Rose drew her knees up to her chest. He woke her up after, according to him, she passed out again, which was a side effect from being kept in a coma for nearly two years. At least, that was the story he told her.
Someone had taken her right before the Crucible and kept her in a coma for nearly two years, implanting false memories, but why? Why would someone do that? What was the point?
There was something off about the man sitting next to her on the bed, something she couldn't quite put her finger on, but he seemed so sincere, so worried. James. He was James…wasn't he? An inkling of doubt crept over her. What if he wasn't? What if the man sitting next to her was the Doctor, but not just the Doctor, her Doctor? What if he had spent nearly two years trying to find her? And now he had her back only she didn't believe him, didn't trust him.
She knew how hurt she'd be if she was in his place. If she had searched for the Doctor, her Doctor and finally found him only to have him think she was someone else. It would break her heart.
She felt herself wanting to believe him, wanting to trust him, but there was something…some nagging feeling in the back of her mind that told her she shouldn't. Told her there was something wrong, not just with his story, but with him. Something off. Only, she wasn't sure if that feeling was real or if that was the fear talking. Fear that this might not be real, but if her memories were false then maybe that feeling was false as well.
She wrapped her arms around her legs, resting her chin on her knees. What should she believe? She knew what she wanted to believe. That he was the Doctor, her Doctor. That he hadn't dropped her back on that beach and walked away because he'd never do that. Not to you. That he kept his word. That the only reason she wasn't with him was because someone took her. That now he'd found her and they could be together…forever.
"Why?" she asked.
He gave her a confused look.
"Why what?" he inquired.
"Why would someone take me and then keep me in a coma for nearly two years? It doesn't make sense."
"The man who took you…he's an enemy…" he got that far off look, as if he was remembering something, the same look the Doctor used to get, or still got, or got at that moment because he was the Doctor. She shook her head. "Probably my oldest and most deadly enemy." He turned back to her. "My best guess is that he was planning on using you."
"Using me how?"
"You thought I was the meta-crisis," he said. She still thought he was, was pretty sure he was, "and you thought I kidnapped you." He had kidnapped her…hadn't he? "To punish you, which tells me that something happened to cause the meta-crisis to snap. If you thought I was the meta-crisis and dangerous and a threat to your life…" he trailed off.
"You think I'd kill him?" You…she meant to say you because he was the meta-crisis. Keeping them separate was becoming too hard, her mind felt muddled, overwhelmed.
"Maybe not yet, but if I'd left you there, if he had you just a bit longer-"
"I wouldn't have killed…" she interrupted, trailing off because she almost said him again.
"Given the right circumstances and the proper amount of time one person could make another do just about anything, believe just about anything."
"I…" her voice broke as her eyes filled with tears, but she shook her head. "I wouldn't have…I know…" her voice broke again. It wasn't true…couldn't possibly be true, but…he took her hands, tears brimming his own eyes.
"Oh, Rose," he said, his voice filled with guilt. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I didn't find you sooner, but I promise I'm never going to leave you."
Her last little bit of resolve began to crumble and she almost hugged him, almost ignored the nagging doubt in the back of her mind because he seemed so much like the Doctor, her Doctor, but a wheezing sound came from the other room, a sort of whooshing, wheezing sound and she knew what that sound was. It grew louder by the second and the Doctor's…no James'…James' face grew grave as he turned his attention to the open doorway.
"He's here."
"He?" Rose asked, but she knew, knew there was only one thing in any universe that made that sound. The TARDIS. The Doctor's TARDIS. The Doctor had come to rescue her.
James, because she was sure he was James now, had to be because the TARDIS was materializing in the other room and there was only one person who could fly the TARDIS, James startled her by leaning forward and cupping her face in his hands.
"Rose," he said, gazing into her eyes with that serious I'm about to tell you something that scares me so it'll definitely scare you previous Doctor look. "I need to tell you something and I know you don't trust me yet, still aren't sure, but I can't wait for that, not now, and this is important. I need you to listen very carefully. Okay?" She nodded, even though she knew he was James, knew because of the TARDIS.
Standard Disclaimer.
Thank you to all my brilliant readers!
If you have time reviews are always welcome. :)
