▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

CHAPTER ELEVEN:
SYCORAX

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

IRIS exited the bedroom at the commotion in the living room.

"...we've got to get out," Rose declared. "Where can we go?"

"TARDIS," Iris suggested, leaning against the wall. It was the safest place in the universe. "Why do we have to leave, what's going on?"

She was ignored.

"My mate Stan," Mickey proposed. "He'll put us up."

Rose sighed in frustration. "That's only two streets away." She turned to Jackie. "What about Mo? Where's she living now?"

"I don't know," Jackie frowned. "Peak District."

"Right," Rose straightened. "We'll go to cousin Mo's, then."

Jackie shook her head, walking past Rose. "It's Christmas Eve, we're not going anywhere." She looked to Rose in confusion. "What are you babbling about?"

"Mum..." Rose's voice changed as she noticed something behind Jackie. "Where'd you get that tree?"

"Came by when you were gone," Iris answered. "It was already done, we were really confused."

"I thought it was you," Jackie agreed, looking back to Rose.

"How can it be me?" Rose asked shrilly.

"Well, you went shopping, there was a ring at the door and there it was."

"Stranger things have happened," Iris added. "One time, I asked for a spacesuit in my size for an entire year, but my brother couldn't find one. They were sold out, the line was discontinued, and then NASA wouldn't let him, obviously, take any home. Christmas morning, it appeared. My brothers called the cops and everything, thought someone was trying to hunt us down."

All three occupants looked at her in confusion.

"What?" Rose asked. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"I'm making a point," Iris explained quietly. "Sorry. I'll be quiet."

"Yeah," Rose nodded, looking back to her mother. "Mum, that tree wasn't me."

"Then who was it?" Jackie questioned quietly.

A twitch on the tree, then it spun maniacally. Jumping in front of the three, Iris pushed them all back, her arms in front of her so she could take the brunt before them. She couldn't let the Doctor's companions die before he woke up. That would be cruel.

"Let's go!" Mickey shouted. "Quickly, get out!"

Rose and Jackie headed for the door, but Rose stopped by the Doctor's room. "We've gotta save the Doctor!" She exclaimed.

"What are you doing?" Jackie asked.

"We can't just leave him!"

"I got him!" Iris shouted, rushing into the room and searching for the Doctor's sonic. "Dammit, where's his sonic?" She asked. "Rose, have you seen it?"

"No," Rose said quickly.

Jackie and Rose continued shouting for Mickey, the Christmas song blaring from the tree grinding Iris' ears, as she searched around for the sonic.

"Darn it, Doc," she sighed. "We don't have time for this."

"Doctor, wake up!" Rose shouted to the Doctor as Jackie and Mickey pushed a dresser in front of the door.

"You really haven't seen it?" Iris asked, checking under the blankets of the bed. "I can bypass the operating system on it if I can just—"

"—Shut it, Iris!" Rose exclaimed, walking to the coat rack and digging in the Doctor's pocket — Iris definitely searched there — and pulled out the sonic, slipping it into the Doctor's hand, wrapping his fingers around it.

Not a second later, the Christmas tree whirled into the room, smashing down the door and furniture.

"I'm gonna get killed by a Christmas tree," Jackie whimpered.

"Not if I can help it," Iris shook her head, grabbing the sonic. The Doctor's hand tightened on it just as she tried, jumping into a seated position and sonic'ing the tree, blowing it up. "Well, aren't you as dramatic as ever," Iris rolled her eyes.

"Couldn't let you have all the fun," the Doctor smiled at her, before it fell and he looked to the floor. "Remote control."

"Who's controlling it?" Iris asked.

"Read my mind," he met her eyes, taking her helping hand to stand, grabbing a robe and tying it around himself. He walked through the mess, stepping over bits of wood and outside. The group followed closely behind.

"That's them," Mickey leaned over the railing. Iris peaked over the Doctor's shoulder and spotted a small group of Santa Claus.

"Robots?" Iris asked. "They're too stiff for people. Not wonky enough for Autons. Maybe Vocs?"

"No," the Doctor shook his head. "They're not operating by themselves. Roboforms, it looks," he murmured. He pointed his sonic at them and the three Santas backed up, then were absorbed by a blue light that shot down from the sky.

"Honing beam, but where's the source?" Iris mused.

"They've just gone!" Mickey exclaimed. "What kind of rubbish were they? I mean, no offense, but they're not much cop if a sonic screwdriver's gonna scare them off."

"Oh, all offense meant," Iris scoffed. "Don't worry, he can build a cabinet in half a second, disable a lock, and forget to properly take down a forcefield. Ooooh."

"Oi," the Doctor glance down at her. "I'm in pain, I'll have you know."

"Alright, I'll be nice for now."

"Much appreciated."

"They're pilot fish," the Doctor looked to Mickey.

"What?" Rose asked, pushing past Iris.

"They were just pilot fish," the Doctor explained. A soft cough, gasp, and then he stumbled back, hand reaching for Iris.

She took his, falling with him to her knees and holding him steady. "It's okay," she told him gently. "Next time, let me handle everything. You just regenerate, okay?"

His eyes met hers and she saw a pain there she'd only seen in the Ninth Doctor's eyes when she first told him his name. It saddened her deeply to know how much he was feeling.

"What's wrong?" Rose asked, grabbing the Doctor's face and making him look at her.

"You...woke me up too soon," the Doctor hissed out, gasping for air. "I'm still regenerating. I'm bursting with energy." He let out a breath and gold dust left his mouth, floating into the air. "You see?" He asked. "The pilot fish could smell it a million miles away. So they eliminate the defense, that's you lot, and they carry me off. They could run their batteries off me for a couple of years!"

He lurched forward, letting out a groan and falling against Iris. She held him closely, his hand gripping hers tightly. She didn't mind, even if he broke it. He needed her.

"Oh, Oh, Oh!" Jackie exclaimed.

"My head!" The Doctor ground out.

"I'm having a neural implosion. I need..."

"What do you need?" Jackie cut him off.

"I need..."

"Just say. Tell me, tell me."

"I need..."

"Painkillers? Asprin?" Iris rolled her eyes, knowing she'd told them all he was allergic to it.

"I need..."

"Codeine? Paracetamol? Oh, I don't know, Pepto-Bismol?"

"I need..."

"Liquid paraffin. Vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E!"

"I need..."

"Is it food?" Jackie questioned. "Something simple. Bowl of soup? Nice bowl of soup? Soup and a sandwich? Oh, soup and a little ham sandwich?"

"I need you to shut up!" The Doctor exclaimed, resting his head against Iris' shoulder.

"Oh," Jackie frowned, put-off by his actions. "He hasn't changed that much."

The Doctor gasped out in pain, lurching off Iris, and clutching his chest. She stood, helping him up.

"Lean on me," she told him. "Back to bed, c'mon."

"We haven't got much time," he panted out, squeezing his eyes shut. "If there's pilot fish, then..."

"I know," she nodded. "I'll take care of them."

"Why's there an apple in my dressing gown?" He asked, pulling out an apple from his robe.

"Oh, that's Howard's," Jackie explained.

"He keeps apples in his dressing gown?"

"He gets hungry," Jackie informed him.

"What, he gets hungry in his sleep?"

"Sometimes."

He looked to Iris. "Sounds like you."

"I prefer pears."

He made a disgusted face. "You're revolting, Holloway."

Another gasp and cry, and he sank against Iris. "Brain...collapsing...Iris," he whimpered, falling against her entirely and passing out.

"It's okay," she whispered, looking to Mickey. "Help me carry him?"

—

"Pilot fish are parasitic," Iris explained to everyone, wetting a rag for the Doctor's head. He'd broke into a fever, which worried her tremendously. "They scavenge and follow bigger fish, feeding on scraps. Doc's using a metaphor to explain that something much larger and much scarier is coming."

"How do you know that?" Rose asked, crossing her arms.

"I read," Iris shrugged, walking back to the Doctor's room.

Rose followed behind her. "Let me," she grabbed the rag from Iris and walked to the Doctor's side, gently patting his sweaty features. "I've got you," she whispered to the Doctor.

Iris rolled her eyes, not wanting to get involved in whatever weird drama this was, and turned to leave.

"I'm his companion," Rose spoke up. "Just so you know."

Iris didn't turn around, but a small smile grew on her lips. She was his partner, and by his description and how much he'd told her — that meant more.

"I know."

—

"British scientists have re-established contact with the Guinevere One Space Probe," the news announcer was saying. Iris leaned forward on the sofa, watching with deep interest. "They're expecting the first transmission from the planet's surface in the next few minutes."

Her phone rang and Iris put it on speaker. "You watching this?"

"Of course I am," Charlie's voice spoke back. "Griff cancelled dinner too, so you're off the hook. Both of you are doing alien shit."

"You love us."

"Nerds. Dinosaurs are cooler."

"Not true at all."

"Yes, yes, we are back on schedule," Llewellyn spoke. "We are back on schedule. The Mars landing would seem to be an unqualified success."

"Fuck yeah!" Charlie exclaimed. "You hear that, Seb!" He called to her brother off the phone. "Ris, that's our brother who did that. Fuck yeah!"

Rose and Jackie looked to Iris and she blushed a bit at the judgement there. "Charlie, can I call you back?"

"Whaaaat?" Charlie whined. "Come on, it's about to get good. Griffith Holloway is going down in history for being the fucking designer of a space probe to Mars."

"You got shots over there, cupcake?" Sebastian's voice came through. "We're drinking on three."

"You guys are idiots."

"Not all of us have alien stuff to do."

"Aye-yo."

"Are you guys drunk right now?" Iris asked with a grin.

"A little."

"Nope."

"Goodbye, dumb and dumber."

"Byyyyeee, Rissyyyy!!!!"

"Shots, cupcake! WOo!"

Iris hung up the phone, shaking her head and sending an apologetic smile to the Tylers. "Sorry," she explained. "My brothers. We all get...really pumped about each other's accomplishments."

"That's good," Jackie smiled.

"But is it true that you completely lost contact tonight?" A reporter drew her attention back to the screen.

"Yes," Llewellyn confirmed. "We had a bit of a scare. Guinevere seemed to fall off the scope but it was just a blip. Only disappeared for a few seconds."

"That's suspicious," Iris remarked.

"She is fine now," he continued. "Absolutely fine. We're getting the first pictures transmitted live any minute now. I'd better get back to it. Thanks."

"Here we go," Mickey spoke up. "Pilot fish. They're scavengers, like Iris and the Doctor said. Harmless, they're tiny."

Iris rolled her eyes mildly irritated that they hadn't listened to her. "That's what I told you," she pointed out. "You didn't have to waste time doing that."

"We had to be sure," Rose scoffed. "Not everyone just assumes they know everything."

Iris blinked, falling back a bit at Rose's words. What had she done to make her hate her so much?

"...Martian landscape of rocks...and it's coming live...from the depths of space on Christmas morning..."

Iris stood, walking to the television as the image came through. The creature on screen growled, eyes bleeding red, face hollowed with skin-like tendrils shaping large cheekbones and a pointed chin. Her head tilted curiously as the other three jumped back in surprise.

"The face of an alien lifeform was transmitted live tonight on BBC ONE."

Iris bit her lip, turning and rushing to the door, grabbing her journals, looking for any sort of description of the creature. She couldn't remember seeing it before, but maybe the Doctor had mentioned it in passing.

"What're you doing?" Rose asked.

"Searching," Iris said distractedly.

"What for?"

"Anything," she answered, skimming through notes. "Darn it, teach," she mumbled, closing the journal. "He didn't tell me about the species."

"So, you don't know everything," Rose rolled her eyes.

"I never said that I did," Iris snapped, frowning. "But I do know that whatever information I have that could help a present moment, I'm going to divulge because it's more useful than standing around and waiting for someone else to solve my problems."

"Rose," Mickey grabbed her attention before she could retort. "I got access to the military. They're tracking a spaceship. It's big and it's fast and it's heading right this way."

"Coming for what?" Rose asked. "The Doctor?"

"I don't know," Mickey answered. "Maybe it's coming for all of us."

Iris walked over to Mickey's computer screen, trying to decipher the alien language.

"Have you seen them before?" Mickey asked them both.

"No," Rose answered after a pause.

"No, but their dialect is interesting," Iris remarked, taking note of the clicking and buzzing and low toned droning. "They sound prideful. Warriors, maybe. That narrows it down."

"To what?" Rose scoffed. "You're not the Doctor."

"And I never claimed to be," Iris snapped.

"I don't understand what they're saying," Rose said softly. "The TARDIS translates alien languages inside my head all the time, wherever I am."

"So, why isn't it doing it now?" Mickey asked.

"I don't know. Must be the Doctor. Like, he's part of the circuit and it's...he's broken."

Iris rolled her eyes, sighing. "Okay," she looked to Rose seriously. "I understand that you have feelings for him and that's not my business, I don't care. But the Doctor isn't broken, he's regenerating. It's a way Time Lords cheat death. The TARDIS technically translates for you, but it can't do so without the Doctor. He's low-level telepathic, as all Time Lords are, and the TARDIS latches onto that connection, pushes it forward, and allows all those the Doctor chooses to understand. This mostly happens subconsciously. But with him still deep in regeneration, he's not healthy enough to formulate a strong connection, focusing all his strength on healing instead of languages. He's not broken, he's just ill."

"I'm supposed to believe that?" Rose scoffed. "I've never even seen you before."

Iris let out a frustrated groan. "Have I done something?" She snapped. "To offend you? To make you hate me? Because, frankly, I adore the Doctor and I'm just here to —"

"—To what? Swoop in and save the day and—"

"—To fill in another part of his past so that I can continue traveling with the future version. I'm here to help him through this because he needs someone that doesn't berate him for changing his face. That is still my Doctor in there and it's well past time you actually stop and take a second to understand that."

"Your Doctor?" Rose asked dubiously.

"The Doctor," Iris corrected. "Doesn't matter."

—

"The old Doctor wouldn't do this," Iris heard Rose tell Mickey. "The old Doctor. The proper Doctor. He'd wake up."

Iris scoffed, fury coursing through her. Why couldn't Rose see that they were all the same man? It didn't matter which face he took, he was always the Doctor. He'd never stop being the Doctor. And it wasn't his fault he was taking so long to regenerate. Sometimes it was easier than others.

"You really love him, don't you?" Mickey asked Rose.

Pulling out her phone, she called the TARDIS phone, hoping to catch the Doctor she travelled with. She just needed to vent. She missed him. Not that the tenth Doctor wasn't her Doctor, because he was. He was just resting and smitten with Rose — she'd seen that with the krillitanes — and she needed someone who would listen and had already experienced this adventure.

"TARDIS phone."

That was a female. It didn't sound like Rose, and it didn't sound like herself either.

"Hello?" Iris asked cautiously.

"Iris, sweets, is that you?"

"This is Iris."

"You haven't met me yet, have you?"

"I don't know who you are."

"You will." A pause. "It can be hard. Seeing other versions of him, versions that don't know you or think someone else is better. Just remember...in the end...he knows you and he picks you."

Iris teared up at the woman's words. "Who are you?" She asked tearfully.

"Spoilers, my love."

And the phone call ended. Iris let out a shaky breath and wiped her eyes, tucking her phone away. The woman was right. Whatever happened with this Doctor or any other Doctors for that matter — he'd choose her. Choose Iris. In the end, she was his partner. And he'd picked her permanently.

He'd told her his name. That had to mean something.

—

Iris followed Rose and Mickey outside, heart sinking when people all around the block were walking around despite their partner's requests. They walked down the streets; children, men, women...

"What's causing them to do that?" Iris pondered. "Hypnosis?" Rushing back inside to the television, she tried to recall anything in the video that could have made them do it. "Maybe they said a spell or...something in the phrasing that caused them to do this?"

"They're on the roof," Rose said as she came back downstairs. "I don't know why."

—

"...but I have one request," Harriet Jones spoke as Iris jotted notes down in her journal, biting he lip in thought. If the Doctor couldn't wake up, she could speak to the Sycorax for him. If he didn't have the option, she was a better hope than most of humanity.

Simply because he'd taught her the most important things about the universe, in other galaxies and star patterns and peoples and politics across different systems throughout time.

"Doctor...if you're out there, we need you." Harriet Jones said. "I don't know what to do. I need you. If anyone knows the Doctor, if anyone can find him, this situation has never been more desperate. Help us. Please, Doctor, help us."

Iris jumped when windows shattered, tucking her journal in her bag and darting outside, watching as glass fell from buildings.

"The atmosphere," she thought aloud, looking around. "It's been breached, and the pull is too much, the sonic wave..." She trailed off, walking back inside. "They've entered our atmosphere. I think they'll register either the TARDIS or the Doctor when they do a scan of the planet, so I think we should all be in the TARDIS in case they a) come down or be) need someone to speak on behalf of the planet."

"What makes you qualified?" Rose asked, wiping her eyes.

"I'm desperate," Iris shrugged. "And I have to hope for the best."

Rose scoffed, shaking her head. "Fine, yeah, whatever."

She jumped into action a second later, ordering Mickey and Jackie around, telling them to gather things for the TARDIS.

"The TARDIS has a kitchen," Iris supplied, helping Rose get the Doctor. "We don't actually need food. It restocks itself every moon cycle."

"In case," Rose snapped. "If the Doctor's broken, so is the TARDIS."

"Rose, neither is broken," Iris said exasperatedly. "He's healing. Regenerating. And the TARDIS is only connected to him telepathically. He's not dead, so she'll be fine."

"We're hiding?" Jackie asked.

"Mum, look in the sky!" Rose exclaimed. "There's a great, big alien invasion and I don't know what to do, all right? I've travelled with him, and I've seen all that stuff, but when I'm stuck at home, I'm useless."

"Apply what he's taught you," Iris suggested softly. "You're not useless, you're just in a familiar setting. He needs you as much now as he does on normal adventures. So, apply what he's taught you and work with that."

"Oh, stuff it, Iris!" Rose said loudly. "All we can do is run and hide and I'm sorry."

—

Iris opened the door for the TARDIS, helping Mickey and Rose carry the Doctor inside, where they placed him on the console room floor.

"Hello, sweet girl," she pat the TARDIS wall gently, and a small hum echoed in her mind. At least someone was happy to see her.

"No chance you can fly this thing?" Mickey asked.

"Not anymore, no," Rose answered.

Iris frowned, wondering when she'd learned to fly the TARDIS and then had the memories taken from her. That was definitely something she'd ask the Doctor.

"Well, you did it before," Mickey countered.

"I know," Rose sighed. "But it's sort of been wiped out of my head, like it's forbidden. If I try it again, I think the universe rips in half."

"Ah, better not then," Mickey sighed.

"Maybe not," Rose rolled her eyes. "Iris, do you know how?" She asked.

"No," Iris shook her head. "He says I learn eventually but I don't have my teacher yet. I don't know what that actually means."

"So, we're both useless," Rose rolled her eyes.

"So, what do we do?" Mickey asked. "Just sit here."

"That's as good as it gets."

"I think the aliens will beam us to them. I'd go and check the library for their species classification, but I have a feeling the rooms are a little wonky with the Doctor out of commission, so better safe than sorry," Iris explained. "We have a high-powered technological vessel and a beacon of energy coming from the Doctor. We're sitting in one place like this, they're bound to transport us. They can't get through the doors, but it wouldn't be a terrible thing if we could speak to them."

"You actually want to?" Mickey asked, flabbergasted.

"Of course," Iris nodded. "We have to let them know about our planetary restrictions. They may not be aware of which laws they're breaking, and the Doctor would give them a chance to surrender, so we will."

"Sounds like you know what you're doing," Mickey remarked with a grin. "I like that."

"Thank you," Iris smiled at him. "But I'm just trying to get us through this so when the Doctor wakes up from regenerating, he doesn't immediately need to worry about an alien invasion."

"And if it doesn't work?" Rose asked.

"Then at least I tried something," Iris met her gaze. "I'm applying what I know and the skills I've gained to make a bad situation less terrible. You're welcome to join me if you have any other solutions or beneficial ideas."

"Right, here we go," Jackie held up a cup. "Nice cup of tea."

"The solution to everything," Rose rolled her eyes.

"Thank you," Iris smiled kindly when Jackie handed her one.

"Now, stop your moaning," Jackie snapped to Rose. "You're welcome, dear," she added to Iris. "I'll get the rest of the food."

Before Iris could re-explain the TARDIS food supply, she was gone. Iris sighed, drinking her tea.

"Tea," Mickey commented. "Like we're having a picnic while the world comes to an end. It's very British."

"Your mom makes great tea," Iris remarked, sipping the rest of hers. "I'm not usually a fan. I'm from the states, so iced tea is my favorite."

"That's disgusting," Mickey shook his head.

"Okay, Mr-Beans-On-Toast," Iris grinned. "At least I don't eat nasty food."

"Half your food is nasty," Mickey laughed. "America's terrible."

"You sound biased."

"You sound like you're bragging."

"Eh," Iris shrugged. "To each their own."

"How does this thing work?" Mickey asked, walking over to a screen on the console. "'Cause if it picks up TV, maybe we can see what's going on out there. Maybe we've surrendered. What do you do to it?"

"I don't know," Rose frowned. "It sort of tunes itself." She pressed a few buttons and Iris grimaced, walking over.

"No, no, stop," she pat their hands away, flicking a knob and two switches on the side, then gently tapping the top of it. "It's a bit wobbly, but it'll do. See, that's outside," she pointed to the screen as it lit up, showing the parking lot. "And...oh!" Iris blinked as the screen went static.

"Nice going," Rose said sarcastically.

"That means they got the signal," she grabbed her bag and slung it over her shoulder. "I'll be outside."

"Wait, you're going to leave?" Mickey asked in confusion. "What's that beeping? A distress signal?"

"Fat lot of good that's gonna do," Rose pouted.

"Are you gonna be a misery all the time?" Mickey asked her.

"Yes."

"It is," Iris ignored Rose, looking to Mickey. "I sent a signal to let them know our location. They'll be suspicious and beam us up to speak with them. Or, kill us. Whichever they'd prefer." She smiled. "Bit of a coin toss, really, but it's fun that way."

"You sound just like him," Mickey looked her over. "I get it now."

"Thanks?" Iris looked down to the Doctor, kneeling next to his face. "I'm taking your sonic in case they try anything, see you later," she booped his nose and grabbed the sonic from his robe pocket, standing again. "You guys coming?"

"We haven't gone anywhere," Rose rolled her eyes. "We're still home. Look," she stood from the console chair, walking past Iris and the Doctor to the doors, opening them. "See, we're — ahhhh!"

Mickey jumped, dropping his tea as he rushed to the doors.

Iris sighed, shaking her head. "Do I have a face that people don't listen to?" She asked Mickey.

"No," Mickey shook his head. "You're just nice. Rose is a bit possessive."

"I hadn't noticed," Iris remarked dryly as Mickey raced from the TARDIS. "Thanks."

She left TARDIS after him, immediately holding her hands up in surrender after closing the doors. An alien grabbed her, and she walked patiently forward, Mickey shouting for them to leave Rose as another grabbed him.

"Rose!" Harriet Jones exclaimed, pulling the girl into a hug. "I've got you. My Lord. Oh, my precious thing."

Iris was let go, standing next to the man who was with Harriet. "Hi," she smiled up at him. "I'm Iris. Know their species yet?"

"Alex," he nodded to her, looking down at his pad as the alien began to speak again. "They're Sycorax," he explained to Iris, who nodded in understanding. Of course they were. "The yellow girl," Alex read the translations. "She has the clever blue box. Therefore, she speaks for your planet."

"Rose, no," Iris spoke up, walking forward as a Sycorax held a spear to her throat. "Let me."

"I can do it," Rose promised.

Iris didn't have much faith in that.

"But she can't," Harriet Jones denied.

"Yeah, I can," Rose breathed out, stepping forward.

"Don't you dare," Mickey pled.

"Someone's got to be the Doctor," Rose said bravely.

"And that doesn't have to be you," Iris tried. "Let me do it."

"You said apply the skills, yeah?" Rose asked her. "Trust me."

Iris did not.

"They'll kill you," Harriet grabbed Rose's arm, but she shrugged it off.

"Never stopped him."

Rose stepped forward as the crowd of Sycorax cheered and Iris raised her eyebrows, hoping beyond all hopes that Rose knew what she was doing. Otherwise, she'd have to clean up that mess, too.

"I address the Sycorax," Rose started shakily, raising her voice. "According to Article Fifteen of the Shadow Proclamation."

Iris closed her eyes, shaking her head. Nice try, but didn't apply here.

"I command you to leave this world with all the authority of...the Slitheen Parliament of Raxacoricofallapatorius, and, um...the Gelth Confederacy...as, uh, sanctioned...by the Mighty Jagrafess and...oh! The Daleks."

Iris grimaced at her words. This was painful. She pushed the spear down, stepping forward.

"Now, leave this planet in peace!" Rose exclaimed.

Iris put her hand on Rose's shoulder as the Sycorax began laughing at her. "Good try, sweetheart," she smiled at Rose. "Hi, I'm Iris Holloway," she introduced to the Sycorax. "Partner of the Doctor. Rose is funny, isn't she? She's our jester." She stepped forward again. "But you know you shouldn't be here, don't you?"

The leader opened his mouth to speak, but Iris held up her hand. "Ah, ah, a lady is speaking and even a warrior respects a lady's mouth when she wields it as a weapon. Now, we both know it's against Galactic Law to reap from a Level 5 planet, which Earth is at this point in time."

The Sycorax leader growled but Iris rushed to continue.

"And we also both know that according to Article 9F and 10B of the Shadow Proclamation, you are not allowed to wield slavery from a Level 5 planet or higher, and in Article Fourteen, it clearly states that a warrior species is not to wage war against a lesser species for combat would be unfair and unjust. Would you like me to call the Shadow Proclamation and have some Judoon come here on our behalf?"

The Sycorax leader grumbled.

"I'm sorry, there appears to be a language barrier. If you don't mind," she waved Alex forward. "This is my translator until my original system is up and running. Alex, what is he saying?"

"The yellow one is funny. You are weak. We care not of Galactic Law. We are Sycorax. We are mighty. We are strong."

Iris sighed. "Of course not. Because you're a warrior species and you spend all your time conquering the smaller ones, as if the rules don't apply to you."

She was stalling.

It hadn't worked.

It had to be the Sycorax, of course it did. They had no respect for other species or the rules in which everyone else abided by. She hoped the Doctor would awaken soon. He was always one for dramatic last minute surprises.

"We are the Sycorax," Alex continued to read. "We stride the darkness. Next to us, you are but a wailing child. If you are the best your planet can offer as a champion,..."

"Then your world will be gutted. And your people enslaved."

Iris smiled when she heard the translations.

"We're not the best," Iris grinned at the leader. "But we are the front lines for the one who is."

"Hold on, that's English," Alex stopped translating from next to Iris.

"He's talking English!" Harriet Jones cried out.

"You're talking English," Rose smiled, coming to the same realization Iris had.

"I would never dirty my tongue with your primitive bile!" The leader exclaimed.

"That's English," Rose stepped back, pointing at the leader. "Can you hear English?" She asked everyone else.

Confirmations rang from the other humans and Iris nodded. "He's back," she grinned to Rose, who smiled brightly at her.

"I speak only Sycoraxic!" The leader roared.

"If I can hear English, that means it's being translated. Which means it's working. Which means..." Rose turned around slowly to the TARDIS.

Iris snorted as the others turned to see the doors open slowly.

He was so dramatic.

A smile on his face, standing in pajamas and a robe. "Did you miss me?" He grinned.

The leader aimed his whip at the Doctor, who snatched it in his hand, twisted it, and pulled it from the leader's grip, sending him stumbling. "You can have someone's eye out with that," the Doctor remarked.

"How dare—" the leader held up his staff, but the Doctor grabbed it, split it over his knee and tossed it to the ground.

"Just can't get the staff," he chastised. "Now, you just wait. I'm busy." He pointed at the leader and turned around, grinning when he saw everyone. Slinging an arm around Iris' shoulders, he pulled her from the leader. "You did good, heard you boasting about proclamations. Doing well in lessons, then?"

"You drill them into my head," Iris rolled her eyes, leaning against him. "Took you long enough, your regenerations better not always take that long."

"Nah, this was tricky. I'll tell you later," he pressed a kiss to her head and pulled away from her, looking to Mickey and Rose. "Mickey, hello!" He grinned. "And Harriet Jones!" He turned to her next. "MP for Flydale North. Blimey, it's like This is Your Life."

He looked to Rose and exclaimed, "Tea! That's all I needed. A good cup of tea. Super-heated infusion of free radicals and tannin, just the thing for healing the synapses." He leaned closer to Rose. "Now, first things first. Be honest...how do I look?"

"Um..." Rose swallowed. "Different."

"Good different or bad different?"

"Just...different."

"Am I...ginger?"

Iris laughed, shaking her head.

"No, you're just sort of...brown," Rose supplied.

"I wanted to be ginger," the Doctor groaned, turning around, and whining to Iris. "I've never been ginger. Will I ever be ginger?"

"You know I can't tell you that," she rolled her eyes. "I drew you a sketch," Iris pulled out her journal, handing him a picture she'd drawn from their last adventure. "That's from the last adventure, don't read anything, but that's what you look like."

"Oh, look at you!" The Doctor grinned at her, looking down at the notes. "Oh, did you write that?" He beamed, pointing to the Gallifreyan under the artwork. "My name, oh, brilliant, I haven't seen it in someone else's hand in years!" He handed it back to her. "No big ears this time."

"Pity, I think that's where all the sass came from."

"Oi, you," he pointed at her playfully. "And you!" He turned back to Rose and pointed at her. "Rose Tyler, fat lot of good you were. You gave up on me." He blinked, dropping his hand. "Oh, that's rude. Is that the sort of man I am now? Am I rude? Rude and not ginger."

That could describe the Twelfth Doctor too, Iris realized with a smile.

"I'm sorry," Harriet Jones spoke up. "Who is this?"

"I'm the Doctor."

"He's the Doctor," Rose supplied, looking at him fondly.

"What happened to my Doctor?" Harriet asked. "Or is it a title that's just passed on?"

Iris was getting very tired of people saying different versions of him were "theirs" because they were all the same, just different.

Oh.

She understood now.

The Doctor, the one she travelled with, told her to tell him he was "her" Doctor after this adventure. But he was her Doctor as every version of himself. She just needed to see that. He was always the Doctor, just with a new face and personality. But still the Doctor. Still hers.

"I'm him," the Doctor explained, as though reading her mind. "I'm literally him. Same man, new face. Well, new everything." He smirked, head tilting to the side. A blush dusted Iris' cheeks at the implications.

"But you can't be," Harriet Jones shook her head.

"Harriet Jones," the Doctor said seriously. "We were trapped in Downing Street and the one thing that scared you wasn't the aliens, wasn't the war, it was the thought of your mother being on her own."

"Oh, my God," Harriet Jones gasped.

"Did you win the election?" He leaned forward, smiling down at her fondly.

"Landslide majority," she answered, straightening proudly.

"If I might interrupt?" The Sycorax leader growled.

The Doctor tucked his hands into his pockets, walking forward. "Yes, sorry. Hello, big fella."

"Who exactly are you?"

"Well, that's the question," the Doctor grinned.

"I demand to know who you are!" The Sycorax leader roared.

"I don't know!" The Doctor roared back, imitating the leader. "See, that's the thing," he continued normally. "I'm the Doctor, but beyond that, I just don't know. I know I've got Iris," he pointed to her, and her eyebrows raised. "The Doctor and Iris. About all I do know. But I literally do not know who I am. It's all untested. Am I funny?" Iris tilted her head side-to-side when he looked in her direction. "Am I sarcastic?" Iris made the same motion. "Sexy?" He winked at her, and she blinked in surprise. "A right old misery?" Iris nodded. "Life and soul?" Iris nodded again as he walked past her, heading up the stairs of the ship. "Right-handed, left-handed, a gambler, a fighter, a coward, a traitor, a liar, a nervous wreck?"

He inhaled deeply. "I mean, judging by the evidence, I've certainly got a gob." He looked up and laughed, then looked back to the leader. "And how am I gonna react when I see this?" He pointed to a large, round, yellow button. "A great big, threatening button." He laughed again, setting his pace again. The leader raced forward, as did everyone else behind him, but the Doctor was quicker, holding his hand over it.

"A great big threatening button which must not be pressed under any circumstances," he grinned. "Am I right?" He looked from the button to the leader. "Let me guess, it's some kind of control matrix. Hang on," he kneeled under the contraption. "What's feeding it?"

The Doctor opened the door with the controls, mumbling to himself, before standing. "Blood?" He pat his tongue with his finger and Iris grimaced. "Yeah," he nodded. "Definitely blood. Human blood. A+, with just a dash of iron."

He stuck his tongue out and made a disgusted face, wiping his finger on the robe. "But that means...blood control. Blood control!" He grinned, looking back to the leader. "Oh! I haven't seen blood control for years!" He eyed the leader. "You're controlling all the A positives," he looked to Iris with a frown. "I thought you were A+?"

"AB positive," she corrected. "Close."

"Oh, that's a big difference," he hummed. "Your brothers are too?"

"Charlie's O negative," she shook her head. "He's not like the rest of us."

"Oh, you Holloways," he grinned. "You know what, Iris?"

"What, Doctor?"

"This leaves us with a great big stinking problem," he tsked. "'Cause I really don't know who I am, but you do."

"Eh," Iris wiggled her hand side-to-side.

"Ah, you do, though," he grinned down at her. "Know everything about me, my little star." He held his hand over the button. "And you already know that I don't know when to stop. So, if I see a great big threatening button which should never, ever be pressed, then I just want to do this."

He slammed his hand down on the button and everyone jumped into action, except Iris, who watched with a raised eyebrow.

He grinned down at her.

"You killed them!" Alex exclaimed.

"What do you think, big fella?" The Doctor asked the Sycorax leader. "Are they dead?"

"We allow them to live."

"Allow?" He scoffed. "You've no choice. That's all blood control is. Cheap bit of voodoo. Scares the pants off you, but that's as far as it goes." He continued, "it's like hypnosis, you can hypnotize someone to walk like a chicken, or sing like Elvis, you can't hypnotize them to death. Survival instinct's too strong."

"Blood control was just one form of conquest!" The Sycorax leader shouted. "I can summon the armada and take this world by force."

Iris nodded, exchanging a shrug with the Doctor.

"Well, yeah, you could," the Doctor agreed. "Yeah. You could do that, of course you could. But why? Look at these people. These human beings." He gestured to them all and Iris waved to the leader with a smile.

"Consider their potential," the Doctor suggested. "From the day they arrive on the planet and, blinking, step into the sun, there is more to see than can ever be seen, more to do than...no...hold on, sorry, that's the Lion King."

Iris let out a small laugh at his words, smiling fondly. He never changed.

"But the point still stands." He stood and walked closer to the leader. "Leave them alone."

"Or what?" The Sycorax leader challenged.

"Or..." the Doctor looked around and grabbed a sword from another Sycorax, holding it up, then rushing back downstairs, winking to Iris as he passed her. "I challenge you!"

The Sycorax all laughed at him and he grinned.

"Oh, that struck a cord," he looked to the leader. "Am I right that the sanctified rules of combat still apply?"

"You stand as this world's champion?" The Sycorax leader pulled out his sword, stalking downstairs to the Doctor.

"Thank you," the Doctor tugged off his robe and tossed it to Rose. "I've no idea who I am, but you've just summed me up." He raised an eyebrow. "So, do you accept my challenge? Or are you just a...cranak pel casacree salvak?"

"Language!" Iris chastised, and he grinned up at her.

The Sycorax leader hissed and held up his sword, the others in the audience roaring with him. The Doctor and the leader held up their swords, then kneeled down next to them, staring at one another.

"For the planet?" The leader asked.

"For the planet," the leader confirmed.

Cheers erupted as the pair stood, the Doctor making the first strike against the leader, who blocked it easily, grunting. They circled the swords twice, but the Doctor thought quickly, pulling his sword away and running in another direction, shifting the battlegrounds. The leader followed quickly behind, snarling.

The Doctor blocked the next move, then the Sycorax blocked his, the Doctor ducked an upper hand swing and the Sycorax dodged his counter. The Doctor fell back as the Sycorax charged two strikes, and then aimed a third at his foot.

"Look out!" Rose shouted.

"Oh, yeah, that helps!" The Doctor shouted sarcastically. "I wouldn't have thought of that otherwise. Thanks."

The Doctor climbed up a rock and jumped down to the Sycorax, who dodged, and pushed the Doctor back. He stumbled backwards, rolling, and pulling himself back into a standing position, and then ran out to the exterior of the ship.

The leader followed closely behind, everyone else coming up in a group behind him to watch.

Their swords clashed against one another, and Iris made a note to ask him to teach her to swordfight — her thoughts drifting back to Leo, and how he'd saved her life — and she lurched forward when a Sycorax pushed her slightly.

"Hey, I'm minding my business!" Iris frowned to the Sycorax, who stared down at her through a bone mask. "Yeeeesh," Iris shivered, walking further from them. "Creepy boneheads."

The Doctor and the leader battled it out for another minute before the leader got the upper hand, bashing the Doctor in the nose. Iris winced, knowing that would hurt, and Rose moved forward.

"Stay back!" The Doctor called out. "Invalidate the challenge and he wins the planet."

The Doctor wiped his nose as the Sycorax turned, roaring, but the Doctor let out a cry and surged forward, their swords clashing against each other again. The leader tricked the Doctor into locking his sword down, threw his fist against the Doctor's nose, and then sent him reeling onto his back.

Iris' breath hitched and she watched, a bit of fear swelling in her stomach — she was most definitely going to learn sword fighting now because he was never going to be in this situation again — and the leader bent down, cutting off the Doctor's hand.

Iris gasped in surprise, racing forward but keeping her distance so as not to interfere.

"You cut my hand off," the Doctor looked up at the Sycorax.

"Sycorax!" The leader roared, raising his hands up victoriously.

"And now I know what sort of man I am," the Doctor stood up slowly, holding his stump out. "I'm lucky, 'cause quite by chance, I'm still within the first fifteen hours of my regeneration cycle. Which means I've got just enough residual cellular energy to do this." He held up his arm and his hand slowly grew back.

Iris grinned. "Sick," she breathed out in awe.

"Thought you'd like that," he grinned over at her.

"Witchcraft!" the Sycorax exclaimed.

"Time Lord," the Doctor corrected.

Rose grabbed another sword from another Sycorax, tossing it to the Doctor. "Doctor!" She shouted, grabbing his attention. He turned, catching it in his new hand and turned back to the Sycorax.

"Oh, so I'm still the Doctor, then?"

"No arguments from me!"

"You want to know the best bit?" The Doctor asked the Sycorax leader. "This new hand...it's a fightin' hand!" He put on an American accent Iris laughed. "That's for you, Holloway!"

"Good try, buddy!"

The Doctor grinned, rushing towards the Sycorax, their swords clashing again as they fought each other. The Doctor managed to spin the Sycorax, disarm him, and jab him in the gut with the butt of the sword, sending him to the ground.

The Doctor held the leader's sword to the leader's throat. "I win," he declared.

"Then kill me."

"I'll spare your life if you'll take this champion's command. Leave this planet and never return. What do you say?"

"...yes."

"Swear on the blood of your species," the Doctor pushed the sword into the leader's throat.

"I swear."

"There we are then," the Doctor pulled away. "Thanks for that. Cheers, big fella." He turned the sword, stabbing it into the ship.

"Bravo!" Harriet Jones clapped.

"Solid six," Iris commented. "Leo was quicker."

"Da Vinci?" He rolled his eyes. "I'm better than him."

"Not at sword fighting."

"You-you-you're a piece of work," he scowled at her. "You are."

"Oops?" Iris shrugged, smiling up at him as he slung an arm over her shoulders again, pulling her to him.

"That says it all!" Rose grinned, rushing towards him with the robe. Iris moved out from under his arm as Rose put the robe around him. "Bravo!"

"Eh!" He grinned. "Not bad for a man in his jimjams. Very Arthur Dent. Now, there was a nice man." He winked to Iris. "You'll like him, Holloway." He reached his hand into his pocket. "Hold on, what have I got in here?" He pulled out an orange. "A satsuma."

The trio laughed at his face, staring down at the fruit. "Ah, that friend of your mother's. He does like his snacks, doesn't he? But doesn't that just sum up Christmas?" He asked as they walked towards the entrance. "You go through all the presents," he tossed the satsuma in the air and caught it. "And right at the end, tucked away at the bottom, there's always one stupid old satsuma."

A loud clinking and roar was heard and Iris glanced back to see the Sycorax leader charging. The Doctor didn't look, tossing the satsuma against a button on the wall, sending the leader flying to the Earth with a scream.

"No second chances," the Doctor said lowly. "I'm that sort of a man."

"Nice aim," Iris remarked. "Better than your sword fighting skills."

"Can you even sword fight?" He asked glancing over at her. "You're all talk."

"I will learn," she replied. "Literally tomorrow. I'm going to learn and I'm going to be better than you."

"Oh, yeah, well, I'll love it when I beat you."

"You've got a long time to wait," she grinned up at him.

"Worth it," he looked at her, meeting her eyes with a smile. "Something to look forward to."

His smile fell as they entered the ship again, and he looked around at the Sycorax. "By the ancient rights of combat, I forbid you to scavenge here for the rest of time. And when you go back to the stars and tell others of this planet, when you tell them of its riches, its people, its potential, when you talk of the Earth, then make sure that you tell them this: It. Is. Defended!"

Nothing else was said as they were beamed back down and Iris smiled, leaning into the Doctor's hug when he pulled her close.

"Where are we?" Rose asked.

"We're just off Bloxsome Road," Mickey answered, face pulling into a grin. "We did it!"

"Wait a minute," the Doctor held a finger, resting his chin on Iris' head. "Wait a minute."

The ship slowly took off and he grinned, Iris squeezing around his waist.

"Go on, my son!" Mickey exclaimed. "Oh, yeah!"

"You did good," the Doctor pressed a kiss to her temple. "I'm proud of you."

"You stopped them," she brushed off his words.

"You bought me time," he replied gently. "Kept an eye out on them. Thank you."

She slapped his chest lightly. "You don't need to thank me."

"I will," he replied, pulling away from her and looking to Harriet Jones. Iris stood next to him, crossing her arms.

"My Doctor," Harriet grinned.

"Prime Minister," the Doctor beamed back, and the pair shared a joyous hug.

"Absolutely the same man," Harriet shook her head in disbelief.

The three looked up to the sky as the ship left their atmosphere.

"Are there many more out there?" Harriet asked.

"Ooh, not just Sycorax," the Doctor responded, his hand finding Iris'. She looked down and smiled softly, intertwining their fingers slowly. This Doctor seemed very physically affectionate, not that she minded. "Hundreds of species. Thousands of them. And the human race is drawing attention to itself. Every day, you're sending out probes, messages and signals. This planet's so noisy. You're getting noticed, more and more." The Doctor looked down to Harriet. "You better get used to it."

"Mum!" Rose cried out, racing towards her mother, who pulled her into a tight hug.

"Oh, talking of trouble," the Doctor leaned to Iris, pulling her forward. "You want me to drop you off with your brothers?" He asked her, looking down.

Iris looked up at him hopefully. "You'd do that?"

"Yeah," he nodded, smiling down at her. "Christmas with the Tylers, they go to bed, we go to the Holloways. Sound good?"

Iris nodded, squeezing his hand tightly. "Yes, please."

"That's all I needed!" The Doctor called to Jackie, who was squealing with Rose. "Cuppa tea."

"I said so!" Jackie exclaimed.

"And look at him!" Rose beamed.

Iris dropped the Doctor's hand when Rose's eyes found theirs, and he glanced down at her, then back to Rose.

"Is it him, though?" Jackie asked. "Is it really the Doctor?"

The Doctor leaned back, shrugging, and Iris shook her head at him, a fond smile on her face.

Yeah, it was.

It always was.

"Oh, my god," Jackie's smile fell as her eyes caught Harriet Jones. "It's the bleeding Prime Minister!"

"Come here, you," the Doctor grinned, holding out his arms for Jackie, who rushed into them and hugged them.

Iris pulled out a camera and snapped a picture, laughing at the Doctor's look.

"Blackmail," she wiggled her eyebrows. "Every time you hug a mother."

"I hate you," he scowled down at her.

"Far from it, I think," Iris smiled back.

Rose and Mickey joined the hug as Iris tucked her things away, eyes catching Harriet and Alex speaking quietly. Suspicion furrowed her brows together when she watched Harriet tell Alex to do something, and she walked over.

"Fire what?" She asked, laughter gone from her face. "What did he do? What did you do?"

Iris jumped when beams of light shot from different buildings around them, out of the sky. Her eyes watered and her mouth dropped open in horror as the ship broke. The Doctor's face darkened, and he walked towards Harriet with a glare.

"That was murder."

"That was defense."

"Defense is not stabbing someone when their back is turned and they've surrendered," Iris said tearfully. "You're a monster," she told Harriet Jones. "I hope you regret this decision and think about the hundreds of lives you took when you played God."

"Hush, child," Harriet scowled at her. "It's adapted from alien technology. A ship that fell to Earth ten years ago."

"But they were leaving," the Doctor ground out.

"You said yourself, Doctor, they'd go back to the stars and tell others about the Earth." She shook her head. "I'm sorry, Doctor, but you're not here all the time. You come and go. It happened today. Mr. Llewellyn and the Major. They were murdered. They died right in front of me while you were sleeping."

Iris took a step forward to defend him, but the Doctor placed his hand against her stomach, gently holding her back.

"In which case," Harriet continued. "We have to defend ourselves."

"Britain's Golden Age," the Doctor sneered.

"It comes with a price."

"Nothing should come at that price," Iris said, wiping tears from her eyes. "They could have attacked us, killed us, but they fought the Doctor and listened to a code they honor. And you killed them for obeying that honor, for trusting us. You do not represent humanity and you do not get to make that call."

"I already did," Harriet snapped, eyes flickering to her. "And you, who claims to be his equal, you stand there and speak of things you will never understand. You're a child."

"Don't," the Doctor warned lowly, hand tightening on Iris. "Iris is better than you could ever dream of being. I gave them the wrong warning. I should have told them to run as fast as they can. Run and hide because the monsters are coming. The human race."

"Those are the people I represent," Harriet objected. "I did it on their behalf."

"You did it out of fear," Iris narrowed her eyes, "you didn't act in kindness, in faith, in peace. You murdered and slaughtered a species and now others will come expecting to be shown mercy and they'll be greeted with guns instead of words."

"I should have stopped you," the Doctor's face tightened.

"What does that make you, Doctor?" Harriet challenged. "Another alien threat?"

"Don't challenge me, Harriet Jones," he stepped forward, glaring down at her. "'Cause I'm a completely new man. I could bring down your government with a single word."

"You're the most remarkable man I've ever met, but I don't think you're quite capable of that."

"Six words," Iris tilted her head, stepping next to the Doctor. "He only needs six."

"She's right," he nodded. "Not a single word. Just six."

"I don't think so," Harriet looked between the two.

"Six words."

"Stop it."

"Six."

The Doctor moved around Iris and Harriet, walking to Alex. Pulling out his earpiece, he leaned close and whispered 'don't you think she looks tired' before walking off, grabbing Iris' hand as he passed.

Harriet called after them, begging to be heard, but no one paid attention to her.

The Sycorax deserved to be heard, too, but she'd murdered them. The least they deserved was retribution in her early retirement.

—

Iris sat on a bench in the wardrobe, watching the Doctor look over different coats. She knew what he'd end up in, but she was eager to see how he'd get there.

"That Hawaiin shirt is great," Iris spoke up and he rolled his eyes, pulling it down and tossing it at her.

"You keep it, then."

"I'll wear it next I see you."

He laughed, shaking his head. "I look forward to it." He held up a red and gold coat and she tilted her head. "Like it?"

"Mmm," she crinkled her nose, shaking her head. "It's, um...a look."

"Yeah, I wasn't sure," he dropped it, disheartened, and continued looking. "Why aren't you helping?"

"I am helping," she argued. "Giving veto's to the ones that are truly awful."

"Oh, look at this," he found a long scarf and slung it over his shoulders, securing it around his neck. "I wore this ages ago. Should I bring it back?"

"I like it," she nodded. "Does it get caught on anything?"

"No," he scowled, then removed it. "Sometimes," he muttered.

"What was that?"

"Nothing!"

He leaned down, eyes narrowing, then found it. Pulling out a pinstripe suit and blue button down, he held it up, eying it, then turned to look at her, holding it up. "Yes?"

"And a tie," she nodded. "You look good with things around your neck."

His eyes widened. "I-Iris," he spluttered.

Her eyes widened. "Oh, I didn't — I mean, I — oh, boy, that was not intentional."

The pair shared a laugh when he sent her out, and she changed, sending a text to her brothers that she'd be home in a couple hours and to keep a plate warm. Sebastian and Charlie replied in all capital letters, sloppily typed and mashed together. They were definitely drunk.

"Iris!"

Iris walked back in, looking over his suit and shoes. "Converse, nice."

"I like them," he looked down, then pointed to hers. "We're matching."

Her heart skipped a beat at his words, but she ignored the blush on her cheeks, spotting the tan jacket. "This too," she held it up for him. "Pockets."

He smiled down at her as she held it up, sliding his arms through. "Janis Joplin gave me this coat," he told her. "I like this coat. Never saw an occasion to wear it."

"Thank you, Janis," she smiled up at him, patting his chest with both hands when he swiveled around to face her. "I like it."

"Thank you," he breathed out, staring down at her. "I like this outfit."

"I know you do."

He turned, looking in the mirror. "I look like your sketch," he remarked, leaning forward and examining his face. "You did good with that."

"Thank you."

He grabbed her hand, pulling her forward as they left the wardrobe. "You want to eat with us?" He asked. "I heard what Rose said to you."

"Theta," she grabbed his attention, startling him. He stopped walking. "Rose is your companion, I'm sorry if I overstepped with her or...said anything cruel to her. I was stressed about everything and I think she was, too. I won't take anything she said to heart. She's important to you."

"You're important to me too," he admitted softly.

"I know."

"In a different way," he continued, searching her eyes for something, but she didn't know what. He squeezed her hand. "Do you think Charlie will make bangers and mash?"

"He's super drunk, so no."

"That's alright," he pulled her forward again. "He's an awful cook."

—

ahhhh this was soooooooooososososoo long sorry.
SO. now iris sees them all as one person and less as individuals (but they're still individualistic and different, they're ALL her doctor, not just twelve) BUT DON"T WORRYRYYRYRYRYRY this is still 12xoc centric its just a little slow because she has to get through everyone else first
hopefully you guys liked this!
ik iris was a little meaner to rose but tbh she was super stresed, didn't appreciate being constantly belittled when she KNOWS her worth, and rose commenting about the doctor being "broken" just really set her off.
thank you all for readinnnggg lmk what you guys are thinking

also: i made up the articles of the shadow proclamation, but the Galactic Law is true, that's mentioned in The Eleventh Hour.