Child of Earth
By Lumendea
Chapter Fifty-Three: Return of Fenric: New Doctor
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.
AN: You've been waiting for him and he is finally here! Please welcome the Twelfth Doctor to the Guardians of the Universe series! Remember the Doctor has a different personal history with a lot less loss and has a family with Rose so there are going to be some personality and attitude differences. This episode is a sequel to the Seventh Doctor era classic episode The Curse of Fenric. It's a good one and I do recommend checking it out though I'll explain the bits you need to know.
….
Rose Marion Tyler was feeling the pressure of her final year finally catching up with her. Sure she'd managed to stay on top of her projects and papers without the lovely distraction of a Time Lord popping up to take her on dates, but Rose still felt a bit overloaded. There was a tension in the air around her. Time was slipping away until she'd finally be travelling in the TARDIS. Rose was ready for the next chapter of her life and finally moving towards having a more straightforward timeline which was a humorous thing to think given she was going to be travelling in time.
Still, there were lingering worries about travelling the Ninth Doctor. She knew so much about his-their future. And she wasn't exactly his typical companion. They were all different in their own ways, but Rose knew she was a break from the usual mould. Not to mention a big departure from the usual relationship. A groan escaped her and laid her head down on her desk.
"This is rubbish!"
It wasn't just school weighing on her or travelling with the Doctor. There was her Mum's new man to consider and Jackie actually wanted her to meet this one. It had been years since Rose had bothered with any of her mother's boyfriends. Rita-Anne's concerns hadn't been forgotten, but Rose wasn't sure what to make of all of it.
The ringing of her mobile made Rose groan, but she recognised the ring tone as one of the Companion Club and reached to grab it. She made a mental note to get separate ring tones for the different companions; talking to Ace was much more fun than say, Victoria. Or Jo subtly trying to learn more about her relationship with the Doctor. She was sweet but also had to know everything.
"Hello."
"Rose?" a strained voice greeted on the other end of the phone.
It took Rose a moment to recognise it. "Ace is that you?" She straightened up in alarm at the strange tone in her friend's voice.
"Rose I need your help. Come to New York. Please hurry!"
"Ace what's wrong?" Rose asked. "Are you sick? You don't sound good?"
"It's the wolf," Ace groaned, sounding in pain. "The wolf is back! It's in my head, in my bones! Rose, please…. Help me!"
"Wolf?" Rose repeated. Confusion over what had gone wrong with the message crashed her before a memory of Ace's own past hit her. "You mean Fenric?"
"Call the Doctor," Ace pleaded. "Please… hurry! Come to New York."
"Ace tell me exactly what is happening," Rose said.
"I… I can't. Please come to New York." The line went dead.
Rose forced herself to exhale the breath she'd been holding. Already she was thinking about everything she needed to do to get to Ace. Her friend was in New York and sounded desperate. Ace had never liked talking about Fenric and she knew next to nothing about the defeated figure. Except maybe it wasn't so defeated after all. She looked back at the phone and was shifting her thumb when a familiar grinding noise began to echo in the flat.
Rose grinned and jumped up from the sofa. Out of habit she grabbed a couple of textbooks to keep the papers on her desk from scattering and shifted back from the TARDIS' usual spot. The tall blue police box began to fade into view while Rose beamed in relief. A moment later it settled into place and Rose dashed forward for the door. She was reaching for the key around her neck when the doors swung open to allow her entry.
There was a man standing a short ways from the doors waiting for her. He was familiar to her, though Rose couldn't recall ever seeing his face before. They locked eyes, her brown eyes meeting his cool blue ones and she almost shivered under the immense age contained in them. Yet beneath that was a warmth that was unmistakable and Rose felt a smile tugging at her lips as the certainty of who he was settled into her bones.
"Rose Tyler," he greeted in a soft rolling Scottish accent.
"Hello, Doctor."
She stared up at him as he moved forward a few steps. He was about the same height as her other doctors with curly silver hair. His features were older and a bit gruffer with thick eyebrows casting a shadow over his eyes. She had a feeling that he expressed a lot with those eyebrows. Rose took in his outfit, noting that it was very normal for him. Dark navy colours, a bit of red and sturdy boots. Nothing too strange this time around, but rather dashing or maybe that was just her. She did have a bit of a weakness when it came to him no matter what he looked like and wore.
Lifting her eyes, Rose looked around the TARDIS and let out a soft breath. The old girl had changed again. Her console room was much larger with the central controls still firmly in the middle with golden light spilling forth from it. Shelves of books lined the walls with a pair of armchairs set up with a side table. Rather than metal, the room appeared to be made of dark rich wood. Rose wasn't sure if it was real or not, but the effect made everything seem like an old grand library. Above the shelves on the upper level were the roundels all glowing softly between blackboards covered with equations and hung paintings. It was beautiful and different, but also familiar. Lived in was the word that came to Rose's mind and she had a feeling that the TARDIS had been this way for some time.
"She's beautiful as always." Rose smiled at the Doctor, releasing the breath she'd been holding. "Bit different, though."
"The old girl enjoys changing from time to time," the Doctor said. He smiled gently and looked around. "Rather fond of the current desktop myself and you love it."
"Scottish again." Rose chuckled softly and studied his deep knowing eyes and shifted closer. "And blue eyes too. You seem to favour blue eyes when you do northern accents Doctor." Without waiting for permission, Rose reached up and cupped the Doctor's cheek as she examined the new face.
His expression brightened with his thick eyebrow raising up a little. "Hadn't considered that," he admitted with a chuckle. "But I suppose my seventh body is pretty fresh in your memory."
"Wait-" Rose gasped softly. "Do you… remember?"
"Buried the memory rather than erasing it," he said, the words rolling pleasantly. "Not fond of forgetting any time I spend with you. Don't worry he blocked the memories just like he was supposed to." The Doctor gave her a fond smile. "He really wasn't sure about all of that, couldn't imagine getting married. Can't believe you still were fond of me like that."
"You're the Doctor," Rose said firmly. She gave him a warm smile even as something tugged at her memory. "I can't believe you worry so much about it." She shook her head a little. "I love you, no matter what you look like. You're my Doctor."
He brought a hand up and cradled the side of her head with an affectation smile. It wasn't the manic grin of his prior bodies, more sedate, but no less real. Then he pulled his hand away from her cheek and took the hand she'd had against his own face. Turning her hand, he kissed the back of it gently as he watched her.
"Rose Tyler," he murmured. "Love of my lives."
Rose couldn't help it, she grinned him like a loon before shifting forward to press her lips against his. He seemed to have anticipated the action as he tilted his own face at the long moment and released her hand. The kiss was so very soft and his hand came around her waist to rest at the small of her back. It wasn't the near frantic holding of her that she knew from his Tenth and Eleventh bodies, but a comforting gesture of closeness. When the kiss ended, he shifted slightly and gently kissed her forehead while Rose hummed happily. She'd really missed him, any him.
They were silent for a moment, but then the memory of Ace's call reasserted itself and she looked up at the Doctor. He, however, was already reaching for a lever on the TARDIS controls. He released her and turned an unfamiliar knob. Relief that at least he was on top of things hit Rose and she grabbed the edge of the console as they took off. The flight only took a few moments.
"How bad is it?" Rose asked. "Is Ace safe?"
"Bad," the Doctor replied. He twisted an unfamiliar knob. "How much as Ace told you about Fenric?"
"Next to nothing," Rose admitted. "She doesn't like to talk about it."
"Long story short Fenric is one of two forces, one good, one evil, which were present at the start of time in this universe." The Doctor didn't look at her as he flipped several levers and turned another knob. "They were caught in this universe as it formed with Fenric surviving and the good force being dispersed through the universe. Many of the great old forces of the universe agree that Fenric is too dangerous to be allowed freedom. I trapped him centuries ago, but he had imprinted several bloodlines with a spark of his power."
"The wolves of Fenric," Rose said softly.
"Yes, that's what he called them. He manipulated several events in Ace's life in order to use her against me." The Doctor's movement sagged for a moment and his eyes darkened. "At the time he was defeated when a creature under his control turned on him and destroyed his host body."
"But he's reforming in Ace."
"Yes," the Doctor said simply. His grip on a lever tightly and the TARDIS shuddered. "She's still connected to Fenric. Even after all these years. Fenric needs a host to fully manifest but has a lot of power. He can even affect time. He was the one who created the Time Storm that sent Ace to Iceworld where I met her."
Rose wanted to ask more questions. She was distressed by how the Doctor had swung from happy to see her to so tense, but her own worry for Ace was creeping over her. Her eyes jumped back to the Doctor only to find him looking at a spot on her left upper arm. Rose frowned and lowered her eyes to the spot. It was exposed thanks to her t-shirt, but there was nothing special about it.
"Why me?" Rose asked. Raising her eyes back to the Doctor she saw him tense again. "Why did you come to get me?"
"Ace called you," he replied gruffly. "And it had to be me." He looked at her quickly and Rose saw something flash in his eyes, maybe worry, guilt or irritation. With this new face, she couldn't be sure. "Trust me, Darling?"
"Always," Rose said softly. She meant the word, but that didn't stop the worry.
The TARDIS shuddered as they landed. The Doctor flipped another switch and touched something on the console screen. It beeped softly and he strode towards the door. When he reached it, the Doctor turned on his heel and he looked at her. His eyes softened and he extended his hand. Rose managed a slight smile and accepted his hand, letting him pull her towards the door. Their fingers twined together easily in that different, but still a perfect fit. It reassured Rose.
They stepped out of the TARDIS into a familiar yet utterly alien flat. Ace's normally bright if messy flat in New York was dark and the blinds in the windows were closed. The air was thick with the tang of alcohol and the musk of sweat. Rose was completely still, trying to take it in and ensure there was nothing coming up on them. However, the Doctor tugged slightly impatiently on her hand, guiding her towards the main room. Summoning her sword, Rose took comfort in the familiar weight and stepped away from the TARDIS, taking care to close the door behind them.
As they approached the living room Rose could hear the soft sound of weeping and a low voice talking. The Doctor caught her arm and pushed her back. Rose opened her mouth to protest, but as the light in Ace's kitchen flickered she caught sight of the Doctor's dark eyes and the tightness of his jaw. She fell silent and fell into step one pace behind him. The sobs of crying became mixed with laughter. There were unfamiliar bits of words and rambling sentences that sounded like something out of a storybook.
In the low light of the flickering lights, Rose could make out Ace on the sofa. The coffee table in front of her had empty bottles of alcohol and a cell phone. Papers were random words along with the name Fenric were scattered across the table and floor. Ace was shaking and rocking, muttering to herself.
"Oh Ace," the Doctor whispered. He started to take a step forward, but then Ace moved. "Ace?"
"The Time Lord returns for the pawn," a deeper version of Ace's voice said. Then she slowly raised her head to look at them. Instead of Ace's warm brown eyes, softly glowing eyes with an unnatural green tint were staring at them. Her lips twisted into a smirk. "There is no game this time Doctor. No Ancient One to betray me and you won't risk the girl."
"Hello Fenric," the Doctor greeted. He sounded completely calm. "So you've managed to reform."
"One spark… that's all I needed," Fenric said.
"Pity, I was so hoping I'd seen the last of you," the Doctor spat.
Fenric rose from Ace's sofa. Her long brown hair was in a messy braid with strands stuck to her face by sweat. Red tear tracks down her face and her eyes looked over at Rose, but then seemed to dismiss her and returned to the Doctor.
"There will be no Ancient One to save you this time Doctor. You or your companions."
Fenric raised their hands and a faint greenish glow surrounded Ace's hand. Outside the windows of the flat thunder became to rumble. There were flashes of lightning that illuminated the sky and the flat. A sense of wrongness hit Rose right in the gut, almost exactly like it had in India. She could feel a chill trying to seep into her spine and hissed. The Doctor didn't move and kept staring down Fenric.
"Another Time Storm Fenric? That didn't get you what you wanted last time?"
"This time the rules have changed Doctor," Fenric declared.
A crash of thunder shook the whole flat. Screams from above their head echoed down and the window began to crack. Fenric laughed, a deep rumble blending with Ace's familiar laugh.
"Let loose the wolves of Fenric! They will tear apart Time! This and all worlds shall fall!"
The window shattered, sending glass flying into the room while Fenric laughed. The being flipped Ace's hair which was blowing in the howling wind. A scrap had been sliced in Ace's face from the glass and was beginning to bleed. Fenric grinned darkly at the Doctor and took several slow steps back. The Doctor's eyes widened and he began to lunge for Ace, but Fenric leapt out of the window leaving them behind on the twentieth floor of the building.