Storm: Storm is Brewing

Parting of Ways 2

Terry barely registered that Jack had likely just been killed as she struggled with herself, and she barely heard as the Doctor cried: "It's ready!"

He looked up with hope, before it dropped instantly as he stared at the doorway. Terry was already staring at the Daleks as they slowly rolled in from first the one, and then the other doorway, and her hearts clenched as she caught sight of the abominations.

'Destroy.' A small voice whispered in her head, when Terry was suddenly startled out of her semi-trance as the Doctor stepped to be in front of her, covering her and protecting her as he held up his Delta Wave machine.

"You really want to think about this," he warned the Daleks that had the two Time Lords surrounded, "because if I activate the signal, every living creature dies."

"I am immortal." The Emperor replied loftily on the screen, and the Doctor countered: "Do you want to put that to the test?"

"I want to see you become like me." The Emperor replied. "Hail the Doctor, the Great Exterminator!"

The Doctor's eyes narrowed and he grabbed the lever on his machine as he threatened sharply: "I'll do it!"

"Then prove yourself, Doctor." The Emperor returned just as sharply: "What are you: coward or killer?"

The Doctor tensed, readying himself but Terry watched with sad eyes as he hesitated; and sure enough he couldn't bring himself to throw that final switch.

"Coward." The Doctor whispered in defeat. "Any day."

He glanced back at Terry, his eyes pleading for her to understand. Terry held no judgment or accusation in her eyes as she met his evenly, and she nodded at him.

They both glanced back at the screen as the Emperor said scornfully: "Mankind will be harvested because of your weakness, Doctor."

And Terry winced again. Something shot through her head, and she clutched it as the Doctor said – sounding very far away: "And what about me? Am I becoming one of your angels?"

Angel. Angel. Angel.

"You are the heathen." The Emperor replied triumphantly. "You will be exterminated!"

Heathen. Demon. Exterminate. Daemon.

Terry's head shot up as the last thought crossed her mind, and her eyes flashed suddenly. The Emperor saw, and his eye widened while the Doctor – unaware – stated determinedly as he chose to meet his fate: "Maybe it's time."

He was just readying himself, resigned to his death, when the Emperor demanded: "What are you? Who are you?"

The Doctor frowned, but then he saw the Emperor was staring passed him and at... Terry.

The Doctor's frown deepened, and he started to turn, when suddenly he heard the familiar sound of the Tardis whooshing and a Dalek cried: "Alert! Tardis materialising!"

The Doctor whipped around to stare passed Terry and at the materializing Tardis, while Terry blinked, appearing to have been waking up from something.

She also glanced back at the Tardis as the Emperor cried behind them: "You will not escape!"

But the Tardis doors opened at that moment, and both the Doctor and Terry recoiled from the bright golden light that was released from inside the Tardis. Terry backed away, shielding her eyes as she barely made out Rose's silhouette in the centre of the doorway, surrounded by the golden energy that also snaked out in tendrils around her.

"Rose." Terry gasped, and the Doctor cried in horror: "What've you done?"

"I looked into the Tardis," Rose replied but her voice was strange, "and the Tardis looked into me."