Untold Knowledge (Doctor Who x Genius Fem! Oc) [Book 1]

Chapter 18: Rise of the Cybermen

"A belief is not merely an idea the mind possesses; it is an idea that possesses the mind."
-- Robert Oxton Bolt

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With power cell in hand, the Doctor walked back outside with both Mickey and Echo following close behind. She knew of just how sticky their situation truly was. They weren't just in another universe. They were in a mirror-verse. A realm with the same people in different lives. She wanted nothing more than to leave, avoid all the hardships that would inevitably find them. She didn't want to run into different versions of those she had left behind all those years ago. It was the main reason she avoided mirror-verses over anything else. All that was desired was to stay away from all reminders of those that were never coming back. The potential heartache was far to much for her to handle. Thankfully, her Doctor hadn't noticed her worried caution seeing as he was more so thinking of how they just needed to leave. For all of their sakes and the Tardis's well being. "No applause needed. We found a way to get out of here. Twenty-four hours, then we'll be able to leave." he said, then noticed the drastic change in Rose's mood. "What is it?"

Keeping her eyes focused solely on her phone, Rose had already figured out what she wanted to do. "My phone connected. There's this Cybus Network. It finds your phone, gives you internet access." she explained quietly.

"Rose, whatever it says, this is the wrong world." the Time Lord firmly repeated, greatly trying to get her to understand before she could make any mistakes with unimaginable consequences.

But the saddened human girl couldn't focus on anything but the information she had been provided with. "I don't exist..." she mumbled.

Echo sat beside her as well, empathy flooding into her mind and heart. "What did you find, young one?" she asked gently, trying her very best to comfort her instead of offending her.

"There's no Rose Tyler. I was never born... There's Pete, my dad, and Jackie. He still married Mum, but they never had kids." she explained as she leaned into Echo's embrace, her eyes remaining glued to her phone. "They're rich. They've got a house and cars, and everything they want... But they haven't got me." Rose then moved her eyes to look at her best friend. "I've got to see him." she declared to the Doctor with a new, more desperate form of determination shining in her eyes.

"I'm so sorry. But you can't." Echo whispered, hating to see her friend in such a state. It wasn't dramatic; yet it still bothered her all the same.

The emotional human female pulled away and stood up to look her in the eyes. "I just want to see him." she pressed, knowing full well that they'd never be able to come back once they've left. There wouldn't be a second chance.

"We can't let you." the Doctor reiterated, not liking anything about their situation even more. If Rose did see her "father", a terrible calamity would no doubt occur. Whether it be intentional or accidental mattered not. For the effects could end up equating to a planetary disaster. It would feel as though the sky would run black with terror and the land crack with fear. It may not happen immediately, but when dealing with the butterfly effect, one could never tell when it reaches irreversible levels.

But still, her desire continued to triumph over her logical thought processes. "You just said twenty-four hours!" she shot back without hesitation.

"You can't become their daughter; that's not the way it works." the Doctor immediately stated. "Echo, tell her." he said, needing back up.

Before she could even open her mouth to speak, Mickey was heard from the opposite direction. "Twenty-four hours, yeah?" When they looked at him in surprise, they saw him about to walk away as well.

This threw the Time Lord off in his decision making all together. "Where are you going?" he quickly asked with furrowed brow.

"Well, I can do what I want." he said easily, already knowing how the next few minutes would play out.