He squatted down next to Shank’s limp body and pressed two fingers to his neck for a pulse. “I’m sorry,” he said and got back to his feet and started back down the long corridor at a jog kicking himself for leaving Rose alone with two of their staff members.
They tried to bring him into the fold because he wasn’t ordinary but Rose…what would they do with her?

Doctor
The Doctor stopped in the middle of the corridor and looked around him.
Doctor

His shoulders slumped and he heaved a sigh, “Oh, no. This is why I support the use of verbal communication. Telepathy is always so spooky the way you can sneak up on an unsuspecting person like that. And as telepathy is one of the modes of communication that is used in only very small and very select parts of the universe it makes those who are incapable of it and those of us who choose not to use it more at ease. I highly recommend telepathy usage very sparingly, Iris. And how is it that you’re able to reach me in the first place?”

Doctor! Rose’s mind is in danger.
The Doctor started to sprint down the corridor. What have they done to her?
They’re attempting to obtain information about the two of you. I’ve been trying to stop them but I can’t hold it for much longer. She’s in pain. They’re using one of us to probe her mind.
The Doctor bent lower and ran full out. How is it that you can – ?
That doesn’t matter now. You have to get to her.
He skidded around a corner and raced down the next corridor until he heard the screams.

------

“You’re not from here.” Grant spoke softly, his hands on Rose’s shoulders holding her still against the wall. “You are human but you’re not of this world. How?” he leaned closer to her until they were almost nose to nose.
Rose whimpered and closed her eyes as he went into her mind again. “Please,” she said softly. “Doctor, help me”
Hold on, Rose. A voice echoed in the back of her mind like a whisper of thought.
Rose opened her eyes and looked around the room, “Iris?”
“What did you say?” Grant’s eyes bored into her.

------

He finally reached the door and turned the door knob but it wouldn’t budge. They had sealed themselves in with her. “Rose! I’m right here, I’m coming!”
The sonic screwdriver was in his hand and he quickly ran it along the seam of the door.
Grant shot a look at Dr. Glenn, “Bolt the door!” he snapped.

Dr. Glenn shuffled over to the door but wasn’t fast enough. The door was kicked in, hitting Dr. Glenn in the head as it opened and he fell backwards into the floor.
In two swift strides of his long legs the doctor moved over to where Grant held Rose and saw the tears on her face and the expression of pain in her eyes.
A white hot anger flared up inside of him and he held up the sonic screwdriver to Grant’s head, “Let her go,” he said in a dangerous voice. “Let her go or I will not take responsibility for what happens.”
The sonic screwdriver clicked in Grant’s ear and he lifted his hands off of Rose’s shoulders allowing her to slump the rest of the way to the floor. He backed away and nearly tripped over Dr. Glenn who was making an attempt to get back to his feet.

The Doctor slipped the sonic screwdriver back into his jacket pocket and put his hands on either side of Rose’s face.
“Rose,” he said soothingly. “Rose, it’s alright. I’m right here.”
He closed his eyes and went into her mind. She let him through unlike Grant who had forced his way in deeper and deeper without any consent.
Some memories were damaged, distorted. But she would mend.

Rose lifted her hands up and put them over his own, they were freezing. She held onto him and raised her eyes to his own.
“Are you with me?” he said, brushing the hair away from her face.
“I don’t know.”
“Come on. Up you get,” he said, putting his arm around her waste and grasping her hand. He lifted her to her feet but didn’t release her, she felt like rubber in his arms.

Grant was advancing on them both and the Doctor quickly pulled out the sonic screwdriver once more and pointed it sharply at Grant and Dr. Glenn.
“We’ll be taking our leave now, if it’s all the same to you. But make no mistake,” the Doctor said angrily, “This will not be the last you’ll see of me.”
He pushed Rose out the door, slipped out himself and shut it, locking it with the sonic screwdriver.
Rose stood slumped against the wall. The Doctor took her hand and tugged lightly.

“No, no,” she muttered. “Just let me stay here.”
“I can’t let you do that.”
“I’m so tired, Doctor.” Her voice was slurred.
“I know,” he put his hands to her face to raise her head. “We’ve got to run first, though. Get back to the TARDIS. Then, I promise you can rest.”
“I can’t even think. He took my thoughts.” She said.

The Doctor’s eyebrows furrowed and he looked deeply concerned. “We have to run.”
“But they think you’re going to kill them. Can’t we stay just for - ?”
“Rose, we’re dealing with somewhat intelligent people here. It will only be a few minutes before they realize that the weapon I threatened them with could only do them harm if I happen to use it by locking them in a deep freeze. Now come on – “

There was a bang on the door the Doctor had just locked.
“Time’s up!” the Doctor said and he pulled harder on Rose’s hand until she started to move with him and they ran down the corridor as the door burst open.
It felt like he was dragging a reluctant child along with him. Rose was doing her best to keep up but she was sluggish and still extremely disoriented.

“Doctor,” she said quietly. “Doctor, I can’t. I can’t – please just let me stay – “
There were footfalls coming quickly behind them when Rose leaned against a wall and slid down to the floor
“I am not leaving you here, Rose. That isn’t an option.” The Doctor felt his patience thinning and seized Rose around the waist, hefted her back up to her feet and half carried her towards one of the lifts, flinging himself into it and sealing the door.

Bring her to me, Doctor.
“For the love of – not now Iris!”
Bring her back to me. It is only fair I have this chance to help her as she has helped me before I go to the Shores.
The Doctor set Rose down in the corner of the lift and looked above him. “There are no Shores, Iris! Do you understand me?” he bellowed. “You’re nothing but battery life to them!”
Don’t lie.
“You’re in my head, aren’t you?” he snapped at the ceiling. “I would imagine then that you’d be able to tell if I were lying or not.”

There was a loud thud on the doors to the lift. The Doctor quickly pressed a random button on the control panel and the lift began to move.
Bring her to me. Iris told him.
The Doctor scowled before he crouched down next to Rose. “Are you in pain?” he said gently.
“I – am,” she began and looked at him with glassy eyes. “I am not. I am not in pain.”
“What have they done to you?” he whispered helplessly.
“I’m sorry, Mum. I’ll get it fixed…” she said.

Rose was looking directly at the Doctor but her eyes didn’t seem to be focused on him. He waved a hand in front of her face and she didn’t flinch.
“Memories,” he muttered. “At least they had better be memories because I absolutely refuse to be compared to your mother.”
The lift doors opened again. The Doctor lifted Rose back up onto her feet and steered her out of the lift and into the corridor. He made for the same door and opened it with the sonic screwdriver as he’d done earlier.

They entered the freezing cold room. Iris was on her feet a robe of white and silver draped around her shoulders, observing the Doctor and Rose calmly as they stumbled into the room. Rose slipped from the Doctor’s grasp and her knees buckled. The Doctor caught onto her and gently lowered her the rest of the way to the floor.
Iris locked her eyes onto Rose but she did not move to her.

“Well,” the Doctor said, folding his arms stubbornly in front of him. “Are you going to work your magic before they find us?”
Iris lifted her beautiful eyes to the Doctor, “You’ve seen the Shores?”
He stared at her for a moment, swallowing down a scathing remark or two, “Yes, I have. It is not paradise, it is not freedom. They mean to imprison you forever, Iris. When you run out they’ll start on another one.”
Iris continued to gaze at him unblinkingly, her face expressionless. “They have issued a lock down.”

“Well, there’s some more happy news,” the Doctor walked towards her. “And that’s another thing. How is it that you know that? You said yourself that you could not communicate beyond these walls.”
“I spoke the truth,” Iris said. “I could not until you came. You and your Rose brought with you a being I could never have anticipated. Finally, some release.” she smiled as tears came to her eyes.
“You’ve been communicating with the TARDIS.” He breathed the words, barely believing them.
Iris only smiled. Rose shivered on the floor and released a small moan.

The Doctor shook his head as he rearranged his thoughts, “That doesn’t matter,” he said. “If you can help her I’m asking you to please help Rose.”
Iris nodded once and moved towards Rose, the light in the room moving with her until it illuminated both women in a bath of soft golden light. She knelt down next to her, the Doctor following suit and sitting beside the two women.
Iris placed her hands around the back of Rose’s neck and lifted her head up, resting it in her lap.
The Doctor quickly fumbled for his glasses and slipped them onto his face as he watched. Iris then rested a hand on Rose’s forehead and the other held Rose’s hand. She closed her eyes.

He watched with his mouth open slightly as Rose’s pale skin looked as though it was absorbing some of Iris’s power. Her face glowed with the same radiance Iris held. The light between them danced about creating shadows and shocks of brightness around them.
Rose breathed deeply and opened her eyes. They held the same glow as Iris’s had when they had first seen her and the Doctor was reminded of Rose using the Time Vortex to save his life so long ago.

Iris removed her hands and looked down at Rose who grasped onto her hand as though she were a life preserver.
“Hello, Rose Tyler.” Iris said as the light she and Rose shared dimmed in Rose’s face and eyes.

Rose’s looked from Iris to the Doctor who continued to gape at the two of them until he saw her smile and the recognition in her eyes and realized what had been given back to him.
Rose sat up, still smiling at him and he put his arms around her, holding her tightly to him and smiling at her return of his embrace, just as tight.

“I had you scared didn’t I?” she said into his shoulder.
“What can you remember?” he said, pulling her away and examining her closely.
“Everything,” she looked back at Iris and he felt a small tremor shake through her. “But I’m alright. Oh look!”
She held her hands up in front of her and saw a hint of the soft golden light that had been so bright a few seconds before coursing through her palms and fingers.

“You were damaged, Rose.” Iris said. “We are now a part of each other, it seems. It will fade after a time.”
“It tickles a bit.” Rose laughed as she moved her fingers in front of her.
Iris stood and looked at the wall suddenly, her eyes losing focus. “They’re coming. You must leave.”

The Doctor helped Rose to her feet once more.
“But what about you, the Shores and all that?” Rose said.
The Doctor took off his glasses and grinned, “Oh, that won’t be a problem.”
“You’ve got a plan?” Rose said, keeping her laughter to a minimum.
“Not as such, no. But if Iris is willing, I’ve got a few ideas that may want to mature if you’d stop asking such questions.”