[TARDIS Console Room]
"And that weird munchkin lady with the big eyes? Do you remember? The way she looked at you! And then she opens her mouth, and fire comes out!" the Doctor laughs, his hands gesturing wildly as he recounts the memory.
Rose grins, giggling, "I thought I was going to get frazzled!"
"Yeah. One minute she's standing there, and the next minute—roar!" he exclaims, throwing his hands around for emphasis.
Mickey, nodding along, asks, "Yeah. Where was that, then? What happened?"
"Oh, it was on this, uh, this planet thing. Asteroid. It's a long story—you had to be there," the Doctor replies, waving him off with a casual flick of his hand.
"No, you didn't. I was there and can tell you exactly what they looked like. Boohbahs. Fire-breathing Boohbahs. Sounded like them too," the Alchemist chimes in as she enters the room; she turns to their companion, eyes narrowing on him, "Mickey, what're you doing that for?"
Mickey frowns, "Because the Doctor told me to."
The Time Lady pinches the bridge of her nose, sighing, "When was that?"
"About half an hour ago," Mickey replies flatly.
The Alchemist shoots a sharp look at her Bondmate, clearly unimpressed.
"Uhm... you can let go now," the Doctor mumbles awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head.
Mickey glares at him, slowly releasing the button he's been holding, "Well, how long's it been since I could've stopped?"
"Ten minutes? Twenty? Twenty-nine?" the Doctor offers, wincing slightly.
"You just forgot me!" Mickey shouts, his frustration bubbling over.
'This needs to stop, Theta Sigma,' the Alchemist says silently, her eyes locking onto the Time Lord's.
The Doctor winces at the use of his full Academy name, "No, no, no! I was just... calibrating! I know exactly what I'm doing."
"Do you?" the Alchemist asks, stepping closer, her gaze challenging.
The Time Rotor erupts with a deafening crack, shockwaves tearing through the room and hurling everyone to the floor. The TARDIS groans in protest, its walls shuddering as though caught in the throes of anguish.
The Alchemist gasps, her body stiffening as she instinctively shields her empathic field, protecting her Bondmate. The strain slams into her like a physical blow, and she collapses, trembling violently. Pain twists her features, but she remains silent—she's endured worse. Far worse.
Rose's panicked voice cuts through the chaos, "What's happened?"
"The Time Vortex is gone," the Doctor responds, his voice cracking with disbelief, "That's impossible... It's just—gone! Brace yourselves! We're going to crash!"
The TARDIS lurches to an abrupt halt, the jarring stillness almost more disorienting than the chaos before it. Gas masks tumble from the ceiling, and the room plunges into darkness, lit only by the erratic flicker of failing controls.
"Everyone all right? Ally? Rose? Mickey?" The Doctor scrambles to his feet, his eyes darting nervously around the dimly lit room.
Still catching his breath, Mickey stammers, "I'm fine. I'm okay. Sorry. Yeah."
The Doctor's gaze lands on the console, his voice hollow, "She's dead. The TARDIS is dead."
"You can fix it, right?" Rose asks, desperation edging her tone.
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Eyes of Time: The Final Line ✓
FanfictionThe Alchemist knows that Time has consequences. Now having Regenerated with her Bondmate, the Doctor, both Time Lords have to confront the repercussions of Rose Tyler's actions. The question is, when will that payment fully come due? They received o...
