The Ego Bug - A Doctor Who Fan Fic

It Doesn't Work On Timelords

A shadow passes over the Doctor's face and he points at Rose's mum. "Jackie look after Mickey, Mickey stay here and..." He searches for an appropriate order. "...help."

Mickey snorts, raising his hands in the air. "Cause I wouldn't be any help at all I guess!?"

The Doctor shrugs, "Well I wasn't going to say anything." He motions to his companion. "Rose come on." He then bolts down the passage. She looks an apology back at Mickey but follows the Doctor as quickly as she can.

Her boyfriend shakes his head after them. "Is he always like that?"

Rodgers sighs, pocketing his hands. "Pretty much, yeah."

-

The Doctor dashes down the metallic passage, footsteps echoing down the empty hall. Rose jogs to keep up.

"How do you know where she went?" she pants.

He glances, distracted, in each room they pass. "I have an idea..." Reaching the room marked "Ego Bug" he skids to a stop and his face falls.

"Oh...no..."

He rushes into the room, Rose only two steps behind. Kyra lays face first on the ground holding the empty vial. The Doctor rushes to her side. "No, no, no, no..." He turns her over and her face is ashen. She blinks slowly and opens bloodshot eyes, then coughs.

She squints for a second trying to make out who he is.

"Doctor?"

"I'm here," he smiles weakly.

Rose sees Kyra's white face and covers her mouth.

"I'm sorry..." She coughs again.

"No, no, no," he offers another smile, squeezing her shoulder. "No. I'm sorry."

"Wasn't your fault..." she scratches out. "I just couldn't take it...I was weak..." Her eyes fill with tears.

"No!" he insists, gripping her. "You were strong. Every day you were strong."

She coughs up a laugh, smiling through her tears.

Rose swallows, looking on.

"I thought...it was ready..." Her gaze drifts to the syringe, half empty, in her hand. "I couldn't..." She wheezes. "I couldn't..."

"Sh..." His smile hardens as he pets her arm. "You're okay." His eyes say exactly the opposite. She shakes her head with grateful eyes as they start to close.

"Kyra." he snaps. She doesn't move. He stares at the limp woman in his arms and clenches his teeth. He slowly folds her against his chest, shutting his eyes. He pulls her head against his shoulder and sits in silence.

"Don't move a muscle," Kyra hisses.

His eyes bolt open and Rose screams. "Doctor!"

Embraced in his arms, Kyra holds a needle of the swirling green that killed Jennings to the Doctor's neck.

He stares blankly at the wall across from them. "What do you want," he snaps, without moving.

She laughs easily as if it should be obvious. "Only what I deserve. I've been looked down on all my life. "The emo", "the weak bitch", "the goth", "the cry-baby", I've heard it all, but they didn't know. DID THEY!? They didn't know how I suffered."

The Doctor's breath speeds up, but his face hardens. "Kyra. I'm sorry you had to go through what you did..."

"Oh I bet you are!" she squeezes his arm, screaming in his face. "Well it's time! Time for everyone to feel how I felt! Stand. Up."