Apocalypse Rising (Book Two)

Epilogue

Last night, I had a dream. I heard a voice, and it was calling my name. I told Mum and Dad and Mickey and Jake. Anyone else would think I was mad. But not those four. They believed it because they've met the Apocalypse. So they listened to the dream. And that night, we packed up, got into Dad's old Jeep, and off we went. Just like the dream said. Follow the voice across the water. Kept on driving hundreds and hundreds of miles, because she's calling.

Rose closed her eyes as she waited to gather her wits.

Here I am at last. And this is the story of how I died.

She turned to face the Apocalypse, seeing her standing there, but slightly translucent. "Where are you?" she asked hoarsely.

"Inside the TARDIS," the Apocalypse answered thickly, sounding like she'd cried her hearts out, just like how Rose felt. "There's one tiny little gap in the universe left, just about to close, and it takes a lot of power to send this projection. I'm in orbit around a supernova." She smiled. "I'm burning up a sun just to say goodbye."

"Don't reference your name," Rose warned, earning a small laugh, but it sounded forced. She shook her head. "You look like a ghost."

The Apocalypse blinked. "Hold on." She held out her sonic screwdriver, and the image strengthened, so it was like she really was standing there. Rose blinked back tears. This was even worse. Why the hell had she asked that? She walked forward timidly. "Can I?" she asked, holding up a hand.

"I'm still just an image," the Apocalypse shook her head, tears in her own eyes. "No touch."

Rose took a shuddering breath, then asked the question she probably already knew the answer to: "Can't you come through properly?"

"The whole thing would fracture," the Apocalypse denied, biting her lip. hugging her cardigan closer around her. "Two universes would collapse."

"So?" Rose half joked.

The Apocalypse smiled weakly before looking around, the sunlight bouncing off of her face, showing she hadn't even bothered holding back tears. "Where are we?" she asked. "Where did the gap come out?"

"We're in Norway," she answered.

"Norway . . . right . . . "

"About fifty miles out of Burgen. It's called Dårlig Ulv Stranden."

The Apocalypse blinked, startled. "Dalek?!"

"Dårlig," Rose corrected. "It's Norwegian for bad." She smiled. "This translates as Bad Wolf Bay." They both shared a laugh before Rose asked, "How long have we got?"

The Apocalypse looked behind her. "About two minutes."

Rose rubbed fiercely at her eyes. "I can't think of what to say!"

The Apocalypse looked over her shoulder and her eyes hardened a bit. "Still got Mickey the Idiot, then?"

Rose looked over her shoulder to see Pete, Jackie, Mickey, and Jake standing there, Mickey with his arms crossed though, as he stared at the Apocalypse with obvious distaste. She snorted. "And he still hates you," she added, hearing the Apocalypse snort as well. "But yeah. There's six of us now. Mum, Dad, Mickey, Jake . . . and the baby."

The Apocalypse narrowed her eyes. "Please say it's not - "

"No!" Rose assured her quickly, knowing where her mind had headed. "No, it's not me. It's Mum. She's three months gone." The Apocalypse smiled over at Jackie, and Rose turned to see Jackie smile back as well as she leaned back towards Pete, the man putting his hand on her shoulder, a small smile on his face. "More Tylers on the way."