THE RUN FOR ROSE
CHAPTER NINE: Stone Cold
Jane promptly plowed into the Doctor’s back as he stopped short. He stared at the scene laid out before him. The trees, grass, dirt drive and house, were all encased with a thin coating of dripping ice. Freezing rain mixed with sleet drove down out of the steely mesh of the sky. The Doctor turned to her. “I knew there was a reason I hated northeastern New York in the winter.” Despite the situation, Jane laughed, then turned serious. “I haven’t a clue what’s going on here, but whatever you need, if it’ll get things back to normal, I’ll help.” The Doctor nodded tensely. “Look, I need to get this where I can finish working on it. I need to find my friend in exactly…” he stole a glance at his wristwatch, “eight minutes, or she will very likely die.”
Jane looked at the tall man with the close cropped hair. “It really is you, isn’t it? But how…?” She mentally shook herself. If what this man…the Doctor said was true, Rose didn’t have much time. “You’re friend Rose is in the house.” The Doctor stared at her anxiously. “She is here? Thank goodness for that, then. Is she alright?” “She was fine when I left her a little while ago,” Jane said.
He sighed with relief. “Right then. I need you to help me carry this thing into the house. And whatever you do, don’t drop it, or none of us will have anything to worry about anymore.” He thrust out the box at her and she grabbed one end. Carefully, they negotiated the treacherous frozen ruts of the driveway and crab-walked across the icy grass. Reaching the back door, Jane balanced her end of the equipment on her knee as she opened the door. Just as it opened, her foot shifted on a patch of ice and she felt her knee buckle beneath her.
The Doctor reached out a hand and supported her. “Thanks,” she muttered. “I’m afraid I’m a bit like an elephant on roller skates, when it comes to ice.” The Doctor looked at her sideways, “Now you tell me that?” They got into the kitchen and the Doctor gently set the box down on the kitchen table. Fetching out his sonic screwdriver, he immediately began making adjustments. “I’ll just go and check on Rose,” Jane said, removing her coat and draping over the back of a kitchen chair. “I’m sure she’ll be relieved to see you.” The Doctor smiled but did not pause in his adjustments. “Tell her to put the kettle on, I’ll be with her shortly.”
He had just finished the final adjustment when Jane’s anxious voice called out, “Doctor! You’d better come in here.” Pocketing the screwdriver, the Doctor gave the device one last quick glance and started for the doorway–only to stop short. There was Rose, his Rose, lying on the floor near the wood stove, seemingly dead.
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