On Fan-fictions
I have always found fan-fictions to be an interesting genre. They start off in the universe where the characters exist, whether it be ours, the future, or a fantasy. The premise itself is quite clever. Create a story involving the characters from whatever the fandom is based on. The writer(s) for the show, book, movie, ect. can't possibly cover all storylines. Some of them are just too complicated, gruesome, or hard to show. Some cross into other universes (and by this, I mean cross-overs), making it nigh-impossible to accomplish this in reality.
So there they start, where all of them start. They begin writing, developing plot and storyline. Then, it happens. The inevitable. The fan-fiction moves away from the original universe. Sure, it may be slow at first, but eventually, it no longer even exists in the same universe as the show. The main characters become someone different. They begin to develop different personalities, different traits. The universe in which the story takes place begins to shift away from the show. By the end, no one is the same. It has moved away from the show and taken its own form. It is no longer part of the original universe. It is now its own universe; it is its own show.
But sometimes, it doesn't happen. Sometimes, the writers of fan-fictions are clever. They find a way to avoid the inevitable, doing what few have accomplished: it fits in with the show's universe. It becomes part of the show, not taking its own identity. The characters remain the same. The universe remains the same. It doesn't contradict the show. It is the show.
Few shows have the flexibility to allow this. Even fewer fan-fictions have accomplished this.
That, of course, is why I love Doctor Who. The show is 50 years old. The Doctor is over 2000. What happened in those uncounted years? What about the untold stories with River Song? The adventures they don't show? How much time did the Doctor really spend between companions, travelling alone? What stories haven't they shown? The gaps are wide enough that no amount of content can fill it. That is why I enjoy reading the fan-fictions. Now, not every one of them is successful, in fact, few are. Some stay in the Doctor's universe.
I don't write fan-fictions. Sure, I enjoy reading them every now and again, but I have never wrote any. Of course, how could I resist when I finally found an idea too brilliant to pass up? How could I stop myself from filling in the gaps of Doctor Who at least a little bit? How could I stop myself writing something I believe could become part of the show?
So there they start, where all of them start. They begin writing, developing plot and storyline. Then, it happens. The inevitable. The fan-fiction moves away from the original universe. Sure, it may be slow at first, but eventually, it no longer even exists in the same universe as the show. The main characters become someone different. They begin to develop different personalities, different traits. The universe in which the story takes place begins to shift away from the show. By the end, no one is the same. It has moved away from the show and taken its own form. It is no longer part of the original universe. It is now its own universe; it is its own show.
But sometimes, it doesn't happen. Sometimes, the writers of fan-fictions are clever. They find a way to avoid the inevitable, doing what few have accomplished: it fits in with the show's universe. It becomes part of the show, not taking its own identity. The characters remain the same. The universe remains the same. It doesn't contradict the show. It is the show.
Few shows have the flexibility to allow this. Even fewer fan-fictions have accomplished this.
That, of course, is why I love Doctor Who. The show is 50 years old. The Doctor is over 2000. What happened in those uncounted years? What about the untold stories with River Song? The adventures they don't show? How much time did the Doctor really spend between companions, travelling alone? What stories haven't they shown? The gaps are wide enough that no amount of content can fill it. That is why I enjoy reading the fan-fictions. Now, not every one of them is successful, in fact, few are. Some stay in the Doctor's universe.
I don't write fan-fictions. Sure, I enjoy reading them every now and again, but I have never wrote any. Of course, how could I resist when I finally found an idea too brilliant to pass up? How could I stop myself from filling in the gaps of Doctor Who at least a little bit? How could I stop myself writing something I believe could become part of the show?
A Doctor Who Fan-Fic
It was the eve of Christmas and all throughout the house, not a person was stirring; well, except for me. I was lying in my bed, waiting for Santa to come. This was my second year where I questioned the existence of Santa. My friends seemed convinced, but I wasn't so sure. Last year, I had decided to stay up and try and catch Santa Claus. I had fallen asleep and missed it, but not this year. This year I was determined to catch him.
I laid in my bed, unable to find a comfortable position in which to lay. I tossed and turned silently, keeping an ear tuned to any noise I might hear. I wasn't looking for the creaks of the old house, nor for the wind tapping the windows at uneven intervals. No, I was listening for any odd sound. The thump of reindeer hooves on the roof, maybe the quiet whoosh of them landing in the snow; any hint of the red-nosed man who might come.
I stood out of my bed and peeked out of the frosted window. The small cul-de-sac was dark. There were no street lamps here as we were many miles away from the city. It had snowed earlier that night so the street was covered in an untouched, glistening blanket of snow. The moon shyly glanced out of a light cloud cover, just enough to obscure shapes rather than clarify them. I sighed quietly and then sat down on my bed. I looked at my clock; 11:19. It was later than last year, but maybe too early for Santa. I laid back on my bed, shivering slightly.
Then, I heard a noise. It was almost lost in the silence, but then it grew. It couldn't be described; it sounded like nothing I had ever heard before. I jumped out of bed and ran to the window. I looked out and saw something sitting in the middle of the circle of our road. I couldn't make out what it was, but it certainly looked like it might be a sleigh. I quickly grabbed my slippers and a robe and opened my window. I hopped out and cautiously approached the object.
A door opened on the box and a man peered out. He said something that I couldn't make out, but it sounded like some surprise, disappointment, and a little hint of sadness. He turned around and closed the door, but then opened it again. I froze about thirty-five yards out. He looked in my direction and waved. He was wearing a brown trench coat and a blue suit jacket. He gestured towards me, trying to get me to come closer. I took a step, paused, then another.
"Well, don't be shy!" he shouted.
Step by step, I approached the blue box. I paused once again about twenty-five yards out. I stood straight up and began to talk quietly to him.
"Are you Santa?" I asked, barely audible.
"What did you say?" he asked back.
"What are you doing here?" I asked a bit louder.
"I don't know really, I got lost," he answered. He had a slight Scottish accent. I wasn't really familiar with accents other than my own and had a hard time telling exactly what it was.
"Well, you're on Tyler Street. It's almost Christmas. How could you not know where you are?" I began talking a little louder and becoming a little bolder. The man stood silent. He was no longer looking at me but rather behind me. He began to look worried.
"Don't turn around," he said. "Walk towards me quickly, but do not run and do not turn around." I looked at him questioningly and took a few steps forward. I glanced behind me just then to see a giant mound of snow rising behind me. Suddenly, the tip of it bent over and opened up, revealing sharp teeth leading down a dark tunnel.
I screamed and heard him yell, "Run!" I ran towards the box with whatever that thing was right behind me. I heard several thumps but dared not to turn around.
I was sprinting towards the box. The man had a hand on the door and was reaching a hand out to me. "Come on, you're almost there. Faster!" he yelled. I ran all the way into the door and expected to find myself running into a wall. Instead I found myself running down a walkway. I stopped and turned around to see the man shut and lock the door. There was a thump then nothing. He turned around and smiled.
"Well, that was a close one." I nodded slightly then looked around.
"This thing... it's..."
"Bigger on the inside, I know."
"But how did you do that?"
"Well, I took a big, massive thing and I made it fit inside a small box."
"But how-"
"That's enough of that. Take a seat. I'll be right back." He ran past me and down a hallway. I sat down where he indicated, a thousand questions running through my mind. Maybe he is Santa. But he's neither fat nor dressed in red. He returned wearing a Santa hat and holding two styrofoam cups full of steaming liquid. He handed one to me and said, "Hot chocolate." I nodded then took a sip. I blew on the chocolate and took another.
He sat down across from me and looked at me, almost like he was studying me. I glanced up from my cup.
"So, who are you? You're not fat enough to be Santa and you're too tall to be an elf. Did he hire you?"
"No, I don't work for Santa. I've met him a few times. Jolly 'ole fellow. No, I'm the Doctor."
"Doctor of what?"
"No, just the Doctor."
"Oh." I took a few more sips. "Where am I right now?"
"Inside the TARDIS. Don't worry, we haven't left your street."
"But what was that thing? What was it doing?"
"That just happens to be one of the last of a species called Ice Worms. They're ancient creatures that feed off of the intelligence of other species. It devours them and then steals their thoughts, their psychic energy, and use it as food. They're able to transport themselves across time and space to where ever they want, as long as there's snow on the ground and they have enough energy. They use their psychic energy to hold their form, and they travel in packs and are almost impossible to tell apart from regular snow. They only go after people who are geniuses, who hold a lot of psychic energy; however, they'll eat just about anybody who has the misfortune of getting in their way."
"My mom says there's a nuclear physicist that lives across the street. She says he is one of the smartest ones out there."
"Yes, perhaps that's why they're here... What's your name?"
"Johnny. I'm almost nine."
"Johnny... Johnny... John? John T. Owens?"
"Yeah, that's my full name. John Tiberius Owens. How did you know?"
The Doctor ignored my question and stood up exclaiming, "You're John! I can't believe it. Sitting right in front of me! But you're only nine."
"Eight," I corrected him.
"Yes, eight. You have no idea what I'm going on about then."
"Not the foggiest." I drank the last of my hot chocolate, looking at the bottom of the cup, hoping for just a bit more.
"I can't believe it. You've done so much -- well, you will do so much! Amazing things not even ten years from now! You, Johnny, will change the course of the human race forever!"
"I'm only eight," I said. I glanced at the door. Maybe the worm wasn't so bad after all.
The Doctor sat down across from me, leaning in close and saying, "Look Johnny, those worms are after you. You're young enough that if they devour you now, they will have your mind as it develops and all the cleverness you have. They'll have thousands of years of energy. Not even Einstein could provide that much energy. If they get to you, they'll have enough power to eat entire worlds. Entire species and civilizations gone. Their hunger is insatiable and they will become unstoppable. They'll keep eating and eating until nothing is left."
"My parents," I said.
"As long as they stay indoors, the Ice Worms won't get to them, for now. We need to get rid of them, send them packing. Make them know that they can't have you." The Doctor stood up. "But how?" The Doctor began pacing around. I sadly set my cup down and began following him. He stopped and turned towards me.
"One option," he said, "is to leave here for about five years. They would be forced to go after some other food source. Of course, you could never step foot in the snow again for fear of them hunting you. Of course, they could just find another source of incredible energy."
I stared at him for a few seconds before saying," Wait a second. Those things have like thousands of minds in them, right?"
"More like trillions. They've had millions and millions of years to collect the best and the brightest."
"Well, what if we could get the minds inside to overpower the worm's mind?"
"Oh, that's impossible. The only way that could happen is if we break the worm's physic hold on the minds. And the only way we could do that is if we get the worm to take full form and then overcharge it with electricit -- oh Johnny, you're brilliant. If we can get the minds free, the worms would lose their source of energy. They wouldn't be able to use your mind and would go after something of smaller intelligence."
"How small?"
"Single-celled organisms. It would take eons for them to even get back half of the energy they have now."
"Where are we going to get the energy?" I asked
"A better question is how are we going to get them to take full form? And then how are we going to get the electricity into them?"
We stood there for a few moments thinking before I asked, "So, how are we going to get the energy?"
The Doctor asked, "Are there some power lines around here?"
"Yeah," I replied, "a few of them. Will it be enough?"
"It'll have to be."
"About how many Ice Worms do you think there are?"
"I'd say about four or five. When the worms can't find a food source after a while, they turn to cannibalism and eat the weakest of the pack. Four is a safe number." The remaining problems stood unspoken.
"Doctor. The only way we can get the Ice Worms to come into full form is if they're chasing me." The Doctor tried to cut me off, but I said, "Listen to me. They won't go after you because your mind is too vast for them to hold. I can get them to full form and then hook them up to the power lines."
"No!" the Doctor shouted. "I will not lose another person to them!" He leaned against the control panel and hung his head.
"Another?" I asked.
"Yes. I lost a friend to them before. It was the third place we had visited. I was showing her the ice formations of the planet Pru. We saw the Ice Worms attacking a small research base, four of them. We rushed over there to help the scientist, a brilliant man named Edgar. We had grabbed him and were running to the TARDIS when she tripped. Edgar kept running but I stopped. It was too late. She was in the jaws, screaming as they ate her. I had promised her that she'd be safe. I promised her, and I failed. I failed" The Doctor was silent for a few moments before continuing, "I followed the Ice Worms for weeks, watching the destruction they caused in their wake. I was always too late to help, too late to stop them."
"So that's why you're here. To hunt the Ice Worms."
"No, not to hunt them. To save millions of lives. I can't let them get you."
"Doctor, if we don't stop them here, they may never be stopped. They'll find someone else and keep going until they catch me by surprise. We have to do this. I have to do this."
It was near midnight when we finished our preparations. I was near the door of the TARDIS when I stopped. Something was eating my mind and I had to know. I turned around to the Doctor who was waiting right behind me.
"Doctor, how much do you know about how the worms sense prey?"
"It's based on movement, much like how a spider knows when something is caught in its web. It senses vibrations and then tracks them down." I turned around to face the door, then faced the Doctor again.
"Another thing. If one of the worms gets me, what will happen to the other three?"
"They'll get eaten, probably by the one who ate you." I nodded, turned around, and opened the TARDIS doors. There was no trace of my footsteps leading to the TARDIS; the night was still. I paused, searching for any sign of the Ice Worms. There was none, so I stepped out of the TARDIS with a black tube in my hand. The end was frayed, revealing copper wires. From the side of the TARDIS, the same black tube ran out, submerged in the snow, and then revealed itself near a pole before curling up it.
I slowly advanced forward, a step at a time. Every second, I expected an Ice Worm to jump out of the snow. I stood about ten yards out from the TARDIS. I turned towards the TARDIS to see the Doctor. I started jumping up and down. A small lump of snow began moving towards me, slowly and steadily growing in size. I turned away from it to run just to find an even larger lump heading towards me. I weighed my options and began running towards the smaller lump.
The Ice Worm I was running towards took form faster than I had hoped. The open jaws narrowly missed me as I ran around it. I stopped and looked towards the Ice Worm. The giant jaws turned towards me and came crashing down. I looked straight into them and held my ground.
The Doctor looked at the Ice Worm that just ate me. He yelled. Suddenly, the lump chasing me took full form and ate the Ice Worm I was in. A third lump, larger than the other two combined, reared its ugly head and ate the other two whole without a second thought.
I was inside the worm, trying to hold consciousness. I felt something tugging at my mind, making me forget things. No, I thought. Just a few moments longer. I felt my mind slipping from my body. Now! I thought and took the wire I had and shoved it into the wall of snow next to me. I yanked on it three times.
The Doctor was standing on the edge of the TARDIS when the tube suddenly deliberately jerked three times. Understanding flashed on the Doctor's face.
He yelled, "Hold on, Johnny!" and ran into the TARDIS frantically flipping switches. He ran back out to the door and looked. The giant Ice Worms had collapsed into a pile of snow. The Doctor ran out and began wildly searching with his sonic screwdriver. He began digging in and found a hand. He dug me out and then set me on his lap.
"Johnny," he said. "Johnny, speak to me." My body lay silent for a few moments before I coughed twice.
"Doctor, I think we did it."
He smiled and said, "Johnny, you're brilliant!" He helped me stand up.
"Trillions and trillions of minds, freed just like that. What will happen to them?" I asked.
"They'll float out into space and get lost in the universe until their energy runs out," he said solemnly. "Come Johnny, let's get back into the TARDIS." As we were walking, I felt something move under my feet. I paused, looked down, then at the Doctor.
A pillar of snow erupted from underneath, engulfing me completely. It shot up into the heavens, scraping the sky. The top bent over, revealing a massive mouth. It began looking for the Doctor, trying to detect his movement.
The Doctor glanced over to where the black tube lay. He looked back at the massive Ice Worm.
"You're a big one, a very big one. You've been very busy, haven't you. Why eat him when you have so much energy? No, you're not after him, are you?" he quietly murmured. "No, he just got in the way. An accident. You're really after me." The Doctor suddenly made a leap for the wire. The Ice Worm moved much faster than its size should permit and suddenly came down on the Doctor. It engulfed him and then reared back up. It began to twitch slightly and then shook its head. The sound of the sonic screwdriver could be heard within the beast. It began thrashing harder as more and more minds began to be free. It suddenly went entirely erect and then bursted apart.
My eyes fluttered open. I looked around and realized I was in the TARDIS.
The Doctor was standing a little ways off and when he noticed me stirring, turned and said, "Allo! Had a bit of a nasty bump there, but you should be alright. Oh, and merry Christmas!" I tried to stand up but felt my head swirl.
"What happened?" I asked groggily.
"Well, we just saved the world. And the universe. Twice." I looked at him for a few moments before he finally filled me in on the details.
"Wow, what a Christmas," I said.
"Well, all of mine are like this," he replied with a smile. "You had better get to bed. While you were out, Santa came. We chatted and he made me promise that you wouldn't touch your presents for at least five more hours." I nodded in awe and then realized what I had agreed to. I looked at him and smiled a devilish grin. "If you peek now," he said, "it will only be coal for Christmas." I thought about it for a moment and then gave in and promised.
I walked outside the TARDIS and waved to the Doctor. He popped back in, closed the door, and a few moments later, it began to disappear. I waited until the sound completely faded before turning around. I took a few steps before the sound began reappearing. The TARDIS fully materialized and the Doctor popped out.
"Oh, one more thing. About twenty-five years from now, you'll meet me again. Don't ask me where, but you will. Johnny, I need you to tell me something. Tell me to take the back door."
"Doctor, I don't think time will let you change what happened to your friend."
"No, I'm not changing time, this already happened. You have to tell me those exact words, 'Take the back door.'" He smiled. "I'll see you then." He popped back into the TARDIS and it disappeared, for good this time. I turned back to my house just to see a fat man in a red suit climb into a sleigh. He waved at me and then began to fly off. I gazed in astonishment at him. A single word reverberated in my head. Time Lord. Santa Claus was --is-- a Time Lord.
I laid in my bed, unable to find a comfortable position in which to lay. I tossed and turned silently, keeping an ear tuned to any noise I might hear. I wasn't looking for the creaks of the old house, nor for the wind tapping the windows at uneven intervals. No, I was listening for any odd sound. The thump of reindeer hooves on the roof, maybe the quiet whoosh of them landing in the snow; any hint of the red-nosed man who might come.
I stood out of my bed and peeked out of the frosted window. The small cul-de-sac was dark. There were no street lamps here as we were many miles away from the city. It had snowed earlier that night so the street was covered in an untouched, glistening blanket of snow. The moon shyly glanced out of a light cloud cover, just enough to obscure shapes rather than clarify them. I sighed quietly and then sat down on my bed. I looked at my clock; 11:19. It was later than last year, but maybe too early for Santa. I laid back on my bed, shivering slightly.
Then, I heard a noise. It was almost lost in the silence, but then it grew. It couldn't be described; it sounded like nothing I had ever heard before. I jumped out of bed and ran to the window. I looked out and saw something sitting in the middle of the circle of our road. I couldn't make out what it was, but it certainly looked like it might be a sleigh. I quickly grabbed my slippers and a robe and opened my window. I hopped out and cautiously approached the object.
A door opened on the box and a man peered out. He said something that I couldn't make out, but it sounded like some surprise, disappointment, and a little hint of sadness. He turned around and closed the door, but then opened it again. I froze about thirty-five yards out. He looked in my direction and waved. He was wearing a brown trench coat and a blue suit jacket. He gestured towards me, trying to get me to come closer. I took a step, paused, then another.
"Well, don't be shy!" he shouted.
Step by step, I approached the blue box. I paused once again about twenty-five yards out. I stood straight up and began to talk quietly to him.
"Are you Santa?" I asked, barely audible.
"What did you say?" he asked back.
"What are you doing here?" I asked a bit louder.
"I don't know really, I got lost," he answered. He had a slight Scottish accent. I wasn't really familiar with accents other than my own and had a hard time telling exactly what it was.
"Well, you're on Tyler Street. It's almost Christmas. How could you not know where you are?" I began talking a little louder and becoming a little bolder. The man stood silent. He was no longer looking at me but rather behind me. He began to look worried.
"Don't turn around," he said. "Walk towards me quickly, but do not run and do not turn around." I looked at him questioningly and took a few steps forward. I glanced behind me just then to see a giant mound of snow rising behind me. Suddenly, the tip of it bent over and opened up, revealing sharp teeth leading down a dark tunnel.
I screamed and heard him yell, "Run!" I ran towards the box with whatever that thing was right behind me. I heard several thumps but dared not to turn around.
I was sprinting towards the box. The man had a hand on the door and was reaching a hand out to me. "Come on, you're almost there. Faster!" he yelled. I ran all the way into the door and expected to find myself running into a wall. Instead I found myself running down a walkway. I stopped and turned around to see the man shut and lock the door. There was a thump then nothing. He turned around and smiled.
"Well, that was a close one." I nodded slightly then looked around.
"This thing... it's..."
"Bigger on the inside, I know."
"But how did you do that?"
"Well, I took a big, massive thing and I made it fit inside a small box."
"But how-"
"That's enough of that. Take a seat. I'll be right back." He ran past me and down a hallway. I sat down where he indicated, a thousand questions running through my mind. Maybe he is Santa. But he's neither fat nor dressed in red. He returned wearing a Santa hat and holding two styrofoam cups full of steaming liquid. He handed one to me and said, "Hot chocolate." I nodded then took a sip. I blew on the chocolate and took another.
He sat down across from me and looked at me, almost like he was studying me. I glanced up from my cup.
"So, who are you? You're not fat enough to be Santa and you're too tall to be an elf. Did he hire you?"
"No, I don't work for Santa. I've met him a few times. Jolly 'ole fellow. No, I'm the Doctor."
"Doctor of what?"
"No, just the Doctor."
"Oh." I took a few more sips. "Where am I right now?"
"Inside the TARDIS. Don't worry, we haven't left your street."
"But what was that thing? What was it doing?"
"That just happens to be one of the last of a species called Ice Worms. They're ancient creatures that feed off of the intelligence of other species. It devours them and then steals their thoughts, their psychic energy, and use it as food. They're able to transport themselves across time and space to where ever they want, as long as there's snow on the ground and they have enough energy. They use their psychic energy to hold their form, and they travel in packs and are almost impossible to tell apart from regular snow. They only go after people who are geniuses, who hold a lot of psychic energy; however, they'll eat just about anybody who has the misfortune of getting in their way."
"My mom says there's a nuclear physicist that lives across the street. She says he is one of the smartest ones out there."
"Yes, perhaps that's why they're here... What's your name?"
"Johnny. I'm almost nine."
"Johnny... Johnny... John? John T. Owens?"
"Yeah, that's my full name. John Tiberius Owens. How did you know?"
The Doctor ignored my question and stood up exclaiming, "You're John! I can't believe it. Sitting right in front of me! But you're only nine."
"Eight," I corrected him.
"Yes, eight. You have no idea what I'm going on about then."
"Not the foggiest." I drank the last of my hot chocolate, looking at the bottom of the cup, hoping for just a bit more.
"I can't believe it. You've done so much -- well, you will do so much! Amazing things not even ten years from now! You, Johnny, will change the course of the human race forever!"
"I'm only eight," I said. I glanced at the door. Maybe the worm wasn't so bad after all.
The Doctor sat down across from me, leaning in close and saying, "Look Johnny, those worms are after you. You're young enough that if they devour you now, they will have your mind as it develops and all the cleverness you have. They'll have thousands of years of energy. Not even Einstein could provide that much energy. If they get to you, they'll have enough power to eat entire worlds. Entire species and civilizations gone. Their hunger is insatiable and they will become unstoppable. They'll keep eating and eating until nothing is left."
"My parents," I said.
"As long as they stay indoors, the Ice Worms won't get to them, for now. We need to get rid of them, send them packing. Make them know that they can't have you." The Doctor stood up. "But how?" The Doctor began pacing around. I sadly set my cup down and began following him. He stopped and turned towards me.
"One option," he said, "is to leave here for about five years. They would be forced to go after some other food source. Of course, you could never step foot in the snow again for fear of them hunting you. Of course, they could just find another source of incredible energy."
I stared at him for a few seconds before saying," Wait a second. Those things have like thousands of minds in them, right?"
"More like trillions. They've had millions and millions of years to collect the best and the brightest."
"Well, what if we could get the minds inside to overpower the worm's mind?"
"Oh, that's impossible. The only way that could happen is if we break the worm's physic hold on the minds. And the only way we could do that is if we get the worm to take full form and then overcharge it with electricit -- oh Johnny, you're brilliant. If we can get the minds free, the worms would lose their source of energy. They wouldn't be able to use your mind and would go after something of smaller intelligence."
"How small?"
"Single-celled organisms. It would take eons for them to even get back half of the energy they have now."
"Where are we going to get the energy?" I asked
"A better question is how are we going to get them to take full form? And then how are we going to get the electricity into them?"
We stood there for a few moments thinking before I asked, "So, how are we going to get the energy?"
The Doctor asked, "Are there some power lines around here?"
"Yeah," I replied, "a few of them. Will it be enough?"
"It'll have to be."
"About how many Ice Worms do you think there are?"
"I'd say about four or five. When the worms can't find a food source after a while, they turn to cannibalism and eat the weakest of the pack. Four is a safe number." The remaining problems stood unspoken.
"Doctor. The only way we can get the Ice Worms to come into full form is if they're chasing me." The Doctor tried to cut me off, but I said, "Listen to me. They won't go after you because your mind is too vast for them to hold. I can get them to full form and then hook them up to the power lines."
"No!" the Doctor shouted. "I will not lose another person to them!" He leaned against the control panel and hung his head.
"Another?" I asked.
"Yes. I lost a friend to them before. It was the third place we had visited. I was showing her the ice formations of the planet Pru. We saw the Ice Worms attacking a small research base, four of them. We rushed over there to help the scientist, a brilliant man named Edgar. We had grabbed him and were running to the TARDIS when she tripped. Edgar kept running but I stopped. It was too late. She was in the jaws, screaming as they ate her. I had promised her that she'd be safe. I promised her, and I failed. I failed" The Doctor was silent for a few moments before continuing, "I followed the Ice Worms for weeks, watching the destruction they caused in their wake. I was always too late to help, too late to stop them."
"So that's why you're here. To hunt the Ice Worms."
"No, not to hunt them. To save millions of lives. I can't let them get you."
"Doctor, if we don't stop them here, they may never be stopped. They'll find someone else and keep going until they catch me by surprise. We have to do this. I have to do this."
It was near midnight when we finished our preparations. I was near the door of the TARDIS when I stopped. Something was eating my mind and I had to know. I turned around to the Doctor who was waiting right behind me.
"Doctor, how much do you know about how the worms sense prey?"
"It's based on movement, much like how a spider knows when something is caught in its web. It senses vibrations and then tracks them down." I turned around to face the door, then faced the Doctor again.
"Another thing. If one of the worms gets me, what will happen to the other three?"
"They'll get eaten, probably by the one who ate you." I nodded, turned around, and opened the TARDIS doors. There was no trace of my footsteps leading to the TARDIS; the night was still. I paused, searching for any sign of the Ice Worms. There was none, so I stepped out of the TARDIS with a black tube in my hand. The end was frayed, revealing copper wires. From the side of the TARDIS, the same black tube ran out, submerged in the snow, and then revealed itself near a pole before curling up it.
I slowly advanced forward, a step at a time. Every second, I expected an Ice Worm to jump out of the snow. I stood about ten yards out from the TARDIS. I turned towards the TARDIS to see the Doctor. I started jumping up and down. A small lump of snow began moving towards me, slowly and steadily growing in size. I turned away from it to run just to find an even larger lump heading towards me. I weighed my options and began running towards the smaller lump.
The Ice Worm I was running towards took form faster than I had hoped. The open jaws narrowly missed me as I ran around it. I stopped and looked towards the Ice Worm. The giant jaws turned towards me and came crashing down. I looked straight into them and held my ground.
The Doctor looked at the Ice Worm that just ate me. He yelled. Suddenly, the lump chasing me took full form and ate the Ice Worm I was in. A third lump, larger than the other two combined, reared its ugly head and ate the other two whole without a second thought.
I was inside the worm, trying to hold consciousness. I felt something tugging at my mind, making me forget things. No, I thought. Just a few moments longer. I felt my mind slipping from my body. Now! I thought and took the wire I had and shoved it into the wall of snow next to me. I yanked on it three times.
The Doctor was standing on the edge of the TARDIS when the tube suddenly deliberately jerked three times. Understanding flashed on the Doctor's face.
He yelled, "Hold on, Johnny!" and ran into the TARDIS frantically flipping switches. He ran back out to the door and looked. The giant Ice Worms had collapsed into a pile of snow. The Doctor ran out and began wildly searching with his sonic screwdriver. He began digging in and found a hand. He dug me out and then set me on his lap.
"Johnny," he said. "Johnny, speak to me." My body lay silent for a few moments before I coughed twice.
"Doctor, I think we did it."
He smiled and said, "Johnny, you're brilliant!" He helped me stand up.
"Trillions and trillions of minds, freed just like that. What will happen to them?" I asked.
"They'll float out into space and get lost in the universe until their energy runs out," he said solemnly. "Come Johnny, let's get back into the TARDIS." As we were walking, I felt something move under my feet. I paused, looked down, then at the Doctor.
A pillar of snow erupted from underneath, engulfing me completely. It shot up into the heavens, scraping the sky. The top bent over, revealing a massive mouth. It began looking for the Doctor, trying to detect his movement.
The Doctor glanced over to where the black tube lay. He looked back at the massive Ice Worm.
"You're a big one, a very big one. You've been very busy, haven't you. Why eat him when you have so much energy? No, you're not after him, are you?" he quietly murmured. "No, he just got in the way. An accident. You're really after me." The Doctor suddenly made a leap for the wire. The Ice Worm moved much faster than its size should permit and suddenly came down on the Doctor. It engulfed him and then reared back up. It began to twitch slightly and then shook its head. The sound of the sonic screwdriver could be heard within the beast. It began thrashing harder as more and more minds began to be free. It suddenly went entirely erect and then bursted apart.
My eyes fluttered open. I looked around and realized I was in the TARDIS.
The Doctor was standing a little ways off and when he noticed me stirring, turned and said, "Allo! Had a bit of a nasty bump there, but you should be alright. Oh, and merry Christmas!" I tried to stand up but felt my head swirl.
"What happened?" I asked groggily.
"Well, we just saved the world. And the universe. Twice." I looked at him for a few moments before he finally filled me in on the details.
"Wow, what a Christmas," I said.
"Well, all of mine are like this," he replied with a smile. "You had better get to bed. While you were out, Santa came. We chatted and he made me promise that you wouldn't touch your presents for at least five more hours." I nodded in awe and then realized what I had agreed to. I looked at him and smiled a devilish grin. "If you peek now," he said, "it will only be coal for Christmas." I thought about it for a moment and then gave in and promised.
I walked outside the TARDIS and waved to the Doctor. He popped back in, closed the door, and a few moments later, it began to disappear. I waited until the sound completely faded before turning around. I took a few steps before the sound began reappearing. The TARDIS fully materialized and the Doctor popped out.
"Oh, one more thing. About twenty-five years from now, you'll meet me again. Don't ask me where, but you will. Johnny, I need you to tell me something. Tell me to take the back door."
"Doctor, I don't think time will let you change what happened to your friend."
"No, I'm not changing time, this already happened. You have to tell me those exact words, 'Take the back door.'" He smiled. "I'll see you then." He popped back into the TARDIS and it disappeared, for good this time. I turned back to my house just to see a fat man in a red suit climb into a sleigh. He waved at me and then began to fly off. I gazed in astonishment at him. A single word reverberated in my head. Time Lord. Santa Claus was --is-- a Time Lord.
25 years, 16 hours, thirty six minutes and five seconds later.
The Doctor and I stepped out of the TARDIS.
"Look, we are already hot on their trail, Meagan! We'll catch them in no time!" I looked at the goofy contraption the Doctor was holding in his hand. He tried to explain how it picked up the residue the aliens we were tracking left behind, but I barely understood how his sonic screwdriver works. I nodded and then looked through the monitor the Doctor held in his hand.
"Hold this," he said as he handed me some sort of nozzle and a backpack. He held the monitor in one hand and his screwdriver in the other.
"Look, they've headed this way," I said, pointing in the direction of the footprints, which were rapidly fading. We began running after the footprints. I looked at him holding the monitor that ran a cord back to the backpack I had on and the giant nozzle-thing I was waving around trying to find the footprints. I started laughing and stopped for a moment. The Doctor turned around, looked at me and the monitor, and started laughing too.
"We're just running around in the middle of New York City on Christmas day," I said, still laughing, "with this thing on my back, looking for aliens!" He laughed even harder. The monitor suddenly beeped and he looked at it.
"Meagan, the prints are fading. We need to hurry." I held back the laughter, but ran on with a smile. We approached an intersection and noticed the footprints going into a building. We were about to cross when a man who was sitting on a bench suddenly stood up and said, "Doctor."
The Doctor paused and turned around. The man grabbed the Doctor's shoulders and then patted them.
"At last, we meet again," he said. "Of course, you probably haven't met me yet. But that doesn't matter." He took notice of me and then said, "Oh, well who is this?"
"I'm Meagan," I said, still confused. He looked at me in deep thought for a moment before recognition flashed on his face.
"Aah, so that's who you are."
The Doctor finally spoke, asking, "And who are you?"
"Johnny T. Owens, at your service. Doctor, before we part again, I need to tell you something."
I glanced at the monitor as it beeped. "Doctor, the trail's going cold; we have to go."
Johnny grabbed the Doctor's shoulders and said, "Doctor, don't use the front door, don't follow that trail. Take the back door." The man let go of the Doctor's shoulders and then nodded. The Doctor turned and began to walk across the street.
Johnny grabbed my arm to stop me. He looked into my eyes with an unsettling knowledge. "Doctor," he said, still looking at me, "take care." He looked into the Doctor's eyes this time and added, "And you had better come and see me again. Now, hurry off. You don't want them to get away, now do you?" The man sat back down on the bench and picked up a newspaper that was sitting to the side. On the front page was the man's face. The Doctor yanked on the cord and then ran across the street with me right next to him.
"Did you know that man?" I asked.
"That was Johnny T. Owens! He's the man that makes living on different planets possible! He figured out how to organize the first galactic treaty! He's a legend!" I was surprised.
"He only looked thirty, though. Space travel isn't possible for at least fifty more years!"
"That's the beauty of it! He lives for almost two hundred years! No one know quite how he did it, but he's a brilliant man. We would do well to take his advice." We reached the other side of the street and instead of going right into the front entrance, we ran around back and found a door several yards in the air.
"There we go, back entrance," the Doctor said. He soniced a ladder and it fell.
"Doctor, that man, Johnny, he looked at me funny, like he knew something was going to happen to me. Something bad." The Doctor paused halfway up the ladder and jumped back down.
"Look, Meagan, I promise. I will never let anything happen to you. I promise to keep you safe. Always and forever."
"Look, we are already hot on their trail, Meagan! We'll catch them in no time!" I looked at the goofy contraption the Doctor was holding in his hand. He tried to explain how it picked up the residue the aliens we were tracking left behind, but I barely understood how his sonic screwdriver works. I nodded and then looked through the monitor the Doctor held in his hand.
"Hold this," he said as he handed me some sort of nozzle and a backpack. He held the monitor in one hand and his screwdriver in the other.
"Look, they've headed this way," I said, pointing in the direction of the footprints, which were rapidly fading. We began running after the footprints. I looked at him holding the monitor that ran a cord back to the backpack I had on and the giant nozzle-thing I was waving around trying to find the footprints. I started laughing and stopped for a moment. The Doctor turned around, looked at me and the monitor, and started laughing too.
"We're just running around in the middle of New York City on Christmas day," I said, still laughing, "with this thing on my back, looking for aliens!" He laughed even harder. The monitor suddenly beeped and he looked at it.
"Meagan, the prints are fading. We need to hurry." I held back the laughter, but ran on with a smile. We approached an intersection and noticed the footprints going into a building. We were about to cross when a man who was sitting on a bench suddenly stood up and said, "Doctor."
The Doctor paused and turned around. The man grabbed the Doctor's shoulders and then patted them.
"At last, we meet again," he said. "Of course, you probably haven't met me yet. But that doesn't matter." He took notice of me and then said, "Oh, well who is this?"
"I'm Meagan," I said, still confused. He looked at me in deep thought for a moment before recognition flashed on his face.
"Aah, so that's who you are."
The Doctor finally spoke, asking, "And who are you?"
"Johnny T. Owens, at your service. Doctor, before we part again, I need to tell you something."
I glanced at the monitor as it beeped. "Doctor, the trail's going cold; we have to go."
Johnny grabbed the Doctor's shoulders and said, "Doctor, don't use the front door, don't follow that trail. Take the back door." The man let go of the Doctor's shoulders and then nodded. The Doctor turned and began to walk across the street.
Johnny grabbed my arm to stop me. He looked into my eyes with an unsettling knowledge. "Doctor," he said, still looking at me, "take care." He looked into the Doctor's eyes this time and added, "And you had better come and see me again. Now, hurry off. You don't want them to get away, now do you?" The man sat back down on the bench and picked up a newspaper that was sitting to the side. On the front page was the man's face. The Doctor yanked on the cord and then ran across the street with me right next to him.
"Did you know that man?" I asked.
"That was Johnny T. Owens! He's the man that makes living on different planets possible! He figured out how to organize the first galactic treaty! He's a legend!" I was surprised.
"He only looked thirty, though. Space travel isn't possible for at least fifty more years!"
"That's the beauty of it! He lives for almost two hundred years! No one know quite how he did it, but he's a brilliant man. We would do well to take his advice." We reached the other side of the street and instead of going right into the front entrance, we ran around back and found a door several yards in the air.
"There we go, back entrance," the Doctor said. He soniced a ladder and it fell.
"Doctor, that man, Johnny, he looked at me funny, like he knew something was going to happen to me. Something bad." The Doctor paused halfway up the ladder and jumped back down.
"Look, Meagan, I promise. I will never let anything happen to you. I promise to keep you safe. Always and forever."
165 years, five months, five hours, six minutes, and twelve seconds later
"Nurse, leave an extra cup out and a stool. He should be here any minute." The nurse sighed and obeyed the grizzled old man's request. She had been helping him in his old age for almost six years now, and every night, he asked that a stool and an extra cup be placed.
"He'll be here this time, I know it," he said.
The nurse smiled and said, "Of course," but she really didn't believe it. He had told her a few stories of the man and they sounded wonderful, but she didn't believe that he would visit her patient. The one he called a doctor seemed like the person who was far too busy with life to revisit an old friend, even if they did save each others' lives.
The nurse said goodnight and quietly left the room. She went over to her bedroom and began to prepare for the night. The old man in the other room was lying in the bed, waiting for a noise. Not the creaks of the old house or the irregular tap of the trees at the window. No, he was listening for a specific noise, the noise of his friend. He looked over at the clock; it read 10:29. He suddenly leapt out of bed and rushed over to the window, acting surprisingly nimble for one of his age. He thought he had heard something, thought he had heard the noise. He looked around the neighborhood from his vantage point of the second story. It was dark and silent. He returned to his bed, sighing. He slipped under the covers and began to doze off.
The door to his room creaked open and someone slipped in. The person moved over to where the stool was, picked up the styrofoam cup, and then sat there.
"Well, take a drink. I had it placed here especially for you," the old man said. The observer did, and laughed in surprise.
"It's hot chocolate!"
"Just like from when I first met you, Doctor." The Doctor laughed as the old man turned on a lamp sitting next to the bed.
"Age has not been kind to you, Johnny," the Doctor said, suddenly growing serious.
"Ah, but neither has it been to you. You face doesn't show it, but your eyes do." The Doctor remained silent for a few moments.
He said, "But you've almost hit the big 2-0-0! How far are you, a few months?"
"I'm not going to reach my 200th birthday, Doctor. In fact, tomorrow's when I leave, right around midnight. That's why I'm glad you visited me one last time. We have unfinished business." Johnny suddenly sat up and rolled his legs off the bed.
"Doctor, finish your hot chocolate before it goes cold. Nothing's worse than a cup of cold chocolate." The Doctor smiled and downed it in one gulp.
"You're right, that was terrible. Good, but terrible." Johnny stood up, swooned a bit, and then caught his balance.
"No need to trouble yourself, I just stood up too quickly. Don't tell my nurse, but I'm actually very healthy. I could run a marathon if it took my fancy. It'd make an interesting headline, '200 year-old man runs 15k." Johnny laughed and then walked over to the Doctor. The Doctor stood up as Johnny approached.
"No one knows how I've lived this long. I was even surprised to make it to my hundred-fiftieth birthday and still feel like I'm thirty. People have theories, though. Steroids, a secret formula. Some even accused me of witchcraft and sacrificing humans to a dark god, or something. I was curious myself so I looked into it. See, on that night with the Ice worms, when you freed me twice, some of the minds from the Ice Worms took hold of my corpse, for that was what it was at the time, desperately trying to find a body. Luckily for me, they were small and weak, so I maintained control. However, they added 125 years to my life. I did the math and I'm to die tomorrow night, exactly 191 years, five months, and two days after the Ice Worm incident." Johnny looked into the Doctor's eyes and studied them for a minute.
"Doctor, you're running from something. Avoiding fate. Perhaps it's time you face it."
"No Johnny, I can't. I can't go to it."
"Doctor, you need to. You have to." The Doctor tried cutting him off, but Johnny said, "Listen to me. That's not important right now. What is is that we go to these coordinates." Johnny pulled out a piece of paper, unfolded it, and pointed towards a set of numbers.
A few moments later, they burst out of the room and ran down the hall. The nurse, who had just settled into bed, jumped out and looked down the hall. She was greeted by the sight of Johnny running down the hall with something in his hand, running after a man in a trench coat.
"I'm going out with the Doctor. I'll be back in a bit!" Johnny hopped on the rail of the staircase and laughed as he slid down at a dangerous speed. The man in the trench coat shouted, "Allons-y!" as he dashed out the door. The nurse sat down in the door frame in shock. She heard a noise that faded away from out on the lawn.
"Here we are, Johnny, right where you want us!" The Doctor flipped a few switches and levers, peered around the center of the TARDIS, and looked at Johnny. He was holding on to the bar and was frozen.
"Are you all right?" asked the Doctor.
"No. I'm better than all right! That was fantastic!" Johnny did a heel click and then ran for the door. He threw the doors open and looked around. He began muttering to himself, asked for the time, did some quick calculations with his fingers, and held out a recording machine. He threw a small wire out of the TARDIS and did a quick fist-pump.
"Right where I wanted it," he explained. "I found something as I was looking for a distress signal near this area. For the longest time, I had no idea what it was. It just sort of floated around, having no set destination." He began flipped switches and turning knobs as he continued. "I sent a small ship out here to record the message. It only got parts of it, but I knew what it was. I began to make new machines, trying to get the message clearly. I finally did. Doctor, this is the consciousness of Meagan, her last thoughts from the time she died to the time we freed her from the Ice Worms. Listen, it's starting." He turned a knob slowly up and fiddled with a few others before the sound became clear. They could hear her weeping.
"Doctor," she said. "Doctor, you promised me! Where are you? You promised me Doctor." The crying grew louder before she continued, shouting, "You said I'd be fine. You promised me Doctor! You said nothing would happen to me! Doctor, where are you? You promised me!" She began to scream "Doctor!" and cry even harder. "You promised me!"
"Turn it off," the Doctor said. Johnny looked towards the Doctor and saw pain on his face. "I said turn it off!"
"No! You have to hear the rest!" Johnny yelled.
The sobbing had stopped. Meagan's voice came on again, muttering, "You promised..."
There was silence for a few moments before her voice came back on, calmer this time, "Doctor, I'm sorry. It's not your fault. You tried; there was nothing you could do."
"Meagan..." the Doctor muttered. "Meagan, I'm so sorry."
"Doctor, you did it. I know you did it. You freed me. Doctor, thank you. Thank you." She paused for a moment before continuing, "You tried. There was nothing you could do. It's okay, Doctor. It's not your fault." The Doctor moved to the edge of the TARDIS and looked out the open doors. Where the end of the wire was, a faint figure began to take shape. It started to move towards the TARDIS. The Doctor stretched out his hand and the figure stretched hers. Before they could touch, the figure began to blow away.
A silent whisper not from the machine said, "Doctor." Meagan's consciousness floated off into space. The Doctor retracted his hand slowly and stood there. Johnny's hand appeared on his shoulder.
"Thank you, Johnny. Thank you."
"He'll be here this time, I know it," he said.
The nurse smiled and said, "Of course," but she really didn't believe it. He had told her a few stories of the man and they sounded wonderful, but she didn't believe that he would visit her patient. The one he called a doctor seemed like the person who was far too busy with life to revisit an old friend, even if they did save each others' lives.
The nurse said goodnight and quietly left the room. She went over to her bedroom and began to prepare for the night. The old man in the other room was lying in the bed, waiting for a noise. Not the creaks of the old house or the irregular tap of the trees at the window. No, he was listening for a specific noise, the noise of his friend. He looked over at the clock; it read 10:29. He suddenly leapt out of bed and rushed over to the window, acting surprisingly nimble for one of his age. He thought he had heard something, thought he had heard the noise. He looked around the neighborhood from his vantage point of the second story. It was dark and silent. He returned to his bed, sighing. He slipped under the covers and began to doze off.
The door to his room creaked open and someone slipped in. The person moved over to where the stool was, picked up the styrofoam cup, and then sat there.
"Well, take a drink. I had it placed here especially for you," the old man said. The observer did, and laughed in surprise.
"It's hot chocolate!"
"Just like from when I first met you, Doctor." The Doctor laughed as the old man turned on a lamp sitting next to the bed.
"Age has not been kind to you, Johnny," the Doctor said, suddenly growing serious.
"Ah, but neither has it been to you. You face doesn't show it, but your eyes do." The Doctor remained silent for a few moments.
He said, "But you've almost hit the big 2-0-0! How far are you, a few months?"
"I'm not going to reach my 200th birthday, Doctor. In fact, tomorrow's when I leave, right around midnight. That's why I'm glad you visited me one last time. We have unfinished business." Johnny suddenly sat up and rolled his legs off the bed.
"Doctor, finish your hot chocolate before it goes cold. Nothing's worse than a cup of cold chocolate." The Doctor smiled and downed it in one gulp.
"You're right, that was terrible. Good, but terrible." Johnny stood up, swooned a bit, and then caught his balance.
"No need to trouble yourself, I just stood up too quickly. Don't tell my nurse, but I'm actually very healthy. I could run a marathon if it took my fancy. It'd make an interesting headline, '200 year-old man runs 15k." Johnny laughed and then walked over to the Doctor. The Doctor stood up as Johnny approached.
"No one knows how I've lived this long. I was even surprised to make it to my hundred-fiftieth birthday and still feel like I'm thirty. People have theories, though. Steroids, a secret formula. Some even accused me of witchcraft and sacrificing humans to a dark god, or something. I was curious myself so I looked into it. See, on that night with the Ice worms, when you freed me twice, some of the minds from the Ice Worms took hold of my corpse, for that was what it was at the time, desperately trying to find a body. Luckily for me, they were small and weak, so I maintained control. However, they added 125 years to my life. I did the math and I'm to die tomorrow night, exactly 191 years, five months, and two days after the Ice Worm incident." Johnny looked into the Doctor's eyes and studied them for a minute.
"Doctor, you're running from something. Avoiding fate. Perhaps it's time you face it."
"No Johnny, I can't. I can't go to it."
"Doctor, you need to. You have to." The Doctor tried cutting him off, but Johnny said, "Listen to me. That's not important right now. What is is that we go to these coordinates." Johnny pulled out a piece of paper, unfolded it, and pointed towards a set of numbers.
A few moments later, they burst out of the room and ran down the hall. The nurse, who had just settled into bed, jumped out and looked down the hall. She was greeted by the sight of Johnny running down the hall with something in his hand, running after a man in a trench coat.
"I'm going out with the Doctor. I'll be back in a bit!" Johnny hopped on the rail of the staircase and laughed as he slid down at a dangerous speed. The man in the trench coat shouted, "Allons-y!" as he dashed out the door. The nurse sat down in the door frame in shock. She heard a noise that faded away from out on the lawn.
"Here we are, Johnny, right where you want us!" The Doctor flipped a few switches and levers, peered around the center of the TARDIS, and looked at Johnny. He was holding on to the bar and was frozen.
"Are you all right?" asked the Doctor.
"No. I'm better than all right! That was fantastic!" Johnny did a heel click and then ran for the door. He threw the doors open and looked around. He began muttering to himself, asked for the time, did some quick calculations with his fingers, and held out a recording machine. He threw a small wire out of the TARDIS and did a quick fist-pump.
"Right where I wanted it," he explained. "I found something as I was looking for a distress signal near this area. For the longest time, I had no idea what it was. It just sort of floated around, having no set destination." He began flipped switches and turning knobs as he continued. "I sent a small ship out here to record the message. It only got parts of it, but I knew what it was. I began to make new machines, trying to get the message clearly. I finally did. Doctor, this is the consciousness of Meagan, her last thoughts from the time she died to the time we freed her from the Ice Worms. Listen, it's starting." He turned a knob slowly up and fiddled with a few others before the sound became clear. They could hear her weeping.
"Doctor," she said. "Doctor, you promised me! Where are you? You promised me Doctor." The crying grew louder before she continued, shouting, "You said I'd be fine. You promised me Doctor! You said nothing would happen to me! Doctor, where are you? You promised me!" She began to scream "Doctor!" and cry even harder. "You promised me!"
"Turn it off," the Doctor said. Johnny looked towards the Doctor and saw pain on his face. "I said turn it off!"
"No! You have to hear the rest!" Johnny yelled.
The sobbing had stopped. Meagan's voice came on again, muttering, "You promised..."
There was silence for a few moments before her voice came back on, calmer this time, "Doctor, I'm sorry. It's not your fault. You tried; there was nothing you could do."
"Meagan..." the Doctor muttered. "Meagan, I'm so sorry."
"Doctor, you did it. I know you did it. You freed me. Doctor, thank you. Thank you." She paused for a moment before continuing, "You tried. There was nothing you could do. It's okay, Doctor. It's not your fault." The Doctor moved to the edge of the TARDIS and looked out the open doors. Where the end of the wire was, a faint figure began to take shape. It started to move towards the TARDIS. The Doctor stretched out his hand and the figure stretched hers. Before they could touch, the figure began to blow away.
A silent whisper not from the machine said, "Doctor." Meagan's consciousness floated off into space. The Doctor retracted his hand slowly and stood there. Johnny's hand appeared on his shoulder.
"Thank you, Johnny. Thank you."
Oh, the feels! If it's too much, you can punch me [softly\ and watch a montage of leaving companions while drowning your sorrows in a bucket of ice cream. Not that I've done that before...
Feel free to share the URL with Doctor Who fans, fanfic fans, or feels fans, just don't copy the story. It's mine, and you can't have it!
Special thanks to my friend for making the image for me. You can find his photography page here.
Feel free to share the URL with Doctor Who fans, fanfic fans, or feels fans, just don't copy the story. It's mine, and you can't have it!
Special thanks to my friend for making the image for me. You can find his photography page here.
8/30/13