Chapter 26

The bottom floor of the warehouse was eerily quiet; the air was thick with the dark gold particles shimmering around them. The Doctor held tight to Rose's hand and they made their way upstairs. Gold rushed in currents past them, making it harder to see as they ascended. Humming vibrated through the upper floor and a man's voice was speaking softly in the room. As she stepped onto the landing Rose gasped faintly, an overwhelming presence filling her mind and ravaging her thoughts.
"Close your eyes and shut him out." the Doctor whispered, his tone hard. "Don't let him in."
"What is it? and how can he do that?" Rose closed her eyes in concentration and focused on closing off her thoughts. She silently thanked Pete for her training at Torchwood before she'd thrown herself into the job. The Doctor waited patiently until she opened her eyes. He opened his mouth to speak and she glared at him. "Don't even think about sending me back, because not only will I come back, but I'll have River and Donna with me." The Doctor scowled at her .
"Fine, just stay close." he tugged her behind him, leading her forward into the next room. The heavy gold gave just enough light to see the silhouette crouched over the controls of the machine. He looked up as they stepped in, a triumphant smirk on his face.
"It's already begun. You cannot change what is happening, a whole new human race! Smarter, healthier and capable of far more things than we could dream of before." The Doctor recognized the voice of the speaker at the Time Agency.
"Don't you see? By changing your past, you're destroying your future. Lives are at stake for a project you won't even get the glory for." Rose spoke up, keeping her voice even.
"Ah but you see," he waved a hand at the machine. "I have become a part of the machine, so as long as it exists so will I. They will praise me for what I have done."
"And what about the pain? What about the people that will not survive this transformation?" The Doctor spat out, his anger rising. Somehow, the greed and selfishness of a soul amazed him. "What kind of cost is that for your new race?"
"They are the necessary sacrifice, and will be remembered accordingly." the smug grin was back again. The Doctor tilted his chin up, frowning.
"Then you leave me no choice."
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"He is so rubbish." River rolled her eyes and stared longingly at the TARDIS doors. Jack glared at her, knowing exactly what she was planning on doing.
"Don't even think about it. Whatever this is, it's big and it's scary and if the Doc says stay in the TARDIS, I vote we stay." he told her, send another look to Gwen and Owen.
"That's very old of you Jack." River replied snidely, inspecting her blaster. "Unlike you however, I've never been one for the rules." she strolled off towards the door and turned back. "Besides, doesn't he have a dinner to go to later? It isn't something we want him to miss." Jack growled playfully at her, checking his holster simultaneously.
"Alright, we'll surround the building. Keep an eye on the top floor in case they need back up." he looked around at the group. "Keep an eye out for those missing people." Owen saluted him and the group stepped out into the sun.
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"It's too late, half of New York has already been converted and that's just the beginning! It's the dawn of a new age, Doctor." the giant TARDIS-like machine heaved loudly, the sound grinding metal ringing throughout the building. "Perhaps you and your kind won't be so unstoppable now."
"I will stop you, but I'm giving you an option. Give this up and I can fix this, so that will never have happened." the Doctor threatened. The man just laughed at him.
"You don't have the power." he stated, sounding amused.
"He doesn't, but I do." Rose stepped out to stand beside the Doctor. Her TARDIS was in her mind, telling her what to do, willing her to help the people in danger. True gold flashed in her eyes, the bright wisps searing through the darker color. "He's given you the choice, if you back down now we can help you, our own technology can give you back your mind."
"I made my choice when I bonded myself to this machine." Rose sighed wearily.
"Your bond will cost you your life." she replied regretfully. The Doctor squeezed her hand and she looked up at him. "He is what keeps it alive. So long as they are both bonded we cannot stop them."
"Together?" the words seemed so painful to form. She was carrying the burden he normally carried; the pain and regret in her eyes nearly broke him. For once, someone would understand him, but he would never have wished that pain on his Rose. His Rose. She nodded at him, her deep brown Her deep brown eyes conveying her faith in him. Without thinking she reached behind his head and pulled him down to her. Their foreheads touched, a searing blaze of gold flashing through their minds as their consciences collided. The Doctor stood quietly, his hand still clenched in hers, waiting for direction. He could hear the TARDIS communicate with Rose in a way she never did with him.

"My Doctor." Rose was in his mind, giving him a relief he'd thought he would never experience again. He smiled.

"We have to fix this. Their bond must be broken." She was saying. He nodded nodded slightly, as the TARDIS showed them what to do.