Disclaimer: I do not own anything, never ever, unfortunately speaking for myself of course. That means I hold no rights to, nor do I accept money for writing. It is simply for amusement and nothing more. Any franchises I use belong to their rightful owners- if I decide to throw in a twist here or there- and of course BBC Corp.
Summary: An absolutely normal girl, full of life, rippling with potential time, falls through the center of the universe. Pulled through the schism of reality, now she's stuck, very very stuck. And there's no way out. She will have to tiptoe through the infinite, and across the Medusa Cascade.
Author note: You know the drill, you get an idea stuck in your head and slowly - little by little- tears your mind apart until there's nothing left but the unimaginable need to write it down. You know, before it consumes the remaining pieces of your sanity? If you don't get it, well, good for you.
Before that, before everything else. Let's not get ahead of anything. Let's start this slow, in a linear time line. An action before a reaction, a cause before a means. The slow minute by minute route. It is very important. Let's start with the basics: time and space. The universe is an infinite amount of simply put - stuff. Always spinning, always changing, always moving, always rippling back onto itself. Everything that is, everything that isn't. Very simple.
Multiple realities are not true, aren't they not. Yes meaning before no, only after no, so yes would be - no no yes no - meaning that multiple realities are not true, aren't they no not? Confused?...well.
Wibbily wobbily would be the simpler way of putting it. With a bit of timey wimey. Just a splotch. When everything that isn't smashes into one big thing that is. Anything; the world spinning the right direction, oranges being orange, cats - is wrong. Wrong, wrong, so very wrong.
No real number can be reached on the possibilities created by the infinite walls of space and time. Where every impossible occurrence happens all at once, never-ending but always changing, bending the rules a billion billion times over. Up versus down, what really is, what isn't- becomes just another variable able to be mocked and changed. Certain people sometimes never not see what isn't there. They laugh along, understanding the rules of what is.
Others can't stop becoming everything that isn't. Sucked into the void or into the cracks, never to be born in the first place, erased from all. A paradox on top of itself. Created in order to be uncreated, existing even though erased before creation. A timeline parallel to reality.
When everything that isn't, starts to affect everything that is- what happens? That is why we have to go back exactly one hour in time and space, one hour and a whole other universe between. That is when the first paradox occurred. When a girl meets a girl, meeting for the first time the girl who never existed.
The last TARDIS in the universe jerked out of the time stream, sending the man inside tumbling down into the library, curses traveling behind him. He lands hard against a bookshelf when he finally hits the back of the room, tumbling head over heels as his ship threw the biggest tantrum known to nonlinear dimensional beings. The man curls up into a defensive ball on the ground, his black leather jacket flung on top of his head. He brings a hand up to the back of his scalp, feeling a large sore start to form.
He hisses, kicking a large box off of his leg. The man with large ears and a scowl, in his ninth regeneration, groans and lets out a long string of curses in many different languages. He looks up as the ceiling shivers.
"What?!" He glares around him as he tried to find purchase. The TARDIS flung itself in every direction. "You think you're being cute?!" He will snarl, shielding his face as books are thrown every which way. "Well you're not!" The Doctor looks up as he heard a low creaking sound.
He only had time for his face to morph into one of horror as an entire bookcase fell on top of him.
The TARDIS continues to jerk and twist, slamming uncontrollable into the sides of the time vortex. Flinging herself towards and away from the universal schism shift, the change in Huyon energy making a quiver shake her exterior. She was going towards Earth, the year 2008, when the planet was just a level 5 habitat. Cardiff, to be exact. Exactly where the Doctor didn't want to go, but needed to be. Even with all nine of his regenerations he still needed her to run his important errands. Silly man.
The TARDIS shivered all the way to her heart, the suspended dying star used for her engine shifting to the left a half a nanometer. No no no, Let's not get ahead of anything. It was important that he met this particular girl in the correct order after all. Exactly one hour away. It is very important. A linear time line, starting it slow. An action before a reaction, a cause before a means. The slow minute by minute route. Everything that is, everything that isn't. Very simple.
Something that doesn't exist starts a chain reaction, and tear, a ripple that vibrates through all of reality and starts to degrade everything that ever was. What would occur if the universe started to fall apart at the very beginning because of an outside influence?
Ending before it even starts.
Prologue: How It Started, At The End
Ander Fitz'elton was walking to the beach, her little town bordering the North Atlantic Ocean. She was using the curb of the road, the sidewalk too overgrown with weeds and cobwebs. Keeping one foot in front of the other, heel to toe, she walked the white line. She adjusted her large, oval shaped glasses, wiping away some dirt on the lens. She straightened them on her nose, the alignment slightly crooked since her last fitting.
She hummed along with the music in her headphones, her arms outstretched to keep her balance. Her backpack didn't help, the lopsided weight making her more top heavy. The back roads were deserted seeing how it was still early morning. There wasn't a reason for anyone to be out. It was a small fishing town, the buildings hundreds of years old, the retirement community high and self sustaining. There weren't many kids, just one middle school in the entire city. Everyone knew each other, making Ander's family the odd ones out, just moving here two years ago.
She jumped over a tree branch that had fallen on the road, skipping a little as she almost lost her acrobatic footing on the faded painted line. She slapped a passing mailbox as she bobbed her head to the drums. She was an awkward shape, and no matter how much she walked or tried to play sports, she stayed that way. Compared to the rest of her class, she was very chubby. That was why she was going to the beach, so she could get ready for class, to brace herself for the taunting and ridicule. Maybe she could read another chapter in her book? Reading while the sun came up, listening to the waves hitting the shore, it was nice.
"It's been such a long time since I meet you back on Skaro." She skipped to the beat, beating air like she was playing the drums. Ander was a terrible singer. Horrible even. But in the back roads of her neighborhood who would hear her murdering the lyrics?
"And I'm pretty sure that you kno-ow."
She tapped her fingers to the piano keys, glancing over at the duck pond as she passed it, admiring the birds that had come back for the start of spring. The old watch on her wrist started to count backwards, the dial spinning over and over as she tapped the side of her phone. But she didn't have a reason to notice.
She jumped over another fallen tree branch. "Exterminate! Regenerate!"
Oh, oh she was butchering it, destroying it she just knew it. But she couldn't hear her voice over the crescendo and she looked away from the water as she moved her head unabashed to the song. Swinging her head to the beat, she turned away from the pond as she pretended to hit the drums, over-dramatically spinning in place. Her eyes closed as she hummed along, her fingers tapping along to the drums. The road went quiet as the birds in the trees weren't there anymore, or the bugs, or planes in the sky. Only the sound of blaring music from Ander's headphones and her once-in-awhile hums and do das.
"Regenerate! Exterminate!" she chirped as she turned it up louder, biting her tongue. Ander was dancing in place, forgetting about the white line, school, and the mean girls in her class.
"We both carry the fire that has the power to end life. But what to do with that flame is what separates our types." Her brown hair hit her cheeks tightly as she swung her head, she didn't let her mom braid it like normal, she liked her hair in its natural fluffy manner. It was big and raggedy, like a curly afro, like her father's was before he passed.
Then, there weren't any ducks in the duck pond. A cold chill swept through the trees above her, a gust of wind at her feet blowing leaves up into the air. She couldn't hear the low pitch whine and creaking that came from every direction, the bark of the trees cracking under unseen pressure. The mailbox down the road behind her started to sway, the flap springing open as mail was flung out. Caught up in the sudden gust, it blew the papers, leaves, and sticks up into the trees.
There weren't any cars on any road, and there weren't any clouds. The sun that started to rise behind her stalled. And then slowly, slowly-
The sun started to set.
She didn't open her eyes, licking her chapped lips and trying to keep the skip out of her step. God, this was going to be good wasn't it? She just bought the album, and there wasn't going to be anything that could stop her from enjoying it. This was the band that started it all, the series she liked so much. She grinned and got ready for the best chorus of the song, slapping the sides of jeans to the piano solo.
The creaking was as now almost loud enough to hear over her music and she tapped the ear buds to get rid of what she thought was static. The whining had now changed to snapping and cracking, what now sounded like someone dropping dishes changed to ear shattering, slamming, breaking. It was closer than before, and the sun was almost down, only lines of red on the horizon. And she didn't notice. Ander didn't notice.
"Exterminate! Regenerate!"
There was a banging noise. One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four. The very earth seemed to vibrate with the sound. The wooden post snapped, the mailbox thrown violently, breaking into pieces as it hit the other side of the road.
Suddenly everything was behind her, the sounds, the screeching, breaking and screaming. Ander let out a startled yelp as her headphones turned to static and made her hear bells. She yanked them out quickly, almost dropping her phone. Her ears buzzed and turned red in pain; she stuck a quick pinkie finger into her ear and she squawked. Ander twisted her finger painfully and hissed-
Hands grabbed her shoulders tightly, painfully, gorging into her skin.
Ander didn't have time to scream as she was spun around, her glasses almost falling off the bridge of her nose. The world turning into colors, leaving her dizzy and unbalanced. Her stomach lodged into her throat, a breath escaped her forcefully. It took her eyes a few seconds longer to focus after her body came to a rest, the offending hands holding her painfully tight. They were digging into her spring jacket and keeping her in place. She made eye contact with the person behind her and took a sharp breath through her nose, her jaw locking in shock.
They were wearing what looked like the same jacket, or what was left of it. Hair matted, the left side of her face burned. Her eyes were dark, the blue rimmed glasses cracked and crooked. Her face was very, very aggressive. Ander couldn't break eye contact but there was blood under her eyes, on her neck and a growl on her lip, and a cold -so so cold disregard for the fact she was covered in too much blood and skin should not be pulled back that way!
Everything was happening too fast. Ander's head began to spin as she tried to straighten herself, everything in fast forward. The buzz of hysteria was starting, her limbs turning hot and heavy.
She brought her face closer to Ander's and she could feel her breath. She could smell the drying blood, the smell of petrol and dirt, her face inches from hers. Which she should not be able to do! Shouldn't! No no no no. Ander looked in horror at what remained of her face, her own going green as she watched her reflection pull back her lips in a sneer, blood coating her front teeth. She couldn't move, she couldn't scream, she couldn't do anything. No, no no no. This wasn't happening. It was too fast! Everything was too fast! Because as she stared at herself the world went white as Ander forgot to breathe.
It couldn't be? It wasn't her. That wasn't possible. It was a joke. There was no way that she could be standing there. It was her. Her. It was herself.
There wasn't anything else because standing right in front of her, looking at her, was herself. Not much older, a head and chest length taller, a fuller chest, but the face was the same. Her big nose, the same hairline, and the same chin. The glasses were almost the same too. The same big boned body, though thinner, more developed and feminine, muscular. She could have been her older sister, if she didn't have blue eyes. No one in her family had them, just her father, and her father was gone.
It was too much for the ten-year old girl. Ander's brain froze, unable to process anything at all and she phased out, her brain turned to static. Her entire body went rigid as she looked at the monster in front of her. Who was so so very angry. She started to tremble, her lips moving even though nothing came out.
"You." the image in front of her swallowed heavily, trying not to sneer. "You know who I am."
Ander jumped, her body jerking like every word struck through her nerves. She couldn't move, the girl was only a few years older than her, but her strength was unimaginable. She couldn't move! Like the hands tightening around her collar bone, leaving bruises, were forcing her body to turn to stone. The sound of the voice was harsh. It was hoarse, sounding like she had swallowed nails and drank sandpaper. If possible Ander felt like more air left her lungs, creating a painful vacuum. A quick hiccup escaped her. No no no. Not happening.
A dream?
A prank?
Ander watched as the other her opened and closed her mouth a few times, trying to either find her words or her voice. Her eyes went wide, and Ander could see the hysteria, the crazed glaze look as she tried to control her mouth from forming into a snarl. She jumped again when the other her shook her head violently, trying to shake off the insane and animal like face it kept curling into.
Suddenly her reflection sagged slightly in front of her, and it let out a harsh breath. The other her shook violently, her arms almost too heavy to stay up, even though her hands continued to dig into her flesh.
Ander was finally able to take her own shaky breath when the thing in front of her broke eye contact. Instead it closed its eyes, fighting off pain. Ander didn't notice but she was shaking, trembling as she finally noticed the constant high-pitched hissing around them. She was going to throw up. She was going to throw up the Gatorade she just drank and the breakfast she just finished. She was going to do it, and she felt her heartbeat in her ears and felt it pound in her chest. Oh my god!
Ander needed to get away. She had to get away. She wasn't brave like her brothers, or strong like her sister. She didn't have a dad that taught her these things like other kids. She was short, and stupid, and a coward. She was the book nerd of the family, the scaredy-cat of the school. She couldn't stop herself as the other her, the thing made eye contact again. However, this time the eyes were losing some of its intensity, the anger draining away into a cold, tired, weary face. Ander found her eyes growing hot, the edge of her vision wobbling with moisture.
"You." The thing, herself, said again and Ander lost it.
"L-Le-let." Ander's lips trembled dangerously, and she could barely hear herself over the hissing. "L-let me go-"
It yanked her violently, shaking her in place and she screamed. It didn't stop. She let out another hysterical scream, louder than she ever did before, and Ander couldn't figure out where the pain started and the girls fingers ended.
"Listen!" It screamed, bringing her face right next to Ander's again.
Ander was nodding before she comprehended it and the violent shaking stopped as suddenly as it began. A dry sob left her throat, forgetting her childish pride, and Ander could barely see the monster through her tears. She wailed like the child she was. She shook in place, losing it and everything else. Ander didn't notice, but had she not been sobbing, she would have noticed. How they both were crying. The teenager looked down at herself, watching the little girl. The other her took in another shaky breath.
"You, You... are going to hate..." Her voice sounding terrible. "You're going to hate this trip the most. You are going to hate it, and me. You have every right to." She was shaking, and the teenager rambled as she lost her voice. She brought their faces together, trying to remember what it was like being her. To be nothing more than a scared little girl. "Get rid of this if you want, get rid of me. Find another way to get here. But those two."
She painfully smiled, the edges of it trembling dangerously. "Save them both."
She didn't give Ander's mind any time to comprehend it, before she let go of her shoulders, pushing her roughly back. She lost her footing immediately, a high-pitched scream hurting her ears as she fell back. Through her tears, everything exploded into gold.
And she fell up.
AUTHOR NOTES:
Okay? Well. That's nice. I've gone and done it again. Whoopee. Started to listen to Chameleon Circuit and then BAM! Instant idea. So, yeah, never actually wrote a Doctor Who Fan fiction in years that I didn't immediately drop. But, lets give this another go, shall we? Review and tell me what you think. Please? Or just read the next one and I'll take it as you want me to continue. I would like your opinion though.
…
Right, to the next chapter!
Ander: "No. That's not fair. This is bad writing."
What you can't say that! I made you and it wasn't that bad. Suck it up!
Ander: "Not that bad? You made me sound like a little baby!"
Oh for the love of! Shut up!
Now, onwards to chapter one!
Review please.