down! Down! Go down!" he shouted. "Keep going! Go down!" She ran to the elevator and tried to call one. "No, the lifts have closed down. That's the quarantine. Nothing 's moving."
"This way!" she shouted as she led the Doctor and Chip back to the room she was originally in. But Chip got cut off by a large group of the sick.
"Someone will touch him." the Doctor said as he tried to go back for Chip.
"Leave him!" she shouted. And if Rhee could she'd kicked Cassandra for that. Chip was still her responsibility. "He's just a clone thing. He's only got a half life. Come on!"
"Mistress!" he shouted.
"I'm sorry, I can't let her escape." the Doctor said looking truly sorry at Chip. But ran after Cassandra.
"My Mistress!" Chip shouted. The Doctor and Cassandra got to where she had hidden before. She tried another exit and found more sick so she quickly shut the door.
"We're trapped! What am I going to do?" she asked in a panic.
"Well, for starters, you're going to leave that body." he demanded. "That psycho-graft is banned on every civilized planet. You're compressing Rhee to death." Rhee wanted to shout that she was safe and Cassandra could stay if she didn't kiss him again. But she couldn't hear Rhee and she had not control of her body.
"But I've got nowhere to go." Cassandra said. "My original skin's dead."
"Not my problem." he said bitterly. "You can float as atoms in the air. Now, get out. Give her back to me."
"You asked for it." she said. She takes a deep breath and exhales into the Doctor.
"Goddess that was weird," Rhee said.
"Oh, my. This is different." Cassandra said.
"Cassandra," Rhee said.
"Goodness me, I'm a man." Cassandra said. "Yum. So many parts. And hardly used. Oh, oh, two hearts! Oh, baby, I'm beating out a samba!"
"We need to talk," Rhee said.
"Oo, he's slim, and a little bit foxy." Cassandra said.
"You have no idea," Rhee said. "But we need to convince him that you in me is a good idea."
"What?" Cassandra asked. "He won't think it is and why would you help me?"
"Now, don't get me wrong," Rhee said. "I still don't like you but everyone deserves a chance to live. This is only until he can get you to somewhere they can make a descent body for you."
"You know him better than me, how can I?" Cassandra asked.
"Tell him I said, I will be OK. I promise on 'her'." Rhee smiled at Cassandra. And just before Cassandra could switch back the sick burst into the room.
"What do we do? What would he do? The Doctor, what the hell would he do?" she asked tapping Rhee's arm. Rhee shook her head.
"Ladder. Looks like up is the only way from here." Rhee said as she moved toward the ladder only to be shoved out of the way by Cassandra.
"Out of the way!" Cassandra said. After Cassandra was on the ladder they both climbed as fast as they could. They were almost at the door when the Matron grabbed Rhee's leg.
"Let go!" Rhee shouted.
"All our good work." Matron Casp said. "All that healing. The good name of the Sisterhood. You have destroyed everything."
"Go and play with a ball of string!" Cassandra yelled down.
"Everywhere, disease." Matron Casp said. "This is the human world. Sickness!" Rhee really hoped that her training with Jack paid off. She held on to the ladder with both hands but used her other foot to kick the Matron off Rhee.
"Move!" Rhee commanded. She knew the sick weren't far behind the Matron.
"Maximum quarantine. Divert all shuttles." was announced over the loudspeaker.
"Cassandra now is your chance you have to tell him what I told you to tell him!" Rhee said.
"Hold on tight." She said. She transferred back to Rhee.
"Bounce again. Open it!" Cassandra demanded.
"Not till you get out of her." he demanded.
"She told me to tell you," she said trying to remember the words Rhee used. "'I will be OK. I promise on 'her'.'" He smiled because he knew what Rhee meant by 'her,' she meant she promised on the TARDIS as she had once made him.
"I'll go along for now but I want you out of her when this is over!" he shouted as he opened the door. They got through the doors and Cassandra stumbled. She fell to the floor.
"Rhiannon felt them," Cassandra said. "She shared what she felt from them, they've never been touched. There whole lives and no once have they been touched. They are only reaching out to touch us." His face softened a bit. His clever Rhiannon. He reached his hand out to help Cassandra up. They ran back into Ward 26. Clovis came after them with a metal chair.
"We're safe! We're safe! We're safe! We're clean! We're clean! Look, look." he said as they showed Clovis their bare skin.
"Show me your skin." she demanded.
"Look, clean." he said. "Look, if we'd been touched, we'd be dead. So how's it going up here? What's the status?"
"There's nothing but silence from the other wards." she said. "I think we're the only ones left. And I've been trying to override the quarantine. If I can trip a signal over to New New York, they can send a private executive squad."
"You can't do that. If they forced entry, they'd break quarantine." he said sternly.
"I am not dying in here." she said.
"We can't let a single particle of disease get out." he stressed trying to get her to understand. "There is ten million people in that city. They'd all be at risk. Now, turn that off!"
"Not if it gets me out." she said.
"All right, fine." he said. "So I have to stop you lot as well. Suits me. Cassandra, Novice Hame, everyone! Excuse me, your Grace." He moved around gathering the things he would need for his idea. "Get me intravenous solutions for every single disease. Move it!" He put a rope around him and with the help of Cassandra he made a vest of the medication. "How's that? Will that do?"
"I don't know. Will it do for what?" Cassandra asked. He moved to the elevator and opened the doors. "The lifts aren't working."
"Not moving." he corrected. "Different thing. Here we go." He put the Sonic between his teeth, backing up as far as he could.
"But you're not going to-" she started. He ran and jumped in to the elevator shaft, grabbing a hold of the elevator cable. "What do you think you're doing?"
"I'm going down!" he exclaimed as he attached a metal disk to the elevator cable. "Come on!"
"Not in a million years." she said.
"I need another pair of hands." he said. "What do you think? If you're so desperate to stay alive, why don't you live a little?" The sick people entered the area that she was in.
"Seal the door!" Clovis shouted as she sealed off the ward.
"No!" Cassandra shouted as she repeated what he had done but she jumped on to his back. "You're completely mad. I can see why she loves you."
"Going down!" he shouted as he released the brake on the disk . Which made them glide down the elevator shaft at an alarming rate. She screamed as they dissented. She sighed as they landed.
"Well, that's one way to lose weight." she said.
"Now, listen. When I say so, take hold of that lever." he said as he moved to a vat.
"There's still a quarantine down there, we can't-" she started
"Hold that lever!" he yelled. He ripped open the packages with his teeth. "I'm cooking up a cocktail. I know a bit about medicine myself." He finished poring the packages into the vat. "Now, that lever's going to resist. But keep it in position. Hold onto it with everything you've got."
"What about you?" she asked.
"I've got an appointment." he said with a smile. "The Doctor is in." He jumped into the elevator. "I'm in here! Come on!"
"Don't tell them." she shouted down to him.
"Pull that lever!" the Doctor shouted. She pulled the lever a little harder. "Come and get me. Come on! I'm in here! Come on!"
"Commence stage one disinfection." was announced over the loudspeaker.
"Hurry up! Come on!" he shouted. "Come on, come on. All they want to do is pass it on. Pass it on!"
"Pass on what?" she shouted. "Pass on what?"
"Pass it on!" the Doctor shouted happily. He helped her down.
"What did they pass on?" she said. "Did you kill them? All of them?"
"No. That's your way of doing things." he said happily as he exited the elevator. "I'm the Doctor, and I cured them." One of the girls he cured comes up and hugs him. "That's right. Hey, there we go, sweetheart. Go to him. Go on, that's it. That's it. It's a new sub-species, Cassandra. A brand new form of life. New humans! Look at them. Look! Grown by cats, kept in the dark, fed by tubes, but completely, completely alive. You can't deny them, because you helped create them. The human race just keeps on going, keeps on changing. Life will out! Ha!"
"This is the NNYPD. Please step away from the shuttles." was announced outside. Shortly after the Doctor was able to dry off.
"All staff will present themselves to the officers for immediate arrest." was announced over the loudspeaker. "I repeat, immediate arrest. All new life forms will be cataloged and taken into care. All visitors to the hospital will be required to make a statement to the NNYPD."
"The Face of Boe!" he shouted as he remembered the whole reason he was there in the first place. He ran back to Ward 26 where the Face of Boe. She was not too far behind the Doctor. "You were supposed to be dying."
"There are better things to do today." the Face of Boe said. "Dying can wait."
"Oh, I hate telepathy." she said. "Just what I need, a head full of big face." The Doctor shushed her.
"I have grown tired with the universe," the Face of Boe said. "Doctor, but you have taught me to look at it anew."
"There are legends, you know, saying that you're millions of years old." the Doctor said with a smile.
"There are?" the Face of Boe said. "That would be impossible."
"Wouldn't it just." the Doctor said with a smile. "I wanted to thank you."
"Whatever for?" the Face of Boe said.
"Rhee," the Doctor said. Rhee wanted to smile. While it's true the Face of Boe is how she got her foot in the TARDIS door but she still didn't know how she came to be in this universe.
"I did nothing," the Face of Boe said. "She did it all on her own. She is an amazing woman."
"That she is," the Doctor said.
"So Rhee," the Face of Boe said. "How are you doing?"
I'm OK, Rhee said. The Face of Boe could hear her even though everyone else including Cassandra.
I'm glad to hear that. He said.
You can hear me! She exclaimed.
"I'm not Rhiannon," Cassandra said getting upset that he would mistake them.
"I know," he said.
"I got the impression there was something you wanted to tell me." the Doctor said changing the subject.
"A great secret." the Face of Boe said.
"So the legend says." the Doctor replied.
"It can wait." the Face of Boe said.
"Oh, does it have to?" the Doctor said almost whining.
"We shall meet again," the Face of Boe said. "Doctor, Rhee, for the third time, for the last time, and the truth shall be told. Until that day," He teleported away.
"That is enigmatic. That, that is, that is textbook enigmatic." the Doctor said in awe. "And now for you." He turned to Cassandra.
"But everything 's happy." she pleaded. "Everything 's fine. Can't you just leave me?"
"You've lived long enough." he said anger lacing his voice. "Leave that body and end it, Cassandra."
"I don't want-" she started but was interrupted by Rhee. She flooded Cassandra's mind with images of Matt and Jenny. Then their death. Cassandra started to cry.
"What's wrong?" he said shocked at her sudden fit of crying.
"Rhee," Cassandra choked out. "She had a family." Then Rhee showed Cassandra what her life is like now with the Doctor.
Please don't keep my body Cassandra finally heard Rhee, but Rhee had to focus and it hurt. I agreed to borrow not keep.
"Yes." he said sadly. "She lost her husband and daughter to a fire."
"But she's happy with you now," Cassandra said sadly. "I would be taking that away. I've never been happy. She showed me how you make her feel." She took a deep breath. "I'll leave once I have a suitable-"
"Mistress!" Chip exclaimed as he ran in to the ward.
"Oh, you're alive." she said in disgust.
"I kept myself safe for you, mistress." he said proudly. Then a thought popped in her head. Rhee sighed know what would happen.
"A body. And not just that, a volunteer." Cassandra said.
"Don't you dare. He's got a life of his own." the Doctor said.
"But I worship the mistress." Chip countered. "I welcome her."
"You can't, Cassandra, you-" the Doctor started. Before he could finish Cassandra left Rhee's body and went into Chip. Rhee about collapsed but the Doctor caught her before she hit the floor.
"Oh! You all right?" he said standing her back up. She about fell again and he caught her again. "Whoa! Okay?"
"Yeah," she said softly. He helped her stand up right again. "Hi there," She winked at him.
"Hello." he said beaming. "Welcome back." He wanted to kiss her so bad.
"Oh, sweet Lord." Cassandra said. "I'm a walking doodle."
"You can't stay in there." he said. "I'm sorry, Cassandra, but that's not fair. I can take you to the city. They can build you a skin tank and you can stand trial for what you've done."
"Well, that would be rather dramatic, and that is what Rhee suggested." she said. "Possibly my finest hour, and certainly my finest hat, but I'm afraid we don't have time. Poor little Chip is only a half-life, and he's been through so much. His heart is racing so. He's failing. I don't think he's going to last-" She stopped in mid sentence and fell to her knees. Rhee and the Doctor were at her side in seconds.
"Are you all right?" he asked.
"I'm fine." Cassandra said. "I'm dying, but that's fine."
"I can take you to the city." he offered.
"No, you won't." she said. "Everything 's new on this planet. There's no place for Chip and me any more. You're right, Doctor. It's time to die, and that's good."
"Come on." he said. "There's one last thing I can do." They helped Cassandra up and walked her to the TARDIS. Once inside Rhee smiled at them.
"I'm sorry, Cassandra," she said. "I can't go with you." He gave her a strange look. "I'm tired." He nodded. "But good luck Cassandra." She turned to leave but stopped before she reached the hall she turned back around to face Cassandra. "You are beautiful." Cassandra looked at Rhee in confusion and shock. "I really mean it you're beautiful."
"Thank you," Cassandra said with tears in her eyes. He smiled at Rhee with all the love he felt for her, because he knew what she meant. She was talking about inner beauty. Cassandra just wanted to be beautiful but in the process she lost her inner beauty but in the short time she had been in Rhee's body, Cassandra had changed, for the better. Rhee had done that, and he couldn't be prouder to call her, his.
Notes: I hope you enjoyed the chapter! I had fun writing it because this is one of my favorite Ten episodes. Anyway, I wanted to let you know thank you for all those that have given me idea's for their perfect song. I won't take anymore suggestions after the 22nd because i am going to work my tail off trying to post my next chapter on the 23rd. And all whovians know why! -squalls like a little girl-