(no subject)
Title: Embrace (3/4)
Author: grace61
Rating: M, for a bit of shaggage
Characters: Nine/Rose, Jack
Spoilers: Series 1, Set after Boomtown, but AU after.
Author's Notes: Written for idea_of_sarcasm for the Rose Tyler Ficathon, who wanted:
1. Ninth Doctor
2. Rose being the basis for some famous painting
3. Smut
didn't want:
fluff
Thanks to Crazy Chick and Amanda Rex for beta help at short notice. Had a couple of other offers, and if you still have suggestions, I'd love to hear them, but I did want to try to post on time. (I think it's still before midnight, somewhere :) )
Hope this fits the bill for you. I had a small panic attack when I saw my prompt as I really know very little about art, and tend toward fluffiness.
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The Doctor’s heart sank as he saw Rose come through the door. “There was no need to involve Rose in this, Galea, this is between you and me.”
“Oh, this is definitely between you and me, Doctor. She’s just a little insurance policy. Unless you want to see the life drained little by little from this beautiful, young thing, you’ll cooperate fully and honestly.“
“What do you want Galea?” As Rose shifted against the gurney, he saw his sonic screwdriver glinting in her hand. “I mean the odds are 2400 to 1 that I know what you are talking about.” He saw Rose nod slightly and her hands surreptitiously turn the settings on the screwdriver. He just needed to buy her a little time. Well, when in doubt, let the megalomaniac explain his/her evil plan; that was always a good time waster.
“How did Jaren extend your life, Galea?”
“Originally, with this “- Galea held up a small oval device that fit snugly in the palm of her hand. “You see with this, I can transfer someone’s life energy to me, take a day of their life, and erase it from mine. Care for a demonstration?” Palming the device, she grabbed Rose’s arm and held the device to her neck. It glowed red, and both women screamed, Rose with pain, Galea with exhilaration.
“Stop!” yelled the Doctor.
Dizzy, Rose collapsed back against the wall as Galea released her.
“Don’t worry, a young thing like her, she’s got a few days to spare,” sneered Galea. “We used to travel, Jaren and I snatching a few days here and there. But it wasn’t enough. He wanted me to grow old with him. Imagine, the key to eternal youth and beauty in the palm of my hand, and he couldn’t see it. But there are always people with some ambition.
He had an assistant who modified the handheld device for me. Instead of taking hours, it took days, and Jaren never noticed. But I could see it, taste it, feel it, the visions I had when I absorbed the energy, they showed me the way. Jaren was holding me back. I pleaded with him one night, to see it my way. What man doesn’t want a young, beautiful wife? But he wouldn’t see reason. So I had to do it.”
Her eyes glowed with madness. “I had to kill him. I used the handheld device. His assistant had finally been able to modify the unit to store as well as take energy, I could have as much as I wanted. I drained all of his life energy, he’ll always be a part of me. But the results don’t last as long anymore, I can feel myself growing older. This resort has been useful to select test subjects, but we haven’t made significant progress in some time. But you hold the key, Doctor and you are going to give it to me. “
“What key?"
“Regeneration, the incredible energy of creation itself. You will explain to Johnson the process, and then we will sample the energy itself when you regenerate. Explain precisely and Rose will live. Lie and I’ll drain the life from her decades at a time in front you. And you’ll still live on, Doctor - albeit with a different face. And you can explain to this lovely, young thing why her bones ache and her skin is wrinkled and you don’t look at her anymore like you looked at her tonight in the restaurant - like the besotted old fool that you are.”
Rose considered her options; she had to get closer again to open the locks on the Doctor’s wrists. Palming the screwdriver, she let out a huge wail. “Why didn’t you tell me, why -“ she cried, pretending to sob all over the Doctor as the screwdriver hummed against the locks.
The Doctor caught Rose’s eye, mouthing the word - now; they launched themselves at the woman, knocking her off her feet.
“You’ll be turned in to the planetary authority authorities,” Galea. This stops now.”
“The great Doctor, Arbitrator of the Universe. Not this time. You don’t have your other precious Time Lords to help you this time. And here, I am the ultimate authority. Allow me to demonstrate.” Suddenly the room was filled men with blasters pointed at them. “Open com, transmat . Surely, you didn’t think I was unprotected?” Picking up the handheld device, she advanced on Rose. “I think I was clear on the punishment for disobedience, wasn’t I?”
White blinding pain hit Rose, and she could dimly hear herself screaming.
“You will give Johnson the specifics on energy signatures for regeneration, or I’ll take another twenty years.”
“I don’t know!”
The pain came again, but this time she couldn’t hold on to consciousness. The darkness rose up to claim her and she knew no more.
*****************************
Rose came to in what appeared to be a storeroom. She dragged herself to her feet, staggering against overwhelming dizziness. She could hear the woman and her assistant in the next room, describing the experiments that they intended to perform on the Doctor. She looked around the room, trying to find something she could use - and caught her reflection in the shiny finish of a piece of equipment. An old woman looked back at her; gray hair, with subtle lines around her eyes and mouth. Looking at her hands she moved them feeling the stiffness in the joints. “Think about it later” she told herself. “None of it’s going to matter if we don’t get out of here.” Spying a steel gray box on the wall in front of her, she smiled. Picking up a spanner from the table, she opened the box, flipping all the breakers she could find, plunging the immediate area into darkness, and setting off alarms on the equipment in the room next door.
Opening the door, Rose lunged toward the Doctor, spanner clutched in her hand, smashing at the collection of electronics as hard as she could. Sparks flew, energy discharges filled the room, arcing along the banks of equipment.
“No, Rose wait I can’t reverse the process if you destroy . . . “ the hopelessness in the Doctors voice chilled her. She turned, panting with exertion.
Galea stood stunned. “But you’re dead, I drained you. “
“Not quite. Obviously. Let him go.” She blinked, feeling a little dizzy.
The woman’s eyes narrowed. “Feeling a little weak are we? I can rebuild, I can take what I need with my handheld. You haven’t’ won you’ve just delayed things at bit. Now, I think I’ll finish the job.” She advanced on Rose the silver device fitted into her palm.
A loud retort sounded, and Galea pitched forward on the floor. From the corner, Johnson, his coat singed from the energy blasts, crumpled to the ground, still clutching the blaster in his hand. “Shouldn’t have helped her,” he rasped, but I loved her, I’m sorry . . . ” his eyes glazed over as he died.
The whine of an overload grew louder as the wall of electronic equipment smoked. Spying the Doctor’s sonic screwdriver, she picked it up and used it to release the manacles anchoring him to the wall.
The Doctor grabbed Rose around the waist, steadying her. “We’ve got to get the files from the computer; there must be a way to reverse --” Suddenly a loud explosion rocked the room, the floor tilted, and smoke filled the room.
Picking Rose up into his arms, the Doctor rushed toward the exit, moving toward the safety of the TARDIS. Between the smoke and chaos of the explosions, they were able to make it to the TARDIS undetected.
He moved through the console room and took Rose to medbay. “ Got to run some scans, and see how we can help you . . . “
Rose smiled up at him, catching his arm, “It’s alright Doctor.”
“It’s not time yet, Rose I’m gonna think of somethin’.” He smoothed her hair back in a soothing gesture, then resolutely turned to the scanning equipment. “Rest here, Rose while the scans complete. I need to alert the authorities, and then we’ll go get Jack. I’ll be right back.