The Feast of Fools

Chapter Six: New Plan

By Lumendea

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any spinoff material, and I gain no income from this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

….

Rose and Jack stared at each other for a long moment. It was painfully obvious that they were a little out of their depth on this. That was annoying. Rose had handled plenty of threats by herself, but these things were dangerous on a whole new level. Then again, they'd been immediately dangerous to the Doctor as well. She wondered if he'd ever encountered the Ravenous. It wouldn't surprise Rose, but he'd never mentioned it. That wasn't a surprise. They'd started swapping stories, but his was a long history.

"Did you notice anything?" Jack asked.

"No." Rose held back a sigh. "I didn't. When they got close… the world kind of went fuzzy, even before they touched me. Was it like that with you?"

Jack frowned thoughtfully. "I'm not sure. I don't think so, but as you said, the world went fuzzy, so I don't completely trust my memory." Jack glanced at the doorway. It was still quiet. "But, you and I are different. You're the Gold Guardian. For all we know, you radiate some of that power, so they might affect you faster." He tilted his head and gave Rose a smile. "You're always radiant, after all."

A soft chuckle escaped Rose, and she smiled. "Charmer." She enjoyed the moment of levity before sighing. "Thoughts on what we should do? I have… I'm sorry, I'm not sure. I hate the idea of opening the TARDIS and leading them inside."

"You think we could trap them in one of the rooms?" Jack asked.

"I'm not sure. We know they go after Time Lords and anyone with traces of pure life energy." Rose held back a shudder. "But I didn't think to ask about TARDISes. Bringing them in would protect the people outside."

"Yeah, with that festival, people are mostly ignoring the strange and unusual. If those things go feral outside, it could take a bit for people to realize that it isn't some sort of act." Jack shook his head. "Why the hell do they look like clowns?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe a holdover from a visit to Earth, and humans tried to make them less scary. It's a bit poetic. The first time I met the Doctor in my timeline was when my friends and I were being stalked by an alien that fed on fear and took the form of a clown."

"Spellman, yeah," Jack said. "Whole different beast. And while you now have a new Doctor, he isn't in any shape to help us." Jack drummed his fingers on the console. "I don't like letting them into the TARDIS. So much could go wrong, especially with the Doctor laid up, but I understand you wanting to get them out of the square."

"There must be something in the TARDIS we can use," Rose said. "There are at least three full junk rooms!"

"Yeah, but even between the two of us, that will take time, and what exactly do we build?"

Neither of them said anything for a moment. Rose poured over her adventures and all the technology she'd seen mentally, searching for anything that would be helpful. Jack suddenly brightened, a fresh spark in his eyes.

"The extrapolator!" Jack bent down and pulled up the grating. "The Doctor still has it!"

"The extrapolator?" Rose repeated. "That thing Blon used?"

Jack looked up and blinked. "Maybe. The Doctor didn't tell me about how he got it. He keeps it hooked partially to the TARDIS so it can be used in emergencies."

"I know." Rose blinked. "But that creates a shield around the TARDIS. It can keep them out, but it doesn't solve our problem."

"Except that Tribophysical waveform macro-kinetic extrapolators are actually built to serve as something like a surfboard." Jack was smiling now. "They create small protective fields around the person riding them."

"So?"

"So, I'm thinking that if I link the controls up remotely that we can use it to surround the Ravenous in the force field to keep them contained."

Rose considered the words as Jack kept examining the extrapolator. Sadly, she didn't understand enough about the technology to be sure. She was still working her way through the late 21st and early 22nd-century technology section of the TARDIS library. Still… the theory sounded good. She was so used to the Doctor using the shield for the TARDIS that she'd overlooked what Blon had originally been used for.

Jack laid the odd device on the grating and started examining the connections that the Doctor had made to the TARDIS. Thankfully, the modifications beyond that seemed minor, and hope stirred in Rose's chest. Maybe they already had what they needed. Smiling, she leaned against the console over Jack and the extrapolator.

"What do you need?" Rose settled for asking. The plan relying on her hadn't worked, so it was Jack's turn to make the plan. "How can I help?"

Jack smiled up at her and held out a hand. "Sonic pen, please."

Rose reached back to her braided hair and pulled the small black sonic device free. She handed it to Jack and watched him jump back to work. His movements were slow but confident as he worked, so Rose assumed he had a better grasp of what was going on. She glanced towards the corridor.

"Go and check on the Doctor," Jack told her. "They aren't getting in. If they could, they would have already."

Rose turned to stare at the doors that were still holding solid. The only thing she could assume was that the creatures were more powerful in the Time Vortex. At least, she hoped so. Jack gave her one more reassuring smile before she started using her sonic pen to disconnect the first of the connections between the extrapolator and the TARDIS.

"I really need one of these," Jack murmured. "I know I mocked it originally, but sonic probes are very useful."

"You can't have mine."

Jack huffed, and Rose finally let herself step away from him and the console. Glancing at the door and then the now dark viewscreen, Rose held back a sigh.

"Okay, if you think of parts you need, the TARDIS has a lot of stuff," Rose said.

"I know. Now check on the Doctor."

Taking another step back, Rose realized that she was conflicted. It felt… dangerous to leave the main door. There was no sound of the Ravenous trying to break in now, but maybe… She shook herself and took another step away from Jack. She hated that maybe a part of her was also nervous about checking on the Doctor. The reason why was complicated. Maybe it was reasons.

Still, she couldn't not check on him. Jack would ask why and they didn't have time to deal with how tired and emotionally fraught she was right now. Rose had always pushed through the ugly when it came her way, and today would be no different. Patting the console one time to luck, Rose turned and headed back towards the Zero Room. The TARDIS seemed a little brighter than before, and Rose tried to draw hope from that. If the TARDIS was recovering, then the Doctor was as well.

Carefully, she opened the door to the Zero Room and strengthened her mental shields as much as possible. She was still a mess. It would take a good night's sleep and probably some exercises to rebuild what Rassilon's attack had ripped apart. Rose had no memory of him using telepathy on her, but his attack had been designed to rip a Guardian apart. It wasn't a surprise that her basic telepathic shielding had been a victim.

The Doctor was still floating in the air. His breathing and slow and even, and his features were relaxed. There was no sign of the nightmares that so often haunted him. She stepped forward and checked the room just to be sure. Rose was trying to believe in the strength of the TARDIS's defences now that they were out of the Time Vortex, but she couldn't help the worry.

A soft snore escaped the Doctor, and he shifted the tiniest bit. Rose smiled in response and moved over beside him. Gently, she reached out to laid her hand on his chest. Two strong heartbeats met her attention, and she sighed in relief.

"Good," she murmured. "Both working."

The Doctor made another soft sound in response to her voice. His brow furrowed, and his lips moved as if to speak. Worried, Rose leaned closer to him and placed her hand against his face. She didn't call his name, worried about waking him up permanently. The Doctor stirred, turning his face into her hand. A soft happy sigh escaped him and Rose's eyes teared up. Too many emotions roared through her. She allowed herself a moment of quiet and rubbed her thumb against his cheek softly. It wasn't clear if he was waking or not. Rose assumed not, given what he'd once told her.

"Rose?" Her name was slurred and low.

"It's me," Rose whispered. "Sorry, I shouldn't have-"

"Hmmm, glad you're here." The Doctor's eyes opened a little, only the tiniest bit. He blinked, and Rose saw his gaze clear and sharpen. "Why are you dressed like that?"

"Oh, uh, emergency landing," Rose offered. "We went out to make sure everything was safe." The Doctor's face was pinched like he was trying to think, but his mind wasn't working properly. "Jack and I are fine," Rose promised him. "You still need rest. I just… I just wanted to check on you." His brow furrowed, making his new and young face look older. Rose could see the wheels turning even as he struggled. "Jack and I are alright." It wasn't exactly a lie. She kept her weak shields in place, hoping it would be enough to keep her worry from bleeding through.

"What's happening?" Judging from the worry growing in the Doctor's now brown eyes, she'd failed to hide her emotions.

"Nothing you're strong enough to help with," Rose settled on. "Jack and I have things under control, and the TARDIS is secure."

The Doctor started to move. His body tilted as the Zero Room's hold on his weakened. As his feet hit the ground, he stumbled forward, and Rose caught him. The Doctor blinked and shook his head. He was nearly dead weight against Rose, and she struggled to keep him from falling over. Thankfully, he seemed to figure out his new centre of gravity quickly and shifted enough to take some of the weight off of her.

"What am I wearing?" He looked down at himself. "Oh… pyjamas." Then he looked right at Rose's face, the worry fading for a moment. "Please tell me that you didn't let Jack change me."

"Of course not." Rose chuckled and smiled. "I thought you'd be more comfortable waking up like this." She didn't tell him that she'd put his old things away. Rose wasn't sure what the correct procedure there was.

"Yes, but…" the Doctor shook his head. "But… there was something wasn't there." He tightened his grip on Rose's arms and then smiled. "You still smell the same. Vanilla, lilac, and sunshine." He hummed happily, and Rose smiled despite herself.

"Were you expecting that to change?"

"No, well, maybe. Senses can be a little different from body to body. Last me had a good nose. Had to be good for something."

"Doctor."

"Anyway, you still smell like that." The Doctor leaned close to her and sniffed at her neck. "Smells good."

"You're still very loopy," Rose said. "Go back to sleep. I'm sorry that I woke you. Take all the time you need."

"No." The Doctor shook his head. "There was something. You're worried about something."

Rose debated with herself for a moment. In theory, based on the timelines, she and Jack were supposed to deal with this issue. And the Doctor really wasn't in good condition. He was alive, but his mind seemed unable to hold onto a thought. There was no way she wanted him anywhere near the Ravenous. A Time Lord fresh from regenerating, probably still bursting with that energy, but unsure of his new body.

"Jack is working with the extrapolator," Rose admitted. She shifted the Doctor, so they were looking at each other and touched the side of his face. "We need to trap something and were hoping that the force field bubble would do the trick."

"Oh, good idea," the Doctor said. He beamed at her. Rose waited for him to say something more, but he just stared at her.

"So, it's a good idea. Any advice for Jack?"

"Jack? Oh, the extrapolator, right." The Doctor released Rose and ran a hand through his hair. It was an action that Rose knew would become a habit when he was thinking. "Right, tell him to link into the basecontrol3489 code. He should be able to use his vortex manipulator to control it remotely and block internal control. Tell him to disable the… the…."

"Doctor," Rose put her hand against his face. He sighed and leaned into her touch. Under other circumstances, Rose would have melted and kissed him. "Disable the what?" But he was swaying on his feet. Rose grabbed him again to take on his weight. "Doctor, we're in the Zero Room. Let it help you."

"Rose," the Doctor sighed. His lips brushed her neck as he whispered her name. "You're here."

"Of course, I'm here. I love you. But you need rest, and my shields are rubbish. Please, just rest."

"Basecontrol3489 code," the Doctor repeated.

"And disable what?"

"Rose," the Doctor whispered again. His fingers dug into her as he hugged her tight. "Stay with me."

"I can't stay too close to you right now," Rose reminded him gently. "You need to rest. You just regenerated. My shields are almost gone."

"I don't mean that." The Doctor groaned softly, and his weight slumped more against Rose. "Don't leave me."

Swallowing back a rush of emotions, Rose lowered her shields and pushed her affection toward the Doctor. He made a soft, happy sigh in response and snuggled tighter against her. Tears pricked at Rose's eyes. She couldn't make him that promise.

"I promise that I love you," Rose told him. She hugged him back, slipping a hand up to his nape. "And I promise that I will always come home to you, no matter what."

She wasn't sure if the Doctor even heard her. His breathing had evened out. Easing her grip on him, Rose carefully stepped back. The Doctor swayed. She touched his cheek again. He opened his eyes and stared at her.

"Come on, Doctor. You're loopy. You need more rest."

"I'm not loopy." The Doctor paused. "Am I?"

"Right now, you are. Come on, get some more rest."

"There was something… you were asking me about something."

"You said that Jack needed to disable something for us to use the extrapolator as a trap," Rose offered. She kept her voice as light and calm as she could. "Disable what? Is it part of the extrapolator or the Vortex Manipulator?"

"The…" the Doctor swayed and blinked, fighting to stay awake. "The… uh, my head. Nothing is working!"

"Easy," Rose touched his face again. "Easy. Just rest."

"But you're…."

"I'm alright," Rose assured him. She smiled warmly at him. "Look at me. See, I'm alright." Her throat tightened, but Rose kept talking. "You saved me. I'm alright."

Then he smiled again, bright and wide. It made him look so young. Rose wasn't sure he'd ever looked so happy when he was in her past visiting her. Then again, she understood that there had been grief hanging over him. Leaning up, she kissed his cheek. He shifted one of his hands to grab hers, twining their fingers together.

"Come on, back to sleep."

"Alright." The Doctor closed his eyes and exhaled. His body began to float in the air and turned, so he was laying flat. Rose held back a chuckle at the odd spectacle it made. "Love you."

The Doctor's last words were so soft that Rose almost missed them. It was strange. He was so open with affection right now. Was it the shock of regeneration, or would he always be like this until he lost her and then be nervous around her younger self? Shaking herself, Rose rushed for the door. Thinking about that sort of information so close to the Doctor without strong shields when he had so little control was dangerous. She ran for the console room, ignoring the stray tears rolling down her cheeks.

"He woke up," Rose said as she entered the console room.

"He did?" Jack's eyes lit up, and he glanced behind Rose. "Ah, you mean temporarily." Then he frowned up at her. "Rose? Are you alright?"

"I'm alright. Just too tired and emotional for this," she admitted. That was oversimplifying it, but it would do. "He woke up briefly. I didn't tell him everything. He's still very… he seems a bit drugged, if I'm honest. But he was able to push through the haze enough to agree that the extrapolator is a good idea for trapping something."

"Told you!"

"He said that you need to link to basecontrol3489 code," Rose said. "I hope that means something to you."

"It does." Jack climbed out of the lower grating area and grinned. "It's part of the system framework for my Vortex Manipulator. The Doc likes to fiddle with it sometimes."

"And you let him?"

"Yes… well, he's made some brilliant upgrades, though don't tell him I said that. My scanner is ten times better than that of a standard Vortex Manipulator at this point. And he's improved the archive system. Basecontrol3489 code, let me see…." Jack started adjusting things on the impossibly small screen.

"There is one issue, though," Rose said. "He said that something had to be disabled but didn't manage to tell me what."

Jack stopped and looked at her and then down at the extrapolator. "Any clue as to which device needed something disabled?"

"No." Rose shook her head and sighed. "No. No clue. He didn't manage to answer."

"Ah." Jack blinked and looked at the doorway. "That's… great."

"Yeah."