Doctor Who Fic: The Trial of Ten, 3/20
Banner made by 'D', my amazingly talented RL artist friend.
Characters: Eleventh Doctor, Metacrisis Doctor, Rose (Also: Martha, Jack, Amy, Rory, Gwen, John Hart)
Genre: Drama; some action and h/c
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Up to/including A Christmas Carol
Beta gayalondiel, my lovely Britpicker extraordinaire
Summary: When the Metacrisis Doctor returns with Rose from the other universe, he is captured and put on trial for various crimes including genocide. Can Rose and Eleven save him? How does the case affect Eleven who is also, in effect, on trial? How does the unexpected return to the Tardis and to the original Doctor affect Rose?
Chapter 3 Summary: When the Doctor attempts to save Ten, the Tardis takes control, but is her cure worse than the problem?
Author's Notes: This story has already been written and completed. I will post a new chapter twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays.
Disclaimer: This story takes place within the Doctor Who universe. This story is a way of re-interpreting concepts and ideas already present in Doctor Who. All characters within belong to the BBC. This story is for fun and for sharing, but not for profit.
The Trial of Ten
Chapter 3: Adrift in the Vortex
Rose followed the others. She could see Ten's head resting against Eleven's shoulder, his darker hair brushing against Eleven's lighter brown mop. The room opened up large and golden before them. Amy and Rory swarmed around the console at ease, but Rose had to watch her step on the unfamiliar stairs. By the time she reached the centre, Eleven had already nudged a control with his elbow, careful not to jostle Ten.
'What are we doing here?' asked Amy.
Rose looked alarmed. 'You're not going to get him to look into the heart of the Tardis, are you?'
'No, no!' said Eleven. 'That wouldn't do at all.' He turned carefully, still cradling Ten. 'Rory, bring that stool over here, would you? Right here. Closer. Yes. That's it. Cheers.' Gently, he deposited Ten on the stool. 'Hold him up?'
Rory and Rose moved in on each side and held him.
'Good. Now, Amy, the screwdriver.' Eleven caught it and leaned over the console. Rapidly, he twisted knobs and pulled levers. Suddenly he dove under the console, pulled out cables and rerouted them. 'With a bit of jiggery-pokery, if she'll let me...' Standing back up, he held the screwdriver against an odd object embedded in the console.
'I remember that thing,' said Rose. 'It was in the Tardis I knew.'
'It never changes,' said Eleven absently. Something clicked, and he very gently eased it open. It revealed a space that lay under the glass top. Rose craned her neck and peered down into it.
'What is it,' she asked.
'The Briode Nebuliser,' Eleven said. 'Now, lay him on the console. I need his hand.'
Between them, Rose and Rory shifted Ten so that he half sat on the stool and half lay, his upper body slumped over the console and his head turned with his right cheek against the glass.
'That's it,' said Eleven. Carefully he took Ten's left arm and eased his hand into the cavity. 'Step back,' he advised.
As soon as the hand was fully in, the cover snapped back over it and the wrist. Rose and Rory started. Amy stared from behind them. The cover molded itself to fit snugly.
'What is it doing,' fretted Rose.
'Kick-starting his cells, if we're lucky,' murmured Eleven. 'It's reading him first.'
Silence fell. Nothing happened at first, but as they watched, Rose could gradually feel the background vibration of the Tardis shift slightly.
'Did you--' she began.
'Shhh!' whispered Eleven.
Rose closed her mouth. The vibration became stronger, and she noticed Rory and Amy looking down at the glass beneath their feet. Eleven's gaze was still fixed on Ten.
The time rotor roared to life, and the Tardis lurched. They all stumbled, and Ten's body, still held by his hand stuck in the device, shifted and jammed against the controls on the console.
'What's it doing?' cried Amy as she clung onto the railing behind her. The familiar sound of the Tardis dematerializing surrounded them.
'She's going into the vortex!' shouted Eleven, his eyes wide. 'I didn't expect that.'
'Well, stop it!' Amy said, still clinging to the rail.
'She knows what she's doing, doesn't she?' asked Rose as she held on to the edge of the console. The Tardis lurched in a different direction and she was flung onto her back. Clambering back up, she peered at Ten. His eyes were still closed. Was it her imagination, Rose thought, or was there a slight frown?
'I think so,' gasped Eleven. He reached over as best he could over the juddering surface and pounded his hand down on a large button, but a spark of energy shot out and he snatched it back. 'She thinks so, at any rate.' He shook his hand up and down to cool it.
Suddenly the noise quietened and the Tardis calmed.
'Where are we?' asked Rory.
Eleven flexed his hand. 'We're in the Time Vortex. Floating.'
'But how is that going to help the Doctor,' asked Rose. 'He doesn't need more energy.'
'I don't know,' murmured Eleven. 'But I trust her. She doesn't often take action on her own like this, but each time she has, there has always been a reason.'
'As long as he doesn't become an egg,' said Rose. Amy and Rory looked at her and then each other.
'He's not Slitheen,' said Eleven. He circled back around the console to where Ten lay. 'I wouldn't worry about that.' He hovered the screwdriver over Ten's hand and let it whir.
'Something's wrong,' said Rose. 'He's frowning.'
'Wait,' said Eleven. He pocketed the screwdriver. 'Wait.'
A few minutes passed. Ten's frown deepened and then they could all hear a soft gasp.
'Doctor--' began Rose, but she was cut off.
Ten suddenly jerked, as if trying to pull his arm free. At the same time, wispy tendrils of soft blue energy flowed out of the device and wreathed themselves up his arm. Before anyone could move, the blue light streamed over his whole body, flickering and twisting.
Ten screamed.
'Doctor, do something,' cried Rose. She launched herself at Ten, but Eleven caught her, his arm around her waist, and held her tight.
'Stay back,' he shouted. 'He might survive that, but you wouldn't.'
Rose clawed at the air, but Eleven held her in an iron grip. She could still see Ten, and his face was contorted, his back arched.
'It's hurting him,' she sobbed.
'I know,' said Eleven, strained. 'I know. I'm sorry.'
But then the energy dissipated as quickly as it came, and Ten's body slumped once more.
In the stunned silence that followed, they all heard the soft click as the device released and the covering withdrew from Ten's hand.
Rose twisted out of Eleven's grip and he let her go. Trembling, she caressed Ten's cheek. It felt cool, but her fingers tingled from the touch as if his skin were slightly charged. She fumbled at his neck and found his heartbeat. It was a little fast but strong. She could hear the sonic screwdriver whirring from behind her and then, after a pause, Eleven leaned forward, his face next to hers.
'He's all right,' he whispered. 'He's all right, Rose. Or he will be.'
Very gently, as if with a child, Eleven wound his arms around Ten and lifted him away from the console and upright, still on the stool.
At Eleven's touch, Ten's eyes opened. He looked about him wildly and then shuddered. 'I... I...' he said brokenly. 'I can't...' He began to shake.
'I know,' said Eleven softly. 'I know.'
He lifted Ten off the stool, but as Ten clutched at him, he overbalanced and they half fell, half knelt on the floor. Eleven inched backwards until his back was against the under-column of the console, and he pulled Ten towards him so that Ten's right side was against his chest, and Ten's head was bowed under his chin. Their legs sprawled out over the floor. Eleven reached up with one hand and touched his fingers to the side of Ten's face.
'I thought so,' he whispered and withdrew his hand. 'I'm sorry.'
Ten shuddered, and Eleven tightened his arms around him. 'I've got you,' he said. 'I've got you. Listen to my voice. Find your way out.'
Rose knelt, and Amy and Rory hovered uncertainly behind her. 'What happened,' she asked.
Eleven's voice was hushed, almost reverent. 'She showed him the Time Vortex. She showed him the Vortex and filled him with artron energy.'
'But I thought that was fatal,' said Rose. 'Didn't that make you regenerate on the Game Station?'
He rocked Ten slightly. 'No. That was the full energy from the heart of the Tardis. That kills. Artron energy--you know that, Rose--all of you have it. It's part of the background radiation in time travel. Beneficial, actually, but usually doesn't come in the amount he just had.'
Rose scrambled forward so she sat next to him. She took Ten's hand and held it between her own. 'But the Time Vortex... Why?'
Eleven shook his head. 'I'm not sure. I was hoping that using the Rassilon Imprimatur as a guide to help the Tardis retrain his Time-Lord cells using my stored pattern would help revive him. Clearly she didn't think it was enough.'
Ten opened his eyes, but didn't make a sound. His eyes wide, but face slack, he stared off into the distance.
'Doctor?' whispered Rose. He didn't respond.
'What does showing the Time Vortex do?' asked Rory. 'He doesn't look all right.'
Eleven shuddered. 'Time Lord children are shown it for a very brief time during their initiation.'
'You didn't like it?' asked Amy.
'Yeah,' admitted Eleven. 'I only caught a glimpse. That was enough. But he...' and he looked down at Ten almost tenderly, 'he saw it fully. More than I ever have.'
'But...' began Rory.
'You talked about kick-starting his cells, Rory,' said Eleven. 'The Tardis has just done that, but not just physically. Mentally, too--a lot bigger kick than I had planned.'
'Why?' asked Rose resentfully. 'Why so much? Does she hate him for being part-human?'
Eleven looked at her, shocked. He tightened his hold on Ten. 'No, no, no. Nothing of the sort,' he said. 'Rather the reverse. I think she's very fond of him. She's glad to have him back, and wanted the best for him.'
Amy gestured at Ten's face. 'How is that better?'
'It's better. He'll need time to adjust--seeing the Time Vortex directly, unprotected, is a big event in any Time Lord's life--but the Tardis obviously decided to heal mind and body together.'
'There was nothing wrong with his mind,' protested Rose.
Eleven shook his head. 'He's not damaged. I need you to trust me. Trust the Tardis. His cells had closed down, his time-sense damaged. He was dying. Forcing the cells to rejuvenate like that maybe saved him, but... It's as I said before. A human-Time Lord hybrid... The Tardis chose to retrain body and mind together, to accept his Time-Lord heritage.'
'So he can change bodies again?' asked Amy.
'No,' said Eleven softly. 'He is still partly human. Those checks and balances will continue, but he will be more stable. With you, Rose, and with the Tardis, he will have had the best grounding in both worlds. What a teacher he could be--a bridge, for all of us.'
Rose felt the hand in hers grip. She looked up and saw Ten's eyes gazing at her.
'Doctor?' she whispered.
He smiled briefly, but then his eyes closed.
'He looked at me,' she said.
'Right,' said Eleven. 'Let's get him back to bed.'
But when they had settled Ten in the infirmary once more, Eleven turned to Rose. 'You too. He will need someone with him tonight. Hold him. Let him know he's not alone.'
Rose nodded mutely. She pulled off her shoes and jacket and climbed in under the covers behind Ten who was curled on his side. As she wound her arm around his waist and held him close, she shot Eleven a look over her shoulder.
'I hope you're right about all of this.'
But before he could answer, she turned her head back, closed her eyes, and rested her forehead against Ten's hair. From behind her, she could hear Eleven sigh and then footsteps fade away.
~ o ~ O ~ o ~
Rose found the other three talking in the Console Room. She yawned as she climbed the short set of steps.
'Morning,' said Amy. 'How's Ten?'
Rose hesitated. 'I... I don't know. He slept all night. He's awake now, but staring at the ceiling.'
Eleven nodded. 'That's to be expected. Can't think someone is going to shrug off having the universe poured into his head overnight, can you.'
Rory blinked. 'Wow,' he said. 'The whole universe?'
'Pretty much,' said Eleven. 'Give him time. Time... Wonderful thing is time. Cures all ills. Causes them too, but that's a different story. Right! In the meantime,' he said as he pulled down a lever on the console, 'I suggest we stop somewhere to refuel, restock and give some of us some time to relax. Amy and Rory here haven't even had their honeymoon yet, and from what I understand of human mating rituals, that's simply deplorable.'
'Doctor...' said Amy. Rory grinned.
'What... You two are married?' asked Rose. 'Really?'
'We are,' said Rory proudly. 'Yesterday.'
'And so,' said Eleven, 'I want you two to choose a place you would like to go. I can drop you off. It seems that someone wants me on the Orient Express and I've promised I'd go. But, Rose, Ten could do with being away from the Time Vortex for a bit. He's particularly time-sensitive right now. Until his cells have fully stabilized, I don't want him travelling in the Tardis.'
'Time-sensitive?' asked Rory. He smirked. 'Sounds like a post-dated cheque.'
Around them, the Tardis whined, and then settled with a deep, reverberating thump. Eleven patted the console.
'So you and he will stop here for a bit while I deal with whatever it is they need me for.'
Rose looked towards the doors. 'So where is here?' she asked. 'Anywhere exotic? Warm?' She walked over and opened them. The Roald Dahl Plass stretched out before her. 'Cardiff?' Her shoulders sagged. 'You're joking. What about the Rift? I thought you said he was time-sensitive.'
'He is,' said Eleven, who had come up behind her. 'But there's no Time Vortex here, as such. The Rift is just a single gateway through time and space. A doorway. The energies are quite different. Much simpler. Calmer, especially now. He'll be fine. Besides, when I come back to pick you two up, I'd like to fuel up the Tardis. She's running a bit low. Rebooting the universe does that to one.'
Rose leaned towards him. 'But... Jack will want to see him,' she said in a low voice. 'I don't think he is ready to see people yet.'
Eleven laughed. 'Jack is a bit... much, isn't he.' He smiled gently. 'Don't worry, Rose. He's no longer here. Nor is Torchwood. You two will be left alone. I promise you.'
'He'll be all right?' Rose asked, her voice still low. 'He... he won't talk to me.'
Eleven put his hand on her shoulder. 'He just needs time. Your regular, human, slow time. We haven't moved much at all relative to your life in the other universe. It's June 27, 2010. Although he's over the worst, he is still adapting to the energy here. He's going to be disoriented until then. His sense of time will fluctuate. Until it settles down, things will seem to be going too fast or too slow. Watch out. His reflexes will be clumsy. Don't let him break anything, all right?'
Rose snorted. 'I can't trust him at the best of times. Or you, for that matter.'
Eleven smiled ruefully. 'He will get better. Go and do boring things. It's what he needs. Have lunch in a cafe. See the castle. Watch the trains go by. Just let him be him.'
Rose nodded and began to turn away, but stopped. She looked up at Eleven. 'You will come back for us, yeah? You won't just leave us again, stuck here? I'm dead in this universe, remember?'
Eleven started and took his hand from her shoulder as if it burned him. He didn't speak for a moment.
'You won't, will you?' Rose pressed. 'See, I don't know what to expect from you now.'
Eleven looked away. 'No. I won't leave you.'
Rose looked at him for a long moment and then she retreated back into the Tardis and headed for the infirmary.
~ o ~ O ~ o ~
Ten was sitting up, legs dangling over the edge of the bed when Eleven came in bearing an armful of clothing.
'Rose...' Ten cleared his throat. 'Rose is finding some clothes for me.' His voice was low, distant.
'I know,' said Eleven. 'But I thought you might like these. I don't wear them any more.'
He spread the clothing out over the end of the bed. Ten touched the brown pinstripe suit and then the blue.
'Either one,' said Eleven. 'They're yours.'
Ten nodded and, with a small smile, gathered the brown suit to him.
'Right you are,' said Eleven. He reached forward and tucked a pair of dark-rimmed glasses in a pocket. 'Do you need help changing?'
Ten shook his head. He fingered the glasses and nodded.
'I'll be outside, then. See you out there.'
~ o ~ O ~ o ~
They stood outside the doors of the Tardis. Rose could feel a faint mist on her skin from the fountain behind them, and water rushed and burbled at the base.
'You ready?' Rose asked. She looked up at Ten.
'Yeah,' he said. They stepped off the stone slabs and onto the Plass. He shivered.
'Half a tick,' said Eleven from the doorway. He came forward and shook out a bundle. 'I think you might need this.'
'Your coat,' said Rose. She grinned. 'Really? You don't use it any more?'
Eleven shook his head. 'I'd rather see Ten wearing it.'
Ten said nothing but fingered the soft, brown cloth gently, caressingly.
'There are singe marks on it,' said Rose. 'What happened?'
'Er, long story.' Eleven hunched his shoulders. 'I'll tell you sometime. At any rate, they don't show. Much. Come on. Let's see you in it.' He helped Ten into it and, after thinking, reached into Ten's jacket pocket and pulled out the glasses. He slid them onto Ten's face and then stepped back into the doorway. A big grin spread over his face. 'Oh, yes. That's right. That's... good. Yes.'
'I agree,' said Rose. She took Ten's hand and smiled up at him. 'Come on, handsome. It's time we were off.'
'Rose,' said Eleven, 'take this. You'll need it to get cash. And... you never know.' He handed her a sonic screwdriver. 'It's like the one he, we, had before.'
Rose grinned. She reached up and gave Eleven a peck on the cheek. 'Thanks.' He nodded and disappeared through the doors. She stepped back by Ten's side, and they stood and watched as the Tardis faded from view and air rushed at their faces.
To be continued
Chapter 4: Comeuppance
Chapter 1, Chapter 2