Back to Our Reality

TEN

A/N: Okay, so this chapter was extremely difficult to write and that's why it's taken so long to get to you.

Also, I need to say this, but I haven't seen an awful lot of Torchwood (in fact, I've seen about two episodes), so I apologise for any inaccuracies (though this story completely deviates from any form of cannon after Doomsday, so hopefully it shouldn't be too much of a problem). I also apologise Gwen and Ianto are out of character (Jack, too, actually as I don't write him often, but he's fairly easy to write sometimes) - like I said, I'm not familiar with Torchwood at all.

And, while I remember ('cause I always forget), I own a big fat nothing and this is purely for entertainment purposes only

It wasn't long after the Doctor and Rose had finished their conversation that the Cannon team were brought back into the room to help the Doctor with checking the readings. Rose found that she could do nothing but stand and watch as the team went about their work. The Doctor knew what it was he was looking for while Rose hadn't the faintest idea what was what. She may have had a hand in helping design and build the Dimension Cannon but, when it came to meta-dimensional readings, she was no help. Of course, because he was so busy – and rightly so, so Rose couldn't blame him – the Doctor barely noticed.

"Ah ha," the Doctor exclaimed. He was reading a print-out that he only just taken from the printer drawer moments before. Nothing about his exclamation told Rose that he was happy with what he was reading. In fact, it was more of an exclamation that suggested 'I was right' with a rather large hint of worry etched in there, too. Rose couldn't help but feel a deep sense of dread.

"What is it?" She asked with no attempt whatsoever to mask her worry.

"I was right; something has affected the Void and, whatever it is, it's killing it." The Doctor said gravely.

"Which means it could also affect other universes? Including our own?" Rose asked, knowing exactly where the Doctor was going with this.

"Yes."

"Then hadn't we get on with trying to save the universe? Or should I say universes?" Rose smiled at the Doctor as he looked at her and found that, despite the situation they had suddenly found themselves in, he couldn't help but smile back at her.

Just like old times.

...

As expected, Pete understood that they had to do what they needed and immediately told them that he would allow for the Cannon team to let the two of them travel across the dimension if that's what they needed to do.

His only request from them was simple enough:

Tell Jackie.

And, despite being his mother-in-law in all but the eyes of the law, the Doctor would rather face a fleet of Daleks than explain to Jackie that their plan to save the universe involved him and her daughter travelling back home using a Dimension Cannon that hadn't actually yet been tested for any form of safety – simply because there just wasn't time – not knowing what they might come across once they got there. If they got there, that should be.

Yep, this was certainly going to go down well.

"You want to do what?!" Jackie said, her voice rising just a little too much for the Doctor's liking as she reached the end of her question of disbelief.

To be honest, though, it was a relief that she hadn't slapped him.

Yet.

The Doctor tried not to shudder at the mere thought.