Title: The Lonely Child of Gallifrey
Summary: The Doctor has a desperate plan to wake himself and expel the creature that slowly killing his mind. But he's running out of time. Book 4 of the Quiescenary Series.
Rating: PG
Warnings: None. (Wow, that's a first...)
A/N: This is intended to be the fourth book in a series exploring the secrets and memories of the Doctor. Starting here would be rather like starting Lord of the Rings in the second installment - you can do it, but you will be a bit confused to start.
A word about canon: Elements strewn throughout "strict canon" (defined by me as Classic and New TV series AND mainline Big Finish audio dramas) and "sub-canon" (books, comics, etc) are utilized, though sub-canon will not be strictly adhered to. The author assumes reader knowledge of the 2005 reboot, Series 1-6 (not 7, because I started writing before series 7 and frankly, I don't want to deal with the Skaro/Dalek mess). All references to Classic canon and Big Finish (and there will be many) will be self-explanatory.
PROLOGUE
Previously...
"It's called a Quiescenary," River explained as Rose knelt beside the unconscious figure of the Tenth Doctor. "It's a very primitive consciousness of pure psyonic energy that latches onto the oldest, most powerful thing in its peripheral area and drains it dry."
"So what do we do?" Rose demanded.
"We're going to have to go inside, drain its current food source and see if we can force it out of the Doctor and into the Tardis Matrix."
*X*X*X*
"You're going to starve a Quiescenary in the mind of a Time Lord?"
The elegant woman - a keeper of the Doctor's memories, created to maintain order inside of his mind - raised a brow as she looked at Rose.
"Yes," Rose answered firmly. But her countenance fell as Romana giggled. "What's wrong with that?"
"Well, you can't!"
"Why not?"
"Well, for one thing, you'd kill the Doctor."
*X*X*X*
"The structure is breaking down," the Eleventh Doctor whispered, eyes sliding closed as he leaned on River for support. "My memories. The way they're organized. They're... melting. Flowing together."
*X*X*X*
"No one but your current incarnation of me will know where things are in his informational substructure."
Talking to a former incarnation of the Doctor, inside of one of his own memories, was more frustrating than Rose had expected it to be. He was more frustrating, more easily flustered. And the way he was pacing was making her anxious.
"The memories are the same - some of them, at least. Most of them, I would think. But the pathways are quite different. Things are prioritized and categorized differently because they have different significance with each regeneration. No one else will know where things are kept except the version of me that's under attack."
"Well, believe me, I would love to talk to him." Rose leaned forward, staring directly at him as she asked pointedly, "But how do I get him into that hallway?"
"You're going to need help."
*X*X*X*
"Captain Jack Harkness?"
River stood beside the man's table with her hands on her hips, returning his stare. "Who wants to know?" he asked warily.
"River Song." She offered a hand in friendly greeting, and a tight smile to match. "I'm a friend of the Doctor's. He needs your help. Will you come?"
*X*X*X*
"Doctor, you're not well."
He shut his eyes hard, fists clenching in determination. He had the minds of a half dozen companions running through his head - Rose, Sarah Jane, Martha, Tegan, Jack... Their thoughts and reactions to everything they saw, he felt first hand. And he was still pushing for more.
"No, I'm not done yet."
He leaned forward in the chair and grabbed the console, but it wasn't enough to keep him from falling to his knees, gripping the edge as tightly as he could. River wrapped her arms around him, hauling him back up into the chair.
"You are," she said firmly. "You're done."
"No." He took a moment to breathe, then looked up at her. "I need Amy."
*X*X*X*
The memory they were in had turned to utter chaos. Amy could feel herself falling as she shut her eyes, choking back her scream. The tidal wave of blackness came, and swept over her, taking the breath out of her lungs and surrounding her with silence. The rumbling, cracking sounds were lost in the rush of wind as a hundred doors slammed deafeningly, all at once. They were back in the hallway, and they were not alone.
"What the bloody hell is going on here!"
"Doctor!"
*X*X*X*
"What am I doing here?" Rose awoke in a panic to find River leaning over her. "I have to get back! The Doctor's in trouble! He needs me!"
"The Doctor's fine, Rose. He's okay. Relax."
"He's not fine! Everything is crumbling and I just left him there!"
"You didn't leave him. He sent you out."
"No!" It was as close to a scream as she'd ever come. "He can't do that! Send me back!"
*X*X*X*
"Out!" the Doctor yelled, spinning to the audience that was still watching him. "Get out of my head! Now!"
He fixed his eyes on each of them in turn, banishing them from his thoughts and watching them disappear. Sarah Jane. Tegan. Jack. The unfamiliar dark-skinned girl. And -
"Stop."
The exhausted, familiar voice from behind him made him spin around and take a stumbling step back, against the wall. The man was sitting on the floor, slouched against the beam, watching with half-lidded eyes. The Doctor stared at him for a long moment, wrestling with a thousand questions and ending on only one. He knew who the man was. He could feel it. He would've known him if he was blind, deaf, and dumb.
"Why?"
The man drew in a slow, tired breath. "Because you can't do this alone. And you know it."
"And you're here to help?" the Doctor shot with disdain.
"No. I can't stay here. You know that."
"You're damn right I know that. And the last thing we need is to collapse this entire structure with a paradox, so get out."
The man, his future self, shifted his eyes to the last remaining companion, standing nearby and watching with wide eyes. "Amy?"
She swallowed hard as she approached cautiously. "Yes?"
"I'll do everything I can to keep the channel open for as long as possible." She crouched down beside him, and he reached up to hold her arm weakly. "Help him. And trust him. Do whatever he says. Don't ask why."
She nodded. "Alright."