Take the Exit
Disclaimer: I do not own Psych or Doctor Who, no matter how much I wish I did.
Note: I do skip some parts of the episodes. This is because what would happen here is pretty much what happened in the episode.
Second Note: Dates are confusing so some might be a bit wrong. Like the first one, I'm just assuming it's the same date but in a different planet.
Third Note: Geography is confusing. Where I say the exit is… is probably not where the exit is. Don't take it as fact.
June 28th, 2008, Planet Shan Shen
The Doctor, Shawn and Gus made their way through the crowded alleyway. They couldn't quite believe where they were. It was like China Town, but planet form. Sure, they were basing the entire new planet on the one market place they happened to come across, but that didn't make the place in general any less amazing. The food was great, the people/aliens were interesting, the food was great and the experience was one that both were forever grateful for. Plus, the food was great.
It didn't take too long before the Doctor and Gus found something very interesting that Shawn just didn't quite see the appeal in. So, Shawn decided to give the two a little space so that they could geek out on their own. He instead went to explore the new planet a bit. He was never too worried about getting lost. He had spent five years travelling around America, constantly just wandering around. He had made himself good and navigating an unfamiliar place. Granted, a new planet is nothing like a new state, but the basic principle is the same.
"Tell the future, young man!" a woman suddenly called out. And as soon as the future was mentioned, Shawn's attention was grabbed. What with the whole fake psychic business he had going, anytime anyone – regardless of gender, race or, apparently, species – claimed to be a psychic, or be able to tell the future, Shawn had to see it. Partly to out them as fake, and partly for inspiration for the next time he wanted to fake a psychic vision.
"You can tell the future, huh?" Shawn asked the woman. She nodded, a bit too creepily for Shawn's taste. "You know, maybe I'll pass."
"Don't you want to know? If you'll be happy?"
"I am happy."
"First reading is free. I will tell your future." And the way she kept insisting, the way she was just so confident in her ability… Shawn had to see it.
"Oh, fine," Shawn agreed at last, and followed her into her own tent.
"Sit down," She ordered politely – which Shawn thought was quite an accomplishment, how do you order someone around politely? So Shawn did as told. "Give me your hands." And that he did as well. The woman turned his hands around and she started to trace lines on his hands. "Fascinating. You are very fascinating. But good. I see a man… the most remarkable man."
"Nope, no man," Shawn insisted. "Girls only." The woman ignored him and kept going.
"He's a traveller, like you. How did you meet him?" and the traveller bit got to Shawn a bit. Just a bit.
"You're supposed to tell me," Shawn said, remembering what he was there for.
"I see the future," she said abruptly, her smile for the first time faltering, just for a second, before she put it back on again. "Tell me the past. How did your paths cross?"
"Well, I'm just going to assume you're talking about Doc here, and not some mystery man you think I have a crush on." The woman did not appreciate his joke, so he carried on, "It's kind of complicated. I ended up in his spaceship somehow when I was trying to pay for gas. It's a long story."
"But what lead you to that meeting?"
"Well, all sorts of things. There never one single thing that leads you to a meeting like that." The look the woman gave him told him to try again. "I guess my job. Yeah, if I wasn't working for the SBPD who knows if I would have met the Doctor. It was that silly breaking and entering case at H.C. Clements – "
It was a normal day for Shawn. Absolutely, completely, totally, 100% normal. And that was boring. That was dull. That was unacceptable. Simply unacceptable. It got to the point at which Shawn finally decided… screw it. I'll take the damn case. Shawn had a case offered to him by the SBPD. But it was stupid. It was simple. It was… boring. But fine. If it would mean that he would have something to do on this of all days, then fine.
H.C. Clements. Breaking and entry cases. Boring.
Shawn suddenly zoned back in after taking in a huge gasp. He wasn't sure what happened, but it was like when he would remember a piece of evidence for a particularly hard case.
"Sorry about that…" Shawn said slowly, still unsure of what exactly happened.
"It's the incense" the woman explained quickly. "Just breathe deeply. Now, this job of yours. What choices lead you there?"
"Well, I mean… lots of choices. I guess it was the tip I called in that got me the job… but no, I did that everywhere I went." Shawn thought back, really thought back. He had a near perfect memory, after all. This should be easy for him. Find the one choice that led him to where he is now. "There is one choice… yeah. Moving back to Santa Barbara –"
Shawn walked out of the motel's main office and headed straight for his bike. He was done with this city. Nothing particularly bad had happened to send him on the run, it was just time to move on. He had lived in Tijuana for the past couple months, and he was starting to get bored. Next up, Las Vegas. In all his years of travelling, he hadn't once stopped by the gambling capital of America, and he didn't know why. Probably because he wasn't 21 at the time. Well, now he's 23 and ready.
Shawn hopped onto his bike and hit the open road, hoping to be in Nevada before night fall.
Shawn quickly came back from whatever trip he was on. It was just like the last one, and he was finally starting to get a little worried with what was going on.
"Your life could have gone one way or the other," the woman said. "What made you decide?"
"I just did." Shawn said. He was a little dazed and confused, but he was fairly sure he wanted to get out of there.
"But when was the moment? When did you choose?"
He was on the highway, driving ever so slightly over the speed limit. He really didn't want to waste any more time than necessary on the road, and he certainly didn't want to splurge money on an unnecessary motel room just to spend a single night in. No, he would get to Las Vegas before nightfall. He will get there soon. But that was when he saw it. That was when he saw the sign that changed his life.
Exit for Santa Barbara, 500 meters.
Shawn didn't know why, but when that exit finally came, he didn't even really think about it. He didn't have to. He simply turned on to the exit and, at long last, he went home.
"You took the exit" the woman said as Shawn came to again. "But what if you kept going? What if you went to a new place instead of going home?"
Now Shawn knew it. He had to leave. This was not safe, this was not good. He had to get out of here. "Let go of my hands," Shawn said, knowing that at this moment he didn't not have to energy to rip them away from her and bolt out the door.
"What if it changes?" the woman asked urgently. "What if you keep going? What if… you could still keep going?"
He went home.
He didn't even really think about it.
Shawn didn't know why.
Exit for Santa Barbara, 500 meters.
"Stop it," Shawn insisted. And that was when he felt it. Something on his back. "What is that?" Shawn asked. "What's on my back?"
"Make the choice again, Shawn Spencer, and change your mind. Don't take the exit."
"I'm… I'm…"
"Keep going. Don't take the exit. Keep. Going."
Exit for Santa Barbara, 500 meters.
Exit for Santa Barbara, 300 meters.
"Don't take the exit, and never meet that man."
200 meters.
"Keep going. And change the world!"
100 meters.
'Nah,' Shawn decided at last. He wasn't quite done travelling yet. VEGAS BABY!
December 25th2006
Shawn pulled up his bike in front of the unfamiliar building. It was the first time he was back in Santa Barbara for more than ten years. He had for some reason assumed that Gus would still be living in the same exactly building, in the same exact neighbourhood. Instead, Shawn was lucky that Gus was still in Santa Barbara at all.
Things had really gone well for Gus ever since he graduated from college. He had gotten a job as a pharmaceutical salesman when he had just graduated. Within a couple years, Gus found himself rising up higher and higher in the company. No one was holding him back and there were no distractions, so Gus poured his life and soul into his work. Clearly, it paid off. Shawn never bothered to learn what his actual job title was, but he was high up there, constantly giving orders to those below him who kept messing things up. His life was good
Shawn, on the other hand, enjoyed to live his life the way he lived it. He would go state to state, pick up a few jobs and learn a few new skills. Once he mastered it, he'd move on to the next state, to the next job. That was how he worked. And there was nothing wrong with it. Nothing at all. Shawn wasn't bored in the least with his new life style. Nope, never. Shawn didn't want to find a place to call home, he enjoyed being the free man he is. Yup, that's Shawn for you. The lone… lone wolf. He just figured he'd stop by Santa Barbara for a couple days. Just a couple. He couldn't possibly stay here for any longer than a week.
He got off his bike and brought his helmet with him as he marched up the front steps and knocked on the door. It took a moment, but eventually Gus answered the door. He was well dressed in a suit, a Bluetooth earpiece on as he was having an argument over the phone with someone. Shawn's money was on Haversham. Boy, had Shawn heard stories about him. Gus motioned for Shawn to come in, but didn't offer much else as a greeting to his friend he hadn't seen in years. Shawn raised an eyebrow at his friend, but followed him inside the new house and quietly closed the door behind him. Then, he waited patiently for his friend's phone call to end.
"Shawn!" Gus called. Shawn turned towards his friend. Gus had his arms spread out, ready for a hug. Shawn quickly smiled and went in for the hug. Yes, his best friend was a powerful business man who worked more than he slept, but he was still Gus. He was still his friend. "Where the hell have you been?" Gus asked as they broke apart.
"Oh, around. I just thought I could use a break."
"Use a break?" Gus asked incredulously. "From doing what, exactly?"
"Hey, changing jobs every two to three months can be extremely tiring, I'll have you know. Now come on, I'm only in Santa Barbara for a week, so let's go hit a bar and catch up on each other's lives."
"How about we skip the bar and get some jerk chicken?" Gus suggested.
"You're brilliant," Shawn stated before he headed towards the door. "And you're paying." Gus rolled his eyes but expected nothing less.
Finally the two friends were caught up on each other's lives. Gus had gotten yet another promotion in the time that Shawn had lost contact, and now he has another title for what he does. And no, Shawn does not intend to learn what Gus does this time round. Just as Gus will not even attempt to keep up with the vast amount of jobs that Shawn has had in his lifetime. When it came to their work, they were just two completely different people. They could only shudder to think what it would be like to work together. No… no they simply couldn't do that. They were too different when it came to work.
It was starting to get a bit late, and Shawn had successfully managed to weasel his way into Gus' home for the next week. Which meant only one thing. Shawn didn't have to pay stupid motel bills. Or pay for any of his meals. So, basically, Shawn didn't need to find a job while he was here. Which made this vacation all the more worthwhile for Shawn. He just didn't want to think about what would happen when the week was up and he'd have to leave and go back to his exciting life that he could not get enough of.
"By the way, any idea where my dad has gone?" Shawn asked at last. "Last I heard, he moved back here, but when I checked the address, no one was home."
"You went to visit your dad?" Gus asked shocked. "You… Shawn Spencer, went to visit your dad? Out of your own free will?"
"Haha, very funny, Gus. I'm an adult now, you know. I'm nearly thirty. Maybe it's time to… I don't know, not hate my father for a while."
Truth was, Shawn was just so sick of travelling. He was so sick of everything constantly changing. He was so sick of doing a job and then getting bored. Of learning a skill and quickly mastering it. All Shawn wanted at this point in his life was to have just one constant in his life. And if that constant ended up being monthly visits to his father, then so be it. He just needed something.
"That's really mature of you Shawn. Shame you're not staying for more than a week, though. Your dad's in Miami at the moment, he won't be back until next Thursday."
"Well, alright. I might as well just wait for him to get back then," Shawn said, almost too quickly. Any excuse to stay in Santa Barbara for longer. "What is he doing in Miami anyways? Is the weather not good enough here or something?"
"No, it's not a vacation. Definitely not a vacation. He went to a funeral," Gus explained. "Said a rookie that he was training when he used to work there died in action a week ago. I forget her name… something O'Hare… I don't know, something like that. She was damn young too. A lot of potential, according to your dad."
"Hey Gus, one more question."
"Sure."
"Why do you keep staring at my back?"
Gus' head quickly snapped up to look Shawn properly, his eyes wide in shock as he realised he had been caught. He 'tsked' loudly and tried to brush it off, "Shawn, I have no idea what you're talking about." But before Shawn could even start his retort, Gus' gaze shifted right to Shawn's back again.
"See, there! You're doing it again. What's up with you, man?"
"I don't know," Gus finally admitted. "It's like there's something there that I just can't see."
"Dude, that makes no sense."
And at that moment, a large white object came into view as it started to hover over the city of Santa Barbara. Everyone who happened to be in the street at this point turned to stare at the mysterious flying object as it made its way to the centre. And before anyone had a chance to comment on it, it started to fire lasers around. It hit buildings and cars and streets and people. While everyone ran away from it, Shawn couldn't help but want to get a closer look. To investigate, to find out what in the hell was going on. So he ignored Gus' yells and protests and ran directly towards the flying object.
When he finally found himself in the centre, the object was gone. Instead, he found a military man talking into a walkie talkie. Shawn crouched down and silently walked forward, just as his father had taught him, trying to get a better look at what was happening.
"The evidence say he managed to stop the creature," the military man said. "Some sort of red spider. Blew up the base underneath a water source, he flooded the whole area, over."
'And where is he now? Over,' the voice on the other end asked.
"We found a body, sir, over," the man said sadly.
'Is it him? Over.'
"I think so. Just didn't make it out in time. It must have happened too quickly for him to regenerate. The Doctor is dead."
Shawn watched as they lifted up a stretcher into an ambulance. A stretcher that obviously had a person lying on top of it, underneath the blanket. Whoever was under there must have been who they called the Doctor. Must be some code name or something. It was sad, yes, but things like this happened. So with a frown on his face, Shawn spared a thought for the poor man, before turning to go back to Gus.
As he was walking away, a blonde woman came running at full speed toward the ambulance. She stopped when she saw Shawn.
"What did they find?" she asked him. "Did they someone?"
"Um… they found someone called the Doctor. Something like that."
"Well where is he?"
"They took him away. He's dead." The way the woman looked at him made Shawn wish he had been more delicate with this. A man did just die, after all. Shawn may not know him, but other definitely did. "Sorry, did you know him?" The woman just looked like she was in shock and started to wander around. "They didn't say his name," Shawn tried. "It could have been any doctor."
"I came so far…"
"It could be anyone," Shawn said, immediately trying to comfort this woman. The woman in turn snapped her head towards him.
"What's your name?" she asked.
"Shawn. And yours?"
"Oh I was just… passing by, I shouldn't even be here, this is wrong." The woman's gaze shifted to Shawn's back. "This is wrong. This is… so wrong…" Shawn noticed her shift in gaze, and when he checked himself, there was nothing on his back. "Sorry, what was it? Shawn what?"
"Why do you keep looking at my back?"
"I'm not."
"Yes you are, what is there?" Shawn looked away from the woman for just a second, just to check his back, just to look behind him. When he looked back at the woman, though, to get answers, she was gone.
July 6th, 2007
It was a late night. Shawn had ended up staying in Santa Barbara for a lot longer than he had intended, and now there was tension. He had been staying at Gus' house the whole time and never once thought to get a job. Now Gus has had enough and pretty much kicked Shawn out. He told Shawn to go talk to his father or get a job. Now, Shawn didn't fully blame him for snapping. He had asked to stay for a week and ended up staying for seven months. Plus Gus had been watching the news and heard of a very stressing event involving a hospital being taken to the moon. Now he was convinced that aliens actually existed. Add to the fact that Gus' new promotion meant working twice as much as he used to gave you one very stressed out Gus.
So Shawn left. He figured Gus would apologise eventually, or he would. At this point in his life, Shawn simply refused to lose anyone. He didn't have much to begin with. He couldn't lose anymore. Granted, he should have gone to his father's house as soon as he heard he was back. But it was just so terrifying. Shawn could never work up the courage to finally knock on his father's door. They had ended on such bad terms and Shawn just wasn't sure he could deal with that.
This left Shawn wandering around the streets, bag hanging loosely off his shoulder. His bike was still parked outside Gus' house. He'd get that later. For now, he just wanted to wander around aimlessly. And that was when a bright light shined in an alleyway. Then, a woman ran out, quickly forcing herself into a stop when she realised where she was.
"Are you alright?" Shawn asked, now doing a light jog to catch up with the confused girl.
"Yeah. I'm fine. I don't know what happened, I was just walking." And when the woman looked up, Shawn recognized her immediately.
"You're that girl. From Christmas."
"Oh yeah. You're Shawn, right?" and her gaze shifted, and Shawn noticed.
"You're doing it again. Why do you keep staring at my back? Why does everyone keep staring at my back?!" Shawn demanded. The woman looked shocked.
"People look at your back?"
"Yeah! Just like you are now!"
"What kind of people?"
"I don't know, just people. I'm walking down the street and I see people just staring. I get home, look in a mirror, and nothing's there! Gus looks at me like I'm crazy when I keep checking my back, and then later on in the day, he starts to stare! Why?"
The woman stared at Shawn sympathetically but didn't answer his question. instead, she said, "What are your plans this Christmas?"
Shawn blanked. Christmas? It was the middle of summer and she was asking about Christmas?
"What?"
"Christmas. Any plans?"
"No. I don't even know what my plans for tomorrow are."
"I think you should get out. You and your family, just stay out of California. Get a trip to some place else."
"Why?" the woman shrugged.
"For a bit of fun."
"I can't afford that."
"Yeah you can. You picked up a lottery ticket the other day but haven't checked it yet."
"How did you know that?"
"Use the money. Get out, Shawn Spencer."
Shawn took a couple steps towards the woman until he was only inches away. "Stay away from me," he said quietly and threateningly. The woman looked completely unaffected. So Shawn walked away. Maybe it was time to see his dad again.
December 10th, 2007
Shawn knocked on his father's door. There were no words in the world to describe how great it was to see something familiar. Something that felt like home. And while he wished he didn't feel that way about his father's house, his own childhood house, it is what it is. This was home for him. Shawn wanted nothing more than to be home again. So yeah, maybe this wasn't such a bad idea after all.
After a couple seconds, his father finally opened the door. As Henry Spencer recognized the man standing in front of him, all he could do was stare. This was certainly not what he expected to find when he opened the door. His own son that he hadn't seen in twelve years.
Shawn simply smiled up at him. he had a lot to make up for, he knew it. This was just the start. He would eventually make up for everything and maybe, just maybe, no promises, he could rebuild a relationship with his dad.
"Hi, dad," Shawn said.
"Shawn," Henry greeted cautiously.
"Look, I know I owe you a lot. I messed up a lot, I know so… look, I found myself in possession of a week trip to a nice place in New York. From the 23rd to the 2nd of January. I've heard New Years is amazing there. It's not much, but I think you need a break from things, considering what your last Christmas was like."
"How do you know about that?" Shawn just shrugged. He then pulled out ticket which showed everything you needed. Plane ticket, hotel reservation… everything.
"Look, it's all paid for. Everything. I know it's not much, but you need a vacation. And I feel like I kind of owe you. So there. Go with me and Gus, or go on your own. I'll understand either way. Just please… get away for this week."
"Shawn… are you feeling alright?"
"Yeah. Fine. Just fine."
December 25th, 2007
Shawn and Gus were sharing a room in a nice hotel in New York. It had taken a lot of insistence, but finally Gus agreed to this vacation. Shawn called it his way of paying Gus back. His father ended up going as well. He called several times a week to make sure Shawn was actually fine like he said he was and asking if this ticket wasn't some kind of prank that would end up with him arrested. After Shawn assured him multiple times that everything was alright and yes, that ticket is legit, Henry agreed to coming as well.
In all honesty, Shawn wasn't entirely sure why he checked his lottery ticket when he got home that night. He wasn't entirely sure why he took that woman's advice and got the hell out of there. He wasn't entirely sure why he was so insistent that the only two people he cared about were there with him. All he knew was that why take the chance? Mysterious woman who happens to know a lot about you asks you to take a trip? Must be for the greater good.
"Shawn, please tell me where you hid my phone," Gus whined out.
"Gus, it is seven in the morning" Shawn responded. "Go back to bed."
"It's not seven, it's ten. You haven't changed your watch time yet. We're in New York now, so it's ten."
"Yes, but my brain says it's seven."
"Shawn, I need my phone," Gus insisted. "I have to check up on work."
"Gus, don't be Peter Panic. You already told everyone at work that you were taking a week off. They all know you're gone for a well-deserved vacation. It's not a vacation if you continue to work, now is it." Gus tsked loudly but sat down at the foot of Shawn's bed.
There was then a loud knock on their door.
"Get that, will you?" Shaw asked as he turned over in his bed.
"Get it yourself, you lazy ass," Gus said before he harshly shoved Shawn out of the bed.
From the floor, Shawn grumbled out a, "Coming!" before pushing himself back up and dragging one foot after the other to the front door. When he opened it, he was very surprised to see his father standing there.
"Dad?"
"Finally!" Henry exclaimed, pushing past Shawn and into their room. "It took forever to find out which room you two were staying in." Henry made a beeline for their TV and the remote. "Have you seen the news?" and without even waiting for an answer, Henry changed the channel and put on CNN. The three of them watched in absolute horror as live footage of a Titanic replica crashed into Earth. More specifically, Los Angeles, California. Even other cities, including Santa Barbara, were hit with aftershocks of the crash. Millions died. And the three of them in that room should have been there. They should have died along with them. But here they were, alive and well on the other side of the country. And all because of a mysterious woman's warning.
"They're all dead…" Gus whispered. "Everyone we knew… dead."
April 18th, 2008
It had taken weeks, maybe even months, for the three of them to settle into a new place. Their homes were completely ruined. Almost all of California was polluted with radiation. The entire state needed to be evacuated, including the three of them. Gus' job was lost. All his hard work, all his effort… wasted. Everyone was dead. Those lucky few that happened to be away at the time of the crash were all fighting for a new place to live. A new place to call home. Shawn was always used to moving around, but leaving his home state for the second and last time hurt. And that was what brought them here, in rainy, gloomy Seattle. They were evacuated.
Shawn and Gus both got jobs, desperately trying to find a source of income. Henry even got himself a job. Yes, Henry stayed with them. They had to. They weren't just going to let him get evacuated on his own. He needed family. So yes, tensions were frequently high in their little home in Seattle, but it worked. For the most part.
And now, even more people were dying. Millions and millions of people were dissolving into fat. That fat then started to walk around as if it were a life of its own. Meanwhile, Gus is just staring out his window, claiming he knew all along aliens existed. And Shawn just had to wonder… what in the hell caused all this? His life used to be so normal. And now spaceships and beaming walking fat up on board. What was going on?!
April 30th, 2009
It took a while. It took a very long while. But things were starting to feel alright again. People were starting to smile again, and more and more work was becoming available. Yes, it was still crowded as hell. Yes, California was still a mess. Yes, the weather was absolutely dreadful almost every day. But things were getting better. And in a way, Shawn was happy. He was with family. And it was then that he realised what he was missing in all his years of travel. He was missing family.
Henry, Shawn and Gus were all sitting, watching TV to see what monstrosity would happen today, just as they did every day, when they heard it. There were gunshots, right outside their door. They all exchanged a glance before the three of them quickly made their way to the windows. That was when they saw military men shooting at cars.
"He's going to get us all killed," Henry remarked before walking towards the door. Shawn and Gus quickly followed. "What in the hell are you doing?" Henry asked, and more neighbours started to walk out of their houses.
"It's the ATMOS system. We got it from England. It's giving off some sort of gas and it won't stop. It's toxic," the military man explained.
"Well then turn of the system," Gus said simply.
"I have. It still won't stop." Shawn and Gus exchanged an odd look.
The military man suddenly noticed Shawn. He barely even hesitated before he lifted up his gun and pointed it right at him. Henry and Gus immediately stood in the way, shocked at what they were seeing. Neighbours started to come closer to understand what was going on.
"Sir, turn around!" the military man yelled at Shawn.
"What in the hell are you doing?! That's my son!" Henry yelled.
"Put down the gun, man!" Gus defended.
"Turn around! Show me your back!"
Shawn was so shocked and very confused, but quickly did as told. He turned around. And just like everyone knew it, there was nothing on his back. The military man put down his go and apologised quietly. And Henry was not happy.
"You call yourself a soldier?" Henry hissed at him in a voice Shawn knew all too well.
There was a flash of white light a couple blocks down that Shawn just happened to notice. Instead of paying attention to his dad's lecture to the soldier, he decided to investigate, much to the surprise and annoyance of Gus. Shawn walked towards the light and saw exactly who he knew he'd see. It was the woman. The blonde woman. It was always her, and right now, she had all the answers that he needed.
"Hello," Shawn greeted her.
"Hi," she responded.
"You have a lot of explaining to do."
And so she told him. She told him about the Doctor, about how none of this was meant to happen. She told him about Torchwood and what they're doing to help. She told him that things were only going to get worst. She told him about how she was pulled from a different universe because they were all ending. It was all ending. The darkness was coming and everything was ending.
"Why tell me all of this?" Shawn asked at last. "What am I supposed to do?"
"You saved the Doctor. You're important –"
"Oh, please. Don't start with that, okay? I've had over a hundred jobs in my life, and I never kept one. How am I supposed to save anything if I can't even hold down a job? I can't do anything, alright? My relationship with my family sucks. I haven't spoken to my mother in years, there was a twelve year gap before I even tried to communicate with my father, and even now after two years of living together our relationship is rocky at best. My only friend is constantly being held back by me, okay? I'm just useless. You shouldn't be telling me all this! What could I possibly do?"
"Shawn Spencer, you are the most important man in the universe."
"Don't. Don't you start. I'm not important."
"I need you to come with me," the woman said suddenly and urgently. Shawn shook his head.
"I don't really think now's the time, to be honest." The woman smiled a bit at that. "No thanks. I don't know who you think I am, but I can't help you. I'm sorry."
"I give it three weeks."
"What?"
"Three weeks. Then you'll come with me." Shawn blinked twice in confusion. "You'll only come on your own free will, and that will be in three weeks. And I'm sorry, I'm really sorry, but once you come with me… you're going to die."
"What?"
But Shawn never got an answer. Right before his very eyes, the woman disappeared.
May 21st, 2009
After the day they had today, everyone just wanted to go to sleep and wake up in a different year where everything would be better again. America is for the Americans, they said. The sent foreigners to 'labour camps'. That's what they called it last time. Right before their eyes, it was happening again. All over again. Things were just getting worst and worst, and there was not a damned thing anyone could do about it. After a day like that, everyone just wanted to close their eyes and pretend everything was alright. And that was what happened, at least for the three of them.
They all climbed up onto the roof of the house and stared up at the sky. They just wanted to be alone from the neighbourhood. They just wanted to close their eyes and be consumed in all their thoughts. But when Shawn finally opened his eyes again and stared up at the night sky, he saw something he couldn't ignore. At first he thought he was imagining it. He must have been imagining it. But… he wasn't. The stars were going out. How does that even happen? How do the stars go out?
The darkness was coming.
"I have to go…" Shawn muttered to his father and friend. He didn't wait for a reply. He climbed down to the window and squeezed back into his house. From the corner of his eye he saw the woman and he knew what he had to do. "I'm ready."
Shawn went with the woman. And in turn, she showed him everything. she showed him the TARDIS and she explained what it was. She told him more about the Doctor and more about what happened. And finally, she showed Shawn what had been on his back the whole time. Needless to say, when he first saw it, it creeped him out. And if anyone asks, he did not let out a girlish screech that made three soldiers laugh. Because that didn't happen. The woman explained more about how this was never meant to happen, and she explained the creature on his back. It fed off time and could change time, change courses people take. In Shawn's case, it made him avoid an exit when he should have taken it. He wouldn't remember. In all his years of travelling, how many exits had he skipped? But she knew which exit. And she knew how to get that creature off his back. So for Shawn, it was time to time travel.
"On May the 17th, in the year 2000, you were on your motorbike on a highway heading towards Nevada. At exactly 6:38, you saw an exit sign for Santa Barbara. That creature on your back made you skip the exit instead of taking it. You need to go back in time and take that exit, do you understand, Shawn? It is the single most important thing you have to remember. You have to take that exit at 6:38 PM," The woman explained quickly. Shawn just stared at her confused, but nodded along with her.
So Shawn stepped back into the circle of mirrors, which the woman gave a very long and complicated explanation just to say it was a time machine. It would take him to the point he needed to go to. So Shawn put on a brave face and braced himself as they powered up the machine.
"Wait, one question," Shawn said. "How do I make sure I take the exit?"
"That's up to you," the woman responded.
"Great. That's what I need to hear." The woman laughed.
"Good luck. 6:38PM."
"I'm ready," Shawn said, more to himself. "I get it now, by the way," he called out. "When you said I would die. You meant this version of me would die. And I'm completely fine with that. If there's another version of me, one that is actually important and makes a difference , then yeah. They can live. That's what you mean, isn't it? that this version of me dies. No me completely, just this version of me because this whole world just stops to exist. The new world takes its place, and I live. If I change things, I don't die… right? That's… that's right… isn't it?"
"I'm sorry."
May 17th, 2000. 6:35PM
Shawn suddenly found himself standing in the highway. A lot of honking of cars later and Shawn running in between traffic found Shawn right at the edge of the highway. And there it was, just within his field of view, the exit for Santa Barbara. All he had to do was make sure that the past him took that exit. And that was the real problem now. How in the hell was he supposed to convince himself to take an exit to go back home?
He looked on past the exit, what could he see? And now he had to laugh. Because it was just too perfect. All of it was just too perfect. So he ran as fast as he could. It was 6:35PM. He needed run past that exit. He needed to stop the traffic. He needed to close down the highway. And he knew exactly how. So he ran with all his might, as fast as he possibly could. He reached the exit, and then he kept on running past it. Finally, he reached it. The most beautiful thing he had ever seen, and now he was going to destroy it. In the distance just past the exit was a fruit vendor, selling nothing but pineapples. It was just too perfect. He pushed the vendor aside, grabbed his fruit cart, and without caring about any of the drivers or that poor fruit vendors money, he ran with the cart into traffic.
And in all honesty, he didn't mean to get hit. He had timed it so that he would just get past the car that was speeding past. He didn't intend to get hit, but that car randomly and expectantly switched lanes. Shawn was hit, and he had never been in more pain. The cart fell over and more pineapples than he had ever seen, or ever thought could fit into that cart spilled out. Cars in all three lanes of the highway slammed on their brakes to stop from driving into this disaster. The car that hit him had stopped long ago, and the driver was now getting out of his car. But Shawn didn't focus on that.
His clock read 6:38PM. It was time. In the distance he saw a motorbike approach the traffic jam. He whizzed past all the cars that were stuck in place only to be greeted by a pineapple mess in the highway. The biker turned his bike around, and for twenty meters drove against traffic, just to get back to that exit. Shawn knew exactly what the past him was thinking. Crushed pineapples on the highway plus an accident and a traffic jam. Definitely a bad omen.
Shawn lay on the ground, in more pain than he could ever dream of, but a smile on his face. He did it. He took the exit.
In his last conscious moments, Shawn saw the woman approach him. He tried to focus. If it was the last thing he did, he had to focus.
"Tell him this," She said. "Two words." She bent down and whispered in his ear. And then, Shawn died.
June 28th, 2008, Planet Shan Shen
Shawn gasped loudly and found himself back in the fortune tellers tent. He felt the creature fall off his own back and so he stood up quickly to look at it. That terrible creature that had horrified him so much was now gone. Shawn didn't need to worry about that any more. He looked back at the fortune teller, who was crouched down in the far corner of the room, staring at him.
"You are so strong," she said, with fear clear in her voice. "What are you?" she asked at last, before making a fast getaway.
"Shawn?" he heard. Shawn turned around to see the Doctor and Gus standing at the entrance. The Doctor! Oh, God, the Doctor is alive! And Gus! His Gus! Not that stupid boss of his whole company Gus that takes the fun out of everything! Shawn just broke out into a run and wrapped one arm around the Doctor and one arm around Gus. They in turn were very shocked, but eventually returned the hug and even added several pats on the back.
Now that he was finally reunited with the people he cared about, and now that he could take comfort in the fact that everything was the way it should be, Shawn could tell the Doctor everything. and he did. Shawn's near perfect memory did come in handy from time to time. He, the Doctor and Gus were then able to speculate on everything, on the parallel universe created around him, on the fact that in the entire universe, the Doctor met Shawn twice.
"It's like something's binding us together," The Doctor said happily. Gus cleared his throat. "Yes, you too, Gus," The Doctor assured him. Shawn laughed at his friend, but shook his head, remembering exactly how he felt in his parallel world.
"Please, Doc. Nothing as serious as that. I'm nothing special. And don't worry, Gus, I haven't forgotten you. You're nothing special either."
"Tsk!" was Gus' intellectual retort.
"Now stop it, both of you," The Doctor said, as if he were dealing with children. "You're both brilliant."
And Shawn remembered something. Something he couldn't believe he forgot in the first place.
"She said that," Shawn whispered.
"Who said that?"
"That woman… she said a lot of things. She said the stars were going out."
"That world is gone now, Shawn."
"No, she said it was in all worlds. Every single one. She said the darkness is coming, even here."
"Who was she?"
"I don't know."
"What did she look like?"
"I don't… blonde. She was blonde."
"What was her name?" Now the Doctor was really interested. He needed to know.
"I don't know –"
"Shawn… what was her name?"
"I don't know. Wait… she told me to warn you. She told me to tell you two words."
"Two words. What were they? What did she say?"
"Bad Wolf."
"We need to go," The Doctor said. "We need to go now!"
The Doctor sprung to his feet and ran out the tent. Shawn and Gus looked at each other for exactly one second before they too sprung to their feet and ran after the Doctor. And when they stepped outside, they could see it everywhere. Every single surface that had words said it. Bad Wolf. The warning was everywhere. They couldn't get away from it. The three of them burst through the TARDIS doors and saw that a red light lit up the entire room. A warning red.
"Doctor, what is it?" Gus asked. "What's Bad Wolf?"
"It's the end of the universe."
Author's Note:
Please take the pineapples as a joke... it is a joke, just to not take it too seriously
So I suck. It's extra long though to make up for the extra lateness. Sound good?
Little heads up, next chapter will be the last chapter. I'm afraid I've lost a lot of inspiration for this Fic idea. To be honest, I was never planning on doing the End of Time until someone asked me if I was. So now I'm no longer going to do it. It's going to end with the next chapter, I'm afraid. I'll try to take less than a month to update, but no promises. Especially for this one. I really need to plan out the next chapter.
Please review!