REWRITE THE STARS ― doctor who ||ON HOLD||

new earth ; part two

Chapter Four : New Earth

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"NO, NOTHING ODD," The Doctor explained as they looked over the screen in the terminal. "Surgery. Post-op. Nanodentistry. No sign of a shop. They should have a shop."

"We should go to a hospital with just shops next time," Claudia teased, "just for you."

He grinned over at her. "Yeah, I'd like that. I know a few places."

"No, it's missing something else," Rose spoke up, moving next to the Doctor and focusing on the screen. The Doctor raised his eyebrows and Claudia glanced at her in surprise. How did she even knew how the screens work -- let alone what they were missing? "When I was downstairs, those nurse-cat-nuns were talking about intensive care, but where is it?"

Claudia watched her suspiciously, eyebrows narrowing. Her voice did sound very different, and hospitals tended to carry ghosts. She closed her eyes briefly, hoping they didn't have to face a ghost today -- she left her salted guns in the bottom of her dresser on the TARDIS.

"You're right," the Doctor agreed softly, sharing a sidelong look with Claudia. "Well done."

"Why would they hide a whole department? It's got to be there somewhere."

The Doctor pulled out his sonic screwdriver slowly, looking over the scans.

"Search the subframe," Rose told him.

"What if the subframe's locked?" He asked her slowly. Claudia sighed. Definitely possession. No offense to Rose, but this was far beyond her knowledge, even the Doctor had taken notice of it.

"Try the installation protocol," Rose answered obviously.

"Yeah, 'course, sorry," he agreed, flicking his sonic on and holding it to the screen. "Hold on."

A whooshing resounded and the trio stepped back, watching as the wall moved down, the screens sinking into the floor as a long hallway appeared before them.

"Ooh, love a good secret door," Claudia commented.

Rose entered first and the Doctor glanced her over suspiciously, grabbing Claudia's hand again.

"Intensive care," he commented. "Certainly looks intensive."

The Doctor's hand tightened on her own as they walked down old rusted stairs with bricks lining the walls. Certainly a worse environment than the hospital itself. They came across what appeared to be cells or blocks of some sort, with green luminescent lighting coming from within. The cells lined the walls, floor to ceiling, and went on as far as Claudia could see. In some of them, she could almost make out the shape of a person, but the thought sickened her and she didn't want to think about it.

They came across a particular cell and the Doctor stopped walking, holding Claudia's hand tightly as he aimed his sonic at the door. The gear turned, unlocking, and a clicking sound was heard. He pulled the door open, dropping her hand.

Claudia gasped when they spotted what was inside. A man, covered in blisters and red peeling skin, veins popping out from his body stood against the wall. Tubes were located around his body and he wore tattered clothing.

Claudia's eyes filled with tears and she looked away, heartbroken. She'd killed monsters, and demons, and ghosts -- but none of the gruesome things she'd seen compared to this. The man appeared human, but even if he wasn't, he didn't deserve this. She'd always put beasts out their misery, saving as many people as she could.