T H E L A S T O F T H E I R K I N D
xxvii. when i see you again
KARIELLE SWORE SHE WOULD NEVER FLY BY BLIMPS AGAIN, NOT AFTER LUMIC ALMOST KILLED HER. There was no way in hell. But she was alive, and so was Rose, her dad, Mickey, Lucifer, and of course The Doctor. They all made it back. Now, all that was left was Rose's goodbye, which Karielle knew would be the most difficult part of the trip, because he couldn't come with them. He wouldn't want too, and they'd have to leave him behind. What Karielle wasn't expecting was Mickey, and his change of heart.
The Angel followed The Doctor into the Tardis. Nothing was said as he placed the power cell into the console. They watched as the beloved machine began to come back to life. The Doctor grinned over at the girl, who weakly returned it. He noticed the tired look in her eyes, a look that practically screamed she'd collapse from exhaustion in any second, and nodded. His hand met her forehead. She was burning up and from what she had told him, Angels don't get sick, so that couldn't be good.
Her eyes shut as he cupped her flushed face. "I'll get Lucifer, Mickey and Rose. Stay here."
She nodded. He passed by her, and she watched him exit the Tardis, leaving the door cracked behind him. She briefly heard him call to Rose, "Rose? I've only got five minutes of power. We've got to go."
Karielle took a seat on the jump-seat. The blonde brought her knees up to her chest and let out a shaky breath. She felt utterly weak. Everytime she took a breath, her lungs burned. Everytime she moved, her chest ached intensely. All the power she had stored up was killing her on the inside. She could feel it.
It's essence was dark, and the longer it takes for her to grow into it, or the longer it takes for her now part human-part angel body to adjust, the closer she comes to her last life. She had no way to control it. She struggled with it enough as an archangel. Being half of one just lowered her chances of survival.
"It's radiating off of you, Kar." Lucifer suddenly spoke up. While she was so deep in thought, he entered the Tardis to check on her. As soon as he entered the room however, he could practically see it radiating off of her in waves. "You're body won't contain it for long."
"Don't you think I'm aware of that?" Karielle snapped, her head snapping up as well to glare at her brother. "I'm irritable. I'm shaky. I can't even use my power properly without it taking over." She ran a hand through her hair. "It'll take months for my body to restore itself from the fall, but it may not even get the chance if I keep all of this energy stored." The girl shook her head and wrapped her arms around her legs, resting her head on top of them. "I'm useless to them this way."
Lucifer studied his sister. "What worries you more, dying or becoming useless to you're new friends?" The girl didn't answer, because Lucifer already knew. Her lifetimes of abandonment issues were finally resurfacing. She was scared that once they realized she couldn't use her power than they wouldn't need her, that they'd leave her.
"You and I both know there is a third option other than control or die."
Her posture stiffened. "Absolutely not."
"It's the only way."
"I'll find control." Karielle gritted her teeth. "I can control it. I know I can. I'll just have to be careful."
Lucifer shook his head at his sister's stubbornness. "Karielle, he would do it."
"That's not the problem, whether or not he does it." Karielle hissed at her brother. Her eyes flared black, her anger getting the better of her. "He wouldn't care whether or not he could take it. He'd do it anyway, regeneration or not. And there's no way to tell, Lucifer." Karielle was close to shouting, the idea itself working her up. "No way at all to tell whether or not his body is compatible for that sort of energy. There's no way of telling whether or not he would survive it or regenerate, or just die! His regeneration cycles may not be enough!"
"Does that mat-?"
"Of course it matters!" With her response, came a dark wave of energy surging out of her body and into the atmosphere. Glass lights above them exploded, sending sparks and glass flying.
Lucifer ducked his head while Karielle just stood, her body swaying slightly as she gripped onto the console. The blonde knew she had to keep it in control. She had just said that. But it was harder than usual. She was just so angry.
Her hands slide up to the center of the console, her eyes heavy. "I'm sorry, girl." Even with just whispering it under her breath, the Tardis hummed underneath her fingertips, consoling her the best it could.
Lucifer watched at the glass demoterialized into light and then vanished into the console. The Tardis was cleaning the mess up.
Karielle shook her head. "You can't tell him about it, Lucifer, not ever."
"Karielle, he could hel-"
"Rielle!" Lucifer was cut off by The Doctor's solemn voice, causing her eyes to narrow in suspicion. "Can you come out?"
She didn't call back to him. Instead she sent her brother a warning look, to which he responded with a reluctant nod. He'd keep it to himself while she still had a fighting chance.
The blonde walked over to the door of the Tardis just in time to stumble straight into The Doctor, who had his suit in hand. He tossed the suit and coat onto one of the coral structures, and looked down at her. He couldn't predict her reaction.
He closed his eyes. She'd already been through so much. How much more could she take? "You've have 2 minutes, then we have to go."
She tilted her head at him. "2 minutes to do what exactly?"
He didn't reply. The Doctor just brushed past her and started to flip switches on the console. She turned to look at him, just when he looked up at her. Karielle could see the hesitant look in his eyes. He nodded towards the door.
So she went out. Rose in tears was the first thing to register. "All those years just sitting there, imagining what we'd do one day." Rose cried, her voice cracking. "We never saw this, did we?"
Stood in front of her, was Mickey, who looked extremely guilty. "Go on, don't miss your flight."
Rose lunged at Mickey and wrapped her arms around his neck. Tears streamed down her face as he hugged her back and then let go. The crying didn't even look back at her friend as she pasted by Karielle and went into the Tardis.
Everything clicked way to fast for Karielle. Rose's behavior, the words exchanged, it all made sense. Mickey was staying.
And it was her turn to say goodbye. She managed an uneasy smile as she approached Mickey. He went to say something but she beat him to it.
"I understand, Mickey." The girl's eyes teared up.
"My Gran's here, Elle." Mickey smiled back, his eyes red to from enduring his goodbye with Rose. Karielle didn't want to make it any harder for him. He deserved to make his own choice, no matter how it made them feel. "And the Cybermen. Somebody's got to save the world, this world." Mickey said, searching Karielle's expression in hopes of understanding what was going on in her head. "There's nothing left for me back home-"
"There's Rose, and her mum," Karielle finally spoke up. "and me."
Mickey chuckled. "Rose said something like that." He shook his head though and stuffed his hands into his pockets. "But she doesn't need me. And neither do you. You've got him."
"But he's not you, Mickey. There's only one Mickey Smith." She laughed. "Even this ginger bread-of-a-hell couldn't replicate you perfectly."
Mickey smirked. He didn't want to do this to her, or Rose. He never wanted to hurt them. But he found what he had been searching for in Rose. He found a purpose. "I guess you're right."
"Karielle," The Doctor peaked his head out of the doors. "we need to go."
She let out a sigh, and ran a hand through her hair. "I wish we had more time to know eachother, to be friends."
"But it was fun while it lasted." Mickey replied. "Now, you better go before he drags you back in there."
Karielle nodded a small smile on her face as she pulled Mickey in for a hug.
"Karielle!" Rolling her eyes, the angel pulled away.
"Go." Mickey shooed her. She cleared her throat. Goodbyes were never easy for anyone. Still, the angel seemed to always be saying goodbye to the few people she loved.
"Goodbye Mickey."
"I'll see you around, Elle."
She waved to her new friend, and then began to make her way back to Tardis.
"Oh, and Elle? You were the favorite."
For a moment, she grinned, remembering when he teased the Doctor. Then she hesitated, looking down to the ground. Could she just leave him there? By himself in a parallel universe? In the cage?
And then she heard him laugh with Jake. She glanced back to see Jake throw his arm around his shoulder. Mickey did find his purpose, and someone to help him out. He was happy. "He'll be fine."
__________
"Jake, you're gonna want to see this." Mickey told his friend as they watched Karielle disappear into the Tardis.
Suddenly, the Tardis began to dematerialise. Jake's eyes widened. "What the hell?"
"That's The Doctor and Karielle in the Tardis with Rose Tyler."
__________
JACKIE TYLER POURED WATER INTO THE KETTLE AND SET IT ON THE STOVE. She was turning the heat on when a familiar whirling sounds filled her flat. Her eyes widened and she left her kitchen to find the Tardis parked in her living room and a crying Rose rushing out.
"You're alive." The blonde breathed as she hugged her mother tightly. "Oh mum, you're alive."
"Well, I was the last time I looked." Jackie replied, hugging her daughter back in confusion. She'd only seen Rose like this a handful of times. "What is it? What's happened, sweetheart? What's wrong?"
Rose didn't answer. The Doctor stepped out of the Tardis, leaning against the other side of it so that he could leave the door open for the other two inside. Jackie noted the thoughtful look on his face. "Where did you go?"
"Far away." Was The Doctor's response. He hated bringing Rose home to her mother like this. "That was far away."
Then Jakie noted the missing presence of the boy she use to look after as a child. "Where's Mickey?"
"He's gone home." Karielle said, taking a step out of the Tardis and stood beside The Doctor. His arm wrapping around her waist in fear she would collapse. She was still weak. "Mickey's home."
"Who are you?" Jackie asked, not missing The Doctor's out of character protectiveness of the girl.
"I'm Karielle." The blonde responded, sending the women a small smile. "Hello Jackie."