Doctor Who fic: The Other Side of the World (16/31)
Title: The Other Side of the World (16/31)
Rating: PG
Characters: Rose, Martha
Timeline: Season three
Summary: Season three AU; After a fateful visit to Royal Hope Hospital, Rose finds herself lost in time and space with medical student Martha Jones. As they struggle to find a way home, they meet old friends, and old enemies, along the way...
Disclaimer: These characters aren't mine. Any borrowed dialogue belongs to Russell T Davies and the BBC.
A/N: A sequel to "The Other Side". It's not necessary reading; it just sets up the premise that it was the Doctor who was trapped in Pete's World, not Rose. And a shout-out to my awesome betas: joking and quean_of_swords. This story wouldn't have been posted without you guys.
Chapter One. Chapter Two. Chapter Three. Chapter Four. Chapter Five. Chapter Six. Chapter Seven. Chapter Eight. Chapter Nine. Chapter Ten. Chapter Eleven. Chapter Twelve. Chapter Thirteen. Chapter Fourteen. Chapter Fifteen.
A familiar ache took hold of Rose’s heart. Travelling with the Doctor had been amazing but it had its share of danger, too. She had seen more people die than she would have liked and some times she and the Doctor left because they had no choice. But she had had a choice with Chantho. They could have fought off the Futurekind and made it to the TARDIS. No one needed to be left behind.
The TARDIS tore through the Time Vortex, flying a bit more smoothly than it had in months, but Jack was still forced to run around the console to keep the ship under control, echoing the Doctor’s piloting method. He enlisted Martha’s help, telling her to hit certain controls when needed. The young doctor did her best to keep up, attacking the buttons and dials with surgical precision, but she still looked completely lost. Rose hardly noticed. Instead she turned to Yana and she placed her hand on his arm. He blinked back tears as he patted her hand. “Seventeen years she was with me. Never once did she want to leave.”
“Sounds familiar,” muttered Rose, squeezing the Professor’s arm.
He let go of the railing but his legs gave out on him. She stumbled to help Yana stay on his feet but she wasn’t feeling all that strong at the moment either. “Here.” She guided him up the ramp and they walked over to the jump seat. Martha and Jack watched them quietly and when the TARDIS landed, Jack took Martha by the hand and they left the time machine together, Jack regaling the young doctor with an exploit from his past. Rose glanced at their retreating forms, catching a peek of the world outside. A familiar playground beckoned.
They were back at the Powell Estate.
“‘The Professor.’” Yana laughed bitterly, drawing Rose’s attention. His eyes were red from the tears and he had that faraway look again as he fiddled with a thin chain on his waistcoat. “It’s just a title; it doesn’t mean anything. I’m just a stupid old man. Always late, always lost…”
“You’re not stupid,” insisted Rose. “You just gave the human race a second chance at life at the end of the universe. That’s brilliant.”
“Could never get this thing to work.” It was clear Yana wasn’t listening to her. He pulled on the chain, revealing a battered fob watch. His fingers absently traced the edges, like he had done this many times.
“Professor.” Rose clamped her hand over the watch. It was enough to pull Yana out of his stupor for a moment. “I know what it’s like to lose someone close to you. It feels like-” The words came to her and the irony of them made her smile slightly. “It feels like your world is ending.”
“The Doctor.” Her hand twitched around Yana’s and he smiled apologetically. “I’m sorry; Ms. Jones and I had been monitoring the Captain’s progress. We overheard-”
“No, it’s fine.” Rose took an unsteady breath. “What will you do now? We can still take you to Utopia if you like.”
“There’s no place for an old man like me. I’m a relic, like this watch.” Yana lifted Rose’s hand off the fob watch and turned it over.
“You could always travel. In the TARDIS. I’m sure-” With the front of the fob watch now facing up, she saw the design engraved in the metal. It looked like a random design, but Rose had seen something similar. She had seen it every day in fact, every time she stood at the console.
The design on the front of Yana’s watch was the Doctor’s language.
“Where did you get this watch?” She felt a strong urge to reach out and snatch it from Yana’s hand, but she kept her hands at her sides.
“I was found with it, on the coast of the Silver Devastation. An orphan in the storm.” The Professor’s gaze drifted to Rose and he seemed to notice just then the sudden edge in her voice. “Why?”
“It’s…” Her voice failed her. Reaching for the console screen, she swung it around so it faced Yana, the turning circles of the Doctor’s language displayed there. He looked between the watch and the screen, his astonishment clear on his face.
Rose’s brain was in overload. She turned her back to Yana as she grappled with the possibilities. The Doctor was the last of his people. The Time War had wiped out his planet and anything related to the Time Lords was gone. How could Yana own a fob watch with the Doctor’s language on it if no one in the entire universe knew how to read or write it?
Unless the Doctor hadn’t been the last of the Time Lords…
A bright light sprang to life behind Rose and she turned, surprised. Yana was on his feet and his gaze was fixed on his hand. The fob watch sat open on his palm and tendrils of energy seemed to be escaping from the watch, encircling around the old man’s head. The light shone right in his face, but his eyes were wide and his whole body was rigid.
Within the blink of an eye, the light died. The watch fell from Yana’s hand and he didn’t move.
“Professor?” Rose slowly reached out with her right hand.
Yana moved so quickly, it was just a blur to her. He grabbed her tightly around her wrist and yanked her towards him. The old man hadn’t changed his appearance, but staring into his eyes, Rose just knew he wasn’t the same man. His eyes were cold and distant and the genial quality that surrounded him was gone. “That is not my name!”
She tried to pull out of his grip, but his fingers clenched tighter, applying more pressure. Rose stifled a small cry of pain.
“All those years as a human. Living like one, thinking like one. Disgusting.” Yana began to walk forward, forcing Rose to step backwards to avoid falling over. “And now crying over the pathetic life of some blue bug. I could never understand why he felt such affection for your species.”
Their steps had put them in sight of the doors. From the corner of eye, Rose could see Martha and Jack waiting outside. Yana was so wrapped up in his loathing he didn’t seem to notice.
At the top of her lungs, Rose shouted, “Jack!”
Yana slammed his palm into Rose’s arm and she heard, rather than felt, the bone snap. The pain was just too much for her mind to process, leaving her entire body feeling numb. The console room spun as she wobbled on her feet, but Yana kept his grip around her wrist and he held her up by her limp arm. He smiled at her pain, taking joy from the whole experience.
“Rose!” Jack’s gun rang out three times and Yana shuddered as each shot tore through him, his blood spattering the console behind him. His grip loosened around Rose’s wrist and she collapsed onto the metal grating.
Yana clutched his chest, his blood spilling over his fingers. But the smile never left his face. He all but fell against the console before he smashed his hand down on one of the buttons. The TARDIS doors flew shut before Martha could get inside or Jack could fire any more bullets. The doors shook as Jack and Martha pounded on them but as flimsy as they looked, they held underneath the blows.
Blood ran down from the corner of Yana’s mouth, staining his lips red. “You said something about travelling in the TARDIS?” he wheezed.
“You’re dying,” slurred Rose. She could barely see straight but it wasn’t to blame for what she saw next.
Yana threw his arms and head back and an explosion of light engulfed him. Only once had Rose seen such brilliant golden light and energy overtake a man. That one time, she had watched a man change his face and body.
Now she watched Yana regenerate.
An inhuman scream escaped from Yana’s mouth, like he was in terrible pain. Then, just like it had with the Doctor, the light and energy surrounding Yana just stopped and left in his place was a new man, younger and stronger. There were three holes in Yana’s waistcoat and the material was coated with blood, but the man looked completely unharmed. He flexed his hands before wiping away the trail of blood that had trickled down from his mouth.
Rose cradled her useless right arm. “Who are you?”
The man who used to be Yana knelt down before her. His smile was complete malevolence. “I’m the Master. And you, Ms. Tyler, are coming with me.”
Rating: PG
Characters: Rose, Martha
Timeline: Season three
Summary: Season three AU; After a fateful visit to Royal Hope Hospital, Rose finds herself lost in time and space with medical student Martha Jones. As they struggle to find a way home, they meet old friends, and old enemies, along the way...
Disclaimer: These characters aren't mine. Any borrowed dialogue belongs to Russell T Davies and the BBC.
A/N: A sequel to "The Other Side". It's not necessary reading; it just sets up the premise that it was the Doctor who was trapped in Pete's World, not Rose. And a shout-out to my awesome betas: joking and quean_of_swords. This story wouldn't have been posted without you guys.
Chapter One. Chapter Two. Chapter Three. Chapter Four. Chapter Five. Chapter Six. Chapter Seven. Chapter Eight. Chapter Nine. Chapter Ten. Chapter Eleven. Chapter Twelve. Chapter Thirteen. Chapter Fourteen. Chapter Fifteen.
A familiar ache took hold of Rose’s heart. Travelling with the Doctor had been amazing but it had its share of danger, too. She had seen more people die than she would have liked and some times she and the Doctor left because they had no choice. But she had had a choice with Chantho. They could have fought off the Futurekind and made it to the TARDIS. No one needed to be left behind.
The TARDIS tore through the Time Vortex, flying a bit more smoothly than it had in months, but Jack was still forced to run around the console to keep the ship under control, echoing the Doctor’s piloting method. He enlisted Martha’s help, telling her to hit certain controls when needed. The young doctor did her best to keep up, attacking the buttons and dials with surgical precision, but she still looked completely lost. Rose hardly noticed. Instead she turned to Yana and she placed her hand on his arm. He blinked back tears as he patted her hand. “Seventeen years she was with me. Never once did she want to leave.”
“Sounds familiar,” muttered Rose, squeezing the Professor’s arm.
He let go of the railing but his legs gave out on him. She stumbled to help Yana stay on his feet but she wasn’t feeling all that strong at the moment either. “Here.” She guided him up the ramp and they walked over to the jump seat. Martha and Jack watched them quietly and when the TARDIS landed, Jack took Martha by the hand and they left the time machine together, Jack regaling the young doctor with an exploit from his past. Rose glanced at their retreating forms, catching a peek of the world outside. A familiar playground beckoned.
They were back at the Powell Estate.
“‘The Professor.’” Yana laughed bitterly, drawing Rose’s attention. His eyes were red from the tears and he had that faraway look again as he fiddled with a thin chain on his waistcoat. “It’s just a title; it doesn’t mean anything. I’m just a stupid old man. Always late, always lost…”
“You’re not stupid,” insisted Rose. “You just gave the human race a second chance at life at the end of the universe. That’s brilliant.”
“Could never get this thing to work.” It was clear Yana wasn’t listening to her. He pulled on the chain, revealing a battered fob watch. His fingers absently traced the edges, like he had done this many times.
“Professor.” Rose clamped her hand over the watch. It was enough to pull Yana out of his stupor for a moment. “I know what it’s like to lose someone close to you. It feels like-” The words came to her and the irony of them made her smile slightly. “It feels like your world is ending.”
“The Doctor.” Her hand twitched around Yana’s and he smiled apologetically. “I’m sorry; Ms. Jones and I had been monitoring the Captain’s progress. We overheard-”
“No, it’s fine.” Rose took an unsteady breath. “What will you do now? We can still take you to Utopia if you like.”
“There’s no place for an old man like me. I’m a relic, like this watch.” Yana lifted Rose’s hand off the fob watch and turned it over.
“You could always travel. In the TARDIS. I’m sure-” With the front of the fob watch now facing up, she saw the design engraved in the metal. It looked like a random design, but Rose had seen something similar. She had seen it every day in fact, every time she stood at the console.
The design on the front of Yana’s watch was the Doctor’s language.
“Where did you get this watch?” She felt a strong urge to reach out and snatch it from Yana’s hand, but she kept her hands at her sides.
“I was found with it, on the coast of the Silver Devastation. An orphan in the storm.” The Professor’s gaze drifted to Rose and he seemed to notice just then the sudden edge in her voice. “Why?”
“It’s…” Her voice failed her. Reaching for the console screen, she swung it around so it faced Yana, the turning circles of the Doctor’s language displayed there. He looked between the watch and the screen, his astonishment clear on his face.
Rose’s brain was in overload. She turned her back to Yana as she grappled with the possibilities. The Doctor was the last of his people. The Time War had wiped out his planet and anything related to the Time Lords was gone. How could Yana own a fob watch with the Doctor’s language on it if no one in the entire universe knew how to read or write it?
Unless the Doctor hadn’t been the last of the Time Lords…
A bright light sprang to life behind Rose and she turned, surprised. Yana was on his feet and his gaze was fixed on his hand. The fob watch sat open on his palm and tendrils of energy seemed to be escaping from the watch, encircling around the old man’s head. The light shone right in his face, but his eyes were wide and his whole body was rigid.
Within the blink of an eye, the light died. The watch fell from Yana’s hand and he didn’t move.
“Professor?” Rose slowly reached out with her right hand.
Yana moved so quickly, it was just a blur to her. He grabbed her tightly around her wrist and yanked her towards him. The old man hadn’t changed his appearance, but staring into his eyes, Rose just knew he wasn’t the same man. His eyes were cold and distant and the genial quality that surrounded him was gone. “That is not my name!”
She tried to pull out of his grip, but his fingers clenched tighter, applying more pressure. Rose stifled a small cry of pain.
“All those years as a human. Living like one, thinking like one. Disgusting.” Yana began to walk forward, forcing Rose to step backwards to avoid falling over. “And now crying over the pathetic life of some blue bug. I could never understand why he felt such affection for your species.”
Their steps had put them in sight of the doors. From the corner of eye, Rose could see Martha and Jack waiting outside. Yana was so wrapped up in his loathing he didn’t seem to notice.
At the top of her lungs, Rose shouted, “Jack!”
Yana slammed his palm into Rose’s arm and she heard, rather than felt, the bone snap. The pain was just too much for her mind to process, leaving her entire body feeling numb. The console room spun as she wobbled on her feet, but Yana kept his grip around her wrist and he held her up by her limp arm. He smiled at her pain, taking joy from the whole experience.
“Rose!” Jack’s gun rang out three times and Yana shuddered as each shot tore through him, his blood spattering the console behind him. His grip loosened around Rose’s wrist and she collapsed onto the metal grating.
Yana clutched his chest, his blood spilling over his fingers. But the smile never left his face. He all but fell against the console before he smashed his hand down on one of the buttons. The TARDIS doors flew shut before Martha could get inside or Jack could fire any more bullets. The doors shook as Jack and Martha pounded on them but as flimsy as they looked, they held underneath the blows.
Blood ran down from the corner of Yana’s mouth, staining his lips red. “You said something about travelling in the TARDIS?” he wheezed.
“You’re dying,” slurred Rose. She could barely see straight but it wasn’t to blame for what she saw next.
Yana threw his arms and head back and an explosion of light engulfed him. Only once had Rose seen such brilliant golden light and energy overtake a man. That one time, she had watched a man change his face and body.
Now she watched Yana regenerate.
An inhuman scream escaped from Yana’s mouth, like he was in terrible pain. Then, just like it had with the Doctor, the light and energy surrounding Yana just stopped and left in his place was a new man, younger and stronger. There were three holes in Yana’s waistcoat and the material was coated with blood, but the man looked completely unharmed. He flexed his hands before wiping away the trail of blood that had trickled down from his mouth.
Rose cradled her useless right arm. “Who are you?”
The man who used to be Yana knelt down before her. His smile was complete malevolence. “I’m the Master. And you, Ms. Tyler, are coming with me.”