Chapter Text
Peri anxiously held The Doctor in her lap. She couldn't believe it, he used the last of the bat's milk on her and now he was dying. The girl barely held back her tears, she was furious; how could he leave her like this. She heard The Doctor mumbled something under his breath, Peri wasn't sure what he meant. She heard the dying man mutter one more thing, "feels different this time...". The brunette could do nothing but sob as she saw the light left The Doctor's eyes. The Doctor was dead.
Peri could feel her heart breaking as she tightened her grip on her friend's body. Little did Peri know one of the Time Lord's hearts began to slowly beat. Then the second, the two hearts began to kick into overdrive; beating faster than ever before. The brunette's sobbing had ceased as she heard a miniature drumming sound, "it can't be", Peri uttered breathlessly as she placed her head upon The Doctor's chest. She could contain her joy, maybe thing were going to turn out alright.
Just as Peri lifted her head The Doctor jolted up, he looked right through her, like he was in his own world. Peri made an attempt to get The Doctor out of his haze, only for the blonde to collapse onto the floor once again. The American heard The Doctor mutter one more thing before he fell unconscious again, "Adric?"
Peri felt The Doctor's forehead and she burnt her hand. She looked at her hand which had a small purple glow. "What, this can't be right?", she glanced down and The Doctor's forehead and hands began to glow the same shade. As if things could get worse The TARDIS began to shake, knocking the girl onto her butt on the other side of the room. The Time Lord's glow became so bright Peri could not see The Doctor's face. The glowing energy was now shooting out of his face and hands, flickering between purple and an orangery gold so bright Peri thought she went blind.
As the dust settled Peri sat back up, staring in awe. Where he friend had been stood a new man admiring his own features. Despite herself Peri found her gasping out, "D-Doctor?"
The stranger responded smugly, "you were expecting someone else?", he replied in such a way so unlike The Doctor she knew. Okay, Peri didn't travel with The Doctor for very long but from what she knew, he was polite and noble. Even if he did change, how could he be the same man as the one who sits across from her?
There was so many questions running through her head: where was The Doctor?, who was this man?, what did that glow mean?
But the terrified girl only managed to vocalize one question: "What happened?"
The curly-haired stranger paused. The two sat in silence for a moment, the only noise was the soft humming of the TARDIS. "Change" he spoke like he was unsure of himself while staring at his hands. He sighed, letting out a small cloud of golden light. "Change my dear, and it seems not a moment too soon" the stranger's voice surged with new found confidence as he picked himself back up. The man rushed to the TARDIS console with such confidence and familiarity Peri had only seen with The Doctor. "Well, are you just going to sit there or what, Peri?" She picked herself backed up and slowly shuffled towards the console, but keeping her distance.
The stranger noticed how uncomfortable she was, "Is there something a matter, Peri?", he asked with genuine concern walking towards the distressed girl.
Peri made herself smaller, he backed off a small amount but stayed close to her. It was strange, he looked nothing like The Doctor but his current expression reminded her so much of him. Peri didn't know what to feel but one question she kept repeating in her head, "Who are you?"
He raised an eyebrow, "whatever do you mean, Child. I am The Doctor". How's face was overrun with concern, "I didn't gave you enough of the Bat's Milk, did I?". He smashed part of the console in his anger, the TARDIS angrily groaned.
"It's fine, okay I'm fine" Peri shook her head. "How can you be The Doctor, he died!", she was frustrated, as much as it broke her heart to admit it The Doctor was gone. She wasn't going to be lied to again. "People don't just change like that" she teared up.
The blonde nervously fiddled with his collar. "I'm not exactly people, Peri", his train of thought was interrupted the TARDIS sounding it's alarm. Rushing towards the console, he stared at the screen in disbelief. The room began to shake as the TARDIS began to transport the two through Time and Space.
They both held onto the console as hard as they could. "What's happening? Peri yelled to the maybe doctor.
"Something is pulling the TARDIS to a specific point of time, don't worry this won't be a long trip" Oh boy was he wrong...