Lady A: Hey everyone and welcome back to Legacy Saga: Genesis! Barreled through the chapter for you guys and hand written, it was forty pages! So be prepared for a LONG chapter! Also, quick note, the romance will be seem a bit strong because we are so far into the Doctor's future and Artimes doesn't have the heart to tell him that this is the first time they ever met. She goes along with him and tries to write off the whole thing like she is early in her time stream as opposed to her actual first jump. Trust me, Chapter 2: The Unearthly Child will show you that not everything is always sunshine and daises between the pair. Anyways, I am apparently rambling so I'm going to quit talking now.
Brief Recap: We learn quite a bit about the young woman who would soon have her life turned upside down, inside out, and tossed into a blender.
Looking Forward: Artimes meets the Doctor, finds out many things, and eventually figures out she is some sort of time/space jumper and jumps randomly along the Doctor's timeline…all of his timeline, all the Doctors. Things go haywire when 'Grandfather' begins to awaken and Artimes starts to alter the course of events or perhaps just the people. Will they defeat 'Grandfather' or will her presence in the timeline shatter all hope of success?
Let's find out! On with the show!
Chapter One: The Rings of Akhaten
Artimes awoke on a hard metal surface. She sat up with her eyes closed, trying to figure out what happened to her blanket and wondering what that strange humming noise was. It didn't sound like a hummingbird but more like machinery. She stood up and beginning rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. How many times was she going to fall asleep outside? That had to be the fourth time that week. She frowned when she opened her eyes and saw the metal flooring and not grass. Her gaze shifted up and she went slack jawed. She wasn't outside anymore but in some kind of corridor.
Her fear spiked for a moment before she recognized the décor. It reminded her of the Tardis…well exactly like the Tardis. It looked to be the Post-Pond desktop, the whole silver and blue tech phase the Doctor had gone through. She immediately scoffed, thinking it was nothing more than a very vivid dream, but then she pinched herself. She hissed in pain and decided that she was definitely not dreaming. She knew she hadn't ingested any hallucinogenics or drugs, so that ruled out that she was tripping on something. She highly doubted that it was a psychotic episode because that would imply that she was mentally unstable. She may be good with weird and very laid back when it comes to craziness but she was not clinically insane.
'Once you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be true.' -Sherlock Holmes
Artimes sighed, running a hand through her dark blonde locks. At this point, she could do with a little impossible. The most logical and efficient course of action to take would be to find the Doctor. If this was truly the Tardis then the Doctor should be somewhere, though with the Tardis being an infinite dimension that may take a while. As of right now, he was the only one who could tell her how she got here and why she was here.
She moved along through the corridors, silently cursing the infinite maze. She had no idea where the control room might be and she wasn't entirely certain if the Tardis was telepathic like in the show. She was about to turn down another hallway when she felt a warmth brush against her mind, making her jump at the sudden intrusion.
'Sexy?' She called out mentally, hoping that it was the sentient time ship that had entered her mind and not something else.
The blonde received another brush against her mind, a sense of love and amusement filling her thoughts. She giggled at the sensation and relaxed. She looked up at the ceiling in awe and wonder. The Old Girl could hear her and seemed to like her a lot. She felt another brush against her mind and it felt like almost a motherly embrace. Make that love then. The Tardis seemed to honestly love her which was a relief. She didn't really want to be on bad terms with the sentient time ship.
'Can you help me find Theta, please?' Artimes asked politely.
A trail of golden energy appeared, growing longer as it continued down another corridor. The blonde followed the energy, dissipating as it flowed behind her. After a few minutes, she reached the control room and her eyes widened slightly. The control room was absolutely gorgeous and she was totally loving how the Gallifreyan language was integrated with the moving layers in the ceiling just above the time rotor and main console. The rest of the energy vanished as she thanked the Tardis for her help. The Old Girl brushed against her mind once more as her way of saying 'Your welcome'.
She caught sight of the Doctor in his Victorian like outfit. He was staring at the monitor with his back to her. He shifted slightly to the side and she saw the image of Clara in Victorian London.
"She's just a girl. How can she be?" The Doctor asked sounding very confused.
She immediately recognized this scene from the series. It was the beginning of Series 7, Episode 7: The Rings of Akhaten. Her attention returned to the Timelord as he flipped a switch on the console. The image of the monitor changed to Oswin Oswald's credentials for the starship Alaska.
"She can't be." He stated becoming more frustrated.
He flipped the switch again and the monitor flickered over to an image of Clara Oswald in a graduation gown, throwing her cap into the air.
"She is! She can't be!" He exclaimed pushing the monitor away and turning around, still not noticing the blonde's presence, "She's not possible."
Artimes smirked slightly and decided to pull a Sherlock.
"Once you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remaining, however improbable, must be true." The blonde piped up walking into his line of sight.
The Doctor finally took notice of her and instead of demanding who she was and how she got in the Tardis, he grinned widely, his eyes sparkling with happiness.
"Artz!" He cried out joyfully, rushing up to her and kissing her.
She had no time to react to the kiss because he was already dragging her over to the console. He released her hand and started fiddling with the controls.
"So! Where am I going to take my absolutely beautiful and amazing wife today, hm? We can pop over to Rigelia 4 again and visit that restaurant you love so much or perhaps a visit to Pexal 9 and go shopping in the intergalactic market….oh I know! How about Akhaten? We haven't been there in a very long while! Yeah, Akhaten is perfect!" He rambled looking very much like a kid at Christmas.
She was smiling but on the inside she was trying to comprehend everything he was saying. They had obviously met before or at least he had met a future version of herself, they apparently travel together a lot, and oh he called her his wife. Seriously, his wife?! She had never seemed like the marrying type…well more like no one ever showed her that level of love and devotion to even want to get married. She really wanted to know how it happened or the slightly more important question of when it happened.
She opened her mouth to ask the questions burning in her mind, but quickly had to shut it and hold on tight as he started piloting the Tardis, dashing about the console like a mad man. She couldn't help the grin that slid onto her face as she watched him. Her eyes followed every movement he made, seeing the years of experience and fluidity of motion in every single action. He may act like a childish and completely mad fool, but his movements revealed a very different story. He was quite incredible and she could feel the happiness beginning to bubble up inside of her.
He noticed her eyes on him and he grinned at her again, his eyes alight with so much joy. He seemed so genuinely happy that she was there and for the first time in forever, Artimes felt like she belonged. He flipped another lever, a manic grin on his face, and they came to a sudden halt, both of them losing their grip and falling to the floor in laughter. He was on his feet in a flash and helped her up. The moment she was fully in his arms, he kissed her again, much more gentle and slow. She honestly had no idea how to react but she was being kissed by the Doctor of all people and she wasn't about to waste such a golden opportunity. She kissed him back, but allowed him to lead the kiss. In his mind, she was his wife, but in hers, they were pretty much strangers yet somehow kissing him seemed so completely right. She would worry about the whole wife thing later.
"I'll go and ring Clara. I'll be right back." He promised before dashing out of the Tardis.
Artimes touched her still tingling lips. That had been her first kiss…well first and second actually. She frowned when she caught sight of the two silver streaks in the front part of her hair. How did she get silver in her hair? She reached up and twirled it a bit with her right hand. She froze when she remembered that she hadn't told him that this was their first time ever meeting. She touched her lips again and she made a quick decision. She wouldn't tell the Doctor about it. She just couldn't…she didn't want him to be sad. He had lost so much already and he had just lost the Ponds not too long ago. She couldn't take this from him too. She would play along and write the whole thing off as simply her being early in her timeline.
She lowered her hand hastily when the Doctor rushed back in. He grabbed her about the waist and spun her into a dipped position, making her laugh at his antics. He kissed her again before bringing her back up into a standing position. He kept his arms wrapped around her as Clara entered the Tardis and walked around, full of excitement. The Doctor started working the controls, keeping Artimes with him at all times. She noticed how he always seemed to be in some kind of physical contact with her…almost like she would disappear the moment he let her go. What could cause such a reaction in the Doctor like that?
"So we're moving through actual time?" Clara asked joining them at the console.
"Yup." The blonde answered popping the 'p' like Ten would do from time to time.
The Doctor kissed her cheek unexpectedly and she giggled, her cheeks warming slightly.
"So what's it made of? Time? If you can just rotor through it, it must be made of stuff, like jam's made of strawberries. So what's it made of?" The brunette hounded her curiosity in full swing.
It was a very interesting question and most people wouldn't have asked it. Artimes hadn't even thought to ask it and she wasn't quite sure if she had an answer for it either…unless it had something to do with Huon particles and Artron energy?
"Well not strawberries. No. No, no, no. That would be unacceptable." The Doctor answered not really answering the question as he dragged Artimes around the console.
Clara went around the other way hastily.
"And we can go anywhere?" The brunette asked.
"Within reason. Well, I say reason…" He trailed off.
"We can't go back into our own personal timelines. That's a big no no. We can't cross into established events except for cheap tricks. No mucking up with a fixed point in time unless aliens are trying to prevent history from happening. Oh and we can't got to our own graves because that would cause a massive paradox and end all life in the universe." Artimes rambled counting things off with her right hand.
"Well I did say within reason, Artz." He countered pouting.
She giggled at his childish behavior and kissed his cheek, watching how his face brightened immediately.
"So, we could go backwards in time?" Clara asked seemingly at ease with the odd couple.
"And space. Yes." The Timelord answered still wanting to go to Akhaten.
"And forwards in time." The brunette continued completely disregarding the whole space option.
Artimes had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing.
"And space. Totally. So, where do you want to go, eh?" He asked dragging Artimes around the console so that they were now facing Clara on the opposite side, "What do you want to see?"
The dark haired woman opened her mouth, only to shut it quickly. Her eyes seemed to go completely blank.
"I don't know. You know when someone asks you your favorite book and you forget every book you've read?" Clara asked.
"No. Totally not." He answered making Artimes snort slightly from trying to contain her laughter.
"Well. That's a thing. That happens." She replied.
"Respect the thing." The blonde commented quoting him.
He smiled at her and tightened his grasp on her, making her giggle. She blushed bright red when he whispered something rather naughty into her ear. She swallowed hard and tried to not to think about what he had just suggested…though she kind of wanted to, it sounded like it would be fun and uh…stimulating. She mentally scolded herself for falling so easily to his charm.
"Back to the question. Where do you want to go, Clara? Anything that ever happened or ever will, where do you want to start?" Artimes asked quoting Eleven yet again.
"Ok. So…so…so…" The brunette started hurrying over to the door, her back to them.
Artimes wasn't really paying much attention because the Doctor was running his hands across her body in very suggestive ways and was kissing her jaw, neck and shoulder. She was trembling from the strange and very pleasurable sensations coursing through her body. The only thought bouncing around her head was that he didn't know that this was her very first time with him ever and technically he was a stranger to her, but God if she didn't love the way he moved. She managed to focus on the fact that Clara was in the room and she managed to step away from him, forcing him to face the oblivious brunette.
"Behave." The blonde hissed under her breath, still quite flustered and her cheeks were burning like mad.
He simply smirked at her and she huffed silently and rolled her eyes.
"So, I'd like to see…I would like to see…what I would like to see is…" Clara ranted turning to face them, "…something awesome."
The Doctor put his hands in the air, snapped his fingers, and then put the Tardis into motion.
The Doctor opened the Tardis door, ushering Clara outside who had her eyes closed. Artimes followed behind them, closing the door and keeping herself directly behind them to block out the view. She wanted her first view of the fantastical world she had dropped into to be a surprise.
"Can you feel the light on your eyelids?" The Doctor asked guiding the brunette further out.
"Mm hm." She hummed in response.
"That's the light of an alien sun." Artimes piped up, stealing one of the Doctor's lines.
She couldn't help it…the urge was simply too hard to resist.
"Forward a couple of steps." He instructed positioning the brunette into the perfect position, "Ok. Are you ready?"
"Yes. No. Yes." Clara spoke quickly, both excited and nervous.
Artimes's heart was thudding hard in her chest, the echoes rippling across her torso giving her the illusion of having two hearts for a moment. She felt the same way as Clara…it was exhilarating. Clara opened her eyes as the blonde stepped up beside her, getting her first look at the astronomical miracle before her eyes
"Welcome to the Rings of Akhaten." The Doctor stated a small amount of pride and smugness in his voice.
They were standing on a large chunk of rock, which Artimes knew to be an asteroid that was part of a set of rings circling a large sun. One asteroid was larger than the others and had a city practically built into it.
"It's…" Clara started words failing her.
The blonde simply stared in wonder, her forest green eyes glistening with tears. She had always wanted to see the stars and now there she was doing just that. There were no words to describe the plethora of emotions surging through her system.
"It is. It so completely is, but wait! There's more." He continued.
"More what?" The brunette asked.
How was Clara even talking at that moment? Artimes had lost her voice and didn't seem to be able to find it.
"Wait, wait, wait." He started checking his watch, "In about five, four, three, two…"
The asteroids passed and revealed another with a large pyramid, shining as the light from the sun hit it. At the sight of the pyramid, the blonde's blood froze. She remembered what happened in this episode, more importantly about what was going to happen to Merry and to the Doctor.
"What is it?" Clara asked in awe.
"The Pyramid of Akhaten. It's a holy site for the Sun singers of Akhet." Artimes blurted out, her voice finally returning.
The Doctor grinned at her and she blushed slightly.
"The who of what?" The brunette asked confused.
The Timelord nodded for Artimes to answer the question and the blonde felt a certain thrill of being able to use the information that was deemed as useless in her reality.
"Seven worlds orbiting the same star. All of them sharing a belief that life in the universe originated here…on that planet." The Blonde answered earning a proud look from the Doctor.
"All life?" Clara echoed.
"In the universe." The Timelord replied.
"Did it?" The brunette asked earning a snort of disbelief from the blonde.
"Well, it's what they believe. It's a nice story." He answered echoing the blonde's sentiment.
"Can we see it? Up close?" Clara asked excitedly.
The Doctor smiled and held out his hands. Both girls took one of his hands and he led them back into the Tardis.
The Tardis materialized hidden behind some stalls off the main avenue. The Doctor hurried the girls out of the Tardis, smiling with glee. Both girls stopped short when they saw all the different kinds of aliens. The brunette walked a little ahead of the pair, her eyes darting around in wonder. Artimes was feeling a tad uncomfortable being around so many people. She had no problem with the fact that they were aliens, but there were just so many of them. She had spent a great deal of her life being on her own, so she wasn't used to crowds. The Doctor sensed her discomfort and wrapped his right arm around her waist, bringing her close to him.
"You okay?" He asked his eyes full of worry.
"Yeah. There's just a lot of people is all." She answered sheepishly, looking down at her feet in embarrassment.
"You never do like crowds. Don't worry, you're safe with me…I promise." He replied lifting her chin with his left hand and kissing her gently.
He pulled away when Clara came back over to them.
"Where are they from?" The brunette asked.
"Oh, you know, the local system mostly." He answered nonchalantly.
"What do I call them?" Clara asked honestly curious.
Artimes smiled softly at her enthusiasm. Seeing the blonde's smile, the Doctor relaxed a little. He would have to take her to someplace quiet afterwards, maybe to the Forests of Cheem. He remembered that she had a particular fondness for that planet and its people.
"Well, let's see. There go some Panbabylonians. A Lugal-Irra-Kush. Some Lucanians. A Hooloovoo." He started pointing or gesturing to each in turn, "Ah! Qom Vo Tivig. That chap's a Terraberserker of the Kodion Belt. You don't see many of them around anymore. Oh! That's an Ultramancer. You know, I forget how much I like it here. Artz, we should come here more often, shouldn't we?"
He seemed to be asking for her permission and she was honestly touched by his consideration of her feelings. She smiled at him and nodded. He grinned like an idiot and kissed the top of her head.
"You've been here before?" Clara asked.
"Yes, we came here a long time ago with my granddaughter, Artz's idea." He answered heading off and dragging the blonde with him through the crowd.
"Hang on!" The brunette called chasing after them.
Artimes dragged the Doctor over to a vendor, selling glowing blue spherical shaped fruit in bowls. He beamed at her in excitement and she giggled. She hadn't laughed or enjoyed herself this much in a very long time…if ever, now that she thought about it. Clara finally joined them and gave the glowing fruit a questionable look.
"Exotic fruit of some description." He explained pulling out his sonic screwdriver and scanning it briefly, "Non-toxic. Non-hallucinogenic. High in free radicals and low in other stuff, I shouldn't wonder."
Artimes eyed the fruit wearily. She had never had alien food before and she was a little hesitant to try it, but one look at the Timelord's hopeful expression had her taking a bite. She made a slightly sour face, wanting nothing more than to spit it out, but managed to swallow it nonetheless. That had to have been the most revolting thing she had ever tasted…somewhere between tar and sewer water. Clara seemed to echo her sentiment and they both shook their heads, clearly not liking the fruit one bit.
"No?" The Doctor asked slightly amused by their reactions.
"So why's everyone here?" The brunette asked as they discarded the bowls, the Doctor wrapping his arm back around the blonde's waist and signaling for the dark haired woman to follow them.
"For the Festival of Offerings. Takes place every thousand years or so, when the rings are in alignment. It's quite a big thing, locally speaking." Artimes blurted out.
Blimey, she was doing that a lot. She was slightly surprised that the Doctor hadn't told her off yet. She glanced up at him and he smiled happily at her. She decided then and there that if it kept that smile on his face, she didn't care whatsoever.
"Like Pancake Tuesday." The Timelord commented making her snort in amusement.
He sent her a cheeky grin as they walked ahead of Clara again, leaving her behind for the moment.
"How are you doing? You seem a little distant. Did something happen during your last jump?" He asked his eyes worried again.
Jump? What did he mean by jump?
"Having a bit of an off day. Am I not allowed to have an off day?" She countered.
He leaned into her a bit. It was strange how he was acting. It was almost like he was afraid she would disappear the moment he wasn't some kind of physical contact with her. It was probably because of what happened to the Ponds.
"Not at all. You can't blame me for worrying about you. You're the most important person in the universe to me. I just want to make you happy is all." He replied as he stopped walking and had her face him, his eyes full of love and devotion.
Her breath caught in her throat and her heart beat wildly in her chest, causing that odd echoing effect again. She could feel the blood rushing to her face as her cheeks grew warm. She couldn't bring herself to look away from those amazing green eyes. All her life, she had wanted someone to look at her like that, to love her that much, but she never imagined that the source of that love would be the Doctor. She realized then that he was very much real and very much in love with her and she honestly didn't know what to say or do about that. It seemed too good to be true and her heart was warring with her head, logic and reasoning trying to circumvent this very real moment.
"Whoa!" They heard Clara shout, "Erm, Doctor? Artz!"
The pair rushed over to their impossible girl and the Timelord yapped at the dog like alien.
"What's happening? Why's it angry?" The brunette asked slightly afraid.
"This isn't an it. It's a she. Dor'een, meet Clara and my Artz. Clara, Artz, meet Dor'een." The Doctor introduced.
"Pleasure to meet you, Miss Dor'een." Artimes said smiling, earning a gruff response in return which she assumed to be Dor'een's way of saying hello.
"Doreen?" Clara echoed.
"Loose translation. She sounds a bit grumpy but she's a total love, actually, aren't you?" He rambled tickling Dor'een under the chin, making Artimes giggle, "Yes, you are. She's just asking if we fancy renting a moped."
Dor'een backed out of the way to reveal the moped in question. Clara barked and the dog like alien barked back in return.
"So, how much does it cost?" The brunette asked curious.
The Doctor opened his mouth to answer, but saw the hopeful look in the blonde's eyes. He closed his mouth before smiling, nodding his permission for her to explain. Her eyes lit up with happiness, a grin appearing on her face, and his hearts fluttered at the sight.
"Not money. Something valuable, but not just any value, but sentimental value. A photograph, a love letter, something along those lines. Psychometry. Objects physically imprinted with their history. The more treasured they are, the more value they hold." Artimes explained in a rush, obviously excited and happy about imparting her knowledge to another.
The Doctor nuzzled into her neck affectionately, his entire being radiating with joy and happiness. He absolutely loved it when his Artz showed how brilliant she was and he let her do it as much as he could, knowing it would always bring a smile to her face. Clara, however, did not share their view if the look on her face was any indication.
"That's horrible." The brunette stated quite disturbed by the idea.
He noticed how Artimes seemed to recoil, shrinking away from the dark haired woman and withdrawing into herself. He wrapped both arms around her waist to offer her some comfort as annoyance flashed through his eyes briefly.
"Better than using bits of paper." He replied some of his irritation slipping through.
He did not like it when the blonde withdrew herself. It didn't matter what point in her timeline it was, she always had a problem with her self confidence. It was accounted for the way her family had treated her, making her feel like she was nothing and unimportant. He had been actively trying countermand that mindset but twelve hundred years in and he still hadn't been able to rid her of it completely.
"Then you pay." Clara demanded obstinately.
His jaw clenched as he tried to remember that the brunette was still unused to time/space travel, but a lot of his objectivity went out the window when it involved his Artz.
"With what?" He snapped.
He felt Artimes stiffen in his arms.
"You're a thousand years old. You must have something you care about." The brunette replied making Artimes wince slightly and shift further away from her and deeper into his embrace.
He glanced down at her, feeling a large amount of guilt. He knew how much the blonde loathed conflict, always so peaceful, and she especially hated it when friends fought. He really needed to keep better control over his temper, but after what happened with Amy and Rory and what Artimes had tried and failed to do, he was simply too raw to have proper emotional control. He pulled out his sonic screwdriver, his mind filling with memories. He shook his head and pocketed the device again before ushering the blonde away, Clara laughing at his expense.
Once they were a good distance away from the brunette, he spoke.
"I'm sorry about earlier. I didn't mean to get so irritated." He apologized as they walked through the market.
"You care about two things…well three if you include me, your sonic screwdriver and the Tardis. I wouldn't want to part with either of those myself, so stop your fretting. You worry too much, Theta." She replied.
Warmth washed through his system like a flood when she spoke his academy name. She was the only one who call him that and he never tired of hearing her say it.
"I know, but I get a little confrontational when someone hurts you…even the little things like before and I'm sorry. I remember how much you fought against my first self, how he was always trying to prove you wrong. You always so brave when facing me down but I saw how much it hurt you when I wouldn't believe you. Took almost a year for me to believe that key points of my life were a television show in another reality. I was a real arse back then." He rambled bringing her into his arms fully, their chests pressed together, "I don't know how you ever forgave me for all those arguments, all the times I put you in danger because of my own arrogance."
He shook his head, still in awe that she was still with him after all that time. He had fought with her so much, called her delusional, treated her so harshly and with such superiority that it made his stomach twist in self loathing. She had stood up to him, reasoned with him, and even manipulated him a time or two so that he had no choice but to go with the chain of events and have her proven right over and over again.
A brief image from his first adventure with Ian and Barbara flashed through his mind. He had still not forgiven himself for that day, no matter how many times she had forgiven him and said that she was to blame. She had been in his care and his arrogance and stubbornness nearly cost him the one thing that he would one day hold most dear. How foolish he had been so long ago, but he swore an oath the moment she had returned to him that he would do all in his power to keep her safe.
"One may suffer a world of demons for the sake of an angel." Artimes replied smiling softly at him and jarring him from his morose thoughts.
He looked down at her and saw how much she loved him in those beautiful green eyes. Her eyes had never been without that love, that faith, that trust…even with his first self and all the others. By the stars, he loved this woman…this incredible, brilliant, beautiful, amazing woman. She was so remarkable and impossible and…and so completely his. Without her, there would have been so many times that he would have succumbed to the darkness and gave in to rage. She made him better by simply being in his life and he was eternally grateful.
He leaned down and kissed her, slow at first but then more passionately. It erupted into a full blown snogging session and at some point he pinned her against a large crate, her legs wrapped around him. He moaned into her mouth when her hands threaded into her hair and scratched gently at his scalp. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew he couldn't take it was far as he wanted to, given their current location. He refused to release her just yet, relishing her taste and the warmth of their joined bodies.
He continued to kiss her, time ceasing to exist for them, while her body shuddered under his touch. It would have been so easy to simply take her right then and there, but he forced himself to pull back. Only Artimes didn't seem to want that and she yanked him forwards again, her mouth demanding more. He growled lowly in his chest and took control of the kiss once more, leaving her breathless and dazed. He set her gently on her feet, holding her steady so she could regain feeling in her legs. He couldn't help but smile at her dazed state, more than a little proud that he could cause such a reaction from his Artz.
"We should…um…we should go find…uh…Clara, that's it. We should go find Clara." Artimes stated fumbling over her words as her head cleared.
He kissed her again then led them through the crowd to find their impossible girl.
While looking for the wayward brunette, Artimes thought about what she had done during that kiss…well more like make out session. She had no idea what had come over her. It was like every fiber of her being demanded for her to be closer to him. Being in his arms like that, it had felt so right…like she had been doing that with him forever. She had an idea as to why, though it was purely conjecture at that point. Her life had not been the greatest and she never really got that much physical attention…or any attention really. Then all of a sudden, here was this impossible man giving her something she hadn't even known that she was craving.
Moreover, she was finally putting the pieces together from what the Doctor had told her about. Her theory was that she was like the original character that jumped all willy nilly through time and space. He had no idea how many spoilers he had told her…or maybe they were not spoilers at all. He had mentioned that it was her idea to take Susan to Akhaten. She wouldn't have even thought about suggesting it if he hadn't said something. Then there was the fact that she argued with his first self a lot. Maybe because she knew it was coming, she would be able to handle it better.
She also knew that her life with the Doctor would be a good one, despite the bumps and hiccups that would occur along the way. After all, he said that she was his wife and that she was the most important person in the universe to him. It was definitely a bonus that the sentient time ship he called home seemed to like her so much. She refocused on their surroundings when the Doctor pulled her back over to the booth with the foul tasting, glowing fruit again and he snatched up a couple. He offered her one and she simply gave him a dead panned expression to which he laughed at before kissing her forehead.
They continued on their way, working their way through the crowds of aliens. The Doctor, being the ever talkative man he was, let slip a few more spoilers about their future adventures together; their visit to Woman Wept, floating along with a heard of star whales, how they visited Jenny often, and something about the Wish Festival on Lunaria 5. They finally found Clara as the Doctor finished up his snack.
"What have you been doing?" He asked the brunette, his hand intertwined with the blonde's.
"Exploring." Clara answered vaguely.
"So you met Merry then." Artimes said knowingly, surprising the brunette slightly.
The Doctor's had snapped in her direction quickly.
"What?" She asked confused by his reaction.
"Which one?" He countered his eyes serious.
She just stared at him, uncertain of what he wanted her to tell him.
"Which key point?" He clarified seeing her confusion and ignoring Clara completely.
"7.7 of the reboot, The Rings of Akhaten." She answered hesitantly.
He pulled her closer and wrapped his arms around her waist again. Clara stared at the Doctor in confusion, not understanding his sudden shift in mood. Artimes took one look into his green eyes and understood instantly why he was so on edge. She sighed heavily and removed herself from his arms. He stepped with her and she pushed him back, her hand on his chest.
"Stop your fretting, you clot. We have time." The blonde stated confidently.
She now understood why he was so jumpy. Key points meant that trouble was lurking nearby and things would undoubtedly become very dangerous and possibly put her at risk. He relaxed slightly, but still took her hand in his, kissing it briefly before leaning down to whisper in her ear.
"Let me know when things are about to become dangerous." He whispered as he led her away, a confused brunette following after them.
"Everything will be fine, Theta. Trust me." She whispered back, kissing his cheek and rubbing his arm to reassure him.
The trio of time travelers hurried into the amphitheater so they wouldn't miss the opening ceremony of the festival, the Queen of Years' performance.
"Shh! Shh!" The Doctor started climbing past others in their seats with Artimes being dragged with him, "Sorry, sorry, excuse us. Sorry, excuse us."
He finally sat down but there wasn't enough seats for all three of them so he pulled Artimes into his lap, making her sit on top of him. Clara quickly joined them and sat down next to the hyperactive Timelord.
"Are we even supposed to be here?" She asked.
"Shh." The Doctor and Artimes replied trying to shush their companion.
"But are we?" The brunette persisted.
"Shh." The Doctor shushed her again before apologizing to the alien on the other side of the dark haired woman.
On the pedestal at the front of the amphitheater, Merry looked nervously over to the temple. The little girl turned and caught sight of Clara. She turned back, took a deep breath and began to sing.
"Akhaten…" She began as her voice overlapped with the priest who was kneeling inside the temple.
"Lay down, my king." The priest snag as he stood and removed his hood, "Sleep now eternal."
He walked towards the door and outside.
"Sleep, my precious king…lay down…" He continued.
"Oh, god of Akhaaaten…" Merry sang.
During a short respite, the Doctor explained what exactly they were doing.
"They're singing to the Akhaten in the temple. They call it the Old God, sometimes Grandfather." He whispered.
"Oh, god of Akhaaaten…" Merry continued.
"What are they singing?" The brunette asked keeping her tone low.
"The Long Song, a lullaby without end. To feed the Old God, keep him asleep. It's been going for millions of years. Chorister handing over to Chorister. Generation after generation after generation." He continued.
"And completely and utterly pointless." Artimes mumbled almost inaudibly but the Doctor had heard and brought her closer to him in response.
Something about this was not sitting well with him. His Artz was on edge, he knew it to be a key point, so what was he missing?
"Akhaten…" Merry continued singing.
The girls looked around as the members of the audience held out their hands, each containing something valuable to them. Merry and the priest continued to sing.
"What are they doing?" Clara asked.
"They're offerings, gifts of value…mementos to feed the Old God." Artimes answered a sliver of anger slipping through when she said 'Old God'.
Clara laughed, unaware of the blonde's growing anger, as the offerings were accepted, disappearing into small bits of golden light. The Doctor tried to calm the disquieted blonde, but she continued to sit rigidly in his lap. He had a feeling that things were quickly approaching the time of danger, especially given how his Artz was staring so intently at the Queen of Years, Merry.
"Oh, god of…oh, god of…oh god of Akhaaaten…" Merry sang flawlessly.
"Sleep, my precious king." The priest continued.
The audience joined in the song. The Doctor tried to sing along, but was failing miserably. Artimes, on the other hand, blended in perfectly with the chorus of voices. The Timelord stared at her in wonder, his eyes shining with pride, love, and happiness. He loved listening to her sing. He smiled softly as he remembered the ridiculous amount of times he found her singing and dancing in the control room, the Old Girl flashing her lights or piloting through a stellar nursery with the doors open.
A low rumbling emanated from within the temple and Merry looked back at the crowd, everyone knowing that something was wrong. The fear on the little girl's face was all the incentive the blonde needed to bolt from the Doctor's arms and out of the stands. He stood quickly, not understanding her sudden urgency. Clara and the Timelord looked on in confusion as Artimes raced towards Merry, pulling the young singer into her arms. His eyes widened in horror as a force field wrapped around them both and lifted them into the air, dragging them towards the temple. Clara tried to get someone to help them, but no one moved except for the Doctor who clambered out of the stands.
"Dor'een!" Artimes shouted pointing back towards the market and he immediately took off out of the amphitheater.
Clara rushed after him in shock and anger.
"Why are we walking away?! We can't just walk away! This is my fault! I talked Merry into doing this and Artz is paying the price! Please, we can't just walk away!" Clara pleaded.
The Doctor stopped and walked back to the brunette.
"Listen. There's one thing you need to know about traveling with me…well, one thing apart from the blue box, two hearts, and a wife that jumps randomly through my timeline. We don't walk away." He replied turning on his heel and continuing on to Dor'een's stall.
Artimes had said 'Dor'een' on purpose, meaning he needed the moped in order to save her and the little girl. His jaw clenched slightly, more than a little annoyed that she had once again thrown herself into danger, but at the same time, if she didn't then she wouldn't be her. Upon arriving, he yapped at Dor'een and she barked and growled in return. The Doctor patted himself down before going to Clara.
"I need something precious." He stated hurriedly.
"Well, you must have something, all the places you've seen." Clara quipped back.
In the Tardis, yes he did, but not here. There wasn't time for him to run to the Tardis, dig up something of adequate value, run back, get the moped, and go save his Artz. He growled inwardly…there simply wasn't enough time!
"This." He started pulling out his sonic screwdriver, "I don't want to give it away, it comes in handy. The Tardis is mine and Artz's home and a sentient being so that's out of the question and the one thing I love and cherish the most in the whole of time and space is being pulled away to a pyramid floating in orbit around a particularly large sun."
Seeing his worried and frantic eyes, she looked down at her right hand and nervously touched a ring on one of her fingers. She looked up at him, seeing the desperation and fear shimmering in those ancient green pools. He loved his Artz so much…who was she to keep him from saving the one thing he loved most. She glanced down at her ring once more, knowing what her mother would want her to do.
"It's my Mum's." She said softly, looking up at him again.
The Doctor didn't say anything, knowing it was her decision to make. Clara took off her ring and handed it to Dor'een, her eyes filled with determination and resolve. Dor'een sensed the importance of the ring and accepted it as payment for the moped. He kissed the brunette's forehead, silently thanking her for her sacrifice and headed for the moped.
Artimes looked down at the frightened girl in her arms and smiled reassuringly at her as they were being dragged towards the temple.
"Everything will be alright, Merry. Clara and the Doctor are coming. They'll save us." The blonde stated calmly.
"Why did you try to help me? You shouldn't have tried." The girl replied still very scared.
"I know what it's like to be scared and all alone, believing that no one would come…that no one would help. No one deserves to be without hope, Merry, and I didn't want you to feel that way for even a single moment." Artimes answered honestly.
The young singer stared at her with wide eyes before nodding her head and placing her trust in the strange woman. Artimes heard her name being called and she snapped her head in that direction. She saw the Doctor and Clara riding on the moped and speeding towards them.
"Artz! Merry!" Clara shouted holding out her hand to them.
Artimes kept her right arm firmly around the little girl and reached out with her left towards the brunette. Their hands grazed before she and Merry were pulled downwards into the temple, both screaming at the sudden change in speed and direction. Once inside and the door slid close, the force field relinquished and they fell to the floor. They rose to their feet and the blonde kept a firm hold on the younger singer.
"Don't worry, Merry. The Doctor will save us." The blonde reassured her voice holding absolute certainty.
"You really believe in him a lot, don't you?" Merry asked looking up at her.
"Yes, I do. My belief in him is unbreakable, my trust unshakeable, and my faith in him is absolute. He is the Doctor: the champion of the stars, the hero of time, the savior of worlds. He saves people, planets, civilizations, whole races, and entire galaxies. He saved the universe a time or two as well. He is a mad man with a bigger on the inside, blue box that can travel anywhere in time and space and there is nothing that he cannot do. To him, there is no such thing as an impossible fight. He will save us." Artimes answered with great conviction ringing in every word.
Merry continued to stare at the odd blonde woman, her eyes searching the blonde's for an answer to an unspoken question. She must have found it because she nodded, her eyes revealing her faith in the woman.
"Then I believe in him too." She replied boldly.
Artimes beamed at the young singer before glancing at the still singing priest.
"Don't ever wake from slumber. Old God, never wake from slumber." He sang his voice tinged in panic.
Merry tried to move forward but Artimes held her back. The little girl looked up at her in confusion.
"Not a good idea, Merry. Best to stay back." The blonde warned watching the Old God with weary but knowing eyes.
"Why?" She questioned.
"Because your so called God is about to wake up." Artimes answered just as the zombie like creature opened its glowing red eyes.
Merry screamed and clung to the blonde in terror. The girls turned around as the door began to lift open. Artimes smiled widely as the Doctor stood underneath the door, keeping it open with his sonic screwdriver.
"Hello there. I'm the Doctor and you've met Clara and my Artz. They were supposed to be having a nice day out." He rambled turning off the sonic device, "Still, it's early yet."
The door began to close again and he turned his sonic screwdriver back on again. Artimes shook her head at him, amused by his calm and candid behavior.
"Let's skip the song and dance routine, you clot." Artimes interjected dragging him and Clara inside.
The door slammed shut and the brunette looked at her like she had just gone mad.
"Did you just lock us in?" She demanded.
"Nope, this is where we need to be." Artimes answered turning back to Merry, "Trust me?"
The younger singer took her hand and nodded her head vigorously.
"With a monster?" Clara continued glancing towards the glass cage.
"She can be a bit slow sometimes, Merry. Give her a minute to catch up." The blonde commented to the little girl, making her giggle.
The Doctor simply smiled and shook his head fondly.
"Moving right along, what do I need to know, my beautiful and brilliant Artz?" He asked clapping his hands together and rubbing them.
"One: So called soul stealing monster in a glass cage. B, no, Two: the priest is still singing because he honestly doesn't know what to do. Three or C: The soul stealing monster is about to wake up and starting beating on the glass. Four or D or that little ie they use in brackets sometimes: the soul stealing monster is only the tip of the iceberg and is actually a precursor to something much worse." Artimes rambled off, her voice slipping into her version of Ten's monologue effortlessly.
The Doctor moved around them and started talking with the priest. Eventually said priest stopped singing, identified himself, then teleported away. The Doctor used his sonic screwdriver on the so called soul stealing monster and he started to pound on the glass, just like Artimes had said.
"What's it doing?" Clara asked frightened.
Artimes kept Merry close to her and simply stared at the creature blankly, knowing what the Akhaten truly was…an alarm clock for the parasitic, sentient sun. The Doctor walked around the cage, examining both it and the creature thoroughly.
"Oh, you know, having a nice stretch. No, we didn't wake him." He started before pointing to the young singer clinging to the blonde's mid section, "And you didn't wake him either. He's waking because it's time to wake…and feed. On you, apparently. On your stories."
Merry buried her face into the blonde's stomach, trembling profusely.
"Artz didn't say stories, she said souls." Clara pointed out.
"I said 'so called soul stealing monster', Clara. The soul is made of stories, not atoms. Everything that ever happened to us. People we love." Artimes explained glancing towards the Timelord briefly before returning her gaze to the brunette, "People we found again, against all of the odds. He threatens to wake up and they offer him a pure soul, the soul of the Queen of Years, but I'll tell you what else. He's not getting her. He would have to take her over my dead body."
Artimes wrapped her arms around Merry and gave the Doctor a determined look. He nodded his head in understanding, agreeing with what she had said.
"Stop it, you're scaring her." Clara snapped.
"Well of course, she's scared, but I'm not going to lie to her. She deserves to know that that creature is not a god, it's a vampire that feeds on other's stories. Merry is a unique being and there will never be another one like her ever again. There's only one Merry Gejelh and getting rid of that unique and special existence isn't a sacrifice. It's a waste." Artimes replied passionately, her eyes blazing.
The young singer looked up at the woman who so vehemently championed her very right to exist and came to a decision.
"Artz told me about a man capable of doing the impossible like saving worlds and races and people. She said that man was the champion of the stars, the hero of time, and the savior of worlds. She told me about you, Doctor…the mad man with the blue box. She said that you would come…that you would save us and here you are. I don't want to die. I want to live and continue my story. Save me, save everyone. I believe in you, Doctor, like Artz does." The little girl said bravely, looking at the Doctor with courage and determination.
He took the little girl's hand and glanced at his Artz briefly, his eyes filled with admiration and awe. She touched and changed every soul she came in contact with and she didn't even realize that she was doing it in the first place.
"Heads up. We're about to have incoming." Artimes warned as the creature began to crack the glass.
"What's coming?" Clara demanded.
"The Vigil. If the Queen of Years is unwilling to be feasted upon then it's their job to feed her to 'Grandfather'." Artimes explained.
Appearing in front of the dais were the same creatures that had been searching for Merry in the warehouse. The Doctor took out his sonic screwdriver as the Vigil advanced towards them. The Doctor and Clara were both thrown away by the Vigil and walked towards Artimes and Merry. Instead of throwing her away from the young singer, they forced both of them to approach the cage.
The Doctor, with some help from Clara, did something clever with his sonic, forcing the Vigil to create a force field and relinquish their hold on the girls. They ran over to Clara, Merry wrapping her arms around the brunette, while the Doctor advanced on the Vigil with his sonic screwdriver, groaning with effort.
"Merry, the secret song. The one from the tale 'The Thief of the Temple and the Nimmer's Door'. Can you sing it?" Artimes asked hurriedly since Clara seemed a little preoccupied by the Doctor's fight against the Vigil.
The young singer nodded vigorously and began to sing. A side door slid open and the Doctor forced the Vigil to take a few steps back.
"Go!" The Timelord commanded.
Clara and Merry ran for the open door. Artimes moved a bit slower, not wanting to leave the Timelord on his own. The Doctor pushed the Vigil back further and inched his way closer to the door. He didn't even bother to tell Artimes to go, knowing that she would simply refuse and they honestly didn't have time for an argument. Finally, he disengaged the sonic, grabbed the blonde's hand and they ran outside.
Unfortunately, the Vigil did not give up so easily and were approaching them once again. The group heard the creature roar and a golden beam of light shot up out of the pyramid. The Vigil suddenly vanished as the light dissipated.
"Now we're in trouble and before you ask, Clara. Grandfather is awake. The Vigil no longer have a function." Artimes piped up, glancing up at the sun nervously.
"Well, you could sound happier about it." Clara commented moments before they heard a distant explosion.
"I would be if the so called soul stealing vampire monster was actually the Old God, but in actuality, he's not. He's Grandfather's alarm clock and Grandfather is actually a parasitic, sentient sun." Artimes explained in a hurry as the sun in question began to burn brighter, almost expanding.
"Oh my stars. What do we do?" The brunette asked scared.
"Against that? I don't know. Do you know? I don't know. Any ideas?" The Doctor ranted in response.
"Quite a few actually." Artimes stated nonchalantly.
They all looked at her, completely baffled and stunned by her statement. Artimes exhaled loudly in exasperation.
"What would you do without me?" She started before turning to Clara and Merry, "Clara, get Merry back to the amphitheater. Merry, when you get there, I need you to sing. Be brave and sing about Grandfather waking up. Show everyone you're not afraid of him and everyone else will join in."
Artimes turned to the Doctor.
"You and I are going to have a little chat with a living star." The blonde continued in a no nonsense tone.
"That's your big plan; faith, hope, and chit chat!" Clara exclaimed unimpressed.
"Why are you still here? Leg it now!" Artimes ordered rounding on the brunette, her eyes fierce.
"I can help…somehow." She replied weakly, crumbling under the blonde's fiery gaze.
Artimes's eyes softened.
"Not yet, but right now you are holding on to something precious. You need to run, run as fast as you can and don't stop running until you are out from under the shadows." The blonde responded softly, glancing down at Merry.
"Now, off you pop. Take the moped." The Doctor instructed straightening his bow tie, "We'll walk."
The Doctor took the blonde's hand and they entered the temple together, Merry and Clara getting on the moped and leaving.
"Have I mentioned that you're absolutely sexy when you take charge like that?" The Doctor asked sending her a playful wink.
She blushed brightly and coughed into her hand.
"Didn't mean to steal your spotlight, Theta." She replied still blushing.
"Anytime, Artz. I'll gladly share the spotlight with you any day. Now about the great, big fiery ball of doom?" He asked, "What's your plan?"
Artimes frowned when she listened for singing. Why wasn't Merry singing already? They had had more than enough time to get back by now. Perhaps she was too scared and needed a little encouragement.
"Alright, plan A went belly flop, but no matter. Plan B it is then." The blonde commented taking a hesitant step towards the star.
She opened her mouth and began to sing 'The Long Song' from the Doctor Who soundtrack, the very same song that Merry sang in the show. She made her voice project as far as it could go. Her eyes lit up with happiness as she heard Merry's voice take up the lead, followed closely by a chorus of other voices. She stopped singing and turned to the Doctor.
"Tell it a story, your story." She said softly.
The Doctor sauntered up to the edge and pointed towards the other planet with the amphitheater. Artimes stepped back a few steps and let him take center stage.
"Can you hear them? All these people who've lived in terror of you and your judgment? All these people whose ancestors devoted themselves, sacrificed themselves…to you. Can you hear them singing?" The Doctor demanded, "You like to think you're a god, but you're not a god. You're a parasite eaten out with jealously and envy and long for the lives of others. You feed on them. On the memory of love and loss and birth and death and joy and sorrow. So come on then. Take mine, Take my memories, but I hope you've got a big appetite because I've lived a long life and I've seen a few things."
The sun shot tendrils of light at the Doctor, sucking away his life and memories.
"I walked away from the Last Great Time War. I marked the passing of the Timelords. I saw the birth of the universe and I watched as time ran out, moment by moment, until nothing remained. No time, no space, just me. I've walked in universes where the laws of physics were devised by the mind of a mad man. I've watched universes freeze and creations burn. I've seen things you wouldn't believe. I've lost things you'll never understand. I hold the love of the most remarkable and amazing woman in the whole of creation and I love her beyond all words, definitions, and imaginings. I know things, secrets that must never be told. Knowledge that must never be spoken. Knowledge that will make parasite gods blaze." He continued throwing his arms out, "So come on then! Take it! Take it all, baby! Have it! You have it all!"
The sun grew darker as the Doctor looked back at the stunned blonde, his eyes glistening with tears.
"I'm sorry." She whispered as the sun expanded once again.
"It's not enough. Artz, you have to finish it. You've seen just as much as I have. You were there with me, always by my side. Please…save them." He begged.
Tears filled her eyes and began to spill down her cheeks.
"I can't." She replied her voice barely above a whisper.
"Why?" He asked a look of betrayal flashing briefly across his face.
"Because it hasn't happened for me yet. This is the first time I have ever met you." She answered trying not to sob.
His eyes widened and a smile slowly appeared on his face. He pulled her to him and they sank to their knees. He looked deep into her forest green eyes, his eyes holding no sadness, pain, or any of the other things she had expected.
"Hello, I'm the Doctor. It's a pleasure to meet you." He said his eyes warm and soft.
She laughed a little.
"You're not angry with me for not telling you?" She asked as he wiped away her tears.
"No, not at all. You told me that you would try to hide it and keep it a secret so I wouldn't be sad, but Artz, I could never be sad about that. You have so much to look forward to, so many people to meet, so many to save." He answered brushing her cheeks with his thumbs.
"Save? You mean I can change things?" She asked her eyes filling with hope.
"Of course you can. It's called the originator complex. Time is in a permanent state of flux around you, making it possible to change many things. Most of the standard laws of time do not apply to you, but there are some things that even you cannot change, but it certainly doesn't stop you from trying." He answered, "Now tell me, how do we fix this?"
She opened her mouth, but unsure of how to explain it and a little afraid that it might not happen.
"Don't be afraid to tell me. Some things won't happen until you do, others need a jump start to get going, and some can't be avoided." He continued his hands sliding down to her shoulders and rubbing them soothingly.
"Clara. We need Clara." She replied.
"Why? Why do we need Clara?" He asked trying to guide her gently, knowing that she was struggling to find the proper wording.
"Clara blew into this world on a leaf. The leaf is the key." Artimes answered.
He was about to ask for more information when Clara entered the temple carrying her book. The pair looked at the brunette and she took courage from them. She hugged the book to her chest and approached the Old God.
"Still hungry?" She asked opening the book and holding the dried leaf in her palm, "Well, I brought something for you. This. The most important leaf in human history. It's full of stories, full of history and full of a future that never got lived. Days that should have been that never were. Passed on to me."
She held up the leaf.
"This leaf isn't just the past, it's a whole future that never happened. There are billions and millions of unlived days for every day we live, an infinity. All the days that never came and these are all my mum's." She continued as the parasite sun sent tendrils to the leaf and began to absorb it.
The Doctor stood up, bringing Artimes with him. He kept his arms around her as he addressed the parasitic star.
"Well come on then. Eat up. Are you full? I expect so because there's quite a difference, isn't there, between what was and what should have been? There's an awful lot of one, but there's an infinity of the other…and infinity's too much…even for your appetite." The Doctor said confidently.
The leaf disintegrated into nothingness. The trio of time travelers looked at each other. The sun imploded, leaving them in darkness and the Doctor brought his Artz close to him, relishing the moment.
"If the sun is gone, wouldn't that mean that the planets in this system are about to freeze to death?" Artimes asked curiously.
The Doctor and Clara looked at each other in shock, not really thinking about the repercussions of destroying the parasitic star.
"Oops." He replied.
The trio of time travelers raced back to the Tardis, hoping they could save several worlds in under five minutes.
Lady A: There you have it! Chapter 1: The Rings of Akhaten is complete! Yes, I understand that it seems like it is too fast but once you read the next chapter, you'll understand that it is not fast, just very very complicated. Leave tons and tons of reviews and be on the lookout for Chapter 2: The Unearthly Child! Stay tuned!