Chapter 2

It was very dark. The moon he remembered from last time was just a splinter in the night sky, the clouds obscuring all but a few stars. The Doctor stood at the mouth of the caves, listening as the still silence of the night was broken by the shifting of rocks and the low cursing of men stumbling through dark caves. He could make out six distinct voices. Three had already passed their cave and were well on their way out of even his earshot. One, by the muttered curses, had fallen and hurt himself rather badly and was even now limping back towards the village.

It was the last two he was worried about. There was apparently some relationship between them- they cooperated, helping each other over larger obstacles and were almost continually silent, working in sync without a word needed. And they were methodically searching the caves. Apparently, the only reason they hadn't reached their cave yet was because the second cave was riddled with out of the way hiding places that had taken a while to search. But they were on their way now.

The Doctor took a moment to gauge how long it would take them to reach the cave. Then he quickly went to Rose's side and shook her shoulder gently, "Rose," he whispered harshly. She sat up, taking in his expression and immediately rising. "Two men are coming. Stay hidden, I'll deal with them."

She nodded, "Doctor," she said as he started to leave, "Be careful."

He grinned lopsidedly, "Always."

-000-

He could feel Rose, hidden around the turn. He could hear the men about to reach the entrance to the cave. The Doctor eyed the stalactites that hovered over the entrance and fingered his sonic screwdriver.

It was only as the pale moonlight was blocked by the form of two bodies that he realized the time was upon him.

"Gentlemen," he said, nodding towards the nearly identical couple. Both were rather large, nearly his height and build. Their brown hair lay flat, nearly occluding their deep-set eyes. The only difference he could see was their beards- one had a full beard, rather close cut, the other just a goatee.

The beard stepped forward, "We've come for the woman. Give her to us."

The Doctor appeared to consider it for a moment before shaking his head, "Nope. Not going to happen."

The goatee stepped forward, "Brother, we are not greedy. We can share," he said. Looking at the Doctor, he continued, "We can take turns with her. Surely that is reasonable?"

The Doctor felt the urge to rip their heads off right then and there. "I don't… share." He managed, his teeth gritted in anger and disgust.

The beard cracked his knuckles menacingly. "Then we have nothing further to discuss."

The Doctor grinned, "No, I'd say not."

He yanked the screwdriver from his pocket and pointed it to the ceiling. With a loud rumble, the precariously perched stalactites began to rain down on the men.

The Doctor leapt back, nearly colliding with Rose as he ducked around the corner.

Once the thunder had subsided to the random clatter of small stones falling, the Doctor strode into the minefield he had created.

It wasn't until Rose's frantic warning that the Doctor realized he might have been presumptuous with his victory.

"Doctor!" she shouted as he felt something heavy and solid collide with his head, the world darkening quickly thereafter.

-000-

It was sunlight that woke him. Light burned red through his eyelids and everywhere it touched it brought pain. Pain radiated from his head and seemed to work its way down to his extremities.

With a moan, the Doctor turned over and sat up, blinking painfully into the morning sunlight. Everything was painted red by the sun, the breeze once again causing the trees to whisper merrily. It wasn't until he reached up to feel the wound on his head that he realized his hands were covered in blood. He stared at them in confusion. The blood was old, already flaking off as he moved. It had to be from last night. But he didn't remember anything after…

"Rose!" he leapt to his feet, muscles protesting mightily. He stumbled slightly as he ran towards the back of the cave, praying that Rose was fine, begging that she was hidden, hoping…

He skidded to a stop as he rounded the corner.

"No," he whispered, denial seeping through his bones.

Rose was still there. She was alive. As for the rest… There was blood everywhere. She laid naked, legs still spread, on his jacket. The black leather was shiny with blood. Her arms were pinned above her head. Only the slow rise and fall of her chest let him know she had survived.

"Rose," his voice broke as he shuffled towards her, almost unable to get his body to obey his commands. He fell to his knees beside her. His hand shook as he reached towards her. He snatched his hand back, forcing himself to be analytical.

"Blood. Too much blood," he muttered, eyeing the puddle that haloed around her head, her normally blonde hair turned auburn as it soaked up her life. His eyes moved to her wrists and he cursed, standing quickly and hefting the rock that kept her hands pinned down. He tossed the heavy stone to the side and knelt by her wrists. Her hands were nearly crushed by the weight of the stone, her wrists slashed by her attempts to get away. That was where most of the blood had come from. He yanked off his jumper, shredding it quickly, and wrapped her wrists, stopping the deadly flow of blood.

He followed her arms down, noting the finger shaped bruises encircling her forearms. Her face was bruised also, a fist-sized discoloration marring her perfection. Her lips were red and swollen, blood leaking from the corner of her mouth. He continued his exam, recognizing more finger bruises along her collarbone. There was a bite above her left breast, a perfect set of teeth in blood red. He ignored the shaking of his hands as he bandaged it, accepting that this time it was from anger and not fear. The finger marks continued on her sides, below her ribs, and across her pelvis. There was blood on her thighs; streaks of it lined the inside of her legs. He felt like vomiting. He finished his exam quickly.

Gently, he lifted her from the blood soaked ground and propped her up against the wall, wiping away as much blood as he could with the remains of his jumper. Then he stripped off his white undershirt, tenderly dressing Rose in it. Bare-chested, he lifted Rose into his arms and started the journey back to the TARDIS, leaving his stained jacket behind. He swore to himself that he would return and kill the two brothers that had hurt his Rose.

He had barely exited the cave when he realized he wouldn't have to return. The bodies of the two brothers lay right outside the entrance, partially hidden by some dead branches. The Doctor only paused long enough to make sure they were dead before he moved on, a thin strand of worry creeping into his mind. Who had killed them? Had he done it, and not remembered? Is that where the blood on his hands had come from? He looked down at Rose and fury clouded his vision. He hoped he had killed them.