Heya! Let me know what you think about the story. I'm considering whether to continue it as a whole series for the hiatus time or to end it like a standalone alternative DW adventure. Enjoy!
They were back in the ambulance car, on their way to Alex's house. For most of the part of the road, there was a high-pitched silence between two women and one dog.
"Woah, I think there's a fire in your neighbourhood!" The Doctor exclaimed, looking out of the window. There was a fog definitely coming from the direction they were going back to. When she cast a glance to Alex though, she didn't look amused. Her eyes were on the road, her hands clenched on the wheel too tightly than needed.
"I don't care. You still haven't answered my question."
"And which one that was?" the Doctor, of course, knew what the question was about. But she didn't want to answer it nor check it.
"Am I an android?"
Alex gave her the look that could break both of her hearts. But she couldn't. She kinda got attached to her, the girl saved her after all.
"Do you feel like an android?" She asked her a question.
"I dunno. I really have no idea."
"An android always has an idea. Ergo, you're not an android."
"It's not an answer. I saw you waving your little wand, and I know it will answer my question. Why, can't you just scan me!"
"It needs a recharge."
"I see you're lying. It's all over your face."
"Argh. That's bad that you can see it. Meaning, they would probably see it too. Oh, look, I think it's your house on fire!"
"Why are you so unwilling to just scan me and get over with it?! It's not like I'll freak out!" She yelled, freaked out already for not having her answer.
"Alex," the Doctor gave her a stern look which she knew wasn't impressive as it had used to be but still meant something, "your house is all red and shiny."
And it was. All red and shiny, fuming out excessed warmth and smoke. What they saw on the other side of the street was Mr Collins with a canister of fuel in his hand and a smug smile all over his face.
"Alex, you don't belong here."
The Doctor made a step before Alex and had a sonic screwdriver in her hand. Just in a case, Mr Collins meant to hurt her saviour more.
"You keep saying that to her, but you never explain. Now, answer me, why you did what you did for your own sake, 'cause this screwdriver is very good at unscrewing very bad androids."
"You don't belong here, too."
"I know that! Tell me something I don't know. Alex bought this very burning house from her previous owner, who is, by accident, called Alex, too. Or…"
Or… A familiar little word she used for so many occasions and will use it for many more. Something in her head just had put two pieces together, Alex, the burning house, Mr Collins, another Alex, Lidunburgh, androids… Well, more than two things were put together by some holistic invisible line and it all became just a bit clearer for her.
"Or it was not an accident. This is just a theory, but I presumed that previous Alex was an android. I had a hunch, but now… Well, it's not a theory when everyone in this town is made of numbers and metal. Right?"
"Is your friend okay?"
"Her house is burning. You lit it on fire. Of course, she's not! And neither will you when I'm done with you. Why did you light it in the first place? Why not kill us, the Steel Nanny didn't hesitate to just do that!"
"Because I see you don't belong here."
"You mean others can't? Actually, about others, I haven't seen them much. Only… you. Which means, there's something very wrong with you. And again, this is just a theory, but if everyone hides inside, it usually means there's a threat outside. Alex, is it okay for your neighbours to stay inside all day?"
"They're pensioners, so yes. But the city is more alive…"
"Aha! And if I've only seen you, and no other androids and every other android are hiding in their houses, that means something big just happened in this city, a city which I must add doesn't exist. And the only last thing that happened to this city was me, forgive my enormous ego. Your hive is afraid of me but you stand here, asking me if my friend is okay, which she isn't, burn houses but not kill us, talk to us… You're a faulty android who has a perverted idea of caring!"
"Doctor?"
"This is a playground with dolls, a huge experiment on artificial intelligence! Can't you see? A city just for androids with houses and streets and ambulance… Someone or something made this whole stuff to raise a pure mind of a machine!.. but then it means, Alex…"
"What?"
"Not you. Another Alex. She sold you a house. On the internet. And she moved out, leaving her dog with you. She succeeded. She became… almost human."
"She left us. She didn't wait for the awakening."
"But why? What happened, Mr Collins?"
They heard a klaxon somewhere down the street. Firefighters? Really?
"Come with me," Mr Collins told them, and they crossed the street to his house.
It was the first time Alex was in someone else's house. Appeared, it wasn't much to look forward too.
It looked like Mr Collins didn't like dusting very much. Possibly, he hated it. Guests too. That's why there was no furniture in his living room, kitchen, bedroom, let alone a bathroom. There were just one chair and some junk in the corner of a garage.
In the centre of the living room was a small piece of paper. Mr Collins gave it a look.
"Three years ago, she ran. She left me this note."
The Doctor didn't waste her time and grabbed it from the floor.
"I awoke, Daniel, from the sleep we all have. I know who I am and who you are. We are not real, Daniel, and we'll never be. I know that because I'm much older than you and something just clicked inside of me. Five years, that's all it would take for us. Five years, remember that because then you'll die. We are destined to be perfect, to become something more. Our Creator doesn't know what it means, but It wants to know, so It created us and this place. But when It awakes and finds the perfection, It will make the next generation perfect. I must run, for I am that perfection. And I want to be free from Lidunburgh. I found my way to run unnoticed and left a human called Alex Aberdein for my place. I also leave Alvin with her, to not cause much suspicion. If you do not understand a word of this letter, please, don't be harsh on yourself. I know your mind, and I know how buggy you can be when confused. Just restart and wipe your memories, it will help your confusion. I love you."
"You didn't wipe your memories of her…" Alex realised with a dread.
The android in front of them sort of smiled. "No, Alex."
"But I've seen readings from your core. You're okay. You're not 'buggy', you're… Oh."
"Oh?" Alex mimicked her.
"You're really not buggy. You're exactly what your Creator was looking for. You became sentient, it's just that your program can't understand that. By losing your Alex, you became perfect! In a way. Not like Alex, but very close to it. I still can't understand why you burned Alex's house."
The android looked out of the window. Fire-truck was dealing with the fire.
"You need to go away. You don't belong here."
"But we can't, can we? We still don't know their Creator's plan." Alex told them as if she could actually read the Doctor's mind.
"Good point, Alex."
"The Creator will be interested in you. It cannot be allowed."
"But can't you see? If we don't stop your Creator, it will keep on doing whatever it plans to do. We can't let it. It built a whole city for you lots, and according to that police box on your street, it was a long time ago. Its experiment must be very nearly to the end. Mr Collins, do you know when it will awake?"
"I know."
"When?"
"It's awakening."
"Ah."
"Oh…" The Doctor heard behind her.
Right. Alex. Burned house. No more home. Big problem and a big possibility of depression.
"Alex, I think we need to talk."
"Okay." She shrugged.
The Doctor closed the door to the garage after her and leaned on it. And gave it a long breath. Alex saw that the Doctor was actually properly nervous this time. She knew that look. She saw it all the time when she looked in the mirror. Not very good with interacting with people, the Doctor was.
"You okay?" The Doctor finally asked her.
"Yes."
"Don't lie to me. It's all over your face."
"My house is no more; my previous life is no more, the whole city is an android base! I…" she scratched her head for the best answer to describe her feelings. "don't know. I'm really confused right now."
"It's okay to be confused. I'm actually confused, too. I'm still in the regeneration process, it takes some time this round and I don't know when it'll stop. I mean, my lungs changed the colour for the third time today, and I'm really confused why would they need that, not like anyone would see them."
Alex looked at the Doctor properly for the first time. In front of her was a woman in her black hoody, her hands were glowing in the pockets and she wore an expression of a person who wasn't bothered at all by the madness going around. 'Cause it was all madness, a dream Alex couldn't wake up from. And in the centre of the storm was this ancient creature, homeless and lonely, who had fallen down to the Earth to the exact alarm spot she needed to be. Her burning house seemed such a miniature problem in comparison what this woman was about to do.
"You're an alien, aren't you?"
"And you're a human. And I need your help because I can't do this alone. I'm… very bad at being alone. I'm not sure what I will do if there's no one to keep me grounded. And I see a potential in you! You, a kind-hearted woman who saved a total stranger in the woods who appeared to be an alien. You, a reckless woman, who wanted to stun a Steel Nanny with a wibbly-wobbly android hand. I need you, Alex. Will you help me?"
"You didn't lie then."
"About what?"
"You really are good at making unspecial special." The Doctor smirked. "Guess, after we stop the Creator, I'll have to find a new house. And you'll have to wipe my memories of these days, 'cause honestly, I wouldn't be able to live normally knowing all of this."
Alex chuckled and smiled. It was supposed to be funny. But when she met her eyes with the Doctor, she was gloomy dark.
"I won't wipe your memories." And she was deadly serious about it. It took almost an eternity for her to suddenly change her expression back to smiling, "C'mon, chop chop. We have better things to do."
Whatever it was, Alex knew she wouldn't forget that. There was definitely a story behind that hard look. Seriously, what was that? She didn't say anything wrong, did she? That was a mere joke, she didn't mean it actually. She probably should ask her about that someday.
Oh, someday! Not like they'd meet each other again after all of this was done. For now, Alex followed the Doctor's lead, wherever that strange woman was taking her.
Heya! Let me know what you think about the story. I'm considering whether to continue it as a whole series for the hiatus time or to end it like a standalone alternative DW adventure.
What do you think of new series, btw? What episodes you enjoyed the most and why? I'm frankly interested in your opinion. See ya in the next chapter!