Chapter Seventeen: Earth Shock
Apr. 16th, 2013 12:52 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ladyofleithianIn which Rose recovers back on Earth and meets up with an old friend.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Author's Notes: First of all, I would like to express my condolences to the victims of the Boston marathon bombing, as well as those affected by it. It was an absolutely horrible thing, and I hope the culprit is soon brought to justice. If you're looking for someone or have information about someone, you can go here, and if you want to see what you can do, you can go here. And for more information (although I warn you the links may be triggering), go here and here. I hope this helps, and I hope everyone in Boston is safe.
She was in fields of red grass now. Young -- a young girl, as she once was, when the idea of a Last Great Time War was unthinkable, and Rassilon going insane a bad dream. She could hear the sounds of birds chirping. And the sky above them, so vivid -- it had to be summer. Koschei, innocent little Koschei, running towards her, concerned for her safety. "Rose! Rose, are you all right?"
And Rose, in spite of herself, bursting out laughing. Koschei, shocked, then laughing with her as well. Rolling through the red grass with her.
A different time on Gallifrey now, long after they had graduated. Rose turned towards Koschei, now the Master. Smiled. "Promise me that you'll never change?"
"Promise."
So many other images. Susan. Ian and Barbara. Adric dying. Peri. Ace. Grace Holloway and the Rani and Mel and --
"Professor?"
Ace. Calling her. But for how long?
"Please be all right, Professor." Ace again. "Please."
Slowly, with difficulty, Rose opened her eyes. She was in a house -- a house that she recognized. Grace Holloway's house. She remembered coming here in her eighth incarnation, when she had first regenerated. And Ace was here. And Grace.
Rose smiled now, weakly. "Hey." She almost hated herself for it being the only thing she could really say.
"Hey." Ace, now. "I was looking everywhere for your TARDIS."
"She was really worried about you." Grace Holloway, this time. "I don't think she ever left your side." She was still Grace Holloway as Rose remembered her -- incredibly kind, friendly, idealistic. And yet at the same time, she looked more tired than Rose remembered her.
"That's Ace for you." Rose smiled weakly. "I mean..." She paused; even now, she was overwhelmed by the fact that Ace had come back for her. That Ace was alive. And yet...
Alive.
The rest of the Time Lords had died. And here Rose was, still alive. She lifted her hand in front of her face, examined how whole and smooth it looked. Longer, almost bony looking fingers -- but at least she had fingers. That was a good thing.
"So you brought me here," Rose said. "I mean, I -- "
"Well, I had a feeling you'd just regenerated," Ace said, "And..." She paused. "Your TARDIS is still a bit damaged. Had to build a makeshift Zero Room for you, just to make things a bit easier."
"Well...thanks." Rose smiled weakly.
"Hey," Ace said. "You would have done the same for any of us, Professor."
"Even after all this time -- "
"Professor," Ace said, "You think I'd abandon my best friend in her time of need?"
Best friend...
"Ace," Rose said hoarsely, "I -- "
"It doesn't matter what you've done or may not have done, Professor. You've been there for me."
Rose snorted. "I don't think I'd really call it that."
"You have. Now it's my turn." Ace turned towards Grace. "Doc, is there any chance you could get some tea?"
"Well," Grace said, "I don't know how tea would tend to...well, this."
"I think we all need it, considering...well, y'know." Ace sighed. "Just don't give up hope, Professor. I mean...at least not now."
"I won't." And even though inside she had already broken, Rose tried, at least for Ace's sake, to smile.
It was much later, long after Grace had gotten the tea, that the doctor looked at her in concern. “Is there anything else you need, Rose, um...”
“Ace,” Ace said. “Just Ace.”
Grace raised an eyebrow. “All right. Is there anything else that you two need?”
“You’ve been wonderful, Grace,” Rose said. “Thank you. But I think Ace and I need some time alone.” She doubted that she could afford to tell Grace what had happened. The last thing she wanted to do was break the doctor’s heart.
Silence.
“All right,” Grace said, if only softly. “But give me a shout if you need me.” And she walked off.
Rose turned to look now at Ace. “So,” she said, “How have you been? How has Charley been?”
Ace bit her lip. “I don’t know,” she said. “I just hope that she made her way off the planet in time.”
Rose nodded. She doubted she could bear the idea of Charley being dead -- the thought of her being dead --
No. She’s not dead. She’s survived worse than this. And yet at the same time, there were so many others most likely dead -- Romana, Leela, and so many others -- Rose couldn’t bear to think that Charley was dead as well.
“How have you been holding up, Ace?” Rose asked.
Ace snorted. “Bored. Mostly been reading some of Grace’s books and listening to her opera tapes. Not really that bad, but...”
“Yes?”
“I want to be out there doing something, Professor. And seeing you hurt like that...”
“Ace,” Rose said, “I’m here. I’m all right.”
Ace smiled if only bleakly. “I guess so.”
Silence.
“Are you all right, Professor?” Ace, softly.
“I am,” Rose said. “For my part.” She sighed. “I’m going to have to get used to all this, though. It’s just...it’s uncanny. This new body.”
“You’ll get used to it, Professor.”
“I certainly hope so.” Even looking over the horizon, Rose could see the cars speeding below. Perhaps there was no more Gallifrey, and yet...
“It shouldn’t have ended this way,” Rose said, “There should have been another way to stop Rassilon. I...Ace, what have I done?”
“What you always have, Professor,” Ace said. “What you had to do.”
“I certainly hope so.” In the meantime, there were miracles to make down on the Earth below and things to do. “Come on, Ace,” Rose said, “There’s work to do.”
“Yeah,” Ace said, “There is.”
It was days later, when Rose was finally recovered, that they said goodbye to Grace. Grace, of course, seemed concerned.
“Where are you going, really?” Grace asked. “I mean...where will you go?”
“We’re just going out there,” Rose said. “I mean, there’s...” She smiled if only weakly. “There’s still a lot of things for us to do.”
“What will you do?”
“Help people,” Rose said. “Maybe have adventures.” She sighed, ran a hand through her hair if only wearily -- it still felt odd, this hair. Some sort of rusty blonde hair. She supposed she’d get used to it, but still...
“What about the others, Rose?” Grace’s voice was soft. “I mean...what about them?”
Even that question felt like something piercing Rose through the hearts.
“They...” Rose bit her lip. “They’ve all got someone, I think. Some of them...I can’t say where they’ve gone. Still, that’s fine. I mean, we’re fine.” And she supposed that it was probably the least convincing lie that she had ever told.
She could still see the questions in Grace’s eyes.
“We’ll come back and visit sometime,” Rose said, “Trust us.”
“I’ll watch out for you,” Grace said.
Rose supposed that she shouldn’t be surprised. After all, Grace had always looked after her.
“So will we.” Rose smiled if only slightly. “Good luck, Grace.”
And she and Ace walked off into the sunset towards new adventures. Perhaps they couldn’t save Gallifrey, or the Time Lords -- at least all of them. But somewhere, the Rani was out there waiting. Somewhere, there was injustice, somewhere, there was someone in need, somewhere, there were new horizons to be explored.
They couldn’t save Gallifrey. But they could save those people. And whatever those new horizons brought, they would be there to meet them, as they always had been. Rose and Ace McShane in the TARDIS. Next stop, everywhere.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Author's Notes: First of all, I would like to express my condolences to the victims of the Boston marathon bombing, as well as those affected by it. It was an absolutely horrible thing, and I hope the culprit is soon brought to justice. If you're looking for someone or have information about someone, you can go here, and if you want to see what you can do, you can go here. And for more information (although I warn you the links may be triggering), go here and here. I hope this helps, and I hope everyone in Boston is safe.
She was in fields of red grass now. Young -- a young girl, as she once was, when the idea of a Last Great Time War was unthinkable, and Rassilon going insane a bad dream. She could hear the sounds of birds chirping. And the sky above them, so vivid -- it had to be summer. Koschei, innocent little Koschei, running towards her, concerned for her safety. "Rose! Rose, are you all right?"
And Rose, in spite of herself, bursting out laughing. Koschei, shocked, then laughing with her as well. Rolling through the red grass with her.
A different time on Gallifrey now, long after they had graduated. Rose turned towards Koschei, now the Master. Smiled. "Promise me that you'll never change?"
"Promise."
So many other images. Susan. Ian and Barbara. Adric dying. Peri. Ace. Grace Holloway and the Rani and Mel and --
"Professor?"
Ace. Calling her. But for how long?
"Please be all right, Professor." Ace again. "Please."
Slowly, with difficulty, Rose opened her eyes. She was in a house -- a house that she recognized. Grace Holloway's house. She remembered coming here in her eighth incarnation, when she had first regenerated. And Ace was here. And Grace.
Rose smiled now, weakly. "Hey." She almost hated herself for it being the only thing she could really say.
"Hey." Ace, now. "I was looking everywhere for your TARDIS."
"She was really worried about you." Grace Holloway, this time. "I don't think she ever left your side." She was still Grace Holloway as Rose remembered her -- incredibly kind, friendly, idealistic. And yet at the same time, she looked more tired than Rose remembered her.
"That's Ace for you." Rose smiled weakly. "I mean..." She paused; even now, she was overwhelmed by the fact that Ace had come back for her. That Ace was alive. And yet...
Alive.
The rest of the Time Lords had died. And here Rose was, still alive. She lifted her hand in front of her face, examined how whole and smooth it looked. Longer, almost bony looking fingers -- but at least she had fingers. That was a good thing.
"So you brought me here," Rose said. "I mean, I -- "
"Well, I had a feeling you'd just regenerated," Ace said, "And..." She paused. "Your TARDIS is still a bit damaged. Had to build a makeshift Zero Room for you, just to make things a bit easier."
"Well...thanks." Rose smiled weakly.
"Hey," Ace said. "You would have done the same for any of us, Professor."
"Even after all this time -- "
"Professor," Ace said, "You think I'd abandon my best friend in her time of need?"
Best friend...
"Ace," Rose said hoarsely, "I -- "
"It doesn't matter what you've done or may not have done, Professor. You've been there for me."
Rose snorted. "I don't think I'd really call it that."
"You have. Now it's my turn." Ace turned towards Grace. "Doc, is there any chance you could get some tea?"
"Well," Grace said, "I don't know how tea would tend to...well, this."
"I think we all need it, considering...well, y'know." Ace sighed. "Just don't give up hope, Professor. I mean...at least not now."
"I won't." And even though inside she had already broken, Rose tried, at least for Ace's sake, to smile.
It was much later, long after Grace had gotten the tea, that the doctor looked at her in concern. “Is there anything else you need, Rose, um...”
“Ace,” Ace said. “Just Ace.”
Grace raised an eyebrow. “All right. Is there anything else that you two need?”
“You’ve been wonderful, Grace,” Rose said. “Thank you. But I think Ace and I need some time alone.” She doubted that she could afford to tell Grace what had happened. The last thing she wanted to do was break the doctor’s heart.
Silence.
“All right,” Grace said, if only softly. “But give me a shout if you need me.” And she walked off.
Rose turned to look now at Ace. “So,” she said, “How have you been? How has Charley been?”
Ace bit her lip. “I don’t know,” she said. “I just hope that she made her way off the planet in time.”
Rose nodded. She doubted she could bear the idea of Charley being dead -- the thought of her being dead --
No. She’s not dead. She’s survived worse than this. And yet at the same time, there were so many others most likely dead -- Romana, Leela, and so many others -- Rose couldn’t bear to think that Charley was dead as well.
“How have you been holding up, Ace?” Rose asked.
Ace snorted. “Bored. Mostly been reading some of Grace’s books and listening to her opera tapes. Not really that bad, but...”
“Yes?”
“I want to be out there doing something, Professor. And seeing you hurt like that...”
“Ace,” Rose said, “I’m here. I’m all right.”
Ace smiled if only bleakly. “I guess so.”
Silence.
“Are you all right, Professor?” Ace, softly.
“I am,” Rose said. “For my part.” She sighed. “I’m going to have to get used to all this, though. It’s just...it’s uncanny. This new body.”
“You’ll get used to it, Professor.”
“I certainly hope so.” Even looking over the horizon, Rose could see the cars speeding below. Perhaps there was no more Gallifrey, and yet...
“It shouldn’t have ended this way,” Rose said, “There should have been another way to stop Rassilon. I...Ace, what have I done?”
“What you always have, Professor,” Ace said. “What you had to do.”
“I certainly hope so.” In the meantime, there were miracles to make down on the Earth below and things to do. “Come on, Ace,” Rose said, “There’s work to do.”
“Yeah,” Ace said, “There is.”
It was days later, when Rose was finally recovered, that they said goodbye to Grace. Grace, of course, seemed concerned.
“Where are you going, really?” Grace asked. “I mean...where will you go?”
“We’re just going out there,” Rose said. “I mean, there’s...” She smiled if only weakly. “There’s still a lot of things for us to do.”
“What will you do?”
“Help people,” Rose said. “Maybe have adventures.” She sighed, ran a hand through her hair if only wearily -- it still felt odd, this hair. Some sort of rusty blonde hair. She supposed she’d get used to it, but still...
“What about the others, Rose?” Grace’s voice was soft. “I mean...what about them?”
Even that question felt like something piercing Rose through the hearts.
“They...” Rose bit her lip. “They’ve all got someone, I think. Some of them...I can’t say where they’ve gone. Still, that’s fine. I mean, we’re fine.” And she supposed that it was probably the least convincing lie that she had ever told.
She could still see the questions in Grace’s eyes.
“We’ll come back and visit sometime,” Rose said, “Trust us.”
“I’ll watch out for you,” Grace said.
Rose supposed that she shouldn’t be surprised. After all, Grace had always looked after her.
“So will we.” Rose smiled if only slightly. “Good luck, Grace.”
And she and Ace walked off into the sunset towards new adventures. Perhaps they couldn’t save Gallifrey, or the Time Lords -- at least all of them. But somewhere, the Rani was out there waiting. Somewhere, there was injustice, somewhere, there was someone in need, somewhere, there were new horizons to be explored.
They couldn’t save Gallifrey. But they could save those people. And whatever those new horizons brought, they would be there to meet them, as they always had been. Rose and Ace McShane in the TARDIS. Next stop, everywhere.
