I only got one review but quite a few alerts. I would appreciate reviews, however, as you can see, I'm not going to make my updates depend on how many reviews I get. This has an original section along with a familiar section. I want to say that, starting chapter 3, I found the transcripts so I have more exact lines but I don't here. With that being said, enjoy!
Chapter 2: The Beginning and the End
The Doctor was flitting around the console, pushing buttons and pulling levers.
"Right! So where do you two want to go? Past or future?" he asked. Rose beamed at him before stopping and glancing at Freya.
"She was here first. She should get the first pick," Rose suggested. The Doctor nodded, staring expectantly at Freya. The girl looked at him for a moment, contemplating something.
"Past. I…I have a year I want to visit," she said quietly. The Doctor's eyes instantly went up.
"We aren't going back to change anything." He informed her sharply. Freya shook her head.
"I know. I don't want to change anything. I just….I want to know the truth," Freya said before rattling off a date. A date almost twenty-one years ago.
Before she was even born. The Doctor eyed her but said nothing, instead bustling around to get the date right. The TARDIS moved and the Doctor opened the door.
"Here we are. Now, where are you needing to go?" he asked her, but Freya was already shakily at the door. She stepped outside, glancing around. They were here. America. Where her parents were from, before they moved to London. They didn't move until close to her due date.
"That hospital. They had a doctor's appointment today. It was where they started hating me," Freya said softly. Rose instantly slung her arms around the girl, glaring at the Doctor until he did the same.
"Come on," Freya whispered, pointing at the hospital that loomed in front of her.
The three of them entered the busy hospital, Freya instantly knowing where to go. They'd visited America once, when she was six, and she'd come here at her grandmother's urging. It was her grandmother that told her this was where it all began.
The Doctor linked his hand with hers, not trusting this girl to not run off and do something stupid. Rose linked her own hand with Freya's other, offering up support.
They were on their way to the room Freya knew her mother would be in when she noticed something off. There were six doctors in one room, examining ultrasounds.
She moved towards it, towards the open door.
"I don't know how it's possible! There's something wrong with her," the first said, wildly pointing at the image.
"Her system…it's astounding. It looks like it was made for two hearts," another doctor breathed.
"But she only has one. I don't know what it is. We checked her records for any records of experimentation or freak accidents, but there's nothing. However, it doesn't look like she'll be able to carry the baby full term," the first doctor said.
"That won't be a problem. I was just in there. She was asking how soon she could get an abortion. Woman was saying how she wanted to start a family, just not right now. Wants to dispose of the baby as soon as she can," a female doctor said in disgust. Freya gasped quietly as her eyes finally landing on the name on the top of the ultrasounds. Kim O'Leary.
Her mother.
"Not with this system, she won't. There's something not quite right. And any abnormalities could be passed on to the child. If she aborts the baby, there's no chance of her being able to have another," a different doctor observed.
"What should we tell her? We have no idea what this even is. I doubt she does. She doesn't seem very intelligent, and I don't want her running off trying to get other tests run. This…this isn't natural," the first doctor asked. The doctors all exchanged looks of confusion.
The Doctor released her hand and strode into the room.
"Excuse me. I'm the Doctor. And I might have a solution for you," the Doctor said with a cheeky smile. Each doctor stared at him in confusion as he whipped out a piece of paper that, from where she was standing, looked blank. Each of them nodded as they read it, eyes focused on him.
"There now. That's good. Now, there's no need to alarm her in saying her body's different. What are the odds it'll transfer to the child?" the Doctor asked. He hadn't noticed the name, Freya realized.
"Very high. We noticed it in the infant first. The baby will be similar, if not more mutated, than the mother," the first doctor explained. The Doctor nodded at his words.
"Tell her she has to have the baby or she will never have a family. No need in her killing the wee child before he or she is born. If the mother is as stupid as you claim she is, don't tell her it's hereditary. Make her think is has to do with the baby alone. And recommend her staying away from doctors," the Doctor offered. Before another word could be said, he strolled right back out of the office. Freya's eyes were wide as they made it down the hall.
"Right. Now. What room do we need to go to?" the Doctor asked her pleasantly, finally seeing her expression of horror. He turned back towards the room, then back at her, the pieces finally clicking in his mind.
"That's why. That's why they hated me," Freya murmured.
"Wait – your parents. Your parents hate you. And you say they have since this point?" the Doctor asked her, staring at her. Freya nodded.
"Grandmother used to tell me that she was never really excited for me. Never wanted a child until her late twenties. Then she was pregnant with me and decided she wanted an abortion, but something changed her mind. But she resented me for every second of the pregnancy," Freya murmured.
"No wonder the Nyonx came after you. With that much grief, you were an easy target. An easy, important target," the Doctor murmured, staring at the heartbroken girl.
"You did that!" Rose accused, staring at him. The Doctor was startled by her sudden outburst.
"Excuse me?" he asked, staring at her. Rose pointed towards the room where the doctors were now leaving and heading towards what she knew was her parents' room.
"You caused her parents to hate her with your words!" Rose pointed out. The Doctor's eyes widened.
"No. That wasn't his fault. They already did. He couldn't have known that would happen. And it had happened before as well," Freya defended quietly. Rose spun on the girl, shocked.
"But you just heard him! You know why your parents hated you! Aren't you the slightest bit upset?" Rose demanded. Freya's eyes instantly glued themselves to the ground.
"No. Because it had to happen. I didn't come back to change it. That would change me. If he hadn't said anything, they might've aborted me," Freya said. She slowly lifted her eyes to the pair of them, noting the shock rolling off both the Doctor and Rose.
"Should we get going? I believe it's Rose's turn," Freya said quietly, mustering up a small smile. She started walking, a feeling of relieve sweeping through her when she heard the footsteps of the Doctor and Rose behind her.
"That's it? Don't you want to explore a bit? See what's happening?" the Doctor tried.
"No. It's okay. I've…" Freya was cut off when she collided with someone. She fell to the ground, as did the other person. Freya quickly tried standing back up, glancing at the person.
Her throat nearly closed up.
"I'm so sorry. I wasn't looking where I was going," the woman she'd run into said, pushing herself to her feet. She looked at Freya and smiled before the smile morphed into one of pure excitement.
"It's you! You're here! I knew you'd come!" she said, reaching quickly for Freya. The Doctor intercepted the woman's arm, glancing in between Freya's looks of absolute shock and the woman's look of pure job.
"Who are you? How did you know we would be here?" the Doctor asked her. He shot Freya a suspicious look, but Freya didn't even notice.
"Grandma?" Freya asked hesitantly. The woman nodded excitedly.
It was her grandmother. The one that'd left her the house. The only woman who truly cared about her, outside of her mystery man. Her grandmother, who had died when she was seven.
"Let's go down to the cafeteria. We need to sit and talk. At least, that's what I was told," she said with a wide and loving smile. She reached past the Doctor this time, pulling Freya into a warm hug. Freya didn't know how to react.
"Before we go anywhere with you, tell us how you knew we'd be here," the Doctor said coldly. Her grandmother sighed and pulled away, staring sharply at the Doctor.
"You're still the same impatient man I met years ago, even if you do have a different face. More so now, I'd assume. You told me you'd be here. You and Freya told me you'd visit me," her grandmother explained with yet another smile. Freya opened her mouth, so many questions brimming in her mind. Her grandmother shook her head with a sad smile.
"I'm dead in your time. I know that. I could tell the moment I ran into you. The loneliness, darling, it rolls off of you in waves, just like it did when you were a kid. You're so alone. But you shouldn't be. You don't have to be," she said, grasping her granddaughter's hand.
"She's not alone. She has us. Right, Doctor?" Rose asked, smiling up at the Doctor. Her hand slid into the Doctors and the Doctor held out a hand to Freya. Freya looked surprised to see the hand offered to her and tentatively took it. The feeling of relieve and warmth was almost instant. Her grandmother laughed at her.
"You never changed. Still craving physical contact," her grandmother said. Freya allowed a tiny smile on her lips.
"Smile more, darling. Smile more. Your future self told me to tell you that. And about this depression: it's only temporary. Life does move on. Your life moves on," her grandmother told her, nearly causing Freya to cry.
But her grandmother wasn't done. She bypassed Freya, instead moving close to the Doctor.
"You will help her. It may not seem like it now, but you'll change her entire world. And one day, you'll make her greatest dream come true," she whispered, her voice so quiet Rose and Freya couldn't hear her. She pulled back almost as quickly as she'd leaned in.
"Cecilia, what are you doing? I thought we were here for Kim and here you are gabbing in the hallway?" a voice called from down the hallway. Both the Doctor and Rose's eyes widened. A blonde came strolling down the hallway towards them, eyes locked on Freya's grandmother.
"Mum?" Rose whispered, her voice barely carrying to Freya.
"Yes, we are. I've run into some family of mine," her grandmother said, gesturing towards them.
"Family? I don't seem to recall ever meeting them," the blonde scoffed.
"Jackie, you haven't met all of the family. You and Pete haven't been married all that long. My son hasn't stayed in contact with much of the family," her grandmother said. Freya glanced over at the other two, eyes wide.
Rose had called her Mum. And her grandmother just called Rose's Mum's husband her son.
Did that make her and Rose…cousins?
"Blimey, you've gone and made this domestic," the Doctor mumbled, clearly distraught at the idea.
"Freya, this is Jackie, my son's wife. Jackie, this is Freya. She's my sister's child. The man is her husband, and the girl is a cousin of hers," her grandmother said with a wink at Freya. Jackie nodded before turning back to her grandmother.
"What room's Kim in? I'll never hear the end of it, her being pregnant before me. What's the news?" Jackie asked, ignoring us. Freya's grandmother stared at Jackie for a moment.
"It sounds like she's going to have a very lonely child," her grandmother said. Jackie shook her head.
"Lonely child? The things you come up with. Let's go. Nice meeting you, Freya, husband, cousin," Jackie said as she whisked Freya's grandmother away.
"So…we're cousins? How did I not know that? I thought I knew all of my family!" Rose exclaimed, staring at Freya.
"My parents didn't stay in contact with much of the family, save my grandmother. And she died when I was little," Freya murmured.
"I had another grandmother I never met," Rose murmured as well.
"So sometime in the future, we go and visit her. Tell her what to tell us. But what did the rest of her words mean? You had a different face? And she knew Rose was my cousin. So she said my cousin. Why did she call you my husband? What did she say to you?" Freya asked, her words stronger than they had been since she'd woken up. The Doctor shrugged helplessly.
"Nothing important. We should probably get going. I'm slightly confused, and that doesn't happen often," the Doctor said with a large grin.
"But what did she mean?" Rose persisted as well, wanting answers almost as bad as Freya did.
"I don't know. So let's get out of here," the Doctor finally said once more, frustrated. Freya tentatively slid her hand into his, hoping it would do as a signal that she was ready to go, would go. Rose sighed and finally took his other hand. The three of them made their way out of the hospital and back to the TARDIS rather quickly.
"Now, Rose, your turn. Forwards or backwards? I feel like showing off," the Doctor said with a larger than life grin. Freya smiled slightly at his actions.
"Forwards," Rose decided.
"How far?"
"A hundred years?" Rose sounded unsure, as if she didn't truly believe him. Freya knew he could do it. After all, he'd proven himself for her. The Doctor grinned at her and started pressing buttons. He stopped after a few minutes.
"There we are. 100 years in your future," the Doctor said with a cheeky grin. Rose's eyes went wide.
"Outside, it's 100 years in my future?" Rose asked in disbelief.
"You're right. Not impressive enough," the Doctor said and he started pressing buttons once more. Freya watched him, almost amused. She felt the warm presence envelope her once more.
The presence of the TARDIS.
It was like a long-lost friend.
She ignored Rose and the Doctor as he grinned once more and pressed even still more buttons.
"How about you step outside now?" he asked her, a smug grin on his face. Rose started to but stopped. She glanced back at Freya, whose eyes were closed and a small smile was on her lips. Rose walked over and grabbed the girl's hand, startling her.
"Come on!" Rose said with a grin. Freya allowed herself to be pulled to her feet, feeling slightly shocked. She hadn't been expecting the girl to like her.
Then again, she had just discovered that Freya was her cousin. That might have something to do with it.
Rose pushed the door open and tentatively stepped out, Freya behind her.
The Doctor walked in front of them and pushed a button, causing a grey wall to split apart and reveal an image of the earth.
They were in space.
The Doctor grinned at the girls' stunned looks.
"The year's five point five slash apple slash twenty-six. Five billion years in the future. And this…hold on," he said, glancing up from his watch as a solar flare…at least, Freya assumed it was a solar flare…occurred.
"This is the day the sun expands. Welcome to the end of Earth."
His words shocked Freya and Rose. The two of them stared at the earth sadly.
"Wait. I thought that took hundreds of years," Rose said, turning to the Doctor.
"Thousands, actually," he corrected her.
"Shouldn't the continents have moved? Or is that a lie?" Freya asked quietly.
"No. They moved. But they were shifted back. And the solar flares have been held back. But the money's run out. Time's up," the Doctor stated apathetically.
"Is that why we're here? Are you going to rush in and save the earth?" Rose asked excitedly. The Doctor shook his head bluntly.
"Nope. It's the Earth's time," the Doctor stated.
"But what about the people?" Freya questioned, feeling herself growing concerned.
"The people have all left. Touched about every planet, I'd wager," the Doctor reassured them.
Freya opened her mouth, wanting to ask something else, anything else, when a voice sounded from behind them.
"What the hell are you doing here?"
The three of them spun around to see a blue man staring angrily at them. Freya's chest tightened momentarily until she noted the difference in this blue man and the blue men who'd gotten inside her head.
"Oh, that's nice. Thanks," the Doctor responded pleasantly.
"This place has been secured. The guests should be arriving any minute!" the blue man fretted.
"That's us! We're guests. I'm the Doctor, and this is Freya O'Leary and Rose Tyler. They're my plus two. Is that okay?" the Doctor asked, holding out a piece of paper to the man….er, alien. The blue alien nodded.
"What's that?" Rose asked. Freya stared at the blank piece of paper, wondering what the blue alien had seen.
"Psychic paper. Shows people what I want them to see," the Doctor said with a grin. The blue man sighed and walked away, leading them out of the room and into another where they were announced as other aliens came in as well.
Freya's head spun at the sight. Going to the past was one thing, but this? This was crazy.
A tree…person…came up to them, smiling.
"I give you a cutting of my grandfather as a peace offering," she said, handing a small potted tree to the Doctor. He smiled and handed it to Freya, who instantly stroked the tiny plant.
"Hello," Freya said quietly. The tree person regarded her with surprise.
"You know plants," she said simply. Freya looked up quickly, eyes wide.
"I'm sorry. Was I not supposed to do that?" she asked fearfully. The tree person laughed and shook her head.
"No, but you're the first. I'm Jabe. And you are?" she asked, intrigued. Freya looked up at the Doctor, unsure.
"This is Freya O'Leary," the Doctor introduced. Jabe and the other trees' eyes widened.
"Isn't that the name of our founder?" one of the other tree people asked. Freya's own eyes went wide. The Doctor glanced between Freya and the trees.
"What year are you from, child?" Jabe asked her gently, noting the girl's panic.
"2005," Freya whispered, gripping the potted plant tightly.
"Then don't die anytime soon. You're the reason we exist," Jabe told her with a smile. She turned to the Doctor, noting his expression.
"I hope you enjoy your gift of peace," Jabe said. The Doctor's eyes widened.
"Oh right! Gifts!" he said, patting himself down. After a moment he straightened his jacket.
"I give you air from my lungs," the Doctor said, leaning closer as he exhaled over the trees. Jabe closed her eyes, breathing it in.
"How very…intimate. How often does Freya receive that gift?" Jabe asked, her wooden eyebrows waggling at Freya. Freya's entire face turned a dark scarlet at the words.
"Oh, all the time," the Doctor said, not noticing the tree's expression. Rose giggled at the interaction as the trees walked away.
"She was implying that you kiss her," Rose told the Doctor, causing his eyes to widen and his own cheeks to turn red. Before he could apologize or say anything to Freya, another group of people came up to them.
Freya took a small step backwards and slowly walked away from Rose and the Doctor. She wanted to be alone. Away from everything. Away from this crazy place.
She turned around once she was sure they hadn't noticed she was gone. And came face to face with…a large face. Freya bit back a scream as someone steadied her.
"Whoa there. Don't want to fall over," the man who steadied her said. Freya opened her mouth but the man gestured towards the face.
Hello Freya. It's been awhile.
The words came inside her mind. Her eyes widened at the words as she glanced around the room suspiciously before her eyes landed on the face.
Yes. That was me. I'm the Face of Boe.
The face's lips didn't move. He was speaking through her head. The thought made Freya shiver. He was inside her head. Just like the other aliens had been. And like the Doctor probably had been. Could all aliens get in her head? Was her head ever going to be just hers again?
A chuckle resonated in her head.
I'm not in your head. I'm telepathic. I'm merely talking to you.
Freya tried to nod but felt overwhelmed. Her legs wobbled and she sank to the ground quickly. A set of hands pulled her to her feet carefully. She glanced over her shoulder to see the Doctor holding her up.
"We're terribly sorry for bothering you," the Doctor said politely. Again, Freya could hear the chuckling in her head.
It's no bother. I was the one who wished to speak with her. Take care of her, Doctor.
The Face of Boe nodded to both of them and the Doctor nodded before attempting to help Freya walk away. It took a few steps but she finally got control of her legs and was able to walk on her own.
"Where's Rose?" Freya asked the Doctor as they left the main room.
"She ran off just before I found you. I didn't realize you'd left. Don't wander off," the Doctor warned her. Freya nodded, chagrined. Her eyes remained on the floor as the Doctor lead them through the observation deck. He stopped abruptly and grabbed Freya's free hand, causing her eyes to shoot up to his.
The sudden contact sent a smile to her lips unbidden. The Doctor smiled right back at her.
"It's okay. Don't worry. I was just worried. You never know how dangerous these places can be," the Doctor warned her. Freya gave him a smile and nodded, but the smile was smaller than her first smile. The two of them walked into the observation room where Rose was sitting down, a small round ball next to her. Freya assumed it was a gift, sort of like the plant she was still carrying.
"How're you holding up?" the Doctor asked as he sat down next to Rose. Freya tentatively sat down on the other side of the Doctor. She stared outside, ignoring the Doctor and Rose's conversation as she examined the Earth.
It was truly beautiful. She could see why some people could never be content staying on Earth after seeing such a beautiful sight. It made her never want to live a normal life again.
No. She needed a normal life. She would go back to a normal life. There was no reason the Doctor would want her around. He said he'd take her on an adventure. This was an adventure.
"Your turn."
The Doctor's words made her jump. She looked up at him in alarm, noticing his open hand extended towards her. Rose was on her cell phone, babbling away to someone. Freya's eyes widened and she dug around in her hoodie pocket, pulling out her cell phone. It had been off when she'd left. She hadn't remembered it.
"How did you know I had a cell phone with me?" Freya asked as he pulled the back off and started working on it.
"It was in your pocket when you went into your coma. I switched it off so it wouldn't be dead when you woke up," the Doctor explained, turning the phone on.
And promptly winced.
"What?" Freya asked, moving closer to him.
"You have quite a few missed calls. And messages," the Doctor said. Freya flipped the phone, ready to start sifting through them, when the phone rang. Her eyes widened as she stared at the phone.
Her mother was calling.
Freya tentatively pressed the talk button and held the phone up to her ear.
"Hello?" Freya answered, preparing herself.
"HELLO? Are you kidding me? Where are you? What are you doing? Why did I get a call from your work saying you haven't shown up in weeks? Where have you been? And why did they call me?" her mother spat. Freya winced at the tone. She rarely talked to her mother.
"I've been working there since I was seventeen. They needed a contact and you were my only contact at the time. I'm sorry. I'll change it when I go back," Freya murmured.
"It doesn't matter! You've been fired. I told them to go ahead and do it. If you wanted a job that bad, you'd have showed up for it," her mother said disdainfully.
"Is everything okay?" the Doctor asked her, noting her winces.
"Is that a man? So you're out, sleeping around with men now, are you?" her mother accused loudly, so loudly the Doctor could hear it plain as day. He snatched the phone from her without a second thought.
"She is not sleeping around. You should speak better to your only child. She's been violently ill for a few weeks and is only now better enough to move around. It's nice to know you care," the Doctor spat before hanging up the phone.
"It's okay. She's always like that," Freya muttered, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear subconsciously. She sent a quick text to Marie, letting her know she was okay. And put the phone away.
"I'm glad my mother reacted better than that," Rose observed, trying to lighten the mood.
"I've been missing for weeks," Freya admitted. The Doctor stiffened at her words.
"Yeah. You have. I thought you told your friend you were taking a vacation," the Doctor said carefully.
"I did. But I didn't call work. So they called my mother. And she recommended they fire me," Freya admitted.
"Then I guess it's a good thing you have a new job," the Doctor told her with a grin.
"What job would that be?" Rose asked curiously.
"Freya, would you do me the honors of being my companion?" the Doctor asked her, a grin still on his face.
"Companion?" Freya asked, eyebrows shooting up. Rose's own eyes were wide as well. It was only then that the Doctor realized their horror.
"No! No, I didn't mean it like that! I meant as a mate!" the Doctor tried correcting himself, but it only made the girls' eyes widen even more.
"A FRIEND! A friend to travel with!" the Doctor said once more. Both Freya and Rose relaxed at his change of words.
"I wouldn't mind," Freya said quietly. The Doctor's grin became a full-blown smile and he picked her up, spinning her around.
"Fantastic!" he cheered just as the observation station shook. The shaking made him stop mid-swing, Freya still hanging in the air in his arms.
"That's not supposed to happen," the Doctor said, a grin appearing once more on his face as he placed Freya back on the ground.
The three of them took off running for the main area, only pausing long enough to hear an announcement trying to give a reason behind the sudden shaking.
The Doctor shook his head as they approached Jabe. Jabe gave Freya a warm smile, one she could only offer a poor imitation of.
"That wasn't a gravity pocket. I know gravity pockets and they don't feel like that. What do you think, Jabe? Listened to the engines. They're pitched up about thirty Hertz. That dodgy or what?" the Doctor asked the tree.
She stared blankly at him, as if she understood as little of his words as Freya did.
"It's metal. The sound of metal never made much sense to me," Jabe told him bluntly. Freya bit back a giggle at her words, but Jabe still noticed the girl's movement and smiled at her once more.
"Where's the engine room?" the Doctor prodded her once more, ignoring the girls behind him.
"I don't know, but the maintenance duct is right behind our guest suite. I could show you and your wife," Jabe said, gesturing towards Freya.
"And friend," Jabe added quickly, noticing Rose once more.
"She's not my wife," the Doctor said quickly, glancing back at Freya. This was the second time someone had suggested they were married.
"Partner?" Jabe asked, confused.
"No," the Doctor answered, allowing himself to be more cheerful this time.
"Concubine?" Jabe tried, appearing to become even more confused. Freya's eyes widened at the direction the conversation was going.
"Nope," the Doctor told her once more.
"Prostitute?" Jabe tried. Rose grabbed Freya's arm.
"Whatever she is, she must be invisible. We'll just go talk with Michael Jackson over there," Rose said. Freya's eyes widened and her hand shot out for the Doctor's jacket, gripping it tightly. She couldn't think of why she did it. There was no logical reasoning, but she just really didn't want to leave the Doctor's side. Not with all these people here, these people who could get inside her brain. He'd protected her before. He could do it again, right?
"You can go. Freya'll come with us. Don't start a fight," the Doctor warned with a smile. Rose eyed Freya for a moment before releasing the girl's hand.
Rose walked away from them, straight for the flat…human? Freya hesitated to even call her a human. The Doctor tugged her hand from his jacket and entwined their fingers before offering his arm to Jabe.
"We're all yours," he told her. Jabe took it and smiled, both at the Doctor and Freya.
"I don't understand. What is your relationship? The history books stated that our founder was in a relationship," Jabe questioned. The Doctor glanced down at Freya, eyes wide.
"Are you sure Freya is your founder?" the Doctor asked her. Jabe nodded before pulling out an odd looking box. It held two pictures on it, one of the Doctor and one of Freya.
"It recognized her as almost human immediately and our founder seconds later. It also recognized you. It didn't want to tell me who you were. Like it didn't believe you existed," Jabe said, watching the Doctor. He stiffened at her words.
"Almost human?" he asked. Jabe nodded.
"That's why it was so easy to identify her as the founder. She has the odd birth defect. But she's not quite human," Jabe explained. Freya blocked the words from her mind, allowing the Doctor to pull her along. As he did, she noticed metal spider-looking creatures. Her eyes widened and she started to tug on the Doctor's hand but stopped. He was busy.
She tried pulling her hand free of his but his only tightened moreso on her hand. She allowed him to drag her along.
"So you've talked about me and Freya. What about you? Why are you here?" the Doctor asked, bringing Freya from her thoughts.
"Respect for the Earth," Jabe told them serenely.
"Oh come on. Everyone on this platforms worth millions," the Doctor scoffed. Jabe shrugged casually at his accusation.
"It may have been a case of having to be seen at the right event," she stated.
"So it's to make sure your shares don't drop? I know you trees. You have roots all over the place," the Doctor scoffed at her once more.
"All the same, we hold respect for the Earth. It's where we came from. My species came from the Earth. I'm a direct descendent of a tropical rainforest," Jabe explained with a smile. She winked at Freya, who did her best to simply smile back.
The Doctor opened a door leading to the Engine room, dropping her arm in the process. She shivered at the loss of contact and the Doctor shrugged his jacket off, wrapping it around her shoulders.
"If you want to wait right here, we'll be right out," he told her with a small smile. He started to walk away but stopped, moving back towards her as Freya pulled her arms into the jacket sleeves.
"I need to grab my screwdriver," the Doctor told her before pulling the jacket back and reaching deep inside one of the inside pockets. Freya's eyes widened as it took him a few minutes before he finally pulled a slim metal stick from her pocket, one that did not resemble a screwdriver.
He flashed her another smile and gave her a quick kiss on the forehead before dashing into the Engine room with Jabe.
Freya stood there for a moment, in shock. No one had ever given her a kiss before. Ever. Not even her grandmother. Not even on the cheek, or forehead.
She was pulled from her thoughts where she heard someone coming behind them. She quickly hid in a doorway, peeking out to see the creepy black-robed aliens dragging Rose down the hallway. They disappeared into a room with her and left without her, locking the room. Freya watched intently as they pressed quite a few buttons on the panel next to the room and the doors slid shut.
The moment they disappeared, Freya took off running for the door. She tried pulling it open, but nothing happened. It was locked. And she couldn't remember the sequence of the code they'd pushed in.
She had to help Rose! What if something happened to her in there? Freya racked her brain, trying to think of anything that could possibly get her out. But what could she do?
Her mind went back to high school, when her and Marie had wanted to be spies. They used to do all sorts of things they'd seen in movies. One of the things they'd seen had to do with fingerprints to figure out passwords.
She dug around in the pockets, hoping to find something useful. Freya's hand closed around something thin, sort of like a mini flashlight. She pulled it out, only to realize it looked almost identical to the screwdriver the Doctor had pulled out. Freya examined it, pressing a button. A blue light came out, causing her to smile. She pointed it at the keyboard and pressed the button.
Instead of showing her fingerprints, the keyboard exploded. Freya's eyes widened. Oh no. That wasn't good. She tried pushing a few different buttons on the screwdriver but had no idea what any of them did. She couldn't risk blowing the computer itself up!
But what about the lock? She could blow it up. Then she could open the door. Freya pointed it at the door and pressed the button, squeezing her eyes shut as she did.
When she opened her eyes, the door was smoking slightly. Freya quickly shoved on it, astonished when it flew open.
Rose was lying on the ground at the bottom of the observation room. Freya shoved the screwdriver thing back into her pocket and ran down the stairs, looping her arms under Rose's arms.
She had no clue when the aliens would be back. They had to get out fast. Freya dragged Rose's body up the stairs as fast as she dared. The movement warmed her up and she thought of taking the jacket off. No. No extra hands. And the Doctor would want his jacket back.
As soon as she reached the top stair, she heard something.
"Sun filters descending."
The sound was accompanied with the top of the room's window starting to turn into a burning light. Freya's eyes widened and she pulled Rose out of the room with a strength she didn't realize she possessed. As soon as Rose was out of the way of the door, Freya pushed the door shut.
As soon as the door was shut, she sank to the ground in front of it, eyes closing. Exhaustion settling in. So tired. She just wanted to sleep.
"Freya? Freya, are you alright?" a voice called. She felt herself being shaken moments later and her eyes slowly cracked open. Jabe was standing in front of her, eyes wide. The moment their eyes met, Jabe sighed in relief.
"She's okay, Doctor," Jabe said. Freya tilted her head, glancing over at the Doctor. He was using his screwdriver on the screen, trying to fix whatever was happening.
"What happened to the keyboard?" the Doctor asked, glancing over at me.
"I was trying to see fingerprints so I could unlock it, but I accidentally blew it up," Freya admitted.
"With what?" the Doctor asked, astonished. Freya pulled the screwdriver from her pocket and his face lit up.
"I didn't realize I had a spare!" he exclaimed. He pushed one last button on the screen before putting his screwdriver in his jean pocket.
"Can you walk?" the Doctor asked Freya. She gripped the door behind her and tried pulling herself to her feet but swayed. The Doctor scooped her up, not even giving herself a chance to recover. He glanced over at Rose, who Jabe was currently helping to stand up.
"We need to go back to the main area. Jabe, can you help Rose? When we get there, she's probably going to need to sit down for awhile," the Doctor said. Jabe nodded, roping a wooden arm around Rose's waist to help hold her up. The Doctor took off running, Freya gripping onto his shirt tightly.
"Is my jacket warm enough for you?" the Doctor asked her as he turned a corner.
"Yes. Thank you. You must be cold," Freya murmured. The Doctor smiled, not even looking down at her.
"Nah."
They crashed into the main room, where everyone was starting to panic. Jabe was right behind them, Rose looking quite green at the quick movement.
Freya herself felt quite green. The Doctor and Jabe started talking, as did quite a few of the aliens, but Freya's head was spinning too much to follow. The only thing she really did follow was the flat…thing…transporting herself out.
"Heat levels rising."
The computer voice made Freya jump.
"Reset the computer," a small alien ordered.
"Only the Steward would know how," Jabe said sadly. Freya glanced at them, confused. What had happened to the Steward?
"No. We can do it by hand. There must be a system restore switch. Jabe, stay with Rose. We'll be back. You lot, just chill," the Doctor said before turning abruptly and running once more towards the engine room.
The words heat levels rising echoed behind them the entire way.
"Earth Death in two minutes," the computer voice continued. Two minutes? Did that mean they had two minutes? Freya's eyes widened at the words.
"Heat levels hazardous," the computer voice droned as the Doctor sat Freya on her feet. She was thrilled that she could stand on her own now.
"Guess where it is?" the Doctor said drily, eyes glued to the sharp, large fans speeding in front of them. He moved his way towards a lever. He pulled it down, causing the fans to slow. The moment he released the lever, the fans resumed full speed. Freya moved towards it and pulled it down. The Doctor's eyes widened on her.
"You can't do that! The heat's going to vent into here!" the Doctor cried. Freya shrugged off the jacket quickly, pulling the screwdriver from the pocket and slipping it in her dress pocket before wrapping the jacket around the lever. Then she pulled it back down.
"Then hurry," Freya told him, putting the majority of her weight on the lever. The Doctor shot her a look, one she couldn't quite interpret, before turning to face the first fan. After a moment of watching it, he ducked under it.
Freya felt warm. Truly warm. It was crazy. The air around her was shimmering, almost like a mirage. But she felt warm.
Then the warm changed. She was hot. She couldn't remember ever feeling so hot. Her eyes drifted down to the jacket, which was smoking. Oh. She was ruining his jacket. Her vision swam for a moment as she heard the computer counting down seconds.
And then it just stopped.
Everything stopped. Freya closed her eyes and slumped down, still warm.
When she woke up, she was lying in a bed not unlike the first one she'd awoken on. There was an IV in her arm and Rose was sitting in the chair next to her bed. At Freya's movement, Rose's head shot up.
"Doctor! Doctor, she's awake!" Rose shouted. A moment later, footsteps rang through the hallways and the Doctor appeared, looking quite rushed. When his eyes landed on her, they lit up.
"Hey! You're up. How are you feeling?" he asked her, quickly checking a monitor.
"I ruined your jacket," Freya said suddenly, feeling quite bad about it.
"Hey. It was just a jacket. I have more of them. I don't have more of you," the Doctor told her sternly.
"Can I get out of here?" Freya asked, glancing around the room. She felt rested. Moreso than she had after her coma. The Doctor's expression softened and he started removing the IV.
"Doctor, is there any way I can go home?" Rose asked quietly.
"You don't want to stay?" the Doctor asked in confusion. Rose hesitated but shook her head.
"I might want to travel with you again sometime, but…not right now. I…I saw people die, Doctor. And Freya almost died. I just…I want to spend some time with my mum. Can I travel with you again later?" Rose asked him tentatively. The Doctor nodded.
"Of course. I do have a time machine," the Doctor told her with a grin. He helped me stand and Rose led me towards the console room where the Doctor started flipping switches. He stopped after a few moments and headed towards the doors, flinging them open.
"There ya go. Home sweet home," the Doctor said drily. Rose stood and turned, facing Freya.
"I can't believe it took going to the past to meet my cousin," Rose said. Freya gave her a smile back.
"Can you do me a favor? I don't know how long I'll be gone. Can you contact my friend Marie? Let her know I'm safe?" Freya asked. Rose nodded quickly.
"Of course!" she said, offering her phone to Freya. Freya quickly typed Marie's number in the phone and handed it back to her. The two hugged once more and the Doctor ignored them as Rose left.
"I suppose you want to go home now too," the Doctor said, staring at the console. Freya's eyes went wide.
"Do you want me to go home?" she asked him fearfully. The Doctor's head jerked up.
"No. I just thought you'd want to. You've almost died, twice, in the two alien encounters you've had," the Doctor pointed out.
"I thought you were still trying to figure out what's so different about me," Freya countered, shocking herself at her words. The Doctor's mouth opened and then promptly closed.
"I guess this means you're in it for the long run?" the Doctor asked her. Freya must've imagined the hopefulness in his voice.
"Yeah. I guess I am."
What do you think? Believe it or not, I have at least the first season almost entirely planned. Let me know what you liked and didn't like, but keep in mind I already have plans. I hope no one thinks my character is ridiculous. I'm working on her. She's...struggling, to say the least. It'll take her awhile to get normal moods. She's depressed, but won't ignore things that make her happy.
Oh, and I didn't realize when I started this fanfiction how many depressed OC stories there were. Sorry for that. But I like mine the way it is and how it is going and am trying to keep it as unique as possible. :)
Andi