Lost (Book Five of the Melody Series)

Regeneration

Melody's POV

I pushed myself into a sitting position. I felt every part of me had burned up and then healed in a matter of seconds. I noticed Ella, River, and the Doctor all staring at me, but they're blurry. Must be a side effect. I ran a hand through my hair, which felt flat. I had lost my curls. Slowly, I pulled my fingers out of my hair and examined them. They were long, like before, but pale. Unnaturally pale. I grabbed a strand of hair and examined it. Black. Pitch black. Not like it was dyed, but...natural. Like Anastasia's. Slowly, I pushed myself to my feet, feeling my clothes hang off of me. I fingered my ears. Still a bit pointy. That's good.

Suddenly, the world spun around me and I pitched forward, feeling three pairs of hands grab me. I tried to say something, but all that came out was a drawn-out, "Ungh...."

"You'll be alright," I heard Dad say softly. "It'll take some time to get used to."

"Maybe you should sit," Ella suggested. I nodded and they led me to the jump-seat. "I'll go get her a cuppa," River said. I heard her footsteps as she ran out of the room.

"How do you feel?" Dad asked.

I managed to croak out, "Like hell."

"I'd expect that," he said with a small smile. "But it'll pass. Don't worry."

"Oh, I'm not worrying. About that, at least. Has my cat form changed? Can I still change into a cat? Not like I'll miss what happens during the full moon, but I do miss being able to turn into a calico at will." I managed a small smile as I pitched forward onto Dad's shoulder.

"I don't know, sweetheart," he said softly, smoothing my hair. "This has never happened before."

"Dur..." I mumbled. He gently pushed me onto the jump-seat again. River came back with a cuppa and she pushed it into my hand. I took a shaky sip, ignoring the scalding tea. My vision slowly cleared, and I could see better. Dad and Ella were staring at me with large, concerned eyes. River looked like she didn't know what to do. I took another sip and stood up, clutching the tea in one hand and my trousers in the other. "This is so weird," I muttered, taking a step. The tea sloshed around in the cup and spilled on the floor. River took the cup from me. "Why don't you go look at yourself in the mirror?"

"Why? Am I hideous? Am I an eyesore?" I mumbled. It was still hard to me to speak clearly.

"No, you're not," Dad said soothingly. "And while you're gone, get into something else."

"Oh. Okay," I said, slowly making my way out of the console room. I could feel three pairs of eyes on my back.

As soon as I was out of the console room, I leaned against a wall. I no longer felt like Melody Piper. I felt different, strange.

I stumbled into the bathroom and clutched the sink as I stared into the mirror. I had a really pale face, although I thought that would change after I recovered some more, blue eyes, and a lot of the black hair. Not as long as before, but much thicker. I slowly unhooked a hair band from the knobs of the cabinet and pulled my hair from my face. I mouthed, Damn.

I sighed and left the bathroom. My clothes were way too big, and I needed a change. I put my hand on the wall and allowed the TARDIS to lead me to the closet, because I couldn't remember where anything was anymore.

The Doctor's POV

"Well, that worked," I said as soon as Melody left.

"That was the plan," River pointed out, handing me the half-finished tea. "At least Melody didn't die, right?"

"That's the thing with regeneration," Ella said quietly. "It happens on the brink of death for a reason. You change because what makes you dies, and that body that you lived in is gone. It won't return."

I nodded. "That's why I feel like I lost Melody-my Melody. I might like this Melody better, but she wouldn't be the same."

River nodded. "I know. But we don't know what this Melody is like. She could be sweet, or she could be the devil-we don't know. Give it time, Doctor. It'll take some of that for her to get used to it, but then, it's the same for us."

"Although, I think you'll be using that time healing from your bruises after we tell her grandmother. She doesn't like anything to do with Time Lords," Ella pointed out. "Have fun."

"Thanks, Ella. I feel much better," I growled. "You are so great at making people feel worse about something than they already feel, you know that?"

"Sorry, but it's not like you try to please her," Ella said.

"Ella, stop it," River ordered.

"Stop what? I'm not trying to be mean or anything. I'm not bullying him," Ella said defensively.

"No, but I don't think he likes it," River said.

"No, I don't think he does either," I added.

River shot me a look. "Let's hope this Melody's nice. Other wise, we'll have a problem on our hands."

Just then, Melody came back into the room, dressed in a flannel shirt and jeans. Her pure black hair was tied back. "Hello!"

"Someone's chipper," River muttered.

"As always," I said. "Hey, how do you feel?" 

"Better, but only a little," she said, making her way down the stairs. She still clutched the railing as she walked. "Are you guys just going to stare at me or what?"

"No," I said quickly. I got up and headed over to the console. "You need to go home."

"To recover, isn't it?" she asked. I nodded. "And Ella's got a couple babies to get to."

Ella scowled at me. I ignored it as I took them home.

Ella's POV

Standing on our front porch, we watched the TARDIS leave again. "We need to get Jake and Julie, don't we?" Melody said. I nodded. "You stay here, okay?"

Melody nodded and went inside. I stared at where the Doctor left, then headed to my car. Note to self, I thought, don't tell Grandma Piper without the Doctor.

I smiled to myself and backed out of the driveway.