Doctor Who_ The Stone Rose - Jacqueline Rayner [41]
‘I think you mean me,’ said the Doctor. He gave a half‐laugh. ‘Funnily enough, I was almost crucified this morning. Luckily, they threw me to the lions instead.’
Mickey concentrated on the first bit, too wrapped up in what was happening right now to care in the slightest about the Doctor’s adventures. ‘Like you’ll stick around. And Jackie’ll have to take it out on someone. She ain’t got anyone else any more.’ His face crumpled. ‘She won’t even have a grave!’
The Doctor was quiet for a few minutes, letting Mickey’s tears run their course. Then he said, almost hesitantly, ‘I can bring her back.’
Mickey looked up, astonished. ‘You what?’
The Doctor spoke again, more assured this time. ‘I can bring her back.’
Mickey jumped to his feet, almost more angry than before. ‘You… you can? Well, why didn’t you say so before? Was this fun for you, seeing me like this? Mickey the idiot, doesn’t understand this stuff, let’s have a laugh with him?’ He looked as though he was about to punch the Doctor, who stepped in quickly.
‘I… wasn’t sure if it was the right thing to do.’ He waved a hand, silencing Mickey’s next protest. ‘But now I am. So isn’t the fact that I can do it the most important thing here?’
Mickey seemed about to argue – but then he nodded. ‘Yeah. Right. Well, what are we waiting for, then?’ He started walking.
‘For that guard to go away for a start,’ the Doctor called after him.
Mickey stumped back and sat down again.
They were both silent for a few moments. The Doctor took a long swig of black currant cordial.
Then Mickey said, a bit nervously, ‘But… won’t she be, like, 2,000 years old or something?’
‘Closer to 1,900, give or take the odd change of calendar,’ the Doctor replied. That shouldn’t… that won’t matter. She’s not aware in there. She hasn’t aged.’
‘Are you sure she’s not aware?’ asked Mickey. ‘Are you sure she hasn’t been watching everything that’s going on?’
The Doctor raised an eyebrow. ‘Well, if she has, she’ll have seen you every day for the last fortnight. That should earn you Brownie points.’ He’d meant it almost – almost – kindly, but Mickey looked like a puppy that had been kicked. He sighed. ‘Come on,’ he said, standing up. ‘Let’s see if the coast is clear.’
But Mickey remained seated. ‘Rose might not have aged – not the Rose inside. But that statue has. It’s got chips out of it. Its hand’s got knocked off. Will that come back when you bring her to life again?’
The Doctor didn’t answer.
‘It won’t, will it?’ Mickey said, furious. ‘It won’t grow back magically like yours did. You’re going to bring her back with chips off and a hand missing!’ The Doctor thumped the table. ‘It’s better than no Rose at all!’ he shouted.
Mickey looked a bit scared. But after a few seconds, he nodded. ‘Yeah,’ he said. ‘I guess it is.’
As they made their way back to the sculpture room, the Doctor heard Mickey mutter, ‘I just hope she agrees.’
* * *
It was the end of the day and people were beginning to drift out of the museum. There were a couple of tourists wandering past the rows of stone heads in the sculpture room, but no one else was near Rose.
The Doctor held up the small phial with its few drops of precious, life‐giving liquid. Hand steady, he took a deep breath. And then his hand turned and the potion poured on to the statue.
Nothing happened.
No blush of flesh to the cheeks. No ripple of cloth or flutter of eyelashes.
The Doctor just stared.
‘How long’s it take to work, then?’ Mickey asked.
‘It’s not going to work,’ said the Doctor dully. ‘It’s too late. She must have been stone too long.’ He paused. ‘It’s over.’
Mickey wouldn’t accept it. ‘That’s rubbish. You’ve got a time machine. Oh, I know all that laws of time stuff, you can’t stop it happening, but you can find her earlier. Change her back then.’
The Doctor shook his head, frustrated and angry. ‘Don’t you see? If I changed her back then, then this –’ he gestured at the statue – ‘wouldn’t be here now! That’s why I couldn’t find her back in Rome. I was never meant to find her! There’s nothing I can do!