THE ADVENTURES OF RAZZMATAZZ, THE TIME CAT

Chapter Twelve

Rose stood on the beach at Bad Wolf Bay and scanned her surroundings. They'd been following the Doctor's voice, his soft voice calling her name over and over and she was sure it led here. But they were in the middle of nowhere and it was cold and misty and miserable. Miserable, what a perfect match for her state of mind.

She looked back at her mother, Mickey and Pete. They were standing by the truck, watching and waiting along with her. She was amazed that they didn't think she was nuts. When she told them about the dream, she was sure they would scoff at her and tell her it was all in her mind and she was making it up out of grief and longing for the Doctor. But to her amazement, they believed her and organized a search party so she could find him again and hopefully go back home.

She was standing and looking out at the sea when she suddenly sensed someone staring at her. She turned just as her mother yelled out that the Doctor was here and saw him standing there. Her heart lurched when she saw him and Razzy. He was holding Razzy in his hands like usual. She had to smile when she noticed Razzy had her angora jumper on again.

"It's a bit nippy out, I needed to protect Razzy from the cold," he joked while Rose drew near to him.

Rose stared at them both. Razzy was unusually quiet, her eyes gazing on her and her heart lurched again. Pete still had the doggy Rose but it wasn't the same as her little Razzmatazz. She reached out her hand to touch them.

"We're just an image, no touch," the Doctor said.

"Can't you come through properly?"

The Doctor shook his head.

"Two universes would collapse; the crack is too small to send anything through except for this image of us. I'm thankful we managed this. Both of us missed you terribly."

"How can Razzy know what happened?" Rose said.

"She knows. The TARDIS translated my words into kitty language and I told her what happened to you. She wanted to be here with me to say goodbye."

"But there has to be a way, it can't end like this," Rose said desperately.

"I'm sorry, Rose. I can't do it. I won't risk two universes," he said.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry for what I did," Rose said.

"No, you saved Earth. You made me proud," he said, gazing at her lovingly.

There was an awkward moment of silence between them. The Doctor looked over her shoulder.

"You still have Mickey," he said to her.

Rose nodded.

"We're living with Pete and Mum at Pete's mansion," she said. "They're giving me some privacy at the moment so don't worry, Mum won't eat Razzy."

The Doctor chuckled. He looked down when Razzy mewed.

"Razzy misses you," he said to her. "She's been with me for the past couple of days but she's not been herself. She's been sad as well."

"I'll miss her so much. I'll miss you both," Rose said, emotion starting to overtake her.

The Doctor nodded sadly. He looked down when Razzy mewed again and Rose longed to put her arms around both of them.

"Look after him, Razzy, yeah?" Rose said in a choked voice. "Take care of him and don't let him drive you insane."

The Doctor laughed at that.

"I think the TARDIS is driving her insane already," he said. "Moving her at random and putting her on kitty escalators and inside bubbles. She's barmy, I swear it."

Rose laughed through her tears. They fell silent for a moment.

"How long do you have?" she asked.

"A minute left. I'm using the power of a supernova to send this projection. I'm burning up a star just to say goodbye."

Rose swallowed hard. She gazed at them both for a moment, fighting to say the words she'd been longing to say.

"I…I love you," she said to him.

The Doctor nodded and smiled.

"Quite right," he said as tears ran down her cheeks. "And if this is the last chance to say it…"

Rose's breath caught in her throat. She couldn't believe it. He was going to tell her he loved her.

"Rose Tyler…"

Rose gasped in shock when he and Razzy vanished. Then the realization of what happened hit her like a fist to the gut and tears ran down her face while she wept uncontrollably.

While she was weeping, the Doctor was standing by his console, tears running down his cheeks while he held Razzy close to him. He kissed the top of her head and a ragged sigh escaped his lips while he turned to put her on the jump seat.

"What the hell is this?"

The Doctor dropped Razzy on the seat and spun around to see a red haired woman dressed in a wedding gown standing near the front door.

"What?" the Doctor said in disbelief.

"What is this?" the woman said.

"What?"

"WHERE AM I? ARE YOU DEAF?" the woman yelled at him.

The Doctor stared at her in shock, his grief over Rose temporarily forgotten as the woman ran up to him.

"WHERE THE HELL AM I?" she yelled in his face.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

The Doctor learned that the woman was called Donna Noble and she had been at a wedding when suddenly she found herself inside the TARDIS. The woman was cranky and bitchy and was ordering the Doctor about. The Doctor tried to keep calm and be polite but he was finding it hard since the woman kept verbally abusing him and insisting it was all his fault. She had tried to leave and had opened the TARDIS doors only to find herself in outer space. The Doctor was then forced to explain who and what he was and now on top of everything else, she was calling him a Martian. The Doctor by now was completely exasperated and wanted the woman gone. He hurried to his console and Donna followed him.

That's when she spied Razzy lying underneath the jump seat. She stepped back and leaned over to peer at her.

"That looks like a cat," Donna said, pointing to her.

"It is a cat," the Doctor said after glancing over his shoulder.

"Martians have cats?" Donna said.

The Doctor rolled his eyes at that and hurried to the other side of the console. Donna glanced at him and then looked at Razzy.

"Is it safe to touch the cat?" she asked the Doctor.

"Well, yes, why wouldn't it be?"

"I don't know how Martian cats behave. Are they man eaters?"

"Look, that's an Earth cat," the Doctor said, pointing to Razzy. "I found her in a London pet shop and adopted her. She's sweet and gentle and she won't eat you. Just don't throw her across the room in frustration or I'll throw you out the door into deep space."

Donna snorted at that but she bent over and held out her hand to Razzy. Razzy peered at her for a moment before tentatively coming forward and sniffing her fingers.

"Does she have a name?" Donna asked the Doctor.

"Razzmatazz."

"Razzma-what?" Donna said.

"Just…call her Razzy," the Doctor said with a sigh.

Donna turned her attention back to Razzy. She stroked her back and smiled when Razzy purred.

"You're a pretty puss cat," Donna said while Razzy arched her back and purred.

The Doctor smiled, noticing that Donna was less belligerent since she started petting Razzy.

"Donna, I have set a course for Chiswick now," he said to her.

"Good," Donna said, straightening up. "Take me home immediately!"

"Gladly," the Doctor muttered before turning the TARDIS around and heading for Earth.

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