Disclaimer: Doctor Who belongs to the BBC. I do not own any of it, nor do I get paid.

A/N A huge apology to you guys for bailing out unexpectedly. I have no excuse and I am just sorry. Hopefully, I am back properly now since I am almost done writing the next story and getting started on the one after that too.

Thanks to everyone who has been motivating me to get off my butt and actually update.

This is the final part of 'The Dalek Factor' and I hope you enjoy it.

Happy Reading!

The Dalek Factor: The Key to Time

Previously

Rose didn't answer as the endless possibilities flew through her mind.It was the Other's secret. But it is mine to keep as well.He had practically told her and she hadn't even realised it. If he really was the Other...and the Bad Wolf was connected to him...

Ace was starting to look worried at her silence but they were interrupted when Jenkins and Adam ran to them.

"Ma'am, there is bad news," said Jenkins sombrely. "There's only static on the other end."

Ace turned away from Rose who was looking very pale. "The comms. must be down. Nothing to worry," said Ace, trying to sound reassuring even as she looked at Rose in worry.

"That's not the worst of it," said Adam apologetically. "I checked on the vault security and it shows that there was a massive ceiling collapse inside. No one could have survived that."

Ace shook her head insistently. "They would have got out," she said, sounding more confident than she was feeling. "We just have to find a way to get in touch with them."

"Collins' comm. signal is still coming from the vault," said Jenkins, looking very much like he would have liked to believe Ace. "I'm sorry, ma'am. They're all dead."

Through the rubble, the Doctor crawled over to the person closest to him who turned out to be the Brigadier. "Alistair! Alistair," he called, scrambling his hand towards the Brigadier's neck. He almost sagged with relief when he felt the steady thrum of the Brigadier's pulse. "Alistair, can you hear me?"

The Brigadier opened his eyes slowly and the first thing he did was shoot a glare at the Doctor. "A chap could have used a warning before you brought the ceiling down on top of us, Doctor," he said irritably.

The Doctor beamed at the familiar berating tone. "Good to have you back among the conscious, Brigadier," he said fondly. "And collapsing the ceiling was essential. Whatever Van Statten mixed with Dalekanium to make those daleks, it makes their outer shell more prone to damage."

"Any sign of Miss Goddard?" the Brigadier asked as he sat up with the Doctor's help.

The Doctor looked around the fallen rubble and caught a flash of red hair. He scrambled over to her quickly and felt her pulse. She was breathing but had taken a blow to the head. "She needs medical attention," he said. "Brigadier, we have to start crawling toward the exit."

The Brigadier raised himself up on his knees and looked around. "Which way is it?"

"Through there," said the Doctor, nodding to the right. "I'll carry Diana."

The Brigadier grunted in slight pain as he started to crawl through the rubble. He cast a last saddened look at the large pile-up, remembering Collins' lifeless body hitting the floor. The brave fellow had volunteered to face the Daleks while the Doctor weakened the ceiling with his sonic screwdriver. Suddenly, he spotted a movement through the fallen debris.

"We have to hurry," he called to the Doctor who had Diana flung on his shoulder. "The Daleks are recovering."

They increased their pace and were almost at the now-open exit when the Dalek from Van Statten's demonstration rolled along towards them. They stopped in their paths, too petrified to move as the Dalek raised its gun and aimed it at the Doctor.

"You have been identified as the Doctor," it said. "You are an enemy of the Daleks. You will be EXTERMINATED."

The Doctor's lip curled in anger but before he could form a retort to that, the other Daleks behind the collapse picked up their leader's chant as they started to clear the debris in their path.

"EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE!"

"Oh, just hold on now," said the Doctor, putting on an air of someone wholly bored of the entire thing.

"Doctor, what are you doing?" the Brigadier muttered at him through the corner of his mouth.

"Well, Brigadier, you ought to remember one very important thing," said the Doctor, sounding optimistic.

"What would that be, Doctor?" asked the Brigadier, clearly playing along.

"I always have an Ace up my sleeve," said the Doctor.

"That's right he does, tin can," said Ace as she emerged from behind the Dalek Prime. "Now, Blossom!"

Rose covered the Dalek's eyestalk with a handful of toothpaste at the same time that Ace stuck a Nitro-9 can to the Dalek's body. Before the Dalek could do more than scream about its vision being impaired, the Nitro-9 had exploded.

As the smoke cleared, the Doctor and the Brigadier emerged out, the Doctor still carrying Diana. Dalek Prime was motionless once more but they were all positive that it would recharge soon enough, as would the now-dormant Daleks in the vault.

Before Ace could ask the Doctor how they were meant to deal with it, the Doctor handed Diana to Corporal Jenkins and Adam who immediately started checking her for damage. The Doctor drew out the core of the Key to Time and touched it to the motionless Dalek Prime. Everyone in the vicinity watched with wide eyes as the Dalek shimmered and turned into a transparent part of a cuboid structure. The Doctor bent down and picked it up, smiling at Rose, Ace and the Brigadier.

"What just happened?" asked Van Statten, looking at the Doctor with wide eyes. "What did you do to my creation?"

"Oh shut up, Van Statten," snapped Ace. "What about those remaining ones in the vault, Professor?"

"I believe you should get in touch with UNIT, Brigadier," said the Doctor, pocketing the segment. "That lot needs to be taken care of," he said, nodding back towards the daleks.

The Brigadier nodded and took the radio that Corporal Jenkins gave him and started relaying instructions to UNIT personnel outside the venue. The Doctor ignored Van Statten's demands and ensured that Diana, who was just waking up, wasn't seriously injured or needed any emergency care. Upon making that she would be just fine after some proper medical care, he ordered Adam to take Diana outside where there would be emergency services waiting.

"We are ordered to vacate the premises." The Brigadier was back. "The UNIT response team will be here," he added.

"Then I'm afraid Rose and I must take our leave," said the Doctor, looking at Rose who had been rather quiet the whole time.

The Brigadier nodded and shook the Doctor's hand. "Thank you for your help, Doctor," he said.

"My pleasure, Alistair," said the Doctor with a wide smile.

The Brigadier shook Rose's hand who smiled widely at him as she returned his handshake. His gaze wandered over to Van Statten who was already on his phone, calling up his contacts which made the Brigadier sigh.

Ace shot him a reassuring grin. She doubted that this little incident would go unexamined by UNIT. Van Statten would have a lot to answer for. She glanced at Rose who was still very quiet. She didn't know what had made her go so quiet and contemplative but Ace recognised anger brimming under her calm demeanour and knew that she and the Doctor would be hashing some things out soon.

Speaking of whom, as the Brigadier left, dragging Van Statten and Jenkins with him, Ace turned to Rose. "You going to be okay?" she asked her in a low voice, aware of the Doctor who was pretending to examine the segment of the Key.

Rose gave a small smile and nodded. "Thanks for everything, Ace," she said, sincerely.

Ace smiled and gave her a card. "Anytime you wanna talk, just call," she said.

Rose took the card and hugged Ace, startling the older woman. "Thank you, Ace," she said. She looked between her and the Doctor and decided to give them some privacy.

The Doctor smiled gratefully at her as she left but Rose was too lost in her thoughts to register it. As she went towards the kitchens, the Doctor turned to Ace. "So, Miss McShane," he said playfully. "I suppose this is goodbye."

"I know that I didn't leave things on a very good note the last time we met," Ace blurted out, looking a bit embarrassed. "I guess, it was just one time too many for me."

The Doctor looked genuinely regretful. "I am very sorry, Ace," he said. "I wouldn't have wished that incarnation on anyone and I regret every day that you had to bear the brunt of it."

"I don't regret it, you know," Ace told him. "I do wish that some things had happened differently but I'd never regret all the time I spent with you."

The Doctor smiled. "I am very glad to hear it," he said, holding out his arms.

Ace grinned and hugged him tightly. "See you then, Professor," she said.

"See you, my Ace," he said, looking proud as punch as he looked at her.

Ace nodded and began to leave before turning back to the Doctor. "Look after Rose, will you?" she said.

The Doctor raised his eyebrows. "I always do," he said carefully.

Ace gave a bitter smile. "I mean it," she said. "If there's one thing you can do is learn from your mistakes."

"Ace," he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Goodbye, Professor," said Ace, smiling sadly at him.

The Doctor watched as Ace nodded and left. He stood there for a long time, contemplating her words before being reminded that he had to leave before the UNIT response team got in. He jogged over to the now-empty kitchens and made his way to the larder. Rose was already inside the TARDIS and had left the door open for him.

He closed it after himself and walked over to the console. A few quick flicks of levers and the TARDIS started up, taking them into the vortex. He looked at Rose who was sitting in her armchair, her expression quiet and contemplative as it had been from the moment he had laid eyes on her again. There had been no smile or hug from her and the Doctor was getting rather worried.

"Rose," he began, only to have her cut him off.

"The last piece?" she asked, looking at the table in front of her where she had put the partially assembled key. The Doctor raised his eyebrows at the dismissive response but he took the last segment and placed it into the right spot. "Is that it?" she asked.

"No," he answered and inserted the core right down the middle of it.

The whole Key glowed brightly as the lights in the TARDIS dimmed and the rotor came to a halt. Rose stood up, and looked at the Doctor for an explanation.

"Doctor."

The two of them whirled around when they saw the white-haired man in his white suit and panama hat smiling serenely at them. "You have been successful," he said.

"Rose, meet the White Guardian," said the Doctor.

Rose gave a small nod in his direction and received a short bow in return. "A pleasure, Miss Tyler," he said. "The Key, Doctor?"

The Doctor carefully picked up the Key and walked over to the White Guardian. As soon as he was about a foot away from him, the Key floated from his hands over to the White Guardian who held it reverently.

"This will not go unrewarded, Doctor, Miss Tyler," said the White Guardian.

"We have no need for rewards, sir," said the Doctor carefully. "I just hope you sort out the war."

"With this, Doctor, we shall be able to," said the White Guardian, looking to the Key. "As I understand, Miss Pond and Mr Williams are no longer travelling with you."

"No," said Rose. "They stayed back on Nimbus Prime."

The White Guardian gave a short nod. "They shall lead a very fulfilling life," he said. "As shall you both. Goodbye."

The last word continued to echo around them as the White Guardian faded out of sight. The lights inside the TARDIS brightened again and the rotor started up. The Doctor turned away from the spot where the White Guardian had disappeared and looked at Rose who had lost her calm demeanour and was glaring at him.

"Yes, Rose?" he sighed, bracing himself.

"Tell me about Fenric," said Rose, managing to keep her voice calm despite the glare she was shooting at him.

The Doctor had evidently not been expecting that. "Fenric? What does he have to do with anything?"

"Ace told me about Fenric's wolves," said Rose, starting to pace as she talked. "You didn't think that there was any connection to Bad Wolf?"

"What?" he asked, so genuinely shocked that Rose stopped and stared at him.

"You really didn't think they were connected," said Rose, sounding surprised.

"Of course, I didn't," he snapped. "I still don't. I am certain it is just a coincidence."

"No, it really isn't," said Rose with a bitter smile. "When I met Ace, I had a flashback to Bad Wolf on Gallifrey and Ace had a flash of Fenric."

The Doctor looked unsettled at that revelation but shook his head insistently. "Rose, it must have been a coincidence," he said.

Rose didn't appear to be listening to him. "I also remembered a few more things about the Bad Wolf," she said.

"Like what?" asked the Doctor, looking cautious now.

"The Other," she said, looking straight at him. "It's you, isn't it?"

The Doctor's eyes went wide momentarily before his face hardened. "Rose…"

"Don't," she said. "Don't insult me by lying to me again." He fell silent as she started pacing again. "I should have seen it before. You practically told me but I didn't get it."

"Rose," he said, pleading now as he registered the hurt in her voice.

"What else haven't you told me?" she demanded. "What more do you know about Arkytior and Bad Wolf and Fenric that you don't want me to know?"

"Nothing," he said, looking astonished that she would doubt him now. After all they'd been through together.

Rose shook her head and he was startled to see tears glistening in her eyes. "Why should I believe you?" she asked. "You have kept secrets every step of the way. What reason do I have to believe you?"

The Doctor looked horrified as her face crumpled and tears slid down her cheeks. "Rose," he said, looking deeply ashamed and regretful. "Oh Rose," he said, moving towards her but Rose took a step back, stopping him in his tracks. "Please, Rose, you have to believe me. I never wanted to hurt you. I only wanted to protect you, I wanted to keep you safe. My darling Rose, I would never…"

The lights in the TARDIS suddenly went out completely, plunging them into darkness. Even the Doctor's superior vision was useless in the unnatural darkness that surrounded them. "Rose?" he called, extending his arms in front of him to find her.

There was no reply; in fact, there was no sound at all. The Doctor felt a trickle of fear in his hearts, just as the lights came on again. He blinked rapidly to clear his vision but his hearts went cold when he saw that Rose was no longer in the console room.

"ROSE!" he called, knowing that he hadn't heard her move or go inside. She had simply disappeared. "ROSE!"

He was about to head to the console to see what had happened when a blinding pain filled his head. With a scream loud enough to chill any mortal's heart, the Doctor fell to his knees as his vision went white. The TARDIS gave a mournful whine as her systems began to shut down one at a time.

The Doctor lost consciousness slowly, feeling the connection to the TARDIS being broken off but being unable to stop it.

Across the universe, the ominous laughter of the Black Guardian continued echo.

A/N End of #6 'The Dalek Factor'. Thanks for reading.

I did say that the Guardians were very quiet, weren't they? The next story is called 'Different Beginnings' and will pick up from this point in the story. It has many timey wimey elements which is why I wanted to wait until I finished the whole adventure before posting it.

I'll post Part 1 in 2-3 days, I promise. Meanwhile, let me know what you thought of this one. For those of you wondering how Fenric is going to fit into this, just wait and see.

See you soon!

~ Phoenix