The One You Love Most
So here's Chapter 9. I must effuse again about my beautiful TARDIS that I made. It is beautiful. And it's also 3D, pasted to a black piece of construction paper, with yellow stars and at the top the word, "ALLONS-Y" and at the bottom, "ALONSO!". It's wonderful, I'm very excited, as you can tell.
At once, an image rose unbidden in the Doctor's mind, of a pretty blonde girl staring at him in utter bewilderment, standing in the basement of a no longer standing department store. But how could Spud have known…?
"Captain Harkness, why don't you come out now," said Spud, "Hiding is so unbecoming."
Jack emerged from behind a huge piece of rusting machinery near the wall, gun raised. His eyes met the Doctor's and he gave a small nod. Martha was safe. He continued until he was standing equidistance from the Doctor and Spud so that they formed a triangle. Jack kept the gun leveled at Spud's head.
"Jack, put it away," said the Doctor evenly.
Jack sighed impatiently, but holstered the gun. "What do you want?"
Spud kept his eyes on the Doctor. "You know what I want, and if you don't give it to me…" faster than the Doctor could follow, Spud's arm shout out and grabbed Jack around the neck, pulling him in front, using him as a human shield, "I'll kill the person you love."
The Doctor's eyes narrowed in confusion. "I-what!."
"Oh, don't play coy with me, I saw you on the street," said Spud. "I know love when I see it." His eyes flicked to Jack now, who blushed ever so slightly, but the Doctor was still gaping at Spud. He opened his mouth, frowning, and then shut it again.
Finally, "Right…so, if I don't give you the TARDIS…you'll kill Jack."
"I'll kill your one true love, Doctor. You might want to think twice about any of the schemes running through your Time Lord brain, because I am not playing."
"Um…okay. Well, I still won't give you your toes back."
"So be it." In another lightning quick movement, Spud twisted Jack's head all the way around, snapping his neck, and dropped him to the ground. There was a quiet squeak from behind the machinery.
"Oh, Martha…" Spud sang, moving away from Jack's body, toward the drilling tool. "Come out, come o-out." Half a second later, Martha was in Spud's grip. "Doctor."
"Spud, you don't need to do this," said the Doctor. "I gave you a good life. You can remake the Potay race. You are the last of your kind."
"You can't inspire me, Doctor," said Spud. "I lived that life, for thirty years. That's how long it took to make my own vortex manipulator, to come back and avenge myself on you for sending me there!"
"Spud, I-"
"You sent me to a plan torn apart by war!" cried Spud. "All that was left was death and destruction and pain. You told me to live a good life, Doctor! How? I will never escape death, but now," he smiled darkly, "now I will become it. Tomorrow my toes will kill thousands, but tonight…" his grip tightened around Martha's neck.
"Spud, please," said the Doctor softly.
"You don't get to plead. Tonight-" BANG!
Martha screamed as blood splattered all over her and Spud dropped away, revealing Jack, holding a smoking gun.
"Why did you do that!" the Doctor shouted furiously.
"Or, 'thank you for saving dear Martha,' as people used to say," said Jack.
"You murdered the last living Potay! You destroyed a race!"
"I saved Martha's life!" Jack shouted back. "I did what I had to do!"
"You never have to kill. Ever." The Doctor's voice was no longer raised. It was low and soft, and even angrier than before. "We don't get to end lives."
"Coming from you," said Jack. "Was it true what Spud said about you? How many have you killed, Doctor?"
"Stop it!" cried Martha. "Stop it both of you!" She stamped her foot, and both men turned to look at her, taken aback. She attempted a smile. "We just saved the potato festival and thousands of people. Can't we celebrate? Get a milk shake or something?"
At long last, the Doctor smiled at her and said, "Good old Martha Jones. Always with the answers. Alright then. Allons-y." He started towards the door.
"But-" said Martha, remaining still. "What about…him." She gestured to Spud."
"Leave him," said the Doctor grimly. "He'll disintegrate in a couple of hours."
"Pleasant fellow," Jack muttered as he followed the Doctor and Martha into the tunnel.
"You should be glad it wasn't a Tomay."
The end.
