(no subject)
Chapter 2/?
Once they’d slipped out of the school, he started talking a mile a minute.
“You have to understand that traveling with me can be dangerous. That Absorbanite you met is nothing. I mean nothing compared to what we’ll find.”
“I’m cool with that. Anywhere’s better then there, remember?” Iliania said calmly, raising an eyebrow.
He led her over to a large blue wooden box with the words ‘Police Public Call Box’ written in white over the door. The Doctor produced a key from his pocket and unlocked the door and stepped inside. Iliania stepped in after him and surveyed the interior. She saw the Doctor mouthing the words ‘it’s bigger in the inside then on the outside’ mockingly and she turned to face him, amused.
“I’m sorry, did you say something?” she asked, grinning.
“It’s just, most people have a reaction to the TARDIS.” He said, looking slightly hurt.
Iliania surveyed the interior again and said approvingly, “Sweet. This is just the opposite of my locker. It’s bigger on the inside rather then smaller.”
The Doctor laughed. “Too true. So, where do you want to go first?”
“What, backwards or forwards in time? To another planet? To another galaxy?” Iliania asked calmly.
“Exactly. How did you know?” he asked, looking a bit put out.
“TARDIS. Time And Relative Dimension In Space.” Iliania answered simply.
“But how did you know that?” he asked, confused.
“I dunno, I just did.” Iliania said, bewildered.
“Anyway, where do you want to go?” he asked, shaking off the unfamiliar feeling of confusion.
“You choose.”
“It’s your first time, you choose.”
“I choose for you to choose.”
“And I choose for you to choose. Now choose!”
“Fine. I choose Galafrey. Galafrey in its prime.”
There was a silence in which no one spoke. The Doctor just stared at her, his face an awful blend of confusion, panic, outrage, and above all, pain, unimaginable pain. Finally, he spoke.
“How do you know about Galafrey?” he asked quietly.
“I don’t know. I guess I just got it when I felt your vibes. Sorry, I shouldn’t have said that. I’m really sorry.” Iliania said quietly.
“Don’t be.” He said just as quietly.
“I’m really freaking you out, aren’t I? You can send me back if you need to. Maybe I’m just not cut out for this.” She said quietly, sadly.
“Well, I can’t deny that you’re beginning to confuse me, but as for not being cut out for this, it’s quite the opposite. You’re more cut out for this then any human I’ve ever met.” He said, mystified.
“That’s quite the complement, coming from a Time Lord like yourself.”
“How did you-” he began.
“Let’s not ask that question anymore, ok?” Iliania said, grimacing.
“Fair enough. So where do you want to go first?” he asked, grinning.
“To rescue Rose.” Iliania said firmly.
His face froze, the picture of agony. “That’s impossible.”
“Actually, I don’t think it is. Have you got any Tinker Toys?” Iliania asked.
“What?” he asked incredulously.
“Seriously. I need it for a model I need to make in order to show you that it’s possible. At least I think it’s possible. So, have you got any?” she asked bossily.
“I might. Come on, lets go look.” he said resignedly.
After traveling through a labyrinth of hallways and staircases, they reached a small storage room. The Doctor stepped into the room and produced a giant tin of Tinker Toys.
“Here. Come on, lets go find a table that you can work at.” He said, leading her back through the labyrinth to a large round table surrounded by stools.
“Great, thanks. If you come back in about five minutes, I’ll have the model ready.” Iliania said cheerfully.
“Great.” He said quietly, walking away.
Iliania watched him go, again her heart went out to him, but she told herself to focus. She knew that she could help him most by getting Rose back. After at least ten minutes later, the Doctor walked in to find Iliania sitting at the table, a giant sphere made from the Tinker Toys before her. She saw him standing there, and beckoned for him to come over.
“Ok, look. This is a vague, and frankly incredibly inaccurate model of the Universe, but it works. See, the circle things represent the universes. You see, they’re all the same, but if you really look at them, you can see that they’re actually really different, as is the case for actual alternate universes. And the stick things that connect the circles represent the bridges between universes. Now this one here is this universe, and this one is the universe is the one that Rose is stuck in. the bridge between these two is very weak, see?” Iliania pointed out all the cuts she had made in the stick. “This means that if someone, like us, tries to go to that universe, the bridge will break and both universes will be filled with Daleks and Cybermen and will collapse. Am I right so far?” she asked.
“Yes, but how do you know all this? I didn’t tell you any of this!” he cried desperately.
“I thought we’d agreed not to ask that question, remember? But I am right so far?” she asked again.
“Yes.” He said resignedly. “But I still don’t see where you’re going with this.”
“I’m getting there. Anyway, if we try to go through, the bridge will break.” Iliania snapped the stick in two to prove her point. “But, in their prime, Time Lords used to travel from universe to universe without a problem. Now the problem is just power, right?” Iliania asked.
“That and the weak bridge. But I’m not even going to bother asking how you know this.” He said with a sigh.
“Glad to see that you’re learning. But the weak bridge wouldn’t be a problem with sufficient power. Why? Because we can hop from universe to universe to universe, basically taking a major detour, but I think it’s doable. What do you think?” she asked hopefully.
“Power is still a definite problem.” He said coldly.
Iliania felt so sorry for him. She could see that he was being so distant and cold to shield himself from the pain, from the empty hope of a way away from the pain. She could see it plain as day, mainly from looking in the mirror.
“Power shouldn’t be a problem because of the rift in Cardiff. It acts as a power source for the TARDIS, right? And it’s in every universe in the same place, right? That makes power not a problem! We can rescue Rose!” she cried.
“You really think so?” he asked, a faint glimmer of hope in his broken eyes.
“I most certainly do, don’t you?” Iliania said, smiling.
“Well then what are we waiting for? Let’s go!” he yelled joyously, dashing from the room.
“Doctor, wait.” Iliania called after him.
“What is it?” he asked, sticking his head back in the room.
“It’s just, once we find her,” her voice trailed off.
“What is it?” he asked gently, walking over to her.
“Just promise me one thing.” She said quietly.
“Anything.” He said.
“Once we find her, don’t drop me like a rock, ok?” she asked, hoping against hope that her voice wouldn’t crack.
“I promise.” He said, giving her a one armed hug. “Now let’s go rescue Rose!”
“Yes. Let’s go rescue Rose.” Iliania echoed, following him out of the room.