A/N Thanks everyone, your reviews are awesome and please keep sending them… I'm gonna try to update this story at least once a week but uni. might get in the way … if that happens I might just put up a short chapter or something. So here's the next chapter, hope you like it!
Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Doctor Who because if I did Rose would have either not been pulled into the alternate universe or she would have stayed after Journey's End. Grr, wishful thinking.
Chapter three: the Return
The Doctor, Rose, Jack and Donna, after a slightly emotional goodbye to Donna's mother and grandfather, were back on the TARDIS. The Doctor and Donna stood once again at the controls where the screen was situated and where conversing with Jack and the others again… or rather Donna was conversing with them, asking questions about them and their time with the Doctor… and if they had any idea what to do next.
The Doctor, while standing right beside her, was not paying any sort of attention to the somewhat random chatter, rather he was grinning and intently watching the girl he hadn't been able to take his eyes off since they had gotten back to Earth.
Rose walked around the TARDIS, once in a while stroking a pillar or part of the control panel, murmuring quiet words to the machine, even giggling at times as though the TARDIS was answering. The Doctor watched, fascinated. He had never seen a human so connected with his ship but even as he watched he could hear their conversation, the TARDIS sending her thoughts to him as well as Rose. Even Donna, who still had some issues with thinking the TARDIS as a living thing couldn't deny there was an awful lot more humming going on and the very atmosphere seemed to lift as soon as the small blonde set foot inside.
The Doctor couldn't tear his eyes away, still unbelieving she was actually there with him, after so… so long. He took note of everything; every change, like how her hair was just a bit longer and her body and face were slimmer and yet just as beautiful, and every little thing that was the same as the last time he'd saw her, before the tragedy of Canary Wharf, like the way she snuck glances at him out of the corner of her eye (although now it was more often than before), and the oh so tempting smile she threw in his direction, tongue peeking out from between her lips.
'Hello old girl,' Rose murmured, lifting a hand to rest against the wonderfully familiar coral pillar of the TARDIS just inside the door, 'I missed you.' She spoke quietly, even though she knew the Doctor could hear every word.
The machine hummed in agreement and Rose could swear she felt the pillar shift slightly under her fingers, as if nuzzling into the contact.
'Did you take care of him for me? You know he's hopeless by himself,' Rose said grinning up at him as he mock frowned indignantly for a moment, but being unable to hold the expression because of the happiness radiating through his every pore at her presence. She understood since she was feeling identical things in that moment and probably would be for quite a while, until it actually sunk in that she had made it back.
I did the best I could my child… but I'm afraid I was a poor substitute for you… He needs you Rose. Rose stood shocked for a moment – that was the first time the TARDIS had spoken directly to her – before she smiled again, knowing that he didn't here the last comment.
'Thank-you.'
She walked to the controls and around to where the other two were standing, knowing, by the way he was watching her, that the Doctor had just as much of an idea of what they were talking about as she did. She stood close enough by his side that their shoulders and arms were brushing together and it only took half a second for his hand to slip naturally into hers and squeeze lightly.
He looked down at her and smiled, 'that was long enough I think,' he said. And even though his face was joking she could see the seriousness in his eyes and she nodded, pressing closer into his side and laying her head against his shoulder, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath – even those few minutes of being away from each other, at least physically, was enough to give both of them shivers, the much needed reassurance of physical contact being relied upon between them even more than before.
After experiencing what it was like to see each other but not being able to touch and after that, not even seeing each other for months and even years, they would never take such a thing for granted again.
'Rose!' Jack cried out when she stopped wondering, stepping forward to pull her into a slightly awkward hug as the two still refused to relinquish contact from each other.
'Hey Jack, it's been a while since I saw that grin,' she laughed back at him, so happy to see the other part of her slightly dysfunctional family again.
'Ianto, Gwen,' Jack said, turning to face his two comrades on screen, 'meet Rose Tyler: defender of the Earth,' he spoke proudly, stealing the Doctors phrase that he had heard him use at one time or another and wrapping an arm around Rose and squeezing her shoulder – before getting a very possessive galre from the Doctor and dropping it immediately.
She waved lightly at them, 'hi,' she said simply, not bothering to lift her head from its very comfortable position of the Doctors shoulder, sighing in contentment when she felt him let go of her hand (with slight protest from her), running it up and down her back for a moment before bringing into her hair to stroke gently, savoring the feeling of the silky locks passing through his fingers.
Suddenly the screen went fuzzy and the Doctor was swiftly alert, straightening his posture, returning to holding Roses hand, eyes searching the screen.
'We lost them,' he said, typing with one hand. 'Hold on,' he drew out the words, tapping frantically at a key. 'No, no, no, no, no! There's another signal coming through, there's someone else out there. Oh that can't be good.' He exclaimed as he realized everyone who could possible know about him and be of help to him he was already in contact with.
'Your voice is different,' came a croaking, ominous but otherwise unfamiliar (to Rose and Donna) voice. 'And yet, its arrogance is unchanged.
Whatever doubts Jack, Rose and Donna had that this suspiciously Dalek sounding voice was a bad thing were erased at the fearful and terror filled gaze the Doctor was directly at the now dark, shadow shrouded screen, his expression and movement frozen in disbelief.
They saw a disgusting looking humanoid in a strange wheelchair roll forward into the light and all they needed was the shining blue light in his forehead to tell them that this… man if he could be called that, was with the Daleks.
'Welcome,' the creature spoke, almost mockingly. 'To my new Empire, Doctor.' Rose felt the hand in hers quiver just slightly and squeezed it hard again, this time receiving no indication he had felt her attempt at reassurance.
Donna screwed up her face in revulsion but didn't step back as she felt the need to, knowing by the look on the Doctors face that he would need all the support they could all give to get through whatever this was… she would not show her fear. She saw Jack step over to her side and he wrapped an arm around her shoulder, taking a moment to look down and smile at her, offering her the comfort the other two were unable to give.
'It is only fitting that you should bear witness to the resurrection and the triumph of Davros, Lord and Creator of the Dalek Race.'
The Doctor stayed frozen with fear and Rose began to get very worried, he never froze like this… ever.
'Doctor?'Donna called out gently to him, her hand on his other arm, trying to somehow ease his pain.
'Have you nothing to say?' the Dalek Lord asked smugly, showing a gruesome smile that made him look even more like a mutant.
'Oh shut up!,' Rose snapped, turning to face Davros for only a second before looking back to the Doctor, hand rubbing up and down his back. No one missed the shocked look on Davros' face at being spoken to in such a way but Rose couldn't bring herself to care… seeing the Doctor the way he was had put her into an extremely protective mood and even though it was probably a terrible idea she couldn't stand the monsters smug and joyful attitude, not when her Doctor was going through such obvious agony.
Oh I can see why he likes her, Donna thought impressed at the blondes bravery but realizing it was best not to comment out loud at the fierce, pissed-off expression Rose still had on her face, mutating to one of great concern over the Doctor… this would definitely not be the best time to joke.
Jack just grinned. It was good to have his Rosie back.
'Doctor, it's all right. We're... we're in the TARDIS.' Rose lifted a hand to his cheek ad turned his face towards her, urging him to look at her instead of this thing which had him so scared. 'We're safe.' She spoke with conviction looking into his eyes, reassuring.
'But he was destroyed.' He whispered to her, his eyes wide. 'In the very first year of the Time War, at the Gates of Elysiem,' he babbled slightly, unable to control his own words as the terror flowed through him. The consequences were bad enough last time he had seen this man but now… Rose…
He was brought quit suddenly out of his shocked state by the feeling of Rose's soft lips grazing against his cheek, a gesture to show him that she was fine and so were he and Donna and everyone else. He didn't realize that he had whispered her name out loud.
He quickly snapped back to reality, quickly turning to Donna to make sure she was still and there okay and finding her under the care of a sometimes questionable Captain Harkness, before pulling Rose into him and wrapping his arms around her back, squashing her tightly against his chest, not that she minded. His eyes focused back on the screen as Davros cackled.
'How sweet, has the Doctor fallen in love?' he cackled again. 'Oh we'll have to have some fun with her then.'
Rose felt the Doctor tense in her arms and quickly squeezed his waist, silently telling him to calm down, to not lose it and let the monster win. And so he continued, as if Davros had never spoken, not noticing the smirk Donna couldn't hold back. Hm, she couldn't help but think finally someone who can control him… she'll be handy. She leaned back so she could see the other girls face, half hidden by the Doctors shoulder, and smiled at her, giving a thumbs up behind his back, not being able to resist trying to lighten things up, even just a tiny bit.
'I saw your command ship flying into the jaws of the Nightmare Child. I tried to save you,' he spoke more confidently now being able to feel Rose all around him and Donna's hand still clasped on his shoulder. He thanked god for them being there knowing that he would not be able to stand here and speak to his enemy so confidently if not for their comfort.
'But it took one stronger than you. Dalek Caan himself.' Davros replied, moving on from tormenting Rose, his voice less arrogant now that he had failed to bait the Doctor.
An insane sounding voice came from off-screen. 'I flew into the wild and fire. I danced and died a thousand times!' Caan said in a sing-song voice, doing the Dalek equivalent of a giggle at the end of his riddle.
'Emergency temporal shift took him back into the Time War itself.'
'But that's impossible; the entire War is time-locked.' The Doctor was angry, disbelieving, the idea of anyone making it seem as though it was just that easy to go back and change time, especially of such a fixed event… No, it was impossible.
'And yet, he succeeded,' Davros shot back, smiling cruelly at the Time-Lord. 'Oh, it cost him his mind, but imagine - a single, simple Dalek succeeded where Emperors and Time Lords have failed. A testament, don't you think, to my remarkable creations? A new race of Dalek,' he continued, not wanting to be interrupted again. 'I gave myself to them. Quite literally. Each one grown from a cell of my own body.' He pulled the leather suit he was wearing open and revealed his rotten, emaciated form, his ribs and heart visible.
Both Donna and Rose turned away at this, Rose having escaped the almost choking hold the Doctor had on her enough to turn around in his arms… although now she wished she hadn't. They both felt their partners arm/s tighten around them.
'I have my children, Doctor. What do you have, now? A valiant little girl who will die before this fight is over and friends who are useless against me.' He sneered.
The Doctor felt such rage in him at the words. He new that everyone who were listening were not useless but he couldn't help but think the last time Rose's death had been prophesized the creature had been right. He let his arms fall from around her, once again picking up her hand as he bent closer to the screen, anger and a fierce protectiveness burning in the depths of his eyes. That wouldn't happen again he swore.
'After all this time... everything we saw, everything we lost... I have only one thing to say to you. BYE!' He shouted with a distinctly manic air to his voice, pulling a lever and making the entire TARDIS lurch aggressively.
Donna knew the last comment the creator had made had been just a step too far for the Time Lord to handle. She had seen his eyes and face change as he insulted them, she even had to refrain from taking another step back even though it was quite obvious those emotions weren't directed at her.
Rose shivered pulling away from the Doctor and staring fearfully into his eyes. Donna and Jack looked over to see identical tears glistening in their eyes, another sort of fear seeming to overcome both of them now… one that was almost more intense than the last.
'Doctor,' Rose spoke in a cracked voice barely above a whisper. 'It's happening again.'
A/N I'm not so sure about the whole chapter… I don't think I wrote it very well and I'm sorry it wasn't changed very much. The only thing I like about it is the ending. I'm really not happy with this chapter so I hope you guys liked it better than I do and I hope everyone likes my next chapters more. It'll be changing more in the next chapter.