All right! As promised, here's my new Doctor Who story with a fun twist. And yes, I'll be trying to update more during this insane quarantine, but it all comes down to getting myself motivated. So! Since it worked somewhat well last time, I've posted a poll on what you all want me to update (I'll add this to it today also). Let me know what you think of this! I don't have a clue where the idea came from, but I like where I'm going with it and hope you all do too :)

I will put a warning on this though! I don't condone animal abuse, mistreatment, or training methods that are/may appear harmful to said animal (side note: unless the training is done by a professional as the last available option in order to help the dog and the people around it).

When I was younger, I always dreamed of being able to just go out there and see the world. Climb the tallest mountains, explore the deepest of jungles, discover what living was really like in a world where the subtleties of nature were quickly vanishing because of humanity. I wanted to have no worries about money or whether I'd have a home. I just wanted to roam, live off the land, and have a sense of clarity as to why I was here, what my purpose was. Instead, I was born with a heart defect. One that kept me locked away in a hospital room until I was seventeen. Then, I was given a due date; a date for when they expected my heart to just give out.

I had gotten lucky though. My parents were well off and while mildly concerned about me, were willing to let me do as I wished. So, I got myself checked out of the hospital and did as I dreamed. I studied what I needed for survival, and then packed the essentials and started walking. They told me I had a year and I planned on making it the best year of my life.

I climbed Mount Everest only to fall just short of the summit and get brought back down on a stretcher. I took it in stride though, shooing off the doctors who were telling me I would die even sooner if I kept it up. I trekked through a jungle in Borneo and discovered the most amazing animals when I went on a walking safari through an African savanna. I learned so much more than I ever could—trapped in that hospital—and then I finally hit it; the wall that would stop me from continuing on.

My heart gave out while touring South America. I can't remember where exactly or whether my parents had known where I was at the time. Just one minute I was looking over ancient ruins buried under vines in a dense jungle, then my chest was on fire, heart stuttering and lungs struggling for air. Thing is, I never expected to wake up after that. I planned on just dying and getting it over with. I had never been religious but enjoyed learning what others thought. So, imagine my surprise when I woke up in a city, lying on the ground. And if that wasn't strange enough, I stood up and was only maybe two feet tall.

Of all the afterlives and stories I'd heard in my travels, reincarnation had always been interesting to me. Actually experiencing it, on the other hand, was not nearly as enjoyable. I was a scraggly-haired, young dog of some sort, left abandoned in an alleyway with a broken back leg. Whether the injury had happened recently or not, I couldn't be sure, but walking on three legs was definitely a new experience.

I started off wobbly, of course, and it took some getting used to before I chose to explore the new area I was in. I recognized it too, after a bit of wandering. I was in London, within sight of Big Ben and the well-known Ferris wheel by the Thames. And despite my initial panic about having died and been reborn as an abandoned injured pet, I felt almost excited. Call me what you will, but I felt properly healthy for the first time in my life and couldn't wait to see what I could do in this form. Surely, a dog's view on life was a far different experience to the one if just lived as a human. And I wasn't wrong.

It was the scents and the sounds that truly made the experience worth it. Even with my injured leg, I got on just fine digging through the bins for scraps and occasionally nabbing a meal from an unsuspecting moron who took their eyes off it for a second. I knew I needed nourishment despite my new form though, knowing enough about dogs that I wasn't growing as quickly as I should've been, nor was I gaining much weight. That being said, I never expected to end up on the run.

I mean, few people pay attention to a stray anyway, so after being on the streets for perhaps a couple of weeks to a month, it surprised me when I suddenly began noticing the same people nearby paying avid attention to where I was going. It was only a bit worrisome at first. Perhaps they'd discovered I was a bit smarter than your average canine—what with having somehow kept my past human consciousness. Or maybe someone had wisened up and contacted animal control, and they were trying to figure out how to best grab me. Either way, I planned on getting out of the area for a while and began a long trek further out.

Cardiff wasn't exactly the worst place to be, and I began to work out the back alleys enough to get around and find the best places for a decent meal. But after a week of being there, I noticed those same people again, except this time, they were not just watching. Baited traps had started to get put out, trying to encourage me to step into a cage for a scrap of meat or a simple wire trap that would catch my ankle if I wasn't careful. I avoided them easily since they expected me to have a normal dog's intelligence apparently. Then, they upped it a notch.

The people began to actively chase me and hunt me down now. Finding food became harder because they staked out the best areas for meals, and I grew more and more paranoid. I hunted the local pigeons and occasional rat now instead of decent meals. It wasn't the best thing, but thankfully dog taste buds aren't the best in the world, and it didn't bother me much. I'd eaten all sorts of odd things while traveling before, after all.

After a while of that though, they started getting more and more aggressive. I had sleepless nights now, forced to be on the run all the time, and alert for any subtle movement I didn't recognize. They nearly caught me a few times, but I'd managed to wiggle free or bite a few to get loose. That is until things got out of hand. I had no choice but to dash into a busy road to escape. It was a desperate attempt on my part, but days of no sleep and constant being on edge had more primal instincts welling up in me and my mind just told me to run, so I did.

I was clipped by a car in the process, skidding across the street and still somehow managing to get my bruised, pained body up and limp away into the shadows of an alley—tucking myself under a dumpster as quickly as I could as they scrambled after me. They passed right by and I slowly dragged my body out, collapsing on a trash bag that stank of something foul, but I had no more energy left.

My chest rattled, making my eyes water as I knew that it meant something was very wrong. I didn't want to die again, especially not like this. I didn't even know why these people were chasing me. A soft whine escaped me, and I closed my eyes for a moment, too tired to really do much else. I must have fallen asleep too, for I woke up in the dark as a wheezing noise cut through the air.

The alleyway felt a bit crowded with the large blue police box that now sat in the middle of it, but I couldn't remember whether it had been there when I ran in or not. It was… odd though. In a way, I couldn't really explain. Maybe it just connected with some dog part of me that I didn't understand, but I want to be near it. Like it was drawing me in. I got up slowly, immediately feeling the pain I'd managed to forget about for the last few hours, only for the box to open.

Instinct had me on edge again, hair rising on my back as I froze at the sight of the lanky man stepping out of the box in a suit. He looked up as the sky for a moment, humming and then must have spotted me. The moment our eyes connected, I tensed, ready to fight if needed. I didn't have the energy to run anymore and the car had made my broken leg and hip throb.

"Hello there," he said, voice calm and steady as he took a step forward. "Where did you come from?"

I bared my teeth, growling when he neared and he listened to the warning, stopping and holding up his hands.

"Hey, it's all right. I won't hurt you," he said, eyeing me. "You look like you're hurt. Maybe I can help."

It was different to be spoken to like a human in this form, but I still didn't quite trust him. The only thing keeping me from leaving was my injuries and the box behind him that seemed to hum and sing comforting things to me—asking me to trust him. I couldn't though, not when I didn't know where those people were—if he was one of them.

He knelt down and I took a small stumbling step back, faltering onto my backside before managing to get my legs back under me.

"Please," he seemed to beg. "Let me help."

He reached a hand out towards me and I reacted on instinct, latching onto his arm with my teeth. He didn't pull away or cry out or anything. Nothing more than a wince, really as I growled and hung on. He brought his other hand up and I flinched, expecting to be hit and yanked off. Instead, his hand settled on my head and ran back, smoothing out my fur slowly.

"It's okay," he repeated, petting me as I quivered in uncertainty. "It's all right, really. I know you're scared. I swear, I only want to help. Will you let me do that?"

The box hummed warmly again and the more the calm man pet me, the more relaxed I felt. I slowly opened my mouth, releasing his arm and pulling back, tail tucked under me, and ears pressed flat against my head. He smiled though, still petting me.

"There you go. See? Not so hard, was it? You're just a small fella, aren't you? Just small and scared and alone. I know how that feels."

It was odd, sensing how upset he suddenly felt. I'd noticed that, with the whole being a dog thing. Humans felt so much, and I noticed it just that much more than I had as a human. And this man, who'd only tried to be kind to me despite my biting and growling was feeling bad about something. I didn't know why, but I felt bad for him. I wanted to help him now and I licked his hand once, eyeing the injury I'd given him uneasily.

I'd never wanted to hurt anyone. Even as a stray dog, I never growled or bit people up until those few started hunting me. And hurting someone who was just trying to help made me feel terrible. He seemed to notice that too and gave me a scratch behind the ear.

"Hey now. It's all right. I'll be fine. It's you I'm worried about. You're hurt and far too skinny."

Something bumped a bin behind me, and I jerked, whipping around out of fear but a cat simply bounded away, so I relaxed.

"You act like something's after you," the man noticed, brows furrowing seriously as he stood. "Well, I'll help you out and maybe drop you off somewhere else. I think I've got a friend who might be willing to take you in."

I didn't expect to be picked up, wiggling for a bit until he held me better to support my slim, injured body.

"Would you like that? A nice clean bill of health and a warm place to live? I don't usually take pets, so I'm not sure how the Tardis will react, but I'm sure it'll be fine."

The short walk to the box had me worried. It wasn't very big and again that uncertainty twisted in my stomach as he opened the door to this Tardis and brought me in. I expected us to be in a small, cramped space but was stunned to see the large interior within. The humming box only seemed to sing louder in joy at my reaction, and even the man holding me raised a brow curiously.

"She likes you then, I see," he muttered under his breath, walking me further in and into another room.

This one was more familiar. Not that I'd ever been in this bigger-on-the-inside box before, but it was hard to misread the white walls and scent of antiseptic. It was a medical room of some sort and the man placed me down on the bed at the center of it cautiously, searching for any sign that I was going to try and leap off. I knew better than that though, and just laid down and licked at a scrape on my front paw as he went about grabbing the things he needed to help me.

"I'm going to need to x-ray that leg of yours," he said, speaking more to himself than me, really. "And depending on how it is, I might need to re-break it to set it properly. Better make sure I get the right amount of anesthesia…"

The thought of having my leg broken again sent my ears back uncertainty on my head. It didn't sound pleasant. I knew what it felt like to break something—having broken my wrist in a climbing accident before. And I'd had enough time in a hospital for a lifetime. Yet, I didn't want to leave. Between this man's sudden kindness and the comforting songs of the Tardis, I felt more at home than I'd ever been.

So, I rested my head on my paws and watched the man going about cleaning my minor injuries and setting up the x-ray. When he took a look at it, he ran a hand through his hair.

"It's old. Very old and was set improperly. Blimey, you've been through the wringer and you're not even a year old. Four or five months max."

Four or five months? At this size? I must be a large dog breed then. I'm about the size of a small pit bull at the moment, but the size of my paws say otherwise. How odd. The man got a mask and came over to me, hesitating as he seemed to debate something. I didn't plan on attacking him again, though I'm sure he didn't know that. From his view, he was going to attempt to sedate a stray who was already scared and practically feral. So, understanding his uneasiness, I decided to help him see I wasn't going to hurt him or ever resist.

I rolled partially onto my back, exposing my underbelly with a small tail wag and a yip. His tense shoulders sagged, and a small smile appeared on his face as he approached and began speaking to me again.

"I'm just going to put this on. It'll help you sleep so you don't feel any pain as I reset your leg. Okay? I'd rather use this than a needle, so hopefully, you'll just stay calm."

And I did, letting him slide the mask over my mouth and nose and hold it still as I breathed in the sleeping agent. I was only a little worried about trusting him so quickly, but the sweet songs of the Tardis brushed away any unease I felt as I slipped into the dark.

The Doctor eyed the little setup the Tardis had made for the young puppy he'd found outside injured, scared and alone. He rubbed at his own bandaged wrist, remembering the dog's uncertain gaze when she had held him, as though she didn't mean to but felt she had no choice. There was little doubt in his mind that the pup had been on the run from something or someone. And judging by how sweet she'd been once she saw he meant no harm; he could only wonder what sort of cruel person would make the pup act aggressively.

Said pup was sleeping off the anesthesia he'd given her in a plush dog bed, covered with a blanket under the jumpseat in the console room. He'd meant to leave her in the medbay, but the Tardis had stubbornly refused to let him leave without the pup and then brought him to the console room to show him the little setup she'd made for the dog. He hadn't expected the ship to be so willing to accept the dog, much less like her enough to do things like this. It made him curious what the Tardis knew that he didn't.

She wasn't a normal dog. He'd figured that out from the start. While he would always talk to himself, she seemed to be actively listening and reacting to his words. He wasn't so dull to believe that dogs couldn't understand human language, but he knew their knowledge of the language only went so far. And typically said understanding required human conditioning. It was how dogs came to understand tricks and commands. This was a young stray puppy though, with little to no human contact to give it any sort of help in understanding the human language. Yet, he swore he saw her ears go back in unease when he'd mentioned rebreaking her leg.

That being said, he now felt uncertain about giving Sarah Jane a call to possibly take the pup in. Not only did he feel the Tardis might disagree with the action, but that burn of curiosity made him want to keep the pup and understand if his thoughts about her were true or if he'd imagined it. And if she was different than your average dog, then by how much and what could have caused her to become this way?

"Suppose I'll have to name her too," he mused as the dog's foot twitched in her sleep. "Any suggestions?" He asked his ship, eyeing the ceiling as the ship hummed in apparent excitement.

The ship flashed a monitor and the Doctor examined it before chuckling.

"All right. That sounds great. Ripley it is. You're awfully keen about this dog, aren't you?"

The ship chimed and flashed its lights and the Doctor shook his head in amusement. It was rare that his ship got so excited about something, so he knew he was definitely stuck keeping the pup. Now, how was he going to explain her to Rose?

I yawned, feeling rather refreshed after finally getting a full night's sleep and stretching my feet only to freeze. My back leg felt odd and I jerked up, twisting to eye the blue cast keeping it still. It took a moment for me to realize that not only was my leg being cared for, but I wasn't on the streets. I wasn't being hunted down and sitting in front of me was a blue bowl with the silver name of "Ripley" on the side of it—full of food that smelled absolutely delicious despite looking like your a-typical dry dog chow.

My mouth watered and I fumbled to get out of the cushiony bed I was in and stand upright to gobble to food down, only to get startled by a chuckle.

"Sorry," the man from before apologized when I paused in eating to eye him. "Don't mind me."

I blinked, mind slowly remembering what had happened before I'd been put to sleep by the man across from me. Right. He helped me. Fixed my leg too by the looks of it, though he wanted to send me away afterward, so why am I here still? And why does this bowl have my name on it? The ship hummed and my ear twitched, sensing that said ship was rather proud of the fact that it'd apparently done this. I gave the ceiling a small frown before continuing to eat—missing the man's raised brow at my actions.

Upon finishing my meal, feeling full for the first time in a long while, I turned my attention to the man as he watched me. We had a bit of a staring contest for a while before he smiled and turned to the control panel in the center of the room.

"So, I was thinking," he hummed, pressing buttons and flipping switches as the Tardis let out a deep "bong" and began to rumble. "My ship seems to like you well enough. Set up a bed, picked your name, the whole deal. I doubt she'd let me drop you off with a friend, at least, not until you're all healed up. So, I suppose you're stuck with me, Ripley."

I stood on wobbly legs, a bit unnerved about the fact that the box was quaking and—Hold on. Did he say, "ship?"

"Thing is, I actually hadn't meant to pop up in that alley. I was aiming for my companion's flat, really. Don't know what she's going to think of you, but I can't keep her waiting long before she'll get antsy and complain when I do finally get around to dropping back in," the man continued to ramble as I just laid back on the bed instead of risking falling over.

This box is a ship? A-An alien ship? T-Then, he must be… I was actually handling this new information quite well, to be honest. I was a bit dazed—not that he could tell. You know—dog. But I'd started to see the signs rather quickly now that he'd mentioned it. He smelled… different. Like a human, but off in a way I couldn't explain. Add the whole transdimensional box and beyond-human technology from the medbay, and it was a wonder I hadn't suspected anything before. Though, I was rather out of it, to be honest. Now though, my mind was clear, belly full, and as the ship gave a final "thud" and wheeze, I had calmed down.

The man hadn't noticed my momentary panic and simply bounded for the door and grabbed his coat. On instinct, I got up—ready to follow the first person who provided me safety—but he paused and turned to me with a stern finger.

"Stay. I'll be right back. I'm just going to get my companion," he said, being sure to repeat the command. "Stay."

A little miffed that he'd gone from talking to me like a person to treating me like a disobedient pup, I sat with a huff and gave him an annoyed look as he hurried out. I sat and waited patiently, or as patiently as I could. I fidgeted, not used to sitting still for so long, and considered wandering the ship's halls. I didn't, only because I was concerned I'd get lost before the man returned or get kicked out for not doing as he said.

It was an annoying change from how I had been in my past life. I was very much a free spirit. And even when I was first a dog here, it was fun. I got to travel as I wanted, see and experience things at my own pace without ever having to wait on someone or be told how to do things. And as I sat there, I began to wonder if maybe I should just make a run for it.

The ship grumbled then and I winced, ducking my head and flicking my ears back at the Tardis's complaint. Apparently, the ship knew what I'd been thinking and disapproved. I'm beginning to think I'm more the ship's pet than the man's. The chime I received in response only confirmed this fact, and before I could voice my complaints to the ship, the door opened, and two people strolled in.

"Seriously, though? A dog?" A blonde woman questioned.

"Really. See for yourself."

The woman and I exchanged glances—her eyes widening in disbelief as she turned back to the amused man.

"Doctor, there's really a dog."

He's a doctor? I mean, he fixed me up pretty well, but I didn't expect him to have a title.

"Told you. Though technically, I suppose she's the Tardis's. She's rather attached. The ship, not the dog."

The woman knelt down before me, offering a hand and I stood, taking a hesitant step back, disappointing her.

"She's a bit scared, Rose. You're going to have to go slow with her. I found her on the streets running from something. I'm not sure she's had much—if any—friendly human contact."

Rose retracted her hand but didn't stand—just looking up at him. "What's her name?"

"Ripley, according to the Tardis."

Rose chuckled. "I'm starting to wonder who's really in charge here."

"Oi," he whined, not looking offended at all by the jab.

While they'd been distracted talking, I'd taken a few cautious steps forward to sniff at Rose. Dogs had a strange intuition about people and despite my earlier hesitation, I felt that she wasn't a bad person, but I had to be careful. It wouldn't do to make friends with the wrong person and end up in the same sort of danger that I was in before this Doctor found me.

I noticed the silence then and peered up, finding both their gazes on me. They'd noticed. I shrank back a bit, but the Doctor knelt down next to Rose and head out a hand, coaxing me over.

"Come on, Ripley. This is a good friend of mine, Rose Tyler. She's my companion. I swear you're completely safe with us."

I wasn't entirely certain I could trust either of them, really. But the Doctor had helped me and if Rose was a good friend of his, then I suppose I would have to offer her the same consideration. So, begrudgingly, I approached. I stuck more to the Doctor than her—plopping down in front of him and leaning into a head scratch from him. Rose too had reached out, pausing when I glanced at her, but I closed my eyes again and allowed her to run her fingers over my back.

"She's a bit… grungy," Rose commented, retracting her hand with a small disgusted grimace.

"I was going to bathe her when she got up but thought she should meet you first." The Doctor shrugged, standing. "Suppose now's as good a time as ever. Let's hope she's the kind that enjoys them."

And I did, really. The Doctor was surprisingly good about keeping the soap out of my eyes and the water out of my ears. I sat still for them to scrub at me and only fidgeted a bit when the Doctor went about cleaning my ears, brushing my teeth, and trimming my nails. Once cleaned, trimmed, and dried the duo sat back and tipped their heads as they watched me.

"She's… like a brand-new dog," Rose muttered, and the Doctor bobbed his head with a grin.

"And I'm sure she feels much better too, now that her fur isn't all tangled and smelly."

I shook out my fur, rather pleased, as he'd said. I no longer smelled like the garbage bag I'd slept on, and my nails didn't click on the floor anymore. And having my teeth cleaned as a dog was more interesting and stress relieving than I expected. It reminded me of my past life when I'd return to civilization for a day or two between wilderness trips. A hot shower, hair trim, and clean change of clothes was always a welcome reprieve after weeks of washing in a stream and wearing the same clothes for days on end.

"So, what's next?" Rose asked, brushing her hands off on her jeans and looking at the Doctor. "I mean, we usually go on adventures, but with her…"

The Doctor shrugged. "She can come with us."

"But her leg…"

"Hm. Good point."

What the hell are they talking about? Adventures? And Rose is human. How did she end up with an alien for a friend? I eyed the two as they lightly bickered about what to do next.

"We could always just leave her in the Tardis."

Oh, hell no. I waited for ten minutes for you two to come back, and I could barely do that. Although, with my leg like this, I can't exactly do anything adventurous, as they said. I huffed moving back to my bed and plopping down into it, knowing that I wasn't about to get my way. House arrest it was. They must have noticed too, and the Doctor let out a small sigh, patting my head with a soft smile.

"Sorry, Ripley. Your leg should be mostly better in a few days thanks to that cast, so you'll just have to wait."

I grumbled, earning a short chuckle from him before he began to work the controls and send the ship off. I lifted my head as the two waved their farewells before getting up with a stretch. Well, I'd they don't want to take me on an adventure, then I'll go on one myself. I went towards the door, eyeing the handle and wondering if I'd be able to open it, only for the ship to let out a grumble. Or not, I mentally huffed heading back for my bed since the ship was refusing to let me out apparently. Then, I spotted lights.

The Tardis had a different sort of adventure in mind and started leading me through the many halls. I was shown all sorts of different rooms. A library, a kitchen, a sort of trampoline-bounce house section, you name it! It was amazing and also a bit terrifying. I was only now beginning to realize my situation. I'd been reincarnated into a dog, hunted down, and picked up by an alien with a bigger-on-the-inside ship that looked like a blue telephone box. My life had been turned completely upside-down.

The more I wandered, the more I began to brood over my situation. I wondered if my parents were mourning over me or if they were in any way relieved that I had died doing what I enjoyed instead of trapped in a hospital. I never had many friends, so I didn't have to worry about that, but this Doctor person seemed to be trying to get close. Was it because I was a dog? What about the me trapped inside the dog?

I bowed my head, feeling as though this new body wasn't really as great as I thought it was. Yes, I'd wanted to go off and enjoy myself traveling and whatnot, but I wanted to get to know people too. Being a stray mutt wasn't going to help with that. Being with the Doctor? I honestly wasn't sure. He seemed nice enough, but again, most likely because I was a dog.

I trailed back to my bed and sank into it, curling up and ignoring the way the Tardis seemed to sense my mood and hum in concern. The Doctor and Rose returned in good spirits, laughing joyfully and chatting. The Doctor called out to me at some point, kneeling beside my bed, but I kept my back to him, and he assumed I was asleep. Rose soon went off to rest and the Doctor, unfortunately, stuck around to fiddle with the console controls and do—probably unneeded—maintenance.

I was stuck in this depressing funk for the next few days, turning my nose up at food and rarely leaving my bed unless it was needed for my occasional bathroom breaks in the Tardis garden. The Doctor and Rose started to notice my foul mood after day two and did what they could to fake enthusiasm in order to get me up out of bed, but I just didn't feel up to it. Suddenly, nothing felt right or joyful or exciting. I was stuck as a dog that had no one but two kind strangers who didn't know who I really was.

Then, the Doctor was at my side. It was day four and I was tired, only slightly hungry after having not eaten more than a bite of my food—which they'd changed to chicken in an attempt to get me eating. He ran his hand over my head and body a few times before the familiar buzz of his "sonic" reached my ears. My cast was removed and as nice as that was, I didn't want to go anywhere. What was the point? I had no one to share my travels with and no traveling had been done since I was stuck in this box.

I gave the Doctor a glance over my shoulder. He was smiling softly in concern but also with a bit of understanding. I didn't quite know why until he placed a hand on my head.

"Do you want to go out?" He asked, and I hesitated.

Was he asking if I wanted to go to the bathroom? If I wanted to go on a walk? If I wanted to leave? Going to the bathroom wasn't needed at the moment—not that he knew that. So, a walk? I didn't want to, honestly, but as he continued to stare, I knew I wasn't going to be able to refuse.

I let out a soft sigh and stood, encouraging him as he bounded for the door with me walking calmly beside him.

"Rose! We're going out! Be back in a mo!" He called out to the Tardis, not bothering to wait and see if she responded as we stepped out onto the grass.

I hadn't felt the soft grass on my paws in a while, used to the concrete jungle that was London. I took a second to enjoy it, bringing the Doctor to a stop and earning a soft look. It still smelled like London and judging by the benches nearby, we were probably in Central Park or some other park nearby. I inhaled deeply, closing my eyes and glad to be out of the box for the first time in days. Soon, I lowered my nose to the ground and began sniffing about—as dogs do—learning about where I was and who had been there. I hadn't noticed the Doctor heading for the doors to the Tardis once more, giving me a solemn look from over his shoulder.

When I heard the Tardis start to leave though, I perked up and whipped around in shock. He's leaving? No. No, no, no, no. He can't leave! Don't leave me! Doctor! I barked—the first time in my life as a dog, frantically rushing for the blue box, but it was gone by the time I reached its doors. I didn't know what to do. It must have been a mistake, right? Was it because I was mourning? Did… Did he think that I was sad because I was with him in the Tardis? I didn't feel trapped. I just… I just wanted… I let out a whine, sinking to the grass and resisting the urge to cry. I had finally gotten a taste of what it was like to live normally—as a dog, anyway—and how it felt to have someone care and worry about me.

I laid there in the hopes that the ship would return, but as the sunset and a chilly wind blew by, I begrudgingly left my patch of grass to find shelter—tucking myself under a park bench with a bush blocking out most of the wind. I refused to wander far from where I'd been abandoned for the next few days, living off forgotten sandwiches and a pigeon or two. I'd gotten comfortable though, forgetting the danger I had been in while in London before. So, it was only a matter of time before I'd been caught.

A bite pole had been used to wrap a metal cord around my neck when I'd been sniffing a tree. I struggled violently, growling, and wailing as the person who had me called out to another two men who were bringing up a large kennel. I did what I could to try and get away, but the pole made it impossible as I was shoved into the crate and hefted into the back of a van.

I was scared, petrified of what was happening. I had no idea where I was going, who these people were or why they wanted me. The fear from before the Doctor had picked me up returned full force and I quivered in the back of the crate as I was brought into a building. I was carried into another room and the kennel door was open, but I didn't dare move. Instead, I was prodded out by poles and forced onto the metal floor of a slightly larger kennel.

I growled in the back as a blonde woman approached the front and eyed me.

"This is her?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Someone must have picked her up. She's in better condition than before, and wasn't her leg broken?"

"Yes. It's fully repaired now though."

"It's only been a few days," she murmured. "Curious."

Dammit. The Doctor fixed it up with some weird alien tech, and they think I did it somehow. Not good. I'm just a dog! Why can't you all believe that! I lunged forward when she leaned towards me, baring my teeth threateningly in a warning to leave me be. She just flinched slightly which made me proud I'd gotten the point across and spoke with the other man.

"Tests will begin tomorrow, and the training will start after that. We need results, is that understood?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good."

It wasn't supposed to be like this. They just never stopped. What choice did I have? I withstood it for as long as I could, but I wouldn't last. My body wouldn't hold out if I did and I was scared of dying again. What if I didn't get reborn this time? What if I died and there was just nothing? I hadn't lived in this body for long. Not even for a dog. I just wanted to be free. To travel and do whatever I wanted without worry about my heart giving out or people torturing me.

That's what this was, honestly. Torture. The constant tests, the brutal training with shock collars set too high and wires that dig into my skin when tightened. Being pinned to the floor, beaten, attacked when commands aren't done right or at all. I resisted for three months. They starved me, muzzled me, worked me to the ground. I was positive I was undergoing growth problems. I hadn't gained any weight or height since I was reborn, and now I was going on eight months old.

I never hated anyone more than I hate Yvonne, the blonde woman in charge of the facility I was in. She oversaw my training once they'd gotten me to the point of cooperation. She'd been the first to get me out of the room where I'd been kept and when I saw the storage area full of alien technology, I felt anger run through my veins. I bit three staff members that day and subsequently had food removed for almost a week and was thrown into a dogfighting ring for the evening.

I was getting slightly better now, though I questioned every day of it was worth it. It didn't feel like living. It was forced slavery. I served as Yvonne's personal guard dog—not that she needed one—and entertainment. They found nothing special about me through their tests, after all. I was physically a dog. Mentally, they had no way of knowing other than what they saw, but I could still pass as just above average intelligence. They didn't know I understood everything they said.

There was one door I never liked though. Yvonne had noticed my reaction to it and my refusal to have anything to do with the room. I didn't know what was in it, but it unnerved me in ways I didn't understand. Dogs had instincts too complex for me to follow sometimes and this was one of those times.

There was a scientist who worked in there though, who I spotted on occasion. He was someone who didn't smell like the others. He was a good person and I couldn't figure out what he was doing in a place full of bad people. He was the sole person who I allowed to touch me without struggle. And if it weren't for the punishments and the muzzle I was forced to wear when outside my kennel, I would have attacked at least every person in here once.

More time passed and with each passing day, I grew more and more downtrodden. If Yvonne noticed, she hardly cared, though she was having me stay in her office with her more and more—going back to my kennel at night only now. Unfortunately, it gave me a view of what her company was doing, and I didn't like it one bit.

From what I understood, they were opening a hole in the universe that let through ghost-like creatures all over the world. I didn't like them though. They were unreadable. They weren't people or good or bad. They just were and everything about my dog instincts was against it. It made me wonder how animals in other areas reacted to them. If they alerted their owners that they were wrong or if their owners just ignored them.

And I began to think about the Doctor too; what he would think of this or if he'd care. I didn't know aliens or even him personally. He might just return to his home and leave Earth to its own troubles. It'd be the smart thing to do if you didn't want to get noticed, but the Doctor seemed like someone who went looking for trouble. And thinking about him for too long made me angry. He'd left me in this situation without a second thought, and despite knowing it wasn't his intention, I couldn't help but blame him for what had happened just because he didn't understand me.

Today though, things had begun to change. People were on high alert. Yvonne was at the helm, leading them towards something that hadn't been vocalized enough for me to know what it was. Then, she was grinning and took me with her and a number of armed guards down to the storage room. I expected a prison vehicle to drop off another toy for her to torture. Instead, I got the warm apologetic hum of a very familiar blue police box.

Yvonne has noticed me perk up but didn't comment as the Doctor himself stepped out with his hands raised and his gaze intense. I wanted to lunge at him and either attack him or cry. Already, I was at the end of my leash—collar digging into my neck as I stared at him with the smallest amount of hope in my chest. Surely, he'd come to save me, right? I didn't want to be here anymore. I wanted to be with him.

Except, he didn't even notice me. Not once did he look my way as he spoke to Yvonne and pulled out a woman he claimed to be Rose. She obviously wasn't to me, though I assumed it was her mother judging by her smell and similar features. It made me realize that he hadn't come for me. He'd come to stop what was happening here. And I wondered if he'd even gone back to look for me at all.

My perked ears sagged, and my once upright tail slowly drifted down as I sat at Yvonne's side and turned my gaze to the ground. I was stupid to get my hopes up. That's what had nearly killed me here in the first place. Hope only got me hurt. Doctor or no. And when he finally did notice me, I made sure to ignore him completely, that anger boiling beneath my skin.

"That's a, uh, nice dog," he commented as we walked, and I kept my gaze to the floor.

"Oh, she's just a mutt we picked up off the streets," Yvonne waved off. "Got her trained really well, but she's still very aggressive. Attacked multiple staff, meaning the muzzle is necessary at all times."

The Doctor watched me, and I could smell how upset he was and I hated it. He should feel guilty. It's his fault I'm here to begin with.

"Isn't she a bit small?" Rose's mum questioned.

"She's undergone a lot of stress and we think it's stunted her growth."

"She's rather thin too."

"She gets checked by one of our staff for health issues every week. She's fine."

Liar. Why are you lying? To not upset the Doctor? He already knows and is upset. Why are you afraid of him? Do you know he's alien? And if so, just how powerful is he to make your hand grip my leash so tightly? I mused before pulling to a halt. We were outside that door again and I refused to budge.

Yvonne glared, threatening me silently and I begrudgingly went in with them. I hate it the instant I saw it. The sphere made me was to cower and vomit, and I didn't care what punishment I got as I pulled to a halt once more.

"She doesn't like it," the Doctor noted, eyeing me curiously. "You shouldn't force her."

Yvonne grit her teeth before letting out a sigh. "Samuel, you can deal with her, correct? Take her outside and wait for me."

Said man stepped forward, earning a curious look of recognition from the Doctor as he took my leash and I happily escaped the room with him. Once outside, I sat down and stared solemnly at the ground. I flinched when a hand rested on my head and gave Samuel a small glance as he smiled softly.

"It'll be alright. Now that the Doctor is here, this whole mess will get sorted quickly. You'll be able to get out of here, probably."

I don't want to get out of here. I'm tired of having to fight for survival. I want to go with him, but he doesn't even care. I sighed softly, before peeking up as the Doctor stepped back out and strolled right past us as Yvonne called out.

"No, Doctor."

He turned back around—having gone the wrong way—but paused before Samuel and I, holding out his hand.

"I'll take her."

Samuel hesitated, and Yvonne stepped over, making me stiffen.

"Don't, Doctor. She's rather picky with who is allowed to handle her."

"Well, it would help if she wasn't muzzled and punished for being herself," he snapped at her, kneeling down in front of me as I eyed him hesitantly. "Does she have a name?"

"She's not a pet," Yvonne grumbled, and he cracked a smirk.

"Well then, Ripley, can I take your muzzle off?"

"Doctor I don't believe that's wise."

He ignored her and held out his hand. "Please, Ripley."

But you left me. You left me to this. Yet, the look in his eyes showed me how apologetic he was, how much guilt he was feeling. So, despite my hesitation, I stepped forward and let him touch my head. His fingers were soft and gentle against my fur as he slowly undid the muzzle and slid it off my face. I licked my lips a few times, opening my mouth after not being able to for the last eight hours. Then, his hand ran down my head in a familiar and comforting notion.

I hadn't expected him to remove the shock collar and leash as well, but he did with a soft smile.

"Doctor, we can't allow her off-leash or without a muzzle in order to protect my staff," Yvonne argued, but the Doctor stood, facing her calmly.

"Dogs are rarely aggressive without reason. And she'll be sticking by my side, won't you, Ripley?"

In response, I moved so I was right next to his leg and sat. While I hadn't yet forgiven him for abandoning me earlier, he was far more trustworthy than Yvonne. Said woman scowled but quickly covered it up by adjusting her suit jacket and heading off. The Doctor sent me a beaming smile and started off after her as I plodded along at his side. Any staff we passed looked hesitant, of course, but I kept my gaze focused ahead of us as we walked.

"You seem awfully familiar with each other," Yvonne commented, glancing between the Doctor and me as we got into a lift.

"Oh, we've met, actually. Took her in and fixed up her leg."

"And then you let her return to being a stray. How… kind of you," Yvonne mocked him, and he winced.

It upset me that she was getting to him—only I was allowed to guilt him over what he did to me—and I made sure that I placed myself between her and him for the rest of our walk back to her office. It was then though, that I noticed something off. A scent in the air.

I stopped following them, pausing just outside her office as I tried to locate and understand what it was I was smelling. A sort of metal but also… something else. Something… decaying. They had started talking about a wall at the end of the room that I knew was where they brought those ghosts from, but I was sniffing the air and smelling the floor for the source of the smell. I had just gotten under one of the chairs for a worker typing away at a computer, unnoticed, when Yvonne spotted me.

"Hey! Heel!"

I cringed, reacting as if I was still wearing the shock collar and expecting punishment if I didn't do as she said, rushing out from under the chair and nearly ending up right at her side if I hadn't caught the Doctor's scent just as I passed. That's right. I'm safe. I don't have to listen to her anymore.

"I said, heel."

I stiffened but didn't move the last few steps and thankfully the Doctor came up beside me.

"Hold on, now. She's all right. Look. They didn't even notice and it's not as if she did anything to them."

I glanced back at the woman and just as he'd said, she hadn't reacted. It was wrong. Very wrong. Everyone here was afraid of me. They always flinched or moved as far away as possible, yet she hadn't so much as made a sound. There was no scent of fear either, just that metallic smell I'd been trying to track down. I didn't like it. I knew it was wrong and the Doctor seemed to notice my hesitation as well when Yvonne stepped out of her office and I moved back out towards the suspicious smelling woman.

"Ripley, what are you doing? What is it?" The Doctor asked, stepping back towards me and kneeling to my level which unnerved me for a second before I relaxed again.

Kneeling was always an iffy thing to do with a dog. It either made them feel more comfortable because you made yourself vulnerable or it made them feel threatened. He appeared larger to me for a moment before my mind relaxed my canine instincts and I looked back to the woman with furrowed brows.

"She's just being stubborn," Yvonne waved off. "I wouldn't be bothered with her."

"Well, I think she's come across something that we haven't figured out yet. Dogs have amazing senses, you know. How does she react to the ghost shift?"

"She wants nothing to do with it. Stays tucked away in my office and just watches. Nothing special. I tend to not allow her too close to the staff or the equipment."

He hummed, though his expression was pinched. "Cancel it."

"I don't think so," Yvonne scoffed.

"I'm warning you, cancel it."

"Oh, exactly as the legends would have it. The Doctor, lording it over us. Assuming alien authority over the Rights of Man," she mocked, and he stepped around to the other side of the glass divider of her office.

"Let me show you. Sphere comes through." He used his sonic to break the glass, cracks scattering outward. "But when it made the hole, it cracked the world around it. The entire surface of this dimension splintered. And that's how the ghosts get through. That's how they get everywhere. They're bleeding through the fault lines. Walking from their world, across the Void, and into yours, with the human race hoping and wishing and helping them along. But too many ghosts, and…"

The glass shattered with a tap of his finger and I made sure to keep my sensitive paws away from the shards, backing up further away from the office.

Yvonne didn't look impressed. "Well, in that case, we'll have to be more careful. Positions! Ghost Shift in one minute," she called out to everyone as the Doctor bristled, making me shrink down cautiously.

"Miss Hartman, I am asking you, please don't do it."

"We have done this a thousand times."

"Then stop at a thousand!" He shouted as I flinched.

"We're in control of the ghosts. The levers can open the breach, but equally, they can close it."

"Okay," he said suddenly, all hint of anger gone, and his eyes met my fearful ones apologetically.

"Sorry?" Yvonne questioned as he once again knelt down and coaxed me over.

"Never mind. As you were."

I approached him and winced when he scooped me up, carrying me past the shattered glass and back into the office where he plopped into a chair with me on his lap. I only relaxed when his hand began to softly run down my back calmly.

"What, is that it?" Yvonne questioned.

"No, fair enough. Said my bit. Don't mind me. Any chance of a cup of tea?"

"Ghost Shift in twenty seconds." The suspicious woman called out from her desk, earning a small flinch from me that had the Doctor pausing his petting when he saw me eyeing her.

"Mmm, can't wait to see it," he mumbled, watching her as well now while Yvonne tried to figure out what he was planning.

"You can't stop us, Doctor."

"No, absolutely not. Pull up a chair, Rose," he said to Rose's mum. "Come and watch the fireworks."

"Ghost Shift in ten seconds. Nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two—"

"Stop the shift. I said stop," Yvonne ordered the woman finally and the machine powered down, making the Doctor crack a small smile.

"Thank you."

"I suppose it makes sense to get as much intelligence as possible. But the program will recommence, as soon as you've explained everything."

"I'm glad to be of help."

"And someone clear up this glass. They did warn me, Doctor. They said you like to make a mess."

I was grateful the glass was swept away, giving me the chance to leave the office if I wanted to without risking my poor paw pads. However, I was still eyeing the woman at her desk. She was typing, I noticed. At a pace that wasn't needed for anything other than the Ghost Shift. I would know. I'd been stuck in this office day in and day out, and the only time the tick-tacking of their fingers went this fast were the few times they were preparing the Ghost Shift. But Yvonne told them to stop it, so why? And it's not just this woman. There are two others. Do they smell like her too? I fidgeted a bit, wanting to go see but unsure whether I'd be allowed to when the Doctor still had me in his lap.

Thankfully, he seemed to notice and placed me on the ground only for Yvonne to draw his attention away and towards her computer. Rose has been found. Thing is, Yvonne had also spotted me and scowled.

"What is that damn dog doing now?"

I was over at the man's desk now, sniffing his ankle and pulling away with my ears back on my head and lips lifted in a small snarl. Him too. They all are. They're dead. But how are they typing when they're dead? I growled low in my throat, making Yvonne and the Doctor get up and head over.

"She's threatening my staff. I'm going to have her put back in her kennel before she hurts someone. Guard!"

"No, wait! She's figured something out. Look. They're starting the Ghost Shift!"

Yvonne stared in shock as the levers went down and a scientist struggled to stop it. "Excuse me? Everyone? I thought I said stop the ghost shift. Who started the program? But I ordered you to stop!" She wailed going up to the woman I'd noticed before. "Who's doing that? Right, step away from the monitors, everyone. Gareth, Addy, stop what you're doing, right now. Matt, step away from your desk. That's an order! Stop the levers! Andrew! Stop the levers!"

"Those are the ones Ripley was growling at," the Doctor realized, scanning the woman with his sonic. "She can't hear you. They're overriding the system. We're going into Ghost Shift. It's the earpiece. It's controlling them. I've seen this before. Sorry. I'm so sorry."

The trio screamed before falling over dead, making me only slightly relax as the Doctor gave me a soft smile.

"You could smell it, couldn't you? Like a cadaver dog. You knew they were dead but didn't understand how they were acting alive."

Oh, now you figure it out? I mentally scoffed, snorting from my nose and turning my gaze to the wall where the Ghost Shift was about to happen. I'm worried though. If they were being controlled, then someone wants the Ghost Shift to happen. And I doubt this will be the same as before.

"What about the Ghost Shift?" The Doctor asked, following my gaze.

"Ninety percent there and still running. Can't you stop it?" Yvonne presses as he sat at the computer and began typing.

"They're still controlling it. They've hi-jacked the system."

"Who's they?"

"It might be a remote transmitter but it's got to be close by. I can trace it. Jackie, stay here!" He called out to Rose's mum and when I went to follow, he pointed at her. "Ripley, keep her safe. I trust you on that, okay?"

I hesitated, not wanting to listen because I didn't exactly know Jackie but begrudgingly moving within a foot of her and sitting. She eyed me warily as the Doctor sighed.

"She'll keep you safe, Jackie. Believe it or not, but she really is a good dog."

"Yeah, all right, but I'm not happy about it," Jackie huffed, folding her arms over her chest as he hurried out with Yvonne on his heels.

I don't like this. Not one bit. Something is happening and I don't understand what it is or what to expect. It's alien, I guess. Don't know what else it could be. My entire world was turned upside down after being reincarnated into a dog in a world where aliens fly around in bigger-on-the-inside telephone boxes. Now, there are ghost things controlling dead people. I swallowed thickly, eyeing the Ghost Shift wall uneasily with my ears still flattened against my head. What do I do?

The Doctor wasn't gone long, but fear rolled in my stomach as two stomping robots of some kind stormed in with him, aiming weapons at him and Yvonne.

"Get away from the machines!" The Doctor called out. "Do what they say! Don't fight them!"

What are they? Why is this happening? I-I don't understand! I mentally wailed, tucking myself between the Doctor's legs and trying to make myself as small as possible. He gave me a sympathetic glance and cringed when the scientists who had been trying to stop the Ghost Shift were vaporized.

"What are they?" Jackie asked, standing back with us with her hands up in surrender like the Doctor's.

The lead robot responded. "We are the Cybermen. The Ghost Shift will be increased to one hundred percent."

The levers went all the way down, turning on the machine and practically blinding us with the light it emitted.

"Here come the ghosts," the Doctor murmured ominously.

"But these Cybermen, what've they got to do with the ghosts?" Jackie questioned and the Doctor scowled.

"Do you never listen? A footprint doesn't look like a boot. They're Cybermen. All of the ghosts are Cybermen. Millions of them, right across the world."

Yvonne happens as the ghosts before us turned into more of the Cybermen. "They're invading the whole planet."

"It's not an invasion. It's too late for that. It's a victory."

W-What do we do? I wondered, my mind coming up with no possible ways of getting out of this, much less as a dog.

"But I don't understand," the Doctor said then, being braver than I would ever be as he spoke to the Cybermen. "The Cybermen don't have the technology to build a Void Ship. That's way beyond you. How did you create that sphere?"

"The sphere is not ours."

"What?"

"The sphere broke down the barriers between worlds. We only followed. Its origin is unknown."

"Then what's inside it?"

"Rose is down there," Jackie breathed.

And Samuel. The one worker here I trusted. I fidgeted uneasily, unable to help the small quiet whines I was giving out as the Doctor argued with one of the Cybermen before returning to my side and giving me a comforting pat of the head.

"It'll be okay, Ripley. Just stick by me and don't act up, all right?" He soothed but I looked at him in disbelief.

Fine? You call this, fine? I may be a dog, but I'm not stupid! How the hell can you expect me to believe we'll get out of this in any way other than being vaporized by this lot! Things only seemed to get worse when apparently another set of robots were added into the mix—these ones sending fear into the Doctor that I could smell a mile off. Oh, and things just keep getting worse, don't they?

The two groups appeared to be fighting though, which I thought might have been a good thing if I didn't know any better. These were two obviously powerful creatures who just declared war on one another with Earth in the middle of it all. There was no way there wouldn't be casualties. Then, the worst thing.

"Quarantine the Sphere chamber. Start emergency upgrading. Begin with these personnel."

Two robots grabbed Yvonne and Jackie, putting me on the alert, though none went for the Doctor.

"Stop them! I don't want to go! You promised me! You gave me your word!"

"I demand you leave that woman alone! I won't help you if you hurt her," the Doctor declared, and I suddenly hated how loyal dogs could be.

All I could think about was him telling me to protect Jackie. All the training sessions I had in order to learn how to protect Yvonne. And all my instincts screamed at me that I couldn't let them get hurt. We were all going to die anyway, right? I was only a dog and if I could give them just that much more time, then I had to try.

So, I rushed out from between the Doctor's legs and moved between the women and the Cybermen, growling as threateningly as I could. The fur on my back stood on end to make me appear as big as I could, though my tail remained tucked under my legs because my God was I scared to death. The Cybermen themselves seemed rather confused but the Doctor looked at me petrified.

"R-Ripley. Ripley, come here. It's okay. I swear they'll be okay. I'll think of something."

No. No, it won't be okay. I'm sorry, Doctor, but you can't fool me. I-I'm scared but I'll do my best because you cared about me. And I think I owe you this much, don't I? I stared down the Cybermen for only a moment though, before the inevitable happened. Something solid rammed into my side like a brick wall and I was thrown through the air—slamming into a desk and crumpling to the ground.

"Ripley!"