The Power of Words

Epilogue

"Don't say that." Rose sniffled.

"Rose, before I go, I just want to tell you, you were fantastic. Absolutely fantastic. And do you know what? So was I."

The Doctor leaned back, embracing the regeneration as golden light burst from every uncovered section of skin. The Doctor's image wavered as a new face appeared.

"See! I told you, face." The voice pointed out. Out of the corner of his eye, The Doctor could see a wavering shadow, slowly becoming more prominent.

"Hello. Okay. Ooo, new teeth. That's weird." The Doctor licked his teeth, seeming to feel the difference in them with his tongue. "So, where was I? Oh, that's right. Barcelona. Oh, and a mysterious voice."

"Six pm... Tuesday..."The Doctor busies himself setting navigation, "October... 5006... On the way to Barcelona!"

Suddenly he wheels on Rose, a feverish look in his eyes. "Now then... What do I look like?" Before the overwhelmed girl can answer, The Doctor moves on. "No, no no, no no no no no no no. No. Don't tell me."

The Doctor starts patting himself down. "Let's see... two legs, two arms, two hands... Slight weakness in the dorsal tubercle. Hair! I'm not bald!" He exuberates.

"I did tell you." The voice comments drily.

"Ooh, and a hallucination! Never had one of those before. Can't forget the hallucination."

"Oh, thanks." The hallucination sassed, "How degrading. I am a ghost, thank you very much."

"Oh, Oh! Big hair!" The Doctor continued, feeling up his face and wiggling around. "Sideburns, I've got sideburns! Or really bad skin. Little bit thinner... That's weird. Give me time, I'll get used to it. I... have got... a mole. I can feel it. Between my shoulder blades, there's a mole. That's all right. Love the mole."

"Go on then, tell me." The Doctor wheels on Rose, grinning maniacally. He straightens for assessment. "What do you think?"

Suddenly The Doctor stiffens and turns to where the voice came from before. "Wait a minute, ghosts don't exist!"

"Unless they do." The voice responded, once again behind him.

"Who are you?" Rose asked, unable to hold it in longer.

"I'm the Doctor." The Doctor responded, deflating.

"No... Where is he? Where's the Doctor?" Her voice rises with her panic, "What have you done to him?"

"You saw me, I, I changed..." The Doctor fidgeted uncomfortably as he gestures to where he regenerated, "right in front of you."

"I saw him sort of explode, and then you replaced him, like a... a teleport or a transmat or a body swap or something." Rose stubbornly demands.

The Doctor shifts in place, uncertain. The voice, which has resolved into a green glow, has no such reservations. "He regenerated, you cow! How would you like it if someone told you they wished you were never born when you were fresh from hatching."

"You're not fooling me." Rose declared.

The Doctor rocks backwards, disappointed in the girl.

"I've seen all sorts of things. Nanogenes... Gelth... Slitheen..." Rose reaches for an explanation, giving him suspicious looks. "Oh, my God, are you a Slitheen?"

"I'm not a Slitheen."

"Send him back. I'm warning you; send the Doctor back right now!" Rose shouts in fear.

"Rose, it's me." The Doctor pleads, leaning towards the distressed girl. "Honestly, it's me. I was dying. To save my own life I changed my body. Every single cell, but... it's still me."