Matt didn't know much of what was happening. But he knew one thing.
"We need to get Peter." He told the others. "That… Doctor, whoever he was, was with Sylar. And, for whatever reason, he needed Peter."
Hiro beamed. "I can find him!"
"Molly can find him." Matt corrected, a little irritably. He turned to the little girl. "Can't you?"
She smiled and nodded; looking for Peter wasn't exactly a nightmare. She turned back to the map and held the push pin above it.
Sylar's eyes gleamed as The Doctor spoke, and the Time Lord's hearts sunk lower with every word he was forced to tell him. This was a man who stopped at nothing to gain power, and The Doctor was giving him the source of the greatest power he could ever hope to achieve.
"I want to see Donna." They were the first words out of The Doctor's mouth after he'd finished.
"I'm afraid that's not possible." Sylar replied calmly. His eyes were still wide with wonder, staring around at the TARDIS. He walked over to the panel covered the heart of the TARDIS and stroked it gently. "And you say a truck managed to open it once?"
"I want to see Donna."
Sylar ignored him again. "Well, I think I'm slightly stronger than a truck." He smirked, as though there was some hidden joke, known only in the depths of this killer's mind.
"I want to see Donna."
Sylar whirled around to face the Doctor at last. "You are incredibly annoying, did you know that?"
"So I have been told. I still want to see Donna."
Sylar thought about this for a minute. "Very well. You can see your precious little human friend." He walked to the TARDIS doors and gestured for The Doctor to go first.
The Doctor's eyes narrowed. "As if I trust you in my TARDIS alone for even a second."
Sylar chuckled. "Smart man. But I don't exactly trust you not to take off, either." He gestured to the doors once more. "Together, then?"
The Doctor walked stiffly towards Sylar, who smiled nastily as they walked out of the TARDIS.
Sylar continued to stand next to The Doctor as the Time Lord locked the doors.
Sylar slowly walked with The Doctor, who had placed his key in his pocket.
"Please. A little trust." Sylar said, smirking.
The Doctor glared at him, but said nothing as they walked to the room where Donna was being kept.
Her head rose as The Doctor came into the room. He raced to her side trying to clear the blood away from her face. The gash on her head was still there, still bleeding heavily.
"Hey." He whispered softly.
Donna tried very hard to smile. She really did. But it ended up coming out in a grimace. "I'm going to kill that man." She said through clenched teeth.
The Doctor smiled at her. "There we go. That's the Donna I know."
She smiled weakly back as Sylar slammed the door behind them.
The Doctor's eyes shone in the dark. "We'll get out of here soon. I promise. I know what he wants and…" He trailed off and swallowed, wincing as though the words were painful. "And I'm going to give it to him. As long as he lets you go."
She looked at him. This was The Doctor. He never gave up.
So why was he doing it now?
He sighed heavily. "Donna. I want you to do me a favor."
She nodded slowly. "Anything, Doctor."
He smiled, barely visible in this darkness. "I need you to run. As soon as you get out of here, run as fast as you can. Get this…" he gently stroked the bloody line on her head. "Fixed, and then run. Because I'm going to have to do something, and I don't know what the damage will be."
Donna listened to his words carefully. "What about you?"
"I'll be fine."
"You're a really bad liar."
"Am not. I've had nine hundred and four years of practice, thank you very much."
"TIME'S UP!" Sylar's voice roared from the other side of the door.
Donna stuck her tongue out at the door.
The Doctor stood. He gently stroked Donna's hair once more, then turned and slowly walked to the door.
"This is not going to be easy."
Sylar was feeling more than a little impatient. His earlier excitement over this extreme power that was hidden in a little blue box had slowly disappeared. In its place was an impatient edge that was becoming increasingly irritating.
But he smiled at The Doctor as he came out. The Time Lord had told Donna that he was going to give Sylar exactly what he wanted, so long as she was released. Sylar figured this was relatively reasonable; it seemed like a good enough deal to him. Perhaps slightly unfair for the Doctor, but it wasn't as though Sylar cared about that.
The Doctor's eyes were like steel as he studied the serial killer.
"It seems you've come around to my way of thinking, Doctor." Sylar allowed a sickeningly pleasant smile pass across his features. "If what you told your… companion was the truth."
The Doctor spoke through clenched teeth. "It would seem so, wouldn't it?"
The smile widened. "Good. Very good. Shall we, then?"
The Doctor shook his head. "Donna goes home first."
Sylar smirked. "Oh? Doctor, what, exactly, makes you think that this is open for negotiation?"
The Doctor came towards him very slowly. His steps were purposeful and calculated. Finally, he was next to Sylar, his eyes level with the killer's.
For the first time since he'd gained his ability, Sylar felt fear strike at his heart. He kept it from his face, keeping it smooth and emotionless. But a deep sense of panic, an instinctual thought of running and hiding was making his blood freeze.
"This. Is not. A negotiation." The Doctor's words were harder than his steely eyes. "This is not a request. This is what you will do. Or you will not have the chance to regret it." His eyes locked on Sylar's, who worked to avoid his gaze. "Understood?"
Sylar leaned in closer to the Doctor's face, trying to tower over him, but somehow failing miserably. "Is that a threat?"
The Doctor stood tall, a dark look on his face. He looked so fragile and weak; Sylar could snap him like a twig if so inclined.
So why was he so terrified?
"Only if it needs to be." His voice, so soft and deadly, sent shivers down Sylar's spine.
The Doctor backed away, keeping his eyes on Sylar.
And then everything changed.
Sylar didn't see where the explosion originated until the dust from the remains of his wall settled. A man stood in the ruins, his dark eyes hard, his hair blown back from too many hours of travel by flying.
His gaze landed on Sylar, who was pulling himself off the ground, wiping the blood and the dirt from his lip.
"Petrelli." Sylar said the name like a swear word.
"Sylar." Peter Petrelli acknowledged his existence with a nod of the head. Electricity crackled and blazed around him.
Sylar let out a fierce snarl and launched himself at the other man.
The Doctor wasn't sure how he knew the explosion would happen. He figured that, after nine hundred and four years of travel by phone box, he'd gained that instinct.
But he'd ducked out of the way just before the world had crumbled around him.
Perhaps that same instinct made him take the chance that was now available to him. He ran as quickly as he could into the room that Sylar had disappeared into when going to get the TARDIS key. He started shoving everything back in his pockets, then realized that would take too long. He'd snatched his sonic screwdriver and was out the door again before he really heard the sounds of two heroes battling.
He raced to the door where Donna was being held and, in one fluid motion, aimed the screwdriver at it. The door unlocked, and the Doctor ran through.
"Come on, Donna!" He told her, grabbing her hand and helping her to her feet.
Her face paled, and she looked as though she would collapse, but she ran as well. She kept stumbling, and the Doctor was torn as he tried to run as fast as he could and help her.
He barely saw the man who was engaged in an all-out war with the serial killer. He ran past, helping Donna through the carnage and chaos.
He reached the TARDIS and snapped his fingers. The door swung open. He smiled; that was a very useful trick.
He hurriedly got Donna inside, where she assured him that she could make it to the bench without his help. He then ran back out to where the two heroes were fighting.
"PETER!"
The other man whirled around, blocking Sylar's next blow.
"RUN!" The Doctor completed, then took his own advice and raced back to the TARDIS.
He grinned wildly. The man was Peter, just as he'd thought.
If he ever found Matt Parkman, the real Matt Parkman, he was going to give him an enormous hug. This had to be his doing.
As The Doctor ran back, something caught his eye. Something very familiar. Something that had been in his chest, and was still covered in his blood.
On an impulse-as many of his actions were- he swept the knife up into his hands before heading for the TARDIS once more.
As soon as he was safely inside, the Doctor activated the shields. Peter would only have a few seconds, then the TARDIS wouldn't let anyone else in.
"PETER PETRELLI, DO AS I SAY AND RUN!" The Doctor called through the doors.
He saw Peter backing slowly into the room, his fight with Sylar still raging. Blasts of light and heat seared across the room as they did so.
The Doctor hovered above the lever, waiting for Peter to get close enough…
At last, Peter crossed through the door. The Doctor pulled the lever down as quickly as he could before Sylar could enter.
The serial killer found that he could no longer move. He looked in absolute shock, where some invisible wall was stopping him.
The Doctor grinned and waved. The doors swung shut in Sylar's dumbfounded face.
"Adios, estupido!" The Doctor wasn't sure where the Spanish came from, but he didn't really care, either.
He raced across the TARDIS console, pulling levers and flipping switches. He rotated a dial, and the TARDIS lurched into life. A groaning sound filled the air.
The Doctor grinned and swept Donna into a huge hug. She laughed, and he laughed with her.
"Molto Bene!" The Doctor had realized, over the years, that he tended to speak in multiple languages when he was excited. He grinned at Peter Petrelli.
And then stopped cold.
"Ah. Yes. Forgot about that."
Peter was looking in absolute shock at the interior of the TARDIS. "It's… a little… bigger than I'd thought it would be." The hero said slowly.
The Doctor half-smiled. "That's the typical reaction."
Peter looked at it for a long time, then shook his head as if to clear it. "It's fine. I guess I've seen stranger things."
The Doctor raised an eyebrow. "Really?" He couldn't stop himself from pouting just a little. "You know, you heroes are a tough crowd."
Peter smiled at him, slightly rueful. "I suppose we can be." His eyes drifted to Donna and hardened. "Did he do that to her?"
The Doctor turned to see Donna. The gash on her forehead looked much worse when they weren't running for their life or in total darkness. Blood poured down his friend's face.
The Doctor was at her side in a second. "Donna? Are you all right?"
She smiled weakly. "A little dizzy."
Peter raced to her side, rolling up his sleeves. He smiled softly at Donna.
"Hold still, all right?" He asked. Donna nodded, smiling weakly.
Peter carefully placed his hands on the sides of the gash, closing his eyes. A soft, shimmering, distorted sort of glow came from them, transferring from Peter to Donna.
The gash slowly began to seal itself. The color started to return to Donna's pale face. Soon, the only evidence of there ever being a wound was the blood that still heavily coated Donna's face.
Peter let out a heavy sigh of relief. He looked exhausted, but he smiled gently at Donna.
The Doctor smiled at Donna and hugged her tightly. She smiled and hugged him back.
"Right." Peter said, his voice cracking very slightly. "That's fixed. Now the question remains." His eyes locked on The Doctor. "Who are you?"
Matt didn't know what he was expecting. The Doctor, of course, but nothing like this.
Maybe he'd been expecting to see The Doctor flying into the room. Teleporting, maybe; Hiro had said he'd teleported with him. Perhaps a healer; there hadn't been a scratch on him, after all, and he'd been around Sylar for a long time. Not to mention the enormous hole in his shirt, covered with blood but without a source.
But he didn't expect the big blue box.
Hardly any time had passed between the time that Matt had called Peter and the time that the tall box materialized in Matt's home.
But then again, with all of the things that had happened in his life, why would he be so surprised?
The man that Matt knew only as 'The Doctor' swung the doors to the box open and bounded out. His eyes sparkled.
"Matt Parkman!" He cried. The grin on his face was one that only a maniac could wear. "I owe you a hug!"
Matt backed away. "Please. Don't."
The Doctor's smile became impossibly wider. "Oh, fine." He turned back to the box. "What are you waiting for? Get out here!"
A woman came out slowly. She had brilliant red hair and a look that said, quite plainly, do not mess. Peter followed her, shooting a wary smile at Matt.
"Stabbed Man!" Hiro cried, running to the Doctor's side. He bounced up and down with energy equal only to The Doctor's. "You are all right!"
The Doctor smiled and held Hiro's shoulders to keep him from bouncing. "Yes I think I am. Though I believe you'll find that I am not 'Stabbed Man.' I'm the Doctor, nice to meet you, hello!" He shook Hiro's hand.
Hiro pushed his glasses up his nose, his face bright. "I am Hiro! Hiro Nakamura!" He gave a small little bow.
The Doctor beamed. "Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant."
Ando stayed in the background until his friend pulled him forward. "This is Ando!"
The Doctor smiled at everyone as introductions were passed around. Matt watched in silence, too surprised to really react.
Peter walked over to him and watched the others, not facing him. "What do you think? Is he The Doctor?"
"Yes." There was no doubt in the telepath's mind. "Yeah, that's him. Was Sylar there?"
Peter nodded solemnly. "Yes. You were right; he is alive."
"The Doctor was right." Matt corrected. "Any idea on what he does?"
"He's not a hero, Matt."
He turned to face Peter at last. "What do you mean, he's not a hero? Sylar wouldn't go out of his way for some human, and…"
"He's not human, either."
Now he was confused. "But… he has to be."
"He's an alien." Peter said the words simply. "Calls himself a 'Time Lord'. That blue box…" He gestured to aforementioned box. "Is called a 'TARDIS'. Stands for Time and Relative Dimension in Space."
Matt swallowed. "You can't seriously expect me to believe…"
"He has two hearts. You make the decision."
Matt stared at him. "Two hearts?"
"Yes." It wasn't Peter's voice. Matt jumped, then whirled around. The woman, who had introduced herself as Donna Noble, was standing behind him. Her face was calm, her eyes serious. "Is it really such a stretch?"
For that, Matt had no answer.
Almost immediately after introductions were over, The Doctor had vanished back into the TARDIS. He'd stayed in there for a good half an hour before he'd gotten the answers he needed. Then, he'd stayed to argue with the TARDIS and run his tests again.
"This can't be right!" He shouted empathically, throwing his arms into the air. "Look again!"
He pinched the bridge of his nose as the test began to run once more. He still didn't remember anything that had happened before he was stabbed, and so he didn't know who had stabbed him.
"Yes, I know, Sylar's DNA is there!" He cried, looking once more at results that he didn't want. "Obviously! He pulled it out of me!" He looked further down the paper. "But you can't seriously expect me to believe that she stabbed me!"
He looked at the knife, the one that had struck too close to one of his hearts and was now giving him a world of grief. He'd scanned the DNA samples on it a thousand times, and each time he got the same answer.
"Wrong, wrong WRONG!" He shouted, angrily throwing the papers to the floor. Though not before ripping up quite a few of them. "You know why? Because it can't be RIGHT!"
He started pacing as he ran the test a third time. Again, he got the same results.
"She didn't do this, do you hear me?" He demanded of his time machine. "Donna Noble did not stab me!"