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From Leaps to Greater Bounds

Chapter Two

-Prophecies unfulfilled-

There was silence for what seemed like minutes but was in fact only a matter of a few, tense seconds. And then she laughed. Loki actually laughed at the cloaked man's words, so much so that she almost doubled over, wiping her eyes before standing straight again.

"Is this a joke? What makes you think that I would kill the Doctor?" she almost snorted in amusement, "he might wind me up sometimes, and right now I could probably slap him, but not kill him."

The man did not seem amused in the slightest, although she couldn't see his face to find out anyway. Calming down, Loki frowned, not at all liking how suddenly cold she felt as she realised how serious the being was. Her? Kill the Doctor?
"What are you talking about?"

"You will kill the Doctor," he announced cryptically, "and silence will fall when the Pandorica opens. The Trickster will return."

"Wait a minute," she held up a hand looking even more confused, "the Pandorica? That's just an old fairy tale used to scare Gallifreyan kids."

"The Pandorica will open, and you will have to choose. Choose to kill the Doctor or suffer dire consequences."

Loki paled, recalling those words but from another's mouth. Taking a step back as if staggered, she almost toppled over a mountain of books behind her, staring at the cloaked being with wide eyes. No, that had already come to pass. She had lived and their fate had been handed back to them. There was no more prophecies for her to fulfil! And yet a small nagging had been in her mind for some time. Sure she had chosen back in front of Rassilon and her father, leading the Doctor to shoot the diamond rather than one of the Time Lords, but it hadn't felt like the choice she was meant to make. After all it had been the Doctor's to choose in the end, whether to shoot or not. Hell! Loki had even chosen to free Wilfred herself, offering her life instead of the Doctor but he had done it instead, despite how much he had wanted to live. Thinking back on it, she came to the horrifying resolution that she had, in fact, not fulfilled her supposed prophecy.

"Oh god…" she muttered, "no, I…I won't. I'd never…not even for the Universe! I'd never kill the Doctor!"

"You will," he intoned darkly, turning away from her, "you will kill the one you love."
"Why would I?" she almost screamed after him.

"Because you love him."

With that he vanished, flickering as if he too had used a vortex manipulator to vanish, leaving her stood there staring wide eyed in the space he had vacated. Slumping to the ground shaking lightly, Loki fumbled in her pocket before drawing out a neatly folded photograph. It was a picture from the wedding that Jack had sneakily taken, taken during the moment that crystal dust had rained down on them. It looked so beautiful. She had to admit she was still surprised by her own appearance in the beautiful dress, but it was the scene between her and the Doctor that made her hearts clench. She loved him…and that love was going to kill the Doctor? No, she couldn't allow it.

Stumbling to her feet, Loki grabbed her keys and left the house, determined to get away from it as fast as she could. Dawn had already broken but she didn't think about how long time had passed during the meeting. Instead she walked furiously until she found a payphone. Sliding some money into the slot, she typed in the private number and listened to it ring. It really was a pain but she had broken her phone back in the mansion and doubted it was salvageable, even if she went back to see if it was still there. As to be expected it only took a few rings before he picked up.

"Captain Jack Harkness speaking."

"Jack…think you can come meet me?"

"Loki?" something in her voice must have set off alarms in his mind because he promised he would be in London within the next few hours before hanging up.

Smiling slightly, she made her way to Trafalgar square, hands in her pockets as the city came to life once again. Hopefully he wouldn't take too long, she doubted she could sit around the square for too long before getting restless. As she sat on the cold, stone steps of the statue in the centre of the square, from her perch she could see most of those that began to mill around the area. It was times like this she could eye up the simple humans that walked by, and even feel a little jealous. It was something she and the Doctor shared, a jealously for the humans they were often saving and helping, making friends with and caring about. Jealous of just what made them so human; their compassion, their will, their souls even their simplicity amongst the complexity of their little lives. All of them walking around with their own little worries while she sat there with the weight of the Universe on her shoulders. She remembered what she had once told Donna; she had wished she could just worry about the simple things like 'gone-off milk'. Chuckling at the thought, Loki leant back against the statue and closer her eyes for a moment. Even though she felt so out of tune with the world, feeling like she had been thrown off the tracks, she could still feel the Earth spinning on its axis around her, the vague twist of time as someone passed her. Some of them would just go on living, living through their time, some would go on to carve a future and a small few would choose a future that would create a new parallel dimension. It really was a wondrous thing to feel and it somehow helped ease her worries, just allowing herself to be lost in the feeling.

"Hey, I remember you," her eyes opened and blinked furiously, staring at the blue sky before down to where the voice had come from, "Loki, wasn't it?"

Her eyes fell on a particularly familiar man despite his almost average looks, the somewhat short, blonde man looking up at her curiously, and to her amusement he was carrying several bags of shopping. Familiarity lit up her eyes as she dropped down with a smile.

"John Watson! What a coincidence," she chuckled lightly before glancing around, "no Sherlock today?"

"No Doctor today?" he repeated the gesture but noticed how she suddenly deflated with surprise, "oh…I take it something happened."

"You could say that…but it doesn't matter. Out shopping?"

He blinked before looking down, "oh! Yes, just a few bits…you could come to the flat you know, have a cup of tea," he smiled amiably at her, "I'm sure it beats sitting out here on your own."

Smiling warmly, she couldn't help but chuckle, "John, are you flirting with me, I must warn you I'm a married woman now," his eyes widened a fraction before he chuckled nervously but she saved him an awkward response by waving her hand, "besides I'm waiting for a friend. Maybe another time, I'll hunt you down for that cup of tea."

"Ah, well yes…I suppose that's alright, I take it you know where we live."

Loki snorted, "of course I do, good to see you're learning quick."

Waving goodbye to him as he headed off, shopping in his hands, Loki couldn't help but smile softly after him. It was nice really talking to someone who didn't know about all her worries, problems and past. She definitely thought it would be a good idea to take up his offer should she be stranded on Earth for quite some time.

Judging by how high the sun was she had spent a good hour and a half simply in her thoughts, feeling the planet around her before she had been interrupted by John. So she didn't have long to wait before Jack appeared, his long World War 2 coat flying behind him as he strode towards her. Feeling somewhat relieved at his presence, she also felt a stab of worry, knowing that after their 'hellos' it would be an inquisition as to what had happened. This was the one reason why she had not immediately called him once she had realised the Doctor was not returning straight away. But after that encounter in her house she felt the need to talk to someone, and who better than her immortal, best friend. As soon as he was a meter from her she practically threw her arms round his neck and hugged him tightly, to which he returned without hesitation.

"Tell me what that idiot's done now," he sighed, holding her tightly while she chuckled wearily.

"It's a long story…"

They took a long walk around the city, taking in its sights but in fact he was listening intently to Loki's story. She started at the beginning, notifying him about the prophecy they had been told and of course how it had meant they had been on the run. He didn't seem surprised by this, even when it came to explaining what had happened with her father. She guessed that due to his immortal nature the master's gene template had not affected him like the other normal humans. He obviously remembered seeing Gallifrey nearing in the sky, the crimson planet growing nearer before vanishing. He even remembered seeing people change to the Master and then back. It made it easier to explain what had actually happened and the lead up to being left on Earth. By the time she had finished they had circled back to Trafalgar square and by that time the place was pretty much packed.

"Well," Jack began after finally taking it all in, "I think he was right to ask you to wait rather than risk hurting you, but he'll come back. You said so yourself."

"It's been almost fifteen hours since he dropped me off. He's taking his sweet time," Loki remarked quietly, "I mean he could have just mixed up the dates again, you know what he's like."

That brought out a bought of laughter from the pair but it slowly dwindled, his arm around her shoulders.

"You know, you could come to Cardiff. Help me out with keeping Earth safe and all that," he offered with a boyish grin that made her smile but she shook her head.

"As much as I'd love it…I'll stay here…for when he comes back."
Jack sighed heavily, frowning with a look in his eyes that reminded her of the time he had punched the Doctor. Yep, she wouldn't let Jack meet the Doctor again until she was sure he wouldn't knock him out…well, at least before she could give the Time Lord a good right hook to the face.

"Alright then, but you better call me. Any time for anything."
"Will do, captain," she chuckled lightly, "but this morning someone appeared in my house, spouting prophecies at me."
She didn't miss how he suddenly turned serious, his arm tightening around her shoulder, "what sort of prophecies?"

Taking a deep breath and sighing, she ran a hand over her face, "he mentioned an old fairytale of ours, something about the Trickster returning and how silence will fall…and he claimed I'd kill the Doctor."

Maybe she shouldn't have sounded so nonchalant when she said it, the last part particularly, judging by the look on the ex-Time Agent's face. Maybe she shouldn't have told him. Now it seemed like Jack was determined to stay by her side despite her complaints.

"Although I don't really understand all of it, it doesn't sound like a good idea to leave you on your own. Gwen won't mind if I take a while to return."
"Oh no you don't!" she practically shoved him ahead of her, "you're just as bad as the Doctor! She's waiting to see you so go and say 'hi'," she ordered, waving a finger in his face.

Jack pulled a face but chuckled lightly, "alright, alright, but you better call me!"

"I said I would!" she groaned, rolling her eyes, "so get going…and I'm sorry about Ianto."

She had heard about what had happened while her and the Doctor had been busy on the run, evading death. An unidentified alien had returned to Earth, demanding 10% of the world's population of children as their own personal drugs. And after almost handing over said numbers, Jack had been forced to sacrifice his own grandson to send the alien running for the hills in pain. But at the cost of his little grandson's life, Ianto having died when they had previously tried to persuade the alien away with the threat of War. Loki had felt the anger bubbling beneath the surface just at the thought. Jack smiling sadly back at her, the effects of his choices obvious in his eyes, before he lightly kissed her cheek.

"Thanks Loki…take care of yourself."

"You too, Jack."

Watching her friend leave, slower than he had appeared, Loki sighed heavily and checked her vortex manipulator. This was going to be one hell of a long wait.

-Two Weeks Later-

"I'm going to kill him…seriously, I think I am actually going to kill him!"
Loki paced furiously through her littered living room, ignoring the stacks of books and the small gizmos she knocked aside with her pacing. She had tried her best to keep herself from thinking about the Doctor, delving back into her old habit of messing around with little machines and taking things apart she had found. Hell, she had even found herself an empty Cyberman shell she had taken to, fiddling with its mechanics to make it run from hardware and mechanics. It was due to this she now had the Cyberman patrolling her home, picking up objects in an effort to tidy but only making more mess as it smashed something or other. The housekeeping software she had installed must have been faulty. But really, what was taking the Doctor so long? Just what had him so busy?

"You're Amelia!" the Doctor exclaimed in shock as he tore off after the twenty year old woman that had been a little, ginger haired, Scottish girl ten minutes ago to him.

"You're late!" Amy seethed, pulling at the hem of her short police skirt costume in annoyance, walking away from the stunned Doctor who stumbled after her still in shock.

"Amelia Pond! You're the little girl!"

"I'm Amelia, and you're late."
He seemed to be making a habit of this. Cringing at the thought of a furious Loki, he cleared his throat.

"What happened?"

Amy practically threw her hands in the air as she glanced back at him, "Twelve years!"

The Doctor gaped for a moment before rubbing his hands together, "You hit me with a cricket bat!"

His argument was nullified by her short laugh, "Ha! Twelve years!"

"A cricket bat!" he complained back.

"Twelve years, and four psychiatrists!"

"Four?"

She blushed lightly in embarrassment, "I kept biting them!"

"Why?" he chuckled amusedly.

"They said you weren't real."
"My, you and Loki would get along smashingly!" he grumbled to himself, seriously hoping said Time Lady would not react in the same way Amy had at his tardiness.

Then he paused in thought, staring blankly in front of him. Who was he kidding? She was going to kill him!

"Doctor!" Amy grabbed him by the tie just as the Atraxi ordered the Prisoner Zero to appear with the threat of incineration.

No rest for the wicked.

Sighing heavily, Loki dropped onto her sofa and ran her hands through her hair in annoyance. Although the ache was still there in her hearts, she had dulled it with thinking of over things, she needed something to keep her mind away from the Doctor and how much it hurt to be apart from him. He needed time and she supposed, so did she. But that didn't mean she didn't want to be alongside her charming husband, with his witty remarks, genius mind and stupid moments…with his arms around her, never letting her go again. In the background she could vaguely hear the news playing, something about murders but it was hardly an uncommon subject on the daily news.

"Goddamn it! Give me something to do!"

A knock at her door snapped her to attention. Who would be knocking at her door? Pulling it open, Loki blinked at the two men stood in her doorway, dressed in UNIT uniform no less.

"Loki, I presume?" one of them stared down at her coolly.

Sighing, she couldn't help but grin, "what have you lot got yourselves into this time?"

He looked ready to answer but merely nodded to her television. Arching an eyebrow, she glanced back, honing in on the news reporter. Twenty children reported dead from mysterious causes, all dying without any reason at the same time but what really cinched the deal was that all twenty children had been from the cities around the world with the largest populations.

The room was buzzing with life but certainly not energy. These were places of politics and national security measures, meetings of utmost importance. Along the table sat several people from around the world. There was the commander of UNIT, a rather pompous looking man, Colonel Oduya. Along with them was the new Prime Minister, a woman called Mrs Stevenson who seemed to be the only one with a brain in use and of course representatives of the other countries that had been affected. In general, a world gathering had occurred with the utmost urgency. It didn't take a genius to realise the true culprit behind the death of those children, even though they had originally called on a genius.

Sherlock Holmes lounged in his chair amongst the numbers of important people, his fingers clasped together in front of him, barely needing to glance around the room to read those around him. After being asked by his brother Mycroft to investigate the deaths, the younger Holmes had been silently infuriated to find himself unable to solve the case. Sure, there had been a small number of cases he had not been able to solve, but usually he could at least gain something from his investigations! All he had found was that the children had been killed without being touched, post mortems revealing them all to be in perfect health, and yet the children had suddenly collapsed, blood seeping from their eyes, mouth and nose. Sherlock had instantly deduced that the cause of death pertained to their minds however a close examination revealed nothing. No illness, virus, poison. No nothing! And then he had started an experiment out of curiosities sake. It had involved a microwave, a human brain and lots of yelling from John and Mrs Hudson. The former of the two was also sat beside him, looking slightly overwhelmed by the presence of so many important and influential people. Sherlock couldn't figure out who had killed the children or exactly how, but when he had mentioned his experiment of microwave frequencies on the human brain, his brother had paled considerably.

It was an odd thing to say the least. He had never seen his older brother shaken before, and without an answer, he had thrown the two into a taxi and hurried them off, rattling off urgent phone calls to various people. Whatever Sherlock had figured out had sparked something off in Mycroft's mind, and it annoyed the lean consulting detective to no end that he knew something, that Sherlock didn't. When he had finally persuaded his brother to alleviate the mystery, he had been surprised, something that didn't happen very often. He should have really guessed that there would be a government conspiracy, cover ups, but not on this scale. They all remembered the strange goings on a few years back with the world's population of children, but no one really knew what had happened.

"I still don't believe it," John muttered to Sherlock, "I mean, how could they just cover it all up?"
"You are taking this quite well, John," he remarked, ignoring his friend's question.

"So are you," John smiled slightly, "I suppose it helps we've already met a couple of aliens…but its still so strange that this all happened under our noses."

It was then that silence was commanded from all as the doors opened.

"I am sure you are all quite aware as to why we are here today," the English prime minister quietly but in the silence, her voice commandeered all attention, "the 456 that we all hoped to have driven away those two years ago, has indeed returned. Last time many died in this very building, and although sacrifices were cut down to a minimum, we are not willing for a repeat of those days. However this time we have an ace in our hand," two UNIT soldiers walked in through the open doors, flanking the third visitor, "we hope that you will be able to help us, Time Lord."

The two soldiers stepped aside revealing Loki who arched an eyebrow curiously before smiling slightly.

"As if I get any choice in the matter, you damn humans are oh so persuasive with armed soldiers turning up on my door. Can't you guys just nicely ask for a change?"