Return to the Planet of Hate (11/9/Emilie/Rose)

[Deleted]

Hold on a second. That man had just called him the King of Just War, and now he seemed to be under the impression that Rose was his daughter?

Suddenly, Jack was very glad that the Doctor had cut the man off, and soon found himself wincing at the information that the Doctor was the cause of Skaro’s demise.

Wasn’t quite expecting that one, but he could run with it.

"Skaro shouldn't be here. And I need to know why it is."

At that, the priest clapped his hands and bowed once more. "It is said, Lord Doctor, that our world lives because - in the Time Before Time - you defeated the Destroyers and gave Skaro as a home to the Thals forever."

Well, that certainly sounded like something the Doctor might do, but if the planet was gone, how could anyone – even the Doctor - pull that off?

Exchanging a look with Rose, Jack was just as distracted by the sound of a young woman. Apparently named Emilie, but that wasn’t the interesting bit. The interesting bit was that this ‘Emilie’ and her companion both looked like they recognized the Doctor. Although Jack wasn’t sure what the man meant by ‘I’ve bloody well done it again’.

So he elaborated on Rose’s question.

“Sorry, what have you done? And who is Emilie? Or her friend for that matter.”

[Deleted]

"Doctor?"

The Eleventh was about to answer Emilie, or shush her, he hadn't quite decided yet. But it was too late. The younger Time Lord had looked and now was fully aware of their presence.

”Emilie?

”…Wot?!”

"Bugger all," he finally muttered, rubbing his forehead. "I've bloody well gone and done it again."

The Doctor looked at the group before offering a closed mouth smile, "Twice even." He didn't want to make a big deal out of it. Mostly because he was looking at Rose. Seeing her there, early in her travels with him, probably a bit frightened at the prospect of being on Skaro, but still excited to be anywhere but at a little shop in London. It warmed his hearts.

“Sorry, what have you done? And who is Emilie? Or her friend for that matter.”

Ah Captain Jack, and before his immortality! It actually was interesting to see him as such, it made him, easier on The Doctor's eyes. He didn't feel as uncomfortable around Jack, as he wasn't a fixed point at the moment. How interesting, he was still a bit prejudiced.

"Yes, well, I can explain everything." The Eleventh cut in before looking at his watch, "In less than, sixty seconds."

"I'm The Doctor. Well, the future Doctor really. This is Emilie, she was a companion of mine when I was him, and now as well, though technically, if you want to nitpick, she was mine first. We're on Skaro, it's somehow bled out of the Time Lock, which might have something to do with something that I did an awful long time ago, which is in his future, so I shouldn't talk about it." He took a deep breath before smiling, "So, hello everyone, are you enjoying breaking the rules of time as much as I am at the moment? I forgot how much I liked that jacket. Could use a hat, and a bow tie."

He checked his watch, "Oh look at that, 58 seconds, I've got a better memory than I thought."

[Deleted]

Damn the woman and the man now travelling with the Doctor. Emilie knew well enough the Doctor almost always had a companion or two, and later she would probably want to know more. But not right now.

Right now, Emilie was much more interested in running as fast to the Ninth Doctor as she could and then hugging him as tight as she could. Which, might have meant she had to skid to a stop rather than pummel him inadvertently, but Emilie really did not care.

She was too happy that he was here. That she actually got to see him again.

“I never meant to leave you,” Emilie mumbled. Her Doctor... Her first Doctor was talking now, rambling on at about three hundred miles an hour, but Emilie was not listening. Except the part about the jacket. How could you not love Nine’s jacket?

That, if nothing else, won a smile.

“Don’t listen to him. You’re perfect as you are. The man’s wore a bow tie for hundreds of years and now he thinks no one should do without them.”

Peeking up to see Nine’s expression, Emilie privately wondered if she should let go of him about now. Probably. He had other people to look after now.

But seeing him again had brought everything back. How safe she had always felt with him, how much fun it was to travel with him, and how little by little she had fallen for that daft face and amiable smile. Oh, she was almost positive he had never noticed, but it had been there. It still was. Even if she knew there was no going back.

It was so good to see him.

Slowly, the rest of their situation filtered back in to her thoughts. Skaro, Daleks, Big Bad things to be wary of. And the mysterious temple they were now in. And the companions. Flower girl and the Dancer. She really ought to ask for their names.

In a minute.

[The Ninth Doctor (Retired)]

”…Wot?!” Rose managed to sound both startled and offended, as he said Emilie's name.

And then Emilie hit him like a forward tackle, hugging him tight as she nearly bowled him over. “I never meant to leave you,” Emilie mumbled.

"That's... okay," the Doctor muttered, feeling uncomfortable as he patted her awkwardly on the back. "Looks like you've met back up with me, so it works out? Right?"

Once again, Jack Harkness was the voice of reason. “Sorry, what have you done? And who is Emilie? Or her friend for that matter.”

The Doctor started to answer, and the Doctor beat him to it. It was like listening to an auctioneer, rattling off pertinant details like he'd worked out the bullet points in advance. Of course, he'd have been able to do the exact same thing he just did. But, he was sure, he'd do a better job of it when it was his turn.

He checked his watch, "Oh look at that, 58 seconds, I've got a better memory than I thought."

"Or a worse one," the Doctor snapped at himself, head throbbing from the psychotemporal feedback. "Still need to patch up the Absolute Time Reference Tracker, don't I? I get the worst headaches when this happens..."

“Don’t listen to him," Emilie mumbled into his coat. "You’re perfect as you are. The man’s wore a bow tie for hundreds of years and now he thinks no one should do without them.”

"Right. Uh, thanks. You're looking good, too. Could you just, uhm, ease up a little? Still got ribs to worry about." He gave Jack and Rose a sheepish, uncomfortable look as she continued to hold on tight. Finally, for want of something to do, he pointed at the Doctor.

"And you! What do you mean, 'which is in my future'? You don't just drop..."

The Thal priest stared from Doctor to Doctor and back. "Are... is... he is also the blessed Lord Doctor?"

"Yeah, mate," the Doctor snapped. "Well, the Doctor, anyway. Dunno about the 'blessed Lord'... hey!"

At the revelation that his god had manifested to him twice, the priest fainted away dead.

[Deleted]

* * *

”Wait, sorry.” Rose held up a hand, calling conversation to a halt. The others had seemingly missed the glaring point here, and she needed a moment to have it explained properly.

“You’re… him?” Her shoulders jumped gently as she gave a short laugh, tongue tucking against the side of her teeth. “You expect me to believe that? People don’t just… change as they get older, mate.”

She looked back to the Doctor – her Doctor – for confirmation. Everything else may have been spinning out of control, what with the Doctor imposter and the clinging fangirl, to say nothing of whoever the hell they thought she was, but this was important. Why didn’t anyone else see that…?

She said nothing, eyes plaintive as she stared at the man, able to ignore the entire rest of the happenings for the moment. She couldn’t read him, which wasn’t different than any other time. It’s like he was capable of emotions she couldn’t name, and he would forever be this mystery to her, a frustration compounded because he seemed to read her so easily. The thought pricked a little, and she didn’t wait for a reply.

“And who’s this, then?” She indicated Emilie with no small amount of disdain, chin lifting in the smallest defiant gesture. "This one's run his mouth on, don't you have anything to add?!"

* * *

[Deleted]

The sexy school teacher in tweed could run through a list faster than the Doctor, which had Jack focusing far more on the man's mouth and tongue than his friends might approve of. Which was most of the reason as to why he had stayed so quiet for so long.

He had to control his immediate impulses.

Once that was accomplished, Jack eyed the Doctor (not the man claiming to be the Doctor who may or may not be lying and may or may not have been completely mad, but the man he knew as the Doctor). And that was the only reason he did not immediately jump in to chime agreement with Rose. Because while this stranger's word was by no means trustworthy, the Doctor did seem to agree that somehow this was him. Could be him. It was future, so that meant he might never happen, except he had, but... well, that was a bit of transtemporal theory Jack never quite grasped and did not feel like getting a headache trying to understand now.

"Look at his eyes, Rose," he murmured softly. The tweed school teacher was the only person he had met with eyes older than the Doctor.

As for the bright red girl who had attached herself to the Doctor much like a clinging vine, he really hoped she did not try to suffocate him. Although it did look like there was no malice involved, just... overwhelming enthusiasm.

“And who’s this, then?” She indicated Emilie with no small amount of disdain, chin lifting in the smallest defiant gesture. "This one's run his mouth on, don't you have anything to add?!"

The Thal priest stared from Doctor to Doctor and back. "Are... is... he is also the blessed Lord Doctor?"

"Yeah, mate," the Doctor snapped. "Well, the Doctor, anyway. Dunno about the 'blessed Lord'... hey!"

At the revelation that his god had manifested to him twice, the priest fainted away dead.

Quickly deciding that helping the priest into a less crumpled position was much less dangerous than stepping into the path of an angry or jealous Rose, Jack made himself busy, although he kept a wary eye on the strangers.

[Deleted]

”Wait, sorry.”

Everyone seemed to stop, well, besides Emilie stilling hugging his former self, who was now trying to get out of her embrace, a bit uncomfortable clearly. The Eleventh looked to Rose, trying not to look to spoilery. There was a lot of emotion there he couldn't touch on.

“You’re… him?”

"In the future. Yes."

“You expect me to believe that? People don’t just… change as they get older, mate.”

"You believe the TARDIS can turn a Raxacoricofallapatorian back into an egg, but that I can't turn into what appears to be a younger man?" He questioned, amusement in his voice, he was grinning boldly, "Rose Tyler, who used to leave puddles on the floor when she'd exit the library pool, every time," He looked to his younger self winking. He had this under control, or so he thought.

Okay, no more spoilers, promise.

Things had quieted, Rose had asked about Emilie, but the Ninth was offering no answers, he'd let that sit for now.

The Thal priest stared from Doctor to Doctor and back. "Are... is... he is also the blessed Lord Doctor?"

"Yeah, mate," the Doctor snapped. "Well, the Doctor, anyway. Dunno about the 'blessed Lord'... hey!"

At the revelation that his god had manifested to him twice, the priest fainted away dead.

The older Time Lord was at the other side of the priest, "Oh, oh no!" The Doctor peered down at the priest, who was now gone before sighing, "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."

Before the words everything dies could be said, The older Doctor stood up, "We'd better get this sorted and caught up with each other before we continue on. I have some memories to share with you, nothing that will make you aware of your future, just several instances of the past." He gave him a questioning gaze, "Contact?"

[Deleted]

As reluctant as she was, Emilie knew that she had to let go of the Ninth Doctor. It was just hard not to be excited or surprised to see him.

"Right. Uh, thanks. You're looking good, too. Could you just, uhm, ease up a little? Still got ribs to worry about.

Letting go awkwardly, Emilie backed up towards her Doctor, slightly embarrassed from her reaction.

"Sorry, sorry."

Still, she did feel just a little bit victorious that the flower girl hadn't met another Doctor yet. She'd have to learn the hard way.

But that was being bitter, and there was no call for it. Emilie truly did love travelling with Eleven.

That did not stop a piece of her from reacting... well... human. Especially when her Doctor was reacting so as well.

"This one's run his mouth on, don't you have anything to add?!"

Emilie had fortunately recovered by the time Rose asked her question, and enough to remember that Rose was very important. Just like Sarah Jane was. Just... a tad harder to admire when jealousy wanted to rear its ugly head.

"Hold on tight and don't let go," Emilie advised her seriously, somehow feeling that it was very important Rose understand this. She had asked, and so Emilie wanted to help.

And then one of the strangely dressed men passed out. Or at least, she hoped he had only passed out. The dancing man with the great coat had not said anything one way or the other.

Before the words everything dies could be said, The older Doctor stood up, "We'd better get this sorted and caught up with each other before we continue on. I have some memories to share with you, nothing that will make you aware of your future, just several instances of the past." He gave him a questioning gaze, "Contact?"

Oh dear...

Figuring this might take a while, Emilie faced Nine's new companions with an awkward smile.

"Emilie Gunnar. Sorry about before, got a little carried away." She flushed briefly. "Okay, very. Umn... I know you're Rose Tyler," it was hard not to when the Doctor had just announced it, "but.. who are you?" she gestured to Jack with a confused air. The only impression she had gotten from the TARDIS when she was told stories was that he loved to dance, and had a blue flashy gun that was definitely not for cabinet making.

[The Ninth Doctor (Retired)]

”Wait, sorry.” Rose held up a hand, calling conversation to a halt. “You’re… him?” Her shoulders jumped gently as she gave a short laugh, tongue tucking against the side of her teeth. “You expect me to believe that? People don’t just… change as they get older, mate.”

"People change all the time as they get older, Rose," the Doctor corrected. "Yer mum. Real party girl she was, back in the day...." He stopped. "All right. Bad example."

Then he stepped in, smoothly pointing out the absurdity of traveling in a TARDIS and refusing to think that he could change forms. But it didn't phase Rose for long, as she turned her attention back to Emilie. “And who’s this, then?” She indicated Emilie with no small amount of disdain, chin lifting in the smallest defiant gesture. "This one's run his mouth on, don't you have anything to add?!"

Emilie, who'd stepped back, shot a serious (and slightly defiant) glance at Rose. "Hold on tight and don't let go."

"Right. That's it. That's it." He gestured for Rose to step closer. "Rose Tyler, meet Emilie. She used to..."

The Thal priest flopped to the ground like a sack of wet cement. Leaving Emilie and Rose to finish the introductions on their own, he joined Jack in checking the man's health. "Awkward..." he muttered out of the side of his mouth, jerking his head in the direction of the two women as he did.

The older Doctor stood up, "We'd better get this sorted and caught up with each other before we continue on. I have some memories to share with you, nothing that will make you aware of your future, just several instances of the past." He gave him a questioning gaze, "Contact?"

The Doctor stood up as well, facing his bowtie-wearing future incarnation. "Yeah, contact." Then he stopped, glancing down at Jack. "But... let's try hard to make it not look sexy. Last thing I wanna hear from Jack, later on, is 'I'll be in me bunk'."

[Deleted]

* * *

”D’you have to bring my mum into everything?!”

Rose made an exasperated noise; this always happened when she tried to get a straight answer out of the Doctor. He introduced her to Emilie, who used to… what? It was that Timelord attention span again, she decided as he turned away again to deal with god only knew what.

“I think we’ve just established that he has ribs,” she countered to the girl. Hold on tight? What kind of advice was that? Rose wasn’t the sort to cling. She’d grown close to the Doctor, in her own way, but he still held her at arm’s length on so many issues… Rose knew instinctively that no amount of holding on would change that.

Rose’s mouth opened, then closed again at the knowledge that Emilie knew who she was. She wasn’t anyone, just a shopgirl from London, and the amazement was not lost on her that someone way out here in another galaxy knew who she was. So instead of zinging back a snappy retort, she looked to Jack to cover the lull in conversation, a bit of her annoyance deflated.

She knew Jack would get around to asking Emilie who she was, which saved rose the trouble. But she also knew it would be after he had a bit of a flirt, so she watched the Doctor -- er, Doctors -- curiously in the meantime.

* * *

[Deleted]

The school teacher was definitely old, and the Doctor hadn’t contradicted his claims of being... well, the same person. However the different faces worked, Jack didn’t know. But whoever or whatever was responsible for the change in look did a damn good job at making the Doctor look younger. Aside from the eyes, but there was a reason they are known as the windows to the soul.

Rose’s doubt made just as much sense, if not more, than the Doctor and the school teacher possible!Doctor’s though.

"Awkward..." he muttered out of the side of his mouth, jerking his head in the direction of the two women as he did.

“Don’t like seeing a catfight over you, Doc?” Jack murmured back. “I’d be happy to take one off your hands.”

His eyes flickered over Rose and Emilie for a brief moment before Jack amended, “Or both. Far be it from me to allow you to suffer needlessly.”

The older Doctor stood up, "We'd better get this sorted and caught up with each other before we continue on. I have some memories to share with you, nothing that will make you aware of your future, just several instances of the past." He gave him a questioning gaze, "Contact?"

The Doctor stood up as well, facing his bowtie-wearing future incarnation. "Yeah, contact." Then he stopped, glancing down at Jack. "But... let's try hard to make it not look sexy. Last thing I wanna hear from Jack, later on, is 'I'll be in me bunk'."


Jack dusted off his hands as he looked up to the two Doctors before rising to his feet as well with a mischievous smile.

“You know you love me and Vera,” he teased his Doctor. “You just aren’t ready to admit it to yourself.”

The Captain winked to the younger looking man. “Loving the bowtie, by the way. Takes courage to pull that off.”

That being said, he backed away with a smile before turning to face the two girls.

“Emilie, is it?” Jack asked with a crooked smile as he held out a hand. “Captain Jack Harkness. Possibly not as famous as the lovely Rose Tyler, but I get points for better style, don’t you think?”

[Deleted]

Well, the priest wasn't dead. So there was some positives to the disaster this was already turning out to be. Emilie and Rose were all but snipping at each other over his younger self. If he wasn't a better man, he might've even been jealous of himself.

Alright, maybe he was a little jealous.


The older Doctor stood up, "We'd better get this sorted and caught up with each other before we continue on. I have some memories to share with you, nothing that will make you aware of your future, just several instances of the past." He gave him a questioning gaze, "Contact?"

The Doctor stood up as well, facing his bowtie-wearing future incarnation. "Yeah, contact." Then he stopped, glancing down at Jack. "But... let's try hard to make it not look sexy. Last thing I wanna hear from Jack, later on, is 'I'll be in me bunk'."

The Captain winked to the younger looking man. “Loving the bowtie, by the way. Takes courage to pull that off.”

"Courage?" the Eleventh pretended to sound offended, "I'll have you know that bowties are cool. It doesn't take courage. Just, fashion sense." Shaking it off, he smiled to Jack and nodded before looking back to the Ninth and closing his eyes, "Contact."

The memory share was over just as Jack was making a move on Emilie, "Oi!" The Doctor shouted, "Stopit Jack. No flirting with strangers in the middle of a time and space catastrophe."

[Deleted]

“I think we’ve just established that he has ribs,” she countered to the girl.

Emilie frowned a little, not in anger but confusion, as the Ninth Doctor tried to intervene and settle things between them. Which, really did not last too long given they decided to thought-share.

"I didn't mean hold on to him," Emilie tried to explain.

No. There would be a lever, and hell, and oceans and tears of weeping.

"But when the time comes, hold on. And look for the big bad wolf."

Oh, but she was probably confusing her. And spoilers from the TARDIS probably were not too wise. They could cause more trouble than they helped, sometimes. So it was most likely a good thing when the man.. 'Jack' the Ninth Doctor had said? moved over to join them.

“Emilie, is it?” Jack asked with a crooked smile as he held out a hand. “Captain Jack Harkness. Possibly not as famous as the lovely Rose Tyler, but I get points for better style, don’t you think?”

Accepting Jack's hand with a slightly flushed smile, Emilie managed a "Pleased to meet you," just before her Doctor cut in.

"Stopit Jack. No flirting with strangers in the middle of a time and space catastrophe."

"We were just saying hello, Doctor!" she protested. "And anyway, I don't mind."

[The Ninth Doctor (Retired)]

”D’you have to bring my mum into everything?!” demanded Rose.

"Actually," the Doctor pointed out, not at all helpfully, "I try to leave her out of as many things as possible..."

But before he could get much further, the Thal priest flopped over. He and Jack had about the same thought - creepy, that - and went to check him out. As he did, the two women eyed each other.

"Awkward..." he muttered out of the side of his mouth, jerking his head in the direction of the two women as he did.

“Don’t like seeing a catfight over you, Doc?” Jack murmured back. “I’d be happy to take one off your hands.”

The Doctor rolled his eyes.

His eyes flickered over Rose and Emilie for a brief moment before Jack amended, “Or both. Far be it from me to allow you to suffer needlessly.”

"It's not like that, as you know perfectly well," the Doctor huffed. "Rose is a fantastic young woman, and Emilie is a credit to your species in her own right. But..." he snorted in mocking laughter. "A catfight? Really? They're like... two percent of my age, Jack. And a different species. It ain't like that at all."

He gripped the priest's nose, then frowned. "Check me on this, Jack... shouldn't I be feeling a pulse, right about now? Or is that Rothbarians, and I need the throat for humans?"

The older Doctor stood up, "We'd better get this sorted and caught up with each other before we continue on. I have some memories to share with you, nothing that will make you aware of your future, just several instances of the past." He gave him a questioning gaze, "Contact?"

The Doctor stood up as well, facing his bowtie-wearing future incarnation. "Yeah, contact." Then he stopped, glancing down at Jack. "But... let's try hard to make it not look sexy. Last thing I wanna hear from Jack, later on, is 'I'll be in me bunk'."

Jack dusted off his hands as he looked up to the two Doctors before rising to his feet as well with a mischievous smile.

“You know you love me and Vera,” he teased his Doctor. “You just aren’t ready to admit it to yourself.”

"Yeah. But did six men come to kill you with it?" He paused, then held up a finger. "On second thought, don't tell me. I don't wanna know."

Jack and the older Doctor bantered about the bowtie - which the Doctor had to agree was rubbish and he would certainly have to remember not to wear when he was him talking to himself now. But then Jack backed off, and the two instants of the Time Lord faced each other.

"Contact," said the older Doctor, closing his eyes.

"Contact," agreed the Doctor, closing his as well.

It was a flood of memories. A torrent, dredging up ancient memories of meeting past and future selves, of memories that were and are and would be. When they ended, the Doctor staggered a little. "Blimey," he gasped, "I haven't thought about all that in dog's years." Then he blinked in surprise, glancing back over his shoulder at the women. "And it's all been since you met Emilie? Wot the hell's goin' on?"

Then he looked again, watching Jack... well, be Jack.

"Oi! Enough of that!" simultaneously with his older self's "Oi! Stopit Jack. No flirting with strangers in the middle of a time and space catastrophe."

[Deleted]

* * *

Though Jack wasn’t the most subtle of creatures, Rose raised an eyebrow in Emilie’s direction as if to say: “Really? This one?”

She looked hard at the girl in the red jacket. She couldn’t have been much older than Rose – a year or two, tops. But by the way she babbled on – about the Big Bad Wolf, no less -- it was clear she thought she had everything figured out. Rose wasn’t in the habit of suppressing her opinion of others, and she rolled her eyes as she flirted with Jack.

…Not that Rose exactly blamed her for that. It was just predictable.

Her eyes alighted on the Doctor instead. Well… Doctors, as it was clear that hers trusted the other at least as far as he could throw him. They touched, just casually, and Rose watched so many things write themselves over her Doctor’s face. Triumph, anger, something that looked suspiciously like regret, and a dozen others she wasn’t sure she had a name for.

She didn’t feel like she should have witnessed half of it, and she quickly turned back to Emilie and Jack. If nothing else, the Captain made her feel very nearly as safe as her Doctor did.

"Alright, you lot -- are we going to stand around here all day?"

There was much more bravado in her voice than she felt, peering at the unconscious priest. They went exploring, always... but this place felt different.

* * *