Invasion of the Unexpected

AN: IMPORTANT! This chapter goes back in time! It shows what happened from when the Doctor (The real one) was alone in the Tardis in Journey's End until when we see him for the first time. Oh, and sorry it's short, but… oh, just see what you make of it.

…

The Doctor leant over the TARDIS, suddenly feeling an unbearable loneliness. He'd gone from everything to nothing in about half an hour. Swallowing hard, he put his hand through his hair, feeling the raindrops clinging to his hands. Donna had gone, Jack and Martha had gone, Sarah Jane had gone, and Rose…

He took a deep breath. At least the universe wasn't ending, he mused to himself. At least everyone else was happy, safe… and for now that was all that mattered. He had no one, he had nothing, but everyone else was fine. They were okay, the universe was okay… and really, he was in no real danger himself.

Suddenly his thoughts were interrupted by a lurch as the Tardis rocketed forwards. The Doctor grabbed at the controls. That was odd, he hadn't even decided where to go, and yet the Tardis was tottering through time and space without him even telling her where and when. He tried to regain control, running around the panel like a mad man, flicking switches and pulling levers. The Tardis was totally out of his control though. With a final shuddering teeter the Doctor fell back to the floor and the Tardis was silent.

He groaned, sitting up and rubbing his head. The Tardis had landed, and the Doctor knew he was far away from earth now. He stood up, still rubbing his aching head. Giving a heavy sigh, he walked, slightly confused, to the door to take a look at where he was exactly. He had to be there for a reason, after all.

He never got as far as the door though. As he walked around the Tardis controls he felt a sudden leering pain in his head and fell to the floor. With a scream of pain, a white light engulfing the Timelord and all was silent…

………

White surrounded him. He could see nothing past it. His sight was blinded to only white light. All around and never ending. He looked left, he looked right, but nothing was different. His head was throbbing and he thought he might possibly be dreaming… he didn't usually have dreams so this was fairly knew, though not exactly the best of times. He could feel a solid floor beneath him, and came to the conclusion he was laid upon his back. Staring up at white. All white.

Gently, the Doctor pulled himself to a sitting position; his head still aching, his hearts racing, and still seeing white. Just as he gently, he touched his head, rather to check it was still there seeing as he couldn't see very much. Then, he heard a gentle soft singing, calling out his name.

"Doctor, Doctor ."

He swallowed and sat up straight, ears perked up at the noise.

"Wanderer,

You will help us,

Save us,

Gentle hero ."

"Hello?" the Doctor called into the white space. "Who is that?" Who's there?"

"Stranger, wanderer,

Traveller.

Doctor."

"Who is that?" he called out, as he got up to his feet.

"We are the bringing of unwanted death

The gentle beings in hiding."

The Doctor frowned, putting the pieces together, "The Atopili?! That's impossible! You're legend! You aren't –"

"Dear Doctor, hasn't nine hundred years

In this universe taught you,

Nothing is quite impossible ."

"I'll confirm that when I've seen it all. And by all, I mean… all ," the Doctor replied steadily. He looked through the whiteness, "What is this place? Where am I?"

"In your head,

Emptied by us,

Better here,

Where we can speak,

More freely."

"What do you want?" he asked, his brow furred in suspicion.

"You, Doctor,

You've help save so many lives,

And you can help save so many more,

We need to escape Doctor,

All this hiding,

It must end."

"But you have to hide!" the doctor called. "I know you, you'll kill if you don't! It's not your fault, but it's the way things are."

"Yes Doctor, we kill…

In this universe."

"What does that mean?" he asked, more confused than ever.

"We are all powerful,

More power than you can imagine,

On some levels,

But even we cannot travel between universes."

"Well neither can I!"

"Liar,

We can sense it,

You have travelled between,

And not at all long ago either."

"So? You can't! It's sealed off now, that's it!" said the Doctor.

"But we have the power, wanderer,

And you have the knowledge…

Please, friend,

There is a prophecy,

We kill in this universe,

But we won't in others,

We'll be free Doctor,

Please."

The Doctor stared into the whiteness, breathing rather heavily and lost in thought. Could it be true? Could they really look at people without killing in another universe? Even if it were true though, it would be breaking so many rules. No, it was too greater risk. He believed in helping to some extent, but taking a species to another universe was too much. They didn't belong there. Yet, there was still that tingling in the back of his mind, that perhaps… they didn't kill in another universe, people in this universe would be safe too, and… Rose, maybe he would get to see Rose… Not talk or say hello, just see her face again. One more time, could that hurt?

"Doctor, what will it be? "

"What will happen if I refuse?" he asked suddenly.

There was silence for a moment before the Atopili sang remorsefully,

"Pain ."

The Doctor stood in the nothing of white for a moment, in wonder. All that came into his head was Rose for some reason. He knew he was weak, wanting to see her again after he's sworn to himself he never would. Seeing her kiss his doppelganger, he told himself would be the last time he'd ever look on her again. But now… just one last time, that wouldn't hurt, would it? He took a deep breath and spoke into the nothing, "Okay, I'll help you."

He waited for some sort of response, but it didn't come, and for a moment he simply stood there. Then he blinked and with a shuddering gasp he found himself lying on his back, on the floor of the Tardis. He laid there for a moment, his breathing heavy. Then he gently eased himself onto his feet. It was silent, as he stood alone in the Tardis for a moment, until he took a breath and went over to the control panel. It just showed how much power the Atopili really did have, as he already knew what had to be done to open the walls of the universe. And somehow he already knew that the Atopili would be the ones to hold it open, to make sure it was safe.

Once he'd flicked the final switch to bring about the travelling through universes – something he's never usually do under any circumstances – he stood back and waited for it. He didn't have to wait long…

…

AN: Yes, I know it's short… and it's not my best work at all (in my opinion) probably bordering on rubbish, but I was afraid if I didn't update soon then I never would. Anyway there is more to the Doctor's story so this will be split into two parts. And I'll update the 2 nd part as soon as my writer's block clears off. As usual – reviews make updates quicker.