The Wrong Doctors | Doctor Who

1. Familiar Strangers

"Aaaah, there you are," the Doctor said in awe of the glowing device in his hand. His eyes big, head titled up and mouth opened, as Rose looked on, hearing his high but captivating pitch.

"You see, Rose. One part, just the one, and this will allow my good ol' TARDIS to sustain itself for life. No more stopping in Cardiff for refueling," he said, pushing some buttons with his left hand.

"Well, where was this the whole time I've been here?" she replied, drinking from the soda bottle.

"Well, I liked Cardiff," he laughed and continued, "but since the rift has been misbehaving over the last number of years, I don't want to subject the TARDIS to it's irregularities. Doesn't mix well with the vortex really."

"I will never understand why we can't go back to a time where it doesn't misbehave and refuel it there. That way, all of this could have been avoided."

A surprised Doctor stopped working on the device, slowly standing up and his eyes landed on his ever lovely companion and in a stuttering voice he asked, "Since when do you wanna avoid adventure, Rose?"

"Well, ever since it began having me held hostage to the Slitheens in 1820 London, while you go gallivanting around their base looking around for this," she said pointing to the cursed thing. "It doesn't even work," she continued, taking a brief pause after every word.

"In my defense," he began, "this just needs a small..very tiny boost and then it will be as good as new. And also, I did save you, didn't I?"

"Yeah, yeah. So now, on with it, shall we?"

"That's the Rose Tyler, I know," he replied and gave his charismatic smile. "Just give me a minute."

The Doctor sonic-ed the device and took out the wire from under the console to connect the TARDIS with it.

"My sexy ol' companion. Just be nice," he said very quietly..almost whispering to it and patting the console.

"My what-?" she almost blushed.

"Oh, oh, did you hear that? Sorry, wasn'-wasn't talking to you."

"Oh," a disappointed Rose exclaimed.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"Yeah, why won't I be? or wait, are we still talking to the time machine?" she shrugged annoyed.

"Alright," he said with a long pause.

"Right, then let's do this," he said and immediately bent down on his knees to connect the wires.

"Allonsy!" he said as he took the ends to plug them together.

"Now, see Rose, the part I added isn't found in a Type 40 TARDIS but I never seem to want to upgrade but what's one tiny little download?"

"Is that what is gonna happen? Downloading?"

"Yeaaah, the engines will make a sound for a bit and we won't be able to travel for umm..maybe an hour. But that's it, I feel."

It was at this second that the TARDIS unexpectedly stopped..doing anything and instantly, the lights went down.

"What's happening, Doctor?"

"I don't know but the entire system's shutting down. I mean it shouldn't happen this way. Shushh.."

"What?"

"Listen.."

As the Doctor pointed to the weird voices, they began to echo in the console room which sounded less like the engine was starting but more like.."..No..not possible," he thought.