PREDATOR AND PREY
Chapter Six "Donna?" Amy said when Rory finished telling her and River what Rose told him. "Yeah, apparently she traveled with the Doctor at some point. Do you know her?" Rory asked River. "Nope, don't know any Donna," River said with a shrug. "Me neither," Rory said. "Makes me wonder how many women have traveled with him." He and River looked at Amy when she began giggling. "Oh, I have a rough idea," Amy said. "I was asking the Doctor about that one night and he wouldn't tell me so I tricked him into opening this file on his female companions and…my, my, my there has been a harem in this TARDIS, I can tell you." "Lovely, the man I fell in love with is an intergalactic pimp," River said, throwing up her hands. "Just wait; he'll have us out on street corners on Alpha Centauri being his bitches before too long." "I hope you aren't implying I'm one of the bitches," Rory said to her. "I like the Doctor but not enough to get dressed up in hot pants and nylons and go prostitute for him." "Wait a tic, I do remember Rose's face being mixed in with the other women," Amy said, ignoring her husband. "At least we know she isn't lying or isn't some assassin come to kill us all." "But that doesn't mean this Valeyard didn't brainwash her or hypnotize her at some point," River said. "She did say she was running away from him after being in captivity. What if her mind's been altered and she doesn't know it?" "Then I s'pose we'll have to wait and see what happens," Amy said. "I just hope waiting doesn't mean we all end up with daggers in our backs," River said, glancing up at the back door. XOXOXOX Rose got a sickly feeling in the pit of her stomach. She suddenly realized why the Doctor was being secretive and sealing up the room and her spirits fell when she realized her worst fear was coming true. The Doctor was about to speak but she beat him to it. "You and River are a couple," she said sadly. The Doctor paused, his mouth hanging open and the words he was going to say dying in his throat. He closed them again and sighed. "Yes but it's complicated," the Doctor said. "How complicated?" Rose said. The Doctor told her what he knew about River beginning with his first meeting with her in the Library. Rose listened quietly, her brow furrowed in confusion while the Doctor told her about River's past being his future. When he finally stopped speaking, Rose remained silent for a moment, taking it all in, while the Doctor watched her. "Well…" Rose finally said. "I s'pose I have three questions now after hearing all of this." "And those are?" "Okay, first question, why is she going backwards in your time stream? Second question, why is she being so secretive about who she is and how she knows you? And third question, are you in love with her because you want to be or because she told you that's what supposed to happen when you were with her in the Library?" "And I've pondered all three of those questions until I've been driven to distraction and I don't have a definite answer for any of them. I have no idea why she's going backwards in my time stream. I've never met anyone who did that before, at least not with me. I've been trying to get information out of her since the day I met her and most of the time I get told it's spoilers and I'm not supposed to know. As for the third question…I've wondered about that as well. I do like her and I'm fond of her but I've often wondered if I'm letting her near the way I let you near because I do care for her or because it's supposedly destined. Does that bother you, my loving her?" "Well…I can't say it's pleasant to hear that you're in another relationship and I won't lie that it hurts to hear that you're with River now," Rose said. "But when you dropped me off with John, you wanted me to get on with my life and not look back and I can't fault you for doing the same, especially since you thought I wasn't coming back. I'm just scared that she isn't what she appears to be and she's not telling you the whole truth because she's going to kill you. You said that you were told that she killed a man but she won't say who it is. Well, if your future is her past, what if that means the person she kills is you?" The Doctor considered that and Rose watched while he put his hands behind his back and paced back and forth beside her. "It's a possibility. She did say that she killed the best man she's ever known," he mused. Anything is possible, I suppose." "The other thing that troubles me is you don't seem to mind her using guns," Rose said while the Doctor paced. "You whinged at Jack whenever he used his and you told me you'd rather take the moral high ground and be shot than use a gun. Now you don't mind that she shoots people? Is this a personality change then because the Doctor I knew wouldn't tolerate someone who shot people." "I've also wondered about that," the Doctor said. "Perhaps I have changed a bit in that regard. I'm not thrilled that she uses guns but I've never jumped on her and lectured her about it like I would have in my previous lives." "Maybe it's because she told you that you're supposed to be with her so you try to ignore it because you think you're supposed to be a couple? I don't like that you've had to ignore some of your values because of her." Rose reached out and took his hand when the Doctor stopped beside her. "I'm not saying this out of jealousy. I'm saying this because I'm afraid she's some brainwashed assassin that's here to kill you and part of the plan is getting you to be comfortable with her use of guns so when your guard is down she'll use it on you. And maybe I'm overreacting but you taught me not to take things at face value and read between the lines. For all we know, she was kidnapped off the street somewhere and brainwashed by someone who hated you to kill ya at some point." The Doctor nodded and squeezed her shoulder tenderly. "I've considered most of that and I have considered the possibility of her being an assassin. So far she hasn't done anything but I'm giving her the benefit of the doubt. Until something happens that proves otherwise, please treat her as an ally, alright?" "I will because I don't want to start a fight. I don't want to be the enemy here. I like everyone I've met and I want to be friends with them. But if that woman is an assassin and she turns on you, God help her because I will tear her limb from limb if she hurts you." The Doctor chuckled. "Now I have a sadistic hope that she will turn against me," he said before giving Rose a fond kiss on the cheek. "But we can save the attack dog mode for the Valeyard, eh?" "Believe me, I will be in full attack dog mode when we get back to him," Rose said. The Doctor chuckled. Rose fell silent and watched him while he took down the empty IV bag and made preparations to remove the needle from her arm. "Feel better?" the Doctor asked Rose. "Heaps. I don't know what that was but it worked wonders. I don't even have a headache anymore," Rose said. "Good." "Doctor, can I ask you a question?" "Yes?" the Doctor said, going over to a drawer to fetch some supplies. "How did it happen? Your regeneration?" Rose asked. The Doctor told her what happened while he took the needle out of her arm and put some gauze and surgical tape over it. Rose gave him a sad smile when he finished. "You need to stay away from radiation," she said. "That's the second time it's killed ya." "Yes, well…both deaths were worth it, seeing as how I saved the people I loved," he said, stroking her hair before disposing of the IV bag, tube and needle. He looked over his shoulder while he opened a hatch and put the items in an incinerator chute. "Rose, there's something more," he said, closing the hatch. He turned to her and told her about visiting all his friends before regenerating, ending up with seeing her before she met his ninth self. Rose was confused for a moment and then her eyes widened when the memory of that night came back to her. "Oh my God, it was you. You were in semi darkness but…oh God…and I thought you were drunk when you were really…" The Doctor took her hand when her eyes welled up. "You were dying and I didn't know what was happening," Rose said. "That was the point. I went back to a point before you knew me so I could say goodbye to you without your interference. You weren't meant to save me, Rose, it was time to change." The Doctor watched while Rose sat up and held out her arms to him. He smiled and accepted her hug. "Maybe that's why I was so freaked out when you changed," Rose said as she held him tight. "That first time you changed, maybe I unconsciously recognized you from that night. I wish I could have been with you when you changed." "You were with me in spirit, just like everyone else. And no tears. I made it through the ordeal and here I am. And you seem to like me, apart from the bow tie." Rose laughed through her tears. "Yeah, the whole outfit needs to be redone. You look like a university professor or something." "Well…I am somewhat distinguished," the Doctor said with a playful poke at her arm. "And I do teach my companions many things so maybe it fits." "But the TARDIS, can I see what she looks like now since she changed?" Rose said. "Do you think you're strong enough to sit up?" "I think so. All the pain and dizziness is gone," Rose said. The Doctor thought for a moment. "How about this? That thing you're wearing doesn't suit you. Do you wanna get out of it?" "In the worst way." "Okay, why don't you go back to your old room, get changed and have a shower and get freshened up. I haven't told River the true nature of our relationship and I think she deserves to know the truth." "So she doesn't get into a fight with me." "Yes and because if we're going to be working together I want everyone to trust each other and if there is any animosity between you and her, I want it taken care of here and now. I don't relish telling her since she's a bit of a hothead and I don't think she'll take it well but it has to be done. She might choose to be deceptive about her past but I won't be deceptive about our past. Is that alright?" Rose nodded. The Doctor helped her to her feet and let her get her balance. He walked with her for a few minutes and satisfied that she was able to stand and walk without becoming dizzy, he asked the TARDIS to open the door back up. Once the door was opened, Rose headed back to her old room while the Doctor headed towards the console room.
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