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frenchy_chicksTitle: Journey into the Unknown - Pt. 2
Rating: FRT
Characters: Donna, the Doctor (10), Original Character (Cerys Pritchard)
Summary: Traveling with the Doctor can be fun and sometimes scary, but definitely worth it.
Word count: 5123
Disclaimer: Not mine. I wish they were, but they're not.
After the Doctor talked to the people in charge, telling them his side of the story and that whatever it was that had entered the shuttle was still out there, they headed back to the TARDIS. Cerys felt much more relaxed once she walked through the doors. Finally, she truly felt like she was safe. That whole thing with the Doctor had really shaken her up. He’d been helpless and she hadn’t known what to do.
Donna wandered down one hall, presumably heading to her room or the library, while the Doctor headed towards the console, getting them the hell out of Midnight. She figured he’d put them in the vortex for a while. Rubbing her hand over her face, Cerys made her way through the halls of her home away from home. She could use a shower and a good nights sleep.
Once the Doctor had put the TARDIS in the vortex, he took off his jacket and threw it across the seat, rolling up his sleeves. He had been putting off some adjustments that his ship really needed, and since they were in the vortex, he figured he’d get a head start. He also needed some time to clear his head. That ordeal had really scared him, especially when he thought of what would have happened to Cerys and Donna if he’d been… no, he wasn’t going to think about that. The hostess, the one whose name nobody knew, she saved him.
“What’re you doing?” Donna asked.
“Just doing some tune ups.” The Doctor said.
“Well, don’t stay under there all night. You’re real rank for an alien, you need a shower.” She ordered.
“I don’t stink! I don’t! Fine, fine, I’ll take a shower after I’ve finished this.” He sighed.
Donna rolled her eyes and headed back off to her room. The Doctor smirked and scooted underneath the console, pulling off the plastic covering to get at the wires. They were a mess. Why had he put this off for so long? A fire could’ve started under here, and then the TARDIS would have been really angry with him. She’d already started giving him little jolts of electricity whenever he tried to land her someplace else. And, after what happened on Midnight, he wanted to make sure his TARDIS was in ship-shape… just in case he wasn’t around to fly her.
Sighing, the Doctor pulled at some wires, frowning at the ones that were burnt right through to bare wire. These wires would have to be replaced. There wasn’t anything he could do about that… just like there wasn’t anything he could have done to save Sky. He couldn’t save her. That didn’t happen too often, and it was even more rare that he didn’t know what he had been dealing with. He’d have to search the TARDIS’ data banks later… after the shower Donna demanded he have. He did smell… just a little bit. He must have lost track of time, because next he knew, there were a pair of feet standing beside his legs. He watched as the feet shuffled until the person joined him under the console.
“Hiya.” Cerys smiled.
“Hello.” He smiled back.
She watched him work on the wires, using his sonic screwdriver to fix the burnt ones, hopefully making things run a little bit smoother. Like their landings. They’d been pretty rough the last couple of times.
“I should’ve done something.” She sighed.
The Doctor stopped working and turned to frown at his newest companion. “What? Cerys, there’s nothing you could’ve done.”
“I could’ve fought against the Professor harder. I could’ve tried… I didn’t.”
Sighing, the Doctor took Cerys’ hand, waiting until she turned her head to look at him.
“There was nothing you could’ve done. What would you have done? Fought against three grown men and a crazy woman? If you’d done anything else, they might’ve done something to you and I wasn’t in any condition to keep you safe. I never would’ve forgiven myself if anything had happened to you.” He told her.
“But I almost lost you. They almost killed you and I… I just stood there. I didn’t know what to do.”
The Doctor smiled and scooted forward, resting his head next to hers. “One thing I’ve learned from all of my travels is that you can’t dwell on things that have happened. It’s in the past, and you can’t change that. Well, you can, but there are dire consequences.” He lectured.
Cerys sighed and nodded. “I know. I don’t think I would’ve been able to survive it if you’d been killed. Add to that, I’d been stuck on Midnight with Donna, seeing as you’re the only one who can fly this thing.”
“Oh, you wouldn’t be stuck. The TARDIS has a fail safe. If anything were to happen to me, she’ll take my companions back home.” He said.
She didn’t want to think about the Doctor not being around. Sure, they’d be able to get home, but then what? How could she go back to a normal life after spending so much time travelling across the stars? She felt the Doctor squeeze her hand and she looked over at him. That goofy grin on his face made her laugh. She felt a little bit better now. He had a way of making things better.
“Well… I should go and take that shower Donna suggested that I take.” The Doctor spoke softly.
“Yeah, well… you do smell just a bit,” She smirked, “and I’m pretty knackered, so I think I’ll just head off to bed.”
They crawled out from under the console and the Doctor grabbed his jacket. He’d gotten used to picking up after himself since Donna came on board. Usually, he just left things wherever and the TARDIS would pick up after him. They started down one of the many hallways and stopped just in front of the door to Cerys’ room.
“Ehm… would it be all right if you drop me off at my folks place for a bit? I haven’t seen them in a while and I could use a day or two.” She said.
“Yeah, okay. You can give a call or send a message to my psychic paper, and we’ll come back to get you. I need to land this girl in Cardiff for a bit, then Donna and I might go for another adventure.” He said.
“Yeah, sure. Donna could use some relaxing visits, yeah?” She teased.
The Doctor grinned and hugged her. “I make no promises.”
“I know. Just be careful.”
“I will. Good night, Cerys.” The Doctor smiled, walking down the hallway.
Somehow, she had a feeling he’d be getting in plenty of trouble. She only hoped Donna could try and talk some sense into him.
***
The next day, the Doctor and Donna dropped Cerys off at her parents home, and they headed for another, hopefully safe, adventure. She was glad to be able to have a couple days to herself. She could do some proper relaxing… maybe go for a swim at the lake and catch up with her friends.
The two days she had planned on originally turned into a week, which turned into two weeks that turned into a month. Her mum had caught the flu and it seemed as though everything in the house had started to break. First the dishwasher went, then the washer and dryer, and then the fridge. After ensuring that her mum was feeling better, and the appliances had been fixed or replaced, she phoned for the Doctor to come and get her. She missed him and Donna and the TARDIS, and the adventures, of course.
He didn’t answer at first, and she thought that maybe he wasn’t near the TARDIS to answer the phone. Why he didn’t take the mobile phone with him, she’d never know. She decided she’d try Donna. She always had her mobile with her and the Doctor had fixed it so that she could get calls from anywhere and anywhen, same with Cerys’ phone. Of course, Donna picked up on the first ring, and it sounded like she was at some kind of party.
“Yeah, hello?” She heard Donna call loudly.
“Hi Donna, it’s Cerys. Is the Doctor with you? I tried ringing him but he wasn’t answering. Where are you? Are you back home?” She asked.
“Doctor who? Who’s this then? Did Andrew put you up to this?” Donna laughed.
Cerys looked at her phone and frowned. She dialed the right number, so what the hell was going on? “Donna, it’s me. Cerys Pritchard. We’ve been travelling together with the Doctor for ages. We’ve been tons of places together.”
“Are you having a laugh? Listen sweetheart,” Donna sassed, “if Andrew’s put you on to this you can tell him right where to go. I’ve told him, the answer is no, a thousand times, no!”
“Donna, please, listen-“ Cerys begged.
“Don’t you try calling me again, Miss priss. Sod off!” Donna snapped and ended the call.
Cerys pulled the phone away from her ear and stared at the screen. She had sounded just like Donna, it was Donna’s number… except she didn’t seem to remember anything about her or the Doctor or any of their travels. But, why? What was going on?
“Doctor, where are you?” She wondered, staring at the sky.
***
Cerys had tried the Doctor again on his mobile two more times and still heard nothing. She called out to him through her mind, hoping the message had been received on the psychic paper. It had been days since her odd conversation with Donna, and she was getting increasingly worried.
Curled up on a deck chair in the back garden of her parents home, Cerys, pulled the blanket closer around her. She was keeping her eyes on the stars, hoping for a glimpse of the TARDIS.
“You okay, Cerys? You’ve been off the past couple days.”
She looked up to see her older brother coming outside with a mug of tea.
“Yeah. I can’t get in touch with the Doc– ehm, this friend of mine and I’m a bit worried. I’ve called three times now, and nothing.” She sighed… she had to remember that Brad and her parents didn’t know about the Doctor. In fact, nobody knew about her travels.
“Give him time. He’ll come around.”
Frowning, Cerys took the mug offered to her and took a sip.
“I never said it was a ‘he’ Brad. How’d you figure that out?” She asked.
“Because I’m clever.” He shrugged.
Cerys gulped away the lump that had formed in her throat. The Doctor used the line every now and then. What if she never saw him again? She had no idea where he was or even if he was okay…
“Listen, we’re popping out for a bit. Mum’s friend Susan is having a get together and apparently Mum said she’s got a daughter who’s single.” Brad said.
Cerys smirked at her brother from across the mug. “You’re gonna have to tell her sooner or later, you know. If you keep turning down every girl she waves under your nose, she’ll start getting suspicious.”
Brad sighed, “Yeah… just not now. Anyway, don’t stay out here too long, yeah? You’ll catch cold.”
“I’ll go in after my tea. Have fun.” She teased.
Brad huffed and rolled his eyes. “Bye.”
Cerys watched her brother head back inside and turned her attention back to the sky, sinking further down into the wooden lawn chair. It was too quiet here. She missed the constant hum of the TARDIS. She missed the feeling of safety… she missed her life with the Doctor and Donna. She wondered if maybe he’d decided he didn’t want anyone traveling with him anymore… didn’t explain why Donna couldn’t remember who she was. It could have been a joke, but Donna wasn’t the type to pull jokes like that. She wished she had someone she could talk to about the Doctor… a thought popped into her head and she got up, taking her tea and blanket with her. When they had landed in Cardiff, the Doctor had introduced her and Donna to an old companion of his, Jack Harkness. He worked for some paranormal group thing and he seemed nice enough. Of course, he’d been flirting with all three of them, but the Doctor assured her that it was just something he did. She wondered if maybe she could find a way to get in touch with him and see if he’d heard from the Doctor.
Plunking herself down in front of her laptop, Cerys typed Jack’s name into the search engine and clicked go. She got a whole bunch of results and she felt a little overwhelmed. She tried searching a couple different ways but wasn’t able to find a number or anything. She didn’t think she would, but it was discouraging. Grabbing her keys and her jacket, Cerys transferred her tea into a travel mug. Looked like she was driving into Cardiff.
***
After writing a note for her parents saying she was going out with friends, and quite a lengthy drive, Cerys had found a spot for her car and was hanging around the place where The Doctor had landed the TARDIS. Jack seemed to have come out of nowhere, and she didn’t know where to start. She was getting frustrated. She was all alone, worried sick about the Doctor and Donna, and the one person she knew could help her, she couldn’t find.
Sitting on the curb, she put her head in her hands and took a deep breath. The last thing she needed was to bring on an anxiety attack. She needed to figure things out. Jack must work in one of these buildings. It was nearly ten though. Maybe he’d gone home. Unless he lived around here as well.
“Looking for me?”
Cerys yelped and nearly fell off the curb, glaring up at Jack, who just grinned. “How long have you been standing there?”
“Oh, just a minute or two. Cerys, right?” He asked, offering her a hand up.
“Yes.” She nodded, taking his hand and getting back to her feet.
“I didn’t know you lived around here.”
“I don’t. I ehm… Well, the thing is…” She glanced around, “is there some place we can talk?”
Jack grinned and offered her his arm. “Sure. Come with me.”
***
Cerys was in awe as Jack showed her the Torchwood office. She thought he was nuts when they just stood on the sidewalk, until the stone they stood on started moving downwards. It was nearly as amazing as the TARDIS. Jack explained to her in more detail what is was they did and introduced her to the remaining member of his team, Ianto, who promptly took her mugged tea away from her and told her he would make her something much better.
“Don’t take it personally. He’s a bit of a connoisseur when it comes to coffee and tea.” Jack explained.
“I gathered as much.” Cerys noted.
Jack led her to his office and Cerys sat across from Jack. They made small talk until Ianto came in with three cups of something that smelled delicious. “Would you mind if Ianto joined us?” Jack asked.
“Not at all.” Cerys shrugged, picking up a cup. She figured if Ianto knew about everything Jack did, learning about a time travelling alien wouldn’t faze him at all.
Leaning back in his seat, Jack folded his arms behind his head. “So, what’s up?”
Sighing, Cerys put the cup back down on Jacks’ desk. “Well, about a month ago I asked the Doctor if he could drop me off at my parents place, just for a little break. I hadn’t meant to stay for that long, but things came up. Anyway, he told me to call him or reach him on his psychic paper when I was ready for him to pick me up. I tried calling him but he didn’t answer, so I tried Donna…” She explained.
Jack sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “He didn’t tell you what happened to her?” He muttered.
“Well, that’s the thing, I haven’t been able to get in touch with him. I have no idea where he is. And what’s wrong with Donna? Why didn’t she know who I was? And why is it you know what’s going on with her?” Cerys frowned.
Jack glanced at Ianto who stared into his cup of coffee. Clearly, he wasn’t going to help Jack with this one. “There was an accident. Kind of. Don’t worry, nobody got hurt. We were fighting against this alien, Davros, who was going to destroy Earth. The Doctor, Donna, some of our other friends and I were all there. Donna got locked in the TARDIS and the Daleks dropped it into a pit of lava. We thought she was dead, but… the Doctor had a spare hand in there.” Jack started explaining.
“I know about the hand, but what’s that got to do with Donna?” Cerys sighed.
“I’m getting there,” Jack asserted, holding up his hand.
“Sorry.” Cerys mumbled.
Smirking, Jack started back in. “So, I guess Donna reached for the hand and, because it still had some regenerative power left in it the hand grew into another Doctor. She and this metacrisis Doctor flew the TARDIS out of the pit and they came to our rescue. Donna, she was great. Because some of her DNA went into creating the new Doctor, some of the Doctor’s DNA went into her and she got really smart. Unfortunately, that wasn’t so good for Donna. The Doctor didn’t say anything, but I knew that her brain couldn’t handle it. The Doctor… well, he had to erase her memory. If she remembers anything about the Doctor, anything, she’ll die.”
Cerys put her tea cup down on Jack’s desk. She felt sick to her stomach. That explained why Donna didn’t have a clue who she was. She could have caused Donna to die, if she’d pushed any further. Oh God, poor Donna. Poor Doctor.
“But… where is he? Where’s the Doctor?” She asked.
“I don’t know. I haven’t heard from him in a while. He was torn up about losing Donna.”
“But… why didn’t he come and find me?” She sighed.
“Pardon, but… well, you said the Doctor told you to call him when you were ready. You had only intended on being gone a couple days, but it lasted a month. Who knows how long that was for the Doctor? Maybe he thought you’d had enough of travelling with him.” Ianto suggested.
“But… but that’s ridiculous! I love travelling with him! Would he really think that?” Cerys wondered.
Ianto shrugged and glanced over at Jack. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned since working for Torchwood… aliens do not deal well with their emotions.”
“Why did you look at me when you said that? I’m human, buddy.”
“Yes, a human from the 51st century. Admit it Jack, you’re just as much alien as the Doctor.” Ianto smirked.
Cerys cleared her throat and the two love birds turned their attention to her. “As much as I love watching you two do your thing… I need to figure out how to get in touch with the Doctor. I’m worried.” She said.
Jack nodded and got up from behind his desk. “We’ll get the equipment up and do a search. In the meantime,” He said, resting a hand on her shoulder, “why don’t you get some rest? If we find him, I’ll come and get you.”
“Where do you suggest I sleep?”
Jack smiled and Cerys’ stomach had instant butterflies. She didn’t know Jack too well, but she could already tell he was a devious man with a dirty mind. He led her down a ladder into a bedroom that was underneath his office. For a bedroom with no windows and no real doors… it was quite spacious and it felt very homey.
“You sleep here?” She asked.
“Occasionally. I tend to go back to Ianto’s flat with him, but when I’m pulling a late shift, I come down here. Look, I don’t want you to worry. I’ve known the Doctor for a long time. He might get into a lot of trouble, but you have to keep in mind that’s he’s over 900 years old. He can take care of himself.”
“I know,” Cerys sighed, “I just… I worry. He’s out there somewhere, alone… he needs someone to talk some sense into him.”
Jack laughed. “Yes, he certainly does. Anyway, you get some rest, we’ll find the Doctor.”
Jack climbed back up the ladder and Cerys let out a deep breath. She had to trust Jack and Ianto to find the Doctor. And they would, she was sure of it. Jack had told her that Torchwood was founded basically as a way to track the Doctor and his movements. Apparently, he had angered the wrong people at some point.
Sitting down on the edge of the bed, Cerys rubbed her forehead. “Please just be okay.” She whispered.
***
When Cerys had woken, it was the next morning. She made her way up top, hoping that Jack and Ianto had found some hint of the Doctor. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. Ianto promised that he would keep the search active and they would call her the minute they found anything, and they traded mobile numbers so they could keep in touch.
“Remember. He’s a 900 year old alien.” Jack smiled.
“Yeah, a 900 year old alien who acts like a child and is a trouble magnet.” Cerys groaned.
Jack gave her shoulder a squeeze, and an alarm went off in the headquarters. Tosh, another one of Jack’s group advised it was a pack of weevils. They didn’t sound too friendly. “We have to go. You’re welcome to stay.”
“Nah, I’ll just head home. Ianto’s got my number. Ehm, thanks, yeah? It was nice to be able to talk to someone about all of this.” Cerys smiled.
“Any time. Ianto will show you out. Keep in touch!” Jack called, running off.
***
Cerys had dropped in on her parents briefly before driving to her flat. If she thought it had been quiet last night, it was silent as the grave inside her flat. She felt anxious, worried… where was the Doctor? She hoped he was okay. Hopefully he hadn’t gotten into another incident like that one on Midnight. She shuddered at the thought. What she needed was a distraction. She called up her friends. A night on the town should make her feel better.
It didn’t. She was so distracted, she didn’t even notice the nice looking bloke hitting on her. Her friends told her she wasn’t like herself at all and asked if she was coming down with the same flu her Mum had earlier.
“I guess. Maybe I’m just tired. A lot’s been going on in the past month. Sorry I’m not more focused on what’s going on.” Cerys apologized.
“Don’t worry about it, okay? Look, I’ll drop you off home, yeah? Have a nice hot bath then right to bed. That last thing you need now is to get sick.” Her friend Kerri said.
“You’re right. Thanks, Ker. What would I do without you?” She smiled.
Kerri drove her home when they were done eating their supper, and Cerys climbed the stairs to her flat, letting herself be enveloped by the silence once again. She checked her phone to see if she might have missed any calls from Ianto, but there was nothing. Sighing, she dropped her keys on the kitchen counter and left her purse by the coat rack, shuffling down the hall towards the bathroom. She’d try a bath and see if that helped relax her any, then curl up on the rooftop terrace, just in case.
The bath was nice, and she was able to turn her focus from the Doctor being MIA to the young man who’d been hitting on her. He was cute, but… sighing, Cerys leaned her head against the back of the tub. He wasn’t him. And wasn’t that a thought? Since when had she seriously starting crushing on the Doctor? He was alien and old, and childish and… and gorgeous and caring and simply lovely. She had no idea if he felt the same way about her. When they found him, and they would find him, she’d decided, she was going to find out for herself.
She got out of the tub and dried off, dressing in a pair of comfy sweats and a t-shirt, pulling her hair up into a loose ponytail and climbing the stairs to the terrace. It was the main reason she’s bought the flat. A private rooftop terrace with a beautiful view. Why would she have passed it up?
Curling herself up in the chair, she watched the stars. She’d always loved looking at the stars, but even more so now that she had something to look for. She was nodding on and off, which she didn’t mind, but she heard a familiar sound and suddenly she was wide awake. She would be able to recognize that noise anywhere and she got out of her chair to look out over the street. Where had it come from? Where was it?
She spotted it across the street in the alley and Cerys grinned. There she was, the TARDIS. She was materializing right now. Sprinting down the stairs, Cerys slipped on her shoes and grabbed her keys, running as fast as she could. She knew she’d missed the Doctor, but she hadn’t realized just how much until she heard that familiar sound.
She was already at the front door to the building and she looked both ways before dashing across the street, running at full speed now. The TARDIS was within reach now, and when her fingers touched that blue wood, and she felt the familiar humming pulse through her fingertips she laughed. “I missed you too!”
Opening the door and stepping inside, Cerys’ eyes flew immediately to the Doctor. He was standing just off to the side of the console, and he looked… utterly depressed. When she’d come in, she just heard him finish saying something, but only caught the last word: go.
“Go? Where are you going, you just got here! Where’ve you been?” Cerys inquired.
“Cerys? What… the TARDIS must’ve… I told you to go to the vortex! Stay back.” The Doctor said.
“Why? What’s going on?” She asked.
The Doctor closed his eyes and she could tell he was in pain. He looked sick and scared and she just wanted to help him. “I’m dying.” He said.
Her eyes went wide and her lower lip started to quiver. She could feel tears pricking at her eyes. “No… you can’t be! You can’t be dying!” she sniffed.
“I am. But, it’s okay… I’ll change. That’s what we do. We regenerate, Time Lords. Well, I do… last one now. I’ll still be here, just not with this face. Not in this body.”
“I don’t want you to go.” Cerys said, her voice wavering with emotion.
The Doctor smiled sadly at her, and she could see the tears welling in his eyes. “I don’t want to go either. I have so much more I wanted to do in this body. So much more.”
Cerys frowned and shook her head. “I won’t let you. I’m not going to stand back and let this happen. I’m not going to lose you.” She said.
“There’s nothing you can do.” The Doctor explained, groaning in pain, “My cells… they’re breaking down. Radiation, you really shouldn’t be here. I’m changing. You don’t need to see this.”
Cerys stepped closer to the Doctor. There was this gold hue coming off of him, like a glow emanating from his skin. She knew radiation didn’t do this, so it must have been part of the regeneration process. “I’m not going to leave you alone. I’m not going to stand back and do nothing this time.”
“But-“ The Doctor started.
Cerys wrapped her arms around the Doctor and kissed him. She didn’t know what else to do, and she knew there really wasn’t anything else she could do. But, this was the Doctor she had fallen for. She didn’t know what his next form would look like, or even if she would be attracted to him. She didn’t know if he would remember her, and he looked so scared. She wanted him to go out on a positive note.
As she kissed him, she started to feel light headed. It felt like energy was rushing into her. The Doctor was holding her tightly, and she wanted nothing more than to stay in this moment. “I love you.” She thought, wondering if he’d be able to hear her. He’d mentioned something once about being slightly psychic, and she’d never knew whether he had been joking or not.
Suddenly, a powerful blast that came from the Doctor’s body pushed her backwards, flinging her against the side of the TARDIS. She hit her head on the rail and her vision blacked out. In the background, she could hear the Doctor screaming in pain and she cried out, reaching blindly for him. He was hurting and there wasn’t anything she could do about it. The screaming died down after a while, and she could hear harsh panting.
“Doctor?” She called out.
Her vision was starting to come back, and she reached around to the back of her head, rubbing at the bump that was starting to form there. She was going to have one hell of a headache, and that didn’t include dealing with this new doctor.
“Cerys? God, Cerys, are you all right? Here, let me see…”
Cerys opened her eyes and stared at the Doctor. Her Doctor. But… “I don’t understand…” She muttered.
“You’ve hit your head pretty hard. We’ll have to move you into the med bay. I want to make sure you didn’t get hurt anywhere else.” He stated.
Cerys’ eyes focused and she reached for the Doctor, touching his face. “You didn’t change. I thought you said…”
The Doctor smiled at her and pulled her into his arms, lifting her up. “This regeneration was… not normal. At all.”
“What d’you mean?” Cerys asked, trying to steady herself on her feet.
“Well…” He drew out.
“Where are my clothes? Why on earth am I naked? That’s not normal.”
Cerys’ eyes went wide and she looked across the console room at a younger man, completely naked with completely unruly hair.
“Who’re you?” She gasped.
The looked at her with his hands on his hips, grinned at her and said, “Hello. I’m the Doctor.”
~TBC~
Rating: FRT
Characters: Donna, the Doctor (10), Original Character (Cerys Pritchard)
Summary: Traveling with the Doctor can be fun and sometimes scary, but definitely worth it.
Word count: 5123
Disclaimer: Not mine. I wish they were, but they're not.
After the Doctor talked to the people in charge, telling them his side of the story and that whatever it was that had entered the shuttle was still out there, they headed back to the TARDIS. Cerys felt much more relaxed once she walked through the doors. Finally, she truly felt like she was safe. That whole thing with the Doctor had really shaken her up. He’d been helpless and she hadn’t known what to do.
Donna wandered down one hall, presumably heading to her room or the library, while the Doctor headed towards the console, getting them the hell out of Midnight. She figured he’d put them in the vortex for a while. Rubbing her hand over her face, Cerys made her way through the halls of her home away from home. She could use a shower and a good nights sleep.
Once the Doctor had put the TARDIS in the vortex, he took off his jacket and threw it across the seat, rolling up his sleeves. He had been putting off some adjustments that his ship really needed, and since they were in the vortex, he figured he’d get a head start. He also needed some time to clear his head. That ordeal had really scared him, especially when he thought of what would have happened to Cerys and Donna if he’d been… no, he wasn’t going to think about that. The hostess, the one whose name nobody knew, she saved him.
“What’re you doing?” Donna asked.
“Just doing some tune ups.” The Doctor said.
“Well, don’t stay under there all night. You’re real rank for an alien, you need a shower.” She ordered.
“I don’t stink! I don’t! Fine, fine, I’ll take a shower after I’ve finished this.” He sighed.
Donna rolled her eyes and headed back off to her room. The Doctor smirked and scooted underneath the console, pulling off the plastic covering to get at the wires. They were a mess. Why had he put this off for so long? A fire could’ve started under here, and then the TARDIS would have been really angry with him. She’d already started giving him little jolts of electricity whenever he tried to land her someplace else. And, after what happened on Midnight, he wanted to make sure his TARDIS was in ship-shape… just in case he wasn’t around to fly her.
Sighing, the Doctor pulled at some wires, frowning at the ones that were burnt right through to bare wire. These wires would have to be replaced. There wasn’t anything he could do about that… just like there wasn’t anything he could have done to save Sky. He couldn’t save her. That didn’t happen too often, and it was even more rare that he didn’t know what he had been dealing with. He’d have to search the TARDIS’ data banks later… after the shower Donna demanded he have. He did smell… just a little bit. He must have lost track of time, because next he knew, there were a pair of feet standing beside his legs. He watched as the feet shuffled until the person joined him under the console.
“Hiya.” Cerys smiled.
“Hello.” He smiled back.
She watched him work on the wires, using his sonic screwdriver to fix the burnt ones, hopefully making things run a little bit smoother. Like their landings. They’d been pretty rough the last couple of times.
“I should’ve done something.” She sighed.
The Doctor stopped working and turned to frown at his newest companion. “What? Cerys, there’s nothing you could’ve done.”
“I could’ve fought against the Professor harder. I could’ve tried… I didn’t.”
Sighing, the Doctor took Cerys’ hand, waiting until she turned her head to look at him.
“There was nothing you could’ve done. What would you have done? Fought against three grown men and a crazy woman? If you’d done anything else, they might’ve done something to you and I wasn’t in any condition to keep you safe. I never would’ve forgiven myself if anything had happened to you.” He told her.
“But I almost lost you. They almost killed you and I… I just stood there. I didn’t know what to do.”
The Doctor smiled and scooted forward, resting his head next to hers. “One thing I’ve learned from all of my travels is that you can’t dwell on things that have happened. It’s in the past, and you can’t change that. Well, you can, but there are dire consequences.” He lectured.
Cerys sighed and nodded. “I know. I don’t think I would’ve been able to survive it if you’d been killed. Add to that, I’d been stuck on Midnight with Donna, seeing as you’re the only one who can fly this thing.”
“Oh, you wouldn’t be stuck. The TARDIS has a fail safe. If anything were to happen to me, she’ll take my companions back home.” He said.
She didn’t want to think about the Doctor not being around. Sure, they’d be able to get home, but then what? How could she go back to a normal life after spending so much time travelling across the stars? She felt the Doctor squeeze her hand and she looked over at him. That goofy grin on his face made her laugh. She felt a little bit better now. He had a way of making things better.
“Well… I should go and take that shower Donna suggested that I take.” The Doctor spoke softly.
“Yeah, well… you do smell just a bit,” She smirked, “and I’m pretty knackered, so I think I’ll just head off to bed.”
They crawled out from under the console and the Doctor grabbed his jacket. He’d gotten used to picking up after himself since Donna came on board. Usually, he just left things wherever and the TARDIS would pick up after him. They started down one of the many hallways and stopped just in front of the door to Cerys’ room.
“Ehm… would it be all right if you drop me off at my folks place for a bit? I haven’t seen them in a while and I could use a day or two.” She said.
“Yeah, okay. You can give a call or send a message to my psychic paper, and we’ll come back to get you. I need to land this girl in Cardiff for a bit, then Donna and I might go for another adventure.” He said.
“Yeah, sure. Donna could use some relaxing visits, yeah?” She teased.
The Doctor grinned and hugged her. “I make no promises.”
“I know. Just be careful.”
“I will. Good night, Cerys.” The Doctor smiled, walking down the hallway.
Somehow, she had a feeling he’d be getting in plenty of trouble. She only hoped Donna could try and talk some sense into him.
***
The next day, the Doctor and Donna dropped Cerys off at her parents home, and they headed for another, hopefully safe, adventure. She was glad to be able to have a couple days to herself. She could do some proper relaxing… maybe go for a swim at the lake and catch up with her friends.
The two days she had planned on originally turned into a week, which turned into two weeks that turned into a month. Her mum had caught the flu and it seemed as though everything in the house had started to break. First the dishwasher went, then the washer and dryer, and then the fridge. After ensuring that her mum was feeling better, and the appliances had been fixed or replaced, she phoned for the Doctor to come and get her. She missed him and Donna and the TARDIS, and the adventures, of course.
He didn’t answer at first, and she thought that maybe he wasn’t near the TARDIS to answer the phone. Why he didn’t take the mobile phone with him, she’d never know. She decided she’d try Donna. She always had her mobile with her and the Doctor had fixed it so that she could get calls from anywhere and anywhen, same with Cerys’ phone. Of course, Donna picked up on the first ring, and it sounded like she was at some kind of party.
“Yeah, hello?” She heard Donna call loudly.
“Hi Donna, it’s Cerys. Is the Doctor with you? I tried ringing him but he wasn’t answering. Where are you? Are you back home?” She asked.
“Doctor who? Who’s this then? Did Andrew put you up to this?” Donna laughed.
Cerys looked at her phone and frowned. She dialed the right number, so what the hell was going on? “Donna, it’s me. Cerys Pritchard. We’ve been travelling together with the Doctor for ages. We’ve been tons of places together.”
“Are you having a laugh? Listen sweetheart,” Donna sassed, “if Andrew’s put you on to this you can tell him right where to go. I’ve told him, the answer is no, a thousand times, no!”
“Donna, please, listen-“ Cerys begged.
“Don’t you try calling me again, Miss priss. Sod off!” Donna snapped and ended the call.
Cerys pulled the phone away from her ear and stared at the screen. She had sounded just like Donna, it was Donna’s number… except she didn’t seem to remember anything about her or the Doctor or any of their travels. But, why? What was going on?
“Doctor, where are you?” She wondered, staring at the sky.
***
Cerys had tried the Doctor again on his mobile two more times and still heard nothing. She called out to him through her mind, hoping the message had been received on the psychic paper. It had been days since her odd conversation with Donna, and she was getting increasingly worried.
Curled up on a deck chair in the back garden of her parents home, Cerys, pulled the blanket closer around her. She was keeping her eyes on the stars, hoping for a glimpse of the TARDIS.
“You okay, Cerys? You’ve been off the past couple days.”
She looked up to see her older brother coming outside with a mug of tea.
“Yeah. I can’t get in touch with the Doc– ehm, this friend of mine and I’m a bit worried. I’ve called three times now, and nothing.” She sighed… she had to remember that Brad and her parents didn’t know about the Doctor. In fact, nobody knew about her travels.
“Give him time. He’ll come around.”
Frowning, Cerys took the mug offered to her and took a sip.
“I never said it was a ‘he’ Brad. How’d you figure that out?” She asked.
“Because I’m clever.” He shrugged.
Cerys gulped away the lump that had formed in her throat. The Doctor used the line every now and then. What if she never saw him again? She had no idea where he was or even if he was okay…
“Listen, we’re popping out for a bit. Mum’s friend Susan is having a get together and apparently Mum said she’s got a daughter who’s single.” Brad said.
Cerys smirked at her brother from across the mug. “You’re gonna have to tell her sooner or later, you know. If you keep turning down every girl she waves under your nose, she’ll start getting suspicious.”
Brad sighed, “Yeah… just not now. Anyway, don’t stay out here too long, yeah? You’ll catch cold.”
“I’ll go in after my tea. Have fun.” She teased.
Brad huffed and rolled his eyes. “Bye.”
Cerys watched her brother head back inside and turned her attention back to the sky, sinking further down into the wooden lawn chair. It was too quiet here. She missed the constant hum of the TARDIS. She missed the feeling of safety… she missed her life with the Doctor and Donna. She wondered if maybe he’d decided he didn’t want anyone traveling with him anymore… didn’t explain why Donna couldn’t remember who she was. It could have been a joke, but Donna wasn’t the type to pull jokes like that. She wished she had someone she could talk to about the Doctor… a thought popped into her head and she got up, taking her tea and blanket with her. When they had landed in Cardiff, the Doctor had introduced her and Donna to an old companion of his, Jack Harkness. He worked for some paranormal group thing and he seemed nice enough. Of course, he’d been flirting with all three of them, but the Doctor assured her that it was just something he did. She wondered if maybe she could find a way to get in touch with him and see if he’d heard from the Doctor.
Plunking herself down in front of her laptop, Cerys typed Jack’s name into the search engine and clicked go. She got a whole bunch of results and she felt a little overwhelmed. She tried searching a couple different ways but wasn’t able to find a number or anything. She didn’t think she would, but it was discouraging. Grabbing her keys and her jacket, Cerys transferred her tea into a travel mug. Looked like she was driving into Cardiff.
***
After writing a note for her parents saying she was going out with friends, and quite a lengthy drive, Cerys had found a spot for her car and was hanging around the place where The Doctor had landed the TARDIS. Jack seemed to have come out of nowhere, and she didn’t know where to start. She was getting frustrated. She was all alone, worried sick about the Doctor and Donna, and the one person she knew could help her, she couldn’t find.
Sitting on the curb, she put her head in her hands and took a deep breath. The last thing she needed was to bring on an anxiety attack. She needed to figure things out. Jack must work in one of these buildings. It was nearly ten though. Maybe he’d gone home. Unless he lived around here as well.
“Looking for me?”
Cerys yelped and nearly fell off the curb, glaring up at Jack, who just grinned. “How long have you been standing there?”
“Oh, just a minute or two. Cerys, right?” He asked, offering her a hand up.
“Yes.” She nodded, taking his hand and getting back to her feet.
“I didn’t know you lived around here.”
“I don’t. I ehm… Well, the thing is…” She glanced around, “is there some place we can talk?”
Jack grinned and offered her his arm. “Sure. Come with me.”
***
Cerys was in awe as Jack showed her the Torchwood office. She thought he was nuts when they just stood on the sidewalk, until the stone they stood on started moving downwards. It was nearly as amazing as the TARDIS. Jack explained to her in more detail what is was they did and introduced her to the remaining member of his team, Ianto, who promptly took her mugged tea away from her and told her he would make her something much better.
“Don’t take it personally. He’s a bit of a connoisseur when it comes to coffee and tea.” Jack explained.
“I gathered as much.” Cerys noted.
Jack led her to his office and Cerys sat across from Jack. They made small talk until Ianto came in with three cups of something that smelled delicious. “Would you mind if Ianto joined us?” Jack asked.
“Not at all.” Cerys shrugged, picking up a cup. She figured if Ianto knew about everything Jack did, learning about a time travelling alien wouldn’t faze him at all.
Leaning back in his seat, Jack folded his arms behind his head. “So, what’s up?”
Sighing, Cerys put the cup back down on Jacks’ desk. “Well, about a month ago I asked the Doctor if he could drop me off at my parents place, just for a little break. I hadn’t meant to stay for that long, but things came up. Anyway, he told me to call him or reach him on his psychic paper when I was ready for him to pick me up. I tried calling him but he didn’t answer, so I tried Donna…” She explained.
Jack sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “He didn’t tell you what happened to her?” He muttered.
“Well, that’s the thing, I haven’t been able to get in touch with him. I have no idea where he is. And what’s wrong with Donna? Why didn’t she know who I was? And why is it you know what’s going on with her?” Cerys frowned.
Jack glanced at Ianto who stared into his cup of coffee. Clearly, he wasn’t going to help Jack with this one. “There was an accident. Kind of. Don’t worry, nobody got hurt. We were fighting against this alien, Davros, who was going to destroy Earth. The Doctor, Donna, some of our other friends and I were all there. Donna got locked in the TARDIS and the Daleks dropped it into a pit of lava. We thought she was dead, but… the Doctor had a spare hand in there.” Jack started explaining.
“I know about the hand, but what’s that got to do with Donna?” Cerys sighed.
“I’m getting there,” Jack asserted, holding up his hand.
“Sorry.” Cerys mumbled.
Smirking, Jack started back in. “So, I guess Donna reached for the hand and, because it still had some regenerative power left in it the hand grew into another Doctor. She and this metacrisis Doctor flew the TARDIS out of the pit and they came to our rescue. Donna, she was great. Because some of her DNA went into creating the new Doctor, some of the Doctor’s DNA went into her and she got really smart. Unfortunately, that wasn’t so good for Donna. The Doctor didn’t say anything, but I knew that her brain couldn’t handle it. The Doctor… well, he had to erase her memory. If she remembers anything about the Doctor, anything, she’ll die.”
Cerys put her tea cup down on Jack’s desk. She felt sick to her stomach. That explained why Donna didn’t have a clue who she was. She could have caused Donna to die, if she’d pushed any further. Oh God, poor Donna. Poor Doctor.
“But… where is he? Where’s the Doctor?” She asked.
“I don’t know. I haven’t heard from him in a while. He was torn up about losing Donna.”
“But… why didn’t he come and find me?” She sighed.
“Pardon, but… well, you said the Doctor told you to call him when you were ready. You had only intended on being gone a couple days, but it lasted a month. Who knows how long that was for the Doctor? Maybe he thought you’d had enough of travelling with him.” Ianto suggested.
“But… but that’s ridiculous! I love travelling with him! Would he really think that?” Cerys wondered.
Ianto shrugged and glanced over at Jack. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned since working for Torchwood… aliens do not deal well with their emotions.”
“Why did you look at me when you said that? I’m human, buddy.”
“Yes, a human from the 51st century. Admit it Jack, you’re just as much alien as the Doctor.” Ianto smirked.
Cerys cleared her throat and the two love birds turned their attention to her. “As much as I love watching you two do your thing… I need to figure out how to get in touch with the Doctor. I’m worried.” She said.
Jack nodded and got up from behind his desk. “We’ll get the equipment up and do a search. In the meantime,” He said, resting a hand on her shoulder, “why don’t you get some rest? If we find him, I’ll come and get you.”
“Where do you suggest I sleep?”
Jack smiled and Cerys’ stomach had instant butterflies. She didn’t know Jack too well, but she could already tell he was a devious man with a dirty mind. He led her down a ladder into a bedroom that was underneath his office. For a bedroom with no windows and no real doors… it was quite spacious and it felt very homey.
“You sleep here?” She asked.
“Occasionally. I tend to go back to Ianto’s flat with him, but when I’m pulling a late shift, I come down here. Look, I don’t want you to worry. I’ve known the Doctor for a long time. He might get into a lot of trouble, but you have to keep in mind that’s he’s over 900 years old. He can take care of himself.”
“I know,” Cerys sighed, “I just… I worry. He’s out there somewhere, alone… he needs someone to talk some sense into him.”
Jack laughed. “Yes, he certainly does. Anyway, you get some rest, we’ll find the Doctor.”
Jack climbed back up the ladder and Cerys let out a deep breath. She had to trust Jack and Ianto to find the Doctor. And they would, she was sure of it. Jack had told her that Torchwood was founded basically as a way to track the Doctor and his movements. Apparently, he had angered the wrong people at some point.
Sitting down on the edge of the bed, Cerys rubbed her forehead. “Please just be okay.” She whispered.
***
When Cerys had woken, it was the next morning. She made her way up top, hoping that Jack and Ianto had found some hint of the Doctor. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. Ianto promised that he would keep the search active and they would call her the minute they found anything, and they traded mobile numbers so they could keep in touch.
“Remember. He’s a 900 year old alien.” Jack smiled.
“Yeah, a 900 year old alien who acts like a child and is a trouble magnet.” Cerys groaned.
Jack gave her shoulder a squeeze, and an alarm went off in the headquarters. Tosh, another one of Jack’s group advised it was a pack of weevils. They didn’t sound too friendly. “We have to go. You’re welcome to stay.”
“Nah, I’ll just head home. Ianto’s got my number. Ehm, thanks, yeah? It was nice to be able to talk to someone about all of this.” Cerys smiled.
“Any time. Ianto will show you out. Keep in touch!” Jack called, running off.
***
Cerys had dropped in on her parents briefly before driving to her flat. If she thought it had been quiet last night, it was silent as the grave inside her flat. She felt anxious, worried… where was the Doctor? She hoped he was okay. Hopefully he hadn’t gotten into another incident like that one on Midnight. She shuddered at the thought. What she needed was a distraction. She called up her friends. A night on the town should make her feel better.
It didn’t. She was so distracted, she didn’t even notice the nice looking bloke hitting on her. Her friends told her she wasn’t like herself at all and asked if she was coming down with the same flu her Mum had earlier.
“I guess. Maybe I’m just tired. A lot’s been going on in the past month. Sorry I’m not more focused on what’s going on.” Cerys apologized.
“Don’t worry about it, okay? Look, I’ll drop you off home, yeah? Have a nice hot bath then right to bed. That last thing you need now is to get sick.” Her friend Kerri said.
“You’re right. Thanks, Ker. What would I do without you?” She smiled.
Kerri drove her home when they were done eating their supper, and Cerys climbed the stairs to her flat, letting herself be enveloped by the silence once again. She checked her phone to see if she might have missed any calls from Ianto, but there was nothing. Sighing, she dropped her keys on the kitchen counter and left her purse by the coat rack, shuffling down the hall towards the bathroom. She’d try a bath and see if that helped relax her any, then curl up on the rooftop terrace, just in case.
The bath was nice, and she was able to turn her focus from the Doctor being MIA to the young man who’d been hitting on her. He was cute, but… sighing, Cerys leaned her head against the back of the tub. He wasn’t him. And wasn’t that a thought? Since when had she seriously starting crushing on the Doctor? He was alien and old, and childish and… and gorgeous and caring and simply lovely. She had no idea if he felt the same way about her. When they found him, and they would find him, she’d decided, she was going to find out for herself.
She got out of the tub and dried off, dressing in a pair of comfy sweats and a t-shirt, pulling her hair up into a loose ponytail and climbing the stairs to the terrace. It was the main reason she’s bought the flat. A private rooftop terrace with a beautiful view. Why would she have passed it up?
Curling herself up in the chair, she watched the stars. She’d always loved looking at the stars, but even more so now that she had something to look for. She was nodding on and off, which she didn’t mind, but she heard a familiar sound and suddenly she was wide awake. She would be able to recognize that noise anywhere and she got out of her chair to look out over the street. Where had it come from? Where was it?
She spotted it across the street in the alley and Cerys grinned. There she was, the TARDIS. She was materializing right now. Sprinting down the stairs, Cerys slipped on her shoes and grabbed her keys, running as fast as she could. She knew she’d missed the Doctor, but she hadn’t realized just how much until she heard that familiar sound.
She was already at the front door to the building and she looked both ways before dashing across the street, running at full speed now. The TARDIS was within reach now, and when her fingers touched that blue wood, and she felt the familiar humming pulse through her fingertips she laughed. “I missed you too!”
Opening the door and stepping inside, Cerys’ eyes flew immediately to the Doctor. He was standing just off to the side of the console, and he looked… utterly depressed. When she’d come in, she just heard him finish saying something, but only caught the last word: go.
“Go? Where are you going, you just got here! Where’ve you been?” Cerys inquired.
“Cerys? What… the TARDIS must’ve… I told you to go to the vortex! Stay back.” The Doctor said.
“Why? What’s going on?” She asked.
The Doctor closed his eyes and she could tell he was in pain. He looked sick and scared and she just wanted to help him. “I’m dying.” He said.
Her eyes went wide and her lower lip started to quiver. She could feel tears pricking at her eyes. “No… you can’t be! You can’t be dying!” she sniffed.
“I am. But, it’s okay… I’ll change. That’s what we do. We regenerate, Time Lords. Well, I do… last one now. I’ll still be here, just not with this face. Not in this body.”
“I don’t want you to go.” Cerys said, her voice wavering with emotion.
The Doctor smiled sadly at her, and she could see the tears welling in his eyes. “I don’t want to go either. I have so much more I wanted to do in this body. So much more.”
Cerys frowned and shook her head. “I won’t let you. I’m not going to stand back and let this happen. I’m not going to lose you.” She said.
“There’s nothing you can do.” The Doctor explained, groaning in pain, “My cells… they’re breaking down. Radiation, you really shouldn’t be here. I’m changing. You don’t need to see this.”
Cerys stepped closer to the Doctor. There was this gold hue coming off of him, like a glow emanating from his skin. She knew radiation didn’t do this, so it must have been part of the regeneration process. “I’m not going to leave you alone. I’m not going to stand back and do nothing this time.”
“But-“ The Doctor started.
Cerys wrapped her arms around the Doctor and kissed him. She didn’t know what else to do, and she knew there really wasn’t anything else she could do. But, this was the Doctor she had fallen for. She didn’t know what his next form would look like, or even if she would be attracted to him. She didn’t know if he would remember her, and he looked so scared. She wanted him to go out on a positive note.
As she kissed him, she started to feel light headed. It felt like energy was rushing into her. The Doctor was holding her tightly, and she wanted nothing more than to stay in this moment. “I love you.” She thought, wondering if he’d be able to hear her. He’d mentioned something once about being slightly psychic, and she’d never knew whether he had been joking or not.
Suddenly, a powerful blast that came from the Doctor’s body pushed her backwards, flinging her against the side of the TARDIS. She hit her head on the rail and her vision blacked out. In the background, she could hear the Doctor screaming in pain and she cried out, reaching blindly for him. He was hurting and there wasn’t anything she could do about it. The screaming died down after a while, and she could hear harsh panting.
“Doctor?” She called out.
Her vision was starting to come back, and she reached around to the back of her head, rubbing at the bump that was starting to form there. She was going to have one hell of a headache, and that didn’t include dealing with this new doctor.
“Cerys? God, Cerys, are you all right? Here, let me see…”
Cerys opened her eyes and stared at the Doctor. Her Doctor. But… “I don’t understand…” She muttered.
“You’ve hit your head pretty hard. We’ll have to move you into the med bay. I want to make sure you didn’t get hurt anywhere else.” He stated.
Cerys’ eyes focused and she reached for the Doctor, touching his face. “You didn’t change. I thought you said…”
The Doctor smiled at her and pulled her into his arms, lifting her up. “This regeneration was… not normal. At all.”
“What d’you mean?” Cerys asked, trying to steady herself on her feet.
“Well…” He drew out.
“Where are my clothes? Why on earth am I naked? That’s not normal.”
Cerys’ eyes went wide and she looked across the console room at a younger man, completely naked with completely unruly hair.
“Who’re you?” She gasped.
The looked at her with his hands on his hips, grinned at her and said, “Hello. I’m the Doctor.”
~TBC~