ARCADIA
Chapter Nineteen Jack scoffed when he saw where Callisto led him to. They were standing outside the TARDIS. "Trying to go somewhere and can't?" Jack said, guessing the reason he was brought here. He knew the Doctor told the TARDIS about his situation and told her not to let anyone who looked like him to control her until further notice. He guessed that Callisto had tried to pass himself off as the genuine article, only to be denied and he was here to verify the Doctor's identity at pain of death. His suspicions were confirmed when Callisto told him exactly that as he used the TARDIS key to open the door…or try to open the door since now the key wouldn't work. Jack grinned when Callisto let out a curse and tried to jiggle the key in the lock. "The Doctor told the TARDIS not to trust anyone that looked like him," Jack said smugly. "She wasn't fooled by you and now she's locking you out." "Well, tell her to open the damn door then," Callisto snarled as he turned to him. "What makes you think she'll listen to me?" Jack said. "She can scan the outside of her box and she sees you. She won't open the door if you're standing here and she'll block you if you try to enter after me. So you're stuck." Callisto glared at him while Jack gave him the smug look. Then he whipped out the blaster and shot Jack in the heart. He smirked when Jack fell dead at his feet. "Now who's smug?" he said before he kicked the dead body. XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO "We're finished, Doctor," Rose called to him. The Doctor came back inside the room and Rose held up the black leather strap that had been on Jackie's leg. The small, thin black box was beeping and a small red light flashed repeatedly on top of it. Great, he thought to her. Carry it for me in your pocket since I have no pockets of my own. Rose nodded and put it in her pocket. Don't worry, if we need to escape, we can throw it away from us now, the Doctor thought. "It won't hurt her, will it?" Jackie said. "It can't enslave her mind?" No. if it was around her leg, yes. But not in her pocket. The only thing she has to worry about is Callisto using the homing signal to home in on her but like I said, we can toss it away if he gets too close. Rose nodded. She frowned when the Doctor stared at her intently. "What is it?" she said. I'm a bit peckish, you've been so helpful. Can I have some of your blood now? Rose giggled and patted him on the head. "Nah, you don't want that," she said. She laughed when the Doctor nudged her gently with his head. Come on, Rose, I can wrap you up nice and comfy. It won't hurt much, just a sip, the Doctor thought as he nudged her. "Mum, he's bothering me," Rose whined before laughing at the Doctor's nudging. Jackie smiled at the playful attitude between them. She'd seen glimpses of it whenever they came to the flat but nothing like this. She could see how gentle the Doctor was being while he nudged her and whined about being hungry and how gentle Rose was with her playful shoves and slaps on his head while she protested about being wrapped up and fed on. She could see now why Rose wasn't afraid to travel with him and why she hadn't gone insane from all she'd seen and done. Being with him and having these little moments lightened the mood and allowed them to relieve some tension and stress. Rose had other boyfriends but none of them showed the same level of care for her daughter or showed so much playfulness. The Doctor was in the body of a creature that could very easily kill them but yet, he was being as gentle as a kitten. She could see more and more why Rose loved him so much and why she was so devoted to him. Om nom nom, the Doctor was thinking as he waggled his mandibles back and forth. Rose laughed and slapped his head lightly. "No, I don't want to be a burrito," Rose said to him. But…I like burritos, big, bloody burritos, the Doctor thought to her. "Mum, tell him to behave," Rose said to Jackie. Jackie grinned and feigned a stern look. "Doctor, behave," she said, pointing to him. The Doctor shivered his body and Rose laughed when he tucked his legs under and lay at her feet. Yes, Mum, the Doctor thought to Jackie. Jackie laughed at that and patted his head. "Good boy," she said. I really can't have a blood burrito, the Doctor thought to Rose as he looked at her. Rose pointed to the cocoons. "Tuck in," she said to him. Ugh, no. I want fresh blood, that's stale, he thought to Rose. Rose got on his back. "Up, horsie!" she said to him. She thinks I'm a horse now, he thought to Jackie while Rose giggled. "You're the size of a pony so I can understand why," Jackie said to him. The Doctor stood up with Rose on his back. Since she's so willing to sit on me, I'll take her to my web and om nom nom her, the Doctor thought to Jackie. "Giddy up, horsie!" Rose said as the Doctor walked towards the doorway. Jackie followed, walking by the Doctor's side. She went through after the Doctor carried Rose through the doorway and came up beside him when the Doctor stopped and thought. "What's wrong?" Jackie said. Nothing, just reviewing the spider's memories about the layout and deciding where to go, the Doctor thought to her. I want to find a place where we can lay the trap but still have room to maneuver. Ooo, I think I found something. Climb aboard, Jackie, he thought as he lay down. Rose helped her on and when both women were on his back, the Doctor got up and walked away. He found a doorway just past the war room and went inside. The interior was large, covered with webbing and there were a few cocoons stuck inside the webs. The ceiling was about thirty feet above their heads and the Doctor lay down, let the women get off and then started climbing some of the webbing, testing his footing on it. He then came off the webbing and walked over to Rose. He asked her to let him wrap her up again and Rose lay down. "Here goes the dizzy feeling again," Rose said to Jackie as the Doctor walked up to her. The Doctor wrapped her up, leaving her neck and head exposed. Then he picked her up and held her to his underbelly with his two front legs while he went back up the webbing. Near the top he expelled some sticking webbing from his mouth and put Rose's back against the glob. Rose stayed put and the Doctor moved to her side and turned sideways so he could get a better look at her. "Weird," Rose said, looking down at her mother while she was suspended in the webbing. Om nom nom, the Doctor thought, wiggling his mandibles at her. Rose giggled and told him to button it. Are you comfortable, the Doctor asked her. "It's a bit tight but I'm comfortable enough," Rose said. "I don't even feel like I'm standing because the webbing is supporting my body." I'm testing this out because if we lure Callisto in here, I want to be sure you and Jackie are comfortable because I want it to look like you've been put up here for a snack, the Doctor thought. I might have to wrap your head a bit but I will do it in a way that will still let you breathe. The only problem is it's a bit too low. If you're going to be put in a trance, I want you up high enough where Callisto can't reach you. He turned his body and looked up at the ceiling, rubbing his right mandible thoughtfully with his right front leg while he thought. Rose heard him thinking softly and figured that was him thinking to himself but because of the translator, his inner monologue was still being broadcast. Up near the ceiling is a better position, the Doctor was thinking softly to himself while he stared at the dirt ceiling. Have to extend the web up to it though. Shouldn't take long. The Doctor shifted until his body was diagonal. Rose realized he was gauging the size of the room since he kept turning to look at all the walls. Then he turned his attention back to the ceiling before he expelled some webbing from his mouth. Rose watched in wonder while he built on to the web and extended it upwards. "You know how to build a web?" Jackie said to the Doctor. I have the spider's memories. I studied them and now I'm copying his technique, the Doctor thought to her as he worked. I was thinking of covering this entire wall but I think I'll just do a small section. I want you both high and safe if we're going to do this. Just wait a tic, won't take long to do this. It took about twenty minutes to extend up to the ceiling and make the webbing wide enough to accommodate both Rose and Jackie. When he was finished, he inspected his handiwork briefly before going back down to Rose. He stopped at her side and turned sideways again while Rose watched him. You could look terrified, you know, the Doctor thought to her. Especially since I could om nom nom you now. "Oh no, big spider thing, please don't eat me, spare my life, Rose said melodramatically. "Bwahahaha!" the Doctor said while Rose giggled. He moved the cocoon up slightly with his leg and used his right fang to cut through the sticking webbing. Rose slipped a bit but the Doctor stopped her with his leg, quickly moved over her and used his front four legs to secure her to his underside before going upwards. He secured her near the top and moved away when she was safely secured. "Wow, this is really high up," Rose said, looking down at her mother. That's the intention. I want you out of his reach, he thought to her. Hold on, I want a view from the bottom. He left her and went back down the webbing. He stood with Jackie and looked up at her. "Hello," Rose said cheerfully. She laughed when Jackie waved and the Doctor waggled his front foot in an imitation of a wave. I think that'll do nicely, the Doctor thought to Jackie. She's high up and the web is sticky so he won't be able to climb up to her without sticking to the webbing. "And if we're not moving, he won't shoot at us," Jackie said. The Doctor nodded. That's why I want to put you in a trance, to ensure you won't move and become a target for him, he thought to her. He looked at Rose and then turned. Well, on with other things now. See ya, Rose, he thought as he started to go out of the room. "Oi!" Rose said while her mother chuckled. "You get me down now, ya git!" Git, the Doctor thought, turning back to her. Git? You want to come down and you're calling me names? Do you think that's going to convince me to free you and keep you from becoming om nom nom? Give me one good reason why I should free you from my clutches, little fly?" "Because I'll slap you if you don't," Jackie teased. She and Rose laughed when the Doctor zoomed up the webbing and hurriedly freed Rose.
Back Home Doctor Who Main Page Next