THE HIVE

Chapter Twenty Four

The Doctor sat Rose down on the ground about thirty miles outside of Swansea and rested for a moment. The pain was almost unbearable and he was beginning to lose focus as the Queen's mind asserted itself. He didn't think he would have much longer before he lost himself completely. What little of himself he had left was rapidly fading away and he knew in probably little less than an hour, the change would be complete.

"I can't," he said to her. "I can't go on. I muszzt leave you now."

"No! Stay with me," Rose begged, "Don't go. We'll find a way…"

"No, it'szzz too late for me. I'm barely able to keep a grip on my mind and the change iszzz nearly complete. I won't be able to make it into Szzzwanszzzea. Rozzzze, you muszzzt find a way. Try to find szzzomeone who'll take you into the city and give you szzzhelter."

"No, please, it can't end like this," Rose said, nearly on the verge of tears, "don't go. Don't go back to the Queen. She'll never let you leave."

"Rozzze, in an hour or lesszzz, it won't matter. I won't have my mind anymore," the Doctor said as gently as he could.

"Then sting me too. Let me change so I can be with you."

"No, I won't. I can't."

"Please, I don't…I can't…live without you," Rose said.

The Doctor, fighting with all his might to stem off the Queen's influence, gathered her into his arms and held her near while she cried. His antenna brushed over her hair, smelling the scent of her shampoo, a scent the Doctor was determined to commit to memory.

"Ring Jack and tell him where you are. Go and join his Torchwood and carry on the fight," the Doctor urged. "Jack and the otherszzz will look after you and keep you szzzafe for me."

"I won't let you go," Rose said in a determined voice.

"You muszzt, my Rozzze. Pleaszzze, reszzzpect my wiszzzheszzz and let me go now."

Rose reluctantly pulled away from him. The Doctor cupped her cheeks with his fuzed fingers and stared deeply into her face.

"I love you, Rozzze, alwayszzz remember that," he said.

"I love you too," Rose said in a choked voice.

The Doctor tried to smile but his hard exoskeleton wouldn't allow it. Instead he swept his antenna over her face, smelling her one more time. Rose wept and held his hand while he got up onto his hand and all four legs. He looked at her.

"Tell Jack if you szzzee him that if he recognizzzes me, not to give me any quarter. In lesszzz than an hour, I won't even know who he iszzz anymore. Do you understand me?"

"Yes," Rose said.

He started to back away but Rose took hold of the sides of his face and leaned in, kissing the spot between his eyes and laying her forehead there while the Doctor brushed his antenna against the back of her head. Then, with great force of will, she let go and the Doctor stared at her for a few seconds more before turning around and with a loud buzz, flying up into the night sky away from her. Sobbing, Rose reached into the pocket of her jeans and pulled out her mobile so she could call Jack and give him the news.

"Okay," Jack said as he slowed the SUV on the motorway heading towards Swansea and pulled off the road, "I think we lost em for the moment."

"But it's only a matter of time," Owen said. "Now they won't stop until they find us and kill us."

"I know, that's where we gotta find somewhere safe. I have some of samples of the Doctor's blood and a couple of samples of the antidote. We need to try to find someone who can analyze it and try to come up with a cure before it's too late."

"And what if it is too late?" Gwen asked.

Jack swallowed hard. He didn't want to think about battling his changed friend, much less killing him. He knew the Doctor would want him to destroy him if he was beyond help but Jack was no quitter. He refused to believe that the Doctor and everyone else were beyond help, not until he had absolute proof of that. Until then, he was going to do everything in his power to turn the Doctor back into his old self and find a way to defeat the Queen.

He heard his mobile ring and he reached into his pocket for it.

"Harkness," he said when he pushed the talk button.

He heard someone sobbing.

"Jack?"

"Rose? Where are you?" Jack said as the others glanced at each other. "Where's the Doctor? Is he alright?"

"No," Rose said sobbing, "he's gone, Jack. He left me. He's…nearly changed and he didn't want to hurt me so he left."

Jack's heart began to race as his fears that they might be too late plagued his mind.

"Where are you, Rose?"

"Probably about thirty miles outside Swansea. The Doctor tried to get there before the Queen took over his mind but…he couldn't…make it."

"We're in the SUV heading for Swansea. We made it out of the Hub but the wasps surrounded us and I'm sure they busted in."

"Oh God…" Rose murmured.

"Are you near the M4? We're on the M4 right now," Jack said.

"Um…no, I can't see any motorway. I'm in a field near a forest."

"Are there any houses nearby? Somewhere you can go for shelter and wait there, like you did when you escaped the hive?"

There was a long pause. Jack could hear her breathing into the phone.

"Are you looking around?" Jack asked after a moment's silence from her.

"Yeah, I think I see a house off in the distance, Jack."

"Go to it and see if the owners will let you stay inside. At the very least, ask where you are so we can come and get you, alright?"

"Yes," Rose said.

"And Rose, don't give up hope, not yet. There still might be a chance to save the Doctor and everyone else. Just don't panic and don't worry. Just go towards the house and find shelter, okay?"

"Okay."

"I'll see you later, Rose. Be careful," Jack said.

"You too."

She hung up the phone and Jack sighed as he put his mobile back in his pocket, turned off the car, shut off the headlights and all of them sat and waited for Rose to call them back.

______________

The Doctor felt his will slipping away, he knew he had only minutes left until the Queen controlled him completely. He was flying back towards Cardiff and landed briefly, knowing that he had one last chance to save Rose, Jack and Torchwood's lives. He concentrated as hard as he could and pushed the memories of those he loved deep into his subconscious, deep down where even the Queen could not penetrate. He hoped that even if he was sent to kill or hurt his lover and friends, unconsciously he would still know who they were and not attack them. He finished his task and briefly focused on Rose.

"Goodbye, my love, I hope what I juszzzt did will szzzave you from my fate," he murmured.

Then with that, he finally gave up and allowed the Queen to possess his mind completely.

__________________

The Queen buzzed excitedly as she perched on her rock. At last, she felt the last of the mental barriers crumbling and she had complete and total access to the Doctor's mind.

Come to me, my consort, come straight away, she thought to him.

Yes, my Queen, I obey, the DoctorWasp thought back.

The Queen buzzed even more, this was too good to be true. The greatest mind in the universe now bent to her will. She imagined being impregnated by him and bearing a new race of super wasps that would conquer the universe. She settled herself when she noticed that her agitation and excitement were carrying over to her children, making them buzz around in confusion. Once she was calm, they calmed and went back to tending the hive. But deep inside, the Queen was still burning with excitement. She knew what she would have her consort do first, find Rose Tyler and destroy her. Then she would send him after the meddlesome Torchwood and after that, there would be no one of consequence to stop her.

A half hour later, she saw the DoctorWasp fly into the main chamber. She commanded him to come to the rock and he settled down beside her. She ran her antenna over his face and body, sensing as she did if there were any remnants of resistance left in his mind. She buzzed joyfully when she sensed his mind was completely in her power. The Doctor was now no longer a Time Lord, but a wasp like her.

You are now my consort, you will serve only me, she thought to him.

Yes, my Queen, I obey your every command without question, he thought back.

Excellent. I have a task for you then, my consort. I want you to find and kill Rose Tyler.

Yes, my Queen, I obey.

The Queen watched as the Doctor rose into the air and flew out of the cavern.

Now…she thought to herself, we shall see if the Doctor is well and truly mine.

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