Until We Burn | Dr Who

Chapter Eight: The Parting of the Ways

Guns at the ready, Jack and I stand in the Tardis as it materialises onto the Dalek ship. Gradually, bit by bit, Rose appears.

At first, she is like a ghost, but each second brings her closer and closer to us. It's like the rising tide ebbing and flowing across the beach, moving further and further each time.

But she isn't the only thing that appears.

"Rose, get down! Get down!" the Doctor yells.

Quickly ducking out of the way, she narrowly misses the beam of light that the Dalek shoots in her direction. Jack opens to fire, only taking a single shot to destroy the monster.

As soon as the smoke clears, the Doctor has his arms wrapped tightly around her. "You all right?"

"Yeah, you?"

He shrugs. "Not bad. Been better."

Unable to wait any longer, I rush forwards and pull the girl into a tight hug. "Gods, that was terrifying. Never again, got that?"

Its just Jack's turn next and he laughs loudly, whirling her around. "Welcome home."

"Oh, I thought I was never gonna see you again."

"You were lucky, that was just a one-shot wonder. It drained the gun of its power supply, now it's just junk."

Leaving the other two, I examine what is left of the Dalek. The front section of its casing had been blown off, revealing the burnt flesh of a gruesome little creature with slimy tentacles.

I grimace at the vile stench and Rose again as the Doctor moves in to inspect it. "You said they were extinct."

"One minute they're the greatest threat in the universe, then they vanish," Jack huffs.

"They went off to fight a bigger war -the Time War."

He frowns, staring curiously up at the Doctor. "I thought that was just a legend."

"I was there." My eyes widen as my gaze darts over to him, shocked at such a big revelation. "The war between the Daleks and the Time Lords, with the whole of creation at stake. My people were destroyed but took the Daleks with them. I almost thought it was worth it, and now it turns out they died for nothing."

"It's not for nothing," I quickly answer. "It's never for nothing. They made the Daleks weak. They gave us time. We'll stop them, I know we can. We just have to be smart about it."

Rose doesn't seem too convinced as she listens to my desperate attempt at assuring us both. "There's thousands of them now, we could hardly stop one. What are we gonna do?"

Remaining deep in his thoughts for just one more second, the Doctor suddenly fixes his face into a smile - a smile that fools no one but himself. "No good stood round here chin-wagging. Human Race, you'd gossip all day. The Daleks have got the answers, let's go and meet the neighbours."

He barely gives us a chance to stop him before he throws the door open, emerging into the main room of the Dalek ship.

"Exterminate! Exterminate!"

I yelp in surprise, holding the others back as the Daleks begin to fire at the Doctor. To our surprise, each one bounces off.

The Doctor scoffs, "Is that it? Useless! Nul points! It's all right, come on out. That force field can hold back anything."

"Almost anything."

In any other situation, I'd laugh at the exasperated look he sends Jack. "Yes, but I wasn't going to tell them that. Thanks."