The Veil Between the Worlds

Transformations

The Fairy Queen smiled—a broad, predatory leer. This was even more terrifying than her previous, severe, angry expression. Her white teeth were all pointed, like fangs, and her skin was so pale and taut, it was almost translucent. Rose was likely looking at the ancient inspiration for vampires, demons, ghosts, and Fae, knowing they would only ever be shadows of the original.

"Splendid." There was an amplified clicking noise that could have been The Fairy Queen clenching her teeth, clapping, or snapping her fingers, or whatever the equivalent would be on this planet. "Why have a mortal when you could have a god instead? Last of the Time Lords indeed! You'll be our most powerful sacrifice ever." Everyone and everything in every universe wanted him, Rose thought miserably.

"No! I won't let you do this!" Rose ran in front of the Doctor, standing between him and the dais.

The Doctor walked up to her, put an arm around Rose, and whispered, "Worst case scenario, I'll regenerate. It's just one life. So, I should let an innocent child die to keep my pretty face, is what you're saying?"

"But you can't save everyone! Take her with us!"

"Abduct a child, then. Like the Fae."

"You're impossible!" she hissed, trying to keep her voice soft next to his ear.

The Fairy Queen pointed at her. "Human girl, you and your love dare to disrupt our ancient rite! Don't you know you two should die for that insolence alone?! Yet we've chosen to be merciful. Leave him! I grow impatient. Tell me your name. Your true name, for I will know if you lie."

"Janet," Rose said, in a voice that sounded much braver than she felt.

The Fairy Queen smiled again, apparently satisfied with her answer. "Very well, then, child. We need not make any sacrifice tonight—if you first pass my test. Here's your lover. If you can hold him, you can have him. Hold him fast, Janet, and he is yours!" Rose felt a tension in the air. The worshippers seemed excited about this change to their ritual. Maybe it was their only form of entertainment.

"I said no bargains!" muttered the Doctor, but the Queen and Rose ignored him.

The TARDIS translated any human or alien language automatically, but some aspects of culture, like idioms, were untranslatable. Rose immediately wrapped both arms around the Doctor's muscular shoulders. "Nice and tight. Good. Don't let go," he whispered. She thought back to old movies and realized that was what the Queen meant by "fast," not speed. Yet there must have been a trick in her words because simply holding him would be the easiest thing in the world.

"Your lover . . . you can have him. . . he is yours." The Queen's words articulated Rose's deepest desire but still sounded wrong. Her greatest fear was losing him: either to permanent death or him literally or figuratively slipping through her fingers.

The Doctor smiled at her serenely. He was always so unflappable when facing danger himself, only righteously furious when someone hurt her. For a second, she tried to imagine she was dancing with him. The darkness, bonfires, incense, strange constellations, and eerie music unnerved her, ruining the fantasy. Flames reflected in his light brown eyes.

And then he began to change. Teal and orange light emanated from him, like when he'd regenerated inside the TARDIS. Back then, he'd warned her to stay away. Now the alien light solidified into flesh and blood again. He transformed into the Ninth Doctor, whom she'd also known and loved, some earlier regenerations she recognized but had never met, and people of various genders and races who must be his future selves. She wondered if he'd burn through all his regenerations and die in her arms. The Queen was perverting his power somehow, unraveling him.

The Queen must have been at least a little bit psychic, Rose thought, because she apparently saw Rose's most secret desires and fears. It was as if she could hear the words "Don't change. Don't die!" repeated like prayers in Rose's mind.

Everything was wrong. As a Time Lord, the Doctor always looked human, but now he turned into animals, which should have been impossible. First, he became a cat—not like the race of cat-people they'd met on New Earth, but an Earth house cat. Maybe the Queen had a wicked sense of humor about cats having nine lives. Then he was a lion, then a snake. Then a werewolf, Slitheen, Dalek, and various other alien creatures that they'd fought. Finally, like something Rose half-remembered from the Bible, he turned into a pillar of orange fire. Rose still perceived the light, even after closing her eyes. It formed a leaf-like pattern on the insides of her eyelids. Yet, miraculously, she was not burned, or even warm. Unhurt, she kept fiercely holding onto each terrifying thing he became.

At last, her Doctor was himself again, but his clothes were gone. Rose averted her face, then closed her eyes, more tightly than when he was made of fire. "No!" she whispered, still shaking her head from side to side, warm tears leaking from her eyes. She'd dreamed that someday she might see him naked—but not like this, never like this! Overwhelmed, she started laughing and sobbing simultaneously at the irony, but she caught herself. He'd think she'd looked and was laughing at HIM.

Trembling, she took off his trench coat and threw it to him. Fabric rustled in the wind as he caught it, put it on, and carefully fastened every button. Those monsters had better not touch or look at him. They had no right—but what if that had been the trick, forcing her to let go?

"Open your eyes!" Rose heard the Doctor's voice, careful not to say her name.

She did, barely believing that he was standing in front of her, unscathed, wearing only the long trench coat. "I let go!" she exclaimed.

"No, it's all right. I'd already stopped changing." The sonic screwdriver had fallen on the grass, but he was holding it in his fist now. He must have used it somehow.

"Your lord speaks true. He is yours, Janet. You win. Lucky, foolish girl. Woe betide each of you if you ever return here."

Finally, Rose and The Doctor turned and ran through the grass, back towards the TARDIS. The Fairy Queen called out, still ogling the Doctor, with that triumphant, sharp grin. "Oh, and Time Lord? There never were any children here, human or otherwise. You'll never understand my illusions. So, you both did all that for nothing."