Shapeshifter

Chapter 1

March 21, 2011

The man ran down the street trying to get away from the thing that was chasing him. He ran into an abandoned alleyway. The animal was too fast for him. With a loud crash, the creature slammed into the man. Before he could look around, it was gone. He stood up and suddenly felt a searing pain in his shoulder. He screamed as he felt his body tearing. He couldn't move his arm that was on the same side. He used his other arm and felt nothing there. Whatever was there had bitten a chunk of shoulder off of him. He winced in pain. Then the creature struck again. This time the man's arm was torn off and the creature ate it. The man cried out and fell to the ground. The creature continued its attacks on the man. The sounds of the evening in New York drowned out the screams of the man as the creature started to eat him alive.

After all of the screams were gone, there was only a pile of bones and gore. The sound of cracking and groans replaced the screaming. Now there was someone standing over the remains. He had the appearance of the previous man, but it wasn't him. His eyes shined red and returned to normal. The man wiped the blood off around his mouth. He snarled and bared his teeth. They were over and inch long and skinny little cones.

A woman walked into the alley and the man opened his mouth wider and wider. The skin tore apart and the mouth stopped widening. The woman's eye shined red as well and she opened her mouth as wide as the man's. Her teeth opened up and small cords of flesh flew out and latched onto the man's teeth. After several minutes, the cords unlatched from the man's teeth and went back into the woman's. They both closed their mouths and the skin that was torn healed instantly. The two looked at each other and didn't say anything. There was an understanding between the two. The female nodded and walked off. The man sniffed the air and snarled again. He took off running down the alley as evening gave way to night.

Waverly Place

Alex was walked out into Waverly Place on the Monday night of spring break after the sub station closed for the day. The air outside seemed different and sweeter. The Doctor had told her air from another planet might have seeped in by the rift in small amounts. That could have changed the feel of the air. She didn't really care it was nice. She walked down Waverly Place, but this night seemed different. It was strange. Her hair stood up on the back of her neck. Something was sending chills down her spine. She kept looking over her shoulder to see if there was anyone there. She took her wand out and was prepared to use it. A trashcan fell from behind her and caused a loud crash. Alex turned around and a blur flew at her. Alex then felt a searing pain in her shoulder.

Inside the sub station, the Doctor was sitting in one of the benches working on one of his many projects. That's when he smelled it. His eyes widened and he jumped up and bolted for the door. He exploded out of the Waverly Sub Station and nearly knocked someone over. He didn't apologize and just kept running. He wasn't going to be stopped. He turned the corner and saw trashcans fly and a blur rush towards Alex. He saw it bite her and then run away from her. He ran and crashed into the object. He caused the thing to fall over. He looked up and saw he was staring at the face of a man. The Doctor realized that it looked like a man, but wasn't actually a man. It was something else.

The thing stood up and howled at the Doctor, but was blasted by a blast of blue light before it could attack. The 'man' fell over and he breathing shallowed and his eyes rolled back in his head. The Doctor sniffed the air and found the man to be the source of the smell and knew instantly the man was not human. The man melted away into a puddle of goo.

The Doctor looked over to Alex. She was on her knees and holding her right shoulder. Her wand was laying next to her and she was looking down. He could tell she was in a huge amount of pain by the way she held her body. He ran over to her and knelt next to her. "Alex," said the Doctor.

She looked up at him between her long black hair. She was crying and managed to get out, "My shoulder's on fire."

"Okay, let's get back inside," said the Doctor.

"I can't move my legs and my arms feel weak. That's why I fell to the ground," Alex groaned.

"Might be venom," said the Doctor. The Doctor picked up Alex's wand and put it in his pocket, "Come on. Try to get your healthy arm around me."

All Alex could do was lift her arm at the shoulder, but from her elbow down was limp. She winced and said, "I can't."

"That's okay," said the Doctor. He grabbed her good arm and put it behind him and he slowly stood up, lifting Alex with him. He put his other arm behind her legs and lifted her off the ground. The Doctor carried her back to the sub station The Doctor kicked open the door to the sub station and carried in Alex who was now completely paralyzed.

"Doctor, I can't move anything," said Alex.

"It'll be okay," said the Doctor.

Justin was behind the counter and saw the Doctor carrying Alex and wanted to why. He then saw the tears in Alex's shirt and blood staining it. He ran from behind the counter and asked, "What happened?"

"She was attacked by some kind of alien," said the Doctor, "I need somewhere to lay her down so I can check the wound out."

"Where?" asked Justin.

"I don't know. Find someplace," said the Doctor.

Justin looked around and said, "Oh, come in here." He opened the wizard lair and the Doctor went in with him. Justin told him to put Alex on the couch and then he went to get Jerry.

"Alex, I'm going to lay you on your stomach on the couch, okay," the Doctor said gently.

"Okay," said Alex weakly.

The Doctor put Alex down on the couch softly and knelt down next to her and told her, "I need to get some things out of the TARDIS and I'll be right back.

Alex shut her eyes and managed to nod.

The Doctor ran off and was gone a couple of minutes and came back with a couple boxes of medical supplies. He laid several different things out on the table. He picked up a pair of scissors. "Sorry about your shirt."

The Doctor wasn't going to risk taking the shirt off so he cut it to see the wound. The Doctor could then clearly see the bite and it wasn't good. He smelled it and didn't smell any kind of venom, but that didn't mean anything. Alex's body was paralyzed. He took some kind of alien liquid and poured it into a towel. "This may hurt. I don't know if you can feel the pain though," the Doctor said as he pressed the towel on Alex's shoulder.

Alex's face cringed, but nothing came out of her mouth. Her face relaxed and she fell asleep.

Jerry walked in and saw the Doctor tending to the bite. Jerry walked over and asked worried, "What happened?"

"She was attacked by some kind of creature," explained the Doctor.

"What kind of creature?"

"It looked like a man, but Alex killed it in self-defense. It melted away in a pile of black goo."

"I have no idea what kind of creature can melt into black goo after getting killed," said Jerry.

"I unfortunately do," said the Doctor, "Several to be exact. Shapeshifters. There are many different kinds in the universe from all kinds of planets. Some are nice and most others are downright vicious like the one that attacked her. In essence, I'm kind of a shapeshifter myself, but I only change my appearance whenever my body is on the brink of death. Whatever attacked her can definitely change a lot easier and more often than I do."

"Shapeshifters are incredibly rare in the wizard world," said Jerry, "Are you telling me they are aliens?"

"Jerry, most of your magical creatures are aliens," said the Doctor, "But they have had the alien part bred out of them by you time wielding humans."

"What?" asked Jerry, "I don't anything about that."

"You wouldn't. The only ones that would would the higher ups in the government," said the Doctor, "Like on Gallifrey with my people. Most Time Lords never knew of the Guardians, namely the Black and White Guardians, but when a Time Lord becomes Lord President or Lady President, they are told about the Guardians and even have to go one missions for them. They sometimes hijack your TARDIS and send you on a mission to build the Key to Time and he gives you a condescending companion to help you. Then that companion mellows down, regenerates and you two fall in love."

Jerry looked lost and eventually asked, "Is that what happened to you?"

The Doctor continued to work on the wound and answered, "Yes, that is what happened to me. The White Guardians enlisted my help to assemble the Key to Time. He gave me an assistant with a very long name I can't pronounce so I just called her Romana."

"You cared for her, didn't you?" asked Jerry.

"More than any other companion. She was amazing. I even considered to stop my life of traveling the stars and time and settle down with her. Maybe even raise a family together, but that never happened. My life continued as a traveler and she became Lady President and after that the Time War came. I was never able to get my chance after that and now I will never get my chance. She's lost with all the other Time Lords. Forsaken in the whole wide universe," the Doctor wiped a tear from his eye.

Jerry sat down in the chair next to the couch and replied to the Doctor, "You still care for her. I'm sorry she's gone."

"Jerry, that's why I care so much for Alex. In some ways, she reminds me of Romana, especially in her third incarnation. I can see Romana in Alex's face, her smile and most of all her attitude and the way she approached life."

Jerry sat there listening to the Doctor as he opened up about stuff he would never open up to anyone else, not even his other traveling companions.

"She's not the only one I care for here," continued the Doctor, "It's all of you. You, your wife, Harper, Justin and maybe even Max. You all remind me of people I knew when I was younger. You are all like a family to me and I want to thank you for that. You remind me of my brother Braxatiel. Theresa reminds me of Rovalotcho, a classmate of mine. Justin reminds me of a friend of mine that went of the deep end. I think that's why sometimes I'm so abrasive and hateful to him. It's not his fault that he reminds me of the Master during his Academy days. Harper reminds me of the Rider. She was another one of my classmates. She almost made the 92nd Deca. She was overall ranked 11 in my class. Max is the tricky one. I don't know who he reminds me of, but he does."

Jerry was thinking about what the Doctor was saying and said, "I don't think you remind me of anyone, but you have changed my life since you got here. I thought I knew so much about my world, but I know so little. It brings a sense of adventure to my life and not to mention, you have a contagious personality. I've seen it in everyone here, mainly with Harper. She would never do the things she has done to help you before you met her, but Alex on the other hand is like a female version of you in some ways."

"I think that's why she likes me. She sees someone who can challenge her in her life and can actually giver her a run for her money in the rebellious and mischievous categories," replied the Doctor. He picked up a bandage and was about to bandage the wound when he noticed something. He lifted the towel that was on her shoulder. The wound was gone. It was like it was never there. "What in the world?"

"Doctor, where's the bite?"

"It was right there."

"Did you heal it?" asked Jerry.

"No, I just sanitized the wound and got it ready for bandaging. It healed on its own. I have no idea what just happened."

Alex moaned and rolled onto her side. She rubbed her face and asked, "What happened?"

"You don't remember?" asked the Doctor.

"Remember what?" asked Alex. She looked at the Doctor and then it all came back to her, "Oh my God. My shoulder." She rubbed her shoulder and felt nothing there, "Where did it go?"
"I have no idea," said the Doctor, "It vanished, and I should say before you sit up, I cut your shirt to get to the bite."

Alex didn't reply and snapped her fingers. The shirt was brand new once again. Alex sat up and said, "I don't hurt and I feel fine. Why did that thing attack me?"

"I don't know, but I wonder if the venom wore off. If it did, that was incredibly fast. Alex, I want you to go upstairs and get to bed," said the Doctor.

"But I feel fine," said Alex.

"You may feel fine now, but what about later. Sleep helps," said the Doctor, "Go to bed and get some sleep. Doctor's orders."

"Oh, very funny," Alex yawned, "But I guess your right. I feel exhausted." Alex stood up and walked out of the lair, still yawning.

"Keep an eye on her, Jerry," said the Doctor. He looked at the stain towel he first used. He added, "I need to find out what happened and what was on the bite."

"I'll keep an eye on her," said Jerry.

"Good," replied the Doctor and the two of them left the room.

March 22

Alex woke up at eleven the next morning. She groaned and put her hands on her face. Why was she up this early? It wasn't like her to get up early, well early for her. Everyone else was up and the Doctor may not have slept at all. She threw her covers off and sat on the edge of her bed. She felt different, but she didn't know why. She stood up and went to look in her closet mirror. She opened her closet door and lost her breath at what she saw. She looked down and looked back up. How did this happen? It was impossible. She was scared and confused and wanted answers to why she was nine months pregnant.